Nora Roberts - True Betrayals

In this bestselling tale of deceit, murder, and romance, Kelsey Byden is shocked when she hears from her supposedly dead mother-and discovers she's really been in prison for murder.' to 'Kelsey Byden is still reeling from her husband's affair - and going through a divorce - when a letter arrives that shakes her to the core. It is from her mother, Naomi, whom Kelsey thought long dead. When she discovers the truth - that her mother is alive and has just been released from prison - Kelsey journeys to Naomi's horse farm, and the two start the fragile process of getting to know each other. It is there that she meets Gabe Slater, a handsome gambler who sets off a powerful reaction in her. But their newfound relationship will set in motion a shocking series of events that puts Naomi's future - and Kelsey and Gabe's very lives - at risk.

Comment: Nora Roberts is probably the author whose work I've read the most. I mean, I've read practically all of her work and the books I haven't read are unread because I want to have some to read from time to time. This month I've read the second single title of the year and in 2019 I'm planning on reading one of her trilogies. Since she is such a prolific writer, it's an average I can keep...

In this story we meet Kelsey Byden, a young woman who discovers her mother is alive after all, after a life of thinking she had been dead. Even more surprising is that in some of the years Kelsey lost with having a mother, hers had been in jail for murder. Now, a letter trying to reconnect them makes Kelsey finally meet her mother and those she has surrounded herself with. Among them is Gabriel Slater, a man she thinks is with her mother but who she can't help be attracted to.

When things are finally explained, Kelsey is relieved for several reasons and she can't also help but enjoying the time she's spending at her mother's place and being near the horses and everything related to their care.

However, problems start to happen and it seems someone is bent on seeing Kelsey's mother fail...

Any reader of fiction could immediately tell this story was written in past decades (1995) because several details point to it. I found it interesting to notice such details.

At the same time, any fan of mrs Roberts' writing would recognize her trademark "voice" and appreciate the story for what is is, a simple story but filled with many characterization rich details.

The plot of this story isn't complicated, it's very family oriented, meaning that it's very focused on family bonds, something the author has used often in her books but that in the recent years has turned into something almost "mechanic"like in terms of how we see it. I mean that in her current books, any bond between characters, any detail almost seems to be included in a very planned way, and not because those people could really exist and behave like that. I do have the feeling her stories, despite still very good, have turned into "perfection" molds and I miss the real emotion behind thing, not just a rehearsed sequence of events.

In this book, it was nice to see more simpler situations and explanations but stronger little details. Kelsey is a determined woman but she has many flaws and I liked her more for it, because she is someone readers can relate to. I especially liked how unsure she was, about what she wanted to do with her life. Of course she discovers it but that's not the point.

Her romance with Gabriel is to be expected. He was also the type of hero readers of this author have gotten used to. He has flaws too but she is genuine, he is decent and confident in what he wants and what he needs to do. The romance was cute, although I must say the transition from "we are dancing around each other" to "forever love" wasn't as smooth as I imagined and it felt it happened too quickly.

There's a sort of mystery plot involved as well, about a crime committed, about certain issues related to the world of horses and races... I found this subject interesting, nothing I'd devour but it was nice. The guilty person is someone we know pretty soon but there are still some surprises but I'd say this is not the usual mystery or suspense plot often found in these types of book (romantic suspense).

One of the biggest issues is how Kelsey and her mother Naomi connect and become familiar with one another. I can understand the subtlety of some scenes and it does feel like they took time to know one another, then there are other secondary family situations to solve, to deal with... this emotional side of things was well done I think, it's wasn't rushed but it wasn't as cold as one might see in real life..it's always good to have hope and see good things happen.

All in all, a good enough romance by this author. Not close to being a favorite but cohesive and entertaining.

Grade: 7/10

Jessie Burton - The Miniaturist

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth. 

Comment: I was given this book for my birthday back in September. I had an idea about it for I had read some things about the story, namely the blurb and a review here and there. I admit I wouldn't have bought it for myself on purpose because I had the impression this would be slightly... scholarly, meaning that the author would lean more towards fiction than romance in the content. I must say that, while my expectation was proven right, the story still surprised me by its negative aspects.

This is the story of Nella, a young woman who marries a much older man because he will provide for her and she will be able to achieve a status she wouldn't otherwise, besides being able to secure her financial safety.

However, from the moment she arrives from a quiet place in the country everything in her new life is a disappointment, and she can't see how she will be any happy or at least content with what is ahead of her if her husband is never close, her sister-in-law is an unbending strict woman and even the maid seems to covertly smirk at her.

This changes a bit when her husband offers her a miniature house, which happens to be a reproduction of their own house, so she can decorate it at will. At first Nella thinks it's a toy and that her husband mocked her but soon she realizes things are getting weirder, especially after the miniaturist responsible for the objects starts sending things she didn't ask for...

