tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9970605815025515182024-03-12T19:19:35.280-04:00Bookishly AttentiveA Reader's Guide to the Books We've Read.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660686567270383452noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-58017459262952318562021-01-24T09:49:00.002-05:002021-01-24T09:49:25.911-05:00The Book of Lost Friends, by Lisa Wingate<br /><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tCZ6I0T2p_8rabp4-IA6w9grBEtZ0Ci1OfGnkVrv3lVjuuH4RtQcYpey7MXireTxSCPjHhtAEepjMZWUH_bRZFT1wUiMkVlVhLrS0YOoFNaYBwn2Gf1YL283D7F2ldAOuOCspt2gthQ/s436/91%252BSpelXLYL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="287" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tCZ6I0T2p_8rabp4-IA6w9grBEtZ0Ci1OfGnkVrv3lVjuuH4RtQcYpey7MXireTxSCPjHhtAEepjMZWUH_bRZFT1wUiMkVlVhLrS0YOoFNaYBwn2Gf1YL283D7F2ldAOuOCspt2gthQ/w132-h200/91%252BSpelXLYL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br />This book had so many layers to it that I’m still unpacking it two days after I’ve finished it. Unusual for me in that once I close the cover (or kindle) for the last time, it’s on to the next. I think I’ll sit here with this one for awhile.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Wildly appropriate for the times we are living in, <i>T</i><i>he Book of Lost Friends</i><b><i> </i></b>is the simultaneous, but different era stories of Hannie Gossett, a freewoman working on her former plantation after the Civil War, and Benny Silva, a newly minted secondary school teacher in 1987, trying to motivate her students, themselves possible descendants of Hannie’s 19th century world. Augustine, Louisiana is the starting and ending point to both of their stories.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">The title comes from a collection of newspaper advertisements from the late 1800’s, where former enslaved people wrote to find lost relatives, sold away from their families or lost in the Civil War. Hannie finds herself trying to save her adopted family’s crop sharing deed, hard won after 10 years work, and in so doing embarks on an adventure to Texas with Lavinia (the daughter of her former owners) and Juneau Jane, Lavinia’s illegitimate Creole half sister. Along the way, Hannie realizes that her family may be out there, somewhere, and instead of returning home among the dangers of the Reconstruction South, presses on. She and Juneau Jane collect Lost Friend advertisements from the people they meet promising to publish them if they can.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Benny, an English teacher at the town high school in 1987, stumbles upon the old plantation house with a library full of books she feels can motivate her students. With the help of the present owner, she begins a project which not only brings history to life, but does the same for her students as well. Tensions arise among town residents who would rather keep Augustine’s history buried. Benny has to find a way to get past this without losing everything she’s worked for. I wont go into much more detail than this. In the end, various threads (some of which you didn’t even realize existed) are, for the most part, neatly tied up. As you are reading, pay special attention to the advertisements at each chapter’s beginning. The author’s use of these advertisements is her way of bringing the message of the book home. It’s very effective.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>The Book Of Lost Friends </i>is another gem from Lisa Wingate. Timely, sad, infuriating and uplifting all at the same time, it’s a window into an era of our history almost forgotten. It’s also a reminder that there is still a lot of work left to do. And as Benny discovered, it’s left to us to do it.</span><p></p><br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-73212824877632387782018-01-25T18:31:00.000-05:002018-01-25T18:36:00.524-05:00The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, by Katarina Bivald<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMQwtGO8oVLleiMjo8_PirRpy8HSX7jG0q3AnmSw9QJC21fJQ_kVoYayT64jAKO_ZiHjVegUs49rEop0MY1adkL_s4jXGIwfjXDCIIEwehXtxEAos1Ds2gW3W2NuUhByxkw-1MlwmC98/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="121" data-original-width="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMQwtGO8oVLleiMjo8_PirRpy8HSX7jG0q3AnmSw9QJC21fJQ_kVoYayT64jAKO_ZiHjVegUs49rEop0MY1adkL_s4jXGIwfjXDCIIEwehXtxEAos1Ds2gW3W2NuUhByxkw-1MlwmC98/s1600/download.jpg" /></a>My, my. Has it really been two years since my last review? Must be all that life stuff that got in the way. Well, lucky readers, I'm back. And I'm reviewing <i>The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend </i>by Katarina Bivald.<br />
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Set in the present time in Broken Wheel, Iowa, the book is a study in small town middle-American desolation brought on by the Walmarts of the world and the declining farming industry. Sara Lundqvist is invited to visit Broken Arrow from Sweden by her elderly book and pen pal, Amy Harris. Anxious to leave a somewhat desolate life of her own, Sara takes Amy up on her offer to come stay with her. Upon arriving, Sara is surprised to find that her hostess is, shall we say, absent. The townspeople, anxious to return to a time when Broken Arrow was a vibrant farming and mercantile community, with a larger population, take Sara under their wing with the goal of having her stay there permanently. Unaware of their endgame, Sara feels the need to repay the townspeople's kindness by opening a small bookstore on the main street, using Amy's library as a base for her inventory. Several funny plots ensue to lure customers to the store and to the town in order to induce Sara to stay, but with time running out on her visa, the wackiest scheme of all to keep Sara in America turns out to be not so wacky after all.<br />
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Filled with colorful characters and their stories, <i><b>The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend</b></i> pulls you in and keeps you there. Ms. Bivald uses the major issues of today as well as literary references from the past to make the point that we are not all that different from each other, and a community that cares is the best antidote to whatever ails society today.<br />
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Highly highly recommend.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-78463029248958999652016-08-06T14:00:00.001-04:002016-08-06T14:02:11.689-04:00Sandlands, by Rosy Thornton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkitP_QMT20xk2ULNk6ZPu7V8ly7MiXGZhZA-Sa827cwJhUT5uszXQlnhbuaW2uC33Cj96cz4ZC_LvOH8yg9kIPjtJGO8MLPW4z-jKA-G22fGkqbRtXkfmK2OckpW68duIW2pZ3gmfWQ/s1600/41gbn0jvOML._AC_US160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkitP_QMT20xk2ULNk6ZPu7V8ly7MiXGZhZA-Sa827cwJhUT5uszXQlnhbuaW2uC33Cj96cz4ZC_LvOH8yg9kIPjtJGO8MLPW4z-jKA-G22fGkqbRtXkfmK2OckpW68duIW2pZ3gmfWQ/s1600/41gbn0jvOML._AC_US160_.jpg" /></a>I would imagine that it must take a very special creative ability to put together a book of short stories that holds the attention of readers who normally love their novels long and involved. The secret to a successful compilation of short stories under one cover must be that each individual narrative tell its complete story in what would normally be one chapter of a regular novel. It must draw the reader in and keep them there, and include character and story line development in a matter of just a few pages. Rosy Thornton has successfully mastered this art in <i>Sandlands</i>. Each story's end was like closing the back cover of a full novel. I had that satisfaction that comes from a good read over and over again in reading this book.<br />
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Each short story in <i>Sandlands</i> reveals some aspect of Suffolk life. The only way I am familiar with this part of England is actually through a series of detective stories written by Elly Griffiths, so this was an interesting way of rounding out my education, so to speak. Ms. Thornton brings the Suffolk countryside to life in each and every story. Nature is an ongoing theme throughout the book, and each story hits on a different aspect of life in this part of the country. Stories of flora, fauna, history, family, generations, myths and legends, war and peace, witches and the occult, are covered in individual and engaging ways. There are certain locales, like Silly Hill and The Ship tavern that run in and out of the narratives, and the stories on the whole give the reader an excellent feeling for what life is like here, both past and present.<br />
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My favorite stories revolved around generational themes, especially those drawing on the history of the area during World War II. Each taken on its own merit engages the reader into thinking about things that seem magical and make-believe, but in this corner of the world, might actually be possible.<br />
