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karlabrandenburg's reviews
495 reviews
One Night of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros
5.0
Lottie Fairleigh is overindulged and not quite ready to grow up, in spite of the fact that her coming out party is tonight, delayed due to her antics in the past.
The last thing the Murderous Marquess wants is another woman in his life. Hounded by enough scandal, he wants nothing to do with society. So when he catches Lottie peering in his window, he isn't quite sure what to do with her.
This book is a fun look at a strong-willed, childish woman who is forced to grow up literally overnight. I cried through her trials and laughed at her blunders. In reading another review, I'm not sure I'd argue that Hayden did lack some redeeming qualities, but I could still understand the betrayal he felt, the brooding and the pain. He had moments of "humanness" that worked for me, and Lottie's effervescent personality more than compensated, as it was intended to.
Reading Teresa Medeiros is like reading Victoria Holt for me. I know what to expect from her books, and she has yet to leave me disappointed.
The last thing the Murderous Marquess wants is another woman in his life. Hounded by enough scandal, he wants nothing to do with society. So when he catches Lottie peering in his window, he isn't quite sure what to do with her.
This book is a fun look at a strong-willed, childish woman who is forced to grow up literally overnight. I cried through her trials and laughed at her blunders. In reading another review, I'm not sure I'd argue that Hayden did lack some redeeming qualities, but I could still understand the betrayal he felt, the brooding and the pain. He had moments of "humanness" that worked for me, and Lottie's effervescent personality more than compensated, as it was intended to.
Reading Teresa Medeiros is like reading Victoria Holt for me. I know what to expect from her books, and she has yet to leave me disappointed.
Good Tidings by Terri Reid
3.0
A young boy stops into Mary O'Reilly's detective agency to ask for help finding his kidnapped brother. The only problem is that Mary's new client is dead.
I enjoy the stories because the settings are familiar. Ms. Reid is an excellent storyteller. There are places where the writing could use a little more polish, but she left me anxious to read the next in the series.
I enjoy the stories because the settings are familiar. Ms. Reid is an excellent storyteller. There are places where the writing could use a little more polish, but she left me anxious to read the next in the series.
Irresistible by Mary Balogh
3.0
Nathaniel is one of four war buddies that comprise the four horsemen of the apocalypse. He is returning to London for season to marry off the last of his five sisters and his cousin. The four friends reunite and run across another friend's widow, good ol' Sophie. Beneath her good buddy exterior beats a woman's heart. Trouble turns up, and the four horsemen ride to her rescue, against her wishes of independence.
I have to say this is not my favorite Mary Balogh novel. While her characters often have a hard time expressing themselves, I found this one to be a bit more tedious in that regard. There were also stretches of dialog that were stilted. That being said, I still enjoyed the story. If you're a Balogh fan, you'll enjoy this one, too. If not, you might want to read one of her other books.
I have to say this is not my favorite Mary Balogh novel. While her characters often have a hard time expressing themselves, I found this one to be a bit more tedious in that regard. There were also stretches of dialog that were stilted. That being said, I still enjoyed the story. If you're a Balogh fan, you'll enjoy this one, too. If not, you might want to read one of her other books.
Moonlight Madness by Sandra Jones
3.0
Tess has taken her high school students on a field trip to England for an in depth view of Shakespeare, but one problem student is causing trouble not only for her, but for the rest of the students. Tess's soft spot for the young boy's troubles lead her to begin adoption proceedings to provide him with e better life.
Rance is wary of the henge on his new property, a dismal gift from the king of England. Highly superstitious, he tries to avoid the "white witches's pit," unsuccessfully. It transports him to the future, where he must find his soul mate in order to return to save his daughter from being used as a political pawn.
When Rance meets Tess, he's convinced she is his salvation, but a medieval knight in modern day England stands out rather oddly. He must convince her, regardless of the consequences, to return to the stone circle with him.
