Murder by Death

So it turns out I like Ryder.  Or, at least, I understand Ryder far better than I do the rest of the characters in the trilogy.  He strikes me as an introvert, which I can wholly relate to, and a pragmatist - also a trait I connect with.

There's a lack of conspicuous, ostentatious, displays of romance in The Perfect Hope; another reason this one is probably my favourite of the three.  It occurs to me that I've always preferred alpha-male types in my books because I dislike romance in most of it's overt forms.  Flowers?  Sure, but for no reason at all please, not because you're trying to buy your way out of trouble.  Candlelight? Only if the power fails.  Poetry - never.  Ryder seems to think flowers equate to a get-out-of-jail-free card, and he's rude as hell at times, so he's by no means perfect, but he quietly buys Hope's favourite shower gel and keeps her favourite wine on hand.  Quiet, understated, everyday romance.  Nice.

Overall a story interesting enough to keep me reading and refreshing for the lack of tired plot devices used ad nauseum throughout genre romance.

The only cliché that really stuck out for me here is the resolution of the ghost story, but I suppose the author had to wrap it up somehow.  Still, I found it to be a bit trite.

I'll definitely check out more of Nora Roberts' books when next I'm in the mood for something in the romance genre.  I already have the next book of her Dark Witch trilogy on order, and I'm looking forward to it.