First review for NovelTea Next Door from WRDF – a Black Seal – Fantastic – Stays on Shelf. It is equivalent to the 5 star review! Woo-hoo!!

Although part of a series this book can stand alone. Ms Green leaves the ending open for the next book, however she does wrap it up enough for the reader to find satisfactory closure.

She creates a great ‘gum shoe’ atmosphere without rendering the story dated, creating a modern hero with a twist. Juliet and Grant are fascinating in their interaction with each other and complement each other beautifully. A very human character, with a slight rough edge to him Grant is a great hero with a deep attraction to Juliet- slightly naive with a hint of prudishness. I was drawn into their relationship which develops alongside the mystery. This isn’t a roller coaster ride of suspense, it has a slower, steadier pace, yet remains engaging throughout. The romantic elements of the plot are tightly drawn with a faster pace than the mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to rush out and buy the previous book in the series.

The book is written in the first person from Grant’s POV. This may put some readers off but I didn’t struggle with it at all. I think Ms Green pulls it off successfully and it enhances the reader’s involvement rather than detracting from the story.  I can’t wait for the next one in the series.

Overall, a very successful ‘sweet mini’ and definitely worth a read.

Reviewed by Vasiliki Scurfield

I can tell you I was quite nervous about the first review…well, this sequel as a whole. The first NovelTea was so well received; I wasn’t sure how this second one would rate. I’m thrilled with this fantastic review.

Coffee Time Romance reviewed book 1 of the NovelTea series: A Night of NovelTea. Here is what they had to say:

This is an amazing tale of one woman who longs for a little excitement and gets more than she bargained for. The author creates these interesting characters with depth and keeps the story moving with exciting action, daring intrigue and snappy dialog. Throw in a touch of romance and you have one exceptional read.

What a thrill to receive this new review just as the sequel (NovelTea Next Door) is released.

I’m also blogging at the White Roses in Bloom blog today, and I posted about ‘My First Experience with Romance’. Love for you to come by.

Hope everyone is having a Happy Monday!

This past Christmas I received a copy of the 2005 film adaptation of Hardy’s novel – Under the Greenwood Tree. It stars Keeley Hawes (well known British actress, Spooks and many, many Period Drama roles) as Fancy Day and James Murray (an unknown to me) as Dick Dewey. I shared the enjoyment of this film with my sister who is a Period Drama Junkie like myself. What can I say? We both loved it. And we have now added ‘Dick Dewey’ into our repartee when speaking of favorite Period men. And the sensual hand washing scene – yes that one will be spoken of for quite some time. Wonderful characterization of the local people and their quire or choir. And Parson Maybold played by Ben Miles (from the British TV show Coupling) was just terrific. All in all it was a great flick and a well-loved addition to my Period Drama collection even though it was only an hour and a half long. So many of the good ones are mini-series any more.

I enjoyed the film so much I decided to read the book. Now I love reading classic literature: Dickens, Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Alcott, and on and on. But I had never read a Hardy story before. This novel is supposed to be the first of his Wessex novels when he returned to his family’s country roots. It is a pastoral story that rues the effects of the Industrial Revolution moving into the small country villages. It is also the love story of Fancy Day and Dick Dewey. Now as I read the book I realized that the film version had really veered from the original text. I believe the important things were included but the plot was altered to what I believe was better than the original text. Sorry to all those Hardy fans but the plot was a bit dull and meandered about. I also disliked Fancy in the book. She was a bit too vain and featherheaded. She was much more likeable and interesting in the film. The one thing I wish they had captured in the film was the character of Parson Maybold. He came across quite pompous in the film but in the book he had a sweet, tender heart. I wonder why they changed this?

It really surprised me that I enjoyed the book less than the film. This was a first. I always love the depth and literary precision of these classic masters but in this instance I was a bit let down by the original. The one thing which remained consistent between the film and the book was Dick Dewy – true blue and very much in love. You gotta love that! I do heartily recommend the film especially if you love Period Drama. The book is a good read too and not overly long. I only wonder what Mr. Thomas Hardy was thinking when he created Fancy. What were his subtle sentiments toward Victorian womanhood??

Well, I just finished re-reading What a Girl Wants by Kristen Billerbeck in preparation of working on one of my own in this genre. What genre might that be?? Well, Chick-lit of course.

So, before I get into Ms. Billerbeck’s book let’s talk about Chick-lit. What is this odd sounding genre which makes me think of gum (chicklets)?

Chick-lit is primarily about young women in their 20’s or 30’s dealing with life. It contains a light, humorous and most importantly confiding tone—almost always in the first person. The themes focus around love, relationships, friendships, professional dilemmas, and a penchant for fashion—usually facing hilarious and embarrassing situations. But what it all comes down to is the heroine figuring out herself and what she really wants out of life. There is usually some kind of epiphany that blows her mind away and finally she can see clearly about what she really wants—or more importantly—needs.

I really enjoy reading Ms. Billerbeck’s Ashley Stockingdale books. Her heroine has her flaws and is not perfectly beautiful. The true love interest in her life (there are several possibilities) is not the drop dead gorgeous type, but still as Ashley is apt to say…Be Still My Heart! It is a thoroughly engaging read. I love the voice of Ashley and find myself relating to her even though I’ve been married for…far too long. The last three or four chapters are an agony because you want to know how it is all going to work out so you MUST keep reading. A true test of a good book! If you have never read Chick-lit, this is a good place to start. I thoroughly recommend it.