Sometimes I don’t read a single thing for months at a time; others, I read three books a day. It’s a toss-up. But you can bet that when I’m reading that many books, I ain’t reviewing ’em (at least not in long-form). So today I’m bringing you some quickie reviews for the romance novels I’ve read this past week.
Title: Last Chance Rebel Series: Copper Ridge #6
Author: Maisey Yates
Published: August 30, 2016
Genre(s): Romance: Contemporary
Page Count: 376
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:The man who ruined Rebecca Bear's life just strolled back into it with one heck of an offer. Years ago, Gage West's recklessness left Rebecca scarred inside and out. Now he wants to make amends by gifting her the building that houses her souvenir store. Rebecca won't take Gage's charity, but she's willing to make a deal with the sexy, reclusive cowboy. Yet keeping her enemy close is growing dangerously appealing…
He's the wild West brother, the bad seed of Copper Ridge. That's why Gage needs the absolution Rebecca offers. He just didn't expect to need her. After years of regretting his past, he knows where his future lies—with this strong, irresistible woman who could make a black sheep come home to stay…
Why, oh why, do I keep reading this damn series?
Maisey Yates is such a good writer! But the misogynistic messages baked into her plots are SO BAD. Ahhhh.
This one is particularly unpleasant, because Yates decides to be “diverse” and write what I think she thought was going to be an exciting depiction of a Native American heroine. Yeah, no. The absolute caucasity of writing a protagonist with “brown skin” and the last name “Bear” but never mentioning the words “Native American” or “Indian,” or otherwise referencing race/ethnicity in any way. BIPOC are not just white characters with a spray tan and a quirky last name.
Maisey Yates is a terrific writer, but her books are problematic af. She should have left well enough alone and kept on writing her virginity-obssessed, angty whitebread romances. This stab at “diversity” was just an extravagant kick in the pants.
Title: Bold Land Bold Love Series: Australian Trilogy #1
Author: Connie Mason
Published: April 1, 1989
Genre(s): Romance: Historical
Page Count: 469
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:New South Wales, 1807
It was a vast land of wild beauty and wilder passions; a frontier as yet untamed by man; a place where women had few rights and fewer pleasures. For a female convict like flame-haired Casey O'Cain, it was a living nightmare.
Exquisitely beautiful, utterly helpless, she was expected to cater to her master's every whim. And from the first, arogant, handsome Dare Penrod made it clear what he wanted of her. Casey knew she should fight him with every breath in her body, but her heart told her he could make a paradise of this wilderness for her.
His callused hands took rights she should never have granted, his warm lips whispered of pleasures she had never known, and his hard body promised a love she would never relinquish.
Buckle up, boys and girls, because this Old School historical set in 1807 Australia isn’t for the faint of heart. Bodice are being ripped, manroots are being exposed! Bold Land, Bold Love is a perfect example of a romance of its time, and I genuinely enjoyed every bit of it.
I’m kidding, this is actually a pretty tame romance overall. It was published in 1992, so it’s not that bad on the scale of Bodice Rippery. No heroines were raped in the making of Bold Land, Bold Love. (Sexually harassed, yes; full-on raped? no.)
To completely describe the story would be to take up almost as many pages as the book itself—this book does not lack for content. The author throws her protagonists in front of just about every obstacle possible before giving them their Happily Ever After. Prison sentences, jealous wives, walkabouts, misunderstandings, the Pacific Ocean, presumed death. This book has it all.
At the heart of the story, though, are Casey and Dare (yes, it is a stupid name). They love each other a lot, even when they think they hate each other, even when one thinks the other is dead, or that they married somebody else, or…you get the idea.
The fun of a book like this isn’t watching the author craft two characters who then forge a deep emotional connection. Rather, Bold Land, Bold Love is fun because you have absolutely no clue how all of the mess could resolve itself into anything resembling a conclusion. And then when the author pulls it off, you’re left satisfied (and slightly bloated, like you had way too much junk food on a ill-advised late night drive-thru binge).
Title: A Duke by Any Other Name Series: Rogues to Riches #4
Author: Grace Burrowes
Published: April 28, 2020
Genre(s): Romance: Historical
Page Count: 368
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:Nathaniel, Duke of Rothhaven, lives in seclusion, leaving his property only to gallop his demon-black steed across the moors by moonlight. Exasperated mamas invoke his name to frighten small children, though Nathaniel is truly a decent man—maybe too decent for his own good. That's precisely why he must turn away the beguiling woman demanding his help.
