First Comes Love

I've read Christie Ridgway's books "Wish You Were Here" and "The Perfect Kiss" and she's hit it again on this one! I loved Kitty's "mini-van" soul and it was refreshing to find a hero who didn't think he was a hero in Dylan.

Though FIRST COMES LOVE can never match her Wish You Were here, Christie Ridgway manages to escape the thin premise of her plot with her endearing characters. Set in Hot Water, California, FBI agent Dylan Matthews returns to his native land to investigate the marriage scam that tied him down to Kitty Wilder more infamously known as the brothel madame. Yet when he meets her, Dylan finds her innocence beguiling and Kitty is a simple girl who goes for mini-vans and yearns to be accepted without associating herself with the Wilder woman especially her mom Samantha. He faces his own quandry as he apprehends the guilt of not having saved his best friend's wife. Their wounded hearts bounds them together but will that last? With perfect comedic timing and scinitllating pitch, Christie Ridgway pulls off her contemporary romance with laughter and fun. Her characters are real and flawed and bounces along well with the spirited and sprightly narration of Ridgway.

Christie Ridgway just keeps getting better and better, and she absolutely sparkles in FIRST COMES LOVE. Funny, witty dialogue mixed with engaging, likeable characters, mixed with a fun, fast-paced story adds up to a wonderful read. Her characters and stories always leave me with a happy feeling inside, but this time, she created a whole community that's kept me feeling warm and fuzzy. I can't wait to go back and read it again!

Christie has done it again! This story is delightful, charming and funny, yet with an emotional depth that will touch your heart. It's witty and fun, with a fascinating setting. The hero and heroine, not to mention their parents, friends, and assorted quirky acquaintances, are quickly plunged into more Hot Water, California than anyone could have anticipated. I loved finding out how they all managed to extract themselves from their respective delicious plights. What a fun read--and one you won't be able to put down!

The entire country believes FBI Special Agent Dylan Matthews is a hero due to his recent rescues of damsels in distress. When Dylan returns to his hometown of Hot Water, California after an eight-year hiatus, the Feds inform the media he needs some R & R. However, the press spreads unconfirmed rumors that Dylan is going to marry one of the women he saved. Though she hates the job, Kitty Wilder runs the family business, the Burning Rose brothel. All Kitty ever wanted is a conventional lifestyle with a normal job, a loving husband, and a few kids. Though her neighbors will always consider her a wild Wilder, Kitty plans to break with her family heritage and retire as the town's madam in about five weeks. Eight years ago, a drunk Kitty and Dylan got "married" Heritage Day style. She officially registered their nuptials and the duo is legally married. Dylan returned home because a background check revealed his marital status. Though he planned to straighten out the error, Dylan soon finds he wants to remain married to Kitty even though that might break his family's heritage of upright good citizenry. Once the reader accepts the premise that the FBI missed the fact that Dylan is legally married on previous background checks, fans will enjoy this amusing romantic romp. The story line unabashedly keeps the humor at high levels throughout the novel. Kitty and Dylan are a joy to behold as their banter and love end family traditions. FIRST COMES LOVE shows that Christie Ridgeway is a first class author.Harriet Klausner