What a man!
Written: Apr 02 '02 (Updated Apr 04 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A hero with just enough gruff to be appealing, great family characters.
Cons: I want more. Luckily, there's another book.
The Bottom Line: A tidy package that doesn't feel trite or forced. It's nice to read one of these once in a while.
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| spalmero's Full Review: About That Man Books |
Once in a while, I read a romance novel with a hero who is genuinely appealing. Who has that certain combination of gruff and charm that's just right. Someone who's real, not too good, not too bad, but the sort of man who really wouldn't be a bad choice for an introduction to Mom.
Walker Ames is just such a man.
Walker Ames is a Washington D.C detective, and a good one at that. He's devoted to his job, but maybe a little too devoted, at least according to his ex-wife. She cited that devotion as one of the main reasons that he was a poor father and husband in their divorce. Deep down, however, he's still a family man. When he gets a call from Trinity Harbor, Virginia, say that his little sister has died and left behind a son, it's inevitable that he'll go.
Walker is the sort of gruff-but-trustworthy cop that makes up the majority of good television police dramas have. He's a flawed character. This is not a perfect man, nor is he a saint by any stretch of the imagination. He does have a failed marriage, he has two sons that the reader doesn't meet until late in the book, and still, he's a genuinely good guy. The sort that you can root for and wish good things for. He's real.
Tommy, the nephew, is in the care of Daisy Spencer. Daisy is the daughter of King Spencer, one of Trinity Harbor's reigning dignitaries, or so he thinks. Her brother Bobby owns and cooks at the local restaurant and owns the marina.
Brother Tucker is the town sheriff. Trinity Harbor is very much her home. And Daisy, who can't have children of her own, has taken Tommy under her wing and wants to keep him there. She's strong-willed and free with her opinions. She's a schoolteacher, so she has a reputation to think about, but for once in her life, she's willing to put that rep on the line.
Sherryl Woods has painted a family and a town and a story that successfully drew me in, and left me wanting more. She has a true skill with dialogue, making it unique and distinct for every single one of her characters, no matter how little they say.
It's easy, I think, to do one thing well -- like dialogue -- and not get characterization in storytelling down. It's difficult to have a combination of setting, timing, characterization and plot that absolutely work, especially when the romance genre can be sometimes restrictive. Ms. Woods manages to balance everything so that it all works together to make for a good read. It's like an ensemble play: if one actor stands out above the rest, the entire show is unbalanced and flawed. When everyone works together, you have a real work of art.
This wasn't a profound, heart-wrenching, can't-put-it-down sort of book, but it kept the pages turning, but that wasn't what I was looking for. Now and then, I want dark and intense. Other times, I want light and feel-good. That's what I got. It was worth the time spent to get to know the characters and see how they ended up.
Luckily for me, Ms. Woods isn't finished with Trinity Harbor or the Spencer family. I can't wait for the next story.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
spalmero
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Member: Sarah Palmero
Reviews written: 58
Trusted by: 10 members
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