THE ULFRIC'S MATE, Book 1 in the War of the Weres series by Leona J.
Bushman, combines traditional werewolf lore and a Romeo and Juliet themed
romance with some other shape-shifting species added for variety. I give the
book 2 stars; it was a fairly enjoyable take on a time-honored theme – what
happens when you fall in love with your enemy – but several issues distracted
from my overall enjoyment of the book. I would definitely read the next book in
the series in the hopes that greater attention to detail results in a more
satisfying read.
THE ULFRIC'S MATE details the meeting and mating of
Nolan Littlefield, detective and alpha of the Wahpawat pack of werewolves, and
Alexandria George, doctor and healer of the Lupin pack. While Nolan is out
tracking a killer of pregnant females in his pack, he is saved by Alex from an
attack by Boris, the alpha male of Alex's pack. Alex is half-human, and since
her mother has hidden Alex's abilities, neither Boris nor the rest of her pack
know that Alex has the ability to shape-shift and hear others' thoughts.
Alex and Nolan are immediately attracted to each other and learn that
they are both telepathic. Because of Alex's medical knowledge and inability to
sit around a police station all day with nothing to do, Nolan enlists her help
with his investigation into the murders. Soon Alex and Nolan learn that they are
mates, and both accept this fact with aplomb. Through their investigation, the
characters learn more about the rivalries and alliances among several groups of
weres in the area. The rivalry between the Wahpawat and Lupin packs, though, is
the main focus in this story, and the mystery of who is betraying who
deepens.
The development of the relationship between Nolan and Alex was
done fairly well. Despite the fact that their relationship developed at the
speed of light, it is still carefully crafted to comport with the human side of
their characters. The way Nolan approaches Alex is careful and considerate. He
is not the domineering alpha male that is stereotypical of the genre. Especially
in the beginning of their relationship, he asks questions and seeks permission
instead of just taking liberties to order her life. Additionally, there is a
stated species-specific reason that explains why they are mates and feel the
attraction they do. These details make the romance between Nolan and Alex
believable. The love and sex scenes are explicit, but few in number and
appropriate in context. I'm not sure what criteria the publisher used to give
this a level 2 heat rating, but the book contains fairly explicit nudity and sex
scenes. Granted these occur later in the story, but still…
For the most
part, I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. I was elated that I
did not guess at the outset who the traitor was, but I was disappointed that the
mystery element of the book fizzles out towards the end of the book. It seems
like there is this big build up about who the traitor is, and then the reader is
left thinking, "Oh – was that it?" Likewise, the conclusion of the book is also
a bit anticlimactic. I suspect that if the last scenes involving Roxy and Boris
after the fight were moved to an epilogue, then the Alex/Nolan relationship
portion of the storyline would more smoothly resolve itself and the
anticipation/ suspense leading to the next book in the series would be
resurrected.
The storyline, however, is impeded by certain forced scenes
and illogical actions on the part of the characters. When Nolan and Alex are
discussing the killer's motives, it takes an extremely long time for Nolan to
grasp Alex's hypothesis, even though he has just stated the same conclusion only
a few minutes before. He says he has a hard time understanding the killer's
motivation, but later straight up says that he would understand a human's
motivation. Since the killer's motivation is power, that whole analysis seems
forced to give Alex some added value to the situation when it is entirely
unnecessary. Situations like this made the book a tad difficult to read at
times. At this particular scene in the beginning, I put the book down and
wondered if I really wanted to keep reading.
The rhythm and tempo of the
book could also have used some more attention. Several things made the book a
bit choppy. Connections between characters' actions were off. (On stage it's
referred to as blocking; on screen you would notice that an actor's hand is
raised and in the next frame, it is down.) There was a lack of cohesion in
places where the character does one thing, and then in the next sentence the
action is reiterated a bit differently. While surely this technique can be done
for emphasis, none was appropriate in the places I noticed it. Rather, it seemed
like the sentence was reworked and the old sentence not removed. Also, at times
it seemed like new topics/subjects were introduced without any finesse, and I
was left wondering, "Did I miss something?"
The indication of time
passage was also vague. I wasn't sure how much time elapsed between scenes - if
something happened on the same day as another, or if it was a couple days later.
Add to all of that misspellings of characters' names, e.g., Mary instead of
Marty, and errors in comma usage and subject-verb agreements, and these
technical issues added up to distract from the storyline.
Overall, I
liked the premise and am definitely looking forward to what happens next in the
storyline, but I hope that the second book leaves the distracting technical
elements on the cutting room floor.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews at http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6524
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Pulse and Prejudice by Colette L. Saucier-3 Stars
PULSE AND PREJUDICE takes the classic Jane Austen story of Pride and Prejudice
and turns it into a vampire story. In this version, Darcy isn't just prideful or
prejudiced, and Wickham isn't just a lecher; they're both vampires, and that
adds a whole new layer to their issues with the marriage mart. I give it three
stars for the intriguing idea, interesting filler scenes, and the Austen-esque
writing style.
PULSE AND PREJUDICE by Colette L. Saucier provided an intriguing idea - that there were darker forces separating Darcy and Elizabeth. I liked the premise of the book. Certainly being a vampire would be an obstacle. The vampire paradigm was explained fairly late in the book, which usually is a drawback for me, but here, it didn't seem to make much of a difference. The way Darcy's condition is described is sufficient for the reader until Darcy describes it all to Elizabeth.
The writing style is similar to Jane Austen's style, which could be a bonus or a drawback depending on what kind of reader you are. Readers who like to challenge themselves with their pleasure reading will do just fine, but if you are looking for something light and easy, this is not it. I fall into the latter category, and so it took me several tries to really get into the story. The plot also follows that of the original story, but just twists it where the explanations for things can be attributed to the vampire issue.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters. If you have seen the 5-hour BBC film version of Pride and Prejudice, you will recognize that many key lines are integrated into this version, sometimes in the same scenes and other times in new contexts. I liked that because the story followed the book more closely. Sometimes, though, it detracted from the story by making the story seem less original.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh new scenes used in PULSE AND PREJUDICE that were not in Austen's original version. They give a nice new perspective to what is actually happening in the story, and most of those scenes are told from Darcy's point of view highlighting his struggles with his condition and his desire for Elizabeth. The scenes "Beyond Pride and Prejudice" add the spice and heat to Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. Hence, I give it a 3 on the heat scale, where the original was a 1 on the heat scale.
Overall, I enjoyed the book once I was able to get into it, but given the difficulty level of the reading, it is not a book I would read for enjoyment. I also would have liked to see more original scenes, as those provided the meat of the vampire part of the story.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6206.
PULSE AND PREJUDICE by Colette L. Saucier provided an intriguing idea - that there were darker forces separating Darcy and Elizabeth. I liked the premise of the book. Certainly being a vampire would be an obstacle. The vampire paradigm was explained fairly late in the book, which usually is a drawback for me, but here, it didn't seem to make much of a difference. The way Darcy's condition is described is sufficient for the reader until Darcy describes it all to Elizabeth.
The writing style is similar to Jane Austen's style, which could be a bonus or a drawback depending on what kind of reader you are. Readers who like to challenge themselves with their pleasure reading will do just fine, but if you are looking for something light and easy, this is not it. I fall into the latter category, and so it took me several tries to really get into the story. The plot also follows that of the original story, but just twists it where the explanations for things can be attributed to the vampire issue.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters. If you have seen the 5-hour BBC film version of Pride and Prejudice, you will recognize that many key lines are integrated into this version, sometimes in the same scenes and other times in new contexts. I liked that because the story followed the book more closely. Sometimes, though, it detracted from the story by making the story seem less original.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh new scenes used in PULSE AND PREJUDICE that were not in Austen's original version. They give a nice new perspective to what is actually happening in the story, and most of those scenes are told from Darcy's point of view highlighting his struggles with his condition and his desire for Elizabeth. The scenes "Beyond Pride and Prejudice" add the spice and heat to Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. Hence, I give it a 3 on the heat scale, where the original was a 1 on the heat scale.
Overall, I enjoyed the book once I was able to get into it, but given the difficulty level of the reading, it is not a book I would read for enjoyment. I also would have liked to see more original scenes, as those provided the meat of the vampire part of the story.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6206.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Dante's Flame by Jannine Corti-Petska-3 stars
DANTE'S FLAME by Jannine Corti-Petska takes readers into the quagmire of
politics existing outside castle walls. We know the facts as revealed by
history, but DANTE'S FLAME shows us the human lives behind the scenes. I give
this Italian tale three stars for its imagery and dialogue.
DANTE'S FLAME tells the medieval tale of Alessandra Podesta, a 19-year-old Venetian lady, who has pushed the boundaries of her father's patience by writing lascivious stories. She is sent to live in French-controlled Naples with the Valentes, relatives who are dominated by her violent older cousin. Alessa's penchant for wandering unescorted through the city and sneaking out at night lands her in hot water with her uncle, who determines that she needs a husband to help control her.
Alessa's uncle marries her off to her French tutor, Dante Santangelo, who is secretly working with the French to maintain their rule over Naples. Dante initially uses his tutoring position, and then later his marriage to Alessandra, to uncover evidence of the family's aiding of the Spanish. Alessa stumbles across dangerous information, including a plot to assassinate Queen Isabella, the French regent of Naples. In attempting to get help, she trusts the wrong people and endangers her life, and Dante must choose between his wife and his queen.
The key to enjoying this book is to keep in mind what life was like for young women in medieval times; they had very little freedom, and regardless of education, they were often kept ignorant of the world at large. So when Alessandra makes some really bone-headed moves, it is more understandable. My favorite lines that illustrate this aspect of the story are when he asks her, "Are you so addle-minded, you cannot learn from experience?" and Alessa's responds, "I am not addle-minded. I simply have a need to…to seek answers to appease my curiosity." While Alessa may seem ditzy, if you put yourself in her shoes, you can easily see how she is just amazed and intrigued by the world around her.
The rest of the dialogue in the book is well crafted to help the reader stay in medieval times. I wasn't distracted by modern colloquialisms, and the descriptions of the city were quintessential Italy. I've been lost in the maze of narrow streets and alleyways before, and it's not easy to find your way back home, even with a map!
After a great start, the storyline got a bit muddled in the middle when, after getting married, Dante can't decide whether to sleep with Alessandra or not. Perhaps a bit more time could have been spent developing their relationship through dialogue and time spent together. The "I love you's" didn't seem very credible under the circumstances. It was obvious Dante is amused by Alessandra and that she is enamored of him, but that they had fallen in love with each other was a bit of a stretch for me. There was a moment when I thought the novel might veer off into the BDSM genre, but I was greatly relieved to see Dante act according to his character's paradigm. Thinking back about the scene, it probably wasn't so scandalous when considered in historical context. Perhaps my qualms with the romantic element here exist because falling in love was much different in medieval times than what we expect today.
What was most interesting to me was the political intrigue, and the conclusion of the book was my favorite part. As a fan of history, I love how fiction can bring history alive. DANTE'S FLAME definitely puts human faces to the conflict in Italy at that time, and there were parts of the novel where I couldn't put it down, especially the conclusion. The end of the story is fraught with peril and suspense, and easily could have been cut from a major motion picture. No spoilers here, though! You'll just have to read it yourself.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed DANTE'S FLAME, and recommend it to any lovers of historical fiction.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6542
DANTE'S FLAME tells the medieval tale of Alessandra Podesta, a 19-year-old Venetian lady, who has pushed the boundaries of her father's patience by writing lascivious stories. She is sent to live in French-controlled Naples with the Valentes, relatives who are dominated by her violent older cousin. Alessa's penchant for wandering unescorted through the city and sneaking out at night lands her in hot water with her uncle, who determines that she needs a husband to help control her.
Alessa's uncle marries her off to her French tutor, Dante Santangelo, who is secretly working with the French to maintain their rule over Naples. Dante initially uses his tutoring position, and then later his marriage to Alessandra, to uncover evidence of the family's aiding of the Spanish. Alessa stumbles across dangerous information, including a plot to assassinate Queen Isabella, the French regent of Naples. In attempting to get help, she trusts the wrong people and endangers her life, and Dante must choose between his wife and his queen.
The key to enjoying this book is to keep in mind what life was like for young women in medieval times; they had very little freedom, and regardless of education, they were often kept ignorant of the world at large. So when Alessandra makes some really bone-headed moves, it is more understandable. My favorite lines that illustrate this aspect of the story are when he asks her, "Are you so addle-minded, you cannot learn from experience?" and Alessa's responds, "I am not addle-minded. I simply have a need to…to seek answers to appease my curiosity." While Alessa may seem ditzy, if you put yourself in her shoes, you can easily see how she is just amazed and intrigued by the world around her.
The rest of the dialogue in the book is well crafted to help the reader stay in medieval times. I wasn't distracted by modern colloquialisms, and the descriptions of the city were quintessential Italy. I've been lost in the maze of narrow streets and alleyways before, and it's not easy to find your way back home, even with a map!
After a great start, the storyline got a bit muddled in the middle when, after getting married, Dante can't decide whether to sleep with Alessandra or not. Perhaps a bit more time could have been spent developing their relationship through dialogue and time spent together. The "I love you's" didn't seem very credible under the circumstances. It was obvious Dante is amused by Alessandra and that she is enamored of him, but that they had fallen in love with each other was a bit of a stretch for me. There was a moment when I thought the novel might veer off into the BDSM genre, but I was greatly relieved to see Dante act according to his character's paradigm. Thinking back about the scene, it probably wasn't so scandalous when considered in historical context. Perhaps my qualms with the romantic element here exist because falling in love was much different in medieval times than what we expect today.
What was most interesting to me was the political intrigue, and the conclusion of the book was my favorite part. As a fan of history, I love how fiction can bring history alive. DANTE'S FLAME definitely puts human faces to the conflict in Italy at that time, and there were parts of the novel where I couldn't put it down, especially the conclusion. The end of the story is fraught with peril and suspense, and easily could have been cut from a major motion picture. No spoilers here, though! You'll just have to read it yourself.
On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed DANTE'S FLAME, and recommend it to any lovers of historical fiction.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6542
Marry Me by Karen Stivali-4 stars
MARRY ME by Karen Stivali is a fun, entertaining and realistic story that packs
a punch. It is a quick read with the feeling of a much longer novel. This story
fulfills one musician-lover's dream of marrying a rock star. If you can survive
swooning with envy, this book is definitely for you. I give MARRY ME 4
stars.
