Fiction Addict

Genre: Romance/Suspense

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Publication Date: March 2010

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

In an attempt to flee her past, underwater archaeologist Shiloh Blake moves to Mumbai, India, hoping to put as much distance as possible between herself and her father. At a dig, tragedy strikes, leaving a colleague dead, her best friend fighting for his life, and Blake running from an unknown enemy. Searching for answers, Blake finds herself caught in the middle of a nuclear terrorist plot. Those behind it will stop at nothing to see her dead. To survive, Blake must remember everything her father taught her and even do the one thing she vowed never to do — become a spy.

Former Navy SEAL, Reece Jaxon, faces the task of keeping the feisty and stubborn archaeologist alive. But how can he make Blake trust him when every man in her life has betrayed her, including her own father? How can he show her that despite the bruises and battering the world has inflicted, God has never abandoned her?

Ronie Kendig shines with her debut novel Dead Reckoning. She seizes the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the end, leading her audience through a labyrinth coated with lies and dangers. She expertly keeps the reader flipping through the pages anxious to learn what follows. Though God and faith play a part in the novel, Kendig is never preachy.

Kendig could have offered more details and provided a bit more closure in a couple areas that affect Blake’s personal relationships, but regardless, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and suspense. Once started, the reader will struggle to put down the book. It is a refreshing to find a book where clean doesn’t mean cheesy and page-turning action doesn’t mean foul language or inappropriate scenes. I eagerly await many more books from Kendig.

Review copy provided by Abingdon Press.

Genre: Mystery/Romance

Publisher: Mira

Publication Date: November 2009

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

Hannah Shay lived in Black Falls all her life. While life has never been easy, the recent attack that shocked the small town and left several dead has made everything harder. Her own brother barely escaped with his life and now people suspect the killers had inside help. Hannah fights the increasing fear that a man she grew up with is involved as she juggles running her café, studying for the bar exam, the speculations and aftermath of the recent violence, as well as dealing with the Cameron brothers.

Sean Cameron has returned to town hoping to uncover why assassins targeted and murdered his father. Hannah’s behavior together with theories he’s compiled of the event convince Sean the young woman is hiding something. He struggles to win her trust hoping to uncover the truth, but in doing so he risks losing his heart to the beautiful and stubborn woman.

Cold River is the second book in the Black Falls Series, although readers will quickly pick up the story line. Carla Neggers explains the events of the previous book—maybe too much so. Hearing the same story from every character quickly became annoying.

Neggers also tends to spell everything out. The author makes the characters’ thoughts and feelings clear through their actions and words, only to go on and state what they are. Neggers should give the reader the benefit of the doubt and tell him/her once. Sadly, this urge to explain led to much unnatural dialogue as Neggers forces too much information. The character’s unrealistic conversations slowed the story.

That aside, while Cold River presents no new takes on the romance/mystery genre, the novel provides a few hours of easy and entertaining reading. A couple of swear words show up occasionally, but it’s nice to find a book that isn’t filled with vulgar language. Readers should be aware that there is one sex scene which anyone who wishes to can easily skip and miss nothing. While this isn’t the kind of book I’d read a second or third time, its fine for a one-time read.

Review copy provided by Mira.

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Date: March 3, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Paradise, Pennsylvania is a small town nestled in the heart of Amish country. It’s not a huge bustling metropolis but it’s not really what you would call a quaint gorgeous little town. It’s more like…oh wait. I’m supposed to review the book, not the town. See, I grew up in Pennsylvania so I’ve been to Paradise (the town) on more than one occasion. So when I got a copy of this book in the mail from Loree Lough, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I’ve read Loree’s work before and I’ve visited the town. That’s a perfectly matched partnership for expectations on this book. As is Loree’s expertise with people and the location in this book.

Julia is a beautiful young attorney whose family originally hailed from Paradise. Her life growing up was the furthest thing from ideal that you could imagine. Initially removed from her drug addicted parents and placed in care with her grandparents, Julia loved life in their beautiful home in Paradise. Then the government system stepped in, removed her from her grandparents and placed her in the foster care system.  When her grandparents passed away and left her their home and their land, at first she wasn’t interested. After a lot of wrestling with the decision, she moved back to Paradise and that’s where she met Simon.

Simon is a handsome young widower whose wife died very young. He was left broken hearted and determined never to love another woman again. The first time he meets Julia, those promises go out the window. He can’t stop the attraction he feels, but Julia is broken by her past and believes that she’s somehow tainted, so she keeps Simon at arm’s length.

Their story is rich and beautifully crafted. With good friends in the Amish community, the two characters give us a glimpse of what the ‘simple’ life is like. We learn about forgiveness amidst great tragedy and how a deep and real love can change you to your core. Loree’s writing cuts to the heart of topics that touch everyone. Acceptance, brokenness, inadequacy. She writes them all in such a way that helps clear the mind and lets the reader see some of these issues in a new way.

Loree Lough’s books are a breath of sunshine in a market that has trended toward heavy topics of late. (Not that this is a bad thing. I have several books that I’m looking forward to reading that would definitely be called heavy topics!) I recently told someone that Loree’s books are like mouthwash. They are easy to use and leave you feeling fresh and clean. If you’ve been wrapped in heavy books lately or would like a breath of fresh romance in your reading, give Loree’s books a chance. They’ll not only leave you with that fresh feeling I mentioned earlier, but the characters will wrap around your heart and meet you wherever you are.

Review copy provided by the author.

Genre: Historical, Adventure, Romance

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: September 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Every time you open a book, it’s a chance for a new adventure. Limitless potential. For me, opening An Echo in the Bone meant that I would be visiting with old friends. I have been following Gabaldon’s Outlander series since book one and have since truly become friends with Claire, Jamie, Brianna, Roger, and a host of others that Gabaldon has created.  So when I opened the book, I was ready for adventure and Gabaldon did not disappoint.

