Mary Balogh - Someone to Romance

Lady Jessica Archer lost her own interest in the glittering excitement of romance after her cousin and dearest friend, Abigail Westcott, was rejected by the ton when her father was revealed to be a bigamist. Ever practical, however, once she's twenty-five, she decides it's time to wed. Though she no longer believes she will find true love, she is still very eligible. She is, after all, the sister of Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby.
Jessica considers the many qualified gentlemen who court her. But when she meets the mysterious Gabriel Thorne, who has returned to England from the New World to claim an equally mysterious inheritance, Jessica considers him completely unsuitable, because he had the audacity, when he first met her, to announce his intention to wed her.
When Jessica guesses who Gabriel really is, however, and watches the lengths to which he will go in order to protect those who rely upon him, she is drawn to his cause—and to the man.

Comment: This is the 7th installment in the Westcott series by Mary Balogh, following the lives of several members of the Westcott family and their relatives and friends.

Jessica Archer loves her family and the fact most of those who are married are so blissfully happy makes her want to marry for love as well. She is 25 but never felt the urge to find a husband, even more so after the crisis that affected the family years ago which caused her cousin and best friend Abby to not have a come out as they were both so eager to share. Now Abby is happy too and Jessica feels this is the year to see if she can find someone...

Gabriel Thorne left England and succeed in America with the help of an uncle, but he is back to take his place as the earl of Lyndale, especially when it seems the man who would be so if Gabriel didn't who up is not someone who respects those under his care. Gabriel feels Jessica would be the perfect wife to better support his cause in society, but will he discover she is more than her status?

I've been a fan of this author for some years now and have read many books in most of her series. There are situations/themes that are inevitably repetitive but it is always a good reading experience anyway.

This book can be read as a standalone, as all the author's books can in terms of structure and development. However, I would not advise it because a lot about Jessica and her thoughts and motivations in certain moments come from events that happened in past books. Her attitude and behavior in some moments only feels special or meaningful if one had read the first book at least, when her actions and ideas were different than in this book, regarding certain things. This way, how she behaves now feels a lot more impactful.

The plot, however, seemed to me to be a bit more focused on Gabriel and his reasons to return to England. He was successful in America and had all motives to stay there but by coming back we get to see how likable he is and how he can cherish his personality. He is someone who matured and learned from the past - he went away as a young man, urged by others who did not help him as they should - and now feels he has to be there for those who depend on him, namely the workers of the estate he will inherit and an aunt that he cares for.

I've found him to be a good character and was rooting for him, even though there were times where he seemed a little too aloof, although this can be explained too, considering the circumstances. He is, therefore, quite well matched with Jessica, whom we have seen as someone likable but slightly uppity sometimes. Of course they will learn together that friendship and family to support you are some of the best things in life and by becoming a couple they would find themselves with someone who would also understand them.

Their romance isn't very demonstrative, but to be fair this author's writing style isn't meant to be over the top nor fluffy, and a lot of things are inferred in a more subtle way. Actually, to my personal taste, perhaps I could say that a few things related to the romance were a bit too tame, a bit too subtle, and I wish the feelings between them had been a bit more easily demonstrated. Again, however, this is an historical romance and the author does try to keep things relatively realistic in terms of character interaction.

This was an engaging story to read. Gabriel has a lot of things to worry about and with Jessica's help, and of her family, he manages to deal with some. I thought this part of the plot was interesting and made the interactions between many characters to feel more dynamic, since many contributed somehow to enhance the romance between Gabriel and Jessica and then to help him with his personal affairs. 

I'm now looking for to the next story, which will feature Harry, at last.

Grade: 8/10

Rachel Reid - The Shots You Take

After moving back to his hometown ten years ago, Riley Tuck thought he had left his major league hockey career—and his broken heart—far behind. But when an unexpected tragedy strikes, it brings ex-teammate and former best friend with benefits Adam Sheppard back into his life.
Coming to the small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia, might have been a mistake. Adam’s not sure he’ll ever win back Riley’s trust after the way they left things—and the attention he’s getting as a huge hockey star isn’t exactly helping. Yet the chemistry that crackles between them is undeniable, even now.
As Adam helps Riley navigate his grief, long-buried feelings start to resurface. But they’ll have to square off with their complicated past if they’re going to have a real shot at a new beginning.

Comment: Like many other readers, I've been a fan of the Game Changers series by this author. Since last year, with the TV show based on those books, two of them in particular, becoming a viral phenomenon, it seems the eagerness and the obsession won't stop, especially with the upcoming second season, set to be ready in 2027, and the publishing of a new book in that series also next year.

Thus, my interest in Rachel Reid's writing continues and that is why I've picked this book, which is a standalone.

