More Quick Reviews - June

Well, since life is throwing a lot at me these days I'm posting six more quickie reviews and this will most likely be my regular format for the time being until I get over this busy time.  Not forever, but I seem to be enjoying reading these days much more than writing, so... c'est la vie.

Unveiled by Courtney Milan

Book Description:
Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family-and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But instead he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance... 

Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who's stolen her fortune and her father's legacy-the man she's been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties-and the tantalizing promise of passion....

My first book by this author, I downloaded it on kindle because of all the talk of how great it was.  It's nominated for the RITA and all that, so I had to see what it was all about.  Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm the odd one out in regard to it. I just didn't feel the love for Unveiled.  Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of revenge themes nor of self-sacrificing types who are much too saintly - this book had both.  I grew tired of it early on.  Maybe it's me, but the lengthy deception of Margaret's, disguised as a nurse instead of the daughter of the dying duke seemed interminable. Ash's instant attraction to her was just so unbelievable and boring for me, despite the fact he is her adversary. Yes, yes there was a lot of inner turmoil and self-analysis and ultimate realization that "Gee, I guess I really don't have to be a martyr to find fulfillment!" But by that point, at the end I'd already grown bored with it all, for it was all too obvious what needed to be done on their parts.  I just wanted the book to end already and have them admit their love and to hell with their family obligations!   I found it more frustrating than anything else, although I liked Ash's brothers and am looking forward to their books.  I loved Milan's novella, Unlocked which is about Margaret's friend with the horsey laugh.  An endearing story that was 4 1/2 stars.  I don't normally like novellas, but this was an exception, a worthwhile quick read on kindle.

3/5

London's Perfect Scoundrel by Suzanne Enoch

Book Description:
A determined young lady vows to give one of London's infamous rakes his comeuppance - but when the rogue turns the tables, who truly learns a lesson in love?

The ton gossips call him "Saint" - but the Marquis of St. Aubyn has well earned his reputation as London's perfect scoundrel.

Evelyn Ruddick knows she should avoid him at all costs-but the strikingly beautiful lady wants to aid the children of the Heart of Hope Orphanage, and he heads the board of trustees. Evie is determined to teach the charming, arrogant man a lesson in compassion, but it won't be so easy-especially since his touch is setting her desire aflame, making Evie yearn to submit to his passionate instruction...

The idea of joining in her "project" is unthinkable, but this enchantress refuses to give up! So what else is there for a self-respecting rake to do but seduce the lady? Yet soon it is he who is being seduced by Evie's tender heart and fiery blushes. Could the temptation of long, passionate nights in her arms bring about the impossible? Could the disreputable Saint at long last be reformed?

I don't know how Suzanne Enoch does it, but I went from loathing this scoundrel of a hero, Saint Aubyn, to loving him by the end. There's something about him that was so awful, yet he was so damned sexy and outrageous, no wonder Evie couldn't resist him. The first half of the book dragged and the entire orphanage storyline was blah and then the kidnapping scenario when Evie locks Saint in the dungeon was unbelievably far-fetched, yet it did bring life to the story and the second half was much better than the first. Nice proposal scene too.  I can't understand it, but I wound up loving this book!

4/5

The Perfect Mistress by Victoria Alexander

Book Description:
Widowed Julia, Lady Winterset, has inherited a book—a very shocking book—that every gentleman in London seems to want. For a charismatic businessman, it's a chance to build an empire. For a dashing novelist, it could guarantee fame. But to a proud, domineering earl, it means everything...

Harrison Landingham, Earl of Mountdale, can't let the obstinate Julia release the shameless memoir that could ruin his family's name. But the only way to stop her may be equally sordid—if far more pleasurable. For his rivals are intent on seducing the captivating woman to acquire the book. And Harrison isn't the sort to back away from a competition with the stakes this high. Now the winner will claim both the scandalous memoirs and the heart of their lovely owner... 

I really enjoyed this romance which is the prequel to another book I loved, His Mistress by Christmas.  This is a fun Victorian historical about of an aristocratic widow in need of funds who decides to publish her g-grandmother's scandalous memoirs. In so doing, she winds up fending off the attentions of three different men who want the memoirs for their own particular reasons. Of course, the stuffiest, stodgiest and - most good looking of them all - captures her heart. Humor, passion and some deliciously awkward moments. Loved it! Much better than I thought it would be based on the mixed reviews I've read.  I enjoyed her g-grandmother's ghostly pep talks as well! 

