~Reviewed by Desere ~
This was one of the most intense books I have read all year. It had the danger ,action, romance, old love rekindled, sadness and happiness all packed into one stunning read. I personally love a happy ending story and very much love when a author adds in a epilogue to give me as reader that extra few months or years into the happiness that comes at the end of a romance novel,but I never stop to think that as in real life couples sometimes grow apart and the happy ever after is forgotten.
In Too Close for Comfort Lynne Marshall took me behind the scenes of the "happy ever after that did not last" moments and all the complications that can and will be caused by the spilt. It made the book seem very real as it played on all the situations that can arise in real life for a couple who have loved and lost.
The book focuses on Joy and Paul, divorced three years earlier who's paths once again need to cross due to a previous business arrangement and some clever thinking by their daughter.
Add in the small town of Comfort 's very own drug dealing schemes and Joy's new found sleuth skills and Paul's forever protect and serve motto and your in for a guaranteed good read.
The author used the perfect backdrop of Comfort and described it as the perfect town where everyone helps everyone and it is just the perfect place to live even though it has some backstreet thugs or should I say "dawgs" hanging around causing the death of some of the town's teenagers. The author also very vividly described the town's rich historical background. This for me gave the perfect illusion of a setting where there is bound to be some intense moments and people who really care about each other.
What I loved about the book was how the author managed to so intensely focus on the new found rekindled passion between Paul and Joy and the drug scene that she completely caught me by surprise with a turn of events relating to the couples son serving in Iraq that all I could do was cry and try to refocus my attention, sneaky move but very well done Mrs Marshall.
Another part that truly delighted me was seeing that the author really did her homework on the facts of those that serve in Iraq. I have read many romance books relating to Iraq , and in my profession I deal with the facts of Iraq and those who serve on a daily basis , and many times I have seen authors incorporate facts about Iraq into their books but none of the facts they use are true, and most likely the authors think that because this is a romance novel the facts do not really matter,which of course they are fully entitled to.
In some cases I suppose that is all right as readers of romance do not want the facts and just really want to read about the romance blossoming between the characters. However for me as reader I like to know that the smaller facts be it about Iraq, history or any topic really, of what I am reading is true and correct even though it is a non true story and yes made up facts about things such as a fictional town's history or the people is what books are all about , it was still a delight to see that when such topics as Iraq and the troops are touched upon that the author really made sure of it all before penning it to paper.
This of course is just me and it is most likely because of the fact that I deal with it on a day to day basis , and all are entitled to their own opinion. But yes the author adding in the smaller true facts made the book even more realistic and I as reader felt more connected to the characters and what they were going through , and that is what I truly loved.
The author in my opinion certainly packed in a lot of emotion into this one and did a truly excellent job in capturing my attention from the start and in the end leaving me with that happy and content feeling.
This was a heart-warming and compassionate read filled with true depth, emotion, lots of laughter and sadness and I highly recommend it.
Well done Lynne keep them coming !
5/5 star review
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Review by Nas
Too Close for Comfort
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT by author Lynne Marshall is a November 2012 release.
Paul is a small town Police chief after his divorce. But then his ex-wife comes to the small town. She came to get his signature dissolving their business partnership.
Then Joy gets involved in the town teen deaths. These deaths were drug related. Joy decides to do her own investigation. And she gets involved deeper than she thought she would.
To keep her away from danger Paul has her staying at his home. And then fireworks fly as old passion rekindled. Can they find their way back together now?
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT is a superbly written romance. Lynne Marshall brings this older couple romance with humour, steamy sensuality and heart tugging pathos. And the story is emotional as well. Highly entertaining and well worth reading.
Return to Romance Book Haven
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Review by TashNz
Too Close For Comfort is a heart-warming story about Paul, the town of Comfort's Chief of Police and Joy, his ex-wife, two fourty-somethings who are divorced.
Circumstances bring Joy to the town of Comfort to see Paul again and swiftly they are caught up in an adventure involving the towns kids who are dying from taking a nasty new drug that's doing its rounds in the local area.
Throw in their grown-up kids who are immersed in side adventures of their own and some self-discovery between Paul and Joy you end up with beautiful, heart warming tale of lost love, rekindled love, family love, heartbreak and new loves.
There's lots of little twists and turns that occur, just when you figure you've got the story sorted in your mind you turn the page and hello another little surprise which cover a whole spectrum of emotions. It's written beautifully and the story flawlessly flows. I loved the little twists and turns. It was strange at first reading about characters who were older than I'm used to reading about but it ended up adding to the book because there was so much history that could be referred to and the fact that Paul and Joys kids were already grown and living their own lives just added more material to work with.
I'd recommend this book if you're looking for a warm romantic story with likeable mature characters peppered with fast paced action and adventure and lots of little twists and turns to keep you fully engaged until you flick close the last page.
