Dirty Blonde is a mystery/suspense by Lisa Scottoline. The plot centers around a Philadelphia judge who leads a double life. A high profile case in her courtroom goes horribly wrong after she passes her judgement. Then in one night, one bad choice threatens to expose her dark secret and ruin the respectable life she has built for herself. A murder-suicide happens and she is at the center of it all. She needs to figure out the truth, but she might lose her job, not to mention her life, in the process.
Murder, mayhem, danger, Hollywood, sex, lies, & videotape. This one has it all. Dirty Blonde was a fast paced, page turner. Maybe not the tightest plot line, maybe not the most believable twists and turns. But it was enjoyable all the same. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again to see what was going to happen. It is my first Lisa Scottoline read. I will be back for more.
Happy Reading!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, Heart of the Sea
These three books are the Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts. This trilogy is a wonderful mix of romance and mystical elements. The books are about three siblings who run an Irish pub in the quaint seaside town of Ardmore. In each of the books, one of the siblings finds love. In doing so, they set free a lovely maiden and a fairy prince from a centuries-old spell.
This trilogy was wonderful escapism fiction. Romance abounds, likable characters, beautiful and romantic scenery, and enjoyable plots. The setting in this small seaside Irish village was so incredibly romantic. My favorite of the series was the first, where the setting is introduced. Roberts does a fantastic job of making the reader feel as if they are there. These are feel good books, that will put a smile on your face.
Roberts is not my favorite author, but each book in this trilogy was a great read. I highly recommend them for the next time you need some escapism romance. They will deliver!
Happy Reading!
This trilogy was wonderful escapism fiction. Romance abounds, likable characters, beautiful and romantic scenery, and enjoyable plots. The setting in this small seaside Irish village was so incredibly romantic. My favorite of the series was the first, where the setting is introduced. Roberts does a fantastic job of making the reader feel as if they are there. These are feel good books, that will put a smile on your face.
Roberts is not my favorite author, but each book in this trilogy was a great read. I highly recommend them for the next time you need some escapism romance. They will deliver!
Happy Reading!
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Corrections
The Corrections is a novel by Jonathan Franzen. The novel spans the lives of the Lambert family from when Enid and Alfred Lambert's children were little through their adult lives when the children have turned into the parents. Enid and Alfred did the best they could, but made lots of mistakes. Their children have paid the price and lead confused and unhappy lives. This novel is about all five of the Lamberts trying to correct the future by dealing with the past.
Each of the characters is maddening and is seriously flawed. Franzen does a great job of making you judge them, and then turns around and helps you find sympathy on the next page. Or vice versa, he makes you sympathetic toward them then turns around and shows you their flaws. Enid, wife and mother to three children, appears selfish and materialistic. Then you realize that Alfred is not all he is cracked up to be and you feel for this woman who has had to live with this rigid and difficult man. Their oldest son Gary seems to have his stuff together and his wife seems very unsympathetic. Then you realize what a jerk Gary can be, and you feel for his wife who has to live with him. Chip their middle child seems like a dead beat and is unreliable, then he becomes his parents savior. And Denise, their youngest, at first seems to have her life together, then you see the truth. That she is confused, selfish, and is living lie after lie.
All together they make the typical American family. Now, Alfred is suffering from Parkinson's and Enid wants one last Christmas together as a family. This book is funny & heartbreaking. I loved how flawed the characters were and how Franzen demonstrates that even though the parents made all sorts of mistakes, the kids try to muddle through and in the end the familial unit is just as strong. In the end, we all figure it out. Unfortunately, sometimes we are too late.
This book is not a light read, or an easy read. I spent one month reading this one; at 568 pages and difficult subject matter it is a commitment to finish. This is a book that I believe will become a classic. I believe that this one will be taught in Literature classes, and that Jonathan Franzen will be known as one of the greats.
Happy Reading!
Each of the characters is maddening and is seriously flawed. Franzen does a great job of making you judge them, and then turns around and helps you find sympathy on the next page. Or vice versa, he makes you sympathetic toward them then turns around and shows you their flaws. Enid, wife and mother to three children, appears selfish and materialistic. Then you realize that Alfred is not all he is cracked up to be and you feel for this woman who has had to live with this rigid and difficult man. Their oldest son Gary seems to have his stuff together and his wife seems very unsympathetic. Then you realize what a jerk Gary can be, and you feel for his wife who has to live with him. Chip their middle child seems like a dead beat and is unreliable, then he becomes his parents savior. And Denise, their youngest, at first seems to have her life together, then you see the truth. That she is confused, selfish, and is living lie after lie.
All together they make the typical American family. Now, Alfred is suffering from Parkinson's and Enid wants one last Christmas together as a family. This book is funny & heartbreaking. I loved how flawed the characters were and how Franzen demonstrates that even though the parents made all sorts of mistakes, the kids try to muddle through and in the end the familial unit is just as strong. In the end, we all figure it out. Unfortunately, sometimes we are too late.