MARRY ME tells the story of Julia, a fashion designer/tailor, who falls in love with Ben, a British drummer. Julia has worked on the band's clothing for video shoots and concerts for a while, and during the band's visit to New York, Ben asks Julia to marry him in a flirtatious joking manner. Julia says no because they've never even been on a date. Ben immediately rectifies that situation, and soon the relationship progresses to the point where they fall in love. They each have some baggage, though, and it collides in a violent way.
Even though it was short (83 pages), I definitely enjoyed this book. Often I find that short books, or novellas as they are sometimes called, skimp majorly on the character development, thus making the story completely unbelievable. Not so here. There is just enough time spent on character development for their romance to be believable. Still, I would have preferred fewer sex scenes and more of their time spent together. The passage of time is properly described, so the reader knows that it took more than a week for them to fall in love. This is also a minor aspect to novels that is so often ignored. The reader needs a timeline of sorts to understand the drama in context.
Here, the main characters meet each other's friends and have to deal with jealousy in the work place. We get to see the characters' interactions through dialogue instead of heavy narration. The pace is quick without feeling rushed, and it was well edited. No pesky spelling errors to distract you. It's funny; it's real, and it's an easy quick read. The ending or resolution of their issues was very well done - absolute intense emotion without being cheesy. I would have loved for there to have been an epilogue that showed their life after the ending, but that is a personal preference. Because the ending was so well done, you don't feel as if an epilogue is necessary.
Note: This story is definitely for 18+. For such a short book, it had quite a few explicit sex scenes. So out of 5, this would rate a 4 on the heat level. Remove the explicit sex scenes, and this story would easily make a great motion picture. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more of Karen Stivali's work.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=5878
MARRY ME tells the story of Julia, a fashion designer/tailor, who falls in love with Ben, a British drummer. Julia has worked on the band's clothing for video shoots and concerts for a while, and during the band's visit to New York, Ben asks Julia to marry him in a flirtatious joking manner. Julia says no because they've never even been on a date. Ben immediately rectifies that situation, and soon the relationship progresses to the point where they fall in love. They each have some baggage, though, and it collides in a violent way.
Even though it was short (83 pages), I definitely enjoyed this book. Often I find that short books, or novellas as they are sometimes called, skimp majorly on the character development, thus making the story completely unbelievable. Not so here. There is just enough time spent on character development for their romance to be believable. Still, I would have preferred fewer sex scenes and more of their time spent together. The passage of time is properly described, so the reader knows that it took more than a week for them to fall in love. This is also a minor aspect to novels that is so often ignored. The reader needs a timeline of sorts to understand the drama in context.
Here, the main characters meet each other's friends and have to deal with jealousy in the work place. We get to see the characters' interactions through dialogue instead of heavy narration. The pace is quick without feeling rushed, and it was well edited. No pesky spelling errors to distract you. It's funny; it's real, and it's an easy quick read. The ending or resolution of their issues was very well done - absolute intense emotion without being cheesy. I would have loved for there to have been an epilogue that showed their life after the ending, but that is a personal preference. Because the ending was so well done, you don't feel as if an epilogue is necessary.
Note: This story is definitely for 18+. For such a short book, it had quite a few explicit sex scenes. So out of 5, this would rate a 4 on the heat level. Remove the explicit sex scenes, and this story would easily make a great motion picture. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more of Karen Stivali's work.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=5878
The Delphi Bloodline by Donna Del Oro - 3 Stars
It doesn't take an oracle to know that Donna Del Oro is destined for great
things with her novel (and hopefully series) THE DELPHI BLOODLINE. The premise
of the book has the perfect historical hook, and the ending leaves us waiting
anxiously to see if another book is in our future.
THE DELPHI BLOODLINE tells the tale of Athena Butler - painter, gallery owner, and oh yeah, psychic - who attempts to prevent the kidnapping and deaths of other psychics across the U.S., including her mom, Annabella, and their distant relative, Lorena Skoros. Lorena sends her son, Kas, to act as Athena's Guardian, a role that men in the Delphi bloodline have been playing for millennia. In addition to dodging bullets, Athena and Kas have to deal with their attraction to one another as well as the emotional baggage they each carry.
Right away, THE DELPHI BLOODLINE grabs you with the idea that these women who have psychic abilities are part of a heritage that dates beyond biblical times and that the whole history of mankind - past, present, and future - is contained in another dimension that the women in the Delphi Bloodline can access. Ms Del Oro gives the reader just enough information about the psychics' abilities to let us know the framework, but not too much to be convoluted or to bog down the tempo of the book.
The development of the romantic relationship between Athena and Kas was, for the most part, well done. While the time frame is short, there are supernatural factors that connect them, making the romance believable. As for heat level, I would rate this a 3 out of 5.
There were some issues, though, with editing and contradictory facts - the way people are described - repetitive descriptions and narrations, as if old text wasn't removed during the revision. These issues posed a bit of a challenge at times, but I am SO glad I kept reading.
The ending of the book was fabulous. The immediate issues in the book are resolved, but danger still lurks, leaving the possibility (please!) of another novel. If the editing issues are resolved in the next novel (or in a re-publication of this one), this series could rival similar popular series found in mainstream bookstores.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6748
THE DELPHI BLOODLINE tells the tale of Athena Butler - painter, gallery owner, and oh yeah, psychic - who attempts to prevent the kidnapping and deaths of other psychics across the U.S., including her mom, Annabella, and their distant relative, Lorena Skoros. Lorena sends her son, Kas, to act as Athena's Guardian, a role that men in the Delphi bloodline have been playing for millennia. In addition to dodging bullets, Athena and Kas have to deal with their attraction to one another as well as the emotional baggage they each carry.
Right away, THE DELPHI BLOODLINE grabs you with the idea that these women who have psychic abilities are part of a heritage that dates beyond biblical times and that the whole history of mankind - past, present, and future - is contained in another dimension that the women in the Delphi Bloodline can access. Ms Del Oro gives the reader just enough information about the psychics' abilities to let us know the framework, but not too much to be convoluted or to bog down the tempo of the book.
The development of the romantic relationship between Athena and Kas was, for the most part, well done. While the time frame is short, there are supernatural factors that connect them, making the romance believable. As for heat level, I would rate this a 3 out of 5.
There were some issues, though, with editing and contradictory facts - the way people are described - repetitive descriptions and narrations, as if old text wasn't removed during the revision. These issues posed a bit of a challenge at times, but I am SO glad I kept reading.
The ending of the book was fabulous. The immediate issues in the book are resolved, but danger still lurks, leaving the possibility (please!) of another novel. If the editing issues are resolved in the next novel (or in a re-publication of this one), this series could rival similar popular series found in mainstream bookstores.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6748
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Courtesan's Desires by Killarney Sheffield - 3 stars
A COURTESAN'S DESIRES by Killarney Sheffield is a tragedy in the best sense. It
pulls you on an emotional journey while showing you another side of the Regency
era romance - that of life as an immigrant. The realism is intense and
definitely worth the read.
A COURTESAN'S DESIRES tells the tale of Rachel Sholis, a fifteen year-old girl in a Hutterite (similar to Amish) community, who is on the cusp of getting her heart's desire - a husband. The leader of her community in Germany is tricked into sending half the community to England, though, allegedly to set up a new community there, and Rachel's family is chosen to go, separating her from the young man she cared for.
Tragedy befalls the Hutterite group on the voyage. Many of the people get sick; Rachel's own mother dies on the boat. Then the ship breaks up in the middle of a storm, and she is the only one who survives. Washed up on the beach with no family to protect her, she is raped by sailors who survived the wreck, thrown into Newgate prison, purchased by a man who forces her into a life as a courtesan, and then sold to the Duke of Eastborne, with whom she falls in love.
This book is not for the faint of heart and should come with its own box of tissues. The drama described above occurs within the first 40 pages of the book, and Rachel's life continues to get worse. She doesn't know whom to trust, and ends up putting her trust in the wrong man.
Tragedy aside, A COURTESAN'S DESIRES is, for the most part, well written. The characters' emotions and Rachel's naiveté are clearly conveyed. With every twist and turn of the plot, the reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster that continues until the very end of the book. I would have liked it, though, if the ending was not so abrupt. Readers love happy endings, and if there is a happy ending, that part of the story should be told, especially if the characters have gone through some heart wrenching times. While A COURTESAN'S DESIRES ends with some happiness, there wasn't enough time spent describing it, so emotionally, I was left still feeling blue.
The development of the romance between the duke and Rachel also needed some work. While at the beginning, one can understand how Rachel would feel like she had fallen in love with the duke - given everything she's been through, he's the first person in this new land to genuinely care about her - there is too little time spent showing how that love matures. With the duke, I wasn't quite sure why he fell in love with Rachel. I would have liked there to be more description of his feelings for Rachel in the beginning, as well as in the end.
Despite the fact that the book is heavy on the tragedy and light on the development of the romance between the characters, there is still plenty of good reading here. If you are a fan of historical fiction that is grounded more in the difficulties of the lower classes rather than the privileges of the nobility, or if you just want a different perspective on life in England during the Regency era, then this book is definitely for you
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6638
A COURTESAN'S DESIRES tells the tale of Rachel Sholis, a fifteen year-old girl in a Hutterite (similar to Amish) community, who is on the cusp of getting her heart's desire - a husband. The leader of her community in Germany is tricked into sending half the community to England, though, allegedly to set up a new community there, and Rachel's family is chosen to go, separating her from the young man she cared for.
Tragedy befalls the Hutterite group on the voyage. Many of the people get sick; Rachel's own mother dies on the boat. Then the ship breaks up in the middle of a storm, and she is the only one who survives. Washed up on the beach with no family to protect her, she is raped by sailors who survived the wreck, thrown into Newgate prison, purchased by a man who forces her into a life as a courtesan, and then sold to the Duke of Eastborne, with whom she falls in love.
This book is not for the faint of heart and should come with its own box of tissues. The drama described above occurs within the first 40 pages of the book, and Rachel's life continues to get worse. She doesn't know whom to trust, and ends up putting her trust in the wrong man.
Tragedy aside, A COURTESAN'S DESIRES is, for the most part, well written. The characters' emotions and Rachel's naiveté are clearly conveyed. With every twist and turn of the plot, the reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster that continues until the very end of the book. I would have liked it, though, if the ending was not so abrupt. Readers love happy endings, and if there is a happy ending, that part of the story should be told, especially if the characters have gone through some heart wrenching times. While A COURTESAN'S DESIRES ends with some happiness, there wasn't enough time spent describing it, so emotionally, I was left still feeling blue.
The development of the romance between the duke and Rachel also needed some work. While at the beginning, one can understand how Rachel would feel like she had fallen in love with the duke - given everything she's been through, he's the first person in this new land to genuinely care about her - there is too little time spent showing how that love matures. With the duke, I wasn't quite sure why he fell in love with Rachel. I would have liked there to be more description of his feelings for Rachel in the beginning, as well as in the end.
Despite the fact that the book is heavy on the tragedy and light on the development of the romance between the characters, there is still plenty of good reading here. If you are a fan of historical fiction that is grounded more in the difficulties of the lower classes rather than the privileges of the nobility, or if you just want a different perspective on life in England during the Regency era, then this book is definitely for you
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6638
Exhumed by Skyla Dawn Cameron - 4 stars
EXHUMED by Skyla Dawn Cameron is fast, funny, and furious; at times, your
whiplash can mirror that suffered by some of the characters. I loved it. The
action and fight scenes were intense, the romance bittersweet, and it left me
wanting more.
EXHUMED is the fourth book in the Demons of Oblivion series - the continuation of the story of Zara Lain, vampire, bounty hunter, and assassin. While we get snippets of her history, most of this book focuses on her attempt to assimilate Nate, her boyfriend, to life as a vampire. She turned him into a vampire without his consent six years prior, but he has just come out of the incubation period and is quite the savage. Nate doesn't completely recognize Zara, and she has to figure out how to reorient him with his new life while preventing him from killing her, keeping them both from being killed by other supernaturals, and averting the apocalypse.
The book moved at a fast pace, had great action scenes that could rival major motion pictures, was even funny at times, and had some nice twists. I only had two issues with the book, the first of which can easily be avoided by other readers. EXHUMED is not the first book in the series and really cannot be read as a stand-alone novel. (The cover art also does not alert the reader to this fact.) There are just too many details that require the foreknowledge gained from the previous books to understand the motivations of the characters and the parameters of the paranormal world created by the book. Other than that, Zara is worse than a sailor; she curses as if she knows no other language. While I understand that using expletives is the norm for many people, here, it is just downright distracting from the rest of the text. Since the book is written in first person, all of the narration is filled with expletives, too. The reader simply does not need that many expletives to understand that Zara is a real bad@*#.
The romance is well done and easy to believe. Both narration and dialogue give enough of the emotional history for the reader to easily accept the premise that Zara and Nate were deeply in love before she turned him into a vampire without asking. The romance is also believable in that it is sometimes sweet and sometimes hot, but really heavy on the bittersweet. People make mistakes and have to live with the consequences of their actions. EXHUMED does a great job of adhering to that truism. As for the heat level, I would give this a rating of 3 out of 5.
The ending of the book was well done. The immediate issues in the book are resolved, but the characters still have a lot to address in their lives. Sadly, the author's note at the end of the book indicates that while there will be more to this series, there may not be another book focused on Zara and Nate. I would definitely be interested in another book that gives us the story of how things work out for these two in the future, and I will definitely be checking out the other books in this series.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6749
EXHUMED is the fourth book in the Demons of Oblivion series - the continuation of the story of Zara Lain, vampire, bounty hunter, and assassin. While we get snippets of her history, most of this book focuses on her attempt to assimilate Nate, her boyfriend, to life as a vampire. She turned him into a vampire without his consent six years prior, but he has just come out of the incubation period and is quite the savage. Nate doesn't completely recognize Zara, and she has to figure out how to reorient him with his new life while preventing him from killing her, keeping them both from being killed by other supernaturals, and averting the apocalypse.
The book moved at a fast pace, had great action scenes that could rival major motion pictures, was even funny at times, and had some nice twists. I only had two issues with the book, the first of which can easily be avoided by other readers. EXHUMED is not the first book in the series and really cannot be read as a stand-alone novel. (The cover art also does not alert the reader to this fact.) There are just too many details that require the foreknowledge gained from the previous books to understand the motivations of the characters and the parameters of the paranormal world created by the book. Other than that, Zara is worse than a sailor; she curses as if she knows no other language. While I understand that using expletives is the norm for many people, here, it is just downright distracting from the rest of the text. Since the book is written in first person, all of the narration is filled with expletives, too. The reader simply does not need that many expletives to understand that Zara is a real bad@*#.
