The Proposal by Mary Balogh

May 182012
 

A reluctant war hero, Hugo comes from a wealthy middle class family becoming a Lord by virtue of heroic acts in the Napoleonic Wars. He has a chip on his shoulder the size of a mountain, particularly towards the upper class members of society – excluding his best friends of course. They call themselves the Survivors Club and look forward to their reunion once a year where they can reflect and renew friendships.

Lady Gwendoline Muir lost her husband to a freak accident and has a permanent limp from a riding accident. She has had no desire to remarry, being content with her life and her extended family. While visiting an acquaintance, circumstances conspire to have her at the house where Hugo and his friends are staying.

Tracey’s review

What a fantastic book, this is historical romance at its very best in my opinion.

Hugo is  a scowling hero, he rarely smiles in the book but when he did it made my heart go a-flutter – it probably wouldn’t have happened if he scowled less and smiled more and the author describes him so well I could see it very clearly. I really enjoyed the fact that Hugo came from a different background to the usual in these books and I so wanted to give him a big hug and make it all better. I do feel at times he could have been a bit more masterful and less ‘woe is me’ and there was one instance when I wanted him to turn round and hit someone. At the end of the day though it did all fit in with his uneasiness at not being being part of the ton by birth and his survivor’s guilt.

As a widow in her 30′s Gwendoline knows her own mind and has been around the ton long enough to be able to steer Hugo and his sister as appropriate. It was interesting to see the heroine being a sponsor at a ton ball instead of the one being swept off her feet. It makes a change for the female to be the self assured one and not the male.

This book is very romantic, but at no point did the story become boring or too mushy. The descriptions were excellent and it was good to see how the other half live in the regency period, not just the ton. The love affair was not all plain sailing of course - it never is, but the difficulties and problems seemed very real and true to the period in history. Unlike a lot of similar books the relationship was a  slow burn rather than from hello to sex in no time at all! At the end of the book I had that satisfying warm fuzzy feeling I so love.

The prose, description and sheer romance of this book are fantastic and I look forward to more books about the ‘Survivors Club’.

This is only the second book by this author I have read but I am definitely looking forward to more and I think I have a large back catalogue to catch up on!

Grete’s Review

I’m a relative newcomer to historical or regency romance, having been persuaded to try it by Tracey.  I’ve loved the authors I’ve tried so far and this is the first book by Mary Balogh I’ve read.  It had a bit more of a formal tone to the writing than I expected but it’s not a bad thing, just different from some of the other authors.  It did take me a little while to get into it but once I’d warmed to the characters, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

Like Tracey, I loved seeing two sides of the regency period, both upper and middle class, and how they stay separate and view each other and then what happens when they mix.  The catalyst for the successful blend is definitely Gwen who is a wonderful character and as wounded in her heart as the members of the Survivors Club.  I love that it didn’t make her bitter and resentful, instead she was sweet and generous with a brilliant touch of humour.

Hugo, poor man has been to hell and back and again, I can only agree with Tracey on his rare smiles.  They were used to brilliant effect by Mary Balogh and had a lot of impact when they appeared.

I liked the build up of the romance, that first passionate encounter was really well timed and the following ‘will they, won’t they’ added a lot of tension but wasn’t frustrating in the least.

This is definitely not a book filled with clever plot twists and turns and in all honesty, it would have ruined it, had it been.  It is simply pure passionate and wonderful romance at its best.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

Why I read Romance

May 172012
 

If you are a regular reader of www.bookthing.co.uk you will know I have a particular penchant for romance and will read almost anything with a romance label no matter what genre it is!

I was asked the other day why I enjoy reading romance. I guess the simple answer is I love happy endings. It is also pure escapism but certainly not because anything is missing in my home life – indeed I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 20 years and I love him just as much now as I did all those years ago.

Happy endings are very important to me, I feel cheated if I have been reading a book and there is no happy ending – I appreciate not all books have happy endings just the ones I choose to read usually do. For me when reading I like to experience the emotions, and while I don’t mind going through a whole range of emotions, I fine reading needs to give me warm fuzzies at the end and not leave me feeling like I want to go kick something or drown my sorrows at the unfairness of life!

