A Fair to Remember

A Fair to Remember by Barbara Ankrum

On her eighteenth birthday, up and coming equestrian Olivia Canaday stood beneath the Big Marietta Fair Ferris Wheel and made a pinkie promise to her best friend, Jake Lassen.  If neither of them were married on her thirtieth birthday, they would meet back here and be each others' fall-back.  Twelve years later, divorced and still feeling the effects of a career ending accident, Olivia is back in Marietta, and she can't believe that Jake actually remembered the promise.  Unfortunately, Olivia doesn't want a fall-back.  She has sworn off men and marriage and just simply wants her best friend back.

Jake Lassen has left the Army behind, but he can't seem to shake the nightmares that still haunt him.  Back in Marietta for both business and pleasure, Jake is in dire need of soothing from the woman who was never really a fall-back to him.  But as he becomes reacquainted with Olivia he soon realizes that her accident left her more than just scarred, and some damage just can't be fixed by anyone else.

While this story is emotional, it leans mostly toward the coping and healing end of tragedy, rather than the initial suffering.  All of the tragic elements are presented in a past-tense and very little empathy is required to like these characters.  They are survivors and very much in command of the decisions being made.  Even Deke, whose decision led to his seclusion owns that decision and has made his peace with it.

The few scenes in the book that allow for a possibility of weakness for any of the characters also present an opportunity for a cheer inducing resolution.  The camaraderie between all of the characters, main and supporting alike, is very enjoyable to read.  You can tell that they really have each others' backs.  Even a few characters that only have one or two scenes are shown to be compassionate and supporting.  There are only two extremely unlikable characters in this book, and that is necessary because you can't like everybody, it just isn't possible, even if one character is an integral part of Marietta.

One thing that I have come to love about all of the Montana Born books is the feel that the town is real and that if you can just find it you will recognize the people and places as you walk down the street.  In a previous connecting story about Marietta (A Cowboy for Christmas by Katherine Garbera) the Main Street Diner is under "new management".  This story explains why.  A few other characters that have traversed multiple stories show up in this one, too: Carol Bingley, Flo from the Diner, Beck Hartnett, and Eleanor Styles.

Another element that just HAS to be mentioned is the description of the food in the story.  Somehow I ended up reading two stories in a row where food plays a big role in the plot.  Every time I opened the book I had to stop and write down another recipe that I was reminded that I wanted to try.  And the mention of churros had me salivating like Pavlov's Dog.  Talk about tempting fare.

Overall, this has been one of my favorite books in this series.  It is well written and flows superbly.  It is no small feat to be able to plot a book that doesn't lag or rush through key situations.  Ms Ankrum has done just that, and I applaud her for it.  One of my rare perfect scores!

Continuity/Flow – 5

Sex – 5 

Characters – 5

Storyline – 5

Overall – 5