While on a camping trip on Calliope Key with her brother and his daughter, Beth Anderson finds a skull in the woods. In order to avoid frightening her niece she hides it, planning to return for it later. There are other groups staying on the island and after talking with them Beth becomes suspicious of their motives for being there. She also becomes worried that the skull she found is tied to the apparent disappearance of a popular couple last seen on their yacht near the island several months ago. When Beth goes back to the woods the skull is gone and she becomes even more fearful of her fellow vacationers.
She's especially wary of Keith Henson, a scuba-diver visiting the island with two friends. Beth finds him attractive, but doesn't quite believe his claim that he and his friends are simply diving for fun. She's also concerned that their yacht seems more expensive than any of them could reasonably afford. Her fears make it impossible for her to relax and she's happy to return to her normal life and her job at the local yacht club. Her calm is disrupted when the people from the island start showing up at the club and mysterious occurrences lead Beth to fear that someone is targeting her. In order to keep herself and her family safe she'll have to figure out if Keith can be trusted to protect her or if he's actually a modern day pirate out to silence her for good.
This book sounded fun. After all, who doesn't love (fictional) pirates? Unfortunately it turned out to be a dud. The characters weren't engaging and the story was very frustrating. Fiction tends to rely on a certain amount of coincidence by necessity, but in this case it was ridiculous. There were only 2 or 3 characters that didn't end up being tied to the big plot in some way and one of them was a 14 year old girl. The crime was also a bit too much. There were simply too many elements for it to be at all believable. I was happy to play along with the sunken treasure and the pirates, but when a missing German weapon from World War II became part of the plot Graham lost me.
All in all this wasn't worth the time it took to read it.
Grade: D+
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare
This is book 3 in the I-Team series, following Extreme Exposure & Hard Evidence.
Sophie Alton's life is going well. She has fulfilled her childhood ambition to become a journalist and is now one of the I-Team's best investigative reporters. She also has a group of close friends that includes several of the I-Team's current and former members. Unfortunately her love life isn't going as well as her career. She has dated plenty of men, but never felt a real connection with any of them. At times she thinks wistfully of the one perfect night she had with Hunt, her high school crush and wishes that she could find that kind of magic again.
Sophie's lack of romantic prospects don't really bother her though, especially because her job keeps her too busy to worry about it. She's has been working on a piece about the plight of pregnant women in Colorado prisons. In the course of her research she became especially close to one inmate named Megan. Sophie is hopeful that Megan will be able turn her life around and have the chance to make a fresh start with her baby when she is released. Unfortunately on Megan's first visit with her child she takes the baby and goes on the run. Sophie is determined to find out where she has gone and why. As a result when she receives a message from Megan's brother, who is also in prison, Sophie jumps at that the chance to talk with him in hopes that he can tell her where Megan has gone. What Sophie doesn't realize is that Megan's brother is Hunt, her high school lover. He and Megan have different last names and she always referred to him simply as Marc.
Hunt's life after high school went very well for several years. He joined the army and served with distinction, and after leaving the service he joined the DEA. He made a home for himself and was finally able to reconnect with his half-sister, Megan. Then Megan accused his partner of being one of the men who abused her when she was in juvenile detention. When the man was killed Hunt was convicted of the crime and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
As a former DEA agent he's hated by the other inmates and because he's an accused cop-killer the guards feel the same way, so Hunt's life in prison is extremely difficult. He manages to tolerate it until he hears that his sister is on the run. He fears for her safety and is determined to find her and make sure that she's safe. In order to do that he'll have to break out of prison. He's counting on Sophie's reaction to seeing him to create an opening that he can use to make his escape.
Once Hunt makes his escape with Sophie in tow the two agree to work together to find Megan and her baby and figure out why she felt she had to run away. Their attraction to each other is as strong as ever, but Hunt knows that he has no future and can't offer Sophie anything beyond the moment. Sophie finds it hard to believe that Hunt is guilty of any crime, but she's fears that her heart is overpowering her reporters instincts. At the same time she's not sure she can bring herself to pass up a chance for even a little more of the magic she has never found with anyone else. As difficult as they are even those problems seem minor when the people who are after Megan threaten their lives and Hunt and Sophie start to fear that it may already be too late for Megan and her baby.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side the plot moves along very quickly and it held my attention. I also liked Hunt and Sophie and their interaction with each other. On the negative side Sophie does quite a few things that are extremely dumb. So dumb that if I had liked her even a tiny bit less I would have totally written her off for being TSTL. For example, when you're helping your lover, the escaped convict, and you want people to think that you've just gone off to be by yourself for a few days, getting caught on a pharmacy's surveillance video using your credit card to buy Plan B and condoms is not smart. Also, rule one when you get arrested is that no matter how innocent you are you need a lawyer. Rule two is not to say a word to the police until your lawyer gets there, even if one of the cops is the husband of your best friend. A smart reporter should know these things.
