Re-Read: Open Season by Linda Howard

Before I start my review... did I tell you I got some good news last week?

First, last Wednesday, I won a bookshelf and a 25$ gift certificate - which was great! Thank you very much to Anna and Cindy!! LOL, I was sooo happy and hyped up that day... But the cherry on the sundae? I got an e-mail from my supervisor telling me he was coming back till September 6! Woohoo, this means an additional week of freedom :D Hehehe... Yes, life is good. Strangely enough, I got all these news on August 26... which made it my 1st year anniversary at the lab. Hmmm...

So yes, last week, let say I was extremely happy at the news... Then, it was as if being soo hyper on Wednesday had sapped all my energy for Thursday and Friday. Felt a little down and lethargic... Of course, that didn't stop from a mini book adventure on Friday afternoon :) I had to rush here and there in order to avoid the traffic jam on the way home, but it paid off :) My most exciting new release was Must Love Hellhounds among others as well as 126$ worth of manga ^_^; Perhaps I'll do a post later about it... Now, let's get down to business :)

For this month's re-read, I chose Open Season by Linda Howard... mainly because I've noticed that many have re-read this book for the challenge. A few years back, I glommed on Ms Howard and highly enjoyed most of her backlist. Now, I'm stuck waiting for new releases... although I'm a few books behind. Anyway, I do re-read Ms Howard from time to time, but usually it will be Shades of Twilight, Now I See You, After the Night... or even Sarah's Child. I can't remember the last time I read Open Season (probably when I bought it) and as a result, thought this would be a nice re-read...


Open Season by Linda Howard
published by Simon & Schuster in July 2001

For Daisy Minor, it's open season on men. The small-town librarian is tired of being a good girl, living with her widowed mother and spinster aunt. She wants to experience life and love, to have some fun, to meet a man. Before she starts her personal manhunt, she sets out to reinvent, or at least redecorate, herself. She seeks out a new look to match her new attitude, moves into her own place, and sets out in search of all the fun and adventure she's been missing. Soon she's dancing her nights away, flirting with men, and thoroughly enjoying her new free-spirited lifestyle. Then, late one night, she sees something that no one was supposed to see and finds herself in deadly danger. Suddenly, a killer declares it's Open Season on Daisy Minor, and Daisy's one hope, for life and love, is to find the perfect man to save her life -- and share it.

Genre: romantic suspense
Series: none

The Story: I think most people are familiar with the storyline, but let's give it another go :)

Daisy Minor wakes up on her 34th birthday and realizes how boring her life is. Without knowing, she has become the stereotypical small-town librarian: boring, mousy and spinster, with no prospect to change the situation. Daisy realizes that she wants a husband and children and to achieve her dream, she needs a major change in her life. With the help of family and friends, Daisy moves out and gets a make-over: clothes, make-up and hairstyle... She's all ready to hit the night scene and meet the man of her life, but everywhere she goes, everywhere she turns, she keeps bumping into Jack Russo, Chief of Police, who's definitively not her type and all wrong for her... or perhaps not.

Jack finds it extremely fun to quibble with the librarian. After witnessing her transformation, he knows she's in a market for a man - all the signs are there, and he's first to volunteer... and their relationship becomes even more intense when Daisy witnesses a murder... and some people wants to get rid of her.

My Opinion: I have to say, another reason why I like this Re-Read Challenge is that I get to review older books that I didn't... but I digress. Open Season is a classic Linda Howard in my opinion - the characters, relationship and suspense are all strong with top notch writing and there's always a few laughs. That condom scene? It's just priceless!! LOL, get me every single time. It definitively never gets old LMAO.

I really loved Jack in Open Season. He fits Ms Howard alpha male heroes, but who cares? LOL. A bit of a jerk, a lot determined, he's strong, confident and someone you can trust. He definitively goes after what he wants, but at the same time, there's a caring side to him... almost sweet :P As for Daisy, I liked her... but at the same time, I have to admit, she annoyed me a little. It was hard to believe she was 34 years old - she could really be naive sometimes which I guess is part of her charm... That was kind of okay, but what annoyed me was how quick she was to judge Jack and deduct points. I don't know, it just rubbed me the wrong way... Sigh. However, once Daisy and Jack got together, it was great. Also, I really liked how Daisy reacted when she realized she witnessed a murder. She was calm and collected, didn't panic and listened to Jack's order without arguing with him.

