I absolutely loved this little romance which is currently available only in e-book format. Mores the pity. The story is quite old-fashioned, simplistic and sparsely written. But it's nicely steamy and basically the story of an unfolding relationship between two people. There are no minor side-plots or romances. And it features a virgin heroine who instinctively knows she likes doing it with the right guy. Who also happens to be her unjustly jailed for 5-years husband. Her name is Jessie. She's beautiful, hard-working and helps her husband to throw off his opium addiction. The hero is called Ryder and despite being unjustly jailed has not returned to his home mean-spiritied. Everything is 100% consensual. When the heroine tells the hero 'No' he completely accepts it. Unlike the ghastly Claiming the Courtesan which to be honest I should never have read.
I also like the fact that despite being an historical novel, the cover art features two very modern looking individuals. I hate 'six-pack' guys on front covers.
My only criticism is that Viscounts Addiction is of course much too short. Maybe more could have been made of the step-father's obsession with witchcraft. Also. It wasn't really clear why those women waited 5 years before coming forward to provide Blackwood with an alibi. Or why anyone would believe what they had to say at all. And anyway. Why on earth would a Lord of the realm be jailed for killing a common hooker in those days?
What makes this e-book interesting and attractive is the Newgate prison back-story. The ending is really quite sweet too.
I personally am a bit fed up with heroines who are on their 2nd or even 3rd marriage when they meet their hero. How can that be true love?
After all my worries about e-book readers in the end it was completely easy to get hold of this novel. Everyone has the free Adobe on their desk-top. And that's all I needed. I paid for the novel with a card and it downloaded in only a couple of minutes. Fantastic! I'm very pleased.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Sunday, 23 March 2008
The Forbidden Lord by Sabrina Jeffries
I thought this novel was tedious, trivial and twee. Which probably says more about me than it does about a story which so many other readers seem to like.
I can hardly remember anything about it. Other than that supposedly virtuous Emily scams her way around London like any hardened grifter and puts it out for a rich Lord with nary a thought for the consequences. I remember being unimpressed by Emily from the very beginning when she is described as bringing a 'physic' to her friend Sophie. I suppose in modern times she would be called Sophie's supplier. And oh. She might have left enough of her stash around to enable her mother to top herself. Charming.
The purpose of the whole stupid scam was to find out who Sophie's admirer was. It turned out to be Lawrence, Emily's prissy cousin. Too many scenes with men gossiping and standing off to each other like silly schoolboys. I also didn't like the co-instigator of the deception, Ophelia, the gaudily dressed matron. In effect she was Emily's other jailor but then seemed to transform into Emily's Dear Aunt. And Emily actually liked her.
There was never any doubt about the ending after page 2.
Highly unemotional and uninvolving for me. (I might read Pirate Lord though)
I can hardly remember anything about it. Other than that supposedly virtuous Emily scams her way around London like any hardened grifter and puts it out for a rich Lord with nary a thought for the consequences. I remember being unimpressed by Emily from the very beginning when she is described as bringing a 'physic' to her friend Sophie. I suppose in modern times she would be called Sophie's supplier. And oh. She might have left enough of her stash around to enable her mother to top herself. Charming.
The purpose of the whole stupid scam was to find out who Sophie's admirer was. It turned out to be Lawrence, Emily's prissy cousin. Too many scenes with men gossiping and standing off to each other like silly schoolboys. I also didn't like the co-instigator of the deception, Ophelia, the gaudily dressed matron. In effect she was Emily's other jailor but then seemed to transform into Emily's Dear Aunt. And Emily actually liked her.
There was never any doubt about the ending after page 2.
Highly unemotional and uninvolving for me. (I might read Pirate Lord though)
Crazy Hot by Tara Janzen
A nicely enjoyable read. With a superb frisson of naughtiness that lasts for just about a couple of pages but ends up almost being the defining memory of the whole novel. (Girl-friend sharing...in the nicest possible way.)
