THE PERFECT HOPE

TITLE: THE PERFECT HOPE

AUTHOR: NORA ROBERTS

Pages: 308

Date: 18/12/2012

Grade:  5

Details: no. 3 The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy

Library

Please accept my apologies for the following gush-fest.

When Hope and Ryder first met, she got the distinct impression he didn’t like her on sight and didn’t want her to get the job as innkeeper in his family’s inn. And Hope isn’t sure she likes Ryder that much either. He’s stand-offish and sulky; definitely not an easy person to get along with. And one, rather good, kiss not withstanding, she is definitely not attracted to Riley.

The resident ghost, Lizzy, has other ideas though and forces Hope and Ryder into a situation where only another hot kiss will allow them to leave the room they happen to be in. When a rather unpleasant blast from Hope’s past pays an unwelcome visit to the Inn it is Ryder to whom Hope turns when she needs to get her point across. And kissing Ryder passionately just happens to be the best way to make herself clear.

Slowly the innkeeper and her builder slip into a “thing” neither is willing to call a relationship. But through more confrontation with Hope’s past and at last finding out exactly what happened to the love of Lizzy’s life, Ryder and Hope find that they may be completely different, they are also completely perfect for each other.

I’m starting to repeat myself but I will say it again: I love Nora Roberts’ books. I love the way she writes her stories and draws me into the world her characters live in. It only takes a few pages before I feel as if I know this world and these characters. I like that she writes strong, independent female characters who experience real emotions and are not afraid to show them. I love that she writes realistic yet oh so yummy men. And what is not to like about a ghostly character as realistic as Lizzy?

What I really appreciate in the romances by Nora Roberts is that she doesn’t resort to protracted and senseless arguments and misunderstandings. Yes, her characters may end up in some sort of fight at one point or another in the story, but they are, always, grown-ups. They fight, storm of, and maybe sulk for a while but then they deal. They talk to each other, come to understand each others point of view and get on with life and love. Roberts’ characters respect each other and treat each other as such because:

“You didn’t love and try to change.”

Too many authors of romances feel the need to create what reads like false drama or childish behaviour in an, often desperate appearing, attempt to keep the story emotionally gripping. Not so Nora Roberts. The interactions between her characters, their friends and the things going on in their lives are enough to keep the story moving and fascinating. And this is what makes her stories work for me. Because her characters are and behave like mostly reasonable human beings I don’t get upset with them, I don’t want to slap them around for making stupid decisions, and most importantly I don’t want to throw the book at the wall. I’m just glad to be able to spend time with them and watch them work their way to the inevitable happy ever after.

I love it!

Just as I love that the Inn, Boonsboro is real. The characters in these stories may be fictional, the setting isn’t. The town, the Inn and the bookstore actually exist. In my dreams I am in a position to cross the Atlantic and see this wonderful sounding place for myself. In real life I can only hope that one day it will be possible for me to stay in one of those wonderful sounding, romantically themed rooms and maybe, just maybe meet a ghost?!