Romance Archives – Carol's Notebook

Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler

May 9, 2022May 9, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

Enjoy the View is smart and funny and cute. It's the third in a series but works fine as a standalone. Come December, though, I might go back and read #2. River Lane was a Hollywood starlet, determined to still make movies, she has agreed to make a documentary about the small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. Sounds like an easy light job, but the locals are not welcoming to tourists. Undeterred, River is determined to do what she set out to do - film a documentary. A chance meeting with a mountain guide, Easton Lockett, leads her in the direction of Mount Veil. Naturally, she along with Bree and Jessie (her staff helping her film her documentary) all have climbing experience, so instead of filming the town, they film the mountain climb. Easton and River are adorable together. They're playful and joking but also have each other's backs, which is necessary on the mountain. The town has some quirky sweet characters...

Body at Buccaneer’s Bay by Josh Lanyon

January 18, 2022January 19, 2022 by Carol4 Comments

Ellery once again finds a dead body, this time while diving with his boyfriend, Chief Police Officer Jack Carson. The body is sealed into an old diving suit they find in a shipwreck. Then, Odette Wallace, a wealthy widow, hires Ellery to find out who is trying to kill her. Apparently, she's a big believer in the ability of amateur sleuths. Of course, the two mysteries are connected The mystery was interesting. Everyone on the island has an idea about who the man in the suit was, but no proof. Odette and the step-children are not the nicest people, and Ellery probably shouldn't have taken the case but he needs the money. Ellery figures out the solution in the end, just a step or two behind Jack. The wrap-up was a bit anti-climactic though. Ellery is his usual smart, but bumbling self. Jack is very competent, and to me his concerns regarding Elliott getting swept up in cases make sense. I...

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

January 12, 2022January 12, 2022 by Carol4 Comments

I really wanted to like Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors. It's a gender-swapped retelling of Pride and Prejudice featuring a rich Indian-American family, which sounds really promising. I expected a fun, light read - a little wit, a little charm, a happy ending. I got the happy ending, but that's about it. Trisha is a brilliant neurosurgeon, the only one in the world who can perform this life-saving surgery but is awkward and can come off as arrogant. She also puts up with her father being pretty terrible to her. DJ's a brilliant chef, Cordon Bleu-trained, who quit his job at a Michelin starred Parisian restaurant to take care of his sister but can come off as cold and a jerk. Clearly, these two dislike each other, but to be honest I had a hard time there were sparks underneath. I knew they would fall in love eventually, but I didn't enjoy the story getting there. Julia Wickham was maybe...

Half-baked Holidays by Kat Bastion

December 6, 2021December 6, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

Half-Baked Holidays is a collection of novellas full of romance and holiday fun. They're short and pretty much rely on love at first meeting, but I thoroughly enjoyed them. All of the characters are charming or adorable or sexy. The stories are light, with attraction and flirting and learning about themselves and each other, but no major complications, no major tensions, just sweet stories. There's no cheating on each other, no love triangles. There's also no sex, just plenty of kissing and holding hands and cookies and hot chocolate. I don't know that I had a favorite story - they all made me smile. ...

Christmas at Snowflake Lodge by C.P. Ward

November 29, 2021December 2, 2021 by Carol2 Comments

Can I please go to Snowflake Lodge for Christmas? It's a magical place with decorations and hot chocolate and the nicest staff. There's skiing and ice skating and sleigh rides pulled by real reindeer. Jessica is there to work - she's a plumber, and to keep an eye on her grandfather. She's also escaping from her terrible renter/roommate. Honestly, I wanted to escape from Doreen too. I didn't enjoy the scenes with Doreen and her friends. She was a really awful person and I don't understand why Jessica put up with any of it. Once Jessica decides to take the job at Snowflake Lodge, the book becomes a fun read. Grandpa is a great character, funny and adventurous, and maybe a bit of a skirt chaser. Jessica's love interest, James, is sexy and sweet. Christmas at Snowflake Lodge is part romance and part family reunion, and almost everyone gets a happy ending. ...

Reindeer Runes by Danielle Garrett

November 17, 2021November 16, 2021 by Carol4 Comments

Reindeer Runes is the second in the Winter Witches of Holiday Haven series, but it stands alone. It's written by a different author and features different characters, but takes place in the same world. Rudolph and Jack Frost are missing! In this fun Christmas cozy mystery Lumi and Corbin, Jack Frost’s brother, must find the missing icons before Santa finds out Rudolph is missing and before Jack misses his coronation as the Frost king. Lumi and Corbin are likable and their interactions feel real. Corbin is powerful but funny and a good detecting partner for Lumi, who is smart and quiet, and laid back. Their blossoming attraction didn't feel forced or overly rushed. The mystery was well-done. We had several possibilities and the "deadline" added some urgency. The supporting cast is a colorful collection, including pixies. With mystery, magic, and a bit of romance this book is a perfect read for this time of year. ...