This looks like it’s going to be a very good movie
From Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes “John Carter”—a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). “John Carter” is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.
This movie is a MUST see for all Medieval and Knights fans! Here is the plot summary from anonymous (IMDB):
“It is the year 1215 and the rebel barons of England have forced their despised King John to put his royal seal to the Magna Carta, a noble, seminal document that upheld the rights of free-men. Yet within months of pledging himself to the great charter, the King reneged on his word and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule. Barring his way stood the mighty Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel’s momentous struggle for justice and freedom.”
Recently Jeri contacted me through my RR@H email and wondered if I wouldn’t mind reading her novel ‘REVERB’. I had so much on my ‘plate’ that I thought maybe I should check this book on Amazon before I commit to something. Its blurb was intriguing enough but what really hooked me was the first sentence of the book, so I told her that I’d be happy to do it. To say that this book is well-written is just not quite enough. I’m going to say that it is brilliant. It’s deep. It’s unique. You can find my review of it here.
We’re honored to have Jeri with us today so grab a cup of chai, coffee or any beverage that you like, sit back, relax and let’s find out more about Jeri and her work.
b2b: Welcome to b2b Jeri Cafesin (by the way how do you pronounce your name)? In order for me to remember its spelling I’ve separated it in two words: café & sin. Is that the correct way of pronouncing it?
JC: You got it. Cafe (but I don’t know how to get the little dash over the e), and Sin. But the name is not referring to a place to eat, or sin, which I don’t believe in anyway. Indifference to suffering and willful ignorance are the greatest evils by far. Sin is a religious construct.
The name is a pseudonym, made up from my maiden name when I first started writing. Wanted to keep fine writing separate from my copy writing.
b2b: Got it. I also agree with you on the indifference. Well said! Before I begin this interview, I want to thank you for stopping by, and just to give you a heads up: This is my first interview here or anywhere else, so good luck to both of us!
JC: This is my third. The link to my very first interview is on my Bio page because I kept trying to come up with content, think of something to say about myself, and couldn’t come up with anything beyond the obvious—that I’m a writer and a mom and a wife (the writer and the wife always after the mom).
The writer part of me has spent my lifetime watching and interviewing others, trying to make myself as anonymous as possible, fade into the background. It’s…interesting, being on the other end of that when I do a reading or even an online interview like this.
b2b: I think every mom out there will relate to your answer. Once you become a mother, everything else is secondary.
I have to tell you that the title of your novel ‘REVERB’ had me stumped. I had no clue about what the word meant, so I ran it by my husband and so he’d explained it to me. Tell us how did you come up with it and why that word?
JC: Reverb is a fairly common word with musicians but means several things. Short for reverberation, it’s an electronic effect added to music, but it’s also something else. My son plays electric guitar and he gets feedback, the music he’s playing loops in the amp and comes back at him distorted. This is also considered ‘reverb.’ James Whren, the protagonist of the novel, learns what we put out there, what we give is what we get back.
b2b: How true. I love that metaphor.
Some authors write at certain times of day or week. What’s your typical writing schedule and what gets your creative juices flowing? If you have any tips to help other aspiring new authors out there, feel free to share!
JC: When the kids are in school (YEA! Can’t wait for them to go back there!!!), I get them out of the house by 8:00 in the morning, and after going through email and a quick bit of social networking, FB and Twitter…etc., I write. I don’t stop until I have to pick them up for school around 2:30 most days. Lunch is some dry toast or nuts so I don’t have to take time to eat. Story and characters still linger in my head when I’m dealing with the kids and household things that need to get done, but I’m done with writing for the day. Usually read at night (what I want to after reading with the kids). Reading helps me see structure, what I want to emulate, what I don’t. Reading a lot helps me be a better writer.
b2b: I honestly enjoyed every aspect of this book. What inspired it and who did you envision as James?
JC: Glad you enjoyed the read! (You wrote the word ‘brilliant,’ about Reverb above, and I’m hoping you mean it in the British sense where everything is just brilliant. This morning my daughter told DH and I between giggles she likes to pretend she’s a rock star inside her head. Unknown to her, I did too, hence James Whren.
b2b: How cute! When I said ‘brilliant’ I meant “having or showing great intelligence, talent, and quality”. All of the above definitely apply to your novel.
