Monthly Reads - January 2013

Wow, I can't believe we're in April already!! How did this happen?! I'm three Monthly Reads posts behind! My quest to catch up on everything just seems harder and harder to accomplish ^_^; Hopefully, with curling coming to an end, I'll have a more free time to read and blog... However, there's no way I'm going to be able to catch up if I don't cut some corners... In my last monthly reads post, I said I wanted to change the format of this post a little, to skip the summary of the books. I failed miserably last month, but let see if I can do it this time around ^_^;

So here is how I started 2013 reading-wise:


1) Your Wicked Heart by Meredith Duran: D

Amanda Thomas is overseas, working as a secretary. However, she leaves her employment to elope, but ends up jilted and without a penny to return to England. Then, she discovers that her fiancé is not who he said he was. The hero is Viscount Ripton who's looking for his cousin. He thinks Amanda is a thief and intends to keep an eye on her... a close eye.

Your Wicked Heart was a novella to introduce Ms Duran's new series. I'm not a huge fan of Ms Duran's books as they are usually misses for me ^_^; I like that she writes grittier historical romances, even though its not something I seem to be clicking with. I know, I know, I'm weird LOL. In any case, Your Wicked Heart just didn't work for me and honestly, I can't tell whether it was the story itself or me. The premise wasn't bad; however, I just didn't buy that the hero fell in love with the heroine... and so fast. I mean, he suspects her to be a thief! And just because they're in close quarters, he falls in love with her? I don't know, I just didn't buy it. Also, Your Wicked Heart is supposed to be a prequel novella, but I didn't really see how it introduced Ms Duran's new series... unless one of the characters is going to be the cousin. One last note, I was surprised how this novella was more typical historical romance than most of Ms Duran's works. Not a bad thing, but still a surprise.

2) Home for Christmas by Nora Roberts: C

Home for Christmas is an oldie by Ms Roberts which has been re-released in print in The Gift and this year, electronically in Holiday Wishes. I've passed over that book many times, but this year, I was in the mood for some holiday cheer and decided to give it a go.

In Home for Christmas, our hero is Jason Law, a prize-winning reporter, who returns home in New Hampshire. Despite his success, there's something nagging at Jason and perhaps going back to his hometown which he left as soon as he could might settle it. Plus, he needs a place to write his novel. The idea of seeing Faith Kirkpatrick, his high school sweetheart and the woman who didn't wait for him, is not far on his mind either... Except that he discovers the reason why Faith did not wait for him and it changes everything.

Home for Christmas was written in 1986, so for sure, it felt a bit dated. But otherwise, the story was okay.  Jason's attitude was a bit jerk-ish at first, wanting to show off his success to Faith, but given the circumstances, it was a bit understandable. Actually, I find the story between Jason and Faith quite sad, because the two were obviously in love, but the lack of communication made it they missed their chance to be together. I mean, you probably have guessed the reason why Faith did not wait for Jason. Anyway, Home for Christmas wasn't a wowzer, but wasn't bad either. As usual, a solid story if you don't mind the fact that it's dated.


3) All I Want for Christmas by Nora Roberts: B-

All I Want for Christmas is the other entry in The Gift and Holiday Wishes. This one features two mischievous twins whose wishes for Christmas is a mother... and they have the perfect candidate in mind: their cousin's teacher, Nell Davis. Nell is a music teacher and a native of New York City who has decided to give small town's life a chance. Mac Taylor, Zach and Zeke's father, is attracted by this sophisticated woman, but he's been burned once... and is not sure he wants to give love another go.

So All I Want for Christmas was my favorite story of the two and needless to say, it's in part due to the twins who were just so cute :)  However, Ms Roberts did a great job at not letting the kids take over the story, so we got to see Nell and Mac. I liked the couple as they were opposites attract. Nell was sophisticated, fun and vibrant. I would have loved to have her as a music teacher! :) On the other hand, Mac was rugged and quiet :P I also quite liked the role reversal where Mac was the single parent worried about his children. My only complaint was the romance could have used a bit more development, more communication, more togetherness. Still, an enjoyable story :)

4) Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski: C-

Cruisin' is a short YA story - emphasis on short - about two 17 years old girls being on a cruise. One girl is determined to lose her virginity... and rumors have it that there are vampires on the boat.

I wanted to read this short story because I've enjoyed Ms Mlynowski's previous work. Overall Cruisin' was not bad, but not great either. I just felt nothing much happened, as the whole story was about Kristin figuring out how to catch the attention of the guy she was seemingly attracted to. There was nice twist at the end, something I did not see coming so that was a nice surprise. If you want to read something short, this fits the bill nicely.


5) A Little Consequence by Amy Knupp: C-

Selena Jarboe needs distance from her family, especially since her mother has just disinherited her. Luckily, her father has willed her their beach house and that's where she takes refuge. To take her mind off things, she decides to do something she's never done: a one-night stand. Only, she gets pregnant. So she gathers her courage and informs the father, even though she doesn't expect anything from him. The last thing Evan Drake expects is to become a father and he does not react well. However, after the shock, he wants in in his child's life. Evan and his twin sister grew up without a father and it's not something he wants for his child. From there, Evan and Selena's relationship grows... but having lost her father to a dangerous job, Selena doesn't know how to deal with Evan's career as a firefighter and the dangers he faces every day.

I wanted something short and had read Ms Knupp, so I picked up A Little Consequence. Okay, okay, I was also in the mood to read about a sexy firefighter. Unfortunately, the story was more focused on Seletna than Evan... which turned out to be really unfortunate, since Selena got on my nerve for most of the story ^_^; I get that Selena comes from a privileged background, but to be so out of sort after she's been cut off. It's not that she was weak, but she was too dependent and didn't have much of a backbone. She's lucky she met the people she did, because otherwise, I don't know what would have become with her. And then, there's the fact that instead of facing issues, she runs away... and she seems scared of living. I wanted her to stand her ground, to face things, to grow, but it never seemed to really happened. On the other hand, I quite liked Evan. Sure, his reaction to the news wasn't ideal, but it felt realistic... and he sure did step it up afterwards. Unfortunately, as much as I liked him, he wasn't enough to save the book for me. Especially since I wasn't sure about the romance and their chemistry ^_^; So definitively not the best book by Ms Knupp :(


6) Wish by Kelly Hunter: B

In Wish, our heroine, Billie Temple, is a single mom who is moving away from Sydney for her new job as a pub manager in the hopes of providing a better and safer life for her 10 years old son, Cal. The only accommodation available is a rustic little house. When Adam Kincaid, the landlord, meets Billie and her son, he's not happy... because he has lost a wife and a son. However, instead of being assailed with painful memories, Adam starts living again.

I enjoy Ms Hunter's books and I was curious about Wish because it seems such a departure from her usual category romance books - no exotic locations, no intrigues, no businessmen/women. Just straight contemporary romance about two regular persons meeting and falling in love in rural Australia... And you know what? Of course, Ms Hunter pulls it off! :) I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the romance. Both Billie and Adam have their baggage and they deal with it, not letting it come in between them. I enjoyed how their relationship developed slowly. They were good, honest, hard-working people that you couldn't help but root for :) The secondary characters were also very likable and there was a small mystery aspect that was quite surprising. All in all, solid book.


7) A Breath of Scandal by Elizabeth Essex: B-
Upcoming Review.


