What the Librarian Did (Harlequin Superromance, #1622)

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What the Librarian Did (Harlequin Superromance, #1622)

by Karina Bliss (Goodreads Author)

3.36 · rating details · 296 ratings · 86 reviews

Is Rachel Robinson the only one on campus who doesn't know who Devin Freedman is? No big deal except that the bad-boy rock star gets a kick out of Rachel's refusal to worship at his feet. And that seems to have provoked his undivided attention. Devin, the guy who gave new meaning to the phrase "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll." Devin, the guy who somehow becomes wed...more

Mass Market Paperbound, 249 pages

Published March 16th 2010 by Harlequin (first published February 17th 2010)

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Jan 09, 2011

Zosia rated it

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Yes, the title of this book is painfully bad – as is the clichéd cover. I actually like these Superromances generally because there’s time for a more complex story. It was fairly good, but didn’t impress me the way it seemed to impress other people. Karina Bliss is obviously a very intelligent writer, and I liked both her writing and her plotting, but overall this book fell a little flat for me. I wasn’t quite as impressed as I was with, say, Sarah Mayberry’s Her Best Friend, which was a wonderf...more

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Jan 20, 2011

Carrie rated it

Shelves: category-romance, contemporary, read-2011, tbr-challenge-2011

Book 1 of the TBR Challenge 2011
http://wendythesuperlibrarian.blogspot.c...

The story had some very good moments, and the overall plot wasn't bad, but the writing and pacing was uneven and the attempts at humor fell flat. Additionally, it would have been helpful to have an intimate moment between the leads once their feelings had finally been sorted out. It didn't have to be descriptive, fade-to-black would have been fine, but some sort of encounter would've been more satisfying....more

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Sep 28, 2011

Liz DeCoster rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, lis, kindle

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Read this on a whim, because I was curious and it was available through Kindle's new lending library program. I'm not a veteran romance reader, so I can't really compare this to other romance novels, but a few thoughts for fellow librarians:

1. If you are sick of the librarians in vintage clothes and cardigans trope, avoid this book. Pages are devoted to describing Rachel's vintage outfits. Pages are also devoted to discussion of Devin's tattoos and Rachel's sidekick's piercings, so t...more

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Jan 04, 2011

Minh rated it

Shelves: romance

I really wanted to like this more, halfway through the book I was on a solid 4 stars and breezing through but suddenly Rachel became this strangely irritating parody of herself and I didn't find myself enjoying the story anymore. The author is a solid writer though, and I'd probably pick up another one of her stories.

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Feb 01, 2012

Estara Swanberg rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Estara by: A review at DearAuthor.com, I think

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is an interesting book because the hero and former bad boy rocker, Devin, really has already finished his journey to become a more thoughtful kinder guy, ready to settle down - he just enjoys the electricity he has with the heroine Rachel the librarian and takes a whole lot of bullshit behaviour from her in the way of manipulation and mistrust.

She is still much better than Zander his brother - and I found it fascinating that in the course of the book it is clear that Devin was n...more

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Jan 19, 2012

KatiD rated it

Shelves: a-review-ish

Rachel Robinson is a librarian at a university. She's sensible, smart and seems very much to me like the stereotypical librarian: helpful and a little uptight. That is, until she meets Devin Freedman. Devin comes into the library dressed in a very "rock star" kind of way. He's preternaturally good looking, tattooed, wearing trendy clothes (including purple boots - bold choice), and he spends that first encounter with Rachel teasing her and poking at her to get a rise. He's intrigued by...moreRachel Robinson is a librarian at a university. She's sensible, smart and seems very much to me like the stereotypical librarian: helpful and a little uptight. That is, until she meets Devin Freedman. Devin comes into the library dressed in a very "rock star" kind of way. He's preternaturally good looking, tattooed, wearing trendy clothes (including purple boots - bold choice), and he spends that first encounter with Rachel teasing her and poking at her to get a rise. He's intrigued by the smart mouthed librarian dressed in what he considers to be hideously ugly clothes. Soon Rachel realizes that Devin is a musician, a very famous one. In fact, he's part of a very popular rock band. He's also fresh out of rehab and trying to get a new start. She feels compassion towards him, but he is constantly poking at her, which she finds irritating.

Devin really is arrogant. He's a star, and has been worshiped and given what he's wanted for all of his adult life, which led to some very bad recent episodes, including collapsing on stage during a concert. It was chalked up to "exhaustion" in the press, but really, it was rock bottom. After drying himself out, Devin resolves to do something with his life, which means going back to college and pursuing a degree in business.

