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A Lucas & Alex Adventure #1
The Queen's Librarian
All Lucas Tripp wants is prosperity for the tenants of his family’s estate; good weather for the harvest; suitable matches for his sisters; a little money left over at the end of the month; and more quality time with his boyfriend, Alex Booker. That’s not so much to ask for, right?
Wrong. When his sister’s new suitor suddenly disappears, Lucas is drawn into an adventure of a lifetime—kicking and screaming all the way. Magical beings who were allegedly banished hundreds of years ago are coming through portals that were supposed to be shut against them—and that’s only part of Lucas’s problem. The rest consists of missing princes, breaking and entering, suspicious magicians, well-meaning women who are far too interested in Lucas’s sex life… the list goes on. Lucas is decidedly Not Amused, but he’ll get over it someday. Probably. After all, there’s always Alex.
Wrong. When his sister’s new suitor suddenly disappears, Lucas is drawn into an adventure of a lifetime—kicking and screaming all the way. Magical beings who were allegedly banished hundreds of years ago are coming through portals that were supposed to be shut against them—and that’s only part of Lucas’s problem. The rest consists of missing princes, breaking and entering, suspicious magicians, well-meaning women who are far too interested in Lucas’s sex life… the list goes on. Lucas is decidedly Not Amused, but he’ll get over it someday. Probably. After all, there’s always Alex.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2013
7 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 5, 2014
I still don't understand why women write these books. Or why women read them. And I've asked the women, on both sides of that equation.
But I know why I like them and why I read them, although it makes me the scandal of my entire professional and social circle.
This is the sort of book that J.K. Rowling could have written if she'd had the guts and hadn't been afraid about losing some of her audience (and hence all that lovely money). Imagine Book 6, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," when Harry and Ron both discover love and the joy of snogging; imagine if Neville Longbottom had come out as a gay wizard, with all his back story, and had fallen for another of the students at Hogwarts. Imagine how that one little added fillip would have embraced thousands of young, anxious readers by validating their lives in this landmark series in young adult fiction. Imagine how much more of a hero Neville would have been to them in book 7. To me.
Well, Carole Cummings gives us a bit of what that might have been like in "The Queen's Librarian." At least it does if you think the way I do.
Carole Cummings' "The Queen's Librarian" is right up there in terms of comic writing and fast pacing with a brilliant piece of fanfic called "The Student Prince" by FayJay that's floating about in the fanfic ether. It is set in a magical, very British world that seems to be sort of 18th century (no technology, hair in queues), but with language that constantly skims along the border of anachronism - but it's British, so to American ears it all sounds ye olde and authentic, or at least plausible.
As a huge fan of this sort of gay fantasy (Nicole Kimberling's "Sea of Stars" and "Turnskin" novels come to mind), I was also very pleasantly surprised that this book could easily be a YA selection. For all of the obvious intensity of Lucas and Alex's romance, there it nothing that treads beyond PG13 in this book - a fact that I find both a relief and charming. Any teenager, disappointed at being left out of the world of Hogwarts entirely, would find solace in this book; not only in the relationship itself, but in the fact that the idea of these two young men being a couple doesn't bother anyone at all. The word "gay" never appears, but it doesn't need to.
This is not a deep or profound study of good and evil. It is a farce, but we all know farce is more difficult than tragedy, because it needs to be fast and light and sparkling and razor sharp. And this book is. Oscar Wilde would be impressed with the banter and the dialogue and the comic asides (and Lucas's drunken ramblings, which open the book in a delightfully disorienting way).
Although tidily wrapped up by the ending, there is a definite opening for a sequel - something to which I will look forward with bated breath.
Plus, I have a thing about redheads. My friends all know.
But I know why I like them and why I read them, although it makes me the scandal of my entire professional and social circle.
This is the sort of book that J.K. Rowling could have written if she'd had the guts and hadn't been afraid about losing some of her audience (and hence all that lovely money). Imagine Book 6, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," when Harry and Ron both discover love and the joy of snogging; imagine if Neville Longbottom had come out as a gay wizard, with all his back story, and had fallen for another of the students at Hogwarts. Imagine how that one little added fillip would have embraced thousands of young, anxious readers by validating their lives in this landmark series in young adult fiction. Imagine how much more of a hero Neville would have been to them in book 7. To me.
Well, Carole Cummings gives us a bit of what that might have been like in "The Queen's Librarian." At least it does if you think the way I do.
Carole Cummings' "The Queen's Librarian" is right up there in terms of comic writing and fast pacing with a brilliant piece of fanfic called "The Student Prince" by FayJay that's floating about in the fanfic ether. It is set in a magical, very British world that seems to be sort of 18th century (no technology, hair in queues), but with language that constantly skims along the border of anachronism - but it's British, so to American ears it all sounds ye olde and authentic, or at least plausible.
As a huge fan of this sort of gay fantasy (Nicole Kimberling's "Sea of Stars" and "Turnskin" novels come to mind), I was also very pleasantly surprised that this book could easily be a YA selection. For all of the obvious intensity of Lucas and Alex's romance, there it nothing that treads beyond PG13 in this book - a fact that I find both a relief and charming. Any teenager, disappointed at being left out of the world of Hogwarts entirely, would find solace in this book; not only in the relationship itself, but in the fact that the idea of these two young men being a couple doesn't bother anyone at all. The word "gay" never appears, but it doesn't need to.
This is not a deep or profound study of good and evil. It is a farce, but we all know farce is more difficult than tragedy, because it needs to be fast and light and sparkling and razor sharp. And this book is. Oscar Wilde would be impressed with the banter and the dialogue and the comic asides (and Lucas's drunken ramblings, which open the book in a delightfully disorienting way).
Although tidily wrapped up by the ending, there is a definite opening for a sequel - something to which I will look forward with bated breath.
Plus, I have a thing about redheads. My friends all know.
August 15, 2013
This book is just a fun, light, amusing read with a sweet, lovely, established relationship at its heart. Lucas is adorable - distracted, a little awkward, so busy taking care of everyone else that he can't see his own needs or his own worth. Thank goodness he has Alex, who found him, seduced him and somehow moved into his life as his lover and partner, although Lucas still seems a bit confused about how that miracle happened. (And Carole, if you ever feel inclined to write us that story - the one where Alex comes along to court a girl, and instead finds the wonderful man that is Lucas, and manages to convince him that he's truly wanted...? I'd read that one in a heartbeat.)
The fantasy plot is interesting, and the resolution is amusing. The dog and cat are excellent supporting characters, and the world-building is satisfying without needing a whole lot of detail and exposition. The story lost a little momentum plot-wise in the last third, but plot wasn't really the attraction here. Lucas and Alex will go on my list of favorite couples, and this book immediately goes into my comfort-reread shelf. Just... awwww. Finished with a big smile on my face.
The fantasy plot is interesting, and the resolution is amusing. The dog and cat are excellent supporting characters, and the world-building is satisfying without needing a whole lot of detail and exposition. The story lost a little momentum plot-wise in the last third, but plot wasn't really the attraction here. Lucas and Alex will go on my list of favorite couples, and this book immediately goes into my comfort-reread shelf. Just... awwww. Finished with a big smile on my face.
August 17, 2013
I thought this book was amazingly, wonderfully great. It kept me smiling from begining to end. There's no formulaic romance here, but more a comedy, fantasy, action-adventure story, which is fine by me. I can get a formulaic romance anywhere so it was great to read something different, and this was so sweet, charming, quirky and funny it just made me happy. The fantasy plot is a little simplistic, but its how the characters react to the challenges that makes it gold. They're so human--they get drunk and fall down, they misunderstand things to great comedic effect, they run when they think they're going to get their asses kicked. I loved it. They are eccentric and OTT, but, they avoided becoming caricatures because they were rounded out. Lucas, for example, is scatterbrained at times and totally OCD, BUT, he's totally devoted to his family, sacrifices so they can be taken care of, and shows bravery and strength when he has to. He's really not a cliche scholarly pretty boy, and I appreciated that. I so appreciate that the author didn't sacrifice characterization for comedy. She didn't have to. Her comedic timing was GREAT. Not something I thought I'd ever comment on in a romance novel. I even loved the quirky hyphenated adjectives. I just loved this book. I can't wait to read it again. I hope there will be more, especially after the revelation at the end. I can't wait to see how Lucas handles his new vocation.
One to read when you want to smile, laugh out loud, and just feel good.
One to read when you want to smile, laugh out loud, and just feel good.
