The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough

Regular followers of my blog will already know how much I love The Ladies of Missalonghi. It's not only a deliciously light, confectionery offering of a book, it's also a murky story mired down in a controversy involving plagiarism and L. M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle. A recent readalong for The Blue Castle was all the convincing I needed to not only reread it, but also to tack Missalonghi onto my #AusReadingMonth TBR pile.

The last time I read the books, TBC was read after TLOM, and The Ladies came out slightly ahead in personal preference, so I decided to reverse the order this time. And guess what? This time The Blue Castle was the preferred story.

I love the setting of TLOM. The Blue Mountains is one of my favourite places in NSW, in fact, Mr Books and I were married 8 years ago on a Blue Mountains clifftop overlooking one of the beautiful valleys mentioned in the story. It's wildness and grand views are perfect for a BIG romance and the cool nights seem designed for snuggling up with a cosy book and someone you love. But I could be biased! (FYI - Byron is a fictional Blue Mountains village, but it could also be any of the gorgeous villages that do actually hug the line of the cliffs and the railway).

On winter mornings the valley was filled with brilliant white cloud that sat like milk below the level of the cliff tops, and suddenly as the sun increased in warmth it would lift up in a moment and vanish. Sometimes the cloud would come down from above, fingers seeking out the tree tops far below until it succeeded in covering them from sight under a spectral blanket. And as sunset approached, winter and summer, the cliffs began to take on deeper, richer colour, glowering rose-red, then crimson, and finally purple that faded into night's mysterious indigo. Most wonderful of all was the rare snow, when all the crags and outcrops of the clilffs were picked out in white, and the moving leafy trees shook off their powdering of icy moisture as fast as it fell upon them, unwilling to accept a touch so alien.

This is the mountains to a tee!

I also love that Missy's immediate family in TLOM are much kinder and more loving than poor Valancy's in TBC. Missy has grown up poor with a strict but loving mother. She knows what poverty and love  feels like. Poor Valancy only knows poverty.

Both novels can be seen as fairly classic examples of the romance genre - with a down trodden, plain heroine-to-be, a family that gets in her way/puts her down/hides her away, a mysterious, stranger hero-to-be, a misunderstanding that becomes the agent of change so that our 'to-be's' finally become fully fledged heroine and hero, in love and living happily ever after!

It has been suggested by some reviews I've read online, that McCullough's story is in fact a parody of the romance genre, but for a parody to work, there have to be clear signs for the reader to pick up on. Having read both books more than once, I couldn't find any evidence of parody or spoof, although McCullough does seem a little self-conscious at times.

The mystery in TLOM is more modern, and dare I say a more believable story (despite the ghost!) than Valancy's mere wondering about what on earth it is that Barney gets up to in his locked room. The satisfaction the reader gets when Missy's extended family get their comeuppance is far more thrilling than the mild pleasure we feel when we eventually discover what most readers have already worked out about who Barney really is and what he is doing.

As for the ghost in TLOM!

Where did that come from? 

I don't think that McCullough gives the reader anywhere near enough clues and it isn't resolved very well, but it does inject a lovely bit of fairy tale-like magic into this romance. And it's the feel of this story that people respond to after all, not the logic.

The main thrill for readers of TBC is Valancy's blossoming. In true Cinderella style, Valancy overcomes parental and societal restrictions to finally come into her own and be happy in a life of her own choosing. She does it all by herself and we couldn't be prouder! Whereas Missy is guided and encouraged by Una to do the same.

The deception at the heart of both stories is one that Valancy also visited on herself. She is totally unaware that the doctor's letter was not meant for her. Whereas Missy sets out to deceive to get her man. And that's where TLOM loses a little of its charm, but gains some in moral complexity.

Did McCullough plagiarise The Blue Castle?

The jury still seems to be out on this.

Both Montgomery and McCullough are frequently associated with national stereotypes: as McCullough ruefully acknowledges, part of her problem seems to be that she has interfered with an author who is a ‘Canadian icon’. Montgomery’s writing is recognised as playing a major role in establishing one of the most persistent images of Canadians—as wholesome, vigorous, close to nature. On the other hand McCullough’s own brashness and sense of herself as a tall poppy under attack draw upon a stereotypically Australian set of images. The authors in play in this controversy, then, are recognisably national, if quite dissimilar.

