Review: Happy Ever After (Bridal Quartet, Book #4) by Nora Roberts

As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed. Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart...

Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts is the last of her Bridal Quartet contemporary series, and as the name suggests, the book wraps up everything neatly for the four friends by providing a happy ending for Parker Brown.

Parker is the brains behind Vows, the successful wedding planning business that she runs out of the Brown Estate with her three childhood friends, Mac, Emma and Laurel. In Happy Ever After, the story begins by giving the reader a retrospective of how Vows was conceived by Parker after her parents were killed in a tragic automobile accident. Throughout, the protective and parental roles played by Mrs. Grady and brother Del are highlighted, as well as the supportive and familial roles played by Parker's three childhood friends.

Parker is already attracted to Malcolm Kavanaugh, her brother's friend and mechanic to the whole gang. He is a self-made man with a bad-boy aura and reputation, and not her usual "type." She likes easily controlled and sophisticated businessmen, and there's nothing of the easily controlled gentleman about Malcolm. Malcolm is obviously attracted to Parker and not intimidated by her attempts to reject him. He knows there's passion under all that ice.

Happy Ever After is a nice, light romance. Not surprisingly, Parker is a perfectionist who finds the perfect job and performs it to perfection. She is loyal, loving and here's the one surprise, much softer than I expected. Parker also turns out to be a private person -- an interesting turn of events when you take into consideration how much she likes to interfere in her friends' lives. But other than that, what new information did we really learn about Parker, other than what we already knew? Not much. The same can be said for Malcolm. He is a good self-made man who had a rough childhood. He is powerfully attracted to Parker and has a tough time opening up about his past, but although some details are provided, again, we knew most of this information about him already from reading the previous books. There are no real surprises there about him.

There's very little conflict to this story, if any. Happy Ever After is a nice, light, superficial romance where the last of these four friends, Parker, finds her "happy ever after," and in the process the book serves as the perfect happy ever after for all four friends and their partners in their beautiful, perfect world - the perfect wrap-up to the Quartet. (Note how many times I use the word "perfect). There's no in-depth characterization or character growth to be found either. Although this book, and series as a whole, works quite well as a contemporary fantasy fairy tale.

This is Nora Roberts and because she is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers, I have certain expectations that were not necessarily met with this series. However, that's not to say that the details are not there, they are. All the characters are likable and there are some amusing moments found throughout. All the bases are covered and there are no holes or hanging threads left open; and Vows, as a wedding planning business, is described in minute detail -- although again, those details overshadow the romance. The friendship between the four friends is wrapped up nicely. And yes... Happy Ever After is just that, the "happily ever after" book to the Bridal Quartet series.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: Bridal Quartet, Book 4
Released: November 2, 2010
Grade: C

Complete Bridal Quartet Series:
Vision in White, Book 1
Bed of Roses, Book 2
Savor the Moment, Book 3
Happy Ever After, Book 4

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Review: The Search by Nora Roberts

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

I read The Search by Nora Roberts when it first released back in July and it has taken me a long time to write the review, it kind of fell through the cracks. So instead of writing a summary of the book and events, I'm just going to write down my thoughts.

Simon is rude, direct and honest. I think those three words best describe Simon, except to that you add a dry sense of humor with a grouchy, grumpy exterior and you have the whole deal. I love the fact that Simon wins Fiona without having to use charm. He attempts to be domineering, but is willing to compromise when necessary and knows his faults.

Fiona is a strong, self-sufficient and loving female character. With her, it's all about the personality not the looks. Her insight comes from her deep understanding of animals or dogs in particular, a gift. When we meet Fiona she has already experienced personal growth through grief, loss and trauma, however new circumstances bring Fiona a new understanding, healing and finally freedom from those earlier experiences. She isn't intimidated by Simon's rudeness or grumpy exterior and wins him over with her self-confidence, direct manner, sense of humor and gift for understanding. I always enjoy this type of female protagonist in a contemporary romance, so this was a treat for me.

The dialogue is excellent, especially the give and take and interactions between Simon and Fiona. Simon tells Fiona she is not "his type" but keeps coming back for more, and Fee doesn't really care if she's not his type, she just laughs at him. Their scenes together are some of the best in the book and there are enough of them to justify the "romance" in the "romance suspense" label. These two make a great couple.

And what can I say? I love, love, love the developing relationship between Simon and his puppy Jaws from beginning to end... those are some of the best and funniest scenes. The dogs turn out to be the best secondary characters of the story -- don't they always steal the show? I particularly like the way Roberts uses the dog training to focus and develop the romance.

The suspense is well integrated into the story and I think that the development as well as the outcome makes sense. The whole suspense part of it is mostly about Fee healing and freeing herself from the past trauma and finding the strength to deal with the present. The situation with the search for the villain and figuring it all out definitely kept me interested. The climax to the suspense part is not action packed, but more or less expected. In this case, it worked quite well.

The research for this book is excellent, a Nora Roberts trademark. Fee's dog training and canine search and rescue scenes are quite detailed and extensive in parts. Although I enjoyed the scenes with Jaws and Fee's dogs, there's no question that my one quibble is the amount of dog training scenes included which, in my opinion, make the book a longer read than necessary.

There is excellent balance between the romance and suspense in The Search. I really enjoyed Roberts' last book, Black Hills, but enjoyed this one more and I think that's due mainly to that balance as well as to Fee and Simon's personalities. I loved the dogs as secondary characters and the way Roberts used dog training scenes to focus on and develop the romance, but think that those same details were too extensive at times making this an unnecessarily long read. The suspense made sense to me and I liked that the story didn't end with big drama but well enough taken into consideration the villain's nature and needs.

Category: Romance Suspense
Series: None
Release Date: July 6, 2010
Grade: Solid B

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Retro-Review: Vision in White (Bridal Quartet, Book 1) by Nora Roberts

As some of you may or may not have noticed, Musings of a Bibliophile is off the air. I'll be highlighting some of my favorite books or reviews from 2009 once in a while here at Impressions. I thought since the last book in the Bridal Quartet has been released and I'm gathering all my impressions of this series, Vision in White would be the perfect review to highlight at this time.

