What is This!?!?!?!

I've been waiting for Julie James' Practice Makes Perfect ever since I first read Just the Sexiest Man Alive! I've been checking every few days to see if it's in the stores yet. I just checked again and THIS is what I see



Oooooooooh this makes me see red!!

I HATE Chapters! Hate them, Hate them, Hate them! I did a piece on this at Readers Gab just this week. They pretty much the only real book chain we have anymore and it's just not right!!



Here's another reason I hate them. Luckily I already have this one myself.

And below are a couple more that many readers will never read because they aren't on the shelves!

Arrrrggggghhhh

Getting on my bad side - a rant

Now I’m not one to get into internet fisticuffs. I observe them from afar I’ll admit – but to actually get involved in spats – not going to happen. At least I always thought so.

I posted quite some time ago on a message board about how much I enjoyed the book Death Angel by Linda Howard. Now I know not everyone is going to like this book. I’ve said time and time and time again that not everyone is going to love the same book. But after I posted some other people weighed in their thoughts. Some loved it too – some didn’t. But of the people who didn’t, their reasons I thought, were critical of the heroine. They called her a whore and other nasty things. I know the heroine isn’t a real person or anything – but I did take offense to the tone of condemnation and posted said thoughts. This is what I wrote in response to an earlier post:

(earlier post)Quote:

Women calling other women whores has always bothered me. It makes it ok for men to do it without a thought.

(My reply)That really bothers me too. Really!! A LOT!! I did have a reply to Katie(Kat) post after my original one but had to sit on my hands in order not to hit post (you don't always want to act in haste) 'cause I was a bit hot under the collar at the tone of it.
I think many who don't like this book are being terribly judgmental on both Drea and Simon. While the author didn't go too deep into Drea's background and barely at all into Simon's, she did give enough background for me to empathize with them. Would I have made the same choices? No, but I'm not going to judge them for the choices they did make. Who knows how anyone will react when tragedy strikes like it did to Drea when she lost her son - and who are we to judge? Yeah - she made a rotten choice in becoming the mistress of a drug lord (not a whore or a prostitute as some claim). But I imagine she was pretty dead inside - and I do know what that's like.
And I agree that Simon's epiphany was wonderfully done. From that moment on, he was determined to protect Andie at any cost from anyone who posed a danger to her - even if was herself. I don't see anyone condemning the two FBI agents. The one in particular knew what was going to happen and as he thought - he worked for the department of Justice.
It's fine not to like the book - as I said in the original post, it's not going to be for everyone. I loved it and obviously there are others who feel the same about it.
But to be honest, I am uncomfortable with the attitude of scorn leveled because there are those of us who do read and enjoy books with protagonists who contain shades of grade. To me, gray is a much more interesting colour that white and I'm glad Ms. Howard kept them gray at the end - just a whiter shade of pale. There seems to be a real double standard for some readers when it comes to heroines. They must be ‘pure’, they must never have been married. And if they have a checkered past, this is a big sin to some readers. But that is a subject for another day.

Now for the record, this all happened back in January. January 4^th to be exact. Yesterday, I noticed this response:

Hi! I just saw this and figured better late than never to respond. You're bothered by my post. Funny, I'm bothered by moral relativism. I'm bothered by characters who act dumb and sleep with criminals out of greed, not desperation, with no concern about how much suffering was caused to obtain that money.

You think it's wrong to judge someone, to say they are a villian for working for a drug lord and murdering people? Okay, I have no idea what to say to this. Shades of gray, really? I mean really!

Some actions are just wrong and no amount of excusing bad behavior because of someone's past makes it okay. We'll all have tragedies in our lives but that is never a justification for hurting other people.

Could these characters be redeemed? Yeah, but imho Howard did not do this. If other readers think she succeeded I totally understand. Heck, I might have enjoyed the book if Howard had spent more time on character development and less time droning on about tax reporting for banks.