Some authors give too much space to their secondary characters that often times they take over the story. Some do just the opposite. In my opinion you’ve achieved a wonderful balance and gave us just the right amount. Enough to wonder who they are and want more of them. Tell us more about them and if any (Kate in particular) would be having their own story?
JC: Very good. Ah, Kate. She’s the lead in my first novel Disconnected, which I’m now on the 4th year of rewriting (with 13 years between the first draft and this one). In Reverb, Kate finally came off the page and told me her story, with a satisfying and liberating ending [for women] at that!
b2b: Now that makes me happy to hear. I thought she had a lot of spunk! Looking forward to her story.
Cover Art in my humble opinion is really very important and that guy on the cover of ‘REVERB’ looks so familiar. He reminded me of Seth Gabel, the actor from ‘Dirty Sexy Money’ series. Who is the Dude on the cover and how much input are you allowed during this process?
JC: Ouch. Sore subject for me. Publisher wanted the current cover. I didn’t. Providing a photograph of a man on the book cover robs the prose of creating an image of masculine beauty. Though we know James is often perceived as beautiful, at least physically, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in Reverb should be the construct of the reader.
I executed several other book covers, my latest I’m looking to get enough comments on to submit to my publisher in hopes of using it instead of the current guy. Read the novel, and if you agree the cover is not what it should be, follow the link to newest book cover and leave a quick comment. I don’t think she’ll believe me with anything less than 50 in favor of the new cover.
b2b: I actually like both!
Do you let someone read your work during your writing process? Who and why? Or do you wait ‘till it’s finished, then you let someone read it…and who?
JC: I work with writing groups, in person and online like Zoetrope, Urbis L.A., where [mostly] writers read and critique other writers. I read it aloud, again and again. When I finish I usually have my husband read it first. He’s anal about spelling and grammatical structure, and, of course, I’m, well, not, so he helps me clean up. He’s my first editor, before the book editor from the publishing house. Professional, or friends that read a lot, it’s important for me to get the readers view and take-away of the story to make sure I’m telling the characters stories instead of my own.
b2b: Jeri, have you been writing for long and what else is out there for us to read from you? I think we’d like to know more about your journey into the publishing world. How hard is it to break through?
JC: “Break through.” We all have a different measure of that, to be sure. What’s yours?…To be read? By how many? 500, 5,000, 10,000,000? Mine is to make a living on fine writing alone (novels, essays and such); not a huge sum (even minimum annual wage would be good), but provide me with enough to justify quitting my ‘real’ job in advertising.
My journey in making up stories began as far back as I can remember with my stuffed dog, Checkers. At breakfast I used to make up elaborate tales of going in the night to Disneyland with my foot long blue and white checkered fabric mutt; or maybe sneaking out for a midnight surf off Malibu, with Checkers hanging ten off the front of my board.
I started keeping diaries when I was five. Switched to journals, you know those spiral binders we used for school. I loved having them everywhere, by the bed, in the bathroom, the car, with a pen stuck down the center of the metal spiral, and I wrote in them all the time. Now I can hardly hand-write anymore. I’ve been typing into a computer for so long I’ve become clumsy with a pen. I generally think as fast as I type, but when I have to use a pen I really have to focus on my hand movements to write now.
b2b: Well now you got me thinking. Am I a writer? In writing this Blog would I be considered as such?! I wouldn’t mind 10,000,000 people reading my blog! LOL!!
It is very difficult for me to choose my favorite author or a book, how about you? Are you willing to fess-up?
JC: Hard to choose with so much great writing out there. Favorite author is hard for me because I was taught not to fall for the artist but the art. So a few favorite books, this minute, off the top, which if you asked tomorrow the answers would be different: The Martian Chronicles, The Fountainhead, The Magus, The Collector, Crime and Punishment, Knockemstiff, Childhood’s End, The Godfather, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The End of the Affair, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy…
b2b: Those are some great books! I only read one of those, but now I’ll be checking the other ones you mentioned.
