THE SURVIVOR'S CLUB SERIES BY MARY BALOGH

I have just finished reading books two and three of the Survivor's Club  series.  They are The Arrangement and The Escape.  I had read The Proposal when it first came out.  I like the premise that these victims of the Napoleonic Wars banded together to help each other on the road to recovery whether it be from blindness, crippling injuries or emotional pain.  Each story is very moving and the character development is excellent.  These books remind me somewhat of one of my favorite Balogh books, Simply Love

In The Arrangement, Vincent, Viscount Darleigh, is blind.  He lost he sight in his very first battle.   He is on a brief respite from his mothers and sisters who are trying to find a bride for him.  He wants to choose his own.  His journey back to the town of his boyhood brings surprises and a certain amount of joy at being home again.
Sophie is a little ragamuffin of a young woman who has been sent to live with relatives who basically ignore her and treat her worse than a servant but she comes into her own and finds the courage to do what she thinks is right.
The journey of Sophie and Vincent is a beautiful romance.  The plot is strong and moves at a good pace.  It definitely a must read for Mary Balogh fans and fans to be.  I have downloaded the audios and look forward to listening to them both.
In The Escape Sir Benedict, Ben to his friends,  has survived  crippling injuries which makes it very difficult to walk  He feels as though he has no place where he fits in even though he owns an estate which his younger brother, Calvin, manages.  He has a hard time asserting himself to take control of his life.  While visiting his sister he meets Samantha McKay, a recent widow, who is under the thumbs of her very conservative in-laws who are demanding a very strict mourning period.  When she is being sent to live at her father-in-laws she plans an escape in the middle of the night and Ben is her champion and protector.  This story really affected me.  I loved the two main characters and cheered them on!  I despised Matilda, the sister-in-law.  But I loved the setting in Wales and would love to go there to see what Samantha and Ben saw.  I give this book 5 stars!
Mary Balogh has long been a very favorite author of mine  ever since I read the Bedwyn Series and I look forward to the next book in this series, Only Enchanting, which will be released on October 28, 2014

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Mistletoe Bay by Marcia Evanick

As I reviewed all my old posts I realized that I have never reviewed books by Marcia Evanick and I love her books set in Misty Harbor, Maine.  I reread these books about once a year.  Maybe it is because I live in Maine that they hold so much appeal.
Her series begins with the story of Gwen Fletcher the first of three Fletcher sisters who all eventually end up in Misty Harbor.  Catch of the Day is Gwen's story.  Then Sidney becomes the town's doctor in Christmas on Conrad Street.  Jocelyn, who is an attorney and dissatisfied with her job, comes to Misty Harbor in the book Blueberry Hill to reevaluate her life and ends up staying.
The last book in the series is Mistletoe Bay and this one grabs at my heart.  Jenni Wright has bought an old rundown home just outside of Misty Harbor.  She is a young widow with three boys and her widowed mother-in-law and daughter also live with her.  Jenni bought the house because it had a well restored barn where she could begin her business The Mistletoe Bay Company.  She creates unique and natural lotions, soaps and other products.
The UPS delivery person is Cooper Armstrong.  Coop grew up in the area and has just returned to stay.  He makes the deliveries and pick up for the Mistletoe Bay Company and has learned to keep a close watch out for the boys as they are very active and one never knows when they might pop out.  In fact Tucker, the middle boy, gets into much mischief! The boys call him Mr. Brown!
I love the way Jenni and Coop met!  Jenni is trying to get the dog, Bojangles, out from under the porch as Coop is striding up for a delivery.  That scene has some very funny moments.  I really like the way that Coop took the family under his wing and started making some minor repairs to the house and came to really love Jenni and the boys.
Jenni and Coop are both strong characters and very likable.  The family is very close but as with any family there are issues and problems.  Evanick writes with a nice style and uses humor to help ,move the plot along.  These books of hers were the first contemporaries that I began reading.  While I am still a fan of historicals I have come to enjoy a few contemporaries and Marcia Evanick is the reason.
I love stories set in Maine along the coast.  Sometimes I think in another life I must have lived there or that it is my dream to live there.
I am sorry that Marcia Evanick does not seem to be writing any more and I am disappointed in that.  I highly recommend her series to anyone wanting a good read.