Rachel is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a shrinking violet. She's happy with her life, satisfied by her job, and really is not looking for a man at all. In fact, her past has taught her that relationships with men are best had by other people. You see, Rachel got pregnant when she was in high school and gave up the baby for adoption. She's always regretted insisting that the adoption be closed and that the baby would not be given any information about her. Little does she know, that baby, Mark, is now enrolled at the university, and has come looking for her. Rachel recognizes Mark immediately, but does not tell him who she is, wanting instead for him to like her for who she is. She's heartily dismayed to find Devin and Mark striking up a friendship. Of course Devin would be bad for Mark, he's an over indulged rock star with no direction or ties to anyone or anything. She has a high wall protecting her heart from someone like Devin, and will go to great lengths to ensure that Mark isn't hurt by Devin either. But Devin is determined to get to know this intriguing woman, learn her secrets and perhaps even fall in love.

Last week, I was casting around on Twitter for some new contemporaries to read. Both Jane from Dear Author and Sarah from Smart Bitches told me that Karina Bliss's new January release was one I should be watching for. When I did a little checking on Karina Bliss, I realized that her most recent release was one that I hadn't read and that had gotten a lot of talk in the romance community. So I happily downloaded it to my Kindle.

The book itself hooked me right away. I liked that this Librarian wasn't at all miss-ish. She's smart and funny and witty and very driven. I liked Devin, the hero as her foil as well, since there were so many contrasts between the two of them. I particularly liked that Rachel called Devin on every ounce of BS she thought he might be dealing her. And I *LOVED* that she often jumped to conclusions about him and then was woman enough to apologize for it.

I've never been a big series romance reader because I always felt like character development is short changed by the book length. But this book had fully realized characters and secondaries. The setting was also lovely, as we don't get many books set in New Zealand. I really admired Ms. Bliss's ability to create such vibrant, entertaining characters whose romance bloomed slowly and felt completely genuine to me as a reader. If you are looking for an sweet romance with nuanced characters and an interesting setting, What the Librarian Did will fit the ticket nicely.

Final grade: B(less)

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Jan 14, 2012

Kelly rated it

Shelves: fiction

This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who thinks Harlequin books are poorly written bodice rippers. Karina Bliss knows how to write an enjoyable, grown-up love story.

What the Librarian Did is the story of Devin and Rachel--a former rock star and a librarian, respectively. Devin, 34, has given up his life as a rock star after almost drinking himself to death (quite literally, he has almost killed his liver). He decides to go to university in his nation of birth...moreThis is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who thinks Harlequin books are poorly written bodice rippers. Karina Bliss knows how to write an enjoyable, grown-up love story.

What the Librarian Did is the story of Devin and Rachel--a former rock star and a librarian, respectively. Devin, 34, has given up his life as a rock star after almost drinking himself to death (quite literally, he has almost killed his liver). He decides to go to university in his nation of birth, New Zealand, and the university he chose just happens to be the one at which Rachel is the librarian. Rachel, for her part, is 34, wears vintage clothing, has just turned down a tepid marriage proposal (her second such proposal, apparently), and gives as good as she gets.

The relationship between Devin and Rachel is nice to see develop, as they both go into their friendship with preconceived notions about the other, and must continually alter how they view one another. Also, the fact that they first build a kind of friendship was nice, instead of them jumping straight into bed with one another. Early on, Devin tags Rachel with the nickname "Heartbreaker"--a gentle mocking name poking fun at something she says when Paul, her jilted not-quite-fiance, stumbles into the library drunk and ranting. Soon, though, the facetious nickname has become a pet name. It is cute to see the times where Rachel surprises Devin by seeing through his BS or when Devin is supportive of Rachel's decisions even though he doesn't always agree with her. I also like how, even when he is angry at Rachel, and hurt, he is still there for her when she needs him.

There is also a subplot (although at times it seemed more like the main plot) involving Mark, a university freshman trying to locate his birth mother who befriends Devin. He also happens to be Rachel's son, and you learn a lot about Rachel as a character through this subplot, though I feel like you probably could have learned even more if the author had been given free reign. Why did she give up her baby? Why is she estranged from her mother? Why is she so fiercely independent? Why does she build so many walls between herself and love? These questions get answered to a degree, but there could have been a much deeper examination of Rachel's past had time allowed.

For his part, Devin also has issues with his older brother and former band mate, Zander. It turns out, Zander was not paying Devin the royalties he deserved on the songs he co-wrote. He has kept this quiet, though, giving his brother plenty of opportunities to try to make things right, and not wanting to put their mother in the middle of a legal battle. His worry for his mom, who recently had a heart attack, is truly heart warming, too.

