What I'm Reading and Other Tales

Stranded With Her Ex by Jill Sorenson

2011-09-20T20:04:00.003-04:00

This was the last book I read on vacation, and it turned out to be the best.

Stranded With Her Ex by Jill Sorenson (HRS 1654)
(2011, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 4

Two years after her divorce, Daniela Flores is trying to resume her career as a marine biologist. She plans to spend a few weeks on the isolated Fallon Islands, studying sea lions. She didn't expect to find her ex-husband Sean on the research team, studying sharks at the same location. Their marriage ended after a tragic accident, but they will have to work together on the island - especially after mysterious events put all of them in danger.

Although I'm not a huge romantic suspense fan, I enjoy it when it's done well, and it was done very well here, especially in the last half of the book. The author did a great job in depicting the isolated research station and the escalating danger as the book went on. She also combined the emotional story of Daniela and Sean's marriage with the suspense in a very nice way - often, books like this falter on one side or the other. The biggest problem was just that the book was too short - setting up the situation took almost half of the book, and there just weren't enough pages to really do the story justice. This could easily have been a full length novel. However, it was very well done and I found it an enjoyable read.

I'm not sure I would recommend reading this book at the beach - the story fit very well with the beach setting but it made me wary of sharks!

Unlocked by Courtney Milan

2011-09-19T21:26:00.002-04:00

I have enjoyed reading Courtney Milan's internet postings, and I heard a lot of great things about this story, which evidently was her foray into self publishing. However, as with her previous short story, I found it somewhat lacking.

Unlocked by Courtney Milan
(2011, Regency Novella)
Grade: 3.5

Ten years after he tormented and teased Lady Elaine Warren, Evan Carleton, the Earl of Weston has returned to England to try and make things right. But Elaine is not so ready to forgive. She’s learned to live with the jokes and insults, but the experience has made her wary of anyone who seems too good to be true.

It’s hard to grade this novella, because it seemws like a book that was squeezed into a novella length. The premise was fascinating, but there was a lot of character, plot and relationship development to be crammed into a relatively small space. To the author’s credit, she was able to bring the characters to life in a small number of pages, but where she faltered was in their relationship. There just wasn’t enough space to explain why the hero and heroine were suddenly “in love” – and the last thing this short piece needed was a very lengthy love scene near the end. All in all, a noble experiment that didn’t quite work.

Short stories are difficult - I want to like them since they work so well with my limited time availability (and attention span) but it's very hard to find satisfying ones. I also tried It Happened One Season during my vacation and had many of the same issues with it.

The Naked King by Sally MacKenzie

2011-09-19T21:22:00.003-04:00

I didn’t intend to read two books in a row with essentially the same plotline, but that’s a disadvantage of the Kindle – it’s much harder to read the “back cover” and pick what book you want to read next. This one was a slight improvement but still not great.

The Naked King by Sally MacKenzie
(2011, Regency Historical)
Grade: 3.5

When Lady Anne Marston is out walking her dog, she finds herself tangled up with Stephen Parker-Roth – and somehow they end up engaged. She is only in London to help her sister with her first season – at 27, Anne considers herself on the shelf, especially after a bad experience in the past – but Stephen is determined to find the real woman underneath the guarded exterior.

This had the makings of an excellent Regency – a rakish hero (with a great sense of humor), a wallflower heroine, a forced betrothal. However, as this is a Regency historical and not a Regency, the author included a lot more sexual content. Some of it was worthwhile – the heroine’s past was handled very well and added some depth to this fairly light story, and the love scenes were spicy, if a bit out of place at times. But I really didn’t need a minute-by-minute update on the status of the character’s… body parts. The author spent far too much time on the hero and heroine lusting after each other. After a while, it got tedious and repetitive and detracted from the story.

I read an email recently that called this phenomenon "Instant Lust Syndrome". Maybe it's to be expected in a book called The Naked King. However, it's infecting far too many books lately - I'm reading a Jade Lee book at the moment that has the same problem. It's hard to object without sounding prudish, but it takes away from the other elements of the book and gets very tedious after a while.

The Rake and the Wallflower by Allison Lane

2011-09-19T21:17:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much reading done on my vacation as I wanted - I read a lot the first couple of days and then my rental house caught on fire, which took away some of my motivation! But I did get a few books in before I lost my hot tub access. :(

The Rake and the Wallflower by Allison Lane
(2001, Regency)
Grade: 3

Mary Seabrook is in town for her first Season, but she feels awkward and shy next to her vivacious sister Laura. But when she meets fellow bird watcher Lord Grayson, she feels that she has met a kindred spirit. Unfortunately, between Grayson’s mysterious accidents and Laura’s vindictive schemes, there is little time for Mary and Grayson to find romance.

I was hoping for an enjoyable Regency, but unfortunately, this one went off track, with more focus on the external plot than on the hero and heroine. The story started off well, even if the characters were somewhat familiar – the shy heroine, the hero with a mysterious past. But unfortunately, the author spent far too much time on outside influences, particularly Mary’s scheming sister, and not enough time on the relationship. The things that made the characters different and interesting – Mary’s caricatures, Grayson’s collection of wounded birds – were dropped so we could read one scene after another of Laura acting badly. I kept hoping the book would improve, because Allison Lane is a talented author, but in the end I was disappointed.

Allison Lane has a dark view of Regency society, which she sometimes uses to great effect, but here it just gave the book an oppressive feeling that didn’t help the story.

Married by June by Ellen Hartman

2011-09-09T23:03:00.003-04:00

This has been a very slow summer for reading, but I brought a stack of books with me on my vacation and I plan to work my way through some of my TBR pile - even if my "virtual" TBR pile is getting to be almost as large as my paper one!

Married by June by Ellen Hartman (HSR 1711)
(2011, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

Jorie Burke and Cooper Murphy got engaged after only knowing each other a few months, so that her dying mother could plan her daughter's perfect wedding. But now both Jorie and Cooper are wondering if they did the right thing. They're about to call it off when a crisis in Cooper's political family puts them back together... at least temporarily.

I wanted to like this book more. It had a lot of great elements - a likeable hero and heroine, an interesting backstory for the heroine, an unusual backdrop of politics. But somehow it just felt a little... blah. On one hand, I felt like I was being dropped in the middle of a series since there were a lot of references to things that happened before the book started. (Actually, I don't think it is part of a series, which makes it more confusing.) On the other hand, I found myself checking to see how many pages were left, wondering when the "real" story would start. It just seemed to meander along when it needed more umph. It wasn't a bad book, just not one that made me want to keep turning the pages.

I really liked Ellen Hartman's first book so I'm hopeful that her other books are more interesting! I felt like there was a much more interesting story hiding in this book somewhere.

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

2011-06-05T14:42:00.003-04:00

When I'm looking for a light read, I usually turn to Julia Quinn. Although some of her books are wonderful, I end up liking the idea of them more than the actual books most of the time.

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
(20111, Regency Historical)
Grade: 3.5

Honoria Smythe-Smith has known Marcus most of her life - he was her brother’s best friend - but they grew up and her brother had to leave the country, they haven’t spent much time together. But when Marcus needs her help, she finds that what she feels for him goes much deeper than friendship.

This started off very well - it had the typical Julia Quinn humor with interesting and fun characters. The first half of the book, with Honoria and Marcus discovering their feelings for each other, was both emotional and charming. The problems came in the last third of the book, when Honoria and Marcus go back to London. There isn’t any real reason keeping them apart, so the author throws in a misunderstanding, which doesn’t work very well. It just felt like the characters were repeating the same issue over and over. The plotline about the Smythe-Smith musical performance had some fun moments, but I found myself skimming near the end. Unfortunately, this book was just forgettable - not one of Quinn’s best.

On the positive side, I love the cover! One of the most disapponting things about the Kindle is that I can't see the book covers - when I have some extra time, I'm going to try and hack my Kindle so I can see the book covers as screen savers. Even if they are in black and white, it's better than the generic book covers that publishers are using for eBooks.

The Golden Season by Connie Brockway

2011-05-08T17:10:00.004-04:00

Although I haven't read much lately, at least I came back with an excellent book!

The Golden Season by Connie Brockway
(2010, Regency Historical)
Grade: 5

When Lady Lydia Eastlake finds out her fortune is gone, she has one season to find a wealthy husband. She is immediately attracted to Captain Ned Lockton, who sees her as no one else has - but he is in the same situation and needs an heiress to help his family. But are they willing to give up love in order to maintain their place in society?

I loved this book. The author managed to make a heroine who might have come off as shallow become sympathetic, and a hero who might have seemed too passive as honorable and reserved. I especially loved the way Brockway portrayed their feelings for each other - I really believed in their attraction, both physical and emotional. (Too many authors make attraction all about sex, but it goes far beyond that here.) I appreciated that there was no easy way out of this situation, and there was no magical inheritance or mistake to resolve the dilemma. (The twist at the end was a little melodramatic, but at least it came out of the characters and their motivations - even if the ultimate resolution was slightly unrealistic.) Overall, I have to say this was a keeper! Definitely Brockway’s best book since As You Desire.

So many authors become overly mannered or sentimental after they've written a dozen books or more. Nice to see Connie Brockway can still hit it out of the park!

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

2011-04-02T18:31:00.003-04:00

Back to Eve and Roarke for one of the best entries in the series for some time.

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb
(2011, Suspense)
Grade: 4.5

Detective Peabody is just wrapping up her first case as primary when she stumbles on something much more sinister - a group of cops who are using their positions for money - and who will do anything, even kill, to protect themselves. Eve must work within the police department to defend the job - and mission - that is so important to her.

One of the best in Death books in some time. There is very little romance but there’s a lot of interaction with our favorite secondary characters, particularly Peabody who has always been my favorite! It’s an interesting look at how Eve functions as a supervisor - something she found horrifying a few books ago but is now becoming a point of pride. There are even some moments of touching emotion as the case affects everyone on a personal level. My only complaint is the story became almost too convoluted towards the end - too many schemes and double-crossing, it became confusing and started to lose the emotional intensity. But overall, an excellent read.

As a side note, why are the covers of these books so ugly? I realize they want to make them appealing to people who would never buy a "romance", but surely they can do better than this. Ugh!

Clay Yeager's Redemption by Justine Davis

2011-03-30T16:04:00.002-04:00

This one has been in my TBR pile for a while, and it seemed like the perfect book to take on vacation.

Clay Yeager's Redemption by Justine Davis
(1999, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

Casey Scott has retreated to her hometown in Iowa, after a bad experience in the big bad city. She’s doing well as a caterer, but something seems missing until a dog named Mud steals her rib roast. Mud belongs to a mysterious man named Clay Yeager, who appears to be homeless. But something makes her want to trust him and learn more about his life.

This book started out really well. I was intrigued by the mysterious stranger whose eyes were “dead” but was hanging on for the sake of his dog. He’s hiding a dark secret, as is Casey. This seems just the story for this angst bunny, but somehow as the book continued, I began to get impatient. I put the book down numerous times and skimmed through the last third. I’m not sure if it was just my mood or if I’ve read too many similar stories, but the book just didn’t excite me the way I expected. I was left feeling like this was angst-by-the-numbers. Too bad, because usually I love Justine Davis.

I think this is an example of a book I might have graded differently if I'd read it at a different time, but after 2-3 tries, I just couldn't get into it as much as I'd expected.

A Hasty Marriage by Carla Kelly

2011-03-30T15:30:00.007-04:00

This is a short story by Carla Kelly, which was originally published in the Wedding Belles anthology from 2004. It seems to be a precursor to some of her more recent books featuring sea captains.

A Hasty Marriage by Carla Kelly
(2004, Regency)
Grade: 3.5

When Ann Utley, a 32 year old spinster, faces an unwanted marriage proposal, she runs off to her former governess, now the wife of a warehouse owner. It's there that she meets Hiram Titus, an American sea captain who is completely outside her social sphere. But the attraction between them is immediate and mutual. Will Ann throw it all away for love?

As always for Carla Kelly, this was an extremely well written story, with an interesting plot. The author does a great job (surprisingly) at depicting the instant attraction between the hero and heroine as well as pointing out their differences. Unfortunately,the story is marred slightly by a somewhat contrived ending that cuts off a real discussion of what their marriage will mean for both of them- particularly for Ann. I felt like her legitimate concerns were dismissed too quickly by the other characters and then brushed away by the end of the story. Still, the story was interesting and well written, and left me wondering about the history behind it.

I think I missed this anthology when it first came out, so it was nice to read this story, even if it wasn't one of Kelly's best.

Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow

2011-03-30T15:25:00.004-04:00

I bought this on a recommendation by Dear Author. (Probably the only place I find out about m/m romances.) It's a novella from Samhain, a publisher that has surprised me recently with several good reads.

Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow
(2010, Contemporary)
Grade: 4

Luke is accustomed to trading sex for a place to live, especially when the men are wealthy and hot, but when his latest boyfriend kicks him out a few weeks before finals, he ends up with Russell, a nerd who doesn’t quite know how to deal with his new "roommate". Luke is used to men who want his body, but he’s not used to anyone who wants his heart.

Despite the premise and sexual content, this was a surprisingly sweet story. It was only novella length and could have used a few more pages to delve more deeply into the characters (Russell, in particular, is not explored in depth) but overall, it was an entertaining read.

I'd like to see more novellas published in e-book form as individual stories, as long as the price is appropriate. I hate having to buy an anthology when only one of the stories is good. This one was priced at $2.66 which is a little high for a single story but not outrageous.

Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart

2011-03-30T12:43:00.003-04:00

This is a somewhat notorious book by Anne Stuart that I've been holding on to for some time.

Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
(1997, Suspense)
Grade: 4

Rachel Connery arrives in New Mexico to confront Luke Bardell, the leader of The Foundation of Being, which seems to be a cult that attracts the wealthy. Rachel’s mother died of cancer and left 12 million dollars to the Foundation. Although Rachel was estranged from her mother, she is determined to find out more about the group and its charismatic leader.

Although this book didn’t completely work as a romance, it was an interesting read. It’s always entertaining to see how Anne Stuart can turn a completely unlikely and unsympathetic character into a believable hero. Luke begins the book as a character who is confident in his own strength and ability to con people. He’s not particularly sympathetic but he is fascinating. Rachel is equally closed off at the beginning. The relationship between them is based on Luke’s desire to dominate and Rachel’s determination to resist. As the book continues, we find out more about their pasts, but strangely, I never felt that this added to their emotional connection. Stuart kept me interested in Luke even after he does some pretty despicable things (some of the sex scenes border on rape) but she didn’t make me believe that the relationship between Luke and Rachel developed much beyond sexual attraction. The book worked better as a mystery / character study than as a romance, but still, it was interesting and worth reading.

Hopefully Blogger won't mangle this post the way it did the last one! I'm trying to hang onto my old computer since I can't afford to replace all my software at once, and I'm running out of hard disk space on my laptop, but it's getting harder and harder when even a simple thing like posting a blog entry becomes "incompatible" with the old systems.

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

2011-01-30T16:23:00.005-05:00

Another entry in the J.D. Robb series.

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
(2010, Suspense)
Grade: 4

Eve gets back from a vaccation in Ireland to find a new case waiting for her- a limo driver killed with a crossbow. More deaths follow, each meticulously planned and using a hunting weapon. Eve and Roarke soon believe that the murderer is hunting... people.

This was a typical, reliable J.D. Robb book - not many surprises but still enjoyable. This one included a lot of interplay between Eve and the other detectives on the squad, and a lot of fun asides from Eve about her work. Who did it was solved pretty early on and the book mostly involves putting together evidence to make the case stick - it got a little repetitive after a while. But still, a reasonably good entry in the series.

Unfortunately, I found this book very "put-downable". I read it in bits and pieces over a week. But still,I enjoy them as a refreshing change from my usual reading, and Eve Dallas is still a unique character that you won't find anywhere else. So I keep reading them.

Billy Bob Walker Got Married by Lisa G. Brown

2011-01-18T12:34:00.004-05:00

Still in search of good contemporaries. This is an older book and very hard to find, but people still love it. It's unfortunate that the author only published three books! Maybe she was ahead of her time.

Billy Bob Walker Got Married by Lisa G. Brown
(1993, Contemporary)
Grade: 4

Shiloh Pennington is the daughter of the richest man in Sweetwater, Mississippi, and she’s engaged to marry the son of the most powerful judge. But she’s more interested in Billy Bob, the illegitimate son of the judge and the town bad boy. But bad boys have their soft sides,don’t they? Especially when a girl needs a husband to get out of a bad engagement?

This book had a very appealing “down home” feeling. The characters were interesting and realistic, and the writing was excellent. I felt like I was hearing a great storyteller telling me a tale. The characters were well written and the emotions felt real. However, the book lacked a bit when it came to plot. It meandered all over the place, spending too much time on some sections and not enough on others. The middle section dragged and the end was too abrupt. The book also felt a bit dated - it was published in 1993but some of the situations and attitudes felt 20-30 years out of date. Even for a small town, it seemed a bit much. However, these were fairly small problems compared to the likeability of the characters and the book as a whole. Overall,an enjoyable read.

I had to laugh at one section in the beginning of the book, which describes Billy Bob's hair. Short in the front, long in the back- oh no! Billy Bob had a mullet! (The cover does not reflect this, thankfully - unless that's a ponytail hiding in the shadows?) I'll try not to think of Billy Ray Cyrus when I read this book.

Best of 2010

2011-01-03T18:29:00.002-05:00

I'm disappointed in my reading this year. I read 50 books, which is almost one per week, but most of that was concentrated in a couple of months. Most of the time, I found other things to do besides read. (The internet is my biggest temptation - it's so easy to waste a few hours reading all the news sites.) One of my New Year's resolutions is to read more, although I said the same thing last year.

But on the positive side, I had a pretty good reading year. I didn't read a single book graded lower than 3 stars - which is an average read. I either got better at picking books or better at giving up on the bad ones. And almost half of my reads were rated at 4 stars or more.

I gave one book 5 stars, which is unusual for me. I really loved Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight, a book I probably wouldn't have picked up at all a couple of years ago.

