Musings on Romance
I’m over at Dear Author with a review of The Drowned Girls by Loreth Anne White. This one is more a (grisly) crime thriller with romantic elements than a romantic suspense but it has a HFN and, if one doesn’t mind a sick and sadistic serial killer book, it’s pretty good.
I’m over at Dear Author with a review of It’s Me Again, Baby by Katie Reus. Short and sexy with an alpha hero and heroine who keeps him on his toes – but watch out for the insta-love.
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author via NetGalley
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) IF THE BOOKMOBILE’S ROCKING . . .
Constance Chen is not the demure kind of librarian. Sure, her high-horsepower ride is Big Bertha the Bookmobile, but Con swears a blue streak, does her own home improvement, and wears steel-toed boots. She has a tight circle of friends, a demanding, beloved sprawl of a Chinese-American family, and a strict hookups-only policy when it comes to men. Her life is just how she wants it. Except for one maddeningly sexy footnote.
Sam Wolcott, her friend’s baby brother and the library’s IT star, has been throwing sparks with Con since he moved to town. To everybody else, he’s a thoughtful, sensitive sweetheart. To Con, he’s a cantankerous pedant, because if they don’t fight nonstop their clothes will spontaneously combust. Sam needs a commitment Con won’t—can’t—give. And neither of them will chance their hard-won bonds for pure lust.
Too bad Con and Sam have a whole week in a very tiny, very private space to sustain their dumb arguments. Alone. What happens in the Bookmobile might take their resistance right out of circulation . . .
What worked for me (and what didn’t): This book was a lovely surprise. Constance Chen (aka “Con”) is the type of heroine I don’t see a lot in the romance genre. She’s a tough, no-nonsense woman, who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go and get it. She is blunt, prickly, a little brash and not looking for a relationship. She’s also a devoted sister and daughter and friend. Her close friendship with Penny, one of the other librarians in Niceville has her hesitating to act on her attraction to Sam Wolcott. And Sam has similar concerns. He has only just reconnected with his half-sister (they had different fathers) and she is the only family (apart from an extremely absent and disinterested mother) he has. He won’t do anything to risk that. He fears that if he starts anything with Con and it goes south, Penny will choose Con over him and then he’ll be alone. And that – being alone, is his greatest fear. Continue reading
Janine and I are over at Dear Author with a joint review of Kings Rising by CS Pacat, the brilliant end to the Captive Prince trilogy. The review is basically spoiler-free but the comments are open season.
I’m over at Dear Author with a review of Extreme Honor by Piper J. Drake. Some of the writing tics didn’t work for me but the dog was great.
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley. The blurb just hooked me – a bit unusual and very intriguing; it lived up to its promise.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) For Minnesota Glaciers captain Scott Walters, skating on a bum knee—and self-medicating to keep skating on it—is all part of the game. That the painkillers he’s eating prevent him from having meaningful relationships is just one more sacrifice in a lifetime of them. He’s worked too hard to let his image be ruined by injury or dependency, so he hides the pain and fakes the rest—a girlfriend would only complicate matters.
High school teacher Rachel Fielding never needed a man in her life, but she also never intended to grow old alone. When she meets Scott while visiting her brother, she’s intrigued to find herself wanting him in her bed. For hours at a time, as often as possible. Scott is a giver, and just the memory of his attentions is enough to drive her crazy. Anything long-term is out of the question, though—the pills she finds in Scott’s house indicate he’s struggling with a lot more than growing older in a young man’s game.
When what starts out as a what-the-hell weeklong fling turns into Scott and Rachel exploring each other outside the bedroom, Rachel hesitates. But Scott asks for her support to break his addiction, and hearing him admit his secrets has her ignoring her own rules—until he breaks her heart. With the Glaciers refusing to renew his contract and his future with Rachel uncertain, Scott has some big decisions to make and a lot to prove—especially to himself.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I haven’t read the first book in the series (yet) but I think this one works well as a stand-alone. The story begins at the wedding of what I assume to be book one’s hero and heroine. Scott Walker, the Glaciers captain is in attendance. He was the best man. His knee is very sore and he’s popping pain pills but is being careful not to mix them with alcohol. He’s been hiding or downplaying the pain in his knee for so long and he’s desperately tired. He’s also desperate to keep playing. It’s the end of the season and the Glaciers have just missed out on winning the cup. He wants one more shot at it before he retires. His contract is up and the Glaciers have been coy about renewal. He’s 34 and he knows he’s nearing the end of his career. Is he already past his use-by date?
At the reception there is a very attractive woman Scott hasn’t seen before. This is our heroine, Rachel Fielding, the sister of a friend of the groom. She is in town visiting her brother Rock (short for Rockford) and his partner Carter, for the summer. Scott and Rachel are beyond attracted to one another but Rachel is going home in a week. It seems any potential relationship is doomed. Continue reading
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