Riley and Adam were best friends and roommates during their rookie seasons as professional hockey players. They have also been incredibly attracted to one another and fooled around until Riley confessed his feelings. Adm, however, wasn't ready to be himself and they drifted apart, especially when Riley was traded to another team. Now, many years after, Riley's dad died and Adam felt he had to attend the funeral, at least to pay his respects to someone he admired. He also wants to try to med things with Riley, now that he finally accepted he his gay and that his life has not been as easy as everyone thinks, considering his fame in the hockey world. But Riley hasn't had it easy either and he still feels a lot of resentment. Is there any way for a second change between them to end up in happiness?

This story features a second chance romance which isn't my favorite trope, to be honest. If not by this author, I might skip it, but I also trusted the writing and hoped it would be as captivating as I have seen in the others books by mrs Reid I've tried. I knew it would not be the same as the Game Changers installments, but I still thought this might surprise me.

This isn't an easy book, though, in the sense that the majority of the novel is about the protagonists being in opposed sides of their memories and things aren't simple for them. Their youth was rich in experiences, mainly regarding their hockey careers, but while they were intimate and close, Riley would have been ready to commit to Adam but Adam was not. The thing is, intellectually I can understand both their POVs and I cannot say Adam was a villain in this situation, even though his attitude was horrible. I think only someone going through such doubts would know how to describe it but I can understand Adam's lack of maturity to see what was happening.

This said, of course that for a romance novel, Adam's attitude seems nonredeemable. This is made even more apparent because we know Riley suffered a lot and dealt with depression and anxiety and many other emotions once he realized Adam would not be the person he wanted then. Again, i can certainly see his side too and I could more easily commiserate with his feelings, especially the impotence of changing Adam's mind when Riley wanted. Things between them were great until they weren't and I think the author really presented this quite well.

When the story begins, Riley has just lost his father, so that is another layer to add to his state of mind and the tone of the book was, until a certain point, rather bleak. Things seemed quite negative and the rehashing of their past and failed communication and so on really highlighted the main reason why I tend to avoid this trope. Still, slowly, chapter after chapter things change between them, they talk and obviously the roots of romance that have always existed between them come to life again. It was sometimes sweet but, honestly, that isn't the word I think of in regards to this novel.

Of course not all books have to be great epic romances (like Shane and Ilya's from Heated Rivalry end up being for me) but this was a much more serious story than what I imagined. Nothing wrong with it but it isn't as warm and cozy as the Game Changers books are to me, even allowing for serious issues dealt with there too. The tone in this book is simply that, a lot more contemplative. The end is as happy and sweet, though, and I liked it that Riley and Adam found a way to finally be as happy as they deserve, considering their heartfelt dedication to one another. But, honestly again, it's not a story I will feel eager to re-read.

Grade: 7/10

Grace Draven - Phoenix Unbound

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital - her fate: to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.
But this year is different.
Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion, and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. And unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.
To protect her family and village, she will risk everything to return to the Empire and burn once more.

Comment: I have read several books by this author now and, as always, when I saw the blurb for this one, it made me curious. I finally had the chance to try it.

Gilene is a sort of fire witch, in the sense that she isn't burned in contact with fire, which comes in handy in her village, since all villages in the empire have to "offer" a woman for the Rites of Spring, the end of a special event demanded by the emperors when the women are burned at a pire. Gilene has done this many times already and she does it because she knows she is immune, saving many other women who aren't. However, this time, something doesn't happens as always, because Azarion, the most successful gladiator, who is also a slave like everyone trapped by the empire, sees through her illusion and blackmails her into helping him escape. She reluctantly agrees, thinking this would be the end of it... the thing is, once she is outside, already ready to be taken away by her brothers, Azarion kind of kidnaps her. He claims he needs her help again, to regain his status in his hometown. But how can she trust him again?

This author has the best ideas for her books, even if based in other stories or situations. I'm always eager to see how the plots develop in her fantasy settings and this time, the beginning was as captivating as I imagined, with both Gilene and Azarion teaming up to escape. Of course, I knew they could not separate right away, because this is clearly a romance too, but I will say that after they escape, things aren't as thrilling as I wanted.

The empire is ruled by evil people, who enslave others and promote entertainment in humiliating ways. We are immediately taken by the characters' need to escape and to do something about this, but the road until the final battle (of course there would be one) wasn't as smooth as I hoped for. I mean, expectations are always hard to meet, but I've read other books by the author and some did accomplish this goal nicely, so I know the author could do it.

