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

Sophie Kinsella - The Undomestic Goddess

Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She’s made a mistake so huge, it’ll wreck any chance of a partnership.
Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer–and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope–and finds love–is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake.
But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does…will she want it back?

Comment: This book had been in the pile for a long time. Finally, I've simply decided it was time to read it.

In this novel, Samantha is a very dedicated lawyer, doing all that she can and more, so that can she can make partner. She also comes from a family of overachievers and she feels this is what she has to do. However, one day, she finds out she made a mistake, and although she can't think of how she did such a thing, she leaves her job in a daze. Of course she is fired, but while walking aimlessly she finds herself at the door of a couple who is doing interviews for a housekeeper, something Samantha doesn't understand right away. In spite of this, she ends up being offered the job even though she has never done any house work in her life. Will Samantha be able to learn something new and start a new life at the same time?

The late Sophie Kinsella has written plenty of novels, all more or less linked with the chick lit or comedy labels. I have read several of her books and that is precisely the vibe I think of when I start a new one. This one is a single title which focuses on the demands of a stressful job and how that can affect someone. Samantha is a brilliant lawyer but she is overworked and she has so much to worry about that a mistake can seem life changing.

When this story begins, Samantha is an workaholic whose co workers and closer family members are the same. This is presented in a detailed way and culminates on the devastation, mostly emotional, of realizing that a mistake that would have been so easily avoided is the reason why her life  now needs to change. However, Sam is so shocked over everything, that in a daze she gets on a train and then walks and somehow ends up at an unfamiliar place and finds herself in a weird job interview. Of course this was the fun way the author found to set up the actual plot, a similar tactic in may of her novels (meaning, bizarre situations somehow working out).

Now, Samantha is a housekeeper but she has no real skills and she tries to fake it, but she is caught by Nathaniel, the gardener. He helps her, introduces her to his mother and it seems that the story would go on to show how such a domestic life would be relaxing to Samantha, that the tasks she has to quickly learn are like mindless routine to rest her brain. At least, I thought so, but in the back of her mind, Sam keeps thinking about what happened to her and how could have she done such a mistake.

I think the "moral lessons" here are quite obvious and the supposed comedy of Sam's situation wasn't exaggerated, but I will say that the character development of Sam as protagonist, and of some of the secondary characters was more inferring than actual progress. Or, in other words, there was a lot more telling than showing, which makes me think of the narrative as a bit too simplistic. I also would have liked to see Sam reach personal conclusions in a more definite way.

At some point, she finds out her mistake might have been a plan by someone, to disguise something bigger. This drives Sam to clear her name, so the drama in the story now is, of course, on how this need clashes with the simplicity of the life she was getting used to, and how much in common she has with Nathaniel. If Sam needs to prove she didn't make a mistake, which is understandable, will she still want to be a housekeeper and have a relationship with Nathaniel, or will she go back to her corporate world? I think the author did a good enough job with these dilemmas.

However, as the story reaches its end, and Sam achieves her goal, a new situation is presented, related to her old job. The way the plot develops between this moment and the very end was a let down. I really would have preferred Sam to have been more decisive with her choices and for her to have behaved differently. Perhaps there was too much going on at this point and things weren't solved properly, but I feel it was a negative detail because it kind of diminished all the " lessons" Sam had learned and even the beauty of the relationships she had developed, no matter how silly, such as the one with her housekeeping bosses.

In spite of all this, I still found myself entertained and for a big part of the story,the vibe was fun and cute without being too sugary. I wish the story had had a different road towards the end.

Grade: 7/10

Becca Kinzer - Dear Henry, Love Edith

After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?
Henry Hobbes isn't exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he'd do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes--short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.
By the time Henry realizes his mistake--that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town--their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry's roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.

Comment: This book got on my radar because the blurb implied a romance between two people who would fall in love not knowing their respective identities. This trope is very good when done well and I was curious to see how the author would develop things.

Edith is a young woman who had a bad marriage and now she is ready to have a more adventurous life. While waiting for the paperwork to be done so she can go to South Africa she accepts the invitation to work at a nursing home in a small town. She thinks this will be a temporary, easy task but she sees herself more and more entangled in the town's life and she can't seem to help noticing the cute guy who looks like a young Paul Newman...

Henry Hobbes is still annoyed he needs physical therapy after an injury and even more so when his niece tells him he needs to host a woman who will stay for a while. He hopes he can be right on track when she leaves but in the meantime he is fascinated by the new woman he starts seeing around, so much that his relationship with his girlfriend starts to seem all wrong... when these two realize the truth, is there any hope for them?

This had been my initial choice for the TBR Challenge post, but I only managed to read 106 pages before I decided to quit. At first, the story was very silly, just like any comedy of errors usually is, but once Henry figures out who Edith really is, everything stopped making sense to me, because he makes a choice that I think was ridiculous. Then, a certain secondary character stars having more protagonism and I thought to myself, there's no way this will ever go well, so I stopped reading.

