So many times, I found myself in a preparatory wince, sure that I knew what kind of typical contemporary romance conversational non-response was coming from Quinn or Lori. I find that conversations, especially in contemps, which is probably my favorite subgenre, are even more freakishly unnatural than the sex. In this they are often like soap operas, where people answer each other the way the author needs them to to get the story where she wants it. This often ushers in non sequiturs, nonsense, and big misunderstandings.

I am happy to report that Dahl allowed her characters to “go there”, whether it was bawdy talk, as in this case, or just direct talk about something uncomfortable. If a character was wondering something, s/he asked it. Amazing, isn’t it?

OMG! I so agree.

This absolutely sums up why I’m lovin’ Victoria Dahl so much. I must’ve put 8 contemporary romances in my “did not finish” list in the last several months, just because I could not “go there” again. With this novel, and Dahl’s historical I felt that cringe coming on, that “oh please please don’t do this to me” feeling, and she didn’t!! She took the story in a logical, realistic direction that was satisfying as well as being humorous and enjoyable.

You mean people can actually come out and SAY what’s bothering them?!! Imagine that.

At the moment, ‘Start Me Up’ and ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ by Julie James are my favourite contemporary romances for 2009. I honestly don’t know which one should take first place and which one second. They are very different books but both stayed with me long after I’d finished them.

LOL!

I totally agree about Dahl’s dialogue.