| Series: | Chinooks #1 |
| Pub. Date: | March 20, 2012 |
| Publisher: | Avon |
| Length: | 400 pgs |
| Source: | Purchased |
I haven't read Rachel Gibson in a few years, but I have had the Chinooks series on my TBR for a very long time. I'm glad that I'm finally starting it... and man did this book make me nostalgic. With glimpses into the 70s, 80s, and mostly taking place in the 90s - this story generated fond memories of the days of cassette tapes, walkmans, and no cell phones.
Georgeanne "Georgie" Howard is a southern girl from McKinney, Texas with big hair, a big heart, and the gift for gab. As a dyslexic, Georgie grew up thinking that because she had trouble in school, her only option was to find a husband to take care of her. She excels at southern charm, cooking, and other "wifely" pursuits for her time, but she gets flustered and the words don't always come when she needs them. Marrying a man old enough to be her grandfather felt like a good option for Georgie, but when she gets cold feet on her wedding day, Georgie's life turns in a new direction. She meets a man that will impact her future in many different ways. I was so proud of Georgie when she decided to make a life for herself instead of looking for a man to take care of her. Being a single mom had to be extremely difficult for Georgie, but she handled it well and she had an awesome relationship with her daughter, Lexie. Lexie was also pretty cute for a kid, and I loved her little girl chatterbox ways.
We first meet John Kowalsky as an immature playboy, but somewhat of a tortured hero as well. He drinks too much, sleeps around, and doesn't make good choices when it comes to women. After loving and leaving Georgie on what was supposed to be her wedding night, he was shocked to encounter her in Seattle nearly seven years later, then to discover that their one night stand resulted in an endearing little girl. I definitely wasn't digging John when we first met him... and when he appears again 7 years later, he isn't a whole lot better. John's best quality was his desire to be a father and be a fixture in his daughter's life. However he went about things the wrong way most of the time, and I had a hard time being supportive of him as a hero.
The romance between Georgie and John is hot and cold, leaning toward cold for the majority of the story. While there was chemistry between the pair, the animosity and impetuous decisions on both parts got in the way of a healthy relationship. They both had their moments of spite and vindictive behavior, and refused to talk things out like adults. I would have liked to see more of the couple communicating and coming together, as when they were getting along, I liked them as a couple.
There were other aspects of the story that I would have liked to be developed further - like Georgie's television show. I found that aspect of Georgie's life to be fun and endearing... but we only got a small glimpse. I also would have liked more regarding the legal aspect of the custody battle (that could just be my legal brain), but I don't think the lawyers added much to the story. Either that could have been expounded upon or cut entirely.
Otherwise I enjoyed the story - I switched between the print and audio versions as time permitted. The narrator did a good job with the character affectations and held my attention fairly well. As I said above, the story did make me feel nostalgic and I enjoyed the 90s setting and all those reminders of days gone by.
I recommend this book to fans of old school romance, 90s kids, and hockey romance.
Purchase Links
Chinooks Hockey
No comments:
Post a Comment