Tag: chick lit

Mini-Reviews: Miles, Plot, Country

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Jenny Colgan, 500 Miles from You

Lissa and Cormac are both home care nurses, she in London and he in the tiny town of Kirrinfief, Scotland. When Lissa is traumatized by an on-the-job tragedy, her boss forces her into a swap: She’ll go to Kirrinfief for three months, where she’ll theoretically have enough peace and quiet to begin healing, and Cormac will take her place in London. At first, both Lissa and Cormac have trouble adjusting to their new surroundings, but gradually they grow and change in unexpected ways. I’ve read a few books by Colgan and found them sweet, uplifting comfort reads. This book definitely has more darkness in it: Lissa’s trauma is described in detail, and many of the patients she and Cormac treat suffer horribly. But the novel retains a gentle feel and warm sense of community, especially in Kirrinfief. Scottish life is a bit too idealized, and the novel seemed to end rather abruptly, but I did enjoy it overall and will continue to read more by Colgan.

Genevieve Cogman, The Lost Plot

In this fourth installment of the Invisible Library series, Irene and Kai are unwillingly roped into political intrigue among the dragons, which puts the Library’s careful neutrality between dragons and Fae in jeopardy. To protect the Library, Irene and Kai travel to an alternate version of Prohibition-era New York City, where they have to evade mobsters and police as well as dragons. This fourth installment of the Invisible Library series is a fun read, consistent with previous books in the series. I enjoyed the new setting with its gangsters and speakeasies, and Irene continues to subtly grow and change as she realizes the Library isn’t always her highest priority. I missed Vale in this book, but it looks like he’ll be more prominent in book 5, which I plan to read next month.

Fiona Hill, The Country Gentleman

Anne Guilfoyle is celebrated as one of the cleverest ladies in London, and she relishes her position and status. But when her fortune is lost due to a bad investment, she’s forced to move to a country manor she’s inherited from a distant relative—and by the terms of the will, she must reside there for 10 months every year. Anne resents the change in her circumstances and views her country neighbors—especially the owner of the closest estate, Henry Highet—as ignorant bumpkins. But as she acclimates to her new life, she grows to appreciate country living, and Highet, more. I’m always on the hunt for well-written, steamless historical romances, and this one definitely fits the bill! Anne is somewhat hard to like at first, as she’s very condescending, but she grows sufficiently throughout the book. I also really liked Anne’s companion and the secondary love story featuring her. Overall, this was a very pleasant surprise, and I’m eager to try more by Fiona Hill.

Mini-Reviews: Like, Gentleman, Aristocrat

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Hannah Orenstein, Love at First Like

Jewelry store owner Eliza is dismayed when she sees on social media that her ex-boyfriend has just gotten engaged. To console herself, she tries on the store’s most extravagant ring and takes a photo – then accidentally posts it to Instagram. When she wakes up the next morning, she discovers thousands of new social media followers, as well as several big online orders from the store. Since her fake engagement is good for business, she decides to keep up the charade. But as her little white lie spirals out of control, she risks losing both her business and a chance at love. I thought this book sounded cute, but Eliza’s behavior made me so mad! Basically, she starts dating a guy in the hope that he’ll actually become her fiancé (and thus make the lie true)…but she 100% leads him on and manipulates him into falling in love with her, not telling him the truth until after he proposes. I thought it was irredeemably awful of her, and her subsequent happy ending felt undeserved. Not recommended.

Mimi Matthews, Gentleman Jim

Ten years ago, stableboy Nicholas Seaton and young lady Margaret Honeywell fell in love, but the cruel interference of a rival suitor forced Nicholas to run away, and Maggie hasn’t heard from him since. Now, visiting a friend in London, she encounters Lord St. Clare, an enigmatic viscount who has recently come to England after years spent abroad. Maggie is convinced that St. Clare is Nicholas, but he staunchly denies it, while at the same time determinedly pursuing a relationship with her. Who is St. Clare, and what’s his purpose in coming to London? I haven’t hit a bad Matthews book yet, and this one is just as well written and entertaining as her others. It’s explicitly inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, so if you know that story, the plot is pretty predictable. I also found the central romance a bit farfetched, given that Maggie and Nicholas were so young when they initially fell in love. But then, second-chance romance really just isn’t my trope. I did like the book and plan to continue with the series, though this installment can 100% stand alone.