There was a great cast of secondary characters. I loved Daisy's family as well as Todd and Howard. They provided some laughs, but at the same time, it wasn't ridiculous or cliche. Each played their roles perfectly. I have to admit, I'd like for Todd to have his own book or story. I want to know what happens to him :) Even the villains were quite well fleshed without stealing the spotlight.

The story was great. I really enjoyed the relationship between Daisy and Jack. It was fun to see them quibbled and when Jack went after Daisy, mmm. I'd like to be sweep off my feet someday as well LOL. The suspense was good and believable and weaved in the storyline very well. It did take a while before the action picked up, but that was okay. I really enjoyed it, it was clever and there were a few interesting twists.

Overall, this is still a great read, very enjoyable. While reading it, I realized that it's been quite a while since I last read this one, more than I thought. It was great fun to re-visit a classic Linda Howard and I should do it more often :)

My Grade: A-. I never reviewed this book before and it's a been a long time since I first read it... I can't exactly remember what I thought at that time, but I don't think it could be very different from this time :)

Historical romances binge

September has gone and looking back, to my great surprise, I've read a huge number of historical romances... Hmmm, ppl knowing me know that historical is not my favorite genre... so that's why I'm soo surprised LOL. Although I read many, I haven't reviewed any ^^; That's why I decided to review them all in this post... Beware, this might be long :P


The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs

published by Mira in 2001

In one catastrophic night, unconventional debutante Lucy Hathaway meets and propositions powerful banker Randolph Higgins, risks her life to save a baby girl, then loses her father and the family fortune in the chaos of the great Chicago fire. Five years later, she's older, wiser, and the proud owner of The Firebrand, a bookstore that caters to suffragettes and free thinkers. Fate throws her once again into the path of Randolph Higgins when she must apply to his bank for an extension on the loan that financed her bookstore. She discovers that Randolph is now a scarred, bitter, divorced man, and that he believes his daughter died in the fire. One glance at the photo on his desk tells her that Maggie, the child she saved and adopted that terrible night, is his lost daughter.

Lucy's strong sense of honor drives her to tell Randolph the truth. Now the conservative banker and the fiercely independent Lucy must deal with each other for Maggie's sake. Despite the resulting clash of wills and differing political views, the powerful attraction that drew them together five years earlier still exists. Can these two stubborn, opinionated people find a way to nurture a life together, for the sake of Maggie and their own battered hearts?

The key word in here, "stubborn." I like my heroine strong with a mind of their own; however, I don't like them irrationally stubborn... which is often a problem with heroines who are reporters (the whole, "the public has a right to know") or, unfortunately, suffragettes. Seriously, I would not have liked to live at the time era where we had to fight for our rights. Anyway, Lucy skirts the line here with being irrationally stubborn, but she saves herself with all the sacrifices she makes for Maggie and Rand. It also helps that Rand is as stubborn as her and due to his own divorce, is very reluctant to listen to her. So the hero and heroine balance each other well. Otherwise, I like the plot as this is one of my favorite kind (two persons marrying each other for the sake of a child and falling in love) and this is, as usual, very well written. A B from me.

Nobody's Darling by Teresa Medeiros
published by Bantam Books in April 1998

Dear Reader,

I never enjoyed being a wanted man until the day Miss Esmerelda Fine marched into the Tumbleweed Saloon and pointed her derringer straight at my heart. Who would have guessed some duke's granddaughter--an awfully pretty one at that--would come gunning for the likes of me, a notorious bounty hunter with a taste for whiskey and a fondness for peach pie? Lucky for me, she was a mighty poor shot. Instead of killing me, she hired me to find her runaway brother. Little did she know she was about to make the acquaintance of a flea-bitten basset hound named Sadie, the infamous Darling Gang, and my shotgun-toting kinfolk. And little did I know she was about to lead me on a merry chase that would take us from a bungled bank robbery to the very first Wild West show to tour London, England.

I should have turned down her offer. I should have resisted her charms. But I didn''t.

Because there comes a time in every man''s life when he''s got nothing left to lose...but his heart.

