New Covers

Since I have had very little time to read this past week, I thought I would post some of the fabulous covers that some authors posted (mostly on Facebook) this past week or so.  First up is Shana Galens The Making of a Rogue which is now being titled The Rogue Pirates Bride.  I have yet to read the previous two books in this series but based on how much I loved Lord and Lady Spy, I will get on that before her newest is released in February 2012.  I really like this cover...the blue really pops and I love a female with a sword!  They just need to button up her shirt a bit :)

Next up is the upcoming April 2012 release from Stefanie Sloane, The Saint Who Stole My Heart: A Regency Rogues Novel. This is book four in her Regency Rogues series and is another bluish cover with some pretty yellow. 

Here is the cover for Kate Nobles If I Fall coming in April 2012 as well.  Very pretty again and different to see a full face shot head on...they always seem to be more profile like or headless.

Now this one I'm sort of on the fence about, Meredith Durans March 2012 release, At Your Pleasure. Again, nice to see a full face shot and its very sexy but it's just ok I guess to me.  Maybe it looks better in person...


Katherine Ashe and Tessa Dare both revealed upcoming covers for there books on there fun blog, The Ballroom Blog. When a Scot Loves a Lady is by Katharine Ashe and is set for release in March and is very pretty in red while Tessa Dare is set to release Once Upon a Winters Eve on Nov 15th as a holiday novella for her new Spindles Cove series.  The green seems to be a perfect choice for the holidays.

Overall, a nice variety of colors that will be sure to grab your attention next spring!  Have you seen any covers that you just love lately?  Do you enjoy all of the above covers as well?

A Beginners Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch

Back cover summary:

 All of London is abuzz with the return of the utterly alluring, recently widowed Diane Benchley. Will she remarry? What will she do with her late husband’s fortune? Sociey is shocked by her announcement—at the Grand Ball, of all places!—that she plans to open an exclusive gentleman’s gaming club in the family mansion. But no one is more stunned than the Marquis of Haybury, Oliver Warren.

Years ago, Oliver and Diane shared a private indiscretion. Now Diane threatens to reveal Oliver’s most ungentlemanly secrets…unless he agrees to help her. A notorious gambler—and rake—Oliver is overqualified to educate Diane in the ways and means of running her establishment. But striking a deal with Diane might just be the biggest risk Oliver has ever taken. This time, the only thing he has to lose is his heart…

This is a delightful book set within an interesting setting.  I enjoyed Diane and her bold attitude and her cleverness for opening a gaming club with all female members (besides a few burly footman) where the females are treated just as females and not expected to be anything else unless they choose too.  There were so little choices for woman born on the wrong side of the blanket or in other unfortunate circumstances, not all of them want to be companions or governesses, that Diane sort of becomes a refuge of sorts for these ladies.  And since Diane clearly states all the rules up front for treatment of the women within the club, the gentleman behave as such.  But before she can even start up her club, she needs funds as her late husband was a heavy gambler and left her badly in debt.  When circumstances force her to turn to Oliver, she reluctantly does so and the sparks from their past fan back alive.

Oliver ran off after their passionate affair shortly after Dianes husbands death and it devastated Diane but at the same time, made her stronger.  Though Diane thinks Oliver left so abruptly to go home to claim his new title, Oliver left for an all together deeper reason that he refuses to acknowledge and leaves these two spitting fire at each other!  Oliver is forced to help Diane open her club and together they gradually see how much they can help each other to make a grand success.  They do have an issue with Dianes former brother-in-law as the home she is using for the club was to be his and he sets about to prove that Diane forged documents to secure the house.  But did she truly forge signatures and if she did, how will they stop it from becoming public knowledge?  Together, Oliver and Diane begin to reacquaint themselves and try to find the brief love they once shared all those years ago.  If you enjoy stories about past lovers forced back together and the heat is still there all set within a unique setting, grab this one! 4 stars

Side note:  I truly hope Suzanne Enoch updates her website soon as it is very out of date.  There is no mention of this book that just came out and no info on the upcoming books in the series.  I like to go to an authors website to see what is upcoming in a series so its a bit of a disappointment when there is nothing on the site.  Real life could be getting in the way but I still feel like it is important to have a semi up to date website.  And the cover....it just does not match this book at all, and really, neither does the title.  Diane has black hair and wears black dresses for most of the book...never white.  She is bold and passionate and mysterious and this cover just doesn't match her in my opinion.  It is very pretty but just a bit wrong for this book.

