TBR reduction project (TBRRP)

We software people love to make up acronyms ;) We're very addicted to them, in fact, we can't talk to each other without them. This drives Bob nuts because whenever I use one he can't understand what I'm talking about. Uh, honey, it's not the acronyms. You man, me woman. OK.

Anyway, I've made some progress on my goal of making a dent in my TBR this month by reading books that have been there the longest (pre-2002).

Unforgettable by Meryl Sawyer
I loved the setting of this book on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Greg is part of the Maui search and rescue team and is training a disaster dog when the dog discovers an injured woman in a car at the bottom of a ravine. The woman is unconscious and appears to be dressed as a prostitute. At the hospital they find that the woman has a rare form of amnesia, is wearing a dead woman's shoe, and the car she was found in was stolen. Greg has been burned in a past relationship so he has trust issues and wants nothing to do with her. But he gives the woman the name 'Lucky' and helps her uncover the mystery surrounding her identity. This was the first book I have read by Sawyer and I was not very impressed with it. A bit long winded and I'm not that fond of amnesia plots or heros who believe the worst of a girl just because she's dressed like a hooker :)
My grade: C


Manhunt by Janet Evanovich
This book was filled with snappy hysterically funny dialogue that really worked. My problem came with the heroine. She's such a ditz. She gives up her East Coast high power job and beautiful condo to trade homes with a quirky Alaskan who owns a fishing and hunting store. He takes her condo and she takes his house. Yeah, right. She heads to Alaska to find a husband and discovers that her new home is a log cabin with no plumbing, not even an outhouse, no electricity and is filled with mice. But she is thrilled with the place, absolutely loves it. Yeah, right, this is totally believable, don't you think? Uh, huh. The next door neighbor is a cute hunk who does not want to commit and she spends most of her time at his house where she cooks and showers. The hero is commitment-phobic and I disliked the heroine, but the snappy dialogue saved the book. This is an oldie of Evanovich's before she turned to writing mystery.
My grade: B-


The Bargain by Mary Jo Putney
This book is a re-write of a regency 'The Would-Be Widow' first published in 1989. In order to keep her fortune, an heiress marries an officer dying from his wounds suffered at Waterloo. But he doesn't die and completely recovers unexpectedly from his injuries! This was a terrific story with wonderful characters. I have a soft spot for marriage of convenience stories where the H/H grow to love each other. Deep well drawn characters with smoothly flowing plot.
My grade: B

Baby, I'm Yours by Susan Andersen
This is a mistaken identity road-romance story. Bounty hunter Sam McKade from Florida arrests the wrong woman, Catherine MacPherson, in Seattle. Sam mistakes Catherine for her twin sister, Kaylee, a showgirl who is hiding from the mob. They embark on a cross country bus trip. During the trip Catherine tries to convince him he has the wrong woman, and of course he doesn't believe her for quite some time. Catherine has a chance to escape when Sam becomes extremely ill from food poisoning but she sticks by to take care of him. This was a light-hearted funny quick read with some nice sexy love scenes. About the time I was ready to clobber Sam for continuing to believe Catherine is Kaylee, he finally figures out he has the wrong person. I liked both H/H and even slightly airheaded Kaylee.
My grade: B

Forbidden Fantasy by Tiffany White
This book is set in France. Feeling abandoned by her cop husband Zoe flees to Paris after the breakup of her marriage to grieve and heal. She meets a stranger/stalker type in Paris who convinces her to become involved in a steamy fantasy affair. As I'm reading I'm totally not enjoying the affair with a total stranger plot. OMG, I am such a dorky doofus. I did not figure out the identity of the stranger till almost the very end. *head smack* I'm an idiot. The clues were staring me in the face but I just didn't get it. When I finally realize who this guy is, I actually liked the characters and the plot. The only bad part for me was that the bedroom door is closed on all the love scenes. If the author had kept the door open with some nice steamy sex scenes, this could have been so much better. But as it was, I felt a bit gyped.
My grade: B-

Ooo, this is getting too long. I'll continue on another post.