Overall, this was a very lovely book full of great characters, great dialogue, and an entertaining love story. What stopped it from being five stars was the fact that the ending felt rushed and the page limit really tied the hands of the author. The page limit for the book did limit what could have been wonderful character development, and caused the relationships to be a bit rushed. Plus, you skip a big chunk of time in which Devin and Rachel are working on their relationship near the end...I would have loved to see them working things out.(less)

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Jan 10, 2012

Kerry rated it

Shelves: 2012, 7, library, romance

I saw this one recommended on Dear Author some time last year. The fact is was written by a New Zealander and set it New Zealand attracted me, as did the librarian/ex-rock star pairing. All the same, I never got around to reading it.

I don't remember what made me decide to request it just before Christmas, but I did and it turned up at the library for me. Again, I didn't get around to reading it. I was going to take it back, but something made me renew it instead.

So on Sun...moreI saw this one recommended on Dear Author some time last year. The fact is was written by a New Zealander and set it New Zealand attracted me, as did the librarian/ex-rock star pairing. All the same, I never got around to reading it.

I don't remember what made me decide to request it just before Christmas, but I did and it turned up at the library for me. Again, I didn't get around to reading it. I was going to take it back, but something made me renew it instead.

So on Sunday, I finally got around to starting it. And I sat there, ignoring my poor, home-on-holidays, child and read through to the end.

This is a very fun read. I enjoyed the local setting and both main characters. I found Rachel and her backstory to be strong and her responses both to her past and Devin to be pretty realistic. I'm not so sure about Devin, but he was such a fun character that I didn't care how realistic the idea of an ex-rock star at Auckland University was.

The sub-plot with Mark, and both Rachel's reaction to her and later, his to her revelation, held true. However, I did feel that he started to take over the story towards the end and while he was the catalyst that brought Rachel and Devin back together, it felt a little bit like he was getting in the way.

There were some lovely little sub-plots that didn't have the opportunity to be fleshed out as much as I might have liked because of the length of the work. That's actually high praise rather than a criticism as Karina Bliss manages to make such points an enjoyable part of the story, despite the restricted word count. I'm especially thinking of Devin's mother's shoes under the bed and the introduction of Matthew; at single title length they could have been given full secondary status, but here's there's not room. I was delighted by them and their presence in the story all the same.

I'm not sure how many luxury private planes with the capability to fly of New Zealand to LA are ever on the ground at Auckland airport (but I don't live in those kinds of circles, so what am I to say what the reality is) but I was perfectly happy to let that slide as part of the story.

I would have liked a slightly more solid ending; somehow it felt a bit wishy-washy, even though it fitted the characters very well. I think that's very much a case of "it's me, not you" as I don't even know how I'd have liked it done differently, as as a bit more time passes since I finished the book, the happier I am with the ending.

I would like to know how things turned out with Zander in the long run, but that's a minor plot point and doesn't really need further clarification. It's just that the completist in me wants to know.

I'd be perfectly willing to read Karina Bliss again. And to recommend this to anyone wanting a pleasant romance with some mild angst. A very good read.(less)

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Oct 23, 2011

Marilyn rated it

· review of another edition

Two and a half stars. I'm not a big fan of the opposites attract idea. This is a contemporary set in New Zealand. Rock star (Devin) who has finally sex, drug, and rock 'n' rolled himself very nearly to death is now in recovery and moves back home to New Zealand to enroll in college as a business major. He runs into probably the only person on campus who hasn't a clue who he is, a highly-repressed vintage clothes loving academic librarian (Rachel). Sparks fly, opposites do attract, everybody gets...moreTwo and a half stars. I'm not a big fan of the opposites attract idea. This is a contemporary set in New Zealand. Rock star (Devin) who has finally sex, drug, and rock 'n' rolled himself very nearly to death is now in recovery and moves back home to New Zealand to enroll in college as a business major. He runs into probably the only person on campus who hasn't a clue who he is, a highly-repressed vintage clothes loving academic librarian (Rachel). Sparks fly, opposites do attract, everybody gets a lot of exercise jumping to conclusions, back-forth, up-down, yes-no, kiss me you beast/I didn't mean that, deck the halls with boughs of folly.

