Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 338

Review: ONE NIGHT WITH HER BODYGUARD by Noelle Adams

After receiving a threat, Clair is being guarded around the clock at her father’s orders. Her bodyguard, Michael, is a hard, stoic, and honorable man, who will do anything to protect Clair.

Just like the title states, this is one night with her bodyguard.
Story was okay. It had one threat, one love scene, and a happily ever after.
 
My rating: 3 stars

Review: A PRINCESS NEXT DOOR by Noelle Adams

Amalie Rothman was born with a crown on her head. At 18, she escapes her European hometown to attend college in the states, where she lives next door to hunky Jack. Bound by an arranged marriage and royal duties, she must return to the Alps one day, but, still, she can’t help but be captivated by Jack. So she opts to spend as much time with him as possible.

This is mainly the story of a princess fling to a laid-back American guy. Personally, I thought Jack was a bad influence on Amalie, who shouldn’t abandon her family and country if she was a princess. I thought he was being too pushy.
 My rating: 3 stars

Review: BITTERSWEET by Noelle Adams

5 years earlier, Zoe and Adam were two geeky friends that met up for coffee. I’d be in awe of a smart guy too, and Adam is as smart as they come. I mean, reading Greek history in Greek? Wow! There’s never been any romantic interest between the two (at least not forthright), but could Adam’s cousin, Josh, be suitable for Zoe?
Now, years later, Josh, Zoe’s husband, is dead and she’s left to care for their infant son. This is sad and the reader will surely sympathize. She’ll need all the help she can get. Adam has suddenly turned from lovable geek to corporate snob. Nonetheless, he’s willing to do everything he can to help her. A friendship is rekindled in the wake of a loved one’s death.
Suddenly, Zoe starts to get an attraction to Adam. And who can blame her? And then the friendship turns into something more.
Story was sensitive and lovely, but lengthy and daunting at times.
Well-written and speaks to the heart. It’s about healing and mending. A beautiful story.  A sweet, yet bittersweet, romance.
 
My rating: 4 stars

Review: ENGAGING THE BOSS by Noelle Adams

Sarah is in love with her boss, Jonathan. Of course, you knew that judging from the title. But, of course, she can’t act on her feelings because he’s her boss. Now she has to pretend to be his fiancé  as a ruse for his rich family. The setting is at a family wedding, which I thought was a bit too cliché.
Jonathan is brilliant, quiet, studious, and focused. But I thought it was cold that he left Sarah to fend for herself with his family for a wedding for one of his relatives. But, suddenly, they stop pretending and give in to their desires. Their growing attraction is stalled by the fact that he’s her boss. Well, duh!
I could understand Sarah’s frustration at Jonathan for his moodiness and bad attitude. At times, I wonder why she would want him.
Story had some steamy love scenes (of course.) Well-written for the most part, but I just wasn’t too keen on the whole fake fiancé gimmick. I feel like it’s been overdone. But, at least, this story had the twist of falling for the boss, which doesn’t happen too often in real life.
 
My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: ONE NIGHT IN THE ICE STORM by Noelle Adams (a novella)

This novella story is pretty self-explanatory. Rachel is stuck with David, a guy who broke her heart 8 years ago, for one night in an ice storm. At first, there’s tension in the cabin, then sparks are renewed and the two spend one hot night.
David is handsome, capable, and good with his hands. I’d love to be stuck with him for a night.
Short, sweet, and hot.
 
My rating: 4 stars

Review: THE MORTICIAN'S DAUGHTER AND OTHER STORIES by James R. Dubbs

In one story, the mortician's daughter felt "crazy and alone as a mouse trapped in a hat box." (31) She was always the outsider, always the oddball, always the one that got constantly teased and ridiculed. But perhaps this dark poet may be just the person to lend a willing ear.

In another story, one aspiring writer is dramatically taken by the genius works of Kafka. "I also read with deep shame at the jealousy I felt: jealousy that someone should write better than I; jealousy that another writer should say his part, then have his stories— stories as timeless as a platonic form—sit on the shelf of a second-hand bookstore collecting dust while I labored vainly, foolishly even, on flawed nonsense, thinking I was producing great art." (52) With his idol holding on to his last breath, the writer wonders if his writings should "be printed and sold like vegetables at a market." (56)
This small collection of stories is a well-written account of incisive wit and raw sensitivity. I thought the writing style was reverent and intelligent with a quiet solitude, but the stories didn't quite captivate me. While some were more enjoyable than others, most of them felt "unfinished," leaving the reader with questions rather than answers. And perhaps that was Dubbs' main establishment in these works. It's clear that these stories contain a philosophical approach that provoke critical analysis and pensive thought.  Like the stories that ran rampant with no end, perhaps this book would inspire the same in critical thinking, ensuing in a torrent of questions with no answers.
 
