Monthly Reads - April 2013

Hey everyone! How have you been? Sigh, sorry for the lack of posts and reviews! I just don't know where time goes ^_^; It feels like I've been running the whole week: doctor appointment, garage appointment, haircut appointment... Even at work, doing this and that, catching up on things. Bleh... and of course, I cut myself again :( Same thumb, but not the nail this time... so I guess that's something ^_^;

Anyway, I'm so far behind in reviews and so on, but I'm still trying to catch up :) And that's why you get my April recap... in September! Enjoy! :P


1) The Wanderer by Robyn Carr: B


2) The Rising by Kelley Armstrong: B+


3) What She Wants by Sheila Roberts: B-

The blurb of this book caught my attention because it mentions a bunch of guys reading romance novels and their poker night transforming into a bookclub night... LOL, you have to agree it's a little bit intriguing right? :) And the blurb is pretty close to the real story. Our hero, Johnathan Templar, is the resident geek squad of Icicle Falls. He's been in love with Lissa Castle forever, but she never noticed him. Their high school reunion is coming up soon and Johnathan believes it to be his last chance to make an impression... but how? He then stumbles over his sister's romance novels... Why do women read them? The next thing Johnathan knows, he's devouring them one after another and getting ideas. When his poker buddies find the books, they laugh at him at first... but soon, they too need advice as Adam just got kicked out by his wife who thought he took her for granted and Kyle cannot make an impression on the lady of his choice.

I thought What She Wants was a cute book. I mean, it has men reading romance novels for advice and ideas LOL. Personally, I do not know to what extent romance novels could help a guy in real life, but it's still nice to imagine :) What made this book for me was Johnathan. He was such a nice guy and the efforts he put in to catch Lissa's attention was adorable. Also I like that Ms Roberts didn't turn Johnathan into a comedic cliché. What I mean is that he didn't read one novel, get a good idea and immediately tried it out and have it failed on him. Instead, it was more like a study and a long progress. In any case, it was just cute and Lissa is a really lucky gal... Not sure she totally deserves him though. I also liked Adam's storyline because it showed him not to take his wife for granted. I think it's a lesson that everyone has to learn in a marriage. I liked that she had the guts to kick him out, to make him understand where their marriage was heading. Out of the three story, Kyle was the least interesting... I think it's because to a certain extent, he was so superficial, only caring about looks. He overlooked Mindy who was interested in him because she wasn't as hot as his crush, although she was smarter and nicer.

In any case, a cute book... although I think it's more fiction (women's fiction even though it's guys ^_^;) than contemporary romance as there aren't that many interaction between Johnathan and Lissa. It's more focused on Johnathan and his evolution than the romance itself.

4) Lush by Lauren Dane: B

Mary Whaley is a successful and busy caterer who also run a supper club. Through her celebrity friends, she meets Damien Hurley who is part of a really popular band that he started with his brothers out of high school. The two meet, are attracted to each other and try to figure out how to make this relationship work.

Lush was a pretty good book. I really enjoyed Mary and Damien's relationship and liked how their romance evolved, how they took it "slow" and how Damien gave Mary her space and proved himself to be a good bet. I liked that the romance wasn't about the age difference or Damien's celebrity status... They had to figure things out because they were two adults living in different cities with extremely busy schedule, but they made compromises like two mature persons.

What held this book back in my opinion were the secondary characters and the lack of conflict. I found Mary's best friends to be annoying, because I thought they had too much input and were too quick to distrust Damien. One of them said she just wanted Mary to be as happy as she was and to find the man she deserved and that just put me on the edge... It just sounded so condescending in my opinion. It's good to be protective of your friends, to care, but at the same time, you need to be supportive. Sometimes, your friend needs to make her own mistakes and the last thing she wants is you standing by, ready to say "I told you so." What annoyed me as well is that all she had to based herself on was the gossips from the rag sheets. Ugh. The other issue was the lack of conflict. I actually didn't mind the lack of conflict... but because of it, one little issue turned into a huge thing, just so Ms Dane could wrap up the story and give the H/H their happy ending. Based on the rest of the story, I felt this conflict was very forced because Damien had proven himself to Mary and she should have trust him instead of the gossips. For her to react the way she did, it just went against character it seems... and that's too bad because it lessened the enjoyment of the book a bit.


5) Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby: C-


6) Wrecked by Shiloh Walker: C

Ugh... I don't know how to summarize the story of this book. Okay, basically, you have Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes who were child stars on a very popular sitcom when they were teens, but that was years ago. Both of them willingly walked away from Hollywood lifestyle and are happier for it. They have remained best friends throughout the years, although the truth is Zach has been in love with Abby forever. When she gets dumped by her boyfriend because he thinks she's wasting her time not acting, Abby decides she needs an affair. Not a relationship, just sex... and when Zach finds out through the "Wreck" journal he gave her, he volunteers himself - he's not about to let another man get the chance and he hopes that finally, Abby realizes that he's in love with her.

The truth is that Wrecked started out really promisingly. Who doesn't like the best friends to lovers theme? Especially when the set up is great, the premise has potential and best of all, the best friends have tons of chemistry! I really believed in Zach and Abby's friendship, really felt his unrequited feelings for her and had no problem imagining them together... And perhaps that was the issue. Because once Abby and Zach started having sex together, it became boring for me... It was just too obvious that the two should be together and everything that stood in the way was just frustrating ^_^; I was annoyed at Abby for being so oblivious to Zach feelings all this years - I mean, everyone knew! It got even worst when she realized she was in love with him and wondered how it would affect their relationship!! I was also annoyed at Zach for not stepping up, not pushing to the next level. It took forever for him to get Abby to notice him in a different way and now he's going to wait again till she comes around? Right... and instead of sharing his feelings with Abby, he resorted to growling at everyone :( It's just too bad because as I mentioned, the premise was really promising, but it failed to keep me engaged.


7) Love Irresistibly by Julie James: B+


8) The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand: C+


9) Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts: B-


10) The Good, the Bad and the Witchy by Heather Blake: B-
Upcoming Review.

11) Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan: B

I'm always in the mood for a good romantic suspense; however, nowadays, it's hard to come across RS books that fit the type I want to read... Anyway, I read Ms Brennan before but never really got into her, but I thought I'd give her another chance with this series because it involved the FBI. Our heroine, Lucy Kincaid, went through something horrific 6 years ago, but she survived it... and now, she wants to become a FBI agent. While she's waiting to see if she is accepted, she's volunteering with a victim's rights group and works undercover online to lure sex offenders so they can be caught. Everything is going well... till they don't. One of her attackers was recently released from prison and not long after, found dead. She wasn't aware of the plea bargain and so, her trust is shaken... It doesn't help she's a suspect and the last sex offender she tried to lure didn't show up to her meeting, but did end up dead as well. Not knowing where to go, she turns to Sean Rogan, one of her brother's partners for a security firm.

I've been in the mood for romantic suspense that features investigative work, preferably with cops or FBI agents... and while Love Me to Death didn't totally fit my criteria, it was definitively a good book. The mystery was solid and interesting although at times, it felt like there were too many storylines going on. Personally, I think the one about Lucy's stalker was superfluous. It served to misdirect, but at the end of the day, didn't bring that much to the table. Still, Ms Brennan did a great job at tying everything up together in the end. I liked that Lucy didn't fall in love with the person in charge of the investigation - it's refreshing LOL. And I thought that Sean was an interesting love interest for Lucy. In a way, he's a bit of her opposite, not being afraid to break the rules to get what he wants and ironically, that seems to complement Lucy :P He at least knows how to be normal around her which is what she needs. As for Lucy, she was definitively a solid character. After what she went through, she put back her life together, went to college and is pursuing her vocation - a true survivor. Unfortunately, while I admire her for being a survivor, I also had a lot of difficulty relating to her because of what and how much she went through. It just seems so out there, so unbelievable that I kind of feel disconnected to her tragedy :(

Something else that lessened my enjoyment of Love Me to Death is that I'm not sure I could qualify this book as the "first" book in a series. It was clear to me while reading Love Me to Death that there was a book somewhere that I haven't read and indeed, after some research, I found out that Love Me to Death was a spin-off continuation of Fear No Evil. Ms Brennan tried to sum it up; however, there were too many undercurrents in the book and I knew I was missing some of Lucy and other secondary characters' backstories. Quite frankly, it sucked :(

