Best of 2009

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

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

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

Room But Not Bored by Dawn Atkins

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

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

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

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

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


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Now playing: Owl City - Fireflies
via FoxyTunes

A Regency Christmas (Anthology)

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

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

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

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

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

Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb

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

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

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

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

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

Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

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

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

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

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

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

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory

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

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

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

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

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

The Courtesan's Wager by Claudia Dain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Santangeli Marriage by Sara Craven

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor

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

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

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

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

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

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

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

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

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

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

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

My New TBR Pile (Much Smaller!)

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

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

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

My Old TBR Pile

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

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Things We Do For Love by Margot Early

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

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

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

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

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

Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Wendell and Tan

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

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

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

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

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

Shadows of the Heart by Tracy Grant

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

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

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

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

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

The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed

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

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

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

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

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

The Holly and the Ivy by Elisabeth Fairchild

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

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

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

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

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

The Courtship Dance by Candace Camp

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

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

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

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

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

The Legacy by T.J. Bennett

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

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

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

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

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

Promises in Death by J.D. Robb

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

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

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

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

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

Fool's Paradise by Tori Phillips

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

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

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

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

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

Room But Not Bored by Dawn Atkins

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

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

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

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

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

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

Breaking the Rules by Ruth Wind

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

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

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

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

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

A Trio of Regencies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

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

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

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

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

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

Broken Wing by Judith James

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

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

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

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

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

The Genuine Article by Patricia Rice

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

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

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

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

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

Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly

I'm so pleased that Carla Kelly is back writing for Harlequin Historical (and I hope they're paying her well!). Although her books aren't always as "romantic" as I prefer, she has a unique voice, and I would hate for her to be lost to the romance world.

Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly
(2009, Regency) 1/21/09
Grade: 4

Captain Oliver Worthy is on a brief leave from the French blockade, waiting for his ship to be repaired. He agrees to look in on Lord Ratliffe’s illegitimate daughter, Eleanor, and is soon enchanted by her and her family. But Oliver is unwilling to marry when his life is in constant danger - and Nana doesn’t want to burden him with a wife who will never fit in.

Carla Kelly is unparalleled in her depictions of ordinary heroes and heroines, and she does a wonderful job here with Oliver and Nana. She’s particularly good at creating military heroes, and she really brought her naval hero to life. (The heroine is a more typical “too good to be true” type, but she’s well written.) There were many scenes that stood out here, as the hero and heroine quietly spent time together. However, the book didn’t really stand out from other Carla Kelly books. It dragged a bit in the middle, and the action scenes felt tacked on at the end. Overall, it just felt predictable, although well executed - nothing that really excited me. But still, a good Carla Kelly book is still well worth reading, even if it’s not that different than the ones that went before.

Although Carla Kelly has dealt with illegitimate heroines before, this almost seems like a trend in romance - I've seen more illegitimate heroes and heroines in the past year than I ever have before. I'm intrigued - with all the mistresses and so forth, there had to be a lot of them running around Regency England, and it's a side of life we don't see very often.

Best of 2008

This has been an excellent reading year for me. I read more books this year (102) than in any year since 1996 - the last year before I started working full time. (Amazing how having a job cuts down on your reading time.) My continued unemployment probably explains why I read so many books this year, but it's not the only reason. I found a lot more books I wanted to read this year! 28 of the books I read were from 2008, which is more than I've bought in any year, in close to a decade. Finally, the romance publishers were putting out serious, "angsty" historicals again, in between all the paranormals and erotica. Nice for me, and probably for a lot of other romance readers as well.

I didn't have a keeper this year (Grade of 5), but that probably has more to do with my pickiness than anything else. But I had 8 books that I graded at 4.5, which means they were really enjoyable, the best books of the year. Three of those books were from 2008.

Simply Magic by Mary Balogh (2007)
A Heritage of Shadows by Madeline Brent (1983)
The Discarded Duke by Nancy Butler (2002)
His Captive Lady by Anne Gracie (2008)
A Kiss To Dream On by Neesa Hart (1999)
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (2008)
Beyond Breathless by Kathleen O'Reilly (2007)
The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn (2008)

There were a lot of other books that got very good grades (4). A lot of grading depends on my emotional reaction to a book, and a lot of these books might have gotten a higher grade on another day. They were all good reads. I won't link to all of them but it's a quick overview. (I included a couple of books that I read in early January, but were 2008 books.)

