Marie August's Blog, page 21
May 25, 2013
Book Review: The Admiral's Bride by Suzanne Brockmann
Fantastic hero, great story!The Admiral's Bride (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Book 7) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November, 1999
Publisher: Silhouette; First Edition
Pages: 256 pages
Source: Library
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
Out of Ms. Brockmann's many fabulous heroes, all of whom I adore, I *totally* fell in love with Admiral Jake Robinson! What a man! He is utterly idealistic and principled, but there is never a second of "sappiness" in the author's presentation of his heroism. She provides totally believable motivation for exactly why he seems so noble to others. In short: no matter how many people he has saved in Vietnam and throughout the rest of his illustrious career, he has always regretted the ones he wasn't able to save.
At 52, Jake has been widowed for several years after a happy, 30-year marriage to an artist. The heroine, Zoe Lange, is different in every way from Jake's deceased wife, but she is truly his soul mate. Like him, she works in covert operations and feels a huge adrenaline rush from the danger. Because their work is so similar, Zoe understands Jake's career as his dead wife never could.
Many times internal conflicts such as Jake's guilt about the age difference between him and Zoe can get tedious in romance because the hero's "angsting" gets excessive. Happily, Ms. Brockmann never crosses that line. The very traits of honor and commitment and deep, abiding love that make the heroine fall in love with Jake are the things that believably keep them apart until the tumultuous climax.
Zoe is a fabulous heroine. Brilliant, competent, and independent, she never wanted to marry because she put her career above everything else in life. She loves her work as a scientist specializing in biological warfare. Like Jake, she knows her work is very important because it saves so many lives. So up until Jake, she only got involved with men as potential lovers that she was sure she would fall in love with only a little bit.
However, almost immediately with Jake she realizes this is not going to be the case. She loses her previous control, because it is impossible to keep any distance from this incredible man.
As for the love scenes--whew! TOTALLY HOT! Because Ms. Brockmann writes in close-third point of view, we get to be intensely immersed in the passionate feelings of each character in these scenes as well as all others. The author never distracts us by the dizzying head-hopping many other romance authors succumb to. We are always close-in and utterly personally involved by her seamless writing style.
All in all this is a truly magnificent book worthy of the many awards it will undoubtedly win, as so many other of Ms. Brockmann's books have. The only "complaint" I have is that the book had to end!
It's not essential to read the 11 books in Brockmann's Tall, Dark and Dangerous series in order, but it greatly adds to one's enjoyment to do so. Each book sets up the book to follow it, introducing more intimately the SEAL who will be the hero of the next book. This is the order in which this series was first released:
Prince Joe
, originally published June 1996 Forever Blue, originally published October 1996 Frisco's Kid
, originally published January 1997 Everyday, Average Jones
, originally published August 1998 Harvard's Education
, originally published October 1998 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
, originally published December 1998 The Admiral's Bride, originally published November 1999 Identity: Unknown
, originally published January 2000 Get Lucky 
, originally published March 2000 Taylor's Temptation
, originally published July 2001 Night Watch
, originally published September 2003
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Hero: 5
Romance Plot: 5
Action-Adventure Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Overall: 5
My Photos from the All-Nighter at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
May 24, 2013
Book Review: Taylor's Temptation by Suzanne Brockmann
Review of Kindle Edition, reissue of 2001 short contemporary romanceTaylor's Temptation (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Book 10) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 1, 2001
Publisher: Silhouette; First Edition
Pages: 256 pages
Source: Library
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
Bobby Taylor is a mammoth man, six-foot-six and built like a wrestler. He is handsome, with Native American ancestry, and a long, sexy braid. Though he is a fierce Navy SEAL, he is gentle and protective toward all women, but especially Colleen Skelly. Though she is a grown woman of 23, currently in law school and extremely strong and independent, Colleen's brother Wes, who is a fellow SEAL, the same age as Bobby, and Bobby's best friend for 15 years, refuses to see her as anything but a child. He is intensely protective of her, up to and including insisting to her--and to Bobby--over and over across the years that he never wants his sister to marry a SEAL, and Bobby shares Wes's opinion. Divorce rates are very high among their peers because SEALs are frequently, precipitously called from home for indefinite lengths of time, their work is extremely dangerous and classified, and to add insult on injury, they receive very low pay and can barely afford to support a family.
