2007 isn't quite over yet, but I thought I'd go ahead and post my yearly summary. (I'm reading a suspense book right now that I'll probably finish by the end of the year, but it won't make my top list.)
I read 51 books in 2007, which is pretty good (unemployment will do that to you!) Unfortunately, I didn't read a keeper this year, and most of the books I read were in the "average" range.
I read five books (or stories) that I graded at 4.5, or approximately A-. I'd call these books very good, but with slight flaws - not quite keepers, but very enjoyable. They were:
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird
A Bed Of Spices by Barbara Samuel
"Street Corners and Halos" by Catherine Spangler (short story)
Fantasies by Pamela Wallace
There were another 14 books that I graded at 4, or Good. (Equivalent to B+, roughly.) They were:
A Summer To Remember by Mary Balogh
One Night For Love by Mary Balogh
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll
Twin Willows by Kay Cornelius
The Earl's Prize by Nicola Cornick
Deceived by Nicola Cornick
The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke
Dirty by Megan Hart
The Word of a Child by Janice Kay Johnson
Heavens To Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Creation In Death by J.D. Robb
Whom The Gods Love by Kate Ross
Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan
The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
The rest were graded at 3.5 or below - for the most part, books that were OK to read, but nothing special. Average or slightly above average. I suppose most books fall into this category, especially since I don't grade (or review) any book that I don't finish. With my limited reading time, I don't bother finishing a book that's not doing anything for me by page 50 or so, so a book has to be at least decent for me to grade it at all.
But there were three books that I gave a 2.5, which is almost the lowest grade I give. (I've given a few 2's in previous years, but these days I rarely finish a book that's that bad.) Usually these are books that, for some reason, I keep reading to the bitter end - it's by a favorite author and I keep thinking the book will get better, or it's a badly flawed book that has some glimmer of promise that keeps me reading. Those three books were:
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
The astonishing thing is that one of these books is by Mary Balogh!! And there were two other books in this series that would have received even lower grades, since I didn't finish them. This is probably the biggest, most shocking news of my reading year - that my beloved Mary Balogh is writing books that I can't even finish. (As usual, I'm behind in my reading - these books came out a few years ago.) She has said in interviews that she no longer wants to write the emotional, angsty books that were once her trademark. She did redeem herself in my eyes by writing the lovely Slightly Dangerous, but it's still terribly sad for me. She was my last "auto buy" author, an author I'd always buy and enjoy, no matter what she wrote. Although I will continue to buy Balogh, I will no longer have that excitement and joy, anticipating the newest Balogh book - she'll just become another author whose next book might be enjoyable, or might not.
It's a bit like losing an old friend.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Millionaire, Billionaire
Although this book doesn't really emphasize the money aspect, I find it amusing that we now have the "billionaire" next door. I guess millionaires are too commonplace now?
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird (SSE 1844)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 12/27/07
Grade: 4.5
Wall Street wizard Sean O’Banyon has it all, or so it seems. But when his father dies, and he goes back to his old home in Boston, the years of abuse come flooding back. The only thing keeping him together is Lizzie, the downstairs neighbor who excites his body and warms his heart - but can he learn to trust her, despite his past?
A great book that’s just a bit too short. The author does a great job in depicting these characters - the hero is particularly well done, although the heroine is a bit “too good to be true” - and also their strong chemistry together. It really felt like they were building a relationship, not just “instant love”. However, the ending was too rushed. Sean’s “big misunderstanding” actually made sense, in the context of his emotional issues, but there wasn’t enough time to really resolve it. (Although I appreciated that the heroine mentioned therapy - a realistic note that’s all too rare in romance.) This book could have easily gone on another 50 pages, and it would have been richer and more complete if it had.
Even though this book didn't quite hit keeper territory, it was so lovely to finally read a book that thrilled me. I was so glad to finally find a book with some real emotions and heart, I literally did the "happy dance" at one point while I was reading. (OK, that's a little weird, but it's been soooo long!)
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird (SSE 1844)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 12/27/07
Grade: 4.5
Wall Street wizard Sean O’Banyon has it all, or so it seems. But when his father dies, and he goes back to his old home in Boston, the years of abuse come flooding back. The only thing keeping him together is Lizzie, the downstairs neighbor who excites his body and warms his heart - but can he learn to trust her, despite his past?
A great book that’s just a bit too short. The author does a great job in depicting these characters - the hero is particularly well done, although the heroine is a bit “too good to be true” - and also their strong chemistry together. It really felt like they were building a relationship, not just “instant love”. However, the ending was too rushed. Sean’s “big misunderstanding” actually made sense, in the context of his emotional issues, but there wasn’t enough time to really resolve it. (Although I appreciated that the heroine mentioned therapy - a realistic note that’s all too rare in romance.) This book could have easily gone on another 50 pages, and it would have been richer and more complete if it had.
Even though this book didn't quite hit keeper territory, it was so lovely to finally read a book that thrilled me. I was so glad to finally find a book with some real emotions and heart, I literally did the "happy dance" at one point while I was reading. (OK, that's a little weird, but it's been soooo long!)
Sunday, November 25, 2007
New Book, Just Like The Old Book
It's always tricky for an author to write a continuing series. One reason I enjoy the J.D. Robb books is that they're well crafted procedurals, the book version of a Law and Order episode. But I find myself somewhat unsatisfied by the "same old same old" in this case...
Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Futuristic Mystery) 11/24/07
Grade: 4
Eve is caught up in an old case - a serial killer is back, a killer that she and Feeney weren’t able to catch nine years earlier, when Eve was a rookie. As time runs out for the women he abducted and tortured, Eve and Roarke work the case and run down clues, trying to find the killer before he kills his last victim.
Another smooth entry in the J.D. Robb series. This one is pure procedural, with very little time for personal developments. It was well crafted, and easy to read as always, but didn’t have the spark of some of the other books. I enjoyed Roarke’s immersion in Eve’s world (and his annoyance at the tedium of police work), and the interesting hints about the Urban Wars, and it was certainly an enjoyable read, but nothing really special.
I think I need to stop buying these books in hardback. When I know I'm paying $15 or more for a book, I expect more from it - if I'd gotten this book from the library, or even bought it in paperback, I think my expectations would have been more easily fulfilled.
Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Futuristic Mystery) 11/24/07
Grade: 4
Eve is caught up in an old case - a serial killer is back, a killer that she and Feeney weren’t able to catch nine years earlier, when Eve was a rookie. As time runs out for the women he abducted and tortured, Eve and Roarke work the case and run down clues, trying to find the killer before he kills his last victim.
Another smooth entry in the J.D. Robb series. This one is pure procedural, with very little time for personal developments. It was well crafted, and easy to read as always, but didn’t have the spark of some of the other books. I enjoyed Roarke’s immersion in Eve’s world (and his annoyance at the tedium of police work), and the interesting hints about the Urban Wars, and it was certainly an enjoyable read, but nothing really special.
I think I need to stop buying these books in hardback. When I know I'm paying $15 or more for a book, I expect more from it - if I'd gotten this book from the library, or even bought it in paperback, I think my expectations would have been more easily fulfilled.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
An Affair Before Christmas
I've actually never read Eloisa James before, although I met her at a previous CR conference, and I have several of her books in my TBR pile. I thought I'd be up-to-date for once, and read a newly released book!
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
(2007, Georgian) 11/10/07
Grade: 3.5
Although the marriage between Lady Perdita (Poppy) and the Duke of Fletcher started out as a love match, four years it’s turned into frosty coldness. Fletch decides to have an affair, which leads Poppy to discover who she is, other than a wife and daughter. And this leads their friends and acquaintances to reconsider their own relationships.
Eloisa James has a particular style - her main characters often take the back seat to numerous secondary characters. I found this style a bit frustrating at times, since the author jumps from one character to another (sometimes in the middle of a scene!) and sometimes the main story got short shrift. (The heroine’s sexual problems are resolved in one quick scene, and I thought they needed more space.) However, the Georgian world James has created is fascinating, and James does a good job in created well-rounded, sympathetic characters, even when the characters are doing things that aren’t that “likeable”. I read this book in a single sitting, so she was doing something right. I’m curious to see what happens next.
Series books that are closely related are hard for me. I'm someone who reads a book and loves it in the moment, but mostly forgets it once I'm done. Right now, the characters in this book are fresh in my mind, but once I've read a few more books, I'll have a hard time remembering them. The problem is, if the next book in this series comes out in six months or a year, I won't remember all the character development and plotting that the author worked so hard on in this book - to my forgetful mind, it will be like I've never read the author before. That makes it hard to really appreciate a multi-book series where the books are closely inter-related, unless I wait until all the books have been published and then read them back-to-back. That's a big committment.
So, will I buy the next book in this series? Unsure.
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
(2007, Georgian) 11/10/07
Grade: 3.5
Although the marriage between Lady Perdita (Poppy) and the Duke of Fletcher started out as a love match, four years it’s turned into frosty coldness. Fletch decides to have an affair, which leads Poppy to discover who she is, other than a wife and daughter. And this leads their friends and acquaintances to reconsider their own relationships.
Eloisa James has a particular style - her main characters often take the back seat to numerous secondary characters. I found this style a bit frustrating at times, since the author jumps from one character to another (sometimes in the middle of a scene!) and sometimes the main story got short shrift. (The heroine’s sexual problems are resolved in one quick scene, and I thought they needed more space.) However, the Georgian world James has created is fascinating, and James does a good job in created well-rounded, sympathetic characters, even when the characters are doing things that aren’t that “likeable”. I read this book in a single sitting, so she was doing something right. I’m curious to see what happens next.
Series books that are closely related are hard for me. I'm someone who reads a book and loves it in the moment, but mostly forgets it once I'm done. Right now, the characters in this book are fresh in my mind, but once I've read a few more books, I'll have a hard time remembering them. The problem is, if the next book in this series comes out in six months or a year, I won't remember all the character development and plotting that the author worked so hard on in this book - to my forgetful mind, it will be like I've never read the author before. That makes it hard to really appreciate a multi-book series where the books are closely inter-related, unless I wait until all the books have been published and then read them back-to-back. That's a big committment.
So, will I buy the next book in this series? Unsure.
Friday, October 26, 2007
An Unusual Georgian
Another Georgian masquerading as a Regency - for the most part, this could be a Regency, except for the references to lace cuffs and high heeled shoes (for the men!)
The Parfit Knight by Juliet Blyth
(1986, Georgian) 10/26/07
Grade: 3.5
Since a childhood accident, Rosalind has lived in the country, her routine making it easier to deal with her blindness. It’s only when the Marquis of Amberley is stranded on her doorstep that she realizes what she’s been missing, and decides to join her brother in London. But will secrets in Amberley’s past keep them apart?
There were a lot of good things about this book. The characters were well written, and the scenes in the country show the attraction between Amberley and Rosalind. But once the action moves to London, the book becomes crowded with characters and side plots. The secondary characters are interesting, but it takes away from the central love story, which is pushed off to the side for a large part of the book. And the “misunderstanding” between the hero and heroine goes on for too long, and keeps them apart during much of the second half. I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t reach the heights that it could have, if the author had followed through.
I found it hard to grade this book, because I read it in fits and starts over a period of a couple of weeks. Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd read it straight through - but if it had been a better book, I probably would have found the time to keep reading.
The Parfit Knight by Juliet Blyth
(1986, Georgian) 10/26/07
Grade: 3.5
Since a childhood accident, Rosalind has lived in the country, her routine making it easier to deal with her blindness. It’s only when the Marquis of Amberley is stranded on her doorstep that she realizes what she’s been missing, and decides to join her brother in London. But will secrets in Amberley’s past keep them apart?
There were a lot of good things about this book. The characters were well written, and the scenes in the country show the attraction between Amberley and Rosalind. But once the action moves to London, the book becomes crowded with characters and side plots. The secondary characters are interesting, but it takes away from the central love story, which is pushed off to the side for a large part of the book. And the “misunderstanding” between the hero and heroine goes on for too long, and keeps them apart during much of the second half. I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t reach the heights that it could have, if the author had followed through.
I found it hard to grade this book, because I read it in fits and starts over a period of a couple of weeks. Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd read it straight through - but if it had been a better book, I probably would have found the time to keep reading.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Not Quite Up To Par
I consider Cheryl St. John a buried treasure, and I'm always surprised she's not a more popular writer. Although I don't have any of her books as keepers, she's one of the most reliable romance writers today - even when she's not at the top of her game, her books are still worth reading. I can't say that about many other authors (even Mary Balogh has written some books I couldn't finish!).
Land of Dreams by Cheryl St. John
(1995, Western) 10/20/07
Grade: 3.5
Booker has come to Nebraska looking for his orphaned niece, who was taken in by spinster Thea. Little Zoe needs a mother, so Booker hires Thea as a housekeeper, and quickly realizes he’d rather have her as a wife. But Thea finds it hard to believe that anyone could love a tall, red-headed, older spinster like her.
Unfortunately, not one of Cheryl St. John’s best books. (It’s one of her earliest ones, and it shows.) Although the characters are well written (as always!), the relationship between Booker and Thea founders in the second half, in the wake of the “big misunderstanding”. The kids are cute (especially the hostile, abused teenager Luke) but this book just doesn’t have St. John’s usual flair and emotional appeal. Good, but not great.
I'm glad I have several more St. John books in my TBR pile - hopefully they'll be more satisfying than this one.
Land of Dreams by Cheryl St. John
(1995, Western) 10/20/07
Grade: 3.5
Booker has come to Nebraska looking for his orphaned niece, who was taken in by spinster Thea. Little Zoe needs a mother, so Booker hires Thea as a housekeeper, and quickly realizes he’d rather have her as a wife. But Thea finds it hard to believe that anyone could love a tall, red-headed, older spinster like her.
Unfortunately, not one of Cheryl St. John’s best books. (It’s one of her earliest ones, and it shows.) Although the characters are well written (as always!), the relationship between Booker and Thea founders in the second half, in the wake of the “big misunderstanding”. The kids are cute (especially the hostile, abused teenager Luke) but this book just doesn’t have St. John’s usual flair and emotional appeal. Good, but not great.
I'm glad I have several more St. John books in my TBR pile - hopefully they'll be more satisfying than this one.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Blah Series Books
I haven't been reading a lot lately - between moving and catching up on the new TV season (I love Reaper!), I haven't had much time. Now that I've unpacked my books, hopefully I'll get back to reading a little more.
But here are two older series books that I read in between unpacking boxes, both kind of blah, unfortunately.
A Chance of Rainbows by Anne McAllister
(1985, Contemporary Series) 9/4/07
Grade: 3
After seven months of marriage, Lainie is frustrated by her husband’s silences - until she comes home one night to find he’s moved out! Griff thinks the problem is Lainie’s demanding job as a marriage counselor, but is the real problem his memories of a turbulent childhood?
Surprisingly dull. I really wanted to like this book, because I usually enjoy “marriage in trouble” stories, but this one just didn’t do much for me. The characters were likeable, but the problems between them just didn’t seem that difficult to overcome. There were some interesting aspects of the book - I liked Lainie’s job as a marriage counselor, and I’ve never read about a hero who was an umpire, but the book just seemed predictable from the first page. Some authors can make a tried-and-true story come alive, but this one just fell flat.
Body and Soul by Janice Kaiser
(1990, Contemporary Series) 10/6/07
Grade:3
Derek Gordon has escaped to a remote cottage, to work on his book and escape the turmoil at home. His wife is in a nursing home, and his relationship with his stepson is unraveling. Despite his situation, he is immediately drawn to poet Lara Serenov, but knows he must stay away. But when her ex won’t take “No” for an answer, they are forced together.
Although the situation between Derek and Lara was poignant (and handled very sensitively), the book lacked something. One problem was the “instant attraction” between Derek and Lara. It seemed like the author put them together, said “they’re attracted” and then never really grew their relationship beyond that. Also, the situation with Lara’s ex-husband, seemed contrived, a way to get the hero and heroine together. But mostly, the book was just dull - I can’t explain exactly why, but despite the potentially heartrending situation, it just left me cold.
I have a large backlog of old series books, but I know that reading them is kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - there are some great series reads, but there are a lot more that are just blah. But still, they're quick and easy to read, so I keep trying...
But here are two older series books that I read in between unpacking boxes, both kind of blah, unfortunately.
A Chance of Rainbows by Anne McAllister
(1985, Contemporary Series) 9/4/07
Grade: 3
After seven months of marriage, Lainie is frustrated by her husband’s silences - until she comes home one night to find he’s moved out! Griff thinks the problem is Lainie’s demanding job as a marriage counselor, but is the real problem his memories of a turbulent childhood?
Surprisingly dull. I really wanted to like this book, because I usually enjoy “marriage in trouble” stories, but this one just didn’t do much for me. The characters were likeable, but the problems between them just didn’t seem that difficult to overcome. There were some interesting aspects of the book - I liked Lainie’s job as a marriage counselor, and I’ve never read about a hero who was an umpire, but the book just seemed predictable from the first page. Some authors can make a tried-and-true story come alive, but this one just fell flat.
