Once a Dreamer

Harper Collins

Once a Dreamer
Candice Hern
2003

The Summary
"When Eleanor Tennant was called to look after her niece Belinda, she swore she'd help her find the perfect suitor.  Unfortunately, Belinda prefers the attentions of Geoffrey Barkwith, a handsome, notorious rake with an unsavory reputation.  In a letter to an advice columnist for The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet, Belinda asks the woman - should she go after her heart's desire; her response is yes!

"Eleanor, furious with this advice, goes in search of the mysterious Busybody.  She finds out that the wretched woman giving such public encouragement is not a woman at all, but a man!"

The Good
After reading Once a Gentleman and Once a Scoundrel, I was excited to begin reading Once a Dreamer.  While I didn't enjoy this novel as much as the previous two I read, I did enjoy my time reading the first novel in the Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet series.  It's fun and funny and, of course, it's filled with incredibly sweet moments that warmed my heart.

Although Simon is more of a romantic than I would normally like (I think I am like Eleanor in that regard), I loved the way he was constantly falling in love with Eleanor.  Simon is hasty to fall in love, he's quick to jump in with both feet if his heart is behind the move; however, I found his affection for Eleanor to be more subtle.  He adored her, blemishes and all, and he lost himself to her a little piece at a time as they traveled together.

I liked how completely smitten he was with her, and I felt my heart melting as Eleanor slowly and surely began to return his affections.  Granted, his ode to her upper lip was a bit much, but his heart was in the right place.

Overall, Once a Dreamer is a cute, whimsical romance that will pluck at your heartstrings.  While it's by no means my favorite in the series, it's fun and light-hearted and certainly worth reading if you'd like to see more of the characters you love.

The Bad
This novel, more than either Once a Scoundrel or Once a Gentleman, had my disapproval for its unexpectedly dramatic moments and its achingly embarrassing scenes.  Honestly, I hated feeling so embarrassed for these characters.  For instance, I was mortified by Simon's actions at any given time, because he was so often taken by flights of fancy.  And, as for Eleanor, her gut reactions are equally painful.

I had several moments I had to stop reading and step away from the story.  I couldn't handle Simon's overwhelming romanticism; I couldn't deal with Eleanor's chilly, outwardly venomous retorts.  They're a sweet couple, don't get me wrong, but they seem to go through a gauntlet of embarrassing situations that just left me squirming.

Like I said, I don't like feeling embarrassed for characters.  It's too easy for me to see the experience from my perspective.

The Ugly
When I first heard of Eleanor's history, I was heartbroken.  She endured so much grief and heartache from her lover, from her parents, from her so-called friends, from her husband--from the people who were supposed to care for her.  I'm not surprised she was cold and prickly and, in a word, unapproachable.

Personally, I would be too if I'd been subjected to the same things.

Once a Scoundrel

Harper Collins

Once a Scoundrel
Candice Hern
2003

The Summary
"When Anthony Morehouse wins The Ladies' Fashionable in a card game, he thinks it's a piece of furniture.  But he soon learns that it is actually a women's magazine.  He plans to sell it to the editor, but when he see the beautiful Edwina Parrish behind the desk, he changes his mind.  Edwina was his childhood Nemesis, besting him in many competitions and winning from him a family heirloom.  He's never forgotten it and so proposes another wager:  if she wins, he'll give her the magazine; if he wins, he keeps the magazine and gets his heirloom back."

The Good
After reading Once a Gentleman, I decided to look into the rest of the Ladies Fashionable Cabinet series by Candice Hern and, honestly, I can't say I was disappointed.  While I didn't feel the same connection to Edwina and Anthony as I did with Prudence and Nick, I enjoyed reading their story.

I love the way Candice Hern writes.  I like the realism and the attention to detail she affords all of her novels, and I fall in love with the story every time.  I always get that warm, fuzzy feeling when hero and heroine meet, realize they can't live without the other, and make the inevitable plunge into a real, lasting relationship.

Don't get me wrong, it has the predictability of most romance novels.  (I've mentioned this argument in the past, so I won't go into detail.)  However, I was always pleasantly surprised by how real the falling out between Anthony and Edwina felt.  Their argument is heart-wrenching, full of all the ugly and hateful things we are wont to say when our pride is stinging, when we want to lash out and bruise someone else's heart.

They react as anyone might when they're hurt by the person they love, which gives them a level of realism and depth that I find appealing.  Moreover, they're just enjoyable characters:  Edwina is a thoughtful, brave and outspoken woman with a mind of her own; Anthony is, at his core, an intelligent and kind fellow with a heart of gold.

They're good people, and I liked getting to know them.

