Reading Fanatic Reviews
Contemporary RomanceThe Train Guy by Michelle Prak
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
The Train Guy*
Will The Train Guy Live Up to the Fantasy?
This is a quirky little Australian rom-com that takes the concept of seeing the same stranger daily and having a little fantasy life about that person to a whole new level. The heroine of the story commutes by train to her job at a hotel. She’s just come off a bad breakup, and while on the train, she finds herself fantasizing about a person she simply calls The Train Guy; she gives quite a few passengers a name: Turban Guy, Knitting Lady, Cardigan Lady, etc. He’s tall, handsome, and spends the ride reading books. She ends up building quite a fantasy life around him in her head and even becomes a bit stalker-ish. She is trying to get her life back on track after the break-up, so she takes on some boarders to help with the rent and decides to go for a new position at work. One of the boarders is a male friend of a friend. So, this book looks at her made-up life of stories about The Train Guy, her job, and her friends, family, and boarders. She actually does meet The Train Guy and has an extended conversation with him, which is fascinating to watch unfold after reading how she had built him up in her mind. There is definitely a little more swearing than I like to see in a book, but some of it is contextual to character. If you’ve ever created little fantasies about a stranger, you may very well enjoy this book.
The MacInnes Affair by Blair McDowell
Available at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
The MacInnes Affair*
Dramatic, Powerful Scottish Romance
I was drawn to pick this book at my favorite book reviewer site because I love all books about Scotland; I have Scottish heritage myself on my father’s side. I was further intrigued when I saw that one of the Scottish families in question had the surname of Glendenning. My own Scottish 4x great-grandmother, born in the 1700s, was named Jean Glendenning. I myself visited Scotland last year and hoped that the author would handle both the contemporary and historical aspects well. I loved that the modern heroine was from Canada. Though I am American, my Scottish ancestors came to this continent via Canada (though New Brunswick, not Alberta.)
For the most part, she did. I thought a few of the Scottish aspects wear off, but you wouldn’t really know that unless you had recently visited yourself or were knowledgeable about Scottish history. For instance, Highland cattle aren’t relegated to just a few on the Isle of Skye and at Balmoral; I got up close and personal with some myself in Applecross. Some aspects of the history around Culloden and its aftermath were not wholly accurate either. But these are minor quibbles. Other elements as she nailed completely, like the international flavor of travelers in Scotland. I was surprised at the different number of accents that I heard there. I loved her descriptions of the various plants; I recognized a few. I loved hearing the names of cities, towns, and places I went to on my trip mentioned in the story.
But the story really isn’t about all this, even though it does add a note of Scottish flavor to the story. Or should I say stories, as this book is a blend of two different storylines, a contemporary one and one that’s from the past. The modern heroine, Lara MacInnes, is a Canadian of Scottish descent who decides to take a trip to Scotland to research some family history after a bad breakup. Her mother’s friend runs a Scottish castle B&B; the castle has been in her husband’s family for a long time. Lara meets the son in this family, and that’s where the contemporary romance aspect comes in. Diaries from a Glendenning ancestor, Elspeth, who briefly married one of Lara’s ancestors show a complex world of secrets, deceit, and difficult choices. The contemporary and modern stories weave in and out of each other. The past story is heartbreaking. As someone with an interest in genealogy myself, I could understand as the contemporary couple’s need to find out more about the ancestral couple’s story. The stories complemented each other and were both well written. The story is immersive, and I enjoyed it thoroughly, even the parts that were sometimes hard to read because of Elspeth’s and Lachlan’s difficulties. The author brought the feels, for sure. If you enjoy Scottish romance, either contemporary or historical, you might want to give this book a try.
Paper Love by Aubrey Wynne
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Paper Love*
Balm for the Romance Reader’s Soul
This author is talented and writes both historical and contemporary romance. In her historical romances, I have appreciated her attention to historical detail that doesn’t seem like it weighs down the story. I haven’t read as many of her contemporary romances. In fact, this might be the first one. It’s hard to describe this one. If you’ve read very angsty romances lately, this one might be balm for your reader’s soul. It’s sweet, in all the ways that word implies when talking about romance, and gentle. The hero is all that you would want him to be: persistent in his pursuit but still kind and gentlemanly. The heroine has a strength that is only slowly revealed; she has a complicated past. I particularly loved the little moments where the heroine connected with her spiritual side; the pivotal moment when she senses her mother is breathtaking. It’s a romance, so it’s not really a spoiler to say that this has an HEA, but the proposal is stunning. When I got to the end, I was intrigued by the author’s note, where she stated that much of the book was based in fact. I think that makes a story even more of a delight. A lovely little romance.