NIGHTINGALE WAY BY Emily March

OMG what a book!  Nightingale Way if the fifth book in the Eternity Springs series.  I got a signed copy in the mail as one of my Emily's Angels gifts.  I went to bed and thought I will just read a couple of pages to get a flavor of the book.  Well, five chapters later I reluctantly put it down and turned out the light.  The next day I finished it and I hated for it to end.  I have loved each book in the series but I think each book gets better than the last.
Jack Davenport has always been sort of a mystery man flying in and out of Eternity Springs in his helicopter.  He certainly helped save Gabe Callahan's life in the first book of the series, Angel's Rest.  However we never really got to know him as a person.  Now we find him to be a rescuer in the fullest sense of the word.  As the book begins he is abducting his ex-wife, Cat and flying her to his home, Eagles Way, in Eternity Springs to protect her from folks angry about some investigative journalism that she had published.
I really liked the way Emily March used flashbacks to let us see into Jack's and Cat's former lives.  It really explained how their relationship grew and then floundered. Could it be revived again?  Both Jack and Cat's characters are very likable although at time it seemed as though Jack's arrogance came through.
I love seeing the characters from the former books entwined in each others lives.  It promoted a desire in me for that sort of community that is so often missing in our society  and for which we all yearn and need.
The humor that surrounded the bachelorette party for Sarah had me laughing hysterically.  It just shows the range of emotions that March is able to draw out in her readers. Yes, I went from laughter to tears at some points in the story.
So who will be the focus of the next book?  Will it be Zack, the sheriff or some other character who has shown up in Eternity Springs.  I am rooting for Zack!!
If you haven't read any of the Eternity Springs series, please start with the first, Angel's Rest as each book really builds upon the previous ones.  They are all excellent and highly recommended.

THE PROPOSAL BY MARY BALOGH

Mary Balogh has long been a favorite author of mine.  Her latest book The Proposal does not disappoint.  It was fun to meet again some of the characters from her other books.  It was so good to know Lady Muir's (Gwen) story.

Her fateful meeting with Lord Trentham (Hugo) on a deserted beach at the Pendarris estate and the subsequent development of their relationship made for good reading.  Gwen always seemed so aloof and not quite alive and it was great to see her growth into a wonderfully alive and caring person.

Lord Trentham was a big, burly man who seemed at times so crude and rude but then so tender.  He was a very plain speaking man who had been through the horror of war and came back a titled hero who was wounded inside.  His care for his sister and stepmother was admirable.

I really liked the humor that was apparent from time to time especially as Hugo would say he hadn't decided if he was courting Gwen even as he actually was.
The secondary characters were well done and at times helped moved the story along but it was Gwen and Hugo that made this book!

Mary Balogh writes some of the best sex scenes.  She handles them with taste but does not leave out the feelings of passion and love  The way Hugo and Gwen traversed between two worlds was somewhat amazing although at times I was not sure whether they would be able to do that.
All in all a very satisfactory story that I highly recommend.  It is also available in audio from Audible.com

Beyond Seduction by Stephanie Laurens - Narrated by Steven Crossley

This sixth book in the Bastion Club series by Stephanie Laurens is a great book and I loved the series.  I have waited for along time for this book and Mastered By Love to come out in Audio.  What a disappointment to have Steven Crossley as the narrator.  He is terrible at women's voices and not much better at men's.  His children's voices are even worse than the women's.
Jill Tanner narrated the first books in the series and she did an excellent job.  Simon Preble has narrated the rest of Lauren's books and he is superb!
The narrator makes the audio book ands when Blackstone contracted with Crossley they made a big mistake!  Now I have the audio books I will listen to them but not with the enjoyment that I had anticipated.  It is a shame to take such a good book and give it to such a poor narrator.
Take note Blackstone and chose your narrators very carefully.

