11 November 2021

Love Chronicles (Silhouette Romance No. 1749)

 

LISSA MANLEY

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Silhouette Romance, 2004.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: Connor Forbes glanced up from the medical journal he was reading at the receptionist’s counter and looked at the office window.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughtsI needed something light and quick to read in between a couple of review books and pulled this off the shelf at random. This is my first time reading this author.

It started out pretty great, with Sunny’s Great Dane getting away from her and rushing up to the window of Connor’s office, barking at him through the glass, then racing away again with Sunny giving chase. Connor is unimpressed with Sunny’s attempts to control the dog, and the first thing he says to her is “What’s up with your dog?”. He then sorta lectures her about how her dog needs obedience training, insulting and embarrassing her, and that was their meet cute. I love having a dog involved in a book, so I was pleased. Unfortunately the dog, whose name I can’t even remember now, ended up basically just being a plot device. There was one more cute scene with him at the park, after which Sunny struggles to put him in her van. And then for the rest of the book I think he was only mentioned three times! In passing! So that was very disappointing.

Sunny grew up in a commune, with parents who never married. Sunny spent her whole childhood terrified that her parents would split up and one of them would just leave, because to her, not being married meant they were not committed. As a result, Sunny and a childhood friend made a pact that they would marry someone and have a family and a happy life by the time they were thirty, and if neither was married by then they would marry each other. Now that friend is happily married, but Sunny is determined to still fulfill that pact, and frankly I got tired of hearing about it and tired of her internal angsty whining about her parents being unable to commit. I liked Connor a bit better than I liked Sunny, though he too had angsty issues. He’s given up on love because he’s a “failure” at it, in that every relationship he had ended in a break up. But he was a really good guy and his angst didn’t bother me as much as Sunny’s.

There was a very funny scene at a square dance, with Connor dancing for the first time in his life, and very badly. I actually laughed out loud. But other than that, the book is pretty standard category romance fare. Rufus! I just remembered, the dog’s name is Rufus.

Happily, the ending of the book was very satisfying, thanks to Connor’s realization that he loved Sunny, and finding a wonderful way to show her that. So, an okay book but with a great resolution.

Synopsis from Goodreads: SHE GOT UNDER HIS SKIN…

And besides, Dr. Connor Forbes didn't want a partner. Even if Sunny Williams was the most beautiful blonde he'd ever seen, the uptight physician knew Sunny's crazy New Age ideas -- and her irresistible lips -- would only wreak havoc on his practical, well-ordered life.

But with her sweet smile and luxurious deep tissue massages, the spunky siren had made it impossible for him to turn her away without risking the wrath of the entire town of Oak Valley...and his traitorous heart.

Maybe having Sunny as a partner was just what the doctor ordered...


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