Recent Reads - A Thumbnail Sketch Of Some of The Books I've Recently Read - Books - http://maxpages.com/readersplace/Authors_S_to

Ratings:
- Classic
- One Of The Best
- Very Enjoyable
- Okay But Have Read Better
- Should I Say Don't Bother?

New 02/19/01

DEATH ON A SILVER TRAY by Rosemary Stevens
I'm a traditionalist. I like my Regencies straight up, not watered down by murder, mayhem, ghosts or time-travel. Now I'm a convert. Rosemary Stevens, a veteran of numerous traditional Regencies, has written slightly-pre-Regency novel in which the Beau (Brummell, that is) is the protagonist in this tale of murder in London. Brummell, already a force to be reckoned with in the Ton while still in his twenties, is charmed into investigating a murder by his special friend, the Duchess of York, whose young friend is the prime suspect. In the course of solving the mystery, Brummell crosses paths with a cross-section of colorful, high and low Ton characters, including a Bow Street Runner and his outspoken, independent daughter. I fell in love with Beau and his charmingly tongue-in-cheek attitude about his power over the Ton - and cat lovers will fall in love with the Beau's feline roommate. This is a delightful, charming, elegant read - I think of champagne and chocolates and decadent Sunday afternoons when I remember this book. This is the first in a series but it will be a long wait until 2001. You can read more about Beau Bummell and Rosemary at Rosemary's site.

BACK IN BABY'S ARMS - Tina Wainscott
My first Wainscott but not necessarily my last though I wish I had started with her earlier books; maybe I wouldn't have felt let-down by this one. With his dying breath, Maddie's husband promises to send her an angel to heal her broken heart. After a year of hanging around the house, wallowing in her grief and being coddled by her family, Maddie believes the stranger in town is the angel sent by her husband. Thus begins a pretty much angel-less story, and I do LOVE angel stories; big let-down for me. Maddie's family is dysfunctional and the back cover blurb states that bizarre things are happening to Maddie and her family and whoever the stranger is, he's working some serious miracles. HUH?? I don't think this blurb-writer and I are talking about the same book. On the plus side: I liked Wainscott's writing style; her characters were interesting and while I was expecting more angel-like activities and more of the "miracles" promised on the back cover, the book is quite readable and perhaps some of her previous books will fulfill the paranormal or supernatural craving I had. 12/30/00

OPEN INVITATION by Tiffany White
HT #274. The story of TV movie review host who has to take on a female cohost; ratings are slipping and a new format may pump up viewership. He's drop-dead gorgeous, women fall apart at the seams when he's around; he thinks his new cohost is uptight and repressed. They immediately strike sparks off one another both on and off the screen, and ratings climb. This book is filled with quick repartee, gentle jabs, sexual innuendo, and sensual fantasy. I wonder whatever happened to Tiffany White? I liked this book a lot - a fast, sexy read.

THE YOU I NEVER KNEW by Susan Wiggs
Michelle goes back to Montana to save her father, a handsome, rugged ex-movie star, by donating a kidney. She's been estranged from him after leaving home years before, pregnant by a young man her father didn't approve of. Now she's returning to her roots, her 16-year old son in tow and he isn't too happy about the situation. Upon her return, she finds out that her ex-lover still lives in the area and the story proceeds from there. This is a book about relationships; multiple, overlapping relationships which entangle the reader and make one care about the characters and how their lives entwine. Michelle and her father; her son's relationship with his newly-found father and grandmother; Michelle's father and his grandson - it's the story about how powerful love and family can be. Wiggs' writing is crisp and clean; she can pack a lot of emotion in an economy of words. The book is over 500 pages long but I found myself so engrossed that I'd read 100 or more pages and never notice the passage of time or chapters. There are precious few books that, once I'm finished, I can say "I wouldn't change a single word" but this was one of them and I've been recommending the book to everyone. Now I look forward to reading her historicals - I bet they're every bit as good as this book, her first long contemporary. 02/19/01

Visitors: 01911

Page Updated Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:08am EST