And Able

I've become a fan of Lucy Monroe, so I grabbed And Able when I saw it. It's a bit of a mixed read: 3 out of 5.

Claire Sharp trusts few people and relies on no one. But after her life is threatened, ex-mercenary Brett Adams blows into her self-contained world, full of southern charm, rugged good looks, and enough sexual experience to write a how-to manual . . . experience he makes it clear he'd like to use on Claire. She wants help fighting the bad guys, but she's not about to fall into Brett's bed. For one thing, the guy has a no-commitment clause that would stump most big-shot attorneys, and for another, despite her response to his sensual kisses, in Claire's experience sex isn't exactly fireworks and brass bands. Definitely not worth getting too excited over . . .

Brett plans to prove her wrong. He's never felt such a powerful combination of lust and friendship with a woman. He'll give her a white-hot pleasure like nothing she's ever known and she'll realize that some things in life are worth every risk. When the threat to Claire grows dangerously close, pitting them against deadly odds, Brett will do whatever it takes to save her. Because Claire Sharp has just found herself a man who's ready to bring it on, willing to do what it takes, and able to go the distance . . .

And Able is nicely written and features Monroe's trademark emotional storytelling. She has a way of getting you to care about her characters quickly; not every writer can do that.

Yet even as I was becoming engrossed in Brett and Claire's story, I found it a bit too predictable. After one scene between the two, I thought, "This is how their story will play out." And I was right.

Now, you expect a happily-ever-after ending from romance; that's not the kind of predictability I'm talking about. I mean I anticipated several plot points before they happened, and this lessened the effect of the story for me.

I do like Monroe's books, though, so this won't keep me from buying them.

Hard Evidence

After reading and liking Pamela Clare's Extreme Exposure, I was excited to read Hard Evidence. It has some good moments but isn't as strong as its predecessor: 3 out of 5.

After the murder of a teenage girl, a mysterious man in a black leather jacket was seen lurking near the crime scene. Investigative reporter Tessa Novak has him in her sights as the culprit . . .

That man was Julian Darcangelo, an undercover FBI agent working with the Denver police. He's closing in on the trail of a human trafficker and killer. Tessa's accusations could blow his cover, and he wants her off the investigation.

But just as Tessa has made Julian a target of interest, she is now a target of the killer. And as they are forced to trust each other, their physical attraction escalates as intensely as the threat from a ruthless murder who wants to see both of them dead . . .

Tessa is the book's biggest challenge. I can sum up her character in one word: frustrating. She witnesses a murder and receives a number of warnings, but she continues to barrel forward with her investigation. I just didn't quite get why she was so persistent when backing off a bit would have been safer. I understand that she wants justice for the murdered girl, but she seems bent on pursuing that her way, and it led her into danger more than once. It's true that journalism can be a dangerous business, but I thought she could have achieved her ends in a safer way.

Late in the story, Tessa receives some doctored photos showing her head on a multilated body. She tells Julian she hadn't known anyone would do something like that to a woman. This seems like a strange comment for an investigative reporter to make. She's on the crime beat, and she hadn't realized how bad people could be? Maybe I've watched too many episodes of American Justice, but still . . .

Despite the challenge of Tessa, I did enjoy some things about the story. The romance itself is good, with steamy and well-written love scenes. Julian is intriguing, and I liked the way Clare slowly reveals his history.

British Bad Boys

I'm a big fan of Nancy Warren's Harlequin novels. I've enjoyed her books for Brava to varying degrees. British Bad Boys falls right in the middle: 3 out of 5.

George and the Dragon Lady
George Hartley is high on the list of England's most eligible bachelors: he's young, single, gorgeous--and, as the 19th Earl of Ponsford, lives in a castle. Granted, the castle has seen better days . . . but nights with the Earl are what LA TV producer Maxine Larraby keeps thinking about . . .

Nights Round Arthur's Table
Seattle thriller author Meg Stanton desperately needs a quiet place to work. Stag Cottage in the English countryside is perfect . . . until she meets local pub owner Arthur Denby. He's as dark and brooding as one of her imaginary villains, and Meg always falls for her villains. But there's nothing imaginary about the things Arthur does to her after last call . . .

