Week-End's Minis X: Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan

Last week, I didn't put a poll on the sidebar for the Week-End's Minis for two reasons: 1) I knew what I wanted to review and 2) I haven't been reading as fast lately, so didn't have enough options for a poll ^_^; I thought my reading had picked up last week-end, but I only managed to read one book this week! Ugh. At least, I'm blogging, so small blessing :)

So this week-end, I'm reviewing Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan. I read I Want Candy last week and knew it'd be a mini-review... Although I might have rambled quite a bit and the review might not fit "mini-review" anymore LOL. Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to also review Cheri on Top since it's the first book in the series which I have read when it was released and had slipped  though the cracks.

Enjoy and have a nice  week-end!


Cheri on Top by Susan Donovan

published by St. Martin's Press in August 2011

Sun-drenched beaches, designer-label clothes, drop-dead-gorgeous boy-toys... all paid for with a series of high-risk real estate deals. That’s the lifestyle Cherise Newberry and her BFF Candy enjoy after leaving rural North Carolina for Tampa—until the market tanks and they lose everything. Cheri is surviving on Ramen Noodles and temp jobs when she gets a call from home to come back and run the family’s small-town newspaper. Just one catch: She’ll become the boss of her high school crush—and former brother-in-law—who might have the power to crush her all over again...

But Cheri is surprised to see how “bad boy” J.J. DeCourcy has grown into the hard-working and principled managing editor of The Bigler Bugle. Still, according to Cheri’s bitter sister, he’s not to be trusted. If Cheri’s going to co-exist at the with this sexier-than-ever man from her past, she needs to stay professional—and keep her distance —even though he sets her on fire. When they’re handed the biggest news story in the town’s history, Cheri must trust J.J., even it means putting her life in danger... and her heart on the line.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #1

What do you need to know? I think the paragraph of the synopsis is pretty accurate. However, what's misleading is that J.J. was a lot more than Cheri's high school crush. They were in fact a couple back in high school. The two of them along with Candy and Turner - now the town's sheriff - were like the 4 musketeers. However, Cheri and Candy were determined to leave Bigler and spread their wings... And when J.J. went after Cheri, she was on top of the world. That is until her sister, Tanyalee, called J.J. informing him she was pregnant and he was the father. The next thing Cheri knew, J.J. was marrying Tanyalee. Cheri and her sister never had a good relationship and let just say this just made it worst.

Now, coming back to Bigler and the family business is a big blow to Cheri's pride... and living with her great-aunt Viv is a trial. It doesn't take long for Cheri to take refuge at the family lake's house, her childhood home. Another trial is working with J.J. who's a reporter for the Bugle and on the trails of a very hot story when a car and a corpse, both decades old, are dragged out of the lake. Murders, embezzlement and mayhem ensued.

Why this book? Now that I think about it, I have a weird relationship with Ms Donovan. Whenever Ms Donovan has a new release out, I'll be on the look-out for it... Yet, a lot of her books are hit and miss and I'm starting to wonder why she is an auto-buy author for me ^_^; Why am I not more selective about her books like I am for other readers? Reputation? Peer influence? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, I picked Cheri on Top because it sounded fun :)

My thoughts? Well, I thought that Cheri on Top was not the best book I've read, but not the worst either. I think one of the reasons I felt that way was the characters. At best, I could say my feelings towards them were neutral. I think one of difficulty is the situation both found themselves in. On one hand, you have Cheri who appears to be very materialistic, proud and to a certain extent, selfish. I understand that Cheri has attained such high and to drop so low, well you don't want everyone to know... and that's understandable. However, I got annoyed with the front she put, the whole "Oh, my grandfather begged me to come back" and so on. I also don't understand why she didn't confide in her grandfather - he's the kind who cares and is concerned for her well-being. Another thing that bugged me is the lack of family sense... Tanyalee and Cheri have a bad relationship and given the circumstances, that's okay. Her great-aunt Viv is not the easiest person to live with and that's fine too... But still, her great-aunt Viv and her grandfather are getting older... Isn't Cheri concerned for them? Then, on the other hand, you have J.J. Everyone makes mistake, but J.J.' s was big and a bit hard to overlook. Confessing your love to Cheri and being interrupted by a phone call from her sister announcing she's pregnant and you're the father? Ouch. The whole fact that 1) he slept with someone else and 2) Cheri's sister... Even if Tanyalee instigated it and all, still ouch. I do admit though that mistake aside, J.J. turned out to be a good guy. However, sometimes, first impressions are hard to overcome ^_^;

The romance between the two is as you'd expect. Basically, Cheri and J.J. still have feelings for each other and once in close proximity, despite their past, they have difficulty keeping each other at arm's length. Actually, they have difficulty keeping their hands off each other LOL. So there was plenty of sexual tension and the chemistry was there. I liked that they worked things out, especially concerning their past. That was the big obstacle to their relationship... although I kind if wished they'd also talk more about the present. What they wanted now.

I'd have to say, if it was for the characters and the romance only, this book wouldn't have scored high points with  me... but surprisingly, the mystery was pretty interesting :) Ms Donovan did a good job with it as well as integrating it to the romance. Plus, there was some very funny parts - pregnant squirrel comes to mind :) And that made me enjoy the book more.

My Grade? C+. In the end, I found Cheri on Top was a quirky read and had a good time.

