I’m over at AudioGals today with a review of Nora Roberts’ latest romantic suspense: The Collector, narrated by Julia Whelan. I enjoyed the narration but unfortunately the story didn’t reach the heights of The Witness or The Search.
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Why I read it: I bought this one as soon as it was out because: Kristen Ashley and also various of my reader friends who’d read early copies were saying good things.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant.
While Josephine was trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love.
But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it.
Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I haven’t had the same problems with the two most recent Ashley books that others have had. That is to say, I’ve liked them well enough. Sure, they weren’t Motorcycle Man but I found things in them to enjoy. That said, this book was a welcome return to form. The story was long – over 400 pages and the romance was a kind of slow build. The sexual tension was always there but it took a while before the couple became intimate and they got to know each other (even though Jake already knew a lot about Josie, spending time with someone is different) in that time so the romance felt stronger to me. I loved Jake’s kids – Conner, Amber and Ethan and I loved Amber’s besties, boy Taylor and girl Taylor. (Seriously, they were hilarious). There were some great things in the book – including some good messages about self-worth combined with loads of humour and affection of various kinds.
I’m at Dear Author today reviewing Bad Influence by KA Mitchell. I had some trouble with the central relationship but YMMV.
Why I read it: I’m a fan of Katie McGarry’s books. This book is available free from Harlequin or Amazon.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) In Red at Night, Stella and Jonah are total opposites. She’s the girl with purple hair from the wrong part of town. He’s a high school senior who hangs with the cool crowd. Until a car accident leaves him haunted by guilt, and Jonah starts spending time at Stella’s favorite refuge…the local cemetery.
Stella knows she should keep her distance—after all, she spent her girlhood being bullied by Jonah’s friends. Once he’s sorted out his tangled emotions, Jonah won’t have time for her anymore. Too bad she’s already fallen for him.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): Inspired by Nikki Berta who runs the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation which provides free shoes to children in Nevada (and they get to choose their own shoes from a wide selection), this story is part of Harlequin’s More Than Words project.
Both Stella and Jonah are in their senior year of high school Stella lives with the sometime-girlfriend of her father. Her father is mostly absent and her and Joss (the sometime-girlfriend) are not remotely wealthy. Joss tells Stella not to dream or hope because people like them are destined to stay where they are and college and getting out from under is for other people.
I’m over at AudioGals today with a review of Once In A Lifetime by Jill Shalvis, narrated by Annie Green. I like the way Jill Shalvis does small town contemporary – they’re always reliably good fun. Plus I found a new narrator so: Win.
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) This macho jock has a crooked little secret.
College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay For Pay and still be straight . . . right?
But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay For Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling?
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I’m not sure exactly what to say about this novel. Any review is necessarily the reviewer’s personal reaction to a book but my thoughts about Straight Shooter ended up being a bit more about me than the usual review I write. The story caused me to examine some things about my own thinking and because it’s my blog and I can and because it’s my honest reaction, that’s partly what I’m going to talk about here. I like books that make me think and critical thinking works inwardly as well of course.
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