Saturday, June 8, 2019

#24 [2019/CBR11] "Hello Stranger" by Lisa Kleypas

I had a long drive when I went on my latest backpacking trip, so I picked up some books on tape to help me through it. The one I ended up listening to was Hello Stranger (2018) by Lisa Kleypas. I've read a number of Kleypas's books and knew what to expect. On the whole, this one was a good distraction while driving. The characters were likable, but I never got too attached. Part of this may be because it was on tape. I think I take more in when I read in print.

Dr. Garrett Gibson is the only female physician in Britain. She went to France and trained at the Sorbonne because women were not allowed in medical schools in Britain. Garrett has her own practice and also volunteers with the poor. She runs into Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, one night as she's returning from her volunteer work. Garrett is accosted by three drunk soldiers. She fights back, and Ethan, who's been following her, jumps in to help. Ethan and Garrett apparently met a couple times in earlier books that I haven't read.

Ethan offers to teach Garrett some self defense and she agrees. Ethan Ransom is intrigued by Garrett, but every time they meet, he says they'll never meet again. Ethan has discovered that his boss and mentor is really a bad guy--manipulative and controlling and intent on murdering innocent people. For this reason, Ethan is turning on his old boss, and risking his life in the process. He's afraid that anyone close to him could be used to control him. For that reason, he tries to keep his distance from Garrett, but generally fails.

When Ethan is shot, Garrett is brought to his side to say goodbye to him, but she is determined to save him. They go to a country house to allow him to recuperate safety, but they know people are still after them. There are more fights and threats, but it all works out in the end.

I liked that Garrett was independent, and that she played a large part in her own story. I also liked Ethan's competence and intelligence. The love story was fine, but I never got too into it. There were also couples from previous books that I did not know. I might have appreciated them more if I knew their stories. So, Kleypas is a reliable romance writer, as always, but it wasn't my favorite.

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