The Scandalous Brides (taken from cover of book)
Number of books...uncertain?

Seducing an Impossible Rogue  March 27, 2012

Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

Lady Kate Seaton has put on a happy face for years.  She is the daughter of a duke, the sister of a duke and the wife of a late duke which has made her bold, admired and envied by all...all that is except her brother and his wife, who are trying to commit her into an asylum to gain control of a home Kate owns.  When her brothers latest attempt happens in the presence of Major Sir Harry Lidge, Harry steps in and says they are married so Kates brother has no control of her anymore.  Harry is shocked by what he says as he and Kate have a past in which they were happily in love and Harry was lead to believe that Kate tricked him and it sent Harry into the army for ten years.  Upon his return, he learns that Kate holds a vital clue needed for the Drakes Rakes and he knows he can not let her go into an asylum, hence the announcement of marriage.  Even though neither one of them want to marry, especially to each other, they agree that it must happen to protect Kate and Harry temporarily puts his dreams of travel on hold to help solve the mystery of who is after Kate, if Kate has this mysterious verse and if he can ever trust Kate again.

There is so much depth and emotion in this story that it will just keep you so engrossed you won't even notice the time!  Kate.  Wow, her secrets and her past are just truly heartbreaking and the more we learn, the more you feel for Kate.  And Harry.  Wow again.  His understanding and caring for Kate, whom he thinks betrayed him, is just so wonderful.  It is really hard to say much without spoiling anything but you will fall in love with these two as a couple!  They are just perfect for each other.  They need each other to be complete and you can just feel that.  Truly, they need each other and the road to that is filled with bumps but when they find each other finally, you will be sighing with happiness!  And yes, I did sort of guess some of the reason as to why Kate was treated the was she was, I was still a bit surprised in the end so that is always a plus for me.  Also, the culprit behind Kates attacks was not quite who I thought either.  Overall, a truly heartbreaking, sigh-worthy, happy 5 stars!

This was my first Eileen Dreyer book and is book three in The Drake Rakes series and I really did not feel out of place ready it as such but she has a new fan in me!  I plan on going and grabbing Barely a Lady and Never a Gentleman to read their stories and it looks like there is going to be more in the future for this series that I know I will be picking up! 

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 can't wait for title is by the one and only Julie James, one of my favorite contemporary author!  She just released the upcoming cover for About That Night on her website so it seems a fitting choice for me this week.  Only April is a long, long time away!!  Here is the summary from her website:

He’s playing games.
Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face-to-face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful assistant U.S. attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.
But she’s making the rules.

Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case—but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants—and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten. . 

If you have not read Julie James I urge you to try her!!  She is one of the highlights in contemporary romance and I am so looking forward to Kyles story (who is a Sawyer look alike!).  

Holly Lane by Toni Blake

As a huge fan on Toni Blakes Destiny series, I was a bit surprised as to whom this story was centered.  After all, Sue Ann Simpkins seemed to have a perfectly happy marriage with Jeff.  But perhaps of the standard of perfection put on these high school sweethearts, Jeff does an about face and divorces Sue Ann and quickly marries another woman, and to add a bit of insult, the new woman isn't even younger or prettier...she is just average so Sue Ann knows that it is true love.  Sue Ann is blindsided by all of this and decides to take a weekend away at a small cabin to help clear her mind and get ready for the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holiday season.  She knows she needs to make sure her daughter, Sophie, has a wonderful Christmas. 

