KINDLE NINJA: TWO REVIEWERS, ONE BOOK - LOVING NATE by Janice G. Ross
Two Reviewers, One Book.
When time allows, I invite a reviewer,
blogger, author, or random character to sit with me in this very comfortable
couch and share our views (opposing or
otherwise) on a book we've chosen.
There’s no method to this madness. We
just let things run their course.
My special guest is Marlena Hand, a prolific reviewer with over 50 books reviewed in Amazon and elsewhere
(I’m not worthy!). She is also the Secretary at Rave Reviews Book Club.
Synopsis:
Loving Nate is Leah's story of falling in love with Mr.
Perfect. Leah falls fast and hard, losing all sense of reasoning. Love can do that
to a gal, especially when the guy is as smooth as Nathan Moore. Loving Nate is
about Leah's journey of falling in love, when she should have been standing in
love.
Kindle Ninja (KN): How do you like the new
couch, Marlena?
Marlena Hand (MH): Very comfy! But where
are the cookies??
KN: This show
has no budget! So, let’s get down to business. “Loving Nate” by Janice Ross. This is not your typical love story.
MH: Agreed!
This isn’t geared towards the typical Happily Ever After.
KN: I like
that it’s fast-paced. Because I really can’t deal with overlong descriptions of
flirtations and romantic dalliance.
MH: Definitely fast-paced. It was such a quick read!
KN: Let’s get
to the good stuff. Would it be right to
describe this as “steamy and delicious”?
MH: I saw reviews that said this, but I
disagree. Some may see the relationship between Leah and Nate as steamy, but I
would call it passionate. And delicious? I only use that word with food! ;)
KN: I would think food is the last thing on
their minds LOL. Passionate is more appropriate. I’d throw in ‘lustful’ and 'carnal'.
MH: Yes, I would hope that food was far
from their minds! LOL
KN: Is the story realistic to you? Can
someone be so consumed by love?
MH: I say yes. I’ve never experienced a
love like this, at least in the negative sense that it becomes. A love that
completely takes over, becoming stronger and more important than reason. This
is one of the reasons I enjoyed Loving
Nate…it felt so real.
KN: I think most relationships would pale
in comparison. LOL Where are all these ‘Leahs’ hiding? I’ve yet to meet one.
MH: Relationships are different now. I see
more relationships built on convenience than I do ones built on love. I won’t
get into my soapbox here, but that’s just how I see it. That’s not to say that
there aren’t real relationships out there, ones built on love and trust and
loyalty. But society is different now.
Oops…there I go…
KN: Perhaps love is indeed overrated... Speaking of Leah. She comes across as a strong yet vulnerable
character.
MH: I completely agree with this. Leah was a very strong woman
in the beginning and we see her change and develop through the story.
KN: And the
author’s flair for writing helps elevate the characterization. Depth in
character really shows. It’s good writing.
MH: Agreed!
KN: Which is a stark contrast to Nate’s
character. I think it’s not well developed.
MH: This is very true, and I admit I wanted to know more about
this character. BUT I wonder if it was purposeful. We see the story through
Leah’s eyes, so maybe that’s the only part of Nate we could know.
KN: That’s a
good point. But I feel that the less we know of Nate, the more difficult it is
to understand his intentions and motivations.
MH: Maybe that’s the point. I like to think so. He’s a complete
mystery, for the most part.
KN: To me, there were many
questions left unanswered.
MH: The story unfolded quickly. It actually left me with many
questions, but I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. A really good book
will leave you wanting more from the characters AND from the author.
KN: The book
has two endings. I usually like
alternate endings. BUT…
MH: I loved
seeing the story end two different ways. There have been so many books that I
have thoroughly enjoyed, but always wondered what would’ve happened had the
main character chosen a different path. You get to see that in Loving Nate.
KN: But I wasn’t so crazy
about both endings. I know I’m in the minority here, seeing how many reviewers
loved this part of the book.
MH: I liked that they were so different, showing Leah taking two
different paths. I preferred the 1st ending, but I won’t go into the
details of why. Don’t want to give away any spoilers!!
KN: They are different endings, but I didn’t see them as different
paths.
I would’ve wanted two contrasting endings.
MH: I agree with that. There could’ve been a more contrasting
angle, something with a complete twist in the storyline. The two endings, as
they are, puts Leah on two different paths. Not just for the story, but also
for her character development. She comes out stronger in the first ending,
which is part of the reason I enjoyed it.
KN: This is not the ‘Happily Ever After’ the way most of us
envisioned.
MH: Happily Ever After depends on the ending the reader chooses.
In my opinion, this story shows we have the CHOICE to make our own Happily Ever
After.
KN: I give it 3.5 stars.
MH: 5 stars!
***
I'd like to thank Marlena Hand for making this joint Review possible. It was time away from her busy schedule. It was not easy to do but I enjoyed it immensely. -KN
***
I'd like to thank Marlena Hand for making this joint Review possible. It was time away from her busy schedule. It was not easy to do but I enjoyed it immensely. -KN