Switching of genres: an evolution?

Hi everyone :)

how are you doing? Did you have a nice week-end? I hope you're getting as nice weather as I am! It's really gorgeous outside :) Sunny and not too hot - perfect really. So Saturday was my aunt's surprise party and she was surprised!! LOL, we were sure my uncle would give it away - he's not really good with keeping secrets and lying, but he pulled it off, so kudos to him :) LOL, my cousin thinks it's more like my aunt is naive... Could be a bit of both. I guess it did help my aunt's b-day is actually a month away.

The funny story of the evening was our gift to my aunt :) We actually bought her tickets for a show we knew she would enjoy on the week-end of June 15-16 (think Quebec's version of American Idol). We told my uncle, because we wanted to be sure it'd be a hit with her and also, to know which date would be better. Well turns out when my aunt saw the ads for the show, she asked if my uncle was interesting and my uncle said "No, no." You have to know my uncle: sweetest man on the face of Earth and he rarely says no LOL. So she thought my uncle and cousin was organizing something for her that week-end!! LOL, so now she knows why he said no :P What's funny is my uncle thought it was weird my aunt didn't argue more about going to see the show LOL. Now, everyone's happy :)

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Before I get to the main discussion topic, I'd like to give you a little update on my dilemma concerning which edition of Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong I was going to get. Remember? Well thanks to Li, I've finally made a decision  and... surprise, surprise, I'm going with the Canadian edition!!

Why you ask, when the Canadian cover was clearly my least favorite... and the weirdest? LOL. Well Li sent me a link from Ms Armstrong's forum about the cover and turns out that Random House has something really special planned!! Here are the details.

First, the edge is going to be dyed red and patterned to match this image:

LOL, I had to look up Jennie's post about Fun Book Vocabulary to ascertain what the edge was. If I'm not wrong, it's the pages on the side of a book. I wonder how thick the book is for it to be patterned with that image...

And then, the image imprinted on the actual book cover is the following:

This I really love!! If this had been the cover jacket, I would have gone with this one without a doubt :)  It still doesn't go with my other books covers, but I think it's pretty and the mood it conveys fits in my opinion.

And you'll have the cover jacket that we've all seen:

The neat thing though is apparently, the jacket will be in vellum, i.e. thin and semi-transparent, and therefore, the image imprinted on the cover will show faintly! As for the text on the cover jacket, it'll be silver and red. Obviously, it'd be better if we could see the effect right now, but so far it sounds really cool... And if it still doesn't work for me, I'll just remove the cover jacket :P

So problem solved!! And a big, big, big thank you and hug to Li for sending me the link! Otherwise, I would have pre-ordered the UK version! Thanks Li!!!

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So now, onto today's discussion topic :) Not too long ago, I asked what was your definition of Women's Fiction. Well the reason is I wonder if Women's Fiction is the natural evolution for authors who write contemporary romance. This is not the first time this question has popped up in my mind... and I decided this time, I'd asked for your thoughts :) However, it's much harder to put it into words than I expected!!

Basically, I was looking for new releases by authors that I enjoyed in the past and realized my list of authors seems to be shrinking. Or at least, the list of new releases by these authors is definitively not as long as it could be. And I realized that in a lot of cases, it's because the authors have changed genres. Let's take Susan Wiggs for example. She started off as a romance author... but I felt there was a definitive shift throughout her Lakeshore Chronicles series. Actually, she seems to waver back and forth in that series between contemporary romance and women's fiction... but if you look at her two last stand-alones, Just Breathe and The Goodbye Quilt, those two are definitively women's fiction. Another author that comes to mind is Barbara Delinsky. When I started reading, Ms Delinsky's career was already well-established and I think her transition into women's fiction/fiction had already started. My first and favorite book by Ms Delinsky is Three Wishes... I think it's contemporary romance, but her subsequent releases lean more and more into women's fiction realm. However, there is no doubt she started off in romance :) Proof: Wendy just reviewed The Forever Instinct which is being re-issued in e-book format. More recently, an another author that seems to be making the transition slowly is Susan Mallery. Oh, her Fool's Gold series is definitively contemporary romance, but Almost Home and Barefoot Season are women's fiction books... and I wonder if it's the start of the end?

