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Sep 01, 2010
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
In My Enemy, My Beloved, author Karl Vanghen has created a story of hope, determination, and the wonder of a first love to las Reviewed for THC Reviews
In My Enemy, My Beloved, author Karl Vanghen has created a story of hope, determination, and the wonder of a first love to last a lifetime against the authentic historical backdrop of World War II. It appears that Mr. Vanghen has definitely done his research well, vividly rendering the struggle for survival amidst war, the day-to-day life in the German POW camps on American soil, as well as a rural Midwestern farm, and the continuing hardships and horrors that faced those returning to post-war Germany. The historical details were absolutely fascinating, and I feel like I learned a lot from the book. I haven't read many historical novels set in this era. The few I have picked up have thoroughly enthralled me, and My Enemy, My Beloved was no different. With the plot revolving around two teenagers from opposite sides of the conflict falling in love, the story was all the more appealing for a romantic like myself. Whether it was the bombed out buildings of Germany or the verdant fields of Minnesota, the author also did an excellent job of bringing the settings to life. These parts definitely showed his artistic eye as a painter, except in this case, he was painting word pictures on the canvas of my mind. I never had the least bit of trouble picking the book up again each time I had to set it down, because Mr. Vanghen drew me into the story and made me love the characters in such a way that I was emotionally invested and couldn't help wondering what would happen next.
Henrik was a wonderful young man who was wise beyond his years. He was a civilian who had basically been swept up by the Nazis, handed a gun and ordered to fight, but ended up being captured as a prisoner of war. Deep down though he was something of a conscientious objector who was never a true follower of Hitler, nor did he believe in the Nazi agenda or ever want to be a soldier in the first place. He understood and accepted the reality of what was happening in the war effort (basically that Germany was loosing) far better than many of his fellow POWs. I really respected Henrik for standing up to the SS officer who bullied him in the camps for his beliefs, even though it nearly got him killed. I held him in even higher regard for asserting his convictions in a gentle, non-violent way. When Henrik finally arrived in New Ulm and started helping on the Sommers' family farm, he proved himself to be a reliable and hard worker. He was very respectful of the entire family and grateful for the opportunities they offered him. Best of all he was a perfect gentleman toward Elsa and treated her like a precious jewel. Henrik was also very accepting of the way things had to be, and full of grit and determination to survive and find his way back to her. He was just an all-around great guy, and it was easy to see why Elsa fell for him and nearly everyone else liked him too.
Elsa was also a very mature young lady for her seventeen years who had quite a bit of spunk. I liked that she had strong morals which she stuck by, and I thought that she really showed a lot of self-respect. She was a romantic at heart who dreamed of love, marriage and family and wondered whether she'd ever find the perfect man for her. She tested the waters a bit with a couple of the local boys, but was strong enough to never allow them to take advantage of her. I thought she was very astute to see through their facade, and realize that she was only feeling infatuation and they weren't good husband material. Elsa was very respectful toward her family and a responsible girl who always did her chores when asked. She was quite accepting of the POWs right from the start. She had an innate sense of curiosity about them, but also had enough common sense to be cautious around them. Elsa was completely star-struck by Henrik from the first time she laid eyes on him. Elsa was certainly heartbroken when her father sent Henrik back to the camp, but I liked that she didn't throw a fit. She simply set herself in a determined line to do whatever was necessary to help him find his way back to her and never wavered from her objective. Elsa, just like Henrik, was a very likable character who embodied some of the good old-fashioned values that I love to read about but don't often find in real-life these days.
The book begins when World War II is slowly drawing to a close. The chapters alternate between Henrik and Elsa's point of view as we learn who they are, what they're like, how they got to their respective places in life, and what their dreams for the future are. As a couple they only spend approximately 100 pages together out of a 350+ page book. Some of the emotions they felt were more palpable such as their first meeting and their first kiss, but I thought the in-between parts were a little too passive to fully convey their obviously strong burgeoning feelings for one another. At these times, I think there was perhaps a little too much telling and not enough showing. Once they were separated, the depth of their love became apparent both in Elsa's immediate actions and their resolution to be together again someday no matter how long it took. Their love became the one thing that kept Henrik alive through some of his darkest hours, and I really enjoyed the love letters they exchanged while apart.
My Enemy, My Beloved has some wonderful secondary characters. Of particular note is Elsa's family. I loved their closeness and how she was able talk to her parents about most things. They were strict but commanded respect through their kindness and understanding, not harsh discipline methods, and they were always ready with sound advice. There were many friends for both Henrik and Elsa as well. Elsa's best friend, Erica, was a fixture throughout the story, but the more fluid nature of Henrik's life meant friends made, but then lost, as his circumstances changed. Once in a while some of the characters seemed a bit contradictory. In those moments, I think a little more introspection or expository narration might have helped to better understand their meanings and motives, but overall, I found all the characters very interesting with all of them adding to the story in some way.
Other than the couple of small issues I've mentioned so far, the only thing that prevented me from awarding a higher rating to the book was that the editing was extremely rough around the edges. The narrative could have been tightened up quite a bit through the elimination of a number of repetitive phrases and passages. I also found numerous continuity errors including character's names and ages changing, and inconsistent dating in the chapter headings near the end of the book, among other things. There were also probably hundreds of typos. I'm used to having some mistakes in every book I read, but when there are this many it does tend to be a distraction that can sometimes momentarily pull me out of the story while I figure out the real meaning. The other odd thing about the book is that it has no page numbers. This might seem like a very small thing, but for someone like myself who carefully tracks reading progress, this little detail was sorely missed. If the manuscript had been cleaned up better before publication, I would have had no qualms about giving the book keeper status, because otherwise, I found My Enemy, My Beloved to be a gem of a story that was engaging, intriguing, inspiring and an overall enjoyable read. If Karl Vanghen writes another novel, I would be very interested in checking it out.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via the publicist, Bostick Communications, in exchange for my review. ...more
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Jan 11, 2011
Jan 18, 2011
Jan 11, 2011
Sep 03, 2010
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor is a lovely children's book based on the true story of Lek Chailert, the director o Reviewed for THC Reviews
Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor is a lovely children's book based on the true story of Lek Chailert, the director of the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. Ms. Chailert has won numerous honors and awards for her work with animals, a talent which apparently surfaced when she was a young child. In my experience, kids really enjoy animals stories, and so do I. This alone made Mubu & Mu-Mu a joy to read. Knowing that it was something that really happened made it all the more special. The book has a rich narrative that can teach kids about the importance of animal conservation and that wild animals belong in their own habitats with their families.
The illustrations are vibrantly colorful and sure to catch a child's eye (they certainly drew my attention). Some of the vocabulary and sentence structure is a little more complex which might not be conducive to younger children reading alone, but it would be a great book for read-aloud story-time. At the end of the main story, there is a section about Mu-Mu which will teach children facts about gibbons and their habitats, another section about Mubu which tells about what Lek Chailert's life was like growing up, and last but not least a letter to readers from Ms. Chailert herself. I really enjoyed reading Mubu & Mu-Mu and wish that my own kids were still young enough to appreciate picture books, but it looks like the story should stand up to the test of time and will be a great keeper to share with grandkids or other children. It appears that Mubu & Mu-Mu is the first in a planned series of six books about Mubu's adventures with the animals, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next one, Mubu and the Ghosts & the Tiger. Part of the proceeds from the sale of each book is being donated to the Save the Elephants Foundation.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via the publicist, Bostick Communications, in exchange for my review. ...more
Notes are private!
Jan 09, 2011
Jan 09, 2011
Jan 09, 2011
Dec 16, 2010
Jan 05, 2011
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
I happen to be a hopeless romantic who is also fascinated by science, so the minute I saw The Science of Kissing: What Our Lip Reviewed for THC Reviews
I happen to be a hopeless romantic who is also fascinated by science, so the minute I saw The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us, I knew I had to read it. One might think that a scientific book on kissing might destroy the romanticism of the act, but for me, it did the exact opposite. It actually reinforced many of my romantic notions while explaining the logic and biology behind this most common of relational behaviors. Rather than writing a traditional review, I thought I would share some of the fascinating highlights and things I learned from this book:
*Although the evolutionary origins of the kiss cannot be found with absolute certainty, there are some very interesting theories of how kissing started.
*Many other animal species have kiss-like behaviors. I've seen things like this in nature documentaries and always thought that it was cute and intriguing that humans aren't the only ones who "kiss."
*Some cultures don't kiss or even find it disgusting. This has lessened considerably since globalization has taken hold, but there are still a few places in the world where kissing remains taboo.
*Men and women have very different views on kissing with women placing much more importance on the act. This may be because women have a stronger sense of smell and taste than men, which could make getting up close and personal a way of sensing compatible DNA in a mate through scent.
*Studies seems to suggest that men can subconsciously detect when a woman is ovulating, perhaps through distinct but subtle odors which a woman puts off at that time of the month.
*Kissing may be one of the germiest activities in which we engage, but there are also many health benefits that can outweigh or at least level the playing field.
*Serotonin levels in someone who has just fallen in love are similar to those found in someone suffering from OCD. (I found this fact highly amusing.:-))
*The lips take up more neural space than any other part of the body including the genitals.
*Some studies on kissing, including one conducted by the author herself while researching the book, have yielded highly unanticipated results, and equally surprisingly, there has been rather limited research done on this topic, leaving a wide playing field for future scientific investigation.
*Overall, the simple act of kissing does some pretty amazing things to our bodies, and intellectually understanding the chemical reactions involved could actually help us to more wisely choose our mate.
Any of this sound intriguing? It certainly was to me. Not only did it stimulate the geeky part of my brain, it also has inspired me to kiss my husband more frequently and thoroughly.;-) Don't be fooled into thinking this might be one of those dull, boring science books. Sheril Kershenbaum has a wonderful writing style that is engaging, informative and easy-to-understand all rolled into one. The Science of Kissing definitely satisfied both the romantic and the armchair scientist in me. It was a wholly enjoyable book that has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. Now that I've read it, I don't think I'll ever view a kiss in quite the same way again...but that's a good thing.:-)
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Hachette Book Group, in exchange for my review. ...more
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Jan 07, 2011
Jan 10, 2011
Jan 07, 2011
Jan 01, 2011
Feb 03, 2011
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Debut author Vicky Dreiling started off the new year with a bang for me with her first novel, How to Marry a Duke. Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Debut author Vicky Dreiling started off the new year with a bang for me with her first novel, How to Marry a Duke. In it, she created two likable and relatively complex characters with whom I enjoyed taking a journey to true love and happiness. Her historical spoof of the reality TV show, The Bachelor, was cute. It gave the story some lighthearted moments with a few of the courtship elements being laugh-out-loud funny. Yet it wasn't all fun and games. There was also a nice mix of angst and emotion as the hero and heroine both battle past hurts and scandals to find their way to an HEA. The author is very deft at teasing the reader with Tristan and Tessa's issues, so much so that by the time I finally got to the reveal, particularly of Tessa's secrets, I was absolutely dying to know. While I can't say that I was particularly surprised by the revelations from the past, Ms. Dreiling did make events more complicated than I was expecting, making it very easy for me to sympathize. Overall, How to Marry a Duke was a highly enjoyable read.
Tristan begins the story as an unrepentant rake who is highly cynical about love. He amused me early on with his overly logical brain which rejects the notion that true love could possibly be real. Yet, I believe he fell for Tessa instantly and irrevocably from the moment he accidentally stepped on her fan and looked up into the most beguiling face he'd ever seen. It just took him a long time to realize it, and watching him squirm while he figured that out was half the fun of the story. He was definitely one of those stubborn alphas who was totally brought to his knees by a little thing called love. When it came to the courtship, I liked that Tristan wanted more than a simpering, vapid chit to be his wife, and I was very pleasantly surprised by his willingness to pledge fidelity to whomever he chose, even though he didn't believe it would be a love match. I did doubt Tristan a bit in the beginning of the courtship when he seemed to be paying more attention to the "pretty girls," but he came around fairly quickly and proved that he had a good heart and could be fair to all the girls, recognizing that even the less physically attractive ones still had other admirable qualities. Tristan was quite the seductive charmer, but he could also be rather brooding. Best of all he was an incredibly honorable man, always trying to do right by everyone for whom he felt responsible. Tristan was certainly a very appealing hero and one who has earned a spot on my favorites list.
Tessa is a bit of a bluestocking, asserting the enjoyment of her independence and her matchmaking career as the main reasons for having no desire to marry, but no one knows that she harbors a painful secret that makes her feel unworthy of marriage. Instead, she chooses to live vicariously through the couples she matches. Underneath it all, it's obvious that she is a romantic, because she will only make love matches. The Duke, however, proves to be one of her biggest challenges, but she feels up to the task of opening his heart to love. Tessa is a rather plump heroine who doesn't consider herself to be particularly attractive, and it doesn't help when she overhears some biting remarks about her weight from a couple of the young ladies vying for Tristan's hand. All of this gives her a feeling of special responsibility to the wallflowers and unattractive ladies who no one seems to want to court. I liked that Tristan was able to make her feel beautiful. He was thoroughly entranced by her voluptuous figure and thought she was the loveliest woman he'd ever seen from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Tessa was a very sweet, kindhearted and thoughtful heroine who loved Tristan so much she was willing to give him up to save him from further hurt and scandal.
In addition to Tristan and Tessa, there were some very memorable secondary characters. At first, I was uncertain about Tristan's mother. She seemed rather cold and controlling, but it didn't take long for her to turn into an enigma with her belief in true love and apparent desire for her son to marry for love. Lady Shelbourne was a complicated character and the author definitely kept me guessing about her motives. The two bridal candidates who made it to the final round were both appealing in their own way, and I can't help but wonder if there might be stories for them somewhere down the line. Most notable of all was Tristan's best friend, Hawk, a rogue who could charm the stockings off any lady he wanted, but firmly asserted his love of bachelorhood. Much like Tristan though, this rake is about to fall and for none other than Tristan's sister, Julianne, a nice young lady who obviously only has eyes for him. I'm very much looking forward to reading their story, How to Seduce a Scoundrel, when it comes out in August 2011.
I can't wrap up my review without making special mention of my favorite scene in the entire book. The proposal was absolutely beyond amazing. It was so beautifully romantic, it left me with no doubt that Tristan loved Tessa to distraction. Not to mention, it had me crying so hard, you'd think I was the one being proposed to. I rarely cry when reading, but if I do, it's usually because of something sad or heartbreaking. I think this may mark the first time that I've actually cried happy tears over a book. Two things made it so lovely, one being the realization that Tristan had grown so dramatically from a resentful, cynical man who didn't believe in love into a man who wasn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and proved it by making a grand, romantic gesture that was unforgettable. The other thing is that the proposal seems to be a romantic element that often gets overlooked. Typically, in my experience of reading romance, it is either non-existent or it's a rather simple affair that doesn't stick with me. In How to Marry a Duke, Vicky Dreiling took the time and care to create one of the most memorable and romantic proposals I've ever read.
The plot itself is fairly fast-paced with lots of dialog, perhaps a little too much at times, because it occasionally seemed to drag a bit. Once in a while, I thought it could have used a few more details and introspection. The book isn't particularly steamy and normally this wouldn't bother me, but I couldn't help feeling just a tad disappointed that the final consummation wasn't a bit spicier after waiting so long to get there. In the grand scheme of things, these were little more than minor annoyances some of which may show Ms. Dreiling's greenness as an author and will probably work themselves out down the road as she gains more experience. Overall, I was always eager to get back to reading the book each time I had to put it down. For various reasons, I can see why How to Marry a Duke might not work for some readers, but personally, I was enchanted by its wonderful mixture of humor and emotion. I thought that it was an excellent debut novel, and I'll be eagerly waiting with bated breath for Ms. Dreiling's next release.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Hachette Book Group, in exchange for my review. ...more
Notes are private!
Jan 2011
Jan 06, 2011
Jan 01, 2011
Oct 30, 2007
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
A Christmas Kiss - A Christmas Kiss was a gentle, sweet, romantic story that helped to put me in the Christmas spirit. It wa Reviewed for THC Reviews
A Christmas Kiss - A Christmas Kiss was a gentle, sweet, romantic story that helped to put me in the Christmas spirit. It was a Cinderella-style tale of a lowly governess who has nowhere to go for Christmas and then fortuitously gets invited to the country house party of an Earl with whom she almost immediately falls in love. Even though it was based in large part on two of my least favorite romance tropes, a misunderstanding and love at first sight, I still couldn't help but enjoy it. The misunderstanding was more of a humorous comedy of errors than annoying, and the hero and heroine seemed to instantly connect on a deeper level than mere physical attraction which made them falling in love quickly more believable. I didn't even overly mind the huge age difference between them, because Philip seemed a bit younger than his forty-four years even though he had a grown son, and Evalyn was very mature in spite of her youth. Not to mention, from a historical perspective, it wasn't uncommon for a younger woman to marry an older man, so I could justify it in that context as well. The fairy tale theme also helped tremendously as that's one of my favorites.
It is pretty rare in romance for the hero to be above thirty-five, so I actually found it rather refreshing that Philip was a bit more mature in years. I could very much relate to him being a closet writer and an introvert who didn't care much for entertaining. He was a progressive thinker who believed that everyone, from nobleman to servant, should be treated with equality, which made him a very fair and gentle man. He may have badly misconstrued his son's intentions toward Evalyn which led to all sorts of trouble, but I did like that he was self-controlled enough to stay away from her in deference to his offspring after nearly kissing her.
Evalyn was a lovely heroine. I really respected her no-nonsense attitude, and she was an incredibly patient and talented governess who was just perfect with any child she encountered. She also proved she was quite capable of taking care of herself. The beginning of the story where she clocked her employer's son on the head with an atlas for making improper advances toward her was rather funny, but she was also wise enough to know that he was generally harmless and merely meant her action as a wake-up call for him. Evalyn was just an all-around nice person who was very caring, helpful, and always thinking of others.
A Christmas Kiss had a large cast of colorful secondary characters, most of whom had their own point-of-view scenes, making it more of an ensemble cast. I liked all of them except for the jealous Sally who was vying without success for Philip's attentions. She caused a bit of trouble for Evalyn, but got her comeuppance in the end. Phillip's son, Jamie, and his friend, Reggie, were really nice young men to make arrangements for Evalyn to have a dream holiday and help her find another position when she was dismissed without reference. Best of all, there were no less than three other romances going on in addition to Philip and Evalyn's. It was a lot of fun watching each couple go through their own romantic trials and each get an HEA too. I thought the author was very good at creating a beautiful feeling of longing between all of them which made my heart do a few flip-flops.
Traditional Regency authors seem to excel in the area of dialog, and Elizabeth Mansfield is no exception. I loved all the light bantering and gentle humor, and the dialog seemed to be pretty well-balanced with the introspective scenes. Other than a couple of mild profanities, this book had no objectionable content, so it should be appropriate for all romance readers. I really enjoyed reading about all the little Regency holiday traditions: kissing boughs, Yule logs, wassail, the dishes for Christmas dinner, and the games they played on Christmas Eve. There was just enough detail to make it interesting and bring the setting to life without overwhelming the rest of the story. I particularly enjoyed a conversation between all the guests about their favorite holiday traditions which I thought gave everything a nice, homey feel. The only thing that kept this story from getting a bit higher rating from me is that I would have liked Philip and Evalyn to have a few more scenes together. Overall, A Christmas Kiss left me with a smile on my face and a feeling of contentment. It may have been a nice, easy read, but was still quite enjoyable for me. This was my first novel by Elizabeth Mansfield, but it certainly won't be my last. A Christmas Kiss can be purchased as a separate book or as part of this two book anthology. Star Rating: ****
Winter Wonderland - Winter Wonderland is a sweet Traditional Regency romance that got off to a good start. It begins with a prologue where the author gives us a look back at the incident between the then-nineteen year-old hero and heroine which in many ways shaped Barnaby's life. Then it quickly fast-forwards eleven years to a much more mature heroine who has seen a great deal of hardship since then and a hero who has changed from a painfully shy youth into a man who, while no longer bashful, is still on the reserved side and described by many of the young ladies of the ton as forbidding. They chance to meet up again as both are traveling to Barnaby's brother's house, he for the holidays and she to become their new governess. The early chapters where they are journeying by stagecoach, robbed by highwaymen, and then stranded alone together for a couple of days at a small inn were delightfully warm and witty with just the right amount of emotion. Once Barnaby and Miranda were found by Barnaby's brother, Terrence, and returned to his home, I felt like some of the magic they had shared began to fade. Also, the misunderstanding drug on a little too long, really for the entire book, which I usually don't care for, because in my opinion, it takes away from the intimacy that could be building between the characters while they are instead holding themselves at arms-length.
