The Way Home by Megan Chance

Since I haven't found very many 2013 books that I want to buy, I'm trying to read some of the older books in my TBR.  I first read Megan Chance back in 1996, when I read The Portrait.  Since then I've bought her books, but only read one other (A Season in Eden).  I was glad to see that her books have been reissued as ebooks.

The Way Home by Megan Chance
(1997, Western)  5/30/13
Grade: 4

Eliza Beaudry is afraid she’ll spend the rest of her life as a sharecropper’s wife, never leaving the small shack where she grew up.  So she throws herself at Cole Wallace, a gambler who seems exciting.  But soon he’s gone - and Eliza is pregnant.  When her father tracks him down, Cole offers a trade - Eliza can marry his shy brother Aaron who lives on the family farm.  Aaron reluctantly agrees - but he has no idea what to do with a wife. 

This was an intriguing book that suffered from some pacing problems.  The author starts with a traditional setup - the small town girl who wants more, and ends up pregnant - but then she twists the story in unexpected ways.  The hero of the love triangle is shy and awkward Aaron, instead of the more conventional hero Cole.  The heroine doesn’t instantly fall in love with Aaron, or magically solve all of his problems with love.  However, there were some issues with the way the book was structured.  The author spent a lot of time devoted to Cole, and not enough time devoted to Eliza and Aaron (particularly Aaron).  She withholds crucial information about Aaron until almost the end of the book, which makes Aaron a cipher for much of the book.  And once we begin to see the connection between Eliza and Aaron, we get a dramatic fire scene and then the book ends.  If the author had included just a few more scenes that explored Eliza and Aaron’s relationship, the book would have felt more complete.  Still, this book was well worth reading.  I’m glad I bought it - twice!  

I debated how to rate this book - the good parts were exceptionally good, but the book still felt incomplete.  Good, but not great. 

The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry

I've really enjoyed Sarah Mayberry as a new Harlequin author.  (Well, she's not so new any more.)  I usually prefer her Harlequin Superromances to her Blazes, but I always find her books worth reading.  And it's fun to read a book set in Australia!

The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry
(2013, Contemporary Series)  5/30/13
Grade: 4

Oliver has escaped to his late aunt’s beach house to get away from his pending divorce.  Mackenzie has been recuperating at her beach cottage since a car accident left her with serious injuries.  Neither one is looking for a relationship, but their dogs have other ideas.  Once they’ve become friends, it’s only a short step to lovers - but is either one ready for a relationship?

This is a very low key, realistic book.  With all the trauma in the hero and heroine’s pasts, it could have been an angst fest - but instead, it was a quiet and down to earth story.  The relationship between Oliver and Mackenzie developed slowly - they were friends first, and there wasn’t a lot of the mental lusting that you get in so many books these days.  Eventually they did become involved (and there were quite a few sex scenes - I got a little bored with them after a while) but the characters remained grounded and down to earth.  Even the barriers between the characters were realistic ones - Oliver’s hesitation to get involved so soon after separating from his wife, Mackenzie’s concern about her injuries and uncertainty about her career.  In the end, the book may have been a little too realistic - it didn’t transport me or thrill me, and there were a few points in the first half when I got a little bored - but it was refreshing to read a book that wasn’t over-the-top, and I got a little misty at the end.  One of the best Mayberry books I’ve read so far.

The cover is pretty but doesn't match the book at all!  Mackenzie had short hair - it was a major plot point!  I guess Harlequin has done a poll and figured out that long hair sells more books.

A Countess by Christmas by Annie Burrows

I miss Regencies - even when they weren't perfect, they had a certain charm.  Thankfully Harlequin Historical is still publishing a few of them.

A Countess by Christmas by Annie Burrows
(2010, Regency)  5/25/2013
Grade: 3.5

Helen Forrest has accompanied her aunt to the Christmas house party of the Earl of Bridgemere.  Her aunt has lost all of her money and is hoping for help from the Earl, despite his aloof reputation.  The Earl finds Helen a breath of fresh air - so different from his grasping, money-hungry relatives - but can he persuade her to give up her plans for an independent life and become his countess?