Yours,
Billy Darling

I got this book back in June when I was in Toronto on Kristie and Cindy's recommendation. However, it's Isabel's review at Book Binge that made me pick it up and finally read it. Also, the back blurb is awesome. I really loved Billy Darling, I thought he was a great hero... however, I thought Esme was a bit typical - hard working woman who raised her younger sibling. I was not attracted to her and thought she didn't match Billy well. Also, mid-way through the book, I started losing interest in the story. Wasn't interested at all when Esme went to England... However, the ending as well as the epilogue saved the book. I especially like the epilogue and wish Ms Medeiros would do something with it. So because of Billy, the beginning and epilogue, I still give this book a B.


Madame's Deception by Renee Bernard

published by Pocket Books in 2007

When an innocent takes over a bordello, can her seduction be far behind?

Jocelyn Tolliver believes that her mother's couture business financed her European boarding school education. Imagine her shock when she discovers that her dying mother is the infamous Madame of London's elite Crimson Belle. Promising to care for the bordello and its ladies, Jocelyn, a virginal bookworm, transforms herself and is soon known as the reclusive Madame DeBourcier.

Rakish Alex Randall, Lord Colwick, is determined to win admittance to the intriguing Madame's bed. His outrageous attempts to garner her favor cannot go unnoticed for long. . . When danger threatens the elegant women of the Belle, Jocelyn strikes a bargain with Alex, hoping he can provide some protection. But Jocelyn's deception forces her and Alex into a passionate battle of wills in which all illusions will be shattered . . . and all desires fulfilled.

I got this one after reading Ames' review. I thought the back blurb sounded good and I was looking for something a bit different. This book is no.2 in the series, but it stands alone quite well. As Ames said, this was a light and fluffy read, and I did enjoyed it while reading it. The problem comes afterwards... When you think back of it, you wonder what you've read... I have to say, it's as if there was no plot... there's a mystery, but it isn't the focus, Alex and Jocelyn fall in bed rather quickly, and the conflict seemed easily resolved. I think the problem with this book is I thought it was too passive and I didn't get suck in it enough. I give it a B- because it was light and enjoyable, but it's easily a skippable book. And yes, Ames, the cover is very pretty.


It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn
published by Avon Romance in 2005

MEET OUR HERO… Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth’s sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past… and the key to his future. The problem is--it’s written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.

MEET OUR HEROINE… All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She’s fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her--something charming and vexing--that grabs him and won’t quite let go…

MEET POOR MR. MOZART… Or don’t. But rest assured, he’s spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual--an annually discordant--Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other… and that there is nothing as simple--or as complicated--as a single, perfect kiss.

This is the book before last of the Bridgerton series and perhaps not the best book to start the series, but what is done is done and what is read is read ^^; I don't know much about the Bridgertons and this book does well in not bringing the past heroines and heroes back; however, I don't have a sense of the family dynamics and I thought it was unfortunate. I mean, when you have such a huge family, it's fun to see the dynamics of it. This book was enjoyable, but quite typical no? I mean, there was nothing very original... I didn't dislike the hero or heroine, but at the same time, I didn't love them either... my favorite character was probably Gareth's grandmother LOL :) All in all, a B- for this book. It was enjoyable, but lack originality and didn't make me want to go and read more about the rest of the Bridgertons.

Just Wicked Enough by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon Romance in August 2007

Michael Tremayne, Marquess of Falconride, needs money and lots of it. So he does what any sensible Englishman with a title would do––he approaches the fathers of wealthy heiresses and auctions himself off! But this marriage of convenience is turning out to be anything but.

Michael’s new wife, Katherine Rose, decided a long time ago never to accept anything less than true love. And if she can’t have that, her marriage will be strictly a business relationship. Michael finds the situation unacceptable, but at the same time finds himself admiring his wife’s quick wit and determination. So he set about doing the one thing he never imagined––wooing his wife.