4/5


The Snake the Crocodile & the Dog by Elizabeth Peters (audio)

Book Description:
The delightful seventh adventure for popular heroine Amelia Peabody. The 19th-century Egyptologist and her dashing husband, Emerson, return to Amarna, where they first fell in love. When Emerson is kidnapped, Amelia must rescue her husband, find the culprit, and save her marriage.

I very much enjoyed this installment of the further adventures of Amelia Peabody. Amelia and Emerson are on their own in Egypt (sans Ramses) and, as usual, someone is trying to harm them. Now an old married couple, Amelia longs for the early days of their courtship. All I can say is, be careful for what you wish for - you just might get it! Lo and behold, Emerson is kidnapped and when he is finally found he has amnesia and has no memory of ever meeting Amelia - much less marrying her! As Amelia copes with this new (but very much like the old) Emerson, they try to determine who is after them and why. Much humor (Ramses letters to his parents are hilarious) and I very much enjoyed the character of Cyrus Vandergelt, their American friend.   Barbara Rosenblat, as usual, is Amelia Peabody, she is one of the best readers out there in the audiobook world!  All her voices, whether it's Amelia, Emerson, Cyrus or Ramses - great, great, great!

4/5 

The Bridal Season by Connie Brockway

Book Description:
Letty Potts has gotten into a few fixes in her twenty-five years, but this is her worst predicament yet. A petty schemer by necessity, the struggling music hall performer has decided to go straight. But after narrowly escaping the wrath of her partner in crime, she finds herself at Paddington Station with nothing but the gown she's wearing ... and another woman's train ticket clutched in her hand. Now masquerading as the redoubtable "Lady Agatha," of Whyte Wedding Celebrations, Letty arrives in the backwater burg of Little Bidewell, where she is to arrange the nuptials of a young society bride.

Amid the dizzying whirl of pre-wedding festivities, nobody suspects Letty's secret ... except the sensual and aristocratic Sir Elliot March. A war hero who has forsworn love, Elliot senses something decidedly amiss about this outspoken young woman. Yet she awakens a passionate yearning he'd thought was lost to him forever. And soon a desperate masquerade embroils them both in a web of scandal and danger as Letty's past catches up with her - threatening their lives ... and a love without peer.

An entertaining and different Victorian historical, not your run of the mill... Letty Potts, an actress, finds herself in the unusual role of impersonating Lady Agatha Whyte, a wedding planner who has run off to get married to a Frenchman. Picking up the reins (against her own better judgment) she enters into the role of wedding planner with gusto, orchestrating a high society wedding in the remote village of Little Bidewell, in Northumberland. This serves her purposes just fine, for she is in hiding from her ruthless ex-boyfriend and former partner in crime, Nick Sparkles. Having dabbled in a many a con game with Nick, she wants no more part in his schemes. Little does she know that while in Little Bidewell she meets the man of her dreams - Sir Elliot March. Tall, dark and handsome - he's also the local constable. Uh-oh. Will he be able to see past her beauty and vivacious personality and realize she's really a fake? What will happen when he learns the woman he's falling in love with is a liar who has hurt not only him, but the rest of Little Bidewell? A quirky and fun Connie Brockway romance that kept my interest until the very end.

4/5 

The Indiscretion by Judith Ivory

Book Description:
Lady Lydia Bedford-Browne's small rebellion becomes the adventure of her life, when her coach crashes and leaves her stranded on the treacherous Dartmoor with the only other passenger: a rugged, disarmingly attractive Texan named Sam Cody. Sam's slow, melodic drawl and dark, hypnotic eyes tempt Lydia in ways she never thought possible. But dare the lord's daughter loosen her proper English restraints any further?

Foul luck has caused the dashing American millionaire to miss his own wedding to an unforgiving bride...for the second time! Worse still,he's stuck in the middle of nowhere with a straight-laced noble beauty. But there is an unmistakable spark of courage, sensuality, and wild passion beneath Liddy's prim exterior, daring Sam to pursue even further what his heart and his soul now desperately desire - even though both the Texan's and the lady's vastly different worlds will be rocked if they dare surrender to...The Indiscretion. 

