Take a photo of a barcode or cover
bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
Georgia finds out her fiancee has been keeping a huge secret from her, a week before her wedding. She discovers this secret while at her last bridal dress fitting and runs home, dress and all, to her family's vineyard. Looking for the comforts of family and home, Georgia instead finds that Ben's secret isn't the only one waiting to be let out.
I thought this was OK. I read it quickly, and enjoyed the bits of knowledge about wine-making, but found Georgia to be a fairly shallow character. The romance aspect of the book irked me, and everything ended up a bit too perfectly. Fine for a day at the beach or a night on a porch.
I thought this was OK. I read it quickly, and enjoyed the bits of knowledge about wine-making, but found Georgia to be a fairly shallow character. The romance aspect of the book irked me, and everything ended up a bit too perfectly. Fine for a day at the beach or a night on a porch.
Alexa's first kiss was amazing, until Nick ruined it all by breaking her heart immediately afterwards.
Fast forward fifteen years later, Nick needs a wife to fulfill a clause in his Uncle's will, but he only needs a wife for one year. Alexa needs $150,000 to save her mother's home. They strike up a bargain and quickly get married, despite their disdain for each other and of course their COMPLETE LACK of chemistry. Sounds like the perfect bargain, until their hearts get involved.
The entire premise was preposterous, including the ruse to trick the family. However, the banter and steam made up for the absurdities. Perfect book for reading in the yard while keeping one eye on a wily three year old.
Fast forward fifteen years later, Nick needs a wife to fulfill a clause in his Uncle's will, but he only needs a wife for one year. Alexa needs $150,000 to save her mother's home. They strike up a bargain and quickly get married, despite their disdain for each other and of course their COMPLETE LACK of chemistry. Sounds like the perfect bargain, until their hearts get involved.
The entire premise was preposterous, including the ruse to trick the family. However, the banter and steam made up for the absurdities. Perfect book for reading in the yard while keeping one eye on a wily three year old.
Man, this was not so good for me. I am way to close to the original trilogy films and I could not get over the stilted language and the lack of character development. I'm assuming the ROTJ script got handed to Kahn and he had to write a novel based off of movie he had not even seen? I hope so, because otherwise, woof.
I've read so many EXCELLENT Expanded Universe novels and this did not even come close. Perhaps if I had read this as a kid in 1983 with no other knowledge I would have been OK, because this was a HUGE bestseller in 1983. Huge.
When I read a novelization of a movie, I'm hoping for further insight into the minds of the characters, what they are thinking during moments of action, etc. In this one, the only moments I enjoyed were at the end, when Luke and Vader came to an understanding and we got to see a bit more of what was going through Luke's head during their confrontation. Oddly, Lando Calrissian was the other character I got a little more insight into, which I thought was an odd choice, but ok overall.
The Han/Leia romance was so off. For example:
"Han and Leia turned to each other full of feeling. All they'd struggled for, all they'd dreamed of-gone now...Han had never known love, so enamored of himself was he; Leia had never known love, so wrapped up in social upheaval was she..."
And,
"Han and Leia looked at each other, fixed their gazes deep in each other's eyes, swam there in the wells of their souls for a suspended, eternal moment, during which all was felt, understood, touched, shared."
Where's the charming banter?! Nope. Just too busy staring at each other.
Also, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do this:
"'Ahrck grah rahr hrowrowhr," Chewbacca agreed.
or
"'Beed doop beep deep,' said Artoo."
Don't do it.
Read for the "year I was born" square on my work Book Bingo Challenge!
I've read so many EXCELLENT Expanded Universe novels and this did not even come close. Perhaps if I had read this as a kid in 1983 with no other knowledge I would have been OK, because this was a HUGE bestseller in 1983. Huge.
When I read a novelization of a movie, I'm hoping for further insight into the minds of the characters, what they are thinking during moments of action, etc. In this one, the only moments I enjoyed were at the end, when Luke and Vader came to an understanding and we got to see a bit more of what was going through Luke's head during their confrontation. Oddly, Lando Calrissian was the other character I got a little more insight into, which I thought was an odd choice, but ok overall.
