Bonus: Going Home

Silhouette

Going Home
Nora Roberts
2002

The Summary
A collection of three separate stories by Nora Roberts, including:  Unfinished Business (1992), Island of Flowers (1982), and Mind Over Matter (1987).  This collection follows a discernible thread of thought, focusing on the family ties that bind characters together - for better or worse.

The Good
Going Home provides a sampling of Nora Robert's work, offering insight into a random assortment of her earlier work.  Honestly, I picked up this book because I wanted something simple, short and sweet.  And, well, I found what I was looking for.

However, I will say that I enjoyed Mind Over Matter most.  I enjoyed both of the romantic leads.  Aurora and Dylan were dynamic, possessing their own characteristics and qualities that made them unique - and, more importantly, likable.  They are demanding, they are flawed, and they are often mistaken that they can't (or won't) fall in love; however, they are constantly evolving and changing and maturing, which makes their lives and their romantic entanglement interesting.

The Bad
Okay, I'm going to be honest about my experience with this anthology:  I only liked one of the three short novels I read in Going Home.  Unfinished Business wasn't too bad, but I can't say I was thrilled or enthralled.  Likewise, I wasn't captivated by Island of Flowers.  I might even go so far as to say I hated it.

For some reason, Island of Flowers simply rubbed me the wrong way with its soft, meek female protagonist in Laine and its small-minded, brutish (an adjective I find highly appropriate to describe Dillon, Laine's love interest) male lead.  Both characters frustrated me:  Dillon for being so forceful and inconsiderate, and Lane for being so timid and, well, ill-formed.

Laine was not a character with many endearing characteristics.  She was very plain, very expressionless.  I found it hard to relate to her and, honestly, I was more than a little frustrated by her attitude.  Romantically inexperienced or not, Laine could have put her foot down  and not let her love interest trample all over her.

Let's just say, it was a troubling and frustrating dynamic.

The Ugly
Love can get ugly.