Review: Rachel Gibson "Simply Irresistible"

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN:  9780380790074

My rating: 3/5

Georgeanne Howard, charm school graduate and Southern belle extraordinaire, leaves her fiancé at the altar when she realizes she just can't marry a man old enough to be her grandfather, no matter how rich he is. John Kowalsky unknowingly helps her escape, and only when it's too late does he realize that he's absconded with his boss's bride. At the height of his hockey career, this bad boy isn't looking to be anybody's savior but his own, no matter how beautiful this angel may be. But a long night stretches ahead of them--a night too sultry to resist temptation.
When Georgeanne and John meet again, she is on her way to becoming Seattle's domestic darling and he is past his hellraising days. But he is shocked to learn that their single unforgettable night in paradise produced a daughter, and he is determined to be part of her life. Georgeanne has loved John since the moment she jumped into his little red Corvette seven years ago, but she doesn't want to risk her heart again. Is he really a changed man? And will he risk the wrath of his boss, and one final chance at glory, to prove that this time his love will be everlasting? (rachelgibson.com)


My thoughts

Another nice summer read, but I have to admit it reminded me A LOT of  Rachel Gibson's "No Man of Mine"

Georgeanne  meets John Kowalsky, a Chinook player when she runs away from her wedding. Although John knows he plays with fire, as the husband-to-be is Virgil Duffy, the owner of the Chinooks, but John can't keep his hands off her - the result, as he finds out seven years later, is a little girl "Lexie".

The characters are okay, but without any depth, yet I loved the moments between father and daughter. That was well done! And the dialogues between Mae and Hugh had some good pinch to them.

Bottom line - if you have read No Man of Mine ... you've read this one. Nothing new.

Also, lots of sudden scene changes confused me at times, so much that I the re-reading was annoying and I put the book aside. But I'm not sure whether that was just me.

Jill Shalvis - Aussie Rules

Publisher: Kensington

ISBN: 9780758211392

My rating: 3/5

Mel is busy trying to keep her life together when Bo Black enters the picture. Dashing, mysterious and enticing, Bo instantly captivates her. Luckily she resists her urges long enough to realize that Bo is really there to take back ownership of the airport Mel has worked so hard to maintain. Bo also finds himself undeniably drawn to Mel while at the same time determined to remove her from "his" airport, if he can only stop getting distracted. (goodreads.com)


My thoughts

It ain't Lucky Harbor!
Let's say I liked it, but didn't love it as much as the Lucky Harbor novels, and comparing isn't really fair, I know.
Bo was no Ty, Mel no Mallory!

Mel, with the help of her crew, has been running the North Beach airport for the last ten years, when her mentor and role model, Sally, disappeared. Then Bo arrives from Australia, claiming the airport is his.

Jill Shalvis' wit shines through, and her ability to put emotions so wonderfully into words. But the story was no pageturner for me. I would've probably liked to have read more about the "mystery" (Bo's accusation that Sally's a fraud) and less sex.

But .... only days until the next Lucky Harbor ..... :-)

Lee Child - The Enemy (Reacher #8)

Publisher: Bantam

ISBN: 9780440423003

My rating: 3/5




You’re in the Army now, son…
New Year’s Day, 1990. The Berlin Wall is coming down. The Cold War is ending. Soon America won’t have any enemies left. The Army won’t have anybody to fight. Things are going to change. Jack Reacher is the Military Police duty officer on a base in North Carolina when he takes a call reporting a dead soldier in a hot-sheets motel. Reacher tells the local cops to handle it—heart attacks happen all the time.
But why is Reacher in North Carolina, instead of Panama, where the action is? Then the dead man turns out to have been a two-star general who should have been in Europe. And when Reacher goes to the general’s house to break the news, he finds another corpse: the general’s wife. What is he dealing with here? The last echoes of the old world… or the first shocks of the new?
Winner of 2005 Nero, Barry and (yes, this is not a typo) Jack Reacher awards. The Nero Award, for literary excellence in the mystery genre, is awarded by The Wolfe Pack. The Barry Award for Best Novel of the Year is awarded by Deadly Pleasures magazine. The Jack Reacher Award win was the first annual award presented by Crime Spree Magazine and it was for the very readable, appealing-to-every-age, Jack Reacher novels! (Lee Child.com)


My thoughts

Say what ?

