GenesisDiem's Book Log for 2023

:Goals for 2023:

1. E-goals
My Kindle tracker says I am at 201 weeks of reading and 169 consecutive days of reading. I think if I keep it up, I can make the two numbers read the same in about 6 weeks? That would be a neat milestone to reach. After that, I will try to keep up my weekly total but switch to some paper books for some of the daily reading.

2. Series Reading.
a. I just finished watching the Aurora Teagarden series on Hallmark and since there won't be any more episodes filmed, I thought I would start the book series. After starting the first book this morning though, it's strange to note some big differences. I feel like I should have read the books first. (11 total)

b. I have a set of 18 gothic romances from the 80s in paperback that I would like to get through.

c. I might revisit the Beverly Connor dual series but I'm not committed to it yet. I would like to read the T. Brennan series instead since the tv series is over but the books series is still ongoing and I prefer to wait for completion before starting a series. I have previously read the Emma Fielding series (6 books) so I might try to reread those before watching the three movies they filmed.
But hopefully I can find some new mysteries to read this year as well.

d. I have watched BBC's Marple (Hickson) and Poirot (Suchet) so many times over the years, but I can't remember the last time I actually read Christie's books. Maybe I should add that to the list?

e. I want to read the first 4 original Nancy Drew books now that I've purchased them.

3. Cleaning House
a. I have about 100 back issues of various magazines stacked up in my office because I didn't get to them this past year. I want to at least skim them before tossing them out.

b. Also, I have a backlog of saved/bookmarked journal articles and emails that I want to clear out. Added to this is to eventually organize the files on my desktop... (that's a task that may take a few years)... But starting the year with a clean reading list for my daily reader would be ideal and inbox zero is always a plus.

4. Cataloging
a. I need to update my LT catalog with the hard copies I've added and weeded over the years and correct some of the publication information and covers for the copies I do still have.

b. Along those lines, I have 4 e-book accounts with thousands of books that aren't cataloged here. I know there are quite a few duplicates so I really need to catalog them to stop wasting money. Also, it will help me create a TBR list since I know there are plenty of them I purchased on sale and forgot about. It will be nice to shop from my shelves before I purchase any more books this year.

c. Finally, after my father passed last year, I was tasked with cleaning out his study and workshop. He was an avid reader and collector. There are some first edition sci-fi books from the 50s and 60s I noticed when boxing the shelves and who knows what other exciting finds await! He was a model train and woodworking hobbyist as well. There is even a vinyl record collection with 33, 45, 78, and some old reels.

Unfortunately, most of the overspill collection that was housed in the basement was unsalvageable due to water damage and/or general rot. I tried to write down some of the titles I could still read before tossing them out. I'm going to be entering them here before weeding them but there will be some that I am adding my own collection instead.

Summary

So, it looks like I may be doing more sorting and cataloging than reading this year. But hopefully that will set up 2024 with a hefty TBR pile to tackle. I'll continue to post any books I do complete and maybe any interesting finds I come across in the cataloging.

Have a great reading year, friends! 📚 🧐

Happy reading in 2023, genesisdiem, 🙂.

Fiction 1

Real Murders Charlaine Harris, 1990
Book 1 of Aurora Teagarden series

Girl is a librarian, with two beaus, a popular mom, and an obsession with true crime.

I struggled to get through this one, partly because I watched the tv series first and partly because it was clearly the author's first book ever. However, it was decently written and not obvious in the plot. I'm going to attempt at least one more but I'm not sure I can do all 11...

Fiction 2

A Bone to Pick Charlaine Harris, 1992
Book 2 of the Aurora Teagarden series

Girl inherits a house, money, and a skull. She's now dating a clergyman because one previous beau has gone overseas and the other married his pregnant coworker...

This book was more about the social lives of the local people and how inheriting money changed her situation. There really wasn't a whole lot about the mystery at all and it basically solved itself at the very end. Going to push on and see if book three gets back to mysteries.

