It's always a problem when the hero and heroine are clearly happy and in love by the middle of the book. What do you do with them for the next 150 pages? Unfortunately, a lot of authors turn to misunderstandings...
Beguiled by Susan Spencer Paul
(1998, Regency Historical) 3/7/08
Grade: 4
After the Earl of Cardemore buys up his debts, Anthony, the Earl of Graydon, is compelled to escort his sister, Lillian, and guide her through her first season. Because Lillian is unable to speak, she is ignored and even denigrated by most of society, but Anthony begins to admire and love her, and is glad when they’re forced into marriage.
There was a lot to like in this book. Lillian was a strong and interesting heroine, and Anthony a very likeable hero. (I especially liked the way he kept Lillian’s notes - a charming way to show his growing love for her.) I appreciated that Anthony loved Lillian the way she was, and that she didn’t magically regain her ability to speak in the end. The background information about treatment of the deaf and mute during this period was fascinating and shocking. The secondary romance between Margaret and Cardemore was also lovely (I could have read a lot more about them!) But the book had an odd, stilted quality, which became even more pronounced in the second half, when the plot turned on one misunderstanding after another, and Anthony and Lillian were separated. As much as I liked the characters, I found the plot machinations increasingly frustrating. It just wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been.
I was fascinated to read about the attitudes toward "deaf-mutes" during this time period. It was pretty shocking to discover that people assumed they didn't have souls (!!!) and were little more than animals.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Silence of Midnight by Karen Young
Not sure why this book is called "The Silence of Midnight" - I don't remember any scenes that took place at midnight, or that were particularly silent - but it sounds good.
The Silence Of Midnight by Karen Young
(1992, Contemporary Series) 3/2/08
Grade: 3.5
Three months after the disappearance of their four year old son, Jake and Rachel are struggling to get by. But when Michael appears on their doorstep, the result of an affair Jake had 15 years ago, it nearly tears their marriage apart. Rachel wants to treat Michael fairly, but it’s hard to see Jake enjoying his new son, when her beloved child is gone.
This book was full of wonderful, emotional scenes and well drawn characters. Rachel’s struggle to accept Michael, her grief over the loss of their son, Jake’s frustration with his deteriorating marriage and his love for his newly discovered child, Michael’s quiet joy at finding a home - all of those things are done so well. Unfortunately, there are a lot of plot points thrown in that detract from these good points - a suspense plotline involving “those evil drugs”, a tendency to blame Rachel for being angry and hurt, and most especially, the resolution of Scotty’s fate. It’s not that I wanted Scotty to be dead, but he’s discovered and rescued in such a contrived way, it just felt false. It’s hard to know how to rate this book - I really loved a lot of it, but it ended on a note that left me feeling disappointed.
Having Scotty magically rescued at the end - and he's not even scratched! - took a lot of the specialness out of this book for me. But I know a romance novel could never kill off a child - even though Karen Keast did it years ago.
The Silence Of Midnight by Karen Young
(1992, Contemporary Series) 3/2/08
Grade: 3.5
Three months after the disappearance of their four year old son, Jake and Rachel are struggling to get by. But when Michael appears on their doorstep, the result of an affair Jake had 15 years ago, it nearly tears their marriage apart. Rachel wants to treat Michael fairly, but it’s hard to see Jake enjoying his new son, when her beloved child is gone.
This book was full of wonderful, emotional scenes and well drawn characters. Rachel’s struggle to accept Michael, her grief over the loss of their son, Jake’s frustration with his deteriorating marriage and his love for his newly discovered child, Michael’s quiet joy at finding a home - all of those things are done so well. Unfortunately, there are a lot of plot points thrown in that detract from these good points - a suspense plotline involving “those evil drugs”, a tendency to blame Rachel for being angry and hurt, and most especially, the resolution of Scotty’s fate. It’s not that I wanted Scotty to be dead, but he’s discovered and rescued in such a contrived way, it just felt false. It’s hard to know how to rate this book - I really loved a lot of it, but it ended on a note that left me feeling disappointed.
Having Scotty magically rescued at the end - and he's not even scratched! - took a lot of the specialness out of this book for me. But I know a romance novel could never kill off a child - even though Karen Keast did it years ago.
One More Night by Kathleen Creighton
How to review a book with a flaw that probably wouldn't bother anyone else? That's why I don't write official reviews!
One More Knight by Kathleen Creighton (SIM 890)
(1998, Contemporary Series) 3/1/08
Grade: 3
Twenty years after running away from home, Charly Phelps has decided to pay a visit to her past. But when she ends up in jail, she ends up being rescued by Troy Starr, an ex-Navy Seal and the brother-in-law of her best friend. Troy is immediately attracted to Charly, and determined to help her as she revisits the most painful and tragic months of her life.
It was hard to grade this one. The book was well written and heart wrenching, with believable characters, but it suffered from a couple of serious flaws. One problem was that the story of Charly’s past took over the book, to the point that the romance with Troy almost felt like an intrusion at times. The chemistry between the two characters was strong, and it worked most of the time, but there were points that it just seemed out of place. That was a fairly minor problem, though. The bigger problem for me was the resolution of the story. It felt like Charly was being blamed for her choice to give up her child for adoption. She’s the one who’s made to feel guilty for not coming back home, even though it was her father who forced her to give up her child, drove her out of town and then never tried to find her. But somehow, he’s the good guy (because anyone who gives up their child must be bad, bad, bad). Maybe the author could have explored this in a more nuanced way in a longer book, but here, it just left me feeling uncomfortable.
I waffled when trying to assign a rating to this one. The main characters had great chemistry, the story of Charly's teen pregnancy was poignant, the writing was good. But the ending just left me with a bad taste - and I know that's because it pushes my personal buttons. But hey, it's my blog!
One More Knight by Kathleen Creighton (SIM 890)
(1998, Contemporary Series) 3/1/08
Grade: 3
Twenty years after running away from home, Charly Phelps has decided to pay a visit to her past. But when she ends up in jail, she ends up being rescued by Troy Starr, an ex-Navy Seal and the brother-in-law of her best friend. Troy is immediately attracted to Charly, and determined to help her as she revisits the most painful and tragic months of her life.
It was hard to grade this one. The book was well written and heart wrenching, with believable characters, but it suffered from a couple of serious flaws. One problem was that the story of Charly’s past took over the book, to the point that the romance with Troy almost felt like an intrusion at times. The chemistry between the two characters was strong, and it worked most of the time, but there were points that it just seemed out of place. That was a fairly minor problem, though. The bigger problem for me was the resolution of the story. It felt like Charly was being blamed for her choice to give up her child for adoption. She’s the one who’s made to feel guilty for not coming back home, even though it was her father who forced her to give up her child, drove her out of town and then never tried to find her. But somehow, he’s the good guy (because anyone who gives up their child must be bad, bad, bad). Maybe the author could have explored this in a more nuanced way in a longer book, but here, it just left me feeling uncomfortable.
