Review: Loves Reflection by Carol North

Love's Reflection by Carol North

Escape Into a Story by Bestselling Author Carol North

Release Date: November 1, 2009
Formats: eBook and Print
Author web site: http://carolnorth.com 
Publisher: Class Act Books
Buy link: http://classactbooks.com/bkpglovesreflection.htm

Link to Trailer: http://carolnorth.com/LRtrailer.htm

Rating: 4.5/5.0



About the book:

Alpha is naive and untouched, submissive, low-maintenance, beautiful, anatomically perfect. She's a robot created by Dr. Cort Hirsch in the image of his unrequited love interest, Zoe Parker, film superstar. Life with Alpha isn't what Cort expected. Perhaps he uploaded too many fashion magazines and decorating books to her database. He also comes to realize his robot is cheeky when she insists on wearing waterproof gloves before she'll clean the kitchen.

Cort, Alpha, and Zoe are brought together when Zoe receives death threats. Cort's passion is finally satiated, but by which female? In the midst of danger, Cort must decide who to love and protect. Will it be Alpha? Or will it be Zoe?

My Review: 

I am thrilled to be a part of a blog tour for author Carol North and when Martha asked me to do this I didn't know anything about Ms. North or her books.  I was very pleased when I started reading Love's Reflection and when I finished I was thrilled.  I enjoyed reading the whole book.  The robot angle was new to me and very enjoyable.

I also really enjoyed the characters.  Cort was that bumbling yet hot man who we all love.  Zoe is the typical stuck-up, only concerned with herself starlet.  Alpha is just amazing.  She's sweet, she's naive, she wants to please, yet eventually she learns what it is like to be a woman and she becomes stronger, but she never loses that part of herself .


Strong characters and a strong plot, along with a robot to complete a love triangle.  Ms. North seems very knowledgeable about the robot angle (and you can find out why from the interview with her on my blog). This is a book that will stay with me for awhile.  I loved the suspense angle and the romance, who will Cort choose?  It's a wonderful book from start to finish.


Also don't forget to enter the giveaway for two totebags on Martha's blog and visit Sumana's blog tomorrow for the third part of the interview with Carol and Friday for a review of Carol's book Miss Bisque and the Colonel.  Remember any comments on this post and my interview with Carol earn extra entries for the tote bag.


Thanks to Carol for the copy of her wonderful book and helping me expand my reading  horizons.  Also thanks to Martha for hooking us all up on this wonderful blog tour.  It's been fun and I look forward to more from Carol North in the future.


Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009

Interview Part 2 with Carol North: Love's Reflection

Thanks so much Carol for joining me today with this interview about Love's Reflection and being a part of this blog tour.  I'll have my interview of Love's Reflection up later today.  And don't forget about the great tote bag giveaway we are hosting on Martha's blog (and comments on this interview get you extra entries). Part 1 of the interview is up here.

Crystal: Can you summarize Love’s Reflection in one sentence?

Carol: Hunky scientist creates a robot in the exact image of the woman who rejected him, a film superstar; then the fun begins.

Crystal: The fun definitely does begin there.  It's an intriguing concept that plays out really well in the book.

Do you have a favorite scene in the book?

Carol: One of my favorites is when Zoe Parker, film superstar, invites Alpha, the robot, to do "girl stuff." While Zoe teaches makeup application, she wises up Alpha about the woman's role in society. So the robot tells Cort to make his own lunch and informs him she expects to be paid for the work she does in his laboratory.

That scene is in Alpha's point of view so the reader sees the "thought" processes of the robot and how she comes to logical conclusions about emotional issues. Wish I had known how to do that when I was married. My ex wouldn't have won a single argument.

Crystal: I think this scene is really empowering for women and amusing to watch.

Your story involves a humanoid type robot  – did you do any special research for that? 

Carol:  Love's Reflection came out of a course I wrote for Motorola, "Introduction to Programming Robots." While researching the training project, I realized how close we are to creating a humanoid robot. The book was conceived when I worried about the "feelings" of the robot, and then saw the humor in a chauvinistic scientist creating a super-woman smarter and stronger than he. I did additional research while writing the book, and designed a viable outline for creating a humanoid. (That's from the geeky, tech writer part of me.)

Recently, a noted scientist wrote Love and Sex With Robots. He predicts that before 2050 humanoid robots like Alpha will be a reality.

Crystal: Wow - I didn't know we were that close - I mean I grew up thinking we would have robots by the time I was grown, and now I've been grown for awhile.  And how cool that you designed an outline for creating a humanoid - you have a cool geeky, tech writer part of you!

What do you think readers will like best about Love’s Reflection?

Carol: The humor in watching Alpha's birth and how her personality develops. She becomes all that is good about being female. On her road to passing for human, she helps the repressed, chauvinistic scientist find his humanity and get in touch with his "feminine side."

Crystal:  This is a release of LR with a new publisher.  Did you have some special publishing difficulties regarding this book?

Carol:  There are a few situations where I could recommend requesting return of rights, including when edits are ruining the book, when the publisher is proven to be understating royalties, when the publishing company is going under, or when the publisher is in breech of contract. Even under any of these circumstances, I believe the author and the publisher should try to negotiate a resolution. I requested return of rights for two books, when a particular situation could not be resolved.

I do not believe an author should frivolously request return of rights if the publisher is fulfilling the terms of the contract. It's up to the author to research publishers and contract terms before submittal. 

Crystal:  Wow - the things you learn about the publishing world when you interview authors.  I had no idea that things like this went on.  I agree that an author should be able to request a return of rights when there are problems.  I'm sorry you went through all of this.

Thank you again for joining up today Carol!

MySpace Link:

http://tinyurl.com/ygcczlk

Trailer on Carol's website:

http://carolnorth.com/LRtrailer.htm

Please join us 11/5 at I read . . . for Part Three – Questions about the Book: Miss Bisque and the Colonel!

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Waiting on Wednesday - November 4

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I saw this one awhile back on someone's blog (sorry I don't remember where) and now I can't wait for it.

Possessed by Kate Cann


Release: February 1, 2010



About the Book:

Rayne can't wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare -- the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn't feel safe anywhere.

Can Rayne figure out why she's so freaked -- before she becomes a ghost story herself?

So what are you waiting on this week?