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.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
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.
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