                                                   (Double Trouble: One or Two Women? Gillian Whitlock, March 26 2015, Meanjin Quarterly)

McCullough always denied any plagiarism. However her theory that she was merely using the known tropes of romantic fiction doesn't really hold up either. There are just too many similarities.

I suspect the truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle.

As an Anne fan, McCullough no doubt read The Blue Castle at some point in her childhood, but didn't remember doing so. Instead it stayed, tucked away, cosy and warm in her subconscious, until she was ready to write her very own fairy tale romance. The controversy doesn't diminish either story, and can actually be seen as a bonus. Thanks to the debate, both books have now been read by a much wider audience than what may have happened if they'd just been left to their own devices. I, for one, would never have discovered TBC if not for the controversy and I will always be grateful for that.

Both books are light, sweet, fluffy reads, just like a box of chocolate or a glass of bubbles! They're perfect in small doses or as a tonic to lift you out of the blues. And together, they are a splendid way to spend a rainy weekend, comparing and contrasting, til your heart's content!

LyzzyBee's 2017 TLOM review
My 2017 reread of The Blue Castle
Naomi @Consumed by Ink's review for the 2017 The Blue Castle re-readalong
My very first read of The Blue Castle in 2014
My original 2013 flashback post for The Ladies of Missalonghi that got me started on this journey.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

The first time I read The Blue Castle, I read it soooooooo fast that I recall very little of the detail. I had just found out about the controversy surrounding this book and my long-time favourite Colleen McCullough book, The Ladies of Missalonghi. Therefore I read The Blue Castle constantly comparing and looking for similarities and differences; I didn't read it for itself.
(Please click on the two book links above to get the backstory for this controversy.)

This reread, however, was all about enjoying The Blue Castle purely and simply for itself. Thanks to a hectic life schedule atm, I was looking for a quick, easy, comforting read to sink into.

The chance to also reread it with two others (Naomi @Consumed By Ink and Sarah Emsley) who clearly love this story as much as I do, was an added bonus.

My first observation is that The Blue Castle was a much richer, emotionally satisfying story than I remembered. Yes, it's predictable and sentimental, but it's done so well and hits just the right note when one is in the mood for this kind of book.

It was also a love letter to the woods 'up back' of Canada.

Once or twice night overtook them, too far from their Blue Castle to get back. But Barney mad a fragrant bed of bracken and fir boughs and they slept on it dreamlessly, under a ceiling of old spruces with moss hanging from them, while beyond them moonlight and the murmur of pines blended together so that one could hardly tell which was light and which was sound.

Whitt Island, Lake Muskoka, Ontario

There is something so satisfying in owning a whole island. And isn't an uninhabited island a charmng idea? I'd wanted one ever since I read Robinson Crusoe. It seemed to good to be true. And beauty! Most of the scenery belongs to the government, but they don't tax you for looking at it, and the moon belongs to everyone.

Valancy looked - and looked -  and looked again. There was a diaphanous, lilac mist on the lake, shrouding the island. Through it the two enormous pine-trees that clasped hands over Barney's shack loomed out like dark turrets. Behind them was a sky still rose-hued in the afterlight, and a pale young moon.

A question though - how do you pronounce Valancy? Is is Vuh-lan- cy, Val-arn-cy or Val-ancy? I'm leaning towards the latter as it roles of the tongue quite nicely. Is Valancy a traditional Canadian name or is it a significant name in L.M. Montgomery's own backstory?

(I just found this post with very helpful, interesting comments all about the name Valancy. God, I love the world wide web!)

The lesson we learn from Valancy about conquering your fears and being true to yourself, remains a powerful one that transcends time and place. Sure there's an ugly duckling/wish fulfilment element here as well, but dreams do come true, just not easy, as Valancy also found out.

She was no longer unimportant, little old maid Valancy Stirling. She was a woman, full of love and therefore rich & significant - justified to herself. Life was no longer empty & futile, and death could cheat her if nothing. Love had cast out her last fear.

Which kind of makes Valancy a Canadian Jane Eyre.

I loved this quote in particular:

Valancy was in the midst of realities after a lifetime of unrealities.

Valancy had spent her life dreaming about and fantasising about another life; a better life that took place in her Blue Castle. Her life was stifled, suppressed and repressed by her family and by societal standards of the time. Without knowing it, her life was on hold, in limbo. So many of us feel this at some point in our lives; at least I did for most of my childhood years.