My first romance love has always been historical romance, I love history so combining that with romance is a win win for me. I really enjoy reading about times gone by (not always sure how accurate some of the descriptions are mind you) and as long as the description is there to allow me to immerse myself in the period I am happy. I think I was born in the wrong century. Authors who do the historical romance well for me include Gaelen Foley, Stephanie Laurens and Sarah Maclean – but there are so many I cannot list them all.

My other great love is paranormal romance – which I was only introduced to a couple of years ago (thanks Grete)! I cannot believe I spent so many of my 40 something years not knowing of its existence.  There is something extra sexy about a man with fangs or a man who goes wild – literally!

I like my romance stories to be at least 200+ pages, in my view you cannot get an interesting romance going in less than this and indeed when I have read short kindle books I am often left feeling that everything was just a bit too rushed.

What makes a good romance story for me? The men have to be hot (of course) and the women feisty. I enjoy stories where the protagonists argue a lot but I get irritated with misunderstandings. If the misunderstandings are only there for a short while it’s okay but if the whole book is based on one big one it gets me really annoyed and I am likely to put it to one side. A good dose of sex is always good but for me it does not make or break a good book, although it usually improves a mediocre one. I also really enjoy those books where we get an epilogue, a peek into the future (happy) lives of our hero and heroine.  This is also why I enjoy reading books that are part of a series involving different protagonists but with previous characters on the periphery. Authors I enjoy who do this well include Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward and Stephanie Laurens to name just a very few.

In summary I love romance, am a sucker for happy endings and am just a total sap and thanks to Grete and BookThing! I have discovered so many more wonderful authors to indulge my passion.

Tracey

My Ruthless Prince

May 142012
 

Drake Parry, the Earl of Westwood has turned traitor and betrayed the Order and his fellow Inferno Club members. Emily Harper, a gamekeeper’s daughter who has loved him since childhood does not believe this and follows him to the wilds of Bavaria hoping to prove to them all, and herself, that he could never turn into what they said. On finding Drake it seems her worst fears have been realised, that this hard, deadly and furious man is not the one she remembered – is hope really lost?

Another great story from Gaelen Foley although I have to admit not my favourite. This is the second Inferno Club novel I have read but the fourth in the series. There are a lot of references to things that happened in previous books that have a big impact on this story, and with that in mind it would have been better to read this series from the beginning. I easily managed to pick up the threads of why Drake is where he is but I do think this may be why I did not enjoy it quite as much.

The plot very definitely overshadows the romance in this book although in all fairness there is no ‘do they or don’t they’ as it is clear they are in love from the beginning. While I do love my romance the plot was very gripping and I was on the edge of my seat throughout, it was very tense! It is clear there have been large chunks dealing with Drake and Emily in previous books and if I had read the previous ones I would be much more invested in the characters. Having said that, I love Drake which is probably a good thing as if I was even more invested it would have been even more intense and I would probably have been in tears!

My only criticism would be Emily – would a female, even a gamekeeper’s daughter really trek halfway across Europe alone and with little money in the 1800′s? That’s the power of love I guess, even if it does seem a bit far fetched!

Overall another great book definitely worth reading if you are a fan of Gaelen Foley or historical novels in general.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

The Dread

May 022012
 

I often approach the final book in a series with some trepidation.  Will it live up to the rest of the series, will the author be able to create enough impact for a finale but also finish it in a way that leaves you satisfied? I’d really enjoyed the five previous books that were set in the Winter Kingdoms, so I had both high hopes and mild anxiety when I picked up this final book.

I was in tears by page five so that put my fears to a sad rest!

Martin has managed to create a book utterly in keeping with the rest of the series, with the same engaging writing style.  The characters I love so much are present and pressed at every turn.  With the characters so scattered in different countries, it could have easily become confusing as what was happening and where but the author managed to keep it very clear and progression between segments felt very natural and smooth.

A very mild complaint I had from The Sworn was that Kiara was kept out of most of the story due to pregnancy and this time it was Carina’s turn.  I felt the loss of her input but in the end it felt more real, that a heavily pregnant woman couldn’t take part in a brutal war.  I’m glad that little snippets of her were included as it would just not have been the same without her.

