Tag Archives: Romance

Like a Red, Red Rose by Susan Wade

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for snow white, blood red book cover

Title: Like a Red, Red Rose
Author: Susan Wade
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: Only now the roses blushed, their petals a rich, true pink.

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Synopsis

Blanche and her mother live on the outskirts of the local village, but when Blanche begins to fall in love, everything quickly starts to unravel and secrets will be revealed.

Thoughts

There’s something about fairy tales that I love. Have honestly always loved. Probably because they were what I grew up on. But there is also this lyricality and sense of surrealism that I just don’t get from any other type of writing. Recently, I read a series of fairy tales from The Grimm Brothers, and Like a Red, Red Rose worked in exactly the same way for me. It had that sense of darkness (which I always love) and the surrealistic lyricism that I know and love.

Because there is a dark twist in this fairy tale, these don’t necessarily make the best of bedtime tales. For a normal person. I’m not normal, and I freaking love dark twists to in any and all stories that I sink my teeth into. When this is partnered with a story of roses, love and tragedy… be still my beating heart.

In the introduction to this, it says that Wade wanted to write a Rapunzel / Beauty and the Beast style story. One which had a heavy emphasis on the roses that feature prominently in both (or at least the earlier versions). What she got was something completely different. And far more grimm-ly in its telling and creation. Now I can’t wait to see what else is in store in this collection!

 <- Snow White, Blood Red ReviewThe Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Curse Me Wicked by Elle Jasper

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Curse Me Wicked
Author: Elle Jasper
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Romance,
Scottish romance, Werewolves
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Skin burning.

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Synopsis

She’s been set out to the moors of Scotland to deal with a client and a curse. What she finds will not only endanger her life, but change it completely.

Thoughts

I enjoyed the werewolf theme in this story. It was fairly typical but set amongst the gorgeous moors of Scotland. I also didn’t find it all that romantic, even though it was in a romantic collection of short stories. Lucien is a werewolf, finds his mate and just turns her. There is no courting, no anything. He just recognises the woman who is supposed to be his soulmate and decides to change her entire life.

The outset of this story was incredibly promising. Written in first person, with a background of the magical law enforcement. It’s exactly the kind of voice and story that I like. Then there was the fact that they were finding their mysterious client on the moors of Scotland, and the job had something to do with curses. Completely drew me in. But then they met the man, and things just rapidly got… average. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a good story. But with such a promising beginning, I was expecting a much more intense ending.

 <- Forever Knight ReviewAt Last Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the nutcracker barnes and noble book cover

Title: The Nutcracker
Author: Alexandre Dumas
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Classics, Romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Fall River Press
Year: 1844
5th sentence, 74th page: Take care, then, dearest mechanic, to have the young man who has never been shaved, and who wears boots, in readiness in ten minutes, together with the nut Crackatook.

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Synopsis

The nutcracker doll that mysterious Godfather Drosselmeyer gives to little Marie for Christmas is no ordinary toy. On Christmas Eve, at the clocks strike midnight, Marie watches as the Nutcracker and her entire cabinet of playthings come to life and boldly do battle against the malevolent Mouse King and his armies. But this is only the start: read on for a tale of enchantment and transformation, enter a world by turns fantastical and sinister, a kindom of dolls and spun-sugar palaces, and learn the true history of the brave little Nutcracker. Adapted from a dark fairy-tale by ETA Hoffmann, Alexandre Dumas’ romance of childhood imagination inspired Tchaikovsky’s world-famous ballet. Brilliantly adapted by translator Sarah Ardrizzone and illuminated by Kitty Arden, this is the perfect Christmas gift for readers of all ages.

Thoughts

I can’t believe it has taken me THIS DAMN LONG to realise that The Nutcracker is actually a novel. Or at least, that it wasn’t originally a ballet. Once I realised this though, it took me absolutely no time to rush to my nearest book store and buy an adorably illustrated version of this classic.

It took me a little while to get past the preface of the story. I just didn’t find it overly engaging, and was waiting for the moment that the nutcracker appeared in the story. But the second that it did? My goodness, I couldn’t put this down! I was only going to read a few pages, I ended up reading the entire novella in one sitting and then going to sleep super late at night… far later than I had intended since I did have to work the next day…

There is everything that I love from the ballet which I know far better. Yet there is more. There is a darkness in this telling that makes Mary and the Nutcracker’s triumph so much more beautiful. I had one of those amazing book hangovers when I put this down and am finding it stupidly difficult to find another book to compare…

 <- More Christmas reviewsMore classics reviews ->
Image source: Amazon

Forever Knight by Jackie Ivie

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Forever Knight
Author: Jackie Ivie
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Romance,
Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Very little made it through to men aware only of the thump of heartbeat in their ears.

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Synopsis

In a misguided attempt to save his brother, a rough Highlander takes a Lowlander woman as his ransom. As their story unfolds, he quickly realises that he has fallen into a cleverly laid trap. And one that he’s quite happy to be stuck in.