BRIDE BY MISTAKE by Anne Gracie

OMG, I just finished Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie.  I loved this book!  I have been waiting for Luke's story and it was worth the wait.
Luke Ripton married a young thirteen year old Isabella to save her during the war.  She is sent to live in a convent where her aunt is a nun.  When Luke applies for an annulment it is denied.  He begins his journey to Spain to collect his bride after 8 years.
Isabella has been dreaming of the day when he would come and has had very romantic dreams about how that would all work out.
Well it didn't work out the way either of them thought.  Luke thought he would find a very obedient, passive woman and was he ever surprised.  Isabella thought he would be so happy to finally see her and her disappointment and hurt was so obvious.
I loved seeing the way their relationship developed and how they came to trust and love each other.  These two characters were so well developed.  Luke from being withdrawn from all emotion and finally finding his heart and learning to trust and Isabella relatively open but hiding some secrets to becoming such a comforter and partner.
I didn't want this book to end as I was so drawn to Luke and Isabella, I wanted to know how their life developed after they reached England.  I am eagerly awaiting Gracie's next offering.

A PLACE CALLED HOME by Jo Goodman

As I have mentioned before I have been a big fan of historical romances but lately I have been drawn to contemporaries.  First, Emily March's Eternity Springs series and then I discovered Jo Goodman's A Place Called Home.


This story of Mitch Baker and Thea Wyndham becoming legal guardians of their friend's three children was not quite what I expected.  Gabe and Kathy have been killed in a car accident.  The children are living with Mitch.  No one has been able to get in touch with Thea for a month.  When she finally gets the notification of her responsibility to her friend's children her reaction is not positive.
I really liked Mitch's character from the beginning.  He remained pretty much the same person throughout the book.  He had a good sense of humor and a caring nature.  While Thea came across as a cold hearted snob.  But I really liked the way her character developed and once one knew of her childhood and upbringing it was easy to understand her.  The relationship that developed between Mitch and Thea was one of growing respect for each other and genuine caring.  The sexual tension between them gave me goose bumps.  You might call this a hot novel but it was nicely done.
The kids characters were well drawn and I loved Emilie, who was older in wisdom than in years.  Case and Grant, five year old twin brothers were great characters.
I absolutely loved the scene where Thea brought her mother and father to the twin's ball game and I chuckled as I pictured her dressed in her career suit with a baseball cap on her head, dragging her snobby mother and father through the crowd with foot long hot dogs and cokes.  It was surely not what they had expected as a dinner out.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary romances.  It is a winner!

Angel's Rest by Emily March

I am not a huge fan of contemporary romance but this book by Emily March grabbed my attention from the first page.  The book is the first in a trilogy called Eternity Springs which is set in the mountains of Colorado.  Eternity Springs is a peaceful place and it seems to change the lives of people who come there.
Gabe Callahan comes to an estate outside of Eternity Springs filled with grief and despair.  While hiking he comes upon a wounded dog and takes him into Eternity Springs to the local vet, Nicole Sullivan.  This dog becomes a big factor in the saving of Gabe Callahan.
Eternity Springs is a community in economic difficulty.  They are hoping to be awarded the site of a new prison which would improve the economic conditions of the community but might also ruin the peacefulness and healing power of the surrounding hot springs and of the entire area itself.
As Nicole and her friends, especially Celeste, begin to dream of a spa they draw Gabe into the project as he is a landscape architect.  The growing and sometimes turbulent relationship between Gabe and Nicole is interesting to watch.
The plot moves along at a good clip to keep the reader involved.  I fell in love with Gabe and my heart went out to him in his unresolved grief.  Nicole and the dog begin to touch his heart and he begins to live again.  I really liked all of the characters.  Nicole's circle of girl friends were just what every woman wants and needs.  They were so supportive of each other and had fun together.
This a a great romance and I can't wait for the next book.  March also writes as Geralyn Dawson so many folks would be familiar with her.  She says it is so nice to be a virgin again as these are her first boooks under that name.  I got a chuckle out of that comment.
The books in the series with their publication dates are:
Heartache Falls, May 2011
Eternity Springs #3
Mass Market Paperback
Hummingbird Lake, April 2011
Eternity Springs #2
Mass Market Paperback
Angel's Rest, February 2011
Eternity Springs #1
Mass Market Paperback
At least we won;t have to wait too long for the next two books.

