Vanishing Act: A Novel

I think I'm in the minority on this one. It was just an ok read for me. I even put it aside a couple of times which is rare for me. The story is a good one but it never seemed to come together and it drags along in quite a few places. To be fair though the writing is good, the characters are definitely well developed, and the romance was nice.

Vanishing Act is a lovely, really well developed story about a burned-out movie star and the beautiful young local woman he meets when he goes off the "grid". Life has gotten to be too much for Landon Price and he just needs a break from it all. Against the advice and wishes of his agent he trades in the limelight and heads for some much needed down time on a remote, scarcely inhabited Hawaiian island. There, thanks to one match-making ball of fur, he runs into the gorgeous and slightly sheltered Zara. There's an instant attraction on his part, but Zara, even without knowing who he really is, doesn't have much interest in the handsome stranger. He's too cocky, too overwhelming, too unrelenting. But he's determined to break down her walls and show her resistance to him is futile! Landon, or Lance as he's known on the island, and Zara have a sweet romance that really blossoms over the weeks he's in Hawaii. After initially pushing him away, Zara discovers there's so much more to Lance than what she expected. And even after finding out who he really is, her feelings are too deep and she decides he's worth being with. Zara and Lance encounter a few obstacles on their path to a happily ever after, namely her father, Lance's career, and the distance between them. But thanks to an unexpected ally, Zara realizes she needs to finally take charge of her own life, even knowing her father won't be happy with the choices she makes. It's time she started living on her own terms, instead of continually letting the past stifle her.

**Advance copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review** I'm a fairly new A.M. Madden reader, but I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, kept me guessing on how things were going to pan out and it was loaded with chemistry. Landon Price, one of the world's most well known actors needs a break. A break that no one in his inner circle wants him to take. Knowing it is what is going to be best for him, he takes steps to disappear for awhile, much to the chagrin of his manager. When Landon arrives in Lanai, Hawaii, he uses the name Lance White, and there is no doubt he feels like he's been transported back in time due to the lack of technology and the small town vibe he's encountered, and he couldn't be more thrilled. When a white fluffball of a dog shows up on his doorstep, Landon just thinks a local dog has gotten loose, but what he doesn't realize is that this little guy has the chance to change his life completely. Zara Jobert is used to living a quiet life in Lanai. She's okay with with her small town life, however when her dog, Marshmallow, runs off and subsequently Zara meets Landon, who Marshmallow has befreinded. she realizes, that number one she's never met anyone as good-looking and number two, she wishes that things in her life were different and not so complicated. As Zara and Landon begin to spend time together, not only does their friendship grow, but so does the heat level. Will these two people that have very much been loners find exactly what they are looking for in one another? Or will circumstances in both of their lives work to keep them from finding their happily ever after? I was sucked in to this book from the very beginning. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, the fact that it was something a bit different and who wouldn't love a cute little dog added to the mix?! This is a great book and one I would highly recommend you pick up!