Love on a Dime

Title: Love on a Dime
Author: Cara Lynn James

Goodreads Blurb:

Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoons--dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them.
But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does.
No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the long-lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit.
But Lilly must put aside her feelings and follow the path that will maintain her family's social stature and provide the financial security that everyone is depending on.
Now Lilly faces a double dilemma. Can she continue to protect her secret identity? And will she have the courage to choose the man who will risk it all just to win her heart?

My Take:

This was such a wonderfully fun book for me to read. As I sat down to write the review and thought about trying to be objective and look at writing style and character development and all those lovely things I ought to measure ~ well I just kept going back to how good I felt as I was reading it and how much I personally related to the story. It's my favorite kind of book ~ historical romance. It's one of my favorite time periods, it has an awesome cover... Plus I write in secret as well. I know I tell all of you - but none of my neighbors or friends know. I guess I'm a little afraid of how they'd react as well. So I could really relate to ow Lilly was feeling in many ways.

The story was interesting as well. There is that touch of mystery that kept you turning the pages. Just who is the man who is threatening to unveil her real identity and where is he getting his information? Will she be able to keep her secret? There also was more real tension about who she was going to choose in this book than in many romances.

Lilly battles insecurity in one way - and Jackson another. His is a very typical male one too. He wants to be able to be the provider - and to be looked up to be those around him. Raised around wealthy people but never having anything himself, he feels like he needs that wealth in order to have worth. He runs away from Lilly thinking he doesn't deserve her and she thinks he doesn't want her. Now he's back and she's being courted by someone else...

This is a great book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of historical romances.