Grab onto your seats because LYCAN UNLEASHED by Tiffany Allee will take you on one wild ride. Between the crazy Otherworlders, unresolved romantic interests, and the twists and turns in the plot, this novel has something for everyone. I give it 4 stars and look forward to reading more of Ms. Allee's work.
In LYCAN UNLEASHED, detective Astrid Holmes uses her special talents to help solve crimes. Astrid is a "sensitive," which means exactly that; she is sensitive to the energy around her, whether it comes from vampire, lycanthrope, salamander – yes, you read that correctly: salamander – or inanimate objects. When evidence goes missing in a murder case she is helping investigate, she is put on administrative leave until being cleared. Astrid circumvents her boss's benching by persuading a "former" romantic interest to let her consult on the OWEA (Otherworlder Enforcement Agency) side of the investigation.
Mason Sanderson, a lycan, has serious feelings for Astrid, but he is still haunted by the demise of a previous relationship. They have to work out their romantic issues and solve the murder case before one or both of them is killed in the process.
I love murder mysteries, and I was seriously hooked by this one from the beginning. The pace of the book was quick and steady, giving you just enough information to gnaw on before changing scenes. The description of the otherworlders was enough to help you understand who's who in the book when you need to know, but not so much that it reads like an encyclopedia. I loved Astrid's description of how her sensitivities feel, especially the taste of people's energy.
The plotline is simple, which is great because it counterbalances the complexity of the world in which Astrid lives, and the romantic development is absolutely believable. The heat level of this novel rates about a 3, appropriate for readers 18 years old and up.
Most importantly, I was not able to guess "who dunnit" or predict the end, which makes the novel a winner in my book. There really wasn't anything about the novel that I didn't like. Even the length was perfect – not too short for the reader to feel cheated, and not too long for the story to drag.
All in all, LYCAN UNLEASHED was a fantastic murder mystery, easy to read and enjoy over a few days (or 1 day if you have no obligations), and I recommend it to all paranormal romance and murder mystery lovers.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10275.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
47 Destinies by Marlies Schudlach Perez - 3 stars
Marlies Schudlach Perez's 47 DESTINIES is a compelling novel about daring to dream big and refusing to settle timidly in life. I give it three stars for its theme and message, which are so appropriate for our 21st Century lives.
In 47 DESTINIES, Cora Jacobs thinks that her life is on the right course. She has a job (not great, but strategic) as an intern at an environmental company, a handsome boyfriend, who is reliable and kind and with whom she has a comfortable relationship. She ignores the little things that bother her about her love life until she finally meets her boss, Brent Locke.
Brent Locke, recently positioned as CEO of his family's corporation after a family tragedy, has determined to protect himself from the pain of relationships by being stern and uninvolved. However, his new intern throws him for a loop. She gets under his skin and somehow persuades him to open up, but there are serious impediments to their relationship – Cora's boyfriend, her belief that Brent is married, and the interference of Brent's family. Will Cora and Brent succeed where others have failed?
On the whole, I liked 47 DESTINIES and its theme. Too often, I see women who settle for less than what they want in relationships – not less in terms of social status or physical possessions, but less in terms of commitment and emotional connection. Emotional connection is difficult in real life, and because art imitates life, it is even more difficult to achieve in a novel without feeling melodramatic or contrived.
Here, Cora is faced with a choice between a risky man to whom she is seriously attracted and a safe man about whom she feels lukewarm. Don't be fooled by her happy ending. It takes strength to stick with that decision, and I felt Cora lacked that kind of character. She crosses the line several times as she attempts to figure out what she wants and how to communicate it. I suppose I should cut her some slack because, after all, she's only human, but I really did not like her inability to distance herself from her "married" boss. Kissing a married man is just not okay in my book. Kissing your boss is just stupid, like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite. Kissing two guys on the same day also shows some serious weakness of character.
To say I was disappointed in Cora's character is an understatement. Her soul searching lacked credibility to me. Forty pages from the end of the book, Cora finally thinks about God. It was too little, too late to be believable, especially when the idea of Kate Morgan's ghost was mentioned so early in the novel. Spirituality and God could easily have been introduced at that point, and Cora's views could have been illustrated.
I appreciate the development of Brent's character. The reader definitely sees him softening towards Cora, and his surreptitious machinations regarding her employment with his company showed thoughtfulness and maturity. Some of Brent's thoughts and narration were on the melodramatic side, but because he's purposefully enigmatic in the beginning, the reader should be ready for anything from him. Heat level rating is a 3, love scenes are appropriate for those 18 and older.
I would have liked to see more finesse and nuance in the narration and dialogue. Sometimes the descriptions or the characters' conversations felt stiff and overly proper, as if the reader wouldn't understand the scene if a pronoun was used instead of the character's name, or as if full words were necessary instead of contractions. I agree that some authors are too free with their contractions to the point that the verb tense is unclear, but here I would have liked to see more "it's" instead of "it is." Also, some of the narration switches perspective in the middle of the paragraph, which was a tad confusing at times.