The Bad
I enjoyed reading Once a Scoundrel.  I liked the characters, I liked the plot, I liked the historical details; however, I didn't like the unending competitions between Edwina and Anthony.  I mean, I understand they're competitive by nature.  They are, of course, going to clash over the various challenges they attempt to set for one another.

But I was quickly wearied by how Anthony made everything a competition.  He makes bets on everything:  racing horses, card games, boxing matches, and anything else that can bring a thrill to his gambler's heart.  He's especially intent on winning matches with Edwina, which, at first, is cute; however, as time goes on, I found myself annoyed by his inexhaustible betting.

The Ugly
Heartbreak.

Once a Gentleman

Harper Collins

Once a Gentleman

Candice Hern

2004

The Summary
"When two friends are found in a compromising situation, their marriage of convenience turns into something neither was looking for...and something neither can live without.

"Nicholas Parrish wakes one morning to pounding at the front door of his London townhouse.  Standing before him is the irate father of Prudence Armitage and several of her scowling brothers.  They accuse him of compromising Prudence, and to his astonishment the woman in question walks out of his study, looking as if she's just been roused from her bed!  Prudence had a tiring night putting the finishing touches to The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet, the magazine she and Nicholas, along with his sister Edwina, have been working on.

"With Edwina on an extended wedding trip, Prudence had wanted everything to be perfect.  But she fell asleep at her desk, and when she walks out of the office and sees her family ready to murder the man she had secretly had a crush on, Prudence is appalled.  And when a marriage is forced between them, she is devastated.  The damage is done, though, and now she's determined to make things right between herself and her new husband--making him fall in love with her."

The Good
When I first picked borrowed this book from my local library's e-book collection, I have to admit I was a little excited.  I'd read Candice Hern a couple weeks prior when I picked up It Happened One Season, a collection of novellas she wrote with Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balough, and Jaquie D'Alessandro.  In her short story, "Fate Strikes a Bargain," she created a believable romantic relationship, intriguing characters, and used accurate historical details.  Personally, I was thrilled with her work and I couldn't wait to dive into this novel.

And I am so, so glad I did.

It's what you might expect from a romance novel--silly misunderstandings, tried and true romantic tropes, sappy love lorn moments--but it caught me by surprise a few times and made my heart melt.  I was absolutely enchanted by Once a Gentlemen, which is the third and final book in the Ladies Fashionable Cabinet series, and I almost immediately fell in love.

I loved the characters, who felt realistic and unerringly human; I loved the pace of the story, the cadence or, rather, tone it seemed to strike as I was reading; I loved the way the plot--and, subsequently, Prudence and Nicholas' relationship--developed.  Granted, I found the way Nicholas and Prudence were suddenly thrust together in a marriage of convenience to be a little...well, cliche.  I mean, it's been done before and, confidentially, I wasn't expecting that much.

But this is what won me:  they didn't fall in love immediately.

Prudence already loved Nicholas, so it wasn't such a leap for her.  Nicholas just didn't love her; in fact, he saw her more as a little sister than a wife.  Their relationship went from a very close friendship to a deeper intimacy, as they slowly learned more about one another and, more to the point, discovered new things about one another.

Nicholas, in particular, finds himself astonished time and again by the little things about Prudence, like her love of music or her crazy family or her ability to keep the magazine from going under.  I have to admit, I had stars in my eyes as I watched Nicholas' appreciation--and adoration--for Prudence grow.  It basically turned me into a puddle of jelly, which I'm not proud to admit.

Okay, anyway, my point is that I was very impressed by Hern's ability to slowly and believably build a story and, more importantly, build a relationship.  Plus, I loved the historical accuracy, which makes everything feel authentic.  I mean, a book is only as good as the reader's imagination, but Hern does an excellent job of allowing her audience to sink in and really swim the full depth of Regency era England.

I'll be honest, I loved it.  And I plan on binge reading the other two novels--Once a Scoundrel and Once a Dreamer--as soon as I can get my hands on them.

The Bad
I don't really have any complaints.  I mean, like I said, it seems to follow many of the standard plot points that most romance novels follow; however, I think Hern does an admirable job of creating something unique and believable with endearing characters and realistic details.  Overall, I was impressed and I think that Once a Gentleman will probably hold a special place in my heart for a few weeks.

The Ugly
Heartbreak.  Poor Prudence.

I admit, I feel less sympathetic toward Nicholas.  I mean, I'm definitely on Pru's side in their argument.  Maybe it's a female solidarity thing, but, regardless, I was much more sympathetic for Prudence's heartbreak than Nicholas' plight.  She acted selflessly out of a desire borne of love; he reacted out of pride and frustration.

