Photo courtesy of Debbie Macomber
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ometimes, I’m a sucker for romance novels. Yes, they’re often far-fetched. And yes, they often are not logical. But when you a good distraction, they are just what you need. That’s what I got with Debbie Macomber’s “Starry Night,” a lovely holiday story about following your gut — and your heart.
I picked up the Christmas story at Target, initially because of the sparkly wintry cover, the description I found on the back, and additionally, because it was on sale. The novel tells the story of journalist, Carrie, who is stuck writing the society page, when all she really wants is more serious work. Her boss gave her a tough assignment: tracking down the mysterious and successful author Finn Dalton, who nobody in the world has had an interview with — or even seen for that matter. Despite others’ doubts, Carrie accomplishes that challenge, but when she finds him, her heart gets in the way.
While this book was kind of cheesy, I couldn’t put it down. Debbie Macomber is a great storyteller, and within a few pages, I could picture the situation very vividly. One of my favorite scenes was when Carrie, the journalist, is with the man, Finn, at his cabin, and they watch the stars and northern lights. “Thousands upon thousands of pinprinks of twinkling light dotted the sky, mesmerizing her” described the romantic scene perfectly.
I also loved the character development in the story. There was clear chemistry between Carrie and Finn — it was
one of those “when you know, you know” love stories.
When they decided to become an item, however, many people doubted them — starting a long distance relationship after only knowing one another for two days. But Carrie believed in Finn; and while they had bumps in the road, I knew from the beginning that the two would end up together in the end.The journalist in me got frustrated at times, when she had the story opportunity of a lifetime, and wasn’t sure what to do with it because her heart and brain were pulling her in opposite directions. Chances like that don’t come often for writers. Also I thought the scene where they reunited was a little weird, with Carrie’s parents watching lovingly, and their engagement seemed a little soon.
But regardless of some loose ends left untied, wonderful writing and character development made “Starry Night” a great book to help you believe in love and the magic of the holidays again. I give this book 4/5 stars.
