The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

I'm already in the mood for Christmas!  OK, fine, I was never really out of the mood for Christmas.  Still...

My favorite Christmas activity is watching all the Hallmark Christmas movies.  I love them!  And one of my favorites (Top 5) just happens to be The Mistletoe Promise.  Which, incidentally, is not out on DVD/BluRay.  This hurts my heart.  Hallmark, are you reading this??

Anyway...

As previously stated, The Mistletoe Promise was made into a Hallmark movie.  As soon as I found out it was based on a Richard Paul Evans novel, I just had to snap it up.  I'm glad I did.  As is so often the case, the book was so much better than the movie.  Sadly, Hallmark actually gutted the story.  The Hallmark movie barely resembles the book.  I understand why Hallmark did it, but I still like the book much better.  (Not to worry, I'll still buy the  movie if it comes out on DVD/BluRay.)

As for the book:

The Mistletoe Promise is not a long book by any means.  I easily read it in just a few hours.  Honestly, I couldn't put it down.  Richard Paul Evans's writing is easy to read.  The prose flows easily and is simply enjoyable.  Neither scholarly nor elementary, the writing hits the Goldilocks zone -- just right.  It's perfect for a weekend read.

Likewise, the plot and pacing of the book are also in the Goldilocks zone.  There is some depth to the plot, but the book never gets too weighty.  Yes, the issues that give the story depth are heart wrenching, but because the author doesn't dwell on them and drag them out they don't detract from enjoying what is ultimately a great and relaxing weekend read.

I really did like the characters in The Mistletoe Promise.  Elise is believable and relatable.  She is very much every one of us.  In Elise I saw facets of myself, as I'm sure others will too.  Elise was well written with compassion and understanding -- something all of us want, which is why I was drawn to her.  Nick was also a good character.  He wasn't as well rounded as Elise, nor did he enjoy the same character development, but he was still a good character and was exactly what the story (and Elise) needed.

All things considered, I would recommend this book to anyone.  There is nothing objectionable -- no profanity, no sex, no questionable morals or ethics.  This book is a simple, sweet, utterly enjoyable read.  A perfect holiday read, but also a book that can be enjoyed any time.  Just because the story is set at Christmastime doesn't mean it should be limited to Christmas time.

Happy reading!

Trading Christmas by Debbie Macomber

'Tis the season!  Well the season for reading Christmas books, that is.  And believe me, I have plenty in my stack to read!  Because I like Hallmark Christmas movies so much, I decided to start with a sappy sweet Hallmark-esque book.  As Trading Christmas had been made into a Hallmark movie, I figured this was a good one to start with.  Let me just say, the book and the movie only share very loose similarities.  Very loose similarities!

Overall the book was fine.  It really is only a short story, not even a full length novel.  The author's ability to write clear, concise sentences with acceptable vocabulary was about what I would have expected from a bestselling author in this genre.  Certainly, the writing isn't scholarly, but I don't expect scholarly from romance.  In fact, from a purely technical aspect, I find Debbie Macomber to be one of the better romance writers.  Her style isn't complex, but it is sound and enjoyable. 

Likewise, I found the characters in this book appealing.  Although this wasn't a full length novel, I had no problem enjoying the characters.  I found the characters to be real and easy to identify with.  The only character that wasn't as well developed was Heather, Emily's daughter.  Of course, she was a supporting character, but she was still flat and, frankly, not very likable at all.  I truly enjoyed the character of Bernice Brewster.  Although another supporting character, she was quite enjoyable and entertaining.  Flamboyant and dramatic, she was still lovable and made me smile every time she showed up in the story.  As Charles and Ray's mother, she brought fun and humor to a story that would otherwise have suffered from being too serious.

The story itself was also easy to identify with, in as much as, it is a story about the changes a family faces as a child grows up and Christmas traditions are turned upside down.  Now perhaps few people would have dealt with these changes quite on the level of trading residences, but that doesn't matter.  It does happen in "real life" so at least it is still believable.  And honestly, I enjoyed this perhaps unorthodox way of dealing with change.  It opened up a lot of avenues for the story to develop that otherwise simply wouldn't have been there.

