Cat's Books: Romance

Max Crawford has reached the point in life where he's starting to think about settling down. Unfortunately, he's always been a little awkward when it comes to social interactions, and working from home doesn't help. He spends so much time alone, painting beautiful, historically accurate model trains that half of Whitford has begun to joke that he may be a serial killer. Not exactly prime husband material.

Tori Burns has found happiness in Maine, thanks in large part to her shifts at the Trailside Diner. She likes the work, and she loves the local gossip. When shy, geeky Max Crawford becomes a regular, she's intrigued. When she finds out he's in the market for a wife, she's fascinated…and determined to help.

Molding Max into every woman's dream turns out to be much easier than expected. But has Tori's plan worked a little too well? As she turns his comfortable life all sorts of upside down, she'll have to find a way to show just how she's fallen for him…the real him.

Review

I have read a few of the Kowalski and enjoyed them. I was so excited about this one with its nerdy train painting hero that I preordered it.

Max was utterly charming and wonderful Tori made me nuts. She was self aware but couldn't see through the fog of her reaction to her parent's divorce. I find her arrogant about Max as well.

I get that adults are deeply impact when their parents divorce. However, Tori is so brittle and doesn't try to be vulnerable and work through these feelings. I wanted to pick up Max and run away and give him to a better heroine.

I was disappointed in what should have been a fun book with the conflict coming from two very different personalities coming together ending up in a lot of needless drama and emotionial withdrawal. The closing drama sealed the deal in a not good for me read.