Unknown to Bobby, Colleen has been in love with him for years, and unknown to Colleen, Bobby has been in love with her since she was 19, but neither of them has ever made a move on the other because they have never been alone--they've only seen each other when Bobby has come with Wes to visit his family, with Wes always there as a physical wall between them. Until the day when Wes asks Bobby, who is recovering from bullet wounds in his back and leg received from saving Wes's life in a recent SEAL raid, to go to Boston and talk Colleen out of leading a civilian, orphan-saving, aid-worker mission into a war-torn, Third World country overrun with terrorists. Wes can't go himself to try and talk sense into Colleen because he's shipping out on a SEAL assignment, and he begs Bobby to go in his place.
The moment Bobby sees Colleen, he knows he's in trouble. Deep, deep trouble. Unlike Wes, Bobby has no problem viewing her as a woman--a very beautiful, voluptuous, desirable woman--even though Bobby has known her since she was a child. Not only that, without Wes around as a chaperone, Bobby is shocked when Colleen, for the first time ever, makes it blatantly clear she wants him. Bobby is terrified that, against Colleen's best interests, he won't be able to resist her. She is so intensely, impractically idealistic and so vibrantly alive, he feels jaded and ancient next to her, even though he is only ten years older. And he has no right to offer her anything but a casual affair, since he is not husband material, but a tawdry fling with the woman he loves would be a complete betrayal of both Colleen and his best friend, Wes.
This story has a very hot romance. Bobby is an extremely sympathetic hero, smart, sensitive, kind, protective--and a powerful, gifted warrior. I'm not wild about Colleen in that she often gets so carried away asserting her independence from her over-protective brother, and his proxy Bobby, that she, as the saying goes, "cuts off her nose to spite her face." She acts like a careless idiot, not doing the most basic things to protect her own safety. Other than that, though, the fire between her and Bobby is so strong, that it is easy to overlook her flaws.
As is expected in each Brockmann book based on SEALs, there is an exciting, action-packed climax in this book with, in this case, every one of the main SEALs in this series showing up in the story.
I was a big fan of Brockmann back in the days when she wrote short, contemporary romances for Harlequin's Silhouette Intimate Moments line, and I read every one of her Tall, Dark & Dangerous Series about Navy SEALs when they were first released. I have recently been rereading them in Kindle format, and so far all of them I've read have been well-formatted and edited, including this book.
It's not essential to read the 11 books in Brockmann's Tall, Dark and Dangerous series in order, but it greatly adds to one's enjoyment to do so. Each book sets up the book to follow it, introducing more intimately the SEAL who will be the hero of the next book. This is the order in which this series was first released:
Prince Joe, originally published June 1996 Forever Blue, originally published October 1996 Frisco's Kid, originally published January 1997 Everyday, Average Jones, originally published August 1998 Harvard's Education, originally published October 1998 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, originally published December 1998 The Admiral's Bride, originally published November 1999 Identity: Unknown, originally published January 2000 Get Lucky , originally published March 2000 Taylor's Temptation, originally published July 2001 Night Watch, originally published September 2003
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Hero: 5
Romance Plot: 5
Action-Adventure Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Overall: 5
Book Review: Send Me No Flowers by Trish Jensen
Fun, small-town, romantic comedy Send Me No Flowers by Trish Jensen
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Pages: 160 pages
Source: Net Galley
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
When she was a child living in Daredevil, South Carolina, Jenny Creighton was overweight, and her peers taunted her with the cruel nickname, "Jumbo Jenny." Not only that, her mother was considered "loony." Rob Townsend was a few years older than her and very protective of the little girl, standing up for her against the bullies on many occasions until Jenny's family moved away when she was 10 years old. Decades have passed, but Jenny never forgot his kindness, and he was at least part of the reason she has returned to Daredevil and opened a flower shop.
