|
'Be My Valentine' doesn't exactly steal your heart |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Lezlie Patterson, MCT
|
|
Friday, 02 February 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 "Be My Valentine"
by Debbie Macomber
MIRA Books
$7.99, paperback
___
There are a couple of reasons you might want to read "Be My Valentine," a two-for-one of a couple of Debbie Macomber's older books.
First, with Valentine's Day approaching, you can tie your reading into the holiday. Second, new releases are rather slow at this time of year.
Given that, "My Funny Valentine" and "My Hero," the stories in "Be My Valentine," might suffice. They won't be the best you've ever read, but they won't be the worst either.
In "My Funny Valentine," divorcee Dianne is pressured by her well-meaning mother and children to find a date for the community Valentine's dinner. She's willing to do anything to avoid another of her mother's fix-ups. Even pay a stranger to be her escort.
One dark and rainy night, Dianne locks her keys in the car and Steve rides to her rescue.
She's attracted. She's desperate. She offers to pay him if he'll take her to the party.
He accepts, saying something about never being able to resist a damsel in distress.
Of course, the scheme gets complicated. And by the time the dinner arrives, both are smitten. Steve is OK with that, but Dianne is rather stressed.
But Steve tells her a story. And all is well.
"My Hero" really isn't much of a Valentine story, but it's a cute and funny romance about a writer who needs a model for the hero in her book.
Parker becomes Bailey's model hero in more ways than one.
Both of these stories are cute reads, even though they're not likely to be memorable ones.
But if you get though this week, there will be a lot of good new romances to choose from. J.D. Robb, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Amanda Quick, Mary Balogh, Sherryl Woods, Deirdre Martin and Linda Lael Miller are among the authors with new releases coming out in the next few weeks.
HOW IT STACKS UP
OVERALL RATING: 3 of 5 hearts. It's simply OK. Both are fast reads and the sort that you might forget about soon after you finish. But you'll be content while reading.
HUNK APPEAL: 10. They're simply OK. Steve shows patience, but probably should have let Dianne know she didn't have to pay for his attentions. Parker needed a bit of Steve's patience and understanding.
STEAMY SCENE GRADE: Quite wholesome, Macomber style.
HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER: Good, especially when Steve tells Dianne her story and Parker reveals his little scheme to Bailey. "My Hero" ended a bit better thanks to an epilogue. "My Funny Valentine" ended a bit abruptly.
___
DUSTY SHELF
Many great romance novels have been written through the years. It's worth dusting off these oldies.
"Again the Magic" by Lisa Kleypas is one of the all-time best romances, a compelling love story that oozes romance and has you dreading the final page.
The story spans several years, beginning when Lady Aline and stable boy McKenna realized their innocent childhood friendship has evolved into something more. Their passion is the stuff great love stories are made of.
So, of course, they have to face tragedy. Aline's father threatens McKenna, and Aline must take drastic measures to keep him safe. As her sister explains to an embittered McKenna many years later, "She loved you ... enough that she chose to make you hate her rather than see you harmed in any way."
And McKenna does try to hate Aline. He returns to her home 12 years later as a successful man intent on making Aline suffer for casting him aside all those years ago. He tries to fight his affection for Aline with bitterness and nastiness, but he can't fight love.
Truths have to be discovered and secrets shared before they can embark on their happily-ever-after.
This book is full of wonderfully romantic, tender scenes that will linger in your mind — passages you'll turn to time after time, whenever you need a quick dose of passionate romance. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
