Romantic Fiction, Reality Shaping and The Work
- Thread starter Laura
- Start date
I enjoyed this short novel. It was hilarious in the first part of the
story where unsuspecting little mouse starts showing her little temperaments (damn frank answers to the conventional interview). But, soon turned into her instinctual kind character to ducal family by trying to open them up to resolve their deep-rooted misgivings by kindness, the courage to face the adversity, ignoring the insults. In the end, it is just like she handled her small brothers and sisters with the extraordinary ability to read the wounded family. I felt irritated to Anthony's programs of looking everything through the lens of contract, while she goes on as an expert psychotherapist to resolve the issues in the short time she suspected to have. I thought it odd that she felt hurt ( though it looked sentimental at first)by the blame of "bounty hunter", which she could have resolved it easily the way she resolved others misgivings, but she seems to have set high standards for herself.
As a whole, it is a short novel, but could have been long given so many characters issues the author tried to address. I was surprised by the complex set of wounding in the family rather than the few linear cause and effect issues.
while reading these books, I feel that this forums preparation in psychology book reading, makes Balogh's introspective style very enjoyable.
Another thing I observed during my growing up years(and wondered), how women tend to immediatly jump into their roles of her husband's family with no apparent training or preparation or education for what looks like a mere ritual of marriage ceremony. It is as if it is a switch turned. That is the case in this novel the role of Miss Charity though she say to the effect of making lemonaide if one only have lemon. Probably there is some serious soul's prompting that happens at that time and it makes sense if the body only exists for the soul's experience.
I had slowed my reading pace on the romance novels but I'm finishing up the second book in the Huxtable Quintet series now. It's a lazy rainy Saturday as the remnants of Hurricane Delta beats a direct path to Nashville. A perfect day for reading. I'm sure I will proceed to the third book in the series shortly...
I shed a few tears near the end of Mary Balogh's The First Snowdrop. Although this is one of her first novels, her writing has greatly improved since then IMO, it was still gripping and witty. So far I haven't read a romance novel where the situation in the beginning for the couple looked so bleak.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first four books of Jennifer Ashley's MacKenzies & McBrides series. Fortunately at one point I remembered Adaryn's review who wrote that the sex in the novels was 'clean', which helped, because I started having doubts, but when I read on I could see what the main character's intentions were and that I had misjudged him. I am learning to eat humble pie while reading these novels!
I finished An Earl Like You, book 2 of Caroline Linden's Wagers of Sin series. It hit me pretty hard. I'm guessing with all the different combinations of storylines and authors' styles, there's bound to be one of these books that hits home hard. There will be some books we relate to more than others. I think it's a bit like the match game; we're holding a card and each different book is a card that can match more closely or not with the card we're holding.
I'm gobbling up these books. I think of a thirsty man drinking from a fire hydrant. These books, with people learning to do the right thing and having happily ever after endings, are sources of light in a dark shutdown world.
I'm gobbling up these books. I think of a thirsty man drinking from a fire hydrant. These books, with people learning to do the right thing and having happily ever after endings, are sources of light in a dark shutdown world.
Hey everyone, I just finished dancing with Clara and Courting Julia from Mary Balogh. I found the first of the two to be somewhat therapeutic.
Overall, i am sensing an emotional shift in myself, or at least a mourning? of all these narrative and programs I have clutched. Also, i have found that these books are providing me with an understanding of the value of a relationship. A lot of content i have seen weighs relationships in a pure material aspect. The learning, development and growth of these characters is where the true value seems to be and it takes a lot the pressure i had put on my self out if i ever enter into a relationship again. It's a growth mindset, these books are very healing and overall rewarding and enlightening themes. I have learned a lot so far, i'm back on the Mckenzie and Mcbride series.
Having struggled with the idea of worthiness, with past mistakes and how that could potentially reflect on my future, it was a rewarding read to see the level of forgiveness and acceptance these two characters had towards each other. Notably Clara's ability to forgive and move on.
