Dear Author: Romance Novel Reviews, Industry News, and Commentary

Dear Ms. Kelly

I’m not big fan of holiday stories so one featuring two Christmas haters is probably perfect for me. There’s something deliciously ironic about the self referential nature of the story and the characters attitudes toward the holiday. It seems to me that they would hate Christmas themed stories.  

Noelle Bradenton overhears a man and a woman in a dressing room having a very provocative conversation and assumes that they are having sex. Then the man with the sexy voice exits the dressing room and accidentally falls into her room. Their eyes meet and a zing occurs; they kiss but the saleswoman interrupts their interlude and before they know it, Noelle and the sexy dressing room guy are separated without getting the others’ name.

Mark Santori, the aforementioned sexy dressing room man, is a Chicago detective, and by happenstance meets Noelle again when the youth and woman’s shelter where she works is robbed by a Santa and Mark is sent to investigate.

Despite the seemingly ridiculous dressing room setup which is actually addressed by both Noelle and Mark (i.e., Mark confronts her with about kissing him if she really thought …

Dear Mr. Archer

Thank you for sending your book to us to read. You may, however, regret this decision if you read the review. I suggest not reading it. Reviews are for readers and in this case, that maxim is doubly true.

Summary of the story is that Lloyd Vance, a detective from Alaska has moved to Lake Barri, Colorado. He meets Courtney Hudson, a widow of 3 years and middle grade author of middle grade bestselling books, at a bar. They hit it off but before a relationship can start, Courtney’s cousin, Pilar, is killed in a hit and run. Lloyd and Courtney must face several impediments to their fledling relationship such as Courtney’s widowhood, Lloyd’s deadbeat father, Courtney’s critical mother, and a slow resolution to the hit and run.

Sadly, the best thing about this book is that I got it for free. The writing simply didn’t suit my taste nor did the characters.

Lloyd and Courtney meet in a bar and after exchanging names, occupations and one spectacularly bad pick up line and decide to go home together and have sex.
“Maybe the stars aligned on this night, and …