Must-read romances: 'Love and Oreos,' 'Cowboy's Little Surprise,' 'The Second Sister'
Love & Oreos by Elizabeth Bemis
What it's about (courtesy of Elizabeth Bemis):
Katherine Mendoza is a curvy PR exec whose passion for Oreos is tempered only by her workaholic lifestyle. But when an invitation to her high school reunion lands on her doorstep the same day she takes on the obscenely attractive owner of a chain of fitness centers as a client, she decides it's a sign from the gods. Who better to get her backside into shape than the guy whose backside she's about to save?
Fitness-master Quinn Mitchell is more than happy to help Katherine slim down, but keeping his hands off her curves is proving to be the bigger challenge. Unfortunately, he's got oversized problems of his own: his fitness centers are coming under fire from a reporter with a vendetta, he's behind schedule and losing backers, and his business partner insists that being seen with anyone who's not model-thin is bad for business.
In an epic clash of wits, wagers—and Oreos, Katherine and Quinn put everything on the line to succeed…but can they win it all without losing their hearts?
Why you should read it: Golden Heart award winner Elizabeth Bemis makes her sassy, sexy, confetti-worthy debut with Love & Oreos, the first book in her Sudden Falls contemporary series. Bemis' voice is humorous and sly, her characters realistically complicated, her storytelling engaging and silky smooth. Her subject matter is heartbreaking and all too familiar — a smart, successful professional deals with massive insecurities thanks to her higher-than-healthy body weight. Luckily Bemis pairs her self-doubting heroine with an empathetic hero, and with grace and wit spins their clashes and clinches into a gratifying love story.
He looked like he spent every waking minute in the gym. Not that he was muscle bound in an I-can-pull-a-truck-with-only-my-neck sort of way. Actually, except for the hair, he looked like a Marine. Lots of muscle definition — strategically shown off by his snug polo shirt — but still reasonably trim. Probably a runner.
I did an admirable job of not shuddering at the idea of running without a really good reason — like getting out of a burning building, for instance, or fleeing a pack of rabid wolves.
Bemis doesn't pull any punches with the challenges her heroine faces because of her weight, and one of those challenges is the hero. Yeah, he's a sensitive guy, and usually willing to go the extra mile to make her feel safe and desirable, but his entire business is on the line. Since image is everything to his company, this means Quinn is forced to admit to Katherine that being seen with her could cause him problems. That truth was as harsh for me to read as it was for Katherine to hear. But though Katherine's hurting, she's not the passive type — I gave her a mental high-five every time she scolded him and called him Sparky (as in, Up here, Sparky, when he couldn't seem to lift his gaze above chest level). It was also gratifying to see Quinn suffer from his own feelings of insecurity.
Considering Katherine's lust for Quinn and her self-consciousness about her size, it did surprise me that she agreed to take him on as a trainer, but that choice showcased her determination, and led to some off-the-chart sexual tension and true bonding, so I was all for it. The secondary romance lent an intriguing dynamic — for most of the book, I wasn't sure whether or not to root for the secondary couple — and the story's resolution was charming, if a tad rushed.
The heart, heat, snark and energy in Love & Oreos make Bemis' inaugural release a bright and buoyant win. I look forward to meeting Katherine's sister Grace in the next Sudden Falls installment, Friends & Fortune Cookies, available mid-May.
The Cowboy's Little Surprise by Barbara White Daille
What it's about (courtesy of Harlequin):
A guy like Cole Slater is hard to forget. Tina Sanchez should know — for years since high school she's tried to bury the pain of Cole's cruel betrayal. But it's impossible to ignore the man she sees reflected in her young son's eyes now that Cole is back in her life — and about to meet the child he never knew he had.
Returning home to New Mexico, Cole is determined to put his playboy reputation to rest. Especially now that he knows there's a little boy looking up to him. And seeing Tina again reignites all the feelings Cole ran from as a teen. Despite his fear that he can't be the man Tina deserves, he's determined to try. For his son's sake — and his own.
Why you should read it: Daille's The Hitching Post Hotel series is based on an enticing premise — an aging rancher plots to find a husband for each of his three granddaughters. And if the newly-formed families decide to settle in or around his hotel? All the better. As you might expect, the rancher is a well-meaning schemer, with a mischievous, forgiving nature and a tendency to distribute down-home advice just when it's needed most. But what you won't expect is the number of complications — heart-wrenching, disturbing, amusing complications — that make The Cowboy's Little Surprise another absorbing read from Daille.
Of course, none of the three granddaughters has any intention of courting romance. Tina especially, who never stopped loving her little boy's father. But after Cole's anger at her failure to tell him about his son fades, he begins to appreciate Tina all over again, this time as a woman instead of a girl. As scared as Tina is that Cole will make their son fall in love with him then leave him, too, she's no match for Cole's charm. Watching her slowly accept the possibility of a happy ever after is both gratifying and alarming, because Cole's not sure himself of how much he has to offer, to Tina or to their son.
He frowned. "I don't know what I've done to get on your bad side. But I think we can change that."
"Why would we want to?"
