The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne by Jayne Fresina

Blurb:
By night Ellie Vyne fleeces unsuspecting aristocrats as the dashing Count de Bonneville. By day she avoids her sisters' matchmaking attempts and dreams up inventive insults to hurl at her childhood nemesis, the arrogant, far-too-handsome-for-his-own-good, James Hartley.

James finally has a lead on the villainous, thieving Count, tracking him to a shady inn. He bursts in on none other than "that Vyne woman" . . . in a shocking state of dishabille. Convinced she is the Count's mistress, James decides it's best to keep your enemies close. Very close. In fact, seducing Ellie will be the perfect bait . . .

This book was an absolute delight to read!  It is cute, fun, sassy and sexy and I loved smiling so much when reading it.  I adored the fact that both Ellie and James are older, twenty seven and thirty seven respectively.  Now, they both acted like the were younger than that in the beginning but they grew up throughout the story.  I loved all the banter that flew between them and with the fact that it had been going on for almost seventeen years, you can see how they have formed a deep bond over knowing the worst in each other.  Ellie is brazen and unapologetic with her argumentative nature and loves to laugh.  James is a bit more serious yet a dashing rake and decides that it is time to take this woman in hand...and that naturally does not go over well.  James decides he will marry Ellie, Ellie flatly refuses and comes up with a counter offer that leads them discovering all the passion they have together.  Yet underneath all the fun and trickery, James is dealing with a hardship from his randy, carefree youth days and coming face to face with the past helps push him to the more steadfast man he becomes.  There were a few things that could have used a bit more history explained such as why Ellie was so eager to please her step-family when all the did was tell her how to change and I also would have liked a bit more depth to James' past explained. The next book should be interesting as it features a young lady, twelve I believe, who is so in love with James she sneaks away in his carriage and is quite petulant so I am anxious to she how she grows and develops.  Like I said, even though it lacked a bit of depth, it is a delightfully fun, sexy romance and was just what I needed after a long week of hard work!  4 stars

eARC provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via netgalley

Sydney Dovedale series
Characters are recurring, probably best enjoyed in order

                                 June 4th 2013

Happy Release Day!!

Here are some of the historical romances releasing today. . .

First up is a debut that I have been waiting for from Erin Knightley, More Than a Stranger.  I love that they are pen pals :)  The Scarlet Bride is book three in Cheryl Ann Smith's School of Bride series and one I plan to pick up as well as The Casanova Code by Donna MacMeans, who is a new to me author and start of a new series.  It's my birthday tomorrow so I put these three on my list for my hubby to get so we will see. . . :)  The next three are all ones I had the pleasure of reading early.  I highly recommend Samantha Grace's Lady Amelia's Mess and a Half, it hit all the right notes with me and I will be picking up my own keeper copy.  And while I did not love the last two, they were both light hearted and fun and have me anxious for the next books!

So any titles on your must read now list?  At the end of the month we see new releases from Elizabeth Hoyt, Loretta Chase, Katharine Ashe, Christina Brooke and Carrie Lofty!

The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine by Jayne Fresina

Miss Sophie Valentine is a bit stunned that the dashing James Hartley has just proposed to her--after all they were just compromised together--but when she sees an interaction between him and another woman, it leaves some doubts in her mind as to his love for her.  It also makes Sophie fall off a balcony that ends up leaving her with a scar and she ends the one hour engagement and is forced to live with her uptight brother and his too-good-for-you wife.  Years have passed and in another burst of anger with her brother and sister-in-law, Sophie writes off  to a local paper for a husband, never really expecting anyone to show up.  So when the mysterious Lazarus Kane shows up for her hand, she is intrigued but can not accept due to reasons beyond her control.  But as Kane has been looking for her this entire time, he will not take no for an answer and soon the two become all the other can think about and just when it seems they can make it work, Sophie's past comes back to cause trouble and the truth of Kane is revealed.

Hmm...I'm a bit torn about this one.  I really struggled with the first half of the book.  Not much happens beyond them lusting after each other and we get just tiny, tiny pieces that allude to what happened in the past.  Like we don't hear the truth about Sophie's scar until three quarters on the way in but there are just little snippets to keep you going but they just made me frustrated, not intrigued.  The same frustration was felt for me with the truth about Kane's past and how he came to know Sophie.  I was pretty certain I knew but it would have been nice to have it confirmed a bit sooner.  I did like that Sophie is a bit older than Kane, it was a refreshing twist of events.  I thought this book was going to be a bit humorous but beyond a few smiles, it was a little flat for me.  Overall, the second half of the book picked up the pace and was much more enjoyable but it just didn't have that extra something for me.  Sophie is bold, impulsive, stubborn and doesn't always think her actions through and it causes a few problems.  Kane is sexy, mysterious, likable and also stubborn and I admired his dedication to finding his angel.  The writing was good and I believe I know who the couple is going to be for the next book and that one looks to be fun so I am going to definitely be reading The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne. So while not a huge winner for me, it was good but it just needed a little more to make it shine.  3 stars

I received this eARC from Sourcebooks via netgalley.com

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 January 1st 2013

New Covers

Some lovely new covers for your viewing enjoyment this week.  Well, this started with just four covers but I keep seeing more so it is a bit long now!  Enjoy :)

First up is a debut that I am eagerly awaiting, Secrets of a Wedding Night. It doesn't come out until Sept 25th (boo!) but Valerie Bowman shared her beautiful cover on Twitter this past week. Love the blue and that we get to see her garter.

These two covers are for the upcoming books from Jayne Fresina, who is a new to me author but looks like she has been self publishing and these could be her traditional print debuts?  I'm not positive about that though!  Based on the titles and the cuteness of the covers I am expecting these to be light-hearted fun and I am looking forward to reading them! The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine releases June 5th and I don't see a release date for The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne yet.  

I'm a little on fence about this next cover.  I love the color of the dress but I don't particularly like the dress itself.  I like the man peeking through her arm though.  Look for The Mad Lord's Daughter in August.

Michele Sinclair is another new to me author and hello gorgeous cover!  I will definitely be picking up A Woman Made for Pleasure in August!

Another debut! This one from Nina Rowan will be releasing in Sept...so far away!  If you head over to her website, there is a great little video about the book.  I'm really looking forward to this one!

Here is the sexy cover for the second in Katharine Ashe's Falcon Club series.  I can't wait to see the step back!! (Well, if there is one)  How to Be a Proper Lady releases June 26th.

Gah!  LOVE!  I can not wait for this one!  Scandal Wears Satin also releases June 26th. 

Yes, yes another new to me author.  Where am I going to find the time to read them all? The Casanova Code looks to be the start of a new series called The Rake Patrol.  It should be out June 5th.  

And lastly, a gorgeous purple one from Mia Marlowe.  This is book three in her Touch of Seduction series and Touch of a Scoundrel looks be out July 31st.

Whew!  Quite a few covers popped up this week!  Which one caught your eye?  Are any of them new to you authors as well?