Book Reveiw: Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran

Fool my Twice
By: Meredith Duran
ISBN-13: 9781476741352                        

Publisher: Pocket Books

Publication date: 3/25/2014

Synopsis:

Sensible and lonely, Olivia Mather survives by her wits—and her strict policy of avoiding trouble. But when she realizes that the Duke of Marwick might hold the secrets of her family’s past, she does the unthinkable, infiltrating his household as a maid. She’ll clean his study and rifle through his papers looking for information.

Alastair de Grey has a single reason to live: vengeance. More beautiful than Lucifer, twice as feared, and thrice as cunning, he’ll use any weapon to punish those who fooled and betrayed him—even an impertinent maid who doesn’t know her place. But the more fascinated he becomes with the uppity redhead, the more dangerous his carefully designed plot becomes. For the one contingency he forgot to plan for was falling in love...and he cannot survive being fooled again.

I have been consuming historical romances at a startling rate this past year. I remember my mom suggesting them to me a few years back, "You should try them, you might like them." But I thought, no, not for me. I hated history in high school.
But for some reason, I think it might have been Lisa Kleypas, I moved from contemporary to historical romance and haven't looked back.

I still read contemporaries of course, along with suspense, but there is something about the historical drama and teasing and dialogue that I find very satisfying.

This historical is the first I've read by this author. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, so here it is.

I liked this book for the most part. The opening pages were a little confusing, but I allow for that to a point because I assume I will understand it as I read further into the book.

Then, when the main characters met, it became very interesting and entertaining. I liked the whole idea of this confined, depressed duke brought back to life by a house keeper who was much more than a house keeper. The whole plot of the book was fresh and interesting.

But....the middle DRAGGED. The only word I can think to describe it is wordy. It wasn't bad, its just that so little actually happened, but yet it took forever to make it to the end. Again I'll stress that it wasn't unpleasant because I liked the characters and I liked where the story was eventually going, but it took a lot of words to get us there.

Also, there were some word choices in this book that just didn't work. She used a lot of unfamiliar language. And while in any historical the language is much more formal, and pleasing because of it, this word choice was such that I had to actually look up words to figure out their meaning. And I'm pretty good at either knowing my vocab or using context clues to keep reading. But some of the words took me completely out of the story. I especially didn't like how she referred to body parts. Some of her body terms were very clinical while others were very crude. I think the author needs to find a better middle ground here.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The characters were unique and I could always understand their motivations. The author did a good job with making their feelings very clear and their behavior reflective of those feelings, which isn't always an easy thing to do!! I also enjoyed the over all plot. It was interesting. However, I didn't enjoy the pacing or the physical scenes in this book.

If another Meredith Duran books happens across my e-reader, I will definitely give her another chance.

If you've read any Duran books, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this author as well. Or if you have a historical author you'd suggest, I am all ears!!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Cheesemaker's House by Jane Cable {Guest Review}

Synopsis:

“Just think, Alice, right now Owen could be putting a hex on you!”

When Alice Hart’s husband runs off with his secretary, she runs off with his dog to lick her wounds in a North Yorkshire village. Funny, feisty and just a little bit lonely, she soon meets her neighbours including the drop dead gorgeous builder, Richard Wainwright and the kindly yet reticent café owner, Owen Maltby.

As Alice employs Richard to start renovating the barn next to her house, all is not what it seems. Why does she start seeing Owen when he clearly isn’t there? Is it the amount of gin she’s drinking or some other reason? Where – or when – does the strange crying come from? And if Owen is the village charmer, what exactly does that mean?

Guest Reviewer: Kathy W.

This book is written by a Brittish author (her first) and I
can say I enjoyed the book overall,  although usually I do not like to read
in first person tense.  The story line was a tad slow in the beginning and
not being familiar with Brittish terminology (except for the movie
NottingHill), there were some words and description of places I tripped over
trying to figure out their meaning. Such as a "snug" being a "hearth room".

That being said, the overall story was
mysterious and tragic enough to keep me reading. The sexy portion of the
book was definitely G rated (which is ok with me). The romance wasn't boring, but I'm not a huge fan of wishy-washy romance plots. The back and forth of the romance was a little tedious.

The ghost portion of this book is really what held my interest. If you like the paranormal, you will enjoy this
book.

Guest Blogger Book Review: True Love by Jude Deveraux

 

 

Author: Jude Deveraux

ISBN-13: 9780345541796

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Publication date: 7/9/2013

GUEST REVIEWER: Kathy W.

