Summer Reading #1: Oldies by Bujold, Heath, Marillier, Gellis

This summer I am indulging myself. The bulk of my reading has consisted of books that I've been wanting to get to for a long time. I caught up with some oldies but goodies. Today I am highlighting a few of the books that made an impact.

The Warrior's Apprentice and Ethan of Athos (Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold. I have so many different editions of The Warrior's Apprentice and yet they've all gone unread for years. Finally, I settled for the audio book. I'm loving this series. I keep asking myself, why did I wait so long? This is such a fantastic science fiction book. Miles is a brilliant young man who doesn't allow his disfigurement and/or disabilities to stop him from achieving what he wants and/or having fun on the way there. I love Miles, the humor, adventurous plot, political games, and fantastic secondary characters. Everything.  Overall, a fabulous creation by Bujold. A 5 star recommendation.

Ethan of Athos is a shorter story that doesn't include Miles, although it does include one of his mercenaries. It is however, a wonderful, adventurous little story with Athos, a planet inhabited exclusively by males, as the base for the story. Bujold's main character, Ethan, is a scientist attempting to resolve a scientific glitch in Athos's artificial reproductive system. To find a resolution, he must travel away from his planet to find it. In his adventures, Ethan faces bigotry as well as his own misconceptions about life away from his planet and women in particular. A 4.5 star recommendation.

I also went on a Lorraine Heath western historical romance kick and read four of her books, including the Texas Trilogy of which Texas Destiny (Book #1) was my favorite and a 5 star read. Amelia Carson, a mail-order bride, travels to Texas to marry the eldest, handsome, Leigh brother. Houston, the scarred middle brother, picks up Amelia at the train station and shares a three-week adventure-filled ride home and the two fall in love. This is a post American Civil war romance with a tortured hero, fantastic sexual tension and chemistry between the protagonists, and a brave, kind, admirable heroine. This is the type of western historical romance I love. A sigh-worthy read!

Parting Gifts is another western historical romance novel by Lorraine Heath, but this one is on the sweeter side. In this romance Maddie is rescued from a life of prostitution by Charles Lawson, a a dying widower in need of a mother for his children. It is a marriage of convenience without sexual intimacy. Charles' older brother Jesse, however, doesn't trust Maddie even as a strong mutual attraction blooms between them. This is a heartwarming, endearing romance with a few well-kept secrets, a couple of cute kids, two brothers, one woman, lovely sexual tension, and a sweet ending. It did not impact me as strongly as Texas Destiny, but still a 4.5 star recommended. I am loving Heath's western backlist! PS: The Fulfillment by Lavyrle Spencer also has the two brothers, one woman plot line. It is not necessarily the same, but I have it in my TBR and need to read it.

Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters #1) by Juliet Marillier was also a great read for me. I decided to read it because everywhere I look whenever readers write a review or leave a comment for a Marillier book the first disclaimer is: "This is not as great as the Sevenwaters trilogy, but…," and I wanted to find out what the hoopla was all about. Overall, I am loving Marillier's prose. As far as this first book of the Sevenwaters trilogy goes, I particularly enjoyed the unique way in which she based her fantasy on The Wild Swans fairy tale. I thoroughly disliked the manipulative Fair Folk in the story and the needless loss of innocence, beauty, and talent that came of it all. Having said that, Sorcha and Red as the main romantic couple are fabulous and I found myself reading the book compulsively until the very end. Highly recommended.

Roselynde (Roselynde Chronicles #1) by Roberta Gellis - I decided to reread the first two books of the Roselynde Chronicles by Roberta Gellis. I first read Roselynde back in the early 80's and in my opinion this reread stands the test of time. I still love young Alinor the Intrepid and Simon the Honorable. This book has the fantastic historical fiction details that Gellis is known for, excellent characters all around, and a plot that kept me engaged from beginning to end. I gave it 5 stars at Goodreads and recommend it for readers who love historical fiction set during the times of Richard the Lionhearted, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the Crusades with a romance between fictional characters at its center to spice things up.

Alinor (Roselynde Chronicles #2) by Roberta Gellis - I love the historical details in this book, particularly as they pertain to women's rights to inherit, widows and their children, and King John's reign. Gellis' attempt to capture the medieval mindset is particularly notable in this second installment. Alinor is again the main character, as well as the romance heroine and I still love her. Simon's loss was just as sad during this reread as it was the first time I read the book. The romance between Alinor and her second husband Ian has its moments. Ian's enduring love for Alinor is sweet and passionate. I admired both Alinor's realistic outlook once she became aware of her precarious position, and her attraction to Ian despite the love she still felt for Simon. The romance, however, seems to be plagued by the lack of real communication which leads to one too many misunderstandings. There is a heavy contrast between second husband Ian's youth and first husband Simon's maturity. Regardless, this is my second favorite book of the Roselynde Chronicles. A 4.5 star recommendation.

A note about the Roselynde Chronicles: If as a reader you do not enjoy detailed battle scenes, court intrigue, or political maneuvering with your romance, these historical fiction/romance books may not be for you.

Summer Reading: Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique

I think of Land of Love and Drowning as Tiphanie Yanique's magical-realism version of the U.S. Virgin Islands' history as told through the tangled lives of three generations of one family beginning with the trade between the Danish and Americans on March 31, 1917 and ending approximately in 1970.

Land of Love and Drowning may be read from two perspectives: as a multi-generational novel with a deeply disturbing subject matter at its core and magical elements taken from cultural folklore, or as a magical realism piece in the style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude where characters and generations symbolize the historical and cultural struggles of a continent, or as is the case in Land of Love and Drowning, the annexed U.S. Virgin Islands.

"The people who had come together to make Captain Owen Arthur Bradshaw could be traced back to West Africans forced to the islands as slaves and West Africans who came over free to offer their services as goldsmiths. Back to European men who were kicked out of Europe as criminals and to European women of aristocratic blood who sailed to the islands for adventure. Back to Asians who came as servants and planned to return to their Indies, and to Asians who only wanted to see if there was indeed a western side of the Indies. And to Caribs who sat quietly making baskets in the countryside, plotting ways to kill all the rest and take back the land their God had granted them for a millennium."

Eeona Bradshaw, the eldest daughter of Captain Owen Arthur and Antoinette Bradshaw, is part of a pre-trade generation that comes to symbolize the old class-conscious, pre-American Virgin Islands. Ambitious but with a lack of vision, Eeona seeks freedom by clinging to an old way of life that erodes beauty and magic through resentment, hatred, and contempt of anything that reflects change. Still beautiful, but diminished and always arrogant, she idolizes a flawed past and attempts to preserve it by keeping its secrets and hiding the truth to disastrous effects. In the story, Eeona’s father Captain Owen Arthur with whom she becomes obsessed, and her mother Antoinette from whom she inherits her blind ambition represent the past.

Owen Arthur's bastard son Jacob exposes prejudices and racism, laying open America's true views and feelings toward the islanders during the American South's Jim Crow era. But Jacob, limited by fear and cowardice loses both love and magic by surrendering his true identity and becoming what he detests in exchange for success and acceptance. Jacob grows up as a McKenzie, a wealthy and well-known island family. Although he knows the truth about his identity, Jacob refuses to acknowledge it until it is too late.

