The Penguin Book of Infidelities

Having just read a couple of novels where the plot involved adultery, I found myself keen to re-read this collection. The Penguin Book of Infidelities, edited by Stephen Brook, is a rich collection of literature on the subject of marital and/or sexual infidelity. The selections include poetry, fictional accounts, letters, and historical records. Brook's stated …

Writing Tips – Character Goals

Further to my entry of a few weeks ago, Is it Hot in Here?, I've been working on my characters and story.  As cherryreads commented, they are intertwined, which makes it more complicated. Today I came across some helpful writing advice. In How to Write a Romance Novel: The Keys to Conflict, romance editor Jennifer …

Cinderella

I don't usually do movie reviews, but this is my blog and I make the rules. I just saw the new live action Cinderella, and loved it. It's a remake of Disney's animated version, so we still have friendly and remarkably long lived mice, among other familiar elements, but there have been several minor tweaks …

Death’s Master

Tanith Lee is a prolific writer of fantasy, though under that umbrella she has done everything from children's books to science fiction to YA Romance (a teen and a robot). My first encounter was a serendipitous discovery of Night's Master in a used book store near my high school, many years ago.Even at that young …

The Ghost and Miss Demure

Melanie Jackson's The Ghost and Miss Demure(2010) is a paranormal romance, from the Love Spell series of Dorchester Publishing. No idea who they are, but obviously Harlequin is not the only game in town. Karo has burned her bridges at work. Her boyfriend/boss stole her historical research and published it as his own. A lesser …

Where’s Daddy?

My reading of romance novels is too erratic and sporadic to identify trends, but I have noticed a disturbing pattern in many books. Last summer I read several books featuring women who were single, but either pregnant or with a new baby. More recently I have read several books featuring single women with a child …

A Princess of Mars

Romances are not the only books I read, but that is the subject of this blog, and it would be irresponsible of me to wander off into action, fantasy, or science-fiction. Yet the boundaries between genres are fuzzy. There are suspense and para-normal romances, and I'm sure science-fiction romances are out there too. A Princess …

Valentine’s Day

I'm working on my review of Flirting with Ruin, but meanwhile it's Valentine’s Day - and there is the usual litany of complaints. It’s too commercial, there’s too much pressure, it’s not easy being single, this couple stuff offends my happy single life, my partner never gives a thoughtful gift, you should love your partner …