The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory

Prologue - Dunscaith Castle, Isle of Skye, Scotland 1496....

Conner and his mother, Catriona, are very close. He watches one night as she circles the fire chanting and cursing his father, Donald Gallach Chieftain of the MacDonalds, for betraying her. A friend, Anna, comes upon the scene and begs her to take the curse back. Catriona swears her husband will pay when she leaves him for another man. She leaves her children with Anna to look after them as the children always stay with the father, the Laird. She sneaks out one night never to return alive. One day a galley returns with her drowned body, Donald turns his wrath on his son and speaks for him to never be in his sight again. Conner and his sister Moira grow up with Anna's  children Duncan and Ilysa. 

1516 - 20 years later....

Conner is now Chieftain of the MacDonalds. His father and step brother are dead. Duncan has married Moira. Conner asks Duncan to stay at Dunscaith while he travels to Trotternish Castle to hold his lands firmly out of the hands of the MacLeods. Ilysa, who has the sight, goes with him to help run the household. The clan's future depends on Conner wedding the right lass and he plans on looking into several clans to find the best alliance. On the way out, they stop by the old seer, Tearlag. She tells him that his lass will pick him and to look to the fairies.

It seems nothing but treachery lies in wait for him at Trotternish Castle. Ilysa keeps seeing visions but can't understand them. Lachlan is sent in to gain the trust but kill Conner. She keeps seeing good in Lachlan but also sees a darkness that she begs him to let go of so the good can come through. Each day brings Lachlan closer to putting his allegiance with Conner and pulling back from what he was sent to do. Ilysa has been in love with Conner forever and he just can't seem to see past his nose. She continues to speak to him of her visions but he refuses to listen so she locks him up for several days to prevent him going to his death. He is furious with her when she releases him and speaks of sending her away. He later changes his mind but finds her gone and he feels the loss. They meet again at a gathering where Conner has gone to make plans for a marriage alliance. She has changed from the drab clothing and into beautiful gowns and he's amazed at her transformation. He falls hard but keeps talking himself out of it. The gathering is where Alastair Macleod comes into play. He finds Ilysa alone outside and makes a discover about her that he keeps to himself but watches over her none the less to Conner's dismay. 

There are several attacks that happen, one that severely wounds Conner, and they are all coming from information from someone within his own walls. As he lay wounded in the woods, he dreams of a fairy dancing around a fire chanting only to awake the next morning with the strength to make it home. Conner and Ilysa are drawn to each other so deeply that they let their hearts take over and this only brings heartache to both when his intended arrives. Before the final confrontation between the MacDonalds and the MacLeods, he follows her to the fairy glen and watches as she dances and realizes that it was she he saw the night of his wounding. He then watches as she meets with Alasdair who has walked into the light of the fire. He refuses to ask out right what happened and jumps to conclusions that it is she who is betraying the clan. The final confrontation is smack full of sit on the edge of your seat suspense as Ilysa brings the MacDonald and the MacLeod together in a small kirk for a truce that neither find they can ignore because of their love for her.

My heart felt warmth as I read the epilogue. I enjoyed watching their love come to fruition and talk about HOT!! I loved the mystical parts of this story. Tearlag and Ilysa and their sight, the fairy glens and the chants..... the ghostly sightings and the legends surrounding them all call to my heart. Scotland is full of lore and Margaret Mallory does an excellent job of bringing it to life. She left me aching to walk the fairy glens, graveyards, and hills with standing stones.

5 Stars!

* Reviewed by Leah Weller*

Review copy provided by publisher

Return of the Highlanders series

Too Dangerous to Desire by Cara Elliott

Sophie Lawrance is the oldest of the three daughters of a widowed clergyman who is slowly sinking into dementia.  Sophie has resigned herself to be a spinster and hopes to see her younger sisters marry well.  She is being blackmailed to prove that her father was not stealing from the church before he retired.  Sophie knows this cannot be true but is at a loss to find any proof to the contrary.  Cameron Daggett is a former childhood friend of Sophie's.  Along with two of his friends, he is part of the Hellhounds which is a group of men who work underground supposedly for the good of others.  Cameron encounters Sophie leaving a seedy gaming hell where she had gone to meet her blackmailer to give him yet another small payment.  Cameron agrees to teach her some of his lock picking and thieving skills to try and find the proof that her father is innocent.  In their meetings, their attraction begins to grow stronger and both become very involved in solving this mystery.  In searching for this proof, she is also searching for the proof that Cameron parents were married thus making him the true Lord Wolcott and not the bastard son of his father. 

I can honestly say that I found this novel a bit silly and unclear at times.  Perhaps it's because I have not read the first two novels.  While I liked that character of Sophie, I felt that Cameron appeared to have a devil-may-care attitude throughout the story.  I have read other Cara Elliott's novels but, unfortunately, this one is not a favorite.  3 stars

**Reviewed by Connie**

Review copy provided by publisher, thanks!

Lords of Midnight series
Best enjoyed in order
 

To Tempt an Irish Rogue by Kaitlin O'Riley

Paulette Hamilton is busily happy with her bookstore and the soon to be opening of a new one when a charming man and his adorable daughter stroll into the shop and her life is never the same.  One glance and Declan Reeves, Lord Cashelmore, and his daughter Mara and she is instantly attracted and drawn to the mute young girl.  However, her family quickly warns her to stay away from him as is suspected of murdering his wife.  Paulette knows that this man did not do what is being said of him and continues to see Declan whenever she can.  They form a heated bond that they soon explore, even knowing that Declan has no desire to marry again.  However, as matters progress, it becomes clear that Declan must return to Ireland to clear his name so that maybe he can have a future with Paulette after all.  Returning to Ireland causes a whole new array of problems and it leads Paulette to him and a daring mission to reunite him with his daughter.  Will this separation allow Paulette and Declan, and the rest of her family, to see the truth of their hearts and the truth of the past?