Jenny has slimmed down greatly, not from dieting, but from loss of appetite due to grief at her husband's death. No one recognizes Jumbo Jenny in the lovely widow she is today--including Rob, who has grown into a handsome, sexy man and is the town's sheriff. Jenny doesn't rush to point out who she is, because she doesn't want to remind everyone about her unhappy past. She is enjoying too much the way everyone sees her now. In an attempt to help out Jenny's business, Rob begins ordering from her expensive flower arrangements to send to various women of Daredevil when he ends his temporary, romantic relationships with them. Rob is the local heartbreaker who has dated every attractive woman in town, and many outside of Daredevil. He never stays with anyone more than a few weeks, and women grimace and shy away from poor Jenny when she arrives to deliver Rob's flowers. The reactions are so dismayed, Jenny is worried that Rob's orders will actually harm her business. Then, suddenly, Rob starts acting as if he wants to date Jenny, and though Jenny is extremely attracted to him and respects his innate kindness, she has no desire to be just one more in a long line of his short-term lovers.
Jenny and Rob are attractive, sympathetic protagonists, and it's a wonderful ride seeing them progress from friendship to romance without rushing straight into bed. Each is vulnerable in her or his own way, and this creates believable and emotionally intense romantic conflict. There is also an important subplot about Rob's injured, ex-fireman brother that is very moving.
The entire theme of being misjudged for superficial reasons, and the journey to discover and reveal to each other their deepest, truest selves is extremely well done.
I very much enjoyed the colorful, Southern culture and inhabitants of small-town Daredevil. All of the subcharacters are vividly drawn and completely three-dimensional, especially Rob's wonderful brother, yet they never upstage the appealing protagonists.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4
Hero: 4
Romantic Comedy Plot: 4
Writing: 4
Overall: 4
May 23, 2013
Book Review: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Suzanne Brockmann
Intensely emotional and sexy readIt Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Book 6) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Silhouette Intimate Moments
Source: Purchased
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
Navy SEAL Billy "Crash" Hawken was practically raised by his cousin Daisy and her common-law husband, Admiral Jake Robinson, after his mother died when he was ten years old, and his uncaring father neglected him. In his adult life, he is closer to them than anyone on earth. Then he learns that Daisy has an inoperable brain tumor. Getting through the tragedy of Daisy's last days on earth is made both more difficult and more bearable by living under the same roof with beautiful, sensitive Nell Burns, Daisy's personal assistant. Crash works for "grey ops," super-secret missions as an assassin, with Jake as his direct supervisor. He is out of the country most of the time, and he feels he is a terrible prospect for any woman as a long-term mate. Until meeting Nell, he's never had any trouble maintaining emotional distance, but the combination of Daisy's final illness and Nell's empathy and compassion has him breaking all the rules he's set for himself, and massively falling for Nell. With extreme difficulty, he convinces himself as much as Nell that he has nothing to offer her and drives her away.
Crash ignores every attempt Nell makes to contact him for an entire year. Then she suddenly views on the evening news Crash's arrest for the murder of Jake Robinson. Strong evidence is stacked against Crash, but Nell has not a single doubt of his innocence, and she is determined to prove it to the world, even though Crash tells her to stay out of it when she visits him in prison.
This book is memorable on two counts. First, we get to experience Crash and Nell, an amazing couple. I fell in love with both of them, and the passion and tenderness between them is mind-bogglingly intense.
Second, it is great to experience the backstory of another one of Brockmann's amazing heroes, Admiral Jake. He is the hero of The Admiral's Bride, which is the next book in this wonderful SEAL series.
These books do not absolutely have to be read in order, but readers will definitely get an extra impact from the series if they are, because we get to know individual SEALs little by little across the series before each has his own book, and plot lines from one book often feed into another. In the case of this book, the events of the book just prior to this one, Harvard's Education, are highly significant to the suspense plot.
