My review of Love Me Tender by Janice Hanna!

About the book:

As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place.

Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.

My review:

I read this book almost straight through, but I had to stop to go to church on Sunday or I would have finished it instead. This author has an amazing gift. She is able to deliver a clean, but very romantic story every time. Her characters are endearing, but realistic, yet her stories are soft and tender. That's the best way to describe her books. Tender romances that will make your heart pound.

I couldn't help smiling as I read this book. The chapter beginnings where they quoted the Hollywood Heartthrob magazine was cute, too. In fact, I ended up reading little snippets of the story to my husband, who found them funny, too. Like...they say that soon we'll be paying 5 cents for a gallon of gas (hehehe...my husband remembers that and yes, he was a young teen in the late 50s) and he remembered minimum wage went up to a dollar. Seriously. I found those added historical tidbits to be especially fun and felt that they really added to the setting. I felt like I was hanging out in the fifties, but without the golly gees, and the aw shucks on every page.

One secondary character I also fell in love with was the agent's son. He was so cute in his many attempts to get his dad to represent him in the biz and land him a sweet role on television or in a movie. Hilarious! Every single scene where he piped in was adorable. I also found his motivation particularly touching, especially when he shared that with Johnny.

Speaking of Johnny, he was the ultimate hero. He reminded me of the character DJ in the author's other series when it came to his love for Jesus. They were similar, yet different. Same with Bobby Conrad. I loved getting to know these characters and how the author showed they were human, too, making all the starry-eyed girls seem a bit over the top, but it fit the story. I remember seeing old television snippets where girls were crying over Elvis, The Beatles, etc. so I know they really did act that way.

Anyway, I adored this story and as is typical every time I read this author's romances, I sighed with pleasure. She has a unique voice in romance and it's one that I can't get enough of, hence the five star rating. Hey, I loved watching Happy Days when I was a kid. If you did, too, then you'll love this one!

Love Me Tender was published by Summerside Press and released September 1st, 2010.

Blew me away