This sort of behavior seems to be a problem with the heroines in Clare's contemporaries. The second I-Team book was a DNF for me because the heroine, Tessa, was so dumb she made me nuts. I find this confusing and frustrating because the heroines of her historicals aren't stupid. I would enjoy the I-Team books more if the heroines were at least a bit smarter.
I also wish that the end of this book had felt a bit more realistic. I wanted Hunt & Sophie to have their HEA, but considering the reality of Hunt's situation the way things were wrapped up seemed far too good to be true. The total lack of realism pulled me out of the moment in a way that I really didn't like.
Grade: C
Sophie Alton's life is going well. She has fulfilled her childhood ambition to become a journalist and is now one of the I-Team's best investigative reporters. She also has a group of close friends that includes several of the I-Team's current and former members. Unfortunately her love life isn't going as well as her career. She has dated plenty of men, but never felt a real connection with any of them. At times she thinks wistfully of the one perfect night she had with Hunt, her high school crush and wishes that she could find that kind of magic again.
Sophie's lack of romantic prospects don't really bother her though, especially because her job keeps her too busy to worry about it. She's has been working on a piece about the plight of pregnant women in Colorado prisons. In the course of her research she became especially close to one inmate named Megan. Sophie is hopeful that Megan will be able turn her life around and have the chance to make a fresh start with her baby when she is released. Unfortunately on Megan's first visit with her child she takes the baby and goes on the run. Sophie is determined to find out where she has gone and why. As a result when she receives a message from Megan's brother, who is also in prison, Sophie jumps at that the chance to talk with him in hopes that he can tell her where Megan has gone. What Sophie doesn't realize is that Megan's brother is Hunt, her high school lover. He and Megan have different last names and she always referred to him simply as Marc.
Hunt's life after high school went very well for several years. He joined the army and served with distinction, and after leaving the service he joined the DEA. He made a home for himself and was finally able to reconnect with his half-sister, Megan. Then Megan accused his partner of being one of the men who abused her when she was in juvenile detention. When the man was killed Hunt was convicted of the crime and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
As a former DEA agent he's hated by the other inmates and because he's an accused cop-killer the guards feel the same way, so Hunt's life in prison is extremely difficult. He manages to tolerate it until he hears that his sister is on the run. He fears for her safety and is determined to find her and make sure that she's safe. In order to do that he'll have to break out of prison. He's counting on Sophie's reaction to seeing him to create an opening that he can use to make his escape.
Once Hunt makes his escape with Sophie in tow the two agree to work together to find Megan and her baby and figure out why she felt she had to run away. Their attraction to each other is as strong as ever, but Hunt knows that he has no future and can't offer Sophie anything beyond the moment. Sophie finds it hard to believe that Hunt is guilty of any crime, but she's fears that her heart is overpowering her reporters instincts. At the same time she's not sure she can bring herself to pass up a chance for even a little more of the magic she has never found with anyone else. As difficult as they are even those problems seem minor when the people who are after Megan threaten their lives and Hunt and Sophie start to fear that it may already be too late for Megan and her baby.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the positive side the plot moves along very quickly and it held my attention. I also liked Hunt and Sophie and their interaction with each other. On the negative side Sophie does quite a few things that are extremely dumb. So dumb that if I had liked her even a tiny bit less I would have totally written her off for being TSTL. For example, when you're helping your lover, the escaped convict, and you want people to think that you've just gone off to be by yourself for a few days, getting caught on a pharmacy's surveillance video using your credit card to buy Plan B and condoms is not smart. Also, rule one when you get arrested is that no matter how innocent you are you need a lawyer. Rule two is not to say a word to the police until your lawyer gets there, even if one of the cops is the husband of your best friend. A smart reporter should know these things.
This sort of behavior seems to be a problem with the heroines in Clare's contemporaries. The second I-Team book was a DNF for me because the heroine, Tessa, was so dumb she made me nuts. I find this confusing and frustrating because the heroines of her historicals aren't stupid. I would enjoy the I-Team books more if the heroines were at least a bit smarter.
I also wish that the end of this book had felt a bit more realistic. I wanted Hunt & Sophie to have their HEA, but considering the reality of Hunt's situation the way things were wrapped up seemed far too good to be true. The total lack of realism pulled me out of the moment in a way that I really didn't like.
Grade: C
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Deception by Sharon Cullen
When Kate McAuley met and fell in love with Lucas Barone she knew that his job as a forensic accountant involved a lot of travel, but she never expected that one day he would leave on a business trip and simply never return. Being abandoned by the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with broke Kate's heart. When another tragedy happened shortly after Luke's betrayal it devastated her and made her rethink her life. After 18 months she has finally gotten to a place where she feels that she's in control and able to cope again. She's not the same person she once was, but she's surviving. Then one night she answers a knock on her door and finds Lucas bleeding and barely conscious on her front porch.
