Fall Reviews 2013

Oh dear.  It's been such a long time since I've posted! Eek! I'm reviewing books I read in August and here it is the 1st of November!  To make up for it, I threw a few more recent releases I've read as well!  Right! So... without further ado, let's get to it!

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

Book Description:
Bridget Jones is back!

Great comic writers are as rare as hen's teeth. And Helen is one of a very select band who have created a character of whom the very thought makes you smile. Bridget Jones' Diary, charting the life of a 30-something singleton in London in the 1990s was a huge international bestseller, published in 40 countries and selling over 15 million copies worldwide. Its sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, published soon after was also a major international bestseller.

Set in the present, the new novel will explore a different phase in Bridget's life with an entirely new scenario. As Helen Fielding has said: "If people laugh as much reading it as I am while writing it then we'll all be very happy."

I didn't think I would, especially with the demise of one of my absolute favorite literary heroes - but I absolutely loved it!   I laughed I cried I was all over the place while reading this book, but mostly I laughed. Hysterical scenes involving texting and tweeting - all with the same old Bridget we know and love.  She really hasn't changed that much, considering she's aged a bit and is facing all sorts of new (and old) problems.  Alas no Mark Darcy, but Roxster, her 29 year old boy toy was adorable and I was so glad to see Bridget have a happy ending.  She really deserved it.  Great book!  Why am I surprised, the other Bridget's were favorites too!  Fielding has done a masterful job at mixing humor with some very tender and heart wrenching emotions.  She hasn't lost it at all, just as fresh and amusing as ever.  Can I just say - "I want a boy toy tooooo!" (Love the cover!)

5/5

Duke of Midnight by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book Description: 
Twenty years ago Maximus Batten witnessed the brutal murders of his parents. Now the autocratic Duke of Wakefield, he spends his days ruling Parliament. But by night, disguised as the Ghost of St. Giles, he prowls the grim alleys of St. Giles, ever on the hunt for the murderer. One night he finds a fiery woman who meets him toe-to-toe—and won't back down . . .

Artemis Greaves toils as a lady's companion, but hiding beneath the plain brown serge of her dress is the heart of a huntress. When the Ghost of St. Giles rescues her from footpads, she recognizes a kindred spirit-and is intrigued. She's even more intrigued when she realizes who exactly the notorious Ghost is by day . . . 

Artemis makes a bold move: she demands that Maximus use his influence to free her imprisoned brother-or she will expose him as the Ghost. But blackmailing a powerful duke isn't without risks. Now that she has the tiger by the tail, can she withstand his ire-or the temptation of his embrace?

I loved this Georgian historical, as I do all her books.  Totally was into the whole Batman thing.   It would have been nearly perfect, except for the sticky problem that Maximus, the Duke of Wakefield was so selfish about wanting Artemis - yet still intending to marry Penelope who was so awful!  Points against him, but then again, you've got to have that angst and it would have been too pat otherwise.  A little realism doesn't hurt.  Still, it took him way to long to figure out that he was wrong.  Still, a good story and lived up to all my expectations!


4/5

The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry

Book Description:
"Boundaries." The key to how corporate lawyer Alexandra Knight manages her busy life. However, lately all her precisely drawn lines are getting blurred. Blame it on her out-of-control biological clock that is ignoring her single status...and on Ethan Stone.Because her sexy, no-strings colleague has posed an outrageous solution to her dilemma--he'll be her baby daddy. This from the guy who avoids all commitment? Okay, so they're attracted to each other. Really, really attracted. But crossing the line from coworker to co-parent with Ethan could ruin Alex for all other men. After all, when you've had the best...

Ordinarily I don't read Harlequins - except for when it comes to Sarah Mayberry.  As usual with her stories, this was an emotional read, but the theme of wanting to have a baby because the clock is ticking and wanting to do the whole artificial insemination theme just kind of bothered me. I really loved the hero, Ethan, in the story he was great and I felt for him, but not wanting to marry even when she tells him her feelings killed me! Alexandra was a tough heroine to like.  Overall the story fell a bit short for me since the answer to both their problems was so obvious, but I still loved it and I was up into middle of the night to finish it.

4/5

Can't Get Enough by Sarah Mayberry

Book Description:
He's everything she despises-a babe magnet with more notches on his belt than a millipede has legs.  And he thinks his coworker is wound so tightly she irons her underwear at night.  Two people couldn't be further apart.

But when Jack Brook and Claire Marsden get stuck in a sweltering elevator one afternoon, it's a different story. By the time they're rescued, Jack and Claire have swapped confidences and oh, they've had the most spectacular sex of their lives!Back in the office they're still butting heads over projects, but now there's a heightened awareness added to the mix. With this kind of tension in the air, how can they resist another round of sexy indulgence? 

Another winner Sarah Mayberry romance. An irresistible premise of what happens when you get stuck in an elevator for a few hours with the office playboy and have sex with him, against all your better judgement.  Come on, everyone has fantasized about this kind of scenario with someone at some point in their lives.  *blushing* George Clooney anyone? Although the heroine is prickly and uptight in the beginning, her personality shines through later in the book. I loved Jack, of course.  Not the best Mayberry I've read, and not as emotional as her others, but it was a fun, quick read.

4/5

Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

Book Description: 
MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL - His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.

MEET THE HEIRESS - She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire.

WATCH THE SPARKS FLY....Filled with Lisa Kleypas's trademark sensuality, filled with characters you love to hate and men you love to love, Blue-Eyed Devil will hold you captive in its storytelling power as the destiny of two people unfolds with every magical word.

