Romance – Page 4 – The Spine View

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a coming-of-age story that I can only be described as a cross between Ground Hogs Day and Beauty and the Beast. It is hands down one of the best fairy tales I have read in a while. Meant as a retelling, it goes above and beyond the original.

Prince Rhen of Emberfall has been cursed to relive the same autumn season of his eighteenth year over and over again by a powerful enchantress. To break the curse, all he has to do is make a girl fall in love with him. Of course, the enchantress throws a further twist into her game by having Rhen turn into a terrible monster at the close of each season. Despite this, Rhen has been arrogant enough to believe it would be easy. Born of privilege he is used to everything being easy. As season after season goes by with no true love, he is losing hope and now he is running out of time because the enchantress has said this will be the last season.

Grey, Rhen’s Caption of the Guard and protector, is given the ability to cross over to our world. At the beginning of each season he brings back a girl for Rhen in the hopes that it will be the one this time. With the stakes even higher this season, he must get the right girl. However, fate is against him when a girl with a limp prevents him from returning to Emberfall with the intended girl. Instead Grey is forced to abduct Harper.

Harper has not had an easy life. She was born with cerebral palsy and limps profoundly. Her father has deserted the family and left enormous debts with a loan shark. And to top it off, her mother is dying of cancer. Her brother is the only thing good thing right now in her life. He is actually working for the loan shark to pay off the debt. So, when Grey abducts her, her main concern is not in helping Rhen but returning home before her mother dies. Therefore, Rhen is going to have to pull off a miracle to break the curse.

I am totally in love with this book. I liked everything about the book, the prose, plot, characters and world building were so, so good. I can’t think of anything that I didn’t like about the book, which is unusual for me. Even with books I love, there is normally some little nitpicky thing I don’t care for, not the case here.

Of course, the characters were my favorite part. The author did a wonderful job of making me love them all. It is such a fabulous thing when I totally get the characters. The plot is also worthy of a comment since it worked so well with the characters and there was enough intrigue and twists to keep me reading and engaged. I just had to know how Harper was going to handle things once she found out about the true nature of the curse. Totally looking forward to reading book two.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and fairy tales. This is a book that should be at the top of TBR list.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus, by Erin Morganstern, is an amazing debut novel. This is one of my favorite books this year, maybe in several years. The story is magical, imaginative and totally entertaining. If this is a debut novel, think what the author still has in store for us!

Celia Bowen is the daughter of a famous magician. She has been in training with her father from an early age. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that when Le Cirque des Reves auditions magicians she shines and is quickly hired. But the circus is more than just a circus. It is a competition between two young magicians, Celia being one of them.

For Celia and Marco, the competing magician, the rules of the competition have always been vague. They know the circus is the venue but they are not sure how a winner will be determined. They each craft fantastical shows under the black and white stripped tents. A magical feast for the eyes and senses. There is just one little, tiny problem, Celia and Marco fall in love and in this story there can only be one winner.

I dare not say more, least I ruin this fantastic story. What I can tell you is, I was hooked within the first five pages. The book has all the things I love from a great read: outstanding plot, awesome characters, and surprising twists and an overall air of magic.

If prose could sparkle this book would glow. Every time I picked the book up, I felt like I was walking into it instead of just reading about the characters, locations, etc. Not often does a book do this to me and it is a very special thing when it does.

As I mentioned above, this book is among my favorites reads this year. Not only was the story interesting and new, the author’s prose was effortless. If you have not had the opportunity to read this yet, I don’t know what you are waiting for.

I received a free copy in a Read It Forward giveaway.

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Pub. Date: 25-Jun-2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars

I was in the mood for a fun, light read and that is exactly what I got with The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan. The story is uplifting and warm, that centers around the meaning of family with a dash of romance and a little mystery thrown in. It made for a lovely reading experience, total escapism.

Zoe is a young mother living in a tiny flat in London with her son Hari. Hari’s father is mostly absent from their lives and provides no financial support. She is barely getting by and is one disaster away from being homeless.

Despite her circumstances, Zoe is determined to provide the best she can for Hari. Therefore, when she sees an ad for a nanny to three children in Scotland she jumps at the chance. Her hope is this will provide a more stable home life for Hari. In addition to the job as nanny, she also takes a day job running a mobile bookshop for a mother-to-be who is confined to bed rest until her baby is born.

She quickly finds that both jobs are more than she bargained for. The book van’s patrons are reluctant to buy from someone other than Nina the van’s owner. This forces Zoe to get creative in order to keep the business afloat. The 3 children she is nanny to had been described as “gifted” when “troubled” would have been a much better word to use. How will she make all of this work?