The story doesn’t let up in intensity or pace, with Martin driving my emotions as a reader as hard as she does her characters.  It’s full of the things that are guaranteed to tug at my heart strings; fighting against the odds, heroic sacrifice, honour, duty, love and grief.  Many authors use them, only a few get it so right I end up holding my breath at crucial points, crying with joy or heartbreak.  It’s a gift and one that Gail Z. Martin has in abundance.

While The Dread marks the end of the two amazing series and these characters for now, I’m glad to say we aren’t yet done with the Winter Kingdoms!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Book Information

 

Scandalous – Tilly Bagshawe

Apr 242012
 

When Sasha Miller enters Cambridge University as an innocent 18 year old with an aptitude for physics she has a dream. A dream which is soon destroyed along with her reputation thanks to her professor Theo Dexter. Humiliated and vilified Sasha is forced to watch as Theo goes from strength to strength taking America by storm. Sasha decides there and then that the sole purpose of her life will be to destroy Theo and clear her name any way she can.

This book was an enjoyable read in the style of Jilly Cooper. The descriptions were vivid and I found it easy to imagine myself there. The story moved from Cambridge to America and the plot managed to dance across the continents quite nicely.

The story deals with betrayal and revenge with a side helping (very small side helping mind you) of romance. The final happy ever after was so quick that if you blinked  you would have missed it which was a bit disappointing. However, this is not primarily a romance novel and so I guess it was a bonus to have any romance in there.

The plot was easy to follow without the complicated twists you sometimes get in books which leave you scratching your head and having to backtrack to find out what just happened! I do think some of the characters were a bit over the top, stereotypical and you knew exactly where the story was going, but just how Sasha would get her revenge was not immediately obvious.

Despite these comments it is not by any means a depressing story (although there is definitely no humour there!) and would be a great book to take on holiday and read on the beach – if you like chick lit this one is for you.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Book Information

 

Slightly Married

Apr 232012
 

A dying man’s plea on a battlefield in France and a solemn vow made in payment of a debt leads Colonel Lord Aiden Bedwyn to Ringwood manor and Miss Eve Morris. Realising the extent of her plight Lord Aiden offers her a marriage based on pure convenience intending to leave her alone to live her life. He reckoned without his brother the Duke of Bewcastle!

This is a story by an author I have never read before and I absolutely loved it. It seemed to have a much sounder historical basis than the usual regency romances I read (but in reality I do not know that much about the period!) and the behaviour of Aiden and Eve seemed much more what you would expect of individuals in this time period.

The descriptions within the book were rich and easy to picture without being over the top. There was not as much sex as in some other regency books – but there was some and what there was, was enough for the story!  While there was no major plot, action or adventure running alongside the relationship between the two protagonists,  the story had me completely captivated throughout. Don’t get me wrong, a lot happens and it was plenty to keep the story moving.

It was very much about introducing the Bedwyn family as well and I understand the other siblings (there are a few – yay lots of books) will be getting their own stories also. I look forward to finding out more about them and cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Book Information

Downpour

Apr 192012
 

I absolutely love Harper Blaine as a heroine and have done since the first book in the Greywalker series. Now she has learnt what and who she is, has accepted her responsibilities and knows that she plays an essential role in the world.

In Downpour, Harper is still a great character but something happened in the middle of the book that didn’t quite meet Richardson’s usual standards. I’m not even sure what it was, but I found myself putting the book down to do other things or having to go back and re-read a page because it didn’t quite flow enough to make sense. The first and last thirds were great and engaging but something just floundered in the middle.  There is a mystery over Quinton’s behaviour which seemed to come out of nowhere, and for a short while it felt like we were seeing a different character entirely. Perhaps that was intended but it didn’t quite work for me.

The plot itself was interesting, with a good mystery to solve and I liked that Harper had to resort to more mundane things during the investigation after her last death had reduced her abilities in the Grey. One of the risks when a powerful character keeps gaining strength is that the setting also has to become more powerful or it would be too easy for things to be resolved. I’ve seen this happen before in books and I’m glad the author not only chose to bring Harper back to her more human roots, but also created a believable reason for doing so.