The romance is well done and easy to believe. Both narration and dialogue give enough of the emotional history for the reader to easily accept the premise that Zara and Nate were deeply in love before she turned him into a vampire without asking. The romance is also believable in that it is sometimes sweet and sometimes hot, but really heavy on the bittersweet. People make mistakes and have to live with the consequences of their actions. EXHUMED does a great job of adhering to that truism. As for the heat level, I would give this a rating of 3 out of 5.
The ending of the book was well done. The immediate issues in the book are resolved, but the characters still have a lot to address in their lives. Sadly, the author's note at the end of the book indicates that while there will be more to this series, there may not be another book focused on Zara and Nate. I would definitely be interested in another book that gives us the story of how things work out for these two in the future, and I will definitely be checking out the other books in this series.
Review originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6749
The Last Shift by Susan Phelan - 5 stars
THE LAST SHIFT definitely cannot be Susan Phelan's Last Book if I have anything to say about it. This vampire Grisham-esqe suspense has everything a reader could want. I highly recommend this book for its excellent writing, innovative vampires, and smart suspense.
THE LAST SHIFT tells the tale of Elizabeth Leigh Bryan, aka Libby, a District Attorney-turned-writer, who gets shot one Friday evening during a robbery at her local food mart. Or rather, she thinks it was a robbery. The actual reason for the attack is soon revealed; someone wants Libby dead. Lucky for Libby, the homicide detective assigned to her case, Jude Madison, is a vampire (but don't call him that because the word allows too many misconceptions of who he is) and an excellent detective. The drama unfolds as Jude and his fellow officers search for the killer and try to keep her alive, while she tries to deal with the separation from her husband and the new reality of being on someone's hit list.
I loved this book, and really cannot say too many good things about it. The prologue hooks you immediately, and the tempo, especially in the first few chapters, keeps you glued to the edge of your seat.
The plot is fantastic - just the right number of elements and no distracting tangents. Every aspect of the storyline has a purpose, and all the questions raised throughout the book are resolved by the end. The mystery is smart and keeps you guessing. I thought right off the bat I knew who the bad guy was, but then new suspects kept popping up. The vampire element of the book is refreshing and also explained well - simply, straightforward, and with appropriate timing. The ending was not what I expected, but was even better, giving me what I wanted without a lot of fuss.
The relationship between Jude and Libby was developed appropriately for the circumstances. There was depth, dialogue, and desire. Regarding the heat level, this book definitely rates a 1 out of 5 (a lot of emotion and looking, but no serious contact), and given the subject matter, the book is appropriate for readers 16 and up. The relationship between Libby and her soon-to-be ex-husband is also well done. Their interactions are heavy with the emotions of shared history and heart wrenching betrayal, and their story is mostly revealed through dialogue, which for me, is the best way to tell a story.
There were only minor editing errors, but they did not detract from the story. The book cover, though, is too cheesy for words, and to my immense relief, is wholly unrepresentative of the book.
THE LAST SHIFT was a fantastic read, and I absolutely intend on reading Ms. Phelan's three other books in The Blood Tapestry Series. Don't worry; since each story is distinctly different, it won't make a difference in what order you read them. If the others are as great as this one, I'll be a happy reader for a long while.
Review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6784
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Montmoors 2: The Bastard Returns by Lisa Greer - 2 stars
THE BASTARD RETURNS, the second installment in The Montmoors serial, picks up 2 weeks after Catherine Roth's arrival at the estate. It begins with Catherine writing a letter to her best friend, Emily, who had previously advised Catherine against accepting the governess position. Unfortunately, the issues which perplexed me in the first installment are only compounded by more questions in the second, and what intrigued me in the beginning only makes me impatient now. Perhaps I am just not a fan of serials and prefer to have everything in one nice novel package to read at a quicker pace than the installments are published.
THE BASTARD RETURNS, a 22-page installment, introduces new characters, most of whom are just as creepy as Lord Andrew and the mansion. We are first introduced to the ghost of Monroe Montmoor, Lord Andrew's great-grandfather. The ghost seems intent on scaring the wits out of Catherine, and shows up in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
Next we are introduced to Lord Andrew's brother, Mr. Benjamin Smitt, who is loud, obnoxious, and just as creepy as Lord Andrew, but in a different way. Mr. Smitt says that he is "the bastard come home to claim what is rightfully" his and eyes Catherine like she is a tart fit for his dessert. She would do best to avoid Mr. Smitt. We are finally introduced to Cullen, Catherine's charge, who seems a sweet boy, but about whom we still know very little.
The descriptions of male characters continue to be well done. Their characters seem consistent, if still mysterious. Catherine's character continues to confound me, though. I was unable to resolve my questions regarding Catherine's character - whether she is as flighty and thoughtless as she seems. Her actions and words still seem inconsistent not only with each other but also with her gender and station in life.
The improprieties also continue, with Lord Montmoor spending the night in her bedroom in order to catch Monroe Montmoor's ghost when he makes an appearance. I have to ask: If the ghost has been ruling the roost at the estate for some time, why isn't the female housekeeper or some other maid on duty? Lord Montmoor's motivations are clear. We've always seen that he has some sort of design on Catherine, but why is Catherine not concerned?
Also, I would have liked to hear more about Catherine's first lesson with Cullen. It seems a momentous occasion given that she's been waiting for two weeks to do what she has been hired to do, but that event is glossed over as merely a scene to connect Catherine's interactions with the adult men in the house.
As far as historical integrity goes, the minor issues I noted in regards to the first installment were resolved here in the second. However, I was distracted by some instances of poor editing. Although I am still curious as to how this story will play out, I may have to wait until this serial is complete before picking it back up since it seems that I have no patience for the publisher-imposed pace.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6584
THE BASTARD RETURNS, a 22-page installment, introduces new characters, most of whom are just as creepy as Lord Andrew and the mansion. We are first introduced to the ghost of Monroe Montmoor, Lord Andrew's great-grandfather. The ghost seems intent on scaring the wits out of Catherine, and shows up in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
Next we are introduced to Lord Andrew's brother, Mr. Benjamin Smitt, who is loud, obnoxious, and just as creepy as Lord Andrew, but in a different way. Mr. Smitt says that he is "the bastard come home to claim what is rightfully" his and eyes Catherine like she is a tart fit for his dessert. She would do best to avoid Mr. Smitt. We are finally introduced to Cullen, Catherine's charge, who seems a sweet boy, but about whom we still know very little.
The descriptions of male characters continue to be well done. Their characters seem consistent, if still mysterious. Catherine's character continues to confound me, though. I was unable to resolve my questions regarding Catherine's character - whether she is as flighty and thoughtless as she seems. Her actions and words still seem inconsistent not only with each other but also with her gender and station in life.
The improprieties also continue, with Lord Montmoor spending the night in her bedroom in order to catch Monroe Montmoor's ghost when he makes an appearance. I have to ask: If the ghost has been ruling the roost at the estate for some time, why isn't the female housekeeper or some other maid on duty? Lord Montmoor's motivations are clear. We've always seen that he has some sort of design on Catherine, but why is Catherine not concerned?
Also, I would have liked to hear more about Catherine's first lesson with Cullen. It seems a momentous occasion given that she's been waiting for two weeks to do what she has been hired to do, but that event is glossed over as merely a scene to connect Catherine's interactions with the adult men in the house.
As far as historical integrity goes, the minor issues I noted in regards to the first installment were resolved here in the second. However, I was distracted by some instances of poor editing. Although I am still curious as to how this story will play out, I may have to wait until this serial is complete before picking it back up since it seems that I have no patience for the publisher-imposed pace.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6584
The Montmoors 1: The Governess and the Master by Lisa Greer - 3 stars
The Montmoors 1: THE GOVERNESS AND THE MASTER presents an intriguing beginning
in this serial publication about a destitute young lady who accepts a dubious
position as a governess in a remote and creepy castle. If you are new to this
kind of publication, think of it as the pilot episode of a new TV series. This
23-page first installment of The Montmoors definitely presents a story
with a lot of potential. If you are a fan of serials, I would absolutely
recommend you check it out.
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
The story opens with Catherine Roth, who suffers from multiple heartbreaks in her life, is at turning point in her life. Not only has her father passed away, but his debts have left her without any money. She has no family to protect her or provide for her, and so she does what many young ladies in her position at that time did – she seeks a position as a governess.
Despite her best friend's warnings, Miss Roth accepts a position in the household of Lord Andrew Montmoor, a man whose family and estate are steeped in mystery, to tutor Lord Montmoor's sickly nephew, Cullen. From the moment she sets eyes on her new residence, she begins to doubt the wisdom of her decision. The castle is isolated, and she knows nobody who works in the castle or lives near it. The servants are few and inhospitable, and Catherine is given a bedroom a few doors down from Lord Montmoor's room.
Lord Montmoor is creepy, even by modern standards. He provides his sister's clothing for Catherine and seems to stalk her as she walks about the property. Add to all that irregularity, Catherine is not promptly introduced to her charge. Lord Montmoor and the housekeeper say that Cullen is too ill to meet her, but as time passes, you begin to wonder whether the nephew even exists. Catherine certainly isn't performing her duties as a governess, and she begins to wonder (as did I) what exactly she's doing there.
The description of Lord Montmoor's actions and the property are well done. I definitely felt a sense of foreboding - that creeping feeling up my neck that I get when I watch horror films. It made me want to tell Catherine to get out of there as fast as her little feet could carry her. I'm still shaking my head wondering what she is thinking staying there.
This being the first installment of the series, the book merely introduces the characters and the mysterious setting of the story; there is very little character development or development of a romance. As for the characters, Catherine seems to be a little flighty and illogical. Aside from putting herself in this precarious living situation, Catherine accepts the sister's clothing with a bit too much ease for that time period, and her decision to wear an expensive silk gown to the beach is completely illogical considering that any of her old gowns wouldn't be ruined in the sand and surf. Perhaps she is just selfish and inconsiderate and doesn't care whether she ruins the expensive new gowns she's been given. I will just have to read the next installment of the series to find out whether she is really this way, or whether we should forgive her thoughtlessness while she tries to get her bearings in this new reality of her life.
As far as historical integrity goes, I was not distracted by modern colloquialisms, but there was one glaring error that I would like to see addressed in future installments or re-released versions of this one: Catherine would not be referred to as "Ms." She would be a Miss. The title "Ms." did not come into use until the mid-1900's, and it was introduced in the U.S.A., not England.
Other than that, though, there were very few grammatical issues to distract from the scary castle and its inhabitants. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series, and can't wait to get answers to my myriad of questions: What is the truth behind the mystery surrounding the house? What really happened to Lord Montmoor's sister? What role does Cullen play? Why does Lord Montmoor not mix in society? Does Lord Montmoor win Catherine?
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6529
Only Scandal Will Do by Jenna Jaxon - 4 stars
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO by Jenna Jaxon is a refreshing take on the 18th century romance even though it involves a rather horrid social issue (sex trade). I definitely would recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy reading about Georgian England but are tired of the same old story line. I might be persuaded to buy this book if there is a sequel or follow up book that does as well. Standing alone, this book was definitely enjoyable, and I give it 4 stars.
ONLY SCANDAL WILL DO tells the tale of Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam, an American woman, sister to an earl, and recent arrival to England, who is kidnapped on her way to a masquerade ball and sold at auction at a London brothel. Lady Katarina is purchased by Duncan Ferrers, the Marquess of Dalbury, who has just returned to England after a year in Italy, where he was hiding out until some family scandals blew over. Unfortunately, Duncan's penchant for redheads might land him in scandal yet again. He believes Katarina's protestations of innocence and claims of title are part of her character/disguise and so plays along, pretending to comfort her and calm her. She caves in to his attentions for a few moments until she realizes he does not believe her and is just trying to seduce her. Then, Lady Katarina demonstrates her American fortitude and knocks him out…literally.
After making it home without the police knowing the full truth of her experience and dealing with her brother's injuries obtained during her kidnapping, Lady Katarina begins to plan her return to America in order to avoid bringing scandal on the family. Meanwhile, Duncan discovers that Katarina was telling him the truth of her family and status in the ton. Seeking to avoid yet another scandal, he tracks her down and convinces her to marry him. This is not done so easily though, and Katarina truly believes that she is destined to be miserable in her marriage to a rake who only needs her money and an heir.
The relationship between hero and heroine here develops more naturally than is typical in the romance genre, lending it more credibility, and allowing the reader to be drawn in to the characters' lives more completely. The relationship develops over several months during which the hero is more understanding and less demanding than expected. I definitely felt the frustration of the hero and the uncertainty/insecurity of the heroine. The love scenes, although explicit, are appropriate in number and context - not too many and not ridiculous. The only point which strained credulity is when Duncan kisses Katarina full on the mouth after she's been puking her guts out for days. Somehow I really doubt that he would do that - kiss her forehead, her hand, yes, but not her lips.
The conclusion of the book is a total surprise. When the bad guy was revealed, I truly was taken aback, and that rarely happens to me these days. Usually, the ending and the villain are obvious after the first few chapters, but not here. The conclusion of this book also sets the foundation for the next book in the Dalbury family series, but I would have liked to have seen an epilogue that either teases out that potential or shows a more conclusive ending to Katarina and Duncan's story. As it is, the ending of this book is rather abrupt.
On the whole, I definitely enjoyed this book. It mixes a social issue that has been around for some time – the sex-slave trade – with your typical 18th century romance, and does it well. However, there are a few romance genre clichĂ©s I could do without, e.g., after the woman suffers a traumatic experience, the man leaves the woman to recover; she gets some notion in her head about what she can do while the man is out investigating, so she goes out without telling anyone or taking anyone with her. DUH! Of course she's going to get herself in hot water! Leave a note, woman! Take a servant. Do something to protect yourself when you leave the safety of your home. This kind of situation occurs all too frequently in the historical romance genre, and I would like to see Katarina stick to how she's been written. Here, Lady Katarina is written as a reasonably intelligent woman, but all sense flies out the window at one point, and there is never any explanation about that divergence of character. A few lines of dialogue could have explained why she acted as she did after the situation was resolved without compromising the tempo of the book. Overall, though, the book exceeded my expectations, and if there is a follow-up book that improves on this one while continuing the Dalbury family saga, I might just add them to my library.
A Note about cover art: The cover art here could have been more indicative of the substance of the book. It is helpful to me as a reader when the cover art is connected to the actual substance of the book. Many books are labeled "bodice rippers" because of the cover art – featuring a half-naked man and a woman whose dress is being ripped off in a moment of passion. I am generally turned off by these books because they seem to indicate that the writing is so lacking in plot that they only way to make a sale is via a scandalous looking cover. Some of these books have much more substance than the typical bodice ripper and feature real people in situations that could actually happen. I have recently stumbled across these books where the cover art was not actually shown until after the book was purchased and downloaded.