I did like the idea, that is true. Two strangers who share the same house, who have a wrong idea about the other one's identity and age, and who still share handwritten notes as a cute, friendly way to communicate seemed very sweet. I actually pictured this with an historical setting but it's contemporary, in fact. Still, why not this quirky detail, it did make the story seem special and I hoped things would develop in a romantic, funny way.

Well, no, at least not until the moment I've stopped. I've found the characters to be superficial, lacking depth to the kind of situation that was being presented, and the silly tactics used by the author to delay the discovery were incredibly juvenile and weak. The characters' inner thoughts also seem misplaced, considering their lives and how their relationships went/were going. I did not connect with anyone and I think the tone/vibe the author used was not the best choice.

It was ridiculous to see how two apparently clever people could not see what was so obvious, especially if it's a small town where everyone knew each other, and attending the detailed notes they kept exchanging. yes, key information was missing because of assumptions, but I think this situation took too long to be presented. Then, someone from Edith's past starts being more intrusive and I felt annoyed at this obvious tactic to, again, delay the progress of the actual plot. Then Henry makes a choice I think is wrong if one thinks of his reasoning.Therefore, I quit.

I think Edith and Henry end up together but I don't really feel bad by not knowing how they ended up there.

Grade: DNF

TBR Challenge: Aimie K. Runyan - The Wandering Season

Veronica Stratton, a specialty food broker with a business on the cusp of brilliant success that would change the trajectory of her life, visits her parents in idyllic Estes Park for Christmas. She's fresh from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, so she's eager to reconnect with her beloved family in the mountains and forget about her troubles for a few days. But with the holiday comes a DNA test from her younger sister that confirms her secret she's adopted. Having the truth out in the open leaves her feeling unmoored in ways she didn't anticipate.
With so much of her life in upheaval, Veronica is looking for an escape. Inspired by her best friend, she plans to go to Europe to see four of the places listed on her DNA ancestry report. She treks to County Mayo in Ireland; the Dordogne region of France; the countryside of Lombardy in Italy, and Copenhagen, Denmark. She hopes to learn about where her family lived while also making connections for her rapidly expanding business, but she finds that each stop brings her visions of her ancestors that raise more questions than they answer. And among those pressing questions is how charming Irish castle keeper Niall Callahan will fit into her visions for the future.

Comment: For the month of may, the TBR Challenge theme is "new beginnings" and I had initially chosen a book which I DNF'd. 

Since I still had time, I've managed to pick another one, out of the titles I had planned for this month, and this book by new author to me, Aimie K. Runyan, seemed a good fit too, since the heroine spends the book traveling to learn more about her roots and by the end of the story she has definitely embarked on a new beginning in her life. 

Veronica is doing well enough in her life but she has recently broken up with her boyfriend, which should have bothered her more than what actually did. Things change when her sister decides to bring a DNA kit and the results prove she had been adopted, something she already knew but which had not affected her relationship with her parents. Still, talking about this makes her curious to know more about where her ancestors came from and that is why she goes on a month trip to Ireland, Italy, France and Denmark. Since she loves working with food, this is the element she seeks first, but is there room for other good things to present themselves in her path too?

In general, I liked this story and was happy enough with the author's writing style (which is positive since there is another book by her I would like to try one day) but I will be honest and say I wasn't easily "immersed" in the story because what I thought the most was that this book was rather boring. 

Veronica has a business in which she provides help to restaurants or similar enterprises although everyone around her thinks she should have her own restaurant. She has never wanted this nor the responsibility since she knows how easy it is for such a dream to go wrong but that doesn't make her feel less successful. Her life has been one of privilege, with her family being well provided financially and emotionally. She has known she is adopted but that never interfered much with her vision of happiness or stability. I did like this, that she wasn't this poor victim or this frustrated villain of her circumstances.

Still, it wasn't truly challenging to read about someone who had it easier for the most part reacting so maturely even though i liked this. Thus, when Veronica is given the chance to travel during her low season at work, with all expanses paid by her father, well, good, but made the logistics seem too easy, too simple. I mean, I would not want a detailed description of every single thing she would do, but this did paint her in a privileged scenario that made me less eager to connect with her.

She then goes to find more about her roots, considering the areas mentioned in the DNA's results, which just happens to be areas out of big city centers. First stop is Ireland (I suppose the gorgeous cover of this book is inspired on that) and from the start, we are introduced to the love interest. I should say this isn't a romance, this is woman's fiction, but this element seemed cute and I did like Niall as a potential partner for Veronica, even more so when we see they share a lot, like their interest in cooking.

