Title: Ruby's Choice 
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Ruby's Choice by D.F. Jones
Ditch Lane Diaries: Ruby’s Choice is the debut novel by D.F. Jones and book one of the Ditch Lane Diaries. Ruby’s Choice is a coming of age story set in the late 1970’s in Middle Tennessee with a splash of paranormal which will blossom in the second and third books of the series. Ruby’s Choice-Everglade, Tennessee, 1977 Stuck in the Middle with Two.
Ever since Ruby discovered an amber-encased spider web in the Campbell Ridge Cave, she has had dreams of births, deaths and glimpses into the future. Ruby’s dreams have foretold the daughter of her high school friend, Cathy, the death of her beloved Aunt Sammie, and the coming of a new love in her life. Ruby’s shift is coming to a close at Everglade General Store. As she stacks the last row of bath soap, Ruby recalls the delicious dream she had the night before. In the dream, a gorgeous guy is kissing a tickle spot, just behind her left earlobe, sending shivers up her spine. If only that dream could come true, instead of the one where a state trooper gives her a seventy-five dollar speeding ticket! Ruby snaps back to reality when she hears the store’s front door bells chime. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the frickin’ Adonis from her sexy dream just walked through the door. Reed Jackson and Brent Brown introduce themselves to Ruby as members of the local baseball team her brother, George, manages. Brent mentions they specifically came out to the store to meet George’s hot, little sister. Ruby is slightly confused when she hears Reed murmur Tap It under his breath, but then she remembers the rumor going around campus about Reed and Brent’s dating game, where the two best friends compete to have a girl profess undying love to one of them. And Tap It is a winner takes all—all of what, though, Ruby has no clue. Ruby decides that she’ll play along, but according to her rules. She’ll suss out if either of these players is worthy of her love and respect. One thing is for sure, Ruby is no pawn. Who will be Ruby’s Choice? |
Review
I was super excited to receive Ruby's Choice, so thanks a bunch to the Author and Bewitching Book tours. When I saw the cover, it instantly reminded me of summer and bonfires.
Hmm, i'd have to say my favorite "chapter" was the prologue. There were more exciting parts of the book, but for me, the prologue really drew me in. My overall fave genre of books is YA Paranormal or SciFi...pretty much anything that isn't real. lol. The prologue talks more about the spider web encased in amber that is mentioned in the description. Some quite weird things happen in the prologue that really makes me want to read the book to see just how it all plays out. The majority of the rest of the book focuses a lot on the romance with less on the paranormal. I did read somewhere though, that the paranormal comes out more in books 2 and 3....so i'm really excited about that.
So the rest of the book, It was great too. It starts off many years after the prologue when Ruby is almost 20. (so i guess this makes it NA?) She meets these two guys at the store where she works. She is instantly attracted to both and realizes that she's had a dream about one of them before. The rest of the book goes through her dating and attraction towards the two...and ultimately leads to her choice. *wink, wink*
For the characters, i'd say they are written great. I really appreciate when the characters are written very differently and with different personality. When trying to think back on a book, i get completely confused when they aren't. I'm happy to report that the characters here are great!
The setting was amazing! I may be biases though. I did spend one summer in Tennessee when i was younger....but still, the author did a great job in making me see the surrounding. I love Fall and Summer books. Yes please!! Hmm, maybe the book was pulling up some memories...but it was awesome.
The story was pretty good. Ruby was feisty and funny and i really appreciated that. I, for one though, wouldn't have even looked at those guys when they came into the store. There were gorgeous.... but i would probably have found it odd for them to come onto me so strongly after merely seeing me. I would have told them to "get lost"....but i'd probably stare as they walking away. lol. I slightly have a thing against weird dudes messing with me...it annoys me.... but i'm probably just strange. lol. They did turn out to be pretty nice though.... Mostly.
Overall, i really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet and funny love story...but with some drama to keep it entertaining. I had no problems with the story or characters for the most part. One thing i'd like to mention is that this book does contain scenes with under age drinking and sex. I think my readers know by now that i don't ever condone either in YA books....but i think this really was more like a NA. Either way, for my younger readers, i wanted to put in a warning.
Hmm, i'd have to say my favorite "chapter" was the prologue. There were more exciting parts of the book, but for me, the prologue really drew me in. My overall fave genre of books is YA Paranormal or SciFi...pretty much anything that isn't real. lol. The prologue talks more about the spider web encased in amber that is mentioned in the description. Some quite weird things happen in the prologue that really makes me want to read the book to see just how it all plays out. The majority of the rest of the book focuses a lot on the romance with less on the paranormal. I did read somewhere though, that the paranormal comes out more in books 2 and 3....so i'm really excited about that.
So the rest of the book, It was great too. It starts off many years after the prologue when Ruby is almost 20. (so i guess this makes it NA?) She meets these two guys at the store where she works. She is instantly attracted to both and realizes that she's had a dream about one of them before. The rest of the book goes through her dating and attraction towards the two...and ultimately leads to her choice. *wink, wink*
For the characters, i'd say they are written great. I really appreciate when the characters are written very differently and with different personality. When trying to think back on a book, i get completely confused when they aren't. I'm happy to report that the characters here are great!
The setting was amazing! I may be biases though. I did spend one summer in Tennessee when i was younger....but still, the author did a great job in making me see the surrounding. I love Fall and Summer books. Yes please!! Hmm, maybe the book was pulling up some memories...but it was awesome.
The story was pretty good. Ruby was feisty and funny and i really appreciated that. I, for one though, wouldn't have even looked at those guys when they came into the store. There were gorgeous.... but i would probably have found it odd for them to come onto me so strongly after merely seeing me. I would have told them to "get lost"....but i'd probably stare as they walking away. lol. I slightly have a thing against weird dudes messing with me...it annoys me.... but i'm probably just strange. lol. They did turn out to be pretty nice though.... Mostly.
Overall, i really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet and funny love story...but with some drama to keep it entertaining. I had no problems with the story or characters for the most part. One thing i'd like to mention is that this book does contain scenes with under age drinking and sex. I think my readers know by now that i don't ever condone either in YA books....but i think this really was more like a NA. Either way, for my younger readers, i wanted to put in a warning.
D.F. Jones
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D.F. Jones is a native of Middle Tennessee and is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. After college she landed a job with the ABC Affiliate in Nashville as a broadcast consultant. She opened her advertising agency in 1998. After years of writing creative for other people through her media company, she decided to write something for herself. It turned into her debut novel, Ruby’s Choice. If you love to read and get immersed into the characters of a book, then you will catch a small drift of how incredible it is to write your own characters and breathe them into life.
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