I had the idea this would be a fictional romance for the most part but it turned out it also had some mystery. Therefore, the author has done a lot of research and this book focuses on two main concepts: the fictional life of Nella and those around her (loosely based on real people according to the author's notes) and the mystery about her doll house, something only very rich people could afford to own back in the 17th century.

This book wasn't bad despite my saying I was surprised by its negative aspects. I liked how the author selected the information she wanted to expand in the fictional part and how many details about life in the Holland of the 17th century we are able to learn by reading this. It certainly wasn't a good time to live in if you were poor. Well, it never is, but nowadays one could at least have rights and freedom (except in certain countries/societies/etc.).

It was also interesting to read this from the POV of imagining women and their lack of means to become smarter, better considering how much they weren't allowed to do. It was nice to see Nella and her sister-in-law for the most part, as the main players in this book.

For me, the problem is mostly about what doesn't happen. Through the whole novel, we are bombarded by the mystery of the miniaturist and why he might be sending things to Nella without her request. The why is told to the reader at some point but how it was never clear. I do think there is a lot of explanations missing in this novel and that means the end of the book leaves too many things unsolved and that can be a little irritating.

There are also some plot situations that seem to occur only to suit a certain mood, a certain idea... and they don't seem to be well inserted so why are we focusing on them? If the aim is to turn this into something a little introspective in tone, I think it was a fail.

Another detail I disliked was how the whole story was so sad, so melancholic, so despairing and unfair. Fiction isn't only about bad things, I d say. If this was a non fiction book about this family I could accept it, but this is a novel, it should lead somewhere, it should go towards the goal of teaching something, of conveying a lesson if so...but I don't think this happened. I can udnestand the sequence in the narrative where we see why bad things happen, one after the other but... what was the point? So many disgraces... was it so that Nella's character could "grow up"? If so, I don't think it really mattered. So many interesting ideas not used well, or unused. What a pity, was what I thought.

Added to the sense the character of the miniaturist wasn't explained, the whole book felt like it missed the point, so I felt disappointed. Still, I admit it was easy to turn the pages.

All in all, this wasn't bad, there are many rich details to make the story alive, to make it easy fo us to imagine the scenes, the character's movements and descriptions but... so many things untold, unsolved and a path that only led to confusion and a missing HEA or, at least, a positive goal. It was also so unfair how some things were done, even if realistic for the time period. Still, a good enough story to pass the time...

Grade: 6/10

Becky Albertalli - Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. 

Comment: Those of you who have the patience to read my comments probably know I keep saying I don't like YA novels. This is true but I must say I often mean YA novels with a focal point of romance relationships (which I no longer have interest in reading about) but if it's an YA novel whose main subject isn't how a teenage girl can't decide on a potential boyfriend, I can still find it interesting to read. 

This story by Becky Albertalli is certainly focused on different aspects or maybe I just anticipated the potential of the romance part differently because the main character is gay. No matter how unfair this might sound, since I like gay novels, I was more eager to try this one anyway.

In this story the main character is Simon, he is gay but has not yet shared that with anyone, not even to his closest friends. His problems begin the day he apparently forgets to log off his email at school and another person reads it and tries to blackmail Simon. What this guy wants it simply the chance to be near Abby, one of Simon's best friends. 

From this on, we have quite a tale of self discovery, of Simon trying to be fair to those around him and his decision to come out to his family and friends and of course, how he can finally know who is the guy he has been emailing and who also seems to like Simon as much as he likes this guy. Can Simon ever have any sort of control on what is happening in his life?

The dramas of high school, meaning teenage years, have gone from my existence in quite a while already and, to be honest, I don't wish I could go back. To do things differently? Oh yes! But not to relive everything again. Basically, to read YA novels is just one way to go back to those times and imagine things again, and I can't say I like it. Plus, often there are love triangles and that is just annoying. 

To read YA novels now... it's sort of bittersweet but it can also be a good experience on the memory lane and regarding this book, it wasn't so bad. There are some themes which the author addressed quite well.

Simon is still trying to decide how to say to his family he is gay. In this modern aged novel, his issues aren't exactly the fear of rejection - I assume even teenagers in open minded families or with the notion their families might accept them still have one little doubt on "what if". Besides, the world hasn't always been positive about this, so... natural to wait until that is shared. It was good that this book presents a family that accepts their kids, that educated them to be respectful so Simon knows his family might take it well, he just doesn't know it with 100% certainty. I lied how Simon's feelings were always taken into consideration... but of course, we only have his POV, so everything else is a little secondary known and that isn't how I'd have preferred this story to be presented.

Also interesting is Simon's group of friends and the dynamics between everyone. How realistic this is, because everyone has a group of friends (even loners talked to someone) or deals more with a certain group/set of people and each interaction is different. It was quite nostalgic to read about how Simon is with everyone and think about my own group back then. 