Owen Arthur's youngest daughter Anette belongs to the post-trade generation. Proud of her Virgin Island roots, her narrative is entirely in the "Caribbean language tourist guidebooks will call Creole." Anette symbolizes the true spirit of the islands -- vibrant, open, loving, big hearted, magical, ambivalent, proud and ruthless. She is blinded by love and blindsided and deceived by family secrets, just as holding an incomplete view of its rich and flawed history blindsided and deceived a whole generation of islanders to the reality of their American status after the trade. She becomes the mother of future revolutionaries, islanders returning to their cultural roots, as well as to those who leave the shores and their hearts behind.

At the back of the book Yanique explains that some of the island's history used to create this novel was gathered from her grandmother, she also used her family's background to create some of the characters, and while some events are true to history the rest falls under fiction. The folklore or "magical stories" such as the Duenes are fiction and magic, while the "obeah" tradition comes from West African religions and can be found throughout the Caribbean, albeit under different names.

Yanique's female characters are well defined and central both to the story and as symbols in the magical realism aspect of this tale with male characters taking a backseat or weaker roles, but serving as a strong influence throughout both. Throughout the novel, the author uses heavy foreshadowing at the beginning of chapters or sections (sometimes throughout the narrative) and then develops the story until it comes to the expected conclusion. I found this technique intriguing but not always effective. The writing and descriptions of St. Thomas and Anegada are lovely, but what I enjoyed the most is how well characterization is tied to the historical fiction and magical realism aspects of the story. I found Yanique's characters to be as vibrant and complex as the mixture of cultures and antecedents that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands' population and as beautiful and magical as its nature and folklore.

This is a strong debut novel and one I recommend to readers who enjoy this style of magical story telling, however also take into consideration that disturbing subject matter/taboo relationships are central to the overall story. Grade B

Review: Wingmen by Ensan Case

I began reading Wingmen by Ensan Case on a Saturday afternoon and couldn't put it down until I finished it late the following day. It's that good!

The love story between Lt. Commander Jack Hardigan, USN and Ensign Frederick "Trusty" Trusteau begins in 1943 toward the end of the Pacific conflict during World War II, after Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. The Navy is in the midst of reorganizing the fleet and reconfiguring their strategy against the Japanese. Experienced naval combat aviators are scarce with a majority falling under the young and untried-in-battle classification.

When Trusteau transfers to the VF-20, the fighting squadron of Air Group Twenty, aboard the fictitious aircraft carrier Constitution, he is an inexperienced aviator and his new skipper Jack Hardigan, a hotshot veteran of Midway with quite a few kills under his belt. Trusteau's admiration for Hardigan is immediate and on a grand scale. As events unfold and Fred becomes Jack's wingman, for Jack, the trust that develops between them in the skies translates to everyday admiration of a young man whose flying skills highlight personal qualities, such as loyalty, efficiency and an ability to think on his toes, while on the ground.

Fred is clueless about his sexuality, but knows he’s indifferent to women and doesn’t ‘fit in’ with the other men in his squadron. To fit, Fred follows their lead and has sex with prostitutes, including when he transfers to the VF-20 squadron where he gains the nickname "Trusty" after lasting 17 minutes and gaining a stud’s reputation. But Fred doesn't understand why the other men make such a big deal about women. Yet, Fred does everything in his power to get close to Jack, and although it takes him a while to figure it out, it quickly becomes clear that Fred’s crush on his skipper is enormous. Jack, on the other hand, is dating a wealthy war widow, and for him it's all about company while on leave. There's more of a friendship than a sexual vibe between them, and Jack prefers to spend time with his men than with her. Unlike Fred, Jack fits in with the men and it isn't until much later that he begins to equate his desire for Fred's company and fear of losing him in combat with a more personal attachment.

These are the 1940's, so the feelings that grow between Jack and Fred are kept closely guarded even from each other. There are two intimate scenes between Jack and Fred that take place away from the ship but, like in the old movies, everything fades to black when they hit the sheets. But feelings and emotions go deep for both of them, and before and after their intimate moments even when the two men are alone on the ship, conversations and physical contact are maintained on the buddy level. There's no outward acknowledgment of feelings, particularly under the circumstances since they were at war.

And it’s war! Ensan Case's Wingmen is a plot and character driven novel. His research of what transpired in the Pacific during World War II is fantastic and his take of life in an aircraft carrier is riveting. There is a particular vibrant atmosphere to his portrayal of the life men lead at close quarters on the ship, as well as when they are on leave -- the hard drinking and incessant smoking, the jocular ribbing and womanizing, as well as the desire to distinguish themselves during battle – that allows the reader to know these men. Additionally, Case gives them distinct personalities, making the reader care whether they live or die.

Case also hits the right note when focusing on the politics of command and strategies used by the Americans to hit the Pacific islands -- beginning with Marcus and moving on to Wake, Tarawa, Kwajalein, and Truk -- by incorporating details without, for one moment, slowing the pace or the excitement of the novel. Those details make this novel what it is, as he also incorporates what is critical to the men: the maneuverability of Hellcats, Corsairs and Avengers, dangers of landing on the aircraft carriers, the terrible accidents, lack of supplies. All of those details lead to the strategic air battles in the skies, as well as the one-on-one situations which become some of the most tension-filled and exhilarating moments of the story.

Case ends the book with a postwar section mostly written in letter format that gives the reader a broad idea of what happens to the main characters after the war and an epilogue that ends in 1969. I would have preferred if Fred and Jack’s story had ended a bit earlier, but frankly that did not influence my love of this book one way or another. Wingmen by Ensan Case is a fabulous fusion of historical fiction and romance that I recommend to everyone, but particularly to those who love exciting, well-researched tales set in the Pacific during World War II, as well as to readers who love a war time, tension-filled romance. It is already in my list of 2014 favorites!

Category: Historical Fiction/Gay Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/July 2014
Source: ARC Lethe Press
Grade: A

What have I read lately? Goblin Kings, Witches, Lords & Virtues

Happy Monday! How's everyone? I've had an unscheduled week off from blogging, but here I am again. I've been busy for the past couple of months and my reading and concentration are shot. There's a bit of "reader's block" going on and I'm having trouble choosing and/or finishing books at the moment, although I've finished a few.

What have I read? Last week I read Shadow Spell (Cousins O'Dwyer #2) by Nora Roberts which turned out to be a pretty average, predictable read for me, as opposed to The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison which was excellent! I will review this book soon, but people, this fantasy is a must read! Maia, Maia, Maia . . . While that was a great reading experience, we all know what happens after we finish an excellent book. Nothing satisfies. I ended up rereading What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long, a historical romance I loved, to see if maybe that would boost my interest in romance? In historical romance? But. . .

What am I reading now? Nothing. Instead I am anxiously awaiting for books due to release on April 8th!

How was my March reading? Well, not fantastic as you'll see below. It is pretty much a list of popular hyped up books of which a couple worked for me. My top reads of the month were Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and Murder of Crows, The Others Book #2 by Anne Bishop, but my FAVORITE was really my reread of Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. I still love that book!