Another winner by Ivory with an endearing hero and heroine. Sam and Liddy make a great pair. The book is broken up into two parts. Part one takes place as Sam, a cowboy from Texas at the turn of the century and Liddy, the aristocratic daughter of a viscount, are lost together on the Dartmoor in England for four days - and nights. Much happens as they get to know one another intimately (the peeing sequence was a bit over the top, but I will overlook it since I loved the book overall).  Eventually they become lovers. Their time together is idyllic and sensually romantic. What a pleasure to see how they savor their time together, love mad with touching and coupling. As if they are honeymooners.  The love scenes are really sensational - especially their first.  But reality steps in when they are found and so begins Part Two of the book when Liddy finds out who Sam really is, and that he's not just some nobody cow poke from America. She's afraid to admit her feelings towards him and acknowledge him in public, when it's obvious he wants to court her and continue on with their relationship. She's afraid that their secret of what they did on the moor will get out.  What they had on the moor was special and unforgettable and she doesn't want it tainted by a scandal.  Obviously, she's not thinking clearly when he obviously wants to marry her, yet she keeps pushing him away!  I found the second part of the book sad, frustrating, heartbreaking - and hard to put down. Fortunately, there is a happy ending.  As a bonus, I was enamored of Liddy's prowess at archery which added a new dimension to her character.  Overall, a different romance with top notch leads and Ivory is easily one of my favorite romance authors now.  Very, very special.

4/5

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Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas

Book Description:
When the Duke of Lexington meets the mysterious Baroness von Seidlitz-Hardenberg on a transatlantic liner, he is fascinated. She’s exactly what he’s been searching for—a beautiful woman who interests and entices him. He falls hard and fast—and soon proposes marriage.

And then she disappears without a trace…

For in reality, the “baroness” is Venetia Easterbrook—a proper young widow who had her own vengeful reasons for instigating an affair with the duke. But the plan has backfired. Venetia has fallen in love with the man she despised—and there’s no telling what might happen when she is finally unmasked…

Warning: Spoilers ahead

I'm torn.  There was much I loved about this new book by Sherry Thomas, the first of her new trilogy.  She's probably my favorite romance author and I've waited with baited breath for this book to come out.  I adored the fact that it's reminiscent of Thomas' first two books, both of which are my absolute favorites with the following type of scenario:  proud aristocratic gentleman is felled by the woman he falls in love with when he finds out she's been lying to him all along.  As a result, much happens with plenty of emotional fallout.  Beguiling the Beauty has this same type of scenario, but I was a bit uncomfortable with the theme of deception in this case because I felt it was carried out a bit too far and began to enter the realm of "suspension of disbelief".  The heroine, Venetia, carries out an outlandish deception on Christian, the Duke of Lexington all in the name of vengeance.  I found it implausible that two people can carry on an affair while one of them never shows their face.  Not even a little peek when she's sleeping?  It made me uncomfortable that Venetia continued with the deception even when she was falling in love with him.  I didn't like it and I wanted it to stop.  It gave me the same feeling one has while waiting for a train wreck to happen.  But I get ahead of myself...

While crossing the Atlantic on board a steamer, Christian, the Duke of Lexington is a man who has fallen deeply in love with a mysterious German passenger that wears a veil and refuses to allow him to see her face. Lo and behold without his knowing it, she is the woman he has loved from afar for the past ten years, the beautiful Mrs.Venetia Easterbrook. Venetia has backed herself into a corner by posing as the German veiled baroness, never thinking she'll actually fall in love with Christian! Why is she doing this in the first place?  She's punishing him for something awful he said about her in a lecture at Harvard.  But it backfires and instead she falls in love with him while carrying on a torrid affair on board the ship from New York to England.   As their affair escalates they share secrets with one another, pillow talk moments interspersed between their passionate and unlimited carefree days and nights in bed.  Venetia tells him about herself - her real self, despite her cover as the German baroness.  He reciprocates and opens up to her during one of these moments, revealing the truth about his obsession with "Mrs. Easterbrook" over the years.  Of course, he thinks he's telling this all to the baroness.  The irony is overwhelming.  He loved her from afar due to her unparalleled beauty and here she is with him wearing a veil, and he's fallen in love with her - again!  You know this is not going to turn out well.  Poor Venetia is stuck.  If she shows him her face, he'll hate her and if she disappears from him forever, he'll still hate her for he has the worst opinion of Mrs. Easterbrook, thinking she's a vain and greedy gold digger who cares only for jewels.  It's complicated.  I did feel badly for him before he finds out the truth when she refuses to meet him in London (as the baroness).  As expected, when he finds out about who she really is and how she deliberately deceived him - well, it's too late and she's convinced he'll never forgive her. But it doesn't end there...

