Book Review Explosive Eighteen - Janet Evanovich

Oh Stephanie - you're becoming rather predictable. I started reading the Plum series this summer and devoured them, one after another including the "between the numbers" books. They made me giggle out loud. But this one, it was just too hard to follow the unraveling mystery. It was a bit far-fetched. A photograph slipped into her bag, people trying to kill her those are typical but then when the photo is from a hacker who is trying to help his mother - but people think it's of him the story line gets a bit confusing. Plus there wasn't enough of Ranger, Morelli and Grandma Mazur. Something happened in Hawaii, yes we find out what it was, but Morelli doesn't and I thought he should be told. The best parts were when Joyce moved in with Stephanie. I laughed at those. In the end, I felt blah. It wasn't the usual Stephanie Plum - no cars were blown up, crushed, or smashed. Oh and I really didn't like the Lulu and Buggy thing - creepy. I hate to think think this, but maybe Stephanie should marry Morelli and settle down in the Burg and raise a bunch of little Morellies. She could chase bad guys with a diaper bag or just get a nice job in a bank.

Book Review: Dangerous Masquerade by Janet Dailey

This is the second Americana book I've read by Janet Dailey. I was going to read them for fun, something different than my usualy true crime/mystery or more techinical books, but after reading this one, I'm not sure I want to continue.
I know the book was originally written in 1977, but have times changed that much? Were women looking for ruthless, dominating men who bordered on crazed 35 years ago? I hope not, because I read my share of popular romance novels while in high school and if this is what I was digesting it's a wonder I didn't end up in a physically abusive relationship. Maybe someone should research what girls are reading in high school and then track how their relationships end.
Laurie is an orphan raised by her father's brother and his wife who dotes on their daugther LaRaine, never paying much attention to Laurie except to tell her what a burden she is. She moves out when she's 18, but when the bratty LaRaine wants to move out, the aunt guilts Laurie into moving in with her to help her out. LaRaine is a gold digger and wants to land a rich husband and be a movie star. She gets the opportunity to do both, but she is obligated to fly to Alabama to meet her fiance's old aunt. She convinced Laurie to pretend she is her and sends her off. The fiance is in South America on business. Of course, he returns and finds out the truth. Laurie offers him the explanation but he wants nothing to do with it and forces Laurie to continue the charade. At times, he grabs her painfully - leaving marks on her wrists and arms. One time he even grabs her by the throat. He threatens her physically and emotionally, but all Laurie can see is a strong man. The kind who will take care of her and ravish her in bed. Heaven help her if she is ever out of line in his opinion. While the writing is consistent, the themes of abuse hiding as love left a bad taste in my mouth.