Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

I was fully prepared to not like this book.  I had read all of the previous books in the series and definitely liked some more than others.  What I didn't expect was to actually find humor or even to find the plot the least bit believable.  Fortunately I was wrong on both parts, although, it still is a little bit of a stretch to believe that a Duke would marry a poor serving girl/shopkeeper.

As to the two lead characters, Griffin and Pauline did work well together.  Griffin's mother was perfect as the dowager duchess who just wanted grandchildren.  I thought her knitting was a perfect way to show that she wasn't perfect and it really gave her and Pauline a chance to get to bond a bit.  

So, I guess I would describe this a cute, funny read as long as you truly get in line with the silliness of the bet between the Duke and his mother.  I do have to mention that this book contained one of the funniest scenes near the end that I have ever read.  It rivals Sebastian reading out loud a trashy novel in Julia Quinn's What Happens in London easily.  I laughed so hard I think I broke a rib!!!

I would definitely recommend it as a quick read and a definite renter from the library.  I now own it, but I'm not sure I will feel the need to re-read it anytime soon.

I am looking forward to a story about Delacre if Ms. Dare will write one.  I think he might have been passed off as a bad guy a bit, but I really think there is more to him.

Enjoy!

Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James

I think Eloisa James has regained a bit of her swagger with this latest book. I found myself very much intrigued with a hero and heroine who not only obviously loved each other, but also found themselves with a pretty common problem for a newly married couple or new lovers in general. Ms. James actually allowed the second half of the book to center around how very difficult it is for many women to not only realize that there is a problem, but also that the issue is so touchy, difficult and slightly embarrassing to talk about. It can be so difficult that it has the potential to cause great stress to a new relationship. I think a lot of regency based books touch lightly on this issue, but mostly to prove how masculine and worldly the current hero is compared to the heroine's previous husband/lover.

If you haven't read the book, then I'm sure the previous paragraph is confusing, but I'm not sure how much I want to get into the plot lines. I just want to say that it is a new concept and Ms. James handled it extremely well with each character acting very much acting in an understandable way. It wasn't precisely predictable, but interesting to read the words that so often are never said.


The secondary characters are a wonderful addition to the story, although the character of Susannah seemed a little forced. I highly recommend this story and I'm happy to report that Ms. James is back!!!


4 1/2 stars.

Minor Indiscretions by Barbara Metzger

Okay, so this is another perfect regency romance from the great Barbara Metzger.  Melody Ashton is a hilarious heroine who may be young, but boy does she have spunk! Meanwhile, Corey is hero of all heroes.  He is brave, manly, but just sensitive enough to care deeply for his sister...and loves children even if he won't admit it at first.

The secondary characters are a hoot and the plot is well-thought out.  At no time was I bored. I read a lot of books, so I have an awful habit of skimming when things slow down.  But this book I devoured word for word.

This book takes the place of Miss Lockharte's Letters as my all-time-favorite Metzger book.  And I really loved that book.

5 Stars plus 10!!!

Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt is definitely one of my auto-buys.  I really, really like the Maiden Lane series and strangely enough, I am not yet bored and was surprised that this is already book 5.  Each book is centered around the same theme of the Ghost of St. Giles, but through Ms. Hoyt's writing skill, each book seems completely fresh, each introduces interesting characters, and I am always surprised at the ease she closes each book without it feeling rushed.

In this case, Godric (love the name) and Megs are two people with a heartbreaking past love story.  What is interesting is that Megs is the one who wants to move on and live, while Godric (again, LOVE the NAME) just is pursuing his cause with a tenacity that will surely leave him dead.

While this book is definitely steamy, it is also full of great dialogues, surprises, and interaction with characters from the previous series.  Everyone stays in character and Ms. Hoyt pretty much accomplishes a rare feat...she successfully introduces the characters in the next book.  And I can't wait until November!!!!!

It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long

Wow is all I can say about this latest book from Julie Anne Long.  This is book #8 in her Pennyroyal Green series and I can seriously say this one is very close to the wonderful book #1 The Perils of Pleasure.

Tommy is a great, do-it-herself kind of girl who is not only beautiful on the outside, but downright amazing on the inside.  Her life story is one of trial, success, sacrifice and finally...reward.  I want to be her.  Jonathan is the seemingly complete opposite, except for the beautiful part.  He has been raised in a wealthy household, but also needs to fight for any respect.

Their first meeting was a scene I will look forward to reading every time I pick up the book.  For this one time, I am not going to detail all the aspects I liked or disliked.  I just recommend you buy or borrow this book from a library.  It is that good.

Five Stars!!!!

The Proposal by Mary Balogh

I consider myself a Mary Balogh fan. No, I don't love everything she writes, but almost every book has something that brings me back to it again and again. Her characters are always well-written, unique, and described in detail. I have never known her characters to be mysteries. The readers always know why someone in her books act the way they do.

Ms. Balogh continues this in her latest story, The Proposal. Hugo and Gwen are marvelous main characters who have traumatic histories. They meet and fall in love but are unsure if they would truly suit in the long-term. Most of the story is about their journey to happiness. I really loved the premise of this story. Because the characters are older, they really do want to look before leaping into a lifetime of potential unhappiness. I think more people, real and make believe, should make this journey.

So why the three stars? Well, I think I am guilty of comparing this story to all her others so it may be harsh, but right now it is how I feel. So, the problems I had are the following:

- Hugo really needed to stop telling Gwen that he wants a wife so that he can have sex all the time without paying for it. He needs to stop thinking it too.

- I was really getting tired of Hugo's endless conflicts...his step-mother who ran him into the army, the soldier who spit at him all the time, the nasty viscount who also happened to be the bane of Gwen's existence. Also, we never really find out what happened to that dirty dish.

