Margo > Recent Status Updates

NY Resolutions:
Automatic DNR

1. If a heroine is clumsy and always bumping into things
2. If a heroine is constantly saying things out loud without realizing it

Neither is cute or quirky. It’s just wince-inducing.

I am just about over the trainwrecks that are the typical heroines of romantic comedy novels. They blurt out embarrassing things and don’t realize that they’ve said it out loud. They are always falling and tripping and dropping things. They can’t put a sentence together when they’re around their love interests. It’s cheap comedy and trite writing.

I originally read the Wattpad version. The KU version has been expanded to include background on the couple’s relationship.

The new content seems AI-generated — it’s laden with clichés and lacks an authentic voice.

“As dawn's first light crept into the room, it found Ava asleep on the floor, her face still wet with tears, a poignant picture of someone broken by the revelations of the night.”

I’m a bit freaked out. About half of my Goodreads friends are no longer listed. Is anyone else experiencing this?

Vintage MB/HQN authors currently on KU: Yvonne Whittal, Mary Burchell, Lucy Walker, Ida Pollock and pseudonyms, Joyce Dingwell, Jean S. MacLeod, Essie Summers, Nerina Hilliard, Henrietta Reid, Roumelia Lane, Elizabeth Hoy. They don’t always stick around, so act now.

I don’t know if anyone read these or not but there are a few vintage M&B/category writers who are now on Kindle unlimited:
There are eight books by Yvonne whittal

Based on my Kindle unlimited feed, I’ve decided to write a book entitled, “Scented by the Non-Identical Billionaire Bear Shifter Twins: An MC Reverse Harem novel.”

I honestly don’t care if people agree with me or not on my reviews. However, I don’t like bullies and I will call people on that, as I just did with someone.

I just read the summary of a new book where the protagonist has a small local bookshop that is being put out of business by a big chain bookstore. First of all, doesn’t that sound a little familiar? Second, why do so many of these women have struggling bookstores and Cupcakeries?

There should be some sort of quiz for authors to take that tells them whether their story should be a trilogy. At this point, I avoid them, even from my favorite authors, because they are always overstuffed and redundant, with artificial conflict scattered throughout to prolong things.

I am just loving this.

IMPORTANT. Open Library has opened its collection -- i.e., they have removed all holds so that anyone who wants to read a book can, right now (assuming it's available). It's time to read all those Betty Neels and Margaret Way books that formerly had daunting wait lists!!!!

I will no longer categorize contemporary romances as DNR. I give up. I'll just assume the H is an STD-riddled sexual compulsive and the h a virginal doormat.

I find nothing romantic about this and don't believe in "Road to Damascus" conversions from promiscuity with exchangeable women to true love and fidelity with the right girl. I honestly worry about the message young women get from these books.

OW to OM about H:

OM: So you've taken up with him, again have you?
OW: What alternative had I, darling? I was leading the life of a nun, I, who was born, surely, for all pleasure and delight possible between the sexes. To give as well as to take.

First of all, this book is actually from 1958, not 1977 as the Goodreads record states. This is probably for the best, considering this little gem:

"When you tidied up the drug cupboard, what happened to our jar of heroin?"

The OW is a PIECE OF WORK. I think this might be as good/wacky as Jungle Hospital.

He sent her to the local dressmaker to have dresses made in certain very specific color combinations. The dressmaker guesses what he is up to and makes sure that while she does what he says,the h is spared from possible humiliation. I love dressmakers who have an eye to big-picture strategy. The sweet little h remains clueless and the tension is building.

This is a very dark book, and the OW is unbelievably terrible.

This book has a very twisted scenario and I'm all over it. Hopefully it will live up to the potential.

I admit it, I'm feeling a little aimless after reaching my goal of reading all of Anne Hampson's non-historical books available in epub format.I miss the OTT scenarios, I guess. I've also read/reviewed most of the available Conway/Blair/Brett books, but that was enjoyable. I'm thinking of trying another 60s/70s category romance author with a highly distinctive style-- maybe Jane Corrie? Suggestions welcome.

Finally have logged all the Hampson reviews. I should have done them at the time, but sometimes I needed brain bleach or some sort of ritual cleansing rite afterwards. So now I'm done with Hampson and I'm going to find some books about fluffy kitten rainbow MC's.

I'm almost done with my quest to read all of the Anne Hampson non-historical romances. Sooo much Stockholm Syndrome.

It has now been 229 days that I have been waiting to borrow Margaret Way's Devil Moon from Open Library. There are still 11 people ahead of me. The worst part is I KNOW that it's going to be a profound disappointment, but I can't make myself give up.

I am re-reading a book where the h thinks of serving a chicken pie that has been in the cupboard for the dinner. That's not the first time I've heard these books mention perishable foods that are stored in cupboards. I guess I should be glad the authors didn't mention all the food poisoning that must have ensued.

Well, I finally added a "He Will Kill Her Eventually" tag to my reviews.

I am reading the Silver Sorceress by Margaret Chapman and it is EPIC. I have NO WORDS.

I've created a list called Everything's Coming Up Stockholm. If you know an old school romance that qualifies, please feel free to add it.

I kind of love that GR recommends books to me based on my "no more from this author" shelf.

I think I might need to take a break from attempting to read Anne Hampson's entire body of work because it is only slightly less twisted than Hannibal Lecter's recipe Pinterest. Maybe I'll try that nice Margaret Pargeter...