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Romantic Times Rewind: April 2005 Reviews

By / / Books & Literature / 6 minutes of reading


In this week’s podcast episode, we’re looking at the book reviews for the April 2005 issue of RT Book Reviews.

Thank you to Kay Layton Sisk for this issue!

You can also find all the RTRW content at our category page for Romantic Times Rewind. 

And, most importantly, if you want to listen and follow along with this entry, we have more detail in the audio, but you can click play and listen and read and absorb all the visual goodness:

Ok, let’s get started!

We’ll discuss the cover in the next episode, and our feature author this month is Brenda Jackson!

Romantic Times BOok Club cover April 2006: Brenda Jackson's book Unfinished Business is the cover feature, and the art for the cover is a closeup of a woman's face with curly hair and pinkish lipstick, with a Black man in a black tshirt standing in the distance behind her. The cover is washed over with pink and yellow so it's very stylized

That’s the original cover art, which has since been updated – we’ll talk about that a length in the next episode.

Historical Romance

Amanda started us off by talking about Almost a Bride by Jane Feather.

Almost a Bride by Jane Feather a red cover with a background texture and a picture of a ring ALMOST A BRIDE Jane Feather Bantam Setting: Georgian England ****½ When Jack Fortescu sets out I to win, he wins, and when he decides to destroy his enemy, he ruins him completely, taking control of the man's possessions-including his sister, Arabella. Arabella can either leave her home or agree to a marriage of convenience with Jack. She wonders why he wants her when he can have an other woman. What drives this enigmatic man and whose name does he call out in his dreams? Arabella must discover the truth, because she is falling in love with Jack and suspects he feels more for her than lust or passion. Her search leads to a dangerous mission, over the English Channel and straight into the clutches of Madame Guillotine. Feather's prose radiates power and intense emotion. Her well-drawn characters come to life as exciting historical

 

I wanted to talk about Alas, My Love by Edith Layton:

ALAS, MY LOVE Edith Layton Avon Setting: Regency England When he was a foundling child, Amyas St. Ives was sent to the Antipodes for steal-ing. But he vows someday to return to England and make his own destiny. After serving his time, Amyas is pardoned by His Majesty and returns to England. Now a self-made, wealthy man, Amyas plans to find some inkling of his family and marry a woman of social standing. Miss Grace Tremellyn might make him a good wife, but it is Grace's adopted sister Amber who intrigues him. She is beauti-ful, smart and desirable, and Amber feels the same attraction for this handsome, dangerous-looking man. But nothing can come of their feelings for each other. Amber has no name and no real famil and is a foundling just like Amyas. Will Amvas discover before it is too late that Amber is his destiny? A spin-off of The Return ofthe Earl, Alas, My Love is a poignantly written, sensual love story and a heart-tugger with finely honed characters. SENSUAL (Apr., 384 pp., $5.99) Joan Hammond

 

Alas my Love - a pink cover with a tiny illustration in the middle that shows people embracing on some rocks with rough surf behind them!

Also: Getting busy on some rocks!

Mainstream Fiction

Inside Mainstream fiction, we have…mainstream fiction, plus YA, PLUS Chick Lit? There’s a LOT, including, we discover, a YA by Joyce Carol Oates called…Sexy.

K!

Amanda picked When Angels Fall by Jamie Summers, which has some terrible victim blaming in the review:

WHEN ANGELS FALL Jamie Summers www.echelonpress.com This is a dark suspense story about a woman who is forced into hiding when a controlling and sadistic man from her past is released from prison. Reed Hudson knows nothing of Dani Michaels' past when they become intimate. When she suddenly disappears, the quirky bookstore owner assumes that Dani has abandoned him. Then he reads Dani's diary and learns that she is fleeing for her life. The diary entries reveal an unsettling tale of abuse and torture at the hands of Jacob Devonshire. The novel begins slowly, with much attention given to Reed's eccentricities. Neither Reed nor the Dani revealed through her diary garner much empathy from the reader. Dani's role in her own torture makes her a frustrating character. The numerous secondary characters, combined with the transitions between the present and Dani's earlier diary entries, slow the flow of the story and at times makes it difficult to follow. (Apr., 264 pp., $13.99)

“role in her own torture?” Egads.