Kate has a million questions. Where has Luke been? Why did he come back? Who would beat up an accountant and leave him for dead? The only way that Luke can persuade her not to call the police is to promise that as soon as he's had some rest he'll answer her questions and then leave. Giving Kate the answers she wants and deserves is a huge risk for Luke because he's not an accountant. That was simply a cover he used to explain the frequent trips required by his actual job in covert operations.
In all his time undercover Kate was the only person he really loved. He never planned to stay away from her for so long, but his last op went terribly wrong and Luke ended up in a South American prison. When he finally made it back to Washington he discovered evidence that he had been betrayed by someone in his own agency. Before he could figure out who it was his enemies caught up with him. In desperation he turns to Kate because she's the only person he feels sure that he can trust. Unfortunately for both of them Luke didn't cover his tracks as well as he thought and they're soon on the run, desperately trying to prove a conspiracy that goes higher up in the government than either of them could have imagined.
I should have known that this book was going to have a lot of problems when I realized that the back cover copy must have referred to an earlier edit. It said that Luke had been gone for four years, but the book said only 18 months. I wish that had been the worst of it, but it wasn't even close. There were so many issues that it's hard to know where to start. Cullen's basic research was poor. She gets small things wrong, like the fact that virtually no one in DC calls the airport Ronald Reagan National Airport. It's just National. She also gets more obvious things wrong. Luke supposedly owns a townhouse in Georgetown. "Government operative" is not a lucrative job. Luke is likely at about a GS-11 and there is no way that someone at that salary level can afford real estate in Georgetown unless he inherited money or married it.
I was even more bothered by the fact that Luke was presented as some sort of super spy, but his tradecraft is terrible. When he and Kate make their initial getaway he steals a car from long term parking at the local airport. That makes sense since there's a good chance that no one will report it missing for quite a while. Unfortunately that's about the only smart move he makes. He keeps a hideout that's supposed to be his safehouse and he and Kate head there. They drive the same stolen care the whole way and use Luke's only “secure” fake ID for everything as they travel. It never seems to occur to Luke that if someone discovers the car missing he's creating a trail that will be a snap to follow. That's something a professional should really have considered since he has no way of being sure when the car's owner is due to return.
A professional would probably also have made different choices when he set up his safehouse. He probably wouldn't have located it in the county where his only friend from the agency is now the sheriff since anyone looking for him is going to check out his known associates. He would also not have made it luxurious enough to make people question why it's so nice when the owner is so rarely there. (Again, where does Luke get his money?) He should also have made more than a token effort to disguise himself when he's in town. Given how little Luke changes his appearance a professional questioning the locals would have very little difficulty discovering that he's the part-time resident.
Luke makes the same mistake when changing Kate's appearance. While Luke was gone Kate went through several hair styles and colors. Luke's idea of a disguise is to have her switch back to the exact way she looked when they were living together. That's not likely to fool anyone, let alone the professional spies who are supposedly chasing them. There were many other problems, including the identity of Luke's enemy, but it would be far too much trouble to list them all.
There should be a term to describe this kind of romantic suspense novel. I think “wallpaper suspense” could work. Just like “wallpaper historicals” books like this are a cheat. There's no real effort made to create believable suspense or characters whose actions make sense given their supposed jobs. The plot is just an easy way to put the hero and heroine together under pressure so that they can have hot sex. I'm a fan of the hot sex, but not the sloppy storytelling. The only thing that I can say in the book's favor is that, aside from the fact that they're incredibly stupid about birth control/STD prevention, I found both Luke and Kate likable. I would have enjoyed them if they had been in a better book.
Grade: D
Kate has a million questions. Where has Luke been? Why did he come back? Who would beat up an accountant and leave him for dead? The only way that Luke can persuade her not to call the police is to promise that as soon as he's had some rest he'll answer her questions and then leave. Giving Kate the answers she wants and deserves is a huge risk for Luke because he's not an accountant. That was simply a cover he used to explain the frequent trips required by his actual job in covert operations.
In all his time undercover Kate was the only person he really loved. He never planned to stay away from her for so long, but his last op went terribly wrong and Luke ended up in a South American prison. When he finally made it back to Washington he discovered evidence that he had been betrayed by someone in his own agency. Before he could figure out who it was his enemies caught up with him. In desperation he turns to Kate because she's the only person he feels sure that he can trust. Unfortunately for both of them Luke didn't cover his tracks as well as he thought and they're soon on the run, desperately trying to prove a conspiracy that goes higher up in the government than either of them could have imagined.