Let me back up a little. Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser is a time traveler. In the first book of the series (Outlander) she inadvertently traveled from 1940’s England to Scotland of the 1700’s. She quickly discovered what life was like for a woman in that era. Being without the protection of a man was not a good thing and she ended up forced to marry a young man, Jamie Fraser, for just this purpose. Since she was a married woman when she traveled back, you can imagine she was pretty unhappy with this development. But hey, her husband of modern times wasn’t even close to being born yet so could she really be unfaithful? Besides that, the marriage was a life or death situation. Without it, she wouldn’t have survived. Claire had a background in medicine which added to her knowledge of history and made her an incredibly valuable resource. And this was the humble beginning of a back and forth time travel series that sent modern day women around the world swooning over men in kilts.

Now, where were we? Oh yes. An Echo in the Bone. Echo takes place mostly in the United States though it’s not quite united yet. Claire knows enough history to remember major events or people (like George Washington and Benedict Arnold), but not enough to guide her own path safely through every circumstance of the war. After all, there were hundreds and thousands of people involved in the revolution that didn’t end up with their names and cities in history books. Still, Claire remains a brilliant encyclopedia for Jamie to rely upon when meeting new people or visiting new places. It creates for a delicious state of tension when Claire finds herself delighted with a handsome young man of impeccable manners and realizes that she has not properly introduced herself. Imagine her state of being when he takes her hand and warmly introduces himself as Benedict Arnold and places himself at her service.

The book takes place in a variety of places that span from the continental states to Britain, France and Scotland. Gabaldon has also straddled the storytelling between the 1980’s and the 1700’s. This device gives the reader an interesting perspective as Claire’s daughter and son-in-law discover where she has been and what she’s been doing through historical documents and research. The tension builds through this device as we all know where Claire is at certain times and they are able to research history and discover how close she is to battles, disaster or danger.

If it were possible for me to review each and every page of this book I would. Having been a Gabaldon fan since the beginning, I had high expectations. Gabaldon not only met but exceeded what I could have imagined for this book. I found myself gasping out loud, giggling in places and enjoying the pace of the book.

Though there were moments when I felt like the story slowed down in pacing, it was still a breathtaking ride. I also stumbled once or twice in places with references to characters from previous books. I know that some of the suspense and drama was probably not as exciting as it could have been had I re-read the previous books before diving into this one.

Still, I couldn’t help myself. When the book arrived in the mail, I had a hard time putting it aside so I could finish other books. I loved the story and where Gabaldon has taken Jamie, Claire, Roger and Brianna. I’m also thrilled to say that with the ending, it looks like we can expect more adventures in the future. It should say something when you get to the end of a book that’s 800+ pages and you frantically turn to the back cover to find out when the next release is expected. I’ll be biding my time until we hear from Gabaldon again. For anyone who loves adventure, romance, time travel or historical fiction, Gabaldon’s entire Outlander series is a must read.

Review copy provided by Delacorte Press.

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Guideposts Books

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Claire Prescott’s life is not, in any way, in an ideal position. She’s just lost her job and she’s unhappy with…well, pretty much everything. So when her sister can’t go abroad to Oxford for a Jane Austen symposium, Claire volunteers to go present her sister’s paper in her stead.

Upon arrival, it becomes even clearer that she not only doesn’t belong in this sort of venue, but that her life is really, well, underwhelming. When she meets a charming handsome man, instead of sharing her story, she crafts a far more interesting tale of what her life is like. Unfortunately, it’s not true. This obviously puts Claire in a really difficult position. Enter The Formidables. Or at least one that we’ve met before.

The Formidables are a secret society that Pattillo introduced in her previous novel, Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Once again, they come to the aid of an Austen lover. Through exploration of Austen’s own life and works, they’re able to open up a lot of possibilities and a greater understanding of life for Claire.

For anyone who knows about Jane Austen’s real life, both of these books are an eye opener. I enjoyed reading both of them and learning more about one of my favorite writers. If you’re a fringe Jane Austen fan and haven’t read a lot of her books or only enjoy the really popular ones (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility) Patillo’s work will still enlighten you and give you interesting information about Austen while partnering it with an interesting story.

Though I really enjoyed her first book, this one felt a little more like Pattillo was trying her hand at rewriting Austen’s work instead of giving it a fresh new look. At times as I was reading I found myself pulled from the story and wondering if this was merely a vehicle for her own Pride and Prejudice rewrite. (Everyone else has been doing it. Why not?) At the same time, Claire Prescott is a fun character that is easy to enjoy and understand. Her journey is a little fantastical every now and then, but the ending to the story is satisfying and enjoyable.

This is a fun afternoon or weekend read when you’d like to get away and dive into some Jane Austen without immersing yourself in Austen’s own work. It’s a fun retreat and feels a bit like your own personal vacation from reality. A sort of Jane Austen light, Pattillo’s work and characters stand well enough on their own, but they are made vibrant with the backdrop of Austen’s work and life as an accessory.

Review copy provided by Guideposts Books.

Genre: Romance, Religious

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

When Maura Sullivan left the small town of Granger, Ohio, she didn’t plan to ever return. You see when Maura left town, she also left her husband, Nick. As sad as this is, we all know that this happens often in today’s society. What makes Maura’s story different is that Nick is also a beloved pastor in this small town. Throw in a well intentioned woman who leaves both Nick and Maura some very special things in her will and you have a very sticky situation with some interesting ramifications.

Everything in Maura’s life has gone south since leaving Granger and she is anxious to do what she needs to do and leave the town and its people behind once again. The last person she wants to see is Nick, so imagine her feelings when she ends up sharing an elevator with him at the attorney’s office building. Things get even worse when she discovers that in order to receive the bequest from the will, she’s going to need to live with Nick in the parsonage for six months. Really?!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book. This subject could easily be overbearing and preachy and I admit that I feared the worst. Imagine my delight when I opened this book and found myself so deeply involved in it that I carried the book everywhere with me. This story completely entranced me. It drew me in with a compassion and interest that made me feel like these were people I know.  The writing shows a keen insight and understanding of what people go through as they live their Christian walk every day. AlLee addresses the hurt that comes from separation and divorce without ever preaching or judging. She moves deftly and with great beauty through the thought process of characters confronting sins of their past and mistakes of the present as they stretch through a sometimes painful maturing process.