The details about the characters, the settings, the world building are all interesting and easy to visualize. I see that the author had obvious inspiration on Roman culture, as well as other subjects, but this all seemed to mesh well. I'd say that my issue with the novel was mainly the romance and the development of the plot around that. Azarion and Gilene as likable characters on their own (despite their actions in some moments) and I did root for them, and wanted to see them succeed, and for Gilene to escape and for Azarion to gain his freedom. Once they were running together, though, things weren't as interesting.

They aren't immediate allies, after all he didn't tell her he would need more of her help, but time on the road and then in his hometown work to being them closer. This plot move made sense within the story we were given but.... the pace sometimes was a bit too quick for the amount of issues they both went through in their lives. I get it that the point was not to offer a huge story but there are plot transitions that could have helped this and I think that didn't happen, so the progression of things between them felt rushed.

Perhaps the thing is, both Azarion and Gilene weren't given enough layers, to match the traumas and the situations they faced. In particular Azarion, who was a slave and how all this affected him. The author does offer some context for how they are still mentally sane (my interpretation) but I just didn't buy it completely, if one takes into consideration how they suffered. In a way, this element was kind of superficial and made the reading experience less impactful, emotionally.

The romance was also too bland, because we don't get to see how it happens. We don't have enough scenes with them thinking about one another, with them interacting in a gradual way for the final acceptance of their feelings to seem inevitable. It just was, and with the fact of their personalities being superficially presented too, it wasn't as romantic nor amazing as I wanted, and as had happened in other books by the author.

Therefore, this was a good reading experience but not great. I liked it but there were times I also noticed how many pages were left, so...

Grade: 6/10

Louise Penny - A Rule Against Murder

It is the height of summer, and Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache are celebrating their wedding anniversary at Manoir Bellechasse, an isolated, luxurious inn not far from the village of Three Pines. But they're not alone. The Finney family—rich, cultured, and respectable—has also arrived for a celebration of their own.
The beautiful Manoir Bellechasse might be surrounded by nature, but there is something unnatural looming. As the heat rises and the humidity closes in, some surprising guests turn up at the family reunion, and a terrible summer storm leaves behind a dead body. It is up to Chief Inspector Gamache to unearth secrets long buried and hatreds hidden behind polite smiles. The chase takes him to Three Pines, into the dark corners of his own life, and finally to a harrowing climax.

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Armand Gamache series, which I foresee being something I will enjoy reading...

In this story, inspector Gamache and his wife are spending some time at an inn close to Three Pines, celebrating their anniversary. They are having a quiet time enjoying the summer, in spite of the fact some other guests, namely the Finney family, not being all congenial. Then, one of the siblings and his wife finally arrive and everything changes once more. The family dynamics are tense and it all goes to worse when one person is murdered. Who killed this person and how did they manage it since the tool used was impossible for one person to maneuver on their own?

The author has said plenty of times that these books are about a crime investigation, yes, which means they might be read solely for the closure of having a resolution to a mystery, but they are also character studies. I find that this is actually the most provoking part of the novels, because everyone, main character or not, has something about them that we want to see revealed, there are many layers to all characters.

In this book the inspector and his wife are spending some days at the Manoir Bellechasse, which has a solid reputation despite the origins of its construction. They are regulars but do not mind they are not given the best rooms, which immediately tells us about their personality and attitude. These characters are meant for us to like them and I really like the fact we can genuinely care for them and want for them to have good things happening in return.

In contrast, pretty much all of the secondary characters are not as likable. All of them, even the ones we would label"good people", have some kind of deep layer or some secret behavior that makes their personality less than what we see in Gamache and his wife. Although, to be fair, they are not perfect! They just seem so by contrast, and after 4 books I can see that Gamache's big flaw is that he does like to be right, not as in arrogance, but in knowing his deductions are often correct.

The plot is quite usual in how it develops. A good part of the book is on character observation,let's say, in which we see many situations where the characters do and say things that matter to their personality and as to why they could be the murderer or the victim, and a lot is shared through Gamache's skills in seeing between the lines. A lot doesn't make immediate sense, although the writing conveys that tension and anticipation quite well. We just know something is going to happen.

Obviously, only after the investigation is well under way do we understand some of the previous references or scenes. I don't tend to guess who the killer is in these types of books and this time it was no different. Only once the explanations were given did some of those seemingly unimportant references in chapters past make sense. Even then, I would say that there are always some things that don't scream logic or sometimes the way they are viable is through some conveniences and not real logic (to me at least).

The author also seems to have a predilection to unusual crime scenes and methods. I had never heard of the method in which the victim was killed in this book and even investigating on google didn't show an obvious result, although I accept the science behind it. Perhaps this, along with a few other small details, prevented me from seeing the big picture better. Still, it was a good entertainment, to read this story and to see the sequence of events developing at the same time the characters became more visible. Too bad, also, that most of them were not friendly people,even those who had reasons not to be.

