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Review – Sky Burial – Xinran

28 Dec

sky burialSky Burial
Author: Xinran
Translator: Julia Lovell and Esther Tyldesley

Description:
It was 1994 when Xinran, a journalist and the author of The Good Women of China, received a telephone call asking her to travel four hours to meet an oddly dressed woman who had just crossed the border from Tibet into China. Xinran made the trip and met the woman, called Shu Wen, who recounted the story of her thirty-year odyssey in the vast landscape of Tibet.

Shu Wen and her husband had been married for only a few months in the 1950s when he joined the Chinese army and was sent to Tibet for the purpose of unification of the two countries. Shortly after he left she was notified that he had been killed, although no details were given. Determined to find the truth, Shu Wen joined a militia unit going to the Tibetan north, where she soon was separated from the regiment. Without supplies and knowledge of the language, she wandered, trying to find her way until, on the brink of death, she was rescued by a family of nomads under whose protection she moved from place to place with the seasons and eventually came to discover the details of her husband’s death.

Review:
The sub-title of Sky Burial is An Epic Love Story from Tibet and epic is surely the word the describe it. The book itself was tiny – only about 3.5 inches wide by 6 inches tall (so smaller than a normal MMPB), but it encompassed over thirty years in that few amount of pages. Which makes me wonder how an author who doesn’t write in English can convey in 200 pages what it takes some writers 600 pages to do…but that is a thought for another day…

This was the story of a true, unending love – not the type of love that you see in a standard romance (as much as I love them), but the type of love that many of us could probably only dream of. I don’t know about anyone else, but spending 30 years in the isolation of Tibet, trying to find out what happened to my husband of only a few months isn’t necessarily something that I had considered. The flow of the story was beautiful – I started reading it while I was stuck riding in a van to a work location (about an hours drive) and by the time we turned around to head home two hours later, I was 70% of the way done with it (and finished it on the second half of that commute).

I had to admit that the romantic in me hoped for a different outcome than what occurred – but at the same time, there was closure to the story. It was hard to tell while reading whether this was fiction or not – from the description of the book, it could have been biographical, but at the same time, there were elements that I think the author took creative license with. Either way, I highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning more about the nomadic people in Tibet, or about Tibetan history (around the time that China invaded it). I look forward to hearing peoples thoughts if they decide to read it. 4 stars overall.

 
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Posted by on December 28, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Naughty and Nice: Three Holiday Treats

25 Dec

naughty and niceI would be remiss if I didn’t actually review a Christmas book on Christmas – so even though it is still a couple of hours away, voila! Now time to go back to NORAD and tracking Santa 😉

Naughty and Nice: Three Holiday Treats
Authors: Ruthie Knox, Molly O’Keefe, Stefanie Sloane

Description:
ROOM AT THE INN by Ruthie Knox
Carson Vance couldn’t wait to get out of Potter Falls, but now that he’s back to spend Christmas with his ailing father, he must face all the people he left behind . . . like Julie Long, whose heart he broke once upon a time. Now the proprietor of the local inn, Julie is a successful, seductive, independent woman—everything that Carson’s looking for. But despite several steamy encounters under the mistletoe, Julie refuses to believe in happily ever after. Now Carson must prove to Julie that he’s back for good—and that he wants her in his life for all the holidays to come.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Molly O’Keefe
Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are spontaneous, in love, and prepared to elope the day after Christmas—that is, if Maddy’s family doesn’t throw a wrench in their plans. After all, Maddy’s barely out of high school and Billy’s a notorious bad boy. Maddy doesn’t care about Billy’s rough past—all she cares about is living in the here and now. But after Maddy’s mother stops speaking to her in protest, and a Christmas Eve heart-to-heart with her father leaves her with butterflies, Maddy starts to get cold feet. She loves Billy, but is she taking this big step too soon?

