Tag Archives: Romance

The Christmas Curse by Ruby Moone

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Christmas CurseTitle: The Christmas Curse
Author: Ruby Moone
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, LGBTQI, Romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Kindle
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: In his line of work, a man had to take care, very great care.

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Synopsis

It’s almost Christmas 1806, and government agent Jared Templeton finds himself adopted by a beautiful stray dog as he walks his customary route each night to his Mayfair home. Having never owned a dog before, Jared is surprised to find himself talking to the beast. It’s wonderfully easy and lifts some of the heavy burdens he carries.

Eventually Jared confides in the dog, not only secrets about his work as an agent, but also the biggest secret about himself. About his innermost desires and needs, safe in the knowledge his companion will never betray him.

But at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, Jared discovers things are not quite what they seem …

Thoughts

I got this little novella to complete a reading challenge – an author with the name of a jewel. I had no idea what it was like. What it was about. Really any idea about anything. I got it because it was one of the few that I could actually find in Australia. And I didn’t regret it in the least. It is the first truly LGBTQ (I think that’s the right acronym) story that I have read. And I loved it.

This is based at Christmas time, which I normally find beautiful and mystical. But I really didn’t take that away from this tale. I took away the LGBTQ storyline. And it was this sweet little romance that I enjoyed. I found the writing a little lacking in moments, but the ability of the author to write such a great plot.

This wasn’t one of those earthshattering tales that I am desperate to pick up again. Not even one that has made me desperate to find out more about the author. But it was a tale that was sweet, and interesting. And just an easy way to spend half an hour. Simple is the best word to describe this. And I mean that in the absolute best sense.

 <- More Christmas reviews More LGBTQI reviews ->
Image source: Smashwords

The Trials of Bryan Murphy by Cat Adams

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: The Trials of Bryan Murphy

Author: Cat Adams

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Fae, Romance

Pace: Fast

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: Her captor followed her abrupt gaze.

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Synopsis

When Bryan’s wife is kidnapped by the fae, he is forced to face three trials to get her back.

Thoughts

If there’s a decent story about the fae, then you can almost guarantee that I’m going to love it. And, this was a very good story about the fae. And romance. And sacrificing everything in the name of love.

Bryan and Bridget have that love that most people desire. The understanding and acceptance of one another at the deepest level. And this ability to completely trust and want to be with one another in spite of all. And it is this drive that helps them to overcome Bryan’s three trials to get back his love. And to face up to the King and Queen of the fae and all of the tricks that they throw in their way.

 <- Oracle Review Nia and the Beast of Killarney Wood Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Oracle by Margo Maguire

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: Oracle

Author: Margo Maguire

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Romance

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: It was more vivid than any I’ve ever had.

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Synopsis

A future oracle of her people travels to save the world. But she finds herself and her future instead.

Thoughts

I don’t get the obsession with virgins. The idea that a virgin woman (it’s always a woman) has some kind of mythical powers or prowess. It’s not something that’s ever made sense to me, and when I started reading this short story, part of me was going oh god, here we go again. And it was kind of like that… she has to be a virgin to become an oracle. She finds a temptation. But it wasn’t anywhere near as horrifying as I was expecting.

The immediate attachment between the two main characters was fun and potent. Although a little too predictable. The battle that they have to fight, and the storyline, were really well written and developed. Although I didn’t have much of an interest in the romance aspect of this tale (which is kind of new for me), I did like the rest of the story.

 <- The Ballad of Rosamunde Review The Trials of Bryan Murphy Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Ballad of Rosamunde by Claire Delacroix

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: The Ballad of Rosamunde

Author: Claire Delacroix

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Fae, Romance

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: Rosamunde felt her heart skip and feared her maidens would hear its tumult.

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Synopsis

Padraig thinks that the love of his life has been taken away from him forever. But, then he finds out that she amongst the fae and that there might be a way to save her after all.

Thoughts

I loved this short story. It took the beauty of an old Irish ballad, and partnered it with a battle against the fae, true love and pirates. Really, you can’t go wrong with such a mix.

I really liked how if you read the ballad that is throughout this, it would form its own beautiful story that you could completely lose yourself in. But, Delacroix takes the stanzas and fleshes them out. She layers emotion onto emotion and takes you on a wild journey that you just can’t escape.

There are almost three storylines interwoven throughout this tale. There is the ballad. There is Padraig’s battle to save Rosamunde. And there is the tale of how Rosamunde found herself in such a dire predicament. Each story is amazingly sweet and heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

 <- The Blue Pebble Review Oracle Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Hot August Moon by Katherine Sutcliffe

Book Review, , ,

Overview

lover-bewareTitle: Hot August Moon
Author: Katherine Sutcliffe
In: Lover Beware (Christine Feehan, Katherine Sutcliffe, Fiona Brand & Eileen Wilks)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Romance
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Books
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: “Is there a problem?” She pocketed the shield.