Union Jack
Former head chef and current love cynic Rachel Larraby can't believe she got dragged across the pond for a catering job. Weddings--ugh, she's had enough personal experience, thanks. And though perennial best man Jack Flynt is quite smashing, she can keep it to just a steamy fling. Until this very bad bloke starts looking at her with those forever eyes . . .

The premise is an interesting one, and I looked forward to reading this book. What I discovered is a good read that could have been better if each story had been longer. All three stories feature a British hero and American heroine who meet each other for the first time in the story. Warren does a terrific job of showing the physical chemistry the characters share, but the depth in the relationships isn't entirely believable.

In the first story, for instance, one passage summarizes the discussion between George and Maxine where they talk about their pasts, their emotions, etc. The summary keeps the novella short, but I found myself wishing these conversations could have been included rather than merely mentioned. It lessened the impact and left me wanting more.

I had similar feelings about the other two stories. They were good, but lacking the depth I love in Warren's longer work. "Union Jack" is my favorite of the three stories, partly because of its pitch-perfect ending.

Dark Dreamers

Dark Dreamers is an anthology by Christine Feehan and Marjorie M. Liu.

Dark Dream
She's known him since she was fifteen. Every night, he is with her: his face, his voice. Tonight, Sara Marten will meet the man who is both angel and demon, salvation and temptation: Falcon--the Carpathian, the banished hero. Tonight, Sara will meet the dark-eyed destroyer destined to be her mate.

A Dream of Stone & Shadow
There are those who do terrible things in this world, and those who simply watch. Charlie would do neither. Imprisoned, his only release is through his own destruction--or through Aggie Durand. Sweet as a kiss or a rescued child, she is the one dream he does not dare desire. As an agent of Dirk & Steele, she could be his salvation. Today, Charlie's dream is waking.

I must admit I've read only a few books by Christine Feehan. In general, I thought they were OK, but they didn't make me want to seek out all of her work. In fact, "Dark Dream" is the first Carpathian story of hers I've read; I actually read books from two different series. I thought the premise of this one sounded interesting. I liked the "known him since 15, but don't know who he is" angle. However, I ended up sticking with my "OK, but not terrific" opinion.

My main reason is this: there's not much character conflict. There's a quick introduction and some initial distrust on Sara's part, but this is dispatched quickly. From almost the beginning, there's very little to keep Falcon and Sara apart. Sure, there is an evil vampire who comes after Sara, but there's very little else to the story.

If you like the Carpathian series, though, you might enjoy it more. There are other Carpathian characters as well, who I'm guessing were featured in previous stories. They help the external plot along, and if you've read the previous books, it's probably nice to get this glimpse of how the couples are doing now. Overall, this story rates 3 out of 5.

"A Dream of Stone & Shadow" is the shorter and stronger of the two stories. Liu has a knack for creating interesting situations and original characters, and she does it well in this story. I don't want to say anything more about the plot than the blurb gives away, because I want to avoid spoiling the story. Suffice it to say I thought it struck a nice balance of action and romance. The ending in particular was terrific.

The story transported me back to the magic of Tiger Eye, which I loved for its unique premise and emotional story. "A Dream of Stone & Shadow" struck me in a similar way. Aggie is a wonderful heroine. Charlie fascinated me, and I wanted to know more about him. This story rates 4.5 out of 5.

TBR Challenge: Fascination

May's TBR challenge is to read either a book featuring someone in law enforcement (even if only loosely connected) or an e-book. Fascination is in the former category, and I finished it this month after getting almost halfway through it a few months ago.

Title
Fascination

Author
Samantha Hunter

Year published
2005

Why did you get this book?
I read Hunter's debut and liked it, so I decided to pick this one up when I saw it at a used bookstore.

Do you like the cover?
I liked it, but didn't love it.

Did you enjoy the book?
I had a similar reaction to the book itself as I did to the cover. I liked the story well enough but didn't especially adore it. 3 out of 5.

Sage Matthews's fascination with hacking into computers and creating bugs got her into deep trouble. Just ask special agent Ian Chandler, who handcuffed the fiery readhead--and has been monitoring her every sexy teasing move since.

Ian has now formed his own crack crime-busting team--The HotWires. His first case? None other than Sage, fresh off probation, but seemingly up to her old tricks. Ian's hot on her tail, but his plans backfire one sultry steamy night.