I do have to clarify something I think you implied in your post. There was no scorn coming from me for readers who liked this book. The "scorn" you got from my posts was for the story, Howard's writing, my paying $20 some dollars for the hardcover, and the idea that morality is relative. I know some people have problems when strong opinions are expressed, but I was addressing the themes brought up in the book not anyone I'm having a discussion with.

One last comment, I'm sorry if I offended some posters with my calling Drea a whore. I will not use that term again. Instead I will just say she was a prositute. I think prostitute is the correct verbiage when someone has sex for the sole purpose of being paid.

So – this got my dander up and I thought of a few different things I could post.

For example:

Hi! I just saw this and figured better late than never to respond.

Ah, no.

Or another one I thought of:

Considering the tone of your post I must respectfully disagree with your statement ‘better late then never.’

And the little girl in me (who by the way is named Kissie – a name I apparently called myself before I could my R’s or T’s) wanted to answer:

You are full of poop (she likes saying that word because it’s kind of fun) and your little faces are silly.

Then there was:

And why again is it you feel the need to go back – way back to January 4^th to comment??????

But I decided in the end not to respond because this person was (to me) obviously trying to get a rise out of me and I’m not going to play the game. I just don't want to get into a war of words on a site dedicated to a love of romance.

But Krisite didn’t like this stand I took and insisted that I do this post

Now maybe it’s just me – I’m too much a pacifist, or too non-confrontational or could be I’m just a wimp – but I just can’t understand the reasoning behind going back to a comment made over two months ago- that no one really remembers and making a big deal out of it; of being on the verge of insulting to someone you don’t know. Disagree with me all you want – hey – that’s fine. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone. And maybe ‘cause I’m sick (I hab a bad cod) I’m over sensitive. But to the person who responded ------

Bite Me!

There! Now Krisite is happy.

As is Kissie

It's my turn

I'm up at Reader's Gab over at Access Romance today.

I wonder if this happens often???

I was checking out the Harlequin website to see if any books appealed to me and I noticed this months Super Romance line.

Each and every one of March's releases are about being preggers! I don't read this line but is this normal??

And I can't help but wonder what kind of message this is sending out that all these women are pregnant and single. I know it happens and call me old fashioned but some of them just sound skivvy to me.


With a sizzling career in commercial real estate and an even hotter love life, Delia Carlisle can't believe she's pregnant at forty-three. Dealing in potty training instead of properties…this is not how Delia envisioned her future. Her whole world is about to change, for better or for worse.

Alexander DiRossi can feel Delia's insecurities—about the health of the baby, about the changes to her career—but most of all, about him being a younger man. But he couldn't be more thrilled with impending parenthood, or more in love with Delia. The only difficulty will be getting her to accept his marriage proposal, for better or for worse!





Discovering she is pregnant is one of the happiest moments of Diana Shelton's life. Sure, that discovery leads to a divorce, but that's a small price to have a child of her own. With a thriving business as a playground architect, she thinks life couldn't be better for her.

Or could it?

Because Jason Benton—the principal in charge of her latest commission—is making her think something might be missing. Such as a good-looking man to come home to. But is this single dad who takes life so seriously ready for a romance with a fun-loving woman like Diana? Or can she teach him that love can be as simple as child's play?



Sophie Curtis lives a big secret. She's been having an affair with Duane Koch. Their days—and nights— together are their own oasis away from the world. It's unconventional but, given the difference in their ages and her troubled past, it works for them.

Then Duane is asked to step into the political ring—an opportunity he's been waiting for. Too bad about the timing, though. Because Sophie's just found out she's pregnant, and an instant family—with her—could ruin his chances. The right thing would be for her to bow out of his life. But when he surprises her with a proposal, will she have the strength to walk away from the man she loves?




They had one night. That's all Shelby Brookes would allow herself to indulge in with Luke Tulane. Yes, he's gorgeous. And yes, he's the greatest guy she knows, but he's her best friend's brother, for crying out loud! She's pretty sure there are rules against sleeping with friends' brothers.