Looking back at my review, I find it interesting that the business, Vows, struck me as a secondary character when I read that first book. That feeling never changed throughout the series for me.

----------------------------

I have read many of Nora Roberts' books --part of my book case is full of what I refer to as my "comfort reads" and Nora's contemporary romances make up a large percentage of those reads. So, I was quite happy when I heard she was releasing a new quartet of contemporary romance books, no paranormal, suspense or villains included, thank you. Vision in White, the first book in this quartet is just that, a romance.

Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mackenzie are both childhood friends and co-founders of Vows, an upscale wedding planning company in Connecticut. They run the business together and each plays a key role. Mac is Vow's super talented wedding photographer and from the beginning it's obvious that she feels most comfortable when behind the lens. She almost seems to prefer living life in "moments" she attempts to capture through her camera.

Mac's childhood was an unhappy one--her parents divorced and promptly remarried several times. Linda, Mac's mother, also had multiple relationships throughout Mac's life and is portrayed as a selfish, self-centered woman who neglected Mac and her needs. Most of Mac's inner conflict comes from trauma caused by a dysfunctional relationship with her parents--mainly her mother--a trauma she can't seem to shake even as an adult. As a result, Mac's family are her friends; they are the only ones she can trust and who have been there for her since childhood. Roberts succeeds in portraying this group of friends as a family who loves, disagrees and fights when necessary.

While planning the wedding for a childhood friend, Mac meets the bride's brother, Carter Maguire, in an unforgettable scene that is painfully amusing. Mac doesn't quite remember him, but Carter certainly remembers her. Mac was that unattainable and unforgettable high school crush for him and here she is again in all her glory--the crush flares up again with a vengeance. Shy and clumsy, Carter is also a handsome and eye catching high school English teacher. His honesty and insecurities provide some of the most humorous and sweet moments in the story.

Carter's friend Bob, a fellow teacher, who decides to give Carter unsolicited advise on how to "go get" Mac, became one of my favorite secondary characters. I enjoyed more than a few chuckles between their dialogue and some of Carter's internal debates about Bob's advise. Bob went as far as giving Carter a list of suggestions and lines to use at strategic moments. Carter started calling them the "Law of Bob." Of course, the dreaded list became a problem; I thought the Law of Bob was going to drive the poor man to drink.

Following, there were several suggestions for greetings or initial conversation points such as You look beautiful, Great dress, I saw these (flowers) and thought of you.

Carter stuffed the list back in his pocket before any of them imprinted on his brain. But not before he'd noted Bob's decree to tune the car radio to classic lite or smooth jazz, on low volume.

He might end up killing Bob, Carter mused.

He drove the next few miles while obsessing about background music before snapping off the radio. The hell with it. He turned into the long, winding drive of the estate.

"What if she's not wearing a dress," he muttered, as despite all efforts Bob's list popped into his mind. And unfortunately, his own question had the image of Mac in black pants and white bra crowding Bob out.

"I don't mean that. For God's sake. I mean, she might be wearing something otherthan a dress. What do I say then: Nice pants? Outfit, outfit, great outfit, You know it's called an outfit. Dear God, shut up."

I liked the way Carter pursued Mac. He gave her the space she needed to come to terms with her inner conflicts, but he was also persistent and honest about his feelings to a fault. I truly couldn't see how she was going to resist him. On the other hand, Mac was more than surprised when she fell in lust with the professor--he was definitely not her type and she didn't really believe in love or marriage. So what was her answer? An affair. Mackenzie's struggles with her feelings and Carter's belief in his are the core of this story.

Mac's friends are very much a part of Vision in White. We not only get to meet Parker, Emma and Laurel, but also a slew of brides, grooms and assorted family members that make the business as much a part of the story as the characters. Mac's friends as secondary characters, were developed enough for this story --we definitely get a good sense of the dynamics in their friendship and individual personalities are well established. I'm sure we'll get to know each one of them better when their stories are told.

Their business Vows is portrayed almost as a secondary character instead of just the background for the story. Nora's research on wedding planning was excellent; the details are amazing -- from the planning, to the flower arrangements, to the catering and the dresses, this reader learned more than she thought possible, or maybe even cared to, about the business.

I found this to be a sweet, enjoyable romance between the two main characters with plenty of humor and a lovable Beta hero, where the conflict between them was minimal but concentrated mostly on the heroine's personal issues to reach that happy ending. A nice group of friends who are obviously going to have their own romantic happy ever afters added depth to the story. And I can't conclude my impressions without mentioning Vows, the business that felt more like a secondary character and where I thought Roberts' research on wedding planning was excellent, but personally found it to overwhelm the story at times. I give this one a B.

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile May 28, 2009

New Releases: November/December 2010

Wow, almost end of year! Again I've decided to combine new releases I'm looking forward to reading for the next couple of months: November and December. I don't have too many books on my list, but the ones I do have are the sure thing.

When it comes to genres, this time it seems as if I have one of each and some books are by some of my very favorite authors. In my list I'm including Happy Ever After, the last book in Nora Roberts' gorgeous contemporary romance Bridal Quartet series; Play of Passion, another installment in Nalini Singh's Psy/Changling paranormal romance series; the amazing looking cross-genre anthology Songs of Love and Death, which includes fantasy, science fiction and romance, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, this is not one I'm missing; Marry Me by Jo Goodman, a historical romance that looks sweet and it's set in the West; and The Duke & The Pirate Queen by Victoria Janssen an erotic romance by an author whose writing style I enjoyed earlier this year and want to try again.

Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Bridal Quartet, Book 4)
Release Date: November 2, 2010

As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed. Mechanic Malcomb Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart...

