Tag Archive | romance

Romancing in the workplace is only for story books

As the story starts, Violet is a secretary for attorney Blake. She likes her job but she does not appreciate his brusque treatment. He seems to save the especially unkind words for her and this is worsened when he found out she has a crush on him. Considering he has been treating her like crap, I cannot understand why she cares for him.

In any case, she cannot take it anymore and ends up quitting her job and working for his enemy. He created a hostile work environment and, in my opinion, she could have sued him. We all know that would not have made a good love story, but I digress.

While in her new job she improves her wardrobe loses weight and begins to get her hair done. Since this is a small town Blake still sees her quite often. He gets a tinge of jealousy and make subtle hints for Violet to return to work for him.

The author description of Violet makes me think she was kind of homely and overweight. As a result Blake was not interested in her. But once she started exercising wearing make up and getting her hair done he took notice.

Does that make him shallow?
Or is it that she began to have more self-confidence she was ready to be in a relationship?

I have not figured out which is the case for this book. If you read it, let me know what you think.

Other than that, Boss Man had some surprises that thicken the story’s plot and made it very interesting. In the end Blake might technically be the boss but Violet has a lot to say too.

Its cold outside and she is conflicted inside

Dec20

The Book Of Love (Baby Its Cold Out)

Lila is the manager of a book store that is located in a building that was bought by developer Grayson. All the legal notifications regarding the necessity to relocate the store were sent to her parents since their names are the listed as the owners. Throughout the book, there was a lot of misdirected anger at Grayson from Lila who she decided was foreclosing on her parents’ (mostly her father) legacy. If anything, it was her mother’s fault. But I won’t even get into that.

First of all, my impression of this books has a lot to do with my stance on Christian or religious contemporary fiction. It is my personal opinion that when romance novel authors try to make them “Christian” they should at least say somewhere in the blurb about the book. Reading a romance novel and having “God” references liberally throughout makes it a Christian contemporary. Not knowing that from the beginning because makes me feel as if I’m being preached to. I am not saying that I have anything against books with a religious slant, but at least I can set my expectations based on that.

Lila is trying to be a “good” Christian and has made a vow that she would not indulge in premarital coitus. But that was before there were lighting sparks between her and Grayson. So now she’s relapsing but she’s so conflicted the whole time. It got kind of annoying to me because the story had a Debbie-downer feel every time Lila focused on her guilt. And that took some of the fun out the reading the back and forth banter between them. I knew that they would end up in bed and the next day she was going to be regretting her lack of self-control.

To top it off, Lila has the thought that maybe she shouldn’t get with Grayson because he’s not a Christian. Then he agrees to go to church with her just because if that is what she likes, he will go along with it. I really don’t like that. I don’t think anyone should convert or change religion or become more religious because of girl or boyfriend. The person is just going through the motions and it may or may not last. I don’t know if in the long run Grayson would become a Christian, but there needs to be more of a basis than “I’m doing it for my girlfriend”.

Another point with which I take issue is Lila’s hot and cold attitude with Grayson. She seemed almost to the point of bi-polar to me. One minute she is flirting, ready to jump his bones, and the next minute she is telling him to get out of her house and she is not speaking to him. He had a lot of patience to deal with her. I would have told her “Crazy girl, get your store off my premises before I have forcibly vacated and get out of my life. Period.”

In closing, in The Book Of Love (Baby Its Cold Out) I liked the male character Grayson but the female Lila was super annoying. Some readers might find it humorous.
And to the author, let me know what to expect. If you are going to use the character’s religious relationship as part of the storyline, give readers a heads up and note Christian contemporary genre.

Resort mixup leads to romance

Dec14

His Island Bride (The Bride Series)
– Shadonna Richards

Jessica and James had the same idea: Go to Jamaica for a relaxing vacation. They did not plan on going together. Through a mix-up at the resort, they were put in the same room. Since the resort and all other neighboring resort were booked, Jessica and James were left with no choice but to share the room.

Jessica, who at home has been unlucky in lover, is pondering her mother’s suggestion to agree to an arranged marriage. James has been too busy with business to contemplate having a relationship. Since they have been thrown together and there is a strong mutual attraction, they decide to enjoy each other in Jamaica.

This was a sweet novella romance. The love scene was written well and not too graphic. I was happy about the way the story it ended.

This is worth buying if you want a short story. Some might say that you have to suspend belief in reality but I belief have to do that for most romance novels/novellas. Who really reads books like these for their realism? That is not to say that I like a corny, contrive story. I thought this story was original enough not to be mawkishly sentimental.

Already Home is more of a lust story

Oct29

Already Home (Sons of Chance) is a very short story about Hutch and Trina. They had a crush on each other for years but did not act on it. They are two very busy people who seem to want to make the relationship work, but in the end I do not know if they would really make it. I think my hesitant attitude is because there is not much character development in this story. I am okay with short love stories, but there has to be something substantial there in lieu of the chapters of history and build up. That was something this story did not have. There is definitely potential, but it was not as strong as I think it could have been. Since this a Harlequin Blaze story, there is a little heat but it is not as steamy as some other books that I have read.

The ending did not give me the “happy ever after” feeling. I felt it was a hookup between friends who found each other mutually attractive. And that cause the story to lose some of its romance for me.

Since Already Home (Sons of Chance) was free at the time I purchased it, I cannot complain too much. Plus it was mildly entertaining. It is worth a couple of dollars, you want to buy it. Just realize that this story is realistic with a dose of cautious optimism.

Compromise and change equals love story?

Sep17

A Compromising Affair (Arabesque) – Gwynne Forester

Scott Galloway is an ambassador who has finished one assignment and wants to find a wife before taking his next assignment. Denise Miller is a philanthropist working for an organization that helps children of immigrants (important later). Since Scott decides that he wants a wife, he begins to direct his attention to Denise (I still do not know how I feel about the man being on the prowl- seems like he is getting married for the wrong reason). They have a mutual attraction, but Denise has a lot of hang ups that prevent her from committing to a serious relationship.

Scott’s interim assignment was heading the immigration division which caused additional problems with their relationship. The organization, that Denise works with, made some statements that differed with the government’s official policy. Someone made the comment that Denise should publically support Scott. I did not agree with that.

Denise should not be forced to change her opinions in order to conform with her boyfriend. To me that was saying that two political figures could not have a successful personal relationship if they support different policies.

Her friends keep telling her to get it together because Scott is everything she wants. Scott wants her to trust him so that their relationship can progress. Knowing what Denise was dealing with emotionally, I did not like the fact that Scott was so pushy. I understand he was on the fast track to get a wife that fit into his career timeline, but I do not think that was fair to Denise.

As the book progressed, so did my frown lines. There is pressure from all directions, but is the relationship that what she really wants? Do they have what it takes as a couple to have a lasting happy marriage?

Maybe I am overreacting but the moral of this story to me seemed to be this: A woman has a job until she meets the man she is going to marry. Then she compromises and changes to do what he wants.

Since I am used to a different type of romance novel where the main characters revel in their differences while giving into to their love for each other, I admit that this may be an overreaction. Check out A Compromising Affair (Arabesque) and let me know what you think.