I felt so sorry for poor Barnaby in the opening pages. The cut Miranda gave him at his first ball no less, was absolutely brutal. Having been timid in my youth like Barnaby and the butt of much teasing and jokes as well, I could really relate. In the moment, it was completely devastating to him, but immediately after, he vowed never to let something like that happen again. Since then, he has apparently enjoyed a rather storied career in the military and now works for the home office as a diplomat. Although his sister-in-law seems to be constantly playing matchmaker, Barnaby doesn't appear all that interested in marriage. In fact, he's been scaring away the young ladies with his cold and daunting frowns. When he meets up with Miranda again, Barnaby immediately recognizes her as the girl who humiliated him, and finds that he's still holding a grudge about it. In spite of him still stinging from Miranda's set-down all those years ago, I liked that Barnaby managed to behave like the proper gentleman he was, kindly saving her from both the unwanted advances of their fellow coach passenger and the highwaymen. Also, when they were stranded at the inn, and he got worked up into a pique of temper and was rude to her, he had the decency to feel badly about it later. During these parts, I found Barnaby to be quite funny, because it was obvious that he still liked Miranda and was very attracted to her, but wasn't about to admit it to himself or anyone else. After that though, I thought he allowed his resentment to go too far, even to the point of proposing to another woman just because he was too closed-minded to let himself believe that Miranda could have changed. At this point, I started to loose some respect for him. I know that he had been very hurt by Miranda in the past, but it was obvious to almost everyone but Barnaby that she was a very different woman than she was in her youth. At least, he made something of a comeback at the end, so I still generally liked him after all.
The way Miranda cut Barnaby in the prologue was so rude and obnoxious I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to warm up to her, but the author did an excellent job of making me forgive her almost instantly. It seems in the last eleven years, she has had to eat a huge slice of humble pie. Any happiness she might have had in the marriage she thought would be perfect, was in actuality very short-lived. She herself felt the constant sting of humiliation as her husband gambled away their fortune and ran through a succession of mistresses until he ultimately died in a duel with a husband he'd cuckolded. The uncaring lout didn't even leave Miranda a penny in his will, so after her year of mourning was up, she had to turn over all property to her brother-in-law who was the rightful heir to her husband's estate. He and his wife were going to allow Miranda to stay with them, but it turned out to be a backhanded offer with the wife in particular behaving insufferably toward Miranda until she knew she had to get away from them by making her own way in the world. She had already learned to live with a skeleton staff, doing many of the household chores herself, so applying for a position as a governess didn't seem like much of a stretch. Even the few meager possessions that Miranda called her own were cruelly taken from her, so she definitely was a sympathetic character in spite of her inauspicious beginning. I liked her determination to make lemonade with the lemons life had handed her. She ended up being very good with Terrence and Delia's children even though she had no real experience with kids. I also liked her willingness to sincerely apologize to Barnaby when Delia finally reminded her of her transgression, and that she was properly horrified by her former behavior. I think it all showed that she truly was a changed woman.
Winter Wonderland has a colorful cast of secondary characters, primarily Barnaby's brothers and their wives who seem to have a penchant for meddling in his life to the point of driving Barnaby to distraction. Being the youngest of four brothers by ten years, Barnaby's siblings have essentially lavished him with fatherly affection since he was born, and have always been overprotective of him, never allowing him to fight his own battles. Barnaby's sisters-in-law, especially Honoria, have a penchant for matchmaking. Honoria seems to think it her sworn duty to find him a wife, and she believes she found the perfect mate for him in sweet little Livy, a comely but timid girl who appears to be having trouble finding a husband due to her shyness. I liked Livy through most of the story and was hoping that as the third wheel, she wasn't going to get left out in the cold. I needn't have worried, because as it turns out, she already had a suitor waiting in the wings. Her mother simply thought the man wasn't good enough for her and Barnaby would be a better catch. I wholeheartedly believe that Livy ended up with the right guy, but I do wish that she had shown a little more backbone when making her choice. Her indecisiveness left me with a little doubt about her HEA. Then there were Barnaby's nephews, of whom the youngest, Jamie, reminds Barnaby of himself at that age. The boy is kind of on the shy side and like Barnaby is coddled by his older brothers, so Barnaby tends to show Jamie special attention.
Overall, Winter Wonderland was a pretty good read. The beginning really drew me into the story, and I thought it might end up becoming a keeper for me. It probably would have too, if it hadn't been for Barnaby's grudge and the misunderstandings resulting from it dragging on too long for my liking. He kept going back and forth between being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and wouldn't communicate with Miranda at all about the incident that left him "scarred for life." Not being a fan of anger turned to passion moments, their first kiss didn't do much for me either. However, both Barnaby and Miranda were pretty likable characters, and their "starting over" scene was really cute and romantic as was the epilogue, so in the end it balanced out fairly well for me. Elizabeth Mansfield is one of the better Traditional Regency authors I've read, so I'm looking forward to checking out some of her other non-Christmas-y works. Winter Wonderland can be purchased as a separate book or as part of this two book anthology. Star Rating: **** ...more
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Dec 18, 2010
Dec 18, 2011
Dec 19, 2010
Mar 03, 2009
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" A Lion Called Christian is a wonderful, almost serendipitous true story of how two friends from Australia purchase Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" A Lion Called Christian is a wonderful, almost serendipitous true story of how two friends from Australia purchased a lion cub from Harrod's Department Store in London in 1969, and about a year later were able to return him to the wild in Africa. Christian seemed like the most gentle, even-tempered lion one could ever hope to encounter. He also had a very big personality. From the moment the authors, Anthony "Ace" Bourke and John Rendall met Christian at Harrod's they were completely taken with him. I think it was that immediate bond, perhaps coupled with a little bit of daring on their part and a little enjoyment of the novelty of owning an exotic pet that fueled their purchase of Christian. Even though they had fun with the latter, Ace and John were pretty realistic right from the start, knowing that they couldn't keep Christian forever, because he would eventually outgrow their living space. Almost from the moment they bought him, the friends began looking for suitable arrangements for Christian when the time came. They hated the idea of him being in a zoo or circus and were always looking for someplace where he could be in a more natural habitat. The area in which they worked seemed to be a draw for the wealthy and celebrities, and as luck would have it, the pair had the good fortune to meet Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, the stars of the motion picture, Born Free. Since making the movie, Bill and Virginia had been very involved in conservation efforts and making wildlife documentaries, and were able to get Ace and John in touch with George Adamson, the man who Bill had played in the movie. This set in motion a series of events which made it possible for Ace and John to return Christian to Africa to be rehabilitated into the wild.
Ace and John wrote A Lion Called Christian after taking Christian to Africa. It was first published in 1971, but apparently the book was recently updated and re-released when the video clip of their reunion with Christian a year later went viral on YouTube. The idea that a lion could not only remember them, but greet them with the same affection and exuberance that he had shown when they lived together, after spending a year in the wild, was amazing. Although Christian had a couple of frightful moments that were a stark reminder of the wild creature that he was, thankfully, no one was seriously injured, and all in all, he sounded like a wonderful animal that it would have been a pleasure to know. I'm not sure what the practices were at that time, but nowadays, scientists would probably have tagged and/or put a tracker on him to trace his movements. At that time, George Adamson physically went out looking for the lions he was rehabilitating, and eventually lost track of Christian when the lion moved too far away. It would have been nice to know precisely what became of him. Unfortunately, we can only assume, but Christian's life was a pretty remarkable one for the three years that humans knew and interacted with him. There was also a documentary made in conjunction with Christian's exodus from England and reintroduction to his natural habitat which I hope to see at some point.
It seems that Christian was an inspiration to all with whom he came in contact, and through this book, I was no exception. I've always loved animal stories and this one was a quick and easy read. I think older children and up could appreciate its message of friendship, loyalty, love and trust, as well as the importance of ecology and keeping wild animals wild. I'm so glad to see that George Adamson's work in wildlife conservation has continued, and Ace and John are involved in those efforts. Reading this book has also stirred my interest in checking out Born Free. I highly recommend A Lion Called Christian to all animal lovers, especially those who are interested in big cats and wildlife in general. It's definitely one that will be going on my keeper shelf. ...more
Notes are private!
Jul 11, 2011
Jul 27, 2011
Oct 10, 2010
Nov 2006
Oct 01, 2007
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Friends with Benefits has now taken over the top spot for my all-time favorite erotic romance. Forget content warnings. This b Reviewed for THC Reviews
Friends with Benefits has now taken over the top spot for my all-time favorite erotic romance. Forget content warnings. This book should have come with a health warning.;-) While reading it, I found myself literally short of breath and light-headed more than once. It had me feeling like I might spontaneously combust while simultaneously melting into a puddle of goo. This friends-to-lovers story had a surprising amount of emotional depth and a pretty decent plot for an erotic novel. I've discovered that erotic authors often have a tendency to put in just a few too many sex scenes, leaving my interest waning by the end, but that definitely wasn't the case here. I was fully engaged from beginning to end, because all the intense, scorching hot love scenes were interspersed with a good balance of great outside-the-bedroom scenes between the hero and heroine, as well as their interactions with the secondary characters. In fact, the one and only thing that wasn't quite my cup of tea was the group sex scene. Aside from that, everything made for a superb read that left me hot and bothered, emotionally enthralled, and wishing the story were longer, so that I wouldn't have to say farewell to Sebastian and Bailey.
Sebastian was almost sheer perfection in a romantic hero for me. I know it might sound strange, but occasionally, I can tire of all the gorgeous men in romance novels. Sometimes I just long for a hero who seems a bit more attainable, and Sebastian fit that bill perfectly. He is without a doubt attractive, but in a more subdued way. Bailey describes him as cute rather than all that Hollywood hotness, he wears glasses, and he's more average in height. I absolutely loved this dichotomy. By day, he's a relatively mild-mannered attorney and Bailey's safe, always dependable best friend (next to Cat). But when this tiger is turned loose, he becomes a jealous, protective dom with a kinky spanking fetish. Sebastian exudes an air of confidence that's close to bordering on cocky, but not quite. I simply found him too endearing for that. The authors also gave him a wicked sense of humor and a touch of vulnerability in the way that Bailey touches his emotions so deeply that he sometimes looses his carefully planned control. He was even the first to say, "I love you" even though she didn't hear him. I adored his protectiveness and need to take care of her in a kind of old-fashioned, "I'm the man you're the woman" sort of way even before they were intimately involved, and he does take care of her quite well in more ways than one. I also loved that his dominating behavior was never intimidating to me, and the spankings were never, ever intended to hurt or humiliate. Even when he was "punishing" Bailey, his love and deep desire for her still emanated from the pages. All in all, Sebastian was just too scrumptious for words, and has definitely earned a spot on my favorite heroes list.
Bailey is a strong, stubborn lady with commitment issues. Normally, a romance heroine who has slept around quite a bit and is forward enough to proposition her best friend when she can no longer bear her sexual drought would irritate me, but Bailey never did. I think the authors did a wonderful job of conveying Bailey's fear and confusion over the feelings that Sebastian stirs up within her, and with giving her a good reason for her reluctance to commit. Every time Bailey got riled up at Sebastian for some small thing, I thought she might cross that annoyance line for me, but then, the authors would show some of her deeply buried vulnerabilities and I would realize that she was simply scared out of her mind by what he was making her feel. Sebastian's patience finally won the day, chipping away at her defenses to expose some of her soft spots and then soothing them with his love. I also liked that in the beginning, when Sebastian begins revealing his kinks to her, she is confused and wary, but also spunky enough to be fascinated by it all and revel in the sexual freedom she feels with him. Overall, Bailey was a very relatable heroine who I really enjoyed.
I think one of the things that made Friends with Benefits such a wonderful story was all the great relationship dynamics. I liked that the authors took the time to address the race issue, and show just a small taste of the difficulties Sebastian and Bailey might face as an interracial couple. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance themes, and here the friendship was a very palpable thing. I loved the way this couple teased and bantered with one another. The hero and heroine of a romance butting heads and exchanging barbs is another thing I usually find grating, but here I loved it and found it to be utterly endearing. I also thoroughly enjoyed how they could talk and laugh and simply share things. It was definitely a true friendship in the deepest sense of the word that made them falling in love very believable. I also liked Bailey's friendship with Cat and her closeness with her mom. The dialog she shared with both of them was breezy fun. We don't get to see as much of Sebastian's guy relationships, but his other best friend, Mason, played a strong role in the story too.
Friends with Benefits is the second, and I had originally thought, last book in The Boulevard series with the first being Maverick's Black Cat which had featured Mason and Cat as the hero and heroine. However, after reading it, I can say that the ending definitely left open the possibility of another story. Sebastian's law partner, Phil, and Natalie, the owner of The Boulevard fetish club and one of Sebastian's clients were certainly admiring each other from afar and obviously wanting more. Even though Phil was a bit too smooth for my taste, Natalie caught my attention, so I wouldn't mind reading their story if the authors ever decide to write it. I was also hoping to see more of Sebastian and Bailey in their book, much like I did, Mason and Cat in this book, but sadly, I don't know if that will ever happen. It has been close to five years since Friends with Benefits was first released, and neither Ms. Matthews nor Ms. Casper have any announcements of another book in the works on their websites. Even if this does turn out to be the end for The Boulevard, it was a fabulous way to go out. Friends with Benefits will always have a well-earned spot on my keeper shelf, and I'll look forward to checking out the authors' other works.
Note: This book contains explicit language and sexual situations, including mild domination/submission, spanking, use of a sex toy, and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive. ...more
Notes are private!
Mar 30, 2011
Mar 31, 2011
Sep 13, 2010
Jul 27, 2004
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Yours Until Dawn kind of reminded me of the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. Gabriel, the blind hero, is stubbornly i Reviewed for THC Reviews
Yours Until Dawn kind of reminded me of the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. Gabriel, the blind hero, is stubbornly independent, bumbling his way around the house, because he can't stand to be coddled, yet at the same time he can get worked up into childish piques of temper that have him deliberately destroying things in frustration. Samantha is an admirable heroine who is equally stubborn and determined to prove to Gabriel that his life isn't over just because he's lost his sight, and that with some work, he can lead a fulfilling and relatively normal existence. The banter between Gabriel and Samantha could be quite amusing, especially when he is trying everything in his power to make her resign her position as his nurse, but she persevered with long-suffering dignity, doing everything he asked of her even though he was making a complete pest of himself. I thought that it was very sweet how Samantha was able to bring little joys back into Gabriel's life. The game of blind man's bluff with the servants was hilarious, and the little puppy she brought home for him was just too cute. It was funny how Gabriel's griped and grumbled about the dog, but then was a total pushover for the little beast. While not exactly a seeing eye dog, Sam certainly earned his keep. Best of all, I liked how Samantha stood up to Gabriel's family when they tried to treat him like an invalid. It's no wonder he didn't want them around.
Yours Until Dawn was a likable and entertaining story, but during the first half or so of the book, I found my mind wandering a bit. I think part of the reason for this is that the character development seemed to be somewhat lacking. The author hints at past heartbreak for both Gabriel and Samantha but never takes it much further than that. I just kept finding myself eager to know more about them, but not discovering much. Then there were the snippets of correspondence that act as epigraphs for each chapter. I have to admit that initially I was completely baffled as to their purpose. As the story progressed, Ms. Medeiros revealed enough information for me to realize that they were excerpts from love letters that Gabriel had written to Cecily, the woman he had loved and who had abandoned him after learning of his blindness. Even still, I was a little confused about their meaning, but decided that they were there to demonstrate the confident, charming man that Gabriel had been before his battle injuries had robbed him of his sight. As it turns out, I wasn't entirely correct, because a little over halfway into the novel, the author threw me a major curve ball that I didn't see coming until I was right on top of it, at which point, everything came together to make perfect sense. Then the ambiguous character development which I had initially viewed as a weakness wasn't quite as big of an issue anymore. Even though I still wanted somewhat deeper characterizations, I 'm not sure how the author could have accomplished that and still told the same story.
Although it didn't quite reach the heights of perfections for me, Yours Until Dawn was still an enjoyable read. I think it was generally a little lighter and more cheerful than I was expecting given the subject matter. Gabriel was tortured by his affliction, but perhaps not to the extreme of some other romance heroes I've read. Samantha is a little tortured by her past actions too, but again not in an extreme way. I think this just left me with the feeling that there wasn't as much depth of emotion as there should have been. I also wasn't entirely sensing the love connection. At first, it just seemed like they were only falling in love because Gabriel felt challenged by Samantha and she felt empathy for his situation. However, once it got to the plot twist, the story took a very touching turn. After that, I was very much on board with this couple finding their HEA. I do wish that Samantha hadn't kept running from Gabriel quite so much and had just stood her ground and told him the truth. In the end though, she finally found her courage, so alls well that ends well, I suppose. Yours Until Dawn was perhaps a bit too neat and tidy of a story for my taste with everything coming together a little too perfectly, but in spite of that, it was still an entertaining read that had some decent emotion without being too angsty and was lighthearted without being silly. In some ways it reminded me of the one Julia Quinn book I read a while back, so fans of hers may enjoy Teresa Medeiros's style as well. Yours Until Dawn was my first book by Ms. Medeiros, but it has definitely left me open to trying others by her in the future. ...more
Notes are private!
Oct 26, 2011
Oct 31, 2011
Aug 22, 2010
Mar 01, 2011
Mar 29, 2011
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
When J. R. Ward first began the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, she had planned for a ten book story arc. Now that the series Reviewed for THC Reviews
When J. R. Ward first began the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, she had planned for a ten book story arc. Now that the series has gained a huge fan following which only seems to grow larger every day, Ms. Ward has made a commitment to take the Brothers' story beyond her original outline. With this in mind and considering that Lover Unleashed is book #9 of the series, it was not too surprising that it has become something of another transition book with several new characters and secondary plotlines being added as well as some others being built upon which could eventually become the main narrative in future books. Also, the Black Dagger Brotherhood has always been an extremely sexy and sensual series, but Ms. Ward, without a doubt, decided to take a walk on the wild side of romance with the inclusion of some pretty erotic content in Lover Unleashed that goes a bit beyond anything she has written before. She is consistently known for taking chances though, so I can't say that any of this truly shocked me. In fact, there didn't seem to be a lot of surprises in this book in general, like there have been in previous ones of the series. Even one of the big reveals, I saw coming very early in the book. The supposed main hero and heroine didn't quite capture my heart in the same way that many of the other couples have either, but as usual, there was enough going on to hold my attention and keep even a finicky reader like myself engrossed and in the end, satisfied.
Payne is Vishous' twin sister who was introduced in previous books. She is an extremely dichotomous character in that she has the heart and will of a warrior housed in the beautifully ethereal body of a Chosen. She has committed patricide and yet is a demure, innocent virgin who has never even been kissed. In spite of her innocence, she is still quite curious about sex and just a little on the seductive side. She even growls like one of the Brothers at the thought of "her male" being with another woman which I thought was adorable. I love that Payne is so accepting and loving toward her brother, V, and her act from the past is proof that she is every bit as protective of him as he is of her. At the end of Lover Mine, Payne was seriously injured in a sparring match with Wrath on the Other Side, and was brought over to seek medical treatment. Oddly enough, this accident was the catalyst for her finally finding the freedom she had sought for three centuries. Payne was something of a tortured heroine considering that she had been driven to murder her own father and as a result was held captive by the Scribe Virgin (her mother) ever since, but I didn't feel like that part of her was brought out sufficiently. In the beginning, I thought she showed shades of being a lot like V, and while there are some characteristics they shared, overall, she was a very different person. I felt like the promise she extracted from Vishous was rather extreme, and her later wishes surrounding that as well, but I suppose I can give her some leeway considering that she felt as much a prisoner in her own body as she had in the Scribe Virgin's Sanctuary, and because of being so sheltered she was unaware of the things she might be able to do. Overall, I liked Payne, but I couldn't help feeling like she could have been a little better developed as a heroine.
I actually felt much the same way about Manny as the hero. I liked him, but he just didn't have a very compelling backstory. The most interesting piece of information about him isn't revealed until the end, and unfortunately, it was the thing I predicted. He's a brilliant but workaholic surgeon who doesn't have much of a life outside the hospital except for the racehorse he recently purchased. I was a little worried when it seemed that he was still carrying a torch for Jane a year after her "death," but of course the moment he lays eyes on Payne, it pretty much became a case of "Jane who?". Manny can be a bit cocky about his doctoring skills, but talk about his beside manner. Whew! That's some hot stuff.;-) I did love how he was so sweet with Payne, always trying to take his time even thought she made his blood rage with a desire he'd never known before, but she could completely undo him with a word, a touch, or the slightest little thing. I also liked that at 45 in human years, he was a more mature hero which is a rarity in romance.
The way Manny goes about helping Payne heal was certainly a unique and different element which alone made me like it, but at the same time I couldn't help but crave a little deeper relationship development. A couple of times, I did zone out just a bit while waiting for them to really get to know each other, but since it seems there wasn't a lot to know, I can't say that I ever fully got my wish. There is also a lot of holding at arms length especially on Manny's part, because he truly believes whatever is happening between them is, and should be, just a temporary thing. Unfortunately, distance like this in a romance rarely works for me, and even though things did slowly progress, I just never felt an intense love connection between them like I did for many of the other couples in the series. Ultimately, I liked Payne and Manny, and think I could have loved them if there had been a little more substance in their relationship, but in my opinion, it never quite got there.