Simon has a love interest. A boy he started emailing and who is also a student in his school. I kind of understood how Simon wanted to know who the boy was but at the same time he wanted to keep him a secret, wanted to have the idea of slowly getting to know this other person who shared so much with him. I do think the author did a good job portraying Simon's doubts and wishes and how they merged together somehow. I'm very glad this didn't turn into some melodramatic plot nor a silly disguise for him to just say he was in love.  The evolution of his thoughts and wishes was believable and I wanted to see how things would work out.

I wasn't very fond of the first POV but I get why it was chosen. I think some plot points weren't as interesting to follow and there seemed to be some lack of balance between what Simon said he wanted and his attitude: teenager much? Lol, butt he reality is that he did get on my nerves once or twice. 

For the most part this was an emotional journey and I liked how the focus was on that, but some situations weren't as engaging. And to prove how inattentive I can be, I only guessed who Simon's love interest was after one obvious clue...

All in all, a great effort, very good scenes and situations, not as often well achieved goals.

Grade: 8/10

Amy E. Reichert - The Simplicity of Cider

Focused and unassuming fifth generation cider-maker Sanna Lund has one desire: to live a simple, quiet life on her family’s apple orchard in Door County, Wisconsin. Although her business is struggling, Sanna remains fiercely devoted to the orchard, despite her brother’s attempts to convince their aging father to sell the land.
Single dad Isaac Banks has spent years trying to shield his son Sebastian from his troubled mother. Fleeing heartbreak at home, Isaac packed up their lives and the two headed out on an adventure, driving across the country. Chance—or fate—led them straight to Sanna’s orchard.
Isaac’s helping hands are much appreciated at the apple farm, even more when Sanna’s father is injured in an accident. As Sanna’s formerly simple life becomes increasingly complicated, she finds solace in unexpected places—friendship with young Sebastian and something more deliciously complex with Isaac—until an outside threat infiltrates the farm.

Comment: A few years ago, I've read and loved the debut book by this author and I got really curious about her writing. After she wrote a couple more books, I decided to get them and try to revive my likeness for the writing but sadly I'm starting to believe the first book was a one hit wonder for me.  I mean, this one was not bad, but it was not fantastic either, for me.

In this story we meet the Lunds, father and daughter Sanna, who own a orchard and they have a business with the apples and cider making.

Sanna is a very bitter woman because of how her mother abandoned her, her father and brother. It seems Sanna only lives for her routines and cider making but things change when her father decides to hire Isaac Banks ans his small son Sebastian as temporary help in the orchard.

Isaac is still trying to find a way to tell Sebastian his mother (Isaac's ex) has died and to be distracted by orchard's work seems a good, healthy way to  be with his son while he still can be happy.

However, between problems with the orchard and the slow developing attraction between Sanna and Isaac, is there any way things can be simple again?

As I've said, this was not a bad book. I particularly liked to learn some things about cider making - even if I never manage to remember the details - and also the fact this was a story that reads easily, the writing is fluid. If one were to put all the main details together, there's plenty to make this a successful story but then there other aspects I remember not being as smoothly included in the story...

The basis for this story is Sanna and her attitude towards life. I suppose one of the "lessons" we could gain here is that, as it happens with apples and cider making, everything has a process and we should adapt, we should learn from what goes wrong but not get stuck, otherwise we stagnate and nothing improves. Sanna is the embodiment of this, she is in her early thirties and she has a stagnated life, even if she loves her cider so much. I kind of understand where Sanna is and to be really honest, I felt a little in sync with her behavior... it's a lot easier to just rely on our routine's than put ourselves out there.

Sanna has some emotional wounds to heal and she is also obstinate enough to not see some difficulties in her father's life and their orchard. This change with the arrival of Isaac and his son and I happy enough to see Isaac could be a good guy for Sanna and her relationship with Sebastian was believable, she said she didn't like kids at first so her growing care for the boy was cute to watch. Her relationship with Isaac was more gradual and, in a way, not as romantic or strong as I imagined. Things between seemed to be too easy in how they just accepted it but I'd like to have seen a little more sexual tension or attraction scenes between them.

Part of the problem is Isaac and his wishes to give his son a last summer to remember before telling he doesn't have a mother anymore. I understand this but it felt a little silly and the way this subject was solved proves that, considering Sebastian's reaction.

Another situation that complicates everything at the orchard are the financial problems since Sanna has no head for business deals and her father hasn't got the money anymore to pay the bank. The solution for this is quite modern and believable but, of course, quite convenient too.

I think this novel has good elements but they don't always feel cohesive to me. Too many emotional wounds to heal, too many complicated situations, too much angst to solve (and only at the end), not enough romantic scenes, Sanna is very obstinate in her ways, I liked how she learned to accept help and communicate but...she wasn't always easy to root for. 

I'd say this novel could have been better but there's some pacing that could have been improved to help with the cohesion and, therefore, the "feel" of this book.

