It Happened One Midnight: Pennyroyal Green Series by Julie Anne Long

Thomasina De Ballesteros and Jonathan Redmond are as unlikely a couple as ever there was. And Julie Anne Long takes the circuitous route in bringing them together, which makes It Happened One Midnight an irresistible romance read. I love the way Ms. Long weaves a story and this one is certainly no exception. Tommy and Jonathan dance a slow circle around each other, testing, pushing, learning each other as the layers are peeled away.  Ms. Long's talent for placing the reader inside the story makes it seem as if we are doing the same - slowly, deliciously, page by page, coming to know Tommy and Jonathan as they really are, not as society defines them. This careful reveal kept me turning the pages while at the same time wishing I could just stop - so as to make the telling last. It was a brilliant feeling.

Great read by one of my favorite authors and available for preorder now on Amazon.

Blame it on Bath: The Truth about the Duke

The second in Caroline Linden's new Truth about the Duke series, Blame it on Bath is the story of Lord Captain Gerard de Lacey, the youngest offspring of the late Duke of Durham. All three ducal sons  are entangled in what has come to be known as the Durham Dilemma, a situation which may find all three declared bastards and destitute. Each brother sets off on a mission to find and dismiss the rumor that their parents' marriage was illegal and their father was a bigamist.  Edward, the middle de Lacey, had his story told in the recently reviewed, One Night in London. 

Gerard is home on bereavement leave from the Peninsula Wars, and is determined to use his time to track down the blackmailer threatening his family and his livelihood. He finds himself propositioned into marriage by the widow Lady Katherine Howe. A merchant's daughter who married a viscount, Katherine is starved for attention and affection and finds herself still in love with Gerard, years after a chance encounter on a rainy country road.  She needs this marriage in order to extricate herself from the expectation of a match to her dead husband's heir. Lacking any self-confidence, Kate sees Gerard as her ticket out of the quandary heavily promoted by her formidable mother. Fortunately for her, Gerard needs an heiress to marry in order to guarantee his income should the Durham Dilemma resolve itself against the De Lacey's. And so, after much thought, he agrees to the marriage.

I loved this book because Gerard himself is so very lovable. He's the quintessential romance hero. Despite an arranged marriage, he tries to make a go of it and when faced with Kate's insecurity complex, he takes his time to coax her (both in bed and out) from her shell. She begins to truly believe in herself for the first time in her life and in return, earns Gerard's love for herself as well.  The blackmail story becomes the backdrop for this beautiful love story set in Bath.

Blame it on Bath is out on February 28, 2011. I look forward to reading elder brother and heir, Charles' story. I've found that this novel is incrementally better than the previous one. If that continues to be the case,  the last in this series will surely not disappoint, especially since Charles has the furthest to go to redemption.

The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae by Stephanie Laurens

Congratulations are in order. I am the owner of a brand new Kindle Touch. And to christen my latest bundle of technological joy, I immediately downloaded an advanced readers’ copy of Stephanie Laurens’ The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae. This is the third novel in the Cynster Sisters Triology and, as usual, Ms. Laurens delivers. Get ready, romance lovers. We have another winner.

The fun begins at a ton ball where a split second decision to act by the desperate Dominic Lachlan Guisachan, eighth Earl of Glencrae, changes the course of Angelica Cynster’s privileged, if somewhat mundane life. But the Scottish earl’s reputation as a dastardly villain does not accurately reflect this gentleman’s true nature; there is more to the story than meets the eye, for Angelica’s mother and Dominic’s father share a history – a history that the current Countess of Glencrae is none too happy about.  Irrationally jealous, Dominic’s mother steals a precious artifact – a goblet earmarked to be the financial salvation of the clan – and sets a ransom for its return. Dominic must deliver to her a Cynster, specifically a ruined Cynster. Then and only then will she hand over the goblet.  Dominic’s first two attempts at abduction (In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster and Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue) end in failure, but the third is the charm as Angelica turns out to be more cooperative than Dominic could have hoped. But Angelica has her own motives for assisting. She’s convinced Dominic is her hero, her one and only true love, and it’s just a matter of time before he reciprocates in kind.

Every book in Ms. Laurens’ Cynster series is well written with engaging protagonists in truly sigh-worthy romances.  The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae, the latest and perhaps my favorite of all, does the franchise proud.

The American Heiress, by Daisy Goodwin

Just before the beginning of the 20th century- The Gilded Age-when machines were installed into cotton mills, and the railroads made a trip take a quarter of the time it would have in a horse-drawn carriage, American heiresses were sought after by the English aristocracy to shore up their long suffering estates.  The American Heiress is the story of Cora Cash, daughter of a multi-millionaire, whose mother has but one goal in mind- a title for her daughter.  Cora was raised surrounded by the finer things in life, and with the knowledge that her mother would stop at nothing to gain the social standing she craved.  After a fiery spectacle at Cora's coming out ball in New York, she and her mother make the trip across the Atlantic on their own steamer to find Cora a husband.  Mrs. Cash, relentless in her pursuit, but knowing no one in England, pays for the services of a well to do woman to introduce them into ton society.

Cora is not the typical heiress; for while being raised in luxury, the one thing she wants the most is to be out from under her mother's rule.  An accomplished horsewoman, Cora is riding the hunt with her host and becomes lost in the woods.  After a run in with a branch, where she is knocked unconscious, our heroine is rescued by Ivo, the Duke of Wareham.  For her mother, a more perfect suitor could not be found, and within two days of her stay at Lulworth, Cora is engaged to Ivo.  It's no secret the Wareham dukedom is in need of funds, as the run down state of Lulworth suggests.  Old English aristocracy and new American money collide as Ivo and his mother (a double duchess to boot) make the trip to New York for the wedding.  Ivo is repulsed by everything in American society: the vulgarity, the money, the excesses that define American society during the latter 1800's.  Upon Cora and Ivo's return to England, Cora, the novice of ton society, is basically left to the wolves to fend for herself.  Ivo, while loving, is preoccupied with taking his seat in the Lords, and fighting off a lover from his past.  Cora's missteps are celebrated by her mother-in-law, and instead of helping, Ivo and his mother make matters worse for Cora.  Banished to Lulworth due to her pregnancy, Cora spends months and months alone at an estate she does not truly have control over, while Ivo is off accompanying Prince Eddy in India, and shaking off his embarrassment caused by his wife.