I wanted to take a look closer at a book in the mainstream fiction section, The Bad Mother’s Handbook by Kate Long.

The bad mother's handbook, a yellow background with three illustrated women sitting on a bench pictured from behidn and one of them appears to be smoking

THE BAD MOTHER'S HANDBOOK Kate Long Ballantine A bestseller in the U.K., Long's debut novel is an entertaining, if not surprising. tale of the trials of parenthood. Three generations of women- -daft, elderly Nan, miserable middle-aged Karen and thoughtful 17-vear-old Charlotte--are constantly treading on each other's nerves. The tension in their cramped apartment gets worse when Karen discovers she was adopted and Charlotte learns she's pregnant. Long employs humor and wit in this well-written tale, but the characters are less than engaging. It's hard to sympathize with the harried Karen as she's constantly mired in pity or frustration. Nan, who's facing the onset of Alzheimer's, spends most of her segments recounting her own difficult life. The youthful but surprisingly wise Charlotte is the most vibrant character. Readers will likely enjoy the well-written story, even if there are few surprises or new insights along the way. (Apr., 368 pp., $21.95)

I have to say, that is a terrific title, though the book got three stars.

Regency

I put this link in the show notes, but I’ll share it here, too.

Amanda and I talked about what I mean when I say “Regency in Format,” which is my way of trying to describe a subgenre of books which are mostly found in used bookstores or in ebook format. They were a smaller trim size, similar to Sweet Valley High or Sweet Dreams  paperbacks in size and paper style, and they had lush illustrated covers.

This post on r/HRRomanceDiscussion shows a bunch of them – a treasure trove found at a used bookstore. One reader found seven Mary Balogh Signet Regencies for $1 each!

I wanted to talk about The Captain by Lynn Collum because this description is a ride. Buckle up.

TOP PICK® ZEBRA: At the age of 12, sickly Miss Jacinda Blanchett is betrothed to Andrew Morrow. Although the contract will help save Andrew's father from debt, Andrew is outraged, and he disap-pears, joins the Navy and eventually goes to India to make his fortune. The day he leaves, Jacinda's father is mur-dered. With her life now in jeopardy, she hides out in London, living as a teenage boy. Soon she becomes responsible for young Ben Trudeau. When Ben is pressed into the Navy, Jacinda and her friend rescue him, as well as an injured man, who turns out to be her betrothed. It doesn't take Captain Drew long to recognize Jacinda, and he now finds her beautiful and enchanting. Unfortunately, would-be assassins are still after her. The Captain (4½) by Lynn Collum is an exciting, page-turning story, with danger riding close on the heels of love.The Captain a side view of a white man in period costume standing sideways mostly to the right edge of the cover. behind him is a low tide shoreline with a massive massive ship at full sail

Would be assassins! Disguised as a teenage boy! Rescues an injured man how turns out to be her runaway fiance! Amazing.

Amanda wanted to talk to Ask Jane by Victoria Hinshaw.

Cedric Williamson is a Corinthian of the highest order. He lost all his money gambling and is forced to stay with his Aunt Amelia as he tries to restore his wealth. But unbeknownst to Cedric, Amelia has plans for him- and they just happen to include penniless Jane Gabriel, the woman who wants to be Amelia's family biographer. Jane hopes that if she does a good enough job, she'll be able to support herself and her mother. The suspenseful Ask Jane (3) by Victoria Hinshaw is highly intriguing, as Cedric pursues a wrong done to him and others with a vengeance. But Jane's work for his aunt tends to overshadow her blossoming romance with Cedric. (Apr., 224

Ask Jane is a side view of a white woman in a period dress with cap sleeves that are puffy, her arm across the back of a chair that divides the cover image in half.

