What happens when dreams come to life? Elle Q. Sabine explores the links between our unconscious and conscious minds. For the first eighteen years of her life, Meghan Quinn dreamed of a warrior who vowed to protect her. Then, when tragedy struck and she needed him to fulfill his promise, he wasn't there. Valor has waited a millennium for his vamp and was overcome with joy when he felt her enter the world. He immediately moved to establish an outpost in her world near where she lived so he could watch over her and wait for her to grow up. When she was eighteen, he left for a short trip home to get courting advice from his mother. He returned to find her gone and her mind closed to him. Ten years later, Meghan ventures off the antidepressants and sleeping pills that she has been living on. She is ready to face the nightmarish murder of her parents and track down the only family she has left. Valor, once more able to hear her thoughts, tracks her down. This time, he has no intention of losing her. Meghan, on the other hand, has no intention of letting him derail her plans. She means to track down her brother Red and see if she can be a part of his life. Even if it means leaving Witness Protection and attracting the attention of a killer. Everything comes to a head as it turns out that Red's new job is for Valor and Valor might be more involved with the events of ten years ago than even he knows. HUNT HER is fast paced and has a well laid out plot with no holes. Ms. Sabine has taken the novel approach of creating vampire fay. Her vampires are Tuatha Dannan whose people became immortal blood drinkers as a side effect of a serum that saved them from a deadly plague. They then learned to travel the Sidhe or between space in their quest for mates as the serum had killed their own women. Yet Valor's stalking of Meghan, his overly possessive behaviour, and his wish to dominate her are never fixed by her love. Which does add a depressing kind of realism to the story. Valor's behaviour is excused by his extra-human abilities and his abiding love for Meghan. He is more than human so it is okay for him to act like he owns her. Ms. Sabine even claims this relationship as one between equals. It is hard to like Valor or see Meghan's acceptance of his behaviour as a happy ending. Still, if you like alpha males, Ms. Sabine spins a good yarn and while Valor never learns his lesson he does get his happily ever after. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=22431#sthash.h3gk2LeH.dpuf
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Love at first sight is often described as eyes meeting across a crowded room. Sinclair Jayne breathes new life into this tired cliché as she explores how we fall in love. What happens to cause that spine tingling lust at first sight to grow into something more? When Colt Ewing, an acting army ranger home on leave, first sees Talon Reese serving drinks at Grey's. He can't take his eyes off of her. He decides that the outcome of the bachelor auction is unimportant and that it is Talon he is going home with. Talon's friends notice Colt's interest and decide that the best thing they can do for Talon is to buy Colt for her. When Colt approaches her after the auction, he is introduced to her seven-year-old adopted son Parker James. He also learns that she has been driving the truck he thought destroyed since it had been sent to his abusive uncle after the death of the army buddy he stored it with. Talon hands the keys over to him and he drives her home only to learn that she has been staying at his now dead uncle's place while waiting for the heir to return. Talon invites him into what she is convinced is his home, but overwhelmed by the terrible memories of past abuse, he refuses, though he does stay in the property's cabin. Parker is fascinated by Colt and desperately wants a male role model. Can Colt overcome the memories of his past and build a future with Talon and Parker? Ms. Jayne integrates her novel with the others in The Bachelor Auction Returns series in some ways. For example, Code mentions how the widow Benedict is meant to be his date. Yet in Bachelor for Hire, Colt and Code are incredibly close because Colt slept over all the time to escape his abusive uncle. In SEDUCING THE BACHELOR, it appears that no one knew of the abuse and Colt was isolated even from his friends. Taken as a stand alone the novel it provides an interesting twist on an old cliché. Lust at first sight develops into love as the Colt and Talon come to know and respect each other. Parker is never seen as a barrier to the relationship. By itself this is an interesting read and well worth the time. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21882#sthash.pHuzJlCJ.dpuf Love is timeless. Hank has been through two divorces and has been drifting since he lost his IT job. His first marriage broke up because he didn't want children and his second fell apart when he caught his wife in bed with his best friend. Having been given the boot by yet another woman after losing his job, he is now travelling the country in an RV and making ends meet by taking contract jobs. He has become lost, drifting through life. Then he stops in Texas by the Laguna Madre and meets Esmeralda. She blows him away and he thinks that love may still have a role in his life. Esmeralda is desperate. According to her father's will, if she doesn't marry before her birthday, half her grapefruit farm and oil rights will go to her cousin. This means that she will no longer have enough money to live on. Having spent her entire life looking after her father and tending the farm, Esmeralda can't imagine any other life. The only problem is that she's also never had a man in her life and fears that she is too old for love. Then Hank asks her to dance. Though leery of Hank's previous failures and afraid he is a fortune hunter, Esmeralda still allows him into her life. As their relationship develops, Hank helps Esmeralda understand her oil payments and Esmeralda brings Hank's ambition back to life as he wants to provide for her. Yet Esmeralda dreams not only of love but of a child. Has Hank grown enough to give her the life she wants? Ms. Roman has a light and breezy style. She skims over the surface of the story and rushes readers to the finish line. This causes the story to lack depth. It has the broad strokes but lacks fine detail. There is a point where telling is needed. Scenes need to be set, characters developed, themes and symbols added. Ms. Roman is very good at showing and if you are looking for a light, breezy read this is it. To be something more than a one-time read, the author needs to add more flesh to the solid bones of her story. She has hold of an interesting idea and it would be nice to see her fully develop it. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=20886#sthash.2VrsyFwY.dpuf Celebrity is the new royalty. Mia Troy has been a famous actress since childhood. She has come to the Victorian Rose Bed and Breakfast in North Salem for a month-long vacation before filming her new movie in Boston. Mia wants some time to be herself and not a famous actress. Sean O'Brien runs the bed and breakfast with his mother Maureen. He has spent his life taking care of his family. Still, Sean has not completely given up his own dreams and he has just completed his Master's from MIT in Physics. Both Sean and Mia are searching for something more. Mia feels instantly drawn to Sean. She asks him to the town's block party and is impressed by the way he protects her from the town drunk. As Sean and Mia get to know one another, Mia falls in love. Sean is unsure of his feeling. He feels tied to North Salem by the B&B. To complicate things further, his father, who walked out during his senior year of high school and left Sean to support the family alone, has reappeared. Mia helps Sean work through things with his father and half-sister. His mother ends up getting engaged and setting up the B&B so that a manager can run things. This leaves Sean able to live his own life for the first time in years. Will he be able to find love with Mia or will stubbornness spoil his happily ever after? This is yet another Cinderella story, though the prince is a princess. Ms. Tetreault uses gender inversion to try to breathe new life into an old tale. In some ways she is successful. Her characters are on an equal footing at the beginning of the novel. Sean is highly educated, though not living up to his potential, and Mia is famous and unhappy. Mia inspires Sean to get a job in his field and Sean makes Mia happy. Yet Mia stops acting and appears to become a housewife at the end. The story ends up raising Sean and lowering Mia so they can be together. Mia becomes the little woman. This does not seem to be the author's intent. Ms. Tetreault appears to unconsciously reflect masculine authority into her writing. Surely there is a way for Sean and Mia to come together that does not cause Mia to lose? This is a stereotypical contemporary romance and as long as its message is taken with a grain of salt, it is a good read. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=14141#sthash.VBQUUQp1.dpuf Memory is subjective and a single story can be told a thousand different ways. Colleen Donnelly plays with this concept in her novel MINE TO TELL. Anna Crouse's great-grandmother Julianne has been maligned for years as the bad woman. When Julianne disappeared for two weeks and came back pregnant, her husband banished her to a house at the edge of the property. Anna wants to know what really happened. Her neighbor Kyle joins her in this quest for the truth since as a child he was fascinated by Julianne's house. Anna finds the story Julianne left behind and translates it with Kyle's help. As the novel opens, Anna is engaged to Trevor. She is horrified by the way he takes her for granted, but seems unable to express her concerns as more than a general anxiety. She decides now is the time to find out what happened to Julianne. This will allow her to lift the stigma of "bad woman" that has attached itself to the Crouse women. She moves into Julianne's house and discovers that Julianne has left her story hidden in the attic, encoded into the family bible. At this point Kyle enters the story and helps Anna read Julianne's words. As Anna uncovers Julianne's story, she grows as a person and is able to reach for what she wants. This is a story of life of which romance is only a piece. It makes it very difficult to rate because it is not a romance novel and so by that yardstick is a poor read. Yet taken simply as a novel it is a compelling look at how truth is based on perception. How expectations shape how we see the world. This is a story that looks at life as a whole. If you are interested in general fiction, this is an interesting read. If you're looking for a romance novel, look elsewhere. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21801#sthash.iq2bx2b6.dpuf Everyone dreams of a second chance at the one that got away. Gavin Clark and Ally Beaumont were high school sweethearts who broke up when Abby believed the jealous lies of a third party, Jenny Gaston. Abby has never forgotten Gavin and still regrets their break-up. She has tried to move on and was even engaged. Still, she admits to herself that she wasn't brokenhearted when Lars left her at the altar in favor of his yoga instructor. She is, however, vindictive enough to sell Lars' ring to get enough money to purchase Gavin when she learns about the bachelor auction. At first, Abby sees Gavin as a someone from her past that she can trust to stick it to Lars when she is forced to attend a wedding where Lars is one of the groomsmen and she is the wedding planner. However, old feeling soon re-emerge. Gavin has always seen Abby has his ideal woman. When he went off to college, he saw his future laid out before him. Gavin would marry Abby as soon as she graduated, the two of them would attend college together and then settle down and have kids. Abby walking away from him that first year of college tore out his heart and he has never met a woman who could compare to her. When she buys him at the auction he doesn't know what to think. What if she runs again? What if she doesn't? WEEKEND WITH HER BACHELOR: THE BACHELOR AUCTION RETURNS is part of a quartet of books in which four different authors each follow one of the four bachelors who are auctioned off that night at Grey's on their path to true love. The idea is a great way for a writing group to collaboratively produce a body of work. Yet the small details don't mesh across the series. Gavin is sold for $25,000 and in the other works the bid on Code for $10 is mentioned as the highest bid. The guys have differing conversations depending on which novel you read. Since this is supposed to be the same characters over the same time period, their characterization and conversations should be the same even if that ends up repetitive. With that caveat in mind, the novel provides a well fleshed out characterization of both Gavin and Abby. Gavin's distrust of Abby is not without cause nor does it appear out of left field. Taken as a stand alone novel, this is well written and provides a lovely story of reunited sweethearts. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21961#sthash.WlzHdVUH.dpuf Celebrity is the new royalty. Mia Troy has been a famous actress since childhood. She has come to the Victorian Rose Bed and Breakfast in North Salem for a month-long vacation before filming her new movie in Boston. Mia wants some time to be herself and not a famous actress. Sean O'Brien runs the bed and breakfast with his mother Maureen. He has spent his life taking care of his family. Still, Sean has not completely given up his own dreams and he has just completed his Master's from MIT in Physics. Both Sean and Mia are searching for something more. Mia feels instantly drawn to Sean. She asks him to the town's block party and is impressed by the way he protects her from the town drunk. As Sean and Mia get to know one another, Mia falls in love. Sean is unsure of his feeling. He feels tied to North Salem by the B&B. To complicate things further, his father, who walked out during his senior year of high school and left Sean to support the family alone, has reappeared. Mia helps Sean work through things with his father and half-sister. His mother ends up getting engaged and setting up the B&B so that a manager can run things. This leaves Sean able to live his own life for the first time in years. Will he be able to find love with Mia or will stubbornness spoil his happily ever after? This is yet another Cinderella story, though the prince is a princess. Ms. Tetreault uses gender inversion to try to breathe new life into an old tale. In some ways she is successful. Her characters are on an equal footing at the beginning of the novel. Sean is highly educated, though not living up to his potential, and Mia is famous and unhappy. Mia inspires Sean to get a job in his field and Sean makes Mia happy. Yet Mia stops acting and appears to become a housewife at the end. The story ends up raising Sean and lowering Mia so they can be together. Mia becomes the little woman. This does not seem to be the author's intent. Ms. Tetreault appears to unconsciously reflect masculine authority into her writing. Surely there is a way for Sean and Mia to come together that does not cause Mia to lose? This is a stereotypical contemporary romance and as long as its message is taken with a grain of salt, it is a good read. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=14141#sthash.xfuK9MD3.dpuf A modern Cinderella story, LORD BACHELOR examines our fascination with reality TV. Abby Forester is a down on her luck business major struggling to keep her dead father's record store afloat. This is particularly difficult as her father's common law spouse uses the fact that she owns half the business as an excuse to empty the till. Abby first meets Lord Edmund Rushwood while she fills in as a waitress at the bar her friend Tommy works at. He rescues her from some drunks and ends up following her home. Edmund, because of his father's will, must marry someone from a noble bloodline before his birthday. His friend Will is a reality TV show host and convinces him to star in Lord Bachelor to find his bride. Abby comes in because she has recently created a genealogy of Portland's finest families as a school project. Abby ends up on the show by accident when she goes to the studio to return Edmund's phone and is mistaken for a late contestant. Edmund struggles with his feelings for Abby as he knows he will lose everything if he marries her. Abby struggles with the way Edmund blows hot and cold. When Abby learns about Edmund's situation, will love conquer all? Ms. Bailey takes time crafting her main characters. The reader is allowed into their thoughts and follows their struggles. The more minor characters such as the contestants of the show tend to blur together a bit. It would help if they had more to identify them. Yet Bailey does give them ID markers. One is interested in charity work, another in fashion, etc. The reality show becomes background as Abby and Edmund mainly escape it to pursue each other. It would be nice to see more commentary on the shallowness and fakery of so-called reality TV, but what the author does insert is subtle and pointed. Love happens off camera. While Cinderella is a common fairy tale in romance, this version is well done and a good addition to the twisted fairy tale oeuvre. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21500#sthash.9YF2kFIW.dpuf retelling of Arthurian myth, MY ONCE AND FUTURE LOVE resurrects the knights of the round table. Morgan ab Myrddin is the son of Merlin and a half-breed immortal. He sees it as his sacred mission to free his father Merlin. Merlin has been trapped by Nimue in a cave. After being wounded, Morgan seeks shelter and meets Annora of Amberton. She is the rightful mistress of Amberton, but has been displaced by her devious uncle, Sir Roger. As they journey together, both Morgan and Annora must learn to look beyond the preconceptions of society. Only with open minds can they find love. Sir Roger has disposed Annora by convincing all but her most loyal retainers that she is mad. Morgan offers to escort her to the king and gain a physician's writ proving her sanity. They are joined on this journey by Morgan's friend Ninian, another immortal. Morgan struggles against his growing feeling for Annora as he feels her strong Christian upbringing will lead her to dismiss his magical life. Can Morgan find a way to free his father, save Annora from Sir Roger, and build a life with his love? Ms. Kaufman's novel is an engaging and fast paced read. However, at times the characters come across as melodramatic. Morgan's explanation of his powers to Annora is very poorly thought out. He gives no proof, but expects her to take a new worldview on faith. This seems silly, as Morgan can control the weather, and can easily offer Annora the proof she desires. Instead, he drags her to Ninian and plays out an overly dramatic death scene. Once Annora has seen this, there is no real reason for her to reject it. She either trusts her senses or she doesn't. The author is trying to show how difficult it is to accept a new worldview, but it comes across as forced. Morgan's immortality seems like a greater barrier to the couple's happiness. Many authors create ways to transform soulmates into immortals, fey, vampires, etc. Morgan, on the other hand, accepts that he will never meet his true mate. The reader is left wondering where this places Annora. Surely there is nothing to stop her from being Morgan's mate? While the plot has a few loopholes, MY ONCE AND FUTURE LOVE is a good addition to the Arthurian romance genre and well worth a look. It is a quick, simple read for a rainy day. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21727#sthash.GCt8ULOC.dpuf A quick, light read. Hayley Dawn O'Malley left her hometown, of Marietta, Montana, for the bright lights of Los Angeles and never looked back. Since leaving town, she has become a major star with several motion pictures to her credit. She is back in Marietta in the wake of her Grandma Marie's death to pack up her Grandma's house. Cody (Code) Matthews left town soon after Hayley to join the army. After two successful tours, he got out and opened a private security firm with an army buddy in Texas. Code is back home on his Uncle Brand's farm, after a tough case went south. He just wants to forget. The arrival of his old friend and high school crush Hayley makes forgetting impossible because she needs his help. After a previous stalker scare, Hayley is afraid that she has another. Code refuses to help her and sends her to the police. The bachelor auction gives Hayley a second chance to get the help she wants. Charlene Sands writes in an engaging voice that catches the reader from the first sentence and does not let them go until the final page. Her plot hangs together well, as she neatly ties up all the loose ends. It is a novella and could benefit from the depth that a novel would allow. As it stands, the length keeps it a quick paced and superficial read. This is not bad in a Romance story. If you're looking for something fun to read, I recommend BACHELOR FOR HIRE. I just would like to see the character development that a longer form would allow. The stalker's perspective, and motivation would be a nice touch as well, though honestly, nothing is lost by leaving that part of the story out. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21589#sthash.MRGLe7lo.dpuf |
AuthorElizabeth Ramsay is English tutor and ESL Teacher. Archives
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