This is the order in which this series was first released: Prince Joe, originally published June 1996 Forever Blue, originally published October 1996 Frisco's Kid, originally published January 1997 Everyday, Average Jones, originally published August 1998 Harvard's Education, originally published October 1998 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, originally published December 1998 The Admiral's Bride, originally published November 1999 Identity: Unknown, originally published January 2000 Get Lucky , originally published March 2000 Taylor's Temptation, originally published July 2001 Night Watch, originally published September 2003
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Hero: 5
Romance Plot: 5
Suspense Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Overall: 5
Book Review: Harvard's Education by Suzanne Brockmann
Wonderful romance, terrific action-adventureHarvard's Education (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Book 5) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 1998
Publisher: Silhouette Intimate Moments
Pages: 249 pages
Source: Library
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
FInCOM agent P.J. Richards is a small woman, but extremely fit, strong, intelligent, and with shooting abilities that are off the chart. She demands no special consideration as she and several other FInCOM agents team up for eight weeks with the legendary U.S. Navy SEALs for a joint exercise. P.J. is on a roll with her career, and she has no intention of being thrown off course by romance, but Senior Chief "Harvard" Becker puts every man she's ever known in the shade. He's huge, gorgeous, and as smart as she is, but he doesn't think that she, as a woman, should be on this mission. Not that he holds much respect either for the male "Finks," as the SEALs so insultingly call them, because they're careless, lazy, and out of shape. Only P.J. stands as a contradiction to the SEALs' belief that any real joint mission with FInCOM agents would be a disaster because it would drastically slow down the SEALs.
Brockmann does a wonderful job of portraying two appealing African-American characters, from opposite sides of the proverbial tracks. Harvard is the child of a privileged upbringing as the son of a college professor, and P.J. hales from a difficult upbringing in the inner city. In reaction to her mother's promiscuity, though P.J. is in her mid-20s, she is still a virgin, and the most unusual virgin heroine in a short-contemporary romance I've ever read. P.J. is anything but naive or innocent. She simply respects her body and her future and knows exactly what she wants--and does not want--from life.
The passion between these two attractive protagonists is immense, and the action in the final act of the story is riveting. P.J. and Harvard make a fantastic team, and the rescue they take on together would be captivating on the big screen.
I originally read this book when it was released 15 years ago in 1998. This book was just as exciting to read the second time around as the first, and given the world we live in today, the themes are quite timely. I read a Kindle edition which is well formatted and edited.
It's not essential to read the 11 books in Brockmann's Tall, Dark and Dangerous series in order, but it greatly adds to one's enjoyment to do so. Each book sets up the book to follow it, introducing more intimately the SEAL who will be the hero of the next book. This is the order in which this series was first released:
Prince Joe, originally published June 1996 Forever Blue, originally published October 1996 Frisco's Kid, originally published January 1997 Everyday, Average Jones, originally published August 1998 Harvard's Education, originally published October 1998 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, originally published December 1998 The Admiral's Bride, originally published November 1999 Identity: Unknown, originally published January 2000 Get Lucky , originally published March 2000 Taylor's Temptation, originally published July 2001 Night Watch, originally published September 2003
Book Review: Night Watch by Suzanne Brockmann
Review of Kindle Edition, reissue of 2003 short contemporary romanceNight Watch (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, #11) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 31, 2011
Publisher: HQN Books; Reprint edition
Pages: 384 pages
Source: Purchased
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
This book was originally released as No. 11 of the Tall, Dark & Dangerous Series published in 2003 by the Silhouette Intimate Moments, short, contemporary romance line from Harlequin. It has been re-released several times, most recently in Kindle format. I was a big fan of this series a decade ago, and it is a pleasure to re-read these books now on my Kindle Fire. This book is well edited and formatted.
Brittany Evans is a nurse in her early 30's with a 19-year-old baseball prodigy and former troubled teen as her adopted son, Andy (we first met him and Brittany in Everyday, Average Jones when Andy was 12). Her sister Melody is married to Harlan "Cowboy" Jones, one of the members of the SEAL team that 32-year-old U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Wes Skelly belongs to. Melody sets up Brittany on a blind date with Wes, and neither Brittany nor Wes expects it to lead to anything, but an unexpectedly strong physical attraction, coupled with an honest, real friendship based in mutual respect and liking, has both of them wondering if their connection could become something much deeper.
I enjoyed this book the second time around, something that doesn't always happen for me as I seem to become a more jaded and picky reader with every year that goes by. This book holds up well for its age, even though technology has advanced from 10 years ago.
Brittany is a very strong heroine, and Wes is what is known as a "wounded hero," but not in a sappy way. The main attraction of a short, contemporary romance is the journey, not the destination, because the destination is guaranteed, a terrific, satisfying, happily ever after. This particular journey has great emotional depth between the two lovers, as well as an exciting action-adventure plot in which Wes attempts to foil a dangerous stalker threatening the younger sister of the wife of one of his fellow SEALs.