This was my first time reading Kaitlin O'Riley and I enjoyed her writing!  Even though this is book four in a series about the Hamilton sisters, I did not feel left out and look forward to going back and reading their stories now.  The story is not over fresh or unique but it felt like a nice comfort read.  The relationship progressed nicely and the addition of Mara was well done and I really enjoyed watching her transform back into a vibrant young girl along with her close bond with her dad.  I loved that the setting included a peek inside the workings of a bookstore!  Declan is a handsome, solid Irish man and I think he was a wonderful balance to the quiet, smart Paulette.  The addition of all the sisters and their families adds a real sense of warmth without taking away from the romance.  I liked how the action plot and villain were spelled out rather quickly, that was a nice change of pace for me!  It is always refreshing to see the evil plan unfold when you know who did what.  Overall, a nice blend of family, romance, tenderness with dash of action.  A nice treat for a cold winter day.  I look forward to the final Hamilton sisters story! 

ARC provided by Kensington Books

Hamilton Sisters series
Worked well as a stand alone

One more to come next year!

A Gentleman Never Tells by Juliana Gray

Six years ago, Elizabeth Harewood and Lord Roland Penhallow meet and fell in love and were sure to marry each other....until Roland left and never sent any work to Lilibet.  Thinking he deserted her, she marries an Earl and has a son but as time goes by, her husbands infidelity and indifference leave a mark on her.  She escapes to the Italian countryside with her son and sister and friend to have a year to think, to see if she can gather to courage to ask for a divorce.  However, fate deals her a major obstacle in the form of Roland and the past passion is quickly ignited again!  How can she survive at this castle with him around, peppering her with compliments and lovely touches?  Just when things seem to be finally fitting together, her husband arrives.  With Roland determined to protect Lilibet and her son and Lilibet determined to protect Roland, who will come out ahead?

I so enjoyed Juliana Gray's debut and A Gentleman Never Tells is filled with the same wonderful writing and I just devoured it!  This book takes place at the same times as A Lady Never Lies but beyond a few scenes, it is an entirely new story, which was a fact I was very happy about because sometimes when stories run parallel to each other the overlap is too similar.  Not the case at all here!  I was not sure how I would like this story since I do not usually approve of adultery in the story but the love between Roland and Lilibet just vibrates off the pages and I can forgive it in this storyline.  I felt it was a nice change of pace to not have a horribly violent husband on the hunt for the missing wife, I enjoyed the little twists that Ms Gray put into this story regarding their relationship and how it ends up being resolved.  Lilibet is a strong, vibrant, passionate woman who loves her son to the end of the earth and will do whatever is necessary to raise him into a dashing young man, far different from his father.  I enjoyed watching Roland bungle his attempts to talk to the young boy, Henry, at first and they slowly developed a good relationship.  Roland has a past he is keeping hidden from Lilibet that explains his sudden absence and his seemingly rakish lifestyle.  He was such a treat to read!  Silly yet serious.  The first half kind of moved a little slow action wise but the pace picked up later  and the story unwinds in ways I did not expect!  I again loved all the attention to detail from the scenery to the manner of speaking, Ms Gray has a expert way about her writing that I just love and she is on my auto buy list.  4 stars for a clever story with characters you can't wait to read more about and see how a single choice can change everything.

ARC won from the author, thank you so much!

Affairs by Moonlight

                                  Feb 5th, 2013 (really excited for this one!)

Lord Gray's List by Maggie Robinson

Lord Benton Gray has had it with the weekly gossip rag, The London List.  He is always the front page fodder and everyone, including his own mother, eagerly awaits each new issue.  Deciding to end this once and for all, he goes and confronts the owner, a Mr. Ramsey.  But who should this Mr. Ramsey turn out to be but the one woman he proposed to years ago...Evangeline Ramsey.  Evie is running the paper to help pay her ailing fathers medical bills and dressing as a man has proved to be most advantageous as people are more willing to speak to a man over a woman and take her seriously.  Seeing the man she made a foolish mistake with and ruined her future as a result stems her anger and frustration but the final straw is when Ben goes behind her back and buys the paper from her father!  Sparks reignite, tempers flare and their past attraction still burns strong.  Together, Evie shows Ben the ropes of running a paper and the side that the public doesn't seem much, the caring and helping of all the desperate, poor people who need so much yet can not afford the rates to advertise.  Will Ben be able to truly turn over a new leaf and leave his rakish ways behind him and help Evie with all the issues with the paper and find what they thought they had lost all those years ago?

This book had everything I have come to expect from Maggie Robinson; heart, humor and heat.  The heat starts off rather quickly, with Evie and Ben already having a torrid affair in the past but then the sexual tension sets in and just keeps building.  The humor was just wonderful.  Our couple are constantly trying to prove who is the man and should wear the pants (literally)...Ben wants Evie to wear dresses and be a female and take care of her while Evie wants to continue doing her job and the pants suit her just fine.  Evie is a strong, bold, confident woman and does not need a man to take care of her!  (Even if he is devilishly handsome, wealthy and shows himself to have a very generous heart).  The heart comes from all the secondary characters that add a nice sense of completion to this story.  Evie knows what it is like to struggle and when Ben decides to shut down the paper, she shows him how many people depend on The London List to find jobs, homes, and helpers, that it is far more that a scandal sheet.  Yes, the situations that arose seemed to be settled fairly quickly and easily, but they were still pleasant to read.  I also really enjoyed seeing some of the day to day operations involved in running a newspaper!  Overall, a delightful, sensual romance that will surely please romance fans who enjoy a perfect blend of heart, wit, charm and heat.  4 stars

ARC provided by the author

The London List series
???  More titles to come!

