His Small-Town Girl

Eden, OK #1

by Arlene James

Fast-moving Texan Tyler Aldrich thought it a fate worse than death to be stuck in rural Eden, Oklahoma, overnight. Imagine the Dallas CEO settling in for homemade meat loaf at the Heavenly Arms Motel! Yet something about quiet Charlotte Jefford made Tyler want to leave his worries behind for more than one evening. Was it their differences that drew Tyler in? The small-town girl was devoted to her family; he longed to escape his. Were they polar opposites thrown together by a wrong turn-or had God actually set them on the right path?

Genres: Love Inspired, Romance, Christian, Christian Romance, Christian Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2008

About the author

Arlene James has written romance for four decades, and has published 100+ novels. A mother of sons and now a happy grandmother to the brightest, most talented, and lovely of all granddaughters, she is finding her sixth decade to be great fun.

She and her very supportive husband of 45 years (whom she agreed to marry on their first date!) enjoy a busy social life and have visited much of the world. After calling Texas home for three decades, they now live in beautiful NW Arkansas.

Arlene grew up on a ranch in south central Oklahoma and still maintains strong ties in that area. She firmly believes that writing has afforded her the best of all possible means of earning a living, and credits a junior high school English teacher with proving to her that her dream of being an author was entirely achievable.

After 4 decades of deadlines and multiple-book contracts (for which she is deeply grateful), she is enjoying the ability to write exactly what she feels led to write on her own schedule.

Reviews

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like books that set in small town, and this is no exception! Looking forward to reading Charlotte's brothers stories. :)

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book takes place in Eden, Oklahoma, a very small town where everyone is above average (to paraphrase Garrison Keillor). However, the meet cute plot and romance suffers from poor characterization. All the small town people are salt of the earth, good Christians, never a bad word about anyone. All of the rich people are somehow flawed, not Christlike, snobbish, etc. Clearly the author has never met a truly rich person (I have; I know a couple of millionaires); otherwise, she might have given them some redeeming qualities.

[B. D. Mann · Rating 2 out of 5]

What can I say except that I found this offering lacking in depth, style, and realism. Once I suffered through 45% of the book I gave it up as a lost cause. The stilted writing style held no similarity to real people, real situations, nor real life. There is no way the hero, who was a wealthy CEO of a grocery chain, could possibly be so insulated from real life that he didn't even know how to shop at a discount store. I constantly seek romance stories where high moral standards are depicted. But I do not want to sacrifice good story telling skills in the process where the characters and situations are identifiable in real life. Disappointingly, the author failed to do that in this offering.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book, very quick half a day read but I was so sucked into the world that I had to find the other books in the series and I can now say Arlene James is one of my fav authors!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming to the small town of Eden, can Tyler figure out what true peace is?

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun start to a new series (I really love series). To be honest, much of this was predictable.. but that was fine with me. I loved watching Tyler's spiritual journey most of all. And I commend the author for laying out the plan of salvation clearly and in a lovely manner. Not harsh or preachy, but via conversation. Well done!

I will say that Tyler's family's quick acceptance seemed a bit unrealistic. But easily overlooked.

Looking forward to reading the remainder of the series which centers around Charlotte's 2 brothers.

[Abby Waldner · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really good book. I loved the quick romance and everything in between. A recommend for the beginning of a series

[joyce lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

isn't it terribly amazing how so many people can look at the same "picture", and each see it in a totally different way?!

as exciting as that can be, it can also be pretty scary, ESPECIALLY if no one is smart enough to bring it out in the open, so it can be dealt w/!

great ending, altho, a bit surreal (?) in how things lined up so quickly?!

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed Her Small Town Hero by Arlene James and since this book was from the same family I thought I would like this book. I was very dissapointed. I hate whirlwind romances and that's how this book read to me. I had to choke through the last couple chapters.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler Aldrich needed to get away from his boardroom and family. Out of gas in Eden, OK was a blessing in disguise. Charlotte Jefford lives and works with her grandfather in the family motel the Heavenly Arms. Will she ever find love enough to leave home?

[Cws]

YAI-Jam

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the best Love Inspired I have ever read but it is a good read. It flows well and can be read quickly.

[Lawana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eden OK Bk 02

[Nicole Wrightson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up randomly while stuck without my other books. It was slow going at first but it turned into a book I loved. I recommend this book to any christian romance reader out there.