An easy read+interesting plot+wonderful characterization=solid story!
939080
As book blurbs go, the above one is just perfect in setting up this story of redemption, respect and love.

Ms. Callen gave a wonderful characterization of two very strong people who knew what they wanted out of life very early on in their lives. Both had carried much of the baggage passed on to them from their respective parents and were determined never to repeat the mistakes their parents made, and in doing so made sure to stay away from situations that would have them merry.

At eighteen, Lord Michael Blackthorne enlisted in the army and was shipped out to India because his father had insisted he marry for the wrong reasons. Going against the wishes of the man he had no respect for, young Michael vowed to advance himself not by purchasing his commission but by hard work and sheer determination to prove to his family that he is a man of honor. While there he meets our heroine's father who takes him under his wing and teaches him to become that man.

Cecilia Mallory had a good childhood even though it was visited with some tragedy that had profoundly altered the course of her life. As a very impressionable girl, she was forced by her mother to do some things that made her uncomfortable and in some way that contributed to her decision not to marry, even though as she grows into a woman, her beauty and dowry are very much sought after. After the death of her father in India, she decides to reach out to her father's protg and friend, Lieutenant Michael Blackthorne in hopes that he would be able to ease the pain of her loss.

As the two become `pan-palls' if you will, they come to respect and understand each other well enough for Cecilia to feel comfortable in proposing to Michael a marriage by proxy and in name only for the reasons of obtaining her financial freedom from her guardian. Michael knows in his heart that he owes a debt to her father and he agrees to her proposal out of that duty. Neither is aware of Lady Destiny's plan for them both.

This was such an easy read and I credit that to a very interesting plot, involving some mystery of who is willing to risk everything by ending Cecilia's life. The mark of a good plot is when the reader decides she [that's me] knows who the villain is, than second guesses it through the end of the story.

Then there are some secondary characters, such as heroine's brother Oliver and friend Penelope that made me want to shake them all into tomorrow!

If you're Gayle Callen fan, this is no brainier  and you'll no doubt get this book, [believe it or not, this is one author that now I have every book she's written, but have yet to read some of her earlier series] which by the way is the first in her new trilogy, The Brides Redemption which is about "What happens when three soldiers who need to be redeemed meet three women who need to marry?" I'm looking forward to reading the second book `Surrender to The Earl' which will be out in June 2013. If you've never read this author, I'd say you're missing on some well written, well thought out and well plotted stories which accompanied with a bit of action,  witty dialogue and great characterization, make up for wonderful and easy read.

Melanie for b2b

*Book provided by AVON through EDELWEISS.
4045347
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this captivating book, which, instead of loosing itself in unnecessary details ("lard factor"), tells an exiting straightforward story with characters that I could easily identify myself with. I find myself reminded of stories by Tamora Pierce or Mercedes Lackey, where I young heroine has to go through many adventures and adversities to finally prevail against evil. Highly recommended. I am very much looking forward to the sequel!
2281047
Enjoyed evey moment of it -excellent plot and interesting characters!
4567824
I started this book with some trepidation.  I wasn't sure how it would be to read a book written by my own sister!  It turned out that in fact, the book spoke for itself.  Lei was a likeable, vulnerable character with a ton of angst.  The bad guy was unspeakably icky and the plot was brisk, and at times, heart-stopping.  I think my favorite character was Dr. Patrice Wilson, who was irreverent, humorous, and delightful.  (Can I meet with her for therapy?)  The other factor, aside from a solid plot, was the Hawaii factor.  The book brought my childhood home to me in gusts of warm air and pinwheeling plumerias, to fresh malasadas.  Everything from the tin roofs to the pigeon just made it all so clear and fresh in my mind.  After finishing the book this afternoon, I tackled the litter boxes..  turning to my husband, I said, for the first time in years, (I'm a mainlander now) and completely without forethought "Wheeeeew!  Hauna!!" and it felt like yesterday that I was home, not some five years.  Wonderful job Toby!
1559996
Quick-witted, and a whole lot of fun!  I really enjoyed this book - the humor was spot-on, the plot was neat and tidy, and the storytelling was superb.  There was one cliched character that left a bad taste in my mouth though, it was that bully whose inner fancy is to dance ballet - I rolled my eyes on that one.  But other than that one character and a few word transpositions, it was an excellent read.

