Color of Loneliness

Color, Book #1

By Madeleine Beckett

ISBN# 9781301418282

Author’s Website:  http://madeleinebeckett.blogspot.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Autumn

Synopsis:

Myra Sommers, an attractive young copy editor living in Philadelphia, makes the tough decision to return to her family home in Nyssa, Oregon. A recent death leaves her with no remaining family, and she decides to heal and regroup there. Her decision to leave is solidified by recent revelations involving her cheating ex-boyfriend, Trent.

Myra parts ways with her only friend, Susie O’Connor, a zany woman who’s more than a little insane. In Nyssa, Myra finds little immediate comfort in her “new” home which is literally falling apart around her. She sinks into a deep depression, exacerbated by her feelings of loneliness and isolation in the small town.

News of Myra’s return takes no time to spread through Nyssa, and she quickly encounters several locals, some friendly, some not. Among the friendly faces is Jim, an elderly neighbor whom she begins to rely on for help and companionship. When she realizes that she’s going to have to hire someone to do repairs on her broken-down home, Jim gives her the name of a local contractor, Dylan Lawson, who has done work for him in the past.

When Myra calls Dylan for an estimate, she’s astounded by the contractor’s gruff, surly demeanor. But she trusts Jim and there are few other options in the small town.

Dylan can’t help but notice that Myra is young, single, and beautiful, which makes him suspicious of her real reason for calling him. The women in Nyssa pursue him relentlessly but he’s not in the least bit interested.

After Myra approves his estimate, Dylan begins the process of repairing her home. While he works, she begins writing a book; that is, when she’s not fielding insane calls from Susie who misses her like crazy.

Slowly, a reluctant friendship develops between the pair, followed by romantic feelings which neither of them can fight. However, their painful past experiences threaten to tear them apart. Can they move beyond their despair and open their hearts to love? (Goodreads)

Review:

Myra has never felt more disillusioned or more alone.  First, her Grandfather dies and then she finds out that her long time boyfriend and colleague is having an affair with his personal assistant.  She knows that something has just got to give and that something is her.

She decides to start a new life standing on her own two feet in the house that her Grandfather left to her.  She moves half way across the country to run way from her heartache and pursue her dream of writing her own novel.  What she finds is a run down house that just may need as many repairs as her battered and bruised heart.

Dylan is tired of being called out on emergency repair jobs just so some of the town’s women can openly proposition him.  They may call him just because he is easy on the eyes but he is still the best contractor (and rudest) in town.  When he receives a call from the town’s newest resident to help her with her Grandfather’s house, he finds that he can’t stop thinking about her.  He can’t bring himself to face his own past, but can he give love another chance with the melancholy beauty?

Color of Loneliness is the wonderful debut novel from Madeleine Beckett.  Her characters are both seriously flawed and yet extremely amusing.  The love story between Myra and Dylan feels real and never forced.  Although I have to admit that it was Susie who stole the whole show for me.  She had me laughing out loud – constantly!  The ending will have fans adding the sequel, The Color of Forgiveness, to their “Must Have” lists and won’t be able to wait to devour more…