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Synopsis

Among women of the night… An FBI profiler can see into the mind of a French Quarter killer targeting prostitutes – but not into the heart of the detective she must trust with her life…

Thoughts

I have very mixed feelings about this novella. It was incredibly difficult to put down. It was really enthralling. But, after I finished reading it… it wasn’t overly memorable. The really amazing stories that have completely gripped me, I remember them, days, weeks after I have closed the last page. But here I am, trying to write a review about Hot August Moon, and the main thing that I remember was that it was enjoyable.

I enjoy stories that have multiple points of view. It’s not something that I find easy to write (which expands on my fascination with this talent. It also provides a great alternate insight into what is happening, regardless of the other point of view. The fact that Hot August Moon has the point of view of the serial killer. Watching the main character, planning what he could do with her… well, it manages to make this a little bit creepier and more full on.

One of the reasons I find this story a little more difficult to recall is that it felt unfinished. The story built up tension, and then just kind of… finished. No conclusion was reached. There was a huge, gapping hole left in the relationship… it just felt… incomplete.

 <- Magic in the Wind Review After Midnight Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

The Blue Pebble by Shirley Kennedy

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: The Blue Pebble

Author: Shirley Kennedy

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Magic, Romance

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: He gazed around the tiny room and frowned.

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Synopsis

A young, Irish woman granted with a gift moves to England and finds deceit, passion and a whole new life.

Thoughts

This was such a sweet short story. I knew from the very beginning who would end up with who, but there was a moment that still made me doubt it. Which of course made me read through the tale even quicker than I was before.

My family is English, and Irish, and Welsh… and every time I read a story that uses any of these three countries and groups, I feel myself getting swept away. I have never been, and I may never get the chance, but there is something about these settings that seems to speak to me. Or maybe it’s just my obsession with where my family originally came from. Regardless, the setting for The Blue Pebble completely swept me away. It was picturesque, sweet and everything that I wanted in a before-bedtime story.

I enjoyed how this story highlighted the injustices and cruelty of class systems and the judgements that people make. Poor Evleen was forced to contend with this, alongside her growing emotions and insecurities. This is such a sweet tale and one that I will probably pick up every time I feel low and alone.

 <- The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance Review The Ballad of Rosamunde Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Lover Beware by Christine Feehan, Katherine Sutcliffe, Fiona Brand & Eileen Wilks

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

lover-bewareTitle: Lover Beware
Author: Christine Feehan, Katherine Sutcliffe, Fiona Brand & Eileen Wilks
In: Lover Beware (Christine Feehan, Katherine Sutcliffe, Fiona Brand & Eileen Wilks)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romance, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley Books
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: He was thick and hard and throbbing with his own need.

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Synopsis

BE WARNED – four of today’s most popular authors push passion and intrigue to the limit in four thrilling original stories…

In a sleepy coastal town… Early retirement turns deadly for a defense expert – until a beautiful woman steps between him and his assassins…

Among women of the night… An FBI profiler can see into the mind of a French Quarter killer targeting prostitutes – but not into the heart of the detective she must trust with her life…

Between two strangers… Sometimes one glance is all it takes. And sometimes all it takes is one man to tear apart what fate – and desire – have brought together…

Under the light of the moon… Investigating a series of grisly murders, a San Diego detective is caught off guard by the enigmatic man helping her find the killer…

Thoughts

I bought this collection because I thought that it was a prequel to Tempting Danger. It turns out that the Eileen Wilks tale in this collection was just an original version of the much better novel. Although that tale kind of fell flat for me (as I said, the novel was much better), I loved the collection. It introduced me to three new writers I had never before experienced and took me away to a number of entirely new worlds filled with romance and love.

The paranormal spin on the romances in this collection is a little less potent than what I’m used to. Most of the paranormal romance tales that I read have a heavy emphasis on the paranormal, and the romance (and often lust) occurs as a secondary plot line. With Lover Beware, the romance was first and foremost. It was fun and interesting. It made me believe in true love again and also gave me a great, romantic lustful story, or four to think about.

 <- Only Human Review Magic in the Wind Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

After Midnight by Fiona Brand

Book Review, , ,

Overview

lover-bewareTitle: After Midnight
Author: Fiona Brand
In: Lover Beware (Christine Feehan)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Books
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: The rusted hinges of his white picket gate creaked as Tucker pushed it wide.

