road-romance

REVIEW:  Miracle on I-40 by Curtiss Ann Matlock

REVIEW: Miracle on I-40 by Curtiss Ann Matlock

Dear Ms. Matlock, One of the first books I read when I was getting back into romance was one of yours: “If Wishes Were Horses” which I think helped cement my interest in more working class/down to earth characters. This is another one which starts evocatively with the image of a hard working people at(…)

REVIEW:  A Bride for the Maverick Millionaire by Marion Lennox

REVIEW: A Bride for the Maverick Millionaire by Marion Lennox

Dear Ms. Lennox, From the wonderful descriptions in this book, I’d say that you enjoyed yourself on your cruise through the same locations. Only I hope you and your DH didn’t go overboard and need to consider whittling a waddy then adding roasted lizard to your menu. Book two in the “Journey through the Outback”(…)

REVIEW:  Her Outback Rescuer by Marion Lennox

REVIEW: Her Outback Rescuer by Marion Lennox

Dear Ms. Lennox: Recently I haven’t read too many category romances. Some were taking on the quality of “been there, read that” and this worried me. “Gosh,” thought I, “time to pull out a tried and true author and get back in the swing of billionaires and their brides. But whom to read?” A quick(…)

REVIEW:  The Travel Auction by Mark Green

REVIEW: The Travel Auction by Mark Green

“It should have been their trip of a lifetime. But with just days to go, Jonathan Cork finds himself dumped by his girlfriend, Kate Thornly. Even worse, a life-threatening allergy means he can’t travel alone. Unable to change the name on the spare ticket and fast running out of time, Jonathan resorts to desperate measures.(…)

REVIEW:  An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin

REVIEW: An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin

Dear Ms. Lin, I’ve read several of your other books and enjoyed them—I liked your novella “Capturing the Silken Thief” (reviewed here). I also liked “An Illicit Temptation” but didn’t love it—it felt incomplete to me. I bet, however, if I’d read the companion novel, My Fair Concubine (reviewed here), I would have appreciated your novella(…)

REVIEW:  Reluctant Bride by Joan Smith

REVIEW: Reluctant Bride by Joan Smith

Dear Ms. Smith, I read this book years ago based on reviews and posts at the regency listserv and I loved it. I will say, however, that it’s not going to be for everyone. To begin with, you made it first person and secondly, it’s fairly realistic in it’s portrayal of the fact that even(…)

REVIEW:  The Dark Knight by Elizabeth Elliott

REVIEW: The Dark Knight by Elizabeth Elliott

Dear Ms. Elliott, It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than fifteen years since your popular medieval romance Betrothed was released. That book featured a secondary character, the brother of the heroine, who caught the attention of many readers. Dante Chiavari was a dangerous and deadly assassin who had been living by his wits(…)

REVIEW: Heart of Flame by Janine Ashbless

REVIEW: Heart of Flame by Janine Ashbless

And on the One-Thousand-and-Second night, Scheherazade told this story… By day, Taqla uses her forbidden sorcery to move freely about the city of Damascus in the guise of an old sage. Her true identity known only by her faithful servant woman, Taqla is content with the comfortable, if restrictive, life that keeps her safe from(…)

REVIEW:  Everything You’ve Got by Erin Nicholas

REVIEW: Everything You’ve Got by Erin Nicholas

Dear Ms. Nicholas, Perhaps I wasn’t the best choice to review your latest novel Everything You’ve Got. I’m married to a physician and have worked in and around the medical field for most of my adult life. Your heroine, twenty-seven (I think) year old Dr. Kat Dayton, struck me as unbelievably immature and the problems(…)

REVIEW: Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox

REVIEW: Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox

Dear Ms. Knox: I received a number of recommendations for this story and the recommenders were correct.  Ride with Me was right up my alley.  It was a well paced, contemporary featuring a non clingy heroine and a caretaker hero set on a bike ride across America.  The only downside was that Tom, in particular, came(…)

REVIEW: Claustrophobic Christmas by Ellie Marvel

REVIEW: Claustrophobic Christmas by Ellie Marvel

Dear Ms. Marvel, Why did I decide to try your novella? It sounded cute, it has a sorta Christmas-y theme, and …..well, that’s it, actually. Yes, I know it’s now after Christmas but it’s still the Holiday Season so I figure I’m still good. Right? Darcy Burkell and James Jones grew up together but both(…)

REVIEW: The Other Guy’s Bride by Connie Brockway

REVIEW: The Other Guy’s Bride by Connie Brockway

Dear Ms. Brockway, When I found out the news that this story is about Harry and Dizzy’s daughter, I was initially excited. Until I sat and thought for a minute and realized that it’s been so long since I read “As You Desire” that I have absolutely no recollection of it and its two principals(…)

REVIEW: 40 Tons of Trouble by Connie Flynn

REVIEW: 40 Tons of Trouble by Connie Flynn

Dear Ms. Flynn, Harlequin’s Treasury reissues are allowing me the relatively easy opportunity of trying some authors completely new to me without having to laboriously track down their OOP books. While scanning the offerings at their website, your book “40 Tons of Trouble” caught my eye because of the heroine’s occupation. I can’t recall ever(…)

REVIEW: Fool’s Paradise by Tori Phillips

REVIEW: Fool’s Paradise by Tori Phillips

Dear Ms. Phillips, I wanted to read this book because of the Tudor time period and the fact that the hero is not only a commoner but a bastard as well. Also, I had heard good things about your Harlequin Historicals of the 90s. It’s slightly bawdy for the time with Dicken doing his share(…)

Friday Film Review: The Sure Thing

Friday Film Review: The Sure Thing

The Sure Thing (1985) Genre: Coming of age romance Grade: B Once I’d seen “Say Anything,” I knew I’d eventually have to finally, after all these years, watch this whole movie. Yep, I’d seen bits and pieces of it on TV but always ended up flipping the channel, maybe because I’d never seen it from(…)