Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris

OH MY GOSH! This book was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. For those you not in the club of awesomeness known as the St. Cyr Society of Adoration or Team Hero....then you need to get on board!

The St. Cyr mystery series is set in Regency England. The books follow the path of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. A tortured and wounded soul that upon his return from the battlefields of Spain, begins solving murders in London. Due to his unique position as a one of the ton, he can go to and ask questions of those that otherwise would be protected from the insult of even being considered as a culprit for murder, much less investigated.

This newest book follows the intrigue surrounding the death of Alexander Ross, a member of the Foreign Office. What is first believed to be a natural death is soon proved to be murder. Devlin is asked by his close friend, Dr. Paul Gibson, to investigate the murder. The trail leads Devlin all over London, into the spy networks maintained by France, Russia, and England, the office of the Foreign Office, and Devlin's archenemy Jarvis. The story is further enriched by the continuing drama between Devlin and Hero Jarvis.

What I love about this series is that while Harris pays attention to the details of the day (dress, decorations, etc) that normally take up chapters of a regency romance or mystery but she doesn't let it rule her writing. Each plot is so intricately woven that it's VERY rare when I actually figure out the identity of the killer before I'm supposed to. She also weaves the politics of the day into her stories and being a bit of a history nut, I love the series even more

This latest book (the 6th in the series) was worth the almost 2 year wait...yes...it was torture for me because I'm a crazy fan like that. It's my favorite so far. My only complaint is that it was too short but that's my normal issue with books when I read them in a day; which was the case here.

So if you like mysteries, Regency, troubled heroes, quirky characters, intrigue, and FANTASTIC writing then give these books a shot! I recommend that you start at the beginning of the series. Each one is WAY too good to miss!!!

Marrying the Captain, by Carla Kelly

The first is a series of three books following the illegitimate offspring of a none too heroic naval officer, Marrying the Captain is the story of Eleanor Massie, also known as Nana.  When her father decides to sell her to the highest bidder to pay his gambling debts, Nana runs from his influence and the school for girls he sent her to. Finding sanctuary with her grandmother in her hometown of Plymouth, she tries her hardest to keep the Mulberry, the boarding house she and her grandmother run, from closing down. Living in a navy town, Nana is reminded time and again of her mother's fall from grace and the circumstances of her birth and swears she will not be persuaded to meet the same end.

Naval Captain Oliver Worthy is given what at first looks like an innocuous assignment by his commanding officer (Nana's father) to find her and keep an eye on her while he is in Plymouth. His ship, the Tireless, is in dry dock for repairs to damage done in a skirmish with the French. As part of the blockade of the French coast, Oliver cannot wait to get back to sea. And as a life-long navy man, he has seen too many comrades die in battle and leave families behind to grieve. He swears that he will never marry and put someone through the pain of waiting for him to come home. Well, you know what they say about good intentions.

Oliver takes up residence at the Mulberry and predictably, he and Nana fall in love. What's not predictable are the obstacles thrown in their path; French spies, kidnapping and cowardly Admirals among them. The ending, when it comes, is a satisfying conclusion to a story whose outcome is not guaranteed.

This is the first Carla Kelly book I've read, and it won't be the last. I have the two sequels on order, and look forward to re-visiting with Nana and Oliver in those.  For a quick read, almost innocent in its story-telling and characterizations, Marrying the Captain is a sweet diversion.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Christianity. Islam. Judaism. Buddhism. When asked about the religions of the United States, these are probably the first answers that pop into your head. But considering the vast melting pot from which this country was formed, have you ever stopped to ask yourself, "What happened to the ideologies of days gone by? What are the new ideologies of the future?" Whether by choice or force, millions of people left their native lands and travelled the Atlantic Ocean for the New World. What if the gods of those lands came with them, but over the years have been forgotten and are struggling for existence. And what if, these gods were preparing for battle against the gods of tomorrow, the gods of the Internet, smart phones, credit cards...

Shadow was never been one to believe or not believe. He lived a simple life with his wife Laura, but a series of unfortunate events had landed him in prison. An early release is the beginning of a road Shadow could not have imagined in his wildest dream of traveling. As circumstance would have it, Shadow joins up with Wednesday, formerly known as the All-father Odin. Their journey takes them across the United States, as Wednesday attempts to rally (or coerce) his fellow forgotten gods to join him in battle against the new gods of the wired age. During all of this, Shadow is plagued by dreams his doesn't understand, escapes numerous hit attempts by the opposition, mixed feelings about his wife, all the while trying to grasp the things he has seen and heard. As his journey comes to an end and as the battle for the Badlands wages, to see which side will survive in the land, Shadow finally understands what everything is about, what he is about, and reaches his true potential.

If you are willing to open your mind to the possibilities of what may really be, to see how our thoughts and beliefs can take shape and mold our world, then take the jump into another one of Neil Gaiman's edgy and amazingly fantastic novels.

