Mary Balogh - Someone to Honor

Abigail Westcott's dreams for her future were lost when her father died and she discovered her parents were not legally married. But now, six years later, she enjoys the independence a life without expectation provides a wealthy single woman. Indeed, she's grown confident enough to scold the careless servant chopping wood outside without his shirt on in the proximity of ladies.
But the man is not a servant. He is Gilbert Bennington, the lieutenant colonel and superior officer who has escorted her wounded brother, Harry, home from the wars with Napoleon. Gil has come to help his friend and junior officer recover, and he doesn't take lightly to being condescended to--secretly because of his own humble beginnings.
If at first Gil and Abigail seem to embody what the other most despises, each will soon discover how wrong first impressions can be. For behind the appearances of the once-grand lady and the once-humble man are two people who share an understanding of what true honor means, and how only with it can one find love.

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Wescott series by Mary Balogh, one of the series I have been slowly reading for the past months.

Abigail Wescott saw her life change radically once the bigamy of her father was discovered. She told herself she wasn't that bothered by it, because along with her, both her mother and her sister agreed with how they should feel about Anna, the rightful heir, coming into their lives. Even so, the one who changed the most was her brother, deprived of his title, which is why that now that he is finally home she feels they need to recover the lost time while he was at war. She didn't count, however, on his friend Gil staying for so long too, and she reluctantly begins to appreciate his presence and personality. But when a sudden need is forced upon him so that he doesn't loose his daughter, will Abigail be the person he needs to make certain all goes on well?

I gave this book four stars on goodreads and a seven here because, honestly, by comparing, I did like this story more than I did book #4 which was the one I liked the least so far. Otherwise, I might have given it a slightly lower grade because I just could not see the romance as that wonderful.

The base for this plot was interesting, Harry is finally home to recover from his war experience and the best place is at his country estate, where the family reunites to welcome him. Along with him, he also has a friend, Gil, someone who comes from very humble origins but reached a good rank in the military, and someone he trusts. Of course, it was fun to see how Gil and Abigail didn't get along right away and the reason is that they feel attracted to one another and she isn't really aware of why this happens.

As the story progresses, it starts to be very obvious that these two would be a good couple but at the same time, the chemistry they thought they had didn't seem very easy for me to see. Their interactions at first were expected and sometimes even cute in the sense they could not work on their attraction that simply, but as time went on and they got to know one another and started sharing confidences, I somehow got the feeling that instead of this reinforcing the attraction, it also made them both look more and more boring. I stopped feeling emotionally invested in them as I was in the beginning of the novel.

Abigail is a likable heroine, but I must say she isn't especially vibrant. I can understand her thoughts and emotions, considering what happened and how that must have affected her life and the relationships she had and how thin they were once she faced such social trials. I wanted more complexity for her character but it wasn't there, and I don't think she was a very challenging person to get to know. I mean, I'd be friends with her in real life, but reading about her wasn't what I imagined.

Gil is certainly a lot more interesting, personality wise. But it gets to a point that his ideas get very repetitive on that whole "I'm not worthy" particularly when we learn who his father is (what a coincidence it turned out to be. not) but that, of course, isn't that simple mentally. I think Gil is complex, yes, and he has a lot of inner debate on the course of his decisions. He is worried about his daughter which is understandable but this does color his view of how his life with Abigail should be and, sometimes, I don't think he was really fair in his assumptions.

Regarding the romance, I don't really buy it. I think the idea is good and the causes for their decision to marry as good as any, but the chemistry after the  wedding seemed to be missing. The intimacy between them told me nothing and I think if this had been a marriage of convenience which would develop after would have been better. Having them marry around half way and then deal with things made the story seem slow and a little lacking. 

Once everything is solved and everyone is in their best place in life, I've found the final decisions about who they were as a family to be predictable but sweetly delivered. I do like spending time with this Wescott family and their interactions are often rewarding to read about. But the romance between Abigail and Gil wasn't great.

Grade: 7/10

Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn - Permanent Ink

At twenty-three, Poe Montgomery is going nowhere. He still lives in his father’s basement and spends most of his time tagging with his friends. When an arrest lands him in debt, Poe accepts the front desk job at Permanent Ink, the tattoo shop owned by his father’s best friend, Jericho McAslan. Jericho is nearly twice Poe’s age, but with his ink and prematurely graying hair, he quickly takes the starring role in Poe’s hottest fantasies.
Jericho is known for his ability to transform poorly designed tattoos into works of art, but he was once as aimless and misdirected as Poe. Wanting to pay it forward the way someone once did for him, Jericho makes Poe his apprentice and is determined to keep things strictly professional. Easier said than done when Poe makes his interest—and his daddy kink—abundantly clear.
Jericho can’t resist Poe or their intense chemistry for long. But between the age gap, tension with Poe’s father, and Poe’s best friend calling him a sellout, they’ll need to ensure they’re both on the same page before they can rewrite their rocky start into something permanent.

