Shiny, happy people...

Is it just me?  Seems like every new romance I pick up these days involves shiny, happy people falling in love, facing a wee bit of angst and then moving happily into their lives together.  The latest example of this trend is Maya Rodale's, A Groom of One's Own.  Rodale is a new author for me and I've heard good things, so I was excited to give this one a shot.  The story involves the romantically challenged heroine, Sophie Harlow and the upright and respectable "double" Duke of Hamilton and Brandon.  Sophie is a society reporter for a London newspaper and she is assigned to cover the wedding of the Duke and his reluctant bride to be.  Sophie and the Duke have met prior to this assignment and both are struck by an immediate attraction, so most of the story involves them fighting their growing attraction while continuously thrust together for wedding preparations.  I realize I have sort of glossed over a plot recap here, but the plot really only serves as a vehicle to throw these two funny, intelligent, honorable people together and let us see how perfect they are for each other.  Although not known for my love of sweetness, I liked this book.  Rodale is a clever writer who knows how to turn a phrase.  Her dialogue moves beyond witty to laugh out loud funny at times.  Anyone looking for a sweet, sexy, well-written romance should rush out and grab this book.  That said, it left me thinking about the current state of the historical romance.

It seems that most of the books I pick up these days are historical only in the sense that the author has chosen to set them in the past.  This book could have been set in the present with very few changes.  The historical aspect of the work really had next to no effect on the rest of the story.  This book is very much part of the current trend which seems to involve merging a chick lit story with a historical time period and calling it a historical romance.  I don't really have an issue with this, publishing seems to lend itself to trends and this is obviously the latest, however it does leave me a wee bit nostalgic for a good, classic, angsty historical.  You long time romance readers know what I'm talking about.  I want an epic tale involving love, hate, separation, loss, villians, heartbreak, and enough angst to leave you with at least a few soaked hankies.

Does this kind of romance novel even exist anymore?  Is angst on the way out?  Am I the only reader who still likes the feeling of having my heart torn out? While I wait to hear your responses, I'm going to glom the other Maya Rodale titles, because really, she is a lot of fun to read.

Silly title, great book!

I  almost missed out on a really solid historical romance because of my aversion to silly titles.  They don't get much sillier than Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake!  It'a mouthful of silliness and while this book was getting amazing buzz, I was determined to avoid it.  Big mistake.  In a fit of boredom when I couldn't find anything engaging to read, I picked up a copy of NRtBWRaR (see, even the acronym doesn't roll of the tongue easily), and I am so happy that I took the chance.  Sarah Maclean is a very talented writer.  She has a wonderful way with a phrase and a nice light, humorous touch that puts one in mind of the best of Julia Quinn.

The story is pretty simple and certainly one that we have read before; plain spinsterish Calpurnia Hartwell decides that she is tired of being the good girl and so she sets out to make some changes in her life.  Just as she decides to pursue some sinful pleasures and shake up her goody two-shoes image, the man she lusts after, famous rake Gabriel St. John- Marquess of Ralston,  decides he needs her respectability to provide an entrance into society for his unconventional sister.  Spinster meets rake.  Been there, done that, a million times over.  Maclean's writing is what lifts this one above the crowd.  Calpurnia and Gabriel are interesting characters, although a reader definitely gets a better sense of her side of the story, at least early on.  There is real chemistry between these two and I had no trouble pulling for them as they began to fall for each other.  The dialogue is witty and neither of the main characters moves into TSTL territory, although some of Calpurnia's adventures leave one questioning her good sense.  Even though I liked the characters and the storyline in Nine Rules, the book wasn't perfect.  The book offers little for readers that have any real interest in the historical aspect of a historical romance.  There is nothing glaringly incorrect in her portrayal of the period, but she doesn't provide much in the way of period detail either.  For all of us angst lovers, this one falls short.  There isn't much real angst and what little there is turns out to be easily overcome.  The book is also terribly predictable.  You know exactly where this story is headed and anyone who has read much in the way of HR can probably predict most of the twists and turns that the author attempts to throw in.  That said, Nine Rules is so much fun that I was more than willing to overlook the few negatives.

This book was like candy to me.  Once in a while I want something that is light and sweet and yummy and Nine Rules certainly satisfied that craving.  I look forward to the next two books in the trilogy, silly titles and all.