Mignon G. Eberhart, Murder by an Aristocrat

Nurse Sarah Keate is called to the home of the wealthy and prominent Thatcher family when one of its members, Bayard, is shot in the arm. The family claims the shot was an accident that occurred while Bayard was cleaning his gun, but Bayard tells Nurse Keate that someone in the household tried to kill him. His claim seems to be proved true when he’s later found dead in the library. The family then coerces Nurse Keate into staying at the house, where more sinister things occur, including another death. This was my first book by Mignon G. Eberhart, and I quite liked it! The sensible Nurse Keate is a great narrator, and I appreciated the way the mystery unfolded; new evidence came to light at a good pace and so forth. The suspense aspects of the plot (lots of “had I but known” moments) aren’t really my thing, but they’re not too intrusive here. I’ll certainly read more by Eberhart, especially if I can get my hands on some other Nurse Keate books.

Mini-Reviews: Summer, Tryst, Prince

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Lizzy Dent, The Summer Job

Birdy’s best friend, Heather, is a master sommelier who’s accepted a position at a hotel restaurant in Scotland for the summer. But when Heather bails on the job without notifying the hotel, Birdy, who’s between jobs, decides to take her place – despite knowing nothing about wine. Of course, she soon realizes she’s in way over her head, but she becomes genuinely interested in the work – and in the restaurant’s chef, James. But what will happen when the truth comes out? This book, while entertaining on a micro level, actually stressed me out because Birdy made so many terrible, thoughtless decisions! Not only was she horrifically incompetent while (initially) making no effort to improve, but she also lied to her employer and her best friend and didn’t ’fess up even when she realized how badly she could damage said friend’s professional reputation. The book does its best to make Birdy likable despite this awful start, but I never quite came around. The Scottish setting is lovely, and James is a dreamy romantic interest, but honestly, he deserves better!

Alyssa Everett, A Tryst with Trouble

Lord Beningbrough, “Ben” to his friends, prides himself on being emotionally detached and is in no hurry to marry. Strong-minded Lady Barbara Jeffords has a low opinion of men in general and, after their first meeting, of Ben in particular. But they’re forced to work together when Ben’s cousin and Barbara’s sister, who are recently engaged, are both implicated in the murder of a footman. Ben and Barbara know neither of their relatives can be the killer, but as they team up to find the true culprit, their mutual annoyance/attraction evolves into something quite different. I’ve enjoyed a couple of this author’s other Regency romances and am happy to say I liked this one as well! Ben and Barbara are an enjoyable pair, whether they’re trading insults or slowly letting their guard down with one another. And they take turns narrating the book, so it’s fun to get a peek inside their heads and see how they view the same events differently. The mystery itself is slight and utterly predictable; it’s really just a device to get these two crazy kids together. But I’d still recommend this book (and author) to fans of lively, well-written historical romance.

Priscilla Pearce, My Enemy, My Prince

This “romantasy” centers around Ro, a farm girl plucked from obscurity because of her psychic abilities to become the wife of Prince Corrado. Ro and Corrado don’t get along at first, and they’re awkward and shy with one another, but mutual feelings soon develop. Meanwhile, Corrado’s kingdom is under threat by his odious cousin, who will inherit the throne unless he and Ro can produce an heir. And as Ro adjusts to being a princess, she begins to consider how to use her power for good in the world. If you’re expecting a fantasy novel with strong worldbuilding and a well-thought-out magical system, this book is not for you. It’s 100% a romance, and probably the first half of the book is just Ro and Corrado enthusiastically, ahem, “getting to know” one another. There’s not much plot to go along with the sex scenes, and the book’s editing leaves a lot to be desired. I did like the main characters, especially their early awkwardness, and I feel like there’s the kernel of a good book here. But it’s not one that I’d enthusiastically recommend, unfortunately.

Mini-Reviews: Mirror, Unsent, Train

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Carol Berg, The Soul Mirror

Four years ago, Anne de Vernase lost everything when her father was convicted of evil sorcery and treason. Her mother is mad, her brother is in prison, and her younger sister has just died in a magical “accident” that might not be so accidental. Now Anne has been summoned to the royal court, where she is immediately plunged into various intrigues, including the murder of a noblewoman. She ultimately learns some shocking truths about both her own gifts and the magical conspiracy threatening the kingdom. This book really builds on the events of The Spirit Lens and sheds new light on its mysteries. I particularly enjoyed seeing the main characters from the first book through Anne’s eyes—understandably, she neither likes nor trusts Portier at first! This book thankfully doesn’t suffer from the “second-book slump” that is common with trilogies; rather, it moves the plot along nicely and actually resolves a lot of loose ends from book 1. I’m excited to read book 3 and see how things develop from here.

