My review of Word Gets Around by Lisa Wingate

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Romance Is In the Air, Word Gets Around. Lauren Eldridge thought she'd wiped the dust of Daily, Texas, off her boots forever. Screenwriter Nate Heath thought he was out of second chances. Life's never that predictable, though. Cajoled by her father, Lauren is back in town helping train a skittish race horse set to star in a Hollywood film. But the handsome screenwriter gives her more trouble than the horse. And Nate is realizing there's a spark of magic in the project--and in the eyes of the girl who is so good with horses. Daily, Texas, has a way of offering hope, healing, and a little romance just when folks need it most.

My review:

Lisa Wingate did a fabulous job creating complex characters with very believeable internal conflicts. When I read a story I want to be emotionally invested in it. Not only is the cover of Word Gets Around gorgeous, but the story is beautiful as well. I was so caught up in their storyworld that several times tears welled in my eyes. I love it when I feel so connected that I cry with characters when they overcome something they have battled for years. That makes this one powerful book, IMHO. And while the spiritual component was very subtle, when it did come out in the story it was deep and meaningful.

All that Texas lingo and those hilarious sayings like "Well butter my backside and call me a biscuit" made for interesting reading as did the funny tales the relative shared about Lauren when she was a kid. The author did a great job getting in a man's head, too. The hero, Nate, was incredibly hot and his crazy internal thoughts made me laugh. And Lauren's reason for keeping her heart closed from others was very realistic. I totally understood her.

I also loved how Lauren's friendship with Nate slowly developed. It was refreshing to experience the emotional bonding between them that began with friendship and mutual admiration. I can't stand it when conflict feels contrived. In Word Gets Around everything made sense and felt natural to me. The character arcs were exquisitely done, and this romance sizzled even though it was based on friendship and not just chemistry.

I'd encourage any writer who wants to understand how to make a character come alive on a page to read this book and see how it should be done. I can't think of a time when I've read a story that rang so true when it came to internal conflict. I loved everything about this book including the well-done dysfunction crafted into the minor characters, like "The Shay". Did I mention the hero, Nate, was hot? Oh, and the kisses they shared were amazing, but even better than those were the kisses that never happened. Made my heart pound! And even though you know there will be a happy ever after because it's a romance, I still enjoyed experiencing the emotional journey with them.

Word Gets Around was published by Bethany House and published in February 2009.