A Genre Switch

I'm pretty much a life-long romance reader, but lately I find that I've grown rather tired of the books set in early 19th century England. (Basically a huge sub-genre in modern romance.) I used to love those books. But in the past few months I've passed on two new Mary Balogh books and a Julia Quinn book, authors who I used to count among my favorites. I've enjoyed discovering new authors like Tessa Dare, but all in all I'm tired of the English regency era novel.

After reading Sara Donati's Wilderness series, what I find myself really wanting to read are books set in America, especially the American west. For instance, I have gotten a little bored waiting for The Endless Forest and Insatiable to arrive, so I dug through storage for some of my old romance novels. My top choices were those classic Westerns from Elizabeth Lowell (Only His, Only Mine, Only You, Only Love, Autumn Lover, and Winter Fire). I've always loved that series. Another top choice was the Clayborne series from Julie Garwood (For the Roses, One Pink Rose, One White Rose, One Red Rose, and Come the Spring).

I wish I knew of other great western romances, but it's not a sub-genre I'm familiar with other than those that I've listed. Any recommendations?

Book Review: The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever

Honestly, I cannot figure out why I hold Julia Quinn's writing in such high regard. Lately I've not really liked her work, and been pretty annoyed by her writing style. Does anyone else think she's too smarmy? Too sarcastic with her characters quips? And OH MY GOD, did she really center the entire conflict in this book around the hero's refusal to tell the heroine that he loves her? THAT IS SO RIDICULOUSLY CLICHED!

This is why that particular conflict point bugs the hell out of me: usually, the men treat the women amazingly. They pretty much show love in every way that love can be showed non-verbally. But they just don't say those three little words, and it pretty much ruins the heroines' otherwise blessed, idyllic lives. Give me a frickin' break. Yeah, I'd probably be pissed if my husband never told me he loved me once, even if he did show it every day, but I don't live in nineteenth century England where lots of marriages took place for reasons other than love. Maybe these lame heroines should think about how frickin' lucky they are to lead the privileged lives they lead and to have men that would do anything for them before they whine and complain about not hearing three words.

Oh, and Miranda was completely lame. No wonder society didn't like her.

Lindsey's Grade: C

Eh

I was really excited to read this book because I really like Julia Quinn's books, especially the Bridgerton series. But I really think Ms. Quinn peaked too early with the series. The second book, "The Viscount Who Loved Me," is one of my favorite romance novels, so really this eighth and final installment just couldn't compare.

It wasn't that it wasn't a good book, per se. Ms. Quinn's writing, along with Eloisa James's and Mary Balogh's, is the best in the Regency romance genre. But this book just felt like it was lacking in something I will call "Umph." After seven books reading about the Bridgerton siblings, I still felt like I didn't know much of anything about the hero. His personality was not distinct from the other Bridgerton characters. And the drive of this story was pretty much love and the different ways that people experience falling in love. Unfortunately, I wasn't really convinced that the hero and heroine loved each other as much as they said they did, basically because all they ever did was say it, over and over again. Back it up with something!

Also, I think I was a little disappointed because I was expecting more of a dramatic and unifying ending to the Bridgerton series. Ms. Quinn has written eight of them, and she writes about one book a year. I picked up on the fouth book, but that was still five years ago! I've been waiting a long time for this chapter to close, and I just wanted something more climatic.

But, if you've never read a Bridgerton book and you like romances that are clever and well-written, you'll like this book. But here is where it falls in my overall rating for the series:

1. The Viscount Who Loved Me
2. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
3. An Offer From A Gentleman
4. The Duke and I
5. It's In His Kiss
6. To Sir Phillip, With Love
7. On The Way To The Wedding
8. When He Was Wicked

Lindsey's Grade: B- (you're right Mike, I just can't do it!)

Re-Reads

These two books were actually re-reads that I did over the weekend. They are both from Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series about eight British siblings in the Regency Era, circa 1820's. I looooove the Bridgerton books. Well, most of them. I will admit that was wasn't crazy about When He Was Wicked, but it certainly wasn't because of Ms. Quinn's writing ability. She is a fantastic writer of romance because she keeps you interested almost all throughout the book (and that is no small accomplishment - I often find myself skipping boring scenes in romance novels that feature unnecessary secondary characters, certain passionate encounters, ill-plotted mysteries, etc) and she is also hilariously funny. She can really tug on your heartstrings, too. The Bridgerton's father died when the oldest child was just eighteen and the youngest hadn't been born yet, and each time she mentions it in one the books you truly feel sad.

The last installment in this series is coming out this summer and I can't wait! But at the same time it will be sad because I've been reading and awaiting Bridgerton books for four years now!