The Education of Mrs. Brimley is Donna MacMeans’ first novel. I thought the characters were quite delightful, and the author created a strong sexual tension between her hero and heroine. That said, though, the basic premise of the plot was a bit too much to be believed. Emma Heatherston was born out of wedlock and…
This is my first – and my last – Sue-Ellen Welfonder novel. There might have been a good story lurking somewhere in the pages of Bride for a Knight, but it was buried beneath clichés and a writing style that was at first amusing but quickly became incredibly annoying. Jamie Macpherson is a big, strapping…
On rereading Barbara Hambly’s Bride of the Rat God for the purpose of writing this review, I was surprised once more by what a truly superb novel it is. On rereading, I found new details to savor, ones that I had overlooked before because I had been too caught up in the excitement of the…
If you’re a fan of Michael Mann’s film of The Last of the Mohicans (yes, the one with the delightful Daniel Day Lewis in it), then Rising Wind may be just the book for you. It’s the story of class-divided lovers who bond under difficult circumstances and find each other, survival, and love. The hero…
Just Wicked Enough starts with an unusual and riveting scene, but unfortunately, the rest of the book does not live up to its initial promise. We’ve all read romances where the aristocratic hero bemoans the fact that he has to figuratively “auction” himself and his title in marriage to some mushroom’s daughter in order to…
I have always liked stories where friendship turns into something more, which is why I chose To Scotland, With Love, the second book in Hawkins’ series on the MacLean siblings. When Gregor MacLean rushes to his friend’s aid, he suddenly starts seeing her in a whole new light. The ensuing relationship is full of sparks…
If you can set details aside for long enough, Sorceress may be a book you might enjoy. While I had a few issues (some serious) with the story Jackson tells here, I found it to be an engaging book that I didn’t want to put down. Bryanna is the middle daughter of the Baron of…
The time of the Norman Conquest is a setting rich with history. There is a built-in conflict between an invading conqueror hero and an indigenous heroine. Carol Townend puts a slight twist on these two prototypes, making them less stereotypical and giving them a nice external conflict. Lady Cecily isn’t your usual Saxon noblewoman. Her…
Looking back on The Heir and the Spare, I cannot say that the book left any deep impression on me. What stands out most clearly in retrospect is not the actual story itself, but rather a memory of reading this book on the bus and enjoying it. The plot points are a bit silly and…
Though she has started to get more attention, I still consider Helen Kirkman to be something of a buried treasure. Her distinctive style fits her chosen time period well, and every time I pick up one of her books, I feel transported back to the Dark Ages and the clashes between various English peoples and…
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