From the back cover:
WHAM, BAM, NO THANK-YOU, MA'AM
That about sums up the sex life of Claire Doolittle, not-so-happily-married to Jack--once the man of her dreams but now a modern-day version of the bossy, dull Ward Cleaver of '50s sitcom fame--Claire is at the end of her rope. Gone are the glorious days of flings in elevators and broom closets. And Jack? All he needs is a cardigan and a billowing pipe to become the domineering father figure Claire never wanted. And looking at her body in the mirror, Claire would cast herself as Lumpy. They'd once had a world of color, of wanton frivolity. Now, life's black and white: a sitcom in reruns. A not-very-funny sitcom. Cue an old boyfriend--the "one that got away"--throw in a predatory hottie who's set her sights on our leading man, and watch Claire's world spiral out of control. In the old TV show, the Beaver always got a happy ending. Stay tuned.
I'd been eyeing this book for a while. The title just caught my eye and pulled me in. So when Jenny and I started talking about her guesting on the blog she offered me the chance to review the book. I jumped at the chance... and I'm glad I did. (But totally wishing I wrote this review right after reading and not a month later.)
The book starts off a little slow, but just when you don't think Claire's life can get any more tangled... it does and the pace picks up. I'll admit in the beginning of the book I started to have doubts about where it was going. I worried when the old boyfriend entered the scene and more than once wanted to smack Claire for being a little whiny. But those feelings were shoved to the side as I laughed over Claire's antics and cried as she reminisced about the early days of her marriage and the deterioration of the relationship. I enjoyed going on the roller coaster ride of emotions and always find it a good thing that I care what happens to the characters.
Jenny Gardiner is going to be Book Talk's guest next week, December 15 to 18. She'll be stopping by to answer your questions as well as giving away a copy of the book to a random commenter. And who knows, I might give away my copy as well.
Claudia Martin has owned and run her own school for years and resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood. That is until Joseph, Marquess of Attingsborough enters her life and turns everything upside down.
Joseph wants to marry for love, but his station in life and pressure from his father has him proposing to a frigid woman. So, when Joseph keeps encountering Claudia and she starts coming out of her shell, he realizes that she might just be the perfect woman for him.
Simply Perfect is the final book in a series about the teachers at Claudia's school. Over the course of the series, there have been some memorable plots and characters... but I believe this one is my favorite. I enjoyed the characters and their back stories were well-developed and believable. The storyline was interesting and at times heart wrenching (I kept a box of tissue handy for most of the reading). The series is worth the read and best read in order: Simply Unforgettable, Simply Love, Simply Magic, and Simply Perfect. And in the end, Simply Perfect is just that... simply perfect.
Cordelia's father decrees that she is to marry a wealthy American, Daniel, but Cordelia wants to chose her own husband. But she can't ignore her father, so she decides to learn more about her intended by pretending to be her own companion.
Daniel isn't looking to get married, but when a pretty green-eyed girl approaches him thinking that he is his secretary and begins asking questions about Daniel, he's intrigued and plays along. But neither of them expected attraction and can't find a way out of the masquerade.
Secrets of a Proper Lady (Last Man Standing, Book 3) is part of a series, but easily stands alone. I've enjoyed this series and this book was no exception. The characters were fun and likeable. The plot was stretching it a little, but still plausible. The story was well written and focuses more on the romance not not the physical act of love, which seems to be becoming more rare in mainstream romance novels... and it was refreshing.
Lady Lark is put into debtors prison after her father dies, leaving her penniless and unable to pay off his debts. Her stay is short lived when the earl of Grayshire, known to his friends and family as King, pays her bonds and takes her into his household as his mother's new companion. But is that really the position he has in mind for her?
The Privateer was a good book. I liked the non-traditional way Lark and King meet. The characters were likable and the plot was solid. The book has a few slow moments and there was a secondary plot with a fired servant and a fellow inmate that I felt was just wasted space. But overall, I enjoyed the story and would read more books by this author.
Andi is an English teacher and a romance novel addict. While reading a Regency romance, she suddenly finds herself face to face with the hero of the novel, who just happens to be the man of her dreams. However, in this story, Andi is not the heroine to Nathaniel's hero... she's a minor character who is determined to rewrite the plot.
I loved the plot of this novel. I've often heard authors talk about how the characters of their stories seem to have a mind of their own and make the story go in directions they hadn't originally intended... and this book plays with that idea. So, the plot and basis of this book was very good. My biggest problem actually came from the heroine, Andi. I found it hard to like her and so I wasn't rooting her on in her quest to win Nathaniel. I had to remind myself that this is Dawn Calvert's debut novel and not be too hard on her for a somewhat annoying lead character.