- I had suspected since first meeting Gwen all those books ago that her marriage wasn't as rosy as she pretended, but I am still confused as to why she hid it from her family.

- I think it was clear from the beginning these two were kindred souls, I just wish Hugo hadn't strung her along for as long as he did.  I mean, I am glad he was honest with her about his concerns, but sometimes it really sounded almost like a game to him.

There are some great things in this book too:

- The members of the Survivors club are great. I am looking forward to the next stories.

- The families were nice, and supportive. I like to read about nice people.

- The writing was terrific, especially the dialogue.

So, I would recommend this book. It is good:)

The Sandalwood Princess by Loretta Chase

I have wanted to read this book for years but just got the chance this week thanks to ebooks. I didn't know exactly what to expect, just that it was well reviewed and not a typical regency romance.  I can honestly say that this was definitely a different read.  It was unique, surprising,  alternately fast and slow paced, and contained some of the best writing I have read...ever.  I have put off writing this review a bit because I just didn't know where to start.

First off, Ms. Chase has taken a relatively simple plot of revenge and thievery and turned it into what felt like to me, the shortest epic ever written.  When I finished I felt like I had just put down an 800 page dynasty.  The change of locations were taken with so much care that I felt like I was in India, on a ship for almost a year, and hidden away in the English countryside.  The writing was so descriptive that the scenery almost became characters themselves as they drove the story forward.  I've read a lot of books, but I have never read one transported me so completely to a ship.

Of course when you have such magnificent locations, the characters must keep up.  Phillip and Amanda are wonderful as they both alternately use and succumb to each other.  Neither is perfect or outmatched.  They both use what talents they have at their disposal to get what they want and make the tough decisions as needed.  I was continuously reminded of The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne throughout due to the excellent prose, snappy dialogue, and fully-developed characters that made me wish they were my neighbors ( well except for the whole thievery stuff).  The roles of the servants were well-defined and they stayed true to their characters throughout.

After the twists and turns the story took, I was beginning to fear for any sort of happily ever after.  It all worked out in the end with a couple more surprises thrown into the muddy waters.  I was left with a feeling of certainty that the drama was done, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Rani Simha had a few more enemies to deal with.

I highly recommend this book with a five star rating.  It is better than anything I've read lately.  And it was only $2.99 on Kindle :)

Married by Midnight by Julianne Maclean

All righty then...It has been several years since I have read a Julianne Maclean novel and I am remembering why I stopped.   Her American Heiresses series started out all right with To Marry the Duke but by the time the 4th out of eventual 6 books came out, I was pretty much done with it even though I did buy and read all six.  Sometimes I am a glutton for punishment.  I also tried the first 2 books of her Highlander trilogy, but they lost my interest even sooner so I didn't bother with the 3rd.  I say all this so that no one can accuse me of not giving an author a chance.  When I saw that this particular book was free through I-book, I decided to give it a try anyhow.  Who can turn down a free book that seems interesting?  I can't!

I realized within the first couple of chapters that I may be in the middle of a series, so I looked it up on GoodReads and found that yes, this is the 4th out of 6 book series. Ms. Maclean does a good job of not making the reader feel that there is more of a back story so I decided to continue on with the story.  The beginning is really well done.  I felt that the prologue was a good teaser, the first two chapters where we meet the heroine and hero are interesting, and even though the family is large (hence the six books!!!) I didn't feel the least bit lost or confused.

My issues really started about halfway into the story and it was all about the plot.  I was having a real problem believing that the mother would bring an ex-lover/father of her last 2 children into the house to care for her elderly husband.  I also wasn't buying the instant lust/sleeping together that was going on between Garrett and Anne.  Yes, they were going to be married within a week or so, but after listening to both of them go on and on about how they refused to be trapped it just seemed a little out of character that they would decide to do the opposite.  In the midst of all this, we have a dotty father who apparently has become all sweet and saintly as opposed to mean and gruff which is how he spent the first 70 years of his life, a maybe haunted house that never really gets explained (maybe book 6?), a not so surprising reveal that the doctor is more than he appears, a race to have a marriage by Christmas Eve to satisfy terms of a will, and a series of memories from Garrett about a boating accident he was in.

Garrett's lamenting about the boating accident is understandable - at first -  especially since several people passed away in it including his pregnant fiancee and her young nephew.  I was feeling very sorry for Garrett since I am sure it would be traumatic for anyone and definitely a cause for bad dreams.  I stopped feeling badly for him when he tells Anne that the only reason he was engaged to the girl on the boat was because she "became conveniently pregnant".  OK, for me that just crossed the line into jerkdom.  This is the 1800's we are talking about.  All the power of a lady becoming pregnant, OR NOT, laid solely with the man.  This wasn't a case of her lying about taking birth control, he made her pregnant.  So apparently we are to believe that is since one woman tricked him (by this I mean continued their mutual affair until the inevitable happened) into marriage, he decided that he would still marry to get his inheritance but only if he lived apart from the bride.  I also lost all respect for Anne at this point since she spent time telling him how honorable he is and of course she understood why he was keeping her at arms length since he has trust issues.  Of course, she is doing this while she is in bed with him!!!!

So the book ended on a bad note for me.  I'm not going to touch on the whole Christmas Eve marriage/not marriage thing.  How can a will have repercussions when the guy isn't even dying? And why didn't the sons just fight it in court since the dad was clearly having major mental issues?  And lastly, why have a prologue that has nothing to do with the end of the story when it supposedly takes place?  I mean, it is possible I missed it, but I don't think so.