But aside for the fact that these authors are switching genres... my question is why? And I can't help but think deep down, it has something to do with the author's age. Perhaps they feel a disconnection to romance and draw inspiration from what they're going through in life? Or do you think it's because the two genres are so closely related, it's easy to cross into the other? Is it just a natural step in the evolution of things? I guess it doesn't limit to contemporary romance --> women's fiction. There's also romantic suspense --> mystery, paranormal romance --> urban fantasy. However, are these switches a conscious choice? I mean, when you take a closer look, authors who write historical romance are more likely to do it throughout their whole careers... or am I making generalization?

In the case of Sandra Brown or Kay Hooper, I always thought it was more about going mainstream, which is not a bad reason. Although when I consider Ms Hooper's books, a lot of her romance books had psychics and she liked her characters mysterious and intriguing... So perhaps her switch was really simply where her writing led her. Hmmmmm.

I guess my question is: Why do you think romance authors branch out to other genres? Is it simply the evolution of their writing or is there more underlying the switch? Is age also a factor? Is women's fiction the natural evolutionary path from contemporary romance?

What is Women's Fiction?

I was talking with Brie from Romance Around the Corner the other day about authors and books that we enjoyed...  and it gave me an idea for a discussion topic. However, while I was figuring how to introduce that discussion, I ran into a little obstacle. What is the definition of women's fiction? And then, I realized that not everyone had the same definition of women's fiction...

If you look it up on Wikipedia - most reliable source on the internet *sarcasm*, here is what you'll find:

Women's fiction is an umbrella term for books that are marketed to female readers, and includes many mainstream novels, romantic fiction, "chick lit,"and other sub genres.

In a broad sense, I guess yes, that's what women's fiction is. However, when I say women's fiction, I mean the genre... and well if it's women's fiction, can it be romance and chick-lit as well? I figure also that everyone has its own definition of women's fiction - the genre, and I got curious :)

What is Women's Fiction for you? How would you describe the genre?

For me, women's fiction can contain strong romance threads or romantic elements, but it's more about the journey of the heroine than the HEA ending. As a result, I often associate books with older heroines or heroines with grown children to women's fiction. I feel the empty nest syndrome is a perfect platform for women's fiction, because that's when many heroines are starting a new life and searching for their identity. Obviously, it's not limited to those storylines, but I find the identity question is a recurring theme.

Also, I consider books in which there are many women of different ages going through different stages of their lives to be women's fiction. The different friendships, relationships and feeding each other off from their experiences are part of the journey.

For example, Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series, Susan Wigg's Snowfall at Willow Lake and The Goodbye Quilt, Susan Mallery's  Already Home and Barefoot Summer are women's fiction books for me. In many cases, there is a very fine, thin line between women's fiction and contemporary romance... but  I think the distinction is there.

 Agree, disagree? I'd love to hear what you have to say :) So feel free the comments!

Review: Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs

No Hauling Sunday this week :) So instead, I have a review :)


Disclaimer: I've received Marrying Daisy Bellamy as an eARC from NetGalley

*Warning: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk*


Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs
published by Mira (Harlequin) in January 2011

There are days on Willow Lake...
Daisy Bellamy has struggled for years to choose between two men - one honorable and steady, one wild and untethered. And then, one fateful day, the decision is made for her.

When the wind is so still and the water so calm...
Now busy with a thriving business on Willow Lake, Daisy knows she should be happy with the life she's chosen for herself and her son. But she still aches for the one thing she can't have.

You can almost hear your heart beat...
Until the man once lost to her reappears, resurrected by a promise of love. And now the choice Daisy thought was behind her is the hardest one she'll ever face...

Genre: Contemporary romance, Women's fiction
Series: Lakeshore Chronicles, Book #8

The Story: Daisy Bellamy's story has been ongoing since book #1 of the series. Daisy was a teenager when she got pregnant and chose to keep the baby and be a single mother. It's also at that time that she met Julian Gastineaux, her cousin's brother-in-law and also a thrill-seeker who enrolled in the Army to become a pilot one day. There was a definite connection between the two, but something they never explore beyond friendship because of circumstances. Add in Logan O'Donnell, the baby's father who sobered up and who's been a great father to Charlie, and Daisy found herself in a love triangle. As they've all grown and matured, this love triangle intensified and now is time for Daisy to make a choice... Julian.

Unfortunately, few weeks after Daisy and Julian get engaged, Julian is deployed, reported missing... and ultimately, dead. Shocked, dazed and heart-broken, Daisy accepts Logan's proposal - to become a real family. She needs an anchor and must think of Charlie's future.