The plot is fairly standard stuff. What I enjoyed about it was the international breadth. From Mongolia to Chicago to Denver. Lovely. All totally believable. As was the main bad guy. Dispensing painful and sudden death in the blink of an eye. And nasty enough to make a good girl like Regan scream with fear. I totally enjoy spy thrillers where the denouement takes place in a big warehouse. I had no trouble visualising the walls of flames exploding all over the place. Just like in the best bad-boy action movies. I also totally love heroines who despite living completely normal lives do not hesitate for one second to do what it takes to help their man when he needs it. Without him so much as hinting he could use the assistance. Perfect. And yes. I also enjoyed the romance scenes. Steamy and joyful. Which is how it should be. Nice to hear a heroine tell the hero to mind his own business when he asks about her failed marriage.
Quinn and Regan almost totally disappear from the series after this story. But many of the other characters appear in novel after novel.
I have read this series in a sort of reverse order. Thus experiencing all the weird relationships and plots before the relatively straightforward one in Crazy Hot. In the end. My current favorites are this one and of course. The One. The Only. Crazy Cool.
The plot is fairly standard stuff. What I enjoyed about it was the international breadth. From Mongolia to Chicago to Denver. Lovely. All totally believable. As was the main bad guy. Dispensing painful and sudden death in the blink of an eye. And nasty enough to make a good girl like Regan scream with fear. I totally enjoy spy thrillers where the denouement takes place in a big warehouse. I had no trouble visualising the walls of flames exploding all over the place. Just like in the best bad-boy action movies. I also totally love heroines who despite living completely normal lives do not hesitate for one second to do what it takes to help their man when he needs it. Without him so much as hinting he could use the assistance. Perfect. And yes. I also enjoyed the romance scenes. Steamy and joyful. Which is how it should be. Nice to hear a heroine tell the hero to mind his own business when he asks about her failed marriage.
Quinn and Regan almost totally disappear from the series after this story. But many of the other characters appear in novel after novel.
I have read this series in a sort of reverse order. Thus experiencing all the weird relationships and plots before the relatively straightforward one in Crazy Hot. In the end. My current favorites are this one and of course. The One. The Only. Crazy Cool.
I deeply admire the structure of the whole Crazy series. Some threads persist through each and every one of the books. (J T's death, weapons, cars) Whilst others break up or start half-way through. Add in the minor plots in each novel. More than sufficient stimulation for this avid and sophisticated reader. Boy. Some women have come a long way since they wrote essays at school. More power to such authors.
I'll be trying the Troubleshooter series next.
Claiming The Courtesan by Anna Campbell
In the end I didn't like this novel. Mainly because I recognised the type of heroine Verity turns out to be. A good old-fashioned ball-breaker. You know. The kind of gal who puts her man through hell before she accepts his proposal of marriage. Give out some bump and grind then make the guy feel like a piece of dirt for accepting it.
The hero, Kylemore, proposes to Verity twice. Once at the beginning of the story where she declines and then again on the last few pages where Verity accepts. Inbetween there's endless miserable fleeings and sordid reunions. Just about one chapter of happiness. Pages and pages of completely insincere 'I'm not worthy' crap from the heroine which is just an excuse to further put the hero through the wringer. Poor sap.
I absolutely loathed the character of Verity's brother. At 23 years old, he's more than capable of earning an honest living. But what does he do? Leeches off his sister, the hooker. His oafish shenanigans force Kylemore to declare Verity his mistress in front of an unruly mob. The whole scene made me cringe. In fact I cheered when Ben, the brother, got the whooping he so thoroughly deserved. Why Kylemore gave him even the time of day defied any reason. Still. That's the sort of baggage that comes with marrying a hooker.
The novel is also inconsistent in the characterisations and motivations of the main couple. All Verity needed to say in order to get rid of the Duke was, 'Actually Kylemore, I think I may have a slight case of the pox.' Her 'I want to be alone' schtick was just a total tease. I much prefered the scenes between the manipulative, assured Soraya and the arrogant Kylemore. The few that there were. The dowager Duchess was a magnificent creation. Ah. What might have been.
Basically this novel is a throwback to mid 70s monstrosities. Thank goodness most romance writers have given up this type of drivel. Even Gypsy Lady by Shirlee Busbee is better. Which is not saying much.
