His Christmas Pleasure, by Cathy Maxwell. A Review by Debra

Christmas-themed romance stories that come out this time of year are usually reminiscent of THAT Christmas tale.  You know, the one where this one sells his watch and that one cuts her hair and both sacrifice what they hold dear in order to give something to the other. His Christmas Pleasure, by Cathy Maxwell, is no exception. While this novel has that theme running through it as well, there is something quite refreshing about a historical romance where there is no rake; the male protagonist is reformed even before the heroine gets to  him, and in that, this story is different.

Andres Ramigio, Baròn de Vasconia of Spain, has a reputation, but it’s not self-inflicted. Women seem to fall into his path, quite literally, and the one woman he has the misfortune to fall in love with, spurns him quite publicly. Abigail Montross, niece of a duke and daughter of a banker, is in love with an Earl’s son who is looking for more than a tradesman’s daughter for a wife. Set up in an arranged marriage by her father, she has already been engaged to and jilted by  another man. When she seemingly rescues Andres from his own father’s fate, their two lives become entangled in ways neither one of them expect. And after Abby’s father proposes another arranged marriage, she desperately looks for a way to avoid it. The Baròn has already seen the good in Abby, and unwittingly provides her with an escape. When he talks to Abby about a solution to their problems (he needs funds, she needs a way out),  it’s already evident that he’s halfway in love with her, which in turn, makes us love him even more.

When Andres persuades Abby to marry him, he’s the one who wants a proper wedding and a blessing from her parents. She’s the one who convinces him to elope. When they reach Stonemoor, the property given to him in Northumberland in exchange for a promise never to return to London, Abby realizes her new husband is not quite what he seems, but our faith in Andres is confirmed when he confesses all.

When Abby receives disturbing news from home in the middle of major misunderstanding with her new husband, and then hightails it back to London, there is little question that Andres will follow her, even if it means losing his home and his new livelihood in the process.

There are some wonderfully written scenes in this book. The showdowns between Andres and Abby’s determined father, the confrontation between Andres and a cuckolded husband, the coach ride that Andres and Abby share, the proposal scene in a garden with a roomful of women watching through a window, and of course, the final scene in the book where everything all comes right again, in a very surprising way, all reflect Cathy Maxwell’s ability at story-telling. This is a fun, quick story that will no doubt get the reader into the holiday spirit.

It was my Christmas pleasure to read it.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life, By Beth Pattillo. A Review by Debra

Part fiction, part truth, Jane Austen Ruined My Life is the story of Emma Grant, a recently divorced Jane Austen scholar who makes a return visit to England after receiving an invitation by a woman claiming to have Jane Austen's long lost letters.

Emma is fleeing her ex-husband and her teaching assistant, who together engineer Emma's professional downfall while having an affair. After losing her position and tenure, the invitations from Mrs. Parrot dangling the long lost letters, is too much to resist. With no job or job prospects, no husband and no happy ending in sight, she takes off for London and the home of her cousin. There she meets Adam, her best friend from graduate school, who is in London and staying with Emma's cousin on pretenses of his own. When Emma meets Mrs. Parrot, she is given a series of tasks to perform involving visits to most of the sites of Jane Austen's life. We get to hear Emma read excerpts from the letters, and can almost imagine that they do, in fact exist.  At the end of this literary treasure hunt, she is promised that all of her questions about the lost letters will be answered, and she is faced with a moral dilemma of her own and a decision that may lead her to accept or reject the true love of her life.

Beth Pattillo takes us, along with Emma, on a discovery of the heart. When Emma is tempted to betray the trust of the holders of the letters and offer them up for publication, she discovers that Jane Austen's fiction may have been the catalyst for earlier mistakes and bad decisions, but they  are not what keeps Emma from now truly living her life and finding professional and personal fulfillment. Like the real Jane Austen,  Emma doesn't need to compromise her honor and her principles to prove her worth. While her decision at the end of the novel is probably not the same one I would have made, we see Emma's life as she begins to see it; as a process meant to be worked through and lived despite setbacks and betrayals, and despite an elusive happy ending.