Not Proper Enough by Carolyn Jewel

Lady Eugenia has come to London to continue on with her life after the death of her beloved husband by sponsoring a young lady.  What she does not expect is to run into the man that caused her so much pain when she married her husband.   The Marquess of Fenris was her husbands best friend and did not think Eugenia was good enough for his friend.  It also didn't help that he was immensely attracted to her himself but he stood aside and it cost him his friendship for some rude comments he made about Eugenia.  Seeing Eugenia again at a ball, he knows that he can not let her slip away again.  Fenris sets about to seduce Eugenia in any way possible.  Eugenia absolutely can not stand Fenris though and is frustrated by her attraction, both body and mind, to the man that seemed to despise her so long ago.  With Fenris' wicked touches and words whispered to her, she soon finds herself sharing part of herself with him.  However, can Fenris break down all the shell that Eugenia has surrounded herself in and show her that true love can happen twice, that one does not need to be proper at all times?

This was another delicious, detailed, smoldering romance from Carolyn Jewel.  Just like the previous book, Not Wicked Enough, I loved the attention to the fashion detail and surroundings.  I loved the snappy, almost bitter banter between our couple in the beginning and how that quickly turned into a smoldering, passionate affair that led to a whole new slew of emotions.  Eugenia loved her husband deeply and finds it hard to bear that she is moving on, and with a man that hurt her years ago.  She finds Fenris hard to resist though as he is always showing up, taunting her with promises of what they could share together.  Eugenia is always proper and then Fenris shows up, teaching her to smoke, sharing her first whiskey...tempting her to loosen up and let in a bit of un-properness.  The love they share is blazing hot yet tender and romantic all at the same.  There is a bit of a side story featuring Eugenia's charge and Fenris' father that adds in a dose of humor as the pair of them are enamored with botany.  I quickly saw where that relationship was headed and I would have liked to have seen a bit more of that, odd as it was.  Overall, a very strong battle of wills romance that is deeply sensual and breathtakingly enduring.  A satisfying treat for all romance readers!  4 stars

Review copy won from the author, thank you!

Reforming the Scoundrels series
Best enjoyed in order but could be read as stand alones

At least one more to come I think!

A Woman Made for Pleasure by Michele Sinclair

Lady Millie Aldon made a pact with her two best friends never to marry, to instead seek fun and adventure and only allowing one clause to break the pact when they were teenagers.  Years have passed and now that the Daring Three, as they are nicknamed, are out among society they seem to stick to their pact.  But when one of Millie's best friends older brother finally returns back home to London, Millie finds her heart in trouble.  Charles, the Marquess of Chaselton, has returned home to continue his work to find out the truth about his fathers death but one look at the young, adventurous girl from his childhood, his protective and passionate instincts kick in.  However, Charles feels his undercover work is too dangerous and does not want to put Millie at risk but as Millie has loves to people watch, she quickly cues in to Charles' spy history and sets about to help him, even if it means putting her own life in danger.  With encouragement from friends and family alike to find their happiness together, will Charles and Millie be able to overcome the roadblocks of a deepening mystery and some stubborn jealously?

This was my first Michele Sinclair novel and I will admit I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover!  But what kept me reading was the storytelling.  It was fun, exciting, romantic and a pleasure to read.  I love storylines that feature close bonds between friends and we get to see alot of that within A Woman Made for Pleasure.  Millie's two friends are wonderful supporting characters, as was the mother in charge of all three.  I admired Millie's free spirit attitude but how she stood by those who needed her the most.  Watching the jealously flair between Millie and Charles adds a nice dose of humor but what I really enjoyed about this romance was the falling in love process.  It happened at a pace I liked and I really appreciated that the 'I love yous' were not at the very end of the story, after the dramatics.  The mystery aspect was nice, but I feel like it was a bit of an add on at the end.  I would recommend this story for fans of stubborn yet loyal heroines who falls hard for a childhood friend--a childhood friend that knows her for who she truly is inside and accepts all her adventurousness and loves her madly for it surrounded by wonderful friends and family mixed with some intrigue and a steamy dose of heat.  I look forward to the next two books in this series!  4 stars

ARC provided by Kensington Books

Promises Trilogy
Two more books to come???

The Mad Lord's Daughter by Jane Goodger

Melissa Atwell spent the last eighteen years of her life never leaving her suite of rooms due to her fathers belief that she would contract a disease and die, leaving him all alone in the world.  When her beloved father suddenly passes, she is left in the care of her uncle and brought to London to begin her first foray into society.  No one, including her uncles son, John, and her chaperone, Lady Diane, expected the deep fear that Melissa would have to step out into the real world.  She has never touched anyone or been touched without the barrier of gloves, never seen a baby, felt a snowfall....everything that most people take for granted.  They alter their plans and retire to the country estate to gradually build up Melissa's tolerance and fine tune her wonderful education but with the threat about the true nature of her birth just waiting to be exposed, it becomes imperative that Melissa get settled with a husband to protect her.