Overall, I enjoyed 47 DESTINIES, and recommend it for your summer reading list.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10239
In 47 DESTINIES, Cora Jacobs thinks that her life is on the right course. She has a job (not great, but strategic) as an intern at an environmental company, a handsome boyfriend, who is reliable and kind and with whom she has a comfortable relationship. She ignores the little things that bother her about her love life until she finally meets her boss, Brent Locke.
Brent Locke, recently positioned as CEO of his family's corporation after a family tragedy, has determined to protect himself from the pain of relationships by being stern and uninvolved. However, his new intern throws him for a loop. She gets under his skin and somehow persuades him to open up, but there are serious impediments to their relationship – Cora's boyfriend, her belief that Brent is married, and the interference of Brent's family. Will Cora and Brent succeed where others have failed?
On the whole, I liked 47 DESTINIES and its theme. Too often, I see women who settle for less than what they want in relationships – not less in terms of social status or physical possessions, but less in terms of commitment and emotional connection. Emotional connection is difficult in real life, and because art imitates life, it is even more difficult to achieve in a novel without feeling melodramatic or contrived.
Here, Cora is faced with a choice between a risky man to whom she is seriously attracted and a safe man about whom she feels lukewarm. Don't be fooled by her happy ending. It takes strength to stick with that decision, and I felt Cora lacked that kind of character. She crosses the line several times as she attempts to figure out what she wants and how to communicate it. I suppose I should cut her some slack because, after all, she's only human, but I really did not like her inability to distance herself from her "married" boss. Kissing a married man is just not okay in my book. Kissing your boss is just stupid, like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite. Kissing two guys on the same day also shows some serious weakness of character.
To say I was disappointed in Cora's character is an understatement. Her soul searching lacked credibility to me. Forty pages from the end of the book, Cora finally thinks about God. It was too little, too late to be believable, especially when the idea of Kate Morgan's ghost was mentioned so early in the novel. Spirituality and God could easily have been introduced at that point, and Cora's views could have been illustrated.
I appreciate the development of Brent's character. The reader definitely sees him softening towards Cora, and his surreptitious machinations regarding her employment with his company showed thoughtfulness and maturity. Some of Brent's thoughts and narration were on the melodramatic side, but because he's purposefully enigmatic in the beginning, the reader should be ready for anything from him. Heat level rating is a 3, love scenes are appropriate for those 18 and older.
I would have liked to see more finesse and nuance in the narration and dialogue. Sometimes the descriptions or the characters' conversations felt stiff and overly proper, as if the reader wouldn't understand the scene if a pronoun was used instead of the character's name, or as if full words were necessary instead of contractions. I agree that some authors are too free with their contractions to the point that the verb tense is unclear, but here I would have liked to see more "it's" instead of "it is." Also, some of the narration switches perspective in the middle of the paragraph, which was a tad confusing at times.
Overall, I enjoyed 47 DESTINIES, and recommend it for your summer reading list.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10239
47 Destinites: Discovering Grace by Marlies Schudlach Perez - 2 stars
Marlies Schudlach Perez's 47 DESTINIES (Book 2): DISCOVERING GRACE is a novel about daring to overcome fear and the negative influences of others. I give it two stars for its theme and message, which are appropriate for our 21st Century lives, but recommend major revisions to streamline and clarify the plotline.
In 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE, Grace Ann Locke has protected herself from hurt by keeping her late husband Derek alive in their house. She still wears her ring and meditates on his death daily, even though he has been dead for several years. Unfortunately, Grace's family, mother-in-law Leslie and soon to be sister-in-law Cora, think it is time for Grace to start dating again.
After several disastrous dates, Grace chucks the idea of dating, and just when she thinks she is out of the woods, she falls in love with Todd Harcourt, one of Cora's old flames. Between the meddlesome and often rude family, the appearances of Derek's ghost, and one character's surprise health issues, Grace and Todd have to figure out how to be together.
As with the first book in this series, I liked the theme of 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE. It is true that fear can cause personal stagnation as well as familial problems, and it is nice to see the encouragement to break free of that fear in everyday reading. Unfortunately, the theme is where my commendation ends, as the illustration of that theme needs major work to be credible.
One of the main issues troubling this novel is the incredible glut of narration and how it holds the book hostage to a glacial pace. While having descriptions of people's clothes or the places they visit is helpful for the reader to form a mental image of a scene, it is often possible to work the important details into dialogue that actually moves the plot along, without causing the pace to suffer. If a character's shirt color isn't necessary to illustrate a character or isn't connected to the plotline, it should be left out. After the fifteenth shirt color, the reader couldn't care less about what the character is wearing.
In certain situations, Grace explains the history of a place to her scene companion. A few times, the companion will comment on her unusual propensity to know the detailed history of a place, which acknowledges and illustrates her quirky character. In other parts, the novel reads like a travel guide--dry, overly instructive, and irrelevant. Travel guides have a different purpose and audience than fiction, and the writing style should be appropriately different. I felt hindered by the minutiae at every page turn and found myself wanting to skip whole paragraphs of narration just to get to the relevant dialogue.