This was an interesting one :D I read the review at Sybil's and then rushed to the bookstore later that afternoon. The premise is quite different... Michael is in need of money and instead of wooing an heiress with the possibility of it not working out at the end, he decides to auction himself. His reasons behind was quite noble and his reasoning, quite logic actually. I really liked Michael and how he put aside his pride and dignity for his mother... the scenes with his mother was also quite heart-breaking. Then you had Kate Rose who was married at the age of 17, but her parents had the marriage annulled. She's still in love with her ex-husband and heart-broken, because he has just married. She refuses to let Michael in their marriage bed, because he doesn't know and love her. Also, just to make things worse, she's the one who holds all the money... I thought all the attempts of Michael were quite sweet and that he really did end up loving her... not just trying to get in bed because of his physical needs. My problems were with Kate though... For half the book, she's still mooning over her previous husband whom she still "love." I thought that in comparison to Michael, she didn't try very hard to get to know him, to love him. And all her attempts to get to know him were pretty callous. She went about it the wrong way... So I give this book a B+... loved the story, I thought it was different, loved Michael... even liked Kate, but thought she should have tried more...


If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman
published by Zebra/Kensington in September 2007

Shy by nature, Emma Hathaway usually leaves the drama to her rebellious cousin, Marisol. But when Emma agrees to meet with her cousin's secret lover to end the affair, she is pulled into a dangerous game. Now Emma is convinced her involvement in the scandal has put her life in jeopardy. The trouble is none of Emma's confidantes believe anyone is trying to harm her. As whispers of madness begin, Emma turns to the only person who might be able to help... The very handsome, barely respectable Restell Gardner has gained a reputation for helping people out of compromising positions. Never one to turn away a lady in need, Restell agrees to help solve the intrigue. Sensing there is more to the green-eyed beauty than meets the eye, Restell feels himself falling for Emma. But he resists succumbing to his passion...at least until he learns the truth about the danger that is haunting her. For if he gives in to temptation too soon, he could lose Emma forever...

Hmmm, I tried to read Jo Goodman before and I'm not a huge fan... I wasn't going to try this book, but then, caved in after all the good comments about this book. Long story short, I liked the characters and the story. While delivering a message for her cousin, Emma get kidnaps and beaten. Thinking that her cousin might be in danger, Emma gathers all her courage and goes to Restell Gardner to seek his help. Restell agrees and after another incident in which Emma almost drown, Restell proposes to her: marriage and protection. I really liked the characters and enjoyed the story. Restell is kind of enigmatic, there's something to him... He's not a rake, but not totally the gentleman... I guess his mother is right to call him rascal. I don't think that he was in love with Emma when he proposed, although I don't see another explanation. I liked Emma well enough. Very strong and calm... One of the best part I think is when Restell brought Emma to the gaming hall. My only problem with the book was the voice. I don't really like Ms Goodman's voice... I find it too formal and it makes it hard to get into the storyline. It doesn't have the same fluidity as other authors, even with good characters and plot... that's why I'm giving this book a B+ instead of anything higher.

Finally, probably the review everyone's been waiting:


Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
published by Avon Romance in October 2007

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the "ton," Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Wealthy beyond most men’ s dreams, Cam has tired of society’ s petty restrictions and longs to return to his “ uncivilized” Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship— but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter...

I've read many of Ms Kleypas' novels and for the most part, I find them so so. I still don't understand everyone's praise for Devil in Winter which I found again, only so-so... Anyway, wasn't going to buy it, but pretty much everyone went out and bought it... Can't be left behind right?

To my surprise, I quite enjoyed the book... Basically, Amelia is 26 years old and looking over her family, which includes an older brother, Leo, who's the new Lord Ramsey, and 3 younger sisters. Leo has lost the love of his life recently and is heart-broken and therefore, drinks, gambles and whores himself to forget... leaving Amelia to hold the fort. While out searching for her brother, she meets Cam Rohan at Jenner's... both are attracted to each other, but don't believe they'll meet again. Destiny has decided otherwise and reunites them at Westcliff's lands (Ramsey lands and Westcliff's are neighbors)... Meanwhile, Cam's pretty tired of his life and feels restless. Then he meets Amelia and he feels attracted to her... and decided she might be just what he needs...