On the other hand, I was thrilled to see so much of my favorite BDB couple, Vishous and Jane. In an ongoing series like this, it's always nice to revisit some of the characters and see that they are still completely committed to one another, but have problems like any married couple does. It's just that V and Jane's are a bit more extreme than average, and I have to say that it darn near killed me to see them having trust issues which put so much distance between them. It wasn't too surprising though, considering V's past which the reader was privy to in Lover Unbound, but I had forgotten that he hadn't shared much of it with Jane. Now finding out he has a sister is really messing with his head in a big way and stirring up stuff he thought he'd put to rest. I was a little disappointed in Jane for doubting Vishous and for being so quick to help with Payne's "plan," but I also understood her reasons. When it came to her doubts, the issue was very complex and I could see it both ways, and when it came to Payne, she was quite simply scared out of her mind over what Payne's request might do to V's already precarious mental state. In the end, Jane was very intuitive of V's needs and I admire how she has always been so loving and accepting of who he is. For his part, V may be a male of few words, but he knows how to make them count. He also has a difficult time expressing his emotions, but is still able to do a respectable job though his actions, and after a miraculous breakthrough, he only became more lovable to me. Just like in Lover Revealed, Vishous (along with Butch) pretty much stole the show in my mind. Then, his reconciliation with Jane was so deeply touching it left me in tears (just like their book) and with no doubts whatsoever about their staying power and rightness for one another.
As ever, Butch is V's loyal best friend who proved that he was willing to do literally anything for him. I have to admit that initially I was more than a little skeptical about where things seemed to be heading for this pair, because it felt like it could really mess things up both between them as friends and between them and their respective shellans. I was also a little disconcerted by Jane's easy acceptance and wondering why she wasn't getting more involved, until I realized that what V needed went way beyond her comfort level. It was like she'd been playing in the shallow end of the pool and then asked to go off the diving board. I was getting all sorts of weirded out by what I thought was coming, but once again, J.R. Ward amazed me by taking something for which the anticipation had me literally squirming in my seat and then made me totally OK with it in the end. What Butch did to help V face his demons and let go of his bottled-up emotions was thoroughly beautiful and not at all what I was expecting. Rather than giving V what he thought he wanted, Butch intuitively gave him what he needed most, even though it just about killed him to do it. These two share a love that is so inexplicable and deeply complex that to my way of thinking, it cannot be defined and utterly defies categorization. It's not just Eros (even though there has occasionally been a sexual undercurrent present), it's not just Agape (brotherly love), and it's not just Philia (friendship). It's like all three rolled into one with a dash of more ingredients added to make it their own special brand of love and yet somehow it avoids threatening their relationships with their shellans so that I can still easily believe in those HEAs. For an author to be able to express something complicated and intangible like this in a way that I can understand is truly some masterful writing. In spite of Butch's assertions of being fine, however, I can't help wondering if this act and the shocker he got at the end, might not lead to a future post-HEA crisis for him like some of the other Brothers have had.
In addition to the Manny/Payne and Butch/Vishous/Jane storylines, there were some other secondary plots which introduced new characters and built on existing ones. The potential romance for Qhuinn and Blaylock progressed just a little. Blay is still lovers with Saxton even though his heart lies with Qhuinn who made some major changes in this book. Qhuinn still isn't ready to publicly declare his love for Blay, but he did finally admit it to someone. His relationship with Layla also changes and he had a surprise vision of a possible future which left both him and me confused and wanting to know more. Readers are also introduced to a new group of vampires from the Old World, "The Band of Bastards" who are former followers of the Bloodletter. Their leader, Xcor, looks like he may be shaping up to cause some major complications for Wrath. Throe, who appears to be Xcor's second in command, was pretty fascinating and has the potential for great hero material. He, along with Veck, a homicide detective and new partner for Detective Jose de la Cruz, seem to be two different sides of the same coin with their avenging angel personas. I really look forward to seeing more of these two.
Lover Unleashed turned out to be yet another good read in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Even though Manny and Payne didn't fully capture my attention as a main couple, some of the other supporting characters helped to pick up the slack. There could have been a little more action too. As written, there were only a couple of lesser encounters. Although many fans will probably be pleased to know that there were no lesser point-of-view scenes, I thought the lack of their presence or any other major physical conflicts made the story a bit slow-paced at times. However, a lot can be said for emotional conflicts of which there were quite a few. As always it was a pleasure to visit with the Brotherhood. Now that I'm finished with Lover Unleashed, I'm sad that I'll have to wait another year before I get to do it again, but if J. R. Ward sticks to her original plan of making Tohr hero #10, that ought to be a book well worth waiting for.
Note: This book contains quite a bit of strong language, explicit violence which includes a string of grisly serial killings, and explicit sexual content including the use of BDSM devices (though not for sexual pleasure), menage a trois, and some male/male action, all of which some readers may find offensive. ...more
Notes are private!
Apr 2011
Apr 10, 2011
Aug 02, 2010
Jan 01, 2004
Feb 01, 2004
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Have You Seen Her? was another exciting romantic suspense from Karen Rose. The serial killer mystery part of the b Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Have You Seen Her? was another exciting romantic suspense from Karen Rose. The serial killer mystery part of the book was taut with suspense. Although the real killer was definitely at the top of my suspect list, Ms. Rose certainly made me second guess myself several times, making the journey to discovering his identity enjoyable. She also threw in a little twist that I didn't see coming. I thought the romance aspect could have been just a wee bit better. For some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I didn't feel the connection between the hero and heroine quite as deeply as I would have liked. Perhaps it was because their relationship developed rather quickly over the course of only a few weeks, which isn't really my favorite way for a couple to fall in love. However, their romance was still good. Stephen and Jenna are both wounded souls who very much need each other, but they're also both rather stubborn and after being deeply hurt in the past, don't want to feel needy. As a consequence, this led to some amusing arguments, as well as intense passion. I felt that Stephen held back the truth about his first wife from Jenna a little too long, but otherwise, they communicated quite well for two people who had just met and were still getting to know each other.
I had really liked Stephen in Karen Rose's first book, Don't Tell. When he's on a case, he's more than just a cop. He truly cares about the victims and their families. It's what drives him to be a great detective, but it also puts a strain on his family relationships, especially with his kids. Stephen is definitely not a perfect dad, but he is a great one, nonetheless. He really loves his boys and although he has some problems with them, it just made him all the more relatable to me. Stephen was a very nice guy who certainly didn't deserve the cruel way in which his first wife abandoned him and their children. Because of that, Stephen has issues with trusting women, but that was understandable. However, it does lead to some problems with Jenna, and even I got a little miffed with him when he got jealous and spitefully left Jenna alone at the school even though he supposedly feared for her safety. That seemed like a rather dumb move for such a smart man, and I couldn't help but side with her when she temporarily broke off their relationship because of it. Luckily, Jenna was a pretty patient woman and eventually heard him out and forgave him. On the up side, the thing I really loved about Stephen was that he is a rare celibate hero who actually believes that if he has sex with a woman he better be prepared to marry her, and so consequently doesn't sleep around. The romance seas are brimming with playboy heroes, so I couldn't help but find Stephen's perspective utterly refreshing.
Jenna is a wonderfully caring woman who is struggling emotionally as the second anniversary of her fiancé's death approaches. As a teacher, she truly desires to give her students the best education she possibly can and always looks out for their well-being. It's her mindful attitude regarding Stephen's son, Brad that led to her meeting Stephen in the first place. She's fabulous with all of Stephen's boys, especially little Nicky who was still recovering from the trauma of being abducted just six months earlier (Don't Tell). I really enjoyed their scenes together as Jenna gave Nicky lots of love and special attention. She has a major soft spot for animals too and has two dogs that she saved from being euthanized and then trained them to guard her extremely well. She also does plenty of volunteer work at the animal shelter and the hospice where her fiancé passed away. Jenna may be a very nice person, but underneath it all, she's a tough-as-nails lady with a brown belt in karate. I love how she stood up to a bullying parent and wouldn't back down on the failing grade she gave his son even though her weaselly principle wouldn't support her in that decision and she started receiving threats because of it. All throughout the story, but especially when she had to go up against the killer, Jenna showed great courage, fortitude and strength of spirit.
Have You Seen Her? boasts a plethora of supporting players that I occasionally had a hard time keeping straight. In spite of that, I have to say that they were all rendered extremely well and each had his or her own very important role to play. Stephen's family is warm and wonderful. Brad is initially quite sullen, but I figured out very quickly what his problem was. Nicky is as cute as a button. It's sweet how Aunt Helen is always trying to play matchmaker to Stephen, and her banter with Matt was LOL funny. Stephen's priest friend, Mike was a good sounding board for Stephen's problems with both his boys and Jenna. Jenna's fiancé's family has become hers, and although she doesn't get along so well with her almost sister-in-law, everyone still loves and cares about her very much, as does her "nosy" neighbor, Mrs. Kasselbaum, who was a funny old lady. Stephen assembles an extremely talented investigative team to solve the string of murders, and each person on the team has their own personality and abilities that they bring to the table to get the job done. Neil Davies the lead investigator for the murders in Seattle joins them too. I had to admire his determination to put the killer behind bars after his own investigation went south, but on the other hand, he irritated me a bit when he tried to put the moves on Jenna. Then of course there was the Lutz family who give a whole new meaning to creepy. Unlike with most of Karen Rose's books, it doesn't look like the characters from Have You Seen Her? carry over to future books at this time, the only exception being Stephen who it appears may have a secondary role in Kill for Me. All in all, everything came together to make Have You Seen Her? a great read. With two winners in a row, Karen Rose has earned a spot on my favorite authors list, and I'm really looking forward to reading more of her novels soon.
Note: Karen Rose has a highly interconnected character web throughout all of her books, and they are considered something of an unofficial series. Although it appears that each book stands well on it's own story-wise, I think the reading experience would probably be enhanced by reading the books in the chronological order in which they were written, which is what I intend to do. A complete list including the recommended reading order and character connections can be found on Karen Rose's website. ...more
Notes are private!
Sep 06, 2011
Sep 13, 2011
Jul 27, 2010
Jan 01, 1969
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Sounder isn't so much a story about a dog as it is the coming of age story of an African American boy in the depression era So Reviewed for THC Reviews
Sounder isn't so much a story about a dog as it is the coming of age story of an African American boy in the depression era South. There is a beauty in the simplicity of the author's writing which imparts a great deal of meaning in a minimum of words. William H. Armstrong was definitely an author who understood the meaning of the saying, "Less is more" and put it to good use. I never thought a book in which the characters have no names could be so powerful, yet even though I didn't know what they were called and very little of what they looked like, the author made me really care about them. Though spare and unembellished, his narrative managed to convey the hardships of life for a sharecropping family during that time. Loneliness seems to be a running theme throughout a large part of the book, and I could sense the boy's feelings of isolation very deeply. It is also a story about searching for meaning in life. As the boy travels around the countryside looking for his father, he discovers his heart's desire. It is also about the unbreakable bond between a man and his dog that often transcends our mortal understanding. The way this connection was depicted near the end of the book was both joyful and heartbreaking at the same time, bringing tears to my eyes.
From a parental standpoint, I think this book has some wonderful messages to convey to kids. All of the main characters, the boy, his mother, his father, and Sounder, all showed a great deal of determination in the face of adversity. The family exhibits a strong religious faith that was rendered in a very gentle way that I enjoyed. There is also the idea that if we search long enough and work hard enough, we can accomplish what we set out to do. Although I didn't feel that there was anything particularly unsuitable for kids in the book, sensitive readers, especially animal lovers, should be aware that there are a couple of descriptive scenes involving cruelty to animals and details of injuries received by both a human character and an animal. The boy also thought about what it might be like to watch two men die, one in the way that he'd seen a bull strangled and the other in the way that he'd seen a scarecrow torn apart by the wind. It was only his thoughts though, and he never outwardly exhibited any violent tendencies. Not to mention, both men had treated him very poorly, so it was rather understandable. Lastly, there is one use of the "n" word as a racial slur, and two characters die, but of course, dying is simply a part of life.
Sounder, like many other children's classics, may be more easily appreciated by adults, but in my opinion, there is much for children to glean from it's pages, lessons that kids in our modern world need to learn but often don't. Sounder is a beautiful story that has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I can understand why it won the Newberry Medal. It is a wonderful tale that is truly powerful in its simplicity. Although it isn't really marketed a such, Sounder is the first in a trilogy of books followed by Sour Land and The MacLeod Place. It was also made into a motion picture that received several Academy Award nominations. I'm really looking forward to reading the other books in the series and seeing the movie as well. ...more
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Feb 22, 2011
Feb 24, 2011
May 17, 2010
May 01, 2007
May 01, 2007
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
I think perhaps it had been so long between my reading of Virgin River and picking up the second book of the series, Shelter M Reviewed for THC Reviews
I think perhaps it had been so long between my reading of Virgin River and picking up the second book of the series, Shelter Mountain, that I had forgotten how Robyn Carr's storytelling in some ways resembles women's fiction a bit more than romance. The Virgin River series has more of an ensemble cast, and the author takes frequent jaunts away from the "main" hero and heroine to explore those character's stories. While I do enjoy strong secondary characters, the pages and pages Ms. Carr devotes to them with Preacher and Paige either out of sight or in the background made me feel like they were being a little shortchanged. Overall, I would estimate that approximately one third, if not more of the book, is devoted to the other characters which left me with very mixed feelings. All their stories were interesting and added to the broader sense of community in Virgin River, but I couldn't help being a little frustrated knowing that during those times, the author could have been heightening the intimacy between Preacher and Paige by showing more of their interactions and/or deepening Paige's characterization. Still, in spite of my discontent over not seeing more of Preacher and Paige, I couldn't quite come to begrudge the other characters their moments in the limelight as their stories were pretty moving as well. These scenes also helped to build the overall series story arc which I admit does draw me in with its small-town warmth. I guess I'll just have to hope to see more of Preacher and Paige in the future books of the series, much like I got with Jack and Mel (Virgin River) in Shelter Mountain.
I totally fell for Preacher when he was just a secondary character in Virgin River, and was very much looking forward to reading his story. I tend to tire of the womanizing heroes who often populate romance novels, so an inexperienced guy like Preacher who's even rather uncomfortable and lacking confidence around women was a breath of fresh air. I thought it was very sweet that he was a little afraid of making love to Paige, but his sensitive side ended up making him a wonderful lover. It was great that Preacher had a good upbringing which left him with a solid foundation to help someone like Paige through her trauma. Even though he hadn't spent much time around women and kids, he was a real gentleman who just instinctively knew what to do and how to behave. He was very gentle, loving and patient right from the start not only with Paige, but also with her son, Christopher, who had never really known the love of a father. I even liked that he wasn't a gorgeous man and in fact, was used to his looks scaring people, but underneath it all he was just a great big teddy bear. Not only that but he was a fabulous cook too, a very unusual profession for a romance hero. I wish Jack's Bar really existed just so that I could go try Preacher's cooking. Yum!;-) The only thing that I found slightly questionable about his characterization was that for being such a shy, quiet guy who barely strung two words together in Virgin River, he seemed to turn rather talkative all of a sudden which just didn't seem to fit. Otherwise, I absolutely loved this guy.
Paige is a stereotypical battered wife. She was raised in a family with a verbally abusive father, passive mother, and bullying brother. Her upbringing likely subconsciously played a role in her marrying an abusive man who nearly beat her to death, and threatened her life, leaving her on the run. She accidentally ends up in the little town of Virgin River where everyone helps anyone in need, and of course it is there that she finds healing for not only her battered body, but her spirit as well. Preacher's gentle ways and the kindness of all the other town's people assist her in regaining her confidence to fight back against her husband. She is also a great, caring mother to Christopher. Unfortunately, this is about as far as Paige's characterization went, and I couldn't help feeling that she was somewhat underdeveloped. I really liked her, but I just didn't feel like I got to know her very well.
As I mentioned earlier, the Virgin River series has more of a community of characters, so there were supporting players aplenty. Jack and Mel are back, enjoying their newlywed status and awaiting the birth of their first child while getting in on all the other action in the story. Rick and Liz's (Paradise Valley) story continues to build, and I have to say that I couldn't have been prouder of Rick for being so responsible. Many grown men in his situation couldn't have handled what he did, and he really stepped up to the plate. Jack and Preacher have obviously been great role models for him. Liz was showing a lot more maturity too. I'll miss Rick while he's away in the Marines, as I doubt we'll see much of him for a while unless it's just a quick visit. Jack and Preacher's Marine buddy, Mike, and Jack's sister, Brie, both experience life-altering events. Mike's ends up being the catalyst for bringing him to Virgin River permanently, and making him rethink the way he's been living his life. Although Brie has just come for visits so far, I'm sure she'll be back soon and possibly in danger. This pair become the hero and heroine of the next book, Whispering Rock. Even Dan, the illegal grower, who "kidnapped" Mel to deliver a baby in Virgin River popped up a couple of times. I think there is more to him than meets the eye, and it looks like he may be sharing Paradise Valley with Rick and Liz.
While I love the guys of Virgin River, I have to say that sometimes they feel just a little off to me, perhaps a little too dichotomous. They are certainly manly men, ex-Marines and other "tough guys" with masculine pursuits such as hunting, fishing, sometimes drinking too much and occasional womanizing (single guys only of course). They're also quick to arm themselves to protect the ones they love and/or take out the bad guys, but once in a while they do things that seem pretty feminine to me. When a group of guys gets together and starts talking about the ins and outs of pregnancy, or a couple of the men pair off and one begins to share his woes while the other one dispenses touchy-feely advice, it just seems rather strange to me. Not to mention, the way pretty much all of them just go ga-ga over a pregnant woman. I love a romance hero who can be macho while also being brought to his knees by his unexpected love for a woman, and I can definitely appreciate a hero who adores his wife (especially when pregnant), but there's just something about these guys that feels a little unbalanced to me. I guess I can't complain too much though, because they are a great group of men even if they are a wee bit strange sometimes. Maybe it's just all that pure mountain air bringing out their feminine sides.;-)
One other thing about Robyn Carr, and the series in general, that gives me mixed feelings is that I don't really seem to connect with her writing style in the same deep, passionate way that many other fans do. She can certainly tell an appealing story, populated with likable characters, but I've found that she isn't a particularly detail-oriented writer, unless of course it comes to pregnancy and childbirth. Don't get me wrong. I love those things, but sometimes you can have a little too much of a good thing and not enough other ingredients. When reading her books, I tend to miss all the little things such as gestures and facial expressions which I've found can bring a lot of warmth to the dialog. She also doesn't tell much about how the characters are feeling and what is motivating them to take certain actions, nor does she express tactile sensations they might be sensing. In a story like Shelter Mountain that is supposed to really tug at the heartstrings, the little things like these can make all the difference in whether I'm able to deeply connect with the characters. It took me a while to figure out, but I came to the realization that the reason for these things being missing in Ms. Carr's stories is that she has an unusual writing style where she tends to narrate from her own point of view rather than getting inside the characters heads. It's almost like she's the proverbial fly on the wall in Virgin River telling the reader what she's seeing rather then telling it from the characters' points-of-view, which can be a little frustrating for me as a reader.
Even though there are a few things about the Virgin River series that have kept it from being the fabulous reads I was expecting, I still like it well enough that I'll definitely continue. In spite of not connecting with the characters in quite the way I would prefer, I still feel like I'm becoming invested in their lives and want to know what happens next. It's almost like a small-town soap opera that can be rather addicting. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for Mike and Brie, and hoping to see more of my favorite characters. It should be an interesting journey, and as long as the books remain at least as appealing as they have been so far, I'll probably be in it for the long haul. I'll just have to remember to prepare myself next time for Robyn Carr's different writing style and the possibility of not seeing as much of the "main" hero and heroine as I might like. ...more
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Jun 21, 2011
Jun 26, 2011
May 15, 2010
Mass Market Paperback
Nov 01, 2004
Nov 02, 2004
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Winter Born was another enjoyable story in the Dark-Hunter series. At only 75 pages, it is Reviewed for THC Reviews
Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Winter Born was another enjoyable story in the Dark-Hunter series. At only 75 pages, it is pretty short and very fast-paced. The whole story took place in just one day's time. As I've said many times before, I'm not usually a fan of instant hook-ups, but in this case it worked OK for me. That's because it all made sense within the context of the heroine being in heat and the way that the were-hunter mating rituals work. At least they did slow down a bit after the mating mark appeared and tried to get to know each other a little before making a lifetime commitment.
I liked Dante and Pandora as the hero and heroine. Dante is a Katagari panther who first appeared in Kiss of the Night as the owner of a nightclub that the hero and heroine of that book visit. He reminded me of Vane, the hero of Night Play, because he has a similar personality and similar views on his race. Dante is proud of his heritage but still disdains their violent mating practices and prefers to remain unmated, taking his pleasure with human females instead. When he catches the scent of a female panther in heat, his body and instincts won't allow him to ignore her. Pandora is an Arcadian panther from the future who was brought to the present against her will. She doesn't really have a pack anymore and was seeking Acheron's help to return home when Dante showed up at her door. Her own mating instincts wouldn't allow her to refuse him, but she's never heard anything good about the Katagaria, just that they are vicious beasts which makes her afraid of him. I loved how tender and gentle Dante was with Pandora which was another thing about him that reminded me of Vane.
