Amy is a professional landscape artist, gardener. Leo is a modern day prince working in the world of finance. He is also "babysitting" his younger brother Rolf, a terror at parties who maneuvers through the world with charm and sex appeal.
Rolf literally crashes Amy's flat mate's party. He destroys Amy's "Dream Seeds", the key to her business expansion. Leo cleans up his brother's mess, and "WaLa", it's attraction. Amy, though, does not know that Rolf and Leo are brothers. Thus she fails to deduce that Leo, too, is a prince.
Like a spring bouquet, The Runaway Princess, elicited from me a smug little smile and a contented sigh. I knew what was going to happen, with a few sneaky twists being the exception. Amy made me laugh, and her friendship with Jo was simply fun. Of course, in this common girl falls in love with the prince story; the prince is lovely, every girl dream and Amy falls. I wasn't looking for more.
But, more was what I got. Amy is complex and Leo isn't perfect. She runs her own business and is savvy about promoting and expanding it. Like Leo, she is a confident in her work life, unlike Leo she is less sure about her personal life.
Some other reviewers found her quirks irksome, viewing her as whiny. I didn't. The fact that she's a little star struck by Leo's "courtship" and undone by his royal family made her more realistic and relatable. Furthermore, she does find her footing, not an easy task when you fall for a man like Leo, confident and self assured. Amy doesn't quiver and give in, even as she navigates the brutal waters of paparazzi, royalty, and new in-laws.
This story was a fun, clean and current romance; it hints at reality but is also nicely situated between comedy and romance.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Friday, February 9, 2018
The Gate Keeper by Charles Todd
Inspector Ian Rutledge brought home more than just memories of the trenches in France, he brought the voice of a dead soldier, Hamish MacLeod. Keeping the memories and Hamish at bay for the past two years has forced Rutledge into the vigorous pursuit of the criminals lurking in the London countryside.
Restless after the wedding of his beloved sister, Frances, Rutledge goes for a drive on dark country roads. Running from the emptiness of his London flat, he drives straight into a messy murder, when he suddenly has to swerve to a stop to avoid a young woman whose hands are covered in blood and the body of a dead man at her feet.
Her story seems unbelievable. A man standing in the middle of the road stopped their car, and her companion, Stephen Wentworth, stepped out to see if he could help. They spoke. Then the man drew out a revolver and shot Wentworth point blank in the heart.
Now, intrigued and determined to avoid the loneliness of London, he begins digging into Wentworth's life. Piece by piece he unravels Wentworth's past, his secrets, but Rutledge struggles to find the piece that links to the cause of his death.
Charles Todd, a mother and son writing team, have, once again, woven the war, it's damage; the unique characters of Rutledge and Hamish; and a murder into a brilliant mystery. Characters become real, unique and rich as the writing team fleshes out the life of the victim. And, Rutledge, well, he remains the poignant, painful hero who cannot shake his demons.
Inspector Rutledge is at the top of my list of favorite detectives. He's real and the post-war world of England is drawn with the muted colors of a confusing time. I come back to Charles Todd each time a new book is released, and each time I am rewarded with exceptional story-telling and new insights into the people of the past.
Restless after the wedding of his beloved sister, Frances, Rutledge goes for a drive on dark country roads. Running from the emptiness of his London flat, he drives straight into a messy murder, when he suddenly has to swerve to a stop to avoid a young woman whose hands are covered in blood and the body of a dead man at her feet.
Her story seems unbelievable. A man standing in the middle of the road stopped their car, and her companion, Stephen Wentworth, stepped out to see if he could help. They spoke. Then the man drew out a revolver and shot Wentworth point blank in the heart.
Now, intrigued and determined to avoid the loneliness of London, he begins digging into Wentworth's life. Piece by piece he unravels Wentworth's past, his secrets, but Rutledge struggles to find the piece that links to the cause of his death.
Charles Todd, a mother and son writing team, have, once again, woven the war, it's damage; the unique characters of Rutledge and Hamish; and a murder into a brilliant mystery. Characters become real, unique and rich as the writing team fleshes out the life of the victim. And, Rutledge, well, he remains the poignant, painful hero who cannot shake his demons.
Inspector Rutledge is at the top of my list of favorite detectives. He's real and the post-war world of England is drawn with the muted colors of a confusing time. I come back to Charles Todd each time a new book is released, and each time I am rewarded with exceptional story-telling and new insights into the people of the past.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson
Slamming into a deer wasn't the way Evie Blackwell wanted to meet the sheriff of Carin, Illinois. Then again, she doesn't really remember meeting Gabriel Thane because she took a real knock to her head.
Evie wanted to arrive as the professional, veteran Illinois State Police detective that she is, prepared to initiate a new state task force on cold cases in Illinois starting in Carin. Of course, no one really wants her poking around, stirring up past pains and pain mixed with guilt is what surrounds the disappearance of the Florist family. Evie convinces Gabe that this time she will look in new directions, open new doors, make different connections, and she does.
Definitely, a procedural detective novel, the draw of the story lies in the character development and the puzzle in the plot. Thriller is not an adjective I would use for Traces of Guilt but it was assuredly fascinating.
Evie wanted to arrive as the professional, veteran Illinois State Police detective that she is, prepared to initiate a new state task force on cold cases in Illinois starting in Carin. Of course, no one really wants her poking around, stirring up past pains and pain mixed with guilt is what surrounds the disappearance of the Florist family. Evie convinces Gabe that this time she will look in new directions, open new doors, make different connections, and she does.
Definitely, a procedural detective novel, the draw of the story lies in the character development and the puzzle in the plot. Thriller is not an adjective I would use for Traces of Guilt but it was assuredly fascinating.
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