Here, the cover art does not really reflect the book. The man could have been dressed in a domino & black mask and the woman in an Athena/Greek goddess inspired white dress and a white mask. This would reflect how the two actually meet in the book and lend more credibility to the writing. I know, I know. The book is categorized as a romance and so the cover art should reflect that. I just think it's possible to have both the substance and the genre represented in the cover art.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=6328
Monday, June 4, 2012
A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman - 3 stars
This was not a romantic book. I'm not sure whether it was proffered as such when I first came across the overview. The writing is excellent, but I gave it only 3 stars because it is ridiculously depressing. I cried a good deal through the second half. The ending is bittersweet, and there is a moral to the story. As soon as I finish blowing my nose and drying my eyes, I'll try to figure out what it is.
A Catch of Consequence is about a Bostonian tavern owner, Makepeace Burke, who saves an English lord from drowning after being chucked in the river by some Patriots. She nurses him back to health only to become the target of civil unrest. The English lord, Phillip Dapifer, had come to America to get a quiet divorce from his adulterous wife, Catty. Phillip doesn't feel right leaving Makepeace in Boston after her tavern is burned, and he takes her to England. They get married on the ship, and land in serious drama in London. Even though she has received a very generous divorce settlement, Catty sues Phillip for divorce on the grounds of bigamy, alleging that he was still married to her when he married Makepeace. Makepeace gets pregnant, and in a ridiculously unwise move, tries to make peace with Catty. In an intemperate move, Makepeace reveals that she is pregnant, and oh, do the games begin. I won't give any more of the story away, mostly because it is just too depressing. I can say this for certain though - Update your wills, including guardianship of any children you may have, every YEAR, and keep them in a safe deposit box where no conniving ex can get to them. Seriously. The ruination faced in this book by the characters could have been completely avoided, but such is the nature of stories with morals behind them. There are things to learn here, and not all of them are pleasant.
This book is appropriate for those 16+ because of thematic elements. Other than some occasional language that would make this a rated R film, it is relatively clean.
A Catch of Consequence is about a Bostonian tavern owner, Makepeace Burke, who saves an English lord from drowning after being chucked in the river by some Patriots. She nurses him back to health only to become the target of civil unrest. The English lord, Phillip Dapifer, had come to America to get a quiet divorce from his adulterous wife, Catty. Phillip doesn't feel right leaving Makepeace in Boston after her tavern is burned, and he takes her to England. They get married on the ship, and land in serious drama in London. Even though she has received a very generous divorce settlement, Catty sues Phillip for divorce on the grounds of bigamy, alleging that he was still married to her when he married Makepeace. Makepeace gets pregnant, and in a ridiculously unwise move, tries to make peace with Catty. In an intemperate move, Makepeace reveals that she is pregnant, and oh, do the games begin. I won't give any more of the story away, mostly because it is just too depressing. I can say this for certain though - Update your wills, including guardianship of any children you may have, every YEAR, and keep them in a safe deposit box where no conniving ex can get to them. Seriously. The ruination faced in this book by the characters could have been completely avoided, but such is the nature of stories with morals behind them. There are things to learn here, and not all of them are pleasant.
This book is appropriate for those 16+ because of thematic elements. Other than some occasional language that would make this a rated R film, it is relatively clean.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
The Proposal by Mary Balogh - 4 stars
This novel is a breath of fresh air in the historical romance genre. It is deeply philosophical and addresses such topics as death, guilt, regret, class distinctions/boundaries, spirituality and the reasons for living. Can two people from different classes and very different backgrounds succeed in a relationship? The two main characters in this book show that it is possible if you truly love each other.
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, is a widow of 7 years, and while visiting a recently-widowed acquaintance, sprains her ankle on the property of a Duke. The Duke just happens to be housing the members of The Survivors' Club, a group of people in recovery from their war experiences, and one of the members, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, comes to Lady Muir's aid. Hugo's title was bestowed on him for services he rendered to the crown during the Napoleonic War - he is known as the Hero of Badajoz- and he is not comfortable with his elevation in status. He is from a very wealthy middle-class family and has little respect for the aristocracy. So it is a difficult twist of fate for him as he falls in love with Lady Muir. He has to adapt himself to her world in order to give his sister the chance to live life to the fullest and experience the upper class lifestyle of the ton. But fitting in to the ton is not enough for their relationship to last, and Gwen ultimately must attempt to fit into his world as well. Ultimately they make it work.
I enjoyed the interactions of the characters a great deal. They were realistic and have substance. My only issue with the writing was that sometimes the language used was too modern for the 1800's, and occasionally phrases like "head over ears" were used instead of "head over heals". Mary Balogh is Welsh and lives in Canada, so that may explain some of the figures of speech, but the book was published by Random House in the US. So you would think that the editors there would have caught the inconsistencies.
This book would be rated R for sexuality, but the love scenes are not gratuitous. The book is solidly based on the development of the characters as people and not the development of their sexual relationship, as is so common in the romance genre. The characters spend time together and their relationship develops through dialogue covering deep and heartfelt topics.
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, is a widow of 7 years, and while visiting a recently-widowed acquaintance, sprains her ankle on the property of a Duke. The Duke just happens to be housing the members of The Survivors' Club, a group of people in recovery from their war experiences, and one of the members, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, comes to Lady Muir's aid. Hugo's title was bestowed on him for services he rendered to the crown during the Napoleonic War - he is known as the Hero of Badajoz- and he is not comfortable with his elevation in status. He is from a very wealthy middle-class family and has little respect for the aristocracy. So it is a difficult twist of fate for him as he falls in love with Lady Muir. He has to adapt himself to her world in order to give his sister the chance to live life to the fullest and experience the upper class lifestyle of the ton. But fitting in to the ton is not enough for their relationship to last, and Gwen ultimately must attempt to fit into his world as well. Ultimately they make it work.
I enjoyed the interactions of the characters a great deal. They were realistic and have substance. My only issue with the writing was that sometimes the language used was too modern for the 1800's, and occasionally phrases like "head over ears" were used instead of "head over heals". Mary Balogh is Welsh and lives in Canada, so that may explain some of the figures of speech, but the book was published by Random House in the US. So you would think that the editors there would have caught the inconsistencies.
This book would be rated R for sexuality, but the love scenes are not gratuitous. The book is solidly based on the development of the characters as people and not the development of their sexual relationship, as is so common in the romance genre. The characters spend time together and their relationship develops through dialogue covering deep and heartfelt topics.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The Wife Trap by Tracy Anne Warren - 3 stars
Generally speaking, this book is your standard romantic drama. Lady Jeanette Rose Brandtford, daughter of an earl and twin to the now Duchess of Raeburn, Violet, has been sent off to visit her eccentric cousins in Ireland after causing quite a scandal in London by doing the old twin switch-a-roo at her wedding to the Duke of Raeburn. Apparently Jeanette was in love with another guy, Toddy, and so thought they would marry. I think all this back story may be in another of Tracy Anne Warren's books, but I haven't checked. It seems the perfect topic for a book. Anyhoo, Jeanette has a chance meeting with a guy named Darragh O'Brien, and then finds out he is the architect for the renovations on her cousins' estate. She does not know that he is also the Earl of Mulholland, and so when sparks fly between them, she is convinced there is no future for them. They have quite the little battle going on about what time the renovation work begins in the morning. Jeanette is used to London hours and so wakes late, but manual labor on the house must begin with the sun. Her antics are childish, but still funny.
The rest of the story is what you would expect - them ending up married. However, along the way, there is some very real heartache, and pride keeps these two persons from a happy marriage. There are times I really thought that they wouldn't make it, despite the fact that this is a romance and so must have a happy ending. Their story definitely promotes humility and full honesty in a relationship.
Rated R for sexuality. Most of the book is fairly tame - lots of kissing - but then about 3/4 of the way through the book, things get more intense between them. I give the book 3 stars because the plot moved a little slow throughout most of the book, and then wrapped up like lightening. The book also did not have an epilogue, so we did not have an opportunity to see the felicitous couple after they settled into life. Perhaps that is because there is another book, The Wedding Trap, after it that tells the story of Eliza Hammond, Violet's close friend and companion. Regardless, I would have liked to see either a slower, more developed conclusion to this story, or an epilogue.
The rest of the story is what you would expect - them ending up married. However, along the way, there is some very real heartache, and pride keeps these two persons from a happy marriage. There are times I really thought that they wouldn't make it, despite the fact that this is a romance and so must have a happy ending. Their story definitely promotes humility and full honesty in a relationship.
Rated R for sexuality. Most of the book is fairly tame - lots of kissing - but then about 3/4 of the way through the book, things get more intense between them. I give the book 3 stars because the plot moved a little slow throughout most of the book, and then wrapped up like lightening. The book also did not have an epilogue, so we did not have an opportunity to see the felicitous couple after they settled into life. Perhaps that is because there is another book, The Wedding Trap, after it that tells the story of Eliza Hammond, Violet's close friend and companion. Regardless, I would have liked to see either a slower, more developed conclusion to this story, or an epilogue.
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - 4 stars
OK, so here is a review of a non-romantic drama. This book is actually better described as a dark comedy. The writing is witty and the characters do funny things, but if you take a step back, you realize how dysfunctional the Spellman family is. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending felt a bit abrupt, and it definitely was not the happy ending I desired after the rest of the sadness in the book. If this were a movie, it would be rated R for language, thematic elements and some sensuality.
The Spellman Files is about Isabel Spellman and her family, all private investigators except for her brother, David, who is a corporate attorney. The story is told in a manner similar to the Lost TV series - you get a bit of present day drama and then a lot of back story/ family history. Ultimately, the big mystery is what happened to the 14 year old Rae Spellman. She is missing, and in order to find her, Izzy recounts the family's history to the detective investigating her little sister's disappearance. I won't spoil the book for you, but let's just say that the writing is real. This is no fluff piece that you read when you want to feel good, but as I said earlier, the book is also funny. The characters' dialogue is witty and sharp, and some of the things they do are outrageous. I enjoyed this book immensely, but would have preferred a happier ending.
The Spellman Files is about Isabel Spellman and her family, all private investigators except for her brother, David, who is a corporate attorney. The story is told in a manner similar to the Lost TV series - you get a bit of present day drama and then a lot of back story/ family history. Ultimately, the big mystery is what happened to the 14 year old Rae Spellman. She is missing, and in order to find her, Izzy recounts the family's history to the detective investigating her little sister's disappearance. I won't spoil the book for you, but let's just say that the writing is real. This is no fluff piece that you read when you want to feel good, but as I said earlier, the book is also funny. The characters' dialogue is witty and sharp, and some of the things they do are outrageous. I enjoyed this book immensely, but would have preferred a happier ending.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J.R. Ward - 3 stars
This paranormal novel seems to be a cross between the Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian and the Lords of the Underworld series by Gena Showalter. Of course, it has its own premise and twists that make it unique, but it has far less action than the other two series (action meaning actions sequences, not love scenes. Well, it actually has fewer love scenes, too, which is not necessarily a bad thing.) The book is far simpler and quicker to read than the other series, but it seems to be missing something. I'm not quite sure what, though. I rate this as appropriate for those persons 18 years of age and older.
The basic framework here is that there is a group of vampires who form the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a sub-race of vampires that has evolved through selective breeding and that protects the vampire race. In this series, vampires can only be bred, not made, and vampires cannot feed on humans to gain the sustenance they require to live, only the blood of other vampires will do. They cannot go out in the sun, either, but that is where the coincidence with traditional Dracula vampire lore ends. As for the ultimate good and evil beings, the Scribe Virgin is the good, and the Omega is the bad. The Scribe Virgin created vampires as a celebration of her ability to create life, and the Omega trades the souls of humans for extremely long life and lots of power. The Omega uses his "Lessers" to attempt to eradicate the vampire race.
The leader of the Brotherhood, Wrath, is a reluctant king, who has not ascended to the throne due to his own insecurities. Instead, Wrath just leads the Brotherhood. Wrath's BFF, Darius, tells him one day out of the blue that he has a daughter, Beth, and wants Wrath to help her with the transition in case he isn't alive when that happens. Some time later, just a few days prior to his daughter beginning the transition, Darius is killed in a car bomb perpetrated by a Lesser, and so Wrath and Beth cross paths. Sparks ignite, and - happy, happy, joy, joy - they fall in love and get married. I'm not kidding. Meanwhile, Wrath and the Brotherhood are searching for the headquarters of the Lessers and for Darius' killer. I'm not going to give the rest of the book away, but if you add a scorned lover and her indignant brother to the mix, you have a recipe for betrayal, kidnapping, and death.
Most of this book seems to be focused on the Wrath/Beth relationship, and as usual with most paranormal novels, you have to suspend reality a bit to go with it. The book, as compared with the other series I mentioned earlier, is really fluff. Read it on a rainy day when you want something simple that you can easily put down if you want to take a nap, or read it during your lunch breaks at work. It is not so compelling that you cannot put it down, but it is an enjoyable read with some funny dialogue.
The basic framework here is that there is a group of vampires who form the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a sub-race of vampires that has evolved through selective breeding and that protects the vampire race. In this series, vampires can only be bred, not made, and vampires cannot feed on humans to gain the sustenance they require to live, only the blood of other vampires will do. They cannot go out in the sun, either, but that is where the coincidence with traditional Dracula vampire lore ends. As for the ultimate good and evil beings, the Scribe Virgin is the good, and the Omega is the bad. The Scribe Virgin created vampires as a celebration of her ability to create life, and the Omega trades the souls of humans for extremely long life and lots of power. The Omega uses his "Lessers" to attempt to eradicate the vampire race.
The leader of the Brotherhood, Wrath, is a reluctant king, who has not ascended to the throne due to his own insecurities. Instead, Wrath just leads the Brotherhood. Wrath's BFF, Darius, tells him one day out of the blue that he has a daughter, Beth, and wants Wrath to help her with the transition in case he isn't alive when that happens. Some time later, just a few days prior to his daughter beginning the transition, Darius is killed in a car bomb perpetrated by a Lesser, and so Wrath and Beth cross paths. Sparks ignite, and - happy, happy, joy, joy - they fall in love and get married. I'm not kidding. Meanwhile, Wrath and the Brotherhood are searching for the headquarters of the Lessers and for Darius' killer. I'm not going to give the rest of the book away, but if you add a scorned lover and her indignant brother to the mix, you have a recipe for betrayal, kidnapping, and death.