Good luck with your reading and goals this year. I need to pick up my reading of the Temperance Brennan series. Only up to about book 10, and been reading them for about 10 years!

>5 Andrew-theQM: Thanks!

I wish I had the patience to wait for one book a year in a series. I read so often though that I would forget what was going on by the time I got around to the next book. But I admit trying to binge read some of these older series does get repetitive.

>6 genesisdiem: I’m trying to read series more intensively this year for that very reason.

Fiction 3

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse Charlaine Harris, 1994
Book 3 of the Aurora Teagarden series

More romantic drama, less crime solving. Girl has quit her job as a librarian and it helping out her mom's real estate business when she discovers a body at the same time as falling instantly in love with a new man in town despite still seeing the clergyman.

This book was all about the instalove with the mysterious new guy and almost no sleuthing until the very end. I am a bit disappointed because the tv show was very much a la Scooby Gang but the books appear to be 'girl finds body, girl does normal life stuff, girl gets attacked or does something dumb at the very end and the crime is solved'. The crime club was even disbanded in the first book...

Going to trudge on though, 7.5 more to go...

Fiction 4

The Julius House Charlaine Harris, 1995
Book 4 of the Aurora Teagarden series

So she marries the mysterious guy, despite all of her friends and family telling her it was a bad idea. He buys her a house outside of town where a family disappeared years ago and she loves it. Then she finds out he really is kind of shady but he hires her bodyguards, so that makes it ok? She uses her new bodyguard to help research the crime about the house and sort of (but not really) catches the bad guys.

I figured this one out early on but wasn't sure how it would pan out. I'm sure the next book will be even more fantastical with this "bad boy" husband but I'm ready for her to move on and get back to more "normal" stories... Also, I cheated and found out that the guy she marries in the movies doesn't exist in the book. I'm still team movie on this series.

Fiction 5

Dead Over Heels Charlaine Harris, 1996
Book 5 of the Aurora Teagarden series

In this episode, the Girl has an admirer who bumps off anyone who disrespects her. Also, she finds out her bodyguard is pregnant and will be leaving her soon.

She does do a bit of sleuthing in this one but it's mostly just a book about her having a very busy husband and too many men who'd like to be him... 😴 Now I have to wait for the paperback with the in-between novella to arrive before I can go on since it's not available in ebook. Guess I'll be finding a non-fic to tide me over.

All that waiting to read 12 pages of a non-story. (The rest of the book, Murder They Wrote, looks interesting and I might revisit it later.)

Deeply Dead Charlaine Harris, 1997

AT is preparing the meeting room at the library for a visiting author (Jessica Fletcher) when she finds the body of the previous visiting author in a closet. There were only 5 people in the room so Jessica and AT work together to figure out who did it. This book seemed like two completely mismatched characters thrown together for an advertisement. At least it was short.

Fiction 6

A Fool and his Honey Charlaine Harris, 1999
Book 6 in the Aurora Teagarden series

4 more books to go and I am struggling to keep reading. The important element to a good series is a likeable main character. Even one with flaws is worth following because there is something to pull you in... but not with this series. This woman is horrible, boring, whiny, etc etc. Now I know why the tv series was so different. It never would have been made otherwise.

In this book the niece shows up with a baby, then gets kidnapped and her husband murdered. So AT takes the baby back to the girl's hometown. They talk to everyone and play house with the baby... until more people get murdered/ kidnapped. Then they break free from the captors and call the police. The end. Next.

Fiction 7

Last Scene Alive Charlaine Harris, 2002
Book 7 in the Aurora Teagarden series

AT has been a widow for less than a year and she's back to being irresistible to men. In this book, her old flame is back in town to have his book turned into a movie but the lead starlet is murdered more than once. AT becomes a target again and covers up the murder of the person who attacked her.