Body and Soul by Janice Kaiser
(1990, Contemporary Series) 10/6/07
Grade:3
Derek Gordon has escaped to a remote cottage, to work on his book and escape the turmoil at home. His wife is in a nursing home, and his relationship with his stepson is unraveling. Despite his situation, he is immediately drawn to poet Lara Serenov, but knows he must stay away. But when her ex won’t take “No” for an answer, they are forced together.
Although the situation between Derek and Lara was poignant (and handled very sensitively), the book lacked something. One problem was the “instant attraction” between Derek and Lara. It seemed like the author put them together, said “they’re attracted” and then never really grew their relationship beyond that. Also, the situation with Lara’s ex-husband, seemed contrived, a way to get the hero and heroine together. But mostly, the book was just dull - I can’t explain exactly why, but despite the potentially heartrending situation, it just left me cold.
I have a large backlog of old series books, but I know that reading them is kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - there are some great series reads, but there are a lot more that are just blah. But still, they're quick and easy to read, so I keep trying...
Monday, August 27, 2007
Chemistry Is All
After reading The Earl's Prize, I had to run out and find Juliana's story, although I read a few books between the two!
Wayward Widow by Nicola Cornick
(2003, Regency) 8/26/07
Grade: 3
Wicked widow Juliana Myfleet is notorious among the ton for her gambling and outrageous stunts. But underneath it all, Juliana is lonely and uses “fun” to divert her from the emptiness of her life. When she meets serious aspiring politician Martin Davencourt (after a childhood acquaintance) she can’t take him seriously - but also can’t help but be attracted.
Surprisingly disappointing, considering how much I enjoyed the previous book. I love an experienced heroine, but there was something about Juliana that just didn’t ring true, especially when it came to her relationship with Martin. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but there just weren’t any sparks between them. Martin, in particular, didn’t seem to have a lot of personality other than his devotion to his siblings. But still, I would have graded it a bit higher if it hadn’t been for a “twist” in the final chapter, which came out of nowhere and didn’t add anything to the story other than a big “huh?” It made no sense and ended the story on an odd, almost creepy note.
Sometimes I feel sorry for authors. Why does one couple sparkle together, while another couple just fizzles? It's a factor that will make or break a book for me, and yet I can't explain exactly why one book works and another doesn't, even by the same author! I'll stick to my chemistry in the laboratory... it's more reliable!
Wayward Widow by Nicola Cornick
(2003, Regency) 8/26/07
Grade: 3
Wicked widow Juliana Myfleet is notorious among the ton for her gambling and outrageous stunts. But underneath it all, Juliana is lonely and uses “fun” to divert her from the emptiness of her life. When she meets serious aspiring politician Martin Davencourt (after a childhood acquaintance) she can’t take him seriously - but also can’t help but be attracted.
Surprisingly disappointing, considering how much I enjoyed the previous book. I love an experienced heroine, but there was something about Juliana that just didn’t ring true, especially when it came to her relationship with Martin. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but there just weren’t any sparks between them. Martin, in particular, didn’t seem to have a lot of personality other than his devotion to his siblings. But still, I would have graded it a bit higher if it hadn’t been for a “twist” in the final chapter, which came out of nowhere and didn’t add anything to the story other than a big “huh?” It made no sense and ended the story on an odd, almost creepy note.
Sometimes I feel sorry for authors. Why does one couple sparkle together, while another couple just fizzles? It's a factor that will make or break a book for me, and yet I can't explain exactly why one book works and another doesn't, even by the same author! I'll stick to my chemistry in the laboratory... it's more reliable!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
All Or Nothing
I've read a couple of Claire Cross's medievals, but I wasn't even aware that she'd switched to contemporary until a read a review of this book. It seemed like a good fit for my current situation (I'm moving and running arround trying to get things ready, so light hearted books are appealing at the moment) so I splurged.
All Or Nothing by Claire Cross
(Contemporary, 2007) 8/20/07
Grade: 3.5
When Jen needs a date for Thanksgiving with her family, she decides to invite a corporate suit, who’ll annoy her family and get her off the hook. But she makes the wrong choice with Zach, the onetime black sheep of his family who is trying to make a new life for himself, and would like to do it with Jen! But is she willing to start a new life as well?
A pleasant surprise. Although I was expecting this book to be light and fun (as advertised), it dealt with some surprisingly serious themes - Jen’s recovery from cancer, Zach’s past with drugs and his guilt over his father’s suicide - while still keeping a light-hearted tone. The author excels in creating interesting and unique characters, from the hero and heroine to the many secondary characters (especially Jen’s family). The book was just enjoyable and fun to read. However, there were some flaws, especially in the last section. The “joke” about Zach and Jen getting married went on for too long, and it shortcut a real discussion about the future of their relationship (because any time they started to address it, they would just fall back on “oh, it’s just a joke, ha ha”) It got old. Also, the last quarter of the book was overstuffed with characters from previous books, and it seemed like they were only there to update readers of the series. Minor flaws, but I had to drop my grade just a bit because of that.
I understand that publishers need to make money. But at least for this romance reader, the increasing use of trade-size paperbacks is backfiring. I was very reluctant to buy this book at this price, and I only splurged because I had an Amazon gift certificate I had to use right away. I'm just not likely to take a chance on an author if I have to pay $14 for the privilege, and I rarely find trades at the library or the used bookstore. And I never know if a trade-size book is going to come out in regular paperback - most of them don't ever make it to mass market, or it takes several years. So it's "all or nothing" - I have to pay full price or I can't buy the book at all. I enjoyed this book, but will I pay $14 for her next one? Doubtful. It wasn't that great. I probably would buy it if I could pick it up for $6 or $7 (or even $8). Trades may attract the non-romance reader who thinks a trade size book is more "respectable" than a regular paperback. But this book was a fairly traditional contemporary romance, and I'm afraid a lot of romance readers have the same attitude toward trades that I do - will the non-romance buyers make up for the loss of romance readers?
All Or Nothing by Claire Cross
(Contemporary, 2007) 8/20/07
Grade: 3.5
When Jen needs a date for Thanksgiving with her family, she decides to invite a corporate suit, who’ll annoy her family and get her off the hook. But she makes the wrong choice with Zach, the onetime black sheep of his family who is trying to make a new life for himself, and would like to do it with Jen! But is she willing to start a new life as well?
A pleasant surprise. Although I was expecting this book to be light and fun (as advertised), it dealt with some surprisingly serious themes - Jen’s recovery from cancer, Zach’s past with drugs and his guilt over his father’s suicide - while still keeping a light-hearted tone. The author excels in creating interesting and unique characters, from the hero and heroine to the many secondary characters (especially Jen’s family). The book was just enjoyable and fun to read. However, there were some flaws, especially in the last section. The “joke” about Zach and Jen getting married went on for too long, and it shortcut a real discussion about the future of their relationship (because any time they started to address it, they would just fall back on “oh, it’s just a joke, ha ha”) It got old. Also, the last quarter of the book was overstuffed with characters from previous books, and it seemed like they were only there to update readers of the series. Minor flaws, but I had to drop my grade just a bit because of that.
I understand that publishers need to make money. But at least for this romance reader, the increasing use of trade-size paperbacks is backfiring. I was very reluctant to buy this book at this price, and I only splurged because I had an Amazon gift certificate I had to use right away. I'm just not likely to take a chance on an author if I have to pay $14 for the privilege, and I rarely find trades at the library or the used bookstore. And I never know if a trade-size book is going to come out in regular paperback - most of them don't ever make it to mass market, or it takes several years. So it's "all or nothing" - I have to pay full price or I can't buy the book at all. I enjoyed this book, but will I pay $14 for her next one? Doubtful. It wasn't that great. I probably would buy it if I could pick it up for $6 or $7 (or even $8). Trades may attract the non-romance reader who thinks a trade size book is more "respectable" than a regular paperback. But this book was a fairly traditional contemporary romance, and I'm afraid a lot of romance readers have the same attitude toward trades that I do - will the non-romance buyers make up for the loss of romance readers?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Are You A Blue Cow?
I've picked up a bit of Regency cant over the years, but "blue cow" is a new one to me. I'm not sure what this one means, but the heroine is called a "blue cow" several times...
Wife Errant by Joan Smith
(1992, Regency) 8/18/07
Grade: 3
Tess is at her wit's end. Her father is running around with a notorious widow, and her mother is threatening divorce. No one is considering how the scandal will affect Tess and her younger sister Dulcie! In desparation, Tess approaches Lord Revel, a neighbor and rake, to give her parents a wake-up call. This relationship is just supposed to be an act... isn’t it?
A perky Regency, by an author who knows far too much about Regency cant, and is determined to throw it into any scene she can. The story itself is fluff, and the characters rather stereotypical, but still, the characters are entertaining, and it was fun for a while. I got tired of it by the end - the characters just didn’t have a lot of depth, and the story got repetitive by the last chapters.
I suppose this would be considered an "old style Regency" although Joan Smith continued writing this type of book well into the 1990's. This one had a definite zest, although it needed a better plot to keep the characters interesting.
Wife Errant by Joan Smith
(1992, Regency) 8/18/07
Grade: 3
Tess is at her wit's end. Her father is running around with a notorious widow, and her mother is threatening divorce. No one is considering how the scandal will affect Tess and her younger sister Dulcie! In desparation, Tess approaches Lord Revel, a neighbor and rake, to give her parents a wake-up call. This relationship is just supposed to be an act... isn’t it?
A perky Regency, by an author who knows far too much about Regency cant, and is determined to throw it into any scene she can. The story itself is fluff, and the characters rather stereotypical, but still, the characters are entertaining, and it was fun for a while. I got tired of it by the end - the characters just didn’t have a lot of depth, and the story got repetitive by the last chapters.
I suppose this would be considered an "old style Regency" although Joan Smith continued writing this type of book well into the 1990's. This one had a definite zest, although it needed a better plot to keep the characters interesting.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
What Makes A Book Sexy?
I've had mixed results with Lisa Cach - she wrote a short story that was a keeper for me, but her longer books haven't been very successful so far. But based on her previous works, I thought she might be able to to write something fun and sexy.
The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid by Lisa Cach
(2006, Contemporary) 8/17/07
Grade: 3
In order to make ends meet while trying to find a job as an architect, Emma took a part-time job cleaning houses. But she didn’t expect to meet a sexy client like Russ! Workaholic nerd Russ thinks Emma is out of his league. But when she suggests that she might like to be his mistress - and when Russ mistakenly takes her up on it - things begin to get interesting.
At first, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well written and unique, and the author took a lighthearted approach to the sex scenes that made them fun and erotic. But instead of the sex getting more fun and enjoyable as the book went on, it became awkward and joyless instead. (Supposedly they found more satisfaction as they fell in love, but the sex scenes just became more tedious instead of sexier.) I got frustrated as the hero and heroine persisted in their misunderstandings, and pushed each other away, long past the point when it made sense. I was really hoping that Lisa Cach could write an erotic novel that was both heartfelt and fun, but this one just fell flat.
I keep hoping that some author will write an erotic novel that has sex scenes that are fun and joyful. Even though sex is supposed to be enjoyable, most sex scenes in erotica seem more like work, even when the characters are purportedly happy. Most erotic authors just don't capture the playful, fun aspects of sex. One of the sexiest books I've ever read was a Harlequin Temptation from 1991 - Forbidden Fantasy by Tiffany White. The characters don't actually have intercourse until almost the end of the book, but the whole book is extended foreplay - scenarios that make sex lighthearted and teasing and fun. I find that much more appealing than the approach of most erotica, which seems to take all the fun out of sex and turns it into homework.
The Erotic Secrets of a French Maid by Lisa Cach
(2006, Contemporary) 8/17/07
Grade: 3
In order to make ends meet while trying to find a job as an architect, Emma took a part-time job cleaning houses. But she didn’t expect to meet a sexy client like Russ! Workaholic nerd Russ thinks Emma is out of his league. But when she suggests that she might like to be his mistress - and when Russ mistakenly takes her up on it - things begin to get interesting.
At first, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well written and unique, and the author took a lighthearted approach to the sex scenes that made them fun and erotic. But instead of the sex getting more fun and enjoyable as the book went on, it became awkward and joyless instead. (Supposedly they found more satisfaction as they fell in love, but the sex scenes just became more tedious instead of sexier.) I got frustrated as the hero and heroine persisted in their misunderstandings, and pushed each other away, long past the point when it made sense. I was really hoping that Lisa Cach could write an erotic novel that was both heartfelt and fun, but this one just fell flat.
I keep hoping that some author will write an erotic novel that has sex scenes that are fun and joyful. Even though sex is supposed to be enjoyable, most sex scenes in erotica seem more like work, even when the characters are purportedly happy. Most erotic authors just don't capture the playful, fun aspects of sex. One of the sexiest books I've ever read was a Harlequin Temptation from 1991 - Forbidden Fantasy by Tiffany White. The characters don't actually have intercourse until almost the end of the book, but the whole book is extended foreplay - scenarios that make sex lighthearted and teasing and fun. I find that much more appealing than the approach of most erotica, which seems to take all the fun out of sex and turns it into homework.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Reaching But Not Finding
What is Harlequin trying to do with Harlequin Everlasting? I can't quite figure it out. In theory, I like the idea of exploring long term relationships. It's a nice change to read about an established couple, rather than the typical courtship story. But I'm not sure if this series line is the answer.
The Marriage Bed by Judith Arnold (HE 7)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 8/11/07
Grade: 3.5
37 years after Drew Foster left Joelle pregnant and alone, he’s come back, asking for help to save his son. Joelle married childhood friend Bobby DeFranco, and they built a happy life together, but they never told their daughter that she wasn’t Bobby’s biological child. Will their family survive the secrets that Drew stirred up with his unexpected visit?
An interesting book that tries to do too much in a relatively short space. (A problem that plagues many of the Harlequin Everlasting titles.) The book is split between the present and flashbacks of Joelle and Bobby’s early life together. These flashbacks are important and poignant, but they take up a lot of space in a 270 page book, which leaves the present-day scenes feeling shortchanged. I also found the family’s reactions to the revelation a bit overwrought (maybe because I’m adopted and it just didn’t seem that earthshattering to me). The over-the-top reaction sometimes seemed more of a plot device than a real emotional response. And yet, the connection between Bobby and Joelle is always there, and it holds together the book even when the structure feels forced. This book was definitely flawed, but the strong characterization of the hero and heroine made it worth reading despite those flaws.
I'm reminded of a series book from the 1990's, A Husband By Any Other Name by Cheryl St. John. The premise has some similarities to this book - a long married couple is rocked by a secret from the past - but somehow, Cheryl St. John was able to make the story work despite the short length. (But, then, Cheryl St. John can do most anything, so maybe it's an unfair comparison. :->)
The Marriage Bed by Judith Arnold (HE 7)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 8/11/07
Grade: 3.5
37 years after Drew Foster left Joelle pregnant and alone, he’s come back, asking for help to save his son. Joelle married childhood friend Bobby DeFranco, and they built a happy life together, but they never told their daughter that she wasn’t Bobby’s biological child. Will their family survive the secrets that Drew stirred up with his unexpected visit?
An interesting book that tries to do too much in a relatively short space. (A problem that plagues many of the Harlequin Everlasting titles.) The book is split between the present and flashbacks of Joelle and Bobby’s early life together. These flashbacks are important and poignant, but they take up a lot of space in a 270 page book, which leaves the present-day scenes feeling shortchanged. I also found the family’s reactions to the revelation a bit overwrought (maybe because I’m adopted and it just didn’t seem that earthshattering to me). The over-the-top reaction sometimes seemed more of a plot device than a real emotional response. And yet, the connection between Bobby and Joelle is always there, and it holds together the book even when the structure feels forced. This book was definitely flawed, but the strong characterization of the hero and heroine made it worth reading despite those flaws.
I'm reminded of a series book from the 1990's, A Husband By Any Other Name by Cheryl St. John. The premise has some similarities to this book - a long married couple is rocked by a secret from the past - but somehow, Cheryl St. John was able to make the story work despite the short length. (But, then, Cheryl St. John can do most anything, so maybe it's an unfair comparison. :->)
Can't Win Them All
I try to keep a record of all the books I read, as long as I make it through at least half the book. (Maybe I should keep a record of all the books I start and toss within the first couple of chapters, but it's just too depressing.) It's a joy to write about a book that I loved - and it's even fun to write about a book that had noteable flaws. But when a book is just blah... what can you say?
Undiscovered Hero by Stephanie Doyle (SIM 792)
(1997, Contemporary Series) 8/9/07
Grade: 3
Trying to save a student from a gang initiation, teacher Delany Sheridan ends up in the hospital, unsure if she’ll ever walk again. The only bright spot in her life is Zach Montgomery, the man who saved her - or did he? Zach is actually an undercover DEA agent, but he’s not sure he can live with his guilt over Delany’s injuries, and build a life with her.