I Want Candy by Susan Donovan
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2012

Candace Carmichael was just getting used to the lavish life when everything went sour. Now the down-on-her-luck real estate agent is back in Bigler, North Carolina, jobless and illegally rooming with her her mother in a swank retirement community. All this makes her wonder why she ever considered her BFF Cheri’s invitation to move back home. Life in this small mountain town may not be as glamorous as the one she had in Tampa, but she knows a girl can’t be too choosy in this market. Besides, everyone’s happy to welcome Candy back—especially one handsome widower named Turner...

Turner has grown up to be one fine-looking piece of man candy—and looks even tastier in his sheriff’s uniform. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t resist kissing him when he pulled her over for a traffic violation. Even if a relationship was part of Candy’s business plan, Turner would be off limits—he still wears his wedding ring, four years after his wife died. If falling in love too fast is a crime, Candy is soon guilty as charged and ready to be fingerprinted. But is she ready to lock away her dreams and hand Turner the keys to her heart?

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #2

What do you need to know? Well eventually, Candy followed Cheri home to Bigler, but she's still totally broke. Candy's plan is to find a job, make a bit of money and as soon as she can, she'll leave the town and start over. Eventually, she gets a cashier job at the diner... and while she's trying to scrape money together to rent an apartment, she is rooming with her mother at the retirement community - not something she ever expected, especially given their relationship. Then, the night clerk starts developing an unhealthy crush on her and Candy finds herself unknowingly tangled in a joint task force investigation for a drug bust.

Ever since their high school days, Turner had a crush on Candy... However, it was clear they had no future together since her father would never approve of Turner because of his skin color. But now, the planets seem to have aligned themselves: her father's death, Turner is a widower and Candy seems to have finally realized what a hunk Turner is...

Why this book? Same reason as to why I bought Cheri on Top,  although I have to say, I was curious about Candy's story :)

My thoughts? Hmmmmm, it's hard to describe how I feel about I Want Candy. On one hand, there was a lot going on at the same time with some inconsistencies and questions... but at the same time, I don't know, it works LOL. I found myself continuing reading and that's something given my current reading mood. So kudos to Ms Donovan LOL.

Overall, I liked both Candy and Turner's characters. Turner was just a good buy all around and while he was a widower, he wasn't too hung up on his dead wife. Yes, he wanted to find out the truth behind her death for closure and J.J. and his brother thought he was a bit obsessed with it, that he should resign himself. However, his behavior didn't come across as obsessive, mainly because he had healthy fantasies about Candy, LOL, but also because there was so much going on that Ms Donovan did not focus too much attention on that aspect ^_^; As for Candy, I like that knew she was materialistic. She has difficulty giving up her previous life, but she was still a pretty good girl... and she was brave to want to pick up the broken pieces and want to start over. What bothered me though with her character is that Candy kept saying she couldn't stay in Bigler. It was okay for Cheri, but for her, being Candace Carmichael, it was not an option to stay... and that part, I didn't really get. The way Candy talked, it was as if she really had a bad past or her family had a bad reputation in Bigler and everyone would be out throwing stones at her... But it really wasn't the case. Also, there were parts where it seemed Candy was traumatized in her past, but when it came to light, in the scheme of all things, it didn't feel that bad. I know this is subjective and it varies from person to person... but I guess reading so much fiction and listening to news, there are so many horror stories out there that it made me immune and insensitive...? I just found that there were characters I've read who had worst and seemed to cope better than Candy ^_^;

Once again, the romance between Candy and Turner was pretty hot and heavy. I like the chemistry between the two and I think it helps that they had an history. I liked that Turner didn't want to make Candy obliged to stay, that he wanted her to stay in Bigler not just because of him, but for herself as well. Once again though, I wished there was a bit more development... a push as to why the two of them would jump each other now besides attraction and lust. Also, Ms Donovan touched lightly on the racial aspect... I don't know how I feel about that. I'm sad that it is still a current problem in our society and good for Ms Donovan for addressing it. At the same time, I kind of have a problem with the way she did it... Because there was so much going on, Ms Donovan didn't dwell on it very long and as a result, it felt superficial and superfluous ^_^; It seems to me, if Ms Donovan really wanted to tackle this issue, she should have devoted more of the book to it. Otherwise, she should simply not have brought it up. As it is, the in-between does not do much.

Also, I thought the mystery in Cheri on Top was well done... but not so much in I Want Candy. I think it again comes back to too much going on. The whole drug investigation was a good idea as another storyline, but it was muggled with the whole night clerk's - who's a part of the drug lab organization - delusion that Candy was his girlfriend. The way this story thread was resolved was a bit unrealistic and anti-climatic.