Thoughts

This story took a number of unexpected turns. The only part that really went as expected to be honest, was the fact that the lead male and female ended up together. After all, this is in a collection of romance stories (I wonder if I’ll ever read a romance that ends… not so romantic…??)

This is the fourth short story in the collection, The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance, and I’m already beginning to notice a bit of a trend… timid, gentlewomen (English or other), falling for a rough, tumble and brawny Highlander. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy this trope, but this is why I only read a few short stories in a month. Yet, there was something a little more sassy within the Lady of this story – she is literally put in a dungeon for her sharp and voracious tongue.

I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns throughout this. Primarily, whenever I thought that the story was going in one direction (they were about to have a night of passion for example), it takes a new turn that not only lengthens the story beautifully, but also enables it to surprise me. And even though they may not be earth-shattering surprises, they’re ones that made it impossible to put down… I actually walked into the wall while I was reading this tale…

 <- Wolfish in Sheep’s Clothing ReviewCurse Me Wicked Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

Gifts of the Magi by Jean Johnson

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for an enchanted season book cover

Title: Gift of the Magi
Author: Jean Johnson
In: An Enchanted Season (Nalini Singh, Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy & Jean Johnson)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: God forgives when it’s with good intentions.

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Synopsis

Rachel is trying to run an inn with her fiance and things haven’t quite been going as planned. Then, just before Christmas, three strangers arrive on the cusp of a blizzard and things start to get… miraculous.

Thoughts

It took me longer than it should have to realise that this novella featured the three wise men. Although, in this case, they’re not necessarily men. But, the story was still amazing, and that moment at the end of the story, when I finally clicked as to who they were made it all the more enjoyable. Not only as an ending to a fantastic novella, but also as an ending to a great Christmas collection.

Unlike most of the romance stories that I read, this one isn’t about those initial, fall madly in love, love at first sight moments. It’s a love story about a couple that have been together a long time, are about to get married, and sometimes struggle to find the passion in amongst the daily grind of life. It’s the point that I’m at. Those first moments of a relationship are beautiful, but it isn’t until that first courtship is over, that relationships find their staying power and pace. So it was incredible to read a novella which takes this and still inspires love, passion and makes you swoon a little.

I liked the Christmas theme in this story. And although I’ve never experienced my own white Christmas, it was fun imagining one near a wedding and being swept away by this.

 <- Beat of Temptation ReviewAn Enchanted Season Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Charlotte’s Web by Erin McCarthy

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for an enchanted season book cover

Title: Charlotte’s Web
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: Cuttersville #2.25
In: An Enchanted Season (Nalini Singh, Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy & Jean Johnson)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: But this is Ohio’s most haunted town according to those paranormal investigators.

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Synopsis

Charlotte has been in love with Will for almost ten years, and this Christmas, something in their relationship is going to seriously change. Hopefully for the better.

Thoughts

I keep trying to find other things to read after finishing this novella. But nothing seems to compare to the vibrant and gorgeous innocence that runs rampant throughout this. Actually, the moment that I finished this, I jumped online and bought the other stories in the series. But, since I don’t tend to like reading ebooks, I now have to wait another month or more (probably more being Christmas time) until they arrive…

I was expecting something incredibly sad with the title of this story. I am still scared from the tale of the pig and the spider to be honest. So it was a pleasant surprise to find that there was nothing sad about this story what so ever. Charlotte has been in love with Will for years, and he with her. And, somehow the combination of Christmas and yearning helps to unleash Charlotte’s inner power. Or, you know… supernatural talents.

The combination of Christmas, romance, and passionate sex made this story hard to put down. Not the overbearingly cheesey Christmas story, but one that inspires love, romance and accepting your family… even if they are a little odd.

 <- Heiress for Hire ReviewChristmas Bree Review ->
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Wolfish in Sheep’s Clothing by Marta Acosta

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Wolfish in Sheep’s Clothing
Author: Marta Acosta
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5:  5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Romance,
Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: She flicked on the light and saw a desktop with a large monitor, neat files, and a silver cup filled with pens.

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Synopsis

Kat is stranded in Scotland by herself when she comes across a dark and mysterious scottish gentleman. But will it be true love, or a calamity of mistakes?

Thoughts

This is a great modern Scottish romance. One that starts as a fling but seems to send the message that true love is possible in the most unexpected of places. Actually, I love the simple, modern story so much that I would almost give this a six out of five stars… it was just easy, sweet and actually imaginable as something that could happen in our daily existences.

I’m fascinated by ideas of The Sight, and it’s something that I do believe some people have. Both Kat and Calder are sent forth to find each other by women in their lives with The Sight, and it’s something that I know other women in my life have those “intuitive” moments.

This is one of those sweet and gorgeous stories that doesn’t really leave much to comment on. It’s just a nice, fun easy read to reward myself with in between studying.

