Customer Reviews

Sea Legs

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With the cover price of books continuing to increase, buying a NEW book is a luxury for me. But there are a few select authors that I'm happy to pony up the price to get the book as soon as its released. KG MacGregor is one of them. She creates realistic storylines and characters that you can easily imagine living next door to.

In Sea Legs, KG has created another set of believable characters. One character, Didi, is so real, i.e. unlikeable, that for once, I'm glad this wasn't a real person. I kept hoping each chapter would be the one that she finally fell overboard. Thankfully, the two potential lovers are quite likeable so I enjoyed watching their love story unfold. The other characters are nice too.

I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a feel-good romance. There's enough drama to make it interesting and there are even a few laugh-out-loud moments. A great weekend or vacation read.

Although its a far departure from Worth Every step, which I loved, Sea legs is a fun read. It would be
great if you are on vacation and just want to relax, or before you go to bed at night to relax. The characters
were enjoyable.

I was a bit hesitant at first to pick up "Sea Legs", since I thought the romance in KG MacGregor's last couple of stand-alone novels, Worth Every Step and Secrets So Deep, was fairly tepid and lacked a certain spark. But I loved the final book in her "Shaken" series, Small Packages (Shaken series), and really enjoyed Out of Love and Sumter Point, so I decided to give it a shot... and I'm so happy I did!

While I admit that both WES and SSD were deeper character studies, and SSD involved more challenging subject matter, I never felt very connected to the main protagonists, nor did I sense much chemistry at all with the romantic pairings, so both books just seemed to drag, SSD in particular. "Sea Legs" was literally a breath of fresh air in comparison. All of the characters (basically a group of friends) were vividly drawn, with enough background so the plot made sense, but not too much that it bogged down the story or detracted from the romance! And even the not-so-nice gal in the group wasn't a one-dimensional character, nor was Natalie a saint, either.

Just like Jo from the book, I'm a romance novel junkie, so if the romance doesn't work for me, the book won't, either. And, I, too, had the same reservations as Natalie did about Kelly... but, in the end, Kelly won me over with her charm, patience, warm-heartedness, and overall great personality. KG MacGregor did a very nice job with the gradual development of Natalie's feelings for Kelly. And those two deserve their HEA, they're such a nice match and have a wonderful dynamic together!

And, finally, for those who haven't been cruising (on a ship!) before, this book gives a good depiction of the experience. I'm still not a fan of cruise ships (more of a deserted beach person), but you may become one after reading this novel!

Sea Legs is about the lesson that most people learn as they mature. Appearances are not as important as what a person is like inside. Anyone who hasn't figured that out yet hasn't finished growing up.

A passenger cruise of the Caribbean is the setting for what happens between six women. Yvonne and her partner Steph are in a long term relationship that is based partially on their different interests, so each has invited a friend to accompany them on the trip. While Steph and her friend Natalie are enjoying shopping in the ports, Yvonne and her friend Kelly will participate in the sports they both enjoy. When Natalie's ex-lover Didi shows up with her new girlfriend Pamela, Natalie's agenda changes and she sets out to win Didi back. Since she and Kelly are sharing a cabin, Natalie enlists her to pretend that they are having a relationship hoping to make Didi jealous enough to realize she's made a mistake leaving Natalie. Kelly agrees to this ploy despite her growing attraction to Natalie and then quickly capitalizes on the fact that Didi and Pamela are confined to their cabin by two protracted illnesses. As Kelly introduces Natalie to activities that she would never have tried otherwise, she hopes that Natalie will realize that there is someone in her future besides Didi.

The theme that runs through this book is appearance and how it can influence people's perceptions. Kelly is very androgynous and there is a painful scene as she is boarding the ship when Natalie comments about not being able to tell if she's a man or a woman. Throughout the story there are comments about how unappealing Kelly's appearance is, usually from Didi, and there is a point where Kelly begins to doubt herself. She's willing to appear more feminine if she thinks it will attract Natalie to her. Natalie is just as focused on her own appearance and repeatedly comments that what drew her to Didi was her stylishness and how much Didi did for Natalie to improve her "look." The reader quickly understands that Kelly is the much more appealing character because of her kindness and intelligence, which Steph and Yvonne recognize from the beginning, but it takes the other characters a while to reach that comprehension. Natalie's character starts out being very superficial, but, as she comes to know Kelly better and opens herself up to new experiences, the reader can see her grow and come to the realization of how shallow she's been. Didi is the counterpoint who, with her constant needling of Kelly, practically drives Natalie into a more mature concept of what "attractive" really is. Didi, who is supposed to be the most attractive and stylish character, is also the most obnoxious. Her new partner Pamela appears to be rather nice and totally accepting of Kelly, which leaves the reader wondering what either Natalie or Pamela sees in Didi. Although Didi softens at the end, it's questionable that she truly understands how silly her attitudes are.

