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Book Review of The House on Tradd Street (Tradd Street, Bk 1)

The House on Tradd Street (Tradd Street, Bk 1)
cathyskye avatar reviewed on + 2275 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


First Line: Pewter reflections of scarlet hibiscus colored the dirt-smudged windows of the old house, like happy memories of youth trapped inside the shell of an old man.

Realtor Melanie Middleton hates old houses. She also specializes in them in her business, which may make you raise an eyebrow. In an ironic twist of fate, Melanie meets an old man who dies days later and leaves her his historic Tradd Street home in Charleston. Melanie does everything in her power to avoid accepting the house, but she fails. Now she faces renovating and living in a wreck for several months, so it's a good thing that two men named Jack and Marc enter her life to take her mind off sawdust and electricians.

I absolutely loved the Charleston, South Carolina, setting of this book as well as the description and renovation of the old house Melanie inherited. Where the book fell flat for me was in the romantic leading men, Jack and Marc. It was all too easy to spot which was the charming rogue Melanie should fall for and which was The Bad Guy. It pains me to say that Melanie reacted to both in very predictable ways as well.

In the sense of place, having a fascinating house with a few resident ghosts, and an interesting central character, The House on Tradd Street was a winner for me. When it came to matters of the heart, it just didn't cut the mustard. However, if romantic suspense is your genre, this may be your perfect cup of tea.