John knows his duty is to protect Melissa and help her in any way he can but as they spend more and more time together, he can't help but be drawn to this unique beauty.  As he knows the truth about her birth, he strives to protect her while his heart quickly becomes lost to her.  However, as society believes them to be first cousins, he knows his feelings can not be acted upon so he sets about to find her the perfect suitor amongst his friends.  As his close friend quickly falls for Melissa as well, this makes John see red at every opportunity and just when he finally decides to stand up for what he wants, it looks like he might be too late.  It will take a bold act of courage for John and Melissa to stand up for what they truly want and hope to find happiness in their love.

This book was like reading a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed it!  I loved the circumstances surrounding Melissa's upbringing as you never really think how much people take for granted in life.  Can you imagine watching it snow from your window but never feeling it against your cheeks?  And all the times a gentleman helps a woman by offering his arm...all the touching that she was so scared to do had to be overcome gradually.  Melissa was warm, bright, affectionate and fun and a wonderful character to read.  When she was around John, she just shined and I adored how John was always there to help her though all of society's rules and demands.  I was a bit hesitant at first about the first cousins situation but it is quickly sorted out and I could breathe a bit easier!  I loved the secondary characters that were introduced in this book and I hope they all receive their own stories because what we glimpsed here was great.  There is also a secondary romance between Melissa's uncle and chaperone that added a bit of fun and sass.  So while the storyline basis of illegitimacy is nothing new in historical romance land, the way this one was told and all the circumstances made this a unique read for me.   If you enjoy delightful romances filled with wonderful characters that you grow to care for mixed with just a dash of intrigue and a bit of heat, Jane Goodger has a book for you and I know I can't wait for more!  4 stars

Review copy provided by Kensington Books, thanks!

Other books by Jane Goodger

Bedding Lord Ned by Sally MacKenzie

Miss Eleanor Bowman has been in love with Lord Edward for quite some time but when he married her best friend, she knew it was not meant to be.  Shortly after though, his wife dies in childbirth, it leaves Ned devastated and he lives in sort of a fog.  When his mother, aptly nicknamed the Duchess of Love, has her annual house party, he attends and decides he must remarry and start a family.  Thankfully his mother has invited some potential suitors for him and for Ellie, who has been like a daughter since they grew up together.  However, the Duchess of Love has a different agenda for Ned and Ellie and with the help of her mischievous cat, Reggie, she sets about helping this couple finally find the happiness they have both been looking for.

This was a delightful, fun book filled with laughter, hijinks, sexual tension and love.  I loved that Ned's parents (whose story is told in The Duchess of Love) get there own scene time in the bedroom.  That is not something often seen and I adored seeing the love still going strong between them.  We get introduced to the Ned's two brothers who add in some fun interactions and also have interesting set-ups for their upcoming stories.  Ned thinks of Ellie as a sister until Reggie drags in some red drawers of hers and all he can think of is what Ellie is wearing underneath her prim and proper gowns and the more time Ellie spends with some of the other men at the party, the more Ned gets jealous.  It finally takes a good talking to from his brothers to finally see the true light...after quite a funny proposal.  This is my first full length novel from Sally MacKenzie and I got a kick out of her use of such words as Zeus and Zounds and lots of Ah's.  I'm not sure if this happens in her other books, but I enjoyed it in this one.  Overall, this is a classic tale of childhood friends who grow to love each other but can not quite get to the same conclusion and the same time.  It has humor, jealously, an adorable cat and smoldering sexual tension (but only one true love scene) all wrapped up in a way that will leave you smiling.  I know I am eager for the two brothers books!  3 1/2 stars

Thanks to Kensington, Zebra imprint, for providing me with this ARC!

The Duchess of Love

Available as an ebook or printed in its entirety in Bedding Lord Ned (which I love, bravo Kensington!)
Plus two more books to come

Invitation to Scandal by Bronwen Evans

Rheda Kerrich thinks her days of smuggling are going to come to an end when she is trapped against a tree from her latest smuggle, a barrel of wine.  She is sure one of the men on patrol will find her and question her and then a magnificent horse appears with a mysterious man on his back.  Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, is on the hunt for the elusive smuggling ring leader, Dark Shadow and knows he has stumbled upon a woman who must be in the ring and will surely lead him to the answers he desires to clear his late fathers name.  Being a master of seduction, he attempts to seduce the surely un-innocent woman and is roundly put in his place and Rheda manages to escape without revealing her true identity.  She tries to put the man out of her mind but she finds it hard to do but has a harder time putting the magnificent stallion as he is the last piece of the puzzle she needs to get her horse breeding business going.  Rheda cleverly thinks up a plan to 'borrow' the stallion but is unfortunately caught and forced to agree to a bargain with Rufus, otherwise her latest scandal will be told to her brother.  As Rheda tries to protect all her secrest, Rufus is intent on uncovering them all and at the same time, these two attempt to deny the smoldering attraction between them.  Who is the elusive Dark Shadow and will Rufus and Rheda be able to let go of the past to find a future together?

I really enjoyed this book!  I wasn't sure if I was going to like the whole smuggling aspect of it as that really isn't my preference, but there was so much more to this story!  I loved that Rheda wanted to start a horse breeding business and we got to see a bit of what it takes to do that...and at the same time see the attraction bloom between our couple during a lesson.  Rheda is determined to never be controlled by a man, like her mother was, determined not to fall in love with a man who does not return her love and it has made her bold, impulsive and fiercely protective of her heart.  When Rufus arrives, determined to prove that his father did not betray his country and give his sister and mother back the social standing they lost, she is intrigued and drawn to this dark, protective man but knows that once he knows the full truth of her past, Rufus will want nothing to do with her and her heart will be lost.  There is also a secondary, smaller, storyline that involves the disappearance of young boys that leads to a villain written so vile, it adds another layer to this wonderfully layered story.

