Los Angeles
I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where The Secret Life of Anna Blanc fits into the genres. And the thing is, it doesn’t. Not really. It’s one part historical mystery, one part historical fiction, one part chick-lit (kinda), and all dusted with just a dash of romance. It’s a com ...
I occasionally need a break from standard romance fare. I love small town romances and romantic suspense with cops chasing baddies. I love wagering dukes and possessive wolf shifters. But conventional romance hasn’t been doing it for me lately. So I picked up a book about a porn star who signs a c ...
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 plot. I sti ...
What a difference a book makes. Ms. Liu’s debut book Tiger Eye was a bit of a disappointment. Though many loved the shape-shifter/X-Men plotting, what I came away with was more akin to frustration than anything else. The imaginative storyline was appealing (indeed, it motivated me to read this sop ...
B-
I'm always up for a good angsty read, one that's moving and emotional without crossing the line into depressing. Forgiveness is that kind of story. It has its flaws, but it also delivers potent emotions and powerful scenes, making for an effective read.
Growing up, Ria Channing was the bad se ...
Harper Allen's The Man That Got Away is one of the most original debut romances I've ever come across, and one of my favorites. A time-travel romance with an unusual setting - 1930s Hollywood - it's brimming over with creativity, excitement, emotion and a lot of heart. Most of all, it's just a lot o ...
With early Elizabeth Lowell, it's a hit or miss proposition. The many series romances I've read by her that were written in the 1980's are all replete with "Lowell-speak," that type of purple prose that goes way over the top, as well as the heightened sensuality that, if it were real life, would cau ...