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Play of Passion by Nalini Singh
Release Date: November 2, 2010

Passion and reason collide with explosive force in the newest installment of Nalini Singh’s “mesmerizing”* Psy/Changeling series. As a conflict with Pure Psy looms on the horizon, two powerful wolves fight a far more intimate war of their own…

In his position as tracker for the SnowDancer pack, it’s up to Drew Kincaid to rein in rogue changelings who have lost control of their animal halves—even if it means killing those who have gone too far. But nothing in his life has prepared him for the battle he must now wage to win the heart of a woman who makes his body ignite…and who threatens to enslave his wolf.

Lieutenant Indigo Riviere doesn’t easily allow skin privileges, especially of the sensual kind—and the last person she expects to find herself craving is the most wickedly playful male in the den. Everything she knows tells her to pull back before the flames burn them both to ash…but she hasn’t counted on Drew’s will.

Now, two of SnowDancer’s most stubborn wolves find themselves playing a hot, sexy game even as lethal danger stalks the very place they call home…

Visit Nalini Singh here.

Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love [Hardcover]
Release Date: November 16, 2010

In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see. International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost. New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.

Discover the many realms of the heart with this extraordinary cast of acclaimed authors: Peter S. Beagle, Jo Beverly, Jim Butcher, Jacqueline Carey, Diana Gabaldon, Neil Gaiman, Yasmine Galenorn, M.L.N. Hanover, Robin Hobb, Cecelia Holland, Tanith Lee, Marjorie M. Liu, Mary Jo Putney, Linnea Sinclair, Melinda Snodgrass, Lisa Tuttle, Carrie Vaughn. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.

The Duke & the Pirate Queen by Victoria Janssen
Release Date: December 1, 2010

Aboard her privateering ship Seaflower, Captain Imena Leung is the law. Ashore she answers only to her employer, Duke Maxime. They are a powerful couple, with an intense attraction neither can disguise or deny. As a nobleman, Maxime is destined to wed strategically, so his seductive advances must be purely for pleasure. And what self-respecting pirate denies herself any pleasure?

Their delicious dalliance is prolonged when Imena is forced to abduct Maxime to foil a political plot against him. At sea, with a stunningly virile man bound in her private quarters, Imena can imagine--and enact--any number of intoxicating scenarios.

The heat between captain and captive is matched only by the perils that beset Seaflower and her crew. Violent storms, marauding corsairs and life-or-death sex games on a desert island--how fortunate for the seemingly insatiable lovers that danger and desire go hand-in-hand.

Visit Victoria Janssen here.

Marry Me by Jo Goodman
Release Date: December 7, 2010

HER HEART WAS LOCKED AWAY

Rhyne Abbott is fierce, brave, and used to a life of isolation on her father's spread on the outskirts of Reidsville, Colorado. But when, overcome with sickness, she collapses, she knows she must return to town if she is to have any hope of recovery. Only there is no place for her but the new doctor's home, and he wants more than just to heal Rhyne. He wants her hand in marriage.

UNTIL ONE MAN FOUND THE KEY

Doctor Cole Monroe's hands are already more than full with his orphaned little sister to look after, and yet somehow he can't resist the magnetic pull of Rhyne's bewitching eyes—or her tempting kiss. But convincing her to trust him won't be easy. For Rhyne's heart needs as much tender care as her ailing body. And the only cure is the thing she most fears: to let herself fall in love...

Visit Jo Goodman here.

As you can see I've highlighted a bit of everything on my list. What about you, any good recommendations for November and December? What books are you looking foward to reading?

Review: Rising Tides by Nora Roberts (Re-Read)

This month's re-reads were books that "called" to me. Does that happen to you? I began thinking about the characters in both books and just had to revisit them and their stories. One is a historical and the other a contemporary romance and both by favorite writers: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas and Rising Tides by Nora Roberts.

What do these books have in common? Although quite different on the surface, at the core Derek Craven and Ethan Quinn share similarities, neither thinks they deserve happiness with the woman they love because of their past actions and violent beginnings. They are both hardworking men, content with their achievements, if not with their lives as a whole. They both love and yearn for their women with their whole hearts, and both find women who love and see them as they really are. I think it's interesting that these different stories written by two different authors with different writing styles called to me, yet in the end they did share a few common threads. As much as I would love to write about both books, at this time for Nath's 2010 Re-Read Challenge, I've chosen to write my review on the contemporary rather than on the historical romance.

Of the three brothers, it was Ethan who shared his father's passion for the Maryland shore. And now with his father gone, Ethan is determined to make the family boat building business a success. But amidst his achievements lie the most important challenges of his life...

There is young Seth, who needs him more than ever. And a woman he has always loved but never believed he could have. But beneath Ethan's seemingly still waters is a dark and painful past. He must learn to see around the shadows to accept who he is. Because through Ethan's past lies the future -- and his one chance at happiness...

Rising Tides by Nora Roberts is the second book of the Quinn Brothers trilogy. This story focuses on the romance between Ethan Quinn and Grace Monroe. Why did this story call to me? Well, although this is the middle book and many will say not the very best of the three, in my opinion Rising Tides definitely glues this trilogy together. I loved the characters in the first book Sea Swept, but reading this book is where I fell in love with the Quinns as a family.

I personally love Ethan's character. He is a quiet, strong and hardworking man with a rough abusive past that makes him vulnerable. The brother who stayed behind and works the Chesapeake Bay as a fisherman, and  the type of man that once healed, any woman would love to have by her side. Ethan is also a one-woman man. He fell in love with Grace when she was a teenager and she is "it" for him. So there's unfulfilled yearning going on in this story that makes Ethan and Grace's coming together that much more effective when it happens. Grace herself secretly felt the same way about him, so it's a double-whammy in that respect.

The other reason I love this book is the relationship factor. I've always admired Nora Roberts ability to create, build and sell relationships, and I've always thought the Quinn brothers as one of her best. The relationship between the three older brothers with all the arguing, fighting, teasing and loving is enough to make this a wonderful trilogy. But, their developing relationship with the youngest Quinn brother Seth, as he's introduced into their family after the death of their father Ray, takes the stories to a higher level.

