Comment: Getting "Stuck" on Certain Authors

Just a quick few lines that I have been pondering for some time.

I think we all get stuck on certain authors. I was never more aware of this than the last trip I made to our local Used Book Store in Palmdale, CA -- The Little Book Bug Bookstore -- when I was looking for some books by my usual favorite authors. Guess what: they weren't there. They are favorite authors of lots of other people, and as I stood by those shelves looking at the other books being offered, I became aware of how limited my "favorite author" list really was.

I know I definitely have my literary comfort zones. There are just some kinds of books I don't like nearly as well as others. But by virtue of my reviewing hobby, I have read sci-fi (which I would never have chosen on my own) and lots of paranormal romance (which has gradually become more and more a favorite of mine) and I see my tastes changing and my comfort zones expanding. Now that has not always been an easy transition. Expanding comfort zones is sort of like doing a new exercise: you use muscles you had forgotten you had. Mental expansion is very much like that, and I don't enjoy it anymore than the next person. But I have learned that not to allow new ideas and new ways of enjoying the world of fiction is to miss out on so much creativity that is absolutely mind-boggling in its scope and beauty.

Those of us who review and have book blogs certainly have to appreciate the creativity of the authors whose books we read. And I think we have to be creative in expressing our feelings about those books. I have come to believe that if I don't keep on opening myself to new genres and greater exposure to some kinds of books I have previously avoided, then I limit my own ability to be creative. I have to admit that I have read some books that have been very oblique in their message. As I try to get my mind around what their story is relating, I find that mental stretching very satisfying. And at my age, the ability to do any kind of stretching is a victory.

So here is a question I am posing: How have each of us expanded our literary comfort zones in the past months or years?

I would love to hear your responses.

Review: Now and Forever A Love Story by Jean C. Joachim

This is the inaugural fictional work of Ms Joachim who is a published author in the non-fiction field. It is a story of a hurting, grieving young woman who has lost her best friend and fiance in the war in the Middle East. He had been her friend and support during the dark days after her parents' death when she was sixteen. Their friendship had grown into love and they were planning to be married after this final deployment overseas, a tour of duty from which he never returned.

Now Callie Richards is 26 years old, having grieved for two long and lonely years, and she has decided that she needs to complete her post-graduate education at a New York university. Taking part of the insurance money she had received from Kyle's estate, she embarks on what she hopes will be a new start in her life. She is really broke, barely has enough money to live and only if she misses a few meals during the week. She takes a part-time job in the university's administrative office where she comes in contact with the two academic deans and the president of the school. One of those deans is Mac Caldwell, a 34-year-old divorced father of a toddler who is also lonely and discouraged about the sad state of things with his personal life.

Mac's first marriage had occurred when his girlfriend became pregnant and Mac felt compelled to marry her. Now they are divorced and she is difficult to deal with over the custody issues. She has taken to dropping off their son a day early, causing considerable difficulty for Mac with his work load, academic appointments, and class schedule. Callie offers to babysit in light of her former work experience in daycare centers and private babysitting. When this situation becomes a weekly thing, Mac and Callie become friends and eventually lovers.

It is now that Callie faces the need to let Kyle go and move on, and in Mac she believes she has found the man who can fill her heart and her life. Mac is a man who finds it difficult to express his feelings but he comes to know that Callie is a woman who has depth, maturity, and a compassionate heart. He knows that no matter what her former relationships may have been, he cannot even imagine his life without her. Her relationship with his son is also evidence of her ability to open her heart to anyone, even a child who is not her own.

This is a very nice novel that is really the "biography" of a relationship, one that began with pain and disappointment for both Callie and Mac but which blossomed into passion and love. It is also a novel that has a suspense strand as Callie and Mac both get involved in trying to solve the mystery of who is bringing drugs onto the campus. There are some surprises--actually big surprises--in the resolution of this mystery. There are definitely some significant stresses on Callie and Mac's marriage that involve the ex-wife, custody issues over Mac's son, some residual concerns on Mac's part over Callie's former love, the stress of Callie's class projects as she seeks to finish her master's degree, and the pressure that is upon Mac to fulfill his administrative responsbilities; but that is all part of this story of a relationship. Only in fairy tales do love relationships go smoothly. It is also a story of how both Callie and Mac must make some important personal decisions about how they will open themselves to one another, grow in their relationship, and allow room for each to be who they are. There is kindness, friendship, genuine caring and authentic loving here--the kind that is capable of withstanding the ups and downs that two people must endure as they are finding that easy place with one another.