I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if there had been fewer subplots. We have a major subplot, really a co-plot, of Rachel's son (Mark), whom she gave up for adoption when she was 17, showing up as a student but motivated more to find his birth mother and reject her the way she did him. Rachel knows who he is but he does not know who she is, despite her mother-henning him. We've got Rachel's strained relationship with her family of origin. We've got Devin's suspicion that his brother bilked him out of a lot of money in their rock band days, said brother wants him to rejoin the band, and Devin's mother is recovering from a nasty heart attack and he learns that she has a love interest also.

The writing was good, in that I felt as if I could smell the flowers, feel the humidity, recognize the air of a college library. The characters were well-developed and they grew and changed over the course of the book. The secondary characters were well developed also. There was witty repartee.

But I didn't like any of the main characters. Devin may be in recovery but he's got a long, long way to go. His emotional maturity stopped at age 16 and he's got catching up to do. I didn't like the way Rachel used Devin to get closer to Mark. I didn't like her not telling Mark that she was his birth mother. I got tired of all the jumping to conclusions and the hasty emotions and nobody thinking things through before opening their mouths. I was looking forward to a nice quiet read about a couple of 30-somethings and instead I got teenage angst.

I can see it's well-written, and some of my friends gushed over it, so I'm in the minority, but it left me pretty cold. The writing is good enough that I'll probably look for other books by this author, though. Nothing wrong with the book, just not my cuppa. (less)

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May 17, 2011

willaful rated it

Shelves: bye

3.5 stars. I can sort of see why this got so much positive buzz; the characters are complex and interesting and there’s a richness to the story I’m not used to seeing in category romance. (Though possibly that’s just because I usually choose them looking for bat-shit crazy rather than thoughtful realism.)

This is a story about three characters, Rachel, Devin, and Mark, all of whom are paying the price for decisions made 17 years ago. As Rachel the seemingly starchy librarian and Devin...more

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Dec 24, 2010

~ames~ rated it

Shelves: 2010-read, contemporary, e-book

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, but after that last page was finished and I closed the book, a few things bothered me.

So Rachel Robinson is a librarian at a university in Australia. She's kind of a mother-hen type who cooks Sunday dinner for students that need a home cooked meal (exchange students, freshmen, etc) and she's a nice person. She likes to wear vintage clothing (think Dita Von Teese but less sexy) and she looks younger than her 34 years.

Then there's Devin ...moreAll in all, I enjoyed reading this book, but after that last page was finished and I closed the book, a few things bothered me.

So Rachel Robinson is a librarian at a university in Australia. She's kind of a mother-hen type who cooks Sunday dinner for students that need a home cooked meal (exchange students, freshmen, etc) and she's a nice person. She likes to wear vintage clothing (think Dita Von Teese but less sexy) and she looks younger than her 34 years.

Then there's Devin Freedman. He was a guitarist in a famous band (his brother was the lead singer) and he availed himself of the booze...to the point a doctor told him if he drank anymore he'd die. So he's cleaned himself up and he's decided to straighten his act up. In his sobriety, he's noticed there's something screwy with his royalty payments and he's decided to take accounting at the small university where Rachel works to discover the root of the problem.

And finally there's Mark. He's come to university to find his mother. You see, Mark just discovered that he was adopted, and his parents didn't tell him. So knowing what he knows (his mother is 34 and works at the university) he's decided to find her and confront her. He's under the assumption that his mother didn't want him...and he wants her to feel that same pain, to reject his birth mother.

So three people, how are they all tied together? It's pretty easy to figure out the relationship between Rachel and Mark. When Rachel figures out Mark is her son, she doesn't come clean with him right away. She wants Mark to get to know her and see her as a friend before she reveals the truth. She hopes that way he'll give her a chance.

And Devin from his first day of school has been sucked into Rachel's sphere. She has no clue he's this famous guy and even after she learns about it, she doesn't care. She doesn't care until she realizes her young son is hanging around him and she's worried that Devin will rub off on Mark in a bad way. She doesn't know Devin is sober and she assumes he's into drugs and sex and all other sundry rock star vices. And then she realizes that these two are friends and so decides to hang out with Devin to get to know Mark.

And that's where I'm kind of meh about the book. Rachel's motivations toward Devin at first aren't about the attraction between them. She's using him. And then when push comes to shove at the end of the book, she uses Mark as an excuse to push Devin away. Frustrating much? And then I feel like she kind of went overboard in regards to Mark.

Despite all that, I enjoyed the book. The attraction between Devin and Rachel is my favorite kind. They don't like each other at first and yet they can't stay away from each other. LOL And with that comes the witty dialogue I so adore. (less)

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Mar 24, 2010

Susan Gottfried rated it

Shelves: rock-books

From http://rockread.westofmars.com

Karina Bliss' What the Librarian Did is one of those books EVERYONE is talking about right now. It's getting quite a bit of positive buzz. That was enough to pique my interest. But then something else popped up and I had to read this book.

The male hero is a rock star. Therefore, I had to pick up a copy via PaperbackSwap.com and see if this rock star dude meets MY standards. Does What The Librarian Did qualify for inclusion my list of B...more

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Feb 21, 2010

Kristiej rated it

First off, it takes place in New Zealand. How cool is that? At first Rachel comes across as rather uptight. But boy can she hand out the zingers. And her main focus of her zinger flings is Devin. As mentioned in the blurb, Devin was a member of a famous rock band formed by his older brother. But having suffered a breakdown brought on by too much wild living, he heads back to the country of his birth and without much else to do, and a desire to see if his older brother has been screwing him out o...moreFirst off, it takes place in New Zealand. How cool is that? At first Rachel comes across as rather uptight. But boy can she hand out the zingers. And her main focus of her zinger flings is Devin. As mentioned in the blurb, Devin was a member of a famous rock band formed by his older brother. But having suffered a breakdown brought on by too much wild living, he heads back to the country of his birth and without much else to do, and a desire to see if his older brother has been screwing him out of royalties from the band, Devin decides to take a course on business and finance at the local university where Rachel just happens to be the head librarian.

Because of her rather rigid upbringing and something that happened to her when she was younger, Rachel isn’t much into rock music and is less than impressed with Devin. But there is a lot of chemistry there, no matter that Rachel tries to deny it. Their relationship is further complicated when Devin befriends a young student, a young man that holds a key to Rachel’s past.

Devin is a dream hero!! While success came to him early and he did live a wild life style, he really is trying to turn his life around and has also come home to care for his mother who recently went through her own health scare. He’s alternately attracted to and annoyed by how cool Rachel is towards him. And the more she keeps him at arms length, the more he wants to get closer.

Rachel is a great heroine – I really liked her and I’m curious as to what Wendy will think – her being a Super Librarian and all. While no question she’s kind of old-fashioned, that doesn’t mean she’s not a treat of a heroine, and when Devin can manage to get her to let down her hair so to speak, she’s really quite funny. There are a number of places I got quite a chuckle out of their bickering.

And yet at other times there is a real poignancy in this story. Mark, the young man Devin befriends and then mentors plays a pivotal role in the story and a motivating reason as to why Rachel is the way she is.

I was really delighted with this book and this author is now on my radar!(less)

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Dec 24, 2011

Hannah rated it

Shelves: romance-lovers-book-club, contemporary, read-2011, romance

This book frustrated me. I felt like the premise involving the heroine's long-lost son, whom she had put up for adoption when she was a teenager, was an intrusion on the romance. It dominated the story, turning the relationship between Rachel and Devin into a sub-plot. The addition of an angsty 17-year-old boy cannot be considered an improvement to any romance novel, especially one about two adults who are already acting like teenagers.

Rachel and Devin both lack emotional maturi...more

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Mar 08, 2010

Leslie rated it

Shelves: own

It looks like I'll be hunting down another author's back list. If What the Librarian Did is any indication, then Karina Bliss is an author who can give the reader a well developed plot and characters in the shorter format. I've come to treasure that ability since I started reading Harlequins with any frequency about a year ago.

The librarian and the rock star, a case of opposites attract. Our librarian, Rachel, is a single, 34 year old college librarian with a couple of ex-boyfriends ...moreIt looks like I'll be hunting down another author's back list. If What the Librarian Did is any indication, then Karina Bliss is an author who can give the reader a well developed plot and characters in the shorter format. I've come to treasure that ability since I started reading Harlequins with any frequency about a year ago.

The librarian and the rock star, a case of opposites attract. Our librarian, Rachel, is a single, 34 year old college librarian with a couple of ex-boyfriends but not much luck in the love department. Our rock star, Devin, comes to college by way of a recent stint in rehab. His life hasn't been his own for years but he's trying to change that. They meet in the library, of course. :) Rachel, to Devin's amazement, doesn't know who he is. This is a new experience for him and so is Rachel. She like no one he's ever known before.

