Tag Archives: Romance

Book Review: Across the Ages 1 by RaShelle Workman

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Across the Ages 1 by RaShelle Workman

A Fantasy/Time Travel Romance Novel published by Polished Pen Press (12/21/14)

Summary:

Lucy Channing lives in 1815 in England. She is supposed to marry her childhood best friend… Whom she does not love romantically. Holding out that something will change her fate, Lucy’s grandmother comes through with a locket to transport Lucy to her true love. Traveling to 2015 is quite a shock to Lucy, especially when the first person she meets is the arrogant, egotistical William Godwin.

Keywords:

Romance, Time Travel, Love, Fantasy, Mystical, 19th Century, 21st Century, Shock, Dressing, Helpless, Forced Marriage, True Love

My Review:

The first chapter was completely unnecessary and was only mildly related to the story told in the rest of the novel. I skimmed it so I could get to the actual story being told.

Lucy lives a typical life in the 1800’s in her class, but she has atypical feelings for a woman in her time. She thinks she can marry for love and passion and is not satisfied with her soon to be betrothed because she is not in love with him. Because she still loved him as a friend, it wasn’t that big a deal for her to find her ‘true love’ because the match was a good one! She could have learned to love Dashel and had a good life.

I absolutely enjoyed every minute and thought Lucy had when she was spirited 200 years into the future. I understood so well what she was going through because it was described in great detail and her thoughts were spot on. She was a traveler in a new land and new time and new world.

I didn’t believe in the romance between Lucy and her ‘true love’ William. It felt forced and rushed.

The pacing was very uneven and the ending was incredibly rushed and then abruptly left off. I will not be reading further.

This novel was published by Polished Pen Press on December 21st, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 2.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

RaShelle Workman’s Website

Book Review: Black Poodle Over Seven Hills by Victoria Bastedo

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Black Poodle Over Seven Hills by Victoria Bastedo

A Contemporary Romance novel published by Satin Romance (10/18/2016)

Summary:

Soubrette offered to transport a high-end black poodle to Seattle in exchange for a free ticket to a new life, but when the owner’s cousin shows up instead of the owner, Soubrette will have to follow up to make sure the puppy gets to the right home. The cousin, Timothy, is immediately taken with Soubrette (and the dog) and offers to show her around and help get her settled. This simple meet cute will take a turn when Soubrette’s left behind baggage arrives in Seattle and interferes with Soubrette’s new life and new relationship.

Keywords:

Seattle, Poodle, Romance, Friendship, New Place, Moving, Leaving Behind, Stalker, Bully, New Beginnings, Queen Anne, Tourist, New Job

My Review:

A simple, meet-cute novel full of witty dialogue set against the lovely hills of Seattle’s Queen Anne, Black Poodle Over Seven Hills was a charming fast read. Where does the titular poodle fit in? She brings Soubrette and Timothy together – not in the ‘can I pet your dog’ sense, but in quite a different manner altogether. An airport chase and mistaken identity isn’t that big of a deal for Soubrette since she is calm in the face of potential danger, but this first scene foreshadows the depths the plot will jump to after the main characters meet and grow their friendship.

Both Soubrette and Timothy were fully developed persons with interesting backstories. Never has the answer to the question “so what brings you to Seattle” been so intriguing. Soubrette is a lively and cheerful lady with spunk and wit to spare even in the face of the past that won’t stop clinging to her coattails. Seattle may offer a new start for her, but she can’t leave her past behind, it will just take a bit longer to catch up to her.

Soubrette is a great mixture of passive and active character. Even when bad things followed her around, she was able to use her strength of character to make her own way and bully her way around some fairly tight situations. She is no damsel in distress, but even she can’t win all her battles. And that’s where Timothy Marsh gets a chance to save the day. Both Timothy and soubrette are independent, but any time they are together you will just have to smile at their witty banter and camaraderie.

I received an ARC from the author.

This novel was published by Satin Romance 10/18/2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 3.75

 

Links for more information:

On the web

SnoValley blog

Victoria Bastedo blog

Emerald City Writer’s Conference First Timer Experience – My Takeaways

by in author platform, Local Authors, Local Eats, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , ,

Check out my YouTube video (please subscribe!) of my thoughts regarding my first time attending the Emerald City Writer’s Conference this weekend in Bellevue. And here’s the only picture of me I took during the whole weekend – me and one of the Wanderlust models.

