5 stars I received an ARC of this book because I am a big fan of Demelza Carlton’s fairytale retellings. This is a story with which I am unfamiliar, but I am certain her retelling is quite different from the original. For one thing, I can pretty much guarantee the children’s telling did not include sex. Conversely, Raphael and Swanhilde are laser focused on this aspect of their relationship and spend most of their time together making love. I found myself wondering what else they had in common. Healng, maybe? The book is more about the story than it is about character development or being realistic. It is a fairytale, after all. I like the appearance of characters from previous stories (Miss Sarah, Zoticus, etc.) and it makes me want to go back and look for the appearance of these characters in other stories—something I probably won’t do. The book is short and easy to read. The pacing is good and the setting is consistent with other books in the series. Overall, I enjoyed it but would not consider it one of her best. September 8, 2021
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5 stars I received an ARC of this book and thought it would have nothing to do with her Billionaires in Disguise series, but as it turns out, Jericho Parr was a student at Le Rosy, along with all of the others. There’s even a reference to Maxence. As is always the case, the writing is professional and the story is engaging. Characters are realistic and relatable, even if one is a millionaire and one is a golf pro. I like the way Blair Babylon explains golf terms and some of the rules in a way that is not condescending and fits the narrative without slowing it down. The plot is a really good one, although I don’t think we ever found out definitively whether Jericho won the bet. Perhaps the answer will come in one of the other books I anticipate in this series. Blair Babylon’s books as of late have contained social commentary, in this case, how Black women are treated as second-class citizens. Personally, I like the new POV she has adopted because I think romantic fiction is an excellent forum for educating people and expanding their ability to relate to those who are different. She describes the fear Tiffany Jones feels whenever she drives, compounded by an incident where a police cruiser follows her for several miles. She shows how Tiffany’s pain is discounted and her quest to find a surgeon to fix her knee is constantly thwarted by doctors who do not value her health. And she shows how Jericho gains a new understanding of the systemic racism that affects Tiffany every day. As usual, Blair Babylon had some great descriptions. I loved this one: “Her stomach was growling and roaming around her abdomen, looking for food.” And this, when Tiffany unexpectedly first meets Jericho’s mother: “Tiffany hoped she wasn’t obviously staring at Lillian’s facial features flickering through a thousand different micro-expressions, but she was. A face shouldn’t be able to do that. Lillian looked like a speeded-up video or a case of demonic possession.” Newcastle is a small town in Connecticut and Tiffany doesn’t want anyone to know she is dating Jericho because her parents will freak out, particularly her ex-military dad. At first, Jericho doesn’t understand this, so when she expresses a desire for secrecy, he says, “Why, are you worried that if your reputation is tarnished, no one in the ton will think you’re marriageable, and you’ll be ruined?” Near the end of the book, one of Jericho’s friends shows up to an event at his country club with a striking woman described thusly: “The woman on his arm was tall, voluptuous, and Instagram-perfect. Even from across the room, Jericho wondered if they had somehow figured out how to Photoshop a person in real life.” What a funny idea! I highly recommend this book, for those who love golf and those who don’t, and I’m looking forward to the next one. September 7, 2021 5 stars I received an ARC of this book, and although I really enjoy Summer Cooper’s writing, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This is unlike any other book I’ve read. Somehow, she has managed to create two main characters who are utterly unredeemable and unlikable, and yet, I found myself unable to put the book down because I was anxious to find out what would happen next. The story is told from alternating POVs in third-person past-tense, which seems to work well. The book starts by painting Keily as a selfish, self-absorbed narcissist (redundant, right?) who lies to get a job. At first, Logan seems like he might be a nice enough guy, but it quickly becomes apparent he’s equally narcissistic and a bit sadistic. The two of them are uncontrollably attracted to one another, but as long as she works for him, nothing will happen between them. He decides to make her life a living hell. Don’t expect a happy ending. That said, it’s certainly a satisfying ending. It’s both completely unexpected and altogether predictable. All I can say is, wow. September 5, 2021 5 stars I received an ARC of this collection through Netgalley and I thoroughly enjoyed it. No Ordinary Duke is the story of Mary Clemmons and Caleb Crawford, the Duke of Camberly (though she doesn’t know that). More Than a Rogue follows Emily Howard (best friend of Mary & Cassandra) and Griffin Crawford, brother of Caleb. Her Seafaring Scoundrel follows Lady Cassandra Moor and Devlin Crawford, third brother of Caleb. Coincidentally, they are triplets, but Caleb is the oldest, and therefore, becomes the Duke upon the death of their oldest brother. It’s unfortunate that George, the eldest brother, died because he seemed very much like the triplets in temperament and personality, although he was willing to put up with their domineering father in ways they were not—certainly due to the fact he was the presumed heir. It’s not easy for me to remember the names of books or characters, but when I run into a familiar plot, I generally notice very quickly. That’s what happened with Her Seafaring Scoundrel, which is funny because it’s the last in the collection. I originally read this story just over a year ago, which I confirmed by looking for my review on Goodreads. Five stars and a very detailed glowing review made it easy for me to decide it was worth reading again. (I’ve added it to my review here.) All three stories feature individuals who have no interest in marriage who fall in love despite their intentions. Each story contains a surprise connection between the couples that doesn’t become clear until much later in the plot. Every twist proves that even when we suffer terrible losses, there is something better waiting for us. They also demonstrate how incestuous and insulated the ton could be. It seems everyone knows everyone else in some capacity or another. I loved every one of