Susan G. (WestofMars) reviewed The Downfall of a Good Girl (LaBlanc Sisters, Bk 1) (Harlequin Kiss, No 2) on + 162 more book reviews
When I saw the review at Dear Author, I had to grab it from one of the book trading sites. Paperback Swap came to my rescue, and Kimberly Langs The Downfall of a Good Girl was destined to be a sneaky weekend read, the sort of Rock Fiction escapism that I was sorely in need of.
The story is about two New Orleans natives, kids who grew up with each other but who are now competing in a charity competition to raise the most cash. It reminds me of the sort of thing that Donald Trump would have his Apprentice wanna-bes do. And I like it, if only because Vivienne and Connor are doing more than merely working their networks for cash donations. They get down and dirty in the Ninth Ward, helping clean up debris that still remains, years after Katrina.
The story itself is fine. Its the fact that Connor is supposed to be this piano crooner with a bad boy image that I dont buy. Youd think a book with this sort of hero would be squarely in the Rock Fiction category.
It is, but only by default. I had way too many problems with Connor. First off, he seems totally generic. Part of what makes Rock Fiction so unique is that the men and women who work in the music business have an oomph to them, a special charisma that wouldnt allow them to work in any other industry. Connor, were told, has a bad boy image, but we dont really see it. In fact, he comes off as a considerate man. Thats far from being a bad boy. And its a little bit bland, too.
Other things bother me like his hand problem. No, not that he has a problem with his handsit could very well be something simple like carpal tunnel. The issue is that he never tells his smarmy manager about it. Thats not much of a relationshipor business senseif he cant tell her the truth about things that affect both their bottom lines.
My final quibble is about the now de rigeur scene at the piano. Does every single romance have a scene where the musical hero writes his woman a song at the piano, or as she gazes adoringly at him over his guitar? This one is particularly good, in that author Lang picks out some really spectacular details. But in the end its a scene weve seen a million times.
So overall, The Downfall of a Good Girl was a perfect weekend romance. Just fast enough to be a break from the rest of my regular grind, but nothing to write home about. In fact, given how disappointing it was as a work of Rock Fiction, its almost a better-kept secret.
One last note: Id happily read more of Kimberly Langs books. The woman can write, and her eye for detail rocks. We used to correspond when she actively blogged at The Writers Playground and I ran Win a Book. Shes good people, and shes a writer worth reading.
The story is about two New Orleans natives, kids who grew up with each other but who are now competing in a charity competition to raise the most cash. It reminds me of the sort of thing that Donald Trump would have his Apprentice wanna-bes do. And I like it, if only because Vivienne and Connor are doing more than merely working their networks for cash donations. They get down and dirty in the Ninth Ward, helping clean up debris that still remains, years after Katrina.
The story itself is fine. Its the fact that Connor is supposed to be this piano crooner with a bad boy image that I dont buy. Youd think a book with this sort of hero would be squarely in the Rock Fiction category.
It is, but only by default. I had way too many problems with Connor. First off, he seems totally generic. Part of what makes Rock Fiction so unique is that the men and women who work in the music business have an oomph to them, a special charisma that wouldnt allow them to work in any other industry. Connor, were told, has a bad boy image, but we dont really see it. In fact, he comes off as a considerate man. Thats far from being a bad boy. And its a little bit bland, too.
Other things bother me like his hand problem. No, not that he has a problem with his handsit could very well be something simple like carpal tunnel. The issue is that he never tells his smarmy manager about it. Thats not much of a relationshipor business senseif he cant tell her the truth about things that affect both their bottom lines.
My final quibble is about the now de rigeur scene at the piano. Does every single romance have a scene where the musical hero writes his woman a song at the piano, or as she gazes adoringly at him over his guitar? This one is particularly good, in that author Lang picks out some really spectacular details. But in the end its a scene weve seen a million times.
So overall, The Downfall of a Good Girl was a perfect weekend romance. Just fast enough to be a break from the rest of my regular grind, but nothing to write home about. In fact, given how disappointing it was as a work of Rock Fiction, its almost a better-kept secret.
One last note: Id happily read more of Kimberly Langs books. The woman can write, and her eye for detail rocks. We used to correspond when she actively blogged at The Writers Playground and I ran Win a Book. Shes good people, and shes a writer worth reading.