Barefoot in the Grass by Judith Arnold (1996)
Simply Love by Mary Balogh (2006)
Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (2008)
Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh (2005)
A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley (2005)
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne (2008)
Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase (2008)
Kiss The Cook by Jacquie D'Alessandro (2000)
After the Kiss by Suzanne Enoch (2008)
The Monk Upstairs by Tim Farrington (2007)
Nobody Does It Better by Jan Freed (1997)
Shores of Desire by Tracy Grant (1997)
His Secret Past by Ellen Hartman (2008)
The Pirate Lord by Sabrina Jeffries (1998)
Proving Herself by Yvonne Jocks (2001)
Summer Campaign by Carla Kelly (1989)
Like No Other Lover by Julie Ann Long (2008)
Mostly Married by Lisa Manual (2004)
Because of You by Cathy Maxwell (1999)
A Man to Rely On by Cindi Myers (2008)
Beguiled by Susan Spencer Paul (1998)
Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (2004)
Lady of the Knight by Tori Phillips (1999)
White Picket Fences by Tara Tyler Quinn (2000)
Lean On Me by Jill Shalvis (1998)
Rain Shadow by Cheryl St. John (1994)
Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart (2006)
Long Night Moon by Theresa Weir (1995)

Mostly historicals, with a few series books and a couple of contemporaries.

Happily, there were few bad books this year - although that's in large part because I had little patience for them. Any book that wasn't working for me by page 50 got a quick skim, and if it didn't look promising, into the trade pile it went. (Or into the paperbackswap queue.) So most of the disappointing books never ended up in my database. But there were a couple of exceptions:

My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke

The surprising thing about these two books is that both of them were very popular. I think both made several "best of the year" lists. I definitely didn't see the attraction.

Now, I'm looking forward to 2009. The new Carla Kelly is on its way to me - I'm hoping it will be my first great read of the New Year!

After the Kiss by Suzanne Enoch

Don't judge a book by its plot description. That's the lesson I can learn from this book - I never would have bought this book if I'd run across it at a bookstore, because it sounds so silly. The plot description is correct, but only a small part of the story. Unfortunately, it's hard to judge a book if you can't trust the back blurb - I bought this book based on a review, but it seems like reviews are getting scarcer these days. (And I haven't had a great history with Suzanne Enoch - I hated one of her previous books.) So, how do you find good reads? It's hard to tell...

After the Kiss by Suzanne Enoch
(2008, Regency Historical) 1/16/09
Grade: 4

Sullivan Waring, the bastard son of a Marquis, only became a thief to recover his mother’s paintings, but when he’s caught by Lady Isabel Chalsey, he can’t help but steal a kiss. Isabel can’t decide what to do about her mysterious thief, so she decides to hire him to teach her to ride, and keep him close at hand, so she can consider him more closely...

I didn’t expect to like this books as much as I did. The plot sounded ridiculous when I read the description, and I thought it would be a silly romp. It wasn’t that at all. Both the hero and heroine were well characterized, and the attraction between them was really well done. I believed that Sullivan and Tibby yearned for each other - it wasn’t just lust - and I found myself completely caught up in their seemingly doomed affair. I also appreciated that the ending stayed true to what had gone before. I almost gave this book a higher grade, because I found myself caught up in the book, but the beginning and ending were both a bit slow, and it wasn’t as deeply emotional as the best books I read this year. Maybe 4 and a quarter stars.

The last of my 2008 books! (I'm sure I'll read more 2008 books at some point in the future - books that I missed for one reason or another - but this is the last one of the books I bought in 2008. 28 completed books in all - not bad, considering how few books I've bought in previous years.

A Man To Rely On by Cindi Myers

Harlequin Super Romance is probably my favorite series line. I like the focus on realistic characters and real-life problems. But, I'm still a picky reader. I'm reluctant to buy HSR books without a specific recommendation, because I don't really like books about babies and kidlets, and it seems like they're everywhere in this category line. Even if you pick up a book that doesn't seem to feature this plotline, you get halfway through and WHAP, there it is. And then there are the garden variety bad books - books with cardboard characters, silly plotlines, etc. It's disappointing - and with a limited book budget and not much time to read, it bothers me to buy a book that turns out to be unsatisfying. So, I wait for recommendations. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get recommendations for HSR's - it seems like most readers prefer Blazes and Presents (ick), and those are the ones that get reviewed. So, I never hear about the good HSR's. I'm glad I heard about this one - even a fleeting comment on a discussion list is enough for me to give a book, so I'm not buying completely blind.