What do you like to read and what’s on your TBR now?
JC: DH and kids buy me books for every present worthy occasion. Usually contemporary commercial fiction. Just finished Stranger on the Planet, and I’m just beginning Matched, and after that is Attachments and The Other Life.
b2b: Now, that ends up our ‘professional’ portion of this interview. Are you ready to get personal? Or are you going to chicken out on me?
JC: Humm…
b2b: …I take that to be a yes so, let’s get Personal:
Tell us a bit about yourself, something personal that you’d like us to know…anything that makes you comfortable…or not…like how many times did you fall in love?
JC: Never fell in love, except for with my kids, from the day they were born, but I’m taking it you mean adult love. Worked at love twice in my life, (maybe three times but I knew it was a mistake from the beginning), and I’m married to my second journey into love. Everyday we prove to one another we’re here for each other and I’m more in love with my husband. I’m a firm believer Love is an action. The word itself is meaningless unless shown.
b2b: Once more, very well put. Saying the words and not backing it with an ‘action’ is meaningless.
Jeri, you’ve been so gracious today. Thank you for sharing with us. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having you here and I wish you all the luck. You have an awesome talent, please keep at it.
JC: Thanks for having me on bookworm2bookworm!! Questions? Leave a comment here or on my site with your email and I’ll get back to you…
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Jeri will be giving away 1 signed printed copy of her ‘REVERB’ novel
& two PDF forms of it.
All you need to do is:
Become a b2b subscriber.
Post a comment or question
(here or on JC’s website, with your email address).
If uncomfortable with that, send me or Jeri an email.
STORY: James Whren is brilliant, beautiful and taken—with himself, or more precisely his genius for creating music.
On the eve of his brother’s funeral, his father turns his life upside down, and James is left abandoned in hell with no one real to save him.
His odyssey to freedom takes him beyond the looking glass, to the view from friends and lovers.
Humbled and alone, James escapes to the Greek island of Corfu. But instead of solace there, loneliness almost consumes him.
Until Elisabeth and her son Cameron.
REVIEW: I’ll not ruin my review of this book with any spoilers, so I’m not going to go into too much detail about it. I want you to experience it as I did. I want you to feel what I felt reading it. I will admit that it had me at the edge of my chair, couch or on my feet! And if you’re a ‘nail biter’, be ready to lose a few of those as well!
From the first sentence I just knew that I was in for a ride. This is not just a very well written story. This is a clever story. Every sentence of it has depth including the dialogue. The author took me straight into not just James’ head, but into his heart. I couldn’t help but feel what he felt, and every word he spoke. Ms. J. Cafesin has built the complex character of James with such meticulous care and gave him breath so that he became real to me.
The dialogue is sharp, too real and altogether refreshing. The story as well as the plot are a tad predictable, however in no way does it take away from the suspense or the excitement of it. Make no mistake; this is one hundred percent character driven story that will have you tied up in knots. Add to that a bunch of wonderful secondary characters like Kate ‘the pot smoking’ chick that gets into a car accident with our hero; Martin and John, his Gay friends; Julia and Stephen, the ‘ex’ and his Accountant; Howard ‘Harvard’ Miller, his father’s best friend and secretary-director. And of course Edward Whren, a father whose love for his sons either went too deep or not deep enough. We see James through their eyes and our love and compassion for this man just keeps growing.
Once the author introduces Elizabeth and her infant son Cameron into the story this thriller becomes a genuine love story. The relationship is built slowly and once again with such care that it feels real and not forced. Their falling in love is gradual and the reader feels the build up, so when they finally admit it to each other, I felt joy and was grinning from ear to ear.
Can you tell I liked this book?! If you like contemporary romance or a psychological thriller you just can’t miss this one. It is THAT good!
Are you all in awe of this fast-moving year?! I’m just freaking out! It’s already July, and this whole year is just flying by too quickly for me. I’m all ready for my son’s wedding! I got a dress, shoes and a purse. It appears that I’ll be lighting a candle with mother of the bride (my new in-laws, how weird is that?) and I’m excited about that!