I do love Reacher and have loved most of his stories, or should I say Lee Child? BTW,  I almost fell of the seat when I saw Lee's cameo in the movie. Too funny.

Anyway - this one wasn't for me. I couldn't follow. I felt lost most of the time and noticed myself putting the book aside more often than usual. I really liked the sub-plot of Reacher's "family affairs". But really, most of the details of the main plot were just beyond me, I'm afraid.

I got the gist of who killed who, but the "real" why is still a mystery.

Any verdicts, yet, on the movie from you? 

Rachel Gibson - Tangled up in You

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN:  9780061178030

My rating: 3/5


Maddie is determined to uncover the untold story about the town's sordid past—her past. As a child, Maddie lost everything, and now she's back at the scene of the scandal—a local establishment that's always belonged to the Hennessys—determined to uncover the truth, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Especially not a black-haired, blue-eyed Hennessy.
Everyone in Truly knows that the Hennessy men are irresistible, and the current owner, Mick, is no exception. His late father was a skirt-chasing heartbreaker who ended up causing disaster for two families. So far, Mick's managed to keep the ladies in line, but when he claps eyes on Maddie, with her luscious curves and tempting lips, he can't resist getting tangled up with her.

But Maddie is keeping secrets, not the least of which is her true reason for being in town. And when Mick discovers what-s really going on, there is going to be a whole lot of trouble in Truly.
(rachelgibson.com)


My thoughts

This could have been a really good story, if the focus had been on the plot instead the romance - yet, having said that, in all fairness, romance readers are the target audience.
Maddie Dupree's life is surrounded by serial killers - she interviews them for her books, but this time the background story for her next story is different: her mother's death. The truth about the past and the reason for the death. That takes her to Truly, Idaho.
Mick Hennessy owns a bar in Truly, Maddie's first stop for her research. Needless to say they both find each other and get involved. Until Mick finds out who she really is.

I loved the actual plot, but got bored with the sex scenes. Too many, too detailed.

Kathy Reich - Deadly Decisions

Publisher: Random House

ISBN: 9781448106608

My rating: 3/5


The third gripping Temperance Brennan novel from world-class forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, the international no. 1 bestselling crime thriller writer and the inspiration behind the hit TV series Bones. A nine-year-old girl is killed in crossfire on her way to ballet class. Soon afterwards, the body of a teenager killed in North Carolina is found hundreds of miles away. Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan knows she must stay professional, but when the young girl's body is wheeled into the morgue she cannot help but react. And when an exhumation reveals the bones of yet another innocent in a hidden grave close to a biker gang headquarters, Tempe begins a lone and risky investigation into the lawless underworld of organised crime.

 

My thoughts

Number 3 didn't really rock my world.

It's all about Motorbike gangs and the accidental death of a young girl. I have to admit, it took me a while to get my head around the story. As much as I like the extra details Reichs gives in regards to pathology or in this book blood spattern, IMHO there's right and there's too much. I thought it was all a bit too much. Everything was in too much detail, I thought.

The rest of the story is the same as previously - add a family member (BTW - the nephew Kit is a hoot!) and put Brennan in a dangerous situation - voila, another Brennan story. Well more or less.



#1 Kathy Reichs - Deja Dead

#2 Kathy Reichs - Death Du Jour

#4 Kathy Reichs - Fatal Voyage

Jill Shalvis - Instant Temptation (Wilder #3)

Buy Here

Publisher: Kensington Brava
ISBN 978-0758231284

My rating: 3/5


T.J. Wilder is the perfect package of breathtaking adventure and raw sex appeal. Even better, he’s about to reconnect with the one woman he’s never been able to forget…
Get Your Pulse Racing
To Harley, the landscape around Wishful, California, is exhilarating, untamed, and more than a little dangerous. The same could be said for T.J. Wilder, who’s invited himself along on her trek to study a rare coyote. Harley’s career is riding on this trip, and she doesn’t need a stubborn, incredibly sexy distraction. But T.J. is a professional guide who knows when to stay back and when to provide invaluable expertise-just like he’s done since they were in high school. And Harley, as usual, is torn between throttling him and giving in to the raw attraction that’s been smoldering all these years.
T.J. knows how proud and capable Harley is, but he’s damned sure not letting her put herself at risk when there are illegal hunters in the area. She needs him, with the same soul-stirring urgency that he’s always craved her. And here, in this beautiful place days from civilization, he’ll finally have a chance to prove it-over and over again… (jillshalvis.com)


And another one finished in my "Jill'athon" summer .... I'm running out of books, Jill better hurry!