He tangles with Sage between the sheets--breaking every rule in his personal code of honor. And he's about the break a few more as his gut instinct tells him she's been framed again--and only he can prove her innocence . . . .

I mentioned that I started reading this book a few months ago but put it down. I stopped reading because I was a bit frustrated with the way Ian decides to sleep with Sage partly so he can have full access to her apartment. Plus, their relationship went beyond breaking a "personal code of honor." I have a pretty high tolerance level for romance where some behavior would be unprofessional or unethical in the real world--cop/suspect, for instance. In this case, though, I kept thinking Ian was way over the line.

I think it helped that I returned to the book after a few months. I'd largely forgotten how far Ian went initially; plus, the second half was stronger than the first. I also liked the fact that Sage gave as good as she got.

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?
Passing it on. I've got to stop keeping so many books.

Anything else?
I have another one of her books, About Last Night . . ., TBR. I'll read it, but I'm not in a hurry to pull it off the shelf.

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.

A Family Portrait

JJ Massa is a new author for me. I decided to try A Family Portrait after seeing an ad for it in the RT Bookclub magazine. There were a number of things I liked about the story, but I found it to be a rough read in some ways, too: 3 out of 5.

Tavist lost his mate and his child years ago, and he never expected to find love again. When he gets to know Tracey and her three children, he realizes that they are his new family.

A Family Portrait is part of a series, and it shows. I felt very much as if I had missed a big part of the story, like Massa assumed that readers would be familiar with the earlier books and therefore didn't include some background that would have helped, both in terms of character relationships and the world of werewolves.

I wish the story had included more build up. Tavist's previous loss and Tracey's abused past could both have been played up more than they were. In Tavist's case, it would have made finding a new family more touching. With Tracey, building up to a revelation of her past would have made it even more heartbreaking. Knowing about it so soon decreased the impact for me.

The book also has a few stylistic issues. First, commas are a helpful and lovely piece of punctuation. This book could have used more of them. In addition, the main characters also have a habit of using each other's name in dialogue. In one section:

"Tavist," Tracey said breathlessly when he sat down, "I'm so happy to be going home. I just hate hospitals, I've spent so much time in them."

"Tracey, you know you'll need help at home for a while." She nodded. "I'd like to help you. Would you let me?"

She looked at him for a minute. "Tavist you've been so wonderful since this crazy thing happened. Are you sure you want to be tied down any more?"

"Tracey, I'd like to be tied down to you much more."

This occurred frequently. This type of dialogue makes me think, Stop! I get it, already.

Now that I've spent a lot of time talking about the problems, I'll talk about the things I like. There are some great moments with several characters, times that just shine. Tav is gentle with Tracey's children and patient with Tracey. He's a great hero. Massa also drew me into the story enough that I wanted to know more about the characters and their world. That's definitely a good thing.

TBR Challenge: Going Buck Wild

Once again, I'm participating in Keishon's TBR (to-be-read) challenge. The September goal is to read fiction, which Keishon defines pretty broadly: mystery, chick lit, etc. Today I read Going Buck Wild by Nina Foxx.

1. Title/Author
Going Buck Wild by Nina Foxx.

2. Brief Synopsis
Claudia Barrett's life has been in a holding pattern for some time. While work is going well, she can't bring herself to set a wedding date with her fiance. Things with him have become routine, even boring. When her fiance breaks up with her, Claudia has an opportunity to reinvent herself and do things she wouldn't normally do. She is encouraged by a friend to do exactly that.

3. Copyright Year
2004.

4. Indicate if you liked or disliked it?
I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked Claudia and wanted to find out what would happen to her. Going Buck Wild is told from the point of view of about half a dozen people. In this respect, it reminded me of Hot Shot, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I'm simply not a fan of this style. In most cases, I find this many points of view distracting. It can lead to a lack of focus and prevent readers from really getting to know a character. In the case of this book, I thought the story could have been more focused. There's also a fair amount of sniping between characters; at times it seemed excessive.

There are some things I enjoyed. The story certainly kept me reading--I wanted to find out what would happen. I liked Claudia's friend, although I wish I knew more about her. I felt the same way about Claudia's fiance. We know very little about him and I wanted to know more. The ultimate rating is 3 out of 5.

