The theme: A favorite author.
Why this one?: I find Americana romance a good palate cleanser.
Like many Morsi books, this one features two couples — but here she mixes things up with a quadrangle.
Businesswoman Gussie, owner of “Mudd’s Manufactured Ice,” has been keeping company with Amos Dewey for three years, but when she asks his intentions point blank, he reveals he doesn’t have any. So she enlists her employer Rome to fake court her and make Amos jealous. Meanwhile, Rome has been having a secret affair with the local scandalous widow Pansy, but she won’t marry him; no matter what the town thinks, she deeply loved her husband, and will only marry again for love. And she’s the only one who realizes that Amos Dewey is still too stricken with grief over his wife’s death to be truly interested in anyone… yet.
It’s not hard to guess what happens but of course it’s a complicated journey. Pansy and Amos were initially the more interesting couple for me, but I did start to enjoy Gussie and Rome, especially Gussie’s obliviousness to her changing feelings.
[the dress] did look very nice on her. She hoped Rome agreed. If Rome thought she looked nice, then, of course, Amos would think the same. She’d worn the dress for Amos. Because she knew Rome liked it.
She allowed her imagination to wander. In her mind’s eye she saw herself leaning over the narrow counter [of the kissing booth], her lips dangerously close to those of Rome Akers. Suddenly, Amos Dewey comes pushing through the crowd. He grabs Rome by the shoulder and jerks him away from her. Then he pulls Gussie into his arms and kisses her, he kisses her exactly the same way that Rome had kissed her.
Pansy and Amos’s romance doesn’t hold up quite as well. Pansy decides to seduce Amos as a favor to Rome, since she can tell he and Gussie are perfect for each other. The seduction scene is just gorgeous — let’s hear it for old-fashioned barber chairs! — and they share a very promising afterglow, but she feels so close to Amos she makes the mistake of blurting out her plan, and of course he goes into an Old Skool snit. Although they wind up with a HEA, I’m iffy about how they got there.
I wouldn’t recommend this as a classic of the genre, but it does have a detailed, atmospheric setting, sweet characters, and believable insights into human nature. Worth a read.
I used to read a lot of Pamela Morsi years ago and have picked up a few in ebony form though I haven’t got to the yet. They’ve very folksy aren’t they?
That’s a pretty good description. She also does some really different kinds of characters and plotlines, at least some of the time.
I have two Pamela Morsi books that are among my top favorite romance novels. However, I find her books hit and miss for me.
There are several DIKs for me and some that I never managed to finish.
Hey, sorry for the OT comment, but I couldn’t find an email anywhere. Delete once you have the info if you want. So through some weird quirk my Twitterific app will still send me my mentions even though I’m suspended. Why am I permanently suspended?
“Your account, OstensiblyA has been suspended for violating the Twitter Rules.
Specifically, for:
Violating our rules against abuse and harassment.
You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so. This includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm.”
The tweet:
“🇺🇸MADAM VICE PRESIDENT🇺🇸
@OstensiblyA
@Sourcebooks @draccah I hope your company dies a painful and debt-filled death.”
Yeah, for wishing a COMPANY died. Twitter is the worst site. I put in an appeal but they haven’t gotten back to me, even after the follow up appeal a week or so later. So who knows.
Anyway, I saw your tweet asking about me (thanks for that, BTW!!) and thought I’d let you know. Feel free to pass this on to the others in the conversation.
Good grief. Thanks for checking in.