Grade: 7/10

Elizabeth Hoyt - Sweetest Scoundrel

Prim, proper, and thrifty, Eve Dinwoody is all business when it comes to protecting her brother's investment. But when she agrees to control the purse strings of London's premier pleasure garden, Harte's Folly, she finds herself butting heads with an infuriating scoundrel who can't be controlled.
Bawdy and bold, Asa Makepeace doesn't have time for a penny-pinching prude like Eve. As the garden's larger-than-life owner, he's already dealing with self-centered sopranos and temperamental tenors. He's not about to let an aristocratic woman boss him around . . . no matter how enticing she is.
In spite of her lack of theatrical experience—and her fiery clashes with Asa—Eve is determined to turn Harte's Folly into a smashing success. But the harder she tries to manage the stubborn rake, the harder it is to ignore his seductive charm and raw magnetism. There's no denying the smoldering fire between them—and trying to put it out would be the greatest folly of all.

Comment: This is the 9th installment in the amazing Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt and I must say the only reason why I don't devour them al in a row is so that I can have some left for longer and I can savor them for a longer period of time.

In this installment we have the story of Asa Makepeace, one of the brothers of the heroine from book #1 and other protagonists through the series. The heroine is Eve Dinwoody, a woman introduced very recently in the series but that readers recognize as the half-sister of one of the antagonists.

These two people couldn't be more different in temperament, in the way they see life and how to behave but they discover common ground and start to fall in love. But can they let go of fears from their pasts and give in to this new person who seems to become more and more important?

I probably repeat myself a lot when it comes to the things I say about this series and the aspects I like in these novels. But in reality, the stories are incredible and my favorite detail is as present here as I hoped for. I'm talking about the family bonds being obvious and the way characters interact between them, it's so amazing to see them part of each other's lives, as is realistic in people who would be close to one another.

The romance wasn't as romantic as I would immediately expect, since Eve had some issues to deal with and Asa isn't the most conventional of people. However, their bond felt real and of course we got to see that somehow developing because there are steps in between their interactions which lead us to believe things are changing between them in a slow pace.

It was also interesting to see how some complicated subjects were addressed in this story.

Part of this perception comes from the author's talent to let us appreciate each detail as it unfolds. I still think that Asa and Eve reach a certain intimate agreement in a slightly unrealistic manner but the romance needs to be a little fantast like, isn't that what we would want in a way, too?

The plot revolves around the improvement of Harte's Folly, a theater and pleasure garden in London. We don't have that much detail about this and I can see the goal wouldn't be so, but it would still be nice to have more scenes where the construction of this would matter and not have only scenes about it to justify some plot advance or such.

This isn't a perfect story but I admit it was easy to read, it was addictive to want to know what would happen next and of course, the HEA is sweet.

I won't go more into it, since this is a pure romance and that is certainly the focus.

We also had some clues about the next main couple and, as always, I have to say I'm curious about that story!

Grade: 8/10

Janet Chapman - Spellbound Falls

Maximilian Oceanus arrives in Spellbound Falls just in time to save Olivia Baldwin from an overly aggressive suitor, only to find himself attracted to the beautiful, if rather aloof, widow. And although Mac has come to Inglenook to get a handle on fatherhood, his newly discovered six-year-old son has set his sights on finding his father a wife.
Olivia, however, is busy getting Inglenook ready for its new season, so she doesn't have time to deal with her growing attraction to the dangerously seductive Mac. Besides, weird stuff seems to happen all around him. Take the fact that her seatbelt keeps getting stuck in his presence, or locks magically open for him without keys, and that he seems to have a talent for "sensing" things. Never mind the three lost albatrosses walking down the road in the middle of the night. Since when are there albatrosses in Maine?
But despite Olivia's resistance to falling under the sexy man's spell, Olivia is having trouble fighting her longing. Because she knows Mac is just the man to unlock the powerful passion deep within her....

Comment: Another buddy read I have with my friend H.

We have decided on this one around 2015 for some reason, mostly due to the romance content but the specific reason I can't remember anymore.

We were hoping this was sweet and romantic as the cover also suggests but, for me, once again that old saying is correct: don't judge a book by its cover.

In this story we have the tale of Olivia Bladwin, a widowed mother who is trying her best to make a camp for troubled families work. It's true that is is her mother-in-law's idea but Olivia has deicated much of her time and effort to it but things seem to go a wrong way when the only worker for the camp decides his crush needs to be addressed and attacks her. Conveniently, she is rescued by Max Oceanus, one of the new guests, when he sees her in the road.

After this rescue, Max starts to focus his attention on Olivia's life too and not just on how to mend his relationship with his young son. But when weird situations start happening around Olivia, can she ignore them or will she realize Max is just another enigma as well?

From beginning to end, this story felt like it was too weird and the pacing and scenes' switch not that good.

