Review: Ivy took the words right out of my mouth!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 27, 2013
Ivy Entwined reminds me of a Hallmark movie.  The small town of Celebration, NY reminds me of Stars Hollow and who didn't want to live in Stars Hollow?Ivy Callahan is returns to her hometown after her father suffers a heart attack and wins the special election to replace him as mayor of Celebration.  She now has to help rebuild a town that has been crippled by the economy and it's biggest employer shutting down.Enter Marcus Weaver.  He lit out of town as soon as possible and is now back to fulfill the promise he made to himself when he was younger to build his own MegaMart.  He's determined to overcome trailer park/alcoholic mother upbring and prove he's successful.Ivy and Marcus work together and at the same time against each other to get what they want.  She's determined to revitalize the downtown area and bring Celebration back to its glory all while dodging the advances of her former ex-fiancee, who just happens to be the town planner.  Marcus presents her a way to fund her project if she backs his MegaMart, which Ivy knows will suck the life out of the downtown she wants to rebuild.What I likedThe conflict between Marcus and Ivy wasn't one that's usually seen.  Both of their ideas would bring jobs and money to an area that needed it but their motives were at odds and were willing to go around the other to succeed.  The dialog between the characters made me laugh out loud at times.  Dialog can make or break a book for me and I liked every bit of the characters interaction. There were several instances where I've heard Ivy's words come out of my mouth and it brings me right into the story.What I lovedThe chemistry between Marcus and Ivy was intense.  Working together in close quarters brought back Ivy's teenage crush on Marcus back to life.  But Ivy wasn't the shy girl anymore; she is now Marcus' equal and then some.  She felt the flutters and the heat but didn't let it compromise her decisions as Mayor.I also loved the secondary cast of characters.  From the hilarious town council to Ivy's self-proclaimed queen of gossip Gramma, each person brought something special to the story and many reminded me of people I knew in real life.What I didn't likeAlthough I understood his purpose, at times I wanted to strangle Preston.  Ivy had her reasons for hiring her ex-fiancee as the town planner but he was inept as they come.  I loved the way Ivy stood up to Marcus and didn't let his charm sway her but at the same time she put up with way too much of Preston's intrusions.  Preston reminded me of a toddler who thinks that if he annoys his parents enough that they will give him what he wants just to shut him up.  Don't call me anymore tonight means just that- don't call me!Ivy Entwined is a sweet story with several twists and surprises that will keep you turning the pages.  It's a great blend of humor and suspense that shows great promise for the author.