I’ve gotten some reviews in for RRAH and in all those books read I only thought three were worth a read. I’ll start with one left-over June review of DARK MOON OF AVALON by Anna Elliott and I have to tell you, this is one awesome read, if you’re into this time period. Trystan and Isolde is such an old tale and well-known, but once you read this book, you’ll get a whole new picture in your head. I loved James Franco in this role and I pictured him reading this book. Here’s just a peek at a scene from “Trystan and Isolde”
After such a great book, I went to THE BLUE VIKING by Sandra Hill and all I have to say is skip this, unless you’re Ms. Hill’s fan, I think you’ll really be disappointed by this book. This was more of a comedy then the romance. Again, if you’re into slapstick, you might enjoy it. I didn’t and don’t recommend it.
LADY OF SEDUCTION by Laurel McKee is the last story of Daughters of Erin series and I highly recommend all three stories. I can’t stop talking about them. This was such a great series and so well told. I’ve read this author under her other pseudonym of Amanda McCabe and loved her so check her out!
GUARDING A NOTORIOUS LADY by Olivia Parker was everything I expexted this story to be. It had all the elements of a great romance, humor and wit. This new author will go a long way if she continues writing fast paced, well-developed stories. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, please try to get them. They’re all as good as this one and you’ll fall in love with these siblings!
LORD LANGLEY IS BACK IN TOWN by Elizabeth Boyle was such a disappointment that I almost cried! To wait so long for this story and then to be let down by it, just plain hurt! What the Hell happened to my Hero?! This was…I can’t even talk about it! I loved the other books in the series, and reading this book I just kept shaking my head! DO NOT BOTHER with this one!
And that’s it for now. I hope I’m helping all of you decide on your reads for the summer and if I am won’t you let me know? What are you reading these days?
Here we go, Bookworms. The day has arrived and I’m ready to tackle those pesky extra ponds that sneaked up on me and refuse to leave me be. NO MORE! They’re well on their way down and I for one will NOT miss them! That’s not to say that I won’t be missing my Tiramisu, bread, potatoes and my recently discovered taste for RICE Sushi! But, hey! No pain, no gain, so I’m willing to sacrifice ANYTHING…well almost anything.
Recently an author I admire greatly (Kieran Kramer, I’m looking at you!) has suggested I visit Ashley March’s website ’cause she’s starting something kind-a-kool called ROMANCE BIGGEST WINNER where she’ll have a certain number of authors and readers/reviewers/bloggers come together and try to lose, read here START to live a healthier life by exercising and dieting together. Well, I was NOT about to pass up this opportunity to connect with like minded women, so I contacted Ashley and VOILA! I was in! Oh, how happy I am to be doing this and how happy I am that this young author had the forethought to offer this to some of us. This should be fun and enlightening, encouraging and eye-opening, but what I most look forward to is the accountability. It’s like ‘coming out of the closet’ sort-a-feeling, for me at least.
My first days weigh in was done and I am at 161.4 lbs and I’m committed to loosing 40 lbs by January 5th 2012. I will exercise 1 hour a day which will include warm-up and stretching for about 10 minutes, then Treadmill walk for 30 minutes (speed at 2.5; 2.8; 3.1) and in between 20 minutes of Pilate’s machine and Aerobic’s from Comcast on Demand. I’ve also started a few weeks ago a South Beach Diet that I’m tailoring to me, and if you’d like to know more about that it’s here.
I’ll keep you informed and updated once a week. Like anything in my life, I know that if I put my mind to this I can do it! I’m truly motivated by this group of women and I must admit, by the prizes they’re offering, but most of all I’m pumped up to start living healthy!
Until next week, wish me luck? Oh, and if you have any advice by all means, spill!
STORY: Sandra Cranston, an elementary teacher on leave, discovers an abandoned carriage deep in the woods. Inside is a man, Jerrod Ross, who fuels all of her wicked Regency dreams and fantasies.
Ross has been torn from the only world he has ever known—1821 Cornwall, England. How will he adjust to the future and his growing desire for the lovely lady who found him? More importantly, how will he ever return to his time?