Ivo is not a hero that is easy to like, and indeed, I hated him at many points in the book.  On the surface, Cora seems to be a spoiled heiress, but you quickly realize there is more to her than money.  She married Ivo for love, and despite his faults, in the end, he becomes likable.  The entire book is a wonderful example of the Gilded Age, where excess was the way of society in America.  Goodwin does an excellent job at getting each and every detail of this excess perfect, and you get a true feel for what it must have been like during this time in American history.  A wonderful read about a time long past.

Trouble at the Wedding: Abandoned at the Altar by Laura Lee Guhrke

At the turn of the last century, it seemed American heiresses with money to burn and British peers with a burning need for that money, married. Ms. Annabel Wheaton, a Southern heiress whose fortune originated in her daddy's gold strikes, finds herself in this situation. But to her, marriage to a peer is a way to finally be accepted after a hardscrabble upbringing in the backwaters of Mississippi. As the novel opens, she is set to marry Bernard Alastair, the fourth Earl of Rumsford. But as fate (and historical romances) would have it, a monkey wrench in the form of Christian Du Quesne (pronounced DuCane, thank you very much), the Duke of Scarborough, appears. The ensuing love story is typical of Laura Lee Guhrke's writing. That is to say, it's full of romance, reforming rakes and hot nights in interesting locations. Trouble at the Wedding, another offering in the Abandoned at the Altar series, does not disappoint.

Christian, dead set against remarrying and a confirmed rake to boot, is asked by Annabel's Uncle Arthur to put a stop to her shipboard wedding to the Earl. Christian complies as a way to earn a good deal of money and assuage his guilty conscience over the death of his own American heiress wife 15 years before. The doubts Christian plants in Annabel's mind regarding life as a member of the British ton are  far-fetched, but they begin to take hold. Annabel starts to have serious doubts about her impending marriage. After a scene innocently reminiscent of that famous cargo hold scene in Titanic, The Movie, Christian stands up at Annabel's wedding and declares (loudly) that he knows why these two cannot be joined together. When the entire wedding guest list assumes Christian has compromised the bride before her wedding to another man, Annabel hatches a plot to save her reputation and to avoid marrying a very reluctant Christian. She appoints him to be one of her guardians and a trustee of her fortune, thereby explaining his performance at the wedding in an entirely different way.  The plot then moves to London, where the two of them become closer than any guardian and ward should be.

Trouble at the Wedding is a fun romp through Edwardian England seen through a Southern belle's eyes. The requisite rake is reformed and redeemed through an unexpected love, and a girl looking for acceptance finally finds it in the arms of a man who she never expected could love her back. All in all, like all of Laura Lee Guhrke's novels, it's a wonderful ending to an utterly endearing story. Due out on January 1, 2012.

How The Marquess Was Won, by Julie Anne Long

It makes sense that as a huge fan of historical romances, there are a few novelists I gravitate to naturally. But there are only two authors in that genre who I’m willing to bet will never disappoint.  One is Grace Burrowes and the other is Julie Anne Long. Ms. Long’s newest novel, How the Marquess Was Won: Pennyroyal Green Series, proves my point yet again. Her voice is unique, sophisticated and polished - consistently so. So when opportunity knocked, I answered with alacrity and found an advanced reader’s copy of Marquess in my hands.  Sometimes, things just cannot get any better.

Ms. Long starts the story almost at the end – an intriguing way to begin. We find Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, bleeding from a gunshot wound and professing a most uncharacteristic and unfortunately for him, unrequited love as Colin and Chase Eversea (of the infamous Eversea family, subjects of the author’s other Pennyroyal books) tend to his wound.  This scene does exactly what it is intended to do – we are now insatiably curious and want to know with whom Lord Ice (as this particular haughty member of the aristocracy is also known) has fallen in love and why he sounds as if his world has ended (bullet hole in his shoulder notwithstanding).  Chapter Two takes us to a time six weeks earlier, before he's even aware of the woman responsible for his current heartache.

But Phoebe Vale is certainly aware of him. Marquess Dryden is a frequent topic of the London broadsheets Phoebe devours when she isn’t teaching Latin, Greek and French history to potentially problematic young ladies in Miss Marietta Endicott’s Academy. Through the spectacular stories in the broadsheets, Phoebe knows Lord Ice is the current trendsetter – the man everyone emulates – a cool, calculating customer and a very wealthy member of the aristocracy. And it seems he is now in the market for a wife.  His life, and the comings and goings of others like him, fascinate Phoebe, but she understands her place in the world. Once a charity student at the academy, Phoebe is in an entirely different social sphere. She is also alone, but for Miss Endicott and her students, and has recently made a life changing decision that will take her far from Pennyroyal Green. 

But before Phoebe can pack her bags, a series of events throws her in the path of Lord Ice. This string of circumstance provides the framework for an enticing tug of war between a reluctant Phoebe and an extremely determined Julian.  Eventually, we are led to an astonishingly satisfying ending (the continuation of the first chapter). But I will leave the delicious particulars of this journey for you to discover for yourself.  As in What I Did for a Duke (reviewed February 22, 2011), Ms. Long infuses this solid story with crisp narrative, lovely dialog, subtle humor and plenty of heart. Her track record with me remains unbroken. How the Marquess Was Won is a clear winner.

