Sunday, March 20, 2011

Review--IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT

Review For:
It Happened One Night, by Lisa Dale
ISBN: 9780446406901
Publisher: Forever (Hachette Book Group)

Author Lisa Dale grew up in rural Northwestern New Jersey before attending McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. She worked briefly in publishing before going back to school to get an MFA in fiction at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Other titles include: Simple Wishes. Lisa resides in New Jersey with her fiancé, Matt.
Lana Biel has always had dreams of traveling the world and leaving Vermont behind. After a rocky and lonely childhood, because it was her sister that got her through, Lana has stayed at home until she feels her sister will have all her dreams too. But when a brief romantic fling ends in pregnancy, she finds it not only changing her life plans, but her relationship with her best friend Eli too. Eli Ward has always been there for Lana, but what started out as friendship years ago is turning into something more, something neither of them is prepared for. Eli and Lana must find a way to move past their insecurities and doubts before true love passes them by, because sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it.
Typically I don’t comment on cover design, but I must say that I was impressed with this one. At the beginning of every chapter there is a little blurb fact about a flower, since the main character owns her own nursery, which I found clever. The only flaw I have for the book was Lana’s sister, Karin. I found her utterly grating, which I believe was intentional, even despite her past and partly understand her reasoning.
I had the great pleasure of reviewing Lisa’s other book, Simple Wishes, and was very much looking forward to this one. Lisa has an astute and perceptive way with characterization that makes her books not only stand out from the rest, but leave you feeling as if you’ve been put through an emotional ringer. Going beyond friendship and family, this insightful story beautifully illustrates why people are the way they are. Very attuned to human nature and her surroundings, this book reads like bittersweet poetry. From the setting, to dialog, to the characters- readers will wish that the story never ends. I love the way that Vermont is depicted here, not only in spring and summer, but winter as well. An engaging and bittersweet story- not to be missed!

Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer

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