In The Ride to Dinah’s Wedding, debut author Ann Kline presents readers with a hero and heroine setting out on a journey seeking revenge, not a reverend. Along the way, they find true love amid a series of characters and adventures that at times create an atmosphere reminiscent of a Coen Brothers movie. Though flawed – especially toward the end – there is certainly plenty of humor to be had here.

Dinah Lee was literally left at the altar by Woody Monroe, the man she thought to be the love of her life. As well as humiliating Dinah, Woody absconded with $5,000 borrowed from his cousin, Seth Hadley. When Seth locates Woody in Spokane and offers Dinah the chance to accompany him on a cross-country journey to confront him, she agrees at once. Dinah hops right into Seth’s pickup truck and leaves Florida without looking back.

It isn’t until the two get out on the road that Dinah realizes her dilemma. Seth is one hot hunk of a man – so hot that he has made countless women swoon, sweat, sneeze (yes, sneeze!) and otherwise make fools of themselves back home. Even though she fights it, Dinah cannot help but be attracted herself. The thought of a road trip alone with Seth starts making her nervous in many ways.

Fortunately for Dinah’s peace of mind, she and Seth soon find themselves careening around the country with all sorts of odd characters. From befriending the sweet young man who holds them at gunpoint to making friends in Cajun country, Dinah and Seth find themselves on a journey that is never dull or lonely. In between the madcap adventures, they also find themselves wondering if they may not be a good team for purposes other than vengeance.

Kline writes in a low-key folksy style that really suits her story and her characters. The wacky characterizations in this book also add a lot to the story. Even if she does not always know what she wants, Dinah is one likable and feisty lady. Seth is something of an alpha male, but with a sense of humor that makes him quite likable. Most of the secondary characters – especially in the first half of the book – are equally entertaining and offbeat.

Unfortunately, the wackiness begins to wear a little thin as the story nears its conclusion. Too many new secondary characters are introduced too close to the ending and as a result, they are not as well-drawn as those who entered into the adventure earlier. Because these new characters are not well fleshed-out, I had difficulty keeping them straight and figuring out why they are even necessary at times. In addition, some of the jokes and story quirks which entertained at first are repeated a bit too often, causing their appeal to wane.

Still, this novel features an offbeat wackiness you don’t find every day and even with its flaws, Kline’s story is an entertaining debut. If you like road romances or simply want to chuckle a bit, you may want to check this one out.