OK, this one was the last one of the Wilder series, and I have to admit, it didn't really rock my world, like Shalvis' books usually do. It's more or less character based and I found it very hard to pick up the book and keep reading, even with the humour and wit in it - it didn't really do it for me. But, don't tell Jill, because, she's sooooo my favourite author!!!

Anyway, Harley and the eldest Wilder boy, TJ, share a history from quite a few years back. Problem is though, he can't remember, and now she avoids him like .... she can't really avoid him and whenever he's close she basically forgets that she wants to be angry with him and wants nothing to do with him.

As I said, I missed a bit more action, and more of the Shalvis humour, but compared with what else is on the market at the moment, still a damn good read ;-)

Janet Evanovich - Notorious Nineteen

Publisher: Bantam

ISBN: 9780755385010

My rating: 3/5

 
After a slow summer of chasing low-level skips for her cousin Vinnie’s bail bonds agency, Stephanie Plum finally lands an assignment that could put her checkbook back in the black. Geoffrey Cubbin, facing trial for embezzling millions from Trenton’s premier assisted-living facility, has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Now it’s on Stephanie to track down the con man. Unfortunately, Cubbin has disappeared without a trace, a witness, or his money-hungry wife. Rumors are stirring that he must have had help with the daring escape . . . or that maybe he never made it out of his room alive. Since the hospital staff’s lips seem to be tighter than the security, and it’s hard for Stephanie to blend in to assisted living, Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur goes in undercover. But when a second felon goes missing from the same hospital, Stephanie is forced into working side by side with Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, in order to crack the case.
The real problem is, no Cubbin also means no way to pay the rent. Desperate for money—or maybe just desperate—Stephanie accepts a secondary job guarding her secretive and mouthwatering mentor Ranger from a deadly Special Forces adversary. While Stephanie is notorious for finding trouble, she may have found a little more than she bargained for this time around. Then again—a little food poisoning, some threatening notes, and a bridesmaid’s dress with an excess of taffeta never killed anyone . . . or did they? If Stephanie Plum wants to bring in a paycheck, she’ll have to remember: No guts, no glory. (evanovich.com)


My thoughts

I didn't mind this story. It wasn't exciting, and it wasn't the as good as the first Plum novels, but much better than the ones of late.
The plot is the same as the previous novels, Steph needs money, one big bond is Cubbin, who's disappeared, but unlike the few before this one, one doesn't lose the oversight of who she's actually chasing at the time. Lula is ok, but the jokes are the same. Grandma Mazur has a few more lines in it, but they're getting old, as well. Morelli / Ranger - same here as well. So it's basically the plot that keeps the story going.

Better than the previous ones, but no 'halelujahs' in that one either. Lots of 'Babes' - I DID LIKE THAT :-)


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Matthew Reilly - Ice Station

Publisher:  Pan Macmillan Australia

ISBN: 9780330360890

My rating: 3/5

At a remote ice station in Antarctica, a team of US scientists has made an amazing discovery. They have found something buried deep within a 100-million-year-old layer of ice. Something made of METAL.

Led by the enigmatic Lieutenant Shane Schofield, a team of crack United States marines is sent to the station to secure this discovery for their country. They are a tight unit, tough and fearless. They would follow their leader into hell. They just did…

My thoughts


Truth be told - it wasn't my cup of tea. I felt like actually being at an ice station, getting hot and cold as I read along. I almost gave up after only the first twenty or so pages. As a movie I would've probably liked it but as a book .....
Shane Schoefield (Scarecrow) is a great new hero, but IMHO Reilly exaggerated just a few times too often in how he escapes death; falling off a cliff in a hovercraft, blowing up a sub ... I like the story in general, it was a great setting, in theory a great plot, but too long in battles, personally to gruesome and as a lover of killer whales ... yup didn't like their portrait of hunting down people. (which didn't influence the rating ;-) )

Not sure whether I'd go for another Reilly book.

