Wanting What You Get

Ellie Stepp is the middle sister, the quiet sister, the practical sister, the one content to stay home and help out. Tormented in high school because of her weight, she survived to adulthood basically as the same quiet, practical and extremely nice woman in spite of it all. However, as a woman in her thirties she has perpetual issues with her weight and her self-esteem is still not in the best shape either. Ellie has always dealt with everything in an optimistic and sunny way; no matter her situations from childhood to adulthood Ellie has always ignored anything negative and focused on positive things.

Yet as logical as Ellie Stepp has been she is still unable to get past her crush on Mason Sweet. He became her hero when he rescued her from a bully at the bus stop in grade school. However, Ellie also realizes Mason is so far out of her league there would be no way they could ever be in the same circle, let alone date each other. Knowing this she still has dreams and desires for Mason that she bottles tightly inside herself.

Mason Sweet has been the golden boy of the small town of Millbrook since his high school years when he was captain of the football team. His life has taken the road he expected; he went off to college at Yale, married the woman most appropriate for him and then went on to become a politician…the mayor of Millbrook. The voyage had its pitfalls in disappointing his father by Mason not moving up the political chain, his failed marriage and his inability to be happy in his life.

Their lives change after Ellie and Mason are paired together for Ellie’s sister’s wedding to Mason’s best friend. Mason is seeing Ellie as if for the first time. He is not just attracted to her but in lust for this woman that seems to be getting more beautiful each time he sees her. As for Ellie she wants to grab some happiness for herself even if she knows it will never lead anywhere. If Mason wants her for a brief affair she’s going to jump in with both feet and keep her eyes wide open.

This story is not a light-hearted read, even though there are some very light-hearted scenes in it Ms. Love has some pretty challenging issues in this story but I believe she has handled them with just the right touch of sincerity and heartbreaking emotion that the reader is immersed in the drama before they realize it is a serious issue. Her delicate touch in the story line is felt through-out the book and it’s not until you reach the end, as you’re crying your eyes out, that you realize you have been put through the wringer…and that folks take some style!

This reviewer was captivated with both the story line and the vibrancy of the characters. The realism in this contemporary doesn’t come off as smarmy, it reads like real life, as if Ellie could be “you” That is what Ms. Love has captured in this phenomenal story she has crafted. From the first page to the last Ms. Love hooked me on the story of Ellie and Mason, because she made me become Ellie in the story. I was the one Mason kissed; I was the one Mason was making passionate love to; I was the one with the self-esteem problems; I was the one perpetually on that darn diet and never losing anything substantial. Ellie was me…

When a story captures you like this one does, you don’t stop reading until you get to the end. I devoured this story in two hours and then could not believe it had ended. This fantastic read was most definitely a five on the scale! Thankfully I now have the opportunity to go get book one, read it and then hope the next one comes out PDQ (pretty darn quick).

Note: This book is the second in a series called the “Stepp Sisters”