Monthly Reads - February 2013

Woohoo, you gotta love scheduled post! Can't believe that I have at least one! :) Yay!  Since I'm writing this before I leave for Punta Cana, it means that the mini-reviews are pretty rushed. However, I think they reflect my opinions of the books, just not as polished as I'd like. Now, I need to catch up on the other months!

Enjoy!


1) The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne: B

2) Heist Society by Ally Carter: B

3) Sweet Deception by Heather Snow: D

I wasn't in the greatest mood when I read Sweet Deception, but despite everything, I feel the book was really so-so. Emma was an interesting character and Derick had an interesting background, so there was potential to Sweet Deception, but the execution left a lot to desire. I liked Emma's math mind and that she was up her "expressions" - that was endearing. At the end though, I feel there was just too much that was told instead of being shown and that was the downfall. I also feel the author could have developed the hero's story a bit more. I feel that at the end of the day, I still didn't know about him except for his anger at his parentage. Plus, the ending was a bit unbelievable and we didn't really know the villain's motives - why and what he did with the money. Oh, the "can't help themselves" romance and big misunderstanding were the nails in the coffin. Just so used :(

4) One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean: C-

I think this one might have gotten a higher grade if I had been in a better mood. However, it is what it is. The beginning of One Good Earl Deserves a Lover was very strong in my opinion. I just enjoyed the dialogues, the exchanges and how Pippa left people speechless LOL. However, once Cross decides to succumb, I kind of lost interest in the storyline. The hero has not been with a woman for six years, so why Pippa? Yes, he was attracted to her, but what was it about her? Is everyone so weak that they can't control their urges? Is it weird that I want reasons for when they behave differently? Aside from the romance, I'm pretty sure there was an intrigue, but quite frankly, I can't remember it ^_^; The only thing that stands out in my mind still is that Pippa was outraged when she found out Cross' true identity... and I can't help but wonder why. She said she did her research and I doubt that it was such a big secret. So she's not very good at it? Also, can Cross really just walk back and claim his title? Meh.

5) How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox: C

Ms Knox is quickly becoming a favorite author on blogland, but for me, she's more hit and miss. I picked up How to Misbehave because everyone raved about it and it left me a bit lukewarm. Yes, it was hot and sexy, but the timeline just didn't work for me. I'm so tired of hook-ups and that's essentially what this story was about. The hero and heroine have been eyeing each other, attracted. Then, suddenly, they are thrown together because of bad weather, can't resist and have sex. The hero is not into commitment so walks away, the heroine is heart-broken and eat ice cream. However, the hero cannot live without her and therefore, returns and boom, let's be together. Meh. Also, there was a lot of sad stories and sequel baiting. Perhaps if it hadn't been in a novella format, it would have worked better for me. 

6) Always the Best Man by Fiona Harper: C

I was looking for a opposites attract story with my favorite theme, the stuffy shirt hero and happy-go-lucky heroine, and found it with Always the Best Man. Unfortunately, the storyline didn't hit the right not for me, mainly because it was just no fun. The reason I enjoy the stuffy shirt hero and the happy-go-lucky heroine so much is seeing how the heroine thaws out the hero, how perplex he often is in front of the heroine... and that just didn't happen in Always the Best Man. In fact, both the hero and heroine had a lot of baggage in this book and the heroine wasn't as happy-go-lucky as I thought, she just hid behind an acerbic sense of humor. Also, she wasn't as confident as I'd hope. As for the hero, he was more likable, but only because he realized at the end that his thinking was flawed. He'd put his best friend's wife as the ideal woman and figured out he was wrong. Since the title was Always the Best Man, I wished we've read a bit more of him as a best man LOL. Otherwise, I feel they lacked a bit of chemistry and wished they had worked a bit more on their issues. As such, it makes it a bit unbelievable for me that the hero would propose at the end and that the heroine would accept. Overall, not a bad book, but not impressed either.

7) Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O'Keefe: B+

8) Hip Check by Deirdre Martin: C-

I don't know what took over me to read two hockey romances one after the other, especially since I'm not a fan of hockey ^_^; However, that's what happened and given that the premises were similar to a certain point, i.e. the hockey player hero getting guardianship of his niece, well I can't help but to compare the two books... and unfortunately, Hip Check was lacking in comparison. 

Mainly, I thought it was hard to like the hero, Esa Saari. I can understand resenting getting guardianship of his niece because he has to change his lifestyle, but he's the adult here. At one point, he needs to suck it up and just be there for his new charge, because the kid is what matters. And I don't want him to start making efforts, to change simply to please the hot nanny. I want it to come from his heart and I found that honesty missing in Hip Check. The heroine was a bit more likable. I liked that she chose to become a nanny and that she enjoyed her job, that's what she wanted to do and she was good at it. I liked Maddy's relationship with her charge. It's just too bad she let her father and brother walk over her.

