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Posts Tagged ‘romance’

Give me a bloody sword and a loaded gun and put me on the deck of a tall ship, guns blazing, the sails cracking and men yelling defiance as the decks run red. –All of course in a book.

Finishing All of C.S. Forrester’s Hornblower adventures is only the beginning of some exciting and well written stories of the sea. The Royal navy and the tyrant Napoleon provide enough drama and action to fuel several of my favorite historical series.

Ramage begins on the deck of a sinking ship with all the other officers dead. In the face of enemy guns Ramage must step up and take command, navel battles, beautiful women, fights with the admiralty ensue.

Some stories of the sea have an uneven balance as they present the history of the Royal navy
in the time of Napoleon. Some want us to know every navel term, pull on all the running rigging and memorize the chain of command; others throw their heroes into one deadly trap after another. Pope’s stores satisfy our need for authentic history will providing a believable and imaginative story that does not bog down in detail.

For purists, Ramage may be a bit too romantic. There is actually a strong female in the first book as a major character and essential part of the story. Ramage is well liked by his men and doesn’t believe in flogging or wasting their lives. Pope does not dwell on the stricter side of the royal navy. But, as an action adventure “Good Read” it works.

Each writer develops a unique character with personality traits he hopes will appeal to the reader and yet provide for logical decisions and actions that fuel the tensions in the story. When I read that Ramage was another aristocrat in command, I approached the book with a weather eye. But, Ramage has “good character”. He is loyal to his men who he values as more than a means to furthering his career. So, the men under his command are present as rounded and interesting people who look up to their commander and further our interest in the story.

I like Ramage and his action filled stories. While rich, Ramage is not well connected and his family history puts him at odds with the admiralty. Ramage must watch out for the French on one side and his superiors on the other.

Dudley Pope was a historian who knew his business and yet knew how to tell a story of action and adventure. He puts in people we want to read about while giving us an authentic creation of an age. Ramage is history that’s a lot of fun to read.

Relationships, romance and marriage out of social class can bring shame to the London’s high-society, but what happens when tables are turned on their heads and the servant becomes wealthier than his high-classed family employer? Oh you have to read this book;

“Again the Magic” by Lisa Kleypas; Avon Historical Romance [an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers] New York, NY; 2004.

Lisa Kleypas has a passion for passion and she has over two-dozen steamy, best selling, hot romance books. It’s no wonder she hits the New York Times best sellers list so often with books like:

• Because You’re Mine
• Dreaming of You
• Lady Sophia’s Lover
• Midnight Angel
• Only in Your Arms
• Only with Your Love
• Prince of Dreams
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Somewhere I’ll Find You
• Stranger in My Arms
• Suddenly You
• Then Came You
• When Strangers Marry
• Where Dreams Begin
• Worth Any Price

And realize this is only the list before 2004, some of her latest stuff is very excellent and blows away her older works. She is a writing maniac putting out quality romance books every couple of months or more.

This book is about a wealthy young woman, destined to marry well and then gave herself to one of her families servants, and then all hell breaks loose and she is sent far away from the high-class London Society where her family dominates. Turns out the servant goes off and becomes extremely wealthy and is so angry for being sent away, he wants revenge, but then finds the woman of his dreams again and is trust back deeply in love.

Yes, this is a great romance novel with a bit of historical fiction to boot. I’d recommend this book to any romance novel reader, it’s pretty decent, and that is coming from a man who never really cared for this genre.

Paddy de Courcy, a suave, supposedly CHARMING, Irish politician, is the central character that the four female main characters are associated with in Marian Keyes’ THIS CHARMING MAN. Each woman tells about their connection with Paddy in a first person point of view narrative. This really helps a reader to understand the characters and the part that Paddy plays in their lives. This is a serious story but Marian Keyes injects just enough humor into the story to make for a bearable, but fascinating, read. She gives us a realistic look at how depression, destructive relationships, and domestic violence can affect people’s lives.

The four females who tell their stories are Lola, Grace, Alicia, and Marnie. When it is announced that Paddy will be marrying Alicia, the three other women tell about their relationships with Paddy. Lola, who is a stylist, is especially upset in that she was currently supposed to be Paddy’s love interest. When she finally gets Paddy to explain why their affair is not working, he tells her rather heartlessly that she would not make a good politician’s wife. Could it be her somewhat wacky lifestyle and purple hair? Lola thinks not and so her way of dealing with things is to run. She goes to live along the Irish coast where she meets an interesting group of people including some transvestites. Lola’s story is told through her diary which at times can be annoying to follow.

Marnie and Grace are twins. Grace is a journalist who is a strong woman but was a teenager when she was involved with Paddy only to have him go off later with her twin sister. Even though she could see that Paddy’s relationship with Marnie was not a good one, Grace still has certain feelings for him. As much as she doesn’t want to be, she remains attracted to Paddy. Her feelings are so strong that they play a big part in ruining her own life in many ways.

Marnie, the saddest story in my opinion, allows Paddy to wreck her life as a hardworking housewife and mother. Marnie lives in what would look to be the perfect life with her lovely home and two children but she hides a dark secret. This secret is about to destroy her. When Alicia steals Paddy away from Marnie, it sends Marnie spiraling into her alcoholic death trap.

Alicia is not the most liked person in the book. She is made out to be the villainess but even her story is one that we know will be sad because of her relationship with the destructive, callous Paddy. She is a widow, conservative, well off and will make the perfect Mrs. Politician for Paddy de Courcy. All well and good for him, but what does Alicia get from this?

How and what Paddy does with, and to, each of these women is what weaves the evil throughout this story. What happens to each “victim” and to Paddy is what keeps the reader turning pages to find out the ending. Will these women every find peace and resolution? Will they find satisfaction as a result of what happens to Paddy? Will Paddy win or be driven into his own hellish prison of evil? Readers, who are not fans of Marian Keyes before, will be after reading this book. Hopefully, they will also give her other books a read as they are not all this serious but they are all this good!

What would happen if two sisters both fell in love with the same man?

That is the question at the heart of this cute romantic story.

“Love Finds You in Humble Texas” by author Anita Higman, is a delightful book about Trudie Abernathy and her sister Lane. Trudie sees her image coach sister as having her life pulled together, but sees herself as . . . well, um . . . as a dung beetle.

For Trudie’s thirtieth birthday, Lane sets out to give her an image makeover and a blind date with a man she herself passed over. But when Lane sees how well Mason Wimberley treats Trudie, she realizes she made a huge mistake and finds herself in love with the first man Trudie has taken an interest in.

Trudie, in her humble way, backs away from her chance at love when she discovers Lane’s feelings, but Mason isn’t easily dissuaded. Though their romance is put on a back burner, he helps Trudie re-discover a talent she has buried for years.

The take-away messages from this book for me are following your God-given talents and abilities and the joy of being humble and selfless.

As an aspiring writer and student of the craft, here are a few things I really enjoyed about this book:

1. Subtexting – For non-writers, this is a technique we use in conversation all the time without even realizing it. Writers use it in their dialogue in an effort to gain authenticity. Simply put, it is the underlying meaning of conversation. Anita Higman uses it well.

2. Interesting Premise – The plot of two sisters in love with the same man automatically sets up conflict, which makes a compelling story.

3. Witty Dialogue – Enough said.

4. Sparkling Narrative – One mark of a true writer. How do you include descriptions and story detail without boring the reader to tears? Higman has mastered this.

5. Philosophical, Without Being Stuffy or Preachy – The author pulls this off by making the main character, Trudie, a deep thinker.

6. The Wedding Scene – It reminded me of a modern-day version of a Jane Austen plot–the torture of being at a wedding with the wrong person, and the right person being there with someone you care about and don’t want to see hurt. What a delightful tangled web!

7. The Character Counterpoint – The juxtaposition of the characterizations of Trudie and Lane Abernathy was a brilliant move by Higman.

All in all, this book is a great read, especially if you like romantic comedy. It is a gentle reminder that sometimes love does indeed find us. It may seem slow in coming, but when it happens, it happens quickly–that instantaneous spark of connection.

“Love Finds You in Humble Texas” by Anita Higman is a dish of romance served with sparkle and snap.

Embraced by the Shadows by Mayra Calvani. Twilight Times Books, 2007

Sadash, the vampire, first notices Alana Piovanetti while she vacations with her family in Istanbul. She is very young, a child really, but he is drawn to her. Three hundred years ago he would not have hesitated to drink of her blood – all of it. Not now, however. Since that long ago time he has vowed not to take advantage of a child. He watches as she gazes at a painting of a red-haired angel being thrown out of heaven. Her coloring is very much like that angel. Later in the story this painting and the angel’s appearance will be important.

Twelve years later Alana is living in Puerto Rico where she was born and raised. She recently found a job as the manager of the new ‘in’ place called El Cuevo del Vampiro. She does not consider herself qualified – she was a philosophy major in college, but the owner’s representative assures her she is exactly the right person for the job. That same night the erotic dreams begin. Dreams of a man like no other she has known takes her in his arms and seduces her in away she never imagined possible. Later she meets Shadash the man of her dreams who is even more alluring in the real world. He shows her what the life of an immortal is truly like. Vampires never age and can never be destroyed even by fire. Alana wants to be with him forever, but what about her dearest friend Valeria. How could she watch as this person she loves ages and dies?

Mayra Calvani has created a sensuous world of mystery and dark, complex romance. The fascinating characters and their tantalizing story will keep readers engrossed from the first page to the last.