Impressions...

Hi Hilcia! I agree, the romance was...well, I wasn...

2012-06-03T06:09:30.620-04:00

Hi Hilcia!
I agree, the romance was...well, I wasn't convinced by it and I'll write a comment about it in my blog.
The rest: plot and secondary charActers were great. If I didn't absolutely love the pair Hawke and Sienna already think I'd be goo over them right now. Loved them, don't care if it was in key scenes or not lol, juts simply loved them. :D
****

Found the answer in one of my posts! Three, maybe ...

2012-06-02T13:00:05.594-04:00

Found the answer in one of my posts! Three, maybe four books before the end of the series (including this one). Singh gave us the answer to that question when Mariana and I went to see her in NYC last year! I wasn't too far off the mark from my answer above. *g*

Oh Li! You have to wait? That's the way I feel...

2012-06-02T12:52:35.140-04:00

Oh Li! You have to wait? That's the way I feel about Canada, lol! Books always release there earlier than in the U.S.

You are absolutely right, of course, Kiss of Snow is a tough act to follow. I think you will enjoy Hawke and Sienna in this installment. Their romance continues... and although I thought they took the spotlight away from Riaz and Adria, I enjoyed their interactions. You'll see what I mean. :)

Alex, the names can be confusing because Adria can...

2012-06-02T12:48:28.752-04:00

Alex, the names can be confusing because Adria can be read as Adrian (a man's name), and Riaz sounds like a last name to me... lol! Are you reading this series?

I truly liked the conflict and the way that Singh executed that aspect of it. Truthfully I was even more impressed by it because recently I read a PNR book by another author who attempted to do the same and in my opinion failed to challenge her world building in respect to proving that love can overcome the mating bond. Although for reasons stated above the romance was not a favorite for me, Singh definitely made that aspect of it work so that in the end the HEA was believable. Good stuff.

Nath, I thought this romance was quite a challenge...

2012-06-02T12:32:20.024-04:00

Nath, I thought this romance was quite a challenge for Nalini. However, I do agree with you, the romance between Riaz and Adria was overshadowed by the inclusion of all those other characters, specifically Hawke and Sienna. But yes, those key scenes you mentioned in a sense made the romance feel somehow contrived.

I also love, love where Singh's going with the overall plot, and frankly that's where my B comes from. Although this book doesn't have a huge battle, it's amazing how many excellent details are included in this book and how far that overall story arc moves forward in this installment. The other aspect I loved was that peaceful, beautiful, tranquil sense that I mentioned above... I'm amazed that just as Singh is closing threads, she's also expanding and giving further details in her world building (SnowDancer pack). I loved that!

You know? We have the answer to how many books are left in one of our blogs somewhere! But I don't really remember at the moment. I think (don't quote me) that there were three books left after Kiss of Snow, and this is one of them. I'll ask Mariana, she might know! And yes, I did hear that she might be exploring another story arc outside of the San Francisco packs. Let's see what happens. *g*

jealous This isn't out in the UK until next ...

2012-06-02T11:41:21.436-04:00

*jealous* This isn't out in the UK until next week. But I do think any book following KISS OF SNOW has a lot to live up to.

I like the review but I'm a little confused by...

2012-06-02T01:11:57.994-04:00

I like the review but I'm a little confused by the story of the book - I guess it's the names, it took me a while to figure out who was a man and who was a woman.

The conflict does sound interesting, like Nath says.

Very nice review, Hils :) I have to admit, I didn...

2012-06-01T11:19:19.137-04:00

Very nice review, Hils :)

I have to admit, I didn't really care for the romance... It's not just because it wasn't the focus, but it's also how we were presented the romance. Always small key scenes. Like almost every scene was key to the romance, the characters realizing something. I'd have liked a bit more together just to be together... I don't know if you get what I mean. I have to admit, the conflict was interesting and quite unusual.

I like where Ms Singh is going though with the overall plot.

By the way, Hils, do you know how many books left to this series? I know it's winding down, but I keep hearing things and not paying attention LOL. Like once the San Francisco arc is over, she could explore other packs?

Me too, Leslie! There are other great lines in tha...

2012-05-31T08:20:54.474-04:00

Me too, Leslie! There are other great lines in that book, but I just had to use that one...

Tracy, some of these are just fun... others made m...

2012-05-31T08:19:49.140-04:00

Tracy, some of these are just fun... others made me think. But, I love the fun ones. :) I couldn't help but use the one from Hard Tail. *g*

Alex, that quote is one of my favorites too! The l...

2012-05-31T08:18:53.949-04:00

Alex, that quote is one of my favorites too! The line following it is great too... lol!

I can totally relate to the Silver Moon quote! So...

2012-05-30T20:29:16.990-04:00

I can totally relate to the Silver Moon quote! Sometimes it feels like I took an invisible pill.

lol great quotes!

2012-05-30T13:38:48.383-04:00

lol great quotes!

I really liked this quotes. Loved the one fromThe ...

2012-05-30T09:45:32.362-04:00

I really liked this quotes.
Loved the one fromThe Hostage Bargain!!!

Leslie, yes, it's CJ. :) This is a really erot...

2012-05-30T07:34:01.696-04:00

Leslie, yes, it's CJ. :) This is a really erotic piece with great lines... fun and adventurous. Hope you enjoy it too.

Just found out CJ is Annika Martin! Love the premi...

2012-05-30T02:26:58.221-04:00

Just found out CJ is Annika Martin! Love the premise & will definitely give it a try.

Nath, you do! :D To answer your question: Yes, C...