3 books to go. Must be nice to be a stunning, rich woman. I feel like parts of the story are just being forced for word count now. Like the author is bored.

Fiction 8

Poppy Done To Death Charlaine Harris, 2003
Book 8 in the Aurora Teagarden series

AT's SIL was promiscuous and gets murdered. The question to sort is by which lover or spurned wife. AT is figuring this out while dealing with her teenage half-brother who has run away to stay with her. And then she finds out she's expecting a baby with her recently returned old boyfriend...

Now I know the author was phoning it in with this one because there were a few things that weren't wrapped up and some that were just glossed over. Plus the next book in the series wasn't written until 13 years later and after the tv series started. But given that there are just two more books, I'm guessing she quickly realised just how different the tv storyline was going to be and didn't bother after that. I'll find out. Two more to go.

Fiction 9

All the Little Liars Charlaine Harris, 2016

AT's teenage half-brother and his friends get kidnapped. One is found dead. AT finds them. The end.

This book dragged on and on and on and on..... I couldn't wait for it to be over. One more book.

Fiction 10

Sleep Like a Baby Charlaine Harris, 2017

AT gets the flu and hires a babysitter to help out. But the next morning, there is a dead woman in the backyard and the babysitter is missing. She is found and AT sorts out who killed the stalker.

I would have thought this book would wrap up the series but it didn't. It recapped many of the earlier books but left the end open for a new book. Which doesn't need to be written.

Overall this series wasn't a police procedural or an amateur sleuth cozy, etc. It was just - something happens to this woman, other people sort it out while she does normal daily life (often with added soap opera drama), then she might hear something or get an idea to solve the issue, but it only sometimes helps out, and then the book is over. Just not an ideal series for me. The tv show is way better because it turned the AT character into an amateur sleuth who used her librarian skills and the help of her friends to solve local mysteries.

January Recap

I finished the Aurora Teagarden 11 book series. Now to read a few stand-alones and then pick a new series.

Purchased 15 books... so I failed at not buying anything new. Maybe 5 of those were graphic novels though.

Should hit the e-reader goal soon.

And I did manage to catalog 204 items from my father's collection... but none of my own.

Hopefully next month will go just as well or better! 😊

Fiction 11

Priscilla and the Playboy Pat Warren, 2002

Guy is a daredevil because he believes he was cursed to die young. Girl is the physical therapist assigned to repair his latest injuries. She doesn't want to compromise her professional ethics nor have a fling. He convinces her otherwise.

It was a bit rushed but a decent read.

NonFic 1

Iris Apfel: Accidental Icon, 2018

An autobiography of a woman who is now 101 and still active in the fashion world. She had an interesting life and this was a short glimpse, in her words, with photos. I'm tempted to watch the documentary now.

Goal Achieved! 😊

Fiction 12

Pretty Dead Queens Alexa Donne, 2022

Teen girl moves in with her grandmother, a mystery writer, and tries to solve the murder of a local girl.

I don't usually read YA. I did enjoy RL Stine and C Pike as a teen so I thought this might be like those. It was not. Maybe I have outgrown them? This mystery was easy to figure out in from the beginning and I felt the teens were written more like adults. Also, it pushed the limits on believability. But it did have good world building though.

>20 genesisdiem: 👏🙂

>22 Sergeirocks: thank you!

Fiction 13
Gothic Series 1/18

The Satyr Ring Alison Quinn, 1983

This storyline reminded me of Rebecca in a way. Overall it was not bad, dragged a bit in the middle, typically 80s style soap opera.

Girl gets rescued from the rubble after a London blitz and has amnesia, so the hospital allows her to live in the nurses quarters and assist with general duties. All she has to her name is a man's ring on her finger. A few years later, a car accident victim comes into the ward who seems to recognize her and looks very similar to her. Before the victim succumbs to her injuries, she tells the nurse to go the US to give her grandfather some things in her bag. The nurse agrees and the rest of the book is a wild ride involving a fake identity, a lover, scheming family members, a dying old man, and the truth about who she really is.