However, Julian is not dead... and returns for Daisy... Only, Daisy is a married woman to another man who is on the verge of celebrating her one-year anniversary. What is she to do?

My Opinion: I'm really not a fan of love triangles, especially not those where a party comes back from the dead ^_^; So to be honest, this probably affected my opinion of the book greatly. In truth, the only reason why I did pick up this book was because I've been looking forward to Daisy's story for a long time and even knowing I'd probably not enjoy it very much, I wanted to read it.

For me, this book was okay. I wished Ms Wiggs had not utilized this plot trope to resolve the love triangle. I mean, it was clear who Daisy loved, but I guess it needed to be more dramatic. I admired Daisy, because she wanted to keep her wedding vows. She married Logan and the three of them had finally become a family and it would be unfair for Logan if she went back to Julian. I also understood Logan's anxiety and at the same time, I pitied Julian. I felt the strongest about Julian, because he lost Daisy and couldn't do a thing to win her back. So you have three characters who are trying to continue life as it was, but the problem is that everything has changed. You cannot ignore Julian's return, nobody can... Perhaps if he'd return 5 years or 10 years later, yes... but his disappearance wasn't long enough for Daisy and Logan's relationship to really survive... especially when both are not passionate about each other. I mean, after Julian's disappearance, it's clear why Daisy accepted Logan's proposal. It was for their family to be together and yes, she loved him...but I don't think it was wildly as her husband, but more as the father of her son. She settled and under the circumstances, I'm not blaming her, but still, she settled.

So you have the love triangle again and in the end, it is once again resolved - same way as the first time. I liked the fact that Daisy and Logan were very civilized about it. I think to be fair with everyone, this was the logical choice. However, I did expect the whole thing - Julian's return, Daisy's confusion, Logan's anxieties - to be more angsty and it wasn't for me ^_^; and I think it has to do with the writing. Ms Wigg's writing style has changed over the course of this series or even before. It has become something between contemporary romance and women's fiction and her narrative style has become more passive. I don't think the strong emotions came across well in Marrying Daisy Bellamy. We all saw how each character coped and their mistakes and thoughts, but at the end, it didn't grip me. I didn't feel torn for Daisy.

My Grade: Overall, this book is a D for me. I really wished I've enjoyed this book more and if it had reached me, if I had been emotionally involved, I'm sure I would have... but I wasn't. Perhaps it's the writing style or just my aversion to love triangles, I don't know. However, I'm sure that many don't have the same aversion as me and will enjoy this book.

Review: Snowfall at Willow Lake

Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
published by Mira in January 2008

International lawyer Sophie Bellamy has dedicated her life to helping people in war-torn countries. But when she survives a hostage situation, she remembers what matters most - the children she loves back home. Haunted by regrets, she returns to the idyllic Catskills village of Avalon on the shores of Willow Lake, determined to repair the bonds with her family.

There Sophie discovers the surprising rewards of small-town life - including an unexpected passion for Noah Shepherd, the local veterinarian. Noah has a healing touch for anything with four legs, but he's never had any luck with women - until Sophie. Snowfall at Willow Lake speaks from the heart about all the loves that fill a woman's life, and all the ways that love is tested and made to grow. It's the story of what comes after a woman survives an unspeakable horror and finds her way home, to healing and redemption and a new chance at happiness.

Genre: contemporary, women's fiction
Series: The Lakeshore Chronicles, book #4

The Story: The story is as described in the back blurb. I don't think I have anything else to add.

My Opinion: I dislike Sophie Bellamy and have disliked her since Book 1 of the series. I just can't stand her and was quite disappointed when I learnt she would have her own book. Ugh. She's a modern woman with an important career. Okay, I get it. I also understand why she would have difficulty to conciliate family and career. In her case, she couldn't handle family and career, so she chose her career and in exchange, she had to give up her marriage. In a way, it wasn't a bad decision, considering that the love between George and her was long gone.What annoys me about her is that she made her choice, so stops whining, stops complaining that you're misunderstood... it makes you annoying.