And that is where it's success and beauty lies. For anyone who has felt like the ugly duckling or unnoticed or fearful about life, The Blue Castle gives hope and inspiration. We all have the power to do-over, make-over and reinvent ourselves. We can all rise above the mores of the world around us and be true to ourselves. That is the path to happiness.

The Blue Castle is a book that deserves to be in a leisurely manner. I'm glad I waited for the right weekend and the right to mood to fall into this little treasure once again. Along with The Ladies of Missalonghi (to be reread for #AusReadingMonth) I now have two delicious stories to turn to when in the mood for a charming, nostalgic romance.

Visiting Canada or Prince Edward Island is not an easy proposition when you live in Australia, but one of my sisters visited PEI in 2008 for the 200th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables. She knew exactly which big sister would love these coasters the most!

#ReadingValancy

I Know My Love by Catherine Gaskin

In 1982, Channel Ten produced a TV series based on Catherine Gaskin's novel, Sara Dane. I was 14 yrs of age at the time and the heady mix of historical fiction and romance ticked all my boxes. I became so enamoured of this genre and author, I went on to read my mother's entire bookshelf of Gaskin's many times over.

However my firm favourite, was I Know My Love.

I read it so many times during my teen years that I was almost word perfect!

It's a simple tale of two women - one quiet woman who had suffered adversity but carried on - stoic, determined, gritty. Emma was the Elinor Dashwood of the Ballarat goldfields.
The other woman was also strong and determined - but about getting what she wanted at all costs in as showy and glamorous way as possible. Rose was the Scarlett O'Hara of the outback, unlike Scarlett, though, when the going got tough, Rose never dug deep, she just sunk further into her bad ways.

Two women: one man.

Adam - tall, dark and brooding. Hard working, loyal and capable of making two very different women fall madly in love with him.

This could so easily have be just another historical romance pot-boiler, but Gaskin had a knack of getting the tone and style just right. Most of her books were well-written, easy to read, with natural dialogue and believable characters. I Know My Love was one of the best examples of her craft (I read at least 12 of her books during the 1980's, so I know my Gaskin's!)

Gaskin was born in Ireland in 1929 but her family moved to Coogee, Sydney when she was only three months old. Her first book was published at age 17.
She moved to London, married an American and lived in New York, then spent some time living in the Virgin Islands before moving back to Ireland. She returned to Sydney at the end of her life, where she died in 2009.

As a teen, I preferred her books set in Australia and in the Caribbean. I loved seeing Australian stories set in places I knew - there were so few of them for a teenage to read when I was growing up. Her Caribbean stories always made me think of Rochester's mad wife in the attic - they seemed exotic, sexy and dangerous to my young impressionable mind!

I was pleased that I Know My Love held up to an adult reread.
I would now classify these books as a comfort read thanks to the nostalgia factor, but probably not books I would seek out now.

I was also reminded why I wasn't surprised about the role of the women during the Eureka Stockade when I read Clare Wright's award winning book, The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka.
Books like this (and Henry Handel Richardson's, Fortunes of Richard Mahony) clearly showed the number and hard-working role of the women who lived on the goldfields of Victoria. It was only the history texts that forgot that women were there!

#AusReadingMonth

Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson

I haven't read this many teen and junior fiction books in a row for quite some time. It has been a lovely holiday from my recent fare of epic classic chunksters and thought-provoking non-fiction.

And Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson has summer holiday read all over it.

This is a romantic romp with a great big environmental heart. This is the kind of teen fiction I would have lapped up in my day - I've always been a sucker for a nobody-puts-baby-in-the-corner ending!

I was never an alpha-girl at school, but I was one of those annoying superior girls-with-a-cause, like Astrid.

In my teen years, the hole in the ozone layer was just being discovered and discussed. As a result, I converted my family to non-whitened toilet paper, embraced recycling, stopped using aerosol containers and moved to green cleaning products. I even went through a phase of making my own paper and using old magazine pages to make my own envelopes (you know, back when, we actually wrote letters to our family and friends)!

All this is to say, that Wilkinson has created a very believable character in Astrid.

The romance is just right for the age group this book is aimed at (14+) and the teen dialogue is snappy and fun. The adults are a little one dimensional, although I guess that's how many teens view anyone over the age of 25!