Lia Louis, Better Left Unsent

Millie enjoys her peaceful, low-drama, conflict-avoidant life. But when she’s feeling angry or frustrated, she vents by writing emails; she’ll never send them, of course, just consign them to the purgatory of her drafts folder. That is, until a server glitch sends out all her emails—the angry rants to rude coworkers, the hurt feelings about a friend’s behavior, the heartbreak over the ex who dumped her and is now engaged to someone else. Horrified, Millie just wants to apologize and pretend like it never happened, but eventually she learns that sometimes it’s OK to speak up about her needs and feelings. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get past the fact that she was drafting all these emails from her work account! It’s such a monumentally stupid move! But once I got beyond that, I did enjoy the book. I could relate to Millie’s people-pleasing tendencies, and I was glad when she started to see herself and others in a new light. There’s also a nice, low-conflict romance, although the love interest is a bit too bland and perfect. Overall, this is enjoyable women’s fiction, but it’s not destined to be a favorite.

Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

After the success of his “memoir,” Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, Ernest Cunningham has been invited to an Australian mystery writers’ festival, which is taking place on a luxury train called the Ghan. Ernest is struggling to find inspiration for his second book, but fortunately, there are plentiful tensions among the train passengers that soon result in a murder. Ernest is excited to have another mystery to solve, but he soon realizes that with several other mystery writers on board, he’s not the only would-be detective on the case. This book has a very similar flavor to its predecessor but is even more metatextual, as Ernest talks about the aftermath of his first book, how it’s been received by the public, Goodreads reviews, and so on. I liked the twists and turns of the plot, and I liked that Ernest is still devoted to the Golden Age “rules” for mysteries – even as he learns that the rules don’t always cover every situation. All in all, this is a good sequel that should appeal to fans of the first book, though the series should definitely be read in order.

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: Key, Midnight, Birds

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Lia Louis, The Key to My Heart

Since the tragic death of her husband, Russ, two years ago, Natalie has been struggling. Once a professional pianist, now she can only play at the dilapidated public piano in St. Pancras station, where she can be anonymous and ignored. When a mysterious person starts leaving sheet music there for Natalie — music that has special meaning for her and Russ — she tries to discover who’s responsible. Along the way, she slowly begins to work through her feelings of guilt and loss. I enjoyed this one; despite the sad premise and the very realistic-feeling portrayal of grief, the book has an uplifting and even sometimes humorous tone. A romance eventually develops, but the novel’s main focus is Natalie’s personal growth. I’d recommend this one if you like your women’s fiction with a little gravitas, though Dear Emmie Blue is still my favorite book by this author.

Sylvia Izzo Hunter, The Midnight Queen

Gray Marshall, a student of magick at Oxford’s Merlin College, has just been framed for a crime he didn’t commit. His pompous, disagreeable tutor forces him to retreat to the tutor’s country estate till the scandal blows over. Gray resents this change in his circumstances — that is, until he befriends the tutor’s daughter, Sophie. They soon discover that the plot against Gray is part of a much larger scheme that could throw the entire kingdom into turmoil; meanwhile, Sophie learns some surprising truths about her identity. I originally read this book in 2014 but couldn’t remember a thing about it, so I decided to reread it before continuing with the series, and I’m so glad I did! I loved the fantastical alt-Regency setting, Sophie and Gray are both wonderfully likable characters, and the plot is intriguing (albeit a bit slow-moving). In short, I loved this book and am so glad I decided to tackle this series this year!

Sarah Addison Allen, Other Birds

This quiet, magic-infused novel centers around the inhabitants of the Dellawisp, an old condo building tucked away in the small town of Mallow Island, South Carolina. The residents are estranged sisters Lizbeth and Lucy, artist Charlotte, chef Mac, newcomer Zoey, and building manager Frasier. They all have difficult pasts and are all keeping secrets. But as they slowly get to know one another, they discover friendship, love, and the strength to let go of their (sometimes literal) ghosts. I’m a Sarah Addison Allen fan, and this book delivers her trademark evocative writing and sympathetic yet flawed characters. There are POV chapters for almost every character, which feels like a bit too much…but I’m also not sure whose POV I’d want to take out. I really liked this one overall and would recommend it if you’re in the mood to sink into a slow-paced, magical world.