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My to read list from conference recommendations:

  1. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
  2. Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need (for pacing help) by Blake Snyder
  3. Silvia Day books because they’re angsty and have broken characters
  4. Nalini Singh for contemporary world building
  5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
  6. Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels (How to Write Kissing Books) (Volume 1) by Gwen Hayes
  7. Elizabeth Moon for sci-fi/fantasy

Book Review: Undone by the Star by Stephanie Browning

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Outbid by the Boss by Stephanie Browning

A Contemporary Romance Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (4/03/16)

Summary:

“Alex was glad she’d never seen Marc’s films; it was the man she’d been attracted to, not the star.” (Kindle Locations 1420-1421).

Alexis Kirkwood has been groomed for her role as CEO of the great London Sadler Hotel. All her life she’s been in training for the role and she will let nothing get in the way of her inheritance. Understaffed, Alexis must keep the hotel running smoothly, even if it means directing the new plumber, or rather, the man she thinks is the new plumber. When Marc Daniels, action hero movie star is mistaken for a common laborer he goes along with the mistake, relishing the feelings of normalcy and being close to the attractive Alex. Alexis doesn’t appreciate making such a mistake and even though she is instantly attractive to the rugged Marc, she will have to step lightly around any relationship with a movie star if she’s to keep her hotel in good standing.

Keywords:

Hotel, CEO, Movie Star, Action Hero, Matriarch, Grandmother, Romance, Relationship, Discreet, Media

My Review:

The characters were interesting enough. They were their own persons apart from each other. Alex is a high profile up and coming CEO who can multi-task like it’s nobody’s business. Marc is the action star hero who secretly relishes history and beautiful scenery. They are not your everyday people, but they act realistic.

This story was fast and easy to read, but lacked external tension. Most of the tension came from the grounds of the relationship between Marc and Alex and the effect it would have on their careers, or mostly just Alex’s career as CEO of a prestigious hotel.

Their relationship was built from the start on instant attraction although the two lovers got to know each other more throughout the story. I wish there had been more depth to their attraction.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on April 3rd, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Stephanie Browning’s Website

Book Review: Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1) by Mary E Thompson

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Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1) by Mary E Thompson

A Romantic Comedy published by BluEyed Press (11/29/15)

Summary:

Mandy works as a customer service rep. She has a smooth voice and likes her job and helping people. When Xander calls in, Mandy is able to help him out and her voice captures his interest. He asks her out and she says yes. What Xander doesn’t know and what Mandy lives daily with is the fact that she’s not skinny and doesn’t say no to a good cupcake. What will Xander say when he finally sees her face to face for the first time? If it doesn’t matter at first to him, won’t it later on?

Keywords:

Friends, Customer Service, Telephone, Trust, Job, Cupcakes, Meeting Up, Date, Health Insurance Rep, Attraction, Lust

My Review:

The first few chapters of this novel were amazing! Mandy was interesting and different as the main character. Enter Xander, the hottie who wants to meet her. There’s tension. There’s excitement. What will happen?! Then they meet and like each other a lot. The rest of the book is about them being together and the only point of tension is Mandy’s insecurity about being with such an attractive HWP male. It’s hard to build a story around that. I kept waiting for the complication to settle in and the story to pick up. Even the climax was all in Mandy’s head and a complete disappointment and letdown.

Halfway through the book, almost every thought Mandy had was on sex and how hot Xander is. We get it. Mandy likes Xander because he’s sexy. There are paragraphs and paragraphs devoted to her thoughts about his body and I ended up skimming through most of them after the first couple. Mandy spends so much time thinking about herself, Xander, and her worries about her weight that there is no time left for subplots or plot points.

I was disappointed in Mandy and her lack of character development. She is shown as a woman who’s trust has been broken in the past regarding men and relationships. Great place to start, but she doesn’t change. Throughout the book she drops her trust of Xander any time he remotely seems like he might be pointing out the fact that she’s overweight and that he’s not. Mandy never gets over this fear. She never gains confidence in their relationship.

SPOILER:

Mandy acts and thinks like she’s very much in lust/love with Xander and all it takes is something small for Mandy to lose confidence in Xander. Does she really love him, then? Mandy and Xander breakup over nothing (just a miscommunication) like they’re teenagers in high school. The climax scene at Xander’s friend’s house was very high school. There were even fat jokes!

