Deborah Smith - Charming Grace

Grace Bagshaw Vance's life has always been an extraordinary mix of the tragic and whimsical. Among the wealthy Bagshaws of Dahlonega, Georgia-a mountain town honeycombed with romantic pioneer gold mines but built on solid tradition-Grace, thirty-four, is a beautiful, wisecracking misfit, summed up fondly by friends and family: "She's crazy, bless her heart." An ex-beauty queen and former host of a popular morning show on Atlanta TV, she now spends her days grieving for her husband, Harp, a GBI agent whose heroic death in the line of duty has made him a national hero. Harp and Grace's poor-boy/rich-girl childhood friendship is the stuff of Dahlonega legend, and Grace fiercely guards the poignant history that brought her and Harp together.
Now Harp and Grace's painfully private life is about to be turned into a public spectacle, thanks to the biggest action-movie superstar in the world: Stone Senterra. Known best for starring in blockbuster films such as Viper Platoon and Death Squad Patrol, the good-hearted but clueless movie star sees the Harp Vance story as his ticket to a respectable career as a director, in the same vein as his nemesis, Mel Gibson-but only if Stone can keep his outrageous action-movie instincts under control (doubtful!).
When Stone and his media circus invade the peaceful environs of Dahlonega to begin filming Hero, Grace sets out to sabotage the film through any means necessary. The only obstacle she can't overcome is Boone Noleene, Stone's wry and unflappable bodyguard, who quickly earns Grace's affectionate respect-and just as quickly, her passion. Boone, an ex-con with a brother still in prison back in his native Louisiana, has a personal story just as painful and compelling as Grace's, and has just as much to lose. Boone soon has his own dilemma-doing the job entrusted to him by Stone or falling in love with Grace while she wrecks Stone's cherished film project.
In a "bless your heart" world where intimate secrets can become just another TV show and fame is often mistaken for success, Boone and Grace struggle with the real-life consequences of love, desire, loyalty, respect, and family devotion.

Comment: Another great book by this author. Charming Grace is a beautiful story and it leaves us with a taste of fun and rightness.
This story follows the same style and pattern of Sweet Hush for instance. Isn't overly dramatic or difficult to read. It's softer even when dealing with more demanding situations and past emotional fears. It's easier to read because it has many funny moments and beautiful scenes without the deep drama we've seen in other books.
I enjoyed it a lot and it's now one of my favourites.
Grace is a woman who lost her husband, considered a hero and now a hollywood actor wants to direct a movie about him, so she's decided to make it a disaster so he gives up.
With the actor comes his body guard, Boone, and as always in a book by this author, the moemnt they see each other they recognize waht they will mean for the other in the future. It's always beautiful to watch, the author does this love at first sight ideal quite well.
While reading the book we learn a lot about each protagonist's past and how connected they are to the ones around them However, in Boone's case the bonds in his past are much more deep than we might think.
I loved Boone's character, the fact he was in prison and tried having a decent, steady life and it's wonderful to learn his dreams and when Grace finds out and helps him...very, very romantic.
The writing is very appealing, like usual. The author seems to easily grab the reader with passionate and funny sentences. The story flows and it makes the reading easier. It also helps when good things happen and not only bad ones. It makes the book more sweet instead of just relief to have a happy ending. In this book's case, both the story and the end are sweet. I loved reading it. It's now my 3rd favourite book by the author.