I liked the people in this story--other than the bad guy's, of course. They were real and could have easily inhabited a modern university. They sounded very much like people we all know. Certainly the circle of support they formed around Callie as she was growing into her role as Mac's wife -- the Dean's wife role -- was quite profound. They weren't "other-worldly" but were the kind of friends and supporters we would all like to have.

This is the kind of love story that I like to read on a cool winter night here in So. California, wrapped in my grandmother's afghan and sitting in front of the fire. It is full of warm fuzzies and good feelings and may even remind some of us of our own experiences. That, IMHO, is a really good read. I give this novel a 4 out of 5 rating.

Review: Second Chance Brides by Vicki McDonough

This is a delightful historical novel set in the tiny town of Lookout, Texas, about 20 years after the Civil War. It was a time when the expansion of the American West was taking its toll on women and children to a far greater extent than on men. It was a the time of the mail-order bride, and the two main characters in this novel were just that, having been wooed into coming to Texas but under false pretenses. But the man they understood was to be their husband (neither woman knew about the other initially) was now going to marry his long-time love. The Corbett brothers had written and entices Leah and Shannon to Lookout, believing that this would push their cousin Luke into finally marrying. Now these women were stranded with no job and no marriage prospects, being supported by the Corbetts until they could find husbands or move on.

Leah was more than willing to leave Missouri after learning that her father had "sold" her to an elderly man. She had been involved in helping her mother raise her 10 siblings, being the oldest, and she just had to get away.

Shannon was a lovely Irish girl who had come to America with her parents because this was her father's dream. Not long after arriving both her parents had dies in one of the 19th century influenza epidemics. She was alone, without any family in a foreign country, and having a home, a husband, and possibly children of her own was something she had long desired. Perhaps this was her opportunity.

This story centers around the efforts of each of these women to move on with their lives. Shannon secures a job with the very brothers who brought her to Texas, tending to their office and doing their bookkeeping. Yet she is so lonely and the man with whom she has fallen in love doesn't appear to return her affection. She must decide whether she will accept someone else's offer of marriage or go elsewhere, perhaps to Dallas.

Leah is at her wits end. Unlike Shannon she has no job and there doesn't appear to be any job prospects for her in Lookout. She is attracted to the local livery owner, but is this the direction her life should take? Even when it appears that this is the one with whom she will spend the rest of her days, true love definitely doesn't run smooth.

This is a beautiful love story for each of these women, but each woman's experience is marked by worry over the future, courage to face the unknown, and finally hope. Each has a personal faith that is the foundation of their lives which sustains them through some very tough times. Were it not for their faith and their belief that God had brought them to Lookout for a reason, each would have been awash in depression and discouragement. It is a story of friendship and caring, community and sharing in the difficult days of the Old West. In the midst of fire, injury, sickness, and tornadoes, the people of that time struggled and carved out a life for themselves. It embraces the values of live that are seen as the bedrock of the American culture. There is also a lovely side story that involves the daughter of the local marshall, her adventures with her friends, and the lessons she learns through those experiences.

This is a gentle story that is taken right out of the pages of the history books. Lovers of romance fiction and especially of the Old West will especially like this novel. All in all, I think it was a very good read and one that quite enjoyable. I am going to be sure and get this book for my granddaughter. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

Review: Do Over by Mari Carr

Oh my, oh my, get out your hankies on this one! This is a very emotional novel that will warm your heart, stroke your libido, and keep you enthralled. Now I have to own up to being a confirmed Mari Carr fan and have read and reviewed a number of her books, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to read this one. I had read the publisher's blurb so was somewhat prepared for the gist of the story. I was not prepared for how much it would affect me or how much I would relate to this beautiful story.

