Review: Proximity by M.A. George

Title: Proximity
Author: M.A. George
Publisher: self-published
Publication date: September 23, 2012
Genre: Adult, sci-fi
Pages: 166 (ebook)
Source: From author for review
Series: Proximity #1
1. Proximity
2. Untitled

Synopsis:
Dr. Palta Capal would be a typical American career woman...if only she were human.

She has found her calling in this world as a physician. It’s an ideal outlet for her compassionate spirit...and unearthly healing powers.

Palta may spend her nights rereading Jane Austen novels, but she deliberately avoids pursuing her own love story. Human men—attractive as they may be—inevitably grow old and wither, leaving her to grieve in solitude. Frankly, no one has seemed worth the torment.

Enter Eric Moran, the intensely attractive and enigmatic new coworker on the scene. With his quiet confidence and warm smile, he manages to draw Palta’s attention. Little does she know that he, too, holds a secret...one that will propel them both into an escalating collision of two worlds.

From Goodreads

Although I seldom accept adult books for review, this one seemed like a quick, fun read. I had read a bit of it on Amazon and I enjoyed the narrator, so I decided to take it on. I like the premise of this story: an alien who is born and living on Earth. The whole plot line was really great and interesting, but things moved way too fast for me.

The pace of the story is good up until Palta and Eric officially meet. I’m alright with love at first sight, but with these two it was really unbelievable. They’d seen each other around work a bit, but within a day of actually meeting (and not much interacting, actually) they’re all “Oh I love you and I can’t live without you.” It was too farfetched. The rest of the storyline was better, but there were a couple other things that just magically happened (see: antidote) without much story surrounding them.

I did like Palta as a character. Although she’s not human, she was brought up in a human world and so she’s relatable, very like many human women. She has a good job, loves her friends and family, watches an attractive man from afar, and loves everything Jane Austen. She was a good narrator. The other characters were alright as well. I liked Palta’s sister, Sabela. And Eric’s sister. Individually the characters were good, but the relationships were a bit rocky.

Overall, I liked the premise and the characters, but the pace was really messed up and made it less enjoyable. I kept reading, but I was internally rolling my eyes at Palta and Eric’s relationship and their solutions to some problems that were too quick and unrealistic. There will be more book(s) in the series, but I haven’t decided if I’ll read them. I’m not feeling much about this book right now, I’m just a bit indifferent.

Thanks to the author herself for the ebook review copy!

Review: Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

Title: Happy Ever After
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Berkley Books (Penguin)
Publish Date: November 2, 2010
Genre: Romance, Chick-lit
Pages: 333 (paperback)
Series: Bride Quartet
1. Vision in White
2. Bed of Roses
3. Savor the Moment
4. Happy Ever After

Synopsis:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac—the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut's premier wedding planning companies.

Parker Brown turned the quartet's childhood game of Wedding Day into their dream jobs. And now she's the face of Vows—the one who meets every bride's demands; keeps every event on schedule; and brings Emma's romantic flowers, Laurel's delicious treats, and Mac's stunning photgraphy together in one glorious package. She knows how to make dreams come true...

Mechanic Malcom Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker Brown—with her mile-long legs—is no exception. But as a good friend to Parker's brother, Mal knows that moving from minor flirtation to major hookup is a serious step.

Now man has rattled Parker in a long time, but the motorcycle-riding, raven-haired Mal seems to have a knack for it. His passionate kissess always catch her off guard, much like her growing feelings for him. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart.

From Goodreads

(Warning: SPOILERS if you haven’t read any of the previous novels in the series)

I loved this whole series. I’m one of those girls who imagines what they’re wedding day will be like: the dress, the colours, the wedding party, the groom ;). Of course, many of these aspects are to-be-determined, but I’ve always been a dreamer when it comes to weddings. I just love them. I’m a true romantic at heart. Because of this, I think it was fitting for this series to be the first books from Nora Roberts that I read. I wasn’t disappointed. I think the romance in them flows so magically. She definitely has a way with words.

In the final instalment of the Bride Quartet, Parker is the last one left without someone special. Her three best friends and partners at Vows have found love and are getting married within the year. Then Parker meets Malcolm Kavanaugh, the tough, sexy mechanic with a knack for calling her “Legs” and making her heart flutter. Parker thinks she doesn’t need anyone - she’s got her work. So why does Malcolm keep bumping into her life?

I thought this was such a great way to end the series: with Parker’s love life. She’s the small details and overall PR lady at Vows and I can’t even imagine how she would find time for a relationship with the amount of work she does. She's superwoman. Malcolm is that dark and troubled man with a mysterious background. When Parker and Malcolm come together, not only does romance bud and do sparks fly, but they both try to do what they do best: figure the other out. This turns out to be difficult for Parker, since Malcolm isn't one to open up and talk about his feelings or his past. They clash in more ways than one and it makes for an exciting and romantic story.

I really loved Malcolm as a leading man. I could totally picture him riding his motorcycle up to the Brown Estate or working on a car in his garage. He's sexy and smart and he revs Parker up, which is not an easy task. We were introduced to Malcolm in Savor the Moment and I liked him from the beginning (he stood up to Linda!). When Mal finally open up to Parker and we learn about his childhood, I loved him even more. His story is one that you never want to hear about a child. Especially as a future teacher, thinking about what Mal had to go through as a child breaks my heart.

Nora Roberts has such beautiful writing. You can tell she does her research before writing her stories because she knows so much that she could be a florist, a baker, a photographer, a mechanic, a lawyer, and more, with the detail she provides in this series alone. I know that this won't be the last book from Nora Roberts that I read. Next time I need a great romantic chick-lit, I know what to reach for.

Teaser Tuesday (6)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

This week, my teaser comes from the fourth book in Nora Roberts’s Bride Quartet, Happy Ever After. (And yes, I had to break the rules and go longer than 2 sentences!)

"They've got the hots, the mutual hots." Laurel folded her arms. "I am not mistaken on this."
"He looks at her. Don't give me that smirk." Emma pointed at Mac. "He looks at her, a lot, and she tries not to look at him. I say mutual hots a definite."
"He's got that whole James Dean thing going. Bad boy, all attitude."
"I kind of like that he rattles her," Emma decided. "Our Parker isn't easily rattled."


I’m taking a break from YA paranormal type books for a little while. I think this fluffy romance is exactly what I need right now for a nice relaxing read. Plus, it’s the last book in the series so I’m excited to finally have all the girls wrapped up in their perfect relationships. So far, I’m really liking Parker’s view-point, and I really like Malcolm, as well. He’s that sexy bad-boy type that Parker doesn’t want to fall for, but can’t help being attracted to. It’s just a fun read that’s very uplifiting. Chances are, I’ll go straight back to my YA reads once I’m done here, but it’s still nice to take a break from reading the same type of books all the time.

Feel free to share links to your teasers! I’d love to see what you’re reading.