Fiction 14
Gothic Series 2/18

The Ravens of Rockhurst Marian Martin, 1983

Girl works for an antique auction house and is tasked with the inventory of a reclusive old collector. When she gets to the house she finds the widow, two grandsons, a housekeeper, a groundsman, and a wealthy neighbor. Greed and deceit abound over the fight for the inheritance and one of them is threatening her life to hide a "treasure". Love prevails in the end (of course).

Overall the book was just ok. I felt the plot was slow-going and the lead was super fickle. But it was well written.

Fiction 15
Gothic Series 3/18

Castle at Jade Cove Helen Hicks, 1984

Historical romance. Just before her grandfather passes, he tells the Girl to go to his business partner for help/guardianship until she is married. She arrives only to find out that he is also deceased but his son is in residence and quite taken with her. But the house staff are up to no good and try to drive the girl away before she discovers what they're up to. It all works out in the end.

Not a bad read but I'm not really one for insta-love.

Fiction 16
Gothic Series 4/18

An Innocent Madness Dulcie Hollyock, 1984

Historical Romance. Girl is sent to her betrothed, only to find that he is deceased and there is an interloper in his place. She is held captive, accused of theft, redeemed but still held captive, and then is threatened with murder by a mad servant... only to be rescued by the real Viscount and married in the end.

So, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I felt as though I needed a history degree to even begin to know how to follow the plot. And even then it was just all over the place. Not my thing.

Fiction 17
Gothic Series 5/18

Restless Obsession Jane Toombs, 1984

Young psych nurse marries a man who then goes bonkers and tries to kill her before killing himself. So she escapes to Canada to take a job with a young girl who needs in home care. Only to arrive and realise that everyone in the house is bonkers except maybe the girl she's there to care for. Numerous attempts on her life finally reveal the culprit and she stays on to marry the head of household.

This book wasn't really a romance, nor was it even plotted out very well. There were so many loose ends and plot holes. I had high hopes for this series but so far it's mostly a dud.

Fiction 18
Gothic Series 6/18

Double Masquerade Dulcie Hollyock, 1985

Historical fiction. Girl is the hidden heir of an estate and many people are out to stop her from taking her rightful place. A well-to-do Australian and his childhood friend (the girl next door) help to protect and restore her.

This book was boring. Very, very boring. And tedious.

>29 genesisdiem: I love the last line of your review! Made me laugh and sorry you had to put up with the tedium.

Fiction 19
Gothic Series 7/18

The Fourth Letter Alison Quinn, 1985

Girl goes to her estranged grandmother when she has no other options. The housekeeper tries to kill her and a creepy doctor tries to marry her. Everything works out in the end.

This book should be called 'Teenage girl makes bad decisions'. Her dying father gave her a letter to take to her estranged grandmother that explained everything... but no... instead she holds on to it until the end of the book. She spends most of the book pining away for this guy she just met who is quite possibly her brother instead. Just bleh.

Fiction 20
Gothic Series 8/18

Legacy of Raven's Rise Helen Hicks, 1985

Girl gets a mysterious letter about an inheritance. She goes to the town and claims it. Then she has to figure out where the money came from. She does. Then end.

I don't know why these are called romances. There is no romance. Also this book could have ended about 20 pages in. There wasn't really any mystery to it either. I am having to force myself to read these but I suppose it's good practice to get outside of my usual bubble.

>32 genesisdiem: Sounds boring.

>33 Carol420: very much so. So far these books seem like half stories. They could have been more developed and might have been better. This one in particular just gave away everything in the first couple of chapters.

