Random Romance Sunday: Taking Dictation With Mad Jack

The Book: Darling Jack by Mary McBride

The Particulars: Historical romance, Harlequin Historical #323, 1996, Out of Print

The Blurb:

Jack Hazard Needed A Wife

And Anna Matlin was the perfect woman for the job. Though she seemed like a timid mouse, Jack was convinced that the file clerk possessed a multitude of charms. Charms that he would soon expose as he drew her into his dangerous game of revenge.

Anna's colorless existence ended the day she became the 'wife' of her hero, Jack Hazzard. But though she was learning that beneath the legendary Pinkerton detective's dashing exterior was a haunted, lonely man, still she longed for the brief assignment to become the role of a lifetime!

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Nope.  I know, a Harlequin Historical set in the U.S of A and Wendy doesn't own it?  The shock!  The horrors!

Any Reviews?:  Library Journal gave this one a favorable review (which you can read in full over at Amazon):

Despite the dark Victorian overlay, there are moments of high hilarity in McBride's (Forever and a Day, Harequin, 1995) novel, an interesting blend of poignancy and humor.

RT Book Reviews gave it 4.5 Stars:

Mary McBride has a gift for distilling tragedy into triumph. If you haven't discovered this talented jewel, take a chance on Mad Jack Hazard. You can't lose.

Anything Else?:  As much as I love American settings in historical romances (this one takes place in Chicago and St. Louis) I tend to go a big rubbery one over Pinkerton heroes.  I'm well aware this makes absolutely no sense at all - what with my mystery/suspense reading background and my love for private detective characters in that particular genre.  I don't know why this is, it just is.  So that would be why I don't naturally gravitate towards these sorts of American historicals.

Now that all be said, oooooh this one tempts me so!  Turns out we have a self-loathing, wounded hero type, who has a tendency to fall into the nearest whiskey bottle.  The RT review implies that the hero is coming off a major screw up (caused by his drinking), but he's determined to close one last case - hence plucking the mousy heroine out of the secretarial pool to work with him undercover.

And to think I originally zeroed in on this book because the cover model looked like an extra who wandered off the set of Maverick. 

Ahem, anywho - Mary McBride has a decent-sized backlist and wrote several books in the Harlequin Historical line.  However her most recent title was a Silhouette Desire from 2008.  Nothing since then....

TBR Housekeeping, RWA, Cowboys, And Big Pimpin'

There's quite a bit of news around the Bat Cave at the moment, so that must mean it's time for another one of my hap-hazard catch-all posts.  Why blog on one topic when you can blog about five?

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I want to thank everyone for taking the TBR Challenge 2011 ball and running like hell with it.  Not only have you signed up for the challenge, you've done a ton of your own promotion.  I've had several new people sign-up in the last couple of days.  So thanks for all that excellent word-of-mouth!

In terms of general housekeeping, a couple of things.  1) You don't need to send me or post direct links to your commentary anywhere.  I have everyone listed on the information page, so people can find us there.  And 2) remember that the monthly themes are completely and totally voluntary.  If you don't want to follow them, you don't have to.  The only "goal" of this challenge is to help you get through some of those books you've got lying around.

If you're not "doing" the challenge but are interested in following it?  Check out all these happy people on the information page!  You just might discover a new-to-you resident of the online romance community (or two, or three....)

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I have some exciting RWA-related news to share.  One of the adult services librarians I work with told me many moons ago that she was submitting a grant proposal for RWA's Library Grant.  Well she got the call yesterday and she phoned to deliver the news.  They won the grant!  So this particular branch now has a chunk of change to spend on all sorts of romance goodies.  I don't know the exact perimeters of the grant proposal, but a decent chunk of those funds are going to go to new books in English and Spanish.  Woot!

I also registered for the annual conference in New York City this summer.  This is a two-fold vacation.  1) I get to hang out with all my romance novel homies yo and 2) my former college roomie lives in the city and I haven't seen her in over 10 years.  Woot!  Here I come Patty!

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AAR is talking cowboys today, complete with a shout-out to the Great Western Drive!  Thanks ladies!