One last inconsistency that bothered me was about Candy's mother, Jacinda. She did such a 180 degrees in behavior that it was hard to believe. I mean, in the beginning of the book, when Candy visits her mother to let her know what happened to the money she lent her, the reaction you get was that Jacinda didn't expect to see the money back because she knew Candy would fail... Then at the end, you find out everything that Jacinda has done for Candy. Don't mistake me, I'm glad that her mother turned out to be a better woman and Candy will probably have a better relationship with her... but it seems like a bit of bad characterization, because it's hard to believe ^_^;

So it seemed like I had a lot of issues with I Want Candy and I guess I did... but as I said earlier, there was just something about this book that was compelling and made me continue reading it and at the end, I had a good time :)

My Grade? C+ as well. Once again, not the best nor the worst book, but an enjoyable one :) I have no idea if Ms Donovan plans any other books in Bigler, but I wouldn't be against it :)

Monthly Reads: April 2011

Ahhh, it's almost the end of the month and I'm only now posting my monthly reads ^_^; I guess the old adage, better late than ever is right though :) One of the reasons I've been procrastinating about this post is that I did read a lot in April (yay!), but that also means a lot of reviews/mini-reviews to write up ^_^; I guess, I should really switch to weekly reads posts :P A plus though about procrastinating is that it gave me time to get some reviews written :)

By the way, for those who are curious, no new books for me this week. Haven't I been a good girl? However, I have to say, I'm bored out of my mind ^_^; I think publishers should review their releasing schedules...

Now, here are the books I've read in April :)

1) An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath: C+

I was in a Lorraine Heath binge in March and April. While looking for Texas Glory, I came across An Invitation to Seduction. It sounded like something I would enjoy, so I picked it up.

The heroine of An Invitation to Seduction is Kitty Robertson. Kitty was born of wedlock in Texas and then, adopted by a rich British couple, Madeline and David Robertson. Her whole life, Kitty has tried to forget her origins and emulate her adoptive mother, being a proper English lady with exquisite manners and bury her passionate nature. It is why she chose to marry the kind and fun-loving Marquess of Farthingham, while she likes Nicky, he doesn't ignite her passions and is therefore safe. Everything is going well, until she spies Richard Stanbury, the Duke of Weddington, swimming in the ocean naked. She knows that a sensible English lady would turn around and flee, but she is curious and can't help but admire his body.

After they share a passionate kiss, Kitty's life is turned upside down. Richard is determined to woo Kitty away from Nicky, despite the fact that they are best friends... because Richard knows that Nicky cannot make Kitty happy. As a result, Kitty finds herself torn between two men... one that is safe and another that makes her heart beat wildly...

I actually quite enjoyed An Invitation to Seduction. I thought the storyline was quite interesting and how the story progressed actually surprised me. I liked Richard's character... Ms Heath tried to make his character ambiguous given the fact he's trying to seduce his best friend's fiancée away, but through his actions and attitude, you can see he is in fact quite honorable. I also liked the secondary characters, especially Nicky. It was nice not to have a bad villain in the story and sometimes, things happen that are out of your control and nature and you can't change them.

All in all, An Invitation to Seduction should have been a really good book, unfortunately, I had two issues with it. First, I thought Kitty was a bit hard to love ^_^; I understand her reasoning, given the era and the way she was raised... At the same time, she drove me crazy by always denying Richard :( It was just so frustrating... and in many instances, I found her immature. The worst is when they make love the first time. Obviously, Richard didn't force her, she consented to it... but she blamed him and made him shoulder all the responsibilities and that really made me angry :( The other issue I had concerned the whole bit about how Richard's father died and how it affected the second half of the storyline. I didn't like that part too much, I thought it was a bit too much.

Overall, I liked the book, but there were definitively some issues.

2) Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden: B-

I read Deadly Fear and while I enjoyed the writing, I wasn't too sure about the storylines of the two next books based on their blurb. Tabitha really enjoyed Deadly Lies and so I decided to give it a try.

Samantha Kennedy is a computer genius who was recruited by the FBI after she finished her PhD at MIT at the age of 21 to join the elite team SSD: Serial Services Division, a task force dedicated to catching the worst of the worst. In Deadly Fear, Samantha was abducted by a serial killer and almost lost her life through her biggest fear - drowning. To say it affected her is an understatement. However, Samantha is ready to forget the past and just work, unfortunately, she feels like everyone is waiting for her to break down... and despite her brave words, she is scared. The only moment where she feels safe and confident is in the arms of sexy and successful contractor, Max Ridgeway. What originally started out as a one-time deal has suddenly become more... and that's how Samantha finds herself smack in the middle of their current cases.

SSD is currently investigating a serial kidnapping case - very rich college students are disappearing from bars and then ransomed, if no money is delivered then they die...a painful death. The latest victim is Max' stepbrother, Quinlan. To say that the family is dysfunctional is an understatement; however, Max promised his mother that he would take care of Quinlan on her deathbed and it's a promise Max intends to keep... no matter what.

I was hesitant to pick up Deadly Lies because of the ordeal Samantha went through and thus, the repercussions on her life - the nightmares, the anxiety attacks, etc. All those make sense given what Sam went through, it's simply not my favorite thing to read and lately, I find it's a trope that's been a bit over-used in RS series. However, I was kind of curious about Max and Samantha's affair from reading the blurb, so when Tabs said she enjoyed it, that was enough for me :)

Overall, I thought the suspense in Deadly Lies was very well done. The case is complex, intense and with a lot of twists and turns. As a result, that part was a definite winner with me. What didn't work so well was the characters. Of course, this one is on me... See, when I read the blurb, I made a mental image of Max - what kind of guy he was. I was expecting someone charming and compassionate, but at the same time, tough, able to help Sam deals with her feelings. Max was definitively tough, but let's forget about the rest LOL. And I guess that's what Sam needed it... but to me, he was a bit too rough, too tough. Then again, I liked the way the author developed him and the fact that he was what he was. She didn't try to soften him around the edges and all. As for Sam, what she went through definitively defined who she is now and Ms Eden handled that part well... but it doesn't mean I liked it ^_^; As for the romance, very hot and intense as the two main characters definitively have chemistry :)

All in all, quite a good book and the grade would have been higher if I've liked the characters better :)

3) Resistance by L.M. Turner: B

Ryan is an artist who supports himself by being a bouncer at a strip club. He's also gay and is the king of one-night stand. Due to his past, Ryan doesn't do relationship... ever. Until that is, he meets Jayden. Somehow, Jayden has found the way to insinuate himself into Ryan's life, bed... and heart. However, Ryan is afraid and keeps pushing Jayden away... And when Jayden finally gets the message, Ryan realizes what a mistake it was.

Picked this book up because Ames gave it an A grade :) I thought Resistance was a very enjoyable novel - no villain in here, just a book about two guys that meet, fall in love and dance around their relationship. From the first, Jayden knows that Ryan is the one... but Ryan is just not the commit kind of guy. I really like this kind of story, I loved seeing how Jayden got under Ryan's skin :) It was great also that Jayden didn't let Ryan call all the shots, that he had limits and walk away. It was great to see the table turns and Ryan being the one who had to go after Jayden :)

Resistance also has some great secondary characters. I loved Ryan's roommate and their interactions, friendship. How they embraced Jayden into their folds. Also, it was very real as well, like her distancing herself of Ryan once she found a boyfriend. However, they never steal the show... this is Ryan and Jayden's story and that's where the focus it :) I ended up really enjoying Resistance, even though I didn't love it as much as Ames did :)


4) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: B
Upcoming review.

5) As An Earl Desires by Lorraine Heath: C-

I bought this book at a bookfair a few years ago and since I was binging on Ms Heath's books, I thought this was the perfect time to read As An Earl Desires.

Archibald Warner was a teacher in the country who recently gained the title of 7th Earl of Sachse. Helping him to adapt to his new world is his predecessor's widow, the Countess of Sachse. While Camilla helps Archibald navigate the ton, she also has a secret agenda - find herself a duke to marry. Camilla grew up in an orphanage and later became the previous Countess of Sachse's companion. When she died, the 6th Earl of Sachse married Camilla to beget an heir. Let just say the experience was not a fond memory; however, it taught Camilla a lot. Rank is power and with power, you can do a lot and change a lot.. and thus, the reason why she wants a duke. Poor Archibald ends up falling in love with Camilla... Can he change her mind?

As An Earl Desires turned out to be an okay book. The story was okay, the characters as well and so it made for a somewhat bland book, but in no way, bad. The hardest for me was to warm up to Camilla. At first, she comes across as very calculative, everything was about getting her duke to achieve more power :( Once we got to know her character better, her reasoning and her actions all made sense, unfortunately the damage was already done and I really had difficulty to like her. I didn't dislike her as much, but it's simply hard to warm up to such a character... First impressions are deadly!

I did really like Archibald though :) It's always interesting to see someone inheriting a title that he wasn't expecting and his adaptation to it. I really liked the fact that Archibald was still very down-to-earth, given his new situation. What I didn't understand however is why didn't he move his family in with him? Or at least, his younger brother and mother? Not that they really needed it... but it didn't really make sense to me.

As An Earl Desires really focused on the characters, especially Camilla. Thus, I find that there isn't much of a storyline to the book. What I mean is not a lot of things happened and I still can't decide if it's a good thing or not. I did like the progresses of the romance and Camilla coming to realize what was really important... Still, As An Earl Desires is really not Ms Heath's best book ^_^;


6) Blood Ties by Sharon Sala: C
Upcoming review.

7) The Last Goodbye by Sarah Mayberry: C

Ally Bishop is a journalist with a "Dear ..." column and a house-sitter. Thus, it gives her the freedom to move around Australia whenever she feels like it and that's how she likes it. Falling in love with Tyler Adamson threatens it all, because he is the settling type and has roots to a place - his business where he builds high-end furniture. However, Ally has only herself to blame as she is the one who brought Tyler into her life.

Tyler and his father have been estranged ever since Tyler was old enough to leave home and they have not seen each other since his mother passed away. However, when Ally who is his father's current neighbor hunts him down to let him know that his father is dying, Tyler cannot leave him alone... and this mean moving back home to take care of his father.

Ms Mayberry's popularity has really grown in the past few years in my opinion. She's proved herself a very talented category romance author and her books are well-loved by blogland. That is why I keep picking her books up :)

On a objective standpoint, Ms Mayberry has a very good book with The Last Goodbye. I really admire Ms Mayberry for not turning this story into a fairy tail, with a miracle reconciliation between Tyler and his father. I thought the whole storyline was very realistic and more poignant as a result. Tyler's father was quite complex... Through Tyler's memories, you can see that there were some good memories in the past, that his father was not always bad... but the reality is that he beat Tyler and his older brother and he was a tough man. At the same time, that was how he was raised and that's all he knew about raising kids. It's not excusing his actions, but it makes Tyler and the readers understand where he comes from. Also, Tyler's father has stomach cancer... there's no miraculous recovery for it and we all know how that's going to end... All in all, it was very sad :(  And I really applaud Ms Mayberry for the way she handled the storyline.

I also really liked the characters, Allie and Tyler. They were likable, mature and normal :P They were also well developed and fleshed and we really got a sense of who they were. Especially Tyler since the story focused mainly on him. Love, love their love for ice creams! LOL. If I ever go to Australia, I'm going to have to hunt down those places!! Once again, the Australia setting is a winner :P

The Last Goodbye sounds like a great book, so why a C grade? Well objectively, it is... However, it was missing the most important in my opinion - feelings. Ms Mayberry had such a poignant storyline, but she wasn't able to capture my feelings. Really, I thought I'd be crying buckets when Tyler's father died, but I didn't. Also, while you have two likable characters, I felt the chemistry between them was lacking. The romance didn't live up to the characters, perhaps because it was a bit too rushed. All in all, The Last Goodbye just didn't grab me, didn't engage me and I thought that was very unfortunate given all the good elements in it.


8) Torn Apart by Sharon Sala: C
Upcoming Review.

9) The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas: B

Bailee Moore and her two friends, Lacey and Sarah, were left behind by the train because people feared Lacey was a witch and Sarah's sickness was contagious. While trying to survive and find a town, they come across Zeb, a villain that intended to rob and rape them... However, Bailee and her two friends got the better of him. Unfortunately, that also means they've killed a man and were arrested by Cedar Point sheriff. As Zeb was not a good guy and given the lack of female in Cedar Point, the sheriff comes up with a scheme - he won't hang the three women if they agree to enter a "wife lottery." Bailee's lucky winner is Carter McKoy, a very, very quiet man... some even believes that he is dumb. However, as  Bailee comes to know him, she realizes how lucky she's been.

After reading Ms Heath's Texas trilogy, I thought why not read more western? And so I picked up The Texan's Wager since it's been in my TBR pile for a few years as well :P Another plus is that I really like Ms Thomas' writing.

The Texan's Wager was a very unbalanced read for me. What really made the book for me was Carter's character. When Carter was still a kid, he witnessed his parents' murders by raiders... that and the fact that his mother was actually deaf and communicated through sign language is the reason Carter himself is so quiet and rarely utters a word. His past was very touching, but it's to see how he survived that was really poignant. He was a great man and he deserved happiness. It was great seeing Bailee and Carter getting to know each other and fall in love. That part of the story was very sweet :)

What didn't work as well for me was the overall storyline. Oh, I had no problem with the whole "wife lottery" ploy - after all, it's not so different than mail-order-brides :) But it's the rest, whether Zeb was alive or not and to a certain extent, when Carter was called to the next town to help them out with a little deaf girl who was the sole survivor of a train raid. I actually loved the part where Carter and Bailee helped out the little girl, but I couldn't believe that the raiders would go to such an extent to eliminate a witness. That I found was a bit over the top.

Still, the good by far overweights the bad and I quite enjoyed the book. I'm actually trying to get my hands on Lacey's book. Think that one will be interesting :)


10) Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts: B


11) Dark Descendant by Jenna Black: B+


12) Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep: B

13) Knock Me Off My Feet by Susan Donovan: D+

After her mother's death, Autumn Adams inherited her mother's job as being Homey Helen - Chicago's version of Martha Stewart. Problem? Audie is the complete opposite of her mother - she's a bit messy, a klutz and cannot cook at all. Still, Audie is giving it a try because she promised her mother who died in a home robbery. Another problem? She seems to have acquired a stalker and the messages are getting more and more threatening. Enters Detective Stacey Quinn who along with his partner has been mandated to protect Audie and solve the case. When Quinn meets Audie, he thinks he has it all figured out: she's sending herself the threats so she can quit the job... However, as it is not the case, everyone has become a suspect - from her estranged brother to all her ex-boyfriends, among whom is Quinn's nemesis.

Another book from my TBR pile! What can I say, that's what happens when I limit my book-buying... which I guess is not a bad thing at all :) I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and so picked this one up. Everything from Knock Me Off My Feet was okay, from the characters to the romance to the actual storyline. Nothing really engaged me and I didn't have the urge of finishing this book. I actually put it down to read Chasing Fire, Dark Descendant and Tangled Threads. I guess it does mean something that I've picked it up again to finish it... I felt the book was trying too hard too be funny, cutesy. The whole felt like a jumble of confusion ^_^;

The romance between Audie and Quinn was the best part of the book in my opinion. However, it was a bit too rushed for me and also, the lack of trust, that really frustrated me. There was also a lot of misconceptions and the characters were quick to assume things and again, really frustrating. The whole part with Quinn's nemesis felt really superfluous and really disliked the guy. Another good thing about the book was the villain and the motivations. I really didn't expect that and it was a nice twist.

14) The Summer of You by Kate Noble: B

Lady Jane Cummings is the daughter of the Duke of Rayne. She missed the past season because she was in mourning for her mother and had to take care of her father. Her father is suffering from what we now know as Alzheimer and it has worsened after her mother's death. While she had to shoulder all the responsibilities, her brother was off on his Continent tour... so as soon as Jane could return to London, she did, if only to forget a little bit. Unfortunately, Jason has returned and once he found out about how severe their father's illness truly is, he decided it'd be better to spirit the proud man and Jane to Merrymere Lake where they used to spent their summer... However, he didn't expect Jane would blackmail him to join them.