Xander was unrealistic every time he showed up and said or did anything. I wanted more realism from him, not a Stepford Wives boyfriend! Only in his initial pursuit of Mandy did he seem authentic as a person.

This novel was published by BluEyed Press on November 29th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.00

Links for more information:

Mary E Thompson’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Book Review: Crushing on the Rock Star by Darci Doll

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Crushing on the Rock Star by Darci Doll

A New Adult Romance Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (06/08/16)

Summary:

“In your head, you think that you’re a conservative but in your heart, you’re a pure rebel, through and through.” (Kindle Locations 1678-1679).

Birdie Frost wants to make a difference in the world through documentaries. She only works as an intern for a production company, but when she gets the opportunity for her big break she hesitates. It’s with a rock band on the other side of the country not with the philosophical world-changer she had proposed. When her family, her best friend, even her fiancé don’t support her decision, Birdie decides to turn down the opportunity at first. Will she be able to set aside everything she’s known to jump at this chance to make a difference or will she stay with what’s familiar and comfortable?

Keywords:

Rock Star, Rock Music, Metal, Concert, Live, Band, Practice, Performance, Travel, Conservative, Family Ideals, Old-Fashioned, Sexism, Producer, Documentary, LA, Identity, Introspection

My Review:

I liked Birdie. She sticks to her guns when it comes to morals. She is dedicated to her ideals and her job. She’s unwilling to let a little failure derail her completely. She is positive and thoughtful. She is a well-rounded main character. Her fiancé, on the other hand, is a complete jerk. The author may be painting him as ‘old fashioned’ but all I see is sexist on-the-verge-of misogynist guy who won’t listen to her opinions or give them any worth. He cuts her off when she’s talking and tells her point blank what she should and shouldn’t do as well as what he expects her to do. How is that attractive?

Birdie tells us that she was attracted to Timothy for his family values and old-fashioned views, but I don’t see how she’s attracted to him at all, even from the beginning. She does not seem conservative, since at the first sign of adventure she’s willing to give it a try and enjoy every minute of it.

The issues in this book are very contemporary and interesting. Birdie’s point of view is so very dramatic and very detailed. She so completely and vividly describes her first rock concert and riding a motorcycle that I intimately know how she feels and can see the scene completely.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on June 8th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.00

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Wildlife Wednesdays: Visiting the Setting in your Story

by in Rachel Barnard, Wildlife Wednesdays and tagged , , , ,

20160626_RomanceStorySettingPics_HDR (1) 20160626_RomanceStorySettingPics_HDR (2)

I submitted a short story for the upcoming Biker Chicks 2: An Anthology of Hot MC Romance and went to visit the setting of my story across the street from a small bar… It was and wasn’t how I pictured it in my mind and the story….

Do you like to visit the setting(s) of your favorite stories or the stories you’re writing or have written?

You can pre-order Biker Chicks 2 HERE!

Book Review: Charity for Nothing: The Virtues Book III by A.J. Downey

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Charity for Nothing: The Virtues Book III by A.J. Downey

A Romance Novel published by Second Circle Press (06/13/16)

Summary:

Charity has been apart from her sisters Hope and Faith for some time, but now that she’s graduated with a nursing degree she joins them in Ft. Royal, Florida. As soon as Charity lays eyes on one of the Kraken, she can’t stay away. There’s something about Nothing that speaks to her, but is he too broken to be fixed by Charity?

Keywords:

Tall, Handsome, Nurse, Hurricane, Natural Disaster, Preparation, Helping, Cleanup, Sisters, Hopeless Cases, Romance, Motorcycle, Club, Loyalty, Family, POV Change, Sexual Content, Past Life, Moving On

My Review:

The plot in this book is a bit designed in the beginning, but the story takes over completely and the characters write their own story.

The love that the characters have and show for each other makes me want to be more romantic and loving in my own life. They are so in the moment and so awake in life to themselves, their surroundings, and their feelings that I want to be present in every moment too.

The phrase, larger than life, is so very true in this book and for the MC books by AJ Downey.

I love how Nothing doesn’t give up on the medical profession, that he scored highest on his re-certs, that he has it in his back pocket even if he’s not mentally ready to move on. Charity is as stubborn as they get and won’t take no for an answer, even when Nothing’s actions speak very loudly. In his head, Nothing isn’t as convinced that he can’t or won’t be with Charity. This is a whirlwind of ups and downs for Charity and Nothing. Will they end up together or will Nothing’s past keep him from moving forward?