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It's a highly recommend from this convert to the short story format.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-30838725108678156102016-05-21T17:42:00.002-04:002016-05-21T17:42:55.163-04:00Everyone Brave is Forgiven, by Chris Cleave<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2yHCKUltOELfCQWQpNHFPDBCv6kmnfh8hSo__Y96PUlgBh4ngbLz0Pkkv5Ky3JxRQ2i9-j4j2vjjne61ZxU4IPe6iWW7FUY_g8iyFln0aqN4GdjyVm5Jxyss1rkYHo3jxd5RafbUksY/s1600/url.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2yHCKUltOELfCQWQpNHFPDBCv6kmnfh8hSo__Y96PUlgBh4ngbLz0Pkkv5Ky3JxRQ2i9-j4j2vjjne61ZxU4IPe6iWW7FUY_g8iyFln0aqN4GdjyVm5Jxyss1rkYHo3jxd5RafbUksY/s1600/url.jpg" /></a>The two conflagrations that defined the first half of the last century have become my new reading fodder. I've read Erik Larsen's brilliant send up of the sinking of the Lusitania, <i>Dead Wake</i> (highly recommend by the way), a few historical fiction pieces from post WWI, including Jennifer Robson's <i>After the War is Over</i> and <i>Moonlight over Paris</i> (two more I highly recommend) and have just finished this amazing effort by Chris Cleave, an award winning British novelist who captures the essence of war time 1940's London as if he were there, and his readers right along with him.<br />
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<i>Everyone Brave is Forgiven</i> is, at the surface, a love story. Mary North, daughter of an aristocratic family, feels the call of service when World War II breaks out in Europe, and signs up for what she thinks will be an active role in keeping the home front safe. She is, instead, assigned the task of filling in for teachers called up to fight. At the age of 19, she is asked by her supervisor and lover, Tom Shaw, to establish a school for the children left behind in the evacuation from London. These children are the "undesirables," unwanted by the country folk asked to house them, and she gladly takes on the task. When her efforts run up against the London Blitz, it spells dire consequences for all.<br />
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At the same time, the story follows Alistair Heath, Tom's roommate, who joins the British Army, spends time fighting in France and after a hasty retreat brought on by the German insurgence, finds himself stationed on Malta, during the siege which lasted from 1940-1942. Starved and injured, he can't forget the one girl who wasn't his to remember.<br />
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The juxtaposition of the Blitz with the siege, and the devastation wrought by both is the backdrop to the social lessons Cleave imparts with his writing. Race, friendship, and class are all fair game here. And through his characters, Cleave very cleverly asks these questions: Is there any positive outcome of war? Does it change society? Does it make people more tolerant, more open to differences among them? More willing to forgive? More willing to help and get involved?<br />
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Cleave's flowing prose and anecdotal phrases make the reader stop, think, and try to answer those questions. This is the perfect example of a novel that is, on the surface, an arresting fictional account of a few lives during a very trying period of time, but is in reality, a more thorough dissertation on humankind's tolerance for hate, evil and war.<br />
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Highly, highly recommend.<br />
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<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-72797490116400108832015-11-05T17:13:00.002-05:002015-11-05T17:38:47.755-05:00Cold-Hearted Rake, by Lisa Kleypas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl366JTJq2nWz3FAI7Qx3em55vgBoJR9jiwQ0v4jAQon_ELVAiGmATn6tY0ydru2wAEPLkmc_8lRr2Duvgf6zHjMj5q4Ogzhx1-BjDcI1LTcUFAfyyjgpm0fz79i7-RqrPhJr8O6SbT0o/s1600/51QsomoXDYL._SX272_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl366JTJq2nWz3FAI7Qx3em55vgBoJR9jiwQ0v4jAQon_ELVAiGmATn6tY0ydru2wAEPLkmc_8lRr2Duvgf6zHjMj5q4Ogzhx1-BjDcI1LTcUFAfyyjgpm0fz79i7-RqrPhJr8O6SbT0o/s320/51QsomoXDYL._SX272_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="176" /></a>Like Lisa Kleypas' return to both writing historical romance and Avon books, her publisher in 1992, to my return to her new historical romance series and her latest novel, I feel like I've come full circle. Back in 2007, some new friends decided to start a long distance book club. I won't bore you with our original mission. Suffice it to say that the first book undertaken was a Lisa Kleypas romance, and before too long, discussions via email, Skype and other means of long ago technology were put to use to pick apart and discuss this author's earlier efforts. She's remained a favorite of mine since, not only because she can certainly write, but because she was truly a catalyst in cementing a long-lasting circle of friendship.<br />
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<b style="font-style: italic;">Cold-Hearted Rake, </b>set in Victorian England,<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>is the story of Kathleen, Lady Trenear, and Lord Devon Ravenel, the new Earl of Trenear, who inherits after Kathleen's first husband inconveniently dies after three days of marriage.<br />
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Kathleen, brought up by the highest sticklers in polite society, has very distinct and non-negotiable ideas about mourning and proper behavior. With the responsibility of her three younger sisters in law on her shoulders, she is faced with the very real possibility of losing her home. And when her cousin by marriage arrives, preceded by his reputation as London's most notorious rake, her fears reach new heights. Devon has no plans to put the estate back in financial order at first. Disheartened by his inheritance at the end of nobility's golden era, and burdened by his change in lifestyle, Devon must make a decision. When confronted with the reality of Kathleen and his cousins, his tenants and staff, he is reminded of the responsibility that is now his, whether he wants it or not.<br />
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Against the backdrop of their burgeoning attraction, Devon and Kathleen, with help from Devon's brother West, each change and reform enough to begin to make a success of the burden they have taken on. The tale is not without its conflicts. There were parts of this story where I could honestly say I didn't like either of the protagonists. Kathleen probably took the brunt of that more than Devon. She's just so rigid, bossy and opinionated at times. And Devon, who does live up to the title of the book, does not get a pass; not until well into the novel. The changes in both these characters, when they do come, are hard won, and you are all the more appreciative for it. And like the long ago book we read in 2007, no one can write a love scene like Lisa Kleypas.<br />
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With the added tie-in to her next in this series, <i><b>Marrying Mr. Winterborne</b></i>, there's plenty here for her fans to appreciate. I foresee a sequel for West Ravenel and the twins, Cassandra and Pandora, as well. I'm happy to follow this new cast of characters wherever Ms. Kleypas decides to take them. Welcome back! Highly recommend.<br />
<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-25783877396134893202015-08-24T21:43:00.001-04:002015-08-24T21:49:49.771-04:00Heroes Are My Weakness, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j46dICm-dMrV1YLYQGELRzY9pJGeox4fXAVSYEVPPmyTIZVhVcVnmlz9eR5hNe3kERsKYdreDLU2013z22YkHwpSqa4Ahbg0Nv6rYD6_WXZpMqbTrRg77jpEILytTtVqI0rSyZ_eG2A/s1600/51Tt8pbrzCL._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9j46dICm-dMrV1YLYQGELRzY9pJGeox4fXAVSYEVPPmyTIZVhVcVnmlz9eR5hNe3kERsKYdreDLU2013z22YkHwpSqa4Ahbg0Nv6rYD6_WXZpMqbTrRg77jpEILytTtVqI0rSyZ_eG2A/s1600/51Tt8pbrzCL._AA160_.jpg" /></a></div>
This wonderfully quirky novel is the newest release by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Mix a semi-gothic story line with slightly damaged, yet attractive protagonists (one of whom is a ventriloquist), an isolated island setting and hardy, resourceful islanders, and you have a recipe for a fun, fast, late summer read.<br />
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Annie Hewitt has come to Peregrine Island to preserve a bequest given to her mother by her ex-stepfather. Annie must occupy Moonraker Cottage, a small house located on the grounds of the much larger Harp House, for at least 60 days a year in order to keep it. Having no other visible means of support, except her puppets, and no place to live, she comes to the island following her mother's death. She never expects Theo Harp, a childhood nemesis and possible psychopath disguised as a Stephen King-type novelist, to be in residence in his family's home. As teens, Annie was convinced that Theo tried to kill her, and nothing since then has changed her mind. When she's again drawn into Theo's circle, she begins to question her past and when things start to take a sinister turn, she turns to first Theo, then another childhood friend, Jaycie, for answers.<br />
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The mystery of the story pulls you in, but it's the characters that keep you coming back for more. Annie and Theo are drawn perfectly as two people committed to finding the worst in each other. We are allowed to watch that all slowly change, as secrets from the past are revealed. Jaycie and her mute daughter Livia, along with the Peregrine islanders are all an important part of the narrative.<br />