The hero, Kylemore, proposes to Verity twice. Once at the beginning of the story where she declines and then again on the last few pages where Verity accepts. Inbetween there's endless miserable fleeings and sordid reunions. Just about one chapter of happiness. Pages and pages of completely insincere 'I'm not worthy' crap from the heroine which is just an excuse to further put the hero through the wringer. Poor sap.
I absolutely loathed the character of Verity's brother. At 23 years old, he's more than capable of earning an honest living. But what does he do? Leeches off his sister, the hooker. His oafish shenanigans force Kylemore to declare Verity his mistress in front of an unruly mob. The whole scene made me cringe. In fact I cheered when Ben, the brother, got the whooping he so thoroughly deserved. Why Kylemore gave him even the time of day defied any reason. Still. That's the sort of baggage that comes with marrying a hooker.
The novel is also inconsistent in the characterisations and motivations of the main couple. All Verity needed to say in order to get rid of the Duke was, 'Actually Kylemore, I think I may have a slight case of the pox.' Her 'I want to be alone' schtick was just a total tease. I much prefered the scenes between the manipulative, assured Soraya and the arrogant Kylemore. The few that there were. The dowager Duchess was a magnificent creation. Ah. What might have been.
Basically this novel is a throwback to mid 70s monstrosities. Thank goodness most romance writers have given up this type of drivel. Even Gypsy Lady by Shirlee Busbee is better. Which is not saying much.
Friday, 1 February 2008
Crazy Sweet by Tara Janzen
Ok. Gillian was tortured by being injected with a painful experimental drug. But. As the evil bad guy, Tony Royce, so fondly remembers, Dylan suffered worse when he was captured by Hamzah Negara. And did Dylan come back to Steele Street thirsting for vengeance. No. He came back ready for love. For Skeeter.
Unlike Red Dog. I do remember Gillian Shore. Seeing how she did her best to miserify Dylan and Skeeter’s Crazy Love with her blame-filled memories of publishing, marriage and divorce in academia. She read as a somewhat bitter woman working a going nowhere administrative gofer job for a supposed passed over General. Personally. I consider that Red Dog is actually leading a much more interesting life since her torture. Living with nice guys, great job, physically healthier, inspiring love-life. So really. The only reason for her to be angry with Royce is that he let the amoral part of her psyche out into the open. You know. The part of her that lets her cheat on her man and then try to justify it in the name of vengeance. The part of her that wouldn’t hesitate to flush the Steele Street guys, wives and cute babies down the crapper, all in the name of righteous retribution. Gillian Shore had absolutely no self-esteem. Now Red Dog’s got attitude in spades. What’s she got to belly-ache about? Dylan should have taken her to one side and they could have talked both their experiences through in a supportive manner. I don’t blame other readers for disliking Gillian. I think they are right.
There is still one reason for liking Red Dog. In the man's world of sniperdom, the author allows her to get seriously wounded. Despite her supposed near-legendary hunting and shooting abilities. How typical. But I suppose that’s what had to happen for her to redeem herself. Didn’t work for me though. She just became a huge liability for the SDF in the middle of a mission. Still. Skeeter better realise she’s got a snowball in hells chance of being assigned to an operation.
Crazy Sweet is brilliantly put together though. At the end of chapter 2 I was gob-smacked when the author shut the reader out of Gillian and Travis’s intimate encounter. Fortunately we rejoined them later. And missed nothing. Unusually there are some steaming hot scenes near the beginning of the story. Makes a nice change for the series. In the meantime we got to meet Royce. What a great invention he was. The subsequent bad-guys in this series are pale shadows on a cave wall compared to Royce. What a shame he didn’t get to place Skeeter in danger. Seeing how he hated her so much more than Red Dog. I would love to have seen Dylan in stone-killer mode.