I waffled when trying to assign a rating to this one. The main characters had great chemistry, the story of Charly's teen pregnancy was poignant, the writing was good. But the ending just left me with a bad taste - and I know that's because it pushes my personal buttons. But hey, it's my blog!
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
I don't normally report on books that I don't finish, but I got pretty far in this one - over 100 pages - so I decided to include it.
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
(2007, Georgian) 3/1/08
Grade: 2.5
Lady Georgina Maitland is in Yorkshire, visiting her estates, when she discovers someone has been poisoning sheep in the area. She turns to her estate manager, Harrry Pye, even though he’s been accused of the crime. As she and Harry investigate, she finds there’s more to her employee than she might have expected.
I found this book oddly disappointing, to the point that I couldn’t finish it. I had high hopes for it at first. I really liked the interactions between the aristocratic heroine and the lower class hero - her assumption that she can order him around, his frustrations with her and his position. It was an interesting exploration of social class and how two people could overcome it. But the book really went off for me in the second half. First, the sex. I don’t mind love scenes, but here, the author seemed to go out of her way to make them crass and tawdry, from her word choices to the descriptions. Maybe I’m just too picky, but I found them off-putting rather than sexy. Then there was the mystery plot, which took up too much space. And then, Georgina completely changes her personality and we get a contrived romance plot twist, “let’s push them together with a baby”. I was skimming at this point, but it just seemed like the last straw. It was disappointing, because there were a lot of interesting things in the first part of the book.
I have a mixed view of erotica. I don't mind a hot love scene, and I've been known to read some pretty spicy stuff. But in this book, the blunt, somewhat crass erotic scenes just didn't mesh with the emotional feelings of the love story. Maybe this makes me prissy, but I don't find cold and unemotional references to pricks and f**ks particularly romantic or sexy - it can work in certain contexts (Emma Holly is one author who can do it - I quite enjoyed the frank sexuality of Menage) but most of the time, it just seems jarring and offputting to me.
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
(2007, Georgian) 3/1/08
Grade: 2.5
Lady Georgina Maitland is in Yorkshire, visiting her estates, when she discovers someone has been poisoning sheep in the area. She turns to her estate manager, Harrry Pye, even though he’s been accused of the crime. As she and Harry investigate, she finds there’s more to her employee than she might have expected.
I found this book oddly disappointing, to the point that I couldn’t finish it. I had high hopes for it at first. I really liked the interactions between the aristocratic heroine and the lower class hero - her assumption that she can order him around, his frustrations with her and his position. It was an interesting exploration of social class and how two people could overcome it. But the book really went off for me in the second half. First, the sex. I don’t mind love scenes, but here, the author seemed to go out of her way to make them crass and tawdry, from her word choices to the descriptions. Maybe I’m just too picky, but I found them off-putting rather than sexy. Then there was the mystery plot, which took up too much space. And then, Georgina completely changes her personality and we get a contrived romance plot twist, “let’s push them together with a baby”. I was skimming at this point, but it just seemed like the last straw. It was disappointing, because there were a lot of interesting things in the first part of the book.
I have a mixed view of erotica. I don't mind a hot love scene, and I've been known to read some pretty spicy stuff. But in this book, the blunt, somewhat crass erotic scenes just didn't mesh with the emotional feelings of the love story. Maybe this makes me prissy, but I don't find cold and unemotional references to pricks and f**ks particularly romantic or sexy - it can work in certain contexts (Emma Holly is one author who can do it - I quite enjoyed the frank sexuality of Menage) but most of the time, it just seems jarring and offputting to me.
Jack of Hearts by Marjorie Farrell
I appreciate an author who includes a taste of history in her books (I ascribe some of my love of history to my childhood romance reads) but I get a bit frustrated when the romance is pushed aside in favor of a history lesson.
Jack of Hearts by Marjorie Farrell
(2000, Regency Historical) 2/29/08
Grade: 3.5
The daughter of a mill owner, Anne has decided she needs a titled husband. Her solicitor gives her a list of 3 candidates, all in need of money, and she sets out to choose one. Careless rake Jack Belden is at the bottom of the list. But as problems at the mill come forward, she begins to realize that she wants something different from life, and from marriage.
This book started off well, but lost its way in the second half. I liked the practical heroine, although her dislike of Jack seemed a bit flimsy and went on for too long. (It felt like a plot contrivance.) Jack was also an interesting character, although I thought he wasn’t as deeply drawn as Anne. I also appreciated the secondary romance between Anne’s companion Sarah and her groom, Patrick - very moving and well done. When the concerns about the mill workers was first introduced, I thought it was handled very well - it gave Anne a good reason to rethink her life, and wonder how to handle the human side of her inheritance. But the mill plot took over the book in the second half, to the detriment of the romance storyline. If Jack had been a part of the story, it might have worked, but instead, Jack was missing from the book for a large section in the middle, and Anne made some stupid decisions that didn’t make much sense. It’s an interesting story about the industrial development in the Regency period, but the romance was pretty much dropped, to my disappointment.
Thinking about this book a few days later, I remember the mill plot in detail, but the character of Jack fades from memory. Not what you want in a romance!
Jack of Hearts by Marjorie Farrell
(2000, Regency Historical) 2/29/08
Grade: 3.5
The daughter of a mill owner, Anne has decided she needs a titled husband. Her solicitor gives her a list of 3 candidates, all in need of money, and she sets out to choose one. Careless rake Jack Belden is at the bottom of the list. But as problems at the mill come forward, she begins to realize that she wants something different from life, and from marriage.
This book started off well, but lost its way in the second half. I liked the practical heroine, although her dislike of Jack seemed a bit flimsy and went on for too long. (It felt like a plot contrivance.) Jack was also an interesting character, although I thought he wasn’t as deeply drawn as Anne. I also appreciated the secondary romance between Anne’s companion Sarah and her groom, Patrick - very moving and well done. When the concerns about the mill workers was first introduced, I thought it was handled very well - it gave Anne a good reason to rethink her life, and wonder how to handle the human side of her inheritance. But the mill plot took over the book in the second half, to the detriment of the romance storyline. If Jack had been a part of the story, it might have worked, but instead, Jack was missing from the book for a large section in the middle, and Anne made some stupid decisions that didn’t make much sense. It’s an interesting story about the industrial development in the Regency period, but the romance was pretty much dropped, to my disappointment.
Thinking about this book a few days later, I remember the mill plot in detail, but the character of Jack fades from memory. Not what you want in a romance!
Nobody Does It Better by Jan Freed
As I often do when I'm on a trip, I took a bunch of older, "falling apart" books out of my TBR pile and brought them on the plane. Some were duds (a few landed in the trash within 20 or 30 pages) but some were worth reading!
Nobody Does It Better by Jan Freed (HSR 741)
(1997, Contemporary Series) 2/28/08
Grade: 4
In the middle of a stressful merger, business executive Hope Manning is forced to take a “wilderness survival course”, led by Jared Austin. At first, Hope can’t stand the idea of life away from Diet Coke, but she grows to appreciate the outdoors - especially if a certain hunky wilderness guide is with her.