My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: WHAT IF I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES? by Tony Rauch

Described as "a series of romantic misadventures and entanglements," the book mainly consists of colorful vignettes of oddball characters that don't necessarily involve love and relationships. For example, "In the Dust" was about dogs? Mmmm...

Judging by the subtitle, I anticipated comedic tales on the struggles and downfalls of love, marriage, and relationships. I mean, getting down on your knees is a symbiotic element of the whole marriage thing. I found it strange that these stories had nothing to do with that. Instead, they were eclectic, ranging from subject matters of music, religion and football, new neighbors, a father's secret, and shiny things.
One of the few tales that involved dating was "Lesser Gods," which was about a guy raving on and on about the excitement he felt over a girl asking him out. He was even going so far as to ask people on the street if he could hug them. Hug them? Really? Weirdo.
Another weirdo was in "Congratulations," which involved a pregnant guy. WTF?! And this stranger was trying to extract the baby??? What!
For me, the stories didn't really make any sense. They tended to ramble aimlessly with little to no direction. I mean, what was the point in all of this? What was the theme that tied these wacky stories together? I usually don't mind if a story has some wayward style or bleak irony. Yes, for some stories, the sky is green and the grass is blue, and it can still make sense in some interesting way. I'm sorry to say that these were not interesting. They were more odd, confusing, and just plain weird.
 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: HOLDING BACK DAYLIGHT by Carrie Crafton

It's Claire's birthday, but it would seem that she's not feeling it as much as everyone else. Working her family's bar was her legacy, and she was bred for it ever since she was a young teen. Now, she had officially taken it over, ever since her family's death. I guess it must've happened around her birthday, since she had trained herself not to feel sadness, a sadness that still creeps up on her every now and then. "Ever since, it had made celebrating seem ridiculous." (8)

Story had a very slow and uninspiring start. Although Claire's feelings of sorrow and remorse were well-written and thoroughly crafted, I found it rather exhausting and dismal. It was endearing to see all of Claire's friends pushing her to do something for her birthday, but there were a few too many characters to keep track of, especially when one was just as forgettable as the last.
Eventually, Claire succumbs to their advice and does something. So what does she do? She goes to a bar, of course. You'd think for someone who works in a bar, one would be sick of them.
All in all, I found Claire to be a dull character with no real depth, making it hard for me to keep up with her insipid story.
 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: ETERNAL LOVE by Curt Larson

A man fretting over a wedding. But not his wedding, someone else’s. The woman he loves is marrying another man.

“Sometimes there is a love that transcends times and space…This is our story.” (5)
Prologue was beautifully written and captivating. Then the story dives in with a man’s love for the seas. A captain, a pirate, a soldier, whatever one may call him, he traversed the waters, navigating adventures, pillaging and plundering. Suddenly, the reader is thrust into a Pirates of the Caribbean world with its historical significance and enriching dialogue. However, the start-up didn’t quite compel me as much as the Johnny Depp movie. It was pretty slow in the beginning. In fact, it kind of continued on the same lag for the bulk of the story. Sailors, Ladies, Kings, and Trojans all abounded in this convoluted tale.
I thought this would be a story of love, judging by the title, summary, and prologue. Oddly, I found the prologue to be the most alluring aspect of it.
This is mainly an adventure story with a splash of historical romance, which is fine and dandy but not really my niche.
 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: SMUGGLERS AND SCONES by Morgan C. Talbott

Pippa runs a bed and breakfast inn, where authors can relax and unwind.
"All my guests were mystery authors, as per Raymond Moore's will, and though they came in all shapes, sizes, experience levels, and subgenres, they were all hopelessly dedicated to their craft."  (9)
Pippa had that cute charm that hits a soft spot for the reader. The author definitely had a way with words and infused a delightful wit to an endearing character.
The story had a slow start that only progressed at a superfluously lagging pace throughout. I thought that the premise of murder combined with the history and folklore of an enriching ghost tale was interesting, but, unfortunately, the point of it all took much longer than it should've. For me, a good mystery should be well endowed with the capacity to keep you on your toes. And, while this book was indeed well endowed with fruitful details and vibrant settings, it wasn't the page-turner I was expecting.

My rating: 2.5 stars