AAR Reviews: Return of Devotion

This review is now posted on the All About Romance (AAR) website. Remember AAR is both a resource for book reviews across all the sub-genres of romance and a place to find offers, deals and previews of books soon to be released. Enjoy!

A RETURN OF DEVOTION

by Kristie Ann Hunter

I read A Defense of Honor, the first book of the Haven Manor series, liked it very much, and immediately bought the second installment. I found A Return of Devotion a very different experience, one I struggled with as a reader. Whereas A Defense of Honor has a steady pace driven by the action plot woven with the romance, A Return of Devotion spends a little too much time in the character’s minds and too little time on the romance. This book can stand alone but reading the first will provide the necessary backstory for Haven Manor, its mission, and show the heroine in her element.


William and Daphne are intensely aware of each other, but that awareness serves to bring out Christian themes or the characters’ internal struggles more than increasing romantic tension between them. As a reader, after the first twenty-five pages, I had to reset my expectations into the author’s rhythm of characters focused on the external plot and not on each other, at least romantically. Once I did, I became engaged with these two people, both facing long-held assumptions about their class and their lives and growing into their best selves. However, I sorely missed the more consistent interplay and emotional spark commonly evident in the romance genre.

Fans of Ms. Hunter and readers looking for engaging Christian fiction will certainly enjoy A Return of Devotion with its interesting characters and important moral messages. However, if you’re in the mood for a story focused on the growing love between two people, this book may not be the right choice for you.

Find the Buy Links and Full Review at All About Romance.

Today's "Sweet" Romance - Not So Sweet? What's a Reader To Do?

The Traditional Definition of a "Sweet" Romance

A story of any length within the Romance genre which depicts no sex, shows no violence, and uses no foul language. In the Movie world, these stories would be rated G.

Is this the kind of romance you enjoy? I certainly do. I write them as well as read them. However, when I explain that I write sweet romances, many readers look puzzled. "Why would I want to read a romance without sex?" is a common reaction. 

All About Romance (AAR), a popular romance reviewing website, agrees. "The vast majority of single title romances feature 'Warm' sensuality." AAR goes on to say that many of the best-selling authors of the genre like Nora Roberts, Beverly Jenkins, Bella Andre, and Susan Anderson write in the "Hot" category. These categories are part of AAR's 5-level "Sensuality Ratings Guide." The 5-level scale includes: Kisses, Subtle, Warm, Hot, and Burning.

The AAR "Kisses" level equates to the traditional definition of Sweet Romance. Readers and authors in this sub-genre often use the phrases "sweet and clean" or "clean reads" to emphasize the no-sex aspect of these books. The sub-genre of Inspirational Romance, which for the most part equals Christian Romance, fits in the "Kisses" sensuality level. 

On a side note, authors who write in the higher sensuality levels may cringe at the term "clean" which implies that any sex in a novel is "dirty". "Clean" or "Dirty" is a judgment call, and everyone is entitled to her own opinion and preference. I avoid the word "clean" in my own descriptions out of respect for my fellow authors.

However, many romance authors do acknowledge the well-known marketing adage -- Sex Sells! This is as true for selling romance as it is for selling cars or perfume. Authors of traditional Sweet Romance admit that they do like to "mix-it-up" by writing some books at the "Kisses" level, and other books at the "Subtle", or even the "Warm", sensuality level. The "Subtle" level allows for kissing and touching and for lovemaking only in general terms with a lot of emotional language. The "Warm" level includes some physical details without graphic body parts, perhaps one or two love scenes in the entire book, and many euphemisms. You might find the description "Sweet with a Little Spice" attached to these books.

Enter the St. George (somewhat official, based on a bit of research... ) 

Practical Definition of a "Sweet" Romance

A story of any length within the Romance genre which falls within the lower ranges of Sensuality, Violence, and Language scales.

