Jade Tiger - Jenn Reese

Hello, Lovelies! I apologize, I meant to have this review posted far sooner, however the ice we are covered in is messing with my internet connection and it just didn't happen! Before I get to it, I just want to remind everyone that we are on MySpace and having a total blast, so be sure and check us out and all the great authors we have added as friends! Also, next Monday dee will launch her FAB pick, so look forward to some great reviews, interviews and another contest! And since I'm so late in posting, without further ado I present to you my review of-

Jade Tiger by Jenn Reese
(BCC)

Shan Westfall - half-Chinese, half-American, one hundred percent kung fu badass - is on a mission to recover five mystical jade animals before they fall into the wrong hands. Fifteen years ago, Shan's mother led a secret society of female martial artists sworn to protect the small but powerful sculptures. Then the Jade Circle lost four of the five animals during a murderous attack on their sanctuary - and Shan's destiny was sealed.

Now an adult and the protector of the remaining figure, a jade tiger, only Shan can recover the jade crane, snake, leopard, and dragon. Joined by geeky archaeologist Ian Dashell, her quest for the statues takes her on a dangerous trek across three continents.

But when Shan finally confronts the man who destroyed her past...
can she possibly succeed where her mother failed?

As for the BCC, this one isn't too far off the mark. As is true in most cases, it isn't entirely accurate but doesn't shy too far from truth to really irritate me, as you know has been the case before. So, I won't really spend anytime on it. It does do a really good job of giving the reader a clue to the plot within the pages, so I think I may have to give it a thumbs up.

Tiger starts with a Prologue, Hunan Province, China Sanctuary of the Jade Circle Sixteen Years Ago, the fateful day Shan and her father are forced to leave the Sanctuary of the Jade Circle. We see the day through a child's eye, as she is forced to leave behind her mother to save her own life. Shan leaves the sanctuary feeling unsure of what her future will hold and angry that she didn't get to stay and fight alongside her mother. And as you know, prologues aren't my favorite things. But the prologue in Tiger actually lends to the story and is written in a way that sucked me right into the story and had me eager to read the rest.

That said, the prologue states it was sixteen years ago, yet a few chapter later, after the NOW starts, the book says it happened fifteen years ago. Now I understand if that sounds like a small thing to take offense at, but unfortunately, this reader likes the facts to add up. So when I got to the contradiction, I actually stopped reading to see if I had made the error, and my reading pace was slowed. I found myself looking for other contradictions and that made it far harder for me to simply enjoy the book.

Shan Westfall is indeed, as the BCC suggests, a "kung-fu badass". In the years that followed her escape from the sanctuary, Shan studied martial arts and honed her fighting skills so that when the time came she would be ready to take back the remaining jade animals. When she happens to see an article in a magazine that features a picture of a professor with the jade crane sitting behind him, Shan knows the time has come.

Sneaking into the university at night, Shan finds that some one has beat her there and is not only looking for the statues but has hurt an innocent man in the process. Ian Dashell, archaeology professor watches through near unconsciousness as his savior appears in the form of a beautiful woman, who is as lethal with her body as she is lovely.

Once the intruder is gone, Shan learns that the crane is not at the school, and if she'll entrust Ian with the story behind the crane and why it is so important, he will take her to it. But it isn't just the crane Shan needs, and it turns out that Ian may know where another of the jade statues is, and with the bad guys hot on their trail, Shan, Ian, and Buckley (Ian's friend that was pictured in the magazine article) set off to get the jade statues before they fall into the hands of the same people who killed her mother.

It is apparent throughout the book that Reese obviously knows her martial arts. The fight scenes in the book are written in a way that have you on the edge of your seat with descriptions that have you actually envisioning the fight. I do so love a kick ass heroine, and Shan is definitely that. I enjoyed the chase to reach the animals and I enjoyed the action and descriptions of the various fight scenes.

The book however, does not move at the pace in which it starts. Reese throws in a very stilted, unbelievable romance between Ian and Shan, that many times had me wanting to yell at Shan for her stupidity at getting so easily distracted. She has spent her entire life wanting to get these statues, and is very close to achieving that goal, but she allows herself make-out sessions in the woods , while the bad guys get a head-start on her? I just didn't believe it. As focused as Shan supposedly is, I just cannot buy her falling in love in the short space of time she spends with Ian.

The basic premise of the book is intriguing, and well worth the read. But I think Reese missed an opportunity for a great series here. But by having Shan find all of the animals by the end of the book it simply felt rushed, and Shan coming to terms with who her mother was, and her own self worth felt much like the romance - unbelievable.

Tiger is Reese's debut novel, and with time, I think she'll become a name to watch for. There were definite POV problems, instead of alternating, we get the first scene from Ian's and then go to Shan and only Shan until the last couple of chapters. I wouldn't have minded only having Shan's voice if it would have started that way, but it didn't and Ian deserved a voice. For now, I can say that while there were definite aspects of the book that just didn't sit well with me, the action and mythology of the Jade Circle, made it worth my time to read.

Take Care

Forever In Blue, Anne Brashares

and another winner is announced!

Oh, come on. You guys knew this review was coming. I already told you I'd have the book the first day it came out. It did take me a little longer to read than I thought it would, but I'll explain that in the review. First though, I have some BUSINESS to take care of... like... "CARY", Contact us at *deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net*with your snail mail address! You've won a copy of Anne Stuart's Cold As Ice. If you get me your address really fast, I can mail it out on Saturday. Otherwise, it won't go out in the mail until Tuesday. I have to say, I really like the contests where I can put 15 names in an empty chocolate box and just pick one. That leaves me totally guilt free (as long as you don't count the fact that the chocolate box is empty, ahem). It also allows me to give away a LOT more books. In 2007, you'll find me reading and reviewing a lot more, and YOU get to benefit from that. I'm determined to send out about one book a week to one of you. It will always be an "extra" type of thing, apart from the FAB books that we're already determined to give away. It won't be signed, and it will be previously read (by me, only), but still, a free book is a free book, right? So just remember to check back often, because you never know which book I will put up for grabs. Now, on to the review...
***Hi lovelies, Chari-Dee here, I was just going to leave my thoughts on this book in the comments section, but since I have a bit to say, I thought I'd leave them at the end of dee's wonderful review. So, if your're interested, my comments are at the bottom in this color.***

Forever in Blue by Anne Brashares is the fourth and final installment in the YA "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series. I've read the other three, and even reviewed the third one, Girls In Pants. I started this series because my oldest daughter wanted to try it, and I was at the stage where I read everything she wanted before she read it. She got hooked. So did I. The third books was one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I was eagerly awaiting the final book. The wait is over!

Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bee are all back, and bigger than life. They've finished their first year of college, and are trying to get together for the summer. Their lives have all grown beyond their hometown, and even beyond their friendship, it seems. When the ritualistic 'launching' of the Pants at the beginning of the summer fails to happen because one of them can't make it back to town, the girls wonder if things will ever be the way they used to be, before they began to grow up.

Lena is making her way in art school. She's found a small group of friends, and is eager to start summer studies. When a very talented student takes notice of her, will this signal the end of her pain over Kostos?

Bee is feeling neglected by her boyfriend, and decides that a summer dig in Turkey is just what she needs. Meeting a sexy, older man on the dig was not in her plans, but she's willing to go with the flow. At least for a while, it seems.

Tibby takes a giant step in her personal life, with frightening results. Can her heart take the solution that she comes up with?

Carmen goes from being one of the Somebody's to being virtually invisible. A new friend encourages her to try a summer theater workshop, as a set designer. Carmen soon learns that her friend is not who she seems, and Carmen is not nearly as invisible as she's come to feel.

Our girls gear up for their last summer with their beloved Pants. However, something seems to be keeping them apart. How do you hold on to the most important relationships of your life when everything around you seems to be changing? That's what they need to find out. Is it easier to let go, and learn to live in their new worlds, or to hold on tight to their friendship, no matter what?

What I didn't like: This book didn't draw me in as fast as the other ones did. Other people I've talked to mentioned the same thing. It felt disjointed to me. I didn't really connect with the girls until over halfway through the book. I'm still not quite sure why, but I hope Ms. Brashares intended this. I think it had to do with having the reader feel the distance between the girls, just as they were feeling it. Still though, it was almost too late by the time I finally got hooked, as I was just about ready to set it down and read someone else's review. That's sad for me to admit, but it's true. This one just wasn't as quick at pulling me straight into the story and making me feel as the other books have been. Also, knowing that my 14yo will read this book (if she's not already done with it), I wasn't totally pleased about some of the choices the girls made. Yes, I know they're 'growing up', but still... some of it really bothered me. Not to the point where I won't let her read it, ok? But this is more of the "A" than "Y" in the "YA" genre, if you follow my meaning.

What I did like: Despite how long it took for me to get involved, I finally did. When the girls finally got back to the basics, when they returned to the people that I'd known in the first 3 books, this one really got interesting to me. There are a few scenes that ripped my heart out, some things that were just so true, so real, Ms. Brashares could have been writing straight from my own diary. Carmen's angst over being invisible, her realization of what friendship really is, and finally her finding love for herself in the face of adversity, those scenes touched me. I think Lena grew up the most, Carmen changed the most, Bee angered me the most, and Tibby disappointed me the most, which is about what I expected.

Near the end, they all finally make it to the same place at the same time, courtesy, of course, of the pants. Seeing them together as the book, and series, comes to an end, I was reminded of what drew me to the story in the first place. Those were magical pants, with the power to make things good. They brought those girls closer, made them feel loved, made them feel connected even when they were apart. However, it wasn't about the Pants, really. The girls learn, again and maybe forever, that the magic that they attribute to the Pants is really the love that holds them together. Because, Pants or no Pants, at the end of the day, if you don't have your friends, what do you really have? Not too much, that's what.

Randomhouse has a great site set up, just for Pants fans. Go on over here and check it out. It's full of quizzes and factoids, and all sorts of stuff about the Girls, and the Pants. Be sure to leave us a comment and let us know what you thought of this book as well. While it took a while to pull me in, I'm really glad I read it. The friendship at the heart of the story makes it all worthwhile. I'm sorry to see the series end, but look forward to whatever Ms. Brashares writes next.

Keep turning those pages!
dee

I have to agree with several points, dee did an awesome review. For one, I agree, several of the situations in the book do not technically fit in the YA genre. I think it is okay to test the limits of a genre, BUT, when it comes to YA, I think there is a boundary that should not be crossed, and Brashares was entirely too close to that boundary. The choices the girls made, in and of themselves, is not so much where I take issue. No, I take issue with the way the girls handled the aftermath of these situations. From one end of the spectrum to the next, the girls made decisions that were troubling and handled them poorly. I found this particularly true of Lena and Tibby.

I also took exception to the girl's use of alcohol in this book. OK, I remember what it was like being that age, I even remember drinking. The problem is, the girls drank with little words of caution or hard lessons learned because of the drinking. It was a casual thing, and the girls are not yet of drinking age. And while drinking is done frequently in real life by the under-age, I don't advocate it, and I think by having the girls drinking so easily, Brashares did a HUGE injustice to her younger readers.

As dee said, the beginning of the book felt very disjointed, and truth be told, even further into the book it still felt that way for me. The girls were older and the sentence structure Brashares uses did not match the content, situations, or vocabulary used. More mature content with short stilted sentences is what equalled hard to get into book, for me.

I did enjoy the book. I have read them all, and feel like this closes it out well. I didn't close the book wanting more from these girls and that always shows that things wrapped up nicely. If you are a parent that will be buying this books for your child, I strongly suggest you do as dee, and read it first. There are some very grown up issues in this book, and I it could lead to some great discussions with your YA'er. If you haven't read any of these books, nor has your child, I don't suggest starting here. The first three in the series were by far superior to this, but I am so glad I read Forever, because I needed the chance to say good-bye to my friends, Bee, Carma, Tibby, and Lena.

Take Care

Caridad Ferrer Adios Interview!

Hey there Lovelies. As promised, today I have a great interview with Caridad Ferrer , author of my January FAB pick Adios to My Old Life and the upcoming release IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ACCENT. Before I get to it though, I believe we have some contest winners to announce! The winners of the three signed copies of Adios to My Old Life are Miranda, Ellie L., and Jocelyn P., if you would all contact us via e-mail with your snail mail addy, we'll make sure to get those to Caridad so you can start enjoying your book! And now, without further ado, I present my "interview"(I'm horrible at this type of thing, just so know) with Caridad Ferrer.

Chari-Dee - Was the American Idol show the inspiration behind Adios?

Caridad Ferrer - Only in the most peripheral of manners, really. It was more a case of “What if?” You know, “What if a bunch of Latinos had a show that was sort of like American Idol, but Latino-specific?” It’s how most of my ideas come to life, actually— playing that “What if?” game. The absolutely hysterical thing is that back in October, I found out about a show, literally called “Latin American Idol” that had a format that was very similar to the one I’d created for Oye Mi Canto, and they were getting ready to have their finals. It was absolutely mind-boggling how similar it was and I’d had no idea about it until that moment.

CD - Do you think that Ali's ethnicity impacted the way publishers looked at Adios?