This is a book that succeeds almost entirely on tone. Hope has a wonderful, snarky tone that immediately makes her character stand out, even though she’s a familiar romance character. Although she’s a bit unlikeable at first, she quickly shows her softer side in her interactions with the other students (particularly the emotionally abused wife who struggles to keep up). Jared is also well developed - he could have been a cliche, and he’s not quite as memorable as Hope, but I appreciated how he admired Hope for her sass, rather than trying to turn her into something else. The suspense plot was better integrated than most, but the end of the book was a bit cliched, and I thought the ending was rather rushed - it seemed like Hope and Jared rushed from attraction to “true love” far too quickly. But that may just be a necessity of the series format. Overall, a fun and enjoyable read.
Whatever happened to Jan Freed? She wrote wrote several excellent series books, but then disappeared. Too bad!
Nobody Does It Better by Jan Freed (HSR 741)
(1997, Contemporary Series) 2/28/08
Grade: 4
In the middle of a stressful merger, business executive Hope Manning is forced to take a “wilderness survival course”, led by Jared Austin. At first, Hope can’t stand the idea of life away from Diet Coke, but she grows to appreciate the outdoors - especially if a certain hunky wilderness guide is with her.
This is a book that succeeds almost entirely on tone. Hope has a wonderful, snarky tone that immediately makes her character stand out, even though she’s a familiar romance character. Although she’s a bit unlikeable at first, she quickly shows her softer side in her interactions with the other students (particularly the emotionally abused wife who struggles to keep up). Jared is also well developed - he could have been a cliche, and he’s not quite as memorable as Hope, but I appreciated how he admired Hope for her sass, rather than trying to turn her into something else. The suspense plot was better integrated than most, but the end of the book was a bit cliched, and I thought the ending was rather rushed - it seemed like Hope and Jared rushed from attraction to “true love” far too quickly. But that may just be a necessity of the series format. Overall, a fun and enjoyable read.
Whatever happened to Jan Freed? She wrote wrote several excellent series books, but then disappeared. Too bad!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Untouched by Anna Campbell
I have a friend who doesn't like angsty books. Whenever she comes across a book with angst, she sends it over to me, saying "I know you like angst, so I'm sure you'll like this". If only it were that simple! It's tricky to write an angsty book that conveys real emotion, rather than just cardboard melodrama (and it's a skill that fewer authors seem to have these days...)
Untouched by Anna Campbell
(2007, Regency Historical) 2/22/08
Grade: 3
Recently widowed Grace is abducted and brought to an isolated estate, to become the mistress of the mad Lord Sheene. Matthew has been kept in isolation since he was 14 and suffered from brain fever, his uncle calling him insane to keep control of his fortune. He is determined not to give in to his uncle’s plans, but Grace is so very tempting...
I had high hopes for this book. A hero who has been isolated most of his life, treated as insane? Nirvana for an angst bunny like me. But something about this book just rang false. I never really believed in Matthew or in Grace. It’s hard to explain exactly why - the overblown style and somewhat purplish prose is part of it, but I’ve read other books with that style and found them compelling. But somehow, this one felt over-the-top and melodramatic, rather than heartfelt. The author seemed to tell us who Matthew and Grace were, rather than showing us. There were good aspects to the book - I appreciated that Matthew wasn’t instantly a stud in bed and had to learn, even though he caught on pretty quickly - but still, I wanted more, and I just ended up disappointed.
I was hoping for something along the lines of Flowers From The Storm, but alas, it didn't come close.
Untouched by Anna Campbell
(2007, Regency Historical) 2/22/08
Grade: 3
Recently widowed Grace is abducted and brought to an isolated estate, to become the mistress of the mad Lord Sheene. Matthew has been kept in isolation since he was 14 and suffered from brain fever, his uncle calling him insane to keep control of his fortune. He is determined not to give in to his uncle’s plans, but Grace is so very tempting...
I had high hopes for this book. A hero who has been isolated most of his life, treated as insane? Nirvana for an angst bunny like me. But something about this book just rang false. I never really believed in Matthew or in Grace. It’s hard to explain exactly why - the overblown style and somewhat purplish prose is part of it, but I’ve read other books with that style and found them compelling. But somehow, this one felt over-the-top and melodramatic, rather than heartfelt. The author seemed to tell us who Matthew and Grace were, rather than showing us. There were good aspects to the book - I appreciated that Matthew wasn’t instantly a stud in bed and had to learn, even though he caught on pretty quickly - but still, I wanted more, and I just ended up disappointed.
I was hoping for something along the lines of Flowers From The Storm, but alas, it didn't come close.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
A Scandalous Proposal by Julia Justiss
Another older book plucked out of my TBR pile.
A Scandalous Proposal by Julia Justiss
(2000, Regency) 2/7/08
Grade: 3.5
Emily has been struggling since her family disowned her and her soldier husband died in Spain, but she’s finally been able to open up a hat shop and support her son. But when Evan, the Earl of Cheverley, helps her, she decides a liasion with him is her best option. Evan finds her very attractive, but neither one expected to fall in love...
At first I expected to dislike the premise of this book (she’s just a mistress!) but that turned out to be less of an issue than I originally thought. I liked the characters, and even though it’s hard to understand at first why Evan is so “in love” with Emily, his love (and not just lust) becomes clearer as time goes on. However, this book felt like a series of strung-together episodes. It seemed like every time Evan and Emily got close to happiness, the author threw another out-of-the-blue obstacle in their way. It’s his position - no, it’s his friend who died in battle - no, it’s the crippled fiancee - no, it’s her title - no, it’s her engagement to his friend. It began to get tedious. Although the book started with promise and had appealing characters, I found the book harder and harder to get through as I got further into it - I just got tired.
Although the sex quotient is a bit higher here than in a typical Regency, I'd still label this Harlequin Historical as "Regency" rather than "Regency Historical".
A Scandalous Proposal by Julia Justiss
(2000, Regency) 2/7/08
Grade: 3.5
Emily has been struggling since her family disowned her and her soldier husband died in Spain, but she’s finally been able to open up a hat shop and support her son. But when Evan, the Earl of Cheverley, helps her, she decides a liasion with him is her best option. Evan finds her very attractive, but neither one expected to fall in love...
At first I expected to dislike the premise of this book (she’s just a mistress!) but that turned out to be less of an issue than I originally thought. I liked the characters, and even though it’s hard to understand at first why Evan is so “in love” with Emily, his love (and not just lust) becomes clearer as time goes on. However, this book felt like a series of strung-together episodes. It seemed like every time Evan and Emily got close to happiness, the author threw another out-of-the-blue obstacle in their way. It’s his position - no, it’s his friend who died in battle - no, it’s the crippled fiancee - no, it’s her title - no, it’s her engagement to his friend. It began to get tedious. Although the book started with promise and had appealing characters, I found the book harder and harder to get through as I got further into it - I just got tired.