Perhaps my only real complaint is that the story felt rushed.  I attribute this to the fact that this isn't a full length novel.  However, that does detract some from my enjoyment of the story.  I do believe the story would have been better served had it been written as a full length novel. 

All things considered, I do recommend this book as an enjoyable Christmas read.  Due to its abbreviated nature, it would be very easy to cozy up in a blanket and read this story in one sitting.  There really isn't anything objectionable in this book so I can safely say anybody could read Trading Christmas with no worries whatsoever.  However, that being said, I do believe this book will appeal mostly to the mid-30s and beyond set.

At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon

Sometimes you just need a nice book.  A book that is sweet and serene without all the things that I don't like about this world.  There are plenty of things I do like, but it seems the entertainment industry, including books, focuses on nothing but meaningless sex, gratuitous violence and vulgar language.  My life is stressful and sometimes I just need to escape to a world that can simply be called "nice". 

And sometimes you miss the people who meant so much to you at one point in your life.  At Home In Mitford is of course the first book in the Mitford Series by Jan Karon.  My grandmother and her sister loved these books.  I'm fairly certain they both  had the complete set. (At least what had been published up to the point of their deaths.)  I now wish I had my grandmother's set.  I chose to read these books because I was missing my Granny and Aunt Elaine.

And sometimes you reread a book because it reminds you of a time in your life that was good.  A brief time in a very hard and hurtful time that was good and there seemed there might be hope for the future.  That is why I reread this first book.  I originally read this book when my son, who is now graduated and in the Army, was in the fourth grade.  We had no money back then.  And by no money, I mean no money.  I was checking books out at the library to feed my insatiable need to read.  My last $20 had gone to pay for my son's enrollment in a city flag football league.  I would take this book to his practices and read.  It was kind of nice really.  It was autumn and the evenings were pleasantly cool and I would read this book and watch practice.  Times were tough, I was still hiding from my son's father, money was tight, and I was deep in depression, but on the cool autumn nights of practice, with this book in my hands, things didn't seem so bad.

So it was with these thoughts and memories that I decided to read the Mitford Series.  I remembered a small amount from my first reading, but I must say I truly enjoyed this reread.  With about 10 years between my original reading and this reading, I of course, bring new understanding and a different outlook to this most recent reading.  Thankfully that did not change my enjoyment of the book.  I still appreciate the kindness of the book.  I love the simplicity and decentness of the book.  Although the author pretty much simply writes about the day to day life of a village priest, the book drew me in and lulled me into a nostalgic state of mind with the beauty of small town American life.

One thing I can say with certainty is that I truly do appreciate Jan Karon's writing style.  What I like about her writing style is that it's not boring.  And by this I mean she clearly has a strong grasp of proper grammar.  Likewise her writing is robust with varied sentence complexity and a good vocabulary.  I appreciate that she is not verbose and overwrought.  Her writing mirrors the dignity of the book she has written.

As for the mechanics of plot, pacing, etc, I find I am perfectly happy with this book.  While the book meanders calmly through every day life in a small North Carolina village, it doesn't lack for plot.  There is a plot, after all life has a plot, if you will.  We don't meander aimlessly through life.  As such, this book does not meander aimlessly along.  Things happen, there are some mysteries to be solved, and a few things from the past that need understanding.  So while the book is not fast paced, it still moves at the speed of village life and that suits this story just fine.

I can also say that the characters are all lovable.  Some, of course, more than others, but each character will endear itself to you in one way or another.  Just like the people you encounter in your own life.  I must admit though, my favorite character is very likely Miss Sadie.  Yes, I do thoroughly enjoy the main character, Father Tim.  He's wonderful and real and very likable.  But Miss Sadie.  She just gets into your heart and you can't help but appreciate the kind, genteel lady with a big generous heart.