I’m totally used to the style of this genre now. So I had no problems with the Honey and Smith interludes. Poor Travis. He’s a lap-dog for Gillian. I suppose I’m witnessing an attempt at a bdsm relationship for a couple of the Steele Street crew. Like many readers. I find it just plain weird and totally non aspirational. Basically. The psychopharmaceuticals turned Gillian into a user..of people. But she always had it in her. Travis should just let her go. Until then their HEA is more a case of a work in progress. Gillian needs to make amends to 738 Steele Street. The novel should have ended with Dylan at last getting it on with Skeeter in her shiny red spike-heels.
Did I say I was giving up this series? What a liar I am. So much looking forward to Johnny and Esmee’s story. But November 2008!!?? (Sigh) Another year of life gone.
btw Why have Cody and expecially Kat totally disappeared from the series? I'd love to read some more about them.
Unlike Red Dog. I do remember Gillian Shore. Seeing how she did her best to miserify Dylan and Skeeter’s Crazy Love with her blame-filled memories of publishing, marriage and divorce in academia. She read as a somewhat bitter woman working a going nowhere administrative gofer job for a supposed passed over General. Personally. I consider that Red Dog is actually leading a much more interesting life since her torture. Living with nice guys, great job, physically healthier, inspiring love-life. So really. The only reason for her to be angry with Royce is that he let the amoral part of her psyche out into the open. You know. The part of her that lets her cheat on her man and then try to justify it in the name of vengeance. The part of her that wouldn’t hesitate to flush the Steele Street guys, wives and cute babies down the crapper, all in the name of righteous retribution. Gillian Shore had absolutely no self-esteem. Now Red Dog’s got attitude in spades. What’s she got to belly-ache about? Dylan should have taken her to one side and they could have talked both their experiences through in a supportive manner. I don’t blame other readers for disliking Gillian. I think they are right.
There is still one reason for liking Red Dog. In the man's world of sniperdom, the author allows her to get seriously wounded. Despite her supposed near-legendary hunting and shooting abilities. How typical. But I suppose that’s what had to happen for her to redeem herself. Didn’t work for me though. She just became a huge liability for the SDF in the middle of a mission. Still. Skeeter better realise she’s got a snowball in hells chance of being assigned to an operation.
Crazy Sweet is brilliantly put together though. At the end of chapter 2 I was gob-smacked when the author shut the reader out of Gillian and Travis’s intimate encounter. Fortunately we rejoined them later. And missed nothing. Unusually there are some steaming hot scenes near the beginning of the story. Makes a nice change for the series. In the meantime we got to meet Royce. What a great invention he was. The subsequent bad-guys in this series are pale shadows on a cave wall compared to Royce. What a shame he didn’t get to place Skeeter in danger. Seeing how he hated her so much more than Red Dog. I would love to have seen Dylan in stone-killer mode.
I’m totally used to the style of this genre now. So I had no problems with the Honey and Smith interludes. Poor Travis. He’s a lap-dog for Gillian. I suppose I’m witnessing an attempt at a bdsm relationship for a couple of the Steele Street crew. Like many readers. I find it just plain weird and totally non aspirational. Basically. The psychopharmaceuticals turned Gillian into a user..of people. But she always had it in her. Travis should just let her go. Until then their HEA is more a case of a work in progress. Gillian needs to make amends to 738 Steele Street. The novel should have ended with Dylan at last getting it on with Skeeter in her shiny red spike-heels.
Did I say I was giving up this series? What a liar I am. So much looking forward to Johnny and Esmee’s story. But November 2008!!?? (Sigh) Another year of life gone.
btw Why have Cody and expecially Kat totally disappeared from the series? I'd love to read some more about them.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Cutting Loose by Tara Janzen v2
Simple plot, multilayered relationships. I had to read it a couple of times before I really appreciated how wonderful this novel is.
I loved how the strands dovetailed together. The final showdown scene was brilliantly done. Tense, exciting, clever and it almost ended in tragedy.
The relationship between the main couple isn't really about true love. But so what? Both are adults and if they only make each other happy for a few years, it doesn't mean their feelings for each other are less intense.
I loved the road-trip part of the plot. Lily and Zach are the good guys but for a while they are portrayed like they were some kind of killer-couple on the run through the open spaces of New Mexico.