Rachel takes her duties as the librarian very seriously. She enjoys helping students and is always willing to help the new students learn their way around the library. The new student that walks into the library the day before classes begins is not her usual first-time-away-from-home teen. He's projecting bad-boy vibes all over the place. With his stubble and purple boots, throw in a bit of arrogance and he's got Rachel's hackles up. But she is a professional so she dons her librarian cape and offers to help him.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Bliss since this is the first book of hers I've read. I thought she did well with building and making the attraction between Rachel and Devin believable. They both had ghosts from their pasts come back to haunt them which added tension to their developing relationship. It's possible to think of Rachel as having a couple of TSTL moments but the more I thought about it the more I had to concede that Rachel didn't have the perspective of the other characters like I had. So she didn't have the full story. I do understand why she chose to keep her secrets, she was doing what she thought would be the best option available at the time. And she was scared. Scared of rejection and scared of screwing things up.

Devin exuded this air of sensuality, had women chasing him but wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. He wanted to blend in, or try to at least. He was so well known, especially with the college crowd, that he had a hard time remaining anonymous. The novelty of someone not only not knowing him but not bowing down to him, is not lost on Devin. He finds himself enjoying teasing the proper librarian. Bliss writes smart and funny dialogue with her characters trading spirited comments while getting to know each other. Devin has a wicked sense of humor and relishes matching wits with Rachel. For me, the best scenes were of Rachel and Devin teasing each other and relaxing with each other.

Devin is basically told that if he has another drink it will kill him. That's one heck of a wake up call! He leaves America and heads to New Zealand, the place of his birth. It's also where his mom still lives. I found his mom amusing with her straight forward way of talking and her obvious love for her sons. The relationship between Devin and his mom is one of love, affection and concern. Devin is worried about his mom, she's had some health scares, and she's worried about him. About his career and his future.

I did like the conflicts thrown at Rachel and Devin. How they deal with their past, mistakes and regrets, rounded out the romance of this unlikely pair. The ending might have been a little too neatly wrapped up and it might have bothered me if I hadn't already come to like this couple so much. But the overall story was a winner for me. Looking forward to reading more from Karina Bliss.
(less)

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Jul 26, 2011

Rakisha rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I gave What the Librarian Did 3 stars (I would have given it 3 and half if I could), because it was an entertaining book that kept me hooked until the end. It was like a tightly wound television series with layer upon layers of secrets and ulterior motives that threaten to burst from the characters' mouths at any moment.

Rachel Robinson is an academic librarian who wound tighter than a drum and is emotionally distant because of upbringing and a mistake she made in her teens. She feel...more

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Apr 03, 2010

Stacy rated it

I had high expectations after reading Dear Author's review, and that sadly set me up for disappointment. I liked the story but didn't think it was that outstanding. I really enjoyed the beginning & all the banter between Rachel & Devin, loved how Rachel held her own and showed she was a smart, independent woman, but then it started to go off-track and there were a lot of misunderstandings & overracting.

Part of the problem is you have too much going on. If it would have focused on Rac...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Judi rated it

Shelves: 2011, jan, harlequin-super-romance, contemporary-romance, tbr-challenge

There was a lot of buzz and rave reviews about this book and although I had never read Karina Bliss before and the title and cover of this book would not have originally inspired me to purchase this book, I did based on past success reading Harlequin Super Romances and the good reviews.

I should have known right off the bat that I wouldn’t like the character of Rachel (based solely on how she looks on the cover - much to prissy for me) and then to discover on page one she doesn’t lik...moreThere was a lot of buzz and rave reviews about this book and although I had never read Karina Bliss before and the title and cover of this book would not have originally inspired me to purchase this book, I did based on past success reading Harlequin Super Romances and the good reviews.

I should have known right off the bat that I wouldn’t like the character of Rachel (based solely on how she looks on the cover - much to prissy for me) and then to discover on page one she doesn’t like the color pink??? Big red flag right there that her and I weren’t going to see eye to eye since pink is my favourite color.

Prim, prissy librarian and bad boy rocker, What The Librarian Did is the perfect example of a story where opposites attract.

I loved the character of Devin, he’s the sole reason I kept reading this book and gave it a C grade. Although the story could have been clichéd (bad boy/good girl) there was much more to Devin than meets the eye.

Devin was the burnt out rocker , recovering from his own stint after rehab, returned home to New Zealand to escape the paparazzi, look after his mom who’s recovering from her own health scare and is trying to make positive changes in his life after being in the music business since he was sixteen years old. Deciding it’s time to take responsibility for his future and his finances, he enrols in a business course at the local university.

I could not connect with Rachel at all. I tried not to let the cover influence my feelings for her, but what you see - a prim, prissy uptight, vintage clothes wearing Librarian is what you get. She’s supposedly left a string of boyfriends in her wake earning her the nickname “Heartbreaker” but myself, I had no problem seeing why she was still single. I liked when Devin called her Heartbreaker, but I didn’t believe it about her for a second.