June 16, 2015
That was a fun read. Characters did tend to get lost in their thoughts every once in a while, right to the point where a paragraph or two needed to be re-read to follow the events, but on the whole it was adorable, funny and very engaging :D
Hope book 2 comes out soon.
4.5 stars.
Cassandra, thank so much for recommending this one! :D
Hope book 2 comes out soon.
4.5 stars.
Cassandra, thank so much for recommending this one! :D
September 28, 2013
I'm not sure how I feel about this story, or even whether I liked it or not. I knew what I was getting into, a fun, light-hearted fantasy with an established couple. I thought I was in the mood the three, four times I picked it up and put aside with a "maybe later" after a Chapter or two. It took me about a month to finally get through it.
Scatterbrained Lucas kept getting in the way and he overshadowed everything else. His thoughts, his inner musings and rambles, while sometimes amusing, were all over the place and being in his head was so, so tiring. He left me jittery, on edge, exhausted and ultimately lost. I wasn't able to settle into the story and kept wandering. I can more than appreciate humor but I need some balance and this one was a bit too OTT for me...or maybe I never quite managed to find the right mood after all. :(
Scatterbrained Lucas kept getting in the way and he overshadowed everything else. His thoughts, his inner musings and rambles, while sometimes amusing, were all over the place and being in his head was so, so tiring. He left me jittery, on edge, exhausted and ultimately lost. I wasn't able to settle into the story and kept wandering. I can more than appreciate humor but I need some balance and this one was a bit too OTT for me...or maybe I never quite managed to find the right mood after all. :(
November 22, 2013
This review can be found at The Blog of Sid Love.
Lucas Tripp has a problem… or make that several problems. Not only does he have to worry himself to death about his family, his money and his responsibilities but now he has to worry about where his sister’s smitten suitor has disappeared to and forced to find the missing man. His only help is his gigantic dog and his boyfriend, Alex Booker. But, before he knows it, Lucas is sucked into an adventure that has him talking to strange men who speak a different language, losing his spoiled brat of a cousin and thrust into a magical mystery he had no idea even existed. The only shining part in all this? Alex. Will Lucas be able to make his life sane or will things blow up before he even has a chance to figure out just what is going on?
This is a difficult review to write. There were parts of the story I enjoyed and then parts I struggled with. I enjoyed the characters, for the most part. Lucas is very naive for the world he lives in and quite oblivious when it comes to certain things as well. He’s adorably cute when he’s flustered or nervous or upset… or, well he’s adorable all the time. Alex is very dashing and charming. I loved that he’s such a huge contrast of who Lucas is because that makes their relationship all the more appealing… especially since Alex has a jealous and possessive streak a mile long. The story doesn’t revolve around them as a couple, it’s more about the adventure, but their relationship and their chemistry is interwoven throughout the story so that you can understand their connection to this point, which helps because Alex and Lucas are already a couple when the book begins.
One of my issues with this story is that it’s a bit dry for my tastes. I’m sure Lucas’ thoughts were supposed to come off as funny or at least amusing but I found them a tad annoying, which brings me to my next issue. His inner monologue is very long-winded and runs off into multiple directions that were hard for me to follow, not to mention the repeating his monologue into dialogue sometimes grew annoying. I didn’t find him and his thoughts humorous or witty, they were just… irritating and a bit boring… and confusing. To be honest, I don’t even remember, or understand, half of what Lucas was thinking. It grew tiresome keeping up with his thoughts, which lessened my enjoyment of the book a great deal.
However, I won’t say there isn’t anything good about this book. Actually, if you can get passed Lucas’ inner monologue, the plot is somewhat suspenseful and interesting. It was intriguing trying to figure out how Lucas and his land played a part in everything that happens and even funny to see Lucas squeal or screech when he was startled… not to mention how he would swoon. One character I really enjoyed was Laurie, Lucas’ cousin. I absolutely adored the spoiled little prince and how much trouble he caused everyone.
In the end, this book had it’s good parts and it’s bad parts. I do like Ms. Cummings’ writing although Lucas’ inner monologue was just too much for me. The world that was created and the adventure that Lucas and Alex are forced to take was intriguing and fun. With the way the book ended, I’m looking forward to seeing what other mischief Lucas and Alex get themselves into… especially if Laurie ends up causing more trouble for the two. If you don’t have issues with an overabundance of inner monologue or a fantastical historical setting, give this one a try.
Lucas Tripp has a problem… or make that several problems. Not only does he have to worry himself to death about his family, his money and his responsibilities but now he has to worry about where his sister’s smitten suitor has disappeared to and forced to find the missing man. His only help is his gigantic dog and his boyfriend, Alex Booker. But, before he knows it, Lucas is sucked into an adventure that has him talking to strange men who speak a different language, losing his spoiled brat of a cousin and thrust into a magical mystery he had no idea even existed. The only shining part in all this? Alex. Will Lucas be able to make his life sane or will things blow up before he even has a chance to figure out just what is going on?
This is a difficult review to write. There were parts of the story I enjoyed and then parts I struggled with. I enjoyed the characters, for the most part. Lucas is very naive for the world he lives in and quite oblivious when it comes to certain things as well. He’s adorably cute when he’s flustered or nervous or upset… or, well he’s adorable all the time. Alex is very dashing and charming. I loved that he’s such a huge contrast of who Lucas is because that makes their relationship all the more appealing… especially since Alex has a jealous and possessive streak a mile long. The story doesn’t revolve around them as a couple, it’s more about the adventure, but their relationship and their chemistry is interwoven throughout the story so that you can understand their connection to this point, which helps because Alex and Lucas are already a couple when the book begins.
One of my issues with this story is that it’s a bit dry for my tastes. I’m sure Lucas’ thoughts were supposed to come off as funny or at least amusing but I found them a tad annoying, which brings me to my next issue. His inner monologue is very long-winded and runs off into multiple directions that were hard for me to follow, not to mention the repeating his monologue into dialogue sometimes grew annoying. I didn’t find him and his thoughts humorous or witty, they were just… irritating and a bit boring… and confusing. To be honest, I don’t even remember, or understand, half of what Lucas was thinking. It grew tiresome keeping up with his thoughts, which lessened my enjoyment of the book a great deal.
However, I won’t say there isn’t anything good about this book. Actually, if you can get passed Lucas’ inner monologue, the plot is somewhat suspenseful and interesting. It was intriguing trying to figure out how Lucas and his land played a part in everything that happens and even funny to see Lucas squeal or screech when he was startled… not to mention how he would swoon. One character I really enjoyed was Laurie, Lucas’ cousin. I absolutely adored the spoiled little prince and how much trouble he caused everyone.
In the end, this book had it’s good parts and it’s bad parts. I do like Ms. Cummings’ writing although Lucas’ inner monologue was just too much for me. The world that was created and the adventure that Lucas and Alex are forced to take was intriguing and fun. With the way the book ended, I’m looking forward to seeing what other mischief Lucas and Alex get themselves into… especially if Laurie ends up causing more trouble for the two. If you don’t have issues with an overabundance of inner monologue or a fantastical historical setting, give this one a try.
September 26, 2013
I'm a huge Carole Cummings fan. I didn't think this was going to be anything like her Wolf's-own or Aisling series, which are packed full of Demons and Gods, death and destruction, and it wasn't. I didn't think it was outstanding, but I really enjoyed it and there seems to be room for more. It was fun!
September 28, 2013
I am a laugh-out-loud person at movies or stage plays. (In my younger years, a local theatre company enjoyed having me in the audience for comedies, because for all my education I have a very plebeian sense of humor, catch things quickly and get the audience laughing along.) For some reason, I only laugh out loud with a book if something is so outrageous that it startles me into a burst of laughter.
I don't think "LOL" happened here, but damn! Ms. Cummings, you are one funny lady.
It's been a long time since I've smiled my way through a book, as I did with TQL.
Yeah, I was a bit put off at times because, while funny, some of the slang was very contemporary. (Is that an anachronism?) The one that sort of sticks in my mind is to the effect of "Do you lurve me?" (You had to be there to understand the smile at that moment.) And at times the contemporary slang is out of place in a setting that is sort of Regency, sort of Victorian England, but one in which men loving men isn't a lifted eyebrow thing at all. But still, very, very funny.
Lucas is marvelous, and I sort of wanted to just cuddle him at times, though of course I couldn't do that without annoying Alex thoroughly. The plot is clever, the characters are interesting, including the variants on stock characters in M/F Regency/Victorian romances.