I also ventured into some dystopian YA by reading Divergent by Veronica Roth. That was a really quick read that I found entertaining. I really liked dystopian Chicago as the setting, and the premise along with the young characters kept me interested until the end. I was particularly taken with the idea that a society would come to the conclusion that the best way to function would be to split into factions depending on "virtues" (mind you, only ONE virtue, as if humans would ever be able to eradicate the rest from themselves!)-- intelligence (Erudite), bravery (Dauntless), selflessness (Abnegation), honesty (Candor), and those who believe in peace (Amity). Of course the young protagonist, Beatrice or Tris is a Divergent, someone who possesses more than one virtue (imagine that) and therefore a danger to society as is. I wasn't quite sure what to make of a dystopian world-building where no real back story is given in the first novel of the trilogy about what happened to get society to that point. Who the heck came up with this brilliant idea? How or why did society end that way? I suppose the details are given later in the trilogy, and even though the story is kind of romantic/cute in an extremely violent sort of way, I'm not sure I'm interested enough to find out by reading the other books. I heard the movie was good. :)

Also, following my Gabaldon read and reread last week, I read Lord John and the Private Matter. Lord John Grey is an interesting character to me since he is the one gay character that Gabaldon portrays in sort of a positive light in her Outlander novels -- he is honorable and as straight forward as he can be given the times, laws, and dangers that a homosexual man faced during those times. This book is a sort of military mystery that Lord John solves with help from his brand new valet Tom Byrd and a few military comrades. There are details about Lavender House, an underground club where homosexual men gather, but there is also blackmail, murder, and dangerous liaisons. This is not as great a book as Gabaldon can write. The facts and details are there, but it is missing emotional impact. So this was a good, but not great read for me.
----------
Total books read: 7
 Contemporary: 2
 Historical Fiction/Romance: 3
 Urban Fantasy: 1
 Fantasy: 1

Top Reads of the Month:
Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon: B+
Murder of Crows: A Novel of the Others (Book #2) by Anne Bishop: B+
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: B-
Divergent by Veronica Roth: B-
Lord John and the Private Matter (Lord John Novel) by Diana Gabaldon: C

Re-read:
Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon

Upcoming Review:
Satisfaction by Sarah Mayberry

. . . On Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It is now considered a classic by many, particularly by fans of the series. First published in 1991, the book is really a mixture of genres: historical fiction, romance, action/adventure and science fiction/fantasy. Regardless, it won the Romance Writer's of America RITA Award of that year and rightly so. Outlander is all those things, but first and foremost it focuses on the passionate and all-consuming romance that develops between Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp Randall and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, or Claire and Jamie.

Throughout the past decades, I've read most of the Outlander series, from Dragonfly in Amber (Book#2, 1992) through A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005), but I never read Outlander. I began with the second book, read forward, and decided to save Outlander for the end so I could reread the whole series at once! Was that ambitious or what? In 2011 when Nath visited me for the first time, she noticed those enormous Gabaldon books on my shelves and asked if I was a fan. That's when I told her my story. Before going back to Canada, she surprised me with an anniversary copy of Outlander! Still, stubborn as I am, I did not read it. With the upcoming release of the mini-series, however, I decided it was time. Sigh . . . I want to watch it!

Catriona Balfe as Claire Randall

I absolutely loved Voyager! That book hooked me on the series. I followed the story quite well, with much of the background information given at some point during other books in the series. But, what I didn't know, of course, is that I missed so many of the little details that begin in Outlander and that Gabaldon carries throughout the series -- introduction of characters, small intimacies, moments that are later referred to, but that don't have the same emotional impact unless read first hand. I missed out on the young, virginal Jamie asking all those shy/bold questions of the older, sexually experienced Claire. Those wonderful, intimate moments rendered by Gabaldon as the two get to know each other and fall in love -- the laughter and the pain, the craziness, the quiet evenings and perennial lust, the bickering and fights.

Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser

Jamie and Claire's adventures are fantastic. They are not only filled with action, but with historical facts and political intrigue that plagued Scotland in 1745. It not only includes the intricacies of clan politics, in this case the MacKenzie and Fraser clans, but also with secret plans for the Jacobite uprising. Gabaldon's details of day to day life as part of an18th Century Scottish clan with all the restrictions, dangers, ignorance and superstitions, are fascinating. As in the rest of the books in this series, the best aspect of reading this information is that the reader mostly views events through Claire's 20th Century eyes. Although she's from another era, 1945, Claire often echoes the reader's thoughts.

I also missed a lot about Frank Randall, Claire's 20th Century husband. There are obvious reasons why I didn't like Frank in Voyager. In Outlander, however, Frank and Claire seem to be a couple happily trying to grow closer after a long separation that occurred during WW II when Claire served as a combat nurse and Frank, now a professor and historian, as some sort of spook soldier.

Tobias Menzies as Frank Randall

Claire accidentally travels back in time to the 18th Century, meets Jamie and basically commits bigamy by marrying him -- admittedly under duress -- and adultery when their marriage is joyfully consummated. However, she spends most of the time confused, attempting to get back to her time and to husband Frank. This even as her feelings for Jamie grow and change.

There are a few points of interest in how Gabaldon deconstructs Frank's character and in the way that Claire and the reader eventually come to perceive the man.

1) Gabaldon begins by making Frank a good, but somewhat distant man whom Claire is obviously fond of but whose personality and personal interests seem to bore her.
2) Gabaldon also plants a small seed of doubt about Frank's fidelity before Claire goes back in time.
3) In 1745, Gabaldon uses Frank's ancestor Jack Randall to slowly vilify Frank by proxy. She achieves this by giving Jack not only Frank's face but his smile and mannerisms.
4) Black Jack Randall is portrayed as an evil, out of control, sadistic English sodomite with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. A revolting man who not only nauseates Claire, but often  confuses/throws her off because of that "Jack/Frank" face, smile, look.
5) By the time Claire makes her final decision to stay and/or return to her own time, who really wants her to go back to a Frank who may or may not be a cheating ass? A Frank who was engendered by an abusive monster like Jack Randall? I know I didn't! Interesting and fascinating developments.

Tobias Menzies as "Black" Jack Randall

Claire lies and attempts to blend in are sometimes good but often get her and those around her in trouble. She has medical experience as well as some general historical knowledge, but her forward attitude as a 20th Century woman dropped in the middle of the 18th Century is what really singles her out. And lets just say that although Claire is a survivor, she is also a poor liar. To my surprise, I found that I like the older Claire much more than the Claire of Outlander -- there's a lot of measurable growth to this character throughout the series.

Jamie is straight forward and impulsive which also tends to get him and others in all kinds of trouble. He has the heart of a hero, even though he constantly negates this and often says that he's just doing what needs to be done. He's adorably charming, hardheaded, a man of his times whose open mindedness and intelligence make him the perfect candidate for learning.

Case in point, the now famous (or is it infamous?) scene where Jamie spanks Claire with his sword belt after she disobeys his orders and almost ends up raped and/or killed, also placing Jamie and his men in danger. "The beating scene." Knowing Claire's character and Jamie's relationship with Claire from the other books in the series, I remember being surprised the first time I heard about THE scene. Frankly, I expected her to clobber him over the head with a 2x4 or with a full chamber pot -- she fights him, but unfortunately that doesn't happen.

"Well, I'll tell ye, lass, I doubt you've much to say about it. You're my wife, like it or not. Did I want to break your arm, or feed ye naught but bread and water, or lock ye in a closet for days---and don't think ye don't tempt me, either---I could do that, let alone warm your bum for you."