I cannot wait for both my kids to read this book and for the three of us to discuss and create scenarios of how a sequel will turn out to be, if any.  The story is flexible enough to either be a stand-alone novel, or the beginning of a series.  I am hoping for the former.  Recommended reading!!
2080508
While there were some editorial gaffes, these were easily overlooked in light of a great story! I read it in 2 days (amazing with kids) because I just had to finish the tale. The main character, from whose POV we hear most of the tale, was a relatable and engaging young man who could be sympathized with. My only other criticism was that I felt a couple I places that the story rushed a little, as though the author was trying to keep the book shorter. Could have been a bit more fleshed out. Overall, a fun escape that I have already recommended to a couple friends. Looking forward to this writer's next book!
4738134
The plot for Myretta Robens' "Just Say Yes" may be a somewhat unoriginal one (an heir to a dukedom falls in love with the delightful but unassuming daughter of a vicar while pretending to be a humble steward), however the author's engaging and charming take on this much used plot made it a very enjoyable read.

Tired of the London social scene, and deeply afraid that he'd end up leading a useless life of dissipation, the young Earl of Cheriton, Geoffrey Dorrington, jumps at the chance to do something worthwhile with his life when his brother-in-law, Lord Marchbourn, asks him to take a look at an estate he has just inherited and to put it in order. And so that he will be left alone to do his job, and not have to waste time making social calls which as the heir to a dukedom he would be forced to do, Geoffrey decides to pass himself off as the humble steward, Geoffrey Dorton. And his plan would have been perfection itself but for the complication of the vicar's charming and kindhearted daughter, Cassie. Where the pale, elegant and cool London ladies made no impression at all, short, tanned and practical Cassie delights at every turn. But the son and heir to a dukedom must not fancy himself in love with a humble vicar's daughter, for there would be no future in it. And yet, that's exactly what Geoffrey finds himself doing...

The charm of "Just Say Yes" lies in the telling. As I have already noted, the plot is a much used one with little variation on theme, but the lively and invigorating manner with which the author tells her simple and affecting tale, and the totally engaging character portrayals of the hero and heroine made the book a very pleasant and fairly absorbing read (although it is true that some characters were very typical stock types: like Cassie's pushing social climbing mother, the cowardly lout that Cassie's mother keeps throwing at her, and Geoffrey's stiff and proud father). The romance that developed between Geoffrey and Cassie was rather well done too -- I think that the author captured the quick and deep manner with which both the hero and heroine fell in love with each other rather well. So that all in all, even though this was not a very "deep" and complex read, and even though the plot premise was an oft used one, "Just Say Yes" proved to be good and worthwhile read.
2972653
E.H. Reinhard has created an interesting character in Detective Cole Kane, and in Malevolent we are treated to an intricate story involving a serial killer and Detective Kanes attempts to stop him before he does more damage, including damage to Kanes own loved ones.  The plot moves quickly (sometimes a tad too quickly) and early on we get a glimpse into the killers point of view, which is an interesting technique.  The reader gets pulled into the story and it becomes a real page-turner right to the end.
I really enjoyed this novel, even with a few quibbles and wishing that there was a little more about Kanes back story.  There are hints and small peeks into it, and his ex-wife plays a pivotal role, but while the author gives us just enough to care about, at times there could have been more.  But, perhaps we will learn more in the next book(s).  There are a few places where the plot points come together a little bit too easily (which coincidentally is also happening within the plot itself) and sometimes a level of detail is lacking, but on the other hand the quick pace of the story is part of what makes it such an easy and entertaining read.  Its not intended to be deep literature, so Ill give a pass to the author in these small points.
The writing style alternates between the first person narrative of Kane and the third-person narrative of the killer, but the quality of the writing is very good and its generally well-edited with only a few minor issues.  This contributes to the easy read aspect of this book.  Im looking forward to following these characters into the next episode.
1354086
The Line is easy to embrace; warm, quirky, with interesting characters.  Setting the book in Savannah added charm to this neat tale.  It's a fast and easy read, but I'm still not sure how to classify it ... mystical, romantic, with a bit of suspense.  At the end of the book I found I needed to know more.  Thank goodness there is a second book.
4491266
I was hooked from the first page! original plot, exceptional writing, and well-edited (no grammar/spelling errors that I noticed). The length of the book is just about right- it doesn't drag out the story more than needed nor is it too fast-paced. All the characters are quite likeable, though I wish we learned a bit more about Jesse's (the main character's) relationship with each of them. She has two love interests in this story; Lane (a guy who she has a 'friends with benefits' relationship with, though he makes it clear he's in love with her) and Ally (her assistant and best friend). I really love that the story doesn't make a point about its main character being bi. She just is, and that's all there is to it. Her emotional unavailability is one of her major personality traits, and the story does a good job of showing what a complex character she is. Although Jesse is a little hard around the edges- sarcastic, rebellious- she still shows joy when she does her job well and secretly earns for compliments from her boss. The plot seems to take place sometime in the future, when a procedure called "death replacement" exists. There are explanations peppered throughout the book about how this came to be, how the replacements are chosen, etc. It's not all thrown at the reader at once, in some huge exposition chapter, which I was happy about.