Lee Child - Persuader (Reacher #7)

Publisher: Bantam UK

ISBN: 9780553815856

My rating: 3/5


The ultimate loner. An elite ex-military cop who left the service years ago, he’s moved from place to place … without family … without possessions … without commitments. And without fear. Which is good, because trouble—big, violent, complicated trouble—finds Reacher wherever he goes. And when trouble finds him, Reacher does not quit, not once, not ever. But some unfinished business has now found Reacher. And Reacher is a man who hates unfinished business. Ten years ago, a key investigation went sour and Francis Xavier Quinn got away with murder. Now a chance encounter outside Boston’s Symphony Hall brings it all back. Now Reacher sees his one last shot. Some would call it vengeance. Some would call it redemption. Reacher would call it justice. (LeeChild.com)



My thoughts

I can without a doubt say that Lee Child is one of my favourite authors, and I look forward to yet another Reacher Novel. Yet, this one was a bit disappointing I have to admit.

First of all, it's written in the "first person" and that threw me a bit. Secondly, the book starts straight with the action of a shooting ... and it took me a while to understand the storyline.

Reacher goes undercover for the police to get to Francis Xavier Quinn - but it's more about revenge for him then helping out.

It was a rather confusing story and I had a hard time to follow, especially with the backstory in between. Love Reacher, but that wasn't one of my favourites.

Lee Child - Echo Burning (Reacher #5)

Publisher: Jove

ISBN: 978-0515143829

My rating: 3/5


Hitching rides is an unreliable mode of transport. In temperatures of over a hundred degrees, you're lucky if a driver will open the door of his air-conditioned car long enough to let you slide in. That's Jack Reacher's conclusion. He's adrift in the fearsome heat of a Texas summer, and he needs to keep moving through the wide open vastness, like a shark in the water. The last thing he's worried about is exactly who picks him up.

He never expected it to be somebody like Carmen. She's alone, driving a Cadillac. She's beautiful, young and rich. She has a little girl who is being watched by unseen observers. And a husband who is in jail. Who will beat her senseless when he comes out. If he doesn't kill her first.

Reacher is no stranger to trouble. And at Carmen's remote ranch in Echo County there is plenty of it: lies and prejudice, hatred and murder. Reacher can never resist a lady in distress. Her family is hostile. The cops can't be trusted. The lawyers won't help. If Reacher can't set things straight, who can? (LeeChild.com)


My thoughts

One could summarise the first half of the book with these few words: Reacher said nothing - and honestly that is what you get at least once a page if not more often!

Reacher #5. Reacher is on the road again and gets picked up by Carmen. She tells him about her life, her daughter Ellie, her husband Sloop, who's currently in jail and the abuse she suffered through his hands. With nowhere else to go Reacher promises her to come with and keep and eye on things for the next few days when Sloop is supposed to come back home.

And this is when Lee Child speeds up from second to fifth gear. Finally it gets interesting and putting the book aside is a bit NO NO.

Lots of confusion. Lots of "he said / she said" situations. Lee Child at his best.

Definitely a 'not to be missed' for Reacher fans, yet for those who start out with this one, be patient through the first half. I promise it gets better!

Lee Child - Running Blind (Reacher #4)

Running Blind by Lee Child

Publisher: Jove

ISBN: 978-0515130973

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It's tough being a high-flying woman in the Army. Very tough. When Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook are found dead in their own homes—in baths filled with Army-issue camouflage paint, their bodies completely unmarked—Jack Reacher is under suspicion. He knew them both—and he knows that they both left the Army under dubious circumstances, both victims of sexual harassment. A former U.S. military policeman, a loner and a drifter, he matches the psychological profile prepared by the FBI, and is arrested by ambitious Special Agent, Julia Lamarr.

