Trouble in Paradise by Jeanne Grant

I was looking for something short to read last night, and I grabbed this one off the TBR shelf. From 1984! Love the feathered hair. (I didn't buy it until about ten years ago, though - I was a little too young for these in 1984. I was reading Kathleen Woodiwiss back then but I think the appeal of a divorced dad with three teenagers would have escaped me at that age.)

Trouble in Paradise by Jeanne Grant (THH 28)
(1984, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

Susan fell head over heels with Griff Anderson, and three months later they were married. But was she in over her head with three teenage stepchildren, an interfering ex-wife and a houseful of hamsters? Will she ever regain the romantic life she pictured with her new husband?

This is from the short lived To Have and To Hold series, about married couples. THH was such an odd series line. The stories were interesting and they had some great writers, but they weren’t always romantic. This one focuses more on the kids than on the romance. However, it had some good points (along with some bad ones). Jeanne Grant is an excellent writer and the story moved along well. The characters were interesting - even the kids, and I don’t normally like kids in my books. However, the book was full of cliches (even in 1984 these were cliches.) The “evil ex-wife”, the “kids with their crazy music”, the “oops, you mean sex leads to babies?” storyline. All of those things made the book feel more like it was set in 1954, not 1984. Overall, it had its good points, but the flaws made it feel very dated.

I have a surprising number of series books from the 80's in my TBR pile. (About 40 of them.) The old series books started disappearing from the used bookstores in the late 90's, and I grabbed a bunch of them so I would get them before they were gone. Most of them are dated and not that great, but it's a little sad to think they've all ended up in landfills or recycling bins.

Patti LuPone: A Memoir by Patti LuPone

I do love my Broadway divas. The library finally came through for me (after three tries!) and I was able to get a copy of this through Marina, the Maryland interlibrary loan system. (My copy came from Hagerstown - thanks!)

Patti LuPone: A Memoir by Patti LuPone
(2010, Biography)
Grade: 3.5

Patti LuPone is well known as a Broadway diva, and while this memoir definitely humanizes her, it doesn't exactly dispel the diva image. But at least LuPone has a sense of humor about it! Unfortunately, most of the book is a bit dull. It falls into the "I went here and did this, then went there and did that" style of memoir. There's not a lot of insight beyond what she did and who she met (she even makes David Mamet seem boring, which is quite a feat), and that makes the early chapters kind of hard to get through.

The book definitely perks up with the more interesting events in her career - most notably Evita and Sunset Boulevard. The battles over the casting of Sunset Boulevard are some of the most juicy stories in recent Broadway history, and even the workmanlike description here can't take away the drama. These two chapters were the highlight of the book. Still, I think I'd rather watch her on stage than read her prose. It's unfortunate that none of her musical performances have made it to DVD.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beauty and the Beast stories are a guilty pleasure of mine, so I decided to pick up this YA book at the library.

Beastly by Alex Flinn
(2007, Young Adult)
Grade: 3.5

When Kyle Kingsbury, the wealthy and self-centered son of a news anchor, plays a cruel trick on a strange new student at his high school, he finds himself transformed into a Beast. He has two years to find someone to love him or he will remain a beast forever. First Kyle must transform himself into a better person, and then perhaps he can offer friendship and love to one of his former classmates, Lindy.

There were a lot of clever touches in this book. Moving the setting to modern day New York was interesting, and there were many neat tricks to make the story fit into today's world. There was even a very funny chat room for those undergoing "unexpected transformations". However, the underlying story felt a little shallow. Kyle may have become a beast, but he still had endless wealth and any problems are fixed with a wave of Daddy's credit card. His problems felt a little too "teen age" - I can't go to the prom, my cool friends don't care about me, my Dad doesn't spend time with me, etc. It just seemed to lack depth. If I was a teenager, I might have enjoyed this more, but as an adult reader, I just didn't find it all that compelling. Good but not great.

I read a lot of YA books back when I was a teenager, but I have a hard time reading about teenage heroes and heroines now. Their problems just don't feel particularly compelling to me. But I'm glad there are so many great YA books out there to encourage young readers - the YA books I read back in the 80's definitely shaped my reading tastes today. (I loved angst then and I love it now!)

A Rogue in Texas by Lorraine Heath

I had to finish one more book before taking a huge bag of books to donate to our office book sale. I filled up an entire Container Store bag - one of the BIG ones! That's a lot of books.

A Rogue in Texas by Lorraine Heath
(1999, Western)
Grade: 4

In 1865, Grayson Rhodes, the illegitimate son of a British Duke, leaves England for Texas. However, he imagined something more lucrative than picking cotton on a backwater farm. But once he gets to know widowed Abbie Westland and her three children, he begins to look at life, and love, in a new way. He might even be willing to start a new life in Texas.

