TBR Challenge: Jacob's Faith

My personal TBR challenge in November has been to read my review books and other books I started but hadn't finished. I picked up Jacob's Faith by Lora Leigh several times this month and finished it yesterday: 3.5 out of 5.

1. Title/Author
Jacob's Faith by Lora Leigh.

2. Brief Synopsis
I'm too tired to write one. This is from the back cover.

They are a new breed, a new race. Engineered rather than born, trained rather than raised, and their unique genetics have created more than one surprise . . .

Jacob left Faith six years before, unaware that the mark he left on her also left her in an agony of sexual heat that never dimmed. Now Jacob and Faith are together again, but surprises lurk around every corner and dangers as dark and deadly as their very creation surround them in more ways than one.

3. Copyright Year
2003.

4. Indicate if you liked or disliked it?
I had a hard time getting into it; I don't know how many times I picked it up, read a chapter or two, and put it back down. Part of that is probably the fact that I've been a bit distracted this month.

Still, I think part of it is the story itself. Jacob and Faith cover the same territory for a lot of the middle part of the book. He doesn't believe he can love, while she demands it, they have sex, repeat. This section is where I kept putting the book down. It improves toward the end of the story.

In the end, though, I liked it enough to look for the next book in the series (see number 8 below).

5. Was the book designated a DIK or Five Heart book at any of the review sites?
Not sure.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the reviewers?
Not applicable.

7. Is this a new author for you?
No. I read her short story in Hot Spell.

8. Would you read more by this author?
Yes. The epilogue hooked me, even as I recognized it as a hook into the next book. In this case, it worked.

November Reviews

Here are links to my November reviews at The Romance Reader:

Heart of the Dragon
Really Unusual Bad Boys

I wrote another one this month but it hasn't been posted yet.

Knock Me Off My Feet

Knock Me Off My Feet is the third book I've read by Susan Donovan. I liked the previous two (Take a Chance on Me and He Loves Lucy), and I was unsurprised and pleased that I liked this one as well: 4 out of 5.

Audie Adams has been targeted by a stalker who is familiar with her TV personality as Homey Helen, and who also seems to know her personally. When the letters Audie receives become threatening, the police step in to provide protection. Enter Detective Stacey Quinn, the man who protects her and falls in love with her in the process.

One thing I like about Donovan's stories is that her characters always feel unique and real. She isn't a writer who recycles characters--at least, not in the books I've read. There is always humor threaded through her stories as well. Knock Me Off My Feet provides both of these things.

Audie is no perfect homemaker (and I can relate to that!), she just plays one on TV. I like the way Donovan portrayed how her uncaring family affects her belief that no one can love her. It felt very real to me.

As for Stacey, I love the fact that he is not a conventional hero. OK, he goes in to heavy-duty protective mode, and that's nothing new for a hero. But at first he thinks Audie herself is behind the letters. I was also impressed with his freckle-covered body. That's unique for a romance hero.

What I didn't like: I thought the stalker was a bit over the top, but the romance itself was terrific.

I have one more of Donovan's books, Public Displays of Affection, and I'm going to save it for when I need to get out of another book slump.

Realizations and Good News

I knew I had a lot of scrapbooking supplies, but I didn't realize how many I had until I started trying to put them into some kind of order. I had to buy a second filing cart for my 12 x 12 paper, and I imagine I will be organizing stickers and die-cuts into the next century. If I'm lucky.

I discovered something a bit more disturbing last week. I tend not to watch the news, so I don't always learn about things right when they happen. So this week, I'm eating lunch with my coworkers and they mention the new thing with credit cards that will increase payments in January. To say that this is disturbing is an understatement. I understand that it will help people get out of debt, but it will be problematic for me.

Good thing I have cut back on book buying sprees.

So it looks like I will be stepping up my candle business a bit and trying to come up with other ways to earn money. I don't want to take a part-time job, but I might have to consider it depending on how high payments go. I absolutely must have my garage sale next spring. Not only will it bring in a little money, it will also help with the clutter.

Anyone want to buy any candles? LOL!

Enough of that for now. My good news: my 2005 NaNoWriMo entry is more or less complete at 50, 111 words. If I want to do something with it, it would need a lot of revision, but I'm still enjoying the fact that I met the goal. Yay!

