Review: Classical contemporary romance and happily recommended
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2012
I don't read a lot of contemporary romance, mainly because I'm not a big fan of paranormal, alpha males, or lust at first sight. There's nothing wrong with a sex scene, I suppose, but I'm more interested in what characters do for the *other* 23 hours and 55 minutes of the day. And that makes me a new fan of Nell Dixon, because that's what she writes about--interesting, fully developed characters going through normal lives and finding love in unexpected ways and moments. For me, that's romance.Making Waves is a novella with a great premise. *SPOILER ALERT* When Cassidy's fiance dumps her a week before the wedding and runs off with another woman, a friend offers Cassidy a beachside cottage for a getaway. But the friend forgets the cottage has already been loaned out that weekend--to another friend, Cassidy's boss Joshua. She has nowhere to go and he's determined to get his vacation time in, his first for 18 months, so they must make the best of the situation. When Cassidy realizes she enjoys Josh's company out of the office, she must think through her feelings about her wedding-that's-gone. And Josh must tread softly, knowing she's on the rebound and hurting because of it. Through fighting and making peace, hiking across the moor and attending a surfer's party, Cassidy and Josh work out their feelings and start making waves. *END SPOILER ALERT*Author Dixon has a neat, efficient, straightforward way with words. Her characters are likeable through their flaws, she doesn't ignore the setting, she's good with character chemistry, and her plots aren't simply thrown together but actually lead somewhere. All in all, this was a relaxing, enjoyable read, without graphic sex or language, happily recommended. I'm glad she's got more novellas out and she's a prolific author.