Customer Reviews

Comfortable Distance

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kenna White returns to form with this novel of love set in the Pacific Northwest. Dana, a syndicated cartoonist, is in need of a break from her girlfriend Shannon and her relationship with her. Dana rents a houseboat and settles in to work. At a party, she meets Jamie, a marine biologist who is willing to help Dana examine and analyze her relationship with Shannon.

What Jamie and Dana didn't count on were falling in love with each other.

So why four stars? The ending was too abrupt, and Dana's actions at the end were not consistent with her character. That part of the novel was not comfortable.

Dana Robbins is a successful syndicated cartoonist who plans to spend her summer vacation on a houseboat. The boat isn't going anywhere. She just needs to get away from her girlfriend Shannon so that she can think about their relationship. Shannon has proven that she can't be trusted and Dana isn't sure they have a future. There is a whole community that lives at the harbor on boats and she soon makes a new group of friends, including Dr. Jamie Hughes, a marine biologist, who is studying Puget Sound and its ecosystem. When Jamie has to rescue Dana and her niece from a sailing accident, the women become sailing friends and Jamie decides to help Dana work through her trouble. Neither woman is considering any other kind of relationship, but an attraction is inevitable. Shannon isn't going to give up Dana without a fight though and that may doom any chance Jamie has of pursuing her interest in Dana.

Kenna White writes quick easy to read romances. They follow a traditional formula and have the expected conclusion. Her characters are appealing and the story flows evenly. There isn't much depth to this story and parts of it seem rushed, but there are some nice scenes. There could have been more plot and character development, but both are sufficient to move the story along. If you're a fan of light romance, this will suit you nicely.

I am a Kenna fan, and have enjoyed most of her books. I liked the characters, and there are some
GREAT one liners in there. There are also some old fashion words and expressions in there that are not
used today. I like the fact how much research Kenna puts into her books, and keeps me reading on and wanting
more. I would say this story does not go as deep as it should, as it did in some of her others. I eate it 3.8
stars

Always a fan of Kenna White, I was a little disappointed in this latest release. Here she introduces characters Dana Robbins and Jamie Hughes. Dana knows something is wrong with her 4-year relationship to Shannon. She takes the summer away, renting a houseboat from a friend. Shannon doesn't understand Dana's reason in, but humors her and gives her the requested space. Making new friends at the marina, Dana meets Dr. Jamie Hughes. Jamie is a professor of marine biology and does research in the Puget Sound. Jamie also has a gentle wisdom she shares with Dana as the confused younger woman works through her personal issues.

As she settles in to the community, Dana begins to feel a real sense of relief. She takes sailing lessons with her niece and finds herself consistently crossing paths with the enigmatic professor. Jamie doesn't realize how much she appreciates these `chance' meetings until Shannon unexpectedly appears and Jamie's jealousy rears its ugly head. Shannon refuses to go down without a fight and Dana is caught in the middle.

The premise is actually pretty good, but the characters are shallow and predictable. I know this is romantic fiction, but Jamie is too good to be true. Dana, the victim of an emotionally-abusive relationship, is tragic and almost too weakly written.

Bottom Line - This latest release is disappointing. If it were my first White read, I may not be inclined to try another.

Best new book I've read in a while. Deals with interesting personal struggle combined with the charming professor (sounding a lot like Gilligan's Island as I write this). I read it in two days. Would have finished in one but trying to economize. Highly recommended!!

I liked this book. It was a cute story. Kenna is a new author for me and this is the first book that I have read by her. I loved Dana and Jaimie and they made a cute pairing. This is worth reading.