ONE PERFECT CHRISTMAS by Stephanie Sloane
After being jilted by her fiancé, Jane Merriweather turns to her dear childhood friend, the Honorable Lucas Cavanaugh, for support—and unlocks the smoldering desire simmering in the man’s troubled heart. Frightened by his newfound feelings, Lucas flees to Scotland. But when the Christmas season brings them together again, one glance is all that’s needed to reignite his yearning. If Lucas can convince Jane that his intentions are as pure as the falling snow, they’ll turn a dreary December into a joyous Yuletide affair.

Review:
I always have a hard time writing reviews when it comes to anthologies, but an even harder job rating the book – do I rate it overall or do each story separately; should I average out the reviews for an overall (and yes, I know that I am probably overthinking this!) Anyways, I think for this instance, I am going to break them down into individual ratings and then average the ratings out.

The star of the anthology was definitely Ruthie Knox’s book – i have to say that she has become one of my favorite new authors that I discovered in 2012. Her romance set while biking across the US is a top 20 book for me. I loved the tension between Julie and Carson until they finally caved and gave into their feelings that had never really gone away. Carson’s relationship with his father was entertaining – you could see a hint of a matchmaker in him – a bit of deviousness. I have to admit when I saw the title of this story that I was expecting a trite play on the birth of Christ that seems to always happen in books set around Christmas – so I was pleasantly surprised to not have to deal with that. I’d give this story a solid 4 stars.

My least favorite of the three was Molly O’Keefe’s. I think mostly because it was the shortest and I just didn’t feel like I got a chance to know any of the characters. Maddy drove me nuts with her naivity and it was like I could easily see what was going to happen in the future (which was confirmed with the glimpse into the next book in the series that I saw). I honestly don’t know if I will be picking up any books by her in the future – probably only borrow from the library, or with a very strong recommendation from a friend. Overall, I’d only give this story 2 stars

The last book in the anthology fell right in the middle for me. I didn’t like it as much as Ruthie’s, but I am intrigued enough, that I added one of the authors other books to my ever expanding TBR list to read in the future. I liked that it was the only historical in the bunch – it was something different that was needed. The secondary characters/animals kind of made the story for me – especially the donkey – I just laughed as his antics. There were a few moments of stupidity between the main couple (and I wanted to Gibbs slap them for sure) – but they did kind of grow on me. I hope that they appear in other books by her in the future, because I want to know more.

The anthology in general was well-written, and aside from the one disappointing story, it was well worth the read. And even then it wasn’t like the disappointing story was badly written, it was (for me) just too short and lacking omph. Overall, averaging out the ratings, I would give it 3 stars, but making it 3.5 to weigh in the fact that the story I liked the most, was a chunk of the book (I think that is good justification!).

Merry Christmas Everyone! Hope to see you all in the New Year!

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Escape to New Zealand series #1-3 – Rosalind James (@RosalindJames5)

21 Dec

Just This Once (#1); Just Good Friends (#2); Just For Now (#3)
Author: Rosalind James
Publisher: Self-published

So originally, I had planned on writing a separate review for each of the books in the series – but then I figured that since I managed to read all 3 of them (the 4th wasn’t available at the time), in the space of about 5 days, that maybe reviewing them together would work.

I discovered Rosalind James when her name popped up as an opportunity to host a promo blitz for the release of the 4th book in the series (Just for Fun) – but I decided that I wanted to read the other three so that I could read the 4th one (since I don’t like promo’ing books that I haven’t read/don’t plan to read).

Just This Once
just-this-onceDescription:
Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes.

Everyone but Hannah Montgomery, that is. She just needs a vacation. Three weeks in New Zealand to sort out her life, figure out what she wants, seems just right. Oh, and to relax. She should definitely put that on the agenda. She certainly isn’t looking for a fling with a professional rugby player, no matter how attractive he is. Hannah doesn’t do casual. But maybe just this once. . .

As much as he’s shared with Hannah, Drew Callahan has kept one very big secret. And learning the truth, now that she’s back home again, has made Hannah warier than ever. Drew knows that she’s right for him. But how can he convince her to let down her guard enough to explore what they could have together?