For me, this is where Rising Tides comes in. I always felt that this is where Seth is really brought into the family fold, and Ethan is the one brother who really made Seth feel safe, accepted and truly acceptable to the Quinn family. Roberts cleverly accomplishes this by intertwining Ethan's and Seth's storylines and having both characters work out their issues while the romance between Ethan and Grace is developed.

Of course there's also the relationship between Ethan and Grace. There's lots of yearning and not a little interference that goes on this romance. Both characters carry baggage, some of them heavy and issues must be resolved before there's a happily-ever-after. Grace and Ethan, although in love, are both stubborn and each has his and her own battle to fight and win, providing the reader with both frustrating  and satisfying moments as their relationship develops and they come together. This is a well-rounded book about love, family and healing -- a book I revisit once every so often when it calls to me.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Quinn Brothers Trilogy
Released: Jove 1998 Edition, 1999 Hardcover 3-1 Edition, 2001 Edition
Grade: B+

Visit Nora Roberts here.

New July Releases I can't wait to read!

Okay... so it's been a while since I've looked forward to reading so many new releases in one month. I'm really excited! Two of them release tomorrow and I'll probably read the first one to arrive. There were originally six books I was just drooling over, but I read Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh early, so here are the five left on my list.

Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
Release Date: July 6, 2010

Long before she was transformed into a Guardian and trained to fight demons, Rosalia knew darkness all too well. Raised by a demon, Rosalia learned to guard her heart—and her soul—until she found a man worthy of her love. Once, she thought that man would be the powerful vampire, Deacon…until he betrayed the Guardians.

After losing everything to the lies of a demon, Deacon lives only for revenge—and is taken aback when Rosalia offers to help. A vampire who has nothing—who is nothing—isn’t worthy of her attention. But Rosalia wants to do more than just look, and the explosive need between them can’t be held in check. And when Deacon’s vengeful quest creates a dangerous alliance of their enemies, she will be his only hope…

The Search by Nora Roberts
Release Date: July 6, 2010

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

Dark and Stormy Knights Anthology edited by P.N. Elrod with Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, Vicki Pettersson and more.
Release Date: July 20, 2010

It was a dark and stormy knight, and nine dark defenders embarked upon a most perilous quest….

They’re the ultimate defenders of humanity—modern day knights who do dark deeds for all the right reasons. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors bring us thrilling, all-new stories of supernatural knights that are brimming with magic mystery and mayhem.

John Marcone sets aside his plans to kill Harry Dresden to go head-to-head with a cantrev lord in Jim Butcher’s Even Hand. Kate Daniels is called upon for bodyguard duty to protect Saimen, a shifter she trusts less than the enemy in Ilona Andrews’ A Questionable Client. Cormac must stop a killer werewolf before it attacks again on the next full moon in Carrie Vaughn’s God’s Creatures. And in Vicki Pettersson’s Shifting Star, Skamar gets more than she bargained for when she goes after a creature kidnapping young girls—and enlists the aid of her frustratingly sexy neighbor.

When everything’s on the line, will these knights complete their missions and live to fight again another day? Find out in Dark and Stormy Knights!

Last Night's Scandal by Loretta Chase
Release Date: July 27, 2010

After surviving the perils of Egypt, Peregrine Dalmay, Earl of Lisle, is back in London, facing the most dire threat of all: his irrational family . . . and Miss Olivia Wingate-Carsington. A descendant of notorious—but very aristocratic—swindlers, the delectable redhead has the ability to completely unhinge him and a long history of dragging him into her scandalous schemes.

Olivia may be Society's darling, but she's aware a respectable future looms menacingly. And so when Lisle is forced to go on a family mission, she sees this as the perfect chance for one last adventure—even if it is with the one man in the world she can't wrap around her finger. But really, she only wants to help . . .

Which is why Lisle and Olivia find themselves in a gloomy Scottish castle inhabited by spiteful ghosts and craven murderers . . . and a shocking secret: the greatest peril of all may be burning within their own stubborn hearts.

Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
Release Date: July 27, 2010

A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES . . .

Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows St. Giles like the back of her hand-she's spent a lifetime caring for its inhabitants at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk . . .

A WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST . . .

Caire makes a simple offer-in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to London's high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as cold calculation soon falls prey to a passion that neither can control-one that may well destroy them both.

A BARGAIN NEITHER COULD REFUSE

I think this is a pretty good mix: one paranormal romance, one contemporary romance suspense, one urban fantasy anthology and two historical romances. I just needed a good science-fiction romance in there to round it off. But wait! I'll be reading Susan Grant's new release Sureblood by August 1st, so that should do it. That's some great summer reading to look forward to, don't you think?

What books are you waiting for and can't wait to read this hot month of July?

Review: High Noon by Nora Roberts

Savannah-Chatham police lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara is one of the best hostage negotiators in the business, and her latest mission involves talking down a suicidal jumper from a building owned by Duncan Smith. Impressed by her cool, courageous actions and intrigued by the sexy woman herself, Duncan charms Phoebe into meeting him for a drink. As a single mother with family demands and a career woman working in a testosterone-dominated field, Phoebe doesn't think there is any time in her busy schedule for romance, but all of her famed negotiating skills can't convince Duncan to give up on a chance for a future with her. When Phoebe becomes the target of a psychopathic killer out to destroy her professionally and personally, Duncan turns out to be just the person Phoebe wants by her side.

I finally read High Noon by Nora Roberts and I'm glad it was a library read. This is one of those books that engaged me throughout, but that in the end left me with a flat feeling that I could not shake. Why?

