Book Review: “Happily Ever After” by Tanya Anne Crosby November 10, 2011

Title: Happily Ever After

Author: Tanya Anne Crosby

 

 

Pages: 373

 

Summary:

Sophia Vanderwahl had always dreamed a knight in shining armor would sweep her off her feet, but she knew this only happened in fairy tales. And when she discovers the truth about her philandering fiance, she decides to track down and confront him in person. So she          hires  adventurer Jack MacAuley to help her find her neglectful husband-to-be. But with every glimpse into Jack’s seductive eyes, every tremor she feels at the sound of his voice, she finds her memory of her fiance fading away….

Review:

So, I have a confession to make…..I didn’t want to be the one to read this book. I really didn’t. I thought the title was so cliché that the book had to be as well. But alas, it was the only one from our latest stack of library check-outs that either my sister or I had not read. So, against my better judgement I decided to make a go at it.

To my surprise, it turned out to be one of the BEST books I have read in a very long time. In fact, it’s probably one of my favorite romances EVER! And that is saying a lot considering I’ve probably read at least 20 of them over the last two months….(And before your go making judgements about me, yes, I do have a life…… I just neglect it to indulge in my love for trashy books.)

One point of praise for this book is the author’s skill in incorporating humor into the plot. Some of the scenes had me actually laughing out loud! It is like “I Love Lucy” meets “smut book.” Pure entertainment!!

Also, the character development is exceptional! Sophia is the kind of heroine that any woman could love. She is smart, beautiful, and witty enough to hold her own among an onslaught of male characters. And Jack…well, who wouldn’t love Jack? He is a perfect Adonis (much like every other hero in these types of books), but the author does an excellent job in expressing his fears and insecurities, so his character isn’t unrealistic.

The relationship between Sophia and Jack is one of the best attributes of the book. They are constantly bantering back and forth, and yet, there is an undeniable sexual tension that will have you practically skipping pages just to get to the sex!

Speaking of sex….. the sex scenes are fairly explicit, but they are done in good taste and seemed natural and not in the least bit contrived. (There is nothing worse than reading a book that makes you feel awkward during the sex scenes.)

If I had to make one point against the book, it seemed like the timeline was a little rushed. The voyage on Jack’s trip is two weeks long, and the author could’ve done a better job helping the reader get a better sense of the progression of time. It seemed to me like Sophia boarded the ship and “poof”, one week had already gone by. And then “poof” four days went by.

Other than that small detail, the book was fabulous! I would recommend it to anyone! (Especially if they don’t normally read romances.)

RATING: 5 out of 5

Book Club News: Invites are out!! October 19, 2011

We have officially opened up membership for our book club which starts on November 2nd! Invitations were sent out and tonight we will be putting up flyers around town to try and spread the word. We’re not quite sure what to expect as far as responses go, but we’re hoping to get at least a dozen other hopeless romantics to join. Surely, there must be a few other like-minded ladies out there looking to indulge in their love for romances!

As of right now, meetings will be held every other Wednesday from 8-10 pm. ( We think it will go over really well since part of each meeting will entail hors d’ourves and adult beverages. 😉 We’ve got a few titles picked out, but are hoping too get some new suggestions from our recruits. And as far as leading something like this goes, neither of us have any experience, so we’re hoping that we don’t end up completely failing at the task of running a book club.

No matter what happens, we’re just hoping to have fun with it! And if we can help other women have fun right along with us, then there is no doubt the book club will be a success!

Love. Betrayal. Sex. Scandal…… October 14, 2011

Who doesn’t love a great romance? Not that other genres of fiction are any less appealing, it’s just that romances are….well….just so romantic!! (And seriously, what woman in their right mind doesn’t want to snuggle up to a book when the hero is described as “a masterpiece of muscular brawn carved in marble-like flesh.”)

Actually, to be honest, I feel rather guilty/embarrassed/lazy for reading romance novels. Why, you might ask? First off, I have a BA in English and Literary Studies, and given that most romance novels are considered “trash” by anyone who’s studied classic literature, I feel like I should be reading something with some “merit”…..I can just see my old professors cringing every time I curl up with one.

Secondly, have you seen the front covers of most romance novels? Some of them hinge on soft-porn. Not that I don’t enjoy ogling the perfectly-sculpted, half-naked men, but how can I not feel guilty about reading a book when the front cover would probably send my grandma into cardiac arrest? Forget ever reading them in a public place; then you’re just asking for dirty looks.

And last but not least, it’s difficult to recommend a book when they have titles that sound like something you’d pick up in a porn shop (ahem, “The Very Virile Viking”) Sometimes I wonder why the authors don’t choose something a little more….discreet. Then again, it’s not like the content is discreet, so why tame down the title?

Regardless, I must say that I do love the occasional bodice-ripping romance…..(and by occasional, I mean all-the-time….I’m not ashamed!!!) What isn’t to love? Not to mention, there are those select few romances that are considered legit in literary circles, and so I don’t have to feel so scandalous for reading the bodice-rippers when I change it up every once in a while with one of those so-called “classics”.

~ Andie