Overall, this was a well-written, smoldering, sexy story that was a pleasure to read!  Rufus and Rheda were perfect for each other and overcame the obstacles to their hearts in a true manner, all without jumping into bed together at the first opportunity.  There is humor, heart and plenty of hot action that will leave you flipping the pages long into the night.  The added twist of the vile villain adds a bit of unease but was also unexpected and leaves a bit of an opening for a follow up book that I am eager to read!  Recommended for fans of stubborn heroes and heroines who fall hard for each other, but it takes a life or death situation to bring all the feelings to the surface, mixed with supporting characters that add wonderfully to the storyline with a good dose of passion and some humor.  4 solid stars.

Thanks to Kensington Books, Brava, for providing me with this ARC!

Related book
Not necessary to read beforehand but a few characters make appearances in Invitation to Scandal  

The Duchess of Love by Sally MacKenzie

This was a short, fun, sweet novella that I really enjoyed.  Venus Collingswood decides to go for a dip in her neighbors lake one last time before the new owners arrive in a few days.  Besides, her dog is having fun in the water and it is blasted hot out.  Just as she is about to dive in, she slips and is grabbed up by some very strong arms....male arms of a man just as unclothed as she is.  Quite a fun interaction occurs and even though the man identifies himself as the new duke, Venus thinks he is jesting as he seems much to young and decides he must be the cousin instead.  As Andrew Valentine, Duke of Greycliffe, is hoping to just be himself, not his title, he sees no harm in letting her think this for the time being.  Naturally, problems arise as to him hiding his true identity and it puts the happiness of not just Venus in jeopardy, but that also of her sister.

This is a quick prequel novella to a new series that will feature Venus as an adult matchmaking for her sons and I found it delightful!  It is a wonderful mix of humor, sassiness, love, and warmth with just a touch of heat at the end.  This was my first read of Sally MacKenzie and if she can make a few hours fly by as fast as she did with this novella, I think I am in for a treat for her full length novels!  This is a perfect afternoon treat for a spring day that is sure to leave a smile on your face and I am anxious to see more of Venus and Drew!

I received this ARC from Kensington Books.  It is actually printed in the back of the upcoming book, Bedding Lord Ned but will be available as an ebook first and then will be printed in its entirety when Bedding Lord Ned releases on June 5th.

Duchess of Love

     June 5th
Two more titles to come!

Master of Sin by Maggie Robinson

Andrew Rossiter had a very unpleasant upbringing that has shaped him into the dark man he is today.  Raised by a man that sexually abused him from age seven forward, Andrew became a male prostitute and was more than willing to do anything with anyone, male or female...even offer himself as a stud if the price was right.  As he was able to deliver one son to an Italian couple, they have called upon his services again in hopes for another child.  But when a terrible tragedy occurs, Andrew is forced to become a father to the little boy who has no idea who truly is.  With the murderers sure to be on the hunt for Marco soon, Andrew quickly relocates out of London, anywhere where he is known for his devilish actions, and heads to a very remote area in Scotland, determined to put all of his past life behind him and begin anew with his young son.

Gemma Peartree has arrived at this remote island in hopes of escaping her own shameful past but is dismayed to find herself attracted to the blond angelface of Andrew.  As Andrew quickly develops some true affection, the first he has felt in years, for Gemma as well, he knows he must quickly ship her off the island.  But weather and Marcos deep affection for Gemma prevent this from happening as soon as he would like and before he knows it, he has spilled all of his shameful secrets in hopes of deterring this sprite-like beauty.  Gemma is much more responsive and open-minded though, as her own upbringing comes to light as well, and she finally persuades the suddenly morally uptight Andrew to indulge in a delicious affair.  Even as Andrew attempts to brush Gemma off again and again, together they slowly become true friends and beneath the friendship, a deep love grows.  However, it takes the past finally catching up to them for Andrew to finally realize the true depth of his feelings and hopefully it will not be too late to finally start anew as a happy couple.

I have read and enjoyed all the books in Maggie Robinson's Courtesan Court series and this book is a bit more darker and deep than the previous books.  I enjoyed how Andrew is not a titled gentleman trying to reform his rakish ways but rather a deeply scarred man that was abused during his childhood and built up such a wall around himself going into adulthood, he about misses the one thing that will finally give him some peace. The fact that the past was laid all out quickly was also a relief...there is no big misunderstanding and Gemma accepts Andrew for all his past misdeeds.   I also enjoyed how Marco was included in the story but the child never overshadowed the romance and felt real.  He naturally has a big distrust for Andrew and we get to slowly see father and son come together.  Truthfully, besides some crude language, I actually felt this book was a bit tamer than some of the previous books.  With Andrews fresh start, he also wanted to leave behind all sexual encounters and I was very pleased to see he did not drop that front quickly.  Gemma was a delightful heroine, small, bossy and knew how to get what she wanted when she wanted it.  She was the perfect balm to help Andrew accept himself and show that everyone deserves happiness, no matter how shaky or seedy the past may be.  Overall, a wonderfully satisfying, sensual romance.  4 stars

~Thanks to Kensington Publishing (Brava) for providing me with this ARC~

Courtesan Court Series
(Can be read as stand alones but I would recommend reading at least Mistress by Marriage as Andrew is in that book a bit and will give you some more insight into him)

Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson

I was pleasantly surprised to receive this book one day in the mail and while it sounds very fascinating, it just was not something I was really in the mood to read right now.  So I checked my friends list at goodreads and was so happy to see one of my great friends had it on her wish list so I shipped it off to her for her reading enjoyment.  Please head over to her blog to check out her glowing review!

