Reese Ryan Romance

Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

Movies

Complicated Characters. Challenging Relationships.

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Summer Lovin' Blog HopI’m fascinated by complicated characters. My favorites include Sherlock Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary), Raylen Givens (Justified), Mary Shannon (In Plain Sight) and James Bond (played by Daniel Craig). They are prickly, a bit dark and extremely hard to love.

No wonder their characters rarely have serious love interests. When they do, the two seem to be a volatile mixture of chemicals ready to blow at any moment. That’s what makes writing a complicated character in a romance a bit more challenging.

After all, in a romance we are essentially guaranteeing a happily ever after, or at least a happy for now. Something we rarely see complicated characters in television and movies get.

That’s because loving and living with a complicated person can be taxing. But if the character grows as a person over the course of the story, it can be a truly beautiful thing to watch. Yes, they make us frustrated and angry, maybe even bring us to tears. Yet, we are thrilled to see them reach a point where they are open to being loved and are able to do so in return. Despite their imperfections.

Jamie Charles, the heroine in my latest release, Love Me Not, is definitely a complicated character. She had a very difficult childhood. In response, she’s developed a thick outer skin. Like a callous that forms to protect the raw, damaged layer underneath. Jamie can be sarcastic, judgmental and sometimes plain mean. Yet, she’s bright, talented and fiercely loyal to the people she loves.

Fully aware of her flaws, Jamie has made a conscious choice not to get emotionally involved with anyone. She doesn’t see herself as the kind of girl capable of giving her heart to someone. The risk feels too great. However, when Miles Copeland comes along, he isn’t convinced by Jamie’s tough girl act and he believes he’s just the man to prove her wrong.

Miles is also a multi-faceted character. On the surface he’s handsome, affable and charming. However, below the surface he is battling demons of his own.

Loving Jamie is certainly a challenge. One Miles believes is worth it. As long-held secrets are revealed, Jamie comes to terms with her past and slowly begins to recognize that she is indeed capable of loving  Miles and worthy of his love.

Do you like complex characters in books, television and movies? If so, tell me who your favorites are in the comments below. If complicated characters drive you crazy, tell me why you loathe them. Your comment will enter you for a chance to win a digital copy of my Bad Boys Gone Good series, which includes Love Me Not, and signed Keeper Kase postcards for both books in the series (mailed to U.S. and Canadian addresses only)

Then be sure to enter the Rafflecopter contest below for your chance to win the awesome Summer Lovin’ Blog Grand Prize: a $75 Amazon Gift Card; a $25 Starbucks e-card and your choice of a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card.

Love Me Not Summary

Tortured artist, Jamie Charles’ life is a careful balance between flashes of brilliance and self-loathing. Her art is as dark and dramatic as her painful past. Her resentment of the biological parents—who were too preoccupied with their addictions to bother with her—fuels her ambition to succeed as an artist, but also takes a heavy, personal toll.

Love Me Not by Reese RyanMiles Copeland climbed to the top of his advertising agency because he isn’t afraid of taking risks and because he has something to prove to the father who betrayed his family. But when he falls for a moody, Gothic beauty with zero interest in anything but a purely physical relationship, he finds himself in dangerous territory.

Jamie prefers living hard and fast without the complications of love, but finds it impossible to resist the stunningly handsome, yet incredibly sweet man who is determined to have every piece of her–including her heart. Miles shows Jamie the beauty of being loved madly and deeply, but is it enough to make her finally learn to love herself, and open her heart to him?

Buy Love Me Not on Amazon
Buy Love Me Not at Barnes & Noble
Buy Love Me Not on iTunes

Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop:

Hop on over to the Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop to visit other participating blogs here: www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com . Enter the Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop giveaway below:

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Recap: Life on the Other Side of 40, the Romantic Comedy Drought and the How I Met Your Mother Finale

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A still from one of my favorite romantic comedies, Pretty Woman.

The past couple of months have been insanely busy. Though I haven’t posted frequently here on the Reese Ryan Diaries, I’ve been pretty active around the ‘net. This week:

  • Today I’m over at All Things Girl, where it all started for me, talking about The View from Here (or life on the other side of 40).

Got a minute to pop over to one of the above stops to say hello? I’d love to see you! In the meantime, happy reading.

By the way, if you haven’t already registered for my VIP mailing list, you can do so by clicking on the hot pink bar on your left, or by popping your email address into the form on the top right sidebar. The next newsletter will go out next week and this month and next there will be exciting announcements and prizes. I want you to be the first to know.

Smooches!

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Interview with Arjay Smith of TNT’s Perception

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Arjay Smith from Perception.
Actor Arjay Smith from Perception on TNT.

Actor Arjay Smith undoubtedly looks familiar. No wonder. He has guested on a slew of top television shows including memorable roles on Malcolm in the Middle and The Bernie Mac Show. He played the title role in The Journey of Allen Strange and Jake Gyllenhaal’s best friend in one of my favorite disaster movies–The Day After Tomorrow.