Not so sweet. Now the lines of sensuality are truly blurred into a continuum. As readers, you and I face a dilemma. A book's cover gives you only so much information concerning the sensuality in the the story. You take a clue from the bodies of the people on the cover, and the descriptive words in the back text. You might know the series, the author, or the publisher's line and so infer what to expect. Still, you could be disappointed. Too much sex, not enough sex, too subtle, too much language, not enough graphic words. And you've paid good money for a dissatisfying experience. 

I'm going to do my part. For every book that I write, review or list on my site, I will add a Sensuality Rating based on the AAR levels. For books at those lower ranges, I'll add the word "sweet". Check out my Sensuality Ratings Scale. Use it when you review books. Encourage your friends to use it. 

Do you know of any other blogs or reviewing sites that use a Sensuality Scale? Comment and let us know. 

Review: Jane-A-Day: 5 Year Journal: 365 Witticisms by Jane Austen

Jane-A-Day: 5 Year Journal: 365 Witticisms by Jane Austen by Potter Style
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have not yet completed the 5-year journey with this book, but I continue to find enjoyment every night. The daily quotes come not only from Austen's published works, but also from her letters and the letters of her family. After reading the quote and smiling at the memory or wisdom, I use the brief space as a "gratitude" journal to record the events, things and people for which I am grateful that day.
I don't often note it, but I am grateful for Jane-A-Day!

Like Regency romance? Try Shadow Love.  Handsome Codebreaker + Loyal Daughter + Wartime Intrigue = Romance!

View all my reviews

Writing Process Blog Tour - July Edition

Back in March, I hopped into the flow of a Monday Blog Tour answering an invitation from Ariella Moon and her post The Writing Process.  The Writing Process Blog Tour asks four questions of each writer who joins in, and today it's time for an update. At the end of my post you'll find the next "tagged" author. Advantage to you? You can follow this Tuesday Blog backwards and forwards to meet a lot of authors and learn about how this mystery called writing works. 

My thanks to Cindy K. Green for the invitation to "hop in".  Check out her answers to the Four Questions and learn more about her writing process. 

My Writing Process

What am I working on?

I'm finishing the final installment of SHADOW LOVE, a Regency historical romance. Bethany Hathaway tries to deal with the London Season, the fact that her mother accidentally shot a peer, and holding the peer's persistent and attractive brother, Alexander Grayson, at arm's length. The book is being published in installments, chapter by chapter. When the book is complete, it will be re-issued as an entire work. Serial publication is a new concept in romance, although it's popular in science fiction and fantasy.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My contemporary novels have been described as "delightful slices of life" and "uplifting", and my writing as "eloquent".  These novels feature a librarian in some way, in honor of my training and second profession. In all of my writing, I add the touch of the Spirit by exploring life's options. For many of us, the choice that lies before us is not between Good and Bad, but between Good and Best. There are plenty of things we can do, judged as Good by society, our parents, our church, our peers. But what is Best for us? What will match our talents and joy to the world's needs? I like exploring that kind of choice through my writing.

Why do I write what I write?

I write sweet romance (little descriptive sex or violence) because I like the tension that builds between people who are caught in social or life situations that keep them apart without the complicating layer of physical love. Elinor's pulsing emotions under the surface in Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" are what I want to reproduce. Other than that, I write what I write when a subject, a character, a scene or a setting grabs me and won't let go. Elsewhere in this blog, you can read how that happened for each of my books.

How does my writing process work?

I start with what grabs me, as I said above, and usually one or two scenes form in my mind.  I'll write those down. After that, I'm a planner. I create character sketches for the hero and heroine using a template that I've drawn from several sources. Those sketches are full-blown biographies, so I'm already doing research as I go. Then I start plotting. I have a couple of plot tools that I use. There's a Conflict Grid and the Book in a Month system by Victoria Lynn Schmidt that help with story line. Finally I create a plot grid using a software program called Writer's Blocks which allows me to keep scenes, settings and timeline all in sync. I write the first draft in one long gulp, usually over a month. Then after another round of research and plotting, I begin rewriting and editing, rewriting and editing, each time looking at a different piece of the novel, such as dialogue or repeated words. Then it's ready to send out to my core of first readers. Whew! Every step of this journey strengthens my writing and the story. You get to enjoy the results!

