Nanee's Review of All About Charming by J. Arlene Culiner

Book description:

Alice Treemont has given up hope of meeting the right man and falling in love. Living in depopulated Blake’s Folly, a quirky community of rusting cars, old trailers, clapboard shacks and thirsty weeds, she spends her time cooking vegetarian meals, rescuing unwanted dogs and protecting the most unloved creatures on earth: snakes. What man would share those interests? Certainly not Jace Constant whose life in Chicago includes elegant women, fine dining and contemporary art.

Jace has come to Nevada to research the new book he’s writing, but he won’t be staying; as far as he’s concerned, Blake’s Folly is hell on earth. He’s disgusted by desert dust on his fine Italian shoes, dog hair on his cashmere sweaters and by desert bleakness. As for snakes, he doesn’t only despise them: they terrify him.

So how is it possible that each time Alice and Jace meet, the air sizzles? That she’s as fascinated by him as he is by her? That they know their feelings go deeper than raw desire? Still, it looks like this relationship is doomed before it starts: Jace won’t be around for long, and Alice wants to avoid the heartbreak of a short fling.

In need of some juicy romantic gossip, the other 52 residents of Blake's Folly have decided Alice has been alone for long enough. The attraction between her and Jace is obvious to everyone, so why worry about essential differences? If you trust in love, solutions do appear. But don’t those solutions call for too many compromises, too much self-sacrifice?

Nanee's Review:

I thought this book was sweet. Love Alice's character she's a independent, snake loving, dog rescuing women who lives in a small town I'm the middle of nowhere and loves every minute of it. Jace is a writer, teacher, lives in the city, hate snakes and other animals but also has a dreary life in the city. I love how the two met, Jace being so ornery about his dirty boots and a stray dog getting hair in his car, Alice being a little tough on him, almost rude but both liked what they saw. I liked their getting to know each other stage, the shy glances the conversation. I thought the town people were funny in their gossiping and match making. There first kiss and one's after sweet and promising. I thought the story was very romantic and sweet.