Book review-- "The Ball's in Her Court"

First of all, can I just say how nice Heather Justesen is?

I finally met her (after much emailing) at a booksigning we did at Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks ago, and she was such a down-to-earth, genuinely sweet person...with a new novel that you romance fans should definitely put on your to-read list.

Here's the blurb:

She's got a great job, a loving group of family and friends and basketball skills like you wouldn't believe, but Denise DeWalt's life is far from perfect, and she's about to come face-to-face with a past she hoped to leave behind forever.

Twenty-six-year-old Denise thinks she's come to terms with her childhood in the foster care system, but when her old nightmares return, Denise realizes that she must deal with her past once and for all if she ever wants to move on to a brighter future with Rich, the only man who can see past her former life. As Denise's search moves her closer and closer to the one person she hoped she'd never have to face again, she begins to realize that her future depends on just one person-- herself.

This emotional and inspirational love story proves that life is full of unexpected twists and turns-- especially when it comes to facing your demons, fighting for love, and finding happiness for the future.

Just so you know, this is not a romance for people who want the course of love to run smoothly. (But if there wasn't a little conflict and heartache getting our main characters together, really, what fun would that be?) Denise has survived what can only be described as a miserable childhood. She has made a life for herself, but it isn't hard to see that she's broken. Enter Rich. :)

I found myself rooting for Denise and Rich, struggling to succeed in what seemed like an impossible relationship. And Rich definitely qualifies for the Hall of Fame in the category of Persistent, Caring Boyfriend-- watching him pursue Denise despite her hangups and reservations gave me hope that there might actually be such a man in existence. My only complaint was the mystery surrounding Denise's roommate, Lily, which was never fully explained. But when I met Heather, she reassured me that all would be revealed in her new book, Rebound, which is due to be released next summer.

So, if you like a little meat to your romance, give this one a try!

If you want to learn more about Heather or watch her book trailer, check out her website: www.heatherjustesen.com

*I agreed to be on Heather's blog tour, and she kindly provided me with a copy of her book to review, which did not influence my review in any way. 'Nuff said.