Interesting Read: Olivia

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Synopsis
Olivia Hanson has spent most of her twenty-five years staring wistfully across the tracks to the north side of town, longing for a white picket fence and normal—something she’s never known. Born in a prison and abandoned by her mother, Olivia was raised in South Juliette by her father, Eugene—a knee-bouncing, chain-smoking loner with a Cheeze Doodle addiction. Olivia drinks too much, loses her heart too easily, and works in a factory as quality control, a mundane job she’d sworn would only be temporary, not the permanent drudgery it has become. Her only joy in life comes in the form of late-night slow dances with hot bartender, George, who can set her body on fire with his kisses but is unwilling to go any further.

The day Olivia accidentally backs her Buick into a black Dodge pickup, she tumbles head-over-heels into what she believes is the happily-ever-after kind of love she has been longing for. But the road to happiness is not as easy as it looks. It’s a long, winding journey of self-discovery full of potholes, pregnancy tests, lobster tattoos, Walmart scooters, impromptu weddings, hump-happy Boston terriers, and a sexy, but oh-so-annoying police officer who pops up around every curve.

The Good Doctor

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Synopsis
A powerful, taut and intense tale of a friendship overshadowed by betrayal, set against the tawdry hopes and disappointments of a post-apartheid South Africa. When Laurence Waters arrives at his new post at a deserted rural hospital, staff physician Frank Eloff is instantly suspicious. Laurence is everything Frank is not-young, optimistic, and full of big ideas. The whole town is beset with new arrivals and the return of old faces. Frank reestablishes a liaison with a woman, one that will have unexpected consequences. A self-made dictator from apartheid days is rumored to be active in cross-border smuggling, and a group of soldiers has moved in to track him, led by a man from Frank's own dark past. Laurence sees only possibilities-but in a world where the past is demanding restitution from the present, his ill-starred idealism cannot last.

Review: Why I love The Summer of Katya

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Synopsis

"In the summer of 1914 Jean-Marc Montjean, a recent graduate from medical school, arrives in the Basque village of Salies in the French Pyrenees to assist the village physician. His first assignment is to treat the louche brother of a beautiful young woman called Katya Treville. As he comes to know his patient's family, he begins to realise that they are haunted by an old, dark secret - but he can't help falling deeply in love with Katya. Jean-Marc is repeatedly warned away from any attempt at romantic involvement by Katya's family, but he is young, hopeful, in love, and certain that his feelings are reciprocated. When he learns that the Trevilles are planning to leave the village forever, he insists on a final meeting with Katya, one that transforms a heartrending love story into a shattering nightmare. The chilling denouement, reminiscent of Hitchcock at his best, will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned."

Review

The summer of Katya is the hardest book I've read. But it's also one the best books I've ever read. I bought it from my local library for a measly 20p. I wasn't particularly sold on the story but like every book lover, I find it hard to walk away from a cheap deal. Its a physiological thriller based in France in 1914. It's written by Rodney William Whitaker under his pen "The Travanian". 

 Its not a page turner, its dreary, overly descriptive and at times migraine inducing. But it's brilliant. Plain and simple. Why is it brilliant? This book is brilliant because the Travanian's use of color, suspense and vocabulary is outstanding. Why is it migraine inducing? Because its incredibly slow and draining. At times it was a struggle to get through one page. However I've never read an author whose transported me to a place so vivid and true that I felt like at times I was in 1914 during that hot summer on that bike with the beautiful Katya. This is a masterpiece, a lesson on how to build character and atmosphere, Hilary Mantel should read this book and weep. Unlike other somewhat highbrow reads such as WolfHall, the summer of Katya has attitude that once you get into the story you will find it hard to put it down.

 I'm not a big fan of books that are overly descriptive because to be honest I switch off and wander off onto another book. A reviewer once said to me that he couldn't get past the first 100 pages of Bring up the Bodies because he got so bored of the descriptions and the prose. He felt like the author was indulging in her own brilliance.   I'm sort of similar, if I cant get past the first 200 pages, I drop the book. Life's too short.  However Travanian isn't one to glow in the fact that he's created a beautiful sentence, he moves on flawlessly and with ease.  There's also a twist at the end that left me speechless and in awe of this author. I love this book but I'm also very weary of rereading it. 

Quick Review: More Than Memories Review

Synopsis
Can she love him if she can't remember him? Molly Anderson returns "home" to a town she doesn't remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She runs into Trent Williams, a Ridge City police detective, and something else definitely sparks. 

He wants to know why she left town, with her parents, but without a word to anyone. She doesn't remember that life. She can only tell him she knew her parents briefly before they died . . . or were murdered, she's not sure. She hopes regaining her memory will help answer that question. 

Trent has his own secrets, but they have a mystery to solve. As they work together and Molly meets their old friends, she realizes their relationship went deeper than memories. In fact, she grew up in Ridge City, even though her parents had said they lived there just a few years. How could she have forgotten her lifelong friend and love? Can she love him again if she doesn't remember him? There's also the possibility that she did something awful -- and maybe that's why she's afraid to remember her old life.

Molly knows she wants him now, but the truth might destroy their love.