Although the sex quotient is a bit higher here than in a typical Regency, I'd still label this Harlequin Historical as "Regency" rather than "Regency Historical".
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Right Behind You by Gail Giles
When I was a teenager, I loved "young adult" books. My local library had a small section devoted to YA fiction, and I literally read my way through the entire collection, A to Z. I wallowed in the angst of teen pregnancies, paralyzing accidents, dread diseases, dying siblings. (This was the 80's, and angst was in.) YA has a lot in common with romance - most YA books have hopeful endings, even if they aren't perfect tied-with-a-bow HEA's, and there's a strong message of redemption. (No wonder I felt like I'd come home when I discovered Balogh and Kinsale.)
Despite my great love of angsty stories, I haven't had much luck reading YA in recent years. I've been told that there are major gems in the YA genre these days, and I've gotten lots of recommendations. But these days, I find the teenage characters a bit hard to take. I must be old - I just can't relate to them any more. But happily, there are exceptions, and I'm really glad I read about this one on the Dear Author web site. (Thanks!)
Right Behind You by Gail Giles
(2007, Contemporary Young Adult) 2/5/08
Grade: 4
In this YA book, Kip McFarland struggles with the aftermath of his terrible crime. When he was nine, he set a seven year old neighbor on fire and killed him. After four years in a psychiatric hospital, he has to rebuild his life, while keeping his identity strictly secret. That may be too much for Kip to bear.
The book is divided into three sections, and the book’s strengths and weaknesses are also divided between the sections. The first section, mostly devoted to Kip’s years in the psychiatric hospital, is the shortest, but also the most vivid and realistic. The author does an amazing job at showing Kip’s thought processes, emotional problems, and gradual healing, in just 50 pages. This could easily have filled an entire book on its own. The second section is also vivid, but it jumps a bit too quickly from year to year. But the secondary characters are well drawn, and there are some moments of painful truth that really worked. The third section was the real weakness of the book. It’s the longest section, but it feels padded. As much as I love a good romance, Sam felt like an intrusion here. Her problems were far too convenient, and the resolution too pat. As much as I appreciate a happy ending, it didn’t feel real the way the earlier parts of the book did - a hopeful but less glossy resolution might have worked better. Still, this is a book that really makes you think, and I’m very glad I read it.
This book could easily have been a lecture (and a lot of the reviews make it sound that way). But it's not. The author shows you a person, and lets you decide for yourself. I wish it had been a little tighter at the end, less "movie of the week", but that's a small weakness compared to the rest.
Despite my great love of angsty stories, I haven't had much luck reading YA in recent years. I've been told that there are major gems in the YA genre these days, and I've gotten lots of recommendations. But these days, I find the teenage characters a bit hard to take. I must be old - I just can't relate to them any more. But happily, there are exceptions, and I'm really glad I read about this one on the Dear Author web site. (Thanks!)
Right Behind You by Gail Giles
(2007, Contemporary Young Adult) 2/5/08
Grade: 4
In this YA book, Kip McFarland struggles with the aftermath of his terrible crime. When he was nine, he set a seven year old neighbor on fire and killed him. After four years in a psychiatric hospital, he has to rebuild his life, while keeping his identity strictly secret. That may be too much for Kip to bear.
The book is divided into three sections, and the book’s strengths and weaknesses are also divided between the sections. The first section, mostly devoted to Kip’s years in the psychiatric hospital, is the shortest, but also the most vivid and realistic. The author does an amazing job at showing Kip’s thought processes, emotional problems, and gradual healing, in just 50 pages. This could easily have filled an entire book on its own. The second section is also vivid, but it jumps a bit too quickly from year to year. But the secondary characters are well drawn, and there are some moments of painful truth that really worked. The third section was the real weakness of the book. It’s the longest section, but it feels padded. As much as I love a good romance, Sam felt like an intrusion here. Her problems were far too convenient, and the resolution too pat. As much as I appreciate a happy ending, it didn’t feel real the way the earlier parts of the book did - a hopeful but less glossy resolution might have worked better. Still, this is a book that really makes you think, and I’m very glad I read it.
This book could easily have been a lecture (and a lot of the reviews make it sound that way). But it's not. The author shows you a person, and lets you decide for yourself. I wish it had been a little tighter at the end, less "movie of the week", but that's a small weakness compared to the rest.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart
Just when I'm ready to give up on suspense, Anne Stuart (who else?) changes my mind just a bit.
Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart
(2006, Suspense) 2/1/08
Grade: 4
Genevieve is hoping to deliver some papers to billionaire Harry Van Dorn and be on her way - but she finds herself in the way of Peter Jensen, an assassin from the Committee. At first Peter just finds Genevieve an annoyance, even though he’s reluctant to kill an innocent, but soon he finds himself intrigued despite his icy professionalism.
Surprisingly good. Although I don’t usually like suspense, the character of Peter Jensen made this book unique and worth reading. Although the “cold assassin” is a well known character, Stuart managed to humanize him without compromising who he was - he wasn’t a “warm and fuzzy guy who was misunderstood”. He did what he had to do, and I would have loved to know more about him. Genevieve was a good foil for him, although she was a more typical romance heroine - “fiesty”, sometimes in a foolhearty way, but she never came across as stupid. I got a little tired of the suspense plot in the last part of the book - it was well done, I just didn’t particularly care - but the characters kept me turning the pages.
I'm still not ready to run out and buy more suspense books - I'm not even that interested in other books in this series. But a great character can make me like a book that otherwise wouldn't appeal to me, and that's definitely the case here. Stuart gave me a wonderful, intriguing character in Peter, and unlike most suspense authors, she was willing to devote a huge amount of the book to character development rather than "running around". Unfortunately, that's rare.
Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart
(2006, Suspense) 2/1/08
Grade: 4
Genevieve is hoping to deliver some papers to billionaire Harry Van Dorn and be on her way - but she finds herself in the way of Peter Jensen, an assassin from the Committee. At first Peter just finds Genevieve an annoyance, even though he’s reluctant to kill an innocent, but soon he finds himself intrigued despite his icy professionalism.
Surprisingly good. Although I don’t usually like suspense, the character of Peter Jensen made this book unique and worth reading. Although the “cold assassin” is a well known character, Stuart managed to humanize him without compromising who he was - he wasn’t a “warm and fuzzy guy who was misunderstood”. He did what he had to do, and I would have loved to know more about him. Genevieve was a good foil for him, although she was a more typical romance heroine - “fiesty”, sometimes in a foolhearty way, but she never came across as stupid. I got a little tired of the suspense plot in the last part of the book - it was well done, I just didn’t particularly care - but the characters kept me turning the pages.
I'm still not ready to run out and buy more suspense books - I'm not even that interested in other books in this series. But a great character can make me like a book that otherwise wouldn't appeal to me, and that's definitely the case here. Stuart gave me a wonderful, intriguing character in Peter, and unlike most suspense authors, she was willing to devote a huge amount of the book to character development rather than "running around". Unfortunately, that's rare.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz
I haven’t been in the mood to read anything new recently, so I’ve been rereading a few “comfort reads” from my keeper shelf, including some of my JAK keepers. (I have five of her books on my keeper shelf – Coral Kiss, Family Man, Wildest Hearts, Grand Passion and Trust Me.) I’ve read all of JAK’s single titles from the 1990’s, but I hadn’t read some of them in many years – I decided to pick up a couple and see what I thought of them now.
