New Covers!

I found a few new covers that have posted to various sites! 

First up, Miranda Neville released her new cover for her upcoming March 2012 release, Confessions From an Arranged Marriage on the fun site The Ballroom Blog . It fits in beautifully with the other covers in this series!


















I also came across two new covers for Sophia Nash upcoming new series set to release back to back in February and March.  Both are very eye catching with their bold, single color scheme.
















Also noticed was for Cecilia Grants second book, A Gentleman Undone set for May 29th.  Ms Grant is an author that I am so excited to read!  She has been getting great buzz for her debut book, A Lady Awakened which is out Dec 27th and this new cover fits in perfectly with that one. 








If the Slipper Fits has caught my attention as it is the start of Olivia Drakes Cinderella Sisterhood series and I love a Cinderella story!  The cover seems to reflect the Cinderella story or theme as well.  Look for it May 2012.










Wedded in Scandal looks to be the start of a new series from Jade Lee coming in March.  I don't see much info on this yet :)
















The second novel in Tessa Dares Spinsters Cove series is releasing the end of March and this looks to be the cover but I am sure the official unveiling will be on The Ballroom Blog soon :)  (Sort of reminds me of Anne Mallorys In Total Surrender)

And finally, this isn't really a new cover as an updated cover with an updated title. Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel is the debut novel from a fellow Wisconsinite Samantha Grace and I am really excited to read this one and so happy to have received it from Netgalley.  Look for the book out in February!  I should read it in January and have a review as well then :)  




Well, hopefully a few of these caught your eye and attention!  I have to say, all the art departments at the publishing houses seem to go above and beyond for great covers lately!  But since these are all books out next year, these covers can change at any time :)

Brazen by Margo Maguire

Lady Christina Fairhaven has known she was adopted as a young girl her whole life and her love for her parents and younger brothers runs deep.  So when she is blackmailed into gathering two thousand pounds for information about her supposedly dead brother, she does not hesitate to gather all the jewels from her late husband.  They were not jewels meant for her, but for his lover whose bed he died in and she has no qualms about selling all of them.  But just as she is about to leave, she meets the battle-scarred Captain Gavin Briggs and lets just say there first encounter starts off with a bang!

Captain Gavin Briggs is on a mission to bring home the long lost granddaughter of a duke.  He is relieved to finally find her and anxious to bring Christina back with him to reunite with her grandfather and her sister, both of whom come as quite a shock to Christina.  But as excited as Christina is to meet her twin, she is less than enthused about meeting the man who ignored her for years plus she must complete her mission to gain information about her brother first and Gavin reluctantly agrees to head to London first.  Gavin believes that her brother is truly dead, but as they travel and details are discussed he starts to have some suspensions that all is not as it seems.   Also adding some tension to their travels is the fact that the dukes heir, a scheming, greedy man, wants Christina dead as she will inherit quite a fortune at the dukes death and he does not want to share one shilling.  Oh, but where there is tension, there is passion!  And Gavin and Christina have an immediate attraction that grows and Christina wants to enjoy before she must remarry.

Overall, this was a enjoyable historical romance!  I loved the fact that Christina had short hair and while other people made little snide remarks about it, it was one of the first things that attracted Gavin to Christina and he does not let her forget that.  I also admired Gavin and his fierce protection he has for his sister who was shunned by society and he just wants to collect his reward from the duke and buy her a home in the country to live in.  Gavin believes that no one could love him with his past transgressions from the war but Christina makes him see what a compassionate, decent man he is.  And in return, Gavin proves that Christina is worth all the love that should have been showered upon her by her late husband.  The mystery surrounding Christinas brother added a nice element and when the truth was revealed, I was quite surprised.  My only little problem with this book was the epilogue.  I wished there had been a bit more.  I don't want to say much for spoiling it but maybe there will be a novella or something in the future to just expand on it a bit.  I mean, I understand the epilogue and think it works, I personally just wanted more :)  If you are looking for a book that is a bit unique with a dashing, gruff, caring Captain and women a bit burned by love who is looking to reclaim her heart mixed with a bit of mystery with no big misunderstanding, Margo Maguire as delivered a sexy story!  4 stars

I received this book from the publisher via netgalley.com

Related book but not necessary to read first:

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a a weekly blog hop hosted by Breaking the Spine where we all mention one upcoming book release we are waiting for.

This week my choice is one of the many December 27th releases, The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James.  This is going to be loosely based on the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, as you can probably guess by the cover.  This is the third in her Happily Ever Afters series but each can be read as a stand alone.  I have read the previous two books in this series, A Kiss at Midnight and When Beauty Tamed the Beast, and really enjoyed them for their light, fun quality so I am really looking forward to a new one.  Plus, I love a retelling of a fairy tale and I always look forward to those :)

Goodreads.com summary:  
He is a duke in search of a perfect bride. She is a lady—but a long way from perfect.