Comment: I've decided to read this book due to a challenge I'm doing and one of the topics included a book with less than 200 pages, which is the case here.

After one more negative experience in his seemingly drifting life, Poe Montgomery does accept the idea of going to work at the tattoo shop of Jericho, his father's best friend. Poe likes art and quickly learns he is interested in how tattoos work and how to do them correctly, which is great, but it also allows him to spend time with Jericho who, despite being his father's age, is extremely attractive. It seems the attraction is mutual and they soon start dating. But will Poe's father accept this idea? What about Blue, Poe's best friend who often distracted him and led him into doing graffiti, which is why he was arrested?

This is not the first book I try by these authors and I had a certain expectation on how this would go. I had this idea that the age gap would be an interesting element to see developed and since I also have liked stories featuring tattoo artists, this should be a good read.

The story isn't long and I could quickly finish it but I wasn't completely taken by it either. I think the main characters worked out better for me as individuals than as a couple. I just could not see what they would see in each other besides the physical aspects and even that seemed a little exaggerated as well, considering Poe's general attitude.

Poe is 23 or 34 and he still acts like a teenager, emotionally speaking. I can understand why he feel rebellious and why he feels unsatisfied with life, but I never warmed up to him and struggled to care for him as a character. All the things that should make him special in this specific context just seemed to be overlooked, such as his behavior in doing things he knew she shouldn't, his relationship with his best friend, his attraction to a man that is his father's age and not even him saying that he simply doesn't care about dating people his age seems enough compensation for his irritating personality.

Jericho, a man who has it together, who has a business with a good reputation, who is at a stage of his life where he can feel he is at a good place seemed more interesting to me. However, his attraction to such a guy as Poe is, emotionally, seemed to be unrealistic. I can get it that physically that isn't a big deal, but what did Jericho see in Poe, emotionally? He did lack maturity and even their conversation about their age gap, Jericho's musings about this exact issue seemed too weak and I never really believed in their romance for that, they simply don't match in all areas.

I also dreaded the idea of the "daddy kink" mentioned in the blurb. I have no interest whatsoever in this, whether in regards to m/m or m/f, and I was already a little influenced negatively before starting, but I did read other books by the authors and hoped this would not be too bad. Apparently, after reading some reviews, this was that bad precisely for that reason: it isn't enough daddy kink. I'm actually glad this story didn't exploit it further, but what did happen just left me confused on why would this seem like a good idea, it is too weird for me.

Besides, Poe does have a father and their relationship isn't really friendly sometimes. It also happen that his father and his boyfriend become a couple, they tell Poe's father and he reacts rather numbly. I mean, if it works for them, great, but does this not affect the behavior and the way people now need to interact? If the older men had not been friends, I could see this in a better light. I've ended up thinking that this "kink" was just a convenient device to push the dynamics between Jericho and Poe as a replacement for real maturity and connection.

Thus, I've finished the novel, I did like a few elements but, overall, this did not win me over and if I ever re-read books by the authors, I don't think this will be it.

Grade: 5/10

Delphine Dryden - Gossamer Wing

After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one he won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover. 

Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery. 

But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.

Comment: Here is one more book I can't remember why I've added to my TBR but it probably has to do with the marriage of convenience trope.

Charlotte Moncrieffe is a young widow who is also a trained spy and all is ready for her mission in France except it would not be believable for her to travel alone and her superiors find her a man who could be her husband. In fact, she knows about him, for they have been exchanging letters upon her requests for his devices but nothing would prepare her for how attractive he is, both physically and for her personal senses. Dexter Hardison has a title he often ignores which makes him a good husband on paper but he finds it an extra that he and Charlotte work out so well in person as they do in letters. The question is, while on this mission, can they separate what is real and what is fake in their relationship?

In this story we meet two people who had been exchanging letters which, of course, is an easy way to establish that a certain connection was already there. I didn't doubt that Charlotte and Dexter would be a solid couple because the understanding of who they were was already there, even though the exchange wasn't necessarily personal.

