Book Review
Long Gone Girl by Amy Rose Bennett
Publisher: Steam eReads
Publication Date: September 13, 2014
Format: eBook - 88 pages
Kindle - 3904 KB
ISBN: 978-0992471972
ASIN: B00NKQ9RBE
Genre: Vintage Historical Romance
BUY THE BOOK: Long Gone Girl
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book blast event hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Book Description:
After returning home from the Korean War a widow, former MASH surgical nurse, Ginny Williams, heads to the Jersey Shore for a weekend of much needed R&R. But her plans to do nothing more than relax on the beach go seriously awry when the boy who broke her heart on Prom night nine years ago—the now hotter-than-hot ‘fly-boy’ Jett Kelly—shows up on her patch of sand. To make matters worse, Captain Kelly seems to be on a mission to win her trust, and maybe even her heart again. But the last thing Ginny wants is a man—especially one like Jett—in her life. She’s a career nurse now, and that’s that. If only Jett wasn’t so damned charming and attractive…
US air force pilot, Captain Jefferson ‘Jett’ Kelly Junior is blown away to have stumbled across the beautiful yet shy and bookish girl he used to have a huge crush on in high school—especially now that Ginny is all grown up and sexy as hell. Problem is, she’s also not backward in coming forward when letting him know she hasn’t forgiven him for the Prom-kiss-gone-wrong incident. Even though Jett knows he’ll have his work cut out for him to get a second chance with her, he’s definitely going to give it his best shot…
Despite Ginny’s determination to keep her head—she’s certainly not the naïve girl she used to be—when Jett starts to unashamedly woo her, she soon realizes that maybe her heart didn’t get the memo…
Book Excerpt:
“Ginny O’Hara? God, is that really you?”
Ginny cracked open an eyelid and squinted up at the dark shadow—enormous, dark, male shadow—looming over her. What the hell?
Heart in her mouth, she pushed herself up to a sitting position on her beach towel then tipped down her sunglasses so she could peer over the top—only to be confronted with her worst nightmare. Jett Kelly was at the Shore. And she was wearing nothing but sunglasses, a bathing suit and now a bright red blush.
Oh no, no, no. How unlucky could she be? Of all the places in the state of New Jersey that Jett Kelly could have gone, why had he shown up exactly here? While she was sun bathing. Vulnerable didn’t even begin to describe the way she felt—she may as well have been sitting on the beach stark naked.
And to make matters worse, he was only wearing bathing trunks as well. Do not look down. Do not look down. Just look at his face.
She swallowed, then somehow scraped together a voice that was passably clear if not confident. “Yes, but it’s Williams. Ginny Williams now…” Keep it together, Ginny. You’ve seen thousands of men wearing a lot less. She thrust out her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Jett.” Well that was a big fat lame lie. And he knew it.
He smiled slowly, and even though he was wearing aviator sunglasses, she knew the smile mustn’t have reached his bluer-than-the-sky eyes. But he took her hand and shook it anyway. “Same.”
Dear God, what an idiot she must look, shaking hands with Adonis personified at the beach. She pulled her hand from his firm grasp, desperately trying to ignore the searing heat that had shot from her fingers straight to the apex of her thighs, making her want to squirm.
Stop it, Williams. You’re all grown up now, remember? A hardened field-surgical nurse.
Jett’s grin broadened, as if he was reading her mind. “You’re looking well.” Even though she couldn’t see his eyes behind the lenses of his sunglasses, she felt his gaze drifting over her polka-dot bikini clad body.
“So are you.” Which was an understatement to say the least. Despite her determination not to notice anything about Jett Kelly’s physique, she’d have to be dead not to. Wide shoulders, sleek golden skin over well-defined muscles—she could name every one—lean hips… She stalwartly resisted the urge to glance lower at the front of his trunks and dragged her gaze back to his annoyingly, too handsome face. “So…”
“Do you mind if I pull up a pew?” He gestured at the sand beside her.
Yes! “I was just thinking of leaving actually,” she said through a tight smile. “A girl shouldn’t get too much sun. You know, fair skin and all.” The audacity of the man. She’d all but told him she was married, but here he was, about to make himself at home on her quiet patch of beach. The man was unbelievable! He hadn’t changed one iota since high school.