As for her children, perhaps I think she's a bad mother, perhaps not, I'm not even sure and that's not important... what's important is what she thinks or how she thinks and that's what makes me dislike her soooo much. 1) The way she belittles people because they don't understand the fact that she chose her career. She's all like: my work is important, why can't people understand... Because people have different priorities. 2) The way she's so reluctant to say her kids chose to live with their father over her... all because usually, mothers are the ones who have custody and she assumes that people will think she's a bad mother. Is that really important what other people think? Does the fact that your son lives with his father makes you automatically a bad mother? No, I don't think so. Actually, I think that the fact that she wanted the kids to live with her, uprooting them and making them live in a foreign country where they didn't even understand the language, that made her a bad mother. Someone so selfish that she would put her needs and her image before the happiness of her kids.

So as you can see, I didn't come in this book, liking Sophie and I surely didn't fall in love with her either. It might sound like all small details, but she just rubbed me the wrong way. The romance story? Forgettable. I don't get why Nathan was attracted to her. Sure, she's pretty, but that's about it... Also, I think that at first, all Sophie wanted was sex... not even a relationship... and I don't get how they ended up together. I mean, readers didn't really get to see the relationship develops and become more. So I think that the ending was quite unbelievable to me.

Aside from Sophie and Nathan, the book mainly focuses on Sophie becoming a mother and Sophie's kids - Daily, the single mother, and Max, the teenager. We actually saw more of these two than Sophie and Nathan's relationship...

So all in all, I wouldn't say this is really a romance... more like women's fiction instead. Also, the author is taking a break from the series, but she says she'll come back to it later... I'm going to have to see who are going to be the main characters before buying the next book.

My Grade: C-

Historical romances binge

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


The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs

published by Mira in 2001

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

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

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

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

Dear Reader,

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

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

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

Yours,
Billy Darling

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


Madame's Deception by Renee Bernard

published by Pocket Books in 2007

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

Finally, probably the review everyone's been waiting:


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: The Winter Lodge by Susan Wiggs

Hey guys :)

I've been reading like crazy since last Friday/Thursday... I think I was able to read 6 books ^^; and so obviously, I'm again, behind on my reviews... Not that I was able to catch up, but now, I have a TBR list (To Be Reviewed) and not to be confound with a TBR pile (To Be Read) LOL. The worst is that most of the books I've just read were great! so it's quite difficult to choose which one to review first. But here we go...


The Winter Lodge by Susan Wiggs: 4.25/5

published by Mira in February 2007

Jenny Majesky's life has been busy lately. During the summer, she finally discovered who was her father and has gained a half-sister. In addition, her grandmother who've raised her has passed away and for the first time, Jenny is "alone." When she was younger, Jenny had dreams of leaving the small town to go to college and become an author. Nowadays, she is trying to write a cooking book with her grandmother's baking recipes which has made the bakery they own together so successful. However, Jenny's life takes another sudden turn when her house is destroyed by a fire. Having no where to go, she ends up living temporarily with the local police chief, Rourke McKnight with whom she has a past.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book #2

Review: Last summer, when I read Summer at the Willow Lake, the first book of this series, I was disappointed. It didn't stop me from buying The Winter Lodge as soon as it came out in store; however, I did put off this book for almost two months... and I shouldn't have. The Winter Lodge is a very good book and Ms Wiggs entirely redeemed herself with this one. Now, I can't wait to read the next one.

The Characters - We met Jenny briefly in the previous book, as she was reunited with her father and half-sister. Personally, I liked Jenny better than Olivia. I thought that she was more real, down-to-earth and likable. I understand that Olivia's parents divorce was hard on her, but it's really nothing compared to Jenny. Jenny's mother had an habit of leaving Jenny with her grandparents while she would come and leave, but when Jenny was 4 y.o., her mother left and never came back and there hasn't been news of her whereabouts ever since. Olivia has both her parents, all her grandparents, cousins, uncles and all... She had a family around her and she knew where they were, which wasn't the case with Jenny. Anyway, I'll stop comparing the two sisters. Jenny's life wasn't easy, but she was raised with love from her grandparents. When she was a teenager, her grandfather died and when she was about to leave for college, her grandmother collapsed because of a stroke. Jenny had to choose and she decided to put aside her dreams and stay at home to take care of her grandmother as well as their successful bakery. Now that her grandmother is gone, she's lonely which is understandable... What I liked about Jenny is her inner strength which made her quite an admirable person. Rourke was quite the male character, although if I ask myself, I don't really understand him. He's the quiet, intense, overprotective and over-responsible type of man... It seems to me that somehow, he thinks he doesn't deserve to be happy, but I don't know why. Also, I would have liked more insight of him... See, Rourke is the son of a senator... so why did he decide to break all link with his father and become a local police chief? So Rourke is a bit under-developed in my opinion, but still a great guy and I really liked him a lot.