Then Shelby discovers she's pregnant. And Luke's determined to do the right thing—down to the bended-knee proposal and the meeting at the altar. As tempting as his offer is, Shelby's convinced she's not the marrying kind. She's bound to hurt him, and that's definitely against the rules of friendship. Still, she doesn't count on how persuasive Luke can be when he really wants something…her.




What is she thinking? Being pregnant, single and expanding her business? No doubt about it, Lucy Basso's hands are full. As if that's not enough, hottie Dominic Bianco is showing more than a little interest in her. Even her impending motherhood doesn't seem to faze him. In fact, he's acting as tender and protective as if she were carrying his baby.

But something seems to be keeping Dom from fully committing to her. If Lucy could only know what it is, she might understand. Or maybe she'd tell him it doesn't matter. Because she knows he's a good man and he'd make an ideal father.





He was—still is—the love of her life. Now, more than a year after Andrew's death, Emily Martin discovers eleven letters he'd left for her. Letters that relive the joy they found together. Letters that recall the early days of their marriage, the births of their babies, their happiness as parents.

Andrew's final wish is that Emily cherish their past but move beyond it. She's not sure she can. But the birth of her daughter's baby brings Emily a new sense of purpose and hope. And her neighbor Sam—also widowed, also ready to move on with his life—shows her that new love is possible.






And a video 'cause this song just came on the radio and I like it and it's after 2:00 am and I'm still playing with the new blog template

Mama told me there'd be days like this

It's been a good news/bad news day.

I'll start with the bad news. When I left work yesterday evening I got to my car and noticed someone had hit the drivers front door. There was a huge dent in it and I'll confess to it --- I said the word FUCK - out loud. My car is kind of my baby. I picked it out myself, paid for it myself and I've always been very careful driving it. It's a 2001 Chevy Cavalier, burgundy in colour and I only have 68,000 miles on it. I looked around for a note from whoever it was that hit it but there was no such note.
When I got to work this morning I sent out an office wide email asking that if someone hit my car (knowing damn well someone did but I was trying to be diplomatic) could they please get in touch with me. I didn't think anyone would - and they didn't. But I hope they have a hell of a guilty conscience. I called my insurance broker and told her what happened and she wanted me to get an estimate to see if it could be repaired for under $500.00 - the cost of the deductible. So I went at lunch and got one. We are talking an estimate of $1,600. So I guess I'll be paying out $500. Again I will say - FUCK! I'm going to be working overtime on Sunday and getting double time for the day but now it will be all going towards my car - and then some. The hardest part is knowing that probably someone I work with did this and didn't have the guts to come forward.



But the day started out good. Ames offered to give the blog an update. She started last night and since we are on different time zones, I didn't get a chance to see it until this morning. Doesn't it look kewl?? She's still working on it some. She actually thinks that kind of thing is interesting - wow!
I still had the old original Blogger set-up and now I'm awed at how easy it is to do stuff in this new fangled template. I added a whole bunch more links to blogs at the side because instead of working in the template and working with HMTL - which always terrifies me - adding a new link is easy as pie.

And the day ended very good too. It was a very good mail day :) First off - a mystery package from Aztec Lady arrived - and much thanks to you.
I also received a gift certificate that I won at Lea 's blog - thank you too.
And not one - but two books I ordered from Amazon got here too! And a good thing it is because I won't be ordering from Amazon for a while now - thanks to deductibles!!
And now - I'm going to practice trying a different font and colour because I haven't been able to do so in ever so long.

Recent Movies watched

I don't do a lot of movie reviews because - well - I don't watch a lot of movies. I go to the show maybe once or twice a year and I never seem to think to watch them on TV. And to be honest, while I like A Lot of books - I'm quite picky on the movies I see. So this is a rare kind of post.