He grinned. “I could help you with that lotion you’ve got there.”
Once a jerk, always a jerk apparently. “I don’t think so.” Ginny grabbed her floppy hat, shoved it onto her head then stuffed her Bain du Soliel sun lotion and novel into her calico beach bag. She stood, snagging her beach towel up as she rose. “Well, it was nice—”
He touched her arm. “Don’t go.”
Ginny jumped as though she’d been scalded and dropped her gaze to where his hand lay on her forearm. His long fingers were tanned against her own pale skin. She half suspected there were burn marks underneath.
He took off his aviators. Mesmerizing blue eyes, bluer than she remembered, trapped her gaze. “Don’t go on my account,” he repeated softly, his voice as rich and deep as the purr of the car he drove. “I’m just here to go for a swim anyway. You won’t even know I’m here.”
Ginny cracked open an eyelid and squinted up at the dark shadow—enormous, dark, male shadow—looming over her. What the hell?
Heart in her mouth, she pushed herself up to a sitting position on her beach towel then tipped down her sunglasses so she could peer over the top—only to be confronted with her worst nightmare. Jett Kelly was at the Shore. And she was wearing nothing but sunglasses, a bathing suit and now a bright red blush.
Oh no, no, no. How unlucky could she be? Of all the places in the state of New Jersey that Jett Kelly could have gone, why had he shown up exactly here? While she was sun bathing. Vulnerable didn’t even begin to describe the way she felt—she may as well have been sitting on the beach stark naked.
And to make matters worse, he was only wearing bathing trunks as well. Do not look down. Do not look down. Just look at his face.
She swallowed, then somehow scraped together a voice that was passably clear if not confident. “Yes, but it’s Williams. Ginny Williams now…” Keep it together, Ginny. You’ve seen thousands of men wearing a lot less. She thrust out her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Jett.” Well that was a big fat lame lie. And he knew it.
He smiled slowly, and even though he was wearing aviator sunglasses, she knew the smile mustn’t have reached his bluer-than-the-sky eyes. But he took her hand and shook it anyway. “Same.”
Dear God, what an idiot she must look, shaking hands with Adonis personified at the beach. She pulled her hand from his firm grasp, desperately trying to ignore the searing heat that had shot from her fingers straight to the apex of her thighs, making her want to squirm.
Stop it, Williams. You’re all grown up now, remember? A hardened field-surgical nurse.
Jett’s grin broadened, as if he was reading her mind. “You’re looking well.” Even though she couldn’t see his eyes behind the lenses of his sunglasses, she felt his gaze drifting over her polka-dot bikini clad body.
“So are you.” Which was an understatement to say the least. Despite her determination not to notice anything about Jett Kelly’s physique, she’d have to be dead not to. Wide shoulders, sleek golden skin over well-defined muscles—she could name every one—lean hips… She stalwartly resisted the urge to glance lower at the front of his trunks and dragged her gaze back to his annoyingly, too handsome face. “So…”
“Do you mind if I pull up a pew?” He gestured at the sand beside her.
Yes! “I was just thinking of leaving actually,” she said through a tight smile. “A girl shouldn’t get too much sun. You know, fair skin and all.” The audacity of the man. She’d all but told him she was married, but here he was, about to make himself at home on her quiet patch of beach. The man was unbelievable! He hadn’t changed one iota since high school.
He grinned. “I could help you with that lotion you’ve got there.”
Once a jerk, always a jerk apparently. “I don’t think so.” Ginny grabbed her floppy hat, shoved it onto her head then stuffed her Bain du Soliel sun lotion and novel into her calico beach bag. She stood, snagging her beach towel up as she rose. “Well, it was nice—”
He touched her arm. “Don’t go.”
Ginny jumped as though she’d been scalded and dropped her gaze to where his hand lay on her forearm. His long fingers were tanned against her own pale skin. She half suspected there were burn marks underneath.
He took off his aviators. Mesmerizing blue eyes, bluer than she remembered, trapped her gaze. “Don’t go on my account,” he repeated softly, his voice as rich and deep as the purr of the car he drove. “I’m just here to go for a swim anyway. You won’t even know I’m here.”
