But the world don't need scholars as much as I thought...

Ok...so as my loyal readers know (actually I'm not sure if I have loyal readers, but I would at least like to pretend), I have a softspot for crap historical romance novels set in either Scotland (the highlands of course) or Regency England. Now, in reality these books really only have a limited number of plots (notmally including a strong-willed woman escaping some secret past or deed and therefore needs saving by a reluctant, ruggedly handsome man also hiding some past hurt, but in the end has a heart of gold and is willing to both accept the woman and protect her, but also say 'I Love you'... or it is the man searching for a wife, marries her for a tangible reason such as children or wealth and then realizes in the end...she means more than the original prize), but I am willing to accept this. However, what I can't condone is the blatant recopying of a story by the same author. I understand that each author has her own fantasty situation that do tend to be revealled in the book, but the books should never completely repeat themselves. It is with that very complaint I present Julie Garwood's The Bride and its sequel The Wedding.
I will freely admit that I loved The Bride. It is a great trashy historical book that embraces the genre it which it survives, but does it with grace and a bit of dignity. You like the characters. Alec, the laird of clan Kincaid, is a handsome, rich, highland warrior forced by his king (Edgar of course who is portrayed as a lovable, old soldier) to marry an Englishwoman (HORROR!!!). The Englishwomen he choses, Jamie, of course is beautiful, stubborn, can secretly both ride bareback and speak gaelic, has healing skills, and is completely willing to stand up to him. Of course sparks fly almost immediately between the two, but it takes nearly half the book for Jamie to realize she loves the lout even though not all of his subjects can accept her and it takes him almost the entire book to come to that same conclusion. Of course all of this is aided by the fact the Alec's first wife died under questionable circumstances and Jamie is now the focus of danger and suspense. All in all, the book was fantastic. I mean, of course you know that the killer was the dead wife's loony sister halfway through the book, but still the story remains enjoyable and leaves you with warm fairytale feelings that your own highland laird is just around the bend if only you had a father that would sell you to a distant land and unseen warrior simpy in order to pay off back taxes. I can get behind this story, although I know my own father would never do this of course...at least I don't think so.
Unfortunately, The Wedding, the sequel was the exact same story. Instead of Alec insert Connor, Alec's adoptive brother and substitute Lady Brenna for Jamie as the fiesty English bride that wins the heart of a powerful highland warror. The "traitor" was even a relation only related in marriage and not blood. Instead of crazy ex-sister-in-law...you get nutso step-mother/brother (2 different characters, but both are evil and traitorish and of course get what's coming to them).
However, these similarities are not only the reason I am so peaved at the book or Ms. Garwood. The more upsetting fact is that she changed character's personalities from the first book to the other. In the first book, Jamie is a stubborn, clever, intelligent, and a talented woman that can stand toe to toe with her powerful husband. In the second book, however, the reader is told that Connor has never dealt with a strong-willed woman that that is why he is intriqued with Brenna. So in all the years he lived with Alec in his keep, did Jamie never come near him? Did childrearing dominate her time to such a degree she had to contact with her husband's brother in 15-20 years? Also, characters are exactly the same from book to book, only different names. I mean it is bad enough that the villians in both books are somewhat distant relations, but the dialogue is often even seems the same. The Bride has Gavin and Marcus, Alec's trusted friends and second in command; one who likes his new wife and the other takes time to adjust. For The Wedding subsitute the names with Quinlan and Crispin and there you have it.
Now some of you might be wondering why I would spend so much time discussing this and why it even matters to me or in the grander scheme of life. I may have not paid full price for the book, but I did deserve more for my $5 investment. I am a grad student here...I should at least get an original crap historical romance story. Is that simply too much to ask? A bit more class for the genre? Or respectability? But in the end this will not sway me from the genre as a whole. If anything, crap historical romance novels have gotten me through grad school and have helped to not completely turned me into one of those quasi-prentious grad students that The Simpsons mocked last year in a episode.
The family had gone to see an Albainian art film and of course everyone but Lisa got bored. As they walked out of the theatre, Bart waved a man's ponytail (that he had removed from the guy sitting in front of him) and then held it to the back of his head and sneered, "Loot at me, I'm a grad student! I made $600 last year!" Marge, of course, corrects him and says, "Don't be mean. Grad students are nice people; they just made bad life choices." Well at least I have that to cling to...I can fully appreciate the clichéd and banal!