All things considered, I can't recommend this book enough.  This book is a soothing balm to my soul once again in a trying time.  But what I like most is that I can recommend this book to anyone.  I can recommend this book to teens or adults and know that I'm not exposing anyone to anything offensive.  I would most certainly not relegate this book to only a beach read or a weekend read.  Certainly this book could be a quick read, but I find I enjoy reading this book bundled up under a blanket with a hot cup of tea.  I love to read this book slowly and just savor the tranquility of Mitford.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I'm sure there isn't a person alive who hasn't heard of "If I Stay". I truly had high hopes for this book. I know a lot of this book's popularity stemmed from the movie hype. Despite that, I honestly thought maybe the book had merit on it's own. Imagine my disappointment when I learned how wrong that assumption was. I thought surely they wouldn't make a movie out of a mediocre book. Obviously I've learned nothing from the ''Twilight'' debacle.

Technically speaking, I had no real complaints with the book. The author's technical ability is about what I'd expect from your typical YA author today. It pains me to say that, but it's true. Although I don't agree with it, it seems the publishing powers that be don't expect much from their YA authors in terms of technicality. Truthfully, I believe the demand for quality writing has all but disappeared across all demographics. However, that is an entirely separate post.

Back to the technical aspects of this book. As previously stated, the author's writing was about on the level of what I expected. The prose was certainly not beautiful as in some books I've had the pleasure to read, but neither did I feel as though a child had written the book. The writing was easy enough to read although I would have preferred a bit more "grownup" writing. Thankfully the author was not a fan of endlessly using the same phrase and her vocabulary, though not scholarly, was sufficient. 

Perhaps the simplistic writing is why the characters felt very shallow and one dimensional. I truly did not connect emotionally with any of the characters. Yes, there were times throughout the book where certain situations made me tear up, but a book like this should have ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Instead I found myself responding emotionally to a line here or there that reminded me of something in my life. For example, at one point Mia states in her narration, ''I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up." While I understood why Mia was saying this, the tear in my eye was not for a character I really couldn't connect with, but for myself and all the times I've felt like that. 

The premise of this book was so incredibly promising. This book should have been an incredibly emotional read. Instead I was left feeling like that's it? By the end of the book I was completely unfulfilled and incredibly disappointed. I feel like the author really missed the mark. The length of the book seems too short as well, but I wonder if that may simply be a result of a completely unfulfilling read. In fact, I'm almost sure of it.

As for age appropriateness, there really isn't anything horrid in the book. My only caution would be to warn that there is considerable use of the "F-word". There is also mention of premarital sex, but no detail. Ultimately, I'd say this book is safe for its intended audience. 

All things considered, I truly believe there are better books out there that would be more fulfilling. However, if you're looking for a quick, easy read, this book will do. 

An Unexpected Wife by Cheryl Reavis

As usual a too busy life with far more distractions than any one person should have has pushed me into the clutches of another romance novel. I complain about this genre despite the fact that I’m actually grateful for it. The one good thing about a romance novel is that I don’t have to think about what I’m reading, it is quick reading, and if I happen to put it down for an extended time, it is easy to pick up again.

This book is from the Love Inspired division of Harlequin. I quite literally just figured out who publishes the Love Inspired line of books when I typed the preceding line, and that really explains so much! I chose this book from the Love Inspired books because I don’t need or want to read something that amounts to nothing more than poorly written porn.

Unfortunately, I was not very impressed with this book. As I have spent the last 20 years actively participating Civil War era living history I determined before even reading the first page that I would not judge this book on it’s historical accuracy or proper portrayal of the period in question. As a Daughter of the Confederacy I further determined that I would not judge the book based on its portrayal of Reconstruction. Had I judged the book on any of the foregoing, the book would have received negative stars. Of course one look at the cover art told me historical accuracy wasn’t this book’s strong suit anyway.

