Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Just One Day



Ok ladies and gentleman...Just One Day by Sharla Lovelace is what I would loving refer to as a shnovel. And as such, my review will be short and sweet so as to save the juicy details for your reading pleasure when you decide to pick up this heartwarming book.

Although this book was a quick read at under 100 pages, it definitely packed a wallop. A turbulent 24 hours in the life of 44 year old Andie changed the path her life was headed down. I really enjoyed this book. Several surprises were well executed by the author. I was able to connected with these characters in such a short period of time. Something that often does not happen in books three times the length of this one. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels. Heart warming! And may I say "Thank you" for writing about a 40-something woman who is young at heart, vibrant, still sexy and not under a shawl in a rocking chair. Geesch what is it nowadays with authors thinking everyone in their 20s is where it is at? It is the 40s baby! Home run Sharla! I'll be checking out your other books soon! To those who will I am sure want to read Just One Day my recommendation... hold onto tight!

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand


I have truly savored reading The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand. My advice to anyone starting to read this novel is to have a supply of delicious gourmet chocolates at hand to sample while enjoying the sensuous descriptions Laura Florand so vividly writes. Oh, and a few cups of hot cocoa would be a special treat to yourself as well. I say all of this because this book does what few others do – it invokes all of the senses. I have never been to Paris and do not speak a word of French but throughout this novel I was immersed in all that is Parisian. I’m adding a trip to Paris to my bucket list for sure.

I have to remember that if all romance novel characters were cut from the same cloth, I would tire of reading their repeated stories book after book after book. Not every hero is a strong and perfect member of the male species. In The Chocolate Touch the hero, Dominique, has scars from his childhood that have affected him into his adult life. Jamie has scars of her own which she tries to hide at all costs. Dominique may need Jamie's healing touch possibly even more than she needs his. 

Now on the scale of hotness, I'd give Dominique a big fat "10"Oui Oui! Big and strong, thick soft dark hair, a yummy five-o'clock shadow (that he knows how to put to good use), leather jacket and a motorcycle. Oh Oui Oui indeed! The fellow on the cover is however NOT what I have pictured for Dominique. And Jamie is supposed to have short reddish hair not long brown hair as the book cover shows. But that's okay I never judge a book by its cover. 

The only thing that I found missing from this story was the suspense factor. The whole story is about their meeting, discovering each other and how their relationship evolves - that in and of itself is a good story. However, I would have liked for there to have been more depth – another layer – some problem going on that was not tied to Dom's or Jamie's emotional situation. Maybe someone stole his secret recipe for his award winning chocolate. Or people from Jamie’s recent past adventures are still trying to get to her and Dom saves the day. Just a little something more would have made this book perfect.

I recommend this book to everyone who loves a good romantic story. Especially when the *ahem* love scenes are quite steamy but not trashy. And to anyone who find Paris intriguing. 

And I am anxious to read the other two books in Laura Florand's Chocolate Series, The Chocolate Kiss and The Chocolate Rose.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

What's a Shnovel?

You probably won't find shnovel listed in Webster's Dictionary but according to the Urban Dictionary a shnovel is a story longer than a short story, yet shorter than a novel.

Shnovel also rhymes with novel which was necessary when trying to find a suitable blog name. It is quite a challenge being creative and also finding something that someone else is not already using. 

I have read several shnovels and I kind of like them. There is a favorite author of mine, Diana Gabaldon, and though she is known for writing 1,000 page novels (Outlander series), she has also been known to add a story to an anthology with other authors. These stories are what I would call a shnovel. They are a good 40 pages or so in length but quite satisfying. I'd say anything less than 150 pages should be consider a shnovel. 

Sometimes I want a full five course feast of a book that will consume my every possible free moment of time for a week or more. Sometimes I just want an hors d'oeuvres version that I can consume quickly and will tide me over for the meantime.




So now you know the story behind the name of my blog.... Novel Shnovel. I just have to figure out how to add the word shnovel to my computer's internal dictionary so it will stop,auto correcting it to shovel! That is truly driving me crazy!

Do you know of any good shnovels? I'd love some recommendations!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Hotshot - by Julie Garwood

 Hotshot by Julie Garwood available August 6, 2013

This book had more of a thriller/suspense story going on than I usually read. I must say, I liked it. I’ll have to keep my eye open for more of the same. I’d seen Julie Garwood’s books around for a long time now and have added her to my TBR (to be read) list in the past but just never seemed to get to any of her books. That will change! I am definitely going to put her higher on my list and see if she is able to grab my interest with another story as much as she did with Hotshot.

The heroine, Peyton Lockhart, is a likeable young woman. She has had more than her fair share of bad luck with guys and the same bad luck; it would seem, with jobs. The story line is the good old “damsel in distress” but given that the hero is an FBI agent, could you expect anything less? Peyton is however not the typical pathetic weepy weak “damsel” that is the norm in so many books. Peyton is able to hold her own in a way that makes me pump my fist and holler “You go girl!” Still, it is swoon-worthy when childhood friend and FBI agent, Finn McBain, comes to her aid on several occasions. Of course the fact that he is hot-hot-hot and super good at his job (hence the nickname Hotshot) would certainly make any girl enjoy having him come to her rescue.

The story has several different conflicts woven in and that kept it interesting but did lead to it being somewhat less believable. I found myself thinking that there is no way one person can handle this much bad luck happening to them and not find themselves crawled into a ball and asking for anxiety medicine. Maybe if Peyton had a vice (kick boxing?) that she could take it all out on, then the poor girl could have believably handled all that was thrown her way.

All in all I liked the book and will recommend it to anyone who likes romance mixed with action, drama and suspense.

I was provided a ARC of this book by Penguin Group Dutton in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Welcome to Novel Shnovel

Hello fellow book lover! Welcome to my blog. Let me start by introducing myself, well sort of, I am an avid reader. That is pretty much all anyone needs to know about me for now. I love books! I have not always loved books. In my youth I hated to read. What was I thinking?! Why did I never give the written word a chance? I think I was just in too much of a hurry to slow down and appreciate the world that I could see through the pages of a good book. Now that I am older (ahem) and wiser (ok, don't ask my kids if I am wiser) I know the pleasure that is being consumed by a well written story. To be transported to another place and/or time, to meet fasinating people, to "see" every nook and cranny of this world (and others) and "taste and smell" exotic things...what's not to love? There is no comparison, as far as I am concerned, between the picture you paint in your mind as you are reading a talented author's descriptions and what happens when you watch a movie. There is a disconnect when watching a movie. Of course a movie can be very entertaining, but do you see yourself in the movie? When I read a book I weave what I see through my own mind's eye into the story and find that I can be quite creative in my own right.

So it is because of my love of fiction that I am starting this blog. My taste tends to jump around alot but I pretty much stay somewhere within the genre of romance. I'll read the occasional light romance (what I refer to as Lifetime movie versions in book form) and I can get quite drawn into historical and fantasy series'. Sometimes I want something I can read in a night or two. Sometimes I want something I can really "sink my teeth" into and stay enthralled in for a week or more. I am talking a big 1,000 page saga. So, climb aboard and see where this adventure takes us. As I get a handle on this blog and how to work the blogger program, I would like to expand it to involve my followers more and more. Enjoy the ride!