Although this is a Harlequin Historical, it felt very much like an old school Signet Regency.  I always enjoy a good Christmas house party story, and this included all of the usual elements - frost covered lakes, gathering greenery, charming children, kissing under the mistletoe.  The problem was there wasn’t much to the story beyond the Christmas background.  There was no real reason for the hero and heroine not to be together, so the book had to depend on the characters - and these characters had some flaws.  The heroine, in particular, was quick to jump to conclusions and lose her temper for no apparent reason.  The hero was more appealing, but he was also quick to jump to conclusions.  It seemed like the author couldn’t find a reason to keep the hero and heroine apart, so she threw in a bunch of misunderstandings.  This didn’t completely spoil the book - it still had a lot of charm - but it could have been so much better.  

I had to read a book on my birthday - too bad it wasn't a great one.

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss

I've heard a lot of good things about Karina Bliss, but this is the first book I've read by her.  It's always interesting to read a book set somewhere different - in this case, New Zealand.

A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss
(2013, Contemporary Series)  5/18/13
Grade: 3.5

After two years, SAS soldier Lee Davis is finally coming home.  His family and friends thought he was dead.  Things have changed since he left, but the most surprising change is that his supposed fiancée, Juliet Browne, has become a part of his circle of friends - except that they broke up just before he left on his last mission.  Lee decides to feign amnesia to find out what’s really going on - but he finds himself drawn to Jules all over again.

I had mixed feelings about this book.  There were many moments that were emotional and lovely.  Karina Bliss is an excellent writer and she did a great job depicting Lee’s struggles to adjust to normal life again.  However, the fake amnesia storyline was a gimmick that went on too long.  And even after that part of the story was resolved, there were a lot of characters from other books that played a big part in the story.  I felt a little lost.  I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

If I'd written this review immediately after reading the book, I might have graded it a little more highly.  But a day later, I can barely remember the good parts, while the negatives stand out more.  So I downgraded it from 4 to 3.5.

An Unlikely Countess by Jo Beverley

Although I like some of Jo Beverley's books, her Malloren books have never worked quite as well for me as her Regencies.  There is always more focus on the external over the internal.  But I picked this one up because I love a marriage of convenience story.

An Unlikely Countess by Jo Beverley
(2011, Georgian)  5/12/13
Grade: 4

Prudence has spent most of her life sacrificing for her brother - and now that he has a career and a wealthy wife, he ignores Prudence’s poverty.  One bright moment in Prudence’s life is when she shares a few moments with Cate Burgoyne.  But then he’s gone - until months later when he rescues her from a bad marriage.  He’s now an Earl, and although their marriage is unlikely, they are determined to make the best of it. 

This was an unusual book.  The hero and heroine spend a short time together in the first chapter, but then they are separated for almost a third of the book.  When they are reunited and forced to marry, they spend more time together - but the focus of the book is on the practical aspects of their marriage, rather than the development of their relationship.  There are far more paragraphs devoted to Prudence’s clothes than there are on her emotions.  The Georgian background was interesting, but I just didn’t feel much of a connection between the hero and heroine.  The writing was excellent, as always, and the story was interesting, but I just didn’t find it as compelling as some of Jo Beverley’s other books.  

Jo Beverley always finds an excuse to drop Rothgar into her Malloren books.  (Or in this case, Diana, Rothgar's wife.)  Although it always seems believable to have them appear, I get the impression that I'm supposed to be ooohing and aahhing like Rothgar is Justin Bieber - "oooh, it's so exciting to see him".  Maybe that's what her fans want - a glimpse of Rothgar in every book.  But I find it a little silly.  I didn't think those characters really needed to be there. 

How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox

So far I've been impressed by Ruthie Knox, although this short story is probably my least favorite of the ones I've read so far. 

How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox
(2013, Contemporary)  5/9/13
Grade: 3.5

Good girl Amber Clark has been admiring contractor Tony Mazzano from afar, but when the tornado warning siren goes off, she and Tony are stuck together in a dark basement.  It gives them a chance to get to know each other - and give in to their attraction.