I will say that the author’s ability to write in a coherent manner was appreciated. With romance books it is so hit and miss when it comes to author ability. Cheryl Reavis thankfully writes in an engaging style that doesn’t leave me feeling as though I’ve just read a grade school book. Certainly the writing is not scholarly, but that is hardly to be expected in any of today’s mainstream books.

The characters in this book were about what I would expect in the romance genre. Unfortunately, I found the main characters to be less than engaging. Don’t get me wrong, they were OK. I simply found the character of Sergeant Major Perkins to be far more appealing. In all honesty, I am hoping to see a book written for Sergeant Major Perkins! I do believe that would be a very good book.

While the main characters didn’t catch my attention as much as they should have, I will say that at least the author did allow them to develop. In fact, Kate (the female lead), truly seemed to grow up and come into her own through the course of the book. With Robert (the male lead) we had to take the author’s word for the changes in his character through other character’s thoughts and conversations, but even at that, the way it was written just worked.

The plot was OK. I don’t like to write much about plot because I don’t want to spoil the books I review for other readers. Please forgive my vagueness. All I can really say about the plot is that the climax of the story seemed rather farfetched and quite engineered. Yes, it served it’s purpose, but I truly believe there were better options available to the author.

All things considered, I’m not sure I would recommend this book. Certainly it wasn’t horrible, but neither can I say it was even average. This book simply didn’t work for me. However, should you find you want to read the book, I can assure you there is nothing in this book that a reader might find objectionable. In fact, this book is safe even for a teen to read.

The Innocent by David Baldacci

I had never read a book by David Baldacci prior to this. I honestly had no idea what to expect. And I had no other reading material handy when I started this book. It is unfortunate, but I have become very skeptical of new authors. And by new, I mean new to my experience. It is my understanding that Mr. Baldacci is in fact not new to the literary scene.

A funny thing happened when I picked up this book. I couldn't put it down! I read the first half in one sitting! Admittedly this is one of about three books that I've read from this particular genre. That being said, I claim no extensive or technical knowledge of this genre. But I do know books and I do know what makes a good book.

I can't really complain about Mr. Baldacci's writing style.  It certainly doesn't follow the structure, usage and vocabulary of the classics, but neither is it so sophomoric as to be laughable.  (I'm sure my usual readers know to which author I refer, thus I will leave it alone and spare you my usual rant.)  I found Mr. Baldacci's writing style easy to read and varied enough so as not to become boring.

Mr. Baldacci's characters were interesting and I would say unique.  Of course with my limited experience in this genre, I suppose there is the chance that these characters are really not all that unique for this given genre.  However, for my limited experiences, I found the characters unique.  And one thing that doesn't rely upon my experience of the genre is character development.  I will say that the character development was about what I would expect of mainstream literature.  It was not exactly surprising, but neither was it completely flat or nonexistent.  Given the structure of the story, I would say that the development fit the setting and plot.

And the plot...  Well now here is the sticking point for me.  I don't know if I've simply read too much for my own good or if writers are just that predictable lately.  I found the plot, twists and all, to be rather predictable.  I also found much in this book to be rather far fetched.  In the opening sequence, Robie (the main character) pulls off what seems to be a rather impossible assassination.  And then in the space of a few pages, pulls off another seemingly impossible assassination.  Now, I'm no spy nor am I an assassin (obviously), but these scenes really lacked a feeling of reality.  It was as if Robie was larger than life., a demigod amongst mere mortals.

Now fast forward to Robie's return home and the introduction of the other main character, Julie.  Julie is introduced as a teen from a troubled home that still manages to excel in school and stay out of trouble despite being in and out of the foster system.  She sneaks out of her foster home as though it is nothing and apparently has done this fairly often.  Again, this all lacks that ring of authenticity so necessary to make it believable.

The circumstances that then bring Robie and Julie together simply are over the top.  In fact, everything is over the top.  I don't want to give away anything by getting too detailed, but the problems that Robie and Julie face as they work through the mystery that brought them together kept me thinking that if Robie was the professional he had been presented as at the start of the book, then most of what happened to him and Julie really shouldn't have happened. 

