Love Romance Passion » Librarian

Review: Insignificant Moments by Jeremy Asher

Karin — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:20:50 +0000

by Karin from Savvythinker, guest reviewer

Love happens when you least expect it.

Insignificant Moments is a self-published inspirational book. It won a Rising Star award from iUniverse, the publisher. It teaches life lessons through story, in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks. It is not preachy or didactic.

The Short Lesson: There are no insignificant moments in life. What seems insignificant, in retrospect, may be very important. It reminds me that there are very few, if any, mundane moments.

The romance: It is a romance, but it is not sexual, finding one's life partner by finding one's own way, with twists and turns along the road. It also shows the courage it sometimes takes to find a new life, moving out of one’s comfort zone.

The Story: Jaye Logan is an assistant librarian and unadventurous. At 27 he has lived his life out in fear, rather than taking a chance on life.

But he reads an article "Brave of Heart" in his newspaper. It was written about a man by his daughter. She tells of her father’s epiphany on Long's Peak. One of his favorite expressions was "Time is neutral, it's what we do with the time we're given that matters."

Jaye is inspired to find out what the woman’s father found on top Long's Peak . He really lacks the skills to climb, and once he is at the top, there is a fast moving storm he must avoid, and he really doesn't have the skills to retreat safely. On his way down, he hears and finds a young woman, hurt, who has fallen from a large rock. In the midst of the storm, he finds cell phone coverage and calls in a rescue helicopter. It calls upon him to use his best self, to overcome his fears, and get her help.

But as usual, he forgets to get the girl's name or give her his. It is another lost opportunity.

Disappointed in himself, he writes an email about what he has learned, but has yet to live, and sends it on to his friends. As you would imagine, his email plays a significant part in the story, as it wings its way around the world through time and space.

The Characters: The characters’ lives intersect and intertwine throughout the book in unexpected ways. It’s not completely beyond belief that something similar could happen in real life. It works.

Each chapter is labeled with a character's name and tells part of that character’s story; sometimes the chapters are consecutive stories of the same character.

The Timeline: Along with the name of the character, each chapter heading tells the timeline of the story unless you are at the same point in time -- ranging from about the time Jaye is on top of Long's Peak, right up to present day which is three years later. For me, it was a bit confusing. I would have to refer to the chapter heading to tell me where I was in the time frame.

My Rating: I rate the book Rating: . It really was very good, as well as clever, and if you like this genre, you will likely love it.

It is more inspirational than religious. I especially liked that it wasn't preachy.

The characters find their way, sometimes blinding heading in the right direction, not always knowing it, but ending up where they are supposed to be.

Have you read it? How do you feel about insignificant moments?

Buy: Insignificant Moments

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Interview with a Hero: Keirnan Fitzgerald

Guest Blogger — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 09:27:05 +0000

by Loucinda McGary guest blogger and author of The Treasures of Venice

Thank you for inviting me to blog with you today. I’m excited to be promoting my newest release from Sourcebooks Casablanca, The Treasures of Venice. This book is a romantic suspense with paranormal elements and a dual storyline set in both contemporary and Renaissance Venice.

American librarian, Samantha Lewis is in Venice on what should have been her honeymoon, but she called off the wedding after learning that her fiancé cheated on her. Sitting in an outdoor café in St. Mark’s Square, she is feeling a bit sorry for herself when a handsome stranger approaches her and asked her to play along with him. On an impulse, she does and goes with him into the Doge’s Palace.

Charming Irish rogue, Keirnan Fitzgerald never met a lock he couldn’t pick. But he finds himself in Venice on a dangerous mission. His sister, a Renaissance scholar has been ruthlessly kidnapped. The ransom is the legendary Jewels of the Madonna, stolen and missing for over 500 years. Keirnan’s plans do not include becoming involved with a beautiful American tourist, but he and Samantha seem drawn to each other in an almost other-worldly way.

