Waukegan Public Library - romance

Have You Heard About... Plain Promise

Fran J — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:54:18 +0000

… Sadie, the Amish widow, and Kade, the multi millionaire? In Plain Promise* by Beth Wiseman, Sadie rents a small cottage to Kade who is trying to figure out why he’s not happy being so rich. Being Amish, Sadie has a lifestyle that is very foreign to Kade and vice-versa. When Kade’s autistic son, Tyler, comes to live with him, Kade has no idea how to cope with this special child of God. Everyone in the Amish community is accepting of Tyler and slightly suspicious of Kade and his motives for being in Penn-Dutch country. Sadie and Tyler connect instantly, but she is leery of Kade. She wants to help him but doesn’t want to go against her Amish beliefs. Can these two find happiness coming from separate worlds or is Tyler their only connection?

This is a very satisfying read. Keep a tissue handy though. It is not necessary to read the first two books of this series, but I found them enjoyable as well.

* Other books in the series include Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Paradise and Plain Proposal.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas

Fran J — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:51:39 +0000

… the fun of camping in Arkansas? Lucy Binoche is about to find out in Sandra D. Bricker’s Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas*.

Lucy can’t ride horseback, hates hiking and isn’t into killing a worm just to hook a fish. So what is she doing signing up to go camping in Snowball, Arkansas? Her singles church group is going on a camping trip, and hunky Justin, a newcomer, is very into the outdoor life. Lucy wants to impress Justin and hopes that God will turn her into something she’s not – the outdoorsy type. Her good friend Matt can’t talk her out of it so he signs up to go along to sorta keep an eye out for her. Lucy has good intentions, just not good judgment. The mishaps that Lucy encounters will keep you in stitches. Will Lucy impress Justin or will Matt come to her rescue?

*Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas, is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho

Fran J — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:48:06 +0000

… the undercover federal marshal who’s investigating a mining accident? In Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho*, by Janelle Mowery, you will get to meet Rebekah Weaver who was badly burned in a tragic accident. Deputy Marshal Nathaniel Kirkland is undercover trying to tie in several mining accidents that have happened in Silver City when he learns of Rebekah’s accident. Was her “accident” part of the plot involving the mines? As threatening notes start to appear all over town, these two try to investigate.

Nate and Rebekah do come together with the help of God in the end. This book is at times somber and yet humorous, with lots of twists and turns as the town eventually comes together to solve these so called accidents. The why’s of the accidents near the end was such a surprise that I almost fell out of my chair. I enjoyed this book immensely and it was hard to put down, so you need big blocks of reading time.

Silver City, Idaho, is a real place that you can find on a map. Every book in this non-series is excellent. Check them out for a new adventure in romance, history, heartbreak and humor.

*Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho, is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida

Fran J — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:27:38 +0000

… Cassie and her late husband’s plastic flamingos? Check them out in Sandra D. Bricker’s Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida*.

Cassie has no plans to live in the vacation home she and her late husband had in Holiday, Florida. It’s a small bungalow with tacky plastic flamingos on the lawn that her late husband just loved. Cassie needs to do a few renovations and get the bungalow ready to sell so she can get on with her life. Renovations always take longer they you expect. Start with, throwing out the plastic flamingos, talking to the zany neighbors in this retirement community, finding that the flamingos somehow keep ending up back on the lawn, and meeting a handsome neighbor who enjoys dancing as much as she used to.

Cassie isn’t very impulsive, but her neighbor down the street is and pushes Cassie into all kinds of quirky things, one being signing up for a dance class that is taught by handsome neighbor, Richard. Cassie and Richard seem to hit it off. The house is taking shape for the sale, but Cassie is falling in love the new renovations. Is she falling in love with Richard as well?

This is a laugh out loud type of book that I couldn’t put down.

*Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida, is part of the Love Finds You series of unconnected inspirational romance novels.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... the Fifty Shades Trilogy

Fran J — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 06:09:46 +0000

… the spicy trilogy that’s catching everyone’s attention? If you are looking for a good beach read this summer, then you will have to read E. L. James’s Fifty Shades Trilogy*. The main character, Christian Grey, is a rich, handsome millionaire that sweeps a pretty, smart, yet naive college girl off her feet in more ways than one. She is captivated by his charm yet seduced by the brooding personality that sits and listens to sad classical music one moment and goes off in a jealous possessive rage the next. Of course, there’s also the complex elephant in the room called S & M. The story keeps you going in that area to keep you wondering what makes this guy and this relationship work or make any kind of sense.