Without giving away too much of the plot, due to a certain turn of events in the later part of the book, Venetia and Christian must marry, but it is a dutiful marriage in name only.  By this point, both are in love with the other, yet Christian is so hurt by Venetia's deception he cannot give in, despite the fact she is his wife now, something he has longed for over the past ten years.  A sad state of affairs that should have tugged at my heart strings - yet it didn't. Even though I found it nearly impossible to put this book down, there was something missing from the romance between Christian and Venetia.  The fact they fell in love under a disguise prevented the same emotional wallop as her first two books and I was not entirely sympathetic to their problem even after Christian finds out who she is.  If only she had not kept up the stupid deception!   I blame Venetia mostly, but at the same time, Christian should have never opened his big mouth at the lecture which set everything in motion.  Because of their mistakes the quote below sums up the crux of their problem on their wedding day, they made their bed and now they're going to have to sleep in it:

The worst thing about this forced nuptial was that they had been their true selves on the Rhodesia.  And yet the two people tying the knot today were but their facades, the Great Beauty and the haughty, unfeeling duke.

Would she ever see his true self again? And would she ever dare let him see hers?

Despite some reservations I still loved this book, pre-ordering it on kindle and reading it in the middle of night as soon as it downloaded.  It is Sherry Thomas after all and an auto-buy for me.  Her writing is eloquent and superb, research is tops, descriptions are spot on, everything is as it should be in an historical novel.  I consider her one of THE best romance authors out there today, but I do feel she held back a bit with Beguiling the Beauty emotionally.  Perhaps getting us ready for her next book in the series?  I can't wait!

4.5/5

P.S. If this is your first go around with Sherry Thomas, do yourself a favor and read her back list starting with Private Arrangements, you won't be sorry!  It's packs a punch, and you'll see how the Tremaine's who make a few cameos in Beguiling the Beauty, have their happily ever after as well.

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Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke

Book Description:
A courageous woman...
In the aftermath of the Civil War, beautiful and stubborn Olivia Maitland was determined to save her family and their near-bankrupt Louisiana plantation no matter what-even if it meant taking in cynical ex-boxer Conor Branigan in exchange for help. It wasn't long before she discovered the secret pain hidden beneath his rugged ways. And his ache touched something in her, lighting afire in her heart.

A hard-fighting man...
Conor Branigan had seen his family and his hopes destroyed in Ireland and had sworn never to care for anyone again. But now he dared hope for a love greater than any he'd ever dreamt of, with Olivia and her three adopted children-and a future that he would fight to keep forever.

Quickie Review:
This is the story of tortured Irishman, Conor Branigan, who finds love in post-Civil War Louisiana - albeit reluctantly until he can no longer resist the steady, peaceful mien of Olivia Maitland who manages to change his mind. A shy spinster raising three adopted daughters, Olivia is a survivor.  Fighting to keep her plantation afloat and out of the hands of the local villain who wants to build a railway right through her peach orchard, Olivia's stubborn determination baffles Conor who can't believe she won't take the money.  But over time, he gradually learns to admire her grit and agrees to help her in the end.  She refuses all the offers presented to her to sell, unwilling to ever give up her family home. Conor turns up at just the right time to help her with her problems yet he's torn with helping her and choosing to remain aloof and free to be his own self with no ties to anyone.  Yet, when she is threatened unless she sells her property, he can't just leave and turn his back on Olivia and her girls who have become dearer to him than he'd like to admit. This loner and drifter is becoming a family man, whether he likes it or not.