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

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?
Maybe, if the plot sounded interesting.

A Breath Away

This morning, I finished A Breath Away by Rita Herron, another of my RWA signing books. I had been tempted by it several times in the bookstore because of its cover, which I think is terrific. The cover is perhaps the best part of the book, however: 3 out of 5.

Violet and Darlene were best friends as children. Darlene was murdered when the girls were eight. Violet had visions about what was happening to Darlene and where her body could be found. Shortly after Darlene's death, Violet's father sent her away to live with her grandmother.

Fast forward 20 years. Violet learns that her father is dead and supposedly committed suicide. Her grandmother wants Violet to return to the town to find out what really happened. Once there, Violet sees Darlene's brother, Grady, for the first time in years. She is attracted to him but thinks he hates her because her father left a note stating that he (her father) was the one who killed Darlene.

The romance in this book is less successful than the suspense plot. Violet feels guilty because Darlene left her house to visit Violet. Violet also feels like she should have stopped the murder. Grady was five years older than the girls and feels equally guilty. His father insisted that Grady should have protected Darlene. Against this backdrop of guilt, it's difficult to believe that the two fall in love.

I also wondered that they would be carrying so much guilt so long after the events. I believed that they would both be changed because of what happened to them, but Violet virtually stopped living. She never had a relationship with a man, and she feels like she doesn't deserve to be happy. I wanted to tell her to find a good therapist, fast.

The story jumps from Grady, to Violet, to at least half a dozen other townspeople. This helped the reader get to know the suspects, but it shifted the focus from Violet and Grady, which added to the unbelievable romance. Plus, you don't get enough of one person to feel like you know him or her. I became frustrated with each changed point of view.

The ending was strong. I was intrigued by the way the suspense story wrapped up--I was thrown off by one of the red herrings--and I thought the romantic ending was appropriate. Make that the very end of the romantic ending. There's another conflict after the danger is past, and it struck me as forced under the circumstances.

So, A Breath Away was an OK read, probably not something I would read again. But I still like the cover.

Why Me?

This is not a post in which I will complain about my life, although I do have a few complaints. LOL! Why Me? is actually the title of a book by Treva Harte, which I bought after Jay pointed out the 7%-off sale at Loose ID. I loved the premise, and the story started great, but it ended up being an average read: 3 out of 5.

Cassie is startled when she starts hearing voices with ominous warnings about a man who is in danger. Since this has never happened to her before, Cassie is unsure about what to do. She cleans houses for a living, and she hears the voice again when she is cleaning the house of a sexy client, Wynn. Eventually, she realizes that it's his voice she's hearing, and he needs her to help him.

Why Me? is a romantic suspense novel with an intriguing premise--two people who can read each other's thoughts. I thought the idea was terrific, and I enjoyed the excerpt. The first several chapters are fast-paced and engaging, as Cassie tries to figure out what she is experiencing.

I expected the love scenes to have a little extra punch since Wynn and Cassie could read each other's minds. That didn't turn out to be the case. They weren't bad, but I felt like the mind-reading aspect could have been played up far more than it was. It seemed like the reader was told rather than shown about the extra connection this added to their lovemaking.

A conflict about marriage crops up toward the end of the book. This part seems disconnected from the rest of the story and is drawn out too long for my liking. In the end, Why Me? ended up being a mixed read.

E-Book Experience

You may remember one of my columns for Romancing the Blog explained why I don't read e-books. Last week I decided to break with tradition and try a few e-books. I bought Arrested by Alyssa Brooks (whom I found courtesy of Romancing the Blog) and The Vampire's Christmas by Angela Knight. Since I don't have an e-book reader, I went with the PDF format.

I bought Arrested after being intrigued by the cover and the excerpt. The story itself was not as enjoyable as I'd hoped: 2.5 out of 5. I was definitely convinced of the couple's lust, but they knew next to nothing about each other when they first hit the sheets. This can work in a story, but the hero and heroine need to get to know each other as the story progresses. That didn't really happen here.

The Vampire's Christmas was pretty short, 28 pages. The characters and plot were interesting but the sex turned me off: 3 out of 5.