Some other books I particularly liked:

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel (a complex and interesting historical)
Lead by On by Victoria Dahl (a great contemporary is so hard to find!)
Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant (finally read it after almost 10 years)
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh (only novella length but fun to read)
Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh (the best book she's written in many years)
Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn (a book that's grown on me over time)

I did do a lot of rereading this year, as I cleared out some of my keepers and transferred others to the Kindle. So I guess that counts as reading. My goal is to clear out some of the 2010 books in the new year - and hopefully read some new ones too!

A True Lady by Edith Layton

2010-12-23T17:32:00.004-05:00

I decided to read one of the older books from my TBR pile. I have a lot of Edith Layton books so that seemed like a good place to start.

A True Lady by Edith Layton
(1995, Georgian)
Grade: 3.5

Cristabel is the daughter of a pirate, but she yearns to be an English lady like her mother. When her father marries her to Viscount Magnus Snow, she eagerly leaves for England, but finds her marriage wasn’t valid. Never mind, she can live on her own... but Magnus has other ideas.

A unique story with an interesting setting. Cristabel is a fascinating heroine, and Magnus is a larger-than-life hero (without being a typical alpha male). The Georgian setting of 1720 is vivid and unusual. However, the story itself was a bit predictable (which is surprising considering the characters). I just didn’t find myself as enthralled as I might have been. Still, there were some nice touches. I especially appreciated that the secndary characters weren’t all perfect, or evil - they were a nice mix of good and bad. And the ending was happy but not tied up with a bow. (You rarely see that these days when everyone is being set up for their own books.) I just wish it had moved me a little more.

I chose this book in part for mercenary reasons - I wanted to use up some shipping credits at PBS and this one had a waiting list - but it was nice to read something different. Even though this book was predictable in some ways, in other ways it felt refreshing - it wasn't the typical historical romance. I have a couple of Edith Layton Regencies that I've been meaning to read as well - I may have to pick those up sometime in the next few weeks.

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

2010-12-07T18:47:00.006-05:00

I haven't read anything for a month! Actually, I did spend about three weeks reading At Home by Bill Bryson, which was enjoyable nonfiction, but I have been lax about my other reading. I will have to make up for it during my upcoming time off work.

I picked up this one because one of my book groups chose it for a book chat. I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise since it wasn't book length, and yet the publisher was charging hardcover prices. What a "nice" holiday gift - tra-la-la-la-la and let's take your money. But if I had enjoyed it more (like the similar Balogh book last year), I probably would have considered it worth the price. Unfortunately...

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
(2010, Contemporary)
Grade: 3

Mark Nolan is convinced he doesn’t want a family, until his sister’s death leaves him with custody of his niece Holly. He and his brother Sam both love Holly, but what she needs is a mother. Mark has a girlfriend, but there’s something about toy store owner Maggie Collins that he just can’t get out of his mind...

This book contained the outline of a good story, but unfortunately the short length didn’t allow it to be fully developed. The story was a bit sentimental for my taste, with more focus on Holly than on the hero and heroine. But there were some good points. The setting of the San Juan islands was picturesque and interesting (even though the detailed descriptions sometimes made the book feel more like a travel guide than a romance). And there were some nice touches - I loved Maggie’s toy shop, and her dog Renfrew. Lisa Kleypas’s writing was excellent as usual. However, the characters themselves only seemed sketched out. We found out the main points of their lives - Maggie’s a widow from a big, loving family, Mark was scarred by his parents’ bad marriage but loves his brothers - but there just wasn’t enough time for their characters to be filled in. The author just tried to put a book’s worth of story in a novella’s worth of pages, and it didn’t quite work.

Sometimes I feel like a Grinch because I roll my eyes and gag at cute kids in romance novels. Give me a hot guy in my romance novels and I promise to be nice to Cindy Lou if I run across her down in Whoville.

Trouble in Paradise by Jeanne Grant

2010-11-06T11:55:00.002-04:00

I was looking for something short to read last night, and I grabbed this one off the TBR shelf. From 1984! Love the feathered hair. (I didn't buy it until about ten years ago, though - I was a little too young for these in 1984. I was reading Kathleen Woodiwiss back then but I think the appeal of a divorced dad with three teenagers would have escaped me at that age.)

Trouble in Paradise by Jeanne Grant (THH 28)
(1984, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

Susan fell head over heels with Griff Anderson, and three months later they were married. But was she in over her head with three teenage stepchildren, an interfering ex-wife and a houseful of hamsters? Will she ever regain the romantic life she pictured with her new husband?

This is from the short lived To Have and To Hold series, about married couples. THH was such an odd series line. The stories were interesting and they had some great writers, but they weren’t always romantic. This one focuses more on the kids than on the romance. However, it had some good points (along with some bad ones). Jeanne Grant is an excellent writer and the story moved along well. The characters were interesting - even the kids, and I don’t normally like kids in my books. However, the book was full of cliches (even in 1984 these were cliches.) The “evil ex-wife”, the “kids with their crazy music”, the “oops, you mean sex leads to babies?” storyline. All of those things made the book feel more like it was set in 1954, not 1984. Overall, it had its good points, but the flaws made it feel very dated.

I have a surprising number of series books from the 80's in my TBR pile. (About 40 of them.) The old series books started disappearing from the used bookstores in the late 90's, and I grabbed a bunch of them so I would get them before they were gone. Most of them are dated and not that great, but it's a little sad to think they've all ended up in landfills or recycling bins.

Patti LuPone: A Memoir by Patti LuPone

2010-10-25T17:26:00.003-04:00

I do love my Broadway divas. The library finally came through for me (after three tries!) and I was able to get a copy of this through Marina, the Maryland interlibrary loan system. (My copy came from Hagerstown - thanks!)

Patti LuPone: A Memoir by Patti LuPone
(2010, Biography)
Grade: 3.5

Patti LuPone is well known as a Broadway diva, and while this memoir definitely humanizes her, it doesn't exactly dispel the diva image. But at least LuPone has a sense of humor about it! Unfortunately, most of the book is a bit dull. It falls into the "I went here and did this, then went there and did that" style of memoir. There's not a lot of insight beyond what she did and who she met (she even makes David Mamet seem boring, which is quite a feat), and that makes the early chapters kind of hard to get through.

The book definitely perks up with the more interesting events in her career - most notably Evita and Sunset Boulevard. The battles over the casting of Sunset Boulevard are some of the most juicy stories in recent Broadway history, and even the workmanlike description here can't take away the drama. These two chapters were the highlight of the book. Still, I think I'd rather watch her on stage than read her prose. It's unfortunate that none of her musical performances have made it to DVD.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

2010-10-24T17:34:00.003-04:00

Beauty and the Beast stories are a guilty pleasure of mine, so I decided to pick up this YA book at the library.

Beastly by Alex Flinn
(2007, Young Adult)
Grade: 3.5

When Kyle Kingsbury, the wealthy and self-centered son of a news anchor, plays a cruel trick on a strange new student at his high school, he finds himself transformed into a Beast. He has two years to find someone to love him or he will remain a beast forever. First Kyle must transform himself into a better person, and then perhaps he can offer friendship and love to one of his former classmates, Lindy.

There were a lot of clever touches in this book. Moving the setting to modern day New York was interesting, and there were many neat tricks to make the story fit into today's world. There was even a very funny chat room for those undergoing "unexpected transformations". However, the underlying story felt a little shallow. Kyle may have become a beast, but he still had endless wealth and any problems are fixed with a wave of Daddy's credit card. His problems felt a little too "teen age" - I can't go to the prom, my cool friends don't care about me, my Dad doesn't spend time with me, etc. It just seemed to lack depth. If I was a teenager, I might have enjoyed this more, but as an adult reader, I just didn't find it all that compelling. Good but not great.

I read a lot of YA books back when I was a teenager, but I have a hard time reading about teenage heroes and heroines now. Their problems just don't feel particularly compelling to me. But I'm glad there are so many great YA books out there to encourage young readers - the YA books I read back in the 80's definitely shaped my reading tastes today. (I loved angst then and I love it now!)

A Rogue in Texas by Lorraine Heath

2010-10-21T00:16:00.002-04:00

I had to finish one more book before taking a huge bag of books to donate to our office book sale. I filled up an entire Container Store bag - one of the BIG ones! That's a lot of books.

A Rogue in Texas by Lorraine Heath
(1999, Western)
Grade: 4

In 1865, Grayson Rhodes, the illegitimate son of a British Duke, leaves England for Texas. However, he imagined something more lucrative than picking cotton on a backwater farm. But once he gets to know widowed Abbie Westland and her three children, he begins to look at life, and love, in a new way. He might even be willing to start a new life in Texas.

For the first three quarters of the book, this felt like a pale photocopy of Lorraine Heath. It had all of the typical elements of a Lorraine Heath story, but the passion just wasn’t there. (Not surprisingly, this was the first book she wrote for Avon.) The characters were interesting, the setting of post-Civil War Texas was unusual, but it all felt like it had been done before. The most unique part of the story was Grayson’s background as an illegitimate son and how he reveled in being valued for himself in Texas, where it didn’t matter how he was born or who his father was. However, even that aspect of the story started to feel a little forced as the book went on. But the book picked up new life in the last 100 pages, when Abbie’s husband reappears. Even though I’ve read plenty of stories where the supposedly dead husband returns, the way the author intertwined it with Grayson’s past worked very well, and brought some life back into the story. Overall, the book wasn’t one of Heath’s best, but it finished strong, and that counts for a lot.

Where have all the stepbacks gone? I couldn't find a picture of the stepback on this book (and it's too late to pull out the scanner) but it's gorgeous! Even if there were't any yellow roses on the Texas prairie. I haven't seen a great stepback in a long time - they're all way too obvious these days, if you can find one at all.

The Seduction of an English Lady by Cathy Maxwell

2010-10-16T13:33:00.004-04:00

Back to the TBR for a backlist book. I need to clear off a few more shelves!

The Seduction of an English Lady by Cathy Maxwell
(2004, Regency Historical)
Grade: 3.5

When Colonel Colin Mandland appears at her door, Lady Rosalyn Wellborne gets an unpleasant shock - her cousin has sold her home! She has no choice but to move in with an aunt - unless she accepts Colin’s marriage proposal. He has his own motives for marriage, but perhaps they both will discover there is more to this marriage than convenience.

When I first started reading this book, I found it enjoyable and charming. The characters were interesting and likeable, the plot was familiar but well done, the writing was good. The discussion of class differences between the hero and heroine was interesting. Unfortunately, the book lost its appeal the more I read. The plot started to feel stale and repetitive. The characters did the same things over and over. And then a political sideplot was thrown in at the last minute. It might have been interesting if it had been carried throughout the book, but it was such an abrupt change of tone that it felt out of place. It left the book feeling unfinished Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, just unfocused and forgettable. Too bad since Cathy Maxwell can do much better.

I wonder where I got this book - it's stamped Hamilton Ontario. I must have picked it up at the Celebrate Romance book trade. I miss those book trades! Buying online is more efficient but it's kind of dull by comparison.

Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft

2010-10-13T19:47:00.002-04:00

This isn't my usual type of book, but I was intrigued when I read the reviews. It also seemed an appropriate choice because of everything that's been going on in the news recently. (It also didn't hurt that it was a contemporary - the search for the great contemporary read continues.)

Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft
(2010, Contemporary)
Grade: 3.5

Alec spends most of the year pleasing everyone around him - his mother, his fiancée - but for one month, he escapes all his obligations. On the way to his vacation, he meets Darren, and the two hit it off immediately. But Darren isn’t quite what he seems - is he more interested in Alec’s money, or is he just escaping his troubled family and difficult past?

I had a hard time with this book at first. The prose was extremely melodramatic, even by romance purple prose standards. This was in contrast to a few blunt sex scenes, which seemed out of place so early in the story. However, the prose settled down after the first third of the book or so and the focus turned to the relationship, which I found more interesting. It was refreshing to read a contemporary set in Britain, and I appreciated that the author dealt directly with class differences between the heroes. It also dealt with the characters being gay (and Alec’s acceptance of himself) without feeling like a lecture. However, the book felt a bit short. There was a lot of melodrama crammed into a book that was only about 200 pages longj, and unfortunately, the character development got a little lost. I found the book unique and well written, but it was just finding its way when it ended. Overall, a valiant effort but it fell a bit short.

This was the first book I've read on my Kindle! It took some adjustments to find the right position to hold the Kindle without giving my hand cramps, but overall, I liked the experience. Perfect for this book since it doesn't seem to be available in print.

To Marry a British Lord by Judith O'Brien

2010-10-08T17:29:00.003-04:00

An interesting book that lost its way in the second half.

To Marry a British Lord by Judith O'Brien
(1997, Victorian)
Grade: 3.5

Ten years after fleeing war-torn Virginia, Constance Lloyd is a governess who finds herself unexpectedly engaged to the second son of the Duke of Hastings. But when Constance meets Phillip’s best friend, Joseph Smith, she wonders if she’s making a mistake. As she travels in the highest society circles, she keeps returning to Jospeh and the possibility of love.

After reading the first third of this book, I was enchanted by it. The story was compelling, the characters were well drawn, the writing was witty. The biggest fault was the lack of romance, since the hero and heroine are apart for much of the book. But the story felt more like a satire on Victorian life than a real romance. Still, it was fun and interesting, with some pointed commentary on Victorian society. But the book began to go off the rails in the second half. Joseph was never explored as a character, just appearing and disappearing as the plot required. The author started throwing in one historical figure after another (John Brown! Disraeli!) and the plot got wackier and wackier. I never did quite figure out what was going on (the Prince of Wales’ valet was trying to poison everyone and blame John Brown?) The author got so tangled up that she forgot about the characters. The book did improve in the last few chapters, but overall, this was a bit of a disappointment. Too bad, because it started with such promise.

One thing that I found a little distracting in this book: the Prince of Wales is referred to as Your Majesty. I've seen that mistake in several books, and unless things have changed, that isn't right. Only the King or Queen is Your Majesty. The Prince would be Your Royal Highness. The odd thing about this book is that he is also referred to correctly as HRH. I guess I shouldn't let that bother me but it was distracting. Naming the hero "Joseph Smith" was also an odd choice.

A Family for Gillian by Catherine Blair

2010-10-03T22:38:00.002-04:00

I finally reached my goal! I didn't finish all of the books in my TBR pile (I have 399 more...) but I finished all the books that didn't fit in my bookcase. Every little bit helps!

A Family for Gillian by Catherine Blair
(2001, Regency)
Grade: 3.5

Viscount Prescott Avery needs a mother for his children, and Gillian Harwell needs to escape her scheming family. It seems like the perfect arrangement. But the children aren't exactly welcoming, and Avery isn't sure he wants a new wife...

This was a cute and charming book. Very reminiscent of Sound of Music. I wouldn't want a steady diet of cute and sweet, but in small doses, it can be nice to read something different. It was a predictable book, and not all that romantic, but it was a nice diversion on a Sunday afternoon.

I'm not a big fan of cute children in romances, but every now and then I'll make an exception.

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel

2010-10-03T15:28:00.001-04:00

I've been looking forward to this book for some time - I put it aside because I felt that I couldn't give it a fair reading after I'd heard so much about it. I wanted to wait until I could read it for itself, not for what everyone else was saying about it.

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel
(2009, Regency Historical)
Grade: 4.5

Three years after they first met, the Earl of Banallt is still hopelessly attracted to Sophie Evans. They are both widowed now, but Sophie is wary of trusting her husband’s former drinking companion, a man linked to numerous women and many scandals. Can Banallt show Sophie that he has changed and that he’s worthy of her trust and love?

This was definitely an interesting book. It was very well written and the characters were well drawn and interesting to read about. However, it left me just a little bit cold. The book kept me turning the pages, and I was definitely caught up in the story. The characters were more sophisticated and deep than many romance characters. But it lacked the emotional sweep of my favorite romances - it felt much more intellectual than heartfelt. (There were a few significant gaps in the story as well, particularly involving Banallt’s past.) This is probably one of the best written books I’ve read this year, but it wasn’t quite a keeper. I feel like I ought to have liked it a little bit more than I actually did.

Even though this book wasn't a perfect read for me, I will definitely look up more books by Carolyn Jewel - for some reason I thought I read one of her early books, but I can't remember now. I have one of her older books in my TBR and a newer one on my TBB list.

The Temptation of Savannah O'Neill by Molly O'Keefe

2010-10-02T19:02:00.002-04:00

I needed a break from historicals before delving into the last few books in my TBR pile.

The Temptation of Savannah O'Neill by Molly O'Keefe
(2010, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

The O’Neill family has been the scandal of small town Bonne Terre for three generations. Savannah O’Neill may be a staid librarian, but she’s still one of the scandalous O’Neills. But when Matt appears at her door and offers his skills as a handyman, she might be willing to risk a little scandal. But Matt is hiding secrets of his own...

There were a lot of good things about this book. The setting was great - I could almost feel the heat of a Louisiana summer. And I liked the characters... eventually. It just took a very long time to get to that point. The author kept portioning out information in tiny dribs and drabs, and I started to get frustrated. It’s one thing to keep a few secrets, but keeping most of the hero and heroine’s background a secret for almost half the book is just annoying. However, the interesting plot and good writing kept me going. In the end, I did enjoy the book, I just wish it hadn’t taken so long to get there.

Down to only 5 books in the basket of "read soon" books.

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

2010-10-01T23:25:00.003-04:00

Another book that was redeemed by a good ending.

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
(2009, Victorian)
Grade: 4

Three years after their frustrating marriage ended with an anulment, Leo Marsden has arrived in India determined to bring Byrony back to England. They never seemed to fit together - Leo was society’s darling, Byrony defied everyone to become a doctor - but the secrets of their marriage, and its failure, went much deeper...

This book started out with great frustration. The author seemed to be trying to make her characters hard to understand, and sometimes the misunderstandings between them made me want to throw the book with frustration. It seemed like the author was deliberately withholding important information for literary reasons, which isn’t something I particularly enjoy. But I kept going, because the writing was good and the characters were interesting, and eventually my patience was rewarded. The book improved dramatically in the second half. The characters started talking to each other, and the backdrop of India was interesting (although I always compare books set in India to M.M. Kaye’s books, which are hard to measure up to). By the end, I did feel emotionally involved with these characters, despite the gaps in the characters’ backgrounds. I was left feeling a bit conflicted - did the good parts of the book overcome the bad parts? Just barely.