Coming Soon

I had a lovely Thanksgiving and am now going to bed to collapse. First, though, I wanted to mention that I am a participant in a discussion about erotic romance at Romancing the Blog. There are two parts of the discussion, and they will be posted on Friday (tomorrow) and Saturday. Three other readers participated, and I think the resulting discussion is interesting. Hope you'll stop in and check it out.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My blog images are back! Well, mostly. I ended up having to transfer them again using FTP, and there are some I haven't transferred yet. But at least my blog has stopped looking like a big blank screen with red Xs where the images should be. I'll get the rest transferred this weekend, I hope.

I'm closing in on my 50,000-word NaNoWriMo goal; I'm at 45,596 words and counting. I will probably get a fair amount of writing in tomorrow as well. I'm having a hard time imagining life post-NaNo, simply because I've gotten into a routine. However, my housecleaning will probably improve immensely.

This month's TBR challenge has been to read review books and to finish books I started in the past. I'm not doing so well with either goal. I'm in a reading slump, it seems. I've picked up half a dozen books in the past week, read a few chapters, then set them down again. I think it's me. I just haven't been sure what I'm in the mood for. I am about halfway through Susan Donovan's Knock Me Off My Feet, and I'm optimistic that I will finish this one, even though it isn't a review or a previously started book. Oh well, at this point, I will be grateful to finish something.

Tomorrow I will be enjoying Thanksgiving holiday with my family. If you're celebrating it, hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Middle Earth

I couldn't resist this one, which I saw on Larissa's blog.


Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

Books and Book Signings

I've been looking at lists of books that are coming out early next year, and I'm asking myself: Do I buy the ones I want when they come out? Or do I wait and get them at next year's RWA signing? I haven't actually made a decision about next year's RWA signing, but this seems like a good time to decide.

Last year, I decided that holding off on buying books would be a good way to work on my TBR pile. It didn't work. I still bought some books, and my TBR list kept growing. It exploded after the RWA signing, too. At this point, I think I could easily not buy another book and still have reading material for two years.

So, I've decided to get serious about this. I'm going to cut down on the books I buy and save the money for the RWA trip. This means I'll be turning to the library for more books, or attempting to trade for them through my trading group. And I'll be reading from my TBR pile.

I'll also be cutting down on my trips to the used bookstore. I love going, and I enjoy finding books for other people in the trading group. But I keep using up all of my credit finding books for others, so I'm going to cut back both on trips and on buying for others.

As for upcoming book signings, I learned that Carrie Vaughn will be signing in Denver on December 4. Driving would take almost eight hours, so that's out. The flight is more money than I want to spend right now. So I'm planning to check out last-minute flights as the day approaches to see what I can find. I'm not sure if I'll make the trip or not, but it's fun to think about it.

There is a nearby multiauthor signing in February, so I'm definitely planning to attend. I'm not sure if there are enough authors to warrant an appearance of the cart, but I have plenty of time to decide.

Snaring the Huntress

I'm vexed with my online image host at the moment. None of my images are coming up. Hope they get it fixed while I still remember what my blog is supposed to look like. Edited to add: Apparently I need to update my FTP since I upgraded my account. It would help if the instructions were in something resembling comprehensible English. Wish me luck . . .

Now, on to happier topics. Today I read Sylvia Day's Snaring the Huntress, and it was another wonderful read. Some authors write beautiful short stories, and Day is obviously one who does: 4 out of 5.

Star is a judge, sent to find an ambassador who broke Interstellar Council Law. When she finds Roark, she discovers that he is the lover who has been haunting her dreams.

This is a short story, so I don't want to say anything more about the plot. However, it's terrific. Snaring the Huntress sets up the world of the story and creates a believable romance. I loved the touches of humor, such as at the end of chapter 1. Once again, I don't want to give anything away, but there are a number of moments in the story that make me smile.

The resolution seems a little too easy, but the rest of the story definitely makes up for it.

Kitty and The Midnight Hour

It isn't often that I recommend books to my friends and coworkers. Most of them are not romance readers. But Carrie Vaughn's Kitty and The Midnight Hour is so good that I'm planning not only to recommend it but to give it away to a few people as Christmas presents. This is one of the best books I've read all year: 5 out of 5.

Kitty Norville is a late-night DJ. One night, she decides to take a few calls from people, and she ends up chatting about the world of vampires and werewolves. When the show's ratings spike, Kitty starts a new show, The Midnight Hour, where the supernatural can call for advice.

The problem is that not everyone loves her show. Kitty, a werewolf, owes allegiance to Carl, the leader of a local pack, and he isn't thrilled about the program. The leader of a vampire family is also displeased, since he thinks Kitty's show brings to much attention to the supernatural. So someone hires a werewolf hunter to kill Kitty.

I won't say how Kitty escapes. Instead, I'll focus on the things I like about the book. Kitty is terrific. The story is told from her point of view, and she's a fascinating character. The pacing of the story is wonderful; it kept me engrossed in the story. I read it in one sitting. I like the radio show angle. It allows for interesting interaction between characters, and it also gives Vaughn a way to show world-building without getting bogged down in description.

There is a suggestion of romance between Kitty and another character. It's left largely unexplored, but this is the first book in a series. The rest of the story was so good that I didn't mind. I do hope this character is brought back in future stories. I'd love to learn more about him.

If you like paranormal romance or paranormal in general, you're likely to enjoy Kitty and The Midnight Hour.

TBR Challenge: The Marine's Kiss

My informal TBR challenge for November is to read books I started but set aside before finishing. So I revisited The Marine's Kiss, which I bought and started on a recent trip and set aside when I returned home. It wasn't the book's fault that I didn't finish; I didn't unpack immediately and ended up getting distracted by other books. I'm glad I came back to it; it's a nice story: 4 out of 5.

1. Title/Author
The Marine's Kiss by Shirley Jump.

2. Brief Synopsis
Jenny is surprised when her ex-boyfriend, Nate, returns home and agrees to help in her elementary school classroom. What she doesn't know is that the injury that brought him home also means he must leave the Marines, so he's in town for good.

3. Copyright Year
2005.

4. Indicate if you liked or disliked it?
I liked the story. There are fun moments in the classroom and great chemistry between Nate and Jenny. It's a light read. The conflict is interesting: she wants someone who will stay and he hasn't been content in the past to stay in one place. I did think the resolution was a little rushed. Jenny kept saying no to a relationship and then she said yes. It wasn't clear what had changed to make her take the risk. Still, The Marine's Kiss was a cute book.

5. Was the book designated a DIK or Five Heart book at any of the review sites?
I didn't check.

6. Do you agree or disagree with the reviewers?
Not applicable.

7. Is this a new author for you?
Yes.

8. Would you read more by this author?
Yes.

All About Me

I was tagged by Sylvia and have spent a little time each day on my responses. Some of them have been surprisingly difficult to answer.

Three screen names that you've had:
Alyssa, AlyssaH, Thracian.

Three things you like about yourself:
I'm creative, loyal, and can be funny.

Three things you don't like about yourself:
Sometimes my humor gets a little too sarcastic, I hold grudges, and I'm impatient.

Three parts of your heritage:
I inherited my tendency to go gray early from my mom. I also got my thick hair from her, so I guess I can't complain. I inherited bad eyesight from my dad.

Three things that scare you:
Spiders, dark parking lots, certain segements of Unsolved Mysteries.

Three of your everyday essentials:
Diet Vanilla (or Cherry) Coke, my car, a jacket or sweater.

Three things you are wearing right now:
Cream sweater, blue jeans, brown shoes.

Three of your favorite songs:
"Bring Me to Life," Evanescence; "Lucky," Bif Naked; "A Thousand Years," Sting.

Three things you want in a relationship:
Attraction, affection, understanding.

Two truths and a lie (you guess which is which):
I wish I were out of debt, I have an entire room for my scrapbooking supplies, I am confident around men.

Three things you can't live without:
Books, my camera, scrapbooks.

Three places you want to go on vacation:
England, Minnesota (because my best friend lives there), Hawaii.

Three things you just can't do:
Advanced math, cook anything complicated, repair anything on my car.

Three kids' names:
I don't have kids so don't spend much time thinking about it.

Three things you want to do before you die:
Publish something that has my name on it (my writing for work never has a byline), get married, have a house that's almost organized.

Three celeb crushes:
Orlando Bloom, Joaquin Phoenix, Ciaran Hinds.

Three of your favourite musicians:
Sting, Loreena McKinnett, Evanescence.

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you:
Eyes, smile, buff arms.

Three of your favourite hobbies:
Reading, scrapbooking, watching Unsolved Mysteries.