Jamie believes that corporal punishment of his wife is not only acceptable but expected -- a man of his times. However, he learns that this behavior is not acceptable to Claire -- and at that point he becomes a man open to change going against upbringing and culture. This is a disturbing scene, but I believe it is one that accurately portrays how things would have turned out in that situation during that place and time in history. Actually, corporal punishment takes place widely and often in Outlander, not just to "punish" women/wives, but to discipline children, to keep clan members loyal and true, and ultimately as torture.

Claire and Jamie

If Gabaldon portrays those violent times with disturbing frequency and uncomfortable accuracy, she also makes time for detailed intimacy. Gabaldon writes intimate moments like no one else. Moments that are hard to forget. In Outlander I loved the beautiful days and nights that Jamie and Claire spend at Jamie's family estate of Lallybroch with the family. The chapters have wonderful names and give an idea of what goes on: The Laird's Return, Kisses and Drawers, More Honesty, Conversations by the Hearth, Quarter Day, Hard Labor.

"Hearing the rustle of footsteps approaching through the grass, I turned, expecting to see Jenny or Mrs. Crook come to call me to supper. Instead it was Jamie, hair spiked with dampness from his pre dinner ablutions, still in his shirt, knotted together between his legs for working in the fields. He came up behind me and put his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder. Together we watched the sun sinking behind the pines, robed in gold and purple glory. The landscape faded quietly around us, but we stayed where we were, wrapped in contentment." Chapter 32 -- Hard Labor

In Outlander I also found the kind of secondary characters you love to hate and others you hate to love. I loved hating Black Jack Randall with a passion! I wanted someone to slowly strip his skin off with a rusty knife! On the other hand, I had a soft spot for Dougal MacKenzie and kept thinking that under other circumstances he would make a fantastic central character. I hated loving him on the pages of Outlander, but for some weird reason I did.

This is a fantastic, highly addictive series! There's the delicious romance, yes, but there's also all that action, adventure, history, fantastic characterization, and Gabaldon's amazing gift for portraying intimacy in the midst of chaos. I read Outlander this past week and immediately picked up my favorite Voyager to reread, finished it, and am already eyeing Drums of Autumn! Ohhh… no! Highly. Addictive.

If you haven't done so, check out the latest information, pictures, and teasers about the upcoming mini-series here.

Review: Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez

Tim Z. Hernandez bases his novel Mañana Means Heaven on the story of Bea Franco, the young Chicana woman Jack Karouac meets while on his way to Los Angeles from San Francisco, during his travels across the United States, and who later appears in his famed novel On the Road as Terry, or "the Mexican girl."

"Mañana," she said. "Everything'll be all right tomorrow, don't you think, Sal-honey, man?"

"Sure, baby, mañana." It was always mañana. For the next week, that was all I heard --- mañana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven. -- On the Road by Jack Kerouac

The title of the novel is taken directly from one of the passages of Karouac's novel, but this is Bea's story, not Jack's. That is made perfectly clear from the beginning. Hernandez takes Karouac's short chapter, and following the same timeline, cleverly weaves in Bea's background and breaths life into the woman by exposing the extreme emotional and familial circumstances that pushed her into opening up to a man like Jack, a gavacho "college boy," during that particular time in her life. A time that lasted but a blink in time, but one that changed both of their lives irrevocably.

Meeting Jack gives Bea hope while she is trapped in what seems like a hopeless and desperate situation that Hernandez utilizes to build tension throughout his novel. Franco's short time with Jack changes her. It gives her the determination and resiliency that may have been there all along, but that she learns to use to become a woman who expects better for and from herself. For Jack, much later that moment in time becomes the stepping stone that helps to propel his career as a writer when the Paris Review publishes his short story "Terry, the Mexican Girl," and well, the rest is history.

If Franco and her family are well researched by Hernandez, then so are the historical details. Hernandez takes the reader to a post WWII Los Angeles that comes alive with all of its paranoia and multicultural prejudices. But nothing comes alive more than the San Joaquin Valley and the plight of the pickers -- the smell and paranoia in the tent camps, the fear of immigration raids, the hatred for the implacable owners and the need for work, the child workers, the stultifying poverty, and through Bea, the desperation.

Hernandez utilizes mañana, tomorrow, as the main theme of his novel. The word mañana represents many different things to the different people who inhabit the novel. To Bea and her brother Alex it represents the possibility of a future and the realization of a dream. To the pickers in Selma it represents the basics, work, food, a warm place to stay. If not today, tomorrow things will work out. To Jack it is always a way to gain time, to learn more, to see more. To little Albert, it comes to represent lack of money, a lack of hope. However, Hernandez also uses partings, abandonment, leaving and returning as a secondary and more subtle theme throughout the novel.

As an award winning poet and writer familiar with Franco's cultural background, Hernandez was already well equipped to write a story about Karouac's muse. However, Hernandez's research into her life and his insights into the person Franco was, into the woman she became, takes her story beyond that of a myth. Highly recommended.

_____________________

Memorable Quote from Tim Z. Hernandez's Guest Post: "I Remain As Ever, Bea"

I spoke briefly about what Bea had taught me, and about what we might all learn from her story. That each of us, regardless of how seemingly insignificant or boring or obscure our lives may be, are made up of valuable epic stories that deserve their day in the light.

Related Posts:
Guest Author Tim Z. Hernandez: "I Remain As Ever, Bea"
RIP Bea Franco, Kerouac's "Terry, The Mexican Girl"
Highlighting: Manana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez

Review: Welcome Home, Captain Harding (Captain Harding #3) by Elliott Mackle

Joe is back! Welcome Home, Captain Harding! I was really worried about him at the end of Captain Harding and His Men when he was shipped off to Vietnam. I even thought that was going to be the setting for this third book. Instead it is now1970, "Hair" is playing on Broadway and the "Age of Aquarius" still has a grip on the country, particularly on the West Coast -- the perfect setting for Joe's misadventures.

After finishing an 18-month tour in Vietnam, Joe is assigned to the Castle Air Force Base, California, working with old friend and father figure Colonel Bruce "Ops" Opstein, commander for operations for the 39th Bomb Wing. Joe hasn't even shaken the jet lag, nightmares, or fear of crotch rot when Ops shows him a pictures of himself in Hawaii with both Cotton and his mother Ambassador Elizabeth Boardman. Joe is under surveillance. Joe's new assignment at Castle spying on arrogant, hot-dogging bomber pilots, and organizing an air show to counteract the whole anti-war movement does not come as sweet news either. Soon Ops and Joe realize the whole place is FUBAR -- fucked up before all recognition -- as pilots go around with sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll on their minds, and the higher ups turn out to be even worse than that! Joe's career comes under fire from all directions as the men or buddies he works with are more a detriment than a help, and covering his ass to stay in the military closet becomes almost impossible.

There I am, reading the beginning of the story and I'm already yelling at Joe for pulling dumb moves and following his dick instead of thinking things through before leaping into the fire. By now, we all know that's just Joe, but that didn't matter to me. Cotton is now a freshman at Berkeley and slowly getting pulled into the anti-war movement, but they are together and that's what becomes important to Joe. He is in love with the now nineteen-year old Cotton, so you can only imagine that these two are not necessarily thinking with their "little grey cells." No, not possible. Not even after Ops warns Joe that he has received more anonymous photographs. To further complicate matters, Sam shows up at Joe's place in Merced. Now a TWA pilot, he is a favorite buddy/hookup Joe met at the Wheelus AFB in Lybia. Cotton figures out the relationship angle and decides to get involved. Will there be room for one more in a committed relationship?