Review:
This first book in the series started off with a kick – I have to admit that I am a sucker for the knight rescuing the damsel in distress theme – in this case, Drew was most definately a life-saving knight (even in all-black – no laughing at my bad puns please), and Hannah needed his help. I thought that Rosalind was able to do a good job with the short-fused tension between the two of them – and loved that there was a quick resolution and that the story continued to grow. The long-distance part of the story was hard for me to accept – not because it was badly written but because I couldn’t see myself in a situation like that – even though I have lots of friends who have done it (heck, my parents did it in the time before emails – egads…yes, there was such a time). I learnt quite a bit about the All Blacks while reading this – having grown up in a country that played the All Blacks on a regular basis, I loved watching them do the Haka before the games.

Just Good Friends
just good friends
Description
Some bets were made to be lost.

Kate Lamonica isn’t Koti James’s type. Too small. Too dark. And heaps too much work. So it’s an easy bet that he can be her friend for six weeks without making a move on her, no matter what his mates would have said.

Kate can’t believe she’s made the bet at all. New Zealand had seemed like the perfect escape from the stalker who’d threatened first her peace of mind, and then her life. She certainly doesn’t need any more trouble. Why on earth has she agreed to spend time with a Maori rugby player who’s far too handsome and charming for his own good–and knows it?

But there’s more than one game Koti’s good at playing…

Review:
Ahhh, the playboy who falls for a woman that sees past the brash bravado. I think of the 3 books that I read in the series, Kate is my favorite female lead. There is just something ballsy about her (but don’t worry, I won’t say what). She reminds me the most of me, if I was going to try and see aspects of myself in characters (which I did in weird ways sometimes). Unfortunately, I haven’t found my Koti yet (or my Drew or Finn, for a matter of fact). But at the same time, I can’t say that Koti was my favorite guy out of the three – I think that award might have to go to Finn in #3 (see below). I just had a hard time connecting with him as a character – of all the characters in the series so far, I think he was one of the weakest ones developed. Their love story was cute however.

Just For Now
just for nowDescription:
There’s no place like home . . .

For teacher Jenna McKnight, nothing spells “heartbreak” like finding her husband with somebody else–in her bed. It’s clearly time to reinvent herself. A new body, a new city, and a new job later, she’s done just that. The beautiful Auckland villa isn’t really her home, though. Finn Douglas and his kids aren’t really her family, however much she wishes they were. And playing house can be a dangerous game.

Rugby star Finn Douglas is just looking for a temporary nanny and housekeeper. Not a girlfriend, and definitely not a wife. He can’t resist Jenna’s cooking, it’s true. Who knew he’d have so much trouble resisting her? He wants to do what’s right for his kids. But waiting is so hard . . .

Review:
Ok, I am going to be extremely biased and say that Finn is probably my favorite male character so far in the series. There was just something strong about him, yet sweet at the same time. He kind of reminds me of the guy that The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) plays in the Game Plan. Large gruff exterior, but a heart of gold on the inside. I especially loved his interaction with his kids.

One thing that I didn’t touch on in the previous reviews was the reoccurring characters – I liked how Kate and Hannah both made continued appearances in the books. But even better was the one All Black (although I am completely blanking on his name ahhh!!!!) and his wife who appeared in all 3 of the books, and were like the stability couple (for lack of a better word).

But enough of my ramblings – in case you can’t tell, I enjoyed all three of books, and would rate them as 3.5-4 overall, but going to round up to 4. I can’t wait to read the 4th book now that it has been released. Oh and one more thing – I have to go squee over the covers – they are brilliant – some of the best covers I have seen on self-pub’d work – these covers are part of the reason why I made the decision to read the books – because I could tell from looking at them, that there was a level of professionalism that I don’t always see.