Overall, i am sensing an emotional shift in myself, or at least a mourning? of all these narrative and programs I have clutched. Also, i have found that these books are providing me with an understanding of the value of a relationship. A lot of content i have seen weighs relationships in a pure material aspect. The learning, development and growth of these characters is where the true value seems to be and it takes a lot the pressure i had put on my self out if i ever enter into a relationship again. It's a growth mindset, these books are very healing and overall rewarding and enlightening themes. I have learned a lot so far, i'm back on the Mckenzie and Mcbride series.
My very first romance novel! And yes, the end... Enough to melt any heart I dare say.
Added: This was a book by Balogh that I picked out of the blue. It is not one Laura recommended. She might of had she read it, but I don't believe she has. It made it on to the recommended reading list somehow. Just FYI
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It is already in the initial recommended book list. Probably, I misunderstanding.
Same here! Lots of laughing and quite a few tears. Temporary Wife is my favorite book so far, and although the second by her I read (The other being Promise of Spring - they came into one book) Balogh is my favorite author yet. I am looking forward to reading more from her.
I‘ve finished Laura Kinsale's book, "My Sweet Folly".
Jeez, that was some ride...!!!
I didn’t know what to think about it for half of the book; it was scary for the moments and then totally confusing. Was this guy having halucinations or split personalities or really seeing this stuff - or what is going on here!!!???
I was totally puzzled.
I also liked the spy turn in the novel.
But I was totally astonished by the damage in Robert - it was so devastating to read.
I couldn’t believe his decisions, his actions and how he treated Folly - it was so painful and sad and horrible. My heart was crushed.....
The only thing about this book I couldn’t manage was the writing; Kingsale has so specific and different writing from any other author so far that at times I really couldn’t follow the story.
Before it was some strange words for some objects which you can easily find online but here was the whole sentences written in a way it was hard to me to understand.
Also I feel that the novel had a sudden end.
At one point they are standing there arguing and then all is fine.
I missed this fine part where masks fell off between the people.
But overall it was really good novel with a lot action and emotion was set to max and the characters were just amazing.
Jeez, that was some ride...!!!
I didn’t know what to think about it for half of the book; it was scary for the moments and then totally confusing. Was this guy having halucinations or split personalities or really seeing this stuff - or what is going on here!!!???
I was totally puzzled.
I also liked the spy turn in the novel.
But I was totally astonished by the damage in Robert - it was so devastating to read.
I couldn’t believe his decisions, his actions and how he treated Folly - it was so painful and sad and horrible. My heart was crushed.....
The only thing about this book I couldn’t manage was the writing; Kingsale has so specific and different writing from any other author so far that at times I really couldn’t follow the story.
Before it was some strange words for some objects which you can easily find online but here was the whole sentences written in a way it was hard to me to understand.
Also I feel that the novel had a sudden end.
At one point they are standing there arguing and then all is fine.
I missed this fine part where masks fell off between the people.
But overall it was really good novel with a lot action and emotion was set to max and the characters were just amazing.
lilies
The Living Force
Clairvoyance event during the third book: What a Duke Dares.
By this time, I was thoroughly worked by the first two books, experienced deep changes like this dough the baker is kneading:
I was following the tribulations of Pen, the heroine. The Valley of Darkness she had to walk through to finally reach her lover's heart. By this time, all the absolutely stunning love declarations and all the love-scenes threw me into a sort of "therapeutic-soul-hypnosis": as I read and re-read the amazing sentences in complete awe and wonder, they felt like pouring a healing-salve on my soul. Re-living Campbell's descriptions in my mind, I was dazzled, like turning around in a room of mirrors. All these never-before experienced love & warmth romantic feelings were just showering me, loving-kindness was beamed my direction from all the mirrors at once.. I guess I must have reached some kind of a limit, because suddenly I was elsewhere:
~
Bright sky and blue low-hills in the background: A meadow, a tree branch.. a garden, all these very blurry, bathed in almost blinding, golden sunlight. Trees in full bloom, blurred. A person is standing in the center. Golden, semi-short hair.. and she is laughing in genuine bliss.
First that was a shock, as its very rare in the "social circles" where I don't move in: I hardly ever see someone in my life doing that. Then came her thoughts in a stream of "strobe-light" flashes. It was a short burst, ((lasting as long as you see in action movies, when a trusty, automatic rifle is burst-shot quickly by the professional commando protagonist)).
