Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

A Study in Seduction by Nina Rowan

A reader emailed me to tell me about this book back in August, and after reading the description online, I bought it. I wanted to like it - mathematician heroine! Not All Lords and Ladies Up In Here! So many things I was curious about, and I went in eager and excited.

I very quickly lost patience with the heroine, the hero and the plot, and was disappointed by how difficult it was for me to connect with the heroine. But while griping to Jane via email about my struggles to find a book that gave me Good Book Noise™ I was surprised when she recommended this very book - because she'd enjoyed it.

So we debated about this book on the latest podcast, and I discussed briefly my problems with the heroine, but I wanted to explain myself more fully.

Gabriel’s Ghost by Linnea Sinclair: A Guest Review by CarrieS

Several people in the comments threads had mentioned Linea Sinclair as a great writer of Science Fiction Romance so I tried out Gabriel's Ghost. 

Guys, I am not getting it.  Help me out here!  The writing is solid enough, the world building is decent, but I barely made it through this book.  What am I missing?

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn:  A Guest Review by CarrieS

Full disclosure:  This review is biased.  Julia Quinn was one of the first romance authors I discovered (thanks to Smart Bitches, in fact).

Unfortunately for future reviews, she wrote the perfect book, What Happens in London ( A | BN | K | S | ARe ), a couple years ago and now every Julia Quinn book I read suffers by comparison.  So if I had read A Night Like This earlier, I suspect it would have gotten an A, but now I hold everything against the standard of What Happens In London and if no one is pecked to death by pigeons then it's just not the same.  It's not fair, but it's a fact. 

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

When I read the first Smythe-Smith book, Just Like Heaven, I wrote in my review:

I read this book looking for a warm and happy escape into historical land. Nothing tragically wrenching was going to happen. No one was going to go after my heart, rip it out of my chest and flip it around a few times before wrapping it up in a happy ending that would make me half-cry with relief. 

I liked this book, yet I am struggling to describe it because I know there are different types of historical readers out there, and this book won’t appeal to everyone. As I said, if you like a lot of meat in your historicals, you’re not going to like this one. Just Like Heaven is a fizzy confection, pleasant and enjoyed in one sitting. If you think about it too much, it goes… read more »

Night of Fire by Nico Rosso:  A Guest Review by CarrieS

You always hurt the ones you love, and despite the fact that I have a little crush on Nico Rosso (he writes science fiction romance, inspired by his wife, Zoe Archer - how cool is that?) I'm gonna be pretty harsh to Night of Fire - yet another Rosso book that is just good enough to make you wish it was better.

I grade tough on Rosso because I can see an A grade book inside every book he writes but it doesn't quite come out.  Step up, Nico; stop teasing me with awesome story concepts and then failing to deliver!  I am counting on you!

Night of Fire is the second book in the Ether Chronicles series that Zoe Archer and Nico Rosso are writing together (they alternate books, each a stand-alone in a shared universe series).  Tom Knox is a soldier on leave from the wars who is returning home in search of "Chicken.  Berry pie.  A shade tree...". 

Three years ago, he left his sweetheart,… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Beautiful Disaster by Laura Spinella

This review was written by April. This story was nominated in the Best First Book category.

The summary:     

Mia Wells's eco-friendly career goals are about to become a reality-but her life-altering moment is interrupted when an unexpected call ushers in her tremulous past. A man who's never left Mia's memory: Flynn, the enigmatic, passionate man whose disappearance broke her heart, has mysteriously resurfaced.

Now back in her life and in the hospital, Flynn is gravely injured. Mia keeps a bedside vigil- terrified that he will die, awestruck at the prospect of his survival. In a story filled with sweetness and suspense, Mia's what-ifs are endless. And Flynn's return ignites an achingly powerful tale about the most enduring love, one that is greater than honor, or friendship, or the passing of time.

And here is April's review:

Before I share my thoughts about Beautiful Disaster, I feel like I should probably mention that romance isn’t really my genre of choice. While I do like… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

This review was written by Zulma. This story was nominated in the Best Paranormal Romance category.

The summary:     

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who'd cursed Micah. She sees past Micah's armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Donovan’s Child by Christine Rimmer

This review was written by Carrie S. This story was nominated in the Best Contemporary Series Romance category.

The summary:     

The first time, it was a tumble down a mountain that threatened Donovan McRae's very survival. And though he had once been the Man Who Had Everything, at that point he thought he had nothing left to lose.

Until Abilene Bravo walked into his life—and he realized he was wrong. Because though he thought he'd lost his heart years ago, he found himself losing it again as he fell fast…for the feisty woman who wouldn't take no for an answer.

And here is Carrie S's review:

One of the first books I reviewed for Smart Bitches involved a couple who realized that they were experiencing a zombie apocalypse when they found their marriage counselor eating another client.  That story was more plausible than anything that happens in Donovan's Child.

RITA Reader Challenge: Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

This review was written by Phyllis. This story was nominated in the Best Paranormal Romance category.

The summary:     

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

This review was written by SonomaLass. This story was nominated in the Best Paranormal Romance category.

The summary:     

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Chaos in Death by JD Robb

This review was written by szerade. This story was nominated in the Best Romance Novella category.

The summary:     

Eve and Rourke return to investigate a series of murders connected to a brilliant young surgeon in Chaos in Death.

And here is szerade's review:

A bit of background: because of a large amount of travel in the last few months and a new iPad, I've been re-reading the entire In Death series.  The upshot is that I've somehow managed to read all of the novels and short stories in the series since March, which might be overkill.  That said, this story has enough references back to other parts of the series that its probably not a great stand-alone read.

RITA Reader Challenge: Chaos in Death by JD Robb

This review was written by Phyllis. This story was nominated in the Best Romance Novella category.

The summary:     

Eve and Rourke return to investigate a series of murders connected to a brilliant young surgeon in Chaos in Death.

And here is Phyllis's review:

[It was] OK but brutal and repetitive. Three young ex-junkies [are] murdered horribly by some freak with a messed up face who danced around merrily.

It was so obviously part of the series. I haven't read the series – I tried a couple of the books, but I guess if you don't start at the very beginning and read every single one of them (and there are what? 40 or something?) they don't make much sense. Well, that's how I felt about this novella.

RITA Reader Challenge: Chaos in Death by JD Robb

This review was written by Liz. This story was nominated in the Best Romance Novella category.

The summary:     

Eve and Rourke return to investigate a series of murders connected to a brilliant young surgeon in Chaos in Death.

And here is Liz's review:

While I enjoy In Death the shorts are inconsistent. Roberts / Robb has to craft a novella that stands alone, works with a theme and sets up the next book in the series. It's not easy.

RITA Reader Challenge: The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

This review was written by Jennifer. This story was nominated in the Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category.

The summary: Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane's private enquiry business.

Among the more unlikely clients: Julia's very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation. It leads to the exclusive Ghost Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances…and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall.

From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust. Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them,… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

This review was written by Blake. This story was nominated in the Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category.

The summary: Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane's private enquiry business.

Among the more unlikely clients: Julia's very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation. It leads to the exclusive Ghost Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances…and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall.

From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust. Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them,… read more »