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ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
When her aunt died, Isabelle Ashford inherited her house. She's a teacher with the summer off so she decides to fix what she can in the house and then flip it. It's a small town so she quickly gets to recognize the major players including Deputy Sheriff Ally Yates. While the two begin a romance, they also start to investigate why a baby's skull was found on the house's property.
I did like that Isabelle didn't go completely off on her own but the story was somewhat awkward and there was rather a lot going on.
I did like that Isabelle didn't go completely off on her own but the story was somewhat awkward and there was rather a lot going on.
melaniebopp's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanted to like this story, but the characters were pretty awful and unrelatable, and there were moments where they were treated with such disdain, that I wonder why the author wanted to tell their story at all.
Some examples of this disdain I'm talking about:
"U-haul lesbian" - I guess because Belle was ready to jump into her previous relationship wiih both feet?
"Lesbian hiatus" - because you have to break up 3 times before it sticks, apparently
"met your lesbian-drama quota" - does it have to be lesbian drama? Why not relationship drama? Or just drama?
"I want you to have your gay happily-ever-after" - IT'S JUST A HAPPILY EVER AFTER! JUST BECAUSE SHE'S A LESBIAN DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO SPECIFY!!!!!
*sigh*
But let me talk about the characters for a moment. First, we have Belle, who is our point-of-view character. Belle is fresh off a relationship that ended with an actual eviction notice when her ex refused to move. Belle is impulsive but hard-working, traits I usually really appreciate and enjoy, but it's coupled with a 40-year-old woman who acts like she's 14. When Ally, our love interest, mentions getting home to "Chloe," Belle immediately thinks Ally's got a girlfriend, then thinks wife, and then, when Ally goes to kiss her (because of the ridiculous amount of flirting that has happened up until the past 30 seconds), Belle is all "oh no you don't, cheater" without ever actually asking "who is Chloe?" Just a thought, but is there a reason we are back to the "talking is for chumps" trope?
And speaking of Ally, how is "mildly bitchy with a dash of indifference" at all appealing for a romantic relationship? The end result is what seems like a complete lack of interest. There's nothing romantic about indifference. There's just not.
Finally, I really want to stress there is a complete lack of trust between these two women, from beginning to end. The relationship is completely unbelievable as a result. Lust sure, but lasting love? Nope.
Some examples of this disdain I'm talking about:
"U-haul lesbian" - I guess because Belle was ready to jump into her previous relationship wiih both feet?
"Lesbian hiatus" - because you have to break up 3 times before it sticks, apparently
"met your lesbian-drama quota" - does it have to be lesbian drama? Why not relationship drama? Or just drama?
"I want you to have your gay happily-ever-after" - IT'S JUST A HAPPILY EVER AFTER! JUST BECAUSE SHE'S A LESBIAN DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO SPECIFY!!!!!
*sigh*
But let me talk about the characters for a moment. First, we have Belle, who is our point-of-view character. Belle is fresh off a relationship that ended with an actual eviction notice when her ex refused to move. Belle is impulsive but hard-working, traits I usually really appreciate and enjoy, but it's coupled with a 40-year-old woman who acts like she's 14. When Ally, our love interest, mentions getting home to "Chloe," Belle immediately thinks Ally's got a girlfriend, then thinks wife, and then, when Ally goes to kiss her (because of the ridiculous amount of flirting that has happened up until the past 30 seconds), Belle is all "oh no you don't, cheater" without ever actually asking "who is Chloe?" Just a thought, but is there a reason we are back to the "talking is for chumps" trope?
And speaking of Ally, how is "mildly bitchy with a dash of indifference" at all appealing for a romantic relationship? The end result is what seems like a complete lack of interest. There's nothing romantic about indifference. There's just not.
Finally, I really want to stress there is a complete lack of trust between these two women, from beginning to end. The relationship is completely unbelievable as a result. Lust sure, but lasting love? Nope.
corrie's review
3.0
The Ashford Place was my first Jean Copeland experience. It’s a romantic suspense that manages to keep a light feel even though the subject matter isn’t. Maybe it was a bit too light. Let me explain what my observations were.
The romance was there early on in the book and it had potential. But… all their encounters were of the fade-to-black variety and that was a shame. I don’t say that all romance novels need explicit scenes, but what was shown to the reader was rather bloodless and so what could have been a sizzle became a cozy snooze fest and I felt robbed because of it.
The suspense was a tad on the light side, creeping (as some other reviewer aptly described) into cozy territory. I guessed who the baddy was early on in the plot. Most of the book is Belle doing her amateur sleuthing around the small town having a total disregard for deputy Ally who repeatedly asks her to leave it to the professionals. Some find it endearing, I found it quite annoying at some point. It was hard for me to picture Belle as the 40 year-old college professor because she lacked maturity in action and thought.
Because we are in Belle’s head we don’t get a clear picture of Ally. She remains a bit removed.
The dialogue was pretty good but it could not lift the book to 4 stars.
f/f fade to black
Themes: uncovering an old family drama, mystery death, buried secrets, sexual predator
3.4 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
The romance was there early on in the book and it had potential. But… all their encounters were of the fade-to-black variety and that was a shame. I don’t say that all romance novels need explicit scenes, but what was shown to the reader was rather bloodless and so what could have been a sizzle became a cozy snooze fest and I felt robbed because of it.
The suspense was a tad on the light side, creeping (as some other reviewer aptly described) into cozy territory. I guessed who the baddy was early on in the plot. Most of the book is Belle doing her amateur sleuthing around the small town having a total disregard for deputy Ally who repeatedly asks her to leave it to the professionals. Some find it endearing, I found it quite annoying at some point. It was hard for me to picture Belle as the 40 year-old college professor because she lacked maturity in action and thought.
Because we are in Belle’s head we don’t get a clear picture of Ally. She remains a bit removed.
The dialogue was pretty good but it could not lift the book to 4 stars.
f/f fade to black
Themes: uncovering an old family drama, mystery death, buried secrets, sexual predator
3.4 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
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