Mary Balogh, My Author of the Month

 This month I am going to feature the books of Mary Balogh.  In this post I will focus on what I call her Slightly Series.  These were my introduction to Balogh's books and since them I have bought all of them and have the audios of a few of them.  I sure wish someone would do the audios for the Slightly series with Simon Prebble as the reader.
I have always loved Mary Balogh's books and always eagerly await her next book.  I have just finished rereading the entire Bedwyn series.  I read them all in order and I am sorry that I have reached the end of the series.  In fact I will have a hard time staying awake today as I read Slightly Dangerous until 1:30 this morning as I could not put it down and that is after having read it several times before.
Each book is the story of one the the six Bedwyns.  It would be hard to say which of the Bedwyns is my favorite but I have to say that I think it is Wulfric, the Duke of Bewcastle.  His influence is woven through all of the books and while he is a tyrant and at first seems to have no emotion but  in each book he plays a major role in securing the happiness of his brothers and sisters.
Each one of the Bedwyns is unique.  Aiden in Slightly Married seems stiff and unbending but honorable and intent on doing the right thing.  Rannaulf in Slightly Wicked, is a devil may care man who has not found his way in life until he finds his love of the land and the love of his life in Judith.  Initially I did not like Freja Bedwyn in Slightly Scandalous.  She was very high in the instep and could be quite rude.  As we learned her story you could understand her anger and the need to protect herself.  But I found myself laughing out loud at some of her antics and then almost crying when I learned the reason that she so protected her heart.
Morgan, the youngest of the Bedwyns, showed that she had real stamina and caring while she waited for her brother to return from a diplomatic mission during the Battle of Waterloo in Slightly Tempted.  Her romance with Gervase, the Earl of Rosthorn had it ups and downs but was fun to read about and see how bitterness and anger can be overcome with the telling of the truth.  Then there is Allyene, in Slightly Sinful, who seemed to have no purpose in life and took a position with the diplomatic corps as a last resort.  When he is wounded while on a mission and loses his memory and is rescued by Rachel he finds himself with a group of very different individuals than he would usually associate he begins to find out who he really is and finds love in the bargain.
Then we come to Wulfric, The Duke of Bewcastle in  Slightly Dangerous.  After reading the previous books I had no hope that he would be able to unbend enough to find love for himself.  His story is  wonderful!  How can he be two men, Wulfric and the Duke of Bewcastle?  It takes a lovely, animated and joyful widow, Christine, to show him how.  This book brings the series to a great conclusion and leaves the reader wanting more.
This has to be one of the best series written.  The characters as so well developed that the reader feels as though they know each one of the characters intimately.  The books are filled with humor, passion, some intrigue and a true caring of members of a family for each other.
I am so lucky to have a complete autographed set that I won in an auction on ebay.  I treasure these books and will surely reread them many times over.  I highly recommend them to anyone who has not read these and I give them all 5 stars.

The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne

Oh No!  I did not want this book to end!  Every once in a while a book comes along that just grabs you.  The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne is one of those books. This is a book that I wanted to hurry through but at the same time wanted to savor every page.  Bourne's writing is beautiful.  She has a wonderful way of putting words together so that they flow naturally making the reader want to read every word and not skip over anything.  Her research is excellent and her plot very well developed.  I loved her characters.  They are strong and  honorable while doing the sometimes dirty work of spies.
The book is set in France during the French revolution and is the story of Marguerite de Fleurignac, also known as Finch, and William Doyle known as Guillaume LeBreton .  Finch is the leader of La Fleche which is a group dedicated to helping those opposed to the French government of Robespierre escape France.  Doyle is an English Spy sent on an important mission for the British.  Maggie and Doyle's developing romance is nicely done with sensuality and tenderness.
The plot moves smoothly and quickly and the sense of intrigue and suspense builds throughout the story.  I was on edge at several points hoping all would work out.
While Maggie and Doyle are the major characters I loved Hawker!  He appeared in Bourne's other novels and it was good to see how he became a major player in the British spy network.  The other secondary characters were all well developed and portrayed.
The ending of this book is touching and quite moving.  There is nothing not to like in this book.  I would give it 5 stars and make it one of my keepers.  I highly recommend her other books The Spymaster's Lady and My Lord and Spymaster.  I have reread these several times while waiting for The Forbidden Rose.
I will anxiously await Joanna's next book!  When, When?

