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A review by aimee70807
Welcome to Paradise by Rosalind James
5.0
Anyone who knows me will understand why I almost didn't pick up this book --- reality TV. The only worse thing than reading about it would be having to sit in front of a television during an episode.
But the author manages to turn a shallow, back-biting part of our culture into an uplifting, plot- and character-filled romp. I could barely take the time away from the characters' chicken-killing contest to butcher my own ducks.
It's true that the historical setting (homesteading in 1855) did endear the TV show to me. And most of the homesteading elements rang true (although those must have been some bomb-proof horses, and I also think that the characters would have shown their stress on chicken-killing day differently, probably by taking a long time to get the birds killed).
But it was really the characters who made the story shine. Of course, the protagonists were a joy, but I also enjoyed the character who was added for the primary purpose of helping anti-reality-TV folks like me appreciate the plot points. I liked that there was plenty of drama, despite the fact that every character except one was basically a good guy. And I really enjoyed how this was basically an Agatha-Christie-style whodunit, but with voting characters off the show in the place of a murder.
Overall, I pretty much loved everything about this book. If you like romance novels, it's highly recommended. (And free at the moment.)
But the author manages to turn a shallow, back-biting part of our culture into an uplifting, plot- and character-filled romp. I could barely take the time away from the characters' chicken-killing contest to butcher my own ducks.
It's true that the historical setting (homesteading in 1855) did endear the TV show to me. And most of the homesteading elements rang true (although those must have been some bomb-proof horses, and I also think that the characters would have shown their stress on chicken-killing day differently, probably by taking a long time to get the birds killed).
But it was really the characters who made the story shine. Of course, the protagonists were a joy, but I also enjoyed the character who was added for the primary purpose of helping anti-reality-TV folks like me appreciate the plot points. I liked that there was plenty of drama, despite the fact that every character except one was basically a good guy. And I really enjoyed how this was basically an Agatha-Christie-style whodunit, but with voting characters off the show in the place of a murder.
Overall, I pretty much loved everything about this book. If you like romance novels, it's highly recommended. (And free at the moment.)