There are some authors with the ability to leave their emotional mark on you when you put down a book. You feel as though you’ve been through the wringer with their characters, and no matter what, everything can and will turn out okay.
Okay, quick flashback. When I started writing romance about two and a half years ago, I randomly stumbled onto Penelope Ward’s book Roomhate. I picked it up out of curiosity, and I’d seen a few other Penelope Ward books out. The reviews were off the charts and I wanted to try something new.
When I read Drunk Dial this last week, I was reminded of why I fell for Penelope Ward’s writing style in the first place. This is the type of book that so amazingly illustrated the lives of two individuals overcoming hardships together, which is the lifeblood of an incredible romance novel. At it’s core, Drunk Dial is about personal transformation through a relationship. (Which a psychiatrist once told me is actually the only way to transform yourself, since humans do not exist in vacuums. Fun fact).
I was probably in the same boat before I read Roomhate and a few other amazing authors, in that I simply assumed Romance was written porn and every book was a different version of the book which shall not be named.
Although Drunk Dial has vivid depictions of sexy times, the thing that makes the book great is how perfectly Penelope weaves in vivid detail and character depth, to the point where you feel you could sit down across from the characters and have lunch with them. It’s sexy at times, funny at times, and I’m just not sure how she comes up with all of the clever detail and backstory that make a story fun. There wasn’t any chapter where I felt a lull, and I really liked both characters of Landon and Rana.
The overall tone was a lighthearted at times, with some angst and some humor mixed in. I listened to the audio version, which was by Andi Arnt (I’m a big Andie Arndt fan). I also picked it up on Amazon for a reread when I have the time.
Now onto my next read, which happens to be this bad boy.
P.S. – I also enjoyed the Spanish in the book.
P.P.S – If you read the book you’ll get that joke 😛
Mickey Miller is a member of RWA, avid reader and romance author. You can check out his books on Amazon here.