Not all romance novels can be summarized in a nutshell. But if a book is borderline between two grades, then I’ll trot out the bottom line. Personally, I consider a B-grade book (a recommendation) to be a pleasant read that provides happy feelings. Bottom line. And on that qualification, Riding the Waves doesn’t cut it….
For the most part, this one works. But be prepared for major clichés, a high degree of wackiness, and painfully obvious series set ups along the way. San Francisco newspaper writer Josie Sheehan is 35 and a veteran of a string of failed relationships. In a miraculous three paragraphs, she loses 10 pounds, buys a…
I never to say never, but Chick Lit often doesn’t do it for me. I’m not a huge fan of Women’s Fiction set in big cities, so was ambivalent about reading and reviewing The Frog Prince. But the title and premise convinced me to give it a try. Meet Holly Bishop. She fell in love…
On Winding Hill Road is a gothic romance in the classic mold. Diane Tyrrel ably captures the style and tone of the old gothics, delivering a story that should appeal to fans of the subgenre. <!– var browName = navigator.appName; var SiteID = 1; var ZoneID = 4; var browDateTime = (new Date()).getTime(); if (browName=='Netscape')…
This book has such an intriguing setting: the 1930s, first in Spain at the outset of the Civil War, and then in San Francisco. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I’m not necessarily a fan of vampire novels – I’ve read as many bad ones as good ones – but The Chronicles of Saint-Germain (of which this…
With a keen sense of detail and a cast of vivid personalities, Cathy Yardley’s Couch World offers a fascinating glimpse into San Francisco’s club scene. The book details the lives of three very different women. The title refers to the life of P.J., a San Francisco DJ with no permanent home. She spends every night…
Gothics are back in vogue again, and I am certainly glad for that. Diane Tyrrel’s debut certainly brings back hints of Gothic romances of earlier days, but still has a strong voice of its own. And though On the Edge of the Woods has a few rough spots, it is ultimately a very enjoyable and…
I was very excited about The Dim Sum Of All Things. By reading the blurb I expected it to be witty and hilarious. But the problem with preconceived notions is that you generally expect too much and end up disappointed instead. My cousin, for example, once raved about a certain recipe, which I then tried…
As a member of that group of romance readers who have grown tired of rehashed plot lines that were only marginally interesting the first time, archetypes as shorthand for “real” characters and happily-ever-afters that seem conjured from thin air, I’m an absolute pushover for a real love story between real characters whom I can actually…
Here’s how good Bloodsucking Fiends is: I was reading passages out loud to a friend on a long bus trip when I realized that at least three rows of people around us had been silent for the last 40 miles, apparently listening in. I got embarrassed and drifted off (who was I to inflict my…
End of content
End of content