CF - We submitted Adiós to only one publisher who had been specifically looking for Latina YA, so I think the simple answer to your question is yes, Ali’s/my ethnicity definitely had an impact on what the editor was looking for. It’s one reason that I’m using my middle name as a pen name— the publisher wanted something that was immediately recognizable as Latina and that worked well for me, since I wanted something to differentiate my YA work from my adult work.

CD - What about readers? Do you think they take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to read Adios?

CF - I think that there’s a certain audience...who are going to take the ethnic background of the characters or the uniqueness of the setting into consideration when making a decision on this book. I also think there are plenty of people who are non-Latino who also take it into consideration from the standpoint of wanting to see something that’s so very different from their own experience. I’ve had a lot of reader emails/comments that state some variation of, “Wow, I didn’t know anything about Cuban-American culture and what you wrote makes me want to explore more,” which is a very gratifying response to receive. And of course, there are going to be the people who pick it up for the reality show or music aspects or just because it’s about a young woman who’s taking strides to become an adult in a very confusing setting. I’m very proud of how many different facets of this story appeal to readers.

CD - I have a young teenage neighbor who can't wait to get her hands on my copy of Adios because she feels that there simply aren't any books out there that she can identify with. So when she heard I had a book that was about a young woman very close in ethnicity to her own, she was thrilled. Was this a thought foremost in your mind when writing Adios? Giving young Latinos characters they could relate to? I guess I'm just curious, since you are a first-generation Cuban-American, if it was feeling this same way about books as a child that was a catalyst to writing in the YA genre.

CF - I read all across the board when I was a teenager and actually, at that age, identified more strongly as simply an American teenager with little regard to my ethnic background. Frankly, growing up in Miami, it didn’t seem that out of the ordinary, so reading stories about people who WEREN’T like me, was far more interesting. I think that’s what I kept in mind even more strongly— achieving that balance. That it would strike an immediate chord of recognition with Latino readers, yet at the same time, not be so completely culture-specific it might alienate non-Latino readers. It’s a fine line and one that can be challenging to walk, but it’s really what I keep in mind. I don’t want anyone to feel as if they can’t relate to my books because of the cultural background I’m choosing to write about. (For the contest judge who claimed they knew a lot of teenagers and none of them used the kind of slang I tossed around— well, can’t do anything about THAT! )

CD - And now for the music. Are you a musician? Your knowledge of instruments and music was apparent in the book so it makes me very curious.

CF - Heh. Yeah— I’m a musician. I’ve played piano since I was five (although I’m horribly rusty at the moment) and I’ve been singing almost as long. I had visions of being on Broadway, but audition anxiety kind of put a kibosh on that, unfortunately. However, by junior high, I had also picked up French horn and trumpet and by high school, I was my marching band’s drum major as well as spending my summers performing and competing with a drum and bugle corps. In college, I continued with piano and marching in band (Go MARCHING CHIEFS!) and was a music major until the day I blew up at the professor who stood in front of the marching band techniques class and declared that women couldn’t be good band directors. I called him a dinosaur with antiquated ideas who had outlived his usefulness. All of which was true, but he was a dinosaur who had taught most of the band directors in the tri-state area and could pretty much guarantee I’d never get a job. So I changed my major to Elementary Education. :-)

I tell that story because it provided me with a very important lesson— maybe music wasn’t going to be my career in the manner I had been envisioning for longer than I could remember, but I would always, always have music in my life. In some ways, it’s even more important to me now, than it was then, since it provides such incredible inspiration when I’m writing. It’s also a great lesson for writing, as well— like music, writing is something I’ve done my entire life. Like music, it’s something I have to have in my life, regardless of what form it takes.

CD - Also, Ali's musical tastes were quite varied as well, and I loved how she fused them together. Is this a trait of yours as well?

CF - Absolutely. There is very little I won’t listen to, at least once, and I love so many different styles of music, you’d be hard-pressed to get me to admit I prefer one over another. As far as fusing styles together, I think where you can see that reflected in my collection is in how many different versions/covers of a song I might have. I love listening to different artists’ interpretations of a song. Or even when one artist reinterprets one of their own songs in a variety of styles. (Sting is a master at this and yes, I adore him every bit as much as Ali does!)

CD - The romance in Adios was amazing. I loved how you captured what it's like at that age to finally meet someone who just clicks into your life and feels right. I loved how Ali was nervous and I the how believable it all felt.

CF - Thanks! Let’s face it, I’m a romance writer at heart— I adored giving Ali her first love.

CD - And what a first love it was! The almost sex-scene in there, on the beach, was a very powerful scene. I think most girls will be able to relate to this and can learn from it. With this being a YA novel though, did you get some resistance when writing it?

CF - Not really—I’m very fortunate in that MTV Books as a whole, seems to be more “teen” oriented and as such, is open to exploring those kinds of relationships. I think it allows the writers a little more freedom. And of course, I wrote with fairly old characters, age-wise, with respect to YA. Ali and Sosi were the two youngest characters in the book, if you think about it. But with that scene, specifically, in its original iteration, I had actually left it a little more vague and not had them going quite so far, but while revisiting it during the revisions stage, I really felt as if it wasn’t really being true to who these characters were and the situation they were in. Ali was in such a difficult place and feeling so many emotions and really feeling the power of having conflicting emotions manifest in a physical way for the first time. It seemed natural as if she’d explore the sensations and feelings more fully.

CD - From reading over on the The Cherry Forums it's clear that readers would have loved to see more POV's (Point of View) in Adios, was word restriction a factor in making Ali's the only POV?

CF - Adiós was simply Ali’s story. While it would’ve been fun to see other character’s POVs, I think ultimately, this had to be Ali’s story, told through her eyes. However, I will say that the one suggestion that really intrigued me was the idea of having had alternating viewpoints between Ali and her father. The idea of having a parent narrate one half of the story and the child the other has intrigued me. Maybe, someday soon...

CD - So, will we be getting more of Ali in the future? Or perhaps even Sosi?

CF - I had considered writing a story for Sosi as my second book, but then Caroline (the heroine of IT’S NOT ABOUT THE ACCENT) made an appearance and I realized she had quite the story to tell and who am I to argue with the Girls in the Basement? We all know it’s a futile endeavor! As far as Ali, I’d love to revisit her and have some ideas, but what form they take... we’ll I’m not completely certain yet.

CD - My last question on Adios - Even though it is dubbed a YA novel, it has appeal for all ages, what do you feel attributes to this?