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Longtime Bat Cave readers might remember a few years back when I did a book talk for a local book group.  Well, they've invited me back.  And since I warned them back then that I read "a lot of genre fiction," they must be OK with that, because here we are again.  I'm meeting with them on Monday and I'm prepped with books, passages marked to read out loud and plenty of handouts.  I'll be blogging about the whole experience next week, but in the meantime?  On the agenda we have 2 romantic suspense novels, 1 inspirational historical romance, 1 cozy mystery and 1 young adult novel.  Because that's how I roll.

TBR Read: Papa Can You Hear Me?

The Book: Revelations by Janice Kay Johnson

The Particulars:  Contemporary romantic suspense, sequel to Mommy Said Goodbye, Harlequin SuperRomance #1228, 2004, Out of Print, but available in digital format(s)!


Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?:  Came across it in a used bookstore and the back cover blurb tickled my fancy.  It was sheer dumb luck that the previous book in this "series" was also in my TBR.  This is what can happen when your TBR pile can be seen from space.

The Review: Ann Caldwell became a cop to please a father who was impossible to please.  She was only 9 when her mother died, and desperate for some kind of normalcy, she looked to her detective father for reassurance.  She did this by becoming a tomboy, only to have the old man neglect her with emotional abuse.  Being a tomboy didn't please him, her inability to be "girlie" frustrated him, and her being a damn good cop wasn't enough.  So when her father dies in a car accident, she's left with a lack of closure.  A lifetime spent trying to please him has left her ill-equipped.  She has no friends, no man, and quite frankly, she's not really sure who she is.  Complicating all these issues is her attraction to her partner, Juan Diaz.

Juan is divorced with a couple of kids.  When he first was partnered with Ann, it was a bit rocky.  However, over time, he's developing more than "work partner"-type feelings for her.  Something about Ann's tough exterior, and achingly vulnerable interior just knocks the wind right out of him.  But his life is also complicated, with two kids, the demands of the job, and an ex-wife who puts the capital B in Bitter First Wife.

Along with the developing romance is Ann's gut feeling that someone is killing cops.  Since her father's car accident, some of his cronies in the department have also died in "accidents."  Ann grew up idolizing these men, and investigating into their potential murders turns up all sorts of baggage.  Hence the title of the book.

I am a complete and total sucker for heroines like Ann.  The ones with mountains of emotional baggage.  The ones who act all tough on the outside, but inside they are desperately lonely and vulnerable.  Ann is a smart, capable woman but is totally unsure of herself.  All she ever wanted was for her father to be proud of her, and the asshole was completely incapable, or unwilling, to give her that.  With him as a father, and a mother who "abandoned" her - it's easy to understand how and why she is so insecure.  She's muddling through, coping the way she knows how - by being "a cop."  And for her being a cop means trying to make everyone forget that she's a woman.  Except, of course, that Juan cannot forget.  And he's torn between putting on the full court press because he's desperately attracted to her, and taking it slow so she doesn't get spooked.  There is also the small matter that, oh yeah, they have to work together.

As enjoyable as this story is, it wasn't perfect.  When I read about heroines like Ann, I want everything to be perfect for them.  I understand this is not realistic.  Nobody's life is "perfect."  But after all the shit Ann's had to put up with, I want her to have "perfect," and there was just too much left twisting in the breeze.  For one thing, Juan comes from a large family, and while Ann has an obligatory meet-and-greet with his two kids, she doesn't meet any of the rest of them.  Also, Ann never runs up against Juan's Bitter First Wife.  I have complete faith that Ann will be able to handle that "relationship" - but it's a mighty big other shoe that never drops.

There's also no love scene.  Now, here's the thing - I don't need sex in my romance novels.  I don't.  But here?  With all of Ann's personal baggage?  I think I need one.  She's not very experienced in this area (she's not a virgin, but dang - pretty darn close) - and while I think Juan is a good guy - I wanted the reassurance of a love scene.  I wanted to read about Ann having a great orgasm because honestly?  If a woman ever needed and deserved one - it's Ann.

Still, this is a very good book.  Solid, emotional, a real heart-tugger with a interesting and competent suspense thread attached.  Revelations didn't hit my "must reread it one of these days" plateau, but it was still pretty dang awesome.

Final Grade = B+

TBR Challenge 2011: Mommy Said Goodbye

The Book: Mommy Said Goodbye by Janice Kay Johnson

The Particulars: Contemporary romantic suspense, Harlequin SuperRomance #1197, 2004, Out of Print...but available in digital!

Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?:  One of the ladies on my "coffee klatch" e-mail loop read this and loved it.  I'm a HSR ho, so that was enough for me to run out and buy it....only it's been sitting in my TBR all this time. Seriously, I suck.

The Review:  A year and a half ago, Craig Lofgren's wife disappeared.  Ever since, he and his two children have been stuck in a living purgatory.  Their marriage was hitting the skids, and they had argued loud enough the night before that the neighbors heard.  Julie had a reputation around town for being Mother Of The Year.  It's inconceivable to everyone, including the investigating police officer, that she would leave behind the kids, not to mention her purse sitting on the kitchen counter (hello, what woman does that?!).  Naturally, suspicion lands on Craig, even though there were zero signs of a struggle, no evidence, no body, and the fact that their son, Brett, is vehement that "Mommy said goodbye" to him.  It's been a living hell, and now his son is getting ready to start a new school year with Robin McKinnon as his teacher.

Robin and Julie were casual friends, chatting at soccer games since their sons played on the same team.  She feels guilty for letting young Brett drop off her radar since his mother's disappearance, something that happened because she was going through a bitter divorce and custody battle.  Now Brett is in her class, and he's very troubled.  She's worried about him, and so goes to talk with his father.

We need to get this out of the way up-front: this book does not work as a romance.  Chalk it up to a case of the conflict overshadowing the love story.  Craig is presumed guilty in the eyes of everybody that he killed his pretty, young wife.  Everybody thinks this - with the exception of Craig's own father.  In order for me to buy into the romance, I need to see the characters "building a foundation" over the course of the story.  For the first 2/3 of this book, that isn't happening.  The shadow of What Happened To Julie? is looming large.  Certainly, as the reader, we know Craig couldn't possibly have killed her, but Robin doesn't know that - and continues to wrestle with doubts very late in the story.  How is the reader supposed to buy the romance when the heroine has these thoughts on page 172 of a 296 HSR:

Oh God, oh God, she thought.  What if he killed Julie?  If they didn't find her or her body, Robin would never know for sure.  Given the creep her ex-husband had turned out to be, she sure couldn't trust her judgment.

Now that being said, you fair blog reader are reading my blog.  The girl who also loves mystery/suspense novels.  And as a mystery?  This one is a humdinger.  I was glued to this book and did not want to put it down.  Who was Julie Lofgren, and why would she just vanish?  Did she meet with foul play?  What the heck happened to her?  Plus seeing how the people she left behind (her husband, her children, the entire town) deal with her disappearance is equally as riveting.

During the last 1/3 of the book the author must have realized she needed the hero and heroine to spend more time together in order to make the happy ending work - but by that point I was so captivated with the mystery that I sort of resented the time away from it for the Love Cooties "stuff."  The author makes this story extremely light on the sensuality though (I'm talking G-rated), which does make this romance a bit more believable, but I still couldn't help but feel that the final chapter was really rushed.

I'm so tempted to slap this one with an A just because I thought the mystery was that good.  However, I tend to reserve A grades for books that I know I'll reread one of these days, and this one?  Yeah, now that I know what happened to Julie Lofgren, I probably won't do a reread.  The romance just wasn't strong enough to carry this book to reread status to compensate for me knowing how the mystery turns out.  Still, it was a damn awesome read while I was devouring it with fresh eyes.  So that means....

Final Grade = B+

PS:  The investigation for Julie is led by newly-minted police detective, Ann Caldwell - whose father originally was in charge of it before he died in a car accident.  She's convinced, just like her Daddy was, that Craig is guilty as sin and she wants to nail the guy to the wall (and not in a good way) to make her Daddy proud of her from beyond the grave.  She is a fantastic character, with lots of hard edges and brains to boot.  Imagine my absolute delight when I learned that the author gave her her own romance in another HSR title, Revelations, and that I had it in my TBR!  I immediately pulled it out to read, and a review for that one is launching tomorrow.

Random Romance Sunday: And My Cat's Name Is Satan

The Book: You Again by Peggy Nicholson

The Particulars: Contemporary paranormal romance, Harlequin SuperRomance #698, 1996, Out of Print

The Blurb:

A handsome, sexy hero, his beautiful ex-wife, an attempted murder, a thoroughly hissable villainess and a. . . cat.

Jessica always thought that her brilliant charmer of an ex-husband married her on one of his impulses--an it-seemed-like-such-a-great-idea-at-the-time finale to a champagne picnic.