I will definitely read the next book and see what new things I'll learn!

Grade: 8/10

Maggie O'Farrell - Hamnet

England, 1580: The Black Death creeps across the land, an ever-present threat, infecting the healthy, the sick, the old and the young alike. The end of days is near, but life always goes on.
A young Latin tutor—penniless and bullied by a violent father—falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman. Agnes is a wild creature who walks her family’s land with a falcon on her glove and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer, understanding plants and potions better than she does people. Once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose career on the London stage is just taking off when his beloved young son succumbs to sudden fever.

Comment: I had previously seen references to this book by some readers but I wasn't particularly driven to try it. My best friend did and she liked it, recommending it to me as well, and that is why I read it.

In the late 16th century, the plague is spreading throughout Europe and many people aren't able to stay safe. In a rural area of England, a little boy dies because of it, although he isn't the only case, nor the only one being mourned. However, his family is devastated, especially his mother and his twin, but should not make them special in any way. The truth, though, it that it does and  the aftermath will be much more meaningful than anyone would think.

At the end of this book, the author includes a note explaining her inspiration for this book and the sources and reference books she used. The story is fiction, of course, but based on real facts and people and some are easily recognizable. I like Shakespeare for what he did in literature, but I confess I didn't know that much about his life, apart from what I had seen in movies and in other fiction books. It was interesting that this story wasn't really meant to be about him, but it end up being so anyway.

I was positively surprised by the writing style, it is fluid while moody and it reminded me of lyricism and poetry. Some passages were very beautiful and the characters seemed to be so much larger than life at times because of this. However, there was always a part of me that felt this was an obvious fictional story and I was not really taken by the characters themselves but by how they were portrayed. I suppose there's nothing wrong with seeing this this way but it meant that I kept a certain emotional distance anyway.

The plot isn't too complicated. It is divided into two parts, the first (and bigger) one in which we see how cute Hamnet is and why his loss would certainly be so heavy for everyone, although most of the focus is on other family members, namely his mother Agnes. The second part happens after Hamnet dies and how everyone copes, and how this certainly seemed to have inspired his father to write a tragic play in which the main character has a very similar name to that of his son...

The author says this is her interpretation of how things might have been, so I don't really give much importance to its veracity or not, it seems more like a fun detail than an intrinsic part of the novel. As for the actual plot, I assume the main point of interest isn't exactly the emotions caused by or related to Hamnet's death, but how special his mother is and how she was like a wise woman/seer. Was this the element that changed the way the story is developed? I can't tell, but at the end, I cannot say I really got to know these characters well.

Nevertheless, as the focus wasn't on any specific situation, and even the event of Hamnet's death was not overly developed, I feel like this was an OK story for me to read. My friend said it was very emotional...I just didn't see that... Still, I think it was a good story to read, not so heavy as I pictured, considering the theme and the whole plague setting and inevitable outcomes.

Perhaps an interesting element here is how the author was able to write a lot about several scenes but the real depth of the story is on what wasn't written. I think this is a good book for the reader to read between the lines, in which some of the things not mentioned, not explicit become part of the plot precisely due to this tactic. I enjoyed the idea of seeing things that should not matter (like the flea) take such an importance in the big scheme of things.

I don't see the hype, honestly, but I can see the moodiness and in the right moment, reading this book, can certainly seem even more special. I liked it but didn't love it.

Grade: 7/10

Robert Galbraith - The Hallmarked Man

A dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. The police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber - but not everyone agrees with that theory. One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she's certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend - the father of her newborn baby - who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.
The more Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it's located beside Freemasons' Hall and specializes in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima's boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault.
As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever.

Comment: This is the 8th installment in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith, a series I have enjoyed for the past years.

After the events of the previous book, Robin is still dealing with nightmares and to make all worse, she now has a medical issue too, but she doesn't let this affect her dedication to the job. Striker, on his part, is feeling the pressure of not telling Robin how he really feels about her, knowing her boyfriend might propose at any time. However, their personal struggles need to be put aside because they have a new client, Decima Mullins, who believes her missing boyfriend might be the man found killed in a masonic shop. The thing is, a few other men might also be the victim and the detectives need to investigate, but the more they do so, more complications arise... what really happened for the man to be killed in such a way? Who is he really? What happened to the other missing men?

The edition I got has 1049 pages, not counting acknowledgments and other usual information one finds in any book. I just breezed through all of them because in spite of the fact these books are always long, have a lot of detail and secondary elements, it is simply addictive, even if there are things I'd change or wish were different.