CF - I think because we’ve all been there, in some form or another. And I very deliberately did not attempt to write “down” to my readers. It was a great piece of advice when I first took this project on and was scared absolutely spitless over my ability to be able to pull this off. I was coming to the project from the standpoint of being a romance/women’s fiction writer. I’d never really considered writing YA before and while I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity, it was also quite a challenge. But I had some very wonderful friends and fellow writers who basically said, “make yourself seventeen again, then write.” So I did. I was a lot like Ali, in that because I was so immersed in the music world, I was somewhat out of step with my peers— a very odd combination of girl and woman. I tried to put that into Ali and as I wrote her, I realized that so many of us, regardless of whatever age we are, still maintain a bit of that girl/woman dichotomy. There are so many things—a song, a smell, an encounter, a book—that can immediately transport us back into the mindset of that awkward seventeen-year-old again. That’s what I tried to capture and why I think this story appeals across so many age groups.

CD - You also write adult fiction under the name Barbara Ferrer. The alternating POV I found quite interesting because I've never actually seen it done this way. And I have to admit, I really liked that. Seeing his thoughts, and her thoughts. Kind of the He Said/She Said of a relationship. And the chapters felt more like conversations this way. How hard is it for you to switch writing styles from YA to adult?

CF - It was actually the other way around. I consider myself a romance/women’s fiction writer first—or at least, I always did. The hardest thing about switching styles for me is the voicing and it’s something I’m continually working on developing and revising. Since I write in First, I have to have distinctive, unique voices for each character, not just for the dialogue, but for the narrative as well. It’s a challenge, but one I really enjoy— I liken it to an actor preparing for a part. Like Kate Winslet, whom I adore, or Meryl Streep. They lose themselves completely in their parts— I have to do the same thing when writing individual characters. One of the best tools for this, at least for me, is music. (Here we go again.) I create individual playlists of songs that I feel illustrate each character (or a scene) and when I need to get in that character’s head, that’s what I’ll play. Like with THIRTEEN, Josh listened to hard rock to unwind. He begins the story as this tense, driven, very controlled individual who used hard-driving music to unwind. So his playlist has a lot of U2 and Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers and listening to it helps get me in his head.

CD - Caridad is your YA name and we've discussed the reasoning behind that, but why not go with that for the adult as well? Is this so the YA readers won't pick up a definitely more mature book?

CF - Yeah, I think that was my primary reasoning. While I do write at the upper end of the YA spectrum, in terms of character age, it’s a pretty common fact that teens like to “read up.” As a parent myself, I don’t think I’d feel comfortable knowing that my thirteen year old was picking up one of my adult books. That might change, however. Since Caridad is my given middle name, I may incorporate it into my full name and have a bit of connection there. There are a lot of ways in which to consider it.

CD - And lastly, can you give us a heads up on what's next?

CF - ACCENT (as I’ve nicknamed it) is the story of Caroline, a sixth generation born-and-bred small town Ohio girl. She imagines that she has the most boring life possible and makes the decision, when she goes off to college, to do what most of us have done at some point, and reinvent herself as someone new. She’s going to attempt to pass herself off as a Cuban-American girl. There are reasons (and of course Caroline thinks they’re good reasons) for her to pick something so drastic, but the end result is far different than anything she might have ever envisioned— both good and bad. I’m extremely proud of how this story came out and can’t wait for it to be out, but unfortunately, it’s going to be late August before that happens.

I want to give a great big THANK YOU to Caridad for being my first ever FAB pick, you really made it so much fun!

Take Care

Cold As Ice, Anne Stuart

How many of you have read an Anne Stuart book before? Let me know in the comments section, and tell me which one is your favorite. I'll pick one comment at random, and send this brand new book off to you. Why am I being so generous as to send you a new book? Well, because I really liked this one and want to give one of you a chance to win it. Don't worry, if you've never read one of Anne's books, you still have a chance to win. Just leave a comment and tell me WHY you haven't read one of her books, or tell me that you're going to read one of her books, or tell me SOMETHING about her or her books, and you can be entered too. Random drawing = one lucky winner, so don't forget to comment. ALSO, remember that the Adios contest ends TONIGHT (Tuesday at midnight CST!). If you want a chance to win a signed copy of Adios to My Old Life, send us an e-mail or leave a comment on THIS post and tell us your favorite song and why you like it. And, be sure to check out the brand spanking new MySpace page, and become one of our 'friends'. We'll add YOU, too! Ok, enough 'bid-ness', and on to the review of Cold As Ice.

This book has a rather long BCC that doesn't quite hit the mark. I won't go into all of it, because, well, I just won't. Suffice it to say that if I would have been picking this book up off the shelf to buy based on the BCC, I might have put it back. However, since there was a lot of buzz on this book, I actually made a special trip to the store just for this one. And oh, am I glad that I did.

Peter Jensen is the ultimate closer for "The Committee", a super-secret group of save-the-world type agents. Jensen, known as Iceman because he allegedly has ice running through his veins, has a job to do, a job that does not include a sexy female lawyer. The man has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, including being able to disassociate himself from the sexual act. He's good at taking and carrying out orders, and will do whatever it takes to get a job done. And yes, I mean whatever it takes. A crazed billionaire, Harry Van Dorn, has masterminded a deadly "Rule of Sevens" plot to wreak havoc on the world's financial stability, and Jensen is the man that is going to stop him. Of course, Jensen is prepared to kill Van Dorn. Of course, Jensen knows how to do this in about 7 million different ways. And of course, he is not counting on said female lawyer being around to muck up his plans.

Genevieve Spenser is not your typical lawyer though. Beneath her smooth, polished exterior, she has depth. She's been bruised, battered, and disillusioned, and that was all before the book ever started! Now, she's tough as nails, willing to do what it takes to get Van Dorn to sign some legal paperwork so that she can head off to a much needed vacation. Don't think she's heading off to be pampered though, because her idea of vacation is backpacking through Costa Rica.

When Genevieve first encounters Peter on Van Dorn's yacht, she dismisses him almost out of mind. He's the "Grey Ghost" to her, just a shadow of a man, of no particular consequence. Peter is annoyed at Genevieve's presence, assuming she's exactly as she appears, shallow, spoiled, and utterly forgettable. A few hours, one steamy kiss, and a literal knockout later, and they're both starting to realize that there is more to the other than what meets the eye.

What I didn't like: Well, Stuart reminded me over and over that Peter was "cold as ice". I mean over and over. A few times is ok, for emphasis, you know. But really, every person seemed to comment on how Peter was 'ice cold' or 'had ice in his veins' or some other variation on the theme. Ok. I get it already. The dude is deadly and has no feelings. Don't hit me over the head with it.

