5 Stars
Reviewed by Courtnee for Readers' Favorite
Ann Swann's characters are deep and many-sided. Once Trace enters the flower shop, reading the book is like listening in on a conversation between old flames. Though they've had other relationships, information about each other has reached them, and it's clear that Laynie's and Trace's thoughts aren't far from one another. Even though there's a significant attachment, it's hard to tell at first if the two will end up together. Swann tackles some difficult subjects in her story and her characters have overcome hardships and suffered tragedies. The book is short enough to read during a quiet afternoon, but the well-paced chapters can also be savored over a few days. A Trace of Romance is a good selection for readers who enjoy women's fiction and sweet, second-chance romances.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Ann Swann is one of my favorite authors, and I’ve enjoyed her work across multiple genres for years. Her latest release, A Trace of Romance, is a truly sweet and extremely touching romance.
I’m not a fan of romance novels with bare-chested men on the covers, but I am very much a fan of romance stories with well-developed characters who are relatable … flaws and all. Real people.
I won’t recap the general plot in any detail as one can easily read the blurb. Rather, I’d just like to expound a bit on why I loved this beautifully written novella. So many of us can relate to past loves that for one reason or another, didn’t fully form into lifetime relationships … or continue to form at all. Life happens for all of us, and things can swiftly change. Especially when tragedy is involved. We move on, but often, we don’t forget. This is what happened with Laynie and Trace, both from the town of Beach Way, Oregon, who always thought they’d be together.
What I loved about this story is that when Trace returns to Beach Way, and Laynie and he see one another again, their chemistry is strong. The past, which determined their present, still plays a role in their story.
Author Swann doesn’t give us romance in a corny or clichéd sense, but she handles this reunion and this mutual love beautifully, realistically, and in a way that I found immensely satisfying and lovely to read.
A Trace of Romance is a truly sweet and extremely touching romance. Immensely satisfying and lovely to read. A beautifully written, heartfelt love story with relatable, well-developed characters … flaws and all.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Laynie and Trace connected as kids in grade school and their feelings grew into more than friendship in high school. Tragedy strikes, causing Trace and his family to move away. Afterward, so much happens in Laynie's world when he's no longer around and it's the same for Trace. Their story will grab your heart, especially when years later Trace returns. All kinds of emotions surface for them both and so does an answer to the tragedy. The author put them through a lot -- love, loss, forgiveness, mystery, dealing with the past, dealing with the future, and hope. I rooted for them to get a second chance. There's a part of the story that brought me to tears. I truly enjoyed getting to know Laynie and Trace.