The author has put a lot of work into this novel. The plots and subplots weave together well and the stakes for all parties are high. Each of the characters has too much at stake to compromise, and yet the reader arrives at happily ever after. I struggled in the first chapter, Not understanding who Rance was with, and that kind of stuck with me throughout the story. I figured it out later on, but initially, it was just confusing. And the mystery about Matthias and Carrie was not explained. Evidently they'd been through the stones, but we never find out why and how. Maybe they will get their own story. There wasn't anything really wrong or bad about this story, it just didn't resonate with me. I never really got to like Rance.
Rance is wary of the henge on his new property, a dismal gift from the king of England. Highly superstitious, he tries to avoid the "white witches's pit," unsuccessfully. It transports him to the future, where he must find his soul mate in order to return to save his daughter from being used as a political pawn.
When Rance meets Tess, he's convinced she is his salvation, but a medieval knight in modern day England stands out rather oddly. He must convince her, regardless of the consequences, to return to the stone circle with him.
The author has put a lot of work into this novel. The plots and subplots weave together well and the stakes for all parties are high. Each of the characters has too much at stake to compromise, and yet the reader arrives at happily ever after. I struggled in the first chapter, Not understanding who Rance was with, and that kind of stuck with me throughout the story. I figured it out later on, but initially, it was just confusing. And the mystery about Matthias and Carrie was not explained. Evidently they'd been through the stones, but we never find out why and how. Maybe they will get their own story. There wasn't anything really wrong or bad about this story, it just didn't resonate with me. I never really got to like Rance.
Knight Tenebrae by Julianne Lee
3.0
Lindsey comes to interview fighter pilot Alex aboard an aircraft carrier, and on his mission to fly her back, they get caught in a "cloud" that transports them from modern day to feudal Scotland.
The plot? Take a modern day warrior and plunk him down into an army with Robert the Bruce and see what happens. From an historical standpoint, it was very interesting. From a story standpoint, I struggled to get through this one.
Both of the characters are somewhat unlikeable. Alex, because he blends so easily into the barbarian mentality, much to the chagrin of Lindsey, who nags at him for knowing how to survive in such brutal times. The author spends much of the book showing us how much Alex is enjoying the blood lust in his veins, determined to paint him into a self-serving bad guy, and yet he's supposed to be the hero. The plot was thin - normally a time travel book aims you back to the future, but Alex wasn't interested in returning to his own time, he was having too much fun being a knight and a raider and it wasn't until his arm was twisted that he even took an interest in going back to his own time.
There also seemed to be some translation issues with the electronic book - several "b"'s became "h"s.
So if your interest is in Scottish history and the campaigns of Robert the Bruce, you'll find this story historically interesting. If you're looking for a time travel romance, I'd steer you in another direction.
The plot? Take a modern day warrior and plunk him down into an army with Robert the Bruce and see what happens. From an historical standpoint, it was very interesting. From a story standpoint, I struggled to get through this one.
Both of the characters are somewhat unlikeable. Alex, because he blends so easily into the barbarian mentality, much to the chagrin of Lindsey, who nags at him for knowing how to survive in such brutal times. The author spends much of the book showing us how much Alex is enjoying the blood lust in his veins, determined to paint him into a self-serving bad guy, and yet he's supposed to be the hero. The plot was thin - normally a time travel book aims you back to the future, but Alex wasn't interested in returning to his own time, he was having too much fun being a knight and a raider and it wasn't until his arm was twisted that he even took an interest in going back to his own time.
There also seemed to be some translation issues with the electronic book - several "b"'s became "h"s.
So if your interest is in Scottish history and the campaigns of Robert the Bruce, you'll find this story historically interesting. If you're looking for a time travel romance, I'd steer you in another direction.
After Forever Ends by Melodie Ramone
5.0
This is a love story about Sil and Ollie. And Alex and Lucy. And all their kids and grandkids and their parents, too. But mostly, its about Sil and Ollie.
