Prince of Dreams

Prince of Dreams by Lisa Kleypas

3 stars

Readers of Romance Summer 2012 Challenge "Prince/Princess"

Back Cover:

A wealthy and bitter exile, he most dangerous and desirable man in all of England, he burns to possess a proud, headstrong beauty who is promised to another. But winning Emma Stokehurst's exquisite hand through threats and determination does nothing to fill the empty spaces in Nikola's heart--until passion's magic carries the handsome, tormented prince back to a bygone era of splendor and romantic dreams. For there his destiny awaits him in a distant life. And in one remarkable woman's tender touch--achingly familiar but gloriously new--he must seek the elusive promise of ecstasy . . .and learn, at last, to love.

My Thoughts:
Here is what is soooo interesting, the "back cover" that I posted above is not what I saw when I got the book.  This blurb actually kinda describes the book, while the one I saw was soooo vague.  Irritate me!  Anyway, so I start reading the book expecting the awesomeness that I know is Ms. Kleypas.  The opening chapter looks promising.  I get about 1/3 of the way through the book and find myself waiting for LK to do her magic.  Then about 2/3 of the way through, I'm starting to wonder what is going on.  I mean, I've read several books by this author and have liked if not loved everyone of them.  This one is killing me.  I find myself more curious as to how the author is going to resolve this mess of a relationship that she has written.  I keep reading though, because I am NOT a quitter.

The author used a plot device that I hate.  Does it work with the story?  yeees.  Does it fit the character? yeees.  Do I like it? noooo.  Ok, so that's my pet peeve, but I still don't like it.  I will say, that..ok...Spoiler Alert!!!!!  the plot device I hate is when a hero or heroine cheats.  In this case the hero decides to cheat on his wife with another because he doesn't want to get too close to her.  (Hate That!)  Yes, his need to keep distant is part of his tortured past.  I get it, but I don't have to like . Now, she did do this with some discretion. He gets up and gets dressed and decides to find a willing woman....We don't see him again until he comes home smelling of tobacco, alcohol, and sex.  Eww!

The heroine, to me, was just not much of a sympathetic character.  I mean, I felt like I never really connected with her.  She spent so much time, being mad at someone.  Ugh!  Instead of finding out what kind of demons your husband has and why he is the way he is, she just gets mad.  It's not like there aren't several people who know about him who could give her that insight.  Her step-mother being the main one.  We meet some of the staff, but never do those characters get fleshed out.  It would have been endearing to see the heroine trying to use some russian words (and failing a little here and there) while she was learning from her staff.  I think small things like that would have gone a long way towards making her more sympathetic.  She is supposed to have a soft heart as she rescues animals etc. 

Anyway, the Hero was a jerk who had to "Time Travel" back 170 years in order to decide to love.  The heroine, was so 2 dimensional that I couldn't muster up much care for her even though she'd been cheated on. (and we all know how much I hate that!)

I will not give up on Lisa Kleypas, but will not be looking for the other book in this series.  Nope. 

How to Knit a Wild Bikini

How to Knit a Wild Bikini by Christie Ridgway

Book published in 08

pages 277

rated ???3-4 stars

Back Cover:


The beachside knitting shop Malibu & Ewe is the perfect place for L.A.'s hip young crowd to enjoy colorful yarn and intimate conversation. For personal chef Nikki Carmichael, it could be the softest place to land if her new job falls through. Working for magazine writer Jay Buchanan has come with some strange conditions--like pretending to be his girlfriend. As for Jay, he finds himself drawn to the kitchen, where he’s intrigued by his sexy cook's ability to withstand the heat between them. And now he thinks it’s time to turn up the flames.





My Thoughts:


Well, I'm not sure what to say. I liked the book. I found some of the subject matter difficult. Personal stuff with me, so ...Was it well written? I guess. I found myself skimming. That's probably not a great sign. I felt like Shanna and Jorge's story was...hmm.. underdeveloped. I would have loved to see more of them. Maybe give them their own, story or something. It felt a little odd, to me. Why are they there? It didn't seem to relate at all to Jay and Nikki's story, but was some aside! I liked the way Gabe and Cassandra were written here. They were introduced, but not wrapped up with a bow. Also, there was enough of a teaser, that makes me want to get to know him better. Why is he so tortured? How is he going to heal, and how is she going to get him to let her in? I'll probably look for Gabe and Cassandra's story, but will probably have to read the other one of the three to get the between story. I'll probably give it a 3. It was alright.





I did get a kick out of all the lesbian innuendo! That cracked me up.

Lionhearted by Diana Palmer

# 14 title with an animal

rated 3

pgs 187

His Winter Bride . . .? As the holiday season approached, the residents of Jacobsville were whispering about Janie Brewster's hopeless crush on Leo Hart. Up till now, all her efforts to lasso the dynamic cattleman had crumbled quicker than those mouthwatering biscuits that Hart men coveted. However, this time the starry-eyed debutante had come up with the perfect self-improvement campaign to dazzle Leo -- she'd become a courageous cowgirl! Still, her sudden transformation seemed to rouse Leo's formidable temper more than ever. But wait... was it hot-blooded hunger -- not dark disdain -- that gleamed in his eyes when they melted into those smoldering kisses beneath the mistletoe? Could the last Hart bachelor be on the verge of taking Janie as his bride?

Pet Peeve Alert

this teaser doesn't tell you anything about this story. It leads you down a wrong direction.

The holiday season has nothing to do with nothing. The residents of Jacobsville weren't whispering about anything except Leo getting drunk and jealous of Janie, not the other way around. Leo, isn't mad about Janie becoming a courageous cowgirl, but that he was told by her best friend Marilee (and with friends like who need enemies!) that Janie was spreading rumors etc. They didn't kiss beneath any mistletoe, and were married by christmas. Ugh! I hate it when the teaser lies!

**soapbox put away! For Now***

Why do I read Diana Palmer? It's like looking at a car wreck on the highway. I don't want to look, and yet somehow, I can't help myself. Her books are always the same. Hero-Older more experienced wealthy rancher (or merc! ) who vows never to marry for some dumb-butt reason! (pardon my francais!) Also, only likes women who have no (I mean NO) ambition professionally. Heroine- Young (sometimes barely 20) poor, virginal, hopelessly in love with hero, woman, who has "old fashioned" values meaning that all she aspires to is to cook and clean and raise children. (which is great sometimes to have a maternal character, but seriously everywoman in town, has no professional aspirations? Seriously?) There will come some point in the story where Hero will verbally abuse the the heroine, for being plain/poor/innocent/....Ack! It's always for her own good, mind you! Or, or, or, or, He will tell some 3rd party how awful said heroine is , while she walks into the room to overhear him. Akward!

***soapbox returns***

These women are soooooo innocent that he kisses them, and they are stunned! What?! Who Knew! He "makes a strong pass" and she's scarred for life! She has to(leave town, quit her job, quit school, Hide out ) to avoid the memory of his kisses and groping! He molds his body to her, so that his "physical response" is obvious and she's never seen or felt or heard of anything. "Does it hurt?" She asks. As if the school system in Texas does not teach a health class in High School that covers basic reproduction. (I know they do, cuz I'm a product of that school system. and they taught health class even in the 80's)

While I'm on the topic, did you know that most men, "MUST" rest immediately after "relations"? Yup! Seems most men, need a sandwich and a nap, just to survive! However, these Jacobsville men, are that small percentage who are capable of multiple-O's. And several of them are soooooo well endowed that "most" women can't take all of them. SERIOUSLY! Also, an epidemic in Jacobsville, is that several women need to have a minor medical procedure to ready them for their Wedding Night! yep!

I originally gave this a 3.5 cuz I knew exactly what I was going to get, when I picked it up. But now that I've vented, I can't really give it a 3.5. It's got to me more of a 3 maybe even 2.5. I'll say 3 cuz, If I didn't want this sort of book, I shouldn't have picked it.

