The Carny

Today's post is my review of the contemporary romance,The Carny, by Brooke Moss. It's a great story, so read on!

Blurb:

At a town fair on the coast of Oregon, handsome Native American carny, Vincent Youngblood, bestows an unforgettable kiss on shy, awkward teenager, Charlotte Davenport. Then disappears without another word, leaving her baffled and enamored.

Ten years later, Charlotte is still living in the small fishing town of Astoria, while being trained to--reluctantly--take over for her philandering hotelier father when he retires. After all, who else will do it? Her two perfect sisters are busy being married to their flawless husbands and having cookie cutter children, while Charlotte remains single, childless, and every bit as mousy as she was a decade ago.

As Charlotte struggles to climb out from underneath her judgmental parents thumb, the carnival rolls back into town, and Charlotte finds herself face to face with Vin again. He's back to run his father's carnival, walking away from a promising career in medicine he started in Chicago. Will her biased and judgmental family accept her relationship with a man who is not only a Native American, but works as a carny for a living? And what unsavory secrets bind the well-educated and seemingly superlative Vin to that ramshackle carnival? After all, you can’t judge a carny by its cover.

My Review:

Charlotte Davenport is the self-appointed spinster and peacemaker in her family. She works constantly to fill the emotional gaps for each of her family members, while ignoring her own needs and sacrificing her happiness. Managing the family hotel, dealing with two perfect sisters, a mother who drinks before noon, and a playboy father keep her very busy indeed. I really enjoyed Charlotte’s journey to find the courage to reach for happiness no matter the cost. Sparks fly when she finally makes it clear that everyone is on their own because she deserves a great life too. There’s nothing like family intrigue to keep those pages turning.

Vincent Youngblood is a hero through and through. His return to Astoria includes his own steamer trunk of personal baggage. Being a very private person, it doesn’t take long in this small town for his personal issues to be on display for all to see. His father is ill, so he also makes choices and sacrifices for the good of his family. Things take an interesting turn when he realizes that its Charlotte he wants.

The Carny is a truly heartwarming story. Ms. Moss deals deftly with prejudice, mood disorders, and levels of emotional distress that have the power to change lives sometimes for the good, sometimes not. She has carefully crafted characters who will grab your heart when you aren’t looking. More than once I found myself cheering for the wonderfully mismatched couple, and hissing when horrible people insisted they be kept apart. If you love stories about people who defy all odds to be together, this is the read for you.

BUY IT HERE

About the Author:

Brooke Moss lives in beautiful eastern Washington state, with her nerdy husband, four dirty-faced children, and one dim-witted dog. When she’s not changing diapers and spinning tales, Brooke often changes the color of her hair, fancies herself a cheese aficionado, and as the mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum, enthusiastically supports autism awareness. She loves to write stories that are equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching, and enjoys finding the love story in every ordinary couple’s past. Now…if she could just climb out from under that pile of dirty laundry.

Find Brooke elsewhere on the web at www.brookemoss.com and on Twitter at @BrookeMoss4.

Thank you for allowing me the honor of reviewing your work. Wishing you much success with your fantastic story!