Here's a question about e-books. Arrested was 63 pages and cost $5.75. The Vampire's Christmas was 28 pages and cost $2.49. I realize that one page on a PDF does not equal a book page, but it still seemed like less value for the page count than a paperback. Am I wrong about this? Feel free to express an opinion or set me straight if I'm missing something. I realize that creating a book in different formats takes some doing, but surely it's less expensive than an actual paper printing.

Would I try e-books again? I won't rule them out, especially if I get some kind of e-book reader so I don't have to read them on the computer. That's a bit cumbersome. But I can't say that I'm going to spend much time shopping for e-books.

Alyssa

A Week's Worth of Reads

I've mentioned before that I read quickly, so I decided it might be interesting to post a list of what I've read so far this week. (I'm also feeling too lazy to do one of my usual book write-ups.)

The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase
I loved Lord of Scoundrels, and since this features some familiar characters, I wanted to like it. Well, I liked it but didn't love it: 3 out of 5. It includes some nice moments but most of it wasn't particularly memorable.

The Hope Chest by Jacquie D'Alessandro, Julie Kenner, and Susan Kearney
I love D'Alessandro's work, and she's the reason I picked up this anthology. The three stories are set in the past, present, and future, respectively. I loved D'Alessandro's "Yesterday's Magic" even though it left me wishing it were longer: 4 out of 5. Kenner's "Today's Secrets" was less enjoyable. The characters fell in love right away and the conflict seemed contrived: 3 out of 5. Kearney's "Tomorrow's Promise" was good, once I stopped saying "That's improbable" and just went with the story: 3.5 out of 5. So the anthology itself receives 3.5 out of 5. This book also includes an excerpt from an upcoming book, Kearney's On the Edge, and I'm intrigued enough that I'll probably buy it.

Free Fall by Jill Shalvis
Shalvis is turning out to be a consistently enjoyable writer for me, and this book is no exception: 4 out of 5. Loved the hero and the heroine.

My Favorite Mistake by Beth Kendrick
I impulsively added this book to my last order from Amazon to qualify for free shipping, and it was well worth it. It's chick-lit, and I loved Kendrick's voice: 4 out of 5.

Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
With Kenyon's books I tend to sit down and enjoy the ride . . . er, read. This one is lots of fun with some passion and drama added for good measure: 4.5 out of 5.

Aftershocks by Nancy Warren
I was a little worried about reading this book after reading a review at All about Romance, but I liked the book much more than the reviewer did: 4 out of 5. The tape is a bit off-putting, but I was more convinced of the heroine's conflict. I thought she did a good job of pursuing the facts, too, once she started asking questions.

Today, I'm heading out to do some shopping. I received my federal tax return, and since I have some money left after paying a few bills, I am stopping at the bookstore. Yay!

Alyssa

Bad Boys Over Easy

I started reading Bad Boys Over Easy this afternoon, and I gobbled it right up (so to speak). Two of the stories are exceptional and one is good. This is the perfect weekend read: 4 out of 5.

Erin McCarthy's "Fuzzy Logic" starts the anthology. I've long been a fan of McCarthy's writing, and "Fuzzy Logic" doesn't disappoint. Lucas is surprised when a package of sex toys shows up on his doorstep. He's even more fascinated when he learns they belong to his tenant, Ashley, the woman he's wanted for years.

I love romances where one of the characters carries a torch for another, and I also adore beta heroes. "Fuzzy Logic" uses both of these elements, along with an interesting heroine, which makes it a treat to read. Ashley and Lucas are very hot together. One thing I can count on with McCarthy--all of her stories and characters are different and compelling. This story rates 4.5 out of 5.

"The Cupid Curse" is a paranormal romance by Jen Nicholas. Val (short for Valentine) writes a letter to Cupid to find her soul mate. Cupid sends a novice named Gideon to deal with the matter. A gust of wind sends Gideon's love-arrow (this is not a euphemism) astray; it ends up hitting Gideon himself.

This is a fun story as long as you don't take it too seriously. The main problem with it is that it relies too heavily on the "destined love" principle--once Gideon is hit by the arrow, he's destined to love Val, and she's destined to love him in return. I don't have an issue with the destined-love idea except when it offers an easy way to get a couple together without having them spend much time falling in love. That's the case here: 3 out of 5.