Switching back and forth between his time in Louisiana with Olivia and his time living in Ireland, we learn about Conor's haunted past, how he lost his entire family and then joined the Irish Cause for independence, becoming a Fenian until he was caught and put in prison.  Eventually he finds his way to America, landing in Boston and earning money as a prize fighter, passing through towns and villages until he ends up almost dead in the road in Louisiana where Olivia finds him.  In need of a man to help around her plantation fixing the roof and the upcoming harvest, he seems to be an answer to her prayers.  Nursing him back to health he soon becomes a fixture around the house, although he must remain a secret or they'll both be run out of town, her reputation in tatters.  Even though nothing is going on between them, there is no chaperon in the house and she is a single woman.  It's just not done!  There's also the sticky matter that the same man who wants to buy Olivia's property is the same man that had Conor beaten and left for dead, warning him that if he ever saw his face around town again he'd kill him.  He's also the same man that had been the overseer of Olivia's plantation before the war who's suit she rejected.

As you can guess, Olivia falls in love with the enigmatic stranger she stumbled upon in the road.  Yet, she knows he wants to move on and doesn't want him to stay against his will.  Yet, that is exactly what happens and my heart broke for them as they both must deal with society's edict of what is considered right and wrong.

I love Guhrke's historical romances and this wasn't bad but there wasn't a lot of chemistry between Olivia and Conor.  Still, it was nice story and a departure from my typical historicals set in England.  This is a "clean" romance by the way which I bought on kindle for a rock bottom price.

3.5/5

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The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley

Book Description:
Lady Eleanor Ramsay is the only one who knows the truth about Hart Mackenzie. Once his fiancee, she is the sole woman to whom he could ever pour out his heart.

Hart has it all-a dukedom, wealth, power, influence, whatever he desires. Every woman wants him--his seductive skills are legendary. But Hart has sacrificed much to keep his brothers safe, first from their brutal father, and then from the world. He's also suffered loss--his wife, his infant son, and the woman he loved with all his heart though he realized it too late.

Now, Eleanor has reappeared on Hart's doorstep, with scandalous nude photographs of Hart taken long ago. Intrigued by the challenge in her blue eyes--and aroused by her charming, no-nonsense determination--Hart wonders if his young love has come to ruin him . . . or save him.

Fourth of the Mackenzie Brothers series, this is Hart's story and I loved it!   Hart is the eldest brother, inheriting the dukedom from his father, who was a cruel and ruthless monster who left his mark on all the sons.  Hart, as the eldest took on the burden of protecting the rest from their father's notorious temper - particularly Ian, who stars in the first book of the series, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (which is a great book!)  To make it simple, Hart has overseen and controlled the entire family for many years now and is incapable of giving up his autonomy over the family.  Yet, he secretly yearns for the relaxed and carefree life he once knew when he was in love and engaged to Eleanor Ramsay - the woman he loved who got away.

Now it has been ten years since Eleanor broke their engagement.  Hart is older, though still very handsome and delectable.  A widower and a rising star who means to become prime minister soon, he wants Eleanor back in his life as a wife.  He'd never stopped caring for her and he needs a hostess to help with his political aspirations as well.  Just as lively and effervescent as ever, she takes his breath away.  Despite the fact she is impoverished and barely making ends meet with her father in Edinburgh, she returns to London to help Hart.  Not with his political career, but because she believes he's being blackmailed.  As it turns out, someone is sending Eleanor photographs that were taken of Hart as a young man - in the nude.  She wants to help solve the mystery of who has them and she's intent on getting the rest of them back - twenty in all that were taken at the time by his former mistress.  The thought that Eleanor enjoyed looking at the pictures of him (no matter how irresistible) when they were taken by his mistress did strike me as strange though - I would have been insanely jealous!

The descriptions and imagery of these photographs are very sexy and - beautiful.  Quite droolworthy.  It's all very tasteful but incredibly sensual. The idea of the gorgeous, young and handsome Hart in his kilt with nothing else on - and then even less?  You get the idea...  Eleanor is so daring and original, she's up for anything and once things resume romantically, she decides to take more photos of Hart in the buff to update her growing collection.  Their photo sessions are loaded with eroticism.  He's such a ham!  I loved reading about how she and Hart become closer and closer - more and more like old times, though it's still not a given she will take him back.  They had once been lovers, anticipating their wedding day when they were engaged, but things went wrong and Eleanor broke it off, thanks to Hart's long time mistress who decided to let Eleanor in on a few secrets about Hart.  I enjoyed his flashbacks and what happened between them and the day she returned his ring.  It made me even more sympathetic towards Hart, who in the past books comes across as cold and aloof.  Entirely much too forbidding, but I love his type of hero, so my attitude was "bring it on!"  The bigger they are, the harder they fall.  This older Hart has passion and feeling, I really loved him and it was a very satisfying ending to see how his life turned around so unexpectedly giving him the chance to put in perspective what it takes to make one happy.