This book is a quick, absorbing read. The trek through Austen country was informative to this uninitiated reader. The water spray at the Cobb, the writing desk in Chawton, all these places come alive for Emma and for us. If you are an Austenphile  (and who among us isn't) this is a book you will definitely enjoy.

The Reckless Bride, by Stephanie Laurens. A Review by Angie

The final installment in Stephanie Laurens’ Black Cobra Trilogy is perhaps the most exciting of all.  The Reckless Bride follows the story of Rafe Carstairs, keeper of the original letter that will expose the identity of the Black Cobra.  His return to English soil is fraught with several distractions, not in the very least Lady Esme Congreve and her niece, Loretta Michelmarsh.  At the request of Esme for Rafe to act as their guide, he and Hasaan accompany the ladies back towards England.  A long journey up the rivers of Europe throws Rafe and Loretta closer together, coinciding with Esme’s match-making plans.  Their attraction is almost instant, but neither side is willing to admit to it.  When a murderous plot against Esme is discovered, explaining non-cultist attacks on them throughout Europe, she seeks sanctuary at a convent run by a friend while Loretta continues on with Rafe.  Left to their own devices, they realize they cannot hold back from each other, and finally succumb to their passions.  But, Rafe’s mission is the most dangerous of all, and Loretta is reckless enough to follow him until he sees it through. With the help of almost every single character in other Laurens’ novels, the Duke of Wolverstone gets his villain, and our four brave heroes get their happy endings.

As usual, Laurens delivers a flawless plot, keeping you in suspense until the surprising conclusion and discovery of the Black Cobra.  Add to this page after page of steamy, sexy love scenes between the drop dead gorgeous Rafe and the determined Loretta, and you won’t be able to put this book down.  Believe it or not, I found myself becoming impatient with Rafe and Loretta’s trysts, because I wanted to get back to the Black Cobra plot!  Another great series from Stephanie Laurens!

Passions of a Wicked Earl, by Lorraine Heath. A Review by Debra

Normally, when I read a romance novel, I naturally identify with the heroine, if rooting for her to get her man is akin to identification. While reading this novel, however, I found myself fascinated by the workings of the mind of the male protagonist and instead, cheered for him to overcome his childhood demons and get his happy ending. It’s as if Cinderella’s prince was the more important character in that particular story than Cinderella herself; a wonderful twist to be sure.

The first in the London’s Greatest Lovers series by Lorraine Heath introduces Morgan Lyons, the 8^th Earl of Westcliffe. Damaged in his youth by the early death of his father, the bitterness of his mother and jealousy toward his younger brothers, both for what they have (a higher rank and money for one) and what they don’t (the lack of noble responsibilities, for the other), Morgan accepts his role in an arranged marriage to the much younger Claire, a childhood friend of his younger brother, Stephen.

On their wedding night, Stephen’s penchant for mischief and Claire’s fear of her older, serious husband results in a three year banishment to the country for her and a separation that Morgan uses to rake his way through London. When circumstances arise and Claire is forced back to town to bring her philandering husband to heel, the two begin where their truncated marriage left off; they come to know each other better and begin to fall in love.

When danger lurks from an unpredictable source and tragedy results, Morgan realizes that Claire’s love can be trusted and he in turn comes to admit his feelings, no longer worried about feeling the vulnerability and insecurity that has followed him his entire life.

Lorraine Heath introduces secondary characters in this novel that provide the basis for understanding Morgan’s rakishness, his unwillingness to fully trust his wife, and his belief that he can never fall in love or trust love in return. His relationships with his brothers, especially the younger Duke of Ainsley (I’m assuming he will have his own sequel one day soon) his mother, his deceased father, his former paramour, Anne, even his beloved dog Cooper who dies and leaves him fully alone, or so he believes, explain why he did not give Claire a second chance after their wedding. These relationships also let us see why he feels he cannot let himself need anyone, including his wife, for whom he has feelings he’s trying so very hard to excuse away. I don’t think I’ve ever read another novel in this genre that uses secondary characters to this extent. They should all endeavor to do so.  After all, we are all the sum of our past experiences, shaped and molded by circumstances and people early on. The author brings this out wonderfully in this book, and it’s why I sympathize so strongly with Morgan. He’s simply trying so hard to get past all of it, and when he does, it’s like the sun coming out from behind a thundercloud; almost blinding in its intensity. I cannot wait for the sequel, Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman, the story of Morgan’s brother Stephen, which will be out December 1, 2010. This book makes its debut on November 1, 2010.

Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, by Sarah MacLean. A Review by Debra

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave..."

This was the first thought that crossed my mind when I put my Nook to sleep on this book for the last time.  All that angst, all that heartache could have been avoided and the happy ending gotten to so much sooner, if Lady Isabel Townsend and Lord Nicholas St. John didn't have major trust issues, brought on by unhappy pasts. His problem stems from his role as the Bulan, or the Hunter, assigned by the Crown to track fugitives, spies and missing persons of interest to the British Empire.  His last assignment landed him in prison because he fell in love and trusted the wrong person. Couple that with an unfaithful mother who deserted her family without a backwards glance and you can see where he's coming from.

Lady Isabel had a father who was known as the Wastreal, a man who gambled and played his way through life and his fortune, leaving his children  (in addition to Isabel there is her brother James, the ten year old heir) and his wife to fend for themselves in the Yorkshire countryside. Isabel is still reeling and trying desperately to raise her brother, keep Townsend Park intact and harbor runaway women at the same time. A tall order for any heroine, surely.  Bring these two damaged souls together and watch the angst and sparks fly. And fly they do.

Lord Nicholas longs to escape the marriage minded mamas of London after being awarded the accolade "Landable Lord" by a popular magazine. When the Duke of Leighton assigns him to a special project, he jumps at the chance to head north.  His arrival in Yorkshire is noted by Lady Isabel, who is aware of his new moniker but is more interested in getting Lord Nicholas, a noted antiquarian, to appraise her statutes than she is in getting him to the altar. Nicholas refrains from telling her the real reason for his visit to her home, and thus ensues a series of misunderstandings so convoluted,  it is a miracle that the two of them actually like each other enough to fall in love.

Sarah MacLean paints a wonderfully colorful portrait of her characters in this novel.  There are way too many stubborn moments for Isabel, and I began to think that Nicholas was a saint to still want her, but conflict does make a happy bedfellow, especially when there is an overabundance of make-up sex. These two, suffice it to say, do a lot of making-up.  You're just brought to the point where you are wondering how much more Nick can take when Isabel finally asks herself the same question and confesses to her love for him. But is it too late?

As an aside, I just need to mention that the best line of the book (and there were many good ones) and the one that embodies the very essence of the reformed rake, falls to Lord Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston, Nick's twin brother. While trying to console Nicholas, he says, "You are laboring under the mistaken impression that their  job is to need us. In my experience, it is almost always the other way around." I love this line. It's the basis of why I love romance novels. And why I loved this one, too.

This book is a sequel to Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Gabriel's story) by the same author, and together they are both fun, lively reads. Each will have you heaving a satisfied sigh when you're done. There's nothing like a good story to make for a happy ending.

A Hopeless Romantic, by Harriet Evans. A Review by Debra

There is a reason why all those Regency and Victorian romances sell so well. And there's a reason why Jane Austen novels have been adapted and re-adapted to TV and movies. And that same reason is why I absolutely loved A Hopeless Romantic, by one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, Harriet Evans.

A Hopeless Romantic is the story of Laura Foster, a 28 year old London woman who lives her life wrapped up in romantic fantasies in her search for The One. After a devastating and humiliating break-up, she's brought back to earth with a definite thud. In the process, she loses her job, her friends and her self-esteem. And she decides to stop living with her head in a romantic cloud. It's time to be practical and turn over a new leaf. No more fantasizing about Mr. Right and jumping in with both feet. And first she has to get over Mr. Totally Wrong.

