The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers

Let me start this review by saying The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers is a bit of departure from the usual sorts of books that tend to attract themselves to my reading-radar. So I'll just lay it out nice and plain: The Story Guy is a full-on romance novella with lots of sizzle and adult...situations. If you like stories that fade to black at certain moments, this ain't it. Ahem. That said I found myself glomming onto this particular read like you wouldn't believe because A. it came highly recommended by rock-star Angie and B. it features a teen services librarian as the heroine. Full-stop. That just may be my weakness right there. So if this sounds like something you might enjoy, continue on friend. And if not, well, I'll see you on the next go round.

As I stated before, Carrie is a protagonist I can absolutely get behind. She's a glasses-wearing librarian for Pete's sake who might just be a little bit, well, maybe...lonely. With a fulfilling job and friends who love her, she's never felt the need to truly put herself out there if only to avoid the awkwardness inherently involved in the dreaded first date. So she waits. Until one late night (or is it early morning?) when, sleepless, she curiously clicks on an on-line personal ad for what seems to be the most unexpected request. 

I will meet you on Wednesdays at noon in Celebration Park. Kissing only.

Feeling totally unlike herself, Carrie responds to the cryptic request and agrees to meet this mysterious stranger. And after that first day, Carrie embarks on a bit of a surprising, if not highly unconventional, courtship with a man so badly in need of rescuing it's almost painful at times to watch. Because if there's ever a man in need of a bit of rescuing, it's Brian. As in the words of Carrie's co-worker Justin:

"Wow, Carrie. When I said you should go for Story Boy I didn't realize he was a Russian novel."

The Story Guy is a novella that does not read like a novella. It reads like an incredibly well thought out, full-length novel with dynamic pacing and challenging characters. Despite their obvious, instant attraction it's Brian and Carrie's intensely personal conversations that go a long way in revealing their true selves more than any number of dates could have that propel this story from mere good to bloody brilliant. Take this startlingly raw confession of Carrie's on why she hasn't been dating much lately.

I was making some kind of request for some specific kind of love, and instead of that love, the love I needed, I would get another kind. Like, I would need...daisy love, you know, pretty love, sweet love that nonetheless was ubiquitous in roadside ditches in summertime, and instead I would get orchid love. Love that needed misting and replanting and pruning and fertilizing and died anyway. So I stopped asking, and it was okay, except I've been feeling like I don't have enough...of something.

Daisy love. *sigh* Who doesn't crave uncomplicated daisy love at times? And Carrie's ability to articulate those feelings in such a poetic manner...it just makes me feel so much. And that is what Mary Ann Rivers is so adept at in this debut -- making one feel all these great, big Emotions.

And maybe I'm getting a bit off track here but for me, while reading The Story Guy, I could not get the song Rescue Me out of my head. Cheesy as that sounds. But maybe that's the highest recommendation of all that I could give this story -- I just can't plain get it out of my head.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:

Angieville review
Karen Knows Best review

book source: review copy from publisher

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand

Even though I don't necessarily love the cover of The Chocolate Touch (that skinny dude is so NOT Dominique Richard! I do so miss those enormously charming silhouettes paired with the bright blue and pink of the previous The Chocolate Thief and The Chocolate Kiss), I must admit to absolutely adoring the contents contained within the packaging. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of Laura Florand's previous novels but The Chocolate Touch pretty much killed it for me. Killed. It. Too soon you say? Well, read on...I'll clue you in as to why.

Every single day for the last week, Dominique Richard has caught glimpses of a unusually frail looking woman sitting in his exclusive Parisian chocolate shop nursing a cup of chocolat chaud while sampling one of his unique creations. Intrigued with her unusual quietness and general willingness to simply sit and enjoy his chocolates, Dominique finds himself wanting to get to know her. But at the same time, believing his natural aggressive nature would not be attractive to this quiet lady, makes plans to slowly charm her into looking not quite so...bruised. Even if the mysterious lady in question is sure Dominique couldn't possibly be interested in her, especially if he were to discover all her secrets.

I cannot say enough about Ms. Florand's deft hand at setting a scene, at creating tension, and in general at pairing two so very different individuals in one of the sweetest love stories I've come across in a long time. So often I found myself grinning like a fool or worried for the results their mutual stubbornness. Yes, Dominique and Jamie both have their complicated...issues...but they just complement each other so well. Their relationship is so out of the norm for both of them but it just works period. She's in need of some rebuilding and he's never had the implicit trust that Jamie is so willing to give. Although in this readers opinion, basically the best thing about both characters is their honest desire to simply do right by the other. That's enough right there to make this girl swoon. And then there's this small fact that the man specializes in dark chocolate. Oh boy. Talk about dreamy.