This book is not a light read, or an easy read. I spent one month reading this one; at 568 pages and difficult subject matter it is a commitment to finish. This is a book that I believe will become a classic. I believe that this one will be taught in Literature classes, and that Jonathan Franzen will be known as one of the greats.
Happy Reading!
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Man from Montana
The Man from Montana by Mary J. Forbes was another fluff romance. You know the kind...with the strapping man on the cover with the smoldering eyes. I have been dabbling in this genre for about a month, reading through some novels that my mother in law left for me during her last visit. Recently I have needed that escapism, simple storytelling style that requires very little brain power to read and enjoy. Maybe because it is summertime and my four children are with me 24/7!
The Man from Montana was a modern cowboy story. The man from Montana, Ash, is a widower and father of a teenage daughter. His wife's death, in a tragic car accident almost five years ago, has left him devastated and angry. Unable to move on from her death, he won't speak of her to his remaining family (daughter and stepfather) and throws himself into working the ranch that his stepfather owns. He has a secret, that only his family knows, that keeps him from being able to move forward with his life. Bring in a female reporter, Rachel, after a story about Vietnam. Rachel is a single mother of a young boy, following a story from one little town to another across America, collecting the memories of Vietnam vets from one particular event. Rachel needs to interview Ash's stepfather, but Ash is very protective and wary of reporters.
I think you can probably guess the story from there. A few twists and turns made this a little more interesting than most strict romances. First there is the Vietnam storyline. In addition, Rachel has issues with her father that keep the reader's interest piqued. There are also secrets revealed that link Rachel to the very ranch that Ash works. All of these things make for an okay storyline, which in my opinion is pretty rare in romances. Throw in the tension between Rachel and Ash, and the sexiness that Ash exudes and you have a winner of a romance novel.
Happy Reading!
The Man from Montana was a modern cowboy story. The man from Montana, Ash, is a widower and father of a teenage daughter. His wife's death, in a tragic car accident almost five years ago, has left him devastated and angry. Unable to move on from her death, he won't speak of her to his remaining family (daughter and stepfather) and throws himself into working the ranch that his stepfather owns. He has a secret, that only his family knows, that keeps him from being able to move forward with his life. Bring in a female reporter, Rachel, after a story about Vietnam. Rachel is a single mother of a young boy, following a story from one little town to another across America, collecting the memories of Vietnam vets from one particular event. Rachel needs to interview Ash's stepfather, but Ash is very protective and wary of reporters.
I think you can probably guess the story from there. A few twists and turns made this a little more interesting than most strict romances. First there is the Vietnam storyline. In addition, Rachel has issues with her father that keep the reader's interest piqued. There are also secrets revealed that link Rachel to the very ranch that Ash works. All of these things make for an okay storyline, which in my opinion is pretty rare in romances. Throw in the tension between Rachel and Ash, and the sexiness that Ash exudes and you have a winner of a romance novel.
Happy Reading!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Sugar Queen
What a sweet, mouth watering, indulgence this book was! The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen is a heartwarming, intriguing, fanciful novel about how one woman finally finds her voice and chases her dreams.
Josey Cirrini has always lived under the thumb of her mother. As a child, she threw horrible tantrums and acted out, adoring her father and never pleasing her mother. As an adult, she romanticizes her father, since passed, and tries to redeem herself with her mother, seeking acceptance and forgiveness for those childhood misdemeanors, and is secretly in love with her mailman. Her mother is ailing, or at least pretending to, and Josey (at the age of 27) is her 24 hour nursemaid, gofer, driver, and whipping post. Josey has a secret though...a place she goes for solitude and indulgence. When a local waitress shows up in Josey's closet, Josey's secret is revealed. But this stranger will lead her on a path to discover that she deserves her own life and that she should reach out and grab it.
The characters in this novel are so loveable. I adored Josey and her friends. My heart ached for them, leapt for them, yearned with them. Each character has a special ability or talent that makes the book engaging and fun. I could relate to Josey's relationship with her mailman on such a deep level that I physically ached at certain points in the book. So much so, that at one point I put the novel down and quietly wept for my younger self.
I simply loved this book. It was fast, fun, and heartwarming. An easy read that has substance. Highly recommended, this one will most likely make my favorites list for the year.
Happy Reading!
Josey Cirrini has always lived under the thumb of her mother. As a child, she threw horrible tantrums and acted out, adoring her father and never pleasing her mother. As an adult, she romanticizes her father, since passed, and tries to redeem herself with her mother, seeking acceptance and forgiveness for those childhood misdemeanors, and is secretly in love with her mailman. Her mother is ailing, or at least pretending to, and Josey (at the age of 27) is her 24 hour nursemaid, gofer, driver, and whipping post. Josey has a secret though...a place she goes for solitude and indulgence. When a local waitress shows up in Josey's closet, Josey's secret is revealed. But this stranger will lead her on a path to discover that she deserves her own life and that she should reach out and grab it.
