Monique S.'s Blog, page 15

Doc (on) Holiday?

Rock My Heart by Emma Nichols

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Emma Nichols won my heart with the Duckton-by-Dale stories and completely blew me away with Elodie. So now, after the Dales and Sancerre, she took us readers to the US and from New york City to Austin in rural Nevada.

The writing reminds me of "Summer Fate" and "Blind Faith", but even more of Elodie and her mesmerising insight into the way the human mind likes to create illusions to keep us from facing our reality honestly and avoid emotional pain keeps fascinating me every time.

The other thing that amazed me is the honesty, whith which she describes the worldwide all too common situation of doctors, especially in the emergency services. I have been there during my training as a paramedic in the early 1970s and can vividly imagine how much worse it must have become since. Drowning your stress and frustrations in alcohol was already very common then in medicine (hospials and emergency services especially).

But back to the story ...
Maddie is burned out and desperately in need of healing from her emotional pain. Distracting herself with too much responsibility and work doesn't work any more as her body finally has reached its limits and demands its due. She makes the effort to try and give it a rest and to distnce herself from the stress she has made her life.

Devin is (almost) content with her life with the ranch, her family and her horses, but she's trying to hide her scars from the destroyed dream she'd built on quicksand against her insight a while ago. The two of them meet ... and sparks will fly. If they let them, that is.

The romance is slow burn but sizzling hot. Stir in a young deeply hurt girl and motherly instincts and the plot thickens. Emma Nichols treats the story in her special humourous but caring way and, like her other books, brings it to a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this book.



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hors de commun

Cœurs de femmes : Si demain by Bella Doré

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


On nous dit: “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, mais c’était exactement ça qui m’attirait en acheter en version broché et je ne regrette rien!

Encore j’avais trouvé un roman lesbien, qui ne suive les patrons évidemment à la mode. On y a un peu de différence de l’age mais le sujet central est le coup de foudre entre Séléna et Autumn et que ni l’une ni l’autre attendait pareil.

On retrouve quelque part le rythme de romans de ce genre avec l’arrivée de ne pas une mais deux exes, mais je vous promets, que la façon comme ça se déroule va vous laisser sans haleine! L’idée des événements suivants est unique et hors de commun, bravo!

Il avait quelques moments dans la lecture, quand j’ai craint, que Bella Doré tomberait dans la piège de suivre la ligne trop bien établi avec pareil histoire, mais elle n’en fait jamais. C’était une lecture merveilleuse!



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A brilliant read

Finding Her by Marian Snowe

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is not my first book by her, so I had high expectations and was not disappointed. From the start I liked the way the title matches the plot quite literally. Also as a kid I already dreamt of living in an isolated lighthouse, so there was a lot already speaking for this book.

The run down actress with problems really isn’t a new concept, but Marian handles it in a very good way, making her attractive and lovable as a human being in spite of the past self she is trying to leave behind. Of course she isn’t perfect …

Then there is Cass, divorced and with a daughter, who is the lighthouse keeper. She has settled for being on her own after a difficult divorce. She tries her best, but she isn’t perfect either. Te best and most lovable character here is Annalee, the daughter. She actually holds everything together for the adults with all the wisdom her eight years and her already amazing personality can give.

This is a slow-burn but intense romance, due to the “baggage” of both our main ladies, misunderstandings, or better misinterpretations of what one or the other might say and outright self-destructionism need to be overcome. But there is Annalee …

Read for yourself how this brilliant story finds its resolution, it’s more than just well worth it.



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Nowhere near up to scratch!

Vacances de rêve by Kate Beauregard

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Normalement je refrains des commentaires négatives pour les autres auteurs, mais vraiment j’ai ras de bol de livres, qui donnent l’image, que tout homme, qui se trouve transgenre, veut dire au fond de son être féminine, est ou à arriver se trouver une fille "normale" veut dire hétérosexuelle ou une sissy, veut dire un homme, qui se délecte en être habille comme femme et soumise contre sa volonté à un homme, une soubrette soumise à une madame, ou une nymphomane, veut dire prostituée.