Let me begin by saying that I don't usually get so involved with characters that I actually worry for them, etc. I try to maintain a certain distance, even when connecting with characters, so that I can at least be somewhat objective about their actions. But, I can't seem to help myself with Joe Harding and I know that is one of the aspects of this series that makes me love it so much.

Elliott Mackle does it to me every time. I began reading Welcome Home, Captain Harding and didn't stop until that last page was turned. It was an emotional roller-coaster. I was yelling at Joe because he wasn't being careful enough, while simultaneously getting upset because he HAD to be careful in order to keep his military career going. But, coming back to reality and keeping in mind that this is historical fiction, Elliott Mackle again captures the times and situations beautifully.

The necessity to stay closeted vs. the need for love and intimacy is one that Mackle tackles in this book with even more vigor than he did in the past two installments. The frustration, the witch hunt, and how far everyone is willing to go to protect themselves are all well rendered by Mackle as he uses humor through misadventures, miscalculations, and manipulations to get his point across. The same happens with Mackle's deft handling of the issues that plagued the Air Force pilots at the base during that time, and with his portrayal of 1970 San Francisco by incorporating the two differing perspectives dealing with the key issue of that time period in history about the war in Vietnam, with the Peace Movement on one side and the military on the other as seen from Joe's point of view.

The military details that Mackle includes in this novel are again fantastic, although I did notice that they took less space than in the two previous installments. Similarly, those pesky military acronyms have lessened, or are now explained to the reader along the way. Mackle continues the tradition of combining Joe's often humorous misadventures with seriously tough issues such as domestic violence among the military, drug abuse, cover ups, and persecution of gay servicemen in the military. The usually tight dialog is not as consistently tight as it is in other installments, but it is still great, providing that quick pacing that makes these books such excellent reads.

Welcome Home, Captain Harding is the third and last book of Elliott Mackle's Captain Harding trilogy. As such, it ends Joe's adventures and misadventures with a bang. I didn't, however, expect anything less from Mr. Mackle whose works I've come to highly enjoy along the way. I cannot tell you how much I love these three books, or how much I am going to miss this character. I am a fan. I definitely recommend Welcome Home, Captain Harding, but more so, I highly recommend the trilogy as a whole.

Category: LGBT Historical Fiction/Mystery Suspense
Series: Captain Harding
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/September 1, 2013
Format: Paperback/Digital
Grade: B+

Visit Elliott Mackle here.

Complete Trilogy -- Grade: A- (4.7 Stars) 
Captain Harding's Six Day War, #1
Captain Harding and His Men, #2
Welcome Home, Captain Harding, #3

Reading Lots! CarnieFun, Tim Z. Hernandez, Elliott Mackle & Summer Lovin'

Carniepunk Anthology
Release Date: July 23, 2013
Gallery Books

Come one, come all! The Carniepunk Midway promises you every thrill and chill a traveling carnival can provide. But fear not! Urban fantasy’s biggest stars are here to guide you through this strange and dangerous world. . . .

RACHEL CAINE’s vampires aren’t child’s play, as a naïve teen discovers when her heart leads her far, far astray in “The Cold Girl.” With “Parlor Tricks,” JENNIFER ESTEP pits Gin Blanco, the Elemental Assassin, against the Wheel of Death and some dangerously creepy clowns. SEANAN McGUIRE narrates a poignant, ethereal tale of a mysterious carnival that returns to a dangerous town after twenty years in “Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea.” KEVIN HEARNE’s Iron Druid and his wisecracking Irish wolfhound discover in “The Demon Barker of Wheat Street” that the impossibly wholesome sounding Kansas Wheat Festival is actually not a healthy place to hang out. With an eerie, unpredictable twist, ROB THURMAN reveals the fate of a psychopath stalking two young carnies in “Painted Love.”

I'm enjoying this anthology. It has a long list of stories by accomplished urban fantasy authors. Those stories so far are a combination of standalone and short stories related to already established series with carnivals as the central focus, however, they couldn't be more different. Clowns, you ask? I am about half-way through the book and so far no clowns, but the setting gives this anthology a certain dark flavor that I am enjoying.

Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez
Release Date: August 29, 2013
The University of Arizona Press

In this love story of impossible odds, award-winning writer Tim Z. Hernandez weaves a rich and visionary portrait of Bea Franco, the real woman behind famed American author Jack Kerouac’s “The Mexican Girl.” Set against an ominous backdrop of California in the 1940s, deep in the agricultural heartland of the Great Central Valley, Mañana Means Heaven reveals the desperate circumstances that lead a married woman to an illicit affair with an aspiring young writer traveling across the United States.

When they meet, Franco is a migrant farmworker with two children and a failing marriage, living with poverty, violence, and the looming threat of deportation, while the “college boy” yearns to one day make a name for himself in the writing world. The significance of their romance poses vastly different possibilities and consequences.

Mañana Means Heaven deftly combines fact and fiction to pull back the veil on one of literature’s most mysterious and evocative characters. Inspired by Franco’s love letters to Kerouac and Hernandez’s interviews with Franco, now in her nineties and living in relative obscurity, the novel brings this lost gem of a story out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

This is a book that got my attention at "The Mexican Girl" and Jack Kerouac. It combines fact and fiction, but I must admit that my curiosity about "Terry's" character or as it turns out, Bea Franco, got the best of me as soon as I read the book summary. So far it is more than worth the read!

Welcome Home, Captain Harding by Elliott Mackle
Series: Captain Harding, #3
Release Date: September 1, 2013
Lethe Press Books

Returning to California after eighteen terrifying months in Vietnam, Captain Joe Harding is assigned a trio of duties: assisting his fatherly former commander at base operations, spying on misbehaving bomber pilots and organizing an air show designed to counter the anti-war fever sweeping the state.

Meanwhile, his much younger tennis partner has enrolled at Cal Berkeley, enmeshed himself in pacifist politics and resumed his role as Joe's lover. When a playmate from Wheelus, a one-time fighter pilot now flying for TWA, shows up at Joe's house in Merced, the three men must navigate the joys and difficulties inherent in creating their own sort of ''welcome home.''

Continuing the adventures and misadventures begun in Elliott Mackle's acclaimed Captain Harding series Joe and his fellow officers and men are up against a hot-dogging, risk-taking aircraft commander, a pair of drug-abusing co-pilots and a married administrator with a taste for sexual blackmail. When a Broadway show causes a death in the family, a test flight goes terribly wrong and Joe's honor and patriotism are questioned, he must fight to clear his name and rebuild his imperiled career.

Welcome Home, Captain Harding is the last book in the Captain Harding trilogy by Elliott Mackle. I absolutely love this character, and so far I've loved the first and second books! I'm really enjoying this last book, Joe is still Joe. *g* But, I'm also a bit sad that Joe's adventures are coming to an end.
-----------
What else have I been reading?

