Review: Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl

This book should come with a disclaimer. Something along the lines of this:

WARNING: Do Not Read this Book when you are a) in a public place (you'll laugh too hard and draw attention to yourself) or b)drinking anything (you may end up spraying your drink on yourself when you read some of the passages).

Victoria Dahl's contemporary romance, Talk Me Down,
is easily the funniest contemporary title I've read in years.

Review: The Sweethearts' Knitting Club by Lori Wilde

I am not a fan of what I like to describe as 'cozy romances.' Books that idealize small town life and are border-line family sagas. They are just a little too sugary for my taste. I happen to hail from (and live in) a small town. There is nothing idyllic about them. Looking at the cover of Lori Wilde's newest book, I almost skipped picking it up because the title and cover art so clearly evoked exactly that type of romance. I'm glad I was familiar enough with Wilde's style to give it a chance--despite the obvious attempts by the marketing department to portray this book as one of those sticky sweet books, this is not part of that subgenre.

The Sweethearts' Knitting Club
is indeed a story set in a small town. But that's where the resemblance to those other books ends.

Review: Me and My Shadow by Katie MacAlister

The conclusion to Katie MacAlister's Silver Dragon series was a fun-filled adventure with plenty of snark, craziness, and Jim's smart ass comments.

My only problem, aside from a serious case of lack of concentration, was that it had been so long since I read the previous installments in the series that I had difficulty remembering what had happened when. And as with any series, the back story can be confusing for anyone new to the series.

We continue to see characters from the previous Dragons series (Aisling, Drake, Fiat etc) which adds to nice sense of continuity. Gabriel is nowhere close to the super annoying alpha that Drake is. Just as May is nothing at all like Aisling. It's so nice that the Silver Dragon series has its own flavor--instead of easily falling into the trap of formula.

A fun, new installment in an already excellent series.

My grade: B+

Review: To Tempt a Scotsman by Victoria Dahl

I'm steadily working my way through Victoria Dahl's backlist. So far, I have not been disappointed. To Tempt A Scotsman is incredibly moving with rich, complex characters and a plot that surprised me. Dahl fits a lot into this slender novel.

In a somewhat unusual decision, the author sets this story in the aftermath of a duel. One participant is dead. The other has fled the country. The half-brother of the deceased duelist has come seeking answers from the woman at the heart of the conflict. Expecting to find a harlot, Collin is stunned  to find a young, attractive woman who is clearly another victim of the tragedy--not an instigator.