 
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Posted by on December 21, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – The Meeting Point – Lucy Caldwell

19 Dec

the meeting pointThe Meeting Point
Author: Lucy Caldwell
Challenge: ATW80 – Bahrain

Description:
When Euan and Ruth set off with their young daughter to live in Bahrain, it is meant to be an experience and adventure they will cherish. But on the night they arrive, Ruth discovers the truth behind the missionary work Euan has planned and feels her world start to crumble. Far from home, and with events spiralling towards war in nearby Iraq, she starts to question her faith – in Euan, in their marriage and in all she has held dear.

With Euan so often away, she is confined to their guarded compound with her neighbours and, in particular, Noor, a troubled teenager recently returned to Bahrain to live with her father. Confronted by temptations and doubt, each must make choices that could change all of their lives for ever. Compelling, passionate and deeply resonant, The Meeting Point is a novel about idealism and innocence, about the unexpected turns life can take and the dangers and chances that await us.

Review:
I have to admit that I was looking forward to reading this book when I picked it for my Around the World in 80 books challenge. Over the last 8 years in the military, I have had the opportunity to visit Bahrain several times (and loved every visit), so I was really looking forward to reading a book set there and seeing how much I recognized of the country. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the result. The vast majority of the book (probably about 75%) was set in the compound where Ruth and Euan were staying while in Bahrain. Now I know that recently Bahrain hasn’t been the safest place in the world to be, but prior to the “Arab Spring” as it is called, it was a great place to visit. There was so much to do and see. so the fact that there was really only one place highlighted that was visited during the book (the Tree of Life), it was like, oh well, she can google – that’s awesome…maybe I am being too harsh, but it always sucks when you are looking forward to reading something and it is disappointing. Ruth, as a character just pissed me off (sorry for the expletive), she was like a doormat to Euan – I guess she was supposed to be the submissive wife – but she wasn’t even that…she just drove me nuts.

The aspect of the religion in the book didn’t bother me that much, because I was able to see where it was heading. But it is still fustrating to see that in the 21st century, people still believe in trying to convert others to their beliefs – yes, I know – I shouldn’t be surprised, but it is still fustrating. Especially in middle eastern countries like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (where some of the characters actions took place without every actually being there). The mystery as to what was going on with the Bahraini girl (Noor), seemed under developed and just thrown in for some conflict and to add another character for interaction purposes.

I would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone and I know that I won’t be looking at any of her stuff in the future. I am actually considering possibly looking into another book on Bahrain to replace this one because I was so disappointed.

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2012 in Around the World in 80 Books, Book Review

 

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Review – I’m the Vampire, That’s Why – Michele Bardsley (@michelebardsley)

09 Dec

i'm the vampireI’m the Vampire, That’s Why
Author: Michele Bardsley
Series: #1 in the Broken Heart Vampires series

Ebook provided by the author

Book Description:
Broken Heart is the city with the highest rate of divorce and highest percentage of single parents in Oklahoma. And I, Jessica Matthews, have been a member of that club ever since my husband dumped me for his twentysomething secretary and then had the gall to die in a car accident.

Now I’m not just a single mother trying to make ends meet in this crazy world….I’m also a vampire. One minute I was taking out the garbage; the next I awoke sucking on the thigh of superhot vampire Patrick O’Halloran, who’d generously offered his femoral artery to save me.

But though my stretch marks have disappeared and my vision has improved, I can’t rest until the thing that did this to me is caught. My kids’ future is at stake…figuratively and literally. As is my sex life. Although I wouldn’t mind finding myself attached to Patrick’s juicy thigh again, I learned that once a vampire does the dirty deed, it hitches her to the object of her affection for at least one hundred years. I just don’t know if I’m ready for that kind of commitment….

