01 May, 2012

Happy May Day!

Hi everybody! If you didn't already know, today is May 1 better known as May Day! Now I didn't really know that much about May Day so I thought I would look into it and you would be surprised at all that I found! :) Did you know that May Day has it May Day is related to the Celtic festival of Bealtine and the Germanic festival of Walpurgus night. May 1 falls exactly a half a year from November 1. The earliest celebration of May Day can be traced back to Flora the ancient Roman celebration in honor of the Roman goddess of flowers. Traditional British May Day rites include Morris dancing, crowning of the May Queen and celebrations involving the Maypole.


 Did you know that because of its ties to paganism, May Day was abolished by the Puritans during the years of 1649-1660? On May 1, 1561 in France King Charles IX received a lily of the valley as a lucky charm, every year after that he decided to offer a lily of the valley to each woman in the court. At the beginning of the 20th century, it became custom to give a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of springtime, on May 1. The government permits individuals and workers' organisations to sell them tax-free.


 Now, all these facts are nice but how does this pertain to my blog you ask? Well, the more romantic traditions of May Day are what I really want to talk about! In Germany, May 1 is celebrated by the delivery of a maypole, a tree covered in streamers to the house of a girl the night before. The tree is typically from a love interest, though a tree wrapped only in white streamers is a sign of dislike. Females usually place roses or rice in form of a heart at the house of their beloved one. It is common to stick the heart to a window or place it in front of the doormat. On Leap Years it is the responsibility of the females to place the maypole. All the action is usually done secretly and it is an individuals choice whether to give a hint of their identity or stay anonymous.

In some parts of the United States May Baskets are made. These are small baskets usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someones doorstep. The giver rings the bell and runs away. The person receiving the basket tries to catch the fleeing giver. If they catch the person, a kiss is exchanged.


Oh to celebrate these traditions of May Day, I find it so romantic to wake up on the morning of May 1 and look out your window and find a tree covered in streamers only to wonder who put it there. I love all the traditions surrounding May day and I love the coming of spring and the fresh flowers and pretty much everything about May Day. So there is your history lesson today! Go give some lilies to your beloved or leave a tree or a basket outside someones door and see what comes of it. Happy May Day everyone! :)


Did you know that Kate Middleton carried a lily of the valley bouquet at the royal wedding on April 29th two days before May Day?

28 April, 2012

San Francisco Southern

Ok, I admit, I have been backed up, on blogging that is. I have read two books and failed to blog with them but as a very busy college girl approaching finals week, I am stressing out over my Sign Language final. That being said, I apologize for taking so long. OK, so I read two books in the last week both are really good and really different. The only two things these books can claim as similar are that they are both in the Christan Romantic Fiction category. Ok, the first book that I read is called Perfecting Kate. This is the first christian fiction book I ever picked up and read as a Sophomore in High School. This book is really good and has a lot of good messages in it about faith and truly embracing who you are as a daughter of a king, (not to mention all the juicy romance scenes! Moonlit picnic on the rooftop overlooking San Francisco with an incredibly hot doctor? Yes please!) Anyways, I am sidetracking. This book follows the life of Kathrine May Meadows a budding San Fransisco artist. All she is looking for is a nice, solid Christian man. She is surprised when all of the sudden not one but two incredibly gorgeous men enter her world. The first is Michael Palmier a very famous make up artist who swears he loves Kate but the bounty of business cards he offers to her ranging from a dentist who promises to fix the little gap in her teeth to the plastic surgeon who specializes in liposuction. The second bachelor is Dr. Clive Alexander who is the lead plastic surgeon at the children's hospital where he gives burn victims back their lives and their hope, oh did I mention he is supposed to look like Brad Pitt, in a more attractive kind of way? Dr. Alexander sends Kate's pulse skittering at every turn too bad he is only interested in her work, will there ever be a man who just loves Kate for who she is or will she rely on fixing herself to meet others standards of her. Join Kate as she discovers the plan God has for her and I can guarantee that you will not look back! The second book I finished this week was Courting Trouble by Deeanne Gist, I know I blog about her a lot but there are only so many books that a girl can take WITH her to college! *sigh* I highly recommend this book if you love westerns. This book takes place in the late 1800's in Corsicana, Texas. This book follows the life of Essie Spreckelmeyer. Essie is thirty years old and is known as the spinster of the town. Ti. red of waiting for a match made in heaven she decides she will settle for a match made Texas. Join Essie for an exciting journey of a lifetime that will have you laughing and crying for Essie! Both of these books are a truly delightful read! Now I wanted to give you guys a heads up on the books that I am going to blog about in the near future so you can read them too! My next books that I will blog about are The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist, and I am going to finish reading the Daughters of Boston series and the Winds of Change series so I can get those blogs up soon too. In the meantime the only thing I will be doing this week is working on my Sign Language final and working on finishing up this school year!