The relationship between Harper and Quinton has been one I’ve enjoyed since they got together but in Downpour, Kat Richardson did have me worried at first. I think again, it wasn’t until the last third of the book before the relationship began to feel natural again.  However, the events that finally unfolded were very sweet and made me happy.

I also liked the resolution on previous plot threads from earlier books and I’m glad they were pretty much a footnote (but a well handled one) rather than tangled in with the main plot.

All in all I enjoyed Downpour and was glad I struggled through, but it is not a book up to Kat Richardson’s usual standards. It has not put me off though and I will definitely be reading the next book.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Book Information

 

Do covers matter?

Apr 122012
 

I was going to write a long article with deep research, insightful commentary and earth shattering conclusions, about whether book covers actually matter.  However, that sounded like a lot of bloody hard work, so instead I read a bunch of other people’s posts, articles and blogs on the issue.

This comment from A Capital Wasteland, sort of sums up my the starting position on the whole cover issue.

The first thing I heard about Lilith’s Brood was a disclaimer: don’t judge this book by its crappy romance novel cover. A naked woman covering her breasts with her hands, under white sheets.

But this is a classic science-fiction trilogy, I thought to myself. I must persevere!

Surely we shouldn’t have to persevere, a book cover should entice us, welcome us in, demand our attention, not put us off or mislead us.

Doug Geivett presents a view I’d not really thought about much, about enjoying book covers for their own sake, as art.  Clearly that’s not all he has to say,

When I say I’m pleased by the cover art of a book, I mean that it gives me pleasure. This is more difficult to explain. And the pleasure induced by a particular cover may be diminished or it may be intensified by the effort to explain its special appeal.

Sadly, Cover Matters doesn’t appear to have posted much content after a flurry of posts in 2010, but the small number of posts do cover a comparison between UK and US covers, which I find fascinating.  One specific comment captures the essence of a cover for me,

I find the cover fascinating, mostly because it sends a vibe of 19th century England that I am quite curious to explore.

Covers should drive curiosity, they should invite and entice!

The Book Smugglers have a really interesting (and somewhat depressing) article on covers with regard to Whitewashing, which you should check out.  The site also has a whole series of article relating to book covers, which you can see here.

I found this post over at Type M for Murder interesting, giving us the view of an author published by quite a well known publisher.

I know it’s wrong of me to say this … but when I first got a peep at my book cover for A VICKY HILL EXCLUSIVE! I cried.

It just wasn’t how I had imagined it to be at all. Even worse, I had no clout because it was my first book and as a lowly debut author …

There’s an increasing amount of conversation about book covers now that the number of self published books (both print and ebooks) is on a massive rise.  Authors who self publish often won’t have the funds to commission a good cover or the skills to create their own.  Writers don’t necessarily make artists and designers.  I have no doubt we’ll see a continued rise in the abstract cover, which hides an awful lot of sins but might not entice a lot of readers.  I have no doubt we’ll also see an astronomical rise in the number of ‘how to create a good book cover’ books and websites (not all of them designed with the author’s benefit in mind).

One thing that should be obvious with covers, is that you’re never going to put off an existing fan with a bad cover.  Once I’d read a few David Gemmell books they could have sold them with pictures of dog shit as the only cover element, and I would have still bought them, and still loved them.  Much like using pictures of diseased lungs on cigarette packets won’t stop smokers from buying them (the hope is they’ll put off new smokers), the aim of a book cover should be to grab new readers, or at least, new buyers.

My personal main beef with book covers, are those which make the books specifically look like cheesy TV series which I have no interest in.  This (currently) appears to apply to 90% of the paranormal romance and too much of the urban fantasy genre.  I’ll be honest, it also appears to apply more commonly to US covers than UK covers.  Maybe I’m not the target audience anyway, but in many cases I’m sure a good read is hiding behind a book cover I just can’t get past.

For example,

Unshapely Things by Mark del Franco.  This might be one of the best urban fantasy novels out there, but the cover screams ‘cheap cable TV series’.  I picked this up a couple of weeks ago when looking for something to read, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t even get past the cover to read the blurb on the back.