The only carry-over Dark-Hunter characters who appear in this novella are Acheron and Simi. They have some amusing scenes as they peruse the Dragon-Con convention where the story is set, and as always, Ash is a scene-stealer. With the story being so brief, there wasn't a lot of time for relationship building, so I didn't feel the connection between Dante and Pandora quite as strongly as I would have liked. Otherwise though, I really enjoyed this novella, and look forward to continuing with the series. Winter Born falls between Night Play and Seize the Night in the ordering of the Dark-Hunter series. There are currently a total of 19 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website. Star Rating: ****
Born of the Night by Amanda Ashley - Born of the Night was a sweet paranormal romance about a young woman who falls in love with her captor. He has been cursed since birth to run with the wolves every full moon. The story takes place in an unspecified time and place that had a medieval feel to it. This novella had some very tender moments such as when Reyes saved Shanara from a would-be attacker, and when Shanara cut short her escape to help Reyes who had been wounded. Still, in the end, I couldn't help feeling that there was a little something missing. Maybe it was simply the short length of the story which didn't allow a great deal of room for character or plot development and which led to a fairly hasty wedding and declarations of love, but I just didn't feel the connection between this couple 100%.
I did like both Reyes and Shanara. Reyes had kidnapped Shanara in retribution for her father's misdeeds and initially was threatening to kill her if her father didn't consent to taking her place in his dungeon, but he became attached to her very quickly. After that he was pretty gentle and never truly harmed Shanara in any way. In fact, he saved her on more than one occasion. I liked that Reyes was a rare celibate hero, and if one reads between the lines, it might even be implied that he's a virgin, although it was never stated in so many words. It's just that he seemed to have no interest in sleeping with any of the loose women who followed their camp. He had also vowed not to marry because of his curse, so he was extremely cautious about passing that on to any offspring he might have. Shanara was a very nice heroine, but not a pushover. She bravely stood up to Reyes in the beginning, and once she began to fall for him, she would do anything to save him. It was rather sad that being the youngest in her family and a daughter at that, she was basically ignored, and her father was even willing to sacrifice her to get revenge on Reyes.
Even though I didn't fully connect with the characters, Born of the Night was a reasonably satisfying read. I really enjoyed the gentle kisses and embraces that Reyes and Shanara shared, and since this novella has no explicit love scenes, it should be suitable for most romance readers. Overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to checking out more of Amanda Ashley's works soon. Star Rating: ****
Make It Last Forever by L. A. Banks - Make It Last Forever is a side-story in the Vampire Huntress Legends series. I'm not terribly familiar with L. A. Banks' work, but based on this novella, I would say that the series leans more toward urban fantasy than paranormal romance for a couple of reasons. First, even though the setting is completely rural, it had a much harder, edgier feel to it than other paranormal romances I've read. Second, by the RWA's definition, romance should have an HEA, but this story had a very bittersweet ending which left me feeling rather sad and unsatisfied.
I really liked the heroine, Tara. She is very sweet and has an air of innocence in spite of being on her way to transitioning into a vampire. Tara is a brave soul with a lot of self-control, refusing to feed from Rider and turn him into a vampire too even when she is dying. She was the one bright spot in an otherwise rather dark tale, but I wish that a little more of her background had been explained.
Rider was not exactly the typical romantic hero. To say that he is a diamond in the rough would probably be an understatement. In the beginning, he is described as somewhat scruffy and unkempt, but I guess he cleaned up pretty well. He is also into the hard living biker lifestyle, doing a lot of drinking, smoking and womanizing. In these respects, Rider just wasn't the sexy hero that I would normally expect. However, Tara calls him "man with a good heart," and that was definitely true. He protected Tara and treated her with tenderness. I loved when he went out and bought all sorts of feminine things for her even though he didn't really know what women needed, and it was great how he kept his promise to her in the end.
The scene where Rider washed Tara's hair was a lovely combination of sweetness and sensuousness. Even though the love scenes lacked that little extra bit of detail that would have really made them emotionally spark for me, they still conveyed a certain intensity of feeling. Somehow, in spite of the brevity of the story both in length and time-frame, the author managed to make me believe that Tara and Rider had fallen in love which often doesn't happen in a novella and was also why the ending was so depressing for me. I have to give the author kudos for writing an inter-racial romance between a white hero and a heroine who was half-Black/half-Indian. I've never read this combination in an I/R romance before, and it was set in the 1970's South which made it all the more interesting. Another thing that I loved about Rider is that he always saw Tara as a beautiful woman and not just the color of her skin.
Make It Last Forever falls in between books 3 and 4 of the Vampire Huntress Legends, and was meant to tell the back-story of Jake Rider, who apparently is a prominent character in the series, and how he became a Guardian. I normally don't read series books out of order, but after doing a bit of research on the Vampire Huntress Legends, I can't say that it jumped out at me as a series that I knew for certain I would enjoy. Since I had never read L. A. Banks before either, I decided to take this as an opportunity to test out her writing skills and the series. Make It Last Forever stood pretty well on it's own, but it might have been helpful if I had read the other books first to get a better understanding of the world building and maybe know a little more about Rider and the other characters whose names were dropped.
Overall, I found Ms. Banks' writing style to be pretty solid. The plot was tight for such a short story, and other than it being a little narrative-heavy in places, it certainly engaged my attention which is why I was able to give it 4 stars. Normally, when I give a new-to-me author this high of a rating, it is a given that I will read more of their work at some point, but with Ms. Banks, I will have to give it some thought first. I wouldn't necessarily be averse to reading another of her stories, but I'm just not entirely sure that the dark, edgy tone of her writing is quite to my taste, nor do I know if my tender heart can take another melancholy ending like this one had. However, I can't deny that there was something rather enthralling about her storytelling which at the moment, leaves me on the fence, so I may pick up another of her books in the future after some careful consideration. Star Rating: ****
Red Moon Rising by Lori Handeland - Red Moon Rising is only the second paranormal story I've read that centers around Native American skinwalker legends which made it very interesting to me. Oddly enough, neither the hero nor the heroine is a supernatural creature, but instead are hunting and running from them respectively, which made it a unique read to the paranormal romance world. In my opinion though, this novella leans more toward urban fantasy than paranormal romance anyway. The combination of the heroine's first-person narration and the edgier tone, along with some dry, black humor seems more consistent with urban fantasy, even though the story is almost entirely set in a rural area.
Both the hero and heroine seemed more cerebral than emotional to me which made it a little difficult to connect with them. Maya is a best-selling author of action-adventure novels who is experiencing writer's block. She moved to the wilds of northern Arizona for some peace and quiet and to try to get in touch with her muse, but finds herself being stalked by a skinwalker. Maya was never an adventure type girl until she finds herself virtually kidnapped by Clay and running for her life. I have to give her credit though for being brave and toughing it out. In the end, I guess she was a kick-butt heroine. Clay is part of a secret government organization that hunts down supernatural creatures. He's been searching for the skinwalker who is after Maya, and when Clay finally finds him, they nearly get blown to smithereens not once but twice. Clay is an uber-alpha hero who doesn't have much of a softer side to speak of. I suppose in his defense, he had lost everyone he ever cared about to the creatures of the night. As a result, he had dedicated his life to hunting them, yet even when he spoke of the past he seemed more like a hardened warrior who had shut down all of his emotions than the vulnerable man I would have preferred.
Red Moon Rising was my first read by Lori Handeland, and based on this experience, I'd say that her writing itself is pretty solid. From an action-adventure perspective, the story was good, and I generally enjoyed that part, however, the romance, in my opinion, was rather weak. The story takes place over a mere two days time, and I'm afraid I just couldn't buy the idea of Maya and Clay falling in love and wanting to make a lifetime commitment in that short of a time. I didn't really feel any chemistry between them, and the love scenes happened far too quickly for my taste. There was very little tension leading up to them, and to me, the scenes themselves felt like virtually emotionless casual sex. If I didn't know any better, I'd think a man had written them. Overall, Red Moon Rising was a decent novella. I just didn't connect with the story or characters in the way I would have liked.
Red Moon Rising is part of Lori Handeland's Nightcreature series. It falls between Blue Moon and Hunter's Moon, the first and second full-length novels of the series. Normally, I don't read series books out of order, but I can't say that I was particularly drawn to this series and decided to take a chance in order to finish the anthology. Perhaps reading the first book might have enhanced my knowledge of the mythology and the world that Ms. Handeland has created, but I never felt lost at any point. After doing some research, I don't believe there are any carryover characters either, so I think readers should be fine with treating it as a stand-alone story. However, there is one thread that is left hanging at the end of the novella, which I suspect may be resolved in future books and might tempt readers to continue with the series. Even with that in mind, I can't say that I'm any more eager to read on than I was before starting Red Moon Rising, but I might give the author another try at some point. Star Rating: ***1/2 ...more
Notes are private!
not set
Oct 12, 2011
Apr 29, 2010
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
*=Newest review posted for this anthology.
The Princess by Gunnar Mattsson – I found the Reader's Digest anthology which con Reviewed for THC Reviews
*=Newest review posted for this anthology.
The Princess by Gunnar Mattsson – I found the Reader's Digest anthology which contains this story in a box of old books, and decided to read The Princess partly because it fit a reading challenge I was working on and partly because it sounded interesting. I usually like true stories about individuals who overcome challenges in their lives and being a romance novel addict, I'm particularly fond of true love stories too. This condensed version of The Princess partially fit the bill on both counts. It is a memoir of the author's relationship with his wife who he refers to as "The Princess" and her battle with and miraculous recovery from Hodgkin's disease. It is indeed a story about the indomitability of the human spirit and how love really can overcome all. It appears that the author credits their love for one another and his wife's adoration of the child she gave birth to in the midst of her health crisis as the driving factors in her recovery.
I really liked the story, but my main problem with this shortened version is that the editors seemed to pare it down to bare-bones facts. I just couldn't seem to help wanting to know more, most importantly, what would compel a man to propose marriage to a woman who had been told she was going to die in a matter of a few short months and also what would make her accept and then be eager to have a child. It seemed from the cover blurb that this would be a fascinating love story, but I suspect it may have lost some of it's poignancy in the editing process. I guess this isn't too surprising considering that this story is only ¼ the size of the original book. I'd never read a Reader's Digest condensed version before, but this one left me with several unanswered questions and simply wanting a bit more. I can say that it at least peaked my interest in trying to find the original version of The Princess, and I will certainly complete the remaining stories in the anthology just to see if they all feel like something is missing. I also discovered that a movie was made based on the book, which might be interesting to search out as well. Star Rating: ***1/2
At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends by Dwight D. Eisenhower – I believe I read a short biography of Dwight Eisenhower when I was a kid, but my memories of it are pretty fuzzy, and beyond that, I can't say that I knew a great deal about our 34th president. Reading this book certainly helped add to my knowledge, and I really liked getting a first-hand account. To my recollection, the most famous Eisenhower campaign slogan was, "I like Ike," and after reading At Ease: Stories I Tell to Friends, I am prepared to echo that sentiment. Mr. Eisenhower came across as a very down-to-earth, congenial and genuinely likable guy. As the title might suggest, the book is written in a very conversational style which felt like sitting down with an old friend who was relating various stories from his life. I most enjoyed the tales about his childhood, family history, and time at West Point, as well as some of the things he did after World War II.
Not surprisingly, the largest part of the narrative was about Mr. Eisenhower's military service, which was still interesting, but in general, military stuff isn't my favorite thing to read about, not to mention, a big swath of his time in the Army was spent in administration and overseeing of training exercises which isn't terribly exciting. It seemed like every time he requested a more interesting position, the powers-that-be turned him down, until he finally received command of the American forces in Europe during World War II. These parts were still as well written as the rest of the book, and would probably be of great interest to those who like military history. There were some intriguing tidbits about the famous American Generals MacArthur, Pershing, Marshall, Patton, and Bradley, but overall, my main interests simply lie elsewhere. The one thing about these parts though that really struck me was the harsh reality of long separations for couples/families who are in the armed forces. I really admire Mamie (and all military wives) for her patience in being apart from her husband for such lengthy periods of time and the frequent moves. It took well over 35 years of marriage before she even had a house she could truly call her own (now that's patient ;-)).
There were some laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes about a couple of incidents of mischievous behavior at West Point which earned Mr. Eisenhower disciplinary action. In fact, he seemed to be pretty contrary overall, ending up with lots of demerits. I enjoyed the fun tales of his boyhood, and was interested to discover that he was a lover of history from an early age just like myself. His romance with Mamie and the relating of how his family shaped his life were touching. I was also amused to find out that Mr. Eisenhower was a consummate gambler who would bet on just about anything and rarely lost. I liked that he didn't push his son to follow his footsteps into the military, but instead talked to him about the advantages of both military and civilian careers and then let him make his own decision. I was most impressed though that Mr. Eisenhower didn't seem to be influenced by money or promotions. He simply tried to enjoy life as it was handed to him and do the right thing. He didn't even really seem to want to run for President, but after several years, was persuaded into it by persistent friends. I was also interested to learn that Mr. Eisenhower was the president of Columbia University, and played a major role in the formation of NATO. The book stops right before his presidency though, so there isn't really any details of his time in the White House. This condensed version appears to be less than half the size of the original tome, but in my opinion, the editing wasn't as glaring as it was in the first story of this anthology. I'm not sure if I would seek out the full-length version of At Ease because of the large amount of narrative on military life, but overall, this abridged version was enjoyable and has definitely stirred my interest in finding out more about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Star Rating: ****
The Least One by Borden Deal – The Least One is a heartwarming family drama and coming of age story that takes place in a tiny farming community with the inauspicious name of Bugscuffle Bottoms in the post-Depression era American South. It paints a vivid portrait of the hardscrabble life of sharecroppers during that time, and is told from the first-person perspective of a twelve-year-old boy who doesn't have a name other than Boy. I don't know that I've ever read a historical story that takes place in the 1930's, so that alone was pretty interesting. As I read the book, I was struck by how realistic everything seemed, almost as though it was a memoir instead of fiction. I was quite surprised to discover in the author's bio at the end that, while he categorized the story as fictional, it was based in part on real events in his life.
I really liked all the Swords. They were a loving family who looked out for each other with the parents being stern but knowing how to teach difficult life lessons in a gentler way. They were also hard-working with each member of the family pulling their own weight and doing what needed to be done in order to survive. Boy's father, Lee, was a good man who had fallen on hard times, but was determined to pull himself up by his bootstraps and provide for his family. Boy's mother, Jimmie, could be rather difficult and never truly liked Bugscuffle Bottoms, but it was obvious that she cared deeply for her family and would do whatever it took to ensure their wellbeing. I also admired her pluckiness especially when she went to their landlord with a business proposition, when that was normally a man's place, and was determined not to leave without cutting a deal. Boy's older brother, John, was a taciturn young man with an underlying warmth about him. He really stepped up to the plate to be the man of the house when their father was injured and unable to work.
Boy is pretty much like most twelve-year-old boys. He's very curious, intelligent, playful and talkative. He also has a deep love of books and a tendency to be a bit of dreamer. Sometimes, he makes careless decisions without thinking, which lead to disastrous consequences, but I found it easy to forgive him because he always seemed to glean some very important lessons from his actions. He also learns many things from simply living life. I enjoyed following along on his journey to finding a name for himself. His father had refused to name his sons when they were born, because he himself had been saddled with a name he hated and went by his middle name. Instead he was waiting for his sons to pick their own names. A stubborn battle of wills ensues between Boy and his father over the naming issue. I could definitely relate to Boy's frustration over his father not giving him a name like other kids, and although I haven't run across anyone in real-life who has refused to name their kids, at least Lee's reasons made some sense to me. The whole wanting of a name is the running theme throughout the book, so I was a little disappointed by how that wrapped up. Still, once I read the author's note at the end, I understood why he wrote it the way he did even if I might have wished for it to end otherwise.
Overall, The Least One was a surprisingly enjoyable read that embodied the warmth of a family unit and the wry humor that sometimes ensues from that closeness. In addition to giving the impression of a memoir it also had the feel of a young adult novel, because of being told by a boy. It would definitely be appropriate for teens as there is little objectionable material in it other than a few mild profanities and a couple of minor, veiled sexual references. It might appeal to fans of books such as Tom Sawyer, the Little House on the Prairie series, or Bridge to Terabithia. I could see some similarities between these stories and The Least One, but at its heart this novel is just a nice, feel-good, coming-of-age story that was a very pleasant read. I have to say that the editors did a good job with this abridged version, as it flowed quite well and I never really felt like anything was missing. Star Rating: ****
Currahee! by Donald R. Burgett - Not being a huge fan of wartime and military history, I don't know if I would have picked up a book like Currahee! independently, but with this abridged version being found in this anthology, I couldn't resist reading it for the sake of completing the book. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging it was. Donald R. Burgett definitely seems to have a talent for story-telling, as many times, I felt like I was right there with him in the heat of battle. Although the wartime events certainly weren't easy to read about, they were still very interesting, and I feel like I learned some things not only about WWII paratroopers, but also about the Battle of Normandy.
It seems that paratrooper training was pretty brutal and the job itself was incredibly dangerous, so much so that that one of the author's training officers told all the recruits that they probably wouldn't live through the war. As it turns out several never even made it into combat, but were killed during training. The war itself was a horrific thing, and even though the narrative doesn't go into great detail, there were times that my stomach was churning at the mere thought of human beings inflicting that sort of violence and pain on one another. It almost seems that the author and his comrades had to virtually dehumanize the enemy in order to fight them, and cut off their emotions in order to leave their fallen brothers behind. I can't imagine having to do that, so I greatly respect the men and women who have fought for our freedom down through the ages. When Civil War General William T. Sherman said, "War is hell." he certainly had the right of it.
After reading this account, I have to say that Mr. Burgett was certainly an incredibly lucky man. So many times he was nearly killed, not the least of which was when a grenade exploded right next to him, yet somehow he managed to live to tell his amazing tales. I found it extremely ironic that he and all the men from his small barracks room #13 in England actually survived Normandy. Currahee! is a story that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in military history, particularly involving WWII and paratroopers. I generally enjoyed it in spite of this not being a favorite topic. This abridged version appears to be a little less than half the length of the original book, but it was edited fairly well, as there were only a few times that I felt like the narrative jumped forward a bit too quickly. Star Rating: ****
*The Walking Stick by Winston Graham - The Walking Stick was a distinctly different story than any I've read before. It has elements of romance and suspense, both of which can be palpably felt, but I would definitely not categorize it as genre fiction. Instead, it seemed to have a more literary leaning both in its plot and writing style. The book started out a little slow for me with it having a rather passive, impersonal feel in spite of its first-person narration. The author seemed to have a "just the facts" approach with a rather clipped writing style, but what I initially saw as a weakness eventually grew on me. His abbreviated sentences which weren't really even sentences at all, but merely words and phrases, soon flowed into an odd sort of haiku which ended up having a very poetic feel. I also couldn't help but sense that the walking stick itself was a metaphor for something bigger that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Overall, The Walking Stick was an unusual and interesting story.
I thought it rather uncommon to have a male author writing in the first-person female perspective, but having everything coming from Deborah's point of view was a pretty ingenious way to write this novel. The main protagonist, Deborah Dainton is a unique character as well. She is a young woman who is fair of face, but as a polio survivor she is lame in one leg. Her looks can raise the interest of young men, but when they see her limping along, leaning on her walking stick, they usually end up turning away. At twenty-six, she is quite innocent and has never been in a real relationship. She was also raised in a comfortable, and one could possibly even say privileged, environment. All of this plays into her fascination with lowly artist, Leigh Hartley, when she meets him at a party thrown by her sister. At first, Deborah keeps herself at a distance from Leigh which I think was a sub-conscious way of protecting herself, as she's very self-conscious about her disability. Initially, it is so pronounced that she doesn't even seem to like Leigh which made me wonder why she was even going out with him. She does slowly warm up to him though, and eventually, I was able to sense that she had truly fallen in love with this man. I believe it was her love and perhaps gratitude for Leigh helping her to feel alive again which fueled her being willing to do things she otherwise might not have. However, there were still times when I wasn't 100% certain of how an upstanding young woman like Deborah could allow herself to become involved in such questionable dealings. Her willingly living with a married man was eyebrow raising enough for the time in which it was written (1960s), but then she agreed to an illegal venture which started out as something simple (or so she thought) and ended with her being fully involved in the scheme. Still, it was a fascinating character study which did, on some level, draw me in. I think perhaps some of the weaknesses in the character development might have been a result of the editing for this abridged edition.
Deborah's love interest, Leigh Hartley, is a very earthy and direct kind of guy. He definitely doesn't mince words and is quite persistent and charming in his attempts to get Deborah to go out with him and eventually become his lover. On the surface, he certainly seems to care about Deborah and pushes her to expand her boundaries and not allow her disability to define her capabilities. I could relate to Leigh's sense of inadequacy over having the ability to paint, but apparently not having a true talent for expressing himself through his art. At first glance, he appears to be the perfect boyfriend for Deborah, but it quickly come to light that he hasn't been entirely straightforward about his marital status which almost immediately puts into question what other things he might not have been honest about. In spite of me questioning his veracity early on, I still didn't anticipate just how dishonest he'd been which led to some plot surprises for me.
