Desires of a Perfect Lady, by Victoria Alexander. A Review by Angie

Lady Olivia Rathbourne's husband was just found with his throat slit in their London garden.  She couldn’t be any happier.  For ten years, Olivia has lived under the rule of Lord Rathbourne, only allowed out in society when he needed a perfect wife to show off at his pleasure, like one of the rare artifacts in his vast museum-like collection.  Those ten years went by slowly, and during that time, Olivia learned to keep her distance and more importantly, not to fight against her cruel husband for fear of her safety.  Her list of things to do when she is free keeps her going when it seemed like all was lost.  With his death comes her longed for freedom, or so she thinks.  A twisted clause in her husband’s will leaves her with no choice but to accept the help of her one time betrothed.  The man at the top of her to do list.  The Earl of Wyldewood.  Her goal?  To bed her long lost suitor, and then move on with her life.

Ten years ago, Sterling-the now dull and stodgy Lord Wyldewood, received a visit by his beloved’s father, Lord Rawley, and informed that she no longer wished to see him, and was marrying Lord Rathbourne because of his vast wealth.  Angry, hurt and bitter, Sterling ignored the letters he received from Olivia and hadn’t thought of her since.  Fast forward ten years, and Lord Rawley was at his door again, pleading for his help and revealing the truth of his horrible secret and the forced marriage between Olivia and Lord Rathbourne.  Prompted by concern for Olivia’s safety, and guilt for never having read her letters, Sterling pays a visit to his former beloved, and learns that she has no desire to accept his help.  His refusal to help her when she needed it most is still fresh in her mind, and she dispatches him promptly.  Sterling is not easily cast aside, and after an attack on Olivia, and realization that her life was save by none other than the footmen he approved, she realizes maybe his help isn’t such a bad thing afterall.  Olivia realizes Sterling is the only one who can help her complete the cruel quest her dead husband requires before she comes into her rightful inheritance.  After some cajoling, the unlikely team of Olivia, Sterling, the Earl’s mother, Millicent, and Josiah, the solicitors representative, set off on an adventure to Egypt and Italy to retrieve three precious artifacts to complete Lord Ravencroft’s collection; pieces he has tried to for years to acquire.  Olivia has a short time to achieve her goals, and failure is most certainly not on her list.

The adventure brings Olivia and Sterling closer together, and farther apart at the mere turn of a page.  Their rollercoaster ride back and forth between love and bitterness could become tiresome, but with these characters it’s quite amusing.  They both realize they want no other, but have a hard time coming to terms with this revelation.  With a lustful Conte, a long-lost suitor of Millicent’s, and a flirtatious Comtesse, the novel’s secondary characters bring a charm to this lovely story of lost love and courage.  Olivia is an emotionally charged character that brings out the long-lost free-spirit that resides within Sterling.  This tale is a story of courage in the face of adversity, and a little humor along the way.  The epilogue leaves the story of the murder and attack on Olivia wide open for another novel, so this story is far from over.  Put this one on your list- it's due in stores March 30, 2010.

Captive of Sin, by Anna Campbell. A Review by Angie

Getting back into the swing of things after having a baby, I decided what better way to jump in than to pick up Anna Campbell’s new novel.  Knowing Campbell tends to write on the darker side, that makes her even more of a favorite of mine, and she never disappoints.  My only issue with this book was that I couldn’t put it down! 

Lady Charis is on the run from her two greedy stepbrothers, who are determined to marry her off to the keeper of the enormous debt their father left them when he died.  Being the richest heiress in England, Lady Charis is invaluable to their plan to avoid debtor’s prison.  The stepbrothers abuse Lady Charis, hoping to force her into submission, however she escapes with her life barely intact and hides in the stables of a nearby inn, hoping no one finds her and returns her back to the stepbrothers that threaten her.  It is here that she meets Sir Gideon, national hero, who has just arrived back in England from India, where he was a spy for many years.  Gideon has survived the cruelest torture imaginable, and the hero’s welcome is an unwelcome sight for the man coming to terms with the monsters in his head.  Gideon stumbles upon Lady Charis hiding behind his horse, and does his best to assist her, knowing that a woman alone is only asking for trouble.  He can see what has been done to her, and his distaste for bullies prompts him to offer assistance even more.  Charis, being justifiably afraid of any man, finally accepts his help after many reassurances, and the giving of a fake name.  The two ride alone in his carriage to the imaginary aunt in Portsmouth, where Charis tries to make a break for it again, only to have Gideon come to her rescue again.  This rescue brings to light Gideon’s illness left over from the years of torture, and Charis learns that the man she owes her life to, has his own demons to fight. 