I guess I can understand how Devin was initially attracted to Rachel, since she wasn’t a groupie and in fact had no idea who he was and could have cared less. Since Devin was so used to having women throw themselves at him, I can see why Rachel’s disinterest towards him would have seemed novel and intriguing.

I think I was supposed to empathize with Rachel since she’d gone through a very trying experience when she gave up a baby for adoption as a teenage but I just didn’t. Rachel was always quick to assume the worst about Devin whether it was in his interactions with his young protégé, his actions with her, or with other women, I don’t think the rock star would have put up with her for every long in real life. There was a scene in the book where I thought maybe we were going to see another side to Rachel, when we discovered she had a mountain bike. It was just a small mention when Devin tripped over it, but it seemed so out of character to imagine Rachel even riding a bike in her buttoned up clothes, but it turned out to mean nothing and it was never mentioned again. I would have liked to seen Rachel give that bike a spin maybe it would have loosened her up.

Devin was certainly the star of What The Librarian Did in my opinion. His touching moments with his mom, his big brother/mentor relationship with Mark, his contentious relationship with this brother and his numerous attempts to break through to Rachel made this book for me. I just wished I could have warmed up more to the Librarian. She tried his patience and mine and she should be glad he stuck around long enough to uncover the Rachel buried under her prudish clothing.

I will be reading more from Bliss and in fact have Here Comes The Groom waiting on my Kindle App. (less)

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Feb 20, 2010

Angela James rated it

Shelves: 2010, contemporary-romance, category

I didn't love this book as much as Jane from Dear Author did (got it on her recommendation). I thought the writing was well done, there was witty dialogue and banter, but I just could not warm up to the heroine. A big portion of this book is about the heroine and the son she put up for adoption when she was 17. Not my favorite trope. I thought the heroine came off as fairly self-absorbed--throughout the book the focus seems to be on her emotions, what she's feeling and how emotionally damaged sh...more

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Feb 12, 2011

Ann Kristin rated it

Shelves: romance

One of the better contemporary romances I have read. Both Rachel and Devon are adult, competent, and sympathetic people. They have their flaws and secrets and misunderstandings, both between each other and with others, but they are adult enough to see when they have made a mistake, and they are willing to talk thing out with each other.

One thing that often irritates me with romance novels is "The Big Mis" - the big misunderstanding - which often isn't something that aweful,...more

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Jul 04, 2011

Nicole Helm rated it

This was the first Karina Bliss title I read and it prompted me to go back and read many of her older books. This book also got me hooked on Harlequin's Superromance line.

What I love about this book is that it feels realistic. Even though it's about a former rockstar, it has an given-up-for adoption story line, even though... I was totally drawn in. I didn't love either character, and I find this happens with a lot of Superromances... it doesn't matter that I don't LOVE them because I ...more

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Apr 16, 2010

Writerlibrarian rated it

Shelves: april-pile, romance, read2010

A very solid 3 stars. Well rounded, developed characters, even the secondary characters aren't paper thin walking stereotypes (I'm thinking Devin's mom here or even Rachel's mom). The plot is straight forwarded : boy meets girl, girl has a secret, boy challenges girl, girl accepts the challenge, secret gets in the way. It ends well but in between, the girl doesn't have a complete makeover (you know the kind) to get her happy ending. Boy, doesn't change either and gets his happy ending too.
...more

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Jan 17, 2011

Cynthia rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 14, 2011

Liz B rated it

Shelves: ebook, romance, contemporaryrealisticfiction

The narration is so tight in this book that in a relatively small number of pages Bliss tells a remarkably complex story, with plenty of backstory, humor, angst, developed secondary characters, and sexual tension. There's not a whole lot of sex, but there is a whole lot of dialogue, and a believable growth to an unexpected relationship. I'm not a big fan of category romance, but I think I'll read whatever Bliss decides to write.

Premise: Rachel is a university libarian in New Zealand. A...more

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Apr 30, 2011

Autumn rated it

Shelves: contemp-romance, harlequin-slim-shorty, library-rentals

Im very glad to say that i enjoyed this book for what it was worth! Haven`t you sometimes feel like you want to read a story that has some real issues in it, but its not overbearing in the angsty side? Well, i think this book can do just that.

