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ria_mhrj's review
2.0
I have to give A Novel Seduction 10 out of 10 for the premise. The romance genre is always so easily dismissed, so I was delighted when I heard about this book, hopeful that someone could cleverly outline what it is about books in this category that appeals and delights so many. The fact that there was a loving parody of one of my all-time favourite books was just the icing on the cake. I absolutely admire Gwyn Cready's intent with this book, but unfortunately the finished product did not live up to its promise.
In terms of the writing, there were no major issues but there was a breeziness in the tone that left me lost at times. Everything barrels along so quickly that there were multiple occasions that had me worried I had skimmed over vital words providing context for situations.
The characters never really came to life either. What's so wonderful about books like Outlander is how alive and complex the characters are, enough to make you care about their fates and fortunes. With Ellery and Axel, I never really found myself cheering for them. I wish the pair hadn't had a history because this really jarred for me, as the tragic events of the past felt shoehorned in for dramatic tension rather than providing either character a chance to develop or grow and learn from mistakes.
This book didn't make me angry, it just left me disappointed. There was a wonderful opportunity here to make something impactful and charming, to really exemplify what it is about the romance genre that encourages so much enthusiasm. Though this book had its heart in the right place, it failed to tug on this reader's heartstrings.
In terms of the writing, there were no major issues but there was a breeziness in the tone that left me lost at times. Everything barrels along so quickly that there were multiple occasions that had me worried I had skimmed over vital words providing context for situations.
The characters never really came to life either. What's so wonderful about books like Outlander is how alive and complex the characters are, enough to make you care about their fates and fortunes. With Ellery and Axel, I never really found myself cheering for them. I wish the pair hadn't had a history because this really jarred for me, as the tragic events of the past felt shoehorned in for dramatic tension rather than providing either character a chance to develop or grow and learn from mistakes.
This book didn't make me angry, it just left me disappointed. There was a wonderful opportunity here to make something impactful and charming, to really exemplify what it is about the romance genre that encourages so much enthusiasm. Though this book had its heart in the right place, it failed to tug on this reader's heartstrings.
witandsin's review
4.0
Blue Ribbon Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review Link
To snobby book critic Ellery Sharpe romance novels are at the bottom of the literary barrel. But when she gets in trouble for trashing the biography of a well-known romance publisher, Ellery is forced to choose between keeping her job and writing an article that is a love letter to the romance genre. If the assignment alone wasn’t enough to make Ellery want to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, the man hired to take the photos for the article would seal the deal.
Axel Mackenzie knows that this job is his last chance to win back Ellery. Axel knows that although he’s a changed man, it won’t be enough, so he turns to romance novels for help…specifically, the insanely popular Kiltlander. To his surprise, Ellery falls in love with Kiltlander, and Axel learns a thing or two about love from the book’s protagonists. Will romance novels be what brings one former bad boy and his romance novel-hating book critic to the happily ever after of their dreams?
A romance novel featuring a heroine who hates romance novels but is forced to give them a try. When I read the premise of A NOVEL SEDUCTION, I just knew this book would be tons of fun. Happily, I was right. Author Gwyn Cready takes her skeptical heroine and hero on a journey of self-discovery via romance novels that will make you smile.
Axel is one heck of a hero. He’s a former party boy who has since learned his lesson and grown up. Ms. Cready gives enough flashbacks and information on Axel’s past for readers to truly appreciate how he’s grown. I liked that I didn’t just see the perfect hero. Axel’s flaws endeared him to me and made me root for him on his quest to win Ellery back. Ellery, in turn, is a heroine who could have been unlikeable at the hands of a lesser author. She’s the type of person who has never read a romance novel, yet passes judgment on the entire genre and thinks herself above it. Every romance reader I know has met someone like that. Now if only those of us in the real world could do what Ms. Cready does to her heroine and force her to read a couple of romance novels. Watching Ellery as she learns that there’s more to romance novels than she thought was a pleasure. What was also a lot of fun was hearing about the three different books she read. Ellery tries an adult paranormal romance that has Twilight-level fame, a historical romance and then the famed Kiltlander, Ms. Cready’s homage to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.
A NOVEL SEDUCTION is truly a delightful book. It has a great love story, humor and self-aware insight regarding the pleasures of reading a romance novel, something that is just too delicious to ignore. This is the first book I’ve read of Ms. Cready’s, but it definitely won’t be the last!
Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
Original Review Link
To snobby book critic Ellery Sharpe romance novels are at the bottom of the literary barrel. But when she gets in trouble for trashing the biography of a well-known romance publisher, Ellery is forced to choose between keeping her job and writing an article that is a love letter to the romance genre. If the assignment alone wasn’t enough to make Ellery want to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, the man hired to take the photos for the article would seal the deal.