In Phoebe McNamara, Roberts comes up with a strong, intelligent heroine who is both a great cop and a wonderful woman. She is surrounded by a supportive family that turn out to be a great responsibility as well. Phoebe is a single mother and sole supporter to her child and an agoraphobic mother. After having experienced violence in her childhood and a loveless marriage, in Duncan Phoebe finally finds a man who is both interesting and interested; just in time for someone to become fixated on her and threaten her life and the life of those she loves.

Roberts not only writes a great heroine, but in her inimitable way she makes us care about Phoebe's friends and family and we become involved in all their lives. The suspense is well executed and it develops slowly, as well as the investigation and the romance between Duncan and Phoebe, a romance that was well integrated with the suspense.

So why did I have a problem with this book? The end.  Yes, the suspense was resolved satisfactorily, and Duncan and Phoebe have their "happily ever after" moment, but... but...what happens to the rest of those characters we come to love? What happens to the rest of the situations that were presented in the book as obstacles or conflicts between Duncan and Phoebe? Or Phoebe's personal problems, the ones that were presented throughout the book as personal conflicts? Did they go away simply because Duncan and Phoebe said "I love you?"

The end felt rushed and I had so many questions by the end of this book that in a way it felt incomplete; a dissatisfied feeling. The happily ever after did not do it for me in this case. It did not resolve all the conflicts that were presented because obviously it was not the answer to all the problems. In this case, a book that was well executed throughout fell flat in the end and all those unanswered questions diminished a highly enjoyable read for me.

Genre: Suspense Romance
Series: None
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Grade: B-

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Review: Savor the Moment (Bridal Quartet, Book 3) by Nora Roberts

Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever...

Third in the Bridal Quartet series, Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts is Laurel McBane and Delaney Brown's story. In telling their story, Roberts uses the friends-to-lovers and the secret crush tropes, two personal favorites.

I really like Laurel's personality in Savor the Moment. She's a bit of a baking diva with an attitude, has a sarcastic sense of humor, and is no pushover. Laurel runs the baking side of Vows and is a brilliantly creative and beautiful woman who has accomplished much throughout her life and keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground. However, these accomplishments don't preclude Laurel from suffering insecurities that become part of the conflict in this story.

Del on the other hand has no real insecurities. He took over as head of the family once his parents died and takes his responsibilities seriously, including Mrs. G. and the Quartet whom he considers part of his family -- Laurel included. It's a heavy weight he carries well. Del seems to have two sides: the responsible, protective, careful Del and the playful, sexy, loving and boyish Del. I liked them both.

In a moment of frustration, with a sizzling kiss, Laurel basically changed a lifetime friendship into something more. Del always took care and tried not to look at Laurel in any other way but as one of the girls, but after that kiss there's no going back for either one of them. Roberts weaves a sweet romance amidst the often amusing and carefully constructed chaotic world these close friends inhabit.

Del and Laurel's romance is a public one. Their friends and family all take part in their coming together and although there are no real secrets between these friends, in Savor the Moment the friends' actions do not take away from the romance. I think this has a lot to do with Laurel and Del's no nonsense personalities. Del and Laurel are mature in how they react to each other -- well... most of the time. There was that shoe incident...

You might think this is over, but you're wrong. I've taken your shoes hostage. Contact me within forty-eight hours, or the Pradas get it.

It might not be a big surprise then that unlike Bed of Roses and a bit more than Vision in White, Savor the Moment really worked for me. In my opinion this book has the best balance of the series so far and the friendship between Parker, Emma, Laurel and Mac was played up nicely, although I can't help but wish some of the page-time spent on Vows was saved for the romance. Savor the Moment was a bit heavy on baking details, and although not heavy on conflict it was a satisfying and sweet friends-to-lovers romance I enjoyed reading.

I'm really looking forward to Parker's story in Happy Ever After.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Bridal Quartet, Book 3
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Grade: B/B+

Visit Nora Roberts here

Mini-Reviews: Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts

This month I chose to re-read the Three Sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts -- the only trilogy by Roberts I had not re-read. I remember waiting for Face the Fire to release, then exchanging the whole trilogy for another Roberts trilogy at a used books store. That was back in 2002 and although I couldn't remember the details as to why I gave the books up, I did remember this trilogy was not a favorite. Last month, fellow Jersyan blogger Mariana from Hips Like Mine generously gave me the complete trilogy for my Nora Roberts collection and I couldn't help re-reading it right away.

Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts

Basis for the trilogy - Synopsis: Three Sisters is an enchanted island off the coast of Massachusetts that, through magic, was formed as a sanctuary by three frightened witches fleeing the Salem witch-hunts and persecution. Although the witches found love and security on the island for themselves and their offspring, each of them entered into an ill-fated relationship and died tragically after ultimately making the wrong decisions. Three thousand years later, their descendants Nell Channing, Ripley Todd and Mia Devlin have to break the grim pattern set by their ancestors, or the magic will cease to work and the island will sink into the ocean.

Known as the Circle of Three, each one of the present day witches has the same powers as their foremothers -- Air, Earth and Fire. Nell Channing is Air, Ripley Todd is Earth and Mia Devlin is Fire, representing three of the four elements. By using their collective powers and holding the Circle, each one of these three women will face a situation similar to what their foremothers faced, and each must make a choice. They'll battle evil and through love and magic will either win or lose it all.

Dance Upon the Air (Three Sisters Island Trilogy, Book 1)

In the first book Dance Upon the Air, after years of abuse, a faked death and a change of identity, Nell Channing (Air) runs away from her husband Evan and straight to Three Sisters island, a place that calls to her. She quickly finds employment at the local bookstore/cafeteria as a chef, where she works for Mia who also conveniently provides her with shelter. Nell doesn't know she is a witch or that with her appearance the Circle is complete, something she learns from Mia. While weary of both the law and men, she can't help but eventually fall for Sheriff Zack Todd, a charming and down-to-earth man whose tenderness, passion and protectiveness win her over. But, how can they find happiness, when Nell is hunted by her evil husband?