Fiction 21
Gothic Series 9/18

Return to Shadow Creek Helen Hicks, 1986

As a very small child, Girl witnessed a crime that led to the death of her father, unbeknownst to anyone but her and the killer. Her mother takes her away and remarries and the girl forgets over the years. But just before she turns 21 and inherits half of her father's old business, someone tries to kill her again (and succeeds in killing her remaining family). As she goes to convalesce with the grown children of her father's old business partner, attempts on her life continue and she discovers even more crimes, making her uncertain who to trust. It all comes together in the end as she finally remembers the old crime, how it's tied to the new crimes, and just who will save her in the end.

So this one was actually ok. It was obvious from the beginning who the bad guy was but not the motive nor how all the pieces went together. And there was a little bit of romance. So overall, not bad.

Fiction 22
Gothic Series 10/18

Blue House Dolores Holliday, 1986

Girl is a rich historian who moves to Oregon to be near her fiancé while he leads the development of an old house into condos. There she meets a divorced "starving artist" who claims the house as his, a cranky housekeeper, and other locals. Turns out the house and its previous owner had quite the history and the girl needs to sort it all out before she can save the house and find true love.

So this book was meh. The book starts off with her having "visions" but later it's revealed that she was just drugged. Also, she cheats on her fiancé with the artist but this is written as ok because "true love". There were some decent red herrings but there were also some plot holes. Overall just meh.

Gothic Series 11/18

Shadows Over Briarcliff Marilyn Ross, 1986 (Apparently this man wrote the Dark Shadows tv novels?)

I'm not even going to bother with this one. In the first few pages, her sister's fiancé says he'd wish he'd met her first. Then when she visits a few more pages in, he laments not being married to her instead. Then the sister mysteriously dies... and of course they get together. But then there are attempts on her life and I am assuming he saves her because they are HEA at the end. Just no thank you. Cheating in the last book was not cool with me and this is just totally not ok with me. I refuse to read it.

Fiction 23
Gothic Series 12/18

Castle Malice Marilyn Ross, 1986

Girl inherits a villa in Italy and arrives to find it locked up due to murder and robbery. So she stays next door with an old art collector, his daughter, and his doctor. There's also another neighbor - an old movie star and her biographer. And people who visit a lot - a lazy lawyer and a hanger-on guy. The girl has to sort through who is good, who is bad, and who wants to murder her for the money since everyone has a motive.

So there wasn't really any romance in this but the mystery was ok.

Fiction 24
Gothic Series 13/18

Lord of High Cliff Manor Irene Pascoe, 1986

Girl is hired as a tutor for the nephew of a boat captain and the daughter of the housekeeper. She arrives to find his stepsister, her mother, and a recovering fisherman in residence as well. The children are recovering from the loss of parents due to a boat accident that injured the fisherman and the Girl helps them all work through their issues while falling in love with the boat captain. But someone is out to kill her for it. dun, dun, dun...

Ok, so this one was pretty good. It dragged a little bit in the middle but there was romance and the mystery was one to keep you guessing. So overall a good read. Finally.

Fiction 25
Gothic Series 14/18

The Devereaux Legacy Carolyn Hart, 1986

Girl is orphaned when her grandmother dies... until she finds a letter to her other grandmother and realizes that she not only has family, but is an heiress to a huge plantation in South Carolina. So she goes to find out what happened, discovers that she had been declared dead with her parents 20 years ago when their boat went missing and that her cousins by marriage were set to take over the holdings when her ailing (second) grandmother passed. Only now it's all hers. One of the cousins hates her bc her mother wouldn't marry him, one of the cousins wants to marry her, and the other murdered her parents, multiple other people, and is trying to murder her, all for the money...

This one was ok. The plot dragged a little but it was interesting enough to keep reading. I felt the whole plantation and servants thing isn't very PC these days but around 1980 I guess it was. Also, marrying your cousin (by marriage) is blech.

