Miss Fortune

Miss Fortune: Albina Hume
Media: E-book: Nook
Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendation:  If you enjoy memoirs and life stories.  Would I return to it?  Probably not, memoirs are not my go to read, but I did enjoy reading this one.  Albina has a voice that resonates off the page.

All Albina Hume wanted was to either hide her inability to pronounce the letter “R” or correct it.  Never did she think her inability would take her down the paths that it did.  She struggled to find ways to hide her mispronunciation including trying to learn English.  Her journey begins with her fear of being unable to find love and get married because a boy in her class called her a “crow” and in her mind ‘who would want to marry a crow?’  This instills her fear of the inability to pronounce R words.  That fear takes her down many roads including a pyramid beauty business, strip clubs, even a prison cell for 51 days.  She encounters con men, unhealthy relationships, endangering friendships, and more.  Everything she goes through drives her force to find her dreams, yet she is held back by her fears.  Once she releases those fears, the possibility for her dreams become endless.

From the very beginning, in the prologue, Albina pulls at the readers’ emotions as she describes her excitement for her wedding.  While reading readers can’t help but also wonder what significance the day has until she reveals it is on the same date she was raped 10 years prior.  She mentions this incident early on in the story giving the impression, the book will have something to do with overcoming it and the emotions related to the act.  But once readers get to that point, it is done and over with and she moves on to something else.  With that being said the rest of the books keeps readers mystified as Albina struggles with her inability to pronounce the letter ‘R’, to being conned into travelling to Greece illegally, and even being in jail for several days among other things.  Despite everything the story is that of a woman who overcomes all her struggles, all the bumps and bruises of life to find all her dreams coming true.  

The tone of the book is very casual as if the author is speaking to a close personal friend; this allows the reader to feel connected with her and her story.  It is a touching tale of a woman struggling to find the happiness we all long for.  Her quest for this happiness causes her to make decisions based on impulse and desire.  She hops from one relationship to another looking for love it isn't until she meets Abelardo and his desire to NOT have children does she look out for her own desires.  She then gets introduced to the man who will become her husband.  Her journey is not an easy one, it is filled with trials, and heartache.  

Inheritance: Judith MIchael

Inheritance: Judith Michael
Source: Hardcover
Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary: When their parents pass away, Laura and Clay Fairchild are taken in by their step brother Ben, who trains them in the art of thievery.  Ben formulates this plan to set up the owners of a hotel chain in order to avenge his father.  Unfortunately Laura strikes up a friendship with Owen, the family patriarch.  Owen takes Laura under his wing and is rewarded with her undying devotion.  Laura finds everything she is searching for; including the love of a good man, Paul.  When contesting the Owen's will Felix Salinger (a family member of Owen's therefore owner of the Salinger hotels) tries to use Laura's dark past as a thief to thrust her out of anything Owen may have left for her.

In order to regain her reputation and legacy, Laura strives to make her own hotel chain that rivals the Salinger chain.  Ben does a little more to make his mark among the family, though his means are not as noble and honorable as Laura's may be.  A sudden twist of fate changes everything and threaten to ruin everything they have worked towards.  Is Laura going to lose everything she has ever loved and desired throughout her life?  Will she be able to regain the love of an extraordinary man?

Review:  I found this novel on my mom's reading shelf.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to read a romance novel my mom had, somehow that seemed a little creepy.  But I decided to read it anyway, and boy am I glad, it helped begin my love for romance novels.  It isn't the typical romance novel that centers around sex, it is one that centers around the actual relationship between two people.  I also love that Judith Michael is actually a husband/wife team.

There are times when the plot seems to be predictable, but it is a good kind of predictable.  The characters and setting are so vivid and precise that it seems as though you are there beside Laura as she goes through her trials, happiness and lose.  You will not want to put it down because it is so eloquently written.  We witness Laura's character literally change from a young woman willing to do anything to survive, to a strong woman willing to do anything to remain devoted to her legacy and honor.  She does everything in her power to overcome her dark past to rewrite her future.  This writing team does a amazing job at creating a main character the readers both love and hate.  There are times when you cheer and root for her, but then they are times when you just feel so disappointed in her actions and choices.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this novel some are expected some are not.  It will have you awake at night turning the pages not wanting to put it down.  It leaves you wanting more from all the characters not just Laura, Ben and Paul.  Granted it is a novel that was published several years ago, but it is also one of those novels that are timeless and will continue to entertain readers for years to come.

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