In the end, this is a two star book for me.  Good writing, very good beginning, terrible plot, and ultimately, not a likable hero.  I am happy it was free, though.  Now I just need to delete it off my I Pad!

Snowdrops and Scandalbroth by Barbara Metzger

Wow!  I am convinced that Barbara Metzger has truly channeled the late Georgette Heyer in this oldie, but GREAT regency from the nineties.  The Hero, Courtney, was just somebody I would love to know.  He was honorable, brave, a little crabby, and he just loved his old nanny.  He seemed so out of place in the regency world where most men his age just went about haphazardly through life until they were forced into marriage.  The writing was so good that we could see by his deeds all his qualities instead of being told how great he was.  Ms. Metzger writing also let us experience how jaded and unbelieving the rest of the ton were when presented with his actions, so they instead resorted to believing the very worst (at that time, thankfully not now) of him.  I also admired how he stood by his principles and refused to change.  Sometimes stubbornness is a good thing - at least that is what I tell my husband!

Kathlyn as a heroine was almost as good a character.  She was definitely spunky and never seemingly at a loss no matter what situation she was in.  I truly admired her grit and I really got the sense that she was just as nice and honorable as Courtney (I really liked his name too).  Kathlyn was a realist who had ideals that she tried to live by, but she made peace with sometimes making decisions that weren't her first choice.  Sometimes life throws lemons at us :)

The plot did take a few funny turns, funny as in What??? as well as funny as in hahahaha.  For example:  I really didn't like how Kathlyn truly believed that she could open a school after pretending to be Court's mistress, but it was appalling that our nice, considerate hero was okay with letting her continue under that delusion.  And why would the Nanny go along with such a scheme too?  Court's friends were also a little much, but the scene where they kidnap Kathlyn was truly a hahahaha moment.

The moments of looking into the life of Court's first fiancee (who is pretty much the cause of all his
problems) were genius and I found myself looking forward to them.  Another scene that is great is the meeting of his mother and her aunt.  I am lucky that I get along with my in-laws and so does my mother, but when the families don't mesh well there are situations ripe for amusement.  I need to
think about some examples that I have read and will add them.  If anyone else can think of some, please feel free to drop me a comment.

I would give this a firm 4 1/2 stars and I look forward to reading it again and again.

Lord Heartless by Barbara Metzger

I am currently on a Barbara Metzger kick and have just finished Lord Heartless on my IPad.  I had been wanting to read this book for years, but the used copies were always a little pricey for me.  This is one of the reasons I broke down and started reading ebooks, but that subject is best left for another time.

Anyhow, this is a cute, well-written book that is completely in style with the author's early books.  Lesley, Viscount Hartleigh, is another great beta hero.  I'm beginning to think that Barbara Metzger is the best at writing these types of heroes.  Lesley is a typical, young lord-about-town who has taken residence in a run-down house on a respectable street in order to escape his step-mother and her family.  Unfortunately for the neighbors, he has also brought his very disreputable dog and manservant.  Now Lesley isn't a Saint by any sense of the word.  He regularly drinks, gambles and intermingles with the ladies.  In fact, it is some of this intermingling which results in a baby being deposited on his doorstep one morning.  

This is where our heroine enters the story.  Mrs. Kane is a widowed housekeeper a few doors down from the Viscount.  She also has a young daughter who as Lesley puts it "seemed happy and healthy and devoted to her mother.  That was enough recommendation for the desperate peer".  Lesley takes the baby to Mrs. Kane and convinces her to help.  Now Mrs. Kane has all sorts of trouble herself including being cheated out of an inheritance, her long-thought dead disreputable husband coming back to life, and her growing attraction to the completely impossible Viscount.

The resulting story is a fun read with the colorful secondary characters that always show up in a Barbara Metzger novel.  The dialogue is perfect and believable, the plot moves along a a good pace, the characters act and react as they should to stay in character, and the ending is completely believable.  What more could a regency romance junkie ask for???  I loved that Lesley reminded me so much of my brothers - good, decent men who are just a tad bit intimidated and exasperated with women.  I often say that the hero almost always will make or break the plot for me and this is no exception.  Mrs. Kane is a fine heroine, but it is her interactions with the Viscount that had me turning the pages (or swiping the screen in this case).

This is definitely a four star story and well-worth the $3.99.  In fact, if I could have found it for twice as much in paperback, I would have paid it.

Cupboard Kisses by Barbara Metzger

This is a classic Barbara Metzger romance. It has everything that I love about her: humor, likable main characters, secondary characters that steal the scenes, and new twists on an oft-used plot. Cristabel is naive, but not stupid and Kenley is definitely cynical, but not so much that he doesn't appreciate good when he sees it. Yes, it was a little far-fetched that Christabel didn't catch onto Mac's racket sooner, but it was fun to watch the occupants of the house go about their daily (and nightly) business all the while trying to keep her in the dark.

My one major issue with this story was the whole Captain Chase/Lord Winstoke identity thing. I don't think the story needed it to go as far as it did and it was really unnecessary. I just don't understand why he didn't tell her that he was Captain Chase. And while I am usually against people holding grudges for long, I think she really let him off the hook too easily at the end when she found out.  However, they did wrap everything up quickly and moved onto their Happily Ever After.

I would rate this book a solid four stars. I can see myself reading it again next year and still being entertained by the witty dialogue.  My all-time favorite Barbara Metzger is definitely Miss Lockharte's Letters which has a heroine that is pretty similar to Cristabel.  But if you want a not-so-typical read that is very well-written then The Hourglass is my recommendation.