Adam Becker is in a bit of a Scroogish mood.  His twin boys are spending a month away at a ski resort with his ex and he is naturally quite bummed out.  He heads to a cabin in the mountains that he rents every year on the same weekend and is faced with an unpleasant surprise.  His best friends (up to Jeffs divorce) ex-wife is there, Sue Ann.  There was a bit of confusion during registration and it has started to snow quite heavily and there are no other cabins available so the two agree to share the bunks.  But even though Adam and Sue Ann have know each other for most of their lives, they both see each other in a new light and this leads to one verrry steamy night in the cabin!  Phew!  But just as Sue Ann is letting down her guard a tiny bit, Adam reveals one of the reasons behind his divorce and her walls go right back up.  Oh, but that magical snow that always seemed to be falling helps keep Adam and Sue Ann in contact (physically and emotionally) with each other and Adam deepens his relationship with Sophie, who is his goddaughter, but the drama with Jeff and his requests to stop spousal support and his calling Adam as a character witness keep these two battling wills.  But will the holiday season filled with reindeer and snow and a special kitty help Sue Ann let down her guard to trust her heart to another?

Toni Blake has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary authors and I love her Destiny series and Holly Lane is the perfect holiday companion to an already fabulous series.  She took a topic seen all too often in todays world and showed how true love can blossom from a very unexpected turn of events.  I felt that Sue Anns feelings and her wall she had built up around herself was very true to how any woman would feel in the same circumstances and her love of her daughter and desire to do what was right for Sophie was spot on.  When Adam (as Santa) tells Sophie he will try to bring a real reindeer for her, Sue Ann is quite upset and even though it was the best thing to say at the time, Sue Ann is heartbroken at the thought of disappointing her daughter on Christmas morning.  And even though I saw the happy result coming, I still had happy tears in my eyes.  Actually, I sniffled quite a bit throughout this book.  Toni Blake has a knack for writing emotional, sexy stories that will pull your heart strings and leave a big happy smile on your face and I know I can not wait for more. (Amy, I'm talking about you!)  And fans on this series will be happy to know that Mick and Jenny have a wonderful, emotional side story that I thought played out perfectly!  Overall, this is a perfect Christmas story, based loosely on A Christmas Carol, that will truly put you in the mood for the upcoming holidays!  5 stars

I received this book from the publisher via netgalley.com

Destiny series
Can be read as stand alones but best enjoyed in order



Willow Springs, A Destiny Novel #5   July 2012

Upcoming October historical releases

Here are some upcoming historicals being released in October! 

Oct 4th


Phew, lots of good ones being released on Oct 4th!  I know I have said it before, but grab Theresa Roamins debut, Season for Temptation,if you are a fan of fun romances (sort of like Julia Quinn).  I know I will be buying Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish as it continues her series with a great family (though it is the start of a trilogy just about the sisters, I think the brothers are separated into their own series).  I have not seen alot about Suzanne Enochs upcoming release, A Beginner's Guide to Rakes, but the little I have seen has been very positive so I am looking forward to it as well :) A Bride Unveiled is book two in a series that I have not yet tried but is on my huge mountain to read. The Accidental Courtesan is also book two in a series and while some didn't love the first one, I enjoyed it so I will be picking this one up.  And I just saw a mini review from a goodreads friend for Tis the Season to Be Sinful that has me looking forward to a delightful story in this one.  Yeah, looks like I am going for broke in about a week with all these titles!

Oct 18th



Sigh...I don't think I need to say much about this book as I have said numerous times I am dying to read this one...right now!

Oct 25th




Another book I am just dying to read right now is the last of Maya Banks Highlander series, Never Love a Highlander! Loved the last one so very eager for this one as well :) Engaged in Sin sounds like a promising book from a new to me author and a very pretty cover as well. Too Wicked to Wed is the start of a new series from Cara Elliot and as I enjoyed her past trilogy, featuring strong woman with male-dominated professions, I have high hopes for the new series.  And finally, only two historicals from Avon this month (though they do have a contemporary from one of my favorite authors, Toni Blake coming out, Holly Lane).  One being All About Seduction which is another new to me author and the premise for this one is quite interesting and I hope to get to it as I have it from Netgalley.  The last one for the month is book three in a trilogy from Sara Bennett, To Pleasure a Duke and I hope to read this one early as well as I read the first in the trilogy and enjoyed it.

So overall, another good month for historical romance fans.  What about you?  Which books are you looking forward to in October?