***

Balance
Books bought: +12
Books read: -11
TBR pile: +1


Genres
Contemporary Romance - 6
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Cozy Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 1
Fantasy romance - 1
Women's Fiction - 1

***

Wow, first month of the year that I've "added" books to my TBR pile... but then again, April was such a good release month! I'm actually surprised that I haven't read more books LOL. However, as long as my number of reads hits double digits, I'm happy :)

I think April really showed this year's trend of what I've been reading. For some reasons, I'm really into contemporary romance this year... and when I don't have any contemporary romance books to read, I kind of look for something to read ^_^; I hope I get out of this mood soon.

Overall, April was a good month, although nothing really stood out...

How was yours? Do you even remember? LOL.

Review: Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts :( I was away for the long week-end and had prepared posts for it which I was happy I was able to accomplish LOL. But coming back, well there was lack of sleep and lack of time. Seriously, this whole week, I feel like I've been running after something. I don't really know what though ^_^; I have no plans for this week-end and hopefully, it stays that way so I can catch up on my blog and a few other things :)

In the meantime, enjoy my buddy review with Ames over at Breezing Through. Today, we're discussing Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis :)

Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis
published by Berkley in July 2012

As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that’s just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick’s cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling.

Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana’s priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time...

Genre: Chick-lit, Women's Fiction, contemporary
Series: None

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: A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr

Ugh, today is supposed to be the TBR Day... but guess what? Indeed, I didn't make it ^_^; I'm very bad this year with my challenges. Ah well, as long as I'm reading though, I won't complain too much LOL.

In any case, all my blogging schedule is wonky LOL. I was going to write my July monthly reads post on last Saturday, but ended up only reading and only realized on Sunday that it wasn't happening. Oups. LOL. Definitively this week-end.

A Summer in Sonoma was one of my July reads :) So at least, I'm going to be able to link some of my reviews instead of "Review to come" LOL. By the way, anyone has read the new Kresley Cole yet? What's the verdict? I'm itching to go to the bookstore and buy a book.... I'm in withdrawal I think ^_^:

Enjoy the review!


A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr

published by Mira in June 2010

They've been best friends since seventh grade. But this summer, teetering on the threshold of thirty, four women are going to need each other more than ever.

Cassie has sworn off romance after yet another bad date. Yet deep down, she's still looking for Mr. Forever. A long-haired biker doesn't figure into her plans, so where's the harm in touring the back roads of Sonoma on a Harley with Walt Arneson?

Julie married her high school sweetheart-who can get her pregnant with a mere glance-too young and now wonders how her life became all about leaky faucets and checkbook balances. Maybe love isn't enough to sustain the hottest couple in town.

Marty's firefighter husband has forgotten all about romance, and an old flame begins to look mighty tempting.

Beth, a busy doctor trapped in a body that's betrayed her yet again, is becoming a difficult patient and a secretive friend.

Life can change in an instant... or a summer. And having old friends to lean on can only up the chances of happily ever after.

Genre: Women Fiction
Series: N/A

The Story: A Summer in Sonoma follows the lives of four women who has been friends for a decade and who are at different stages of their lives romantically. The main story would be Cassie's who was nearly raped during a date, but was luckily rescued by Walt Arneson. Walt is and looks like a biker, complete with long hair, sideburns and mustaches. Cassie seeks him out to thank him and they start a friendship, Cassie figuring it'd be safe, especially since Walt is totally not her type.

Cassie's best friend Julie is having her share of problems. Cassie might envy her because Julie has married the love of life, but that doesn't stop Julie from worrying about money. The reality is that they've started their married life broke and they just can't make ends meet, no matter how much Billy works, and the situation just worsens as there's another baby on the way.

The romance in Marty's marriage seems to be gone. She feels like she spends her time cleaning after her husband and finds him disgusting when he stays at home - not showering, not shaving and wearing his ratty favorite shorts. At least, when they were dating, he was helping out. Now, all he does is take care of the lawn and his toys - the boat and the RV. It takes Marty running into her high school's flame and entertaining fantasy of an affair or at least a one-night stand for Marty to realize how fed up she is and move out of the marital bed.