I adored the quirky characters. It seemed that even the minor characters had something unusual, or flawed, about them that endeared them to me. Either as in the case of Zoe, her intelligence that I felt hindered her common sense sometimes and, at times, left her unsure of herself, to Nina’s obsessiveness. I admired Zoe’s resilience and that she was unflappable. She had to be in order to tackle all the challenges she faced. I do wish I had understood Ramsey a little better. I know this book was not his story, yet I could not help wanting to know just a little more about him.

The plot was not the strongest I have read, but there was enough tension to keep me reading. I found myself wanting to know how Zoe was to going to handle Ramsey’s brood of hellions. I almost excepted them to play nasty tricks on Zoe, like put a snake in her bed. Some of what they did I thought was rather mild. The pacing of the plot was good and there was one revelation at the end I was not expecting that gave a little spice to the story.

Overall this is a solid feel good story and I recommend this lovely gem to readers of all kinds, especially those who like books that fall into the Women’s Fiction genre and Romance. Also, if you are looking for a beach read this book would be a perfect choice.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program, in exchange for my honest review.

The Bowes Inheritance by Pam Lecky

Guest Review by J.A. Miller:

The Bowes Inheritance, by Pam Lecky, has all the elements of a great book: compelling characters, a riveting plot, subplots that twist and turn, romance, intrigue, heartache and surprises. Set in Dublin and England in the late 1800’s, the story revolves around two impoverished sisters who inherit an estate in England – and all the unexpected drama that comes with it – from an uncle they never knew existed. I loved the book and so will you.

Book Blurb:

Dublin 1882: When determined but impoverished Louisa Campbell inherits a large estate in the north of England, from an uncle she didn’t even know existed, it appears to be the answer to her prayers. Her younger sister, Eleanor, is gravely ill, and believing that the country air will benefit her, they decide to take up residence at Bowes Farm, situated on the Cumberland coast.

However, they soon realise that all they have inherited is trouble. Their uncle had managed to alienate almost everyone in the area and worst of all, was suspected of being a Fenian activist. His reputation leaves Louisa and Eleanor battling to gain acceptance in polite society, especially with Nicholas Maxwell, their handsome neighbour and local magistrate. His father was cheated out of the farm during a card game fifteen years before and he is determined to get the property back.

Louisa unearths secrets from their family’s past that threaten their future while the spectre of their mysterious benefactor overshadows everything. When a Fenian bombing campaign comes close to home, Louisa finds herself a chief suspect and must fight to clear her name. She must dig deep to find the courage to solve the mysteries that Bowes Farm holds before their lives are destroyed. And most importantly of all, will she be able to finally trust and love the man who is surely her sworn enemy?

John Anthony Miller was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a father of English ancestry and a second-generation Italian mother. Motivated by a life-long love of travel and history, he normally sets his novels in exotic locations during eras of global conflict. Characters must cope and combat, overcoming their own weaknesses as well as the external influences spawned by tumultuous times. He’s the author of the historical thrillers, To Parts Unknown, In Satan’s Shadow, When Darkness Comes, and All the King’s Soldiers, as well as the historical mystery, Honour the Dead. He lives in southern New Jersey with his family.

The Tiger Catcher by Paullina Simons

A truly heart-breaking and enthralling story is the only way to describe The Tiger Catcher by Paullina Simons. It is a gratifying romance story and it explores the lengths to which a person will go to be with the one they love.

Julian is living a happy and successful life in Los Angeles. He is surround by family and friends that love him and has a long-standing girlfriend that everyone expects him to marry. Then a chance encounter, at a New York City theatre, with a young girl named Josephine changes everything.

When Julian returns to L. A. he can’t stop thinking about Josephine. Then one day she waltzes right into his life and his heart. As far as Julian is concerned the world has not only stopped but melted away. He is so absorbed with Josephine that he forgets to go to work or write his daily Mr. Know-It-All newsletter. Yet, the fates have other plans and when Josephine is lost to Julian, he falls into a stupor and nothing is able to bring him back to reality.

Julian dreams frequently of Josephine. In his dreams, he is always at a café and she sees him and is walking towards him but is never able to reach him. He believes that the café is in London. Therefore, he moves to London in search of her. After a year and a half, and many miles of walking London’s streets for the café in his dream, he is no closer to answers than he was in L. A. That is until he meets a shaman who gives Julian the means to find Josephine. There is a catch, the trip is dangerous and he will have to give up everything and everyone he knows and loves.

I loved the characters in this book. Julian was especially well done. I liked how the author showed us the depth of his love and then the pain and sorrow of his loss. It was raw and very real to me. In addition, the story had just enough fantasy and realism to suit my tastes.