REVIEW: Jude Deveraux‘s “Knight in Shining Armor” is my all time favorite time travel book and Diane Gabaldon’s “Outlander” series is a very close second, and while the movie “Kate and Leopold” is one movie I try never to miss when it’s on, the original “The Time Machine” with Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux has to be one of my all time favorite time travel movies. I can freely state to all of you that if I was unattached and my hero showed up from another time, I wouldn’t even think twice at not going back with him! Cave man from the stone ages?! I’ll let him drag me by my hair, as long as he loves me (and looks like Hugh Jackman)!
This book sounded very interesting, so I literally ‘stalked’ the author on so many blogs just so I could win a copy! I’m surprised she didn’t send the cops after me! Needles to say, I didn’t win, but I did buy it for my PC for Kindle and let me start of by saying: I’m so glad I did; get to Amazon and do the same!
Sandra Cranston is a chick on a self-imposed ‘sabbatical’ from her job as an elementary school teacher. One day as she’s returning from a picnic, her eye catches a site that gives her pause and spurns her on exploring it.
Jerrod Ross is a propertied Squire and a copper mine owner in the year of Our Lord 1821. The last thing he remembers is a dangerous carriage ride with few other passengers through lightning and storm. And now he’s looking at the woman with the most amazing eyes who’s telling him that this is the Year of Our Lord 2011!
This was so much fun to read. It’s a short novella, but it certainly doesn’t lack in romance, humor or sensuality. Our hero and heroine were equally hot, charming and witty that you can’t help but chuckle at their banter as well as fan yourself when they give in to their desire for each other! It will also leave you torn and in tears at the end as both of them know that neither wants to let the other go, but is that what true love is all about? Can they let go? Or will one decide to go with the other to the unknown… Get the book to find out! And just to get you in the mood for it, here’s a Trailer from “Kate and Leopold”…
And a Trailer from “The Time Machine”. I know, I know! It’s cheesy, but honestly, I just love this movie…
His idyllic estate is falling down from neglect and
Nightmares of war give him no rest.
Then Devlin St. Just meets his new neighbor.
UNTIL HIS BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBOUR
IGNITES HIS IMAGINATION
With her confident manner hiding a devastating
Secret, his lovely neighbor commands all of his
Attention, and protecting Emmaline becomes
Devlin’s most urgent mission.
I am BEYOND excited to start today what I hope will become a monthly event Guest Post & Giveaway with…
To help launch this adventure for us I’ve invited an author that is still very new to many. Her début book “The Heir” hit the bookstores last December and has garnered much praise. Today, she’s here to talk about her latest release, “The Soldier” as well as introduce herself to us. I for one want to know where has she been hiding her talent?
So without further ado, I give youGrace Burrowes, an author that’s well on her way to win us all with her wonderful prose.
Melanie, whose blog this is, asked me that after she finished reading “The Heir,” and it’s a fine question to pose when an author pops out of the starting gate with an eight-sibling series in the works.
I haven’t been lurking. I’ve been doing the same thing I suspect my readers are doing: Raising the offspring, paying the bills, learning the life lessons. Long, long ago I was an arts reporter for a small daily newspaper, but I never considered myself a writer—I was just the only person on staff with a degree in music and some interest in art. I did a shift copy editing for the same outfit, and ended up after college as a technical editor and writer, but still, I did not consider myself a writer.
I was, however, a mother—a single mother. In those years, I read, and read, and read. It was my escape, my consolation, my guilty pleasure, my way of insisting that I was a grown up no matter how many Thomas the Tank or Disney Princess videos I watched. I read romance, of course—I suspect most single moms do—sometimes a book a day.
While I raised the Beloved Offspring, paid the bills, and learned the life lessons. Eventually, Beloved Offspring was sufficiently raised that she went fluttering out of the nest. I hear from her regularly, and I miss her constantly, but the pride I take in her growth and maturation outweighs the missing… well, I hope it will soon, because I am very proud of her.
