TBR Challenge: Simply Unforgettable

I'm sneaking in just before the deadline on this one. The April challenge was to read a book I've had in my TBR for six months or more. I read Mary Balogh's Simply Unforgettable, which has been TBR since I got it at last year's RWA.

Title
Simply Unforgettable

Author
Mary Balogh

Year published
2005

Why did you get this book?
I've enjoyed her books in the past.

Do you like the cover?
Yes. It's one of those covers with no models on it, and its elegance suits Balogh's writing style.

Did you enjoy the book?
Yes. I'd rate it 4.5 out of 5.

They meet in a ferocious snowstorm. She is a young teacher with a secret past. He is the cool, black-caped stranger who unexpectedly comes to her rescue. Between these two unlikely strangers, desire is instantaneous . . . and utterly impossible to resist. Lucius Marshall, who is the Viscount Sinclair, and Frances Allard share a night of glorious, unforgettable passion. But Frances knows her place--and it is far from the privileged world of the sensual aristocrat. Due to begin her teaching position at Miss Martin's School in Bath, Frances must try to forget that one extraordinary night--and the man who touched her with such exquisite tenderness and abandon.

But Frances cannot hide forever. And when fate once again throws them together, Lucius refuses to take no for an answer. If Frances will not be his wife, he will make her his mistress. So begins an odyssey fraught with intrigue, one that defies propriety and shocks the strait-laced ton. For Lucius's passionate, single-minded pursuit is about to force Frances to give up all her secrets--except one--to win the heart of the man she already loves.

Lucius and Frances meet because of the weather and the encounter is initially hostile. Lucius's carriage nearly runs Frances's off the road as he passes her. From there, I was intrigued by the way Balogh portrays the shift from hostility to like, then from like to passion. They are snowbound only a few days, but the shift is completely believable. I loved the scene in Lucius's carriage where he drives her to the school. Their mutual tenderness is beautiful to see.

I'm sure you know by now that I love stories where the hero is an arrogant man brought down by love. That's definitely the case with Lucius. He doesn't want to let Frances go and doesn't know what to do about it. He's also a man who doesn't take no for an answer. Some readers might thing he bulldozes right over Frances at times, but I didn't see it that way. It helped that he is so concerned about what she wants at the end of the story. (I don't want to give spoilers.)

I like the way Lucius deals with societal concerns. So often in historical romance, you have dukes falling in love with governesses and there's no apparent concern about whether they will be accepted by society. In Simply Unforgettable, the issue is brought up and dealt with.

Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again?
Not new to me, and yes.

Are you keeping it or passing it on?
Keeping it. Not only is it a good book, it's autographed to me.

Anything else?
I enjoyed the characters and the story moved quickly. If you considered reading it, I encourage you to pick it up.

The next book, Simply Love, looks wonderful. Unfortunately, it comes out in August, so I don't think it will be available at RWA. I can only hope . . .

Things To Do

I may consider doing what Sybil does--posting book cover blog entries even if she hasn't written the review yet. It might make me get them done faster. Anyway, here's my list of things to do this weekend:

• Write between 3-4K (will settle for 2K) on latest WIP


• Write at least one review (preferably two) for TRR


• Write a blog entry about Making Him Want It (which I liked, by the way)


• Write a blog entry about Tempt Me (which was more in the middle range)


• Finish reading my TBR challenge book, then blog about it


• Go through more books in the endless process of decluttering my house


• Pick up the next Touching Evil DVD set on hold for me at the library


• Use my 30%-off coupon at Borders (because I don't have enough books already)

It should be interesting to see what I manage to get accomplished.

Joining the Crowd

The romance blogging world's abuzz with talk of e-books. Topics have ranged from requests for more reviews of e-books, discussion about different e-publishers, and other thoughts.

I'm in a unique position. A year ago, I didn't think I'd write fiction except as an occasional pastime. I wrote it once or twice a year, tops. Given that, I reviewed anything and everything that interested me, whether it was in print or an e-book.

Obviously, things have changed. I have a release date for my first e-book: June 9. A second is under contract, and a third is well underway.

I can no longer say I'm only a reader.