March Romance Reading Challenge Book: What I Did for a Duke, by Julie Anne Long

I usually begin a review with some short and, I hope, vaguely entertaining insight regarding the book in question. Not this time. This time I'm simply going to say What I Did for a Duke, by Julie Anne Long is one of the most well written historical romances I've ever had the pleasure to pick up. And that's saying a lot considering how many really, really good historical romances I've read.

Alexander Moncrieffe, the Duke of Falconbridge, is a man with a reputation - not as a rake, but as a mystery. Rumors swirl around his involvement in the death of his first wife.  He is wealthy. He has won more than one duel. He has gambled with cards and with his investments and has, as the gossips like to say, never lost. That is perhaps until now. His Grace is engaged to Lady Abigail Beasley and their plans to marry come to an abrupt end when he confronts her, along with a very naked Ian Eversea, in her bed. 

Alexander is well-acquainted with the ways of the devilish Eversea brothers. And while His Grace "allows" Ian to leave the bedroom alive (albeit naked and through a two story window), he does not intend to let this Eversea escapade go unpunished. After all, he has a reputation to uphold for, as they also say, he is not kind. So Lady Abigail is quickly dismissed from his life and a fitting plan of revenge is formed. 

Genevieve Eversea, Ian's younger sister, is in love with Harry Osbourne and has been for as long as she can remember. And when Harry invites her out for a walk, alone, she's convinced it's to ask for her hand in marriage. The love of her life is thinking of matrimony, but unfortunately not with her. Just as Genevieve believes her future is sealed, Harry lets her know that he's planning on asking their mutual friend Millicent to honor him by becoming his wife. 

Genevieve may be devastated, heartbroken and angry, but she's not dimwitted. Far from it, in fact. And when the Duke arrives as a houseguest and begins to pay extra special attention to her, she realizes something is not quite right. Especially when she looks at her brother Ian who, while in the Duke's company, is much paler than usual. After correctly surmising Moncrieffe's intentions, Genevieve discovers an unusual ally in her quest to win Harry back. And His Grace? Let's just say he also gets more than he bargained for. 

Ms. Long's writing makes this novel a pure pleasure to read. Her voice is unique and masterful. The story is sprinkled liberally with exquisite verbal gems that literally dance off the page. There is humor,  emotion, depth of character and eroticism all fully developed and bundled neatly inside a truly ingenious plot. 

What I Did for a Duke is one classy, A+ romantic read and, very simply, I highly recommended it.

The Dangerous Gentleman, by Julia London

The first book in the Rogues of Regent Street series is the story of Adrian Spence, Earl of Albright, one of three titled men, best friends since Eton. The story starts with quite a bang as Adrian, fed up with his antics, accuses his cousin Philip of cheating at cards. Phillip calls him out and proceeds to commit suicide by duel by firing at Adrian after Adrian’s delopement, causing Adrian to fire again. Adrian is devastated and wracked by guilt at Phillips’ death by his hand, no matter that it was in self-defense.

Adrian’s woes started long before that fateful morning. His father hates him, had horribly abused his mother, and inexplicably adores his second son. After the duel, he is disinherited in favor of that second son, his brother, Benedict. All he has left is his title. He decides to foil his father and Benedict in one masterful stroke by stealing Benedict’s would-be fiance out from under him.

Lady Lilliana Dashell has had a crush on Adrian since she was a girl. When the opportunity presents itself to marry him, she’s absolutely stunned. And she’s right to be surprised, but she’s blinded by the opportunity that has presented itself, and she accepts his offer with enthusiasm.

I have to say right here, that I don’t much like Adrian at this point, and my opinion of him changes little through most of this story. As a flawed hero, Adrian is pitch perfect, but highly contemptible. For example, Adrian relays his thoughts about his new wife in some pretty degrading terms, calling her, among other things, a magpie and a chatterbox. a country bumpkin, and an alien. He likens his marriage to the biggest mistake of his life, and calls it a move of terrifying consequence. He treats Lilliana with horrible indifference after promising her everything. The term, “act in haste, repent at leisure” has never been truer than in Adrian’s case. And he feels abject remorse and guilt over Benedict’s loss of Lilliana, over Philip’s death and over ruining Lilliana’s life. He is in deep trouble.

Lilliana’s happiness at the marriage, on the other hand, is so complete, that you know she is going to fall hard when the truth about Adrian’s feelings for her comes out. And Adrian’s misery and disinterest in this marriage is so palpable that she cannot hide from that truth for very long. Adrian's physical hunger for his wife, on the other hand, does not suffer at all, which makes for a steamy read in places. However, the big question remains. Can these two meet somewhere in the middle and make a life out of a marriage started in revenge? Lilliana decides to take matters into her own hands. And the results of this are hilarious, for a short time.

The writing is witty, and you really want to laugh at some of the antics Lilliana pulls to get a response, any response, out of Adrian. Perhaps all would have been well if it weren’t for Benedict, with an agenda of his own, who stirs up such delicious trouble between Adrian and Lilliana that you just want to run him through with the nearest sharp object.

There is a wonderful cast of characters in this book in the form of Adrian’s servants. Adrian’s butler, Max, is a terrific foil to Lilliana’s antics. The author uses him, in part, as pseudo-narrator, and thus gives us another insight into the main character’s thoughts and actions. It’s an effective and endearing plot device. I’d like to hire Max away from Adrian, myself. I could use a good, sensitive butler around the house.

When a tragic, misconstrued accident occurs and Adrian’s long-standing feud with his father and brother comes to a head, will it be enough to bring these two together? Will Adrian finally let Lilliana in? Well, yes and no. And for the rest, you’ll just have to read on. Because I promise you, just when you think it’s over, it most certainly is not.

Well written and fast paced, this book is dark and wrenching in places and surprisingly upbeat in others. Once again, Julia London writes romantic fiction that is top notch. I recommend this book highly, and will be reading the other two Rogues of Regent Street books shortly.

Claiming the Courtesan, by Anna Campbell

This author is amazing!