If you too were curious about what a Corinthian is/was, RegRom.com has you covered!

 Inspirational Romance

This section gave us SO MUCH CRINGE. Starting with this book, The Rain from God.

in the l7th-century United States, Katanaquat of the Narragansett tribe grows into a legendary warrior. His name means "Rain From God." and he takes pride in challenging his people's gods at every turn. When the white men from across the ocean invade his shores, they make inroads on Katanaquat's way of life. Though the One God of All Things appeals to him, he's learned from experience to trust no god. Nor does he trust these pale-skinned settlers who take more than they give and do not understand the way of things among the Narragansett. Hatred and confusion rule Katanaquat's life. Will he vield to the tugs on his heart from this One God before death darkens his eves? In an arresting and authentic first-person voice that's laced with powerful imagery, Ammerman weaves a tale that will echo in readers' hearts long after the final page is turned. No simplistic conversion tale, this is a gritty and honest novel of depth, understanding and compassion. (Apr., 320

A first person narrative? And so much White savior narrative? Eeeesh.

Amanda also visited the Land of Cringe with her pick, Flee the Night which sounds like a romantic suspense novel with some JBV drizzled on top.

Romantic Suspense FLEE THE NIGHT Susan May Warren Tyndale House Ex-CIA operative Lacey Galloway struggles against an unseen enemy who wants to steal encryption technology she's devel-oped. Suspected in her spy husband's murder years ago, she is framed again for the murder of a government employee. Worse, her young daughter has been kidnapped.

Convinced that she's wandered too far from God to receive his help, she turns to the last man she ever wanted to involve-her ex-boyfriend, who was also her husband's best friend, Jim Micah. Jim would rather turn Lacey in than help her, but a child's life is on the line. For the sake of justice, he uses his Special Forces training to hunt for the child and keep tabs on Lacey. If only he could cut her out of his heart as well. Warren's pace is relentless in this first installment of the Team Hope series. Her characters are engaging and her plot tight. The only disappointment is the clichéd "bragging villain" scenario at the end.

“Convinced that she’s wandered too far from God to receive his help, she turns to the last man she ever wanted to involve-her ex-boyfriend, who was also her husband’s best friend, Jim Micah.”

We have questions about the JBV of this book! A lot or just a smidge?

Also, the original cover looks a lot like an environmental sciences textbook:

A green and blue illustration of some trees and sunlight, with two photographs of white people superimposed on the top, with the guy looking right at the reader. It looks like a textbook cover

OK, maybe that guy doesn’t look Baldwin-esque. He looks vaguely familiar. Is he an environmental sciences professor, maybe?

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Amanda wanted to take a look at Down Time by Lynn Abbey, which sounds like a vacation straight out of hell.

As curse-hunters, Emma Merrigan and her mother Eleanor have a unique relation-ship. Eleanor's years trapped in a dream world known as the Wasteland make her appear far younger than her daughter, making it difficult for college librarian Emma to think of her as a parent. In an attempt to reconcile their differences and grow closer, Emma agrees to go on a Caribbean cruise with her mother. But when they encounter a cursed pas-

senger, the cruise becomes anything but a vacation, and Emma must return to the treacherous Wasteland. Eleanor's flighty personality is an effective counterpoint to Emma's commonsensical approach. Emma's easygoing, practical voice makes for an easy read, even as the tension of the story builds. The reader can't help but be pulled into the adventure.

“In an attempt to reconcile their differences and grow closer, Emma agrees to go on a Caribbean cruise with her mother.”

Her mother who looks younger than she is because she was trapped in a treacherous dream world. DEAR GOD.

We have two covers, too. Which do you prefer?

A white woman with a shaggy bob in a glowing white dress surrounded by light and a pirate ship in the background.

An illustration of a white woman with blonde woman who is looking over her shoulder at the reader somewhat pretentiously behind her are orbs of light and spheres

The covers give the impression of very different genres, don’t they?

