Emma Benson’s view of life was crafted by the death of her brother as a child, abandonment by her father and later, the man she trusted she would marry, until David Schlosser-back in town after years in New York writing best-selling novels-threatens her neatly tended life. Romance blooms. Emma and David eventually persevere in the face of tragedy, refusing to leave their dreams behind.
Emma has quit her teaching job to return to her family’s Wisconsin farm to help her mother try and save said farm from foreclosure. David has returned home after 7 years because he finally realized that the Wisconsin area he grew up in wasn’t as Podunk as he thought.
David is on his way to his parents’ farm when a storm hits. Heads to the nearest farm – Emma’s home – to take refuge from what looks like a tornado. Emma isn’t thrilled with letting him in but finally agrees. Though David is pleasant to Emma and her mother, Emma is incredibly rude and wants no part of the friendship that David immediately offers. David starts hanging around on a regular basis and even saves Emma during an attempted robbery at the bookstore where Emma works.
The couple spend more and more time together but Emma is constantly rude to David. I honestly couldn’t understand David wanting to spend time with Emma after the foul way she talks to him – even the first time, but I guess his attraction to her was just too great.
Emma and David become closer – especially after someone seems to be after them – he doesn’t want to leave her alone. Eventually David breaks through Emma’s self-imposed barrier and get to the soft center of the woman.
As I’ve said Emma was quite impolite when David first came to her house for shelter. She continued her nasty behavior as the days went on and frankly I just didn’t like her. I thought that David was really the glue that held the book together but I just couldn’t see – even though it was explained in the book, what the attraction to Emma was besides physical. Yes, she did have issues because of the abandonment of her father, the death of her brother and the ill treatment of a previous relationship but I would have still expected common human decency. Thankfully Emma lightened up as the book went on and I understood and liked her a little better.
David was quite forward with Emma even when they first met but he felt a connection to her immediately. I began to feel that connection as the book went on but not as strongly as I think I was supposed to. He was quite a wonderful guy – caring, giving and patient and loyal – great qualities.
Overall it was a nice story of a couple from a small farming community coming together. I liked Ms. Schumann’s writing and descriptions of the countryside, I just wanted to like the heroine a bit more.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Lovely review Tracy – thank you.
I honestly couldn’t understand David wanting to spend time with Emma after the foul way she talks to him – even the first time, but I guess his attraction to her was just too great.
See, I can't see being attracted to someone who is rude back…
You're welcome, Orannia. Thanks for reading it. 🙂
I couldn't understand David's attraction. When someone is rude – doesn't matter what they look like – I just don't find them attractive.
I intended Emma to be an independent woman, who was deeply hurt in the past and was a smart aleck as a defense. She definitely softens to David in the future, but fights with her inner demons & her attraction to David, thus the snarky comments. The reason David stays around is because he can see right through her facade & all is not contentious between the pair.
Thanks Tracy, for taking the time to review it.
Gloria Schumann