As always, the best thing about this book is the smooth combination of an investigation and the little scenes regarding the main characters' lives being interwoven. It is as rewarding to me to know which steps they take to go from one information to the next while investigating as it is to know what Robin and Strike feel and what they do in their personal lives. I can imagine this might seem too much for some readers but to me it is a well done element.

The case being investigated is, at times, a bit confusing. I confess I wasn't always aware of why they had to look into certain things, and the fact there were five (if I recall) men they suspected might be the victim also made some things seem they came out of nowhere. Of course, these five men all had some mystery about them - why they were missing, evidently - and each one of them had something that led Robin and Striker into something else. It all came to a point in which this makes sense, but not always.

At the same time, the imagination and the machination to come up with details about so many things, so many people, while I was reading and feeling confused, I still thought this was well executed,especially when things start to be more obviously connected. Something that keeps surprising me, though, in books with private detectives, is how easy it seems that strangers simply share stuff and tell things to people who are not the police. Still, this is precisely what sometimes advances the plot when it seems no connection can be made.

I won't include details because to do so or I would need to explain a lot or to give the right context, some spoilers would need to be added, thus I will simply say that, as it always happens in these books, the links between events, the explanation about certain seemingly careless details, the motivation behind some characters' attitudes, all this is a lot more complex than what it seems. It came to a point I just had to know how this all played out and when the final scenes about the case are finally happening and we learn how this is all connected, although it wasn't as greatly done as in the book I liked the most in the series, it was still quite incredible.

A good part of the book is also centered on Robin and Striker's personal lives. I particularly liked seeing how dedicated Striker is in regards to his feelings for Robin and how that affects some choices of his too. I really hope that, considering the way this book ends, that the next one will show us a new dynamic between them. Of course it won't be all perfection for them, after all they both have deeper issues to deal with but I'm still hopeful they can deal with them together somehow.

For me, this was a wonderful entertainment. I would have liked a few things to be different and for certain narrative sequences to be more clear, but in general, another great installment. I can't wait for the next one!

Grade: 8/10

Jostein Gaarder - The Castle in the Pyrenees

Through five intense years in the 1970s, Steinn and Solrunn had a happy life together. Then they suddenly parted ways, for reasons that are unclear to both. In the summer of 2007 they meet again on a balcony of an old wooden hotel by a fjord in western Norway. It is a place they both have fond memories from, and their meeting turns out to be fateful. But is it purely coincidental that they meet at that particular spot at that particular time? Over a couple of weeks that summer they write emails to each other, and it becomes clear that they have been living with very different interpretations of their shared past...

Comment: I brought this book from the library for the simple reason that it was a short one. The edition I read had less than 180 pages.

Steinn and Solrunn meet by chance at a hotel where they had stayed years ago as a young couple. They separated and both have led different lives, with different partners and ideas but seeing each other again brought back all the memories and the pain that led to their separation. While they reconnect through emails, the same old wounds are back as well.. can they cope with this newfound friendship again or will the connection only end up as bitterly as before?

In my teenager years I remember having read Sophie's World, the book that gave this author fame. It has been decades but I still remember how provocative it was for me then and how original it had seemed at the time, all the philosophy mixed up with apparently simple juvenile stuff. Realistically, I knew this would not be so, considering the age of the protagonists but I won't hide it that part of me kind of expected to get some of same feelings Sophie's World had given me.

This book is quite small, like I said, and it is about a couple that reconnects after many years. They had been a couple in love but something happened to separate them. What happened is only hinted at throughout the emails exchange and only really revealed at the end but it does seem it has to be something shocking because that even not only separated them but has also driven them both to move on with living with different views.

Steinn remained as clinical and scientifically inclined as they both had been before this situation, but Solrunn started seeing signs in some things, namely the title of a specific book and in how religion can suit one's POV. Now, after a life in which they both found other people and had children and have tried to cope with the terrible event in opposed ways, everything comes back and to be honest, I never imagined the reason for their break up was that one.

Of course it has to be something that could impact someone's look at the world, and I really cannot say how I would cope, if I would, with such a thing. The psychological impact is impossible to deny and I cannot recall if any of them did any therapy but I assume not because this would probably have played out in such a way that exchanging the emails they do might contain other type of information. Certainly, the festering of such a wound, so to speak, was a huge fodder for how the re-connection developed.

As expected, considering the author's work, there is quite an interesting philosophical debate ongoing but to be honest, not really as impressive as I hoped, because in attempting to prove each other's beliefs, the kind of things they write are just too impersonal and abstract if this were to be a real email exchange between people who still have some residue of emotions and who never dealt with the pain of their mutual devastation. I mean, I get why the author chose this tactic but it was unrealistic.