The two have a highly charged chemistry, and as Charis’ injuries heal, Gideon realizes just how beautiful she truly is, which makes their situation more difficult.  Charis accepts Gideon’s offer of asylum until she reaches her majority three weeks later, and she travels with him to his estate to the north.  She realizes she is falling in love with Gideon, and Gideon has to fight very hard not to succumb to his desire for her.  Gideon believes she deserves better than a wreck like him, and all Charis wants to do is love him.  The reappearance of the two stepbrothers forces their hand to what they can to protect Charis from her “family”, and they head off to Jersey to become man and wife to protect Charis.  This makes Charis deliriously happy, and Gideon miserable; he knows he can never be a true husband to her.  To touch him means to bring on the demons of hell inside his head.

The characterization between the two main characters is perfectly written, and they play off each other very well.  Lady Charis is most definitely a lady, but one that wishes to defy convention and life her live a little more freely than what the ton expects of the daughter of an Earl.  Her paralyzing fear of her stepbrothers is heartbreaking, and her determination to keep going is commendable.  Gideon is not your average hero, with his flaws and scars.  Beautiful, yes, but not the gentleman one would expect an Earl’s daughter to connect with.  I particularly love the way Gideon is written because he could have easily come off as being a complete nutcase and a hopelessly selfish man, but instead he comes off caring if not a little defensive, inspiring loyalty in those around him, and love in the woman he has pledged to help.  The images in his mind from his torture are vividly written in that dark, compelling way that only Anna Campbell can accomplish.  Campbell is the master at creating a character that is so flawed on the inside that you have little hope for their happiness, and then all of a sudden, it’s there.  The raw sensuality between the two because of Gideon’s affliction is more powerful than any sweat laden sex scene.  The desire the pair have for each other just jumps off the page.  And this is all before the pages upon pages of mind blowing sex.  Those can’t hurt either.  Definitely one to pick up.

Millie's Fling, by Jill Mansell. A Review by Debra

I must admit that while waiting for my booksfree.com order to arrive, I grew impatient and visited the local library, only to take out about a dozen contemporary romances with which to pass the long holiday weekend. Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell, an author I had not yet read, was the first one I opened. I was more than pleasantly surprised.

The story takes place in the town of Newquay, Cornwall. It's the story of the friendship that arises between Bridget Jones-like protagonist Millie Brady and famous novelist, Orla Hart, who Millie happens to save from jumping off a cliff upon the discovery of her husband's infidelity. Orla, suffering from a career block as well as a cheating husband, decides to use Millie's single life as the basis for her new novel. Despite Millie's protests to the contrary, her life in Newquay is far from boring.  She and her roommate, Hester, find a wallet, and from there, the fun begins.  The wallet belongs to Hugh Emerson, a recently widowed, stunningly gorgeous thirty year old who becomes the fling in the title, because according to Hugh, that's all he'll ever be capable of. Or so he thinks. Millie keeps Hugh a secret from Orla. He's too important to relegate to a novel.  And while Hugh is dithering, unknowing Orla decides to spice up Millie's life and get things rolling with the goal of spicing up her book as well. She's filled with good intentions, but the men she fixes Millie up with are in turn, horribly boring or totally inappropriate. Millie makes the best of each situation, while waiting for the one man she's found on her own to decide their fate.

Packed with lovable secondary characters like Lucas Kemp and Nat, Hester's past and present loves, Orla's sleezy husband Giles, Con, the famous actor with a secret, and Millie's divorced parents, Millie's Fling transports you to the Cornwall coast, and makes you feel like you are among friends. When Millie finds the love of her life, you'll feel like standing up and cheering. I read this book in about 8 hours, no small feat for 500+ pages on a work day. That should give you an idea of how good it really is.

Jill Mansell writes with attitude, quick wit and more than a little love for her characters. I've already "queued-up" for her next books. I love hitting the jackpot with an author I've never read before.  Pick this one up, it's good for a laugh and more than one cry.  And you'll be as sorry as I was when I got to page 506.