Recently I had the opportunity to interview actor Arjay Smith over on All Things Girl. (Don’t be alarmed at the name difference. That’s definitely me.) I love interviewing other creatives. Regardless of which medium they pursue, there is so much one can learn. Especially from those who are insightful and generous with their knowledge and experience.

Though Arjay is still relatively young, he’s been in show business for two decades. And he’s made the tricky transition from child actor to a working adult actor. I had to know what he attributed to his ability to make this transition when so many who’ve come before and after him have not. His answer was simple and perceptive. Quite fitting since he plays Max Lewicki on the TNT drama Perception along with Eric McCormack and Rachael Leigh Cook.

Hop over to All Things Girl to find out why Arjay has been able to stay grounded in a business that can be quite tumultuous and how he’s managed to have a string of prolific appearances on top televisions shows. Then be sure to catch Arjay Smith tonight on Perception which airs Tuesdays at 10/9 Central on TNT.

Images: Marc Cartwright

Grooming: Bobby Wells

W is for The Words (The Movie)

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Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana in The Words

The Words is a complex, layered tale. A story within a story within a story. I admit that the ending left me confused with more questions than answers. Still, I enjoyed the ride just the same.

Bradley Cooper plays Rory a writer who is struggling to make his mark in the literary world. He’s newly married, in debt to his father who has been supporting his habit as a writer, and forced to take a corporate job. When his wife, Dora, played by Zoe Saldana, buys him a lovely, old leather satchel during their honeymoon in Paris, he discovers a manuscript inside. It’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever read and he decides to type the entire story, in the hopes that it will inspire his own work. When Dora discovers the manuscript on his computer and mistakes it for his work, Rory doesn’t have the courage to tell her the truth. It is the first false step down a  rocky path of lies and deception.

This is one of those films people seem to love or hate. Some critics have proclaimed it ambitious or preachy. But I loved it, and I thought Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, Nora Arnezeder were quite brilliant. I found the third storyline with Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde distracting and confusing. However, I loved the first two threads enough to overlook the third.

Did you see The Words? If so, what did you think of it? Do you like books and movies that incorporate clever, ambitious story elements as this one does? If so, which one is your favorite?

Publicity photo from The Words.

V is for Villain (Best Movie Villains of All Time)

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Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained.What would the heroes we love–James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Sherlock Holmes, and James West (YES, I said James West) be without the villains who made them shine–Goldfinger, Owen Davies, Professor Moriarity, and Dr. Loveless?

The video below is one of countless lists compiled of the greatest movie villains of all time. Many of my choices were on the list, including Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (that was a seriously creepy, weird film), Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in Misery (I grab my knee caps every time I think of her), Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill the Butcher Cutting in Gangs of New York, and Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

There are a few I’d add to the list. Javier Bardem–proving he is a masterful at portraying complicated, creepy villains–for his role as Silva in the most recent James Bond film, Skyfall. Daniel Day-Lewis for his role as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood (I don’t care if he was the protagonist, that guy was definitely a villain). Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen in Gangster Squad (Shivering, just thinking about the opening scene). Leonardo Dicaprio as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained. 

Who are your favorite villains of all time? Why do we love to hate them?

Publicity photo from Django Unchained.

 

T is for Timer (The Movie)

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I saw a review for the movie, Timer, on another blogger’s site several months ago. (Sorry! I can’t remember who it was.) She included the trailer, below. Immediately I was intrigued. A rom-com with a touch of science fiction and angsty characters? I was hooked. So I added the movie to my Blockbuster queue and forgot about it.

TimerPosterThen it arrived. My husband gave me the usual “Not another chick flick” eyeroll. But I was excited. More excited than I’d been about the arrival of a movie in awhile. I put it on the speaker next to the TV and went about my day, figuring I’d watch it over the weekend. Only that was three or four weekends ago.

So finally, after a little pouting from GQ because I was hogging up the Blockbuster movie queue with my unwatchable girly flicks (my words, not his) I decided to watch the movie. And I wasn’t disappointed.

The story of smart, anxious orthodontist Ooma (Emma Caufield) and her family was sweet, funny, and made me think. How would we approach life differently if life, love, or success came with a guarantee?

I have a thing for movies that examine alternate realities, like Butterfly Effect and Sliding Doors. And while this movie didn’t follow alternate possibilities, I couldn’t help but think in terms of them the entire time.

In addition to an interesting plot the movie is filled with deliciously flawed characters who make all degrees of questionable choices. Yet, we know enough about them to understand their behavior and still care about them.

The movie didn’t end the way I hoped, but that was okay. Because Ooma’s actions were in line with her character and I could understand the decision she didn’t make.

The story made me laugh, cry, and think. Most of all, it made me a little envious. I want to tell stories like that.

Have you seen the movie? If so, what did you think? What kind of stories do you enjoy reading, watching, or spinning?

Note: This post originally appeared on my old blog, Mindful Banter.

