A Shore Thing

CAROBINI, JULIE

A SHORE THING

Callie Duflay just isn't like the rest of her family. While they've built white-collar lives, she prefers getting her hands dirty by working with kids and local California causes. So when she learns a beloved piece of untouched property in her town of Otter Bay may soon be developed, she naturally confronts the architect assigned to the project.

Gage Mitchell may be an easygoing, eco-friendly professional but he's not about to back off this job no matter how cute Callie or her pet pooch, Moondoggy, may be. His reasons and hers are noble -- both have a heart for protecting God's creation, and the truth is these two could be perfect for each other outside this face-off.

But will they ever figure that out?

THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN FOR ME! I LOVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANGLE AND CALLIE COULD BE ME...WELL IN THE DESIRE TO PROTECT THE EARTH AND LIVE RESPONSIBLY IN ORDER TO LESSEN MY ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT. I LOVE THAT CALLIE GETS THAT AND LIVES IT TO HER FULLEST. CAROBINI DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF DESCRIBING THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND THAT CALLIE IS FIGHTING TO PROTECT. SHE MANAGES TO CONVEY THE MAGNITUDE AND SACREDNESS OF GOD'S CREATIONS IN SO MANY SCENES. BEAUTIFULLY, BEAUTIFULLY DONE.

I'M STILL SMILING OVER THE DOG. PERSONALLY, I THINK EVERY GOOD ROMANCE SHOULD HAVE A DOG. :-) BUT THIS ONE STEALS MY HEART, JUST LIKE HE STEALS CALLIE'S. A DOG CAN GO A LONG WAY TO REVEALING CHARACTER AND LETS JUST SAY THAT GAGE HAS A WHOLE LOT OF CHARACTER!

CAROBINI HAS USED A MIXED POV -- BOTH 1ST AND 3RD PERSON. CALLIE'S SEGMENTS ARE IN FIRST PERSON, GAGE'S ARE IN THIRD. I'VE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE IT AND YOU WOULD THINK THE FLOW OF THE BOOK WOULD BE BUMPY BUT IT'S NOT. I REALLY LOVED CALLIE'S VOICE AND FELT LIKE I KNEW HER SO MUCH BETTER SO MUCH FASTER BECAUSE OF THE 1ST PERSON POV. SHE'S QUIRKY AND FUNNY AND PASSIONATE.

THERE'S A STRENGTH IN GAGE, A KIND OF NOBILITY THAT HE ATTEMPTS TO REPRESS IN ORDER TO GET HIS ARCHITECT BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND. HE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS YOUNGER SISTER AND HER SON...MAKING ME HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL WITH SUZ AS THE HEROINE.

TOGETHER, GAGE AND CALLIE ARE PERFECT...OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT PLACE AND ANOTHER TIME. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK, ATTRACTION DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT WILL BE ENOUGH TO GET THESE TWO TOGETHER -- THOUGH IT'S A DEFINITE START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I LIKE HOW CAROBINI BUILT THE ROMANTIC TENSION, BUILDING ON THAT ATTRACTION AND SLOWLY DEVELOPING IT INTO SO MUCH MORE. THERE ARE SOME SENSATIONAL ROMANCE SCENES WITHIN A SHORE THING.

CAROBINI SHOWS WONDERFUL INSIGHT INTO RELATIONSHIPS. THEY READ SO REAL! CALLIE'S FAMILY IN PARTICULAR. THE DYNAMICS ARE BELIEVABLE -- FALLIBLE PEOPLE WHO CAN BE INFURIATING AT TIMES, ENDEARING AT OTHERS. ALL OF THEM DEFINITELY A LITTLE DYSFUNCTIONAL.

THEN THERE'S THE CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND SHADY DEALINGS. THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL -- ROMANCE, ANGST, SUSPENSE...AND, OF COURSE, A HAPPILY EVER AFTER. PLUS IT'S REFRESHINGLY DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME. A DEFINITE MUST READ.