A Gaggle of Book Reviews

Mrs. Perfect is Jane Porter’s newest novel. If you read Odd Mom Out when it was released last fall, you will recognize several of the characters, as Mrs. Perfect is also set in a well-off Seattle neighborhood. If you didn’t have a chance to read it, the storyline in Odd Mom Out focused on Marta Zinsser, a newcomer who moved into the area as a single, working mother when the other moms in the area are well-dressed, wealthy, at-home moms with nannies. Taylor Young, the main character in Mrs. Perfect, is one of those “perfect” moms from Odd Mom Out, but now we learn the rest of the story - sometimes life isn’t as perfect as it looks. While both books can be read as stand-alone novels, I highly recommend reading both, and not just because Jane Porter’s novels are addicting; they are great reads.

Jane Porter has written more than 20 romance novels for Harlequin, and has written several wonderful chick lit novels for 5-Spot as well. Jane has taken incidents in her own life, and spun them into fiction that captures your attention and imagination, pulling you along for a fabulous ride. Jane’s writing skills help blur the line between romance and chick lit - her characters in her romance novels come alive just as much as her chick lit characters, and while she uses her memories of time spent traveling in her romances, she seems to put more of her self in her books for 5-Spot. Jane was nice enough to chat with us about the lines between fact and fiction in books today.

When Mrs. Perfect begins, we meet Taylor, and at first she is not a particularly endearing heroine; she has a nanny so she can volunteer, have drinks at the country club, and run everything the her way. Her mothering style for her three girls is not particularly hands-on, and her attitude towards other women is not particularly positive. At first, the reader wonders how we will become invested in the life of this character, her superficial nature is off-putting, and it’s hard to relate to a woman who thinks nothing of spending hundreds of dollars on a bra.

Jane Porter’s skill with characters makes the characters in Mrs. Perfect work, though. Once we peel back the superficial layers around Taylor, we learn about her history, the battles she fights within herself, and her judgemental nature about herself, which explains some of her judgemental attitude towards others. When a big financial crisis hits Taylor’s family, life changes, and Taylor is forced to rethink a big part of their lives.

Taylor Young is forced to deal with the questions every person wants to avoid. What is most important in your life? What is the worst thing that could happen to your family, and how could you cope with it? Are your friends the kind that will support you through a difficult time? When we see inside Taylor’s soul, as she has to rethink her life and her attitude, we start to think about our own lives and our own attitudes. The storyline and characters in Mrs. Perfect grip you, and you won’t be able to shake the book out of your head, even if it raises some uncomfortable questions about your own life.

I strongly recommend picking up Odd Mom Out and Mrs. Perfect. You may just want to pick up all of Jane Porter’s novels, too - or reserve them at the library! Jane doesn’t gloss over the dark parts in our lives, but she helps her characters get through those bad spots so that they come out better people at the end, people who deserve a happily ever after. This isn’t one of those dark novels that your book club might force you to read, but it will make you think about the state of your own life - can you get to “happily ever after” yourself? Enjoy Jane Porter’s perspective, and grab Mrs. Perfect as a lawn chair or beach read this spring or summer!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Megan Crane’s Names My Sisters Call Me is her newest chick lit novel. If for some reason you haven’t read Megan Crane’s novels, go do so, as she has written some fabulous novels you shouldn’t miss; they are engrossing and entertaining. With her most recent novel she revisits the theme of family dysfunction, but in Names My Sisters Call Me she focuses on the relationship between three sisters.

Courtney is our narrator and the youngest, newly engaged to Lucas, her boyfriend of three years, and at 28 still finding her own footing. Norah is 8 years older than Courtney, and embodies all the oldest child tendencies: bossy, controlling, goal-oriented, etc. Raine is the middle child, 6 years older than Courtney and 2 years younger than Norah. Courtney describes her as being the opposite of Norah, a free-spirited artistic soul, but one who “ruined” Norah’s wedding and drove off to California six years before our story begins. As an added bonus, Courtney’s first love, Matt, was also Raine’s best friend, and he drove out of her life with her sister. It’s no wonder that it’s taken years for everyone to recover. In a family where the father died decades previously, Norah has taken on a parental role, expressing her opinion on all of Courtney’s life choices.

When Courtney and Lucas become engaged, Courtney wants to have her middle sister at the wedding. After speaking with Raine, she speaks with Norah,

And when I hung up a moment later, awash in guilt and formless anger, i realized that I was destined to feel about thirteen years old no matter which side of the country I was on.
Apparently all it required was a conversation with one of my sisters

While I don’t have sisters, I can relate to the idea of feeling thirteen whenever you’re with family! Each of the characters goes beyond the sterotype, Norah is much more than the oldest, Raine is much more than the estranged wild child, and Courtney is much more than the youngest. The insecurities, the love, the guilt, and their spirits are all so unique, and create vivid characters with whom I felt an instant connection. Megan Crane has fabulous character development skills, which she utilizes to create characters real enough that you feel like you are joining them for their weekly Family Dinner.

I was interested in reading another one of Megan Crane’s novels, yet I was also drawn to Names My Sisters Call Me because I have three daughters. I grew up with brothers and boys, and wasn’t really prepared for the sisterly love/dislike relationship that waxes and wanes each day. I am hoping that our family is less dysfunctional than the Cassel family in Names My Sisters Call Me, and I also hope that I can show each of my daughters that I love each one individually, as Courtney’s mom has done. As much as there is a lot of sisterly rivalry, there’s also a lot of sisterly love and motherly love in Names My Sisters Call Me. One thing the mom did to show how much she understood each daughter is that when there was a celebration, she made 3 cakes, as each daughter had very different tastes! Now that’s a show of love!

As much as Names My Sisters Call Me is a chick lit novel about a woman, her fiancé, and her ex-boyfriend, it is also a beautiful novel about the many different faces and types of love. We see sisterly love, romantic love, parental love, and crushes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Names My Sisters Call Me is a book you won’t quickly forget, and one you will want to share with your sisters and sisterly friends, though you’ll want to make sure you get it back! I loved this book by Megan Crane, it was the best book in the Chick Lit genre I’ve read in quite a while. Names My Sisters Call Me is definitely one book you should go pick up!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Some authors use the same main character for all the books in a series. Other authors use one book’s minor character as the next book’s main character. It’s rare, though, to find a series where the first two books focus on the same character, yet the third book makes main characters out of people who were on the sidelines. Michelle Rowen manages that feat in her newly released book in the Immortality Bites series, Lady & the Vamp, which follows her hits Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous.

Rowen’s vampires are brooding, romantic kind who do not need to kill to feed, and most of them live off donated blood, without much need for biting. Their feeding style makes these handsome vampires all the more appealing, especially as we start to enter tick season (ticks, the repulsive blood suckers). In Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, Rowen’s novels focused on new vampire Sarah Dearly, who was torn romantically between former vampire hunter turned vamp Michael Quinn and the mysterious 600+ year old vampire Thierry. When that situation was resolved in the end of Fanged & Fabulous, I wondered what would happen in the series - books that follow happy endings are often dull or create unnecessary strife between the couple for plot development. How many times do we really need to see the same two characters breaking up and getting back together? Now that Quinn is out of that romantic triangle, he is open pickings for being a main character, and for a woman who is ok with dating vampires who carry excess baggage.

In Lady & the Vamp, readers who are not already familiar with the emotionally tormented Quinn are brought up to date efficiently. Rowen fills them in on his history being raised as a vampire hunter, and now a new, reluctant vampire, as well as his relationship availability status. Quinn takes the “reluctant vamp” label to new levels - he’s out of town, so he doesn’t know where the closest vampire bar is located. Since he’s never bitten anyone and wants to keep it that way, he starts to become the first vampire anorexic I’ve ever seen! Fans will also remember Janie Parker as the bodyguard/assassin from Fanged & Fabulous, and the woman who grew up with a crush on Quinn. Rowen switches perspectives between Janie and Quinn, so we are quickly up-to-date on their lives without fans feeling overwhelmed by too many details.

When Janie and Quinn are brought together in Lady & the Vamp, they both search for a mysterious hidden object called the “Eye”, though for different purposes. Legend says that the Eye can be used once every thousand years to fulfill a wish, but there are mysteries in how to find it and how to properly use it. Quinn is wish for return to humanity, desperate to stop being a vampire. Janie, however, is tracking the Eye as a job for her boss, who requires contracts be signed in blood. Real blood, with very few out-clauses. As they search for the Eye, the stories of other characters from the Immortality Bites series are brought up to date, and we meet new characters and new life-and-death challenges. Quinn and Janie are vibrant characters who could’ve easily stolen the spotlight in the earlier books, so it isn’t hard for the reader to quickly become enamored of them, and eager to know what happens next. Even during suspenseful, mysterious segments of the book, Rowen’s humor shines through and some of the tension is eased.

