Queen Squared

Surprise! Turnip isn't as stupid as you think he is :) In this book he's still not exactly smart, but he's sweet and kind. He and Arabella make a perfect match. I loved Turnip in this novel. He's a hilarious and lovable character. And Willig gives us yet another strong-minded heroine that’s easy to sympathize with. Kate Reading continues to do a wonderful job bringing all of Willig's characters to life.

Also, if you're like me and grew up reading Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, but now enjoy contemporary novels, this might be the perfect book for you. It's sort of a revamped “Jane Eyre.” Plus, Jane Austen appears in this novel as Arabella's dear friend. What's not to love?

My only complaint—a very minor one—is that the musical interludes were unnecessary and awkward. They really didn't add anything to the audiobook.

P.S. I think this book appeared in print as "Ivy and Intrigue."

There's a lot to like about this moving novel. It features a hard-working single mom, a witty but sick little boy, a billionaire fighting personal demons, and even an older woman who serves as a substitute mother figure. More than likely, the first time you listen to this book you will both smile and cry. Unfortunately, there were some problems with the storyline. It's hard to explain them without giving away too much of the story. But basically, the story just seemed a little too oversimplified. The author seems to overemphasize, or overly repeat, the issues the two main characters are facing. I'm not sure how the author could have fixed this...perhaps throwing in a few more curve balls so the storyline didn't seem so flat.

If you are familiar with Therese Plummer's narration, you'll find she performs up to her normal standards. Sometimes her narration can be a bit awkward. But overall, I thought she did a good job.

All in all, I would say this is an emotional, but feel good novel with a sweet love story.

Julie James' fourth installment in the FBI-US Attorney Series does not fail. I absolutely LOVED this book. It's full of witty one-liners, and funny conversations. Like the previous three books, the storyline not only builds on what's going on in the characters life then, but also on their memories of important, life-changing events of the past. Unlike books 1 & 2, there is no crazy scenario where any of the characters are in immediate danger. Instead, the suspense relies mostly on what's going on Cade and Brooke's personal lives. As usual, both the male and female protagonists are intelligent and successful. Brooke is striving for balance in her personal life while Cade is essentially trying to find balance in his personal life.

Note: Although this is a series, it doesn't really build on the previous installments. Previous characters only make cameo appearances & their stories are barely a part of this one. Still, if you enjoy this book I highly recommend going back and buying the previous books. You won't be disappointed.

Okay, I am loving this series. I think what I love most about this book, and the series as a whole, is that the author creates couples that are truly good matches. Rylann is a smart & successful U.S. Attorney who is deeply passionate about her job. Kyle ends up being much more than just a billionaire heir. By the time they finally get together he is a self-made man ready to embark on a new & exciting business venture.

Compared to the previous two books, this one had fewer action scenes. Instead James seems to focus more on the emotional/psychological. One interesting, and in my opinion good, difference was that Rylann & Kyle continually reminisced about their past. James uses these memories to explain how they first met, the reasons their other serious relationships didn't work out, and how they've changed from the people they were when they first met nine years ago.

Karen White continues to do a good job as narrator. I say "good" instead of "excellent" because she has a certain style of reading that some people may not enjoy...a kind of rhythmic pattern. But I think that once you get accustomed to her voice you won't notice this pattern as much.

A Lot Like Love, book 2 in the FBI-US Attorney Series, is a lot of fun! Like book 1, you won't want to put this one down. I thought it wasn't as high tempo as book 1; it didn't have as many action-packed scenes. But the love story was more in depth...more interesting. If you haven't read book 1, don't worry. So far, this isn't the type of series that builds on previous stories. The previous characters only make cameo appearances. One of the things I loved about this book was Nick's perspective. He continually thinks about what he would do or think if he was "one of those sensitive types" without acknowledging that he actually is. And let's face it, what girl doesn't like a tough guy with a sensitive side?

I also love that in books 1 & 2, James has written about intelligent, successful women who waited to meet the right person. Jordan is not one of the silly, overly emotional women romance writers often create. She's a woman you can actually root for and identify with.

Karen White did a great job as narrator. I especially enjoyed her delivery of the more sarcastic/funny lines. And her depiction of Nick was spot-on.

P.S. The dynamic between Jordan and her twin brother Kyle was both funny and endearing.