MacGregor's earlier books show that she's always been capable of creating a good romance. As her writing matures however, she's developing more depth in her characters and complexity to her plots. The books are still entertaining but have a strength to them that is more appealing. Sea Legs should make you think as you enjoy it.

What a delight! A group of friends head out on a Caribbean cruise. Nice folks, well 1 not so nice & boy, does Karma ever put the bite on her.

Light & fun, yes - but, per KG's usual, there is a depth there that makes it a very worthwhile read. Great characters, all strong & interesting - tough to do w/that big an ensemble I would think.

Three couples leaving snowy cold Rochester New York (where the sun shines maybe 3 months out of the year - lol), for an extended cruise of the Caribbean in the dead of winter.

Yvonne and Steph have been a couple for years and have a wonderful relationship. Their friend thirty-seven year old Mississippi native Natalie has booked the cruise with the plan that she and Steph will go off and do their thing during the day while Yvonne and her new friend Navy veteran Kelly will go adventuring.

I adored Kelly, loved Kelly, Kelly would have been too perfect except she was so real. She is confident in who she is and what she wants without being egotistical and she is so fun to read about. Kelly hasn't dated since she moved to Rochester two years earlier which may explain why she is instantly smitten with Natalie.

Also cruising is forty-two year old Didi who broke-up with Natalie two years ago and is now perfectly matched with much younger new girlfriend Pamela (Pamela is a all out terrific person, her one blind spot might possibly be Didi). Didi and Natalie still own a fashion business together that Didi would like to buy Natalie out of and move it to NYC.

Being the two singles in the group Natalie and Kelly meet for the first time and share a room. Turns out Natalie may be wanting to give her relationship with 'dead wrong for her' Didi another try, while Kelly will do anything for her including helping her get Didi's interest.

From here on it is one adventure after another with humor and really hot romance. That being said my favorite scene takes place in an island boutique where the 5 women take a stand for the newbie of the group - the book is a must for that moment alone.

If you enjoyed this novel you can't miss my favorites of the author's other titles -

Without Warning
Aftershock
Small Packages
Mulligan
House on Sandstone
Worth Every Step

More like 3.5 stars, but really not quite 4 in my book.

Even though I have once more sworn off lesfic because the novels are all so very much the same, I had this still lying around. And you know what? I *liked* this one. It's different enough from the usual formula to not be boring, has interesting characters and interesting issues it deals with and actually *deals* with them. It is also well written, that usually helps ;)

I have to admit I was torn beforehand about the issue, identity/appearance in regard to femme/butch, (I got a very anti-butch vibe in this book from reviews/comments) but it worked well. The story starts with a bunch of friends, most of them femme and a butch partner of one of them (even though, and that kind of grated me, the partner seems de-butched by her partner in regard to appearance), go on a cruise along with a friend of the couple who is also butch. There are anti-butch comments by the fashionistas to set the scene, but for the most part the butch character counters them in a graceful and charming manner and is above such petty things. Even though I don't get the anti-butch attitude at all, it was portrayed in a way that made sense for the story and I guess that kind of attitude is out there. I had to think of a Gerri Hill novel in which a bunch of closeted power dykes rally against one of their own when she falls for a butch cop... there were no levels there, just black and white and I couldn't find my way into the story for lack of believability... in this one, the different attitudes are explored (within the scope of a romance novel, don't expect anything too heavy or something that will make you think, mind you), a bunch of other 'complications' are thrown in the mix.

Personally I liked that the eventual pairing (and yes, you know right from the start) is believable and that the ending does not seem rushed. So I was a happy camper today, still determined to find a lesfic world though that is not centered on romance.

What I did want to add is that this book was produced with a shabby printing job. The print is blurry, as if the page was moving up and down while it was printed on and a lot of lines on left pages are missing the last letter, sometimes making the word guesswork. Very annoying. It's not the first time I've complained about a Bella print job, and I've complained to them as well, but they seem to be happy with the results.

The drama begins when friends and strangers sail off on a twelve-day Caribbean cruise. Some are former lovers, some are current lovers, some want to be in love.

Kelly bunks with Natalie. Their room is next to Pam and Didi's. Didi is Natalie's ex. Does Natalie want Didi back in her life? She thinks so. But someone else wants Natalie...her erstwhile bunkie, Kelly.

KG weaves a neat little tale of love, lust, and trust. And yes, this book could use another chapter or two to tie up loose ends. All in all, a pleasant read to pass a few hours of time.