An Early Engagement by Barbara Metzger

Stop the presses.

I read a book and thoroughly enjoyed it.

What’s so unusual about that, you say? I’m an easy sell, you think. I like almost all of the books I read, you remember. Well, time to revise your preconceived notions about me.

This book was completely sans smut.

Shocked? I knew you would be.

This story is so engaging and well-written that I didn’t even mind the omission. There is interesting character development, a fair amount of intrigue and suspense, enough English history to supply a realistic background setting, and lots of sexual tension to make up for the lack of actual…well, the real thing.

Everett Stockton, Viscount Stokely is introduced to his betrothed at age six. The lady in question, Lady EmilyAnn Arcott, is barely six months old. This tidy arrangement is their fathers’ idea, a marriage destined to unite a duke’s only daughter and an earl’s first born son for the monetary benefit of both families.

But as they say, things happen and the alliance between the two families is all but forgotten as the youngsters, although fast and furious friends growing up, are separated by boarding school, military service and unfortunate family circumstance. It is only when Lady EmilyAnn finds herself in desperate straights does she seek help from her childhood hero. And Captain Lord Stokely, the gentleman and real-life hero that he is, comes valiantly to her rescue, taking pity on the poor disheveled ragamuffin, all of sixteen, standing before him.

The plot thickens; the ensuing marriage between these two is unconventional, to say the least. Sparrow (Everett’s nickname for EmilyAnn) is left to oversee the restoration of Smokey’s (EmilyAnn’s nickname for Everett) estate and coffers, using her own money, stubborn determination and a knack for finding good investments. The Captain, now a Major, is off fighting Bonaparte, his pride sorely bruised at having his inheritance maintained and his family managed by his hoydenish child-bride. But there are a few surprises in store for Smokey upon his return to England. And that’s when the fun really begins.

I cheered for the Lady and I lusted after the Lord (my typical pattern, I’m not ashamed to admit) and I turned page after page, not able to put the book down. Barbara Metzger’s writing is flawless and I enjoyed her style immensely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something joyous to read. Even without the sex.

Aren’t you proud?

Finding Grace by Sarah Pawley

I've shifted gears a bit and left behind Regency England for post World War 1 America, the setting of Sarah Pawley's debut novel.

Our story is of Grace Langdon, a sixteen year old girl living on her family's farm in rural Virginia. The only daughter out of six children, a girl wasn't worth much in those days. Grace is full of romantic ideas from her constant reading of novels, especially Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, and insists she will only marry for love. She longs to get away and live a real life- not one where she is expected to marry and bear many children while disappearing into the background under her husband's thumb. The ladies of the community already talk behind her back because she is unmarried at sixteen; their opinion of her being she is almost an old maid. The women of this time in much of the country answered to their husbands, and had no control over their own destiny. Grace is determined not to be one of those women. She knows out there is another life for her, where she can be free of the day to day back-breaking labor she is forced to endure, and live her life as she pleases. But that is a long way off, or so she thinks.

Enter Charlie- an old childhood friend who has returned when his father lay dying. Charlie is charming and handsome, having just returned from the war, and Grace wonders if she might have found a man she could love, and who would love her as she is, and not as a wife who heels to her husband. She is learns the hard way he is not that kind of man, but one like most- insisting a wife do his bidding. Not surprisingly her father arranges for Grace to marry Charlie, to which is vehemently refuses. Life on the farm becomes horrible after her refusal, and before they can force her into a marriage against her will, she packs up her belongings and catches the train to Chicago, and her older brother and his wife. Her older brother Jack fell out with the family when he married the revolutionary Alice and rejected the old ways of his community, and time has not healed the breach.