I should have known that this book was going to have a lot of problems when I realized that the back cover copy must have referred to an earlier edit. It said that Luke had been gone for four years, but the book said only 18 months. I wish that had been the worst of it, but it wasn't even close. There were so many issues that it's hard to know where to start. Cullen's basic research was poor. She gets small things wrong, like the fact that virtually no one in DC calls the airport Ronald Reagan National Airport. It's just National. She also gets more obvious things wrong. Luke supposedly owns a townhouse in Georgetown. "Government operative" is not a lucrative job. Luke is likely at about a GS-11 and there is no way that someone at that salary level can afford real estate in Georgetown unless he inherited money or married it.
I was even more bothered by the fact that Luke was presented as some sort of super spy, but his tradecraft is terrible. When he and Kate make their initial getaway he steals a car from long term parking at the local airport. That makes sense since there's a good chance that no one will report it missing for quite a while. Unfortunately that's about the only smart move he makes. He keeps a hideout that's supposed to be his safehouse and he and Kate head there. They drive the same stolen care the whole way and use Luke's only “secure” fake ID for everything as they travel. It never seems to occur to Luke that if someone discovers the car missing he's creating a trail that will be a snap to follow. That's something a professional should really have considered since he has no way of being sure when the car's owner is due to return.
A professional would probably also have made different choices when he set up his safehouse. He probably wouldn't have located it in the county where his only friend from the agency is now the sheriff since anyone looking for him is going to check out his known associates. He would also not have made it luxurious enough to make people question why it's so nice when the owner is so rarely there. (Again, where does Luke get his money?) He should also have made more than a token effort to disguise himself when he's in town. Given how little Luke changes his appearance a professional questioning the locals would have very little difficulty discovering that he's the part-time resident.
Luke makes the same mistake when changing Kate's appearance. While Luke was gone Kate went through several hair styles and colors. Luke's idea of a disguise is to have her switch back to the exact way she looked when they were living together. That's not likely to fool anyone, let alone the professional spies who are supposedly chasing them. There were many other problems, including the identity of Luke's enemy, but it would be far too much trouble to list them all.
There should be a term to describe this kind of romantic suspense novel. I think “wallpaper suspense” could work. Just like “wallpaper historicals” books like this are a cheat. There's no real effort made to create believable suspense or characters whose actions make sense given their supposed jobs. The plot is just an easy way to put the hero and heroine together under pressure so that they can have hot sex. I'm a fan of the hot sex, but not the sloppy storytelling. The only thing that I can say in the book's favor is that, aside from the fact that they're incredibly stupid about birth control/STD prevention, I found both Luke and Kate likable. I would have enjoyed them if they had been in a better book.
Grade: D
Perfect by Judith McNaught
Julie Mathison was a foster child in trouble with the system and headed for more when she was taken in by a minister and his wife. The love she received from her adoptive family gave her the security she longed for and she's determined never to do anything to make them regret the chance they gave her. She's a respectable teacher in the small Texas town were she was raised, working hard to make a difference in the lives of her neediest students and to make her family proud.
Zachary Benedict was an Academy Award-winning actor turned director, living a charmed life until his wife was murdered and he was convicted of the crime. After exhausting his options he gave up on the system and decided to find his own way out of prison. With the help of a friend he broke out, intending to leave the country and never look back. Unfortunately bad weather and bad timing force him to abduct Julie and use her and her car to get away.
Julie is first scared and then furious about being forced to help an escaped felon, but in spite of her best intentions and Zach's terrible attitude something draws her to him. The problem is that she can't be sure if he's really innocent or if he simply calls to a part of her that she left behind years ago. If he's innocent and she doesn't help him she'll regret it forever. If she trusts him and she's wrong the perfect life she's built for herself will be irrevocably damaged.
I found Zach interesting as a character, but the details about his life in Hollywood rang false. There's a lot of name dropping, but instead of lending authenticity it simply made the book feel dated (it was originally published in 1994). I understood and sympathized with Julie's reasons for valuing her reputation so highly. However, at times the fact that she was wound so tight made it difficult to relate to her.
In spite of that, the real problem with this book was that it dragged. At 677 pages in paperback, this is a long book and unfortunately there were times when it felt even longer. There was a lot of detail and story, but no surprises. Everything felt predictable, right down to Julie's inevitable crisis of faith in Zach. I was even able to figure out who the real killer was even though McNaught withheld critical information until the end.
It wasn't a bad book, but iI ultimately didn't feel that it was worth the amount of time it took to read. I would have liked it much better if it had been a couple hundred pages shorter.
Grade: C-
Zachary Benedict was an Academy Award-winning actor turned director, living a charmed life until his wife was murdered and he was convicted of the crime. After exhausting his options he gave up on the system and decided to find his own way out of prison. With the help of a friend he broke out, intending to leave the country and never look back. Unfortunately bad weather and bad timing force him to abduct Julie and use her and her car to get away.