Silvia is a teenager, sent to boarding school by her grieving father. She is immediately taken in by a group of friends, including twins, Oliver and Alexander. The story takes you through their lives from the time Silvia first meets Oliver, the love of her life, to Oliver's last breath at age 85, and there isn't a dull moment all through it.
The book chronicles Silvia's life, her anger at not knowing her mother, who died to young. Her anger at a father who didn't know how to parent two young girls after his wife, the love of his life died, and how Silvia felt he had let her down. It shows the way Oliver's family annexes Silvia as one of their own and the love she finally finds, the family she finally feels part of, and the family she creates with Oliver. It's about arguments and reconciliations, coming to terms with dead and dying parents and accepting that life isn't always what it appears to be on the surface. A brilliant, in-depth, three-dimensional look at different views on the same life event that every person should stop to consider when they are lost in their own throes of personal loss or pain.
I saw the reviews on this and hesitated because of all the emotional content, which made it sound like a Nicholas Sparks novel, and yet I felt compelled to read this debut novel and I was not disappointed. The story is heart-warming, heart-wrenching, life-affirming and there isn't a woman alive who won't identify with someone somewhere through the course of this book. It's about relationships and life stages. I laughed, I cried, I wanted my daughter to read it, I wanted my mother to read it, I wanted my sisters to read it.
There are some copyediting inconsistencies, but overall, a brilliantly crafted story I loved cover to cover. Well done, Melodie!
Silvia is a teenager, sent to boarding school by her grieving father. She is immediately taken in by a group of friends, including twins, Oliver and Alexander. The story takes you through their lives from the time Silvia first meets Oliver, the love of her life, to Oliver's last breath at age 85, and there isn't a dull moment all through it.
The book chronicles Silvia's life, her anger at not knowing her mother, who died to young. Her anger at a father who didn't know how to parent two young girls after his wife, the love of his life died, and how Silvia felt he had let her down. It shows the way Oliver's family annexes Silvia as one of their own and the love she finally finds, the family she finally feels part of, and the family she creates with Oliver. It's about arguments and reconciliations, coming to terms with dead and dying parents and accepting that life isn't always what it appears to be on the surface. A brilliant, in-depth, three-dimensional look at different views on the same life event that every person should stop to consider when they are lost in their own throes of personal loss or pain.
I saw the reviews on this and hesitated because of all the emotional content, which made it sound like a Nicholas Sparks novel, and yet I felt compelled to read this debut novel and I was not disappointed. The story is heart-warming, heart-wrenching, life-affirming and there isn't a woman alive who won't identify with someone somewhere through the course of this book. It's about relationships and life stages. I laughed, I cried, I wanted my daughter to read it, I wanted my mother to read it, I wanted my sisters to read it.
There are some copyediting inconsistencies, but overall, a brilliantly crafted story I loved cover to cover. Well done, Melodie!
True Love by Jude Deveraux
4.0
Alix Madsen is graduating architecture school and has been given a free year on Nantucket to develop her portfolio, only to discover the owner of the house she's been offered to live in is Jared Montgomery, world renowned architect extraordinaire.
But Jared's house is haunted, and he has no intention of sticking around while some green student tries to pick his brains to advance her career.
A meddlesome ghost with a secret, along with decades of secrets designed to protect Alix unfold with predictable results. I received this book as a giveaway, and as a Jude Deveraux fan, I was thrilled. I love the intertwining of past lives and modern, and in spite of a somewhat cheesy resolution to the romance, I devoured this book like a yummy chocolate bar. The descriptions of life on Nantucket were brilliant, and the relationships were complex and touching.
But Jared's house is haunted, and he has no intention of sticking around while some green student tries to pick his brains to advance her career.
A meddlesome ghost with a secret, along with decades of secrets designed to protect Alix unfold with predictable results. I received this book as a giveaway, and as a Jude Deveraux fan, I was thrilled. I love the intertwining of past lives and modern, and in spite of a somewhat cheesy resolution to the romance, I devoured this book like a yummy chocolate bar. The descriptions of life on Nantucket were brilliant, and the relationships were complex and touching.