Three things you really want to do badly right now:
Win a million dollars, eat ice cream, sleep.

Three careers you've considered:
Astronomer, singer, writer.

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
I don't cook, I played basketball in high school, I don't spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning.

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
I have long hair, I love poetry, and I like to talk about feelings.

I Don't Need Any More Books

. . . but I can't seem to stop buying them anyway. Today's purchases include the following:

• Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
• Blood Kiss by Mechele Armstrong
• Tease Me by Dawn Atkins
• Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris
• The Demon's Daughter by Emma Holly
• Partners in Evil by Steve Jackson (true crime; not a romance)
• A Darker Crimson by Carolyn Jewel
• Red Letter Nights by Alison Kent
• Promises Keep by Sarah McCarty
• Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

I think it's official--I'm crazy. I have two bookcases full of books I haven't read yet. And I could use a third one. Three bookcases for books I haven't read. If that isn't craziness, I don't know what is.

Kidnapped by Love

OK, folks, do you realize that if you don't give me some title suggestions for my NaNoWriMo project, I am likely to end up with a hokey title like Kidnapped by Love? Please save me from myself and enter my contest. I have extended the deadline to Friday.

There is no official TBR (to-be-read) challenge this month, so I've decided to catch up on review books. I am woefully behind. I just submitted my first review for November, and I hope to write another in the next few days. I've had one book for several months, and I'm trying to decide whether I should read it or just hope no one (namely the TRR editor) notices it's missing.

When I'm not reading and reviewing books this month, I hope to read some books I have started and set aside. That will be my personal TBR challenge.

As for December's TBR challenge? Well, Maili said that she would be back and blogging online in December. To give her some encouragement, I officially announce my intention to read and blog about Scottish romance for the TBR challenge unless she does return. Anyone want to join me? ;)

Twice Upon a Roadtrip

Twice Upon a Roadtrip is Shannon Stacey's first published book. If her subsequent books are as good as this one, then Stacey is an author I'll be sure to watch: 4 out of 5.

Jillian is having a bad day. It starts when she gets the news that someone else was promoted over her. Then her bag of groceries broke, scattering cans all over the pavement. When she starts throwing her groceries into a car, a man approaches and informs her that it's actually his car. For his part, Ethan is mostly amused by the mixup, until he learns of her negative feelings for "the bitch who stole her promotion." The bitch, he tells Jillian, is his mother.

The conflict is set up from the start. Jillian is impulsive and doesn't want to be tied down. Her family thinks of her as flighty. Ethan is methodical and detail-oriented. They seem like a bad match, until they end up on a road trip together and get to know each other beyond the stereotypes.

I enjoyed this book. This is a nice romance with fun humor throughout. I loved the fact that Ethan realized how much Jillian was hurt by the beliefs of her family. In one scene, he decides to praise her so she would feel good about herself. He gets off to an interesting start by praising her breasts. Many parts of the story brought a smile to my face.

The story didn't earn a 5 because I didn't immediately start rereading it once I was finished. But I closed my printed copy of the book with satisfaction and look forward to Stacey's next book.

Melani Blazer

I really don't want to keep Angie in suspense forever, so here's the name of the previously unnamed author I mentioned in a previous blog entry: Melani Blazer. Angie is actually the one who introduced me to Blazer's books. I read Hot Rod Heaven a few weeks ago, so when I saw Legend of the Leopard in the bookstore, I picked it up. It is another winner: 4.5 out of 5.

One of the things I liked about Hot Rod Heaven was the emotional resonance. Legend of the Leopard has plenty of emotional depth as well, and Blazer has a gift for writing characters that come to life quickly. I felt like I knew Salvatore and Julia, and I love that they are multidimensional characters with strengths and flaws. The sensuality level is excellent as well--there's plenty of sex, but I never felt like there was too much or that it overwhelmed the story. It's simply part of the story, like it should be in a good romance.

I complained earlier that Blazer doesn't have dozens of other books. She does have several books and novellas I can choose from, though, so all is well. I just have to figure out where to start. I have to admit that when an author has e-books, I always wonder whether they will be coming out in print. Thus, I have to decide whether to buy now or wait. I'm sure that authors have no problem with me buying now. ;) But it is an issue I always consider. My next two purchases will be Dante's Relic and Legendary Tails III, both available in print.