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can’t he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Tarquin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

Unless it’s already too late

This sexy, witty version of The Princess and the Pea turns the classic fairy tale into an enticing, funny, and moving romance

Mid-End of November Releases

Upcoming November 15th releases



November 22nd



November 29th



Overall, I think its nice to seem them all spread out a bit.  Its much easier to convince myself to buy one book a week instead of three or four on one day :)  Any in particular that you are looking forward to?  I have had the pleasure of already reading Pride and Passion, A Midsummer Night's Sin, and Brazen but I have my eye on Desired as I have had a few friends recommend it highly.  Also looking forward to the latest in Sabrina Jeffries fun series about brothers and sisters who must all marry within a year to claim their inheritance.  A Scottish Love got a good review from RT Magazine so I hope to try Karen Ranney with this one.
Hang on to those wallets friends because December is looking to be a huge debt maker with lots and lots of great releases coming out!  Wish for gift cards from good old Saint Nick!

A Midsummer Night's Sin by Kasey Michaels

Regina Hackett believes she is on the way to yet another recital with her cousin Miranda so she can be shown off to her best advantage as her fathers only goal for her is to marry no less than an earl for him.  But when Miranda springs the idea of attending a masquerade ball, Regina is reluctantly talked into switching plans.  After all, the freedom to just dance and be herself for just a bit of time is to hard to resist as she is tired of always being perfect for fear of her fathers wrath.  While at the ball, she dances one magical dance with a dashing man and then takes a moonlight stroll and shares a forbidden kiss.  But as the man whispers in French of all the naughty things he would like to do with her, her sanity returns and she quickly flees...only to find Miranda missing and in that quick moment, her life is changed forever.

Robin Blackthorn, better known as Puck, thinks he is out in the gardens sharing a passionate embrace with a lady of the night and is aghast when he realizes that the beauty he is with is an innocent.  He decides to quickly forget her but when he learns that her cousin is missing and then proceeds to find signs of a struggle, he is drawn back to Regina.  He knows that they can truly never be together, he is a bastard son of an earl and can not marry the daughter of wealthy merchant who is basically shopping Regina around for his own good.  But he can not turn away from the situation involving Regina, especially as quite a few petite, blond young ladies have been disappearing off the streets.  He believes these woman are being sold and reassures Regina that they will find Miranda unharmed as she is a virgin and therefore much more valuable.  Together, they set out to find Miranda and must overcome many hurdles to the heart and to the body.

Overall, this was a good story that moved quickly along.  I guessed the mystery aspect early on but the how and why still alluded me and had me flipping the pages.  Kasey Michaels seems to have a knack for writing some creepy characters and this time it is Reginas absolutely dreadful father.  Shudder.  Crazy man.  If you read the previous book in this series, The Taming of the Rake, you know we met Puck in that story and he was just a delight and I am happy to say his own story was a delight as well.  Puck is just the sort of man we all wished we knew and loved.  He's handsome with his slightly too long hair and mesmerizing eyes,  he's funny and charming, but he is also strong, protective and steadfast.  Together with Regina, who is also strong, stubborn and steadfast, they are good pairing.  Regina is resigned to her fate laid out by her father, but she wants to remember one night of true passion with a man she desires and Puck tries to resist but sigh, they never can resist to long.  But once again, the other brother almost stole the show (Puck almost stole Beaus story for me) and we learned and saw a bit more of the middle bastard brother, Black Jack, and I can not wait for his story now!  If you enjoy a romance with a darker side story but still reads easily with a strong cast of characters that find a way to emerge from near tragedy, this is a great one to check out.  4 stars

I received this ebook from the publisher via netgalley.com

Blackthorn Brothers series
Can be read out of order but probably best enjoyed read in order of series
Out now
Much Ado About Rogues   Release date Feb 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a a weekly blog hop hosted by Breaking the Spine where we all mention one upcoming book release we are waiting for.

My pick this week is an e-novella from Tessa Dare in her Spindle Cove series, Once Upon a Winter's Eve.  I just recently finished the first book in this series, A Night to Surrender, and was quite happy with it as it was my first Tessa Dare novel and then when I saw she was self publishing a novella just in time for the holidays, well, thats just a win for me :)  And another win for me?  Its up for preorder on Amazon for just 99 cents!  My favorite price, well besides free :)  I have seen a couple early reviews and it looks to be a quick, delightful read.

Here is the goodreads.com summary:

A Spindle Cove Novella

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.