Haven Travis escapes from an abusive marriage and into the arms of ne'er do well, self-made rich oil man, Hardy Cates - who her family hates. Good story, a bit melodramatic and reminiscent of an '80's TV miniseries. I would have liked it more if Haven hadn't been such a doormat for much of the book. I still loved Hardy though, classic Kleypas hero *sigh* but her historicals are where she really shines.

4/5

 
Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Book Description:
Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy.  He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure.  But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul.  Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms.  It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister.  And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.  With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer.

I loved this novel and it was my favorite in the Travis series. I didn't think I would, especially with a baby storyline, but it sucked me in all the way through to the end, bringing tears to my eyes with it's happily ever after ending. I loved Jack Travis! I had a harder time getting into Ella, but she won we over soon enough.  Despite some minor flaws I found it an emotional, touching contemporary that plucked at my heart strings, not to mention the sizzling love scenes between Ella and Jack.  A keeper!

4.5/5

The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

Book Description:
This Regency era battle of wits, wills, and the sexes features a wily duke determined to see the succession of his line secured. The duke can't force his sons to marry, but he can make their lives miserable until they do. Resisting his pressure, each gentleman holds out for true love.
The second book in the series features Devlin St. Just, the duke's oldest, but illegitimate, son. He arrives at his new estate weary in body and spirit only to find the previous owner's bastard daughter and her beautiful cousin are his responsibility and making his life almost unbearably complicated. 

Grace Burrowes has become a favorite of mine and I really enjoyed this next installment in her Duke's Obsession series. This is Devlin St. Just's story. Bastard son to the Duke of Moreland, Devlin became a soldier, but it's left him suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome as he retires to his recently acquired estate in Yorkshire. On top of that he is dealing with the recent revelations that his real mother loved him after all. While in Yorkshire, he meets Emmie Farnum, the pretty local baker and so-called guardian of Winnie, a precocious six year old who winds up living with Devlin as his ward. Burrowes has a way of tugging at your heart strings with everyday goings-on. Devlin falls in love with Emmie and she reciprocates yet she cannot marry him for she fears her secret will ruin everything and she's convinced she must let Devlin go to raise Winnie without her - like I said, complicated. I was a little confused about her obstinacy over this issue, but fear not - all is resolved by the end.

4/5

A Garden Folly by Candice Hern

Book Description:
Two sisters on the edge of poverty have a chance to meet wealthy, titled, unmarried gentlemen when they are unexpectedly invited to a house party at a famous country estate owned by the Duke of Carlisle. Though courted by a wealthy earl, Catherine Forsythe finds herself falling for the handsome estate gardener and faced with the choice of marrying for money and security, or following her heart.

I really enjoyed this quick light G-rated regency. Stephen, the Duke of Carlisle wishes he could be loved for himself and not just as a rich duke. He gets his chance when he meets Catherine Forsythe in his own gardens. Disguising himself as head gardener of his own estate, he is bent on wooing her and have her fall in love with him. She is determined to marry a rich man for she and her sister and aunt are nearly destitute. But, she succumbs to the charms of the green eyed handsome gardener, but her common sense is telling her otherwise. Cute story, but I cringed over some of the remarks Catherine unknowingly makes to the duke.  I will read more by this author, so far I've liked what I've read of hers.

3.5/5

True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

Book Description:
Hard knocks and hunger taught Faith Duffy not to believe in love. Still, when she married her very wealthy -- and very old -- husband, she became the perfect wife. And then he went to that big bank in the sky, leaving Faith with lonely nights, a pile of money, and a total mess of a pro hockey team. Heck, Faith doesn't even watch hockey!

But most of America and half of Canada is watching Ty Savage. His lethal sex appeal and deadly right hook make him the favorite of fans. For most of Ty's life, he's dreamed of winning the Stanley Cup. The last thing he needs is a bimbo messing up his plans.

Faith loathes Ty on sight, but she can't stop thinking about him all day ... and night. Then a moment of temptation ends with Faith in Ty's bed, and she begins to see there's more to him than sex appeal. Ty discovers there's far more to Faith than beauty and billions. But a relationship with Faith is impossible, and falling in love --- that would be a disaster.

Not up to par with the previous books in her Chinooks Hockey Team series, but it was still pretty good.  Widow of billionaire Virgil Duffy, a former Playboy Playmate, Faith Duffy, inherits his hockey team and of course, she and the captain, Ty Savage (Sah-vahge) dislike each other at first sight.  But then they fall in lust and can't resist one another.  Not bad, not great, but It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a much better sports romance along these exact same lines.

3.5/5

His Every Kiss by Laura Lee Guhrke

Book Description:
Everyone knows about Dylan Moore—his brilliant talent and his pleasure-seeking ways—but no one knows the torment that lies beneath his reckless veneer. Only one woman gets a glimpse of the forces that drive Dylan's soul, a woman who haunts his dreams and evokes his passions as no other woman ever has before.

Disgraced and destitute, Grace Cheval wants nothing to do with the seductive man who desires her. When Dylan offers her a position as governess to his newfound daughter, she knows his true intentions are dishonorable. Yet she finds this charismatic man hard to resist, and she returns his passionate kisses with a fire that matches his own. Can Dylan dare hope that this proud, spirited beauty will melt the ice around his heart?

I had trouble liking the hero in this one - not to mention the plot line, for that matter.  Yes, our hero, Dylan Moore, had some issues.  But he was much too self centered and by the time he began to change, it seemed it was only out of guilt (hence the series' name) but I didn't find it all that romantic.  Grace, the heroine, seemed to "all of a sudden" want to go to bed with him one night! (I hate it when that happens) Frankly, there just wasn't anything about this book I liked - including the annoying daughter who was a younger clone of her father.  Others by this author are much better.

