Book Review - CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS

 Doesn’t that cover just make you want to be there? Let’s find out more about Caribbean Crossroads and what I thought. Here's the book blurb:

New college grad Megan McCormick just got dumped. Hard. 

Swearing off men and relationships, Megan is coaxed into performing on a cruise ship where she meets the star performer, Bryant Johnson. Handsome and charismatic, he looks like trouble, but she can’t deny the intense attraction between them.

Urged to find a wife and run the family lumber business, Bryant is torn between his family’s expectations for his life and his own. However, when he meets spunky, but love-skittish Megan McCormick, settling down doesn’t look so bad.

Just when Megan begins to trust again, and Bryant makes some big decisions regarding his future, her former fiancé returns with a malicious surprise, taking Megan and Bryant to their own CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS.

   Connie Sokol is a mother of seven—a national and local presenter, and a regular speaker at Education Week. She is a monthly TV contributor on KSL’s “Studio 5” and regular blogger for LDSLiving online. She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications, and columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. Mrs. Sokol is also the author of Motherhood Matters, Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, and Life is Too Short for One Hair Color, as well as talk CDs and podcasts. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats. Visit her website at 8basics.com/   

What I liked about the book:

   Connie Sokol’s easy, flowing style of a fun, clean romance makes this a perfect summer read. There is a lot of dialogue, both internal and verbal, which keeps the pace going and resonates with female readers. She adds humor and tenderness to complex relationship struggles. I enjoyed the relief from those struggles that character Mrs. V provided. I also found the dream-like setting of a cruise ship appealing, especially from the perspective of staff or performers more than vacationers. The book offers what it promises and I enjoyed it.

What I didn’t like about the book:

   I only had two problems while reading and they proved minor enough. The first was that the continual relationship roller coaster got a little tiresome. Maybe I’m too far removed from those days and teens and young adults would probably soak it up. Sokol does a good job giving her audience the reasoning behind the actions, but it was kind of the same thing freshly rehashed.

   The second problem is a mild spoiler if you want to skip the rest of this paragraph. It stems from the back cover blurb. I kept expecting something excitingly malicious to happen on the cruise ship with the former fiancé but he doesn’t show up until Megan is home and it’s nearly the end of the book. I would have liked the added suspense of something like that, but this was strictly a romance. The ending turns out satisfying, however, and romance readers will enjoy the story.

   CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS is available now on Amazon as an eBook and paperback. Keep an eye on Connie's Facebook page for the fun goodies and tips she gives out!