More Than Friends by Denise Hunter Audiobook Review

About the Book:

Jenna Greene just ended things with her boyfriend . . . which also ended her career. (That's the risk a girl takes when her boyfriend doubles as her boss.) With no income and no job prospects in sight, Jenna is forced to return to her mother's house on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to figure out what's next. And the timing couldn't be more perfect. Jenna's widowed mother has just returned from a cruise--with a brand-new boyfriend in tow. But there's something off about the guy. His story doesn't quite add up, and he keeps sneaking off to make suspicious phone calls and borrowing money from her too-trusting mother.

In search of some investigative help, Jenna turns to her childhood BFF, Tyson Parker, who lives and works in town. Still reeling from his wife's infidelity, Tyson is doing his best to heal from the pain of divorce. He's made a name for himself on the island as a volunteer firefighter and one of the much-admired saltwater cowboys who looks after Chincoteague's wild ponies. Oh, and he turned out to be more than a tiny bit attractive--besides being almost-too-good-to-be-true sweet and caring.

Growing up, the uber-competitive Jenna was always accepted as one of the guys. But things have changed between her and Tyson, and he's now looking at her through new eyes. Jenna suddenly feels like a leading lady on a movie set--only with way less composure.

But Jenna also has old wounds that make these new feelings seem fraught with peril. Is she willing to open her heart and see where love might lead? Or will she let her hesitant heart hold her back?

My Review:

Hunter has given readers a good romance featuring friendship to romance on a rocky road. Jenna has the huge obstacle of Tyson being a volunteer fireman. Having lost her fireman father to an untimely death, she has to face her fears. There is a subplot of Jenna trying to save her mother from a possible predatory romance. It was interesting to see the two romances compared as they developed.

The most interesting part of the book for me was the location of the island and the wild ponies that live there. The book is informative about their care and also being a huge tourist attraction. That aspect of the romance added an interesting layer to the overall story.

I usually do not read Christian romance and I was surprised when listening to this one that there was quite an emphasis on the physical aspect of potential romance. The genre has come a long ways from Grace Livingston Hill.

This is a good Christian romance with informative setting information. The audio was pleasant to listen to.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 40 books, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies. When Denise isn't orchestrating love on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, playing drums, and reading as much as humanly possible. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband have raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

Thomas Nelson, 9 hours, 1 minute.

I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)