I am definitely looking forward to more of The Queen's Librarian, and his further adventures. (If I say anything more, that might be a spoiler, and I don't do spoilers. >s<)
Eric
I don't think "LOL" happened here, but damn! Ms. Cummings, you are one funny lady.
It's been a long time since I've smiled my way through a book, as I did with TQL.
Yeah, I was a bit put off at times because, while funny, some of the slang was very contemporary. (Is that an anachronism?) The one that sort of sticks in my mind is to the effect of "Do you lurve me?" (You had to be there to understand the smile at that moment.) And at times the contemporary slang is out of place in a setting that is sort of Regency, sort of Victorian England, but one in which men loving men isn't a lifted eyebrow thing at all. But still, very, very funny.
Lucas is marvelous, and I sort of wanted to just cuddle him at times, though of course I couldn't do that without annoying Alex thoroughly. The plot is clever, the characters are interesting, including the variants on stock characters in M/F Regency/Victorian romances.
I am definitely looking forward to more of The Queen's Librarian, and his further adventures. (If I say anything more, that might be a spoiler, and I don't do spoilers. >s<)
Eric
June 17, 2020
Well that was an unexpected surprise!
Edited to Add: OH NOES! It's listed at Book 1 of a series but there is no Book 2. 😭
Edited to Add: OH NOES! It's listed at Book 1 of a series but there is no Book 2. 😭
November 29, 2017
This one was just a little too cute for me and the plot was just a little too muddled. It was very funny, but it needed serious editing and a lot of dialogue cutting.
While the book does has romantic moments between established boyfriends Lucas and Alex, it's more of a mystery than a true romance. Lucas, as head of the Tripp family, is tasked with finding matches for his sisters, but once he finds a good one in Declan Slade, the man mysteriously disappears, forcing Lucas, Alex, and Lucas' royal cousin Laurie to head off and find him. It sounds like a fairly straightforward plot, but I honestly can't even begin to untangle how we got from point A (trying to find Slade) to point B (disrupting a circle of magic brought on my one of Lucas' old suitors) among all the other little points in between. The characters spent a lot of time talking about old family lines, magical ancestors, and weird traditions specific to this odd regency/urban fantasy setting, but little of it ends up getting us faster towards a conclusion.
Cummings is definitely better at giving her characters unique, funny things to say than she is in formulating a coherent plot. That isn't unforgivable in a generally fun, short book, but it made for a chaotic reading experience.
I was also irked by the very loose historical basis. I have no problem with re-imagined historical settings where LGBT folks are accepted by society--in fact, I wish we had more of them. But I would like the rest of the fictional society to mirror those fantasy ideals. In this book, all of Lucas' sisters are older than him, yet he's in charge of finding them husbands who will take over their expenses. It was sort of demeaning. He's allowed to be openly in a relationship with his boyfriend Alex, but the women have no sexual agency or independence, which feels a little icky. He's also so obviously inept at being head-of-house that it's laughable he's in charge of anything, much less the state of his sisters' virtues. And as an avid reader of lesbian fiction, I doubt these poor ladies would be allowed to date each other, which makes me a little sad.
The setting was fun, but it felt a little sloppy, and I wish Cummings tweaked it a little better. I do like the idea of a fun paranormal mystery series that focuses more on humor and world-building than romance, though. Alex and Lucas' relationship was the sweetest part of the book, and their easy love is great as a background for what could've been a much better plot. With a lot of work, this could turn into a series like Jordan D. Hawk's "Whyborne & Griffin" series, but it isn't quite there yet.
While the book does has romantic moments between established boyfriends Lucas and Alex, it's more of a mystery than a true romance. Lucas, as head of the Tripp family, is tasked with finding matches for his sisters, but once he finds a good one in Declan Slade, the man mysteriously disappears, forcing Lucas, Alex, and Lucas' royal cousin Laurie to head off and find him. It sounds like a fairly straightforward plot, but I honestly can't even begin to untangle how we got from point A (trying to find Slade) to point B (disrupting a circle of magic brought on my one of Lucas' old suitors) among all the other little points in between. The characters spent a lot of time talking about old family lines, magical ancestors, and weird traditions specific to this odd regency/urban fantasy setting, but little of it ends up getting us faster towards a conclusion.
Cummings is definitely better at giving her characters unique, funny things to say than she is in formulating a coherent plot. That isn't unforgivable in a generally fun, short book, but it made for a chaotic reading experience.
I was also irked by the very loose historical basis. I have no problem with re-imagined historical settings where LGBT folks are accepted by society--in fact, I wish we had more of them. But I would like the rest of the fictional society to mirror those fantasy ideals. In this book, all of Lucas' sisters are older than him, yet he's in charge of finding them husbands who will take over their expenses. It was sort of demeaning. He's allowed to be openly in a relationship with his boyfriend Alex, but the women have no sexual agency or independence, which feels a little icky. He's also so obviously inept at being head-of-house that it's laughable he's in charge of anything, much less the state of his sisters' virtues. And as an avid reader of lesbian fiction, I doubt these poor ladies would be allowed to date each other, which makes me a little sad.
The setting was fun, but it felt a little sloppy, and I wish Cummings tweaked it a little better. I do like the idea of a fun paranormal mystery series that focuses more on humor and world-building than romance, though. Alex and Lucas' relationship was the sweetest part of the book, and their easy love is great as a background for what could've been a much better plot. With a lot of work, this could turn into a series like Jordan D. Hawk's "Whyborne & Griffin" series, but it isn't quite there yet.
August 9, 2013
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
4.5 stars
Oh Carole… I just had so much fun reading that. You know, Carole has said several times that she thanks Fen for this book. Fen, for those of you who might not know, is her main character from the Wolf's-own series and his head is just a mess of angst. It's all for good reason because Fen lives in a really messed up world, but back to Carole. She has said that she needed to go somewhere happy, somewhere carefree after spending so much time (4 novels!) in his head. And I'm glad she did. This book is definitely the antithesis of those, of course with the exception of writing talent. I'm glad that I knew that about this book going in, because otherwise I might have been expecting a more serious style than her previous two series.
The book opens with one of the most hilarious chapters I've ever read. It is so easy to become endeared with Lucas, especially in the inner drunk ramblings of his mind at his first visit to a tavern. Trouble doesn't really come until he's had one too many and decides that it wouldn't be too unseemly to have a pee outside, where he promptly becomes entangled with a bush. In a cruel twist of fate, someone seems him -- pants partially open and wrestling with the arms of his coat -- a man with long silver hair and speaking a lot of nonsense. It doesn't seem too strange in his ale fuzzy brain when the man simply disappears after a whole lot of yelling words that neither understands back and forth but well, he's still stuck in the bush.
When the man starts turning up in strange places to again shout incomprehensible words at him, Lucas starts to become alarmed. Especially when the man starts stealing his books. But it isn't until his sister's suitor disappears and Lucas is begged to find him that he runs into the man again, this time speaking some words Lucas understands. What he hears alarms him, especially because it appears that the man wants something from him and in the meantime intends to kidnap his cousin the prince as a trade. Lucas is so dead for losing the prince, but he knows that he has to do something to get Laurie back.
Really, the best part of this book are the characters. There is such a wonderful cast of characters that all have their own well-rounded personalities, characteristics and motives. But they have such a great banter. In reading the prior work from Carole Cummings, I always admired her writing which is at the same time intelligent and accessible, but I also never knew that she could write in such a playful way! It is really a delight to read. And just the same as it was for her, I think this is a really good book to read when you need a break from something, or from reading a more intense book. When I first talked to her about this book she referred to it as fluff, to which I immediately replied that I thought she could probably never write fluff. But I know exactly what she means now. This is a book you should read just for the pure enjoyment of getting out of your own head and into someone else's for a while. And Lucas' head isn't a bad place to be ;)
There is quite a lot of banter between the characters, but mostly in the narration. Carole has written Lucas to have an imaginative mind that often banters with itself. That's why I think this is a good book to read when you really need a break, because while the plot in this story is interesting in and of itself, sometimes the focus wavers from it to Lucas' own thoughts, and those often take precedence over the action. Now, if you followed my advice then this is just a nice detour, but if you're really focused on the plot and pacing then you might find yourself swept away on the tide of his thoughts. Sometimes the banter -- Lucas' runaway thoughts -- seem to get in the way of the action a bit. And while I always enjoyed what he was thinking (and occasionally talking about with Alex) sometimes the timing is inopportune. Occasionally I wanted to smack him and tell him to pay attention!