Consider a couple now having been married for 25 years, their children now both in college, and they have made a good life together. They have raised their kids, they are financially settled and are facing their coming years together. Only the scenario has changed. They are very used to one another and while they are still in love and are still lovers, they have settled into a predictable pattern in their relationship. They know each other very well.

Now they are coming up that Silver Anniversary celebration and they are not exactly floating in cash--two children in college is definitely a drain on the family resources. But surprise, surprise--this husband has some creativity in his bones and he has chosen to demonstrate it on this occasion. Together with an album filled with pictures that chronicle their romantic history--from their first date to the present--they re-visit their old haunts and relive each occasion that was important in their courtship and marriage. There are some surprises along the way and those surprises introduce them to some previously undiscovered depths to their passion and their love for one another.

This book is filled with memories, joy and remembrance, celebrating the past and the present, loving and passion, discoveries that tap into long hidden urges that give their relationship new life and meaning. It is the kind of story that taps into our own romantic memories, but reminds the reader that a trip down memory lane doesn't necessarily mean the same ole, same old. It can be the start of something that is new and delightful in a relationship that has been built successfully on authentic regard, friendship and love, but which needs to expand and branch out into new ways of expressing that love.

I would further comment that this is not just what some would call "chick-lit." It is a look at a man who has been hard-working all his life, a man's man in the truest sense, who loves his wife and kids, who seeks to the best he can be at his craft, but who has not usually taken the time and made the effort to express his deepest thoughts. In the letters Troy has written to Faith (that accompany each picture in their memory album) he has expressed his feelings in a way that would make any man proud and any woman delighted to receive. Together this couple could be a model for those who are in a relationship that is truly loving and enduring but needs to be jump-started into new vistas of romantic discovery.

So get out your book-buying budget and tweak those numbers so you can buy this book. I don't think you will be disappointed. (You might want to buy an extra box of tissues as well.) I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5.

This book was released 4 October 2010/

Review: Dawn's Awakening by Lora Leigh

The runt of the Council lab Breeds, Dawn Daniels has endured years of torture by her Pride brother and the Council soldiers. Finally freed from her torment, she is now a Breed Enforcer in control of her own life. Then she is assigned to protect the one man who is destined to be her mate--and realizes it's far too easy to lose total control.

One of the Breeds' most important supporters, Seth Lawrence has spent years trying to forget Dawn, knowing that her lost innocence has made it impossible for her to get close to anyone. But suddenly neither of them can find the strength to fight the overwhelming passion between them. At least, until the most brutal tormenter from Dawn's past reappears and threatens to destroy their newfound love--and their lives.

This is Book #14 in Lora Leigh's Breeds Series, and like all the preceeding books is full of pathos, edgey with emotion and remembered pain, and tons and tons of political, military, and emotional conflict. Dawn's "brother", Callan Lyons has watched over her since his earliest days of knowing Dawn. He had been transferred to her Council lab and had immediately taken this "runt" of the Breeds under his wing. After they escaped and were able to establish Sanctuary as a safe haven for the feline breeds, Callan did all he could to insulate Dawn from her memories of being raped and tortured repeatedly, drugged in order to induce mating heat, and having her sense of self systematically attacked by no less than her Pride brother, Dayan.

During her first year at Sanctuary, Dawn was introduced to Seth Lawrence, CEO of Lawrence Industries and the biggest financial supporter of the Breeds' efforts to establish their own communities. She was terrified of any man but especially of Seth as she perceived his attraction to her and his desire to establish a relationship with him. One brief kiss, and the Mating Heat was upon them both. Even so, Seth allowed Callan to convince him that he needed to stay away from Dawn until she could conquer her fears and come to peace with her past. Now ten years later, Callan assigns Dawn to protect Seth whose life is now being threatened because of his support of the Breeds. But before she departs Sanctuary, Callan tells her that Seth has now "beaten" the Mating Heat, that he is no longer her mate, and that he is on the verge of marrying another. In spite of her pain and upset, Dawn goes forward with her assignment. And, as it is often said, the story goes on from there.