Most of this book seems to be focused on the Wrath/Beth relationship, and as usual with most paranormal novels, you have to suspend reality a bit to go with it. The book, as compared with the other series I mentioned earlier, is really fluff. Read it on a rainy day when you want something simple that you can easily put down if you want to take a nap, or read it during your lunch breaks at work. It is not so compelling that you cannot put it down, but it is an enjoyable read with some funny dialogue.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Cowboy's Wish by Ruth Ann Nordin - 0 stars
This "short story" reads like half of chapter 1 of a longer novella. The ending is abrupt and there is absolutely no plot. One almost wonders whether the eBook is incomplete. The bookseller summarizes this book as "a light-hearted look at a cowboy who wishes for a wife...and suddenly gets one."
A Bride for Tom by Ruth Ann Nordin - 3 stars
Quick and easy historical fiction. Tom Larson is having trouble finding a wife, and Jessica Reynolds decides to help him overcome his awkward and clumsy manners so he can attract women. This is your stereotypical PG RomCom. If it were a movie, one might almost expect Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon to play the female lead and Hugh Grant to play the male lead. Of course, be prepared to be frustrated by the typical lack of depth of the characters, as if any person could change the course of their life so easily and so quickly.
If you are looking to be entertained by fluff, look no further.
If you are looking to be entertained by fluff, look no further.
With This Ring, I Thee Dread by Ruth Ann Nordin - 4 stars
This RomCom (short for romantic comedy - I said I would throw in a non-drama every now and then) is typical, but could easily do without the explicit sex scene at the end of the book.
Quick and easy read. This is your stereotypical RomCom and could easily be a movie with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, except for the honeymoon scene that gets unnecessarily graphic during the last few pages of the book. Funny - pokes fun of romance novels and sleazy daytime talk shows - and shows growth of a relationship over a longer period of time, including resolution of past hurts. Of course, the situation in which the characters find themselves is not one that is common to many people, it is still believable to a certain extent. the resolution of the plot is too swift, though, and results in an ending that seems forced.
All in all, a fun read if you are simply looking to be entertained.
Quick and easy read. This is your stereotypical RomCom and could easily be a movie with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, except for the honeymoon scene that gets unnecessarily graphic during the last few pages of the book. Funny - pokes fun of romance novels and sleazy daytime talk shows - and shows growth of a relationship over a longer period of time, including resolution of past hurts. Of course, the situation in which the characters find themselves is not one that is common to many people, it is still believable to a certain extent. the resolution of the plot is too swift, though, and results in an ending that seems forced.
All in all, a fun read if you are simply looking to be entertained.
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble - 5 stars
This young adult paranormal romance is an Awesome Read! I couldn't put it down.
Let me say first that I am fascinated by historical mysteries, like Anastasia Romanov, so I was immediately intrigued. But on the whole, Dreaming Anastasia has everything a great fiction novel needs - actual historical fact, legend, mystery, suspense, girl meets boy, and supernatural events. I especially appreciate the fact that while the relationship between the two protagonists is compelling, it is not the focal point of the plot. The protagonists have lives and purpose beyond their romantic interest, as do we all, and so it was easy to get swept up in the story. Joy Preble rocks her debut novel, and it's exciting to see my sophomore English teacher receive national acclaim.
Let me say first that I am fascinated by historical mysteries, like Anastasia Romanov, so I was immediately intrigued. But on the whole, Dreaming Anastasia has everything a great fiction novel needs - actual historical fact, legend, mystery, suspense, girl meets boy, and supernatural events. I especially appreciate the fact that while the relationship between the two protagonists is compelling, it is not the focal point of the plot. The protagonists have lives and purpose beyond their romantic interest, as do we all, and so it was easy to get swept up in the story. Joy Preble rocks her debut novel, and it's exciting to see my sophomore English teacher receive national acclaim.
Haunted by Joy Preble - 5 stars
This young adult paranormal romance is fantastic! So Good! Can't Wait for Book 3!
Great book for young adults, and adults who are young at heart. Haunted is a great follow up to Dreaming Anastasia. The boy/girl relationship is portrayed realistically - teenagers driven by their emotions and insecurities, not prone to calmly/rationally discussing how they honestly feel about each other or telling each other the full truth of what is really going on in their lives. Hence, a majority of the book may be painful for those who wanted to see an immediate "happily ever after" to Anne and Ethan's budding relationship in Dreaming Anastasia, but it is an important part of the character development - no cliched weakling women and superman men here. The legend of the rusalkas (Russian mermaids) is interesting and unexpected, and it made me interested in Slavic folklore. It was also nice to see the development of Anne's relationship with her mother. I can't wait for the third book, Again and Again! Spring 2012 can't come soon enough!
Great book for young adults, and adults who are young at heart. Haunted is a great follow up to Dreaming Anastasia. The boy/girl relationship is portrayed realistically - teenagers driven by their emotions and insecurities, not prone to calmly/rationally discussing how they honestly feel about each other or telling each other the full truth of what is really going on in their lives. Hence, a majority of the book may be painful for those who wanted to see an immediate "happily ever after" to Anne and Ethan's budding relationship in Dreaming Anastasia, but it is an important part of the character development - no cliched weakling women and superman men here. The legend of the rusalkas (Russian mermaids) is interesting and unexpected, and it made me interested in Slavic folklore. It was also nice to see the development of Anne's relationship with her mother. I can't wait for the third book, Again and Again! Spring 2012 can't come soon enough!
Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey - 3 stars
Good Book, but for Best Results, Read Ms. Stacey's Books in order
Overview provided by bookseller:
My review:
This book is most definitely for adults, not just because of the sex scenes, but because of the emotional load of the book. Shannon Stacey does a good job of capturing the heart-wrenching agony of having someone you love hold you at arms length; add a baby to the mix, and it is definitely painful sometimes to read. I enjoyed Exclusively Yours and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, and it was nice to see another member of the Kowalski family find his match. Best to read the books in the proper order - 1) Exclusively Yours, 2) Undeniably Yours and 3) Yours to Keep. This will further your understanding of the characters and their development over time.
Overview provided by bookseller:
Can a one-night stand turn into happily ever after?
Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him. Even if lately he's been more interested in finding Mrs. Right than Miss Right Now. Enter Beth Hansen.
Kevin and Beth may have started out all wrong, with an impromptu passionate encounter at a wedding, followed by a walk of shame. Yet Kevin knows there's more to their relationship than a one-night stand. Especially when Beth turns up pregnant.
Kevin may be ready for the "next step," but Beth doesn't want a relationship with a former playboy, however irresistible he might be. And it's going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child….
My review:
This book is most definitely for adults, not just because of the sex scenes, but because of the emotional load of the book. Shannon Stacey does a good job of capturing the heart-wrenching agony of having someone you love hold you at arms length; add a baby to the mix, and it is definitely painful sometimes to read. I enjoyed Exclusively Yours and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, and it was nice to see another member of the Kowalski family find his match. Best to read the books in the proper order - 1) Exclusively Yours, 2) Undeniably Yours and 3) Yours to Keep. This will further your understanding of the characters and their development over time.
The Blood that Bonds by Christopher Buecheler - 3 stars
This paranormal "romance" is: Disturbing and Like a Train Wreck, You Can't Stop Looking.
The summary provided by the bookseller:
Two is trapped: hooked on heroin and forced to sell her body to feed the addiction. Her vampire lover, Theroen, can lift her from this dark life, but his plans conflict with those of the dangerous elder Abraham, to whom he is bonded by both blood and a long-held promise. Two enters a world of darkness, violence, and despair. She must fight for freedom, both for herself and for those she loves.
My commentary: The summary of this book only hinted at what was inside.This book should come with a disclaimer - Adults Only: Pervasive language, Pervasive Violence, Drug Use and Explicit Sexual Content. It is truly dark and disturbing. Be advised there is girl on girl action, inexplicable love connections, blasphemous talk of God and a huge creepy mansion that I wouldn't step foot in. I might even have nightmares. The end was more hopeful than I expected considering what transpires in the book, and I'm glad I finished it so that I wouldn't be left with that dark and depressing feeling you get after seeing a fatal car wreck. It is like a train wreck, once you get pulled into the story, you can't put it down because you have to know what happens to the characters. I'll probably even end up reading the next book, which I hope isn't a seedy as this one began.
The summary provided by the bookseller:
Two is trapped: hooked on heroin and forced to sell her body to feed the addiction. Her vampire lover, Theroen, can lift her from this dark life, but his plans conflict with those of the dangerous elder Abraham, to whom he is bonded by both blood and a long-held promise. Two enters a world of darkness, violence, and despair. She must fight for freedom, both for herself and for those she loves.
My commentary: The summary of this book only hinted at what was inside.This book should come with a disclaimer - Adults Only: Pervasive language, Pervasive Violence, Drug Use and Explicit Sexual Content. It is truly dark and disturbing. Be advised there is girl on girl action, inexplicable love connections, blasphemous talk of God and a huge creepy mansion that I wouldn't step foot in. I might even have nightmares. The end was more hopeful than I expected considering what transpires in the book, and I'm glad I finished it so that I wouldn't be left with that dark and depressing feeling you get after seeing a fatal car wreck. It is like a train wreck, once you get pulled into the story, you can't put it down because you have to know what happens to the characters. I'll probably even end up reading the next book, which I hope isn't a seedy as this one began.
The World from Rough Stones by Malcom Macdonald - 1 star
NO EASY READ - More Difficult Than Shakespeare!
This book is for adult men who are in love with engineering, railroads, mining, or any other profession that deals with digging in the dirt. Be prepared for pages and pages of how to build a railroad tunnel. This book did not sell itself as a "how-to" book, and i found myself skipping large portions of the book when it launched into the characters' daily employment. On the nook, it is 600+ pages long, but if all of the ridiculous MINUTIAE of building a railroad tunnel were removed, it would probably be about half that length.
Still, removing the railroad building descriptions would not fix things here. The characters speak in rural English dialects that are VERY difficult to understand - even more difficult than reading Shakespeare!
The characters lead difficult lives with much sadness and tragedy. There is no happy ending here. The only redeeming quality is the ingenuity of the protagonists. Watching them lie, manipulate, and work their way up in society is disturbing albeit, at times, entertaining.
This book is for adult men who are in love with engineering, railroads, mining, or any other profession that deals with digging in the dirt. Be prepared for pages and pages of how to build a railroad tunnel. This book did not sell itself as a "how-to" book, and i found myself skipping large portions of the book when it launched into the characters' daily employment. On the nook, it is 600+ pages long, but if all of the ridiculous MINUTIAE of building a railroad tunnel were removed, it would probably be about half that length.
Still, removing the railroad building descriptions would not fix things here. The characters speak in rural English dialects that are VERY difficult to understand - even more difficult than reading Shakespeare!
The characters lead difficult lives with much sadness and tragedy. There is no happy ending here. The only redeeming quality is the ingenuity of the protagonists. Watching them lie, manipulate, and work their way up in society is disturbing albeit, at times, entertaining.
Letters to Elise (Novella in My Blood Approves Series) by Amanda Hocking - 3 stars
Sad, but a nice complement to the My Blood Approves Series
This book contains letters that tell the back story to Peter's relationship with the people in his life. It provides good insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motives behind his actions in the My Blood Approves series.
Read this after finishing the other 4 books, and you will feel as though you know both sides of the story, thus endearing you to Peter and helping you believe his love for Alice is genuine.
This book contains letters that tell the back story to Peter's relationship with the people in his life. It provides good insight into his thoughts, feelings, and motives behind his actions in the My Blood Approves series.
Read this after finishing the other 4 books, and you will feel as though you know both sides of the story, thus endearing you to Peter and helping you believe his love for Alice is genuine.
Once in a Blue Moon by Brenna Lyons - 0 stars
8 pages of nothingness - don't waste your time
This "book" is more like half of the first chapter of a book that could be interesting. It simply ends, though, and leaves you wondering if there was something wrong with the download to your nook. Don't waste your time on this one.
This "book" is more like half of the first chapter of a book that could be interesting. It simply ends, though, and leaves you wondering if there was something wrong with the download to your nook. Don't waste your time on this one.
The Blue Moon by Lawrence Housman - 0 Stars
What the Heck?!
For the life of me, I can't tell what the heck this book is about. One can only commit so much time to figure out a story that refuses to give any hints to its storyline.
For the life of me, I can't tell what the heck this book is about. One can only commit so much time to figure out a story that refuses to give any hints to its storyline.
The Abbey by Chris Culver - 3 stars
This paranormal suspense was: Ultimately a Good Read, But Started Slow.
This story about a police detective whose niece is murdered has interesting plot twists and unexpected intrigue. It was a bit slow in the beginning, and has a lot of details, most of which surround police work. I had to put it down and pick it back up several times, and in the end, I'm glad I persevered through the lengthy setup. The book was well written - you actually feel for the main character at times, and also has some unexpected humor, which any lawyer or law student would appreciate. I saw a description that indicated this was a "paranormal" suspense thriller, but that is not the case.
I know this blog is dedicated to Romantic Dramas, but occasionally I'll throw in something different.
This story about a police detective whose niece is murdered has interesting plot twists and unexpected intrigue. It was a bit slow in the beginning, and has a lot of details, most of which surround police work. I had to put it down and pick it back up several times, and in the end, I'm glad I persevered through the lengthy setup. The book was well written - you actually feel for the main character at times, and also has some unexpected humor, which any lawyer or law student would appreciate. I saw a description that indicated this was a "paranormal" suspense thriller, but that is not the case.
I know this blog is dedicated to Romantic Dramas, but occasionally I'll throw in something different.
The Secret by Julie Garwood - ZERO Stars based on Sample
I downloaded the "free sample" to see if I would be interested in this book. Unfortunately, the sample of The Secret has a sample of *another* book before the text of The Secret actually begins. So after the title, copyright, review, table of contents, and sample of the OTHER book, there is NOTHING of The Secret to aid the reader before purchasing. Very badly done by whomever determines how many pages of the book to include in the sample.
Mud and Dirt (Promises to Keep Book 2) by Shayne Parkinson - 1 stars
Mud and Dirt is the second in Shayne Parkinson's Promises to Keep series. I give is only 1 star because even though the writing is good, it is even more depressing than the first book, something which I thought would be impossible to achieve.