I loved Eleanor as well and thought she was great for him.  Though as the story develops and it's clear they are going to get back together, I wasn't crazy about the quasi-bondage scene between them and it left me a bit confused about why he didn't want her to know everything about him. Still, I loved them together as a couple, she's so good at dealing with him and it's obvious they never stopped loving one another.   She's smart and witty, proud, beautiful, she's a great heroine.  I think she's the perfect match for him and she will be a perfect duchess as well.  Everyone loves her too.  They're all so happy to see she's back in the Mackenzie fold, yet all is not perfect in the Mackenzie world.  Someone is trying to kill Hart and it's up to Ian to help.  They have a sort of a telepathic bond between each other in which they can tell when the other is in trouble or lost.   I loved how we learn more about their relationship as brothers, plus it was great seeing so much of Ian and Beth from the first book!  Glimpses of the rest of the large family as well!

Overall, this was a great story, plus I loved the cover and Hart is just as I imagined on it - handsome with short reddish brown hair - he looks great!  The older Hart is even sexier than the younger one!  Yummmm.  

I highly recommend!

4.5/5

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Untie My Heart by Judith Ivory

Book Description:
Stuart Aysgarth, the new Viscount Mount Villiars, doesn't know he's playing with fire when he inadvertently runs afoul of Emma Hotchkiss. True, the exquisite Yorkshire lady is a mere sheep farmer, but she also guards a most colorful past that makes her only more appealing to the handsome, haunted lord. Emma has come to him seeking justice - and Stuart is determined that she will not leave until she has shared her secrets ... and his bed.  Her clever revenge scheme "must" fail in the face of his soft words and tender caress - and then he turns the tables on his bewitching adversary, seducing her into a daring deception of his own. 

I loved this romance!  The entire build up, execution and plotline was fantastic!

Set during Victorian times, I was enthralled by this crazy but oh-so-entertaining story!  Beautiful and widowed Yorkshire sheep farmer, Emma Hotchkiss's lamb is killed on the road by a coach going by that didn't even bother to stop!  Said coach is owned by the new Viscount Mount Villiars, newly arrived to the village where he intends to set up residence in his crumbling castle that is in much need of repair. Emma is outraged and wants the fifty pounds owed her for the loss of her lamb.  After a few unsuccessful attempts with his "man of business" she is convinced the new viscount is a complete jerk and decides to teach him a lesson.

She turns to forgery.  Yes... forgery.

As it turns out, in a former life, Emma was somewhat of a con artist with her husband and they were quite adept at playing the game of swindling money out of unsuspecting rubes.  She knows all about accounting and doctoring books and moving money from accounts, etc. and she figures she can do this with the viscount's accounts to get her fifty pounds and he'll never know!  She cleverly cooks up a scheme, poses as a temporary secretary for a complicated loan the Viscount has arranged with a nearby bank and - voila!  Easy - or so she thinks.  Except, Emma didn't count on what it would be like to actually meet the Viscount in person.  Oh. My. God.
 
The build up and anticipation when Stuart, the new Viscount and Emma meet for the first time at the bank is one of the best I've ever read.  It had me on tenterhooks, I was blown away by this first introduction to our hero.  Stuart's description while standing in the doorway of the bank with the swirling snow flurries behind him was mesmerizing.  His height, his vicuna and chinchilla coat, his top hat.  Sexy, slow, provocative, I was enraptured.   The first scene at the bank - everything - Emma dropping her pen, bumping heads, then searching under the table, their eyes meeting - a sexual connection - be still my heart!  Every moment between them was scintillating.  I loved it!

And it gets better!

Stuart is mesmerized by Emma and had no idea who she really is.  He thinks she's some curvy young secretary who'd love to have a fling with him.  He has no idea she's the annoying widow Hotchkiss that keeps plaguing him with letters and law suits and what have you.  Still, things do not turn out the way Emma's financial scheme is planned and once Stuart figures out the way of things, he turns the tables on Emma.  Again, be still my heart.  I was stunned - blown away by the surprise of what he does to her!  Some readers may take umbrage over this, but I thought it was very sexy.  *fans self*

I won't give away any more spoilers but the title of the book Untie My Heart becomes key to these two who have amazing chemistry together once they get past a few initial tie ups.  The story of how they pair up to swindle Stuart's uncle (who is making life difficult for Stuart, financially) and get him to leave the country - to Wyoming, no less, is great.  The whole scheme is entertaining and I kept thinking this would make a great movie!! Emma is terrific at the game and over the course of a few weeks while planning everything she and Stuart fall madly in love.  Of course, neither one of them is willing to verbalize this just yet, but oh, this was a grand book!

I read this in one day, reading it in the middle of the night, I could barely put it down. This book had a few big surprises which were very much on the steamy side. I loved Stuart, her viscount - and his coat.  A great story with snappy dialogue that sizzles, both outfoxing the other.  Delightful and magical, but one scratch my head moment over Emma's decision at the end which kept me from giving it a 5/5 rating.  Still, this is a keeper for me!

4.5/5

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My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander

Book Description:
Evelyn Hadley-Attwater has it all - a genteel Victorian life replete with loving husband, ball gowns and elegant parties. No one, including the man she married, suspects that she was once "Eve," a spy for England's most enigmatic intelligence agency. Summoned for one final assignment, the excitement of her former life and memories of her mysterious, flirtatious boss "Sir" prove too tempting....

Adrian Hadley-Attwater is a respectable, dignified gentleman. But even the most proper gentlemen have secrets of their own. Secrets from the rest of the world, from their families, from their wives. Secrets that have a price. Now, as a veil of secrecy frays, a tantalizing game of cat and mouse will test the bounds of unfailing love...

SPOILERS!
  
I had high hopes for this spy romance when I first read the blurb about it.  Second in a new series by this new to me author, Victoria Alexander, I bought the first book in the series His Mistress by Christmas, and read it first.  I love, love, loved it.  In His Mistress by Christmas, we first meet the hero and heroine of My Wicked Little Lies, Eve and Adrian Hadley-Attwater.  They seem like a respectable and happily married couple.  Was My Wicked Little Lies as good?  No, I'm afraid not, which is a pity since I'd been looking forward to it so much!  It just didn't have the same allure as His Mistress. The premise was good,  involving the hero and heroine who have been married for two years.  They're still very much in love and looking forward to a long life together with children and the the whole nine yards.  But, there's a catch.  Each of them has kept a big secret from the other.  Eve was a spy and Adrian - well, he was "Sir" her spymaster.  But she doesn't know that.  As you can guess, a rogue spy is out to reveal the truth about who "Sir" is and Eve must go back into the spy business to keep the secret from her oh so respectable husband, having no idea, of course that he is "Sir!"

Everything about this book should have made it a winner but for some reason there just wasn't enough chemistry between Eve and Adrian to keep me interested in them.  Here they've had a great marriage so far and the next thing you know it's unraveling at the seams because they're playing all sorts of mind games with each other!   Adrian fell in love with Eve when he was "Sir" over two years ago.  They corresponded as spy and spymaster yet never met personally.  He leaves the business when he inherits his title as an Earl and "courts" Eve as if he never knew who she really was or what she did.  Now he gets the harebrained notion to discover whether or not she would have fallen in love with "Sir" back then.  What would happen if "Sir" came back into her life, would she fall for him, despite being happily married?   Adrian decides to "woo" her as Sir by sending her red roses, etc. and winds up making a mess of things.  Eve winds up moving out and Adrian, who is supposed to be this intelligent man of the world becomes this clod who wants to see if his wife is really in love with him or not!

Now, don't get me wrong, overall I enjoyed this romance, but I did not feel committed to the hero and heroine and sort of felt they deserved their just desserts.  Their lies and games with one another, though it had its amusing moments seemed off and implausible.   Adrian barging into an hotel room bent on capturing Eve in the act with another man, only to find the other man in the arms of someone else was pretty funny, but then when Eve finds out about it, she decides to keep the knowledge to herself and teases Adrian instead.  Ordinarily this should have been fun, but it only wound up being sort of mean in my eyes.  Of course, they do love one another dearly and Eve forgives Adrian in the end, but there is much groveling on his part for being such an ass and not trusting her.  And, of course, there's nothing like the fear of death to put things into perspective when Adrian is kidnapped.  Still, I'm sorry, spymasters just don't grovel!  Adrian should have known better!