Grace arrives in Chicago alone and meets handsome theater owner Henry Shaw and his drama queen star of the show/mistress Victoria (a divorced actress living with Henry...how scandalous!) at Union Station accientally. Grace asks for his help to find her brother, who just happens to live across the street from Henry. Grace is greeted with open arms by Jack and Alice, and here starts the transformation of Grace into a modern woman, in a very modern city. It's fun to learn how Grace adapts to the modern conveniences of life- refrigerator, gas stove, really anything that doesn't require coal burning constantly and is powered by gas! During this, Grace is drawn to Henry, despite his aloofness and rudeness towards her, and Henry is drawn to her youthful freshness and outlook on life. With an overprotective brother looking over her shoulder, and a sister in law who encourages her independence, Grace is changed from a quiet girl from the country into an almost confident lady of the city who is falling in love. She is growing up. Grace and Henry become closer as she goes to work for him after Victoria leaves for Hollywood; her jealously of Grace too much for her. A secret relationship starts, with Grace learning to trust in Henry, and he doing the same while trying not to order her around. It makes for some comical scenes between the two. Of course, all cannot stay lovely forever, and out of the blue tragedy strikes in the form of Charlie and his old fashioned state of mind towards women. Grace learns much about herself and what she can handle through all this, and follows her heart towards the path to happiness.

This novel was so lovely- I cried at the treatment Grace suffered from her parents, her hopeful love Charlie, and then her parents again! I simply adored Alice and Jack- for who could be more perfect than them for a brother and sister in law? I absolutely fell in love with Henry and his vulnerability underneath his proud exterior. The author describes the harshness of 1920's rural Virginia in vivid detail, and leaves nothing out when it comes to the lack of cars and the abundance of horses and buggies. Grace and Henry are written quite thoroughly and their emotions are portrayed beautifully. Chicago is captured perfectly as a modern city in the roaring 1920's, with prohibition going strong. I found nothing lacking in the plot, and all in all it makes for a wonderful read. Sarah Pawley's writing is very descriptive and flows beautifully; I had no problems at all feeling as if I was right next to Grace as she fed the chickens! Very gorgeous! Well worth picking up!

Kiss of the Highlander and The Dark Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning

I'm not shallow person, usually. But I have to confess that I'm very into kilts at the moment. So, while I was browsing in the Romance titles at Barnes and Noble last week, I was drawn to Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. Add an element of time travel (on my mind a tad too much, recently), ancient Celtic fables, two gorgeous Druid brothers (twins, no less!) and some good old fashioned hot lovin' , and I was hooked like a Sheltie after a stray sheep. Did I really just write that?

I guess I did. Kiss of the Highlander and The Dark Highlander are the stories of Drustan and Dageus MacKeltar, respectively; two brothers who find themselves living in the present, but are really sons of the sixteenth century. Both stories are infused with ancient Celtic lore involving Druids as the gatekeepers between the human world and the immortal sphere of the Fae. But that's not all they're infused with. There's plenty more to tempt the adventurous reader.

Kiss of the Highlander is Drustan's story. Asleep for five centuries, hidden away in a cave by gypsies, Drustan is awakened accidentally when American Gwen Cassidy literally falls on top of him. A scientist by profession, an insurance clerk by choice, she is on holiday in the Scottish Highlands, trying to kick start her otherwise mundane existence. Fortunately for us, she finds more than she bargained for. What follows is a often comical description of Drustan's first look at the twenty-first century. Gwen is convinced that Drustan is a just a wee bit daft, but vows to stand by him (and who wouldn't, the man is gorgeous) to see that he gets whatever help he needs, the poor laddie. But the tables are soon turned as Gwen finds herself traveling back to the sixteenth century and discovers that time travel is not as easy as it looks. And Drustan, due to certain unavoidable circumstances, is of no particular help.