So yeah, I enjoyed it a lot :D I think Ms Kleypas strength is when the hero is not from nobility. Cam was an interesting hero... he's torn between two cultures and have to make a decision. I really liked him a lot and how he always came through for Amelia. Meanwhile, Amelia wasn't a bad heroine. She was great in fact, except for the fact that she kept repeating she didn't want to marry and would be a spinster. I mean, please, when love comes knocking, just don't push it away. I enjoyed the dynamics of the family and there were quite a number of funny scenes. Three complaints however: 1) Kind of disappointed that Cam always showed up to help Amelia when she needed it... couldn't show how strong Amelia is... 2) there wasn't much of a plot... I mean, event happened one after the other and it made sense, but there wasn't that much of a plot. However, the characters were interesting and the author's voice, great and so it work out good... in which case, the treasure-hunting was superfluous. The Hathaways didn't need the treasure once Cam asked Amelia to marry him... 3) Win and Merripen (Amelia's sister and their surrogate Roma's brother). Does Win love Merripen, are they going to end up together? That was one of the storyline that wasn't tied up and personally, I don't want them to get their own story. If they get their own book, it's just bound to get more complicated and perhaps Win and Merripen won't be together :P Okay, I got carried away... overall, a B+ from me :D

ps- is Hathaway such a popular name? because three of the heroines are Hathaways LOL :)

Review: Double Trouble by Claire Cross

Youppi! I managed to come to work really early this morning... it's a quiet day with me having nothing much to do and no one's in the lab right now! So what does that mean? That I have time to write a quickie review!! (well, I would usually have blog-hopped, but not many updates since last night).

I didn't know which book to review and in the end, chose to review the last book I've read, which is Double Trouble by Claire Cross.


Double Trouble by Claire Cross
published by Jove in 2001

Maralys and Marcia are twins. Maralys is the bad twin, the one that didn't listen to her parents, the one that defied normality... the one that is still single with no kids. Marcia is the good twin, the one that accomplish all of her parents and the others' expectations... that is till she leaves her husband and two sons.
Nothing is going well for James Coxwell and his wife walking out on him is the last of his worries. About to lose everything for which he work so hard in the past 2 decades, James has to make quick adjustments... and that includes correcting an error he's made almost 20 years ago...

All right... so that is a very short synopsis and it leaves out a lot, but I think it's better than to give the book back blurb which is misleading a little :P

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Coxwell siblings, Book #2

Why did I get this book? Well normally, I would have skipped this book, because I'm not a fan of the H/H being brother/sister-in-law or have previously dated your sister/brother storyline... I mean, isn't there something bizarre about it? What convinced me of picking up this book is that 1) I like the happy-go-lucky, unusual woman and stuffy, yuppy man falling in love storyline and this one looked like one and 2) Devon reviewed it and seemed to have enjoyed it.

My impressions: I was pleasantly surprised about this book :D The plot was much more than I expected. Some twists here and there. I was also sad, because it seems like Maralys and James' lives could have been so different and much happier.

The Heroine, Hero and Romance: I enjoyed both characters quite a lot :D However, there was something that prevented me from connecting with them in order to like them. Maralys wasn't as happy-go-lucky as we are led to believe in the black burb and she has an attitude... it's like an armor with a cynic/sarcastic breastplate to protect herself. She's also pretty blunt I guess... and she's definitively the "what you see is not what you get" type. I mean, she appears irresponsible and everything, but she's definitively not... she's like the pillar in her family. As for James, he was okay too... handsome, but he comes with lots of baggage and I think that made him stronger. So you have to admire that... as for the romance, I'm happy that it wasn't a twin replacement and falling in love with the twin plot. Maralys and James had had feelings for each other for such a long time, but they've been suppressing it. Also, I was glad that they didn't jump into each other's arms right away. I have to admit that the flirting started a bit too soon in my opinion, but the rest of the relationship was well written... they didn't see or talk to each other everyday, Maralys was very reluctant committing herself and so on, also James tried to settle with the kids and figure out his problems before the romance... So I guess it was quite realistic in that way.

Secondary characters: There was no "subplot" or "secondary romance" in this book; however, we were introduced to many characters... James' siblings which turns out to each have their own book; however, we actually didn't get to see them him... they were just mentionned. Maralys' group of girlfriends. Lots of potential there for future books, which I think is the author's plans. The great thing is that they didn't overshine and steal Maralys and James story. They really were secondary characters which is the way I like it :D Other secondary characters worth mentionning are Maralys father which kind of play an important role, James' kids of course and Marcia... but Marcia only appears near the end, so she doesn't ruin it.

What I liked: It's hard to pin-point exactly what I liked. Yes, I did enjoy the story, but were there things I particularly liked, I don't think so. It's more the general feel of the book and the story. Oh, and one thing I really liked is as I said above, the plot is more complex than we are led to believe at first.

