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A Novel Seduction (2011)

by Gwyn Cready(Favorite Author)

3.62 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1451612648 (ISBN13: 9781451612646)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Pocket Star

review 1: I'd like to start by saying that this book was chick lit instead of romance. Or, at least, that was my perception of it. Yes, there is "romance" in the sense that Axel and Ellery have a past (and allegedly a future) together. However, the book is much more about Ellery's personal discovery of who she is and what she wants in her career than it is about their relationship. Which is surprising when you consider that when the book has a premise that essentially traps them together as they travel around the world visiting romantic locales related to books Ellery is using in her ode to romance novels (which she loathes). How is it possible that their relationship can fail to spark? But it didn't. What I loved about the book:1. Axel is flawed. And yes, most heroes (especially hi... morestorical) are flawed, it's almost a requirement. But Axel was really flawed with a history of substance use and a chronic health condition that he's been keeping secret. Contemporary heroes rarely have such issues, and I love heroes who have serious challenges that make him less than ideal in a contemporary world. Plus his efforts at matchmaking were charming.2. The focus on whether romance novels can actually be considered literature or are they really trash read on by peons who don't understand true art. At some points it was preachy, but I still enjoyed it because it reminded me of the snickers of my best friend when she asks me if I've been reading those novels with the half dressed (preferably blonde) woman being ravished by the tall, dark nobleman. Yes! Yes, I am. The language aggrandized my vocabulary (take that SATs!). Sometimes the books don't even have sex, or not until the very end (Female porn you say?!). It's about love, not sex. Although I enjoy a good sex scene as much as the next person. *Stepping off my soapbox.*
review 2: I enjoyed this journey of a "serious" literary critic journalist being forced to write a piece touting romance novels and why they are so beloved by women. And men, Ellery comes to find out. She can't write the article her boss demands or she'll lose out on the magazine publisherjob she is in the running for with a hoity-toity company. Her boss thinks that if he sends Alex, a notable photographer and ex-boyfriend of Ellery's, with her that Alex can gently pursuade her to write the love-fest on romance that will make his on-the-side girlfriend and author of the latest and greatest PNR novel get over the trashing El gave the genre in her previous article. Boss man doesn't like romance, he just likes the sex he's getting. Anyway, Alex needs this job - even knowing that it won't be easy and that he's still in love with Ellery - because he's trying to buy a microbrewery (his passion). To help Ellery get into the mood, he buys her the infamous Kiltlander book, that love story featuring Jemmie the Scottish Highland warriour who loves his wife, Cara, with every bit of his soul and would die to protect her. According to women, if men would just act like Jemmie they could get into every woman's pants...sigh. This story is so strong, even after more than a decade of publishing,that Alex gets a phone number tucked in with his purchase at the book store :) This was a wonderful story that proved romances can be every bit as important in literature as those staid novels that are always being featured on booklists, usually by male authors I find and not as suspensefully written in many cases. The author mentioned the research necessary and the accuracy the historical events require. But what was the most fun was to know just what Kiltlander was; I luvved me some Jamie in Outlander and yes, the man is my secret male role model that most modern-day men cannot hope to hold a candle to. Outlander was a perfect source to prove that romance authors can be every bit as talented as those uppity "literary" writers. I've thought that for years! less

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