The Renovation

Title: THE RENOVATION
Author: Terri Kraus
Publisher: David Cook
March 2008
ISBN: 978-0-7814-4846-8
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary

Ethan Willis tried to be a good dad. He attended all his teenage son’s ball games, and worked hard at his job restoring old houses to supply their needs. He’s doing the best he can, but sometimes, with Chase’s attitude, the best doesn’t seem to be enough.

When reporter Cameron Dane starts trailing Ethan, trying to get an exclusive on the Victorian mansion he’s restoring, all Chase knows is that she’s trouble. She’s already cut short the annual fishing trip, because Ethan had an important appointment with her. He tries to discourage his dad from seeing her.

Cameron can’t help but be interested in the handsome builder. After all, not all dad’s are as involved in their children’s lives, and the fact that he’s renovating one of the historic mansion’s in town is just icing on the cake. But does she even have a chance of getting closer than arm’s length?

THE RENOVATION is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Kraus. Chock full of detail, the story, at times, seemed to me to get a little bogged down. But at the same time, Ms. Kraus is a master at making the reader envision the setting, from the tilt of the stairs, to the vivid colors of the walls.

I enjoyed getting to know Ethan, Chase, and Cameron, and the secondary characters involved in this story. Not a book to be read quickly, THE RENOVATION is one that you pick up when you have time to savor the words, to dream about the setting, to think about what you’ve read. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $13.99. 336 pages.