What I didn't like: Two things... first the pacing. Although I was glad that James and Maralys didn't just fall for each other as soon as the twin walked away, the pacing was of the story was kind of weird which impacted the romance. The other thing I didn't like was that sometimes, the way the book was written, you kind of forget that James is 42 y.o. and Maralys is 38 y.o. I usually like the H/H to be younger, i.e. mid-20's to mid-30's, so I should have been happy... but because you forget the characters are so "old," they just don't fit with the storyline anymore.

Grade: B

Recent reads - take 3

Okay, so the first time I tried to write this post I gave up... but then, I decided to start over, because the whole point of starting this blog was to share the books I read with the others and so far, I didn't really do it... so I started writing it up and then, lost electricity ^^; so hopefully, this time, it'll go up.

So, yes, I want to talk a bit about the books I've read lately, but I don't know in which format. I'm not the best writer nor am I the most coherent either... so yeah, I'm not the best reviewer and there's so many good reviewers in the romance blog land that I don't know if I can measure up (okay, I know it's not a contest, but...) I don't know if I should add the book blurb or not or whether I should write up a synopsis or just give my opinions... and talking about opinions, I don't express myself real well either, so... maybe I should just answer some questions. One review style I really like is Sandie's... so perhaps I'll try something similar to her...

But let's put everything aside and onto the recent reads now :D

Suzanne Brockmann is an author I'm not sure whether I like or not. I've read very few books of hers and so far, I've never been compelled to buy her backlist... Sure, I was a bit curious about some of her books and characters, because all her books are part of a series, but each time I thought of buying one of her book, I could stop myself. Even after reading 3 books this week-end, I'm still unsure...

The Unsung Hero : 3.5/5

This was a good book; however, there were too many sub-plots. I mean, if an author can squeeze 3 storylines in one book, then to me, it means that she didn't have enough material and had to scramble to come up with a full novel.

Tom and Kelly: They are the main characters and they're okay. It was nice that for once, the guy realized that he was in love with her first. What annoyed me was that Kelly was in love with Tom, but she didn't want to... she's afraid of marriage... but why?!? Personally, if it has been only their storyline, I would have bumped the grade down to 2.

Joe and Charles: Joe is Tom's great-uncle and Charles is Kelly's father and these two men have been best friends for almost 60 years... since WWII. I luv grumpy old men :P In novels, I've always loved how grumpy old men could soften to become reluctant sweet grandpa... not that it happens in this book, but still. Anyway, back to the book: both men were part of the 55th regiment and soon, it will be their regiment reunion (55 yrs. after WWII) and Joe will be celebrated as the Hero of Baldwin's Bridge town; however, he doesn't want to. Then, Joe is asked to be interviewed by a writer who wants to write the story of the 55th regiment. This create tension between the two best friends as Joe has agreed but Charles doesn't want him to talk. Basically, the story of this sub-plot is what really happened during WWII and who is the real Hero of Baldwin's Bridge.

Mallory and David: Mallory is Tom's niece and she's 18 years old. David, 20, is an artist who's working for the summer in Baldwin's Bridge and looking for a model for his new graphic novel's character. Mallory is somewhat of a rebel, but at the same time, she's sweet. She refuses to go to college because 1) her mom doesn't have enough money and 2) what will happen to her mom once she leaves? Then, she meets David who she considers a geek, but a nice geek. Anyway, story short, both fall in love with each other and it's so sweet! Both characters are sweet, but the most important is that they discovered what was inside :)

The Defiant Hero: 2/5

Basically, this book is not a keeper. I still haven't finished it, but I know... Anyway, here's the blurb:

The United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists." Meg Moore remembered the warning from her job as a translator in a European embassy.

Those same words will spell out a death sentence for her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by a lethal group called the Extremists. Meg will do anything to meet their unspeakable demands; anything—even kill—to save her child.

When Navy SEAL Lieutenant, junior grade, John Nilsson is summoned to Washington, D.C., by the FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation, the last person he expects to see holding a foreign ambassador at gunpoint is Meg. He hasn''t seen her in years, but he''s never forgotten how it feels to hold her in his arms. John could lose his career if he helps her escape. She will lose her life if he doesn't...