Mud and Dirt begins the story of Amy's marriage to Charlie Stewart. We knew Charlie was no winner, but who could have predicted that he was a monster? Charlie is 100 times worse than Amy's stepmother. He physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Amy. Amy has 2 boys in quick succession after giving up her daughter Ann for adoption. Amy's health declines and after a fall induces labor, her newborn infant, Alexander dies. Amy subsequently has somewhere around 6 miscarriages, if I counted correctly, the last of which was brought on by a brutal beating by Charlie. That last beating nearly killed Amy, and she finally found her will to confront Charlie. She moves into a different bedroom and tells Charlie that if ever touches her again, she will take the boys and return to her Father's house, notwithstanding her issues with her stepmother. Charlie concedes defeat on that front, but then begins to use Amy's sons as weapons against her. So even though the physical and sexual abuse have ended, the verbal and emotional abuse continue. That drama continues and one day an article is published in the newspaper about a woman in Auckland who had been taking money to arrange adoptions, but instead had been killing the babies and burying them in her yard. Amy has a little breakdown, worrying about her baby, Ann, and Amy's cousin, Lizzie, decides to find out what happened to the baby.
Again, the only reason I finished this book was because I needed a happy ending for Amy. I'm still waiting and will no doubt read the entire series, which is now becoming epic length, in order to get it. Another depressing book by Shayne Parkinson. I'll have to double up my Zoloft dosage to get out of this funk I'm in.
Mud and Dirt begins the story of Amy's marriage to Charlie Stewart. We knew Charlie was no winner, but who could have predicted that he was a monster? Charlie is 100 times worse than Amy's stepmother. He physically, emotionally, and sexually abuses Amy. Amy has 2 boys in quick succession after giving up her daughter Ann for adoption. Amy's health declines and after a fall induces labor, her newborn infant, Alexander dies. Amy subsequently has somewhere around 6 miscarriages, if I counted correctly, the last of which was brought on by a brutal beating by Charlie. That last beating nearly killed Amy, and she finally found her will to confront Charlie. She moves into a different bedroom and tells Charlie that if ever touches her again, she will take the boys and return to her Father's house, notwithstanding her issues with her stepmother. Charlie concedes defeat on that front, but then begins to use Amy's sons as weapons against her. So even though the physical and sexual abuse have ended, the verbal and emotional abuse continue. That drama continues and one day an article is published in the newspaper about a woman in Auckland who had been taking money to arrange adoptions, but instead had been killing the babies and burying them in her yard. Amy has a little breakdown, worrying about her baby, Ann, and Amy's cousin, Lizzie, decides to find out what happened to the baby.
Again, the only reason I finished this book was because I needed a happy ending for Amy. I'm still waiting and will no doubt read the entire series, which is now becoming epic length, in order to get it. Another depressing book by Shayne Parkinson. I'll have to double up my Zoloft dosage to get out of this funk I'm in.
Sentence of Marriage (Promises to Keep Book 1) by Shayne Parkinson - 2 stars
I give this book 2 stars, not because of the quality of writing, but because of the tone of the book itself. If I wanted to be so depressed that I would want to kill myself, I'd watch the news. There is no happy ending here. The characters' lives are just horrible, from start to finish. I spent most of the book crying - literally bawling. The writing is good, but the plot is absolutely the bleakest I've ever encountered.
Sentence of Marriage is about Amy Leith and her family, who live in the middle of nowhere New Zealand, and are farmers. The period is the late 1800's. Amy's mom passed away when she was 3. When she is 12, her father takes a trip to order some heavy farm equipment, and comes home 5 weeks later with a new wife. New wife is the classical wicked stepmother, who hit WAY TOO CLOSE to home for my liking. Seriously. New wife enjoys being miserable and treating everyone else like they are her servants. The serious family drama escalates when Stepmother's brother, Jimmy, comes for a visit, and seduces Amy. Amy thought she was in love with Jimmy, and accepted his proposal of marriage. But Jimmy had no integrity, and once Amy realized she was pregnant, Jimmy decided to return to the mainland to ask his father's permission to marry her. Big Surprise - he doesn't return. Stepmother emotionally abuses Amy until she agrees to give up her baby for adoption and marry the next door neighbor, surly drunkard Charlie Stewart. Heartbreaking stuff, and the only reason I kept reading was because I needed and was hoping for a happy ending of sorts. None came. Instead, there is only book 2, Mud and Dirt, to read.
The writing was some of the best I've read of books published via Smashwords, but the plot is a killer and not something I would ever read again.
Sentence of Marriage is about Amy Leith and her family, who live in the middle of nowhere New Zealand, and are farmers. The period is the late 1800's. Amy's mom passed away when she was 3. When she is 12, her father takes a trip to order some heavy farm equipment, and comes home 5 weeks later with a new wife. New wife is the classical wicked stepmother, who hit WAY TOO CLOSE to home for my liking. Seriously. New wife enjoys being miserable and treating everyone else like they are her servants. The serious family drama escalates when Stepmother's brother, Jimmy, comes for a visit, and seduces Amy. Amy thought she was in love with Jimmy, and accepted his proposal of marriage. But Jimmy had no integrity, and once Amy realized she was pregnant, Jimmy decided to return to the mainland to ask his father's permission to marry her. Big Surprise - he doesn't return. Stepmother emotionally abuses Amy until she agrees to give up her baby for adoption and marry the next door neighbor, surly drunkard Charlie Stewart. Heartbreaking stuff, and the only reason I kept reading was because I needed and was hoping for a happy ending of sorts. None came. Instead, there is only book 2, Mud and Dirt, to read.
The writing was some of the best I've read of books published via Smashwords, but the plot is a killer and not something I would ever read again.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Blood Moon by Toni Minard - 3 stars
Some Good, Some Bad, But I don't think I'll read any more of Toni Minard's work.
While the concepts introduced in this book are unique, I had several issues with this book. #1 - the title has ZERO to do with the book. Absolutely no connection at all. The cover art is also lame. Ditch the half-naked man and show us some more of the magic writing. #2 - the story drags. I think this could have been reduced from the nearly 800 pages it is on the Nook for PC down to 500. The only reason I finished the book was because I had to find out what the connection was between Van Orten and Benedict. If that piece of the puzzle hadn't been so compelling, I would have put the book down long ago.
I do appreciate the author's descriptions of the Amaki and the magic. So many of these stories don't include any explanations of the settings. That part was easy to follow and added to keeping me reading.
While the concepts introduced in this book are unique, I had several issues with this book. #1 - the title has ZERO to do with the book. Absolutely no connection at all. The cover art is also lame. Ditch the half-naked man and show us some more of the magic writing. #2 - the story drags. I think this could have been reduced from the nearly 800 pages it is on the Nook for PC down to 500. The only reason I finished the book was because I had to find out what the connection was between Van Orten and Benedict. If that piece of the puzzle hadn't been so compelling, I would have put the book down long ago.
I do appreciate the author's descriptions of the Amaki and the magic. So many of these stories don't include any explanations of the settings. That part was easy to follow and added to keeping me reading.
The Wary Widow by Jessica Knight-Catania - 3 stars
Ok, but I'm glad it was free.
While this storyline for the most part was interesting, there is only so much martyrdom one person can take. Mrs. Hawthorn's insistence on not telling the Andrew about being pregnant is ridiculous, esp when he had already told her he loved her and they had already come to an understanding about being married. THe "he deserves someone better" theme is so overdone in these historical romances that it strains credulity, even moreso her under these circumstances. I'm of the opinion that if you can't make a plot interesting enough to sustain a regular length book, you should not become wordy by creating unbelievable character issues that certainly would not be given credence during those times. Her family would have put a stop to it immediately whether she wanted them to or not. Instead, throw two plots into one and delve into the lives of ther other characters a bit more.
While this storyline for the most part was interesting, there is only so much martyrdom one person can take. Mrs. Hawthorn's insistence on not telling the Andrew about being pregnant is ridiculous, esp when he had already told her he loved her and they had already come to an understanding about being married. THe "he deserves someone better" theme is so overdone in these historical romances that it strains credulity, even moreso her under these circumstances. I'm of the opinion that if you can't make a plot interesting enough to sustain a regular length book, you should not become wordy by creating unbelievable character issues that certainly would not be given credence during those times. Her family would have put a stop to it immediately whether she wanted them to or not. Instead, throw two plots into one and delve into the lives of ther other characters a bit more.
Broken by Heather Boyd - 2 stars
While this story might be interesting, it is wholly destroyed by the lack of editing. I had to re-read so many sentences just to make sure I wasn't mis-reading only to find that no, the book was just not edited. Such blatant oversight on the part of the author makes me uninterested in buying any more of her books.
Vampire Dreams by Gabrielle Bisset - 0 stars!
Lame - don't waste your time
The plot is totally unbelievable in the way the female protagonist responds. After nearly being assaulted by a man on the street, a homeless girl is taken in by a vampire who saved her to be his "maid." She has no idea what her job description is b/c he doesn't ever need anything from her. He feeds and has sex with her every night while she is a trance. She thinks she is dreaming, and falling in love with the vampire. This story defies the reality of human emotion. Sex does not equal love, and apparently, this very short book - novella, really - attempts to persuade the reader that it does. There is no other plot line in this story, no other adventure or danger. Lame. Don't waste your time.
The plot is totally unbelievable in the way the female protagonist responds. After nearly being assaulted by a man on the street, a homeless girl is taken in by a vampire who saved her to be his "maid." She has no idea what her job description is b/c he doesn't ever need anything from her. He feeds and has sex with her every night while she is a trance. She thinks she is dreaming, and falling in love with the vampire. This story defies the reality of human emotion. Sex does not equal love, and apparently, this very short book - novella, really - attempts to persuade the reader that it does. There is no other plot line in this story, no other adventure or danger. Lame. Don't waste your time.
A Broken Bond by Stacey Kennedy - 3 stars
This is your traditional wolf leaves previous pack and joins another pack story. The writing wasn't bad, though, and it could have been a great plot if it were longer. Perhaps making what is there only half the story and leading up to some larger conspiracy or drama. Editing wasn't bad.
A Blood Moon by Bitten Twice - 3 stars
Interesting Plot, but Writing Style and Editing Needs Major Work
This book is interesting; it introduces a lot of new ideas re: the supernatural, e.g., a vampire can be involved with the daughter of Satan. It also doesn't follow the traditional vampire loves human plot line, which is nice. The book also mixes in history, which adds a fresh flare, and introduces many new kinds of entities.
All of the above is great except for the fact that the book needs major editing. New characters and creatures have no introduction. When making up new stuff - whether supernatural beings or technology, you have to be smoother. This writing style is blunt and leaves you wondering whether you missed something, only to find out after re-reading the last 5 pages that no, you are not losing your mind - the new stuff just isn't explained. Also, what is up with the lack of commas?! Commas are needed to help people know when to pause in a sentence, and will prevent you from having to re-read the sentence 3 times to figure out what is meant.
Despite my issues with the editing, I am wondering if there is a second book. I want to know what happens with the characters.
This book is interesting; it introduces a lot of new ideas re: the supernatural, e.g., a vampire can be involved with the daughter of Satan. It also doesn't follow the traditional vampire loves human plot line, which is nice. The book also mixes in history, which adds a fresh flare, and introduces many new kinds of entities.
All of the above is great except for the fact that the book needs major editing. New characters and creatures have no introduction. When making up new stuff - whether supernatural beings or technology, you have to be smoother. This writing style is blunt and leaves you wondering whether you missed something, only to find out after re-reading the last 5 pages that no, you are not losing your mind - the new stuff just isn't explained. Also, what is up with the lack of commas?! Commas are needed to help people know when to pause in a sentence, and will prevent you from having to re-read the sentence 3 times to figure out what is meant.
Despite my issues with the editing, I am wondering if there is a second book. I want to know what happens with the characters.
Wicked Mourning by Heather Boyd - 0 stars!
Terrible - don't waste your time
Too short. Absolutely NO character development. The initial scene where there is a girl hanging from a tree is amusing, but everything after the girl gets out of the tree is terrible, terrible, terrible. At one point, the dialogue even contradicts earlier dialogue and narration. Thankfully, it was a free nook book.
Too short. Absolutely NO character development. The initial scene where there is a girl hanging from a tree is amusing, but everything after the girl gets out of the tree is terrible, terrible, terrible. At one point, the dialogue even contradicts earlier dialogue and narration. Thankfully, it was a free nook book.
Darkest Intentions (Book 3) by S.K. Yule - 1 star
DARKEST INTENTIONS by S.K. Yule reveals good intentions, but fails to meet its potential. The excessive and explicit sex scenes dominate the novel, while the overall series plotline is only really advanced in the epilogue. I hope that the next book in the Darkest series focuses mainly on the overall series plotline.
DARKEST INTENTIONS tells the story of how hunter Malachi Mannering, a one thousand year-old vampire, falls in love with his viata amant, or soul mate, Geri Baxter, a CPA recently divorced from Colorado's governor. Malachi comes upon Geri as she is attacked in a city park by a shadow drifter, a vampire that has sold his soul to Satan and become pure evil.
After Malachi saves Geri from the drifter, he then saves her from homelessness by giving her a temporary place to stay, but before they can discuss finding her a permanent solution, Ashe Aleksandrov calls and requests Malachi's help with the drifter uprising in St. Louis. The road to Malachi and Geri's happy ending is long and drawn out, and each must face their own nemesis in order to be free to love each other.
This third installment in the Darkest books showed some promise, but by the end of the book, I couldn't wait for it to be over. There is minimal character development, and given the lives of the protagonists, there was ample material for illustration. The overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising was not concluded, and it was only slightly advanced in the epilogue. The book leaves the reader with the belief that there will be a fourth book.
DARKEST INTENTIONS also presents the same technical issues as the first two books in the series – grammatical errors and poor sentence construction, in addition to repetitive narration and repetitive and contrived dialogue. At some point about halfway through the novel, the protagonists' interactions become completely unbelievable.
Additionally, the number of pages devoted to sexual content is exponentially more in this book than in either of the first two. The protagonists' relationship follows the general template laid out in the first two books, and as in the first two books, the sex scenes become unnecessary, redundant, and downright boring. In addition to the typical M/F sexual encounters, this book deals with some serious sexual abuse issues and can be rather disturbing and painful to read at times. The book also touches on PTSD-like domestic violence as well as homosexual relations. If you are sensitive to these issues, beware. The heat level rating on this book is a 4, which is sad because the sexual encounters completely overshadow the fresh and interesting overall series plotline. I would have much preferred the ink spent on the sex scenes be used to advance the overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising and the ancient vampire sibling warfare.