For some people, that fact will completely change their opinion of my reviews. I understand that, as I've eyed some author endorsements with skepticism. However, there's usually an obvious difference between a post promoting someone's book and a post recommending it. The former often consists of a blurb about the book along with a review or two, while the latter will offer an explanation about why they enjoyed the book.

That's not the only conflict I'm facing. I've decided not to review books here by my publisher. (I may recommend the ones I like at my author blog, but I'll do that only if I genuinely like the book.)

And what about other e-publishers? Should I stop reviewing their books? Or start reviewing them in a different way? As a reader, I want to review them the same way I review anything else, but I'm not sure if that's wise.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear from readers and writers on this.

Hot Ticket

I'm slowly, but surely, beginning to read again. I just finished sports-themed Hot Ticket: 4 out of 5.

Deirdre Martin's Same Rink, Next Year
Once a year, concierge Tierney O'Connor hooks up with the same hot goaltender at the hotel where she works. It's a perfectly uncomplicated arrangement--until a blizzard turns their annual one-nighter into a lost weekend steamy enough to melt the ice.

Julia London's Lucky Charm
Uninhibited radio host Kelly O'Shay loves to take on the egos of overpaid sports stars. Then she goes after hot-shot shortstop Parker Price, whose losing streak takes an unexpected turn when he goes head-to-head with his lovely nemesis--on the air and off.

Annette Blair's You Can't Steal First
Famous for his big numbers at bat, Juan Santiago's struck out only once in his life--with Quinn Murdock. Now the Red Sox star player is getting one more shot with the sexy sporting goods magnate. But first he has to prove he's not just playing the field.

Geri Buckley's Can't Catch This
Lindy Hamilton got her two-timing boyfriend right where it hurts--by stealing his pricey tickets to the Florida Moccasins football game. When she discovers that the really interesting action is in the stands, it proves to be the hottest season opener on record . . .

Lucky Charm is the first (and longest) story in the anthology, although it's listed second on the back cover. It gets the book off to a good start. I'm not usually a fan of the mouthy, tear-down talk-show host, but after Parker and Kelly's initial meeting, I enjoyed watching them spar. I've sometimes mentioned about previous stories how much I like it when a hero falls hard for the heroine. In this story, there's a nice role reversal. Yes, Parker falls for Kelly, but she falls hard too, in such a way that leads to a sweet moment at the end of the story. Lucky Charm receives 4 out of 5.

Same Rink, Next Year comes next, and I'm afraid it suffers in comparison to Lucky Charm. Where the latter is fast-paced, the former moves more slowly. While I liked Tierney and David, the set up for their story wasn't particularly believable. They spend all year looking forward to spending one night together? This didn't quite gel for me. There are some nice moments while they get to know each other: 3.5 out of 5.

You Can't Steal First ends up being the best book in the anthology--and, I admit, it's the biggest surprise to me. I didn't finish the last book I tried by Annette Blair. This story, though, I loved: 5 out of 5. When I look at the seperate elements of the story, I realize that I've seen some things before: two high-school sweethearts, cruelly parted by fate; a demanding parent; a hero who's not as much a womanizer as he's made out to be.

In this case, though, the story adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Quinn and Tiago are unforgettable characters, and as much as I liked the dialogue in Lucky Charm, I liked the banter and chemistry in You Can't Steal First even more. I just flipped through the story again to find a quote to post, but I don't want to spoil any of it. This is a very, very good story. I'm going to have to give Blair's single titles another try.

The final story in the book is Can't Catch This, and I'm afraid I can sum it up in three words: can't remember this. It's a nice enough story about a woman who meets and begins dating the cousin of a football player. The story isn't bad, but as I said, it's not especially memorable either: 3 out of 5.

Overdoing It

I'm doing an Easter egg hunt for my nieces and nephew today. I just finished putting an insane amount of candy into plastic eggs. So far, so good, right? Except the fact that I have bags and bags of candy left. Way more than I (or any one person) should eat.

Looks like I'll be loved by my coworkers tomorrow.

