Donna Smith
How to Not Be Alone on Christmas
Huh. Zany, because Evergreen joyfully folded in Every Single Mad suggestion made for an off-the-wall Christmas romance, under girded with her usual self-aware genre bending. I wouldn't say you should start reading here, but it is fun if you are familiar with her usual tone. Witty in a... ...zany way. Yeah: I'm sticking with zany.
Huh. Zany, because Evergreen joyfully folded in Every Single Mad suggestion made for an off-the-wall Christmas romance, under girded with her usual self-aware genre bending. I wouldn't say you should start reading here, but it is fun if you are familiar with her usual tone. Witty in a... ...zany way. Yeah: I'm sticking with zany.
How to Confess to Your Childhood Best Friend
Clever! Interesting. Very cool character arcs, and--as with all in this series--very deft juggling tropes and expectations with more than a few winks to the audience of the genre.
I'm sticking with this author.
Clever! Interesting. Very cool character arcs, and--as with all in this series--very deft juggling tropes and expectations with more than a few winks to the audience of the genre.
I'm sticking with this author.
Could Have Been Us
I like this author! The second by her I've read.
Complex and interesting, and there was actually a moment where I didn't know which trope was going to be engaged and who the romantic lead would actually be--because Evergreen is witty and skillful at acknowledging ALL the tropes in the genre and playing fast and loose with them in the most engaging ways.
I like this author! The second by her I've read.
Complex and interesting, and there was actually a moment where I didn't know which trope was going to be engaged and who the romantic lead would actually be--because Evergreen is witty and skillful at acknowledging ALL the tropes in the genre and playing fast and loose with them in the most engaging ways.
Ugh: NO.
Begins with a rape--apparently between the romantic leads of the book!?!, though I quit reading before that became absolutely clear so I may be mistaken--then continues with unrealistic coincidences to move the plot along, relies on a "hooker with a heart of gold" to glamorize sex work, which sticks in my craw because of how dehumanizing and abusive the industry is. Also has a child who is angelic. I didn't like or believe in any of the characters
DNF at 14% My first by this author; probably my last.
Ugh: NO.
Begins with a rape--apparently between the romantic leads of the book!?!, though I quit reading before that became absolutely clear so I may be mistaken--then continues with unrealistic coincidences to move the plot along, relies on a "hooker with a heart of gold" to glamorize sex work, which sticks in my craw because of how dehumanizing and abusive the industry is. Also has a child who is angelic. I didn't like or believe in any of the characters
DNF at 14% My first by this author; probably my last.
Eh...don't bother with this one. But--DO READ other Camilla Evergreen books! The main characters here seemed flat and unrealistic, with problems that I wasn't feeling and solutions that didn't quite get there. HOWEVER, I have found others of her books to be UTTERLY delightful, especially How to Find Love if you are Weird.
Eh...don't bother with this one. But--DO READ other Camilla Evergreen books! The main characters here seemed flat and unrealistic, with problems that I wasn't feeling and solutions that didn't quite get there. HOWEVER, I have found others of her books to be UTTERLY delightful, especially How to Find Love if you are Weird.
Sweet and clever gender inversions in a dozen ways that mostly didn't feel modern or contrived but smart, interesting, contributing to character conflict and growth.
I shall track down more in this series.
I thought it was the first by this author I've read, then I dug deeper and found a DNF in another series which I quit because of flat characters and the utter unrealism of a modern author writing about subsistence skills like hauling water, lighting oil lamps, cooking on wood... Apparently none of that unpalatable-to-me vibe was present in Snapdragons to make me twitch, so--different domain? More author skills since Ashes on the Moor? Either way, I'll read more in this series and see what this author can do.
Sweet and clever gender inversions in a dozen ways that mostly didn't feel modern or contrived but smart, interesting, contributing to character conflict and growth.
I shall track down more in this series.
I thought it was the first by this author I've read, then I dug deeper and found a DNF in another series which I quit because of flat characters and the utter unrealism of a modern author writing about subsistence skills like hauling water, lighting oil lamps, cooking on wood... Apparently none of that unpalatable-to-me vibe was present in Snapdragons to make me twitch, so--different domain? More author skills since Ashes on the Moor? Either way, I'll read more in this series and see what this author can do.