It Happened One Season, by Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D'Alessandro and Candice Hern

It Happened One Season is a collaborative effort between four talented romance writers and one very imaginative reader. The premise is this; the writers were given the assignment of taking a reader's plot suggestion culled from a publisher's contest (in this case Avon, a subsidiary of HarperCollins)  and each use it to write a different story.  The "winner" of this contest,  Phyllis Post, to whom the book is dedicated, came up with a three point plot suggestion. The first, that the male protagonist be the second son of a noble family,  previously in the army and now returned home. The second, that the female protagonist be shy, in some way considered unattractive (even if that's her own perception) and devoid of any suitors, past or present.  The final piece to the plot is the propelling force to the stories;  the male protagonists' brother has only daughters, so he is ordered to step up to the plate, as it were, and keep the noble line away from a distant, inappropriate relative.

Stephanie Lauren's contribution is called, quite unimaginatively I might add, The Seduction of Sebastion Trantor.  Sebastion, newly returned from the Peninsula Wars,  is the heir to his brother Thomas, the Viscount Coningsby,  the father of multiple daughters. Tabitha Makepeace is looking to catch a blackmailer, someone who is trying to expose her friends' pasts in order to derail their newly arranged marriages. They stumble upon each other and proceed to solve the mystery and fall in love at the same time, thereby killing two birds with one stone. Thankfully, Lauren's use of a thesaurus is somewhat tempered in this story, which made it readable, even to me, not one of her biggest fans. 

Mary Balogh is one of my favorite authors, and so I had high hopes for her contribution, Only Love.  Jack Gilchrist, a hero of the Napoleonic Wars has lived as a recluse for five years. He is summoned to do his duty and set up his nursery when his sister in law is told she cannot have any more children. Cleo Pritchard was married to Jack's commanding officer. A cruel man 23 years her senior, he died in battle, and Jack was left to deliver the news to the new widow all those years ago. When they meet again at a ball, there is an undeniable attraction between the two and he proposes to her 24 hours after that second meeting, looking to avoid a season on the marriage mart hunting for a suitable wife.  In a twist, Cleo decides she won't marry Jack unless she gets pregnant first. I loved this particular plot line and thought it was pretty progressive. Too progressive, as it turns out, but no matter. While not my favorite of this particular analogy, it was good reading. The author did not disappoint.

The third author, Jacquie D'Alessandro, contributed Hope Springs Eternal. This was my favorite of the four. Well written, well executed, with only a small degree of self-pity on the part of the female protagonist, Penelope Markham, an art teacher dismissed in disgrace when she dared to sculpt a male nude.  This was the one story that had me wishing it was a  full length novel.  Penelope is saved from a mugging by Alec Trentwell, her dead brother's commanding officer. Alec has been following Penelope with the intent of keeping her safe for her dead brother's sake as well as his own guilt. He's got a secret and he has to share it with Penelope. Finding the right time to do that is his problem, as he too, proposes after meeting her in order to meet his brother's demand that he marry and start begetting heirs. Another two for one deal here as Penelope never thought to marry and always hoped to, and Alec must. Love is the result of this unorthodox match, but can it survive the secret that is eating Alec alive?

The last story is Fate Strikes a Bargain, by Candice Hern, another author I am not familiar with.  In this story, the female heroine, Phillipa Reynolds has a physical disability which kept her on the sidelines through three seasons. Captain Nathaniel Beckwith, a dead ringer for Richard Sharpe aka Sean Bean (except for the noble bloodline) returns home from Waterloo a changed man, and one with a final mission given to him by his brother; to produce a male heir.  He proposed to Phillipa exactly five minutes after meeting her while both were hiding behind a potted plant at a ball. He's more damaged from war than the other three heroes we've met in this analogy, but eminently more likable. The two embark on a season together to satisfy her mother wish that propriety be observed, and fall in love. Phillipa is also the strongest character of the four women we've met, which makes for a nice love story.

I loved the idea of this contest, and to be honest, had I known about it, I might have come up with some plot suggestions of my own. If I can't write my own romance novel,  having one dedicated to me is the next best thing. Out now, It Happened One Season is worth a read, for how it was conceived if nothing else.

April Romance Reading Challenge Book: My Irresistible Earl, by Gaelen Foley

When the newly widowed Lady Pierson, Mara,  sees her long lost love after more than ten years, she is livid that he still looks just as handsome as he did way back when.  Jordan, the Earl of Falconridge left her in a garden one evening after a rash proposal from Mara to make him stay with her.  His duties to the Order left him no choice but to abandon his lady love and undertake his mission.  With a promise to come back for her, he leaves her, hoping she will wait for him and they can marry.  When Mara never hears from Jordan, she marries Lord Pierson to get away from parents who did nothing but criticize and abuse her.  Now it's fourteen years later, and they are both older and wiser, and still very much attracted to each other.

