Mountain Laurel

This was a fast read. Not bad if you like romantic fiction with stereotyped characters that are too good to be true. There was plenty of sexual tension; however, the plot was utterly unbelievable. I'm not into romantic fiction, so this wasn't my type of book. It would probably be gratifying for those who like this sort of story.

After reading the blurb, I was hesitant about this book but decided to give it a try. Maddie is known as the opera singer LaReina. She's determined to go on tour in the gold fields of Colorado for reasons of her own. Captain 'Ring Montgomery is assigned to escort her, and romance ensues.
The plot is okay, good with historical details, but unrealistic as far as the story goes. Maddie and 'Ring are fine in an enemies-to-lovers trope, but can I just say that calling the hero 'Ring with that apostrophe drove me crazy?

Jude Deveraux is an author I first read many years ago and while some of her books definitely do not age well I do think the Montgomery/Taggert saga books do continue to be basically enjoyable to read. I have always enjoyed the interactions her characters have had and the places she sets the story. The plot can be a bit thin but overall I think it's a good beach read.

'Ring is a straight-laced Captain in the army and Maddie is what seems to be a refined Opera singer but underneath grew up a adventurous mountain girl with famous explorers for parents. Maddie will do whatever it takes to get her little sister Laurel back from kidnappers and 'Ring who is in the dark about the kidnapping tries to make Maddie leave the gold camps and go home. Along the way they have adventures and fights and fall in love. A very compelling read. Truly enjoyable.

I sort of liked this book, but honestly I just never ... got it. The story felt very convoluted, leaving me with a bunch of, "Huh? Okay, why?" It would have been nice to take these fairly likable characters and transplant them into a better story.

I listened to this book on Audio CD. What could have been a good story line turned out to lack substance and was just another romance novel.

I don't even remember anything about this, other than that it was disappointing even by romance book expectations.