I liked Tribute, as I like all of Nora’s books. They’re well-written, well-researched escapes into romance. Lately however, certain well-used literary devices have started to bug me.

1. While I have enjoyed Foolish, Mo, Spock, and Lump – the “dog-as-character” device is becoming old hat.

2. While the word “lavish” is a good, strong word, every book has someone doing things lavishly. They kiss lavishly, hug lavishly, and in the latest book, the dog peed lavishly.

3. The first time I saw her reference a song lyric in a sentence, I thought it was neatly done. Now it’s done in almost every book. Something along the lines of “…and with Mick complaining about getting no satisfaction, she cruised into town.”

I will be the first to admit that I might be alone in feeling this way. As Ms. Roberts graciously stated, book elements strike different people differently. It certainly won’t stop me from buying and enjoying her books.

Firstly, Nora, loved Tribute. Thank you Jane for posting this review b/c I sooooooooo wanted a place to let Nora know how much I enjoyed it.

Secondly, re Cilla and her father, I assumed there was backstory there, a history if you will. Cilla knew her half sister enough to like her and knew some things about her stepmother, so it felt, to me, that she and her father HAD a relationship, even if it was mostly superficial. So I bought their interaction.

Thirdly, re Ford, was a great character. So unlike Nora’s usual heros, which I enjoyed. Not that I don’t love Nora’s other heros, cause I do, but it shows Nora’s strength that she can make a, mostly, geeky guy as a hero and have me buy it. Also, I know great looking guys in their 30’s who play video games and know their comics, so there wasn’t anything there that seemed unreal or forced, for me.

Fourthly, TOTALLY did not see the end. Not at all. I was totally surprised. yay! And actually, I both laughed out loud and nearly cried, several times, during the read, so viscerally, it hit all my emotional buttons.

Fifthly, re the sexxoring. I wasn’t sure how to state this and my prior post was maybe all over the place, as I just drove from DC to Philly, but I’ll try it again. I like my heroines to not be virginal. One, I think it puts all the power in the hero’s almight magical penis, which I hate (just as much as I hage the magic hoo-ha). Second, for contemporaries, I don’t buy it. For historicals, ok. I’ll buy that, even though usually only the middle-class was overly concerned with virginity. But women of today, taking ownership of our own sexuality has been a long struggle for women, a struggle we continue to have today. And by somehow praising virginity, while ostrasizing a woman who’s had sex, really bites my ass. (no, this part isn’t going quite right and for that I apologize) Essentially, I don’t necessarily need to read about the sex, but I do want my heroines to have experience in the bedroom. I don’t know if this makes sense…damn. ;)

Don’t even get me started about Ford. He’s the kind of guy that I wouldn’t have looked twice at when I was in school. Now that I am in my 30’s I TOTALLY see the appeal.

For me, this book worked. It pulled me in and kept me there with Cilla and Ford. I hated to see them go.

I never thought of Ford as stalkerish; he seemed like a grown up nerd. For me, his video gaming and Star Wars/Superman obsession fit his character. I know several guys (& a few girls) who would fit in with Ford and his buds. As for Cilla’s father, I had the impression their relationship was a work in progress. He certainly knew he had failed in his role as her father, but I felt they both wanted to build a relationship.

I also liked Bob, the renovation details AND the quotable line from a familiar romance blogger :)

Obviously, I didn’t struggle with the characters or their motivations so this is a solid B/B+ for me.

And, as usual, all this disagreement has got my fingers pushing One Click and buying the book!