The narration was also full of repetitive hyperbole. Yes, this is a romance; so some discussion of the characters' feelings is appropriate, but there were so many points where the narration felt trite and insincere. I believe that Todd and Grace fell in love, but that was because of the dialogue and the length of time they knew each other, not because of how the narration spelled out in painful detail how Grace hadn't been "alive" before she met Todd.
Aside from the superfluous narration, this novel has the same issues as the first novel with the stiff narration and overly proper dialogue that would flow so much smoother if contractions and pronouns were used. There were also serious inconsistencies with the scene setting, characters' actions, and timeline that were distracting and confusing.
Overall, I did not enjoy 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE, and I hope that these issues are taken into account when performing final edits of the next book in this series.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10240.
In 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE, Grace Ann Locke has protected herself from hurt by keeping her late husband Derek alive in their house. She still wears her ring and meditates on his death daily, even though he has been dead for several years. Unfortunately, Grace's family, mother-in-law Leslie and soon to be sister-in-law Cora, think it is time for Grace to start dating again.
After several disastrous dates, Grace chucks the idea of dating, and just when she thinks she is out of the woods, she falls in love with Todd Harcourt, one of Cora's old flames. Between the meddlesome and often rude family, the appearances of Derek's ghost, and one character's surprise health issues, Grace and Todd have to figure out how to be together.
As with the first book in this series, I liked the theme of 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE. It is true that fear can cause personal stagnation as well as familial problems, and it is nice to see the encouragement to break free of that fear in everyday reading. Unfortunately, the theme is where my commendation ends, as the illustration of that theme needs major work to be credible.
One of the main issues troubling this novel is the incredible glut of narration and how it holds the book hostage to a glacial pace. While having descriptions of people's clothes or the places they visit is helpful for the reader to form a mental image of a scene, it is often possible to work the important details into dialogue that actually moves the plot along, without causing the pace to suffer. If a character's shirt color isn't necessary to illustrate a character or isn't connected to the plotline, it should be left out. After the fifteenth shirt color, the reader couldn't care less about what the character is wearing.
In certain situations, Grace explains the history of a place to her scene companion. A few times, the companion will comment on her unusual propensity to know the detailed history of a place, which acknowledges and illustrates her quirky character. In other parts, the novel reads like a travel guide--dry, overly instructive, and irrelevant. Travel guides have a different purpose and audience than fiction, and the writing style should be appropriately different. I felt hindered by the minutiae at every page turn and found myself wanting to skip whole paragraphs of narration just to get to the relevant dialogue.
The narration was also full of repetitive hyperbole. Yes, this is a romance; so some discussion of the characters' feelings is appropriate, but there were so many points where the narration felt trite and insincere. I believe that Todd and Grace fell in love, but that was because of the dialogue and the length of time they knew each other, not because of how the narration spelled out in painful detail how Grace hadn't been "alive" before she met Todd.
Aside from the superfluous narration, this novel has the same issues as the first novel with the stiff narration and overly proper dialogue that would flow so much smoother if contractions and pronouns were used. There were also serious inconsistencies with the scene setting, characters' actions, and timeline that were distracting and confusing.
Overall, I did not enjoy 47 DESTINIES: DISCOVERING GRACE, and I hope that these issues are taken into account when performing final edits of the next book in this series.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10240.
A Taylor-Made Life by Kary Rader - 4 stars
Live the life you're given; love the life you make. Get out your tissue box; A TAYLOR-MADE LIFE by Kary Rader will make you laugh, cry, and contemplate your own life and mortality. With a bold female protagonist and a hardened hero, this novel confronts the difficulties of living and dying with cancer. I give it 4 stars.
In A TAYLOR-MADE LIFE, teenage Taylor Smith is living with leukemia, hoping for a bone marrow match to save her life. In the meantime, she is attempting to live her life to the full, and to her, that means experiencing sex. No sooner does she get her mom on board with her goal of finding a lover/one-night stand, but a cancer mentor program pairs her with Gavin Taylor, genius, wealthy, and extremely good looking computer programmer.
Gavin has undergone experimental treatments, but nothing has cured his cancer. He has anywhere from six months to two years to live, and is using a matchmaker for celebrities to find a wife who will love him for him and not for his money, and play computer games with him until his time is up. Once Gavin and Taylor meet, though, no one else will suffice for either of them, but as all couples do, these two have issues to work through.
I really enjoyed this novel, even though it seriously made me cry. I don't want to give anything away, but ironically, I would have given it 5 stars if the ending were a bit happier/ fluffier. I had to read or watch something really lighthearted so that I wouldn't succumb to the melancholy I felt upon finishing the book. My desires for a complete happy ending aside, the storyline seems very natural under the circumstances, although with healthy characters, the plotline and the mom's actions/attitude would be outrageously unbelievable.
The pacing and flow of the book were perfect, and there were only a handful of typos that were easy to get past. I appreciated the appropriately brief and vague love scenes, which allow a heat rating of 2 and make the book appropriate for teens and adults alike.
