(Image from Barnes & Noble)

After being jilted at the altar, Faith Holland fled her small town in the Finger Lakes Region for good.  Three years later, San Francisco feels like home.  The 30-year-old runs a successful landscape design business, shares an apartment with a good friend, and spends her free time cuddling with her golden retriever.  Life could only be better if she had a nice guy with whom to share it.  Too bad moving on means getting over Jeremy Lyon, the man she's loved since junior high.  The man she still loves.  The man who should be her husband.  

When Faith is summoned home to help scare off the gold-digging snowbird who's set her sights on Faith's widowed father, she realizes a stopover in Manningford might be just what she needs.  After all, her siblings can always use help at the family vineyard.  And there's the old barn that she's been dying to re-purpose as an event venue.  The fact that Jeremy still lives in town has nothing to do with her extended stay.  Nothing at all. Okay, it does, but Faith hasn't even seen him yet.  Instead, she keeps running into Levi Cooper, the arrogant jerk who ruined her wedding.  Just because he's now a decorated war hero and the chief of police doesn't mean he's any more likable.  Or less sexy.  Because he totally is.  Not that she's looking (of course she is -- no heterosexual female could glance away).  Still, he's Levi Cooper, her mortal enemy, which means no way in heck is Faith going anywhere near him.

But as things in Manningford grow ever more complicated, Faith finds herself drawn to her old nemesis.  Is it possible Levi's grown up a little?  Could he have actually turned into a decent guy?  Faith doesn't think so, but amidst all the drama of her small town, her family, and her own dismal love life, it's Levi she finds herself relying on.  Could it be she's been chasing the wrong man all along?  Or, is Levi just toying with her, the same way he always has?  Faith's not ready to risk her bruised heart again—or is she?

If you read this blog with any regularity, you know I'm not big on reading adult romances.  There's pretty much only one author writing in this genre who can persuade me to dip into it once in awhile and that's Robyn Carr.  I'm a fan because Carr writes mature love stories laced with themes of home, family, and small town values. From what I can tell, Kristan Higgins does the same.  Kinda.  Now that I'm an expert on Higgins (you know, since I've read one of her books), I'm thinking her novels are like Carr's books' younger, sassier cousins.  The Best Man, at least, features the same kind of small town Carr loves to write about, as well as a similar brand of big-hearted, down-to-earth folks.  And yet, "mature" is not a word I'd use to describe this story.

First, though, the good:  The Best Man is an upbeat, funny novel with a strong contemporary voice.  Despite being over 400 pages long, it hums along at a fair pace, taking time to build up the history and romance between Faith and Levi instead of just insta-loving them together.  Although some of the characters could definitely be called cliché, overall they're a quirky, colorful bunch, who demonstrate everything that's right—and wrong—with small towns.  Also, I liked that Higgins took on some more serious subplots, which kept the plot nicely balanced.

The downside to a fun novel is that sometimes it crosses the line between comical and silly/ridiculous.  The Best Man does this fairly often, mostly because Faith often acts like a clueless 13-year-old (I mean, seriously, what 30+ year old describes another person as the "Lying Liar of Lie-Land [233]"?).  Levi bugged me as well, mostly because it was difficult to appreciate how much he'd grown as a man when he still referred (constantly) to Faith's breasts as her "rack."  I don't know about you, but that kind of immaturity just isn't swoon-worthy to me.  Then, there's the sex.  And, weirdly, since The Best Man is an adult romance (and a bona fide Harlequin, at that) I'm not even talking about graphic sex scenes (since there are really only one or two of those)—I'm talking about how each and every character (which, truly, is only a slight exaggeration) has to talk about or think about sex pretty much 24/7.  It was just too much for me (way, way too much).

So, now that I've practically written a whole novel myself, let's get down to the nitty gritty:  What did I think of The Best Man?  In general, it's a fun, light, engaging romance.  And yet, there were definitely elements that distracted from my enjoyment of the book.  If Higgins ever writes a sweet romance (or even something in the PG-13 range), I would probably give it a try since I like the author's bright, easy style.  Otherwise, I'll leave her novels on the shelf in favor of my "mature" romances, thank you very much!

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of Little Black Dress by Susan McBride and a bit of Robyn Carr's novels)

Grade:  C+

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder invectives) and sexual content/innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Best Man from the generous folks at Harlequin via those at Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Whether they are fresh-faced teenagers or wrinkled senior citizens, there is one thing all Mormon missionaries have in common—their zeal.  Even on the difficult days, they carry an enthusiasm for the work they've been called to do.  They're strong, they're faithful, they're true.  You may not be able to fathom why a person—especially one in the prime of his/her life—would give up 18 months to 2 years to pound the pavement looking for people to teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but you can't deny the power of their testimonies.  They believe with a fervor that is plain to see and invigorating to feel.