If you loved Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, you will not be disappointed with Lady & the Vamp. Rowen has a great touch with her characters, both the major and minor characters are well-developed, with plenty of personality and quirks. Additionally, the storyline has plenty of twists and turns that squiggle into an unexpected direction. While we know in advance about the romantic ending, the how, why, and when is a surprise, as is uncovering the other relationships along the way. Lady & the Vamp far exceeded my expectations, and I had a very hard time putting it down in order to make dinner!

You’ll definitely want to pick up Lady & the Vamp, it’s a great read for “spring” that is masquerading as winter, and also for the beach when the snow melts! If you like romance, chick lit, paranormals, or a bit of suspense, you should definitely give the Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen a try! Grab the great vampire novels Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous in addition to the new Lady & the Vamp!

Kristin Harmel’s newest release is an engrossing young adult novel called When You Wish. This is a delightful story of a girl pushed to be a star by her mother, but Star herself doesn’t feel comfortable with her “star” persona, and tries to discover who she really is. Readers might remember my earlier reviews of Kristin Harmel’s wonderful chick lit books How to Sleep with a Movie Star and The Art of French Kissing, and this book is right up there with the others - if you’ve read her other books, you will definitely want to pick this one up! If you’re not already a fan, When You Wish will quickly convince you to pick up her other novels.

When You Wish has a similar feel to Kristin’s chick lit books, with a strong female character and vibrant secondary characters. Unlike Kristin’s books for adults, When You Wish has a title that won’t make you blush, and any “romance” is teen-appropriate. Some authors have trouble moving from adult novels to young adult, but Kristin has found a great balance - there’s enough tension to keep the reader pulled in to Star’s life, and yet parents will feel comfortable with their kids reading the novel. Assuming, that is, that the parents don’t snag it to read for themselves!

I’ve talked about the need for great female leads in my Maximum Ride reviews, as well as in other reviews of young adult novels. As a mom of 3 girls who are growing up far too quickly, I continue to search for strong, fun, and engaging girls in young adult and tween novels. Star is a very different character than Max, but they share an inner strength paired with an anxiety about trusting that inner strength, which makes them realistic and approachable. In When You Wish, Star leaves her celebrity life in search of her estranged father, but also to find out who she is when she isn’t surrounded by her entourage. Start finds the world outside the pop star circuit to be very different from what she is accostomed to, but she makes decisions based on her own moral compass and finds that she points herself in the right direction.

There’s a surplus of boy “coming of age” books, and a surfeit of the girl equivalent that aren’t sappy and/or clichéd. When You Wish is sweet, but below the sweetness lies a strength that comes from Star’s determination and courage. There is a very hot guy involved, but Star does what needs to be done for herself, not just to get the cute guy. There’s plenty of crush-activity for teens to be happy, and plenty of spunk in Star so she never comes across as a stereotypical teenage girl.

No stereotypes or clichés seems to be Kristin Harmel’s writing creed. At first glance, Star’s mother seems like a typical stage mother, but there are hidden depths that you discover as the book progresses. The same is true for the father Star seeks, the entourage she left behind, and the people she meets along the way. It would be very easy to make this book into a teen version of Thelma & Louise, and not do any character or plot development, but Kristin has steered clear of that path and written a book that is well worth the shelf space.

I highly recommend When You Wish for young adult readers (too much kissing for my tween). Not-so-young adults shouldn’t overlook this novel, though! When You Wish is a very heartening, feel-good story that pulls you into Star’s gravity with a great cast of characters and a story that keeps you turning page after page. Go pick up a copy and read a story that will have you smiling when it’s finished - we all deserve great reads like this!

You Had Me at Good-bye is the newest book by author Tracey Bateman, and the second book in her “Drama Queen” series. This novel takes the classic Chick Lit story of a woman pushing away the guy who is best-suited to her, and puts a different spin on it, creating a lovely and uplifting novel with warmth and depth. Bateman has written several other books in the Christian Chick Lit genre, but readers of different religious philosophies will still find plenty to enjoy in You Had Me at Good-bye.

Bateman combines the fashion and caffeinated fun of New York City with good morals and manners in You Had Me at Good-bye. Dancy is an editor in a publishing house who is surprised when the dream job she was expecting gets swiped by her brother’s British best friend Jack. After cutbacks leave her suddenly unemployed, Dancy tries to determine her best course of action. Dancy feels unsettled despite the moral support from her two roommates: the engaged Tabby (the star of Catch a Rising Star) and Laini, who is caught between careers. As she copes with her unemployment, Dancy works on finishing a book which is filled with characters that are just a few letters away from people in her life - a wonderfully cathartic exercise!

