Immersed by Jennifer Griffith is the 6th novella in The Ripple Effect Romance Series. This is the second book that I have read by Jennifer, and I am not at all disappointed. Immersed did not have any of the characters in it from the previous novellas in the series, which was a little confusing at first. Confusing, because I just ‘assumed’ that it would. That’s what I get for assuming!Never the less I was not disappointed at all. At the start of the book we met Lissette. She is graduating from college, and possibly getting a marriage proposal all in the same day. The first few pages of the book, I was thinking that she was really shallow, and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy her story at all. That changed quickly as the story progressed.Lissette starts her own business as a ‘Language Teacher’, where she teaches either French, Chinese or English to business men. She goes along with them on meetings, and business diners to help translate between them and their prospective business clients. Pretty soon it seems that all the men think she should be offering more than her language services. That’s when her aunt Corky steps in and recommends Lissette have a make-under, because she is just too beautiful. Lissette’s make-under consist of a matted up wig, pale face makeup, dowdy clothes, and a mole!Erik is tall, sweet, Greek god handsome, and wants to hire Lissette for 6 weeks to help him with his English. Lissette’s make-under does not have a negative effect on Erik. In fact it seems to have the opposite affect on him. He seems to genuinely like Lissette, ugliness and all! Too bad he is a client, because dating clients goes against her work policy.I enjoyed reading Lissette and Erik’s story. It was clean (only a few kisses), heartfelt, and fun! There is even a little surprise toward the end. I loved Lissette’s aunt Corky, and I bet if she had her own story, she would be a hoot. Even though this novella didn’t have any of the characters from the other books in it, it was still a wonderful way to end the series. Wonderful job, Jennifer! You couldn’t have ended the Ripple Effect Romance series more superbly then with this remarkable story! The depth of emotion and the pull on your heart during this enter journey has been building up to this astonishing crescendo! What a marvelous way to end such a beautiful voyage into the unknown where love can bring about unfathomable results in the daily struggle of cause and effect.Lisette Pannebaker has the talent and high hopes of starting her own business to offer her clients a full immersion into one of the many languages that she can speak. The only hitch is that far too many of her clients come to her for a chance to do more than just take in the beautiful eye candy that she is. With the help of her aunt, Lisette transforms herself into an ugly “duckling” in order to ensure that her clients keep things strictly business. Much to her dismay, her disguise doesn’t work on her latest client. Erik Gunnarson isn’t repulsed by her appearance, and in fact he seems to be able to see far beneath the surface. Frantically fighting a losing battle, Lisette is desperately trying to keep her business thriving while keeping her heart under lock and key. Will a painful past keep her from revealing her Cinderella charm and her desperate heart from a man who appears to be everything she wants, or will she finally risk it all and follow her heart to her prince charming?This is such a sigh worthy storyline. What woman doesn’t want to be seen for who she really is and not just for her appearance? While the appearance serves to catch the eye of a man, it is her heart that should enthrall and captivate him into never wanting to leave her side. Appreciating and cherishing the entire package is what every woman longs for. Oh how more often than not do we see an epic fail in that area, but who is to blame for that? Do we as a society put way too much emphasis on the external while belittling the heart, the mind, the personality, and the soul? Beauty fades all too quickly with age, but the wisdom, heart, and soul of a woman lives on and endures. It is in those qualities that we should encourage and focus our attention on.Erick and Lisette find in each what they have been desperately and patiently waiting for – a true friend, a soulmate, and a future lover. Without even paying attention they waded through the normal steps of any relationship. Pealing back the layers of each other, they come to recognize that which their soul have been longing for and is missing. The only question that remains is what will they do with this information once they finally see it for what it is? Will they give in to their empty and hurting heart, or will they continue to follow the safe demands of their stubborn mind?Jennifer Griffith is such a gifted and outstanding author to create an exquisite romance that doesn’t even start out as a love story in any sense of the word. This emotional ride was a tear jerker in some places while in others I found myself walking on cloud nine. I was so sad to see it end, but I was so ready for what might come next. We all dream of a happy ending, but no matter how our story ends, we all have to make choices along the way. I hope that you make good ones that will bring you a life filled with love, hope, and never-ending joy.
What do You think about Immersed (2000)?
Cute little book, I really liked it and definitely plan to check out others in the series!
—Wowgirl
