Tuesday, January 29, 2013
One Good Pirate Deserves a Novel
But this one is pretty damned brilliant.
This easily has the most fascinating heroine I have ever read. I love her. She's adorable. She's such a little nerd who can name every bone in her body--and she's the utter "straight man" of delivering dialogue. She will say something, perfectly in earnest, and you will howl when you read it, fall off the bed, scare the dogs, and keep laughing. Then you'll stay up until 3 a.m. still reading the book. Even if you don't do that sort of thing. You won't be able to help yourself.
Because Lady Phillippa Marbury is odd. In the best and most entertaining ways.
She is going to marry in a couple weeks, but being the devoted scientist she is, she wants to research FUN. Basically all the things that won't happen after she is married because she knows her fiance is a sweet and simple guy. Very basic. And she thinks of him at best as a friend. But what she wants to know about is ruination, specifically coitus. So she has sought out London's best expert, Cross, who is one of the partners of a famous gaming hell, The Fallen Angel. He's positively famous for his...coitus.
Cross, of course, wishes she would stop saying that word. He also wishes that his clothes were a bit more cooperative about pulling themselves on his body when he discovers a proper lady in his room, correcting his ledgers and asking about coitus. He also wishes she would leave and never, ever return. But you know what? You don't always get what you wish for. For Cross, his life will never ever be the same since Pippa stepped foot in it. Ah, love.
And I've only described the book to page 13. It just gets better (or worse, if you're the characters) from there. I had absolutely no idea how these two characters were going to end up together, but I knew it was imperative they did so. They needed each other. And these characters try to screw it up right up until the last few desperate pages. It's a nail biter. Even though it's a ROMANCE and the very definition requires these two row together at the end.
But for a bit you do wonder. The hero does his best to screw this up.
It was pretty magical. I loved the sexual tension and the chemistry between the characters; I loved how well-drawn the characters were; and I *ADORED* Pippa. She was adorable. And smart and witty and sweet--and so worth reading about her happy ending.
So go get the book. Ensure that Ms. Maclean is going to continue to write brilliant, lovely, touching (and sexy!) books for many years to come.
What are you reading this week? Or what are you most looking forward to reading this year?
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15 comments:
What am I looking forward to? Well, for some insane reason, I decided to read The DaVinci Code the other day and just discovered there will be a second book by Dan Brown featuring Langdon.
There is always the new JD Robb... and Terri's book to look forward to.
I finished the confetti edits yesterday on Lorelei's Song. (The edits where the editor highlights every repetitive word with a different color, making your pages look like a parade threw up on it.)
This means I can read something. Until the next edit request comes. I'm hoping a new Craig Johnson will come out...I found some shorts by him the other night so I think I'll read them today.
Or maybe I'll download this book and read it!
Helli, you have excelled yourself today.
If I have ever criticised you in the past, I withdraw it all now. You are a wonderful reviewer!
Your review is almost as good as Janga's on Jan 15'th ..... and its hard to steal a march on that smart lady! LOL
I can only repeat my comment from Janga's blog:
I like that this book has a scientific heroine though the proposed scientific research sounds like a caricature of the real deal .... I am prepared to suspend belief in the interests of a good yarn. LOL
I have enjoyed other novels with scientific heroines. Amanda Quick's 'Ravished' had a lady palaeontologist and that book introduced me to Jayne Ann Krentz and her many pseudonyms; Adele Ashworth's 'My darling Caroline' had a botanist struggling to achieve recognition in a man's world which again led me to read more of that author's work .... particularly after her 'author of the month' appearance on the EJ/JQ-BB.
As I have a precedent for liking scientific heroines, I will definitely try this one!
Especially after the huge thumbs up from Helli! LOL
It also comes out on Jan 29th, the same as Manda's latest book on Amazon UK.
The omens are good! LOL
Did you notice the time shift within my comment. Inspired by watching Hermione using the time turner in a Harry Potter film last night. LOL
Just finished reading Jennifer Blake's 'Louisiana Dawn' and am currently reading Kleypas's 'Only with your Love'
Next in line will be Manda Collins and Sarah Maclean ..... What a feast! LOL
AND for the more distant future I'm longing to get my hands on Terri .... er her book that is! LOL
Mo, I really did like reading the Da Vinci Code. (I didn't like the movie as much because I never bought into it that Tom Hanks could be Langdon. Now I have a professor on campus here, who looks a bit like Bruce Willis, but since he has a Ph.D. is clearly a smart cookie--he would have been a good one to cast. I could believe he'd kick some ass and figure things out in time.) I'll have to check out the newest.