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Synopsis

Between two strangers… Sometimes one glance is all it takes. And sometimes all it takes is one man to tear apart what fate – and desire – have brought together…

Thoughts

Sometimes it’s nice to curl up with a good, cliché romance. If it reads a little like a Mills and Boon novel, then it’s also nice. If you don’t have a tiny beagle trying to lick your face in all the good bits like I did… talk about awkward.

They say that opposites attract. And also that sometimes lone glance is all that it takes. For Jane and Michael, both of these clichés ring true. For seven years, they have fought their attraction, and when they might finally be able to act on their feelings… well, crime and mayhem rears it’s ugly head and threatens to destroy everything.

So much of this story was the lust and the windup to the big moment. The crime that weaves its way throughout this sleepy New Zealand town just helps to up the stakes. The storm scene that brings the climax of the tale (in more ways than one) crashes through and highlights not only the stakes, but the passion and excitement that this story brings. My only complaint about this is that it was a little too short, and I would dearly love to visit Jane and Michael again.

 <- Hot August Moon Review Only Human Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Bridge of Snow by Marie Rutkoski

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

Bridge of SnowTitle: Bridge of Snow
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner’s Trilogy #0.5
In: Kisses & Curses (Lauren Burniae)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: His shoulders were rigid, his face tight.

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Synopsis

Ignore the stirrings of war. Let the carriage to a royal ball wait. There is a story to be told: of a starless night, a mother and her sick son, and a mortal who falls in love with the snow god, and will do anything to have her…

Thoughts

I really like stories that are retellings of traditional tales. Those tales that tell you how the milkyway was formed, how the emu got its name (one of the versions is really quite funny if you have a chance to look it up)… those kinds of tales. And apparently, according to this short story’s introduction, so does Rutkoski. Which was an incredibly fun and pleasant surprise for me. And now I get to start a new, exciting series that I have never heard of before! (Yes, there is a very good chance that I have a book shopping problem…)

The setting of Bridge of Snow is incredibly sweet. It’s the typical scene of a mother telling her child a bedtime story, and gives the entire tale (and the hint of its tragic end) a very loving and surreal feeling. Kind of like when there’s a power cut and you used to curl up by the fire with your family, just enjoying the flickering of the flames and the peace of being in a place that you know you are loved. The contrast provided by the tale that is told not only has slightly lingering overtones of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson, but a flavour entirely of its own.

Just reading this short story throws you into an incredible world where a mother’s love for her son is highlighted and the tragedy of his future is glimpsed at. I definitely can’t wait to begin reading The Winner’s Curse.

 <- Glitches Review Dynamite Junior Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

North Child by Edith Pattou

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

North ChildTitle: North Child
Author: Edith Pattou
Series: East #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Usborne
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: Nils Erland set out for Danemark, where he hoped to make his way, and Selme Eva married an ironworker and moved with him to a village in Njord far distant from us.

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Synopsis

Superstition says that children born facing north will travel far from home, and Rose’s mother is terrified that Rose, a north child, will face a lonely, icy death if she follows her destiny. But Rose is unaware of this, so when an enormous white bear appears and wants to take her away she agrees to his bargain.

Rose travels on the bear’s back to a mysterious castle where a silent stranger appears to her night after night. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Rose does something that has terrible consequences. Now she must embark on an epic journey to save the one she loves and fulfil her true destiny.

As familiar and moving as Beauty and the Beast, yet infused with freshness and originality, North Child is at once lyrical, exciting and memorable, a sweeping story of grand proportions.

Thoughts

I loved this book the first time I read it. And then, I was so mixed in my emotions this second time. But, once I get sucked into Pattou’s amazing world, I was hooked. Again. And completely drowned myself in the words that she continuously spread across the page.

Although when I first read this story, I thought it was based on Beauty and the Beast, but I have since discovered that this story is based on a Norwegian folk tale. And somehow this just makes it so much better. The intricacies of the tale and storyline and the stark difference to a fairy tale that I know well make a lot more sense when understood through a Norwegian lens. Or at least, it is a lot more enthralling and leads me to a greater fascination for a culture I’ve had little exposure to.

I often get kind of frustrated with stories that flick between points of view. Normally I get really attached to just one of the characters and then all I want is to know more about his / her point of view. Somehow it works for this tale though. Flicking between Neddy, Rose, Father, White Bear and the Troll Queen shows the many finely woven aspects of this tale. And although you are sometimes swept away from a character that you love, you’re quickly swept into an entirely new tale that wraps you up in its spell.

Anyone that wants a sweet romance with a strong female, this is the story you should pick up. It brings to life a number of gorgeous, glacial settings that Rose must battle through to save what she loves most. But the overtones of folklore make this even sweeter and somehow more innocent.

 <- More Edith Pattou’s reviews West Review ->
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