with a review of Not Quite Enough by Catherine Bybee, narrated by Amy McFadden. A new-to-me author and a new-to-me narrator – a happy discovery on both counts.
Page 197 of 274
on Paper/eBook
**NB This review first appeared in the February ARRA newsletter**
The Geek with the Cat Tattoo by Theresa Weir – B+ This delightful novella is the second book in the “Cool Cats” series. There were supposed to be three, but I think the third book has been shelved for now. The first book was Girl With the Cat Tattoo (scroll down the link for my mini review). I liked Geek better but both a fun and quirky stories. Both stories feature a cat’s POV.
In Geek, the cat is Sam. He has been through a number of different owners but has yet to find his “forever owner”. When he meets Emerson Foshay, maker and repairer of musical instruments, he has high hopes. Sam has a secret super-power – he can “mindmess” with people. This is usually only in the form of getting them to empty the cat litter tray or buy him the expensive cat food, but when he sees how tongue-tied Emerson gets around Lola Brown, a regular customer in the shop, he steps in to help. Both Emerson and Lola get a POV but I admit I had a soft spot for Sam here.
With Sam’s help Emerson and Lola begin a relationship and Emerson starts to overcome his shyness. However, it’s not all smooth sailing and when Sam is “found” by his former (evil) owner, Emerson no longer has Sam’s “mindmessing” to help him and things fall apart. Even worse is to come however, when Sam’s former owner (because: reasons) wants Sam destroyed and before too long Emerson and Lola have to put aside their own problems to rescue Sam before it’s too late.
It is a fairly short story but the romance is very satisfying and Sam the cat is just awesome.
BUY IT:
AMAZON
It’s All Geek To Me by JL Merrow – B This is a cute little short – just under 50 pages. JL Merrow is one of the few authors I’m prepared to spend $2.99 on at that word count. I think it takes a particular talent to write an engaging and complete short story and while the subject matter is fairly light, I think she does a good job here.
Jez is a non-geek rugby-loving lab technician who has a bit of a complex about his looks after his ex did a number on him. When his friend Tel is in the hospital having broken both legs in a car vs. bike accident where he came off the definite loser, Jez is tasked with finding a comic book to replace the one damaged in the crash. Upon arrival at the comic store, he becomes deeply smitten by Rhys, the gorgeous guy behind the counter. Jez, desperate to impress Rhys begs “geek lessons” from Tel. It actually plays into his Jez’s lack of confidence and so it made sense and even though it was a bit of deception it was the kind I find fairly easy to forgive.
Why I read it: I had this one on my TBR (in paper even!) and I wanted to be caught up on the series by the time Carolina Man releases in March.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Meg Fletcher spent her childhood dreaming of escaping Dare Island-her family’s home for generations. So after she landed a high-powered job in New York City, she left and never looked back. But when she loses both her job and the support of her long-term, live-in boyfriend, she returns home to lick her wounds and reevaluate her life.
Helping out her parents at the family inn, she can’t avoid the reminders of the past she’d rather forget-especially charming and successful Sam Grady, her brother’s best friend. Their one, disastrous night of teenage passion should have forever killed their childhood attraction, but Sam seems determined to reignite those long-buried embers. As Meg discovers the man he’s become, she’s tempted to open her vulnerable heart to him. But she has no intention of staying on Dare Island-no matter how seductive Sam’s embrace might be.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I listened to the first book and listening is a different experience to reading – for one thing, I can read a print book much faster. I took about a day to read Carolina Girl – which meant that I made extra time to read because I was enjoying it and also that it wasn’t taxing. It has an easy style reminiscent of Nora Roberts (as Brie says in her review here). There were a couple of things which disappointed me but overall, it was an enjoyable contemporary small-town romance and I liked it.
I get ranty about Collide by Gail McHugh, narrated by Mary Kowal. It rates very well at Goodreads but not at Casa Kaetrin, so click on the link at your own risk.
Janine and I collaborated on a review of Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard – a fantasy romance with dragons. Click on the link to see what we thought.
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at “hello.” His relationship with Emme’s best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that’s ever happened to her?
It isn’t easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she’s a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme’s always been the one; she excites Deck’s body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme’s past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she’ll let him . . .
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I ended up enjoying this book but it wasn’t my favourite Ashley. I did like that Deck and Emme got together quickly and that if felt natural for it to be that way. Because they had a history of a very strong friendship some years earlier, it was much easier for me to accept they’d get physical early. I also liked that Emme was in an actual sexual relationship with someone and that Deck waited to even kiss her until she was out of it.
“So, summin’ up, you got until Sunday to get your head together about McFarland. On Sunday, you scrape him off. On Sunday night, the boys are gone, you learn the true meaning of me callin’ you ‘baby.’ ”
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