Julie is first scared and then furious about being forced to help an escaped felon, but in spite of her best intentions and Zach's terrible attitude something draws her to him. The problem is that she can't be sure if he's really innocent or if he simply calls to a part of her that she left behind years ago. If he's innocent and she doesn't help him she'll regret it forever. If she trusts him and she's wrong the perfect life she's built for herself will be irrevocably damaged.
I found Zach interesting as a character, but the details about his life in Hollywood rang false. There's a lot of name dropping, but instead of lending authenticity it simply made the book feel dated (it was originally published in 1994). I understood and sympathized with Julie's reasons for valuing her reputation so highly. However, at times the fact that she was wound so tight made it difficult to relate to her.
In spite of that, the real problem with this book was that it dragged. At 677 pages in paperback, this is a long book and unfortunately there were times when it felt even longer. There was a lot of detail and story, but no surprises. Everything felt predictable, right down to Julie's inevitable crisis of faith in Zach. I was even able to figure out who the real killer was even though McNaught withheld critical information until the end.
It wasn't a bad book, but iI ultimately didn't feel that it was worth the amount of time it took to read. I would have liked it much better if it had been a couple hundred pages shorter.
Grade: C-
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
2009 TBR Challenge for September: Magnate's Make-Believe Mistress by Bronwyn Jameson
September Challenge" Chose one from the Author List or read a book by a new-to-you author
I won this book during a recent "Save the Contemporary" contest at Smart Bitches Trashy Books.
When it arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago I was buried in library books that needed to be read by their due dates, so I set it aside. Since I'm now caught up on my borrowed items and I've never read anything by Bronwyn Jameson this book seemed perfect for the September TBR challenge.
Cristo Véron is an airline executive living in England. He's wealthy and privilaged, but he also has problems. As is the case for many people they're mostly caused by his family. His main source of trouble is currently his sister Amanda. She's a nice enough young woman, but she's rather spoiled at the best of times and it's not the best of times. Amanda is getting married and by her own admission organizing the huge wedding has turned her into a bit of a bridezilla. Cristo initially disapproved of Amanda's fiancé Hugh because of his reputation as a hard-partying playboy. However, over time he became convinced that Hugh's love for Amanda was real and agreed to not only support the marriage, but pay for the wedding. As a result Cristo finds himself not only footing the bill, but acting as general fix-it person for all the many problems that arise with the planning.
Keeping the caterers in line is one thing, but the situation becomes much worse when Hugh comes to Cristo looking for help with a possible blackmail attempt. A woman named Isabelle Browne has called Hugh from Australia claiming to be pregnant with his child. Hugh claims that he's never met anyone named Isabelle Browne and that he's been completely faithful to Amanda. However, with only weeks to before the wedding he doesn't want Amanda to find out about the situation unless it's absolutely necessary. Cristo isn't sure what to believe. Hugh seems sincere, but Amanda's happiness is at stake so he agrees to go to Australia, track Isabelle down and find out the truth.
Isabelle works has a housekeeper for At Your Service, a concierge service for wealthy visitors to Melbourne. Cristo hires her for the week and plans to use the time to ferret out the truth about her supposed pregnancy. For her part Isabelle is suspicious of the fact that Cristo requested her by name and was willing to pay double her usual rate to get her to reschedule her vacation to take the job. In spite of their mutual distrust they're drawn to each other and enjoy spending time together. By the time the truth comes out about the pregnancy their attraction is undeniable, but some real problems remain. Cirsto has no interest in commitment and Isabelle is not a party girl. She also isn't sure how a housekeeper can possibly fit in, even temporarily, in the life of such a wealthy man.
If I hadn't won this book I probably would never have read it. In the recent discussion at Dear Author about money in romance novels I came down on the side of generally not liking books about "billionaire tycoons". I can't relate at all and it doesn't really work for me as a fantasy since I don't like the implication that huge amounts of money are necessary for an HEA. In spite of that I enjoyed this book. Cristo comes across as genuinely nice, even when he's being cynical about love. Isabelle is impressed by him, but not so much that she loses her good sense. I really appreciated the fact that the book presents their attraction as just that, attraction. Their physical chemistry isn't treated as love, it's just the thing that brings them together. They fall in love because they enjoy being together. The only thing that I didn't like was that Cristo's conversion from totally cynical to proposing marriage felt sort of abrupt, but that's one of the hazard's of category-length books.
Grade: B-
I won this book during a recent "Save the Contemporary" contest at Smart Bitches Trashy Books.
When it arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago I was buried in library books that needed to be read by their due dates, so I set it aside. Since I'm now caught up on my borrowed items and I've never read anything by Bronwyn Jameson this book seemed perfect for the September TBR challenge.