Despite this, I still liked the book.  Maybe the plot was a bit over the top.  And, yes, I could predict when the next problem was going to crop up and what that problem was going to be.  I found by the time I closed the book, predictability and all, I still enjoyed the book.  Somehow, and in a way I simply can't explain, the book worked for me.  Perhaps, it was the fact that I did with this book what I do when I watch any of the Fast and Furious movies:  I simply threw away the laws of physics, ignored the little voice in my head that said, No way!  That wouldn't fly.  The cops would be all over that in a hot minute! and just enjoyed the book for what it is:  entertainment.  Not everything has to be realistic to be enjoyable.  If that were the case, there wouldn't be a science fiction of fantasy genre at all and fictional books dealing with the military, FBI, CIA, law enforcement, etc. simply wouldn't exist.  So, when you read this book, give the little voice in your head the day off and just enjoy the book. 

As for the audience this book is appropriate for:  I would say very mature older teens and adults.  There is no graphic sex, however there is a lot of killing.  As I often say: a really whole lot!  And some of it is disturbing.  In fact, my son is 17 and I would not hand him this book and tell him it was a good book and give it a read.  I would also recommend that some of my gentler readers simply not even attempt this book.  If you don't enjoy shows like Criminal Minds, I wouldn't recommend this book for you.  If Criminal Minds makes you uncomfortable, read something else.

All things considered, The Innocent by David Baldacci will make a good weekend read this winter.  And if you like it enough, Mr. Baldacci has plenty of other books both in his series about Robie and in his other series.  You will certainly not lack for reading material if you wish to explore more of his books.

Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

I actually liked the first book in this series. (Review here: http://thewellreadfloridian.blogspot.com/2012/10/fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james.html ) I wish I could say the same for this second book. In James’ first book she had at least a passable vocabulary. In this book, I did not see the same. At least there were still a few complex sentences scattered about the book. Despite that, it seemed the overall writing went downhill. I also noticed more repetition in this book. If I read the phrase “inner goddess” one more time I swear I will gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon!

Further, the book simply did not hold my attention. It took me weeks to read this book. That is uncommon. I simply could not get into this book. Frankly I found it boring. The author in no way caught my attention in this second book as she did in the first. In fact, I only finished the book out of pure stubbornness. I paid good money for this book, so by God I’m gonna finish it!

Now I will say that the characters did show a bit of development in this installment of the Fifty Shades series. I can’t say that they developed in any surprising way. As with the first books the characters and the character development was clichéd and very predictable.

The one thing I was very thankful for was that this book was not quite as “educational” as the last. Admittedly it was still quite sexually explicit, but to my relief, it didn’t embarrass me this time. Perhaps because the sex was more vanilla in this book?

I still would not recommend this book or this series for the younger reader or the timid reader. Neither would I recommend these books for the easily offended. And, if you’re open minded and don’t mind graphic sex, I’d only recommend this book if you’re truly interested in reading the whole series. Frankly, I fear this series will go the way of the Twilight series it was based on -- steadily downhill with each installment.

Regency Christmas Magic by Various Authors

Regency Christmas Magic by Amanda McCabe, Allison Lane, Edith Layton, Barbara Metzger, Sandra Heath


As I do every Christmas, I just had to indulge in a good sappy Christmas read.  I always make it a point to read at least one Regency Christmas romance during the Christmas season.  Although I will admit I sometimes indulge in one of my Christmas books in the middle of summer!

This particular book was a mixed bag. I find this often happens with short story anthologies. Overall, I’d say the book was “ok”. I liked it, but speaking generally of the book, it didn’t exactly take my breath away. That said, certain stories within the anthology were great and I really enjoyed them.

My one complaint about this book was that it really took the whole “Christmas Magic” thing to heart. I wasn’t thinking in terms of “real” magic when I picked the book up. I thought the magic in the title referred more to an improbable match that worked out more than the whole concept of magic and fairies, etc. Not generally something that I would associate with the Christmas season.

The first short story in the book was “Upon a Midnight Clear” by Amanda McCabe. Now I truly enjoyed this story about two lonely souls, one far from home and the other suffering the after effects of a major trauma that left him scarred for life. I’m a sucker for sad characters like Captain Payne. And an even bigger sucker for happy endings where the downtrodden find happiness.

The second story was “The Ultimate Magic” by Allison Lane. This story really didn’t appeal to me. The whole story seemed a bit contrived and was rather forced. Throughout the story the leads really didn’t seem to see each other as a love interest. There was no spark. Then suddenly, in an effort to finish the story in the allotted space, they declared their love and found themselves in a passionate embrace. Huh? Where did that come from? It just sort of blindsided me. This story could have been left out of the anthology and it would have been fine.

The third story was “The Two Dancing Daughters” by Edith Layton. This story I liked. Again, we have a wounded male lead who ends up happy by the end of the story. The story itself was a little far fetched. I found the supporting character of the father to be a bit unbelievable and the ending of the story was a bit contrived, but I don’t want to give anything away by discussing that. Truthfully, the things I didn’t like about the story didn’t detract enough from the things I did like to make me give it a low rating.

The fourth story was “The Enchanted Earl” by Barbara Metzger. This story wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. I’m a sucker for any “remake” of the Beauty and the Beast story so I enjoyed this story simply because it was a different take on Beauty and the Beast.

And the last story was “Green Gauze Gown” by Sandra Heath. I really can’t say I liked this story. It was OK, but it really didn’t resonate with me. I found that surprising since there was another wounded male lead in this story as well. I think what detracted from this story was the whole fairy thing. Had that been left out, I think I would have enjoyed the story much more. I just found it much too far fetched. Especially the ending about the dress. That was really the deal breaker for me. Again, I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t go into more detail.

All in all, the book is fine for a quick read. However, there are better collections of Christmas short stories out there. I would skip this book and try something else if you’re interested in a truly satisfying holiday read.

Lone Star Marine by Cathie Linz

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I always judge mind candy (aka: romance) on a much more forgiving scale than I judge other books. I especially go easy on the Silhouette/Harlequin books. Even so, this book came up short. Very short.

I don’t know about you, but when I pick up a book of this type I am looking for entertaining, easy reading that doesn’t require much of me. At least on one count (doesn’t require much of me) this book succeeded. I certainly didn’t have to use my brain to follow this book. However, the author felt it was necessary to preach and that pretty much killed the entertaining criteria. I get that bullying is bad, terrible in fact, and I in no way condone such behavior. Despite that, I do not need to be lectured, in the guise of a character’s conversation, with the statistics of bullying and how bad it is. I already know this. Furthermore, I did not pick this book up to be educated. If the author felt the need to educate the general reading public about bullying, I would suggest that it might be more productive to tackle the subject head on as opposed to trying to address the topic in a romance novel of all things.

Other than the aforementioned issue, the book was OK. The story wasn’t especially inventive nor were the characters especially original, but I wasn’t really expecting either attribute in a Silhouette/Harlequin book so I wasn’t exactly disappointed. As we all know, I have a soft spot for Marines, especially injured ones, so I was able to enjoy Tom’s character and that helped a little.