The Rake to Ruin Her by Julia Justiss

I think this would have made a great short story. I say that because after they married, the plot really dragged. I understand the drama about a pregnancy and why she decided to not worry about it anymore, but it just wasn't a compelling read. In fact, I was pretty bored with Max and Caro by the end of the book.  It seemed like their sparks had dimmed.

There were some good things like Max and Caro's interactions at the house party at the beginning. They were both so full of life, even if Max was whining a bit about Vienna and his ruined career.  I mean, he made a pretty stupid mistake.  Don't they teach that in diplomat/foreign service school that you NEVER trust unknown damsels in supposed distress!!!!! I also liked the family support (except for his father, of course) that they received, but I didn't understand why the step-mother wouldn't have come to help out Caro during her confinement.  To be fair, I was starting to skim pages a bit so maybe I missed that point. 

I am  intrigued about the other 3 Ransleigh cousins. I don't know if I would buy their stories, but I would definitely get them from the library.

So, in short, I would give this 2 stars but I wouldn't give up on the entire series yet.

To Dream Again by Laura Lee Guhrke

This is was an interesting book that I'm not quite sure about.  Ms. Guhrke's writing is excellent and the plot is definitely inventive.  I found the detail of starting a new business and keeping that business running fascinating.  In fact, the business almost overshadowed the entire romance, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.  Nathanial was stereotypical beta hero who just wants to build toys.  Mara is a tough cookie who has pulled herself through life with sheer determination.  As you can imagine, Nathanial was easier to like, but it was Mara who truly shined as she fought her distrust and fears to embrace Nathanial's vision.  In a movie, it would be the actress who played Mara who would be nominated for an Oscar because it would take a truly stellar performance to pull her off as likable and sympathetic.

I think the inclusion of the secondary characters really help this plot from becoming too intense.  Billy and the kitten give Mara emotion, while the incredibly unlikeable brother gives Nathanial a chance to show some alphaness.  I really didn't like the way he caved at the end only to be saved by Mara, but I guess it moved the plot along.  Personally, it would have been more interesting to see him beat his brother up and then rat him out to his fiancee.

So I am giving this a three star rating, but I think it is probably better than that.  I will save it and read it again next year to see how I feel.  BTW, the period this story takes place in (1899) is as much a character in this story.  It kind of reminds me of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.  I hope a screenwriter finds this story because I really think it would translate well onto the big screen.

Viscount Vagabond by Loretta Chase

I really liked this book and would rate it a strong 4 stars.  This is definitely where Ms. Chase learned her ability to make characters, both male and female, interesting and unique.  Max was perfect!  He was, to me, like most young men...a little selfish, kind, easily spooked, and decent.  Catherine was a perfect match for him.  His sister was a great character also, it is nice to read about supportive families.  The friend Jack was also great and I enjoyed his book as well.

The boy Jemmy was a great addition to the book because he really brought out the best in both Max and Catherine, even if they didn't see it.  Loved the ending and the way everything was tied up with the various fiances that were hanging about.  This is definitely an old throw-back novel without much heat, but a very nice story.

Knave's Wager by Loretta Chase

Cute book. This is one of Ms. Chase's earlier books and I definitely enjoyed it better than the last couple. The writing alone is worth the 4 stars, but the plot is a good one. Lillith and Julian are perfectly written as older, wiser guides to the younger couple of Robert and Cecily. I wasn't thrilled at the plot that had Lillian blaming Julian for her husband's death for awhile, but I think it came together pretty well at the end. 

I really like Robert's transformation and it was nice that Cecily wasn't the typical brain-dead debutante that seems to populate regencies. I also liked that Lillith was so kind to her nieces and intended to continue helping them. Her engagement was a little bit of a distraction, but I'm glad that Ms. Chase didn't vilify Thomas. I was a little surprised that Julian offered Elise a chance to go with him to France when he was supposedly in love with Lillith. It may have been the author's attempt to show that Julian had no intention of staying in England with Lillith married, but I think it also showed a little bit of cowardice on his part. Why wouldn't he stay and fight? 

The last scene where Lillith confronts Julian is how more novels should end. Reminded me of a good old-fashioned Georgette Heyer novel. Air is cleared...everyone loves each other...over! No epilogue, no last-minute sex scene, just done. Perfect.

The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright by Tessa Dare

This was an interesting plot-line that was a good choice for a novella as opposed to a full novel.  Ms. Dare did a great job at the beginning setting the story, introducing the characters and moving the plot along in a way that didn't seem forced at all.  I really liked Harry from the beginning and was pretty tolerant of Eliza and her "all about her" attitude since she was acting exactly like any normal teenager would.  I also liked how this story moved along in terms of years instead of days like most stories.  It made me really look forward to their next encounter and made me wonder where they would run into each other next.  The way that they really didn't know too much of what was going on each other's lives seemed completely plausible since they couldn't correspond, they weren't in any way related and didn't even share the same circle of friends til later.  Also, the last meeting was really well-written and a fun scene to read.

So why the three stars only?  I just didn't like the back story that came out in the middle of the story about the characters.  I think it would have been better if Ms. Dare hadn't tried to make both Harry and Eliza martyrs.  One martyr per story please!!!  But, many kudos to the author for not dragging it all out (one good thing for novellas - the painful parts are short).

So, in short (no pun intended), well-worth the $.99.

A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan

Kudos to Ms. Milan! She has written two of the best novellas I have read in a very long time (the other being The Governess Affair). Short stories seem to be very hit or miss usually, but this author has nailed down the perfect formula. Yes, it helped that we had been introduced to the hero and heroine in The Duchess War, but I don't think that she drew much on that back story much at all. In fact, she was able to weave a story that hardly mentioned anyone else, but still kept it full and rich.