A Man To Rely On by Cindi Myers (HSR 1530)
(2008, Contemporary Series) 1/16/09
Grade: 4

Marisol was always the “bad girl” of Cedar Switch, Texas, until she left home at 16. After 20 years, she’s returned, but she’s now a single mother with a teenage daughter, and the death of her sports star husband has brought more scandal. Is she willing to give Scott Redmond a chance, even though he’s trying to rebuild his life after a stint in rehab?

Although the basic storyline was a bit predictable, the characters gave the familiar plot more depth and emotion. Marisol was a well drawn character, and it was nice to see her regaining her confidence and learning to put the past behind her. (Familiar story, but well done.) The hero is more unusual. Not only does he have a history of drug addiction, but he’s also struggling with anxiety attacks. Not a typical hero, but I found him compelling, and he has his own “rebuild my confidence” story. That made this book stand out from a lot of other category books. I also appreciated that the author didn’t fix everything with a bow on top at the end, although it felt a little rushed in the last pages. Overall, this was a very enjoyable and satisfying category read - a little predictable, but overall, a good read.

A storyline that might be a little thin for a full length book can be just right for a category. As long as the characters are well-drawn, I don't mind a predictable plot, especially in a short book that doesn't have room for a lot of plot exposition.

Sex, Straight Up by Kathleen O'Reilly

I've had mixed results with Harlequin Blaze. On one hand, a lot of good authors write for this line, and it's one of the few lines where you won't see cutesy-wootsy babies on every cover. On the other hand, most of them are based on the premise, "if the sex is good, it must be love". I don't really buy that, and I often find the sex scenes detract from the development of the relationship. I keep reading them because some of them are enjoyable, but I kind of wish the best Blaze authors would write their stories in other Harlequin lines, where a sex scene every 20 pages isn't a book requirement.

Sex, Straight Up by Kathleen O'Reilly (HB 388)
(2008, Contemporary Series) 1/12/09
Grade: 3.5

Seven years after losing his wife on 9/11, Daniel O’Sullivan still wears his ring, and can’t imagine another woman - until he meets Catherine Montefiore. At first, he thinks it will just be a fling, but when an audit of her grandfather’s auction house throws them together, he begins to think more seriously about whether he can move on, and make a new life.

Although I liked the hero and heroine in this book, it was a little bit overstuffed, and the relationship between the hero and heroine was kept in the background for too long. I found Daniel a particularly sympathetic hero. His devotion to his wife and his struggle to move past her death was very well written and emotional. I also liked Catherine, but I didn’t find their relationship all that realistic until the last chaper or two. There were a lot of sex scenes, but for a long time, it felt like the only thing between them was sexual attraction. Maybe it was because we got a moment-by-moment accounting of the state of Daniel’s cock. The storyline about the audit of the auction house wasn’t all that interesting, and it took time away from deepening the relationship. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I particularly enjoyed the hero, but it didn’t quite work for me.

One thing I appreciate about Kathleen O'Reilly are her New York settings. It's such a refreshing change from the endless small towns of Harlequin land.

Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

I've had mixed results with Loretta Chase. I'm one of the few people who didn't love Lord of Scoundrels - I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the be-all and end-all of romance for me. But I've had a pretty good track record with her books on the whole - most of them have been enjoyable at least. I started reading this book a couple of months ago, and was so intrigued by the first chapter that I decided to set it aside for a time when I wasn't so distracted by other things. And then I didn't get back to it until now.

Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase
(2008, Regency Historical) 1/11/09
Grade: 4

Francesca Bonnard has lived on the Continent since her divorce, taking lovers and scandalizing society. But when the British government wants secret letters incriminating her ex-husband, they send James Cordier, a spy who is ready to retire and live a normal life. But there’s something about Francesca that makes him forget about all that...

This book was fascinating from the first page, and featured unique characters and a terrific setting of Venice. I especially loved the heroine, who was intelligent and fun, and far from the usual romance heroine. The hero was more typical, but I loved the way he appreciated Francesca for who she was, instead of trying to turn her into something else. The setting was almost a character unto itself - I was swept away by Venice, without being lectured (as so many authors do when they use exotic settings). However, despite all the good points of this book, I wasn’t drawn into the romance as much as I would have liked. The book was so plot-heavy, it didn’t leave a lot of time for exploring the character’s emotions. We’d get a hint, and then we’d be swept along on the next twist and turn of the plot. So, I’d call it very good, rather than great - but definitely worth reading and unique.

I only have a couple of books left from 2008, and it's nice to end on a good note (rather than my last couple of reads - the Guhrke that was so disappointing, and after that, three or four books that I couldn't even finish. Hopefully those last remaining reads from 2008 will be worth the effort.

