This RITA® Reader Challenge 2013 review was written by Alison. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category. The summary: Upon his arrival, Butternut Creek Christian Church's newly-minted minister is met by a welcome committee led by Miss Birdie and her friend Mercedes, a.k.a. “the Widows.” Their first order of business, to educate him on how things should be done, quickly gives way to a campaign to … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge: The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek →
Before I discovered romance novels, I cut my teeth on Gothics. My mother had a shelf of books by Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney in our basement, and one summer I devoured them all. Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster is a modern Gothic with romantic elements, and it reminded me why I enjoyed the genre so much. For those of you unfamiliar with the Gothic storyline, it features a young and often virginal heroine … Continue reading Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster →
I was loaned an XCOM MiFi unit for use in Australia, in exchange for a review. I know a lot of you travel for work or conferences, sometimes internationally, and we've all groused about the highway robbery that is hotel in-room internet in some locations. I knew the hotel WiFi where I was going to be in Sydney was rather expensive, and wanted to explore other options. After contacting XCOM, I was shipped a MiFi, … Continue reading Review: XCOM WiFi for International Travel →
Friday nights in my house are “Dinner & a Movie” night. We all eat dinner in the living room and watch a movie together- and the movie part can be tricky. I have two boys, ages 6 and 4, and their idea of awesome entertainment often does not match mine. Tonight we watched a movie that was so charming and adorable, I had to share it with you. Miss Minoes is a Dutch film from … Continue reading Movie Review: Miss Minoes →
It's the end of summer, and time for therapeutic movie watching. Either the kids are still out of school and driving you bonkers, or they are back in school and you are madly filling out backpacks full of forms, or you are in your cubicle lamenting the days when you actually had a real summer vacation, or, you are on a yacht with a billionaire playboy pirate sheik, in which case, we all hate you. … Continue reading Prides and Prejudices: A Movie Review Collection by Carrie S. →
This review was written by Tabs. This story was nominated in the Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category. The summary: Professional baker Ramona Gallagher is a master of an art that has sustained her through the most turbulent times, including a baby at fifteen and an endless family feud. But now Ramona’s bakery threatens to crumble around her. Literally. She’s one water-heater disaster away from losing her grandmother’s rambling Victorian and everything she’s … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge: How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O’Neal →
The first thing I want to tell you about this book is that it is hilarious. I laughed so hard, so many times reading this book. The second thing I want to tell you is that I'm giving this book an A- with two caveats: 1. It is not a romance novel. 2. It is hella expensive. While I don't want to downgrade a book because the price is high, the $9.99 price point for … Continue reading The Marrying Kind by Ken O’Neill →
Our first RITA Reader Challenge review is from Silver James. This book is nominated in the “Best Inspirational Romance” category for the RITAs this year. The summary: In Redemption, Oklahoma, a young boy is found huddled in a Dumpster, clutching a Christmas book. Scared and refusing to speak, he captures undercover agent Kade McKendrick's guarded heart. Kade brings the child home until he can track down his family—and his story. All Kade has is a name, … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge: The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight →
Sometimes when I squee about a book, I want to jump up and down and yell and breathlessly tell you how amazing I thought something was. This is the same level of appreciation, but the opposite reaction: this book (and the accompanying film) knocked my heart out of my chest, made me tear up, and made me want to grab anyone who doesn’t understand how avid readers feel about books and make them watch it … Continue reading The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce →
Lindlee is back, kicking ass and writing reviews for the RITA® Reader Challenge for one book in each category. This book was nominated in the Strong Romantic Elements category. Plot summary: Folly Beach, South Carolina, has survived despite hurricanes and war. But it’s the personal battles of Folly Beach’s residents that have left the most scars, and why a young widow has been beckoned there to heal her own… To most people, Folly Beach is … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge Review: On Folly Beach by Karen White →
F. chose to read this novel for the RITA® Reader Challenge, but after picking it at random she found it had a lot of plot elements she doesn’t like, but that the writing was strong enough that she kept going. The plot summary: Sixteen-year-old runaway Reagan has always wanted a place to belong. She’s never had a real home of her own, but perhaps she could borrow someone else’s. Under an assumed name and identity, … Continue reading RITA Reader Challenge Review: Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas →
