Donna Smith
Ugh: NO.
Begins with a rape--apparently between the romantic leads of the book!?!, though I quit reading before that became absolutely clear so I may be mistaken--then continues with unrealistic coincidences to move the plot along, relies on a "hooker with a heart of gold" to glamorize sex work, which sticks in my craw because of how dehumanizing and abusive the industry is. Also has a child who is angelic. I didn't like or believe in any of the characters
DNF at 14% My first by this author; probably my last.
Ugh: NO.
Begins with a rape--apparently between the romantic leads of the book!?!, though I quit reading before that became absolutely clear so I may be mistaken--then continues with unrealistic coincidences to move the plot along, relies on a "hooker with a heart of gold" to glamorize sex work, which sticks in my craw because of how dehumanizing and abusive the industry is. Also has a child who is angelic. I didn't like or believe in any of the characters
DNF at 14% My first by this author; probably my last.
Updated a reading goal:
Read 200 books in 2025
Progress so far: 54 / 200 27%
Eh...don't bother with this one. But--DO READ other Camilla Evergreen books! The main characters here seemed flat and unrealistic, with problems that I wasn't feeling and solutions that didn't quite get there. HOWEVER, I have found others of her books to be UTTERLY delightful, especially How to Find Love if you are Weird.
Eh...don't bother with this one. But--DO READ other Camilla Evergreen books! The main characters here seemed flat and unrealistic, with problems that I wasn't feeling and solutions that didn't quite get there. HOWEVER, I have found others of her books to be UTTERLY delightful, especially How to Find Love if you are Weird.
Sweet and clever gender inversions in a dozen ways that mostly didn't feel modern or contrived but smart, interesting, contributing to character conflict and growth.
I shall track down more in this series.
I thought it was the first by this author I've read, then I dug deeper and found a DNF in another series which I quit because of flat characters and the utter unrealism of a modern author writing about subsistence skills like hauling water, lighting oil lamps, cooking on wood... Apparently none of that unpalatable-to-me vibe was present in Snapdragons to make me twitch, so--different domain? More author skills since Ashes on the Moor? Either way, I'll read more in this series and see what this author can do.
Sweet and clever gender inversions in a dozen ways that mostly didn't feel modern or contrived but smart, interesting, contributing to character conflict and growth.
I shall track down more in this series.
I thought it was the first by this author I've read, then I dug deeper and found a DNF in another series which I quit because of flat characters and the utter unrealism of a modern author writing about subsistence skills like hauling water, lighting oil lamps, cooking on wood... Apparently none of that unpalatable-to-me vibe was present in Snapdragons to make me twitch, so--different domain? More author skills since Ashes on the Moor? Either way, I'll read more in this series and see what this author can do.
Two MC who are definitely autism-coded and whose special interest is...wait for it...trains. Huh. Is it too on the nose on purpose like a kind of post-ironic, like, "I can be passionate about trains and count by prime numbers when I'm stressed because that's who I am, regardless if I fit into all the stereotypes you have!"? I kept trying to decide if the non-autistic author did or did not have autistic friends/family in her life.
Probably I should have just taken it on it's merits as a sweet romance where a community of quirky people and comedic events push together two (+ kid) well-intentioned people. And defeat an evil property developer. (Again: too on the nose? or post-ironic?) I liked that all the core relationships *were* sweet and supportive. I didn't feel buckets of realism sluicing off any situation or relationship here, but it was sweet and I read the whole thing to the denouement. Which--spoilers!--takes place with a special train.
Two MC who are definitely autism-coded and whose special interest is...wait for it...trains. Huh. Is it too on the nose on purpose like a kind of post-ironic, like, "I can be passionate about trains and count by prime numbers when I'm stressed because that's who I am, regardless if I fit into all the stereotypes you have!"? I kept trying to decide if the non-autistic author did or did not have autistic friends/family in her life.
Probably I should have just taken it on it's merits as a sweet romance where a community of quirky people and comedic events push together two (+ kid) well-intentioned people. And defeat an evil property developer. (Again: too on the nose? or post-ironic?) I liked that all the core relationships *were* sweet and supportive. I didn't feel buckets of realism sluicing off any situation or relationship here, but it was sweet and I read the whole thing to the denouement. Which--spoilers!--takes place with a special train.
