Review: About That Man

 
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How could the sensible daughter of Trinity Harbor's self-proclaimed patriarch have taken in the boy caught hot-wiring her car? Whether the boy is a modern-day Huck Finn or not, Trinity Harbor is in an uproar. But for Daisy Spencer, guiding the orphaned ten-year-old is easy, an escape from her own tragic past. She can ignore the town's nay-saying. The only real obstacle is…that man. 
That man is the boy's uncle, Walker Ames, a tough DC cop who sees his unexpected nephew as his last chance at redemption. Soon he's commuting to the charming fishbowl of a town, where everyone assumes he's seduced Daisy—their best Sunday-school teacher! But to Walker, Daisy is a disconcerting mix of charming innocence and smart-mouthed excitement in a town that's not as sleepy as it looks.

Genre: contemporary romance

Publication date: March 2017

Mature content: yes

Review: I loved this book. Loved the characters (well, most of them), the story and the way certain sensitive issues are dealt with. There is a lot happening in this book, but the author manages to make it all fit in a convincing way. Still, I had a few issues, which are the main reason I'm rating About That Man with four stars instead of five.

I have to admit I was a bit troubled by the way King Spencer (Daisy's father) tries to control the lives and decisions of everyone around him. Not coming from a small town myself, maybe I just can't grasp the situation correctly, but the whole thing strikes me as unrealistic. Bottom line, King Spencer comes across as a bully and just don't like bullies.

Also, everyone's concern with the yankees is a bit odd. Again, maybe it's my European mentality, but that war was fought over 150 years ago, isn't it time to let it go? How can anyone say that Walker isn't good enough for Daisy because he's a yankee? And then they discover he was born in Richmond and suddenly he's totally Ok. Really? Do people still live by those rules?

And finally, it also seemed strange that at this day and age a woman would get in trouble at work because she's living under the same roof with a man out of wedlock. Granted, she's a highschool teacher, but if there are drug issues at school shouldn't the principal be more concerned about those instead of meddling in private aspects of her life?

Nevertheless, and personal rants aside, these are details that should not detract from the fact that About That Man is still a wonderful romance novel, and I recommend it. This was the first book I read by Sherryl Woods and I will certainly go back for more.

Have a wonderful weekend,