It's Dageus' turn to be a part of the here and now in The Dark Highlander. He has assumed the persona of a wealthy young man (what my grandmother would call 'quite a catch') living in an upper Manhattan Eastside penthouse chock full of ancient and priceless antiquities. However, Dageus is a man literally possessed by evil; in an effort to save his brother, he violates an age old compact between the Druids and the powerful Tuatha De' (fairy realm.) The only thing that soothes the evil within (and listen up here, ladies) is sex. Lot's of it. And, as we learn early on, he is well practiced in that particular art. Enter innocent Chloe Zanders, a well educated student of the antiquities from Kansas, with a specialty in Celtic artifacts. Well, Toto, she's not in Kansas anymore when Dageus finds her snooping around (under his bed, of all places) uninvited in his absolutely 'to die for' digs. Without much ceremony and with silk scarves no less, he decides to hold her captive; she has discovered that he is "borrowing" priceless ancient texts from various sources in an effort to solve his evil-possession issue. The two eventually travel together to Scotland where we witness a touching reunion between Dageus and Drustan and, not to miss out, a trip back in time for Chloe and Dageus as well.

Now, I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it too. These books require a complete suspension of your definition of reality. But, after putting aside my previously expressed (see the Outlander review) aversion to anything even remotely resembling science fiction, I did find myself getting lost in the stories. I was fascinated by the bits of Celtic lore. I was especially fascinated by Drustan and Dageus, two characters who are the epitome of the Alpha male. And in case you're wondering, Moning is a very descriptive writer and her love scenes, all of them...and there are many of them... literally burn.

I am embarrassed to say that it did take me until almost the end of the second book (The Dark Highlander) to fully understand the whys and hows of what was going on in terms of the Fae, MacKeltar Druids and the Draghar. (Not the smut scenes, though. I got those immediately.) But that's not to say that another reader won't catch on more quickly. In spite of my lack of immediate comprehension, I do recommend both books, although I wouldn't say that they are a must read. If you want to go further in the series, the next book, The Immortal Highlander, is a continuation of sorts and pushes the envelope even further.

Another confession. Even after reading these books, I have yet to get over my quest for kilts and, as I'm starting to realize, perhaps I never will.

But, then again, what's so bad about that?

The Spice Trilogy by Gaelen Foley

And yet another bonus of having well-read friends....author recommendations! This author was brought up during a recent trip to Arkansas, where I was told I had to read her! So, I chose her most recent series, and I was not disappointed in the least! Of course, I read it out of order!

The Spice Trilogy is the story of the Knight family, Georgiana and brothers Derek and Gabriel. There is another series by Foley that tells the story of the rest of the Knight clan as well. These siblings were raised in India, at a time when the English sought to make their fortune from the bounty that India held. It was also was a place of much fighting between the Indian people and the British occupation.

The first novel is Her Only Desire, the story of Georgiana Knight, a fearless woman who has lived all her life in India. She has grown to love the people and the culture.  Being English hasn't stopped her from being a proponent of the rights of the people, and the perfect example is our first glimpse of her, saving a friend from throwing herself into a ceremonial fire after her deceased husband. Georgiana is outspoken, a bit wild, fearless, and yet still has the innocence of a maiden. She longs to be in love, and refuses to settle for less. Enter Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith- Ian is an ambassador for England and is sent in for negotiations with the powerful King Johar, whom is acquainted with Georgiana through one of his many wives. Viscious tribes threaten the area and King Johar's signature on a treaty is the only hope for peace.  Ian is entranced by Georgiana's freshness and vitality, and falls for her against his better judgement. The entire party is forced to flee when Georgiana is caught snooping in the Queen's personal room, attempting to help Ian with his treaty negotiation.  The brothers protect her and the trio is banished from the area.  Sent to England to live with relatives she's never met, Georgiana is met at the docks by Ian, and they make their union official.  He holds a horrible secret about his first wife that keeps him from forming an attachment with anyone-until he meets Georgiana.  They each bring out the best and worst in each other!

The second installment is Her Secret Fantasy, the story of Major Derek Knight, an Indian soldier with a flawless record, until he and his brother get into trouble protecting his sister during their escape from King Johar. Derek is sent to England to find out what happened to the money the Crown had promised the regiments in India. Not happy with the assignment, but determined to secure the money for his men, Derek goes on his errand, making several stops among the parties of the ton along the way, and earning a reputation as man who can please a woman. At one of these parties he meets Lily Balfour, an impoverished lady who has come to London marry a rich man and save her family's estate from ruin. Both Lily and Derek are immediately attracted to each other, but Lily is intended to another- a man who Derek has been working with to get the money to his men.  Derek's investigation of her intended prompts Lily to do her own searching, and she gets caught in the process by her suitor, who shows his menacing side as he threatens her.  With Derek in danger from him, Lily acts bravely to save Derek from a horrible fate.  The attraction between Lily and Derek is fierce and loyal, and they run into much danger while working out their feelings for each other.

