Crazy for You by Susan May Warren and Michelle Sass Aleckson offers readers lessons on love, trust, and control. The characters Peter Dahlquist and Veronica “Ronnie” Morales are relatable and interesting, which makes this third book in the new Deep Haven Collection a good read.

Brawny, Swoon-worthy Hero

I’m just going to say it. I love Peter. Any woman would, but it’s his cousin who sums him up best. “Dude, how are you single? I swear I could take one picture of you right now surrounded by puppies, you in all your brawny flannel and long hair, and you’d have to go into hiding from the women wanting to marry you.” Does it get any better than a brawny, long-haired, bearded, puppy loving firefighter? I don’t think so.

Peter is a tender-hearted, loving guy, who finds himself in the middle of a family feud. And the feud really heats up after Ronnie Morales and her brother Tiago move to Deep Haven. Ronnie’s a fireball, who soon finds herself at odds with Peter and just about everyone else in town.

Three Major Themes in Crazy for You

Sacrifice is a major theme in Crazy for You. At first, Peter and Ronnie seem polar opposites, but in reality, they both are willing to sacrifice their own interests and desires to make their family members happy. Peter sees something more than the rough, tough exterior Ronnie projects and before long he’s able to penetrate her defenses.

Loneliness is a key theme for Peter. At one point, Peter thinks to himself – “How could a guy have the biggest family in town and still be so alone?” Wow, I could so relate to that statement. I want to belong, and yet despite trying to be a part of groups and organizations, I always seem to feel like I’m on the outside looking in. It’s what I call being a periphery person. It’s lonely and easy to get sucked into the thought that you don’t really matter. I felt for Peter.

The thing is, of course, God is always with us. We forget it and act like it isn’t true and then we suffer a heart-penetrating loneliness. If we’re blessed, we find someone to help fill that feeling of not belonging, but in the end, it’s too big for any person to fill.

Need for Control is a key theme for Ronnie. She wants to be in control. She’s a take-charge person with a brother, who is a huge responsibility. She’s determined to make it on her own with no help. Tiago’s safety depends on her. But, it doesn’t really. In the end, bad things happen and nothing she could have done would have prevented it. Like Ronnie, it’s very easy to lose sight of this truth – God is in control and can turn the bad things into good.

A Final Theme – Family

Family means everything to Peter and to Ronnie. They want to make their family members happy, even if it means giving up their greatest desires. Peter just wants to feel like he’s important, but his family is oblivious to the fact they are pulling him in stressful, opposite directions. Ronnie wants to give Tiago a true sense of family like she once had when she was a little girl.

Crazy for You will make you laugh and tug at your heart, too. It has a great faith message and the right chemistry between the hero and heroine to leave you satisfied.

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