An Apple For Your Thoughts on Edenbrooke
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Debut novelist Julianne Donaldson has written a proper romance novel. Edenbrooke is the glorious British estate where Marianne Daventry is sent to visit her social butterfly sister, who has been staying with the friend of their deceased mother.
From the very beginning of the novel we understand that Marianne is a head-strong young women. We also understand that the apple did not fall far from the tree when we are introduced to her wealthy and wickedly sharp-witted grandmother. (The letters exchanged between these two ladies will make you laugh aloud.)
What made me love this novel is that Donaldson gave Marianne one very interesting and unusual characteristic, she likes to twirl. You know, where you put your arms out to your side and spin around until you are dizzy. Unfortunately, there isn’t much in Marianne’s life at the moment to make her happy enough to spin. Her mother died. Her grief-stricken father fled to France. Her twin sister was sent to London while she was sent to live with her socially strict grandmother. But then she meets Phillip.
Phillip is a mysterious gentleman who immediately starts flirting with Marianne and organizing her life. She can’t tell whether to be bemused or bothered.
To tell anymore of this story would give away too much of Donaldson’s enjoyable plot. I can tell you that Donaldson’s command of witty dialogue proves that this is one novelist who understands human interaction. In one whispered phrase in Marianne’s ear, she can invoke all the tingly passion that other authors can only inspire with graphic description of lust.
Edenbrooke is a romance story that protective mothers would feel comfortable letting their teenage daughters read, and yet its characters and plot are intricate enough that hardened romance readers will never miss the lack of sex for there is plenty of passion in these pages.
Paris is in Love with Eloisa James
Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Have always wanted to move to Paris? Hated the idea of moving to Paris? Love to cook, or just love to eat? Are married with children, or without? Love to travel or hate it? Love dogs or detest them? Or if you know someone with a terminal illness or not, you’ll want to read “Paris in Love.”
Eloisa James, aka Mary Bly, a best-selling romance author and professor of Shakespearean literature details her year of living in Paris with her husband and two children. This memoir, written in Facebook-like tiny essays, chronicles their year living abroad with the same humor often found in her books, but also with a serious beauty that only a lover of books, literature, and language can bring to life on paper.
I admit that I both laughed out loud, practically read it aloud to my husband, and cried during this year with James. James suffered her own cancer scare soon after her mother passed from the disease. This is not a memoir that focuses on illness. It is overstuffed with life. And learning to live with the hand that life deals you.
You’ll close the book understanding what life is REALLY about and hoping that you’ll have just a slice of time in your lifetime comprised of what James has experienced.
God Bless all who read it, and thank you James for writing a wonderful travel memoir that is so much more!
PS: Be sure to go online to get a digital tour of James’ favorite museums, restaurants, and shopping as she offers a wonderful selection of websites at the end of book.
Like this:
Ugly Duckling Becomes a Swan
How to Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I just finished Manda Collins’ first book in her new Ugly Duckling series, How To Dance With A Duke. This book dances to a lovely tune of romance and mystery. I love books that bring in unique settings, and Collins has woven Egyptian archeology into this story to add to the intrigue.
Three beauties that set the ton on fire in their day now have daughters that prefer to be wallflowers instead of social butterflies. The nasty whisperers of society have deemed the three daughters the Ugly Ducklings.
In this first book, readers will learn about Cecily Hurston, a bluestocking desiring to follow her father’s occupation in archeology. When her father returns from Egypt suffering from an illness rendering him unable to speak, it is up to Cecily to clear his name of wrongdoing. Lord Hurston’s secretary has gone missing on the dig, and the ton is circulating nasty rumors about murder and Egyptian curses.
The Duke of Winterson will stop at nothing to find out what happened to his younger brother who traveled to Egypt as secretary to Lord Hurston. It could be that the bookish but beautiful daughter of Lord Hurston could help him in his quest.
Collins does a nice job of creating interesting characters. Each of the main characters has an area of expertise, and yet outside that knowledge base they are just as human as the rest of us. The avid romance reader will notice the subtle introduction of other characters which will be sure to bloom into heroes and heroines in the rest of this series. I’m always particularly fond of any book that has a female lead that is smart enough not jump the shark and put herself into dangerous situations. Cecily is intelligent and uses common sense which is such a nice combination in a romance novel. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series, How to Romance a Rake and How to Entice an Earl.
