SBD after all these years, a book by the Nora. Ta da!

Finally I have read a Nora Roberts book, beginning to end--Blue Smoke. It was pretty good. Usually snappy dialogue, convincing enough psychopath. Appealingly goofy hero, smart heroine. Roberts obviously had done a lot of research into fires and that only once or twice felt info-dumpy and usually was interesting (even during the dump moments). The perfect family got annoying now and then.

It's not going to haunt me like the best books, but if the woman can produce something that good after all these years and all those books then I get her popularity. Consistency's worth a lot. Also I kept reading when I had other things to do.

Comments

  1. Netti11:09 AM

    I find most of hers that way :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. jmc1:13 PM

    I wrote about Blue Smoke in my first ever SBD :)

    Today...not sure if I have anything for SBD.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kate1:37 PM

    Netti, do you mean you have a "pretty good but not major Squealing with Joy" sort of feeling about her stuff?

    I had other responses to the book--like that whole dream-girl thing annoyed me. I mean honestly, dude. And the wise Eye-talian Momma and her family felt a tad stereotyped (and she brought on claustrophobia). And while I though psychokiller was okay, I didn't believe in him. But overall, sure. Okay. Yup! I'll read more of that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kate1:39 PM

    I have a question for you nora types: Does she generally have it in for wealthy guys in suits? Are they usually shallow gits?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Netti1:51 PM

    yep, I like her books, though no ~ she's not my *over the top fav* anymore (and yep, she used to be... then I started branching out) I've still read almost everything she has just because I know it will be entertaining. Though honestly, wasn't really impressed with Tribute. Put it down and moved on to something else around chap 3... I'll get back to it eventually.

    I wouldn't say she always goes for the same type of hero though... trying to remember them all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Netti1:51 PM

    Now, ask me about sharon sala... major squeals, I ♥ her!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kate1:59 PM

    Hey, Netti, could tell me about Sharon Sala?

    I wondered about the rich guys because the two in this book (investment banker boyfriend, lawyer BIL) were major scumbags.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Netti2:13 PM

    LOL, smarty pants :P

    You've never read Sharon Sala (or Dinah McCall)? Her books, IMHO, are fantastic (happy dance fantastic) Her story lines are always original, as are her characters. Stories and characters unlike anything I've ever read. Pick up "Sweet Baby" or "The Healer" Have mercy, they rock... course if you are a series fan, her Cat Dupree trilogy is awesome. One thing I *really* find different about her, she always has a great blurb in the front of the book. Makes it feel like she's speaking directly to you, I find I enjoy reading that just as much as I enjoy the book. She's one I tend to go all girly and start to ramble around when I speak to her LOL. (yep, I's a dork)

    I do think Nora tends to do a lot with the rich folk though. I think there is usually at least one in every book, though perhaps not always the hero or heroine. But, having said that, I do find that her characters are believable. Her books usually never fail to draw me in (though, like I said, having a bit of an issue with Tribute :| )

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kate7:54 AM

    Okay now she's on my TBR pile which is never going to get any less scary ever.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Joanna Chambers3:44 PM

    I read a Nora for the first time recently. It was good but sort of workmanlike if you know what I mean.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

more fun and hi-jinks at RWA.

To the Board of Directors of the Romance Writers of America: It has been brought to our attention, by several of our romance authors, that your organization no longer considers Medallion Press, Inc. a legitimate publisher according to your guidelines. We were surprised we did not receive official notification directly, but instead discovered it was posted on several RWA internet loops. Accordingly, we request this letter be published in its entirety in the RWR Report so all members may understand the nature of the process that eliminated Medallion as an RWA approved publisher. We will also send copies of this letter to all our own RWA member authors. We are dismayed you declared Medallion Press no longer a legitimate publisher. In July of 2004 we met all of your qualifications without incident by showing sales of 5000+ copies of USA Today Bestselling author Nan Ryan's The Last Dance. Several months prior to Book Expo America 2005, we received a call from your office alerting us to
Read more

No snark. Bad puppy. No. (Review stuff.)

A two star Amazon review on His American Detective: "Bodice ripper about gay men by a woman." and I'm longing to comment "don't you mean a waistcoat ripper?" God, no. Stop me. The reviews rarely rattle me any longer -- except when I spot a truth in a bad one. When that happens, I actually lose sleep. This means I still care about writing.  Speaking of reviewers and writers: A couple of days ago, a writer said she was tired of getting white ladies writing reviews of her books. She had an excellent point in the long run: her stories are meant for a particular audience and she wants them to resonate with those people and get more reviews from them.  But that first line was just....horribly obnoxious. I say this from my POV of course. Not a white lady who writes reviews -- but as a review grubber.   Anyone who disses any reader (especially ones that give honest reviews) deserves to be cast into the pit of being ignored.  
Read more