Nicole

• 3.5 Stars, rounded up

I recently discovered the Sunfire series of young adult historical romances that were published back in the 1980s. Quite the popular books in their time, from what I can tell.

After starting with the only novel in the series that features a Black American heroine, Corey, I decided that Nicole would be next for me. I read comments from multiple readers asserting that the romantic story in the iconic 1997 motion picture Titanic must have come from this YA romance published a decade earlier.

Whether or not that was true, I was curious to find out how the two stories compare.

Well! Not that I'm going to break down all of the specific events now, since I generally don't write spoiler reviews. But considering the movie's show more and the novel's similarities, their differences, and their individual strengths and flaws, I'd say that the romance in Titanic ’97 is, um, flawed to a lesser degree than the romance in Nicole the novel.

Nicole the heroine experiences instalove in such over-the-top fashion that even my daydreamy middle-school self wouldn't have bought into it, if I'd discovered the book back then. After a couple of meetings and maybe a half-hour total in each other's presence, enamored Nicole and her starry-eyed chosen young man commit to spending their future lives together. And then Nicole goes on to repeatedly think to herself and to declare to other people how she loves this guy so very much. She even says she loves him "More than anyone else in the whole world." (Yes. I'm quoting her directly.)

Not only does Nicole and the sudden love of her life have so little time together before they're all in with devotion, but the reader doesn't get to see the couple together that much. This love-triangular tale spends more time showing Nicole with the other guy. The one she only wants as a friend.

The read is just so imbalanced, on that score.

Yet, aside from the romance (which I wasn't expecting too much from anyway; I know what kind of YA series this is), the overall story still got to me as a lover of historical fiction and old novels. Although I noticed one significant development that I'm sure the author would have written differently if she'd had access to today's level of information on the Titanic, it's clear that she did her research. Granted, the book sometimes repeats details in a way that doesn't seem intentional, but that isn't a big deal.

Also, even though Nicole does her least sharpest thinking during a critical stretch of time, there's some key growth for her character in the story. That's doubly important in a novel that depicts such a well-known, massive human tragedy.

Overall, I found this read to be worth the few hours I spent with it. I plan on checking out a few more books in the Sunfire series.

Note:
• a few uses of a dated term for Romani people
• a bit of mild language, kept to a "PG" level
• the romance doesn't go further than kisses show less

** spoiler alert ** I bought this book at a pawn shop, for a friend-of-a-friend who's a major Titanic buff. If I hadn't expected it to be laughable, I might be regretting that decision now -- but I'm not! It's as gloriously trashy as I hoped it would be!

However, I have a few dinosaur-sized bones to pick with whomever designed the cover and wrote the back cover summary.

"Aboard ship, two men fall in love with Nicole -- Price, a rich Englishman and Karl, a handsome immigrant. Before she can choose between them, tragedy interrupts Nicole's happiness." No. Nicole did choose, very clearly. Before the book was even halfway over, she chose handsome Hungarian (H)Karl. Stop trying to create romantic tension where there is none.

Then, to add injury show more to insult, Nicole is pictured locked in a passionate embrace with Price on the bottom corner of the cover illustration. No.

"Nicole can't find Karl or Price in the terrible confusion and she knows there aren't enough lifeboats for everyone."

For the love of sweet fluttering ladybug Jesus, no. She finds Price RIGHT AWAY. He's the one who explains to her why the SHIP IS SINKING. HE SHOVES HER INTO A LIFEBOAT, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

As for the book itself, it's fluffy, with a decided and refreshing lack of purple prose. Nicole and Handsome Hungarian Hunkburger fall in love at first sight, and are declaring their never-ending devotion by their second meeting. It's pretty flighty for a girl whose principal characteristic seems to be "level-headed." Also, frankly, HHH is a pale shade of a character, especially when compared to the easy-going, funny, and kind Price Armsley she rejects.

Also, the ship sinks in the end. show less