The Queen's Library


And thanks so much to Pocket for providing the ARC!

An Affair with Mr. Kennedy by Jillian Stone

Wow, this book is so unique and fascinating!  First, our hero is not a duke, earl, etc...he is the son of one but he is not going to inherit and it is always nice to read a change of pace from that scenario.  Same for our heroine, Cassie St. Cloud.  She gained the Lady title by marriage but her husband is deceased and she prefers to be called Cassie.  She is the daughter of two prominent doctors in society and her mother is a strong advocate for women's suffrage which brings up another key factor in this story to set it apart--it is set in 1887 which allows for such things as the London Underground (laying electric work), women riding bicycles and bloomers.  Jillian Stone brings all this to life with a fresh breath of air that I enjoyed.

Cassie was such a bold female--she smokes cigars, rides bikes, and rents a flat next to a handsome man...that just happens to have a connecting door between the premisses.  Locked of course...but for how long?  She is a painter and she is accepted for all her uniqueness by not just her parents and friends, but also by Zak.  Zeno Augustus Kennedy, nickname Zak, works for Scotland Yard (does anyone else love saying that in their faux British accent?  I do, lol) and helped defuse a large bomb plot that has arisen again and Cassies former brother-in-law seems to be a part of the murderous group so Zak is determined to find out what Cassie knows.  However, the pair find themselves in a hot flirtation that soon leads to a hot affair and matters of the heart become involved all while trying to uncover the dangerous group know as the Bloody Four.

Overall, this is a fascinating piece of work!  I really hope we see more and more books set during this time period as it adds so much richness to the story.  I adored Cassie and Zak together and I appreciated that even though Cassie is strong and independent, she is also a female who wants the love of a good man to be known to her and will not accept anything else.  Nothing to major to complain about with the book other than it is long.  It is almost 400 pages so you will need to carve out some time to sink into this one and enjoy it.  The mystery aspect will keep you flipping the pages and I know my heart was racing in the final chapters!  Jillian Stone has delivered a strong story set within a unique setting with characters that are smart, sexy and perfect for each other mixed together with an intriguing mystery and wonderful supporting characters that will leave you anxiously awaiting the next story!  4 stars

Thanks to Pocket and Jillian Stone for providing me with this ARC!

The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard
An Intrigue with Detective Lewis August 28th
A Private Duel with Agent Gunn Early 2013

Not Wicked Enough by Carolyn Jewel

What an absolutely charming romance this book is!  Here are some of the high points for me:

~~Lily Wellstone is the type of friend we all love to have--kind, generous and loving.  She arrives at her friend Eugenia's home to help her overcome the loss of her husband and is able to draw Eugenia out of her sadness and start to smile and live again.  While doing this, Lily attracts the attention of Ginnys brother, Mountjoy, but as Lily believes she lost her one true love in the war, she thinks she will never love again but is tempted enough to start a hot (!!) affair.

~~The Duke of Mountjoy never expected to be a duke, he was just a farmer raised with his brother and sister by his aunt and uncle until a long lost lineage line gave him the dukedom.  He has grown as comfortable with his new life as he can and it shows in his dedication to making the land and tenants happy and prosperous but it has short sighted him a bit to his sister's grief and more of what society expects out of a duke.  The arrival of Lily opens his eyes--and heart--to his surroundings and helps him get a closer bond with his sister.  Mountjoy is practically engaged to a neighboring woman and knows it is his duty to marry Miss Jane but he just can't get the alluring Lily out of his mind.  He believes a quick affair before he proposes will cure his lust.

~~The attention to detail of the fashion in this book was wonderful!  Lily is a fashion plate and takes great care and pleasure in making sure she is exquisitely dressed for each occasion and I loved how Ms Jewel wrote out all the delicious details.  I adored how Lily was just flabbergasted that Mountjoy had no qualms about looking anything less than perfect.  Mountjoy dresses for comfort, not fashion and it shakes all of Lily's sensibilities and it was a delight to see Mountjoy slowly come around on his thinking of tailoring and clothing choices.  Perhaps being fashionably presentable as a duke isn't such a bad thing after all?

This was my first Carolyn Jewel book and what drew me to want to read this book was the stunning cover and having read the book now, I appreciate the detail of the cover so much more but I also loved the story.  The beginning started out a bit slow but once it got going for me, it was wonderful!  The dialogue between Lily and Mountjoy was stiff and proper when around family but when they were alone...phew, smokin!  I adored, absolutely adored, how Mountjoy grows to call Lily Wellstone.  That is just so sweet and personal to me.  Oh, and the ending.  Sigh.  You can feel the love between Lily and Mountjoy and the last chapter left me with a huge smile and happy sigh so big that I immediately read it again.  Romantic to a T.  Overall, a entrancing romance that will leave you happily satisfied and looking forward to the next story in the series!  I know I can't wait for it!    4 stars

I won an arc of this book from Carolyn Jewel, thanks!!

Seducing the Scoundrels
Not Proper Enough Sept 2012

How to Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins

What a delightful, entertaining debut!  I was first drawn to the lovely cover and then when I read the blurb I was intrigued as it sounded a bit different than all the regencies out there so I was more than happy to dive in.

Miss Cecily Hurston is determined to clear her ailing fathers name of murder by gaining access to the elusive Egyptian Club, obtaining his journals and decoding them (as she is a mastermind at codes).  Only one small problem....she is female and the club is only for males and their spouses.  So what is a wallflower (who is stuck with the unflattering nickname of A Ugly Duckling along with her two cousins) and bluestocking to do?  Find a husband that won't mind her scholarly pursuits and get inside that club.  But another small problem arises and that is in the form of Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson.