Still, that is minor criticism on my part and I really, sincerely hope that Carole continues to explore this quirky side of her writing. Hopefully in the future we can get those style alternately -- a book like Fen's that rips out your heart and completely sweeps you away and then something later to cool you down and look on the sunny side of life.
**I didn't categorize this as a romance. This is really a fantasy book to me. Sure, Lucas is madly in love with Alex and vice versa, but the story isn't about their relationship. Their relationship is part of the story.
4.5 stars
Oh Carole… I just had so much fun reading that. You know, Carole has said several times that she thanks Fen for this book. Fen, for those of you who might not know, is her main character from the Wolf's-own series and his head is just a mess of angst. It's all for good reason because Fen lives in a really messed up world, but back to Carole. She has said that she needed to go somewhere happy, somewhere carefree after spending so much time (4 novels!) in his head. And I'm glad she did. This book is definitely the antithesis of those, of course with the exception of writing talent. I'm glad that I knew that about this book going in, because otherwise I might have been expecting a more serious style than her previous two series.
The book opens with one of the most hilarious chapters I've ever read. It is so easy to become endeared with Lucas, especially in the inner drunk ramblings of his mind at his first visit to a tavern. Trouble doesn't really come until he's had one too many and decides that it wouldn't be too unseemly to have a pee outside, where he promptly becomes entangled with a bush. In a cruel twist of fate, someone seems him -- pants partially open and wrestling with the arms of his coat -- a man with long silver hair and speaking a lot of nonsense. It doesn't seem too strange in his ale fuzzy brain when the man simply disappears after a whole lot of yelling words that neither understands back and forth but well, he's still stuck in the bush.
When the man starts turning up in strange places to again shout incomprehensible words at him, Lucas starts to become alarmed. Especially when the man starts stealing his books. But it isn't until his sister's suitor disappears and Lucas is begged to find him that he runs into the man again, this time speaking some words Lucas understands. What he hears alarms him, especially because it appears that the man wants something from him and in the meantime intends to kidnap his cousin the prince as a trade. Lucas is so dead for losing the prince, but he knows that he has to do something to get Laurie back.
Really, the best part of this book are the characters. There is such a wonderful cast of characters that all have their own well-rounded personalities, characteristics and motives. But they have such a great banter. In reading the prior work from Carole Cummings, I always admired her writing which is at the same time intelligent and accessible, but I also never knew that she could write in such a playful way! It is really a delight to read. And just the same as it was for her, I think this is a really good book to read when you need a break from something, or from reading a more intense book. When I first talked to her about this book she referred to it as fluff, to which I immediately replied that I thought she could probably never write fluff. But I know exactly what she means now. This is a book you should read just for the pure enjoyment of getting out of your own head and into someone else's for a while. And Lucas' head isn't a bad place to be ;)
There is quite a lot of banter between the characters, but mostly in the narration. Carole has written Lucas to have an imaginative mind that often banters with itself. That's why I think this is a good book to read when you really need a break, because while the plot in this story is interesting in and of itself, sometimes the focus wavers from it to Lucas' own thoughts, and those often take precedence over the action. Now, if you followed my advice then this is just a nice detour, but if you're really focused on the plot and pacing then you might find yourself swept away on the tide of his thoughts. Sometimes the banter -- Lucas' runaway thoughts -- seem to get in the way of the action a bit. And while I always enjoyed what he was thinking (and occasionally talking about with Alex) sometimes the timing is inopportune. Occasionally I wanted to smack him and tell him to pay attention!
Still, that is minor criticism on my part and I really, sincerely hope that Carole continues to explore this quirky side of her writing. Hopefully in the future we can get those style alternately -- a book like Fen's that rips out your heart and completely sweeps you away and then something later to cool you down and look on the sunny side of life.
**I didn't categorize this as a romance. This is really a fantasy book to me. Sure, Lucas is madly in love with Alex and vice versa, but the story isn't about their relationship. Their relationship is part of the story.
September 25, 2013
If you’ve read any Carole Cummings before you’re probably expecting anguished MCs and meddling Gods. She’s written 7 books about those (The Aisling series and Wolf’s Own) and written them well. I enjoyed the hell out of those, anyway. But apparently her heroes are so tortured, even Carole Cummings herself needs a break from them, at least that what it says in the acknowledgments: ‘And I suppose a (grudging) thanks to Fen, because if it hadn’t been for the bleak despair that is his headspace, I would never have needed Lucas and Alex to brighten up the path away from his angsty abyss.’ And so the Queen’s Librarian was born.
And, indeed, Lucas couldn’t be more different than Wil and Fen and the story couldn’t be lighter, without ending up weightless. We see a writer having fun here and if you are in the mood for something light an fun you could have a winner. Lucas is a good character with lots of internal monologue that mostly revolves either around the things he worries about or the way people (including himself) see him and how accurate (or not) their views are. Alex is a little less defined, probably because Lucas’s is the only POV. That doesn’t mean he is vague or cardboardy, he has some of the best lines, really. Especially when ‘conversing’ with Lucas’s cousin Laurie, who happens to be a prince. And obnoxious. Most people in this book are obnoxious in one way or another, just like they should be in a good farce.
Lucas and Alex have an established relationship, so if you are looking for the fluttering butterflies of love’s first touch, you’re not going to find them here. That said, they are an adorable couple, so it’s not like there is a lack of fluttering in the book. What is not fluttering is the ‘rosebud’, because there is no on page sex. (And I would like to think that if Cummings did write sex, she would never use ‘fluttering’ or ‘rosebud’, let alone use them together.) The story itself has a plot that mostly happens off page too. Lucas, Alex and Laurie do some exploring, but compared to the complexity of the world hinted at beyond the pages and the depths of the plot that is only referred to in conversation, what actually happens on page is quite mundane. Even so, Lucas is all aflutter about what does happen and spends most of the book skirting hysteria.
As much as I liked the story and the characters, that is what wore me down in the end. Lucas’s internal monologue was funny. The first 30% of the book or so for sure, even if it was a mite contrived. That was easily overlooked then. But after that it got distracting, because the plot finally kicked in and Lucas was still going on and on and on in his head. Around 70% or so it became irritating, because the babbling just. didn’t. stop.
“Alex looked at Lucas in such a way that, if he didn’t know better, Lucas would suspect perhaps he was unwittingly doing a rather excellent impression of a gaping fish. Not that Lucas was. Doing an impression. Because Lucas didn’t do such things. Impressions. But if he did do impressions, he was sure they would be excellent. Hence the “excellent impression” part. All right, wow. Perhaps Lucas had taken an inadvertent bite out of that crazy-cake.”
And that and more in the middle of sneaking up on potential bad guys...
My impression is that the book was written in installments and would actually work better if it was read in installments, so the reader gets smaller doses of the over the top humor. Read in one go, it was too much. At least for me. But humor is something that differs wildly from person to person and I would not be at all surprised if many of you, who are in the mood for a light an funny read, enjoy it from beginning to end, and I really hope you do. And then again some of you may burn out on it even earlier than I did….
Personally, I hope Cummings is planning more stories with tortured heroes and fickle gods, because apparently those work better for me.
And, indeed, Lucas couldn’t be more different than Wil and Fen and the story couldn’t be lighter, without ending up weightless. We see a writer having fun here and if you are in the mood for something light an fun you could have a winner. Lucas is a good character with lots of internal monologue that mostly revolves either around the things he worries about or the way people (including himself) see him and how accurate (or not) their views are. Alex is a little less defined, probably because Lucas’s is the only POV. That doesn’t mean he is vague or cardboardy, he has some of the best lines, really. Especially when ‘conversing’ with Lucas’s cousin Laurie, who happens to be a prince. And obnoxious. Most people in this book are obnoxious in one way or another, just like they should be in a good farce.
Lucas and Alex have an established relationship, so if you are looking for the fluttering butterflies of love’s first touch, you’re not going to find them here. That said, they are an adorable couple, so it’s not like there is a lack of fluttering in the book. What is not fluttering is the ‘rosebud’, because there is no on page sex. (And I would like to think that if Cummings did write sex, she would never use ‘fluttering’ or ‘rosebud’, let alone use them together.) The story itself has a plot that mostly happens off page too. Lucas, Alex and Laurie do some exploring, but compared to the complexity of the world hinted at beyond the pages and the depths of the plot that is only referred to in conversation, what actually happens on page is quite mundane. Even so, Lucas is all aflutter about what does happen and spends most of the book skirting hysteria.