Review:
So, funny story how I came to get an ebook copy of this. I had seen it reviewed on Goodreads by a friend of mine and was intrigued, so I went looking. I saw that Amazon had later books in the series as ebooks, but me with my OCD likes to read all books in a series in the same format. So I emailed the author to ask her. she was super-nice, but told me that her publisher hadn’t negotiated ebook rights – however, she had a PDF of the book for her followers and would happily send it to me – I jumped on the opportunity. That was two years ago…somehow, the file got lost in the magical world that is my gmail account…and then a couple of weeks ago, I was searching for another email and came across the file – and decided what the heck and read it (plus it fit into like 3 reading challenges that I was doing).

I think there were several times where I about pee’d my pants, I was laughing so hard at Jessica’s (mis)adventures of becoming a vampire. The idea of blood being able to be flavored as chocolate was funny – I wonder if beer or coffee would work equally as well, if you like those? Guess it goes to prove that because of the amount of chocolate I eat, my blood probably would taste like it.

The conflict between the Vampires and the bad guys were interesting – but a bit more history would have been nice. I got to the end of that and was like, oh, i’m done…then realized I was only at the 60% point, so I knew that there was much more that was going to happen. But towards the end it started to get silly – it was like sequence after sequence of something bad happening…you would finish one part, think all was good, and then something else would happen. And the whole book took place over like a 2 week period (I think)…but that being said, I am intrigued enough that I am going to check out the second book, but I will likely get from the library, rather than buying. 3 stars overall.

 
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Posted by on December 9, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – The Obituarist – Patrick O’Duffy

02 Dec

the obituaristThe Obituarist
Author: Patrick O’Duffy

Book Description:
What happens to your Facebook account when you die?

Kendall Barber calls himself an obituarist – a social media undertaker who settles accounts for the dead. If you need your loved one’s Twitter account closed down or one last blog post to be made, he’ll take care of it, while also making sure that identity thieves can’t access forgotten personal data. It’s his way of making amends for his past, a path that has seen him return to the seedy city of Port Virtue after years in exile.

Review:
This is definately a book that I normally would not have picked up. However, I found the authors blog while I was looking at trackbacks on another article I was reading and was intrigued. In this day and age of social media, what is going to happen to our accounts when we die. When I write my will, do I need to provide account information for them to have access, or is it given. Even in something as simple as a divorce, and a dual account – who gets to keep the access and the “friends” and who has to start from scratch. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the next few years.

So started reading the Obituarist while I was waiting at the medical facility on Friday, since apparently technology had decided it didn’t want to work and it make the 60 minute wait fly-by (even if I did keep getting distracted with people wanting to chat). It is relatively short (Amazon clocks it in at 91 pages), but enjoyable. There were some plot points that I wish had been move developed, and a few places where I was left scratching my head thinking WTF. But I am intrigued enough to want to check out more by the author in the future. 3 stars overall.

Purchase from Amazon here: The Obituarist

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Got Game? – Stephanie Doyle (@StephDoyleRW)

29 Nov

Got Game?
Author: Stephanie Doyle

Book Description:
Oh, Yeah. Game On! The world of professional golf is rocked when the new ranking system allows Reilly Carr – the country’s best female player–to compete with the big boys. Now everyone wants to know if she will or won’t play in golf’s premier event…The American.

But her tough choices are complicated further when Luke Nolan – her on again, off again lover – suddenly decides now is the time to turn their friends-with-benefits set up into a real relationship!

If she’s going to make the cut she’ll need to battle her game, the press and most of all her heart. The stakes have never been higher.

Review:
I have to say upfront that I loved Reilly as a character – she was a tough, no nonsense, work her ass off kind of girl. Having worked in a male dominated career for the last eight years, and dealing with people who try to skate because of certain characteristics – I find that i am often drawn to characters i books that reflect more of what I would like to see – in this case, a woman who shows the guys how it is done. True, she won’t ever be able to completely match them, but getting out there and doing her best is what I liked.

I liked how the relationship between her and Luke was re-kindled (since I am a sucker for young love rekindled). Although her brother and best friend drove me a bit nuts. The whole bickering, make-up, break-up thing just doesn’t do it for me. So i’m glad that everything worked out on that side of the house in the end.

