This was a sweet, clean romance with likable characters. It is a revamp of the 1998 book Love is the Answer that the author wrote under the name Abby Gray for the Precious Gems line. The main characters are younger than those found in more modern romances, perhaps increasing its appeal for the young adult or new adult audience. That did not diminish my enjoyment of the story. While the characters do not have the same depth as those in the author's more recent works, the signature humor, close family, and small-town are all there.
Cassie is just a few months shy of twenty-one when her guardian dies, leaving her at the mercy of the woman's husband. She knows she must get out when she finds out that he's sold her to a sex ring. If she can find a place to lay low for a few months, she can claim her inheritance. So, she takes what little money she has and hops on a bus headed toward Oklahoma. When she gets off the bus in a small Texas town for a break, she discovers the town sheriff is looking for her. Panicking, she approaches the young man sitting alone in the diner and asks for his help. She's relieved when he plays along but never anticipated the turn it takes.
Ted, a usually shy and introverted guy, was stunned when Cassie approached him and asked for his help. Asking himself what his twin brother would do, Ted immediately steps up to the plate and confirms they are a couple. But his nerves get the best of him, and he embellishes the story, claiming they are eloping. In either a fit of romanticism or suspicion, the sheriff decides to help them - all the way to the town Justice of the Peace. The next thing Ted and Cassie know, they are married and gifted a night at the local motel for their "honeymoon."
The book immediately drew me in with this scenario. I liked Cassie's quick thinking, both for her escape and her encounter with the sheriff. She got fortunate with her choice of an accomplice. Ted is a good guy but still suffering grief over the death of his twin brother four years earlier. He imagines John's response to the situation and uses that as his guide. I enjoyed watching him get into the deception and laughed out loud at some of his commentaries as he dragged Cassie along. There were a couple of hold-your-breath moments when I thought the cat would be out of the bag.
There was one scene of Cassie freaking out because she realized she hadn't needed the help, but it was too late to do anything about it. I liked how Ted was calm, reassuring Cassie that his uncle, a lawyer, would process an annulment for them right away. The next day they head back to Oklahoma and Ted's family home. Cassie is afraid of their reaction and is stunned when she's warmly welcomed. I liked that she and Ted are honest with the family about why they are married, which goes a long way toward their acceptance of her. It was fun to see them find ways to make her welcome and comfortable staying for a while.
I liked watching the relationship between Ted and Cassie develop. They connected right away and found it easy to talk to each other. Cassie has a significant impact on Ted. His grief for his brother has been so overpowering that he closed himself off to all emotion and has just gone through the motions of living. Being around Cassie stirs up feelings he's buried, and Ted finds himself falling for her. Though Cassie has been isolated for several years, she hasn't lost her sense of self. She knows what she wants out of her life and isn't afraid to go after it. I liked watching them grow closer, talk about their dreams, and acknowledge the attraction building between them. There was no angst-driven black moment, just a steady realization that they belonged together. I liked Ted's big moment and the surprise he had for Cassie.
Ted's grief over his brother John's death, was a big part of this book. Much of it was tied up in his guilty feelings, thinking he should have been able to prevent it from happening. John was never far from his mind, and there were many times when he heard John's voice in his head, giving advice or brotherly commentary. From the moment Cassie appeared, the walls around his feelings began to crumble, and the grief started to fade. I loved the scene in their childhood bedroom.
There were a couple of things I thought were left hanging. Cassie's guardian made a brief appearance, and I loved how Ted and his father and uncle handled him. However, I would have enjoyed a mention of whether their proposed actions were effective. Other than brief mentions, nothing more was said about Cassie's inheritance, despite the importance of hiding out until her birthday.
#netgalley
Cassie is just a few months shy of twenty-one when her guardian dies, leaving her at the mercy of the woman's husband. She knows she must get out when she finds out that he's sold her to a sex ring. If she can find a place to lay low for a few months, she can claim her inheritance. So, she takes what little money she has and hops on a bus headed toward Oklahoma. When she gets off the bus in a small Texas town for a break, she discovers the town sheriff is looking for her. Panicking, she approaches the young man sitting alone in the diner and asks for his help. She's relieved when he plays along but never anticipated the turn it takes.
Ted, a usually shy and introverted guy, was stunned when Cassie approached him and asked for his help. Asking himself what his twin brother would do, Ted immediately steps up to the plate and confirms they are a couple. But his nerves get the best of him, and he embellishes the story, claiming they are eloping. In either a fit of romanticism or suspicion, the sheriff decides to help them - all the way to the town Justice of the Peace. The next thing Ted and Cassie know, they are married and gifted a night at the local motel for their "honeymoon."
The book immediately drew me in with this scenario. I liked Cassie's quick thinking, both for her escape and her encounter with the sheriff. She got fortunate with her choice of an accomplice. Ted is a good guy but still suffering grief over the death of his twin brother four years earlier. He imagines John's response to the situation and uses that as his guide. I enjoyed watching him get into the deception and laughed out loud at some of his commentaries as he dragged Cassie along. There were a couple of hold-your-breath moments when I thought the cat would be out of the bag.
There was one scene of Cassie freaking out because she realized she hadn't needed the help, but it was too late to do anything about it. I liked how Ted was calm, reassuring Cassie that his uncle, a lawyer, would process an annulment for them right away. The next day they head back to Oklahoma and Ted's family home. Cassie is afraid of their reaction and is stunned when she's warmly welcomed. I liked that she and Ted are honest with the family about why they are married, which goes a long way toward their acceptance of her. It was fun to see them find ways to make her welcome and comfortable staying for a while.
I liked watching the relationship between Ted and Cassie develop. They connected right away and found it easy to talk to each other. Cassie has a significant impact on Ted. His grief for his brother has been so overpowering that he closed himself off to all emotion and has just gone through the motions of living. Being around Cassie stirs up feelings he's buried, and Ted finds himself falling for her. Though Cassie has been isolated for several years, she hasn't lost her sense of self. She knows what she wants out of her life and isn't afraid to go after it. I liked watching them grow closer, talk about their dreams, and acknowledge the attraction building between them. There was no angst-driven black moment, just a steady realization that they belonged together. I liked Ted's big moment and the surprise he had for Cassie.
Ted's grief over his brother John's death, was a big part of this book. Much of it was tied up in his guilty feelings, thinking he should have been able to prevent it from happening. John was never far from his mind, and there were many times when he heard John's voice in his head, giving advice or brotherly commentary. From the moment Cassie appeared, the walls around his feelings began to crumble, and the grief started to fade. I loved the scene in their childhood bedroom.
There were a couple of things I thought were left hanging. Cassie's guardian made a brief appearance, and I loved how Ted and his father and uncle handled him. However, I would have enjoyed a mention of whether their proposed actions were effective. Other than brief mentions, nothing more was said about Cassie's inheritance, despite the importance of hiding out until her birthday.
#netgalley