Happy Easter

I just want to wish you all a happy Easter. If you don't celebrate the holiday, have a nice weekend anyway. :)

Living in a Cave

I'm not sure where I've been in the past few months, but reader blogs have been cropping up all over. The surprising thing to me is that many of them have been up for months and I'm only now discovering them. Some of them have even linked to me. Obviously I am a habitual blog-hopper, and it takes me a while to venture out further.

I've added a few links to my sidebar, and I'm sure I'll add more. If you've linked to me and you're not listed on mine, let me know so I can add you. I'll try to do better about keeping up with reader blogs. I'm pleased to see more of them!

Deep Breath

I've read and enjoyed Alison Kent's SG-5 series since reading The Bane Affair, so I was excited to read the latest book, Deep Breath. I wasn't disappointed: 4 out of 5.

When a guy stops at a roadside diner, he expects bad chili, not a hostage situation. But that's where SG-5 operative Harry van Zandt finds himself when an armed cartel blows through the door. They're not after him but the woman in the next booth, and their message is clear: she's got seventy-two hours to locate and deliver a valuable historical document or her brother dies. And if Harry wants to live, he'd better go with her.

Harry has his own undercover mission to finish, but with a trigger-happy band on their trails, it'll have to wait. Not that he minds helping Georgia McLain. The tough treasure hunter is as smart as she is sexy. She's also desperate. That artifact could finally clear her late father's name. She needs Harry if she's going to double-cross these thugs and keep it for herself, and her gratitude is the kind that could turn a guy's head. Too bad that document is also of vital importance to the Smithson Group, and Harry's top-secret mission is to get it before it falls into the wrong hands. Now, the beautiful, infuriating woman he's starting to fall for could lead him right to what he needs--and what she so desperately wants.

Out in the open road with a price on their heads, two unlikely lovers are caught in a game of secrets, lies, betrayals, and desire, where trust is risky and love is no time to catch your breath . . .

I've noticed that I tend to rave about the hero when I write about characters. I obviously pay a lot of attention to heroes, sometimes to the point of slighting heroines. In Deep Breath, I liked Harry--what's not to like about a man who's willing to help a woman in a dangerous situation? Who then finds himself conflicted about the possible contradictions of helping her and completing his mission?

But I also found myself noticing and appreciating Georgia's complexity. She's a confident woman with a tendency to apologize, and I love how this played out in her and Harry's first love scene. Her worries about how he'll view her during this scene seem very real for a woman in her mid-30s, who hasn't had especially positive experiences in the past.

I also thought Georgia's desire to clear her father's name is realistic. I liked the way this particular plot thread plays out, although I don't want to go into details to avoid spoilers. Let's just say I thought it was a realistic resolution.

The suspense thread in Deep Breath is a little stronger than the romance (I usually prefer the opposite), but the romance is satisfying nonetheless.

March Reviews

I've held off on posting links to my March reviews for The Romance Reader because I wanted to wait for news from Dede, the TRR editor. I told her about my publication news, and we've decided for now that I will finish the batch of books I have. After that, I will no longer write reviews at TRR for contemporary romance. I will continue to review historicals and fantasy.

Heiress for Hire
Shadow Touch

It was a slow month as far as reviews go, but a very productive month overall. :)

May Romantic Times

I enjoyed Nicole's review of the April Romantic Times, so I decided to share my thoughts about the May issue, which I received this week. I'm just going to flip through it and talk about whatever interests me.