I suppose if you can get past being preached at throughout a book that should be light and entertaining, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s fine for a weekend read if you really don’t want to invest much into it. However, if you’re looking for something with a little more quality, I’d suggest another book.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

To avoid simply rewriting my review of Twilight, I submit the following:

New Moon was not as good as Twilight, but was still angsty mind candy, which, when I'm in the mood is acceptable. Even so, you can only forgive so much. I judge mind candy on a much easier scale than other books, but this book still fell short. Too much cliché and too little character development. Not to mention, the author seems to have forgotten that complex sentences are acceptable and even needed in good fiction. But, again, this is mind candy. And as such, while it didn't pull me in as the first one did, it was still an enjoyable weekend book.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

People who know I've read the Twilight series ask why I haven't reviewed it. Honestly? Is there a soul with a pulse that is unaware of my total lack of regard for Stephenie Meyer's writing abilities? Or shall I say lack thereof? However, in an effort to please my readers, here it is:

Twilight, the first book in Meyer's cliched, poorly written, mind numbing series actually got a 5-star rating from me. Surprised? So was I. But let me tell you why, then I'll tell you why I should have given this book a zero star rating.

I loved the book for what it was: an angsty piece of mind candy. I didn't read the book expecting great literature and because of this, I was able to enjoy the book. This book had enough melodrama to keep me hooked. And as long as I'm in the mood for angst, I can overlook a lot.

However, from a technical standpoint the writing was terrible. My son, at eight years old, wrote better prose than Meyer. Her writing is elementary at best. Her technique is far too simple. Her sentence structure is uninspired and boring. Grammatically she left much to be desired.

Meyer's character development was nonexistent for most characters and cliched for the characters that did manage to evolve despite her best efforts to keep them from doing so. Of course, that evolution -- if one dare call it that -- was minimal at best. The story, despite it's cliched plotting, did indeed offer points at which Meyer could have truly allowed her characters to become so much more. Such wasted opportunities!

Speaking of plotting: the plot devices were old and worn. I really saw nothing that was original or inspiring. In fact, the plot plodded along like an old plow horse diligently making its way from beginning to end with zero imagination.

But who reads this kind of book for those things? Not me. When I want great literature I turn to the classics. But for a beach book or a cold, rainy day at home in front of the fire, this was a great book. Go into it expecting to have your inner melodramatic drama queen fed and you'll close the book happy. This is mind candy folks, pure and simple. But with the right mindset, it is enjoyable mind candy. Too bad the other books in the series were terrible!

Passionately Ever After by Metsy Hingle

Passionately Ever After by Metsy Hingle is one of twelve books in the Dynasties: The Barones series published for Silhouette's Desire line. I picked this book up because I was in the mood for mind candy. I wanted a story with a happy ending I could count on. Years ago I'd read some of the other books in this series so when I saw this I went ahead and picked it up.

The story was fine for what it was. It's romance. Silhouette Desire romance to be exact. You simply can't expect any great literary works in the Silhouette line of books. But that's OK. That isn't what I wanted. I wanted easy and fast to read with no thinking required of me. I got what I wanted. The story was OK. No surprises or twists and turns. A pretty straight forward romance storyline. The plot, as with most romances, got all tied up in a nice neat little package by the end. Probably not the most believable of endings, but it wasn't exactly the most believable of storylines either.

The writing itself was at least understandable, though not complex. I can't say that the writing was overly simplistic, but neither could I say the writing was quality writing.

The characters were OK. A lot of cliches and really very little development, but what can you really expect from romance? I can't say that any one character appealed to me more than others, but neither did any character completely disgust me.

Bottom line: If you've got an hour or two to kill and you don't want to have to put a lot of effort into what you're reading, go ahead and pick up this book.

A Soldier For Christmas by Jillian Hart

OK, I have to admit: I was bad and I tried again to get my Christmas mind candy fix. This effort met with slightly more acceptable results than my first effort.

A Soldier For Christmas by Jillian Hart is Christian fiction. I enjoyed that aspect of the story because reading about meaningless, gratuitous sex just doesn't do it for me. Often it is used as a means of avoiding decent plot and character development.

Although A Soldier For Christmas didn't take place only during the Christmas season, that didn't bother me. I liked the sweet tenor of the story. Plotwise, the story was a little different from other romances I've read. Instead of the main characters being thrown together in questionable circumstances and suddenly falling in love, these characters had known each other in high school. So when Mitch, the male lead, walks into the Christian book store where Kelly, the female lead, works in his hometown, it isn't beyond the realm of possibility. It isn't implausable that he is there looking for a gift for his mother since he is visiting his parents.