For the first three quarters of the book, this felt like a pale photocopy of Lorraine Heath. It had all of the typical elements of a Lorraine Heath story, but the passion just wasn’t there. (Not surprisingly, this was the first book she wrote for Avon.) The characters were interesting, the setting of post-Civil War Texas was unusual, but it all felt like it had been done before. The most unique part of the story was Grayson’s background as an illegitimate son and how he reveled in being valued for himself in Texas, where it didn’t matter how he was born or who his father was. However, even that aspect of the story started to feel a little forced as the book went on. But the book picked up new life in the last 100 pages, when Abbie’s husband reappears. Even though I’ve read plenty of stories where the supposedly dead husband returns, the way the author intertwined it with Grayson’s past worked very well, and brought some life back into the story. Overall, the book wasn’t one of Heath’s best, but it finished strong, and that counts for a lot.

Where have all the stepbacks gone? I couldn't find a picture of the stepback on this book (and it's too late to pull out the scanner) but it's gorgeous! Even if there were't any yellow roses on the Texas prairie. I haven't seen a great stepback in a long time - they're all way too obvious these days, if you can find one at all.

The Seduction of an English Lady by Cathy Maxwell

Back to the TBR for a backlist book. I need to clear off a few more shelves!

The Seduction of an English Lady by Cathy Maxwell
(2004, Regency Historical)
Grade: 3.5

When Colonel Colin Mandland appears at her door, Lady Rosalyn Wellborne gets an unpleasant shock - her cousin has sold her home! She has no choice but to move in with an aunt - unless she accepts Colin’s marriage proposal. He has his own motives for marriage, but perhaps they both will discover there is more to this marriage than convenience.

When I first started reading this book, I found it enjoyable and charming. The characters were interesting and likeable, the plot was familiar but well done, the writing was good. The discussion of class differences between the hero and heroine was interesting. Unfortunately, the book lost its appeal the more I read. The plot started to feel stale and repetitive. The characters did the same things over and over. And then a political sideplot was thrown in at the last minute. It might have been interesting if it had been carried throughout the book, but it was such an abrupt change of tone that it felt out of place. It left the book feeling unfinished Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, just unfocused and forgettable. Too bad since Cathy Maxwell can do much better.

I wonder where I got this book - it's stamped Hamilton Ontario. I must have picked it up at the Celebrate Romance book trade. I miss those book trades! Buying online is more efficient but it's kind of dull by comparison.

Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft

This isn't my usual type of book, but I was intrigued when I read the reviews. It also seemed an appropriate choice because of everything that's been going on in the news recently. (It also didn't hurt that it was a contemporary - the search for the great contemporary read continues.)

Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft
(2010, Contemporary)
Grade: 3.5

Alec spends most of the year pleasing everyone around him - his mother, his fiancée - but for one month, he escapes all his obligations. On the way to his vacation, he meets Darren, and the two hit it off immediately. But Darren isn’t quite what he seems - is he more interested in Alec’s money, or is he just escaping his troubled family and difficult past?

I had a hard time with this book at first. The prose was extremely melodramatic, even by romance purple prose standards. This was in contrast to a few blunt sex scenes, which seemed out of place so early in the story. However, the prose settled down after the first third of the book or so and the focus turned to the relationship, which I found more interesting. It was refreshing to read a contemporary set in Britain, and I appreciated that the author dealt directly with class differences between the heroes. It also dealt with the characters being gay (and Alec’s acceptance of himself) without feeling like a lecture. However, the book felt a bit short. There was a lot of melodrama crammed into a book that was only about 200 pages longj, and unfortunately, the character development got a little lost. I found the book unique and well written, but it was just finding its way when it ended. Overall, a valiant effort but it fell a bit short.

This was the first book I've read on my Kindle! It took some adjustments to find the right position to hold the Kindle without giving my hand cramps, but overall, I liked the experience. Perfect for this book since it doesn't seem to be available in print.

To Marry a British Lord by Judith O'Brien

An interesting book that lost its way in the second half.

To Marry a British Lord by Judith O'Brien
(1997, Victorian)
Grade: 3.5

Ten years after fleeing war-torn Virginia, Constance Lloyd is a governess who finds herself unexpectedly engaged to the second son of the Duke of Hastings. But when Constance meets Phillip’s best friend, Joseph Smith, she wonders if she’s making a mistake. As she travels in the highest society circles, she keeps returning to Jospeh and the possibility of love.

After reading the first third of this book, I was enchanted by it. The story was compelling, the characters were well drawn, the writing was witty. The biggest fault was the lack of romance, since the hero and heroine are apart for much of the book. But the story felt more like a satire on Victorian life than a real romance. Still, it was fun and interesting, with some pointed commentary on Victorian society. But the book began to go off the rails in the second half. Joseph was never explored as a character, just appearing and disappearing as the plot required. The author started throwing in one historical figure after another (John Brown! Disraeli!) and the plot got wackier and wackier. I never did quite figure out what was going on (the Prince of Wales’ valet was trying to poison everyone and blame John Brown?) The author got so tangled up that she forgot about the characters. The book did improve in the last few chapters, but overall, this was a bit of a disappointment. Too bad, because it started with such promise.