I have to admit that I kind of figured out the suspense angle before it was revealed, but i think that the author did a good job of making it obvious without being too much so (if that makes sense…). I’ll definately be looking forward to reading more books by Ms Doyle in the future (can’t remember off the top of my head, if i have read any by her in the past or not…). Solid 3.5 stars overall.

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Funnel Vision – Chris Kridler

25 Nov

Funnel Vision
Author: Chris Kridler

Review Copy Provided by Author

Book Description:
Kansas photographer Judy Hale loves to chase storms, but at the heart of her passion is a fear she longs to quell, born of the tornado that destroyed her childhood. Handsome, devil-may-care tornado researcher Jack Andreas wants nothing better than to forget the past in his dangerously close encounters with the twisters he chases for science. He also chases women, and when he and Judy meet, sparks fly.

But Judy and Jack have dueling destinies as they cross paths with Judy’s sister Shannon, a directionless coquette; a clueless newbie storm-tour operator named Brad Treat; geeky, likable chaser Robinson Marvell; and a bevy of other storm chasers as they pursue the gorgeous, violent storms of Tornado Alley. Their stories intertwine as they chase the monster storm that forces Judy to confront her deepest fears and Jack to find the courage to face the ultimate twister.

Review
I’m always bummed when a book that I was looking forward to reading didn’t quite live up to the hype that I had placed on it. For me, Funnel Vision was one of those books. I have to admit, that since Twister, came out when I was in high school, I have been intrigued by storm chasers and what they do, and even considering getting into meteorology at one stage (unfortunately, my science grades in college were just not good enough). So when this book was offered up by the author in one of my goodreads groups, I was intrigued. The premise sounded entertaining, and since it was based on the authors experiences, I figured it would be a good read. Here is, for me, where it splits…the story regarding the storm chasing itself, I really liked. I thought that the author did a good job of detailing the adrenaline that these chasers must feel – both the official ones and the non-official “Weekend Chasers” (I don’t know if that is the right term, but it works for me). I think I might have enjoyed it more, if the drama of some of the characters lives had just been completely left out of it (and this is coming from someone who is an avid romance reader – yes, I admit it).

It was mostly the character interactions on the personal level that bugged me the most. When I see the phrase in a description, “sparks fly” I am expecting some kind of tension, interaction, development of a relationship, but for me, it was more like sparks fizzle. That and the development of the character as a skirt-chasing playboy – just pissed me off. Especially when you think that (hover here for spoiler). I also threw the book across the room at that point, I was so fustrated. Yes, I know that it wasn’t specifically marketed as a romance, but the description kind of led me to expect more. I guess if you don’t like the touchy-feeley romance stuff, you might like it, but if you are a romance reader, I would avoid it (and I don’t say that lightly). I also had an issue with how an issue played out later in the book, but I am waiting on a response from some law enforcement friends with an answer to my question before I vent…but essentially (hover here for spoiler)

But I am having a hard time rating this book, I would probably only give it 2.5 stars overall, mostly because of the issues that I mentioned above – but at the same time, it was very well written and you could tell how much the author knew about the topic, so I am conflicted. I may end up changing my review, but right now, I am going to leave it at 2.5 stars. But I am curious about what the author might write in the future.

 
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Posted by on November 25, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – Dead Ringer – Allen Wyler

23 Nov

Dead Ringer
Author: Allen Wyler

Review Copy provided by Blue Dot Literary

Book Description:
While speaking at a Hong Kong medical conference, neurosurgeon Dr. Lucas McCrae slips the cloth off a cadaver’s head during a routine medical demonstration, and is overwhelmed with the shock by what’s staring back at him: His best friend, Andy Baer.
Stunned, McCrae races back to Seattle to discover that Andy is in fact missing and may have been murdered by a gang of body snatchers who operate a legit funeral business and make a fortune by selling recovered body parts to medical researchers.

McCrae teams up with an unlikely pair—a beautiful but hardnosed female cop and a gang member whose family was victimized by the body parts ring—to try and expose a macabre web of corruption that involves law enforcement, politicians, funeral home curators and murdered prostitutes.

Review
After reading a previous book by Allen Wyler (Dead End Deal), I was impressed by the medical technique and familiarity that he brought to the storyline. In Dead Ringer, he managed to do that once again. Reading the description of Dead Ringer, I was like, the name of the main character (Lucas McCrae) sounds familiar, and then I realized that his name had been used as a cameo in Dead End Deal – so I liked how the author was able to tie to two books together though similar characters, without making them a true series.

But this book was for me, so much freakier than Dead End Deal. I have been an organ donor since I got my license nearly 15 years ago, and while I had thought about how my organs might be used, should anything ever happen to me – the depravity of the antagonist opened my eyes. I had read/heard about bad market deals with organs, so it didn’t really surprise me that there were ones for dead bodies as well – but wow, that’s about all I can say. I think that the author managed to walk the fine line between being dramatic, and cheesy – although, there were a few moments where I was like, uhhh ok…and personally, I felt that everything tied up in a pretty bow almost too easy…but I’m sure others would disagree with me.

I’m definitely interested in seeing more of what he writes in the future. Overall 3.5 stars.

Purchase from Amazon here: Dead Ringer (Print) or Dead Ringer (Kindle)

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2012 in Book Review

 

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Review – My Bluegrass Baby – Molly Harper (@mollyharperauth)

18 Nov

My Bluegrass Baby
Author: Molly Harper

Review Copy provided by Pocket Star and Edelweiss

Description:
Sadie Hutchins loves her job at the Kentucky Tourism Commission. Not only could her co-workers double as the cast of Parks & Recreation, but she loves finding the unusual sites, hidden gems, and just-plain-odd tourist attractions of her home state. She’s a shoo-in for the director’s job when her boss retires at the end of the year…until hotshot Josh Vaughn shows up to challenge her for the position.

Josh is all sophisticated polish while Sadie’s country comfort, and the two have very different ideas of what makes a good campaign. So when their boss pits them against each other in a winner-takes-all contest, they’re both willing to fight dirty if it means getting what they want. But it turns out, what Josh and Sadie want could be each other—and Josh’s kisses are the best Kentucky attraction Sadie’s found yet!

Review
Three things, I had never considered prior to reading My Bluegrass Baby by the fantabulous Molly Harper – that I could claim programing my Tivo on my resume (I’m sure that parlays into something workplace related), the number of cartoon characters who run-around with no pants on (aka, the Pantless Pantheon) and Squirrel genitalia (as my friend Toni would say, its all about the nuts ; ) But when I reading Molly Harpers newest contemporary romance, all three of those things, plus many more were mentioned. There is just something quirky about the way she writes, that makes you feel right at home with the characters. I loved how she managed to work so many weird and wonderful facts about Kentucky in the book (but don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil the surprise for anyone, since you guys need to have a chance to read it). I do have to admit that I’m normally not a fan of workplace romance type books, it is just a trope that I normally don’t enjoy, but I think that Molly did a great job balancing the line between funny and the awkwardness that so often ensures in situations like that.

Anyways, i could probably amble on for hours about how much I enjoy Molly Harper’s work – but I won’t 😉 All I can say is that if you haven’t read (or listened) to any of her stuff yet, then you really need to. If you are looking for lite funny PNR or entertaining contemporary romance, she has something for you. After reading this, she has pretty much sealed her spot on my auto-buy/auto-listen list. Now I can start stalking her for new work. Overall, a solid 4 stars. Oh yeah, and I totally have a new saying, I’ve been known to comment on my lack of a brain mouth barrier, but I think atrophied verbal filter sounds soo much better!! (Thanks Molly!)

Thanks to Pocket Star for approving my review request and Edelweiss for providing the opportunity.

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2012 in Book Review

 

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