P.S. As a side note, can someone explain why Ellora's Cave has a series called Legendary Tails? I noticed this in the bookstore. Do they all include animals or other creatures with tails? If they refer to stories, then the series should be Legendary Tales.

Name My NaNo Contest

As you know, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo. The trouble with talking about it (and I really will try to keep it to a minimum; I'm sure I'm the only one fascinated by it) is that I don't have a title, even a working title, for the thing. I'm stumped. That's where you come in. I need a title.

So, post your title suggestions in the comments, and I'll pick my top three favorites as winners. Each of the three winners will receive an e-book download of their choice from three futuristics I've enjoyed recently:

• Sylvia Day's Misled
• Ellen Fisher's Never Love a Stranger
• Deanna Lee's Still Waters

Anyone who is wondering: fear not. I will BUY a new download for each winner.

Now, on to the story. I'm writing a futuristic romance with a human hero and a heroine from another planet. They team up on the heroine's home planet to look for a diplomat who has been kidnapped. Both have reasons for not trusting the other, but they are attracted, too (of course). There is a lot of action in the story.

So, I'm ready for your titles. You have until Friday, November 11 at 10:00 PM (mountain time) to submit your titles. I'll pick the winners and post them Saturday or Sunday (depending on how many entries I receive). I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Romancing

My column is up today at Romancing the Blog. Go forth and visit!

Coping with Disappointment

I'm halfway through a second book by an author who I will blog about later. I'm adding unsaid author to my autobuy list, and I went to her website hoping to find a dozen more books she's written. But nope. There are a few e-books and some novellas. This is good, but I think I had her confused for another author who does have a dozen other books available.

So I go to my e-mail and see that I have an Access Romance newsletter advertising an upcoming story by Sylvia Day. I read the excerpt and it looks terrific. Must have it now, I think. This will be great. So I go to the site to buy it . . . and it's not out yet. Sylvia is obviously trying to get back at me for damning her earlier this year, but I've decided to take a mature approach to my disappointment.



I feel better already.

Hot Spell

I think this book has one of the coolest covers of the year.



That, in combination with a desire to read books by two of the authors in this anthology, made me snatch it up when I saw it in the store. I'm pleased to say that it was well worth the money spent: 4.5 out of 5.

Emma Holly's "The Countess's Pleasure" is the first story in the book. I actually read it last. Based on comments on other blogs about Holly's books, I wasn't sure what to expect or what I would think. People seem to really like or really dislike her work. I ended up really liking "The Countess's Pleasure."

A countess named Georgiana goes to a sex club of sorts where she sees a man she finds appealing. He turns out to be an indentured servant who is working off a family debt. Georgiana offers him money for a night of pleasure. Although Iyan has not sold his services before, he agrees.

As I mentioned, I wasn't sure what to expect from Holly's story, and I was a little surprised that the hero was introduced as a stage performer. Not surprised enough to stop reading, though. Once I started this story, I read it in one sitting. The characters are very vivid and interesting. This story reminded me of Robin Schone's The Lady's Tutor. It isn't an exact parallel, but the initial approach of the heroine and the intense sexuality are similar. This was a terrific story, especially for its length: 4.5 out of 5.

The second story is "The Breed Next Door," by Lora Leigh. Tarek is a Breed, a race that was created rather than born. He has been attracted to his neighbor, Lyra, since moving in. When a man breaks into Lyra's house and she is forced to stay with Tarek, Tarek learns that she is his mate.

I was intrigued by this story and the Breed world. I got a kick out of Tarek's reaction when he was told that Lyra was his mate. The length of the story is its main drawback; it could have used another 15 or so pages so that the shift from lust to love wasn't so quick. I also wanted to see more about how Lyra and Tarek would merge their lives when outside the bedroom. Still, it's a solid novella: 4 out of 5.

"Falling for Anthony" by Meljean Brook is the third and longest story. Spoilers ahead (click and scroll over the white space if you want to read them): When Michael leaves England and is attacked and killed by a strange creature, he is given a choice--die or become a guardian. He becomes a guardian and is soon assigned to a task involving the woman he loves.

I was impressed with the complexity of the world Brook creates in so few pages. It's fairly complex. My summary doesn't begin to explain it, and it's really better to read it for yourself. I did have a quibble with the heroine. I thought her reaction to learning of her father's infidelity was extreme. I don't require a heroine to be perfect for me to like her, but I couldn't relate to this particular element. However, I like how Emily accepts her past and doesn't beat herself up over it. As for the hero, Anthony is just beautiful. The love scenes are hot and compelling. "Falling for Anthony": 4.5 out of 5.