Surprisingly boring. This book has all the elements that I like - a tortured hero, tortured heroine, recovery from an illness, etc. - but I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. I could barely force myself to finish (and I did a lot of skimming toward the end.) I never really understood why these two characters fell in love in the first place, other than proximity. It’s always difficult to explain why some books fall flat despite having all the right “pieces”, but this one definitely fell into that category. Nothing terribly bad about it, it was just dull.
Blah books are one reason I don't write official "book reviews" any more. I used to write reviews for the now-defunct Bookbug site, and it was so difficult to try and explain why I found a book boring. I spent more time trying to write about the blah books than I did writing about the good ones, and it was just too frustrating.
Undiscovered Hero by Stephanie Doyle (SIM 792)
(1997, Contemporary Series) 8/9/07
Grade: 3
Trying to save a student from a gang initiation, teacher Delany Sheridan ends up in the hospital, unsure if she’ll ever walk again. The only bright spot in her life is Zach Montgomery, the man who saved her - or did he? Zach is actually an undercover DEA agent, but he’s not sure he can live with his guilt over Delany’s injuries, and build a life with her.
Surprisingly boring. This book has all the elements that I like - a tortured hero, tortured heroine, recovery from an illness, etc. - but I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. I could barely force myself to finish (and I did a lot of skimming toward the end.) I never really understood why these two characters fell in love in the first place, other than proximity. It’s always difficult to explain why some books fall flat despite having all the right “pieces”, but this one definitely fell into that category. Nothing terribly bad about it, it was just dull.
Blah books are one reason I don't write official "book reviews" any more. I used to write reviews for the now-defunct Bookbug site, and it was so difficult to try and explain why I found a book boring. I spent more time trying to write about the blah books than I did writing about the good ones, and it was just too frustrating.
And A New Version
A cheer of thanks for Harlequin Historical. Although their quality is somewhat spotty, I have to give a lot of credit to Harlequin for continuing to publish Harlequin Historicals - and keeping alive the Regency, the Western, and many other types of books that have been lost in the sea of fluffy Regency-set historicals and paranormals that fill the shelves these days.
The Earl's Prize by Nicola Cornick
(2002, Regency) 8/9/07
Grade: 4
After her father ruined the family with his gambling, Mary expected a future of genteel poverty. She’s intrigued by her brother’s friend Joss, the Earl of Tallent, despite his scandalous reputation. But when she wins a fortune in the lottery, her life changes overnight - but will it change her character as well? Can she be happy with a supposed gambler like Joss?
A delightful book. The characters had that ineffable “something” that made them a joy to read about - I found myself smiling all through the second half, just because I was so glad they found each other. The storyline wasn’t particularly new - winning money in a lottery was new but not that different from inheriting from a relative - but it was the well-drawn and sympathetic characters that made the story worth reading.
It's hard to explain why this book was so appealing, but something about it just made it a joy to read. I got the same feeling from the first half of Nicola Cornick's recent book, Deceived (which unfortunately, fell apart in the last half.) I enjoyed The Earl's Prize so much that I ran out today and bought the sequel.
The Earl's Prize by Nicola Cornick
(2002, Regency) 8/9/07
Grade: 4
After her father ruined the family with his gambling, Mary expected a future of genteel poverty. She’s intrigued by her brother’s friend Joss, the Earl of Tallent, despite his scandalous reputation. But when she wins a fortune in the lottery, her life changes overnight - but will it change her character as well? Can she be happy with a supposed gambler like Joss?
A delightful book. The characters had that ineffable “something” that made them a joy to read about - I found myself smiling all through the second half, just because I was so glad they found each other. The storyline wasn’t particularly new - winning money in a lottery was new but not that different from inheriting from a relative - but it was the well-drawn and sympathetic characters that made the story worth reading.
It's hard to explain why this book was so appealing, but something about it just made it a joy to read. I got the same feeling from the first half of Nicola Cornick's recent book, Deceived (which unfortunately, fell apart in the last half.) I enjoyed The Earl's Prize so much that I ran out today and bought the sequel.
More Blasts From The Past
Most Regency lovers cut their teeth on Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. Although I'm a huge fan of Regencies, I started out reading more modern authors like Mary Balogh and Mary Jo Putney - authors that focus primarily on the emotions of the hero and heroine, even though they're writing within the Regency format. I sometimes find it hard to read older Regencies, because they don't focus on the hero and heroine's emotions - I've never been able to read Heyer, for example, because I find her characters too remote and unemotional. I want more insight into the characters' hearts.
The Regencies from the early 1980's are a bit of a hybrid. Some of them are the traditional "comedies of manners" while others are beginning to develop the emotionalism of later authors.
The Lady Next Door by Elizabeth Neff Walker
(1981, Georgian) 8/8/07
Grade: 3.5
Marianne Findlay has mostly retired from York society, after a scandal in her past. She lives quietly with her aunt and takes in boarders. But when the Earl of Latteridge takes residence next door, Marianne finds her life turned upside-down, even though he’s the son of the woman who caused her disgrace years before.
A surprisingly enjoyable “slice of life” story. It was interesting to read a book in the Regency “style” that was set in the earlier Georgian period. (After hundreds of books about Empire dresses and the ton, it was fun to read about lace cuffs, coffee houses and wigs.) This isn’t exactly a typical romance - the relationship between Marianne and Pressington is only part of the story, and we barely get a glimpse of their emotions. They’re one pair in a large set of secondary characters. But the author does a great job in depicting all of the secondary charcters with great vividness, and bringing them to life in an entertaining way. The second half of the book was less enjoyable than the first half - once all the wheels had been set in motion, it was clear how everything would play out and it was just a question of watching all the couples come together - but the well written characters made it worth reading.
(I include this as a "Regency" because it's written in the same style and format as the traditional Regency - just set a few years earlier.)
The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
(1982, Regency) 8/10/07
Grade: 4
When American Tracy Bodmin arrives in England, she has no intention of staying. She’s an American and a republican, through and through! But her dying father wants her to marry the Duke of Hastings, and she’s not indifferent to His Grace either. But it’s only after they’re married that she realizes just how much her American life has changed...
A well written and intriguing Regency. I was a little bit skeptical of Tracy’s super-Americanism (the US in 1800 wasn’t as classless as Tracy insists, and she’s also lived a privileged life) but the author shows Tracy’s gradual understanding of her husband’s position and responsibilities. She also depics Adrian as a truly dukely Duke. I wasn’t sure how to grade this book, because it didn’t have the emotional resonance of other Regencies, and there was a misunderstanding that marred the last section. But it was very readable, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Although it's hard to draw a bright line between the "Regency" and the "Regency Historical", there's definitely something different about a book like The American Duchess and the typical Regency-set historical that you find on the shelves today. Although Harlequin Historical is keeping the Regency alive to some extent, I think the romance world has lost something valuable with the demise of the Regency.
The Regencies from the early 1980's are a bit of a hybrid. Some of them are the traditional "comedies of manners" while others are beginning to develop the emotionalism of later authors.
The Lady Next Door by Elizabeth Neff Walker
(1981, Georgian) 8/8/07
Grade: 3.5
Marianne Findlay has mostly retired from York society, after a scandal in her past. She lives quietly with her aunt and takes in boarders. But when the Earl of Latteridge takes residence next door, Marianne finds her life turned upside-down, even though he’s the son of the woman who caused her disgrace years before.
A surprisingly enjoyable “slice of life” story. It was interesting to read a book in the Regency “style” that was set in the earlier Georgian period. (After hundreds of books about Empire dresses and the ton, it was fun to read about lace cuffs, coffee houses and wigs.) This isn’t exactly a typical romance - the relationship between Marianne and Pressington is only part of the story, and we barely get a glimpse of their emotions. They’re one pair in a large set of secondary characters. But the author does a great job in depicting all of the secondary charcters with great vividness, and bringing them to life in an entertaining way. The second half of the book was less enjoyable than the first half - once all the wheels had been set in motion, it was clear how everything would play out and it was just a question of watching all the couples come together - but the well written characters made it worth reading.
(I include this as a "Regency" because it's written in the same style and format as the traditional Regency - just set a few years earlier.)
The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
(1982, Regency) 8/10/07
Grade: 4
When American Tracy Bodmin arrives in England, she has no intention of staying. She’s an American and a republican, through and through! But her dying father wants her to marry the Duke of Hastings, and she’s not indifferent to His Grace either. But it’s only after they’re married that she realizes just how much her American life has changed...
A well written and intriguing Regency. I was a little bit skeptical of Tracy’s super-Americanism (the US in 1800 wasn’t as classless as Tracy insists, and she’s also lived a privileged life) but the author shows Tracy’s gradual understanding of her husband’s position and responsibilities. She also depics Adrian as a truly dukely Duke. I wasn’t sure how to grade this book, because it didn’t have the emotional resonance of other Regencies, and there was a misunderstanding that marred the last section. But it was very readable, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Although it's hard to draw a bright line between the "Regency" and the "Regency Historical", there's definitely something different about a book like The American Duchess and the typical Regency-set historical that you find on the shelves today. Although Harlequin Historical is keeping the Regency alive to some extent, I think the romance world has lost something valuable with the demise of the Regency.
Books From The Vault
I had some fun, digging out some old relics from my TBR "pile". (Actually, 28 boxes.) Some of my finds were unsuccessful, but I found some interesting books, hiding in the depths of my TBR. First, two Hollywood books:
I Know My Love by Vivian Connolly (THH 10)
(1983, Contemporary Series) 8/7/07
Grade: 3.5
Three years after their impulsive marriage, Irish actor Brian and American up-and-comer Katie seem to have the perfect marriage. But as Katie’s career takes off (and takes her to Hollywood), they both begin to wonder if their marriage can take the strain of separations and doubt, especially as Katie’s career begins to eclipse Brian’s.
The story was somewhat predictable (cue A Star Is Born) but the author did an excellent job at showing the hero and heroine as a real married couple - a lot of “marriage in trouble” books just focus on the problems and don’t ever show their underlying connection. Brian and Katie have an underlying rapport (as well as sexual atttraction) that makes the reader believe in them. She also makes their love of acting seem real, instead of the unreal “romance novel actors” that you often see in books. Their problems aren’t huge, but the author shows how the small things begin to add up and take them apart from each other. Even though the story was somewhat predictable, it’s one of the stronger entries in this series line (which never really found its voice, unfortuately).
Fantasies by Pamela Wallace (SIM 24)
(1983, Contemporary Series) 8/8/07
Grade: 4.5
Devon O’Neill has spent her career working her way up the ladder as a producer, and now she’s been named the head of UFS studios. Although it’s a dream come true, she quickly runs into problems, especially when it comes to producer Spencer Tait. Although she’s attracted to him and admires his work, her position means she can’t openly admit her feelings.
An intriguing and seemingly realistic view of life in Hollywood. Although Devon is perhaps a bit young for her job, the author shows how she worked her way up and her skills at managing the studio. I found both characters extremely well written and real. The book deals with some interesting issues about women in the workplace, becoming your friends’ boss, and balancing career and love - all things that are just as relevant today as they were in 1983. I was afraid the relationship would turn into a typical “I hate you - I love you” story, but Wallace sidesteps that romance cliche and builds a relationship built on mutual respect - how refreshing! She also deals head-on with the career vs. family problem, and doesn’t automatically have the heroine choose love while throwing aside everything else. All in all, this was a wonderful surprise - I wasn’t expecting such a mature, satisfying book, but I’m so glad I found it!
What fun to find buried treasure from the early 80's. One thing that always amuses me, though. Whenever romance writers have their characters appear in movies, they always appear in sweeping historical epics. This always seems like wishful thinking more than reality - the kind of movies that romance writers think Hollywood should produce, rather than what they really do. Not that historical epics don't come out every now and then, but if you based your view of the movies on romance novels, you'd think they were the most popular films in Hollywood.
I Know My Love by Vivian Connolly (THH 10)
(1983, Contemporary Series) 8/7/07
Grade: 3.5
Three years after their impulsive marriage, Irish actor Brian and American up-and-comer Katie seem to have the perfect marriage. But as Katie’s career takes off (and takes her to Hollywood), they both begin to wonder if their marriage can take the strain of separations and doubt, especially as Katie’s career begins to eclipse Brian’s.
The story was somewhat predictable (cue A Star Is Born) but the author did an excellent job at showing the hero and heroine as a real married couple - a lot of “marriage in trouble” books just focus on the problems and don’t ever show their underlying connection. Brian and Katie have an underlying rapport (as well as sexual atttraction) that makes the reader believe in them. She also makes their love of acting seem real, instead of the unreal “romance novel actors” that you often see in books. Their problems aren’t huge, but the author shows how the small things begin to add up and take them apart from each other. Even though the story was somewhat predictable, it’s one of the stronger entries in this series line (which never really found its voice, unfortuately).
Fantasies by Pamela Wallace (SIM 24)
(1983, Contemporary Series) 8/8/07
Grade: 4.5
Devon O’Neill has spent her career working her way up the ladder as a producer, and now she’s been named the head of UFS studios. Although it’s a dream come true, she quickly runs into problems, especially when it comes to producer Spencer Tait. Although she’s attracted to him and admires his work, her position means she can’t openly admit her feelings.
An intriguing and seemingly realistic view of life in Hollywood. Although Devon is perhaps a bit young for her job, the author shows how she worked her way up and her skills at managing the studio. I found both characters extremely well written and real. The book deals with some interesting issues about women in the workplace, becoming your friends’ boss, and balancing career and love - all things that are just as relevant today as they were in 1983. I was afraid the relationship would turn into a typical “I hate you - I love you” story, but Wallace sidesteps that romance cliche and builds a relationship built on mutual respect - how refreshing! She also deals head-on with the career vs. family problem, and doesn’t automatically have the heroine choose love while throwing aside everything else. All in all, this was a wonderful surprise - I wasn’t expecting such a mature, satisfying book, but I’m so glad I found it!
What fun to find buried treasure from the early 80's. One thing that always amuses me, though. Whenever romance writers have their characters appear in movies, they always appear in sweeping historical epics. This always seems like wishful thinking more than reality - the kind of movies that romance writers think Hollywood should produce, rather than what they really do. Not that historical epics don't come out every now and then, but if you based your view of the movies on romance novels, you'd think they were the most popular films in Hollywood.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Hazards of the Love Triangle
I'm always wary of "love triangle" books. More often than not, I end up sympathizing with the "wrong person" in the triangle and end up disappointed when the heroine ends up with the "other guy". This book wasn't a typical romance love triangle story, but I had the same experience - I wanted the heroine to end up with the wrong hero.
Broken by Megan Hart
(2007, Contemporary) 7/31/07
Grade: 3
Sadie lives vicariously through Joe and his sexual conquests. Every month she meets him for lunch, and imagines that she’s the one having uninhibited sex with a stranger. In real life, Sadie is struggling to hold things together, taking care of her quadriplegic husband and dealing with their changed relationship. Her fantasies with Joe are her only outlet.
Megan Hart is an excellent writer, but I find her books extremely frustrating. The endless sex scenes may be inventive, but I didn’t find them all that interesting, and in this book, I didn’t even think they added to the character development. They just seemed “titillating”. I was about to give up on the book, when I finally got to the scenes between Sadie and her husband Adam. These were a revelation - tender, honest, aching and even brutal - but real and touching, in a way the sex scenes were not. I ended up reading the book for the interludes between Sadie and Adam. Unfortunately, unlike Dirty, this book was not really about the relationship between Sadie and Adam. Adam is just an obstacle to be overcome. (I was especially annoyed that - spoiler alert - Adam’s death seemed to be the result of Sadie taking time for her own life and emotional needs.) I came away frustrated, because for me, the emotional heart of the book had nothing to do with Joe, but he was the focus of the “happy ending”.
I don't know what Megan Hart's intentions are. Maybe she likes writing sex scenes, and character development is only secondary for her. But I can't help thinking, when I read her books, that she's a victim of the "erotica craze". Her books would be so much better if she wasn't so focused on how many ways her characters can f***, and used some of the "sex scene page count" to explore other aspects of their lives. The scenes with Adam and Sadie were so good, they took my breath away. She was addressing a situation that I've rarely seen addressed in other books, and without the gauzy unreality that you find in most romances with disabled characters. If that part of the story had been in the forefront, I would have given this book a 5. But she kept shifting away, to more blah scenes of boinking. Why, why, why?
Broken by Megan Hart
(2007, Contemporary) 7/31/07
Grade: 3
Sadie lives vicariously through Joe and his sexual conquests. Every month she meets him for lunch, and imagines that she’s the one having uninhibited sex with a stranger. In real life, Sadie is struggling to hold things together, taking care of her quadriplegic husband and dealing with their changed relationship. Her fantasies with Joe are her only outlet.
Megan Hart is an excellent writer, but I find her books extremely frustrating. The endless sex scenes may be inventive, but I didn’t find them all that interesting, and in this book, I didn’t even think they added to the character development. They just seemed “titillating”. I was about to give up on the book, when I finally got to the scenes between Sadie and her husband Adam. These were a revelation - tender, honest, aching and even brutal - but real and touching, in a way the sex scenes were not. I ended up reading the book for the interludes between Sadie and Adam. Unfortunately, unlike Dirty, this book was not really about the relationship between Sadie and Adam. Adam is just an obstacle to be overcome. (I was especially annoyed that - spoiler alert - Adam’s death seemed to be the result of Sadie taking time for her own life and emotional needs.) I came away frustrated, because for me, the emotional heart of the book had nothing to do with Joe, but he was the focus of the “happy ending”.
