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laurenjodi 's review for:
Blue Dahlia
by Nora Roberts
Blue Dahlia
3 Stars
Following the death of her husband, Stella Rothschild returns to her roots in Tennessee with her two young sons. She accepts the position of manager at the local nursery, In the Garden, and agrees to live in the centuries-old mansion belonging to its owner, Roz Harper. Stella and her boys quickly adapt to their new circumstances, and Stella also begins a relationship with local landscaper, Logan Kitridge. But all is not well at Harper House as the resident ghost becomes increasingly angry at the developments in Stella's love life. Who is the unnamed Harper Bride and why has she been haunting the Harpers for so long?
Series note: This is the first book in the trilogy and while some details are revealed about the Harper Bride, the overarching mystery remains unresolved in this installment.
After trying to read this book several times and not being able to get past the first 3 chapters, I decided to give the audiobook a chance and do not regret it. Susie Breck's engaging narration made it easier to become immersed in the story.
This is one of Nora's earlier attempts at contemporary romance with paranormal elements, and although her later works, such as the Sign of Seven and Circle Trilogy, are better developed, there are still some compelling elements. The most significant is the mystery surrounding the identity of the Harper Bride, whose background is established in a very intriguing fashion in the prologue.
The weakest aspect of the book is the romance, which is rather tepid. While the opposites attract attraction between Stella and Logan has potential in the beginning, it loses momentum along the way and the transitions from dislike to lust to love are unclear. None of this is helped by Stella's pushy and abrasive personality, which makes it difficult to relate to her.
Finally, there are far too many descriptions and discussions of plants and gardening. While lovers of this field will probably enjoy them, they were rather tedious and boring for me. I prefer more action in my romance.
All in all, not the best example of Nora's work, but the hints at stories to come for Roz and her distant cousin, Hayley, are compelling enough to continue with the series.
3 Stars
Following the death of her husband, Stella Rothschild returns to her roots in Tennessee with her two young sons. She accepts the position of manager at the local nursery, In the Garden, and agrees to live in the centuries-old mansion belonging to its owner, Roz Harper. Stella and her boys quickly adapt to their new circumstances, and Stella also begins a relationship with local landscaper, Logan Kitridge. But all is not well at Harper House as the resident ghost becomes increasingly angry at the developments in Stella's love life. Who is the unnamed Harper Bride and why has she been haunting the Harpers for so long?
Series note: This is the first book in the trilogy and while some details are revealed about the Harper Bride, the overarching mystery remains unresolved in this installment.
After trying to read this book several times and not being able to get past the first 3 chapters, I decided to give the audiobook a chance and do not regret it. Susie Breck's engaging narration made it easier to become immersed in the story.
This is one of Nora's earlier attempts at contemporary romance with paranormal elements, and although her later works, such as the Sign of Seven and Circle Trilogy, are better developed, there are still some compelling elements. The most significant is the mystery surrounding the identity of the Harper Bride, whose background is established in a very intriguing fashion in the prologue.
The weakest aspect of the book is the romance, which is rather tepid. While the opposites attract attraction between Stella and Logan has potential in the beginning, it loses momentum along the way and the transitions from dislike to lust to love are unclear. None of this is helped by Stella's pushy and abrasive personality, which makes it difficult to relate to her.
Finally, there are far too many descriptions and discussions of plants and gardening. While lovers of this field will probably enjoy them, they were rather tedious and boring for me. I prefer more action in my romance.
All in all, not the best example of Nora's work, but the hints at stories to come for Roz and her distant cousin, Hayley, are compelling enough to continue with the series.