Worth Reading, but Nowhere Near as Good as the Authors' Historical Novels
Written: Jul 24 '01 (Updated Aug 09 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Mary Jo Putney finally writes a contemporary and does a good, but not great job
Cons: Too contrived, rather bizarre behavior from main characters
The Bottom Line: Recommended with reservations - I rated this book average only because of MJP's great writing style, not the story itself.
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| mariel9898's Full Review: |
This review has actually been hard for me to write. I love Mary Jo Putney’s books; she is on my "autobuy" list. I’ve read everything she’s ever written, and I’ve even paid quite a lot for her older books in online auctions. When this came out, I bought it automatically, although I generally don’t read contemporary romances. The book just lay there until I finally was looking for something different and decided to try it. There are few authors that write as well as Mary Jo Putney. The story, however, lacks much. Having read so much by this author, I kept getting the impression that she wanted to write on the topic at hand, but somehow couldn’t get a historical out of it so she tried her hand at a contemporary. When I read a romance, I want to be able to think "I would fall in love with a man like that" and usually this author succeeds in creating that feeling. In this book, she falls way short of that. I could not see any real reason why the heroine would get back together with the hero after all that had transpired between them. You aren’t really shown how and why these two fell in love; it’s just chalked up to destiny and chemistry, love at first sight, and unfortunately, this rarely works for me except in science fiction/fantasy type settings.
The back blurb on the book is very misleading, as it makes it seem more like a mystery/suspense rather than a romance. Although the author seemed to have done her research very well and takes us into the heart of a demolition/implosion business, this is at heart a romance, the story of two people and their relationship.
The only thing Kate Corsi every wanted to be was a demolition expert like her father. Unfortunately, her father refuses to let her work for the family business, Phoenix Demolition insisting that it’s a mans job and the business will go to her brother who couldn’t care less about it. At the start of the book, Kate comes back to her hometown of Baltimore for her father’s funeral - he died in a demolition accident - after having run away nearly ten years ago. No one but her ex-husband Patrick Donovan and two other people know why Kate left her husband and essentially her life behind. Unfortunately, neither does the reader for nearly 90 pages, though it’s sort of hinted at. It’s kind of obvious why her brother is also estranged from the family, although it’s not revealed for sure until the middle of the book.
After getting married at only 18, Kate left Donovan three years into the marriage because he physically abused her. However, since she never told her parents, she got to start her life over again across the country while abuser ex-husband stays in her parents good graces, so much so that when Sam Corsi dies, he leaves his business to Donovan. There is a catch - Kate and Donovan must live together—in their original house no less—for one year. If they meet this condition, Donovan gets PDI, Kate and her brother get a small fortune. Amazingly enough, they both agree to this.
The basic premise of the book is about forgiveness, redemption, and regaining of love and trust. There is the subplot about weird accidents happening in the business, and the concept that maybe Sam’s death wasn’t an accident, but this seemed contrived. This novel is most definitely character driven rather than plot driven.
These are the major problems that I had with this novel:
1. I found it strange that Kate never told her parents or her friends (except one) why she left Donovan. The author tries to chalk it up to WASP tendencies, but it just doesn’t wash. At the same time, her parents make no effort to find out what happened. How many people do you know outside of Jerry Springer guests who would essentially abandon their own children for the ex without knowing the full story? When Kate’s mother finally finds out what happens, her reaction is essentially "oh, I see". How many mothers would react that way when they find that their only daughter was abused?
2. I couldn’t help thinking that Kate got what she deserved for being dumb enough to marry a man a) so soon after she met him; b) when they were both so young, and; c) knowing nothing important about him. If she had gotten to know him perhaps she would have seen that he had major problems and she wouldn’t have married him. And how many parents in this day and age would rejoice when their 18 year old daughter decides to marry a man she hardly knows?
3. One character that permeates this story is dead. It’s Kate’s father. Everyone thinks he is so wonderful, but I didn’t buy it. I thought he was sexist, homophobic, uncommunicative, and generally not a nice guy. Instead of sitting down with his kids and having a heart to heart, he instead tries to control people while he is beyond the grave.
4. The conversations between the main characters is often like two therapists talking to each other. The language is too formal with too much pshycospeak.
5. My biggest problem is this - if I was in that position, I could never have taken someone like Donovan back, especially within the time frame of this book - all the present action takes place within a two month period! His personality just didn’t change enough. Donovan is still a man on the edge, with quite a temper. I just could not trust him not to snap at some point and revert to his old ways. In a relationship, trust and love go hand in hand, and love is not enough. Yes, people can change. I personally know of two people in similar situations who did change and who went on to have happy marriages. But here, the change was not obvious or apparent enough.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mariel9898
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Reviews written: 10
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