Completing this collection is "The Blood Kiss," by Shiloh Walker. When his brother is kidnapped by a vampire leader, Roman retaliates by saving his brother and taking the vampire's daughter, Julianna. While Julianna has no particular affection for her father, she doesn't appreciate being kidnapped after she helps Roman rescue his brother.

I've read one other book by Walker, Her Best Friend's Lover, which I enjoyed, but I liked this one even more. The attraction between Julianna and Roman was immediate and believable, and the conflicts were interesting. I liked one of the twists at the end, when one character ends up being different than he/she appeared earlier in the story.

I'm very glad I bought Hot Spell. Now I have some research to do about the authors' upcoming and/or connecting books.

NaNoWriMo Update

If you've noticed my pink graph in the sidebar, you know that my plan to write 50,000 words in November is progressing nicely. Luckily the word count is what's important, not whether the story is any good, at least at this point. Ha ha! I'm still trying to get a handle on my main characters. I can tell you I would be lost without my outline. It's helping immensely.

Turns out the original name for my hero--Michael Vaughn--is the name of a character in the TV program, Alias. I've never watched the program, so I don't know what the character is like, but I want to avoid associations. I'm keeping Michael, but I'm playing with a few different last names.

Tonight I wrote a scene in a nightclub and one of the secondary characters basically took over. I figured there would be a few surprises as I wrote, and this one definitely came out of nowhere. At next year's NaNoWriMo, I may be writing another story with this character as the heroine. First, though, I must delve into the characters of this story.

I need to come up with a name, too. It would be nice to have a title to refer to.

Beyond the Dark

I picked up this anthology primarily because I like Evelyn Vaughn, but it also sounded like an interesting read for Halloween. It ended up being one of those anthologies where all of the stories would have been better if they'd been longer. Overall, Beyond the Dark was a 3.5 out of 5.

"Forever Mine" by Linda Winstead Jones is the first story in the book. I loved the idea behind this story. Miranda, the heroine, accidentally runs over and kills an ex-boyfriend who has been stalking her. Now he's a ghost, and he's still stalking her, saying that she is his forever. So Miranda calls a psychic to see if he can help her get rid of the ghost.

As I said, I loved the set up, but this story definitely needed to be longer. There's a lot to cover--the ghost, the hero and heroine's first meeting, the investigation, the flashback to previous lives (since this is stated on the back cover, it's not a spoiler). With so much going on, the romance seems a little rushed. Even 30 more pages would have helped. The resolution seemed a little anticlimactic as well. This story is 3 out of 5.

Evelyn Vaughn's story, "Haunt Me," is the second and best one of the anthology. It's also the longest, which might be one reason I liked it. One thing I like about Vaughn's books is that she's not afraid to try something different with her stories. "Haunt Me" has plenty of different going on. For one thing, the hero has been in a car accident and is lying comatose for most of the story. This scenario brought tears to my eyes several times. Second, one of the villains is a creature that feeds off the pain and anger of others.

Despite the obvious challenges of these scenarios, I liked the story. There is a nice balance of flashbacks and current action, and we do get to see the hero and heroine interact with each other despite the coma. I was hoping for more happiness at the end to offset the hero's coma for most of the story, but I still liked it: 4 out of 5.

The third novella is "Soul of the Wolf" by Karen Whiddon. It's the story of a woman who is investigating the death of an ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend's cousin, an FBI agent, joins the investigation and finds himself falling for the woman his cousin loved.

I liked this set up for the story, although I was taken aback by the fact that the heroine's breakup with the ex-boyfriend occurred only a month before. This made it seem a little too soon for her to become involved with someone else. The resolution to the suspense aspect of the story seems a little abrupt, as well. The couple falls in love quickly, which isn't surprising in a novella, but it's not entirely satisfying. As with the first story, this novella could have used another 30 pages. I may try one of her full-length books to see what I think.

An Insane Endeavor

I've embarked on an insane endeavor to write a 50,000-word novel in the month of November.



One of my coworkers and I are giving it a shot. We've been plotting our stories for weeks.

689 / 50,000 (1.4%)

I'm doing great so far, don't you think?