Because serving a mission is such a monumental and life-changing experience, it's not surprising that many books have been written on the subject.  Benjamin Hyrum White, a seminary teacher in Orem, Utah, adds to the collection with 10 Questions to Answer While Preparing for a Mission. The aim of the book is to "motivate ... and sincerely prepare [you, the missionary] for the most rigorous and most rewarding stretch of service up to this point in your lives" (xii).  To that end, White asks 10 critical questions, including Am I Ready to Work Hard for Over Sixty Hours a Week?  Am I Clean and Worthy to Represent the Lord?    Do I Have An 'Eye Single to the Glory of God'?  And, most importantly, Do I Have a Testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Using scriptural passages, quotes from General Authorities and personal experiences, White dissects each topic, suggesting ways in which potential missionaries can ensure an answer of Yes to each question asked.  

While the information given in the book is nothing new, it does provide an excellent road map for those planning to serve missions.  It's also straightforward, upbeat and encouraging.  My favorite part about this slim volume is actually its structure—it's broken up into short chapters, making it quick and readable, even for those who do not enjoy reading.  The small, thin book is also the perfect size for tucking inside a scripture case for easy, convenient gospel study.  A few copy editing errors keep 10 Questions from being truly polished; nevertheless, I recommend handing it to LDS teenagers especially, as it will help inspire and prepare them for one of the most powerful experiences of their lives: their missions.

(Readalikes:  I haven't read any other books on this subject, but I know they're out there!)

Grade:  B

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  G for nothing offensive

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of 10 Questions to Answer While Preparing for a Mission from the generous Benjamin Hyrum White.  Thank you (for the book and the nickname)!   

So, Tuesday's fast becoming my favorite day here on ye olde blog.  Top Ten Tuesday—a list-y book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish—is just too fun.  I'm loving being part of it every week.  It's been fun to read everyone's responses to the weekly question and, of course, to find even more wonderful book blogs to enjoy.  Love it, love it, love it!

Today's topic is another one about which I could go on and on and on, so be glad I'm limited to talking about only the Top Ten Books I HAD to Buy But Are Still Sitting on My Shelf Unread.  Here they are (in no particular order):

1.  A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin -- I was super excited when I found a copy of this one hidden among some random non-fiction titles at Border's final clearance sale.  Since the price was good, I snatched it up with plans to read it right away.  Um, yeah.  It's still gathering dust on my bookshelf so many months (years?) later.

2.  The Selection by Kiera Cass -- The premise of this one sounded intriguing, so I pre-ordered it from Amazon.  I did peek at the first few pages, but other than that, I haven't read a word of it.

3.  The House at Riverton by Kate Morton -- Tons of people have recommended this author and this book, specifically, to me and yet, it sits.

4.  Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick -- I really am going to read this one.  Eventually ...

5.  Everneath by Brodi Ashton -- I've been reading Brodi's blog for ages and even had dinner with her a few years ago.  I love her, I just haven't read her books yet.

6.  Possession by Elana Johnson -- Ditto with Elana.  I've met her several times and have taken some excellent writing classes from her.  I just have yet to actually read anything she's written (besides handouts and blog posts, of course).

7.  The Shining by Stephen King -- In my defense, I have read this lengthy horror novel once.  But, it was a very, very long time ago (like back when I was way too young to be reading King at all).  Last Halloween, I got a hankering for a re-read, debated between borrowing the book from the library and buying it, decided to purchase the Kindle version, then ... let it sit.  Yeah.  It's a trend with me.

8.  Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- I've heard nothing but good things about this one, so why does it still linger on my shelf unread?  Couldn't tell ya, but it does.

9.  The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith -- Ditto #8

10.  Paper Towns by John Green -- After reading The Fault in Our Stars, I knew I needed to read everything Green  had ever written.  Someone suggested starting with Paper Towns, so I clicked right on over to Amazon and bought myself a copy.  Have I read it yet?  I plead the Fifth.

Clearly, the problem here has nothing to do with my impulsive book-buying tendencies.  Really, it doesn't.  It truly is more of a too-many-books-too-little-time-to-read-them kind of thing.  That being said, where do you think I should start with this list?  Have you read any of them?  Which are your favorites?  And, most importantly, what's on your list?  I'd love to know!  

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of After Hello at Deseret Book with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.