I LOVED Jonas! Usually it is either the girl who is portrayed as unbecomingly blunt or a jaded rake who is just rude to the point of being insufferable (although, in the case of St. Aubyn in Suzanne Enoch's London's Perfect Scoundrel, it was just hilarious). Ms. Milan is able to make Jonas forgivingly blunt because it is his job as a doctor to be so. His dilemma with his father seems so current with today's world that it was heartbreaking to read as many of us have the same issues with our parents (although hopefully not to that degree). Jonas also knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to go after Lydia. I loved his analogy that she made him a "smiling little dark raincloud".

Lydia is a great heroine. She is the perfect foil to Dr. Jonas without falling into the stereo-typical, happy-go-lucky girl with a horrible secret. She honestly, with the help of her wonderful family, has moved on with her life. She did have a moment of stupidity with the Captain, but she moved on in a completely healthy and satisfying way. 

I truly believe that this couple will be great together always. Makes me want to live in their little town...with modern amenities, of course.

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Ms. Milan is starting to really climb on my favorite author list.  She writes consistently good books and this is no exception.  The prequel novella, The Governess Affair, was amazing and I was more than ready to embrace Robert, Oliver and Sebastian as the next heroes in my life.

I loved Robert as a hero.  He is the ultimate Nice Guy who turned out that way by the Grace of God because it sure wasn't his parents' influence.  His father was a horrible specimen of a man and I really wish he had died alone.  His mother wasn't much better, but Robert was able to make peace with her.  In fact, I think his interactions with her made me love him even more since he gave her chance after chance to do the right thing and in the end he was rewarded.  (I won't give it away, but the epilogue was AWESOME!  It may surpass my all-time favorite from Promise Me Forever by Lorraine Heath).  I didn't love Minnie as much at the end.  I think she freaked out a little at her great-aunts unnecessarily when everything was coming to a head and it kind of colored my opinion of her.  She did redeem herself eventually, mostly by being completely reasonable and supportive of Robert's decision at the end.  Oliver and Sebastian continue to be great characters and I loved seeing Hugo and Serena again.  I think Serena's reaction to Robert the first time was a little bit out of character for her and I wish that there had been resolution about that sooner, but I still love them.

The only slight quibble I had with the story that kept this as a 4 1/2 star book and not a 5 Star offering was the ending court drama.  I understand why she had it work that way since it gave an opportunity for all the loose ends to be tied up...I just didn't like the way it broke up the warm and fuzzy feelings I was having with Robert and Minnie in Paris.

I recommend this book whole-heartedly.  I do suggest reading the prequel first, though.

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

This was a great short story.  It started out with an enticing hook and just kept reeling me in.  The quality of this story makes me wish more short stories were written.  Ms. Milan was able to stay away from any unnecessary drama and stick to the main story.  After reading the samples at the next books in the series, I am so happy that she decided write this prequel so that when Robert's and Sebastian's books come out we don't have to waste time reading about their history.  This is a great example that if the backstory is compelling enough, definitely write a story about it even it is just a novella.  What happened in the past should never overtake the present...usually.  There are always exceptions, of course, but the author should be prepared for it.

Hugo is the hero of my dreams and I love that Serena has taken hold of her own life.  Yes, she was very lucky that Hugo was drawn to her and her plight, but I think the journey that she went through was inspiring.  At the end I truly believed that they would have a great life.  I also believed that Hugo would love the child as his own, which is always a worry when the heroine is already pregnant.  I do think the relationship between Serena and her sister was a bit strange, but maybe that will be explained later in another book.

Great story.  Highly recommend it.  Am looking forward to meet Robert, Oliver and Sebastian all grown-up!

The Conquest of Lady Cassandra by Madeline Hunter

Madeline Hunter has been an auto-buy for me for many years, but I'm sorry to say that I wish I had waited to check this one out of the library instead of buying it. Based on the first book in the series, The Surrender of Miss Fairbourne, I was really looking forward to Cassandra's story. She had all the qualities I usually like: older, wiser, calm, little mystery, etc. Unfortunately, there was way too much mystery (most of which could have been solved with a short and sweet conversation with her Aunt) and whole lot less of wise. 

I admired Cassandra for her calmness and lack of hysterics, but it seemed to me that she was too willing to wait and let Ambury dictate terms. I think a little hysteria and urgency would have solved everything much quicker, but then we would have missed the great descriptions of Amburys tight bum over and over again. By the middle of the story, I was frustrated at the slow pacing of the story. This is weird because I am usually thinking that things happen too fast, but the constant back and forth of Ambury and Cassandra to their family members seeking out information but yet coming up with nothing was very frustrating...at least to me but not to them. 

Isaac's Army by Matthew Brzezinski

I am very glad I picked this book up at the library. I have read a lot of books about WWII but never one that focused solely on the Jewish resistance in Warsaw. The fact that all of the people were real and the events described well-documented and researched made this story haunting, horrifying, intense, but so riveting I had trouble putting it down. I loved the epilogue, the last paragraph brought the book full circle.  I especially appreciate the time Mr. Brzezinski spent on research to accurately portray the characters and dreadful situations they lived through. My only quibble would be that I wish there had been pictures. I found myself reading next to the computer so I could look up people for a face to put with the name.

I find myself now very interested in the formation of Israel and the conflict that developed between the British in Palestine and the Jews who were encouraged to leave Europe by the Communist governments of Eastern Europe.  I foresee another trip to the library for me!

I recommend this book to everyone. 

I wanted to add...in an earlier review I mentioned how brave the characters were.  I must state that those were made-up characters in a fantasy story.  The characters in this book were real and actually performed heroic acts on a daily basis for over 5 years while fighting the Nazis in Poland.  These are true heroes who had more bravery and confidence in their little fingers than I could even dream of having.  They will always be the gold-standard of bravery in my book.

