vdarcangelo's review against another edition
4.0
http://archive.boulderweekly.com/040104/uncovered.html
This review originally appeared in the BOULDER WEEKLY
Carnal Gift
by Vince Darcangelo
The line distinguishing fiction from non-fiction has always been blurry. So-called fiction writers have produced thinly veiled confessionals, while history books have been slanted to fit a particular agenda. And even when they’re making things up, writers are giving life to characters and places–thereby making them real in a cerebral sense. It’s this real-ness that creates a connection between character and reader. With her first two books, Sweet Release and the recently published Carnal Gift, local author Pamela Clare, a.k.a. Boulder Weekly editor Pamela White, may have discovered a new emotional depth at which character and reader connect. In fact, she breathes so much life into her characters that fans often write asking her to deliver messages to them.
"I’ve had requests for interviews with characters, not interviews with me," Clare laughs. "That’s very gratifying. I guess I’ve done my job."
Clare has done her job well. Sweet Release sold beyond both Clare’s and her publisher’s expectations following its release last spring, and the book was nominated for substantial honors in the romance community. Carnal Gift, released in March of this year, has launched Clare on a rocket ride to stardom, garnering Clare two new book contracts and a spot on the best-sellers list.
"Much to my shock, [Carnal Gift] hit the Barnes and Noble romance list the first week it came out," says Clare. "It didn’t hit the bottom of the list either… That just blew me away."
Last month Clare sold two books at auction to Penguin/USA. She describes the books as contemporary romantic suspense novels set in Denver. She also accepted a multi-book offer from her current publisher Dorchester for more historical romances.
"I went from having just completed a two-book contract to having a total of six books that I have to write and [being on] the Barnes and Noble list. It was just all of a sudden phenomenal," says Clare. "I was getting out of the shower this morning, and I realized that I’m an author."
When writing Carnal Gift, which is set in Ireland, Clare immersed herself in Irish history with the intention of developing an accurate portrayal of people and place.
"I very much did not want to write the kind of Ireland that we think of when we think of St. Patrick’s Day, which is green beer and shamrocks," says Clare. "I didn’t want to fall for stereotypes. I was trying to look for what life was really like there."
Clare says that Carnal Gift is set during one of the rockiest periods of Irish history: the penal era. The book focuses on an English Protestant man and an Irish Catholic woman who fall in love during a time when it was illegal for the two to marry. In painting the backdrop to the story, Clare blended the Emerald Isle’s history and its myths.
"In a sense that’s what we do when we write fiction," she says. "We play with archetypes and try to give the story enough of a realistic grounding that it resonates with people, that people can relate to it, and at the same time draw on the power of archetypes and mythologies to get people involved on a primal level."
But while Clare paints the setting in thick textures, when it comes to plot she is happy to let her characters take the lead.
"For me the most interesting part of fiction writing is the whole notion of surrendering to your characters," she says. "With Carnal Gift I didn’t plot anything. I knew just the barest jist of the story… Sitting down and just trying to have faith that the characters were going to take me to the right place was scary as hell."
She was so immersed in her characters that once, when answering a phone call from someone with an Irish accent, she thought one of her characters had found a way to call her.
Readers of Clare’s debut novel, Sweet Release, will recognize the hero in Carnal Gift, Jamie, as the younger brother of the heroine in her first book. Carnal Gift is the second part of a trilogy, but the novel is self-contained for readers new to Clare’s work.
"It is its own story," she says. "I’ve written it so that if people had never read Sweet Release they can pick up Carnal and read it and not be deprived of something essential."
Readers of Sweet Release will find Carnal Gift a welcome return to the world of Pamela Clare. First-time readers will surely be scrambling to read Clare’s first book as soon as they finish Carnal Gift.
This review originally appeared in the BOULDER WEEKLY
Carnal Gift
by Vince Darcangelo
The line distinguishing fiction from non-fiction has always been blurry. So-called fiction writers have produced thinly veiled confessionals, while history books have been slanted to fit a particular agenda. And even when they’re making things up, writers are giving life to characters and places–thereby making them real in a cerebral sense. It’s this real-ness that creates a connection between character and reader. With her first two books, Sweet Release and the recently published Carnal Gift, local author Pamela Clare, a.k.a. Boulder Weekly editor Pamela White, may have discovered a new emotional depth at which character and reader connect. In fact, she breathes so much life into her characters that fans often write asking her to deliver messages to them.
"I’ve had requests for interviews with characters, not interviews with me," Clare laughs. "That’s very gratifying. I guess I’ve done my job."
Clare has done her job well. Sweet Release sold beyond both Clare’s and her publisher’s expectations following its release last spring, and the book was nominated for substantial honors in the romance community. Carnal Gift, released in March of this year, has launched Clare on a rocket ride to stardom, garnering Clare two new book contracts and a spot on the best-sellers list.
"Much to my shock, [Carnal Gift] hit the Barnes and Noble romance list the first week it came out," says Clare. "It didn’t hit the bottom of the list either… That just blew me away."
Last month Clare sold two books at auction to Penguin/USA. She describes the books as contemporary romantic suspense novels set in Denver. She also accepted a multi-book offer from her current publisher Dorchester for more historical romances.
"I went from having just completed a two-book contract to having a total of six books that I have to write and [being on] the Barnes and Noble list. It was just all of a sudden phenomenal," says Clare. "I was getting out of the shower this morning, and I realized that I’m an author."
When writing Carnal Gift, which is set in Ireland, Clare immersed herself in Irish history with the intention of developing an accurate portrayal of people and place.
"I very much did not want to write the kind of Ireland that we think of when we think of St. Patrick’s Day, which is green beer and shamrocks," says Clare. "I didn’t want to fall for stereotypes. I was trying to look for what life was really like there."
Clare says that Carnal Gift is set during one of the rockiest periods of Irish history: the penal era. The book focuses on an English Protestant man and an Irish Catholic woman who fall in love during a time when it was illegal for the two to marry. In painting the backdrop to the story, Clare blended the Emerald Isle’s history and its myths.
"In a sense that’s what we do when we write fiction," she says. "We play with archetypes and try to give the story enough of a realistic grounding that it resonates with people, that people can relate to it, and at the same time draw on the power of archetypes and mythologies to get people involved on a primal level."
But while Clare paints the setting in thick textures, when it comes to plot she is happy to let her characters take the lead.
"For me the most interesting part of fiction writing is the whole notion of surrendering to your characters," she says. "With Carnal Gift I didn’t plot anything. I knew just the barest jist of the story… Sitting down and just trying to have faith that the characters were going to take me to the right place was scary as hell."
She was so immersed in her characters that once, when answering a phone call from someone with an Irish accent, she thought one of her characters had found a way to call her.
Readers of Clare’s debut novel, Sweet Release, will recognize the hero in Carnal Gift, Jamie, as the younger brother of the heroine in her first book. Carnal Gift is the second part of a trilogy, but the novel is self-contained for readers new to Clare’s work.
"It is its own story," she says. "I’ve written it so that if people had never read Sweet Release they can pick up Carnal and read it and not be deprived of something essential."
Readers of Sweet Release will find Carnal Gift a welcome return to the world of Pamela Clare. First-time readers will surely be scrambling to read Clare’s first book as soon as they finish Carnal Gift.
nelsonseye's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting characters and lots of action and adventure. Really want to know what happened to Ailis.
xakyr's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I wound up having a few problems with it. First and foremost, it felt almost exactly like the first book in the trilogy, just in a different country and with a role reversal! Secondly, I kept feeling like Bríghid kept expecting Jamie to abandon her because she was poor, Irish, Catholic, or any other reason she could imagine. For someone to be so "independent" of a heroine, she certainly had no sense of self-worth! It got very irritating! Because of these flaws, the book really dragged for me, to the point of me not wanting to read it anymore! I've been challenged to read the third book, but I really don't want to after this!
lora1898's review
3.0
I liked the first book better. For some reason Brighid is driving me crazy. I don't like her at all. It's not like i don't understand how she acts and why, i do, but still...And i didn't feel the love between Jamie and her. I am still reading the book, but my mind is already made. 3 stars :(
samie_k3's review
5.0
I want to say I found Bríghid a little to stubborn in holding onto her anger and hatred of Jamie soley because he was an Englishman, but I can kind of sort of see where she was coming from. I've researched Irish history for my own projects and I know how things would have been back then. In this regard I guess I can see an authenticity to the character that made the book feel more real. Pamela Clare has done it again, I loved the book. :)
sreese's review
4.0
Pamela Clare is an auto-buy author for me. I love almost everything she writes and this book is no different.
Jamie and Bríghid have a tumultuous relationship. Their first meeting is under dire circumstances and Jamie must prove himself over and over again, not just to Bríghid but her family as well. After all, he is a Sasanach. Even once they come to grips with their feelings, the state of their world – Ireland vs England, Catholic vs Protestant – means that they cannot see a future between them.
There are several conflict arcs within the larger story arc so it makes the story feel somewhat like a great sweeping saga even though it is less than 400 pages. I like that it sees the entire story through without time skips so we can still see the characters' personalities emerge and relationships grow organically. The relationships aren't perfect but the fact that they are well-fleshed out characters makes them human and relatable. Well, as much as one can relate to historical romance set in the 1700s.
Jamie and Bríghid have a tumultuous relationship. Their first meeting is under dire circumstances and Jamie must prove himself over and over again, not just to Bríghid but her family as well. After all, he is a Sasanach. Even once they come to grips with their feelings, the state of their world – Ireland vs England, Catholic vs Protestant – means that they cannot see a future between them.
There are several conflict arcs within the larger story arc so it makes the story feel somewhat like a great sweeping saga even though it is less than 400 pages. I like that it sees the entire story through without time skips so we can still see the characters' personalities emerge and relationships grow organically. The relationships aren't perfect but the fact that they are well-fleshed out characters makes them human and relatable. Well, as much as one can relate to historical romance set in the 1700s.
kiwicoral's review
3.0
I love Pamela Clare's later historical romances, so when I spotted this in the used section of the Ripped Bodice bookstore in LA, I grabbed it.
Unfortunately while it was well written, neither the plot or characters were particularly memorable. And the whole reveal at the end that the villain has was unnecessary; being a privileged douchebag was enough to explain his behaviour.
Unfortunately while it was well written, neither the plot or characters were particularly memorable. And the whole reveal at the end that the villain has
Spoiler
gone insane because of syphiliskame's review
5.0
I love everything about Scotland and Ireland.
The setting of this book is just beautiful.
Jamie and Brighid just bore into my heart.
Jamie had a wonderful sense of humor, but was sensitive at the same time. He started out trying to protect Brighid, and in the end found love.
Brighid so reminded me of my Irish great aunts. She loves her family fiercely, and her faith is strong.
If the imagery of Outlander is something you enjoynthis would be a great book to read.
The setting of this book is just beautiful.
Jamie and Brighid just bore into my heart.
Jamie had a wonderful sense of humor, but was sensitive at the same time. He started out trying to protect Brighid, and in the end found love.
Brighid so reminded me of my Irish great aunts. She loves her family fiercely, and her faith is strong.
If the imagery of Outlander is something you enjoynthis would be a great book to read.
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