Campbell's second novel, Untouched, was reviewed by Donna a few weeks ago, which led me to this one, happily. A word of caution, however, this book contains some questionable, forceful scenes that some may not like (not to mention some bodice ripping). It's edgier than most romance novels, so keep that in mind while reading.

Our story is of Verity, and her alter ego, the alluring courtesan, Soraya, and begins in London, in bed with the Duke of Kylemore, her lover and paramour of one year. Kylemore, who was after her for five years, is a cold man with a tortured past (literally) and an unbearable mother. Despite all this, he is a respected member of society and the ton. He paid dearly for Soraya; a house in her name, clothes, jewelry...all the expenses of keeping a mistress well heeled and in the height of fashion. But, he knows nothing of her, except she is the most sought after courtesan in London; duels were fought in her name, many a man would die to win her favor. Theirs was a business agreement, with little emotion attached.

Verity is a former farm girl from Yorkshire, having lost her parents and becoming a servant, she is forced at the tender age of fifteen to become mistress to an older Lord for his protection and well-being of her brother and sister. He turns into the jewel she becomes, and parades her around London for all to see and envy, including Kylemore, whom she claims to have the slightest interest. Their one year agreement is satisfactory to both, until one day Verity decides it is time to leave and begin her life as a chaste widow elsewhere, away from London and her life as a courtesan. Leaving without warning is the only way she can, along with an uncharacteristic kiss to her lover as he departs, unknowingly for the final time.

And then, the story gets intense.

Kylemore is outraged at Soraya leaving without so much as a word in farewell. He spends three months combing the country looking for her, and finally finds her in the wilds of Yorkshire, where he abducts her to teach her a lesson. What follows is an emotional roller coaster, for characters and the reader. Kylemore was not prepared for the real Verity, the one that was kept hidden under the alluring mask of Soraya. His arrogance leads him to believe he can break her spirit by keeping her prisoner to his lust, but he is completely mistaken. What happens next is a heart-wrenching story of guilt, mistrust, anger and finally love. Both characters go through a painful transformation before coming to realize they are perfect for each other.

And that's all I'll say about the story without spoiling it completely! I want you to read it word for word like I did, and get lost in the emotions that Anna Campbell writes so well. I cried through several scenes of this book, my heart aching for Verity during her imprisonment, and for Kylemore, who has his own demons. It is beautifully written without a lot of descriptive narrative that tends to run amok in some romance novels. The passion between Verity and Kylemore is perfectly balanced with the fear they both experience for their own reasons. The story is full of raw emotion that will leave you drained, but satisfied in the end, I hope.

As a gothic novel lover, as well as a romance novel lover, I was very happy to see some dark aspects in this book, although not too dark for the faint at heart. (see the warning above) To me, this is a different breed of romance novel writing; it still has the dark hero and somewhat helpless heroine, but the story is intense and moving. This is the kind of book that I can go back and read again and again, never tiring of the story.

The Courtesan's Daughter, by Claudia Dain

If you are looking for a book that has lots of plot twists, a confused daughter, and a very very clever mother, then this is your read. If you are looking for something uncomplicated, then don't bother.

I for one like a challenge, so I read it an evening, when I returned home from the dentist after having a root canal! Glutton for punishment, maybe. Was it worth it? Definitely!!

Lady Caroline is the daughter of Sophia, London's most beautiful and sought after courtesan in her day, now a widowed Countess. Sophia is a member of the ton now, but her past still remains after twenty years, much to her daughter's dismay. They are not allowed into the elite circle of society, and Caro realizes that she will never have a marriage to a respectable man, until her mother purchases one for her! Caro refuses, despite never having met the gentleman; she refuses to be bought. She is often overlooked in the shadow of her mother, and her only option, in her naive mind, is to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a courtesan, as marriage is an unreachable prospect. Simple? Not when you really don't have a clue what all being a courtesan entails! Rather than trying to talk her out of her chosen path, Sophia presents another idea.

Lord Ashdon is a handsome young man (dark hair and blue eyes...hrm.) with an unfortunate habit of gambling and loosing badly. He is in debt, and Sophia has purchased his debt with the condition that he will marry her daughter. Ashdon, while reluctant for his own reasons, which are disclosed later, agrees to the plan. He becomes when angry when Caro refuses him without even meeting him first! Ashdon is infuriated when he learns Caro intends to become a courtesan, instead of his wife, and decides to give her a lesson of sorts. They continuously argue when in each other's company, but under their anger is a mutual desire for each other.

Many arguments, a ball, a pair of pearl earrings, and three pearl necklaces later (all from three different men) the confusion and bouncing back and forth begins. She hates Ashdon, she loves him, she wants him... At times I couldn't keep track of whether or not Caro actually wants to be with Ashdon as his wife, or be a courtesan. Add in her mother scheming, and it makes for an interesting read, but only if you pay attention. Towards the end is a surprising twist about the Countess and her heritage, which I found odd, but intriguing. There are many characters that I suspect will make another appearance in the next one. The book is full of action, which the author writes well, and the passion between Ashdon and Caro is dynamic, if not a bit cold hearted on his side.

I had never heard of this author, and on a shopping trip with friends I picked up her book and decided to give her try. She might not have the descriptive writing of some, but she is forward and to the point. I will be reading the next installment!

An Affair Before Christmas, by Eloisa James

In the second book of the Duchess series, Eloisa James continues on with her world of Georgian England with the story of Fletcher and Poppy, the Duke and Duchess of Fletcher. Under the rule of a proper Englishwoman (her mother) Poppy enters her marriage with Fletcher as a girl in love and sure of herself in all things that a proper Englishwoman would not do, in or out of the bedchamber. Fletcher though, is of a different mind; his time spent in Paris has taught him the ultimate pleasure, that of giving pleasure. He enters his marriage confident that Poppy will enjoy their activities in the bedchamber as much as he will, but things go wrong quickly, and Fletcher learns that the woman he fell in love with neither desires him, or his touch. She only tolerates his advances, much to Fletch's sadness. A continuing character in the Duchess series, Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont, allows Poppy to move in with her while she sorts out her marriage. Jemma is no proper English lady and encourages Poppy freedoms that she never dared while with her mother, or with her husband, although he never denied her anything. The two eventually find love again, after a series of interesting mishaps, including tar and a few feathers!

