Chemistry Lessons by Rebecca H. Jamison {Review}

Chemistry Lessons by Rebecca H. Jamison

Paperback, 269 pages

Published June 21st 2016 by Honeywood 

 

 

Everyone in Lone Spur knows Rosie will accept even the most unlovable animal into her life. Men, though, are a different story.

Take Destry, the guy who bought the ranch next door. Sure, he’s handsome and wealthy, but he wears flip-flops to work his fields. Not that Rosie should worry about him getting hurt.

Her biggest concern is that she needs to buy her grandfather’s ranch before her uncle sells it out from under her. The problem is that on her teacher’s salary, she doesn’t qualify for a loan. Her long-time boyfriend, Tanner, proposes a solution—they can get married and qualify for a loan together, only Rosie isn’t sure if her heart is with her faithful fiancé, her ranch, or her swoon-worthy neighbor.

 

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My Review: 4 Stars

 

Rosie has an eventful past that's led her to be wary of men and romance. I don't need gritty details of what happened to her, but I wanted to see more of how she overcame these hard times, especially emotionally. She's not the easiest character to like. She loves animals and the underdog, yet she just can't face reality and lives in denial and oblivion, almost to the point of losing the best things that ever happened to her.  She takes the convenient road and refuses to follow her heart. Who doesn't want to be happy?

 

Destry, on the other hand, is very easy to love and admire. He's got his head on straight and wants to help others more than anything, sacrificing time, money, and love to do so. He's a great character and really brings a lot to the story. He's had some tough times in his past, too, but he rises above it.

 

I love a clean, wholesome romance and this one fits the bill, but I would have loved to see more chemistry in the romantic interactions, more of a connection with the characters and their relationship. I wanted a few more sparks. This story flows at a meandering pace and has some conflict on several levels, which adds good dimensions to the book. There is an eccentric supporting cast, which reminds me of why I love the small town feel. There are a few modern issues that are brought to awareness in a tasteful way. I'm not sure if this will be a series or not, but I did have a few unresolved questions. 

 

This is a good read for those who like contemporary Westerns with a dash of romance and conflict. 

 

Content: mild romance (a few G rated kisses); vague talk of drunk driving, sexual and physical abuse, drug abuse--nothing at all graphic. Clean!

 

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review* 

 

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About the Author:

Rebecca Jamison loves a good romance, especially anything by Jane Austen. Rebecca grew up in Vienna, Virginia. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a BA and MA in English. In between college and grad school, she served a mission to Portugal and the Cape Verde islands. Rebecca and her husband have six children. She enjoys running, making jewelry, reading, and watching chick flicks.You can learn more about Rebecca at rebeccahjamison.com