The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz
(1990, Contemporary) 1/30/08
Grade: 3.5
Nick Lightfoot sees a chance to return to the family fold – the stock shares now owned by Philadelphia Fox. The family is desperate to get those shares back, and Nick is willing to give it a try – but Phila isn’t quite what he expected…
It’s hard not to think of Family Man when reading this book, and unfortunately, this book suffers by comparison. The characters are just not explored in the same depth as they are in JAK’s better titles. Although Nick isn’t exactly an alpha jerk, I found him irritating – it’s not just that he was arrogant, but that he wasn’t explained and explored to the extent that some of JAK’s other arrogant heroes have been. I just found him annoying, rather than seeing his point of view. And I got bored with the intrafamily machinations, which took up way too much space here. There were some nice moments – I especially liked Nick’s patience and concern when it came to Phila’s sexual issues – but overall, it just wasn’t on par with her other books.
I’m so terribly picky…
The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz
(1990, Contemporary) 1/30/08
Grade: 3.5
Nick Lightfoot sees a chance to return to the family fold – the stock shares now owned by Philadelphia Fox. The family is desperate to get those shares back, and Nick is willing to give it a try – but Phila isn’t quite what he expected…
It’s hard not to think of Family Man when reading this book, and unfortunately, this book suffers by comparison. The characters are just not explored in the same depth as they are in JAK’s better titles. Although Nick isn’t exactly an alpha jerk, I found him irritating – it’s not just that he was arrogant, but that he wasn’t explained and explored to the extent that some of JAK’s other arrogant heroes have been. I just found him annoying, rather than seeing his point of view. And I got bored with the intrafamily machinations, which took up way too much space here. There were some nice moments – I especially liked Nick’s patience and concern when it came to Phila’s sexual issues – but overall, it just wasn’t on par with her other books.
I’m so terribly picky…
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles
I had hopes for this one... alas...
A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles
(2007, Victorian) 1/1/08
Grade: 3
Seven years after her romance with charity boy Jack Stanton ended, Emma Harrison has devoted herself to her father and his bridge-building. She has discovered her own interest in engineering, even though as a woman her options are limited. But when Jack returns, now a great success, will her dreams be destroyed - or will she find love as well?
Although I loved the setting and background of the book, I found the relationship between the hero and heroine frustrating. At the beginning, there are a lot of misunderstandings, and the hero treats the heroine quite badly - and yet, the heroine keeps saying how she can’t help falling in love with him. (Why?) I was especially frustrated by the odd pace of the book at the beginning - the supposedly serious heroine is worried about dangerous problems with the bridge, and yet fusses over dances and dresses. The hero says he admires the heroine’s work, then dismisses her. I got very tired of all of this, and just wanted these two to get a grip and talk to each other. But even when the characters did finally start getting along, there was still something odd about it - I just didn’t get the emotional connection between these two characters. Their relationship still felt stilted and strained. I actually had a hard time finishing this book - I can put up with plot contrivances if the emotions are there, but with these characters, I just couldn’t find a real emotional connection.
There was just something about this book that didn't work - the characters just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess. Hard to explain - like a shoe that just doesn't quite fit.
A Christmas Wedding Wager by Michelle Styles
(2007, Victorian) 1/1/08
Grade: 3
Seven years after her romance with charity boy Jack Stanton ended, Emma Harrison has devoted herself to her father and his bridge-building. She has discovered her own interest in engineering, even though as a woman her options are limited. But when Jack returns, now a great success, will her dreams be destroyed - or will she find love as well?
Although I loved the setting and background of the book, I found the relationship between the hero and heroine frustrating. At the beginning, there are a lot of misunderstandings, and the hero treats the heroine quite badly - and yet, the heroine keeps saying how she can’t help falling in love with him. (Why?) I was especially frustrated by the odd pace of the book at the beginning - the supposedly serious heroine is worried about dangerous problems with the bridge, and yet fusses over dances and dresses. The hero says he admires the heroine’s work, then dismisses her. I got very tired of all of this, and just wanted these two to get a grip and talk to each other. But even when the characters did finally start getting along, there was still something odd about it - I just didn’t get the emotional connection between these two characters. Their relationship still felt stilted and strained. I actually had a hard time finishing this book - I can put up with plot contrivances if the emotions are there, but with these characters, I just couldn’t find a real emotional connection.
There was just something about this book that didn't work - the characters just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess. Hard to explain - like a shoe that just doesn't quite fit.
One Way Out by Michele Albert
Unfortunately, my first read of 2008 was a disappointment - hopefully that isn't a sign! (Actually, I read most of it in 2007, but forced myself through the last couple of chapters after the ball dropped.)
One Way Out by Michele Albert
(2005, Suspense) 1/1/08
Grade: 2.5
After fossil hunter Cassie Ashton finds a rare baby rex, she is forced to cooperate with paleontologist Alex Martinelli, even though he’s annoying (and dangerously sexy!) But when someone steals Trixie, Cassie and Alex are forced to work together to save her - and themselves.
A book that started with a lot of promise, but went downhill quickly in the second half. The coolest part of the book was the background information on fossil hunting and paleontology - I loved that the characters were both devoted to their work, and got just as excited by bones as they did by each other. Their sexy banter was fun as well. However, the book turned into a run-of-the-mill, tedious suspense story when the t-rex was stolen, and after that, it was just blah, blah, blah. (Some of the developments were laughably ridiculous - we’re on the run, bad people are chasing us, so let’s have sex! twice! in the woods!) I went from liking these characters to finding them dumb and boring.
Sigh... I'm beginning to think I shouldn't even bother reading any suspense books, since it's so rare that I enjoy them.
One Way Out by Michele Albert
(2005, Suspense) 1/1/08
Grade: 2.5
After fossil hunter Cassie Ashton finds a rare baby rex, she is forced to cooperate with paleontologist Alex Martinelli, even though he’s annoying (and dangerously sexy!) But when someone steals Trixie, Cassie and Alex are forced to work together to save her - and themselves.
A book that started with a lot of promise, but went downhill quickly in the second half. The coolest part of the book was the background information on fossil hunting and paleontology - I loved that the characters were both devoted to their work, and got just as excited by bones as they did by each other. Their sexy banter was fun as well. However, the book turned into a run-of-the-mill, tedious suspense story when the t-rex was stolen, and after that, it was just blah, blah, blah. (Some of the developments were laughably ridiculous - we’re on the run, bad people are chasing us, so let’s have sex! twice! in the woods!) I went from liking these characters to finding them dumb and boring.
Sigh... I'm beginning to think I shouldn't even bother reading any suspense books, since it's so rare that I enjoy them.