In the middle of all this, the chess match of the century is brewing between Jemma and The Duke of Villiers, another carry over character from "Desperate Duchesses" and a rake to boot. The ever important Elijah, The Duke of Beaumont, seeing his old childhood friend intruding on his scandal-free life, makes his own chess challenge to his wife. Jemma and Elijah are not the main characters in this novel, but they are certainly the most interesting.

Once again, Eloisa James has created a world of characters enriched by their individual personalities and the glamour of the ton. This book spans the lives of several characters, so pay attention! This series is not complete, so you will waiting until July to find out who she writes about next (I am hoping for Jemma and Elijah!). With her switch to the Georgian era, James has created another captivating series that keeps you on the edge of your seat while you wait for the next one. This series is definitely worth the wait!

Just One Touch, Debra Mullins

Every now and then, one single offering comes along that literally sweeps you off your feet and magically transports you to a shining world of compelling intrigue and brilliant romance. One book so wonderful that you devour it page by page, unable to put it down, delighting in the fanciful imagery and beautifully drawn characters. One book that you hope never ends -- one that you will remember forever.

This is not that book.

I suppose I should qualify my statement and explain that I approach every book already half in love with it. I'm easy. I need very little to push me over the edge on my way to total infatuation. As it happens, very few leave my love unrequited. But once in awhile I am reminded that love can be elusive. Enter Just One Touch.

Predictably, the story takes place in Regency England. We are immediately introduced to the main character, Rogan Hunt, the second son of minor nobility, who is forced by his father's excesses to make his own way in the world. Physically, Rogan is my type of romantic hero. He's tall with dark hair, a well honed physique, and gray (yes ladies, once again, gray) eyes. Sounds luscious. However, there is one tiny complication. Rogan has inherited the family curse. On the one hand, he is the 19th Century's embodiment of the Horse Whisperer and can tame the most unruly of stallions with just a simple Irish lullaby. However, along with his uncanny ability to seduce horses, Rogan has a vile, uncontrollable temper that is often unleashed at a moment's provocation. There is even a rumor that he has a murder under his belt. Can it be true?

Our lady of the story, Lady Caroline, is the daughter of a duke. It sounds like a nice gig, but our heroine is traumatized by a truly horrendous event five years before and as a result, has been sequestered away on her father's grand estate. If that's not bad enough, Lady Caroline suffers from extreme panic and anxiety attacks and steers clear of all men. These two make for quite an interesting pair.

And a pair they become. Fate, as usual, throws them together in a marriage of convenience arranged by the ailing Duke. And, to add to the fun, there is a deadly threat hovering over the ducal seat. And herein lies the rub. We are not granted the privilege of unraveling the source of the villainous doings on our own as the Duke, Rogan and Caroline quickly reveal all to us while revealing all to each other. With apologies to Bonnie Raitt, there's no little something to talk about, no little mystery to figure out. A shame, that, because despite popular belief, I really do appreciate a good plot. And once the sexual tension is also hastily relieved, well, then what really is the point?

In the author's defense, there are some good moments. Watching a gentle Rogan help his lady overcome her fears and coax her out of her anxieties is touching, albeit somewhat unrealistic, unless you are a true believer in the power of love. And speaking of the power of love, I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention that Rogan is very skilled in the art of pleasing a woman, making the love-smut worth reading. However, while those scenes are descriptive and very well written, the rest of piece is riddled with choppy dialog and uneven pacing.

As the book came to a predictable close, I thought about how much I wanted to fall in love. But we all know that sometimes it just ain't going to happen.

Minx, by Julia Quinn

William Dunford (although no one calls him William, just Dunford, if you please) is a lucky man. He’s got a rake’s reputation and some wonderful friends, even if those friends are all married and pestering him to follow suit. The death of a cousin many times removed leaves him with a baronetcy and thus he finds himself a minor member of the aristocracy as the Lord of Stannage Park.

Dunford travels to Cornwall to access his new acquisition, but in the process, gets more than he bargained for, for with the entailment comes not only a houseful of servants, assorted farm animals (including a huge porcine beast named Porkus) and some farmer-tenants, but the guardianship of a 20 year old female relation of the old Baron, a fact Dunford doesn’t know about at first. Henrietta, his ward, is beautiful, if somewhat aromatic, and used to doing things her own way. She’s been running Stannage Park on her own for 6 years, while the old Baron mourned the passing of his wife. Left to her own devices, she’s got the place running like clockwork and does not appreciate the meddling of a fancy Londoner. So she plots and plans…. And while she’s plotting and planning to rid Stannage Park of its new owner, Henry (as she calls herself) finds more than she bargained for, as well. A friendship is born, and the attraction is there between them, until Dunford gets the legal papers declaring Henry his ward and responsibility. And this, for Dunford, changes everything.

The story really starts to hum when Dunford, now honor bound to play the role of benevolent guardian, takes Henry to London for her debut. She meets his women friends who set about her transformation from breeches to ball gowns. And Henry makes that transformation in stunning fashion.

The tug of war Dunford has going on in his head about his position as guardian and his desire for Henry is quite entertaining. Henry is so confused and rendered so vulnerable by this that you just want to tell her to slap him hard and move on to greener pastures.

By the time Dunford realizes just how much Henry means to him, the rest of the male population of the ton has discovered her as well, and he is left with a jealous streak a mile wide.

Is it too late for Dunford??

Not at all, it seems.