The only negative I found was the plot. It dragged a little in the middle. Ms. Simons’s writing is always a little on the verbose side; however, here it was a bit heavy handed. Despite this, I was already so invested in the story that I had to know what happened. Therefore, I rushed to get to the end and then I had to noodle on the book for a bit before I picked up another one. It is always a good sign when a book makes me ponder for a bit after I finish it.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I also feel it is not in the same league as The Bronze Horseman, which is one of my all-time favorites. Tough I still found the story compelling and entertaining. I am looking forward to the next installment in the series and I hope the wait is not too long.

The Tiger Catcher is the perfect book for fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Paullina Simons and/or romance with a touch of magic.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program, in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

It has been a while since I last read a book by Ms. Graves (that being On the Island) and I admire her ability to draw the reader into the world she creates and for her relatable characters. Her latest book The Girl He Used to Know is no exception to her extraordinary writing talents.

The story is told from two POVs and Annika, pronounced like Monica without the M, is where we begin. She has a chance meeting in a grocery store in Chicago with Jonathon her boyfriend from college. Ten years has passed since they last saw each other and a lot has changed. Jonathon has risen the corporate ladder in an investment banking firm and married then divorced in that time span. While Annika is working her dream job as a librarian.

They start seeing each other again and each character reflects on their shared past. Jonathon tells how he is drawn to this shy, beautiful, intelligent and enigmatic young woman he meets at the University chess club. He relates how he wins her trust and eventual falls in love with her. Annika relates how she has always struggled to fit in and how Jonathon accepts her despite all her quirks. He has been patient and understanding with her need to go slowly and she in turn falls for him.

Annika would love nothing more than to pick up where they left off. Yet, there is a lot of water under the bridge and they will have a lot work ahead of them to be able to move forward. Then just when everything is starting to look up tragedy strikes.

I love character driven stories and this one is just that. The author has given us two great charters and she has slowly unraveled them for us as the story progressed so that we understand them fully. This is truly the best thing about her stories. I can always depend on getting characters to love and route for. I especially liked how the author handled Annika’s character, that was excellent. I don’t want to say too much here because I would give away an essential element of the plot. I just hope you enjoy and appreciate the specialness of the character.

The plot was very well done. I liked that the story was not told in chronical order. It worked better switching from present to past and back again. It created suspense because we know that something happened that drove Jonathon and Annika apart and that dangling carrot kept me intrigued and I needed to know just what happened. Then the wrench in the works in the later quarter of the story heightened the drama. Fabulous!

I recommend this book to readers who love character driven stories especially those that fall into the women’s fiction and romance genre. In addition, this book would make an excellent pick for a book club because of the many social issues presented in the book, i.e. bullying.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Innocent Bystander by C. A. Asbrey

Innocent Bystander by C. A. Asbrey is the third book in The Innocent Mystery Series. It did not matter that I have not read the previous books, this book can be read as a standalone. The story is a bit mystery, a bit romance mixed together with a little dose of trouble and it all made for an enjoyable read.

Abigail (Abi) MacKay’s youngest sister Madeleine is basically a spoiled brat and seems to relish getting in trouble. Madeleine’s latest adventure is to run away and marry David Bartholemew a man a number of years her senior. What Madeleine does not know is that her husband’s previous wives have died under questionable circumstances.

Fortunately for Madeleine, Abigail is a Pinkerton agent and she is determined to find her before she is the next victim. She enlists the help of Nat Quinn and Jake Conway from the Innocents gang. A band of outlaws that make their home in Ghost Canyon. She has had dealings with them before and despite being criminals she knows they will help her and they have a plan. Yet, as we all know, even the best laid plan can go awry.

What ensues next is a couple of plot twists and unforeseen incidents that keep the reader engaged. In this, the author has done a good job of hooking the reader early and maintaining their interest throughout without the plot being forced or rushed. Just the right amount of tension has gone a long way here to make a story that feels like it unfolds naturally.

Another thing I enjoyed about this book are the details of life during the second half of the 19^th century. Especially how the new scientific discovers of the time were being used not only is everyday life but also by law enforcement. One of the major reasons I enjoy books with a historical setting is to learn about the times and the author surprised me with the amount of information in the story.

The only thing I would have liked more of is character development. In all honestly, I can’t complain too much since I have not read the first two books. I suspect had I read them, I would not be mentioning it. Therefore, feel free to take this comment with a grain of salt.

In a nutshell, this is a well written and researched historical book. I recommend this book for people who like mysteries with a historical setting.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

The Glass Ocean is a wonderfully entertaining story of intrigue and romance set in the days leading up to the entrance of the United States into WWI and grounded in the present by one woman who is linked irrevocably to the past.

Sarah Blake is an author with one best seller already under her belt. Despite her successfully debut, she is struggling with her finances and to come up with an idea for her next best seller. Her mother’s Alzheimer’s seems to be taking a toll on her creativity as well as her pocketbook. Desperate for an idea, Sarah decides to open a trunk, even after promising she would not, that has been passed down in her family from her great-grandfather.