There were a few other places in the narrative besides Deborah's character development where I had the distinct feeling that something was missing, which again, I think was a result of the editing. Overall though, The Walking Stick was an interesting departure from my usual reading tastes while still embodying some of the elements that I enjoy in genre fiction. I enjoyed a lot of the little details about safe-cracking and the clever bypassing of the security system during the jewelry heist. All in all, once the pace picked up, it was a fun little read that I probably wouldn't have picked up without it being part of this anthology. Interestingly enough, The Walking Stick was made into a movie way back in 1970, but sadly, it doesn't appear to be available for home viewing which is too bad. I think it might be enjoyable to watch this story brought to life on the screen. Star Rating: **** ...more
Notes are private!
not set
Nov 18, 2011
Feb 01, 2010
May 23, 2006
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
I usually prefer to enjoy my reading material rather than having to parse it's deeper meaning, so I can sometimes be rather re Reviewed for THC Reviews
I usually prefer to enjoy my reading material rather than having to parse it's deeper meaning, so I can sometimes be rather reluctant to read books that are critically acclaimed and/or considered classics, since they are often difficult to understand. I'd heard so many wonderful things about To Kill a Mockingbird that I finally decided to take a chance on it when it was chosen as a book club read for the GoodReads Readers Against Prejudice and Racism group of which I am a part. I was very pleasantly surprised at what an easy read it was, while at the same time conveying a deep and layered message, not only about prejudice but also about standing up for what's right, that I know will stay with me, probably for the rest of my life. Another astonishing thing about the book to me was the number of lighthearted if not downright funny moments it contained. This is something I never would have expected from a book that tackled such a serious and controversial issue for its time. In my opinion, Harper Lee is an amazing writer, and I was absolutely stunned to discover that To Kill a Mockingbird was the only novel she ever wrote. However, I suppose there's nowhere else to go once you've won the highest honor in the writing world, a Pulitzer Prize, and she certainly made her one shot count in a huge way.
Young Scout Finch is the first-person narrator of the story. She is only about six or seven when it opens, but more than two years pass by as Ms. Lee builds up to the penultimate events of the book, by which time Scout is nine years old. She is a tomboy who's as smart as a whip and a precocious reader. When her first grade teacher told her she had to stop reading because her daddy was teaching her all wrong and first-graders weren't supposed to read, I had to laugh. It was ludicrously funny but also a sad commentary on our educational system. I just loved Scout's enthusiasm for reading. She joked that her brother, Jem, said she was born reading and she couldn't remember a time when she couldn't read. In this way, Scout very much reminded me of myself. I thought it was fascinating how Scout, in her child's mind, thinks of her father as old, decrepit, and thoroughly boring. She doesn't think he has any real skills or has accomplished anything. It was an absolute joy to watch Scout's opinion of Atticus gradually grow and change as she matures and begins to see him in an entirely new light through, not only the big trial, but all the little things he does.
I loved Scout's relationship with her brother. She and Jem fight like siblings often do, but at the same time they were very close. I like how Jem is a little gentleman, always looking out for Scout. It was wonderful how closely he actually watches their father, and subtly emulates him. When their summertime friend and neighbor, Dill, gets in on the action, these three can get into lots of amusing mischief. Seeing the world through these kids eyes was a positively delightful experience. Dill is quite good at creating wild yarns. I just knew he was destined to be a writer someday;-) (for anyone who doesn't know Dill is patterned on Harper Lee's childhood friend and neighbor, Truman Capote). The lessons that the kids learn are deeply touching. Whether it's how they go from being scared of their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley to beginning to understand why he stays away from people; or learning from Mrs. Dubose, the cranky old lady who likes to hurl insults at them, that things aren't always as they seem; or the tough lessons they learned about injustice through Tom Robinson's trial, they are on a constant journey of discovery, both of the world around them and themselves that often brought tears to my eyes.
If I were Scout, I'd think that I had the best dad in the world, but since I'm much, much closer to Atticus's age than Scout's, I'd have to say that he has become my latest literary crush. He is just quite simply an amazing man. Some people think that he's a questionable father who lets his kids run wild, because he doesn't spank them and they have a tendency to speak their mind. To the contrary, I believe he was a man who led by quiet example, and showed his kids how to be good citizens by teaching them to think critically for themselves. I love how Atticus just naturally speaks with "bigger" words and doesn't dumb it down for his children, but instead allows them to ask for clarification if they don't understand something, always answering their questions with complete honesty. That's how I tend to be, and I think kids can learn more that way. Atticus is a very wise man who sees many facets to the world around him. He is a kind, loving, gentle soul who always seems to see the good in people. He's a true gentleman, a brilliant attorney, an honorable and humble man who fights for what's right no matter what. If more men were like Atticus Finch, the world, without a doubt, would be a much better place.
To Kill a Mockingbird is another of those books which sadly, over fifty years after its release, is still found at the top of the ALA's most banned/challenged books list. It does contain some profanities, mostly mild, but a couple of more moderate ones including taking the Lord's name in vain twice. There is also a number of instances where the derogatory "n" word is used for African Americans, but given the time and setting of the book, it never seemed overdone or out of place to me. There is also the mature subject matter of a black man being wrongly accused of raping a white girl, but since it is all told through the eyes of a nine year-old child, everything has a certain air of innocence to it, with nothing ever really being spelled out explicitly. In spite of this potentially objectionable content, I still feel that the book is fully appropriate for high school level students. In my opinion, the positive role model that Atticus presents and the positive messages contained within the book's pages, far outweigh any possible detractors. I personally think it would be an absolute travesty to ban a book as thought-provoking as this one, and in fact, would encourage everyone, teens and up, to read it at least once.
I'm so glad I finally picked up To Kill a Mockingbird. The courtroom scenes were extremely well-written and appear to reflect Ms. Lee's personal experience with the law. Some parts of the story were a little slow at times, but never boring and always worth the wait for something more exciting to happen. Every character and every little side story added flavor, color and depth to this wonderful tale. The message it conveys is a timeless one. It is one of the most, if not the most, affecting book I've ever read centering around the themes of prejudice and racism. To Kill a Mockingbird has without a doubt earned a spot on my keeper shelf and has become a new all-time favorite book for me. ...more
Notes are private!
Jun 09, 2011
Jun 14, 2011
Jan 09, 2010
Jan 01, 2006
Apr 25, 2006
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
His Wicked Kiss was a generally enjoyable book that was a pretty good wrap-up to the Knight Miscellany series. It begins in th Reviewed for THC Reviews
His Wicked Kiss was a generally enjoyable book that was a pretty good wrap-up to the Knight Miscellany series. It begins in the jungles of Venezuela which was a rather unique setting for a romance novel, then continued with some high-seas adventure and a quick trip to Ireland, before settling into the usual glitz and glitter of the Regency ton. There are a lot of Gaelen Foley's trademarks present here. She always seems to have a knack for drawing me into the story and making me feel like I'm really there watching events unfold. Her descriptions of the jungle, Jack's ship, and all the little historical details really helped to set the atmosphere. There is lots of action and adventure which Ms. Foley consistently renders in such a way that it feels like a movie playing in my mind's eye. As usual, the love scenes are limited, but those that are present are thoroughly scrumptious and sensual. Eden's deflowering was one long, sexy scene in particular which was quite memorable and really spiced things up. There were a few parts of the story which moved a bit slowly for me, but for the most part, Ms. Foley keeps the pacing going at a pretty good clip, which prevents this 400+ page book from feeling as long as it is. In fact, as I got closer and closer to the ending, I was beginning to wonder how she was going to wrap things up in a satisfactory manner, but somehow she managed to pull it off. All this said though, His Wicked Kiss still ended up probably being my least favorite of the Knight Miscellany series, mainly because in my opinion, the author's characterizations weren't quite up to her usual high standards which left the whole story felling a bit off kilter for me.
Right from the start of the series, Jack has been an enigma. He was often mentioned in previous books, but never put in an appearance. That's because he's been in a self-imposed exile for twenty years and basically refuses to come home to his family in England. Instead he's been sailing the high seas, making a name for himself both as a captain and as a businessman. Now a feisty stowaway and a secret mission have him reluctantly heading back to the place he despises most. Jack was a very hard man for me to figure out. We never really know why he has stayed away from his family for so long until this book, but I can't say that his reasons really resonated with me. The book began with him showing shades of a deeply tortured hero, but I don't think that promise in his character was fully realized. I couldn't quite figure out why he felt he had been treated so much more badly in his childhood than his other three illegitimate brothers. I fully understood all of them in their own stories, but Jack, at times, came off as a man who had a chip on his shoulder and was simply angry with the entire world. He also seemed to feel the need to sometimes flaunt his "bad boy" persona, which I think only alienated people further. Oftentimes, it was him who was pushing them away, even though he claimed it was the other way around, and if Eden hadn't been there to smooth things over with his family, he probably would have been temperamental with them too, even though they were nothing but nice in welcoming him back into the fold. In these moments, it seemed like he was acting a bit childish and just needed to get over it. Maybe if the author had given more specific examples of the things he had endured, rather than just saying that everybody rejected him, I would have been more sympathetic, but as written, I just couldn't quite see how things were so horrible for him and why he didn't trust anyone. That's not to say that I didn't like him at all, because there were times when he could be quite appealing. It just wasn't in the moments that I described above.
Eden was a young woman with a dichotomous personality as well. She had spent half her life in the jungle with her doctor/naturalist father and as such she was quite well-trained in survival skills. She also could be quite daring (She stowed away on Jack's ship in an attempt to return to England and prevent her father from going on a potentially suicidal scientific mission into the Amazonian interior.), and quite feisty (She stood up to Jack's sailors when she was found and wasn't afraid to give Jack a piece of her mind on a number of occasions.). She was a bit of a geek as well, having extensive scientific and medical knowledge of jungle plants. On the one hand, she was something of a female Tarzan, but on the other, she was a little obsessed with her fairy tale fantasies of life back in England. She devoured the fashion magazines that her cousin sent even though they were a year old by the time she received them, and was constantly daydreaming about her Prince Charming and attending balls. She realizes pretty quickly that she's apparently more attracted to the "bad boy" type than the city dandy when Jack makes her all hot and bothered right from the start. Eden was also quite gentle and patient with Jack, seeming to understand him better than he understood himself. In fact, she was more patient with him than I probably could have been, although she did have her limits and gave him the cold shoulder when he made a dumb move even though he reversed course later. Ultimately, I felt like she gave into his whims a little too easily though, considering that in my opinion, he was being rather irrational. Overall, I guess she was a fairly likable heroine, just not one that I connected with on a really deep level.
Perhaps because I didn't fully connect with the hero and heroine themselves, their relationship wasn't quite perfect for me either. Jack does a bit of ping-ponging, beginning the story as something of an arrogant cad who exhibits his "pirate-ness" by simply taking what he wants. The bathing scene after Jack discovers Eden stowed away on his ship would have been extremely sexy if it hadn't also been skating perilously close to that big no-no for me – forced seduction. Not only did it have that old-school feel to me because of Jack's ungentlemanly behavior, but also because Eden, who was initially pretty embarrassed and intimidated, suddenly started eating it up. His actions are explained later when Eden figured out what his game was, but it still didn't quite work for me. From there until near the end of the book, Jack became a near-perfect lover and husband, never forcing Eden even when she was angry with him and denying him her bed, and always being gentle, loving and passionate. He was also very courageous and heroic in saving Eden's life more than once. Then, in a fit of jealously, he turned into a bit of a brute again, doing something totally scandalous in public and then essentially blaming Eden for it instead of owning his own feelings. I can't say that I was entirely sure why they fell in love either, because initially their interactions seemed like mere lust, but I will concede that after they married, Jack and Eden seemed more like a loving newlywed couple. Ultimately, I may not have always respected or understood their actions, but they were still far more likable than some romance couples I've read.
His Wicked Kiss has a number of secondary characters and does reunite the entire Knight clan although not all of them have their own lines. It also introduces their Uncle Arthur, a sea captain like Jack. Readers will get a bit of background on his three children and another mention of Knight family friend Ian Prescott (first introduced in Lady of Desire), all of whom are a part of the spin-off Spice Trilogy. There are a number of other stand-outs, from Jack's loyal crew who are something of a family to him, to Eden's father who is also hiding away from the world just like Jack. I don't think I'm giving away too much here by saying so, because it was pretty obvious from the outset of the story that he was being set up as the villain, but I just didn't find Connor to be a very compelling bad guy. In the previous books of the series, the ne'er-do-wells really came alive for me, but aside from the very end, Connor never jumped off the page as truly frightening or evil. His villainy was played as some sort of mental madness that had very little rhyme or reason except that he had somehow become obsessed with Eden. Much like the hero and heroine, he too, in my opinion, was lacking in his characterization.
While I would definitely say that some of the characters in His Wicked Kiss needed more depth for me to fully appreciate them, it wasn't really a bad book overall. I may have spent some time questioning certain parts, but there were at least an equal number of passages that were quite enjoyable to read. Gaelen Foley has a lovely writing style that quite simply makes for pleasurable reading. That alone tends to mask some of the other story weaknesses. His Wicked Kiss is the seventh and final novel in the Knight Miscellany series, and although it wasn't the best book, it was still an agreeable story. I'm now looking forward to learning more about those Knight cousins from India (The Spice Trilogy) to see if they can live up to the "wicked" reputation set by their London relatives.;-) ...more
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Mar 10, 2011
Mar 16, 2011
Oct 12, 2009
Mass Market Paperback
Sep 15, 2009
Sep 22, 2009
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I had loved Caine's Reckoning, the first b Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I had loved Caine's Reckoning, the first book in the Hell's Eight series, but the second, Sam's Creed, was in my opinion, a weak installment that left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. In the end, Tucker's Claim definitely put this series back on track for me with a wonderful character-driven narrative that made me fall in love with both its hero and heroine. It was a lovely story of two lonely people with similar traumatic experiences in their backgrounds, but from opposite fringes of society. Neither have ever truly felt like they fit in, but they find love, acceptance and wholeness in each other's arms.
Tucker is a half-breed Indian who was raised in the white world until Mexican soldiers razed the town where he lived, slaughtering everyone in their path. Tucker was one of only eight boys (the eight men who now comprise Hell's Eight) who survived the attack and banded together seeking vengeance. Since then he has started to live a slightly more respectable life as a Texas Ranger who is feared by most for both his large size and fierce reputation, but his mixed blood still makes him a target and leaves him with few options in life. Even before the attacks Tucker's boyhood was one of misery and abuse at the hands of his father. As a half-breed, he never really fit into either the white or Indian world, so except for when he is among Hell's Eight, he has never really known love or acceptance. His longing to be loved for who he is was apparent very early in the story and only deepened as it went on, but he can't seem to believe that any woman, especially one like Sally Mae, could ever care for a "savage." Not to mention, he fears for what the townspeople might do to both of them if they ever found out about their relationship. I couldn't help but fall a little in love with Tucker right from the start. I loved how he had continued to come back to the little town where Sally Mae lived time after time, just to be near her and protect her, but allowed her the space and time she needed to grieve her husband's murder. When they finally came together, he was an amazingly giving lover, but also scrumptiously possessive. He was absolutely wonderful with animals and kids too. Tucker may have had a hard exterior but inside he had a kind, gentle heart of gold. Given his background, it's pretty astounding that he could be so tender, but Sally Mae always brought out the best in him. By the end of the book, I was positively crazy about Tucker, and he has earned the title of my favorite Hell's Eight hero so far.
Sally Mae was raised by Quakers from the time she was about ten years old, after her parents were killed. Suffering from traumatic amnesia, she can't remember anything prior to the time she started living with the Friends. Their peaceful ways helped to calm her troubled mind and spirit, so that she was able to recover in every way except her memory. She had married Jonah, a man fifteen years her senior, and they moved west, hoping to help people. He was a good man and a talented physician who taught her everything he knew, so that when he died, the townspeople began to look to her when they needed doctoring. Even though Sally and Jonah had a comfortable marriage, she always felt like something was missing. There was an underlying passion within her to which Jonah was not responsive, and she had always wanted a child while he wanted to wait. When Jonah was killed, Sally Mae's world might have fallen apart if Tucker hadn't been there, lending her his strength along with his protection and a helping hand. When Sally finally gave in to her attraction for Tucker she did so with wild abandon, giving him all of herself. Even though marriage between a white woman and a half-breed seemed impossible to outsiders, Sally Mae's Quaker beliefs made Tucker her equal right from the start in spite of their racial differences. I loved how she was always so kind and accepting of others no matter what. She was just a sweet, kind and giving woman toward everyone, but most especially to Tucker. Her beliefs also make her a pacifist, which was the main sticking point between the two of them, since Tucker's life was filled with violence on a regular basis. I respected her choice, because sometimes it takes more courage to choose the path of peace than the path of force. I also thought that Sally had great strength of character in many ways, not the least of which was meeting Tucker half-way so that they could have the future they both dreamed of. I know some readers were off-put by Sally Mae's use of "thee" and "thy" in her speech, but it didn't bother me at all. I thought it rather added to the sweetness of her character, while also being accurate vernacular for a Quaker in that time period. Sally was just a wonderful character who was full of depth and one of those rare heroines who I thoroughly liked and related to throughout the entire story.
As a couple, I thought that Tucker and Sally Mae complimented each other perfectly. I could feel the deep love connection between them from the very first chapter, even though the story for the most part begins with their wild sexual encounters. Normally, this isn't really my cup of tea, but they had known and been yearning for one another for a very long time before giving in to their passion, which made the early love scenes more likable and believable for me. The author also took the time to create a lovely atmosphere of romance and desire in the opening scene. Those first love scenes are darkly erotic, but laced with an undercurrent of deep tenderness and love which made them very beautiful. However, approximately the first half of the book is all about the sex, leaving me wondering when they were going to share their backgrounds, hopes, dreams, and all the little things that add intimacy to a romance. The reader gets to know Tucker and Sally pretty well through their introspections, but it seems that the author decided to wait until the second half to get to the relationship building. From that point on, there aren't any interactions of a sexual nature until the very end. While I was quite relieved to finally have them opening up and getting to know one another, I thought writing it this way left the story with a bit of an unbalanced feel. I did however, love that the conflict is mostly of an internal nature, with Tucker and Sally Mae trying to figure out how to reconcile their differing beliefs on violence, and I think Sarah McCarty did a very good job with that, and with driving home the point that marriage is always a compromise. I felt that both characters grew throughout the story and found their middle ground in believable ways which left me satisfied.
Since Sam's Creed had no input from other Hell's Eight members besides Tucker, it was great to finally see some of the other characters again. Caine and Desi (Caine's Reckoning) are awaiting the birth of their first child back at Hell's Eight. Sam and Bella (Sam's Creed) have settled into running the Montoya ranch, but surprisingly are still not married. I like that Sally and Bella have become good friends and even share a prayer for the safety of their men in spite of the differences in their race and religions. The twins Tracker and Shadow also returned still running down leads on Desi's missing sister, Ari, along with Tucker, and we get to learn just a little more about the pair. It was interesting how Shadow was intuitive enough to recognize that Sally was every bit as lonely and outcast as Tucker. He and Tracker could shape up to be quite fascinating characters if written well. I had speculated from book #1 that Tracker would probably be paired with Ari, and am pleased to know that I was correct in my assessment, as their book, Tracker's Sin, is the next of the series.
Other than the one small issue I mentioned earlier, the only thing that kept Tucker's Claim from being a perfect 5-star read for me was the author's tendency to make silly little continuity errors, things like Sally being in her nightgown and then suddenly fully dressed or a horse changing gender no less than four times, three of which were within a few paragraphs of one another. These might seem like small things, but when there are several of them that are pretty blatant to anyone who's actually paying attention, it can get a little annoying. There were also some parts scattered throughout the story where I thought the narrative could have used a little more clarity. As written, there were passages that I had to reread in order to be certain I was understanding what was happening. Otherwise, Tucker's Claim was a near-perfect read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it now has me looking forward once again to Tracker's story and the rest of the Hell's Eight series.
Note: This book contains explicit language, violence, and sexual situations, including mild domination/submission, spanking, use of sex toys, and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive. ...more
Notes are private!
Mar 18, 2011
Mar 23, 2011
Oct 12, 2009
Trade Paperback
Mar 01, 1986
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Where Morning Dawns is another inspirational romance that I first read in my teens and decided to revisit as an adult. I had f Reviewed for THC Reviews
Where Morning Dawns is another inspirational romance that I first read in my teens and decided to revisit as an adult. I had forgotten that it is a speculative account of what might have happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke which was a fascinating element. Not many romances take place in colonial America, especially this early, so the setting alone was quite unique and made for an interesting reading experience. The author seems to have researched her time period well, giving the story an authentic feel. In fact, sometimes, it was a little too authentic for my modern sensibilities. Maggie initially thinks of Towaye as a heathen savage and her Christian mission seems to involve replacing the Indian culture with English culture which she thought to be a "better way." While I'll grant that some English/Christian ways were better (eg. Not killing an innocent person for revenge even if he was from an enemy tribe), there are other things that I think were better the Indian way (eg. Sharing the work and the food so that no one goes hungry). Thankfully, Maggie later had a couple of moments where she managed to engage the Indian culture rather than disparage it, which would be a more modern approach to mission work, but there were still times when I felt like the Indians were more willing to learn from her and accepting of certain aspects of "her way" than she was of theirs. In spite of some ups and downs though, the author managed to write a story that I generally liked in spite of itself.