Nor is Ms. Florand afraid to dive headfirst the messiness of family dynamics in The Chocolate Touch -- which I will be forever grateful for. Jamie and her older sister fully captured my interest with their obvious love and fierce instinct to protect one another despite their myriad differences. Jamie's save-the-world mentality was such a wonderful foil to her sister's I'm-in-control-here demeanor. Of course, even more satisfying had to be watching Dominique trying to navigate those dangerous waters when he not only meets Jamie's sister, but her overprotective father, and prying grandfather (who is probably one of my favorite secondary characters. Ever.). Those scenes proved to be ever so hilarious yet also thrillingly sweet. Perhaps even more fabulous was how Ms. Florand allowed so many strong characters in one scene without ever overwhelming the other while still staying true to their own nature. That's no small feat and only added to The Chocolate Touch's addictive nature in the best possible way.

Now. If you still need some convincing, head on over to Laura Florand's site and read the first chapter of The Chocolate Touch to whet your appetite. It's all kinds of perfect.

The Chocolate Touch will be released July 30th.

series reading order:
~ The Chocolate Thief
~ The Chocolate Kiss
~ The Chocolate Touch

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Angieville review

book source: review copy from the author

Something About You by Julie James

To say that Julie James has an astonishingly - and refreshingly - irreverent sense of humor would be a gross understatement. Just take James' dedication in Something About You for example (yes, I read those beginning pages; you're missing out if you don't):

To the jokers in the room next to me at the JW Marriott San Francisco -- As you kept me awake with your antics; this is the book I wrote in my head.

Since I opened Something About You knowing it was about a woman who inadvertently winds up next door to an enthusiastically *vocal* couple at a hotel, I may have choked back a laugh or two. And then quickly turned the pages to get started.

U.S. District Attorney Cameron Lynde has earned a vacation. Even if said vacation happens to take place at a swanky hotel mere miles from her home for a little R&R, so much the better. So it might be a gross understatement to say that she was mildly displeased when the couple next door began to engage in some seriously verbal, hot-and-heavy nighttime activities at two in the morning while she was trying for some deserved rest. After calling the hotel desk to complain, Cameron peeks out her door to watch the culprits make the walk of shame but only glimpses a man making his solitary way out. Alone. Fully expecting to finally fall blissfully asleep, Cameron discovers her night is about to get a little bit worse when the room next door winds up becoming a crime scene and the lead investigator is none other than her old nemesis FBI Agent Jack Pallas. AKA Agent Hottie. Cameron and Jack share what I will lightly call 'an unpleasant bit of professional history' wherein Jack made some choice comments about Cameron's ability as a lawyer and in the fallout, was transferred to the Middle of Nowhere. Finally back in the big city and on his first assignment, Jack is not remotely pleased to discover that Cameron is his only eye (err...ear) witness in such an important case.

Upon finishing Something About You, I gave a little sigh. It was a happy sigh because I had such fun with Cameron and Jack - highly loyal and competent people both. Their constant circling was non-stop amusing and of course, Julie James had to go and throw in some truly dynamic secondary characters who were experts at keeping the comedy rolling. That said (*deep breath*), for some strange reason I found Something About You to be lacking in what I call the Unique Sparkle Department (I'm trademarking that BTW) which was oh so present in James' previous two books. One reason could be that the novel lies in the 'romantic suspense' genre: there is an obvious villain, whom Jack and Cameron spend a fair amount of time simply trying to keep her safe from. Which in the end doesn't allow for as much time for their devilishly witty exchanges, darn it.

James' element of humor is what had me previously stepping out of my genre comfort zone to pick up her first two romance novels, Practice Makes Perfect and Just the Sexiest Man Alive in the first place. Thanks to recommendations from The Book Smugglers and Angie, I found both to be laugh-out-loud, is-it-possible-to-die-from-giggling-so-much? funny. And also reports that the 'romance' side of the novels was more left to the imagination than not. I'm one of those readers who like to be left wondering about some things... Which is not to say Something About You wasn't a very good book. It was. It just wasn't exceptionally good - but I will still tell people to read it. In fact, I'm telling you right now: Go Read Something About You. Anytime you get me laughing out loud with your dedication alone Ms. James, I'm going to recommend your book.

Because Everyone Loves a Second Opinion:
Angieville review
The Book Smugglers review
Dear Author review
Janicu's Book Blog review
Smart Bitches Trashy Books review
Tempting Persephone review

book source: my local library