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Ms. Phillips signature humor is definitely evident. There were some lines in this novel that actually made me laugh loud enough to be heard in the next room. You'll know them when you read them. If you're in the mood to end your summer on a highly suspenseful, romantic and funny note, this is your Labor Day gem. Highly highly recommend.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-45434699774289058442015-07-15T21:20:00.001-04:002015-07-16T09:04:55.207-04:00A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers, by Hazel Gaynor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After reading <i>The Girl Who Came Home</i>, by the same author a year or so ago, I promised myself that if Ms. Gaynor wrote another historical fiction novel, I would run, not walk, to get my hands on it. <i>A Memory of Violets</i> is a worthy new addition to her repertoire.<br />
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The novel is the story of Matilda Harper, a young woman from the Lake District who has nothing to lose by leaving home in March of 1912 to take a position in London at Albert Shaw's Training Homes for Watercress and Flower Girls, also known as the Flower Homes. The Flower Homes are a group housing arrangement for poverty-stricken crippled and orphaned former flower sellers. The residents produce beautiful, life-like artificial flowers to sell for charitable causes. Tilly arrives and takes up her position as assistant house mother to twelve girls. Through a chance meeting on the train to London and a seemingly random room assignment, she is drawn into the mystery of two sisters, flower sellers both who were separated years ago. One made her home among the residents of the Flower Homes, while the other was presumably lost forever.<br />
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What transpires is the clever interweaving of historical fact and fiction (Albert Shaw's character is based on real-life British philanthropist John Groom). Tilly's character has a connection to the Flower Homes that she could not have possibly imagined. And the story of the two sisters becomes Tilly's story as well.<br />
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With clever dialogue, well-written prose, engaging characters, hints of supernatural intervention and many good and unpredictable twists and turns in this novel, Ms. Gaynor has presented her narrative in a heartfelt way. You can tell that this is a well-researched and well-loved topic for this author. The descriptive detail brings both the Victorian and Edwardian era to vibrant and fragrant life. Released by William Morris in February of 2015. Highly recommend!Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-10631634057253400352015-06-20T17:38:00.000-04:002015-06-21T10:27:36.988-04:00The Tide Watchers, by Lisa Chaplin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a career of writing contemporary romance novels under a pseudonym, Lisa Chaplin's debut historical novel under her own name is a gem. <i>The Tide Watchers</i> is a quasi-fictional exploration of Napoleon Bonaparte's long rumored attempt to invade England via the English channel in the late winter of 1803. Coming on the heels of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, this story is especially timely and engaging. As a fan of this time period in British and Continental European history, I was thrilled when the opportunity to read and review this novel was presented to me.<br />
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Duncan Aylsham, Commander and King's Man (spy is an apt term), is sent on a mission to find the daughter of his mentor, Sir Edward Sunderland. Lisbeth Sunderland, in direct defiance of her father's plans to arrange a marriage to a baron's heir, hastily married Alain Delacorte and ran off to France with him. Not knowing Delacorte's true nature, origins and purpose, she is brutalized at his hands and is forced to live apart from him and their newborn son. Duncan tracks her down and in rescuing her, comes to respect her for her intelligence, cunning and capability in outsmarting her husband and her enemies. While fleeing France, the two are caught up in a dangerous and ingenious mission to save Britain from invasion.<br />
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Chaplin seamlessly injects real-life historical figures into the narrative. At times, I had trouble remembering who was fictional and who was not, and this is by no means a criticism. It made the book come alive for me. We are introduced to Bonaparte and his minions, all cogs in the wheel of the vast changes sweeping France and Europe at that time. There are various representatives of Whitehall in their official and unofficial capacities. We also meet Robert Fulton, the American inventor, as both he and his inventions become an integral part of the plot's narrative.<br />
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We are therefore introduced to spies and counter-spies, double agents and other characters who are thrust into the roles necessary to protect their country and the people they love. Georgiana Gordon is one, as are Alec and Cal Stewart, Duncan's half brothers, forever coming to Duncan's rescue when he needs them the most, despite Duncan's repeated attempts at pushing them away.<br />
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Besides a great swashbuckling tale of intrigue, double crossing, military might and sheer courage, <i>The Tide Watchers</i> brings us gentler lessons in the importance of family, however one can define the term. Duncan's relationship with his brothers, his father's family, his perfidious adoptive father, and Eddie Sunderland, his mentor, are all examined. On Lisbeth's side, there is an exploration of her relationship with her parents, especially her father, away most of the time on King's business as she grew up. And yes, there is romance, but it is not the main emphasis of the story. All of this adds a nuanced level to this novel that would keep anyone turning the pages, even those of you who are hard-core romance readers. There is something for everyone here, and I guarantee no one will close the back cover disappointed.<br />
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My greatest find is a book that leads me to feel that I've learned something when I put it down for the last time. <i>The Tide Watchers </i>leaves me with that feeling. Pair intricate, intelligent prose with exceptional story-telling highlighting characters that are hard to forget, and you have a story more than worthy of your time. I can hardly wait for Ms. Chaplin's next foray into historical fiction. There are several characters here more than capable of carrying their own stories and I look forward to reading them. Highly, highly recommend!Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-48158250392535217792015-01-27T10:21:00.000-05:002015-01-27T10:21:45.443-05:00The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy, by Julia Quinn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">There are times when I'm swayed by popular opinion, when I feel that we should be moving this blog in a more literary direction. That the books of the genre that I most enjoy to read and review should be supplemented here by more "literary" works. And then I go and read a book like <i>The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy</i>. And once again, I am reminded that historical romance is indeed, quite literary enough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sir Richard Kenworthy travels to London to procure a wife. It's not for money, or for status and definitely not for love (at least not in the way we think) that he decides to do this. But we don't know that. And neither does Lady Iris Smythe-Smith. Yes, that's Iris of the Smythe-Smith musicale fame. More on that later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sir Richard begins a full court press to win Iris' hand after he spots her playing cello in the infamous annual musicale, and when he succeeds after one week and one compromising kiss, they marry by special license and make their way to Maycliff, his estate in Yorkshire. The reader is led to believe that the rush behind Sir Richard's courtship is brought on by his desire to save his estate. The truth, however, is much more insidious. And while Iris suspects that something is not quite as it seems, she at first puts aside her intuition and reservations. What neither Iris nor Richard count on becomes the one thing that may hold them together when the truth finally comes out. And when the truth does surface, in the best confrontational scene I've read in quite some time, be forewarned. Sir Richard is not what he seems, and shows it in some shocking ways. The change in him catches Iris, and Ms. Quinn's audience by surprise. When he then asks Iris to make the ultimate selfless sacrifice for the sake of his family, we are left breathless. What will Iris do? And no, I'm not going to tell you. Not even a hint. The plot twists will be enough to keep you turning the pages until the only thing left is your sigh of satisfaction and the thought that you'd prefer this <i>story</i> to never end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Julia Quinn started using the annual musicales as a plot device in her earlier novels (the acclaimed Bridgerton series) but her quartet of books featuring the cousins of the Smythe-Smith family, and how they, one by one, have found love, are the best of her efforts in my opinion. And this book tops them all. Family loyalty, angst, betrayal, and ultimately, love, all wrapped up with the humor present in all of Ms. Quinn's novels, make <i>The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy</i> quite worthy of your time. I loved this book and I highly, highly recommend it. It is definitely this genre at its best. </span></div>
Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-76536159437669269092014-11-11T18:06:00.004-05:002014-11-11T18:27:44.335-05:00Christmas at Tiffany's, by Karen Swan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0sO2H0-QQmDy_6Y3x7_Pts6sDbneUq5-p1xk2oBjiu8TgLizTLXuE0DFnfZuAf1aLBxVhXk5o-3KY8vOL_sQeLQCdWKPwbfZBm9NizTDlSfx1AW50bx9nAHl1ETJjizQ6hExfzcveM0/s1600/51MPKnVa2KL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0sO2H0-QQmDy_6Y3x7_Pts6sDbneUq5-p1xk2oBjiu8TgLizTLXuE0DFnfZuAf1aLBxVhXk5o-3KY8vOL_sQeLQCdWKPwbfZBm9NizTDlSfx1AW50bx9nAHl1ETJjizQ6hExfzcveM0/s200/51MPKnVa2KL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="143" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Christmas at Tiffany's </i>is a novel of friendship, exploration and love. It's also the story of how one woman's search for herself impacts others closest to her and, in some cases, forces them to question their life choices as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Multifaceted and engaging, the novel begins with Cassie Fraser's heartache at discovering, at her tenth wedding anniversary, her husband's duplicity. Turning to her boarding school friends for an escape route, Kelly, Anouk and Suzy each decide to help Cassie rebuild her life from the ground up, in their three different cities, in their three totally different ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cassie spends time in New York, Paris and London and in each city, she finds a little more of herself. New York gives her the confidence to handle a new job (although with interesting results) and a new boyfriend. She makes new friends and experiences life in the fast lane. In Paris, Cassie befriends Claude, a Michelin rated chef with demons of his own. In Cassie, Claude finds someone to mentor, and Cassie believes she has found her new path in life until tragedy and then betrayal strike, and she's forced to re-evaluate what is really important to her. In London, and later at Suzy's family's country estate, she's finally forced to make a decision about her marriage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">In each of Cassie's stops along her year-long tour of self-discovery, Suzy's explorer brother, Henry, leaves a list of must-sees and small gifts for Cassie. At times, he personally acts as her tour guide. And while she's amused and at the same time, confused by these gestures, she follows along in order to humor him, all the while missing out on the message he was really trying to deliver. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Karen Swan writes with clarity and purpose. Her prose is straight-forward and tells the story so well, you feel you know every one of the characters. While Cassie is the catalyst and the main protagonist, each of the characters is really front and center along with her. The reader gets to know all of them very well, and their stories become just as important as Cassie's. Juggling so many balls in the air at once is an amazing accomplishment. And in this book, Ms. Swan lets none of them hit the floor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Highly, highly recommend. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-27465945223951563962014-10-11T13:24:00.000-04:002014-10-12T21:33:24.667-04:00Oxford Blue Series, by Pippa Croft (The First Time We Met, The Second Time I Saw You, Third Time Lucky)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>I usually don't review an entire series at once, but The Oxford Blue Series, </i></div>
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<i> by Pippa Croft (pen name for Phillipa Ashley) has me making an exception.</i> </div>
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The Oxford Blue Series is Pippa's debut into the New Adult scene, and it's a brilliant one at that. The series follows Lauren Cusack, daughter of a US Senator, while she endeavors to master the hallowed halls of Oxford University in search of a Masters in Art History. Told from Lauren's particular point of view as an American in an environment somewhat alien from her stateside collegiate experience, Pippa takes us along for a wild ride. From practically the moment Lauren arrives in Oxford, she's thrown into the exclusive world of<br />
Alexander Hunt, son of a marquess and the object of everyone's curiosity at the college. Inexplicably attracted to the dangerous and handsome soldier/aristocrat, Lauren finds herself at the center of a relationship fraught with sexual attraction and deception. For every step forward in their relationship, Lauren and Alexander take two steps back, experiencing the heartache of family interference, betrayal, and class distinction.<br />
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As Lauren experiences her push and pull relationship with Alexander, we do the same. She has no idea whether to love him or despise him, trust him and feel sorry for him, or run from him as far and as fast as she can. We feel the same. While readers may want what's best for Lauren, she's young enough not to know what's best for herself. And the author does a wonderful job in conveying Lauren's confusion over the situation she has found herself in.<br />
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The first two books set the stage of their ongoing relationship and the second one, in particular, defines the parameters of Alexander's need for Lauren. It ends on a great cliffhanger. Luckily, the third in the series, <i>Third Time Lucky</i>, was released the same day I finished <i>The Second Time I Saw You</i>, so I didn't have to wait long to see what happens. <br />
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A warning to the retiring reader; the sex is HOT and PLENTIFUL. That's all I'm going to say on the subject. When I say Lauren and Alexander are attracted to each other, I'm being a little coy. Their relationship is smoking, and the author does not hold back in this regard. There, I've done my civic duty in letting you all know. At first it seems that this is the only glue that is holding these two together. But as the series moves on and we get to the final book, Alexander starts to open up a bit more, and we begin to see a side of him that up until this point has been well hidden. We begin to suspect that there is more to what he feels for Lauren then we've been privy to, and ultimately we come around to seeing in him what she sees. But not without quite a bit of angst and hand wringing first. And the question remains; is it too little too late?<br />
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Secondary characters add depth and conflict to Lauren's experience. They are just colorful and malicious enough to add all the necessary drama. I especially loved Lauren's involvement with Scott. Their relationship had me guessing to the very last page.<br />
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The Oxford Blue series is well-written and flows very quickly from page to page, and book to book. And in the spirit of full disclosure, I am mentioned in the acknowledgements for my slight and relatively small contribution to the author's hard work.<br />
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Well done, Ms. Croft. Highly recommend. <br />
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<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-21553576384304150442014-08-26T11:07:00.000-04:002014-08-26T12:04:51.443-04:00Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEECUs9G3tM9Cgyxy3uII1-nKevdTNkHNZKy9k_LDJ-29akuMGxSu3UL527Q4sV07345-iOTFfh5PtAV7u7HICYGrEjMFjHNtd9lN6GTB8BXbDGB6Ew_UeZCvliS5C_fnPB5mCf8K2VOQ/s1600/19486412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEECUs9G3tM9Cgyxy3uII1-nKevdTNkHNZKy9k_LDJ-29akuMGxSu3UL527Q4sV07345-iOTFfh5PtAV7u7HICYGrEjMFjHNtd9lN6GTB8BXbDGB6Ew_UeZCvliS5C_fnPB5mCf8K2VOQ/s1600/19486412.jpg" /></a>Liane Moriarty's latest stab at writing is as good or better than her last, <i>The Husband's Secret</i>, which I previously reviewed on this blog. She has become one of my new favorite contemporary authors.<br />
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<i>Big Little Lies</i> is a masterful showcasing of 21st century relationships between spouses, parents and children, and parents and grandparents. The author keeps those pages turning by using police interviews at the beginning of each chapter which hint at a future, devastating occurrence at a Trivia Night at the local elementary school. Concurrently, the reader becomes invested in the lives of the main characters.<br />
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Jane and her 5 year old son Ziggy move to Pirriwee Peninsula near Sydney to make a fresh start. Through Ziggy's kindergarten class, she meets Celeste, mother of twin boys Josh and Max. She also meets Madeline, whose daughter Chloe is also in Ziggy's class. The three mothers form an unlikely friendship as do their children. When Ziggy is accused of bullying another girl in the class, things start to quickly go downhill as marriages unravel, personalities are dissected, life choices are questioned, and new found relationships are ultimately tested.<br />