Kelly, is dealing with issues of trust and worthiness brought on by events in her childhood. Thankfully those events had to do with being bounced from one foster home to another and having an alcoholic mother that dropped in and out of her life instead of the more heart wrenching variety of causes. She is also dealing with having lost her fiance. Thus, when Kelly is leery of a relationship, the reader isn't left scratching her head wondering why.

Mitch, comes from your "typical" family. It's his job that has kept him from seeking a wife. Again, a believable circumstance since he is a Force Recon Marine. His methodical approach to winning Kelly is also believable since I've yet to meet a Recon Marine that wasn't methodical in everything he did.

Having a military background I was a bit wary of how well the author would be able to portray a Force Recon Marine. I was pleasantly surprised. The author doesn't go into a lot of detail, which is probably a good thing since the author has no real experience with Force Recon. However, don't let that fool you. She uses enough detail to tell the story.

The end felt a bit rushed, but let's face it: This is a romance; you know they're going to get together. So, perhaps it is rushed, but who cares? I was reading this for fun and because it had my favorite branch of service in it.

All in all, I'd give this 4 out of 5 stars. But I'm biased. The fact that a Marine featured in the leading male role assured this book of a good review. However, the author's careful handling of Kelly's issues helped a lot, too. And portraying Mitch as something other than a gung-ho womanizer certainly scored points for the book.

So, if you're looking for a good weekend read, read this book. If you're looking for something more substantial, consider the book I'm reading now: My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story as told to Nathaniel R. Helms. Whether you agree with the current military action in Iraq or not, you can't deny that our men and women of the armed forces give up a lot for us to sit here and debate the ethics of this war; some even pay the ultimate price. Reading Mr. Kasal's first hand account of the fight for Fullujah and his fight for his life afterward certainly puts it in perspective.

Moonlight and Mistletoe by Louise Allen

I always start my New Year out with a frivolous read. The rule is it has to be something fun and not very taxing. Usually it is a book that would fall into the "mind candy" catagory.

This year I read Moonlight and Mistletoe by Louise Allen. The book certainly fit the bill of light, frivolous fun. Out of five stars I would give it 3.5. The book wasn't bad per se; I wasn't expecting some great literary genius -- thankfully.

The problem I had with the book was that it tried to be gothic and be a Christmas tale. I don't know about you, but when I think "gothic", "Christmas" is not the next word that pops into my mind. Be that as it may, I wanted to get one last Christmas book in since I hadn't read very many this year. I would say the book is neither gothic nor Christmas-y.

The plot is this: A single woman moves into a sleepy little village and into a house that has a dark past. Prior to her moving in, it is rumored that people saw lights in the house from ghosts rumored to haunt the house.

A few days earlier a dashing earl had moved into the house across the street. And we learn he would like to buy the heroine's house as it has a tie to his family. Of course nobody knows this tie, not even our heroine.

Well the plot unfolds and of course, as this is romance, the hero and heroine notice one another. There are certain plot elements, like how it is Hester, the heroine came to be a "fallen woman", that don't exactly wash. However, when one reads romance one knowingly makes the choice to overlook such things in order to read the book. Likewise some of the other plot elements simply have to be overlooked.

I was disappointed that there was so little mention of Christmas. Lots of references to snow and winter, but not until practically page 200 do we see an actual reference to Christmas. There is a Christmas party, but that's about the extent of Christmas' involvement in this book.

Needing a Christmas fix still, I've picked up another quick read (aka mind candy) that promises to be a Christmas book. We shall see.

As for Moonlight and Mistletoe, check your brain at the door and don't mull over the believability of the plot. Just read for fun and not edification. Some parts of the book were cute and as a quick, fluffy weekend read, you'll do just fine with this book. If you're looking for something really good in the gothic genre, just stick with Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff never fails to elicit a sigh of appreciation!