Thus, the idea of the romance was immediately established as stable and I was eager to see how getting to know one another in person would add to the connection. I think that, at first, this was well done, and I was convinced that they would slowly learn about one another in a romantic way. What was being shared about their personalities in the beginning also made it look as if they would be likable characters and I was quite interested in what was happening.

I will say that this is the first book I try by the author and I had no idea about her style, but in the beginning all seemed to go well. I should also mention that this impressed me in spite of the fact I'm not terribly fond of spying plots and two or three books with this theme I have read in the past months have not been that impressive, but I hoped this element here would not be that important anyway, with the focus on the romance, I hoped.

Well, my enthusiasm was soon lost, I'm afraid, because the interesting and vibrant tension between the protagonists practically disappeared after their "marriage". The dynamics between them, while kind of believable for that situation, no longer seemed appealing and the intimacy between them too quick and without the same "mood" as before. How they interacted with one another no longer felt appealing and I could easily ignore the sex scenes.

In regards to the plot, which I confess I never really paid attention to, there was indeed a lot of spying business and other secondary issues related to the mission that I skipped here and there in order to get to the romance, but like I said, that wasn't winning the story over for me anymore either. I wasn't fond f the idea of giving their enemy a POV because it meant that I knew I'd not like the person and it made it easier to just glance at those paragraphs, making a few more pages I was not interested in reading.

This experience got to the point of me being almost ignorant of what was going on with the plot. I've forced myself this finish and not even the (usual) fun details about the world building compensated. I simply consider it a success that I've finished because there are more elements I didn't like than the ones I did. I really think the plot lost interest once they went on with their mission and, supposedly, that is when the fun times would start, so... one less on the pile.

Grade: 4/10

Irina Shapiro - Murder on the Prince Regent

London, 1859. Nurse Gemma Tate boards the American packet ship the Prince Regent to aid Inspector Sebastian Bell in investigating the death of a British aristocrat. But when she sees the crime scene, Gemma realizes that her knowledge of human nature will be just as valuable as her medical training. Lord Anthony Blackstock lies murdered in his cabin, his head locked inside a nightmarish iron cage. His wife has vanished without a trace, and time is running out to find her, dead or alive…
Sebastian and Gemma have until the ship docks in London to uncover the truth behind the Blackstocks’ final evening together. But as they unearth a web of blackmail, bitter arguments and secret affairs among the ship’s guarded passengers and crew, one chilling fact becomes they are trapped aboard with a killer who is growing increasingly desperate…

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Tate and Bell series I have been buddy reading with a friend for the past months. Thankfully, this was another story I consider to be a good one.

In this novel, Sebastian and Gemma find themselves boarding the ship The Prince Regent, since a lord was killed and the circumstances point to his wife, who is now missing. While Sebastian and Gemma talk to several passengers and crew, they start connecting the dots as to who everyone is and how their personalities fit or not, what might have happened. Everyone claims lord Blackstock wasn't a good man, but why was he found with a torture device on his person? And what meaning does it have that his wife and her lady's maid are described to act differently when he was around? Gemma and Sebastian need to discover the culprit before someone else dies...

In terms of plot I will say that this was probably the one I liked the most in the series. The setting taking place on board of a ship somehow made things a lot more intriguing and vibrant than what I had felt in regards to other plots. Even though lord Blackstock was an unpleasant character, he is dead from the start and that also helped to overcome his awful behavior.

The story develops in a logical manner. Sebastian and Gemma discreetly interview several characters and slowly uncover some misleading information, step by step, until we get to slowly connect the dots. I cannot say that the final explanation was terribly clever, because it wasn't very original, in spite of some peculiar details, but the road until we learn what really happened was intriguing and provided a lot of food for thought. In fact, if I feel some disappointment is because the reasons behind the crime are not as complex as the story line made it look for most of the time.

The characters being investigated all seem to have good reasons to not commit the crime, but as always, as little things become revealed, the more it seems everyone is hiding some secrets. When we do learn of some, as things approach the end, it seems that expectations were taken to an extreme, but I think the author did a good job here, in maintaining a good enough balance between the facts and the red herrings, so that every detail does matter, does make some sense, but not everything is pertaining to this specific situation. Of course, the fun is to see what does matter after all.

In regards to the plot, I feel this fit all the criteria for things to be engaging. I liked the case, I liked how things fit together in the big picture (with some exceptions) but everything ended up being well fit, and the result was very satisfying. I also liked it that the secondary characters were, in general, more appealing, or were described as such. An element in the books I've liked less was precisely this, how unappealing it was to read about them.