And Sam? Well, he figured Jessica never really loved him. He was her first man, and as sex itself is such a snazzy little concept... In other words, had Jessica confused all that lovely feeling with love?

Seven years ago Jessica and Sam divorced. Now they're together again, and fighting for their lives. But it'll take faith and love to win this particular battle--and one very special cat!

 Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  I love the HSR line, but no.  Just, no.

Any Reviews?:  A treasure trove actually.  All About Romance gave this one an A-.

Despite these small flaws, You Again is probably the most unusual and one of the most well-written mainstream series romances I've read. If you're not afraid of stories that are a bit off the beaten track, you should grab this at your friendly local used book store and treat yourself to a few hours of fun, intelligent entertainment.

 The blog, Harley Hell, gave this one 2.5 Stars:

Even though the cat on the cover plainly seems horrified at what's going on behind her, and the expression clearly didn't bode well for what was contained inside, it wasn't a horrible book. The protagonists were very likable, even if Sam was as dumb as a bag of hammers.

And in an added bit of fun - that AAR review?  Yeah, written by none other than Candy Tan.  Yes, that Candy Tan.  Full of awesomeness that gal is.

Anything Else?:  This week's edition of RRS is brought to gentle Bat Cave readers by none other than author Victoria Janssen, who turned me on (heh, no pun intended - she writes erotic stories) to the Harley Hell blog.  A blog by two readers who used to mock Harlequins and are now...well...addicted to them.  Don't worry ladies, it happens to a lot of us (::raises hand::).  Anywho, I was trolling through their archives when I came across this gem with the most horrified looking cat on the cover.  I can't decide if Ms. Kitty is horrified by the naughty clinch going on behind her back, or possessed by a demon.  Maybe a little of both - since from reading the reviews I learned that the heroine's soul ends up taking up residence in said kitty's body.

Seriously, I'm not making this up.

Because of that, I'd rather be boiled in oil than read this story - although I must admit that the "he was her first man" line from the back cover copy intrigues me no end.  That sort of implies she was "doing" something or someone else before she had her "first man."  So what and/or who was our heroine "doing?"  Women?  Circus clowns?  Sea turtles?  House plants?  What?!  Damn you Harlequin, how you mock me so!  ::shakes fist in air::

In Peggy Nicholson news, she has a decent-sized category backlist and wrote a couple of books for the now defunct Silhouette Bombshell line in the mid-aughts.  Since then?  Nada.

Reminder: TBR Challenge For January

For those of you participating in the 2011 TBR Challenge, a reminder that your commentary is "due" on Wednesday, January 19. 

This month's theme is category romance.  Any category romance from either the Harlequin family, or the plethora of now defunct lines (ex. Bantam Loveswept).  Remember, the themes are completely and totally optional.  If you don't wanna read a category romance, you don't have to.  Read something else you've unearthed from the depths of the TBR pile!

It's also not too late to sign-up.  If you are interested in doing so, or just want to learn more about the challenge, please see the information page.

The Month That Was December 2010

Lemon Drop: You are late Auntie Wendy.

Me: I know cupcake.  I got sidetracked with "year end" posts, so my regular monthly recap is later than usual.

Lemon Drop: Here I've been waiting for updates on all the naughtiness you read last month!  Sigh.  And I have my very own book review to give! 

Me: Awww, a chip off the ol' block you are.  OK, let's get started and then you can give me your reading recap, OK?

Lemon Drop: Sweet!

Me: Well, I read 8 books in December, which is pretty good for me since December historically tends to be a Reading Dead Zone for me.  Of course three of these were short stories, and there was an anthology in here - but yippee!  Eight!

Title links will take you to full reviews

Silent Night Stakeout by Kerry Connor, Harlequin Intrigue #1236, 2010, Grade = B

• Simply put, a good solid romantic suspense tale.  Criminal defense lawyer heroine finds herself working with homicide cop hero after a client she just got off a burglary rap is murdered outside her office.  Liked that the adversarial relationship didn't equate civility and common sense getting tossed out the window.  Compelling mystery that definitely runs on the dark side.  Nice resolution to crime and the romance elements.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Lawyer Heroine, Cop Hero, Adversaries!, One Dead Client, Christmas Ahoy!