Cassie has just moved into a beach house with her four young nieces and nephews when they meet their new neighbor, Wade. Wade tries to keep his distance from the family, but he keeps finding himself drawn to them and attracted to Cassie, who he feels is too young for him. But as the romance begins to blossom, Wade struggles with a secret that could drive from him all those he’s come to love.
This book tugs on the heart strings. Ms. Whren does an admirable job writing realistic children who just aren’t window dressings in the book. She also is able to inject a Christian message without hitting the reader over the head by being too preachy. I enjoyed the story and characters even if it was rather simplistic in plot. But this story was all about the characters and didn’t need an explosive plot.
This is a current re-release of two classic Macomber stories, ‘The Cowboy’s Lady’ and ‘The Sheriff Takes a Wife’. And since the stories are so closely related, I’ll just do one long synopsis.
Taylor moves to small town Montana to get over a failed relationship and vows to spend her year without a man. But soon rancher Russ is throwing that plan out the window. Taylor is determined to fight her feelings for Russ, but it’s a losing battle. So, jump ahead about 9 months and Taylor is having a baby with her new husband and her sister Christy comes to town to help out the new mother. Taylor goes into labor and can’t get a hold of Russ. So, Christy calls the Cody, the sheriff and Russ’s best friend, to come to the rescue. What she didn’t plan on was the intense attraction to Cody. So, what’s a girl to do when she’s fall in love at first sight to one man and is engaged to another?
These are classic Macomber: well-written, realistic, and feel-good tales. Both stories are fast reads, but satisfying. You really can’t go wrong with this book.
Sarah wakes up naked and in bed with and equally undressed duke, James. When they are discovered, James proposes as she’s been compromised. But Sarah doesn’t want to be tied to someone who is a rake and certainly doesn’t love her.
This is Sally MacKenzie’s debut novel and it starts out with bang and continues to deliver until the very end. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader riveted to the pages and the character and plot development are exceptional… especially for an author’s first published work. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will be grabbing the sequel soon!
Della goes to Naples Italy to scout out a possible host for a documentary she is producing. Carlo was a playboy who was instantly attracted to Della. What she didn’t expect was to embark on an affair with Carlo and have the handsome, younger man fall in love with her. And can he convince her that she's the one to change his ways?
This book was a tear-jerker and I had to keep my tissues handy. This is the 4th or 5th book in the Rinucci Brothers series (it totally stands alone) and it's actually a step above a couple of the previous stories. I particularly enjoyed the older woman-younger man aspect.
Morning Light is the first in a new series featuring the Harrigan family that is slightly connected to her Coulter Family series (the Harrigan daughter married a Coulter son in the last Coulter book). Clint is approached by Loni with the news that his son is in danger, lost in the Oregon wilderness, and he is the only person who can save him. Problem is that he doesn’t have a son. He doesn’t want to believe the beautiful woman has the second sight because it goes against all his religious beliefs. Yet as he gets to know Loni while they search for his son, his mind is changed as he begins to see that her gift is from God and that she is his soul mate.
I’m a big fan of Ms. Anderson’s writing. Most of her books feature a character that is overcoming some sort of “disability”. The first one I ever read was Phantom Waltz and the heroine was wheelchair bound after a horse riding accident in her youth. That said, this one didn't feature a disability per-se, but Loni did have this "condition" that kept her isolated from most people. This was another winner by Catherine Anderson. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I had to keep a box of tissues handy since it was a tear-jerker.
Manny and Celia meet at their friends' wedding where he propositions her and she slugs him. Months later, Manny has given his wild lifestyle and wants to make amends and really get to know Celia. He ends up grounded by a parachuting accident and is finally able to spend time with Celia and her son, but Celia doesn’t want to get to get involved with a man holding a dangerous job. Will she be able to take a leap of faith?
"A Soldier’s Family" is an inspirational tale that can get a little preachy at times. Both characters seem to be a little extreme. I kept wishing they were not so intense. On the other hand, it was refreshing to read a story with Latin-American characters and both were slightly older than your typical romance hero and heroine.
Gavin and his daughter move to a small town in hopes of starting anew…and there is the possibility of running into his ex-lover (and daughter’s mother). But he buys the house next door to Allison and she turns his life upside down. Allison is recently split from her fiancee' and doesn't want to get into another relationship. But something about Gavin and his daughter calls to her.
This is a sweet story and quick read. It's a pretty typical Harlequin as there is really only one plotline with very few twists or turns. But it’s well written and different enough to be an enjoyable read.
