December 26th, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, Australia/New Zealand, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Cooking, Great Britain, Housekeeper/Maid, J-L, Secret Baby, Travel, Tycoon
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When Cristo Verón, owner of a vastly successful private plane company, heard that his soon to be brother-in-law might have gotten some maid pregnant in Australia, he hops on the soonest flight out to check the woman and her claim out. He expects to find a pretty face and not much else, instead he finds that Isabelle Brown. She is not what he expects and pretty soon Cristo is determined to have this little housekeeper as his mistress. Will he figure out he wants her all to himself or will he lose the only thing money can’t buy?
Magnate’s Make Believe Mistress is a quick read. There were some inconsistencies that I wondered about as I read. For instance, why did he check out the woman’s claim instead of the potential father? Why not hire a detective to sniff her out? It is an interesting spin on the "secret-baby" plot though, so I give Bronwyn Jameson credit for that.
I was there was more meat to this romance. I kept waiting for something big to happen. There really wasn’t a whole lot of conflict to the story once the hero figured out the heroine wasn’t pregnant, but her sister. No angsty blow-up that either party had to overcome. I was expecting Cristo to fume like most romance novels heroes, but he didn’t. It would have been refreshing if it didn’t seem so odd considering his character.
The story was decent, but not something I’d reread again.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
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October 26th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Category, Entrepreneur, Foster/Orphan, J-L, Mistress or Courtesan, Rape/Abuse, Travel, United States of America, Western, Widow or Widower
Kate Wells marries at the tender age of 16 immediately upon her mother’s death to the charming Luke Wells. He was wealthy, worldly, wise. He was also a sham. The face he showed the world was not the real Luke Wells. Kate suffered emotional and sexual abuse at his hands. He kept her sister “locked away” to ensure her “cooperation” both in bed and while he was swindling men from their money. His death frees her and 17 year old Kate vows never to enter marriage again.
Kernan does a pretty darn good job of bringing Kate through the emotional hell of trusting and loving again. It’s pretty much the only reason I kept going. I’m not a fan of the damaged heroine especially when it comes to rape—matrimonial or not. I skimmed over the passages when Kate was reflecting on her late husband.
Sam Pickett nearly gets murdered at the beginning of the novel. He’s saved from death by Kate’s good aim and fearless behavior. A shared kiss knocks the rest of Sam’s marbles out of his head and the next day he’s determined to find Kate and win her… as his mistress. Kate is forced to accept to keep the roof over her sister and her aunt’s head. It’s only as the two come together that their wounds begin to heal. Their reactions to each other really make the novel for me.
The end had a weird flip-flop in facts. I had to read it three times just to be sure I read it right. First I certain it was a typo as I thought Cole, Sam’s friend was mostly neutral/positive when it came to Kate. I was certain the name in the paragraphs was supposed to be Crawford the detective, who has been fairly nasty about Kate’s probable involvement in setting Sam up in the alley. Then a few pages later Cole is raking Kate over the coals. In the end I had to figure I missed something when it came to Cole and left it alone.
The happy ending was everything I could hope for and then some. Kernan even wraps up Sam’s childhood loose end. Why? I’m not certain, unless it was assumed readers would think she forgot. The childhood loose end didn’t really play a role in the novel except be a catalyst to send Sam out West in the first place. The HEA would have been fine without it and read a little less cutesy-perfect with baby, reunions, new home, new school, etc.
Overall, this was a pleasant and satisfying Western romance.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Buy: Sierra Bride
Buy eHarlequin: Sierra Bride
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April 3rd, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, Detective, Guest Reviews, S-U, Suspense/Thriller, United States of America
By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
Love You to Death by Melissa Senate is a light, summer read.
Who is turning Abby Foote's life upside down? Abby has had the unfortunate (or fortunate) experience of loving and losing a number of truly unsuitable men.
Her latest is unable to attend the bris of her nephew and deserts her in LL Bean. But he is substantially better than her last love. While serious about him, she found him in intimate circumstances with the woman who is now about to become his wife. Or is he?
His engagement picture hits the paper the day of the bris.
Then he is found murdered. In the course of the investigation, it is learned that two other of her former lovers have had attempts on their lives.
Enter Detective Benjamin Orr, the best thing that has ever happened to her. She is the police's number one suspect, but if she isn't the one who has committed these crimes, then someone close to her is liable to harm her also.
To the author's credit, the family dynamics, the fiance to her ex-love, and the co-workers are all developed well. There is a lot of humor as those close to her suck up to her, while claiming they don't believe it, because they think she is capable of murder and who knows if they might be next on the list.
Then again, it is a serious subject and in real life it might not tie up as neatly. It's a lucky thing for her that she is believed and the real murderer is found out.
I give it a 2.5.
Buy: Love You To Death
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Originally posted 2008-12-04 15:40:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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