E is for Ebert and Elementary #AtoZChallenge

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Farewell Roger Ebert

A quick nod to Pullitzer Prize-winning movie critic, Roger Ebert, who died yesterday. I’ve been watching Roger Ebert share his insightful movie reviews from his balcony since the days of Siskel & Ebert at the Movies. They were magic together and I loved watching them dissect a film–whether they loved it or hated. I’ll admit I got a little thrill out of it when one hated a film as passionately as the other loved it. It taught me that art is truly subjective and that even brilliant minds disagree.

Roger Ebert is as firmly rooted in the history of Hollywood as many actors and directors, and is far more memorable than most of the movies he reviewed. He will be missed. Today both thumbs are at half-mast.

 

Elementary, My Dear Watson

If you’ve been here more than once, you know I have a deep and abiding love for flawed, damaged characters. However, the danger with flawed characters is that they tread a perilous line between likability and utter loathing. In extreme cases the character’s flaws descend into full-scale buffoonery or an intolerable lack of consideration for others.  For instance, I was a fan of the USA series Monk at first. But after awhile I found his treatment of his assistant, Natalie, intolerable, and felt like his countless phobias had become the central theme of the show with each gag going on far too long.

Elementary -- Jonny Lee Miller plays Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson.Enter Jonnie Lee Miller’s portrayal of famed detective Sherlock Holmes in the CBS drama, Elementary. A famous, drug-addicted detective with innumerable quirks and a tendency to be brusque is ripe for treading on the side of utter loathing. Initially I gave the show a shot because I have fond memories of staying up late, as a little girl, to watch Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce portray the brilliant, but socially-inept detective and his affable sidekick, respectively. I also found the idea of Sherlock Holmes being given a modern twist–including making the Watson character a woman–completely intriguing.

I watched the first episode, but wasn’t completely sold. I had serious doubts whether I could tolerate Sherlock’s behavior. Still, I was interested enough to watch the next episode, and the next. Each case was complicated, with unexpected twists. More importantly, I grew fonder of the main characters.

Sherlock Holmes – Portayed by Jonnie Lee Miller

A star consultant for Scotland Yard, Holmes falls out of favor after descending into a drug habit and being forced into rehab. He comes to Manhattan where Captain Gregson (portrayed by Aiden Quinn) is familiar with his work and allows him to serve as a consultant on NYPD cases. Sherlock’s father–a man who is never seen, but is, and has always been, detached from his son–insists that Holmes live with a sober companion following his release from rehab and relocation to New York City.

Dr. Joan Watson – Portrayed by Lucy Liu

Dr. Joan Watson was a brilliant surgeon until she lost her patient, her confidence, and her license to practice medicine three years ago. She finds solace in her new career–serving as a companion to recovering addicts. Still, she is painfully aware that her family and friends disapprove of her choice and believe she is simply hiding out from life.

Both characters have tragic pasts that drive their behavior and thinking in very different ways. However, over the course of this first season we’ve watched the growth and development of both Holmes and Watson, and the evolution of their complex relationship. From the beginning Watson became increasingly invested in her charge as her admiration for his brilliance grew. However, bit by bit Holmes began to recognize Watson’s unique abilities. More importantly, we’ve watched as he reluctantly began to care for her. He demonstrates his concern in subtle ways, but because of the insight we’ve been given into his character each act speaks volumes.

Have you seen Elementary? Do you love it or hate it? Who are your favorite damaged characters and why?

C is for Character #AtoZChallenge

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skyfall-wp1-1024As an avid reader, a film fan, and a writer, I’m obsessed with quirky and interesting characters. More specifically, I am drawn to deeply damaged characters whose occupation and actions reflect their past experiences.

Situations in life are rarely black and white. The same is true of people. Heroes often have a dark side, or an ugly past. Villains often have some redeemable qualities, or a past history that provides insight into their character.

I prefer my heroes rough and a bit gritty, and my villains with a vulnerability that allows me to feel some compassion for, or insight into them. Skyfall, the most recent film in the James Bond franchise provides both.

Daniel Craig portrays Bond with a raw vulnerability that we haven’t seen before. I’m a long-time fan of the franchise. Yet I much prefer my Bond bleeding and broken, than polished and nearly perfect.

Dame Judi Dench’s character, M, is a heroine in the Bond movies, but in this film we see glaring fissures in her character, and their tragic consequences.

javier-bardem-skyfall-posterSilva, the villain brilliantly portrayed by an ultra creepy Javier Bardem, is a complicated mess of a human being who manages to be irredeemably wicked, yet deserving of compassion.

Each of these characters reminds us that the line between good and evil is rarely delineated with an electrified fence. Sometimes the line is barely visible. We don’t realize we’ve crossed it until we’re on the other side. What classifies us as being in one camp or the other is whether we choose to return to the other side.

It’s no secret that I love deliciously-flawed characters. Such intricate, layered characters escalate the level of another important C, conflict. With each character waging a war internally, it’s no surprise that Bond and Silva are embroiled in an external conflict of epic proportions, leaving carnage in their wake.

What about you? Are you a purist who prefers a knight in a shining armor–hold the chinks? Or do you like your heroes and heroines with a hardened edge?