Western Winter Wedding Bells by Cheryl St. John, Jenna Kernan, Charlene Sands, Harlequin Historical #1011, 2010, Grade = B-

• Historical western anthology that didn't have a lot of staying power for me, but fit the bill in terms of pleasant holiday reading.  Nice inspirational feel to St. John story without being preachy, although I wanted more back story.  The Kernan would have annoyed as a full-length novel, but as a short story it works thanks to heroine's back story and the hero's young daughter.  The Sands entry featured one of my favorite themes in westerns - the hero bent on vengeance for the death of a loved one. Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Small Town = Goody Goodness, Beta Hero (St. John), Heroine Determined To Salvage Daddy's Legacy (St. John), Heroine With A Past (Kernan), Lawman Hero (Kernan),  Big Misunderstanding (Kernan), Widowed Heroine (Sands), Hero Bent On Revenge (Sands), Two Kids (Kernan & Sands), Christmas Ahoy!

A Town Called Christmas by Carrie Alexander, Harlequin SuperRomance #1455, 2007, Grade = C

• My last read for the 2010 TBR Challenge.  A pleasant holiday story that didn't register a strong reaction (either way) in me.  Liked all the players, but did feel the main couple got a bit lost amongst all the secondary characters and holiday goo-ga. Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Small Town = Goody Goodness, Preggers By Another Man Heroine, Jilted Military Hero, Family, Christmas Ahoy!

Hot to Touch by Kimberly Kaye Terry, Kimani Romance #214, 2010, Grade = C-

• Photojournalist heroine doing a story on smoke-jumpers (firefighters) runs afoul of the hero, the second in command at the station, who thinks womenz gotz no place around his line of work.  Good story, and a nice amount of research that kept me engaged.  However there were some awful romance novel writing cliches here that succeeded in really annoying me.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Journalist Heroine Determined To Prove Herself, Firefighter Jackass Alpha Hero With Woman Issues, Grovel Ahoy!

What She Needs by Anne Calhoun, Spice Briefs, digital erotic romance short story, 2010, Grade = B

• Heroine has semi-regular hook-up arrangement with hero at local hotel.  The catch?  He calls the shots and she does exactly what he wants, how he wants it.  The joy in this story is the pay-off.  I knew immediately where this whole thing was going, but there's a moment at the end where we get inside the heroine's mind and...just wow.  I see a lot of female readers really relating. Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Dominant Hero, Clandestine Hook-Up, Back Door Action Ahoy!

For Your Pleasure by Elisa Adams, Spice Briefs, digital erotica short story, 2010, Grade = B

• Heroine takes to spying on hunky new neighborhood who hasn't gotten around to putting up curtains in his bedroom yet.  She wants him to look her way, and when he finally does...well, you know.  This is pretty standard erotic fare with a well-done voyeuristic angle.  Another dominant hero and a positive ending that has this one pretty close to erotic romance territory.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Fun With Voyeurism, Dominant Hero, Spank Ahoy!

Knightley's Pleasure by Destiny D'Otare, Spice Briefs, digital erotic romance historical short story, 2010, Grade = D-  

• Subtitle: When Impulse Buys Go Horribly Wrong.  Basically erotic fan fiction that sluts up Jane Austen's Emma.  I'm not an Austenphile, but this still felt epically wrong to me.  Silly virgin heroine, a hero who picks a laughable spot to deflower an Austen heroine, and just....well, wrong.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Virginal Heroine With Seduction On Her Mind, Noble Hero With Rescue Complex, One Debauched Costume Party (Is There Any Other Kind?)

Stranger by Zoe Archer, Kensington Zebra, Victorian historical paranormal romance, Part of series, 2010, Grade = B-

• The conclusion to the author's Blades Of The Rose series.  Nice, intellectual hero who meets his match in inquisitive, determined American reporter heroine.  Felt the romance took a bit of a back seat to the wrapping up of all the "series stuff" - but still an entertaining read with some nice world-building and I liked the way Archer tied-up the series.

Lemon Drop: Auntie Wendy, what's Back Door Action Ahoy! mean?

Me: Uhhh, didn't you mention that you have a book review?

Lemon Drop: Oh, yeah I do.  Who's Hiding In The House is a very good book.  I enjoyed it very much.  It tastes like chicken.

Me: Wow.  That sounds....delicious.

Lemon Drop: Oh it is Auntie Wendy, it is.  Lots of fiber too.  Yum!