Dangerous Curves Ahead: Short Stories (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Pat Ballard, the self-described "Queen of Rubenesque Romances," herein tackles an entrenched sterotype of conventional romantic fiction -- the perpetually skinny heroine -- and successfully turns it on its bony derriere.

This collection of ten short stories feature women who are just that: all woman. There's not one ultra-slim fashion model in the bunch. Their curves are all there and they make no apology for them, whether these ladies work their own cattle ranch, run an antique store or work as an executive secretary in the big city. What this means is that the vast majority of romance aficionados can relate very well to these shapely women who dare to wear larger dress sizes. Better yet, the handsome heroes depicted all appreciate curvaceous heroines, too.

In fact, some of these short stories could be more appropriately labled "coming-to-terms" tales since they feature a young woman's search for self-esteem that isn't skin deep. In "Freedom" Molly's boyfriend Mike is shocked when he discovers she comes from a family of large-sized women, because Molly has been starving herself for years in order to remain thin. When Mike issues an ultimatum that after they marry Molly had better not gain any weight, she realizes that he only loves her for her outward appearance and not because of who she is. Armed with this knowledge, she dumps him and eventually finds peace within herself and with her size.

Ballard doesn't pull punches. She shows her heroines exhibiting ample will and tenacity to tell off those who would shame them into becoming something they aren't just to blend in with society's narrow-minded notions of beauty. There's no guilt in being a big, beautiful heroine in Dangerous Curves Ahead, and that is itself a formula for a classic happy ending.

C. Appel
Fearless Books review of the trade paperback edition

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Description

Ten romantic tales pack suspense and sizzle into a collection of contemporary short stories featuring ample heroines by the Queen of Rubenesque Romances, Pat Ballard. A healthy serving of entertainment and reminder that love comes in all sizes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Pearlsong Press (May 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971324727
• ISBN-13: 978-0971324725
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,400,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comment from the publisher, November 3, 2004

By	Peggy Elam, Ph.D. "www.peggyelam.com" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

I'm sorry to hear a reader was disappointed in the book, although it's a compliment, in a way, to hear someone feels a work is too short, since people often feel that way about good books they'd like to go on reading.

I am puzzled, however, as to how the reader could be surprised that the book contained short stories, since that is the subtitle of the book and is noted in the product description.

The nature of short stories is that they are short. Contemporary literary fiction even contains a subgenre of short stories called "flash fiction" or "sudden fiction" consisting of short stories no more than one page or a few paragraphs long each.

I'm glad the reader enjoyed Pat Ballard's novels, and hope she will appreciate the novel Pat she has just completed, Abigail's Revenge. Pat says it's longer than anything else she has written!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing! Entertaining!, November 16, 2004

By	Molly Ellen (MS USA) - See all my reviews

Pat Ballard has a refreshing, creative style that, not only entertains the reader, but brings her message of love at any size. The characters in this book of short stories come alive, even though we're only given brief glimpses into their world. I felt like I knew these people and wanted to know more about them when I'd finished their story. Ms. Ballard brings surprise and intrigue into the development of each of her stories. MORE! MORE!

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I was very disappointed , September 12, 2004

By	BlueEye Freckle Girl - See all my reviews

I normally love Pat Ballards books, but when I got this one in the mail I was so excited because I have loved her other 2-Nobodys perfect and wanted one groom. Little did I know this was a bunch of short stories and believe you and me that is what they are. There was no building relationships b/c after reading the first two short stories, I have basically all of them down to a science. Very Very predictable and yet made me wonder why Pat Ballard would publish such a book not worth reading at all.