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Written from differing points of view, <i>Big Little Lies</i> is, at the same time, an indictment and a tribute to parenting in the present age. But it's not just for parents. Social mores, charitable endeavors and societal taboos are also covered, but the reader never feels overwhelmed. The story is utterly believable; as believable as real life.<br />
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Recommend highly!Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-41545556999318383042014-03-25T07:30:00.000-04:002014-03-25T11:31:23.708-04:00Between the Devil and Ian Eversea, by Julie Anne Long<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j2gu3DKaamf3OyCBsbyhAjD7mbVbCaYM1_tohEcEKbUu0NgtqmZU23mOYgSzRNlc38oxEm2ZdSipE3Jl40BQqZTWW5nF6WuycFxDH6COkW2s7jk0QM9hITi5qY7pDtTh4ooSJmEiapQ/s1600/9780062118110_8b8f7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j2gu3DKaamf3OyCBsbyhAjD7mbVbCaYM1_tohEcEKbUu0NgtqmZU23mOYgSzRNlc38oxEm2ZdSipE3Jl40BQqZTWW5nF6WuycFxDH6COkW2s7jk0QM9hITi5qY7pDtTh4ooSJmEiapQ/s1600/9780062118110_8b8f7.jpg" /></a>Julie Anne Long's Pennyroyal Green series continues with this lovely romance. This latest effort, <i>Between the Devil and Ian Eversea,</i> will continue to enthrall fans with a wonderful, damaged male protagonist in the title character, Captain Eversea. In previous novels, Eversea brothers Chase and Colin have already met the loves of their lives. Now it's Ian's turn. Tansy Danforth, late of America, comes home to England and her guardian of sorts, Genevieve Eversea's husband, the Duke of Falconbridge who is charged with her care. The Duke's one goal is to see Tansy married and married well. With a tragic history and issues of her own, Tansy proceeds to enthrall the male population of Pennyroyal Green. Ian, however, sees right through that act, as Tansy sees through his. The eventual awakening between these two is bound to happen, but Ms. Long puts that off for as long as possible, and in the meantime, takes us for a wild, intimate ride. <br />
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Like all the books to date in the series, this one shines with love and humor. There is one pivotal scene in a ballroom that had me laughing out loud in its hilarity, and when I picture Ian and remember this book, that scene always comes to mind. You'll know it when you read it. <br />
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Highly recommended and a treat for Ms. Long's fan base, <i>Between the Devil and Ian Eversea</i> may be the means to convert quite a few new members to the fold. And after a little tease, I'm on tenterhooks waiting for Olivia Eversea's story, which seems to be next. I'm sure that will be quite the culmination to this well-loved series. Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-55314845487882268472013-12-30T07:18:00.000-05:002013-12-30T07:18:23.037-05:00Somewhere in France, by Jennifer Robson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dgytGWWn4ONNalz_2VnZTXfBnQVepVLOQMDriIf9ytYZfvAdA40WQARwXtYaoLqjJypRxmRJNjp6M2NBh6f8leI-ICDAiIm9P8Vixw0pRC-Y0bPfBZtjyX-763oOdsIB3_RTHix4AWM/s1600/516TX0vIQKL._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dgytGWWn4ONNalz_2VnZTXfBnQVepVLOQMDriIf9ytYZfvAdA40WQARwXtYaoLqjJypRxmRJNjp6M2NBh6f8leI-ICDAiIm9P8Vixw0pRC-Y0bPfBZtjyX-763oOdsIB3_RTHix4AWM/s1600/516TX0vIQKL._AA160_.jpg" /></a>I've had good luck these past few months with some wonderful debut novels by some very promising authors. Jennifer Robson's first novel, <i>Somewhere in France</i>, keeps that streak alive and well. It is being touted in the promotional material as a book fans of<i> Downton Abbey</i> will love. I find that characterization a bit limiting. If you like good historical fiction with strong, able characters and an exciting, perilous setting with a believable love story thrown in for good measure, you will love <i>Somewhere in France</i>, even if you have yet to watch an episode of <i>Downton</i>. The only similarities between this novel and that series are the general time period, the Great War (which lasted less than a season in <i>Downton</i> time), and one character from an aristocratic background who yearns to make a contribution and decides to move beyond the role to which society has assigned her. That would be about it. Yes, the <i>Downton</i> allure may be a strong one, but this novel can stand (and sell) all on its own.<br />
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Lady Elizabeth Neville-Ashford has always felt like there should be more to her life than a debutante season and marriage shortly thereafter. As a young girl, she meets her brother Edward's school friend, Robbie Fraser, and she first reveals to him her desire for a stronger education. Robbie encourages her to pursue her dream. Years later, as war bears down on them, they meet again at a <i>ton</i> ball. Attracted to the woman Lilly has become, Robbie, now an accomplished surgeon, once again encourages her to follow her aspirations to do something worthwhile with her life.<br />
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What Robbie doesn't expect is for Lilly to volunteer as an ambulance driver and plunge herself into the turmoil and peril that is France and the Western Front during the Great War. Finding themselves in close proximity at the same Casualty Clearing Station, Robbie, now a field surgeon, must set aside his feelings and fear for Lilly if he is to do his job without distraction. Lilly, angry and confused, and constrained by the strict rules against fraternization, has no choice but to try to forget Robbie; ignore him as he has chosen to ignore her. Until the horrors of war touch them both, and everything changes.<br />
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<i>Somewhere in France</i> is a story as much or more about relationships and loyalty as it is about the changing mores of the time period in which it is written; Lilly and Edward; Edward and Robbie, Robbie and Lilly, their lives all circle around each other, against the ever present backdrop and horrors of war. Ms. Robson's secondary characters add a dimension to the story that reveals just how far Lilly has traveled from the persona of an earl's cossetted daughter. It's quite a transformation, and it's only one facet of the novel that grabs the reader's interest and doesn't let go.<br />
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I really hope the wait will not be long until Ms. Robson's second effort. Intelligently written, beautifully descriptive and fast-paced, <i>Somewhere in France</i> will appeal to <i>Downton</i> fans, but everyone who reads it, <i>Downton</i> fan or not, will love it. Highly recommend.<br />
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<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-50118969623451038802013-12-19T19:41:00.000-05:002013-12-19T19:44:32.401-05:00The Devil Wears Kilts, by Suzanne Enoch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So after a long hiatus due to graduate school, and not being in charge of my reading lists, I'm finally able to read what I want again. It's a great day for me!<br />
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I've been out of the loop in regards to what's new in the world of Romance Literature, despite seeing many book posts on many authors Facebook pages. I can't remember where I saw this particular book, but a kilt-wearing devil seemed to be a great way to get back into the swing of things.<br />
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Suzanne Enoch's tale of romance begins with Lady Rowena, a girl who is ready for her season in London the moment she turns eighteen. Unfortunately for her, big brother Ranulf, Marquis of Glengask, has other ideas. A nice birthday party with the clan should be enough for her. Surrounded by only brothers most of her life, Rowena has no intention of staying hidden away in the Scottish highlands. With her maid's help, Rowena escapes to London, causing uproar and general unrest at Glengask. Ranulf, knowing what dangers lay beyond Rowena's sheltered life, immediately follows her to London with a mind to bring her straight back to Scotland. His arrival in London is anything but gentlemanly, and for the first time ever, a female stands in his way. Lady Charlotte stands for no one to be rude, especially in her own house! Sparks, and any other sharp, pointy objects fly as Ranulf and Charlotte butt heads. <br />
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Our hero and heroine become interesting chaperones for Rowena and Charlotte's sister, Jane. When they aren't arguing over the use of violence to settle disagreements, or whether or not Ranulf is gentleman enough to go into London society, they get to know one another. Ranulf, determined not to make the same mistake his father did when bringing his English mother to the highlands, must worry for his sister's safety from rival clans in London while trying to keep in Charlotte's good graces. Charlotte, nearly a spinster at the ripe age of twenty-five, knows she shouldn't be attracted to the devil in the kilt. But then again, why not?<br />