Merrymere Lake has been the target of many robberies and the inhabitants believe the highwayman is the newcomer, Byrne Worth, who's been an hermit, rude and disagreeable. Jane met Byrne in London and his brother has recently married her best friend. She knows that Byrne is not responsible for the robbery as he's a war hero and an elusive spy who went to Merrymere Lake to recover from his injuries...

There's something about Ms Noble's writing that I cannot pinpoint, but that makes her stand out as an historical writer. As a result, I really enjoy her books and The Summer of You was no exception.  I really liked that the book took place away from the Season and the ton and showed us Jane in a different light. I think that having to care for her father has really turned Jane into a mature woman. Oh, she wants the fun and frivolities of the Season and the ton, she's after all a young woman, but she has lost the naivety that sometimes makes heroines annoying. She has a much better sense of reality and life in my opinion. I also liked to see her shoulder the responsibilities of being the woman in the house, I thought that was very interesting and not as easy as it seems. I also really enjoyed the siblings relationship between Jane and Jason. They're close and Jane cannot help but feel like Jason abandoned her. As for Jason, he isn't as mature as Jane, but it doesn't mean he's irresponsible or doesn't care for his father and sister. I thought he was quite a complex character and I wonder how he'll turn out in his own book, Follow my Lead :)

As for Byrne, he was okay. The problem with his character is that it's not very original. Wounded war hero... sounds a bell? Still, Ms Noble was able to make him unique and address some serious issues with him. I enjoyed seeing him getting out of his shell and getting to know Jane better. I thought the romance was very realistic and that only added to the book.

What didn't work as well for me is the whole highwayman business. The book was very focused on the characters' development, growth and dynamics. As a result, the mystery aspect was superfluous and wasn't tightly woven enough to really have an impact. Still, I enjoyed The Summer of You a lot and I thought the whole aspect with Jane and Jason's father was really touching.

15) A Growing Passion by Emma Wildes: C+

Victoria Manwell has had an unusual education for a lady. She shares her father's love for botany and was able to accompany him on his travels. This time around though, she has elected to stay home... and plans to seduce her childhood friend, Stephen Forsythe.

Very short novella about two childhood friends who finally make the step of becoming lovers. While it was well-written, A Growing Passion reads a bit more like a tame erotica historical short story. Enjoyable, but not much depth.


16) The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong: C+


17) Warcry by Elizabeth Vaughan: A-


Books bought: +11
Books read: -17
TBR pile: -6

Woohoo!! Negative number :) Okay, so I guess holding off to RWA does pay off :)

April was a really good reading month for me.  Not only I got to read a lot of books, but there were some really good ones in there and a lot of books that I was looking forward to :) The only downside is that I was such on a roll that I fell off the blog-hopping bandwagon and my recording in my spreadsheet. Good thing there's Goodreads!

Now, will I be able to get the May monthly reads post on time?

Review: The Girl Most Likely To... by Susan Donovan

Finally, blogging and reviewing!! Life has been somewhat busy for me in the past week. Like I said, I'm trying to juggle work, blog-hopping, reading, review, this blog and Breezing Through. Let me tell you, it's not easy. Especially since I like to go blog to blog to comment - it's very time consuming! :)

All right, onto the first review of 2009 for my own blog :) My first review will be The Girl Most Likely To... by Susan Donovan. Since this is a contemporary book, I'll kill two birds with one stone and make it my January entry for the Contemporary Romance challenge hosted by Brie :)


The Girl Most Likely To... by Susan Donovan
published by St. Martin's Press in December 2008

Kat Cavanaugh was sixteen when she hitchhiked out of Persuasion, West Virginia and vowed never to return. Who could blame her? She'd just stumbled upon her father's adulterous affair, found out she was pregnant, got dumped by her boyfriend, and kicked out of her house and school... all in a single afternoon. Twenty years have gone by and Kat's back - gorgeous, rich, and looking for an apology from everyone who'd turned their backs on her. First on that list is Riley Bohland, the boy who broke her heart before she could tell him about the baby. But Kat didn't count on Riley having his own axe to grind, or that he'd be just as delicious as he was at sixteen. She also didn't count on her heart opening at the sight of him. When their anger ignites a passion intense enough to burn through two decades of secrets and lies, Kat must question everything she thought she knew about her past. And what about her future? The only place to find the answers may be in Riley's arms.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: none

The Story: The back blurb does a good job of giving the background of the story, so I won't go over it again. So Kat is back in Persuasion, along with her best friend, and is hoping for a little revenge... or at least, to show off what she has become. However, to say that things didn't go as expected is putting it mildly. First, Riley knows about their son and second, her mother has passed away. After her initial shock, all Kat wants is to run back to Baltimore... especially after having sex with Riley and learning he has a fiancée.

However, this time, Riley is not about to let her disappear and nothing will stop him from getting to know his son and winning back Kat... not an obsessed ex-fiancée, nor Kat's doubts and fears nor her deranged father.

My Opinion: Ms Donovan is a hard author for me to categorize. She actually isn't an autobuy author for me and her books are hit and miss... However, for some reasons, as soon as I read the back blurb and the excerpt of this book... I was hooked. I wanted this book really badly.

In the end, I have mixed feelings about The Girl Most Like To... On one hand, I enjoyed it a lot. It was a quick read and kept me turning the pages. It wasn't as funny as I expected, but still, I was really engrossed. On the other hand, I have difficulty understanding some of the characters' actions.

