Most romance readers think of Mary Balogh as a dark, intense writer, but she has proven in books like The Famous Heroine and Lady With A Black Umbrella that she can handle the lighter side as well. A Summer To Remember is not a farce, but it is much lighter than her recent hardcover books….
After reading romance for a few years now, I have realized that it is truly rare to find a book that so completely manages to fulfill all of its “duties.” Is the writing smart enough to assume the reader can comprehend subtleties, yet accessible enough to keep the reading pace fluid? Does the author know…
“Suspend disbelief” is the rule of thumb when reading fiction. Sometimes, however, I run across a book that asks me not merely to suspend my disbelief but to strangle it to death. Unhappily, A Gentleman at Heart is one of those. An unbelievable plot, unappealing characters, and unacceptable writing added up to a most unpleasant…
Shades of Honor is a Golden Heart award-winning novel, and in this case it was an award well deserved. I’ve had something of a dry spell lately; I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to be so enthralled in a book and so concerned for the characters that I lose all track of time. As the…
There’s nothing tempting about Tempt Me With Kisses, at least at first glance. The cover is an ugly dried-blood color with an annoying half-unclad couple on it (the man has snaps on his shirt!), and the back blurb talks about bold warriors and flame-haired Scottish lasses. Ho-hum. But if you avert your eyes from the…
Author Linda Jones has written a series of books based on well-known fables, the latest of which is DeButy & the Beast. Now, you’d think that DeButy would be the heroine and The Beast, her eventual true love. But the author has put a fresh and funny twist on this theme, for Dr. Julian DeButy…
While reading Romancing Mister Bridgerton was great fun, reviewing it is no picnic. Especially since readers at AAR expect a nicely detailed first-half of the book plot summary with every review. Well, in this case, I just can’t do it for one very good reason. Beyond the very basics of the plot, supplying any other…
For the Love of Lila took me by surprise. I expected another tale of a determined bluestocking who finds passion after a series of TSTL moves. While Lila Covington may be a little too indepentant at times, she is definitely not stupid. Early on, the characters establish themselves and their motives, then remain true to…
Why is it when an author turns up the heat, she all too often turns down the character development? Unfortunately, that’s the biggest problem with this Regency-era sensual romance, which, on the positive side, does manage to deliver some real erotic kicks from a likable and appealing if somewhat one-dimensional couple. Lady Sarah…
The little town of Fertile, Missouri between the wars is the setting for this novel of love, crime, and secrets. There are lots of characters and subplots, but three main threads emerge. The first thread is about Julie Jones, an innocent, wholesome farm girl who left school at age fifteen when her mother fell sick….
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