It Had to Be You

It Had To Be You . . .

Aside from the fact that I love this song (Are you singing along in your head?) I wanted to talk about a recent novel by Susan May Warren. She’s written an emotional, wintry, frolicking good tale by the same name.

For a northern girl living in the south, this book spoke to me in the deep places which long to wrap a wool scarf around my neck, layer leggings under my pants, pull on wool knee socks, and boots and mittens and a yeti hat. I sometimes wish I could step into sub-zero air again, and feel the metal in my earrings freezing so fast my ear lobes ache. Reading this book took me there. And the temps have been in the nineties all week in Carolina country.

Aside from my love for the setting - Minneapolis - where I lived for the first four years of my marriage . . . the characters rang true. I love that the heroine had a real problem that didn’t feel canned, like one of the same basic problems faced by many heroines out there. (Desperate for love, heartbroken, needs money, etc . . .) The issues were more subtle, but written so well, it’s no surprise the author runs a side business (ha!) called My Book Therapy. She clearly knows what she’s doing. Ahem. I’ve learned reams from her. I'm still learning from her.

Back to the story . . . I loved the setting and the problems. And the hero was . . . wait for it . . . a professional hockey player. Yoo-betcha! In Minnesota-speak, that means “You better believe it!” and “Hooray!” all in one. There’s nothing more Minnesotan than hockey (except maybe wild rice hot dish, but that’s another post altogether). And it was very interesting to take a peek into that professional world with all its pressure to perform . . . very different from your typical stay-at-home-mom/writer life in North Carolina. 

Even if you don’t care anything about hockey, this story carries the reader on a stream of emotional adrenaline. You will grow to care deeply about Eden and Ethan and the J-Hammer. You will love J-Hammer.

For me, It Had To Be You provided a perfect escape from the heat with a fun premise, interesting characters, and a setting very dear to my heart. In fact, my next novel is set in Minneapolis too! J I hope you’ll give it a try.

Are you northern through and through? Or is your blood so thin you need a sweater in seventy degree weather? Do you like to read wintry books in summer? Summery books in winter?

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Jennifer Fromke is represented by Susan Brower of the Natasha Kern Agency.