First I caught a full-bright 'photograph image' of Anna in the sunshine with her blonde, shining hair - she was throwing her head back doing a big, fully heart-felt laughter. Her emotions-thoughts like a transparent 'silk-veil-cloud' was floating into my head touching my mind. It was fantastic! She was filled with delight, happiness and joy. Rare to see people producing such a pure, lovely laughter coming from the heart.
The intimacy of touching her thoughts & Being - felt like a soft-explosion of warmth-surprise-shock in the back of my neck and chest. I caught her amazing, positive general-outlook on life. How she was and is always attempting to solve her life problems by 'looking up to the sun' and let the light shine on her face and the bright rays warm her soul. She was is always striving to be hopeful, jovial, confident! Aspiring, joyful, good-humored, sunny and optimistic. The shock of the bright "cloud" of emotions coming from her hit me considerably, because I never experienced someone looking so encouragingly and happily forward(!) to life, toward the future.
Sorry... I have no experience with emotions. Regards solving life problems I was always desperate, depressed, afraid, aghast. I was / am always gnashing my teeth, I was / am always in the darkness.. Then just seeing somebody living in a brightness-dimension.. experiencing her thoughts - even for just less than a second..
She was the complete-amazing total opposite of all my Grim & Darkness life-outlook: she was so purely, genuinely happy and trusting and brave. What's more ==> She was is CONFIDENT in her ability to remain so and keep up her gaiety!
After the vivacity of this event, I began wondering, if she is alive? Because the beginning of her books didn't explicitly state.. Then I went to her website and read that she is indeed very much alive! Then one glance on her photo made me smile brightly. :D
My eyes are becoming watery, its harder to type..
By this time, I was thoroughly worked by the first two books, experienced deep changes like this dough the baker is kneading:
I was following the tribulations of Pen, the heroine. The Valley of Darkness she had to walk through to finally reach her lover's heart. By this time, all the absolutely stunning love declarations and all the love-scenes threw me into a sort of "therapeutic-soul-hypnosis": as I read and re-read the amazing sentences in complete awe and wonder, they felt like pouring a healing-salve on my soul. Re-living Campbell's descriptions in my mind, I was dazzled, like turning around in a room of mirrors. All these never-before experienced love & warmth romantic feelings were just showering me, loving-kindness was beamed my direction from all the mirrors at once.. I guess I must have reached some kind of a limit, because suddenly I was elsewhere:
~
Bright sky and blue low-hills in the background: A meadow, a tree branch.. a garden, all these very blurry, bathed in almost blinding, golden sunlight. Trees in full bloom, blurred. A person is standing in the center. Golden, semi-short hair.. and she is laughing in genuine bliss.
First that was a shock, as its very rare in the "social circles" where I don't move in: I hardly ever see someone in my life doing that. Then came her thoughts in a stream of "strobe-light" flashes. It was a short burst, ((lasting as long as you see in action movies, when a trusty, automatic rifle is burst-shot quickly by the professional commando protagonist)).
First I caught a full-bright 'photograph image' of Anna in the sunshine with her blonde, shining hair - she was throwing her head back doing a big, fully heart-felt laughter. Her emotions-thoughts like a transparent 'silk-veil-cloud' was floating into my head touching my mind. It was fantastic! She was filled with delight, happiness and joy. Rare to see people producing such a pure, lovely laughter coming from the heart.
The intimacy of touching her thoughts & Being - felt like a soft-explosion of warmth-surprise-shock in the back of my neck and chest. I caught her amazing, positive general-outlook on life. How she was and is always attempting to solve her life problems by 'looking up to the sun' and let the light shine on her face and the bright rays warm her soul. She was is always striving to be hopeful, jovial, confident! Aspiring, joyful, good-humored, sunny and optimistic. The shock of the bright "cloud" of emotions coming from her hit me considerably, because I never experienced someone looking so encouragingly and happily forward(!) to life, toward the future.
Sorry... I have no experience with emotions. Regards solving life problems I was always desperate, depressed, afraid, aghast. I was / am always gnashing my teeth, I was / am always in the darkness.. Then just seeing somebody living in a brightness-dimension.. experiencing her thoughts - even for just less than a second..