I confess I struggled a little to keep track of what was supposed to be important because there are many things to pay attention to and not all were included well in the plot. This is mostly a contemporary story but with some paranormal elements here and there but the setting, the dynamics all point to just contemporary. The "rules" are the ones we see in contemporary. I really think the author missed the mark with the balance in this book.

The plot seems to be simple underneath all the complicated details. A widowed young woman with a young daughter works at a sort of camp where families go to not only have vacations or a good time, but also to connect with one another, something that Olivia, the protagonist, found a way to accomplish. I liked this idea of a single mother now having to/wanting to work to provide for her daughter but to be an example too. But this is the basics. From this premise on, everything is too weird and out of pace.

The plot is very centered on Olivia assuring the continuity of the work she's doing but many things happen, like the attack on her person, the two guests who turn out to act more like friends of the family, the dad being someone Olivia is attracted to and the young son he has acting too much as a grown up to mysterious things happening without any warning.

Apparently, this book features Max, the protagonist hero, a character known to fans of the author from another series. I had no idea this would be so and that means I felt a little lost sometimes and the writing certainly didn't give me the impression of helping.

The romance scenes/vibe were off as well. Why were these two people attracted? I would have loved to see them interact with their kids in a believable way for a story set on our world. The paranormal details weren't that heavy but they weren't fully explained as well (a detail we were supposed to have known already?) and they made no sense in this story. In what way did the story gain from this? I don't think in any. Even the kids' behavior was off putting since they were like mini adults. 

Some secrets uncovered had their impact but overall, I was disappointing because I expected a certain type of story and this went a different way. 

I know the author has passed away and she as very liked by her fans but I can't say I ended up being one. I still have another book by her to read... hopefully, it will be better.

Grade: 4/10

Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir - Butterflies in November

After a day of being dumped - twice - and accidentally killing a goose, the narrator begins to dream of tropical holidays far away from the chaos of her current life. instead, she finds her plans wrecked by her best friend's deaf-mute son, thrust into her reluctant care. But when a shared lottery ticket nets the two of them over 40 million kroner, she and the boy head off on a road trip across iceland, taking in cucumber-farming hotels, dead sheep, and any number of her exes desperate for another chance. Blackly comic and uniquely moving, Butterflies in November is an extraordinary, hilarious tale of motherhood, relationships and the legacy of life's mistakes.

Comment: I've recently read this book and it was the first time I even knew the author existed, much less that this is her second book, apparently. Last time I went to the library this book was on one of the display shelves at the entrance and I like to check it for many recent acquisitions are shown there. So, I took the book because it gave me the vibe of contemporary romance by the Portuguese description but in reality it was a little more weird than what I imagined.

In this book we have the story of the narrator (whose name I don't remember - if it was even mentioned), a woman who works mostly with translation and whose family life is very messy. When the novel begins, she is dumped by her husband, who accuses her of being too distant and even reveals he will be a father soon, of another woman's baby. Then she is also dumped by her lover, who tells her she isn't there and he wants to know what they have matters to both.

To top this, she is asked by her pregnant best friend to take care of her small boy while she rests after a fall. The narrator then helps the boy, somehow they win the lottery (the boy picked the numbers) and embark on a journey through Iceland.

I believe I've summarized the premise of this book quite well, because there was always this sense of weirdness about it that I can't really explain. Perhaps it has something to do with the cultural differences. Of course this book is set on Iceland and show details of a type of culture quite different from the one I'm used to. Also, I could say the majority of foreign novels are often from other zones not Scandinavia and it's not as easy to have contact with that reality. I can imagine this being a detail that can make it difficult for readers to get used to.

The story isn't that complicated, it's basically focused on a travel trope where, as the characters move along, discover new things about themselves. This happens mostly with the narrator for the boy is quite little, but for me the issue with this was that the descriptions of the feelings were quite whimsical. Apart from the steps they took, there's this aura of something emotional but eccentric as the same time. It's difficult to simply describe it but I felt a little lost through some passages because they didn't make much sense.

Obviously this story is meant to signify all of us are in a journey and there are "clues" about what we are supposed to feel/think and how we react can be key to our progress or emotional learning. In this book there are some elements (like the conversation about dead animals, the casual reaction to situations around the narrator, the fortune teller's predictions) that can be too unconventional for this story to be fully appreciated. It seems there are some links missing, which could unite all this in a more understanding manner. Is this supposed to make the reader think? I'm sure that it is, but it's quite difficult if we can't really process what all this is supposed to mean.

When things are weird in a narrative, we can try to connect with the narrator/the main character. However, in this case, that was quite complicated because not only was it difficult to like the protagonist (some of her attitudes like having a lover, why?, weren't that understandable) but then the writing style didn't help to be closer to the story since it was a little vague and too whimsical, not really focused on mundane things but rather concepts and inferences and that made it harder to get a real idea about what was going on.