But most of all I like the world the author has created. A fantasy spy world that references bang up to date current affairs. I also appreciate the research done on custom cars, custom computers and weapons. A quirk of this series is that many action scenes take place out-of-story. That's why the series remains firmly in the women's market. Although this particular novel has some great little insights into the workings of the mind of a guy. And the writing style is wonderful too. Sometimes it fools the reader into believing this is a lightweight series.
Subtle and very entertaining.
Let's face it though. Zach should have taken a plane straight to DC. What kind of an op would drive such a highly distinctive auto on a mission. But these are minors.
I loved how the strands dovetailed together. The final showdown scene was brilliantly done. Tense, exciting, clever and it almost ended in tragedy.
The relationship between the main couple isn't really about true love. But so what? Both are adults and if they only make each other happy for a few years, it doesn't mean their feelings for each other are less intense.
I loved the road-trip part of the plot. Lily and Zach are the good guys but for a while they are portrayed like they were some kind of killer-couple on the run through the open spaces of New Mexico.
But most of all I like the world the author has created. A fantasy spy world that references bang up to date current affairs. I also appreciate the research done on custom cars, custom computers and weapons. A quirk of this series is that many action scenes take place out-of-story. That's why the series remains firmly in the women's market. Although this particular novel has some great little insights into the workings of the mind of a guy. And the writing style is wonderful too. Sometimes it fools the reader into believing this is a lightweight series.
Subtle and very entertaining.
Let's face it though. Zach should have taken a plane straight to DC. What kind of an op would drive such a highly distinctive auto on a mission. But these are minors.
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Cutting Loose by Tara Janzen
I read this book and thought to myself: "What a Wasted Opportunity." Basic problem for me. As always. Too many threads to the plot and while they all tie together nicely towards the end of the novel, they take too much time away from the main couple, Zach and Lily, who end up being bit players in their own story. Which is a shame really. Because as a reader I liked them both. Despite the fact that Zach has still-born hots for Skeeter and smouldering embers for Jewel. Lily didn't seem to notice. Which is surprising seeing how her ex cheated on her.
Up front. This is about recovering a macrame bracelet woven with the electronic key to a Very Important encrypted file on a hard-drive somewhere. Lily has the bracelet. Zach gets it from her. Simple as that. The big showdown scene was very well done. Tons of tension, excitement and near tragedy. But it was over and done with very quickly...too quickly really.
Essentially this is a road trip novel. And how interesting can such an animal be in today's age of GPS and cell-phones? I suppose that's what the author thought and that's why she put all those other subplots. Takes a lot of guts to include black ops in Pakistan and give serious mention to yellowcake! However I personally would have appreciated longer spent with the main couple, apart and together. On the road, in the car and on the bed. Just to show I'm not totally stupid I will ask; 'Ever heard of air travel? Like are there no flights from Albuquerque that could get to Denver in under six hours?' I don't know what some reviewers are complaining about. Out of the Steele Street crew, we only got to meet Dylan, Skeeter and Honey. Not enough as far as I'm concerned. More Kat and Superman for me please. I also note that the couples have stopped getting married since Crazy Love. Presumably they're all co-habiting. Which is a shame. Thank the lord no divorces though.
I'd like to say that this reader doesn't really want to know about the personal relationships of the baddies, not least because this particular author makes them too similar to the good-guys. Yes. That is a failing. In fact Zach makes a very strange speech to Lily in which he describes all the characteristics of an evil gun-for-hire. And I thought: "But Zach. That is exactly like you." I didn't like the fact that in his former incarnation Zach was a drug-exporter. But I have come across other authors who use this same trick. The idea is that the drugs which Zach supplied were always intercepted by the DEA way down the line. How long would Zach have lasted if that had really happened? Certainly not the 8 years he lived as Alejandro Campos. Somebody would have offed Zach long ago. That theme could have been explored a little more in the book.
