Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

RITA Reader Challenge: One Wish by Jodi Thomas from A Texas Christmas

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

The summary: On the eve before Christmas a blizzard arrived, transforming a small Texas town into a night to remember.

Four ladies desperately in need of saving, four hard-ridin' cowboys who aim to please. . . When a lone farmer strides to a pretty store owner's rescue, their deepest wishes just might come true.

And here is Phyllis L's review:

This novella is set in and near a small town in Texas, Christmas 1887. In a blizzard. Maggie feels like an outsider and Samuel really is one. He saves her from armed robbers/rapists in her store and takes her back to his hidden cabin when the robbers say they'll kill any witnesses.

RITA Reader Challenge: One Wish by Jodi Thomas from A Texas Christmas

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

The summary: On the eve before Christmas a blizzard arrived, transforming a small Texas town into a night to remember.

Four ladies desperately in need of saving, four hard-ridin' cowboys who aim to please. . . When a lone farmer strides to a pretty store owner's rescue, their deepest wishes just might come true.

And here is Carrie S's review:

What a delightful surprise.  I like to read a lot of genres, both romance and otherwise, but I don't usually read Western romances and I wasn't sure I'd like this one.

RITA Reader Challenge: Heartbreak Creek by Kiki Warner

This review was written by Turophile . This story was nominated in the Best Historical Romance category.

The summary: Edwina Ladoux hoped becoming a mail-order bride would be her way to a better life, but as soon as she arrives in Breakheart, Colorado, and meets Declan Brodie and his four rambunctious children, she realizes she's made a mistake. Luckily, Edwina and Declan agreed on a three- month courtship period, which should give them time to get the proxy marriage annulled. Except that as the weeks pass, thoughts of annulment turn into hopes for a real marriage-until Declan's first wife suddenly returns.

And here is Turophile's review:

Ms. Warner pens another love story that is chaste and sexy at the same time.  I loved Pieces of Sky and found that same  wonderful voice in this book.  Ms. Warner does an excellent job of recreating a small town and ranch in post-civil war Colorado while spinning a sweet love story and creating characters that I rooted for as I read.  … read more »

RITA Reader Challenge: Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

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

The summary:     

Edwina Ladoux hoped becoming a mail-order bride would be her way to a better life, but as soon as she arrives in Breakheart, Colorado, and meets Declan Brodie and his four rambunctious children, she realizes she's made a mistake. Luckily, Edwina and Declan agreed on a three- month courtship period, which should give them time to get the proxy marriage annulled. Except that as the weeks pass, thoughts of annulment turn into hopes for a real marriage-until Declan's first wife suddenly returns.

And here is Phyllis' review:

I like the premise. Yes, the mail-order bride has already been used, but I really liked the heroine, Edwina, who absolutely could not stay in Louisiana. She had lost her home and family. Everyone, black and white, was threatening her bi-racial half-sister, Prudence. She's impulsive, but ferociously loyal and willing to work hard.

RITA Reader Challenge: The Texan’s Bride by Linda Warren

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

The summary: Sheltered her entire life, Jessie Murdock has rarely gotten her way. Until her dying father makes a deal with Cadde Hardin. Cadde will get shares of Shilah Oil on one condition—marry Jessie. In love with him for years, Jessie doesn't hesitate to sign the papers. But she didn't sign up for a completely absent husband. Now Jessie has a counter offer. She'll give Cadde controlling interest of the business if he'll give her a baby…the natural way. Only he has a few caveats of his own. When life refuses to follow their written plan, Jessie and Cadde have to decide which is more important: their unspoken love or the family business.

And here is Suzette's review:

When I read the synopsis for this book, it was all I could do not to groan out loud. The first and only romance I read that involved a pregnant heroine left me gnashing… read more »

Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas - a guest review by CarrieS

Beguiling the Beauty is a late Victorian era romance that meets my geek criteria because of its use of science, specifically the study of fossils and the rise of evolutionary biology.  My husband is an evolutionary biologist, so needless to say I was thrilled when I found out that Sherry Thomas' new book has an evolutionary biologist hero.  I'm a huge Sherry Thomas fan and this book did not disappoint.  In fact, it is by far my favorite book of hers, in no small part because it features the line, "Thank you for dinner.  And thank you for the pleasure of the tetrapodichnites".

I'm trying to avoid gratuitous spoilers, but if you are super spoiler-phobic, you should stop reading this review and just start reading the book.  It's great and you'll love it.  For the rest of you, MILD SPOILERS AHEAD:

Silver Surrender by Vivian Vaughan - A Guest Review by RedHeadedGirl

This is the first in a series of four books, and I think this is a good example of decent western romances (which I promised after the Scoundrel’s Captive debacle), and an author making the effort (and succeeding!) at not writing the same book over and over and over again (Dan Brown: take notes) (I do rag on Dan Brown a lot, don’t I?) (HE DESERVES IT).

So this series is about the Jarrett siblings- Texans all (why is it always Texas?) and great lays- except for the oldest brother.  Because he is the parental figure that raised the rest of ‘em and as we all know, parents do not have great sex.

….

Anyway, I read the first one back in my misspent youth, Silver Surrender, and always had this niggling feeling that there were clearly MORE, so when I started this venture, I found the rest of them.  And they are my very favoritist type of bubblegum reads.  Crazy, but not too crazy, likable characters, high adventure, hot sex, FANTASTIC CLOTHES.

(I’m… read more »

Beauty and the Duke by Melody Thomas, a Guest Review by RedHeadedGirl

I got this as a recommendation from…. Aw, hell, there isn’t a name attached to the rec, but Sarah sent in on because “it’s fun when your head explodes!”