The Plumed Bonnet by Mary Balogh

This is a classic Mary Balogh with a cynical , all-about-me lord and a naive, but spunky heroine who somehow are able to make it work. I liked the book, mostly, and the plot as it was described on the back. In the beginning, Alistair is all "You are a liar but I want you so I'll put up with it until you're so humiliated you will sleep with me".  This is a little much, but since he ultimately understands the word "NO" he gets away with it...at least with me.  He is paired with Stephanie, who is innocent and naive and VERY, VERY LUCKY! I cannot underscore this part enough.  In fact, I may have my teen aged daughters read this as an example of WHAT NOT TO DO!  Although, I do recognize she had very little choice by this point.  Anyhow, the fun ends when Stephanie is revealed to be exactly what she said she was and Alistair steps up to do the right thing and marry her.  This actually would have been an excellent ending to a short story because the first third of the book was the best.

It kind of fell apart in the middle when Stephanie was being prepped by Alistair's family. She didn't act the same (not sure why) and neither did Alistair (again, not sure why) so the story ground to a bore...bore...bore. In fact, I decided to take a nap but finished it when I woke up.  

Authors and Books - Hate Them/Love Them

I have been thinking a lot about authors and books and why I like them.  You see, I tend to stick to the same set of 30 or so authors (probably more, I am actually afraid to count :)).  I tend to get a little irritated when I auto-buy a book based solely on the author and it turns out to be not very good.  However, I am a forgiving soul, so I will usually make the same mistake several times before striking them to my library only list.  I understand that an author cannot appeal to all readers all the time.  They need to write what appeals and interests them, and obviously I am not them and they don't ask my opinion.  So here is a listing of some examples of authors that missed with me:

1. The Huxtable Quintet series from Mary Balogh. I love Mary's books, but this series just didn't do anything for me except the 3rd book At Last Comes Love but even that one was only a 3 out 5 star.
2. As I stated in a recent review of Celeste Bradley's When She Said I Do, the book may have failed but author didn't lose me yet!
3. Books 4 and 5 of Elizabeth Boyle's Bachelor Chronicles, Confessions of a Little Black Gown and Memoirs of a Scandalous Dress, were just not of the same caliber as the 5 star Love Letters from a Duke.  Sighhh...I need to reread that one!
4. Liz Carlyle's last series entitled Fraternitas Aureae Crucis definitely didn't come close to her earlier books.  I really hope she finds her way back soon because A Woman Scorned and A Woman of Virtue are in my top 20 books and I would love to read about some more awesome couples.
5. I had to give up on Gaelen Foley after the 5 Star worthy One Night of Sin.  Everything else has been unreadable.
6. I also gave up on Karen Hawkins.  The Maclean Curse series just wasn't good which is too bad because the Talisman Ring series was pretty original and well-written.
7. I keep giving Madeline Hunter more chances even after the mess that was the Rothwell Brothers series.  The Rarest Blooms were decent, but she has so much more potential.  She just needs to stay away from Jerks as Heroes.  I need to review one of her books soon.

One Good Earl Deserves A Lover by Sarah MacLean

This was not Ms. MacLean's best book, a solid 3 out of 5 stars, but it is the first one out of 5 that I have not enjoyed 100% so I would say she is still pretty good.  In the first book of the series, A Rogue By Any Other Name, Penelope was so great that she made more than made up for the fact that Bourne was just an ass for 90% of the book.  In this one, Pippa just wasn't as interesting and Cross not as big of a jerk.  I mean, Pippa is scary smart and a great character, but almost one dimensional in the way that she couldn't see a way out of her engagement.  Cross's problem was that he was convinced he couldn't be happy since his brother had died and it didn't matter that it made Pippa unhappy too.  Now this type of plot line gets old fast since martyrdom is never attractive or interesting.  I hope that this isn't going to be the recurrent theme for Temple and Chase's books as well.

The initial premise was pretty good, but it just couldn't keep going past page 200 before something broke.  The countdown of 14 days also started out as intriguing, but the insights into Pippa's thoughts at the beginning of each chapter just weren't that interesting.  Castleton turned out to be a complete saint and definitely had more depth to him than anyone would guess.  In fact, I would love to read about his whirlwind courtship of Ms. Knight because there would be real conflict between his mother and her father.  Maybe it would be a good novella since we already know that it ends with HEA.


Ms. Maclean's first series, the numbers one, hooked me by her inventiveness and humor.  I think that is what was missing in Cross's story...the humor.  Here are some examples:


“Nick spoke again. "Her legitimacy will be questioned."Gabriel thought for several moments. "If our mother married her father, it means that the marchioness must have converted to Catholicism upon arriving in Italy. The Catholic Church would never have acknowledged her marriage in the Church of England.""Ah, so it is we who are illegitimate." Nick's words were punctuated with a wry smile."To Italians, at least," Gabriel said. "Luckily, we are English.""Excellent. That works out well for us.” (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake)

“I've loved him for a decade. And I had him for one day before I made a complete and utter mess of things. Or he did. I'm still not sure about that.” (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake)

She also always has very strong heroines and very rakey rakes (Yeah, I just made that phrase up), but Pippa was almost too off in a different world and Cross had given up being a rake.  I did approve of him changing his name from Jasper to Cross though.  I mean, Jasper????? 

I very much look forward to Temple's story.  I just hope she stays away from martyrs.  