Inside the truck she finds an intriguing note written during the final voyage of the Lusitania which was sunk by a German U-boat. Knowing in her gut this is the big idea that has been escaping her for so long, she heads off to the UK to do research. Once there she tracks down John Langford, who has troubles of his own, to enlist his help researching his family’s ties to the sinking of the Lusitania.

What they uncover will shock both of them to the core in more ways than one. It may even shed new light on the sinking of the Lusitania. The question is, are they prepared to tell the world of their discovery?

The Glass Ocean despite being written as a collaboration of three authors readers seamlessly. I liked all the characters and the development was good. I do wish I had understood Tessa’s sister a little better. The plot is totally fictional but seemed plausible. The pace was very nice and the intrigue kept me reading on several occasions when I should have been doing other things. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the Lusitania and what life was like as a first-class passenger.

The one thing I was not happy with is the ending. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that the fate of some characters did not work for me.

All-in-all, this is an entertaining historical fiction/romance and will appeal to a variety of readers. I recommend it to anyone who likes Historical Fiction set in the first quarter of the 20^th century. I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Ensnare (Burlin Butterfly #1) by Leah Moyes

Ensnare, book one of the Berlin Butterfly series by Leah Moyes, tells the heart wrenching story of a young, former orphan girl, Ella, trapped on the wrong side of Berlin when the wall is erected in August of 1961.

Ella’s father is gravely ill as soldiers start unrolling spools of barbed wire, which will form the first Berlin Wall, to keep the citizens of East Berlin from fleeing to the west. She is torn between escaping while she still can, with her young brother and best friend Anton, and staying behind to care for her sick father. Ella makes the only decision she feels she can and stays behind while entrusting her brother to Anton’s care.

In a very short time, Ella’s father passes away and she is stuck alone in East Berlin. She has no money for food or to bury her father. Therefore, she strikes a deal with the Frankes, a wealthy and influential family in East Berlin, whom runs a mortuary. She will work as domestic help for 2 years to pay off the debt she owes them for the casket and burial. Once Ella begins working for the Frankes she makes friends and seeks ways to escape East Berlin. Yet what awaits Ella in the next two years will be much more than she expected and will put her life in danger and the lives of those she comes to trust and even love.

I was captivated with the character of Ella from the first. Her story has a realness to it and kept me engaged throughout. Just thinking about a 15 year old girl having to make such a life changing decision gives me goose bumps. Yet, she is strong and resilient. I felt the author did justice to the character by making her that way. Times were different then and hard ship was common; therefore, children had to grow up much faster.

I also loved the historical aspect of the book and felt the setting was the perfect backdrop for Ella’s story. The descriptions of the East versus West side of Berlin rang true to the times. It is obvious that the author did her research.

In addition, the plot moves smoothly along and at a nice pace. I was never bored and never felt the story was rushed. The story just seemed to unfold effortlessly with just enough twists to keep your attention but not so much that it felt over worked. Really well done!

Ensnare is one of those books that has a lot going for it and should appeal to a broad audience. I highly recommend this book to lovers of Historical Fiction, Romance and Women’s Fiction.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Sopinka

Pub. Date: 20-Feb-2018
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Soponka is a captivating literary fiction novel that is also historical fiction. The prose is lovely and lyrical and connected me to the main character in an unexpected way.

The story tells the tragic tale of the life of famous artist Ivory Frame. At the beginning we meet Ivory at the end of her life as she is trying to finish her life’s work of studying animal languages that will be a dictionary of sorts. As she is working on completing the dictionary, she receives a message that she has a granddaughter; yet, she never had children. This message is the catalyst to a flood of memories. We see Ivory as a young girl who never fit into various schools she is sent to and later expelled from. Finally as a young woman, disowned by family, she arrives in Paris where she studies painting.

For Ivory this is where her life truly starts and in some ways ends. It is the time between the Great Wars and Paris is alive with creative people. Not only does she discover her place in the world among the artists and other creative people living in Paris at the time, she finds the love of her life in Lev. Lev is a Russian artist, and an enigma, and Ivory loves him passionately even though he is married. Then in a dreadful and tragic turn of events Ivory loses everything.

This is truly a heart breaking story told with such thoughtfulness and the beautiful prose just took me away. I did think the plot was rather slow; however, it fit the prose and the mood to perfection. If the story had been written any other way it would not have had the same effect on me.

The only negative thing I can say it that I felt the granddaughter connection did not fit as well into the story as it could have. To ultimately be so important, the revelation did not get the attention it should have.

This is a tricky book to recommend because not everyone is going to like the slow pace or appreciate the prose. Though I enjoyed reading it, I recognize that it is not what I would call a “commercial novel”. Yet, for those readers that can truly appreciate it as the art form it is, I think you will love it.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.