Sherry Thomas is an author who has been growing on me. I couldn't finish her first book, I found Delicious promising but disappointing, and this one was good but not great. I'm hoping I enjoy her next book more. Maybe I'm a simple-minded reader, but I get frustrated by too many "twists" like having the author withhold important information from the reader and guess what the characters are trying to say. Those may work in some fiction, but I think it hurts a romance, where the reader expects to make an emotional connection with the characters. It's hard to make an emotional connection to a character when the author is trying to keep the character's motives and background a secret from the reader.

Her Colorado Man by Cheryl St. John

2010-09-27T22:59:00.002-04:00

Always a pleasure to read Cheryl St. John - her books always leave me feeling warm and fuzzy even if they aren't perfect.

Her Colorado Man by Cheryl St. John
(2009, 1880's Colorado)
Grade: 4

When Mariah found herself unmarried and pregnant, she and her grandfather invented a husband who was conveniently off in Alaska. But when her “husband”, Wes Burrows, appears and wants to become a part of their family, Mariah isn’t quite sure what to do. Her son needs a father, but does she need a husband?

Cheryl St. John’s best quality is that she can take basically nice characters and still make them interesting. Mariah and Wes were both kind and loving and the story was warm and charming. The setting was interesting (a German family in 1880’s Colorado who owned a brewery) and the secondary characters all worked well with the story. The problem was that the story started to fizzle out in the middle of the book. The hero and the heroine are clearly meant for each other and we get the same scenes over and over. I think the author missed an opportunity when she glossed over the hero’s background and the heroine’s difficult past, because that might have given the book more momentum. The hero mentions his past, but we never really hear that much about it from his point of view, and the heroine’s past is kept mostly secret until almost the end. There’s a little bit more drama in the last chapters, but unfortunately, the book just didn’t live up to its potential. Good but not great.

I try not to read a book and think how I might write it differently. (There's a reason I'm not an author!) But in this case, it seemed like the potential was there and it just didn't quite come together.

Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl

2010-09-27T00:57:00.004-04:00

Two great books in a row - how refreshing!

Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl
(2010, Contemporary)
Grade: 4.5

Jane has put her childhood behind her, and now she’s determined to find a proper and respectable man. But why does she find Chase so appealing, with his dusty jeans and his tattooed biceps? At first, Chase is happy to have a no-strings affair with Jane, but when her old life starts crashing into her new one, he finds he wants more. He wants love.

It was so refreshing to read a book that felt so contemporary. As much as I love historicals, sometimes a contemporary just hits the spot, but so many of them don’t feel like they take place in the real world. This one felt fresh and modern. I had a hard time with Jane during parts of this book. In the first couple of chapters, it felt like the author was beating the reader over the head with Jane’s obsession with her image. She really did some unlikeable things in the first part of the book. But as we got to know who Jane was, it made more sense, and she became a more well rounded character. She faltered again in the middle of the book, when it seemed like her character stopped developing again and just kept repeating the same thing over and over. A heroine doesn’t have to be perfect for me to enjoy reading about her, but I get tired of a heroine who makes the same mistakes over and over. Thankfully the author redeemed herself in the last few chapters, where Jane finally stopped going around in circles and started opening up (to herself and to the readers). I loved that she was such an interesting, emotionally complex character - so rare in contemporaries! I wasn’t sure how to grade this book because I almost gave up in the middle of it, but the last hundred pages were so good, I had to give the book a little boost. The book also had great humor and great writing, so in the end, it was a very enjoyable read.

I wavered about how to grade this one. I think the factor that pushed it into the almost-keeper range was because it was a contemporary. It may have had a few flaws, but a good contemporary is so hard to find! Finding a good one puts me in such a good mood, I'm willing to forgive a few flaws.

Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant

2010-09-26T15:04:00.002-04:00

I've had this book in my TBR for several years, but I've been waiting until I was in the right mood to read something a little more dense than my usual reads.

Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
(2002, Regency Historical)
Grade: 4.5

When their son is kidnapped, Charles and Melanie Fraser are frantic to get him back. At first the reasons for the kidnapping seem related to Charles’ work in Spain during the Napoleonic wars... but when Melanie is forced to reveal dangerous secrets from her past, it threatens to destroy their marriage and their life together.

A fascinating combination of history, intrigue and romance. I loved the way the author took the familiar backdrop of the war in Spain and turned it on its head by showing both sides of the conflict. The writing was excellent and the issues went far deeper than most mysteries - not just “who done it” but questions about war and freedom and responsibility. The mystery of who kidnapped Colin and the search for the ring was fast paced and well written, but the most interesting part of the book for me was how the relationship between Charles and Melanie kept changing as more secrets were revealed. What kept me turning the pages wasn’t the suspense storyline, it was learning how the bond between Charles and Melanie was gradually rebuilt as they learned more and more about each other. There were some flaws - there were a couple of unbelievable coincidences that left me rolling my eyes a bit, and the plot became a little repetitive in the second half. But overall, it was a very enjoyable book that I couldn’t put down until 2 am - definitely a sign of a great read.

I was very glad to hear that Tracy Grant has a book coming out in 2011. She's an excellent writer and she deserves great success. On the other hand, I'm not sure how interested I am in the next books in the series. What made this book for me was the focus on Charles and Melanie's marriage and their emotional journey. It would be hard for that to be replicated in the prequels.

She's Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry

2010-09-25T12:23:00.002-04:00

Another pretty good series book - always a nice surprise. (Not that series books can't be good reads, but it can be hard to find the few I like among the dozens that come out each month.)

She's Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry (HB 464)
(2009, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 4

Twelve years after Liam Masters left town after kissing his best friend’s sister, he finds Zoe Ford all grown up... and drastically changed. The sweet 15 year old is now a sexy tattoo artist. But she’s hiding a secret in her past that led her down this path. Can Liam help her find the woman she wants to be... and can he learn to put the past behind him as well?

At first, I was impressed by the unique characters in this book. Not many romances feature a tattoo artist who is sexy and strong and tough (and more or less comfortable with who she is). Unfortunately, the author didn’t quite follow through. There’s a lot of hand wringing about the Good Girl Who Went Bad Because Of Her Terrible Secret, especially in the middle of the book. And the hero’s inner conflict also felt a bit cliched (he has a Bad Daddy, unsurprisingly), even though it was handled well. But the author redeemed herself in the last part of the book when she didn’t completely backtrack on the heroine’s past and turn her into a romance pod person. I would have liked a little more development in the last part of the book (and maybe a little less predictability in the middle section) but the writing was good and the book was enjoyable to read. Not perfect, but a refreshing change from the typical series romance.

I still have mixed feelings about Harlequin Blaze. I still find the books a little too sex heavy, especially when the books are short anyway. I'd rather take away one or two of those love scenes and invest those pages in more emotional development. But it seems like many of the good Harlequin and Silhouette writers are writing for Blaze, especially if you aren't fond of baby stories. So I have to take what I can get, and hope I can find the good ones in between the all-sex-no-story books. (Not that there's anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say...)

The Best Revenge by Justine Davis

2010-09-20T23:51:00.002-04:00

I haven't had good luck with series books lately - in addition to the ones I've posted about here, there have been a dozen more that I couldn't even finish. I started to think that I should give up on Harlequin altogether. This book gave me some reassurance that there are still good series books out there, despite its flaws.

The Best Revenge by Justine Davis (SRS 1597)
(2010, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

Jessa Hill doesn’t really want to be the mayor on her small town, but she’s determined to fight against Albert Alden, the slick politician who hides an evil secret - the supposed death of his son, Jessa’s childhood friend. But when Dameron St. John appears at her doorstep, offering to help, she’s not sure what to think, except that he seems strangely familiar...

This book had quite a few things going for it. Justine Davis is an excellent writer, and the plot was satisfying. The characters were interesting and well written, particularly St. John. I could point out the flaws - the plot was cliched and predictable, the endless praise of Redstone was irritating - but in the end, I wanted to keep reading. I was invested in these characters and wanted them to succeed and find happiness. That means more than a few flaws, at least enough to give it an above-average grade.

I've liked Justine Davis since The Morning Side of Dawn (and even before that with The Skypirate) but her books continue to be hit-or-miss with me. I like her characters but don't care for the quasi-military action books she's been writing lately.

Miss Winthorpe's Elopement by Christine Merrill

2010-09-19T23:21:00.002-04:00

Still attacking my TBR pile... I have 22 books left in the basket next to my bed. (I'm not counting the 400 in my bookcases - I have to start somewhere!)

Miss Winthorpe's Elopement by Christine Merrill
(2010, Regency)
Grade: 3

To escape her brother, Penelope decides to head for Scotland and find a husband along the way. She stumbles upon Adam Felkirk, the Duke of Bellston and marries him when he is too drunk to object. Although the marriage solves Adam’s financial problems, it’s more difficult for him to accept Penelope as his wife - and for her to adjust to her new life as a duchess.

The setup for this book was incredibly silly and illogical. I was expecting that based on the reviews. But once the setup was over (by page 40), the book improved and became a better-than-average marriage of convenience story. It was predictable, but all of the standard plot points were done well. I can overlook a few cliches since I love a good marriage of convenience story. But unfortunately, the book descended into misunderstandings and petty jealousies in the last part of the book, and never recovered. Even the ending was unsatisfying. Too bad, because there were some good parts to this book, if only the author had stuck with what was working.

I appreciate that Harlequin Historicals is still publishing traditional Regencies, but I wish that they were better... somehow they just don't hold up to the old Signets. (Or maybe I just have a rosy view of the old days...)

Improper Relations by Janet Mullany

2010-09-19T11:05:00.004-04:00

Several people recommended Janet Mullany to me, so I ignored the budget and ordered them from the UK. (Amazing how fast that is now - I got these faster from Book Depository in the UK than some of my paperbackswap books coming from a nearby state.) One worked, one didn't.

Improper Relations by Janet Mullany
(2010, Regency)
Grade: 4

Charlotte Hayden is saddened when her best friend Ann gets married to the Earl of Beresford and seems to forget her. But when she meets Beresford’s cousin, Shad, she finds herself intrigued - but she never meant to marry him! After they are forced to marry, they find that they get along better than expected - but misunderstandings and friends get in the way.

A very funny Regency. Mullany’s Regency world is a little bawdier and blunter than a typical Regency, which was entertaining to read. The hero and heroine’s sarcastic remarks made me laugh and the situations were fun without becoming too silly. I tried to read one of Mullany’s previous books, A Most Lamentable Comedy, and I couldn’t finish it because even though it was fun, I didn’t care about the characters and the plot kept wandering all over the place. It seemed like the author sacrificed believability to make jokes. In this book, the characters were more appealing and believable, and the plot, while silly, held together enough to keep the book going. There were some problems with the book - the alternating first person narrative sometimes jumped around too much and pulled me out of the story, and story depended too many times on the heroine getting tipsy and doing stupid things. I don’t think I could reread this book without noticing the glaring errors, but on the first read, I could ignore the plot holes and just enjoy the fun.

I'm not sure I will read another Janet Mullany book - it's too easy for humor to fall flat with me, and this one just barely managed.

The Bellini Bride by Michelle Reid

2010-09-18T19:24:00.003-04:00

This book is an example of the persuasive power of a good review. I overruled my general suspicion of this type of book because the reviewer made it sound so appealing!

The Bellini Bride by Michelle Reid (HP 2224)
(2002, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3

Italian millionaire Marco Bellini finds his mistress Antonia incredibly attractive, but he knows she would never be suitable as a wife. Besides the differences in their social position, she is well known as the sensual nude model featured in the paintings of Stefan Kranst... her former lover. Will this be the end of their affair...or only the beginning?

Why do I read Harlequin Presents? I end up wanting to smack someone, usually the hero. And in this case, the heroine too. They are certainly emotional reads, which I often enjoy, but I hate the way they play on the worst stereotypes of romance, and irritate me with their arrogant alpha heroes and simering virgin heroines. This one started out with the chance to break the typical HP mold. The hero actually had to confront his views of what a “suitable” woman was - except maybe not. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that the heroine wasn’t really bad, she was just misunderstood. Wah, wah, wah, play me another song. There was a slight redemption at the end, but still, I was disappointed that the author didn’t follow through with the story started off writing, and just ended up reinforcing all those old HP stereotypes.

This time I'm making a pledge. No more Harlequin Presents! They just leave dents in my walls when I throw them across the room.

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

2010-09-17T23:15:00.002-04:00

My last Balogh book for a while - it looks like she won't have a new book out until the middle of next year. Maybe an inspiration to go back and read some older ones that I might have missed along the way?

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
(2010, Regency) 9/17/10
Grade: 4.5

Reginald Mason, the son of a prosperous coal miner, and Lady Annabelle Ashton, the daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, have lived next door to each other most of their lives, but they are hopelessly separated by the difference in their class. Or are they? When Annabelle is caught up in a scandal and Reginald needs to marry, a marriage seems like the only way out...

A very cute story. Although I caught onto the “twist” very early on (probably because I’d read hints online), the story itself was very charming and cleverly written. The biggest fault of the book was that it wasn’t really a book. It was a long-ish short story. Once you figured out the situation, there wasn’t a lot left to the story. It’s a bit much to charge hardback prices for a novella, but the story was so fun and sweet, I can’t object too much.

How do you value a book? It's painful to pay hardcover prices for a book that I finished in about an hour. On the other hand, I've paid for books that I didn't like enough to finish, so maybe it evens out.

Something Shady by Pamela Morsi

2010-09-14T19:59:00.004-04:00

I was looking for something light, so I decided to reread another book from my keeper shelf.

Something Shady by Pamela Morsi
(1995, 1917 Missouri) 9/14/10

Gertrude has always found her next door neighbor, Mikolai Stefanski, rather attractive, but up until now they've only been friends. But when her niece finds an old diary, and after she decides to bob her hair, things begin to change...

This is my favorite book by Pamela Morsi, and it's been on my keeper shelf for quite a while. But I haven't reread it in many years. Unfortunately, it didn't quite hold up after all these years. The romance is still compelling, but I'd forgotten how long it takes to get going. The relationship between Gertrude and Mikolai doesn't even start until almost 150 pages into the book. And the story of Gertrude's niece Claire and her confused matchmaking probably seemed less annoying on a first reading. I found myself impatiently turning the pages, waiting for the good stuff to start. Once it does, the book is quite romantic, with love scenes that are both tender and erotic. And the characters were interesting and unique - I particularly enjoyed Mikolai's Polish background (and his charming story of the chicken pox) It's still a lovely book, but it may not quite be a keeper any more.

There are quite a few books on my keeper shelf that might not hold up to a full rereading, even thought parts of them are very good. Sigh... I started off trying to clear a little space on my keeper shelf and now I'm finding problems with every book I reread!

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale

2010-09-14T00:18:00.002-04:00

It's fascinating to read a book about medieval Italy, although after reading this book, I think I understand why it's not a common setting for romance. It makes British or American history seem straightforward by comparison.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale
(2004, Medieval) 9/13/10
Grade: 3.5

Elena grew up in the safety of an English castle, but her roots lie in the mysterious and dangerous Italian city of Monteverde. She is betrothed to a prince of the Riata house, but she is soon kidnapped by the mysterious Raven... who was once known as Allegretto. The dark angel who once saved her, but now intends to use her for his own mysterious plans...

I wanted to like this book. Laura Kinsale is an excellent writer, and For My Lady’s Heart was fascinating and romantic, even if it had some flaws. But Shadowheart just didn’t grab me in the same way. The first 150 pages were dark, almost too dark. I didn’t see any connection between the hero and heroine other than a mutual love of pain. For My Lady’s Heart managed to combine the darkness with some light and hope, and that worked better for me. The book did improve once the action moved to Monteverde, and there were a few lovely moments between Elena and Allegretto. But then the very convoluted plot took over. It just went on and on and on - if this book had been 100 pages shorter, I might have enjoyed it more, but by the end, I was tired of keeping track of who hated who and which characters were at each other’s throats. The resolution was interesting and well done, but it just went on way too long. There was a kernel of a good book here, but it just didn’t quite come together.

After two dark and convoluted medievals, I need something light and simple to cleanse my reading palate. I just bought a stack of series books at the used bookstore, which might just fit my mood.

For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale

2010-09-12T13:18:00.002-04:00

This is another reread - I thought I needed to refresh my memory before starting the sequel, Shadowheart. I first read this back in the early 90's when it first came out.

For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale
(1993, Medieval) 9/11/10
Grade: 4.5

Thirteen years ago, the beautiful and mysterious Princess Melanthe saved Ruck, and he devoted himself to her. Now, the widowed princess must escape from Italian assassins and she needs the help of the mysterious Green Knight. But can Ruck trust Melanthe, who grew up in a court of lies and intrigues - and can Melanthe let herself trust an English knight?

This book is completely different from any other romance I've ever read. You can't get caught up in the details of the Middle English dialogue or the convoluted details of the plot. If you try to figure out each word and each plot point, you will get bogged down in details and never get through the book. You just have to throw yourself into it and trust Kinsale to carry you through. Which she does! The characters are fascinating, if somewhat mysterious, and the language takes you away to another world. By the end, I was almost thinking in Middle English. I'm not sure I would want to read this again - it requires you to devote yourself to it from start to finish, which isn't always practical - but the experience was definitely worthwhile.

Even though I know a lot of people hated the language in this book, I was a bit disappointed that Shadowheart didn't stick with Middle English. It gave this book a mysterious, other-worldly feeling that outweighed the convoluted plot.

Two Books by Jeanne Grant

2010-09-10T11:56:00.004-04:00

I've been going through my keeper shelf and trying to decide which books should stay and which ones should go. Although it's hard to let books go, if I'm not going to reread them, there's no point in keeping them just to take up space. There are many books that I enjoyed the first time that I will probably never read again.

Ain't Misbehaving and No More Mr. Nice Guy by Jeanne Grant (aka Jennifer Greene)
(1985 and 1986, Contemporary Series)

These two books were part of the short-lived Second Chance at Love series line. (A lot of great authors started out there!) Both of them were great the first time I read them, but will they hold up the second time around?

