Friday, April 1, 2011

Mary Balogh: a Secret Affair

Sometimes I wonder what do people who read my blog for perfume reviews think of my taste in books? :)
I know some people are ashamed to admit to reading romance but I don't know why - it's one more thing that makes you who you are.

Anyway, I had a bit of a revelation today as I was chatting with a friend regarding horoscope and she took a look at my natal chart and laughed. It seems my horoscope shows I have an urge to escape reality through my hobbies and woe to anyone trying to separate me from them (luckily, my boyfriend is very supportive of both my reading and my perfume habit - but you know about the perfume part already).
So, if you consider that I need to escape reality and stress of everyday life, I don't think my choice of books to read is that strange.

Well, this tells you nothing about the book. :) I'll start with, it made me cry. And that doesn't happen often. Actually, it did happen recently with one of the Steven Burst's books but also deservedly.
It's been awhile since that happened - and I'm usually the laughing stock of anyone who watches a movie with me that makes me cry.  I honestly can't help it. And it happens more with movies than with books.
So, a book that made me shed a tear is a good one. :)

I've had a period when I discovered Mrs Balogh's books and went through all I could find. It's been awhile so I forgot why exactly I loved her books so much but this one brought it all back.
I won't go into details about the story, it's on every other blog and book cover out there. I'll just say that the dialogues between the two main characters are some of the best I've ever read in a romance novel. I loved them!

The story is great and a novel one (I've read so many romance novels that some seem like plagiarism) and I have nothing more to add. If you like reading romance, I highly recommend this.

8 comments:

  1. Haha! Ines, yes, I am one of the "ashamed" that am so happy to have my Kindle so people can't actually see what I'm reading. I was on the plane recently reading one of Shelley Laurentson's shifter books and a guy asked me what I was reading.... I was like, "um, a supernatural thriller..." :). That, or I tell people that I'm reading a Cormac McCarthy novel. ;)

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  2. Hey Ines, are you on goodreads?

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  3. Geordan, thanks for stopping by and commenting.
    I didn't think of Kindle in this manner before but as I love my Kindle, I'm glad to see it can be useful in all sort of ways.
    I'm sure I wont have to blush anymore when a friend discovered a romance with a ripped male body on the cover and teased me while we had coffee with friends. :)

    Btw, thank you for the new suggestions - I haven't read any of those you mentioned.

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  4. BF, yes I'm on goodreads, although I haven't really updates my account in quite some time. And have no idea how to locate anyone I might know.

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  5. Ines,

    Shelley Laurentson's books are funny, touching, romantic, and full of paranormal. I read them somewhat out of order, reading The Mane Attraction first, then various ones following. It's been awhile since I've laughed out loud at a book, and Laurentson consistently has me in stitches. Please do tell me how you like them...
    I've gone bananas with my Kndle... paid for and read more than 100 books since January. I find myself order whole sets of books in series once I figure out I like an author. :) I guess I could be spending my money in worse ways... :)

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  6. Geordan, I'm definitely ordering some Laurentson's novels, if possible, through my Kindle.
    I'm a bit frustrated with it (well, with Amazon), each time I want to order an e-book, it doesn't seem to be available in my part of the world.
    I see you don't have that particular problem with your Kindle. :)
    Btw, I always order whole sets too if I like an author - that's why I'm having some spatial issues at home. ;)

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  7. Hey, if you're self-conscious about liking romance novels, you should read Daphne du Maurier. (She wrote Rebecca.) Her stories are basically romance: they have the same dreamy covers and are found in the romance aisles, but have enough Gothic creepiness and psychological realism to make it intellectually worth your while. Rebecca is the only DDM book I ever hear mentioned, but I don't even think it was her best novel. She's fantastic; she even earned the title "Dame".

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  8. Hi Joan, I've been circling around Daphne du Maurier for ages now and can never seem to bring myself to go for it.
    So, you would recommend her for my romance tastest? Then I'll give it a go. :) Thank you.

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