The storyline could easily feel trite and contrived, but AlLee diffuses this by having Maura voice the same feelings herself. The disbelief, questions and concerns that a reader might have, all get addressed through the storyline and plot, helping to make the story more believable and real.

Many Christian books, especially stories about divorce or contemporary life, have a tendency to be heavy handed and preachy. The characters can sometimes speak some sort of Christian-ese language that doesn’t flow well with what believers live and speak daily. This book not only does not suffer from that problem, it flows with realism and understanding. The struggles are relatable. The language is honest. The writing is simple and beautiful. Several times as I was reading, I wanted to find Maura or Nick and give them a hug. This was a simple, beautiful story of love interrupted, found, and built again. This book would be a wonderful gift for a pastor’s wife, a newlywed, a seasoned wife… You know actually, just forget the list. This book is a beautiful read no matter who you are.

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Jove

Publication Date: January 26, 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Audrianna Kelmsleigh has a problem. Her father, embroiled in scandal, has just committed suicide. Audrianna is convinced that he was innocent and though he’s dead, she’s determined to clear his name. Not only will it fix his reputation, but it will also reopen the door to polite society for her family.

With a fierce determination that matches her beauty, Audrianna plunges herself headfirst into the intrigue and danger that led to her father’s death. Against all better judgment, she leaves herself in an unguarded position with a man that she thinks knows more about the trumped up charges against her father only to find that not only is he not the man that she thought he was, but he’s also investigating the same mystery.

When Lord Sebastian Summerhays meets Audrianna, he has no idea why the man he was supposed to meet is a woman. Not only is she a woman, but a young beautiful, albeit naïve woman. Though known far and wide for being a rogue who romances women wherever he goes, Summerhays soon realizes that Audrianna is far more than just beautiful. She’s captured his heart. Adventure, intrigue, mystery and romance soon ensue.

If romance and passion are what you want in your reading, then Madeline Hunter should be in your reading list and Ravishing in Red belongs at the top. Hunter takes the classic stories of strong independent women and partners them with the brave handsome rogues that they tame. The characters are fresh and exciting as we follow Audrianna’s journey to discover whether or not her father truly committed treason. As she grows deeper into life with Summerhays and his family, she discovers that the mystery affects far more than just her own family. She begins to learn more about his motivations.

With a clever and sometimes heart wrenching mystery wrapped around the two lovers, Ravishing in Red brings new life to the romance genre.  This book does have adult situations and descriptions and the passion is not lacking in description, so be ready when you read it. But if you’re looking for something to take you away from bills, stress and hassles, give it a try.

Review copy provided by Jove Publishing.

Genre: Romance, Supernatural

Publisher: Lucas Lane

Publication Date: December 2009

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Kayla Rowe is getting married. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, she is having trouble fully embracing the moment. Her first love, Billy, has suddenly come back into her life and Kayla can’t escape the intense feelings between the two that seemingly never left. What they shared was often unstable and surprising, yet always full of passion and longing, the kind of love Kayla had never felt before. The problem with Billy was that he reminded Kayla too much of what her father must have been like. She lost him when she was only two, but as the big day approaches she wishes more than anything that he could be there to give her away. Being around Billy again has brought out all of those old emotions leaving Kayla more confused than ever.

Thomas Rowe loved to dance with his baby girl. His time with her was short, only two years, but even in heaven he remembers those precious moments. He is overwhelmed when he is suddenly presented with an opportunity he can’t refuse. He can return to earth and dance with his daughter on her wedding day. The only catch? She won’t know it’s him and he must make sure she marries the right man. This is everything Thomas has dreamed of, ever since he first held Kayla in his arms. He only hopes he has enough time…

Travis Thrasher has carved out a nice little niche for himself in recent years as a supernatural thriller writer. With Every Breath You Take he goes back to his roots and gives readers a powerful love story with a supernatural twist that will sit with you long after the final page. This is first and foremost a love story that Thrasher has written to his daughter. Indeed, the relationship between Thomas and Kayla is beautifully crafted and I challenge any father not to shed a tear or two as they think about their own little girl while reading this story.

Thrasher uses his love of music to cleverly carry this narrative. The novel is broken up into six parts, each part bearing the name of an album from Coldplay or The Police. In each part, the chapter names are taken from songs from the corresponding album. In lesser hands this approach might come across as gimmicky, but I found myself constantly scrolling through my iPod to see how each song fit with the story. The characters’ love of music added a whole new depth of emotion to the story, drawing me effortlessly into the pages.

In the end I was knocked off my feet by the unexpected, only to be reeled back in by the powerful message that comes surging through. Every element of this story worked for me, and I’m shocked that a publishing house didn’t pick this up. While Thrasher is more than content with this being a special little project, I can’t help but wonder about the potential of this story if placed in some influential hands. Whether Every Breath You Take eventually takes the publishing world by storm or it always remains a fan collector’s item, I’ll be forever grateful that I took this journey with Kayla, Billy, and Thomas.

NOTE: Currently this novel can only be purchased directly from the author. To order your copy click here. If you want to read Travis Thrasher’s account of why he chose to self-publish this story, you can check out his blog. You can also hear Travis talk about the story behind this novel in our recent interview with him.

Genre: Romance, Historical, Religious

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: January 5, 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lucinda Bishop’s life has just been turned upside down. With the loss of both of her parents, everything that she has ever known is gone. Now she’s moving from the East coast and bustling city life to the territories of the west and a ranch in the Oklahoma territories.

It’s a difficult transition for a young girl who, at the age of 17, hasn’t spent time outside the city or any time away from her parents. She learns very quickly that life at the ranch doesn’t allow for sleeping in or for relaxing in the afternoons. Thankfully she has a loving considerate family to help her learn the ins and outs of this new life.

Of course, as usually happens with young women around this age, into the turmoil and upheaval is introduced yet another factor, a young man. Jake Starnes is a handsome young man who works for Lucinda’s Aunt and Uncle on their ranch. A fine worker with a mysterious past, Jake does everything possible to help Lucinda’s family keep the ranch together and that includes helping Lucinda with the transition to ranch life. The more time that the two of them spend together, the more he realizes that his feelings for the young girl run far beyond that of merely attraction. What Jake doesn’t know is how to proceed in courting this beautiful young woman when he’s got a past that isn’t going to leave him in peace.