The whole story is confusing to me and I'm not sure what to think of Meg. She kinds of double-cross John, but still, he stands by her side and is ready to sacrifice his military career for her. Quite noble... which is why Meg annoys me. Just accepts his help! Don't try to do it on your own, because seriously, what's your chance of succeeding? She involved him by asking him to be the negociator, then she throws him away again and again. Just doesn't make sense to me.

I have to say that I like the grandmother, Eve, plotline tho.... While Eve is being held as hostage with Amy, Meg's daughter, she re-tells the story of how she fell in love with her husband, Ralph, to little Amy. That's story is quite sweet.

Then, what annoys me in this book is Sam and Alyssa's relationship - is this your book? No... so how come you have more sex than the main characters? and how come all you do is have sex instead of doing something a bit more constructive? So yeah, Suzanne Brockmann tries to set up her next book, but they take too much place. They steal the screen time of the main characters and worse, their story is not settle yet.

Gone Too Far: 2/5

This is Alyssa and Sam's story which I understand, fans have been waiting for a long time. They first appeared in The Unsung Hero and some other books afterwards as well. I didn't read the books between The Defiant Hero and Gone Too Far, so I'm missing some parts of their story and that is something I don't like. I don't usually care reading random books in series, because I know that I'm only missing some bits of their story such as how they were introduced. However, in this case, I'm missing big gaps and I think it's something that the author shouldn't have done.

Personally, I wasn't that interested in Sam and Alyssa once I started reading the book, altho I've been quite curious about them since I read Hot Target a few months ago. So this was a major disappointment. Even the presence of Tom and Kelly from The Unsung Hero couldn't help me like the book... and the last storyline - Max and Gina - didn't make sense to me, cos once again, I was missing too many gaps from other books.

In a few words, Suzanne Brockmann's books are definitively not stand-alone books. You really need to read them all... and in my opinion, the intrigue kind of takes the backseats... and the characters are a bit unreasonable to my taste.

Charming the Prince: 2.5/5

Quite frankly, I didn't like the book. I think it's the main idea of the book that I dislike. Lord Bannor comes back from France after the war and must now take care of his 12 children - yes, 12. He can't... he can't bear them, they're too much for him. So he asks his steward to find a wife that will be a mother to his children.

Appears Willow - who's been taking care of her 6 half-siblings + i don't know how many step-siblings. She sees Lord Bannor proposal as an escape route, tired of taking care of her siblings that her step-mom keep popping out... however, becoming Lord Bannor's wife is not much better.

Then, you have Lord Bannor that finds his wife beautiful, but he doesn't want to bed her, because he doesn't want more children (his family line is very potent). At first, Willow is hurt by Lord Bannor seemingly indifference, then she understands. So she goes to the village's whore to seek for advices... urgh.

At first, I really pitited Willow. I mean, she was like Cinderella, except that her father wasn't dead: she was treated poorly by everyone, she had to do everything, etc. Then, when she finally escapes her faith, she ends up as Lord Bannor's bride with tons of children to take care of. Hello, Lord Bannor, wouldn't it have been easier to hire a few more nurse to take care of them. Having a talk with your children instead of ignoring them would have help also. Then, Willow seeking the village whore(Netta) was a bit extreme ^^; Wasn't there any older lady, someone who could have given her advice? Was Netta the last woman on Earth?

Other things I didn't like in the book was: Lord Bannor's son romance. Desmond is 12 years old and he's falling in love with Beatrice, 14, who is Willow's step-sister. Isn't that a tad to precocious? At least, make both 16, 17... that's a bit bearable. I like to see two young people fall in love, but this was really too young for me. Then, Stefan, another of Willow's step-sibling, this time, closer to her age, leecherous attitude. I mean, Stefan has been demeaning Willow ever since his mom married Willow's father, ever since he stepped into the castle. I guess, as they grew, Stefan has been lusting after Willow and looking for a way to take advantage of her. But then, sending his little sister Beatrice to seduce Lord Bannor so the man wouldn't marry Willow and that Stefan would get her was a bit ridiculous. Add to that the kidnapping scheme... really...

So didn't like the book... and the 2.5/5 is because they were some funny moments that made me laugh. Teresa Medeiros thus join Suzanne Brockmann in the category - do I like this author or not? So far, I've read After Midnight - her regency/vampire series - which didn't entice me at all and Yours Until Dawn which was quite good. So I guess I'm going to have to read more books to have a good opinion.