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'The Devil Wears Kilts' was a great return for me as a reviewer, as it provided plenty of action, drama, and of course, romance. Great secondary characters, (including 2 enormous Scottish Deerhounds), and a well-written story make this novel a great way to spend an evening inside by the fire.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06660686567270383452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-48252435266945410592013-11-18T20:24:00.001-05:002013-11-18T20:24:37.498-05:00Kisses, She Wrote: A Christmas Romance (Novella) by Katharine Ashe<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxMRBYTqlbM/Uoq6cLVNWiI/AAAAAAAACuY/K37W8dVNm-0/s1600/cover-Ashe-KISSES-SHE-WROTE-186x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CxMRBYTqlbM/Uoq6cLVNWiI/AAAAAAAACuY/K37W8dVNm-0/s200/cover-Ashe-KISSES-SHE-WROTE-186x300.jpg" width="124" /></a><br />
"It wasn't every day that a man discovered himself to be the hero of a virgin's secret diary."<br />
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"It would be the height of dishonorableness to continue reading."<br />
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"She could burn the diary now and cast the earl entirely from her thoughts. Or for a few more weeks she could enjoy his company..."<br />
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I read a lot of Regency romance and although I try to avoid it, I often notice the similarity between plot lines; it's almost inevitable given the structure of the genre. However, I was surprised and pleased to note that "Kisses, She Wrote: A Christmas Romance" is adorably original. <br />
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I didn't believe I would come to like, much less love the hero of the novella, Cam Westfall, the Earl of Bedwyr. The ignoble act of reading Princess Jacqueline of Sensaire's private diary combined with the earl's self-serving plagiaristic tendencies - all but assured me that this was one hero who was going to have to work overtime to earn my adoration. And work he did. In the end it was his gorgeous poetry and his budding, reluctant vulnerability that sealed the deal for me. The princess, however, proves to be a much tougher sell...<br />
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Ms. Ashe's writing is wonderful; the 176 pages turned themselves and I was lost - as any reader should be - in this timeless love story. Well done! <br />
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(Just a note: The publication date for "Kisses, She Wrote: A Christmas Romance" is December 3, 2013. As of tonight, however, the book is on Kindle pre-order for .99. It's a great deal while it lasts.)<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-24522942981675556272013-11-04T06:28:00.000-05:002013-11-04T06:37:11.867-05:00The Lost Duchess, by Jenny Barden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HO8NfdmvO1PdwU6JRwpMVvVJY3zJi0ypdfH6YcwgKt57tjiD_c06CEu2mQt7GrZuQMS7imGIPAgR00Dgw6DmLlpN4WgfVOq0DWZolsyMC_9iHmpWWGn2K5bH_tR1aBdgNYiU0nrdzdI/s1600/51x1GjrxlUL._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HO8NfdmvO1PdwU6JRwpMVvVJY3zJi0ypdfH6YcwgKt57tjiD_c06CEu2mQt7GrZuQMS7imGIPAgR00Dgw6DmLlpN4WgfVOq0DWZolsyMC_9iHmpWWGn2K5bH_tR1aBdgNYiU0nrdzdI/s200/51x1GjrxlUL._AA160_.jpg" width="200" /></a>In my almost five years of reviewing and recommending to friends, family and readers here, there have been a few times, and only a few, when I have been completely and totally blown away by a book that I've read. This usually happens when there is a happy confluence of subject matter, writing prowess, research skill and character development, wrapped up in a believable, action filled story. If you haven't already guessed, <i>The Lost Duchess</i>, by Jenny Barden, is one of those books. <br />
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This second effort by Ms. Barden begins with the story of Emme Fifield, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I, who yearns to throw off the mantle of Court and live a normal life; one where marriage and children are a possibility without the Queen's interference. When her trust and naivety is brutally savaged by the erstwhile heir to the Duke of Somerset, she sees her only opportunity to forge a new life lies in joining an expedition to the Chesapeake, in the New World. She convinces the Palace to allow her to go, with the understanding that she will return with a full report on the new Colony's progress.<br />
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Christopher Doonan is an experienced mariner with a colorful and painful past. Taken by the Spanish and held in Mexico as a young man, he is sold into slavery. Rescued by Cimaroons, he becomes the leader of a pack of outlaws in Panama. When word comes to him of an English ship, he is reunited with his brother, a member of the crew, and makes his way back to England, a changed man. Drawn to the sea, he returns to the New World with Sir Francis Drake, where he acquires a page named Rob, who becomes his constant companion. "Kit" is once again set to return to the New World, as boatswain on a ship scheduled to leave England, but this time he will choose to remain as a permanent settler, for reasons he cannot yet divulge.<br />
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Kit and Emme meet at one of the Queen's audiences to fete the accomplishments of Sir Francis, and to discuss the recent and future expedition. Kit is entranced by Emme, but while Emme certainly notices him, she is intent on the seed of the plan that has already taken root in her mind.<br />
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Those familiar with American history and the nascent English settlement of the Colonies in the late 1500's know the story of the Lost Colony at Roanoke, whose original destination was actually the Chesapeake Bay area. There is no record of what happened to the 116 men, women and children who established that colony in 1587. However, Ms. Barden has an incredible knack for weaving fiction with fact. The story of the settlement is told through her characters, and the ending is one plausible explanation for what happened. She's done her research and it most definitely shows.<br />
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Descriptive passages are everywhere. Ms. Barden makes it very easy to imagine Emme's life at Court, the ocean voyage, the sights and sounds of the New World and the settlement itself. <br />
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The love story between Kit and Emme serves a dual purpose. The connection between them is sweet and beautifully written, and serves as a way to possibly define this novel as a historical romance. However, most historical romances highlight the characters' relationship, with the setting and time period secondary and as a means to an end. In fact, the setting of these novels are virtually interchangeable as long as the protagonists are together on the last page. Ms. Barden, conversely, uses her characters to highlight the setting and makes that the focal point of the story. What happens to them and where it happens is as important as who they are to each other. This is what makes this novel so very good.<br />
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The last few chapters are suspenseful, dramatic, and satisfying in their resolution. It's at this point that the pages practically turned by themselves. Revelations come fast and furious; love and life are affirmed between father and son, friends, and lovers. I did not want it to end.<br />
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Please note: Out on November 7, 2013 from Ebury Press, intially it will be available from Amazon.co.uk in Kindle and hardcover, The Book Depository in hardcover and at bookstores everywhere except North America. I will post on our facebook page as that availability changes.<br />
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<i>The Lost Duchess, </i>by Jenny Barden is highly recommended, and one of the best books I've read this year.<br />
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<br />Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-17872106164524982542013-10-19T08:35:00.004-04:002013-10-19T08:38:17.685-04:00The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty<br />
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When the most important person to you in the world asks you not to do something, would you do it anyway? Would you trust that person enough? Evidently Cecelia Fitzpatrick couldn't, and it took just a little odd behavior by her husband, John-Paul, to open up his "in the event of my death letter" over his objections, and thus seal her family's fate.<br />
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This engaging story by Liane Moriarty brings together three families. The Crowleys lost their daughter Janie to a murderer when she was just 17 years old. Years later, Rachel, her mother, is still mired in depression and guilt. Tess Curtis, whose best friend in the world is her cousin Felicity, and Tess' husband Will, are caught in a love and life triangle that shows signs of ripping apart their entire family. Caught up in this is Connor Whitby, Tess' ex-boyfriend and a key player in the Crowley family saga. And then we have the Fitzpatricks with their three daughters, and Cecelia, their perfect mother, torn by her desire to do the right thing, yet finding out that the doing right thing will change her life forever.<br />