Also, the romance in this one was so-so. I think the sudden attraction between Esa and Maddy was awkward, it needed a little bit more build-up. For me, it seemed that Esa suddenly realized his teammates found Maddy attractive and he decided they couldn't have her. Also, the pacing of the book with the fast-foward in timeline just didn't help the romance.

9) The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie: B-

10) The Best Intentions by Candice Hern: B-

11) Pivot Point by Kasie West: A

12) Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb: B

***

Balance
Books bought: +6
Books read: -12
TBR pile: -6


Genres
Category Romance - 1
        -->(Contemporary - 1)
Contemporary Romance - 3
Historical Romance - 4
        -->(Regency - 4)
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 2
Fiction - 1

***

It doesn't look like so from the grades and number of reads, but I felt February was a hard month for me. Just because there was a period where I didn't really enjoy what I was reading :(  Luckily, the end of the month was so much better! I have to say, i don't remember much of my February month, but given how my reading year is going, I'm happy with 12 books :)

What about you? How was February?

Week-End's Minis XXI: About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

For a second week in a row, I did not buy books! Yay! Actually, LOL, I'm not sure if it's such a good thing or not. I mean, obviously good for my wallet and TBR pile, but what about my mental state and happiness? LOL. I guess we'll find out soon ^_^;

Anyway, since there's no Hauling Sunday post, I decided to catch up and go with a Week-End's Minis post :) I truly wanted to post this yesterday, but it was the annual BBQ! And I spent Thursday and Friday evenings grocery shopping and prepping for the BBQ. As usual, we had chicken wings and fish meat balls :) However, this year, we also had homemade sausages!! And my sister was in a baking mood, so we got green tea macarons and a Alaska Bomb cake!!

 BBQ and homemade sausages. I LOLed when I opened the box. My friend had told me the sausages were fat, she forgot to tell me they were short!

Green tea macarons! So yummy!!

Alaska bomb: raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, sponge cake and meringue

Hope you liked the pictures :) And the review!!

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
published by Random House Publishing in June 2012

Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.

Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine—even her name turns him on—with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.

When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: none

What do you need to know? Cath Talarico was a daddy's girl and when her father passed away, she rebelled and got wild - very wild - and ultimately led to some very bad decisions. When her mother passed away from cancer, Cath decided to straighten up and be good. She moved to London to start over, taking a job in a museum... And she mainly has spent the last couple of years observing people. The one that has caught her attention is a man who often takes the same train with her whom she nicknamed City. Polished and successful, he's also very punctual and a gentleman. However, she never planned to start an affair with him! But he's very tenacious and she can't seem to shake him off... and very quickly, she's not sure she wants to.

City's real name is Nev Chamberlain and he works in the family banking's empire. He feels trapped because of his older brother and mother, who wants to pull the strings as if he was a marionette. Unfortunately, Nev has worked too hard in the business to start over in another company or to chase after his dream of being a painter.

Why this book? I had my doubts about getting About Last Night because I did not really enjoy Ms Knox' debut, Ride with Me. Ultimately, Kristie's review convinced me - plus, I love a good opposites attract romance :)

What did I like? I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed About Last Night, because I had definite reservation coming in. However, Nev just won me over :) I loved his character! Such a gentleman, but at the same time, he was not a pushover :) He didn't let Cath drive him away; instead, he went after what he wanted, her :) I also loved how patient he was and how he drew Cath to him. I also have to say, the chemistry between Cath and Nev was very good :) I did think the attraction between Cath and Nev happened a bit too quickly; however, in the end, it worked because of their chemistry and the fact that the two have been eyeing each other on the train for a while. And I enjoy the romance thanks to Nev's tenacity.

By the way, I don't think About Last Night was such an "opposites attract" romance as Cath and Nev weren't so different. Yes, their family backgrounds were opposite, but personality-wise, not so much. Both had reasons not to live freely, kind of hiding their true nature... and on a lot of subjects, they were on the same wavelengths. Truly, I just feel "opposites attract" was not really the theme Ms Knox was going for, but that's what marketing picked up. I don't really care though because I really enjoyed the book :) And most of it has to do with Ms Knox' development of the characters. She did a great job because Cath and Nev were both interesting and fully fleshed. Although I have to say, I did not enjoy Cath as much as Nev.

What didn't work? I really  had only one issue with About Last Night and that was Nev's idea to pretend he had elope with Cath to his family. I have to give credit to  Ms Knox because she didn't go about it the usual way and in the end, it was not the focus of the book - yay! However, it simply was really a bad idea and plot device for About Last Night and also, very unnecessary. I mean, since it was not the book main plot device, it also made the story very predictable. Ugh. Had it not been for it, About Last Night would have been an A for me.

My Grade? B+. Really enjoyed the book and will be giving Ms Knox another go in the future :)