The finale is Her Every Pleasure, the story of Major Gabriel Knight, a soldier like his brother, nicknamed the Iron Major. Gabriel should be dead- he receives a mortal wound while protecting his sister in India, and was in fact dead at one point, then brought back. That experience has changed his way of thinking, and he lays down is sword, swearing he will never again take anothers' life. He moves to a remote farmhouse in the countryside, lighting candles for those he has slain, and living a simpler life away from the ton. Then he finds Sophia asleep in his barn while feeding the resident kittens one day. Sophia is a Princess who's land has been torn apart by war, and she has lived most of her life in seclusion under the threat of death from her enemies. She is the last of her family to claim the throne, and with the help of the British government, she intends to claim her place. An attack on her party leads Sophia to run and take cover in the remote area, where she meets Gabriel and becomes his maid; her identity remaining a secret. They are instantly attracted to each other, however Sophia's curiosity about Gabriel, and his own issues make their short relationship volatile. Gabriel learns of her true identity after she leaves and Sophia requests him to lead her security detail, putting him in a position where he may have to kill again. However Gabriel realizes he can kill again, if it means protecting the woman he loves.

Each of these books has a different dramatic flair that moves in a continuing theme from story to story. Foley writes with such detail; the richness of the Indian culture is described beautifully, as is Princess Sophia's island nation, torn apart by war. The characters are well drawn out, each flawed and beautiful in their own way. These books are definitely worth a read!

The Boleyn Inheritance by Phillippa Gregory

Donna reviewed the prequel to The Other Boleyn Girl, The Constant Princess, so I've decided to review the sequel. I have to say that I think I liked this book as much or more than The Other Boleyn Girl. The chapters are short, and the book moves very quickly. Each chapter is narrated by one of three main characters, Lady Jane Rochford, Anne Boleyn's hated sister in law and wife of her brother George, Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's fourth wife after the death in childbirth of Jane Seymour, and Katherine Howard, the very young (she's fourteen when she marries Henry) fifth wife of this hard to please King. How's that for an understatement?

The story is set three years after the execution of Anne Boleyn. The year is 1539 and an alliance is made between the German speaking country of Cleves, by marrying Anne of Cleves to King Henry of England. At this point, Henry is 48 years old, obese and suffering from an open wound on his leg-not a very attractive thing to the 24 year old Anne, who despite the age difference, wants to make the best of the situation. Lady Jane is up to her old tricks of manipulation and doing her Uncle the Lord of Norfolk's will, by trying to secure the best possible outcome for the Howard family. She is asked to spy on the new Queen, and when Katherine Howard, a 14 year old lady in waiting, is noticed by the King, Jane and her Uncle see another opportunity to put a Howard girl on the throne and extend their influence and power.

From here on, we watch as King Henry takes the law of God and matrimony unto himself again with disastrous results for the new Queens and Lady Jane.

It is hard to imagine what life at court and in England must have been like during the reign of Henry VIII, but this book, as well as its two predecessors, give us an excellent idea of the fear and betrayal that gripped England in those times. This is an unbelievably true story of human nature at its worst. Read this book. By the end, you will be shaking your head trying to figure out how Henry got away with everything he did for as long as he did. And you will wonder, as I do, what the repercussions were for the years following his reign.

To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt

I waited anxiously for this book- I had enjoyed her others so much that I wrote the release date on my calendar so as not to forget! I was not disappointed. Elizabeth Hoyt's novels always have snippets of fairy-tales and children's stories at the beginning of each chapter, as shown in the Prince trilogy, and this is no exception. Here we learn the story of Iron Heart, which is more than just a bedtime story.

