Review: Strong, likable characters
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 14, 2013
Kate is very much a small town girl.  Having lived her whole life in Corkscrew Bay, she now runs the local paper and loves everything about the quaint community in which she’s so firmly rooted.  So when an enigmatic and clearly wealthy man purchases a local landmark, Darrock Castle, her curiosity is piqued.  The fact that he closes it to the public, doesn’t participate in any community events, and has helicopters flying in at all hours makes him all the more interesting.Alexander appreciates his privacy, and the beautiful castle gives him all the privacy he needs, along with the perfect setting in which to work on his compositions.  The only problem is that nosy reporter at the local paper who has announced his name to the whole town and is probably trying to dig up even more information to publicize.  She may be attractive, but she’s exactly the kind of scrutiny he’s been trying to avoid.But...I didn’t feel like I was completely connected to the characters. While the plot and their relationship progressed, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat waiting for them to take the next step. As much as I liked them, I didn’t feel like I completely understood them, and I just didn’t get as into it as I had hoped.It also quickly became apparent that I was reading the second book in a series. While the main story can certainly stand on its own, there were sprinklings of other characters who clearly meant a lot to Kate but weren’t fully introduced to me as a new reader.TheVerdict...Kate and Alexander have an intense attraction, and while they’re not quick about spelling out their growing feelings for each other, there’s no denying there’s something big happening between them.  I loved the way Alexander wasn’t afraid to call Kate’s bluff, but I loved it even more when she played right along.  Most stories like this make the characters absolutely weak for each other, but it was a nice surprise to find that these two were not only a perfect match for each other but also perfect adversaries when they wanted to be.  The scene in which Alexander first called and got Kate on the phone had me laughing and thinking I would probably have acted the exact same way!While the book didn’t blow me away like I’d hoped, I still enjoyed it very much, and I’d have no problem recommending it to others to check out. I’m tempted to go back and start at the beginning of the series, to see if perhaps by starting with the rest of the cast I might be more invested when I give this one a second read.  It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found something great the second time around.