This is a very intense read. Of all the Breeds, whether canine of feline, this story seems to be the one filled most with the horrors of what was done to all the Breeds while held captive in the Council labs. That Dawn is unable to truly remember everything may seem a grace, but keeping those memories blocked also keeps her from grieving and from moving on. Now she has caught the scent of someone she vaguely remembers but she can't remember where. Little does she know it is the man who tormented her almost continually for years, who has now determined that he will once again enslave her to his perversion. Her terror, her anger, her disappointment and sense of betrayal are almost palpable. Ms Leigh writes of these emotions and the characters affected by them very powerfully, not overwhelming the story with internal dialogue by any means, but using a wonderful efficiency of words portrays what these characters are feeling.

This story is about pain--remembered and forgotten, about betrayal and disappointment, about love lost and regained, about loyalty and trust, love of family even when that love seems misdirected. It is also a continuation of several of the other stories highlighted in previous books in this series, as Ms Leigh has chosen to keep the reader involved with their ongoing personal histories as a part of the back story of each succeeding novel. I like that a lot. Most of all, the relationship between Dawn and Seth is very intense as he demonstrates that his love for her is equal to the challenges of what lies in their immediate futures as well as helping her deal with the past. I think my most favorite indicator of his love for her is that everywhere he traveled in the ten years they were apart--when he specifically thought of her and when surrounded by the scents of a particular place, he would commission a soap maker to produce products that would carry that unique scent so that he could hopefully share that with her in the future. Now there's a really romantic guy!

So even though this book was written a few years ago, I think it is worth reading or re-visiting. This is one of those books that might just involve getting the old crying tissue box out and keeping it handy. I give this book a rating of 4.75 out of 5.

Review: Second Chances by Lauren Dane

Writer Lauren Dane has given us a novel about a woman who has returned to her hometown after a decade of finding herself, emerging as a whole person, recovering from her mother's imposed image of her, developing her skills as a writer of note, and re-establishing her life after a painful break-up with her ex who had betrayed her. Now Rori is becoming re-acquainted with old friends, enjoying sibling togetherness with her sister, her brother-in-law, and her nephews, and even hooking up with a guy or two who would not have even given her a second look ten years earlier. Her dream date Jude, a guy who had been one of the few who had even bothered to get to know her in years past and about whom she had fantasized for years, latches on to her immediately, and their connection is hot and intense. But Jude likes to play the field, surrounding him with lots of women--even telling Rori up front that he was seeing other girls. But after some uncomfortable encounters with Jude's other interests, Rori decides that she just can't be in any kind of relationship with him. For a time their friendship was even in doubt.

On the same night Rori jetisons Jude from her life and from her bed, she meets the brother of one of her old friends, Zach Helm, a good-looking, caring, intense, and dominant young man who believes almost immediately that he has met "his woman." He introduces Rori to the BDSM lifestyle in the bedroom, and she discovers that this new kind of relating answers some long-standing questions about her deepest, darkest needs and urges. Their relationship grows into love and they eventually marry about a year after they meet. Jude is devastated because he knows he has lost Rori, the woman for whom he has been searching for years, completely due to his immaturity and foolishness. Not having Rori causes him to face himself and to grow up, and he knows that he will always love her. However, he is willing to have her friendship and Zach's as well if he can't have her love.

This story is about love lost and won, joy and disappointment, grieving and renewal. The characters are real and believable. It is full of friendship, family, and fun. Rori has become a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, enjoying the BDSM and the way it fulfills her, but not reluctant to set some boundaries that are necessary to her self-perception. She even takes on her own mother lovingly, declaring her independence from parental judment and criticism that has oppressed her for years. Zach and Jude are both strong, dominant, Alpha kind of guys, men of honor and great depth, not afraid for someone to see gentleness as well as strength. And you have to love her sister Kelly, who with her husband Mac, form a circle of support and acceptance that keeps Rori balanced and whole. In so many ways and on so many levels this novel is about a journey of discovery for Rori, Zach and Jude. Each discovers important aspects about themselves as they grow into really wonderful people, accepting the limits of their relationships with one another, respecting those boundaries.