Jordan Summers's "Mesmerized" is the third story and ends the anthology on a high note. Amanda is a skilled hypnotist, and Derek is a journalist determined to expose her as a fraud. Derek jumps at the chance to participate in Amanda's on-stage act, but when it's over, he seems to be still hypnotized.

The still-hypnotized element seems far-fetched, but I can go along with far-fetched plots if I enjoy the characters. I enjoyed reading about Derek and Amanda. I was engrossed in their story: 4 out of 5. I've now read two stories by Summers, and she's quite good. I look forward to reading more of her stories.

Alyssa

A Lick and a Promise

After Jo Leigh responded to some comments in my first Romancing the Blog entry, I decided to give A Lick and a Promise a try. I'm glad I did, even though I had problems with the book: 3 out of 5.

When conservative Daniel moves into Margot's apartment building, they're almost instantly attracted. The problem is that they seem like opposites. Margot leans toward the liberal side of things, while Daniel stays with the tried and true. Neither expects their relationship to be anything but physical, at least not at first.

What I like about the characters is how real and original they are. Daniel and Margot are real people, and I was fascinated by Margot's job as a food stylist. I always knew that food on commercials looked better than it does in the restaurant. Now I know why. :) I always appreciate stories about adults, and A Lick and a Promise focuses on the adult relationship without a lot of gimmicks some writers use.

However, Margot is a difficult character for me to like. I was distinctly uncomfortable by all the things she does to make over Daniel, and I'm glad that this was part of the book's conflict. But the story never quite overcame my mixed feelings about her. But I will certainly look for Leigh's backlist when I make my next bookstore trip. I'd like to try something else and see what I think.
Alyssa

Guarding Laura

I just finished Susan Vaughan's Guarding Laura, and it was an average read: 3 out of 5.

Laura Stanton is in danger. When it's clear that the man who has been chasing her for months has found her again, Cole Stratton is sent to protect her. Now an agent with the government, Cole has previous ties with Laura. He was her high-school lover. Their breakup was acrimonious, but they still have chemistry.

I like Cole and Laura but never felt more than a mild curiosity about them. Cole is easier to like; Laura's propensity to keep secrets is frustrating. The plot is a bit too predicable: Cole gets distracted, Laura ends up in danger, she's saved, repeat. Some dangers include a leaking boat that almost drowns her and a piano that almost crushes her. It's not a good sign when you start to say to yourself, "Oh, there she goes again. I wonder what will happen this time?" I enjoyed Guarding Laura much more when it focused on the characters than the plot.

As a side note, why do so many romance novel couples reunite after 10 years? Why not 2? Or 6? Or 9?

Alyssa

Finding Hope

It's been a while since I read an inspirational romance. I am a spiritual and religious person, but these qualities are so personal for everyone, even people who don't consider themselves to be spiritual or religious. It must be challenging to write a story that doesn't sound preachy.

The inspirational romances I read several years ago had much the same theme: one person (often a woman) converts another (often a man). This is one reason I stopped reading inspirationals; in many of them the settings changed, but several other aspects seemed similar. Perhaps I chose the wrong books.

I finished Brenda Coulter's Finding Hope. It was interesting and very readable, but the heroine was almost too perfect: 3 out of 5.

Hope is a 22-year-old woman with strong faith in God. She runs into Charles's car--literally--on the way to the hospital. She's going to visit a man who has been like a grandfather to her. Charles is a trauma doctor at the hospital, and he was having a difficult day even before Hope hit his car.

Charles sees himself as unfeeling and cynical. He and Hope begin to spend time together, and he finds himself enjoying her company and attending Bible study classes. But he doesn't believe that he can love anyone.

I like Hope at times, but she often seems too perfect. She has a wonderful background. Her family is devout; in fact, her parents are missionaries in Africa. Hope herself is bubbly, persistant, and endlessly optimistic. She also speaks five languages. This makes her an interesting character to read about, but not one I really relate to.

The section I most enjoyed is one where Charles goes to Pastor Bill to talk about his spiritual struggle. Their conversation is moving, but I would like to have seen more of Charles's thoughts to make his conversion more believable. His decision to marry Hope happens very quickly, too.