The Bachelor and Spinster Ball, by Janet Gover. A Review by Donna

Farwell Creek is a dry, dusty place – just a tiny hamlet in the middle of the drought stricken Australian outback. Once Bec O’Donnell and Nick Price, best friends and young lovers, planned on living happily ever after in Farwell Creek, but unfortunately real life got in the way of young dreams. Bec left her hometown for the big city and Nick stayed behind working a farm that was no longer his. And when they're brought back together by the sudden, tragic death of the parents of their best friend Hailey, Nic and Bec find their teenage promise to be as distant as the rain. With nothing to offer, Nick refuses to act on the feelings he still has for Bec, and tired of waiting for Nick to acknowledge that he even cares she’s come home, Bec reluctantly turns her attentions elsewhere.

After a small, but potentially dangerous fire in town, it becomes obvious, at least to mover and shaker Bec, that the town is in dire need of its own bona fide bush fire brigade - complete with a fire truck, no less. But how best to raise the exorbitant amount of money this will cost? The answer comes in the form of Terry "people call me Gordo" Gordon - a tall, blond, handsome stranger who calmly and rather self-indulgently suggests a Bachelor and Spinster ball. But no one in the Creek knows what a B&S really is, much less how to organize one, so Gordo suggests Bec accompany him to such a ball in a neighboring town. Now Nick is clearly jealous, Bec’s mother Jean is more angry than usual, and Hailey is far beyond just a little concerned. But Bec is intrigued – not only with the idea of a ball, but apparently with the man who suggested it.

The events of the story swirl around the organization of the ball. While Hailey finds her happiness with the leader of the band they’ve hired, Bec and Nick continually butt heads as they try to make sense of their lingering feelings. Bec can’t deny she’s attracted to the flashy Gordo, but she still longs to have Nick look at her just once the way he used to. And Nick? He’s busy berating himself for being nothing more than a hired hand on his father’s old farm. Nick stubbornly and quite mistakenly believes he has to make something of himself before telling Bec what he’s feeling. And then he suddenly realizes that perhaps he’s waited just a little too long.  Will he ever be able to come to terms with losing Bec for good?

Fast paced and well-written, The Bachelor and Spinster Ball provides a glimpse into everyday life in the remote Australian outback. And despite wanting to clout Nick over the head a number of times, I really enjoyed the characters – and how, just like in any small town, they care about - and for - each other.  Highly recommended, The Bachelor and Spinster Ball is yet another excellent offering from Janet Gover and Little Black Dress.

And Then He Kissed Her, by Laura Lee Guhrke. A Review by Debra

It's always gratifying when a student leads a teacher to something new. One of Bookishly's star protegees found this author and recommended that we read her work. As usual, our teaching comes full circle. This author is good. Very, very good. And the student gets an A.

And Then He Kissed Her is the story of Harrison Robert Marlowe, viscount and man of business in this year of 1893. He is an owner of several newspapers and publishing houses and he employs a female secretary, Emma Dove, to keep his life tidy, his businesses humming and his mistresses in line.

Emma has worked for Harry  for five years, and for just about as long, has tried to get Harry to publish her etiquette for "girl-bachelor" books. Rejection after rejection ensues, and finally, after finding out that Harry has been a bit less than honest in his critique of her writing, she quits his employ and sells her work to his competitor. Unbeknownst to Emma, Harry has been working to buy his rival's newspaper, and once again, Emma finds herself on Harry's payroll, but this time,  with an important difference. She is  no longer his secretary; due to the popularity of her etiquette column, she is now Harry's star attraction and chief money-maker.

With their relationship on a more equal professional footing, Harry gains a new respect for Emma, and that respect starts to drift in an entirely new and not unwelcome direction. Emma realizes that Harry may be the most commitment-phobic man in Great Britain, but she decides life is too short to squander a good thing, and conventions of the day aside, they begin a torrid affair.

Ms. Gurhke writes with a wry sense of humor and a snappy style that keeps the story flowing. She interjects enough details of the Victorian era to give the reader an excellent feel for the times, and the unusual nature of both Harry and Emma's actions. We get a fairly good idea of the attitudes and opinions of the changing mores at the end of the 19th century, when money and the making of it starts to usurp the old order of the Peers of the Realm. And we also get a glimpse of the changing attitudes towards  marriage, divorce and a woman's employment outside the home. All of this is wrapped up in a fairly wonderful love story that will leave  you clamoring for a sequel.  Or an epilogue at the very least.