The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke

The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke
(2008, Victorian) 1/5/09
Grade: 2

Seamstress Prudence Bosworth is dazzled when she meets the indebted Duke of St. Cyres, but she never imagined it would go further - until she inherits a fortune from a father she never knew. Suddenly she’s the heiress that everyone wants, but the Duke is pure of heart and loves her for herself... doesn’t he?

This book had an interesting premise, but it was doomed by a heroine who was so naive, she came across as too stupid to live. For more than three quarters of the book, she is convinced that the hero never knew she was an heiress - even though she knows he’s in debt, and it’s been in all the newspapers. There’s naive and then there’s dumb. Maybe the book would have been more believable if the heroine had been a 17 year old sheltered debutante, but the heroine supposedly had lived on her own for years and supported herself. I had to wonder how she survived. I found Rhys slightly more appealing, especially as he found himself warming to the heroine and dreaming of a life with her - but even that was pretty much dropped at the end. By the end of the book, I just wanted it to be over.

I rarely write reviews of books that I rate this low, mostly because I don't bother finishing them. There are lots of books that hit the trade pile by page 100 - probably many that were better than this one! But I kept reading because (1) I kept hoping the author would turn it around somehow and (2) I had a glimmer of interest in the hero. But by the end, I was wishing I'd tossed it. I will continue on to book three in the series, and hope it's an improvement!

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

The first book I read by Laura Lee Guhrke was To Dream Again, which is still on my keeper shelf, although I haven't read it in many years. It has a very similar plot to this one - repressed heroine learns to take chances - but I don't remember finding the heroine as blind in that one. But romance has changed since that book came out, and a heroine thinking about the consequences of sex is out of fashion these days.

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke
(2007, Victorian) 1/4/09
Grade: 3.5

After five years as a secretary to Viscount Marlowe, Emma Dove knows all about his mistresses and his charm. But when he refuses to even read her etiquette books, she decides to take a chance and go out on her own. And Harry suddenly sees his bland secretary with new eyes. Can she resist his sensual advances, knowing that he is determined to never marry?

This book had a lot of charm, but I found the characters inconsistent. The basic plotline (the repressed heroine learns to enjoy life) was familiar, and fairly charming, but as the book continued, I began to get frustrated with the heroine. She starts out as practical and intelligent, but she loses her brains when the hero starts kissing her. And it didn’t seem realistic for her to throw all thought of consequences aside. It seemed like the heroine “knew” she was in a romance novel, and Harry was a romance hero, so she didn’t have to think about what might happen. (The Victorian setting and focus on etiquette made this loom more largely for me as a reader than it might have in a Regency.) The hero is also inconsistent, although he shows more depth as the book goes on - he seemed more clueless than deliberately stupid. Overall, the writing was smooth and I found the book entertaining, but the hero and heroine’s attitudes kept grating on me, which spoiled the book for me somewhat.

I debated about how to rate this book, because I really did enjoy many aspects of it - but with all of the emphasis on Victorian mores, the heroine's attitude just kept bugging me, like an uncomfortable itch. One of my annoyances in romance is Romance-itis, i.e. the hero and heroine act in ways that don't really make sense unless the hero and heroine "know" that they're in a romance novel (and therefore the happy ending must occur). I prefer the heroines to at least consider what might happen if the hero doesn't have "Romance Novel Hero" tattooed on his forehead. All romance is a fantasy, but I like at least the illusion of reality in my books.

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

It's always difficult to judge a book that's been praised and hyped - and this one was the darling of all the romance lists when it first came out. I had to put it aside and wait a little while, so I could try to read it more objectively.

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
(2008, Regency Historical) 12/29/08
Grade: 4

Annique Villiers has spent her life as a spy for the French, and she’s known everyone in the Game as the expert Fox Cub. But when she is captured by the English spymaster Robert Grey, she has finally met her match - and perhaps love as well.

I was impressed from the beginning of the book by the character of Annique. In just a few pages, the author had created a character who was unique and specific - a character that came to life. And the background of spying during the Napoleonic wars was fascinating, and well depicted. However, there were some major flaws as well. First, the plot depends on Annique doing something very stupid and out of character, which frustrated me and pulled me out of the story. And secondly, I never really felt an emotional connection between Grey and Annique. They respected each other, admired each other’s skills - but love? It wasn’t developed at all. So, it was an interesting book, with a fascinating and unique heroine, but not really a successful romance.

After reading this book, I can see why so many people liked it - and why others hated it. I'm somewhere in between. I admire its originality, but I ended up feeling a little disappointed as well.