But when the body of another woman, Sergeant Lorraine Stanley, is discovered, killed with similar precision, Reacher is released. Everyone fears there is a serial killer on the loose. But the FBI have strong persuasive powers, and before long Reacher finds himself heavily involved in the murder investigation. What have these women got in common and why is someone out to do them harm?

In this magnificent and utterly ingenious thriller, Reacher once again saves the day, proving that he is a unique hero, capable of holding his own in any situation. Running Blind confirms that Lee Child is more than capable of challenging the established names currently writing in this genre.(leechild.com)

My thoughts

You either love or loathe the story, I guess. I haven't decided yet, so I settle in the middle.

Reading "Running Blind" was a bit like a emotional rollercoaster - interesting, pageturner, you're kiddin' right back to interesting.

The book starts with a bang and Reacher being picked up by the FBI as a "person of interest" in a serial murder case. Women are being killed and nobody can figure out how and why, but an FBI profile states it's someone like Reacher ... and he ends up working as a "consultant" for them.

Personally I think the plot is great, brilliant and well executed into a story, even though I had an inkling half way through about the killer.

Parts I wasn't really convinced about were: the FBI characters were lousy. For me as a non-US citizen sometimes to the point that it was unbelievable. Perhaps naive thinking on my behalf, maybe not. Also, the relationship with with Jodie made me grinch. She came across very selfish and even though Reacher hadn't been a "good boy" himself, he, IMHO, deserved better.

Lastly - I didn't like was Reacher's openness to violence. Though I "know" he's no angel, I didn't like his (as it seemed to me) more aggressive nature in this story.

All in all, I wasn't really convinced, but I loved the Reacher in this one as well. Lee Child has created such a great character smooth and edgy. Can't get enough of him!

Reacher #5 next !! :-)
















View all my reviews

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

ISBN: 9781416505242

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


She was the most beautiful British bauble in Europe’s jet-set playgrounds. Now she’s broke, furious, and limping down a backwoods road in an ugly pink Southern Belle gown. He’s a tall, lean Texan who’s sure to regret stopping his car for this woebegone, surly Scarlett? Meet Francesca Day and Dallie Beaudine, two incredible characters whose tangled love affair is at the heart of this ravishing New York Times bestseller from award-winning author Susan Elizabeth Phillips



My thoughts

No wonder my mum didn't get me to read books in the 1980s!

I have absolutely no idea how to put my thoughts into words. Basically I'd give the first third a rating of '1' as in boring, the next part a '3' as in mildly amusing and interesting, we go back to '2' for more confusing backstory and another '3' for tying everything up nicely in the end ... so what does that make? I'd say a weak '3' .... :-)

So we read about Francesca. English born, spoilt rotten, up herself, the most unlikeable person you could read about in a romance. And it drags along and more and more about her upbringing. More or less to the point where I was considering giving up! Then we get to know Dallas 'Dallie' Boudine. Golfer in the US with his own demons to struggle. And back and forth both, Francesca and Dallie meet and loathe each other, yet end up in bed. You get the gist of it.

Result of the bedstory is Teddy, yet Dallie only finds out about ten years later. Even though it's a book and not real life and you've gotta give it a bit of leanway, but honestly I did struggle with that!

Who else is there? Heaps of people, makes your mind boggle, honestly! I really liked Holly Grace, Dallie's first wife, and mother of his first son. Anybody out there who can tell me if she has her own story ?

So all in all, I really can't recommend the book only to die-hard SEP fans. Perhaps one could argue that's the way stories were told in the 1980s .... I wouldn't know!

James Lee Burke - Rain Gods

Publishers: Simon & Schuster

 

ISBN:  9781439128244

 

My rating: 3/5

 

 