How about this,

It just makes me think of a cheap, late night cop drama that I’m never going to want to read.  I don’t want to detract from the book or the artist who did the covers, this isn’t a complaint about those, it’s just that the picture doesn’t call out to me and tell me anything I like about the potential read.  Of course, I have other issues with some book covers, but I’ll maybe save those for another post.

Can we conclude anything?  Well I’m cheating because I knew before I started this article how I would finish it.  For me, book covers do matter.  They matter because of the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words.  The cover of a book says, here I am, read me and this is what you will experience within my pages.  I am a book of mystery and intrigue, or a tale of sexual delight, or a story of war and heroism.  We use the cover as shorthand, so we know what kind of world we are about to inhabit, what kind of emotions we hope to feel.  Book covers do not just appeal to our eyes, they must appeal to our soul.

Moon over Soho

Apr 112012
 

I really enjoyed Rivers of London, the first book in this series, and I had pretty high hopes for Moon over Soho, the second outing of DC Grant.  DC Peter Grant does for London Coppers what Dresden did for Chicago Private Investigators.  In Rivers of London Grant discovers that he’s got hidden talents of the magical variety, luckily for him, there’s a special division of the London Metropolitan Police that covers that kind of thing.  However, it turns out it’s a one man band, so when DC Peter Grant joins he doubles the size of the entire department.

Moon over Soho picks up a short while after the first book and deals with the repercussions of the case DC Grant solved.  However, our protagonist doesn’t have to wait long before he’s involved in a new investigation, and the continued development of a case that started in the previous book.  I do like the way Ben Aaronovitch ties the books together, these are clearly part of a broader story.  However, despite that, and despite the case being quite interesting – I really struggled through the first two thirds of Moon over Soho (well, perhaps 3/5ths).

The case revolves around mysteriously dying Jazz musicians, and as well as having quite a sluggish pace, DC Grant fails early on to spot the massive white elephant in the room.  It’s sometimes okay for authors to pretend their protagonists are dumb, and sometimes it’s enjoyable for readers to shout ‘he’s behind you’, but DC Grant isn’t stupid.  It felt entirely out of character that he didn’t spot the critically important elements in the investigation, where-as the writing made it entirely obvious to the reader.  I’m skirting the subject, because I don’t want to spoil the book too much if you do read it, but essentially within a few moments of meeting a key witness in the case, it was obvious to me what was going on.

Not the fine detail, that gets worked out at the end (more on that in a bit), but certainly the broad brush-strokes of what was happening.  I took no pleasure in finding out I was right, and I didn’t enjoy watching Peter stumble around building up a picture of something that should have been crying out at him very early on.  Either Ben didn’t realise readers would pick up on it so easily, or he had hoped to introduce some element of feeling worried for Peter.  Sadly, I just spent most of the first part of the book being angry.  It felt like Aaronovitch was using Peter’s stupidity or blindness as a plot device.

However, I stuck with it, the rest of the case is still engaging, the dialogue and writing is still witty, and in general, there was enough to keep me interested and carry me through to the final third of the book.  Which is a pretty good thing, because that’s where Ben hit his stride and the story really gets going.  As with the first book there are really 2 or 3 cases going on here at once, and Peter slides between them as required.  When the pace begins to accelerate in the later section, we see some characters in a new light, get to experience some truly powerful magical demonstrations and watch DC Grant cause untold mayhem (again).

I like the introduction of real Police behaviour in this book (and the last), and it’s good to see that being blended with the magic, rather than just ignored because it’s inconvenient.  Overall Moon over Soho was worth the effort, there’s some character progression, further twists to the overall story arc, and enough laughs, smiles and chuckles to get through the pain.

The book ends as it starts, with Lesley, and a startling revelation.  Hopefully the third book will be more consistent, and show more respect for the ability of the main character.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Book Information

Irreverent Questions With… Benedict Jacka

Apr 102012
 

I’m just going to go all out fan girl about Benedict Jacka!  Fated is a breath of fresh air for urban fantasy and in just one book he rates right up there with Jim Butcher and Mike Carey as my favourites.  When I started reading it, I got that frisson of excitement of reading something unique and very special.  The character of Alex Verus was brilliant and inspired and the setting was as intriguing at the character.  If you love good urban fantasy and I’m talking the gritty and intense non-paranormal romance kind then you HAVE to check this book out.  I will never speak to you again if you don’t!  Read my review and make up your own mind obviously (as long as you end up reading it ;) )  I can’t wait for the next book!

