Regina's Reads

So I have been off of urban fantasy for awhile now. Reading the newly released books in my favorite series but not starting any new urban fantasy series. If a friend hadn't recommended this series to me -- repeatedly, I wouldn't have read it. The cover doesn't call to me and urban fantasy just doesn't hold the same appeal to me anymore. And if I can avoid murder investigation urban fantasy books, I do. So there was a lot working against me picking up this book. But damn, I am so glad I read this book.

Tempting Danger is good, the story is good, the writing is good, the world is unique and the characters are even better. Many UF series depend on a sarcastic heroine that is abrasive and who is generally not liked by most of the side characters. There is none of that in this series. The main character is not rude nor is she funny, but she is strong and enjoyable to read about. She is actually a character I would enjoy meeting and I wanted her to succeed.

Shifters have been done and done. Police investigation UFs have also been done and done. But somehow, Tempting Danger approaches these storylines in a unique way. There are little surprises along the way and not everything is wrapped up perfectly, but it is done satisfyingly.

Because it is shifters and because there is a romance storyline there is a predictable theme -- the dreaded fated to be mated. I normally am not a fan. But this is the best fated to be mated storyline I have read. All the questions you would wonder yourself - like how does it feel to have all choice taken away and have a mate forced on you? Wilks doesn't tread lightly on this topic or romanticize it.

So how does it compare to other urban fantasy series? My favorites are Mercy Thompson, Katie Daniels, Psycop, Penryn & the End of Days, Experiment in Terror, Dresden Files, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Tempting Danger has good characters that I think will only get better. Wilks doesn't take the easy way out with her storylines and writes in a complex way. I can see it not appealing to everyone. She doesn't world build or define terms or belief systems. She expects her readers to pick it up along the way. She shows rather than tells. And personally I love that. It is a more complex way of telling a story and it means that the reader has to learn as she goes but it makes for a better story in my opinion. So to answer to my first question -- how does the World of the Lupi compare with my favorite UF series? Well, it wasn't compulsive must finish read but I still read it in about 3-4 days. I immediately bought the second in the series after I finished the first. I am not sure if this is going to be a favorite, but it has potential to become a favorite series of mine.

I cannot wait to continue on to the next book in the series.

Bleh. If you really want to know, get it from the library. Do not waste your money on this.

I gorged myself on this book -- reading it in about 24 hours.  The book wasn't my favorite but the story is really compelling.  So compelling that even though I was bothered by some technical issues in the book, I still just kept going and wanted to know what would happen.  

Glitterland is a contemporary romance set in Britain between two men - -Ash and Darian. But to say it is a contemporary romance is to ignore a significant chunk of the book. The story is told from the first person point of view of a man, Ash, struggling with his bipolar diagnosis and his anxiety. Ash has what many of us want.  He is a published and well received writer, he is well-off and well educated. He has friends who support him, want to help him.  But he is crippled by his mental illness and his self esteem.  Had I known that a good portion of Glitterland would deal with Ash's mental illness and his struggles to move past his diagnosis, I likely would not have picked up this book.  Why did I pick it up?  Suzanne Brockmann (an all time favorite author of mine) recommended it; and it is getting a good buzz on Goodreads. Glad I did pick this up.  I have so many preconceptions about what I want in a book and I am often wrong, thank goodness for goodreads and recommendations!  

But for me to say Glitterland is about a man struggling with mental illness is to really miss what the book is about.  There is witty dialogue, sexy scenes, character growth, and funny stuff.

How often have you dated someone who is so completely different from you or your friends? Economically? Socially? Tastes in music and clothes? Were you embarrassed by that person? Maybe he or she doesn't read books like you do, doesn't understand the words you use, talks with an accent that is not as high-classed as you or your friends .....  Not many people do date or marry outside of their social circle. And books that explore this theme usually do it in a silly cliched way -- the maid and the millionaire or (my least favorite) the partner in a law firm and his secretary.  Well, Glitterland brings two men together that are so completely different that their lives would never cross but at this one bar for this one night.  It isn't cliche (it could have been, but it isn't); the author actually does it so well I found myself wondering why they would want to be together.  The author convinced of my Ash's point of view.  Ash doesn't plan to stay with Darian, he thinks he is getting a one night stand and that is it.  But Darian doesn't cooperate.

So what didn't I like?  The first person inner monologue was sort of clunky and awkward - and there is a lot of it. I feel like this is more about experience than style.  The expression of feeling and intent by Ash was just not very smoothly done. But don't let this stop you, the story is still very worthwhile and I plan to explore more books by this author.  