I don't know what Megan Hart's intentions are. Maybe she likes writing sex scenes, and character development is only secondary for her. But I can't help thinking, when I read her books, that she's a victim of the "erotica craze". Her books would be so much better if she wasn't so focused on how many ways her characters can f***, and used some of the "sex scene page count" to explore other aspects of their lives. The scenes with Adam and Sadie were so good, they took my breath away. She was addressing a situation that I've rarely seen addressed in other books, and without the gauzy unreality that you find in most romances with disabled characters. If that part of the story had been in the forefront, I would have given this book a 5. But she kept shifting away, to more blah scenes of boinking. Why, why, why?
Not Quite Enough
I was casting around for something to read, and I realized that I never read one of Mary Balogh's last Regencies, A Christmas Bride. Surprising, since it's the sequel to one of my all-time favorite books, A Precious Jewel. So I reread two of the prequels - The Ideal Wife and A Precious Jewel, and then finally read A Christmas Bride.
I read The Ideal Wife many years ago, so I had vague memories of it. The opening setup is almost identical to The Temporary Wife. I know several people who prefer The Ideal Wife, but for me, it doesn't have the emotional depth of The Temporary Wife. (Perhaps it's unfair to compare, but it's hard not to, when the situations are so similar.) It's a fine book, but not something I'd turn to again and again, the way I do with some of Balogh's books.
A Precious Jewel was lovely, as always. I've read it at least half a dozen times, and every time, it touches my heart. One of the things I liked best about A Christmas Bride was the reunion with Gerald and Prissy. In most cases, I don't really need to know what happens after the "happily ever after" but I wanted to know more about what happened to Gerald and Prissy, and I was pleased that Balogh acknowledged what they sacrificed (acceptance in society) for each other.
A Christmas Bride by Mary Balogh
(1997, Regency) 7/29/07
Grade: 3.5
Balanced between the worlds of cit and ton, Edgar Downes has decided to find a wife. Although he intends to marry a suitable young ladies, he ends up in bed with 36 year old widow Helena Stapleton - and when that night has unexpected consequences, he finds himself with a Christmas bride - a prickly, unhappy bride who needs his help to find forgiveness.
Although I normally like Regencies, this story could have used more space. The setup for the story (Edgar and Helena going to bed together) doesn’t really work. Supposedly Helena was carried away, but it didn’t seem consistent with their emotional states - the author didn’t really convince me that Helena changed her mind so abruptly, or that she was overwhelmed by lust. Helena wasn’t a particularly likeable character, and it took Balogh such a long time to set up the situation that I didn’t feel that I got to know either the hero and heroine until over half the book was over. It definitely got better in the second half, althogh Balogh has done the “charming rural Christmas” scenes in a lot of other books. The final reconciliation between Helena and Gerald was very touching, and because of that, I gave this book a slightly higher grade. But I think Balogh could have done more with these characters, if she hadn’t spent so much of the book setting up an “interesting situation”.
Helena's character was frustrating in this book. On one hand, I like characters who aren't the typical "nicey-nice romance heroine". But I had a hard time warming up to Helena, maybe because so much of the book was taken up by other things. I just felt like this book was missing something.
I read The Ideal Wife many years ago, so I had vague memories of it. The opening setup is almost identical to The Temporary Wife. I know several people who prefer The Ideal Wife, but for me, it doesn't have the emotional depth of The Temporary Wife. (Perhaps it's unfair to compare, but it's hard not to, when the situations are so similar.) It's a fine book, but not something I'd turn to again and again, the way I do with some of Balogh's books.
A Precious Jewel was lovely, as always. I've read it at least half a dozen times, and every time, it touches my heart. One of the things I liked best about A Christmas Bride was the reunion with Gerald and Prissy. In most cases, I don't really need to know what happens after the "happily ever after" but I wanted to know more about what happened to Gerald and Prissy, and I was pleased that Balogh acknowledged what they sacrificed (acceptance in society) for each other.
A Christmas Bride by Mary Balogh
(1997, Regency) 7/29/07
Grade: 3.5
Balanced between the worlds of cit and ton, Edgar Downes has decided to find a wife. Although he intends to marry a suitable young ladies, he ends up in bed with 36 year old widow Helena Stapleton - and when that night has unexpected consequences, he finds himself with a Christmas bride - a prickly, unhappy bride who needs his help to find forgiveness.
Although I normally like Regencies, this story could have used more space. The setup for the story (Edgar and Helena going to bed together) doesn’t really work. Supposedly Helena was carried away, but it didn’t seem consistent with their emotional states - the author didn’t really convince me that Helena changed her mind so abruptly, or that she was overwhelmed by lust. Helena wasn’t a particularly likeable character, and it took Balogh such a long time to set up the situation that I didn’t feel that I got to know either the hero and heroine until over half the book was over. It definitely got better in the second half, althogh Balogh has done the “charming rural Christmas” scenes in a lot of other books. The final reconciliation between Helena and Gerald was very touching, and because of that, I gave this book a slightly higher grade. But I think Balogh could have done more with these characters, if she hadn’t spent so much of the book setting up an “interesting situation”.
Helena's character was frustrating in this book. On one hand, I like characters who aren't the typical "nicey-nice romance heroine". But I had a hard time warming up to Helena, maybe because so much of the book was taken up by other things. I just felt like this book was missing something.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Suspect Or Victim?
Another entry in the Julian Kestrel series:
Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross
(1995, Regency Historical Mystery) 7/27/07
Grade: 4
After the death of his son, Alexander, Sir Malcolm Falkland asks Julian Kestrel to investigate. Although Julian is eager to do a bit of sleuthing, he soon finds that Alexander’s charming facade hid many dark secrets. As Julian investigates Alexander’s family, friends and servants, he finds more suspects than he expected - but which one was ultimately responsible?
A much stronger entry than the last book. The mystery is satisfyingly twisty, with clues and suspects around every corner. The gradual revealing of Alexander’s true character is well written and satisfying. Although there are a lot of charcters, each one is well depicted and so it’s fairly easy to keep track of everyone. We also get some intriguing glimpses into Julian’s background. My one minor quibble is Julian’s Poirot-like tendency to announce “Aha, now I know what this clue means” but then leave the reader in the dark for the next chapter or two. Sometimes this works, but sometimes it’s annoying. But overall, I found the mystery very satisfying.
This is definitely a "throwback" to a more old fashioned type of mystery: it's all about the clues and the personalities of the suspects, not the personal life of the detective (although a few hints here and there are welcomed). Kate Ross was really hitting her stride with this book, and for once I'm eagerly awaiting the next entry in the series.
Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross
(1995, Regency Historical Mystery) 7/27/07
Grade: 4
After the death of his son, Alexander, Sir Malcolm Falkland asks Julian Kestrel to investigate. Although Julian is eager to do a bit of sleuthing, he soon finds that Alexander’s charming facade hid many dark secrets. As Julian investigates Alexander’s family, friends and servants, he finds more suspects than he expected - but which one was ultimately responsible?
A much stronger entry than the last book. The mystery is satisfyingly twisty, with clues and suspects around every corner. The gradual revealing of Alexander’s true character is well written and satisfying. Although there are a lot of charcters, each one is well depicted and so it’s fairly easy to keep track of everyone. We also get some intriguing glimpses into Julian’s background. My one minor quibble is Julian’s Poirot-like tendency to announce “Aha, now I know what this clue means” but then leave the reader in the dark for the next chapter or two. Sometimes this works, but sometimes it’s annoying. But overall, I found the mystery very satisfying.
This is definitely a "throwback" to a more old fashioned type of mystery: it's all about the clues and the personalities of the suspects, not the personal life of the detective (although a few hints here and there are welcomed). Kate Ross was really hitting her stride with this book, and for once I'm eagerly awaiting the next entry in the series.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Julian Kestrel to the Rescue
My experience with Sharan Newman reminded me of why I don't read much mystery any more. Even very good mysteries tend to lose my interest after a couple of books in the series - I often find them repetitive and get tired of the same characters and same situations. But I'm going to give the Kate Ross books a try - there are only four books in the series (due to the author's untimely death) and so far, I'm enjoying them.
A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross
(1994, Regency Historical Mystery) 7/25/07
Grade: 3.5
Julian Kestrel is sleuthing again. When Sally Stokes has troubling encounters with three men, she goes to visit her brother Dipper, and discovers a mysterious letter that is tied to the death of a girl in a “reformation house”. Julian, Dipper and Sally are determined to identify the murderer, although the more they investigate, the murkier it becomes.
An intriguing view of the dark side of Regency life. Julian is still a great “detective” hero, although very little of his personal side is revealed here. The mystery is convoluted - maybe a bit too convoluted in places - but it comes together nicely, and all the clues were there from the beginning. The book was well written and I enjoyed reading it, but it didn’t grab me as much as the first book in the series did.
When I was younger, I read a lot of mysteries - I loved Agatha Christie but I also enjoyed other authors. But as I've gotten older, they just don't appeal as much. I love watching mysteries on TV (everything from CSI to Prime Suspect) so maybe I get my fix that way.
A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross
(1994, Regency Historical Mystery) 7/25/07
Grade: 3.5
Julian Kestrel is sleuthing again. When Sally Stokes has troubling encounters with three men, she goes to visit her brother Dipper, and discovers a mysterious letter that is tied to the death of a girl in a “reformation house”. Julian, Dipper and Sally are determined to identify the murderer, although the more they investigate, the murkier it becomes.
An intriguing view of the dark side of Regency life. Julian is still a great “detective” hero, although very little of his personal side is revealed here. The mystery is convoluted - maybe a bit too convoluted in places - but it comes together nicely, and all the clues were there from the beginning. The book was well written and I enjoyed reading it, but it didn’t grab me as much as the first book in the series did.
When I was younger, I read a lot of mysteries - I loved Agatha Christie but I also enjoyed other authors. But as I've gotten older, they just don't appeal as much. I love watching mysteries on TV (everything from CSI to Prime Suspect) so maybe I get my fix that way.
A Note On Harry
Like half of America, I spent the weekend reading the last Harry Potter book. I'm not going to review it, but my only real complaint was that there wasn't enough Snape - there was a long flashback, but I would have liked a real encounter between Harry and Snape. But that's a minor quibble.
But what struck me was how "romance-y" the epilogue was. I haven't read "children's books" in a long time, and I've never read a lot of fantasy, so I don't really know if that's a typical ending for this type of book. But the "see the future with lots of kids" ending definitely reminded me of the endings of many romance series, where everyone is happy with lots of babies, and often we'll see the hero as a doting father. I'm not a huge fan of these endings in romances (they often come across as saccharine) but it seemed an appropriate ending for Harry Potter.
But I couldn't help wondering - does J.K. Rowling read romance?
But what struck me was how "romance-y" the epilogue was. I haven't read "children's books" in a long time, and I've never read a lot of fantasy, so I don't really know if that's a typical ending for this type of book. But the "see the future with lots of kids" ending definitely reminded me of the endings of many romance series, where everyone is happy with lots of babies, and often we'll see the hero as a doting father. I'm not a huge fan of these endings in romances (they often come across as saccharine) but it seemed an appropriate ending for Harry Potter.
But I couldn't help wondering - does J.K. Rowling read romance?
Harlequin Everlasting
This is the first book I've read in Harlequin's new series line, Harlequin Everlasting. Based on the books I've seen so far, I'm not quite sure what they're going for - some of the books are more like stripped-down sagas, while others are straightforward reunion or "marriage in trouble" books. I'm not sure how the "saga" stories will work in the short format, but I hope they can find some good reunion stories - I'm always looking for good ones.
Fall From Grace by Kristi Gold (HE 2)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 7/23/07
Grade: 3.5
Although Anne and Jack were divorced several years before, after Jack has a stroke, Anne decides she has to take care of him, for their daughter’s sake. But she knows he’ll go back to his workaholic ways once he recovers. As we see their marriage unfolding in a series of flashbacks, we understand the love they once had - and how they might find it again.
An interesting story, but it suffers from too-perfect-hero syndrome. At the beginning, we’re told that Anne and Jack divorced because Jack never devoted time to his marriage, and always put work first. And yet, in every flashback, he’s shown as a devoted husband. Anne feels that she has reason to be upset, but her view of the marriage is never shown, so she comes across as “making too much out of nothing” which doesn’t really sync with the story. This may be a problem because the book is so short - it’s hard to tell a story in the present and have extensive flashbacks in just 280 pages - but it left me wondering which version of Jack was the real one. I appreciated the story about Jack recovering from his stroke, but the book was too short to really get into that part of the storyline - I found the flashbacks a bit predictable and wished more time was devoted to Jack’s recovery in the present. Still, I liked the characters and found them sympathetic, I just felt the book was too slanted toward Jack.
Although I like reunion stories, they definitely walk a fine line. Many of them are disappointing. I was really hoping that this book would be an improvement on Theresa Weir's One Fine Day (which I didn't like as much as I'd hoped) but unfortunately, it didn't have the depth I was hoping for.
Fall From Grace by Kristi Gold (HE 2)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 7/23/07
Grade: 3.5
Although Anne and Jack were divorced several years before, after Jack has a stroke, Anne decides she has to take care of him, for their daughter’s sake. But she knows he’ll go back to his workaholic ways once he recovers. As we see their marriage unfolding in a series of flashbacks, we understand the love they once had - and how they might find it again.
An interesting story, but it suffers from too-perfect-hero syndrome. At the beginning, we’re told that Anne and Jack divorced because Jack never devoted time to his marriage, and always put work first. And yet, in every flashback, he’s shown as a devoted husband. Anne feels that she has reason to be upset, but her view of the marriage is never shown, so she comes across as “making too much out of nothing” which doesn’t really sync with the story. This may be a problem because the book is so short - it’s hard to tell a story in the present and have extensive flashbacks in just 280 pages - but it left me wondering which version of Jack was the real one. I appreciated the story about Jack recovering from his stroke, but the book was too short to really get into that part of the storyline - I found the flashbacks a bit predictable and wished more time was devoted to Jack’s recovery in the present. Still, I liked the characters and found them sympathetic, I just felt the book was too slanted toward Jack.
Although I like reunion stories, they definitely walk a fine line. Many of them are disappointing. I was really hoping that this book would be an improvement on Theresa Weir's One Fine Day (which I didn't like as much as I'd hoped) but unfortunately, it didn't have the depth I was hoping for.
Big Hair, Shoulder Pads... and Dating Your Secretary?
Whenever I go on a trip, I bring along a few old series books that I can toss when I reach my destination. (Even thrift stores don't seem to want 80's series titles any more, so I don't feel bad about tossing them.) Sometimes I find a gem, sometimes a dud, and sometimes something in between.
Tomorrow's Love Song by Georgia Bockoven (HT 261)
(1987, Contemporary Series) 7/18/07
Grade: 3
Amy discovers that her father was cheated of his share of a now-prosperous pharmaceutical company. She disguises herself as a dowd and gets hired as a secretary for the CEO, the playboy son of the man who cheated her father. But she finds that the son is nothing like his father, and she can’t help her attraction to him.
Although this book was well written and easy to read, it was noticeably dated, and the characters were somewhat stereotypical. It was very hard to read this “secretary falls for the boss” story without thinking of sexual harrassment, which doesn’t seem to cross any of the characters' minds. But I was more bothered by the mental lusting - the heroine meets the hero and suddenly she can’t keep her eyes off of him, thinks of every woman as a catty rival, and seems to lose her brains altogether. The hero is depicted as unrealistically perfect - he’s a playboy, but he’s really just misunderstood. Despite all of this, I finished the book - there were some good things here, and the author writes well, I was just disappointed that she never got past the 80’s romance stereotypes.
I'm not sure why books from 10-20 years ago are harder to read than books from 50 years ago - maybe because they have enough similarity to the present that the incongruities stand out. There are still lots of "boss and secretary" romances on the shelves today - mostly Harlequin Presents, which I don't read - and I wonder how they get past current-day attitudes about sex in the workplace. I read one workplace romance last year, Legally Tender, and I thought the author did a good job in that one in addressing the question without squelching the romance.
Tomorrow's Love Song by Georgia Bockoven (HT 261)
(1987, Contemporary Series) 7/18/07
Grade: 3
Amy discovers that her father was cheated of his share of a now-prosperous pharmaceutical company. She disguises herself as a dowd and gets hired as a secretary for the CEO, the playboy son of the man who cheated her father. But she finds that the son is nothing like his father, and she can’t help her attraction to him.