I mentioned that I had a friend come over on Saturday night. She brought a movie with her. When I saw which movie she brought I was a bit apprehensive. It's taken until today until I can blog about it.




P.S. I Love You

While others had been raving about this movie since it first came out, for obvious reasons I avoided it. But I heard how great it was and how just about everyone had seen it and I thought I was ready. I had heard that Gerry (Gerard Butler) dies at the beginning of the movie and then it was about Holly moving on. But it wasn't what I was expecting. Yes, it is about Holly moving on, but there were many flashbacks on Gerry and Holly, how they met, how they lived, how they loved. And I found it very, very hard to watch. I was in tears through much of it. There was the scene where Holly played the voice mail over and over just to hear his voice. I did the same thing. There was a scene where she was sleeping and when she woke up, she imagined she felt Gerry lying right there beside her and I've done the same thing. There was the scene where she was boxing up his things - I've yet to do that.
She just sat there alone in their apartment and lost her job. That happened to me. And then there was one scene where if I had been alone, I would have been sobbing. I was wanting to show it, but all the videos have been disabled but it's the scene where he has told her in a letter that she has to get up on stage again and sing karaoke. The song she sings when it's just him she sees in the audience just about broke my heart.
When the movie was over, I had a hard time talking and my friend felt bad that she brought it. But even though it made me cry - I think parts of it probably made a lot of people cry - I was really glad I watched it. It IS a wonderful movie. There are a lot of cutesie romantic comedies that leave me cold but this isn't one of them.

Gerard Butler did a wonderful job as a full of life, full of fun, Irish guy named Gerry. If I wasn't already so gone for Richard Armitage, he could probably be right up there on my 'lust for him' list. Well - in fact he is - but RA is still numero uno. What a different role then the one he played in both The Phantom and 300!
And Hilary Swank as Holly was also great. As the sober, feet on the ground one of the two, she played the part remarkably well. And I so could relate to so many of the things she went through.
The supporting cast was excellent too. Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Bates, Harry Connick Jr. et al were all smashingly good.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Recent Reads and a Rant to go along with them

Questions of Honor by Kate Welsh

Why this one: New to me author, Western, it was a given

Steam Level: Can’t rate – reason to follow

Amazon Blurb: A stern, rock-hard man stood before Abaigeal Sullivan. No sign of the boy whose playful teases had once turned to stolen kisses and something much, much more. Why, in all the years Joshua Wheaton had been away, had he never made contact, acknowledged her astounding news—that she carried his child?

Abby no longer trusted any man, but could she believe Joshua when he claimed he only ever meant to act honorably toward her? There was no doubt he wanted to get closer to her and the son that they had created together.

My Thoughts: I don’t do this very often – it makes me sad. But lest anyone think I enjoy every book I read – ‘tis not so, despite my almost Pollyanna approach. This book is an example of a DNF. And it’s an odd reason why not. The story was engaging, the writing was quite good and the hero was wonderful.

So – with all that going for it, you are wondering while scratching your heads, why is it a DNF.

It’s the heroine. I’ve often said it’s the heroine that makes or breaks a story and once again the heroine broke this one for me.

Joshua Wheaton and Abigail Sullivan had been sweethearts with Abby on the wrong side of the tracks. But Joshua needed to escape his wealthy but loveless home life and learn all he could so he could make the mines his father owned safer for all involved. He begged Abby to go with him but she refused. She was only 17 and she needed to stay and take care of her mother.

Ten years later and Joshua is back. But things happened in the meantime. Unbeknownst to him because of his vile father, all communication between him and Abby had been stolen and he was left not knowing she had given birth to his son and she thought he had abandoned her and she married another only to be widowed very soon after.

She was understandably bitter towards Joshua. I didn’t blame her. But it didn’t take long before they discovered the evil scheming of his father. And while Joshua was quick to get over his hurt and anger at Abby, she was another story. She kept up with her anger long past what I thought she should have. Not to mention she allowed her and Joshua’s son Daniel, to treat Joshua horribly. Joshua came across to me as a very lost soul who very much wanted to improve the conditions of the mines and to find the love he still had all these years later for Abby.