I could have used a bit more development of the romantic relationship, but it could be that my non-terminally ill mind cannot quite grasp the speed and certainty with which the characters fall in love with each other. Even so, I felt challenged by the characters to live the life I've been given and to stop dwelling on regrets or things I wish were different.
Overall, A TAYLOR-MADE LIFE is a great read that I highly recommend to all.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9894.
In A TAYLOR-MADE LIFE, teenage Taylor Smith is living with leukemia, hoping for a bone marrow match to save her life. In the meantime, she is attempting to live her life to the full, and to her, that means experiencing sex. No sooner does she get her mom on board with her goal of finding a lover/one-night stand, but a cancer mentor program pairs her with Gavin Taylor, genius, wealthy, and extremely good looking computer programmer.
Gavin has undergone experimental treatments, but nothing has cured his cancer. He has anywhere from six months to two years to live, and is using a matchmaker for celebrities to find a wife who will love him for him and not for his money, and play computer games with him until his time is up. Once Gavin and Taylor meet, though, no one else will suffice for either of them, but as all couples do, these two have issues to work through.
I really enjoyed this novel, even though it seriously made me cry. I don't want to give anything away, but ironically, I would have given it 5 stars if the ending were a bit happier/ fluffier. I had to read or watch something really lighthearted so that I wouldn't succumb to the melancholy I felt upon finishing the book. My desires for a complete happy ending aside, the storyline seems very natural under the circumstances, although with healthy characters, the plotline and the mom's actions/attitude would be outrageously unbelievable.
The pacing and flow of the book were perfect, and there were only a handful of typos that were easy to get past. I appreciated the appropriately brief and vague love scenes, which allow a heat rating of 2 and make the book appropriate for teens and adults alike.
I could have used a bit more development of the romantic relationship, but it could be that my non-terminally ill mind cannot quite grasp the speed and certainty with which the characters fall in love with each other. Even so, I felt challenged by the characters to live the life I've been given and to stop dwelling on regrets or things I wish were different.
Overall, A TAYLOR-MADE LIFE is a great read that I highly recommend to all.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=9894.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Betrothal by Jenna Jaxon - 2 stars
BETROTHAL by Jenna Jaxon, the first of three novellas set in medieval England, illustrates the arduous process of getting to know a future spouse under the extreme pressure of an arranged marriage. I enjoyed the last novel I read by Jenna Jaxon, and so was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the pace and plotline. I give BETROTHAL 2 stars.
Lady Alyse and Sir Geoffrey are betrothed via an agreement among their fathers and the king. After a couple of months they will leave England, possibly forever, and accompany Princess Joanna to Spain for her marriage. Prior to her betrothal, Alyse had eyes for Lord Braeton, one of Geoffrey's best friends.
Alyse and Geoffrey have two weeks to get acquainted before the wedding. In getting to know Geoffrey, Alyse also interacts with Braeton, and her wit and intelligence peak his interest. Lord Braeton's past has made him cynical, and he undermines Geoffrey's efforts to build trust with Alyse. As if their challenges were not already enough, Geoffrey is called home unexpectedly. Will Geoffrey be able to build enough of a relationship with Alyse before he leaves to carry them through the wedding?
I was initially intrigued by the plot summary, and pleased by the believable dialogue, but BETROTHAL fell far short of my overall expectations. While I appreciate novels that actually illustrate the development of a romance, the romantic development in BETROTHAL seemed tedious and often felt like the novel wasn't going anywhere. Until the very end of BETROTHAL, I didn't know that there were going to be two more novellas, and so I felt cheated out of an actual plotline. Even without reading the next two novellas, I can say that I would have preferred all three novellas condensed into one full-length novel. That way, the background, getting-to-know-you part of the relationship could be more concise.
While the pace and plotline were my two big issues with the novella, there were also enough typos, grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures to distract the reader from the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the book and based on this novella, I would have preferred to read one full-length novel.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10086.
Lady Alyse and Sir Geoffrey are betrothed via an agreement among their fathers and the king. After a couple of months they will leave England, possibly forever, and accompany Princess Joanna to Spain for her marriage. Prior to her betrothal, Alyse had eyes for Lord Braeton, one of Geoffrey's best friends.
Alyse and Geoffrey have two weeks to get acquainted before the wedding. In getting to know Geoffrey, Alyse also interacts with Braeton, and her wit and intelligence peak his interest. Lord Braeton's past has made him cynical, and he undermines Geoffrey's efforts to build trust with Alyse. As if their challenges were not already enough, Geoffrey is called home unexpectedly. Will Geoffrey be able to build enough of a relationship with Alyse before he leaves to carry them through the wedding?
I was initially intrigued by the plot summary, and pleased by the believable dialogue, but BETROTHAL fell far short of my overall expectations. While I appreciate novels that actually illustrate the development of a romance, the romantic development in BETROTHAL seemed tedious and often felt like the novel wasn't going anywhere. Until the very end of BETROTHAL, I didn't know that there were going to be two more novellas, and so I felt cheated out of an actual plotline. Even without reading the next two novellas, I can say that I would have preferred all three novellas condensed into one full-length novel. That way, the background, getting-to-know-you part of the relationship could be more concise.
