Sarah's Library

22/8 - I previously read #4 in the series, Last Chance Christmas, and wasn't particularly impressed with the romance side of the story. I saw this at the library and thought I'd give the series another go, I'm having pretty much the same feelings with this one. The plot is slightly more interesting (there's a ghost), but the romance and any hint of sexual tension is completely missing. So far, in 262 pages, they've kissed once. One kiss doesn't equal romance, it doesn't equal growing sexual tension either if the woman is very inexperienced and sees no reason why he would be interested in her and the man doesn't think he's good enough for her and uses his diabetes as an excuse for that thinking.

I don't understand Gabe's diabetes. I have type 1 diabetes that is controlled by insulin. Gabe refuses to taste, even touch, one of Jenny's breakfast muffins, but is perfectly happy to eat Cheerios every morning. Did Ramsay not bother to check the sugar content on the side of a Cheerios box before writing the book? Each average size serving of Cheerios contains 9.7 grams of sugar - 11% of a normal person's daily intake, not a diabetic person's. If Ramsay was going to make Gabe a diabetic it would have been more believable if she'd had him eating Cornflakes (only 2.8 grams or 3% of DI of sugar) or a single piece of toast spread with Marmite (or some other sugarless spread). It's not that hard to do a little research - it took me about one minute per website to find out the sugar content of Cheerios and Cornflakes. Why couldn't Ramsay have done this? If you're going to have a diabetic character, don't make them a caricature of a diabetic, make them real enough that RL diabetics like myself say "Yeah, that happens to me". Find an actual diabetic and ask them about their diet. I eat pretty normally; except for dessert, soft drinks with sugar and too many carbs in one meal (can't have corn, potato and pumpkin all at once or pasta and herb bread for the same meal). I would have no problem trying half a muffin along with my breakfast because if you're going to stray from a highly regimented diabetic's diet (which is what Gabe seems to follow) the best time to do it is as part of a meal because you know you're going to have insulin anyway to counteract your normal food. A couple of times Gabe is mentioned as having his usual Cheerios for breakfast, a sandwich at noon and then going out at eight - for most insulin-dependent diabetics this would be a highly dangerous routine as eight hours between a sandwich and dinner is waaayy too long, he'd be going hypo every night (which is a very unhealthy and unsafe practice).

Also, Gabe's reticence regarding telling Jenny about his diabetes is unusual behaviour because as a, I'm assuming, long-term type 1 diabetic Gabe would know that's it's important for his safety that those around him know what's happening to him if he suddenly passes out. If no one knows he's a diabetic they wouldn't know what signs to check for to see whether his unconsciousness is related to the diabetes or if he just had an aneurysm. Also, as the grocery shopper of the house Jenny would need to know what to buy for everyday eating, as well as emergencies. Plus, if he takes insulin, as almost all type ones do, it needs to be kept in the fridge. In fact, the more I think about it, the more inconsistencies I see, and the more annoying I find the ones I've already noticed. The ending will make up my mind as to whether this can stay a three star, or will have to go down to two (there's no chance it's going up to four). To be continued...

Later - This was just meh for me, 2.5 maybe 3 stars. On second thoughts, definitely 2.5 stars. There was nothing offensive, but I didn't feel much of anything for Rochester...I mean Gabe, and while Jenny was a reasonable character I didn't see any reason for her to fall in love with Gabe. On of the reasons she gives for loving him is that he made her change her locks twice because he thought she was in danger. Her sewing circle and book club both suggested similar things, but she's not contemplating marriage with any of them is she? No because that's not a reason to fall in love with someone, that's just a suggestion that anyone worried about the safety of someone else would make. Police officers called to a break in suggest it to the owners of the house all time, imagine the chaos if marriage was proposed with every broken lock. At the moment I'm telling myself not to let myself get sucked in by any future pretty covers on Hope Ramsay books, because they just seem to be a bit dull and romanceless. Hopefully I won't forget my edict or be tempted by another cover, because I've got better things to do than read books that move along at a snails' pace and push Christian values over romance (I want my smoochies, damn it!).