Tessa Dare

I really really really can't stand the trope of brilliant girl who can't figure out basic social cues. Just because a woman likes to read doesn't mean she also can't dance or make small talk. In an attempt to be feminist, this trope just comes off as even more sexist than if the heroine was a ditzy airhead falling in love every time she blinked. This trope makes it seem like women can't be both intelligent and socially adept. The exception to this is the Mary Sue character who can not only read and talk like a normal human but can usually play an instrument, doctor a wound, throw a punch, is a great athlete, and whatever else she puts her mind to. It's a frustrating and a tired, old trope that needs to die.

In this book Minerva Highwood is modeled after Mary Anning, a female palentologist, but she is far less interesting to read about. Minerva can't tell the difference between a consensual make-out session and rape. She is denser than the rocks she studies, and also has the stupidest plans. She runs out in the middle of the night to tell Colin not to marry her sister... could this not have waited till morning? When it would be more socially acceptable? She can't lie to save her life. Literally. If she had just lied once or twice in the novel, their journey to Scotland would've been a lot smoother.

But if you liked this character, then you would be so disappointed to know that she is completly different about halfway through. After her first orgasm, Minerva is suddenly capable of play-acting as a French mistress, giving blowjobs like she was born to do it, and her desire to be known as the person who discovered dinosaurs evaporates when Colin wins her wrinkled fruit at a country fair.

While I understood that Minerva needed to learn that knowledge wasn't everything and that a plaster footprint wasn't more important than a human life and lifelong love, the fact that she literally walks away from her dreams made it very disappointing. This book proved definitively that women cannot have it all, and while that can be true, it's not fun to read about in a romance novel.

There's some good dialogue and layering of the characters' personalities and trauma, but they are only just enough to save this book from being a total waste of time.… (mere)

Once again, Dare takes tropes that in any other novel would be irritating and dry and breathes new life into them. In this book, she takes the awkward genius girl and the hardened soldier and makes them into three dimensional characters. She does this by breathing ambition and forbearance into the characters, and it is much appreciated by this reader.

Madeline starts out as being unable to talk to a man unless it's about work. And yet, she escapes being a joke by having the ambition to want to draw the natural world for a living. She's presented with the opportunity to be featured in an encyclopedia, but she has to overcome her insecurities and fears to do so. This makes her a compelling character and one to root for.

Meanwhile, Logan is the brooding soldier with a tragic past. Personally, I find these characters interesting, but what makes Logan jump off the page is the patience he shows Madeline. Gloomy alpha males in other romance novels would manipulate or force the heroine into a sexual relationship, but even when Logan is frustrated, he doesn't blame Madeline. He doesn't feel entitled to her caresses. That, alone, may shock some readers.

Combining his sweetness with Madeline's maturity makes for a touching and unique romance. I highly recommend this installment for romance readers.… (mere)

When I picked up this book, I thought the premise was a bit odd: Rafe is doing everything in his power to make Clio marry his brother. I feared it would resemble those books where the heroine is engaged to someone more stoic than the hero, and then it's super awkward as she tries not to cheat on her betrothed. This fate is avoided by Dare injecting plenty of humor into the story that it's a joy to read.

Rather than being awkward and horny, Clio is her own person, which is not only refreshing, but it also feels authentic. She has her heart set on opening a brewery on her lands, and she's so natural about it. Dare clearly did her research. I'm not much of a drinker, but I thoroughly enjoyed the scene where Clio describes three different types of alcoholic beverages, to Rafe's shock. There were a few times where she could have been more assertive, but it didn't bother me.

Rafe was also sympathetic. I loved reading about him falling in love with Clio and then accepting that love. It felt natural, and he managed to be romantic without making an ass out of himself. He's actually someone you could imagine falling in love with.

It's not as witty or dramatic as some romance novels, but that's because it's filled with romance without the manipulative tendencies. So while you shouldn't expect super high highs and really low lows with this book, it's still just as worthy of your notice.… (mere)

Dare's Spindle Cove series is the whip cream and cherries on top of an ice cream sundae. It's cute and fluffy, but there's rarely any body to it. This novella of the oldest Highwood daughter is no exception. From the very first novel, it's obvious Diana and the town blacksmith are infatuated with one another. If this were a regency romance novel - and not a fairy tale - there would be no way this pairing would ever work out. For those saying that a blacksmith was a well-respected, highly skilled, and much sought-after townsperson, you would be correct, but could you honestly see Elizabeth Bennet marrying a blacksmith? Of course not! The idea is ludicrous! It simply wasn't done. With that in mind, I knew this story was going to be fluffier than normal, and I prepared for the fluffiest ride of all.

Honestly, Diana and Aaron were pretty cute together, and I didn't really have any problem with them, per se. There were just other aspects of the novel that didn't make sense. For example, Diana's asthma just clears up. Apparently, she's been healed for the past couple years, but she's been hiding it to avoid going back to town. Maybe that's a real thing, but it sucked all the tension out of the novel. I was hoping Diana would have an asthmatic attack while she was with Aaron, making her and him question their decision and if she really was cut out to be a laborer's wife. Alas, no life-threatening situations here.

The biggest conflict they have is the fact they want to alternately hide/reveal their relationship. Which, makes sense because these people would never have gotten together in real life, and if they had, there's no way in hell the bride's mother would get over it, at least not as easily as Mrs. Highwood did. Honestly, I was beginning to respect the woman for doggedly pursuing bachelors on her daughters' behalf. The fact that she does a 180 and "just wants her daughter to be happy" was not only unbelievable but also disappointing. If we're going full-on cliche with the over-bearing mother, embrace it!

Overall, you could enjoy this book if you know absolutely nothing about the regency era. Everyone else will probably have a difficult time swallowing this one.… (mere)