Lucinda’s struggle with her feelings is one that transcends time and reaches out to all young women who are picking their way through the dating process. How do you control your feelings for someone when you know that your belief system is completely different from his? And what do you do with those feelings when you don’t know if you could have a future with him. As Lucinda and Jake navigate the potential minefields of attraction and figuring out the future, the story crosses the boundaries of history to become relevant to young women today.

Strang Book Group has chosen a solid and enjoyable read for their first venture into the historical romance genre. Martha Rogers has created delightful characters and a beautiful storyline that keep you engaged and interested throughout the course of the book. Though the outcome is predictable, the way in which they reach the conclusion is very much not and as with all of life, the journey is as important as the conclusion. The growth of Lucinda and Jake through their difficult circumstances is a wonderful example of how God can transform a life no matter how insurmountable the odds. Becoming Lucy was a wonderful escape from the everyday stresses of life. If this is any indication of what Strang has in the works, I’ll very happily allow them to supply my ‘escapes’ in the future.

Genre: Adaptation, Science Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Ulysses Press

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

As part of my recent Austen binge, I thought to myself that I was reviewing zombies in the Regency era, why not vampires? After all, vampire folklore has a longer history than the current zombie fads. It might be interesting to explore.

In this book, Fitzwilliam Darcy, our favorite romantic hero, is a dhampir. That’s half human half vampire. When the book opens, he’s already fighting his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet and the two of them have stolen away for several evening adventures that would have been considered scandalous had they been caught.  Darcy fights his feelings, not because of Elizabeth’s pride or stature in society, but because of the curse that has followed his family for generations. He doesn’t want to pass the curse on to another generation, and so he has decided that he will remain single for all of his days. That is, until he meets Elizabeth Bennet. He then falls madly in love with her and spends the rest of the story trying to figure out what he should do with these feelings.

The story differs from the original while remaining true enough to make sure that the main characters all ended in the same general manner as the original.  This is a love story. It’s about passion, desire, romance and overcoming obstacles. It was a fun read but it took me separating my ideas and expectations and putting them aside before I could enjoy it. After I divorced myself from the attachment to Austen’s original, I pulled back and quit trying so hard to make it fit into what I already knew and loved. Then it became a much better read.

Rather than a tried and true adaptation of this classic romance, it felts more like a vampire love story into which our favorite characters were dropped. It was hard to imagine Darcy saying some of the things attributed to him in this book and likewise, difficult to see Elizabeth acting in the manner that she did.

As I mentioned previously though, once I removed the expectations and viewed it through a fresh lens, it was a good story that was interesting to follow. With the crazy vampire phenomenon all over publishing right now,  (honestly you can’t drop a popsicle stick in a fiction section these days without staking a vampire book) I’m sure that many will find pleasure and delight in this book bringing together the latest craze with a tried and true classic favorite.

Genre: Adaptation, Science Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Quirk Books

Publication Date: April 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Pride and Prejudice. And Zombies. What else is there that you can possibly say when a beloved classic is suddenly injected with the modern day idea of brain eating zombies? I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book and I approached it with trepidation. I love Jane Austen. Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth Bennet. Mr. Bingley. Netherfield. Pemberley. These are old friends not just to me but to generations of romantics at heart. How can one honestly put zombies in the mix and have it be good?

And yet, it is. Yes. I’ve said it out loud right here on the internet for the entire world to see. This book was good.  Beyond good, it was delightful to read.

Using Regency era language and manners, the new sections fit seamlessly into Jane Austen’s original text and story.  In one moment you may be reading about Darcy and Elizabeth taking a turn about the gardens at Pemberley and a page later, the two are fighting ‘unmentionables’ side by side with a deadly accuracy. Or Lady Catherine De Bourgh, while hosting a meal at her lavish home, suddenly shares the stories of how she came to have so many ninjas in her employ.

It’s an amazing adaptation that delighted me to no end. In fact, parts of this book were (dare I say it?) more satisfying in conclusion than the original. Wickham’s dastardly actions are answered in a manner that is admittedly over the top. Yet as I was reading, I couldn’t help but give a cheer at this Darcy’s actions and response.

In this adaptation, the Bennet girls are well known throughout the countryside for being exceptional zombie killers. They even traveled to the Orient to study under world renowned martial arts masters. They are, in short, as deadly as they are beautiful. When a troop of unmentionables shows up at a ball, the Bennet sisters are quick to dispatch them all with grace and style.

This adaptation has kept all of the characterization, mannerisms and language of the original Pride and Prejudice and taken great care to insert zombies in places that are a surprisingly seamless fit. In fact while I was reading I would find myself so engrossed in the story that when zombies were mentioned, I laughed out loud because I’d forgotten what I was reading. But still, they fit in an odd alternate universe sort of way.

This book was a delightful read that made me laugh and at the same time, re-experience the beautiful romance that belongs to Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth. If you’ve been wondering about it, give it a try. You might find yourself surprised and delighted.

Genre: Chicklit, Romance

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

For someone who doesn’t like Christmas, it’s not easy for Bryce Stone to live in North Pole, Alaska. Throw in the fact that he’s just returned from Iraq where he was blinded in one eye and that he has no clue what to do with the family business, and all you need is a spunky independent woman to make a perfect romance. That’s what Loree Lough has pulled together in this installment of the “Love Finds You” series from Summerside Press.

When Sam Sinclair packs up and moves her entire life to Alaska to take a job, she’s more than unhappy to find out that the job has already been given to someone else. This leaves her with no job and Bryce with a lot of loose ends in his life. Thankfully he’s got an Aunt who always has her eye out for his best interests and she hires Sam to manage the family’s Christmas store. It’s not long before Sam and Bryce are delightfully driving each other up the wall. I laughed out loud at several of their discussions and couldn’t help but get a kick out of some of the flaws that the two of them discover in each other.