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An especially intriguing part of the book was the epilogue, filled with what ifs and glimpses of a future that never will be that leaves the reader with a sense of the road not traveled. It's an excellent plot device.<br />
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A tangled story of lives in a North Sydney suburb, The Husband's Secret tests the loyalty and trust between husbands and wives, mothers and their children, friends and relatives and asks the ultimate question. How far would you go to protect everything you hold dear?Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-30473680220328896232013-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:002013-09-23T08:00:16.213-04:00Summer is for Lovers, by Jennifer McQuiston<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPskIG73kcS2LetTNpdbEGmB7WJpNBH8-tsZMA1htzExs250ajy5u-JS6OWp4e2xzyOSc76FKGumyPywG2QgKk9V4JPoFMXgMLnMJaAnIwdkNglRo47X2kPRW3rzQ1skTkTXlVXIKlEQ/s226/9780062231314_0_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPskIG73kcS2LetTNpdbEGmB7WJpNBH8-tsZMA1htzExs250ajy5u-JS6OWp4e2xzyOSc76FKGumyPywG2QgKk9V4JPoFMXgMLnMJaAnIwdkNglRo47X2kPRW3rzQ1skTkTXlVXIKlEQ/s226/9780062231314_0_Cover.jpg" /></a>More often than not, I find myself lamenting the writing style of authors in the historical romance genre. Either the language is too simple or too modern, the setting and descriptions not appropriate, or the protagonists too insipid and their stories too predictable. In <i>Summer is for Lovers,</i> Ms. McQuiston is pitch perfect. This is a story to be read slowly, the better to appreciate the effort the author obviously took in writing it. It's also set in my favorite season and location for love stories; summertime and near a body of water.<br />
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<i>Summer is for Lovers</i> is set in Brighton, England. Caroline Tolbertson and David Cameron first meet when Caroline is twelve. An avid and accomplished swimmer, familar with a stretch of hidden beach and its dangerous peccadillos, Caroline saves David, a young man in the military, from what appears to be a drowning brought on by excess drink. For the next eleven years, David is all Caroline can think about, becoming her fantasy whenever she thinks of love. The townspeople of Brighton and the summer set down from London every year, however, see her in a not all together flattering light. Her height, her lean swimmer's build and her family's lack of money all contribute to her self-doubt. That is until David Cameron comes back into her life.<br />
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David fights a ghost of his past, and holds Caroline and her wish to turn fantasy into reality at bay. But he can keep the battle up for only so long. He is the only one who sees Caroline for what she really is. And in trying to get the rest of their circle to see it also, he inadvertently puts her in a position of leaving him behind. He cannot have her, yet he doesn't want anyone else to have her either.<br />
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The culmination comes in an exciting swim race that sees our protagonists work together for a common goal. David, meanwhile, realizes that his past is something he is not entirely at fault for and begins to forgive himself. Caroline learns that propriety, love, self-worth and following one's own desires are not mutually exclusive.<br />
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This is an extremely well-written, absolutely lovely tale of two hearts who fight a strong battle against the tide to be together. Filled with secondary characters (one of whom gets her own sequel) worthy of the main story, <i>Summer is for Lovers</i> is an historical romance that gets a highly recommend from me. Excellent!!Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-37250275559584429422013-08-26T08:00:00.001-04:002013-08-26T08:11:07.817-04:00The Ruin of a Rogue, The Wild Quartet #2, by Miranda Neville<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At first, I had trouble shaking the feeling that I had read this book before, which, logically, I know, was impossible. But within the first two chapters I realized that the characters were like old friends; Caro, Denton, "Castleton, the Stuffy Duke," Robert Townsend, even our female protagonist, heiress Anne Brotherton, were all characters that I already liked and knew well from Miranda Neville's previous efforts in this series. It was like returning to catch up with old, well-loved friends.<br />
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The story of Marcus Lithgow, newly minted Viscount Lithgow, gamester, cheat, possible thief and now, desperately in pursuit of a fortune through marriage with Anne Brotherton, the heiress of Camber, starts out like the telling of Henry James' Washington Square, albeit across the pond and a century earlier. Like Morris, Marcus worms his way into Anne's heart with one goal in mind. And like Catherine Sloper, Anne ferrets out his real intentions and seeks to teach him a lesson that Marcus won't soon forget. Unlike Catherine and Morris, however, Anne and Marcus find the tables turned on both of them when their attraction grows despite their trickery. When Marcus inherits a small estate, he finds he has something she wants as well. But instead of taking advantage of that, Marcus finds a purpose in life, something honorable involving hard work and dedication that leads him back to Anne.<br />
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With a marvelous plot line, this story of redemption and forgiveness is excellent reading. Like all Ms. Neville's novels, the characters are well-developed (flawed yet lovable), the secondary characters add so much, and the situations are not easily resolved. When they are however, the results are so satisfying. Highly highly recommend!!Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-69795053576465333722013-08-26T08:00:00.000-04:002013-08-26T08:00:01.913-04:00I Married the Duke, by Katherine Ashe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If this first novel in The Prince Catcher's series is any indication, I will anxiously await the next two books, sisters' Eleanor and Ravenna's stories. Katherine Ashe, in I Married the Duke, brings us the story of Arabella, the middle sister of three motherless daughters in search of their father after a disastrous shipwreck. With a prophesy from a gypsy woman regarding an heirloom they hold, Arabella sets off to find and marry the Prince who will lead them to their heritage. Instead of her Prince, she finds Lucien Westfall, a French Comte from his mother's side and an heir to a dukedom on his father's. An "imperfect" hero, Luc is nevertheless perfect for Arabella, despite her somewhat stringent requirements in a groom.<br />
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I Married the Duke is a love story, told in fits and starts, two steps forward, one step backward fashion. Ms. Ashe weaves together the stories of two disparate and dysfunctional families into one, a paradigm for any modern marriage. Wonderful secondary characters abound. Luc's cousin Cam and his naval friend Tony move the story forward while adding necessary intrigue and dash. One hopes that these two will one day get their own happily ever afters.<br />
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This novel is different in that the hero is physically impaired, and the outcome of the relationship, let alone the protagonist's individual survival, is left in doubt in many places. It's a story that's riveting, colorful and so much better for all the twists and turns.<br />
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Well written, well thought out, highly recommend.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-59996854637862897212013-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:002013-07-29T08:06:26.377-04:00Love and Other Scandals, by Caroline Linden<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv_0NMN9NTCXjwQz6GMbGSYRqGrfN_6Zut-dPFsxLsAwuIoQjQ8YVCa-pLMo586K0KLta0wKS7QcM5SVClGPxDvxK-sJ9lQBuYhzVrybB0z4xNFAcpY431zsoGNBjGxfvTKPO720LmtA/s1600/51Z6Qd2gU+L._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifv_0NMN9NTCXjwQz6GMbGSYRqGrfN_6Zut-dPFsxLsAwuIoQjQ8YVCa-pLMo586K0KLta0wKS7QcM5SVClGPxDvxK-sJ9lQBuYhzVrybB0z4xNFAcpY431zsoGNBjGxfvTKPO720LmtA/s1600/51Z6Qd2gU+L._AA160_.jpg" /></a>Caroline Linden is one of my favorite Romance authors, and the reason why is clear in one page of any of her novels. Her writing is intelligent, her characters strong, witty and yet vulnerable at the same time, and all of her stories come with a cast of characters each worth a story of their own. <i>Love and Other Scandals</i> is definitely not the exception to this rule.<br />
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Joan Bennet first meets Tristan Burke, Viscount Burke, when her brother Douglas brings him home for a school holiday. In a prologue worthy of an entire chapter, Linden sets the scene for the coming years, and the future interactions between an orphaned and unloved young Viscount and a headstrong, not quite fashionable young lady. The real story begins when Joan is 24, an almost "on the shelf" spinster with strong ties to her mother's unerringly strict rules of behavior and dress. At first, Tristan is intrigued by Joan's impertinence, and can't help but give back as good as he gets from her. As he spends more time with her at the behest of her brother Douglas (who I'm hoping gets a story of his own), things change, and what was once unattractive about Joan begins to draw Tristan nearer.<br />
