Some days it feels like I’m deliberately reading mediocre books, but then I have to remind myself that what I am doing is trying new authors and it will all turn out ok. I have been reading a lot of contemporaries lately and wanted to get back to my historical roots. This is a new-to-me author and the second book of a trilogy. I did not read the first book, and I don’t think I missed anything important. Our heroine, Ravenna, is the youngest of […]
CBRers are the Best People
Before I get to my review, I just need to get sappy here for a minute. I have lurked on Pajiba forever, and have dropped in on CBR intermittently over the years, but I never thought to join in. Because I was embarrassed that my reading is almost exclusively romance novels. But, Beth Ellen convinced me that it was cool here, that there are others like me, and we are all accepted – and she was right. You guys just ‘get’ me. This book was […]
Soft and Fluffy
In my on-going quest for lighthearted contemporaries I was steered to Shannon Stacey. I had read one of her novellas before, but this was my first novel of hers. It was good. Not great. Not remarkable in any way, but good. And some days you can’t ask for a whole lot more than that. This is the first book in what is apparently a beloved series (the Kowalskis). It is a second chance romance between former high school sweethearts. Keri Daniels and Joe Kowalski were […]
Huge Disappointment
This book was a huge disappointment. I have read two other Florand’s (The Chocolate Kiss – 5 stars, and The Chocolate Touch – 4.5 stars) and really loved both. This book did not hold a candle to either of them. The writing was very uneven and some of the ideas either repeated too often or not fully fleshed out. It reminded me of when I would write term papers in school and write the same thoughts several different ways, and then go back and pick […]
Girls in Pants
I have read this book three(?) times before. I had started a couple new books recently but they just weren’t capturing my attention, and I was in the mood for an old stand-by. Eloisa James is a really hit-or-miss author for me. I don’t think I’ve ever hated something she’s written, but I have DNF’ed a couple. But there are a couple that I just really adore too (like this one), so she’s always worth a shot. This is the third of six books in […]
Hot Hockey Hickies?
Really 3.75 stars. (That’s right! I’m really splitting hairs now!) I can thank Sarina Bowen for the “yes, more hockey romances please!” kick I have been on. (FYI: this is not as good as Bowen’s books, but it will have to do for now). I know nothing about this sport, and yet I am totally willing to pick up a book by a new author if it involves hockey. I don’t know why, but it’s working for me right now. What really drew me to […]