The Girl in the Yellow Vest by Loretta Hill

I really enjoyed this novel. It contains two remarkable women--I preferred one in particular--and a hero who just wowed me with his sarcastic wit. Mark Crawford...a man after my very own heart. LOL

First of all, we meet Emily. She's in a situation many women have found themselves in. Remember the motto, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free"? She's been living with Trent for five years, waiting eagerly for the diamond ring...only it doesn't come. He wishes to sow his oats instead. Is she going to stand for that?

No. She starts a new life on a construction site, where she trades dates for toilets and discovers she rather likes her best friend Will...as more than a friend, but does he return the feelings?

I liked Emily, especially when she takes work site issues into her own hands, but Charlotte and Mark's story stole the show for me. It was not so predictable and was laced with so much humor, mainly in the form of Mark's comments.

"A word, a second," he mused. "People always under estimate how much time of mine they intend to waste."

Charlotte is an amazing heroine. She's sacrificed so much for others. But it's time she learned to take for herself. Mark is dealing with a lot of grief and tends to have a very gruff manner.

I was really entertained by this book. I laughed out loud a number of times. I would have preferred more details about their engineering project, or perhaps what was said could have been made easier to understand. I had a hard time picturing things at moments. But I did learn a few things, such as spark testing. And to me, that stuff is interesting. I'd also like to add it's well written; no complaints from me there. Good amount of description to story, more showing than telling, etc. Also enjoyed the side stories about grieving the death of a spouse, moving on, having a child from rape. All important issues that make this so much more than a romance.

And while this story ends in a way you expect it to, I would never call this "cookie cutter". I appreciate what this author is doing, placing independent, career-minded young women in male-dominated work forces in which they can make it on their own, but can also find love in the process. And once again, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HUMOR. I love a book that makes me laugh.

I received this via Netgalley.