8) Chance of a Lifetime by Jodi Thomas: B


9) The Trouble with Magic by Madelyn Alt: C-

10) Moonlight Masquerade by Jude Deveraux: DNF

It's been a while since I last read a novel by Ms Deveraux, so when I stumbled across Moonlight Masquerade, I thought "Why not?" Especially since it was a contemporary romance and the blurb made it sounded so cute. As you can see from the grade, it wasn't really my best decision. Here were my thoughts after I decided to DNF Moonlight Masquerade:

Almost immediately, everything about the book got on my nerve or rubbed me wrong. The whole "summer romance" and the heroine not being the type of woman someone married - what a load of BS. I totally understand why she was pissed, but afterwards, to steal a heirloom?!? That was ridiculous and very dumb, especially considering that almost immediately, she got scared and kept looking over her shoulder. Also, I have to wonder, what did she hope to accomplish really? Then, needing a place to hide and a job. If you get a job, don't you need to feel paperwork in which case, you're so easy to be located?!? Then, the almost getting run over by the hero. Okay, the hero was at fault because apparently, he was checking out a caseload while driving... but the heroine wasn't totally innocent either. It's dangerous to walk on the side of the road, especially a curve!!

So yes, I wasn't liking the heroine very much. I did like the internal conflict of the hero... the fact that he was constantly being compared to his cousin, that he was miserable in his job and so on. But I stopped reading the book when he rushed to the dealership to exchange his car so it wouldn't remind the heroine - his new personal assistant - that he almost ran her over because he enjoyed the food she cooked him. Ugh. Once again, can I say, ridiculous?!?

I tried reading the last couple of chapters to see if the book got better, but nope, it didn't seem to be. I mean, the guy who dumped her came back to apologize and win her back... so what do you get? A mini love triangle. That was the end of this book for me.


11)The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter: A-


12) Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: B-
Upcoming Review.


13) Double Crossed by Ally Carter: B+

***

Balance
Books bought: +1
Books read: -13
TBR pile: -12


Genres
Category Romance - 2
           --> (Contemporary - 2)
Contemporary Romance - 5
Historical Romance - 2
        --> (Regency - 2)
Cosy Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 2
Fiction - 1

***

The start of 2013 was a rough one for me in every aspect, mainly because my family and me were in Germany for my aunt's funerals :( The only bright light was that we were together and got spend time together... but otherwise, rough start. No internet and nothing to do. I tried reading, but I simply wasn't in the mood and that explains why there are so many short reads at the beginning of the month and perhaps, the low grades as well ^_^; Then once I came home, it was getting back into a routine, starting a new job and so on. And then, you add in the fact that there weren't that many new releases I was looking forward to in January and well, tough month.

Anyway, given the circumstances, I have to say I'm quite surprised at the number of reads and you know what? I'll take it :)

What about you? Good or rough start to 2013?

Review: The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter

The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Kiss in February 2013

"The man who's always left her wanting more!"

Good job? "Tick." Newly purchased apartment? "Tick." Evie's life is on a pretty even keel at the moment. The only thing missing? A man with an edge to keep things interesting.

Enter Logan Black. Tortured, distant and sexy, Logan has edge written all over him. He's also the man who tipped Evie "over" the edge a few years back - she gave him everything, but he didn't know when to stop taking.

Leaving Logan was the hardest thing Evie's ever done. Until now. Because Logan's back, the chemistry is as blistering as ever and this time he's not going anywhere....

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: None

The Story: If you've read reviews for The One That Got Away, then you probably already heard about how the cover is misleading. Contrarily to what the cover projects, The One That Got Away is not a happy-go-lucky, fun or fluffy story; instead, it is dark and intense. Hopefully, my summary will give you a better idea of what you're getting into :)

Ten years ago, Evangeline Jones and Logan Black had a week-long affair in London. Back then, Evie was only 19 years old and very malleable which suited Logan's dominant personality just fine. However, after one of their bed games went wrong and resulted in Evie being injured, Logan called it quits and disappeared from Evie's life.

Now a successful engineer, Evie and her business partner, Max Carmichael, are about to bid for their biggest project. However, in order for everything to go smoothly, Max needs to have access to his trust fund which will only happen when a) he turns 30 or b) he gets married. Therefore, Max and Evie are planning on a marriage of convenience... But the last person Evie expected to meet when Max introduces her to his family is Logan who turns out to be Max' half-brother.

Very quickly, Evie and Logan realize that their chemistry is still present and as sizzling as ever. But losing control all those years ago has scared Logan... and he knows that there's no way he can lead a normal life if Evie becomes his sister-in-law; therefore, he wants her gone. However, Evie has grown into a strong and confident woman. This time around, she won't let him call all the shots. What she wants is to explore their chemistry and see where it will lead.

My Opinion: It's funny because when you pick up a book, you can never tell whether or not you'll connect with it. If it's an author that you enjoy, chances are higher that you will... but there's still the possibility this will be the exception, the miss. Quite frankly, I didn't have high expectations when I started The One That Got Away, mainly because the last book of hers that I've read, Cracking the Dating Code, while enjoyable, was far from a wowzer. However, as soon as I started The One That Got Away, it immediately grabbed me and I could not put it down... so it doesn't come as a surprise that I ended up loving the book, right? :)

So what was it about The One That Got Away that got me hooked? The intensity. It was the intensity of what Logan and Evie were feeling for each other, almost like an obsession. In the beginning of the story, it made the sexual tension between them palpable and also just enhanced their chemistry. I'm aware that this intensity is not for everyone, but for me, it really worked :) Also, I thought it fit well with the storyline. It made it believable for me that after 10 years, they haven't forgotten and still craved each other.

Aside from the intensity, what did I enjoy? Well , pretty much everything LOL. I liked Logan and Evie's characters. Part of the intensity comes from Logan's personality in my opinion. He's very focus, determined and can be ruthless. He also has a lot of baggage which has pretty much molded his life, but he's aware of it and I was glad for that awareness.  In retrospective, he reminds me a lot of Jayne Ann Krentz and Linda Howard's businessman heroes, but with a lessen jerk factor LOL. He's really the kind of heroes I enjoy reading about in contemporary romance. In real life, I think he'd be a bit too much, but in fiction, just perfect. As for Evie, I really liked her as well. I loved how she stood her ground with Logan. She has definitively matured into a strong and confident woman since her affair with Logan and she did not hesitate to let him know which is exactly what Logan needed. Something else that I really liked about Evie was her patience with Logan when it came to their relationship. She gave him space and was understanding... and perhaps at times, too understanding and forgiving, but in the end, I think it was the perfect way to deal with Logan. Between, something else I enjoyed about Evie and Logan's relationship aside from the intensity was the communication and honesty. I feel Evie and Logan communicated more than in most contemporary romances I've read. Oh they didn't tell each other everything, but it was still more than most couple and there was no misunderstanding between them which I really appreciated.

As for the storyline, once again, it worked for me. I liked that Ms Hunter didn't drag on the false engagement  too long. I liked how it was resolved, because really, it was obvious that Max and Evie could not get married. I also really liked Max as a secondary character. He was a great friend to Evie and had her back. His romance was very surprising, but refreshing as well :) By the way, this reminds me that I need to credit Ms Hunter for the risk she took in The One That Got Away with the dominant/submissive affair Evie and Logan had 10 years ago. This topic is not very common in category romance, but seriously, I think the risk really paid of for Ms Hunter because it set The One That Got Away apart and that's a good thing in a genre that is full of stereotypes.

