Love in Disguise by Carol Cox was clever, entertaining, and one of those books that I confidently passed along to friends, knowing that they would enjoy it as much as I did. Having read a lot of historical Christian romances I’d say I’m not easily impressed with the genre- and for that reason Love in Disguise gets five stars from me. The main character, Ellie Moore, is not exactly endearing from the start. The reader grows to appreciate and connect with her, as the character matures and expands throughout the book. As a damsel in distress, Ellie rises to meet the challenges of her life with resourcefulness and creativity; sure, she finds love along the way, but unlike many romance novels, falling in love is not depicted as the primary key to happiness or self-discovery. I loved the plot, and the dual persona that Ellie plays out in her role as an upstart detective. The book disappoints only in the opening chapter, where Ellie’s character and role is somewhat confusing, and then at the climax. Since I don’t like spoilers I’ll be vague: Ellie solves the crime she’s been assigned to uncover, but the events unfold a bit unrealistically and hurriedly. The writing feels forced, as if the author isn’t quite sure how to depict the scene, so she just hurries it along and gets her characters out of the scrape they’re in – like a movie that avoids going through the trouble of showing how the main characters survive a fatal situation. The reader is simply expected to accept that of course it works out alright. Once through that, however, the dénouement resumes in the well-written manner that marks the rest of the book, and the story ends satisfactorily. I’ve already passed this book on to others- it definitely gets my recommendation as great Christian entertainment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Joyclynn 