Ms. Palmer is a decent writer, but Criminy, get a new formula. These women need a pair, (if ya know what I mean!) I come from a town very much like this one in her stories, and I gotta say, the women I knew, and saw everyday wouldn't put up with the crap these guys dish out. they'd have tarred and feathered their butts, and told them "what for". Then sat down with a girlfriend and "God Blessed" their pitiful souls to death. Cuz, you know when a southern woman is talking about someone and says "God Bless 'em" it is not cuz they sneezed. (for instance. "Uncle Cletus, God Bless 'em, is a sorry fiddle player" it softens the blow! )

If you like, weak women and super alpha males. you'll like Diana Palmers Long Tall Texan series.
***soapbox is now smoking and deserves a rest! ***

Dangerous by Nora Roberts

Risky Business

She was a maddening combination of mystery and innocence. But Liz wa the key to finding his brother's killer, so cynical Jonas Sharpe had to stick close...too close for comfort.

Ok. Let the record show, that I am willing to admit that my review of this story is probably not entirely fair. If you read my previous post, I'm still in a bit of a funk. :{

That being said, I didn't love this. Dangerous is a collection of 3 previously released books, Risky Business, Storm Warning, and The Welcoming. I only read Risky Business. It is my suspense/romance for Read Around the Genres. I didn't read the others, because I knew I wouldn't love them now. So, I'll only review Risky Business. It was ok. I didn't love it, but I'm not mad I wasted time reading it either. She gave me the HEA, that I love and redeemed the characters that needed redeeming. All the strings were tied up, and I loved the emotion. She's great at that. Other authors, may be "hotter" but I feel the emotion, and even the conflict of that emotion more with her, than with some others. Even though I'm giving this a 3 stars, I have to defend Nora Roberts. I've read 70 some-odd books, many of which contain two or more previously released titles. So in the 100 + titles I've read by Nora, (I call her that cuz whe're like this**{crosses fingers}**)I've only rated 1 (this one) a 3 and only disliked 1 title ever.

Starlight

Starlight...

From the moment Karen McAlister saw Rand Prescott, she knew that he was the one man with whom she could share her future. But Rand's own vision was limited, and he was unwilling to bind himself to a woman he could not see.

Fate, however, saw everything, and forced them into a marriage neither one could have foreseen on that first night in each other's arms. But theirs became a love which neither one would trade for all the riches of the Orient or the brightness of the sun.

I liked this story pretty well. I thought Rand was a little over the top. Geez, your blind, not incompetant. So, you'll never "see" her, guess what you'd get to "feel" her. What husband doesn't want more "feeling" going on. :) It was an ok book. Luckily it was short, cuz I don't think I would have wanted to invest much more time with them.

The Hart Brothers: Simon and Callaghan

Simon Hart: He'd all but sworn off women forever

Bute every man has a weakness, and his was socialite Tira Beck. Simon thought she was nothing but a shameless flirt. Until he found out she was saving it all for him. That clinched it. He simply had to have her. But would he be able to give up bachelorhood for the long haul the way Tira deserves?

Callaghan Hart: Men want to be him, women want to be with him.

Callaghan's as macho as they come. He's brooding, dark and mysterious-the ultimate bad boy. But the ranch's new housekeeper, Tess Brady, may have the ability to bring Callaghan to his knees. Sure, she's soft as a kitten and dewy as springtime, but that doesn't mean she can't tempt him into breaking all his own bad-boy rules.

I'm conflicted about Diana Palmers books. Her heroes are all strong, wealthy, older men with women issues. They are typically very mean to the heroines. The heroines are always young, virginal, and domestic. They are not only virgins, but typically don't know anything. (I mean really, ninth grade health class taught me more than these women know. Criminy!) It gets more than a little frustrating sometimes to read the same formula over and over.

However, sometimes, you get in the mood for a Uber-alpha male and innocent younger woman story. I always know where to look. It always ends up good. Honestly, I get a little embarrassed that I keep reading these books, but sometimes they just fit the bill. It's like driving by a wreck. You know you shouldn't want to look, but you can't keep your eyes off of it. Well, I got my DP fix for a while.