Innocent Tears

Iris
Blobel
ISBN Number: 
978-1621350781
Genre: 
Contemporary

Emma Gallagher, a young woman with a bubbly personality, has landed the ideal job working in an upscale hotel in Melbourne, Australia. Her willingness to please both co-workers and guests puts her in an awkward position of childcare, a task way out of her job description. Emma's discomfort at dealing with the child's overbearing grandmother and unsuspecting dad is delicately balanced with Nadine's winning six-year-old personality.
Flynn McCormick has no idea that he is a father when he agrees to meet the dictatorial Teresa Gibbs, his ex-girlfriend's mother. A successful businessman, Flynn works long hours leaving little time for fatherhood, much less single parenthood.
Iris Blobel builds a story against a backdrop with which she is familiar, in and around Melbourne.  Her characters are developed realistically in this loosely constructed love triangle. Emma's dislike of one man and attraction to another seem flimsy at times, leaving the reader to wonder even after the motivation is revealed. The attempt to build suspense falls short to the extent of leaving high tension scenes out, yet including the results front and center in later scenes. Dialogue unique to Australia lends a delightful and specific flavor to this contemporary novel, yet the editing could use a closer look. A little more showing and less telling of what just happened off-screen would also add depth.  Still, this is an enjoyable book one can curl up with to fill a rainy afternoon. If the reader is looking for a wholesome read one can share with any age, this fulfills the bill quite nicely!

Erin Murdock