I'm reading James Rollins' newest: Blood Gospel. I've read two books--three? by him, and the first was very interesting but kinda a quagmire to wade through of history and such, but still good. The others I've read seemed to have better character development and featured history I knew bits about, so I wasn't as mired in researching to figure out what the hell I was reading. *LOL* This one is again with some history I know, so we're good. *LOL*
Why thank you, Q! I do love a glowing compliment from you. Yes, I agree her scientific inquiry isn't exactly "deep" but believe me, she's adorably nerdy. Her sister shows off her ring--a ruby--and Pippa explains that a certain something-sciencey makes it RED. The sister looks at her like I would have. No idea what she's talking about. *LOL*
Really, it's the yarn stuff that I like. As I said, she makes a marvelous "straight man" for dialogue. She's so earnest and doesn't get why so many of the things she says are so...inappropriate. *LOL* I love dialogue--but this story is more than dialogue. I felt the characters were well-drawn as well. Well-motivated, real.
And hey, Maclean wrote it for all us girls who wear glasses. Who couldn't love that?
And I adore that you just referenced Hermione by the way. *LOL* ADORE IT!
No wonder my ears were burning! (Or should that be my keyboard?) Thanks Mo & Q!
Mo - Angels & Demons is Langdon and it's been out for years. It's even a movie. :)
I'm reading a book that Janga recommended by Janice Kay Johnson called A HOMETOWN BOY. Written before the events in Newtown but a similar situation. Hero's brother (mentally ill) goes on rampage and kills people in their hometown, including the father of the heroine.
Lots of dark emotions and the questions you'd expect when something like this happens. What could we have done? How could we have prevented It? How do we carry on now? All very well handled.
Considering I've bought about 30 books since Jan 1 and still really want to dive into MacLean's books (and Manda's!), I can't begin to list what I'm looking forward to.
Of course, we're eagerly awaiting your book, Terri. I mean, it's only been five...six years in the making. It's like waiting for a Rowling novel.
I remember when Janga recommended that book. Damn. That would be even harder to read now. I'm glad it's all very well handled though. Sounds like a good read.
I can! I put my name down for FOUR different books coming out in the next few weeks: Higgins, Medeiros, Gracie, and Hoyt. I won't know what to read first!!
Oh, the new Higgins. I'm pretty sure I've preordered that one.
This book is on the top of my TBR pile if I ever get some reading time again!
Sabrina, of course, you'll get reading time again...hopefully. Soon.
I love your review, Hellie. I am always persuaded that a review that reflects my opinion is inspired and insightful. Yours definitely does. And Pippa is wonderful!
I've read The Best Man by Kristan Higgins and The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie, both of which I love. I'll be reading the Medeiros today, and I look forward to the new Hoyt. Others I'm looking forward to before the next big group of releases on February 26 include Grace Burrowes's Lady Eve's Indiscretion and Maggie Robinson's Captain Durant's Countess.
Janga, I have the same feeling about others' reviews that reflect my opinion about the book. "Oh, they're so brilliant! How true!" *LOL*
I got a call today that my Medeiros book is at my favorite store, so I can pick up my copy, but I have a while to wait for Hoyt and Gracie and Higgins, but I can wait. *sighs* I *DID* accidentally get my hands on an ARC copy of the Grace Burrowes' book listed, but haven't read her other books. Still, I would like to try it.
Best thing about a new year: the crop of new books to read! *LOL*
Which reminds me: I need to track down Manda's books too!! I have the first one, but got bogged by other books when the second came out--so I need to catch up and rave about the other two.:)
Love your review, Hellie and love, love LOVE Pippa and Cross!
I've read the Medeiros and Gracie books and highly recommend them. I especially love the premise of the new series from Gracie.
A March debut that I adore is WHAT HAPPENS IN SCOTLAND by Jennifer McQuiston. It's a historical Scottish riff on The Hangover and wonderfully written. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Looking forward to the Hoyt, Higgins and Ridgway books.
Thanks, PJ! I am looking way forward to the Gracie novel, as I always do...and the McQuiston book sounds hilarious (though in real life, I didn't care for the Hangover movies)--still, I think as a book caper set in more Regency times, it could work. *LOL* Will definitely have to try it!
There's a lot of humor in the McQuiston book, Hellie but also a lot of heart. It's a beautiful balance of the two.
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