Review: Aloha Rose by Lisa Carter

Missing Something

Laney Carrigan is visiting the Big Island of Hawaii to meet her birth family for the first time. She has come into contact with her Hawaiian family when they recognised a photograph of the quilt she was left wrapped in when she was abandoned as a baby. Her adoptive father was in the military and her adoptive mother is now dead, so she’s never felt at home anywhere, and her career as a travel journalist hasn’t given her the opportunity to set down roots.

Kai Barnes was raised by Laney’s birth family as a foster child, after his mother was murdered. He forms an instant dislike of Laney—he’s convinced she’s simply out to get what she can, and is determined to protect his foster family from this interloper.

Aloha Rose didn’t meet expectations for me. I’m not sure why. It’s the second book I’ve read by Lisa Carter, and all I can say is that something doesn’t gel between the way she writes and the way I read. The beginning was very fast, too many characters were introduced too quickly, and although I got the instant attraction between Laney and Kai, I didn’t see their relationship progress beyond that attraction. I suspect there was too much focus on showing us the interaction between the couple, and too little on showing us their deeper feelings. Good characters and an interesting concept, but something about the writing just didn’t work.

Thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Lisa Carter at her website.