3/5

No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt by Doris Kearns Goodwin (audio)

Book Description:
No Ordinary Time is a monumental work, a brilliantly conceived chronicle of one of the most vibrant and revolutionary periods in the history of the United States. With an extraordinary collection of details, Goodwin masterfully weaves together a striking number of story lines;  Eleanor and Franklin's marriage and remarkable partnership, Eleanor's life as First Lady, and FDR's White House and its impact on America as well as on a world at war. Goodwin effectively melds these details and stories into an unforgettable and intimate portrait of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt and of the time during which a new, modern America was born.

A mammoth sized bio of the Roosevelt's leading up to and during WWII, fascinating on audiobook, though it took forever.  I must admit, I quizzed my mother and father-in-law much of the time while listening to this.  Peppering them with questions about what it was like back when they were teenagers during the war and what were their memories of FDR and Eleanor.  I really enjoyed this!  A must for anyone that's interested in this time period and FDR. Not much more to say than that!

5/5

 

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July 2013 Reviews

Before I launch into my July book reviews, a brief note about my sadness regarding the recent passing of eighty-five year old Barbara Merts aka Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michael's. Barbara is the author of numerous books, but Crocodile on the Sandbank is one of my all time favorite historical mysteries and the series as a whole is fantastic. Set in Victorian times (and then into Edwardian), it mostly takes place in Egypt. It follows the hilarious archaeological enthusiasts, Amelia Peabody, her husband, Emerson and their precocious son, Ramses - it is very well done. I'm still making my way through the series, it has about 20 books in it. Especially good on audio, with the incomparable Barbara Rosenblat narrating. Barbara will be dearly missed. Rest in peace.

Now onto the reviews...

Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben Macintyre (audio)

Book Description:

In 1943, from a windowless basement office in London, two brilliant intelligence officers conceived a plan that was both simple and complicated— Operation Mincemeat. The purpose? To deceive the Nazis into thinking that Allied forces were planning to attack southern Europe by way of Greece or Sardinia, rather than Sicily, as the Nazis had assumed, and the Allies ultimately chose.

Charles Cholmondeley of MI5 and the British naval intelligence officer Ewen Montagu could not have been more different. Cholmondeley was a dreamer seeking adventure. Montagu was an aristocratic, detail-oriented barrister. But together they were the perfect team and created an ingenious plan: Get a corpse, equip it with secret (but false and misleading) papers concerning the invasion, then drop it off the coast of Spain where German spies would, they hoped, take the bait. The idea was approved by British intelligence officials, including Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond). Winston Churchill believed it might ring true to the Axis and help bring victory to the Allies.

Filled with spies, double agents, rogues, fearless heroes, and one very important corpse, the story of Operation Mincemeat reads like an international thriller.

Unveiling never-before-released material, Ben Macintyre brings the reader right into the minds of intelligence officers, their moles and spies, and the German Abwehr agents who suffered the “twin frailties of wishfulness and yesmanship.” He weaves together the eccentric personalities of Cholmondeley and Montagu and their near-impossible feats into a riveting adventure that not only saved thousands of lives but paved the way for a pivotal battle in Sicily and, ultimately, Allied success in the war.

This was a great (true) story about how during WWII the Allies were able to make the Nazi's think they were going to invade Greece instead of Sicily, a major coup on the road to winning the war. The plan involved loads of behind the scenes espionage, but primarily the big scheme was planting the dead body of what appeared to be a naval officer delivering important war plans of the invasion - misleading war plans. All in intricate detail which does tend to get bogged down occasionally. Very well done on audio, narrated by John Lee. I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in Fifth Column spies during WWII. All of Macintyre's books of this are fascinating, if this is your thing.

3.5/5

Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

Book Description:
Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her—and those she loves.

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness—her wanton desire for him. 

Another rip-roaring roller coaster ride in the Immortals After Dark (IAD) series. Here we have Garreth McGrieve, Lykae who finds his mate - Lucia, a Valkyrie who is the greatest Archer and due to a promise she made eons ago, she must not have sex - at all - ever.  Of course, this is anathema to Garreth who lives for sex - especially with his mate, but he finds ways to get around this with her. For the first half of book, Lucia is evading him, while he is chasing her around the world until they wind up in the Amazon together. This was one long adventure of ups and downs, often reading like an Indiana Jones movie - with lots of sex! Loved it!

4/5

Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole

Book Description:
A scorching tale of a demon outcast poisoned with vampire blood and the vulnerable young witch he vows to protect—even from himself.
 
Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he's pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.
 
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

I didn't expect to love this next and 10th in the IAD series - but I did.  If fact I think it's a favorite so far for me.  Exciting battle scenes, a vulnerability in both hero and heroine, amazing chemistry - and let's not leave out the hot sex. The intense plot line definitely makes you want to continue on in this paranormal series which has only gotten better and better with each successive book.  Here we come full circle with Malkolm, a demon that is turned into a vampire (demons loath vampires) against his will.   Intense and strong, I loved to see his "human" side eventually shine through, particularly cute with the young witch Ruby.   Plus, I loved seeing so many of the past characters (and future) coming together in one book - and what the hell is this Order all about? And La Dorada - yipes!  A thrilling read and hard to put down in the second half.

