IN OTHER WORDS, LOVE by SHIRLEY JUMP
*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.*
Kate Winslow is a ghostwriter who spends her life writing books that will never bear her name. She longs to one day write a novel, one which isn't tied around non-disclosure agreements. Her latest writing assignment ends being for none other than her old college boyfriend, Trent MacMillan, who heads up "Get Outdoors Apparel." As its name suggests, the company focuses on clothing and gear for outdoor adventurers. His passion for the outdoors drove a wedge in their previous relationship as Kate was always more of an indoor gal, never needing the adventure that Trent sought. As Kate and Trent work together to write his book, they work through the past, rediscover themselves in the present, and find hope for the future.
I found the topic of this book to be very interesting as I've always been intrigued by ghostwriters. It has always seemed to me to be some sort of backhand plagiarizing; the "author" is literally passing off another's work as their own. I appreciated that this issue came up in the novel and really enjoyed how it was resolved. The ending conflict that led to this resolution was realistic. I did struggle with the book in the beginning. I felt that there was a fast shift in demeanor of Kate from the initial meeting with Trent through the rest of the book. I also never quite understood why they made their relationship so complicated. All of their previous relationship problems could have easily been solved with compromise. It never had to be an all or nothing sort of situation.
All in all, it was an okay book for me. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, but the story just didn't quite grasp me. However, I still think avid clean romance readers would really enjoy it. It reads much like a classic Hallmark movie and is perfectly pleasant.