Of course, The One That Got Away was not perfect... but I thought the flaws were minor. I think what was most disappointing was the climax of the book. Almost all of the book was a build-up to it, but in the end, the climax was very short and seemed to have little impact. I think Ms Hunter could have expanded a little bit... but at the end, I'm still very happy with the book.

My Grade: A-. I really loved The One That Got Away, it just hit me in the right spots :) It might still be early in the year, but it's safe for me to predict that this book will be my favorite category romance read of the 2013 :)

Monthly Reads - December 2012

Hi everyone! How are you doing? Me, I'm tired ^_^; Ugh, this whole saving daytime light is simply not working for me! Of course, going out till 3am in the morning last Friday night on the week-end we "spring forward" was not my most brilliant idea ^_^; Something that I'll have to remember for next year LOL. Aside from that, life is pretty quiet. I'm still "practicing" at work which gives me some free time which is good because there are a lot of new books I want to read! :)

Speaking of books, here is my Monthly Reads post for December ^_^; As you can see, I'm still behind... and that's why I've decided to change the format a little. Nothing major, but something that will definitively save me time and make me stop dreading these posts. So what is the change? I'm still going to continue to review some books in these Monthly Reads posts, but I won't be summarizing them anymore. As a result, what you'll get is truly mini-reviews, just my opinion :) I think it's a good decision given that I'm so far behind in my reviews ^_^; Let me know what you think!

Now, here is what I read in December:


1) Cold Days by Jim Butcher: A

2) The Weird Girls by Cecy Robson: C-

The Weird Girls is a little novella whose purpose is to launch this new urban fantasy series, The Weird Girls series, that has caught my interest. The premise is four sisters who each has unique powers thanks to a curse: Celia can change into a golden tigress and that ability is accompanied with preternatural speed and strength; Taran releases her power in the form of lightning and fire; Emma is a telekinetic and can heal; and Shayna is a blademaster with the ability to manipulate metals. They have recently move to the supernatural community found in Lake Tahoe and hope to keep a low profile due to their unusual abilities. Of course, things don't go as planned and in The Weird Girls, our four sisters get into a dispute with the local witch coven...

So I thought I'd give The Weird Girls a try and get a feel for the writing and the characters before the first book, Sealed with a Curse. However, after reading the novella, I can't tell whether it was a good idea or not, because frankly, based on what I read, I'm not sure I would have picked up Sealed with a Curse ^_^; Except lucky for the author, I had already pre-ordered the book so eventually, I'll give it a try. Overall, I can't exactly pinpoint what didn't work for me with The Weird Girls except to say that the story just didn't hook me. I actually quite liked the premise of the series - the four sisters being cursed, which is why I decided to give the series a go... but the series was underwhelming. There was a lot of set up for the world and the characters and perhaps along with the fight with the coven, it was too much. It'd have been better for Ms Robson to decide what she wanted to accomplish with this novella - introduce the series or tell a story. Also, I just didn't connect with Celia who was the narrator. I think it was the whole "everyone is attracted to my sisters because they are hot, but not me because I'm scary." She's also very protective of her sisters and self-sacrificing and in the end, sounded a bit too martyr-ish to my tastes.

The novella wasn't all that bad; however, I didn't feel the need to rush for the next book and that speaks volume right?


3) The First Prophet by Kay Hooper: C

4) Cracking the Dating Code by Kelly Hunter: C+

In the past couple of years, I've started building up a list of auto-buy authors for category romance and Ms Hunter is one of them :) I enjoyed the first book in this series, Flirting with Intent, and it was just a matter of time for me to pick up Cracking the Dating Code. The heroine of this book is Poppy West, a genius at cracking code. Good thing to because that's exactly what she needs to do in order to find out whether her eldest brother is still alive or not and what he's been up to. Since what she's about to do is ultra secret, she needs an ultra secret place to do it and her co-worker offers her the use of his island... whose currently only occupant is his brother, Sebastian Reyne. Attraction sparks between them, but Poppy is shy and socially awkward... and therefore decides to ask Sebastian to teach her how to flirt. As for Sebastian, he thought the last thing he needed at the moment was a woman, but perhaps he was wrong?

All in all, I did enjoy Cracking the Dating Code, but I thought something was missing to the story such as some intensity and some development. I felt the first half of the story that took place on the island was quite slow. Not much happened as both our H/H were absorbed by their own worries and therefore spent little time together. And when Sebastian finally admitted he was attracted to Poppy, there was the whole worry about whether his brother was also attracted to her as well. Finally, when Poppy and Sebastian got off the island, the story picked up, but it was already too late. I feel Poppy and Sebastian were given obstacles - and serious ones at that, but the way it was addressed in Cracking the Dating Code made them superficial and easily rectifiable. Otherwise, I enjoyed Poppy and Sebastian's pairing :) I find Poppy's flirting lessons were the best moments of the story because the characters were witty and spontaneous :)

5) The Navy Seal's Bride by Soraya Lane: D

I've heard a lot of good about Ms Lane's writing and I've been meaning to give it a try, but I think I chose the wrong book ^_^; In The Navy Seal's Bride, the hero, Tom Cartwright, is an ex-Navy SEAL due to an injury that has robbed part of his hearing and not surprisingly, is struggling to adjust to his new civilian life. While his brother and sister-in-law have are on their second honeymoon, Tom is baby-sitting his niece Gabby and that's how he meets Caitlin Rose, Gabby's teacher. Caitlin is attracted to Tom, but wary of his military background because she's had bad experiences in the past... and Tom's occasional spurts of anger due to this injury do nothing to reassure her.

I thought the beginning of The Navy Seal's Bride was very promising. I loved the relationship between Tom and his niece, Gabby. It was so heart-warming and cute LOL. I also admired the tight bond Tom had with his brother and sister-in-law. They had each other's back and given their line of work, that was very reassuring for each of them... But that's about all I enjoyed about the book ^_^; The romance simply didn't work for me in The Navy Seal's Bride. Tom and Caitlin didn't seem to have any chemistry together, especially since she was so wary of him. Every time he'd get angry, she'd start to reassess him and their relationship. That made it hard for me to believe the HEA ending at the end. It would have been more realistic if it's been more gradual. Something else that didn't work for me was Tom's frustration at his injury. I know it's hard for him that his career ended in that way, that he's lost a lot... but it's been done so many times that it just bored and annoyed me. Also the fact that Caitlin had a past and that it was Tom's waking call to stop being so down because of his injury just seemed too convenient. And once again, the changes in Tom's attitude were just too rapid to be believable.

All in all, the story and romance just did not work for me. I'll have to try another book to find out what's all the buzz about Ms Lane.


6) The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry: C
Upcoming Review


7) The Importance of Being Wicked by Victoria Alexander: B

8) My Bluegrass Baby by Molly Harper: C

My Bluegrass Baby is a novella by Ms Harper and since I enjoyed her writing a lot, there was no doubt I'd be picking this up. Sadie Hutchins works for the Kentucky Tourism Commission and loves her job, loves advertising the quirky tourist spots in Kentucky. She's expecting to become the new director of the marketing department. That is until there's a new candidate for the position, Josh Vaughn. His plan is to promote a sophisticated, high-end image of Kentucky which is totally opposite to Sadie's vision... which is good as each will have to create a new publicity campaign to see who will become the new director.