With gentle twists, nudges, and beautiful heart wrenching moments, Loree Lough introduces us to beautiful characters that are flawed, beautiful, complicated, and yet still easy for everyone to understand.  Her writing style is beautiful and descriptive while being comfortable enough to make you feel like you’re sliding into your favorite pair of blue jeans.

This was the first Loree Lough book that I’ve read, though she has a bajillion of them on the market. Okay, maybe not a bajillion, but enough that one should stand up and take notice. I’m delighted to say that I have another waiting here to read and more to come in the future. If you need a break from reality that’s heartwarming and beautiful while giving you the desire to travel to a new place, give Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska a try.

Genre: Comedy, Chicklit, Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: May 5, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

As part of my continuing Jane Austen kick, I decided to dive into What Would Jane Austen Do? I won’t lie to you. The cover art caused me to raise an eyebrow. Instead of a traditional bodice ripper, this one seemed to have a button down ripper?!  Okay, that’s a twist.

Eleanor Pottinger is a modern day expert of Regency fashion and therefore knows almost everything there is to know about Jane Austen. So when she attends a modern day seminar in England about the Regency period, she believes she’s fully prepared. Unfortunately, the inn where she’s meant to stay has lost her reservation and must put her in a suite of rooms that is never used. Why? Supposedly the rooms are haunted. Eleanor soon finds out that there’s no ‘supposedly’ to it when she meets Deirdre and Mina Cracklebury, the former owners of the home and ghosts who are unable to ‘rest’ until some circumstances that happened in their lives get set straight.  Can you see where this is going?

Eleanor goes to sleep in modern times and wakes up facing the real life women behind the ghosts. Of course they have no idea where she’s from or who she is and they assume that she’s a long lost cousin who has come over from the Americas.

There’s mystery, romance, adventure and of course, a few fleeting moments with Jane Austen herself in this novel. A perfect read for a long trip or a vacation, this book is for anyone who enjoys romance and a little bit of adventure with a dash of time travel thrown in the mix. With a mystery that keeps you wondering and twists that are unexpected and delightful just the same, Brown does an excellent job of capturing what a modern day woman would think if tossed into the middle of a Jane Austen novel. With a few fun modern references and some very modern feelings about the men around her, Eleanor is a wonderful central character that you want to follow.

Laurie Brown has created fun characters, seemingly impossible situations and conversations with Jane Austen that are realistic and not overblown. I expected the novel to have more interaction with Austen or to have more about her, but when all was said and done, I was very glad that it didn’t. Where it would be easy to give in to the tendency to bestow Austen with her own words or thoughts, Brown resists the temptation. Instead, she gives us a wonderful slice of a possible moment in time with Jane Austen.

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: October 2009

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

In six weeks, Brad Cutler will marry the woman of his dreams. Laura, perfect for him in every way, shares the same faith, morals and goals. Unfortunately, the past Brad thought he buried long ago breathes down his neck threatening to ruin everything he’s built.

Brad travels back to North Carolina to find Emma, the ex-girlfriend he abandoned nine years earlier after the bad choices of a fateful summer led to an unwanted pregnancy and abortion. He hopes to atone for his past wrongs, but in doing so, he risks everything. Laura now wonders if she even knows the man she is about to marry.

In Shades of Blue, Karen Kingsbury once again delicately weaves a story of love, faith and redemption. She tackles difficult issues and expertly shows how the choices we make change our lives forever, not only affecting us, but also those we love the most. Brad’s character demonstrates how bad decisions can lead to a lifetime of pain and regret. At the same time, though he cannot change the past, he shows that the hope of forgiveness and redemption always exist.

Not your typical romance, Shades of Blue focuses mostly on Brad and Emma’s broken past and journey to restoration while Laura struggles with anger and forgiveness miles away from her fiancée. Some Christian clichés do come through, making the narrative feel forced in places, but Kingsbury makes up for it by dealing with a complex issue, such as abortion, with gritty realism that palpably draws readers in.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Chicklit

Publisher: Guideposts Books

Publication Date: February, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

A couple of weeks ago, I went off on a total Jane Austen binge. I contacted Jake here at Fiction Addict and gave him a list of books that I wanted to read – almost all of them involving Jane Austen’s wonderful writing. (Watch for What Would Jane Austen Do, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Vampire Darcy’s Desire…all coming up for review soon!)  Jake was awesome (as usual) and within just a couple of days, my mailbox was overflowing with big oversized envelopes stuffed with books. All of them inspired by the great lady herself, Jane Austen.

I reached for this book first because really, what self respecting woman hasn’t wished for Mr. Darcy or even the somewhat less spectacular Mr. Bingley to rescue them from the modern dating scene? (Although I suspect that some of my friends and myself have been just as much in love with Colin Firth as with Mr. Darcy, but that’s a different review now isn’t it?) Regardless of this, I felt an immediate kinship and sympathy with this title. (I feel like I should say here that I’m married to a wonderful man who puts up with my adoration of both Mr. Darcy and Colin Firth in such a way as to make me love and adore him even more. That’s pretty impressive.)

So now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, shall we attend to the book that we are here to discuss? Indeed!

Emma Douglas has spent her entire academic career studying, lecturing on, and writing about Jane Austen. She is, in short, the quintessential Janeite.  She is quite pleased with the way her life is going until, in one shattering and slightly queasy moment, she discovers her husband and her teacher’s assistant involved in something very biological on the kitchen table. Things go downhill from there. He and his mistress accuse her of plagiarism and thus, not only do we meet our heroine in the middle of a personal crisis, but a career crisis as well.

Instead of giving up on everything she’s ever known, Emma decides that now is the time to separate from everything she’s become comfortable with and, on a lark, she gets rid of a lot of material items and finances her own trip to England to track down Jane Austen’s lost letters.

Here is where I need to back up and give a little history lesson. Jane Austen, being a writer, was an avid and prolific letter writer. It is believed by scholars that during her lifetime, she wrote over three thousand missives to a variety of people. Upon her death, her closest and most beloved fan, her sister Cassandra, destroyed a majority of her letters and allowed the others to be made public. Now that you know that fact, we can move on with the review.