In many Chick Lit novels, there is the gay best friend who helps the heroine on her path, but in You Had Me at Good-bye, it is the owner of the little coffee shop near Dancy’s apartment. Nick’s wife has gone out of town, so Dancy helps him behind the counter for a while, which teaches her about the value of hard work as well as the value of good friendship. Nick becomes a mentor who gently guides her through the different surprises that shake Dancy’s life. Bateman has created a wonderful support network for Dancy, one with people who help her and challenge her to do the right thing.

In a world with many pat story lines and people who don’t follow the rules of good manners, Bateman’s novel is incredibly refreshing. Dancy and her friends are multi-layered characters, with their own quirks and strengths. All of them have struggles, and while the storyline moves them toward attending church, the characters question God and the power of prayer. The storyline has some real surprises that I never saw coming, and it’s very compelling - I finished it in a day, and had a hard time putting it down! I kept looking forward to discovering what would happen next, as I started to really care about each of the characters.

You Had Me at Good-bye is a wonderful book that manages to be uplifting, but not sappy and I heartily recommend it to anyone in need of a story that will leave you smiling. It’s filled with a lot of love, support, and guidance that can help anyone through a tough time - Christian or not. Dancy and her friends are a lot of fun, and you’ll enjoy getting to know them. You may also want to read Dancy’s roommate Tabby’s story in Catch a Rising Star, and Laini’s story will be published in 6/08 - That’s (Not Exactly) Amore. I’m definitely interested in reading more about these great characters!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Kristin Harmel writes wonderful chick lit and has fun with her titles. Her first book’s title was somewhat innocuous (The Blonde Theory), her second was titled How to Sleep with a Movie Star (reviewed here), and now her soon to be released third book is The Art of French Kissing. The latter two titles are ones that make I blush as I tell someone what I’m reading, but nothing will stop me from reading them - Kristin quickly pulls you into the world and the characters she has created.

We meet Emma, the narrator of The Art of French Kissing, just before her life falls apart - she loses her PR job and her fiancé within 24 hours. When her friend Poppy invites her to come work with her in France, doing PR for a soon-to-be-released musician, Emma can’t say no. Soon she is pushed into a whirlwind dating spree by her Poppy to learn the wonders of kissing Frenchmen, in an attempt to get over Brett. She is also pulled quickly into the “emergencies” that seem to surround her quirky new client, Guillaume. Kristin has created characters with wonderful depth - they all have their plusses and minuses; there are no stereotypes. The characters in The Art of French Kissing feel real, and the adversity they are dealing with also rings true - while there are surprises, nothing feels staged.

I spent some time in Paris in high school (and my first kiss was with a French boy), and it was wonderful to explore it with Emma as she sees the sights, and lives in a little apartment with a view of the Eiffel tower. In the author’s notes, Kristin explains that she had spent a summer in the apartment she has given to Emma and her friend Poppy, she also gives us her picks for where to go and where to eat when visiting Paris. After reading this book, I want to go back now! While I can’t catch a flight tomorrow, I have wonderful mental images to visit thanks to The Art of French Kissing. As Emma explores Paris with various handsome young men, Kristin describes the sights and tastes of Paris so vividly, I could almost taste the baguette.

No chick lit book would be right without a romance, as well as some kind of problem within the romance. But, which romance will it be? A romance with the hot musician Guillaume? or with the hot reporter Gabriel? or back at home with her ex-fiancé Brett? Emma is tempted by all three, and all three have roadblocks and issues. The twists and turns in The Art of French Kissing keep your nose in the book, and while I guessed a couple surprises, there were several more that I wasn’t expecting! It’s rare to find a novel with unexpected surprises, so that made this book all the more wonderful. Kristin’s writing completely engrossed me, and I devoured the book. Not only did I love The Art of French Kissing as I was reading it, it’s brought back my own memories of France and given me wonderful mental images that keep popping into my brain and make me smile.

I highly recommend all of Kristin’s books, and suggest pre-ordering The Art of French Kissing now so you’ll have a chance to read it as soon as it comes out. This is a wonderful example of great chick lit!