4.5/5

Open Country by Kaki Warner
Book Description:
Molly McFarlane is desperate, forced to flee to the frontier with her late sister's children. While outrunning the trackers their stepfather set on her trail, she marries a dying man, assuming his insurance settlement will provide for them. But the man doesn't die. And when Molly ends up caring for the man and his own family, she finds that even the best of lives can emerge from the worst of circumstances... 

Second in the trilogy of brothers living in New Mexico Territory in the early 1870's, this is Hank's story. Molly McFarlane, out of desperation, marries an unconscious Hank Wilkins because she believes he won't live after a train derailment and she needs the railroad widow's settlement money because she is fleeing her evil brother-in-law with her niece and nephew. Of course, this isn't right and she knows it, which becomes a major fly in the ointment when Hank lives after all. His amnesia doesn't help matters either as the lie is prolonged. Good story, with a truly scary villain who is tracking Molly and the children. I loved Hank who is the big, strong, silent type.  Shy about his unusually handsome face, he hides himself under a beard most of the time.  To say the least, Molly is devastated by the first time he sees him smile clean shaven.  Wonderful story between the two, though I did have trouble with the deception going on for so long, but it was still great to see so much of Brady, who I really loved from the first book in the series, as well as Brady's wife, Jessica.  Brady sees to Hank's safety while he is ill and barely gives Molly an inch.  He's not a pushover when it comes to her, and I was glad of it.   I'm becoming a Western lover and these books are great and keep me riveted and reading, reading, reading until they're finished.  The character development and the plot lines are first rate.

4/4

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig

Book Description:
As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards—but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything. . . .

What follows is a potent story that spans generations and continents, bringing an Out of Africa feel to a Downton Abbey cast of unforgettable characters. From the inner circles of WWI-era British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl.

Although this book is very different from author Willig's previous Pink Carnation books, the dual storyline scenario remains.  The story flip flops between modern day events in Manhattan with Clemmie and the series of events that happened in the 1920s between the beautiful Beatrice and the less prepossessing Addie, Clemmie's grandmother.  There is a mystery of what became of Beatrice, who married and was banished to Africa and then disappears there.   What happened to her and how did Addie wind up with Beatrice's husband?  And what about the children?  I found the story a bit slow at first but then after the second half of the book it really picked up and I found it hard to put down. I really wanted to find out what the truth was behind the events that slowly unfold in Africa.  But alas I found the big finale and the big secret a bit anti-climatic.  Still I enjoyed it though I found it very similar to a Kate Morton novel.  Coincidentally, while reading The Ashford Affair, I was listening to one of Morton's books simultaneously on audio.  (See review below).  I must admit, I found Willig's novel much more riveting though there was a certain something lacking.  Neither Clemmie nor Addie really won me over and frankly, I found Beatrice the only really interesting character in the book.  Clemmie's budding romance with her distant step-cousin didn't sit well with me, and I was actually rooting for her to wind up with the Englishman!  Oh well...

3.5/5

By Love Undone by Suzanne Enoch

Book Description:
Madeleine Willits was shunned by London society for a scandal that was no fault of hers, and forced to seek a paid position in the country. So when Quinlan Bancroft, Marquis of Wakefield, comes to direct the household during his uncle's illness, Maddie is determined to detest the nobleman on sight. But though the 'marquis' is easy to dislike, the 'man' himself is a different matter. Quinlan's aplomb in the face of mud, demented pigs, and musket-waving villagers is deucedly appealing. Small wonder, then, that Maddie quite forgets to repulse Quinlan when he enfolds her in a sweet embrace...

Caught kissing his uncle's lovely young companion, Quinlan feels he should make amends, and use his rank to re-establish Miss Willits in society. Unfortunately, it is soon apparent that Maddie has no idea how to resist importunate young rakes who believe her ripe for the plucking. But Maddie knows there is only one rake whose attentions she truly needs to fear—because only Quinlan Bancroft possesses the power to break her heart.

Vintage Enoch and a surprisingly entertaining romance of Madeleine, a ruined young noblewoman taking care of an elderly invalid who is the estranged brother to a duke. His nephew comes to check up on his uncle and help with management of the estate.  He unwittingly falls for Madeleine, no matter how much of shrew she appears to be!  He thinks she's his uncle's mistress at first, but that is cleared up soon enough.  They trade insults and barbs and fight through a good part of the book - and it was a lot of fun! The plot was a bit far fetched bringing her back to London to reinstate her reputation with his mother (the duchess) overseeing her come back.  I found the whole thing a quick read and I gobbled it up!

4/5


Never Marry a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath

Book Description:
Sensitive and lovely Ashton Robertson fell in love with Kit Montgomery the moment she first laid eyes on him. Four years later, her most cherished dream has come true: the rakish English aristocrat is her husband, if only for a brief time. But will a few days in paradise be enough, now that Ashton has found sweet freedom in his arms?

To ease his tormented soul, Kit agreed to marry his dear friend's sister. But Ashton's gentle beauty and fiery spirit are slowly captivating the hardened rogue, causing him to reevaluate his outlook on life...and to wonder if, perhaps, they should turn their blissful temporary union into something more permanent.

This is the last of this Rogues in Texas western series, but I found it still lacked the oomph of her Texas Destiny series which I adored.  This western romance is the story of young girl who is believed to be dying of consumption.  Her brother, wishing to grant her last wish, asks the town of Fortune's (now) sheriff, Kit Montgomery to marry her in name only so that she can have a nice wedding day to remember until the day she dies.  After much hesitation, based on his history with his brother's dead wife, Kit agrees to marry her.  Of course, they wind up falling in love which is exasperated by the fact she's expected to die within six months.  They try to avoid too much intimacy but it's impossible after a while.  Both are torn, but of course it all ends well, but only after much hand wringing and worry.  I liked this better than book 2 in the series and it kept my attention, but overall it didn't have the emotional pull I believe it should have, based on the angsty storyline.  Btw, this needs a new cover design pronto - it's so reddd!