On a holiday with her parents in Norfolk and bored out of her mind, she agrees to visit a nearby estate called Chartley Hall (I kept reading this as Chatterly. I must have Sean Bean on the brain) which is open to the public for tours.  While there, she accidentally meets Nick Needham, who invites her for drinks at a local club. Despite her best intentions, she decides to take him up on the offer. We watch as Laura fights her attraction to Nick, and then just when she's ready to give in to it and possibly fall again, she finds out something about him that totally pulls her up short. While Laura's reasons for not pursuing her relationship with Nick are as bewildering to him as they are to me,  I came to understand that it's not really who Nick is that's keeping her from giving her heart. It's really who Laura has become. She can't trust herself enough to make the right decisions and she can't trust Nick enough to not get hurt again. She's afraid to make that leap of faith that used to come so easily to her.

A Hopeless Romantic is filled with wonderful secondary characters. Laura's relationship with her grandmother is especially poignant and her interaction with her roommate Yorkie, her friend Jo and Nick's best friend Charles, help us see different sides of Laura that may not otherwise be evident. I've noticed that Ms. Evans has a knack for using her secondary characters in this way.  They are by no means superfluous to the story, but are as important to it as the main characters.

Harriet Evans has written a wonderful  love story that basically combines the best of contemporary romance with a touch of what makes historical romances so alluring.   The hero truly loves the heroine, and best of all, he's a .... well, I won't give the rest away.

The reason why we love our historical romances? True love prevails;  the heroine gets the hero in the end of course, and he's usually titled, wealthy and extremely good looking.  And the reason why I love this present day romance so much? For the same reason and one more; if I were 25 years younger, single, living on the other side of the Atlantic, and looking for love, after reading this I could almost believe it could happen to me. A girl can dream, can't she?

Dark Road to Darjeeling, by Deanna Raybourn. A Review by Angie

Before delving into Dark Road to Darjeeling, I didn't have a favorite Lady Julia Grey novel.  I loved each of them for their own story, and their own plots.  That was until the fourth novel in the series came along.  Now I have a favorite.

When we last left Brisbane and Julia, they were just beginning their new life together.  In Dark Road to Darjeeling, we catch up with the Brisbane's nine months into their marriage and subsequent trip to the Mediterranean.  They have traveled the world, seeing exotic places, eating exotic foods, and being newlyweds.  And then Julia's siblings, Portia and Plum, join them in Cairo with a request to accompany them to India to assist Jane, Portia's former flame, as she prepares for the birth of her child.  Jane's husband has died, and she is alone with his family while awaiting the birth.  Portia, still in love with her dear Jane, rushes to her aid, bringing along Plum at her father's insistence.  Portia harbors suspicion that everything is not as it seems with Jane in India, and asks the assistance of Julia and Brisbane.  She feels Jane's husband was murdered, and intends to find out the truth before the killer turns his eyes on Jane and her baby.  Never one to resist an investigation, Julia eagerly accepts, and Brisbane reluctantly agrees.

They are welcomed eagerly at the Peacocks, a tea plantation in the Himalayan mountains, by Jane, and her husband's family, Miss Cavendish, the spinster aunt, and Freddie Cavendish, cousin.  Everyone is a suspect to Julia, and she begins her investigation while Brisbane remains in Calcutta on business.  Being curious and forthright, Julia uses her charm and good breeding to seek the answers she needs to solve her puzzle, making friends and a few enemies unwittingly.   Everyone has a motive, or so it seems to Julia.  With the arrival of Brisbane, and his reluctance to allow her to assist him in finding the murderer, we see the side of their marriage that at times made me furious with the both of them, shouting "grow up" at my poor paperback book.  A few conversations with a child, and one man-eating tiger later, and we have one of the most shocking conclusions I have read in quite some time.  I never saw it coming, and I'm so glad!

A whirlwind of characters, old and new, and the lush descriptions of the Valley of Eden transport you to a time when the English ruled India and fabulously round characters take you on a journey through jealousy, murder, death, and finally peace.   Brisbane is dark and moody with a hint of danger, and Julia is curious and prone to get herself into trouble.  The plot is so full of twists that when at the end, you are not quite sure how you managed to get there, and can't quite believe the outcome.  Raybourn is truly a proficient at storytelling, for my pillow was soaked with tears at the end.  I sat staring at my book for a full minute, just letting the shocking facts sink in for a moment.

I always tell everyone Deanna Raybourn is an excellent teller of mysteries, but this one exceeded my expectations to the extreme.   Simply breathtaking!