This book was received from the publisher for review

As much as I dislike the cold of winter, I am very happy that so many great paranormal authors had new releases in late-December and January - a great way to encourage folks to spend book store gift certificates quickly! The plus side to winter is that you can curl up under the covers with a book and pretend you’re hibernating. So go find a blanket and ignore the world while you read Any Way You Want It and Sucker Bet!

I have loved escaping to the worlds created by both of these authors. I am focusing on the new releases, but I highly recommend you check out the other books by Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love - they are all fun, engaging novels that will help you forget your problems (or pain) for a little while. Winter is a wonderful time to escape into a romance (especially great vampire romances!) enjoying the heat from the book! Sucker Bet and Any Way You Want It have been connected by a New Orleans group named The Impalers - what a great name for a vampire band!

Any Way You Want It is the newest novel by Kathy Love. Kathy has written two wonderful series, but this is an unrelated new book (and maybe a new series?) about a recently jilted woman from Washington DC and a lampir from New Orleans. Maggie works researching and authenticating pieces of classical music, and has pushed fun aside after her recent breakup. Her friends bring her to New Orleans, where an old composition fosters a link between her and Ren, a singer in a Bourbon St. band called The Impalers. Ren had been a court musician and composer in the 1700s, and now he’s a lampir - a vampire who feeds off energy rather than blood. He has been cursed by his mother, and exists in a world of singing cover songs and having one-night stands, afraid of love.

Kathy switches perspective frequently between Maggie and Ren, which fleshes out both characters, and leaves us with a little smile that we know more than they do. While we know that this novel is a romance, Kathy seems to take her cue from the characters, and lets them move slowly in the beginning. As they alternate between pushing away and pulling towards each other, you learn what is in their hearts and heads, and can feel the build up of emotions.

One of the things I liked best about her Young Brothers series was how truly unique each character was - no stereotype vampires, and the secondary characters aren’t cardboard cutouts, either. The characters in Any Way You Want It continue in that vein, and right now I could easily imagine walking into a club on Bourbon Street and watching The Impalers play, complete with Ren singing the wrong line because Maggie distracted him. Maggie and Ren develop as interesting people, and the unexpected similarities in their lives draws them together.

Kathy’s abilities to write steamy love scenes are very impressive - these words will absolutely keep you warm this winter! However, these are more than just sex, there’s the sensual and truly romantic involved, too. Kathy has also done a beautiful job of writing how sensual and loving little gestures can be, and explores how you can make someone feel safe after they’ve been hurt. I hadn’t read anything previously about the lampir, so I hope she will write further novels exploring them. I also want to learn more about the rest of the band…

Sucker Bet, by Erin McCarthy is the newest release in her Vegas Vampires series. Glenna is the sister of the Vampire Nation’s president, and ex-wife to the Vice President. She has appeared as a secondary character in the earlier novels, and I came into the story thinking of her as a gentle, protected woman who at the same time seemed older than the other vampires. This mix of naïvité and maturity fascinated me, and I’m so glad to see her as the heroine of her own novel.

Gwenna is trying to learn more about the people on a Vampire Slayers email list, and as a result ends up at a crime scene where police detective Nick is working. They both feel a connection, but deaths and exes keep them apart at first. As their lives move closer and closer to each other, Erin gives us glimpses into both of their heads, smoothly switching perspectives. Nick’s personality pops from the page, and his first impressions of Gwenna are very funny. In fact, I am happy to pick up one of Erin’s books, because I know that in addition to the romance there will be plenty of laughs!

The other characters from the Vegas Vampires series are also involved in the storyline, and well-written supportive characters helps the novel keep you engrossed. The Impalers that also appear in Any Way You Want It show up for a few concerts, and through a friend of Gwenna’s we meet the bassist, Dave. Gwenna’s mix of boldness and shyness make for a really interesting combination when she gets drunk at an Impalers concert with her sister-in-law and a friend - especially since she’s supposed to be gathering information for an investigation with Nick!

Erin McCarthy brings us through a developing romance, a jealous ex-husband, a murder investigation, and the world of vampires, and does it with fabulous characters who catch your interest from the beginning. This book kept me up well past my bedtime - I couldn’t put it down! While I think that the Sucker Bet is a great read on its own, it will be an even better if you read the first three books of the Vegas Vampires series.

If you like romances or vampires, or if you just want a few hours to escape the mundane world into a fun read with great characters, go pick up Sucker Bet and Any Way You Want It. Grab a fleece blanket and a cozy spot and enjoy the winter the right way - inside with books! You should also visit The Impalers‘ website, and read the free serial about lead guitarist Drake!