I've yet to move on from my summer reading and picked up Summer Lovin' with Chrissy Munder, Clare London, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper (Pink Squirrel Press, 2013). This is an M/M Romance collection with five novellas. So far I really enjoyed Chrissy Munder's "Summer Hire" and loved "Lost and Found on Lindisfarne" by JL Merrow. I'm reading this one slowly and in between other books. . . stretching out the summer fun!

Summer is here, and the loving is easy! Slake your thirst for romance with Summer Lovin'—an anthology for lazy days and summer sunshine.

Go skinny-dipping in a disused quarry. Hang out with the boys in the band. Meet a bad boy made good, and one with a shy smile that hides a dark secret. Or maybe get your heart pillaged by a Viking re-enactor.

With gentle humor, hot sauce and a hefty scoop of romance, enjoy a quintet of sultry stories of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper.

The mercury's not the only thing that's rising!

What are you reading?

Oldies But Goodies: Dorothy Eden, where do I begin?

I love reading romance during the summer, so I'm happy to report that I'm finally back on the old romance reading horse. I've read a few these past few weeks, True to the Law by Jo Goodman, Kentucky Home by Sarah Title, The Notorious Rake and The Counterfeit Bride by Mary Balogh, Twice Loved and Years (a favorite and a reread) by Lavyrle Spencer, Beach House Beginnings (Beach House No.9) by Christie Ridgway, and Love Irresistibly by Julie James. Yes, I am on a romance reading tear and hope to continue!

As you can see there are four older romance titles in my list of books above. I love mixing older titles and classic authors with newer talent and/or the latest releases. I find that it keeps my romance reading fresh while I catch up with well... the "history" of romance, compare different writing styles and experience how tropes within romance have evolved throughout the years. And, I love discovering great books and/or authors whose works I missed along the way. This method of mixing older titles with new releases has been working for me for years.

Although I cut my romance reading teeth reading works by authors like Rosemary Rogers, Woodwiss and Kinsale, Nora Roberts, Krentz, McNaught, Deveraux, and Sandra Brown, I didn't read works by Lavyrle Spencer or Pamela Morsi until 2010! And I still haven't picked up anything by Maggie Osborne and many others. You see what I mean? I've missed so much goodness. This is one reason I love that so many of the older classics, no longer available or hard to find in print, are now available or being made available in digital format. So the following announcement immediately snagged my attention:

Open Road Media just released digital editions or ebooks of 14 novels by the author Dorothy Eden. I looked up the author's biography and wondered if this was another case of missing out on more of that goodness I mention above, but this time in the gothic romance, romance suspense, and historical fiction categories. Click on link to see complete list of titles.

Dorothy Eden (1912–1982) was the internationally acclaimed author of more than forty bestselling gothic, romantic suspense, and historical novels. Born in New Zealand, where she attended school and worked as a legal secretary, she moved to London in 1954 and continued to write prolifically. Eden’s novels are known for their suspenseful, spellbinding plots, finely drawn characters, authentic historical detail, and often a hint of spookiness. Her novel of pioneer life in Australia, The Vines of Yarrabee, spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list. Her gothic historical novels Ravenscroft, Darkwater, and Winterwood are considered by critics and readers alike to be classics of the genre.

I've never read a book by Dorothy Eden. Have you?

Where do I begin exploring? If you have read Dorothy Eden's works, which book do you recommend? If you haven't, where would you begin?

Review: My Dear Watson by L.A. Fields

My Dear Watson by L.A. Fields
Cover Art: Ben Baldwin

I treasure my volumes of Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, don't you? Needless to say, I was thrilled when I received a copy of My Dear Watson by L.A. Fields for review. This story, however, is not focused on details about the mysteries. Instead, my dear friends, Fields queers the relationship between Holmes and Watson as it evolved throughout the years they worked together as detecting partners.

Fields approaches the queering of these favorite characters from a different and creative angle by utilizing the second Mrs. Watson as narrator. Mrs. Watson's somewhat acerbic narrative voice rivals that of Holmes himself, as do her well-honed powers of observation and deduction -- particularly when it comes to the relationship that existed and still exists between her dear, sweet Dr. Watson and the odious Mr. Holmes. It is most telling that as she begins her narrative, Mrs. Watson casually mentions her acceptance of her husband's flexible sexuality and relationship with the well-known detective, yet when referring to Sherlock Holmes in her journal, she uses the three dreaded capital H's: He, Him and Holmes. What does that tell you?

I can smell a hint of salt from here, so my dear Watson must be overwhelmed with the scent, since he has his face buried in Holmes's shoulder.

They are embracing each other tightly, blissfully, as if they've been a lifetime away from one another. I don't believe I am jealous --- I'm a modern woman, and I knew of my husband's flexible nature before I married him --- but I am rather destabilized by this scene. They just look so desperately happy to be holding one another. It's touching, but it touches one awfully hard.

You see, although Mrs. Watson doesn't openly oppose Watson's relationship with Holmes and says she understands her husband's obsession with the great detective, she believes in her heart that this only came to pass because of Holmes' manipulative nature. Mrs. Watson narrates Holmes' courtship and seduction of an initially unaware, naive Watson who then becomes enthralled and devoted to Him throughout the years. The relationship between the two men fluctuates between happy and deep dark times until their time together at 221B Baker Street ends. The first separation takes place when deeply hurt and disappointed in Holmes, Watson marries his first wife Mary only to be seduced away from her within a short period of time. Mrs. Watson shows sympathy for Mary but understands her sweet Watson, after all "He is rather infectious, Sherlock Holmes. A dark and glamorous thing. "

The story is divided into sections. In the present time Mrs. Watson and her household receive Holmes during his first visit to Watson's home. In other more abundant sections, Fields employs a rather interesting flashback format by having Mrs. Watson narrate the complete history of the men's relationship as it unfolds while they solve mysteries, until the timelines merge in the present. This presentation works rather splendidly as Fields concentrates mainly on the history of the relationship with spare entries dedicated to the present.

And speaking of spare, each chapter/mystery case revealing the building intimate relationship between Holmes and Watson is also short in length. Usually short chapters make for a quick read, however that was not the case in this instance. The relationship as it unfolds between Holmes and Watson and Fields' approach to this story is quite creative. However, while Mrs. Watson's narrative gives the reader an immediate sense of her perceptions and inner emotions, there are sections where it simultaneously creates a certain distance between the reader and the other main characters -- a disconnect -- that slows down the pace.

Fields' characterization of Holmes is notable in that it reveals the man behind the legend by overtly magnifying his weaknesses while subtly depicting strengths. Watson's characterization is not as well defined as that of Holmes, but the portrayal is just as subtle. Fields portrays Watson as an extremely sympathetic character, but look under the surface and you'll find that this depiction is deceiving. On the other hand, our narrator Mrs. Watson becomes as fascinating a character as Mr. Holmes. A contradiction, she's a woman to be reckoned with -- astute and intuitive, possessive and giving, protective, strong and vulnerable -- and I do believe that in the end Mrs. Watson has the last word!

To summarize, I enjoyed My Dear Watson, particularly L.A. Fields' subtle execution and creative approach to building of a complex queer romantic relationship riddled with conflict, jealousy, resentment, love, tenderness, and understanding -- one that involves two of my favorite fictional characters of all time. A solid read.