I didn't understand why either character was into each other, but I did want them to end up together.  I did want them to be able to move past all of their personal issues.  Ash was just not very likable and until the end of the story, I did not see Darian's appeal.  I did not get how they fit together but I got that they wanted to be together. And I am embarrassed to admit, much of the British slang and humor went right over my head. But I am sure it was funny!

So I should wrap this up ..... Glitterland is a sweet love story, about two men who are from very different backgrounds and social strata but who have a crazy hot connection. If you enjoy romances with a slight gritty edge to them with real life issues, then you likely will enjoy this book.  Some comparisons that come to mine are Suzanne Brockmann's trouble shooter series, Cara McKenna, and Megan Hart.  While Brockmann does it in a more lighthearted way and Mckenna and Hart do it steamier, these authors incorporate real life messiness into their romance stories (just the way I like it by the way) similar to Alexis Hall with Glitterland.  If you try it, let me know what you think.

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The world of dystopia young adult fiction is pretty crowded right now.  It is the what is the what in genre fiction.  Given that, it is hard to find a book that is fresh and provides a perspective not yet covered by all of the post-apocalypse/dystopia books out there – it is pretty exciting to find one that is new.  Not a Drop to Drink is that fresh perspective. 

The book starts from the improbable premise of a young girl who is around the age of 16 and only knows one person in the world – her mother.  She knows of a man who lives nearby, but doesn’t truly know him.  And she knows nothing about the world but survival by offense.  She spends her days either preparing for winter or protecting her water source with deadly force. 

Not a Drop to Drink takes place in a world where there was first an oil shortage and then a severe water shortage.  The countryside has been abandoned by the government in the US and the cities are tightly controlled.  The story takes place in rural Ohio, there is no government and daily life is more brutal than any imagined wild west or Little House on the Prairie. 

There are a lot of details about daily survival, food preparation, water purification, house building and that is what made this book interesting – and this is the part I really loved.  The author realizes what it would actually take to live outside of society and the infrastructure we rely on so much.  She uses those daily survival details to provide the framework of the world she builds.  If readers enjoy reading about the daily details of survival then they would like this; these details are where I think the true beauty of Not a Drop to Drink is.  There is great character development and a good amount of action, but what a Not a Drop to Drink demonstrates is the day to day living would be like in a post apocalyptic world.  This is the Little House on the Prairie for the end of the world readers.  And it is not romanticized, it is not idealistic.

Is there romance?  So what would a modern post-apoc/dystopica young adult novel be without romance – so yes, there is romance.  But, romance is not the driving factor of the story and the book is not working toward a predictable happily ever after. 

In short, I loved this book.  I could not put it down.  It is not without flaws, but it was enjoyable and adds something new to this perhaps too full genre.

MaddAddam (MaddAddam Trilogy #3) by Margaret Atwood *received early review copy from publisher and Edelweiss*

Regina's Rating:

4.5 stars/Grade A

Release Date: 9/3/13

Book Summary:

Really great conclusion to an amazing trilogy. Atwood is a goddess of literature. Ten years after the release of the first book in the Maddaddam trilogy (Oryx and Crake) and four years after the release of the second book in the trilogy (Year of the Flood), Margaret Atwood releases the final book in her apocalyptic/post-apocalypse series – Maddaddam. When Atwood first released Oryx and Crake, the post-apocalypse wasn’t as fun and romanticized as it is right now – hard to imagine I know but ….: the Walking Dead was not yet on TV, Red Dawn had not yet been remade, and main stream romance publishing houses weren’t regularly releasing post-apocalypse romance themed books. I think it is fair to say that in 2003, the apocalypse was not yet the rage. It is interesting that when the series ends, Maddaddam finds itself nestled on bookshelves next to other mainstream and best sellers that deal with the what-happens-when-society-collapses. Atwood is a visionary. But Maddaddam and the trilogy is not just about the collapse of society, it is about so much more. Each book in the trilogy is told form a different point of view and at a different point in time, yet it is the same story and the same characters. The entire story is told in the present, but it is done with memory and flashbacks of the characters. Each book is about the time before the collapse of the world’s society and each book is also about the time after the societal collapse. There are no zombies, no aliens, no floods and the moon didn’t fall out of the sky. Instead Atwood’s book (and series) is really a critique of what she sees as a major movement in our culture and our world – corporate control and dominance. Can you imagine a world where the corporations call the shots? Where the governments are so weakened that the corporations are the ones truly running things? What if the motivation to earn profit by those at the top of the corporation is what ruled the world? And these corporations controlled all scientific endeavors and the production of all food? Hmmmmmm ….. These are the topics explored by the Maddaddam trilogy and Atwood does this with really well developed characters, an amazingly intricately built (but believable) future world.  Atwood began writing about this topic in the early 2000s.  She is such a visionary (yes I have written that word twice now in this review -- but remember her book The Handmaid's Tale?, yeah she is brilliant). But it is also about relationships with our fathers and mothers. It is about sexuality, desire and how gender roles are constructed. The series takes on concepts of the building of myth and religion. And it is also funny.