Another great element was how the relationship between Gemma and Sebastian progresses. Since the author included the romantic element in the main story line, this has been an expected detail readers wanted to see having more development. Although nothing physical happens between them except some kisses - I am supposing the author won't go there - it was still encouraging to see they are, indeed, on the same page in relation to their feelings and that this might have further development soon.

All things considered, this was really a good addition to the series. I am now hoping that the next story continues in this vein...

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Simply the Best

Brett Rivers is the hottest sports agent in the business—fast and furious, swift and deadly. Failure? Not an option.
Rory Garrett is—let’s be honest—a disaster. She has a big heart, an empty bank account, a passion for making exquisite chocolate, and a huge inferiority complex from living in the shadow of Brett’s most important client, her football legend brother.
Brett and Rory should never have met, and they absolutely, positively should never have had to deal with the consequences of one stupid, drunken night…one disastrous lie…one career in jeopardy…one missing football player…and a very dead body.
It’s going to get messy…and dangerous…and heartbreaking…and sexy. To Rory, Brett represents skewed values and a devious mind. To Brett, Rory is forbidden fruit, off limits, do not disturb, and no entry—definitely no entry.
A woman who has succeeded at nothing and a man who’s succeeded at everything confront the challenge of their lives as they struggle with themselves and each other. When it comes to love—what price are any of us willing to pay to be simply the best?

Comment: This is installment #10 in the Chicago Stars series, which has been ongoing for several years now. For me,it feels like revisiting a world that has given me good memories.

Brett Rivers is a sports' agent with Heath's agency (Heath is the hero of book #6) and he has his hands full with some complicated clients, which ow includes Clint Garrett. Brett has told him his ex was only interested in his money and Clint didn't take this well. To make it worse, he realizes he has slept with Clint's sister Rory and now needs to worry about this as well,although it looks as if the siblings aren't close...

Rory dreams of being a chocolatier but life hasn't been easy for her to achieve this dream. Now that Clint is even more angry because of his breakup, Rory feels responsible, after all she did mislead his ex which caused the whole mess... then something unbelievable happens and she needs to find a way to help Clint, even if that means dealing with Brett again... but this time they might be able to actually talk...

Quickly looking at the list of books in this series and checking out my grades, I can say this book is the one I've given the lowest grade to but I cannot say I disliked it. It's only that, comparing, the big picture of this story somehow didn't wow me as much.

Perhaps my biggest complaint is related to how Brett is portrayed... I kind of wanted a more obvious character development and I think the hints and clues about how much of a good guy he is weren't as well inserted into the plot. I also think that the messy situations the characters saw themselves in, which in this author's books are certainly solved by the end, weren't done with in such a fluid way as in the past.

Brett and Rory as a couple are as cute as all the other couples, even though their relationship seemed to develop in a slower and less impactful way, comparing of course. I think their hookup right at the beginning when they weren't yet aware who they were in connection to Clint was a good way to establish their link without it being too much of a commitment but at the same time, things are described in such a way that it was almost like it meant nothing, and didn't highlight their chemistry. I think this was more like a tool to inform us they had been been together, not that it gave the meaning it aimed for.

In fact, the romance is cute of course, since this author is known for her comedy style, but there are times where I've felt this was too much. Some circumstances required more seriousness and this time, I don't think this was done as well as in other books, where the balance seemed to happen more easily. Both Brett and Rory face stressful situations and the way they thought about them and then acted somehow didn't seem as convincing as when the same tactic was used in previous books.

I mean, I liked them both, they were rather quirky in their own personal way, which is always fun to read about, especially Rory. I did root for them and for their success in achieving what they saw as the best choice for themselves, and I think the road chosen was realistic, but the path there wasn't always very smoothly presented. Then, the author also adds a little bit of a mystery and a crime investigation, which ans't too bad, all things considered, but it did offer more distraction that perhaps could have been addressed differently.

The book ends in a very likable way, as one can imagine, and all the pieces finally fit together. The protagonists manage to find happiness and they find a way to fix some of their other personal relationships which had not been good lately. Good all around, but I've finished the book with the sense of... I can't explain it well,but almost as of this had been a task the author finished without the usual "vibe". The book met the expectations, but did not exceed them, I guess.

Grade: 6/10

Kia Abdullah - Take It Back

The Victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by an alcoholic mother. Who accuses the boys of something unthinkable.
The Defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories.
Whose side would you take?
Zara Kaleel, one of London’s brightest young legal minds, shattered the expectations placed on her by her family and forged a glittering career at the Bar. All before hanging up her barrister's wig to help the victims who needed her most. Victims like Jodie Wolfe.
Jodie’s own best friend doesn’t even believe her claims that their classmates carried out such a crime. But Zara does. And Zara is determined to fight for her.
Jodie and Zara become the centre of the most explosive criminal trial of the year, in which ugly divisions within British society are exposed. As everything around Zara begins to unravel she becomes even more determined to get Jodie the justice she’s looking for. But at what price?

