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Elmer introduces us to two characters in this novel, one is a musical celebrity named Jamie D. Lane. Jamie has been singing ever since his mother recognized his talent as a youngster and saw it as his ticket out of poverty. But lately he has become burned out and disillusioned with his life in the media spotlight and longs for an escape. The other character we meet is Anne Stewart, who is dealing with the after effects of a head injury she sustained in a car crash with a drunk driver. This has caused her to retreat from her life as an inner-city teacher in California to the small town where she grew up. Meanwhile, Jamie has decided to ditch his manager, his concerts, his life and take his mother's ashes to the town where she was born. Disguised as "Joe Bradley", he decides that this small town would be perfect to hide out in for a while and take a break, maybe even see what it is like to live as a "real" person. Plus he likes the look of this gal named Anne that he met at the local Do-Nut barn.


Style Characterisics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.
We switch between Anne and Jamie's point of view. This book was a slow starter for me, it didn't grab me right at the beginning. The characters aren't all that deep, they are dealing with problems but it seems a bit superficial. The monks that Jamie stays with would actually be my favorite characters. The town is memorable too, as typical small towns go. The depiction of the culture at the Christian school and how they are a bit distrustful of the monks and other things was very realistic. The romance was formulaic and predictable.


How Good is it?
A nice, light read, but without much substance. Fans of genre romance and books depicting small town life will enjoy it. ( )