The story continues to play on Henry’s insecurities and Dunford’s inability to see situations from her perspective. It is the requisite love found, love horribly lost and love found again formula that hooks us so completely. There are so many twists and turns and stops and starts, that it’s easy to forget to put the book down. At more than one point, I found myself yelling, “tell her!” or “tell him!” It was quite the emotional roller coaster. Even the epilogue does not spare us.

There are few passionate scenes in this book. One is really beautifully written, but the wedding night sequence was wrenching ( I won’t go into any more detail). Suffice it to say that all comes out right in the end, as it usually does. My one criticism of this book is that I wish the author had not called her hero by his last name only and had not given her heroine a man’s name. It made for a bit of confusion at times. But that may just be me!

I highly recommend this book. It’s an tempestuous love story from Julia Quinn, who is best known (at least by me) for her Bridgerton Series. William Dunford does appear in two earlier books, so I suppose this could be called a series as well. Those books are Splendid and Dancing at Midnight. It’s wonderful to see Dunford finally find a love of his own. Finally.

The Pleasures Trilogy, by Eloisa James

The Pleasures Trilogy is the first of Eloisa James' novels. The cast of characters is numerous and continues through each book, while adding a new one here and there.

In Potent Pleasures, we have the story of Charlotte, a woman on the verge of her first season who meets a mysterious man at a ball. Their rendezvous in the garden leaves Charlotte turning from the excitement of her first season to painting, knowing she is perhaps destined to be alone. As Charlotte heads into her 3rd season, wiser, more flirtatious and the talk of the ton , she becomes acquainted with Alex, an Earl who has scandalous rumors spread around town in regards to his virility. They marry, but all hopes for a happy union are dashed as Alex believes his wife's innocence was taken by his twin brother, Patrick. Alex is a monster at times, cruel and heartless, but he is lovable. Only when he comes to terms with his own demons can he finally see the truth behind his own marriage, and his garden girl.

In Midnight Pleasures we have the story of Sophie, best friend to Charlotte, and another talk of the ton. With her friend married most of the male attention directs itself to her and her daring French-styled gowns. She catches the eye of Patrick, twin brother to Alex, Charlotte's husband. Patrick believes Sophie only wants to marry for a title, but is persuaded to think otherwise one evening at midnight when he comes to steal her away for his friend and her fiance. Their passions ignite, and it is the two of them getting married. Patrick has his own demons, and when he learns his wife is expecting, the marriage becomes strained as he struggles with his fears from childhood.

Enchanting Pleasures was by far my favorite of the set. Gabby travels from India, happy to be away from her father to marry what she believes is the son of a business partner of her father's, and a future viscount. Quill is the future Viscount, but due to a riding injury that left him almost unable to walk, his father believes he will be unfit to provide an heir, and has led his India business partner to believe that his second son Peter is the future viscount and they arrange a marriage between the two. On Gabby's arrival, Peter realizes he can't marry the plump and unpolished Gabby, and she agrees. Quill is more than willing to marry her! He is captivated by her, and vows to have her. An interesting turn of events, almost tragic at one point makes this book a delight to read.

All three books have a side story of India origin, with the twins and Quill being involved. Each character has a part in each novel, with the exception of Gabby, who appears in the final piece. I recommend these books to everyone. Despite Enchanting Pleasures being my favorite, all the novels are a joy to read, both heart-wrenching and hilarious at the same time! I enjoyed the continuous characters and was glad to see them all have their happy ending.

Of note, these are harder to find in print than some, as they are her first, so if you wish to read these, I suggest you find them on-line.

Just One Kiss, Samantha James

 

 

Author Samantha James once again proves that Historical Romance is much more than fluff. This searing tale, set mostly in Boston’s Beacon Hill in 1854, takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride. And like most good roller coasters, this one will leave you wanting more.

A deathbed promise sets the conditions of this story involving two brothers and the relationship they share. When Lady Elizabeth Stanton, daughter of a wealthy English earl, meets Nathaniel O’Connor in London, she is swept off her feet by the handsome, light haired charmer. However, just as things become serious between the two, Nat is forced to leave England unexpectedly, but not before extracting a promise from Elizabeth. They are to marry, but her father is inconveniently dying and she is unable to accompany him stateside. Nathaniel says that he must leave, but will wait for her in Boston.

Eventually, Elizabeth boards a ship and heads across the sea. She cannot stay in England, as she is now destitute because of a strange bequest in her father’s will. When she finally reaches Boston, however, she is not met by her betrothed, but rather his morose, brooding brother Morgan. Oh, and did I forget to mention Morgan O’Connor? Tall, dark, handsome, gray eyed Morgan?

But despite his good looks, the elder O’Connor brother is detestable. He is a man with a chip on his shoulder and heavy baggage that he cannot put down. And of course Elizabeth still wants the sweet Nathaniel and does not make that a secret. Ah, readers, but there are secrets, more than you can count and this is what makes the story so wonderfully engrossing.

From here, the book sails through a myriad of twists and turns, unexpectedly bringing an unwilling Elizabeth and Morgan together in a tempestuous union. But what of Nathaniel? I’m glad you asked. He is not what he appears to be. But then again, neither is Morgan.

This novel has it all – undeniable attraction, disturbing tragedy, familial conflict and explicit love scenes. The author explores the relationship between siblings, between friends and between reluctant lovers. Put this one on your must read list and be prepared to be breathless.

Untouched, by Anna Campbell

It’s hard to tell who was more confused during the first few pages of this book - our heroine or me. At least lovely widow Grace Paget is recuperating from the effects of laudanum. I, however, had no such excuse. But I would recommend that you tough out the first two chapters and keep reading. As you emerge from the fog, you’ll wonder what inspired author Anna Campbell to take this road less traveled.