I was actually a little bored by this because if what happened had been so terrible, how could they be this wasteful with the emails - would be different if the book had been much longer - and I was thinking the book would not go past three stars but then they finally mention the terrible event and yes, it can be life changing. My curiosity was peaked and I wondered how the author would end the book and then, bam!, another situation that changed everything again! Nothing really was explained after because the book pretty much ends, but it certainly gave me food for thought.

Therefore, this book was a little boring for the most part and I think a lot could have been edited for a much more rewarding philosophical debate/introspection but the end compensated this for me. I can imagine it was even more frustrating for other readers, though...

Grade: 7/10

H.N. Hirsch - Shade

A modern murder mystery. 

Assistant Professor Marcus George, a young, gay Harvard faculty member striving to find his footing in the Ivy League, is drawn into investigating the murder of one of his former students, the son of an elite Massachusetts family. Centered on the tense, competitive world of academic politics, the narrative vividly captures the publish-or-perish standards of academia, the strictures of life in exclusive enclaves in Boston and Kennebunkport, and the gay subculture along the New England coast. As he investigates the murder, Marcus stumbles across academic and financial corruption that could ruin several lives -- even as he falls into a tender and heartwarming love affair that will change his own. 

Hirsch's first novel is a beautifully realized, gripping tale in the classic style of the murder mystery genre.

Comment: This book was in the pile because I saw it being recommended somewhere and the premise seemed interesting enough.

Marcus is a young professor at Harvard, although not with tenure yet, and he does like what he does, especially if he works with students who work diligently, such as Trip, who presented a great thesis. One day Trip tells him he has something to share but soon after he is murdered and his family, knowing how much he respected Marcus, ask him to look into what might have caused this. Marcus knows this is a strange request but tries his best and that is how he gets to meet Bob, who ends up being someone he cares about and the feeling seems mutual. However, in 1985, things are complicated for the gay community and now Marcus even has to deal with the things he learns as he investigates Trip's last days...

This book didn't dazzle me as much as I hoped but one thing is true: it reads like a cozy mystery and has a vibe that is mellow and easy and actually made me feel relaxed while reading. Thus, in spite of the elements I think could have been stronger, I still think of it in a positive tone.

The story is quite simple although based on a weird premise, after all why would a teacher be able to investigate anything at all and people would answer? In fact, one characters makes this specific comment at some point and the only explanation, even knowing it'«s still ridiculous, is that the setting is in 1985 and I suppose that a murder investigation by someone with credentials - yes, even inadequate ones - would have some weight with some people. This doesn't make sense, of course, but it's what I hold on to.

Marcus is a likable character, a young teacher in his early 30s if I got it right, who happens to be gay during a period of time that was complicated, especially due to the AIDS threat among the community. The author mentions this enough that it is a visible element even though I don't think it was used as he might intended in terms of it having an impact on the story. He liked how his student Trip did a good job with his thesis and when he learns he had died, of course he feels the unfairness of how it happened and from this to the investigation, things happened very quickly.

I've read that this is the author's first book and, perhaps, it is obvious, because there is a lot of telling instead of showing. I mean, i did like the author's "voice" but the plot and the characterization were very superficial and didn't really delve into any meaningful detail that would give this story depth. I liked in general and it was easy enough that I wanted to see what would happen but, yes, this wan't a very insightful narration.

Marcus goes on with his days and we do get a lot detail on what he does every day and so on, and he meets Bob very quickly and as easily they become an item. The romance was cute but even for 1985 too unlikely. I think the author didn't want to get into details, fine, but then the process of their falling in love was very unrealistic. I was still glad they hit it off, and that Bob's family accepted their relationship and all that, but surely the author could have done better if this element was that important for the overall plot.

At the same time Marcus investigates  what he can, he makes a connection to an academic situation he feels he had to report. This leads into some drama and a secondary issue that felt a bit distracting but which actually has a link to the murder. This was interesting and brought some much needed new interactions between Marcus and other characters and I think the evolution was captivating. When we get to the end, though, once again things happen too quickly and are presented as established facts instead of us seeing them happen somehow, so... good enough but could be so much better.

There are three more books in this series... I might try the next one one day.... who knows... but right now I think this was enough to give me an idea of the author's style.

Grade: 6/10

Ellie MacDonald - Sara

Sweet Sara Collins is one of the founding members of the Governess Club. But she has a secret: She doesn't love teaching. She'd much prefer to be a vicar's wife and help the local community. But this quiet mouse doesn't want to upset her friends, and she resolves to help in whatever ways she can.
Nathan Grant is the embodiment of everything that frightens Sara. Which is why she can't understand why the handsome but reclusive and gruff man is so fascinating to her. When Sara decides it's time to take a chance and experience all that life has to offer, Nathan is the first person she thinks of.
Will Sara's walk on the wild side ruin her chances at a simple, happy life? Or has she just opened the door to a once-in-a-lifetime chance at passion?