Fiction 26
Gothic Series 15/18

Island of Mystery Margaret Scariano, 1987

Girl goes to an island in ?Montana? to help an elderly lady with the family's papers that will be donated to the historical society. Whilst there, someone wants to stop them finding the truth about the past. The elderly lady is murdered and the girl's life is in danger. Is it the help or the heirs? da da dunn

This book dragged on and on and on. And the racism was terrible. Basically the whole issue was about a land dispute between the local tribe members and the family. The romance was nil and the "mystery" was sloooooow.

*also, reading a non-ebook means I don't read near as often since I don't usually have it with me when I have free time...

>41 genesisdiem: I could not imagine anywhere in Montana there could possibly be an island...so I asked "Mr. Google". To my utter amazement there are 6. Sacajawea Island...Shelter Island...Pirogue Island (with a state park) Kelly Island... Park Island...and Wild Horse Island. Shows you are never too old to learn something new.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/montana/6-amazing-montana-islands/

>42 Carol420: Ooh, interesting! I was very confused but thought maybe I had read it wrong since the state was only mentioned once at the beginning.

Fiction 27
Gothic Series 16/18

Mirage on the Amazon Mary Kistler, 1987

Girl in England receives a letter for help from her sister living on the Amazon River in Peru/Brazil. So she takes a companion, boards a boat with a dashing captain and first mate, and arrives at the plantation to find her sister and her husband "away". Whilst waiting for their return, she discovers a neglected little girl, servants who practice voodoo, and endures attempts on her life. Everything comes together when her sister finally returns at the end.

So I had mixed feelings about this one. The first third of the book is her on the boat up the Amazon, getting to know the dashing captain. Then she's stuck in the house waiting, meeting other English residents in town, and trying to figure out who the little girl is. Then everything seems ok until she realizes the horrible truth. But I feel like the whole book was just filler until the last chapter and then it was wrapped up so fast I almost needed to read it twice to sort it all out.

Fiction 28
Gothic Series 17/18

Shadow Over Bright Star Irene Pascoe, 1988

Historical Romance. Girl inherits a silver mine in Nevada after her father's death in 1859 but the partners didn't realize that he had family. Now one of them wants to kill her whilst the other wants to marry her.

There was a lot of filler in this book about silver mining but also quite a bit of romance. The mystery was pretty easy to figure out though. The author clearly did some research on the time period and the area. Overall not a bad read.

*probably not going to read book 18 bc the back blurb says the girl's guy is her half-brother and even if he turns out not to really be in the end.. still blech

(Juv) Fiction 29

The Secret of the Old Clock Carolyn Keene, 1930

Nancy is upset about a social climbing family inheriting a large sum of money. Especially when other, more deserving heirs were left out. So she sets out to discover if there was a missing will. She talks to the lost heirs to discover clues, stumbles upon a break-in at a summer home of the new heirs whilst looking for a clock, and gets locked in a closet. Then she's rescued by the caretaker and goes to the police before searching for the criminals. When she does find them, she takes the clock from the stolen van before if can be delivered into police evidence. There she finds the final clue to the missing will, with her lawyer father calls all of the heirs over to read the new will ( very Christie-esque), and revels in the knowledge that the social climbing family is brought down a peg.

....

This was the original 25 chapter version and I can see why it was edited in the 50s. Supposedly it has been "updated" a few times since then but nothing as major.

First, Nancy is 16 (not 18) and I can't decide if it is summer and that's why she wasn't in school or some other reason. Her two friends and boyfriend from the series aren't in this book either (nor the Hardy Boys). And I think her type of car changes in later versions. Even her personality changes to be less of an independent and strong young woman (this change can be seen over the early tv/movies as well).

Secondly, the racism with the caretaker. It was common to see black individuals represented as uneducated drunks quite often, esp in children's books. Even the robbers, who were presumably white, were drunkards, showing their low status. And the comments and actions made about lowering the Topham's undeserved social status were changed later to show a reward for virtue and character (but still classism). Also, I'm not certain but perhaps some of the rougher violence (common in the detective shows of the time, like P.Mason) was edited, too.

Overall, I think the later version is better.