2012-05-29T07:16:20.245-04:00

Nath, you do! :D

To answer your question: Yes, Catrin would be the twins' mother. :) And, I think Viviene's pressure was self-imposed. She had something to prove because of her mother, Georgette. If I recall correctly she really loved Catrin.

Yay, I'm definitively picking this up :) I ha...

2012-05-28T21:19:55.326-04:00

Yay, I'm definitively picking this up :)

I have a question: this means Catrin was only the mother of the twins right? I don't know, reading this, I wonder why Vivienne felt so pressured to be so "good." ^_^;

Sigh... I know! I re-read those books just for mom...

2012-05-27T15:12:30.602-04:00

Sigh... I know! I re-read those books just for moments like the ones you describe above! The ones that make you sigh, and then sigh some more.

I'm afraid that the "spark" is missing from the last two romance series. Somehow in both series the romance has taken a back seat to the friendships, family interactions, and the research that (bridal, and now construction and decoration) NR has so studiously done for the books. I hate to use the term "info dump," but particularly in the Bridal Quartet that's the way it felt. In this series, less so, but that sense that research details take over the pages that should belong to the "romance" is very much there!

One of the aspects of The Witness that I really love is the fact that NR did not let the research do the talking. In that novel, it is very well integrated with the romance and the suspense. AND the romance really takes precedence over the suspense, and the suspense is very much there in the reader's mind... keeping him/her on edge until the end. It's very well done! The best book she has written in a while, in my humble opinion. You need to read it, and let me know what you think about it.

I see your point... Well, that leaves me sad...bec...

2012-05-27T15:00:46.237-04:00

I see your point...
Well, that leaves me sad...because no matter how well done a family tree is in her books, the romance...I remember many great romantic scenes from lots of her books, like Shannon calling Murphy and telling him she loves him while drunk, like when Kate says all those things to Byron about needing him or how Gideon is the perfect guy for Cleo in Three Fates or the wonderful scene where Eve saves Alex's life in Command Performance...and so many others, but none of these scenes would mean a thing without the romantic way they slowly discovered each other...it's just that her romances are getting too predictable and so...I'm sorry to say it, commercial.
The Witness, no I haven't got it yet but I will, I know you liked it a lot!!
****

I have to check my TBR to see if I have both Sindu...

2012-05-27T14:59:10.349-04:00

I have to check my TBR to see if I have both Sindustry anthologies or just one, and if so which one! I will definitely let you know. :) Hopefully it's that first anthology. *g*

Thanks for the recommendation. Hugs!

Hi! Yes, you should try it! I've read both Sin...

2012-05-27T14:47:29.811-04:00

Hi! Yes, you should try it!
I've read both Sindustry anthologies a long time ago and JL Merrow has stories in both, but my favorite it's definitively the one in the first anthology.
...
Ok, so went and checked my files to look for the title, in the 1st anthology JL's story is "As Beauty Does". It's amazing!!
In Sindustry vol.2 her story is "Sunshine". It's also beautiful but not in the same way, I found it more sad than "As Beauty Does" (which is more romantic).
I hope you can read both one day and then tell me which one you preferred!
Kiss

Alex! A novella is the perfect way to 'discove...

2012-05-27T13:58:22.392-04:00

Alex! A novella is the perfect way to 'discover' new authors... so this one might do it for you. Lofty has some excellent historical romances in her back list. Great writing! But, this series just started... there's only one book, and the second one is not coming out until June.

RE: Covers. The cover for Flawless is gorgeous! And I love this one and the one for the upcoming book, Starlight. So yes... so far the series is batting 3/3 for beautiful covers. And lol! I have to check out that cover you mentioned! (beer gut/bear gut... same thing, *g*)

beer gut not BEAR lol :P

2012-05-27T13:32:29.604-04:00

beer gut not BEAR lol
:P

You're really making me want to read this and ...

2012-05-27T13:31:48.357-04:00

You're really making me want to read this and I'm always very iffy when it comes to authors I haven't tried before!!!
*sigh*
I guess I'll start with the Novella and go from there!
:D
Thanks fo r the awesome review.

Plus, these covers are awesome.

I recently read How to Dance with a Duke and the cover is kind of similar to the one of the novella, but this one works, the one for the other book didn't - it look like the girl had a stiff neck and like the guy had a beargut :D

Impressions...

Hi Hilcia! I agree, the romance was...well, I wasn...

Found the answer in one of my posts! Three, maybe ...

Oh Li! You have to wait? That's the way I feel...

Alex, the names can be confusing because Adria can...

Nath, I thought this romance was quite a challenge...

*jealous* This isn't out in the UK until next ...

I like the review but I'm a little confused by...

Very nice review, Hils :) I have to admit, I didn...

Me too, Leslie! There are other great lines in tha...

Tracy, some of these are just fun... others made m...

Alex, that quote is one of my favorites too! The l...

I can totally relate to the Silver Moon quote! So...

lol great quotes!

I really liked this quotes. Loved the one fromThe ...

Leslie, yes, it's CJ. :) This is a really erot...

Just found out CJ is Annika Martin! Love the premi...

Nath, you do! :D To answer your question: Yes, C...

Yay, I'm definitively picking this up :) I ha...

Sigh... I know! I re-read those books just for mom...

I see your point... Well, that leaves me sad...bec...

I have to check my TBR to see if I have both Sindu...

Hi! Yes, you should try it! I've read both Sin...

Alex! A novella is the perfect way to 'discove...

beer gut not BEAR lol :P

You're really making me want to read this and ...

jealous This isn't out in the UK until next ...