My Bluegrass Baby was a nice, light-hearted novella. There wasn't as many LOL moments than in most of Ms Harper's book, but it was still funny and enjoyable. I thought both the story and the characters were interesting... to a certain point. I liked the setting - the Kentucky Tourism Commission - and the idea that both Sadie and Josh had to show what they are made of to earn the job, especially since the two really have contrasting styles and visions. The problem with the novella was that the whole story was a little bit passive. We were told more than we were shown and as a result, it felt a little bit draggy in the second half. I think the novella would have been better if it had been written at the 3rd person and if readers had had Josh's POV. We would have had a better sense of what was going. Not only would it have benefited the story, but also the romance. As it is, it felt like Sadie and Josh did a 180 degree on their feelings for each other. They started out despising each other, mostly because they had opposing visions of how to promote Kentucky tourism and are competing for the same position. Yes, there was a little bit of attraction, after all, they are both good-looking, and I know they got to know each other better by working together, but I'd have liked to see those interactions more instead of the office wars.

So an enjoyable novella with a different subject matter, but not the best I've read from this author.

9) Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath: C+

Readers got to meet the hero of this novella, the Marquess of Chetwyn, in Lord of Temptation, the second book of The Lost Lords of Pembrook trilogy. I really liked what I read of Chetwyn's character in Lord of Temptation - it's rare to see the jilted party so open-minded, gracious and kind - and was really hoping he'd get his own story. Well my wish came true with Deck the Halls with Love. We find out that before Chetwyn proposed to Lady Anne, his dead brother's fiancée, out of misplaced duty to his brother's memory, he was actually courting Lady Meredith Hargreaves to whom he was attracted to and the feelings were reciprocated. Now, Lady Meredith is engaged to another man because she was caught in a compromising situation - a kiss ^_^; However, Chetwyn doesn't intend to lose her twice... even if it means stealing her from another man.

To be honest, I was expecting more out of this novella. I mean, the story was cute and sweet and the characters, nice. Also, the beginning and ending were fun and clever... But all in all, I feel there was the potential for so much more in this novella and it wasn't reached because of the length. Seriously, I would have had no trouble reading a full-length novel with Chetwyn and Lady Meredith and it would have given Ms Heath the chance to flesh out the storyline a lot more. First, Chetwyn needed to grovel a bit more. Only logical after he broke Lady Meredith's heart by proposing to another woman, no? Second, I liked the direction where Ms Heath was going with Meredith's engagement. She was obliged to accept the proposal of a man she wasn't sure to love because they were caught in a kiss. Should she really risk her happiness because of a kiss? Of course, perhaps she shouldn't have allowed the kiss in the first place, but still. And then, what if the kiss and being caught had been orchestrated? I would have liked to see that part more fleshed out, but of course, it was impossible due to the length. Since what I've been wishing was impossible, I would have settled for simply more interactions between Chetwyn and Meredith, because most of it, most of their falling in love had happened prior to the story and therefore off-pages ^_^;

All in all, a cute novella, but I think Ms Heath missed a good opportunity for a great novel as she had a good story and very nice characters. Also, this is not aimed specifically at Ms Heath, but I'm really tired of heroes who propose to women they don't love because they think that taking care of someone = marriage!! Seriously, how dense can they be?


10) Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong: B


11) Forbidden by Kelley Armstrong: B

***

Balance
Books bought: +5
Books read: -11
TBR pile: -6


Genres
Category Romance - 3
      --> (Contemporary - 3)
Contemporary Romance - 1
Historical Romance - 2
      --> (Regency - 2)
Mystery/Thriller - 1
Urban Fantasy - 4

***

All right, so it seems I'm not very good at writing reviews without summarizing the plots ^_^; But at least, I put less pressure on myself to do so and it seems to work :P Let see how the next Monthly Reads post goes, because I'm really dreading that one...

Anyway, looking back on December, it was an okay month. It started out with a bang with  Cold Days which was my best read in 2012 and it ended on a high note with two books from one of my favorite authors :) Middle of the month though was so-so... However, I kind of expected it. December is always a tough reading month for me, because there's almost no new releases! You'd think it'd be the perfect time for me to catch up on books I hadn't have the chance to read during the year... but it's not the case! Instead, I go into a funk because there's no new releases to buy and read, then I start worrying about my final number of books read during the year - which is why there are so many novellas. And of course, holidays season starts and I get busy with this and that and end up having not as much time to read as I expected. Oh well, maybe I'll learn something and have a better plan for this year's December LOL.

So how was your month of December? Do you even remember it? LOL.

Week-End's Minis XII: Flirting with Intent by Kelly Hunter

Sorry, this week's feature is late! ^_^; I went to Disney's Beauty and the Beast: The Broadway Musical yesterday afternoon and was meeting friends for lunch prior to it. Then, my sister wanted to go grocery shopping... So I did not manage to finish the post before I left! Yep, I wake up every Saturday, sit at my computer and type the mini-reviews... I try to write them in advance, but it never works. Anyway, it works out well since there's no Hauling Sunday post this week :)

Once again, there was a tie in the poll's result. Flirting with Intent and Eon: Dragoneye Reborn both came in first. Usually, I would have reviewed both of them... but I did a lot of blogging this week and thought I'd cut everyone a break (you and me!) LOL. So I'm reviewing Flirting with Intent this week and Eon, next week. Hey, maybe this time, I'll be able to write the post early...

Enjoy!


Flirting with Intent by Kelly Hunter

published by Mills & Boon in April 2012

Ruby’s Relationship Rules... Ruby Maguire’s done with being messed around by men. Now she just needs to know three things about a potential bedmate: his name, where he’ll be in a week’s time, and what it is he wants from her. Damon West knows plenty about subterfuge and secrets, and nothing about being truthful with women. But Ruby demands honesty between them so Damon gives her as much as he can: I’m Damon West. I’ll be leaving Singapore in a week. And I want you to touch me. At least, that was the intent... but something’s telling normally bullet-proof Damon that one week with Ruby might not be so easy to recover from...

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: The Wests, Book #1

What do you need to know? Okay, that blurb doesn't say much ^_^; First, the story doesn't take place in Singapore, but in Hong Kong ^_^; Ruby Maguire is a sharp and confident woman who used to be a corporate lawyer. Yes, used to, before her famous banker father was accused of skimming 872M$ and instead of going to jail, escaped without a trace, and a word, to parts unknown. Now, the only job Ruby managed to secure was offered by her father's long-time friend, Russell West: social secretary - which she knows was a position created only for her. Still, she's determined to do a good job - after all, she is over-qualified and knows the intricacies of the social circle in HK. Her latest task is to organize Russell's family Christmas party as his 4 grown children will come to celebrate.

Enters Damon West, Russell's youngest child. He's handsome, smart, charismatic and a complete enigma to Ruby. All Ruby knows is that Russell likes and is proud of Damon, so the guy must be doing something good.  The two are attracted to each other, but ever since her father deserted her, Ruby has issues. She thought she knew her father... but turns out she didn't. So now, she demands honesty from men... and honesty is something Damon cannot offer.

Why this book? Li read and enjoyed this book and since I like Ms Hunter's books, I decided to give it a go :)

What I liked? I loved the characters in this one, particularly Ruby. I loved how confident and self-assured she was, loved that she was smart and sharp and loved that she knew what she wanted. I really enjoyed the opening scene when she met Damon and they went shopping for Christmas gifts together. How quickly she pegged him and his sisters. I think Ms Hunter's writing made that scene, the fast pace and the wit. Throw two smart characters together who can verbally dueled each other and how can they not be attracted to each other? :) I also thought that Ruby was very strong and brave, after everything happened with her father. To stay in Hong Kong is proof of that. The fact that later in the book, she gave her resignation letter to Russell and was planning to start practicing another kind of law is another proof of how resilient Ruby was. Obviously, the fact that she still had a great deal amount of her own money helped, but even without, I know Ruby would have been fine... And I hurt for the woman who missed her father, who hoped to hear from him...

