Book Review: Stranger On the Shore
Yesterday I had the pleasure of reading Roseanne Dowell’s short romance novel, Stranger on the Shore. It begins with a fairly common idea: a man and a woman, strangers, find themselves taking shelter from a storm while chemistry blossoms.
I found Jordan to be a likeable, realistic character. Her backstory is presented smoothly and provides insight into her reluctance to let this “too good to be true” man into her heart.
Because the book was so short, I felt it didn’t dig into Philip’s character as deeply as I would have liked. However, Stranger on the Shore is definitely an enjoyable read and offers a sweet, romantic conclusion. The plot sweeps right along to the end without any slow spots or abandoned story arcs. It’s clear that Dowell has studied the art of writing and trimmed this story to its best form. The action reminds me of Michael Swanwick’s quote about short stories; they should be “like a knife--strongly made, well balanced, and with an absolute minimum of moving parts”.
Great details abound and put readers right in the little house with Jordan, allowing us to enjoy “the sweet smell of cherry wood” and the yellowed paint on the cabinets. Dowell has a gift for creating vivid images that make the story feel real.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance!
Full disclosure, and all that: I'm an editor at Muse It Up Publishing. However, I haven't edited any of Roseanne's work!
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