What really got to me and made this one a DNF was the way Abby allowed their son to behave with nary a word to him. Instead she would tell Joshua ‘you have to understand, he’s angry at you.’

Well yes – and until Daniel’s MOTHER steps in and is straight with Daniel – his father and mother loved each other and were unfairly divided and still do and he better not continue his brattish ways. I found her to be quite passive aggressive in this area and it got me hot under the collar. In addition, this is one of my hot buttons – the heroine who doesn’t want the father involved in their child’s life. If the father is a good man – which Joshua Very Much is, this plot device drives me out of my ever loving mind.

Joshua is really a wonderful hero and maybe that’s why the treatment he received from everyone when he returned was so hard to read. I actually got pretty far into this one before the son pulled one cruel action to many and Abby just fluffed it off and that was it. I couldn’t read any of any more cruelty to this really good man.

I’m not going to say I’m not going to finish it some time. But just for now, because I don’t like the heroine – though the hero is great and I think he deserves better, this one’s a DNF.

But!! That’s me and someone else could really enjoy this one. I can so see that.

The Great Scott by Donna Kaufman

Why this one: I could say it’s because I’ve read a number of her books and enjoyed them – that wouldn’t be a lie. I could say I’ve been watching The Bachelor (more on that) off and on and this seemed to be a bit of a takeoff on that show and that wouldn’t be a lie.

But in the interest of full disclosure I must confess that probably 80% of the reason I got this book was ‘cause of the Real Hawt Guy on the cover. Yes people – I am shallow and he is Gorgeous. And I want one of him to come home too.

Steam Level: It took a while but this one came to a nice boil.

Author website blurb: Location coordinator Erin McGregor knows she’s finally found the perfect setting for her romance reality show, Your Prince Charming. The Chisholm clan stronghold in the Scottish Highlands has it all—romantic moors, windswept cliffs, misty lochs, a four-hundred-year-old castle, and possibly the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on in chieftain Dylan Chisholm. Nothing like a guy with a sexy accent and a big…turret to make a girl all wonky-kneed. Right. No time for wonky. Time to get over her fixation with the Hot Scot and get back to business. And Erin will…any
minute now…

With his three youngest brothers spoken for, Dylan Chisholm is at the top of his village’s matchmaking list. Now they’ve sent some impish, forthright American lass up to tempt him into a devil’s bargain: He can let the Yanks use his castle to film their foolish romance show, and in exchange, he’ll get the money his village desperately needs. It took a tragic loss to get Dylan to embrace his heritage and his duty. He can’t turn away from such a promising offer. But keeping his thoughts off Erin McGregor is another matter. She’s everything he never wanted in a woman, and suddenly, she’s everything he craves in every way possible…

My Thoughts: This was a real sweet read. I’ve enjoyed other books by Donna Kauffman and I’m glad that a Real Hawt Guy convinced me to give this one a read.

Erin McGregor is scouting locations to use as a bachelor type show. When she visits the small Scottish town of Glenbuie, the residents convince her to look up the estate of their clan chief Dylan Chisholm. At first he’s dead set against it. He is planning on turning the estate into a B & B and he doesn’t want a lot of Hollywood types invading his territory. But his brothers and the townspeople finally manage to convince him otherwise – despite his reservation. This newly returned to town widower and the location coordinator of a television reality show are very attracted to each other – even though Erin is wrapped up in her career and she is not the type Dylan is usually attracted to. They finally give in to their attraction though both figure it will just be for the duration of Erin’s visit. But things don’t quite turn out that way as Dylan realizes that Erin is just the woman for him.

