Review: Wonderful small-town story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2013
For anyone who has ever questioned whether it is better to just play it safe and do what everyone else expects of you, or to take risks and make yourself happy, this story is for you. Marietta, Montana is like any typical small town, everybody knows everybody and nothing stays secret for more than a couple of minutes.I really found Chelsea's character likable. She grew up in Marietta her whole life and never dreamed of leaving. She is a history teacher at the local school and dresses extremely conservatively. She spends her time volunteering and trying to keep her sometimes obsessive mother happy and do whatever it takes to keep the town gossip from being about her.Then when a stranger, Jasper, moves into the old depot that Chelsea's mother, and therefore Chelsea, wanted to turn into a museum to honor their family heritage, her world gets turned upside down. She is determined to convince Jasper that the depot should be a museum, rather than the microbrewery he was planning on using the building for.Jasper was also a very likable character. I wasn't sure how he would come across considering he is filthy rich and handsome. But he seemed happy to have finally found someone, Chelsea, who wasn't after him for his money. In fact, she wasn't after him at all. But he is the type of person who doesn't really care what other people think about him. But yet he doesn't take that strong self-image and let it go to his head.The story played out was wonderfully. The way Chelsea struggles with the ingrained small town mentality of trying to avoid gossip and balancing that with the feelings Jasper stirs inside of her and the dynamic with her mother was great. I really enjoyed how the love scenes were hot without being obscene, just the right amount of spice.I loved this book and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the Copper Mountain Rodeo novellas.I was given an early copy of this novella by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.