I just think that the attempt - which I assume is the reason behind this style more than Iceland's method to teach their students on how to write - to just give random notions about what is out there, what the characters see and experience isn't as artistic as we are supposed to think; I found it too weird, overall.

The title is also an interesting choice, since it needs to be adapted to other languages. I included two covers, one in english where the title mentions butterflies (it's plot related, yes) and the Portuguese one, which centers on the concept of women compared with islands.

All in all, there are enough elements to make it a curious read, it's different enough that one can see the cultural impact but is it that amazing? For me it wasn't.

Grade: 5/10

Mary Westmacott - Absent in Spring

Returning from a visit to her daughter in Iraq, Joan Scudamore finds herself unexpectedly alone and stranded in an isolated rest house by flooding of the railway tracks. This sudden solitude compels Joan to assess her life for the first time ever and face up to many of the truths about herself. Looking back over the years, Joan painfully re-examines her attitudes, relationships and actions and becomes increasingly uneasy about the person who is revealed to her.

Comment: I got this book at a book fair this summer and I was quite curious about it, since it's written by the master Agatha Christie, even if under a pseudonym (that everyone knows, though). Now that I have read it, I must say it was truly incredible and I'm now even more eager to try other books she wrote under this romance author pseudonym.

In this book we have the simple story of Joan Scudamore, a middle aged woman who is returning from Baghdad after helping her daughter but who sees herself stuck in a small station near the desert while the train tracks are being cleared so travels can re start.

The story is mostly regarding Joan's thoughts about her life and what happened so far to her and those she is familiar with but with so long to just think, Joan finally makes some discoveries about herself...

I really liked this book. It's, without a doubt, one of the best I've read this year despite being short.

This is one of those stories that reads almost as a monologue of sorts, except the epilogue, which is told mostly according to the POV of Joan's husband. 

The POV is not first person, though. It's third but focusing on the actions of Joan and her thoughts and not as much what others think...but, of course, Joan often thinks about situations where she wasn't the only one involved, which means we are able to read between the lines not only what others probably think and also what isn't actually said.

This said, Joan is a fascinating character. She is quite adamant on thinking about everything around her as part of the outside world and her opinions are always correct or at least more correct than other people's. This is also true for her family and those she considers not as prudent and considerate as she thinks herself.

It was quite a psychological game, to be able to see things through Joan's eyes but she is not mean or bad or negative. Joan is one of those people who just can't seem to see ahead in terms of expectations, she can't think there are other ways to think about something nor can she understand there's more to life than simple acceptance and she does act as having only tunnel vision regarding her choices and take on life.

This is a little challenged when Joan sees herself alone in a train stop somewhere and without other people to talk to, only servants who don't talk with her about serious issues and nothing to be distracted with. It's quite well done this idea that if we did have time to just think, we would discover a lot about ourselves and our opinions.

I can appreciate the idea behind using this to develop a plot and the author was really a genius about how to play out certain notions. The question is, after so much thinking and analyzing her behavior and how others act around her, which conclusions did Joan reach and how can she become a less oblivious person to her surroundings and the wants and desires of those around her and not just what would suit them in her opinion?

This is a great story, which has made an impact on me, I can still think about the outcome of Joan's self read of who she is and how that affected and affects those around her.

The story is rich in little details, little words here and there that simply convey everything at the same time. I'm looking for to read more books the author wrote under this pseudonym, for certain.

Grade: 10/10

Mhairi McFarlane - It's Not Me, It's You

Delia Moss isn’t quite sure where she went wrong.
When she proposed and discovered her boyfriend was sleeping with someone else – she thought it was her fault.
When she realised life would never be the same again – she thought it was her fault.
And when he wanted her back life nothing had changed – Delia started to wonder if perhaps she was not to blame…
From Newcastle to London and back again, with dodgy jobs, eccentric bosses and annoyingly handsome journalists thrown in, Delia must find out where her old self went – and if she can ever get her back.

Comment: I got interested in this book in 2016 but I can't remember where was it listed/recommended/mentioned that I felt I had to add it to my TBR. Anyway, I bought it months ago and finally decided to start it but I admit I didn't have may expectations about it, which probably was helped because I barely looked at reviews about the book.

In this book, we have the story of Delia Moss that, when the story begins, proposes to her long time boyfriend and moments later receives a text message from her boyfriend, but realizes he sent it to the other woman. 

This starts an emotional journey for Delia, for she starts questioning her life until that moment, and especially how much she can trust this man who hid something like this for so long. 

To be able to think, she leaves her town of Newcastle to London, where she is staying with a friend. In London, Delia tries to find a job so she can be occupied and not too much into her friend's debt and she gets hired by a PR guy and things seem to not go that badly until this other guy, Adam - who claims to be a reporter - starts blackmailing her about her boss after a disastrous coffee meeting. What has Delia got herself into?