I'm a fan of Wilkinson's teen books (her mother is Dragonkeeper writer Carole Wilkinson) and have just spotted that her first book was one about Joan of Arc. I hope it's still in print.

#LoveOzYA

Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

I do love it when an unexpected gem falls into your lap.

Regency romance/supernatural YA is not my usual genre, but I can tell you now, that this review of Alison Goodman's first installment in her Lady Helen trilogy will be a rave one with some outright gushing thrown in for good measure!

I could barely put this book down and when I did have to, you know, to go to work or actually talk with my family, it was done so reluctantly. The whole time counting down the minutes until I could pick it up again.

It has been a long time since a book seduced me in such a dramatic, slightly obsessive way.

How was this possible?

I recently attended the Harper Collins Christmas roadshow for work. The Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club unedited ARC was part of the goodies package. Goodman was also one of the guest authors at the event...in full Regency regalia (below)!

I wasn't feeling very well the night of the roadshow.
After the official presentation I was therefore happy to stay in my seat (with a glass of bubbles for company) and people-watch.

One of the truly fascinating sights was the small, but dedicated crowd that quickly formed around Goodman.
There is a LOT of love out there for her previous YA fantasy books, Eon and Eona and her fans wanted her to know about it!
I found it a curious thing that an author renown for dragon fantasy stories had gone to the trouble to dress in a full Regency costume. What?

It turns out that Goodman is a Georgette Heyer fan from way back. Her only quibble with Heyer (& Jane Austen) has been that their books assumed that the reader had a lot of knowledge about Regency society and customs. She has always wanted to write her own Regency story with all these interesting details included.

Somehow I missed out on reading any Heyer's in my younger years, so I can only imagine that they were similar to my go-to historical fiction romance books at that age written by Eleanor Hibbert (a.k.a as Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr).

Perhaps because I was unwell, I viewed this entire Regency/dragon/Jane Austen/supernatural powers conversation through a haze of total bemusement.

But at the bus stop on the way home, I pulled out my ARC of Lady Helen.

And that was the end of all sense and sensibility from me for three days.

I couldn't get enough of Goodman's regency world. I loved how the story gradually morphed into the supernatural. It felt natural and (almost) believable. The main characters were well-drawn, although at times a little stereotyped (the strict uncle, the protective older brother, the illusive, darkly handsome older man with a deadly secret from his past). But that's half the fun of a Regency romance!

The story was full of surprising action, sexual tension and moral dilemma's to keep the pages turning quickly.

I for one, will now become a Goodman groupie, hanging around, demanding to know when the next book is coming out.

This post is part of my Australian Women Writer's Challenge and promotes #LoveOzYA

Sadly, the rest of you have to wait until January 2016 before you can read Lady Helen and The Dark Days Club when it will be published by Harper Collins Australia.

Flambards by K M Peyton

I was hit by a wave of nostalgia today.

I needed something comforting and familiar to get me through the day.

A new edition of Flambards (Oxford Children's Classics) turned up at work this week & I remembered how much I loved this series when I was a teenager. So I hunted out my old copy from the bottom of the bookshelf hidden by packing boxes that have yet to be unpacked (the move was over 5 years ago, but that's another story!)

It's the classic story of an orphan (with an inheritance due on her 21st birthday), a mean, mercenary uncle, horses, two older male cousins and a kind stablehand!

It's set just prior to WW1 (although published in 1967). Like a lot of literature set in this era there is push-me, pull-me attitude towards the old ways (hunts, carriages, servants - think Downton Abbey) and the new ways (cars, flying machines and equality).

Flambards charmed me all over again today.
It's well written in the proper way books were 40 years ago.
It's tragic, dramatic & romantic. At the time it was also controversial (unmarried pregnant scullery maid, love across class divides & elopements).

Click here to read a recent interview with K.M Peyton about the controversy.

Other books in the series include The Edge of the Cloud (1969) & Flambards in Summer (1969). The Edge of the Cloud won the Carnegie Medal while the other two books were awarded commended runner-up status. In 1970 she also won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for the entire trilogy.

I was surprised to see that a 4th book, Flambards Divided, was written in 1981. Whether this is a pleasant surprise remains to be seen (& will, in part, depend on how quickly & easily I can hunt it down!)