Jordan's mission is to take him close to the Prince Regent, Prinny, and root out a traitor working with the Prometheans.  Mara's relationship with Prinny is the perfect way to get himself cozy with the Carlton House set, and closer to Mara.  Jordan and Mara cannot keep their hands off each other, and soon they're inseparable, being seen everywhere together and spending nights in each other's arms.  Jordan desperately wants to tell Mara about his mission, but is sworn to secrecy to protect her and her son Thomas.  When the Prometheans kidnap young Thomas in order to get a valuable list of names of the Order, Mara and Jordan face the enemy together in order to save the Crown.

As always with Gaelen Foley, her novels are descriptive and sensual; a fresh look on formula Regency romance.  Jordan and Mara literally cannot get enough of each other, and it shows on every page, whether they are in each other's arms, or not speaking.  My Irresistible Earl, part of the Inferno Club series, is due in stores April 1, 2011.  Make sure to pick up this one!

One Night is Never Enough, by Anne Mallory

Charlotte Chatsworth is frustrated. She's trying to come to terms with her father's gambling debts and what, exactly, that means for her marriage prospects. This is her third season on the "mart" and her father, in his quest to up the ante and score a huge marriage settlement, has so far refused every suitor who has  asked for Charlotte's hand. Before you get the idea that this is a light historical romance, full of irreverent dialogue and witty repartee and complete with the bumbling father and the dashing nobleman who is finally brought up to scratch (with pretty words and a marriage settlement), let me assure you that One Night is Never Enough is exactly the opposite. It is a dark, cold look at one woman's loyalty to family and lack of choice and freedom, and the resulting forbidden love affair with a man who is the exact opposite of what a gentleman should be.


When Charlotte first meets Roman Merrick, owner of more than several gaming establishments and other nefarious businesses, he has just finished dispatching a man. As he looks up after the deed is done, he recognizes Charlotte, watching him. She is the woman he has taken notice of around town; the one woman who is so far out of his reach that he decides to cheat at a card game with her father, who unbelievably bets £10,000 against a night with his daughter to the winner of the hand.  Charlotte, resigned to her fate to marry according to her father's wishes so that her sister Emily can be free of his machinations, has no choice but to honor the bet. The evening she spends with Roman changes everything. While they do nothing but play chess and talk, the stage is set for a torrid affair. It's a situation that neither Charlotte nor Roman can resist, despite the threat to her reputation and the possible loss of "value" in her father's scheme to sell her off to the highest titled bidder.

Anne Mallory's style of writing lends to dark, sometimes hard to follow mental dialogue among the characters. There are glimpses into their thought processes, but I had a hard time following the line of reasoning. It wasn't until a scene was over that I realized exactly what the characters were thinking. The actual spoken dialogue between the characters was heartfelt, a bit on the lighthearted side, and revealed the protagonists' thoughts just as well or even better than those silent ruminations.  I would have preferred more of the former and less of the latter.  The scene I found most remarkable was the card game scene late in the novel, when Roman brings Charlotte into a card game that he plays with his brother and his trusted associates. While that evening did not end well for the relationship, it revealed more about Charlotte than any prior scene in the novel. Roman's relationship with his adopted brother, Andreas (I'm assuming the next story in this series will be his), his friends and the orphan boys he puts to work  for him, all reveal a side of him that was hinted at, but not really revealed up until this point. Until now, it was guess work on this reader's part to determine if Roman was really one of the "good guys" or if Charlotte had actually gotten herself mixed up in some very bad business. This uncertainty did make for some tense reading, something not usually found in this genre.

When Charlotte (with help from Roman in an unexpected way) realizes that her sister is not counting on her to "save" her, that her mother is capable of finding happiness outside of her loveless and humiliating marriage, and that she herself is entitled to find happiness of her own, revelations come fast and furious. Charlotte makes a matrimonial choice, yet decides to carry on her affair with Roman. He, in the meantime, has begun to pay off her father's debts, and has a change of heart about his own personal state of being. All in all, the ending, while very neat and tied up in a bow, works. And even Charlotte's father comes around.

I'll admit, at times, I found the writing in this novel just a bit too heavy and long-winded, but at the end of the day, I realized that there was  a reason the author included the details and thought processes I found so ponderous. When the solution to the situation comes about, and Charlotte is free to be herself, you actually feel the weight lifting off of her shoulders, and for a moment, you become the character you've just spent days reading about. No reader  can ask for more than that. I'm looking forward to what I am sure will be the next in this series (Andreas' story) if only to revisit with Charlotte and Roman. This is a new book, just out on February 22, 2011. If you like your romances with a cerebral twist, you'll enjoy this one. When it was done, I did, too.

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.