A Steel Town Release Day! Congratulations Chloe!

No secrets:
1.  Of course a romance series that takes place in Pittsburgh is in my library!  I've read some very creative scenes that took place in the Cathedral of Learning---Chloe T Barlow is responsible for one of them.
2.  Like any other Pittsburgh lifer (I am not a yinzer. . .I am not a yinzer. . .I am not a yinzer), I am always surprised when our city sounds as fair as it really is, especially in January when we have more than our share of grey days, and we pray at night that we have either a snow day or no snow at all the next morning.  But we forget that PPG Place and the skating rink are a show place of glass and light, that our stadiums are first class, that Pittsburgh is an educational and research mecca, and our restaurants and skyline can't be beat.
3.  Finally, I am a fan of Chloe T Barlow.  She is genuine.  That's why she fits in with the rest of us so well--no pretense, just a bright woman who is a talented writer, who is open to her fans, and open about her own life and struggles.  She's figuring things out just like the rest of us--and with each novel in the Gateway to Love series, she gets better.

Naturally, a good romance is based on secrets--spending most of the book thinking, "just tell him," is  the general common sense approach that prevents the book from going anywhere very quickly.  It also keeps us guessing as the twists keep turning as the story moves ahead.  In A Steel Town--Trey and Claudia have secrets.  Trey's are almost criminal.  Actually, they are criminal--the cyber genius that Trey is has kept him straddling that line for a while as both a case consultant for the Pittsburgh office of the FBI and as a computer hacker whose actions have been life threatening in the past.

Claudia is an FBI rookie--feisty and petite, smart and a cyber genius in her own right, but with hard-to-control Type 1 diabetes is preventing her from becoming an active field agent for the FBI.  An episode of low-blood sugar while on a training exercise has given the FBI pause before putting her in harms' way.  Claudia hides her insulin pump under bulky sweaters, carries Skittles in her pocket like the rest of us might carry loose change,  and recognises that her condition is a full-time job in itself--one that she's dealt with since childhood.  That her family is protective is an understatement, and the fact that her older brother, Wyatt, is a force to be reckoned with doesn't make life easy.  But neither does her attraction to tatted, pierced and hot Trey.

While no love is lost between Trey and Wyatt, Trey has a bond with Wyatt's girlfriend, Jenna, a sports physician who asks Trey to secretly watch out for Claudia.  She keeps Claudia's secret (it is the law after all) as well, which complicates Trey's developing attraction to the determined rookie as he shadows her on a tip she follows in an abandoned steel mill.

The suspense in this novel is part of the continuing investigation into the murder of Althea's husband, Jack Taylor, from Three Rivers, the first book in the series.  Chloe shines in developing the action in this story--her descriptions when the story comes to a head is spot on and held me to do more than glance over the words until the scene is resolved.

Of course, we get to keep up with the rest of the crew--Althea and Griffin, Jenna and Wyatt, and what about that Aubrey?  And Bax--what is he all about?  And Carol--making an effort?  So we have a chance to not only get updated, but also to look forward to Book 4.

The books are each standalone with the novella, Shanghai Wind, as a bridge between City of Champions and A Steel Town, and possibly the hottest of the four stories so far.  Having read each, I am thrilled to see how Chloe's writing is developing--her story telling is superb, and her sensitivity to the emotions and physical struggles of her characters is honest and  real.  The prologue to each book sets up everything in these books every time, and that initial heartbreak is the beginning of the happy ending.

So, again, no secrets.  Trey and Claudia are my favorite couple in this series--but I said that about Wyatt and Jenna is City of Champions.   So, will I abandon Trey and Claudia for the next Gateway to Love couple?

And yes, I 'm biased.  Chloe T Barlow has become one of my favorite people in this city--a good friend and a great Pittsburgher (and she's doesn't use yinz, either!)  But if the books tanked, I wouldn't lie about them, I'd just shut up.  And this series deserves a shout-out, not a shut-up!