Beth is going through a really tough time. She had breast cancer a few years ago and already lost a breast... and a relationship. Unfortunately for her, the beast is awake again and roaring its head off. This time though, Beth wants none of the drama and decides to handle it on her own...

My Opinion: I was all excited when I found out that Ms Carr had another release this year, other than her Virgin River series. I love and enjoy Ms Carr's writing a lot :) However, with A Summer in Sonoma, Ms Carr marks her return to women fiction with mixed success in my opinion.

To me, A Summer in Sonoma was a hard read. Not because the writing was bad, but because of the issues Ms Carr decided to tackle and how realistic she made them. We all read for different reasons and me, is to have fun, to enjoy. When fiction become too close to reality, it makes me uncomfortable... because I start thinking too much and that's never good ^_^; There were also some decisions the characters took that I didn't agree with, but I'll get to that a bit later.

The storyline I "enjoyed" the most was Julie and Billy's. Their storyline shows readers that sometimes, love is not enough and that getting help is not a bad thing. I liked that Julie and Billy still love each other strongly and they both work for their family to make it. However, it wasn't perfect. See, when the book starts, Julie is pregnant with their fourth child - another accident baby. She's frustrated because they don't have enough money and also worry about people's perception of them as she's having another unplanned pregnancy. She just doesn't want to have the baby, because of the situation... and so when she went to the doctor for her check-up, she asks for the IUD to be removed even though it'd be safer to wait. By having the IUD removed now, she has a 50-50 chance to lose the baby... I can sympathize with Julie's situation - I don't know if I could endure that much pressure and go on as she did, and really, I'm in position to judge... but I just can't help but disagree with her decision and feel it was wrong ^_^; Especially at the end of the book, when she decides to try for another baby after Billy has had his vasectomy (because you know, he only has a few shots left). Yes, their financial situation is a bit better and they are less stressed and happier, but the way she justified it... I don't understand then why having the baby previously would have been bad.

The other storyline that was interesting was Cassie's. After I read this, I told Ames how uncomfortable A Summer in Sonoma made me, because I kind of saw myself in Cassie. She completely dismissed Walt based on his biker appearance and made assumptions about his life. Then, she befriended him and discovered what a great guy he is and started falling for him... At the end, she discovers that he's actually well-off and the reason he didn't tell her before is because he wanted her to accept him for himself and not want to change him. It made me feel shallow, because like Cassie, I would probably have dismissed Walt as a potential love interest based on his appearance. Story-wise, I think Cassie's was the best. I liked how Cassie and Walt got to know each other and started out as friends. Cassie's prejudices and assumptions bothered me a bit from time to time though. In the end, this relationship was very sweet and I'm happy Cassie and Walt both found happiness.

As for the two other storylines, initially, I thought Beth had the most potential of all... However, there was just not enough of her for me to care. Her storyline was very, very brief and we were given only some facts here and there. There's a budding romance between her and her treating doctor, but again, nothing very solid :( As for Marty's, it was just plain uninteresting compared to what the other ladies were going through. Overall, the balance between the four storylines was simply bad. I definitively felt short-changed when it came to Beth and Marty's stories. I find it annoying because it happens very often wit this type of books. Authors choose to have 3 or 4 characters that they'll follow throughout the book, but there's always one or two in that bunch that they won't be able to develop properly... Wouldn't it be better than to reduce the number and focus on the remaining more?

Also, I wished there'd been more interactions between the four ladies. Yes, they did get together and talked... but it felt superficial. There wasn't much dynamics between all four and perhaps the comparison is unfair, but I can't help but think about Ms Roberts' Bride Quartet. The four ladies in there had real complicity... which is something I felt the ladies in A Summer in Sonoma lacked and it definitively would have made the book stronger.

My Grade: C-. A Summer in Sonoma was an interesting journey. The book itself wasn't bad, but it simply wasn't my cup of tea and I was too uncomfortable to enjoy it. In the end, I might just stick to Ms Carr's contemporary romances.

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-