One thing that I found a little distracting in this book: the Prince of Wales is referred to as Your Majesty. I've seen that mistake in several books, and unless things have changed, that isn't right. Only the King or Queen is Your Majesty. The Prince would be Your Royal Highness. The odd thing about this book is that he is also referred to correctly as HRH. I guess I shouldn't let that bother me but it was distracting. Naming the hero "Joseph Smith" was also an odd choice.

A Family for Gillian by Catherine Blair

I finally reached my goal! I didn't finish all of the books in my TBR pile (I have 399 more...) but I finished all the books that didn't fit in my bookcase. Every little bit helps!

A Family for Gillian by Catherine Blair
(2001, Regency)
Grade: 3.5

Viscount Prescott Avery needs a mother for his children, and Gillian Harwell needs to escape her scheming family. It seems like the perfect arrangement. But the children aren't exactly welcoming, and Avery isn't sure he wants a new wife...

This was a cute and charming book. Very reminiscent of Sound of Music. I wouldn't want a steady diet of cute and sweet, but in small doses, it can be nice to read something different. It was a predictable book, and not all that romantic, but it was a nice diversion on a Sunday afternoon.

I'm not a big fan of cute children in romances, but every now and then I'll make an exception.

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel

I've been looking forward to this book for some time - I put it aside because I felt that I couldn't give it a fair reading after I'd heard so much about it. I wanted to wait until I could read it for itself, not for what everyone else was saying about it.

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel
(2009, Regency Historical)
Grade: 4.5

Three years after they first met, the Earl of Banallt is still hopelessly attracted to Sophie Evans. They are both widowed now, but Sophie is wary of trusting her husband’s former drinking companion, a man linked to numerous women and many scandals. Can Banallt show Sophie that he has changed and that he’s worthy of her trust and love?

This was definitely an interesting book. It was very well written and the characters were well drawn and interesting to read about. However, it left me just a little bit cold. The book kept me turning the pages, and I was definitely caught up in the story. The characters were more sophisticated and deep than many romance characters. But it lacked the emotional sweep of my favorite romances - it felt much more intellectual than heartfelt. (There were a few significant gaps in the story as well, particularly involving Banallt’s past.) This is probably one of the best written books I’ve read this year, but it wasn’t quite a keeper. I feel like I ought to have liked it a little bit more than I actually did.

Even though this book wasn't a perfect read for me, I will definitely look up more books by Carolyn Jewel - for some reason I thought I read one of her early books, but I can't remember now. I have one of her older books in my TBR and a newer one on my TBB list.

The Temptation of Savannah O'Neill by Molly O'Keefe

I needed a break from historicals before delving into the last few books in my TBR pile.

The Temptation of Savannah O'Neill by Molly O'Keefe
(2010, Contemporary Series)
Grade: 3.5

The O’Neill family has been the scandal of small town Bonne Terre for three generations. Savannah O’Neill may be a staid librarian, but she’s still one of the scandalous O’Neills. But when Matt appears at her door and offers his skills as a handyman, she might be willing to risk a little scandal. But Matt is hiding secrets of his own...

There were a lot of good things about this book. The setting was great - I could almost feel the heat of a Louisiana summer. And I liked the characters... eventually. It just took a very long time to get to that point. The author kept portioning out information in tiny dribs and drabs, and I started to get frustrated. It’s one thing to keep a few secrets, but keeping most of the hero and heroine’s background a secret for almost half the book is just annoying. However, the interesting plot and good writing kept me going. In the end, I did enjoy the book, I just wish it hadn’t taken so long to get there.

Down to only 5 books in the basket of "read soon" books.

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

Another book that was redeemed by a good ending.

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
(2009, Victorian)
Grade: 4

Three years after their frustrating marriage ended with an anulment, Leo Marsden has arrived in India determined to bring Byrony back to England. They never seemed to fit together - Leo was society’s darling, Byrony defied everyone to become a doctor - but the secrets of their marriage, and its failure, went much deeper...

This book started out with great frustration. The author seemed to be trying to make her characters hard to understand, and sometimes the misunderstandings between them made me want to throw the book with frustration. It seemed like the author was deliberately withholding important information for literary reasons, which isn’t something I particularly enjoy. But I kept going, because the writing was good and the characters were interesting, and eventually my patience was rewarded. The book improved dramatically in the second half. The characters started talking to each other, and the backdrop of India was interesting (although I always compare books set in India to M.M. Kaye’s books, which are hard to measure up to). By the end, I did feel emotionally involved with these characters, despite the gaps in the characters’ backgrounds. I was left feeling a bit conflicted - did the good parts of the book overcome the bad parts? Just barely.

Sherry Thomas is an author who has been growing on me. I couldn't finish her first book, I found Delicious promising but disappointing, and this one was good but not great. I'm hoping I enjoy her next book more. Maybe I'm a simple-minded reader, but I get frustrated by too many "twists" like having the author withhold important information from the reader and guess what the characters are trying to say. Those may work in some fiction, but I think it hurts a romance, where the reader expects to make an emotional connection with the characters. It's hard to make an emotional connection to a character when the author is trying to keep the character's motives and background a secret from the reader.

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.