The Acciendetal Wedding by Anne Gracie

The Accidental Wedding by Anne Gracie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2011 TBR Challenge- This book has been on my TBR list since November 2010.



The Accidental Wedding is a decently written historical romance with likable characters. No big misunderstandings or other dreaded plot devices to mar what is essentially a fairy tale-- injured rich man gets nursed back to health by impoverished beautiful woman and falls in love.


While the book is nice way to pass a few hours, the plot isn't very deep or complex. The author never lets the suspense build too far and the mysteries in the book are easily figured out early on, including the small mystery of Lizzie's husband.


What the author does best is build the relationship between Maddie and Nash. It was sweet and ultimately enjoyable. I did cringe at how neatly the author chose to wrap of everyone's lives, and how utterly "perfect" Maddie is all the time, but overall I enjoyed the book and recommend it for lovers of historical romances written with a light touch.


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Black Ice by Anne Stuart

Black Ice by Anne Stuart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SOA 2011 Listening Challenge- Choose a book recommended in a SOA Column

This "bad boy" romance has been recommended many times on various romance forums. I was wary of trying it because I don't like what I consider abusive heroes. But while Bastien was cold and unfeeling for much of the book, he wasn't abusive. He didn't fly into rages or verbally abuse Chloe like so many heroes do. That was the behavior I was expecting from a "bad boy" hero. Bastien was emotionally shut-down, but he was honest about that. Also, the author gave some indication that there was still hope for Bastien even early on in the book. He knows he's burning out and is questioning if the "good guys" and the "bad guys" are really much different. Bastien doesn't see the questioning for what it is, a glimmer of a conscience, but the reader does.


The reader can't look too closely at some of the plot points, like how Chloe ends up as translator for a gun-running cartel. Surely they have access to reliable translators. The biggest problem I could see was why they needed a translator in the first place. It seemed everyone spoke French and English, and those were the only two languages Chloe was suppose to know and help in translating. She seems completely superfluous. I do think the author could've come up with a little more plausible story on that end. However, the action was edge-of-your-seat and the dialog was very well-written. Bastien's slow change was handle with finesse and felt real. I would have enjoyed an epilogue for this book.


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A Loving Scoundrel by Johannah Lindsay

A Loving Scoundrel by Johanna Lindsey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2011 TBR Challenge- this has been on my TBR list since Sept 2010

2011 Speaking of Audiobooks Listening Challenge- Listen to a romance sub-genre you usually avoid. While I've listened to many Georgette Heyer books on audio, I rarely read any other historical romances.

3.5* A Loving Scoundrel was an entertaining romance novel, but nothing stands out as unique or extraordinary. It's worth reading if you enjoy light historical romance.

I listened to this on audio, and the narration was serviceable but not inspired. The narrator's choice of emphasis, and her timing, was quite good, but her voices weren't great. She has a fine voice, but not one that relaxes you like some narrators.
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Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5*


Speaking of Audiobooks Listening Challenge 2011- (Recommended Book)
2011 TBR Challenge
2011 Sci-Fi Romance Reading Challenge
Sci-Fi Romance Group- April Book of the Month


That's a lot of "reading challenge" birds to kill with this one book, and what a marvelous book it is. Bujold is a gifted writer and her skill at writing dialog is top-notch. If only more authors could write dialog that is natural-sounding, as well as witty and informative. In Bujold's books, the dialog often carries the story and the reader learns to pay attention because so much is revealed as characters talk. It's a marvelous skill to write such depth into the conversations.

Shards of Honor has so many things to offer along with the wonderful dialog, action, suspense, violence, political intrigue, bravery, compromise, and a wonderful developing relationship.

This book is chronologically (for the characters) the first in Bujold's widely popular Miles Vorkosigan science fiction series. It details how Aral Vorgosigan and Cordelia Naismith meet. This pair, from opposite sides of an inter-galactic conflict, are destined to be the parents of Miles. I believe his birth is covered in the next installment, Barrayar.

I listened to this book on audio narrated by Grover Gardner. His reading was spot-on. His inflection, timing, and emphasis was perfect. I highly recommend this book and this narrator.

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Never Love A Lawman by Jo Goodman

Never Love A Lawman by Jo Goodman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

TBR Reading Challenge 2011- April category: Western

3.5* I wavered whether to round up or down on this one. Goodman is an excellent writer in many ways, and she's obviously done her research on life in the American west in the 19th century. The writing is clear and well-balanced, and the descriptions full of details of everyday life. That detail is both a positive and a negative, depending on the reader. Or, in my case, depending on the part of the story being detailed. At times it was enjoyable to read the small occurrences of everyday of life Goodman chose to describe, such as lighting the stove, walking down the street, the style of dress, and so forth. At other times, too many small details slowed down the story. It took the edge off the action, or diffused some of the tension between Wayne and Rachel.


The story starts out slowly, but it builds well and there are some great characters, both primary and secondary. The writing overall is above average and the plot was interesting and well-executed. I'm planning to check out some other books by Jo Goodman. However, the writing style could be called calm or sedate, and that dampened some of the energy of the book, so it misses the "great" mark by bit.



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Mackenzie's Magic

Mackenzie's Magic by Linda Howard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


2.5*

This book was mostly pointless. It's very short and has almost no suspense whatsoever. Instant attraction worthy of a PNR "fated-mate" moment is the order of the day. The heart-warming (tongue-in-cheek here) moments (long, drawn-out moments) with the larger MacKenzie clan take over the last two chapters of the book and have no real purpose but to showcase Zane and Barrie's daughter Nick.


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Emily and the Dark Angel

Emily and the Dark Angel by Jo Beverley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


TBR Challenge 2011-- Recommended to me in the fall of 2010.


Emily and the Dark Angel was entertaining but not unique. While the book could be rated "G" based on the interactions of the characters, I'd hesitate to recommend this to a young teen because of handling of the subject of mistresses and "whores." One conversation, started by the hero, about who would be the first to "mount" the 17 yr old protege of a well-known "loose-woman" was particularly distasteful. As I said, the language and actual scenes are kisses only, but the tone was more explicit than books by Georgette Heyer for example.


I enjoyed most of the writing, but found it got a little to sweet the last several chapters. The potential for some real angst was diffused before it could take a good hold, and all the reunions and reconciliations were a bit much. Decent book, but it didn't grab me enough to actively seek out more by this author. However, I may check my library for them if I want a quick, easy read.


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Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz

Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sci-Fi Romance Reading Challenge 2011


Sweet Starfire was published in 1986, presumably before Jayne Ann Krentz was writing her sci-fi romance under the name Jayne Castle. I didn't look at the copyright date until after I'd finished, and was surprised to find this was Krentz's first "futuristic" book. In my opinion, it's one of the best I've read by her under any pen name. The book has a solid plot, great action scenes, a slow-building romance, well-developed characters, and detailed world-building. Sweet Starfire is the first book in the Lost Colony trilogy. From what I can gather, the books are not dependent on each other, but take place in the same universe. The other books are Crystal Flame and Shield's Lady. The latter was originally published under pen name Amanda Glass, but has been reissued under Jane Ann Krentz.

There was something genuine in the interactions between the main characters, Teague Severence and Cidra Rainforest. Krentz does a great job making the emotions and actions of the leads believable and often moving. Highly recommended.


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