This was a cute novella.  At first I was afraid it would just be one long sex scene, but things improved in the second half.  Both Amber and Tony have interesting backgrounds, and I thought the author managed to establish their connection beyond their sexual attraction.  I’m not sure I was convinced this was a happy ever after - it was just too short - but it worked well for what it was.  

I used to enjoy Regency novellas, but I think contemporary novellas are harder to write since a large portion of the page count is necessarily taken up by love scenes.  When you only have a few pages to work with, I'd rather focus on emotional connections rather than body connections. 

The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee

I'm having such a hard time finding historicals this year!  This is one of only two historicals I've bought so far this year (the other one is the Carla Kelly book).  Is this the death of the historical?  (Or am I just being picky?)

The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee
(2013, Turn of the Century)  5/8/13
Grade: 3.5

Betsey Dobson has survived on her wits, and she has advanced from being a typewriter girl to the excursions manager at the seaside resort of Idensea.  She enjoys her work and the unexpected freedom it brings her - but she is intrigued by John Jones, the Welsh engineer who is building the resort’s pleasure fair.  She and John begin an affair, but Betsey must guard her heart, because she knows their relationship can’t last.

The characters and setting of this book were intriguing, but I struggled with the writing.  I enjoyed reading about this unusual setting, and the heroine’s advance from a typewriter girl to a manager.  The author did a good job depicting the heroine’s pleasure in her work and how she became better at it over time.  But the relationship between the hero and heroine was less successful.  The book alternates between the heroine’s perspective and the hero’s, but the language feels stilted and unemotional.  Maybe this is supposed to be “literary fiction” but it just felt tedious and hard to read.  The first half of the book was a chore to get through.  Things improved in the second half, but still, I found myself more frustrated by this book than I expected.  Too bad, since the premise was quite intriguing.

Sometimes I feel shallow because I prefer romance to more literary fiction - but trying to parse out the meaning of sentences just doesn't appeal to me any more.  If I have to read a sentence three times to figure out what it means, then it's too much for my brain - I read enough complex documents for work. 

Her Ladyship's Companion by Joanna Bourne

It's always fun to read an old book by an author who became famous later.  Evidently Joanna Bourne didn't write any books between 1983 and 2008 so it's fun to see how her writing developed.

Her Ladyship's Companion by Joanna Bourne
(1983, Regency)  4/28/13
Grade: 3.5

French teacher Melissa Rivenwood leaves her school in London to take a job as a companion in remote northern England.  She finds an intriguing cast of characters - her imperious employer, Lady Dorothy, the 7 year old earl, Robbie, and his mysterious uncle, Giles.  There are also several other relatives who are also living in the house.  Everything seems well at first, until mysterious accidents start to threaten Robbie.  Who can she trust?

This was a fairly by-the-numbers gothic, but it was well written enough to keep me turning the pages.  All of the characters were straight out of gothic central casting.  Especially in the first half, it was hard to keep track of everyone.  But despite all this, the story and characters were interesting.  I enjoy a good gothic, even if the story is predictable.  It was worth reading despite the problems.

Gothics are out of fashion, but they're fun to read occasionally.

Stay at Home Dead by Jeffrey Allen

Although I don't read mysteries very often, every now and then I enjoy something light and funny (the complete opposite of what I read in romance).  Leanne recommended this one.

Stay at Home Dead by Jeffrey Allen
(2012, Contemporary Mystery)  4/28/13
Grade: 3.5

Stay at home Dad Deuce Winters is making his usual trip to the grocery store when he finds a dead body in his minivan.  The victim is his high school nemesis, Benny Barnes, and soon everyone in Rose Petal, Texas, thinks Deuce is the killer.  So Deuce decides to do a little investigating of his own...

This was a quick and fun read, although it didn’t quite hold up when thinking about it later.  The book was very easy to read, with short chapters and an engaging writing style.  The main characters (Deuce and his wife Julianne, the midget investigator Victor) were fun and well written.  But the plot had a lot of holes, and some things didn’t make a whole lot of sense.  This was a book with a lot of style, but not much substance.  Still, it was fun to read.

My review sounds a little harsh, but still, I enjoyed it enough to buy the next book in the series.