3.5/5

Slightly Sinful by Mary Balogh

Book Description: 
Meet the Bedwyns—six brothers and sisters—men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality....Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction...where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal...and where Alleyne Bedwyn, the passionate middle son, is cut off from his past—only to find his future with a sinfully beautiful woman he will risk everything to love.

As the fires of war raged around him, Lord Alleyne Bedwyn was thrown from his horse and left for dead—only to awaken in the bedchamber of a ladies' brothel. Suddenly the dark, handsome diplomat has no memory of who he is or how he got there—yet of one thing he is certain: The angel who nurses him back to health is the woman he vows to make his own. But like him, Rachel York is not who she seems. A lovely young woman caught up in a desperate circumstance, she must devise a scheme to regain her stolen fortune. The dashing soldier she rescued from near-death could be her savior in disguise. There is just one condition: she must pose as his wife—a masquerade that will embroil them in a sinful scandal, where a man and a woman court impropriety with each daring step...with every taboo kiss that can turn passionate strangers into the truest of lovers.

What a surprise, I really enjoyed this installment of the Bedwyns saga.  The previous book was such a let down I've had this one languishing on my "to be read" list forever!  This is Alleyne's story.  After the battle of Waterloo, Alleyne Bewcastle, believed dead by his family, has amnesia and is found by Rachel York who is living in a brothel in Brussels - long story, she is not a prostitute. She comes from a noble background but is down on her luck. She nurses him back to health and they pose as a married couple, returning to England so she can claim her inheritance.  Once again, another Balogh false marriage/engagement scenario where the couple falls in love while pretending to be in love.  Despite the usual Balogh formula, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, and the ending was worth it all.  Now onto Wulf's story - finally!

4/5

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (audio)

Book Description:
A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it. 

I had a hard time with this novel, it took me forever to get into and I almost put it down, but I persisted until the end.  I found the story hard to follow for some reason.  Lots of red herrings, just when you think you've got it, and you've figured out the story of the "mud man" and who he is or what happened to Tom - you realize you're wrong!  Not the best I've read by Kate Morton, but by the end it kept me interested, though an overall melancholy story.  I loved the WWII setting, which tied in with my recent surge of interest in WWII non-fiction titles.  On audio the narration was great by Caroline Lee who is always superb and gives it a nice touch, I love her voice and accent.

3.5/5

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Book Description:
Miss Jane Fairfield can’t do anything right. When she’s in company, she always says the wrong thing—and rather too much of it. No matter how costly they are, her gowns fall on the unfortunate side of fashion. Even her immense dowry can’t save her from being an object of derision.

And that’s precisely what she wants. She’ll do anything, even risk humiliation, if it means she can stay unmarried and keep her sister safe.

Mr. Oliver Marshall has to do everything right. He’s the bastard son of a duke, raised in humble circumstances—and he intends to give voice and power to the common people. If he makes one false step, he’ll never get the chance to accomplish anything. He doesn’t need to come to the rescue of the wrong woman. He certainly doesn’t need to fall in love with her. But there’s something about the lovely, courageous Jane that he can’t resist…even though it could mean the ruin of them both.

I was not as enamored by this story as everyone else seems to be, but I find Courtney Milan hit or miss.  Jane Fairfield, in order to avoid being married off, pretends to be a social clod, actually turning people off by her inane talk and outlandish fashion sense.  Yet, she is nothing she appears to be.  She is doing this all for the love of her sister who has "fits."  I thought it was extremely clever the way Milan wrote Jane and how she managed to insult everyone by looking like she did not mean to and so forth.  But what I had trouble with is when we got further into the story and her friendship with Oliver. I loved both he and Jane together, but why doesn't Oliver, who is so brilliant, realize just how much he should marry her from the first?  It should not have been such a dilemma for him?  Yet he struggled.  The big problem was so obviously solvable.  We do get his side of things at the very end of the story, but by that point it seemed kind of lame. Too much hand wringing over the dilemma of whether he should declare himself for her or not and how it would affect his political aspirations.  She's of age, an heiress and they have a mutual attraction and love. Why not?  She's got tons of money, that will fix anything as far a future career for him.  Instead of feeling for them I just wanted to slap some sense into them!  I remember feeling the same way in The Duchess Wars. Such a big to do. All this worrying when the solution was so obvious. Overall this was good for me but not great, though some bits were fun such as their horse ride together and their honest opinions of the pitfalls of courtship. Some little gem-like moments, but overall - meh.

3.5/5

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (audio)

Book Description:
Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world: a bona-fide sports superstar and the pride of the NFL with a profitable side career as a buff billboard model for End Zone underwear. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a cross-country trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.

Blue Bailey is on a mission to murder her ex. Or at least inflict serious damage. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curveballs? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.

Blue's career as a portrait painter is the perfect job for someone who refuses to stay in one place for very long. She needs a ride, and America's most famous football player has an imposing set of wheels. Now, all she has to do is keep him entertained, off guard, and fully clothed before he figures out exactly how desperate she is.

But Dean isn't the brainless jock she imagines, and Blue—despite her petite stature—is just about the toughest woman Dean has ever met. They're soon heading for his summer home where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.