In any case, Finding Hope was interesting but not much different from others I've read. The next time I read an inspirational, I'll look for one with a different plot. I'd love to find a story about someone regaining faith, for example. Any suggestions?

Alyssa

Target Tampa Trip Books in Review

I'm feeling a bit off today. I got home from work yesterday and took what I thought would be a catnap around 6:30. I didn't wake up until 1:15 this morning. I read for a while, then went back to bed about 4:00, and woke up at 10:30. As a result, I feel rather fuzzy. Hopefully I will resume normal sleeping habits tonight.

As promised, here's a review of the books I read during the Target Tampa trip.

What an Earl Wants by Shirley Karr: 3 out of 5
Traveling by plane isn't a particularly smooth experience for me, but I have gotten to the point where I can read on a flight as long as it's not during takeoff or landing. I started What an Earl Wants before the trip, but finished it on the way to Cincinnati, Ohio.

I loved this book for the first two-thirds. I'm not usually fond of stories where the heroine dresses as a man, but it worked in this story. I loved seeing the characters slowly fall in love. A certain development in the last third of the book went on too long, however, and kept the book from being completely enjoyable. I read this book for The Romance Reader; watch that site for a more detailed review. (I have to write the review first.)

This is Shirley Karr's first published book, and I will make a point of reading her next one. She's obviously talented.

Derik's Bane by MaryJanice Davidson: 3 out of 5
I read the first 100 or so pages during the trip from Cincinnati to Tampa, and finished it Thursday night in Tampa.

This is the third story in Davidson's Wyndham Werewolves series; it's also the first full-length installment. The others are short stories in the Secrets anthologies VI and VIII. Derik's Bane has funny and fun moments (those are different things, you know), but it's not much different from other stories Davidson has done.

Kiss Me, Kill Me by Ann Rule: 4 out of 5
I had read all but two of the stories in this book before the trip, but I was pleased to finally finish them on Friday. The Tampa events didn't officially start until 2:00 PM, so I had time to read in the morning.

The true-crime stories in this book are chilling accounts of people women who were killed by husbands, boyfriends, blind dates, and even strangers. As always, Rule makes the victims sympathetic and real, while examining the crime itself. In one case, I was horrified by how little prison time the perpetrator received. Yikes.

Jane's Warlord by Angela Knight: 3 out of 5
I got this one through the on-site book swap and read finished it on Saturday. Knight is certainly a steamy writer, and Jane's Warlord includes many other interesting elements, but I think there's almost too much going on here: world-building, action, and yeah, romance. I don't mean to suggest that strong books can't have all of these elements. Obviously they can. Somehow, though, Knight's balance is off. I'm not entirely convinced these two fell in love. They sure like having sex with each other, but I didn't see the strong emotional tie that says "love."

A Soldier's Christmas by Rachel Lee, Merline Lovelace, and Catherine Mann: 4 out of 5
I started this one on Sunday and finished it Monday morning. Each story in this book got better. I liked Lovelace's story more than I liked her book I read. I may try another of her full-length books. Catherine Mann's story is the stand-out--she just creates characters I enjoy.

Explosive Alliance by Catherine Mann: 4 out of 5
I started this one on the flight from Tampa to Atlanta, then finished it during the Atlanta to Salt Lake City leg of the trip.

Geez, Catherine is a good writer. I've enjoyed everything she's written so far--and I can't say that about many writers. I loved the hero and heroine of this story. Bo might be right up there with Tanner as my favorite Wingman Warrior hero.

Body Language by Suzanne Brockmann: 4 out of 5
This is one of the books I won in the silent auction at Target Tampa. I started reading it on the flight to Salt Lake City and finished it when I got home. It uses one of my favorite plots--friends who become lovers--and it was a fun read.

I'm heading to Media Play in an hour or so to pick up some books I special ordered. I also want to get Meg Cabot's newest, and anything else that grabs my attention. I have a coupon I need to use, and I definitely don't have enough books lying around (ha!).

Alyssa

A Secret Passion

I finished Sophia Nash's debut book last night, and while it was rough in spots, it was still enjoyable. A Secret Passion: 3 out of 5.

Widow Jane Lovering has a problem--her father needs money and plans to get it by marrying her off to a wealthy man. Jane knows he's capable of doing this; he's already done it once. Although Jane was fond of her husband, she refuses to place herself at the mercy of a domineering man such as her father or the man he wants her to marry.

