Have You Seen Her?

Author: Karen Rose
Published Date: February 2004
Letter Grade: C+

Karen Rose is one of those unfortunate authors who seems to be very confused about what genre they are actually writing for. You see this often enough--Stephanie Laurens, for instance, my least favorite writer, seems to be laboring under the impression that she is writing some sort of detective novel, but really, it's just awful smut in obscenely large quantities, even by romance standards.

Ms. Rose's issue, it appears, is a decided confusion between "mystery" and "romance." There is such a thing as Romantic Suspense, but at some point you cross the line into just plane "Suspense" with a little "romance" thrown in for good measure.

The story's about Special Agent Steven Thatcher, a widower with 3 sons, the oldest of whom has taken a pretty sudden turn in attitude, the youngest of whom was kidnapped 6 months earlier, returned physically unharmed, but emotionally scarred (I haven't read it, so I can't be certain, but I think I might have seen a synopsis for one of her other books that eluded to this event), and the middle kid just likes turkey a lot. Anyway, Thatcher's trying to solve a series of disappearances/murders of local teenage girls, which brings us to the primary "mystery" part of our tale- Whodunnit? Whydunnit? Who-didn't-but-seems-to-havedunnit? What's with the detective from Seattle who's got an apparently personal beef with this case?

Throw in for good measure Dr. Jenna Marshall, Son #1's concerned chemistry teacher who has a thing against passing a failing student just because he's QB and his dad is determined that his kid be seen by college scouts.

What you get is a bunch of horny thirty-somethings acting like teenagers, a murderer who is a teenager, but thinks he's smarter than everyone else (they usually do) and a mess of false leads and Thatcher turning into Sex-y McSexSex the Jealous Type and various other things.

It was... eh. The book had its moments. The end made me raise an eyebrow (a little random? Yes, I think so) and Son #1's sudden and complete turnaround was undeniably random and abrupt, the reasoning behind it... eh. Not enough there to make me believe that a previously fabulous student could suddenly turn into a sullen, failing student.

I was a bit surprised by Whodunnit. I was figuring it wasn't going to be who they thought. I've read one other book by Rose (I'm Watching You) and am well-versed in the it-isn't-who-you're-expecting solution.

The book wasn't bad per se. Like I said, it had its moments where I really enjoyed it. I learned many new things about drugs. Don't quite remember if they ever really explained the little symbol they kept harping on. That, and props for writing a book with a redheaded hero. You don't see much of that. Plenty of redheaded heroines, though. And plenty of violet eyed ones--no props on originality for that one.

It's a decent read. It's long (499 pages) but it goes by fairly quickly. Both readingwise and book time-wise. (This one lasts about a month. "I'm Watching You" was a whole week. She's upping it, I see.) Like I said, it has plenty of mystery in to be at least somewhat interesting. And it's only 4.99. Y'all know how I feel about book prices...

Simply Love

Author: Mary Balogh
Publication Date: August 2006 (March 2007 in Paperback)
Letter Grade: B+

Oh, how long I have waited for this book.

It started with my first Balogh book, "A Summer to Remember" about Kit Butler and Lauren.. I can't remember her maiden name. lol. The book was fine, of course, but what really interested me was two other stories related to it. The first was that of Neville and Lily (whose book "One Night For Love" preceded it, and was pretty much amazing).

The second, and most anticipated, was the story of Sydnam Butler, Kit's younger brother.

She taunted me first with a whole series on the Bedwyns, a family close to Kit's, and who play a big role in Simply Love. Big family. Too many people.

Finally, finally, last summer I found this book. By that point, I rarely thought of A Summer to Remember or Mary Balogh in general, except for when I saw Sarah was reading another one, and Sydnam Butler had been pushed to the back of my mind. So, the reaction upon reading the book flap "Sydnam Butler.. that's so familiar... OH MY GOD!"

Anyway: Sydnam Butler is a Regency hero favorite type: he fought against Napolean, he came back from war not quite like he left for it. In this case in an extreme form. During the war, he was tortured, leading to the burning of the left side of his body so that he was permanently deformed, lost his right eye, and his left arm had to be amputated. Meanwhile, the left side his body... is pretty much as gorgeous as he previously was. Really too bad he wasn't left handed.

Our heroine, then, is Anne Jewell, a teacher at a girl's school, and also a single mother *scandalous gasp* Well, you know, it's scandalous in the time period.

So, anyway. Sydnam has been working as the Duke of Bewcastle's (see above bit about the Bedwyns) steward in Wales when the Bedwyns (and assorted family) make their way there for a month long visit. Coming with them happens to be Anne, since her son's father's first cousin, Joshua (I think I <3 him. haha. Which is bad, because I hate his wife, and am therefore leery of reading their book) is married to the former Lady Freyja Bedwyn, and they pretty much insisted on taking David (Anne's son) with, since they're his cousins of a sort, and Anne was sort of invited along.

Phew. Long sentence.

My general opinion of the book: I loved it. Well, you know, most of it.

The book for the most part was very good, very well written. The relationship between Sydnam and Anne made enough sense to me, though I thought Sydnam's insecurities, especially involving the sex, were wrapped up a bit too nicely. It seemed too simple to me, the way that whole scene happened.

I wasn't fond of the interaction with Anne's family. I spent most of the time thinking how I'd dearly love for someone to just yell or something. Lordy. Or there were several things I think we should've seen brought up but weren't. Maybe I'm just less forgiving than Anne is.

I did like that it was set in Wales for the most part, though. I've read hardly any books that did, except maybe Kinsale's "Flowers from the Storm," though my first romance hero was Welsh (Medieval, though, not so much Victorian/Regency. I'm not even sure Wales was apart of Britain then.) I liked the scene in the Welsh church, it pretty much makes me want to hear that sort of thing. :)

It was a worthy book for finally giving one to Sydnam. It's been a long time. Though, I suppose several things would have had to be different if the Bedwyn series hadn't happened. Come to think of it, Anne wouldn't have been there at all without the connecting force of Joshua.

I do want to know, though, if Viscount Whitleaf, Lauren's cousin, is the hero of the next book. I didn't read the excerpt at the back, though I did skim and found his name there, but that doesn't tell me much. I remember a random part at the end of A Summer to Remember where Kit, I think it is, makes some inner comment about Whitleaf's chances of finding a lady for himself. And then he dances with Susana Osbourne at the end of Simply Love, and Susana's the heroine of the next book. Hmm?

I also want to know what ever happened to Neville's widowed sister. My original guess would have been for her to end up with Sydnam, but apparently not. I've seen no mention of her, but of course, you see the big gap in my reading.

This is the trouble with great secondary characters: you can't get good closure with a book until you know how they end up. :-P

Anyway. Overall: Read the book. The annoying parts are few and far between, well worth it.