As for Damon, I thought he was charming and very likable :) I also liked the secondary characters, i.e. the Wests. They were all nice characters, but I have to say, what got to me was their dynamics and their closeness. Oh and as usual, I loved the setting of the book :)

Any Issues? I kind of have two issues with this book. The first and more important was the romance. I definitively think Ruby and Damon made a great couple; however, I thought the timing was a bit rushed. Especially when both of them believed it would go nowhere. And then, the fact that Damon couldn't seem to let go - that was cute, but it wasn't the kind of romance I wanted to see for the two of them. Damon's reaction when Ruby found out about his job annoyed me as well. It was clear that he didn't trust her... so to have them developed a relationship under such circumstances. Also, once their relationship got more serious, I felt Flirting with Intent lost a bit of steam. It felt like the book changed focus and we didn't have any sharp and witty exchanges anymore which was what I liked the most in the first half of the book.

My second issue is about Ruby's father. I'm glad that Ruby got closure about her father... but the way it turned out was a bit annoying. I mean, it's just a bit too coincidental that Ruby's father turned out to be in the same line of work as Damon. And poor Ruby, it really showed there was a whole side of her father that she didn't know.  Although her beliefs that there was more in the whole story and her father was a good man weren't wrong, so that should bring a bit of comfort. All this also links to the romance because Damon found out about Ruby's father and didn't tell her... and when she learns about it, she is understandably upset. I mean, she asked him to be honest with her upfront. I don't understand how this could be turned turned upside down and somehow, Ruby was in the wrong. At least, she made it up to Damon. However, the whole thing niggled at me :(

My Grade? B-. All in all, despite the few issues I had, I still enjoyed Flirting with Intent and I thought the first half of the book was excellent. I can't help but wish this book was longer - I know, I know, it's a category romance, what was I expecting? Still, I think if it was longer, Ms Hunter would have been able to develop some aspects of the book better.

WEM IV: Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit by Kelly Hunter and Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

The past week has been pretty quiet. I've been busy at work with another grant application deadline. Ugh. Luckily, I cheered myself with some books! I can't wait to show you all my haul! :)

There was only 5 votes for this week's poll ^_^; So I decided to review both books that had gotten votes LOL. I also thought it'd be a good time to ask you what do you think about the poll itself? Is it annoying to vote each week? Would it better to have polls from time to time only? Let me know what you think :)

In the meantime, enjoy!


Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Presents in March 2012

Restoring a dilapidated hotel doesn't come cheap, but Mia Fletcher doesn't want to accept financial help from Ethan Hamilton. This dangerously sexy businessman isn't someone who takes no for an answer, however, and soon their flirting turns into something more...

Mia knows Ethan isn't a forever kind of guy, but she cannot resist taking what he has to offer by getting him out of his immaculate suit and into bed! Surely their explosive affair will burn itself out—unless Mia can tame his untouchable heart...

Genre: Category romance, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was originally released in the UK and Australia first in June 2007 under the title of Sleeping Partner. The story is about Mia Fletcher who debarks to Penang, Malaysia, after inheriting a dilapidated hotel from a mother whom she thought had died 24 years ago. Obviously, she's emotionally conflicted... but is still trying to understand the woman her mother was. One thing she's determined to do though is to stay clear from Nathaniel Hamilton, the widower her mother chose over Mia's father, and his son, Ethan. However, Ethan is determined to offer his help and act as the big brother... However, the attraction between each other is nothing like brotherly/sisterly feelings.

Why this book? I enjoy Ms Hunter's category romance books. Her style really suits the genre and her stories are quite original and refreshing. Plus, I enjoy the exotic settings :)

So my thoughts? I usually enjoy Ms Hunter's category romance books and Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was no exception. I thought the H/H were both likable characters. It was nice to see Mia discovering herself and literally blooming. As for Ethan, he was nearly the perfect man: attractive, attentive, nice and helpful. I thought Ethan and Mia handled the start of their relationship very well given the awkwardness of the situation... The only thing that mar the romance for me is that Ethan was yet another hero who could not open himself to love and commitment because of his past marriage. Otherwise, I enjoyed this couple and their banter.

One thing I really enjoyed in Trouble in a Pinstripe Suit was the exotic setting. Ms Hunter definitively has a knack for writing them and making the culture come through vividly :) I also liked how complex the relationship between Mia's parents and Ethan's father was. How deeply they had loved and how deeply loss have affected them. It made it real and more poignant in my opinion. However, I wished Mia would have found more answers about her mother and her choices. It's clear she loved both men, but at the end, what made her choose Ethan's father and therefore, forfeiting Mia? And I really liked how Mia's father came around. He was portrayed as a very stoic and strict man at first and it seemed he was emotionless... but instead, it was a man who felt too much and got hurt, and therefore shielded himself... Even if it pushed his daughter away a little. Like I said, complex :)

My Grade? B-.


Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

published by New American Library in January 2012

Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.

Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.

Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Veiled Seduction series, Book #1

What do you need to know? After her cottage has been ransacked, Liliana finds some secret correspondence  which belonged to her father. From these letters, Liliana figures that there was some sort of foul play in her father's death. If her father has been murdered, Liliana is determined to find out the culprit and the answers seem to be at Somerton Park, the Earl of Straftord's country home.

Why this book? I had my eye on this book ever since I came across it while making my list of new releases. Then Ames read it and enjoyed it, so it sealed the deal for me :)

So my thoughts? Okay, I'm going to start by saying that I wasn't in the greatest reading mood when I read Sweet Enemy, so it might really have affected my enjoyment of it ^_^;  Basically, Sweet Enemy never managed to hold my attention :( I just wasn't into it. While Liliana's idea to go to Somerton Park to investigate was not bad, I was annoyed that she didn't seem to differentiate the man from the earl. I mean, her only evidence is the letters came from the Earl of Stratford... but since the correspondence with her father, there's been two other Earls of Stratford. So it bothered me a tad that she was so suspicious of Geoffrey... Also, I didn't feel like Geoffrey and Liliana had good chemistry. One minute, Geoffrey was attracted and the other, he was angry with her. It just didn't work for me. One minute Liliana didn't want Geoffrey's attentions and the other, she wanted it. It was continuously up and down with them.

I think what annoyed me the most was Geoffrey's reaction to Liliana when he found out her real motives for being at Somerton Park. I understand she was there under false pretenses... but he really acted like an ass :( Another issue was Liliana's scientific background. I had no problem with her being a chemist. I thought that was really well done actually. However, the fact that she was also a "healer" at the same time. The circumstances were explained in the book, but it was still a sore spot for me at the end. I'm not saying she couldn't be both... However, it's clear that Liliana saw herself more as a chemist. Chemistry and medicine are two completely different things. Yes, they are both sciences, but even today, if you ask a doctor about a chemistry question, and a chemist about a medicine question, they will most likely not be able to answer. With a scientific background, I do believe that Liliana is more knowledgeable than most simpering ladies... but it doesn't make her all-knowing. I feel that a lot of historical romance authors do this mistake. They want their heroines to be different, more knowledgeable... but they tend to confuse the disciplines. And another thing, I'd wish Geoffrey would have confront his mother.

There were some good points to the book. I liked Liliana and Geoffrey's characters, but just not as a couple. I liked that Liliana was independent. I liked that Geoffrey was trying to pass some reforms for helping soldiers who came back from war. I liked that while Geoffrey was injured during the war, the injury wasn't a big issue for him. I also thought the intrigue was interesting and liked the way it was unfolded.

My Grade? C-. I definitively had a hard time with Sweet Enemy, hence the grade. However, I feel it was more my mood than the book. As a debut novel, Sweet Enemy wasn't a bad effort at all and I wouldn't hesitate to give Ms Snow's writing another try in the future.

Monthly Reads: November 2011

Okay, two weeks in a row that I don't have any Hauling Sunday post. What can I say? No releases, no new books to buy! However, this week-end, I've been good and have worked on my Monthly Reads post for November! And guess what? I did it! Here it is!! So take a look at what I read, how much I enjoyed them and let me know what you think! :)

1) Playboy Boss, Live-In Mistress by Kelly Hunter: C+

This book has a very misleading title. Basically, Playboy Boss, Live-In Mistress has a friends to lovers plot and is the story of Alexander Wentworth, a millionaire businessman, training his childhood friend Sienna Raleigh to be the perfect personal assistant so she can make a decent living and keep her family home.

Based on the title, I was expecting something along the line of a very playboy boss entering a relationship with his personal assistant and changing his way. However, we didn't see much of Lex' playboy manners. Still, I liked his character, perhaps because he was so straightforward. In comparison, Sienna really got on my nerves, because she was so wishy-washy. Her doubts and worries were somewhat understandable based on her background, but I think she should really have considered the fact that Lex was nothing like her father and their situation was very different from her parents'. I think my real problem is that there was a lack of depth throughout the book which meant I wasn't really involved in the story and as a result, the story seemed to drag a little.

2) The Villa by Nora Roberts: B

I felt like re-reading this book, because I don't think I've ever read it in English :) The Villa was a standard NR stand-alone book which means a bland of romance, complex family interactions, a theme to the book which in this case was wine-making and a mystery :) In The Villa, the matriarch of Giambelli family, the Signora Tereza Giambelli, is looking to pass the reins to her granddaughter, Sophia Giambelli, and her husband's grandson, Tyler MacMillan. However, before she does so, she intends for her successors to have a better understanding of the firm. As a result, Tyler, who is dedicated to his vines, and Sophia, the marketing wizard, have to collaborate to learn each other's area of expertise... And obviously, not everyone is happy with the situation.

I liked The Villa a lot. I think it was a really strong read :) Tyler and Sophia were interesting, well-developed characters and it was a case of opposite attract :) It's kind of interesting to see the two of them get together because they've known each other for a long time after all, but they've never been close... but they're willing to do anything to succeed, even put up with each other LOL. I also really enjoyed the family interactions in this book as they are quite complex. The mystery was also interesting and there was a nice twist at the end. All in all, a very good and well-round book. Still, it wasn't perfect for me and ultimately, I think it's because there were just too many POVs and it detracted from the story a little. While The Villa was not a short book by any  means, because there were so many POVs, it seems some parts were not fully developed and I wanted a bit more.

3) Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims: E

I picked up Beauty Dates the Beast when a review brought this book onto my radar. I was quite unaware of its release... and personally would have preferred it stayed that way ^_^; Bathsheba works at Midnight Liaisons, a dating agency for paranormal beings. While she's human, she's aware of the paranormal because her half-sister is a werewolf and was changed against her will. Beau is the Alpha of his pack and also leader of the Alliance. One of the females in his Pack is in heat and therefore Beau needs a woman to keep him company. When Beau's match renegades on the date, Bathsheba decides to go in her place in order to keep her job.

Now, I admit the grade might be a bit harsh and two factors influenced it: 1) I'm PNR'd out and 2) I was expecting something funny based on the blurb and review. Still at the end of the day, I never got in this book and it was a real struggle to finish it. Basically, nothing worked for me. First, the world building was quasi-nonexistent which is always bad when it comes to PNR, UF and fantasy books. This really bothered me because for PNR, having characters that can turn into animals or suck blood is not enough! Ms Sims throws in some elements such as the Alliance, but she never develops it, never gives us the information so we can understand how this world works. It's just frustrating.

Another major strike was that I didn't care for the characters. Beau was okay I guess... except the fact that he needed a willing female to rut with. It's just been overdone and a really bad opening to a relationship it seems. As for Bathsheba, I didn't like her at all. I thought she was too wishy-washy and let people walk all over her. I hated how she let herself be blackmailed by her boss. I understand that she's trying to protect her sister, but that's not how you do it... and proof, it turned into a fiasco at the end. Also, the fact that she was a virgin and suddenly, all the big, bad shapeshifters in the neighborhood wanted her? Bleh, so passé. Finally, the romance felt really rushed to me and I simply didn't buy it. Oh and the book wasn't very funny either.

All in all, Beauty Dates the Beast fails across the board for me, hence the grade :(


4) The Next Always by Nora Roberts: B


5) The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas: A-

6) Baby It's Cold Outside by Addison Fox: C+

Sloan McKinley is 30 years old and after finally transforming from the ugly duckling into a swan, her socialite mother despairs at Sloan still being single... and therefore is trying to set her up with young men of their status, but who are all jerks. To avoid such matchmaking, Sloan escapes to Alaska where her best friend, who went there to settle her father's estate, is having a really bad time. There, Sloan meets Walker Montgomery, a lawyer who has no interest in love and yet can't deny the sparks with Sloan. She's also just in time for the town's annual winter competition whose goal is to attract the bachelorettes from all across the country.

Baby It's Cold Outside was a cute read, but it didn't have me engaged all the way. I think its biggest flaw was it suffered of the first book complex where it sets up everything and as a result, the focus was taken away from Sloan and Walker. I mean, their romance is pretty typical where Sloan and Walker meet, dance around each other for the longest time and then, conflict is introduced as Walker not believing in love and relationship based on what happened to his parents' marriage and at the end, everything is resolved. The fact that it's typical is not a problem; instead, it's the way it was written. Their scenes didn't make up a continuous thread in the book, it felt disjointed and ultimately, it affected the chemistry between these two characters. It's unfortunate because Sloan and Walker were likable characters, they made a nice couple and I liked that they worked out their problems.

I think where Ms Fox went wrong is she spent too much time introducing the town and the competition, developing the conflict for the two other couples, Grier and Mick, Avery and Roman. It does pay off because I hope they will get their respective books and I'll most probably pick them up, but it comes at a cost and Sloan and Walker are the one paying.  And also what frustrates me is that it leaves a lot of unresolved elements in Baby It's Cold Outside.


7) The Man She Love to Hate by Kelley Hunter: A-
Upcoming Review.

8) Always the Bridesmaid by Nina Harrington: C

Always the Bridesmaid is an enjoyable book when you read it, but not really memorable ^_^; Like all I remember at the moment is the heroine is a baker who works really hard. She is supposed to make the cake for her friend's wedding, when the wedding planner elopes with one of her client. As a result, heroine's friend's wedding is jeopardized... It's up to the heroine and her friend's brother to step up and deliver the perfect wedding.

I remember liking the heroine and her job as well as the hero. However, the romance was so-so. It seems to me, nothing was really happening throughout the book. The pacing was a bit slow and it took awhile for the heroine and hero to get together. Also, the title doesn't make much sense to me...


9) Forgotten by Cat Patrick: B
Upcoming Review.