Comment: Last year, I've read a book by this author which offered a great food for thought plot. I was hopeful all the books by the author would be the same, and that is why I've decided to give this one a try.

Lawyer Zara Kaleel had a promising career but she left everything behind and is now working for a non profit that helps those who can't afford other means. This is how she meets Jodie Wolf, a young white girl with facial deformities caused by a genetic disorder, who tells her that four school friends had assaulted her. Things progress but Zara recognizes how sensitive the situation is  because the four boys are Muslims and Zara, a Muslim herself, might be caught in the middle. Everything becomes more complex when conflicting information is exposed... who is telling the truth? What really happened?

As the blurb suggests, this is definitely a very provocative novel, in the sense that the themes are all likely to cause divergence and opposed views. I think this would be a very good story for book clubs to analyze. Personally, I was more interested in the courtroom idea, and how the trial would go, considering that there are legal steps that had to be taken. Apparently, plots where courtroom scenes take place are stories that appeal to me.

I think the author has done a good enough job in trying to present things in a kind of leveled manner, in letting the reader come up with their own conclusions about what might have happened and why. Sure, there are some intentional misleading sequences and information, so keep up with the mystery of what would happen next, and in terms of me having a doubt, yes, I was always reluctant to say this is it or not, but at the same time, a big part of me was immediately driven to believe one side more than the other.

In fact, I saw myself wishing the side I thought was the right one to get ahead. I wanted that, in the courtroom scenes, things would go positively towards that side and that the other would not have any "victories" but of course, it wasn't so. In terms of this being addictive to read, I think the author did accomplish what she aimed for. I also liked all the investigation that took place into letting the lawyers being aware of possible distractions or red herrings. Sometimes, when an unexpected information was revealed and ruined the plans I also felt bad over its consequences.

Thus, plot wise, the story was quite engaging. Of course, some characters were more likable than others and their personalities, backgrounds and, yes, faith, did play a role in shaping my opinion of what was happening. I think the characters were all divisive and we get to see one or two scenes from their POV (all in third person narration) which means some behavior might become easier to explain, if not to accept. There were times I wish something more substantial would be shared, so that things would go easier for the characters I cared about. 

Regarding the plot and the characters who had a bigger role in the whole thing, I think readers can make their own minds about what is happening and what is behind some of the unsaid things. There were moments I felt anger, I hated this person or that, I felt things weren't developing as they should but,,, justice takes time and sometimes things don't happen the way we want them to. I think this was a good read, mostly for how it does give room for thought, to thinks a lot of what ifs.

The main character is Zara, though. A lawyer who is not representing Jodie, only advising her on legal matters before the state takes over (or something like this), and someone who sees herself in the complicated middle of everything because she is a Muslim. I understand the author wanted this character to be at center stage for obvious reasons, but I will be honest: I disliked that so much attention was given to her troubled past, to her difficult relationship with her family and, yes, her being a Muslim. I understand this but Zara wasn't, at times, someone I liked. 

I think the story would have had a better impact, for me personally, if Zara had had a quieter life, or if her background had been such a problem/issue. Some of the same issues could have been addressed and she didn't have to be so rebellious, or not the way she was. Anyway... so much focus on Zara detracted my attention from the plot and, at times, I think this was not the best strategy.

I've finished the book with a bittersweet feeling, just like I had in regards to the other book I had tried. I suppose this is the author's MO.... I see there's another book featuring Zara... I will get to it one day.

Grade:7/10

Julie Shackman - A Secret Scottish Escape

When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery…
When Layla’s fiancée has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.
Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…

Comment: I got this book because the premise sounded good. I like these apparently moody types of novels where characters must do something or live in a place where they can think of their life, which is what I imagined the plot would focus on.

In this story we meet Layla, a young woman whose much older fiancé (just one year younger than her father) dies while being in a compromising situation with another women, who happened to be his ex. This makes Layla believe she needs a change but she ends up staying in her beloved village, since the fiancé  leaves her an inheritance, and she can fulfill her dream of opening an intimate music venue. Luckily, a celebrity musician is staying at a cottage nearby and is the perfect person to help her get more publicity. The question is, is he willing to help?