Enough of my wittering, on with the Irreverence!

What would you be or want to be (or still are), if you weren’t an author?
Lawyer, probably. Still might end up becoming one!

Do you have any rituals or processes before you can start writing?
Staring out the window. Usually the more trouble I’m having with writing something the more time I spend watching the view instead. I know that things are going well when I don’t look up.

Describe your working environment right now (desk, sofa, bathroom, etc.)
On my bed with my laptop. I have a desk but I never sit at it.

How did you celebrate when your first book was published?
You know, I honestly can’t remember. I’m pretty sure I had a party but I’m not sure what the details were. I guess that means it was a good one?

Whose opinion matters most to you?
Mine. I get convinced to change it fairly often, though.

Do you get fully dressed to write?
I wear whatever I’ve got on at the time (which is often whatever I’m wearing to bed).

What gets you in the mood or inspires you to write?
Not writing! Whenever I go long enough without writing something I get motivated to do something new. Then after I’ve finished writing something I get sick of it and go off to do something that isn’t writing.

Who would play you in the film adaptation of your life?
I’m absolutely sure no-one’s ever going to make a film adaptation of my life. If they did, I’d be played by some actor I’d never heard of who looks younger and more glamorous than I do. The portrayal would have nothing at all in common with my life but that’s how the business works.

What is the weirdest comment you’ve had?
I still get the odd message asking if the setting from my previous books (the Ninja series) is real. Sometimes they won’t believe me when I say no. It’s my own fault, really.

What is the best experience you’ve had with fans?
Hard to pick just one! I love getting feedback on my books and I read every email and comment I get (and answer if I have the time). I remember one lovely letter I got from a pair of children who’d written it and sent it off to my agents, where it eventually found its way to me. Knowing that someone liked my work that much always gives me a little lift for the rest of the day.

What do you value most?
“. . . courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky . . .”

How do you deal with negative comments?
Read them with interest. I always like getting honest feedback, positive or negative, but it’s annoyingly rare to get really good negative feedback. When people love a book they show the best of themselves, but when they hate it they hardly ever give you the real reason.

It’s movie night, the credits are just about to roll, Happy Ever After, Everyone Dies, Or…?
Happily Ever After unless I really hate the characters. I can think of a few movies where I’m rooting for the bad guys to kill the cast, but if I hate the cast that much it’s probably because they’re the writer’s pets and so completely immortal. Very unfair.

What do you do to relax?
Gaming! I don’t play computer games so often anymore but I still love tabletop RPGs.

Do you have pets, and if so, describe them?
A very affectionate and attention-seeking Golden Retriever, who true to her name will retrieve anything left within three feet of the floor. If you’re lucky you can get it back before “retrieve” turns to “shred”.

What are your preferred conditions for writing, i.e. silence, background noise, TV?
A little background noise, but not too much. Looking out the window onto a city street’s my favourite.

What is your favourite type of music?
Whatever I’ve got on my computer! My music collection’s so weird and has stuff from so many genres I’ve given up trying to put a label on it.

Do you have any phobias?
Wasps. Hate the little pests.

Do you find the time of year makes it easier or harder to write, are you inspired by spring or delayed by the summer heat for instance?
This is England – we don’t get summer heat, just summer-mild-warmness! Really hot or really cold weather does slow me down but I usually just end up writing at a different time. Deadlines don’t care about the season, after all . . .

Slippers, socks or barefoot?
As little as I can get away with! Barefoot in the summer, slippers in the cooler seasons, and I only wear socks if I gets cold enough to need them.

Huge thanks to Benedict Jacka for taking the time to answer our questions, and if you want to know more about the author, visit his Website, Twitter or Goodreads!

Irreverent Questions is BookThing‘s fun, feature where we ask a series of random questions that popped into Grete’s curious head. If you are an author and would like to take part, please get in touch!

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