Yeah.  I'm going to be behind Pru all the way on this one.

It Happened One Season

Avon

It Happened One Season
Stephanie Laurens
Mary Balogh
Jaquie D'Alessandro
Candice Hern
2011

The Summary
"We asked our readers what story they would most like to see from four bestselling authors.  They responded....

"A handsome hero returns from war, battle-scarred and world-weary.  But family duty calls and he must find a bride.

"A young lady facing yet another season without a suitor never expects to find herself the object of his affections.

"Four amazing talents...have come together to create one of the most unforgettable events of the year.  The results are spectacular--each story is as unique as a lover's first kiss."

The Good
Okay, full disclosure:  I did not read this whole book.  I read "Only Love" by Mary Balogh and "Fate Strikes a Bargain" by Candice Hern in full, but I basically skimmed "The Seduction of Sebastian Trantor" by Stephanie Laurens and "Hope Springs Eternal" by Jacquie D'Alessandro.  So I won't make any judgments on the stories I didn't read; rather, I'll tell you all about the ones I did.

Mary Balogh wrote a sweet little romance, but, sadly, it was...well, forgettable.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I can't even remember the names of the characters anymore, let alone the full story.  It was good, but it wasn't seared-into-my-memory kind of good.

"Fate Strikes a Bargain," on the other hand, made more of an impact.

Like the other three short stories included in this book, Candice Hern's short story--or, ahem, novella--features a female protagonist facing another season without a suitor and a weary, battle-hardened hero who must somehow convince her to accept a marriage proposal.  (All the stories literally have the same plot points, so no surprises here.)

I absolutely loved reading "Fate Strikes a Bargain."  It hit all the right notes for me:  wonderful character development (for such a short story), satisfying plot pace, historical accuracy.  Granted, it's a bit predictable, but it quickly had me smiling and laughing by turns.  I loved watching how Philippa and Nathaniel interacted, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop.  And I really liked that the author wasn't afraid to create characters with flaws, like Philippa with her physical infirmity and Nathaniel with his PTSD.

They're not perfect people.  Nathaniel can't stand getting caught in crowds; Philippa can't dance.  Nathaniel suffers from night terrors regularly, struggling with his memories of the war; Philippa fights to fend off even the best intentions of her family, trying to establish her independence and show her impairment does not make her weaker.  They're not perfect, but they manage to find happiness in each other--and I appreciated that.  I know when I finished reading "Fate Strikes a Bargain," I had to sit back and sigh with contentment, pleased with my book and, somehow, pleased with the world at large.

There are all sorts of warm, fuzzy feelings to be found in this book.

The Bad
I kind of hate I didn't like all the stories; however, I think It Happened One Season is worth checking out if only for the variety and the curious way in which the authors all approached the same story differently.  It was fun, even if I didn't enjoy every single story.

The Ugly
Heartbreak.

Oh, and explicit material.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Open Road

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Richard Atwater
Florence Atwater
1938

The Summary
"It was hard enough for Mr. Popper to support himself, Mrs. Popper, Bill and Janie Popper.  The addition of twelve penguins to the family made it impossible to make both ends meet.  Then Mr. Popper had a splendid idea--the talented penguins would be a sensation on the stage.  And so they were...

"A classic American humor, this story of a gentle house-painter and his high-stepping penguins has delighted children for generations."

The Good
Mr. Popper's Penguins is actually a lot of fun.  It's full of little adventurous:  trying to figure out how to support a house full of penguins, creating such a grand display with 12 penguins in tow, looking for a taxi that would take them all across town--and wouldn't be frightened of the birds.

And, speaking of penguins, I loved those little birds.  Starting with Greta and Captain Cook, it's such a fun journey to see how their little clan grows and flourishes and becomes national performance stars.  They were such characters, and I could see why Mr. Popper loved them so.

Overall, Mr. Popper's Penguins was an amusing little book and easy to read, meaning it's a great book for a young audience.

The Bad
Admittedly, I did find myself feeling a little bored while reading Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I mean, it's a great children's book, but, honestly, I wasn't smitten.  Moreover, as an adult, I found some of the things the Poppers' did to accommodate the penguins made me wince.  Like turning the living room into an ice rink--I mean, do you know what kind of havoc that would wreak on wood floors, not to mention the walls?

And I lamented the debt that poor Mr. Popper accrued for the refrigeration unit in the basement, or the costliness of fresh fish and every day bills for keeping a dozen penguins happy and healthy.  It's a bit difficult to read as an adult, realizing the economic toll, despite suspending disbelief.

The Ugly
Crippling debt.