Somewhere in the midst of my daughter’s exodus, I became an increasingly fussy reader. I wanted substance in my characters, believable plots, emotional punch in the writing… fussy, fussy, fussy. I’d written a romance novel as part of my master’s program, but still I did not consider myself a writer.
Until one night I was working late at the office, supposedly lawyering up some document for filing at the courthouse, when I instead got out the book I was devouring that day… except I couldn’t devour it. For every line of dialogue, I thought of another line that might have worked better. For every internal aside by Our Hero, I thought up something more witty or compelling…
And into my head popped a thought: “I could write one these.” It was the type of “Now Hear This” thought that bonks us over the head with particularly intensity. I opened a new document and started writing a novel.
There ensued an orgy of writing that lasted at least two years. Novels sprouted from each other sideways, up, down, and from the middle. My imagination was an overfed spider plant, generating books at a great rate, and I have never had so much fun in all my born days. I love to write, I love to be in the story, to play Let’s Pretend at the computer.
Understand, please, that I do not own a TV or DVD player. I own no radio, I don’t get a newspaper. Until well after I started writing, there was no internet at the house. Of course I got a lot of writing done—anybody would get a lot of writing done in such a stimulus deprivation chamber.
My fiftieth birthday loomed up out of the fog of WIPs and MSs, and I decided what-the-heck, why not see if any of this schtuff is publishable? I signed up for a few writers’ conferences, and the first person I pitched offered me a contract. We now have eleven books in the publication queue, and of those, eight are already written at least in draft. Another twenty books are incubating in completed draft form, waiting to see the light of day.
That’s where I’ve been lurking. What can you take away from this recitation? Several things.
First, the best part of life can begin a lot later than you think—if you let it.
Second, having fun and being successful can coincide, but there’s usually some risk to ego involved.
Third, when it’s your passion, it doesn’t feel like work.
There are some books that come more easily than others, but the hardest writing day is still more fun than the easiest lawyering day.
And having realized that, I can now say, that yes, I’m a writer. A very happy writer.
And for those of you interested, an excerpt below follows from the third book in the Duke’s Obession series, “The Virtuoso.” Valentine’s story will hit the shelves in November, immediately after the first of the Windham sisters’ stories, “Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish.” By way of background, he’s a virtuoso pianist no longer able to make music. He’s trying to endure this sentence by restoring a run down country estate. She’s a widowed baroness in a world of trouble that her attractive neighbor might be able to resolve–if she’ll trust him. Here’s an excerpt from “The Virtuoso:”
Well, I got my question answered, and I’m humbled by your story. Thanks for stopping by and sharing it with us. We wish you much success and many awards! If you’d like to get in touch with Grace, please click on her name, or you can find her on FACEBOOK, like I did. Grace has generously offered to give away 3 signed copies of her début historical romance, ‘The Heir’ to 3 lucky commenters!
All you have to do is:
Become a B2B subscriber. Greatly Appreciated!
Post a comment with your email address.
(If uncomfortable with that, send me an email).
Tweet or share the post.
Do all three, and you’ll have three times the chance to win.
Giveaway starts May 23rd and ends May 27th.
Winners will be notified via email the following day
This months reviews I’m starting with Historical Fiction, which to be honest, I always thought it too much history and not so much romance. Guess what? I was proven wrong! I’m broadening my horizons, as it were, and venturing out of my ‘comfort zone, as of late and I’m glad of it. This year I’ve read three so far, and all three have proven me wrong.
THE COUNTESS AND THE KING is my first time reading an author I’m starting to like a lot. Her name isSusan Holloway Scott and she’s written a few Historical Fiction’s that I feel compelled to get my hands on after I was done with her latest one. I’ve found out that she’s also blogging with Loretta Chase at TWO NERDY HISTORY GIRLS and they’ll crack you up along with giving you a treasure trove of history information on anything and everything from Regency Dances to wives for sale! I love these girls!
THE SECOND DUCHESS is by Elizabeth Loupas, one more author I’m happy to say, is just brilliant! This is her début book, set in the Renaissance Era, which I’m not so familiar with, but I’m going out of my way to find out more about it. For her first book, she’s outdone herself and I see only good things coming from this author. If you love good mystery, peppered with romance and intrigue, you HAVE to read this one. This story’s plot will keep you guessing who the villan is until the end.