Emma has received information that a very special group of people in England still have ALL of Jane’s letters and that they were not, in fact destroyed. This is not only intriguing to Emma, but it casts her a lifeline in the middle of her chaotic life. The discovery of these letters could mean the revival of her career in academia. She chases after these tidbits of information with the smallest whisper of logic and an incredible measure of passion.

Along the journey, she discovers more about Jane Austen than she’d ever thought possible and also begins to look at her beloved works of writing in a completely new light. On top of all of this, she learns more about herself than she’d understood before.

This book was a delight to read. For anyone who loves Jane Austen it is an absolute must. With exquisite attention to detail, Pattillo uncovers Jane Austen’s life for the reader who hasn’t had the opportunity to research on his or her own and she laces it through with a fictitious story that is delicious and wonderful to follow. Several times while reading this book I thought “Why didn’t I put those pieces together?!”

A little bit Pride and Prejudice mashed up with Sense and Sensibility and a chase worthy of National Treasure or Indiana Jones, you’ll delight in the world that Pattillo has created around a beloved international author and the stories she chose to tell and some she didn’t.  I was disappointed when the story ended. Not because it ended badly, but simply because it ended. I wanted to know more and follow what happened next. Thankfully there is a sequel due soon. I can’t wait to get my hands on Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart.

Genre: Romance, Drama

Publisher: Scribner

Publication Date: September 29th, 2009

Lori Twichell’s review:

“Elspeth died while Robert was standing in front of a vending machine watching tea shoot into a small paper cup.”

Thus begins Audrey Niffenegger’s first novel since The Time Traveler’s Wife.  Now let me start out this review by saying that I am a first level geek for Niffenegger’s work.  I fell in love with The Time Traveler’s Wife and when I discovered that this book was coming out, I was over the moon. When the book finally arrived in the mail, I tore into the package like Christmas. I even paraded it around the house saying “Look! See what Mommy got in the mail! Isn’t it awesome?!” (My son, by the way, was nonplussed with the big book that had no pictures.)

Her Fearful Symmetry combines a ghost story with romance, sibling rivalry and woven throughout, death. The setting of the book is quite literally in the backyard of the famous Highgate Cemetery in London and as you may have noticed in the first sentence of this review, the main character of the book dies. That’s how the book starts. It’s not really your typical ghost story or romance. But that’s okay. Niffenegger’s normal is always anything but typical.

The main character in this book, as I mentioned, is Elspeth. She’s the dearly departed without really having departed. For some reason, Elspeth hasn’t really gone away. So when her mirror twin nieces arrive from America to take over her apartment, things get a little awkward. We follow her journey as she spends her days and nights trying to figure out ways to communicate with the girls. She also spends a lot of time trying to get out of the apartment and see Robert, her lover who lives in the flat below the girls. As Elspeth struggles with her lingering presence and lack of purpose, she notices something odd. Her niece, Valentina, has begun to have feelings for Robert. This puts Elspeth in an even more awkward position than just sleeping in a drawer. She doesn’t know what to do. Should she stop it? Encourage it? Yes. I know. Some moments of the plot do feel a little daytime soapy when you repeat them out loud.

Thankfully Niffenegger’s mastery of character development and description makes things feel far less sudsy than your average soap. She can pull off the most stunning descriptions of characters, events, and locations with the simplest turns of phrase. She can draw you in to the oddest set of storylines and characters with just a few sentences. Even as you’re thinking, “This isn’t really my style” you will come across something that takes your breath away and requires that you read it multiple times to really capture the depth of it. Her writing remains brilliant, beautiful, and stunning.

Now to be fair, the plot wasn’t something that I would normally enjoy and the ending felt like it came far too late in the story. Everything could have really been wrapped much sooner than it did. And in all honesty, I scratched my head at the abrupt climax of several major storylines. But still, it’s Audrey Niffenegger. She writes so beautifully and so brilliantly that even if you get to the end and ask “What?” you still had an amazing journey along the way.

Marianne Peters’ review:

Grief. Ghosts. Two sets of twins. Lovers separated by death and distance. Family secrets. And London’s Highgate Cemetery, an ancient burial ground full of storied occupants. Who can resist a novel with all these compelling elements?

Her Fearful Symmetry begins with Elspeth Noblin’s death and her adventures afterward as she haunts her London flat.  In her will, Elspeth mysteriously leaves her flat to her estranged twin sister’s twenty-year-old twin daughters. Her nieces, Julia and Valentina, share a creepily intense sibling bond. They move into Elspeth’s former home, located in a building which borders famous Highgate cemetery. Julia forms a friendship with upstairs neighbor Martin, a gentle, brilliant, but hopelessly obsessive-compulsive man who refuses to leave his flat. The twins also meet Robert, Elspeth’s grief-stricken former lover who is writing a history of Highgate cemetery and working as a volunteer guide there. When Robert and Valentina form a romantic bond, relationships between the living and the dead begin to unravel.

Highgate itself becomes a character in the novel. Its history, architecture, inhabitants, and daily rituals create an atmosphere of decay, a reminder of the inevitable. Descriptions of the cemetery are the most enjoyable part of the novel, along with Niffenegger’s rendering of ghost-life. Elspeth grows in ghostliness as she attempts to communicate with the twins and with Robert, her erstwhile lover. Niffenegger imagines Elspeth evolving from a misty disembodiment to a visible, powerful presence, and watching her discover her strength and begin to insert herself into the twins’ lives makes for compelling storytelling. Nothing good can come of it.

Like her previous novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger renders a fantastical situation plausible with imaginative detail – for instance, what does it feel like to pull a soul from a body? Unlike her previous novel, her characters did not venture far from type, which made the outcome predictable.  Predictable, but still eerie fun, especially with a setting such as Highgate cemetery, full of ghosts and memories.

Don’t miss our interview with Audrey Niffenegger.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: September 22, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Anita Shreve’s previous novels explore the complexity of human relationships and the deeper end of emotions that everyone shares. Her latest novel, A Change in Altitude is no different. Throughout the book Shreve explores the question of whether a marriage can survive misunderstandings wrapped around tragedy.

