The Trouble with Valentine's Day

I couldn't let Valentine's Day pass without a romance review, could I? And Rachel Gibson's The Trouble with Valentine's Day is so appropriate. It's a great book, too: 4 out of 5.

On Valentine's Day, Kate Hamilton is on her way to Gospel, Idaho to stay with her grandfather, when she spots a man at a bar. He's attractive, interesting to talk to, and Kate decides to take a risk by inviting him to bed. He turns her down.

Weeks later, Kate is working in her grandfather's grocery store when sports-store owner Rob Sutter walks in, and Kate finds herself face to face with the man who rejected her.

That's just the beginning. Rob and Kate are both starting over after some painful experiences. Their backstories are revealed early in the book, but I won't describe them here. Some things are simply more enjoyable when you read them for yourself. Kate and Rob are both intriguing characters.

The Trouble with Valentine's Day is loosely connected to See Jane Score (Rob used to be with Luc's hockey team) and True Confessions (which is also set in Gospel, Idaho). It stands alone well, though. The references to people in the previous books won't confuse someone who hasn't read Gibson before, but they will enrich the book for someone who has.

I was somewhat surprised by Kate, who kept saying she wouldn't let Rob into her life because he would hurt her, then kept doing it anyway. On the other hand, that's very human, and luckily it worked out for her in the end. Rob's turnaround was quick--I wish there had been another 10 pages to make it seem less abrupt. The story is still enjoyable, though. Kate and Rob both deserved a happy ending.

As for my Valentine's Day, I "celebrated" by going home early. I was feeling exhausted, so I went home and took a nap. (Of course, that means I had to bring work home with me, which isn't fun. Oh well.) I also had my pictures developed, so you can see a picture of me with Rachel Gibson at the signing.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Alyssa