 <- The Pagan Bride ReviewForever Knight Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

The Pagan Bride by Patricia Grasso

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: The Pagan Bride
Author: Patricia Grasso
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5:  5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Politics, Romance,
Scottish romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Avril could have throttled her brother.

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Synopsis

Avril is on her way to meet the man she married when she was five years-old. Luckily, for her, he might be the man of her dreams, not so luckily, there are deadly politics of play as she holds court with Mary, Queen of the Scots.

Thoughts

I was honestly annoyed at the beginning of this story. Avril was married to a man ten years her senior when she was five years-old. Now, as an adult she is returning to his estate and taking her place as a wife. And he’s quite rude from the very beginning – leaving her waiting, assuming that he gets his “husbandly rights”… he’s kind of a douche. But, he gets better, and even though I don’t actually like him at the end of the story, I do like their relationship.

It took me a little longer than I would have liked to realise that this story featured Queen Mary of the Scots (or something like that), the woman who was imprisoned and executed in England after being one of Henry’s infamous wives (I believe). Even this, I’m not 100% sure of. But I loved the way in which a touch of the “other” (in the form of the Sight), works its way seamlessly into the machinations of a political court that was completely real.

The marrying of real life political intrigue and events with a fantastical romance worked really well here. I loved being able to imagine that this actually did happen way back when… that Avril’s descendants are happy and healthy somewhere in the world.

 <- Highland Heart ReviewWolfish in Sheep’s Clothing Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for practical magic book cover

Title: Practical Magic
Author: Alice Hoffman
Series: Practical Magic #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect), 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Chic lit, Magic, Romance, Witches
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Scribner
Year: 1995
5th sentence, 74th page: The rings around the moon are now so bright Sally’s convinced everyone in the neighbourhood will be awake before long.

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Synopsis

As children, sisters Gillian and Sally were forever outsiders in their small New England town, teased, taunted and shunned for the sense of magic that seemed to hang in the air around them. All Gillian and Sally ever wanted was to get away.

Years later, tragedy brings the sisters back together. They’ll find that no matter what else may happen, they’ll always have each other.

An enchanting tale of love, forgiveness and family, Practical Magic is one of Alice Hoffman’s best loved novels and the basis of the classic movie.

Thoughts

I literally bought this because I saw the book in a bookstore a few days after I’d watched the movie (I was on a Sandra Bullock binge-watch). Prior to seeing it, I actually had no idea that Practical Magic was even based on a book. This seems to be happening a lot to me at the moment to be fair…

Although I loved this book, I need to start this review with the fact that the book is really nothing like the movie. I was expecting a feel-good, sisterly tale that focused on the strong bond between the two. And this story does do that. But it’s also focusing on the flawed way that we as humans, sisters and family interact with each other. As someone who has a sister, I can tell you, this novel felt far more realistic and non-sugar-coated than the movie. Both are amazing, but this had a completely different flavour and tone than what I was expecting.

Other than the obvious connection between the three generations of sisters and a great, contemporary look at family ties, I really loved this style of writing. As I previously mentioned, it was nothing like I expected. And it really wasn’t anything like what I’ve experienced before. There was something completely unique about the style of writing that drew me in. A sense of darkness and doom that managed to sit within the pages, but not overbear them. Probably mostly due to the excellent use of foreshadowing that Hoffman employs. In most stories you can kind of guess something is going to go wrong (that’s generally the catalyst for the storyline, and who wants to read a story where everything goes right?). Yet, the slight sense of foreshadowing and the wording used in this makes everything all the more sinister and intense. Something that I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed.

 <- Nightbird ReviewThe Probable Future Review ->
Image source: Simon & Schuster

Highland Heart by Heather McCollum

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Highland Heart
Author: Heather McCollum
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Romance,
Scottish romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Prisoners doona fair well in the dungeons.

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Synopsis

Rachel is a young Engliswoman travelling with her father through the Highlands of Scotland. What starts out as a typical journey for the secret-wielding young woman quickly turns into a fast paced tale of romance, passion and subterfuge.

Thoughts

This is the very first book in a new collection of stories that I’ve found on my shelf – The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance. And it is a fantastic way to start it off. I haven’t read much Scottish-themed anything, but this straight away threw me into the subgenre and made me hungry for more. Between the roughness of the highlanders, the cultural and social aspects entrenched in the story, and the glorious setting, Highland Heart is a great way to start and pull you straight into the novel.

Rachel is a great lead character – she rescues herself, bitches at the man she’s obviously attracted to for not really helping her and constantly shows her own strong backbone. I don’t really enjoy any tales that have wilting females as the leads – I just can’t relate, so even though the love story is very quick in this (what do you expect, it’s a short story), Rachel doesn’t wilt. She even manages to save herself in the end when she’s at risk of being killed. Really, her male counterpart is just there to give her a happily ever after and a love that she hasn’t experienced before…

 <- The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance ReviewThe Pagan Bride Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia