Mini-Reviews: Orchid, Leopard, Between

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Lauren Willig, The Orchid Affair

After spending the past 16 years as a governess, Laura Grey is eager to be sent on her first mission for the Pink Carnation. To her dismay, she’ll be posing as a governess — but her real job will be to spy on her pupils’ father, André Jaouen, who works for Bonaparte’s ministry of police. André is keeping many secrets, and as Laura discovers where his loyalties truly lie, she also finds herself increasingly drawn to him. This is another enjoyable installment of the Pink Carnation series. I liked seeing how the French Revolution and rise of Napoleon affected the people who were experiencing it firsthand. I also enjoyed the romance between Laura and André, who have both experienced hardship and gained wisdom from it. The book’s pacing is a bit slow, though, and I just didn’t love it quite as much as some others in the series. Still, I’m glad to have revisited this one!

Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, Leopard in Exile

This sequel to The Shadow of Albion finds most of the principal characters in America, known in this universe as New Albion. Sarah, now the Duchess of Wessex, travels to Baltimore to help her friend Meriel, whose husband Louis (the lost dauphin of France) has gone missing. The Duke of Wessex follows his wife, but he’s also been given a spy mission he may or may not choose to complete. And the evil sorcerer the Marquis de Sade is seeking the Holy Grail, rumored to be in the French colony of Louisianne, which will give him unimaginable demonic power. After I loved the previous book so much, it’s not surprising that this one was a bit of a letdown. While the setting is unique and fascinating, I got weary of all the world-building, especially when it slowed down the narrative. Also, I wanted more character interaction and development; I particularly felt the lack thereof in Sarah and Wessex’s relationship. That said, I’m still glad to have read the book and sorry the series won’t continue.

Mhairi McFarlane, Between Us

Roisin has been dating Joe, a successful TV writer, for nearly a decade, but lately she’s been thinking about breaking up. The problem is that they’re both part of a tight-knit friend group, and she doesn’t feel like she has a good enough reason to dump him. But things come to a head when the friend group gathers to watch Joe’s new TV show, which contains scenes straight from Roisin’s life, including private details about her dysfunctional family. After this betrayal, Roisin begins to wonder if she ever really knew Joe at all. I’m a McFarlane fan and enjoyed this latest book very much, but those expecting a light contemporary romance will be disappointed. Though there is a very sweet love story, the vast majority of the plot centers around Roisin’s relationship with Joe and her growing knowledge of his true character. McFarlane likes to explore the ways men can abuse and exploit women, so the focus on Joe is not surprising, but I would have liked a little more emphasis on Roisin’s new romance and her complicated family dynamics.

Mini-Reviews: Wedding, Healer, Falling

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Mary Simses, The Wedding Thief

Sara and her younger sister, Mariel, have never really gotten along. They haven’t even spoken for the past year and a half — ever since Mariel stole Sara’s boyfriend, Carter. Now Mariel and Carter are getting married, and when her mom tricks her into coming home for the wedding, Sara seizes the opportunity for a little sabotage. But as she reluctantly reconnects with Mariel, she begins to see her life and relationships in a new light. I liked the premise of this book, but the execution was lacking. Sara is 38 but acts like an immature teenager for most of the book, switching up the seating chart, giving the caterer the wrong order, and so on. But Mariel is even worse, and I didn’t buy the book’s attempts to redeem her in the end. I did like Sara’s new love interest, though I couldn’t quite figure out what he saw in her. Overall, I was disappointed in this book and won’t seek out more by the author.

Claudia J. Edwards, Eldrie the Healer

Eldrie is the illegitimate daughter of a king, but she left home at 16 to get away from her indifferent father, odious half-brothers, and the burdens of royalty. She’s much happier traveling alone from place to place, practicing her craft as a healer. When she teams up with Huard, a skilled hunter and loyal companion, Eldrie finds she enjoys his company. But as they meet new people and encounter various perils, she reluctantly realizes that her destiny lies in her home country. This is a book I really enjoyed for about the first half, when Eldrie and Huard are having adventures and getting to know each other better. But the plot (OK, the romance) takes a turn I didn’t expect or particularly like. And in the end, almost nothing is resolved; it’s clear that this book was intended to be the first in a series, but the author sadly passed away before writing any further installments. So while this book had a lot of promise, it ultimately left me disappointed.