• page 3: I'm going to get Paula Beaty's Night Stalker some time. I've seen it advertised a few times and read a few excerpts online. It sounds good.
• page 6: Speaking as someone who's been a magazine editor, the editor's note is too long. Half that length is about what readers have patience for. In fact, the entire magazine could benefit from more white space.
• page 9: The cover of Selena Montgomery's Hidden Sins is very nice. Makes me want to know more about the book. Guess what, Kristie? It's a book by Avon. :)
• page 20: The segment on Rocky River Romance interests me as a writer. I came up with an idea for a romance with a hint of tarot while back. I'll check out their site to see if it's something I want to pursue further.
• page 21: Ah, Bertrice Small. I've seen her books advertised as long as I can remember. I've never read her (or wanted to read her, if I'm being honest).
• page 22: I'm not into the whole romance cover model thing. I know some people are, and that's great. It's just not for me.
• page 25: I might be the only one alive who hasn't been eagerly anticipating Don't Look Down. I've read Jennifer Crusie in the past, and she's been a hit or miss writer for me. I still have a couple of her books TBR, so I figure there's no rush on this one. That might change if I see a wave of good reviews from bloggers I trust.
• page 26: A good reminder that I planned to pick up Ellen Fisher's latest book, Kindred.
• page 40: Werewolves of London is more proof that e-book covers are really the luck of the draw.
• page 41: I skip the American Title feature in every issue. I think it's completely unfair to judge on one or two paragraphs as readers have been forced to do in past columns. Here, they get all of a page to demonstrate their skills.
• page 49: We're back to Bertrice Small. Wasn't Lara in one of her previous books? If that's the case, the previous hero of the previous book is killed off so the heroine can have another one. It's not surprising I don't want to read it--Happily Ever After . . . until you're killed in the next book.
• page 50: Diane Gaston's getting some good buzz. I'll have to read the one I have TBR, something about a mysterious M? (Sorry, I'm too lazy to look it up right now.)
• page 51: I really like the cover of Her Scandalous Marriage. I enjoyed one of LaFoy's earlier books I read and reviewed. I may give this one a try.
• page 66: Once upon Stilettos is coming out. Yay! I'm going to check this one out at the library if I can't wait for the upcoming RWA signing.
• page 78: Enough already--with this and Nicole's review, I'll try Doppelganger, I promise.
• pages 80-81: Tying this book with the first one in the series is a good ad strategy. Since I read and liked Strange Brews, I'll probably get Prince of Ice.
• page 83: I skipped the Inspirational section. I simply haven't had much luck finding ones I enjoy. I'm open to recommendations, so if you've got any, let me know.
• page 88: I like the cover of The World According to Ali. However, I think the author should consider getting a web domain with her name, rather than http://home.insightbb.com/etc. That would be much easier for readers to find.
• page 89: Michele Albert's got another book out. I'm looking forward to it.
• page 93: I'm excited to read Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris. Charlaine, it's all right if Sookie dates Quinn now, but please, please, please have her go back to Eric eventually. Anyway, I was hoping to get this during a book signing trip, but there's not one close enough. Instead, I'm ordering the book through one of the bookstores where she is going for a signing.
• page 102: It's nice to see RT continuing to recognize and point out blogs.
• page 106: I like the cover of Lori Devoti's Love Is All You Need. The book looks cute and fun.
• page 113: This page has the dubious distinction of having a mean-spirited three-star review I can remember reading. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't read the book in question. While I liked this author's first book better than this one, it's not as bad as the review suggests. What makes the review seem mean-spirited to me is that the comments about the book don't justify the rating. It's simply not fair to readers or authors to do this. (I suspect now many of you will rush to your RT to Here's a little hint about which one I mean: "This review is curious because it manages to bestow three stars without saying anything positive.")
• page 115: I noticed Redemption because the heroine is named Alyssa. I'm going to check out the site and see if I like the excerpt.
• page 116: I'm definitely going to pick up Perfect Timing because I like all three authors in this anthology. That's pretty rare. I wonder if I should try to wait until the RWA signing though?
• page 118: I want Enslave Me Sweetly. Now would be good. Again showed up in my latest batch of books to review. I think it sounds interesting.
• page 124: After enjoying Sarah Mayberry's previous book, I'm really looking forward to reading Cruise Control.
• page 132: The cover of Sylvia Day's Misled totally kicks ass. The story is pretty good, too. ;)
• page 134: I have Loup Garou, although I haven't read it. I'll try to get to it this month. Here's a review that got it right: Legendary Tails IV.
• page 135: I'm adding Making Him Want It to my to-be-bought list. The cover's hot, although I'm not sure I'd be comfortable reading it in public.
• page 136: Promises Prevail is a wonderful book.
• page 140: I liked Futurelove more than RT did. They don't get everything right. ;)

There you have it. What did you think about this issue of RT? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Undercover Lover

It took me a while to read Katherine D. Jones's Undercover Lover. I kept picking up the book, reading a few chapters, and putting it down. It picked up as I kept reading but ended up being an average read: 3 out of 5.