He laughed. "Dang, woman, you ask more questions than all the kids put together. Come on, we've barely had a chance to talk at all in the past couple of days. Admit it, you've missed me, haven't you?"
"Don't flatter yourself."
"All right, then. How about I flatter you?"
Though Daille provides plenty of reasons for Tina and Cole to resent each other, she also gives them a number of sweet, solid reasons to bond. Yes, Cole's a wanderer while Tina's a homebody, but neither had a stellar childhood. Tina never had a father and Cole's was abusive, which makes the discovery that he has a son all the more poignant. Cole's past irresponsibility is tempered by his belief that his son deserves better than him, and Tina's failure to involve Cole in their son's life is understandable, considering the secrets that surrounded her own upbringing.
There are so many appealing and relatable aspects to this story. The contrast between teen decisions and adult realizations; the trouble the best of intentions can lead to; the damage the lack of trust can do; the joy that can result when people surpass even their own expectations; and the strength a family's love can provide. With The Cowboy's Little Surprise, Daille demonstrates once again her uncanny grasp of human nature and the thoughts, feelings and experiences that shape irresistible characters — and outstanding stories.
The Second Sister by Marie Bostwick
What it's about (courtesy of Kensington):
Years of long workdays and little sleep as a political campaigner are about to pay off now that Lucy Toomey's boss is entering the White House. But when her estranged older sister, Alice, unexpectedly dies, Lucy is drawn back to Nilson's Bay, her small, close-knit, Wisconsin hometown.
An accident in her teens left Alice mentally impaired, and she was content to stay in Nilson's Bay. Lucy, meanwhile, got out and never looked back. But now, to meet the terms of Alice's eccentric will, Lucy has taken up temporary residence in her sister's cottage — and begins to see the town, and Alice's life, anew. Alice's diverse group of friends appears to have little in common besides an interest in quilting. Yet deep affection for Alice united them and soon Lucy, too, is brought into the fold as they share problems and stories. And as she finds warmth and support in this new circle, Lucy begins to understand this will be her sister's enduring gift — a chance to move beyond her difficult past, and find what she has long been missing…
Why you should read it: The story, the prose, the characters and the craft — everything about The Second Sister is exceptional. The juxtaposition of relationships lost and relationships found is intriguing and stirring, the use of quilting as a bonding device effective and vibrant, and a long-beloved aspect of Marie Bostwick's books. I don't know the first thing about quilting, but now even I'm tempted to try! Then again, maybe not, considering what happened to fellow neophyte Lucy, poor thing.
Speaking of Lucy, she's one compelling character. Her profession as a political campaign manager is fresh and fascinating, and the mess that's her personal life will make you desperate for her to find peace and fulfillment. During her initially grudging stay in Nilson's Bay, she comes to know and appreciate her sister Alice, and along the way, she comes to know and appreciate herself. Her tragedy is that no one has ever known her like Alice did — not even her parents, and especially not her father.
Dad spun around and fixed me with eyes of ice. "Where were you, Lucy? Can you explain that to me? When your sister was drowning, where were you?"
It was the longest single utterance my father would make to me for the rest of his life.
Your heart will hurt for Lucy and Alice alike. Water and ice are recurring themes in this story, but Bostwick uses them gently, as well as equitably, allowing them to represent rebirth as often as they represent death.
I circled around the house to take a look at the lake, walking across the long expanse of lawn to stand at the water's edge, the spot where, if you keep your face fixed forward, you don't see a single object made by man and imagine yourself in splendid isolation, the first human to draw breath here. Or perhaps the last.
It was breathtaking, especially on such a crisply cold but bright and sunny day in an autumn that was lingering long. Every breath of wind raised sparkling ripples on the endless blue-gray surface of the water and rattled the leaves of the trees, releasing little showers of still brilliant yellow, gold, orange, and red foliage that floated to the ground like little flags of welcome.
Lucy's not the only genuine, crazy-in-a-fun-way, gee-I-wish-I-could-hang-with-you character. Alice's circle of friends, a circle which eventually expands to embrace Lucy, includes a former alcoholic with trust issues, a lover of Shakespeare who shares her wine with her chickens, and a sweet young artist who needs saving almost as much as Lucy does. The story may shift from the frenzy of Washington, DC to the comparative languor of Wisconsin, but politics plays a part just the same. Though some heavyweight issues are addressed, Bostwick creates a perfect balance between the profound and the sunny.
The romance thread is there, and it's all kinds of gratifying, though the focus remains firmly on the sisterhood of Alice. The humor is there, as well, and delightfully so, which didn't surprise me a bit, considering this snippet I found in Bostwick's bio:
Marie is the published author of a bunch of books. No kidding, a bunch. Like ten. She continues to be amazed by this. So does her high-school English teacher.
Beautiful, thought-provoking, tragic and redeeming, The Second Sister is a feel-good goldmine.
Kathy Altman's latest contemporary romance novel is Staying at Joe's. Kathy prefers her chocolate with nuts, her Friday afternoons with wine and her love stories with happy ever afters. Her website is KathyAltman.com.