Set somewhere in the English countryside in 1822, the book begins with the unorthodox way Grace, a widow in very reduced circumstances, meets Matthew Lansdowne, Marquess of Sheene. As the story progresses, there is the usual boy meets girl gyrations, complete with the requisite sexual tension and drawn out verbal foreplay expected in this genre. It is also, however, a story chock full of richly textured, wonderfully complex extremes. Grace is beyond poor, Matthew beyond handsome. The evildoers are truly evil; descriptions of their dastardliness are sometimes difficult to read. However, to make up for the ick factor, the love scenes between Grace and Matthew are frequent, intense and very well written. Matthew is surprisingly masterful in that department, obviously blessed with a quick mind and good instincts. I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that he must have spent a great deal of his apparently abundant free time reading up on the topic.

However, what makes this book utterly fascinating is the background to the story and the back stories of the characters. Both are different and equally disturbing. There are two kidnapped beauties, a tormenting foray into mental illness, teenage rebellion reminiscent of the late 1960’s and finally, a Disneyesque ending rivaling Cinderella where all, thankfully is put to rights.

If you are looking for a novel approach to the typical historical romance, this is definitely it. There are extreme twists and turns, tension and torment, sex and satisfaction among other things, all of which makes it worth putting on your list of should reads. If you do decide to take the journey, remember to give the story time to slowly uncoil. A book like this requires patience and encouragement in revealing itself fully.

How to Abduct a Highland Lord, by Karen Hawkins

Fiona MacLean gets more than she bargained for when she drags a drunk and unconscious Jack Kincaid to the altar in Karen Hawkin's tale of passion and hilarity. This book will make you laugh out loud at times, so beware!

Fiona knows the only way to end the centuries year old feud between the MacLean's and the Kincaid's is to make them all one family. Her youngest brother is dead, supposedly at the hands of the Kincaid's and her elder brothers want revenge for his murder. In Fiona's haste to save her family from another death, she plays pregnant and marries "Black Jack" Kincaid, a Scottish lord with a scandalous reputation. Jack is no stranger to Fiona, having almost married him 15 years before, only to call it off when she found out about his mistress. Despite her better judgment she and her manservant haul a drunk Jack before the church and they are married. Fiona knows that marriage to Jack won't bring about the end of the feud, but a child born of them will.

Needless to say, Jack is not thrilled at the turn of events. The entire evening comes back in full force and thus their marriage gets off to a rocky start. Jack wisks Fiona off to London, hoping to be able to annul the marriage and get back his own life of gaming, women, and drinking. But Fiona has other plans. She plans to make this marriage work until a child is born, and so starts the head to head battles of two very strong willed and stubborn people.

Jack has no intention of changing his ways just because he is married, but he realizes after a time that no woman compares to Fiona in his mind, including his weird fixation with her blue leather half boots. Not even the beautiful Lady Featherton, his mistress, compares to the passion he feels with Fiona, and he breaks if off with Lucinda immediately upon his return, angering the lady to seek revenge. His old life of late nights is set aside for evenings in with his new wife, usually spent in bed. Over time, the two realize they can't live without each other, but both are too proud to admit it to the other. Both notice a change in themselves they had not expected. After a threat to Fiona's life, Jack realizes he would do anything to keep her safe, and realizing the extent of his feelings for her changes him completely. They set off to Scotland for a friend's wedding, intent on protecting Fiona, and the baby that they both suspect is on the way. There they discover their true feelings for each other, in light of traumatic events.

I did like this book, including the constant references to the MacLean curse, where the four MacLean brothers show their tempers through the weather, and Fiona is known for her lilac-scented rain. Poor Jack is chased around by his own little black rain cloud when he deserts Fiona for the gaming hells, instead of staying at home and in their bed. It is a constant struggle between the two as they almost try to one up each other, but it makes for an amusing read all the same.

The sex scenes (I can't bring myself to call them love scenes) are intense and many. The sparks between the two characters are blatant and they seem to happen mostly after an argument, or on one of trips Fiona makes to the gaming hells to prove her point to Jack. He has an unnatural fixation with her leather half boots, and despite that being a bit weird, it does lend a certain "air" to those scenes.

The one thing I noticed that wasn't rectified was the ending of the curse. It is stated that the MacLean's must do an unselfish deed to rid themselves of the curse, but it is never said if Fiona, by marrying and putting an end to the feud, has ended hers.

This was book one in Karen Hawkin's The MacLean Curse Series, according to her website.

The Flame and the Flower, by Kathleen Woodiwiss

If you were remotely interested in the reason I love reading romance novels, this book is it.
Heather Simmons, a beautiful English orphan raised by her aunt and uncle in a poor, Cinderella-type existence, is tricked into accompanying her aunt’s brother to London in the hope of escaping her life, finding gainful employment and a possible marriage.

What she finds is Captain Brandon Birmingham, an American from South Carolina. While romance novels typically have scenes of slow seduction and at least some modicum of attraction between the antagonists, this book starts off with something a bit more sinister. It makes this story all the more poignant to realize that Heather and Brandon start out as true adversaries. They have reason enough to hate each other, Heather probably a bit more than Brandon. Heather has truly escaped her meager existence only to feel real fear. Not only does she think she has killed her aunt’s brother, but she finds herself pregnant, with a reluctant sea captain from another country as her only savior.

The book is so descriptive and so rich in imagery that it takes nearly half of it to get the two of them together on a ship to South Carolina, where Heather is forced to start her new life. And Brandon chafes at the shackles that have been imposed on him because of another, very pressing obligation at home.

And so begins our love story.

If you are looking for a book with the usual amount of love scenes, this would not be it, but the sexual tension runs so long and so high you don’t even miss the real thing. When these two do get together, they do it in spectacular fashion. It is so worth the wait.

A story line that brings Heather’s past to America to haunt her in her new home threatens their new found passion, but all comes right in the end, as it should.

This book is rich in supporting characters. My favorites are Hatti, Brandon’s housekeeper (she is a slave in actuality), and Jeff, Brandon’s brother, who befriends and defends Heather when she is most in need of it. He also takes great pride in unmercifully teasing his older brother. I have to admit that Jeff was my first true love.

