HATTERAS GIRL

I received a copy of HATTERAS GIRL by Alice J. Wisler from Bethany House. I was slightly put off by the cover – a large pair of sand-encrusted feet is not my idea of a good time, but maybe it is for someone who loves the beach. The book, however, was entertaining. I read it in one day while listening to the rain drum against the roof. The story involves Jackie Donovan and her dream of owning a bed and breakfast. Growing up, she and her best friend Minnie visited the Bailey House in their hometown often. Both always wanted to run it. Now, Jackie works for a magazine and widowed Minnie has two jobs in order to support her son. During an interview for the magazine, Jackie meets the current owner of the Bailey House, who happens to be the grandson of the original owners. He agrees to rent it to her and Jackie begins to hold romantic feelings for him. Things go downhill when Jackie realizes he has not kept the house up to safe standards, and that he has another girlfriend. A man she has known her entire life as one of her brother’s friends agrees to help her restore the house and, at the end of the book, asks her to become romantically involved with him. The novel contained love and excitement, but many moments dragged. The author provided too much information about minor characters that rarely held a place in the book, other than to prod the main characters along. There were also touching moments, such as when Minnie’s mother died and she remembered her husband’s tragic boating death. The families in the story were very strong and inspirational.