Carpe Librum

(This is a review of the audiobook.) ★★★★✩ I never anticipate listening to Simon Prebble narrate. He just is not someone I look forward to reading me a love story. I think I'd like him telling me a tale from another genre. Luckily, my library had this available, so I tried it.

Even so, once he gets going, I appreciate him more. He does the old biddies of the Ton to perfection, which is good because Lady Danbury is in this one and the scenes with her are wonderful.

Did it as a “buddy read” – which is always fun.

★★★½☆

★★★★☆ My first time reading this author and I really, really enjoyed it. (Extra "really" for Dhes and Pamela.) There may have been a few bumps, but some parts were perfect, too. I'll definitely pick one of hers up again.

I'll just post some pics from our "buddy read."

Charlie's tent? Sorry, I couldn't find one that was all black.


This is a good picture to show how the bikes are loaded/packed.


biking in Holland, canal


You can see how flat Holland is; that's why Laura chose it! LOL!






Photo by Ton le Jeune taken in Drente, Holland.


Delft blue plates



Giethoorn, Holland The town with no roads... everything is walking or biking paths, or waterways.


Holland Bike Shop


Typical Dutch 'grandma-bike' which is still the most popular bike for women in Holland.


Amsterdam is full of imprints like this...Could go on a bike ride with the kids, following a "map" of symbols, or making our own adventure!


Wooden shoes on a bike lane in Holland.

From Wiki: A dacquoise is a dessert cake made with layers of almond and hazelnut meringue and whipped cream or buttercream. It takes its name from the feminine form of the French word dacquois, meaning 'of Dax', a town in southwestern France. It is usually served chilled and accompanied by fruit. A particular form of the dacquoise is the marjolaine, which is long and rectangular and combines almond and hazelnut meringue layers with chocolate buttercream.

The term dacquoise can also refer to the nut meringue layer itself.

★★★★★ Whoa. I'm speechless.

★★★☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Man-oh-man! As much as I love Rosalyn Landor narrating, even she can’t do anything about a major – yes major – cliffhanger. I don’t mind little ones in a series, especially if they are to set up the next character in the series. (Actually, I’ve just gotten used to them.) However, nothing is really resolved in this one. If I wanted to run that risk, I could read Urban Fantasy, or even some PNR.

By the way, when I was listening to this last night the story changed to the brother. I thought, okay... good stopping place; I’ll listen to the rest of the story tomorrow. Well, the rest of the story was about seven minutes longer! Eep! The end. Or should I say, "To Be Continued." I am so unhappy about it, I don’t know if I'll even continue with the series.

★★★½☆ I really liked this one. Maybe the hero had too much going on with him (incognito millionaire, doctor, musician, grief in his history), thus was too good to be true. Still, I enjoyed the story.

★★★★½ Just loved it. Couldn't gobble it down fast enough.

★★★★★ -- ❀ Wonderful on audio by the talented Rosalyn Landor! ❀

★★★★★ -- ❀ Wonderful on audio by the talented Rosalyn Landor! ❀

★★★½☆

★★★☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Ugh. Maybe I read this too soon after the first one of The Cynster Sisters Trilogy, but I didn’t enjoy Eliza and Jeremy’s story as much. Way too repetitious. Same narrator as the first one, Matthew Brenher, whom I loved. Nevertheless, this time around even he sounds bored. Poor sod.

In the first one the mysterious laird was interesting and intriguing. Now he’s just TSTL and with too much internal dialogue which proves him TSTL, as he wasn’t considering the things he should. In the first one, his following Heather (to make sure she was all right) made sense; he really didn’t know who took her from the inn. In this one... not so much! He knows Eliza was rescued. The only thread to her safety is HIM! Duh! Well, him and Scropes -- who wouldn’t be following Eliza & Jeremy if the laird hadn’t shown him the way. That, and the fact that Scropes is whack-a-doodle. Maybe the laird should set him up with his mother?

Speaking of the mysterious laird’s mother, if the author mentions one more time about her obsession -- with no hint as to why she, too, is whack-a-doodle with revenge -- I’m going to write her an “Excuse me, I got it. You’re not going to tell us until Book #3. Roger that...” letter.

