Author: Dirty Girl Anne

Trilogies and My Loathing of Them

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Let’s talk books.  Specifically let’s talk romance written in a three (or more) book installment.  I’m sure it’s been around forever, but Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey’s success seem to have made it the format everyone wants to write in.  This makes me stabby!

I know there’s a lot of people who love this format.  Obviously.  They’re selling like crazycakes.  But I like a happy ending!  (pun totally intended)  So you can imagine how I feel about a cliff hanger…  cliffhangers make me feel bad.  That floaty happy feeling I get at the end of a good book?  Well the direct opposite of that is how I feel when an author leaves the characters hanging.

I do make an exception for the urban fantasy genre and my acceptance of the multi book relationship arc there.  I’m a huge fan of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.  I can handle the unresolved relationship in those books, probably because the focus is on a different story.  I also really enjoy the In Death series by J.D. Robb.  It’s always about Eve and Roarke, but they are always happy at the end of each book.  And again, the focus is more on the mystery than their (or Peabody and MacNabb’s) relationship, so I can handle a little bit of relationship suspense.  When the focus of the book IS the relationship, as it is in the romance genre, that’s when I have a hard time!

I’m not saying I’ll never, ever, ever read a one-relationship-focused-trilogy.  But you can be assured that if I do, I won’t read it until all three books are available and I can read them back to back!  And speaking of that, I wish there was some sort of identifier in a book blurb that gave me a heads up that the book I’m looking at is part of that kind of trilogy.  Because there are a lot of trilogies with a different couple featured in each book and a HEA at the end of each one.  That’s my kind of trilogy.  But how can I tell them from the trilogy of cliffhanger?  Right now my best bet is to search on Goodreads and read the back cover blurb for both book one and book two, as well as checking the tags people have labeled the book with.  To be honest, that’s more work than I like to do when looking for a book to read.

So, what do you think?  Do you love the three book relationship story?  Or do you hate it like me?  If you love it, I’m curious as to what appeals to you.  If you hate it, do you have a way to avoid it?  Please share!

A Taste Of You by Sorcha Grace

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

 A Taste of You (The Epicurean, #1)
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-The Epicurean Series #1
Reviewed by Kay

The hero in this book is William Lambourne, a wealthy, single, business man in Chicago. The heroine is Catherine Kelly/ Catherine Ryder, a photographer. They meet outside a restaurant where they literally run into each other. There is instant attraction and it never lets up. They each have had a devastating loss in their lives and those losses have changed who they are as people. We, as the readers, watch them stumble through trying to build their relationship. It was a little frustrating for me at times.

This is a decent book but it never thrilled me. I never warmed to William at all but I did like Catherine. I felt for her because of her loss. It broke my heart when she developed the old roll of film. I think that before this series is over there will be  redemption for William and forgiveness of one’s self for Catherine. At least I hope there is.

Lady Vivian Defies a Duke by Samantha Grace

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Lady Vivian Defies a Duke (Beau Monde #4)
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Historical
Series: Beau Monde Bachelor #4
Reviewed by Kate

Before he died, Luke’s father entered into secret marriage negotiations with Vivian’s brother. Wait. That came across a bit more risque than I intended. The negotiations were to betroth Luke and Vivian. For Vivian, the marriage would provide an escape from her lonely life. Due to a scandal, her only other option would be the convent. Luke wants no part of his new role as a duke and marrying would just add more responsibilities. He plans on releasing her from the contract. Once he meets Vivian, he decides he can’t send such a vibrant person to waste away in a convent. Still not willing to marry her, the only noble thing left to do is facilitate a marriage between Vivian and another suitable gentleman. But Vivian has set her sights on Luke and Luke is finding it impossible to picture her with anyone else.

The book seemed to naturally divide into two parts for me The first half centers around Luke and Vivian accepting that they want each other. The second half covers all the obstacles that stand in their way. Vivian’s quasi-scandal. A blackguard out for revenge. A cousin enamored with Luke.

Vivian was an entertaining heroine who marched to her own beat whenever she thought no one was looking. Luke, a rare soul who saw the inner beauty of Vivian, was strong and caring and well…heroic. Despite the weaker second half, I liked the story a lot. It could have used a bit more sex, but what book couldn’t? I find myself hoping to hear more about Luke’s cousin Johanna in a future book.