The Review That Was to Be, But Wasn't (part 2)

If Lauren Monroe can be described in one word, persistent would be it.  Over a year ago, the Montour native approached me with the first in her Maryland Shores romance series for a review.  The PG agreed to it and I wrote it.  It was never published.  Lauren approached me, the books editor, the managing editor relentlessly without luck.  I am not so sure this was a good plan on her part.  However, I was told that the remains of my work on file would be printed before the end of 2014, and they weren't.  I tried to find another publication to print them, but had no luck myself.  So, because I like to keep a promise if I can,  and in this case, I couldn't, I am printing the review here.  By the way, Lauren has written a second book in the series, Second Chances, and for readers of books series along the lines of Debbie Macomber or Susan Wiggs, and who enjoy a Pittsburgh connection, you may want to give the series a try.  As for now, here are my thoughts on the first book in the series:

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Montour High School graduate and former Monroeville resident, Loriann Oberlin, has moved to the Chesapeake area and published her first novel, Letting Go under the pen name of Lauren Monroe.  This romance novel is the story of a young widow, Maren Mitchell, who meets and falls in love with a young surgeon, Dr. Steve Kramer , when her son undergoes an emergency appendectomy.  The story takes place at a difficult time in the DC/Maryland area:  a year after 9/11 and during the time of the I-95 sniper attacks.  Maren, who lost her husband in an auto accident 16 months prior, is attempting to open her own graphic design business when an offer comes from the hospital that Dr. Steve works in.  He encourages her to interview and accept.  As time goes on, their relationship grows.

Monroe shares the beauty of the Chesapeake area with her readers and intentionally brings a bit of the ‘burgh into the story.  Taking place in the fall, some of the book’s action takes place on Steve’s  large power boat and a sailboat belonging to Maren’s father.  Steve and best friend, Dr. Paul Romano, attended UPMC medical school.  Dr. Romano is a native Pittsburgher, and a lover of the Strip District, biscotti and Sunday gravy.  Both men are Steelers fans and the story follows the Steelers season, led by  quarterbacks Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox .  Terrible towels and the black and gold (vs. purple and black) get  plenty of attention.

The story behind  Letting Go had its roots in the 1990’s  before the author’s move to Maryland.  A practicing counselor with a masters degree from John Hopkins, Monroe has written nine non-fiction  books as well.  Her most recent non-fiction book is Overcoming Passive-Aggression.  She also taught creative writing at locally at community college campuses  and at Pitt’s Informal Program.  Monroe revisited her original story, and hoped to update the story to reflect her life experiences as well as to write fiction rather than a journalistic style that she had been accustomed to in her local work.

Letting Go has both strengths and weaknesses.   Character development is strong .  We know that Maren has had anxiety and difficulty adjusting to her husband’s tragic death.  She hates hospitals.  It is a challenge for her to not call for support while her son undergoes his appendectomy in the same hospital that her husband died in.   We learn that Steve, at the age of 39, has become chief of surgery due to his perseverance  in attending both the University of Pittsburgh’s medical school and Columbia University.  He also is alone, and has some secrets that he doesn’t wish to share with Maren.  However, his ability to capture not just her heart, but her son’s and her parents,  overshadows the past he chooses not to share.  Maren’s son , Dylan, is a typical 6-year-old and endearing.   Her parents, and Steve’s as well, are likable and open.   In contrast, Maren’s former in-laws and Steve’s past love interests are almost caricatures of the extremely  evil girlfriend and the extreme bimbo girlfriend.

The challenge to reading Letting Go is not the realistic story or the characters, but in the flow of the writing complicated by the attempt to bring Pittsburgh into the story.   I found much of the dialogue hard to follow and that I was missing the point.  Using Pittsburghese fell flat.  Dr. Paul uses “Yinz,” and  the phrase “redd up” is explained in the story, but only Western Pennsylvanian readers will care and perhaps not in a positive way.  And really, do outsiders honestly believe that the Strip district is a red light district?  I just didn’t feel that we were portrayed in as positive a light as Monroe hoped we would be.  

Letting Go may appeal to light romance readers who are not looking for any reading that is too intense.   As the first in a planned series under the header, The Maryland Shores,  the novel  falls short.  I will often continue with a series that is not a favorite because I care how the characters fare as they move on.  In this case, now that these two have resolved their storyline, I think I can let this series go.

The Review that Was to Be, But Wasn't

A while back, I was approached by a writer of historical fiction with a wonderful book about Pittsburgh when glass-making was king.  Carnegie and Frick were young bucks, just moving into  the coke and steel industry.  I liked the book a lot, and asked if I could review for the Post-Gazette since the subject matter was our history,  Unfortunately, while I was told the review would make the paper, it never did, but the book is still in print and the author is still hoping for a review. Ah, promises, promises. . . .

Because I think that this is a really great Pittsburgh story, here is my review.  the author has a Facebook page, so please get in touch, and buy a copy.

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Wealth and Privilege, a new effort by Dayton, Ohio author Jeannette Watts, combines romance and the Industrial Revolution in Western Pennsylvania.   Ms. Watts lived here for four years and thoughtfully researched the setting of her first novel, finally developing a thoughtful historical novel that takes place in Pittsburgh rather than the more popular settings of the Western or Southern states.

Our history shines through the supporting characters of Henry Clay Frick, Andy Carnegie, and C. C. Hussey as they develop their steel, coke and metal operations in Pittsburgh following the Civil War.  Young industrialist Thomas Baldwin falls in love with the raven-haired, black-eyed, intelligent Mrs. Regina Waring but lives in a loveless marriage to naïve, blonde and dim Meredith Burke.   Through the eyes of Thomas Baldwin, we experience the smoke from the furnaces along the three rivers, the beauty of homes in the Mexican War Streets and mansions in the East End, and the struggles of growing industry during difficult economic times and the development of labor unions.

Thomas is the surviving son of the owner of Olympus Ironworks—a company that thrived by providing iron ingots to ammunition manufacturers during the Civil War.  Favored son Benjamin was killed fighting for the Union Army.  The more handsome of the brothers, the reserved Thomas always seems to follow in the shadow of his deceased war hero brother despite his efforts.    The story opens with his 25^th birthday party, a grand evening affair designed to find young Thomas a bride.   In an effort to escape the attention of every single young Pittsburgh female, he hides in the conservatory and accidentally meets Mrs. Regina Waring.  Regina comes from Johnstown’s working class, but is well educated, beautiful, and the source of gossip among the young ladies attending the party.  Thomas is bewitched by Regina, and nobly follows her lead throughout their professional and personal friendship. 

Meanwhile, Meredith and her mother plot to trick Thomas into a loveless marriage.     Meredith entices him into the library and they are discovered there by both of their mothers.  Three months later, the two marry and move into a small home on Buena Vista Street, but with separate rooms.  Thomas even takes his meals in his library, and speaks condescendingly to his wife when he speaks to her at all.

Regina becomes Thomas’ confidante and her husband becomes Thomas’ champion.  Later the two partner in a joint venture designing winter gardens that are built worldwide of the iron and glass manufactured by their own family businesses.   Regina seems to blend into the male-dominated industrial world of Pittsburgh.  She is admitted to the Duquesne Club, maintains a membership at South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club, and  later travels to Europe with several Pittsburgh businessmen.

Historically, the novel inspires readers to further explore the events of the book that include the Johnstown Flood, the business ethics of Andrew Carnegie, and the riots against the Pennsylvania Railroad.  Thomas’ unrequited love for Regina, disdain for Meredith, and his celibacy are the romantic themes of the book.  The novel reminds me of  Western Pennsylvania author Agnes Sligh Turnbull, who wrote of Pittsburgh’s history from its frontier days (The King’s Orchard) to pre World War II (The Bishop’s Mantle) in the mid Twentieth Century.  Turnbull was a favorite of mine from junior high school on.  I get the same feeling for Wealth and Privilege.  Its historical content and chaste love story might appeal to a romantic young teenager or to any reader who doesn’t feel that sexual intimacy needs to be described in full detail in every book.

Recent Reads (and Listens. . . )

Once school starts, there's a new kind of busy--even if there are no children or teenagers or college students to occupy our time.  In the past couple of weeks, I've celebrated the Gobblerito from Mad Mex with friends, the same restaurant's cauliflower, brussels sprout and squash tacos with my daughter, the symphony featuring the very handsome Pablo Sainz Villegas (whose going on my work wall of shame) on guitar, Robert DeNiro's comedy "The Intern"  with a brisket sandwich at the Murray Avenue Grill, brunch at Eleven, and brunch at Sonoma Grille.  I spent a lovely evening at an Oktoberfest party with wonderful food and great friends that sweat with me a few times each week. I cooked a little, and read a lot.  Thank Goodness I gave cable the boot.

Here, briefly, are the books I've completed recently:

Malice at the Palace, Rhys Bowen.  A cozy mystery featuring the poor heiress to the throne, Lady Georgie, as she escorts the future Duchess of Kent before her royal wedding in 1934.  Of course, there's murder and the handsome Honorable Darcy O'Mara to keep the romance alive for the lovely Lady Georgie.

The Funeral Dress, Susan Gregg Gilmore.  A sweet bit of women's fiction involving a young motherless mother, her friends from the Tennessee garment factory she works in, and the challenges she faces with family after her best friend and ally dies tragically.  Such a lovely story about community in Appalachia in from 1955 to 1974.

Silver Linings, Debbie Macomber.  Returning to the Rose Harbor Inn, Debbie Macomber continues the budding romance of  widowed innkeeper Jo Marie and her handyman Marc, as well as the stories of two 28 year-olds at their 10th high school reunion.  One has an axe to grind, the other an apology to make--both are reflections of the Young Adult novels Debbie Macomber has been exploring and are intriguing stories.  I listened to this on CD in my car, and loved the story, but struggle with her narrator which is unfortunate.

Dishing the Dirt, M.C. Beaton.  Agatha Raisin is my favorite.  Why?  She's of an age, colors her hair brown, loves a cocktail, and loves men.  Retired to the Cotswolds after a career in PR, she is forever in love and forever tripping into murder which is why she opened her own detective agency.  Not a favorite of the local police force or certainly the local vicar, she gets herself into some humorous scrapes and always gets her killer---just not in a practical or safe way.  Love her!

Pretty When Your Cry, Skye Warren.  A very dark romance involving a strip club owner and generally dangerous man and a headlining stripper who is a runaway from a religious cult.  Two very broken people, a mystery and the next to last novel in a series.  Having started in the middle, and only having read two of the books plus the prequel, I have some catching up to do.  And I will. (This book was released today on Amazon.)

Wrong, Jana Aston.  The debut novel by J.A. Huss' PA, about a gynecologist and a virgin.  Sort of. Actually, this is a wonderful contemporary romance about a 30 something doctor who falls for a 21 year old Penn student/barista in Philadelphia.  He's got money and prestige and a nasty ex-fiancee, she has nothing but grandparents who raised her  after her mother passed away before her second brithday.  An unlikely couple (but legal!) and a hot romance.  I LOVED this book!  It makes me smile.

Sweet Filthy Morning After, Christina Lauren.  If you read Sweet Filthy Boy and loved Ansel, and have been dying to hear his voice, this is how you do it on Audible.  The morning after in Vegas through Ansel's eyes.  Yes, he sounds just like I thought he would.  And I may love him more than Max Stella--well almost.  My first Audible purchase, but not my last--when the CD's jam in my car, and I can no longer stand  pop radio or Mark Madden, I will buy Audible for my commute home.

Thinking of  bourbon and listening while commuting--If I can't drink and drive, I can get primed for that evening Jim Beam with the Bourbon Kings, J.R. Ward.  The narrator with that silky Kentucky drawl and the Dynasty/Falcon Crest/Dallas plots between a bourbon distillers patriarch and his children as well as the staff who work for them has made my commute home longer because I insist on sitting in my car until either a new track or a new chapter start.  I am loving this family saga, and am on the edge of my seat now--waiting to go to work tomorrow! (Say what?)

The Wind, the Cold, and the Vegetable Soup. . . .

During my weekends, I'm pretty much guaranteed to do a few things:  Hip Hop Classes at Pure Athletex, Sunday breakfast club at Denny's, laundry, and make something that will suffice as dinner for a few days in the week.  If it is something my son likes, then it may not last long--last week's penne and meat sauce was gone by Wednesday.  

After Hip Hop this morning, I decided to stop at Target and Giant Eagle to pick up some things for soup.  I picked up lots of things--moisturizer, cat food,  soup on sale (in particular microwaveable tomato), and a bag of cole slaw mix from the produce aisle.

Cole slaw mix is a joy of convenient cooking for the vegetable lover.  A pound bag seems like a lot, but trying to grate a head of cabbage without skinning the knuckles makes that $2 I spent feel like a million bucks.  I can easily use this bag three different ways--cole slaw (and if I flavor it with taco seasoning, a great topping for fish tacos), layered with cooked onions, rice and ground beef along with tomato soup and tomato sauce and baked in a slow oven--stuffed cabbage in a hurry, and vegetable soup.

I used to make a big deal out of vegetable soup.  A piece of tough beef, a soup bone, diced carrots and onions, potatoes, frozen limas and corn and green beans, beef soup base, canned tomatoes, barley and lastly shredded cabbage.  This soup was an all day affair.  Good tasting, but so long to cook.

Now, I take advantage of the convenient foods in the markets and I have a small pot of soup on the stove in minutes.  Let it simmer until the vegetables are tender, Add some sort of starch--pastina, barley, rice, a drained can of kidney or cannellini beans--and a third of a bag of cole slaw mix along with a tablespoon of table sugar, and you are done once the starch cooks and the cabbage is softened and no longer crunchy.  Reheats like a dream.  I put it away in the refrigerator and serve myself a bowl reheated in the microwave along with some good Italian bread (Mancini's or Cellone's) with butter.  Dinner is served.  This soup has no meat in it--saves time.  Want meat?  Make a sandwich.

Easy Vegetable Soup

1 32 oz box of vegetable stock (or 1 quart of water with Knorr's vegetable bouillon cubes added)

2 cups of water

1 16 oz bag of frozen soup vegetable mix 

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

Black pepper as you like

1 bay leaf

Stir this together in a large saucepan, soup pot or crock pot if you'd like.  Bring to a boil, and the simmer for about an hour.  

1/4 to 1/3 cup of barley or acini di pepe or orzo

1 T sugar

1/3 bag of cole slaw mix

Stir these into the soup and turn the heat up to boil, then down to simmer.  Add water if the soup is too thick or if the liquid has boiled down too far.  I like my soup to be thick so I am cautious when adding water.  The raw pasta and barley will soak some broth up as it cooks, and the cole slaw will not add additional liquid, but too much water will affect the taste.  I salt at the table as there is a considerable amount of salt in the broth and the canned tomatoes.

Can't get any easier than this.  No chopping, peeling or shredding.  Just pour, stir and simmer.  So very tasty, too.

What I read before the weekend started

Whiskey Nights by Fabiola Francisco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I sip my bourbon this evening--something I've been waiting for since I started this book I may add--I have to give some thought to this second book of a series. It works as a standalone and it is pure romance. PURE Romance with a side of Kentucky Mules (for which I bought a fresh lime to enjoy after I write this review!) Sometimes, after reading a lot of romances--erotic, suspenseful, comedic, dramatic--it is a real shock to the system to read a quiet novel about a relationship building. I felt like the shoe was going to drop with every page turned. This is a book about a very real relationship between two very real young people--a bartender and a baker--who never thought they could have a chance together for one reason or the other, but took an opportunity and ran with it. For someone like me whose choices were based on being a trainwreck, this was strange to read---do young adults really have goals like these two do? And can those goals be dealbreakers? Life happens in a very well-written way with a side of whiskey.


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And yes, I did stop and pick up a fifth of Beam, but forgot the ginger beer....what is wrong with me? Tomorrow's foolishness, I guess.