Rebecca’s having a cup of what they’ve all agreed to call coffee.

But you know what it is not? The post-apocalypse is not fun and it is not romantic. In Atwood's imagined world, there is no coffee, there is no abundant supplies free for the taking and even with the majority of the population gone it is hard to find food. Empty buildings are dangerous as untended electrical wires and water pipes often mal-function causing fires and flooding. City centers can be filled with tainted water and structurally unsound buildings due to lack of human maintenance. Without family members around to support us and no hope for the future, motivation is hard to maintain:

Daytime becomes irrelevant. You can get careless, you can overlook details, you can lose track. These days she’ll find herself upright, in the middle of the room, one sandal in her hand, wondering how she got there; or outside under a tree, watching the leaves riffle, then prodding herself: Move. Move now. Get moving. You need to …. But what exactly is it that she needs to do?

I would categorize this series as both literary fiction and science fiction. Readers who enjoy Margaret Atwood books or readers who read science fiction/post-apocalypse books to think about broader concepts beyond just the story would enjoy this trilogy. Fans of the first two books may be slightly disappointed by the beginning of Maddaddam, but stick with it. The story does start slow and has a different feel but it is very rewarding and addicting.

Oh this book was satisfying. It just hit it right for me. Sexy hero (and by sexy I mean big, muscly and a fighter) – check! Heroine with some stuff to figure out – check! Good background cast – check! Perfect hero who says and does everything right and is a billionaire – no check. Heroine with perfect body and all the right assets who has all the men falling all over her – umm no, the heroine’s perfect body is not the focus of the story. Great steamy sex that the reader doesn’t have to wait forever for – check! Am I the only one that likes these things in romance?

Hey it is probably obvious that when I like romance it is not with he millionaire dapper ideal hero. Rich, (not in money, just his name ..) the hero in this story, is definitely an ideal of sorts (physically, sexually) but he is a working class immigrant with an accent. Rich would not be the hero in 50 Shades; as the lead in Taking Him Down, he is very desirable. And I loved him. Love him.

The sex scenes are hot. But I think it is an established fact that nobody can write sex like Meg Maguire/Cara McKenna. And you’ve seen the cover right? Funny story — and true, have you seen this circulating around pinterst and facebook:

This happened to me with this book — and it was painful. I was on an airplane, my kindle fire battery ran out. I switched to my phone to try and finish up the scene, but then I had to turn off my phone because the plane was landing. This is not the book to have that happen!

Taking Him Down is the second in the Wilinski’s series, which centers around a fight training club. Each book in this series, so far, has centered around a different couple. The first, Making Him Sweat, was about Jenna and Mercer. Taking Him Down centers around Rich and Lindsey.

If you have read Cara McKenna/Meg Maguire before than you know she writes flirt and spark like nobody else. The characters in her books are funny and flirt in such a fun way – Taking Him Down is no exception.

“You better find yourself a real traditional girl to marry.”

“That would certainly please my mom.” His smile softened. “Though personally I’d rather find a snarky feminist to roll around in my sheets with.”

Taking Him Down isn’t perfect. Okay, there is a silly mix-up that is used to create tension. But it is resolved quickly and it makes sense – maybe I shouldn’t call it silly. The couple take a long time to realize what they are to each other, and yeah that can be frustrating. But I guess that is standard in romance novels. So those are the not so perfect parts of this book.

Taking Him Down is a sequel to or a follow-up to Making Him Sweat, but in my opinion, it is better than Making Him Sweat. For me it was better because of the hero, Rich made this story. And the really good news? There is a sequel coming out in October.

So help me out here – what other romances are like this one? I would love to find more novels that are written like Meg Maguire/Cara Mckenna writes? I need help because I felt like I have been spoiled by his great author and I want more like it. So, help me out? What do you recommend?