Highly recommended for all lovers of romantic historical fiction 13+

The Blue Castle by L M Montgomery

L. M. Montgomery only wrote 2 adult novels. One of them was The Blue Castle published in 1926.

I had never heard of it until last year when I wrote a post about The Ladies of Missalonghi by Australian author Colleen McCullough. McCullough was accused of plagiarism because of the number of similarities between the two books.

I have to say, that it does look incredibly suspicious.

McCullough claims no knowledge of The Blue Castle.
Perhaps it was one of those books she picked up in the library as a little girl, browsed through it, liked the idea enough for it sneak into the back reaches of her memory, only to emerge in her adult years as an 'original creative idea'?

Whatever happened, The Blue Castle and The Ladies of Missalonghi are basically the same book. One is set in Ontario, Canada, the other in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

They both describe a quiet, genteel, unlovely young woman, slowly becoming a fearful, poor relation spinster. Suffocated by her controlling family, suffering pangs & pains of the heart and finding solace in her local library.

A visit to the doctor changes everything when she finds out she has only a year to live.

What happens next in both books is a sweet, delightful romance as Missy/Valancy throws off her cares and fears to embrace life. She speaks her mind, shocks the family, changes her hair and clothes, asks a man to marry her & runs away to live happily ever after.

The various plot twists are predictable and easy to spot. There is nothing challenging about either book, but, ohhh, they are just so soul-satisfying!

Missy/Valancy stand in for every shy, insecure girl in history. They give hope that every single one of us can be beautiful when loved. That everyone can dream of love and eventually find true love if only they are brave enough and honest enough to be themselves.

The Blue Castle AND The Ladies of Missalonghi are now two of my very favourite rainy afternoon comfort reads.

The Blue Castle counts as my book for The Colour Coded Reading Challenge hosted by My Readers Block.

The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough

Today I was chatting with one of my book reps about what we were reading. She mentioned she would like to read McCullough's new book, Bittersweet as she preferred her earlier works and this seemed more in line with the those books.

I tentatively agreed as my experiences with McCullough had not necessarily been rave ones.

I read Thorn Birds and Tim about the time they were both made into movies/TV series and I was probably too young to really enjoy them for anything more than the naughty sex scenes! I enjoyed the beginning of her Roman series, but got tired of it about half way through and never finished it off. So I was feeling lukewarm about Bittersweet...until I suddenly remembered The Ladies of Missalonghi.

I blurted it out and my rep looked at me with delight and exclaimed, "I love that one too. I've never met anyone else who even knows about this book, let alone loves it too!"

It was published in 1987.
It's set in the Blue Mountains in a little town called Byron just before WWI. It's a slight, easy read that caught me by surprise at the time. I found it utterly delightful and charming for all its improbabilities and flaws. It became my "I'm bored" rainy Sunday afternoon read. I loved it!
I loved quiet, submissive Missy who learnt to stand up for herself. I loved the setting & the quiet build-up of tension and I loved the rather mixed up feminist messages on display.

Just talking about it again today makes me want to read it again - right now!

A quick google before posting this has revealed a whole new world though.

Apparently there were plagiarism accusations made against McCullough for this book because of its similarities to a lesser known L.M. Montgomery book called The Blue Castle. I even found a discussion page on the topic from 2008.

I'm sure I will always have a deep and abiding love for The Ladies of Missalonghi, but the temptation to check out The Blue Castle for myself is now lurking in the back of mind!

I have reviewed this book for Flashback Friday hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies and in preparation for my hosting of AusReading Month in November.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

I've been hearing great reviews about this book for months.

I also saw Graeme Simsion speak at the Sydney Writer's Festival and thought, again, that I really must read this book soon.

But it took a two month long lovefest of classic readalongs to get me there!

I've loved every minute of my classic recent (obsession).
But this past week has been a bit manic. Personally speaking I feel like I've been in sensory overload mode and only just coping with life.

So on Thursday evening I picked up The Rosie Project hoping to find some light relief.

Oh perfect choice!

It has been a long time since a book made me laugh out loud not once, but over and over again. And I read it all in one big greedy gulp over two nights and one morning.

My obvious (and noisy) delight piqued Mr Books interest and he proceeded to read it too. It was wonderful to share the funny moments all over again with him.

Yes, this books is light and easy to read. But it is also well-written, with lots a great set-pieces and very funny dialogue. I can't wait to see the movie with Steve Carell in the lead role :-)

Reboot by Amy Tintera

I can't tell you how sceptical I was about this book.

