This caught my eye because I normally love stories told through letters. However, I could tell this one was shaping up to be an adultery romance. ThosThis caught my eye because I normally love stories told through letters. However, I could tell this one was shaping up to be an adultery romance. Those generally don't work for me, so back to the library it went....more
I enjoyed the author's two most recent books, so I picked this up as soon as it came out in paperback. However, I just could not get into it so I quitI enjoyed the author's two most recent books, so I picked this up as soon as it came out in paperback. However, I just could not get into it so I quit about 100 pages in. I wasn't a fan of the hit woman heroine, and the storyline just wasn't holding my interest. ...more
I just could not get into this book. I play the piano, and I have friends who play in various ensembles so I've seen some of the dynamics in play. HowI just could not get into this book. I play the piano, and I have friends who play in various ensembles so I've seen some of the dynamics in play. However, the characters in this character-driven piece just did not grab my attention. I tried to read this a few times, but my mind kept wandering....more
I had seen this book recommended as a clever Golden Age mystery and I'd never read this author before, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The story is setI had seen this book recommended as a clever Golden Age mystery and I'd never read this author before, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The story is set in Oxford, and I did love the descriptions. They gave the story a real sense of place. However, the mystery and its characters just didn't do it for me.
The story centers on Cadogan, who has arrived in Oxford at night. He ends up walking into a toyshop that is unlocked, thinking to warn the owner he's left his shop unsecured. Inside he discovers the body of an older woman and as he turns to go for help, he is knocked unconscious. When he regains consciousness some hours later and goes to the police, they return to the shop to find a grocery store operating in its place. What happened to the toyshop? Where is the body?
The mystery seems to be quite a convoluted puzzle, but it lost me about halfway through. For starters, Cadogan joins forces with Gervase Fen, a professor of English. Fen is supposed to be an eccentric and humorous guy, but I have to admit that he put me off. He often came across to me as condescending and inconsiderate of others. There were some clever references thrown into the book, but a lot of the humor was somewhat mean-spirited.
About halfway through the book readers figure out what the deal is with the toyshop and the author upset me further by (view spoiler)[killing off the dog (hide spoiler)]. My interest in the mystery didn't win out over my irritation at the book at that point, so I sent it back to the library....more
I saw a review of this reissued novel from the 1930s, and I was intrigued enough to pick it up at the library. The premise involves a murder among a cI saw a review of this reissued novel from the 1930s, and I was intrigued enough to pick it up at the library. The premise involves a murder among a cast of characters on a luxurious ocean liner. I'm a sucker for a good closed room mystery, and the setting of this one appealed to me. However, the abundance of casual anti-Semitism sprinkled throughout the book from the opening chapter onward quickly put me off. Back to the library this goes....more
I noped out about 75 or so pages into this one. This one is most emphatically not for me. The graphic sexual assault of a teenager was something I jusI noped out about 75 or so pages into this one. This one is most emphatically not for me. The graphic sexual assault of a teenager was something I just could not handle having in my mind, so I decided not to get any further into this serial stalker story.
Since I quit this early on, I can't speak to the romance side of this romantic suspense because even though I was several chapters into it, the hero and heroine hadn't really met yet....more
DNF-ing because this book just did not work for me. I just couldn't connect with either of the leads very well, and the mystery wasn't grabbing me. InDNF-ing because this book just did not work for me. I just couldn't connect with either of the leads very well, and the mystery wasn't grabbing me. In addition, the romance and suspense just don't play well together here. For me, a romantic suspense novel has a good, solid suspense plot. I don't care so much about the proportion of romance to suspense, but the romance needs to be an intrinsic part of the story such that the story cannot work without the romance being there. I've heard the author Susanna Kearsley speak on this before, and I completely agree with her.
In this novel, the romance felt somewhat unnecessary and tacked on to the rest of the suspense plotting. Lastly, even though it's totally shallow, the hero's name (Asa Kodiak) drove me up a wall. I think this book just isn't for me....more
This tale of a house sitter who finds herself drawn into family intrigue, holiday escapades and possibly a romance sounded promising. I had read positThis tale of a house sitter who finds herself drawn into family intrigue, holiday escapades and possibly a romance sounded promising. I had read positive reviews, but after getting halfway into the book, I just had to bail.
I was intrigued when I started the story, but there were just too many plot threads and I kept getting bored. Also, even by the halfway point, the heroine and her possible love interest had done little more than exchange insults by phone. This one just didn't do it for me....more
I'd heard this book praised as a heartwarming read, so I eagerly picked it up when I saw it was this month's pick for the MMD book club. I did make itI'd heard this book praised as a heartwarming read, so I eagerly picked it up when I saw it was this month's pick for the MMD book club. I did make it most of the way through before I had to bail.
I loved the idea of this book as a homage to books and reading. However, the storyline just didn't work for me. The simplistic treatment of mental illness in this book grated on me to the point that I just couldn't enjoy what I was reading. From what I have seen in other reviews, it sounds like this aspect gets worse as the book goes along rather than improving, so I cut my losses.
I know others have adored this novel, but it just wasn't working for me....more
I remember liking some of Ms. Pineiro's vampire romances, so I picked this up on a whim. The story focuses on Rhea Reilly's quest to find out what reaI remember liking some of Ms. Pineiro's vampire romances, so I picked this up on a whim. The story focuses on Rhea Reilly's quest to find out what really happened to her twin. She doesn't agree with local law enforcement's conclusion of suicide. Detective Jackson Whitaker is tasked with going over the evidence Rhea has collected, and he agrees that there may be something to her theory.