Quick update: I am still around but super busy at the moment. I have read two novellas and I watched the 3 Emma Fielding tv movies. So hopefully next on my list is to reread the book series to see how they compare.

I totally understand, Genesis! A colleague/counterpart at work had her baby early, so I was tasked with filling in for her on top of my normal workload. Just now getting around to reading everyone's threads and reviews are planned for later.

Glad you are checking in and hope things have slowed down a bit for ya ;)

>48 threadnsong: Thank you! I feel like the busy has only just started. Hopefully by August I will get a break. :D

Fiction ?? (I lost track of the ones I read and didn't record so my numbers are off now)

The Problem with Pretending, Emma Hart, 2023 (not on LT yet)

Girl is a PhD student in history and spills her coffee on a guy as she's leaving the café. They exchange numbers and she agrees to go away for a weekend to a wedding as his fake date. They fall for each other, realise they were childhood friends, and then slowly start to figure out a real relationship. There is also some family drama and past baggage to be resolved.

Overall, I do like Emma Hart's writing but it is a bit crass and contemporary for me. I can overlook that for cute and funny stories that are well written though. Also, it is easy to get lost in the friends' group because I haven't always read the other books in the series but it doesn't take away from the story.

Fiction
Cast in Wax Jenna Ryan, 1988

Girl is a PI who was injured on her last job, so she goes back to her hometown to recover. There she fills in at her old job as a tour guide at a wax museum. The museum's owner has recently passed and now the nephew is in charge. Someone sets fire to the museum and a skeleton is discovered in the wall. So the PI is on the case. Her old friends help her, the town crazy trips her up, and the nephew falls in love with her whilst trying to keep her safe. But all is resolved in the end.

This book was very 80s but good. Not too mushy, story flowed well. I did figure it out early on though. But I have a few more from this series in my TBR pile.

Fiction
Blushing in the Big Leagues - RS Grey - 2023

Girl is the sister of a MLB player and is a pediatric nurse who vows to never date a baseball player. Guy is the newest player on the team. They meet at a party and don't know who each other are, then they fight their feelings, and then they give in. HEA.

The writing was good but the story lagged in a few places. There might be a book 3 that I will probably read. (book 1 was the brother but I didn't read it) This author is good for summer beach reading.

Fiction
Family Secrets - Ruth Langan - 1986

Old woman gathers family together for her birthday. Many heirs are present and one of them is blackmailing her. Is it the gardener's daughter, the step-nephews she raised (one of whom is in love with the gardener's daughter), the butler, the secret heir, the lawyer, his grandson, the DIL, the student she sponsored, etc etc etc....

I figured this out almost from the beginning and wondered if I had read it before or if it was just an overdone storyline. Not poorly written but it definitely dragged on. Not certain if I will read more by this author or not.

Fiction
True Love Experiment Anne Marsh, 2023

Girl and guy are friends. He needs a date for a bachelor auction to impress a business client, she needs a date to her ex's wedding to impress her family. They agree to fake date, fall in love, pretend not to be in love, figure it out.

This was all sex filler and no plot. Also, very boring and poorly edited. I am finding fewer contemporary books that I like these days. I might stick to new mysteries and old romances.

Fiction
Murder At Sunset Rock Debra Webb, 2023

Girl goes home to solve her grandfather's murder with her old beau. Lots of old family secrets get uncovered, including finding her father's hidden grave. All is wrapped up in the end and she decides to stay with the old beau.

While the book was written well, the plot dragged on and on and on. There was minimal romance and little action involving actually solving the mystery. It probably could have been a short story or more descriptive or something.

Fiction
His Jet Set Nights with the Innocent Pippa Roscoe, 2023

Girl is asked to bid on an artifact by a royal but she needs her old mentor's notebook to authenticate it. The notebook is now with the old professor's son and he's not willing to give it up, so she steals it. He follows her as she traces after the lost treasure and they fall in love.

