5 Books in 4 Days
Thanks to 20 hours in the car over the weekend (no, I don't get car sick), plus a lazy weekend visiting family, I got a ton of reading done. Yep. 5 books in 4 days. And every one of them was a good read. A couple were even better than good. Here they are in the order I read them:
Never Resist Temptation by Miranda Neville. I'll be honest. I hadn't planned on reading this. Frankly, I find many Avon Historicals to be too modern in tone. But I saw some good commentary about this out in blogland and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. This was really a very entertaining read and if you like to bake, the recipies and descriptions of the heroine's work as a pastry chef would interest you. Snappy dialogue moved the story along and I was really engrossed in the story.
An Affair of Interest by Barbara Metzger. This is one of the author's old traditionals that is now available as an ebook. Since Metzger is one of my favorite Regency authors, her ebook reissues are an autobuy for me. As usual, this was a fun romp with an impoverished heroine who is determined to help her beautiful sister have a London season so she can snag a wealthy husband who will save the family from their poverty. As one scheme after another nearly lands Sydney in trouble, the hero, Viscount Mainwaring, is there to rescue her.
Scandal by Amanda Quick. This book is nearly 20 years old, but is still available new as a reissue. I found it at my library. I've seen readers mention this book more than once on various message boards as an old favorite. And I can see why. Emily is a very smart, but naive woman, kept in the country by her father and brothers because of a sandal in her past. From there she manages the family finances well enough so that there is plenty of money to cover repeated gambling losses. Simon is a very smart, angry man determined upon revenge against the men who he believes ruined his life, one of whom is Emily's father. Part of his revenge is to marry Emily and separate her from her family. But Emily has other ideas about the value of revenge. This book has wonderful dialogue and kept me up late one night to finish it.
Caught by Jami Alden. I won a copy of this when Jami blogged over at TGBU (thanks Jami!). This is a fast-paced romantic suspense with a computer geek heroine and an ex-military security consultant as hero. These two become involved when they need to find a missing teenager who underestimated the dangers of the internet and is used as a pawn by the bad guys who want her father to turn over a bioweapon. I enjoyed the story and the way the hero & heroine are together for a large portion of the book. I did think there was a little too much mental lusting that slowed the story down here and there, but overall still a fun read. Sybil says the next book, Kept is even better. Since it's in my TBR pile, I'll find out soon.
This one will be one of my April Phaves. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. This was just the thing to make those hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike fly right by. Two lawyers at a typical big law firm competing for one partnership spot. They're both very good at what they do. They're both deserving of the partnership spot. They've been barely civil to one another for years, yet secretly extremely attracted to one another. When they're sent to Florida to wine and dine a client, their true feelings emerge. I'm no lawyer, but all of the lawyer stuff felt right and the dialogue between these two smart, equal people was wonderful. What a great way to end my weekend road trip.
Because today was not so hot. Rest in peace, Harry.
Harry Kalas 1936-2009
Never Resist Temptation by Miranda Neville. I'll be honest. I hadn't planned on reading this. Frankly, I find many Avon Historicals to be too modern in tone. But I saw some good commentary about this out in blogland and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. This was really a very entertaining read and if you like to bake, the recipies and descriptions of the heroine's work as a pastry chef would interest you. Snappy dialogue moved the story along and I was really engrossed in the story.
An Affair of Interest by Barbara Metzger. This is one of the author's old traditionals that is now available as an ebook. Since Metzger is one of my favorite Regency authors, her ebook reissues are an autobuy for me. As usual, this was a fun romp with an impoverished heroine who is determined to help her beautiful sister have a London season so she can snag a wealthy husband who will save the family from their poverty. As one scheme after another nearly lands Sydney in trouble, the hero, Viscount Mainwaring, is there to rescue her.
Scandal by Amanda Quick. This book is nearly 20 years old, but is still available new as a reissue. I found it at my library. I've seen readers mention this book more than once on various message boards as an old favorite. And I can see why. Emily is a very smart, but naive woman, kept in the country by her father and brothers because of a sandal in her past. From there she manages the family finances well enough so that there is plenty of money to cover repeated gambling losses. Simon is a very smart, angry man determined upon revenge against the men who he believes ruined his life, one of whom is Emily's father. Part of his revenge is to marry Emily and separate her from her family. But Emily has other ideas about the value of revenge. This book has wonderful dialogue and kept me up late one night to finish it.
Caught by Jami Alden. I won a copy of this when Jami blogged over at TGBU (thanks Jami!). This is a fast-paced romantic suspense with a computer geek heroine and an ex-military security consultant as hero. These two become involved when they need to find a missing teenager who underestimated the dangers of the internet and is used as a pawn by the bad guys who want her father to turn over a bioweapon. I enjoyed the story and the way the hero & heroine are together for a large portion of the book. I did think there was a little too much mental lusting that slowed the story down here and there, but overall still a fun read. Sybil says the next book, Kept is even better. Since it's in my TBR pile, I'll find out soon.
This one will be one of my April Phaves. Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. This was just the thing to make those hours on the Pennsylvania Turnpike fly right by. Two lawyers at a typical big law firm competing for one partnership spot. They're both very good at what they do. They're both deserving of the partnership spot. They've been barely civil to one another for years, yet secretly extremely attracted to one another. When they're sent to Florida to wine and dine a client, their true feelings emerge. I'm no lawyer, but all of the lawyer stuff felt right and the dialogue between these two smart, equal people was wonderful. What a great way to end my weekend road trip.Because today was not so hot. Rest in peace, Harry.
Harry Kalas 1936-2009
Oooo! I just got Practice Makes Perfect in the mail from a blogger friend. I can't wait to read it! :)
ReplyDeleteI've also always wanted to read Karen Rose. I think I have Scream For Me somewhere.
I'll be interested in hearing what you think of PMP, Christine. It's very well done. And yes, you must read Karen Rose. She is establishing herself as THE standard for romantic suspense.
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