As the summer progresses, the wandering portrait artist and the charming football star play a high-stakes game, fighting themselves and each other for a chance to have it all.

Natural Born Charmer is for everyone who's ever thought about leaving their old life in the dust and never looking back. Susan Elizabeth Phillips takes us home again . . . and shows us where love truly lives.

Another great one by SEP on audio, I'm sorry to finish the last of the Chicago Stars series for I simply loved it.  Dean Robillard, natural born charmer and quarterback to the Stars meets fate in the shape of a petite woman wearing a beaver costume on the side of the road. He picks her up and so begins his unusual courtship with Blue Bailey as they make their way to his farm in Nashville.  Things aren't exactly what he thought they'd be like while there.  He unexpectedly meets up with his estranged parents: his gorgeous 52 year old ex-groupie mother whom he wants nothing to do with and his aging rock star father, Jack Patriot.  In addition there's his 11 year old stepsister who has run away from home and a mean old lady who own the town of Garrison, Tennessee where his farm resides. It's one great story and I loved it!  Loads of laughs, but heartwarming parts too as only SEP can do.  Great characterizations, I loved everybody, especially Dean and Nita Garrison and the late great Anna Fields was amazing as narrator!  Loved, loved the way she did Nita especially!

4/5

A Kiss to Rememeber by Teresa Medeiros

Book Description:
Laura Fairleigh needs a husband. If she is to keep a roof over her siblings’ heads, the prim rector’s daughter must wed by her twenty-first birthday. When she finds a mysterious stranger with the face of an angel and the body of Adonis unconscious in the forest and with no memory of his name or his past, she decides to claim him for her own. Little does she know that her fallen angel is really the devil in disguise.

Sterling Harlow, the notorious rakehell known as the “Devil of Devonbrooke,” awakens to the enchanting kiss of a lovely young woman who informs him he is her long-lost betrothed. With her sun-kissed cheeks and smattering of freckles, she looks every inch the innocent, but her curves possess a woman’s allure. When she assures him he is the perfect gentleman, he wonders if he’s lost his wits as well as his memory. He would have sworn he was not a man to be satisfied with mere kisses—especially from lips as sweet and luscious as Laura’s.As he attempts to uncover the truth before their wedding night, A Kiss To Remember ignites a passion neither of them will ever be able to forget....

An endearing romance of Sterling Harlow, a notorious duke who falls off his horse and hits his head while en route to one of his smaller estates.  He gets amnesia (another amnesia romance!) and is talked into believing he's engaged to Laura Fairleigh, a rector's daughter who his mother had befriended and took him before her death.  Laura, an orphan with her siblings is presently living in the house where he lived with his parents before he was fostered off to become the heir to the dukedom of which he now.  I really loved the way this story developed, and I couldn't put it down in the second half when Sterling regains his memory and the sh*t hits the fan!  There's a lot more to it than that, but I really did love it and the 2nd half of the book is pretty sizzling!

4.5/5

Surrender to the Devil by Lorraine Heath

Book Description:
Frannie Darling was once a child of London's roughest streets, surrounded by petty thieves, pickpockets, and worse. But though she survived this harsh upbringing to become a woman of incomparable beauty, Frannie wants nothing to do with the men who lust for her, the rogues who frequent the gaming hall where she works. She can take care of herself and feels perfectly safe on her own—safe, that is, until he strides into her world, and once again it becomes a very dangerous place indeed.

To bed her but not wed her. That's what Sterling Mabry, the eighth Duke of Greystone, wants. But Frannie abhors arrogant aristocrats interested only in their own pleasure. So why then does the thought of an illicit tryst with the devilish duke leave her trembling with desire? Her willing body begs for release...and a wicked, wonderful surrender.

A surprisingly quick read which I enjoyed - my favorite in this series so far.  This is Frannie Darling's story.  Protected by Feagan's Lads (as she calls them) she finally finds love with Sterling, the Duke of Greystroke (another duke named Sterling!)  Only due to their differences in status it's understood he can never marry her.  He ruthlessly pursues her and because she is so taken with him - and against her better judgment - they embark upon a short affair, both knowing it can only hurt them in the end.    As far-fetched as much of it was, I liked it. 

4/5

Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas

Book Description:
"We're strangers in the darkness," he whispered. "We'll never be together like this again."

Zachary Bronson has built an empire of wealth and power, but all London knows he is not a gentleman. He needs a wife to secure his position in society—and warm his bed in private. But one alluring, unexpected kiss from Lady Holly Taylor awakens a powerful need within him beyond respectability.

An exceptional beauty whose fierce passions match Zachary's own, Holly always intended to play by society's rules, even when they clashed with her bolder instincts. But now a dashing stranger has made her a scandalous offer that does not include matrimony. Should she ignore the sensuous promise of a forbidden kiss...or risk everything to follow her heart to a place where dreams begin?

Vintage Kleypas and surprisingly better than I thought it would be.  Lady Holland Taylor (Holly) is a young widow that is caught off-guard by the fabulously wealthy self made Zachary (typical Kleypas hero) who kisses her in a conservatory at a ball, having mistaken her for someone else.  From there, he can't forget her and she goes to work for him, teaching him etiquette and how to be accepted by polite society.  Of course, they fall in love in the usual Kleypas way - passionate and stormy.  Yet, despite the feelings she has for Zachary she is torn about the memory and promises she made to her dead husband George.  I really enjoyed this book and wonder if she'll ever write a novel for Zachary's rival, the mysterious Vardon Ravenhill.