Valentine's Day is Coming

Yes, the big romance day of the year is this Sunday.  While I love to read romance novels I also love to watch romantic movies.  I have my favorites.  What are yours?

My all time favorite is You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.  I loved the email messages that passed between them perhaps because I am addicted to email also.  I felt so sorry for Kathleen Kelly, played by Meg Ryan, when she had to close her book shop because of the big super bookstore Fox Books.  It reminds me of what Borders and Barnes and Noble have done to so many independent book stores.  Anyway the blooming of their relationship with the finale in the beautiful garden in Central Park brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it and I watch it several times a year!

Next is Sleepless in Seattle with, of course, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks!  What a good pair.  Sam's son Jonah plays a huge part in getting Sam and Annie together on Valentine's Day at the top of the Empire State Building.  Jonah's calls to a national radio show are quite funny and poignant as he tries to break up a relationship between his father and a woman he can't stand.  The ending is beautiful!

My third favorite is Sarah Plain and Tall.  I love stories set in the West as it developed.  This one takes place on the prairie where a widowed farmer sends for a mail order bride.  Sarah lives in Maine but realizes in order to have any life of her own she needs to break away from family and while,it is a hard decision she answers the advertisement.  Thus begins her journey to go and try to make a life with Jacob and his two young children on the prairie.  This is a beautiful story with great characters.  The children are precious and Glenn Close as Sarah is wonderful.  In fact I think I will go watch it now!

To Catch a Bride by Anne Gracie

I have been in a reading slump so haven't posted in a while.  It took Anne Gracie's book To Catch a Bride to pull me out of the slump!  I like Ann Gracie and I think she develops really good characters and plots.  I don't normally like books that take me to distant lands but Rafe's journey to Egypt to find the lost granddaughter of Lady Cleeve really grabbed me.  It showed the seamy side of life for those who are disadvantaged in this Egyptian city.  I cheered every time Ayisha outwitted those looking for her including Rafe.
Rafe's search for Alicia Cleeves takes him to the back streets of Cairo where he finds the girl he thinks he is looking for but as she puts it, "Here there is only Ayisha."
Ayisha is a wonderful heroine who has learned how to survive in some of the worst conditions.  Her concern for her companions in Cairo is admirable. Ayisha's tender care of Rafe when he is ill on board ship shows the power of her love for him. Rafe is resourceful and when he finally gets Ayisha to agree to return to England he does it by making sure that her so-called Cairo family will be secure by finding them a protector.
Their arrival in England takes many twists and turns before ending beautifully and satisfactorily.
This story is well paced and the plot moves along well.  Both Rafe and Ayisha are great characters and while there are some secondary characters the story focuses on them.  This is a book I would reread and it has been added to my permanent collection.  I give this one an A-.

Mastered By Love by Stephanie Laurens

The loyal fans and readers of Stephanie Laurens have been awaiting the final book in the Bastion Club Series. It is finally here! Mastered By Love is the book in which we learn the true identity of Dalziel, the commander of the agents who worked for him during the war with Napolean. All along Laurens has hinted at Dalziel’s connection to the Ton and there were people like Therese Osbaldestone who recognized him but never gave his secret away. So we find his real identity as Royce Varisey.
He leaves Whitehall to take up his newly acquired position as the tenth Duke of Wolverstone. He has never found the last traitor that he believes is embedded deep in the government. He returns to his home and finds Minerva Chesterton serving as his chatelaine. Minerva grew up at Wolverstone as the ward of Royce’s parents.
Sometime when we wait for a book it never seems to live up to our expectations but this one does. I read it in a day and a half and didn’t want it to end. I liked all of the Bastion Club characters, both the men and their wives. The unveiling of Dalziel was a fitting end to the series. All of the men from the Bastion Club and their wives appeared in this book and it was fun to see them as supporting characters.
The romance between Royce and Minerva develops slowly. The Varisey’s have never been ones to open their hearts and embrace love but as Royce has watched his friends have the kind of marriages that include love and a special sharing, he realizes that he wants the same thing for himself. Can he convince himself and Minerva that this is possible?
The setting in the old keep is perfect for ferreting out that final spy and what a surprise to find out who it was. Wolverstone is set right on the border between England and Scotland and that is one of my favorite settings. Royce’s father left quite a few illegitimate children along the way. His half brother Hamish lives just over the border into Scotland and they have a very close relationship and Hamish and his wife Molly were great supporting characters.

This book is highly recommended and I gave it 5 stars!

I always hate to see the end of a series like this as the characters have become like friends but I shall look forward to Lauren’s next book which come out on October 27, 2009. It is The Untamed Bride and is the first in the Black Cobra Quartet.

Don't Tempt Me! by Loretta Chase

Loretta Chase’s new book Don’t Tempt Me got rave reviews receiving an A- and a DIK designation from All About Romance and 4 ½ stars and a top pick from Romantic Times. It was also recommend in Library Journal. So with all of those recommendations I went and bought it. I would have anyway as Chase is an autobuy for me but all of these recommendations made a trip to Borders imperative.
When I first started reading the book I thought what in the world are all these reviewers raving about. But not long in to the book I realized what a great story this book contains. It has great characters, a good sense of place, a very different scenario and a little bit of mystery.
Zoe Octavia Lexham was the 8th child of Lord and Lady Lexham. From the beginning she was a rule breaker and was often called “The Bolter.” Lucien de Grey, the Duke of Marchmont was always able to find her. Until one day 12 years before this story takes place she disappears while on a family trip to Greece. Now she has turned up on her father’s doorstep and none will accept her as it turns out that she has been the second wife of a favorite son in a harem so according to Ton standards she is in disgrace. Lucien takes matters into his own hands and makes sure that she is once again accepted into society.
Lucien and Zoe’s developing relationship is at times funny and very poignant. Chase uses humor to good advantage in this book and I ended up loving both hero and heroine and cheering them on. Zoe’s family, other than her father, were not nice people, always thinking of themselves and never giving Zoe the support and acceptance she needed.
I have liked all of Chase’s books and even though at the beginning I was disappointed I ended up really liking Don’t Tempt Me. I highly recommend it. I gave it 4 ½ stars!

What Happens In London by Julia Quinn

I just finished reading What Happens in London and I loved it! As usual Quinn manages to create great characters and using her sense of humor comes up with another fabulous book. In addition to using her sense of humor she manages to create some real tension and intrigue in this book. It kept me on edge right up to the end! I have to say that some of the scenes between Harry and Olivia were very funny.
I remember Olivia Bevelstoke from Quinn's earlier book The Secret Diaries of Miranda Cheever. Olivia and Miranda were best of friends and Miranda married Olivia's older brother. Olivia comes into her own in this book and she is certainly different from the usual tonish debutante. She is bright and has a great sense of humor and is comfortable with who she is.
At first I thought Harry Valentine was a little weird! But I really liked how he accepted Olivia for who she is and didn't expect her to change, even though they got off to a rough start. Harry was different and very bright. His childhood left alot to be desired but because of his grandmother's influence and his friendship with his cousin Sebastian he was able to overcome that and become a whole person. He ended up being my favorite character.
I loved their method of communication and I thought the proposal scene was very funny and tender and quite romantic.
The secondary characters such as Sebastian Grey and Prince Alexi were well developed and they played an important part in moving the plot along. I can't wait to read Sebastian's story which will come out next year. I am wondering if Harry's brother Edmund will eventually get his own book.
This book got a DIK (Desert Island Keeper) rating from All About Romance and 4 stars from Romantic Times

More on Romance and Libraries

I found it very interesting to come across a recent interview with Jennifer Lohmann. She is a librarian in North Carolina and was interviewed by SB Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books website. This site reviews books from the romance genre and also writes articles relating to the genre.