The hero of Ain't Misbehaving, Mitch Cochran, has a problem. Although he's recovered now, he spent most of his childhood and young adulthood in and out of hospitals. He missed out on most of the experiences that other people have - he hasn't even kissed a girl since he was fifteen! So when Kay Sanders comes along, he's not sure whether to take it slow, or make up for lost time!

Alan, the hero of No More Mr. Nice Guy, is afraid that his girlfriend Carroll thinks he's too boring and predictable. They're on their way to a life in the suburbs with a house and a dog and 2.2 kids, but is that enough? He decides to shake things up and sweep Carroll off her feet. She's initially thrilled by the new Alan, but does she really want to spend her life eating squid, canoing at midnight and living in a barn? Maybe nice guys aren't so bad after all!

Both of these books stood out because they were different. So many series books are same-old-same-old, and these definitely broke the mold. I loved the heroes in both books - Jeanne Grant does a great job making nice guy heroes sexy and appealing! (When I asked her about Ain't Misbehaving at a book signing, she said she was tired of reading about the ever-so-popular 80's rakes, and she wanted to see if she could write a believable virgin hero - and she definitely did!) However, they didn't hold up that well to multiple readings. After reading them a couple of times over the last ten years, the books feel a bit dated now, and I found myself skipping through a lot of filler to get to the "good parts". Kudos to Jeanne Grant / Jennifer Greene for trying something different, but I think these will be passed along to other readers.

As a side note, love that pink 80's sweater on the cover of No More Mr. Nice Guy. I think I had one just like it!

Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase

2010-09-07T17:58:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it can be more frustrating to read a book that just misses the mark than one that is just OK. I can't help thinking, "this would be perfect if the author just changed this one thing..."

Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase
(2009, Regency Historical) 9/7/10
Grade: 4

After 12 years as a prisoner in a harem, Zoe Lexham has returned to England. She’s an immediate sensation and knows more about sensuality than a proper English lady should. She has no idea how to fit into society, so Lucien, her childhood friend and now the Duke or Marchmont, agrees to help. No one can penetrate his cool demeanor... except Zoe.

This was a difficult book to rate. It was well written and interesting. The characters were likeable and (mostly) consistently written. I enjoyed reading it. But there was something off about the pacing. The book seemed to be going in one direction, then it would head off in another one. Just when the romance was developing and building to a climax, the story would stop and the plot would focus on something totally different. Zoe, in particular, didn’t always behave in a consistent way, especially in the first half of the book. (She’s supposed to be impulsive but she verges on TSTL in a few places.) This makes the book sound worse than it was - I never wanted to put it down, and it was very enjoyable to read. I just found it frustrating in places and wished it was a little more coherent. Good, but not one of Chase’s best.

I also had two more DNF books along the way - Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney and A One-of-a-Kind Family by Holly Jacobs. Both had the same flaw - not enough focus on the hero and heroine. The Putney book spent far too much time on the secondary characters and their future books than on the ostensible hero and heroine. The Jacobs book was a very nice book about very nice people, but the romance felt like an afterthought. In both cases, a disappointment, since both books sounded so appealing.

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

2010-09-07T00:21:00.003-04:00

Although I probably should have read this before Ten Things I Love About You, I'm actually glad I read it second. I was able to enjoy Ten Things without being too picky about it.

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn
(2009, Regency) 9/6/10
Grade: 3.5

When Harry Valentine moves in next door, Olivia Bevelstoke can't help being curious. According to the gossip, he killed his fiancée! So she decides to spy on him - and discovers there's something mysterious going on...

This book definitely had the Julia Quinn wit, but it just didn't have the depth of emotion of her last book. There were some hilarious scenes in this one - there was one scene in Olivia's drawing room that had me laughing hysterically. But the romance felt lacking. The hero and heroine don't have much of a connection until almost 200 pages into the book, and their scenes together felt scattershot and unfocused. The whole book had an episodic feel, like a bunch of individual scenes put together instead of a coherent whole. I liked the characters, and it seemed like the author was trying for something more with the hero's background and the heroine's frustration at being seen as shallow, but those plotlines never really went anywhere. The book did come together in the end and it was fun to read, but it just wasn't memorable.

I think Julia Quinn is one author who has won me over with Facebook. I tend to forget about her books since she's not an auto-buy author for me, but her posts on FB were just frequent enough to get me to buy 10 Things.

How to Score by Robin Wells

2010-09-05T18:07:00.002-04:00

Still working my way through the TBR...

How To Score by Robin Wells
(2009, Contemporary) 9/5/10
Grade: 4

Museum curator Sammi Matthews has been so spooked since her last failed relationship, she’s actually started injuring her dates! Accidently. So she consulted a life coach. However, she doesn’t know her coach is actually Chase Jones, an FBI agent filling in for his brother. But when she and Chase meet in person, sparks begin to fly...

This was a fun contemporary. The author managed to keep me laughing without too much slapsick or silliness. (Not many authors could find a way for the hero to tell the heroine, “You’re the SCABHOG of my dreams” and have it be both funny and touching.) The first third of the book was terrific, a great combination of humor and emotion. However, the book seemed to run out of plot in the middle. The story just became predictable, as if there wasn’t enough story to fill the book. The misunderstanding between the hero and heroine just dragged on too long. (I’m always telling authors they don’t need a “suspense” plotline, but in this case, maybe a little more plot would have helped.) The secondary romance between the heroine’s boss and landlord was sweet and kept the book going. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, it just didn’t quite live up to the promise of the first few chapters. A good contemporary is hard to find, so I’ll definitely be looking for more books by this author.

Could the single title contemporary be making a small resurgence? I can't call it a trend yet, but I've seen more of them in the past year. I keep hoping!

Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran

2010-09-04T12:58:00.003-04:00

Normally I don't post about books I don't finish, but this one was a particular disappointment because I wanted so much to like it. It seemed appealing based on the plot description and reviews, and it was written by a friend-of-a-friend. But after making it through 100 pages, it still felt like something I "had" to do, not something I wanted to do. Like homework. Unfortunately, reading this book made me feel stupid. I felt like I had to read every paragraph two or three times to figure out what the author was trying to say - like I was translating her words from another language. Maybe I'm shallow, but I just don't want to work that hard in my free time.

Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
(2009, Victorian) 9/4/10
Grade: DNF (did not finish)

Will I buy her next book? I'm undecided. I didn't particularly like her last one either, but I was assured that her next one is her most accessible one yet. I'll probably break down and buy it.

Beauty and the Scarred Hero by Emily May

2010-08-31T20:35:00.003-04:00

I can't remember who recommended this one to me, but the title was enough to make me want to buy it!

Beauty and the Scarred Hero by Emily May
(2010, Regency) 8/31/10
Grade: 3

Lady Isabella Knox isn't looking for love. As the sister of a Duke, she is perfectly happy to live alone in her London townhouse collecting strays - including Harriet Durham, who has fled from Major Nicholas Reynolds, the intimidating man she is supposed to marry. Isabella accidentally gives Nicholas the nickname "ogre", then befriends him to offset the gossip. But she soon discovers Nicholas is far from an ogre...

Unfortunately, the best word for this book is "blah". I wanted to like it, since it seemed so appealing - tortured hero, independent heroine, Regency setting - but it just didn't hold my attention. It was just.. forgettable.

It's hard to grade a book like this - I was tempted to stop reading in the middle but I did like the heroine. It was a nice change to read about an independently wealthy heroine instead of yet another governess. But it just wasn't enough to make this book stand out.

Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight

2010-08-29T19:29:00.002-04:00

Yay! A Keeper!! Or if not a keeper, at the very least a really great book. This is definitely a testament to online reviews, because I never would have bought this book if not for Dear Author and a couple of other online sites that raved about it. (It took me a while since it came out originally in e-book format, but then was released in paperback earlier this year.)

Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight
(2009, Contemporary) 8/29/10
Grade: 5

One year after the death of his lover, Michael Warner is struggling to hold his life together for the sake of their 8 year old daughter. Three years after a vicious attack left her scarred, former actress Rebecca O’Neill seems OK on the surface, but still faltering underneath. But when sparks start to fly between them, are they willing to take a risk and dare to love again?

This book started a bit slow, but as I got into it, I found myself spellbound. It’s rare to find a serious, thoughtful contemporary, and even rarer to find one that’s so well written. (The alternating-first-person style was a little off-putting at first, but I mostly got used to it. It did pull me out of the story a little bit at each chapter change.) Although this is a romance, the romance is only one part of the story. The primary focus is Michael and his struggle to deal with the death of his partner, Alex. (The issue of Michael’s sexuality - is he gay or straight or bi - was dealt with in a refreshingly adult way.) Since this was a Samhain book, I was expecting too many love scenes, but there was actually only one, which fit this story and these characters (but was still a refreshing surprise.) This book was just so open and emotional, it was almost too intense in some places. I’m not sure at this point whether this will be a long term keeper, but I know I have to read it again. I think this is a book that will expand on a second reading. There were some minor issues - the ending was rushed and didn’t focus enough on Rebecca and her story - but still, it’s definitely the best book I’ve read in some time.

As thrilled as I am to read such a great book, I'm also a little saddened because I know very few romance readers will discover this book. It's only available online (as far as I know) and it's from Samhain. Not to criticize Samhain, since I'm pleased they published this book, but Samhain is not a place where I'd go to look for a serious contemporary. Even the back blurb is misleading - it says it contains "explicit sex scenes" which this book most assuredly does not. I hope it finds some readership through online reviews, which describe the book far better than the publisher has.

The Summer of You by Kate Noble

2010-08-28T18:38:00.002-04:00

I had a hard time grading this book - I found it appealing but somehow it left me a little cold...

The Summer of You by Kate Noble
(2010, Regency Historical) 8/28/10
Grade: 4

Jane Cummings is forced to spend the summer at her family’s country home when her father’s confusion grows worse. She blackmails her brother into coming along. She is caught up in village life, but is intrigued by Byrne Worth, an injured war hero that everyone thinks is a local highwayman! But Jane sees more in Byrne than he’s willing to reveal.

An interesting and well written story. This book felt somewhat old fashioned, since it concentrated as much on the secondary characters as it did on the hero and heroine. For much of the book, the focus is on Jane’s adjustment to life in Merrymere and her interactions with the people in the town. Even though there are some serious situations (Jane’s father’s illness, Byrne’s injuries and struggles with addiction), they’re dealt with in an almost abstract way, without the emotional directness that most romances have today. (This is more in the style of Austen or Heyer.) I prefer the more emotional style, but I enjoyed this book very much. The characters were interesting and the writing was excellent. But it just didn’t grab me on an emotional level.

There were some points in this book where I wished I'd read the previous book (Revealed) first. I have Revealed on my TBB list but I got this one as a gift first. It wasn't a big issue with the story, but now I want to know what I missed!

The Man She Once Knew by Jean Brashear

2010-08-28T11:06:00.003-04:00

What happened to Harlequin Super Romance? Sometime last year, they lost 50 pages. That's a real disappointment, since HSR was my favorite series line, but their more complicated stories are harder to squeeze into just 240 pages. Sigh... I guess that's one more reason I haven't been reading series romance.

The Man She Once Knew by Jean Brashear (HSR 1595)
(2009, Contemporary Series) 8/28/10
Grade: 3

Sixteen years after a trip to Oak Hollow changed her life, Callie Hunter returns for her aunt’s funeral. She intends to leave as quickly as possible, but David Langley, the onetime town hero turned ex-con, needs her help. How could things have gone so wrong for David, and how can she make up for the sins of the past?

This book was so frustrating. It had great characters and an interesting story, but they were forced into a book that was at least 100 pages too short. Huge chunks of the story were cut off or completely left out in order to meet the page count. That’s why I can’t recommend it despite its many good qualities. These characters deserved more. There were hints of greater depth in the characters - David, the golden boy who spent 15 years in prison, and was struggling to survive on the outside. Callie, the onetime rebel and bad girl who fought her way out of a miserable home to become a lawyer and prosecutor. I kept getting flashes of what the book could have been.

This seemed like the perfect example of a story that belonged in a single title. But where are the serious contemporary single title romances? They're practically nonexistent these days.

To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

2010-08-27T23:27:00.002-04:00

I find Elizabeth Hoyt a little baffling. I enjoyed her last book very much, and this one was good too. But her previous series left me cold (and worse - I couldn't even finish the book, I disliked it so much). I know she just started a new series, but I'm reluctant to pick it up because I'm not such which Elizabeth Hoyt I'll be getting. But this one was definitely worth reading.

To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
(2009, Georgian) 8/27/10
Grade: 4

On the run, Helen and her two children arrive on the doorstep of Alistair Munroe. Alistair has been hiding in his Scottish castle since he was badly injured during the war, but Helen and her children bring light and joy to his life - but can she escape her past and create a new life?

I read this in just one evening, and it was very readable and enjoyable. The plot was familiar, but it was done well and the characters were compelling. I don’t usually like children in books, but Abigail and Jamie were one of the highlights of the book, well written and unique. They brought some life to a story that felt a little cliched. The one interesting note was the heroine, who had been the mistress of the Duke of Lister for years. It’s unusual and interesting to see a heroine who has a somewhat questionable past and isn’t condemned for it. The love scenes were a bit overwrought in places (there’s one in particular that feels very out of place) but they didn’t overwhelm the book (unlike some previous books by Hoyt). Overall this was an enjoyable read, even if it wasn’t as original as the previous book in the series.

I have to say a word about the cover - love the dress but the blue-on-blue-on-blue makes it hard to pick out the details. I wish it wasn't such a tight closeup because Georgian historicals are rare and I'd like to get a better look at the dress.

The Preacher's Wife by Cheryl St. John

2010-08-23T19:42:00.003-04:00

I decided to read something completely different from my last book. Definitely a change of pace!

The Preacher's Wife by Cheryl St. John
(2009, Americana) 8/23/10
Grade: 3.5

When a newly widowed minister comes to her town with his three young daughters, Josie Randolph wants to help. She is also widowed, and yearning for a family of her own. When Samuel asks her to marry him and join their family in Colorado, Josie is eager to accept. But can a marraige born out of necessity turn into something more?

I don’t normally read inspirationals, but I made an exception for one of my favorite authors, Cheryl St. John. She is one of the few authors still writing Americana, and she always writes lovely, heartwarming stories. At first this book was promising, with an enjoyable setup and pleasant characters. But after a while, the characters started to seem a little too perfect. The heroine, in particular, is just too good to be true. She has no flaws or doubts, at least until the final chapters. I’m not sure if this was due to the religious content of the book - the Biblical passages felt like a natural part of these characters’ lives, but it made me wonder if this was why the characters felt so one dimensional, as if religious characters weren’t allowed to have flaws. Cheryl St. John always writes characters that are fundamentally good at heart, but these characters more stereotypical and not as well rounded as many of her other heroes and heroines. Although I love Cheryl St. John’s writing, I will probably avoid her inspirationals, if she writes more of them.

Surprisingly, I don't have any keepers by Cheryl St. John, even though I buy all of her books. But I can always turn to her when I want a heartwarming American historical. I hope I'm not too selfish to hope that she doesn't start writing inspirationals exclusively. I enjoyed her other books more.

Her Ladyship's Companion by Evangeline Collins

2010-08-22T18:49:00.004-04:00

It's surprising how many books you can read when you schedule an entire weekend for nothing but books! I'm determined to cut down my TBR at least a little bit before I take the Kindle plunge (maybe in mid-October?)

Her Ladyship's Companion by Evangeline Collins
(2009, Regency Historical) 8/22/10
Grade: 3.5

After five years of marriage to an abusive husband she rarely sees, Isabella is tempted when her cousin suggests that she take a lover. But when Gideon Rosedale arrives at her door, she finds him more than a paid companion - and he finds more than a wealthy client.

This is not my usual type of read, and I was skeptical that I would enjoy it. But the story was surprisingly compelling. The characters were well drawn and interesting, and there was more to it than just sex. The author definitely knows how to write a love scene. However, the book became a bit repetitive in the second half, with a little too much melodrama. It wasn’t enough for the heroine to be sad or upset or happy, she had to be over-the-top and distraught or hysterical or ecstatic. It made the book feel less realistic. I ended up skimming quite a bit in the last third. But still, the story was unique enough to keep my reading through to the end.

I don't remember quite why I bought this book - erotica is not usually my cup of tea, but I think the plot description tempted me. It definitely had potential, but there's a reason I stick with more traditional historicals.

Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

2010-08-22T13:49:00.002-04:00

Julia Quinn is one of those authors I love in small doses. Whenever I haven't read her in a while and pick up one, I'm completely charmed. But if I try to read too many of her books at a time, they start to annoy me. She's a nice contrast to my usual diet of angst, pain and suffering.

Ten Things I Love About You by Julie Quinn
(2010, Regency Historical) 8/22/10
Grade: 4

Annabel Winslow is expected to marry Lord Newbury, even though he’s three times her age. Her family is depending on her. But it’s his nephew Sebastian Grey who makes her laugh. Everyone thinks Sebastian is a penniless nobody, but he has a secret life as a writer of gothic romances - and he isn’t going to let Annabel get away.

As usual, Julia Quinn makes me laugh. She writes great characters and funny scenes that aren’t too silly or over the top. I loved both Sebastian and Annabel, who were interesting and well realized characters. I always like Quinn’s wise rogues - she does them so well. I wouldn’t want a steady diet of Quinn, but her books are always fun to read. My only quibbles about this one are the “Ten Things” lists which appeared in the book every few chapters. They felt out of place and a little too silly. The middle of the book also got a little slow by comparison to the rest of the book. But these are minor issues - overall this was a highly enjoyable read. It doesn’t quite have the depth of her best books, which is why I graded it down slightly, but it was definitely a fun and enjoyable read.

I have another Julie Quinn in my "must read soon" pile but I think I should put it off for a while so I don't get Quinn-ed out.

The Right Mr. Wrong by Cindi Myers

2010-08-21T17:12:00.002-04:00

I don't remember why I picked this up in the first place, but I wish I'd read it a few months ago during the Winter Olympics! It would have been a perfect accompaniment to the skiing events, which I love. I am a Winter Olympics junkie and watch every skiing event, even though my attempts at skiing in real life have been pretty embarrassing!

