This is easily my favorite book of 2015. What makes it absolutely perfect to me are the likable, intelligent characters, the superb handling of the subject matter and the excellent writing.Most people I have recommended it to have loved it as well, which sort of doubles my pleasure. I hope this review will introduce it…
When I saw Naomi Novik had a new fairytale style story out, I was intrigued. That’s not her usual milieu. Out of curiosity, I got Uprooted from the library. I am so glad I did! This is a terrific story, masterfully told. I’ll definitely be adding it to my collection of fairytale romances. In a…
I selected this title for review solely because Marian Hussey is the narrator. I’ve listened to her a couple of times recently and was very impressed with her performances in Brenda Joyce’s Splendor and Lucinda Brant’s Salt Bride, so I’ve been scouring Audible to find more of her work to listen to. When Meet the…
You know what I love? I love romances, especially historicals, where the woman owns her sexuality and desires. I love romances where not being a virgin or inexperienced is not a bad thing. I love the utter lack of shaming for having desire. What makes Meet the Earl at Midnight so fascinating is that not…
Diane Gaston’s latest work turns the Beauty and the Beast trope on its head. In A Marriage of Notoriety, the hero is the beauty and the heroine is the beast. It is a decent read by one of my go-to authors, and I am glad I read it, but it nonetheless fell just a little…
This book was a hard one for me to grade. The story – a Beauty and the Beast retelling – held so much potential, and I stayed up late to finish it, which always means something positive. But a convoluted mythology, a weak insta-love-triangle and a multiple-personality heroine left me frustrated for what could have…
I’m a sucker for a good Beauty and the Beast story and with that in mind, I picked up When She Said I Do. This does in fact fit the fairytale archetype to an extent, but I can’t call it the great read I was hoping for. Following a carriage accident, Calliope (Callie) Worthington and…
There are some fairytale plots I love more than others, and Beauty and the Beast is one of those stories that tends to draw my attention. There’s something about that plot that just showcases the transforming power of love for me, not to mention the fact that, in the hands of a good author, it…
Debut author Kristen Callihan creates a moody, gothic vision of Victorian England for her characters and there is a lot about this book that I liked. However, the curious lack of intensity to the romance for much of the book combined with some rather odd pacing also provided less likable moments. In the end, this…
What do sheikhs and Cajuns have in common with leopard shape-shifters and bloodthirsty archangels? Well, besides the totally possessive hero, they also share Nalini Singh. Like many authors, she sharpened her pen on series romances (in this case, Silhouette Desire) before moving on to prime time. The second book in her Zulheil series doesn’t quite…