As much as I liked the story and the characters, that is what wore me down in the end. Lucas’s internal monologue was funny. The first 30% of the book or so for sure, even if it was a mite contrived. That was easily overlooked then. But after that it got distracting, because the plot finally kicked in and Lucas was still going on and on and on in his head. Around 70% or so it became irritating, because the babbling just. didn’t. stop.
“Alex looked at Lucas in such a way that, if he didn’t know better, Lucas would suspect perhaps he was unwittingly doing a rather excellent impression of a gaping fish. Not that Lucas was. Doing an impression. Because Lucas didn’t do such things. Impressions. But if he did do impressions, he was sure they would be excellent. Hence the “excellent impression” part. All right, wow. Perhaps Lucas had taken an inadvertent bite out of that crazy-cake.”
And that and more in the middle of sneaking up on potential bad guys...
My impression is that the book was written in installments and would actually work better if it was read in installments, so the reader gets smaller doses of the over the top humor. Read in one go, it was too much. At least for me. But humor is something that differs wildly from person to person and I would not be at all surprised if many of you, who are in the mood for a light an funny read, enjoy it from beginning to end, and I really hope you do. And then again some of you may burn out on it even earlier than I did….
Personally, I hope Cummings is planning more stories with tortured heroes and fickle gods, because apparently those work better for me.
July 22, 2013
5 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Lucas has many things on his plate with worrying about his tenants, the harvest, his sisters’ prospects and money, but he has one thing that makes him truly happy he loves spending time with his boyfriend Alex. What he doesn’t need is anything else to crop up and certainly not his sister’s suitor disappearing or a nutter who thinks he is a Daimin. Lucas is drawn into an adventure when he attempts to discover just where the suitor has disappeared to, along with the appearance of the strange man and then his cousin, the Prince, vanishing and being drawn into a mystery that is over a hundred years old.
Oh this story is absolutely incredible, it’s humorous and great fun to read. Within the first couple of pages I fell head over heels for Lucas, he is a brilliant character and is great fun (even when he doesn’t mean to be), his boyfriend Alex is wonderful and he adores Lucas. The storyline is great with confusion and fun every step of the way, we meet some fantastic characters in Prince Laurie, Declan Slade and the Prince Consort and we have a great adventure of hyperventilating, sheer embarrassment and near hysterics as Lucas and Alex discover just what is going on in Orchard Downs.
This story starts out a fun light read and it continues in the same vein throughout, it will have you laughing and giggling as you follow along in an adventure that leads to an old secret. I must say that I didn’t want this story to end, I couldn’t get enough of the brilliance of these fun characters. The storyline starts off with a simple missing suitor and becomes so much more as confusion begins to lead the way, leading Lucas and Alex to a secret that has been hidden from everyone from many long years, and reopens diplomacy to a race that they have long been wary of.
I have no choice to but recommend this to everyone if they want a fun light read that has brilliant characters, a great storyline, fantastic animals, and a neurotic librarian, we have guys obsessed with thinking about sex, a slight magical battle that has Lucas spitting feathers and a brilliant ending that has us hoping for more adventures in the future.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Lucas has many things on his plate with worrying about his tenants, the harvest, his sisters’ prospects and money, but he has one thing that makes him truly happy he loves spending time with his boyfriend Alex. What he doesn’t need is anything else to crop up and certainly not his sister’s suitor disappearing or a nutter who thinks he is a Daimin. Lucas is drawn into an adventure when he attempts to discover just where the suitor has disappeared to, along with the appearance of the strange man and then his cousin, the Prince, vanishing and being drawn into a mystery that is over a hundred years old.
Oh this story is absolutely incredible, it’s humorous and great fun to read. Within the first couple of pages I fell head over heels for Lucas, he is a brilliant character and is great fun (even when he doesn’t mean to be), his boyfriend Alex is wonderful and he adores Lucas. The storyline is great with confusion and fun every step of the way, we meet some fantastic characters in Prince Laurie, Declan Slade and the Prince Consort and we have a great adventure of hyperventilating, sheer embarrassment and near hysterics as Lucas and Alex discover just what is going on in Orchard Downs.
This story starts out a fun light read and it continues in the same vein throughout, it will have you laughing and giggling as you follow along in an adventure that leads to an old secret. I must say that I didn’t want this story to end, I couldn’t get enough of the brilliance of these fun characters. The storyline starts off with a simple missing suitor and becomes so much more as confusion begins to lead the way, leading Lucas and Alex to a secret that has been hidden from everyone from many long years, and reopens diplomacy to a race that they have long been wary of.
I have no choice to but recommend this to everyone if they want a fun light read that has brilliant characters, a great storyline, fantastic animals, and a neurotic librarian, we have guys obsessed with thinking about sex, a slight magical battle that has Lucas spitting feathers and a brilliant ending that has us hoping for more adventures in the future.
July 29, 2013
Lucas Tripp is Master of Rolling Green, favorite cousin of the Queen and also the Queen’s librarian. Lucas is described as a small man with red hair, glasses and a mind that seems to be in a state of constant motion. He is responsible for keeping Rolling Green prosperous, the tenants happy and finding proper husbands for his yet to be married sisters, all the while trying to keep financially solvent and find time to spend with Alex, the love of his life. Alex Booker is Lucas’ boyfriend. He comes from a wealthy family, is tall and handsome, with a well-trimmed beard and dark hair that Lucas will testify cannot be mussed, and it is obvious he is as smitten with Lucas as Lucas is with him...
For the full review please go to: http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
For the full review please go to: http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpre...
September 18, 2015
I liked the story but the execution left something to be desired.
The writing was so busy, almost frantic and left me feeling muddled.
The MC spent the majority of the story in a state of near hysteria except for the few times when he went drifting off into flights-of-fancy tangents. I really wished he had been a little more focused and, quite honestly, I don't understand how he got anything done. He was exhausting.
Nothing was grounded in this story.
It was just too frenetic.
The writing was so busy, almost frantic and left me feeling muddled.
The MC spent the majority of the story in a state of near hysteria except for the few times when he went drifting off into flights-of-fancy tangents. I really wished he had been a little more focused and, quite honestly, I don't understand how he got anything done. He was exhausting.
Nothing was grounded in this story.
It was just too frenetic.
February 6, 2017
**Grammar**
Oh god,this book was funny and really good, with the right amount of intrigue and flirting.
The story was interesting and the characters charming also the secondary ones.
Alex and Lucas were hot and cute together and I loved to see Alex's jealousy all the time Parry, Lucas' first kiss when they were kids and his oldest friend, tried to flirt with his boyfriend/lover. Lucas was so damn funny and naive, he is 24 and started dating Alex when he was 21 (they have the same age, or maybe Alex is 1 year older)and he shouldn't be a blushing maiden anymore, but sometimes he is too shy and really can't understand when a man is flirting with him, he made me laugh with his thoughts and I wished to see how their first meeting and time went. We only know that Alex had come to court one of Lucas's sister (he is the youngest and has 6 sisters), and ask for her hand to his brother(since Lucas and his sisters had lost his father only few years before,and Lucas, being the only man, was the master of the house), but when the 2 had met and Lucas had asked him why he wanted his sister Clara and Alex had made clear that he didn't even know the name of the girl he wanted to marry,Lucas had been pissed and had demanded to know why he was courting a girl he didn't even know, and Alex's answer had been another question, "Well.....Isn't it what people...do?"(or something like that) and the rest had been history or to better say, there had been an argument and they had ended it by kissing and having sex. We don't know about their past or if they had previous lovers before each other and I really want to know more about this and about that "Night" eheheh.
Laurie, the prince and Lucas' cousin, was funny and a spoiled little brat(he is 19), and always up to mishief. He is walking trouble and can't stop flirting with every girl/woman he sees.
Parry, Lucas's first kiss and his oldest friend, made me laugh in his attempts to make Alex jealous and his continuous flirting with a naive Lucas, but at the same time he was more focused on Lucas' land than really courting him.
There were other characters and all of them had an unique personality and had a part in the story.
The plot was easy, all is based on a 200 years old misunderstanding, some old "enemeies" coming back from a portal closed centuries before and a new misunderstanding that happens when Lucas thinks Laurie was kidnapped by the strange man (that famous old enemy that really isn't an enemy) that started following him and showing himself when Lucas is alone.
The bickering btw Alex and Lucas were damn amusing and made me smile all the time.