Axel Mackenzie knows that this job is his last chance to win back Ellery. Axel knows that although he’s a changed man, it won’t be enough, so he turns to romance novels for help…specifically, the insanely popular Kiltlander. To his surprise, Ellery falls in love with Kiltlander, and Axel learns a thing or two about love from the book’s protagonists. Will romance novels be what brings one former bad boy and his romance novel-hating book critic to the happily ever after of their dreams?
A romance novel featuring a heroine who hates romance novels but is forced to give them a try. When I read the premise of A NOVEL SEDUCTION, I just knew this book would be tons of fun. Happily, I was right. Author Gwyn Cready takes her skeptical heroine and hero on a journey of self-discovery via romance novels that will make you smile.
Axel is one heck of a hero. He’s a former party boy who has since learned his lesson and grown up. Ms. Cready gives enough flashbacks and information on Axel’s past for readers to truly appreciate how he’s grown. I liked that I didn’t just see the perfect hero. Axel’s flaws endeared him to me and made me root for him on his quest to win Ellery back. Ellery, in turn, is a heroine who could have been unlikeable at the hands of a lesser author. She’s the type of person who has never read a romance novel, yet passes judgment on the entire genre and thinks herself above it. Every romance reader I know has met someone like that. Now if only those of us in the real world could do what Ms. Cready does to her heroine and force her to read a couple of romance novels. Watching Ellery as she learns that there’s more to romance novels than she thought was a pleasure. What was also a lot of fun was hearing about the three different books she read. Ellery tries an adult paranormal romance that has Twilight-level fame, a historical romance and then the famed Kiltlander, Ms. Cready’s homage to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.
A NOVEL SEDUCTION is truly a delightful book. It has a great love story, humor and self-aware insight regarding the pleasures of reading a romance novel, something that is just too delicious to ignore. This is the first book I’ve read of Ms. Cready’s, but it definitely won’t be the last!
Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
alexiachantel's review
4.0
A romance novel is so much more than just a romance novel. It is an escape, a way to explore, a history lesson, imagination at its finest, a description of the values we want our men to have, relationship advice and even sometimes what you need to get your blood pumping.
All of that and so much more is what Ellery struggles to accept and describe in her quest to unlock the answer to why people (not only women) read romances. A Novel Seduction gives you answers along with plenty of humor and a happy ending.
Ellery and Axel found each other 5 years ago only to loose eachother. A perfect fit in every way except for the timing. They just needed time to erode away the edges so they could slide into place with each other. The journey they take to finally realize that the sharp painful points have smoothed is one full of laughs and pain. As it should be with a history like theirs, if it’s worth fighting for it’s going to be a hard fight.
This book uses references (names and titles have been changed to protect the innocent) of popular romance books. If you have ever read a love scene and scratched your head over the logistics of it Ellery and Axel are right there with you, only they have each other to use as props. Or if you have ever wanted to go visit a site featured in your favorite book you may be jealous of where these two get to go. If only we could see the pictures Axel collected on their trip. Of course some may have to be edited or blacked out. Reading this will have you laughing out loud, unable to stop yourself from doing so.
If you are a fan of romance books, specifically Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and the Twilight series you will love reading A Novel Seduction.
Review posted on Reading Between the Wines blogspot:
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/2011/11/lexys-review-novel-seduction-by-gwyn.html?zx=34a5be6b637fa527
All of that and so much more is what Ellery struggles to accept and describe in her quest to unlock the answer to why people (not only women) read romances. A Novel Seduction gives you answers along with plenty of humor and a happy ending.
Ellery and Axel found each other 5 years ago only to loose eachother. A perfect fit in every way except for the timing. They just needed time to erode away the edges so they could slide into place with each other. The journey they take to finally realize that the sharp painful points have smoothed is one full of laughs and pain. As it should be with a history like theirs, if it’s worth fighting for it’s going to be a hard fight.
This book uses references (names and titles have been changed to protect the innocent) of popular romance books. If you have ever read a love scene and scratched your head over the logistics of it Ellery and Axel are right there with you, only they have each other to use as props. Or if you have ever wanted to go visit a site featured in your favorite book you may be jealous of where these two get to go. If only we could see the pictures Axel collected on their trip. Of course some may have to be edited or blacked out. Reading this will have you laughing out loud, unable to stop yourself from doing so.
If you are a fan of romance books, specifically Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and the Twilight series you will love reading A Novel Seduction.
