Here are the May reviews.
The
Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter by Mimi Matthews
I buy romance for a public library
so I read many, many romances of all varieties. Although I have never read any
books by Ms. Matthews, I took a chance on "The Viscount and the Vicar's
Daughter" and I'm so glad that I did. While the tropes are familiar --
innocent, impoverished, companion with a mysterious past is compromised at a
notorious house party by notorious rake -- the writing here is light and fresh
and the dialogue is first rate. The novel is quite short so there is limited
character development or time for the romance to build however that did not
diminish my enjoyment. At the end of the day, I had a great time reading the
story and that is what romance is all about, a fun, escapist fantasy. This one
was a winner for me and I will buy all of Ms. Matthews books for my collection.
5 Stars.
The Princess by
Elizabeth Elliott
Historical fiction was one of my
first loves and the novel Desiree by Annemarie Selinko turned me on to reading
when I was 9 years old. So, I’m a sucker for historical romance and am very
fond of medieval romances and they aren’t written as much. For these reasons, I
was excited to read The Princess by
Elizabeth Elliott. Sadly, the novel didn’t match my expectations.
Isabel is a king’s widow and the
daughter of King Edward of England. Her personal circumstances necessitate a
quick remarriage and her father has chosen Faulke Segrave, a seasoned warrior
with ties to Wales. The marriage will be secure for Isabel and further her
father’s political machinations. Neither party is enthusiastic and the first
meeting does not go well.
However, very rapidly the couple
discovers a burning physical attraction and chemistry that cannot be denied so
they decide to make the best of their situation and get to know one another in
order to best foster a civil alliance. What follows is chapters and chapters of
silly dialogue and meaningful staring contests. Both Isabel and Faulke were
fairly superficial characters and I wasn’t drawn to either of them or their
story. When they finally arrived at their wedding night I giggled at the very
modern take on intimacy. The master schooling the wife to accept his touch was
just too much.
The characters and dialogue are
very modern, and quite distracting here. The period details are virtually
nonexistent and limited to clothing descriptions. I’m not expecting to read
Chaucer’s English but current slang (i.e. Okaaay) took me out of the story
again and again. The mystery, what there was of it, was fairly predictable and
easily solved. While reading I found myself thinking about really great
medieval romances I had read in the past.
While I think that for the right
reader, this novel would be a fun, escapist read, it didn’t meet any of my
needs for a historical. I probably wouldn’t seek out any of Ms. Elliott’s
novels in the future. 2 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an
honest review.
The Kiss
Quotient by Helen Hoang
Stella Lane is brilliant, wealthy and has her dream job as an
econometrician who writes algorithms to determine customer purchases. She also
lacks dating experiences and is somewhat socially awkward. Since she has
Asperger’s syndrome, she gets along much better with numbers than people.
Realizing her deficits and wanting to stave off her matchmaking mother, she
hires escort Michael Phan to help her learn how to get the hang of intimate
relationships. Michael has his own issues and can’t really turn Stella down.
This novel was a charmer. Stella is quirky and likeable. Michael
is sweet, talented and a family guy. Amid the backdrop of San Francisco and
Silicon Valley, Stella and Michael’s romance plays out with hysterical, tender
and often painful moments. Stella begins to find a pattern to Michael’s lessons
and Michael finds himself drawn more and more to Stella. There was drama, some
predictable and some surprising. This was a very, very enjoyable read. The
insight into Asperger’s, while unique to every individual, were interesting.
And, the view into Michael’s Vietnamese family and their culture was appealing.
My one critique is that this is a quite a sexy little read, and for
me, that was a bit distracting. The super-hot sexy scenes didn’t seem in
keeping with feel of the novel and I felt less sexy would have kept the novel
on a more even keel. Even with that, the novel is a quick-paced, fast read. I
finished with a smile on my face. I would recommend this to those looking for a
fun, quirky contemporary romance and I have purchased it for my collection. 4.5
stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an
honest review.
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Margaret Jacobsen is on top of the world with her dream job and
new engagement to her fiancé who she loves. Until the most unexpected thing happens,
and she must face the reality that her life may never be the same again.
This wasn’t so much a romance novel but a novel of overcoming
challenges and the relationships that make it possible. It was a wonderful
ride. Margaret is a likeable character who engenders compassion from the
reader. I cheered for her every step of the way. And as she struggled and
struggled with her family and friends and care givers, I was touched by some very
poignant moments. While some of the scenarios were a bit unbelievable and the
epilogue wrapped things up a bit too tidily, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment
of the story.
Ultimately, I found this novel engaging and entertaining. And, I
found a new favorite quote and that is always memorable. “You just have to
choose to make the best of things. You only get one life, and it goes forward.
And there are all kinds of happy endings.” Highly recommend. 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an
honest review.