She was the complete-amazing total opposite of all my Grim & Darkness life-outlook: she was so purely, genuinely happy and trusting and brave. What's more ==> She was is CONFIDENT in her ability to remain so and keep up her gaiety!
After the vivacity of this event, I began wondering, if she is alive? Because the beginning of her books didn't explicitly state.. Then I went to her website and read that she is indeed very much alive! Then one glance on her photo made me smile brightly. :D
My eyes are becoming watery, its harder to type..
Tauriel
Dagobah Resident
I'm reading the last novel of the Mackenzies series, which is 11 novels and 4 shorter stories.
I'm in love with all of them. Some touched me more deeply than others- there were tears and laughter and worry and relief.
As already mentioned here before one fine day in September I suddenly felt a rush of energy so I've been able to get things done in and around the house whereas before I've been in a state of subdepression and lethargy due to the crazy affairs of this world.
The energy-high hasn't yet subsided and every muscle is sore due to the hard physical work. I'm so pleased with the results and had a nice workout.
Like for others there is a constant lack of sleep because I find it hard to stop reading at night. I'm still happy.
I realize I'm having a bit more patience with others and my relationship which was literally dead before received some infusion of life.
But the greatest thing for me is that the books made me dissociate from the mad and dark things that are going on in our world.
I still see them, acknowledge them, sometimes fight them but they are not pressing me down anymore.
It's a very real feeling of being in this world but not of it....
It's the greatest relief and I will work on maintaining this distance. Of course this cannot be taken as a given for the future but for now I'm only grateful.
I'm in love with all of them. Some touched me more deeply than others- there were tears and laughter and worry and relief.
As already mentioned here before one fine day in September I suddenly felt a rush of energy so I've been able to get things done in and around the house whereas before I've been in a state of subdepression and lethargy due to the crazy affairs of this world.
The energy-high hasn't yet subsided and every muscle is sore due to the hard physical work. I'm so pleased with the results and had a nice workout.
Like for others there is a constant lack of sleep because I find it hard to stop reading at night. I'm still happy.
I realize I'm having a bit more patience with others and my relationship which was literally dead before received some infusion of life.
But the greatest thing for me is that the books made me dissociate from the mad and dark things that are going on in our world.
I still see them, acknowledge them, sometimes fight them but they are not pressing me down anymore.
It's a very real feeling of being in this world but not of it....
It's the greatest relief and I will work on maintaining this distance. Of course this cannot be taken as a given for the future but for now I'm only grateful.
Well, I just finished reading an absolutely harrowing Balogh book. It was the third in a trilogy. All of them were good.
The Gilded Web
Web of Love
The Devil's Web
Interestingly, the main characters of these books are secondary characters in another book: Promise of Spring. The characters in this latter book, reappear several times in the Web trilogy, so it is nice to have some follow up on them. And, of course, about all the characters of each of the Web books appear in the others.
One of the main contrasts is that of being raised in a loving home versus being raised in a home dominated by harsh and unforgiving, even violent, parents. But, woah, I don't think I've ever seen a character so tied up in knots as a result of his father's harsh nature than James, the protagonist in Devil's Web. That poor guy was a MESS. It was utterly painful to read. But I'm pretty sure I've known people like that.
So, anyway, read Promise of Spring first and pay attention to the side characters and the setting. Then start with Web of Gold. This is a SUPER rich set of characters and dynamics. A LOT to learn there.
The Gilded Web
Web of Love
The Devil's Web
Interestingly, the main characters of these books are secondary characters in another book: Promise of Spring. The characters in this latter book, reappear several times in the Web trilogy, so it is nice to have some follow up on them. And, of course, about all the characters of each of the Web books appear in the others.
One of the main contrasts is that of being raised in a loving home versus being raised in a home dominated by harsh and unforgiving, even violent, parents. But, woah, I don't think I've ever seen a character so tied up in knots as a result of his father's harsh nature than James, the protagonist in Devil's Web. That poor guy was a MESS. It was utterly painful to read. But I'm pretty sure I've known people like that.
So, anyway, read Promise of Spring first and pay attention to the side characters and the setting. Then start with Web of Gold. This is a SUPER rich set of characters and dynamics. A LOT to learn there.
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