Let's start with Kat and Riley. I really liked them as a couple and liked the glimpses we got of their past. They weren't just boyfriend/girlfriend as kids, but also best friends... I particularly like the flashback scene that we get of Kat escaping the chaos at home and climbing up Riley's window and joining him in his bed for comfort. There was something really innocent about them... Oh and their little ritual about who they love and their futures? Really, really cute. They really loved each other and have a real connection... That's why I could believe them falling into bed with each other less than 24 hours after meeting again. Seeing those little flashback scenes made me really sad to think that they waste 20 years apart from each other... seriously, what was Riley thinking?!?

Another thing that I liked about this book which sets it apart from all the other secret babies books (or most) is that the baby is 19-20 years old. I thought it was really nice that Aidan was a young adult instead of a teenager. It meant he was more mature and more independent. Sure, he was angry at Kat and I guess he had all the rights, but I think we were spared a lot of drama, teenage angst and sulking. Yes, he was angry at Kat and it's understandable... but at the same time, it was different :) So thumbs up for Ms Donovan for that move. By the way, the first contact and reunion scenes between Riley and Aidan were great :)

I think the book would have been better if it would have focused a bit more on Riley, Kat and Aidan. The whole obsessed ex-fiancée subplot, as well as the B & B owner who was after Riley's brother... and to some extent, Riley's problems with the clinic were all superfluous. In my opinion, if you are going to add conflicts to the book just to fill the pages and then, not focus on it or resolve it by simply snapping your fingers, then those conflicts are not worth it. So yeah, I would have liked the book to focus more on the main couple... and perhaps even on Kat and her father, Virgil. Virgil was the reason Kat was so unhappy as a child and I think there should have been a confrontation between the two. Or at least, a scene where Kat would learn Virgil's motives... Why he beat Kat's mother. It's not something happy or good and the knowlede would probably have made Kat sick; however, she would have known and understood. As it is, I don't feel like the whole issue with Virgil is resolved.

Now, onto some of the things the characters did and I don't understand...

1) How could Riley break up with Kat (even if it was only temporary) that way? "It's over, go home Kat." If the guy I loved and planned my future with told me that, without anymore explanation, my wolrd would shatter. The worst is that Riley only meant a temporary break-up so his father wouldn't pressure him anymore. How hard would it have been for Riley to explain everything to Kat correctly? They could have only pretended!! But no, the idiot only tells her those 5 words. Then, he blames Kat for leaving and never telling him he had a son....

2) Kat never explained to Riley or Aidan the sequence of events that made Kat leave that day. I mean, she didn't plan to leave or run away. She was forced, after a very difficult day. I think if she would have explained it to Riley and Aidan, they would have understand better where she stood. Why she did what she did.

3) Why did Kat repress so many memories? Also, what did she do as a living before getting rich?

All right, this is getting lenghtly. Obviously, this wasn't the perfect book. However, despite all my complaints, I really did enjoy the book. It had a good rythm, a good H/H and the story was good. I particularly like the twist at the end :) Fans of Ms Donovan, you should definitively give it a try :) By the way, this was better than Daisy is Back in Town by Rachel Gibson :P

My Grade: B.

Last reviews of 2006

So, year 2006 will be officially over in a couple of hours... I guess it's fun and sad, both at the same time. I'm a bit glad. This year have been crazy and I'm hoping that the coming year will be a bit more relaxing. Although I have to say, time passes way too rapidly. It really flies by too fast.

anyway, hopefully, there'll be plenty of awesome books coming out in 2007 :)

So, I've been reading quite a lot lately and here are the last reviews for 2006. But first, I'd like to share with you the books I bought (yes, bought...) in the last week. I'm not going to list them, because, well there's too much and I'm too lazy. So, pictures = 1000 words anyway :D

The first picture is what i bought from the UBS store and the second, I bought at bookstore ^^; I know, I really went crazy... I hope they're all there. Ah well, onto the reviews now :D

Take a Chance on Me by Susan Donovan: 4/5

All right, I bought this one after it got a lot of praise over at Ames' blog :D

Hairy is a Chinese Crested dog; bald, small and pretty ugly. Not only that, his owner, Slick, was murdered in front of his eyes and now, Hairy can't stop shaking and peeing. Worst, he ends up in the care of Thomas Tobin, an attorney/amateur rugby player that does uncover work and poses as a killer-for-hire. Thomas has seen and heard all about the worse side of human nature and in result, he's been isolating himself, erecting walls around him. As the new owner of Hairy, Thomas brings the dog to see Emma Jenkins, a pet behaviorist in the hope that Hairy could stop shaking and peeing...

Hmmm, another bad synopsis. Maybe I should really do the next few ones in point form. Anyway, Thomas brings Hairy to Emma and immediately, he is attracted to her. It takes a while for Thomas and Emma to start a relationship, especially since Emma just divorced her crook of a husband. In addition to that, Emma is now in charge of LeeLee, her best friend's daughter. Also, in the course of everything, they realized that Hairy must have witnessed Slick's murder and therefore, try to get some clues from Hairy.