Review posted on Reading Between the Wines blogspot:
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/2011/11/lexys-review-novel-seduction-by-gwyn.html?zx=34a5be6b637fa527
drey72's review
3.0
drey’s thoughts:
I was really in the mood for something light and heartwarming when I picked up A Novel Seduction. And how could I go wrong with a half-nekkid dude in a kilt? (Yes, even though I can tell this half-nekkid dude isn’t wearing his kilt like a true Scots!
Anyway. Ellery is stubborn and opinionated. Alex is a reformed rake who still loves her, and has no idea why they broke up five years ago. Well, he has an idea, but no confirmation, as Ellery has steadfastly avoided the entire topic–and him. For us readers, A Novel Seduction has back-flashes to provide some insight into the state of their relationship then, to go with the reminiscing today, especially in Ellery’s case. And I’m sorry, but I think she totally made a mountain out of a molehill and placed the responsibility for said mountain squarely on Alex. Not that he’s all shiny-halo blameless himself. But still.
In any case, these two find themselves thrown together in an assignment she doesn’t want to do, and he can’t afford for her not to. And he makes a feeble attempt at keeping her on track, but mostly just brings along romance novels to see what all the fuss is about. The story was mostly so-so for me, until they got to Edinburgh and Alex dons a kilt. Ah, that savior of all romance novels, that kilt. The plot was believable enough–but I have to say I didn’t care for the scenes with her boss and his paramour. What I did enjoy was the banter between Ellery and Alex. It swings from almost-hostile to downright warm-fuzzy, and had plenty of “awwww” moments that romance fans love. All in all a pretty good read.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
I was really in the mood for something light and heartwarming when I picked up A Novel Seduction. And how could I go wrong with a half-nekkid dude in a kilt? (Yes, even though I can tell this half-nekkid dude isn’t wearing his kilt like a true Scots!
Anyway. Ellery is stubborn and opinionated. Alex is a reformed rake who still loves her, and has no idea why they broke up five years ago. Well, he has an idea, but no confirmation, as Ellery has steadfastly avoided the entire topic–and him. For us readers, A Novel Seduction has back-flashes to provide some insight into the state of their relationship then, to go with the reminiscing today, especially in Ellery’s case. And I’m sorry, but I think she totally made a mountain out of a molehill and placed the responsibility for said mountain squarely on Alex. Not that he’s all shiny-halo blameless himself. But still.
In any case, these two find themselves thrown together in an assignment she doesn’t want to do, and he can’t afford for her not to. And he makes a feeble attempt at keeping her on track, but mostly just brings along romance novels to see what all the fuss is about. The story was mostly so-so for me, until they got to Edinburgh and Alex dons a kilt. Ah, that savior of all romance novels, that kilt. The plot was believable enough–but I have to say I didn’t care for the scenes with her boss and his paramour. What I did enjoy was the banter between Ellery and Alex. It swings from almost-hostile to downright warm-fuzzy, and had plenty of “awwww” moments that romance fans love. All in all a pretty good read.
drey’s rating: Pick it up!
shadowmaster13's review
4.0
A cute novel about romance novels.
With the best-seller Vamp as a disguised version of Twilight and "Kiltlander" as a very poorly disguised version of Outlander (I've never read Outlander and I could pick it).
Its basically an ode to romance novels itself. But at the same time its still a novel about Ellery and Axel and its adorable.
With the best-seller Vamp as a disguised version of Twilight and "Kiltlander" as a very poorly disguised version of Outlander (I've never read Outlander and I could pick it).
Its basically an ode to romance novels itself. But at the same time its still a novel about Ellery and Axel and its adorable.
rosetyper9's review
3.0
I have adored most of Ms. Cready's books I have had the pleasure to read. This one, however, did not hit me the way the others did. It was an interesting concept. I liked the depth of the characters and the depth of the reality the author went to in this book but I just couldn't get sucked into the story.
I finished this book out of love for the author, that's all I can really say. It wasn't a bad read because Ms. Cready is funny and witty. She knows how to hook a reader, there really was just something about this book that didn't mesh with me personally.
On more positive notes: I liked the cover and the book was very well written as far as style and creativity. I enjoyed Ellery as a character, she is pretty kick-ass and I appreciated that about her. There was also kilts in this book...that is always a bonus. I will of course read everything Ms. Cready continues to write, as should you make you own decisions about this novel.
I finished this book out of love for the author, that's all I can really say. It wasn't a bad read because Ms. Cready is funny and witty. She knows how to hook a reader, there really was just something about this book that didn't mesh with me personally.
On more positive notes: I liked the cover and the book was very well written as far as style and creativity. I enjoyed Ellery as a character, she is pretty kick-ass and I appreciated that about her. There was also kilts in this book...that is always a bonus. I will of course read everything Ms. Cready continues to write, as should you make you own decisions about this novel.
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