One of the labels of this book is "chick lit" which means we can immediately start having pre conceived ideas about what it must be like but let me tell you that despite fitting that category well, it was quite entertaining and not as silly as chick lit often can be.

Basically, this is the story of a woman who dedicated many of her emotional years to a man and discovers he was cheating. As common place as this is, of course it acts as a cathartic way for Delia to change and broaden her horizons.

At the same time Delia moves to London for a while, to be away from her boyfriend, to think about everything, she recalls her teenage love for comics and especially her own creation, a super heroine called Fox who also had a real fox as a sidekick. I liked how the author incorporated this detail in the story and of course it's to be expected some parallelism with Delia's own life. In my edition there were also some pages with the cartoon scenes as well and that was quite cute. I assume all editions have this...

The plot isn't complicated but Delia obviously lets herself into situations which can be a little awkward and until a certain point, "wrong". Part of the goal is for Delia to learn, to improve while she deals with these situations and in this aspect, I think the author has managed to impress on me a good point. There's also this apparent comic side of this but I confess I didn't find everything to be that funny... or maybe it was the fact I've missed some impact because some jokes include slang and cultural details that I don't recognize. But I did laugh at some things, so yes, the book definitely has this funny side too.

There's romance, of course. I must say I found the lessons Delia was learning, especially emotionally, to be quite serious and I liked how I was able to connect with her, even when she was being sillier or acting opposite of what I'd do in her shoes. The romance isn't obvious until a certain moment in the story but after that it can be a little predictable. I still think that the author inserted a tone in this part (the romance doubts, I mean) which added veracity to Delia's struggles. The HEA is believable but at the same time, a little too perfect.

I admit I missed the point of the title regarding the story. But, nevertheless, I can understand why it can resonate with readers/people in terms of explaining some "reborn self worth" or not feeling guilty about a situation not in one's control.

There are some issues when it comes to the execution, some details that I can only see being there to fit a need later on the plot and not for real necessity but overall, this was entertaining, this was a light read with some serious content and I did want to keep turning the pages, so... good enough for me.

Grade: 7/10

TBR Challenge: Karen Rose - Death Is Not Enough

In his work as a defense attorney in Baltimore, Thorne has always been noble to a fault—specializing in helping young people in trouble in an attempt to atone for those he couldn't save when he himself was younger. He plays the part of the bachelor well, but secretly holds a flame for his best friend and business partner, Gwyn Weaver, a woman struggling to overcome her own demons. After four years, he thinks he might finally be ready to confess his feelings, come what may.
But his plans are derailed when he wakes up in bed with a dead woman, with no recollection of how he got there. Whoever is trying to frame Thorne is about to lead him down the rabbit hole of his past, something he thought he outran long ago—which means Thorne must figure out who's been keeping track of him, how much they know, and how far they'll go to bring him down... 

Comment: It's October already (why does it seem time is moving faster as we get older?) and this month, Wendy has nominated the Paranormal or Romantic Suspense theme. 

This is vague enough that anyone can have plenty of books to choose from but for me it can be quite complicated. 

I have lots of paranormal but most of them romance, not suspense. And I have some suspense novels but not that romantic. 

After debating on some titles which could be good or not so good, I just gave up and picked the latest book by Karen Rose, one of the masters of romantic suspense, that had arrived very recently in the mail.

In this recent novel, we finally have the tale of Thomas Thorne, a secondary character, slightly mysterious, who we have known since a few books ago and who sometimes offers some type of help.

Thorne has been set up and was caught in bed with a woman who has recently been murdered but, thankfully, his friend Gwyn is the one to find him and she has the presence of mind to take pictures before calling the police and 911, so that the battalion of friends who will be involved in helping Thorne prove his innocence have reason to do so.

Things still look bad, though, and the case is linked to Thorne's past and others he knew back then. Ad the attempts on Thorne's business and friend's lives escalate, can Thorne both find the strength to rely on all his friends and finally admit to Gwyn how he really feels about her?

I've read some reviews on this book and for lifelong fans, this is another good installment in the series with connected characters. For others, things take too long to happen and it's too confusing to keep track of the cast.

I must say the books by Karen Rose are read as stand alone but they cannot be fully appreciated if not read in order. There are too many details, related situations, things we should be aware of previously, that better give the reader a grasp on why certain situations happen in each new book.

This said, I do agree with the fact the story is quite lengthy. But for me, the problem is definitely not on the immense secondary cast because I really love this aspect of mrs Rose's novels. To see almost all the characters in the core work together, help one another, to have glimpses of their domestic lives, of things they think about... for me this is amazing.

The villain's POV, however, I keep saying this in relation to all books by this author, is so unnecessary! Some of the things we know from the bad guy's POV can easily be discovered another way or by him, that's not the issue. But why spend to many pages in his head, realizing he can have good or bad reasons for his actions or, even worse, seeing how disturbed he is. I'd cut off the villain's parts or reduce them to a bare minimum.

