Toni Blake's "You Send Me"

A COMMENDABLE PREQUEL TO "LETTERS TO A SECRET LOVER!

This short-novella reminded me of my MOST favorite movie of all time, "DIRTY DANCING!" Hence there was absolutely NO dancing, but the storylines were similar.

Good, well-behaved young lady, Millicent Anderson, has done every single thing her father had ever asked her to do. Go to a Catholic School, attending an all-girls college, and eventually graduating with her teacher's degree. However, Millie's father, Harold, doesn't want her to teach in Appalachia, where Millie has dreamt of teaching since childhood, instead he would rather her become a replacement for his secretary.

It's not until they visit Moose Falls, Montana for a week trip, commending Millie's recent graduation (yet it's disguised as a business venture for her father), when Millie truly allows to LET-IT-ALL-HANG-LOOSE!

She meets Johnny Pickett, at the infamous boathouse from "Letters to a Secret Lover," that his father owns and he is currently employed at. It was LOVE at first sight, for both of them. Nonetheless, Johnny is not what Harold would ever consider boyfriend material for Millie. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks, or in his case the boy who went to war, and returned a man.

There is an instant attraction to Johnny and Millie, one that cannot be extinguished by anyone who gets in their way, especially Harold. But could they truly and undeniably make it work?

My ONLY qualm about this story was its EXTREMELY short. Had Ms. Blake actual written a full novel, then I would've given it beyond a 10 star rating. Yet overall, what a CAPTIVATED insight to the WORLD-WIND ROMANCE, who technically started it all, Johnny & Millie. DEFINITELY WITHOUT-A-DOUBT A 4 1/2 STAR RATING!!