RE Bradshaw waking up greyWaking Up Gray by RE Bradshaw is guest reviewed by Laney Webber, super librarian and lesfic author. This is what she says about Waking Up Grey:

Lizbeth Jackson has been divorced from her husband for five years and is beginning a three-month sabbatical on Ocracoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina. She visited the island as a child and is back again to study the Carolina brogue spoken there in order to finish her Master’s thesis in Linguistic Anthropology. However, right across the street lives Fanny O’Neal’s granddaughter, Gray. Lizbeth’s attention to her studies shifts to the fascinating Gray O’Neal after witnessing Gray give a midnight goodnight kiss to a woman on a moped.

The Characters

The main characters are Lizbeth Jackson, Gray O’Neal and Fanny O’Neal, Gray’s grandmother. The story is told from Lizbeth’s point of view.

I liked how the author used the grandmother to give the reader information about the island and about Gray. Fanny is the rudder of this island story, she gives the reader some background information about Gray, some island history, and is the voice of wisdom for both Gray and Lizbeth. Her voice helps steer these characters.

Gray is the island lothariette.

The Writing Style

I love when I discover an author who has been around a little while, but is a first time read for me. One thing that is often lacking in lesfic romance is a sense of place. In Waking Up Gray, I could almost smell the salt air of Ocracoke Island.

There are no graphic sex scenes, however, the author gives the reader plenty of romance and romantic tension. This author leads you to the bedroom and let’s your imagination take the story further. Well written, this can be very sexy.

Trust me, it’s well written.

The Pros

A delightful romance. Believable characters and the situations they find themselves in are believable too. The characters are not overdrawn. After reading the book I felt like I could go to Ocracoke Island and these folks would be waiting there for me. Having lived in a summer coastal community myself, Bradshaw is spot on in her description of preparations for storms, and the tour boat tourist business.

When I read a romance novel I don’t want to just read about two women. I love to learn little bits of info when I read fiction and the author gave me some great bits about island life, linguistics and boating. But she never led me away from the romance with too much information.

The Cons

I learned much more about Gray’s character and her background than about Lizbeth. I would have liked to have learned a little more about Lizbeth’s character, her family etc. I felt like I knew Gray much better than Lizbeth by the end of the story.

The Conclusion

I can’t wait to read more by this author. This was just the story I needed in the middle of winter. The author took me away to Ocracoke Island and gave me a romance with interesting slightly complicated main characters. And aren’t we all slightly complicated?

I loved it. I couldn’t’ finish it in one night, so I brought it to work with me and read it during my lunch break. I would love to know what happens next with these two.

Excerpt Waking Up Gray by RE Bradshaw

“Well, I’ll give you one thing… You’re punctual,” Lizbeth said, reaching for the coffee pot. Gray laughed very close behind her, in the small cramped kitchen. Gray then leaned against Lizbeth’s back, while reaching around to set the platter on the counter in front of her. Lizbeth’s sharp intake of air was audible. She could feel Gray’s breath on her neck. Gray stayed there just a little longer than necessary, and then walked to the table, sitting down.

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