Vision In White: Book One of The Bride Quartet series

I'm back. Like a Hollywood film serial killer that just won't die no matter how many times you shoot, stab, or burn him, eventually turning the poor psycho into an actual monster from Hell, I have returned.

To review a book.

How anti-climactic.

Yet I felt it a borderline necessity to write my review of Nora Roberts's romance Vision In White asap because Friday is Valentine's Day. I mean-- duh.

(thanks for the photo Random Website)

Because of repeated wanderings throughout the library staring at books, judging their covers, checking them out and then not reading them, I went to Facebook and whined for something fun and romantic to read. I'm an emotional reader and could not figure out what book would fit my mood. I got a few great titles that I will review at a later date (you know-- WHEN I'VE READ THEM), but Vision In White - courtesy of my friend Kellie - stood out. Mainly because I like the shoe on the cover.

First of all, Vision In White popped my Nora Roberts cherry.

Her books are EVERYWHERE and I knew she wrote mysteries as JD Robb, but I thought the Roberts books were smarmy romance novels. And even though I secretly want to read a smarmy romance novel despite 50 Shades of Grey making my eyes bleed, Nora Roberts never entered my brain.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when all of my misguided, ignorant prejudices were proven wrong with this lovely little romance between a wedding photographer and a professor.

Mackensie (Mac) Elliot grew up in a broken home thanks to divorced parents comprised of an absentee trust fund baby father and a beautiful, selfish, dramatic mother. She and her three best friends now run a wedding business out of the estate owned by her best friend Parker Brown. Mac loves her job and friends, enjoys men, but does not believe herself capable of true love or wanting true love thanks to Mommy Dearest.

Enter Carter Maguire. Bookish, handsome, clumsy, awkward in a charming way, and sufferer of a major crush on Mac in high school. At this point, we still have the plot to a bad porno but with sweet characters and witty dialog. There are no surprises in this book. And that's not the point. You like Mac, you want to see her evolve into a woman who will finally stand up to the nightmare that is her mother and realize that she deserves happiness, however messy. It's about the journey.

The witty flirtation between Mac and Carter made me smile, as did Carter's total inability to smooth talk Mac - it was cute. I'm excited to read the other three books in The Bride Quartet series and watch the other three women meet the men of their dreams. Mac is a very relatable character, making up for Carter's unrealistic perfection……. which makes him a great guy for female readers to fantasize about - I mean, he rescued a three legged cat and named him Triad! *swoon*

I also enjoyed the sex scenes. Well written, not too detailed, and focused on "making love" versus "having sex," a rarity these days. The most annoying part about the book - and I have a feeling this applies to many of Roberts's works - is the blatant product placement. It never occurred to me that brands would purchase advertising space in books, but when you're an author as popular as Nora Roberts, that's not a half bad idea.

I found it tacky.

Overall, Vision In White is like reading your favorite romantic comedy film with a bit of good sex, some cheesiness, and a character study for good measure. A good book worth curling up with a blanket, glass of wine, and chocolate to read on Valentine's Day.

P&P Bicentenary Challenge: The Unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath

Thanks for the photo Goodreads

This might upset the Darcyholics, but I'm drawn more to a Mary Bennet love story than a Darcy and Elizabeth sequel. As much as every woman wants to be Lizzy, I have to be honest and admit that I relate to Mary more than any other Bennet daughter. Sure, she's awkward, pious, and overly serious, but I've always felt that underneath it all, Mary loves her sisters even though she doesn't understand them and they mock her. Not to mention the difficulty growing up as the third behind the otherworldly beauty that is Jane and the intelligence, wit, and beauty that is Elizabeth, then have the unbelievably silly Kitty and Lydia as younger sisters. Poor Mary has been invisible her whole life, in part because of her family, but also because of her own choices. 

Patrice Sarath explores those choices in The Unexpected Miss Bennet, a wonderfully written Pride and Prejudice sequel taking place one year after the Bingley/Darcy double wedding. Kitty is off to visit Jane, and consequently London, while Mary remains with her parents. Now alone, Mary begins to take walks, reanalyze her previously coveted Fordyce's Sermons, and stops playing piano. Concerned Mrs. Bennet has given up the search to find Mary a match, Lizzie brings Mary to Pemberly to help with the husband hunt. Like every fun P&P continuation, all our favorite characters must show up in one form or another, so the Darcy household eventually travels to Rosings where Mary begins an unusual connection with Anne de Bourgh and is given a tough life choice. Will Mary Bennet ever find love or will she remain the quiet girl in the corner with the serious countenance? 

~

In three words: I loved it.

Sarath did an excellent job diving into the motivation and backstory of Mary Bennet, allowing us readers to watch her evolution and realize misgivings as well as strengths. Though the story lacked much drama (despite a small reference to the infamous Wickhams) and held few surprises, it's truly a character piece and kept me turning page after page to witness Mary Bennet go from girl to woman. In addition, Sarath gives Mr. Bennet a supporting role, I believe, as a chance to redeem himself from his P&P reputation as an indifferent father favoring only Lizzy. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Anne de Bourgh and Mary. However, the rest of the characters felt underdeveloped.

In addition, the romance didn't quite make sense and was rather sudden, though the book is a fast read and could've benefited from even more content. Yet the themes and lessons throughout made me think and I even earmarked several pages with excellent quotations. The story overall was sweet and enjoyable, but if you're one who loves lots of action in your Regency reads, this isn't the book for you. And while I mentioned the Wickham cameo above, it did feel a bit contrived, as if Sarath's editor wanted her to add more conflict so she threw Lydia in at the last minute.

All in all, this is the second Mary Bennet romance I've had the pleasure of reading and I'm thrilled I stumbled upon it in Barnes & Noble. It's a great addition to any JAFF library and is on my re-read list.... in fact, I almost started it over when I finished!

Rating

4 out of 5 ribbons

Go to Amazon and get your copy here

Click here to see my full list of P&P challenge books and find out more info about it.

Come back in May for my review of Pride and Precience: Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Because I'm thoroughly in love with all fan fiction relating to Jane Austen and free stuff rocks, I was ecstatic when I won Jane Austen Made Me Do It from the editor Laurel Ann Nattress (signed too!) after winning a drawing at Barbara Tiller Cole's Darcyholic Diversions blog back in mid-July. 

And rightly so. 

Jane Austen Made Me Do It is a compilation of 22 short JAFF stories written by some of this literary community's prime authors, as well as one story by the winner of a JAFF writing contest.  The various adaptations range from Regent fiction to supernatural fiction, as well as stories starring Jane herself. Some are letters or journal entries while others involve humor and romance.

Not only is this book worth a read, but I'm thrilled to add JAMMDI to my collection because whenever I have a hankering to read JAFF but can't commit to a book, I can pop open a short story and get my "Austen Addict" fix.

Now, I must be honest-- I didn't love all the stories. Believe it or not, this is part of the charm. Jane Austen Made Me Do It will be loved by JAFF fans like myself yet is an even better resource for new readers of this genre because it offers a great variety of styles & authors to choose from as a way to learn one's JAFF preferences. 

In fact, I discovered that I tend to favor Regent stories like Monica Fairview's "Nothing Less Than Fairy Land" starring my favorite Austen characters over more modern adaptations, and even found a few more authors--like Jo Beverly's "Mistletoe Kiss" which is a wonderful Sense and Sensibility-esque Christmas story-- whose books I'd love to read.

Overall, a must read for any fan of Jane Austen and her fan fiction.

Rating 5 out of 5 stars