Review: Author Packs a Lot into this Short Novel
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2013
The author packs a lot into this short novel. At the outset of the story, Danielle has texted her deceased husband's brother to ask for help. She has inherited the broken-down family farm and can't manage it by herself. When Hale arrives, we get some backstory about the summer they spent together (the summer Hale fell in love with Danielle) and the big fire that resulted in Hale being rejected by his family and Danielle marrying his brother.Then comes Hale's proposition, which Danielle has no choice but to accept. Given her history, she has a long way to go to trust Hale, and the unfolding story events show what kind of man Hale is (very different from her husband).Guilt is an overarching theme in these characters' lives, and since I often write characters wrestling with feelings of guilt, this was compelling to me. I liked the exploration of family dynamics (not a light and sunny topic), and I liked the slow build-up of attraction and sensuality (I'm not a huge fan of instantaneous attraction).There is a twist at the end that really made this story spark (which I won't give away here). And frankly, I was relieved that the author chose to make this a shorter novel rather than stretch out the guilt, lies and misunderstandings. It was the perfect length.