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!