Hot Wheels and High Heels by Jane Graves
This book is one of my favorites from 2007. Aside from loving the interplay between the hero and heroine, which is a total must for any good romance, I really enjoyed both the main characters as individuals. I found myself rooting for the heroine despite her early obsession with material wealth and social status, I admired the hero despite his cheapskate tendencies, and I enjoyed the humor enough to forgive the occasional and obvious plot device.
Several scenes are still vivid in my memory, which always speaks well for an author and is something I strive for in my own writing. The Wal-Mart (or is it Walmart? WalMart? Can you tell I don’t shop there?) scene where the hero is attempting to teach the heroine how to shop for clothes on a budget is one, as is the scene where the heroine finally succeeds in correctly (and legally) repossessing a car.
Part of what I love about this book, though, is that it has an obvious theme that doesn’t come across as preachy. The characters drive the story, adapting to events that just happens to underscore a life lesson, as opposed to the author trying to twist events to play up that lesson. The characters are the vehicles, not the theme. Don’t misunderstand, the theme isn’t subtle, but I think it’s handled in such a way that you don’t feel like the fidgeting kid in the first pew at Sunday service.
On another note, I’ll be continuing the Fact or Fiction Game. I hope you’re keeping track because I’ve decided to give away the winner’s choice of any book mentioned on the blog (except for Harry Potter and Deathly Hollows because I don’t think it’s out in paperback yet). I’ve settled on seven five stories, and the first person to correctly guess fact vs. fiction for each once they’re all up and posted will get a purty new paperback. Considering the handful of people stopping by, and the fact that I probably know 99% of them, I’m guessing you’ll be able to get your paperback complete with a smile. 
Happy Friday everyone!
