Fairly Blah

I finally slogged my way to the finish line this morning on My Fair Temptress by Christina Dodd. I certainly didn't hate it. No, My Fair Temptress was just boring. And blah. And pretty much Exhibit A when it comes to everything I'm finding wrong with historical romance these days.

First, someone in Avon's back cover copy writing department needs to get fired. This book is not a Regency as the copy explains. No, last time I checked 1849 and a mention of Queen Victoria do not a Regency make. But really, it's easy to see how the person writing the copy might have gotten confused. Avon is Regency Cookie Cutter Central, and the story itself doesn't have any sort of historical flavor. Frankly My Fair Temptress could have taken place in any time period and the reader couldn't argue too much. There's just nothing to distinguish it.

The heroine, Miss Caroline Ritter is ruined thanks to the odious Lord Frenshfield. So even though she was the toast of her one Season, she's now on her own looking for honorable work. Unfortunately the only thing Caroline is good at is flirting. I know, how are readers supposed to respect a heroine who is only good at flirting, and openly admits it. Anyway, she eventually secures a position with the Duke of Nevett who wants to see his "Frenchified" son married by the end of the Season.

Jude Durant, the earl of Huntington, has no time for a tutor. He's acting like a dandy (and an all around jack ass) to avenge his brother's murder and capture the culprits. Caroline proves nothing but a distraction until she ingratiates herself to the villains.

What doesn't work? Well pretty much all of it. Jude and Caroline seem like nice characters - but that's just the problem. They never elevate themselves above being mere characters. They are also mired in cliche' - how many dandy-pretending heroes and fallen heroines have readers come across before? Hundreds, and unfortunately Jude and Caroline do nothing to distinguish themselves from the herd.

I also found the plot laughable. Honestly, I'm supposed to believe that Jude is scaring off debutantes AND their scheming mamas because he dresses and acts like a dandy? Puhleeze. Women overlook a lot more to snag a husband even in this day and age - let alone in the 19th century when a woman's options were much more limited.

Also, I suspect many readers (especially those not in love with the story) will get very ticked off when they hit the ending. Oh sure, Jude and Caroline ride off into the sunset happily-ever-after, but a huge piece of the conflict goes unresolved and Dodd ends on a cliff hanger. So readers who want any sort of closure are stuck waiting on a sequel to clear up the entire matter. Frankly, I find this sort of thing a bit manipulative - but that's just me. Perhaps if I had enjoyed the book I might feel differently.

About the only bright spot here is Jude's stepmother - whom I rather liked. She seemed like a smart woman who had learned long ago how to maneuver through the "system." Other than that, I found My Fair Temptress a rather unforgettable read. I know several readers who find Dodd "hit or miss." This one was a definite miss in my book.

RTB #9

My new column is up over at Romancing The Blog. I would wager that it's one of the shortest columns on record.

Since my column is about reading over typos and historical errors, I thought it might be fun to bring one to your attention. Now, the historical error isn't in the book itself. Actually it's the author's web page that is at fault, which to me is a bit more glaring. I mean, shouldn't the author know this is way, way, way wrong? And yet, it's on her web page.

I'm currently reading Christina Dodd's new book My Fair Temptress. I promise a full on report after I finish it, but right now I'm finding it pleasant. It's not lighting my world on fire, but it's not turning me into a cantankerous shrew either.

Anywho, while surfing the author's web site (which is a normal occurrence if I'm reviewing a book) I noticed this page which describes the hero as "the most handsome, the most covert, the most dangerous of all the aristocrats in Regency London."

Nothing wrong with that, except the story takes place in 1849! Now the end of the Regency is up for debate (although most scholars will tell you around 1820) but everyone agrees that when Victoria took the throne the Regency was definitely over. When was that? 1837

Oh boy.

Rosa Parks, Reading And Nightmares

I feel it would be remiss to not comment on the death of Rosa Parks. To me she exemplifies the fact that one person can make a difference. That person doesn't need to do something "big" either. Just by simply refusing to give up her bus seat she was the spark that ignited the civil rights movement.