4.5/5

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June, 2013 Reviews - Part II

Slowly but surely, I'm catching up with my reviews from June, some of them I really loved - an unexpected surprise Western from Teresa Medeiros and a quirky contemporary from Rachel Gibson set in Idaho!  Also, a dazzling sequel to one of my all time series!  I'm realizing I'm leaning more and more towards Westerns and contemporaries now.  I'm still reading plenty of English historicals, but now I can barely get through most Scottish Highlander and Medievals.  Interesting...

He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan

Book Description:
Marketing exec Lucy Cunningham is thrilled when her firm lands The Palm Club account. The campaign concept for Miami's hottest fitness club was Lucy's idea: take one fitness-challenged woman, put her in front of TV cameras, and into the hands of the club's top personal trainer, Theo Redmond. And there's a big cash reward for each pound shed. It seems like a brilliant idea-until Lucy gets picked to be the guinea pig. It's obvious she needs to drop the pounds, but the idea of letting it all hang out in front of some Malibu Ken jock has her choking on her Milk Duds before she even begins!

After one meeting, Theo knows Lucy will be his toughest client and one of the most unforgettable women he'll ever meet. Smart-mouthed and stubborn, it's clear she isn't fond of marching to anyone's drumbeat but her own. But she shocks Theo by rising to the challenge like a pro. And he finds his heart in jeopardy long before Lucy starts to slim down and turn heads.

As Lucy sweats her way into a whole new life, things start to heat up between her and Theo. But trust doesn't come easy for either of them. They've both been burned by romance in the past. Now Lucy and Theo are about to discover that appearances can be deceiving-and in the end, true love lies somewhere between pizza and Pilates...

I simply loved this contemporary romance about a very overweight young woman who goes on TV as an advertising campaign to lose 100 lbs in a year. With the help of her gorgeous trainer, Theo Redmond, will she do it? Great story and the romance that develops between Theo and Lucy was sweet, albeit, far fetched, IMHO. Still, a quick and very enjoyable read. The characterizations were good and a thoughtful side story involving Theo's brother.  I've liked everything I've read by this author and am definitely checking out the rest of her back list.

4/5

Stolen Kisses by Suzanne Enoch

Book Description:
FIRE AND ICE ...

Jack Faraday, the Marquis of Dansbury, is rich, titled, and handsome as sin. A scandalous rake who's charmed a long string of ladies, he finally meets his match in Miss Lilith Benton, known as the Ice Queen.

Intent on restoring her family's good name, Lilith wants only to make a respectable marriage. So when the tempting but notorious Jack begins to woo her, she is determined to ignore him. Then their accidental involvement in a duke's mysterious death forces Jack and Lilith to become conspirators to clear their names - and suddenly cold disdain gives way to hot desire. Now Lilith may find his passionate stolen kisses too tempting to resist ...

Not a bad early historical romance by Enoch (notice the cover) that involves the handsome scoundrel, Jack Faraday who receives the cut direct from Lilith Benton, the beautiful Ice Queen of the ton who is out to make a spectacular and respectable match.  Jack vows revenge and wants to ruin her out of spite, but things get in the way, such as the death of his relative, a duke who is bent on compromising and marrying her in order to force her to marry him - only the old goat drops dead instead!  In her drawing room!  Jack winds up being Sir Galahad and helps her out of a pickle but only succeeds in implicating himself.  Some funny bits and plenty of drama surrounding the death of the duke and the passion that erupts between Jack and Lilith as she tries to clear his name.   Entertaining and frothy.

3.5/5

Somewhere I'll Find You by Lisa Kleypas (audio)

Book Description:
The toast of the town...

All London is at Julia Wentworth's feet—and anything she desires is hers for the asking. But the glamorous leading lady guards a shocking secret: a mystery husband whom she does not know, dares not mention ... and cannot love.

For years Damon Savage has been searching for the stranger his parents wed him to without his consent, hoping to legally free himself from matrimony's invisible chains. And he is astonished to discover his "bride" is none other than the exquisite lady he'd hoped to make his mistress! But though his wife by law, Julia will never truly be Damon's—until he conquers her fears, his formidable rivals ... and her proud, passionate, and independent heart.

An early Kleypas historical, it's the story of an aristocratic young woman, Julia Wentworth, who disguises herself and becomes an actress in London. Secretly she is married to a handsome duke, Damon Savage, who doesn't know who she really is.  Their marriage was arranged when they were children and they haven't seen each other in years - they don't even recognize each other!  There is a lot of drama (no pun intended) and back story in regard to Julia's career leading up to when she and Damon finally come together and fall in love - yet, all the while, he still doesn't realize she is really his wife!  Eventually he finds out the truth but the big deal is will he require that she leave the stage and her career? He's so controlling and he keeps on calling her "mine", it was borderline annoying. Still I thought this was pretty good for an early Kleypas and I am interested in seeing what happens with her boss, Logan Scott's story in the next book in the series. On audio, well done by Rosalyn Landor, as always.

3.5/5

Fairest of Them All by Teresa Medeiros

Book Description:

She was rumored to be the fairest woman in all of England. But Holly de Chastel considered her beauty a curse. She had already turned away scores of suitors with various ruses, both fair and foul. Now she was to be the prize in a tournament of eager knights gathering from across the land, each more determined than the last to win her hand. Holly had no intention of wedding any of them, and concocted her most outrageous plan yet: to disguise her beauty from their avaricious eyes. But she never planned on Sir Austyn of Gavenmore.

