Review: Great Storytelling Transcends Genre
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 30, 2014
SEA OF LOVE is book 7 of Melissa Foster's Love in Bloom series (book 4 of The Bradens sub-series), and it is my favorite so far. The story revolves around marine biologist and shark enthusiast Dane Braden and Lacy Snow, a publicist who specializes in helping non-profits gain exposure and support. The pair met at a family wedding three books back. Now we learn that they've been in touch via email and Skype for months. They finally meet in person again on Cape Cod at the wedding of Dane's older brother. Both of them are as anxious as they are excited. Each has a reason to worry. Dane fears his promiscuous past will come back to haunt him, and Lacy worries that her shark phobia will sink their burgeoning relationship.Two factors make SEA OF LOVE a standout in an ocean of contemporary romance novels. First, Dane and Lacy are both fully rounded characters with sturdy back stories and believable quirks. Foster arranges for us to know them first as individuals and then as "hero" and "heroine."  Not only do both characters change over the course of the book, the alteration is halting and uneven, just the way real people might experience personal transformation.The second factor contributing to the books success is Foster's ability to set her scenes. Her Cape Cod is so well drawn, I could smell the briny aroma and feel the warm sand between my toes. The chapters on Dane's boat were also completely realistic with enough sensory detail to bring them to life without slowing down the pace or interrupting the narrative. The careful selection of detail also helped build tension in the shark-related sections. I shared both Dane's fascination with these creature, and Lacy's dread as she faced her biggest fear.As for the sensual sizzle that Foster's books have become known for...The erotic scenes left me blushing for sure, but they didn't overwhelm the story.An all-around great read.