Comment: This is the third novella in the Governess Club series by Ellie MacDonald. It follows the friendship of four young women who worked as governesses and who have opened a school together.

Sara is the quietest of the friends and a sweet soul. She had a demanding childhood as a vicar's daughter and her mother was terribly domineering and always accusing her of being close to sin. This shaped up Sara's personality and she prefers to not call attention to herself, which is why she has never really confessed to her friends that teaching isn't a vocation for her. She is hopeful the young vicar might propose, though, because she believes she would be a good vicar's wife, after all she already helps the community as best as she can. What she wasn't prepared for was the arrival of Nathan Grant, the new neighbor, and how much tempted she would feel to be adventurous if he is with her...

The books in this series are more novella sized than full length and in a way this can be seen negatively because more pages might help the subjects to be developed better, which is often the issue with this. The vast majority of novellas I have read seem to be quite limited in what they achieve, unless they are part of lengthier series, from which we can already have enough information to sustain what we see happening in the new/next one.

In regards to this installment, having read the others, the sequence of how things are developed isn't hard to follow, but I think a new reader would not find things to be that hard, for the author does include the necessary to make sense to certain information shared. The thing is, the stories on themselves are simply too quick and some situations are unrealistic for the type of setting we are given. Meaning that there are historical romances that are incredibly anachronistic or just too focused on improbable things that feel great to read. In these stories, i just don't think the author achieved that perfect balance.

Sara is a likable and sweet person, no doubt on it and I can understand why she has such a reserved nature and personality and why she doesn't like confrontation. I can also see why she would not be daring and why she would prefer things she is happy to do instead of pushing for something else, as her friends advise her to try sometimes. But, of course, there is also a part of anyone who would love to try different things too, everyone has dreams, and Sara's aren't that high all things compared.

Therefore, my biggest issue, apart from the lack of pages to properly develop the subjects, is how unrealistic Sara's behavior is once knowing Nathan challenges her perspective of life. I mean, I can accept that she would be tempted to think about her dreams differently, but the whole "teach me about being a woman" idea is just too out of place in such an historical setting, considering her personality, her timidity and the social pressures on how wrong her "adventure" with Nathan would be, even more so when we know she and her friends had a reputation to uphold.

I suppose something like did happen for real people in the 19th century but it just doesn't seem realistic for this her character. This means that, to me, the romance wasn't really believable, even after they say the right things in a scene one could label as romantic... plus, Nathan's character was not developed well either, and while his attitude in regards to Sara might make sense (why she would be special to me) I just didn't buy his change of mind. 

The story isn't big but there were times I wasn't impressed with the character's choices. Some times things seemed a little dull too and after a while I was thinking more about how many pages were left to finish than if those pages would be enriching or not. Perhaps I should say that this book met the minimum to be interesting but it wasn't amazing. I hope the last one, featuring the last unmarried friend, is more rewarding.

Grade: 6/10

Jenn McKinlay - Love at First Book

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.
Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.
Emily persists, and spending her days bantering with the annoyingly handsome mercurial Irishman only makes her fall more deeply in love with the new life she’s built – and for the man who seems to soften toward her with every quip she throws at him. But when she discovers the reason for Kieran's initial resistance, Em finds herself torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her now undeniable feelings for Kier. As Siobhan's novel progresses, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

Comment: I got interested in this book because it had a plot that would feature people who work with books. That easy.

Emily left her routines in Martha's Vineyard to stay fro an year in Ireland, as part of a job that entailed being the assistant to her favorite author. Emily had a tough childhood with her parents always fighting and then her father left them, which means her mother became bitter and narcissistic, targeting Emily for her anger and dismissal... after a lot of therapy, Emily was able to set up some boundaries and this year in Ireland is one more way to do so, and if she has the chance to spend time with an author she admires, even better.

She is also going to do a part time at the shop where this author is in residence, and she hopes her librarian knowledge will help but the owner, Kieran Murphy doesn't warm up to her right away...

At first, I was quite enthusiastic over the book, and I liked the idea of an adventurous Emily leaving a heavy weight behind to try something different and that would help her with her self esteem too. The whole bookshop and author's assistant idea was quite captivating and I rooted for Emily to have a great experience.

The plot isn't complicated and it is quite focused on Emily's days and how the interacts with those around her. The author she admires wrote a children's series that was and is loved by many, but the last book was released ten years ago and no one really understood what caused such a hiatus. Emily spontaneously wrote a letter to this author and ended up invited to help, something that left Emily on the moon. But, of course, learning what happened and why is the author in a rush now to finish the last book of the series can be rather bittersweet.