Eh, this was slow going and then mimicked a lot of the "Goonies" for the action part. It could have been better and could probably have been made a trilogy. But as such, it passed a couple of afternoons.

Fiction
Mr. Big Shot RS Grey, 2023

Girl is a newly minted lawyer and daughter to the owner of a law firm. Guy is a senior associate looking to make partner. They butt heads, then hook up, then back off, then end up together.

This author writes well and gives a good plot with ample side stories and interesting characters. It probably could have been shorter but overall it was good.

Fiction
the Greek Children's Doctor Sarah Morgan, 2004

Girl is a nurse with doctor siblings. A new doctor falls in love with her and spends the book trying to get her to admit that she loves him.

I feel like I have read this before. It appears to be part of a series. I think the storyline was ho-hum but the writing was good.

Fiction
Ultra Violet Ellen Henderson, 2005

Girl wakes up, not knowing where she's been for 5 days, and has developed super powers. She realizes someone is following her, decides to go with them, and discovers a group doing unethical genetics projects and a group trying to save the test subjects. She trains to help free the others, falls in love with one of the "good guys", and everything works out in the end.

This had the potential to be good but it was not. It dragged on and on at the beginning, then had some action, threw in a love scene, and was just meh overall.

Fiction

Doctor's Engagement Sarah Morgan, 2001

Girl's best friend asks her to play fake fiancé. So she does, and they fall in love.

I think this may have also been a reread. It had too much medical jargon filler and too much was made about the girl being a virgin and the guy being a hound. I usually like this author but lately she's been hit or miss.

Fiction
A Very Pregnant New Year's Doreen Roberts, 2000

Girl gets trapped in a snow storm with her arch enemy and ends up pregnant. Guy is incredibly patient with her until she figures out they belong together.

This book went on a little too long and kept dropping snippets to set up for the next book. It also sort of fizzled near the end. Just a so-so read.

Fiction
Playing the Playboy's Sweetheart Carol Marinelli , 2014

Girl is a nurse who becomes friends with the playboy doctor. Then he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend so he can get a promotion, but they take it too far and she gets pregnant. He tries to prove he loves her, she resists. They end up together in the end.

Eh, the girl seemed a bit immature but she came around. Just a so-so book.

Fiction
The Doctor Dilemma Dianne Drake, 2001

Girl is a nurse who moves to a rural practice. Guy is a city doctor filling in whilst recovering from an injury. They fight falling in love since he is temporary but end up staying together in the end.

This plot was all over the place and over the top at times. Not my thing.

Fiction

Cabin Mate Leah Brunner, 2022

Girl and guy have been friends for 6 years and now own a business together. But she has been dating her boyfriend for 7 years. When boyfriend gets caught cheating, girl turns to guy and they finally get their chance.

This book was ok but the whole storyline seemed like an easy rebound that probably wouldn't end well. But the writing was decent. Also, there were characters that seemed to be from other books in the series but it worked ok as a stand-alone. Just an ok holiday-themed book overall.

fiction
Taming the Billionaire Dani Wade, 2018

Girl takes a housekeeping job with a recluse at an old house to look for historical records in the house's library in secret. But she falls in love with the recluse, drama happens, and it's all worked out in the end.

This was part of a series but it worked ok as a stand alone. The girl wasn't a complete doormat and the guy was only somewhat moody. The author admits that she based the story off of Beauty and the Beast but I don't think it was that since there really weren't any accessory characters or the key aspects of the storyline. The book was just overall so-so. I don't feel compelled to read the other books in the series and the mystery really wasn't a mystery.

Year End Summary:

I read 53 books this year.

But I didn't complete all of my goals because it was a busy year and who knows where the time went. I'll try again next year. :)

>66 genesisdiem: Time is so elusive! It goes too quickly… ☺️

53 books - a book a week, and one for good luck. Well Done!
Happy reading in 2024.

Thank you!