When Hackberry Holland became sheriff of a tiny Texas town near the Mexican border, he'd hoped to leave certain things behind: his checkered reputation, his haunted dreams, and his obsessive memories of the good life with his late wife, Rie. But the discovery of the bodies of nine illegal aliens, machine-gunned to death and buried in a shallow grave behind a church, soon makes it clear that he won't escape so easily. As Hack and Deputy Sheriff Pam Tibbs attempt to untangle the threads of this complex and grisly case, a damaged young Iraq veteran, Pete Flores, and his girlfriend, Vikki Gaddis, are running for their lives, hoping to outwit the bloodthirsty criminals who want to kill Pete for his involvement in the murders. The only trouble is, Pete doesn't know who he's running from: drunk and terrified, he fled the scene of the crime when the shooting began. And there's a long list of people who want Pete and Vikki dead: crime boss Hugo Cistranos, who hired Pete for the operation; Nick Dolan, a strip club owner and small-time gangster with revenge on his mind; and a mysterious God-fearing serial-killer-for-hire known as Preacher Jack Collins, with enigmatic motives of his own.
With the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and a host of cold-blooded killers on Pete and Vikki's trail, it's up to Sheriff Holland to find them first and figure out who's behind the mass murder before anyone else ends up dead. In this thrilling and intricate work, James Lee Burke has once again proven himself a master storyteller and a perceptive chronicler of the darkest corners of the human heart (goodreads.com)

 

 

My thoughts

 

My first book by James Lee Burke. Bottom line - great story. Why only 3 stars? Well several reasons.

 

The story has so many characters and story lines I won't even try and give a brief summary.

 

It took me quite a while to actually get into the story and a few chapters I had to re-read to remember the plot from the previous chapter and the characters. Once I  got hooked, I really enjoyed the book.

But it's a looooong book. Just short of 400 pages, I initially enjoyed Burke's detailed descriptions, "show not tell" paragraphs, but in the end, it was just too much and repetitious. The characters are interesting, but again the constant analysis of their past, emotions or behaviour was at times too much.

 

Not sure whether I started with the wrong story, but I will probably not add another book by James Lee Burke on my TBR file.

Lynette Sofras - The Apple Tree

Publisher: Inspired Romance Novels

ISBN: 978 - 0 - 9847645 - 3 - 2

My rating: 3/5


Escaping from your past is never easy, as young hospital doctor Juliet discovers when she tries to start afresh, leaving both her marriage and her career behind. Love blossoms rapidly when she meets the mysterious and forthright ‘gardener’, Nicholas, who seems to herald the new beginning she craves.

The past quickly dissolves into insignificance as their all-consuming romance propels them forward but Juliet has to learn the price of happiness in the cruelest way possible. Will she be able face the painful roots of her past in order for her future to grow strong and healthy? (amazon.com)


My thoughts

This is a beautiful story - don't get me wrong! But compared to other books I've read I just couldn't give it more than three stars.

The main character is Julie, Dr Julie Somerville, who's just come back from Saudi where she's lived with her husband. But she couldn't settle and returned to the UK. Julie literally bumps into Robert, a friend from years back, and through him meets Nicholas. They both spend a wonderful summer together.

I honestly couldn't warm up to Julie. The constant whining and self-doubt made me put the book aside quite often, unfortunately too often so that I had lost the "train-of-thought" here and there. I liked Nicholas and even more so for his views. It gave his character a certain 'oompf'.

All and all a really nice read, and I really should mention that the story was the 2011 Inspired Romance Novels' Writing Contest GRAND PRIZE WINNER  - so please don't let my opinion deter you from giving it a try!

Lee Child - Die Trying (Reacher #2)

Publisher: Bantam

ISBN  9780515142242

My rating: 3/5


A Chicago street in bright sunshine. Jack Reacher, strolling nowhere, meets an attractive young woman, limping, struggling with her crutches, alone. Naturally he stops to offer her a steadying arm and then they turn together—to face twin handguns held level and motionless and aimed straight at their stomachs.

Chained to the woman, locked in a dark, stifling van racing 2,000 miles across America, Reacher needs to know who he's dealing with. The kidnappers are saying nothing and his companion claims to be Holly Johnson, FBI agent. She's fierce enough and tough enough, but he knows there must be more to her than that. And at their remote, hostile destination, they will need to act as a team and trust each other, pitting raw courage and cunning against insane violence and seemingly hopeless odds, with their own lives and hundreds more at stake. (leechild.com)


My rating

Eerie comes to mind! Yet not as good as the first one. Unfortunately not.