Both the hero and heroine were quite likeable. Dylan was on the gruff side, preferring not to get involved in the town’s plans for him and their matchmaking ways. But often a gruff kind of hero is adorable underneath and such is the case with Dylan. And while Erin seemed a bit too focused on her career, we eventually learn more about her and what makes her tick and I quite enjoyed her too. If you are looking for something that will make you smile and feel good at the end this one fits the bill. There are apparently a couple of books before this one - trade sized unfortunately - that tell his brother stories. I'm going to be keeping my eyes out for them!

Grade: 3.75 out of 6

Hawt cover: 5 out of 5

****~~~~~~~****

And now....... a Rant

So – I said there would be more. Off and on this past season I watched The Bachelor. The only reason I watched it on occasion was because my nearest coworkers were watching it and I hate to be left out of any conversations. One of them learned a new word today when I said the show made me feel real squicky. I think I either made that work up or I’ve seen it on line. But it means uncomfortable, squirmy, feeling off.

And that’s exactly what The Bachelor makes me feel. For the life of me I don’t understand why ordinary women would subject themselves to something I just find demeaning in the extreme. I don’t know how popular I am at work because every time I watched it, I voiced this opinion. Although they agreed with me – they still watched it as alas I did too L

I just find it insulting that 25 women all compete at the same time for one guy – or in all fairness – vice versa. The bachelor gets more and more kissy face as he whittles down the competition. I know I sure wouldn’t want the guy I’m seeing (and no – I’m not seeing anyone – I mean hypothetically speaking *g*) getting all kissy face while I’m around. That’s just wrong!

And how can any of that truly be any kind of honest – being on the television like that. I listen to my co workers discussing the negatives and positives of both the bachelor and the harem they give him and kind of scratch my head thinking “It’s fake – it’s all fake. And after I turn the telly off at 10:00 on some Monday nights I could kick myself for wasting that hour that would have been better spent.

I can’t help but feel that the 25 ‘contestants’ are more like sheep being culled from the herd by a an overeager, sheep-lonely sheep herder. And I cannot understand the appeal – either to be on the show knowing you only have a one in 25 chance of being some jerk’s love interest, or why it seems so many people watch it.

This is the first – and the last – time I’ve watched it with any consistency and I just don’t get it.

But the rant really starts with last night’s episode. Melissa was totally one when she called Jason a bastard. Part of me was thinking ‘you tell him girl’ while the other part of me wanted to turn it off to spare this poor young woman the embarrassment of being dumped by some phony, cry me a river a$$hole. Sure – she set herself up for it – they all did. And what self respecting woman would do that. But other then that, what kind of selfish, mean spirited, slimy man-whore would do that nasty a thing. All season my coworkers were cooing along thinking what a great guy this Jason was while I bit my tongue.

This show is embarrassing – from the women cat fighting with each other, to one of them picking her nose after crying, to all of them boohooing that they weren’t the one chosen, to the last group confiding they had fallen madly and deeply in love.

Bull shit!! You don’t ‘fall in love’ with someone while the cameras are rolling catching your every emotion in some fake, phony set-up designed to get ratings.

Recent Read

Promises in Death by JD Robb

Why this one: I never miss an In Death book!!

Steam Level: Same as always – Eve and Roarke – they make those pages steamy!

Amazon Blurb: Amarylis Coltraine may have recently transferred to the New York City police force from Atlanta, but she’s been a cop long enough to know how to defend herself against an assailant. When she’s taken down just steps away from her apartment, killed with her own weapon, for Eve the victim isn’t just “one of us.”

Dallas’s friend Chief Medical Examiner Morris and Coltraine had started a serious relationship, and from all accounts the two were headed for a happy future together. But someone has put an end to all that. After breaking the news to Morris, Eve starts questioning everyone from Coltraine’s squad, informants, and neighbors, while Eve’s husband, Roarke, digs into computer data on Coltraine’s life back in Atlanta. To their shock, they discover a connection between this case and their own painful, shadowy pasts.