Fellow Travelers on the Blog Hop

Cindy K. Green is an award-winning author of more than 10 titles both in print and out of print. She's a fellow member of the Heart of Carolina RWA chapter here in North Carolina  A previous middle school history and English teacher, she now writes Inspirational Christian and Sweet Fiction for Adults and Young Adults. 

Next Tuesday, July 29th,  join Lynne Stringer, for your next stop on the Writing Process World Hop. Lynne has been passionate about writing all her life. She wrote her debut Young Adult sci-fi romance novel, THE HEIR, in 2010. THE HEIR is the first book in the Verindon trilogy and has now been joined by THE CROWN and THE REIGN.

My Writing Process - I'm a Plotter To The Max

Plotter or Pantser?

Writers can easily describe themselves as one or the other.

Plotters... well, Plotters plot. There's a plan, a grid, index cards, a spreadsheet, something that holds a list of all the events or scenes that will appear in the novel in loose order. Detailed character descriptions are created before one word of the novel appears on a computer screen.

A Pantser sits down to write with an idea of who the characters are and what will happen to them and writes.

If you are a writer or are contemplating organizing words so that they tell a story, you will probably read the two descriptions above and immediately gravitate to one approach or the other. There's no right or wrong; one approach is not more successful than the other. There's only preference.

Plotter or Pantser? Writer's Choice

Plotter to the Max

I freely admit that I'm a PLOTTER. I use index cards, plot grids, a conflict table, and detailed character descriptions. On the software side, during different times in my process, I use Writer's Dreamkit, Writer's Blocks, MS Excel spreadsheets, and Scrivener to view the story from several angles. I have most of the story line worked out before I start writing. I like to know the beginning and the ending before setting out on the journey.

How does my writing process work?

I start with what grabs me: a conversation, a place, a character, an event. Usually one or two scenes form in my mind, and I'll write those down. After that, I turn on the PLOTTER. I create character sketches for the hero and heroine using a template that I've drawn from several sources. Those sketches are full-blown biographies, so I'm already doing research as I go. Then I start plotting, starting with a Conflict Grid and the Book in a Month system by Victoria Lynn Schmidt that help with story line. Finally I create a plot grid using Writer's Blocks which allows me to keep scenes, settings and timeline all in sync. I write the first draft in one long gulp, usually over a month. Then after another round of research and plotting, sometimes using different tools, I begin rewriting and editing, rewriting and editing, each time looking at another aspect of the novel, such as dialogue or repeated words. Then it's ready to send out to my core of first readers. Whew! Every step of this journey strengthens my writing and the story. You get to enjoy the results!

Why do I write what I write?

I write sweet romance (light on the sex and violence) because I like the tension between people who are caught in social or life situations that keep them apart without the complicating layer of physical love. Elinor's pulsing emotions under the surface in Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" are what I want to reproduce. Other than that, I write what I write when a subject, a character, a scene or a setting grabs me and won't let go. Elsewhere in this blog, you can read how that happened for each of my books.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My contemporary novels have been described as "delightful slices of life" and "uplifting", and my writing as "eloquent".  These novels often feature a librarian in some way, in honor of my training and second profession. One of my historical romance series, THE HATHAWAYS, is set in Regency England, a popular time and place. My second historical series, THE STORM WARRIORS, is set in the 1880's and the US Life Saving Service, the forerunner to the US Coast Guard. The setting is located on the shores of the Great Lakes, a less known location, but full of opportunities for romance. In all of my writing, I add the touch of the Spirit by exploring life's options. For many of us, the choice that lies before us is not between Good and Bad, but between Good and Best. There are plenty of things we can do, judged as Good by society, our parents, our church, our peers. But what is Best for us? What will match our talents and joy to the world's needs? I like exploring that kind of choice through my writing.