I have enjoyed all of the Molly Harper books on Audible. As usual Amanda Ronconi did the narration for this book. Some of the criticisms of Ronconi's narration ARE warranted. Jed is supposed to have a smooth and sexy southern accent, but unfortunately it comes across more weird hillbilly than Matthew McConaughey. It actually sounds like she didn't open her mouth when narrating his parts. On the other hand, while Nola's accent is awkward--not quite Irish, but definitely not Bostonian--that's not really Ronconi's fault. According to the storyline, her accent is supposed to be a bit muddled. If you can get past the awkward narration (it took me about 2 hrs into the novel) you'll have some serious laughs at Harper's hilarious take on love in the supernatural world. Seriously, every character in the novel has a smart-mouthed humor. There are ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and witches...oh my! Overall, I loved it and heartily recommend it as a smartly written, funny, feel good read.

Before starting the Night Huntress series, I honestly had no idea I even liked paranormal/supernatural novels. But Jeaniene Frost does an excellent job, and has completely converted me. Start from the first book and move forward. Frost does a good job of trying to explain the back-stories, but her novels are complex and you really need to read the complete series to fully understand what's happening. The steamy passion between Cat and Bones does not lessen in this book. If anything, it deepens. More importantly, these are not the exact same characters you read about in books 1 & 2. Frost's characters grow and change with their life circumstances.

I will give a warning though: This book has some serious ups and downs. There's not just one plot height, but several. And it likely features more violence than some people are comfortable with.

Tavia Gilbert continues to be a SUPERB narrator. No one could have done a better job. The voices of the different characters never falter.

More than likely, if you have enjoyed other Linda Howard novels, you will enjoy this one. I thought it started out a bit slow, but the storyline quickly picked up pace. Like Howard's other novels, this story features strong male and female leads with lots of arguments, sexual tension, and hot lovemaking. Personally, I wasn't sure if I was going to like historical fiction done by Linda Howard, but positioning the story in the Wild West is perfect for her writing style. It was a great to way to explain how a man and woman could flout conventional norms in order to spend a lot of time together alone. I also thought this was a bit of a departure from other books I've read by her in that while Dee & Lucas are the main characters, two other love stories make for a more interesting background.

Natalie Ross was a decent, but not exactly great, narrator. Sometimes her male voices were a bit awkward. But it didn't distract from the story or make it less interesting.

I bought this book because I'd read another book by Kate Morton, "The Forgotten Garden," & really enjoyed it. Well, The Secret Keeper was no disappointment. Morton's method of going back and forth in time, perspective, and location takes her novel from being merely good, to incredibly fascinating. What's especially interesting about her method is the ability to make the big finale, the big secret, what has happened in the past instead of the present.

In this novel, finding out the secrets of the past is complicated by the fact that the one person who knows the whole story is suffering from Alzheimer's. You will think you've figured it out, then come to a different conclusion, only to find out you were right in the first place! I found all of the characters interesting. Some were definitely more sympathetic than others. Ultimately, this is a novel about childhood notions that never disappear, puppy love, coming of age, family life, parenthood, the difficult transition adult children often make when they becoming their parent's caregivers, and the security one finds in a healthy relationship rather than in wealth and fame.

If you enjoy stories with several layers, complicated characters, and multiple twists & turns, this is a book you will likely appreciate.

I really enjoyed Something About You. I definitely found it to be a "page turner." The sparks between Cameron & Jack fly off the page. I love that she's a U.S attorney and he's a FBI agent. They make the perfect match. And unlike many of the other books you'll find in the romance genre, this isn't just a story about a guy who saves the girl, but a girl who also saves the guy. Throw in a wedding, a hunky gay best friend, and the constant risk of danger and Julie James delivers a story that, while far from being heavy reading, has just enough complications to not be just another romance novel. Also, I thought Karen White did a good, if not necessarily superb, job as narrator.

I bought One More Summer thinking it would just be yet another light-hearted romance novel. But, it is so much more than that. This is a book about rekindling old romances, overcoming tragedy, moving beyond the past, forgiving past wrongs, and learning to love and be loved. Grace is easy to empathize with. In fact, Liz Flaherty does an excellent job depicting why each character has his/her flaws. And while it was pretty easy to figure out what the deceased father did to Grace, there were several twists and turns in the storyline that totally took me by surprise. All in all, what I loved about this novel was that it ultimately delivered the feel good moments that make you smile when you finish a novel. But Flaherty didn't compromise depth in order to reach that end. If you're like me, this book will bring more than a few tears to your eyes.

I thought the narrator did an excellent job.