The characters in this novel are so loveable. I adored Josey and her friends. My heart ached for them, leapt for them, yearned with them. Each character has a special ability or talent that makes the book engaging and fun. I could relate to Josey's relationship with her mailman on such a deep level that I physically ached at certain points in the book. So much so, that at one point I put the novel down and quietly wept for my younger self.
I simply loved this book. It was fast, fun, and heartwarming. An easy read that has substance. Highly recommended, this one will most likely make my favorites list for the year.
Happy Reading!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Just Kate
Just Kate by Linda Lael Miller is yet another fluff, pure escapism romance. I was in the market for a short, easy read and this fit the bill. This book was published 20 years ago, so it is a little dated, but the romance was fun.
Kate is a senator's daughter. She has just seen her boyfriend, the Senator's campaign manager, make an illegal transaction. Confused and angry, she storms out of the event they were attending and on her walk home, she runs into her brother-in-law & persona non grata with her family. Her sister died in a tragic accident years ago and she hasn't seen her brother-in-law, or her nephew, since. He is from Austrailia, in town on business, and very pleased to run into Kate. His marriage to her sister was a rocky one from the start, with neither of them happy. There has always been a spark between Kate and Sean, that spark is about to turn into a full blown explosion. But can they overcome the obstacles in the way, like her family and the ocean in between their homes (and the ever present misunderstanding that always takes place in a romance)?
I know, sounds kind of wrong, going after your dead sister's husband. But who reads these books solely for their plot lines, anyway? Sean's character is downright sexy...he oozes it, and the Austrailian accent just puts him over the top! Wonderful tension between them, loveable characters, and relative consistency. This is the first Miller book I have read, but it seems that she knows how to write romance. Another winner if you are looking for short, sexy and quick.
Happy Reading!
Kate is a senator's daughter. She has just seen her boyfriend, the Senator's campaign manager, make an illegal transaction. Confused and angry, she storms out of the event they were attending and on her walk home, she runs into her brother-in-law & persona non grata with her family. Her sister died in a tragic accident years ago and she hasn't seen her brother-in-law, or her nephew, since. He is from Austrailia, in town on business, and very pleased to run into Kate. His marriage to her sister was a rocky one from the start, with neither of them happy. There has always been a spark between Kate and Sean, that spark is about to turn into a full blown explosion. But can they overcome the obstacles in the way, like her family and the ocean in between their homes (and the ever present misunderstanding that always takes place in a romance)?
I know, sounds kind of wrong, going after your dead sister's husband. But who reads these books solely for their plot lines, anyway? Sean's character is downright sexy...he oozes it, and the Austrailian accent just puts him over the top! Wonderful tension between them, loveable characters, and relative consistency. This is the first Miller book I have read, but it seems that she knows how to write romance. Another winner if you are looking for short, sexy and quick.
Happy Reading!
Temptation
Temptation is an older novel by Nora Roberts. It is pure escapism romance. This book was not annoying like I find so many other escapism romance books to be. Ms. Roberts remained relatively true to her characters and the plot. But I guess when you are reading pure escapism romance, maybe that doesn't matter as much!
The story centers around a woman who has lost everything except her best friend. Her father recently passed and he had gambled away all of the family money. She must sell the family home and most of her possesions. The scandal surrounding her father's gambling debts scares off her fiancee and he breaks off their engagement. She decides to help her friend with a new summer camp for girls that she is starting; at the end of the summer she will figure out her next step which will most likely involve trying to get a job. Little does she know that her life will change at the summer camp, for the camp's neighbor is an apple orchard with a very sexy owner.
Yeah, it was pure fluff, pure silly romance. But it was fun, short and quick to read, and the consistency was better than other romances that I have read. If you are looking for a good romance with some pretty good sexual tension, this might be worth your while.
Happy Reading!
The story centers around a woman who has lost everything except her best friend. Her father recently passed and he had gambled away all of the family money. She must sell the family home and most of her possesions. The scandal surrounding her father's gambling debts scares off her fiancee and he breaks off their engagement. She decides to help her friend with a new summer camp for girls that she is starting; at the end of the summer she will figure out her next step which will most likely involve trying to get a job. Little does she know that her life will change at the summer camp, for the camp's neighbor is an apple orchard with a very sexy owner.
Yeah, it was pure fluff, pure silly romance. But it was fun, short and quick to read, and the consistency was better than other romances that I have read. If you are looking for a good romance with some pretty good sexual tension, this might be worth your while.
Happy Reading!
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