I believe the author was very influenced by classic Victorian and Puritanical literature, believe it or not. I did really enjoy all three novels, although the second one was just a little redundant when it came to the S & M aspect. I think it’s interesting that it’s one of the fastest rising bestsellers in history as reported on CNN. Just for the record, I vote for Mathew McConaughey as the leading man in the movie and Katie Holmes (ex-TomCat) for the role of Anastasia . Lastly, I find it interesting that these novels are right next to the adolescent section of a lot of book departments. B+ – I’d read any sequels.

The trilogy includes Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed.

Reviewed by Doreen (staff)

Have You Heard About... The Next Always

Fran J — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 06:04:05 +0000

… the historic hotel that is being refurbished in BoonsBoro, Maryland? In The Next Always* by Nora Roberts, the three Montgomery brothers and their very eccentric mom take over redoing an old inn. The descriptions are like reading a very expensive design magazine. Each room at the new inn will be named after a literary couple.

In this first book in the series, Beckett Montgomery is the main focus. He’s had a longing since high school for Clare. Clare is recently widowed with three small rambunctious boys, and she is not yet ready for romance. Can Beckett steal her heart? When Beckett has a “man night” (also known as babysitting) with Clare’s three boys, you’ll die laughing. With the help of a ghost at the inn, Beckett and Clare are meant for each other, but they don’t quite know it, yet. This is a wonderful, feel good, story you won’t want to miss.

* The next book in the series is The Last Boyfriend.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Rose Daughter

Fran J — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:49:27 +0000

… the Beauty who fell in love with a Beast as she worked to resurrect his precious rose garden? This is the third in our series of reviews of novels based on “Beauty and the Beast.”

Robin McKinley wrote Rose Daughter as well, which also focuses on Beauty but manages to tell the story in a completely different way. In this version, Beauty is given the task of resurrecting the Beast’s dying rose garden. As the Beast says, “It is the heart of this place, and it is dying.” McKinley fills the story with details, from the people who live in the town near Beauty’s family, to the ever-changing decorations in the Beast’s home.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Beauty

Fran J — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:54:32 +0000

… Beauty and her courtly Beast? The second review in this set looks at very different style of novel based on “Beauty and the Beast.”

Robin McKinley’s Beauty is an elegant version of the classic tale, with a more conventional focus on Beauty. The story follows the familiar outline, with a kind-hearted and book-loving Beauty gradually falling in love with the Beast. In this story, Beauty is a bit of a tom-boy who loves spending time with horses and digging in the garden, and she grew up feeling shy and awkward next to her sisters. The rich descriptions in this story and Beauty’s strength of character make this a delightful read.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Beastly

Fran J — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:41:12 +0000

… the Beauty who fell in love with a Beast? Some form of “Beauty and the Beast” is found in cultures throughout the world, and you can find many wonderful versions from picture books to movies. Over the next week, we will feature three great novels based on this classic tale, all filled with roses and romance.

Alex Flinn’s Beastly is the most modern of the three adaptations. It features a handsome, spoiled, self-centered high school student who is turned into a beast for his cruel, thoughtless treatment of a witch (and everyone else). Because he did one kind thing the day she cursed him, the witch gives him two years to learn how to love a woman and to earn her love in return. If he can’t, he will stay a beast forever. This version focuses more on the “beast” than the “beauty,” showing how he changes from being one of the pretty people and leading a charmed life to being rejected by his father and having to hide from his former friends.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)

Have You Heard About... Songs of Love and Death

Fran J — Thu, 05 May 2011 06:02:14 +0000

… what happens when you mix romance with fantasy, science-fiction, and horror? You get Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-Crossed Love, edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois.

The course of true love never does run smooth in this collection of seventeen stories. The lovers must deal with spells, curses, ghosts, superheroes, demons, and their own pasts. In most cases, love does win out, but not always. The settings range widely – including modern day America, 18th century England, an alien space station, and much more – and the styles and genres used in these stories are almost as varied. Many of the authors are familiar as writers of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, as well as romance. Overall, this is an excellent anthology, with something for nearly every taste.

Reviewed by Fran (staff)