To read this review and more like it check out Bad Ass Book Reviews

There are some romances that make a reader smile. There are some romance novels that steam up glasses. And there are romances that make a reader cry from joy and again from sadness and then again from joy. The Story Guy is all of these and more. I could not put this book (or my kindle ..) down. There are are some romances where everything is too easy. There are some romance novels that end almost too perfectly happy and the problems just disappear. And then there are some romance novels that purposely break your heart. The Story Guy is none of of these. It is an emotional ride, it is beautiful and it is rewarding - but never easy or convenient.

Novellas do not often completely suck me in, but The Story Guy did. From the first page I was in this world; I was invested and I could not (and did not want to) let go. In her guest blog post at Badass Book Reviews, author Mary Ann Rivers discusses the challenges and benefits of writing a novella compared with a full length novel. She admits it is challenging but in a novella she can take risks as a writer. Those risks paid off in The Story Guy. 

The set up is not entirely new and but yet it is completely unique. The main character Carrie is a working woman with strong friendships but not in a romantic relationship. She is stuck in a rut and cannot seem to get out. To pass her insomnia, late at night she reads personal ads online, one night -- one of these ads catches her eye. This is where the unique begins.

The dialogue in The Story Guy is smart, intellectual and witty. I want Carrie and her friends to be my friends. The importance of a strong backdrop to the romance means that the story was so much richer and more complex. While the romance was the focus, the story was rich because of the characters beyond just the hero and heroine.

Read The Story Guy. You will not be disappointed.

For a chance to win an ebook copy of this novella, come play at Badass Book Reviews 

Many readers know Megan Hart for her emotionally charged and character driven erotica novels. Hart has carved out a unique niche in erotica writing where her works involve characters that are so tangibly real you feel as if you know them and flawed so as to not be idealistic. And of course, since her erotica novels are erotica – woven through the story line are very explicit sex scenes. To say that Hart pushes boundaries is to understate what she does. The Favor is not erotica but it is sexually charged. The Favor is being described as “mainstream fiction”. The Favor is not a happy story and it is not uplifting. But I enjoyed reading it and kept wanting to get back to it. Hart is known for not having happily ever afters but instead having a “happily for now” in her erotica and I know that frustrates some readers. Not me. I find the happily for now comforting and realistic. The Favor is not and does not work itself toward a happily ever after. It is not genre based and fans of Hart looking for a hint of a happily ever after or a focus on romance may be disappointed. Fans of Hart who read her work because of how she writes characters, how she pushes comfort boundaries and how she crafts everyday life into a beautiful story – those fans will enjoy The Favor.

The Favor starts with a premise that so many stories and movies begin with; it is a story line that readers must be fascinated – going home. The main character, Janelle, returns to her home town to care for her dying grandmother.

“home was the place you couldn’t escape no matter how far or fast you ran.”

Janelle is a single mother of a twelve-year old boy. She is in debt, failed at her career and alone. She hasn’t been home for years. Living next door to her childhood home is Gabe. Gabe has always lived there with his father and his brothers; and from the beginning, it is clear that Janelle and Gabe have a history. When Janelle arrives back home, the dynamic between Gabe and her is charged, emotional but distant. The story is a slow start. Hart builds each character carefully and deliberately. What I really enjoyed about Janelle is that she is strong. She has defined who she wants to be, she does what she wants to do and she does not let others thoughts of her influence her actions. She is a girl who dressed different in high school, had sex when she wanted to and sees herself as an individual:

“The truth is, it’s all about power. Get a boy on his knees, begging for just a touch, a taste, a stroking hand, and that’s gaining power.”

Hart knows how to charge a story with sex, with power and with mystery. The Favor has tension but reading the story in the beginning, I was not sure where the tension came from. From Gabe? From Janelle’s past? The Favor winds its way through Janelle and Gabe’s past with flashback scenes that flow smoothly back and forth with the present text. The twist and the cause of the tension is shocking, sad and even though it is shocking – perhaps the reader can figure it out mid-way through the book. Despite that though, the weight of the book isn’t lessened. I didn’t want to put this book down; I didn’t want to walk away. The characters were so well told I felt I was with them.

So I thought I had The Favor all figured out and wham – I didn’t. The act behind what the title implies “The Favor” surprised me (I had to re-read that scene multiple times!), but given the tension and horror of what was happening during their childhood it made sense.

I recommend reading The Favor for readers who enjoy character based stories and are looking for a story about real people, not just an uplifting story. The Favor will not uplift, but it will entertain and enrich.