The Right Mr. Wrong by Cindi Myers (HAR 1199)
(2008, Contemporary Series) 8/21/10
Grade: 4

After an accident ended her skiing career, Maddie Alexander joined the ski patrol. She likes her new friends, except for Norwegian skiier Hagan Ansdar, who has a new girlfriend every week and keeps himself aloof from the other skiiers. But as Maddie gets to know Hagan, she discovers there’s more to him beneath the surface.

As an Olympic skiing fan, I loved the background of this book. Maddie’s struggles to get past her accident and put her dreams of Olympic gold behind her were interesting and well written. I also liked Hagan, the taciturn Norwegian who hides a painful past. Although there are a lot of secondary characters (who probably have books of their own), they added to the story without detracting from the hero and heroine. However, the book started to feel a bit repetive in the second half. There was nothing wrong, but it just started to feel predictable. An enjoyable book, but not quite a keeper.

I debated about how to rate this one, because I particularly liked the heroine and her development. But I kept putting the book down to do other things, which is a sign that it just isn't holding my attention.

Halfway to Heaven by Susan Wiggs

2010-08-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

I decided to take a break from more recent books to read an older book set in Washington DC - not a popular spot for romances, unfortunately.

Halfway to Heaven by Susan Wiggs
(2001, 1880's Washington) 8/15/10
Grade: 4

Abigail Cabot is awkward and shy, more interested in stars than in people and the despair of her Senator father. But she harbors a secret love for handsome, politically connected Boyd Butler, who only has eyes for her beautiful sister. Somehow, she keeps falling into the arms of Jamie Calhoun, a disreputable Congressman from Virginia, who agrees to help her win Boyd - but finds himself drawn to Abigail despite his best efforts

This book had a lot of things going for it, but also had a few flaws. I loved the unusual setting. The background of politics in the 1880's was fascinating, and I also enjoyed Jamie's attempt to deal with Virginia politics in the decades after the Civil War. It's a wonderful background for a book and I wish more books were set in the U.S. during this time period. I also liked the main characters - I always like the hero who sees the true value of the heroine when everyone else can only see the surface. Both Jamie and Abigail were well drawn, interesting characters. However, one problem with the book is that Abigail spends most of it pining after someone else. At first it kept the hero and heroine together, but after a while, you started to think she was a little stupid. Secondly, the last few chapters were frustrating, with a long separation between the characters and an abrupt ending that didn't pay off the emotions that had been building through the book. The disappointing ending made me mark this one down a bit, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

I have so many Susan Wiggs books in my TBR pile - although I don't always love her books, they are always reliably good, although I'm a bit disappointed that she's turned to women's fiction these days. At least she has a large backlist of meaty historicals.

Falling Star by Olivia Brynn

2010-07-31T23:19:00.003-04:00

Two books in one day! This one is really short, though.

Falling Star by Olivia Brynn
(2009, Contemporary) 7/31/10
Grade: 3.5

Country music star Adam Nash is pleased when he meets a sexy florist who doesn’t recognize him. After the drunken binges and supermodels, he’s ready to grow up, and Jade could be the part of his new life. But will she still want him when she finds out the life he leads, full of tours and photographers and celebrity?

I’m a sucker for rock star heroes (or in this case, country star), but you rarely find them in mainstream romances. So I splurged and bought this one despite the outrageous price to get it in print. Unfortunately, it was more like a short story - and a VERY short story if you left out the sex scenes. Not that I mind sex scenes, but they were a major focus of the book, and I wanted more romance, more character development, more everything. It was a nice story but it ended just as things were getting interesting. It seemed like a waste when the author spent so much time building up these characters and their world, which was quite well written and had the potential for a lot more story.

I know a lot of romance readers don't like books with "celebrity" heroes and heroines, and don't think they can have happy endings, but we accept a lot of other improbable things, so why not a faithful musician? (They must exist somewhere.) I only see them every now and then in ebooks, which I don't mind too much except that there's a rule somewhere that says ebooks must have sex scenes every 5 pages. Not that appealing to me.

Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner

2010-07-31T21:19:00.003-04:00

This book has been sitting on my nightstand since I won it in a Dear Author giveaway earlier this year. I started it but got bogged down in the first few chapters. But I'm glad I finally got back to it - it wasn't perfect but definitely worth reading and a refreshing change from the usual historical settings.

Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner
(2010, Western) 7/31/10
Grade: 4

Jessica Thornton has fled England, pregnant and desperate to escape a brother-in-law who wants her dead. But when her stagecoach crashes, she has to depend on Brady Wilkins, a ranch owner with a dark past of his own. On a ranch in New Mexico, she finds a new life and a new strength within herself - but will Brady put the past behind and join her?

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it was full of emotion and vivid characters. After a slow beginning with far too much plot exposition, the book took hold and the story was compelling. On the other hand, it was a bit like a soap opera, with one terrible thing after another after another. There are over-the-top evil villains, violence, death, fires, rape, torture - the tragedies just keep piling up. (Even the dog isn’t safe!) After a while it was exhausting. When the book slowed down and focused on the hero and heroine, it was well worth reading, but sometimes it was hard to find them among all the melodrama. Still, I will look for her next book and hope that the overstuffed plot was just the overenthusiasm of a first time author.

It's so nice to see a Western again, even though this one had a little too much violence and torture for my taste. I seem to be reading a lot of violent books lately, between Carla Kelly's war books and this one. I think I need a nice genteel Regency to cleanse the palate.

Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly

2010-07-31T13:07:00.004-04:00

I decided to finish out the trilogy with the most recent Carla Kelly book.

Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly
(2010, Regency) 7/30/10
Grade: 3.5

After a lonely childhood in an orphanage, Polly Brandon leaves for Portugal to live with her sister. On the trip over, she meets gallant marine colonel Hugh Junot. But he is sure he’s too old for her. But when the chaos of war leaves them in the hands of the French, they have to work together to survive, and they both see the other in a new light.

Not a very good description, but it’s hard to describe the plot in just a few lines. I was really excited by this book at first. I liked the characters, and the background of the war in Portugal and the struggles of the female victims of the French reminded me of One Good Turn, one of my favorite Kelly books. It was a little slow at first, but I was hopeful. However, the book took a detour in the second half when the hero and heroine were kidnapped by the French. It became a road romance, where the focus was more on what happened than on the development of the characters. After a while, I got tired of reading about where they went and what they ate and who they saw. The characters and their emotions felt like an afterthought. I enjoy Carla Kelly’s writing and I feel like I learned about the war in Portugal and Spain, but it just didn’t work for me as a romance.

Unfortunately, I'm beginning to feel like I enjoy Carla Kelly more in theory than in reality. I always buy her books when they first come out because I want to love them and I want to support Harlequin for keeping trads going, but I haven't really loved one of her books since One Good Turn.

The Surgeon's Lady by Carla Kelly

2010-07-26T19:44:00.002-04:00

There's nothing like a trip to entice me to read. When I'm away from the distractions of the interwebs and the Tivo, it's much easier to pick up a book.

The Surgeon's Lady by Carla Kelly
(2009, Regency) 7/25/10
Grade: 4

After widowed Lady Laura Taunton receives a letter from her long lost sister, she leaves her unhappy life behind and heads to Plymouth to meet her new family. She visits the Royal Naval Hospital as a favor to her sister, and finds herself caught up with the injured men and the fascinating surgeon, Lt. Philemon Brittle. Phil is attracted to Laura from the first moment he sees her, but would a lady ever want a life with an overwhelmed surgeon caught up in the horrors of war?

This book was wonderful in some ways, and underwhelming in others. The background of the naval hospital, and the stories of the patients and their medical treatment, was fascinating. Each of the secondary characters came to life. Unfortunately, the limited page count of a Harlequin Historical meant that something had to give, and often, that was the characterization of the hero and heroine. Although I liked both characters, something seemed to be missing. The author threw the heroine into a new situation without really taking the time to explore who she was. This came out eventually, but I felt like it wasn't quite enough. The same with Phil - he's a great hero, but we learn very little about him beyond his devotion to medicine. The book is beautifully written (as expected from Carla Kelly) but I kept thinking it needed just a few more chapters to really sing.

As a side note, I love this cover. It didn't win the cover contest, but it was my favorite historical cover this year. So soft and romantic, and none of the annoying blurbs and logos and advertising cluttering up the image. (And you can see both faces!) To me, this is much sexier than a heroine hiking up her skirt.

Scandal's Lady by Mary Kingsley

2010-07-23T20:46:00.004-04:00

I haven't been reading very much - no real reason, except nothing has grabbed my attention. So I decided to pull an old book from my keeper shelf and see if it held up.

Scandal's Lady by Mary Kingsley
(1994, Regency) 7/20/10
Grade: 3.5

Governess Cassandra Aldrich is surprised and pleased to discover her childhood friend, Nicholas St. John, is the new Earl of Lynton and is living nearby. She hasn't seen him since he left for sea many years ago. But she knows that her position - and the scandal in her past - will prevent her from being more than an acquaintance. But when Nicholas needs her help, will she risk it all for love?

I first read this in 1995, when I was a fairly new romance reader. (I read romance when I was in high school and college, but I didn't become a devoted reader until the early 90's when I went off to grad school and could afford to buy my own books.) Mary Kingsley was one of my favorite Regency authors, and I loved this book and put it on my keeper shelf - where it sat, unread, until now. Unfortunately, it wasn't as enchanting the second time around. The characters were nice, the Regency setting was pleasant, and I always like a second chance at love story. But it just felt boring, like I'd read the story many times before. (I didn't remember the specifics of the storyline, but what seemed fresh and new in 1995 seemed blah in 2010.) The characters just didn't come to life. I guess this is one keeper that I won't be keeping any more.

I have several more books on my keeper shelf that I haven't revisited since the 1990's. Now I'm wondering if I want to reread them or not - should I see if I'll enjoy them the second time around, or leave them undisturbed and preserve my memories?

A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh

2010-06-13T21:10:00.003-04:00

The last book in the Huxtable series. I've enjoyed revisiting Balogh, even though I haven't loved every book. I enjoyed this series as a whole much better than the Slightly series.

A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh
(2010, Regency Historical) 6/13/2010
Grade: 4

Everyone sees the Duchess of Delacorte as aloof, and gossips about her much older husband and her string of lovers. But Hannah is much different than the gossips know. Now that she is a widow, she is ready to take a lover, and settles on Constantine Huxtable - who also presents a face to the world that is quite different from the inner man.

Back to mild disappointment. This book had a lot of potential. The hero and heroine were fascinating characters, particularly the heroine who was full of contradictions, full of new layers that Constantine pulls back one by one. But the book was spoiled (at least a little bit) by the layers of sugar that Balogh piles on. There are far too many sugary-sweet reunions of the Huxtable family, too many characters who are too-good-to-be-true, and too many people sobbing on each other’s shoulders. A little of this goes a long way, and sometimes it seemed like Balogh wanted to drown us in a wave of treacle. However, the characters kept the story from completely falling apart, and I found the book very readable. Just not quite in keeper territory.

Now that I've spent a few weeks in Regency England, I think I need something completely different. I have a contemporary in my TBR pile about a country singer...

Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh

2010-06-12T21:34:00.003-04:00

Huzzah! A Balogh that left me feeling happy, not disappointed.

Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh
(2009, Regency Historical) 6/12/2010
Grade: 4.5

Lady Paget is desperate. The ton thinks she’s a scandalous murderer, but she’s destitute and her only option to to find a wealthy man and become his mistress. She chooses “angelic” Stephen Huxtable, the Earl of Merton, and his kindness makes her feel things she thought she could never feel again.

Definitely the best in the series so far. After three stories of perfect heroines, we finally get a heroine who has real problems, and who isn’t the perfect angel. (Since this is a Balogh, of course she’s not really bad, but she definitely has some hard edges, especially compared to the saintly Huxtables.) And Stephen was an interesting hero - his essential niceness forces him into situations that he isn’t quite expecting, and makes him turn his assumptions upside-down. There was real character growth for both of them. The book had nice pacing, other than a slow section in the last part of the book, and it managed to avoid most of the saccharine happy-wives-and-babies family reunions which Balogh loves so much This didn’t quite make it into keeper territory, but it’s the best book Balogh has written since Slightly Dangerous.

Right now, I don't think this is a keeper. But I felt the same way about Slightly Dangerous, and it grew on me, and became a keeper on the second reading. So this one is going on my keeper shelf for the time being, even if it's still on probation.

At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh

2010-06-09T20:49:00.002-04:00

I'm enjoying this series, but I wonder if The Cosby Show was as big in Canada as it was here? I can't help associating the name Huxtable with the Coz.

At Last Comes Love by Mary Balogh
(2009, Regency Historical) 6/8/2010
Grade: 4

At the age of 30, Margaret Huxtable isn’t sure she will ever marry. But an impulsive lie to an old love leads her into the arms of Duncan Pennethorne, the notorious Earl of Sheringford who shocked the ton 5 years earlier by runnng off with a married woman. Duncan is desparate to marry, but is there more to Margaret than convenience?

This book had the opposite problem of the last book in this series - this one started off great but fell apart in the end. Although the plotline of a marriage of convenience was very similar to the previous book, this one came to life in the first part of the story. The characters were interesting and well written, and it was interesting that the story hinged on the opinions of the ton and the hero’s situation as a social pariah who finds his way back. Unfortunately, the book started to get a little dull once the hero and heroine married. There were some nice moments, but for the most part, it was same-old-same-old. But that wasn’t too bad. The book really went off the rails in the last few chapters, when bizarre melodramas appeared out of nowhere. Some of the characters act in strange, out of character ways, and the plot was straight out of Catherine Coulter. The author might have made this very weird plot twist work if she’d spent half the book on it, but having it show up at the last minute, just to give the characters something to do in the last few chapters? It made very little sense and it really spoiled the book for me. This book was heading into keeper territory until this very odd turn of events near the end.

Is it worse to have a book that starts slow but ends well, or a book that is great up until a bad ending? I try to evaluate a book as a whole, but it's hard to love a book that leaves you with a bad impression.

Then Comes Seduction by Mary Balogh

2010-06-06T19:04:00.002-04:00

Another one in the Huxtable series. An interesting dress on the cover - you rarely hear about a heroine wearing a brown dress, unless she's a governess trying to look unattractive. This one definitely doesn't look governess-like. (Not that the heroine actually wears a brown dress in this book, at least not that I remember.)

Then Comes Seduction by Mary Balogh
(2009, Regency Historical) 6/6/2010
Grade: 4

Even though Jasper Finley, Baron Montford, is a notorious rake, Katherine Huxtable finds him dangerously attractive. Their relationship begins with a wager of sex - and then one of love - and ends up with a marriage that neither expected. But will Katherine discover that Jasper has hidden depths, and he’s more worthy of love than she ever expected?

Although this book was better than the last one in this series, it was very slow getting started. The setup was familiar but well done - he’s a dangerous rake, she’s a virtuous lady - but it got very bogged down in the middle of the book. It only really picked up again in the last third, after Katherine and Jasper are married. The characters definitely came alive in the last section of the book, and the story was familiar but interesting - Balogh is the best at creating heroes that are dealing with dysfunctional family backgrounds. I just wished that I hadn’t had to slog through 200 pages of nice-but-dull to get there.

Balogh has had some odd words and phrases in her last few books that seem historically inaccurate. I can't say for sure if they are - did people in the 19th century say that white was the combination of all colors, something that most people don't say now - but the word "sex" feels very anacronystic, even if it's not.

First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh

2010-05-31T20:19:00.002-04:00

I've been waiting for the last book to come out before I delved into Balogh's latest series. She's been a bit disappointing to me lately, but I live in hope!

First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh
(2009, Regency Historical) 5/31/10
Grade: 3.5

When Viscount Lyngate arrives in their small village, Vanessa Huxtable Dew isn’t expecting her life to change. But soon she and her family are whisked away, as her younger brother has unexpectedly inherited an Earldom. Vanessa finds herself married to the viscount, her brother’s guardian - is it just to save her family, or is there more emotion involved?

This is the first book in a new Balogh series, and a lot of time is spent introducing the characters for the next four books. This takes away from the main romance between Elliott and Vanessa - but their romance doesn’t have a lot of conflict, so the time spent with other characters doesn’t detract much from the story. She thinks she’s plain but it determined to be happy anyway, he’s stuffy and afraid of love because his father was unfaithful - it all seems like a pale copy of Balogh’s other books. Vanessa, in particular, is very reminiscent of Christine in the much better Slightly Dangerous, but this book lacks the depth of emotion that that book had. (The most moving part of the book is Vanessa’s devotion to her first husband, who died young of consumption, but even that lacks some depth of feeling.) There’s nothing terribly wrong with this book - the characters are pleasant and the book is well written - but it just doesn’t bring anything new to this nice but familiar story. 3.5 - grading on the Balogh scale, since I know how much better her books can be.

There were things I really liked about this book, and I might have given a newer author more of a pass - but I know Balogh can take a familiar story and make it sing, and she just didn't do that here. So Balogh gets graded on a curve.

Broadway Nights by Seth Rudetsky

2010-05-27T00:27:00.003-04:00

This was great fun. It tells the story of a part-time Broadway pianist who is now the music director of his first show - and all of his personal and professional dramas. I listened to the audio version and it was hilarious. It's read by the author (with guest appearances by lots of actors and actresses) and it's full of great dish about Broadway. It might have been a little too long in book form, but as an audio it was great. Very funny, and it made my commute fly by. Since this isn't a romance, I'm not going to give it an official rating, but I would highly recommend it to Broadway fans. (This is kind of an odd picture, but I bought the unabridged audio from Audible.)

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb

2010-05-22T18:34:00.004-04:00

Still a fan of the J.D. Robb books, although this one was not her best.

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
(2010, Futuristic Suspense) 5/22/2010
Grade: 3

The latest in the Eve/Roarke series. In this installment, the head of a computer game company is killed during a holo game, but how did it happen when he was alone in his apartment? And were his three business partners as close as they appeared to be?

This was one of the weaker entries in the series. The personal interactions between Eve and her friends were nice enough (I particularly liked Peabody in this one) but the case itself was dull. The three main suspects were barely distinguishable through most of the book, and the motive seemed to appear out of nowhere in the last 50 pages. Considering Roarke is supposed to be a computer genius, it seemed odd that no one even considered the method the killer used until almost the end of the book. (It seemed obvious to me in the first chapter). Usually I read the In Death books in a few hours, even the less interesting books in the series, but I found myself plodding through this one. It did improve in the last 100 pages or so, but overall, this one just fell short.

