I wanted to LOVE this book. Showing up on every list of anticipated books for months, I waited for the release, ordered it from the library to make sure I'd be first in line, ran there the day it was processed, and loved the opening.

 

Then the character on whom we focus completely changed after the brief opening, and the story became a sort of Filipino in California Outsiders meets West Side Story without the romance, the dancing or the good story, so all we're left with is grit.

 

I was looking forward to a book about the immigrant experience from a Filipino view, especially given the timeframe in the 1990s, running from a dictator and brutality, a refugee experience, but none of this was examined in detail, if at all. Instead we get a play-by-play of "we went to dinner at this place" and "we saw these people" - very ordinary. While my life is exceedingly ordinary, and I have an interesting back story as well as some unique challenges, I wouldn't subject anyone to a book about my daily life, which is sort of how this read.

 

There were some slightly interesting parts involving her sexuality, which happens in most coming of age novels, and there were some gorgeously written passages, but overall, this book was not moving or compelling in any way. I'm still a bit stunned that I made it all the way through, and two months later I can only remember the broadest of themes, like her hands - which happened outside the covers of the book!

I got Divine Madness, Dexter's final cut and Whalestoe letters as well the rest of the Shakespeare Star Wars books which were on clearance.   (So was monuments men, so they were a couple bucks a piece.)

 

I'm considering a couple other books, but I doubt I'll get anything more.   Possibly some more Irvine books, but they don't have Thor which is the one I want most.    They have Cap: First Avenger, and I'm not too eager to pick that up right at the moment.   Age of Ultron is a book I keep eyeing; I'd like to have that in hardcover for the prettiness and because it would be nice to have a collection of those that I choose to buy.   Hulk I'm really not that into, though.    Possibly America's Snake because I love snakes.   Heart of the Lion is something I keep going back to so I'll have to think about that.  I'm really digging some non-fiction now and I don't read much of it, so I think I'll stick to that when purchasing.   No non-fiction on clearance I saw that I really wanted.   There is one Johnny Cash biography that I eyed, but I really am not a Cash fan, so I think I'll pass on that.   Might pick up the Angjelica Houston hardcovers on clearance, though. 

 

We shall see.   

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/06/11/review-straight-from-the-heart-by-barbara-delinsky/

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher

Heather Cole had an urgent reason for seeking Robert McCrae. But the renowned heart specialist kept distracting her from her purpose with his marvelous bedside manner. In no time they were dating steadily. Every time Heather saw Rob, she felt more vibrantly alive. His devilish smile, his every touch filled her with a wanton hunger. And soon, his kiss was all the medicine Heather needed.
This blurb came from Goodreads.

Straight From the Heart was originally published in 1986 by Harlequin Enterprises in Canada and published in the United states in 1993 as part of their Men Made in America. It was number 98 in the Harlequin Temptation line. St Martin’s Press is releasing several of Ms Delinsky’s classics in e-book form for the first time. I have enjoyed several of her more recent novels so when I found out about upcoming backlist digital releases I eagerly volunteered to take a look. This is the first of two that I am reviewing. The second, Scent of Jasmine, originally titled, Jasmine Sorcery, will go up later this week.

It took me a little bit to adjust to the character styles but once I did I found Straight From the Heart a sweet entertaining read. Heather was extremely innocent and yet independent at the same time. I liked how Ms Delinsky explained that innocence given the time period of the setting. She had dreams/hopes and with the proper incentive would push herself to participate in less sedentary activities. She was also clearly able to take care of herself and not looking for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. Heather’s contradictions made her a much more interesting character then one who was just innocent.

Rob certainly fit the category hero; older, top of a highly respected demanding field, emotionally hurt in the past, controlling but thankfully never went into the brutish hero that some of the category books written in this era contained. I did have a moment or two when I was worried that he would go too far but he was able to step back from the brink and realize what his actions did to their relationship. One thing that kept bothering me was how he failed to realize that Heather had a health issue. Her symptoms were readily evident during their interactions together. While his mental explanation did make sense as he tried to figure out how he missed it himself I still feel that someone at the top of their profession has to make a conscious effort not to view things in that particular light.