Anyway, I was interested to see that Jennifer used the same expression that I did in revealing her love of the romance genre. In this interview she talks about coming out of the closet as I did about 7 years ago. I hope people will go to the site and read what she has to say about libraries and romance. I would love to see her come to Maine and make a presentation to a group of librarians. Here is the site address for the interview.
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/librarians-and-romance-an-interview-with-jennifer-lohmann/

Also the Smart Bitches have written a book "Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels." A description of the book from the site of the Smart Bitches follows.
"A guide to the most popular and maligned fiction genre, this hilariously sarcastic but always affectionate study of romance novels is perfect for hardcore fans and dabblers alike.
Smart and irreverent, the women who founded the popular blog “Smart Bitches, Trashy Books” both mock and pay homage to this highly successful genre. Sure, the authors visit the wild love scenes where the hero/heroine Must Have Sex NOW, but they also speak with famous romance authors and explore how the billion-dollar genre has influenced gender and sexual roles in our society.
From insider advice on writing romance novels to discovering your inner Viking warrior, Beyond Heaving Bosoms shows that while some romance novels can be silly, maybe even tawdry, they’re also intelligent, savvy, feminist, and fabulous — just like the Smart Bitches."
While this book has received mixed reviews from readers and reviewers alike it should probably be on a professional shelf in every library. We need to do everything we can to change the perception of this genre and its readers!

The Romance Reader and Bookstores and Libraries

I have been thinking a great deal about my favorite genre, Romance. I especially like historical romances set in England and Scotland. I like almost all time periods but I have a distinct fondness for the Medieval era. I have a number of friends who also read romances and they yearn for a library that will buy these books or for a small bookstore that will carry them. Yes Borders and Barnes and Noble and of course Amazon.com carry them but sometimes you have to travel a distance to get to one of those stores or wait forever for an order to come from Amazon. You can also find them at Wal-Mart, or in grocery stores but I have looked over what they carry and they do not carry very many authors and often not the best authors.
Over 50% of all mass market paperback sales are in the romance genre. This popular genre is often overlooked by small independent bookstores and libraries. One reason is because this genre is thought to be trashy and not well written. I can vouch for the quality of the writing and the complexity of the stories.
When I was director of a medium sized public library I wrote a newsletter article about my romance reading. I started the article with “Yes, I am coming out of the closet! I am a secret romance reader.” This article talked about the quality of the writing, the character development, the plots, and the settings. I found this article gave people the freedom to ask about these books and to ask me to order books by certain authors. I had been watching circulation and noticed that our small collection of romance novels circulated frequently. So, I started adding to the collection in that genre and buying romance in large print and those books were all going out. Our circulation really increased and the books were in high demand via interlibrary loan. The addition of these books to the collection is very economical as opposed to paying $24.95 for a book that might circulate 10 times as to paying $6.99 for a book that might circulate at least that many times and maybe double that.
Now don’t get me wrong! I believe in a balanced library collection that supports the interests and needs of all readers and I certainly spent thousands of dollars on a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles. However, we make a mistake in not thinking of those who like this genre and support them by buying books that they like.
On the website Librarything.com there are over 1,000 members in the group Romance – From Historical to Contemporary. This is a very active group with good discussion about a large variety of books and authors. I have found the discussions to be informative and they cover all aspects of the plots, the writing style of different authors, characters and settings.
As Diane Pershing, President of the Romance Writers of America says: “the recession-proof romance is a no-brainer. Romance novels offer rich, complex stories about good people overcoming obstacles to achieve intimacy and an eventual joining of their lives," she said. "Along the way, they have great sex," she said. "What's not to like?" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052804081_2.html
“The fact that there is such an abundance of these mass market paperback romances should tell us something. In fact, each year, over fifty percent of all paperback sales in the United States are romance novels. People are buying and reading them in large numbers.” http://theauctionrebel.com/731/the-auction-rebel-guide-to-romance-mass-market-paperbacks/
Well I hope I have made my point. That is there is an underserved population of readers out there who need libraries and small bookstores to begin to put aside prejudices about the books and the readers and begin to serve this population.

Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jefferies

If you haven’t read this book, you may not want to read the review as it does contain a few spoilers.
Mrs. Harris, headmistress of The School For Heiresses, tells her pupils to “wed him before you bed him. “ Does she follow her own advice? The answer is found in Wed Him Before You Bed Him which is the last book in Sabrina Jeffries’ School for Heiresses series and it does not disappoint. It certainly deserves the 4 ½ stars awarded by Romantic Times.
As I have read this series and wondered who Cousin Michael really is, I was not totally surprised to find out that it is Lord Kirkwood. I was so glad that it was not Charles Godwin! What we didn’t know was the history between Charlotte and David. Once I found out so early in the book the real identity of Cousin Michael I had this feeling that I wanted to be able to tell Charlotte and of course could not. There were so many times that I wanted to shake either Charlotte or David and say tell the truth now or don’t you see what is really going on. I really felt a connection to these two characters.
I loved both Charlotte and Michael and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and change. While there were important secondary characters the story really focused on Charlotte and David. Would Charlotte be able to accept David's offer of help and would David understand Charlotte's need to exert some control over her life? How would Sarah react when she finally found out the identity of Cousin Michael?

While we already knew, from the last book, that Sarah, Lord Kirkwood’s wife and a former student of Charlotte’s had killed herself, I was really surprised to have her death come back to haunt them.
I thought the mystery surrounding Sarah’s death was well done with a surprising conclusion. It was that event that really brought Charlotte and David closer and showed what a strong individual Charlotte really was. She was able to overcome a very strong fear in order to save someone she loved.
This was a wonderful end to a great series. I am looking forward to Jeffries next offering. What will it be and when?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The title, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows, caught my attention right off. However, it took me quite a while to read it and I actually listened to it on audio CD. My library gave it to me before it was catalogued and it lay hidden on my desk until this week when I uncovered a pile of stuff! So feeling very guilty I put it into my car CD player and it has kept my attention ever since. I must hurry and get it back!!
The setting of the book is at the end of World War II and is a collection of letters between author Juliet Ashton and a variety of people in her life but most especially the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

While this is not typically the type of romance novel that I usually review and read this is a romance of a very different type. It is a love story that spans the generations and involves so many different people who love and support one another through very tough times. I admire the courage and bravery of these people.

If I ever knew I have long forgotten that England’s Channel Islands were occupied by the Germans from 1940-1945. The people who lived on the islands found life very changed under German Occupation. Food was very scarce. The Germans appropriated many of the animals and kept a strict inventory of those on the farms.
It was out of a secret pig roast that the Society was formed. It did however keep this group of islanders together and supportive of one another. One of the members of the society finds Juliet’s name one the flyleaf of a book and writes to her and thus begins this wonderful correspondence from both male and female members of the society to Juliet and from Juliet to them. As Juliet receives letter after letter and corresponds with the islanders she develops a strong desire to go to Guernsey and visit these friends and hopes to write a book about them.
I fell in love with these people and their stories and I felt as if I knew them as well as Juliet did. I am not usually a fan of books that are a collection of letters but the stories were so interesting and filled with humor, sadness, betrayal and love that I wanted to keep on driving so I could finish the book.
The audio is very well done and narrated by five different people so the listener gets used to certain voices for certain people and I found that fun and very good listening.
I could go on and on but I don’t want to give the story away but I highly recommend it. I gave the print copy to a friend and we are going to use it as a discussion topic. It was also Border’s Book of the Month Club in May.