I truly enjoyed this book by Julie Lessman. (Note, while I did receive an ARC of this book via NetGalley from the publisher, I used my own copy for this review). This book is the first in her The Heart of San Francisco series.
Summary: Cassidy McClare is a Texas girl through and through. Moving to San Francisco to live with her aunt, uncle and cousins is about to change her life. Upon arriving, she meets "pretty boy" Jamie McKenna - a man she knows she can't fall for, or he will break her heart. Jamie, a poor boy from the wrong side of town, is determined to make a name for himself and marry a wealthy socialite so he can save his family and the people he grew up with from poverty and shame. After meeting Cassidy, he decides that she is his new goal. Sparks fly as these two spar back and forth over just about everything - the most important being Jamie's lack of faith - a deal breaker for Cassidy. Full of twists, turns, drama, and lots of wit, this book will keep you rooting for them both, and longing for more!What I loved: As usual, Julie makes her characters come alive! I also loved the romance between Cassidy and Jamie. I also appreciated that there wasn't quite as much drama/love triangle in this book as her others. This book was definitely lighter than her other series, but still super enjoyable. Cassidy's strength was also inspiring. She held on to her convictions and never let them go for anything or anymore.
What I didn't care for: One thing I noticed that I felt was odd, was although faith plays an important role in the story, and there is even a "conversion of sorts" there is never any mention of the name of Jesus. The characters only mention God. I get that some people get turned off by preachy-ness, but if you are going to share the salvation message, why wouldn't you just say the name of Christ. It made it feel watered down to me. Whether this was an intentional choice, or just how the author writes, I don't know, and it isn't THAT big of a deal, but I did notice it it, and thought I'd say something about it. :)
Overall a fantastic read, and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical romance!
Happy Reading!
Sarah K.