There's also a panoply of secondary characters in this book, some that we've met in the previous book. One who stands out is Daisy Bellamy, Jenny and Olivia's cousin, who gets a storyline of her own. Do I understand that teenage girl, nope, but then I haven't gone through what a parents' divorce, so I can't really judge. However, it'll be quite interesting when she gets her book.

The Story & Writing- This book mainly focus on relationships, but this time, the main characters have a decent amount of screentime and their relationship actually grows and get resolves. I don't want to spoil too much, but here's the jest of it: basically, Jenny met Rourke and Joey, Rourke's best friend, when they were young and there was basically a love triangle between the three of them... However, almost from the beginning, Rourke decided to step down, because he thought Jenny and Joey deserved to be happy. Since Jenny and Joey's engagement, Jenny and Rourke have been avoiding each and it's still going on after Joey's death... till the day Jenny's house becomes ash. She needs someone and Rourke is there for her. Obviously, both love each other and I like how Ms Wiggs wrote their relationship. I also thought that the flashbacks in this book were easier to follow and made readers understand Rourke and Jenny's past better. Oh, another thing I like is how Ms Wiggs connected all the characters. It was pretty impressive to see how most of the characters knew each other, have talked to each other, had an impact in their life... it gave a book something more.

The Cover - Cover is nice, but a bit unexceptional. I think I like spring/summer scenes better tho.

Am I keeping this book? Yes :D

Anything else? Book #3 is titled Dockside and is supposed to come out in August 2007. The main characters will be Nina Romano and Greg Bellamy... Ms Wiggs is also currently working on Book #4, which will be Greg's ex-wife, Sophie Bellamy's story... hmmm, not my favorite character, but we'll see.

My 100th post!!!

How apt that my 100th post is writing during the holiday season! Something else to celebrate about! :D

So how is everyone? Recovering from Christmas? Pace yourself, New Year is coming :D I actually don't have any plans for New Year... perhaps just go out and eat with my parents. For Christmas, my parents dragged me to their friends' house - their friends were having a family reunion and we were invited. Go figure. It's quite boring, because they all see each other more than once a year and after all, they're cousins... so my sister and I were quite out of the loop. I ended up falling asleep cos I was dizzy from lack of it.

I also hope no one was crazy as me to go shopping on Boxing Day! I just wanted to go to the bookstores - although I knew there weren't any sales - and everything should have been fine... I mean, the bookstores opened at 9am... but then, my sis decided she wanted to look at other stuff... I was there till 3pm and it was absolutely hell. I'm really sorry for my sister tho, cos she enjoys shopping and didn't really find anything. Actually, she was quite disappointed by the sales... but then, Boxing Day isn't what it used to be. Except perhaps in electronics... for the clothing, I think it's really not all that worth to brave the crowd. As for books, don't even mention it. There was only 30% off on hardcovers.... and the I-rewards card didn't even work. So hello, it's 34% off + 5% off online on hardcovers. Oh well. Didn't stop me from buying books of course.

I'm again in the mood - I want to read and have been reading, but no books really appeal to me and I WANT to go BUY books. Although once I'm there, again, nothing appeals to me. I'm sorry for those who sent me books, no I haven't read them yet. I know they are extremely good books, but I want to wait till I'm in a better mood :P by the way, I need some suggestions/recommendations! Esp. fantasy books - Mailyn, can you help me out? Also, I've decided to keep track of the books I want, buy and read :P I'm in a list-mode.

But still, I have a couple of reviews:

The Shop on Blossom Street and A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber: 3.5/5

I won't write a detailed synopsis, because it's two books. However, here is what you need to know: Lydia Hoffman is 30 years old, but has had two bouts of brain cancers, one at 16 and the other at 24. Both events have been very difficult on her, but she was able to overcame them because of her father who was her rock. As a result, her relationship with her older sister is a bit strained... Unfortunately, her father has passed away recently. She is at a turning point in her life and has decided to open a yarn store, because she loves knitting and had learnt while she was at the hospital. So in The Shop on Blossom Street, she offered her first knitting class, a baby blanket and in A Good Yarn, socks. So in both books, we follow Lydia's story as well as the ones of her students. Both books are really characters-orientated books and each characters are quite different.