The truth will need to be uncovered one layer at a time, starting with the box that arrives at Cop Central addressed to Eve containing Coltraine’s guns, badge, and a note from her killer: “You can have them back. Maybe someday soon, I’ll be sending yours to somebody else.”

But Eve Dallas doesn’t take too kindly to personal threats, and she is going to break this case, whatever it takes. And that’s a promise.

My Thoughts: Despite the murders that always happen; after all Dallas does work in Homicide, these are almost a comfort read to me. It’s so good to be able to keep visiting with Eve and Roarke, Peabody, McNab, Feeney and the rest of Eve’s friends and coworkers.

The mystery this time surrounds the death of one of their own – Ammy, the cop who has been seeing Morris in the past few books. Although we didn’t get a real chance to know her, Robb has such a way of writing that characters come alive and it’s bittersweet to see this character not through ‘meeting’ her but through Eve and Morris eyes.

These are about the only books that I’m able to refrain from reading the end so I always try and guess who it is. I guessed part of the puzzle on page 117 but not the whole thing until much later when it was very obvious.

I really enjoyed this latest one but as odd as it is, I seem to enjoy the books even better when there is conflict between Eve and Roarke and watching two such strong characters work through it. And there really isn’t any this time round. They are both in pretty good sync with each other throughout.

Nevertheless, this one is again filled with great dialogue, moments that make you laugh, Eve trying to dodge the shower for Louise that she is most reluctantly hosting, and getting hurt in the line of duty and Roarke coming to her aid. It was great getting to learn more about Morris. I really hurt for him going through the loss of someone he was really coming to love.

And there was another character that I really hope makes more appearances in the book. He was quite intriguing – almost a mirror of Roarke – in a slightly off kind of way. Without meaning to be too mysterious, I hope he learns from his mistakes and comes back again.

Again – this is (I think) book 31 in the series including novellas and I’m not the least bit tired of them. In fact I’m counting the months until the next one out Kindred in Death in November 2009.

Grade: 4.25 out of 5

Since you seem to like #1

Here are a couple more

This one really cracks me up!




And this one too! And since my son plays rugby...........

In reply to

MsMoonlight's post





heh heh heh heh

The ReRead Challenge for February

I know, I know - I'm a day early. But I'm having a couple of friends over tomorrow night and if you could see my house you would understand that I will be spending quite some time cleaning. Plus I got Promises in Death in the mail today so I'll be diving into that too! And since my books were read and my review(s) were written and Nath said I could, I decided to jump the gun.

Open Season by Linda Howard

I didn’t really plan on this one being the reread book of the month but I was in the mood for something light and something that would make me smile and this one worked the first few times I read so I knew it would probably do it again.

And it did.

Daisy Minor is the small town librarian. She celebrating her 34^th birthday and she is not happy with her life. Her life is drab and unexciting and she hasn’t dated anyone for years. She still lives at home with her mother and aunt.

Then she has what she calls an epiphany and decides to change everything about her life. Open Season is about the changes she makes in her life and every time I read it, I find it delightful. Daisy is a librarian so that makes her a planner. As she also wants to meet a man and get married she comes up with the wackiest of plans. She gets herself a makeover; courtesy of Todd the (supposedly gay) Vintage furniture store owner. She moves out on her own and gets (not) a guard dog. So she has all her ducks lined up in a row but there is a fly in her ointment in the guise of Jack Russo, the chief of police. Jack is alternately annoyed, amused and finally turned on by Daisy and her small town prim and proper ways. He’s a hardened cop from the big city who worked on the SWAT team and is now ready for the slower pace of a small town.

Reading about these two fighting their attraction and fighting each other is delightful. NO ONE can do the kind of dialogue of an angry yet attracted guy better then Linda Howard whether it’s Sam from Mr. Perfect, Wyatt from To Die For/Drop Dead Gorgeous or Jack from Open Season.