From Texas to Teaneck, someone is killing wealthy married couples and clearing their homes of luxury items. According to law enforcement, an undercover couple stationed in one of the targeted cities is their best shot at stopping the brutal crime spress. Enter Special Corruption Unit agents Roderick Radford and Helene Maupin . . .

Professionally, posing as husband and wife should be a breeze for Roderick and Helene. But personally, it's a different story. For the pair bring to their mission a history of repressed emotions and unconsummated passion. Helene has loved Roderick for years, but an unhappy past--and an intimate secret--have kept her from wholeheartedly pursuing him. Confused by Helene's mised signals, Roderick has kept his feelings in check, even taking on assignments that put distance between them. But now, as their clandestine kisses leave them yearning for more, and their work puts their lives at risk, they may discover that losing each other is one risk that isn't worth taking . . .

Let's start with what I like. I love cabin romances where the hero and heroine are forced to be together for an extended period of time. Here, the nature of their undercover work ensures they remain in close quarters. This results in some great tense moments where Rod and Helene have to face what they're feeling.

Rod is a wonderful beta hero who's devoted both to his mission and to Helene. He's considerate and incredibly patient--so much so that he edges toward too good to be true at times. I also like the cover.



My main problem was the heroine. The back cover blurb says Rod is "confused by Helene's mised signals." That made two of us. Helene is reluctant to enter a long-term relationship that will lead to commitment or marriage. Because of her family background, I understood why she felt this way. I didn't understand why she kept doing this push/pull thing with Rod. It wasn't fair to him, and she didn't seem to realize that often.

The pacing really varied. Helene and Rod would have a few conversations, then six weeks would go by. This gave the book a hurry up and wait kind of feeling, and was one reason I found it easy to set the book aside. The pace improved toward the end of the story when it was no longer making start/stop jumps.

Catching Up

I'm roaming around the blogosphere trying to catch up on everybody's news. The first thing I see is that there's a huge exodus from Blogspot to WordPress. What's up with that? No matter, I'll find you no matter where you go. LOL! I will update my links in the next few days, but if I miss yours, please let me know.

In addition to blog moving, Maili's got a new job. Wendy's hoping she enjoys her next batch of review books better than the one she just finished. Sylvia's wrestling with incorrect (to put it mildly) galleys.

Then there's Angie, nicknamed evil editor, who is evil not so much because of her editing (which is actually quite helpful), but because of this comment she left in my previous blog entry.

I'll tell you a not-so-secret. Once you enter the publishing industry, reading slumps happen because it's hard to switch your brain from "work" to "pleasure". And most people end up working more than reading for pleasure.

My response? She's right. Damn it.



As for what others are doing? From what I can tell, you're all reading. It must be nice. LOL!

As for me, I've got another story wanting to be written, so I'm writing it. And I'm working on an author newsletter, which will go out to subscribers May 1. You can sign up in the box at left. Subscribers will have access to exclusive excerpts, subscriber-only contests, and lots of other good stuff.

If I'm lucky, I'll get time to read this weekend. I'm starting Alison Kent's Deep Breath.

Posting Everywhere but Here

I have posts up today at Romancing the Blog and the Cobblestone Press Author blog. Both were written in haste.

I'm pleased to say I've finally finished reading a book yesterday. This isn't normally a great cause for excitement, but I've been in a serious reading slump lately. Will post a review soon.

Short Attention Span

I'm having difficulty finishing books these days, and I'm pretty sure it's not the fault of the books. Instead, I'm busy trying to fit reading in along with everything else I'm doing. The problem is that it's hard to get into a book when you're only reading for 15 minutes at a time. It's hard for me, anyway.

I've got a Romancing the Blog column coming up later this week (and some reviews to write!), but after that, I'm going to carve out more reading and blogging time.

On an unrelated topic, is anyone familiar with the UK version of Touching Evil? I've seen two episodes now, and it's a fascinating show. I caught one episode on BBC America and have checked out the first DVD set from the library. I'm sensing a Millennium-like obsession ahead.