A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Thalia, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
A Wedding in December*
Enchanting Christmas Story of Three Women at Major Crossroads in Their Lives
What a fantastic read! I read a lot, and I’ve rarely been so engaged with a book. I tend to read fast, but I do to choose some books to sip and savor. This is one of those.
The author has done an excellent job setting up a very complex story. It is told from the viewpoints of the three main women in the book: mother Maggie, older daughter Katie, and younger daughter Rosie. The whole book is kicked off when Rosie calls her mum in England from the United States, stating that she is now engaged and will be married at Christmas in Aspen. While her mother doesn’t mention her disappointment, the older woman had been planning for their big family Christmas that she does every year. We find out a little later why this is even more important to her this particular year. When older sister Katie finds out, she is determined to stop the wedding because she believes her sister is too impulsive and is making a mistake. The doubts Katie expresses in that first phone call shatter Rosie’s happiness, and now the bride-to-be is beginning to doubt herself, her relationship, and her actions. The women’s parents, Maggie and Nick, have been separated for a few months though their daughters don’t know about it. They decide, at Maggie’s insistence, that they will not let on about this development during the wedding preparation and the wedding. She doesn’t want anything to ruin her daughter’s big moment.
This setup is all done rather slowly, and we don’t learn all the details about everything for a while. Katie has her own secrets as well. It isn’t easy to see right away what has caused a rift between the parents as they seem to get along well for a couple who is divorcing.
I feel like I may have already given away too much. This is a complex tale of three women who are each at a crossroads in life, so each has her own story arc and lessons she needs to learn as the story moves forward. There are some wildly funny moments, like when the parents get off the plane in Denver, and Mum is very drunk when she meets the fiancé. She hates plane rides and drank a LOT of champagne during the flight. There are actually some emotionally gripping moments that will have you reaching for a tissue. The book kind of feels like a combination of chick lit and romance.
Now about some characters. I like Dan, the fiancé, because he just seems to be able to roll with anything that happens with his fiancée’s crazy English family. The older sister was harder to like. She is a very intense character, and even though she tries to be protective, she ends up being hurtful more often than not. I enjoyed seeing the way the relationship between Maggie and Nick—the girls’ parents—evolved during the course of the book. (I also love it when an older couple gets “screen time” in a book.) The author made what happened between them seem completely natural and fitting for their characters. I also liked watching the new relationship developing between the mothers of the couple. Both women have some trepidation on several fronts, but they soon become allies.
The story was in parts predictable, but the author made the characters so unique and individual that even if what happened was predictable, you still felt for the characters and saw it to be natural for their story. The setting of Aspen is well integrated into the story. It almost felt like another character. The author’s description painted a very vivid picture of what this city is like in the winter; I could feel the chill! I love it when a fiction book brings a little armchair travel into the picture. The fact that the story takes place around Christmas isn’t quite as well integrated as the setting, but you still get the sense that it is a Christmas story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It brought all the feels. I highly recommended it.
1-800-CHRISTMAS by Josie Riviera
Available at Amazon only
NOT with Kindle Unlimited
1-800-CHRISTMAS*
Mostly Sweet, Sometimes Serious Holiday Romance
What a charming Christmas romance! The heroine has bought a fixer-upper house and really wants to get it in shape by Christmas so that she and her sister can have a proper Christmas. They are products of the foster care system, so creating moments like this are a treasure. Her brother-in-law has set her up with a carpenter to help with the house. He happens to be a man she knew in high school and had a secret crush on. He was the all-star football player, and his family owned a pub in town while she considered herself essentially a nobody because of her circumstances. They get to know each other over the course of the project, and romantic sparks begin to fly. But because of her background, she has a hard time trusting. How will it go when his ex comes to town? A perfect holiday romance with just the right amount of serious undertones. Both the hero and heroine are likable characters who have lived through some adversity, each changed by it in a different way.
No More Terrible Dates by Kate O’Keeffe
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
No More Terrible Dates*
A Fun, Delicious Read
I was a big fan of the initial for Cozy Cottage Cafe series of romance books by this author. I just thought there was a lot of fun with quirky characters and sometimes zany circumstances. I wasn’t delighted as much by the first book of the spinoff High Tea series, but I have enjoyed the author’s works enough that I wanted to give this spinoff series a second chance. I am so glad I did, as I so enjoyed this installment of this relatively new series.