Next up is Crazy Sweet. Gillian's story. Already I can see why some readers didn't like her. Basically she pimped herself out for a while. In her Red Dog mode. Vengeance is pointless when it involves loss of self-respect. So Tony Royce won twice over. Despite the fact that he's dead. Not that Gillian has the moral compass to feel any of that. After that. I'll give the Crazy Series and its shirt-tail cousin, the Loose series a rest. Not Enough Meat Mother. (Otherwise known as 'you have to wait ages for the rumpy-pumpy which doesn't show up until the final third of the book' syndrome. And feels more like hot sex than hot love.)
Finally. It's such a shame there is so little buzz about this series. Because the author is actually a supremely talented writer. When I read a series by one author I only expect one of the books to be great. The remainder so so. Crazy Cool was my utterly favorite. I could go on about Kat's vulnerability for hours... The first novel I read was Skeeter's story, Crazy Love. That turned me on to the author's style. I also totally loved the Skeeter part of Crazy Wild. So even though I criticize, I'm more than satisfied with my cash outlay. Crazy Cool will definitely accompany me to a desert isle, outer space or the slammer. Should such situations ever arise. I will absolutely demand to be buried with Cold As Ice and Crazy Cool together.
Up front. This is about recovering a macrame bracelet woven with the electronic key to a Very Important encrypted file on a hard-drive somewhere. Lily has the bracelet. Zach gets it from her. Simple as that. The big showdown scene was very well done. Tons of tension, excitement and near tragedy. But it was over and done with very quickly...too quickly really.
Essentially this is a road trip novel. And how interesting can such an animal be in today's age of GPS and cell-phones? I suppose that's what the author thought and that's why she put all those other subplots. Takes a lot of guts to include black ops in Pakistan and give serious mention to yellowcake! However I personally would have appreciated longer spent with the main couple, apart and together. On the road, in the car and on the bed. Just to show I'm not totally stupid I will ask; 'Ever heard of air travel? Like are there no flights from Albuquerque that could get to Denver in under six hours?' I don't know what some reviewers are complaining about. Out of the Steele Street crew, we only got to meet Dylan, Skeeter and Honey. Not enough as far as I'm concerned. More Kat and Superman for me please. I also note that the couples have stopped getting married since Crazy Love. Presumably they're all co-habiting. Which is a shame. Thank the lord no divorces though.
I'd like to say that this reader doesn't really want to know about the personal relationships of the baddies, not least because this particular author makes them too similar to the good-guys. Yes. That is a failing. In fact Zach makes a very strange speech to Lily in which he describes all the characteristics of an evil gun-for-hire. And I thought: "But Zach. That is exactly like you." I didn't like the fact that in his former incarnation Zach was a drug-exporter. But I have come across other authors who use this same trick. The idea is that the drugs which Zach supplied were always intercepted by the DEA way down the line. How long would Zach have lasted if that had really happened? Certainly not the 8 years he lived as Alejandro Campos. Somebody would have offed Zach long ago. That theme could have been explored a little more in the book.
Next up is Crazy Sweet. Gillian's story. Already I can see why some readers didn't like her. Basically she pimped herself out for a while. In her Red Dog mode. Vengeance is pointless when it involves loss of self-respect. So Tony Royce won twice over. Despite the fact that he's dead. Not that Gillian has the moral compass to feel any of that. After that. I'll give the Crazy Series and its shirt-tail cousin, the Loose series a rest. Not Enough Meat Mother. (Otherwise known as 'you have to wait ages for the rumpy-pumpy which doesn't show up until the final third of the book' syndrome. And feels more like hot sex than hot love.)
Finally. It's such a shame there is so little buzz about this series. Because the author is actually a supremely talented writer. When I read a series by one author I only expect one of the books to be great. The remainder so so. Crazy Cool was my utterly favorite. I could go on about Kat's vulnerability for hours... The first novel I read was Skeeter's story, Crazy Love. That turned me on to the author's style. I also totally loved the Skeeter part of Crazy Wild. So even though I criticize, I'm more than satisfied with my cash outlay. Crazy Cool will definitely accompany me to a desert isle, outer space or the slammer. Should such situations ever arise. I will absolutely demand to be buried with Cold As Ice and Crazy Cool together.
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