Winterson also has an agenda that includes Cecily's father but he is on the other side of the fence.  Winterson's brother, Hurstons assistant, has been missing ever since the last excavation and Hurston seems to be the only one that knows what could have happened to him.  Since Hurston is ill and unable to communicate, Winterson also wants the journals to dig for clues for his brothers whereabouts and when Cecily's plans become know to him, he reluctantly agrees to help her sift through the eligible men.  There is, naturally, a problem with that as our couple already has quite an attraction for each other and Winterson has a hard time imagining another man with this bossy, clever, headstrong female.

Overall, this truly was a delightful book!  I was drawn to Cecily from the first page and drawn to the sparks that flew between Cecily and Lucas right away as well.  Cecily has a wall built up around her from a previous heartbreak so her back and forth attitude with Lucas was a bit frustrating and I wished Cecily would have just left her guard down for good instead of toying with Lucas and his feelings one to many times.  I really enjoyed how Lucas, a wounded war hero who did not expect to inherit his title, seemed to take life in stride and was a bit proper until he meet Cecily and he slowly let some of that properness abate and let love in.  You can just feel the love that grows between these two and you truly see how it affects Lucas and how it finally affects Cecily.  The mystery aspect surrounding Lucas' brother and her father kept me flipping the pages and it took me a bit to piece it all together and I was still surprised by a few curveballs thrown in.   For a debut I was very happy with the mix of romance and mystery, neither seemed to be overshadowing the other and it blended together into a wonderful, sexy romance.  If you are looking for a historical romance that has a lovely romance that grows over time, mixed with some interesting settings among the excavation world in London and a bit of mystery to keep you flipping the pages, Manda Collins has delivered a winner!  I know I can not wait for the next two books in the series :)  4 stars

I won an ARC of this book from Ms Collins off of Twitter.  Thanks so much!!

Ugly Ducklings series

        July 31st

How to Entice an Earl   Spring 2013

Romancing the Countess by Ashley March

Leah George has had a difficult few years beginning with discovering her husband, whom she thought loved her and she was in love with, sleeping with his best friends wife.  Leah is shattered and builds up quite a wall around her heart but continues on with her life as best as she can...all behind a fake front of happiness.  When tragedy strikes one night and her husband and his lover die in a carriage accident, she can't help but finally feel free.  Then comes all the requirements of widowhood where she must still continue on living her life behind a lie, pretending to be saddened by his death.  After a few months of this behavior, she realizes she can not continue on in this fashion and decides to do something a bit scandalous....she throws a house party.

Sebastian, Earl of Wriothesly, thought he had the perfect wife and is shocked by the depth of his late wifes betrayal especially as if any whiff of this scandal hits the ton, it could affect his son.  When he learns that the widowed Leah is having a house party, he is floored and knows he must attend to keep Leah in check and not allow their shared secret to become public knowledge.  Sebastian has a hard time understanding why Leah acts so casual in her supposed grief but he finds himself attracted to her and he slowly sets out to break down her walls and in turn stars to learn how much Leah has known and how deeply it has affected her.

I had a lot of high hopes for this book based on previous reviews from friends and fellow bloggers and I am really happy to say that I really enjoyed it!  It took me a bit to warm up to Leah but I think that had more to do with her late husband and his treatment of her and their relationship.  He was never physically abusive but he defiantly scarred her deep.   Sebastian came off very stiff and proper like but underneath that layer he was a caring, loving man who also was scarred but loved his son enough to want to protect him at any cost.  As Leah and Sebastians relationship grows, so does all the sexual tension!  As much as Leah wants to be with Sebastian, she has serious hesitations and it takes a bit of work on both their parts to move past that.  Naturally, she thinks Sebastian is still deeply in love with his perfect wife and her own failures as a wife also factor in.  

A few of my favorite things about this book is one, the cover is just spot on for a big turning point of the story (the dress is beyond scandalous!) and it leads to a moment that turned the story in a direction I didn't see coming and I love when that happens :)  I love when a cover matches a book perfectly.  I also liked how, even though they wanted each other quickly, there was a lot of time built up to the final ending and I admired Sebastians restraint and thoughtfulness in the matter.  Also, his son is a part of the love story and not just thrown in once in awhile and well done (probably helped by the fact Ms March has two little ones of her own so it seemed realistic).  As much as I looked forward to this book, I was also hesitant about the storyline working out well.  I mean, the spouses of two hidden lovers finding their own happiness together...could work, could not work.  In this case, it totally worked and now I am just really impatient for more, more, more from Ms March!  If you are looking for a slightly different romance with humor, sexual tension, love, and a good old happy ever after, grab the newest from Ashley March!  5 stars

I won an arc from the publisher but I have since already purchased my own copy for my keeper shelf :)

Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen

Well, when I saw the premise of this book months ago I was really excited about it.  A Regency Mr and Mrs Smith?  Sign me up!  Now, did Ms Galen deliver a smart, snappy, sexy adventure?  Yes, yes and yes!

Lord Adrian Smythe is devastated when he is told he is to retire from his spy life in the Barbican group.  After all, he has just delivered one of their most sought after criminals but he grudgingly accepts his new life--that of being a true husband and leading a normal, boring life.  When just a few days into his 'retirement' he receives a missive from his former boss, Adrian is thrilled and relieved.  But the surprise he receives upon arriving at the meeting throws his entire life into a tailspin.

