Book Notes: October 19, 2022 - Contemporary Romance

 Welcome back for another couple book reviews! Today I've got two contemporary romance reviews for you. The first one was contemporary when it was copyrighted back in the 60s or 70s, so I'm still listing it as contemporary. I hope you'll see something worth checking out.

Book Review: Second Go-Round by Erica Penrod

Second Go-Round by Erica Penrod
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was short but cute. If you don't like things falling into place too neatly, then this may not be the book for you. I enjoyed the sweet romance and how these MCs overcame obstacles. There was a little bit of the faith element thrown in, appropriately, and the story is clean. If you love sweet, contemporary romance with a side of inspiration, you might enjoy reading this book.

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Book Review: Blue Lotus by Margaret Way

Blue Lotus by Margaret Way
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite older romance novels. I love the way the author paints vibrantly with words. You really feel like you're in the story. There are very few Harlequin books past the year this one was published that I enjoy. But if you like vibrant scenery and charaters, and don't mind mild cussing and some spice, then you might enjoy this book.

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Of these two books, Blue Lotus is my favorite. It's been a favorite for a very long time. I think I found this one in one of those library exchange programs where readers bring old books into the library and you can trade some of your old books for someone else's. There are a few things I don't like about the book, though. 

The man is extremely hard on the people around him. While I get his reasoning, I don't think it necessary to be that rough on those he's supposedly protecting. No wonder society's idea of 'man' was so skewed with ideas go around that this kind of behavior was OK. There were a few points where a curse is uttered in dialog, but overall, this book would rate as spicy but clean these days. 

Still, the plot and scenery intrigue me, even after having read this one more times than I could count. 

There's not much else to say about Second Go-Round. It was a short, sweet, clean read without a whole lot of depth. That kind of story is perfect for unwinding at the end of a long or trying day. 

Just Keep Writing: Wednesday Whimsy

Why don't we get on with the word prompt? This week's photos are by Sena, who's gallery at Pexels.com is pretty awesome. You can check it out by clicking here. 

If this is your first time participating in such a writing exercise, you're in for a treat.

Rules:

1. You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.  
2. Please keep the material you write clean (ie. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to. 
3. Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required.

Photo by Sena

I'm truly enjoying all these coffee, tea, or cocoa pictures. Maybe it's just the unique cup & saucer sets? Either way, these photos really lift my mood. I hope you're finding some creative inspiration in them. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Come back tomorrow for a new word prompt. I'll see you there!

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