Tag: novella (Page 14 of 29)

Another Dream by Mary Balogh (from Once Upon A Dream anthology)

June 6, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I adore Mary Balogh books so I bought it. (I haven’t yet read the Grace Burrowes story. I may not ever do so as I really only bought it for the Balogh novella.)

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Miss Eleanor Thompson has found satisfaction as the director of a respected school for girls. The life of a dedicated educator offers many rewards and much meaning–but also more loneliness than Eleanor anticipated. She accepts an invitation from her sister, Christine, Duchess of Bewcastle, to attend a Bedwyn houseparty, never dreaming the summer curriculum might include stolen kisses and true love.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I was feeling in the mood for a comfort type read but I also wanted a story I hadn’t read before – so I turned to Mary Balogh. She is ever the comfort read to me. I just sink into her books like I would a comfy couch.

Eleanor Thompson is Christine’s sister (as in Wulfric’s wife). She is now the owner/operator of the Bath school for girls formerly run by Claudia Martin, now the Marchioness of Attingsborough. On her way to Lindsey Hall for a summer holiday with her family, she is stranded at an inn waiting out a storm. There, she meets a charming man, a widower with two young children, Michael Benning, the Earl of Staunton. Robert is five years old and very shy, Georgette is # and precocious, voluble and whip smart. The children take a shine to Eleanor and Eleanor and Michael take a shine to each other. Continue reading

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

May 9, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I’d been eyeing this one for a while as the premise appealed. I snapped it up on special for 99c recently. (Then of course, it went on a promotion for free. Isn’t that always the way? 😀 I’m not complaining. It was worth my 99c for sure.)

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Desperate times call for desperate measures…

And desperate is the only way to describe Kayla Davis’s current situation. Out of work and almost out of money to cover her bills, Kayla finally caves to her roommate’s nagging and follows her to Arrangements, an online dating site that matches pretty young women with older men of a certain tax bracket.

Convinced this “make-rent-quick” scheme will surely fail – or saddle her with an 80 year old boyfriend – Kayla is shocked when Michael Bradbury, Internet billionaire and stone-cold salt and pepper fox, offers her a solution to all her financial troubles. It’s hard enough for Kayla to accept his generosity, but what’s a girl to do when the wealthiest man she’s ever met is a dream in and outside of the bedroom?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I’ve never read a Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy romance before. I’ve heard of the arrangements before and I admit I was curious about the concept. I think the author did a great job of making the arrangement palatable here; Kayla was uncomfortable with the idea of trading sex for money directly and wanted at least some emotional connection with the person she made any deal with – which didn’t quite fit with this:

Besides, neither of us were looking for Mr. Right or Mr. Forever. She was looking for Mr. 90 Days Max and I was looking for Mr. Hold Me Over Until I Find A Job.

but it was such a good line, I gave it a pass. 😀 Also, even when Kayla and Michael entered into their arrangement, didn’t just sit on her butt and be the kept woman. She still looked for a job, for example. She clearly didn’t want to be a sponge and Michael recognised that in her. In a weird way, it made the exchange of money kind of irrelevant. My impression was that Michael would have been in a relationship with Kayla regardless (and vice versa). That probably made more sense in my head. Continue reading

April Round Up

May 3, 2016 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

Love Me Like a Rock by Amy Jo Cousins – B Austin and Vinnie are suite-mates with Rafi (from Level Hands) at Carlisle college and is the cox for the Junior Varsity boat in the rowing team. He’s short (5’4″) and compact (but fit and strong) and has a mop of curly red hair. He and Vinnie have been BFFs since they met in high school and shortly after, they also became semi-regular fuck buddies. Austin has been waiting for Vinnie to want an actual relationship. Vinnie is only interested in Vinnie in any romantic kind of way when he’s turned in a paper and wants to de-stress, get drunk and screw. Austin figures he’ll wise up eventually. But in the meantime, he’s free to have a fling with the hot model from the latest life drawing class. Sean is a geology senior, taller than Austin but not by a lot and he’s also a redhead – his style is lumbersexual, complete with beard. While Austin makes things clear to Sean, it’s equally obvious that Sean is really, willing and able to go all in. He’s had his eye on Austin for over a year.

Over the course of the story, Austin realises that his fuck buddy relationship with Vinnie is unhealthy and going nowhere. And, as he spends time with Sean, he realises that there are reasons for that, some of which come down to Austin himself. He finds himself a different person with Sean – more relaxed and open about his feelings. By different I don’t mean that Sean changes Austin. It’s not like that. It’s more that with Sean, Austin relaxes and opens up in a different way and learns a new way to be – he’s always himself and Sean doesn’t want or ask for him to change his personality or anything. Continue reading