Romance fans will find this novel truly satisfying--lots of hot loving and warm fuzzies. There are emotional ups and downs galore, twists and turns in the storyline that keep the reader moving on to the next page. I couldn't put it down--read it all in one sitting. Ms Dane has demonstrated considerable flare in putting this work together--good plot, interesting storyline, strong characters that the reader can relate to, a great ending, and enough surprises to keep any reader's interest. It is the stuff of which good fiction is made. All in all, it is a terrific read. I give this novel a 4.5 out of 5.

Second Chances will be released by Carina Press in November, 2010.

Review: Touch of Temptation by Ryannon Byrd

Introduced in Edge of Hunger, Book One in the Primal Instincts series, Kellan Scott was your quintessential bad boy then. While he is still bad where it counts, he has finally grown up and is attempting to be the hero readers have always known he could be. Now the gorgeous shape-shifter is taking control of his life, trying to move beyond thoughtless living and moving from mess to another mess. He is now willing to do absolutely anything for the passionate little witch who has stolen his heart, and who is now awakening the passions of the possessive wolf who lives within him.

Cloe Harcourt has struggled all her life, intentionally living alone and away from people, trying to keep her unusual powers over other people's emotions in check, never trusting that any man could love her for herself. That is, until her mesmerizing rescuer awakens a craving for his touch. Their all-consuming passion is their most effective weapon against their sadistic captor. But Kellan's greatest challenge may be to convince Chloe that he is worthy of her undying love, or die in the process.

Ryannon Byrd has established herself as a writer of note in several literary fiction genre's and this sixth book in her Primal Instincts features characters that have walked through the five previous books. This is a world of vampires, Death Walkers, shape-shifters, witches--of territories and Wastelands and sadistic individuals who want to capture the special abilities of gifted persons to use in their push for absolute power. Thus Chloe Harcourt has been taken prisoner. She is a witch who has newly awakened powers, whose family has lived under an ancient curse that has bound her powers, making it nearly impossible for her to live around others. She has now gradually discovering her sexual powers are expanding as another entity who lives within her has become more powerful, one which needs regular feedings of blood--the Merrick--and which can give her great physical strength.

Kellan Scott has been in love with Chloe since he saw her picture, almost struck dumb by her pristine beauty. His wolf has been nearly out of control in believing that Chloe is his mate. Kellan's long personal history of liasons with all the wrong people at the wrong time have made his new efforts to do right suspect to those who know him well. Yet he is determined to prove his new-found maturity, and he is determined to find and rescue Chloe. He must travel the
Wastelands, using all his keen senses and all he had learned about living to succeed. The journey is fraught with danger and Kellan encounters life-threatening difficulties, having been poisoned by a vampired bite. Yet while he has his strength he is bent on bringing Chloe to freedom.

This is, in many ways, a suspense and action thriller, paired with a tender and winsome love story. Chloe needs what Kellan has to offer--his blood and his sexual energy--but he wants her love to be his even as he belongs to her. He refuses to mark her because he believes he is slowly dying from the progressive effects of the vampire poison. He is even willing to go after Chloe's captor at the cost of his own life, believing that his former life choices have made him unworthy of Chloe's love and a life with her.

This story embraces a bad boy who finally grows up, one who finally becomes willing to take responsibility for his choices and who wants to do what is right for those he loves, even if it means he must give his life to do so. It is the story of a lonely lady who must face her own power, make some decisions about how she is willing to live out her future, and learn to accept the loving presence of friends and family in her life. It is also the story of an uneasy truce between species who have been formerly at odds, who now share a common enemy and must learn to fight side by side to win the day. There is family loyalty, betrayal, wounds and hurt, disappointment, and great heroism in this tale and the reader meets some strong characters that are good people. The bad guys are here, too, yet all are metaphors for all that we have come to know about the timeless battle between good and evil.

Romance fiction fans and paranormal readers will all find good reading here. Ms Byrd has a wonderful way with words and she has used her considerable talent to write an engaging tale that will keep the reader involved from start to finish. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

This novel is scheduled for release in November, 2010.