I took a close look at The Carpet Makers by Andreas Eschbach, translated from the original German.

An illustration of a woman merged with a weaving loom with the fabric on the loom showing a view of deep space

This innovative, absorbing novel begins on a remote planet where carpet makerstie intricate knots to form priceless carpets for the palace of the emperor. Made from the hair of their wives and daughters, the carpets are so elaborate that just one requires an entire lifetime to finish. The art has descended, father to son, since time immemorial, but things are beginning to change-rumors circulate of the emperor's abdication, perhaps his death, and strangers arrive from far-away planets to trace the carpets back to their source. Slowly and horrifyingly the origin of the hair carpet trade is revealed, and its secrets are beyond what anyone imagined. This classic of German fantasy has finally been translated into English. Cleverly constructed in vignettes, each revealing another aspect of Eschbach's complex interstellar empire, the book's tension and mystery build slowly and irrevocably. Readers are pulled along on a quietly horrific journey of a fateful rebellion and the changes it brings to an entire universe. (Apr., 304 pp., $24.95)

Is there a word in German for “enchanted cursed hair carpet?” I BET THERE IS.

Mystery, Suspense and Thriller

I looked up the series immediately after reading about Gasa Gasa Girl by Naomi Hirahara. 

a blurry image of a woman in red running away against a green background

Second in a series, this mystery has a quiet, almost Zen-like center. Set within the Japanese-American subculture in New York City, the book's atmosphere is compelling and unique. Japanese-American gardener Mas Aria has come to New York from California to help his daughter, Mari, the gasa-gasa-a Japanese term meaning "never sitting still, always on the go"-girl of the title. This time, Mari is busy trying to extricate herself from a murder charge. When Mas finds a clue as to who may have framed

his daughter, he follows a dangerous trail that the police dismiss. Mas is an unlikely but tenacious gumshoe, a Hiroshima survivor who has an uneasy truce with American culture. The complex and lavered story blends together character, setting and plot in satisfying harmony. (Apr., 304 pp., $12.00)

Important note: the review names the hero as “Mas Aria,” but it’s actually Mas Arai. 

Amanda wanted to highlight this banger of a plot point in The Nature of Rare Things by Derek Wilson.

In this well-crafted series debut, Wilson focuses on stolen artwork and psychic phe-nomena. Dr. Nathaniel Ge is a lecturer on paranormal psychology in England. At a seance, Nat is visited by Bob Gomer, an acquaintance who recently committed suicide after being found guilty of art theft. Through a medium, Bob advises Nat to visit Italy and meet the owner of the stolen painting. Bob also recommends that Nat's wife, Kathryn, avoid Italy, where she would encounter danger. In Italy Nat unearths some disturbing evidence: The theft of the painting ties into a much larger criminal operation involving art forgery and insurance fraud. # Furthermore, Kathryn does find herself in danger, though her Italian trek consists merely of a Robert Burns seminar. Though a séance and paranormal contact draw Nat into the musteries of Bob's * death and the stolen painting, real events dictate the solutions to the mysteries. Wilson's intricate web of suspense will entice readers into the fascinating and a dark world of organized crime, greed and murder. (Apr., 224 pp., $25.00)

A black and white image of a large house in the distance with trees and bushes

Imagine that dinner convo: “Honey, I have to go to Italy because a ghost told me to, and you can’t come. Bye!”

Wowser.

I’m wondering if a few vacations or cruises were declared on taxes as business expenses for these books?

Erotica

I was really excited to see the cover for Magnolia Summer by Jaci Burton – an early Burton book! 

The original Ellora's Cave cover with a woman with her legs wrapped around a guy's waist, but she's leaning back so far that they're about to fall down.