To read this review and more like it check out Badass Book Reviews.

I really enjoyed this book! I am not sure why it surprised me because my friends that recommended this book rarely go wrong with me, but still this book surprised me. 

This story is a sweet romance, a wonderful build to a beautiful ending and along the way it is peppered with great sexual tension. The set-up of the story is not storybook perfect. Nobody is rich, nobody is perfect - it was all just so real. 

I loved the portrayal of Mexican-American culture -- the culture was just part of the story line and it was done very authentically. I appreciate other authors attempting to represent Mexican-American culture, I really do appreciate it -- but it is often not done well. This was done well. 

So would you date a man who is 8 years younger than you? Would you fall in love with him? What if he saw you when you were 40lbs overweight and was your personal trainer? My answer to all of that would likely be no -- and the heroine's answer in this story is "no" as well. The author did a great job in showing a realistic objection by a normal 28 year old woman to dating a younger man. The characters in this novel were real and just so well written. They struggled with real life situations - job, fidelity, friends and lost family members. The author did a great job at showing how a recent weight gain affects a woman's self esteem. 

Feeling as if she'd aged ten years and heavier than she'd ever been in her life, there was no way she was showing her face there again.

The "hero" of the story, Noah, is a boxer, almost 20 years old and an orphan. These aren't spoilers -- the readers know this at the start of the story. He grew up in the foster system and truly has nobody but his friends. The story behind how he lost his family is heartbreaking. And I appreciate how the author wove it into the story. The "heroine" is Veronica or "Roni". She is alone after the death of her mother and very depressed. Noah and Roni are very similar to each other in that they only have their friends, no family but they are separated by 8 years of life experience. Noah is realistically written as a young man. He still parties with his friends and he has a young man's hopes - the author wrote their difference in age as a realistic gap and I loved how the characters worked through this. 

I just loved this story. I could have done without the epilogue though. I am an epilogue lover -- but not this one.

Will I read #2? Well, I heard the next one in this series is not as good, but I will still read more in this series. I really enjoy how the author writes characters, so it is worth it to go on.

It is no secret that I am a fan of Molly Harper’s books. Her books make me laugh, give me a great escape – and well make me smile in between laughs. Mixed in with the laughs (and maybe wants her books so funny), are quirky family members and a young woman trying to figure out her next life choice. A Witch’s Handbook (I won’t be writing out the full name as it is just way too long) is very similar to Ms. Harper’s other books that I have read by her. The Naked Werewolf series was full of off-beat family members, a woman needing a change in her life and lots of humor. And One Last Thing has a similar set up. Molly Harper definitely has found her gift — to write humor that involves families and women on the verge of …. something. But that is not to say any of her books (that I have read by her) are formulaic. They are not, she has an ability to make them unique but very comfortable at the same time. I typically listen to the audio version of Ms. Harper’s books. Amanda Ronconi narrates each of these books and she gets the atmosphere and style of these stories perfectly. But I because I received a copy of A Witch’s Handbook as an early review copy, I read it instead of listening. I can definitively say that Molly Harper is just as enjoyable in print as she is in audio.

A Witch’s Handbook is #2 in the Half Moon Hollow series and is a cross-over with Molly’s Jane Jameson series. I haven’t read the Jane Jameson series, but I am guessing by reading Half Moon Hollow first there are spoilers for the main series. But somehow, I think that might be okay and won’t take away from the enjoyment of the books.

Half Moon Hollow is a small town in Kentucky with a strong paranormal presence; vampires are in business and the general public knows this. Nora (the book’s main character) is a witch with a problem, she is on the hunt for family relics in an effort to save the world from evil witches.

Are you telling me there’s a real Volemort?

When Nora arrives in Half Moon Hollow, she rents a half of one house, the other half is rented to Jed. Nora and Jed immediately hit it off with sparks. Jed is a hottie, Nora can’t stop looking and together they are pretty funny.

You invited me to dinner, and I end up cooking? What sort of swindle is this?

I turned to offer a rude response, only to find him wearing another pair of arse-cupping jeans and a t-shirt that showcased his indecently large biceps. I was standing in the presence of living, breathing arm porn.

Because she is looking for ancient relics in a place that she is not familiar with, Nora relies on locals to help her. In the process, Nora becomes friends with some of the vamps introduced in the Jane Jameson series and much of the humor and the storyline revolves around Nora’s friendships and family relationships. The rich cast of characters and the developing friendship are what make this book so fun. It isn’t my favorite Molly Harper book but it did not disappoint.

