Willoughby's Return: A Review

Willoughby's Return: A Tale of Almost Irresistible Temptation by Jane Odiwe
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was intrigued by this book and while I am a strong Brandon fan, I was interested to see how the author brought back the selfish Willoughby.

Needless to say I wasn't too impressed. For one the author took far too long to get to the point. In a way that is fine for it shows the relationship of Brandon and Marianne better, but if you advertise it to be about Willoughby trying desperately to win Marianne back then the story should, I don't know, be about Marianne and Willoughby a bit more than a party here and a meeting there. It took 3/4 of the book for the author to bring about anything of interest. While I liked seeing Marianne grow up a bit, she wasn't the main character I was absolutely annoyed with.

I don't know what possessed this author to turn Margret into a cookie cutter of her older sister, Marianne, but she did! Margret was one of my favorite supporting characters because she was adventerous and bold. She never understood social niceities and was always honest. Now Margret has grown up and she basically admits she wants a romance with a man like Willoughby. Partly I am to blame for my dislike since I envisioned Margret with a Captain or another adventurer. I had always thought she would be anxious to get out and see the world not caring if it was by marriage or her own way, she would seek out her own adventure out of life. It wouldn't bother me quite so much if the author had stuck true the Margret I knew from the book. Instead this author basically turns her into Marianne and in love with Willoughby 2.0. And what made me crazy was that the guy that I would have thought to be perfect for her freedom loving ways, she dismissed as nothing but a brother like male. Ugh!

If you're going to write Jane Austin Fiction then at least have the respect to not reinvent the characters, but try to stick true to their original backgrounds. Don't like it then write your own blasted story and leave Miss Austin's characters alone!

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One for the Money: A Review

One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me say that I am not a mystery reader. Romance and comedy are my more comfortable genres, but this book had me rolling on the floor laughing. I don't think I have ever laughed that hard when Grandma shot the chicken at dinner. I actually cried. Real tears.

I listened to this on Audiobook and have to say that it was great. Lori Petty did the voice and she was brilliant. She pulled off Jersey and Italian very nicely. And why wasn't she asked to play in the movie. I thought she would have done a great job. K.H. doesn't even have the Jersey accent. I may or may not see the movie. I don't think I'll like it b/c the entire time I'll be envisioning Lori Petty as Stephanie. And while I'm on a casting rant, the woman who played Sophia on the Golden Girls would have made a badass Grandma!



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Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor: A Didn't Even Finish Book Review

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is the second Kleypas book I've picked up and could not finish. My major complaints are

1. Too short! This I've noticed is a common complaint.
2. Because it is too short there wasn't enough time to get invested in the characters.
3. The characters were bland and dare I say, boring. It was just after the first three to four chapters, I usually fall in love with her characters. That just doesn't happen in this book.

I had just finished reading for the fifth time, Love in the Afternoon. Where the characters are witty and interesting to this where the characters are kind of bland and stale. I hope that the next books in the series had more character development and better, more interesting characters.

I'm kind of hoping that she finishes this series and moves on to something else with better characters.

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It Happened One Autumn: A Review

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I tried this book once before and I couldn't get into it. After reading 'Secrets of a Summer' I found Lillian and Westcliff to be so dynamically hilarious I had to take another look and I'm not sorry I did. I could relate a lot to Lillian. She is one of the few historical female leads I have been able to really get behind due to her unconquerable spirit and sharp wit.

Lillian is the next Wallflower in line and it doesn't start well. From playing Rounders with some service boys to arguing openly with Lord Westcliff, it doesn't appear that anyone else Marcus Westcliff himself would ever propose to her. Thankfully that doesn't get Miss Lillian Bowman down.

Despite Westcliff's apparent charm, his male egotistical 'I'm the Lord and Master' attitude got under my skin. I was tickled pink that Lillian didn't back down or let him get away with it without a thorough tongue lashing. I cheered her on with several 'You go girl!'s. My husband must have thought I was nuts.

All in all I loved this story. Kleypas, once again, shines with colorful characters, humorous scenes, and lovely steamy scenes that I can't seem to get enough of. I am kind of happy that she didn't kill St. Vincent since I adore him in 'Devil in Winter'.

