Review: Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl

This book should come with a disclaimer. Something along the lines of this:

WARNING: Do Not Read this Book when you are a) in a public place (you'll laugh too hard and draw attention to yourself) or b)drinking anything (you may end up spraying your drink on yourself when you read some of the passages).

Victoria Dahl's contemporary romance, Talk Me Down,
is easily the funniest contemporary title I've read in years.





Most authors who are known for their humor generally rely on either the plot OR dialogue to add the levity to their writing. Dahl uses both skillfully so that you're never a page or two away from something that will make you smile.

The characters in the book are excellent. And I could feel our hero's frustration with our heroine, Molly. He doesn't like unsolved mysteries. Understandable considering his job in law enforcement. The imaginary careers he invents for her are hysterically funny.

What I really enjoyed was that Ben didn't have any real serious character flaws. Other than a quirk or two (stemming from some emotional baggage from his childhood) he was pretty darn perfect. Even his admittedly poor reaction to her real career fits with his character so well that you're not really surprised by his initial reaction, but you are surprised by how he embraces that career later in the book.

I also admit to being a bit partial to the story's setting. A small mountain town is a locale I'm very familiar with, and Dahl obviously is, too. The descriptions are very authentic. I particularly enjoyed the snippet about Ben's annoying but helpful ability to start a fire. And his tirade about her impractical choice of a car. Hundreds of details helped make Tumble Creek real for me...in a way that has me impatiently waiting for the next installment.

Razor sharp wit, authentic characters, and damn good writing make this my contemporary romance pick for 2009.

My Grade: A+

At present, the print version is temporarily out of stock at all major online bookstores. eBook versions are available from both Amazon and BN.com