Lady Sophia Smythe has perfected her life as a mousy, quiet lady while the entire time living her own double life as a spy in the Barbican group, following in the footsteps of her father and brother.  She is furious when her last capture is intercepted by a mystery man and she looses the credit for the capture.  And then to add insult to injury, she is told her services are no longer needed.  She loathes the idea of being just a wife and when she also receives a missive for a mysterious midnight meeting, Sophia is quite relieved.  She arrives early and when she hears someone coming, she attacks.  She quickly realizes the man is also quite skilled in fighting and she is floored when she realizes who the man is.  Her husband, Adrian.  Naturally, as these two discover just who the other truly is, sparks fly, tempers explode and the need to outsmart the other is all too clear. 

Together, Sophia and Adrian are presented with one more task, to find a murderer of the prime ministers brother and why.  But there is one small catch...only one will be permitted back into the Barbican group.  This forces the two to constantly be on their toes, always trying to be one step ahead of the other but they gradually realize that working together might not be so bad.   

This was truly a delightful romance adventure full of some of the funniest dialogue between a hero and heroine that I have enjoyed in awhile but somehow still, the story was sexy and moving at the same time.  Adrian and Sophia married out of duty but have never truly disliked each other, they just have not really know the other and they have had to overcome a truly heartbreaking situation that leads them to be more at odds with each other.  I loved watching Adrian protect Sophia whenever something came up in their search for the murderer that affected her on this personal level, very swoonworthy :)  Sophia tucks this show of emotions inside her to examine more closely later.  Also during their search, Sophia is finally able to present herself as her true self and it helps take some of the blinders off of Adrian and leads to some very hot scenes!  Once again, Adrian is beyond understanding in this area and when he finally confesses his true feelings to Sophia, sighworthy!  My only small complaint about this book is there was no epilogue!  I really felt like it needed one as a few threads were left dangling but maybe will we see this adventurous couple again in the future someday?  I hope so because I feel like they have more stories to tell!   If you are looking for a fact paced, sexy, smart adventure with a feisty, bold heroine and a hero who wants to protect her at all costs, many of them on a deeper level as the heroine is totally capable of taking care of herself physically, grab the newest from Shana Galen!  You won't be disappointed! 5 stars

I won an arc of Lord and Lady Spy from Ms Galen off of Twitter.  Thanks!  Check out the great book trailer for this book:

 

Season for Temptaion by Theresa Romain

I won an arc of this book from Theresa Roamins blog, http://theresaromain.com/blog/.  Thanks!

Julia Herington makes quite an impression on James, Viscount Matheson and newly betrothed to Louisa, Julias stepsister, the first time he meets Julia.  James is nervously awaiting the arrival of Louisa when in blows this muttering woman who grows quite embarrassed upon seeing this dashing young man.  They start up a delightful conversation while waiting for the rest of the family to arrive and Julia and James just hit it off together right away.  And the more time that James spends with the family, the more she knows she wants a man just like him for herself.  Unfortunately,  James is for her sister and she needs to keep reminding herself of that fact...as does James.

James needed to quickly get engaged to help overshadow a scandal involving his sister and when he meets the lovely Louisa one night at a ball, hiding out in the library, he quickly starts a courtship and asks for her hand in marriage within a couple weeks.  There is no love between Louisa and James, just an understanding that they will do well together.  Louisa is intelligent and poised and will do well as a viscountess.  However, as the story progresses you just get the feeling that Louisa is getting more and more unhappy with their arrangement.  She has a dislike for the dealings of the London ton and is truly most happy in a library.  Julia gets more and more distressed listening to her beloved sister and James, all she wants is for him to call her "my dear", as he refers to Louisa.  But this seems to be something that will never happen.

The sisters and their utterly fun aunt travel to London for the holiday season and to meet James' family.  Oh, what a disaster that was!  His mother is not too pleased with the match, even though she was the one that insisted that James find a bride quickly.  She makes her displeasure known and just ignores Julia for the most part.  Thankfully they need to suffer only the dinner with her rude behavior but it also gives James a chance to explain the reason behind his hasty proposal to Louisa.  Not long after Christmas, James is to escort the sisters and their aunt to a ball but Louisa pleads a headache and just Julia and Aunt Estella.  They end up taking the carriage home alone and Julia being Julia, finally speaks her mind to James about her feelings and she is overjoyed with his response.  This leads to a very heated kiss (but nothing more which I was thankful for as I dislike cheating) that they know must never happen again.  But what happens in the morning changes everything....for the better or the worse?  You will have to see.  I don't want to give away anything about the ending but I will say, I started this book with laughter and I ended the book with laughter.

Overall, this is a delightful, witty debut from Theresa Romain!  Each chapter has a little header, an example of one such quirky one liner : In which baboon behavior leads to unfortunate consequences.  And looking back, each header matches what happens in the chapter, though its not revealed how until you read that chapter.  As for the story, I was a bit hesitant about possible cheating but I was happy with how the situation played out but as it took most of the book, the heat factor is on the lower end.  Yes, there is a small misunderstanding at the end but it is only small and very quickly resolved.  As for our characters...what a cast Ms Romain assembled here.  Julia is true delight to read.  She speaks her mind and mutters and swears and I really enjoyed her.  Louisa is kind and understanding, maybe a bit too much so, but I know she has a more of a story to tell and I hope she gets one.  James is steadfast and honorable and prepared to follow through with his decision and does whatever he can to try to make Louisa happy.  But the real scene stealer is Aunt Estella.  What a hoot she was!  We can all wish we could have someone like her in our corner.  Like I said before, I began this story laughing and I ended the story laughing and that is a true winner in my book.  I look forward to many more books from Theresa Romain.  4 solid heartwarming stars