Hot in Maine

This book was given to me in a “swag bag” from some event or other that I participated in recently.  I initially pooh-poohed the book away because I generally don’t read romance novels.  But I found myself needing an easy, mindless read to pass the time on a long flight, so I decided to give this one a try.  This is not my preferred genre, so maybe my expectations were particularly low, but I found the book better than I expected.  I did not love it, there were definitely things that irritated me about it, but overall, it was not a horrible read.

It is basically the story of two people with a lot of baggage that are passionately and instantly attracted to each other.  Ryker, our hero, cannot keep from getting an erection the moment that Larkin, our heroine, walks into a room.  The dialogue is sometimes lacking, particularly in the sex scenes, to the point of being absurd.  The characters themselves can be annoying.  But the story line is rather interesting.  Despite their strong attraction, Larkin and Ryker find themselves on opposite sides of how best to serve their community.  Their positions are influenced by the baggage they carry, which becomes clearer as the story progresses.

Unfortunately, the most interesting characters are left as supporting actors – an eccentric older woman, and all of her friends (the ladies who lunch type).  This book is the first in the series.  I might consider reading another one, under the right circumstances, if I could get to know these other characters better.

Overall, the book has not changed my mind about this genre.  But if it is your sort of thing, then this is not a terrible read.

CBR10Bingo: And So It Begins