Ray Of Light By Shelley Shepard Gray Blog Tour

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{R e v i e w  B y  M a d i }

Title: Ray Of Light
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Source: Review Book
Number Of Pages: 262
ISBN: 978-0-06-220442-4
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 2013
My Rating: 3 Out Of 5 Stars

 

 

D e s c r i p t i o n ( T a k e n F r o m GoodReads ) ::

"When two hearts connect on a beach in Florida, is it a brief romance . . . or the start of a lasting love?

After family secrets come to light, causing an uproar, Roman Keim is taking a much-needed vacation to Pinecraft, the Amish snowbird community in Florida. The warm weather is a welcome break from the bleak Ohio winter, as is a week off from all his family's drama. But Roman's own drama begins when he meets his next-door neighbors: Amanda Yoder, a beautiful young widow, and her adorable daughter, Regina.

In the two years since her husband died, Amanda has never looked at another man. She certainly doesn't intend to get married again. But she can't deny that there's something special between her and Roman. As his week in Pinecraft comes to a close, Amanda knows that, in spite of her attempt to remain distant, she's given Roman a piece of her heart. And her daughter seems to have fallen in love, too.

Is there hope for a second chance at love for Amanda? Or will duty call Roman home first, far from the two women who have captured his heart?"

// M a d i ' s R e v i e w //

When I got "Ray Of Light" by Shelley Shepard Gray in the mail to review, I was a little surprised. Not because I dislike the author or because the cover was appalling, nooooo. I just didn't remember requesting it! Haha! I'm sure that I did, I just don't remember doing so. But I'm glad that I did. It was a good, quick read, and I read it in less than a day. And, hey, you'll never hear me complain about another book to add to my shelves!

So, once I got past my joy in receiving an unexpected blessing, I dove right in!

 First off, I would like to start off with how much I like the lead male characters name.

I think Roman is such a unique and masculine name. The first thing that came to mind was a Roman soldier from way back when. Gives ya the shivers, doesn't it? Prince Charming took a stroll through my head when I read it. Anyhow . . .

I thought this book would have been perfect for a relaxing day at the beach under the shade of an umbrella. And not only because most of the book was placed on sunny California beaches. It was a light hearted story, and it put me in a good mood. I loved how despite Amanda's loss of her husband Wesley two years prior, she did her best to be content with her current situation. She still misses Wesley, but the ache in her heart was starting to fade.

Roman and Amanda meet when they are both vacationing and are staying in neighboring condos. Roman is instantly enchanted, and Amanda just wishes that he would stop ogling her. It's actually super cute to see how Roman treats not only Amanda, but her young daughter (Regina) also. It's so refreshing to see a real gentleman (even if it is only in a book). I certainly wish there were more guys like Roman in this world. Although they are rare, I'm quite sure that they really are out there somewhere. Because if I don't find my Gilbert Blithe I'm never gonna marry. But that's a little off subject.
 

The only thing that I wasn't overly fond of was the lack of "wow". It was kind of a bland and predictable story. I really like things that keep me on the edge of my reading chair. Something that takes my heart through the wringer. This book didn't really do that for me. But you might dislike that kind of thing. To each his own. :)

N o t e :: I received a free copy of Ray of Light from Litfuse and the publisher to read and review. I was not paid to do this review. All thoughts expressed in the book review are my own and completely honest and unbiased.