I have a few more of this author's writing on order. I have my "student" to thank for her recommendation. She is definitely a very quick study.

Tempt Me At Twilight, by Lisa Kleypas. A Review by Debra

With the third book in Kleypas' Hathaway series, the author hits a high note.  The pairing of Poppy Hathaway and wealthy American hotelier Harry Rutledge is so much more believable to me than the stories of Poppy's older sisters, Amelia and Win and their Rom husbands, Cam and Merripen. While Amelia's story, Mine Till Midnight was good, I found the next in the series, Seduce Me at Sunrise, a tougher sell. With Tempt Me At Twilight, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Poppy and her unconventional family are in London for what is Poppy's third London season and finally, she is having some success in finding a husband. They are guests at the Rutledge Hotel, owned by the enigmatic and mysterious Mr. Rutledge. When Poppy gets lost chasing down a family pet and meets Harry Rutledge, he doesn't let on who he is, but his identity soon becomes clear. What also becomes clear is that Harry will stop at nothing to make Poppy his wife. She's in love with another man, but with some interesting machinations, she winds up as Harry's bride. Unfortunately, Poppy finds it difficult to forgive Harry for his perfidy, and it takes a lot of work, on both their parts, to make something of the marriage.

The best part of Lisa Kleypas' stories are her secondary characters and their importance to the main characters' relationships. Kleypas uses the hotel staff as the means to get Poppy and Harry on the same page in their marriage.  Each hotel character is engaging and adds rather than detracts from the story. She does the same thing with Poppy's family. Her brother Leo has some sort of antagonistic relationship with Poppy's companion, Catherine Marks. Cat also has ties to Harry.  As a plot device, all of these secondary characters (especially Miss Marks) give us an insight into why Harry is the way he is; unable to offer love and afraid to accept it in return. All of this is resolved to this reader's satisfaction when Poppy forgives Harry and he, in turn, learns what it means to stop controlling and start loving. It's a wonderful transformation to watch.

I cannot wait to read Leo and Catherine's story, and after that, the younger Hathaway sister Beatrix's. What started out as a "spin-off" from an earlier series has turned out to be a wonderful collection in its own right.

Letters to a Secret Lover, by Toni Blake. A Review by Donna

There's several ways to relax on a five hour flight from Los Angeles to Newark. Some people plug into their iPods and some the in-flight entertainment. Some sleep, some drink and some actually just sit and watch the clouds drift by. I have my own system. I read Toni Blake.

I could say my last flight was the best ever, and it had nothing to do with the legroom, food or unusually calm air over the Rockies. As a matter of fact, I don't even remember taking off.

In Letters to a Secret Lover, love advice columnist Lindsey Brooks has been dumped. Definitely, definitively and publicly dumped. Now, instead of planning her big city wedding, she's escaping to Montana where her great aunt once set aside some property and a small business for her.

But the property and business now belong to Rob Colter - the man who took care of Lindsey's great aunt Millie after Lindsey unkindly rejected her gift. Rob is the town's established loner and as gorgeous and hunky as he is, not one woman in the small town of Moose Falls has succeeded in cracking his shell. That is until high maintenance Lindsey shows up on his doorstep, demanding the chance to buy back her aunt's land. But Rob is not selling; his life on Spirit Lake is all that he has.

Lucky for us Lindsey and Rob find they have much more in common than the desire to own the modest canoe rental business. They also share a strong attraction to each other and, no matter how they fight it, one thing leads to another (this is where Ms. Blake shines) and our two opposites are attracting like nobody's business.

But Rob has a secret - one so damaging it would change his life forever if revealed. And despite the growing affection between them, Rob refuses to spill and Lindsey finds herself wondering just who Rob Colter really is.

Letters to a Secret Lover has become one of my favorite contemporary romances. Ms. Blake literally takes you to that place - you know the one - where you actually feel the emotions experienced by the characters. Her scenes are vivid, the dialogue swift, sweet and real. I especially love how Rob is slowly uncovered (in more ways than one) - and you will too.

No need to wait until you're 37,000 feet in the air to thoroughly enjoy this one. You'll be off and flying after the first page.