There was so much that I liked about this book. First, Darcy’s head is a great place to be because she can be insightful, silly, intense, and all manner of things depending on the circumstances. Where men are concerned, she can certainly leap FAST to enamored and thinking he’s “the one.” I absolutely adored the bad dates that she went on for this story. The reveal of the first one had me laughing out loud, and as it went on and on, it got even more amusing. Darcy works for a celebrity, an actress-turned-wellness guru in the style of Gwyneth Paltrow; that woman provides many humorous moments. She takes herself far too seriously, which is funny to both us and Darcy. I love the relationship between Darcy and the other women in the book. I think we all wish we had gal pals like that. Oh, and can I come eat at the Cozy Cottage Cafe? It just sounds so wonderful. Darcy’s relationship with Alex, the ultimate hero, has been fractious for years because of an incident in their past, one that left a mark on her but one that he doesn’t even remember. That seems so true to real life. Can she get past this issue to truly appreciate the man he is now?
Highly recommended!
Bring Me Back by Karen Booth
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Bring Me Back*
Light Read, Little Substance
I’m not quite sure what to make of this book. On the one hand, I could identify with having that teenage crush on someone from a British band in the 80s. I am of a similar age of the heroine. But given the intervening life she led, as we all do, her reactions to meeting and interviewing that crush seemed immature. Seriously, a 40-year-old woman who has been a professional interviewer for a long time suddenly losing her ability to think or speak? Some situations were a little outlandish. I would call this fluffy, aging rockstar romance. I had hoped for a little more depth because both the hero and heroine were older and theoretically wiser. But that’s not what came across. If you don’t mind if your romances are a little on the shallow side, and perhaps a little unbelievable in both character and plot, you might enjoy this as simply a light read.
Nixie and the Healer by Ellen M. Bard
Available at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Nixie and the Healer*
Good Installment of Excellent Series
There are so many things to like about this series. I’ve read and enjoyed every book so far. Because the author has woven such a complex world with its own codes and laws, the books are really best read in order so that you can fully understand what is going on.
As a longtime student of the chakras, I absolutely adore how the author has incorporated the concept into this series. She’s made the bedrock for much in this world. But it makes so much sense in the way that she has ordered it, and it gives structure to both the characters and the plot. I love how this series, unlike others, really weaves in the characters from the previous books even though each book focuses on a new couple. The overarching ongoing plot regarding the prophecy, which is slowly being revealed, and all that must be done truly lays at the heart of each book. I love seeing more about how the lives of those characters already known are progressing and how they impact the next part of the story.
In terms of the two main characters in this installment, they are just about as opposite as they can be. However, that makes them complimentary. It was fascinating to watch Jeb grapple with his energies, especially the one that he did not identify with. Nixie was a hard character to like at first as she comes across as a bit shallow and only interested in superficial pursuits. But the author has done a fantastic job of creating a growth arc for her. She grows and changes so much in this book that in the end you cannot help but appreciate her growing strengths and core goodness, even if she is still somewhat immature. I look forward to finding out about the next couple and the next steps in this amazing journey.
Alexandra’s Riddle by Elisa Keyston
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Alexandra's Riddle*
Several Riddles in Riddle
I live in Oregon, so I am always drawn to any fictional books that take place in my state. I love that the author actually chose a real town, Riddle, though it has been somewhat fictionalized for the story. I live just a couple counties away, so I loved hearing some somewhat local references in the book. This novel has a lot going for it: romance, mystery, and the paranormal (including the fae and brownies) as well as themes about responsibilities to self vs. others and keeping small-town life as it should be. The author actually did an excellent job of making the paranormal aspect seem just as much a part of the fabric of life in the area as the “real” human aspect. That’s not easy to do, I think. I liked the main character as well as the quirky people who made up the community. A thoroughly enjoyable book. If you like paranormal stories with a touch of romance in a fair amount of mystery, you may very well enjoy this book.
Her Wild Coast Rescue by Dakota Davies
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Her Wild Coast Rescue*
Odd Blend of Steamy Romance and Medical Drama
I was attracted to this book at my favorite book review site because the medical angle of it intrigued me. I am an RN, and I am definitely drawn to medical fiction, whether it’s thrillers, romance, or mystery. I found it intriguing, too, that the heroine was a nursing student. Having been one myself, I was curious to see how that would play into it. (It didn’t really, other than her saying some completely wrong things!)
Unfortunately, I find myself disappointed in this book. It seems a very odd combination of steamy-to-the-level-of-crude romance (and I’m not a fan of crude terms in a love story) and heart-warming family medical drama. The parts about the heroine’s brother, grappling with the results of a climbing accident and traumatic brain injury, were gripping emotionally. The parts about the romance—not so much. It just didn’t work for me on several levels. In general, I am not a fan of insta lust stories, and I found it to be jarring in the context of the plot about the brother’s injuries. So this book just didn’t quite work for me.
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