The entire story is told from Maggie's third-person perspective, but in spite of that, I still had a little trouble understanding her at times. She was attracted to Towaye right from the start and seemed to trust him until he had to save her life, and then she became wary of him. Granted he was telling her that because he had protected her, she now belonged to him, and he wouldn't facilitate a return to her people, but for a long time, she essentially thought of herself as his prisoner which seemed a little extreme considering that he treated her so well. She even had what I would characterize as a TSTL moment where she nearly died in an attempt to escape him. After that, she did warm back up to him, allowed him to embrace and kiss her, shared a house with him, basically did everything with him that a wife would do except share his bed. Now I did understand that she was technically betrothed to another which was a binding oath and I admired her for sticking to her morals and beliefs, but I couldn't help feeling like she was tormenting the poor man. I'm not saying that she should have slept with him, but she wouldn't really so much as give him an ounce of hope that they might have a future together. Even after she realized she was falling in love with him and he had declared his love for her, she still stubbornly kept asking to be taken to the English settlement. She also didn't have a clue whether her fiancée would ever come back or if he still lived, nor did she love him like she did Towaye. I felt like she should have at least told Towaye she cared, and that if her betrothed didn't return by a certain time, she would consider accepting him as her husband. This finally happened, but not until I'd nearly lost patience with her. Then, even though they got their HEA, I still felt a slight bit of hesitation and perhaps some small regret on Maggie's part for what she was giving up. Maggie did frustrate me at times, but I don't mean to make her sound all bad. She had courage and strength of character, not only to travel to a new land but to stand up for what was right when necessary. I also admired her for putting aside her obsession with going back to her people, at least temporarily, to care for Towaye when he fell ill. She was also very good at teaching the children, and ended up being a good missionary in spite of feeling like she wasn't or that she couldn't do it without her fiancée. Maggie certainly had her moments where she made me want to shake some sense into her, but there were other times where I could relate to how difficult this type of change might be for her.
Even though there isn't a single scene from Towaye's point of view, I thought that Irene Brand managed to draw him fairly well through Maggie's eyes. Towaye fell for Maggie right away, and I loved how he always called her "my Maggie" even in the beginning. He was an incredibly considerate man who cared enough to make many cultural concessions in order to keep Maggie as happy and comfortable as possible. Everything he did, from taking care of her sore feet, to doing chores that would be considered "woman's work" in his tribe, to making sure she had as much of her English culture as he could provide were very romantic. Towaye also had the patience of Job to wait for Maggie as long as he did. The way he always asked, "Someday, my Maggie?" every time she denied him the one thing he wanted most, was a little sad but also very sweet. Even he had his limits though and eventually became angry and hopeless at her seeming inability to accept him. Towaye made lots of small changes throughout the entire book to both his beliefs and his lifestyle, and all of them weighed together, I felt were probably more than Maggie's compromises. That's not to say he was perfect though. As I mentioned earlier, he wouldn't allow Maggie to go to the English camp, partly because of his belief that she belonged to him, a life for a life, but I think the bigger reason was simply that he was afraid of loosing her. He also had one big slip-up when he decided to seek vengeance on an enemy, but even that generally turned out OK. Overall, Towaye was a really lovable hero which is why I had a hard time with Maggie putting him off for so long.
The Christian theme of this story was pretty overt, but I didn't really feel like I was being preached at like with some inspirational novels. I think this was because the tone hearkened back to a time when the message of Christ was more simple and straightforward without all the complicated rhetoric that often seems to accompany it nowadays. I think this made it much easier to appreciate even if the "culture war" going on between Maggie and the Algonquians made me a little uncomfortable at times. I would also say that Ms. Brand tied up the story in a perhaps, too-neat little bow, providing Maggie with everything she needed to avoid even the slightest pang of guilt over her choice. It might have been nice if Maggie had been challenged a little more in her thinking, but I guess since this is an inspirational romance, most readers would have balked if it had ended any other way. Overall, Where Morning Dawns was a pretty enjoyable re-read in spite of its flaws. It is the first in an untitled duet. The hero of the sequel, Come Gentle Spring, is I believe, related to Maggie in some way as they share a last name (perhaps her and Towaye's son, although I'm not certain). I can't recall if I ever read it or any of Irene Brand's other works, but I do look forward to trying them out now. ...more
Notes are private!
Mar 24, 2011
Mar 27, 2011
Sep 07, 2009
Oct 01, 1998
Nov 01, 1998
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" One More Knight is a heartfelt, emotional story of a woman's journey back to the home town to which she swore she Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" One More Knight is a heartfelt, emotional story of a woman's journey back to the home town to which she swore she would never return twenty years before and her efforts to overcome the pain of the past. I had really enjoyed the first book in the The Sisters Waskowitz series, but as good as it was, I don't think it prepared me for how lovely and poignant this book would be. Kathleen Creighton has a beautiful way with words. She's very talented at describing the settings and gestures of the characters in a detailed and almost poetic way which really drew me into the story. She is not only great at setting the scene, but also the mood and tone which wonderfully conveys the emotion and tension that Charly felt as she faced down her demons. I also liked the way that the story of why Charly left her hometown twenty years ago unfolded slowly through her teenage diary entries from that time. It perfectly complimented the events of the present day and kept me reading to find out exactly what had happened.
Charly is a smart, independent woman who has worked hard for the past twenty years to become a successful attorney. She always felt that she had to make something of herself before she could return to Mourning Spring. Although she thinks that she has tamped down the pain of giving her baby up for adoption all those years ago, coming "back home" nearly devastates her, especially after she sees a photo of the young man who she knows in her heart is the son she left behind. On top of that, facing her father after all this time, makes her feel like the same confused, sixteen year-old all over again. In spite of having a stubborn, independent streak in her, Charly never irritated me like some heroines who fit this description would. I think this was because she was still smart enough to realize when she needed help. She also exhibited a great deal of vulnerability, and even though it scared her and was a foreign feeling to have someone else take care of her, she slowly allowed Troy into her life and willingly turned herself over to his very capable hands.
Troy is a fabulous hero. If it weren't for the fact that he's an ex-Navy SEAL, I'd have him pegged as a beta like his brother, Jimmy Joe. Troy is just a really nice guy who seems to enjoy helping others out and would do almost anything for anybody. What he thought was a simple mission to rescue his future sister-in-law's maid of honor turns into something more very quickly. Troy has been feeling rather lonely, watching his brother so happy with his soon-to-be wife, so he's quite open to the idea that he might have just found his own lady love even if she does come with a lot of baggage. He truly does become Charly's knight in shining armor, riding to her rescue at a time in her life when everything was falling apart and she needed him the most. I like how Troy isn't all that concerned with how Charly looks, but instead is drawn in by her eyes and all the pain he sees mirrored there. He is very intuitive to figure out that there is more going on in Charly's life than what he can see on the surface and what she's initially telling him. I love how he just wants to be there for her to ease her heartache and occasionally just sweeps in and takes over, but in a gentle, non-threatening way. Troy just always has Charly's back and is looking out for her well-being. I also thoroughly enjoyed his interactions with his pup, Bubba. The man is obviously a dog lover.:-)
I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about the future of this couple's relationship when they had sex the first night they met. This usually isn't my favorite plot device, but in this case, I at least understood that Charly was feeling vulnerable and didn't want to be alone after experiencing one of the worst days of her life. Troy, for his part, was feeling a little lonely too, and being a man, wasn't about to turn down a willing, passionate woman. There is a part of me that wishes the story could have been drawn out over a longer period of time. The bulk of it takes place in only a few days, so the romance is definitely played as love at first sight. Again this is something I typically have a hard time buying into, but somehow the author pulled it off and by the end, I believed Troy and Charly did love each other very much. I liked how Troy held back later on, wanting their love-making to be more than just something to ease Charly's pain. Ms. Creighton also slowed things down a bit between them and allowed them to have some really intimate moments where they were able to share their hearts with one another. I found the late-night picnic in the park to be thoroughly romantic.
One More Knight had some strong secondary characters. It was fun seeing Jimmy Joe and Mirabella (One Christmas Knight) again. I love that they're still so happy together and about to be married. Charly's father, her son, and her old housekeeper, the woman who raised her and was like a mother to her, were all well-written supporting players. I liked how everything came together in the end to give this family a happy ending that tugged on my heartstrings. It just goes to show that HEAs aren't just for the hero and heroine. There is also a little preview of Mirabella's sisters, Summer and Eve, who become the heroines of the next two books in the series, One Summer's Knight and Eve's Wedding Knight, as well as mention of a couple of Troy's siblings, Roy and Joy Lynn, who are featured in the spin-off Starrs of the West series.
Overall, One More Knight was a touching, small-town, family drama mingled with a sweet romance. Considering the shorter Silhouette length, I thought the author did a great job with the character and plot development. I just couldn't help but become invested in their lives and the outcome. My only minor complaint would be that Charly's friend Colin's secret was never revealed in so many words unless I missed something important. I think maybe it was one of those read between the lines kind of things that I'm sometimes good at and sometimes not. I have my theories, but was a little disappointed that it wasn't revealed in a way in which I could confirm my suspicions. Other than that, this was a truly lovely story that I'll be placing on my keeper shelf, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series. ...more
Notes are private!
Aug 29, 2011
Aug 31, 2011
May 21, 2009
Dec 01, 1988
Mar 01, 1991
liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" I've considered myself to be a fan of Julie Garwood for close to twenty years now, but in spite of my loyalty to h Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" I've considered myself to be a fan of Julie Garwood for close to twenty years now, but in spite of my loyalty to her writing and my usual ability to cut her some slack even when the story isn't quite perfect for me, I couldn't help coming away from reading The Lion's Lady with very mixed feelings. The more of Ms. Garwood's books I read/re-read, the more I've come to realize that there is a certain sameness in her characters and the development of their relationship. The hero and heroine of The Lion's Lady followed her usual stereotypes, but they seemed a bit more extreme to me in certain aspects of their personalities than some of Ms. Garwood's other characters I've read. This often made it difficult to connect with them. Sometimes it felt like there were small holes in the plot too, just some nagging, little thing that I was missing, and couldn't quite put my finger on it. I was also surprised to see some passivity in her narration. I'm not sure if this is a trait that has been there all along, and I simply didn't notice, or an anomaly in this book, but passive story-telling never works for me. I am willing to admit though that I might have been more forgiving of this flaw if I hadn't just read three books in a row with some degree of the dreaded "telling not showing" in them.
At the beginning of the story, Lyon was a very intriguing hero. I thought he was going to be a really tortured man with his scars, both inside and out, and his cynical attitude about marriage and life in general. Unfortunately, that part of his character just hovered in the background and was never really given the weight I thought it deserved. Instead, he became more of the typical alpha hero who at times was just a little too arrogant for my taste and who also on occasion behaved more like a caveman than a Regency gentleman. There were things that he did which just didn't seem to fit the social mores of the era, and several times when his actions probably would have compromised Christina, but of course, the actual compromising happened in a more extreme way too. Lyon did have moments where he could be gentler, and it was in those moments that I did like him. Some instances of his possessiveness and protectiveness were actually romantic and endearing. I thought it was sweet that Lyon was the first one to say, "I love you," and then patiently prodded Christina to do the same. However, in my opinion, he fell in love with her, and more importantly, trusted her far too easily. Considering that his first wife's betrayal had left him so completely soured on the idea of marriage that he was prepared to never wed again even to sire an heir, his quick turnaround and complete faith in Christina even though he knew she was lying to him didn't really make sense to me. Overall, Lyon was a good man, and one who certainly exhibited the patience of Job in handling a high-spirited young lady like Christina, but not a true stand-out hero like some others I've read.
Christina was so mysterious and confusing throughout most of the story that I had a very hard time relating to her. Julie Garwood has a tendency to write heroines who are strong-willed but also pretty scatterbrained which can be rather amusing, but with Christina this dichotomy just didn't work for me. One minute, she was a "warrior woman" who could most certainly take care of herself, and the next, she could be pretty ditsy which I had a hard time wrapping my head around. She could also be incredibly stubborn especially when it came to telling Lyon the truth about her past. I tried very hard to look at it from Christina's perspective and take into account her feelings about various things, but I think I would have needed more insights into her psyche to fully understand her reasoning. As written she just seemed contradictory and obstinate (though thankfully not at bad as some heroines I've read), and I thought that her lack of trust in Lyon for most of the story diminished their intimacy as a couple. Christina's best quality, in my opinion, and the one that made me like her in spite of everything, was her compassion for others. The way she pushed Lyon's mother out of her deep grief, how she cared for the servants, and how she even wanted to provide for her aunt who'd caused nothing but trouble for her were all very admirable actions.
There were two other big things that had to do with Lyon and Christina as a couple that didn't entirely work for me either. The first is the love-at-first-sight scenario which anyone who reads my reviews with any degree of regularity knows is far from being one of my favorite romance tropes. I could kind of understand it to some extent on Christina's part, because of her upbringing in a mystical culture which caused her to place instant significance on Lyon's name as well as his resemblance in demeanor to the man who raised her. When it came to Lyon, it didn't make much sense at all (see my earlier comments about his views on marriage), and in fact, his instant and intense attraction to Christina was a even little unsettling to me at first. I understand that the necessity of Christina marrying quickly called for the relationship to move fast, but it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. The other thing is that Lyon and Christina's conversations were almost always muddled and confusing to me. There's a part of me that wants to say this was ingenious of the author, because Lyon always feels confused when talking with Christina too. Julie Garwood is known for her witty dialog, so I also think it was meant to be funny. However, my initial amusement over their "Mars/Venus" interactions and cultural missteps wore thin rather quickly when it kept happening almost every single time they conversed even right up until near the end. It kind of gave me the same feeling that the "big misunderstanding" in a romance novel does, because it seemed like they just weren't taking the time to truly communicate or even attempt to understand one another which frustrated me.
I'm sure by now it may sound like I thoroughly disliked The Lion's Lady, but in all honesty, that's really not the case. I simply had a roller-coaster relationship with the book. It certainly had some memorable moments not the least of which was the prologue. That part totally sucked me in and intrigued me, because I never would have expected a Regency romance to begin in a Native American village, which added a certain uniqueness to the story. A few of the other stand-out moments included Christina's marriage proposal to Lyon, Lyon finding Christina in the tavern playing cards, and Christina "divorcing" Lyon. Even though we don't get to see nearly enough of their relationship development, I also enjoyed the side romance between Lyon's best friend, Rhone, and his sister, Diana. The Lion's Lady is the first book in the Crown's Spies series, and although I could be wrong, it doesn't appear to have any carry-over characters to the second book in the series except for one supporting player, Sir Richards, who runs the spy agency that Lyon used to work for. All in all, The Lion's Lady had it's good points and bad points. I'm glad that I read it and intend to continue the series, but it won't go down as one of my Julie Garwood favorites. ...more
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Feb 17, 2011
Feb 23, 2011
Sep 06, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
May 01, 1998
May 01, 1998
liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Babe in the Woods is a sweet story about the importance of family and the sometimes difficult and/or painful choic Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Babe in the Woods is a sweet story about the importance of family and the sometimes difficult and/or painful choices that must be made in life. From this perspective the plot worked quite well. I enjoyed the interactions between Brendan and his teenage niece, Jodi, who is struggling with the consequences of her unplanned pregnancy. I also liked Dani wanting to learn more about her birth family, and figuring out how best to honor her grandfather's memory while bringing the resort he left her into the 21st century. However, the romance itself was a bit weak in my opinion, being told in a somewhat more passive way than the rest of the story. Most of the time, I felt like their attraction and feelings for one another were being told to me rather than shown. At least I could sense more of a connection during their love scenes, but those moments were rather brief and didn't have quite enough sexual tension building up to them for my taste. I was also somewhat disappointed by the ending. To me, it seemed like the several months separation that Brendan and Dani experienced could have been avoided by better communication, and there just wasn't enough excitement and spark to their reunion. Also, the outcome for Jodi's baby was not what I was expecting and rather abrupt. One minute she's with them and the next she's not, leaving me having to backtrack several pages and re-read an earlier passage to figure out what happened to her.
Danielle was a very nice heroine. She proved many times over that she was not the spoiled rich heiress that Brendan had initially thought her to be when she first arrived at the resort. While I don't think I would be too keen on spending the summer in a cabin with no electricity or running water, I admired Dani for her willingness to do so, even though she wasn't really used to such inconveniences. I also liked that she was great with kids of all ages, eagerly befriending Jodi as well as helping to care for her baby when she was born. Dani was just an easy-going, laid-back, and cool-headed woman who wasn't overly bothered by much of anything, not even leeches in the lake or the lack of indoor plumbing.
Brendan was a much more complicated character. While I did like him, he didn't quite capture my heart like many romance heroes do. I think this might be owing to all his complexities not being explored in enough depth for me to fully understand where he was coming from. His background and upbringing would have lent itself to him being a very tortured hero, yet he didn't really seem like one to me. He was just a man who was struggling with a very tough decision, namely whether to continue his training to become a priest. It was my understanding that he was essentially on a sabbatical for the summer until he made up his mind, therefore his choice to give up his long-held celibacy to make love to Dani came about a little too quickly and without enough contemplation to suit me. I was also disappointed by Brendan keeping himself so closed off from Dani and basically refusing to talk to her about his past or about his decisions regarding the priesthood until the very end of the story. Brendan being so reticent is the main thing that fueled the communication issues between them. I did like how supportive and caring he was of his niece. I also liked how he had been a really good friend to Dani's grandfather and wanted to keep the resort as natural and pristine as possible to honor his wishes.
One of the main things I enjoyed about Babe in the Woods was the setting. The author did a good job with describing the resort and how peaceful it was there. The tiny nearby town with it's few colorful residents was fun to read about too. The book could sometimes be a little dialog heavy, but at least, it had a nice natural flow to it. If Brendan had been a better communicator and the actual romance between him and Dani, as well as the ending, had been a bit stronger, this book would have gotten a higher rating from me. As is, I still mostly liked it and thought it was a worthwhile read. It was my first book by Pamela Bauer, and I generally liked her writing style enough that I'm open to possibly trying some of her other stories. ...more
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Apr 26, 2011
Apr 29, 2011
Aug 24, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
Nov 12, 1984
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Over the years, I've read some fantasy romance, but I can't say that I've read much in the way of straight epic fa Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Over the years, I've read some fantasy romance, but I can't say that I've read much in the way of straight epic fantasy. This happens to be one of my husband's favorite genres, and Dragonlance, one of his favorite series. He has been trying to talk me into reading them for years, and I finally acquiesced to his prodding when I needed a dragon-themed book for two reading challenges in which I was participating. I had previously tried one of Weis & Hickman's other books which I had a hard time getting into and never finished. I'm happy to say that Dragons of Autumn Twilight was a very enjoyable read for me with a cast of likable characters that were easy to root for. I found quite a number of parallels between this book and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, although my husband tells me that's pretty much par for the course in this type of fantasy since LOTR was the main inspiration for all the books that have followed in this genre. I think the book may have been suffering a wee bit from the first in a series syndrome, where it takes a little while for the world-building to get up to speed. It started off at a pretty fast pace with six long-time friends reuniting after five years apart, only to become almost immediately embroiled in trouble and running for their lives after helping two strangers escape from those who would do them harm. Then, I thought the next 100+ pages were a little slow with the characters traveling from place to place and meeting lots of other characters, but not a lot happening plot-wise. Things really took off when the group began traveling to Xak Tsaroth. From there, it was pretty exciting, almost non-stop adventure that got more and more interesting with each page I turned.
Dragons of Autumn Twilight has an ensemble cast of eight main characters, all of whom have their own distinct personalities. Tanis is the leader of the group. He is a skilled warrior but abhors killing. He constantly struggles between his elf and human sides, and his heart is equally torn between a human woman and an elf maid. Flint the dwarf has been friends with Tanis for many, many years (they're both around 150). He can be gruff and grouchy at times, but he can also be incredibly funny, especially when paired with Tas. Tasslehoff was an absolutely hilarious character, a mischievous little creature known as a kender, he was always getting into some kind of trouble. He has no fear and is always the most cheerful member of the group. He's great at finding things, picking locks, and the like. Sturm is a knight who grew up in exile when the knights of his father's order fell into disrespect. He is pretty dark and moody, but very loyal to his friends and perhaps even more so to his knighthood. His chivalry toward the ladies and his extremely strong sense of honor were wonderful qualities. Sturm's childhood friend, Caramon, is a big, hulking guy who's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but his loyalty to his twin brother, Raistlin, was quite endearing. Raistlin is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. He isn't the most likable character in the story, but he definitely is one of the most interesting. He was apparently power-hungry enough to sacrifice his health in exchange for his mage's powers. Often he was not particularly sympathetic, as he sometimes treated the others in the group, including his brother, with a condescending attitude, but then the next minute he surprised me by actually seeming to care about the gully dwarves. He claimed not to know the future, yet his advice always seemed to be spot on. Raistlin was a very mysterious character indeed. Goldmoon aka Chieftan's Daughter is the leader of her people and the bearer of the mystical blue crystal staff. She fell in love with Riverwind even though he was considered far beneath her in station. She was a brave and compassionate woman whose faith in the ancient gods was strong and who found her true calling in life during their search for the truth. Riverwind was gifted with the staff during an impossible quest to prove himself worthy of Goldmoon. He nearly died more than once and obviously loved her very much, not only to have gone through all that, but to have waited to marry her for so long.
