Official Review: Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon

[Thimble]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Finding Miranda" by Iris Chacon.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Finding Miranda by Iris Chacon is a sweet and wholesome romance that is definitely worth a read. I was given the Smashwords edition. The book is about 160 pages, including a short sample for another of the author’s books, and it reads really quickly. I finished it in one sitting. This is the type of romance novel that I could read several times a year, just to make my day a little brighter. I give Finding Miranda a 4 out of 4.

For me, the key to a good romance novel is the leads. There can be a wonderful and well-written background story arc, but if the chemistry is not really there then the whole book falls flat. In the case of Finding Maranda, the chemistry is definitely there and the reader can see the characters having a future together after the story ends. There are a few doubts and misconceptions along the way, but the writer does not linger on them too long and the two characters are rational enough to communicate and talk about their issues.

Who are the leads, you may be asking? Well, let me introduce you. Miranda Ogilvy just moved to Minokee, Florida and is the new librarian at Live Oak Municipal Library. Her age and appearance are not really specified, aside from long hair, short stature, and glasses, but she does see herself as a plain Jane Eyre. All her life, she feels like she’s been invisible. No one really looks her in the face and they forget they ever met her. Miranda actually handles this aspect of her life with great aplomb and just tries to go with it. She is kind to people and passionate about her work. These character traits might put her into the much hated “Mary Sue” category, but she does show other characteristics as the plot thickens that make her unique and interesting, as well as realistic.

Her counterpoint, Shepard Krausse, is a radio Deejay. He is blond, gorgeous, and is referred to as “Thor” a few times in a teasing manner, mostly by his best friend, Pietro. A big aspect of his life is that he is blind. This is treated with great respect and some realism. He has a large guide dog named Dave, who happens to be his other best friend. Dave enjoys using expensive hair products and has strong opinions about the NRA. Shep is nice, slightly arrogant, and passionate about justice. He grew up in a rich and powerful family but wants his life to go in a different direction for now.

Along with the budding romance, there is a main plot about corrupt business practices, politicians, and a bit of action/mystery. The plot is too simple to go over very much without spoilers, but essentially Shep gets arrogant and ends up putting himself and others in danger. Overall, everything is tied together really well and I don’t feel like anything needs to be added or removed from the story.

The interactions between Shep and Miranda are very cute and sweet. It feels like falling in love, but not quite there yet. Their relationship in the book is the warm feeling of possibly finding the one. The interactions between Shep, Miranda, Pietro, and Dave are fantastic and humorous. You want to be in the book so you can hang out with them. There is actually a lot of humor in Finding Miranda, which is what I was hoping for. When I saw the book cover, I felt like this would be a quirky kind of romance and it’s exactly what I thought it would be. Straight from the beginning of the book with the introduction of the neighborhood morning coffee tradition (where the older ladies sit on their porch and ogle Shep as he goes running), almost every aspect of the story is handled with natural humor, even some of the more serious things presented. The title might lead the reader to believe that Miranda needs to be found at some point, but after reading this book, I realized that one of the largest story arcs is Miranda finding her own voice and finding that there are battles that are worth fighting.

There is some very minor profanity in the usage of the word “hell”, but it’s humorous and well-placed. There is non-graphic violence and death that is treated respectfully. As far as how sexually graphic it is, I give it .5 out of 5 Chile Peppers. There is some adorable kissing and hugging. I think that readers ages 12 and up could read this without any problems, but people under the age of 15 might not relate enough to the storyline to stay engaged. I would recommend Finding Miranda to readers that enjoy sweet romances. Fans of Debbie Macomber and Joann Fluke would enjoy reading this.

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Finding Miranda
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Like Thimble's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Jesska6029]

It's great when authors succeed in creating great chemistry between characters. Love the review!

[Tanaya]

I like the book cover. This was a great review, very fun to read! I would totally read this book.

[Iris137+Author]

Dear Thimble,
Few readers have the insight and perspective you bring to your review. Your plot and character summaries are spot on without spoiling the fun for anybody. Best of all, you picked up nuances that are often overlooked by casual readers. You write extremely well and with the perfect tone. Best of all, you didn't just review the story, you truly get it. Thank you for such an extraordinary review.

[Thimble]

It's great when authors succeed in creating great chemistry between characters. Love the review!

Thanks, Jesska! I'm glad you enjoyed the review and I agree that it's great when authors are able to create true chemistry between characters. It's certainly wonderful to behold.

-- 14 Aug 2015, 18:23 --

I like the book cover. This was a great review, very fun to read! I would totally read this book.

Thanks, Tanaya! I'm glad you found the review fun to read. I aim to entertain. I agree about the book cover. The cover is what really caught my attention and made this book stand out. I hope you get a chance to read the book.

-- 14 Aug 2015, 18:27 --

Dear Thimble,
Few readers have the insight and perspective you bring to your review. Your plot and character summaries are spot on without spoiling the fun for anybody. Best of all, you picked up nuances that are often overlooked by casual readers. You write extremely well and with the perfect tone. Best of all, you didn't just review the story, you truly get it. Thank you for such an extraordinary review.

Thank you, Iris. This is certainly high praise and I'm really glad you enjoyed the review. I would love to read more stories like this one.

[gali]

Nice review! Sounds like a cute book.

[Levi]

Well done @Thimble
You have done the author a great service with this amazing review!! Your playful take on leads, and overview of the story arcs drew me in, and I was not disappointed! I appreciate a down to earth story, even if it includes romance , and your highlighting of that element was key. Congrats to @Iris137+Author on such a glowing review!!

[Thimble]

Nice review! Sounds like a cute book.

Thanks, Gali! I'm glad you liked the review.

-- 14 Aug 2015, 23:23 --

Well done @Thimble
You have done the author a great service with this amazing review!! Your playful take on leads, and overview of the story arcs drew me in, and I was not disappointed! I appreciate a down to earth story, even if it includes romance , and your highlighting of that element was key. Congrats to @Iris137+Author on such a glowing review!!

Thanks, Escapeartist! I'm happy you enjoyed reading the review!

[bookowlie]

Nice, insightful review Thimble! I agree with Tanaya, the cover art is great. I like that you did a thorough analysis of the little things in the book that made it work. The chemistry among the lead characters is so important.

Congrats to the author for getting a 4 star review for what appears to be wonderful book! Adding to my reading list.

[Thimble]

Nice, insightful review Thimble! I agree with Tanaya, the cover art is great. I like that you did a thorough analysis of the little things in the book that made it work. The chemistry among the lead characters is so important.

Congrats to the author for getting a 4 star review for what appears to be wonderful book! Adding to my reading list.

Thanks, Bookowlie! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did once you get a chance to read it.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Wow, this seems like a lovely book. Great review! I may very well read this one.

[Thimble]

Wow, this seems like a lovely book. Great review! I may very well read this one.

Thanks, Zelda! If you get a chance to read this, I really hope you enjoy it!

[zeldas_lullaby]

Thanks! I'll let you know what I think, if I do! I love the whole concept of blind people seeing past others' outward appearances because they see on the inside. What a brilliant premise for a romance!

[NadineTimes10]

Gee. I'm pretty slow and methodical about adding books to my TBR list, since I don't like to overwhelm myself, but this one looks and sounds like it wants me to read it. Great review, Thimble!

[Thimble]

Gee. I'm pretty slow and methodical about adding books to my TBR list, since I don't like to overwhelm myself, but this one looks and sounds like it wants me to read it. Great review, Thimble!

Wow. I'm glad that Finding Miranda could make it onto your TBR list. I think you'll enjoy it.