Harper is not below acknowledging her other book series, I love it when authors name drop or hint at their other books — and she does that in A Witch’s Handbook. I don’t want to spoil it, but see if you can catch it. Harper is also not below poking fun at Twilight and Edward’s often-times creepy behavior – again, I don’t want to spoil your discovery of this super funny part.

There are some not-so-surprising supernatural twists and the ending is what I expected but still, it is very satisfying and rewarding. Sometimes, I just need to slip into a world that will make me laugh, keep me smiling and is definitely sweet and sexy. But I want to do it without roll-my-eyes stereotypes. I prefer to read a book with rich friendships and texture beyond just the heroine and the hot guy she is focused on. Molly Harper delivers that. Paranormal romance is hard for me. I don’t like the trope of the the tiny virgin needing a man and I really don’t like the fated-to-be-mated storyline. I can’t stand scary stalkerish behavior that would be arrested in normal life and I want the storyline to go beyond just the “hero” and the “heroine’s” romance. Molly Harper writes her paranormal romance books without all of that and with so much more. If you want a laugh, a light read then I recommend Molly Harper. It won’t change your life but it will make you smile.

To read more of this review and others like it check out Badass Book Reviews

Sins & Needles is not for everyone. How is that a start for a book review? Yet it was a book for me, I loved it. From the beginning, Sins & Needles had me …. had me wanting more from the characters, and for the characters. To take a quote from the book, “It’s rough and sweet at the same time.” The story starts with two unlikeable characters. Characters that have done wrong and had wrong done to them. Characters that are perhaps not reformed but they do want out and they do want to be happy. How is that a premise for a book? Karina Halle is somehow able to take two unlikeable characters and tell their story in a very deep way. I didn’t walk away thinking – hey, I’d love to be friends with Ellie (the main character). I actually hope to never meet anyone like Ellie. But I do understand her and feel her pain. Ms. Halle took me down the road of Ellie’s past, her parents, and her recent failed love affair and while I don’t really sympathize with Ellie, I understand her and want more of her story. I love books and authors who take me places I had no clue I even wanted to go. And that is where Sins & Needles took me. 

“Never commit a crime when you’re the only person to blame.”

Sins & Needles is really a story about two characters circling around each other, who need each other and want each other. It is sexy and has a lot of passion behind it. 

“He laid me on the ground, the hard grass tickling the sides of my ears, and that was the last time he was gentle.”

The tension and storyline are kicked up a notch around halfway through the book and that is where it really takes off. A story like Sins & Needle wouldn’t be worth reading or as half as rewarding without consequences. Sins & Needles has just the right balance of presenting characters who seriously need to grow up, change, evolve and just letting their story unfold – no matter what happens to them. 

Karina Halle has a pre-quel to Sins & Needles: On Every Street. On Every Street is essential to understanding why Ellie does what she does when she flees Javier, but I recommend reading Sins & Needles first and then On Every Street. Readers who enjoy stories that center around characters and has some romance will like Sins & Needles but you gotta be open to reading about significantly flawed characters who don’t really want to improve.

To write that this book was disappointing is an understatement. It took me reading about 30% of the story for it to get even remotely interesting, but then the interesting parts were buried and sandwiched in between a whole of excess writing that went nowhere. This book should have been significantly edited and probably combined with the first book in the series. Newcomer lacks a climax, has too many tension points and a bizarre ending. I have only been disapointed by Robyn Carr one other time [b:Redwood Bend|12396192|Redwood Bend (Virgin River, #18)|Robyn Carr|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320273713s/12396192.jpg|17377387] but my boredom with that book is not comparable to my experience in reading the Newcomer. Newcomer has conversations, scenes and situations that simply go nowhere and add nothing to the plot. But worse than going nowhere these scenes are boring! And the book is rarely sweet or sexy but instead is just boring. And as my friend Leea pointed out -- at this point in the story, who is the Newcomer? I believe Carr intends Cooper to be the newcomer as he is referred to as such at one point in the book, but there are so many characters in this novel who could also be a newcomer.There are a few nuggest and storylines that moved me emotionally but they were so diluted by a failure to edit they could not save the book. I am proud of myself for finishing this book, it was a feat. I do think Robyn Carr fans will be disappointed by this book. Anyone who is not a fan of Robyn Carr or who has never read her, will definitely not enjoy this book. I think I am going to stick with her backlist for awhile.