What I did like: Yeah, that's all I didn't like. Short list, huh? And you know what? In all honesty, that one thing is really moot, because, well, I actually liked it as well. It was a way for me to say, "Oh look, another person in the book really does not know this man at all. He doesn't even really know himself!" Because really, every time someone was saying something about how glacial Peter was, Ms. Stuart was weaving her magic spell to show us how utterly and totally off the comment really was. I mean, for a man that supposedly had no feelings, this guy was a bottomless well of emotions. No, he didn't wear them on his sleeve. No, he didn't let other people suspect them, much less see them. But really, they were there, just below the surface, and if you paid attention, those emotions just jumped right off the page at you.

I've read other reviews of this book and I have to say that some of them really miss the mark. They tend to focus on specific aspects of Peter's character, or his past, and fail to comprehend the total package that Ms. Stuart has created. Peter is the type of man that you're not too sure of at the start, but part of me instantly reached out for him. He's a Bad Boy, but he's really on the Good Guys team, so what does that make him? Lip-smacking good, is what it makes him! Ms. Stuart layered Peter, then tore those layers away to reveal the heart of a hero.

So how do you write a believable romance about a trained assasin and a lawyer that he might or might not have to kill? How do you create a situation that brings them together, reveals their inner selves, and makes the reader actually care what happens? How she did it was pure magic, and I can neither explain it nor duplicate it. That's why she's Anne Stuart, and I'm...well, NOT Anne Stuart.

If you've never read a book by Ms. Stuart, I want to know WHY NOT?!? Seriously, this book was engaging, suspenseful, gripping, and oh yeah - REALLY freakin' HOT! So try it out and see for yourself. All you have to do is leave me a comment, and it could be all yours! Contest ends on Thursday midnight EST, so send in your entries FAST!

Keep turning those pages!

dee

Adios to My Old Life - The Review Part: The Final

Hello, Lovelies! Sorry for the lapse of silence. I had the world's worst migraine, and when that happens nothing much else does. I'm better today, just a small drumbeat behind my eyes, so I should be posting reviews fairly regular over the next couple of day. Tomorrow, I'll post an interview with Caridad Ferrer and please note, the chance to win one of three signed copies ends tomorrow night at MIDNIGHT MY TIME. I'm on central, and we've got quite a few through e-mail, but I'd love to get more (greedy much? yes.) so comment or send us an e-mail by clicking here and tell us your favorite song and why and you're entered! Painless! Also, we are now on MySpace , so click on over there and friend us and we'll enter you automatically in this months contest! And now that I've got all the announcement over, without further ado...

Adios to My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer
(BCC)

Does a seventeen-year old from Miami have what it takes to be the next big Latin superstar? And does she really want it?

As a talented singer-guitarist with a dream of going pro, Alegria Montero is getting fed up with the endless, boring parade of quinceaneras and other family party gigs. She's longing for something bigger. And Oye Mi Canto - a new reality TV show that's searching for the next Latin superstar - is definitely that. Ali figures she'll never make the cut, but auditioning seems like a good way to get her overprotective father to take her ambitions seriously.

To Ali's complete shock, she passes her audition. Next thing she know, she's dealing with wardrobe fittings, cameras, reporters, vocal coaches, and websites designed by lovestruck fanboys. She's also dealing with jealousy, malice, and sabotage among the contestants, all of which has her wondering: Is it really time to shoot for the stars and try to win the whole competition, or is it time to say "Cut!" and become a normal teenager again?

Okay, so let's see, I've covered the music and Ali's relationship with her Papi, so I'll move on to friends and enemies now. Sosi, Ali's best friend since forever, is the friend everyone wants to have. She will always have your back, sit with you through hell and back, lift you up when you need it, and just as quickly put you in your place when you get too full of yourself. Because while there haven't been a whole lot of them, Sosi's almost always been a part of every time I've ever gotten in trouble. But, Sosi helping Ali sneak behind her Papi's back and audition for Oye Mi Canto is a bit bigger than the time they tried to dig their own pool. Not only did Sosi help her get into the audition, she stuck up for Ali when her Papi found out, "And I'd do it again. Ali deserves this chance, Senor Montero, she really does and she was so good, I wish you could have seen how she totally owned those auditions." I absolutely adored Sosi, and from reading the discussion on The Cherry Forums , I'm not the only one. Sosi easily could have supported her own book, she's sharp, funny and just plain likable.

Elaine is Papi's best friend, fellow music professor, and Ali's chaperone for the duration of her time on Oye Mi Canto. Since Ali's mother died when she was just a toddler, Elaine has been an integral part of Ali's life. Helping Ali see she needed to talk to her Papi like an adult, and reminding Robbie that he needed to really listen to what Ali had to say. Elaine had such a great role in Ali's life, it was tough sometimes to remember that she wasn't Ali's mom, the way she looks out for her and loves her.

Jamie Lorenzo, "College intern masquerading as an assistant director and all-around lackey" first meets Ali back stage at the auditions when he hands her a bottle of water "Helpful Cute Guy" as Ali refers to him. But soon after Ali starts the show, she and Jamie forge a friendship that turns into that new and amazing first love we've all felt.

Ali also befriends a few of the shows other contestants, and as I've stated, finds herself with an enemy. Adios is billed as a YA novel, but the appeal it has for older readers is huge. The dynamic between Robbie and Elaine will definitely appeal to older readers (and have them hoping that they had a book of their own), the friendship with Sosi has elements anyone can relate too. I have a friend like Sosi, I've known her forever, and the few times I ever got in serious trouble, I was able to share the blame with her. And the new love with Jamie is so touching and true, that you can honestly remember your first time falling in love.

For the YA crowd, the relationships and situations Ali faces, are very true to today's times. The emotions Ali deals with, every teenager deals with, and she faces them head-on, just they way we all want our children (hell, ourselves) to handle things. Plus, Ali's dedication to her passion is inspiring, even for someone who has never played the guitar (I was first chair in flute, give me a break). The way in which she goes after what she wants, the attention she pays her music without nurturing other aspects of her life, will have every one that reads the book wanting to tackle their own passions with such pizazz.

And then, I can't say this enough, there's the music. I mean, you can hear it as you read. Just be prepared to load more songs on the iPod when you finish reading, because you'll want the songs she mentions. Get this book. You will NOT be disappointed, I know after reading it twice, I still want to read it again.

Look for my interview with Caridad tomorrow and some sneak peaks into what's next!

Take Care

Migraine Madness

Hello, Lovelies. Please excuse my silence as of late. I've been battling a migraine for a few days now and can't seem to kick it. My pain meds are making me loopy and thoughts aren't exactly whole. I'll be back tomorrow with a review (maybe even two!)