Friday, December 28, 2007
2007 Summary
2007 isn't quite over yet, but I thought I'd go ahead and post my yearly summary. (I'm reading a suspense book right now that I'll probably finish by the end of the year, but it won't make my top list.)
I read 51 books in 2007, which is pretty good (unemployment will do that to you!) Unfortunately, I didn't read a keeper this year, and most of the books I read were in the "average" range.
I read five books (or stories) that I graded at 4.5, or approximately A-. I'd call these books very good, but with slight flaws - not quite keepers, but very enjoyable. They were:
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird
A Bed Of Spices by Barbara Samuel
"Street Corners and Halos" by Catherine Spangler (short story)
Fantasies by Pamela Wallace
There were another 14 books that I graded at 4, or Good. (Equivalent to B+, roughly.) They were:
A Summer To Remember by Mary Balogh
One Night For Love by Mary Balogh
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll
Twin Willows by Kay Cornelius
The Earl's Prize by Nicola Cornick
Deceived by Nicola Cornick
The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke
Dirty by Megan Hart
The Word of a Child by Janice Kay Johnson
Heavens To Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Creation In Death by J.D. Robb
Whom The Gods Love by Kate Ross
Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan
The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
The rest were graded at 3.5 or below - for the most part, books that were OK to read, but nothing special. Average or slightly above average. I suppose most books fall into this category, especially since I don't grade (or review) any book that I don't finish. With my limited reading time, I don't bother finishing a book that's not doing anything for me by page 50 or so, so a book has to be at least decent for me to grade it at all.
But there were three books that I gave a 2.5, which is almost the lowest grade I give. (I've given a few 2's in previous years, but these days I rarely finish a book that's that bad.) Usually these are books that, for some reason, I keep reading to the bitter end - it's by a favorite author and I keep thinking the book will get better, or it's a badly flawed book that has some glimmer of promise that keeps me reading. Those three books were:
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
The astonishing thing is that one of these books is by Mary Balogh!! And there were two other books in this series that would have received even lower grades, since I didn't finish them. This is probably the biggest, most shocking news of my reading year - that my beloved Mary Balogh is writing books that I can't even finish. (As usual, I'm behind in my reading - these books came out a few years ago.) She has said in interviews that she no longer wants to write the emotional, angsty books that were once her trademark. She did redeem herself in my eyes by writing the lovely Slightly Dangerous, but it's still terribly sad for me. She was my last "auto buy" author, an author I'd always buy and enjoy, no matter what she wrote. Although I will continue to buy Balogh, I will no longer have that excitement and joy, anticipating the newest Balogh book - she'll just become another author whose next book might be enjoyable, or might not.
It's a bit like losing an old friend.
I read 51 books in 2007, which is pretty good (unemployment will do that to you!) Unfortunately, I didn't read a keeper this year, and most of the books I read were in the "average" range.
I read five books (or stories) that I graded at 4.5, or approximately A-. I'd call these books very good, but with slight flaws - not quite keepers, but very enjoyable. They were:
Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird
A Bed Of Spices by Barbara Samuel
"Street Corners and Halos" by Catherine Spangler (short story)
Fantasies by Pamela Wallace
There were another 14 books that I graded at 4, or Good. (Equivalent to B+, roughly.) They were:
A Summer To Remember by Mary Balogh
One Night For Love by Mary Balogh
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll
Twin Willows by Kay Cornelius
The Earl's Prize by Nicola Cornick
Deceived by Nicola Cornick
The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke
Dirty by Megan Hart
The Word of a Child by Janice Kay Johnson
Heavens To Betsy by Beth Pattillo
Creation In Death by J.D. Robb
Whom The Gods Love by Kate Ross
Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan
The American Duchess by Joan Wolf
The rest were graded at 3.5 or below - for the most part, books that were OK to read, but nothing special. Average or slightly above average. I suppose most books fall into this category, especially since I don't grade (or review) any book that I don't finish. With my limited reading time, I don't bother finishing a book that's not doing anything for me by page 50 or so, so a book has to be at least decent for me to grade it at all.
But there were three books that I gave a 2.5, which is almost the lowest grade I give. (I've given a few 2's in previous years, but these days I rarely finish a book that's that bad.) Usually these are books that, for some reason, I keep reading to the bitter end - it's by a favorite author and I keep thinking the book will get better, or it's a badly flawed book that has some glimmer of promise that keeps me reading. Those three books were:
Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
The astonishing thing is that one of these books is by Mary Balogh!! And there were two other books in this series that would have received even lower grades, since I didn't finish them. This is probably the biggest, most shocking news of my reading year - that my beloved Mary Balogh is writing books that I can't even finish. (As usual, I'm behind in my reading - these books came out a few years ago.) She has said in interviews that she no longer wants to write the emotional, angsty books that were once her trademark. She did redeem herself in my eyes by writing the lovely Slightly Dangerous, but it's still terribly sad for me. She was my last "auto buy" author, an author I'd always buy and enjoy, no matter what she wrote. Although I will continue to buy Balogh, I will no longer have that excitement and joy, anticipating the newest Balogh book - she'll just become another author whose next book might be enjoyable, or might not.
It's a bit like losing an old friend.
Millionaire, Billionaire
Although this book doesn't really emphasize the money aspect, I find it amusing that we now have the "billionaire" next door. I guess millionaires are too commonplace now?
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird (SSE 1844)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 12/27/07
Grade: 4.5
Wall Street wizard Sean O’Banyon has it all, or so it seems. But when his father dies, and he goes back to his old home in Boston, the years of abuse come flooding back. The only thing keeping him together is Lizzie, the downstairs neighbor who excites his body and warms his heart - but can he learn to trust her, despite his past?
A great book that’s just a bit too short. The author does a great job in depicting these characters - the hero is particularly well done, although the heroine is a bit “too good to be true” - and also their strong chemistry together. It really felt like they were building a relationship, not just “instant love”. However, the ending was too rushed. Sean’s “big misunderstanding” actually made sense, in the context of his emotional issues, but there wasn’t enough time to really resolve it. (Although I appreciated that the heroine mentioned therapy - a realistic note that’s all too rare in romance.) This book could have easily gone on another 50 pages, and it would have been richer and more complete if it had.
Even though this book didn't quite hit keeper territory, it was so lovely to finally read a book that thrilled me. I was so glad to finally find a book with some real emotions and heart, I literally did the "happy dance" at one point while I was reading. (OK, that's a little weird, but it's been soooo long!)
The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird (SSE 1844)
(2007, Contemporary Series) 12/27/07
Grade: 4.5
Wall Street wizard Sean O’Banyon has it all, or so it seems. But when his father dies, and he goes back to his old home in Boston, the years of abuse come flooding back. The only thing keeping him together is Lizzie, the downstairs neighbor who excites his body and warms his heart - but can he learn to trust her, despite his past?
