Natasha Grant
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PREMIUM
What a Lady Craves
Henrietta and Alexander's story is a lukewarm introduction to the "Eton Boys Trilogy," with only the merest thread hinting at a connection to future installments. Some readers may be interested to discover how the childhood friendships grew to be so tense, but this reviewer hopes that Macnamara (A Most Scandalous Proposal) is able to carve out a bit more excitement in the process.
PREMIUM
Goodnight June
Readers will be as invested in the outcome of the bookstore as June is and they will be captivated by the imaginative backstory the author creates for one of America's greatest children's authors. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Forbidden
This first novel in the "Soulkeepers" series starts out strong, has some bumps along the way, and grows stranger near the end. Yet despite the overly descriptive scenes that draw out the novel at an excruciatingly slow pace at times, some cheesy characters who feel more like caricatures, and too many similarities to at least one other young adult series in the same genre—obvious in the palely drawn, quiet and strong-willed female lead and in the mysterious, godlike creatures whose frequent disappearances from school raise few eyebrows—the overall package is an enjoyable read. Fans of the "Twilight" series will enjoy the ongoing battle between angels and demons and the love triangle at the center of it all.
PREMIUM
Return to Tradd Street
This fourth and final installment of the "Tradd Street" series (after The Strangers on Montagu Street) holds up well as a stand-alone novel. Still, readers will want to check out the previous titles to trace the development of the relationship between Melanie and Jack, to see how Melanie bonded with Jack's teenage daughter, and also how she reconnected with her own mother, who abandoned her when she was a child and shares her psychic abilities.
PREMIUM
As she did with her debut, The Dressmaker, Alcott draws from dramatic events indelibly etched in history and offers a fresh perspective. The resulting tale is reminiscent of the British television drama series North & South, in that it also explores issues of class and gender and is set primarily on a cotton mill during the same general time period. And like the series, Alcott's work will attract historical romance fans who will be entertained by the antics of the daring ladies who leave everything they know and embrace less-than-ideal conditions to gain their freedom. [See Prepub Alert, 8/12/13.]
The Daring Ladies of Lowell
As she did with her debut, The Dressmaker, Alcott draws from dramatic events indelibly etched in history and offers a fresh perspective. The resulting tale is reminiscent of the British television drama series North & South, in that it also explores issues of class and gender and is set primarily on a cotton mill during the same general time period. And like the series, Alcott's work will attract historical romance fans who will be entertained by the antics of the daring ladies who leave everything they know and embrace less-than-ideal conditions to gain their freedom. [See Prepub Alert, 8/12/13.]
PREMIUM
The Governess Club: Claire
Although Claire's story is typical of the historical romance genre—the romance between the protagonists develops quickly, secrets threaten their happiness, and the ensuing conflict is fraught with misunderstandings but resolved in short order—it is also sweet and heartwarming. More important, it introduces us to the other ladies in the "Governess Club" series. This reviewer is eager to see how their individual stories unfold. Recommended.
PREMIUM
In this intricately woven tapestry, Australian author MacColl, making her U.S. debut, seamlessly fuses the distant past in Iris's story with the more recent past in Grace's tale. Both women exhibit bone-deep strength, and while their stories are richly detailed and can stand alone, readers will enjoy the way they play off each other.
In Falling Snow
In this intricately woven tapestry, Australian author MacColl, making her U.S. debut, seamlessly fuses the distant past in Iris's story with the more recent past in Grace's tale. Both women exhibit bone-deep strength, and while their stories are richly detailed and can stand alone, readers will enjoy the way they play off each other.
PREMIUM
Solomons (The House at Tyneford) creates in Juliet a detailed character portrait of a woman who exhibits strength and poise under less than ideal conditions. Each chapter tells the story of one of Juliet's paintings and of important events in her life, and readers will respond to the realistic and beautifully flawed characteristics assigned to her.
The Gallery of Vanished Husbands
Solomons (The House at Tyneford) creates in Juliet a detailed character portrait of a woman who exhibits strength and poise under less than ideal conditions. Each chapter tells the story of one of Juliet's paintings and of important events in her life, and readers will respond to the realistic and beautifully flawed characteristics assigned to her.
PREMIUM
Tempting a Devil
Kane (The Devil's Thief) is well versed in writing in the historical fiction genre, but while the plot in this latest offering is promising, the strength of the other elements is not substantial enough to support it. There is a marked lack of character development, particularly of the protagonists, to the extent that the reader does not get a true sense of who they are and so may not care about their outcome, good or bad. Further, scenes vary little throughout, with a tone that is at times gushingly sweet. Romance readers would be better served by a Brenda Joyce or a Johanna Lindsay novel.
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