When She Said I Do by Celeste Bradley

I was really looking forward to this book.  I enjoyed Ms. Bradley's Royal Four and Liars Club books and two are even on my 5 Star All-Time Favorite List (To Wed a Scandalous Spy and Seducing the Spy, so I was very excited to read that poor Ren Porter was going to get a book of his own.  I was also looking forward to the whole Worthington family.  Ms. Bradley had explained on her website that she was trying to portray a family similar to the Weasley family from Harry Potter so what could go wrong?  Apparently A LOT...

Now, Ms. Bradley's books have always been a little hit or miss for me.  As I mentioned, two of the Royal Four books are absolutely wonderful, however one of them, Surrender to a Wicked Spy, is absolutely dreadful.  The Liar books are really well-plotted and interesting to read, but the Heiress Bride books are not that great.  So the fact that she has started out a series with a clunker isn't a deal breaker for me because I know that the next book, And Then Comes Marriage, could be another 5 star offering.  I will probably just get it from the library first.

So what was my problem with the story?  On the surface, the plot is a good one.  Callie is interesting, Ren is sufficiently tortured yet still hero material, the Worthingtons appear to be insane (more on that later) and there are lots of cameos by the Liars and Royal Four members.  Here are my main beefs:

• What the F??? are Callie's parents thinking leaving her with some guy in a hood they've known for less than 24 hours?  Sorry, not buying the whole explanation at the end that maybe her crazy mother was in cahoots with the dressmaker.
• The Worthingtons are truly NUTS!  The whole family except for apparently Callie and a couple of brothers.  Not only are they crazy, but the level of neglect the whole family has suffered is appalling and not even a little bit endearing.  I know there were a few explanations thrown around like the older brother having been thought killed in Spain, but really???
• Did I miss where we discovered the ages of anybody but the 12 year old homicidal sister?  
• And speaking of her - WTH was all THAT about?  I'm sorry but I have no interest in plot lines that include 12 year olds plotting to murder their brother-in-law.

The Mortal Instruments #1-3 by Cassandra Clare

My 15 year-old daughter, Maddy, has been insisting that I read this series for a long time.  This past week, I gave in and I am sooooooooooooooo glad that I did.  I did read the first 4, but I'm only going to tackle numbers 1 - 3 because they seem to go together.

First off, I loved all of them, but #3 was absolutely the best.  The City of Bones does a great job setting the story and introducing the characters.  I was unable to put down The City of Ashes because of everything that was happening and The City of Glass is even better than the 7th Harry Potter book because it stays on course with very few detours.  I really fell in love with Simon right off the bat, but it took me longer to appreciate Clary or Jace.  This is almost one of those series where the secondary characters really make the story fly.  The similarities to the Harry Potter books is strong, except the intensity is there right off the bat instead of waiting for book 5.  I'm sure the fact that the kids are 16ish make this possible.  

Secondly, Ms. Clare can write dialogue like no one else I've read in a while.  Holy Cow, I found myself stopping and reading quotes aloud to my amused girls and long-suffering husband several time during each book.  Here are some of my favorites:

“I don't want to be a man," said Jace. "I want to be an angst-ridden teenager who can't confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead."
"Well," said Luke, "you're doing a fantastic job.” 

“I am a man" he told her, "and men do not consume pink beverages. Get thee gone woman, and bring me something brown.” 

Midnight Pleasures with a Scoundrel by Lorraine Heath

I have really enjoyed the Scoundrels in this Lorraine Heath series - especially Frannie! Even though I didn't like this one as much, it is still a solid 3 star book.

Jim is a strong, large, loner hero is has made it his mission in life to be a fare investigator for Scotland Yard. Eleanor is a previously meek and mild girl who comes to London for revenge. There are A LOT of twists in the plot, some you can see coming but others are complete surprises. This makes the book move along and not get stuck. There are also lots of interactions between Jim and the other scoundrels which also helped keep my interest. So all in all, good book.

So what's my problem? My problem is that I think Ms. Heath put the wrong Scoundrel with the Heroine. I don't usually try to second-guess for the author, but I really think Eleanor was deep down too mild for Jim. Bill (the doctor), who we never see much of, would have been a much better fit. Jim's whole persona is that he has this need to take care of people. Wouldn't it had been nice for him to find someone who was capable of taking care of herself? I understand she came to London for revenge and all, but it was really amateurishly done and if it hadn't been for Jim, she would have been in trouble.  I'm thinking like a Maddy character in The Perils of Pleasure by Julie Ann Long.  I love that book...I need to re-read it and write a review of it....But I digress!

Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath

There were a lot of good things about this book which made it an enjoyable read.  The Hero, Jack, was your better than average-looking scoundrel with a tortured past.  He also had a posse of scoundrel friends about which we will learn more about in the other books in the series.  (We had already met one in In Bed With the Devil)  Olivia is a new widow who has found herself forced to accept Jack as the guardian of her five-year old son.  The plot basically revolves around Jack trying to figure out why he was named the guardian while trying desperately to hook up with Olivia.

The first part of the plot is interesting and while it drags on a bit, there are enough tidbits spread about that it keeps the book moving.  It is the second part that moved the book from a solid 4 star to a 3 star book.  I just didn't see how a previously pious, Victorian Duchess would suddenly in the space of about 2-3 weeks succumb to Jack.  In fact, I think the story would have been better if it had stretched over a year at least.  I believe in lust and love at first sight.  I do have a tough time believing in sorrow to dismay to disgust to lust to no longer mourning to love within a week.  


The son fit in perfectly and I loved how he was integral at the end of the book.  Personally, I love it when there are kids in books as long as they act like kids.  I think this little family will definitely be happy together.


The other books in the series are good as well - especially Fannie's.

