Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania by Loree Lough

Title: Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania

Author: Loree Lough

Publisher: Summerside Press 2009

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 316

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Contemporary Romance; Support Your Local Library; February Romance Month; A to Z Authors: L

To attorney Julia Spencer, this quaint Amish town is anything but a Paradise. When Julia agrees to defend a local teenager charged in a case involving an Amish boy, she and handsome veterinarian Simon Thomas find themselves on opposite sides of an intense and emotional legal battle.

I picked this volume up at the library about a week ago. I wanted a contemporary romance that wasn't filled with sex and little plot.  I wanted something a bit more meatier, but not really heavy (i.e. At the Scent of Water, amazing book but very deep).  So I found this book, listed as Christian romance.  I know what you're thinking "Why did you pick another Christian romance after all your issues with the genre?"  I know, I know, but I thought "What the hey!"

This one is pleasantly enjoyable.  Not as formulaic as many of the ones I have read before.  Of course, it wasn't awesome either.  I liked the two main characters.  They were likable, but not overly "perfect" like in many Christian romances. As much as I liked Simon and Julia, the best character in the book was little Levi Gunden.  Hilarious and just so precious.  I loved every scene he was in.

The plot was good, although slow moving.  There is a big twist about 2/3 through the book.  I think the twist should have come about 1/2 through the book instead.  At that late in the story, it felt out of place, a clichéd plot device to get the two main characters together.  I think it would have been more effective earlier on.  That way we could really examine the consequences.  Instead, it seems a bit contrived.  And the wrap-up occurs fairly quickly.  It felt a little cheap.

Overall, I did like the book.  And I've put Lough on my list of authors to check out.  She wrote another "Love Finds You" book.  Guess I'll have to put it on my  LTL (library to loan) list.