How Do Other Authors Work?

A fellow author from Clean Reads, Ariella Moon writes about magic, friendship, and love. She shares her home with family and a dragon, so be prepared for magic. She's made some writing magic with her trilogy The Teen Wytche Sage.

Visit with Shirley Kiger Connolly. Shirley, daughter of a 1940s mystery writer, enjoys penning inspirational historical fiction romances and books filled with lighthearted devotions and reflections.  

Cindy K. Green is an award-winning author of more than 10 titles both in print and out of print. She's a fellow member of the Heart of Carolina RWA chapter here in North Carolina  A previous middle school history and English teacher, she now writes Inspirational Christian and Sweet Fiction for Adults and Young Adults.

Visit with Lynne Stringer. Lynne has been passionate about writing all her life. She wrote her debut Young Adult sci-fi romance novel, THE HEIR, in 2010. THE HEIR is the first book in the Verindon trilogy and has now been joined by THE CROWN and THE REIGN.

Where Do You Get Your Ideas: The Making of Shadow Love

Regency England, January 1815. Napoleon has been captured, and the country explodes into celebration. With her family’s finances in tatters, Bethany Hathaway understands that marriage proposals this London Season are critical for both herself and her sister. The influx of visitors to the city makes this the perfect time to enter the Marriage Mart. If only Bethany had not discovered a man’s body in her home. If only the evidence did not point to her mother as the accidental murderer. To Society’s festivities Bethany must now add protecting her family and shielding her heart from a wounded, persistent Viscount--the dead man’s brother.

I adore Regency Romance, especially the classic, Jane Austen-style. There's plenty of sparks arcing between characters, plenty of deep emotion hidden behind Society's manners and strictures. Tension and wit flash off the page. Shadow Love is my first journey into that world, and I'm publishing it independently as a Chapter-by-Chapter book.

How did this novel come to be? We start with my love of this romance novel subgenre and a fascination with all things related to history and manners of the period, including the American War of 1812, which Britain was fighting while trying to throttle Napoleon on the continent, and the Duchy of Warsaw, the surviving remnant of the Kingdom of Poland after Napoleon subdued it.

Being drawn to Napoleonic topics, let's jump first to my introduction in high school to the Modern Pentathlon, an Olympic event which requires the athlete to master five sports: pistol shooting, long distance running, swimming, equestrian jumping, and fencing. These were all skills needed for a courier of the Napoleonic-era armies of both France and Britain. An aside here, the Olympic event specifies that the horse used in the jumping contest be a horse unfamiliar to the rider. Like the intrepid war couriers whose horse might get shot from under them, the Olympic rider must accept a horse chosen for him by lot and guide it over a jumping course with only a little "getting-to-know-you" time.

Then mix in the wonderful books by Bernard Cromwell and the iTV episodes presenting the career of British rifleman Richard Sharpe (love Sean Bean!) and Richard's work for the intelligence agent, Michael Hogan.  Finally, add a PBS show on breaking the code of the Enigma machine during World War II and a brief mention that there was a group of code breakers who worked for Britain during the Napoleonic War.

Now I'm hooked. Who were these code breakers? How did they work? And then, as all writers will tell you, I'm off and riding the "What if...?" wave. What if my hero was a code breaker? What if he fought in the war? What if he were a courier? What if his brother was a courier? What if someone began hunting the British code breakers?

The main characters of Shadow Love, Bethany and Alex, the persistent Viscount, were part of another storyline which included twin girls, mistaken identities, and ill-conceived marriages. Take those characters and give them a different conflict, a new set of circumstances and Shadow Love is born.

Where do I get my ideas? From tugging on the line of some subject that holds my interest and let the ideas and images related to the subject bubble and simmer until they finally boil out into characters and plot. It took years before this story became clear. But it was well worth the wait!