I would argue that this "small" act is the defining moment in 20th century American history. But that's just me.

I slept fairly decent for the first time in a long time last night - although I had my recurring nightmare again. This is going to sound silly. I'm at my library, trying to close up for the day and library patrons won't leave. In fact, more and more of them keep pouring into the building. Um, I'm not sure what this dream means? Am I stressed out? Overworked? Need a vacation? Probably all three.

I'm going to be on an extremely tight budget for a while, so my book buying has gone down to nil. Nothing. Nada. I'm not even buying used books ladies and gentlemen.

Now before you feel sorry for me - my TBR has gotten out of control. I have hundreds of unread books - so it's not like I'll run out of reading material. Also, I've landed on the distribution list for ARCs at Warner books - so between them, my book trading group, my library system and TRR's editor sending me stuff to review I'm pretty flush.

In fact, my next read is a review book - the latest Christina Dodd title My Fair Temptress. I'm rather looking forward to it. I don't review a ton of historicals anymore and my only experience with Dodd's work is the anthology she did with Connie Brockway, Once Upon A Pillow (which I enjoyed very much). Depending on how I like MFT, I might be asking for more Dodd recommendations.

Weekend Reads

I'm always mildly comforted when I see news stories like this one. It's nice to know the US hasn't cornered the market on perverts using the public library.

In other news, I wrapped up some reading this weekend. First up was my first ever Silhouette Bombshell read, Exception To The Rule by Doranna Durgin. I'm sorry to say I didn't think much of it, mainly because I found the backstory sloppy as hell.

The heroine, Kimmer Reed, works for the Hunter Agency. What is the Hunter Agency? Well that's a mighty good question since the author never spells it out. One gets the impression they're some sort of private sector bodyguard/spy organization. Anywho, her boss orders her to backwoods Pennsylvania to guard a computer geek who discovered a flaw in a laser-guided missile system. Or something.

Anyway, Kimmer isn't real keen on taking the assignment since she grew up in the area and her childhood was unpleasant. Further complicating the issue is that the computer geek has her own bodyguard - her sexy cousin Rio (a name that only exists in Romance Novel Land). But Kimmer is under strict orders to protect them from afar and not disclose the Hunter Agency's involvement.

I had a real hard time with this book, mainly due to the total lack of information on the Hunter Agency. It's hard to care much about the heroine's job when there isn't enough background available to flesh it out. This lack of explanation isn't helped by the fact that Kimmer's identity is really wrapped up in her job.

As for romance? Eh. Kimmer and Rio spend too much time apart for me to really "see" a romance developing of any sort. But they're good people separately, so I'm willing to overlook this. I also enjoyed Kimmer's character, as she can take care of herself and doesn't need the man to ride to her rescue. Kimmer's past is rife with possibilities as well, further exhibited by the existence of a Beyond The Rules, a September 2005 release and the second book in the Kimmer series.

I should also finish a non-fiction book on my lunch break today - Heavy Words, Lightly Thrown by Chris Roberts. This is a fun little book about the history of various nursery rhymes. Trust me, I've begun thinking of the term "goose bumps" in a whole new light (here's a hint, it has to do with ladies of the evening persuasion).

There's lots of neat-o British history here, as most nursery rhymes hail from the time of Henry VIII and the Stuarts. My only quibble is that the author assumes a lot. I have a degree in British history, but admittedly those wacky Stuarts confuse me sometimes (I can never keep all the pretenders and uprisings straight). So the average American might be flummoxed at times. Still, the author provides a glossary of British-isms for us dumb Americans, so that helps some. Also, he's a librarian and could surely use the added income - so I hope this book sells like hot cats. At the very least check to see if your local library has a copy. It's very entertaining in parts - especially when the author admits that Americans must have a sense of humor to adopt "Yankee Doodle" as their own.

Another One Bites The Dust

Those who know me know that I'm a serious tea drinker. I'm talking addictive tendencies. I suspect I may have been Earl Grey in a former life.

