New Covers

Maya Banks shared this delicious cover this week.  I really enjoyed her first Highlander series and I very excited for her new series!  And the covers...wowza. Highlander Most Wanted isn't out until Feb 26th though...sigh.  

I don't see much about this title yet, but it looks to be the start of a new series from Celeste Bradley.  I love the softness of the cover and the heroine looks to be up to no good :)  Hopefully more info will be coming soon.  Look for When She Said I Do in January 2013.

Wow, purple is usually my favorite color for covers but I am thinking gold might take over that soon!  This is one seriously sexy cover!  Usually there is some semblance of clothes but not for this one, lol! Seducing Mr. Knightly is book four in the Writing Girls series and one that I have been looking forward to for awhile.  It will be out October 30th.

Sin With a Scoundrel is book four in Sara Bennett's Husband Hunter Club series and I enjoyed the previous books so I will be picking this one up.  Love the pop of green!  This one is also out Oct 30th.

Cathy Maxwell's next title, The Scottish Witch: The Chattan Curse, will be out Oct 30th and I really like the nod to the Scottish theme.  This is book two in this series.

Another very anticipated release for me is A Notorious Countess Confesses. Book seven in the Pennroyal Green series, one I'm still not fully caught up on yet, but has had some wonderful books so I have high hopes for the new one.  The cover is very pretty and romantic.  This is also an Oct 30th release.

One last one that was shared this week. The Bridegroom Wore Plaid is the start of a new trilogy from the delightful Grace Burrowes.  Love the plaid and the softness this one.  It will be set in the Victorian era.  Look for this one in December.

Not a bad bunch of covers, huh? :)  Some really great titles coming!!  Which ones are you most excited about?

The Seduction of Scandal by Cathy Maxwell

Lady Corrine has realized that her father, the duke of Banfield, is not going to allow her to cry off her wedding to the despicable Lord Freddie Sherwin, son of the earl of Bossley, as their marriage would be a great combination of power between the two fathers.  So she decides to take matters into her own hands and takes the drastic step of stowing herself in the boot under a carriage bound for London.  What she is exactly going to do there, she is not quite sure but she knows she needs to stay hidden for the next couple of months until her wedding day passes.  She encounters a slight mishap along the way though when the carriage is stopped by the mysterious blackguard, Thorn.  She quickly tries to flee the scene but ends up accidentally getting shot in the shoulder and the major who shot her flees. leaving her to the mercy of the mysterious Thorn and she promptly passes out.

Reverend Will Norwich, foster brother to Freddie, is stunned when he sees his childhood crush get shot.  He reluctantly gathers her up and takes her to his, err Thorns, hideout.  He is faced with quite a dilemma though as Corrine pulled off his mask before passing out and she now knows his secret identity.  Corrine pleads with him to allow her to stay hidden in the rustic cottage, away from prying and searching eyes so she can jilt Freddie.  Seeing as he really has no choice in the matter, he reluctantly agrees but lays do the law about her having to stay hidden.  Naturally, strong willed and spirited Corrine does not listen and instead follows him to his real parsonage home and starts causing all sorts of problems for him there.  After all, this is the girl that turned her nose up at him years ago when he had a crush on her and he has harbored bitterness towards her for it but his feelings are still the same and continue to mature as they spend more and more time together.

Overall, this was a good book.  I did feel as if Corrine fell into love with Will a bit quickly, after all, their living circumstances are quite different.  He lives in his parsonage tending to his church and she is the daughter of a duke and is thrown into this situation of a much more simple life and she took to it quite easily I thought.  Will was quite a dashing hero.  Reverend by day, a type of Robin Hood by night, trying to correct his foster fathers greedy mistakes of his people.  And oh his father, what a greedy, nasty, calculating man!  Will tries to stay away from Corrine but he eventually just can't resist her and they certainly burn up the sheets when they come together!  I found the mystery in the book to be interesting and the ending of it was excellent, even if I thought something along those veins would happen.  What I thought didn't exactly happen so that is always a bonus when an author can throw that curveball in at the end.  I just wished we would have seen more of Will and Corrine falling in love.  Like I said, I thought it happened a bit quickly but other than that, a good solid book.  If you are looking for a Robin Hood type hero, a rebellious bold heroine and some great supporting characters in a small village who look out for each other alongwith a dash of mystery, try this one!  3 1/2 stars

(And even though this is book five of Cathy Maxwell's Scandals and Seductions series, I did not feel like I missed anything from not reading the previous books first.  I believe Corrine was mentioned in a previous book though)

I received this ebook arc from the publisher via netgalley.com

Please check out http://www.avonromance.com/kissandteal/ to see more about how Avon is helping to spread awareness about ovarian cancer by donating from the sale of this book and certain other books.

Scandals and Seduction series:

Upcoming August releases

Here are a few of the upcoming historical romance releases:

Arriving on August 2nd we have some very eagerly anticipated releases including The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Berkley Sensation), A Midnight Dance, and It's Always Been You (which I mistakenly thought came out the end of July, sorry!).




Also coming out on August 2nd is a reprint of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Berkley Sensation) which a much better cover this time around!  No missing hand in this one :)

New cover (love) vs old cover with missing hand, lol

And a few other historicals that sound good to me :)  A new one from Judith James on Aug 23, The King's Courtesan (Hqn).  On Aug 30 we see new releases from Maya Banks, In Bed with a Highlander, Sylvia Day, Seven Years To Sin and Maggie Robinson, Mistress by Marriage.  Also on Aug 30 comes the reprint of one of Lisa Kleypas original books from 1988, Love Come to Me.  Here is hoping they reissue more of her backlist so those $30+ prices for these oldies but goodies go away.  I just have a hard time plunking down that much cash for one book :/

And here are all of Avons August 30 releases.  I have already read Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Bride) (really good!) and I have One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke and The Seduction of Scandal (Scandals and Seductions) ready to go from Netgalley and both sound good.  I still need to get caught up on Katherine Ashes trilogy but the short story (A Lady's Wish) I read by her was excellent and I am looking forward to the rest of her books.  I am really looking forward to Tessa Dares newest, A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove) as it is the start of an interesting sounding trilogy!  Also releasing is a new one from Jenny Brown, Star Crossed Seduction (Lords of the Seventh House) and a reprint from Lynsay Sands, The Deed.






Also this month from Avon you will notice all the special K.I.S.S. and Teal stickers on these books.  They have partnered up to help promote Ovarian Cancer awareness and are donating 25 cents from the sale of each book pictured (ebook and paperbooks) purchased from 8/30 to 2/28/2012.  For more info see this site:            
http://www.avonromance.com/kissandteal/