Cristo Véron is an airline executive living in England. He's wealthy and privilaged, but he also has problems. As is the case for many people they're mostly caused by his family. His main source of trouble is currently his sister Amanda. She's a nice enough young woman, but she's rather spoiled at the best of times and it's not the best of times. Amanda is getting married and by her own admission organizing the huge wedding has turned her into a bit of a bridezilla. Cristo initially disapproved of Amanda's fiancé Hugh because of his reputation as a hard-partying playboy. However, over time he became convinced that Hugh's love for Amanda was real and agreed to not only support the marriage, but pay for the wedding. As a result Cristo finds himself not only footing the bill, but acting as general fix-it person for all the many problems that arise with the planning.
Keeping the caterers in line is one thing, but the situation becomes much worse when Hugh comes to Cristo looking for help with a possible blackmail attempt. A woman named Isabelle Browne has called Hugh from Australia claiming to be pregnant with his child. Hugh claims that he's never met anyone named Isabelle Browne and that he's been completely faithful to Amanda. However, with only weeks to before the wedding he doesn't want Amanda to find out about the situation unless it's absolutely necessary. Cristo isn't sure what to believe. Hugh seems sincere, but Amanda's happiness is at stake so he agrees to go to Australia, track Isabelle down and find out the truth.
Isabelle works has a housekeeper for At Your Service, a concierge service for wealthy visitors to Melbourne. Cristo hires her for the week and plans to use the time to ferret out the truth about her supposed pregnancy. For her part Isabelle is suspicious of the fact that Cristo requested her by name and was willing to pay double her usual rate to get her to reschedule her vacation to take the job. In spite of their mutual distrust they're drawn to each other and enjoy spending time together. By the time the truth comes out about the pregnancy their attraction is undeniable, but some real problems remain. Cirsto has no interest in commitment and Isabelle is not a party girl. She also isn't sure how a housekeeper can possibly fit in, even temporarily, in the life of such a wealthy man.
If I hadn't won this book I probably would never have read it. In the recent discussion at Dear Author about money in romance novels I came down on the side of generally not liking books about "billionaire tycoons". I can't relate at all and it doesn't really work for me as a fantasy since I don't like the implication that huge amounts of money are necessary for an HEA. In spite of that I enjoyed this book. Cristo comes across as genuinely nice, even when he's being cynical about love. Isabelle is impressed by him, but not so much that she loses her good sense. I really appreciated the fact that the book presents their attraction as just that, attraction. Their physical chemistry isn't treated as love, it's just the thing that brings them together. They fall in love because they enjoy being together. The only thing that I didn't like was that Cristo's conversion from totally cynical to proposing marriage felt sort of abrupt, but that's one of the hazard's of category-length books.
Grade: B-
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
2009 TBR Challenge for August: My Sweet Folly by Laura Kinsale
August Challege" Chose one from the Author List or read a book by a new-to-you author
Folie Hamilton is the young second wife of a widower with an eight year old daughter. Her husband never got over the death of his first wife, which leaves Folie neglected and lonely. Life in Toot-above-the Batch is rather dull and Folie struggles to make a life for herself and fill her days productively . The problem is exacerbated by her difficult relationship with her stepdaughter Melinda. The only thing that really interests Folie's husband is his rose garden and he leaves most everything else to Folie. That includes communication with his cousin, Robert Cambourne, who is serving as a lieutenant in the Bengal Infantry in India.
Robert is the son of one of the directors of the East India Company, but he has never fit into his fathers life or lived up to his expectations. Robert's father bought him a commission, but Robert is a failure as a soldier. His simply has no talent for it. His family's social standing protects him from being punished so he is given trivial tasks and allowed to fill the rest of his time in his own pursuits. He spends his days studying native spiritual practices under the tutelage of a "guuruu" with the idea of someday writing a book on the subject. He loves India, but he is lonely and profoundly unhappy with his life. When Folie's letter arrives it's like a breath of fresh air and Robert can't resist writing her back. Thus begins the seven year correspondence that makes up the first chapter of the book.
Via a series of letters, often with long time gaps because of the distance, Folie and Robert share their lives, their hopes and their dreams. Folie comes to see Robert as a knight out to slay dragons. Robert's feelings for Folie are made clear when he begins one of his letters, "My Sweet Folly, If you were mine . . ." They each realize that their correspondence has gone beyond the bounds of propriety, but neither one can stand the idea of letting the relationship go. That is until Folie receives Robert's last letter in which he makes a confession that destroys Folie's picture of him and breaks her heart.
Five years later Folie is a widow and has developed a close and loving relationship with Melinda. It's time for Melinda to have her coming out and Folie is determined to provide her with the best possible season. Robert is in charge of the money left to Melinda and Folie, but all issues have been handled by solicitors and Folie expects that will continue to be the case. Much to Folie's chagrin things take a drastic turn when Robert returns to England and insists that she and Melinda join him at his isolated estate.
