The Temptation of Gentry (The Gentry Book Series) - Historical Romance Novel for Book Clubs & Cozy Reading

I read The Temptation of Gentry by Karen Berry weeks ago, and I find myself still thinking about the characters and about Berry’s many excellent writing skills. In telling a good story, she is able to evoke emotions, to create unique voices, and to make the reader think and laugh and cry. The title of the book brings to mind some long ago Sunday school lessons about the temptation of Christ. The title character, Gentry, is certainly not that resist-all-temptations Christ figure, but I am compelled to compare the two anyway. Gentry is a beautifully drawn character—a stranger who arrives at a small Pacific Northwest town with his dog, Bosco, and very few possessions, one of which is a crucifix that he hangs on the wall of his rental house. He is a young man, determined to be a good man (he is a high school IT teacher), but he is constantly confronted with the reality of his desires—for food, for alcohol, for sex--as well as the ghosts of a terrifying childhood (we only learn parts of this). The author has drawn a psychologically complex and fascinating character in Gentry, but other characters are skillfully brought to life as well. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!