The Shop on Blossom Street: Jacqueline, a socialite that isn't happy with her daughter-in-law and is having a difficult marriage. Caroline who is 37 y.o. and quitted her job to finally start a family with her husband, but it is not going well. Alix who is a rebel and taking the knitting class so she can deduct the hours from her community hours.

A Good Yarn: Elise, a recently retired librarian who has lost all her savings to a dishonest contractor and is now living with her daughter and her family. Bethanne who just went through a divorce with two teenagers. Courtney who has to live with her grandmother in a new city during her last year of high school while her father works in Brazil.

Personally, I thought that The Shop on Blossom Street was better than A Good Yarn and I bought A Good Yarn mostly to have updates on the characters. Also, the thing with both books is that they are both very passive. I mean stuff happens, but it's no action, it's because they happen. Also, there are the happy endings, I mean, you know that everything will work out perfectly.

In the end, both books are decent reads and entertaining if you're looking for something relaxing. What's interesting is that you follow the stories of different women, of different ages and experience who are looking for different things in life. However, I'm actually debating whether or not to get more books by Debbie Macomber, because I have the feeling that once you've read it, you've read them all.

Home Before Dark by Susan Wiggs: 3.75/5

Jessie Ryder is coming back home to her sister, Luz, and her family after 16 years. The thing is that 16-17 years ago, Jessie got pregnant and gave her baby girl, Lila, for Luz and her newly-wedded husband, Ian, to adopt. Then, Jessie went abroad to live an work as a photograph while Luz and Ian started their own family.

Now Jessie is coming back to meet Lila, as well as her three other nephews. Of course, in her mind, Jessie wants to tell Lila her origin, not to reclaim Lila, but so at least, she knows and understands where she comes from. See, Lila is going through adolescence, rebellion. One night, after sneaking out to join her friends, they all get into a huge accident.

Anyway, lots of things happening and Jessie also meets the neighbor accross the lake, Dusty, who has a sad past too, and falls in love with him. The ick to all this is that Jessie is going blind...

I know, my synopsis isn't really good. but I hope that giving my opinion will help. It was a really, really touching story. I cried from beginning to end, although I wonder if it's the book or my mood :P Anyhow, the book was well-written as always and Jessie's condition was revealed to the readers early on. So it was an enjoyable story, again more character-orientated. I do think it's a bit selfish tho that ppl with diseases and conditions always come back home at that moment. I know it's not so others can take care of them, but to make up and stuff like that... but I mean, they wouldn't be there if it wasn't because of their condition right? So there are a lot of issues and problems that Jessie, Luz, Ian and Lila have to deal with in this book and this take precedence over the love story between Jessie and Dusty. Personally, I didn't see the chemistry between them all that much. They fell in love very quickly, too fast to my taste. So a decent read, but not the best Susan Wigg's I've read...

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas: 3/5

Growing up, Aline Westfield, daughter of a Marquiss, and John MacKenna, stable boy, fell in love. Of course, their relationship was discovered and Aline didn't have a choice then to send MacKenna away with harsh words and lies so he would never want her again. Few months after MacKenna's departure, Aline was involved in a fire in the kitchen and her legs are now scarred forever. Because of both events, Aline never married...

Now, John MacKenna has returned from America a very, very wealthy man. He wants revenge, but both still love each other... and you know the rest, they both dance this difficult dance around lies and secret. At the same time, there's also Olivia, Aline's younger sister who was also involved in a scandal and is now a recluse... She is attracted to MacKenna's business partner, Gideon Shaw, the never-sober-for-long wealthy American.

I did quite enjoy this book :D I liked how Aline and Olivia weren't innocent and inhibited like most historical heroines. They were not naive, they knew what they were getting involved in and you know, they were actually quite wise. I also liked how Marcus, their older brother, protected them. The three siblings had quite a nice relationship and that is rare I think in the historicals. Yeah, you do get to see over-protective older brother, but Marcus was different. He talked to his sisters and asked their opinions and so on. Then, I remembered... Marcus Westfield is the hero in It happened one Automn... I'm quite sad tho that he ended up with Lillian Bowan, the reason why i still haven't read that book.

