UNFORGETTABLE

Author: Julie Ortolon ISBN: 0451222040 9/2007 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: SIGNET ECLIPSE

Riley Stone kissed Hope, Texas, good-bye and good riddance ten years ago, when she headed out to conquer the music world with a head full of dreams and a heart bruised by unrequited love. Now the alluring singer is back with one mission in mind—to save the town’s old music hall before Jackson Hope can tear it down. Long ago, Riley fell for Jackson—a skinny kid with worldly ways and a family who literally owned the town. But now the elder Hopes are letting their town fall apart. Signs of dilapidation are everywhere....except on the grown-up and strikingly sexy Jackson. As the two go toe-to-toe, Riley can’t help but take notice. Jackson is having a hard enough time trying to pull the town out of bankruptcy without battling the girl who tormented him with desire through his high school years—especially when she’s even more tempting than he remembers. And now he’s going to have to choose between the life he planned and a woman he finds unforgettable.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Julie Ortolon's book, UNFORGETTABLE, presents quite the epic story. Riley is a blues singer who travels back to her home town of Hope, Texas, to take a job singing in a restaurant. Jackson Hope also travels back to his town, literally, to find out ways to solve its financial woes.

Riley presents every fantasy a man could want in woman physically—she's incredibly beautiful and has the attitude to match. But, there are layers to Riley's personality. She's not what everyone thinks—she's so much more and she's loved Jackson since high school. Jackson, who went from high school geek to lawyer stud, starts unraveling Riley's layers as the two embark on a cruise to save an abandoned dance hall.

Ortolon explores relationships in this novel. She makes new relationships that have a fragile beginning and destroys family secrets that threaten. This novel has depth, and beneath the scenes, a deeper meaning. I enjoyed UNFORGETTABLE. It was quite a heavy read for me, but I did it all in one sitting. I had to think about the characters and the relationships at length to find that deeper meaning, but when you find it, it's well worth the read.

Kym Oetting