Multi-billionaire Roarke isn't exactly a realistic hero, but I had to laugh in this book when he mentions that he works on hologames in his spare time. In between working on cases with Eve and running half the businesses on the planet, presumably.

The Heart of Christmas (Anthology)

2010-05-09T12:45:00.001-04:00

Seems a little odd to be reading a Christmas anthology while sitting by the pool in Florida (in May!) but somehow it worked.

The Heart of Christmas (Anthology)
(2009, Regency) 5/2/10
Grade: 3.5

Three stories: A Handful of Gold by Mary Balogh, A Season for Suitors by Nicola Cornick, This Wicked Gift by Courtney Milan. The first two are reprints, the third is new.

The Balogh story is a reprint, but it's still one of her most charming. The heroine, Verity Ewing has to become a mistress to save her sick sister. Julian Dare is planning a week of debauchery before an arranged marriage. But when they are stranded in the snow at Christmas, the find love. A little schmaltzy, but Balogh always gets me even when the story is as corny as this one.

The Cornick story is also a reprint, although I hadn't read it. It feels like an excerpt from a longer book. The heroine, Clara Davenport, has been in love with Sebastian Fleet for years, but he considers her just a friend. Finally she turns to him for advice, and he starts to see her in a new light. The characters were interesting, but it felt like a badly abridged version of a full length book - a lot of important details were missing.

The Milan story was well written and unusual, but it also felt somewhat contrived. The most interesting aspect was that the hero and heroine were not wealthy or titled. They were working people on the edge of poverty. The dialogue was also well written. However, the setup was odd. The heroine sleeps with the hero because he bought up her brothers debt.. but not really. At first they seem to be strangers, but then they act like they've been deeply in love for years. The story just felt unfinished, as if the author had to leave important parts out to fit it in the allotted page length. It definitely showed promise, but it didn't quite work for me.

Writing short stories is definitely an art, and most authors are not that good at it. Too many of them try to squeeze a full length book into short story length. And yet, I keep trying, because a good short story is so satisfying!

Always Valentine's Day by Kristin Hardy

2010-05-09T12:34:00.002-04:00

Another vacation read - I read this one on the beach and in the jacuzzi tub. Such a great place to enjoy a good book!

Always Valentine's Day by Kristin Hardy (SSE 1952)
(2009, Contemporary Series) 5/1/10
Grade: 3.5

Larkin Hayes is on a cruise to Alaska to reconnect with her father after his latest divorce. But she keeps running into Christopher Trask, a goat farmer from Vermont, and his widowed aunt, Molly. After the cruise, they all meet again in Vermont - and Larkin finds that goats are more interesting than she'd expected.

This was a surprisingly fun and charming book. The characters were interesting and well written, and had more depth than you might expect. Even though the story was a bit predictable, the author does a good job with the two settings (the Alaskan cruise and the Vermont goat farm) and creates believable conflicts between the characters. The only negative was that a lot of secondary characters are shoehorned into the first section of the book, presumably because they appeared in previous stories. But they mostly disappear once the book gets going. Overall, an enjoyable read.

I debated whether to give this a higher grade, but it wasn't that memorable. A week later and I can barely remember it. But I enjoyed it while it lasted.

The Trouble with J.J. by Tami Hoag

2010-05-09T12:14:00.004-04:00

I always pick some older books to take with me on the plane. This one kept me entertained on my trip to Florida.

The Trouble with J.J. by Tami Hoag
(1988, Contemporary Series) 4/28/10
Grade: 3

This is a reprint of an old Loveswept from the 80's. Genna Hastings is appalled when a tacky football player moves in next door, along with his collection of pink flamingos. But J.J. Hennessy turns out to be more interesting than she expected, and when he needs her help to gain custody of his adorable daughter, Genna starts to see J.J. in a new light.

This was a cute and charming book that worked well for the first two thirds, but fell apart in the last third. The hero and heroine had great chemistry, and their banter was fun and light hearted. The story was a bit cliched but for the first part of the book, it worked. However, the book lost its charm in the last section. Once the hero and heroine got together, the author throws in a bunch of silly misunderstandings to keep the story going, and unfortunately it let me feeling a bit disappointed.

It's amazing that the publisher was able to stretch this book into 320 pages. The print was huge! I guess you have to do something to make a skinny little Loveswept look like a full length book.

Something About You by Julie James

2010-04-10T16:54:00.003-04:00

I'm such a bad reader! This is the first book I've read since January - shocking! I guess my New Year's resolution to read a book a week didn't work very well. One of my online reading groups picked this book for a book chat, so that forced me to finish something, finally.

Something About You by Julie James
(2010, Contemporary) 4/10/10
Grade: 3.5

When assistant U.S. attorney Cameron Lynde spends a weekend at a hotel, she never thought she'd witness a murder - or come face to face with FBI Agent Jack Pallas again. Three years ago, she'd worked with Jack and felt a strong attraction, but the investigation had ended badly. Now she's forced to work with him again - and this time, the sparks will really fly...

This book started with a lot of promise. Julie James is excellent at writing snappy dialogue and building sexual tension between characters. I enjoyed the interplay between Cameron and Jack. There were also great secondary characters, particularly Cameron's friend Collin and Jack's partner Wilkins. But after a while, I wanted more, and it just wasn't there. The book started to feel like yet another cookie cutter romantic suspense book. This was a real disappointment to me, because James's earlier books felt so fresh and innovative. I'm not a big fan of romantic suspense, and I just didn't care about the action scenes and the "killer on the loose" plotline. I was more interested in learning about the characters, and while there was some depth (particularly when it came to the heroine's relationship to her friends), there just wasn't enough character development. The sex scenes were hot, but they felt like dozens of other hot scenes I'd read before. (It's a bad sign when the hero and heroine are having hot sex and all you can think is, "will they get done soon so we can go back to the gay friend?") The characters just didn't engage me enough to make the familiar story feel new.

This probably sounds like I hated the book, which I didn't. It was well written and had some great dialogue. If this was by another author, I probably wouldn't have been so disappointed - but if it had been by another author, I probably wouldn't have bought it in the first place. Romantic suspense - even witty, hot romantic suspense - is just not my cup of tea. But it is a huge disappointment to find that my favorite author of 2009 has turned into yet another "eh, it was OK, I guess" author. And I see her next book is yet another FBI-agent-chasing-killers book. Sigh... still on the lookout for a good contemporary author who doesn't write about FBI agents.

A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore

2010-01-03T21:51:00.001-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for new authors. To me, one of the great pleasures of reading is discovering a new author - I would be so bored if I only read the same old favorites! (Not to mention, I have to keep finding new authors, as my previous favorites stop writing the books that I enjoy the most.) And so, even if a debut book has flaws, it's still an enjoyable experience.

A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore
(2009, Regency Historical) 1/3/2010
Grade: 3.5

After seven years mourning her husband Garrett, who died at Waterloo, Sophie is finally happily married to his cousin and best friend, Tristan. But when Garrett returns alive, Sophie is pulled in two directions. Garrett was her first love, but he seems so different. And is there something strange about his reappearance, with the mysterious Mr. Fisk at his side?

This book had a lot of promise, and even though it had some flaws as well, I have high hopes for the author in the future. She does a great job showing how the heroine is torn between these two men, and how she loves them both. I wish she’d spent more time describing how Sophie had changed over the years, and come into her own as an adult woman since Garrett left - it’s mentioned a few times but it could have been explored in more detail. Because of that, I felt that Sophie’s ultimate choice wasn’t given enough support. She says all the right things at the end about why she made the choice she did, but there’s a long section in the middle where she barely thinks about the other guy, so I was a little skeptical when she declares that it was “always him” at the end. (I’m being vague so not to be too spoilery.) But it’s a nice change from the usual romance triangle, where the “other man” has to either turn out to be evil, or die tragically. Kudos to the author for avoiding both of those cliches.

The other flaw here is a couple of sex scenes that seem out of place - one at the beginning that involves bondage for no apparent reason (it’s never mentioned again) and another one that involves a fantasy about a threesome. They just didn’t seem to go with the rest of the book, and it almost felt like they were thrown in to make the book “hotter”. It was just an unnecessary distraction from the real substance of the book.

On the other hand, the plot about Garrett’s disappearance and the mysterious Mr. Fisk kept building and building throughout the book, until I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what was going to happen. I debated on how to rate this one - I had to grade it down just a bit because the romance didn’t quite work, but it had so much going for it - I’ve already added the author’s next book to my wish list.

I have to comment on the cover. I know that authors don't choose their covers. But I've been laughing at this cover ever since I first saw it last spring! What is she doing with that flower?? Tucking it in her butt cleavage? Scratching an itch? I know some people thought this cover was pretty, but it just looks uncomfortable to me, not sexy.

The Lost (Anthology)

2010-01-02T13:54:00.001-05:00

I just finished this anthology, which contains stories by J.D. Robb, Patricia Gaffney, Mary Blayney and Ruth Ryan Langan.

The Lost (Anthology)
(2009, Suspense) 1/1/2010
Grade: 4, 4, 2, 2

J.D. Robb: A woman goes missing from the Staten Island Ferry. Patricia Gaffney: A wife and mother awakens from a coma to discover she’s n the body of a dog. Mary Blayney: A cursed man finds hope with a religious singing nurse. Ruth Ryan Langan: A woman travels to Ireland to discover whether she’s the long lost daughter of a tycoon.

Two of the stories were excellent, and the other two were dull. The Blayney story was too convoluted for me. I read about 30 pages, but it just didn’t add up to a coherent story. The Langan story was very predictable. I predicted everything that would happen on page 1, and I wasn’t surprised.

The Robb story was one of the better installments of this series. I was a little worried about the mysterious futuristic gadget that comes up during the story, but it doesn’t magically solve the mystery. The most interesting part of the story was the question it brought up for Eve - is killing ever justified? It puts her outlook on life up against Roarke’s, and I would have loved to see this expanded to a full length book. Still, the story held together and I enjoyed it.

The most surprising story was The Dog Days of Laurie Summer by Patricia Gaffney. It was really funny! And yet, all of the fun elements of a woman-in-a-dog went with the real emotions of the heroine trying to connect with her family. It was very unexpected from Gaffney, and definitely made the anthology worth reading.

It's always hard to justify paying $7.99 for an anthology that might only contain one or two good stories. But this might be a good book to get from the library, just for the Gaffney story (and the Robb if you are an Eve and Roarke fan).

P.S. Trying to spiff up my blog with pictures - we'll see how that works out!

Best of 2009

2009-12-30T01:44:00.004-05:00

I've been very disappointed in myself this year! I only read 31 books, compared to 102 last year, and almost all of those were in the first few months of the year. I have barely read anything at all since June. Admittedly, I've been very busy, with moving and starting a new job, but one of my resolutions this year is to read more. My goal is a book a week. (If I don't start reading, my TBR pile will overwhelm me!)

I only had two books this year that I graded 4.5, which is the equivalent of an A read. (No keepers, but I've become very picky about those...) One was a 2009 book, Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. I think one reason I loved this book so much was that it was a contemporary. It's so hard to find a great contemporary! The other was a mostly unknown Harlequin Temptation from 2003, Room But Not Bored by Dawn Atkins. I really loved the characters, who weren't stereotypical at all, and I loved that the conflict came out of who they were as people, and felt very real. Although it's out of print, I'd recommend looking for it at a used bookstore! (If you can still find one - the great used bookstores seem to be disappearing, especially ones that carry back lists.)

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Room But Not Bored by Dawn Atkins

Here are the other books that I gave good grades (4). All of these were well worth reading. Not very many from 2009 - I didn't buy a lot of books this year. Hopefully more 2009 books will turn up on my future lists.

Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly (2009)
Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James (2008)
The Legacy by T.J. Bennett (2008)
The Holly and the Ivy by Elisabeth Fairchild (1999)
The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed (2005)
Shadows of the Heart by Tracy Grant (1996)
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins (1996)
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (2009)
Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory (2009)
Christmas Promise by Carla Kelly (short story) (2009)

One thing these all have in common - they all tried something different. Sometimes it was a different setting, or a different type of character, or a different storyline, but they weren't the same-old-same-old. Although I appreciate a tried-and-true story if it's done well, it's nice to see something new and different (if it's done well!).

One bonus of not reading a lot this year - not many clunkers. (I gave up on a few books without finishing them, but I don't count those.) The only truly bad books I read this year were The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke, which I read at the very beginning of January and mentioned last year, and The Santangeli Marriage by Sara Craven, which made it very clear to me that Harlequin Presents is Not For Me. But nothing since January that really made me want to scream and throw things. I guess that's a good thing!

So now I'm off to attack my TBR pile. Hopefully I'll have much more to report in the near future!

----------------
Now playing: Owl City - Fireflies
via FoxyTunes

A Regency Christmas (Anthology)

2009-12-30T01:30:00.000-05:00

It's nice to see Harlequin continuing the tradition of the Regency Christmas anthology, even if only one of the stories was really worth reading.

A Regency Christmas by Lyn Stone, Carla Kelly and Gail Ranstrom
(2009, Regency) 12/28/09
Grade: 2, 4 and DNF

Three Christmas stories by Lyn Stone, Carla Kelly and Gail Ranstrom. The Lyn Stone story is about a wounded captain who is thrown together with an equally troubled woman. Carla Kelly revists Navy captains with a story about a navy captain reviving a romance with an old love, now widowed. And Gail Ranstrom’s story is about the reading of a will.

The Lyn Stone story had promise, but it seemed like enough story for a book (or two) was crammed into 90 pages, and in the end, the story fell apart under its own weight. The Gail Ranstrom story felt very mannered and didn’t appeal, so I gave up after 20 pages. But the Carla Kelly story, Christmas Promise, made this book worthwhile. It was a lovely story of a Navy captain, left at loose ends when the war ends, rediscovering the woman he grew up with, who married his best friend, and who is now widowed. Somehow Carla Kelly can fit a story like this into 90 pages without it seeming rushed or incomplete (although I would have loved more). Her hero, Jeremiah Falk, was wonderful - somehow Kelly can write heroes who can be vulnerable but still very strong. The heroine was less well characterized (she was one of Kelly’s trademark strong-and-virtuous heroines) but she had her moments. Despite the short length, it left me with warm fuzzies, and it was a perfect compliment to her recent books about Naval heroes. A 4+ for that story (and alas, a 2 for the others).

I was looking through my Christmas anthologies from Mary Balogh and Mary Jo Putney, and Carla Kelly definitely needs an anthology of her own. (I saw in an interview that her publishers were considering it. Please, pretty please!) The interview (at Word Wenches) also said that the original title for this story was While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks, which is a great title, but I think Christmas Promise works well with the story.

Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb

2009-12-30T01:15:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in so long! I've barely read anything in the past few months. It took a library notice to nudge me into reading something new.

Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb
(2009, Futuristic Romantic Suspense) 12/26/09
Grade: 3.5

When the 16 year old daughter of a NY police captain is murdered, Eve Dallas is on the case. The horrific scene shocks even Eve, but she and Roarke methodically investigate, tracing the crime back over decades, to the police captain’s past.

Although I’m not usually a fan of suspense, there is something about the J.D. Robb books that attracts me. Maybe because they are procedurals and I like seeing all the pieces fall into place. This one felt very Law and Order-ish (and that’s a compliment). There wasn’t a lot of emphasis on the secondary characters, although we get to see Eve working with her team, including Roarke. (I was amused by his annoyance with the tedium of police work, although you would think he’d be used to it by now!) Overall, I found this a solid entry in the series, although nothing exceptional.

Interesting that there is no mention of Nora Roberts anywhere on the book, unlike previous books in the series. The jacket merely says "J.D. Robb is the pseudonym for a number-one New York Times bestselling author." I wonder if they're trying to widen the book's appeal to men? This would be a good book for a newbie to start with, if they didn't want to go back to the beginning - although I'm not sure if a reader could understand Eve without knowing her back story.

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

2009-08-06T20:53:00.000-04:00

For some reason I forgot to enter this in my database, back when I read it in April. Strange! Hopefully I'll get the details right after this long delay. My only excuse is that I was in the middle of packing...

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
(2009, Contemporary) 4/21/09
Grade: 4.5

Payton Kendall has worked hard, and now she’s on the verge of making partner at her law firm. The only obstacle? A sexual harrassment case and her personal nemesis - fellow lawyer J.D. Jameson, who’s had everything handed to him on a silver platter. But is she seeing truth when it comes to JD, or is she judging him just like he’s judged her?

A very clever and interesting book. I usually hate the “I hate you so we must secretly love each other” books, but this one makes it work - maybe because of the law firm backdrop. It made sense for these two to constantly be at odds. The hero and heroine are both very smart and dedicated and love their jobs, which is always refreshing to read about. The law firm background was very well done and believable. I found the “big misunderstanding” in the middle a little hard to believe, and that made the last third a bit slow, but the book came back at the end. (I was relieved that it didn’t end with one or the other having to give up their career dreams.) This wasn’t a perfect book, but I have to give it a little boost because it was unique, and I love a good contemporary (they’re so hard to find these days!)

Good romance contemporaries are so hard to find, especially if you're not looking for a sex-fest or a romantic suspense. I wonder why? Some of the highest sellers in romance started out in contemporary - Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, etc. And when I go to the bookstore, those are the books I see people buying, even if they're buying reprints. So why are there so few new single title contemporaries being published? Even Nora Roberts can't write fast enough to satisfy the entire contemporary market.

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory

2009-08-03T21:20:00.000-04:00

Although medieval England isn't my favorite setting, I enjoy reading medievals from time to time, to have some variety if nothing else. But for a long time they've been almost extinct, especially in single titles. (Harlequin Historical kept publishing them.) It's nice to see a new author who is writing medievals, with more on the way.

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory
(2009, Medieval) 8/4/09
Grade: 4

After 5 years of marriage to a brutal husband, Catherine risks everything to spy for the crown (and to help her old friend, Prince Harry). But after her husband is killed, she is forced to marry William FitzAlan, who isn’t sure if she can be trusted. Can Catherine overcome her painful past and learn to trust her new husband, and can William learn to trust her as well?