Category: LGBT/Queer Historical Fiction
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/April 4, 2013
Source: ARC Lethe Press
Grade: B

New Releases: Feb/March 2013 Historical Romance

Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical Romance
Grand Central Publishing, February 26, 2013

The Maiden Lane historical romance series is one of my favorite at the moment. So, I'm reading this book released yesterday and I'm already reading it! As always, Hoyt's romances are some of my most anticipated books of each year.

When Strangers In The Night
He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head—and realizes she is his wife.

Become Lovers...
Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles—the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be—and so much more.

Desire Is The Ultimate Danger
When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth—that the Ghost is her husband—the game is up and the players must surrender...to the temptation that could destroy them both

Standish by Erastes
Gay Historical Romance
Lethe Press, February 2013

This second of edition of what has become a classic gay historical romance was re-released in February by Lethe Press. I haven't read it yet, but the book is now in my possession.

A great house. A family dispossessed. A sensitive young man. A powerful landowner. An epic love that springs up between two men. Set in the post-Napoleonic years of the 1820's, Standish is a tale of two men - one man discovering his sexuality and the other struggling to overcome his traumatic past. Ambrose Standish, a studious and fragile young man, has dreams of regaining the great house his grandfather lost in a card game. When Rafe Goshawk returns from the continent to claim the estate, their meeting sets them on a path of desire and betrayal which threatens to tear both of their worlds apart. Painting a picture of homosexuality in Georgian England, Standish is a love story of how the decisions of two men affect their journey through Europe and through life.

Spirit of the Pacific by Walter L. Williams
Gay Historical Romance
Lethe Press, February 2013

This gay historical romance is different in that the story takes place during the Civil War, but the events do not take place strictly in the South. There's an adventure aboard a whaling ship, the Aleutian Islands seem to play a big role, and more. Just take a look at the book summary.

Whaling ships in the Aleutian Islands, Confederate raiders and Union naval vessels in Maui, sloops and skiffs in the Hawaiian Islands--ships sail into the unknown and change lives. This is the story of Eddie Freeman, an African American slave from South Carolina, who escaped slavery in 1860. Eddie learned not to be afraid of change and the unknown. This is a story about the unexpected twists and turns of life, and how sometimes a person must travel one way to get to the other, become a sailor to find solid land, go to the Arctic to get to a tropical paradise. It is about giving up one's home to find a better home. It is a story about learning to transcend the polarities of slave and free, sacred and profane, love and hate, human and animal. Most importantly, it is a story about learning to transcend the polarity of life and death to become one with nature, experience limitless love, gain absolute happiness, and achieve true spiritual freedom.

There are quite a few new March releases coming up within the historical romance and historical fiction genres, but I'm highlighting two that caught my eye:

A Little Folly by Jude Morgan (Tim Wilson)
Historical Romance
St. Martin Press, Releasing March 12, 2013

I've never read anything by Morgan. I love the Regency period and despite the comparisons to Austen and Heyer, this novel looks great to me! It says in the blurb that it's a "romantic" novel, and it also mentions that Morgan is an acclaimed historical fiction author. So, I will let you know where this novel falls, exactly. :D

A witty and romantic novel of Regency love, family and appalling scandal, from a latter-day Jane Austen. When their strait-laced, domineering father, Sir Clement Carnell, dies, Valentine throws open their Devonshire estate of Pennacombe to their fashionable cousins from London and Louisa feels free at last to reject the man Sir Clement wanted her to marry.

Soon, the temptations of Regency London beckon, including the beautiful, scandalous, and very married Lady Harriet Eversholt, with whom Valentine becomes dangerously involved. Meanwhile, Louisa finds that freedom of choice is as daunting as it is exciting. Will the opportunity to indulge in a little folly lead to fulfillment—or disaster?

A Little Folly is a novel to make Jane Austen proud and Georgette Heyer envious. An acclaimed author of historical fiction, Jude Morgan weaves together the very best of Regency era writing with "refreshingly original characters, an intriguing plot, and an elegantly ironic style." (RT Book Reviews on Indiscretion). In this exciting new novel, Morgan delivers a story that, yet again, will bring cheers from critics and readers alike.

Surprising Lord Jack (Duchess of Love #2) by Sally McKenzie
Historical Romance
Zebra, March 5, 2013

I read the first book of this series, Bedding Lord Ned and enjoyed McKenzie's style. More so, I liked Jack's character in that first book. So I'm looking forward to this story with the that tried but true trope about the girl in breeches who I'm sure will capture Jack's heart. I'm hoping this is a fun read!

Unladylike Behavior
Frances Hadley has managed her family’s estate for years. So why can’t she request her own dowry? She’ll have to go to London herself and knock some sense into the men interfering in her life. With the nonsense she’s dealt with lately, though, there’s no way she’s going as a woman. A pair of breeches and a quick chop of her red curls, and she’ll have much less to worry about…

Jack Valentine, third son of the famous Duchess of Love, is through being pursued by pushy young ladies. One particularly determined miss has run him out of his own house party. Luckily the inn has one bed left—Jack just has to share with a rather entertaining red-headed youth. Perhaps the two of them should ride to London together. It will make a pleasant escape from his mother’s matchmaking melodrama!
 

That's it for my February/March historical highlights. Any particular historical romance OR historical fiction books you are looking forward to reading in March? 

Review: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley is a combination historical fiction and contemporary with romances taking place during both time lines and running parallel to each other. Kearsley uses one central character, Carrie McClelland, to tie both storylines and romances together.

James VIII of Scotland
(1688 - 1766)  

Carrie McClelland is a seasoned historical fiction author writing a historical fiction romance that took place in the midst of the failed Jacobite conspiracy to return James Stuart or James VIII to the throne of Scotland in 1708. Unfortunately, Carrie is suffering from writer's block, but while visiting Scotland fate takes a hand and she ends up at a place that calls to her, Slains Castle in Cruden Bay and there meets a man with winter sea eyes. Carry moves to a cottage within sight of the Slains Castle and begins the process of writing her story from the perspective for a fictional woman as the central character, one she names after a long-dead Scottish ancestor, Sophia Paterson. At first her story seems to spill out of her with characters and situations so vivid and real that she can't seem to stop writing, but slowly Carry's research shows that her characters and events, down to the smallest details, were indeed true. Carry ends up with more questions than answers. How can this be happening?

Admiral Thomas Gordon
(1658-1741)

This is where I fell in love with this book. Kearsley seamlessly weaves two beautiful stories together. She focuses the historical fiction romance of the young, orphaned Mistress Sophia Paterson whose kinswoman the Countess of Erroll, mother to the Earl of Errol takes her in to live as her companion in Slains Castle at Cruden Bay. Soon, Sophia is embroiled in a Jacobite conspiracy to return James Stuart or James VIII to the Scottish throne and meets the young and loyal Jacobite John Moray who already has a price on his head for treason against the crown. Kearsley then proceeds to weave a gorgeous romance between these two characters that is full of danger, betrayal, excitement, angst, and timeless love.

James, 4th Duke of Hamilton
(1658 - 1712)

I love that within this romance Kearsley includes historical characters John Moray, Nathaniel Hooke, Captain Thomas Gordon, the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of Erroll, his mother the Countess of Erroll, and more. However, these characters are not portrayed as two-dimensional historical figures but become viable characters in the novel that contribute to both the story and the romance. I was particularly taken by the Countess of Erroll whose characterization is extremely well-rendered, as is Thomas Gordon. Sophia and Moray's romance made me sigh out loud, bite my nails at the danger they both faced, and cry. . . Yes, this was an emotional read for me.