10) The Spy Who Left Me by Gina Robinson: C

Trefle is in Hawaii with her cousin whose wedding was aborted at the last minute and who decided to bring her whole bridal party on her honeymoon instead of letting it go to waste. There, Trefle runs into her soon-to-become-ex husband who's a CIA agent and working undercover. She's still in love with him, but they have gone their separate ways because of his job... and she is determined to have Ty sign the divorce papers so she can move on. Meanwhile, Ty decides this would be the perfect occasion to win back his wife... if only his cover wouldn't be blown.

I was really looking forward to The Spy Who Left Me. Once again, I was expecting something funny... but I think my sense of humor went on vacation. This is the type of novel where some scenes are really exaggerated and you have to take it with a grain of salt. I have to say, I really liked the premise and the story had potential. I liked that Trefle and Ty were still in love with each other and that Ty was aware that his job was not easy on their marriage. Still, when everything is said and done, it bogs down to communication. I really felt for Trefle and what she went through, but I thought her asking for a divorce was jumping the gun. If she had explained the whole situation, I'm pretty sure Ty's reaction would be different and so when she would have asked him to quit his job, he would have handled it better.

All in all, I liked Trefle and Ty as a couple and I'm glad that they worked out their relationship. What didn't work so well for me was the case Ty was working on, that the book was all over the place, the action was a bit difficult to follow. Also, the switch in position between Trefle and Ty at the end was really annoying to me. After all this though, I'm not sure if I'll be picking up the next book in the series.

11) His Mistress by Christmas by Victoria Alexander: C

His Mistress by Christmas was better than The Perfect Mistress but by a very small margin. Basically, Lady Veronica Smithson has been a widow for three years and is ready to embark into an affair. Because she wants to keep her independence, she'd rather become a mistress than enter a marriage.. and she has chosen Sir Sebastian Hadley-Attwater as her potential lover. Meanwhile, Sebastian who's an explorer is ready to settle down. He's attract to Lady Veronica and wants marriage.

I liked the characters better in His Mistress by Christmas; however, I thought the romance was a bit dull between Veronica and Sebastian. They didn't really have much chemistry between them and as a result, it was hard to believe they had fallen in love at first sight. I just didn't get why they were both in love with each other so quickly, as they really didn't know each other well. Also, the Christmas theme in this book is very light...

I did like that Veronica loved her first husband genuinely, even though he was quite older than her. I liked both characters' families and their relationships with them. And my favorite scenes were the ones in which there was banter between either Sebastian and Veronica or Sebastian with his family. Personally, I think this series of Ms Alexander is really not standing out and it's a good move to her to switch direction and instead of writing Portia's book, to focus on Sebastian's family members. As it is, I'm looking forward to My Wicked Little Lies :)


12) Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally: B

13) Cold Touch by Leslie Parrish: B-

I was looking for a romantic suspense and decided to pick up Cold Touch. I have read Ms Parrish in the past and didn't fall in love with her writing, but didn't hate it either. Plus, I had read good reviews for this book :) The story is about Olivia Wainwright, a psychic, who upon touching a dead body is able to relive the deceased's final moments. She developed this curse when she was kidnapped from her bedroom at the age of 15 and her kidnapper almost drowned her. She was lucky to have escaped thanks to a little boy and has never forgotten him. Years later, Olivia recognizes the boy in a sketch that the police has obtained from the skeleton found in-between the walls of a bar... Olivia knows the boy lost his life because of her and is determined to find out his murderer.

I quite enjoyed the suspense in Cold Touch, but thought the romance between Olivia and the detective in charge of the case, Gabe Cooper, was a bit too rushed. I just felt they didn't really have time to get to know each other and developed such feelings. I also felt the psychic powers made things too easy for them. Then again, I'm very critical of psychic powers and suspense, because I'm a huge fan of the FBI SCU series by Kay Hooper, so yeah, I'm biased ^_^; All in all, the case was well done, I liked the investigation and there was a few interesting surprises in there :)

14) A Talent for Sin by Lavinia Kent: D

A Talent for Sin was not really a winner for me and I can sum up my feeling for it with one word: meh. I'm not usually a fan of younger hero and older heroine, but in this case, I thought it was interesting premise and it had a lot of potential. I especially liked the fact that our hero wanted to marry the heroine. Unfortunately, A Talent for Sin became too melodramatic for my taste with the heroine sacrificing herself for her sister. Also, I was disappointed that the hero didn't fight more for the heroine that he supposedly loved. I mean, given the heroine's past three marriages, she really had good reasons not to want to embark in another one... so it'd have been really good if the hero had tried to win her. Instead, I found immature that he just walked away. I also really didn't like the heroine's younger sister as I found her too calculative.

15) Her Best Friend's Wedding by Abby Gaines: D+

Her Best Friend's Wedding has one of my least favorite trope where the heroine is in love with someone engaged and is hoping that the wedding will not take place. Luckily for me, the hero wasn't the groom-to-be, but the bride-to-be's brother. So yeah, Sadie Beecham is in love with her colleague, Daniel, and think they're about to start a relationship... But that all changes when she introduces Daniel to her best friend, Meg Kincaid, and he has only eyes for her. Then they get engaged only after a few weeks and they all return home to start organizing the wedding. Meg's brother Trey realizes that Sadie has feelings for Daniel and wants to make sure that she won't interfere in the relationship.

I thought Her Best Friend's Wedding had really solid writing and solid characterization. That being said, I really didn't like any of the characters ^_^;  I thought Sadie, Daniel and Meg were all very immature, I didn't like how Sadie pined for Daniel and was waiting for the relationship to run its course and fail. I also didn't have a very high opinion of Daniel. I can understand love at first sight, but he was two seconds away from starting something with Sadie and I would have liked him better if he made a clean cut with her before starting to woo her best friend and roommate. As for Meg, she was not only extremely immature but so selfish.

As for Sadie and Trey, first of all, their romance was not really developed at all. One minute, Trey was keeping an eye on Sadie because he was afraid she'd ruin Daniel and Meg's relationship and the next minute, Sadie was in love with him. Have I been in his position, I would have had doubts as well. It just seemed so sudden and not well transitioned :(

16) A View to a Kiss by Caroline Linden: D

A View to a Kiss is a historical romance featuring a spy agent, Harry Sinclair. He and his colleagues are charged to protect 3 important political men from rebels. One of the men is an earl and the father of the belle of the season, Lady Mariah. While being the belle of the season is all well and good, Mariah finds none of her suitors interesting... in fact, they're all boring. The only man to catch her attention is the one who accosted her in the dark...

All in all, this book was so-so only. I never really got into it and didn't care much about the H/H. The romance was flat in my opinion and not very believable. Sure Harry was mysterious and intriguing, but she really didn't know anything about him... so to fall in love with him? The only interesting part of the book in my opinion was the end where we learn something about Harry's identity. That surprised me.


17) To Wed a Wild Lord by Sabrina Jeffries: B
Upcoming Review.

18) Tis the Season to be Sinful by Adrienne Basso: B

I read Tis the Season to be Sinful because Hilcia quite enjoyed it and I was in the mood for a Christmas-themed book. This book is about a marriage of convenience between Richard Harper, a rich American industrialist, and Juliet Wentworth, a widow with three children and an estate to care for. To show his status, Richard wants to buy a country estate and has chosen Juliet's. Except hers is to rent only to pay for maintenance and she wants to keep it as it is her son's inheritance. After witnessing Juliet being bullied by her brother-in-law, Richard decides to strike a bargain with her. He'll not only buy the mansion, but will also marry her as he needs a society wife to be a hostess. Juliet agrees as this will ensure her children's future... However, she wants more than a marriage of convenience.