Even at its length, there was a nice pace to the story and its characters. they developed quite nicely. Im not going to say that there werent times where the H/h didnt get on my nerves with their stupid rebukes, but i think Karina was able to rede...more

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Feb 18, 2010

Manda Collins rated it

Shelves: category, contemporary, harlequin-superromance, librarian-heroines

What a wonderful, sexy, fun, tender story. I chose it because of the librarian heroine (I'm an academic librarian like her) but ended up enjoying the book for more than just its rocker/librarian match up. The chemistry between the hero and heroine is palpable and their verbal sparring had me laughing out loud. Rachel's backstory, which could have seemed cliched, is realistically woven together with Devin's struggle to create a new life for himself, and their conflict makes for a poignant, but be...more

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Mar 03, 2010

Eunmi rated it

This is a perfect gem of a romance that did not waste a word. The main characters were believable and likable. The New Zealand setting was refreshing and made the book more enjoyable. I liked the fact that the heroine was a good person who had inner strength. The hero was a "good" man who proved to himself that he did not lose his "true" self. The author was very good in that she shows how a seemingly impossible relationship between a librarian and a rock star might develop a...more

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Jan 12, 2011

Megan rated it

Shelves: romance, contemporary

I really enjoyed this one! The cliched trope of the rock star and the librarian was actually the best part about it!

Devin and Rachel's motivations felt legitimate and REAL. Neither one was perfect but they made each other better because of that. The fact that Devin was a flashy, in your face hero was a refreshing change from all the GQ models/military men that most romance heroes are described as.

My biggest complaint is that the story wasn't longer. For the amount of growth...more

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May 04, 2011

Ariel rated it

Surprisingly, this book was rather cute.
I have to admit, I was very disappointed in exactly "what the librarian did". We had a poll going at work. Did she sell her baby for crack money? Become a prostitute? Kill her husband?

Sadly, it is nothing so interesting. I won't tell you what it is, but if you're reading for lots of scandal, don't bother. Also, I basically figured out what it was after chapter 2, so... bummer.

Still, the book was adorable! And the ch...more

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May 12, 2010

Tina rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads, romance-harlequin

If more Harlequins were like this, I'd read them all the time. At first sight, the idea of a washed up rock star who goes back to school and a repressed Librarian who seems disapproving of him seems cliche and very been-there and done-that. This story is none of that. The first thing that sets this story apart is that the dialogue simply snaps. The zingers the two trade from almost the moment they meet are witty and plentiful. Devin and Rachel have such a crackling chemistry that I found my...moreIf more Harlequins were like this, I'd read them all the time. At first sight, the idea of a washed up rock star who goes back to school and a repressed Librarian who seems disapproving of him seems cliche and very been-there and done-that. This story is none of that. The first thing that sets this story apart is that the dialogue simply snaps. The zingers the two trade from almost the moment they meet are witty and plentiful. Devin and Rachel have such a crackling chemistry that I found myself immediately sucked in. And the writing is so light and funny that I felt myself grinning throughout the book.

There is this great scene in the characterizes the whole book for me. Rachel and Devin have gone back to his apartment and are getting it on when she finds a pair of women's high heeled red shoes under his bed (after he's told her he's been celibate for over a year) that looks as if they'd been flung there in a "I'm about to have wild sex kind of a hurl." This could have ended with a grand misunderstanding, but the scene transforms into high comedy and then farce complete with old ladies, soap, bondage and Rachel's horrified pronouncement that "I'm not his groupie, I'm his librarian!" One of the funniest scenes I've read in awhile.

But there is also a more poignant sub-plot of Rachel's son, a child she gave up at birth as a teenager, also enrolls in the school. Mark is looking for his birth mother because he's learned she's on staff there. Rachel realizes who Mark is but doesn't know that he is aware he's adopted. She is endearingly (and painfully) pathetic in her attempts to get to know him and get him to like her before she reveals who she is. She is going about it so wrong that she ends up making Mark a little weirded out by her. To make matters worse Mark and Devin have struck up a friendship and Rachel isn't sure she approves of mark being in Devin's orbit.

One thing I thought was excellent about this book, moreso than the excellent dialogue and the surprisingly deep characters was the fact that the writer did a lot in the pages she was allotted. She made every word, every scene count. And she still managed to save some surprises for the end.

Loved this book a lot. SO much so that I plan to find more Karina Bliss stuff. Highly recommend!!(less)

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About Karina Bliss

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was twelve but then I forgot and did a lot of other things instead. These included getting an arts degree in English and Political Studies at Auckland University (New Zealand), a postgraduate degree in periodical journalism at the University of London, travelling, having my heart broken a couple of times, meeting the right guy, building a house, having a baby - t...more

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What the Librarian Did (Harlequin Superromance, #1622)

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