Review: Sweet story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 12, 2013
By Proxy was a very sweet, likeable contemporary romance by Katy Regnery and is the firsst in her Heart of Montana series. Jenny Lindstom is the sweet, small town girl standing in as a proxy for her cousin Ingrid who is marrying Kristian. Kristian's proxy is his big town savy cousin Sam Kelley. The two get off to a rough start which in turn results in the unlikely pair spending a weekend together in Montana. The characters have chemistry together and develop significant feelings for each other during their short weekend together.What I loved about the book was the wonderful imagery created in Regnery's description of Montana and moreso, a small Montana town during Christmas. My only critique is that Sam's reflection on the way he has spent his last few years, casts an unfair light on the way a big city like Chicago has Christmas. Growing up near Chicago, I personally have wonderful Christmas memories, even if they are different then the small town-type Christmas celebrations, which seem great in this book.Sam made for a great hero in this book and I really liked him. My favorite moments come when he is struggling with what he wants, while living in Chicago. It was all very real and I seemed to connect more with his emotions then I did Jenny's. Jenny was of good character and I loved her attempts to connect with her mom. That Norwegian saying literally brings me to tears. For me though, Jenny was just a little too innocent and too inexperienced and at times it was a little frustrating in the story. Her father and his interactions in helping Jenny to follow her heart were endearing.Jenny's brothers make for some fun moments and the book and it seems the series will continue with Erik's story. I'm surprised as I was certain the next book would have been Nil's. Regardless, if you are looking for a sweet series set amongst a Montana backdrop and some older-time values, you will enjoy By Proxy.Thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.