Review: lovely tradional and sensual romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 14, 2013
The House on Persimmon Road. Jackie WegerARC supplied by author.The fourth I've read from Jackie and another fabulous romance. A great stand alone novel, as are all the ones I've currently read from her. After the endless romances where readers have to wait months/years for a conclusion, getting left with those awful, horrible, hated cliffhangers it's such a treat to read a good story, and feel satisfied at the ending, instead of incredibly frustrated. I do like many of the current duo/trilogies but feel they are beginning to dominate the romance genre and that's a shame.Anyway, this book we meet mum Justine and her family, mum and mum in law and the two children,  Lottie, a ghost haunting the house they're leasing, and sexy neighbour tucker and his dad. Jackie's characters are always so well described I feel I know them. Justine, in her thirties (hurrah - another older lady, its not just teens that look for romance) is trying to have a new start after her husband divorced her to become a monk! Money is tight, the kids are unsettled by the changes to their lives, and she has mum and mum-in-law to deal with too. They bicker worse than the kids. Then there's sexy neighbour Tucker also in his thirties, his dad is another great character, and after an accident involving fire he lives in a home during the week, and with Tucker on weekends. Its a typical family mix that could be found on many streets, and a change from the perpetual millionaires/innocent young ladies, bad boy MMAs and high school/college romances that seem to be controlling the genre at the moment. There's a place for them of course, and I've read some cracking ones, but many of us want people we can personally identify with.I felt for Justine, she  was so caring even with the bickering older ladies, and trying to do her best for everybody. I think what she wanted for herself was getting lost in the needs of all the other people depending on her. Tucker was just perfect, typical (in my imagination  anyway ) southern gentleman, he was attracted to her right from the start, but didn't want to involve himself with a ready made family, especially ones so full of drama. Yet somehow without him realising they all wormed their way into his heart and home. He then had the tough job of convincing Justine she could rely on him, that he'd be a help and support to her, not just abandon her like her husband did. That he wanted more than just sex from her, he wanted to be part of the family, to love her and be loved if only she could let herself go and let him in.There's a one step forward two steps back feel about their romance, its hot and sensual but not graphically, its the magic way with words that authors such as Jackie have that create heat and eroticism without needing to be graphic in every scene. Oh - and heart shaped ones? They made me wonder how they worked too!!Once again a real romance, a story to get engrossed in and feel you're there , over -looking the people, laughing (and I did - lots) and crying with them. A great mix of people and emotions to make a perfect romance once again.Stars: yes - five of course :)