Okay, I've never been that much of a fan of Susan Donovan's novels, but I really enjoyed the story quite a lot :D Emma is quite the typical woman tho; recently divorced, trying to go through it + keep her business, in short struggling. As for Thomas, well I thought he had a really dark secret, but he didn't... and well, I thought his self-imposed isolation wasn't that necessary, but I guess if he didn't do it, he wouldn't be the same guy. Anyway, the love story was all right and the intrigue was too, although perhaps a bit far-fetched at the end. What I liked was actually the humour and I hoped Hairy would have "thought" more often, cos that was quite hilarious. In fact, if it hadn't been for Hairy, this book would have been lumped in the "okay, typical, not original" book.

Hidden Secrets by Cait London: 2/5

Let see if I can find the good words this time...

Spence has recently lost his sister, brother-in-law and nephew in a car accident and his mother, in another accident at home. He blames himself for not being there, not being able to protect them, not preventing their deaths and so, he has left his banker job in Seattle to move back to their little town. He now plays guide, organizes camping trips and search for the remains of his nephew for closure.

Then, there's Marlo Malone who's a psychic, but refuses to acknowledge her gifts. She and Spence have a past, but she's put it behind. She's also gone through a painful marriage and divorce and now, takes refure in her work. All she wants is peace and normalcy... However, lately, everytimes she sees the color red through glass, it makes her think of Cody, Spence's nephew, along with a feeling of anger that frightens her... She also believes that the accidents that took away Spence's sister and mother's lives weren't accidents...

Okay, I thought this book could have been way better, but instead, no. First, I got annoyed at Marlo. She's psychics... perhaps acknowledging her gifts would have helped her feel better. It also makes me mad that she can sense things, know things, but decides to remain passive. I mean, perhaps she could have prevented those events from happening and that would have save her some guilt trips. But no... then, there's this relationship between her and Spence. Oh man, annoying. It completely lost me. Spence and Marlo have a painful past together and I guess that the only person who truly knows Marlo is Spence... he can edge her, get a reaction out of her... he wasn't by her side in the past and so he thinks that he's worthless now and tries to keep away from her, but at the same time, he always, always comes back, edging her more. Like I say, completely annoying. Hey, if you love her, you have two choices: woo her or go away and let her have a better life if you think that's what she'll have. Instead, he comes over and over and just ruins everything. The intrigue wasn't so enjoyable either. Instead, I just kept getting mixed up... the timeline and flow of the story were difficult to follow in my opinion. One minute, this was happening, the other minute, something totally unrelated and it kept going and going. So yeah, didn't enjoy it.

Sun Kissed by Catherine Anderson: 3.75/5

So finally, a book where the heroine is not "damaged." Well maybe a little, but not more than any other romance book.

Samantha Harrigan is a horse breeder and trainer with her own ranch. When she was younger, she married Steve Fisher, someone who was only after her money. But that's over, she's divorced him over a year ago and he's out of her life. Now enters Tucker Coulter, who've she met at this rodeo meet where she went against a drunk who was beating a horse. Both were arrested, but freed shortly after. Samantha has no intention to see Tucker again, but she needs a vet when two of her horses are poisoned... Soon, she's the prime suspect for insurance fraud...

So let see, this is the last of the Coulter siblings and I have to admit that the story was a bit different, but still enjoyable. For once, as I said, the heroine is not "damaged." Her ego and pride might be a bit bruised, but she's all right. Anyway, Tucker has never been my favorite sibling among the Coulter family, but he seemed to be portrayed quite differently in this book, seems to me he was gentler. Also, it seemed that the author, Ms. Anderson, was quite undecided about Tucker's faith... at the end of Sunshine, it was hinted that his mother would play matchmaker and she had a woman in mind, who knew how to stand her ground having grown up with 4 brothers. Then, at the end of the last book, he was heading for Colorado and I think the author intended to write the story there... then she came back to Samantha, who indeed has four brothers. *shrug* I guess it isn't that important.

So yeah, I did enjoy Sun Kissed. I guess I always enjoy Ms. Anderson's books. This one is just a plain, old romance with a little intrigue behind. The story went smoothly, but I have to say, the intrigue was way too easy to figure out. I mean, after reading the synopsis and page one, I knew who it was... now, that's way too easy. On the other hand, I actually quite liked Samantha - unlike the other heroines, she was quite confident. I mean, she knows what she's doing and she's proud of the results and that's something. She'd like to be more independent though, which is totally understandable. I think that her family might be a tad too protective. I mean, I usually like protective brothers with their big brother act, but Clint's answer was to beat out the crap out of anyone who hurt Samantha. Hmmm, no cute. Anyway, onto other matters, I also liked how Tucker was portrayed in this one. As I said, gentler and less jaded. Actually, he's quite like Isaiah, only sharper. Unfortunately, there wasn't that many romantic scenes though and it was quite understanble given the circumstances... but it still work. My only complaints are 1) we didn't get to see that many Coulters in the books... as the last Coulter's books, I'd have liked for an update for closure, but nope. 2) I bet Ms. Anderson was setting the characters for her new family series... I mean, Samantha has 4 brothers to marry now.

So although I enjoyed Sun Kissed, it didn't bring closure to the series. I also think I'm going to stay away from the new family series, because how much ranchers story can you write without it becoming too repetitive? Hah, I say that, but I'm probably going to crack. So not a bad book, not an oustanding book but an enjoyable one ;D

So that's it for 2006. I'm reading Demon Angel by Maljean Brook, but I doubted I'd be able to finish it before midnight :D