Re-Read Challenge: Banner O'Brien by Linda Lael Miller

Banner O'Brien by Linda Lael Miller
Tapestry Books Copyright 1984

The first Linda Lael Miller books I read were from the used bookstore. My boys were small, my book budget even smaller as I was a SAHM. Frankly, I bought the Tapestry line because the books were older and less expensive than many books even in the UBS. Did you see the price? Only $2.95 I think I was paying something like 25% of cover price and less when I had books to trade.

Anyway, I fell in love with the Corbin family. BANNER O'BRIEN is the first book and is the story about Adam Corbin and Banner O'Brien both doctors in Washington territory in the late 1880s.

This month I didn't chose the book because it was on my mind and wouldn't leave me alone like last month's selection, LETTERS TO KELLY. This time I was looking at my bookshelves and couldn't make up my mind. In fact, I was favoring reading IGUANA BAY by Theresa Weir when, by happenstance, my eyes wandered to this book. I literally shrugged to myself and picked it up.

It's been eons since I've read this but I certainly remember how much I enjoyed it that first time. Vividly.

However, this time the reading experience was a bit different. I noticed right off that there wasn't much character development or time passing before the characters declared they were in love. Oh, not to each other, but nonetheless they each revealed they were in love by around page 60. I remember wondering what the rest of the pages were going to be filled with if there wasn't any more conflict or tension than that. I have no recollection of this bothering me when I read this before, but it sort of did this time around.

As it turns out the book has plenty of conflict, maybe too much for one book to handle. However, Ms. Miller does start a story arch in this book that will continue through the other books in the series.

You could certainly do worse than to read this or any of the other books in the series especially if you are like me and enjoy reading about this tumultuous and exciting time of change and growth in our country's history. One thing I did recall while reading and being re-introduced to the Corbin family, my favorite book of the series was CORBIN'S FANCY. So who knows, it might be my March re-read.

My final grade = C+

Where have you been Joe DiMaggio?

I have really been out of the loop since last Friday. My sister was here from Georgia, I had some advanced testing for a job I'm interviewing for and then, of course, Sunday was Mother's Day. Which I have to say doesn't quite seem the same to me since my Mom died, but that's a conversation for another day.

I have done some reading. As I mentioned before my reading has slowed way down. It's more about the great weather and being busy than a reading funk...at least that's what I think today.

I received the two of the books I won over at BOOK BINGE in the mail. Getting a box of books delivered to your front door is just sublime, isn't it? Anyway, I received the first Linda Lael Miller McKettrick book, HIGH COUNTRY BRIDE and the Karen Rose book COUNT TO TEN.

What I've read this past week:

HIGH COUNTRY BRIDE by Linda Lael Miller
This book isn't badly written, but the pacing is slow and I found the H/H too reminescent of the melodrama of junior high school. Would a young woman raised in a brothel not know whether or not she's had sex? If she's sheltered would she get up one day and go sign up to be a mail order bride? Rafe McKettrick supposedly decides to send for a mail order bride in response to his father's announcement that he will give the family ranch to the son who marries first. The characters seemed too far fetched for me to really enjoy this.

BLED DRY by Erin McCarthy
Interestingly enough I don't really like the humorous sort of paranormal. The paranormal books I enjoy most are dark. In fact the darker the better. Which begs the question why I'm reading a book about the headquarters for the Vampire Nation being in Las Vegas and elections of the new vamp president. The story of the election has been drawn out over three books now which was about two books too long. Of the three books BIT THE JACKPOT, HIGH STAKES and BLED DRY, HIGH STAKES is the best of the three. These are lightweight fare and there is nothing new here. Oh, except for the discovery that vampirism is a virus and in BLED DRY a French vampire Corbin Atelier is working on the vaccine to cure the virus. While I've enjoyed a couple of Ms. McCarthy's books. This series really didn't work for me.

FOREVER YOURS by Janmarie Anello
I bought this book because it was a regency and it was priced at $3.99. I figured it was worth the minimal risk to try out a new author. Ms. Anello is a very capable writer. While this book doesn't break any new ground it has some nice moments in it. The back blurb is misleading as the "secret" Sophie Treneham is guarding is not so secret and Jagger Remington does not come across as a man living solely for vengence. These are two lonely and wounded people who are trying to make a life for themselves and make sense of their pasts.

WILD, WICKED, & WANTON by Jaci Burton
I mentioned this book before. It's a fun, hot, squirmy read. Three friends make a bet to jump start their dormant sex lives. Two friends will pick the guy for the third friend to do the mattress mambo. So three friends, three stories. Since I'd read the review at Dear Author I knew what to expect and if you read the book on that level it works.