So there’s a couple things you should know: first, like many people, I went through a dinosaur phase in my misspent youth, so there’s that.  Not a big enough of phase to want to become a paleontologist, but still, very interesting and whatnot.  There are pictures of dinosaur poo on my twitter feed from my Christmas visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Second, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie.  Ever.  I know there are people who think it’s an example of Stockholm Syndrome and that it encourages the idea that women can change men, which I think is a simplistic reading of the text and we could get into it, but the core lesson, I think, is that if you want to be treated like a person, you have to act like a person.  And sometimes it’s someone calling… read more »

All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis, A Guest Review by CarrieS

There are only three kinds of people.  There are those who think Connie Willis is a genius (that would be me).  There are those who can't figure out what all the fuss is about and think she's over-rated (bah!).  Finally, there are those people who haven't read her yet.  If you are in the third group, go read her right away!  Christmas is a great time to start, because she is widely beloved for her Christmas stories, one of which perfectly fits my geek profile as it involves aliens and romance.  If you feel something has been missing from your holiday experience, allow me to suggest that probably in the deep places of your soul you've been sensing a certain lack of aliens at the mall.  That is why I suggest you try Willis's novella, All Seated on the Ground.

Rebel’s Revenge by Jane Toombs, a guest review by RedHeadedGirl

RedHeadedGirl is back, because there were… oh, I'll let her tell you. This is another request- Mari requested it AGES ago, and, well, it’s a classic Southern Rebel Boy meets Independent-Minded Northern Miss, sparks fly. And a whole bunch of other crap happens, too. SO MUCH CRAP. Including unexpected zombies. UNEXPECTED ZOMBIES IN MY CIVIL WAR HISTORICAL. It is not like peanut butter and chocolate. It is really not. Now, to be fair, these are voodoo!zombies, not braaaaaaaaaaains!zombies, but still. Unexpected zombies. Our heroine is Barbara, who lives in Sandusky, Ohio, and is the daughter of a doctor who’s with the Union Army. She’s been living with the local minster and his wife. When she gets word that her father has been captured and is being held in Libby Prison in Virginia, the kindly minster takes advantage of her grief and tries to seduce her, and when that does work, he goes to flat out attempted rape. His wife witnesses this, and blames Barbara for being a little slut that lured her husband into impure thoughts or whatever, and tosses Barbara out of the house. So Barbara runs… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner

Ev’s RITA® Reader Challenge is for this novel, which finaled in the Best First Book category.

Plot Summary: On a stagecoach traveling through New Mexico Territory, Jessica Thornton is a long way from the cool mists and lush gardens of her native England. An authoress and milliner, she carries the weight of a scandalous secret-a horrible shame that has brought her to the West on a desperate search for the only family she can trust: her brother.

No one prepared Jessica for the heat and the hardships. And no one prepared her for a man like Brady Wilkins. For, despite the rancher’s rough-hewn appearance and her own misgivings, Jessica must put her life in his hands after their stagecoach crashes. And she begins to see the man behind the callused hands and caustic wit. A man strong enough to carve out a home in the wilderness, brave enough to fight for his own, and passionate enough… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton

This RITA® Reader Challenge review was written by Lisa. This book finaled in the Contemporary Series romance category.

Plot Summary: He’d never really had a place to call his own…

But the broken-down ranch in front of him was the closest he’d ever come. Now, pregnant widow Emma Manning was struggling to keep it, her children and herself going. She could use a hand. Well, that was all burned-out musician Cash Cochran could spare.

He’d never had a woman to call his own, either…

That was painfully obvious to Emma as soon as Cash knocked on her door. And though, with her ever-growing brood and her money pit of a ranch, she was the last woman on earth he could ever fall for, he was falling nevertheless. They both were.

But what would happen when they landed?

RITA Reader Challenge Review: His at Night by Sherry Thomas

I have two RITA® Reader Challenge reviews for His at Night, one from Donna, and one from ReadinginAK. Donna gave this book an A, saying, “So far, I’ve found that everything that spills out of Sherry Thomas’ brain is an A read. I bet her even shopping list would be interesting.” Meanwhile ReadinginAK gave it a solid B, so I’ve averaged the two to B+.

Plot Summary: Elissande Edgerton is a desperate woman, a virtual prisoner in the home of her tyrannical uncle. Only through marriage can she claim the freedom she craves. But how to catch the perfect man?

Lord Vere is used to baiting irresistible traps. As a secret agent for the government, he’s tracked down some of the most devious criminals in London, all the while maintaining his cover as one of Society’s most harmless—and idiotic—bachelors. But nothing can prepare him for the scandal of being ensnared by Elissande.

Forced into a marriage… read more »

RITA Reader Challenge Review: A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Everybody, this is Lindlee. She reviews a mo-ton of books for the RITA® Reader Challenge. This book finaled in the Best First Book category.

Plot Summary: Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas’s new dressmaker. He’s all too familiar with her kind—shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau—leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town—will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

And now, Lindlee’s review:

RITA Reader Challenge Review: Open Country by Kaki Warner

ReadinginAK read this for the RITA® Reader Challenge reviews. There was an earlier review for this book, but ReadinginAK’s review echoed it in such a way that I wanted to include it as well.

Plot Summary: Molly McFarlane is as desperate as a woman can get. Forced to flee with her late sister’s children, she must provide for her wards while outrunning the relentless tracker the children’s vicious stepfather has set on their trail. Out of money and with no other options, she marries a man badly injured in a train derailment, assuming when he dies, the railroad settlement will provide the money they need to keep moving West.

But there is one small problem. The man doesn’t die.

Hank Wilkins doesn’t recall the accident he barely survived-and he certainly doesn’t remember marrying Molly. But as he slowly recovers at the Wilkins ranch in New Mexico Territory, the idea of a real marriage… read more »