Far Cry by Kate Canterbary

Far Cry is the newest release from Kate Canterbary and the third book in her Talbot’s Cove series.

And it’s amazing. I might be overly emotional from PMS, but either way, Far Cry gave me all the feels. I laughed, I cried and I hurt with the leading characters. Canterbary delivers as always.

In this story, you get to follow the awesome and altogether kick-ass Brooke-Ashley Markham. Beautiful, wicked smart, outspoken and more or less a force of nature. But she’s also exhausted. Exhausted from taking care of her aging father suffering from dementia. From keeping up the appearance of perfection. From trying to handle everything life throws at her without the help from anyone. Then there’s JJ Harniczec. Grouchy, tattooed, manbunned barkeep who just loves to argue with Brooke. JJ doesn’t want to fall for Brooke, and Brooke only want regular dick-appointments because she most certainly doesn’t have either the time or inclination for anything real. But things don’t always goes to plan.

I loved this story. Plain and simple. I could relate to Brooke on so many levels. Not the model-worthy looks or the millions in the bank, obviously, but the hurt. The insecurities. The loneliness and desperate need to maintain a facade. The fear of letting someone in. It’s raw and real and beautiful.

Canterbary has created her own little universe inhabited by the most quirky and lovable bunch of characters you’ll ever meet in fiction. The surroundings she describes are so appealing you just want to move into the book and stay there. After reading her Talbot’s Cove books, I’m dying to visit Maine and explore every little coastal town there. But it’s so much more than the setting of her stories and her charismatic characters. She mixes angst, heartache and all the heavy with humour in a perfect balancing act. To be able to write a story that had me crying from laughter one chapter, only to be crying from emotional overload the next is nothing but brilliant.

In short, Canterbary’s writing is inspired. Because in between the romance, the sexytimes and the emotional rollercoasters, Far Cry is absolutely hilarious. One particular scene had me actually hiccuping I laughed so hard. Her writing represents the very best of the romance genre, and if you haven’t read her work you’re missing out.

Quite literally missing out. If I hadn’t read Far Cry, I would have missed a ton of linguistic gems. I’m particularly looking forward to use the word ‘clamjamming’ in a conversation. Wish me luck!