I cannot remember when, in such a small period of time, I had had several DNFs in a row as I had recently. This is the second one this month, and the third one if I look at it since last month. Is it that I have less patience? Are the books this poor?

The first chapters were likable enough and I could certainly empathize with Layla and her situation, I mean, not only is the fiance older and quite obviously "using" her, even if he does have genuine feelings for her, but he is also cheating and we find out it wasn't a one time thing. I thought this would certainly lead to her need to redefine her life, but I sensed right away that the book would not be for me. The writing style is simply lacing for me and I did not appreciate the characters.

I've only managed to read 80 pages, which might seem unfair, but until this moment, apart from the premise, nothing made a positive impression in me. Until this moment, the heroine had only whined and revealed her anger, which is understandable, but made me see her character and personality from a very unflattering POV. I was not interested in getting to know her better, nor see what would happen or if she had chemistry with the hero. At this point, in fact, the main male character, the apparent celebrity, had not even been introduced.

I don't have much more to say except I didn't "feel it", no matter how vague and arbitrary this might sound. The characters I knew were card board, Layla seemed to be someone I'd not want to know in real life and her goals didn't make me curious to learn more about how she would turn her ideas into a self sufficient business. It is a pity, but what I've read didn't seem engaging.

It is also totally ridiculous to say this, but I was even more disappointed because let us look at the cover, so, so gorgeous! Actually, all the covers of this series are cute and make me feel so happy, I really like the color/style schemes. Oh well.

Grade: DNF

Sean Kennedy - Tigers and Devils

The most important things in Simon Murray’s life are football, friends, and film—in that order. His friends despair of him ever meeting someone, but despite his loneliness, Simon is cautious about looking for more. Then his best friends drag him to a party, where he barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler—unaware that the athlete is present. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other's lives forever.
Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca for serious fans. There, players are treated like gods—until they do something to fall out of public favour. This year, the public is taking Declan to task for suffering injuries outside his control, so Simon's support is a bright spot.
But as Simon and Declan fumble toward a relationship, keeping Declan's homosexuality a secret from well-meaning friends and an increasingly suspicious media becomes difficult. Nothing can stay hidden forever. Soon Declan will have to choose between the career he loves and the man he wants, and Simon has never been known to make things easy—for himself or for others.

Comment: This has been one of the m/m books I have had for the longest in the pile. Probably since I've started to be interested in this genre and I have had many recommendations for this book throughout the years. Obviously, this created some expectations.

Simon Murphy is a fan of football and he loves to talk about it which is why he is defending a player, who has had several injuries in the past, at a party he reluctantly attends. What he doesn't know is that the player in question, Declan Tyler, is there as well and hears this, which is how their relationship begins. But there are several obstacles between them, such as physical distance, the fact Declan isn't out and the difficulty to communicate... are these two ready to change something about their lives or will not last?

In this story we meet Simon Murphy, the narrator, someone who is quite lonesome, except for his best friends, couple Roger and Fran, and some people he interacts with related to his job as a film producer for a small company. Simon is a fascinating and complex character, but I have found him to be a bit too distracting, his thoughts are always all over the place and having only his POV made Declan sometimes seem rather inaccessible.

In spite of my personal preferences, I can understand anyway why this book was/is so popular among readers, even more so since it was published in 2009, and its style still holds. At least, I think so. The story is pretty much focused on Simon's struggle to adapt to a relationship and on top of it, with someone in the public eye, especially when he doesn't feel particularly comfortable being exposed too, and when his father and brother aren't close because of him being gay. He isn't mistreated by them, but they don't seem at ease around him anyway either.

Simon is quite complex and this is probably why the book made sense to me, I wanted to see how the new experiences caused by being with Declan would affect him. In this regard, I think the story was too slow in how they went from a first meeting in which they kiss immediately, to think about being a couple, which happened throughout several chapters. But in all this time, there were many thoughts with self doubt, many scenes in which Simon repetitively did and said the same things and I confess I was a little bored.

Things improved for me when they finally agreed they were a couple and when their status as a couple was outed. I think the dynamics of their relationship and even the scenes in which they interacted seemed more vibrant when they had a common element, a situation they had to deal with at the same time. I think this is how I came to care for them as a couple and I've started to feel invested in seeing them get their HEA, but Declan remained a little impersonal to me. I don't think this is a good example of a romance where first person is the best option.