Lady Althea Wentworth has little patience for dukes, reclusive or otherwise, but she needs Rothhaven's backing to gain entrance into Polite Society. She's asked him nicely, she's called on him politely, all to no avail—until her prize hogs just happen to plunder the ducal orchard. He longs for privacy. She's vowed to never endure another ball as a wallflower. Yet as the two grow closer, it soon becomes clear they might both be pretending to be something they're not.
This series has had its ups and downs, but A Duke by Any Other Name was definitely a hit with me. It’s a story of a duke with a pretty legit Big Secret, and a duke’s sister who started off life as a street beggar. The two of them have easy, witty banter and a genuine enjoyment of each other’s company. This book isn’t big on drama, and the sex is pretty mild. It’s a low-key romance about two people overcoming a pretty HUGE obstacle (the duke’s big secret).
The major flaw with this series is Burrowes’ need to draw such cartoonish, two-dimensional villains, then foist their shallow perspectives upon readers via unnecessary chapters told from their point of view.
Other than that, this book was wonderful. The two leads were charming, their love story felt real, and their families were realistic but ultimately supportive. Lovely.
Title: An Angel for Daddy Author: Lucy Eden
Published: October 1, 2019
Genre(s): Romance: Contemporary
Page Count: 101
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:Ruby Hayes is intelligent, beautiful, great at her job and loves her students. She's not too fond of me because despite moving to this small coastal California town only a month ago, I've managed to get on her bad side by consistently arriving late to pick up my daughter, Nina. It's probably for the best. Between my job and adjusting to raising a little girl by myself, adding romance to the equation isn't something I have time for.
Spencer Jones is successful, handsome, a doting father and terrible at reading a clock. His daughter, Nina also happens to my favorite student. Getting involved with the parent of a student is bad idea, no matter how witty and charming they might be. It's probably for the best. Between my job, taking care of my dad and climbing out debt, a new relationship is the last thing I need.
Spencer and Ruby have plenty of reasons to stay apart, but can a little divine intervention and an assist from a pint-sized cupid teach them a lesson that will last a lifetime?
Eh. This book, for me, really exemplifies why I don’t love novellas as a general rule. Done well, they’re great! Done badly, and they feel like a poorly abridged version of a full length romance. An Angel for Daddy had a lot of the trappings of things I like, but everything was rushed and truncated. The development between the characters felt like it happened off-screen during a four-week time jump, and I could never really get on board with their romance.
Also missing was any kind of conflict. I’m okay with uber fluffy romances, and I’ve read some with zero interpersonal conflict of any kind, but at the end of the day, I need to see the characters wrestle with…something. Here, the big drama was a near-death catastrophe that befell one protagonist, but it wasn’t fleshed out with enough depth of emotion to have much of an impact.
This book was soft and cute, and had great intentions, but it wasn’t quite there. Think a half-baked homage to Rebekah Weatherspoon’s Rafe.
Title: A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day Series: Holidays with the Wongs #4
Author: Jackie Lau
Published: February 4, 2020
Genre(s): Romance: Contemporary
Page Count: 116
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:Amber Wong has landed her dream job at the Stratford Festival, and life is looking good. Sure, she hasn’t had sex in so long that her condoms have expired, but she’ll just pick up some new ones, along with some discounted Christmas chocolate, at the grocery store.
And that’s where she runs into Dr. Sebastian Lam, the son of her parents’ close friends, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s moved back to Ontario, newly single, and… Oh my God. He’s really hot.
The attraction is mutual and no-strings-attached sex is the perfect arrangement for both of them, since Amber has sworn off dating after a string of terrible boyfriends.
But what if their families find out they’re spending time together and start interfering in their lives? That would be a disaster.
Even worse? If they develop feelings for each other, given a relationship is the last thing Amber wants right now…
Okay, now this is how you write a novella! I’ve liked every Jackie Lau book I’ve read, but A Big Surprise for Valentine’s Day was just about perfect. It’s a small town, friends-with-benefits novel, featuring good food and nosy families. The author’s writings is strong, and though there are a LOT of sex scenes, each scene is used to further along their developing relationship, so that by the end of 100 pages, you believe that they’re in their love and well on their way to a Happily Ever After. Looooooved this. So much.
Also, definitely check out the full series of deliciously tropey, holiday-themed novellas about the same Chinese-Canadian family. Each one is a gem.