My morning caffeine jolt comes from hot tea - and it was while I was making a travel mug of Republic Of Tea's Ginger Peach that I experienced a death in the family.

The lid to my travel mug shattered when I tried to snap it on.

OK, so it's only a travel mug - but it was my favorite travel mug. I got it at the RWA conference in Denver in 2002 from author Elizabeth Boyle. She had what I consider one of the greatest promo items I'd ever received. A white travel mug emblazoned with the cover art to One Night Of Passion.

When I saw Boyle again at RWA in Reno this past July I told her how much I loved that giveaway and how I used it several times a week. She mentioned she no longer had one for herself (I seem to recall a muttering about her husband).

Now mine is gone. Wahhhhhhh!

Headline News

I love it when the news media tells me the obvious. That wacky Saddam is said to be "defiant," "uncooperative," and "won't recognize court's authority" depending on what story you read.

Well duh.

Hey, I never said I was mature.

What did we all expect? That Saddam would roll over and play dead? Say, "Golly gee, my bad!" Of course he's defiant! Morons.

On the complete other end of the spectrum, a different moron has greenlighted a sixth Rocky movie.

Honestly, does the world need another Rocky movie? My answer would be no. Just look at the breakdown of the first five:

Rocky I - a really good movie about the underdog winning. Well sort of.

Rocky II - a really good sequel capped off by Rocky & Adrian marrying. Call me crazy, I enjoy their romance. This also happens to be my favorite out of the franchise, in case you care.

Rocky III - watchable in a 1980s sort of way thanks to Mr. T. Also, Mickey dies and I get all choked up.

Rocky IV - fairly unwatchable thanks to the blatant rah-rah Reagan-era "get those commie bastards" message. And I'm kind of ticked off by the whole Apollo Creed dying in the ring thing.

Rocky V - so awful that I've never seen it all the way through. Just plain bad. This is a movie just begging for Mystery Science Theater 3000 to return from cancellation hell.

But Sly has to have something to do ever since The Contender bombed. I'm thinking he should take up needlepoint myself.

New Romantic Comedy

If you're like me, when you see a book described as a "romantic comedy" you run screaming for the hills. I've read some bad, bad, bad romantic comedy over the years and to this day I break out in a mild rash when I see a cartoon cover. I'm getting better though.

So I probably would have avoided Kathleen Long's November release, Cherry On Top had I not gotten it for free at RWA. Yes, I'm a freebie whore and I have no shame. So I figured hey, since I got an ARC from Zebra (I swear, I thought these were an urban legend) I'd review it. Glad I did - because it's really a fun read! Just the thing to cheer me up since I've been such a piss-pot lately.

Cherry Harte has just been left at the altar and, while sitting in her wedding dress, she discovers she's won the Super Lotto! Her newfound millions (which she's splitting with her sister) are just the thing to help her change her life for good. So bye-bye New Jersey and con artist family, hello Mystic Beach, Florida and Women's League. Now if only her past would stay buried everything would be perfect.

When her car breaks down Cherry makes the mistake of taking it to the sexiest mechanic in town. Luke Chance is a former reporter fallen from grace who has no patience for priveleged people with money - especially new money. Cherry reeks of new money, and Luke is allergic to cherries. However he can't seem to get the woman out of his mind - all the more worse since her Women's League is competing with his Youth Club for an abandoned local estate.

My main beef with romantic comedy is when the zany antics spill onto the characters rendering them stupid and clueless. Long provides lots of zaniness here - from a vertically challenged mobster to a surgical mask wearing, poker playing painter named Yogi to a pet poodle who keeps trying to romance a skunk. Luckily though she grounds her lead characters, making them nice people with their own issues.

Cherry needs to learn that sure you can improve yourself, but you can't fundamentally change who you are. Luke needs to learn to not paint everyone with the same brush - a common afflication among romance heroes, but luckily Luke isn't a raging asshole about it like most.

I liked this book. It was fun. Sure it isn't going to change my life, or effect me on a deep emotional level, but I had a good time reading it. Sometimes that's all it takes to make me happy.