Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️
It is simple for me to say that Devney Perry’s Garnet Flats is a heart-wrenching, gorgeous read. This is a standard, a staple of her storytelling. Each romance compels you to read more books on her booklist because the characters steal your heart and the stories engage you.
Garnet Flats encompasses all of these qualities. I finished it a couple of days ago, well before the release day. I ate it up like the most decadent creme brulee, and it’s left me reflecting on the reason I couldn’t put it down or why I can’t seem to stay away from Perry’s stories. These are my reflections:
- There is regionalism in Perry’s romance. She crafts her stories in areas in Big Sky country, and the setting becomes as much a character as, say, Talia and Foster in Garnet Flats. In fact, the setting feels necessary in her stories as they tend to represent the different characters. Foster is Vegas until he meets Quincy, Montana. And Garnet Flats, this rugged, yet majestic piece of land on her family’s property represents Talia. Perry is the Queen of Setting the Scene in her stories, and it has become her unique signature.
- There is nothing necessarily inventive with Talia and Foster’s second chance at romance. Perry isn’t necessarily inventing the romance wheel with Garnet Flats, but the nuance of Foster’s undying love for Talia is the hook for her story. Oftentimes, in second-chance romances, past loves ride into town and act ashamed or guilt-ridden about leaving behind a love. Much of the story is about the character realizing his/her need for their abandoned love. With Garnet Flats, Foster comes ready to win Talia’s heart, and he never gives up. He attacks winning her over as he does preparing for a bout. It’s what we love about romances: a person unflinchingly tenacious in their pursuit of the person they love. And ultimately this is what made me enraptured with Talia and Foster’s journey.
- Talia allows herself the opportunity for a second chance, and Perry times this well. I’ve read too many romances of late when the author prolongs this portion of the story, and it slows it down. In Garnet Flats, Perry finds the right combination of Talia’s forgiveness and readiness to accept Foster and her final acceptance of him. It isn’t protracted, but it’s developed within a timeframe that invests her reader deeply into her book.
- The Edens are a delight. As the ancillary characters of this story, they bring humor to ameliorate the tension of Talia and Foster’s reconciliation. They also provide the emotional support necessary for Talia’s emotional journey. Their inclusion in each story also allows us a bit of insight into past and future books, crafting a deeper devotion to Devney Perry’s series.
This is what I came up with as I pondered the impact of Perry’s storytelling. Garnet Flats creates more longing for future stories. Perry’s sense of storytelling captivates you and creates a fervor for more. If the epilogue for Garnet Flats is any indication, there are a few more delicious books to read in this fabulous series.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Professor Romance 