As is expected in each book of Brockmann's based on SEALs, there is an exciting, action-packed climax. Not only does Wes show his chops as a member of SEAL Team Ten, but Brittany also shows herself to be a strong fighter and survivor, full of the physical and moral courage required in a woman who aspires to be the significant other of a warrior in a very dangerous profession.
It's not essential to read the 11 books in Brockmann's Tall, Dark and Dangerous series in order, but it greatly adds to one's enjoyment to do so. Each book sets up the book to follow it, pulling to the forefront the SEAL who is the hero of the next book. This is the order in which this series was first released:
Prince Joe, originally published June 1996 Forever Blue, originally published October 1996 Frisco's Kid, originally published January 1997 Everyday, Average Jones, originally published August 1998 Harvard's Education, originally published October 1998 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, originally published December 1998 The Admiral's Bride, originally published November 1999 Identity: Unknown, originally published January 2000 Get Lucky , originally published March 2000 Taylor's Temptation, originally published July 2001 Night Watch, originally published September 2003
May 22, 2013
Book Review: Insatiable by Meg Cabot
Fun new chick-lit urban fantasy series!Insatiable by Meg Cabot
Reading Level: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 464 pages
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
In addition to making her living writing for a highly rated soap opera, twenty-something New Yorker, Meena Harper, has the uncanny ability of accurately predicting how people will die. Though she's saved many lives over the years, she feels like a freak because of her gift. She compensates for her insecurities by throwing all her energy into succeeding at her job and is positive she's going to be promoted to head writer any day now. But instead, a ditzy fellow writer uses her connections to the higher-ups in the company to bump Meena aside and steal her promotion. Worse, she informs Meena that the show needs a dose of vampires to make it really pop. Meena is positive this change will ruin the show, but she's powerless to do anything to stop it. She's still struggling with this major nosedive in her career when a gorgeous stranger named Lucien saves her from an eerie bat attack while she's walking her dog late at night. Meena is bowled over by Lucien's bravery, charisma and dazzling looks, and immediately begins dating him. But just as she's begun to fall in love with Lucien a bizarre, sword-toting vampire-hunter named Alaric breaks into Meena's apartment. He demands that she help him take down Lucien because her lover is not only a vampire, he's the head honcho over all the vampires of the world. Meena refuses to believe Alaric until she's sucked into a vicious vampire war in which a bitter rival attempts to topple Lucien from power.
I'm a big fan of Meg Cabot's books, young adult and adult as well, and this book is definitely my favorite so far of everything she's written. I've always enjoyed her sense of humor, and this book has a strong dose of her witty, chick-lit voice. There are lots of sly hits at the common themes in urban fantasy today as well as current trends in popular culture in general. I found Meena extremely likeable, and the romance with sexy Lucien irresistible.
At first the love triangle with Alaric is played for laughs as a comic riff on the common staple of female-centric urban fantasies of the heroine's competing love interests. But Alaric's character grows a lot over the course of the book, becoming a viable romantic contender. This is something the reader is allowed to experience directly, because Cabot uses multiple points of view for the book, a choice I personally applaud because it gives the reader a much wider field of vision to get into the story. In addition to Meena and Alaric, we are allowed to dip into Lucien's head and that of Meena's brother--a wacky subcharacter who is a source of a lot of laughs in the book. But in spite of the movement into multiple points of view, there's never any doubt that Meena is the star of this show, and of this newly minted series.
For those who love lots of action in their urban fantasy, Cabot fully satisfies that, as well, particularly in her exciting battle at the climax of the story. Some of the magic that goes down in that scene is really different and original for the vampire genre.
