First up is this oldie but goodie. This book has three "romantic" stories in it and is from my Grandma's stash of books. I went into this one thinking if nothing else, it would be quick since there were three stories.
Boy, was I surprised when the first story Marta in Love reached out and grabbed me and wouldn't let me go until I had finished the entire story! This is a nice, simple story without all of the sex which is such a standard in modern "romantic" stories.
Marta, a so-called spinster who takes care of her ailing mother, accepts a job in a warmer climate (they never really tell you where that climate is) for her mother's health. The job is housekeeper to a single man so she and her mother concoct a story in which Marta is married to a very sick husband. The husband is so sick that he is in a sanatorium - which explains his absence.
Everything seems to be working out perfectly for Marta and her mother until the neighbor girl - who thinks she is engaged to the single man (who just happens to be young and handsome) - starts causing trouble. And when I say trouble, I mean TROUBLE!
Next in the line up is Girl in the Mirror. This story is about a young girl who inherits a rather posh hair salon. Along with the salon she inherits several characters who work there and a young, arrogant lawyer who thinks she should just sell the place and go home.
The girl, Maleah, finds herself drawn into the world of the salon and fights to save it when another interfering woman tries to bring it down.
Finally is No Price on Love. This story is the typical working class girl in conflict with the rich boss-woman. Eileen, the secretary to rich Miss Copeland, struggles with her feelings for a man whom she assumes Miss Copeland has her eye on. I think we all know about assumptions, don't we?
All three of these stories were fun to read and I enjoyed them very much. They were very refreshing in that I didn't have to skim my way through torrid sex scenes just to keep going with the story line. I have another book similar to this one (three "romantic" stories) and I am looking forward to reading it soon! Score one for Grandma!
Next up is a Nora Roberts novel, The Pagan Stone. This is Book three of the Sign of Seven Trilogy and I have been waiting to see it in paperback in Wal*Mart for a LONG time.
As a big fan of Nora Roberts' writing I almost hate to admit that when I started this trilogy (a LONG time ago) I had a hard time getting into it. The books felt almost formulaic to me - three men and three woman with some sort of mystical powers getting together to solve a horrific problem and eventually falling in love. Yes, the books are formulaic but they eventually caught and help my attention.
In this trilogy the three men unwittingly awaken a powerful dark force on their tenth birthday (they are all born on the same day) while becoming blood brothers. Now, every seven years this dark force emerges and terrorizes the little town the men are from for seven days. The men feel responsible and so they try to keep the carnage to a minimum to the best of their ability and they try to fight the dark force.
"The Seven" as they call this dark week is soon approaching and with it comes the feeling that THIS one is the BIG one. The one in which they need to defeat the dark force or be defeated themselves. Of course, the men have no clue how to defeat the thing. So - enter the three women who, of course, have skills complimentary to the men's skills plus additional ones which make them vital to the whole project.
In this third book the last of the men, Gage, and the last of the women, Cybil, are explored a bit more in depth. Both have the gift of foresight - seeing into the future. They use this gift to attempt to see how to defeat the dark force which is becoming both more powerful and more evil as "The Seven" draws near.
While I do think this book (and the others of the trilogy) are pretty formulaic, I found them very readable and enjoyable. In some ways it is nice to know and recognize the pattern the books are going to follow so that you can concentrate on the other things, like the plot differences.
If you are a Nora Roberts fan, read this trilogy. It is fun and classic Nora.
Trisha
Voice Update: Two days in a row! Whoo-hoo! I have done my massage and exercises for two days in a row now. Can I go for three? I am certainly going to try my darndest! My voice is strong with only a few breaks thrown in to show me that SD is stronger than I am! One of these days I guess I will remember that I have a permanent "dance partner" in my life and will quit ignoring it.
1 comment:
I don't think I've read any Nora Roberts. Great reviews!
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