There is one scene in particular when Daisy goes to the local drug store and picks up a certain item sure that the gossipy owner will let the town know what she is buying and thus letting everyone know she is ‘in the market’ and Jack shows up which is simply classic. Watching Daisy change from a ‘good girl’ to a ‘party girl’ is very amusing. Although pretty naive, she is not a TSTL heroine by any means.

And Jack is the standard yummy Linda Howard hero. She does have quite a way of writing them, that’s for sure.

There is also a mystery which Jack is trying to solve that involves Daisy.

I don’t know if our own SuperLibrarian has read this one or not. Being in ‘the biz’ I think she is tough on books with librarian heroines but I loved Daisy. I loved Jack. I loved Daisy and Jack together and I love this book. I think this is about the fourth time reading this book and it never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Next month I’m going to try and read something I haven’t read for years for the ReRead Challenge!

To Die For by Linda Howard

I was only planning on doing one reread this month. I lent To Die For, also by Linda Howard, to a girl at work and she loved it. When she brought it back, I threw it in my purse and the book and I had the following conversation over the next two days

To Die For: Read Me

Me: Look, I can’t read you. I’ve already finished my February Reread book and it was your cousin.

To Die For: Read Me

Me: I told you – I can’t. Look around. I have books in the bedroom to read, books in the second bedroom to read, books in the third bedroom to read. There are books in the kitchen, books in the living room, books in the ‘library; even books in the bathroom all saying the same thing.

I just don’t have time to read you. And if I’m not mistaken, I’ve probably already done a review for you.

To Die For: Read Me

Me: Stop it! I’ve read you already. In fact I think I’ve read you three times; the last time last August or something like that.

To Die For: Read Me

Me: Enough!!! Yes, I love you. I loved you the first time I read you. I loved you the second time. I know, I know – not everyone loves Blair Mallory as much as I do. She’s not everyone’s cup of tea. They think she’s a fluff bunny cheerleader who carries on too much, but I see her as a very savvy business woman who started her own business, a health club and she knows her own worth and expects and demands that Wyatt respect that. In fact she is one of my favourite funniest heroines.

And speaking of tea, I agree - you are a hawt one – that Wyatt is a sex machine who knows Blair’s weak spot.

And yes, yes I love Police Lieutenant Wyatt Bloodworth too – even though he had hurt Blair pretty good two years before when after the two of them had chemistry he stopped seeing her for no apparent reason and we don’t always forgive those kinds of heroes. But she made him pay for it. He’s a typical Howard hero – sexy as all get out, strong (he has to be to stay up with Blair’s machinations) and a great manly man. No pink tools for this macho man. And he is determined to find the person who is trying to get rid of Blair – permanently and that person will not be a happy camper let me tell you.

And true, this book is written in the first person and I normally don’t read first person books – at least I didn’t when I first read you. And the fact that it was first person didn’t bother me at all. And I will grant you that I can’t read this book without smiling and laughing in quite a number of places like when Blair and Wyatt first meet up at the murder scene and Blair pretends not to remember him, or the lists she’s constantly making of his faults. I love the fact that these are both very strong personalities and watching them battle for position is wonderfully funny.

But I just Don’t. Have. Time. End of story.

To Die For: Read Me

Me: You’re not going to give it a rest are you?

To Die For: Read Me, Read Me, Read Me, Read Me

Me: Alright (giving a heavy sigh) I’ll read you again. I hope you’re happy looking at all these other books – knowing I’m neglecting them.

Two Days Later

Me: There! Are you happy? I read you. I loved you. You made me laugh again. I loved Blair and Wyatt just as much as the first time and if you promise not to tell anyone, I’m glad you were insistent that I read you again. You get to keep that 5 out of 5 I gave you the first time I read you. And yes – I recommend you highly. Didn’t I just get you back from a coworker and she also loved you and we even talked about some of the real funny parts? So will you leave me alone now for at least a year now?

To Die For: I have a sequel

Me: Head – Meet desk.