Overall, a little bit of something for everybody: mystery, romance, snappy writing, plot twists, complex characters, and a mysterious angel plotline to boot.
3103289
I read this book in a single day - quite an indulgence for me!  It was an easy, pleasant read with a story line that moved quickly.  What I didn't expect is the story staying in my head for a couple more days as I pondered the lead character, how she wasn't what you thought she was as you were reading the book for the first time.
3722661
Ursula Gorman's "The Best of Us" is an easy-to-read contemporary romance that centers on the relationship between Carly and Daniel, the novel's two main characters. The prologue, which details a few things that happen 8 years before the events of the main plot, presents how Carly, as a high school student, is an important part of the Wayne family even though she is not related to them. The prologue also sets up Carly's feelings for Daniel Wayne. The main plot focuses on the investigation and aftershocks of the murder of Jenna, the only sister to the 4 Wayne brothers. It is her death that causes Carly to relocate to Landon Falls. As the plot progresses, Carly and Daniel's relationship becomes more serious, especially after Carly herself is assaulted.

The strength of "The Best of Us" is how the plot easily and quickly flows from one scene to the next. The characters are believable and likable. And even though the mystery of Jenna's murder is not hard to figure out, it was still entertaining to see how the murderer was finally apprehended.

Now on the constructive side, the novel could have used a bit more proofreading. And, too often than not, the conversations/dialogue of the major characters, even though they are presented as being in their mid to late 20's, made me think that they were still in high school. Lastly, the details of the relationship involving one of the detectives investigating Jenna's murder seems to have none to little impact on how this detective is working to solve the crime.

Overall, "The Best of Us" is a pleasant read and I wish Ursula the best with the next volume of the series!
3066212
I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  The plot lines, both major and minor, were well-developed and drew me in quickly.  The character development was excellent.  The flow of the story and the attention to detail, large and small, made the story interesting, personal, factual (important for a period-piece), and entertaining.  I would have liked a one-page map of New Albany to follow along with the boys adventures but the lack didn't detract from the readability.  The author leaves us with a character whos appearance and disappearance from the story are both important and mysterious.  Ill look for this character in Mr. McGarveys next novel.  Kudos to a new author!
417617
Really, REALLY enjoyed this story! The writers paint a colorful story that is interesting and explained enough so I wasn't in the dark about the history of some of the premises.

