True Love by Jude Deveraux

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well-written romance novels are often difficult to find, and when those stories are contemporary, the search can even be harder. If any kind of mystery is added to these required elements, the reader may be even more hard pressed to meet those requirements. However, Jude Deveraux is one of those authors who can write a contemporary romance novel (that is relatively clean)with a bit of a mystery interwoven in the fabric of the story. Her heroines are always vibrant, strong, virile characters who have had to overcome some kind of hardship. Her heroes are always handsome, often rugged, and extremely romantic. Romance and “Old World” feeling are always encapsulated in her tales. It is one of the reasons I always come back for more.

In spite of that, I was somewhat disappointed in this book. The profanity was extremely minimal–I am always grateful for that. The story was strong, but I struggled with the paranormal element in the story. I didn’t mind a ghost–I have read fantastic books that showcase this element. However, the way in which the ghost and reincarnation was handled truly strained the limits of the book, in my opinion. I am not necessarily marking the book down for being a paranormal book. For me, it detracted from the beauty and simplicity of this romance.

One other thing bothered me, and it is something that I have noticed cropping up in romances on a more regular basis. I appreciate the author’s limited description of the bedroom scenes. And although my morality beliefs are not consistent with the characters’ beliefs, I can handle that. My problem is that the characters begin to center their romance around the physical aspect. All too often, romance and sex seem to be the driving force in romance novels. I understand that novels are a place to escape reality, but when a novel can cause the reader to be disconcerted with normal life and begin to develop a warped perception of romance, I find myself drawing back somewhat. While I can definitely give this book a 3.5 star rating, I would have preferred that the author focus on the other, much more important aspects of a relationship into the story. However, if you are looking to escape to Nantucket for a couple of hours, this may be just the book for you.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

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Although the tour and giveaway have ended, be sure to find out more about the book and see other reviews here.

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