La-Tessa Montgomery

Title: Being Plumville
Author: Savannah J. Frierson
Genre: IR Romance
Rating: 4

I have a TBR pile that stretches back to 2008 (I’m embarrassed to say), so needing to make room for the 3 boxes of books I got back from Nationals, I’ve decided to start reading a few.  My hands automatically pulled Savannah Frierson’s Being Plumville off the shelf first.  I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Frierson at the Romance Slam Jam in 2008 and then later interviewing her for RomanceInColor.com.

Being Plumville is the story of Coralee and Benjamin amidst the racial and political climate of the 1960’s.  Coralee and Benny were childhood friends, but that friendship was abruptly ended with Benjamin, a 7 year old being groomed to be a  state judge, announced to his mother he planned on marrying Coralee, the housekeeper’s daughter, when he grew up.  Benny and Coralee did not speak again for 15 years following this announcement, while the two were attending college.  What follows in a story about love and the boundaries it crosses, set against the back drop of the civil rights moments following the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr.  and John Kennedy.

I really enjoyed this story, much more than I thought I would.  Not only is it a great romance, but the way the author wove in the racial climate of the time really added to the depth of the story.  I read this books a couple of weeks agao and I am still thinking about it.   Well done Ms. Frierson.

Click here  for a full review from RomanceInColor.com

Title: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
Author: Leanna Renee Hieber
Genre: Victorian Paranormal– yes, I think I just made that genre up 
Rating: 4  

I just finished reading Ms. Leanna Renee Hieber’s new release and I really enjoyed it.

Usually Victorian/Gothic-y/Ghost stories (or any combination of these 3 elements) would not be on my “To Read” list. However, I met Ms. Hieber at the RWA National Convention this year, and a 3 chapter except was included in one of my goodie bags. Needless to say, after reading this excerpt, I know I had to get this book when it was released.

Strangely Beautiful is an enchanting story that flows wells, with a lyrical prose that really helped to immerse me in the time and setting. Ms. Hieber does a great job setting the scene in vivid detail, introducing her cast of characters, and working in her lore. She gives us an intro into what life is like for the Guard and a hint of what’s to come their way, leaving just enough unanswered question to have me waiting for the next installment.

I also enjoyed learning about Percy Parker.  She is definitely a different type of heroine from what I usually find in the stories I pick up.  Percy is shy and soft spoken, almost fragile at times, but she steps up and asserts herself when she needed to.   I am really interested in what her character growth and development will be over the arc of the series.  While I tend to l But I can o was the differences that made the story actually liked that she was soft spoken and shy,

I give The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker 2 thumbs up.   It’s not the usual romance or paranormal that I read, but it was a refreshing break for me.

Author: Claudia Mair Burney
Genre: Inspirational Suspense
Rating: 4 Stars

The 3rd installment in Ms. Burney’s Amanda Bell Brown Mystery series is out & I had the pleasure of reviewing it for RomanceInColor.com.  DEADLY CHARM is full of the same slightly dark, yet humorous spirit as the first 2 . I find this series to be an intriguing combination of the  inspirational, mystery/suspense, and romance genres. 

Click here  for the full review of DEADLY CHARM.