Although this book was well written and easy to read, it was noticeably dated, and the characters were somewhat stereotypical. It was very hard to read this “secretary falls for the boss” story without thinking of sexual harrassment, which doesn’t seem to cross any of the characters' minds. But I was more bothered by the mental lusting - the heroine meets the hero and suddenly she can’t keep her eyes off of him, thinks of every woman as a catty rival, and seems to lose her brains altogether. The hero is depicted as unrealistically perfect - he’s a playboy, but he’s really just misunderstood. Despite all of this, I finished the book - there were some good things here, and the author writes well, I was just disappointed that she never got past the 80’s romance stereotypes.
I'm not sure why books from 10-20 years ago are harder to read than books from 50 years ago - maybe because they have enough similarity to the present that the incongruities stand out. There are still lots of "boss and secretary" romances on the shelves today - mostly Harlequin Presents, which I don't read - and I wonder how they get past current-day attitudes about sex in the workplace. I read one workplace romance last year, Legally Tender, and I thought the author did a good job in that one in addressing the question without squelching the romance.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Medieval Mysteries
I first read Sharan Newman when I was in middle school, and discovered her terrific Guinevere series. I read the first book in this series, Death Comes As Epiphany, back in 1996, but never got around to reading the followups.
The Devil's Door by Sharan Newman
(1994, Medieval Mystery) 7/16/07
Grade: 3.5
The second book in the series. Although Catherine is engaged to Edgar, she remains at the Paraclete while he travels to Scotland to sell his land. While there, she is drawn into the sad story of Alys, the wife of a local count, who was beaten to death outside the convent walls. If Catherine investigates her death, will she put herself and Edgar in danger?
Not as compelling as the first book of the series. Although the historical background is still intriguing, there’s nothing particularly new. The mystery of Alys turns out to be complicated and interesting, but for most of the book, it’s interspersed with long sidetracks about Abelard’s problems with the church leaders and way too much background information. It was distracting, and I kept wishing she’d get back to the main story. Still, it was well written and the pace picked up in the last third or so.
Strong as Death by Sharan Newman
(1994, Medieval Mystery) 7/18/07
Grade: 3.5
After several miscarriages, Catherine has a dream, and feels that she must go to the monastery of Compostela to pray for a child. She and Edgar (along with some of her Jewish relatives) join a group of assorted pilgrims heading for Spain. But when a group of old knights and onetime Crusaders begin to die one by one, Catherine and Edgar must investigate.
As usual, the author does a great job in depicting medieval life, both Christian and Jewish, and showing how religion permeates every aspect of daily life. This book has a clearer storyline than some of the other books in the series, and the mystery is more compelling. Catherine and Edgar are interesting characters, but there aren’t a lot of new notes in their relationship. The tensions between Catherine’s Jewish relatives and Christian society are still interesting, but not really new. Although I enjoyed the book, this series seems to be losing steam, repeating the same themes instead of introducing new ones.
Although I tried to read later books in the series, I just didn't find them all that interesting. The medieval background that was so compelling in the first books isn't enough to sustain my interest without something new to add more depth.
The Devil's Door by Sharan Newman
(1994, Medieval Mystery) 7/16/07
Grade: 3.5
The second book in the series. Although Catherine is engaged to Edgar, she remains at the Paraclete while he travels to Scotland to sell his land. While there, she is drawn into the sad story of Alys, the wife of a local count, who was beaten to death outside the convent walls. If Catherine investigates her death, will she put herself and Edgar in danger?
Not as compelling as the first book of the series. Although the historical background is still intriguing, there’s nothing particularly new. The mystery of Alys turns out to be complicated and interesting, but for most of the book, it’s interspersed with long sidetracks about Abelard’s problems with the church leaders and way too much background information. It was distracting, and I kept wishing she’d get back to the main story. Still, it was well written and the pace picked up in the last third or so.
Strong as Death by Sharan Newman
(1994, Medieval Mystery) 7/18/07
Grade: 3.5
After several miscarriages, Catherine has a dream, and feels that she must go to the monastery of Compostela to pray for a child. She and Edgar (along with some of her Jewish relatives) join a group of assorted pilgrims heading for Spain. But when a group of old knights and onetime Crusaders begin to die one by one, Catherine and Edgar must investigate.
As usual, the author does a great job in depicting medieval life, both Christian and Jewish, and showing how religion permeates every aspect of daily life. This book has a clearer storyline than some of the other books in the series, and the mystery is more compelling. Catherine and Edgar are interesting characters, but there aren’t a lot of new notes in their relationship. The tensions between Catherine’s Jewish relatives and Christian society are still interesting, but not really new. Although I enjoyed the book, this series seems to be losing steam, repeating the same themes instead of introducing new ones.
Although I tried to read later books in the series, I just didn't find them all that interesting. The medieval background that was so compelling in the first books isn't enough to sustain my interest without something new to add more depth.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
A Happy Ending
I'll admit, I skipped Alleyne's book altogether. I flipped through it, and read the last couple of chapters where Alleyne was reunited with his family, but the story just didn't appeal to me, and I didn't want to waste my time on it. (Besides my aversion to Alleyne's return, I'd also heard too much online about "Disney whores", and my quick skim of the first section of the book didn't do anything to persuade me to keep reading.) Thankfully skipping this book didn't affect my enjoyment of the last book in the series.
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
(2004, Regency Historical) 7/14/2007
Grade: 4.5
Wulfric Bedwyn, the Duke of Bewcastle, was taught to hold himself above others and suppress his emotions. With his family all married and gone, he’s unexpectedly lonely, but can’t imagine marrying. But when he meets Christine - boisterous, sociable and joyful- he is attracted despite himself. Can a Duke allow an imperfect love into his life?
Definitely the best book in the series. It’s always difficult to find a believable match for the “repressed head of the family” character, but I think Balogh succeeds in creating a heroine who would horrify a Duke but would also attract him. Their relationship is believable without compromising the character of Bewcastle that’s been created in the previous books. And they definitely have chemistry together. The book is a little too stuffed with other family members (I felt like I needed a chart to keep track of all the relatives) and the side plot about Justin didn’t quite work for me, but overall, it ended the series exceptionally well. (Although I didn’t like several of the books in the series, this book wouldn’t have worked as well if Bewcastle hadn’t been developed during the other books so the reader knew him to some extent before the book began.)
Definitely back on form for Mary Balogh, which makes me happy. Although it didn't reach the heights of her best books, it was satisfying and enjoyable. I wasn't sure quite how to grade it, but since I stayed up until 4 am finishing it, I had to give it an extra boost in my rating.
Now, I need to find something completely different, after my somewhat frustrating Balogh binge. Harry Potter doesn't come out for another week, so I'll need something to read in the meantime...
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
(2004, Regency Historical) 7/14/2007
Grade: 4.5
Wulfric Bedwyn, the Duke of Bewcastle, was taught to hold himself above others and suppress his emotions. With his family all married and gone, he’s unexpectedly lonely, but can’t imagine marrying. But when he meets Christine - boisterous, sociable and joyful- he is attracted despite himself. Can a Duke allow an imperfect love into his life?
Definitely the best book in the series. It’s always difficult to find a believable match for the “repressed head of the family” character, but I think Balogh succeeds in creating a heroine who would horrify a Duke but would also attract him. Their relationship is believable without compromising the character of Bewcastle that’s been created in the previous books. And they definitely have chemistry together. The book is a little too stuffed with other family members (I felt like I needed a chart to keep track of all the relatives) and the side plot about Justin didn’t quite work for me, but overall, it ended the series exceptionally well. (Although I didn’t like several of the books in the series, this book wouldn’t have worked as well if Bewcastle hadn’t been developed during the other books so the reader knew him to some extent before the book began.)
Definitely back on form for Mary Balogh, which makes me happy. Although it didn't reach the heights of her best books, it was satisfying and enjoyable. I wasn't sure quite how to grade it, but since I stayed up until 4 am finishing it, I had to give it an extra boost in my rating.
Now, I need to find something completely different, after my somewhat frustrating Balogh binge. Harry Potter doesn't come out for another week, so I'll need something to read in the meantime...
Friday, July 13, 2007
Odds and Evens
According to my "every other book" theory, I should enjoy this one. And for the most part, I did.
Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh
(2004, Regency Historical) 7/13/07
Grade: 3.5
In Brussels after Napoleon’s exile, Morgan Bedwyn is frustrated that everyone treats her as a child. Only Rosthorn talks to her as an equal. What she doesn’t know is that Rosthorn sees her as a way to take revenge on her brother. But when Waterloo brings a harsh reality to Morgan’s life, she finds that Rosthorn is more trustworthy than she thought - or is he?
Definitely one of the more enjoyable entries in the Slightly series. Morgan is a vividly drawn character (even though she could have been a stereotypical “feisty young gel”) and her relationship with Rosthorn is a believable friendship. I could really feel the connection between them. The setting was also interesting, an aspect of the Napoleonic wars I hadn’t read about before. The book falls down a bit in the last few chapters. Even though the resolution of Gervase’s family issues is well done, the “will she or won’t she” conflict doesn’t really work. I was also disappointed by the non-death of Alleyne (although that doesn’t happen until the next book). The scenes of grief are heartfelt (especially Wulf’s reaction) but since I knew Alleyne wasn’t really dead, it was hard to be moved by them. The characters seem to “know” he’s coming back, too, since they barely mention him again after the initial grieving period.
Although I don't remember that many books from a decade ago, I can still remember one scene from An Unwilling Bride by Jo Beverley. In this scene, some of the "Rogues" find out that one of their dear friends has been killed at Waterloo. Their shock and grief gave the scene a sense of reality that was very moving. It has stuck in my mind, even a decade later. I never really followed the Rogue books that closely, but I was disappointed when the author revived that character in one of her more recent books. It's not that I wanted this character to die, but the power of that scene was dimmed a little for me. When characters are never allowed to die, or even be less than perfect, it makes the emotional journeys less believable. At least for me.
Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh
(2004, Regency Historical) 7/13/07
Grade: 3.5
In Brussels after Napoleon’s exile, Morgan Bedwyn is frustrated that everyone treats her as a child. Only Rosthorn talks to her as an equal. What she doesn’t know is that Rosthorn sees her as a way to take revenge on her brother. But when Waterloo brings a harsh reality to Morgan’s life, she finds that Rosthorn is more trustworthy than she thought - or is he?
Definitely one of the more enjoyable entries in the Slightly series. Morgan is a vividly drawn character (even though she could have been a stereotypical “feisty young gel”) and her relationship with Rosthorn is a believable friendship. I could really feel the connection between them. The setting was also interesting, an aspect of the Napoleonic wars I hadn’t read about before. The book falls down a bit in the last few chapters. Even though the resolution of Gervase’s family issues is well done, the “will she or won’t she” conflict doesn’t really work. I was also disappointed by the non-death of Alleyne (although that doesn’t happen until the next book). The scenes of grief are heartfelt (especially Wulf’s reaction) but since I knew Alleyne wasn’t really dead, it was hard to be moved by them. The characters seem to “know” he’s coming back, too, since they barely mention him again after the initial grieving period.
Although I don't remember that many books from a decade ago, I can still remember one scene from An Unwilling Bride by Jo Beverley. In this scene, some of the "Rogues" find out that one of their dear friends has been killed at Waterloo. Their shock and grief gave the scene a sense of reality that was very moving. It has stuck in my mind, even a decade later. I never really followed the Rogue books that closely, but I was disappointed when the author revived that character in one of her more recent books. It's not that I wanted this character to die, but the power of that scene was dimmed a little for me. When characters are never allowed to die, or even be less than perfect, it makes the emotional journeys less believable. At least for me.
No Sparkle
This series has been oddly uneven for me. I've enjoyed every other book - and disliked the ones in between. Maybe I'm better off with my usual reading style, which is to pick and choose among books in a series, only reading the ones that sound appealing.
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/10/07
Grade: 2.5
Hoping to escape her former fiance, Freya Bedwyn heads for Bath. On the way, a stranger bursts into her room. She quickly finds that he’s Joshua Moore, the Marquess of Hallmere, one of the few men who can go toe-to-toe with the fierce Freya Bedwyn. When she agrees to pose as his fiancee, she begins to realize she may have met her match.
Very disappointing - I wasn’t able to finish. A lot of people disliked Freya as a character, but I didn’t find her that objectionable. She had more reason to be a “fiesty heroine” than most romance heroines, given her background and position. But I didn’t feel any chemistry between her and the hero. I guess their dialogue was supposed to be “sparkling and witty” but I just found it dull. It felt totally predictable, and just didn’t move me in any way. I finally gave up.
It's very hard to explain why one hero and heroine have great "chemistry" and another hero and heroine do not. (I guess that's why I'm not an author!) It's easy for me to criticize a book when it contains elements that I don't like, or if the characters are just not believable. But that wasn't the case here. Even though I liked the hero and heroine well enough, they just didn't seem to sparkle together. Very hard to explain... makes me glad I'm not a "real" book reviewer any more.
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/10/07
Grade: 2.5
Hoping to escape her former fiance, Freya Bedwyn heads for Bath. On the way, a stranger bursts into her room. She quickly finds that he’s Joshua Moore, the Marquess of Hallmere, one of the few men who can go toe-to-toe with the fierce Freya Bedwyn. When she agrees to pose as his fiancee, she begins to realize she may have met her match.
Very disappointing - I wasn’t able to finish. A lot of people disliked Freya as a character, but I didn’t find her that objectionable. She had more reason to be a “fiesty heroine” than most romance heroines, given her background and position. But I didn’t feel any chemistry between her and the hero. I guess their dialogue was supposed to be “sparkling and witty” but I just found it dull. It felt totally predictable, and just didn’t move me in any way. I finally gave up.
It's very hard to explain why one hero and heroine have great "chemistry" and another hero and heroine do not. (I guess that's why I'm not an author!) It's easy for me to criticize a book when it contains elements that I don't like, or if the characters are just not believable. But that wasn't the case here. Even though I liked the hero and heroine well enough, they just didn't seem to sparkle together. Very hard to explain... makes me glad I'm not a "real" book reviewer any more.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Definite Improvement
I decided to jump right back into Balogh's Slightly series, even though I was wary after my bad experience with the last book...
Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/9/2007
Grade: 3.5
Judith Law is on her way to a life as a poor relation. When she ends up with a handsome stranger, she decides to take the chance for one night of passion. But when the stranger turns out to be a neighbor, Rannulf Bedwyn, who is courting her cousin, the situation becomes very awkward. But Rannulf begins to wonder if he’s courting the wrong cousin...
This was a great improvement over the first Bedwyn book. The characters were likeable and the story was interesting (especially after I got past the endless sex scene that started the book). The writing style is smooth and easy to read, and the Bedwyns only make a few brief appearances. My main criticism is that there wasn’t much emotional engagement with the characters - they were nice enough but it didn’t have the emotional impact of Balogh’s other books. I had to downgrade this book compared to One Night For Love or Summer To Remember because my emotions weren’t engaged in the same way. Maybe that means I’m grading on a curve - judging Balogh by different standards than other authors - but I know she can do more!
I'm so relieved that the Slightly series isn't going to be a complete bust for me.
Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/9/2007
Grade: 3.5
Judith Law is on her way to a life as a poor relation. When she ends up with a handsome stranger, she decides to take the chance for one night of passion. But when the stranger turns out to be a neighbor, Rannulf Bedwyn, who is courting her cousin, the situation becomes very awkward. But Rannulf begins to wonder if he’s courting the wrong cousin...
This was a great improvement over the first Bedwyn book. The characters were likeable and the story was interesting (especially after I got past the endless sex scene that started the book). The writing style is smooth and easy to read, and the Bedwyns only make a few brief appearances. My main criticism is that there wasn’t much emotional engagement with the characters - they were nice enough but it didn’t have the emotional impact of Balogh’s other books. I had to downgrade this book compared to One Night For Love or Summer To Remember because my emotions weren’t engaged in the same way. Maybe that means I’m grading on a curve - judging Balogh by different standards than other authors - but I know she can do more!
I'm so relieved that the Slightly series isn't going to be a complete bust for me.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Here a Bedwyn, There a Bedwyn
I've met Mary Balogh a couple of times, once at a tea she gave when RWA was in NYC, and then later at the Celebrate Romance convention. She's a lovely person, who really seems to appreciate her fans. (Just had to start with something nice, since Balogh is my favorite romance author, bar none.)
Slightly Married by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/8/07
Grade: 3
When Aidan promised a soldier on the battlefield that he would take care of his sister, he never thought that would mean marriage. As a career military officer and the brother of a Duke, he had other plans for his life. But what began as a matter of honor became something more, as Aidan got to know Eve and her family of misfits and lame ducks.
This book was deeply disappointing. I found it very hard to care about either the hero or the heroine. The hero starts out as arrogant and unlikeable, and for most of the book, there’s very little to his character other than his stiff arrogance. I can empathize with an “unlikeble” hero if there’s something more there, but Aidan just left me cold and uninterested. The heroine was depicted as more “likeable” and sympathetic, but I didn’t get much from her either. She was stereotypical - even her moments of spirit and independence seemed like romance heroine formula. I couldn’t help thinking of other books - by Balogh and other writers - that took similar situations and made the characters sing despite the familiar storyline. This one didn’t. Aidan finally showed some life in the last part of the book, when he tells Eve about his childhood and why he went into the military, but this was 50 pages from the end of the book! Too little, too late.