The darkly handsome Welshman had come looking especially for a plain bride, and Holly seemed to fit the bill. Suddenly she found herself in the possession of this mysterious stranger, ensconced in his castle, and forced to keep up her carefully planned illusion. Why did this electrifyingly passionate male, who could have any woman he wanted, desire a homely bride—and what would happen when he learned he'd been tricked? By the time Holly found out, it was too late to avoid the searing fires of passion—and the dark curse of Gavenmore.
This is a Medieval historical romance of beautiful maiden, Holly, who has the harebrained idea of disguising herself as homely to avoid being married off by her father.  Little does she realize, Austyn, a Welsh knight, is in need of an ugly wife due to a curse on the long line of men in his family (involved story) in which they've killed their beautiful wives - out of jealousy.  He takes her back to his castle as his bride having no idea she's really a beauty underneath.  So much of this book was far fetched and plodding, it took a long time for me to even get into it.  I disliked Holly's deception from the beginning and the long drawn out disguise and expected betrayed feelings of Austyn when he learns the truth just only made me think he was so stupid he deserved what he got!  Plus, his anger just went on much too long, locking her in the North Tower of his castle?  All because he resented her beauty, it was so ridiculous!  I just wanted to get this over with!  I've found this author hit or miss - this was a miss.  Read on, and you'll find a hit!
3.5/5

Nobody's Darling by Teresa Medeiros

Book Description:
Billy Darling never enjoyed being a wanted man until the day Miss Esmerelda Fine marched into the Tumbleweed Saloon and pointed her derringer at his heart. Lucky for him, she's a mighty poor shot. Instead of killing him, she hires him to find her runaway brother. He should turn down her offer. He should resist her charms. But he doesn't. Because there comes a time in every man's life when he's got nothing left to lose...but his heart.

I love, love, loved this western historical romance - it was so much fun!  It has everything I love - spinster heroine, Esmerelda Fine comes to New Mexico to track down the man she thinks killed her brother. At first sight she can't stand the charming cowboy she nearly murders in the saloon, but he eventually wins her over.  Plenty of laughs, sexy, heart stopping love scenes and - cowboys! A great story, one of my favorites by this author now!  I wish she'd write more Westerns, this is the only she has written as far as I can tell.  Remember what I said about this author and hit or miss?  This is a hit!  A real keeper!

4.5/5

Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Book Description:
Amid the glitzy age of Jazz, when gangsters and bootleggers control the cities, there lies another, more insidious threat ... the undead.

Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious man named Sebastian Vioget informs her she belongs to a family of vampire hunters, Macey is stunned and disbelieving.

Yet, strange and frightening things begin to happen, and when Macey comes face-to-face with one of the fanged creatures, she has no choice but to believe Sebastian. And when she learns his own soul depends on her willingness to carry forth the family legacy and hunt the undead, Macey capitulates and joins the fight.

As she begins to learn about her new life, Macey meets the handsome newspaper reporter known as Grady - who seems to know more about vampires than he should. When he begins to ask too many questions, she has to juggle her strong attraction to him with the need for secrecy.

Slipping into speakeasies and sampling bootlegged whiskeys, dodging gangster gunfire and trying to keep her nosy landlady from finding the stakes in her flat, Macey Gardella must navigate through a world of stunning violence, passionate romance, and dark betrayal...

Ah, it's nice to be back in the Gardella world again.  I fell in love with Colleen Gleason's Gardella Vampire Chronicles a few years ago and I was thrilled when I found out she'd come out with a sequel to that series set in the roaring 20's!  A very satisfying addition to the Chronicles, featuring Macey Denton, descendant of Victoria and Max who has now taken on the mantle of Venator in the gangster-ridden 20's of Chicago.  Like her g-g-g grandmother Victoria before her, Macey has to be convinced first of her Calling.  Then she undergoes her training of how to kill the vampires that are sweeping through Chicago and cozying up to Al Capone.  Like Victoria, Macey is torn between her "real" world which involves the new man in her life, an Irishman reporter named Grady, and her "new" world as a Venator, where she must prowl around all night killing vampires with her new mentor Chas.  There's quite a lot of similarities to the old series - but that's a good thing!  We meet some old friends like Sebastian and new ones like Grady and Chas.  I really loved it!  Bring on some more!

4/5

The Trouble with Valentine's Day by Rachel Gibson

Book Description:
Dumped by her boyfriend, stressed out by her job, Kate Hamilton needs to regroup and get back some self-esteem. She moves from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the wilderness of Gospel, Idaho for some small-town fun. But when her first attempted seduction of a hunky stranger is completely rejected, she wonders what else could possibly go wrong?

Well, for starters she quickly realizes that the Mountain Mama Crafters Original Poetry reading is about as good as it gets on a Friday night. Then she comes face to face with Rob Sutter, former ice hockey madman, owner of Sutter's Sports—and the hunky stranger who told her to get lost!

Rob's been more than burned by love—but then he and Kate find themselves in an ultra-compromising position in the M & S Market after-hours, giving the phrase "clean-up in aisle five" a whole new meaning, and cause a whole lot of gossip in Gospel...

OMG, I loved this story so much of ex-NHL player, Rob Sutter, getting over some bad times and a divorce.  He unexpectedly finds love in the unlikeliest of places - Gospel, Idaho, yet he's too stupid to recognize it. Great story with lots of heat, although I could kick him for being such a horse's ass after one particularly crucial moment in the book! Grr! Men!  Otherwise I loved him.  *grin*  Lots of humor and plenty of loving and good old fashioned romance.  He and Kate's courtship was a pleasure to read about.  A keeper for me!  Best in the series so far.

4.5/5

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