Although the plotline was fairly typical, this was an enjoyable medieval. The book was well written, and the characters were interesting. I enjoyed the unusual background of the English-Welsh wars of the early 1400’s, and the soon-to-be King Henry V. I got a little frustrated by the hero’s mistrust of the heroine (which went on a little too long), and the book got a little slow in the last third. (How many times can one heroine be kidnapped?) I would have preferred a little more emotional depth and a little less action. But overall, I enjoyed it, and I’m glad to see medievals back on romance shelves.

I'm sure I learned all about this time period in history class, but my memory is pretty vague. My only knowledge of Henry V is Shakespeare and St. Crispin's Day - but I couldn't tell you exactly what they were fighting about. (So much for having a minor in history!)

The Courtesan's Wager by Claudia Dain

2009-08-03T01:52:00.004-04:00

I don't normally write about books that I don't finish, but in this case, I made an exception. I made it over 100 pages into this one before giving up, and it was a book that I was really looking forward to (and thought that I would enjoy). So I wanted to write something about it.

The Courtesan's Wager by Claudia Dain
(2009, Regency Historical) 8/3/09
Grade: DNF

The basic plotline - Amelia wants to marry a Duke, but they haven't noticed her. So she goes to see the infamous Lady Sophia Dalby, a onetime courtesan, who has a reputation for arranging advantageous matches.

Unfortunately, I had problems with this book. Firstly, it was very hard to follow without having read the previous books. I'm usually pretty good at coming into series in the middle, because I hate having to read two or three mediocre books in order to get to the good one in the series, but in this case, there were so many characters that it was hard to follow without knowing the background.

Secondly, the writing style. It wasn't bad, and in many cases it was very witty. But it lacked emotional involvement. I never felt close to the main characters, and I felt that the author was keeping me at a distance, watching from afar instead of getting into the characters' heads and hearts. This is a style that some people like, but I prefer a more direct and emotional style. Even after 100 pages, I didn't really care about the characters, and I think the writing style had a lot to do with that.

I didn't get a lot of the hero-heroine relationship (by page 100, they'd barely spoken to each other), but it seemed like it was going to be one of those "I hate you so I must love you" stories. Since I just glanced through the second half of the book (and skipped ahead and read the end), I could be wrong about that, but it's one of my least favorite romance tropes.

It's not that unusual for me, not to finish a book. I probably only finish half of the books that I start - I have too many books in my TBR pile to spend my time reading books I don't enjoy. But I was surprised by my reaction to this book. It was highly praised at Dear Author, and I guess I was expecting something quite different. (I actually assumed that the heroine would be the courtesan, based on what I'd heard of the book online, and I was quite surprised that she was not - I was expecting the Amelia storyline to become a secondary romance. She's a major character, but she's not the romantic lead.) And of course, the fact that it was a trade paperback made not finishing even more disappointing.

I guess it comes down to my tastes. I'm actually a pretty traditional romance reader, and when I pick up a romance, I want something specific - an emotional experience focused on the relationship between the hero and heroine. And that's not really what this book was about, even though it was nominally a romance.

The Santangeli Marriage by Sara Craven

2009-07-31T19:25:00.000-04:00

There's a huge spoiler in this review. I couldn't really talk about how I felt about this book without discussing the ending.

I hardly ever read Harlequin Presents. The uber-rich, uber-dominant alpha heroes just don't appeal to me. But I love the exotic settings, which are so rare in other contemporary romances, so I'll pick one up if it's recommended to me (and if I'm assured that the hero isn't too much of an alpha jerk.) Oddly enough, that wasn't the problem with this book.

The Santangeli Marriage by Sara Craven (HP Extra #61)
(2009, Contemporary Series) 7/31/09
Grade: 2.5

Italian billionaire and playboy Lorenzo Santangeli is willing to marry his late mother’s innocent goddaughter. They grew up together, and he’s ready to settle down and have a family. But Marisa isn’t so sure, and after a honeymoon full of misunderstandings, she flees to London. Can they rebuild a marriage that never really began?

I usually like marriage in trouble stories, but this one was just frustrating. HP is known for its alpha heroes, but at least they’re usually straightforward about what they want. The hero here can’t make up his mind - does he want Marisa or not? But the heroine is much worse. She spends most of the book dithering - she loves him, she hates him, she loves him, she hates him. And the endless whining! I just wanted her to make up her mind one way or the other. The misunderstandings were endless - she loves him but can’t tell him, he loves her but won’t admit it, on and on. So why did I keep reading? At first I was curious about what would happen - I kept thinking that at some point, we’d get the “falling in love” part. (Not really, they’re still dithering on page 150 of a 184 page book.) Then I skimmed forward to the end, and I was intrigued.

(This is the spoiler part.) The heroine finds out she can’t have children, which threatens to ruin their marriage since having an heir is a big deal for the hero. That’s an unusual plot twist for a romance, especially in a traditional series romance like a HP. But the way it was handled was strange. The hero tells the heroine he loves her, but he never says “we can be happy without children” or “we can adopt” or anything like that. The implication is there, sort of, but it seemed odd that he didn’t say it. He just skips over the whole issue. It made me wonder if HP was trying to leave the ending vague, so readers can imagine a “miracle pregnancy” in the future if they want. (Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but given the rarity of an infertile heroine in a Harlequin, I had to wonder why the ending seemed to leave out an element that seemed like a crucial part of the story.)

I'm afraid this book hasn't convinced me to pick up more HP books. One of my favorite review sites seems to love them, and whenever I read their reviews, I think "oh, this one will be different". I must learn to resist that temptation, because so far, I haven't found a single HP that I enjoyed. Even as a guilty pleasure.

The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor

2009-06-14T19:25:00.000-04:00

I like the idea of interconnected stories - there have only been a few Regency anthologies that had this idea, and I'm sure it's a lot of work for the authors, but it gives the stories a common background, and that helps when trying to create a romance that works despite the short page count.

The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor (Anthology)
Stories by Diane Gaston, Deb Marlowe and Amanda McCabe
(2009, Regency) 6/14/09
Grade: 3.5

Three interconnected stories by Diane Gaston, Deb Marlowe and Amanda McCabe. The illegitimate children of the Duke and Duchess of Manning live a charmed life despite their scandalous reputation, but after their parents’ deaths, they have to find love while still being true to the lively spirit of their family and the happy times they’ve shared at Welbourne.

I enjoyed the Regency feel of the three stories more than I enjoyed any particular love story. None of them was all that emotionally involving as a romance. However, I liked the overall atmosphere of the book, and the interesting background the authors gave to this family. (I wondered how historically accurate it was - none of the characters suffer any serious problems due to their illegitimacy, which seems surprising despite Prinny’s approval.) The first story, Justine and Brenner, did the most to lay out the family background, and perhaps because of that, the romance seemed like an afterthought. However, I felt it had the most emotional involvement of the three, with Justine’s questioning her place in the family, and Brenner’s struggle to deal with his mother’s desertion. The second story, Ned and Annalise, was the most fully realized as a romance, but it felt a bit superficial. And the last story, Drew and Charlotte, felt the most perfunctory - it was the shortest, and the most questionable in terms of the historical background. But overall, I enjoyed entering the world the authors created, even if the stories were too short to really delve into the characters.

Another book that explores the world of illegitimate children in the Regency. Unfortunately, this one mostly ignored the problem - I'm sure money and royal connections went a long way toward smoothing their path, but still, I couldn't help wondering when Annalise and Charlotte discuss "having a season" in London. Would that have been a realistic option?

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

2009-05-25T19:05:00.000-04:00

I'm always a fan of unusual heroes, so of course I was all over this book!

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
(2009, Victorian) 5/21/09
Grade: 4

Lord Ian Mackenzie is considered rather “odd”. Some people call him mad. But widowed heiress Beth Ackerley sees his kindness and his sexual attraction, and wants to get to know him better - in bed and out of it. But will secrets from his past drive them apart?

This book had a slow start. I was intrigued by Ian and Beth in the first couple of chapters, but then the book got bogged down in lengthy introductions of Ian’s brothers (set up for their own books), as well as a complicated murder mystery and long detailed sex scenes. The characters got lost, and I began to wonder if the book was worth finishing. Thankfully, in the second half , the author settled down and focused on Beth and Ian, and the book got much more interesting. I’m no expert on Aspergers, but the characterization of Ian rang true (most of the time), and the author was able to balance Ian’s problems with the romantic necessity of making him capable of a relationship with Beth. I also found Beth an interesting and unique character, with an unusual background that felt very Victorian. The mystery was perhaps a little too convoluted, and it depended too much on bringing in a villain at the last minute, but after the first section, it managed to influence the events of the book without taking over. Overall, I enjoyed the book very much, although it didn’t grab me emotionally (surprisingly, considering the subject), maybe because it took so long to really get going.

It's surprising, a number of authors have written books about "mad" heroes, but then the books don't really pay off with a deeply emotional story that focuses on the hero and his problems. Although this book was enjoyable, I was disappointed that so much space was taken up by the mystery, when what I really wanted was more of the hero and less of "who killed the prostitute". I can think of a couple of other books in the last few years that also had "mad" heroes, but the author didn't follow through. I wonder why - it seems like readers who are attracted to this kind of story are the kinds of readers who want emotional intensity, not yet another murder mystery or endless pages of sex scenes - but the authors keep throwing the other stuff in there instead of really following through with the angst. Come on, authors, give us what we want! (A selfish demand, I know, but what can I say, I'm a demanding reader! :->)

My New TBR Pile (Much Smaller!)

2009-05-13T22:51:00.003-04:00

About six months ago, I decided I needed to significantly downsize my TBR pile. I had a lot of books that I had gotten at book signings, from sales tables, romance conferences, etc., that I realized I would never read. I'd bought many of them 10-15 years ago, when my reading tastes were different. So, I ruthless pared down my TBR pile - I read back blurbs, skimmed the first couple of chapters, looked up comments and reviews on the internet. I managed to reduce my TBR to only 400 books!! I'm shocked to see how small my book collection is now.

I gave away some to my local library. They didn't want the older ones, so those went to the used bookstore and freecycle. A lucky reader on freecycle got 9 file boxes of books. I traded over 200 books on paperbackswap.

So now I have a somewhat realistic reading goal - to read all the books in my TBR. Of course, I keep buying new ones, so it shouldn't take me more than 10 years or so...

My Old TBR Pile

2009-05-13T22:48:00.005-04:00

When I moved to Georgia in 2006, I took a picture of my TBR "pile". (It took up an entire walk-in closet.) At that time, I had about 1500 books, which is a reduction from my all-time high of about 2200.

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

2009-05-11T02:12:00.000-04:00

I've had Indigo on my "to be bought" list for many years, but I'd pretty much given up on ever finding it. (I set my best book finders on the case and even they came up empty.) But after I heard Beverly Jenkins speak at the Princeton romance conference a few weeks ago, I decided to splurge and buy it from Amazon, despite the price.

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
(1996, American) 5/11/09
Grade: 4

After escaping from slavery, Hester Wyatt has devoted her life to the Underground railroad. When the notorious Black Daniel is brought to her home, she finds him rude and arrogant, but she discovers there’s a lot more to him, whether he’s the Black Daniel or the wealthy Galen Vachon. Soon, her outlook on life begins to change, in unexpected ways.

Beverly Jenkins always brings amazing historical depth to her books, and this one begins with a lot of information about the Underground railroad (to the point that the first part of the book feels more like a history than a historical). But she also creates great characters, even though Hester and Galen sometimes seem too good to be true. But I can’t complain too much about a hero who adores the heroine and can’t stop admiring her. The biggest surprise, and disappointment, was that the romance was so predictable, despite the unusual setting. It was well done, but it seemed odd to read a book that’s set in the black community in 1859, and then have a romantic conflict that wouldn’t be out of place in a Regency. (He’s rich, she’s poor, will they ever accept her, yada yada yada.) I was also surprised that Hester accepted Galen’s wealthy lifestyle so easily, despite the sacrifices she made earlier in the book. Still, the book was very well written and compelling, even if it didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Indigo begins with two heartwrenching letters from Hester's father, who sold himself into slavery because of his love for her mother. That's hard to imagine, but it's based on a true story. It would be hard for any book to live up to such a beginning.

I will probably remember this book for a long time, just because of the unique background. When I finished, I wanted to know more about African American life in the North before the Civil War - something I know almost nothing about.

But it's hard to recommend a book that's only available in a very expensive print-on-demand edition. It doesn't seem to be widely available in libraries (I even struck out with interlibrary loan) and it's nearly impossible to find in its original Avon edition. I'm glad it's in print, but it's too bad that it's not more widely available at a more affordable price, because I think a lot of romance readers would enjoy it (and learn something too).

The Things We Do For Love by Margot Early

2009-05-04T01:41:00.003-04:00

The Keeper by Margot Early is one of my favorite series romances of all time. It's serious, but it's also a wonderful love story - I have read it at least a dozen times. Unfortunately for me, Margot Early likes writing books about babies and pregnancy, which I don't really like. I've tried a few of them, but even a good writer can't make me enjoy the subject. But whenever I see a book by Early that's not a baby book, I grab it, hoping to find another book as good as The Keeper. Unfortunately, this one wasn't it.

The Things We Do For Love by Margot Early (HSR 1546)
(2009, Contemporary Series) 5/4/09
Grade: 3

Mary Anne has had a crush on reporter Jonathan Hale for years, and when she finds out he's engaged, she decides to make a last ditch effort, and buys a love potion. But the potion ends up in the wrong glass, and is drunk by Graham Corbett, a rude and annoying radio psychologist that Mary Anne tries hard to avoid. But suddenly Graham is paying attention to her - and maybe she'll discover there's more to him than she thinks.

This was a hard book to grade. There were pieces of it that I really liked, but that was also the major problem with the book – the pieces just didn’t come together in a cohesive whole. I really liked the hero and heroine, and enjoyed the story of how Mary Anne discovered that Graham was the right man for her. But the story of Mary Anne’s dysfunctional family could have filled a 400 page book by itself. Graham’s issues with his late wife’s death were also too big for the small space they were given. And then there were the secondary characters, not to mention the silly love potion, which got way too much attention. (It was cute as a setup, but I got tired of hearing about it) The book felt like a car that couldn’t quite get into gear – it moved along in fits and starts, and although it finally reached the finish line, it never really got going. Too bad.

One thing I appreciated about this book was the West Virginia setting. Even though it's set in small town West Virginia, it's more than an Appalachian stereotype - all kinds of people live there. As a West Virginia girl myself (I spent summers there as a child and still have lots of relatives there), I'm glad to see a book set in WVa that's not a bunch of redneck cliches.

Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Wendell and Tan

2009-05-01T15:47:00.003-04:00

Although this isn't exactly a romance novel, it's close enough, so I think it belongs on my blog.

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels
by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan
(2009, Non-Fiction) 4/30/09
Grade: 4.5

Overall, this book was great fun. Although there were some dull sections, overall it kept me laughing, and reminded me of why I love romance. The snarky attitude of the authors worked perfectly to explain why even the most devoted romance lover has to sometimes roll her eyes when she comes across "that book".

The one thing that I found surprising about this book was the emphasis on the "Old Skool" romance. I started reading romance in the mid-80's, and my first romance novel was Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss. (Given to me by my grandmother!) So I know all about the Old Skool romance, and have a certain fondness for a few of those books. But I haven't read one in almost two decades, and I don't think any romance readers think about them much any more. You have to talk about them to understand the history of romance, but it just seemed like too much time was spent discussing a type of romance that hasn't been published in 20 years. I realize that the outside world still thinks of romance as "the bodice ripper", but I wanted to read more about the books that turned me into a romance believer, not the rape fests of the 70's and early 80's. (And I think the audience for this book will mostly be romance readers, not skeptics who can't get past the bodice ripper image.)

Still, this book is completely unique, and it was worth every penny. But it won't be going on my keeper shelf next to Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women.

Shadows of the Heart by Tracy Grant

2009-04-29T19:19:00.000-04:00

After reading Tracy Grant's Shores of Desire last year, I started looking for the sequel (which is surprisingly hard to find). Unfortunately, in the six months since I read the first book, I'd forgotten a lot, but I still enjoyed the sequel. (Oddly enough, this book was published first, although it clearly takes place after Shores of Desire.)

Shadows of the Heart by Tracy Grant
(1996, Regency Historical) 4/27/09
Grade: 4

After Sophie is attacked in an alley, she is rescued by Paul Lescaut. But she can’t remember who she is, or why she was attacked - or even why she’s pregnant. Paul has his own secrets, but he never imagined how closely he was bound to Sophie, and how their lives would become intertwined as they tried to escape their common enemies.

An exciting and compelling read. Although suspense and road romances aren’t my favorites (and this is a bit of both), the author keeps the book moving, and kept me turning the pages. The hero and heroine were both very well drawn and unique, and even the secondary characters stood out and weren’t just stock figures. (I was a little confused by references to the earlier book, which I read a few months ago but didn’t remember in detail, but it wasn’t a major issue.) The storyline did seem to pile one thing on top of another on top of another, and it became too convoluted near the end. But still, I kept reading because I wanted to know what would happen to Sophie and Paul. The author made me believe that these characters would work together despite their differences, even though the focus was often more on the mystery than the relationship.

What happened to Tracy Grant? She got tremendous buzz after The Daughter of the Game and the sequel, but the next two books in the series have been "coming soon" for years. Hmm, looking at her web site, it seems that she doesn't have a contract. Sacre bleu!

The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed

2009-04-22T13:36:00.000-04:00

Given my ambivalence about super-sexy books, I was surprised to buy a book from Ellora's Cave. But if you're going to write a book about a male escort, it makes sense to have a lot of sex scenes - I was hoping they would fit with the characters, more than they do in a lot of other erotic books.

The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed
(2005, Contemporary) 4/20/09
Grade: 4

Billie is hoping to write a story about the notorious private club Avalon, where male escorts provide everything for wealthy female clients. But once she meets the mysterious Adrian, she wants to know more, and she can’t give up until she discovers the man behind the facade.