When they arrive Folie is stunned to find that Robert is nothing like she imagined and that his life is not at all what she expected. At first she is merely confused and disappointed, but she soon comes to fear that Robert is actually mad. Unbeknownst to her Robert shares her fears for his sanity and has hired guards to protect them from enemies he isn't even sure exist. They clash when Robert demands that they remain at his home and Folie insists that Melinda must be allowed to have her season. Folie wins the argument, but once they're in London the mystery of Robert's mental state grows deeper and more dangerous. The two are forced to help each other and find themselves navigating complex social and political waters while coming to realize that feelings they believed where long dead are more alive than either one of them is prepared for.
This book languished on my TBR for a long time, mostly because it takes place during the Regency. I realize that the era is adored by many romance readers, but I just don't feel the love. It has never been a particular favorite historical period for me and there are so many Regencies that I burnt out on them long ago. As a result I rarely read them any more. Because so many people mention My Sweet Folly as one of their favorite Kinsale books I decided to make an exception, and I'm glad that I did. It doesn't focus on the elements that I associate with Regencies. For example, Folie maneuvers to get Melinda an invitation to Almack's, but the story isn't about the social issues of Melinda's season. Instead the book focuses on Robert and Folie, characters that would be unique in any genre.
I found both of them interesting and admirable and frustrating at different points in the story. I loved that they were both complex and layered enough to inspire all those feelings. I especially liked the way that Folie was able to use her experience developing a relationship with Melinda as a source of insight into how she should approach Robert. She was able to understand that he was lashing out due to fear without becoming a doormat in the face of his temper.
There were points in the story when it was difficult to imagine that these two people could have a HEA. For me that made the end all the more satisfying.
Grade: A
Folie Hamilton is the young second wife of a widower with an eight year old daughter. Her husband never got over the death of his first wife, which leaves Folie neglected and lonely. Life in Toot-above-the Batch is rather dull and Folie struggles to make a life for herself and fill her days productively . The problem is exacerbated by her difficult relationship with her stepdaughter Melinda. The only thing that really interests Folie's husband is his rose garden and he leaves most everything else to Folie. That includes communication with his cousin, Robert Cambourne, who is serving as a lieutenant in the Bengal Infantry in India.
Robert is the son of one of the directors of the East India Company, but he has never fit into his fathers life or lived up to his expectations. Robert's father bought him a commission, but Robert is a failure as a soldier. His simply has no talent for it. His family's social standing protects him from being punished so he is given trivial tasks and allowed to fill the rest of his time in his own pursuits. He spends his days studying native spiritual practices under the tutelage of a "guuruu" with the idea of someday writing a book on the subject. He loves India, but he is lonely and profoundly unhappy with his life. When Folie's letter arrives it's like a breath of fresh air and Robert can't resist writing her back. Thus begins the seven year correspondence that makes up the first chapter of the book.
Via a series of letters, often with long time gaps because of the distance, Folie and Robert share their lives, their hopes and their dreams. Folie comes to see Robert as a knight out to slay dragons. Robert's feelings for Folie are made clear when he begins one of his letters, "My Sweet Folly, If you were mine . . ." They each realize that their correspondence has gone beyond the bounds of propriety, but neither one can stand the idea of letting the relationship go. That is until Folie receives Robert's last letter in which he makes a confession that destroys Folie's picture of him and breaks her heart.
Five years later Folie is a widow and has developed a close and loving relationship with Melinda. It's time for Melinda to have her coming out and Folie is determined to provide her with the best possible season. Robert is in charge of the money left to Melinda and Folie, but all issues have been handled by solicitors and Folie expects that will continue to be the case. Much to Folie's chagrin things take a drastic turn when Robert returns to England and insists that she and Melinda join him at his isolated estate.
When they arrive Folie is stunned to find that Robert is nothing like she imagined and that his life is not at all what she expected. At first she is merely confused and disappointed, but she soon comes to fear that Robert is actually mad. Unbeknownst to her Robert shares her fears for his sanity and has hired guards to protect them from enemies he isn't even sure exist. They clash when Robert demands that they remain at his home and Folie insists that Melinda must be allowed to have her season. Folie wins the argument, but once they're in London the mystery of Robert's mental state grows deeper and more dangerous. The two are forced to help each other and find themselves navigating complex social and political waters while coming to realize that feelings they believed where long dead are more alive than either one of them is prepared for.
