More Recent Reads

One of the things detractors or people who don’t read romance (and this would include Lisa) say is romance is all the same. Guy meets girl, they fall in love, problems arise and then everything is solved. Basically this is probably true, but I’m sure you can say the same thing about any genre.

But these next two books couldn’t be further apart in style, writing and overall tone.

The Preachers Daughter by Cheryl St. John

Blurb:

An untouched woman……

Lorabeth Holdridge longed for life and experience! Cloistered by her strict father, her world was confined to chores and prayer. Her chance of escape came when she took a job as a housekeeper to a boisterous family. Lorabeth reveled in her newfound freedom. And when Benjamin Chaney visited, she felt the stirrings of her first crush.

A hard-bitten man…

Jaded and cynical, Ben found it hard to trust, though Lorabeth’s sweetness soothed his battered soul and taught him joy. But he would have to face the demons of his past to find a glorious future in Lorabeth’s arms!

Why this one: I’ve been reading Cheryl St. John’s Harlequin Historicals for years and I’ve always enjoyed them; some more than others of course, but she is an author I don’t want to not read.

Level of Steam: No danger of burning yourself

My Thoughts: This was a gentle, tender, heartwarming story. I have (or did have – I shall have to check the ‘library’) The Doctor’s Wife but I’m not sure I read it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it is still there so I can see Ben’s beginnings. He is another one of Ms. St. John’s wonderful heroes. He is the town vet, a respected, caring individual. Yet he doesn’t seem to see himself in that light. He was scarred by his childhood and is afraid to really ‘feel’ anything.

Lorabeth is adorable. She is kind and giving and incredibly naïve. In some books this could be annoying, but not in this one. She has lived her life under the strict control of her humorless preacher father and when she sees an opportunity to escape she leaps at it.

There isn’t anything earth shattering that happens in this story. If I had one word to describe it, that word would be heartwarming. It’s just about two people, inexperienced in life, finding each other and falling in love. Ben has more obstacles to overcome due to his horrible childhood but he is healed by the tender love of Lorabeth.

I’ve been reading Cheryl St. John for years. I have many of her early books. She has never failed to deliver a good story.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

****
And now be sure to visit Sybil. She is doing a Cheryl St. John day. I only ducked in briefly – work don’t you know. But now I’m curious to see everything she has to say.

Midnight Man – Lisa Marie Rice

Blurb: Interior decorator Suzanne Barron’s new tenant is the most dangerously sexy man she’s ever met. Navy Commander John Huntington, a former SEAL (aka Midnight Man) works best under cover of darkness. Within hours of meeting him, Suzanne has wild, ho-holds barred sex with John, then panics at the depth of her passionate warrior. Suzanne doesn’t do sex like that. John is definitely someone she needs to avoid for her own peace of mind. But when killers come for her, Suzanne knows she can turn to only one man, John will guard and protect her body. But who will guard and protect her body against John?

Why this one: I’m not quite sure why. I’d seen it mentioned a number of times as being pretty good and when it came up again at AAR (of course now I can’t find it) for discussion, I just decided that I needed to read these ones so I ordered the whole series. Plus it’s the first print copy of Ellora’s Cave I’ve bought. I have a few e-books by them, but they don’t stock them here so I figured I’d order them online

Level of Steam: It’s gonna burn you and burn you good

My Thoughts: Now this one on the other hand, was completely different. I’ve heard about Lisa Marie Rice and I think I have another book by her – again a check with the ‘library’, but if I do, I haven’t read it yet.
Unlike the rather Beta male Ben in The Preacher’s Daughter, John is alpha. Very, very alpha. A former SEAL, he left the service due to a busted knee and opened his own security company. He is checking out an old refurbished building owned by the heroine, Suzanne and is instantly consumed with a massive case of lust that slowly turns into love. And even though he was a super alpha type hero, John had something going for him – enough that I found him very interesting. Suzanne was a bit too much of an innocent. I liked her mind you, but they just seemed a bit unevenly matched. I’m glad I got these and I’m already almost done the next one – Midnight Run.

Grade: 4 out of 5

'til later