Harlequin

Review: Waiting On You by Kristan Higgins

Posted by

0

20140321-124822.jpg Oh. My. I just LOVED reading Waiting On You. I cracked up laughing and teared up crying. I hated Lucas and then loved him, and thought Colleen was just such a sweetheart. I was annoyed by (and endeared to) meathead Bryce and grateful for tomboy Paulina. Chef Connor spiced up the conversation from the back kitchen. I was like one of the regulars, sitting at the bar, listening in and watching the fray. So fun. And funny. And sometimes heart-wrenching.

The writing, by the way, is EXCELLENT. Higgins writes substantial characters — lots of them! — and witty dialogue. She sprinkles the cleverest one liners all over the place, lines like “he looked like sin begging for a taker” (that’s my favorite one; I could think about it all day). You never have to “wait” for the awesome words… They come before you’re even ready for them. It’s better than stand-up, I tell you.

Higgins gives the book high energy, All. Book. Long. I mean, it’s impressive to be reading a book and be on the edge of your seat (okay, pillow) the whole time. I just kept reading, right past my bedtime, right past midnight, and right into the last chapter.

I’m not even tired today, know why? Because I’m still thinking about Lucas and Colleen and the beautiful love they have for each other. I’m thinking… Re-read. I’m raving about it to my non-reading spouse. He doesn’t care, but I’m telling him anyway because Waiting On You is THAT good. I just want everyone to read it. That means You. And You. And You too. Even you non-romance types. Read it for the one-liners. Read it for the depth and breadth of characters. Read it because you’re a wine enthusiast or a Yankees fan or have a soft heart for animals.

You can click right down there and it will magically appear on your kindle next week. Let me know how much you love it.

–Calliope

Buy WAITING ON YOU

Review: Come Home to Me by Brenda Novak

Posted by

0

20140318-221559.jpg March 25 release — newest Whiskey Creek

Come Home to Me is an excellent, complex, original romance, unlike any I’ve read recently. Novak takes her time developing the characters on their own, and then showing how they fit in with the cast. I admit I was a little impatient to get the story going, but all that character development made the plot nice and substantial.

So. Presley and Aaron. They’re the main romantic couple in the novel. What a pair. They have history together. They have chemistry. Still. But it’s just not that great of an idea for them to get together again, for a whole host of reasons.

I took this book nice and slow, and really enjoyed seeing how Aaron tried to entice Presley into a relationship with him. And even though I didn’t personally identify with Presley, I loved watching her give Aaron a hard time… sometimes because she just wasn’t feelin’ it, and sometimes just to watch Aaron squirm. 🙂

In Come Home to Me, Novak writes excellent characters with real and deep sibling relationships. Those family connections held up the characters of Presley and Aaron, and made their relationship part of real life instead of a romance bloomed in isolation. (I like those unrealistic kind of romance novels, too, but this was a pleasant breath of fresh air!)

–Calliope

Buy/preorder COME HOME TO ME

Review: Four Friends by Robyn Carr

Posted by

0

20140315-230110.jpg I’ve been a fan of Robyn Carr ever since Virgin River … And I’ll always be a fan. But Four Friends is nothing like the nature-filled, adventurous, romantic tales of Virgin River or Thunder Point.

Four friends is about four neighborhood women, each in a different phase in life, each with struggles, and each with strengths. They bring each other wine, pull each other out of bed to join the daily morning walks, and save each other’s lives. Literally.

The more I think about this book, the more ambivalent I am about it. I liked it, but there were some parts that just annoyed me!

For example:
I’m a sucker for a good tale about marriage, but I hated that there was cheating going on. I appreciate Carr being a champion for victims of domestic abuse, but some of that story seemed contrived. Crystal-toting Sonja lent a cool quirkiness that I loved… and then the rug was ripped out from under me when Sonja wasn’t really who she appeared to be. And Andy’s love life was great for her, but her new man was so timid and tepid that I couldn’t feel the attraction.

I think I felt like I was looking in on a pretend world when I read Four Friends. I was totally entertained, and the friendships were terrific. But I wasn’t drawn in to the story… I wasn’t in the pages with the characters… They just weren’t real to me.

All in all, from the outside looking in, Four Friends is a fresh take on women’s friendships with each other and the struggles they overcome in their relationships with men.

–Calliope

Buy FOUR FRIENDS

Review: Her Favorite Rival by Sarah Mayberry

Posted by

0

imageAudrey and Zach both have painful pasts. Audrey ran away from home at the age of sixteen. Although she came back home, her parents never truly forgave her. Instead they lavished attention on her younger sister while became she became the black sheep of the family.

Zach’s parents were recreational drug users. His mom became addicted to heroin after the death of his father in a motorcycle accident.

Audrey and Zach have overcome their hardships and are successful in the corporate world. They are both buyers for a large hardware chain of stores. A new CEO has come on board and they want to prove themselves in hopes of getting a promotion to category manager. Audrey has the experience. Zach has the academic qualifications.

They see each other as rivals but working together on a report allows them to get to know each other. An attraction develops. Naturally, they flirt.

“Why do men always buy manual cars?”
“Because we like to be in control.”
“Why do women always buy automatics?”
“Because we like to conserve our energy for some important things.”
“I have plenty of energy left to spare, don’t worry.”

They eventually give in to this attraction and it is Audrey who initiates this. It is Zach who insists that it goes beyond one night, who wants to start dating her.

“He didn’t care. Maybe that was because he was so tired, or maybe it was because he’d spent the night beside his sick mother, and turning his back on something -somone- who felt as good and life-affirming and right as Audrey did seemed nuts.”

It is mutual decision that they keep it quite from work for now.

As they open up about their families, they are there to console, comfort and support each other.

The category manager position does eventually open up. Both are asked to interview. No matter whom is selected, I firmly believed that the other would be proud and supportive of the other.

“All right. It’ll probably end in tears, but if you think we can handle this, I guess we’ve got to do it.”
“We can handle it.”

This is another winner by Mayberry. She writes compelling and sometimes heartbreaking stories featuring everyday, hardworking characters. It was a pleasure to see Audrey and Zach fall for each other as they deftly handled their career aspirations and difficult past.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

~Thalia

Read Clio’s review of the prequel featuring Audrey’s sister.

Buy It Now Her Favorite Rival (Harlequin Superromance)

Review: A Royal Without Rules by Caitlin Crews

Posted by

0

image“Prince Pato, international manwhore and noted black sheep of the Kitzinia royal family, was the biggest waste of space alive. He stood for nothing save his own hedonism and selfishness, she wanted to be anywhere in the world but here.Anywhere.”

Poor Adriana has been assigned to watch over Prince Patricio (Pato). Pato’s brother, and heir to the throne of Kitzania, will be getting married in a few weeks. Adriana has to prevent Pato from behaving inappropriately and causing embarrassment to the family.

Adriana comes from scandal herself. Three descendants have been mistresses to the Kitzanian royal family.“It isn’t my dirt but I’m covered in it, head toe, but I’ll be clean. Ever.”
As Adriana and Pato work together, the disdain grows to an attraction. More importantly, there’s trust building between them. Pato shares a secret that explains his hedonistic lifestyle.

Overall, I enjoyed their story. I encourage you to pick this one up. Just because there are many Harlequin titles published each month doesn’t mean the books aren’t worth reading. This is one of those gems that is. Pato and Adriana make a scandalously, delightful couple.

3.5/5 stars

~Thalia

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

Buy It Now A Royal Without Rules (Harlequin Presents)