I
liked so much about this novel, where do I begin? The characters were
extremely well crafted. The dialog was snappy. The setting piqued my
interest. The plot was well designed. That Isaac is a gifted
wordsmith was evident throughout the novel.
I
really liked the way Isaac set up the characters and pitted them
against each other. Allie is a tour guide in New Zealand. Granted, it
is an upscale tour company but that does not do justice to her PhD
from Cambridge. A degree she was putting to use as a happily married
university lecturer – until her husband's first wife, the wife he
was still married to, came in during a lecture and caused a fuss.
She's off men right now, weary from the two year legal battle to have
that disgusting marriage annulled.
Pitted
against Allie is Jackson. He's visiting with his great-uncle, a
Tolkien buff. He's hoping to butter up his relative so he'll invest
in Jackson's new endeavor. That way he'll be able to pay the
investors who lost money in his previous business, the one that went
bankrupt when his girlfriend stole his business secrets. Not only is
Jackson off women right now, he is sure Allie, “a snarky
tour guide with a fake degree,” is not even worth a look.
With
the wonderful way the characters are set against each other, the
novel is off to a great start. The snappy dialog between Allie and
Jackson is entertaining. Isaac shows her skill in filling in the
necessary back story of both characters as the plot progresses. The
idea of a three week upscale tour is a wonderful setting for all
kinds of adventures in New Zealand, from boating to orienteering. And
Isaac's prose is delightful. For example, opening eyes become “gray
orbs appearing underneath sparse eyelashes.”
Besides
being very entertaining, the novel gives us some issues to think
about. One is regarding occupations, as tour guides are often seen as
inferior by others. But my favorite is that of parental expectations.
Allie's mother had quite high expectations for her daughter – ones
that just did not fit Allie's personality. And Jackson suffered from
expectations he thought his parents had of him when, in fact, they had
none.
I
highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy a well crafted
Christian romance. The characters, plot development, setting, all of
it is superb. It would be an added plus to be a Tolkien fan as there
is much about his works in this novel. This debut novel is very good and I
look forward to more from Isaac.
My
rating: 5/5 stars.
Kara
Isaac is an award winning writer, pastor's wife, mom of two
preschoolers, and public servant. She lives with her family in
Wellington, New Zealand. You can find out more at www.karaisaac.com.
Howard
Books, 384 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of an independent and honest review.
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