It's disappointing, to be looking at five unread Mary Balogh books with a feeling of drudgery, rather than the joy and excitement I usually feel. Hopefully I'll have better things to say in my next review...
Slightly Married by Mary Balogh
(2003, Regency Historical) 7/8/07
Grade: 3
When Aidan promised a soldier on the battlefield that he would take care of his sister, he never thought that would mean marriage. As a career military officer and the brother of a Duke, he had other plans for his life. But what began as a matter of honor became something more, as Aidan got to know Eve and her family of misfits and lame ducks.
This book was deeply disappointing. I found it very hard to care about either the hero or the heroine. The hero starts out as arrogant and unlikeable, and for most of the book, there’s very little to his character other than his stiff arrogance. I can empathize with an “unlikeble” hero if there’s something more there, but Aidan just left me cold and uninterested. The heroine was depicted as more “likeable” and sympathetic, but I didn’t get much from her either. She was stereotypical - even her moments of spirit and independence seemed like romance heroine formula. I couldn’t help thinking of other books - by Balogh and other writers - that took similar situations and made the characters sing despite the familiar storyline. This one didn’t. Aidan finally showed some life in the last part of the book, when he tells Eve about his childhood and why he went into the military, but this was 50 pages from the end of the book! Too little, too late.
It's disappointing, to be looking at five unread Mary Balogh books with a feeling of drudgery, rather than the joy and excitement I usually feel. Hopefully I'll have better things to say in my next review...
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Balogh's Strength
One thing that I love about Balogh is that she can write a book that's focused on characters - she doesn't feel the need to throw in spy plots and adventure stories, but trusts that the hero and heroine can carry a book on their own. Whenever I hear criticisms of Balogh's books being "all the same", I don't really understand it - to me, it's the endless spy stories and suspense plots that seem "all the same". Character-based stories are always different, because each character has a different way of looking at the world and interacting with people.
A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
(2002, Regency Historical) 7/4/07
Grade: 4
Although Lauren always thought of herself as the perfect lady, she’s wondering what comes next, after being left at the altar. Kit Butler is dangerous and exciting - the man her family warns her against. But maybe Kit can give her a summer of adventures and excitement, before she resigns herself to life as a spinster - but love isn’t part of the bargain.
There is a lot to like in this book. Kit and Lauren are sympathetic and charming characters, and their interplay is a lot of fun. Although the book starts off a bit slowly, as Lauren and Kit spend more time together, their interactions become more and more fun. The family dynamics of Kit’s family are reminiscent of The Temporary Wife (although not quite as touching). The problems are relatively minor. There are a lot of secondary characters (it’s hard to keep track of everyone) - in particular, the Bedwyns, who the author keeps throwing into the book even when it doesn’t seem necessary. I felt pulled out of the story every time the author extolled the virtues of the Bedwyns. However, Lauren and Kit’s happy ending left me with a smile on my face.
Although I'm determined to read the Slightly series next, nothing in this book attracted me to the Bedwyns or made me eager to read their stories. Even though the author was plainly "advertising" her next book when she introduced the Bedwyns, they didn't seem particularly sympathetic. It was almost as if she was daring the reader - "I'm going to write about unsympathetic, arrogant people, and you're going to LIKE IT." An odd approach for Balogh.
A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
(2002, Regency Historical) 7/4/07
Grade: 4
Although Lauren always thought of herself as the perfect lady, she’s wondering what comes next, after being left at the altar. Kit Butler is dangerous and exciting - the man her family warns her against. But maybe Kit can give her a summer of adventures and excitement, before she resigns herself to life as a spinster - but love isn’t part of the bargain.
There is a lot to like in this book. Kit and Lauren are sympathetic and charming characters, and their interplay is a lot of fun. Although the book starts off a bit slowly, as Lauren and Kit spend more time together, their interactions become more and more fun. The family dynamics of Kit’s family are reminiscent of The Temporary Wife (although not quite as touching). The problems are relatively minor. There are a lot of secondary characters (it’s hard to keep track of everyone) - in particular, the Bedwyns, who the author keeps throwing into the book even when it doesn’t seem necessary. I felt pulled out of the story every time the author extolled the virtues of the Bedwyns. However, Lauren and Kit’s happy ending left me with a smile on my face.
Although I'm determined to read the Slightly series next, nothing in this book attracted me to the Bedwyns or made me eager to read their stories. Even though the author was plainly "advertising" her next book when she introduced the Bedwyns, they didn't seem particularly sympathetic. It was almost as if she was daring the reader - "I'm going to write about unsympathetic, arrogant people, and you're going to LIKE IT." An odd approach for Balogh.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Why I'm Not A Mystery Reader
I spent the morning at the auto repair shop and the afternoon at the unemployment office - what a day! But at least I got to read something good to take my mind off of everything.
Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan
(2003, 1860's Boston) 7/2/07
Grade: 4
After a childhood in poverty, Nell Sweeney has ended up as a governess in an upper class Boston household. But when Viola Hewitt’s son is accused of murder (although he was believed dead at Andersonville), she begs Nell to find out what really happened. Nell finds herself drawn into a world of opium addiction, crime and pain - a world she’d tried to escape.
A detailed depiction of the social world of upper class Boston in the late 1860’s. Nell is an interesting character, and her observations bring the setting to life. The author also brings in fascinating side issues - opium addiction among former soldiers, the horrors of Andersonville - and ties them neatly into a well drawn mysery. The main problem of the book is the character of Will - he’s just as interesting as Nell, but he’s kept at arms length throughout the book, and we don’t really see what draws him to Nell, or much about their relationship. Although I found the book interesting, it felt somewhat incomplete.
I find most "hybrid" books unsatisfying. I get frustrated because it feels like neither the mysery or the relationship is fully formed. The best part of this book was the deftly realized setting. The mystery was OK, but it was fairly simple and the resolution fell a bit flat. The relationship felt like just a taste - not enough to really get the full flavor and depth.
Back when I read mysteries, the ones I preferred were puzzle mysteries, like Agatha Christie. The reader has to figure out a complicated, detailed puzzle and put all the pieces together before the detective. But those types of stories don't seem that popular any more. So I'll stick with romance.
Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan
(2003, 1860's Boston) 7/2/07
Grade: 4
After a childhood in poverty, Nell Sweeney has ended up as a governess in an upper class Boston household. But when Viola Hewitt’s son is accused of murder (although he was believed dead at Andersonville), she begs Nell to find out what really happened. Nell finds herself drawn into a world of opium addiction, crime and pain - a world she’d tried to escape.
A detailed depiction of the social world of upper class Boston in the late 1860’s. Nell is an interesting character, and her observations bring the setting to life. The author also brings in fascinating side issues - opium addiction among former soldiers, the horrors of Andersonville - and ties them neatly into a well drawn mysery. The main problem of the book is the character of Will - he’s just as interesting as Nell, but he’s kept at arms length throughout the book, and we don’t really see what draws him to Nell, or much about their relationship. Although I found the book interesting, it felt somewhat incomplete.
I find most "hybrid" books unsatisfying. I get frustrated because it feels like neither the mysery or the relationship is fully formed. The best part of this book was the deftly realized setting. The mystery was OK, but it was fairly simple and the resolution fell a bit flat. The relationship felt like just a taste - not enough to really get the full flavor and depth.
Back when I read mysteries, the ones I preferred were puzzle mysteries, like Agatha Christie. The reader has to figure out a complicated, detailed puzzle and put all the pieces together before the detective. But those types of stories don't seem that popular any more. So I'll stick with romance.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
With a Bow on Top
Mary Balogh is one of my favorite authors, but I've gotten terribly behind in reading her books. I guess I took them for granted and let them languish on my bookshelves. It's nice to come back to an author who I always enjoy.
One Night For Love by Mary Balogh
(1999, Regency Historical) 7/1/07
Grade: 4
As Neville Wyatt, the Earl of Kilbourne, stands in the church on his wedding day, an unexpected guest appears. It’s his wife, Lily Doyle, the soldier’s daughter that he married in Portugal. He believed her dead years ago. Although their marriage was one of necessity, Neville grew to love Lily and her untamed spirit - but will that be enough for the wife of an Earl?
Balogh does a good job (as always) in depicting Regency society. Many romance characters seem to live in a void, but Balogh’s characters must deal with the strictures and rules of the society in which they live. Lily’s difficulties in adapting to those rules is described in detail, and it made the characters seem real. The relationship between the hero and heroine seeemed a bit impersonal at first, but it became more interesting as the book continued. The main problem was the convenient revelation in the last section of the book, which made many of Lily and Neville’s problems disappear. Although it was foreshadowed from the beginning, it seemed like a cheat - making Lily’s struggles and triumphs seem empty. I’m not marking down the grade as far as I might have, because there is a sweetness to the resolution - it gives two of the secondary characters a happy ending - but it definitely lessened the book’s power for me.
I've ranted about this topic before, but I'll add a few more thoughts. Recently, there's been a lot of talk online about the HEA - is it really required for romance? I think so. But that doesn't mean that everything has to be tied up perfectly with a bow on top. I want the hero and heroine to end the book together, happy and in love. But all their problems don't have to be magically solved. To me, a happy ending has more emotional impact if the hero and heroine overcome their problems through their love for each other - not by the author's "deus ex machina" eliminating the obstacles.
I feel a little bit insulted as a romance reader when I get an ending like this - as if the author thinks I can't appreciate a happy ending if it doesn't come with a pile of money and a fancy title for the characters.
One Night For Love by Mary Balogh
(1999, Regency Historical) 7/1/07
Grade: 4
As Neville Wyatt, the Earl of Kilbourne, stands in the church on his wedding day, an unexpected guest appears. It’s his wife, Lily Doyle, the soldier’s daughter that he married in Portugal. He believed her dead years ago. Although their marriage was one of necessity, Neville grew to love Lily and her untamed spirit - but will that be enough for the wife of an Earl?
Balogh does a good job (as always) in depicting Regency society. Many romance characters seem to live in a void, but Balogh’s characters must deal with the strictures and rules of the society in which they live. Lily’s difficulties in adapting to those rules is described in detail, and it made the characters seem real. The relationship between the hero and heroine seeemed a bit impersonal at first, but it became more interesting as the book continued. The main problem was the convenient revelation in the last section of the book, which made many of Lily and Neville’s problems disappear. Although it was foreshadowed from the beginning, it seemed like a cheat - making Lily’s struggles and triumphs seem empty. I’m not marking down the grade as far as I might have, because there is a sweetness to the resolution - it gives two of the secondary characters a happy ending - but it definitely lessened the book’s power for me.
I've ranted about this topic before, but I'll add a few more thoughts. Recently, there's been a lot of talk online about the HEA - is it really required for romance? I think so. But that doesn't mean that everything has to be tied up perfectly with a bow on top. I want the hero and heroine to end the book together, happy and in love. But all their problems don't have to be magically solved. To me, a happy ending has more emotional impact if the hero and heroine overcome their problems through their love for each other - not by the author's "deus ex machina" eliminating the obstacles.
I feel a little bit insulted as a romance reader when I get an ending like this - as if the author thinks I can't appreciate a happy ending if it doesn't come with a pile of money and a fancy title for the characters.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Rich In History
At one time, I loved to read sagas and complex historical fiction. Unfortunately, I now find it hard to lose myself in long, dense historical reads these days. It's hard to really be immersed in another time and place, when there's always a voice in the back of my head saying "you have a report due, you should be working!" or "the rent is due next week and you haven't balanced your checkbook!" or "the kitchen is a mess and you need to clean it up before work tomorrow!". I guess that's why I prefer the more direct, get-to-the-point emotions of romance these days. I sometimes feel nostalgic for the days when I could lose myself in colonial India for 1500 pages and never worry about anything except how long summer vacation would last...
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll
(2005, Renaissance) 6/18/07
Grade: 4
Ariane, the Lady of Faire Isle, is renowned for her magical talents, which she uses for good. But when Justice, the compte de Renard, wants to marry her, she is skeptical of his motives. She vows never to use the magical ring that binds them. but as she is drawn into the court intrigue of Catherine de Medici, she must depend on Renard’s strenth, and his love.
Set in France in 1572, this book skillfully blends historical fact and fiction (including witchcraft) to create a dark and intriguing story that is heavier on history than it is on romance. The author creates a world that always feels real, and is rich in historical detail. The relationship between Ariane and Justice is intriguing at first, but as the book continues, it takes a back seat to the historical intrigue and the relationship between Ariane and her sisters (who are set up for future books). The book is also a bit over-long, at least from my perspective, and I got a bit bogged down in the middle section. However, these are fairly minor problems, and I found it a rich and rewarding read overall.
I also regretfully sent a couple of recent and noteable books to the trade pile over the last couple of days - Games of Pleasure by Julia Ross (which had an intriguing storyline, but the characters seemed more like cardboard cutouts than real people) and Scandalous Lovers by Robin Schone (another intriguing storyline, but it felt more like a lecture on Victorian sexual attitudes than a book about real characters). I tossed both of them after reading about 100 pages, much to my disappointment.
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll
(2005, Renaissance) 6/18/07
Grade: 4
Ariane, the Lady of Faire Isle, is renowned for her magical talents, which she uses for good. But when Justice, the compte de Renard, wants to marry her, she is skeptical of his motives. She vows never to use the magical ring that binds them. but as she is drawn into the court intrigue of Catherine de Medici, she must depend on Renard’s strenth, and his love.
Set in France in 1572, this book skillfully blends historical fact and fiction (including witchcraft) to create a dark and intriguing story that is heavier on history than it is on romance. The author creates a world that always feels real, and is rich in historical detail. The relationship between Ariane and Justice is intriguing at first, but as the book continues, it takes a back seat to the historical intrigue and the relationship between Ariane and her sisters (who are set up for future books). The book is also a bit over-long, at least from my perspective, and I got a bit bogged down in the middle section. However, these are fairly minor problems, and I found it a rich and rewarding read overall.
I also regretfully sent a couple of recent and noteable books to the trade pile over the last couple of days - Games of Pleasure by Julia Ross (which had an intriguing storyline, but the characters seemed more like cardboard cutouts than real people) and Scandalous Lovers by Robin Schone (another intriguing storyline, but it felt more like a lecture on Victorian sexual attitudes than a book about real characters). I tossed both of them after reading about 100 pages, much to my disappointment.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Change Of Pace
This was another recommended book, and it was definitely a change of pace compared to my last couple of books!
Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
(2005, Contemporary) 6/15/07
Grade: 4
It’s not easy being a single and female, especially when you’re a minister (and your congregation isn’t quite sure they want a woman in the pulpit). Betsy Blessing thinks the time may have come to leave the ministry and go to law school, but her friend David disagrees - and Betsy finds herself having unexpected feelings for him, just at the wrong time!
An amusing chick lit book, with a twist. It features a heroine who happens to be a minister, not a proseletizer who happens to be a character in a book. That made the heroine much more real (and funny). Betsy is a great character, and it’s an interesting look into the life of a single, female minister who is trying to balance the different part of her life. Her relationship with David is only part of her life, and he’s not as well rounded as a character as she is. (It’s a chick lit book in the first person, so that’s to be expected, but I would have liked some of his perspective.) This book was very easy and fun to read (I finished it in just a couple of hours) - it wasn’t necessarily deep with emotion, but it was enjoyable.
After two very sex-heavy, dark books, it was nice to read something light and sex free!
Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
(2005, Contemporary) 6/15/07
Grade: 4
It’s not easy being a single and female, especially when you’re a minister (and your congregation isn’t quite sure they want a woman in the pulpit). Betsy Blessing thinks the time may have come to leave the ministry and go to law school, but her friend David disagrees - and Betsy finds herself having unexpected feelings for him, just at the wrong time!
An amusing chick lit book, with a twist. It features a heroine who happens to be a minister, not a proseletizer who happens to be a character in a book. That made the heroine much more real (and funny). Betsy is a great character, and it’s an interesting look into the life of a single, female minister who is trying to balance the different part of her life. Her relationship with David is only part of her life, and he’s not as well rounded as a character as she is. (It’s a chick lit book in the first person, so that’s to be expected, but I would have liked some of his perspective.) This book was very easy and fun to read (I finished it in just a couple of hours) - it wasn’t necessarily deep with emotion, but it was enjoyable.
After two very sex-heavy, dark books, it was nice to read something light and sex free!
Frustrating, Frustrating, Frustrating
This is another book that was recommended by a friend (and because of that, I slogged my way through to the end.) Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as well as Dirty.
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
(2006, Regency Historical) 6/14/07
Grade: 2.5
Ten years after their marriage, and nine years after their separation, Mary and Kit meet again, and find their sexual attraction is as strong as ever, even if they still drove each other crazy. Their plan is divorce, but can they ever be happy apart? Amid political upheaval, they discover what brought them together in the first place - and might bring them together again.