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Lady Sophia's Lover: A Review

Lady Sophia's Lover by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would have enjoyed this book more had I not read 'Worth Any Price' first. I knew what would eventually happen, but that is not to say that the book was completely wasted. I loved Ross' character. He always had such a solid head on his shoulders. Not like other men in historical romances who go off in jealous rages or fall into melodrama. Ross and Sophia's romance was touching and hot!

The story goes like this... Lady Sophia Sydney would do anything to ensnare the unattainable Sir Ross Cannon. Her goal -- to ruin his reputation and cause a scandal that would be the talk of all London. So she insinuates herself into his life by gaining his trust and living in his house.

The story quickly switches gears from her desire to destroy him to her desire to bed him. Her secretiveness is hardly shown and maybe that is because Sophia never had it in her for revenge in the first place. Not my favorite of the Bow Street Runners, but still enjoyable and worth a read. And I would recommend if you don't want the suspense ruined, I'd read this before 'Worth Any Price'.

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Lone Warrior: A Review

Lone Warrior by Bobbi Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Marissa is captured by a Comanche raiding party. Believing everyone including her traveling companion Louise are dead she keeps hope that she can find a way out of this mess. She doesn't understand why she was taken, but she soon finds out. Ten Crows, the chief, has two sons Bear Claw and Wind Ryder who are at war with each other. In a vision Ten Crows believes that Marissa, the Shining Spirit, will make peace between Ten Crows' legitimate son Bear Claw and his white son Wind Ryder, a fellow captive himself.

The only trouble is Wind doesn't want her! He has put his white identity so far behind him seeing her white skin and blond hair shakes him deeply. Both are struck by a curious passion that neither was expecting, but both have to be willing to surrender to.

It was a pretty quick and enjoyable read. I liked Ten Crows for the most part. Bear Claw was the bitter villain who just couldn't let it lie. There was a smooth plot, interesting characters and enjoyable love scenes. Not really worth a re-read, but still an enjoyable read.

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Tempt Me at Twilight: A Review

Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is one of lowest ratings I have given a Kleypas book that I have actually finished. It makes me sad to do so, but nothing within me could honestly give more than 2 stars.

The story's synopsis is Poppy Hathaway is the compassionate, almost to a fault, member of her unconventional family. After three seasons in London society, she is still unmarried, but she has a hope that Bayning will propose to her despite his father's objections. That is until Harry Rutledge catches her lurking about his hotel. In that moment the man who got everything he wanted set his sights on the sweet Poppy who wanted nothing more out of life but to be loved and live a life of peace. Ruthless and almost cruelly selfish he manipulates Bayning's father and Bayning himself so that Poppy will fall into his arms. And despite her family's objections, Poppy, for some unknown reason, accepts Harry's proposal.

There are several issues I have with this book. The first is that Harry is so cunning and manipulative he is almost disgusting. As striking and attractive Kleypas tried to make him, nothing can change how he used everything in his power to manipulate and bend her to his will. That kind of submissive/dominant behavior should be reserved for the bedroom only. The second issue I have is that Poppy in a desperate attempt to love her husband, as deeply as she loves her family has to sacrifice EVERYTHING she said she wanted out of life. She hates London, but lives in the hotel with Harry and acts happy about it. She can be shy and awkward, but suddenly after she's married she is popular and socialable. The third issue I have is that while Harry, admirably?, does want her to want intimacy, he arrogantly wants her to just bend to his will. He is such a man. He wants a willing warm woman, but wants her exactly how he wants her to be. That's not love! That's control. He cared very little for her pain, her loss of love, and being detached from her loving, affectionate family. She is so willing to be controlled it made me want to put the book down and not take another look at it. But since I paid money for it, I supposed I should get my couple bucks worth out of it. Bottom line, while I like the Hathaways (a lot), I didn't care for Poppy and Harry's love story. I liked them better in "Married by Morning". There Harry wasn't nearly as controlling and manipulative. Ruthless, yes, but not so selfishly cruel and demeaning.

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