{Lucas paused with a dark scowl. "Do you ever want to have sex with me again?"}
{"I really really do," Alex answered without even missing a beat or losing his slight smile.}
-----------------------
Another time was when they were talking about the letter Slade had sent to Lucas' sister, Clara, and Laurie and Alex thought this was the usual break-up letter all men sent.
{"I've said all the same things myself many time." Many times? Wait, when had Laurie..? You know what? Lucas didn't want to know. He set a narrow look on Alex, who was nodding in a sad agreement until he caught Lucas's cross look and then he cleared his throat."Not that I've sent that sort of letter, of course. To anyone. Ever." Lucas didn't want to know anything about that, either.}
-----------------------
{"For you, two tepins," said Parry with a grin, then his mouth flattened down and he lifted and eyebrow at Alex. "For everyone else, five."}
{"But," Laurie put in with a surprised little pout, "my mother is the Queen."}
{"Then you can affort it."}
{"Why two for Mister Tripp and five for everyone else?" Alex wanted to know, eyes narrowed.}
{Parry's grin this time was a touch malicious. "Because I like Mister Tripp".}
--------------------------
When Alex and Lucas are alone in the inn's bedroom and Lucas can't stop thinking about the fact that Alex's older brother is courting one of his sisters and he decides to talk about him while he and Alex are making out. (oh god Lucas LOL)
{D'you suppose your brother is as good at this as you are?"}
{Alex had gone rather still. "Lucas?"}
{"Mm?"}
{"Love?"}
{"Yes?"}
{"Worst. Pillow talk. Ever"}
--------------------------
Laurie, was funny.
{"Oh give me strenght," Laurie muttered from his table behind Akex.}
{Alex turned to glare at him. "We were having A Moment here, do you mind?"}
{"Only when I have to watch you having sex with your eyes."}
------------------------
Alex's jealousy and possessiveness.
{"A rival has admitted defeat. Apparently admitted it some time ago. And you lurve me so much you like to read my name when I'm not here. 'Smug' is putting it mildly."}
{"You never had a rival."}
{"See, now you're just encouraging me."}
------------------------
Well Lucas was jealous too...
{"Why would you do that for Lucas?" he asked Parry suspiciously. "What's in it for you?"}
{Lucas turned to Alex and boggled. "You're going to play at being jealous now? You were just making eyes at Vessa!"}
{"I wasn't!" Alex looked wounded.}
{"Yes you were," Laurie put in.}
{Alex sputtered. "That' just how my face looks when I meet new people!"}
{"That's true," agreed Slade. "I thought he was flirting with me at first too." Lucas decided not to even address that one. Or to think abou it.}
And in the next pages Lucas' jealousy doesn't stop, he likes to tease Alex and make him worry, but in the end he knows that Alex is only his and he tells him so later when he understands that the poor man really thinks Lucas is mad.
--------------------------
What can I say, I really liked this book and the epilogue opened the way to a possible sequel, were our naive little librarian, could possibly work as a spy for his aunt the Queen, but don't worry Alex will always be with him, also on this "job".
Oh god,this book was funny and really good, with the right amount of intrigue and flirting.
The story was interesting and the characters charming also the secondary ones.
Alex and Lucas were hot and cute together and I loved to see Alex's jealousy all the time Parry, Lucas' first kiss when they were kids and his oldest friend, tried to flirt with his boyfriend/lover. Lucas was so damn funny and naive, he is 24 and started dating Alex when he was 21 (they have the same age, or maybe Alex is 1 year older)and he shouldn't be a blushing maiden anymore, but sometimes he is too shy and really can't understand when a man is flirting with him, he made me laugh with his thoughts and I wished to see how their first meeting and time went. We only know that Alex had come to court one of Lucas's sister (he is the youngest and has 6 sisters), and ask for her hand to his brother(since Lucas and his sisters had lost his father only few years before,and Lucas, being the only man, was the master of the house), but when the 2 had met and Lucas had asked him why he wanted his sister Clara and Alex had made clear that he didn't even know the name of the girl he wanted to marry,Lucas had been pissed and had demanded to know why he was courting a girl he didn't even know, and Alex's answer had been another question, "Well.....Isn't it what people...do?"(or something like that) and the rest had been history or to better say, there had been an argument and they had ended it by kissing and having sex. We don't know about their past or if they had previous lovers before each other and I really want to know more about this and about that "Night" eheheh.
Laurie, the prince and Lucas' cousin, was funny and a spoiled little brat(he is 19), and always up to mishief. He is walking trouble and can't stop flirting with every girl/woman he sees.
Parry, Lucas's first kiss and his oldest friend, made me laugh in his attempts to make Alex jealous and his continuous flirting with a naive Lucas, but at the same time he was more focused on Lucas' land than really courting him.
There were other characters and all of them had an unique personality and had a part in the story.
The plot was easy, all is based on a 200 years old misunderstanding, some old "enemeies" coming back from a portal closed centuries before and a new misunderstanding that happens when Lucas thinks Laurie was kidnapped by the strange man (that famous old enemy that really isn't an enemy) that started following him and showing himself when Lucas is alone.
The bickering btw Alex and Lucas were damn amusing and made me smile all the time.
{Lucas paused with a dark scowl. "Do you ever want to have sex with me again?"}
{"I really really do," Alex answered without even missing a beat or losing his slight smile.}
-----------------------
Another time was when they were talking about the letter Slade had sent to Lucas' sister, Clara, and Laurie and Alex thought this was the usual break-up letter all men sent.
{"I've said all the same things myself many time." Many times? Wait, when had Laurie..? You know what? Lucas didn't want to know. He set a narrow look on Alex, who was nodding in a sad agreement until he caught Lucas's cross look and then he cleared his throat."Not that I've sent that sort of letter, of course. To anyone. Ever." Lucas didn't want to know anything about that, either.}
-----------------------
{"For you, two tepins," said Parry with a grin, then his mouth flattened down and he lifted and eyebrow at Alex. "For everyone else, five."}
{"But," Laurie put in with a surprised little pout, "my mother is the Queen."}
{"Then you can affort it."}
{"Why two for Mister Tripp and five for everyone else?" Alex wanted to know, eyes narrowed.}
{Parry's grin this time was a touch malicious. "Because I like Mister Tripp".}
--------------------------
When Alex and Lucas are alone in the inn's bedroom and Lucas can't stop thinking about the fact that Alex's older brother is courting one of his sisters and he decides to talk about him while he and Alex are making out. (oh god Lucas LOL)
{D'you suppose your brother is as good at this as you are?"}
{Alex had gone rather still. "Lucas?"}
{"Mm?"}
{"Love?"}
{"Yes?"}
{"Worst. Pillow talk. Ever"}
--------------------------
Laurie, was funny.
{"Oh give me strenght," Laurie muttered from his table behind Akex.}
{Alex turned to glare at him. "We were having A Moment here, do you mind?"}
{"Only when I have to watch you having sex with your eyes."}
------------------------
Alex's jealousy and possessiveness.
{"A rival has admitted defeat. Apparently admitted it some time ago. And you lurve me so much you like to read my name when I'm not here. 'Smug' is putting it mildly."}
{"You never had a rival."}
{"See, now you're just encouraging me."}
------------------------
Well Lucas was jealous too...
{"Why would you do that for Lucas?" he asked Parry suspiciously. "What's in it for you?"}
{Lucas turned to Alex and boggled. "You're going to play at being jealous now? You were just making eyes at Vessa!"}
{"I wasn't!" Alex looked wounded.}
{"Yes you were," Laurie put in.}
{Alex sputtered. "That' just how my face looks when I meet new people!"}
{"That's true," agreed Slade. "I thought he was flirting with me at first too." Lucas decided not to even address that one. Or to think abou it.}
And in the next pages Lucas' jealousy doesn't stop, he likes to tease Alex and make him worry, but in the end he knows that Alex is only his and he tells him so later when he understands that the poor man really thinks Lucas is mad.
--------------------------
What can I say, I really liked this book and the epilogue opened the way to a possible sequel, were our naive little librarian, could possibly work as a spy for his aunt the Queen, but don't worry Alex will always be with him, also on this "job".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2013
4 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Lucas Tripp is Master of Rolling Green, favorite cousin of the Queen and also the Queen’s librarian. Lucas is described as a small man with red hair, glasses and a mind that seems to be in a state of constant motion. He is responsible for keeping Rolling Green prosperous, the tenants happy and finding proper husbands for his yet to be married sisters, all the while trying to keep financially solvent and find time to spend with Alex, the love of his life. Alex Booker is Lucas’ boyfriend. He comes from a wealthy family, is tall and handsome, with a well-trimmed beard and dark hair that Lucas will testify cannot be mussed, and it is obvious he is as smitten with Lucas as Lucas is with him.