When Jane goes to stay with her aunt, she meets Rolfe St. James, Earl of Graystock. She finds herself inexplicably attracted to him, but she fears that he is the kind of man she wants to avoid. For his part, Rolfe wants to have an affair with the widow; he isn't interested in marriage.

Jane and Rolfe are interesting, introspective, and complex characters. I enjoyed reading both perspectives. Jane has a blind spot about strong-willed men, and Rolfe tends to be strong-willed, which creates conflict and makes the characters more real.

The main challenge with this book is its tendency to make quick jumps. I was surprised by how quickly Rolfe falls in love with Jane, or perhaps with how quickly he realizes it. The way it's described seems abrupt. Later in the story, Jane's father changes his feelings quite quickly. This made some parts of the book seem unrealistic.

A Secret Passion is a solid debut, and I look forward to trying her next book.

Alyssa

Not Quite As Advertised

I just finished Tanya Michaels' Not Quite As Advertised. It's from the Harlequin Flipside line, and while I liked it, I didn't love it: 3 out of 5.

Jocelyn (Joss) works at an advertising agency. Her ex-boyfriend Hugh works at a rival agency. Shortly after Hugh wins a presigious award for an advertising campaign, the two agencies merge, so Joss and Hugh must figure out how to work together. And how to avoid the attraction that still simmers between them.

The conflict in Not Quite As Advertised focuses on issues. Joss is a perfectionist, while Hugh has made a conscious decision to stop making work the focus of his life. I usually enjoy books with internal conflicts, but in this case there is so much talk about them and the resolution seems anticlimactic and a little too pat.

In addition, Hugh mentions several times that Joss brings out his competitive nature, so I couldn't quite believe that they would be a good couple. I liked both characters but wish their realizations had had more impact.

Alyssa

Post-Holiday Reading Report

I had a lovely Christmas, and I hope you had one, too.

I've done so much reading lately that I'll never get caught up if I write long analyses, so I'm going for short and sweet:

While Others Sleep by Helen R. Myers: 3 out of 5.
Myers was one of my favorite series writers--I simply adored her Silhouette Shadows books: Night Mist, Watching for Willa, and Whispers in the Woods (my favorite of the three, which made my top 100 list). She also wrote some wonderful Silhouette Romances and Desires, such as Invitation to a Wedding and Just a Memory Away.

After reading four of her single titles, however, I'm forced to admit that I don't enjoy them as much as I did her series books. While Others Sleep is an interesting story with strong characters, but they have only one meeting by page 150. After that point, things speed up. Myers has a gift for dialogue and for creating memorable characters, and these qualities are evident in While Others Sleep. It just takes much too long to get there.

Sadly, I think I'll look for her future books in the library instead of buying them new.

The Husband She Couldn't Remember by Maggie Shayne: 3 out of 5.
After reading Shayne's short story in Night's Edge, I wanted to try one of her longer books. I actually enjoy amnesia stories as long as they are done well. I've read quite a few bad ones. The Husband She Couldn't Remember was enjoyable, but nothing about it stood out. I'm still planning to try another of her longer books. Feel free to make suggestions.

Unforgettable by Meryl Sawyer: 2 out of 5.
Another amnesia story. The hero in this one drove me crazy. He couldn't decide whether she was a "floozy" or not, so he kept making 180-degree turns in his treatment of her. The reading experience nearly gave me whiplash because of it.

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas: 4 out of 5.
On rare occasions, I will read a book or watch a movie that I enjoy as I'm reading or watching, but afterward I find that I don't like it as much as I thought I did. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not, but this was the case for me when I saw Shakespeare in Love. Likewise, Again the Magic was a book I enjoyed more while I was reading it than I did after I finished.

Kleypas is a strong writer with a talent for writing passionate love scenes. I have to admit that I'm a bit tired of reading the seduction-as-revenge plot. The most frustrating thing about this book, however, is something the heroine does to the hero toward the end of the story. I understand the fear that led her to the decision, but I can only describe her behavior as cold. I thought McKenna forgave her much too quickly.

I'll stop for now, but I'll write again soon about more of the books I've read.

Alyssa