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A review by jonetta
Defending Hearts by Shannon Stacey
3.0
Originally posted on The Book Nympho
Photojournalist Alex Murphy returns to Stewart Mills following his trip there for the football fundraiser. He plans to do a piece on the team and rents a room from Gretchen Walker and her grandmother at their farm. Gretchen and Gram need some extra money and he needs a longer-term place to stay.
What I enjoyed about the story was Alex's introspection about his life and career, examining what was really important and where he was heading. I also appreciated Gretchen's dedication to her grandmother and the farm. Her reality was enlightening and I admired her independence and skills.
What didn't work so well for me was the romance. While I thought Alex and Gretchen had chemistry, most of the focus was on why Gretchen couldn't get involved with Alex because he was her tenant. The reasoning just felt too contrived, an excuse for conflict that was just annoying. It didn't fit the character and I quickly tired of her musings about it.
While the narrator was competent, it often sounded like she was reading the story and not prepared for the connection of the sentences to the paragraph. Her voice was also fairly monotone, making a story that I was struggling with even more of a challenge.
I liked the story, didn't love it. The conflict was just too flimsy and didn't ring true. What saved the story for me was the strength of the two characters. I liked them better when they were dealing with their personal issues rather than the romance. I'm hoping the next story offers a more interesting story premise. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
Photojournalist Alex Murphy returns to Stewart Mills following his trip there for the football fundraiser. He plans to do a piece on the team and rents a room from Gretchen Walker and her grandmother at their farm. Gretchen and Gram need some extra money and he needs a longer-term place to stay.
What I enjoyed about the story was Alex's introspection about his life and career, examining what was really important and where he was heading. I also appreciated Gretchen's dedication to her grandmother and the farm. Her reality was enlightening and I admired her independence and skills.
What didn't work so well for me was the romance. While I thought Alex and Gretchen had chemistry, most of the focus was on why Gretchen couldn't get involved with Alex because he was her tenant. The reasoning just felt too contrived, an excuse for conflict that was just annoying. It didn't fit the character and I quickly tired of her musings about it.
While the narrator was competent, it often sounded like she was reading the story and not prepared for the connection of the sentences to the paragraph. Her voice was also fairly monotone, making a story that I was struggling with even more of a challenge.
I liked the story, didn't love it. The conflict was just too flimsy and didn't ring true. What saved the story for me was the strength of the two characters. I liked them better when they were dealing with their personal issues rather than the romance. I'm hoping the next story offers a more interesting story premise. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)