I liked Nell and Zack as a couple. Nell is the "earth mother" type, who cooks and bakes flawlessly and takes care of others. She's also frightened and fragile because she has been abused, but slowly regains her self-respect and strength throughout the story. Zack is the tender and passionate protector to both Nell and his community. A lot of time is spent going over Nell's abusive relationship with Evan, the backstory for the Three Sisters and building up to the climax, but frankly that climax was over in the blink of an eye and fell flat for me.

Heaven and Earth (Three Sisters Island Trilogy, Book 2) 

Ripley Todd (Earth) is happy with her life, protecting the island and working with her brother Zack as the island's sheriff deputy. A tough woman, not much frightens Ripley, except for her powers. She can't control them when she's angry and won't use them or admit they exist. This creates a conflict with ex-best friend Mia and for the Circle of Three. When gorgeous MacAllister Booke comes to the island research and investigate rumors of witchcraft, Ripley is suspicious of his motives, but soon can't resist his charming, geeky ways. To her surprise, soon there's magic flowing between Mac and Ripley in more ways than one. But, will she accept her powers, control her anger, and make the right choice before it's too late?

In Heaven and Earth, I really liked Mac who's a gorgeous, hot and sweet beta geek. He's an intelligent man who goes after his woman relentlessly. Mac knows how to handle Ripley and is tougher than she is, in a quiet and subtle way -- very sexy. Ripley however is not a favorite for me. While reading, I thought she needed a good dunking in the freezing ocean a couple of times until she came to her senses. Personality-wise, she is supposed to be tough but comes off as very angry throughout much of the book and that gets old and frustrating after a while. The evil Ripley fights is a combination human/intangible evil from the darkness. Although the climax is exciting, it contains some lack of judgment moments (TSTL), and that intangible evil is left unexplained.

Face the Fire (Three Sisters Island, Book 3)

Face the Fire is the end of the trilogy and Mia Devlin (Fire) and Sam Logan's story. She's the most powerful witch of the three, the one with the "fire power" -- pun intended. Mia and Sam were in love when they were teenagers but he left her and the island, breaking her heart. Of course now that he has returned, she's not giving him the time of day. He was a jerk and deserves it; still she decides to go to bed with Sam because she has the hots for him, except she won't give him her heart. However, in order for the curse to be lifted she must make a choice -- and her heart and love are the key.

Mia and Sam as a couple were frustrating even though their intimate moments sizzled and their second chance at love story initially caught my attention. Sam is hot, arrogant, protective, a straight shooter and sorry for his actions. As part of the curse, Mia ultimately has to make a choice: give her love to Sam again or lose the island. This part of the story drags until the very end as she goes back and forth for too long. Mia is arrogant about her powers and as much as she talks about the Circle of Three sticking together, she is too cocky about doing it all on her own -- this contradiction drove me nuts. Sam is also a witch and very powerful. He is the fourth element, Water, and Mia refuses his help even though she knows he has to be part of it all -- TSTL moves all around. Besides having to make a choice, at the end of this trilogy Mia has to fight an evil force. Unlike the evil Nell had to fight and similar to Ripley's, this evil is not physical but intangible. This would've been fine, except that even though its purpose is known, where IT comes from and what IT is, is never really explained. IT was just a dark, powerful, sticky, gooey eveeeilll... hmmm...

Conclusion: Well, definitely not my favorite Nora Roberts trilogy. I can see why I gave it up -- although this time I'll be keeping it for my collection. Dance Upon the Air has a lovely couple, sets up a trilogy that sounds interesting, but dwells too much on Nell's abused past and has an anticlimactic ending. Heaven and Earth has a sexy-geeky hero with an ever-angry heroine, and although there are some TSTL moments, I think it has the best plot and ending of the three books. And, Face the Fire was a frustrating read for me, with a romance that sizzled at moments but dragged with indecision until the end, and a disappointing end to the overall storyarc -- making this an overall average read as a trilogy for me.

Genre: Contemporary Romance w/Paranormal elements
Series: Three Sisters Island Trilogy
Released: June 2001, December 2001, June 2002
Grade for Trilogy: C

Nath's 2010 Re-read Challenge - April Review

Upcoming Releases: Contemporary Romances

I'm in a contemporary romance kind of mood lately. It seems that no matter what genre I switch to, contemporaries are what I'm craving at the moment, so it's a good thing there are plenty of them languishing on the old "to be read pile." But, you know how it is, there's always room for more!

I have a huge list of books in this category that I want to read -- books that have been recommended by other bloggers, or books that caught my attention. I've been putting this list together for a while and of course these books will be added to my pile at some point. As a matter of fact, Double Play by Jill Shalvis is my latest purchase and finally made it from my list to my "to be read" pile.

However, there are always those new releases that I can't wait to read and that never make it to the "to be read pile." Those are the ones that get read as soon as they hit my mail box. The following three contemporary romances fall under that category, I'm truly looking forward to reading them.

NAKED EDGE by Pamela Clare

What do you do when desire drives you to the very brink?

Someone wants the Native Americans off their sacred land. And when Navajo journalist Katherine James and park ranger Gabriel Rossiter team up to investigate why, their passion for the truth-and each other-makes them targets for those desperate enough to kill.

Releasing March 2, 2010

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU by Julie James

Staying overnight in a luxury hotel, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde overhears a high-profile murder involving a U.S. Senator. Special Agent Jack Pallas is assigned to the investigation-the same Jack Pallas who still blames her for nearly ruining his career three years ago. Now the pair will have to put their rocky past behind them, focus on the case at hand-and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension.

Releasing March 2, 2010.

SAVOR THE MOMENT by Nora Roberts

Laurel McBane has always relied on her friends for support, especially when her dream of attending culinary school was almost ruined by her parents’ financial problems. Now Laurel is repaying the kindness of her friends by creating extravagantly luscious tiers of cakes and other confectionary delights that add the perfect touch to their clients’ weddings.

