Annery
A romantic tale of two disparate people finding each other and the parts of each that make them whole as a couple. As in many of these m/m historical romances one must bring along much wishful thinking or a romantic heart to believe in the possibility of a HEA in times where death penalty was a reality for homosexuals, but Ms. Dee pulls us along on Jem & Alan's adventure in finding a place for each other in their lives and the world at large. Very sweet & emotional in a very good way!
I felt compelled to write a brief review of this book having seen one who hated it. I read it a while ago and don't have it on hand at the moment but I do remember the basic plot and I thought it was great and inventive way to depict our modern cubicle lives and it really captured the anomie the pervades office jobs were we are cogs in the great machine, plus it is funny as hell. Give it a try & you won't regret it!
This what happens when you base your choices on appearances. I confess that I purchased this book merely on the fact that Franggy Yanez is the cover model. Alas that's the best thing about this book.
I always hesitate to say that a book is awful because my poison may be someone else's nectar and as far as the theme of this book I'll acknowledge that I'm not heavily into the so-sad-and-broken theme but I'm not averse to it either. My problem is with the uncommitted & lackluster execution.
The dialogue in this book seems lifted from a combination of self-help books and rejected Hallmark cards, the setting is Hollywood stock small town complete with hateful and judgy book-club ladies, wise-beyond their years kids and that current favorite: the über sassy best friend with zero verbal filter but a heart of gold. And then the wheels really come off both MC are widowed by the same accident which it turns out was caused by a guy suffering from the unrequited blues .
In the end none of this would have been so bad as I've traveled to crazy town often enough and enjoyed it but this didn't even provide that kind of fun. It was an overdose of sweet and I just didn't buy into the love story or the authenticity of the sorrow that came before.
But that cover though sigh
this NYT review decided me
The book is structured as an investigation into Shields's own psyche and particular tastes. He is masochistic to his marrow — not just sexually. “I check the Mariners score on my phone, hoping they've won but needing them to lose.”
Yep. I need to read this.
Another audio book from this summer which I'd been remiss to rate. I guess it was an audio kind of summer. LOLThis was a super fun read made all the better by [a:Sebastian York 7266223 Sebastian York https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] narration. He's a rock-star! The book itself was quite good and I very much enjoyed the fact that it was told from Drew's POV. He is a funny bad boy but not a mean one and that makes all the difference. The Kate is thankfully not a doormat in need of rescue but rather a fully functioning professional young woman. Very refreshing. I guess I'll have to do the follow-ups now but I'm no rush because I think the end was just right. smile
Another audio book for me, this time by [a:Edita Brychta 257996 Edita Brychta https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Didn't make it better but not bad either.I'm sure at this point everyone who wanted to has read this and has loved or hated this bus to crazy town. I'll take the middle road as after FSOG or for that matter any Philip Roth or Martin Amis what is there really to be offended about. This is the story of two people, Jesse & Ava, who clearly complement each other's worst instincts and they like it that way so who are we to care or complain. Most of the world calls it love. My complaint would be with the repetitiveness of the scenarios and the descriptions of what at times seemed like painful rather than pleasurable sex but being as it was not me more power to them.I was curious enough to go on to part 2 so THREE STARS it is.
This is a second go around for me but this time in audio version performed by [a:Robert Glenister 2575610 Robert Glenister https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450723626p2/2575610.jpg]. Fantastic!Cormoran Strike is a detective in the classic mold with the attendant colorful history. Robin is the classic newbie but not naive or helpless. A match made in sleuthing heaven. The story that brings them together is an interesting one and the author does a great job of doling the story and clues, presenting a compelling portrait of a certain milieu. Recommend 10/10 and I will definitely be continuing with this series.
Nice look at Anna & Jason some months down the road. They're still getting their sea legs, the author does a nice job of not sugarcoating the path and also shows that it's not just Jason who has to work and adapt. The AB by [a:Holly Chandler 15009261 Holly Chandler https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Douglas Berger 19977739 Douglas Berger https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] was as good as BK.1 and I'm left with the curious idea that Douglas Berger is an aka for another of my favorite narrators but I can't quite figure out who. frustratedps. I don't have Audio CD but the Audible edition isn't an option
I love this book because apart from being a wonderful romance it depicts very realistically the union between two people of different social extraction & it doesn't gloss over the real impediments in such a union and yet we see and believe first the physical attraction and later the blossoming of a true and lasting love. Sigh!
This was another audio book I listened to over the summer so the details are perhaps a little hazy but I remember not hating it and the narration by [a:Paula Costello 7389802 Paula Costello https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] was really good, in fact one of the stars is for her work. Overall I think that for a change Jocelyn's past history actually warranted her reticence to dive into love and though Braden, as is standard issue in many current books was Alpha-ish and rich, he wasn't king of the world, actually seemed to work and wasn't overbearing. I liked him. I liked them. I very much loved his sister and all of his family so odds are that down the line I might venture into more from this author.
This was a nice surprise, sort of a palette cleanser that had been sitting in my reader for longer than I care to admit.
In any case it is a story of two people who got married young for quite different reasons & different objectives and how time, separation, war & life change them. Diana is the young and dowered bride that young and careless Joshua agrees to marry as per his uncle's arrangement to fatten the family coffers but has all intention of leaving in the country while he continues to live in Town with his mistress Amanda. And so he does ... until she leaves him and with a baby to boot. With his pride more than wounded he sends the baby to the country for Diana to see to while he flees to the army and war in the Peninsula and so an education begins for both he and Diana. Joshua learns what is important in life and to cherish the good he failed to value at home and Diana learns that she is more than the expected society wife. She is competent & decisive and knows her own worth.
After seven years away at war Joshua returns and the author does a wonderful job of economically showing us how he has changed and how Diana has fared and grown. What I loved best is how they were people truly of their time and station. We too frequently lay modern mores & morals into Hisoricals just to appease our current sensibilities. I also liked very much that Diana was no prim Miss when it came to admitting to herself and soon to Joshua that she enjoyed their marital bed. And the forgiveness that Joshua needed wasn't belabored but at the same time earned.
Again a nice surprise.