Her Colorado Man by Cheryl St. John

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

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

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

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

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

Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl

Two great books in a row - how refreshing!

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

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

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

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

Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant

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

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

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

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

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

She's Got It Bad by Sarah Mayberry

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

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

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

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

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

The Best Revenge by Justine Davis

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

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

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

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

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

Miss Winthorpe's Elopement by Christine Merrill

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

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

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

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

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

Improper Relations by Janet Mullany

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

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

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

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

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

The Bellini Bride by Michelle Reid

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

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

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

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

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

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

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

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

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

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

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

Something Shady by Pamela Morsi

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

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

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

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

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

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale

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

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

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

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

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

For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale

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

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

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

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

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

Two Books by Jeanne Grant

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase

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

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

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

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

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

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

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

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

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

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

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

How to Score by Robin Wells

Still working my way through the TBR...

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

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

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

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

Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran

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

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

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