Okay, bad synopsis, sorry... but at this point, my muse is really tired LOL. Tis the Season to be Sinful was a very nice romance and perfect for the holidays.The characters were all very likable from Richard to Juliet to the three children. I also thought their emotions and conflicts were interesting and realistic. I enjoyed the relationship between Richard and Juliet quite a lot. Even from the start, it was more than a marriage of convenience and they both knew it, but they didn't know each other very well... The learning was nice and well done :)  One thing that really sets Tis the Season to be Sinful from other historical romances or Christmas-themed books was the details Ms Basso added. She really included a lot of Christmas traditions and many I wasn't aware of and that was definitively a nice touch :)

The only reason this is getting a higher grade is that I didn't care much about the secondary romance and I thought they got rid of the brother-in-law a bit too easily.

Books bought: + 9
Books read: -16
TBR pile: -7

So looking back, November was a so-so month. There were a few books I really enjoyed, but at the end of the day, there were a lot of Cs and Ds... Much more than usual. I do think it's the books, but I can't deny that my mood had something to do with it as well. I just felt so restless in November, not knowing what to read :(

I'd like to point out also that I've read 4 books from my RWA TBR pile :) I'm happy about that number... cos I haven't been reading that many of it, since I'm always too busy running after the new releases. I'll definitively have to continue this year :)

And so that was it, November 2011 :) Now, only December to go!! LOL.

Lightening Reviews

Quick question - do you review all the books you read? I know that many of you do or try to, but I never manage. Between reading, working, reading, sleeping, reading, blog-hopping, reading, surfing the net, reading and everything else, I don't have time to review all my reads. I'll usually review the ones that inspire me or what's hot on blogland :P and that's why I'm having lightening reviews today.

Bedded for Diamonds by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Presents in February 2008

The Plot: Tristan Bennett is a burn-out Interpol cop who returns to his home country, Australia. He meets curious and talkative taxi driver, Erin Sinclair, who's actually a jewel designer. Erin needs to buy stones for the designs she planned to enter in a competition and has prepared a trip with her brother... In the end, her brother can't and none of her friends or relatives either. Without a choice, she turns to Tristan who has offered his help.

Genre: contemporary romance

Why? I picked this book up because I read the first book by this author, Wife for a Week, but didn't realize that she had a second out until Rosie blogged about it.

My Opinion: I really enjoyed this one, even more than Wife for a Week. I thought that the storyline was a bit more believable. The story was interesting, the chemistry between Tristan and Erin, sizzling and I enjoyed the characters. I like Erin's type :P If you want to read a good Harlequin Presents, this is one :)

My Grade: B+


Once in Every Life by Kristin Hannah
published by Ballantine Books in 1992

The Plot: Tess Gregory has overcome the odds. Although raised in forster homes where she never felt like she fit and becoming deaf after having meningitis, Tess has a great career as a cancer research scientist. Unfortunately, Tess' life comes to an end in an accident; however, she is given a second chance and begins a new life in post-Civil War America as Amarylis Rafferty, wife and mother of three. Only problem, her children are afraid of her and Jack, her husband, doesn't seem to love her very much.

Genre: Historical romance, time travel

Why? This book was the reason why I went back to the library. Dev has read When There is Hope by Jane Goodger recently and liked it. In the comment section, Kristie recommended Once in Every Life. I couldn't find When There is Hope, so I picked up Once in Every Life instead.

My Opinion: This was an okay book. I thought the storyline was okay, but the romance aspect, a bit bland. Tess arrives in post-Civil War America unprepared, but she seemed to adapt way too quickly. Not just to the time period, but also to her surroundings and new family. So the transition wasn't too believeable. Also, I didn't see why she would be in love with Jack. Of course, that's necessary in order for this book to be romance, but Jack... I guess Jack was a beta hero. He has come back from the Civil War changed and because of some events happening, he was disinherited by his father and his wife, Amaralys' behavior towards him completely changed. He wasn't really an hero I would root for... Also, I thought it'd be harder for Tess to draw out the family, to make people like her, but it didn't happen. The only person that was resistant to her was Jack, with good reasons... but otherwise, everything went too smoothly. To be honest, I'd have preferred if it was only Tess and Jack, without the children.

My Grade: C

All or Nothing by Claire Cross

published by Berkley Trade in March 2007

The Plot: Zach Coxwell is the black sheep of his family and has made many mistakes in the past. After the suicide of his father, it's time for Zach to grow up and assume some of his responsibilities and prove himself to his family... Jen Maitland is a waitress at a pub whose life has stopped 2 years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although she is now in remission, she doesn't enjoy and see life as she used to. For Thanksgivings, her mother and grandmother insist that she brings someone to dinner or else, they'll start matchmaking her. Wanting to be left alone, Jen and her sister come up with a plan - Jen has to bring someone that her family will hate, who will be totally incompatible with her... someone like Zach.

Genre: contemporary romance

Series: Coxwell siblings, book #4

Why? I read the 2nd book in this series and really enjoyed it. I had this in my TBR pile, but I didn't feel like reading it till I saw that it was one of Jill's best read in 2007.

My Opinion: I enjoyed the book, but not as much as Jill. I like how these two who are so different on the surface come together and fall in love... I had a few laughs as well, especially from Jen's family. They are quite special. I liked finding out what happened to the other Coxwells and also, to see Zach grows and his family's reluctance to believe in him. What annoyed me though was Jen's attitude because she didn't want to fall in love with Zach. I understand her situation... she doesn't know how long she's going to live, she's afraid of relationship, especially after her ex-boyfriend dumped her. The thing however is that you started it all Jen. You invited Zach into your life and "used" him for your plan. It didn't work out as you expected, but you can't just tell him to get out of your life when you want. All do end well though... and perhaps, that's why I didn't enjoy this book as much. Also, I think that Zach's past should have been more elaborated... It would have been interesting to see why he made those choices in his youth.

My Grade: B

Freefall by JoAnn Ross

published by Signet in February 2008

The Plot: Sabrina Swann and Zacharah Tremayne both come back to Swann Island after events have changed their life; for Sabrina, it was a terrorist bombing, and Zach, a SEAL mission gone wrong. Both have come back to Swann Island to relax, recover and put their life back together... and they help each other on this journey. However, there is danger on the island... namely, a serial killer.

Genre: contemporary romance

Series: High Risk, book #1

Why? I usually enjoy JoAnn Ross.

My Opinion: This book didn't work for me... I can't really put my finger on why exactly, but there were a few things I dislike: I didn't feel the chemistry between Sabrina and Zach. Granted, they have a past - which consists of Sabrina throwing herself at Zach and him turning her down. In their situation, I don't know, I didn't feel like they were ready to get into a relationship. Sure, love heals... but I'm not even sure they really love each other. I mean, I'm not sure they knew each other well enough. The plot was okay, but could have been more focused on Zach and Sabrina. Instead, you had too much of the other characters - the villain, his victims and the secondary couples. Also, I didn't like the ending about the serial killer... the way his identity was revealed. I think it'd be better if his identity was revealed to the readers at the same time Sabrina discovered it. Anyway, I have the feelings the author didn't know what to develop - the romance or the serial killer storyline... and in the end, she missed the boat for both.

My Grade: C-