Review: Snazzy!  Ridley House is the Cat's Meow
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 30, 2013
A cold, dreary weekend always makes me want to curl up on the couch with a cup of Earl Grey and a good mystery. If there's a bit of history and humor thrown in, so much the better. Ridley House, the new book by Willa Jemhart, (author of the Garnet Trilogy), was just the ticket.The characters were vividly portrayed, especially the protagonist, nineteen year old Kay, whose odd quirks and anachronistic phrases give the reader just enough hint that she's a fish out of water. Kay has no memory of the first nineteen years of her life, but she is irresistably drawn toward the country inn, Ridley House, at which she's taken a summer job. In short order, Kay learns that her past is intricately linked to the Ridleys and begins a journey of discovery that leads her to Josh--a guy who stirs up some passionate memories and makes her want a deeper relationship. That, however, is going to be tough to accomplish -- whenever Josh comes near, Kay inexplicably shies away from anything more intimate than holding hands. It's not that she doesn't want to kiss him--she just can't. As with most romances, I was pretty sure where the story was going to end up, but there are some unexpected twists and turns along the way that kept me entertained.Although not specifically aimed at the young adult audience, this would be an excellent book for YA readers. There are splashes of information about the 1930s, but the history never overwhelms the mystery and Kay's romantic roadblocks keep the story PG.