Love and Romance, Kayla


22 April, 2012

"In Ireland the inevitable never happens and the unexpected constantly occurs."

A wise woman once said, "If I had never met him, I would have dreamed him into being." I just finished reading this book called A Passion Most Pure, I have read this book dozens upon dozens of times and it never fails that no matter how many romance novels I read no matter how many movies I watch, this book never fails to contain my favorite love story of all time. That is saying a lot because I live off romance and this book does everything for me. The book goes somewhat like this without spoiling anything :) She's found the love of her life. Unfortunately, he loves her sister.As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her. Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister. But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart. I love this book. I love this book more than any I have ever read. If any of you know me you know that I am OBSESSED  with Ireland, well guys, this book is what started it all, even since I read it for the first time my little girl heart secretly pined away for my own "Irish rogue." I think the reason that this book speaks to me in such ways is because I can very much relate to Faith O'Conner, in fact if I lived in 1916 (which I wish I had by the way) I know Faith and I would be best friends. I find myself drawn to this book because I love historical romances and I love that Julie Lessman incorporates God into the book. In most christian romances, romance comes first then the author just throws in that the characters are Christian and walla you have a Christian romance novel but with this book, faith in God is at the forefront of every page and every chapter. The author does a great job with the romances too by the way, I won't lie, I swooned so much while reading this book, secretly praying that God would provide me with my own Collin McGuire. Oh my goodness this book is so good and I recommend it to everyone who loves a passionate romance and I can guarantee you that when you finish reading it, you will wish for your very own Collin McGuire. *swoon*

Love and Romance, Kayla


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P.S the book is the first in a series, don't worry they are all out so you won't have to wait!
 


21 April, 2012

The Lucky One Movie Review

Ok, let me just get this out there first, I am the LAST person on earth who should be doing a Nicholas Sparks movie review. If you don't know this die hard romance lover (me) cannot stand any of Nicholas Sparks books or movies (besides the Notebook) For some reason I can never trudge my way through any of his books and I really am not that big a fan of the movies; but anyways,I will do my best to enlighten you on all that is The Lucky One. For starters, I need to read the book just so I have a clearer understanding, just because I am not a fan of Nicholas Sparks doesn't mean I won't read his books, come on, romance is romance! So the movie, overall it had the potential to be a very good movie, U.S. marine Logan Thibault finds a picture of a beautiful woman in the desert one day and carries it with him believing that it brings him good luck, when he returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq he sets out on a quest to find this woman. Little does he know that the woman he sets out to find will help him find himself in the process. Elizabeth is a single mother who is still grieving the loss of her brother and in the midst of a custody battle with her son's father, when Logan enters her life the romance begins and this is where all the romance lovers swoon, the passionate kissing the sweet nothings whispered to each other, all of this makes a romance lover (or any woman of sound mind) swoon at the love affair that is taking place. As much as this movie is romantic there are some things that I didn't like about it, first off being, I felt that was all there was, romance. To me,although I love and live for romance I need to have something to keep my attention people! Second off, I know that they were supposed to fit a whole story into a 2 hour movie but honestly, making out by the thirty minute mark, I don't think that is quite realistic. One of the biggest things I didn't like about the movie was that I thought the acting wasn't that great. Did I sigh and swoon when Zac Efron took his shirt off? You bet I did, but that was the only time! He didn't even woo her it all just sort of happened. Elizabeth look like she was at least 10 to 15 years older than Logan and I was a little turned off on that, if the ages of the characters had been slightly adjusted that would have been better. I feel like I am complaining a lot about this movie but honestly, overall was it a good movie? Yes I believe it was. Would I watch it again? Of course I would watch it again! When I am pining away at the prospect of the fact that I am still single and wanting nothing to do than to watch a romance novel and wish my heart were being swept away by a handsome soldier, yes I would watch it again in a heartbeat, would I recommend you to go see it? Well, I say that you should save your $10 and wait until it comes out on red box, was it a good movie, I believe it was but not something I would pay beacoup bucks to see again. There are much better romance movies out there.

