Scent of Triumph: A Novel of Perfume and Passion
by Jan Moran
Implausible Romance (5/19/2015)
This is the story of a French perfumer and her family in Europe in 1939-41. Everybody is attractive, rich and wonderfully kind and unprejudiced. Then bad things happen. Then the main character leaves for LA with the remains of her shattered family. She starts poor and ends up rich and fabulous. You can see the plot "twists" coming a mile away and I swear the main character has manic-depressive disorder because within 2 pages she goes from being thrilled about something to thinking she's made the worst decision of her life. While reading the book I was so aware of the author's presence she could have been in the room with me. I never felt involved with the characters and their situations. I felt the author was manipulating her characters as if they were puppets.
This review sounds so harsh and I'm sorry for that, but this is a very pedestrian novel and I was very disappointed in it.
The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan
Needs Photos and Smell-o-Vision! (3/8/2015)
Five people are chosen to vie to be the New Mrs Eaden, an iconic baking personality of the 1960s. Their stories are interspersed with hers as the baking competition ensues. Filled with likable people and interesting backstories this novel is like a big, warm butter-and-vanilla-scented hug. There's no great mystery, the writing is enjoyable but not stellar, and it's not ground-breaking literary fiction, but baking fans will enjoy the heck out of this novel. The pastry descriptions in particular, will enthrall bakers. I would have loved to have seen some recipes included.
The Silver Witch
by Paula Brackston
A serviceable romance novel (2/11/2015)
This is the third in Paula Brackston's series of witching novels. Tilda has moved to a small cottage by a lake in Wales after her husband's unexpected death. Soon she discovers that whenever she's around fuses blow out, light bulbs burn out and clocks stop working. Eventually she begins having visions. She discovers a possible link to a shaman/seer, Seren, who lived in the area 1,000 years ago. Along the way she finds a new love. Tilda's story is told in alternating chapters with Seren's.
Something about this book made me think of Nora Roberts' novels. I think the author is trying for a more "literary" version of a romance novel. It's well written and well-told if a little repetitive in spots.
I felt most of the characters were rather one-dimensional without a lot of personality, even Tilda, the main character. The Tilda-Dylan romance felt perfunctory to me, as if the author was checking off items on a list of requirements for a romance novel.
Girl on the Golden Coin: A Novel of Frances Stuart
by Marci Jefferson
History is confusing (1/5/2014)
Marci Jefferson's first effort at historical fiction tells the story of Frances Stuart, a maid of honor to King Charles II's wife and his reputed mistress for a time. Deployed by Henri XIV to encourage peaceful relations between England and France, Frances tries to accomplish this without alienating her family from royal favor. Scandals abound along with details of jewels and clothes. The book is light on details of relationships and politics, but a "cast of characters" in the beginning helps. Researching Frances and Charles II on your own will help more. If you like historical fiction you will probably like this book. If you prefer your history straight up this book won't sway you.
Three Seconds
by Anders Roslund & Borge Hellstrom
3 Seconds last an eternity (12/17/2010)
I wanted so much to like this book, but it was a struggle to finish. While there is a backstory involving Ewert Grens and his team, it's not a deterrent to following the plot. Grens, however, is a frustrating character and difficult to like. There seemed to be a fair amount of repetition, possibly due to translation difficulties. The book only picked up once "Paula" went to prison, easily 1/3 of the way in. Those sections were exciting and lived up to the promos on the back of the book. But it wasn't worth wading through all the rest.
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