As the story behind the jewels original disappearance in 1485 unfolds, Samantha and Keirnan question if they are soul mates from a previous life. Or are they merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasure?

Now that you know a little about the book, I thought you might enjoy an interview with the hero, Keirnan Fitzgerald. My critique partners, friends, and thus far the readers and reviewers have been very enthusiastic about this charming Irish rogue. They’ve all expressed interest in learning a bit more about him and I thought the readers here at Love Romance Passion might like to know too. (Special thanks to my critique partners Cathy D. and Jo-Mama who helped with some of the questions.)

Loucinda McGary: Hello Keirnan, you have a somewhat unusual name. Is it a family name?

Keirnan Fitzgerald: As a matter of fact, it is. I was named for both my grandfathers, Keirnan Fitzgerald and Sean Farley. My sister was also named for our grandmothers, Kathleen Mary, so I guess you could say it’s a family tradition.

LM: In the story The Treasures of Venice, you mention being kicked by a horse as a child. Did you grow up around horses?

KF: Most everyone in County Kildare does. All the finest Irish thoroughbreds are born and raised there. My father was a trainer on one of the smaller farms.

LM: But you didn’t want to follow in his footsteps?

KF: Ah, no. I saw too much of the more unpleasant aspects of the job growing up to want to spend my life doing it.

LM: How in the world did you go from a horse farm to Venice?

KF: That would be my sister’s doing. She studied there for a semester during her early days at university, and she couldn’t get enough of the place – became a bit obsessed actually. When she moved there to do her graduate studies, I used to visit her on school holidays. Unlike her, I never wanted to live there. America was the place for me, the land of opportunity and pretty girls. First chance I got to go there, I jumped at it and I’ve lived there ever since.

LM: What is it about American women you find so appealing?

KF: Most of them have a fresh-scrubbed look about them that makes them appear to be both innocent and sexy at the same time. And most of them are incredibly direct. No doubt about where you stand. Oh, and most of them also find an Irish accent irresistible. (He gives a knowing smile.)

LM: Back to the storyline of The Treasures of Venice, what would you have done if Samantha hadn’t gone along with you? Did you have a Plan B?

KF: (chuckles) Darlin’ I didn’t even have a Plan A! I had that funny feeling on the back of my neck that I get when I’m being watched or followed. I saw a pretty girl sitting alone at a table in Piazza San Marco. I could tell by the way she was dressed that she was American. She looked familiar somehow, so I just walked up to her and took a chance.

LM: It never once occurred to you that she might say no, did it?

KF: (shuffles his feet and looks a bit sheepish) I adore the ladies, and most of ‘em adore me, so honestly, no. I didn’t think what I’d do if she refused. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about it, did I? (His blue eyes gleam and he winks.)

LM: You do have quite an adventurous streak, don’t you? So how many times have you wound up naked in some strange woman’s hotel room?

KF: Don’t ya know a gentleman never kisses and tells? And I am a gentleman.

LM: All right then, what is the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

KF: Why fall in love, of course. Nothing’s more dangerous than risking your heart.

LM: One last question, certain people in The Treasures of Venice believe you and Samantha were soul-mates from a previous life. Do you believe you that?

KF: If you had asked me that before I met Samantha, I’d have told you it was all a pile of rubbish. I still think perhaps it might be. But I do believe in true love, and when you meet the one for you, you will know it.

LM: On that lovely note, we’ll end our interview. But if you have any questions for Keirnan, please ask away! Oh, and if you have any questions for me, his creator, I’ll be happy to answer those too.

About the Author

Loucinda McGary took early retirement from her managerial career to pursue her twin passions of travel and writing, and sets her novels of romantic suspense in the fascinating places she has visited. She was a finalist in the 2006 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest in Romantic Suspense. She lives in Sacramento, CA. For more information, please visit http://loucindamcgary.com/.