Love and Romance, Kayla



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The Lucky One Movie Poster
 

15 April, 2012

Love and Loss

There is something about the theme of love and loss that calls many a romance author to write about. For example the book that I just finished today, Driftwood Lane by Denise Hunter. Now don't get me wrong it's a great book but it follows along the lines of so many romance novels today. The book goes something like this, Meridith Ward is totally content with her St. Louis life having finally escaped the past that has haunted her, she was forced to live with a mother who had bipolar disorder and her father abandoned her when she was just a little girl. Now 25 and happy with her safe life and picture perfect cookie cutter home and her job as a health inspector, her life is turned upside down when she gets an unexpected phone call from an attorney telling her that her father and stepmother were involved in a boating accident and didn't survive, and she finds out that she is now the primary guardian of three half siblings she has never met before. Forced to deal with the pain of her past once again, she returns to Nantucket (perfect place for a romance novel don't you think?) with plans to relinquish guardianship to the kids uncle who is a confirmed bachelor and the man she's hired to do the contracting work on the Bed and Breakfast that is her new home. Enter Jake Walker, the handsome uncle who is posing undercover as the handyman to get a better grip on exactly who Meridith is and how he can dig up dirt on her so he can claim guardianship, as you would have it, love and drama ensues, but I'll let you read the book to find that out ;). This book brings to light the million of romance novels that follow the same plot as this one. Some sort of happens loss happens whether it being the type of loss that is in Driftwood Lane or another similar type loss. After the loss the romance comes along. I can't help but wonder what it is about these kind of plots that so entrap and enthrall the readers of the romance world. I can say one thing though, I love books like these, and I can guarantee that as long as they are still being written I will still read them.

Love and romance, Kayla
P.S. Here is the link to her website, check it out, she is a great writer! http://denisehunterbooks.com/

13 April, 2012

Romance Under the Big Texas Sky

ok, so I know I just posted about a Deeanne Gist novel but her books are so good and I just finished reading another of hers that I just have to share it with you! I just finished reading Love on the Line it's her newest novel and the story takes place in 1903 in the small town of Brenham, Texas. The storyline centers around 20 year old Georgie Gail who is a switchboard operator in the small German community that is Brenham. Little does she know that her world is going to be turned upside down when Luke Palmer comes to town. Luke Palmer is the dashing hero of the novel and yes I do mean dashing! One of my favorite hero's I have read about! Luke Palmer is posing undercover as a telephone repairman when he really is a Texas Ranger trying to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. This book is so good, I seriously could not put it down. I am totally convinced you know a book is a good one when you read the last page and you feel like a part of you is missing because you know you are finished. I love Deeanne Gist's novels because they are so incredibly historically accurate she really does her research and makes the book good while still maintaining accuracy! This book brings up a few topics that I want to bring to light though. There are millions of romance novels on the market today where the hero's are handsome cowboys or dashing knights and it makes me wonder what is it that makes a girls heart do flip flops when she sees the heroine get swept off her feet my the hero? I have a few theories, I think that girls love these romance novels so much because every girl when she was little wanted to be a princess, (I know I did!) I think that these novels are so successful because they let you step into the heroines shoes and actually become whatever you want to be. I am a strong believer that one of the only times a normal girl can become a princess (I say normal because I exclude Kate Middleton) is when she reads a book and allows herself to be swept off her feet by the handsome knight or the dashing cowboy. I think that romance novels allow for you to transport yourself to a time when life was simpler, when girls got to wear dresses all the time, when girls were courted yes COURTED by men, and when girls could not have to worry about the dangers of today. I think that in your heart of hearts that you really want to be the girl that gets swept up off your feet and you want to transport yourself out of this mundane world in to a world you can only dream about and that's why women love romance novels so much. Another thing I wanted to bring up is how perfect the hero is in the books. Does anyone else notice this or is it just me? Every hero is just what I imagine that my future husband should be like (I mean who doesn't want to marry a handsome Texas Ranger???) Anyways, this is getting really long and if you took the time to read all this, thank you for taking the time to listen to me ramble about the characters that I wish were real

Love and Romance, Kayla
P.S. this is the link to Deeanne's website so you can check out her books for yourself! :) http://www.deeannegist.com/

11 April, 2012

What this blog is all about...

Ok, first of all, thank you for taking the time to read my blog! Second of all, I created this blog to share with you things that are near and dear to my heart. Since my heart and everything I read, do, and watch all revolve around romance, I thought; why not share with you every romanced filled thought of mine, starting with books I have recently read, movies I have recently watched and everything that tugs at your heartstrings. So for my first blog post I am going to share with you a book I recently read and share some of my thoughts on it! Sound good? I think so! So last week I finished this book called A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist.  *WARNING SPOILERS!* This book was published in 2009 and I consider it one of my favorite books. Deeanne Gist is excellent at writing historical romance and as a history aficionado I am a fan of every one of her stories. A Bride in the Bargain takes place in the 1860's right after the Civil War and it takes place in the Washington Territory. The main protagonist is Anna Ivey and she came to the Washington Territory in search of a new life, little did she know what she was getting into. Enter handsome lumberjack Joe Denton who hires Anna with the intention of making her his wife in order to secure his land. Please tell me what is more romantic than a handsome lumberjack in 1860's Washington! Anyways, romance ensues and it is truly toe curling romance, the kind that you just can't help but dropping everything you are doing to finish this book. The kind of romance that makes you feel all warm and cozy inside and makes you wish you could time travel and find yourself a handsome lumberjack. Needless to say, if you are truly aching for a romance that will take you away from the mundane day to day tasks, this romance will, you will wish you were there in the Washington Territory and wish you were Anna Ivey being wooed by the handsome Joe Denton.