As for romance, Laurel believes in it — in theory. But she’s too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that other women seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker’s older brother, Delaney Brown, on whom Laurel has had a mega crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her, or so she thinks. When Laurel’s quick- silver moods get the better of her — leading to an angry, hot, altogether mind-blowing kiss with Del — she’ll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever…

Releasing April 27, 2010.  

Read excerpt here.

What about you? What upcoming contemporary romances will be read as soon as they hit your hot little hands?

Christmas and Book Shopping!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, or Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas. I had a few days off and really enjoyed them with family and friends. We enjoyed lots of tasty food, wine and best of all some wonderful times spent with family and new memories to treasure.

I did quite well... received books as gifts and bookstore gift certificates this Christmas -- of course I already added a couple of books to the TBR pile -- some I already read! But then I had a few minutes here and there to myself these past few days in between the cooking, baking, get-togethers and shopping. There's always time for reading, right?

One of my brothers gave me a book as a present from a favorite author, it's Leonardo Padura's latest release, "El Hombre que Amaba a Los Perros." Padura is a Cuban author who has received quite a few literary awards and is known for his "Mario Conde" police detective mysteries -- a series I love and one I'll be re-reading and hope to review this coming year. His latest release came out in September 2009 and as far as I know there's no translation available yet, so I'm not sure what the title in English will be, but the literal translation is "The Man who Loved Dogs." It's a historical fiction piece involving Trotsky, his assassin, the Spanish Civil War, their connection to Cuba and of course a modern time mystery. It looks fascinating and pretty ambitious! I'm really looking forward to reading this book. :)

The day after Christmas my husband and I visited our local book store. I've been thinking of getting that tiny, little book by Mary Balogh, "A Matter of Class." It's a hardcover and I finally decided to maybe get it later due to size vs. price, even though I really wanted to read it. Well, my husband surprised me and gave it to me. Wasn't that sweet? He was paying attention! It's a beautiful little book with a great looking jacket, much better looking in person. I read this book already, of course, couldn't help myself. I'll let you know all about it later. *g*

Going back to Leonardo Padura, while at the book store I decided to use one of my Gift Certificates to buy a few books. I began by buying the first book in the "Mario Conde mysteries series "Pasado Perfecto." I bought it in Spanish because it's my preference, however this book has been translated in different languages, English and French included and it's available. Havana Blue (Mario Conde Book 3) is the title in English. A few things don't make sense -- the title for one, the translation escapes me (literal translation "A Perfect Past"), and why this is being called Book 3 when in reality it's Book 1 of the series, it's beyond me. I read these mysteries back in 1999? 2000? I can't remember the exact year, but my brother passed the copies around to me and to our friends and we all loved them. I want my own copies and will be re-reading all of them.

Next, I chose to buy "Naked in Death" by J.D. Robb, the first in the In-Death series. I joined Christine's 2010 In-Death Challenge and although I lucked out and my book sharing buddy sent me books 2 through 5, I was missing the first one. So, now I'm ready to begin reading J.D. Robb, finally!

I also lucked out and saw Sarah Mayberry's January release "Her Secret Fling" and immediately scooped it up! Now, you KNOW that although I have other books by her in my TBR pile, this is one of the books that was read this weekend. It was perfect for the holidays -- short because I didn't have that much time to read and well... it was romance. I'll let you know all about this one later too. :)

And last but not least, I decided to buy Nora Roberts' "Vision in White" in print. I had it in ebook format, but I have "Bed of Roses" in print and these are such beautiful books with gorgeous covers, I knew sooner or later I was going to get that book in print, lol! I know, I know... why buy a book I already read and I already own? Well... that's just me. I collect her books in print -- I should have known better than to buy it in ebook format in the first place. It won't happen again, believe me!


But, hey that's not all! When I arrived home from shopping I had a little package waiting for me from Santa-baby all the way from the North Pole, via Canada! Santa sent me a book I've heard much about and I've been wanting to read, the New Gay Fiction Anthology, "Fool for Love" edited by Timothy J. Lambert and R.D. Cochrane. A gorgeous looking print book I can't wait to read because it's all about the "romance." One of the sweetest surprises I received this Christmas weekend. Thank you for thinking of me, Santa-baby!

Well those were my purchases and gifts, I was looking for other books and was not lucky to find them. The Sci-Fi / Fantasy section and even the Romance section seemed lacking, or maybe they just didn't have the books I was looking for. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go check out another book store. *g*

Review: Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe "I do" moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman's dream day come true.

In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr. Right. And the last place she's looking is right under her nose.

But that's just where Jack Cooke is. He's so close to the women of Vows that he's practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.

It has taken me a while to process my thoughts, because frankly I don't know what happened to me while I was reading Bed of Roses. The bottom line is that this story did not work for me. For some reason, I didn't really find it romantic, erotic or amusing and I was even disappointed in some of the friendship interactions in the book. Most of the story felt flat, as if something was missing and I could not put my finger on it. I'm not sure if it was me or the book, but let's try and figure it out. Note: I tried my best NOT to include spoilers.

Emma is the florist in the quartet of friends that runs Vows, a bridal planning company. She's also beautiful and a romantic. She has a healthy family background and is looking for that one man, the one she will one day dance with in her fantasy moonlit garden. Jack is an architect with a thriving business and has been Del's best friend since college. Del is Parker's brother and this makes Jack one of their inner circle, part of their family. He comes from a broken home and these friendships mean much to him. Just as Emma is known for attracting men, Jack is known for attracting women and he, like Emma, does not commit to long term relationships. Jack and Emma, however, find that they are powerfully attracted to each other and decide to become lovers with the condition that they'll stay friends after the affair is done.