While the pace and plotline were my two big issues with the novella, there were also enough typos, grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures to distract the reader from the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the book and based on this novella, I would have preferred to read one full-length novel.
**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10086.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Cross the Ocean by Holly Bush - 2 stars
CROSS THE OCEAN by Holly Bush is a late 19th century historical romance that spans continents and couture. While the extreme concept of a duke abandoning his traditional British life for a life on America's frontier as a rancher was interesting, the story was hamstrung by pacing issues, lack of depth or reason in the main romantic relationship, and major editing issues.
In CROSS THE OCEAN, Blake Sanders is the Duke of Wexford and has never before been out of control of his life. He inherited the title young and has always done his duty and ruled his duchy with a traditional mindset – the wife is for producing an heir and a spare, the mistress is for satisfying his other needs, the children are meant to marry well and improve the family connections and coffers.
When Blake's wife of almost eighteen years leaves him for a Scottish shipping merchant on the eve of their daughter's debut, he is bewildered and can't help but act inappropriately. He gets into several heated arguments with his neighbors' American cousin, Gertrude, who speaks her mind regardless of tact or decorum. After one such argument, he kisses her in front of his friends and family, and it all goes downhill from there. Over the next year, his entire life goes through a paradigm shift, and he must discover who he is, what is really important to him, and how far he is willing to go to get what he wants. The title provides readers with a clue: he crosses an ocean.
When I initially read the plot summary for CROSS THE OCEAN, I was intrigued, but from the beginning of the book, I was astounded by the characters' behavior. Gertrude's behavior, specifically, was downright rude, invasive, and outrageous no matter what country you call home. Yet her hosts did nothing to curb her impolitic criticism of their friend. I almost didn't get past the first 50 pages because I disliked Gertrude so much. Adding to that, Blake did not do the logical thing and simply leave his friends' house. The whole scenario was completely unbelievable.
Next, there was no credible development of the romantic relationship between Blake and Gertrude. Blake can't seem to stop arguing with Gertrude and making a scene wherever they meet. He also cannot stop kissing her. The tension between them grows to such a pitch with the speed of light that she cuts her trip short and books passage for the U.S. Before she can leave though, she attends a house party with Blake and the family. He plans a rendezvous with an old lover in hopes of getting his mind off of Gertrude, but accidentally winds up in Gertrude's room. Gertrude winds up pregnant. This progression of their relationship felt forced and lacked credibility. There is no reason offered for their attraction, and no rationale for their "love".
Throughout nearly the entire book, I felt like Blake got a bad rap. All of the characters love, love, love Gertrude, and criticize and blame Blake for their problems. Any adult should understand that it takes two people to make or break a relationship. Yes, Blake needed a wake-up call, and yes, he was the stereotypical aristocrat. That doesn't mean that Gertrude lacks faults or responsibility for her own actions.
The novel suffered from poor editing and definitely needs another round of examination. Punctuation errors, misspellings, subject/verb disagreements, and other blatant editing issues distracted and sometimes confused.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. The story seemed to gain a smidgen of substance after Blake crossed the ocean, but it was too little, too late for me. I recommend major revisions with an eye toward correcting the editing issues and giving the romantic relationship more substance prior to Gertrude's return to America.
In CROSS THE OCEAN, Blake Sanders is the Duke of Wexford and has never before been out of control of his life. He inherited the title young and has always done his duty and ruled his duchy with a traditional mindset – the wife is for producing an heir and a spare, the mistress is for satisfying his other needs, the children are meant to marry well and improve the family connections and coffers.
When Blake's wife of almost eighteen years leaves him for a Scottish shipping merchant on the eve of their daughter's debut, he is bewildered and can't help but act inappropriately. He gets into several heated arguments with his neighbors' American cousin, Gertrude, who speaks her mind regardless of tact or decorum. After one such argument, he kisses her in front of his friends and family, and it all goes downhill from there. Over the next year, his entire life goes through a paradigm shift, and he must discover who he is, what is really important to him, and how far he is willing to go to get what he wants. The title provides readers with a clue: he crosses an ocean.
When I initially read the plot summary for CROSS THE OCEAN, I was intrigued, but from the beginning of the book, I was astounded by the characters' behavior. Gertrude's behavior, specifically, was downright rude, invasive, and outrageous no matter what country you call home. Yet her hosts did nothing to curb her impolitic criticism of their friend. I almost didn't get past the first 50 pages because I disliked Gertrude so much. Adding to that, Blake did not do the logical thing and simply leave his friends' house. The whole scenario was completely unbelievable.