Pendant je comprends que il en a assez des gens (se croyant "normales") qui pensent que c’est la vérité, je suis une trans-femme de soixante huit ans et j’ai vécu plus de trente ans comme femme. Mais même avec trente ans des hormones féminines je n’ai jamais changé la orientation sexuelle. Les hommes ne m’intéressent pas. Je connais trans-femmes mariées encore à leur femmes. Et ils sont au moins contentes tous les deux avec leur situation.

J’écris des livres moi même, des romans avec les héroïnes trans, et j’ai espéré trouver un roman pareil en Français, mais ici je trouve un œuvre duquel je ne peux pas dire que il s’agit d’une écriture fétichiste d’un home ou une femme!

I am sorry, but this book is CRAP.



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Most enjoyable.

Almost Perfect by Lulu Lucille

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Well, there is cute and there is cute. Then here is (in spite of the title) absolutely and perfectly cute!

You just have to love both ladies, Audrey for her courrage not to have herself intimidated by her accident and Colette for her courage to follow her heart in spite of all resistance. The storyline doesn't follow any established patterns, skips known plot devices and is wonderfully straightforward, a joy to read. It's the book I have enjoyed most this year up to now.



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Not quite what I expected

Change Of Heart by Clare Lydon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am a fan of Clare's writing, just to make that known. Here, though, I did only want to give 4 stars, as for once the plot was just that little bit too out of this world to really convince me.

Mind you, Clare's writing is as good as ever and the idea is, i'll admit, tempting, but as the characters themselves voice, what is the probability for that to really happen? The mathematician in me votes for almost nil and my life experience as a counsellor agrees.

Yet the tale was entertaining enough to still warrant four stars.



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A difficult topic

One More Chance by Ali Vali

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I will start be saying, that for some this can be a very difficult book, especially the beginning. If you have been traumatised yourself by domestic violence there are some triggers here, that may be too much.

This was my second book by Ali Vali and, even though my breath caught several times in the beginning, I found this a very good read, especially as Desi, the violated heroine, found her courage and herself again, as did another important character.

The true heroine here, though is Harry, who is a surgeon specialised in traumas involving broken bones. She is a strong and independent character, who may be a bit too self-centred, but isn’t afraid of recognising her shortcomings, when she is called out about them.

The atmosphere is dense and gloomy at first, but changes with the development of the main characters. The end then turns out very satisfying after some well plotted tension and a couple of wonderful twists in the plot.

If you feel confident enough to look at some of the darkest sides of humanity and what humans can do to one another I can wholeheartedly recommend reading it. I will certainly return to this author for more.



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A nice read

Lost in Love by Emily Banting

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am not normally inclined to go for romances that involve doctors, even less hospitals. I learned early in life, when during my training as a paramedic I spent six months at the university hospital of Hamburg in the emergency and accident reception, the intensive care ward and the prep room and the operating theatre, that more often than not the actual reality of work "romances" there is a desperate attempt, to save each other from succumbing to alcoholism. Yes, that often is the case for doctors and nurses alike.

So, I was glad to see here, that yes, there was a doctor involved, but the love interest was was neither nurse nor patient. It is mostly a warm hearted tale about two deeply scarred people, who struggle to get themselves sorted for a life together against all odds. The sideline of some cowardly homophobes trying to put a spanner in the works gives it spice and the lovely side charater Rebecca adds some wonderful dialogues to the story. In all it is a nice read, that leaves you with a satisfied smile on your face.



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New top favourite

Grace Falls by H.P. Munro

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As I said in one of my intermediate remarks on this book, other than the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy I have never encountered so many quirky characters in just one book. So far John Irving has been a close second, but here I’d say that H.P. Munro takes the cake!

Not only are her characters quirky but also funny and lovable, the dialogues had me in stitches a couple of times and smiling at the rest. On top of that the romance could not be any sweeter or cuter. In all the plot just blows all your ideas of generic plot devices to smithereens, thanks to my absolutely favourite character in this story, Jessica. I won’t say any more to avoid spoilers. You simply have to read this for yourself!



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There's a lottery out

On I heart Lesfic's Kindness project for three paper copies of

that I'll sign before shipping them (for free).

There's also a little story on Kindness there from me.