Let me begin by saying that I think it's a great premise, and the book is full of wonderful characters. I love the "friends to lovers" trope, it has to be one of my favorite plot devices in a romance. However, for some reason it didn't work for me in this book. I liked Jack and Emma separately. They were likable characters who I thought deserved a happy ending -- together, they just didn't do it for me. I didn't buy that Jack was passionately in love with Emma, and that might be because when his admission of love came (I wouldn't call it a realization), it was less than convincing. It felt forced, like he was pressured in more ways than one into making that admission -- it didn't feel as if it came from his heart and soul. I also felt that Emma allowed others to dictate her moves instead of following her heart.

The friendship between the four friends in this book took a turn I definitely did not enjoy, and frankly I think it somewhat spoiled the book for me. In Beds of Roses, the friends' contributions (one in particular) felt more intrusive than supportive. They crossed that fine line that I don't think should be crossed no matter how close you are in a friendship. The fact that Emma allowed them to interfere and went along with her friends -- when aware of their interference -- also bothered me.

Unlike Vision in White, Bed of Roses had less amusing dialogue to offer, with the exception of one or two wedding mishaps to do with Vows. And speaking of Vows, I would like to address the massive amount of flower detail in this book. Yes, Emma is the florist, however, after the first few times her flower arrangements, bouquets and centerpieces were described my eyes began to glaze over. I found myself wanting to skim through those details after a while, and I don't skim Nora Roberts' books. More than once, I found myself wishing for more Emma / Jack time and less Emma / flower time.

Finally the end. I felt the end of the book was rushed and abrupt to say the least and Emma and Jack's last few minutes with each other could have been used a few more pages or even paragraphs. The two of them alone with more to say to each other would have gone a long way, and maybe it wouldn't have left me with that flat, disconnected feeling.

My feelings while reading this book were not all negative. For the most part, I did enjoy the friends' interactions with each other when not connected to Jack and Emma's romance. I really enjoyed Del and Jack's relationship and the "buddy," male bonding that seems to be developing between the males in the series. I still loved the atmosphere and the set up that Nora Roberts introduced in Vision in White and further developed here, and I liked some of the new characters introduced in this installment.

Bed of Roses is not my favorite book in this series so far, but it is only the second one. I particularly liked what I saw of Laurel whose story is next in the series. She seemed a different person from the one I envisioned in Vision in White. I think the next book should be a more interesting "friends to lovers" story and I'm looking forward to reading Savor the Moment.

You can read an excerpt for Bed of Roses here.

Review: Black Hills by Nora Roberts

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll by, Lil remains steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold dear need them most.

I really did enjoy the relationship between Coop and Lil -- their friendship, banter and snark, all the way from childhood through their young adulthood and later -- specially their love for each other. I thought Roberts took her time developing these characters and their relationship, and it worked in Black Hills. The romance definitely took precedence over the suspense.

These two people come from two different backgrounds and upbringing and those differences, although plain to see at the beginning, become blurred for while. However, those same differences are the ones that will eventually drive these two beautiful people apart. Lil, having been loved and nurtured all her life, has a focus and an assurance about her that give her the drive to go after what she wants. Coop, on the other hand, neglected and bullied by his parents all his life, receives nurturing only from his grand parents and that begins at age eleven. His focus is different from Lil's and their lives will inevitably go in different directions.

I could understand both Lil and Coop's points of view. I must admit to being a bit frustrated with Lil for a bit, until I realized that she just couldn't see things from a logical perspective -- she was still heartbroken and too emotionally involved to do so. Lil having been raised in the safety of a family, loved, secure, and with a focus couldn't quite understand Coop's need to prove himself to his father or to himself. I thought this was a real human reaction on her part and quite realistic, really. How could she possibly put herself in his shoes? She never had the need to justify or prove herself to her parents.

I think I fell in love with Coop and his sad/mad eyes from the get go -- although this phrase did get overused a bit! Coop had to make some tough, very adult and wrenching decisions at an early age. Those decisions seemed to have been just as hurtful to him as they were to Lil. He didn't see it as having a choice at the time, and he chose a tough road. I really liked the way neither one of them was easy on the other -- they let each other have it and it was okay -- loved their dialogue.

There's a whole "childhood gone wrong" theme to this book. The choices made by the different individuals who were victims of this childhood trauma, and how their lives turn out depending on the amount of love and nurturing they received (or not). Coop, Farley and Ethan are part of this overall theme. Lil is the exception in that she's the one with the happy and safe childhood. There's a marked difference in how they make their decisions, how their lives turn out, and the final results.

Nora Roberts does some wonderful work when it comes to the research and details covering both the animal preserve area and the Black Hills of South Dakota -- she makes you want to visit those hills. The family relationships and friendships are wonderful, and the secondary romance in the book is sweet and brings the family and friendship part of the story together.

The suspense was the weakest part of the book. I find this is the case in most of her Romantic Suspense releases. The perpetrator was identified early, and although this didn't make a difference to the suspense, the way it was going to play out also became obvious before the end and that made a difference to me. I found the end to be abrupt--a couple of more pages of Coop and Lil would have gone a long way, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed Black Hills even with its weak spots. I tend to enjoy the romance part of her books more than the suspense and for me that part was enjoyable. I give this one a B

Visit the author here. Read an excerpt from Black Hills here.

Originally posted at Musings of a Bibliophile on July 13, 2009

Upcoming Reviews at Musings

I'll be reviewing three books for Musings of a Bibliophile next week. 

You can expect to find Vision in White by Nora Roberts, her latest contemporary romance. Nora is one of my all time favorite romance writers and I'm more than happy to see her return to writing good old fashioned romance.

For my M/M Review I'll be featuring Crossroads by Keta Diablo an M/M Erotic/Suspense. This was not a book from my M/M Challenge list, but a separate read. I didn't manage to read any for the Challenge this week.  Diablo is a new-to-me author and I do enjoy those!

And speaking of new-to-me authors, I'll be finishing off with Simple Wishes by Lisa Dale. I've been in the mood for contemporaries, so I picked this book at random, just to see how I liked the author. This is Dale's first contemporary romance and I think a good pick. 

So, stop by Musings next week... see you there!