Take Care

Adios To My Old Life - Caridad Ferrer - FAB Review Part II

Hello, Lovelies. I'm back today with Adios Review Part II - Relationships. If you are just now checking in with us, stop right now and click here to read the first part of the review - The Music. Reviewing this book is a new adventure for me, as I have never broken a review into multiple parts before, but I really felt it necessary to do just that with Adios. As I mentioned yesterday, there are just so many facets within the pages of this book, that I could never do it justice with just one post. And since the relationships Ali has throughout the book are also a vital part, I'll break down a few here, and continue with more tomorrow. And don't forget to enter the contest for your chance to win one of three signed copies of Adios to My Old Life. All you have to do is leave a comment, or send an e-mail to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net and tell us your favorite song and why. We've already had a few e-mail submissions, and I'm loving reading the answers. And as for my favorite song? Well, that's a toughie, cause I don't have just one. I could give you an answer today, but it would be different tomorrow. My favorite songs change with my moods. Always have. Always will. Also, don't forget to join the discussion of Adios over on the Cherry Forums (clicking that will take you straight to the discussion thread). I'm having a blast over there and I'm sure you will, too. Okay, enough of the babble, without further ado, I present Adios The Review Part II.


Adios to My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer

"I've been wounded, jaded, loved and hated. I've wrestled wrong and right." - Lyrics from the Martina McBride song God's Will .

I know, Adios isn't really a country song kinda book, but those lyrics do a great job of describing what Ali faces in Adios. And with this is mind, I'm going to go over the relationships Ali deals with on her journey to musical stardom.

"How many roads we’ve traveled

How many dreams we’ve chased

Across sand and sky and gravel

Looking for one safe place"

"One Safe Place" Marc Cohn

lyrics by Marc Cohn & Phil Gladston

Her Music - Yeah, I know, I discussed the music yesterday, but not in this aspect, so humor me, please? As I said yesterday, Ferrer didn't simply tell you that music was the basis of the story, she made the music a character. I think we all have a relationship in our lives with something that doesn't necessarily breathe. I, for example, have many. The books I read, music, my writing. All things that come in and sweep me to another place. Friends of a deeper sort. That was music for Ali. It was her friend of old. The one relationship she knew would always be with her, inside of her. Compelling her to do her best and giving her that shoulder to cry her troubles into without ever murmuring any words but of comfort. Comfort and Joy! And there I was, throwing my head back, laughing, before lowering it for another one of those crazy solo runs along the strings of my Bernabe, which had never looked more beautiful, glowing under the stage lights. Can't you feel that? The excitement the music brings to her life. Like the best of relationships, music allows Ali to be herself.

We've shared the years

We've shared each day

I love you daddy

But I found my way

***

You know the world

Is an evil place

My baby is grown now

She's found her way

***

"Changes" - Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne

Her Papi - Roberto "Robbie" Montero, Professor of Music, musician and Single Father, loves his daughter. He has raised her, taught her music, sacrificed for her, and would do anything for her. But, when Ali goes behind his back to audition for Oye Mi Canto does he have the strength to let her chase her dreams? The dynamic of Ali's relationship with her father was touching. Whenever Ali talks of her father, or to her father, you feel the respect in her even though they may not always agree. As a parent, I could very much identify with Robbie. You want your children to chase their dreams, to harness their God-given talents, but oh, how you dread them getting hurt, and letting go so they can achieve all of that is a very hard thing to do. He was still worrying whether or not he'd done the right thing by letting me go through with this gig...Very weird this new distance. A little scary, really. But the old routines weren't gone. They were still there. Thank God. Ali's dad and his love for her, is probably one of the best relationships in Adios, the give and take of parenting, seen through a child's eye, amazing. There is a few paragraphs after Robbie finds out about the audition, that, for me, shows exactly what an amazing team this father and daughter make, so bear with me, 'cause I'm gonna do that piece together thang again, ...the sound of his guitar, sweet melodic, began drifting in - joined a few measures later by his clear baritone, pitched low and soft as he sang the lyrics...The first piece of music he'd ever taught me. ...Settling onto a chair, I began strumming the counterpoint and singing the melody...Playing with Papi was comforting, like a familiar blanket is comforting. It amazed me, but while reading this particular passage, I could hear the music and I could feel the emotions. There was the sense that Ali and Robbie had come to a crossroads of sorts, but even if they each chose a different road, they had a bond that would cross over all else, and keep each other connected. I mean, Wow. Just - WOW!

Okay, now that you are dying to read the book, if you weren't already, I'll sign off for today. Check back tomorrow and meet a few more of the wonderful characters that make up Ali's life as I post the final part to my review of Adios! And please note, the songs I have quoted today are not a part of the book, I'm just diggin' the whole music theme right now.

Take Care

FAB Pick - Adios to My Old Life - Caridad Ferrer- WIN IT!

Well hello, Lovelies!!! I hope your New Year is going swimmingly. Mine is and I am so super excited about what this year has to bring us here at Dee & Dee! See that logo at the side there? dee's fantabulous hubby, Shane, created that for us, and I adore it!! And that's just one of the new additions here at our new site, we have searchable labels, and an extensive list of author links. And with this review, I get to introduce you to our new monthly spotlight - FAB (Fabulous Author/Book). Each month, dee and I will each pick a wonderful new author (or find) and spotlight that particular author for an entire week. We will have reviews of their book(s), interviews, sneak peaks (if we can get 'em) and contests. This is so exciting for me for several reasons. I mean, we get to chat with some really awesome people, we get to read some absolutely FABulous books, and we get the chance to introduce you, our wonderful readers, to them as well. Plus, we get to give away stuff, how cool is that? So, without further ado, I give you my first ever FAB pick!

Adios to My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer
(BCC)

Does a seventeen-year old from Miami have what it takes to be the next big Latin superstar? And does she really want it?

As a talented singer-guitarist with a dream of going pro, Alegria Montero is getting fed up with the endless, boring parade of quinceaneras and other family party gigs. She's longing for something bigger. And Oye Mi Canto - a new reality TV show that's searching for the next Latin superstar - is definitely that. Ali figures she'll never make the cut, but auditioning seems like a good way to get her overprotective father to take her ambitions seriously.

To Ali's complete shock, she passes her audition. Next thing she know, she's dealing with wardrobe fittings, cameras, reporters, vocal coaches, and websites designed by lovestruck fanboys. She's also dealing with jealousy, malice, and sabotage among the contestants, all of which has her wondering: Is it really time to shoot for the stars and try to win the whole competition, or is it time to say "Cut!" and become a normal teenager again?

This is a YA book, so really, what much can I say about the BCC? It's accurate to a point, gives a nice description of the book's basic premise, and even if I didn't go in search of this book, I would have picked it up and bought it based on what was written. So I'd say not bad, not bad at all. Mark my words, one day there will be a YA BCC that misses the mark, and I'll be ready. Oh, yes, I will be ready!