Overall, I did not enjoy DARKEST INTENTIONS, and can only hope that if there is a fourth novel in this series, the majority of the book will be focused on the substantive plotline instead of gratuitous sex scenes.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9279
DARKEST INTENTIONS tells the story of how hunter Malachi Mannering, a one thousand year-old vampire, falls in love with his viata amant, or soul mate, Geri Baxter, a CPA recently divorced from Colorado's governor. Malachi comes upon Geri as she is attacked in a city park by a shadow drifter, a vampire that has sold his soul to Satan and become pure evil.
After Malachi saves Geri from the drifter, he then saves her from homelessness by giving her a temporary place to stay, but before they can discuss finding her a permanent solution, Ashe Aleksandrov calls and requests Malachi's help with the drifter uprising in St. Louis. The road to Malachi and Geri's happy ending is long and drawn out, and each must face their own nemesis in order to be free to love each other.
This third installment in the Darkest books showed some promise, but by the end of the book, I couldn't wait for it to be over. There is minimal character development, and given the lives of the protagonists, there was ample material for illustration. The overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising was not concluded, and it was only slightly advanced in the epilogue. The book leaves the reader with the belief that there will be a fourth book.
DARKEST INTENTIONS also presents the same technical issues as the first two books in the series – grammatical errors and poor sentence construction, in addition to repetitive narration and repetitive and contrived dialogue. At some point about halfway through the novel, the protagonists' interactions become completely unbelievable.
Additionally, the number of pages devoted to sexual content is exponentially more in this book than in either of the first two. The protagonists' relationship follows the general template laid out in the first two books, and as in the first two books, the sex scenes become unnecessary, redundant, and downright boring. In addition to the typical M/F sexual encounters, this book deals with some serious sexual abuse issues and can be rather disturbing and painful to read at times. The book also touches on PTSD-like domestic violence as well as homosexual relations. If you are sensitive to these issues, beware. The heat level rating on this book is a 4, which is sad because the sexual encounters completely overshadow the fresh and interesting overall series plotline. I would have much preferred the ink spent on the sex scenes be used to advance the overall series plotline regarding the drifter uprising and the ancient vampire sibling warfare.
Overall, I did not enjoy DARKEST INTENTIONS, and can only hope that if there is a fourth novel in this series, the majority of the book will be focused on the substantive plotline instead of gratuitous sex scenes.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9279
Darkest Desires (Darkest Book 2) by S.K. Yule - 2 stars
DARKEST DESIRES by S.K. Yule, Book 2 of the Darkest Series, picks up about a year or so after Darkest Hours and tells the story of Aiston, the youngest Aleksandrov brother, and Avril Taylor, Ebony's best friend. DARKEST DESIRES is a classic second book in a trilogy and leaves you desiring more.
In DARKEST DESIRES, Avril Taylor is attacked by a bar patron at her workplace. Due to the increasing threat by shadow drifters, Aiston has been covertly protecting Avril, whom the Aleksandrovs consider part of the family. So Aiston saves Avril from her attacker, and their subsequent interactions create a bond between them. Aiston and Avril have always had a love/hate relationship, and when one of Aiston's former lovers gets jealous, Avril believes the woman's lies. Drama ensues.
The Darkest Series showed such promise in book one, however, the plot line in DARKEST DESIRES seems too close to book one with the destructive love triangle and lacks enough character development to support the romantic relationship. The characters don't learn from their experiences in book one, and so the main romantic relationship is a bit unbelievable. The real purpose of DARKEST DESIRES seems to be moving the plot line as it pertains to the shadow drifters. This book gets you to book three.
Also, the editing in book two could use another pass. There were several places where poor sentence construction caused confusion, and the pacing of the story was a bit off, making the timeline seem wonky. There are still more sex scenes than necessary to illustrate the physical aspect of their relationship, which give DARKEST DESIRES a heat level rating of 3, appropriate for those 18 years of age and over.
Overall, DARKEST DESIRES achieves its purpose of persuading me to read book three. The ride to get there was not so enjoyable, though. I give DARKEST DESIRES 2 stars, and look forward to book three's resolution of the conflict building in book two.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9278
In DARKEST DESIRES, Avril Taylor is attacked by a bar patron at her workplace. Due to the increasing threat by shadow drifters, Aiston has been covertly protecting Avril, whom the Aleksandrovs consider part of the family. So Aiston saves Avril from her attacker, and their subsequent interactions create a bond between them. Aiston and Avril have always had a love/hate relationship, and when one of Aiston's former lovers gets jealous, Avril believes the woman's lies. Drama ensues.
The Darkest Series showed such promise in book one, however, the plot line in DARKEST DESIRES seems too close to book one with the destructive love triangle and lacks enough character development to support the romantic relationship. The characters don't learn from their experiences in book one, and so the main romantic relationship is a bit unbelievable. The real purpose of DARKEST DESIRES seems to be moving the plot line as it pertains to the shadow drifters. This book gets you to book three.
Also, the editing in book two could use another pass. There were several places where poor sentence construction caused confusion, and the pacing of the story was a bit off, making the timeline seem wonky. There are still more sex scenes than necessary to illustrate the physical aspect of their relationship, which give DARKEST DESIRES a heat level rating of 3, appropriate for those 18 years of age and over.
Overall, DARKEST DESIRES achieves its purpose of persuading me to read book three. The ride to get there was not so enjoyable, though. I give DARKEST DESIRES 2 stars, and look forward to book three's resolution of the conflict building in book two.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9278
Darkest Hours by S.K. Yule - 3 stars (revised 6/20/13)
DARKEST HOURS by S.K. Yule gives readers an interesting new twist in the classic vampire-loves-a-human plot line. It also nicely reflects the old adage "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." This was a fun read, and I give it 3 stars.
In DARKEST HOURS, readers meet Ebony White as she walks home from a life-changing doctor's appointment. Ebony has a malignant brain tumor, and her prognosis isn't good. Fate, however, has different plans for Ebony. Unbeknownst to her, Ebony is being hunted by a vampire's slave, a "drudge," and she literally runs into Ashe Aleksandrov, a vampire out hunting demons. Despite being a human, Ebony is able to see through Ashe's shield, which keeps him invisible to humans while he is out hunting. She can also speak to Ashe telepathically. Both of these abilities mean that Ebony is Ashe's viata amant, or soul mate. Needless to say, this particular day is one of serious upheaval in her life, and Ashe must navigate the turbulent waters of this new relationship while figuring out who is trying to kill Ebony.
Overall, this was a fun read. The length of the book is nice in that it shows some character and relationship developments, but I would have liked to have seen fewer sex scenes and more scenes where Ashe and Ebony connect emotionally. By the time the protagonists work out their issues, the sex scenes do not advance the plot line at all. Instead they become monotonous and slow the pace of the book. The many romantic scenes also give this book a heat rating of 3, appropriate for those readers 18 years of age and older.
The plot is decent, although a bit predictable. While there were plenty of dialogue-driven scenes, the plot is mostly moved forward through narration. I would have liked to see less narration, and instead, more dialogue in which Ashe's world is described with more subtlety, through nuance. Much of the narration feels very spoon-fed, but if you need an easy read, this book serves that purpose well.
While the writing style was pretty good - indeed some of the dialogue was funny and made me laugh out loud - the book needs some major editing. At times, the timeline is forgotten, and consequently, a scene description or a character's history is repeated. There are also some sentences that are structured in such a way that I had to re-read them several times to understand what they meant. Overall, though, one can get past the editing issues and enjoy the story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre.
**Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9277
In DARKEST HOURS, readers meet Ebony White as she walks home from a life-changing doctor's appointment. Ebony has a malignant brain tumor, and her prognosis isn't good. Fate, however, has different plans for Ebony. Unbeknownst to her, Ebony is being hunted by a vampire's slave, a "drudge," and she literally runs into Ashe Aleksandrov, a vampire out hunting demons. Despite being a human, Ebony is able to see through Ashe's shield, which keeps him invisible to humans while he is out hunting. She can also speak to Ashe telepathically. Both of these abilities mean that Ebony is Ashe's viata amant, or soul mate. Needless to say, this particular day is one of serious upheaval in her life, and Ashe must navigate the turbulent waters of this new relationship while figuring out who is trying to kill Ebony.
Overall, this was a fun read. The length of the book is nice in that it shows some character and relationship developments, but I would have liked to have seen fewer sex scenes and more scenes where Ashe and Ebony connect emotionally. By the time the protagonists work out their issues, the sex scenes do not advance the plot line at all. Instead they become monotonous and slow the pace of the book. The many romantic scenes also give this book a heat rating of 3, appropriate for those readers 18 years of age and older.
The plot is decent, although a bit predictable. While there were plenty of dialogue-driven scenes, the plot is mostly moved forward through narration. I would have liked to see less narration, and instead, more dialogue in which Ashe's world is described with more subtlety, through nuance. Much of the narration feels very spoon-fed, but if you need an easy read, this book serves that purpose well.
While the writing style was pretty good - indeed some of the dialogue was funny and made me laugh out loud - the book needs some major editing. At times, the timeline is forgotten, and consequently, a scene description or a character's history is repeated. There are also some sentences that are structured in such a way that I had to re-read them several times to understand what they meant. Overall, though, one can get past the editing issues and enjoy the story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the vampire genre.
**Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=9277
Lost Lords series (Books 1-3) by Mary Jo Putney - 4 stars
Loving a Lost Lord
Never Less Than A Lady
Nowhere Near Respectable
Great Plots, Complex Characters & Lots of Historical Facts
These books are wonderfully written, although sometimes a bit much narration in the middle of the characters' conversations. The plot twists, complex characters, and historical facts make it easy to forget that this is categorized as a romance novel. Unlike most "romance" novels I've read, these books do not revolve around sex. While these books follow the template (boy meets girl, but impediment to relationship + some disaster or dangerous situation + development of admiration and affection + impediment to marriage destroyed = happy ending) the characters are not bland stereotypes, and much time is spent developing the characters and the relationships. I can't wait to see more in the Lost Lords series, e.g., Will Masterson!!
Never Less Than A Lady
Nowhere Near Respectable
Great Plots, Complex Characters & Lots of Historical Facts
These books are wonderfully written, although sometimes a bit much narration in the middle of the characters' conversations. The plot twists, complex characters, and historical facts make it easy to forget that this is categorized as a romance novel. Unlike most "romance" novels I've read, these books do not revolve around sex. While these books follow the template (boy meets girl, but impediment to relationship + some disaster or dangerous situation + development of admiration and affection + impediment to marriage destroyed = happy ending) the characters are not bland stereotypes, and much time is spent developing the characters and the relationships. I can't wait to see more in the Lost Lords series, e.g., Will Masterson!!
Surrounded by Woods by Mandy Harbin - 2 stars
This book is interesting in its premise, but fails to provide any sort of substantive plot line to engage the reader. The idea that only "attached" females can come to the Woods' home is negated by the fact that there is no explanation as to *how* any of the shifters would know whether she had a significant other or not. Also, the book promotes the idea that sexual attraction makes a longstanding relationship, when in fact it doesn't. There is no development of the relationship between the two protagonists; they just jump in the sack together. While the premise of the book had promise, the author fails to deliver any kind of solid story to the reader. Kinda Lame.
His Indecent Proposal by Lynda Chance - 0 stars!
Horrible - Just An Excuse to Describe Sex - The Book goes NOWHERE.
This book is based on an intriguing idea, but there is NO character development - NONE! Jenna, the debt ridden accounting lackey from Texas, is AFRAID of David, her boss. How on earth could the author hope to convey the development of LOVE in just 4 weeks time? The 4 weeks aren't even described in detail. It's all: 1) boy meets girl and makes the proposition; 2) boy and girl have sex at his place, and get married and have sex in Vegas and then have sex again back at his place. All this time she is resistant to him (not the sex). Then he confesses that this whole thing was a rouse to get her in bed b/c he's been lusting after her for 6 months. Then he asks her to ditch the contract they had, to which she agrees. Excuse me? Totally incredible. Then in a quick wrap up of the story with 1 paragraph beginning something like "Four weeks later" and ending in "i love you"s from both characters. I mean, seriously, this book is only about writing sex scenes. There could have been several more chapters that described their life over those 4 weeks that showed the development of their feelings for each other. Or Even Better - keep that whole "i love you" think until the year mark - show how they are after a year of marriage. There is just no possible way that these characters could exist. If I could get my money back for this book, I would.
You might ask, "Well, Avid Reader, why did you buy the book in the first place? The title should have told you all." I would respond as follows: Historically, romance novels are not titled in such a way to describe the book, nor does the cover art necessarily say ANYTHING about the story. Along the same vein, the book description/ summary provided by the publisher doesn't necessarily tell you the truth either. I have actually thought to myself that a particular book would have been better had it been named something else, only to have the author confirm on her website that she wasn't able to name it what she wanted. The publisher chooses the cover art, title and book description, and since this could have nothing to do with the story, if a particular aspect of any of those three intrigues me, I'll download the sample and go from there.
This book is based on an intriguing idea, but there is NO character development - NONE! Jenna, the debt ridden accounting lackey from Texas, is AFRAID of David, her boss. How on earth could the author hope to convey the development of LOVE in just 4 weeks time? The 4 weeks aren't even described in detail. It's all: 1) boy meets girl and makes the proposition; 2) boy and girl have sex at his place, and get married and have sex in Vegas and then have sex again back at his place. All this time she is resistant to him (not the sex). Then he confesses that this whole thing was a rouse to get her in bed b/c he's been lusting after her for 6 months. Then he asks her to ditch the contract they had, to which she agrees. Excuse me? Totally incredible. Then in a quick wrap up of the story with 1 paragraph beginning something like "Four weeks later" and ending in "i love you"s from both characters. I mean, seriously, this book is only about writing sex scenes. There could have been several more chapters that described their life over those 4 weeks that showed the development of their feelings for each other. Or Even Better - keep that whole "i love you" think until the year mark - show how they are after a year of marriage. There is just no possible way that these characters could exist. If I could get my money back for this book, I would.
You might ask, "Well, Avid Reader, why did you buy the book in the first place? The title should have told you all." I would respond as follows: Historically, romance novels are not titled in such a way to describe the book, nor does the cover art necessarily say ANYTHING about the story. Along the same vein, the book description/ summary provided by the publisher doesn't necessarily tell you the truth either. I have actually thought to myself that a particular book would have been better had it been named something else, only to have the author confirm on her website that she wasn't able to name it what she wanted. The publisher chooses the cover art, title and book description, and since this could have nothing to do with the story, if a particular aspect of any of those three intrigues me, I'll download the sample and go from there.