Margaret and Patrick have a young marriage full of hope and dreams when they move to Africa. They quickly discover that the human aspects of 1970’s Africa are as untamed and unruly as the wildlife itself. Robberies, rape, attacks and a misunderstood political society all confront Margaret in a very short time, making it difficult for her to acclimate to this new life she’s chosen.

When it’s decided that Patrick and Margaret should join some other couples in climbing Mount Kenya, Margaret isn’t interested in the adventure, but she chooses to go along with it so that she can be with her husband. As they hear about all of the dangers and difficulties involved in the climb, Margaret remains unsure of the trip but continues in preparations anyway.

Then tragedy beyond comprehension strikes and Margaret must learn more about herself and her life than she ever believed possible. How does she move on? CAN you move on in the face of something like this?

Shreve does not shy away from the hard topics in this novel. As she explores marriage, friendships, internal struggles and the alienation of a foreign land, she plumbs the difficult paths that many refuse to acknowledge in their writing.  Sometimes this makes it difficult to read. A few times I was tempted to put it down and give myself a break from Margaret’s thoughts. In fact I did do that a few times. But the journey, though difficult, was as many things are in life, a beautiful one. Africa was far more than just a setting in the book. It was a character, many times more three dimensional and full of life than some of the other human characters in the book.

Reminiscent of  “Out of Africa” and even making a few references to Karen Blixen herself, the book is a journey of not only self discovery but life discovery. It’s a journey that works as any other good journey does.  It leaves you changed when you reach the end.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Publisher: Mariner Books

Publication Date: May 27, 2004

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Romance. It’s usually a very simple formula. Boy meets girl. Girl and boy fight then make up. Then it’s happily ever afterland.

In the case of the Time Traveler’s Wife, Girl (Claire) meets Boy (Henry) when she is six and he is in his late 30’s. Henry, on the other hand, doesn’t meet Claire until he’s in his early 30’s and she’s in her early 20’s. Confused? Yes. I know. It can take a bit of mental acuity to follow along, but the effort is paid off in spades by the end of the story.

Henry DeTamble is a time traveler. He’s not some scientist or great inventor who has come up with a brilliant new way to bend time and space. He’s a librarian who has a genetic disorder that makes him unable to hold on to his place in time. He travels through time without choice, often leaving or returning at the most inopportune moments. Worse yet, Henry’s clothes don’t travel with him. Imagine appearing naked in an alley where a gang is mugging a helpless victim. Or finding yourself in the middle of a restaurant with no clothes. At the least it’s embarrassing. At the worst it can be life threatening.

By the time that Henry meets Claire for the first time, she’s been in love with him for her entire life and yet he has no idea who she is. It’s a surreal experience for Henry but it turns into the best moment of his life. For the rest of the story, Claire and Henry’s lives are interwoven through time with tragedy, drama and some of the most heart rending scenes you’ll ever read.

This book isn’t titled The Time Traveler though. It’s about the Time Traveler’s Wife. And I think that is a key to the whole story. Henry didn’t choose his time traveling nature. It was genetically instilled within him. Claire, however, DID choose this life. She wanted Henry. Even knowing what life would be like, she wanted Henry. She chose it. Perhaps my role in life as a military wife made this story more heartfelt for me. It’s not easy to be in Claire’s shoes and be the one left behind.

I am in awe of Niffenegger’s accomplishment as a writer and storyteller. As I read, I bounced back and forth through Henry and Claire’s lives in a manner not dissimilar to his time traveling. I never knew when the next chapter would be in the course of their timelines, but I knew that no matter what, it would fill in necessary gaps and details.

Niffenegger doesn’t whitewash the realities of time travel and make it ‘exciting’ or adventurous like many science fiction writers do. Instead, she places it firmly in the context of everyday life and trials. This makes it a challenge that Henry and Claire need to work through for their marriage to survive. Everyone has issues in their life that they need to work through. Henry and Claire’s are really no different from our own. We just find the circumstances more fascinating.

The story is beautifully crafted and brilliantly woven. This book will move you. It will shatter you. Beyond that, it will make you want to hug the people that you love. Right now.

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: September 8, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Summer vacation is usually a time that people look forward to with much delight. Throw a beachfront property in there and you have what many people would consider a perfect vacation. Ronnie Miller is not most people. The last thing she wants to do is go to the North Carolina shore and spend the Summer with her father.  When Ronnie’s parents divorced, her anger at him took her life to a very different place. She refused to speak to him for three whole years. So when he calls and invites her and her younger brother Jonah to spend the Summer with him, she’s not interested in the least.

Still, her mother insists and her brother is excited about it. So this is how Ronnie finds herself spending her Summer away from all of her friends and her favorite NYC haunts. She soon finds out that a girl who prefers to wear black all the time and has a bright purple streak in her hair doesn’t fit in very well in North Carolina. As the Summer progresses though, she begins to learn more about her family, herself and her life as she’s always known it.

One thing that Nicholas Sparks does better than any other contemporary author is emotional journeys. Anyone who has read “The Notebook”, “Message in a Bottle” or “A Walk To Remember” can tell you that.  This book is no different.  Sparks writes from the heart and does it with no remorse. Relationships between parents and children, friends and God are all dissected, examined and explored with little editing.

The book moves slowly at first and there are a lot of characters to keep track of as everyone gets introduced. There’s also a lot of back story involved so that we can have a deeper understanding of where characters have been or why they make certain decisions. The character’s stories come together so that by the end, each one has made an emotional journey that changes them. (Warning: Since Sparks pulls no emotional punches, you may want to read this one with a box of tissues handy.)

Though it’s a book about a summer at the shore, The Last Song is no light summer romp. It will challenge you to view the world outside your comfort zone and examine your own responses to life’s twists and turns at the same time it’s giving you a beautifully scripted story.

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Chicklit

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: July 21, 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lara Lington is having a mid-life crisis. Her boyfriend just broke up with her, her business is failing and her great Aunt Sadie just died. Well the great aunt Sadie part doesn’t really add into Lara’s crisis except that a twenty year old version of Sadie is now haunting her. Sound a little mundane and outrageous all at once? Then you know that you’re reading a Sophie Kinsella novel.