Next, there was no credible development of the romantic relationship between Blake and Gertrude. Blake can't seem to stop arguing with Gertrude and making a scene wherever they meet. He also cannot stop kissing her. The tension between them grows to such a pitch with the speed of light that she cuts her trip short and books passage for the U.S. Before she can leave though, she attends a house party with Blake and the family. He plans a rendezvous with an old lover in hopes of getting his mind off of Gertrude, but accidentally winds up in Gertrude's room. Gertrude winds up pregnant. This progression of their relationship felt forced and lacked credibility. There is no reason offered for their attraction, and no rationale for their "love".
Throughout nearly the entire book, I felt like Blake got a bad rap. All of the characters love, love, love Gertrude, and criticize and blame Blake for their problems. Any adult should understand that it takes two people to make or break a relationship. Yes, Blake needed a wake-up call, and yes, he was the stereotypical aristocrat. That doesn't mean that Gertrude lacks faults or responsibility for her own actions.
The novel suffered from poor editing and definitely needs another round of examination. Punctuation errors, misspellings, subject/verb disagreements, and other blatant editing issues distracted and sometimes confused.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. The story seemed to gain a smidgen of substance after Blake crossed the ocean, but it was too little, too late for me. I recommend major revisions with an eye toward correcting the editing issues and giving the romantic relationship more substance prior to Gertrude's return to America.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
The Folly at Falconbridge by Maggi Andersen - 4 stars
THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE by Maggi Andersen is a wonderfully crafted mystery that will appeal to any historical fiction reader. The story definitely has a Cinderella quality to it, with some clever symbolism shown via Lord Falconbridge's study of butterflies. I enjoyed it immensely and give it 4 stars.
In THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE, destitute Vanessa Ashley, niece and granddaughter of an earl, takes a governess position at the home of Julian Grieve, Viscount Falconbridge, who has had a difficult time keeping a governess for his ten year-old daughter, Blythe. Vanessa and Blythe connect quickly, and occasionally, Vanessa thinks that she may be receiving heated looks from Lord Falconbridge. Of course, those must all be in her imagination; or are they? She certainly receives unwanted heated looks from the head groomsman, gypsy Lovel.
Life at Falconbridge falls into a routine for Vanessa and Blythe. Add some strange lights at the folly, late night run-ins with her employer, dangerous woods, a snobbish husband-hunting neighbor, and Blythe's uneasiness over her mother's death, her father's imminent expedition to the Amazon, the disappearance of her last governess and that of an unremarkable household painting. All in all, Vanessa feels as if something odd is afoot. In order to provide some security for Blythe, Julian asks Vanessa to marry him. Should she accept him given all of her questions about his family? And what would life at Falconbridge Hall be like without him around for months and months?
I definitely enjoyed THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE. Life at Falconbridge Hall was described in such a way that it was easy to imagine the house, the grounds, and the ability to get lost and separated from your fellow horseback riders. The dialogue is well done, especially that between Julian and Vanessa. The reader can easily feel the awkwardness Vanessa feels in her interactions with Julian and the restraint Julian exhibits as her employer. The character development and that of the romantic relationship in the novel were also believable. I never felt like there was a question about a character's motives or actions. This book has a heat level rating of a 2, only the occasional adult content, but nothing too graphic. Still, given some of the subject matter, this book is probably appropriate for those 17 years of age and over.
On a technical note, I would have liked to have seen a bit quicker pace in the pre-proposal time period. Once the proposal is out there, the book moves fairly quickly. There were also some typographical and grammatical errors that detracted from the story, but for the most part, it is easy to get past them.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE, and definitely recommend it for your summer reading list.
**Since writing this review, I have discovered that some of the grammatical errors I noticed can be attributed to a difference between US English and UK English.
*Original review written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=8950.
In THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE, destitute Vanessa Ashley, niece and granddaughter of an earl, takes a governess position at the home of Julian Grieve, Viscount Falconbridge, who has had a difficult time keeping a governess for his ten year-old daughter, Blythe. Vanessa and Blythe connect quickly, and occasionally, Vanessa thinks that she may be receiving heated looks from Lord Falconbridge. Of course, those must all be in her imagination; or are they? She certainly receives unwanted heated looks from the head groomsman, gypsy Lovel.
Life at Falconbridge falls into a routine for Vanessa and Blythe. Add some strange lights at the folly, late night run-ins with her employer, dangerous woods, a snobbish husband-hunting neighbor, and Blythe's uneasiness over her mother's death, her father's imminent expedition to the Amazon, the disappearance of her last governess and that of an unremarkable household painting. All in all, Vanessa feels as if something odd is afoot. In order to provide some security for Blythe, Julian asks Vanessa to marry him. Should she accept him given all of her questions about his family? And what would life at Falconbridge Hall be like without him around for months and months?
I definitely enjoyed THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE. Life at Falconbridge Hall was described in such a way that it was easy to imagine the house, the grounds, and the ability to get lost and separated from your fellow horseback riders. The dialogue is well done, especially that between Julian and Vanessa. The reader can easily feel the awkwardness Vanessa feels in her interactions with Julian and the restraint Julian exhibits as her employer. The character development and that of the romantic relationship in the novel were also believable. I never felt like there was a question about a character's motives or actions. This book has a heat level rating of a 2, only the occasional adult content, but nothing too graphic. Still, given some of the subject matter, this book is probably appropriate for those 17 years of age and over.