Anyway, back to Again the Magic, it was quite entertaining, but then I thought it got dragged a bit because of the secrets and lies. I mean, yeah, Aline's legs are ugly and scarred and it's understandable why she wants to keep it a secret... but for the readers, it's too typical... you know easily what's going to happen. How the whole issue was resolved was a bit, dunno, not enough passionate ^^; See, the thing is that Aline and MacKenna's story wasn't enough to hold the attention of the readers and that's why in Again the Magic, there's also Olivia and Gideon's story and it was quite prominent. So that tells you something... Anyway, not a bad book, but not the best either ^^;

Goddess of the Rose by P.C. Cast: 3/5

Hmm, how to summarize this book. Mikaido Empousai, aka Mikki, has a gift with roses. Basically, from generations to generations, the women in her family perform a ritual which consists of mixing water and their blood to water the roses on the new moon. This results in sumptuous roses :) Then, through a series of accidental events, Mikki wakes up Hecates' Guardian, Asterius the Beast, and he transported her to the Realm of Rose where Mikki turns out to be Hecates' High Priestess. There, she learns the way and eventually falls in love with Asterius.

Not a bad book, but I guess not really my style. I don't really enjoy those stories where an independant modern woman ends up in another time period and you know, stands out and all. Also, anyone who has seen Beauty and the Beast know that a woman can fall in love with a Beast. Of course, the ending revelation reveals that Asterius was worried about more than the fact that he was a beast, but again... So the story wasn't bad, just a bit too passive to my taste which is due to the narration. The situation in which Mikki found herself is just a bit strange, because she really knows nothing about the rituals and everything, except for the roses... so I found it a bit boring all what she had to learn and I thought it impeded the storyline.

Okay, I'm not sure my reviews were helpful ^^; but hopefully yes and I hope you enjoyed the read :P Talk to you girls soon, probably with more reviews :)

Review: Summer at the Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs: 3/5

What to say about this book? Well I thought that the way the story was told was very similar to Susan Wiggs' other book Summer by the Sea; however, the story wasn't as compelling. When I started reading the book and saw how similar it was to Summer by the Sea, I thought I would really like it, but it didn't happen.

After her third failed engagement, Olivia Bellamy - expert house fluffer - decides to take on her grandmother's offer: to renovate the bungalow colony/summer camp in Catskills that her family owns so her grandparents can celebrate their 50th marriage anniversary. Although she went to Camp Kioga every summer when she was younger, the place doesn't hold Olivia's fondest memories... instead, to Olivia, it reminds her painfully of the time when her parents divorced and she was overweight and an outcast, if it hadn't been for her cousins, Camp Kioga would have been horrible. In addition, Camp Kioga is also the place where she met Connor Davis - her first everything: first love, first kiss, first broken heart. So when she goes back to Catskills, she meets Connor again as he is the only contractor available. So Summer at Willow Lake is the story of how Olivia and Connor fall in love again with a series of flashbacks of their camp summers and a multitude of secondary characters.

I don't know what's up with me lately and I'm starting to wonder if the books I'm reading are only okay because I'm being too harsh with them... sigh... Anyway, the problem with Summer At Willow Lake is that nothing happened and too much happened at the same time. I'm not making sense, am I? I think it all has to do with the pace of the book... In one chapter, Connor just accepted the contract and in the next, a few weeks have already passed and so much progress was done... then, the next thing you know, summer is over and the grandparents are renewing her vows. So time went too fast, but it seems Olivia and Connor relationship didn't progress at all.

My second complaint: way too many secondary characters and subplots ^^; you had Olivia's best friend, Freddy, and all her family (father, uncle, cousins, grandparents, long-lost sister) and then, as if it wasn't enough, the author brings in Julian, Connor's brother half-way in the book... and all of them have some a little storyline. I like my book to focus on the main couple or at least, the main characters, so I found the secondary characters disrupting. And because the focus wasn't on the main characters, I thought that Olivia and Connor came accross a bit bleh. Olivia is very insecure, so not a really fun character to read about and Connor, well I thought he lacked a tiny bit of depth.

Aside from that, the book was okay... relaxing. You didn't have to think much, wonder much... There was no major investigation or murder, it solely focused on relationship. The openining scene was funneh too (she's hanging on the top of the flag pole ^^;)

So, not Susan Wiggs at her best, but I'm going to keep the book and see how the next ones in the Chronicles are before making up my mind a 100%.