It's only been in the last few years that I have been introduced to Pepper Basham's fiction works and I have LOVED every book by her that I've read. Sometimes I can plow through a book in just a sitting or two and gather enough of the plot to satisfy me. This book takes some extra thought and creates some introspection, even though it is a rather light-hearted romance.
Pepper is widely read and it shows through her use of quotes within the book, but my favorite quote sums up the whole of the book for me. “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” e. e. cummings.
Izzy Edgewood, a librarian, is the victim of her cousin, Josephine's, matchmaking schemes, because her other cousin is away at university and isn't in Josephine's cross-hairs. Josie, as Izzy calls her when she wants to make a point, has signed Izzy up for a dating website. Through the website, Izzy meets Brodie, who lives in an island country off the coast of Scotland. Brodie is the last in a long line of book sellers. The heritage of the island is Celtic, Norse, and English. The government of the island has offered a stipend for anyone who marries or convinces someone to emigrate for a job. Brodie is interested in the stipend for his sister's sake, but the more he comes to know Izzy, the more he falls in love with her for herself. When he has the opportunity to visit Izzy in her home town, it's a chance he just can't pass up, even though that means facing her whole family with all of its quirks and foibles.
Pepper has used an epistolary format for ninety percent of the novel and it delineates the thought processes of all the characters in a first person narrative. While she did implement a bit of the Romance Novel Formula, it works extremely well for this novel.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a Gandalf the Grey costume for a literary parade.
Thomas Nelson Fiction provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
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