I'm so over teen/YA dystopian stories trying to grab onto the coattails of The Hunger Games. I was disappointed with The 5th Wave, although my husband quite enjoyed it. I therefore took my ARC of Reboot along to my stepson's soccer game with very little joy in my heart.

If not for a very exciting and close game of football, I may have gone close to finishing this book in one sitting. It captured my attention right from the start and kept me hooked all the way through (although the ending was a little soft).

I've been trying to work out why my experiences with Reboot and The 5th Wave were so different.

The writing style appeals to me a little more in Reboot, but it's not that different to The 5th Wave really. I think Tintera writes the female voice far better than Yancey did. They both have strong female characters, but Wren is far more believable and likeable than Cassie.
Perhaps it's the dialogue that reads better in Reboot, or maybe it's the romance that dances around on the sidelines? Do I simply gravitate towards books with more romance rather than more action?

I read The 5th Wave pre-Bali holiday and Reboot post-Bali holiday - could timing and mood be the difference? My husband doesn't think I gave The 5th Wave enough time to grab me before I started skimming it, but I never once felt like skimming ahead in Reboot.

Perhaps it's nothing more mysterious than that magical connection some books and some authors create with some of their readers!

I'll be curious to see how both these books go once they hit the shelves.

Reboot has some mild sexual references and fight scenes.

Reboot is a May release in Australia through Allen and Unwin.

P.S. three weeks later...my husband has now read Reboot and felt it was the better book of the two. We think the relationship between Wren and 22 was one of the key reasons for the books appeal.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This book came to me with a LOT of hype attached to it and a LOT of high expectations.

So I was bound to be disappointed, I guess.
The ghastly descriptions early on were so annoying I didn't know whether to laugh-out-loud or throw the book across the room! I found it quite slow to begin with and a little confusing about what type of book it wanted to be - thriller? paranormal? romance? issue-based?

But things did improve. Some of the questions and confusions were resolved and the pace picked up until it became a real page-turner. I can see that this could become quite a hit with older teens looking for a light-weight paranormal romantic thrill!

The slutty talk early on in the book was annoying, but then I remembered that teens like to talk a lot about sex and the ones doing the most talking are the ones that usually know the least! That was when I realised that Hodkin actually knows her audience well.

I'm assuming there will be a sequel after re-reading the confusing last chapter. I don't think I care enough to check it out though :-(

Warning this book contains lots of sexual references, teenage angst and romantic cliches.

P.S. I've just been reading some reviews that refer to Mara's brother Daniel...and yes, he sounds amazing!

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

This is obviously the summer of the light teen romance, because here is another one!

It's 1996 and Emma gets a new computer from her Dad complete with Windows 95. Her neighbour and best friend, Josh gives her a CD-Rom for free online access.

But when she sets up her email account and logs on...Emma ends up on this weird page where everyone is leaving random personal status reports...including herself. It's 15 years in the future and she has checked into her facebook page.

The problem is, Emma doesn't like what she sees there. (Although Josh is delighted to find out that he is married to the hottest girl in school!)
And so begins a light-hearted romp through teen angst and the idea that each small event in our lives has unforeseen effects that ripple into the future.

There are some mild sexual references and 'Wayne's World' quotes to beware!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

Are you lying on the beach wondering what to read next?
Are you on a long, boring flight to somewhere exciting, but need something to kill the time?
Then this is your answer - a quick, easy summer romance for teens.

The title & front cover tells you all you need to know really.
It's a lovely, light, frothy tale of holiday romance. It's a wedding and a funeral. It's a clash of cultures. It's about family and love.

The couple are likeable. Their dialogue is snappy and believable.
It's a feelgood summer fling.

Whatever the question: the answer is always love, love, love.

Emerald by Karen Wallace

Emerald is Philippa Gregory for older teens. This is more substantial than the usual bodice-ripper - packed with lots of historical drama and a character that you believe in.

Set during the later years of Queen Elizabeth I reign, we have a story of intrigue, treason and of course romance.

I raced through this story. It was light-weight, but thoroughly enjoyable. The perfect read for a rainy, lazy weekend.

And it has a fanatastic cover! Wouldn't we all love a sumptious gown like Emerald's?

If you're interested in Karen Wallace click here to read more about her other books.