I still have my original copy of The Flame and the Flower. It must be close to 35 years old. It’s dog-eared, missing pages and almost unreadable, but I love it like an old friend. This book remains the standard by which I judge every romance novel I’ve ever read.

Autumn in Scotland, by Karen Ranney

Karen Ranney's novel of desertion and deception is set in the rather stormy hills of Scotland, and proves to be quite a ride. After being married for one week, Charlotte, the new Countess of Marne, discovers her husband, The Earl of Marne, has disappeared without so much a note. His rakish ways lead Charlotte to believe he has taken a maid and left for good, and with her sizable dowry. Not wanting to stay in England a laughingstock, she travels with her formidable parents to the little known castle of her estranged husband, Balfurin. Determined to make a life for herself, she stays on at Balfurin, a nearly crumbling castle, and opens a school for gentlewomen.

Out of no where comes Dixon Robert MacKinnon, the tall, blue-eyed cousin of the estranged husband and Earl. With his similarities to the missing Lord, Dixon is mistaken for his cousin by everyone, including the Countess! Dixon is an importer of goods and has come home from the orient, a very wealthy and troubled man. His yearning to be at home, where people know him vanishes when they mistake him for the Earl. Instead of correcting them, he plays along with the ruse, despite the guilt and annoyance it brings him. He is intrigued by his cousin's wife too much to correct her mistake.

Under the impression that her husband has returned, Charlotte sets about trying to get him to leave so she can divorce him and be rid of him. The anger she feels at being abandoned five years ago is still fresh in her mind, and she can't fathom why her husband would return, if he didn't want money. Over time she notices a difference in his character, and his physical appearance, but has no idea that it is not her husband that she is falling in love with. She believes he has changed his ways and wants to make amends, and eventually falls under his spell.

But there is mystery at Balfurin, riddles and treasure are to be contemplated as well as love. The oldest living servant is full of knowledge and knows that truth about what has happened to the missing Laird of Balfurin, but will not speak of it, choosing to only give Dixon clues to the treasure instead. Several trips out to the first Balfurin, now a crumbling ruin, yield nothing, so the mystery deepens, until one day all is revealed.

This is well written story with a lot of humorous twists and turns. There is deception, mystery and an intense physical attraction between the two main characters. A funny addition to this story, although perhaps not necessary is the Edification society, a group of women intent on educating married females the joys of the marriage bed, with visual aids. You can feel Charlotte's embarrassment when they try to educate her! There is only one love scene in this book (well, almost another one, but they don't get that far!) but it is very intense.

The characters are well written and thought out, and you can feel their emotions through the descriptive writing. Dixon is easy to fall for, as you almost begin to feel sorry for him and his passion for Charlotte. The Countess is rather harsh at first, but she becomes a softer character as the book goes on. I felt anger for Charlotte at her abandonment, and pity mixed with respect for her as she struggles to build Balfurin into a successful school.

This was a new author for me, and I enjoyed her style immensely, and plan to read other books she has written. I hope this little review has prompted you to pick up this book! I will be collecting her others soon!

Secrets of a Summer Night, by Lisa Kleypas

A marriage minded girl could overcome practically any obstacle, except the lack of a dowry.

This line, which comes after a prologue where the protagonists are first steamily introduced, sums up Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas, quite nicely. Annabelle Hunt is poor, and getting poorer by the day, and in this, her last Season, she must find a rich (and titled) husband. When she hooks up with three other wall-hugging, husband-hunting young women at a dance, and title themselves The Wallflowers, the fun really begins.

This is the second go around for me for the Wallflower series, and I had forgotten how well written, engaging and funny these books are. The heroines and heroes are so incredibly likeable and in most cases, so endearingly vulnerable with all their flaws and baggage, that you just want to take them all home and befriend them yourself.

Annabelle is set on marrying into the peerage. Gently raised, she scorns the mercantile class in terms reminiscent of Margaret Hale’s original thoughts on the subject. But there is something about Simon Hunt that repels and attracts her at the same time. She’s managed to avoid him for two years, or set him down in “his place” whenever they did happen to meet, and her refusal to dance with him at various soirees and balls results in a beautiful and poignant scene toward the end of the book (but I’m getting ahead of myself here).

Simon Hunt is a man’s man. He’s a butcher’s son, self-made into a wealthy industrialist and the antithesis of the genteel society of the British upper class of that time. His obsession with Annabelle, and her repeated rejection of his advances, is the basis for the book. What transpires is Annabelle’s inevitable attraction to Simon despite his pedestrian roots.

The story revolves around the Wallflowers machinations in getting Annabelle wed, preferably to a peer. Although, predictably, that’s not the result they obtain.

Lisa Kleypas writes this book with exceptional humor. At more than one point, I found myself laughing out loud. One of the most memorable scenes happens when the Wallflowers play a game of Rounders (like baseball) in a field, in their knickers. What transpires pretty much had me doubled over with laughter. What follows that is a series of situations where Annabelle realizes that her ticket to avoiding starvation and saving her family does not lie where she thought it did, but where her heart leads her; right to Simon’s door, and when it does, you’ll wonder why Annabelle didn’t see what you’ve seen all along.

The love scenes between Annabelle and Simon are well-written, very descriptive and as tasteful as a romance novel can get. Oh, and I should add, quite steamy and plentiful. The men in this series are all talented and extremely considerate of their partners. All four of these books have that in common.

The only part of the book which I found a bit jarring was a situation at the very end that forces Simon to see that Annabelle truly loves him for himself and not his wallet. The episode wraps the story up neatly, but it’s a bit contrived.

The Wallflower series is best read in order, although all the characters appear in all the books, and the relationships are explained in each. It’s fun to speculate on who is your favorite hero or heroine, or which book is your favorite. I have to say, I don’t have a favorite, I love them all.