Review: Ugly Ducklings Finish First: Light, Fast, and Fun Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 5, 2013
* Original Review posted on Gin's Book Notes (ginsbooknotes .com)The story is told from two characters points of views. Payton Pruit, a young doctor, who returns to her hometown of Bitterhorn, Texas for her ten year high school reunion to prove to all her past tormentors that she is no longer the victim that she once was and Wiley Sharpe, past high school jock and ultimate playboy turned local family law attorney.There were times when Payton got on my nerves and I was like, "Get over it already" but then I would remember that she graduated when she was fifteen years old and all those insecurities of not fitting in were still haunting her. She grows a lot during the story, puts some of her demons to rest, and realizes that she has had a lot of misconceptions about her past and the people she has tried to leave behind.Wiley is adorable, smart, and persistent. In high school he was the playboy jock who had to be tutored by a then thirteen year old Payton in order to pass his senior year. He remembers the past in a completely different way than Payton does and is determined to make her see things his way.In the midst of all the reconnecting and healing there is a mystery to be solved and a bad guy to catch. I don't want to give any of the story away but some of my favorite parts were during the times that Wiley and Payton where trying to gather evidence. One of the characters, old Mrs. Bimmel, was hilarious!I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fast and fun contemporary romance with a side of drama thrown in. I had a great time reading it and look forward to reading future books by Stacy Gail featuring Bitterhorn, Texas.