A great book that’s just a bit too short. The author does a great job in depicting these characters - the hero is particularly well done, although the heroine is a bit “too good to be true” - and also their strong chemistry together. It really felt like they were building a relationship, not just “instant love”. However, the ending was too rushed. Sean’s “big misunderstanding” actually made sense, in the context of his emotional issues, but there wasn’t enough time to really resolve it. (Although I appreciated that the heroine mentioned therapy - a realistic note that’s all too rare in romance.) This book could have easily gone on another 50 pages, and it would have been richer and more complete if it had.
Even though this book didn't quite hit keeper territory, it was so lovely to finally read a book that thrilled me. I was so glad to finally find a book with some real emotions and heart, I literally did the "happy dance" at one point while I was reading. (OK, that's a little weird, but it's been soooo long!)
Sunday, November 25, 2007
New Book, Just Like The Old Book
It's always tricky for an author to write a continuing series. One reason I enjoy the J.D. Robb books is that they're well crafted procedurals, the book version of a Law and Order episode. But I find myself somewhat unsatisfied by the "same old same old" in this case...
Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Futuristic Mystery) 11/24/07
Grade: 4
Eve is caught up in an old case - a serial killer is back, a killer that she and Feeney weren’t able to catch nine years earlier, when Eve was a rookie. As time runs out for the women he abducted and tortured, Eve and Roarke work the case and run down clues, trying to find the killer before he kills his last victim.
Another smooth entry in the J.D. Robb series. This one is pure procedural, with very little time for personal developments. It was well crafted, and easy to read as always, but didn’t have the spark of some of the other books. I enjoyed Roarke’s immersion in Eve’s world (and his annoyance at the tedium of police work), and the interesting hints about the Urban Wars, and it was certainly an enjoyable read, but nothing really special.
I think I need to stop buying these books in hardback. When I know I'm paying $15 or more for a book, I expect more from it - if I'd gotten this book from the library, or even bought it in paperback, I think my expectations would have been more easily fulfilled.
Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
(2007, Futuristic Mystery) 11/24/07
Grade: 4
Eve is caught up in an old case - a serial killer is back, a killer that she and Feeney weren’t able to catch nine years earlier, when Eve was a rookie. As time runs out for the women he abducted and tortured, Eve and Roarke work the case and run down clues, trying to find the killer before he kills his last victim.
Another smooth entry in the J.D. Robb series. This one is pure procedural, with very little time for personal developments. It was well crafted, and easy to read as always, but didn’t have the spark of some of the other books. I enjoyed Roarke’s immersion in Eve’s world (and his annoyance at the tedium of police work), and the interesting hints about the Urban Wars, and it was certainly an enjoyable read, but nothing really special.
I think I need to stop buying these books in hardback. When I know I'm paying $15 or more for a book, I expect more from it - if I'd gotten this book from the library, or even bought it in paperback, I think my expectations would have been more easily fulfilled.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
An Affair Before Christmas
I've actually never read Eloisa James before, although I met her at a previous CR conference, and I have several of her books in my TBR pile. I thought I'd be up-to-date for once, and read a newly released book!
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
(2007, Georgian) 11/10/07
Grade: 3.5
Although the marriage between Lady Perdita (Poppy) and the Duke of Fletcher started out as a love match, four years it’s turned into frosty coldness. Fletch decides to have an affair, which leads Poppy to discover who she is, other than a wife and daughter. And this leads their friends and acquaintances to reconsider their own relationships.
Eloisa James has a particular style - her main characters often take the back seat to numerous secondary characters. I found this style a bit frustrating at times, since the author jumps from one character to another (sometimes in the middle of a scene!) and sometimes the main story got short shrift. (The heroine’s sexual problems are resolved in one quick scene, and I thought they needed more space.) However, the Georgian world James has created is fascinating, and James does a good job in created well-rounded, sympathetic characters, even when the characters are doing things that aren’t that “likeable”. I read this book in a single sitting, so she was doing something right. I’m curious to see what happens next.
Series books that are closely related are hard for me. I'm someone who reads a book and loves it in the moment, but mostly forgets it once I'm done. Right now, the characters in this book are fresh in my mind, but once I've read a few more books, I'll have a hard time remembering them. The problem is, if the next book in this series comes out in six months or a year, I won't remember all the character development and plotting that the author worked so hard on in this book - to my forgetful mind, it will be like I've never read the author before. That makes it hard to really appreciate a multi-book series where the books are closely inter-related, unless I wait until all the books have been published and then read them back-to-back. That's a big committment.
So, will I buy the next book in this series? Unsure.
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
(2007, Georgian) 11/10/07
Grade: 3.5
Although the marriage between Lady Perdita (Poppy) and the Duke of Fletcher started out as a love match, four years it’s turned into frosty coldness. Fletch decides to have an affair, which leads Poppy to discover who she is, other than a wife and daughter. And this leads their friends and acquaintances to reconsider their own relationships.
Eloisa James has a particular style - her main characters often take the back seat to numerous secondary characters. I found this style a bit frustrating at times, since the author jumps from one character to another (sometimes in the middle of a scene!) and sometimes the main story got short shrift. (The heroine’s sexual problems are resolved in one quick scene, and I thought they needed more space.) However, the Georgian world James has created is fascinating, and James does a good job in created well-rounded, sympathetic characters, even when the characters are doing things that aren’t that “likeable”. I read this book in a single sitting, so she was doing something right. I’m curious to see what happens next.
Series books that are closely related are hard for me. I'm someone who reads a book and loves it in the moment, but mostly forgets it once I'm done. Right now, the characters in this book are fresh in my mind, but once I've read a few more books, I'll have a hard time remembering them. The problem is, if the next book in this series comes out in six months or a year, I won't remember all the character development and plotting that the author worked so hard on in this book - to my forgetful mind, it will be like I've never read the author before. That makes it hard to really appreciate a multi-book series where the books are closely inter-related, unless I wait until all the books have been published and then read them back-to-back. That's a big committment.
So, will I buy the next book in this series? Unsure.
Friday, October 26, 2007
An Unusual Georgian
Another Georgian masquerading as a Regency - for the most part, this could be a Regency, except for the references to lace cuffs and high heeled shoes (for the men!)
The Parfit Knight by Juliet Blyth
(1986, Georgian) 10/26/07
Grade: 3.5
Since a childhood accident, Rosalind has lived in the country, her routine making it easier to deal with her blindness. It’s only when the Marquis of Amberley is stranded on her doorstep that she realizes what she’s been missing, and decides to join her brother in London. But will secrets in Amberley’s past keep them apart?
There were a lot of good things about this book. The characters were well written, and the scenes in the country show the attraction between Amberley and Rosalind. But once the action moves to London, the book becomes crowded with characters and side plots. The secondary characters are interesting, but it takes away from the central love story, which is pushed off to the side for a large part of the book. And the “misunderstanding” between the hero and heroine goes on for too long, and keeps them apart during much of the second half. I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t reach the heights that it could have, if the author had followed through.
I found it hard to grade this book, because I read it in fits and starts over a period of a couple of weeks. Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd read it straight through - but if it had been a better book, I probably would have found the time to keep reading.