Practically Wicked by Alissa Johnson

I am so glad I read this book. It is my first Alissa Johnson and it really met all my expectations. This book has been garnering some really good reviews and it deserves them. Anna Reese is completely believable as her role as a sheltered, hidden child of an aging courtesan who just wants to escape. She is naive, but extremely well-educated thanks to her governess/companion. It was a shock to me when her actual age is revealed at the end of the book. 

Max is the perfect foil for her. He is initially perceived as your typical, not a care in the world lord. Nice, but forgettable. When the story jumps ahead four years, his true character makes itself known and I loved him! He may be the only hero I have ever read who not only quickly realized he was wrong, but also had enough strength of character to seek out Anna and apologize. He had me at I'm sorry.

Now the story has some flaws, which is why I didn't give it five stars. The biggest problem I had was the premise that the daughter of a courtesan would be allowed to wander about her mother's London house for over 25 years and never pressured to marry or worse. I also was a tad skeptical that the family of a Marquess would happily accept their father's illegitimate daughter into their home to live forever. That is until I read the summary of the book about this family that was first in this series. Apparently the current Marquess and his brother have experience in finding and embracing wards of their father who have been neglected. He was a real peach and his second-wife a holy terror. Also, the whole plot-line of her mother wanting her back just seemed crazy.

So, this is a nice story about two normal, lonely people who are perfect for each other. Read it, you won't be sorry.

Definite 4 1/2 Stars !!!!

The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville

Ok...I have read a books by Ms. Neville before.  I don't remember them at all and only have 1 on my bookshelf.  I keep telling myself that I need to reread it, but can't seem to.  Anyhow, I bought this book based on the incredibly good reviews it received on several websites.  It also had one of my favorite types of plots - Good, Normal Hero who falls for Bad, Notorious Heroine.  (This is not to be confused with my all-time favorite plot of Bad, Notorious Hero who falls for Good, Normal Heroine).

Ms. Neville does a very good job setting the plot, describing the characters and moving the story along.  My problem is what happens after Thomas and Caro get married.  They both go from being sensible to stupid, each making decisions without the other's involvement.  I also never got the sense that this marriage would last.  They are both so different and I'm not sure they like the other's main character.  This doesn't stop them from being very attracted to eachother, which is fun to watch.  But I think that if they were plunked down in the modern world, they would date for about a year then move on.

So I would give this 3 stars out of 5, but I kind of wish I had borrowed it from the library instead of paying $7.99 for it.

The Seduction of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley

I really like Jennifer Ashley's books. She always has the most imaginative plots and the backstories of her characters are interesting and unique. This story of Elliot McBride and his obvious struggle with PTSD is well-done and kept my attention throughout. I would rate this as 4 stars based on the story alone, but there are some issues that keep this from being as amazing as The Madness of Lord Ian:
1. The Heroine. I never understood why she was still unmarried at 30. She seemed very nice and organized, but was really a little dull.
2. The Villians. I say villians in plural form because Ms. Ashley kept giving us reasons to not like someone, then attempted to rehabilitate them (the step-mother, the other Scotsman from India, the blackmailers). Anyhow, at the end it just seemed like she added the whole controversy just for the Hero to have something to do besides trying to keep sane.

There are some great aspects that will most likely make me re-read it soon to see if I missed anything:

1. The Indian servants. They are awesome. I especially like the mother-in-law.
2. The descriptions of rural Scotland and how people lived. Wonderful. Makes me want to go there to live. Also, the house they move to. I want the house, after it is restored, of course.
3. The Hero. I wish he was a real person, except for the whole strangling people thing while in a trance. I truly hope that some day he is recovered enough to not do that anymore.
4. The Mackenzies. They are a interesting family and I always enjoy them. 
5. The sneek preview of Daniel's story which is out next. Sounds like another winner.

You do not need to have read any of the other books in the series to enjoy this book. I would suggest it, though, just because they are good books.

Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly

I usually really like Carla Kelly books, especially her older stories, but this one wasn't as good. I think it may have been just too long. I would say the first two-thirds were perfect, but the last third, whew! In fact, it may have been almost a 5 star if Ms. Kelly hadn't decided to throw everything and the kitchen sink at this couple. The heroine goes from being brave and smart to brave and stupid. The hero went from being involved and caring to just absent. And the brother-in-law villian was suddenly trusted again and welcomed into the family. The kids were cute and wise beyond their years, which is okay...usually.

That said, it did keep me up last night til it was finished, Ms. Kelly's writing is always superb, and there was no doubt that there is a happily ever after for everyone involved.   The characters are well-drawn and there is just as much attention paid to the  supporting cast as the main ones.  

I will probably re-read it someday, but not soon.

Welcome!

Hello,

     I am CJ and I am an avid reader. I will pretty much read anything, but always return to my ultimate escape…Historical Romance. I know that most of you think of 80′s bodice rippers with Fabio covers whenever romance novels are mentioned, but there are actually a lot of good stories, phenomenal writing and smart dialogue that has me enthralled for days following finishing a book. That said, there is also a fair amount of overdone plotlines, stupid heroines and unlikable heroes that are sold daily to unsuspecting readers who really just want a book that will take them away for a few minutes while waiting to pick up their children from band practice.

So, after spending the last week going through my bookshelf and adding my 500+ books to GoodReads, I have decided that I may be able to help a few prospective book buyers with a review or two before they plunk down $7 for a book that may end up, at best, going out the door to Goodwill or, at worst, in the trash.

Since I do often read other things than romance, I wouldn’t call this a romance-review only blog. And I don’t intend to review all my books. I do have a life after all. Anyhow…Welcome to my Bookshelf!