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The story is more than the typical romance of this genre. In each other, both characters learn to accept themselves for what they are, while at the same time, growing in ways they hadn't imagined. Tristan learns that he is deserving of love and that his reputation does not have to define him. Joan learns that she doesn't have to depend on her mother for guidance, and that she can find her own voice, be it in the clothes she wears, her choice in reading material (think 19th century version of 50 Shades of Grey), or the man she chooses to love.<br />
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Great characters, good story and a very lovely ending that is really a beginning for these two. Well done, Ms. Linden, as usual. Highly recommend.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-21821319535579420182013-07-16T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-16T07:00:04.549-04:00When I Find You, by Dixie Lee Brown<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTLPfDmKYQU/UcI_NIy1jaI/AAAAAAAACuA/YHDqU8xQxKE/s1600/51ECNcOR-SL._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTLPfDmKYQU/UcI_NIy1jaI/AAAAAAAACuA/YHDqU8xQxKE/s200/51ECNcOR-SL._AA160_.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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"If I were you, I'd find someone I could trust and stick with him ..."<br />
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Darcy may not be married to the mob, but she's close enough to feel the pressure. Too close. So when her boss becomes the victim of a professional hit and she's forced to run, she heads for the relative safety of home. But being on the lam is just a bit more complicated than she thought because now there's not a soul she can trust. Not Grant, the good looking law student who offers her a lift. Not Cooper, the U.S. Marshall assigned to her case, and certainly not Walker, the rogue combat vet who claims to be one of the good guys. But surviving means she has to trust someone and Darcy picks the one man who seems the most interested in keeping her alive. And while she may be physically safe - for the moment - her emotional safety is far from secure.<br />
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Ms. Brown has a way with suspense; I didn't know who to trust either, up to almost the very end of the book. Her writing is precise, with just the right amount of snappy dialogue laced with humor and heat. Ms. Brown is adept at changing the point of view between the characters, particularly Darcy and Walker - and especially later in the book, when things were really rocking and rolling. This made up for some confusion in the first few chapters, when Ms. Brown backs up over the plot from the two different POVs. The technique is distracting as Darcy's desperation calls for nothing but rapid forward progress. Not a value add in terms of the story and, IMHO, it would have worked better without it. Despite all that, I adored the characterizations. Darcy's hidden strengths surprised me, while the hero's humanity and honor won me over completely. I loved the story, loved the characters and loved the book. Edge of your seat stuff, folks. Well done! <br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-38884462318955613142013-07-09T06:54:00.000-04:002013-07-09T07:00:57.982-04:00Big Girl Panties, by Stephanie Evanovich<br />
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Holly Brennan has no idea what she's in for when she steps on a plane coming back from a business meeting in Toronto. When she's seated next to Logan Montgomery, she catches his slight whiff of disdain over her body, and the logistics of sitting next to an overweight woman. Logan, a personal trainer with his own gym, impulsively takes Holly on as his "project," which results in so much more than Logan's own version of The Ugly Duckling with a little Pygmalion thrown in.<br />
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Filled with humor, a little kink and a lot of personal growth, <i>Big Girl Panties</i> is an oddity in today's contemporary romance genre. While Holly does lose weight and get into shape under Logan's tutelage and her own perserverence, she does remain against type, and that's what makes this novel so endearing. One would think that all the personal growth was on Holly's side. After all, she has to overcome isolation, loneliness, guilt over her husband's death, and a horrid upbringing, in order to curb her emotional eating. That's all fine and expected in this kind of story and Holly does do a superb job doing just that. But Logan too, needs to put his big boy shorts on and grow up. His growth comes from realizing that he can move beyond his own image others have of him (and what he has of himself), stop caring about what others think, and learn to not only think for himself, but put aside everything else to gain his own happiness. I enjoyed Logan's awakening more than I did Holly's, actually.<br />
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The novel is filled with good advice on emotional eating and fitness, probably not intentional as they fit totally into the story, but I got that out of it as well. The only recommendation I have is to cut Chase and Amanda's backstory to a minimum. I'm unaware if these two have appeared in a previous novel, although I have a feeling that would explain why they get so much "press" in this book. If that's the case, and even if it's not, I really didn't need to know the details of their early relationship. Hey, whatever works! I don't think the two or three pages explaining their back story was necessary. One or two sentences could have done it. At times, their narration took away from Holly and Logan, and that's a pity. While an interesting secondary couple, their story should not impinge on the main event, especially when the main event is so darn good!<br />
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Really good contemporary romance with more than one twist. I highly recommend it.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997060581502551518.post-90405007081462739142013-06-04T08:00:00.000-04:002013-06-04T08:00:00.590-04:00Faking It, by Cora Carmack<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWgtAK-mL_Is4iOEak4QRB_miah8VGt2c-7W9Zr6Fp8UX2eCPFrEoOI_3wWPv-l0Ko54SAFRWG3l14i3brJyRj5Z9Ct60rk3G6ze0Gisd9-M7quktq3cWhLb0qwLQ7f6CoMQHzpkGi9s/s1600/41fH47S+2PL._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWgtAK-mL_Is4iOEak4QRB_miah8VGt2c-7W9Zr6Fp8UX2eCPFrEoOI_3wWPv-l0Ko54SAFRWG3l14i3brJyRj5Z9Ct60rk3G6ze0Gisd9-M7quktq3cWhLb0qwLQ7f6CoMQHzpkGi9s/s1600/41fH47S+2PL._AA160_.jpg" /></a>I'm never one to turn away a good book, even if the genre (in this case, New Adult) is not usually my cup of tea. However, after reading her first book in this series, I was begging to find out what happened to Bliss' best friend from Losing It.<br />
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In Faking It, Cora Carmack's follow-up to Losing It, Cade Winston gets his star turn. After confessing his undying love to his best friend, Bliss, and then losing her to someone else, Cade finds himself at odds with himself and life. Living in Philadelphia and attending grad school for drama, he's in the same city with Bliss and her boyfriend (and former teacher, Garrick), and the city has never seemed so small. With no where to turn to escape his disappointment, his luck turns when Mackenzie (Max) Miller spies him in a coffee shop, and at the spur of the moment, asks him to play the role of boyfriend in order to placate her parents.<br />
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Max is unlike anyone he's ever met before, and perfect Cade is thrown by his immediate attraction to her. Max, a musician, is heavily loaded down with baggage from her past, and as she strives to make a name for herself, she fights what she feels for Cade with the belief that she's toxic to anyone around her. The attraction between them is too strong yet in order to be together, these two have to overcome their pasts and accept that they are deserving of a happy ending.<br />
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Ms. Carmack tells the story from both Max's and Cade's points of view in alternating chapters. It's an effective method that gives us a deeper understanding of just what drives these characters. I don't think the story would have had the same punch if it were written in the third person, or from only one point of view. And some of the lines that Ms. Carmack assigns to Cade even had me swooning. How could Max possibly resist when this thought is running through Cade's head. "I pulled her into my arms and she cried until the events of the morning disappeared, until the present took a backseat to the past. And until I knew I couldn't live without her." Sigh.<br />
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Wonderful story, terrific writing. Read Losing It first, however. Also very well-written, it's as romantic and heartwarming as Faking it, and you get a pretty good idea of where Cade is coming from. Highly recommend.Debrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07749295275631536602noreply@blogger.com1