Lots of action, but not too gruesome (a couple of things, yeah...pushing it a lttle, but not too over-the-top gory.) The romantic sub-text (yeah - there's always gotta be THAT too!) was very mild and didn't infringe on the adventure story.

All in all, a really great read with twists & turns that made me stop and say "Hey - I didn't see THAT coming!" (not that I'm all that super-sleuthy and can boast that I always figure 'em out - not me.)

Looking forward to reading more from this talented duo!
3666580
I will add an edit to this review later, when I've finished the novel, unless my feelings on it remain the same.
As of May 2nd, 2018, I am half-way through the novel. My first impression was that the narrative was charming and creative! It's a rather straight forward concept upon first embrace; simple, southern girls in a simple, southern town. They have a beautiful, childlike view on the world. Reading this novel has been easy-don't let the multiple perspectives fool you! It's an easy-reading novel, ideal for those who are looking to unwind while keeping their brains busy.
I will say, at this point in the book I would have liked to see more connections between the characters and the stories we're treated with, however what we are given is entertaining and that's a very minor "complaint".
There were some oversights on the editor's part, I did notice that a few times. To frame sentences a slightly wonky way in dialogue is obviously a non-issue, because the writer should be focused on voice. However, there were some words clearly skipped over here and there. NOT a criticism on the author, and it doesn't take away from the novel for me, simply sharing all of the notes I've gathered thus far. All that said, Tierney-Bedord has crafted a wonderful novel (at least this half), and I look forward to reading more of her work!
3351678
I enjoyed this title.  I've been getting a lot of kindle books and I find that many of them are sub-par.  I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  It was fun, well-written, and not too bogged down in details even though the plot was detailed and involved several characters.  The main character had a likeable, intelligent personality, there were no holes in the plot ("well, wait, where did THAT character come from all of a sudden??"), and I found myself looking forward to more when I was finished.  Well-crafted, interesting, and fun.  I couldn't ask for more!!
3190537
Alana and her son Caden help Justin's family learn sign language when his niece goes deaf; they develop an unexpected relationship.

(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)

Plot and Setting: 4.5 -- Plot has unique elements, no major holes, and a sense of focus. I love the interesting look at the challenges of having a deaf child/niece, and even with the slightly convenient fire and house available across the street, those elements worked. A good story. Setting is clear and believable. Timeline may be a bit hard to follow. The training gone wrong and fire happen Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, and then after spending Wednesday together and texting on Thursday, there are still apparently 'a few days' before Friday?

Characters: 5 -- Relatable, realistic, interesting, dynamic characters. Alana has a low opinion of her value, stemming from an abusive relationship. She puts Caden's needs before her own not just because she loves her son, but also because she doesn't feel like she is worth anything good. Justin struggles to deal with his beloved niece's deafness, but in fact the events that follow lead him to open himself to friendships and love with people beyond his small family. Even minor characters have depth, as do the relationships between characters. Loved Beth and her family, and especially Caden. Good stuff.

Mechanics and Writing: 3.5 -- A handful of typos, punctuation issues, or word errors; though several are rather glaring, none seriously hinder understanding. Good use of POV (Justin and Alana). Generally skillful writing. Although, slightly annoyingly, chapters almost never end at a reasonable break in the action--those breaks are all mid-chapter ones. That gets old.

Redeeming Value: 4.5 -- Well-developed, central, uplifting themes. God causes good things (like Justin's relationship with Alana and Caden) to come from bad things (like a little girl going deaf). Alana also deals with issues of self-worth, and verses she has memorized from the Bible help her focus on a hopeful future and stop obsessing over her past shame. Sex, alcohol, violence, etc, are not glorified, though Alana has physical and emotional scars from past domestic abuse, and there are guns and fighting--mostly for security/self defense and training purposes, but not all.

Personal Enjoyment: 4.5 -- I loved it. Highly enjoyable and very entertaining, with perhaps an issue or two that tempered my pleasure. One I'll definitely read again.