The end is rather predictable, mostly because there are some things that just had to be included but as one can also imagine, there are some elements to add drama and some conflict which, while understandable, made the story drag. I think the story took too long because a good part of the things they had to deal with weren't presented in the best way. I did like the author included realistic situations if an athlete were to come out as gay in a high profile environment and I think the very flawed actions of both Simon and Declan made them seem easy to sympathize with, but... I wanted more romance out of this story.

Thus, this was good enough, it made me happy enough I could read it but, for instance, doesn't make me eager to read more, although there are several books after this one.

Grade:7/10

Nora Roberts - Inheritance

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…
Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about―and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth―and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.
Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease―and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Comment: This is the first installment in the Lost Bride trilogy, the most recent trilogy published by Nora Roberts.

Sonya has just found out her fiancé was cheating, when news from an uncle she didn't know she had also arrive. This uncle, twin to her deceased father, has left her a manor in Maine, and Sonya feels she has to at least see it before she makes any decisions about it. Leaving isn't as hard as she imagined, and she does fall in love with the house, although she is warned that it is haunted, something she discovers to be true very soon after moving. But Sonya is determined to honor the house and the memory of a family she realizes might have been closer than she imagined. In fact, she has cousins and other family members around, and she thinks she can carve a life for herself there...unless the bad ghost in the house does something about it...

Reading this author's trilogies nowadays isn't as thrilling as the ones published in the 90s but the formula is similar enough for the sequence of events to make sense right away. I also miss the trilogies that were focused on romance and character development - as opposed to the ones including paranormal content - because some of those were truly special in their simplicity (such the Born In or the Dream trilogies). The ones that are focused on PNR elements, such as this one, sometimes seem to have too many distractions, but perhaps that is my impression.

I liked this book for the premise and the likable evolution of how things progress. Everyone that matters is easily placed in a predictable role and most characters are kind of black and white, something the author has always been known for, but which the last decades have exacerbated. I say this with the sense that the main characters are very polite and polished all the time, even the villains are perfected to a role, and this does disappoint a little. I really loved the books where some surprises and the novelty of a connection would be highlighted.

For instance, the romance between Sonya and her love interest is very bland, they are great civilized people and they agree they would be good together. In this first book there is no commitment yet, beyond agreeing to be a couple, but nothing in the progression of their romance felt, well, romantic. No real chemistry except the one they claim to have, and while I like them and already know they will have a perfect HEA, there's no excitement about them, as was between Zoe and Brad in Key of Valor, another book by the author I loved.

The story is quite set on domesticity and Sonya's adaptation to the house and the fact there are ghosts in it. I assume the next volumes will bring in more details about how the ghosts are still there, although it all has to do with a murdered woman in the past, killed by someone who had some witchcraft knowledge, and how that initial act caused a curse that affected several other women down the family tree.The elements related to this are intriguing, but I admit there are many names to keep track of, and some just didn't stay memorable.

Sonya is also a woman who left her steady job over the bad breakup with her fiancé, who worked for the same place. Luckily, all Nora Roberts' heroines are great at what they do and Sonya finds a way to be relatively well succeeded in her freelance business, which means her biggest worries are about the ghosts and how well she can adapt. Hint: very quickly. I mean, I liked the story and I do like the author's style despite the obvious changes through the decades, but some recent books aren't truly exciting.

All things considered, this was an interesting first book, I know I'll enjoy the trilogy as a whole, but there are some aspects of the story that just didn't quite get there...

Grade: 7/10

Kristin Hannah - The Women

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Comment: I saw this book at the library and felt the impulse to try it. I had read another book by the author back in January and I still had the memory of the elements I enjoyed about her writing in my head, so I've decided to read this one too.

Frankie is a young 20 year old when her beloved brother is sent to Vietnam and she decides to follow him, especially after a friend of his tells her women could be heroines too. Certainly her limited nursing experience didn't prepare her for what she was about to find, but Frankie needs to adapt quickly. She needs to learn fast because lives are at stake and there is no time to regrets, but is she truly ready for everything that she will learn due to this war? The adrenaline of what is doing might help her endure the most difficult moments, but will she be ready to come back home and deal with the consequences?

I don't know much about the Vietnam war, except for the more superficial details one learns in school or the references in other books and even movies. It was interesting to know more about this period of time,especially from the POV of someone who was there, something the author mentions in a note, that she used testimonies of women stationed there and their notes/memoirs to base her story on.

As the old saying goes, one would need to be there, but history makers do love to twist the message anyway... This regarding the fact the role of women in wars is minimized and the way the politicians always present wars as inevitable when they don't actively fight there along the soldiers. I think these ideas and the food for thought they allow was well done by the author, and it did enrich the fictional plot to the point I feel a lot was possible to read between the lines.