Diane Farr, Falling for Chloe

Chloe and Gil grew up together and are the best of friends, but neither considers the other a romantic prospect. When a chance thunderstorm forces them to take shelter in a cottage together overnight, however, they are forced into an engagement. Though not actually intending to marry Gil, Chloe uses the opportunity to visit his sister, Tish, in London, and help repair her shaky marriage. The biggest problem seems to be Tish’s infatuation with the rakish and charming Lord Rival, but Chloe’s attempt to divert his attention goes awry when she is drawn to him herself. After a few lackluster reads, this light Regency romance was such a breath of fresh air! I adored Chloe and Gil and found their journey from friends to lovers both believable and satisfying. The bits from Lord Rival’s POV made me roll my eyes a little — clearly he’ll have his own book — but overall, I really enjoyed this one! Definitely recommend, especially for fans of steamless historicals.

Mini-Reviews: Sounded, Only, Wed

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Nina Kenwood, It Sounded Better in My Head

Eighteen-year-old Natalie is having a rough time: She’s waiting to find out whether she’s been accepted to university. Her best friends, Zach and Lucy, have recently begun dating each other, making her feel like a third wheel. Worst of all, her parents have just told her they’re breaking up, and she never suspected a thing. As she deals with these challenges and her overwhelming feelings about them, she also develops an unexpected crush on Zach’s older brother, Alex. But her insecurities and lack of experience threaten to derail their romance before it begins. This YA novel, told from Natalie’s POV, really captures the big and urgent and sometimes painful feelings of adolescence. It’s also quite funny, and I both liked and related to Natalie. So if you enjoy the occasional young adult book with a bit of romance, I’d recommend this one.

Lacie Waldon, The Only Game in Town

The idyllic town of Redford, Georgia, gets a shake-up when its eccentric benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, dies. His will leaves $10 million to an unspecified Redford resident, and the townspeople must compete in a series of bizarre challenges to win the fortune. Freelance editor Jess Reid has big plans for that money, but she’s dismayed to be teamed up with her longtime nemesis, Nikki. Meanwhile, Jasper’s grandson, Carter, is visiting from Atlanta and gets roped into the game also. Jess and Carter are drawn to each other, but the competition, plus the fact that Carter will eventually leave town, may prevent their romance. This novel really goes all in on small-town charm and quirky-yet-lovable townspeople. I thought it was cute (caveat, I’ve never lived in a small town), but others may find it too saccharine or too unrealistic. I liked that the book jumps between several points of view, including that of seemingly villainous Nikki. And the Jess/Carter romance is sweet, though a bit sidelined for all the Westing Game-esque hijinks. Overall, I liked this one and may try another book by the author.

Susanna Craig, Better Off Wed

Outraged by men who sexually harass and rape their female servants, Laura Hopkins has decided to fight back. Using the alias Lady Sterling, she infiltrates the lives of these men and learns their blackmail-worthy secrets so that they’ll never repeat their crimes. En route to her latest target, Laura meets British intelligence officer Jeremy Addison — who also happens to be Lord Sterling. His assignment is to find out what she’s up to and possibly offer her a job. As the two work together, they’re forced to pretend to be married, but their fake relationship soon becomes all too real. I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, and I liked this one too, but nothing about it really stands out to me. Fans of historical romance who want a light, undemanding read they can finish in an afternoon will probably enjoy the book, but I’m not feeling particularly enthusiastic about it.

Mini-Reviews: Stranger, Masked, Roswell

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Katherine Center, Hello Stranger

Sadie is a struggling artist, barely eking out a living selling portraits on Etsy. So when she’s selected as a finalist for a prestigious portrait-painting competition, she’s convinced her luck has finally changed. Now all she has to do is paint a new portrait for the final judging, but that task becomes a lot more complicated when a brain injury leaves her with temporary face blindness. I have mixed feelings about this book, mainly because I found Sadie frustrating at times. No question, she goes through some really tough struggles, but she also spends a big portion of the book wallowing in self-pity, which is no fun to read about. She’s also incredibly hostile to her family; it turns out she has good reasons to be, but we don’t learn those reasons until quite late in the book. I also felt like her family issues were too big to be resolved as quickly and neatly as they were. On the plus side, I enjoyed the writing style and the extremely adorable romance, so I did actually like the book overall. But there are definitely significant flaws, so I’m glad I got it from the library instead of buying.

Mary Balogh, A Masked Deception

Margaret Wells has been in love with Richard Adair, the Earl of Brampton, ever since they shared a dance and a passionate kiss at a masquerade six years ago. Unfortunately, Richard never learned her identity because she left before the unmasking. Now he needs to do his duty and marry, and he chooses Margaret because she is respectable but (he thinks) dull and unlikely to interfere in his life. Margaret, wanting to reawaken the passion they shared at the masquerade, decides to approach Richard incognito in her old costume. But Richard is surprisingly torn between his masked “angel” and his wife. Despite the ridiculous aspects of the plot, I actually did enjoy this book. I liked watching Richard’s indifference toward Margaret slowly transform into love as he gets to know her. There’s a lot of pining and gazing at each other across the room, which I’m always here for. Plus there’s a sweet secondary romance involving Margaret’s sister. So overall, I’m glad I read this one and liked it better than some of her more recent work.

Connie Willis, The Road to Roswell

Francie is on her way to Roswell, New Mexico, for her good friend Serena’s wedding. Unfortunately for her, Roswell is also hosting a huge UFO festival during the wedding weekend. Francie resents the crowds of alien-obsessed weirdos and thinks their beliefs are totally ridiculous — that is, until she gets abducted by an alien herself. But the alien doesn’t seem to want to hurt her; instead, he seems to be desperately looking for something, and he needs Francie’s help. Connie Willis is one of my very favorite authors, so I’m biased, but I really enjoyed this book! It’s part alien abduction saga, part road trip adventure, part Western throwback, part screwball comedy. I loved Indy the alien and his relationship with Francie; I also loved all the references to movie Westerns and how the characters used them to communicate with Indy. I could nitpick a little about pacing — the book has a slow start and a drawn-out ending — but overall I vastly enjoyed the ride.

Mini-Reviews: Scandal, French, Murder

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Sophie Irwin, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal

Ten years ago, Eliza Courtenay married the wealthy Earl of Somerset out of duty to her family, even though she was in love with Somerset’s nephew at the time. The marriage was restrictive and unhappy, but now the earl has died and left Eliza unexpectedly rich. She decides to take control of her life and set up her own household in Bath. But her newfound independence comes with complications, especially when she’s torn between her old love (who is now the earl) and the charming yet scandalous Lord Melville. I greatly enjoyed Irwin’s debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting, so I had high hopes for this one, but it never quite grabbed me. I liked the development of the love triangle, where Eliza’s choice of man reflects her choice about what kind of life she really wants. But at the same time, that conflict feels very modern; with historical romance, I want to be transported to a different time, and I didn’t feel that here. Overall, I’d call this one good but not great.

Sarah Ready, French Holiday

After watching her sister marry her best friend, with whom she’s been desperately in love for the past four years, Merry DeLuca needs an escape. Her godmother offers to let her stay in her French chateau, and Merry jumps at the chance. But she’s shocked to discover that Noah Wright, the best man at her sister’s wedding, is also staying at the chateau to work on a travel documentary. Merry and Noah have always disliked each other, but now their close proximity causes them to reevaluate their relationship. I enjoyed this contemporary romance, though it feels a little unpolished (which makes sense, as I believe it’s self-published). At times the prose gets a bit overwrought, and some of the humor veers toward cringey, but the romantic/sexual tension is well done, with excellent use of the “only one bed” trope. Definitely worth a read if the premise interests you!

E.C.R. Lorac, Murder by Matchlight

In the opening chapter of this World War II-era mystery, a young man witnesses a murder—but because of the wartime blackout, he doesn’t actually see anything except a face that’s briefly revealed when the victim lights a match in the seconds before his death. Scotland Yard Inspector Macdonald is on the case and soon learns that the key to the truth lies in the dead man’s mysterious identity and background. This vintage mystery was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the wartime setting and its subtle but important effects on the plot — for example, one of Macdonald’s suspect interviews is interrupted by an air raid. The cast of characters is interesting, and Macdonald is a likable sleuth. But I think the mystery itself is a bit weak, and the plot is mostly just Macdonald interviewing people, which gets boring. Overall, though, I’d be interested in reading more by Lorac.

Mini-Reviews: Temporary, Beautiful, Battle

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Sarah Adams, The Temporary Roomie

This sequel to The Off Limits Rule features Lucy’s brother, Drew, and her best friend, Jessie. They’ve never gotten along, but right now Drew needs a fake girlfriend for a fancy work event, and Jessie needs somewhere to live while her house gets treated for mold. They reluctantly agree to help each other out, but they can’t resist arguing and playing increasingly elaborate pranks on each other. But when their “fights” start feeling less hostile and more flirty, neither is quite sure how to redefine their relationship. This book is another cute, undemanding contemporary romance. I liked it more than The Off Limits Rule because the obstacles to the romance are grounded in the characters, particularly Jessie’s fears of abandonment and intimacy due to her past. This book isn’t necessarily a must-read, but if you just want to be entertained for an afternoon, it’s a solid choice.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Beautiful Ones

Ten years ago, penniless 19-year-old Hector fell in love with the beautiful but equally penniless Valérie. He left to make his fortune, she promised to wait, but within a year she married a wealthy man. Now Hector has returned, rich and successful, and he’s determined to see Valérie again. She’s acting as chaperone for her husband’s young cousin, Nina, whom Hector decides to court as a way to get closer to Valérie. But as he and Nina spend more time together, his scheme becomes much more complicated. I loved Velvet Was the Night, so I had high hopes for this book, which is much more in my wheelhouse (pseudo-historical romance with magic!). I really liked the complexity of the three main characters; there are chapters from each person’s point of view, so even the villain is three-dimensional. But something about the book’s writing style kept me at a distance and prevented me from getting emotionally invested in the story. It’s still a good book, and I would recommend it, but I didn’t LOVE it like I wanted to.

Lucy Parker, Battle Royal

Sylvie Fairchild and Dominic De Vere are total opposites in terms of personality and taste: “He went in for elegant minimalism. She rarely saw an object that couldn’t be improved with sequins. She was, aesthetically, his worst nightmare.” They’re also rival bakers competing for the chance to make the wedding cake for a member of the British royal family. But when they’re forced to team up as judges on a reality baking show, Sylvie and Dominic find common ground and a surprising attraction. I adore Lucy Parker’s contemporary romances, and this one is no exception. It’s the kind of book you sink into and lose track of time while reading. The romance is a delicious slow burn that more than compensates for the slightly too cluttered plot. Now I’m even more excited for the sequel coming out next month!

Mini-Reviews: Mischief, Magic, Useful

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Lauren Willig, The Mischief of the Mistletoe

Arabella Dempsey has been a “poor relation” for years, and now she has no choice but to become a teacher at a young ladies’ academy. There she literally runs into Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh, who is visiting his sister, Sally. In the ensuing chaos, Arabella picks up a dropped Christmas pudding and discovers a mysterious French message inside. It might be just a lovers’ assignation — but what if it’s something more sinister? Arabella and Turnip team up to investigate and fall for each other in the process. This is an adorable installment of the Pink Carnation series! Turnip is a big dumb lovable sweetheart, and Arabella is someone who both needs and appreciates his kindness. The spy plot is a mere wisp of a thing, but who cares when the book is so much fun? This is right up there with The Seduction of the Crimson Rose as one of my favorites in the series thus far.

Emma Mills, Something Close to Magic

Aurelie is a baker’s apprentice with a magical gift for seeking and a secret thirst for adventure. So when bounty hunter Iliana asks her for help in finding a particularly elusive target, Aurelie agrees, even when the job takes her away for her bakery and into the dangerous Underwood. There they encounter Prince Hapless and his entourage just in time to foil a kidnapping attempt. Aurelie soon finds herself falling for Hapless, but can she give up the stability of her life as an apprentice for the uncertainties of love? I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel. The plot isn’t particularly original, but the banter between the main characters is delightful, and the romance between Aurelie and Hapless is very sweet. The book cheekily promises a sequel, and I will definitely seek it out once it’s published!

Darcie Wilde, A Useful Woman

Rosalind Thorne was born into high society, but after a family scandal several years ago, she’s barely clinging to the fringes. Because ladies seek her help in navigating various social situations, she has a reputation as a “useful woman.” When young gentleman Jasper Aimesworth is found dead in the Almack’s ballroom, his sister Honoria begs Rosalind to investigate his death. I previously read this book and remember liking it, and I’m happy to say my positive opinion still holds. Obviously I’m going to read any book whose premise is “murder at Almack’s,” and I really enjoyed the book’s portrayal of just how difficult it was to behave properly in Regency society, where a single wrong step could mean disaster. Rosalind is a sympathetic character, and I look forward to seeing how her family drama and romantic life develop in subsequent books!

Mini-Reviews: Splendor, Remember, Albion

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B.R. Myers, A Dreadful Splendor

Genevieve Timmons is a fake spiritualist who uses her seances to steal from the wealthy families who hire her. When the law catches up with her, she gets an unexpected reprieve: A lawyer hires her to perform a seance for Mr. Pemberton of Somerset Park, whose fiancée tragically died the night before their wedding. The lawyer thinks the seance will bring his employer peace, but when Genevieve arrives at the park, she learns that Pemberton has other ideas — he thinks his fiancée was murdered and wants to use the seance to prompt the guilty party to confess. As Genevieve gets to know the various people living at the park, she uncovers many secrets and possibly even a real ghost or two. This is a decent read, combining gothic historical mystery with a bit of romance, but I felt there was a little too much going on. Between Genevieve’s sad backstory and the various machinations at Somerset, character development takes a backseat. Overall, I didn’t dislike the book, but it didn’t particularly do anything for me either.

Mary Balogh, Remember Me

Lady Philippa Ware is finally making her London society debut at age 22, after delaying it several times due to a family scandal. There she meets Lucas Arden, the Marquess of Routh, whom she once overheard insulting her as “soiled goods.” She hates him at first but is soon drawn to him, and he to her. Both their families encourage a match between them, but can they overcome their painful shared past? This isn’t a bad book, but I found it a frustrating one. Balogh seems much more interested in family dynamics than in the core romance here; Philippa and Lucas are almost afterthoughts in the huge cast of characters, many of whom were introduced in book #1 and will inevitably have their own books in the series. I also found Lucas’s grandparents more overbearing than endearing in their relentless pressure for him to produce an heir. That said, I still want to continue with the series and will hope for stronger romances in subsequent books.

Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, The Shadow of Albion

It’s 1805, and Sarah Cunningham has decided to leave her life of drudgery in Baltimore for the promise of good fortune in London. But once she’s in England, her carriage has a terrible accident — and when she wakes up, everyone is calling her the Marchioness of Roxbury. Moreover, the world is strangely different from her own: America never had a revolution and the Stuarts are still on the throne of England. As Sarah struggles to understand her new identity, she also clashes with the Duke of Wessex, Roxbury’s fiancé and a spy for the English king. But Sarah and Wessex must eventually put aside their differences to foil a nefarious French plot. I feel like that summary just barely scratches the surface — suffice to say, this book is a mixture of alternate-history epic, political intrigue, and Regency romance that I really, really loved! It’s a dense read but still somehow a page-turner, and I would highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction (despite the alternate/fantastical elements). Can’t wait to read the sequel!

Mini-Reviews: Web, Kiss, Again

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Mary Balogh, The Gilded Web

When Alexandra Purnell steps outside a crowded ballroom to get some air, she is kidnapped and locked in the Earl of Amberley’s house overnight. The incident is a total misunderstanding — the kidnappers are friends of Amberley’s younger brother, and they thought they were kidnapping his sister as a prank. But now Alex has been compromised, so Amberley (as head of the family) feels obligated to marry her. As a Balogh fan, I was expecting to enjoy this book more than I did. It’s a perfectly fine read, but I wanted it to focus more on the main couple. Instead, a lot of space is given to Amberley’s brother (who feels he should marry Alex himself, since he’s the one who arranged the kidnapping) and sister (who is both annoyed by and attracted to Alex’s brother). The obvious sequel bait was distracting and made the central romance less compelling. Still not a bad book by any means, but it’s not one of my favorites by Balogh.

Erin Beaty, The Traitor’s Kiss

Sixteen-year-old Sage Fowler is excited to start her adult life as an apprentice but dismayed to learn she’s been hired by the local matchmaker. Sage disapproves of the whole concept of matching, but her observational skills are undeniably useful in pairing people off. Meanwhile, Captain Alex Quinn of the royal army is gathering intelligence on a potential rebellion. When he encounters Sage, he and his soldiers enlist her help, but their need for secrecy means they can’t be fully honest with her. This novel has a lot of my catnip — fantasy world plus political intrigue plus romance — and I was surprised by a late-game plot twist that made me reconsider all that had gone before. But I didn’t fully connect with the book; Sage is a bit too much “not like other girls,” and some of the plot threads didn’t quite make sense to me. Overall, this is a good read, but I’m not sure I’ll continue with the series.

Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Again

Jenny Cotton is the creator and head writer of a popular historical soap opera. Her longtime boyfriend, Brian, is an actor on the show, but he has only a minor part because he won’t commit to a contract longer than six months. When veteran soap actor Alec Cameron joins the cast, Jenny is shocked to realize that he’s basing his character’s speech and mannerisms on Brian — and in doing so, he’s revealed the character as cold, distant, and unlikable. But Alec himself is kind and talented, and he seems to understand Jenny in a way no one else does, including Brian. I quite enjoyed this one, especially the behind-the-scenes aspects of producing a soap opera set in the Regency era! I also liked how Jenny works through her feelings about Brian and Alec through the soap’s characters. Alec’s feelings seem to escalate really quickly, and everyone except the three main characters is pretty one-note. But those quibbles aside, I liked this one a lot and am glad I stumbled across it!

Mini-Reviews: Rule, Violets, Theoretically

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Sarah Adams, The Off Limits Rule

After losing her job and her boyfriend pretty much simultaneously, Lucy temporarily moves in with her overprotective big brother, Drew. That becomes a problem when Lucy meets — and is immediately smitten with — Drew’s best friend, Cooper. The attraction is mutual, but they’re hesitant to pursue a relationship for fear of Drew’s reaction. This is a cute, quick read, but because Lucy and Cooper are into each other almost immediately, there’s very little romantic tension. The obstacle of Drew’s disapproval seems silly to me; these people are adults and should be beyond the “eww, no dating my sister!” stage. And a lot of the “humor” comes from Lucy’s embarrassment over her cringeworthy behavior, which makes her seem incompetent and immature. All that said, there is something appealing about the novel’s cutesy style and the banter between the main characters, but it’s definitely not destined to be a favorite.

Baynard Kendrick, The Odor of Violets

Duncan Maclain lost his sight in the First World War. Now, at the beginning of the second, he works as a private investigator and does the occasional job for U.S. intelligence. When a fellow spy is murdered, Maclain’s investigation leads him to the prominent Treadwill family, which includes a famous theater producer, an engineer working on secret military equipment, and the dead spy’s ex-wife. This is an odd book that tries to combine a traditional mystery with a spy thriller, and the result is a little half-baked. Because of the book’s split focus, there’s not enough time to flesh out the various suspects or provide meaningful clues. However, I did enjoy the depiction of a blind detective who relies on hearing, touch, and smell to observe the world. Kendrick apparently did a lot of research and tried to make Maclain’s abilities as realistic as possible. Overall, I liked some elements of this novel, but it didn’t quite gel for me.

Ali Hazelwood, Love, Theoretically

Elsie is a theoretical physicist who’s desperate to find a research position, but for now she’s stuck as a poorly paid adjunct professor. To supplement her income, she works for a fake-dating app. While on a “date” with her favorite client, she meets Jack, the client’s brother, who seems disapproving and suspicious of her. Disastrously, she meets him again while interviewing for her dream job at MIT, where Jack—an experimental physicist with a well-known grudge against theorists—is on the search committee. But as Elsie spends more time with Jack, she revises her first impression of him and learns his true feelings for her. The thing about Ali Hazelwood is that I’m often irritated by her books, but I still devour them in one sitting! As with her previous novels, I thought the hero’s level of devotion to the heroine was pretty implausible, and the overabundant science references were clumsily inserted. But I did find Elsie relatable in her need to be liked, though she takes people-pleasing to an unhealthy extreme. This is a flawed but compelling read, and I’ll doubtless continue to read Hazelwood’s work.