Greg is an engaged millionaire playboy who has never been in love. Elise is a younger, naïve law student. He is intrigued by her. She is reluctant to accept the feelings she has for him. Throw in a devious fiancée, a mystery, and some unexpected plot twists, and you have the makings of Evy Journey’s novel Hello, My Love. It is the first installment in the author’s Between Two Worlds trilogy, which fits in the women’s fiction genre.
Journey is a fan of Jane Austen novels, and that is reflected in her writing. The verbal sparring and palpable undercurrents of romantic tension between the hero and heroine are reminiscent of the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In addition, Elise is fiercely independent with a habit of dismissing men who are attracted to her, similar to Elizabeth Bennet. Journey injects just the right amount of tension with conflicts in the story, sufficient to add complexity to the plot without slowing the pace to a crawl.
Readers looking for a good love story to get lost in will enjoy this book. The tale at first appears to be a typical romance set in the San Francisco Bay area and Provence, France. But the plot soon makes the first of several twists, disintegrating any presumptions the reader has of this being a formulaic love story. Without including spoilers, the title has a more complex meaning than it seems to at first, which is revealed as the plot unfolds. While reading the novel, the audience will find characters they will side with and others they will love to hate.
Readers who prefer stories with a damsel in distress looking to be rescued, will not find that here. Elise is a character written from a feminist perspective. She has depth, and is career-minded and no-nonsense. She can take care of herself (until she can’t).
Journey has written that she has an academic writing background. This book shows that she is well-rounded and adept at fiction as well. Hello, My Love is accessible and moves along at a nice pace. You will not want to put this book down until you have read the last page. The novel is well-edited, resulting in a professional presentation. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Read it, and then look forward to reading the other two installments in this trilogy.
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