Reviews by Louise VanderVliet
One of the best parts about reviewing books is discovering new authors. Sometimes I pick a book and it takes me a while to motivate myself to read it because I am just not sure I am going to like it. When the book that I was procrastinating on ends up being a great read, it reminds me why I love to ...
While I need to give Ms. Fresina credit for a very unique story, I have to say that even the story was very predictable from start to finish. The story was confusing and the characters were often Jane Austen caricatures, but Russ and Sophie were a cute couple despite all that.Sophia V ...
A Scottish spy, an English lass, torn loyalties, and secret identities that result in a Big Misunderstanding is the way that many Highland Romances seem to begin and Conquered by a Highlander seemed to be going down that same well worn path. But any author who skillfully avoids the Big Misunderstand ...
I am not a stickler for the time period of a book – I don’t need exact dates - but it is nice to know a general time period as a reference. Throughout A Warrior’s Promise it really bugged me that I had no idea when in time this book took place. Bryce is a Highlander fighting ...
What does a reviewer do with a book that had no glaring flaws, no plot blunders, and good characterizations, but also did nothing to grab the reader’s attention and is predictable from start to finish? This is the dilemma I faced with Erin Knightley’s debut work, More Than a Stranger. ...
Julia Quinn is dependable when it comes to light-hearted, sweet Regencies. I am happy to say that A Night Like This is no exception. Is this great literature? Nah. But it doesn’t have to be, nor does it pretend to be. It is simple and fun and I enjoyed it thoroughly.Daniel Smythe-Smith had a c ...
I was really looking forward to the next book in the Shadowlands series, Kiss of the Goblin Prince. Unfortunately, all the magic seemed to be gone from this installment and I think the enchanting adult fairy tale of The Goblin King was a one hit wonder.Dai King has spent millennia cur ...
In a market glutted with paranormal romances and vampires, I really didn’t have high expectations of Nightborn being able to stand out. But I was very happy to be wrong. It has a great story and compelling characters that made it a book I really struggled to put down.Korvel is a Darkyn senesch ...
I've always wondered why many Regency romances start to sound the same and use the same plot devices. After reading Confessions From an Arranged Marriage, I am starting to realize why the old tried and trues are reused. It is because they work. With this book, Neville tries to take the old clichà ...
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A friend asked me how I can review books and whether or not doing so destroyed my enjoyment of the story. She suggested that concentrating on the ins and outs would take too much away from the story and ruin the reading experience. To me, that is what makes the difference between a good book and a g ...