So, there's Jack Reacher, he's at the wrong place, wrong time - kidnapped with the handicapped woman (Holly) he helped carrying dry cleaned clothes. By some militia group as it turns out and they take them to some remote spot in the Montana forests. And then ... it gets complicated and weird and Child lost me.

Still interesting, but I had to put the book aside waaay to often, because it was too detailed ? boring ? complicated ? I don't know. It just didn't grip me like the first book.

The story in itself would have been much better if it had been edited down to a few pages less. Reacher still a kick-ass hero you'd like to have at your side when in trouble or not. (PS - I did like the scene when we find out about his weakness - nice touch indeed!) Holly's character a bit "underdeveloped". I would have liked to have more of her. The whole bunch of FBI agents and other agents way to confusing. The leak / mole obvious half way through the book.

Worth a read - betcha it is. It's a Lee Child book. Haven't read any of his yet? Don't start with this one!

Now, let me go and find Reacher #3 :-)

Janet Evanovich - Explosive Eighteen

Publisher: Bantam Books

ISBN: 978-0-345-52771-4

My rating: n.a.

 

Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 from Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, she’s flying back to New Jersey solo, and Sasquatch is snoring in row 22. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. The FBI, the fake FBI, and guns-for-hire are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.

Only one other person has seen the missing photograph– Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of a FBI sketch artist Stephanie recreates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.
Over at the Bail Bonds Agency it’s business as usual– until the bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke, Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their “largest” FTA yet, lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment, and everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?!
Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii. And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is…it’s complicated. (evanovich.com)


My thoughts

Not my cup of tea - 'nuff said!

Rachel Gibson - No Man of Mine

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 9780061579110

My rating: 3/5

Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam Leclaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality and before she could say "pass the coffee" Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn she hasn't clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years... until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever? (www.rachelgibson.com)

My thoughts

This story reads like a little stream of water trickling away in front of you - you like it, but it doesn't get your heart racing.
Autumn and Sam spent a few days and nights years earlier in Vegas, got married, got divorced, and Autumn ended up raising their son on her own, though with financial help from Sam and some overnight stays.

Autumn is a lovely character, a struggling mum trying to establish her business as a wedding / events planner. Sam is the typical "over-alpha-male" and  Hockey player with the Chinooks. After five years they meet again at a wedding. Wait, meet again? I thought they had a son together and Sam was taking him for overnight stays? Yes, I didn't get that one.

Anyway, they meet again and the whole "Why?" with-himself-conversation starts. And I don't get it either ... he left her in the hotel room, because she wasn't his type?  Then of course, Autumn's with-herself-conversation that she couldn't trust him. I kinda get that, once bitten twice shy ...

So - all in all, not the best Gibson story, but a lighthearted read for a weekend in front of the fire or at the beach .... don't expect too much though. If you haven't read a Gibson book yet, I'd recommend "Daisy's Back in Town"

Jill Shalvis - Animal Attraction

I was so, so disappointed by this book. :( After reading Jill's Lucky Harbor series, I was quickly hooked on her style of writing. I have read...dozens of her books. Animal Magnetism was my absolute favorite book by her, so you can imagine my excitement for the second in this series.

Final verdict? One huge letdown.

First, let's talk about the errors this book was riddled with. I felt like I got an early draft version rather than the final book. Extra words, incorrect ...morePublisherPPu

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

ISBN: 978 - 0 - 425 - 24400 - 5

My Rating: 3/5


Sunshine, Idaho, is a quiet ranching town that provides a perfect refuge for injured animals ... and sometimes, people. And veterinarian Dell Connelly suspects there's a reason his clinic's ueberefficient receptionist has taken shelter here.

Jade Bennett couldn't be happier to escape her well-meaning but smothering family and their expectations, not to mention the big-city jungle. There's nothing like working with animals, having a forlorn, grumpy stray kitten make its home under her desk ... or enjoying the gorgeous views of her ruggedly sexy boss to help her forget her past.

But Dell's seductive, alluring ways have sparked an uncontrollable desire, one Jade hadn't expected to feel again. And though Dell has never had time for love, Jade's strength and sass is the kind of call no red-blooded male can resist ... (from the back of the cover)


My thoughts

Okay - there's no denying: I LOVE JILL SHALVIS' Books. I haven't read many, but each are like ice cream with an extra dollop of cream and sprinkles.