My Book Review:
Author Amy Rose Bennett's Long Gone Girl is a lighthearted, sweet and sassy vintage historical romance novella that is sure to leave a smile on your face.
Set in the post-Korean War year of 1953, the reader is transported to Ridgewood and Point Pleasant, NJ, where they follow the unexpected reuniting of Ginny Williams and her unrequited high school crush Jefferson "Jett" Kelly.
Ginny is a war widow and former MASH surgical nurse who served in the Korean War. She recently returned home from the war and has been working a lot of shifts as a staff nurse at the county hospital. She's in desperate need of some R&R, so she takes off for a weekend getaway at the Jersey Shore. While staying in Point Pleasant, Ginny has an unexpected encounter on the beach with Jett Kelly, an old high school nemesis who she also had a crush on. Jett is a Captain in the Air Force who also served in Korea as a jet fighter pilot. Ginny has a long held resentment against Jett that goes back nine years to their senior prom when he humiliated her in front of everyone. Well that shy, goody-two-shoes girl is long gone, replaced by a sassy and independent woman who knows what she wants and where she's going. That doesn't stop Jett from putting Operation Ginny into motion, he is determined to apologize for his past mistake and make Ginny his girl, something that he should have done nine years ago. Can a steamy weekend at the Jersey Shore help Ginny let go of the past and find love with Jett? Is Jett sincere enough to get Ginny to trust him in order to get a second chance at love?
In Long Gone Girl, author Amy Rose Bennett weaves an entertaining vintage historical romance tale that easily draws the reader into Ginny and Jett's story. With wonderful descriptions of the post Korean War time period and the scenic Point Pleasant landmarks and Jersey shore beaches, the reader is transported back to a time when two people are back home from serving in the war and rediscovering an undeniable attraction to each other. The author does a wonderful job of describing Ginny and Jett's background, along with a providing a flashback to nine years ago that explained what happened between Ginny and Jett that caused such deep long-held resentment. And when you mix in a sexy fly-boy with a determined plan to win the heart of the woman he wronged, a steamy beach weekend, and some inner struggle and frustration of fighting the undeniable connection and physical attraction between them, you have one heck of an enjoyable romance story that will leave a smile on your face.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that as a born and bred Jersey girl, the author did my home state proud with her accurate description of the beach, boardwalk, and local landmarks that made up Point Pleasant back in the 1950s. I loved the time period that the author wrote about, there is nothing more swoon worthy than a post war romance intertwined with a beach setting. And one more big smile for mentioning Fort Dix, since the base is my next door neighbor, I was thrilled to see that Jett was stationed there as a flight instructor.
Long Gone Girl is a wonderful vintage historic romance novella that is perfect for wiling away a lazy afternoon.
RATING: 5 STARS
About The Author
Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Devonshire Rex cat with attitude. She is a Speech Pathologist, but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling—writing romance.
AUTHOR WEBSITE
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Hi Kathleen,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reading and reviewing LONG GONE GIRL :D ! I must confess, I was waiting for your review with bated breath, given I'm an Australian author. So I'm really thrilled you enjoyed Ginny and Jett's story and even better still, I'm over the moon that you thought I depicted the era, New Jersey and Point Pleasant with some semblance of accuracy (I loved doing the research). Thank you again!
Amy
Hi Amy! Thank you for the opportunity to host your book blast event. I really enjoyed reading Long Gone Girl, I was very impressed with your research of the setting. I loved the description of the time period, the fashion, and sights - sounds - smell of the Jersey beach and boardwalk. This was a wonderful novella. :)
DeleteGreat review - sounds like another book for my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Joanne :) . And thanks for commenting that you'd like to read my book!
DeleteHi Joanne! Thank you for stopping by and posting your kind comments. This is a wonderful story, hope you get a chance to read it. :)
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGreat review, I can't wait to read the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for saying you'd like to read my book, Rita :) . I'm pretty chuffed about the review too!
DeleteHi Rita! Thank you for your kind comment, I appreciate it. You're going to love reading the book. :)
DeleteEnjoyed reading the excerpt and thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and reading the excerpt, Karen. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteHi Karen! Thank you for stopping by and visiting with us today. :)
Delete