On a technical note, I would have liked to have seen a bit quicker pace in the pre-proposal time period. Once the proposal is out there, the book moves fairly quickly. There were also some typographical and grammatical errors that detracted from the story, but for the most part, it is easy to get past them.
Overall, I really enjoyed THE FOLLY AT FALCONBRIDGE, and definitely recommend it for your summer reading list.
**Since writing this review, I have discovered that some of the grammatical errors I noticed can be attributed to a difference between US English and UK English.
*Original review written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=8950.
A Lesson in Presumption (Lesson #5) by Jennifer Connors - 3 stars
A Lesson in Presumption by Jennifer Connors follows Ginny,
our favorite romance novel heroine, to the Caribbean where things get hot in
more ways than one, and where Ginny must learn that things are not always as she
presumes them to be. I give A Lesson in Presumption three stars
because the action equals the drama and Ginny’s romantic notions are
disproved.
In A Lesson in Presumption, Ginny wakes up
in 1775 England in the body of Lady Corliss Gammage, as she is being attacked by
her sadistic alcoholic husband. While Ginny is trying to get away
from him, he trips, hits his head, and dies. Lady Corliss is
blamed for the murder by her mother-in-law and shipped off to the West Indies to
become a slave on a plantation.
A friend
of Corliss’ family, Jeremy Northwood, is a British Naval Captain and agrees to
take Corliss to the West Indies. Instead of taking her to the plantation,
though, he takes her to his home on another island before heading to
Massachusetts to deal with the rebellious colonies.
Lord Gammage’s cousin and British privateer, Nathanial
Webster, locates Corliss in her comfortable accommodations, kidnaps her and
heads to the island where her new owner awaits.
Throughout the novel, Ginny sleeps with several men in an attempt to
prevent her heart from being engaged, and identifies Nathanial as her
“mega-hunk.” When another woman arrives on the scene and turns
Nathanial’s head, Ginny is forced to reassess whether she and Nathanial are
meant to be together.
This
fifth installment in the Lesson Series shows Ginny determined to have fun with
her circumstances. There were many funny parts and some
stereotypical pirate scenes. One of my Favorite quotes is “…they
had to be victorious. A book ending where everyone dies is sick
and depressing and very, very unromantic.”
The
dialogue was nicely done, but I wasn’t convinced that Ginny actually learned the
lesson in this novel. The pacing was a bit off, and the ending was
a bit too quickly wrapped up. I would have liked to see more of
Ginny’s life with her mega-hunk.
On a technical note, the book needed another round of
editing addressing grammatical issues.
Overall,
A Lesson in Presumption is a nice
read, and give it 3 stars.
*Original review revised for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10217. |
Dangerous Waters by Anne Allen - 3 stars
DANGEROUS WATERS by Anne Allen is a gentle stream, enjoyable and not difficult to negotiate. While the pace is slower than I would have liked, the plotline and island descriptions more than make up for that issue, and I give it 3 stars.
In DANGEROUS WATERS, Jeanne Le Page returns to her beloved Guernsey after a bad break-up and miscarriage, in order to deal with an inheritance received from her grandmother. While determining what to do with her grandmother's cottage, orchard, garden and possessions, Jeanne resolves to put the mystery of her parents' deaths to rest, but then she unwittingly digs up more mysteries to solve. Add in some romantic drama and new employment opportunities, and Jeanne definitely gets more than she bargained for by moving back home.
I enjoyed DANGEROUS WATERS, even though it took me some time to get into the story. The pace is a little on the slow side, but one could consider that as part of illustrating the pace of life on Guernsey. I was determined to press on because of the fabulous descriptions of the island and island living. I definitely want to visit now.
Other than the pace, the book was remarkable, with some lovely historical aspects interwoven with the drama of Jeanne's efforts to build a new life. The characters were authentic and well-illustrated. I could have used some extra scenes developing the successful romantic relationship in the book, but what was provided was blessedly free from the typical romance novel melodrama.
The romance seemed to be part of the backdrop to the other mysteries in the book, and as such, love scenes were appropriately brief and nondescript. DANGEROUS WATERS rates about a 2 on the heat level scale, appropriate for those 16 and over.
The editing was also done well, but the reader must also recognize that the spelling and grammar were British.
Overall, I liked DANGEROUS WATERS, and definitely recommend it for your summer reading list.
*Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10095.
In DANGEROUS WATERS, Jeanne Le Page returns to her beloved Guernsey after a bad break-up and miscarriage, in order to deal with an inheritance received from her grandmother. While determining what to do with her grandmother's cottage, orchard, garden and possessions, Jeanne resolves to put the mystery of her parents' deaths to rest, but then she unwittingly digs up more mysteries to solve. Add in some romantic drama and new employment opportunities, and Jeanne definitely gets more than she bargained for by moving back home.