these stories and characters and highly recommend this collection. No Ordinary Duke This story earns five stars. Mary Clemmons & Caleb Crawford, Duke of Camberly are the main characters in this story. However, we also grow to know Emily Howard and Cassandra Moor (Mary’s best friends) and Griffin and Devlin (Caleb’s brothers/triplets). It’s a fun story with an interesting twist, which I don’t want to ruin with a spoiler. As an aside, Mr. Townsbridge and his sister do not come across as likable characters. Sophie Barnes is a skilled writer and I highly recommend this book. More Than a Rogue This one also earns five stars. Emily Howard & Griffin Crawford are the main characters in this story, the second in the Crawford collection. We still see glimpses of Cassandra and Mary (Emily’s friends) and Caleb and Devlin (Griffin’s brothers/triplets). One of the things I loved about the storytelling is how names changed according to POV. When it was Griffin’s POV, he thought of Emily as Miss Howard and when it was Emily’s POV, she thought of Griffin as Lord Griffin. Of course, this changed later when they decided to become married (no, not a spoiler). Everyone, on occasion, says stupid things. I loved this description of one such faux pas: “...for some unfathomable reason, Griffin’s mouth had detached itself from his brain.” I really enjoyed this story. Her Seafaring Scoundrel This five star review is from a year ago, when I was just learning about Sophie Barnes. Thanks to Netgalley for another great book. I was unfamiliar with the author, but pleased to discover she competently portrays a depth of emotion not found in all books within this genre. Here, she addresses the issues of grief and guilt and how they can haunt a person (or persons) who stays stuck in the past and fails to face the possibility of a happy future. Cassandra lives in the past, devoted to a fiance who died on the day of their impending wedding, leaving her pregnant with a now-13-year-old “illegitimate” daughter. She lives in a state of perpetual grief, feeling as if she cannot even consider betraying the love she once pledged to Timothy. Devlin lives in a state of perpetual guilt for deaths he feels he caused, though of course, he is not ultimately responsible. As a result, neither feels deserving or capable of loving the other, though for different reasons. As we all know, the heart often has a will of its own and pursues love despite our mental gymnastics to prevent it. Penelope, Cassandra’s daughter, is exceptionally incisive and mature with observations like this one: “You want to hold on to the past, the present, and the future all at the same time. You want Papa to come back and for no other person to take his place...Except he’s not coming back. Not ever. So it’s time for you to let go and move on or you’ll never be truly happy. And I’d really like for you to be happy, Mama. I want it more than anything else in the world.” Although there aren’t many 13-year-olds with the level of maturity demonstrated by Penelope, there’s no reason not to believe she is exceptional, considering the circumstances of her life and upbringing. Luckily, Cassandra takes her words to heart. Meanwhile, Devlin is realizing he loves Cassandra and is desperate to win her love. At one point, wracked by his guilt, he “needed at least three glasses of brandy in order to think straight. Or perhaps not to think at all, he decided while trying to figure out what he should do.” The confusion, and sometimes torment, experienced by those in love are on full display, the author describing such emotions in vivid and compassionate detail. It’s difficult not to become ensnared in the passions of the characters. I absolutely loved this book and I’m anxious to read more from this author. September 1, 2021 5 stars Thanks to Netgalley, again, for an outstanding ARC. This story is multi-layered and riveting with complex characters and a fascinating plot. Grey, the protagonist, is a sympathetic character while also causing you to yell at the page, “No! Don’t do it!” Of course, as is quickly evident, she is an alcoholic and needs to hit rock bottom before she will acknowledge she cannot quit without help. Declan is a surprisingly compassionate and lovable partner, and I adored the plot twist when they realized they had always been meant for one another. And of course, there’s this gem: “It’s the path. Loss makes us stronger, makes us see things we might not have otherwise. Sometimes loss leads us to what we really need.” Meanwhile, I feel I must mention that there are some letters from an anonymous source that are truly disturbing. They are written like journal entries, then sealed into envelopes and each time Grey finds one, it is worse than the last. Never mind that it’s unlikely someone would happen to open them in order. That seems irrelevant in light of the contents. I found myself completely creeped out and struggling to get one particular image out of my head. I kept reminding myself it was fiction. Meanwhile, when the writer of the letters was finally revealed… Well, I don’t want to say too much, but I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. I am very impressed by the writing in this book and I’ve signed on to Amanda McKinney’s mailing list because I’d like to read more from her. Highly recommended (unless you’re really squeamish). August 25, 2021 5 stars I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. This author is new to me but I was very impressed (one might even say influenced) by the story, enthralled from the start and guessing until almost the end. The book starts with a murder from the POV of the unidentified victim, then jumps back in time to relay the story of what led to that point. It was fascinating because I was never quite sure who was the victim. POV changed often but was easy to follow and never confusing. The writing was good, with one particular line that made me crack up. Rowan refers to someone: “He’s like the margarine sandwich of humans.” The dialogue was authentic, mostly, and texting was realistic, with just the kind of errors you’d expect from someone rushing or distracted. In regard to dialogue, I must point out that Nora, Hannah’s daughter, was both annoying and unrealistic. She was always yelling things, and though she sometimes used big words, she seldom used verbs. My impression was that this was the dialogue of a person unfamiliar with the real-life language of toddlers. She was demanding and bratty and spoke like an adult trying to sound like a child. Other than that, descriptions were lifelike and characters were relatable. Overall, the story and the writing were excellent. I definitely recommend this book. August 22, 2021 |
Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
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