Yet, I have a feeling Shalvis had a bad day with this one. And we all have bad days, don't we, so we have to compromise and not only see the bad things.

I loved Animal Magnetism and the whole set up in Sunshine. So naturally I was looking forward to Dell's story (AND I CAN'T WAIT  FOR ADAM's TURN!). But it was a bit of a let down. It's almost 300 page of repetition of Dell being so alpha male and Jade leaving soon - and a bit of filler in between with Adam, Brady and Lilah. But it's the witty remarks, the witty conversations that make up for it and make it a worthwhile book to read, not only for Shalvis lover.

By far not as good as Lucky Harbour, which has been so far a brilliant series, and not close to Brady's story in Animal Magnetism, but still a must for all Shalvis fans!

NB - One tiny little remark at the end though. I wasn't sure whether to include it or not, but after two or more months of editing my own book I was distracted by all the mistakes in this book. For me it's about the worst part of writing, but as a reader I like a clean book even if it means I have to wait longer. I can live with mistakes, but this one was riddled with it.

So let's move on ... Lucky Harbour #3 is being released soon :-) ... *'s counting days already* ... and Adam's story in 2012.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Ain't she Sweet

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 978-0060589776

My rating: 3/5

Sugar Beth Carey, the one-time “wild child” of Parrish, Mississippi, returns home to face a slew of old enemies lining up to get even. Worst of all is Colin Byrne, the man whose career Sugar Beth destroyed. Now he’s a famous novelist living in Sugar Beth’s old mansion, and he’s using his writer’s imagination to figure out how to bring the town’s former princess to her knees. (www.susanephillips.com)


My thoughts

Ain't She Sweet is one of those books where I was undecided on what rating to give this book.  It was a great read, and nowadays I don't expect anything less from SEP, she's just one hell of a writer, but ... hmmm .... how to put it into words. The plot was good, funny, witty, great dialogue etc, but I had a hard time warming up to the characters.

Sugar Beth is coming back to Parrish after years away and three marriages later. She's not welcomed with open arms is an understatement, old feelings of feelings of betrayal and dislike creeps up in most of the town's residents.
I liked Sugar Beth - she's one hell of a character, backbone comes to mind, matured alright etc. Colin's is OK, but the most annoying person of all was Winnie - in her insecurity she came across selfish, petty and shallow.

I'd recommend Ain't She Sweet to all of those SEP lovers, but it's certainly not her best work. For those readers (really? There are some out there?) please have your first Phillips experience with a different book like "Dream a little Dream" or "Nobody's Baby but Mine".

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Breathing Room

Publisher:  Avon

ISBN: 978-0060093914

My rating: 3.5/5



She’s Dr. Isabel Favor, America’s diva of self-help. He’s Ren Gage, Hollywood’s favorite bad guy. She’s lost her money, her fiancé, and her reputation. He makes his living killing people—one the the silver screen, that is. Sometimes all it takes is a special place . . . a special love . . . a little breathing room . . . for life to deliver all its glorious promise. (www.susanephillips.com)


My thoughts

Gee, I like SEP's books. Another great read. From start to almost the end. Yes, I have to admit, the end was close to ridiculous or unbelievable that I wondered whether I had picked up the wrong book.

The main characters are Isabel and Lorenzo "Ren". She's just lost everything important in her life when she flees to Italy for some time out. But she meets Ren who's in Italy about to start his next movie. Order meets Chaos! I really liked the two characters, Ren even more when he got the hang of playing with the kids, or the potty training. I had a good giggle.

The sub-plot is about Ren's ex-wife Tracey and her husband Harry. With their marriage in pieces, Tracey comes to Italy for help from Ren - out of all people!

It was a typically SEP story with twist and turns, love and misunderstandings and a really good read for everyone who loves a good romance. I wasn't really sure how to rate it because bottom line, I had it read within days and I loved it. But it doesn't have the characters like in Dream a Little Dream or even the depth.

All in all - a great read, yet not of SEP's best one, but still highly recommendable!