Geeky Jordan Weston was glad to get away from Magnolia, South Carolina,

and pursue her love of theater. But after inheriting her grandmother's property, she returns home from New York to restore and sell it. With only a handful of qualified workers, she has no other choice but to hire her old high school crush, Sam Tanner. Sam is quite intuitive about Jordan's old feelings--and he desires her too. But no matter how passionate they are in close quarters, Jordan still has every intention of returning to New York as soon as possible. Magnolia Summer is a well-done and touching romance. Jordan's emotions and her reaction to Sam are powerfully real, and he is a to-die-for hero. Burton exquisitely delivers an affecting resolution, and there is no question that fate plays a strong role in reuniting two people who are perfect for one another. (dI $5.95)

Amanda highlighted Hot Bytes by Lois Bonde. 

a purple blurry loopy image with the title in fat letters on top in a lighter purple

Outstanding heroine name here:

Bonde's story is an unrequited love triangle set in Manhattan. White-collar crime investigator Karn Borden is hunting for an industrial spy within the ranks of engineering design firm Berg & Son. James Berg Jr. is heading up the branch office. Mick Saleari works as security but resents the Bergs" help. He, Karn and James grew up together over summers spent at the beach. Bonde uses flashbacks to illustrate how the characters all know one another, and this moves events along crisply. The back story of the main characters growing up together deepens the sensual tension that endures between James and Karn. Bonde creates a nice sizzle between them, with Mick's sneering sarcasm, as he sees the

two young lovers find each other as adults, serving as the counterpoint. There's some chauvinism toward Karn- -James and her father don't support her desire to be a PI. but this is a small weakness within the overall plot.

Sarcasm and boning!

Contemporary

This section is a LOT: there’s contemporary, and “new reality,” which is really paranormal. So weird. A full page of books – so many books in this section.

I thought this book could be published right now, and I wouldn’t think it odd: The Future Widow’s Club by Rhonda Nelson. I don’t think “Harlequin Signature Select Spotlight” exists anymore.

A photo of a woman in a black sleeveless dress, heels and opera gloves and a black hat, holding a red rose

 

Iwo years ago, Jolie made the worst mistake of her PICK lite. she traded in her childhood sweetheart, Det. Jake Malone, for Chris--a prince who morphed into a lying, cheating sleaze. Shortly after they married, Jolie discovered her odious spouse was stealing money from her mother and the other investors in their software company. She finds unexpected salvation from three ladies who slip her an invitation to join The Future Widows' Club. This secret society lends a helping hand to victimized wives and prepares them for the happy day when widowhood frees them from their matrimonial hell. When her no-good husband turns up dead in the shower, Jolie becomes a suspect. To make matters worse, sexy Jake is on the case, asking lots of hard questions and making Jolie hot and bothered. Can Jolie give him the answers he wants without outing the secretive future widows? Nelson spins a page-turning delight filled with Southern wit, sizzling sexual tension and a wacky whodunit. The plot is wonderfully original and peopled with a host of eclectic characters. A definite keeper!

And then, y’all, I read a Goodreads review and MY GOSH. There is some body horror in there! I’m quoting the review behind a spoiler tag.

TW my GOODNESS

Chris Marshall was shot through the chest, and HIS JOHNSON WAS CUT OFF. Later, the missing, frozen penis was found GLUED TO A STATUE in the center of town.

HOLY CRAP.

Amanda picked She Woke Up Married by Suzanne McPherson.

An illustration of two people from the side with a pillow in the middle. The cover art is very angular in a very mid2000s illustration style.

Fashion model Paris James heads to Las Vegas to try to dim the pain of turning the big 3-0. She wakes up in bed with Elvis impersonator Turner Pruitt, a very large diamond ring on her finger and no recollection of how she came to be "Mrs. Pruitt overnight. Turner, who knew Paris before her days of stardom, has plans to keep her by his side, and Paris finds her world all shook up. Macpherson's romantic comedy begins as buoyant, fast-paced fun, but some very serious topics lay beyond the madcap opening. Although finding meaning through coincidence is a the matic thread, the multiple flukes that arise during the story strain believability. The characters rarely feel completely authentic, which is unfortunate given the delightful creativity of the premise and the author's storytelling skill.