Mini-Reviews: Lady, Eligible, Shawl

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Loretta Chase, Not Quite a Lady

Often accused of being heartless, Darius Carsington is an unrepentant rake. He’s not interested in women apart from the physical pleasure they can bring him — that is, until he meets Lady Charlotte Hayward, who doesn’t quite seem to fit into any of the categories of women he’s used to. As he becomes better acquainted with her, Darius is disturbed and confused by his growing attraction. But Charlotte has a secret that makes her determined to avoid romance, even with the dangerously appealing Darius. I’ll admit, I have a fondness for romance novel heroes whose conflict is essentially, “I’m having a feeling and I don’t like it!” Darius’s struggle to resist his attraction to Charlotte is both amusing and endearing. I also liked Charlotte and was rooting for her to heal from her painful past, even if the resolution to that story felt a bit pat. Overall, this novel wasn’t quite as much my catnip as Lord Perfect, but I did really enjoy it and look forward to the next Carsington book!

Veronica Henry, An Eligible Bachelor

Guy Portias, heir to a manor house in the Cotswolds, has just gotten engaged to beautiful actress Richenda Fox. But they’ve only known each other a short time, and there are several obstacles that might prevent their union: Richenda’s keeping a secret about her past, Guy’s mother doesn’t seem too keen on her future daughter-in-law, and local girl Honor begins helping out at the manor—and getting closer to Guy in the process. The novel ultimately bounces among several characters connected with the manor and the larger neighborhood, who variously search for excitement, purpose, redemption, and love. I first read this book years ago and remembered liking it; this time around, I found it enjoyable but not particularly amazing. The overall tone is breezy and light, as you’d expect from an early-aughts British chick lit novel, but there’s also a very upsetting (though brief) description of the rape of a 14-year-old girl that I was not prepared for! Aside from that, it’s a fun, undemanding read that I’d recommend if you like the genre.

Elizabeth Mansfield, The Girl with the Persian Shawl

Kate Rendell is a strong woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. So when Harry Gerard, Lord Ainsworth, shows up unannounced to buy a painting from her — a family heirloom, no less — she doesn’t hesitate to tell him off. But she regrets her actions when she encounters Harry again and finds herself unwillingly attracted to him. The interest seems mutual, but Kate’s beautiful cousin Deirdre may throw a wrench into their romance. I picked up this book at a library sale because I dimly recalled that Mansfield wrote Regency romances with no explicit sexual content. My memory was accurate, but the book was mediocre at best. Kate is fairly obnoxious and jumps to a lot of ridiculous conclusions. Harry is appealing enough but rather two-dimensional. So unfortunately, I wouldn’t particularly recommend this book and have no interest in reading anything else by the author.

Mini-Reviews: Crystal, Mad, Major

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Sharon Shinn, Wrapt in Crystal

Cowen Drake is a Moonchild (essentially a space cop) who’s been sent to the planet of Semay to investigate a string of murders. All the victims are priestesses, but they belong to two different religious sects: the Triumphantes, who serve their goddess via joy and pleasure, and the Fideles, who favor a more austere approach to worship. Nothing else seems to connect the victims, so Cowen has to dig deep to find suspects and motives. As he investigates, he also wrestles with his own feelings about religion and is drawn to both Jovieve, the leader of the Triumphantes, and Laura, a Fidele nun. I really liked how this book skillfully blends the genres of fantasy, police procedural, and romance. The exploration of religious faith is also thoughtful and interesting. If the premise appeals to you, I’d definitely recommend this one!

Mhairi McFarlane, Mad about You

Harriet is a wedding photographer but has no interest in marriage for herself. So when her boyfriend of two years proposes (in front of his obnoxious family, no less!), she knows she has to end things — which means she needs a new living situation ASAP. She ends up renting a room from Cal, but as she grows closer to him, her past relationships affect her present, and she must ultimately confront an abusive ex-boyfriend. I think the marketing of this book is terribly misleading — while there is a very sweet romance in it, this novel is primarily about Harriet working through the trauma of an abusive relationship. At least a third of the book is about her experiences with the abuser, so if that’s a tough topic for you, I would urge you to steer clear! That said, I stayed up way too late to finish this one; I found it very compelling, and I liked Harriet’s humorous narrative voice (her friends were a hoot as well!). I think this is one of McFarlane’s best books and would recommend it to those who like women’s fiction — with the caveat that the subject matter is heavy and hard to read at times.

Jennifer Echols, Major Crush

Virginia is proud of being the first female drum major at her Alabama high school. Too bad she has to share the position with Drew, a cute but cocky boy whose leadership style clashes with her own. The band director threatens to demote them both unless they can stop their constant arguing; but the more time they are forced to spend playing nice, the more complicated their relationship grows. I wasn’t expecting much from this teen romance, and indeed, a lot of the plot elements are a bit half-baked and confusing. But I’ve read and enjoyed some of Echols’s later work, and there are definite signs of her talent here too. Mr. Rush, the irascible band director, is a delight, and Virginia and Drew’s tumultuous relationship feels pretty true to teenage life. So while the book is definitely not a keeper for me, I did enjoy it more than I thought!