Lara is a simple girl. She’s not drop dead gorgeous and not a world class genius, but she is, most importantly, relatable.  As I mentioned previously, Lara’s great Aunt Sadie has died at the ripe old age of 105. Lara didn’t know Sadie nor does she really care about her when she attends her funeral at the beginning of the story. She’s more concerned with her ex-boyfriend and trying to figure out how she can get him back while trying to convince her family that she’s not deluded or a stalker. So when, in the middle of the funeral, a beautiful young woman in twenties style clothing sits next to her and starts talking, Lara isn’t impressed. It’s not until she discovers that the beautiful young woman is the same woman who is currently the corpse in the coffin that things start to get interesting. It seems that Aunt Sadie can’t go to her ‘rest’ without her favorite necklace and since Lara’s the only one who can hear or see her, it’s up to Lara to find it or be driven insane by Aunt Sadie constantly screaming in her ear.

In Twenties Girl, you get exactly what you expect from reading a Kinsella novel. Adventure, humor, romance and a brilliant way out of an utter mess are the formula for Kinsella’s books and Kinsella always pulls it off with aplomb and style. Though the situations in Twenties Girl are even more extreme than the normal insanity you’d expect, Kinsella still manages to keep belief just barely suspended enough to hold your interest throughout.

As with her other books, Kinsella discusses adult situations and there is some brief language, but she does it with grace and a lack of intimate details such as to make it not overwhelming or too uncomfortable for a conservative reader. All in all, I got everything I expected when I cracked open the cover on this book. It was a delightful read that gave me some laughs, some embarrassment on the heroine’s behalf and a nice warm fuzzy feeling when it all ended.  Sometimes this is all that’s needed from a book. When I’m in need, I’ll always happily turn to a Kinsella heroine for my entertainment getaway.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

I’m not a shopper. The words Jimmy Choo shoes never come out of my mouth strung together in one sentence. So really, there’s no reason for me to identify with or even enjoy Rebecca Bloomwood’s tales of retail therapy. But I do. I love Becky Bloomwood. She’s crazy, illogical, completely addicted to shopping in any form, and despite all of her faults, I completely adore her.

Becky Bloomwood can tell you what the rush is like when you hear the ding of the cash register or when you find the absolute perfect blouse. She can also tell you, with entirely too much experience, that telling a bank or financial institution that you’ve suddenly developed typhoid fever is not a legitimate excuse for lapse of payment. Neither is ‘accidentally’ dropping all of your bills in a garbage dumpster outside your apartment or pretending that your Aunt Ermintrude has died. As Becky so sadly learns, retail therapy does have its price.

Oh and did I tell you what Becky does for a living? She’s a financial reporter. That’s right. Becky’s life is about writing stories that help people keep their finances straight. So you can see where this is going…right?

Sophie Kinsella has created, in Becky Bloomwood, one of the most beloved characters in all of ‘chicklit-dom’. And yes, that’s a word. I’m sure it is.

Written in the first person, the reader has a delightful front row seat to Rebecca’s sometimes warped and entirely hilarious thought process. You can’t help but laugh out loud and shake your head as Becky falls into (and sometimes runs headlong into) some of the worst messes you could imagine and then finds her way back out again. Usually her path out of the problem is far cleverer and better imagined than what you’d expect from a lighthearted journey like Rebecca’s.

Kinsella does an exceptional job of keeping the tone light and clean and though there are a few instances of adult language and discussion throughout, they in no way permeate the story or go into detail enough for the reader to be  uncomfortable.

Thankfully, Becky Bloomwood has many more journeys ahead of her. Future novels take her abroad, into the sometimes disastrous world of a bride and even beyond that, into motherhood. Rebecca learns her lessons, takes her knocks and  Kinsella does a brilliant job of making us love and adore her no matter how wacky or crazy the situation might be.

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Eos

Publication Date: July 28, 2009

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

Dakota Banks’s unexceptional debut features a fair amount of action and displays some creativity but ultimately lacks any real substance.

When 17^th-century herbalist Susannah Layhem is wrongfully accused of witchcraft, she has little opportunity to defend herself before she is hastily and unjustly tried and condemned to death by burning. Luckily (or unluckily) for her, a demon named Rabishu senses her hatred for her accuser and responds to her desire for vengeance by rescuing her from the flames and offering her a deal. If she accepts, she will become immortal and must travel the world, carrying out the demon’s tasks. If she refuses, she will be returned to the fire and will die. She accepts.

Three hundred years later, after killing countless innocents at Rabishu’s orders, Susannah reconsiders. Searching for a way to be released from her obligation, she encounters a handy loophole in the demonic contract: if she saves as many lives as she has taken, she will be free. The catch is that she has to give up her immortality, and if she dies before completing her mission, she will be subject to the demon’s torture for eternity. Susannah, changing her name to Maliha Crayne, embarks on her quest, finding people in danger and saving their lives.

Though the premise is interesting, the story has a number of problems that detract from the book’s effectiveness. The heroine is impossibly and inexplicably wealthy, has meaningless and random sex with just about every man she runs into, is a martial-arts expert, and possesses supernatural powers, which she originally received as a gift from her demon master. Her quest is repeatedly derailed by sidetracks and thus fails to generate real interest; she spends the majority of the book investigating a case of massive corporate fraud rather than actually saving lives. The most interesting scenes are the ones where she finds herself in obscure places around the world, looking for fragments of an ancient tablet that will enable her to destroy Rabishu once and for all.

The other characters are for the most part shallow and uninteresting; most of them are male, and most of them are either sleeping with Maliha or motivated by their desire to do so.

Ultimately, Dark Time is a disappointing book. Though the idea is memorable, the characters are not. The narrative has moments of suspense, and the action scenes are fairly intense, but in the end that’s not enough to make up for the absence of a compelling moral or clear triumph of good over evil—both important components of dark fantasy. All in all, this is a book that even fans of this genre can probably live without.