I was beginning to wonder if there were going to be any other strong female characters besides Goldmoon, but later in the quest, the group was joined by several new characters two of whom were women. Tika is a sweet, innocent barmaid who actually appeared in the opening chapters too. She has a huge crush on Caramon, and wants to be a warrior woman like his sister. Laurana is the beautiful elf-maiden who is one of the two women that Tanis loves. She only has eyes for him and wants nothing more than to win his heart all for herself. Then there is Fizban, a doddering old mage who is quite possibly even more hilarious than Tas. He had me laughing and smiling through nearly every scene he was in.
I loved the banter between Flint and Tas that never failed to have me in stitches, but nearly all the characters seemed very capable of pulling off one-liners every so often. There are plenty of serious things that happen too. The action scenes, especially those involving the dragons, were quite suspenseful. There is a fair bit of violence, including a few somewhat gory scenes, but other than that, I didn't find anything particularly objectionable which in my opinion, makes the book appropriate for teens and up. In spite of the more intense moments, the overall tone of the book was lighter then I was expecting, making it a fairly easy read, and yet at the same time, rather complex. I was left with many questions, mainly about the character histories, which I hope to find the answers to in future books of the series. I'm so glad I finally picked up Dragons of Autumn Twilight. It may have ended with a resolution to the immediate conflict, but it's obvious there is much more story to tell for these companions which makes me eager to continue the Dragonlance Chronicles series soon. ...more
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Jan 19, 2011
Jan 27, 2011
Aug 24, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
Jul 01, 1995
it was ok
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Normally, I enjoy a good time-travel yarn, but unfortunately, Pirates just didn't work for me on a number of levels. First, th Reviewed for THC Reviews
Normally, I enjoy a good time-travel yarn, but unfortunately, Pirates just didn't work for me on a number of levels. First, the time-travel element itself was rather weak, in my opinion, with the characters being too easily accepting of this miraculous turn of events. Also, other than the brief jaunt back to the present and the occasional reminder that Phoebe was from the future, the story just felt like a straight historical romance. Readers are frequently told that Phoebe and Duncan essentially speak two different forms of English because of the two hundred year time difference between them, but other than Phoebe using a modern colloquialism once in a while, their speaking styles didn't seem to differ all that much. In this case, I felt that the author should have placed more effort and attention to detail on giving them contrasting speech patterns or simply not brought it up at all. The dialog in general didn't have a natural flow to it either. I'm also typically a fan of descriptive narrative that has a poetic feel to it and to some extent Linda Lael Miller's style falls into that category, yet it just didn't grab me in the way other authors have. I think this was due to the narrative being a bit too flowery at times and quite simply too verbose. Sometimes less truly is more, and this was definitely one of those cases where I felt the author could have been pared down the narrative to create a tighter more concise story.
What bothered me the most about the book though was that Ms. Miller seems to be another one of those authors who writes in an incredibly passive style, using far too many "be" verbs and assigning actions to things or feelings rather than the characters themselves. This type of writing never really works for me, because I feel like the entire story is being told to me by a narrator instead of the characters actually taking part in the action. The author also seems to have a penchant for creating events that happen "just because" with little rhyme, reason or thoughtful planning going into the plotting process. To me it just felt like a haphazard mish-mash of occurrences that didn't really have much holding them together and kept leaving me asking, "Why?"
Duncan and Phoebe could have been truly outstanding characters. After all, Phoebe is a time-traveler who has few enough connections to her contemporary life as to not be missed when taking a trip to the past, and Duncan was rather unique as a pirate/patriot who was plundering British ships for the cause of American independence. However, the way in which they were rendered left me with little interest in either of them or the outcome of their story. Sadly, in my opinion, both Duncan and Phoebe were dull, one-dimensional characters whose motives I was never really able to discern. Phoebe's feelings for Duncan surface extremely quickly with absolutely nothing substantial occurring between them to really foster such loving emotions, in my opinion. Duncan follows suit pretty soon after, but of course, has the obligatory waiting period before voicing his love for her, simply because he's a tough man who shouldn't express his feelings too quickly. Even their initial love-making scene and marriage both came totally from out of the blue. Normally, if nothing else, I can count on a few steamy love scenes to set the tone of the relationship, but even those were lacking any spark or sizzle and some of the language used was bordering on purple prose. In fact, I've read "clean" romances that have far better emotional and sexual tension than this book did. Duncan and Phoebe were both nice enough characters I suppose, but that's about the only positive thing I have to say about them. I just couldn't relate to or understand them well at all, and felt virtually no connection between them or to them, mainly because it seemed like their love was being told to me rather than shown through their actions.
Even the secondary characters were pretty colorless and lackluster. Normally, best friend characters will be a bastion of support to one of the main characters and perhaps even a jovial scene-stealer. In this case, Duncan's best friend, Alex, was a total downer. He seemed like a decent character in the beginning, but then after being injured in a battle he suddenly became almost inexplicably suicidal and then snapped out of it equally quickly when the right woman came along to stir him. I love a good tortured male character, but with Alex, I would have needed a lot more insights into his psyche to understand what was going on with him. Old Woman was kind of interesting, but rather clichéd as the mystical wise woman who actually believed Phoebe's tale of time travel. Then there was Simone, Duncan's ex-mistress and "woman scorned" who was as difficult for me to figure out as everyone else. For some reason, Phoebe seemed to feel sorry for her and kept trying to help her even though Simone doggedly continued to lay claim to Duncan even after he had married Phoebe. I think she was meant to be a villain of sorts, but to me she was simply an annoyance. I can't say that the other "villains" were much better. They too had no real teeth, being easily escaped from or dispatched by Duncan in fairly short order. Duncan's family were the only ones that really caught my attention in any meaningful way, but they too were a mysterious enigma with their sympathies lying with the Tories, but their hearts with Duncan. Most people don't ride that political line so easily, so I found myself wanting to know more about their beliefs.
Even the title of the book, Pirates, is rather disingenuous. Yes, Duncan is a pirate, but mostly in name only. With a title like that, I was expecting some energetic high seas action, but there was only one single scene where anything of a truly pirate-y nature occurred, and it was over almost before it started with little excitement or fanfare. I know that Linda Lael Miller is a highly respected and prolific author with a 25+ year writing career behind her, and I can see how some readers may enjoy her novels. She certainly has some imagination and creativity, but the style in which she writes simply left me bereft of any connection to her story or characters. Pirates was my first read by Ms. Miller, and since I've skimmed some of her other books (even more recent ones) and still found her manner of writing to be lacking for my taste, I'm sorry to say, it will most likely be my last. ...more
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Feb 06, 2011
Feb 10, 2011
Aug 23, 2008
Sep 01, 1992
Sep 01, 1992
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
This Side of Heaven was my first read by Beverly Barton, and I found to be a generally well-written and enjoyable romantic sus Reviewed for THC Reviews
This Side of Heaven was my first read by Beverly Barton, and I found to be a generally well-written and enjoyable romantic suspense. It embodies a touch of the paranormal in two ways. One is that the hero and heroine have been dreaming about each other since they were teenagers. The other is that they are the contemporary counterparts of a pair of ghostly lovers from centuries past who are cursed to remain on "this side of heaven," walking the beach where they were murdered, until another couple is united in a way that they never were. By doing so, they will release the lover's spirits into the afterlife. Both of these elements were rather interesting and unusual, and precipitated the hero and heroine being drawn together the moment they first see each other. I think this allowed a certain degree of intimacy to exist between them right from the start without it seeming too forced, but even still, they fell in love a little too quickly to be entirely believable for me. Overall, it wasn't too bad. I just didn't feel as deep of an emotional connection with them as I would have liked.
Nate was a rare, over-forty romance hero, who was an uber-alpha. Normally, I don't go for the more intense guys, but he was a little easier for me to take than most. Admittedly, Nate's alpha-ness could be rather irritating such as when he's ordering Cyn around or calling her "woman," but at the same time he could be somewhat amusing, particularly when he was trying to mask his feelings for her. He created this push and pull relationship, because he simply couldn't resist her, but also knew that to allow her to mean anything to him would be to his detriment. Emotions were a distraction he just couldn't afford. Nate was also a pretty tortured hero who had a lousy childhood, never knowing his father and being raised by an abusive uncle after his mother died. He had also led a very violent life, spending twenty years in the Navy SEALs, including a stint in Vietnam. He seemed to be seeking peace for his battered heart and freedom from the brutality that had almost become second-nature to him. The only time Nate had felt any solace or joy was in his early childhood when his mother was still alive, and in his dreams of a mysterious woman. Unfortunately, the tranquility he was looking for was not to be found easily with a crazed, psycho killer on the loose who was trying to end his life. Out of necessity, he had had to be tough and now just needed someone to nurture him, and Cyn was a woman willing to give him her heart and soul. I wish that Nate had exhibited a little more vulnerability, as his alpha nature was still just a bit too much for me, but overall he was a pretty good guy and one that fans of intense alphas would probably like.
Cyn was a woman who had always been the strong rock to everyone around her. She just couldn't say "no" to a soul in need, and Nate was obviously very much in need of someone to lean on. I think she was courageous to carry on with her husband's work at the shelter for runaways after he was murdered by a drug-addicted teen whom he tried to help. She was also pretty brave to go into a bad area of town in an attempt to help a couple of wayward kids from the shelter. Cyn is basically a pacifist who abhors violence, so when she first meets Nate, she is a little afraid of the fierceness that emanates from him as well as his huge knife collection. It is that same intensity though that draws her to him, because she knows that he is a man who will love with his whole being. She is a sensitive, kindhearted woman who senses Nate's deep loneliness and wants very much to help him, but in spite of her gentleness, she is no pushover. Cyn can go toe-to-toe with Nate, and be every bit as obstinate as he is. One of the things I liked best about her is that she may have been stubborn and insisted on staying with Nate, but in the end, she always listened to him and didn't try anything stupid. The other great thing about her is that she intuitively understands that Nate is in trouble, even though he doesn't fully explain his situation to her for safety reasons. She also figures out that his prickliness is just part of his armor, and never gets offended like other romance heroines might. There were many times when the author could have easily resorted to the dreaded "big misunderstanding," but she never did which was a nice change of pace.
Overall, I found Beverly Barton's writing to be fairly strong and descriptive with pretty good character and plot development for the shorter Silhouette length. She managed to create some good intrigue surrounding a secondary character with ties to both Nate and Cyn. I went back and forth in my mind several times over whether he truly was villainous or not. The final showdown was engaging and included a twist that I didn't really see coming. I wasn't entirely thrilled with the constantly alternating points-of-view, as I'm just more used to whole scenes coming from one character's perspective. I think perhaps this and some passages being written more passively may have contributed to my lack of emotional connection.
Although the author's website doesn't list it as such, This Side of Heaven appears to be widely considered as the first book in The Protectors series. From the research I've done, it seems that the discrepancy is simply that this and the next two connected books are kind of prequels to the main series. This Side of Heaven introduces bodyguard, Sam Dundee, who I assume is the head of Dundee's Protection Agency (aka The Protectors) who becomes the hero of Guarding Jeannie four books later. Readers also get to know DEA agent, Nick Romero, Nate's best friend and fellow former SEAL who is the hero of the next book, Paladin's Woman. I liked Nick as a secondary character. He was injured in the line of duty in this book, and I look forward to seeing what's in store for him next. This Side of Heaven was first published as part of the Silhouette Intimate Moments line, but was later reprinted in the anthology The Protectors: The Beginning along with book #3, The Outcast. ...more
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Jun 28, 2011
Jul 02, 2011
Aug 09, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
Jan 01, 1980
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Come Love a Stranger was a re-read for me, and although I did correctly remember the heroine's identity, there was little else Reviewed for THC Reviews
Come Love a Stranger was a re-read for me, and although I did correctly remember the heroine's identity, there was little else about the story that I could recall. Although it didn't quite reach the heights of perfection for me, it was still a very good read, about as good as I remembered it being over fifteen years ago. I've only read a few of Kathleen Woodiwiss' books, the last one being about four years ago, which was before I started reviewing and really analyzing how each author writes. Either that book was different, or I had forgotten how dense Ms. Woodiwiss' prose can be. I usually like detailed narratives, but sometimes I found myself zoning out a bit during these long passages. At other times though, I could see the story playing out in my head just like a movie. Although I don't have a lot of experience with it, I believe Ms. Woodiwiss, at least in part, wrote the book from the third person omniscient viewpoint. She skips around a lot between an overarching narrative and the various characters' points of view, but rarely gets inside their heads to really let the reader in on what they are feeling and thinking. This often made me feel like I was experiencing the story at a distance rather than becoming immersed in it, and for that reason, I don't think I became as deeply connected to the characters as I typically like to be. Occasionally, there were also big time jumps from one paragraph to the next which could be a little jarring, and once the truth started coming out and the heroine began to remember her identity, the ending seemed somewhat rushed and confusing. I think I finally got everything straight, but had to sit and think about it for a few minutes after turning the last page.
Ashton, the hero, was my favorite character. He is a rakishly charming seducer who had some really swoon-worthy lines. I love how he never wavered in his belief that the heroine was indeed his long-lost wife, Lieren, and even if she did turn out to be Lenore, he didn't care, because he loved her no matter what. It was very romantic how he followed her when she left to go back to Mississippi, and he persisted in doing everything he could to stay near her, not only to protectively watch over her but also to keep himself in the forefront of her mind. I loved how Ashton was able to drive Malcolm crazy by always remaining cool and collected, while the other man was livid. It made for some very amusing moments. Ashton was definitely a cocky hero, but in a good way.
Lierin/Lenore, I don't feel like I got to know quite as well, probably because she doesn't know herself. Due to her amnesia, the author spends the entire story making the reader guess which sister she really is, and to which man she is truly married. Lierin/Lenore was a likable heroine, although I think perhaps she gave in to the notion that she was not Ashton's wife a bit too easily. However, I suppose I can forgive that since there wouldn't have been as much excitement in the story otherwise, and Ashton wouldn't have had the opportunity to show how deeply he loved her either. She was a fairly clever woman who managed to get herself out of a few difficult situations and start to piece together the events of the past when the memories began to return. I also like how she was drawn to Ashton like a moth to a flame and just couldn't resist his charms even though she couldn't remember him.
When Lierin/Lenore awakens with no memory of who she is and Ashton claiming her as his bride, she is understandably frightened and reticent, but Ashton easily won her over with his gentleness. Once she started warming up to Ashton, they had a very sweet, emotional connection. I always enjoyed their scenes together. They shared some playful, teasing moments, and although the love scenes were pretty mild and bordering on being purple, there was an underlying sensuality to them which I found to be very sweet.
Since this novel takes place in the Antebellum South, primarily Mississippi to be exact, Ashton is a slave owner, although I don't recall them ever outright being referred to as slaves. However, he is a kind man who treats them with the utmost respect and allows them to purchase their freedom through their work if they wish. Also, the black characters in the story speak with a dialect that I believe is considered rather demeaning nowadays. Although these things didn't bother me or affect my opinion of the story, I thought them worth mentioning, as I know some readers might find them troublesome if not outright offensive.
Overall, Come Love a Stranger was an enjoyable re-read. Already knowing the heroine's true identity made it somewhat less suspenseful, but nonetheless, it was still fun to reconnect with the characters and go through the steps as they discover who she is. Although, not my favorite Kathleen Woodiwiss book to date, it is one that I would recommend and that in my opinion is one of her more underrated works. ...more
Notes are private!
Aug 2011
Aug 09, 2011
Jun 16, 2008
Nov 29, 2005
it was amazing
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Secret Pearl is far more than a mere romance novel. It is an exquisite love story of two people who fall in love against s Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Secret Pearl is far more than a mere romance novel. It is an exquisite love story of two people who fall in love against seemingly impossible odds, and whose love for one another never fades despite being kept apart by circumstances beyond their control. All this occurs amidst the hero and heroine's inauspicious, even sordid, initial meeting where he becomes her first client as a prostitute, and the discovery that he is married to another woman. I believe Mary Balogh took a huge risk in creating a hero who was cheating, but in my opinion, she pulled it off splendidly. Even though I'm not one to condone infidelity, I was never off-put by this part of the story, because she gave the characters so much depth, I couldn't help but sympathize. My emotions were stirred right from the opening scene by two characters who are broken in spirit and desperately in need of love.
Fleur is an incredibly strong, courageous woman who responds to every challenge in her life with quiet dignity. She may be quaking inwardly, but only rarely does she allow it show on the outside. In doing so, she has learned to hide her true emotions behind an inscrutable mask, yet somehow, Adam still manages to see past it to find the hurting, frightened woman underneath. I thought the author did an amazing job of expressing Fleur's agonized decision to prostitute herself, and the abject desperation that led her to that choice. Life has taught her that she can depend on no one but herself, and makes her distrustful of nearly everyone, including Adam, even when he's being kind and trying very hard to win back the trust he damaged during their first meeting. It was very difficult to read how afraid Fleur was of Adam, and even more so to have her still wary and questioning his motives after he did so much for her and she had allowed him to get close to her on a few occasions. However, I think she was more afraid of the feelings he stirred in her than she was of the man himself. I also felt that deep down she already knew the answers to the questions she asked, but was guarding her heart against the knowledge that a real relationship between them was impossible due to his marital status. In addition to her strength, I admired Fleur for her indelible patience with Adam's daughter, Pamela, even when she was being bratty, and how she was able to win the little girl over with her unconditional love. I also thoroughly enjoyed the author's beautiful expressions of Fleur's love of music and how she becomes one with it. I'm not sure that I would have what it takes to make some of the choices Fleur did (there were several times I probably would have caved), but I respected her for not choosing the easy path and facing everything life threw at her with her head held high.
Adam is a tantalizingly complex character. He begins the story with a definite air of anger and self-loathing. Even though he used Fleur and in the process was unfaithful to his wife, I can still say with all honesty that he was a very decent, kind, gentle, loving, patient and honorable man. He felt so remorseful over his actions that he spent the entire rest of the story atoning for his one mistake. Adam is a deeply lonely man with terrible physical scars from his time in the war. Through circumstances that were no fault of his own, he had been placed in an untenable position. Although he did everything he could to keep his wife happy and never showed her anything but kindness, he sadly received nothing in return from her except scorn. Adam is a wonderful father to Pamela, and I greatly respected him for maintaining his place of authority in his own household even though his wife tried her hardest to usurp that role and guilt him into letting her have her own way. Adam is a quiet, intellectual man who prefers small gatherings to the huge social event his wife always throws. Aside from his protectiveness and occasional grousing at his valet, Adam leans much more toward being a beta hero. He is a refreshingly intelligent and perceptive man. He is fully understanding of why Fleur is wary of him, and actually sees and appreciates her in a very profound way. Adam is also highly self-sacrificing, allowing his wife to think him the villain when he married her in order to spare her feelings and was also willing to give up his own happiness for the sake of loyalty, honor and responsibility. I thoroughly admired his self-control. Even when he was angry, he didn't shout or rail at everyone, and when it came to his desires, (aside from his one indiscretion) he always behaved very admirably and was a perfect gentleman. Adam was very careful not to say, "I love you," to Fleur for a long time, but he expressed his unquestionable love for her by uttering other equally beautiful, romantic lines and especially through his gallant actions. All in all, Adam was a superb romance hero I'll not soon forget.
After their dispassionate first encounter and all they had to overcome, I couldn't imagine how Mary Balogh was going to create an HEA for this couple. Fleur does warm up to Adam through an almost painfully slow process in which they seem to take two steps forward and one step back, but I wouldn't have traded a minute of it for anything. I love how Ms. Balogh took the time and care to build a relationship that was real, genuine, lasting, and most importantly, not merely based on lust. Adam had to rebuild Fleur's trust and fan the flames of love in very small degrees through his kind, gentle gestures that were always meaningful to Fleur in some way. It took a while to get there, but their first kiss was filled with tenderness and passion, making it so worth the wait. All along the way, Ms. Balogh was masterful at turning simple things like a look, a touch or simply being in each other's presence into a sensuous experience. I was particularly fond of the intertwining pinky fingers, and them holding hands and leaning into each other during a long carriage ride. Their first time making love was beautiful but also very bittersweet, knowing what was coming the next day. When it happened I couldn't help crying, but Adam's pledge to Fleur made me sigh from the sheer perfection of it. Theirs was by far one of the most hauntingly beautiful love stories I've ever read.
