tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post6657031819296498376..comments2024-03-28T14:19:54.076-04:00Comments on The Romance Dish: Review - - The Dark Affairpjpuppymomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-35451254512414129762014-03-05T11:12:54.299-05:002014-03-05T11:12:54.299-05:00Exactly! The tone of the work (and she writes beau...Exactly! The tone of the work (and she writes beautifully--the kind of writing you just like to read, you know?) harkens back to the older gothic novels we all used to love. However, she has couched it in a reality of the time: addiction, opium availability and acceptance of use in medicines (et al), and social structure and expectations (i.e. you could be thrown into an asylum on a whim if you Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-36147738714529950702014-03-04T22:47:55.731-05:002014-03-04T22:47:55.731-05:00Thank you for the review. I had not heard of this...Thank you for the review. I had not heard of this author, so thank you for letting us know about her. I enjoy something a bit less sweet in a story. I have a stash of old gothic romances (I guess) from the 1960s and 1970s. Every once in a while I pull one out to read. Some of them are a bit far out there. This one sounds like it is closer to "reality" which makes it all the more Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-2207662333455261242014-03-04T21:50:51.052-05:002014-03-04T21:50:51.052-05:00Most definitely, Hellie. Something for every read...Most definitely, Hellie. Something for every reader and every reader's mood. pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-53815665078077516382014-03-04T20:55:12.123-05:002014-03-04T20:55:12.123-05:00She definitely has an engaging voice, at least for...She definitely has an engaging voice, at least for me. :) But I think that's a pretty common consensus across the board too--her Voice is great; and her storytelling, setting are very much her strengths. I go through moods of what I want to read too: light and fluffy; contemporary; historical; dark, gritty, intense... I'm glad there are books for every mood. One of the best things about Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-56372984406626439932014-03-04T19:44:39.673-05:002014-03-04T19:44:39.673-05:00LOL! I need some sun, too! The longest winter in h...LOL! I need some sun, too! The longest winter in history!Sharlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04287663628706669934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-31650993276115968002014-03-04T16:05:00.645-05:002014-03-04T16:05:00.645-05:00Thanks, Hellie! I've heard good things about ...Thanks, Hellie! I've heard good things about Claremont's writing. I enjoy a variety of books. Sometimes I want light and fluffy but, at other times, I enjoy a dark and intense story. Next time I'm in that mood, I'll definitely check out this book. pjpuppymomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18234101901405553621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-76991356649893588732014-03-04T15:33:01.815-05:002014-03-04T15:33:01.815-05:00I agree, Sharlene. That might have helped. And I&#...I agree, Sharlene. That might have helped. And I'm not trying to scare people off either, I'm really not. I will also throw in the disclaimer that I'm suffering Winter Blues (so darker reads are even darker to me right now), the Philip Hoffman thing, and just stress in general may have contributed to my less than raving response. I do believe it was a very good book; just for me, I Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-41882842808893501132014-03-04T15:28:22.327-05:002014-03-04T15:28:22.327-05:00Catslady, it sounds like we value the same things:...Catslady, it sounds like we value the same things: variety, edgy and dark. *LOL* Definitely give her a whirl. Sharlene below advocates for reading the book before it to give some perspective and clarity--and I think that is probably sound advice. As for the voice of the author and the authenticity of the world and setting, I wholeheartedly recommend Maire Claremont. Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-62742672327430631452014-03-04T15:26:17.941-05:002014-03-04T15:26:17.941-05:00*LOL* I understand, Q! And I totally understand va...*LOL* I understand, Q! And I totally understand valuing books where they deal with the lighter aspects of a period. (Hence why we never have romance novels in Victorian settings where everyone is poor. SURE, they fell in love too, but it's really hard to embrace that Happily Ever After and we want them to be rewarded.) When books tend to take on grittier topics, it does run a finer line of Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-73395168081464782552014-03-04T15:21:45.754-05:002014-03-04T15:21:45.754-05:00It was very intense and engaging! I hope you like ...It was very intense and engaging! I hope you like it!! Maire's attention to detail with the time period is very rewarding to read!Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-25964374176161206562014-03-04T14:01:51.653-05:002014-03-04T14:01:51.653-05:00I don't think it was easy. I had read Lady In ...I don't think it was easy. I had read Lady In Red shortly before reading The Dark Affair, so I saw Powers in that one, already struggling with the addiction, and to me it seems he was trying to fight it at that time. I found both of these books to have an underlying message of hope, right from the beginning, with characters that were obviously good at heart. I never felt totally hopeless for Sharlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04287663628706669934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-74585687275873460222014-03-04T13:09:22.945-05:002014-03-04T13:09:22.945-05:00I like variety and edgy and dark are a nice change...I like variety and edgy and dark are a nice change of pace so for me this sounds like an author I need to give a try - thanks for the review!catsladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06375770995988927860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-36844206966968345622014-03-04T12:23:18.242-05:002014-03-04T12:23:18.242-05:00Hellie, this reminds me of a play I once took a gi...Hellie, this reminds me of a play I once took a girl friend to watch. while still students. It was 'House of the Dead' by Dostoevsky which had great reviews from the art critics. <br /><br />Half way through the first act my friend stood up and in a loud voice declared "I can't watch this rubbish any more. I want to be entertained". She then marched out, with me strugglingQuantumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08686409685564115213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-77961994956840426882014-03-04T10:40:49.656-05:002014-03-04T10:40:49.656-05:00WOW this excerpt is great the book sounds like a w...WOW this excerpt is great the book sounds like a winner to me.peggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02053510523804439809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-20691631861288485992014-03-04T10:23:37.341-05:002014-03-04T10:23:37.341-05:00I found the book very enjoyable! And yes, I do agr...I found the book very enjoyable! And yes, I do agree that Maire does impart a lot of knowledge and research about the topic (without being overdone, obviously!). I just think it needed to be longer!Hellie Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933713255844695337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57166953240040768.post-43456676317929225252014-03-04T08:46:27.374-05:002014-03-04T08:46:27.374-05:00While Maire's novels may be a bit dark, I find...While Maire's novels may be a bit dark, I find that she also imparts lots of information on addiction and lessons to be learned from it. I have not read her new novel yet, but certainly plan to. Conniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03217408544219883095noreply@blogger.com