The mystery and the investigation to prove Thorne's innocence is very interesting, the author does hit on several points I think everyone would consider if they were in the same situation but I must say almost all friends in this core of characters work in or for or in relation to police situations/scenarios. Of course some procedures would feel a little easier for these characters to solve or think about. Still, when the reasons behind all the trouble are discovered, some things didn't seem to be as important but maybe that's just my impression.

As for the romantic part in this romantic suspense novel... that was certainly a let down.

Gwyn and Thorne are a classic friends to lovers trope happening but I can't just accept they have had romantic thoughts about one another and never let it be known... if in previous books where they would show up this had been very obvious... the way things happened, if felt sudden and unrealistic. Besides, both of them have baggage, Gwyn especially... in such a stressful situation, for them to also deal with those emotional scars, it felt too convenient. 

I am glad they are happy and more so because their group of friends and family is solid, but the couple alone...not really buying it.

All in all, this was a good installment. Apart from the bad guys, it feels like spending time with friends and I do love this aspect. I could read Karen Rose's books for this aspect alone.

The next book is set in a different town but the main female character is linked to all these so... I anticipate only good things!

Grade: 7/10

Amanda Quick - Don't Look Back

As if a head for business and a nose for trouble aren’t enough to distinguish fiercely independent Lavinia Lake from the other women of London’s fashionable Claremont Lane, there is one more feature to set her apart. Lavinia is also well versed in the practice of mesmerism, an extraordinary gift that far surpasses mere charm and physical appeal. Nobody knows this better than the usually coolheaded Tobias March, who seems to have fallen hopelessly under her spell. Fortunately for all, however, Lavinia uses her powers for good. And ever since a tragedy involving one of her subjects, she has even retired them in favor of her work with Lake and March, a joint venture providing “discreet private inquiries for individuals of quality.” Celeste Hudson, the stunningly beautiful young wife of a family friend and fellow mesmerist, would surely count herself among such individuals--were she still alive, that is. 
Together, Lake and March undertake a tantalizing investigation that leads them from the glittering ballrooms of the ton to London’s seediest taverns to a mesmerist whose therapies include treating ladies suffering from “hysteria” is a a most unconventional method--and, not least of all, to the darkest reaches of men’s psyches. Along the way, Don’t Look Back becomes a completely mesmerizing read as the irrepressible Lavinia and Tobias mix business with pleasure....

Comment: Just a short comment about this second installment in the Lake/march trilogy by Amanda Quick. I've read the first book last month and it was a story that didn't being any surprises when it came to writing style. Since this author is very consistent in her writing, I knew I'd like this one as well...

In this second story we keep on following the adventures of Lavinia Lake and Tobias March as they get more and more comfortable with one another, both in their professional arrangement and in the developing personal relationship they have started.

In this story the two team up again to investigate the murder of the wife of an old friend of Lavinia. During the investigation, suspicion also falls on Lavinia's friend, and Tobias is adamant he won't let Lavinia put herself in danger to help her friend who, according to Tobias, looks at her as not just a friend...

However, things get even more complicated when rumors about the dead woman reveal she wasn't as innocent as she appeared. Will the investigators uncover the secrets behind apparently unrelated situations which turn out to be the opposed of what everyone thought?

As I've said, this was a story I expected to read easily and I was proven right. I think the author has succeeded in finding her style and she sticks to it, whether it's her historical novels or her other genres. In this book, this is very evident and it was quite satisfying to expect a certain type of plot/story and seeing it being delivered.

I liked this story overall, but mostly for the details and the advance in the romantic entanglements.

The murder plot wasn't as difficult to follow as one can imagine and most of the elements connected to it were basic. It was still fun to see what would happen next, of course. I especially liked how some things were assumed to be developed a certain way in terms of investigation but then we discover those details weren't as important and vice-versa. I see why the author adds so many investigation clues - after all the plot is based on that - but in my POV, the real attraction is the characterization of everyone.

I really like how the relationship between Lavinia and Tobias is being presented. Although, I must say that sometimes their behavior seems to be a little too modern-like, even if that doesn't remove any of the interest in reading things about them.

Their relationship goes slowly but of course we can know they like one another a lot more than they admit and even the small interactions they share through the day are clues regarding the feelings between them. I can imagine things will finally be made solid in the last story but it's quite amusing too, how others work together to let them share moments and to realize they are well matched.

In fact, the secondary characters are key players in the story for they allow many interesting situations to happen. There is a certain emphasis on two other secondary couples and all mixed up, it feels like these people are part of everyone's lives and I do like when authors take the time to add domesticity and surroundings to things, it makes them feel more realistic in a way.

I'm quite curious to see how the trilogy ends.

Grade: 7/10