Mini-Reviews: Name, Dark, Bellfield

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Lauren Kate, By Any Other Name

Book editor Lanie is thrilled when she gets a promotion that will allow her to work with her literary idol, romance author Noa Callaway. Callaway is a pseudonym, and the public doesn’t know the author’s real identity, but Lanie pictures a worldly middle-aged woman who will become her mentor and friend. Of course, the truth is entirely different, and when a shocked Lanie meets the real “Noa,” her discovery causes her to reevaluate her entire life. I think this book has charm and potential, but I didn’t understand Lanie’s strong emotional reaction to Noa’s true identity. (My own thought was, “What’s the big deal?”) I also wanted more depth from the romance; Lanie and her love interest only spend a few days together on-page. So overall, I was disappointed, but I’d potentially try another book by the author.

Cece Louise, In a Dark, Dark Wood

Desperate to save her family from starving, miller’s daughter Calia impersonates a princess who is betrothed to Prince Brone of nearby Ebonwood. When Calia arrives at Ebonwood Castle, she encounters many mysteries and secrets, not least the personality of her reclusive fiancé. But even as she and Brone grow closer, something — or someone — at Ebonwood threatens the safety of both Calia and the entire kingdom. This YA fantasy romance is a decent read, though a bit simplistic and predictable. It borrows elements from Beauty and the Beast and from gothic romances such as Jane Eyre and Rebecca. I thought it was fine, though I won’t be racing to read the other books in the series.

Anna Dean, Bellfield Hall

Intelligent, observant “spinster” Dido Kent encounters two mysteries while visiting Bellfield Hall. First, her niece Catherine asks her to find her fiancé, Richard, who disappeared shortly after their engagement was announced. Then a woman is found shot on the grounds of the estate, and it looks like the killer must be someone living at Bellfield. Are the two incidents somehow connected? There are a lot of historical mysteries set in the early 19th century, and they vary widely in quality. I’m happy to say that I think this is one of the best I’ve read. The mystery itself is a little convoluted, but the writing style and atmosphere are spot-on, and Dido is an entertaining sleuth. I’m excited to continue with the series!

Mini-Reviews: Killing, Wish, Scales

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Lee Child, Killing Floor

In this series opener, former military cop Jack Reacher walks into the small town of Margrave, Georgia, and is promptly arrested for murder. Reacher didn’t kill anyone (not recently, anyway), but in the course of proving his innocence to the local police, he gets drawn into the search for the real murderer despite himself. Along the way, Reacher uncovers an international criminal operation and puts his skills as a trained killer to good use. This type of thriller isn’t my usual fare, but I’m glad I gave it a try. The book is a real page-turner and Reacher is a compelling character. Despite the overall darkness and violence of the plot, there are some moments of humor (such as when Reacher feels the need to explain that Oxford, England, is a university town). I’m not invested in reading the entire series, but I’d certainly pick up another Reacher novel, and I’ve put the Amazon Prime TV series on my watchlist.

Katherine Center, What You Wish For

Samantha Casey loves her job as a librarian at an idyllic independent elementary school. When the school’s beloved principal suddenly dies, Sam is devastated — especially when she learns that his replacement is Duncan Carpenter, the man she had a hopeless crush on when they worked together at another school four years ago. But when Duncan arrives, he’s cold and authoritarian and rigid, not at all the fun-loving guy Sam remembers. Nevertheless, as they battle for the future of the school, sparks fly between them. I’ve really enjoyed Katherine Center’s books in the past, but I didn’t quite fall in love with this one. Aspects of Sam’s character irritated me, and I wanted more romance and less school politics. Still, I stayed up way too late reading this book and will definitely continue to follow the author.

Stephanie Burgis, Scales and Sensibility

Practical, penniless Elinor Tregarth tries to endure her cousin Penelope’s constant abuse and belittling, but eventually she can’t take it anymore and runs away, bringing Penelope’s mistreated dragon with her. Little does Elinor know that the dragon has magical powers: when she wishes to be as beautiful, confident, and respected as London society’s most fashionable leader, the dragon’s power makes her look just like the society woman. In disguise, Elinor is free to plan her future, stand up to her cousin, and perhaps even catch the eye of a handsome stranger. This is a cute bit of magical Regency froth, and while it’s less substantial than Burgis’s excellent Masks and Shadows, I still enjoyed it very much. I’ll definitely pick up the sequel when it comes out this fall!