NOT THE PAIN OF TURNING THE BIG 3-0!! Not that!!!

*eyeroll*

Imagine waking up with an Elvis impersonator. Uu-uh-huh.

Series

I found an early Molly O’Keefe in this issue, too! Dishing it Out!

A very mid2000s angular sharp illustration of two people stirring a pot

HHosting a cooking segment on a TV show and running her restaurant equals Marie Simmons having zero time for a personal life. But she'd have to be dead not to notice Giovanni "Van" MacAllister, who owns the restaurant across the street. Then Marie's forced to accept Van as her co-host, and she suddenly wants to do more than look. But even after she gives in to temptation, Marie still can't trust Van completel-there's no future in it, is there? Molly O'Keefe's Dishing It Out (4½) is a spicy delight from beginning to end, and readers will sigh over Van, the tasty Scottish-Italian "pirate chef."

That is a VERY mid-2000s cover illustration, isn’t it? The whitespace around the colors not quite filling in the illutration borders? The angular hands? Yeah. Looks very specific.

Also: Scottish-Italian Pirate Chef?!

Way to bury the lede there!

Amanda found a ONE STAR REVIEW!

One star! EGADS. A rare thing indeed. This was for Reconcilable Differences by Ana Leigh.

The review mentions assault so it’s behind spoiler tags

TW/CW assault

Trish Manning is blackmailed by her evil estranged husband- she must accompany him on a trip to North Africa or he'll report her father's illegal business activities to authorities. Special-ops man Dave Cassidy is also in Africa, on a mission to capture a terrorist. He finds Trish in a dangerous situation: She's unconscious and her husband and another man intend to sexually violate her. Dave and Trish have a history they were once engaged but broke up when she didn't believe his claims that her father was aiding terrorists. Danger follows the duo as they make their escape. Reconcilable Differences (1) by Ana Leigh has major problems. Awkward and stilted dialogue, constant information dumps and confusing action scenes render the story nearly unreadable. Also, the characters are extremely unpleasant, and Trish shockingly oblivious to her father's character. Her father's and estranged husband's disrespect and mistreatment of her are very unsettling.

Special ops just running around “Africa.” Sure. Ok.

harlequin intrigue reconciliable differences a blurry photograph of a man in a tie embracing a woman in a sweater in a busy police scene surrounded by cops

I may not understand the reasoning behind some of the 3 star or even 2 star reviews, but when the reviewers go for 1 star, it’s pretty clear why that is!

But the book Amanda wanted to talk about is Born to be Bad by Crystal Green.

Tabloid writer Gemma Duncan has fantasies about being a Pulitzer Prize-win-ning reporter at a real newspaper. When she overhears an argument between well-known New Orleans businessman Damien Theroux and a sexy stranger who accuses him of evildoing, she thinks she's found her ticket to the top and she vows to get closer to the handsome mystery man. Born to Be Bad (2) by Crystal Green has interesting story twists, but Damien is more than a bad bov hero-he's almost a truly bad man. Thus, the sex scenes seem sleazy rather than romantic. It's hard to believe he would be interested in the overly naive Gemma.

Harlequin Blaze covers always had a red banner at the top and this has a photograph of two I presume naked people with the guy behind the woman and they're behidn some fogged up wet glass

“He’s almost a truly bad man.” HOW SO? Tell us how?!

That’s the reviews for this month!

Our next episode will examine the advertisements and features in this issue, and that’ll air on April 19.

And remember, if you join the Patreon, you’ll get access to the entire issue as a PDF.

What do you think? Have you read any of these? Do you remember some of these titles? Which would you recommend? 



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About The Author

Avatar of Krista Sullivan
Krista Sullivan, who writes about politics, health, business, and finance for Hermes News, is a lifelong news junkie. She spent her childhood reading the newspaper from front to back every day and developed an interest in politics at a young age. After graduating from college, Krista worked as a reporter for several local newspapers before moving to Hermes News in 2015. She has been covering the economy since then and enjoys writing about new developments in the field.

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