This novel was published by Second Circle Press on June 13th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.00

Links for more information:

A.J. Downey’s Blog

Goodreads

Facebook

Book Review: A Clueless Woman (A Woman Lost Book 0) by T.B. Markinson

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A Clueless Woman (A Woman Lost Book 0) by T.B. Markinson

A Romantic Fiction Novel published by T. B. Markinson (11/24/15)

Summary:

“No wonder I was single. I lacked charm, conversational skills, and panache.” (Kindle Locations 917-918).

Lizzie hasn’t had any for over a year, when she broke up with her crazy ex. Nowadays she knows books are a safer bet, especially since she still hasn’t gotten over the ex and the ex still comes around for handouts, or to blackmail Lizzie into handing out her inheritance hundred by hundred. Lizzie has been too embarrassed to tell anyone, even her closest friends. At least now she knows what to look for in a bad relationship, right? When her graduate professor introduces her to Sarah, Lizzie’s normally tongue-tied left-feet become even more hopelessly entangled as she falls head over heels for the gutsy heart-on-her-sleeve high school English teacher. Can Lizzie keep the bad news ex away from her budding new relationship or will the ex ruin another relationship and Lizzie’s next chance for love?

 

Keywords:

 Romance, Relationships, Friendships, Lesbians, Tension, Holding in Feelings, Coffee, Chai, Teacher, English Teacher, Professor, Student, Ex-relationships, Books, Research

 

My Review:

I wish I had the opportunity to read this book closer to the time I’d read the first book in the series, as I’d forgotten most everything about Lizzie and her world, but I found that I didn’t need to read A Woman Lost Book 1 first to completely enjoy A Clueless Woman.

As with her other books, T.B. Markinson builds her characters with an expertise and ease that is fun to read. Lizzie is completely developed. Sarah has her own quirks and personality. Even the ex has been thoroughly described.

There were more romantic/sexy scenes in A Clueless Woman than I remembered being in a Woman Lost. I thought there was a good balance between the romance, the build up and the rest of Lizzie’s story.

This novel was published by T. B. Markinson November 24th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Goodreads

T.B. Markinson’s website

Book Review: Scripting the Truth by T.A. Henry

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Scripting the Truth by T.A. Henry

An Historical Fiction Novel published through Amazon Digital Services (10/09/2015)

Summary:

“Sometimes I wonder why you put yourself through all this when clearly you knew nothing about the business.” (p. 152).

Lady Margaret Leighton aka Molly doesn’t want to marry whomever her mother approves because she already had her heart broken when the soldier she nursed during World War II vanished. Then she spots his face on a movie poster and she decides right then and there that she’ll do whatever it takes to find him and reconnect. But he’s a famous actor and she can’t even get into the studio without a reason. After failing at pretending to be an actress she finds out that the director’s looking for scripts. Margaret spends a feverish few days learning how to write a script and writing up the proceedings of her time as a QA in World War II. When this gets her in the door, no problems will stop her from finding the missed soldier and her happily ever after, or so she thinks.

Keywords:

World War II, London, QAs, Nursing, Soldiers, Love, Romance, Pursuing Romance, Movie, Actors, Script Writing, High Born, Suitors, Overbearing Mother, Brothers, Hunting Party, Career Woman

My Review:

How far would you go to see your crush again? She wrote a script about qa’s in the war that went unrewarded and then wrote a new script all about a love story without the war. After rewrites and negotiations she gets herself on set and her crush as leading man. What could go wrong?

Molly is determined, witty, clever, knows when to forge ahead and when you admit defeat. She’s amazingly stubborn when an idea grabs hold of her. She’s set herself up for a rude awakening of a failure.

Great balance between the actual script and the real story so I felt I knew what the script was about and how it paralleled Molly’s real experience without getting too much into the story-within-the-story. It was fun getting some real world and excellent script writing pointers for people who’ve never done it before, like Molly.

The dialogue was amazing, clever, and funny.

Overall this was a delightful novel and I can’t wait to read what T. A. Henry comes up with next

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services 10/09/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TLDR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Goodreads

T.A. Henry’s Blog