From here, I quickly found myself in "Time to throw in the towel" territory. Jackson agrees to let Rhea be a partner in his investigation and for her safety, he insists on having her stay at his home. This is so far from accepted practices that I just couldn't set it aside and dive into the story. I quit after about 75 pages.
CW: domestic violence; the author also has a CW for sexual assault on the opening page of the book but I didn't read far enough to get to that content. ...more
I sometimes enjoy a gentle, slow-paced romance, but this one was a little too leisurely for me. The writing felt a little clunky and the book was fillI sometimes enjoy a gentle, slow-paced romance, but this one was a little too leisurely for me. The writing felt a little clunky and the book was filled with info dumps. On top of that, I had a couple issues with the romance: (1) Lacey and Rory have zero chemistry and (2) the setup involves Lacey's father having gone to prison for murdering Rory's father. It's not impossible, but in this particular case, the author wasn't convincing me that the couple's attraction could overcome that past. I noped out a bit before the halfway mark....more
I normally love Mayberry's writing, but I ended up quitting on this one because it just wasn't working for me. Maybe it's just where my head is right I normally love Mayberry's writing, but I ended up quitting on this one because it just wasn't working for me. Maybe it's just where my head is right now, but I wasn't buying the redemption of Martin. Also, Violet grated on me a bit, and Martin and Violet as a couple just weren't quite working for me. This may be a case of "not the right book right now", so I'm keeping it on my Kindle and maybe I'll try again another time....more
It takes a lot to get me on board with a May-December romance between a 40-ish something man and an 18 year old heroine. For whatever reason, these arIt takes a lot to get me on board with a May-December romance between a 40-ish something man and an 18 year old heroine. For whatever reason, these are an even harder sell for me in contemporaries. And the dynamic in this one just wasn't working for me. In my line of work, I've seen too many uncomfortable relationships between very young women with few options paired with controlling, much older men. This book felt too much like one of those for me to buy into the fantasy.
Add in some ultraviolet purple prose, and I gave up early. Based on some of the other reviews, it sounds like I missed out on some fairly squicky plot points, so yay for me?...more
Oh wow, I just could NOT with this book. I think it's meant to be fun and whimsical, but the humor just didn't work for me. Miranda Mathley is definitOh wow, I just could NOT with this book. I think it's meant to be fun and whimsical, but the humor just didn't work for me. Miranda Mathley is definitely a Manic Pixie Dream Heiress and her "being impulsive just for the sake of ruffling feathers" way of doing things was grating rather than refreshing.
I only made it about 1/3 of the way through the book and we've already contrived a fake engagement, curl tossing, and pulling of acquaintances into an elaborate rescue of a complete stranger. It was a lot and I don't think I need more....more
This one started off well enough. The "Royal" of the title is the name of a hotel in Cheshire. Business wizard Lee Merril has been placed in charge ofThis one started off well enough. The "Royal" of the title is the name of a hotel in Cheshire. Business wizard Lee Merril has been placed in charge of turning around the fading hotel after its acquisition by the Hale Group. Peta Sheppard is a local girl who returned home after a disastrous love affair in London, and who now works as personal assistant to the hotel manager.
When her boss gets encouraged to retire early and she must now work for Lee, Peta is resentful of the changes. For his part, 30-something Lee considers 24-year-old Peta to be a mere child and questions her ability to serve as his PA. The book opens well and I found myself getting sucked into the workplace dramas of the Royal. I thought this had promise to be a fun enemies-to-lovers romance.
However, about a third of the way through, the work tensions started to have too much petty bickering and not enough romance. And then, almost out of nowhere, Lee morphed into a bully who was too much into punishing kisses and physical assault (at one point grabbing Peta's hair). That rather put me off the story and I gave up on it.
One last word of clarification - the "1990" in the title is the number of the book in the Harlequin Romance series, not the year of publication. This one was published in 1976....more
The book sounded like a fun read when I picked it up at the UBS. However, after going through a prologue that sounded like a possible suicide and thenThe book sounded like a fun read when I picked it up at the UBS. However, after going through a prologue that sounded like a possible suicide and then into an opening chapter where party planners are discussing plans to rent wild animals for party entertainment, I noped right out. This is not for me, and probably not for a lot of other folks either....more
So much no for this one. Every woman aside from the heroine is described as "whore." And that includes the "hero's" late wife. Also, the heroine startSo much no for this one. Every woman aside from the heroine is described as "whore." And that includes the "hero's" late wife. Also, the heroine starts up a relationship with the hero while also (view spoiler)[ thinking that she may have just seen him kill her father. (hide spoiler)] And then there's that moment in the early chapters when the hero's men threaten the heroine with gang rape in order to get her to obey orders. I love medievals, but this was not promising to be a great escape for me.
CW: kidnapping, references to sexual assault and child murder...more
I saw this book listed as a suggestion for those who enjoyed Station Eleven and...no. I should have researched this book before I checked it out of thI saw this book listed as a suggestion for those who enjoyed Station Eleven and...no. I should have researched this book before I checked it out of the library. I only got a chapter or two into it before I hit something incredibly triggering.
Speaking of which, I do want to raise one point. I don't think male authors lack the ability to write compellingly about sexual assault, but I do wish more of them wrote with more empathy. There are ways to show readers who the villain is without introducing this particular element as your plot device of choice, and it certainly shouldn't be thrown in almost casually. I noped out of this book very early on.
I just couldn't get into this one. I quit from boredom after a few chapters.I just couldn't get into this one. I quit from boredom after a few chapters....more
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