IMPROPER LADIES is from Amanda McCabe and it’s two stories for the price of one, so right there you can’t go wrong! This is my fourth book by this author, but I read her books under her other pen name of Laurel McKee and I ADORED her work. I’ve enjoyed these two stories so much that I went the next day to stock up on six more: SPIRITED BRIDES, SCANDALOUS BRIDES and ROGUE GROOMS. All them feature two stories each, and I loved them all.
THE CHIEF was written by Monica McCarty an author I’m not so familiar with. This is book one of her Highland Guard series. It’s basicly Navy SEALs in kilts. To some of you, this will appeal, but to me, it just made me laugh. I couldn’t take this book seriously. Not after “Braveheart” movie.
So, there you have it. Please remember, these are just my personal opinions and they in no way, shape or form should reflect on these hard-working authors. These reviews reflect what I like, my preferences, my personal likes and dislikes. We’re all different, and what I like, you might not. Hope you enjoy my reviews, and happy reading from one bookworm2another:)
Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the Duke of Moreland. To escape his father’s inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper.
A Lady Who Can’t Be Protected…
Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle that she works as his housekeeper.
As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna’s secrets threaten to bring the earl’s orderly life crashing down—and he doesn’t know how he’s going to protect her from the fallout…
REVIEW: I’m not going to go into the plot, as the blurb already accomplished that task for me. What I want to do is announce: Here comes Grace Burrowes!
Lately I’ve read a number of début authors that I have wondered where the hell have they been hiding. Their talent is astounding!
But I digress, so let me start at the beginning. After reading all the high praise (and a handful of low), I’ve broken down and bought this “highly” recommended read. Well, what can I say? It was worth EVERY penny! I have to warn you, though. This is neither a ‘bodice ripper’ nor your average ‘cookie cutter’ romance. This romance novel is very much character driven and ‘courts’ the reader as much as our hero courts his lady-love. In Westhaven she gave us a hero that’s no ‘rake’ or a ‘scoundrel’ but a loving and patient man, and in Anna an affectionate, well-meaning, strong heroine.
Westhaven is one of those heroes that we want to, as Anna did, constantly hug and let be hugged back. I enjoyed the relationship between Westhaven and Anna because of its natural progression from employer to employee, from friendship to love. These two people had to work hard in accepting each other, seeing each other only as Anna and Gayle. Their friendship and love took awhile to blossom, and I found that I enjoyed their slow courting. I was treated to a natural and easy flow of this intriguing duo. Our hero displayed patience with our Heroine, and he controlled his lusts admiringly! The author took a huge gamble in deliberately developing true affection between the two main characters, and never allowing the lust to take over the story, and it paid off big time.
It’s not enough to say that this is well written book. This is a very cleverly written book full of period detail, intelligent and witty characters, believable mystery plot and very sweet, passionate love story.
Secondary characters, Morgan, The Duke and his Duchess, Dev and Val and especially Douglas and Gwen are given just enough time and space to hook us and ask for more.
I’m very impressed with Ms. Burrowes’ style of writing and truly looking forward to her next book in the series, and Dev’s story “The Soldier”. I am hereby officially requesting of the author to eventually give us a prequel to “The Heir”. We need to find out Gwen and Douglas’ love story. All those teasers hooked me real good!
If you’re not taken in with the romance part of this book, you’ll defiantly love the mystery part. The author should be congratulated on keeping us on pins and needles almost to the bitter end as to Anna’s real identity.
So, here I go, joining the throng of all of those that ‘highly’ recommend this book. Truly, don’t hesitate to take a journey with Anna and Gayle. This Earl and his Housekeeper will steal your heart, burrow deep inside and make you feel warm and fuzzy allover. Definite Keeper shelf material.
This looks like it’s going to be a very good movie 
This morning my daughter told DH and I between giggles she likes to pretend she’s a rock star inside her head. Unknown to her, I did too, hence James Whren.