I also think another kidnapping was a mistake because Scropes is too sinister. I didn’t like how he attacked Eliza to get her to take the laudanum. This makes the laird’s plans more sinister, and I really didn't want to go there. It makes the laird TSTL to not realize he is putting any young lady at risk and at the mercy of whichever evil kidnapper he hires. I mean, in a court of law, if any thing happened to Eliza, he'd be held more accountable than Scropes, it doesn’t matter his “intent to take good care of her.” This just accents this even more.

In addition, I think it was a BIG mistake to have Eliza taken from Heather’s engagement ball right off of Cynster property. There is NO way, given what we know of the Cynsters thus far, that they wouldn’t be armed to the gills. Totally ruins the mystic of the powerful, intelligent, dangerous Cynsters. I was with Susan, a member of our “buddy read.” I was totally expecting Devil to find Eliza and save her. Sure, she gets a note and follows it, but considering there is a kidnapper looking specifically for a young Cynster female? Just makes her TSTL, too.

I love a good “road trip,” but this one was too much of “if we go this way, then X, if we go that way, then Y.” I mean a lot of it.

Still, some tender interaction between a sweet heroine and a beta hero.

TSTL = Too Stupid To Live

★★★★½ Love Harry. Loved doing this as a "buddy read."

Found at The Sunday Edition:

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the story of one man's faith in his feet. (OneEighteen/photopin)

★★★★★ So well narrated by the wonderful Jim Broadbent. If you'd like to hear a bit of it, go here and click on the pod casts. It touch my heart.

Jim Broadbent


North Devon coastline


Clovelly, North Devon




Taunton, U.K. You can see the paving stones.


Walled gardens in Taunton.




Glastonbury England - The Resting place of the Legendary King Arthur


Mendip Hills


horse chestnut


European Robin Among Apple Blossoms England. Posted by PictureGirl.


bluebells along the path in England


Bath, England


Sheep in Cotswold


Stratford


Berwick Upon Tweed Northumberland England




Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Berwick upon Tweed, England - A beautiful romantic 15th century castle accessible from the mainland through a causeway during low tide.

★★★½☆ Pretty good. I’d definitely read this author again. I found some inconsistencies that pulled me out of the story (such as when the hero, who was handcuffed with his hands behind his back, put his hands behind his head in one scene). There was also inconsistencies in pacing. Still, the author has some nice things between the H/h, though there is inconsistency there, too.

★★★½☆ Pretty good. I’d definitely read this author again. I found some inconsistencies that pulled me out of the story (such as when the hero, who was handcuffed with his hands behind his back, put his hands behind his head in one scene). There was also inconsistencies in pacing. Still, the author has some nice things between the H/h, though there is inconsistency there, too.

★★★★★ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I’ve never heard a performance by Christina Traister – and it is truly a performance she gives – but this won’t be my last time. She was fantastic! Ms. Traister does a wonderful job on the southern Louisiana Cajun accents. I am sure they would be much thicker in Real Life, but they do need to be understandable on audio.

I really felt Michelle’s father came alive in the audio, much more than on the printed page. Before, when I just read them, I didn’t appreciate all the subtle humor inherent in his voice for some of his scenes. I think Michelle’s voice as a little girl didn’t sound childish enough, but why quibble? Still, I liked her softening accent as she moved away from home, becoming Dr. Michelle Renard; nevertheless, it reappears when she’s interacting with her family. Especially when they push her buttons! LOL! I think most people do this in Real Life.

I also didn’t even think to put Theo Buchanan, attorney for the Justice Department, with a Boston accent, but **smacks forehead** surely he’d have one. She manages to make him sound cynical, worldly, and sexy.

Overall, Ms. Traister’s pacing, inflections, as well as her differentiation were spot-on, kicking it up a notch, from four stars to five.

I love that [a:Julie Garwood|6251|Julie Garwood|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242648390p2/6251.jpg] is releasing some of her books out on audio and they are finding such wonderful narrators. Her books deserve them!

Really, these characters came so alive, I just didn’t want this book to end.