Buy: The Treasures of Venice

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Review: Take a Chance by Eve Langlais

Keira — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:11:57 +0000

Samantha Jones is shy. Her friends are books and not people which is why she makes a good librarian. Her mother is dead. She’s alone in the world. She’s never really dated and she’s never had sex – because coupled with being shy she’s also a little plump and wears hideous glasses to correct her poor eyesight.

Sinclair Griffonaire is a cursed hero. As a wizard of the high council he and his family have been charged with keeping safe a powerful amulet that if it got into the wrong hands could be disastrous. The wrong hands happen to be his girlfriend – that witch – Melisante. She tricked him and stole the amulet using it to send him to a deserted island.

The two are separated by magic. One lives in the non-magic world. The other lives on the other side of the barrier in the Realm. Trapped in their lonely lives, neither one think love is possible. It’s only by Chance that they ever meet at all.

My thoughts: Some areas of the story are very slow moving and seem to cover the same ground again and again. There are a few contradictions that niggle at you as you read, mostly with the heroine and her thoughts on sex that seem to teeter-totter.

Coolest Magic: Mirror-to-Mirror talking + ability to send spells through a reflective surface = poison vapor of death.

Most predicable bad guy: Demonte. As the reader with omniscient viewing of everything that’s happening, this bad is so easy to spot it’s hard to believe the other characters didn’t catch on sooner.

Favorite Moment: Wizard fishing in the pond. Very cute and a bit like Little Mermaid.

Favorite Moment 2: The pair of them playing Conquer, a cute fireside board game, which looks and sounds like animated wizard chess from Harry Potter meets Stratego. The goal? To guard the castle.

Love: The book cover. So gorgeous!

Rating: 2 Stars

Buy: Take a Chance
Read an excerpt.

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Review: What the Librarian Did by Karina Bliss

Keira — Sat, 22 May 2010 21:26:16 +0000

I won a copy of this book and gobbled it up very quickly once I got it. I found it pretty unique and a lot of fun. Spoilers…

The heroine is unusual because she gave her child up for adoption. It’s not a subject usually touched on in romance and if it is touched upon it’s because the lead was adopted. The heroine voluntarily gave up her baby and insisted upon a closed adoption at the very end. I say voluntarily because she did it of her own free will but the circumstances made it impossible to do any other way. This setup is not so unusual because it makes the heroine motherly in a situation that under normal circumstances would be anything but.

It’s years later and Rachel Robinson wants to meet her son, but the adopted parents refuse to tell the child he’s adopted now he’s grown up, not realizing that he figured it out on his own. In fact he’s at Rachel’s college going to school there in an effort to track down his birth mother. He’s doing it very secretively because he doesn’t want to hurt his adoptive parents’ feelings on the subject and also because they never told him he was adopted. He’s reeling and struggling to figure out what parts of his life were true or a lie and a part of him wants to hurt his birth mom.

The hero is a retired rock star returning to college to get a degree in business and finance. Somebody has been swindling him and he wants to figure out who–although he’s pretty certain. Devin Freedman’s retirement was part voluntary and part forced. His brother kicked him out, but Devin’s body can’t handle the partying anymore. Drinking any more alcohol at this point will kill him. When Rachel refuses to fall at his feet, he’s intrigued… and we all know how that goes.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Buy: What the Librarian Did

What the Librarian Did Harlequin Super Romance by Karina Bliss 0373716222

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Book Intro: Only You by Deborah Grace Staley

Guest Blogger — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:50:05 +0000

Fans of Debbie Macomber will enjoy this sweet, small-town romance set in fictitious Angel Ridge, Tennessee. Author Deborah Grace Staley has mixed the well-known elements of a quiet librarian with the town's former bad boy to produce a charming read filled with southern flavor. The first book in a series about the town. Bestselling author Jo Ann Ross calls Staley "a great storyteller." Trade paperback, 14.95, at Amazon.com and other online stores.

Purchase: Only You

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