Review: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts

Review: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts
ISBN-13: 9780425246047

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Publication date: 11/6/2012

Pages: 336

Series:Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy , #3

My Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads synopsis:

"Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out—with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except apparently Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro. 

As the former manager of a D.C. hotel, Hope is used to excitement and glamour, but that doesn’t mean she can’t appreciate the joys of small-town living. She’s where she wants to be—except for in her love life. Her only interaction with the opposite sex has been sparring with the infuriating Ryder, who always seems to get under her skin. Still, no one can deny the electricity that crackles between them…a spark that ignited with a New Year’s Eve kiss.

While the Inn is running smoothly, thanks to Hope’s experience and unerring instincts, her big-city past is about to make an unwelcome—and embarrassing—appearance. Seeing Hope vulnerable stirs up Ryder’s emotions and makes him realize that while Hope may not be perfect, she just might be perfect for him…"

In-depth review:
I think I've mentioned before that I dont read romance all that often anymore. Its all I used to read, once upon a time. Now I only pick up Nora Roberts - ONLY - and thats only when I have a hankering for a bit more romance that the average YA or adult fiction book. I tend to get bored anymore when a book only focuses on the romance aspect. Nora Roberts brings a whole new meaning to romance, in my opinion. This story comes packed with ghost hauntings, sexy romps in the sheets and a bitch slap or two, and I wasnt hooked so much by the romance in this series but by the backstory of the Ghost of the Inn Boonsboro and her long lost love.

Nora uses each aspect of the story, the ghost of the Inn and the actual couple that is the focus of the book, to move along the other without making the ghost thing silly or unbelieveable. I think there are many people out there who have seen things moving or heard noises that they couldnt explain. What if it was someone who couldnt cross over? Someone who was waiting for something... or someone, who just needed some help? Wouldnt that be awesome... well I guess if you're not afraid of ghosts.

Nora's writing is superb as usual. Her imagery and amazing detail places you in the towns, with the characters, whom by book three in the series, you've come to know and love as your own annoying (and I mean that with the utmost affection) brothers, vulnerable, spunky and OCD-ridden sisters, loving and scary mother, and I could go on for days.

Having been reading Nora Roberts novels for many years and having read, I'd say about 60% of all of her published works, there are some things I've come to know and love about her novels, as well as know and dislike.

The only thing I didnt like in this book, which is generally the same as how I feel about all of her work is that her trilogies tend to be a little predictable. There's always a blonde, a brunette and a red-head. There's always a vulnerable one, a fiery one and a snooty one. I mean, dont get me wrong, when she gets into her characters, you see them as much deeper and not every one is the same. It's just a little predictable with the basis of her trilogies. Like I said, it's usually her back story coupled with the romance that hooks me in, and her back stories are always different, this particular one being set in her home town and featuring the book store her family owns, Turn the Page in real life. (I love the little plug. It makes you feel closer to an author you already love and feel like you know.)

The other thing that sometimes annoys me is that I feel as if her romantic dialogue is a little unrealistic. I fully believe that all of the messages her characters intend to get across are ones that real people would also, but sometimes the wording of a phrase in what should be a particularly touching moment can be a little awkward or cliche; in other words, I dont think a man would say something a certain way, or string together a sentence the way she makes them. People dont speak that perfectly in real life. But I guess thats why this is fiction and not real life - hence why I love reading it so much.

Final Thoughts:

This read was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a few things that made it a little less than five star, such as the same three by three person theme in her trilogies and about 5% of her dialogue being slightly unrealistic (which I'm not trying to say makes it difficult to understand or takes away from the story at all... just saying). I can say that there were some Roberts novels that I enjoyed more, and some I enjoyed less, but I flew through this one with no problems and I did enjoy it.

Rating;

★ ★ ★ ★
This one gets four stars in my book, which means I really liked it, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Nora Roberts or anyone who is into romance.


On another note, I simply cannot figure out what to read next. I went and broke one of my bookish resolutions already and picked up two books at the bookstore yesterday, and I have to force myself not to read one of those instead of one that has been sitting on my shelf for ages. Lets see. I guess you will find out what I picked tomorrow when I post for WWW Wednesday. :)

What are you reading?

Manda C.