Our story begins with Lucas, Alex, Declan Slade – future husband of Clara, Lucas’ sister, and Parry, an old acquaintance of Lucas’, celebrating the future betrothal of Declan and Clara at the local tavern, The Drunken Duck. While Alex and Declan play a friendly game of pool, Parry is plying Lucas with ale. Parry’s attention is not as innocent as it appears when he begins questioning Lucas about his estate and in particular about The Stone Circle. This Circle was once a portal where Daimins traveled between worlds, but has been sealed off after a particularly disastrous event that occurred over 150 years ago. Saved from further questioning by a jealous Alex, Lucas decides he is in need of the men’s room. He accidentally finds himself outside instead of the men’s room and in his drunken state, proceeds to get his coat caught up in a thorn-bush. Just as he is about to call for help a man approaches him speaking in a strange language. The man looks suspiciously like Declan but cannot communicate anything to Lucas other than Red Librarian and the word scontun. Lucas ends up calling him Mister Scontun for the word the man keeps repeating over and over. This chance meeting is just the beginning of Lucas’ adventures or troubles, depending on how you look at it.
Lucas is a natural worrier and overwhelmed with his responsibilities. His tendency to have a running stream of consciousness can be a bit overwhelming too, especially at the beginning of the book, but this tendency grew on me as the story progressed and Lucas’ inner dialogue was the source of many chuckles throughout the book.
The Queen’s Librarian is a fantasy novel complete with magical creatures, royalty and intrigue. It is light and humorous with a steady stream of witty banter among the characters. The cast of characters that surround Lucas are colorful and charming with an array of strong women, rakish young men and magical beings. The Queen’s Librarian is an entertaining book that made for a nice weekend read
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Lucas Tripp is Master of Rolling Green, favorite cousin of the Queen and also the Queen’s librarian. Lucas is described as a small man with red hair, glasses and a mind that seems to be in a state of constant motion. He is responsible for keeping Rolling Green prosperous, the tenants happy and finding proper husbands for his yet to be married sisters, all the while trying to keep financially solvent and find time to spend with Alex, the love of his life. Alex Booker is Lucas’ boyfriend. He comes from a wealthy family, is tall and handsome, with a well-trimmed beard and dark hair that Lucas will testify cannot be mussed, and it is obvious he is as smitten with Lucas as Lucas is with him.
Our story begins with Lucas, Alex, Declan Slade – future husband of Clara, Lucas’ sister, and Parry, an old acquaintance of Lucas’, celebrating the future betrothal of Declan and Clara at the local tavern, The Drunken Duck. While Alex and Declan play a friendly game of pool, Parry is plying Lucas with ale. Parry’s attention is not as innocent as it appears when he begins questioning Lucas about his estate and in particular about The Stone Circle. This Circle was once a portal where Daimins traveled between worlds, but has been sealed off after a particularly disastrous event that occurred over 150 years ago. Saved from further questioning by a jealous Alex, Lucas decides he is in need of the men’s room. He accidentally finds himself outside instead of the men’s room and in his drunken state, proceeds to get his coat caught up in a thorn-bush. Just as he is about to call for help a man approaches him speaking in a strange language. The man looks suspiciously like Declan but cannot communicate anything to Lucas other than Red Librarian and the word scontun. Lucas ends up calling him Mister Scontun for the word the man keeps repeating over and over. This chance meeting is just the beginning of Lucas’ adventures or troubles, depending on how you look at it.
Lucas is a natural worrier and overwhelmed with his responsibilities. His tendency to have a running stream of consciousness can be a bit overwhelming too, especially at the beginning of the book, but this tendency grew on me as the story progressed and Lucas’ inner dialogue was the source of many chuckles throughout the book.
The Queen’s Librarian is a fantasy novel complete with magical creatures, royalty and intrigue. It is light and humorous with a steady stream of witty banter among the characters. The cast of characters that surround Lucas are colorful and charming with an array of strong women, rakish young men and magical beings. The Queen’s Librarian is an entertaining book that made for a nice weekend read
January 18, 2014
I'm really struggling to rate this. The vast majority of this book drove me crazy. I found it a very frustrating read. At the beginning I felt like I'd been tossed into the middle of a series - I actually went hunting for a "book 1" - but nope, this is the beginning apparently. There were so many characters and so much stuff going on, it was insanely confusing. I was annoyed, because Alex and Lucas seemed cute together, but Lucas' incessant internal rambling overshadowed everything. Never have I wanted a character to shut up so badly. I felt like if I could have just done away with Lucas' babbling and clumsiness, I might have liked the story underneath, but for the first 2/3 or so of the book I just could not read it for more than a few minutes at a time without needing a break. I think Lucas' wandering mind and hapless naivete was supposed to come off as funny, but it totally failed for me. However, once the plot picked up, I liked the last quarter of the book. The plot turned out to actually be pretty good and I liked the side characters as well. Plus, when Lucas did shut up, he was very cute with Alex. The majority of this story just wasn't for me, but if the author writes about this couple again or ever writes about how they got together, I would definitely look into it.
December 28, 2015
Dear Lord, finally I finished this book!
I've tried to start it three or four times, but I always thought 'ah, maybe later when I feel like it', just after reading a few pages. This time I decide to finish it, whether I get the mood or not. I just can't like the narrator, Lucas. His thoughts are all over the place, while it's funny some times, mostly it annoys me. I couldn't get the thrill when it should have been serious and I couldn't get amused when it should have been humorous.
I think I prefer my mystery books fast-paced with less blabberings.
I've tried to start it three or four times, but I always thought 'ah, maybe later when I feel like it', just after reading a few pages. This time I decide to finish it, whether I get the mood or not. I just can't like the narrator, Lucas. His thoughts are all over the place, while it's funny some times, mostly it annoys me. I couldn't get the thrill when it should have been serious and I couldn't get amused when it should have been humorous.
I think I prefer my mystery books fast-paced with less blabberings.
October 13, 2013
This is not my favorite book by this author, probably because it's a major departure in style from the other books I have read from her. That said, although it's not quite what I expected, I still enjoyed reading about Lucas (the Librarian), Alex (his lover/partner), and Lucas's cousin Laurie (the Prince) in their rather madcap and seemingly bumbling adventures.
August 22, 2013
I actually had a very good time with this book. It was light and playful with a bit of supernatural that made things pop. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes if it is a series. Well done. :D
July 14, 2013
Oh
YEA
!!! I've enjoyed the two freebies with these MC's on her site forever. Sooo looking forward to this!
April 23, 2017
I had fun with this book.
It was complicated, threw you in the middle of things and more fantasy than romance, just with perhaps a bit overly sexy main characters. The family dynamics rather reminded me of Family of Lies: Sebastian, lots of cute bantering and conflict.
There were rather lots of characters and I started pairing them with Harry Potter characters a bit. It seemed almost like very heavily disguised Harry Potter fan fiction... Alex is Harry and Lucas is Ron and Slade is Draco... although the labels barely fit, other than physical descriptions. I think Parry is Neville... but then there's the whole golden-haired royal family... the Dursleys?
Anyway... I found it cute and fun... maybe not quite impressive, but solid 4.5 stars.
It was complicated, threw you in the middle of things and more fantasy than romance, just with perhaps a bit overly sexy main characters. The family dynamics rather reminded me of Family of Lies: Sebastian, lots of cute bantering and conflict.
There were rather lots of characters and I started pairing them with Harry Potter characters a bit. It seemed almost like very heavily disguised Harry Potter fan fiction... Alex is Harry and Lucas is Ron and Slade is Draco... although the labels barely fit, other than physical descriptions. I think Parry is Neville... but then there's the whole golden-haired royal family... the Dursleys?
Anyway... I found it cute and fun... maybe not quite impressive, but solid 4.5 stars.
October 29, 2013
This is a fast, funny, and sometimes frenetic little frippery about a mild-mannered librarian-slash-nearly-impoverished-noble who happens to be a cousin of the Queen, and the trouble he can get into.
It is decidedly NOT a romance.
Our main character starts out with a devoted partner, he ends up with the same devoted partner, and although their relationship is prominent throughout the story it has little to do with the progression of the plot. Instead, this is a humorous little fantasy set in an almost-England of somewhere around the almost-early 1800s or so, where Christianity never visited and nobody objects to gay couples and "elves" (in this case called Daimin) are real.