I enjoyed DANGEROUS WATERS, even though it took me some time to get into the story. The pace is a little on the slow side, but one could consider that as part of illustrating the pace of life on Guernsey. I was determined to press on because of the fabulous descriptions of the island and island living. I definitely want to visit now.
Other than the pace, the book was remarkable, with some lovely historical aspects interwoven with the drama of Jeanne's efforts to build a new life. The characters were authentic and well-illustrated. I could have used some extra scenes developing the successful romantic relationship in the book, but what was provided was blessedly free from the typical romance novel melodrama.
The romance seemed to be part of the backdrop to the other mysteries in the book, and as such, love scenes were appropriately brief and nondescript. DANGEROUS WATERS rates about a 2 on the heat level scale, appropriate for those 16 and over.
The editing was also done well, but the reader must also recognize that the spelling and grammar were British.
Overall, I liked DANGEROUS WATERS, and definitely recommend it for your summer reading list.
*Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10095.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Heiress Bride by Cynthia Woolf (Matchmaker & Co. #2) - 1 star
HEIRESS BRIDE by Cynthia Woolf picks up the story of Nathan Ravenclaw (introduced in Capital Bride) as he meets and falls in love with his mail order bride, Ella Davenport. The plot is slightly stronger than Capital Bride due to a clearer description of the antagonist, but the book delivers a similar plotline with similar contrived scenes and dialogue as in Capital Bride. I give this book one star and hope that a revised version will be published.
Ella Davenport is an heiress to the Davenport shipbuilding empire built by her father who died in a carriage accident. That same carriage accident left Ella with serious scars on her face and body. Given her notoriety in New York society along with her fortune, she is convinced that being a mail order bride is the only way she will be able to have a husband who is not a fortune hunter.
Nathan Ravenclaw is the son of an Arapaho Indian and a white Pennsylvania lawyer, and so he is ostracized by both the Native Americans and the white settlers in Colorado. He is looking for a wife who accepts him as he is. Trouble follows Ella to Colorado, though, and wreaks havoc on Ella and Nathan's life.
From the beginning of this novel, I recognized the plotline as being so similar to that in Capital Bride that it is virtually the same story. Even though the characters have different issues, the ways the characters speak, interact, kiss, make love, get pregnant, fight against psycho relatives, fall in love and have babies are all the same. The challenge of writing books in a series is in creating different characters and maintaining their individuality throughout the book. Here, the insecurities and hang-ups of the characters are too similar for their divergent backgrounds. This book also had a happy ending, but the resolution was unnatural and forced.
There are several parts where issues in the plot could be expanded to add depth and authenticity to the story: the carriage accident that killed Ella's father, the introduction of bodyguards into the Davenport household, Ella's life as a wealthy woman, her interactions with fortune-hunting suitors, Nathan's history with his last love interest, his ostracization from society and his tribe, and qualities of Nathan and Ella that cause them to fall in love with each other. The expansion of these parts of the book would add credibility to the romantic relationship between husband and wife, showing the development of the characters' feelings. The book also needs another round of editing for grammar, spelling and punctuation in order to convey the story clearly.
Issues aside, I think the ideas behind the plot have merit and would make a great book, but the book must be unique enough to hold its own place on the bookshelf. I would be interested in reading any revised versions that are published.
Ella Davenport is an heiress to the Davenport shipbuilding empire built by her father who died in a carriage accident. That same carriage accident left Ella with serious scars on her face and body. Given her notoriety in New York society along with her fortune, she is convinced that being a mail order bride is the only way she will be able to have a husband who is not a fortune hunter.
Nathan Ravenclaw is the son of an Arapaho Indian and a white Pennsylvania lawyer, and so he is ostracized by both the Native Americans and the white settlers in Colorado. He is looking for a wife who accepts him as he is. Trouble follows Ella to Colorado, though, and wreaks havoc on Ella and Nathan's life.
From the beginning of this novel, I recognized the plotline as being so similar to that in Capital Bride that it is virtually the same story. Even though the characters have different issues, the ways the characters speak, interact, kiss, make love, get pregnant, fight against psycho relatives, fall in love and have babies are all the same. The challenge of writing books in a series is in creating different characters and maintaining their individuality throughout the book. Here, the insecurities and hang-ups of the characters are too similar for their divergent backgrounds. This book also had a happy ending, but the resolution was unnatural and forced.
There are several parts where issues in the plot could be expanded to add depth and authenticity to the story: the carriage accident that killed Ella's father, the introduction of bodyguards into the Davenport household, Ella's life as a wealthy woman, her interactions with fortune-hunting suitors, Nathan's history with his last love interest, his ostracization from society and his tribe, and qualities of Nathan and Ella that cause them to fall in love with each other. The expansion of these parts of the book would add credibility to the romantic relationship between husband and wife, showing the development of the characters' feelings. The book also needs another round of editing for grammar, spelling and punctuation in order to convey the story clearly.
Issues aside, I think the ideas behind the plot have merit and would make a great book, but the book must be unique enough to hold its own place on the bookshelf. I would be interested in reading any revised versions that are published.
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