I'm going to do something a bit different with this review. Today's post will revolve around Ali, her music and the show. With my next review, I will dissect Ali's personal life, her relationship with her father, her friends (new and old), and her first love. There are so very many facets to Adios that I could write a small novel just discussing the book. If you've already read the book, or just want spoilers and more discussion on the book, you can hop over to this thread on The Cherry Forums where Adios is the months Book Club Pick. There is also a section devoted just to questions for Ferrer and she will be answering them throughout the week.

Told in First Person Narrative, Adios to My Old Life is the story of Alegria (Ali) Montero as she chases her dream of performing on stage. Ali wants more than anything to be a performer and she sees Oye Mi Canto as her shot. But Ali knows her father would never allow her to audition for Oye Mi Canto. He may be an amazing musician in his own right, but he values teaching above performing, and as a single dad he is very protective of his daughter. So going behind his back, Ali auditions.

When she finds she has made the cut she must convince her dad that she needs to do this. And although we get to see Ali as a musician before this particular part of the book, the way in which Ferrer articulates Ali's desire to perform is so powerful, so real that even if you aren't a musician, you feel it in the pit of your stomach. " Papi...The music...it does feed my heart and soul, in ways that no one but another musician can begin to understand or imagine, but..." I stopped, gathering my thoughts...I walked over to where my Bernabe was propped in its stand..."When I perform, I feel..." I ran my hand along the long neck of the guitar, feeling the satin texture of the wood on the back, the subtle ridges of the frets on the front intersecting with smooth, nylon strings. "...It's just this sense that when I'm up there...I feel alone, I am alone, but it doesn't matter because I'm more myself than at any other time. It's like...I feel complete." Now, I've read this book twice, and I still feel stunned whenever I read this particular passage. As you can tell, I've pieced (as I oft do) together a few paragraphs there, but it doesn't make the imagery or the emotion any less powerful.

So with her dad's permission, Ali sets off on her new adventure. Of course, this is a Latin show, and since Ali is only 17, she will not get to live in the big house with the other contestants, and she'll have to have a chaperon. Thankfully, Elaine, Papi's best friend of over 10 years, agrees to the job.

So with the green light to participate in the show, Ali and Elaine set off everyday to the house where the other contestants are staying. At first, Ali isn't so sure the show is all about the music like she had envisioned. There is make-up and wardrobe, publicity shots and interviews, rehearsals that can go on forever, and some fairly fierce animosity radiating from other contestants. All I wanted was to perform, And not just this trained monkey crap that took up so much time I wasn't even able to sneak off into a corner to practice so much as "Mary Had A Little Lamb."

But, soon the show kicks off and Ali makes it through round after round and she gets to play and sing so much she finds herself needing to rest her voice. But with her continued success on the show, that animosity from other contestants grow, and one in particular can't stand her, and Ali just cannot understand the hate radiating from the other young woman. Fabiana is also from Ali's hometown, and has a much different style. She hates Ali and makes no bones about telling her every chance she can get. "I don't have a problem, but you will if you don't understand how things are. I'm the hometown favorite, not some nenesita who's barely out of diapers. You're nothing more than a novelty, so I'm telling you right now - stay out of my way and all will be fine." Ali does her best to avoid the other woman, but when things start happening to sabotage her performances, Ali knows who's behind it, and makes sure to keep her guard up and stay alert.

But try as they may, no one will sabotage Ali's music. The music feeds her soul, remember, and each performance proves it. With the competition down to three, a rather brutal attempt to destroy Ali's performance almost succeeds. But, Ali isn't a quitter, she started this show and she is going to see it through to the end. With her emotions ripped to shreds over the attack, Ali walks on stage and delivers a moving rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine," and it is during this performance that Ali has an eye-opening epiphany, I was a dreamer. No matter what, music would always be my world, my dream, and I hoped that anyone listening could here that. I performed for them. I performed for me.

Ali's musical diversity almost surpasses my own, and I think that's one of the reasons I so loved this book. I love music, I get passionate about music so "hearing" Ali talk about her love of- and devotion to- music I was transported. That's what a great book will do for me. Put me in the shoes of the main character, even if I'm a far cry from the seventeen year old Ali's age, I was Ali while I read Adios. I felt her passion, I understood her pain, and shared her dreams.

Ferrer took the music, which could have been just another plot point, and made it a character. It breathed life into Ali and into the story. While reading Adios you feel the music and the power it has to cheer and console. I could feel the music and I liked it. I loved getting lost in the rhythms, the heady power that music has in my life and the power it has to give memories a special touch, to give solace and to empower.

I loved how - that even though music is the center of the story and it is weaved into Ali's life like the blood pumping through a bodies veins - it blends into the story, meshes with Ali's life as an undercurrent that her life revolves around, instead of being the only aspect of Ali's life it is an extension. That's what good music does, imprints itself into our lives and gives the living that's taking place a soundtrack. It doesn't overpower us, it simply helps us. A good book does the same, and Oye, but Adios has weaved itself into my subconscious and has become a part of me.

In my next post, I will discuss the relationships that Ali forges and her introduction to the life of a celebrity. I told you, this book has it all, and I wasn't even close to kidding.

Have you had a chance to read Adios yet? Want to? Or, have you read Adios but want a signed copy? Well, then do I have a treat for you! Caridad had graciously agreed to send THREE lucky readers a signed copy of Adios! To enter, simply tell us your favorite song and why and you are in! You can leave it as a comment or, as always, e-mail your entry to deeanddeedish@sbcglobal.net , at the end of my first ever FAB week, I'll draw three names for winners. That easy!

And please, don't forget to go over to The Cherry Forums for more discussion on Adios with Caridad!

Take Care

P.S. To support young musicians, please click here.

Not Another New Year's, Christie Ridgway - DUAL REVIEW

Well, Happy New Year to you too!

I'm so glad you made it over here from the old site. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back often and find out what books we've been reading. Of course, we also want you to WIN FREE BOOKS, so you need to keep checking back for your chance to WIN as well.

The start of a brand new year deserves a review of a brand new book, don't you think? Hence, this review of the brand new Christie Ridgway book, Not Another New Year's, is being brought to you today, by both Dee and dee (yeah, that's ME). This was my introduction to Christie Ridgway, and man, was it something! Chari-Dee's comments are in this color, so you can easily tell what each of us thought. Let us know how you like the Dual Review thing. If it works for you, you'll be seeing more of it in the year to come.

Not Another New Year's is about Hannah Davis, an elementary schoolteacher from Northern California. Hannah has been done wrong by her almost husband, and this is the story of how she learns why he dumped her (not really), who he dumped her for (maybe not who she thought), and the man that helps her see herself for who she really (which is all new to her).

It's also the story of Tanner Hart. Tanner is an ex-Secret Service agent who has had one heck of a rough year. The year from hell started with a kiss seen round the world, quite literally. When an heiress kisses Tanner in front of a photographer at the same time an assassin is trying to kill her Prince of a father, Tanner's career goes up in flames. Feeling disgraced, he resigns from his job and spends his days hanging his head in shame in his Southern California hometown of Coronado.

When Hannah shows up in Coronado on a supposed relaxing vacation from her real life, she ends up in Tanner's lap. Their kiss may not be seen round the world, but they can both certainly feel those sparks. Explosive!

We also get to meet Desiree, the Hannah look-alike princess that started Tanner's slide into disgrace, and Tanner's older brother Troy. Dez is a spoiled little rich girl, as most princesses are, but she's also got depths hidden beneath a body that is driving Troy, an ex-Marine, to absolute distraction. Their story makes up a big part of this book, and it was very entertaining for me. Me, too. This should have been Dez and Troy's book. I really, truly felt more entertained and emotionally invested in these two.

OK, let me just get this out of the way up front, so I can say it and be done. This book was full of s-e-x. Yep, it was scorching. No, I'm not kidding. I've never read a Ridgway before, so I have no idea if all of her books are like this, but I really wasn't expecting it. The pink cover and rather tame BCC totally fooled me into thinking that this would be a tale of love gone wrong, then put back right. And yeah, I felt a bit misled. It wasn't the read I was expecting at all. But then again, that's not always a bad thing, is it? I don't know that, after the first chapter, you can actually make it through more than 5 pages without some sort of sexual reference. Again, no, I'm not kidding. Either Hannah and Tanner are getting hot and heavy, or Troy and Dez are scorching each other with longing looks and lustful thoughts. The book isn't billed as a hot read, or as erotica or anything, so it just ... surprised ... me.
Again, agree. I did actually read this BCC before buying the book (as I have never read Ridgway before, either) and it really missed its mark. On several points, but I won't get into that here. As for the sex? Yeah, there was a lot of it, but for the most part, I didn't feel it. There were many emotional threads that got dropped because the author let sex take over. And while I'm a fan (can you say "understatement") of a well written, steamy sex scene, I need to feel connected to it. But, since the majority of the sexual tension and actual act, takes place between Tanner and Hannah, it made their relationship very superficial and hard to believe. They spend very little time talking and getting to know one another (there-fore, leaving me the reader not knowing them) that the HEA is pretty hard to believe. I cannot believe I'm saying this, but this book needed less sex and more talking. Because as is stands, the information we have about the main characters is given in "thinking" a classic telling not showing. As for Troy and Dez? I'll get to that one below the next paragraph.

I loved Troy and Dez. Troy was Semper Fi, through and through. I could picture him in my head so clearly. Being an ex-Navy person, I've encountered his type more often than you can imagine. My best friend is married to a person much like him, wrapped up in his idea of right and wrong, patriotism and honor and trust, with red, white and blue flowing through his veins. And Dez? OMG, I just adored her. Yes, she was a spoiled brat in many ways. Yes, her thoughtless actions put a big hurt on Tanner's life. But really, she was a sweet misfit, who belonged neither in the world of her high-fashion mama nor her Middle Eastern royal papa. She claimed Coronado as her place to be, and set about making it into her own little kingdom. Her attraction to Troy, and his to her, really made this book rock for me.
I'll say it again, because it cannot be said enough, this book should have been Dez and Troy's. Their chemistry was felt, not just shown. Her uncertainty, his uncertainty, her attraction and his attraction. They were people I could cheer for. I wanted to know more about these characters, I wanted to spend time with them, and I felt so very cheated that I didn't get it. There is a part in the book, where Dez knocks hard on Troy's office door and he hits the floor, all I could think of were the possibilities this scenario created, and how the author really dropped the ball with these wonderful people.

Hannah and Tanner, hmmmm. It wasn't bad, it really wasn't. And no, that's not my very nice, not cruel, way of saying I didn't like this book. It's just that while the sexual tension was incredible, I thought that the romance was a little weak. What really bothered me was that it seemed that the author was leading me along the path to romance by the hand, explaining all of the reasons why they shouldn't be together, and then all of the reasons why they should. I'd really rather enjoy my books without a tour guide. I'm a fairly intelligent reader, and I enjoy searching out the depths, the twists, the turns, and the nuances in stories. I didn't feel like the author really trusted me to see why Tanner and Hannah should get together, or to see the arc that each of the characters made. Each turn was choreographed. Each twist was explained. When either Tanner or Hannah had an epiphany, one of those amazing "A-ha!" moments, the author seemed to want to walk me through exactly what it meant.
I have to agree again. Although, I didn't feel much of an arc for either character. It was more like they took a straight path, and that probably has to do with your analogy of the author leading you by the hand. Everything in the book leads up to the last two chapters. I love a good climactic ending, but really didn't get it with this one. Hannah and Tanner are forced to admit their feeling because Hannah is in danger and I just thought, WTF? If she wanted to place Hannah in danger that was fine, but it should have played a more important part through-out the book instead of just being hinted at.

All in all, the plot was decent, the secondary characters were fresh and entertaining, and the heat was way up there. The resolution was fitting, if slightly less than fully satisfying for me. I enjoyed it, overall, and will recommend it. But with all of the extra explanations, all of the stuff that was filled in for me, I really don't know that there's a need to re-read this one. It's spelled out pretty well, so it's not like I'm going to find something new on the next read. Basically, the author took the fun out of the second (and yeah, third and fourth) reads for me, and that's a bummer. I read books so fast on the first go-through, that I count on my re-reads to be able to discover all of that layered stuff, all of those glorious little tid-bits you can only discover after your rush to the end is over. I won't get that with this book, as it's all laid out there for me by the author.
It definitely will not be a re-read for me. I'm not sorry I read it. I did enjoy Troy and Dez and a couple of the more intimate moments were quite satisfying, so while I won't go out of my way to recommend it, I will say, read it if your mind needs a break. Like dee said, the author walks you through everything step by step, so you don't have to think while you read, and sometimes, that's just what the doctor ordered, know what I mean?

Pick it up and read it yourself. It's not a bad book at all. But if you're looking for something deep and layered, something that will have you thinking and wondering for a few days, look somewhere else. So, while I enjoyed my time in usually sunny Coronado, I don't think I'll have to plan a trip back there any time soon.
Well said.

Keep turning those pages!

dee

Take Care
Dee