Synopsis

I was put off initially by the cover of this book and the synopsis wasn't convincing either but I thought it was only 77p, why not? I read many quick reads such as this one every once in while to relax before I delve into a meaty literary read and the reason I've decided to review this book is because despite the cover and the okayish synopsis this book is surprising not bad. Yes there were may unnecessary red herrings that I could have done without and the ending was rushed but apart from that I enjoyed this book. The relationship between the two main characters is intriguing and genuine. This isn't a smug read about beautiful characters in a land far away, they seem genuine.

 I rarely read a novella which stays with me for sometime but More than Memories stayed with me long after I'd put the book down.  I kept thinking about these two characters while I was reading another book, I felt like I was cheating on an old boyfriend. This is nice read if you want something simple and nice. 

An Unexpected Gift

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Synopsis
Caitlin Quinn has just walked out of a miserable relationship with her abusive boyfriend and is finally starting to get her life back on track again.Walking home late on a cold, December night after a Christmas party at work, Caitlin is suddenly and brutally attacked.  Terrorised and frightened for her life she screams for help when suddenly a handsome stranger comes to her rescue and saves her.  Thrown together under the most horrific of circumstances, Caitlin and her rescuer must learn to deal with the effects of the attack as well as their existing relationships and the problems that each of them faces. The bigger problem, however, is that they are starting to become attracted to one another too.

Review: Never Deny You Heart and The Kellington Series

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Synopsis
William (Liam) Kellington, the Duke of Lynwood, loves Rosalind Carson, the sister of an impoverished viscount. But while Lynwood was still coming to terms with his feelings -- dukes can be particularly dim-witted when it comes to love -- Rosalind's brother sold her into a lucrative betrothal to another nobleman. Liam vows to save Rosalind from a marriage she does not want, while also convincing her to become the Duchess of Lynwood.  The lady, however, is not one to wait to be rescued. 

Rosalind has been in love with William Kellington much of her life. And it has been a rather one-sided romance. When her brother promises her to a man five decades her senior, Rosalind must find a way to live the life she wants and not the one that has been forced upon her.

Review
A few months ago, I was desperately waiting for the release of this book, biting my nails in anticipation, willing myself to exercise some patience. It was excruciating. Then finally I got my wish, the last installment in the Kellington series was published. The Kellingtons have been a source of entertainment for the last few months. I happened to come across Never a Mistress (the first book in the series) by chance while doing my daily browse of Amazon and there it was this freebie. I was intrigued by the title mainly because I didn't like it but then the synopsis sold me. Amazon is inundated  with every type of regency known to womankind. I'm a novice to this genre so I don't profess to know too much but when a book is good, the fact that its a regency doesn't matter.  I found Never a mistress, never a by chance, it was stuck between two other regency novels, both free, both as intriguing but there was something about that synopsis that begged me to read on. The books in the Kellington series are easy reads, they shouldn't take more than a two days depending on how speedy you are and they are Regency so expect loads of brooding males and beautiful female characters.

 This book took me by surprise because of the story telling, Maureen Driscoll knows how to tell a great story with great characters and explosive plots. My main problem with regency is that many regency authors have a tendency to create cartoon characters; characters that are half baked and under developed. Hence why when I started reading Never A Mistress where the author had attempted to inject some personality into her characters, I was impressed. I should talk about the dynamics between the characters, this family has great banter, cheesy as it may sound, they witty, intelligent and humorous. Its a credit to the author and her ability to perfect the dialogue so masterfully that she manages to create extremely good looking, flawed characters that are also likable.  She manages to maintain the plot as well as creating great dialogue.  Some reviewers are talking about the historical inaccuracies but to be honest, who reads regency to get a history lesson? If you do read regency for history lessons, I apologies in advance and please send me an email and I will point you towards the best historical reads which aim to be as accurate as possible. Regency to me is spicy romance with a little bit of dressing up. Regency if done well, you forget about the inaccuracies.

Having said all that I read Never Deny Your Heart with trepidation not sure how the author would seal off the series. This is the last book in the series (hopefully not the last from the author). I was looking forward to Rosalind and Liam's story, the author had been dropping snippets and hints in the previous books of what we should expect. At times I did doubt whether they would get together and without spoiling the ending for those of you who haven't read it yet, the ending is spicy and they do end up together. Liam's secret is far more interesting than I thought. There's quite a bit of rough and tumble than they were in the previous books and at time I wasn't sure I was a fan but I gave in towards the end. I got used to Liam's secret with trepidation I might add . 

Overall I would definitely recommend this books, they are well written and great fun. 

Homourous and Pregnant: 39 Weeks

Synopsis

To her utter dismay Judy discovers she is pregnant. She knows it’s the end of everything, sex, sleep, going out, and generally having a life. The father was a one night Bacardi induced mistake who’s now long gone, thank goodness. 

 She struggles with prenatal check-up’s and scans and copes with her first craving and leaky boobs, not to mention her ever increasing waistline, and say’s goodbye to size 10 dresses and pretty underwear, although who’s going to be seeing her in her underwear ever again pretty or not she has no idea, and resigns herself to ‘fat clothes’.

 All Judy wants is to not be pregnant and to be able to get on with her self-imposed never having another relationship life. ‘I mean who needs some bloke telling you how to do everything, or anything, while they consistently bollocks things up.’ Then to add to her quandary, on a last fling night out before the bump gets too noticeably big, she meets the gorgeous Rob who could have been her ‘The One’ if only she wasn’t pregnant.