Very frustrating! I don’t normally care about style, but Rosenthal’s “style” drove me nuts. She writes in disjointed phrases, jumping from present to past, putting in pauses at random, and skipping from one storyline to another just when things are getting interesting. Her self-consciously “literary” style kept me from caring about the characters. For most of the book, I didn’t feel that the hero and heroine had any connection at all, other than sexual attraction. Even when they begin to interact on other levels (200 pages in!), the author kept the emotions from building to a satisfying conclusion, by shifting the focus away from the hero and heroine every time we got a glimpse of their inner thoughts. It’s only in the last couple of chapters that we get any sustained emotional buildup. The political side-plot was interesting (especially in the last 50 pages) but it wasn’t explored in enough detail to really make a difference. I found the book very difficult to finish.
It's rare for me to criticize a book on the basis of style. Even when I recognize the flaws in an author's style, it doesn't usually prevent me from enjoying the book, as long as the characters are good. But for me to enjoy a romance, I need to bond with the characters. To get inside them and understand what makes them tick. A few authors have a style that puts a barrier between me and the characters, and prevents me from getting inside of their skins. Their style may be admirable in a literary sense. (I think Judith Ivory's prose is lovely, for example, but I've never been able to enjoy one of her books.) But it fails for me, as a romance reader, because it maintains this emotional distance.
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
(2006, Regency Historical) 6/14/07
Grade: 2.5
Ten years after their marriage, and nine years after their separation, Mary and Kit meet again, and find their sexual attraction is as strong as ever, even if they still drove each other crazy. Their plan is divorce, but can they ever be happy apart? Amid political upheaval, they discover what brought them together in the first place - and might bring them together again.
Very frustrating! I don’t normally care about style, but Rosenthal’s “style” drove me nuts. She writes in disjointed phrases, jumping from present to past, putting in pauses at random, and skipping from one storyline to another just when things are getting interesting. Her self-consciously “literary” style kept me from caring about the characters. For most of the book, I didn’t feel that the hero and heroine had any connection at all, other than sexual attraction. Even when they begin to interact on other levels (200 pages in!), the author kept the emotions from building to a satisfying conclusion, by shifting the focus away from the hero and heroine every time we got a glimpse of their inner thoughts. It’s only in the last couple of chapters that we get any sustained emotional buildup. The political side-plot was interesting (especially in the last 50 pages) but it wasn’t explored in enough detail to really make a difference. I found the book very difficult to finish.
It's rare for me to criticize a book on the basis of style. Even when I recognize the flaws in an author's style, it doesn't usually prevent me from enjoying the book, as long as the characters are good. But for me to enjoy a romance, I need to bond with the characters. To get inside them and understand what makes them tick. A few authors have a style that puts a barrier between me and the characters, and prevents me from getting inside of their skins. Their style may be admirable in a literary sense. (I think Judith Ivory's prose is lovely, for example, but I've never been able to enjoy one of her books.) But it fails for me, as a romance reader, because it maintains this emotional distance.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Sex As Character Development
I don't have an objection to sexy books, but most erotica leaves me bored. If the characters don't interest me, the sex doesn't mean much, and I definitely don't want to slog through 400 pages just to get turned on. So I was skeptical of Dirty by Megan Hart, but it was recommended to me by several friends, so I vowed to give it a chance.
Dirty by Megan Hart
(2007, Contemporary) 6/12/07
Grade: 4
Elle isn’t interested in a relationship. But even though she’s been celibate for 3 years, she’s intrigued and turned on when a sexy guy picks her up, and she’s quickly having kinky sex everywhere she can. But will her sexfest with Dan turn into something more, and can she put her troubled past behind her and open herself up to a real relationship?
The first third of the book was not promising. Even though I understood the point the author was trying to make, it felt like an erotica checklist. “Sex in a public place? Check. Threesome? Check. Frequent use of the c-word? Check.” I can enjoy a hot sex scene, but this felt tedious and repetitive, like homework. The book improved once the author took a break from the constant f-ing and let us get to know the heroine. (The hero is more opaque, although I appreciate a nice guy hero - a rarity in erotica.) By the last third, emotion and character development finally came to the forefront, and I was touched by the heartfelt ending. I have to give the book a fairly high rating, but it’s a combo of 2 for the first third and 5 for the last third.
I love a good redemption story, and in the end, that's what won me over. At heart, this is a story of a tortured heroine saved by the love of a good man. But I wouldn't have made it through the first 150 pages of endless boinking if I hadn't been assured that it was worth the effort.
Dirty by Megan Hart
(2007, Contemporary) 6/12/07
Grade: 4
Elle isn’t interested in a relationship. But even though she’s been celibate for 3 years, she’s intrigued and turned on when a sexy guy picks her up, and she’s quickly having kinky sex everywhere she can. But will her sexfest with Dan turn into something more, and can she put her troubled past behind her and open herself up to a real relationship?
The first third of the book was not promising. Even though I understood the point the author was trying to make, it felt like an erotica checklist. “Sex in a public place? Check. Threesome? Check. Frequent use of the c-word? Check.” I can enjoy a hot sex scene, but this felt tedious and repetitive, like homework. The book improved once the author took a break from the constant f-ing and let us get to know the heroine. (The hero is more opaque, although I appreciate a nice guy hero - a rarity in erotica.) By the last third, emotion and character development finally came to the forefront, and I was touched by the heartfelt ending. I have to give the book a fairly high rating, but it’s a combo of 2 for the first third and 5 for the last third.
I love a good redemption story, and in the end, that's what won me over. At heart, this is a story of a tortured heroine saved by the love of a good man. But I wouldn't have made it through the first 150 pages of endless boinking if I hadn't been assured that it was worth the effort.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Success!
When I started this blog, it was in part to force myself to finish my "TBR bookcase", a collection of "intriguing reads" that I'd been collecting for years. And with this book, I've finally done it!
Some of the books ended up in my trade bag (if I didn't find them interesting after 50-100 pages), but I gave them all a chance. And I'm thrilled that I finally reached my goal.
Of course, I still have lots of books to read. I have more than 20 boxes of books in one of my closets! 1450 books in total! That should keep me busy for a long time. I have a lot more reading to do...
Best For Last
Although this book didn't quite make it into keeper territory, it's a good way to end my TBR quest.
A Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel
(1993, Medieval) 6/10/07
Grade: 4.5
In Germany in 1348, Frederica der Esslingen visits the local herbalist, and meets a stranger, a doctor who thrills her mind, body and soul as no other has done before. But he is a Jew, and their love is forbidden. As Rica struggles with her obligations to her father and sister, the plague threatens, and Solomon doubts they can ever be together, despite their passion.
A rich, exquisitely written story with fascinating characters. The relationship between Rica and Solomon is passionate, but the author also shows us why these two characters have fallen in love. The setting and time period are richly described. The one problem is the pacing. The middle section dragged, with one identical meeting after another, and too much emphasis on the problems of Rica’s sister. And then the final section goes too fast - with all the foreshadowing of the plague and attacks on Jews, it’s skimmed over in just a couple of paragraphs. But the writing and story are so good, I can’t mark it down too much for these minor problems.
I have several Barbara Samuel books in my TBR pile. I hope they will be as rich and satisfying as this one.
A Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel
(1993, Medieval) 6/10/07
Grade: 4.5
In Germany in 1348, Frederica der Esslingen visits the local herbalist, and meets a stranger, a doctor who thrills her mind, body and soul as no other has done before. But he is a Jew, and their love is forbidden. As Rica struggles with her obligations to her father and sister, the plague threatens, and Solomon doubts they can ever be together, despite their passion.
A rich, exquisitely written story with fascinating characters. The relationship between Rica and Solomon is passionate, but the author also shows us why these two characters have fallen in love. The setting and time period are richly described. The one problem is the pacing. The middle section dragged, with one identical meeting after another, and too much emphasis on the problems of Rica’s sister. And then the final section goes too fast - with all the foreshadowing of the plague and attacks on Jews, it’s skimmed over in just a couple of paragraphs. But the writing and story are so good, I can’t mark it down too much for these minor problems.
I have several Barbara Samuel books in my TBR pile. I hope they will be as rich and satisfying as this one.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Can't Make It To The End
Many readers are tired of Regency London, but I still find it an interesting setting, if the author can make the characters worth reading about.
Deceived by Nicola Cornick
(2006, Regency Historical) 6/8/07
Grade: 4
Desperate to escape her late husband’s death, Isabella looks for a husband in Fleet prison - and finds her former lover, who she left at the altar 12 years earlier. Marcus sees a chance for revenge, but he can’t deny the attraction between them. The more he gets to know Isabella again, the more he finds his anger softening into love.
This book started off with a bang. The characters were strong and well matched, and I loved their sparking back-and-forth arguments. The author focuses on the interactions between the characters, and I settled in for an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, the second half of the book lost the sparkle of the first. First, the characters were separated (emotionally) by misunderstandings, then they abruptly made up and the story shifted focus to the external plot. It wasn’t a total loss, the characters were still interesting, but it didn’t deliver on the wit and character development of the first half of the book.
It's always disappointing when a book starts off at the highest level, but then can't sustain that quality through to the end. Even if the book is still pretty good, it's hard not to be disappointed.
Deceived by Nicola Cornick
(2006, Regency Historical) 6/8/07
Grade: 4
Desperate to escape her late husband’s death, Isabella looks for a husband in Fleet prison - and finds her former lover, who she left at the altar 12 years earlier. Marcus sees a chance for revenge, but he can’t deny the attraction between them. The more he gets to know Isabella again, the more he finds his anger softening into love.
This book started off with a bang. The characters were strong and well matched, and I loved their sparking back-and-forth arguments. The author focuses on the interactions between the characters, and I settled in for an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, the second half of the book lost the sparkle of the first. First, the characters were separated (emotionally) by misunderstandings, then they abruptly made up and the story shifted focus to the external plot. It wasn’t a total loss, the characters were still interesting, but it didn’t deliver on the wit and character development of the first half of the book.
It's always disappointing when a book starts off at the highest level, but then can't sustain that quality through to the end. Even if the book is still pretty good, it's hard not to be disappointed.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Sometimes, It's Enough To Enjoy The Ride
I've been a fan of Laura Lee Guhrke since I read To Dream Again (which is on my keeper shelf). I've been disappointed by a couple of her books, but I was looking forward to reading this one.
The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke
(1997, Victorian) 5/28/07
Grade: 4
Although her father expects her to find a titled husband, American heiress Margaret Van Alden is only interested in true love. Trevor St. James doesn’t believe in love, but he does believe in money - and he needs it desperately. So he hatches a plan to woo the reluctant Miss Van Alden - but somewhere in the midst of the adventures, he finds love anyway.
An entertaining road romance with enjoyable characters. Although this book doesn’t have the depth of some of Guhrke’s other books, I found it thoroughly entertaining and zipped through it in one evening. The characters were well written, the dialogue was amusing and the setting (mostly in Italy in the 1880’s) was unusual. I didn’t remember much about the book a week later, but I definitely enjoyed the ride.
I have several more of Guhrke's books in my TBR pile. I hope they are as enjoyable as this one was! It's nice to read a book that focuses on the characters and doesn't spend a lot of time on meaningless side plots.
The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke
(1997, Victorian) 5/28/07
Grade: 4
Although her father expects her to find a titled husband, American heiress Margaret Van Alden is only interested in true love. Trevor St. James doesn’t believe in love, but he does believe in money - and he needs it desperately. So he hatches a plan to woo the reluctant Miss Van Alden - but somewhere in the midst of the adventures, he finds love anyway.
An entertaining road romance with enjoyable characters. Although this book doesn’t have the depth of some of Guhrke’s other books, I found it thoroughly entertaining and zipped through it in one evening. The characters were well written, the dialogue was amusing and the setting (mostly in Italy in the 1880’s) was unusual. I didn’t remember much about the book a week later, but I definitely enjoyed the ride.
I have several more of Guhrke's books in my TBR pile. I hope they are as enjoyable as this one was! It's nice to read a book that focuses on the characters and doesn't spend a lot of time on meaningless side plots.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The Fine Line Between Nice and Boring
I'm always bemoaning the lack of "nice guy" heroes in romance. I'm not a fan of the alpha jerk, and my favorite heroes are the betas. But unfortunately, there's a fine line between nice and boring - the author still has to give the hero and heroine some kind of conflict to keep the story interesting.
Vermont Valentine by Kristin Hardy (SSE 1739)
(2006, Contemporary Series) 4/3/07
Grade: 3
Celie Favreau has come to Vermont to fight the maple borer, an insect that is threatening the maple trees in the sugarbush. The first farmer she meets is Jacob Trask, a gruff but kind man who has spent his life dedicated to his family and the farm. Both the hero and heroine are convinced they’ll never find love because of their work, but they can’t resist the attraction.
At first, this was a fascinating look at maple syrup farming. The details were fascinating, and the characters were likeable and sympathetic, with nice chemistry between them. However, the book started to get a bit dull in the second half. I kept putting it down. There wasn’t any real conflict between the characters, other than some whining from Jacob about how he was “meant to be alone”, and the rest of the book felt rote and unoriginal. I ended up skimming. Too bad, because there were some nice moments in the first part of the book.
I feel like I was too harsh on this very nice, very sweet book. Sometimes sweet is good. But when it takes me two weeks to force myself to finish a book, there's something wrong.
Vermont Valentine by Kristin Hardy (SSE 1739)
(2006, Contemporary Series) 4/3/07
Grade: 3
Celie Favreau has come to Vermont to fight the maple borer, an insect that is threatening the maple trees in the sugarbush. The first farmer she meets is Jacob Trask, a gruff but kind man who has spent his life dedicated to his family and the farm. Both the hero and heroine are convinced they’ll never find love because of their work, but they can’t resist the attraction.
At first, this was a fascinating look at maple syrup farming. The details were fascinating, and the characters were likeable and sympathetic, with nice chemistry between them. However, the book started to get a bit dull in the second half. I kept putting it down. There wasn’t any real conflict between the characters, other than some whining from Jacob about how he was “meant to be alone”, and the rest of the book felt rote and unoriginal. I ended up skimming. Too bad, because there were some nice moments in the first part of the book.
I feel like I was too harsh on this very nice, very sweet book. Sometimes sweet is good. But when it takes me two weeks to force myself to finish a book, there's something wrong.
Tortured Heroine
It's so hard to find an anthology where all the stories are worth reading. Usually, there are only one or two really good stories in an anthology, which is why I hate to spend a lot of money on one. So an anthology in trade size was hard to take! So I read this story sitting in Borders, instead of spending $14 for the whole book. (Even though it was a very good story!)
"Street Corners and Halos" by Catherine Spangler
(in Demon's Delight anthology)
(2007, Contemporary Paranormal) 3/24/07
Grade: 4.5
The heroine is a vampire prostitute who gives men the illusion of sex in return for blood. She was turned in a concentration camp, where her family died. The hero is an angel, who tries to teach the heroine to live again, whether it’s going to a movie and buying a pretty dress, caring for a friend, or taking a chance to be human again.
Although this story is too short, it’s a wonderful redemption story. The heroine is a wonderful tortured heroine - she survives any way she can, but she’s never forgiven herself for surviving when her family did not, and she can’t let herself be happy, even in small ways. The hero is more of a blank slate - he’s good, he wants to help, he’s a hip angel. He isn’t characterized as deeply, probably because of the limited space. But the way he gradually persuades the heroine to find happiness, and forgive herself, is very touching. I love a good redemption story.
Although I'm not a big fan of paranormal, I occasionally enjoy a good vampire story. (I loved Angel, who was the ultimate tortured hero.) Unfortunately, most vampire stories these days don't really focus on the tortured hero aspect, which is why I rarely read them. I enjoyed reading about a tortured heroine vampire, which is a nice change of pace!
"Street Corners and Halos" by Catherine Spangler
(in Demon's Delight anthology)
(2007, Contemporary Paranormal) 3/24/07
Grade: 4.5
The heroine is a vampire prostitute who gives men the illusion of sex in return for blood. She was turned in a concentration camp, where her family died. The hero is an angel, who tries to teach the heroine to live again, whether it’s going to a movie and buying a pretty dress, caring for a friend, or taking a chance to be human again.
Although this story is too short, it’s a wonderful redemption story. The heroine is a wonderful tortured heroine - she survives any way she can, but she’s never forgiven herself for surviving when her family did not, and she can’t let herself be happy, even in small ways. The hero is more of a blank slate - he’s good, he wants to help, he’s a hip angel. He isn’t characterized as deeply, probably because of the limited space. But the way he gradually persuades the heroine to find happiness, and forgive herself, is very touching. I love a good redemption story.
Although I'm not a big fan of paranormal, I occasionally enjoy a good vampire story. (I loved Angel, who was the ultimate tortured hero.) Unfortunately, most vampire stories these days don't really focus on the tortured hero aspect, which is why I rarely read them. I enjoyed reading about a tortured heroine vampire, which is a nice change of pace!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Eve and Roarke, Continued
I haven't read a lot lately, but I came home from Celebrate Romance with a huge pile of books, so hopefully I'll have more to post soon!
Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Suspense) 3/4/07
Grade: 3
Eve is back again, solving the murder of a friendly teacher who was poisoned for mysterious reasons. Was he as innocent as he seemed? And she also has to deal with the return of one of Roarke’s old flames, who is determined to cause trouble between Eve and Roarke.
Although the mystery was interesting (and a nice change from the conspiracy theories of the past few books), this wasn’t one of J.D. Robb’s best efforts. The “other woman” story didn’t work all that well - it made Eve seem petty and Roarke seem oblivious, although I liked the reactions of Eve’s friends (particularly Summerset!). As always, the book was enjoyable, tightly written and easy to read, but it just didn’t stand above the other books in the series.
Although I don't like most romantic suspense books, I enjoy the J.D. Robb books because they're really police procedurals - more like Law & Order or CSI than the typical "love on the run" romantic suspense book. Unlike many romance authors, Nora Roberts can write a tight procedural mystery. However, it's getting harder to come up with realistic stories about Eve and Roarke's relationship. The "other woman" story just didn't work for me, especially at this point in the series (maybe earlier on when their relationship was newer?). Unlike many online fans, I'm not eager for Eve and Roarke to become parents (I'd probably stop reading if that happened), but it must be a tricky problem for NR to find new obstacles for the couple in every book.
Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Suspense) 3/4/07
Grade: 3
Eve is back again, solving the murder of a friendly teacher who was poisoned for mysterious reasons. Was he as innocent as he seemed? And she also has to deal with the return of one of Roarke’s old flames, who is determined to cause trouble between Eve and Roarke.
Although the mystery was interesting (and a nice change from the conspiracy theories of the past few books), this wasn’t one of J.D. Robb’s best efforts. The “other woman” story didn’t work all that well - it made Eve seem petty and Roarke seem oblivious, although I liked the reactions of Eve’s friends (particularly Summerset!). As always, the book was enjoyable, tightly written and easy to read, but it just didn’t stand above the other books in the series.
Although I don't like most romantic suspense books, I enjoy the J.D. Robb books because they're really police procedurals - more like Law & Order or CSI than the typical "love on the run" romantic suspense book. Unlike many romance authors, Nora Roberts can write a tight procedural mystery. However, it's getting harder to come up with realistic stories about Eve and Roarke's relationship. The "other woman" story just didn't work for me, especially at this point in the series (maybe earlier on when their relationship was newer?). Unlike many online fans, I'm not eager for Eve and Roarke to become parents (I'd probably stop reading if that happened), but it must be a tricky problem for NR to find new obstacles for the couple in every book.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Nature or Nurture?
I've read several of Allison Lane's Regencies and enjoyed them, although her books have a different style and perspective than many Regency authors. (This book references several of her previous books - even including footnotes referring to previous books! - but I was able to follow the story even though I hadn't read all of the previous books in the series.)
Kindred Spirits by Allison Lane
(2002, Regency) 2/4/07
Grade: 3
Jack believes that he’s lost his honor after Waterloo, and is on the verge of suicide when he meets Marianne, the young girl he saved from the French 12 years earlier. She’s been in seclusion since then, afraid of going insane from the memories of her family’s death. Can Jack save her from her uncles machinations - and can she persuade him to live again?
A typically serious regency from Allison Lane. I found the story compelling, although I got tired of the hero’s constant whining about “bad blood” and “lost honor”. But the heroine was sympathetic, and their relationship was believable and interesting. The characters aren’t very emotional, but I was interested to see how the plot would play out and how the characters would react. Lane has a surprisingly dark view of Regency society, and it gives her books an unusual outlook. However, a revelation in the last pages was extremely disappointing - it undercut the entire “message” of the story, and annoyed me. I had to grade the book down accordingly.
I've read several books where the author throws in a "dramatic revelation" in the last chapter, which eliminates a problem that the hero and heroine have spent the whole book overcoming. The heroine doesn't want to marry an untitled man, but in the end she decides that love is more important. And then - poof! - he gets a title. The hero is poor and doesn't want to get involved with the heroine because she's rich. He gets over the problem, and then - poof! - he inherits a fortune.
Authors may think that this makes the ending "even more happy" but to me, it just seems like a cop-out. It makes the hero and heroine's emotional triumph over their obstacles seem hollow. Maybe some people like this kind of ending, but it really spoils a book for me.
Kindred Spirits by Allison Lane
(2002, Regency) 2/4/07
Grade: 3
Jack believes that he’s lost his honor after Waterloo, and is on the verge of suicide when he meets Marianne, the young girl he saved from the French 12 years earlier. She’s been in seclusion since then, afraid of going insane from the memories of her family’s death. Can Jack save her from her uncles machinations - and can she persuade him to live again?
A typically serious regency from Allison Lane. I found the story compelling, although I got tired of the hero’s constant whining about “bad blood” and “lost honor”. But the heroine was sympathetic, and their relationship was believable and interesting. The characters aren’t very emotional, but I was interested to see how the plot would play out and how the characters would react. Lane has a surprisingly dark view of Regency society, and it gives her books an unusual outlook. However, a revelation in the last pages was extremely disappointing - it undercut the entire “message” of the story, and annoyed me. I had to grade the book down accordingly.
I've read several books where the author throws in a "dramatic revelation" in the last chapter, which eliminates a problem that the hero and heroine have spent the whole book overcoming. The heroine doesn't want to marry an untitled man, but in the end she decides that love is more important. And then - poof! - he gets a title. The hero is poor and doesn't want to get involved with the heroine because she's rich. He gets over the problem, and then - poof! - he inherits a fortune.
Authors may think that this makes the ending "even more happy" but to me, it just seems like a cop-out. It makes the hero and heroine's emotional triumph over their obstacles seem hollow. Maybe some people like this kind of ending, but it really spoils a book for me.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Issue Romance
I love a good "issue romance", a type of story that Harlequin Super Romance used to specialize in (and still does, sometimes). There's something compelling about a hero or heroine who is able to open her heart and find love, even while overcoming a personal obstacle.
Warning: there's a bit of a spoiler in the review of this book, although I don't think it's a major spoiler.
The Word of a Child by Janice Kay Johnson (HSR 1009)
(2001, Contemporary Series) 1/27/07
Grade: 4
Three years earlier, a police officer came to her door and accused her husband of molesting a child. It ended Mariah’s marriage, even though the charge was never proved. Now, as a middle school teacher, Mariah has to deal with that same officer to help one of her students - and she finds herself more attracted to him than she’d expected.
An interesting and well-written book, although as is often the case with Johnson’s books, the secondary storyline is more compelling than the romance. I wanted to know what happened to Tracy, the student who accused a teacher of rape, and I was tempted to flip ahead to see how that part of the story would turn out. Sometimes the romance between Mariah and Connor seemed like an intrusion. But both the hero and heroine were well drawn, and they were both nicely mature people, capable of dealing with Mariah’s ex-husband as well as their tentative relationship. It was interesting that the question of the ex-husband’s guilt or innocence is never completely cleared up - unusual in a romance.
I've been looking up some older books by Janice Kay Johnson, since I've enjoyed so many of her books that I've read so far. How nice to have found a new author (or at least, new to me) that I enjoy reading!
Warning: there's a bit of a spoiler in the review of this book, although I don't think it's a major spoiler.
The Word of a Child by Janice Kay Johnson (HSR 1009)
(2001, Contemporary Series) 1/27/07
Grade: 4
Three years earlier, a police officer came to her door and accused her husband of molesting a child. It ended Mariah’s marriage, even though the charge was never proved. Now, as a middle school teacher, Mariah has to deal with that same officer to help one of her students - and she finds herself more attracted to him than she’d expected.
An interesting and well-written book, although as is often the case with Johnson’s books, the secondary storyline is more compelling than the romance. I wanted to know what happened to Tracy, the student who accused a teacher of rape, and I was tempted to flip ahead to see how that part of the story would turn out. Sometimes the romance between Mariah and Connor seemed like an intrusion. But both the hero and heroine were well drawn, and they were both nicely mature people, capable of dealing with Mariah’s ex-husband as well as their tentative relationship. It was interesting that the question of the ex-husband’s guilt or innocence is never completely cleared up - unusual in a romance.
I've been looking up some older books by Janice Kay Johnson, since I've enjoyed so many of her books that I've read so far. How nice to have found a new author (or at least, new to me) that I enjoy reading!
Angst By-The-Numbers
I love a good tortured hero, but that isn't enough by itself for a great read.
The Bride Sale by Candice Hern
(2002, Regency Historical) 1/31/07
Grade: 3.5
After being blamed for the death of his wife and son, Lord James Harkness has withdrawn from the world, even though his tenants see him as a heartless villain. But when he saves Verity from a “bride sale”, he finds himself charmed by her sweetness and generosity. She sees beneath his cold exterior to the troubled but loving man underneath.
Full of angst, but surprisingly, I didn’t connect emotionally to these characters. James is a by-the-numbers tortured hero, but his slowly building attraction to Verity seemed authentic. But Verity was just a little too perfect - she’s loved by everyone and seems to have no flaws. She didn’t have enough personality to really make the story come to life. The depiction of village life in Cornwall was well done, and overall it was an enjoyable read, just not as emotionally gripping as it could have been. I
Surprisingly, I was far more moved by Candice Hern's lighter Regency, Change of Heart. Even though it wasn't as "angsty" as this book, I cared about the characters more deeply.
The Bride Sale by Candice Hern
(2002, Regency Historical) 1/31/07
Grade: 3.5
After being blamed for the death of his wife and son, Lord James Harkness has withdrawn from the world, even though his tenants see him as a heartless villain. But when he saves Verity from a “bride sale”, he finds himself charmed by her sweetness and generosity. She sees beneath his cold exterior to the troubled but loving man underneath.
Full of angst, but surprisingly, I didn’t connect emotionally to these characters. James is a by-the-numbers tortured hero, but his slowly building attraction to Verity seemed authentic. But Verity was just a little too perfect - she’s loved by everyone and seems to have no flaws. She didn’t have enough personality to really make the story come to life. The depiction of village life in Cornwall was well done, and overall it was an enjoyable read, just not as emotionally gripping as it could have been. I
Surprisingly, I was far more moved by Candice Hern's lighter Regency, Change of Heart. Even though it wasn't as "angsty" as this book, I cared about the characters more deeply.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Catching Up
Although I've been reading (some) over the past couple of months, I've been very lax in keeping up this blog. (Is anyone really reading it?) So I'm posting a bunch of reviews at once, and I'll try to do better from now on.
Looking back on my last few reads, I feel like such a curmudgeon. Really, I don't hate romance - I want to find a great book, I just haven't found one in a while.
Her Perfect Life by Vicki Hinze
(2006, Contemporary) 1/20/07
Grade: 3
After six years as a POW in Iraq, Katie Slater returns home, to find everything changed. Her husband has remarried, her children are strangers, and her only ally is her best friend, fellow fighter pilot C.D. Quade. How can she make a new life for herself, reconnect with her children, and come to terms with her experiences as a prisoner?
The first half of this book was emotional and compelling. Katie’s struggle to deal with her memories, while finding a way back to her children and family, was heart wrenching. But in the second half, the emotions started to feel false - more “after school special” than real life. Everything turns out perfectly for Katie - her children quickly fall into her arms, her best friend is conveniently carrying a torch for her, and even her PTSD is limited to a few minor quirks. It was nice to see the heroine succeed, but the sugar was piled on with a trowel in the last part of the book.
I kind of feel like the wicked witch, disliking such a nice, well-intentioned book. But nice is not enough! (I should turn that into a t-shirt...)
Looking back on my last few reads, I feel like such a curmudgeon. Really, I don't hate romance - I want to find a great book, I just haven't found one in a while.
Her Perfect Life by Vicki Hinze
(2006, Contemporary) 1/20/07
Grade: 3
After six years as a POW in Iraq, Katie Slater returns home, to find everything changed. Her husband has remarried, her children are strangers, and her only ally is her best friend, fellow fighter pilot C.D. Quade. How can she make a new life for herself, reconnect with her children, and come to terms with her experiences as a prisoner?
The first half of this book was emotional and compelling. Katie’s struggle to deal with her memories, while finding a way back to her children and family, was heart wrenching. But in the second half, the emotions started to feel false - more “after school special” than real life. Everything turns out perfectly for Katie - her children quickly fall into her arms, her best friend is conveniently carrying a torch for her, and even her PTSD is limited to a few minor quirks. It was nice to see the heroine succeed, but the sugar was piled on with a trowel in the last part of the book.
I kind of feel like the wicked witch, disliking such a nice, well-intentioned book. But nice is not enough! (I should turn that into a t-shirt...)
One Book Too Many
Although I've never been a huge fan of Nora Roberts, I have a few of her books on my keeper shelf. The last of her books that I really loved were the Chesapeake books - I gave two of them a grade of 5, which is almost unprecedented for me. Could a sequel to this beloved series be anything but a disappointment?
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
(2002, Contemporary) 1/4/07
Grade: 2.5
In the final book in the Chesapeake series, Nora Roberts tells the story of Seth, the abandoned boy who brought the brothers together in the previous books. Now, Seth is an accomplished artist, who has come home after years in Europe. He’s running from his past - but can he find happiness with flower shop owner Dru Banks, who has a past of her own?
Although Roberts is always readable, this was a tedious book. It seemed like nothing but “the minor problems of the pretty people”. Everyone in the book is practically perfect, which gets boring after a while. The book spends a lot of time visiting with all the characters from the previous books. They’re all happy, wise and very, very nice, of course. Seth and Dru have a few minor problems, but they seem like “much ado about nothing”, especially in the face of all that niceness. I enjoyed the previous books in this series, but this one is more like “old home week” than a real story. Too bad, because I really loved the previous books.
Whenever anyone asks me about the pitfalls of writing connected romances, I'll point to this book. By the time you get to the final book in the series, all the characters are so beloved that you can't do anything but overload on saccharine niceness.
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
(2002, Contemporary) 1/4/07
Grade: 2.5
In the final book in the Chesapeake series, Nora Roberts tells the story of Seth, the abandoned boy who brought the brothers together in the previous books. Now, Seth is an accomplished artist, who has come home after years in Europe. He’s running from his past - but can he find happiness with flower shop owner Dru Banks, who has a past of her own?
Although Roberts is always readable, this was a tedious book. It seemed like nothing but “the minor problems of the pretty people”. Everyone in the book is practically perfect, which gets boring after a while. The book spends a lot of time visiting with all the characters from the previous books. They’re all happy, wise and very, very nice, of course. Seth and Dru have a few minor problems, but they seem like “much ado about nothing”, especially in the face of all that niceness. I enjoyed the previous books in this series, but this one is more like “old home week” than a real story. Too bad, because I really loved the previous books.
Whenever anyone asks me about the pitfalls of writing connected romances, I'll point to this book. By the time you get to the final book in the series, all the characters are so beloved that you can't do anything but overload on saccharine niceness.
Another Day In Death
Although I'm not a big romantic suspense fan, I never miss an installment of the J.D. Robb "In Death" series.
Born In Death by J.D. Robb
(2006, Mystery/Suspense) 12/6/06
Grade: 3.5
Another Eve and Roarke mystery. Eve is investigating the deaths of two accountants, who may have stumbled across something shady at work. In the meantime, Mavis is about to give birth, and Eve is warily acting as a birthing coach and hosting a baby shower. But when one of Mavis’s pregnant friends disappears, will Eve save the day?
I’m not sure I can give this a proper review, since I read it at a very stressful time in my life. But it’s a decent entry in the “in Death” series. The original case about the accountants was well constructed. I appreciated the way the murder victims were humanized - they weren’t just anonymous bodies. And of course, the subplot about Mavis and her pregnancy was a lot of fun, especially the baby shower. But having the second mystery link in to the original case seemed too convenient, too coincidental. Usually Nora Roberts writes tighter mystery plots in her J.D. Robb books.
I like J.D. Robb's books best when she writes a really tight mystery - so many romance authors write pathetic mystery plots in their RS novels, but Robb usually does better. This one relied too much on a preposterous coincidence.
Born In Death by J.D. Robb
(2006, Mystery/Suspense) 12/6/06
Grade: 3.5
Another Eve and Roarke mystery. Eve is investigating the deaths of two accountants, who may have stumbled across something shady at work. In the meantime, Mavis is about to give birth, and Eve is warily acting as a birthing coach and hosting a baby shower. But when one of Mavis’s pregnant friends disappears, will Eve save the day?
I’m not sure I can give this a proper review, since I read it at a very stressful time in my life. But it’s a decent entry in the “in Death” series. The original case about the accountants was well constructed. I appreciated the way the murder victims were humanized - they weren’t just anonymous bodies. And of course, the subplot about Mavis and her pregnancy was a lot of fun, especially the baby shower. But having the second mystery link in to the original case seemed too convenient, too coincidental. Usually Nora Roberts writes tighter mystery plots in her J.D. Robb books.
I like J.D. Robb's books best when she writes a really tight mystery - so many romance authors write pathetic mystery plots in their RS novels, but Robb usually does better. This one relied too much on a preposterous coincidence.
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