This book languished on my TBR for a long time, mostly because it takes place during the Regency. I realize that the era is adored by many romance readers, but I just don't feel the love. It has never been a particular favorite historical period for me and there are so many Regencies that I burnt out on them long ago. As a result I rarely read them any more. Because so many people mention My Sweet Folly as one of their favorite Kinsale books I decided to make an exception, and I'm glad that I did. It doesn't focus on the elements that I associate with Regencies. For example, Folie maneuvers to get Melinda an invitation to Almack's, but the story isn't about the social issues of Melinda's season. Instead the book focuses on Robert and Folie, characters that would be unique in any genre.
I found both of them interesting and admirable and frustrating at different points in the story. I loved that they were both complex and layered enough to inspire all those feelings. I especially liked the way that Folie was able to use her experience developing a relationship with Melinda as a source of insight into how she should approach Robert. She was able to understand that he was lashing out due to fear without becoming a doormat in the face of his temper.
There were points in the story when it was difficult to imagine that these two people could have a HEA. For me that made the end all the more satisfying.
Grade: A
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Hannah's Vow by Pam Crooks
Hannah Benning was raised by her con man father after her mother died when she was young. He taught her the tools of his trade and forced her to help him with his schemes. Eventually he was caught stealing and killed by an angry mob. After that Hannah's only wanted to be safe and to have a chance to make up for the crimes she had committed, so she joined a convent intending to become a nun. She spent most of her time in prayer until one day the Mother Superior requests that she accompany the local priest and one of the other sisters to the notorious local prison to check on rumors that the inmates are suffering some type of sickness and not receiving appropriate care. Hannah is loath to leave the convent, especially to go to such a horrible place, but she musters her courage and does as she is asked. When the trio arrive they find that the situation is worse than they ever imagined. When the inmates rebel against their mistreatment Hannah's companions are killed and she is take hostage by a man with nothing to lose.
Four years ago Quinn Landry was betrayed by his brother and sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit. The only thing that has kept him alive is his thirst for revenge and his determination to regain control of the Texas ranch that is his birthright. He has no desire to hurt a nun, but he needs a hostage in order to get away and can't afford to release her until he's back home. Hannah is horrified to find herself once again hunted by the law and is determined to escape. However, when she realizes that Quinn is sick and helpless she can't bring herself to abandon him. By the time he's strong enough to be on his own the warden is convinced that Hannah was part of the escape plan and she's in as much danger as Quinn is.
They make a pact to help each other with an agreement that Quinn will help Hannah return to the convent as soon as he has cleared his name. Their situation becomes even more complicated when they are captured by an outlaw couple who have their own reason to hate the warden. Circumstances force Hannah and Quinn to depend on each other to survive and as they grow closer they find themselves fighting an attraction that may put them in more danger than they can handle.
I enjoy western historicals which is how this book, set in 1895 New Mexico and Texas, ended up on my TBR. I pulled it out when I was looking for books for last month's TBR challenge. I didn't chose it was my official challenge book, but I was intrigued enough to keep it on the top of the pile and I'm glad that I did. There were quite a few elements of this book that were pretty standard fair. The beautiful young woman who is isn't quite a nun yet, the handsome man wrongly accused and bent on revenge, the evil brother consumed by jealousy and the evil warden consumed by greed. However, I enjoyed Ms Crook's writing style and she threw in enough unique elements to keep me interested. This is my first book by Ms Crooks and I look forward to reading more.
Grade: B+
Four years ago Quinn Landry was betrayed by his brother and sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit. The only thing that has kept him alive is his thirst for revenge and his determination to regain control of the Texas ranch that is his birthright. He has no desire to hurt a nun, but he needs a hostage in order to get away and can't afford to release her until he's back home. Hannah is horrified to find herself once again hunted by the law and is determined to escape. However, when she realizes that Quinn is sick and helpless she can't bring herself to abandon him. By the time he's strong enough to be on his own the warden is convinced that Hannah was part of the escape plan and she's in as much danger as Quinn is.
They make a pact to help each other with an agreement that Quinn will help Hannah return to the convent as soon as he has cleared his name. Their situation becomes even more complicated when they are captured by an outlaw couple who have their own reason to hate the warden. Circumstances force Hannah and Quinn to depend on each other to survive and as they grow closer they find themselves fighting an attraction that may put them in more danger than they can handle.
I enjoy western historicals which is how this book, set in 1895 New Mexico and Texas, ended up on my TBR. I pulled it out when I was looking for books for last month's TBR challenge. I didn't chose it was my official challenge book, but I was intrigued enough to keep it on the top of the pile and I'm glad that I did. There were quite a few elements of this book that were pretty standard fair. The beautiful young woman who is isn't quite a nun yet, the handsome man wrongly accused and bent on revenge, the evil brother consumed by jealousy and the evil warden consumed by greed. However, I enjoyed Ms Crook's writing style and she threw in enough unique elements to keep me interested. This is my first book by Ms Crooks and I look forward to reading more.
Grade: B+
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