I don't think it is necessary to be a genius to guess why now and why Emily's letter might cause a sudden decision, thus it is to expect some sadness to come... I mean, I didn't really think too much about this because the other elements were enough catnip for me and at first I thought the author was just quirky, but someone paying more attention might catch on sooner. Of course, certain things then have to happen in a predictable way...

There is romance too, between Emily and Kieran, and at first they don't seem to get along much, which means I was all aboard with this opposites attract idea. Plus, they kept quoting book passages to one another and I found this to be cute. I liked the fact Emily was a lover of books and that this was also something that drew them together. However, even supposing the point was never to focus on this, I also think the romance development was too predictable and lacked more chemistry for me to really believe in how intense their feelings really were supposed to be.

For me, the most interesting element in this book was how Emily dealt with her mother's issues and personality. Their relationship was always based on some toxicity from her mother, someone who could not value and care for Emily as most mothers do. We have plenty of scenes in which Emily mentions the amount of messages and voice mails and calls her mother makes and how much stress this causes and when they talk, how careful Emily has to maintain the boundary. Too bad that this element didn't seem to have any obvious closure....

As a whole, this was a cute story, even with the issues I wasn't as fond of, but I kind of expected more, in general. I think this story was almost there, whatever random meaning this there might have for me and which I can't explain properly. It was w what if thing, what if this had happened, what if this scene had turned out differently...

This is also the second book in a duo, related to a first one featuring Emily's best friend. I have not read that one, though, but I assume it might have similar subjects, considering some scenes here.

Grade: 6/10

CS Harris - When Gods Die

The young wife of an aging marquis is found murdered in the arms of the Prince Regent. Around her neck lies a necklace said to have been worn by Druid priestesses-that is, until it was lost at sea with its last owner, Sebastian St. Cyr's mother. Now Sebastian is lured into a dangerous investigation of the marchioness's death-and his mother's uncertain fate.
As he edges closer to the truth-and one murder follows another-he confronts a conspiracy that imperils those nearest him and threatens to bring down the monarchy.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Sebastian St Cyr series and it takes place just a little bit after the events in book #1. It continues to follow the investigations of aristocrat Sebastian, who succeeded in the peninsular war and who is embarking on this career for personal reasons too...

In this second story Sebastian needs to discover who would want to compromise the prince Regent by leaving a dead woman in his chambers. The woman is a marchioness and she had a dagger on her back, although that wasn't what killed her, but the whole thing is enough to cause worry among those who need to maintain the regent's public image. Sebastian wasn't really interested in getting into this, but a detail convinces him, which is the fact the dead woman had a necklace which once belonged to Sebastian's mother. The question is that his mother had that necklace when she went missing, years ago...

Finished the first book, I had some doubts regarding the vibe of this series, for two reasons: first, the story had been slightly more sad/depressing as I imagined and, second, I had been reading similar books in the genre with my buddy read friend and, by comparison, that first book felt sadder. Going into this second one, I hoped things would be more bearable, and more captivating.

I think that there was definite improvement in the general sense of the story, mostly because I kind of told myself to ignore certain details, such as the fact Sebastian is being manipulated by one or two characters (it would depend on one's interpretation of that word, but it is the one I think of) and that the investigations are slowly revealing a side of Sebastian I like, for instance, how he tries to help and care for Tom, the little boy he "rescued" and who works for him as his tiger.

The elements I still feel a little suspicious of are related to Sebastian's personal life. His relationship with his family (mainly father and older sister) are complex but mostly negative. I feel sad that he can't seem to have a good enough relationship with them, although with his father it is a little more than cordiality. Now, with so many books yet to come, I hope this is due to his mother's disappearance and that some things are just decoys, which means something might change in the future. I hope so, because while Sebastian still feels rather aloof, I hope he can get some happiness

I'm not a fan of his love interest either but regarding this I know something will change at some point... unfortunately, I already saw something I shouldn't and I know his love interest will change.... I'm here for the journey, though, and hope this will mean a more rewarding emotional experience for him too. Thinking about the love interest now, though, it can only have a sad end, I suppose...

The case Sebastian investigated was as interesting as I assumed it would be and it actually had more details and secondary characters playing a key role than what i thought. I have to wonder at how the author will keep up the investigations fresh for more than twenty books... Still, regarding the identity of the killer, I never suspected that person and I think the web and the red herrings were quite engaging and offered an interesting perspective on other things. Clearly, the author want to do social commentary as well, as the series goes on....

I consider this to be a good reading experience. Slightly better than the first book but not yet that much to upgrade. I hope the next one convinces me fully.

Grade: 7/10