In a romance book landscape littered with paranormals and inane Regency-set historicals, it’s nice to enjoy a Western Romance read. It’s like drinking a tall glass of cool, crisp water. Loner’s Lady turned out to be a lovely character-driven romance in which plot holes, unfortunately, mar its grade. As Bruce Springsteen belted in his memorable…
I’m a sucker for a saga. That is what drew me to Gretchen Craig’s debut – Always and Forever. Taking into consideration that this is her first novel, I would say we should look forward to great things from Ms. Craig. My one issue is a big one, and that is what warranted the lower…
Apart from being incredibly annoyed back when I first read Reading the Romance, Janice Radway’s iconic look at romance novels and their readers, I was quite struck by the sheer number of readers who stated that they read romance because of the things they learned. Now, this is not one of the reasons I read…
The early sections of The Book of True Desires set up a premise so tantalizing I actually experienced a giddy rush of anticipation. But while Betina Krahn takes readers on an interesting journey in this romantic adventure, I ultimately couldn’t help thinking that some better company would have improved the trip. In order to fund…
I can count on one hand the number of romance novels that have ever moved me to tears. Lorraine Heath’s classic Always to Remember sits at the top of that elite list, head and shoulders above the rest. In the ten years since its initial publication, it has only gained power, as its themes seem…
Normally a book cover does not influence me, but I thought the cover of Duchess of Fifth Avenue was quite stunning. Would the story inside be as good as the cover? Lana and her best friend Siobhan escape their harsh lives in Ireland and settle in New York City. Unfortunately, Siobhan’s husband, Billy, a charming…
I am so glad I read this book. I had never read any of Beverly Jenkins’ novels before and didn’t know what to expect, but I came away from this story very impressed. Jenkins does a wonderful job of balancing passion, emotion, an exciting story, and a masterful command of history, and, while this did…
I keep picking up western romances, hoping I’ll find one as good as those I used to read in the nineties. Since virtually all of them I’ve read in the last five years are terrible, I’m not sure if my behavior is optimistic, or just stupid. Sadly, Luck of the Draw is yet another of…
Sometimes I’m just in the mood to read a completely over-the-top romance. Those are the times when I’m looking for characters who are larger than life and have all kinds of vivid adventures. Pamela Clare’s latest novel, the first in a new series, has its rough spots, but her tale of romance set during the…
At about 35,000 words, Love’s Golden Embrace by Charlene Leonard is a rather short story in which you won’t find much detail in either setting or characterization. However, the feeling of nostalgia, comfort and my affection for both leads (especially for hero Luke) make Love’s Golden Embrace a pleasant, quick read. In 1829 the recent…
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