Frankie is a wonderful heroine, she is flawed but determined to carry on, to do something she feels is important and that makes her feel she is making a difference somehow. She needs to adapt quickly for noting can prepare people to the shock of dealing with war injuries and the emotional aspects of it. The term "PTSD" is never mentioned but it is part of the story until the end, even if by other expressions. Humans need to cope and something that coping mechanism seems weak, but, again, it's so easy to say this or to feel this when it wasn't us facing that situation.

I liked the writing, of course, it made reading this bearable. I say this because I admit, I did cry three or four times, but the way the story is told wasn't devastating to me. I felt the emotions but I could process them in the context of this text and it wasn't impossible to keep reading, even when it felt things were unfair and heartbreaking. Thankfully, Frankie finds two best friends, also nurses, and this does balance out the negative aspects. 

Frankie is the the main character and we see pretty much everything from her POV, third person. I liked this style because it kept the plot on track but wasn't self centered and I preferred to get to know Frankie this way. Obviously, she grows up a lot, especially emotionally, but her road isn't easy or without obstacles. I liked her because her decisions and thoughts, even allowing the setting is the late 60s for the most part, were easy to identify with and to imagine I might see some things the same way.

There is a lot of drama, yes, and at one point or two I felt this was,perhaps, a little too much, in particular when it came to character interactions and relationships, but I will say that there was still room for some surprises, things i thought would be predictable but even when they were, the author managed to add something extra, which means that, in terms of the fictional story line, things were always engaging and made me want to keep reading so I could see what would happen next.

All in all, this was very entertaining, very compelling and it does make me hopeful to read more by her.

Grade: 9/10

Deanna Raybourn - A Ghastly Catastrophe

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide, and Veronica and her intrepid beau, Stoker, know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.
Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Roma boy may know more about their first victim, but the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.
The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . .

Comment: This is the most recent installment in the Veronica Speedwell series. My buddy friend and I have enjoyed reading the books and, of course, we would want to read this one as well.

In this adventure, Veronica and Stoker are asked to help their friend Mornaday, a policeman, investigate the death of a man who seems to have been bitten by something and was found without any blood. This leads to folklore ideas, such as the vampire, but surely something more logical must have happened. In the meantime, clues take them to a mysterious man, Ruthven, who is seen by many as someone who deals with paranormal subjects. As they learn ore about this man and his past activities, the more sinister the situation becomes. Could it be that something bigger is actually going on?

Once again, I had a good time reading a book in this series. I think the author has achieved a point in which everything is stable and almost predictable in these books, which is comforting, and she has the extremely good element of writing this in a very appealing way.

In general, this was a good addition to the series, simply because it continues the ideas we saw in previous books and it does establish even more strongly the balanced relationship between Veronica and Stoker. They express their feelings in actions and sometimes in how they treat each other, but nothing here is supposed to focus on the romance of it, but my personal preference for romance novels surely fantasizes for what isn't there anyway.

The investigation they conduct here and the several adventures connected to it were interesting, as always, and well sequenced, in the sense that there is always something special to each detail and why it was used. I like this experience of having several little subjects mixed together and all somehow adding to the big picture, something I think is probably one of the author's best features. It was also intriguing to see why the paranormal elements would matter and how the scientific minds of Veronica and Stoker would work through decoding everything about it.

The resolution of the case was well done and offered food for thought, but it was also quite dramatic and, to me, a little sad. I just think the reasoning for the murder was mostly over sad issues than real killer instincts, but the author still found a way to make this a much more serious situation than what seemed at first. If one didn't care for reading in order, this is probably one of the installments I think works the best as an isolated story... although, of course, it is so much better and an more enriching experience to know the background of secondary characters and some references.

Perhaps, more or less in this vein, I can say that the element I was less motivated by was precisely this, that this story seems rather isolated, even bearing in mind how so much is related to previous stuff. It's just that, for me, even with all the positive things I liked, this story was a little predictable and for Veronica and Stoker it seems nothing major happened. I can't say i feel their arc advanced that much.

An interesting element was the presence of lady Julia and her husband, clearly there to bridge with the author's other investigative historical series (I suppose more romance centered). I got curious enough to feel I probably would enjoy reading that series as much I've been enjoying this one. Perhaps one day.

Therefore, this was a good story, had everything it needed, but it wasn't as mind blowing as other installments have been. I hope the series will get at some endgame point, because while it is fun to read about beloved characters, if the characters and their personal lives/issues stagnate, then...

Grade: 7/10