I enjoyed the humor, which is continuous throughout -- yet at times I almost wished the tone would calm down and be serious for at least a moment or two. IMHO the story would have made more of an impact if it had set aside the must-be-funny-now obsession for just a few pages here and there. Nonetheless, it's very entertaining. And the characters are lovely, with dialogue than does a good job of revealing a lot about those characters without having to roll out a lot of tiresome exposition or "as you know Bob" explanations.
I would love to read about these MCs originally getting together -- and I have heard that Carole has some free fic in this universe on her website, so perhaps she has the story posted there. Also, she sets these guys up perfectly -- and apparently intentionally -- for sequels to come, so we shall all have to Stay Tuned.
It is decidedly NOT a romance.
Our main character starts out with a devoted partner, he ends up with the same devoted partner, and although their relationship is prominent throughout the story it has little to do with the progression of the plot. Instead, this is a humorous little fantasy set in an almost-England of somewhere around the almost-early 1800s or so, where Christianity never visited and nobody objects to gay couples and "elves" (in this case called Daimin) are real.
I enjoyed the humor, which is continuous throughout -- yet at times I almost wished the tone would calm down and be serious for at least a moment or two. IMHO the story would have made more of an impact if it had set aside the must-be-funny-now obsession for just a few pages here and there. Nonetheless, it's very entertaining. And the characters are lovely, with dialogue than does a good job of revealing a lot about those characters without having to roll out a lot of tiresome exposition or "as you know Bob" explanations.
I would love to read about these MCs originally getting together -- and I have heard that Carole has some free fic in this universe on her website, so perhaps she has the story posted there. Also, she sets these guys up perfectly -- and apparently intentionally -- for sequels to come, so we shall all have to Stay Tuned.
August 11, 2013
This was a lot of fun. The comedic tone was a nice respite from the heavy angst of her Aisling and Wolf's-own series. The opening scene where a very drunk Lucas encounters a strange man speaking nonsense is hysterical!
This is not a romance in the sense that here we have an established couple and the focus is clearly on the mystery of just what that strange man wants, but Lucas and Alex are together - as in physically in the same place - for much of the book and the love between them is quite clear. Ms Cummings does a nice job of blending little moments between them into the plot. And although there are many references to their sex-life and lamenting of their lack of opportunity due to current events, this is totally G-rated with any couplings off-page.
There were lots of interesting secondary characters too. I especially loved the Tripp family; the way Lucas is treated by his mother and sisters just adds to his put-upon nature.
The writing is fabulous as per her usual, but I downgraded one star because it loses a little steam once we know what's up. From there it's just a matter of taking care of business. It was more fun while we were as confused as Lucas. And as funny and endearing as Lucas is, his exasperated stammering wears thin after a while.
There's no indication that this is the start of a new series, but there is certainly the possibility from the way things are wrapped up. I would happily read more about this duo.
This is not a romance in the sense that here we have an established couple and the focus is clearly on the mystery of just what that strange man wants, but Lucas and Alex are together - as in physically in the same place - for much of the book and the love between them is quite clear. Ms Cummings does a nice job of blending little moments between them into the plot. And although there are many references to their sex-life and lamenting of their lack of opportunity due to current events, this is totally G-rated with any couplings off-page.
There were lots of interesting secondary characters too. I especially loved the Tripp family; the way Lucas is treated by his mother and sisters just adds to his put-upon nature.
The writing is fabulous as per her usual, but I downgraded one star because it loses a little steam once we know what's up. From there it's just a matter of taking care of business. It was more fun while we were as confused as Lucas. And as funny and endearing as Lucas is, his exasperated stammering wears thin after a while.
There's no indication that this is the start of a new series, but there is certainly the possibility from the way things are wrapped up. I would happily read more about this duo.
May 7, 2014
This was a fun light read that I stayed up way to late to finish. I really liked Lucas and Alex, although Lucas's naivety began to irk me a little towards the end. It did feel like the mystery was a bit of a macguffin, as people disappearing and no one remembering anything about them within a couple generations seems a little farfetched, but the dialogue was snappy and had me laughing out loud a few times, the secondary characters were well developed and the world-building was pretty solid. I'd look forward to more of Lucas and Alex's adventures, but I think this is the only book.
March 30, 2015
Would have been a 4* read if not for Lucas' rambling and slightly hard to follow mental tangents, which resulted in some seriously long sentences. Apart from that I enjoyed following the adventure along with an established couple, and I felt that the sex happening off the page fit perfectly with the general tone of the book.
Would happily read a sequel with these characters, I'd especially like to read something from Alex's POV.
Would happily read a sequel with these characters, I'd especially like to read something from Alex's POV.
July 4, 2019
At first I found this book and Lucas' inner dialogue really funny but as the book went on it got kind of annoying and frustrating. I lost the actual thread of the story because it was all mixed up with the constant neurotic thoughts going on in his head. Overall, not a bad read just not really my style.
December 2, 2013
Great fun, with a slightly serious core. I laughed out loud every few pages and just had a wonderful afternoon with Alex and Lucas and this world. From Lucas' early duel with a shrub to his final solution to the mystery, this story was a delight.
July 12, 2019
Definitely a light, fluffy, fun read. It was super refreshing to find a book like this featuring a m/m couple that had no explicit sex scenes! However, I didn't fall in love with it for 3 main reasons.
1. Lucas is supposed to be 30. But his rambling, excitable, circular voice would sound more appropriate coming from a teenager with less responsibility. He is the head of his household, a landholder with tenants that he tries to do right by, has financial problems, and works for the Queen. I would expect a slightly more mature voice. There are ways to make a character easily sidetracked and talkative, without making them sound like a teenager. His immaturity may have stemmed from the number of times he was distracted by thoughts of his boyfriend... which leads me to...
2. There were many, many cute moments between characters - especially Lucas and Alex. So many that it felt manufactured to make the reader go "aww, how cute." My personal preference is to not have so many of these per book. It was too much for me.
3. The setting was vague and undefined. Lucas was a Lord, and in financial distress, but also a favorite cousin of the Queen. And he is also related to Parry, who owns a stable, as Lucas and Alex rent horses from him, and is more financially sound than Lucas. Basically everyone seems to have more money than Lucas. And Lucas does have an actual job. There really seems to be little to no class distinction other than Queen and family, tenants and everyone else. Slade, a suitor for one of Alex's sister is apprenticed to a mill owner, but seems to be the same social class as Lucas. And, there is magic. The only definitive things I could say about the setting is that it takes place in some country, there is a Queen, in a pre-industrial society, and there is magic. But the language and slang is very modern. So it's confusing.
I definitely did not love this book, nor did I hate. In fact, I am super glad it exists - I might read it again if I am in the mood for something fluffy. I feel like this is a book that a lot of people would enjoy. Especially those readers who prefer their books a little silly, cute, but are a bit tired of reading about m/f couples or just want to add some diversity.
1. Lucas is supposed to be 30. But his rambling, excitable, circular voice would sound more appropriate coming from a teenager with less responsibility. He is the head of his household, a landholder with tenants that he tries to do right by, has financial problems, and works for the Queen. I would expect a slightly more mature voice. There are ways to make a character easily sidetracked and talkative, without making them sound like a teenager. His immaturity may have stemmed from the number of times he was distracted by thoughts of his boyfriend... which leads me to...
2. There were many, many cute moments between characters - especially Lucas and Alex. So many that it felt manufactured to make the reader go "aww, how cute." My personal preference is to not have so many of these per book. It was too much for me.
3. The setting was vague and undefined. Lucas was a Lord, and in financial distress, but also a favorite cousin of the Queen. And he is also related to Parry, who owns a stable, as Lucas and Alex rent horses from him, and is more financially sound than Lucas. Basically everyone seems to have more money than Lucas. And Lucas does have an actual job. There really seems to be little to no class distinction other than Queen and family, tenants and everyone else. Slade, a suitor for one of Alex's sister is apprenticed to a mill owner, but seems to be the same social class as Lucas. And, there is magic. The only definitive things I could say about the setting is that it takes place in some country, there is a Queen, in a pre-industrial society, and there is magic. But the language and slang is very modern. So it's confusing.
I definitely did not love this book, nor did I hate. In fact, I am super glad it exists - I might read it again if I am in the mood for something fluffy. I feel like this is a book that a lot of people would enjoy. Especially those readers who prefer their books a little silly, cute, but are a bit tired of reading about m/f couples or just want to add some diversity.
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