 

GoodRead's Synopsis:

Just as Alix Madsen is finishing up architectural school, Adelaide Kingsley dies and wills her, for one year, the use of a charming nineteenth-century Nantucket house. The elderly woman’s relationship to the Madsen family is a mystery to the spirited Alix—fresh from a romantic breakup—but for reasons of her own Alix accepts the quirky bequest, in part because it gives her time to plan her best friend’s storybook wedding.

But unseen forces move behind the scenes, creaking Kingsley House’s ancient floorboards. It seems that Adelaide Kingsley had a rather specific task for Alix: to solve the strange disappearance of one of the Kingsley women, Valentina, more than two hundred years ago. If that wasn’t troubling enough, Alix must deal with the arrogant (and extremely good-looking) architect Jared Montgomery, who is living in the property’s guesthouse.

Unbeknown to Alix, Jared has been charged with looking after her while she lives on the island—an easy task for him, considering the undeniable chemistry between the two. But Jared harbors secrets of his own, which, if revealed, may drive a wedge between the pair.

With a glorious Nantucket wedding on the horizon, sparks fly, and the ghosts of the past begin to reveal themselves—some of them literally. Finding their lives inextricably entwined with the turbulent fortunes of their ancestors, Alix and Jared discover that only by righting the wrongs of the past can they hope to be together.

 

This book was a fun book to read.  The author introduces the characters with wit and charm and from the very beginning you know it is going to be light and entertaining. In a story where everyone is a cousin, aunt, or uncle to the main character, I was worried I would have to keep too many names and connections straight, but the author did a good job by not having too many relatives and friends be a meaningful part of the story.
 

There was a point in the story going through all the romance that I felt the mystery was going to be left behind. The quest for "ghost" answers was almost forgotten. However, reading further into the book, I was not disappointed at all. The author pulled me into the mystery of the past and there were just enough twists between past and present characters that I had to keep reading to see what would happen next. Usually ghosts are depicted as scary, however, I fell in love with the Captain with everyone else. I was truly sad about his circumstances and lost love, and truly happy there was a happy ending for him. I was a little disappointed that he did not get to keep his good looks. I had picutred him in my mind as a "Captain Jack Sparrow" kind of man and he ended up feeling kind of short, dumpy, and bald in my head.

 

Overall, I liked that there were not a lot of detailed love scenes that I would have skipped over anyway, and the book left me with a smile on my face!

Book Review: Ready to Die by Lisa Jackson

 

ISBN-13: 9780758287519

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Publication date: 7/30/2013 (nook) Hardcover available now

Synopsis:

Nothing

His blood quickens as he stares at the photographs. Six faces, all guilty—and detectives Regan Pescoli and Selena Alvarez are at the top of his list. One by one, he'll stalk them, then he'll squeeze the trigger, savoring the way each lifeless body crumples to the reddening snow. One down already. And then there were five. . .

Can Prepare You

Sheriff Dan Grayson lies near death after a shooting, and the police department of Grizzly Falls, Montana, is in shock. Alvarez, torn between a new relationship and her loyalty to Grayson, works with Pescoli to whittle down the list of suspects. The deeper they go, the more personal and dangerous the case becomes. Then a prominent judge's body is found and the killer sends a sinister warning to the press: "Who's Next?"

To Face A Killer

Pescoli isn't waiting to find out. Headstrong and eager for justice, she'll track the scant clues on her own if she has to. But her search leads her straight to a monster who has had her in his sights all along. And when hunter meets prey, both must be willing to kill—and ready to die. . .

The good:

The suspense is this book wasn't nail-biting, but it had a good plot and didn't reveal the who-dun-it till the very end (although I suspected it from the beginning, so you probably will too.)

The characters were unique and flawed and interesting.  I cared about what happened to each of them, so that kept me reading as much as the crime/mystery plot.

The bad:

I felt like I came into this book behind the curve (which I did).  This is the latest in a series of books about these two detectives.  The beginning of the book tried to push in a lot of backstory.  It wasn't boring, it did give insight into the characters, but I felt like so much had happened to them that I had missed out on.

This was not a romantic suspense.  Even if it's labeled that way, I disagree because I think a romantic suspense by definition should have a happily ever after.  This was a mystery book with relationship subplots.  If you are looking for a love story, this is not your book.  I'm thinking that the "couples" that are developing in this story will play out in other books, but since this series has been going a while, who knows when that pay out will be.

Overall, I liked the book.  It kept me interested and again, I liked the characters.  Had I known there wasn't a guy and girl who end up with a happily every after, I might not have picked it up, but it was a good read all the same.

I will probably read the next book in the series if it comes out soon, but I won't be picking up any of the past books in this series. 

Book Review: Relentless Pursuit by Kathleen Brooks

BN ID: 2940016441962

Publisher: Laurens Publishing

Publication date: 5/20/2013

Series: Bluegrass Brothers Series , #4

Synopsis:

Relentless Pursuit is the fourth novel in the Bluegrass Brothers series.

Pierce Davies watched as his older siblings fell in love – something this bachelor was not ready for. After all, he was now the most eligible man in all of Keeneston! Though Pierce enjoys the playboy lifestyle, his life is his work and that hard work is set to pay off big time with the unveiling of a big secret. However, this work hard, play hard attitude may have also landed him in hot water as he finds himself arrested for a brutal murder with all evidence pointing to him.

Tammy Fields has been suffering from the crush to end all crushes. But her flirtations have fallen short as Pierce Davies always ended up in the arms of a Keeneston Belle. Having waited long enough, Tammy decides now is the time to grow up and move on. She has a good job as a paralegal and a hot new boyfriend. But everything changes quickly when Pierce is arrested and Tammy is called upon to help with his case. While working closely with Pierce to prove his innocence, she realizes her crush is something far more meaningful as she risks everything to save him.

Will they finally find love or will the increasing danger prevent their happily ever after?

This book is the fourth in this series, but like the eighth in her stories about this small town.  I would definitely read these books in order.  Not only because I think that her first books are better, but because she has so many character references from previous books, I think it would be confusing to skip over all that.

In my opinion, these books are simple and sweet, slightly suspenseful, romance novels.  All of her characters are unique, even though the brothers have quite a bit in common.  It doesn't feel like she's retelling the same story over and over again as some "small town romance series" are apt to do.

I think some of her dialogue can be too 'fact-forcing' instead of natural speech, meaning she tries to shove facts into her characters mouths that I don't think would be in a natural conversation.  But for the most part, they are easy southern-comfort reads.

I enjoy her books, and for $2.99 a piece, it's an easy decision even if they don't WOW me.

I do like that these books are not full of explicit sex scenes and the characters are more mature, less dramatic than the new genre of New Adult fiction that seems so popular.

For a quiet, rainy afternoon, or a couples hours by the pool, these would be good to have.

Have you read any of Kathleen Brooks' novels?  If so, which story has been your favorite so far?

You can get this book here:

Relentless Pursuit at Barnes and Noble

Relentless Pursuit at Amazon

Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Author: Nicholas Sparks
ISBN-13: 9781455523559

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication date: 12/18/2012

Synopsis:
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

I have been a fan of Nicholas Sparks since I first read the Notebook in high school.  I haven't read all of his books.  I've probably seen more of his movies.  But I've read a few.  This book along with his others seem to have a slow easy pace.  They have action and romance, but it's slow and easy.

 

I liked this book.  It wasn't a book I couldn't put down.  A few times I found myself skimming some of the internal monologue because it was repetitive.  It was repetitive on purpose I know, because we were in the mind of a guy that was having a breakdown. 

 

I found myself more interested in what the movie would be like than enraptured by the book. 

That being said, it was a good fast read and I would recommend it for a day when you want to lay around and have nothing real exciting on the to-read list.

 

Good news, now I can go watch a couple hours of Josh Duhamel:)  Here's something for your viewing pleasure.

 

Review: The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

 



Author: Kristan Higgins

ISBN-13: 9780373777921

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication date: 2/26/2013

 

Synopsis:

 

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect…

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

 

This book was very cute.  Higgin's wrote a sweet story that had a definite twist to the usual romantic plot.  The characters were well developed and I liked learning about them and reading their love story.  I liked the hero quite a bit more than I liked the heroine though.  While she was nice and had moments of humor, she had a tendency to go a little dorky.  And I got a little tired of hearing about her support garments. 

 

The Best Man was fun to read because it was light and friendly.  While the outcome was predictable (and in most romance novels it is), it was an entertaining read.  I wouldn't go to Kristan for high stakes suspense or for steamy love scenes, because that's not what she writes.  But if you're looking for a sweet story where the characters have great chemistry and a little humor, then I definitely recommend The Best Man.