But Kearsley's main character is Carrie McClellan and she is a historical fiction romance writer, so think of this as a romance within a romance. By setting up the story this way, Kearsley uses her character's portrayal as a writer to incorporate pertinent historical background and deftly avoids making it feel like info-dump, instead history becomes a key element of the exciting romance/story Carrie is weaving. However, this set-up also serves to give readers an intimate view into a writers world: how they conduct research, the writing process, and even little details like daily routines, and even relationships with readers. I loved that little peek into a writers' world.

All of those details are an intrinsic part of the contemporary storyline which includes a straight forward romance with Carrie as the female protagonist. This romance narrated in the first point of view from Carrie's perspective has little angst and not much conflict, but it includes some of my favorite secondary characters and it ties in quite well with the historical fiction story and romance. Additionally, in Mariana I loved how Kearsley executed the time-travel aspect of her story, in The Winter Sea although on the surface the end result of how Carrie gains knowledge about a different period in time may sound similar, in reality it is quite different and if not necessarily as arresting to me, how Kearsley develops this aspect of the story is definitely intriguing.

Kearsley's writing swept me away to Scotland, both to 1708 and contemporary times. This is only my second read by this author, but I'm loving her writing style, the excellent fusion of historical fiction romance and contemporary romance that she uses to whisk me away to another time while simultaneously keeping me grounded to the present, and her talent for bringing historical characters to life and creating a romance that stays with me. So, the end result is that I will definitely continue to explore her backlist with pleasure.

Slains Castle, Cruden Bay, Scotland

Part I: Group Read: The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley hosted by Christine of The happily ever after...

Part II: Group Read The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Mini: Wyatt: Doc Holliday's Account of an Intimate Friendship by Dale Chase

Wyatt: Doc Holliday's Account
of an Intimate Friendship

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday are best known for their gunplay at the OK Corral, but there is far more to their story. The remarkable friendship between upright lawman and southern gentleman turned gambler and killer ignites when Doc saves Wyatt's life in Dodge City and escalates into passion as the two move west to Tombstone where lawlessness reigns. As they work toward bringing to justice a band of rustlers terrorizing the area, they are drawn into the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral and are jailed for murder.

They are cleared of the charges, but the murder of Morgan Earp sets Wyatt on a vendetta where, with Doc at his side, he turns killer not only to avenge his brother but to rid the region of the outlaw menace. The price is high, however. Now wanted men, Doc and Wyatt are forced to flee Arizona, and it is while on the run that they find their relationship deepening into what is ultimately a tragic love.

I seem to love almost everything Dale Chase writes. At this point I think I may have read almost all her short stories set in the West. The key word is "almost" because I'm still searching through Chase's backlist to find them, and that includes her short stories published in Bear erotic anthologies which are usually set in the West. But, an erotic novel by Dale Chase queering Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday? I just knew it was going to be a winner for me!

Chase has such talent for writing historical westerns and that talent is in full display in Wyatt: Doc Holliday's Account of an Intimate Friendship. She weaves the whole history of what happens in Tombstone so well with her own fictional account of Doc and Wyatt's intimate relationship that by the end, the reader wants to believe Chase's version. There are plenty of erotic scenes (with enough spit and poke to please the crowds), just as there are violent scenes on the streets of Tombstone, desperate chases on horseback, and mean, cold gunfights between our heroes and the Cowboys. The sexy scenes after the killing and the chasing are always the best ones!

I love Wyatt and Doc, and Chase brings them and the secondary characters to life in this erotic piece. I love the details she incorporates into her story, the characterization and excellent western atmosphere. Expect lots of erotic scenes to accompany all the cocky posturing and spare macho dialog. If you like westerns, good historical details, great writing, and erotica, you'll love this one. (November 6, 2012, Bold Strokes Books) Grade: B+

Collections by Dale Chase:
If The Spirit Moves You: Ghostly Gay Erotica
The Company He Keeps: Victorian Gentlemen's Erotica

October 2012: Monthly Reads Recap

October was a good reading month and pretty well balanced genre-wise. There's a little bit of everything in there: historical romance, romance suspense, young adult fantasy, gay romance, a memoir and contemporary romance.

I enjoyed my reads, but there are always stand outs. For me, the dramatic historical serial The Gin Lovers by Jamie Brenner definitely stood out because of the 1920's atmosphere and New York City setting, the characters, and all the delicious drama. I reviewed the first two episodes, and although a bit behind because real life got in the way, expect reviews for the rest of the episodes.

I already mentioned Occultation and Other Stories and The Light is the Darkness by Laird Barron as great reads in the speculative fiction horror category, as well as Steve Berman's Wilde Stories 2012 Gay Speculative Fiction Anthology, however Immobility by Brian Evenson is another story that stood out and stayed with me for quite a while because of the stark moodiness of the piece.

On the bright side, re-reading the Born In Trilogy by Nora Roberts when hurricane Sandy hit, proved to be the right picks. Talk about comfort reads! That was a treat I haven't allowed myself for a couple of years. It was fun spending a couple of days with Nora's great characters in that small fictional Irish village again.

As to the rest, please click on titles to read reviews or posts.

Total read: 25
New Reads: 22    Re-reads: 3
  Contemporary Romance: 6 (3 romance, 2 romance suspense, 1 erotic romance)
  Historical Romance: 8
  Speculative Fiction/Horror: 3
  Young Adult/Fantasy: 1
  Non-Fiction: 1
  LGBT: 6 (1 spec fic, 5 romance)

• If I Wait For You by Jane Goodger: B-
• The Gin Lovers #1 by Jamie Brenner: B-
• Little White Lies: The Gin Lovers #2 by Jamie Brenner: B+
• Society Sinners: The Gin Lovers #3 by Jamie Brenner
• Vice and Virtue: The Gin Lovers #4 by Jamie Brenner
• Dangerous Games: The Gin Lovers #5 by Jamie Brenner
• Hell Hath No Fury: The Gin Lovers #6 by Jamie Brenner
• Wilde Stories 2012: The Year's Best Gay Speculative Fiction ed. by Steve Berman: B
• The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan: B
• Black Ice (Ice #1) by Anne Stuart: C-
• On Thin Ice (Ice #6) by Anne Stuart: B
• Immobility by Brian Evenson: B+
• Old Poison (Dangerous Ground #2 by Josh Lanyon: B
• Everything Changes (Alex Kennedy #1.5) by Megan Hart: C-
• Pressure Head by J. L. Merrow: C
• All Roads Lead to You by Harper Fox: D+
• Heart Trouble by Josh Lanyon: D+
• Perfect Day by Josh Lanyon C-
• The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir by Domingo Martinez: B
• My Scandalous Viscount (Inferno Club #5) by Gaelen Foley: C+
• Born In Trilogy (Born in Fire, Born in Ice, Born in Shame) by Nora Roberts (Re-read): A-
• Occultation and Other Stories by Laird Baron: B+
• The Light is the Darkness by Laird Barron: B+

That's it for my October reads! I again hit my TBR pile throughout the month and read 11 books from there! I'm really trying to get to a few of the books I've purchased before the end of this year, which is approaching really fast! How was your October? Did you find any great reads you would like to recommend?