Debbie Macomber has created such a rich and engaging town in her Cedar Cove series. 74 Seaside Avenue is the seventh book in the series and it lives up to the high expectations delivered by the previous installments. This is a series that really must be read in order. Story lines arc from one book to the next. Characters keep reappearing to update you on what has happened since their book. And new characters that will eventually have their own story make their introductions.
Trying to summarize the book would be near impossible since there were 3 main plot lines as well as a couple other minor ones. But I do highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a book that will tug on your heartstrings and has romance, but leaves the details to your imagination. The order of the books in this series are:16 Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove, Book 1), 204 Rosewood Lane (Cedar Cove, Book 2), 311 Pelican Court (Cedar Cove, Book 3), 44 Cranberry Point (Cedar Cove, Book 4), 50 Harbor Street (Cedar Cove, Book 5), 6 Rainier Drive (Cedar Cove, Book 6).
Lady Irene grew up with an abusive, drunken father and swore she would never marry and be "owned" by a man. But all her intentions are thrown out the window when she meets Gideon, a long-long heir and newly titled earl. Gideon needs a wife that will accept him as the unpolished gentleman that he is and has his heart set on Irene to take that role.
This book is the second in a series following The Marriage Wager. This series follows Lady Francesca's matchmaking within the ton. This time she is finding a wife for Gideon and when he expresses interest in Irene, she pulls the strings to bring them together.
I enjoyed the characters and the plot was different enough to satisfy me. Lady Francesca's story is advanced in this novel, so I'd recommend reading The Marriage Wager first, although it is in no way necessary. The Bridal Quest is just the latest in a long list of great tales by Candace Camp.
Mikos is the right-hand man to a powerful business man. He's working security at his boss's birthday party when he sets his eyes on Gina. He suspects she's up to something, but soon sets his suspicions aside to have an affair with her. Little does he know that she has a big secret that could blow his world apart.
I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I usually find stories in the Harlequin Presents line to be a little too outlandish for my tastes. But this one seemed more probable than most and that appeals to me. Catherine Spencer
Casey decides to surprise her fiancée' on a reality show with a wedding. But when he jilts her on live TV, a local businessman steps in to marry Casey instead. Adam thinks the wedding is fake and isn't prepared to learn that he's really married to a stranger. As they wait for an annulment, they play the loving couple... but are they really acting?
I picked up this book because the plot sounded interesting. And I'm glad I did. The characters were real and the plot kept me reading. Abby Gaines
Nurse Alex is attracted to her new boss, Kyle. But his aloof manner keeps her at bay. Kyle had a disastrous end to his marriage and is afraid to take a chance on love again. But is drawn to Alex and wonders if she can heal his wounded heart.
His Very Special Nurse
Luca, a doctor, and Nell meet when Nell's young daughter has an asthmatic attack while on vacation in
I found this book to be quite forgettable. I didn't like either character much, and that made it rather hard for me to enjoy the story. The plot wasn't bad, but was marred by the characters. I hate to say it, but I'd suggest skipping over this book.
I had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth Boyle at a book signing in October 2007. I had borrowed a few of her books from the library, but they didn't have this newest offering. So, of course I had to pick up a copy. I had a nice chat with Ms. Boyle as she autographed my book.
Felicity has been corresponding with the soon-to-be Duke of Hollindrake and believes it is only a matter of time until they will be married. However, she's never actually met the man. Thatcher has just come into his title and doesn't want to get married, but he meets Felicity and is smitten, but he doesn't want to marry the girl he thinks duped his grandfather.
I found "Love Letters from a Duke" to be a delightful read. Ms. Boyle has created memorable characters and a solid plot and romance. I just couldn't put this book down until I was finished reading. I highly recommend this book, which is the second in her Bachelor Chronicles series.
I generally shy away from titles like this one. They seem too hokey for me. But last fall I went to the Emerald City Romance Writers conference book fair in Seattle. While waiting in line to buy my books, I found myself standing behind Jennie Lucas
Nikos is a rich casino owner who ends up having an affair with his secretary, Anna. She discovers she's pregnant and when Nikos is unfaithful to her, she runs away. Nikos hunts her down and tries to take his son away from her. After realizing that isn't going to work, he decides that Anna is just going to have to be his wife and then he can teach her a lesson.
I'm finding it hard to really put my feelings about this book into words. I didn't particularly like the character of Nikos and found his relationship with Anna quite unsatisfying, and perhaps underdeveloped. Maybe if the book was a little longer and their relationship was explored a little more, it might have been a more enjoyable read. And outside of the romance, the plot was too weak for my tastes. My suggestion is that if you really want to read this book, go find it in a used bookstore or borrow it from someone.