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 :)
Friday, April 26, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
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!
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, April 22, 2013
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.
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.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
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.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
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.
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.
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