I highly recommend this book to both Meg Cabot fans and those who love urban fantasy with a strong romantic subplot.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Hero: 5
Subcharacters: 5
Fantasy World-Building: 5
Writing: 5
Romance Plot: 4
Overall: 5
May 21, 2013
Book Review: Identity: Unknown by Suzanne Brockmann
A wonderful book by an extremely talented authorIdentity: Unknown (Tall, Dark & Dangerous, Book 8) by Suzanne Brockmann
Reading Level: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 1, 1999
Pages: 256 pages
Publisher: Silhouette
Source: Purchased
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
Navy SEAL Mitchell Shaw awakes one morning in a homeless shelter with a raging headache. Everyone around him assumes he's just another homeless addict, but he's not suffering from a temporary alcohol-induced blackout. He can't remember anything about himself. There are only two clues available to him to discover his lost identity: an address that leads him to a ranch headed by beautiful manager, Becca Keyes--and a gun.
Since I first discovered her work, it has been my pleasure to read every book that Suzanne Brockmann has written. I have many favorites by this wonderful writer, but I have to say that I have particularly enjoyed Identity: Unknown. As an extremely jaded romance reader who has been reading love stories 35 years and romance since its inception in the early 70s, in my opinion, this book totally fulfills the highest purpose of romance, to make the reader feel, and feel intensely. The emotional and passionate impact of this story is tremendous! I believe there are multiple reasons for this achievement.
First, characterization. Since romance, more than any other form of fiction, is utterly character driven, the most essential requirement for excellence is wonderful characters. Ms. Brockmann has totally succeeded at this goal in Identity: Unknown. These characters are not just sympathetic, they leap from the page.
Second, conflict and motivation. This book is brimming with believably motivated and very gripping external, internal, and most important of all, relationship conflict between the lovers. It is essential in a romance that the lovers be together constantly, be absolutely "made for each other," and yet something compelling and believable keep them apart, elements which are there "in spades" in this book.
An additional vital component of excellent fiction, including romance, is great plotting. It is very evident in this book in Ms. Brockmann's fascinating use of a continuing Navy SEAL theme. When Mitch, the hero, receives an injury while on undercover assignment that leads to temporary amnesia, this fascinating plotting device works beautifully with a well-motivated internal conflict centering around the honor and integrity of the hero. This in turn seamlessly leads to the exciting external and internal complications which race the story along and keep the reader rapidly turning pages.
Along with all of the above vital components of good popular fiction, in a romance, there is the additional requirement of a love relationship of such an intensity that the reader is moved to tears, quivers and sighs. In this, Ms. Brockmann thrillingly exceeds our expectations. The tenderness, poignancy, trust, compassion, caring--and blazing sensuality--between Mitch and Becca are astounding.
Mitch is one of my all-time favorite heroes, and, which is all-important for me as a reader, the heroine is worthy of him in her ability to love, her bravery, initiative, independence, and ethics.
Do yourself a favor and read this book, one of the best the romance genre has to offer! And after you do, pass it on to all your friends and relations who have ever scoffed at romance.
May 20, 2013
Book Review: The Starter Boyfriend by Tina Ferraro
Contemporary, young adult, chick lit novel The Starter Boyfriend by Tina Ferraro
Reading Level: Young Adult
Release Date: November 4, 2012
Pages: 162
Source: Purchased
Reviewed By: Kate McMurry
Seventeen-year-old Courtney has an enviable part-time job at a tuxedo-rental store. Her boss is a great guy, cute boys come in regularly to be fitted, and best of all is her "starter boyfriend," a store mannequin Courtney has dubbed with the name, "Tux." She knows that clinging to a mannequin like a child with a teddy bear is nuts, but talking to Tux is extremely safe and soothing, while talking to the living, breathing boy she adores from afar is anything but. Unfortunately for poor Courtney, her long-time friend, a gorgeous, blond surfer named Adam (who is pictured on the terrific cover for this book), has never shown the least indication he returns her romantic feelings.
This book has comic moments, but it has many serious issues as well. Courtney is the child of an alcoholic mother who abandoned her, and ever since Courtney's mother left them, her father has depended on Courtney far too much to run their home and take care of him. The "romance" with the mannequin sounds, on the surface, like a clever, comic premise, but in its execution it is often more sad than funny.
There are elements of family drama, coming of age, and a tiny bit of romance in this appealing story. The ending is a bit rushed, but overall the story is satisfying and uplifting.
I purchased this book as a Kindle edition. It is well designed, formatted and edited.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4
Subcharacters: 4
Coming of Age Plot: 4
Family Drama Plot: 4
Writing: 4
Overall: 4
