Review: Delightful Debut
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2014
Overall a strong debut for an up and coming author.For me its important to consider the genre when reading so you can judge the story accordingly.  I'd put this in a family/mystery focused category, and when put there it really works for me.  It fills it out nicely and offers exactly what I would expect, and want, from that category- love, heart, determination, intrigue, humor, a touch of sadness.  So well done!Emma's Home, in one word, is sweet.  Its sweet from start to finish, from the bottom all the way to the tippy top.  Heart-warming, gentle, much like a warm summer breeze.  Emma is strong and determined, Jake protective and kind.  Compelling character traits to be sure.  Their relationship gets a running start and develops quickly, but given their ages and maturity levels- they know who they are and what they want- it doesn't feel like an insta-love situation.  Sometimes we get so caught up in angst and drama that we forget that love can happen smooth and calm.  That doesn't make it a lie, or fake in any way, and I think the writing reflects that- why break what isn't broken, their relationship is steady and ready to get stronger.  Plus, you know, there are lots of passionate scenes, love and lust, so the spice is defintitely there.So, the question is what drives the plot?  Where does the story come in if it isn't about over-coming these crazy impossible romantic obstacles?  The first half of the book sets up Emma's position in town, meeting the people that will color her life, falling in love, the settling portion if you will.  She hasn't lived her life purely for her in a long time and this is her chance to do that; to make a real home for the first time since the death of her mother and sister.  Jake is trying to do the same thing- balance his life while caring for his ailing mother.  The second half is where it really takes off IMO. It is hinted at and mentioned here and there about drug issues in town and the possibility that kids are involved, and now we get to see the ball rolling.  The mystery aspect really takes precedence, so that we can start to involve ourselves and try to catch the trick before it is revealed.  Where the first half has you feeling, this is more thinking, and for me that was more intriguing.  By the end I DID want to know exaclty what was going on, wanted to figure it out, even though the beginning was, at times, a little slow for me, as we are asked to feel for these characters KNOWING they have had struggles, but not ever FEELING what those struggles were- the consequences of them and the pain they caused.  But by the second half you know them better, and I think that allows you to get more attached and involved.My only real compunction, tiny and a personal taste thing more than anything, about how this plays out is that there was not a lot of character growth for me.  I'm not saying that people need to fundamentally change, but relationships, life choices, change us, even if it makes us even stronger, and I didn't get that.  They start and end at the same level- which I can't really complain about considering they don't have major character flaws that need addressing.  One would hope by your 30s you would have it all together, so in that respect this story is very true-to-life; and lets be honest, sometimes you do not want a book where the characters are plagued by their incredibly tragic pasts and making bad choices because of it- that can be super emotionally draining.  All in all the characters are really mature and settled, ready for commitment and brave enough to be up front about that, which is why I consider this a family oriented read- they have lived for family, care so deeply for them, and are now ready to start their own, together.This story is driven by emotion- wanting to have a life for yourself after living so long for someone else.  Emma is really trying to find a place where she can be just Emma, and Jake is wanting the same thing.  They find hope and love within each other, a place not only to call home, but one that they are deeply in love with; a place they choose, rather than life choosing it for them.  If you want to kick back, relax, and just let life happen for a while, this is a great book to settle down with.  A heart-warming and easy read- in an oh so good way!  It's all about love, and who doesn't want some of that?