From then on, the other places also had their interest, except the place in Denmark which Veronica barely acknowledged, but what was a total fail in all these places was how they were linked to Veronica. I kind of expected more information about how were these places connected to her ancestors, what had happened for people to leave the countries but the explanation was very thin. The author chose to use a magical realism tool, making Veronica have visions of women who are her ancestors. I've found this to be a very poor choice because it seemed to be out of place for the rest of the novel, as if the pieces would not fit properly.

When Veronica finally understands more, connects the dots and has her eureka moment as why this experience mattered and what she might do with her life, I was already a little bored with all the superficial information and how it should be seen, without any character having been properly developed and without it being interesting to see them with more depth, which was lacking. Thus, everything was fine, well presented but not really challenging, not emotionally addictive.

Veronica does have her new beginning in life, in how she sees herself, so I think this was a good element in the book, certainly well achieved. But it wasn't spectacular.

Grade: 6/10

J.R. Lawrie - The Sheltering Tree

The heart of Alastair Harding's life is his duty. Becoming the first gay chief of the Metropolitan police has required certain sacrifices, but Alastair made them willingly. If his life now lacks human connections, he can't exactly complain—and it's a little too late for regrets.
Jay Fieldhouse knows all about sacrifice, too. Brought to London for his own safety by witness protection, Jay's grassroots charity works day and night to save vulnerable kids from a life of crime. But getting close to other people is tough when no one really knows who you are.
When he meets Alastair one night at a charity event, Jay is intrigued by his glimpse of a gentle soul beneath the commissioner's uniform. The two men decide to run their lonely paths side by side for a while—after all, life is short and good sex is hard to come by.
Then the shadows of the past begin to stir, and the words which go unsaid might be Jay and Alastair's undoing.

Comment: I saw this book being recommended in several places and once I got in my head that I would like to try it, the decision was made and, months later, voilá.

Metropolitan commissioner Alastair Harding is attending one more gala in his life, this time to award charities and he isn't prepared to see his life changing, but that is what happens when he meets Jay Fieldhouse, the CEO of this years's winner. They get to chat for a long time that night and they don't end things there. In the following weeks, they see each other often, mostly on the weekend, and what it seemed to be a simple friends with benefits situation soon turns into drama because they both start seeing each other in a different way. However, Jay is hiding secrets in his past, will they be able to get past that and what those secrets would mean for Alastair's career, in order to be happy together?

Reading this novel was quite an experience. It was quite long for the plot but I think I don't really mind it because I liked the story and the writing in general. However, I can see how certain things might have discouraged some readers, for there is a lot of repetition and some situations between the protagonists which read more like juvenile crushes than mature falling in love.

In spite of this general less positive element, I did have a good time and I felt invested in the characters' journey and how they made an effort to be together. What probably makes this a successful book (tome it was) is the dichotomy between the main couple but how that isn't a deterrent for their happiness. Alastair and Jay might start with the idea of something special but for one time only but it is obvious from the start that they have chemistry.

Alastair is the highest representative of the police and his character and reputation must be flawless, something he has achieved with a lot of effort and personal sacrifice. It's true he comes from money and a high positioned family but he is gay and that has worked against him in the past, which is why he has kept a discreet personal life and has had no public attachments. This lonely life has suited him at times but Jay, of course, gives him a new perspective in life and this affects him more than he imagined.

Jay is obviously more complex because of his past, which we guess right away wasn't easy and not privileged in any way. Still, Jay has overcome odds we only get to understand later on, but his need to help others has been impressive and that has gained him some validation, especially in his work for the charity he is managing. I liked Jay, he seems so bubbly and carefree at times but we know from the start he hasn't been like this all his life. His quick connection with Alastair was funny to see developing.

The romance was cute, in my opinion, because we have two people who, for a reason or another, don't feel that they are what the other needs, or they don't see themselves in a way in which the person would see the same. It was cute to see the tentative ways they messed up while deciding if they were falling in love, if the other person would share their feelings and such. you know, everyday stuff that surely takes long to happen between a couple, but in the novel it feels a little juvenile. There were times I felt they didn't act like they were in their 40s.

When things finally seem to become stable in the romantic department, a secret from Jay's past comes to surface and a lot of drama follows. I understand this tactic from a narrative POV, but it surely was annoying how this delayed certain situations and dragged the plot even further when a lot could have been solved much sooner. Again, I don't mind it exactly, but it is a very noticeable element and it made the story seem much longer than the actual plot required. I also expected more drama, considering the cover and the possible issues, but even the most stressful situations weren't that upsetting.

In the end, as one would expect, the guys found their happiness, we get to see plenty of mushy/sugary scenes but you know, I felt happy for them and I think that as a romance, everything was pretty much cute. Writing wise, I'd change some things but as a whole, this was a positive story for me.

Grade: 8/10