The Han/Leia romance was so off. For example:
"Han and Leia turned to each other full of feeling. All they'd struggled for, all they'd dreamed of-gone now...Han had never known love, so enamored of himself was he; Leia had never known love, so wrapped up in social upheaval was she..."
And,
"Han and Leia looked at each other, fixed their gazes deep in each other's eyes, swam there in the wells of their souls for a suspended, eternal moment, during which all was felt, understood, touched, shared."
Where's the charming banter?! Nope. Just too busy staring at each other.
Also, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do this:
"'Ahrck grah rahr hrowrowhr," Chewbacca agreed.
or
"'Beed doop beep deep,' said Artoo."
Don't do it.
Read for the "year I was born" square on my work Book Bingo Challenge!
What the hell did I just read? I picked this up after it was referenced in Ernest Cline's newest, [b:Armada|16278318|Armada|Ernest Cline|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377284428s/16278318.jpg|22378124]. The premise was sound, a common man seeks revenge in a space opera much like The Count of Monte Cristo, but the overall story was wonky and off for me.
There are so many cool ideas - jaunting, the different societies on different planets, revenge, double-crossing, etc, but then there a lot of TERRIBLE ideas-women as chattel BECAUSE of being able to jump through space, rape, naming your main character Jisbella and having her nicknamed JIZ.
I don't know. This was not my style of writing, these were not characters I enjoyed, and overall I felt the ideas were never as fully explored as I would like. I finished it, but I wouldn't ever read it again, or really recommend it.
Green Bay, WI is referenced a few times in this book as a place where characters live, so that is cool.
Just not really for me.
There are so many cool ideas - jaunting, the different societies on different planets, revenge, double-crossing, etc, but then there a lot of TERRIBLE ideas-women as chattel BECAUSE of being able to jump through space, rape, naming your main character Jisbella and having her nicknamed JIZ.
I don't know. This was not my style of writing, these were not characters I enjoyed, and overall I felt the ideas were never as fully explored as I would like. I finished it, but I wouldn't ever read it again, or really recommend it.
Green Bay, WI is referenced a few times in this book as a place where characters live, so that is cool.
Just not really for me.
A charming tale of one English girl's struggles with an anxiety disorder and her loving, but often overwhelming, family. A great (and fairly quick) audiobook listen with a lovely narrator who accurately portrays a 14-year-old girl without sounding twee. I often laughed out loud, and Kinsella handles the tough subjects with grace.
A fantastically cute little resource on all things unicorn, mythical and real. I loved the illustrations and photos included, and would make an excellent gift.
A fun listen, but not my favorite celebrity book. I really enjoyed [b:Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?|10335308|Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)|Mindy Kaling|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443264638s/10335308.jpg|15237902], but felt this was a little more uneven. However, most parts I did enjoy, and the ending really shone.
Upon first picking this up, I thought I was in a for a bildungromans about a young girl born with an exceptional palate and her rise to chef stardom as per the book blurb. Something not too heavy.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that while this was the underlying theme, the book was far more interesting. Each chapter focuses on a different character in Eva Jorgenson's orbit and it often took a little while to find out why exactly you were in this character's perspective. Each chapter, much like the courses in Eva's famous dinners, was it's own entree, with a perfect, bitter sweet dessert at the end.
I would recommend this to those who love food, the Midwest, and a little bit of darkness. If you can find it on audio, I also recommend because the two narrators nailed the Midwest accents without making them a joke.
PS. A passage about a Kohl's coupon and a capri pants nailed the Midwest character for me. Nailed it.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that while this was the underlying theme, the book was far more interesting. Each chapter focuses on a different character in Eva Jorgenson's orbit and it often took a little while to find out why exactly you were in this character's perspective. Each chapter, much like the courses in Eva's famous dinners, was it's own entree, with a perfect, bitter sweet dessert at the end.
I would recommend this to those who love food, the Midwest, and a little bit of darkness. If you can find it on audio, I also recommend because the two narrators nailed the Midwest accents without making them a joke.
PS. A passage about a Kohl's coupon and a capri pants nailed the Midwest character for me. Nailed it.
I've heard good things about Kleypas, and this was my first. I'm not entirely sold. I enjoyed the fact the Rake didn't already have his fortune made and had struggles, but I did not truly enjoy or buy the pairing of the two.