The Parfit Knight by Juliet Blyth
(1986, Georgian) 10/26/07
Grade: 3.5
Since a childhood accident, Rosalind has lived in the country, her routine making it easier to deal with her blindness. It’s only when the Marquis of Amberley is stranded on her doorstep that she realizes what she’s been missing, and decides to join her brother in London. But will secrets in Amberley’s past keep them apart?
There were a lot of good things about this book. The characters were well written, and the scenes in the country show the attraction between Amberley and Rosalind. But once the action moves to London, the book becomes crowded with characters and side plots. The secondary characters are interesting, but it takes away from the central love story, which is pushed off to the side for a large part of the book. And the “misunderstanding” between the hero and heroine goes on for too long, and keeps them apart during much of the second half. I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t reach the heights that it could have, if the author had followed through.
I found it hard to grade this book, because I read it in fits and starts over a period of a couple of weeks. Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd read it straight through - but if it had been a better book, I probably would have found the time to keep reading.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Not Quite Up To Par
I consider Cheryl St. John a buried treasure, and I'm always surprised she's not a more popular writer. Although I don't have any of her books as keepers, she's one of the most reliable romance writers today - even when she's not at the top of her game, her books are still worth reading. I can't say that about many other authors (even Mary Balogh has written some books I couldn't finish!).
Land of Dreams by Cheryl St. John
(1995, Western) 10/20/07
Grade: 3.5
Booker has come to Nebraska looking for his orphaned niece, who was taken in by spinster Thea. Little Zoe needs a mother, so Booker hires Thea as a housekeeper, and quickly realizes he’d rather have her as a wife. But Thea finds it hard to believe that anyone could love a tall, red-headed, older spinster like her.
Unfortunately, not one of Cheryl St. John’s best books. (It’s one of her earliest ones, and it shows.) Although the characters are well written (as always!), the relationship between Booker and Thea founders in the second half, in the wake of the “big misunderstanding”. The kids are cute (especially the hostile, abused teenager Luke) but this book just doesn’t have St. John’s usual flair and emotional appeal. Good, but not great.
I'm glad I have several more St. John books in my TBR pile - hopefully they'll be more satisfying than this one.
Land of Dreams by Cheryl St. John
(1995, Western) 10/20/07
Grade: 3.5
Booker has come to Nebraska looking for his orphaned niece, who was taken in by spinster Thea. Little Zoe needs a mother, so Booker hires Thea as a housekeeper, and quickly realizes he’d rather have her as a wife. But Thea finds it hard to believe that anyone could love a tall, red-headed, older spinster like her.
Unfortunately, not one of Cheryl St. John’s best books. (It’s one of her earliest ones, and it shows.) Although the characters are well written (as always!), the relationship between Booker and Thea founders in the second half, in the wake of the “big misunderstanding”. The kids are cute (especially the hostile, abused teenager Luke) but this book just doesn’t have St. John’s usual flair and emotional appeal. Good, but not great.
I'm glad I have several more St. John books in my TBR pile - hopefully they'll be more satisfying than this one.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Blah Series Books
I haven't been reading a lot lately - between moving and catching up on the new TV season (I love Reaper!), I haven't had much time. Now that I've unpacked my books, hopefully I'll get back to reading a little more.
But here are two older series books that I read in between unpacking boxes, both kind of blah, unfortunately.
A Chance of Rainbows by Anne McAllister
(1985, Contemporary Series) 9/4/07
Grade: 3
After seven months of marriage, Lainie is frustrated by her husband’s silences - until she comes home one night to find he’s moved out! Griff thinks the problem is Lainie’s demanding job as a marriage counselor, but is the real problem his memories of a turbulent childhood?
Surprisingly dull. I really wanted to like this book, because I usually enjoy “marriage in trouble” stories, but this one just didn’t do much for me. The characters were likeable, but the problems between them just didn’t seem that difficult to overcome. There were some interesting aspects of the book - I liked Lainie’s job as a marriage counselor, and I’ve never read about a hero who was an umpire, but the book just seemed predictable from the first page. Some authors can make a tried-and-true story come alive, but this one just fell flat.
Body and Soul by Janice Kaiser
(1990, Contemporary Series) 10/6/07
Grade:3
Derek Gordon has escaped to a remote cottage, to work on his book and escape the turmoil at home. His wife is in a nursing home, and his relationship with his stepson is unraveling. Despite his situation, he is immediately drawn to poet Lara Serenov, but knows he must stay away. But when her ex won’t take “No” for an answer, they are forced together.
Although the situation between Derek and Lara was poignant (and handled very sensitively), the book lacked something. One problem was the “instant attraction” between Derek and Lara. It seemed like the author put them together, said “they’re attracted” and then never really grew their relationship beyond that. Also, the situation with Lara’s ex-husband, seemed contrived, a way to get the hero and heroine together. But mostly, the book was just dull - I can’t explain exactly why, but despite the potentially heartrending situation, it just left me cold.
I have a large backlog of old series books, but I know that reading them is kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - there are some great series reads, but there are a lot more that are just blah. But still, they're quick and easy to read, so I keep trying...
But here are two older series books that I read in between unpacking boxes, both kind of blah, unfortunately.
A Chance of Rainbows by Anne McAllister
(1985, Contemporary Series) 9/4/07
Grade: 3
After seven months of marriage, Lainie is frustrated by her husband’s silences - until she comes home one night to find he’s moved out! Griff thinks the problem is Lainie’s demanding job as a marriage counselor, but is the real problem his memories of a turbulent childhood?
Surprisingly dull. I really wanted to like this book, because I usually enjoy “marriage in trouble” stories, but this one just didn’t do much for me. The characters were likeable, but the problems between them just didn’t seem that difficult to overcome. There were some interesting aspects of the book - I liked Lainie’s job as a marriage counselor, and I’ve never read about a hero who was an umpire, but the book just seemed predictable from the first page. Some authors can make a tried-and-true story come alive, but this one just fell flat.
Body and Soul by Janice Kaiser
(1990, Contemporary Series) 10/6/07
Grade:3
Derek Gordon has escaped to a remote cottage, to work on his book and escape the turmoil at home. His wife is in a nursing home, and his relationship with his stepson is unraveling. Despite his situation, he is immediately drawn to poet Lara Serenov, but knows he must stay away. But when her ex won’t take “No” for an answer, they are forced together.
Although the situation between Derek and Lara was poignant (and handled very sensitively), the book lacked something. One problem was the “instant attraction” between Derek and Lara. It seemed like the author put them together, said “they’re attracted” and then never really grew their relationship beyond that. Also, the situation with Lara’s ex-husband, seemed contrived, a way to get the hero and heroine together. But mostly, the book was just dull - I can’t explain exactly why, but despite the potentially heartrending situation, it just left me cold.
I have a large backlog of old series books, but I know that reading them is kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - there are some great series reads, but there are a lot more that are just blah. But still, they're quick and easy to read, so I keep trying...
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