Lady Emeline Gordon, widow with a young son, is a high society fixture, known for her proper manners and excellent chaperonage of the younger beauties of the ton. She is well known to have the ability to craft a girl into the model of propriety, and ending with an excellent marriage. To have the patronage of Lady Emeline was something. Emeline is quickly introduced to her new neighbor, Samuel Hartley, and instant flames come to life. Sam is a wealthy American, with Native roots as shown by his odd stockings and the moccasins he wears proudly wherever he goes. He also has a sister, Rebecca, that he wishes to have Emeline sponsor while he is off gathering his information on a long ago battle where Emeline's brother lost his own life. Emeline, intrigued by the savage, yet gentlemanly man, agrees, despite her anger of his lack of propriety towards society.

Sam has a haunted past; being used as a tracker for the British during the French and Indian War (put your history caps on kids!) he was witness to an ambush where several soldiers, including Emeline's brother, lost their lives. He has traveled to London to investigate those officers who escaped death, trying to learn if the horrifying ambush was planned by a rogue officer. Sam has a stake in this as well; having left the scene of the ambush to get help, he was branded a coward, when in reality he was running to fetch help. Sam knows Emeline does not know the truth of her brother's death, and finds an unlikely ally in the Lady. She is interested in finding out what happened to her brother and his regiment as well.

Their attraction is immediate, but Emeline is not free; she is engaged to a man whom Sam fought with in America. That however does not stop the two of them from coming together, in more ways than one. Bring on the bodice ripping- literally! These two fight at every opportunity, but they are drawn to each other despite their differences. They both need each other; Emeline needs someone like Sam, who loves her completely with wild abandon, and not the casual friendly relationship she has with her fiance; Sam just needs Emeline. She is a part of him, and he can't live without her. Even Emeline's young son, Daniel, loves Samuel. The consequences of Sam's investigation into the ambush lead a dangerous man to come calling at the Hartley house, and Sam's love for Emeline is proven by force, and an engagement is broken.

This was such a good book, and there's so much more to it than what I wrote about here. I just love Elizabeth Hoyt's style of writing- she draws the characters out so well, and you can feel their emotions coming off the page. However, at the same time, she is wickedly funny and that humor makes the book very enjoyable. Definitely worth a read!

The Constant Princess, by Phillippa Gregory

It's back to Tudor England for me and Phillippa Gregory's The Constant Princess, a prequel of sorts to The Other Boleyn Girl. This historical novel is based on the life of Catalina, Infanta of Spain, youngest daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, two of the most powerful (and devout) monarchs in Europe. Catalina is also the promised wife of Arthur, heir to the English throne. Styled "Princess of Wales" at age three, she is destined to unite Spain and England through marriage.

To many, Queen Katherine (as she was later known) is best remembered as the wife Henry VIII discarded (right along with Catholicism) for the young usurper, Anne Boleyn. (Enter The Other Boleyn Girl.) In this novel, however, Ms. Gregory introduces us to Catalina as a young child, on crusade with her parents and then later, ensconced peacefully in the beautiful Alhambra. The story then continues with the Infanta as a young adult, on the precipice of what she considers her destiny. I think the reader will grow to admire Catalina and understand her actions as she struggles to become Queen.

The writing itself is fast paced, the story hums along nicely and in a relative straight line - easy to follow, easy to understand. Perhaps a bit too easy. I was expecting more of the breathless complexity of The Other Boleyn Girl, where characters buzzed in and out and the level of suspense and intrigue ran continuously high. That's not to say that this isn't an enjoyable and informative read. It's well worth the time, even if only to properly round out the back story of Henry VIII.

I wouldn't want to leave you with the impression that this novel is boring. It is not. There is plenty to consider, most importantly the author's premise that Catalina's motivation behind her ambition was based on a deathbed promise made to her first husband. I'll leave it to you to decide if that's a worthy assertion. But beyond that, I was left wondering...is that all there is?