This book was most notable for its hero, Adrian. The author shows how his work has changed the way he thinks and acts, and his struggle to make sex more than just a meaningless job. At first, the book seemed too focused on sex (it made sense for the hero, but there were times when it seemed odd that the characters would have sex so often, when Adrian was trying to learn to relate on a non-sexual level.) The main weakness of the book was the heroine. She felt very “Mary Sue” - she’s not well rounded as a character, and her main role seemed to be to explain how great Adrian is. Because of that, I never really bought their great romance. But I had to give this book a slightly higher grade because the hero was so unique, and that made the book memorable, despite the weak heroine.

This is a book that I actually bought twice - once in ebook format, and then, when I found it too difficult to read as an ebook, I bought it (for full price!) in paperback form. Of course, it's now selling used for a couple of dollars on Amazon. For the amount of money I spent on it, its too bad it wasn't better.

The Holly and the Ivy by Elisabeth Fairchild

2009-04-05T12:43:00.000-04:00

An odd time of year to read a Christmas book, but it jumped out at me when I was scanning my TBR shelves.

The Holly and the Ivy by Elisabeth Fairchild
(1999, Regency) 4/5/09
Grade: 4

Lord Balfour is known for being cold and especially for hating Christmas, but when he meets his charming neighbors, Mary Rivers and her elderly Gran, he begins to discover the Christmas spirit. But is he willing to take a chance and step outside his loneliness to find an unconventional love?

This was a charming and surprisingly dark book. The hero has just lost his servant Temple, who was closer to him than his parents, and his moments of grief are very moving. (Not many books have the hero and heroine bonding at a funeral warehouse.) The characters are revealed in small ways - I didn’t realize until the heroine pointed it out that the hero thinks her as “Merry” in his passages, while she’s “Mary” in hers. There are several scenes where you see how each of the characters see the same events in a different way, and it’s very well done. That made the “big misunderstanding” that comes up about halfway through the book especially frustrating. It made sense, but it seemed like a trite conflict for such delicately drawn characters, and made the rest of the book feel rushed (especially the hero’s revelation that he’s the product of an affair). The book was still satisfying, but it didn’t quite live up to the promise of the first section of the book.

As far as I can tell, Elisabeth Fairchild is no longer writing. How sad! She has a unique voice that gave her Regencies a surprising depth.

The Courtship Dance by Candace Camp

2009-03-29T19:40:00.000-04:00

Candace Camp has been an off-and-on author for me, and unfortunately, this book was more off than on.

The Courtship Dance by Candace Camp
(2009, Regency Historical) 3/29/09
Grade: 3

Lady Francesca Haughston survived a bad marriage, and now spends her time arranging matches for others. She’s given up on love since a broken engagement to her childhood friend, the Duke of Rochford, many years ago. Maybe the best thing she can do is arrange a marriage for him - but why is he paying more attention to her than his marriage prospects?

Although this book had a lot of elements that I usually enjoy, in the end, this book was predictable and a bit tedious. There were things I liked about the book, particularly the friends-to-lovers storyline (Rochford is a nice hero), but there were just too many cliches, particularly the heroine who’s convinced she’s frigid (which went on far too long). This book also depended a great deal on characters from previous books in the series. The scenes of the ton were entertaining, and I liked Francesca’s cleverness in becoming a matchmaker to make ends meet, but overall, I was more bored than enchanted.

One thing I did like about this book was all the description of the Season. A lot of Regency historicals have gotten away from this, but what's the fun of reading a book set in the Regency if you're not going to have balls and dresses and parties?

The Legacy by T.J. Bennett

2009-03-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

The second book I've read by Medallion Press in the last couple of months - both flawed, but it's nice to see a publisher doing something different.

The Legacy by T.J. Bennett
(2008, Reformation Germany) 3/16/09
Grade: 4

Although Sabina would prefer a life helping former nuns like herself, her stepfather forces her into a marriage to printer - someone far below her class. Wolf isn’t thrilled with the marriage either, since he’s still devoted to his late wife, but he has a secret to keep. But after the two spend some time together, they both find there’s more to marriage than they expected.

An interesting book with an unusual setting - Reformation Germany. The characters were intriguing and seemed very much of their time. The plot was fairly typical, and reminded me of books I read back in the early 1990’s. It’s hard to explain, but books written today don’t have quite the sweep or the attitude of those books, and it was nice to read a classic romance (but with a much nicer hero than might have been found back then). I appreciated that the hero and heroine got to know each other as people before they went to bed together, although the mental lusting was a bit much at times. And some of the secondary characters were a bit cliched. But overall, I enjoyed this book and found it a very rewarding read.

Although the basic plot of this book could have taken place almost anywhere, it was nice to see a book with such an unusual setting. It didn't take over the book, but it added an interesting backdrop to the story. I don't know why so many publishers think we won't buy any books that aren't set in the Regency or Victorian periods!

Promises in Death by J.D. Robb

2009-03-10T19:11:00.000-04:00

I don't generally like romantic suspense or mysteries, but the one exception has been the J.D. Robb books. They combine the police procedural (one of my TV favorites) and a strong romance theme. But the last few books in the series have fallen flat for me - one of the things I loved about the early books was Eve's passion for her work and her strong desire to find justice for her victims, and that has been lacking. I almost gave up on the series, but reviews of this book made me think this one might have the old flair.

Promises in Death by J.D. Robb
(2009, Futuristic Suspense) 3/4/09
Grade: 3.5

When Amaryllis Coltraine is murdered, Eve takes it personally - she was medical examiner Morris’s girlfriend, as well as a police officer. But when secrets from her past intersect with Eve and Roarke’s past history, Eve has to question what kind of person she really was.

An improvement over the last couple of books in the series. I think the books work best when Eve has a connection to the victim, and she did here, not just because of the connection with Morris, but also because she was a police officer. Her life gave Eve a chance to reflect on her devotion to the job, which has been a little missing in the last couple of books. Having the case intersect with Eve and Roarke’s past was a bit much, and the mystery got a little convoluted near the end, but overall, a good read.

One reason I keep reading these books is that I can get them easily from the library, unlike most romances. The one advantage of going into hardcover. (And the library orders lots of copies.)

Fool's Paradise by Tori Phillips

2009-03-01T23:27:00.000-05:00

I don't see many books set in the Elizabethan period. For some reason, we jump directly from the medieval to the Regency (or perhaps the Georgian) periods. I'd like to see more - it seems like a nice change of pace.

Fool's Paradise by Tori Phillips
(1996, Elizabethan) 3/1/09
Grade: 3.5

Lady Elizabeth Hayward is desperate to escape an unwanted marriage, so she heads off to her godmother, Queen Elizabeth. She is rescued by Richard Tarleton, the queen’s jester, and the two set off on a road trip to Hampton Court, disguised as the jester and his apprentice. But is there any hope for a future between a lady fair and a bastard fool?

This was a charming road romance that gave an interesting glimpse into Elizabethan England. Tarleton was a fun character, someone who never takes life seriously, and who has a lover in every town, but never knew love before meeting Elizabeth. The story was a bit meandering in the first half of the book (there was a lot of back and forth about “the love that could not be”), and then at the end, the plot becomes almost too complicated. But the charm of the characters carried through, and overall it was an enjoyable read.

This is the second book I've read by Tori Phillips, and both of them had a nice, light-hearted charm that was very appealing. I'll have to check my TBR pile for more books by this author - I don't think she's writing any more, but she wrote quite a few for Harlequin Historicals.

Room But Not Bored by Dawn Atkins

2009-02-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

Just when I was lamenting the books that seemed like same-old, same old, here comes a book that takes a familiar storyline, and yet, makes it work. Always a delight to discover one of those.

Room... But Not Bored! by Dawn Atkins (HT 945)
(2003, Contemporary Series) 2/26/09
Grade: 4.5

Ariel Adams hasn’t had a good week... her business partner ran off with her lover, and left her with no job and only a few contacts. And a dilapidated beach house, complete with a live-in handyman. Ariel just wants Jake out of the house, but Jake is convinced he can show Ariel how to live for the moment and stop planning everything in her life.

Surprisingly satisfying! The hero and heroine jumped off the page, they were so well written. Ariel has to always be in control, but she’s tempted by the relaxed life that Jake lives. Jake is living the life of a beach bum, but he’s starting to wonder if that’s really satisfying. The conflict between them isn’t manufactured, it goes to who they are as people - and happily, neither one has to completely change for the other (although they both learn to compromise). I particularly liked Ariel’s enthusiasm about her work, which made her more than the stereotypical “uptight heroine”, but Jake’s background with his military Dad made his attitude believable as well. Overall, this was a book that didn’t necessarily break new ground, but made the familiar story sing with great writing and vivid characters.

I wasn't sure how to grade this book. It wasn't as deep as most of the books that I grade this highly, but it was just enjoyable from start to finish, and that's a rare thing. Had to give it a grade up for that.

This book reminded me of Kathleen O'Reilly, who also writes determined heroines who love their work. (That's surprisingly rare in contemporary romance.) But I think this book benefitted from less sex, since it's a Temptation and not a Blaze. There were a couple of wonderful love scenes, but the characters didn't jump into bed in the first 50 pages, and that felt a lot more natural, and gave the characters more time to get to know each other. After reading this book, I looked up Dawn Atkins at Amazon and I noticed all her other books are Blazes. I have to admit, that made me a bit reluctant to look up her other books.

Breaking the Rules by Ruth Wind

2009-02-24T22:09:00.000-05:00

I have a couple of Ruth Wind books on my keeper shelf, although I've been reluctant to reread them. I'm afraid that what seemed new and exciting in late 1990's might feel old and cliched today. But I remember them with fondness - it's still rare to find a contemporary author who writes with such emotional intensity. The "women's fiction" books that she writes now just don't affect me the same way.

Breaking the Rules by Ruth Wind (SIM 587)
(1994, Contemporary Series) 2/24/09
Grade: 3

Mattie O’Neal is on the run, and she has no time for a man... even an incredibly sexy man who rides up on his motorcycle. But when she has to run for her life, it’s Zeke who rescues her, and shows her another side of the hard man he pretends to be. He says he only wants a short-term affair, but can Mattie persuade him otherwise?

Ruth Wind’s writing is always impressive, but this book didn’t quite work for me. I found the characters appealing, but a lot of the book was devoted to an endless dance of will-they-or-won’t they. It got tedious after a while. There were moments that were well done, but for the most part, I found the storyline cliched, and it didn’t really rise above the familiar plot. She’s the good girl in trouble, he’s the bad boy who’s overcoming his abusive childhood - most of the time, it just seemed too familiar. (Not to mention the very standard series romance ending. The minute he “forgot” the condoms, I knew what was coming.) Still, there were flashes of the Ruth Wind brilliance, just not enough of them to really make the book work.

This is a familiar lament of mine, but there are some authors who can write a familiar story and make it new - but more examples where it doesn't work, and I'm not sure quite why. The tortured hero finding love is one of my favorites, but here, it just left me feeling blah.

A Trio of Regencies

2009-02-19T17:38:00.000-05:00

I had a craving for a Regency, and I ended up reading three in a row. None of them really outstanding, unfortunately, but the last one was quite charming.

Winter Wedding by Joan Wolf
(1990, Regency) 2/12/09
Grade: 3

Miss Clara Christopher spends most of her time visiting one relative or another, and now she’s staying with cousins during a wedding. She’s pleased to find out that Lord Allingcote will be there - they seemed to have a connection when they met earlier, but it never led anywhere. Now she has a chance - if not for Nel Muldoon, who is determined to make trouble.

This book had a lot of fun Regency ambiance, but unfortunately, the story left a lot to be desired. I enjoyed the background of preparing for a Regency wedding, especially in the hands of skinflint Lady Lucker, and the back and forth of the house party and various guests. But the plot about Nel and her determination to run off with her lover just felt tedious, and it took time away from the more interesting romance between Clara and Allingcote. As a result, I never felt like I got to know the main characters, and the book was a disappointment.

Birds of a Feather by Allison Lane
(1999, Regency) 2/17/09
Grade: 3.5

Joanna Patterson has her hands full trying to find a suitable, wealthy husband for her flighty charge, but she keeps running into Lord Sedgewick, who considers himself the arbiter of fashion and manners in London society. Joanna has little respect for someone she thinks of as shallow, but perhaps he has hidden depths.

This was not a very romantic book. Although there are a lot of sparks of attraction between Joanna and Sedge, they spend most of the book misunderstanding each other, and there’s more time spent on the doings of the ton than on the relationship. Allison Lane’s view of the ton is more Lord of the Flies than sweet romance, but it’s rather fascinating - everyone has hidden agendas, and the author doesn’t stint on the faults - Joanna’s charge Harriet is “hysterical” and not too bright, everyone’s parents are judgemental and horrid, Sedgewick worries over the terrible burden of giving fashion advice to the tasteless, and Joanna seems like the only sensible one (when she’s not jumping to conclusions). It’s kind of like reading a very snarky gossip page, although things got a little repetitive in the last third of the book.

Miss Maitland's Letters by Martha Kirkland
(2000, Regency) 2/18/09
Grade: 3.5

Lorna Maitland, the daughter of a wool merchant, has agreed to marry Paul Clement, the son of a baron. It was originally an arrangement - her money for his title - but she fell in love with his letters from the battlefield. Only Paul didn’t write the letters - his friend Steven Rutledge did, and he’s determined to make Lorna see who Paul really is.

This was a charming romance, although it became a bit repetitive towards the end. But there was a sweet attraction between Lorna and Steven, and his careful wooing of her was nicely done. The deception about the letters went on for far too long, though, and eventually I got a bit impatient to have it done with - and the tie-it-up-with-a-bow ending was a bit much. The book wasn’t all that memorable, but it was a nice, enjoyable read.

Thankfully I still have quite a few Regencies in my TBR pile - they aren't always great, but they just have a different tone from today's Regency historicals.

Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

2009-02-18T20:12:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit slow to update my blog - I haven't been reading as much (right now, all I feel like doing is watching Law & Order reruns) but I've also been a bit lazy. I actually read this a couple of weeks ago.

Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
(2008, Contemporary) 2/11/09
Grade: 4

Lawyer Taylor Donovan is busy with a high profile court case, and she has no time to deal with arrogant Hollywood star Jason Andrews. Jason is accustomed to everyone catering to him, and he can’t help but be intrigued by this smart and sexy lawyer who is far from his usual bimo dates.

Fun and smart and easy to read. I enjoyed both the hero and heroine and found them well rounded (Hollywood heroes in particular are often full of cliches, but Jason seemed real - not too plastic, not too perfect). The interplay between the hero and heroine was a lot of fun. The book wasn’t exactly deep, and it fizzled out a bit at the end, just when I wanted more, but overall, I had a great time.

Probably the best contemporary I read from 2008. It might have even made my top ten list if I'd read it earlier, although it didn't really hit me on an emotional level. But, this is an author that I'll definitely be watching.

Broken Wing by Judith James

2009-02-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for the tortured hero, so I was looking forward to this book. I was happy to find it at my local Barnes & Noble. Normally I don't mind ordering books online, but I have been trying to cut back. I'm pleased that B&N has finally learned that romance readers buy books - the salesperson who helped me find Broken Wing was an avid romance reader and very enthusiastic about expanding the romance section at her store.

Broken Wing by Judith James
(2008, Regency Historical) 2/3/09
Grade: 3.5

Raised in a French brothel, Gabriel St. Croix has known nothing but pain and abuse. His only tenderness was for a young boy that he protected, Jamie. When Jamie’s family rescues him, they also rescue Gabriel, who is immediately drawn to the unconventional Lady Sarah Munroe. But can he overcome the nightmares of his past, and build a new future?

This book was a frustrating combination of fascinating characters and a compelling plot, along with flawed writing and a meandering structure. Gabriel is a wonderful hero, and the author doesn’t sugarcoat his past, or his struggles to recover from it. He drinks, he cuts himself, he finds it nearly impossible to reach out. And Sarah is a fitting match - she’s strong, able to offer Gabriel the friendship he’s never known, and doesn’t shy away from his flaws and weaknesses. But the author drove me nuts with her writing style (something I normally don’t notice). She often tells the reader what the characters are feeling, rather than showing us. There are abrupt switches in POV, and odd jumps in time. And then, in the last third of the book, Gabriel ends up as a pirate and mercenary, and it’s like we’re in a completely different story, while the romance disappears. And yet, despite the problems, the book was compelling, even if it was flawed. I just wish the author had fixed some of these things, since it could have been even better.

As a reader, I don't care that much about beautiful writing. In fact, some authors who are known for their lovely prose don't work for me - the focus on style seems to put a barrier between me and the characters. But sometimes, I just can't ignore the flaws in the prose. It was frustrating, because there were so many good things in this book! I hope that the author can fix some of the problems here, because she definitely has talent, and I look forward to her next book.

The Genuine Article by Patricia Rice

2009-02-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

I had a craving for a traditional Regency - thankfully I still have a good selection of those in my TBR pile.

The Genuine Article by Patricia Rice
(1994, Regency) 1/30/09
Grade: 3

Lady Marian Oglethorp is desperate for a wealthy husband to save her family from ruin, and she’s set her sights on Lord Darley. She will just have to keep her intelligence and wit hidden until after the wedding. The only obstacle is Darley’s best friend, Reginald Montague, who is skeptical of Marian and vows to protect Darley - even if it means kissing her himself!

The first half of this book was quite promising. I enjoyed the interplay between Marian and Reginald, and it was fun to watch two people who clearly belonged together, even if they were both fighting it. And I found Reginald intriguing - a younger son who ends up in trade and finds that he likes it. Unfortunately, the book made an abrupt detour in the second half, when the story turns to a missing necklace. We get a confusing story about a mysterious American cousin, a thief who’s secretly in cahoots with the cousin, and jewels disappearing and reappearing. The love story gets pushed onto the back burner, and that was a great disappointment. If only the author had continued the story she’d started, the book would have been a real gem.

Even though I didn't care for this book in the end, it makes me want to look up other Regencies by Patricia Rice. She's written a lot of single title books, of course (I've read some of them), but the wittiness and character interaction in the first half of this book makes me think that she might have a great Regency in her. But I'm not sure if she wrote that many Regencies - as far as I remember, she switched over to single titles pretty quickly.