I enjoyed seeing Heather and Rob interact together and thought that Rob’s supporting cast added some comic relief. Heather really didn’t develop a supporting cast until much later in the book, part of the effects of her isolated lifestyle. Once she did they were also fun. Watching the two of them grow together was certainly touching and laugh inducing at times. I didn’t quite buy the eager acceptance of Rob’s children for either their father or Heather given their lack of a relationship with him so far.

I think my favorite part of the book dealt with how Heather and Rob both changed after a particular event, (the event is a major spoiler for some of the central conflict so I will not say what it was) and had to find themselves again. They had to re-learn who they were as individuals and within their relationship. I really think that is one of Ms Delinsky’s trademarks is that she addresses what happens after… I don’t mean just as an epilogue although she does use those but the fact that even with a major conflict/crisis solved there are still ripple effects that have to be dealt with. I like that feeling of completeness I get from the continuation of the story.

I give Straight From the Heart a B-

Sarah L. Courteau Reviewed Richard Horan's "Harvest: An Adventure Into The Heart Of America’s Family Farms" | The New Republic: It's worth reading.

If you really want to start a food fight leading to extraordinary vitriole, just mention you are for (or against) organic food, raw milk, GMO, veganism, or whatever.  So it's with some trepidation I link to this review in the New Republic about Richard Horan's new book.  As someone who at one time in his life milked over 100 cows twice a day for several years, and who now lives surrounded by several 1,000 + acre farms (all family owned), I know that things are not quite as simple as the advocates of both sides would have us believe. (Full disclosure: I really, really like big farm machinery - see my photos.)

Ironically, this is an argument that can occur only among those who never have to worry where their next meal comes from.  Those who are hungry can't afford to be picky and would be more than happy with road-kill. When anti-GMO types condemn and prevent "Golden Rice" from being introduced, a product that has the potential solve a serious vitamin deficiency where rice is a major staple (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/agriculturaldevelopment/Pages/enriching-golden-rice.aspx) I think we need to reexamine our self-righteous arrogance.

From the review:   "Unfortunately, personality and politics get in the way of Horan’s good intentions. The resulting book says a lot about what is wrong with today’s food crusaders—and I distinguish these from the many thoughtful and hard-working people, some of whom are sketchily profiled in Horan’s book, who are trying to help re-balance a food system that is severely out of whack. Our food choices matter, but the food crusaders are so intent on preaching their gospel that they have developed withering scorn for anyone whose answer to the question “What’s for dinner?” differs from theirs.... "But many organic and local-foods proponents assume that they have already attained a moral victory, and everyone who buys conventional stuff can go to hell. A study published earlier this year in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science** found that exposure to organic foods actually makes people less altruistic. Subjects in three different groups were shown pictures of foods labeled organic (like apples and spinach), comfort foods (like ice cream and brownies), or neutral-seeming control foods (mustard, rice, oatmeal). Afterward, participants who saw the organic foods were willing to spend less time helping a stranger in need, and their judgments of moral transgressions were significantly harsher than those who viewed the other foods. The comfort food group was the most generous. Someone please pass me the double chocolate chip."

From an article about the Social Psychological study***: "The findings are especially interesting when considered hand in hand with previous studies, including a 2010 paper in the journal Psychological Science titled "Do Green Products Make Us Better People?" It found that when people feel morally virtuous about purchasing green or organic products, they sometimes experience a "licensing [of] selfish and morally questionable behaviour," otherwise known as "moral balancing" or "compensatory ethics." The 2010 study suggests that such a "halo of green consumerism" makes people less likely to be kind to others, and more likely to cheat and steal."

A beautiful collection of poetic and visual meditations.