Even the secondary characters are portrayed with a great deal of depth. Adam's wife, Sybil, acts like a spoiled princess. She has come to think of Adam as a tyrant and doesn't even try to hide her hatred of him. She all but flaunts her own lovers right under his nose, but becomes petulant when she thinks he has taken Fleur as his mistress. There was a part of me that wanted to hate Sybil for how shabbily she treated Adam, but at the same time, I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She too had been something of a victim of circumstances and her heart had been badly broken. She could have chosen to try to be happy, but sadly, had deluded herself into living in a skewed version of reality. Their daughter, Pamela, was a bright child who could be a little bratty in the beginning, but it was clear that she was just in need of some healthy attention. She slowly came around through the patience and love shown her by Adam and Fleur. Adam's half-brother, Thomas, the love of Sybil's life, was a pretty shallow man. It's hard to believe that he and Adam were, at least partially, cut from the same cloth. Fleur's cousin, Matthew, also lives in is own flawed reality, leading him to do some pretty terrible things. He caused no end of grief for poor Fleur, yet without his nasty schemes, she never would have met Adam.
The Secret Pearl is a complex, multi-layered story of love, lies, and deception. I love how Mary Balogh doesn't take the easy road, but instead takes the time to build a romance that is believable and deeply meaningful because of all the hero and heroine had to go through to find that happy ending. This is only my second book by her, but they've been a joy to read, not only for the intricate themes and masterful character development, but also for her lyrical prose. With her exquisitely beautiful writing style, Ms. Balogh is fast on her way to becoming a favorite author. I greatly look forward to continuing to explore her other books, but for now this unique little gem has earned a permanent spot on my keeper shelf to be enjoyed again and again in the years to come. After reading such a remarkable story, it's going to be difficult to move on to another book. ...more
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May 05, 2011
May 10, 2011
Apr 27, 2008
Aug 02, 2005
Aug 02, 2005
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Extreme Exposure is my first read by Pamela Clare, and I have to say that she is a good story-teller. The book had a nice bala Reviewed for THC Reviews
Extreme Exposure is my first read by Pamela Clare, and I have to say that she is a good story-teller. The book had a nice balance of elements too. I had all the bad guys fairly well figured out by the reveal, so nothing was too big of a surprise in that respect. However, the suspenseful nature of the denouement and some of the earlier scenes were still well done, and there were even some lighter, humorous moments as well. Kara's drunken sex interview with Reece was pretty amusing (apparently she is a dedicated journalist even under the influence ;-)), as was her son producing Mommy's vibrator at an extremely inopportune time. The romance didn't fully produce a deep, swoon-worthy emotional connection for me, but it did have some memorable moments, such as when Reece brought his planned dinner to Kara, cooking for her, and when he loyally sat by her bedside after she'd been severely injured. Although not quite as steamy as I was expecting based on other's reviews (most of the love scenes were a little too short and not very detailed), there was one scene in particular that was definitely scorching hot. Overall, Extreme Exposure was a pretty enjoyable read, but the author has some odd quirks in her writing style which kept the book from being the perfect 5-star read for me that I thought it could have been.
Just like Kara, the heroine of Extreme Exposure, Pamela Clare has an extensive background as an award-winning journalist. However, authoring a newspaper article and authoring a novel require two very different writing styles, and I couldn't help but feel that her journalistic style kept seeping into the novel, giving me something of a roller-coaster experience with the narrative. Sometimes, I was engaged in the story and really enjoying it, and other times, it just simply didn't catch my attention and draw me in the way a romantic suspense tale should. I think this was owing to a large part of the book being written in a rather passive way with quite a bit of telling and not enough showing. Ms. Clare also has a tendency to write most of the introspective passages in past perfect tense as the characters basically relive something that has already happened. I've never really seen this in a romance novel before, or at least not to this extent, and in my opinion, it added to the passivity. In general, I think it is a good rule of thumb to keep the reader in the here and now, especially when trying to build a romantic relationship and a suspenseful plot, rather than reliving events after the fact. As written, it was almost like having dozens of mini flashbacks in the narrative. I also wasn't very fond of her repeating certain phrases and passages during introspective moments either. I just didn't feel the need to be reminded of what another character had said or something the person who was ruminating had read, often just mere pages after it had occurred the first time. In my opinion, it only served to slow things down. While some parts of Ms. Clare's writing style may not have been entirely to my liking, I do want to give credit where credit is due. I thought she was great with describing the settings and environmental details which made me see them clearly in my mind's eye. She also did a good job with the dialog which had a snappy, concise and natural flow. In addition, she created some likable characters in Reece and Kara, as well as Kara's son, Connor, who actually acted like the small child he was and not just a tiny adult.
Before starting Extreme Exposure, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical of a politician making good romantic hero material as they tend to have a bad reputation. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Reece was one of those rare "good guy" politicians, someone who got into it because he truly wanted to make a difference both in the lives of his students, who had encouraged him toward this temporary career change, and in the lives of his constituents. He had a moral compass that kept him from doing things that could be misconstrued, and he and his office were about as transparent as government gets. Because of this, I wish the author hadn't felt the need to justify Reece's actions by frequently reminding the reader that he wasn't abusing his power when he occasionally pulled some strings to get information. I think it was already pretty obvious that he was only doing it for the greater good. Ultimately, Reece was a fabulous guy who made a wonderful romance hero. I loved the way he was a perfect gentleman at their first meeting when Kara was drunk, how he verbally defended Kara, tried to physically protect her, and refused to leave her side when all the bad stuff started happening. And all this, while still being an amazing lover who could make her body sing, a talented cook who could make a delicious meal without breaking a sweat, a great handyman, and he loved kids too. Where can I sign up for my own Reece? (Oops, forgot, I'm a married woman for a second there.;-)) The two things about him that were slightly troublesome were his lack of judgment in previously sleeping with a lobbyist, and that he seemed to fall in love with Kara a little too easily and without a lot of explanation. However, I can't fault the latter too much, because I love when the hero recognizes his feelings early in the story.
Kara was an admirable heroine. She was obviously dedicated to her job and very good at what she did. She was a wonderful mother in spite of sometimes not feeling like she was. Even though I'm a stay-at-home mom, I could still relate to her worries about balancing work and motherhood. I think most moms have days where they feel inadequate. I admired her for her journalistic ethics, and for how she stood up to her boss for being a jerk and to the bad guys when they started coming after her. I can't say that I always agreed with her choice of actions (a couple leaned toward the TSTL side), but I guess they at least made some sense. I sympathized with her being a little leery of trusting men, but I think the author could have presented that aspect in a bit more subtle way instead of it being in the reader's face right from the start. Even Reece instantaneously knew she had issues after only going on one date with her. I just have a preference for these types of past hurts to come out more slowly, because I feel it adds to the intimacy of the relationship when the couple gradually share with one another. At the same time, I felt like Kara needed a little more depth in this area, because she did occasionally irritate me with how long it took her to give into her feelings for him, as well as with her suspicions about Reece's motives for dating her and again later with his involvement in the investigation. Reece was just such a great guy I thought he deserved better than that, but at least she wasn't as bad as some romance heroines I've read.
Extreme Exposure has a plethora of secondary characters, some who have only bit parts and some whose roles are a little meatier, but they all contributed to the story in their own way. Two of the supporting characters we meet in this story, Kara's friends and fellow I-Team members, Tessa and Sophie, become the heroines of the next two books in the series, Hard Evidence and Unlawful Contact respectively. The overall premise for the series, that of a group of investigative reporters digging into various crimes is a new and unique idea for romantic suspense which I like. I can say that Ms. Clare's background in this field certainly shows through in her portrayal of the heroine's profession and descriptions of the newspaper business, even though the technical aspects of the newsroom weren't my favorite parts. Extreme Exposure is the first story in the I-Team series which currently has five books. I may have had a few issues with Ms. Clare's writing style, but I liked the characters and plot well enough that I'm certainly willing to keep going with the series. ...more
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Feb 11, 2011
Feb 16, 2011
Apr 21, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
Nov 1992
Oct 01, 2004
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" For a short novel, Honey and the Hired Hand was a surprisingly enjoyable read that kept me very emotionally engage Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" For a short novel, Honey and the Hired Hand was a surprisingly enjoyable read that kept me very emotionally engaged. Joan Johnston seems to have a talent for expressing a great deal using an economy of words. The pace moves along very quickly yet the story never felt rushed. Even though it takes place over the course of only a few weeks, there is an intimacy to Jesse and Honey's relationship that makes it seem like they've known each other forever. The sexual tension is deliciously taut right from the start, but I could sense more passing between then than mere lust. The love scenes are very sensual in spite of not being overly long and only moderately descriptive. Overall, Ms. Johnston did a great job with taking me through the emotional ups and downs of this couple's relationship and convincing me that they were absolutely perfect for one another.
Jesse is one sexy, alpha cowboy. He is also a Texas Ranger working undercover to break up a ring of cattle rustlers. Jesse exhibits a self-confidence and a sort of lazy arrogance that can be very charming in a cowboy hero. When his alpha-ness comes out, he can be just a little caveman-ish which would normally bother me, but here the author deftly expresses that side of him with a certain tenderness and lightheartedness that made him very appealing. I really liked that Jesse was a gentleman and expected Honey's oldest son to treat her with gentlemanly respect too. He is also very good with her boys and with getting them to warm up to him. All in all, Jesse was a wonderful hero who absolutely oozed sex appeal, and it certainly didn't hurt that he was part Native American too.;-)
Honey was a woman whose heart had been broken when her husband died in the line of duty. She swore she would never fall in love with or marry another man who was a Ranger or who courts danger like he did. Even when her husband was alive she didn't exactly have it easy. Because he was frequently away on assignments, she had to shoulder the burden of running the ranch all by herself. Now she just wants a dependable guy, but quickly discovers that dependable is also rather boring. I could sense right from the beginning how Jesse completely disarms Honey. She doesn't want to be attracted to him, but can't help being drawn to him like a magnet. Even before she finds out about Jesse being a Texas Ranger, she senses danger lurking around him. She is frightened by how strong her feelings are for him, and tries to break things off with him more than once so that she won't get hurt again, but soon realizes that her life would be empty without him around.
With the limited length of the story, there isn't a lot of room for secondary characters, but there were still a couple of stand-outs. Honey's oldest son, Jack, is very protective of his mother and not too keen on her having relationships with guys who he views as vying to replace the dad he lost. He manages to get himself into some trouble, but his heart was in the right place. The book opens with Honey dating Adam, a doctor and ranch owner who has just proposed, but deep down she knows she doesn't love him and he deserves better. Unfortunately, she breaks his heart, but Jesse's little sister gets to help him pick up the pieces in the next book of the series, The Rancher and the Runaway Bride. Jesse and Honey also share a couple of mutual friends, Dallas, another Texas Ranger, and his wife, Angel. From the moment they popped up in the story, I had the feeling I was supposed to know them from somewhere, and after doing a bit of research, discovered that they had appeared as the hero and heroine of a previous book, A Little Time in Texas. I was a bit surprised that their book wasn't mentioned anywhere as being part of the Hawk's Way series or even a prequel or sorts, but I guess it wouldn't be necessary to read it first. I'll definitely be interested in checking it out sometime though.
Honey and the Hired Hand was my first read by Joan Johnston and also the first volume in the Hawk's Way series, named after the Whitelaw family's ranch. It was originally published as a Silhouette Desire title. It was later reprinted along with two other books from the series as part of the anthology, Hawk's Way Rogues, and again as a single-volume HQN special release. Overall, Honey and the Hired Hand was an excellent introduction to both Ms. Johnston's work and the Hawk's Way series. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author. ...more
Notes are private!
Nov 2011
Nov 03, 2011
Apr 14, 2008
Aug 31, 2004
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
It's been a really long time since I've read one of Julie Garwood's romantic suspense novels, since before I started writing r Reviewed for THC Reviews
It's been a really long time since I've read one of Julie Garwood's romantic suspense novels, since before I started writing reviews to be exact. Murder List was a pretty good read, and about on par with what I remembered of the other books in the Buchanan series, but not quite up to the caliber of some other romantic suspense authors I've read more recently. Having a killer on the loose, who seems to be obsessing on the heroine, worked reasonably well from a suspense/thriller perspective, but the mystery surrounding this part of the story was a little weak in my opinion. I'd be quite surprised if readers figure it out before the reveal, as the breadcrumb trail leading to the culprit was pretty sparse. I really prefer when the author can engage me in actively trying to solve the mystery rather then being a passive bystander. The romance needed a little more pizazz too. Other than a mutual attraction, not much happens between Alec and Regan for more than half the book. They don't even kiss. Then about ¾ of the way in, things finally get moving, but it all kind of happens at once. There is only one moderately descriptive love scene which I did find romantic, but then things cooled down as Alec prepares to move and Regan believes it was just a one-night stand. I could tell that they really liked one another, but I wasn't entirely convinced that it was enough to build a lifetime commitment on.
Alec and Regan were pretty typical of Julie Garwood's heroes and heroines. Alec is what I like to call the alpha with a heart. He's attractive in a messy, un-put-together sort of way. He's a cop who's good at what he does and knows it, but is about to make a move to the FBI. His lieutenant gave him the job of bodyguard to Regan for his last few weeks in town as retaliation for him leaving the force and for making the guy look bad during a confrontation. Once Alec gets to know Regan, he seems rather amused and endeared by her quirks and intensely possessive and protective of her. I thought it was very sweet that he didn't want to spend the night at her hotel suite after they made love, because he was concerned about her reputation. Regan is a hotel heiress ala Paris Hilton, but much, much nicer and more intelligent. While her two older brothers run the family business, she runs the family's philanthropic efforts. Being so much younger than her brothers and not having involved parents, Regan has kind of gotten lost in her brothers' shadows, so it was rather funny when she started fighting back against their overbearing natures. Regan is not unlike most of Julie Garwood's other heroines in that she can by turns be a little too emotional, a little too nosy, and a little clumsy, while still being kind-hearted, and underneath it all, she's strong when she needs to be. She's also quite attractive, but mostly unaware of her physical beauty. Alec and Regan are both very likable characters, but I wouldn't exactly call them stand-outs. There just wasn't enough character development for that.
There were a number of secondary characters in the story. I enjoyed the breezy interactions between Regan and her two best friends, Sophie and Cordie. Sophie is an outgoing journalist who is trying to get an investigative beat. I thought it was rather interesting that she was the daughter of an infamous con-man, and it looks like she gets her own book, Fire and Ice, later in the series. The most intriguing of the three to me though was Cordie. I think this was because of her dichotomy, or perhaps trichotomy as the case may be. She's a girlie girl, who as a science teacher is a bit of a geek, but she also does auto mechanic work on the side as something of a hobby. As I mentioned earlier, Regan's two oldest brothers, Aiden and Spencer can be pretty overbearing and overprotective, and tend to try Regan's patience. The youngest of the brothers, Walker, is a jet-setting race-car driver who we don't see much of in the story, but he still factors into it. I think any of these three might make good hero material, and in fact, it seemed like something might be brewing between Aiden and Cordie, but nothing ever came of their seeming attraction. It might be interesting for these two to get together, but as of yet, it doesn't look like Ms. Garwood as written any books for them or the other Madison brothers. Since Alec is part of the large Buchanan clan, I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more of them. In fact, his brothers and sisters are really only mentioned in passing, but friend of the family, Noah Clayborne who has his own book, Shadow Dance, does get to have a couple of phone conversations with Alec.
Murder List has a rather leisurely beginning as the author introduces the reader to the hero, heroine and killer separately. At the time, they seemed to all be doing completely unrelated things, but gradually, their lives begin to intertwine. At that point, it became more involving, although at times the pacing was still a little slow for a mystery/suspense novel, in my opinion. Overall the story was pretty good and the writing itself fairly solid. Even with its flaws, Murder List still held my attention which is probably why I consider Julie Garwood to be a good author. Even when she's not at the top of her game, her books are still quite readable. Murder List is the fourth book in her Buchanan series, and I'll be looking forward to meeting and getting to know more of the Buchanan family in future books. ...more
Notes are private!
Oct 13, 2011
Oct 19, 2011
Mar 30, 2008
Jul 30, 2002
really liked it
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Leaping Hearts is the first book written by Jessica Bird aka the fabulous J. R. Ward of Black Dagger Brotherhood fame. Sadly, Reviewed for THC Reviews
Leaping Hearts is the first book written by Jessica Bird aka the fabulous J. R. Ward of Black Dagger Brotherhood fame. Sadly, it seems to have rather low ratings on some of the major book sites that I frequent, but I think this may be due to fans of her later work deciding to try her backlist titles only to be disappointed. Like many, I came to be a fan through the BDB, but was still able to view Leaping Hearts as a completely different entity. I also found it to be a fascinating study in how an author's writing can grow to a fuller and richer state over time, and therefore, may have been able to appreciate in a way that other readers didn't.
Unlike the BDB, Leaping Hearts and all the books J. R. Ward wrote as Jessica Bird are contemporary romances. The focus of this book is squarely on the desire of a young woman to prove herself by earning a spot on the Olympic equestrian team, but the beautiful stallion she impulsively purchases at the beginning of the story and wishes to ride has an unruly temperament. The pair find a friend in a former rider who was severely injured just the year before and has shut himself away from the world, but finds new purpose in life through training them. The book takes a very detailed look at the world of equestrian show jumping, and I thought that Jessica Bird really brought that aspect of the story to life. She either has personal experience with horses or did her homework extremely well. I also found it to be a rather unusual setting for a romance. However if this subject isn't of interest to the reader, I suppose it could become somewhat dull. I personally had a rather obsessive interest in horses, as well as equestrian show jumping, when I was a teenager, and although the extremes of my fascination have waned over the years, I can still appreciate the beauty of both the beast and the sport.
Devlin and A. J., the hero and heroine of the book were both likable characters, but I thought that perhaps their individual personalities and relationship could have used a little more depth. As I mentioned earlier, Devlin was a champion show jumper who could no longer ride due to a serious injury he had sustained the year before. He had also lost his beloved horse in the same accident and the grief had caused him to shut himself away. Devlin finds himself quite drawn to A. J. and her horse, Sabbath, and can't quite resist the pull to get back in the ring even if it's just coaching another rider from the sidelines. With his limp and slightly tortured nature, I could see shades of a much tamer version of one of the Brothers lurking within Devlin. A. J. was a woman with rather complex family ties. She was also a little impulsive, buying Sabbath, who had a terrible reputation, mostly on a whim, but she was very determined to turn him, and thereby herself, into a champion in hopes of proving herself to her family once and for all. For someone who was so certain she could win with Sabbath, A. J. did get a little discouraged rather quickly in the training process, but as small progresses were made, she started coming back around to her more positive way of thinking. In the end, she became so intent on winning the qualifier as to risk her own health. This caused Devlin and A. J. to argue and separate a couple of times which seemed a little extreme for the circumstances. As is, it didn't seem like such an insurmountable obstacle as to cause a break-up, so this is one area in which I thought the author delving a bit more deeply into the dynamics of their relationship would have been helpful.
There weren't a lot of secondary characters, but those present were pretty well-drawn. Sabbath is probably the main one, and I have to say that Jessica Bird did an amazing job with bringing his personality to life, which can be rather hard to do with an animal character. He certainly lived up to his wild reputation, but at the same time, I could really sense both his joy at being in the ring and his fear of water. Devlin's friend and father-figure, Chester, was a hoot. He too could liven things up with his zany personality, and he even got to have a little romance of his own. The only other stand-out supporting players were A. J.'s family with whom she had a pretty strained relationship, especially her stepbrother, Peter, who ran the family stables. At first he seemed like a real piece of work, a man with a head for business, but who seemed to want to control everything, including A. J. As the story progressed though, we discover that his actions were born of jealousy, and he and A. J. come to an agreement of sorts by the end.
Leaping Hearts didn't have the action, angst or edginess of Jessica Bird's later works, but it was still a good book in a different sort of way. I actually liked the more low-key nature of the story and how Devlin and A. J. have a very comfortable relationship together, both personally and professionally. It's almost like they've known each other forever right from the start. Fans of the BDB, which can sometimes border on the erotic, may not care for the lack of steam. In all honesty, even I wouldn't have minded having a little more in that department, as some of the love scenes were barely there, and even the ones that were a little more detailed were still fairly short. The author does tend to alternate the characters' viewpoints quite a bit within the same scene which usually is rather jarring to me, but in this case, it flowed well enough to not be too much of a distraction which just goes to show what a good author can accomplish.
Every author has to start somewhere, and even though Leaping Hearts was Jessica Bird's beginning, some of the trademarks of her current writing style were already in evidence at this early stage of her career. The colorful analogies and sarcastic humor that I enjoy so much in the BDB can definitely be found here, and although it may not be a good habit, she also does a bit of brand-name dropping. Overall, the narrative was strong and very well-written. It just needed that little extra bit of zing to get to the level at which she writes now. Ms. Bird is definitely an author who showed promise as a natural writer from the start. She then learned and built on that talent over time to hone her craft well, but perhaps even more importantly has learned to take more risks in her storytelling which has paid off in spades.
Note: Although Leaping Hearts is not officially considered to be part of a series, all of Jessica Bird's contemporaries have connections, therefore, I consider them to be a collective series of sorts and have chosen to read them in the order in which they were published which may enhance the reading experience. I did discover, however, that Leaping Hearts at least, could easily be read as a stand-alone, as the only commonality was a couple of almost negligible mentions of A. J.'s cousin, Carter Wessex, who becomes the heroine of the next book, Heart of Gold. ...more
Notes are private!
Jul 25, 2011
Jul 31, 2011
Mar 29, 2008
Mass Market Paperback
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