Twice Tempted by a Rogue (Stud Club #2) by Tessa Dare - 2 stars
I was so hopeful after reading the first of the Stud Club trilogy that this would be a great book. Unfortunately, it was not. The sex scenes were excessive and unnecessary for the plot, and there wasn't much plot in the end. The dialogue was decent for a good portion of the book, but towards the end lapsed into the cheesy melodramatic fluff that so many ridiculously unbelievable romance novels include. I am uncertain whether i will read the last of this series given my disappointment with this. While the first book was worth the $7.99 eBook price, this second one was not.
One Dance with a Duke (Stud Club Trilogy #1) by Tessa Dare - 4 stars
Too many romance books these days have unbelievable characters, repetitive narration, and overly dramatic dialogue, and trite love scenes. This book has none of these things! Finally, an author with some intelligence who writes real stories. The impass between the two lead characters is typical of men and women, but where most stories will show each character holding their ground stubbornly and then making some sudden dramatic turnaround in the last 5 pages, this book shows us the development of their relationship through the small compromises and concessions each character makes. Finally, a romance worth reading.
Demon High by Lori Devoti- 1 star based on sample only
If Sample is Accurate, Book Will Suck.
This book opens with the lead female character getting a notice that the bank is foreclosing on her grandmother's house. We are given no indication of the lead character's age, which makes it difficult to determine whether her reactions and responses are appropriate. Then the author just drops in the fact that for generations, her family has been "calling demons," but the author fails to tell the reader what that means. Note to authors who are writing supernatural or paranormal fiction: Explain the parameters of your paranormal paradigm. Here, the sample fails to explain the paranormal aspects that are the subject of the book, or how the lead female feels about it. There isn't much depth there to give us any idea what to expect. If the rest of the book is the same, this book will suck. Not spending my cash.
This book opens with the lead female character getting a notice that the bank is foreclosing on her grandmother's house. We are given no indication of the lead character's age, which makes it difficult to determine whether her reactions and responses are appropriate. Then the author just drops in the fact that for generations, her family has been "calling demons," but the author fails to tell the reader what that means. Note to authors who are writing supernatural or paranormal fiction: Explain the parameters of your paranormal paradigm. Here, the sample fails to explain the paranormal aspects that are the subject of the book, or how the lead female feels about it. There isn't much depth there to give us any idea what to expect. If the rest of the book is the same, this book will suck. Not spending my cash.
Some Kind of Wonderful by Barbara Freethy - 3 stars
This story was difficult to read at times given the social issues raised - parental abandonment, mental health disorders, overbearing/ controlling parents, and infertility, but in the end it all works out. As for the writing style, I can't say that this was all that exciting or compelling. It took me several attempts to finish the book, but I suppose it was ok. Wouldn't pay much for it though.
A Season for Love by Blair Bancroft - 5 stars
Witty and Sweet! A Great Book for 16+
I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. The dialogue is smart and witty. The romance is clean and real, as opposed to the usual trite nonsense one finds in regency romance novels. The characters' insecurities are described honestly, but there is growth and progress. So many regency romances feature insecure ninnies who vacilate so fast between loathing and being madly in love with the significant other that it sounds and feels like whiplash. This storyline had enough history, action, adventure, emotion and romance to make it well worth the price.
I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. The dialogue is smart and witty. The romance is clean and real, as opposed to the usual trite nonsense one finds in regency romance novels. The characters' insecurities are described honestly, but there is growth and progress. So many regency romances feature insecure ninnies who vacilate so fast between loathing and being madly in love with the significant other that it sounds and feels like whiplash. This storyline had enough history, action, adventure, emotion and romance to make it well worth the price.
Duke for All Seasons by Mia Marlowe - 3 stars
Good Story Told In Nicely Succinct Novella
This story is about a duke and an opera singer who fall in love. There is some intrigue, some treason and some action. I've read many a regency romance novel that used a simple storyline like this, but dragged it out with melodramatic musings, endless pondering of the characters' insecurities, and ultimately, ridiculous reactions by the characters. The wordiness of those novels always bothers me because the author doesn't seem to care that the melodramatic fluff is totally unrealistic. Here, Mia Marlowe has told a great romance in a short span of time. Naturally, given the tempo of the book, there is little obvious development of the main characters' feelings for each other, but there is growth and heartache that is realistic and believable. This is a great basis for a screenplay and would make a great movie.
This story is about a duke and an opera singer who fall in love. There is some intrigue, some treason and some action. I've read many a regency romance novel that used a simple storyline like this, but dragged it out with melodramatic musings, endless pondering of the characters' insecurities, and ultimately, ridiculous reactions by the characters. The wordiness of those novels always bothers me because the author doesn't seem to care that the melodramatic fluff is totally unrealistic. Here, Mia Marlowe has told a great romance in a short span of time. Naturally, given the tempo of the book, there is little obvious development of the main characters' feelings for each other, but there is growth and heartache that is realistic and believable. This is a great basis for a screenplay and would make a great movie.
The Rake's Proposal by Sarah Elliott - 2 stars
This book for me was unimpressive. It was a nice read, with only a few editing errors, but it contained the standard ridiculous melodrama that so many authors feel necessary to put in their books. This causes the lead female character to be unbelievable - here she starts out as an intelligent, fully independent, self-assured woman of 24 who runs her late father's shipping company. She goes through a great deal of drama whilst looking for a husband, and suddenly, all that intelligence flies out the window. She realizes she's in love with her husband and then works hard to push him away. Even after he makes all this effort to make the marriage work, she is completely irrational. If she had been pregnant, that kind of irrationality could be easily explained by hormones, but in this case, it just makes her character annoying and unbelievable.
This book does not deviate from the standard regency romance fare.
This book does not deviate from the standard regency romance fare.
Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding - 2 stars
Bride's Baby, by Liz Fielding, had such potential in its plot, but fell so short in the end due to a slow start, too short of a period for relationship development, poor editing and an abrupt ending. The concept was great, but I found myself re-writing the book in my head. Adding parts where the author didn't provide a segue. The book was choppy, and in several parts, I had to re-read the text just to be sure I hadn't missed something or read it incorrectly. The editing was atrocious. A simple read through or software spell checker would have caught most of the missing words or misspelled words.
The part at Longborne where the two main characters spend time together was nice - especially the scene sitting by the fire in the library - but it needs to be longer and more fleshed out if the characters are going to exchange credible "I love You"s in the end.
The discussion of the Steamtrain wedding theme was either too brief or too vague to get a visual. If you are going to go into detail about those kinds of things, make sure it is enough to give the reader a solid idea of what it looks like. Otherwise, it is superfluous material that only confuses the reader and takes up space in the book.
Overall, it could have been a great book, but I'm glad it was free.
The part at Longborne where the two main characters spend time together was nice - especially the scene sitting by the fire in the library - but it needs to be longer and more fleshed out if the characters are going to exchange credible "I love You"s in the end.
The discussion of the Steamtrain wedding theme was either too brief or too vague to get a visual. If you are going to go into detail about those kinds of things, make sure it is enough to give the reader a solid idea of what it looks like. Otherwise, it is superfluous material that only confuses the reader and takes up space in the book.
Overall, it could have been a great book, but I'm glad it was free.
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series #1) by J.R. Ward
If you attempt to download the free sample of this book to your Nook or Kindle, BEWARE! The sample portion of this book only contains definitions for the book. While a glossary is helpful to a book in which you introduce uncommon words and concepts, the sample needs to be long enough to actually show the reader what the writing is like. This sample does not provide any clue for the reader to determine whether they are interested in buying this book, and for the cost of the book, that is a huge mistake. I am currently on the waiting list at my local library for this book, and so will read the whole thing for free. Your other alternative is to go sit at Barnes & Noble with your Nook and read it 1 hour a day for free. Like I said, I'm waiting for the library book.
Isaiah's Haven (Legacy Book 2) by N.J. Walters - 1 star
Like the first book, this second installment of a werewolf trilogy had the
ability to be good, but it wasn't. The plot had promise, but fell way short.
Plot was clearly second to sexual dialogue and narration, and narration did not
vary between characters. Author needs to realize that not every character will
think or speak the same way about a common subject. This lack of variation just
makes this book full of unnecessary, gratuitous words. Narration and description
of characters were repeated - almost as if there was a minimum page requirement.
Don't waste your time on this R-rated (maybe even NC-17 rated) book.
Don't waste your time on this R-rated (maybe even NC-17 rated) book.
Annabelle Lee (Summersville Secrets, Book 1) by N.J. Walters - 1 star
While the male character was somewhat believable, the female character was NOT.
A thirty y/o woman who has had only 1 relationship, who has the insecurities
described in the book, whose parents have died, and who spent time taking care
of an ill parent may have the fantasies that Annabelle Lee has, but the way she
would speak and act are completely different. Her character would not be nearly
as shallow and wanton as this female character. Additionally, there was NO
character development - these two characters "fall madly in love" after 2 weeks
of having sex, and without any kind of acquaintance before their first
introduction. As IF! Romance novels do have the ability to be well written with
excellent plots that are bolstered by the development of the relationship
between the characters. THIS one is absolutely NOT one of them.
Alexandra's Legacy (Legacy Series Book 1) by N.J. Walters - 2 stars
This first installment of a werewolf trilogy had the ability to be good, but it
wasn't. The plot had promise, but was not really fleshed out. Plot was clearly
second to sexual dialogue and narration, and narration did not vary between
characters. Author needs to realize that not every character will think or speak
the same way about a common subject. This lack of variation just makes this book
full of unnecessary words and makes it seem gratuitous. Narration and
description of characters were repeated - almost as if there was a minimum page
requirement. The characters and plot had promise, but fell totally flat.
Stolen by Merrill Gemus
Love the concept, but the story is too short - Bitten and Stolen should be 1
book. Also, the book has some other VERY annoying issues. E.g., Characters don't
do obvious things like call each other when they need to talk. Duh! Pick up the
phone if you need to talk to someone. You don't just pace around their home
hoping they'll show up. ALSO - EDIT THE FREAKIN' BOOK!!! Even a casual read out
loud after you haven't looked at the manuscript in a day will alert you to many
of the problems. When in doubt of your own skills, use the grammar and spell
checker on your computer! Repeated uses of THAN instead of THEN, and words in
sentences are jumbled up so that they are ridiculously incomprehensible. These
things are so distracting that they seriously impede the reader's enjoyment of
the story.
The Maiden at Midnight by Kate Harper-1 star
The Maiden at Midnight follows the lives of Isabella Hathaway and her mother and
two sisters after they arrive in London for their first season out of mourning
for their father. The father killed himself after bankrupting the family with
gambling debts. The only brother is MIA in the Napoleonic War, and Isabella's
fiancée has broken off their engagement in light of the scandal surrounding the
father's death.
Enter Male Protagonists, best friends since Eton - Joss, 6th Earl of Stoneley (whose estate is held in trust until 1 year and 1 day after he is married) and Harry (waiting on Uncle to die so he can inherit obscene amount of money)
Joss needs to wed an heiress quickly so that he can repay 600 pounds to a loan shark (Gallows Jack). While attending a masquerade ball, Joss gets drunk, and in that drunken stupor, decides to kidnap the woman he fancies and elope. Harry tries to dissuade him from the idea, but Joss doesn't listen. Kidnapping goes awry when Joss grabs the wrong girl (it is a masquerade ball, after all), and Joss calls in Harry to help him clean up his mess. Isabella is understandably furious, and through her attempts to secure her own release from Joss' madness, comes to like Joss in a friend sort of way. (He's mad, but not malicious.) After she returns home, she concocts her own plan to help Joss get the woman he loves while finding a wealthy husband of her own who can secure her family's future.
As Joss and his love's relationship grows, so does Isabella's and Harry's, resulting in a happy ending for all. I have to admit that I appreciated the slow development of Isabelle's and Harry's relationship - they might have runaway thoughts or dreams, but they keep themselves in check (mostly). So I have nothing but good thoughts about the plot line and character development. HOWEVER, the editing was so poor that it seriously distracted me from the book. I had to re-read sentences two or three times to get the meaning. Commas should be used to join two independent sentences! (,and ,but ,or) Where has the basic standard of grammar gone? Many of the editing issues seemed to result from poor re-writes - the sentence changed construction, but the superfluous words remained. Very disappointing on that front. There was also the occasional repetition of narration - of descriptions and thoughts that had already been fleshed out earlier in the book.
Enter Male Protagonists, best friends since Eton - Joss, 6th Earl of Stoneley (whose estate is held in trust until 1 year and 1 day after he is married) and Harry (waiting on Uncle to die so he can inherit obscene amount of money)
Joss needs to wed an heiress quickly so that he can repay 600 pounds to a loan shark (Gallows Jack). While attending a masquerade ball, Joss gets drunk, and in that drunken stupor, decides to kidnap the woman he fancies and elope. Harry tries to dissuade him from the idea, but Joss doesn't listen. Kidnapping goes awry when Joss grabs the wrong girl (it is a masquerade ball, after all), and Joss calls in Harry to help him clean up his mess. Isabella is understandably furious, and through her attempts to secure her own release from Joss' madness, comes to like Joss in a friend sort of way. (He's mad, but not malicious.) After she returns home, she concocts her own plan to help Joss get the woman he loves while finding a wealthy husband of her own who can secure her family's future.
As Joss and his love's relationship grows, so does Isabella's and Harry's, resulting in a happy ending for all. I have to admit that I appreciated the slow development of Isabelle's and Harry's relationship - they might have runaway thoughts or dreams, but they keep themselves in check (mostly). So I have nothing but good thoughts about the plot line and character development. HOWEVER, the editing was so poor that it seriously distracted me from the book. I had to re-read sentences two or three times to get the meaning. Commas should be used to join two independent sentences! (,and ,but ,or) Where has the basic standard of grammar gone? Many of the editing issues seemed to result from poor re-writes - the sentence changed construction, but the superfluous words remained. Very disappointing on that front. There was also the occasional repetition of narration - of descriptions and thoughts that had already been fleshed out earlier in the book.
Masquerade Secrets (Book 2 in Scandals & Secrets series) by Janelle Daniels - 2 stars
Masquerade Secrets picks up about 3 months after Scandal of Love ends. Although
it is helpful, you don't need to read Book 1 to understand or enjoy Book 2. Lady
Sera and her Earl are off on the Continent enjoying their honeymoon, and Lady
Sera's best friend, Aubrey, is left to handle the social whirl alone. Bradford,
the Duke of Wathersby, has been hiding himself in the country since the
unsuccessful abduction of Lady Sera. Upon his return to society, Aubrey makes an
effort to be nice to him because the Duke was always genuinely nice to Aubrey
when he was courting Lady Sera.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a happily ever after for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't suprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a happily ever after for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't suprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)