I am fervently attempting to avoid all contemporary romance novels. Even ones that come highly recommended are pissing me off no end. However, one has been nagging at me for a while, and for one simple reason.
Kowalski.
As soon as I saw that Shannon Stacey's series had a family with the last name Kowalski, I knew I was going to read it. That is ballsy, funny, and so uncool it's totally cool.
Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey (Kowalski Family series #1) is just the way I like contemporary romance: fast paced, lots of comedy, lots of sexy chemistry between the hero and heroine, and a kooky family thrown in for good measure. The premise for the story is hilarious and cute--reporter is forced to camp with the subject's family for two weeks if she wants her interview questions answered. The prissy girl is not prepared for mud, kids, mosquitoes, and a still lingering attraction to her old high school boyfriend. They putt around on ATVs and butt into each other's business. Love it! All of the problems are tied up neatly at the end with a nice big bow. Great story!
Grade: A
Next up....I have recently read two Annette Blair books. One is phenomenal, one was okay. First up, Skirting the Grave. This is one of her Vintage Magic Mysteries. I have been really enjoying this series, which combines cute, cozy mysteries with a touch of paranormal and romance. Unfortunately, this was not my favorite of the series. The storyline was okay, but not stellar. I still enjoyed all the vintage clothing descriptions. There were a few totally unbelievable plot moments that popped me out of the story (Isobel finding out her cousin is dead and then joking around with Maddie a few moments later, etc.) that just didn't make sense.
Love triangles are tricky things. They can add sexual tension, but they can also make the heroine look like a fickle tease. The love triangle between Madeira, Werner and Nick was a great addition to the former books in this series. But in this story her waffling really got on my nerves. I'm not going to spoil the end of the book, but she went from struggling with her attraction for both men (and leading them both on) to making a split second decision, which, in my oh so humble opinion, was totally freakin' wrong! She picked the wrong damned guy! Ugh!
Overall, a cute story but not as sparkling as her other books. And the love triangle was a big downer and made the heroine look bad.
Grade: B
Sometimes it's hard to believe the same author can write two such totally different books. Here is a perfect example. Blair's mystery series is cute, fun, with lots of banter. There is not a lot of emotional depth since it's a cozy mystery. On the flip side, she has written an incredibly moving and emotionally intense novel, Jacob's Return. This is an Amish love story and it is a powerful bit of storytelling. I found this book mesmerizing--could not put it down. Blair has done a superb job immersing the reader into the Amish way of life. The characters are wonderful....real, nuanced, conflicted, loving. This book does not shy away from tragedy....it's simply unavoidable here. But after an emotional roller coaster, the ending was absolute perfection. Lovely, unexpected, and romantic. I bawled like a little baby.
This is a beautiful story....I highly recommend it.
Grade: A
Happy Weekend To Everyone,
Penelope
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