Review: A Fair of the Heart
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 28, 2012
If you follow my blog or my activity on Goodreads, you may have noticed I reviewed book two of the Welcome to Redemption series before reviewing book one. Somehow I managed to read the books in reverse. Normally the review order wouldn't concern me but this case is an exception. You see, book two reveals the climactic scenes in A Fair of the Heart. Having read the books in reverse, I am left questioning how much of my enjoyment was curtailed by this disclosure.To Rogers' credit, I really like the premise here. I married a man with a child and while I don't necessarily seek out these books, I enjoy and appreciate writers who tackle the challenges of relationships where children of previous relationships are present. A lot of people can relate to Caleb and Lauren's situation which lends not only a realistic quality to the story but a human one as well.On the other hand, the timeline didn't make a lot of sense. Running into a relationship is one thing; running in with kids is another matter entirely. A Fair of the Heart takes place over a period of days. To my mind this is far too short a time to commit to such a complicated relationship. I have similar trouble buying into Max's transformation from ten year old delinquent to model child over the same period. Here again, the amount of time didn't seem appropriate for the course of events.One final note before I wrap up. It takes a certain level of skill to depict intimacy on paper. Some authors hint at it but ultimately imply more than they depict. Some opt for more detailed descriptions and venture into the realm of erotic lit. Some even go all out, issuing forth what can only be described as pornography. Rogers doesn't belong to any of these groups. Her scenes are carefully crafted, well-illustrated and tasteful. Well played madam, well played.Sweet story with a few issues but not too bad. Language left something to be desired but I'm willing to overlook that. Seriously considered abandoning the series after reading book two but am on the fence after reading A Fair of the Heart.