Another matter I had problems with was the side story of Max, the current spymaster who replaced Adrian, and Celeste, Eve's assistant and former cohort in the spy business.  They're having a secret fling together.  I couldn't quite get my bearings on her and whether I was for her affair with Max or not.  It was a bit unorthodox and again, all these secrets! I guess they go with the territory in a romance about former spies.  Still, I found this side story an unneeded distraction from the main story.  Were the love scenes between Max and Celeste thrown in because there were virtually none regarding Eve and Adrian?

Overall, My Wicked Little Lies wasn't bad, but it just wasn't as good as it's predecessor.  Writing about married couples and keeping the romance sizzling is a tall order.  I must give credit to the author for giving it a go.  In any event, I am eager to read the rest of the series, for I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the Hadley-Attwaters! 

3.5/5

P.S. One of the things that attracted me to this story in the first place is the use of "Sir" as the title of Eve's former boss and spymaster. It was very much like the use of "Sir" in A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man, another book I simply loved!   I find the use of "Sir" erotic in both instances.  If you liked that book, you'll get a kick out of it here too!

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With Seduction in Mind by Laura Lee Guhrke

Book Description:
Her proposition...

London Society is harsh for a young woman with no family connections who has to work for a living. But when Daisy Merrick is sacked from yet another job, the feisty and outspoken miss comes up with a plan that could give her a future beyond her wildest dreams. There's only one problem. Her success depends on a man, the most infuriating, impossible, immovable man she's ever met.

His Resolution...

Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore, is England's most infamous author. Known for his notorious reputation, he is more interested in play than work, and has no intention of cooperating when Daisy shows up on his doorstep with a mad plan. The provoking, fire-haired beauty stirs his sense beyond belief, and Sebastian knows he has only one way to stop her. Seduction.

I enjoyed this final book in Guhrke's Girl Bachelor series except it got off to a slow start and took a long time for the hero and heroine to actually kiss! I'm all for long build ups but there wasn't enough sexual tension to sustain the story until the last third of the book when things finally start heating up.   The story itself was pretty good of two writers who are forced to work together as critique partners.  Sebastian is a well known novelist and playwright who has lost his touch.  Due to a cocaine addiction, his past eight years of writing have been utter "rubbish."  Now clean of the drug he feels he can't write a thing - he doesn't even want to try.  He's afraid to.  Daisy is a budding author, dying to get her first book published.  She accepts an assignment from Sebastian's publisher who thinks she has potential.  Her assignment is to get Sebastian to write one more book to fulfill his contractual obligations.  The problem: Daisy wrote a scathing review of his latest play that closed in less than a week.  For that, Sebastian can barely stand the sight of her, much less let her critique his writing and get him to write another novel!

Yet Daisy is relentless and if anyone can get Sebastian to do it, she can.  She's going to earn that $500 advance come hell or high water.  She will not stop until she gets him to write that book!  Finding an old manuscript of the first book he ever tried to write, he gives it to her thinking that will be the end of it and he'll be rid of her.  She reads it and makes a zillion notes and suggestions, expecting him to make revisions.  She even follows him out to the country to stay with his aunt - she is like a terrier!  She will not give up.  She has a soft spot when it comes to Sebastian, for he had once been one of her favorite authors and she can't just let him give up writing forever!  In his early days (before the cocaine)  he had been a fine writer and she's convinced he can be one again!  Unaware of his addiction and fears, she keeps pestering him, dogging him at every move until finally she gets under his skin - but not exactly in the way she expects.  He's beginning to look at her differently...  The image of that annoying drama critic is fading each day.  Daisy is now becoming more and more beautiful in Sebastian's eyes.  A red haired, sensual woman who has no idea how enticing she is.  He soon realizes that the easiest way he can get out of this writing situation is if he plays along with her.  Why not make her think he'll complete the revisions she recommends?  But secretly he'll work on seducing her instead.  She'll become so enamored of him and swept off her feet, she'll go along with whatever he wants!  Voila! Problem solved and he'll get to see more of the delectable Miss Merrick and what's underneath her buttoned up shirtwaists!  Little does he know his plan will backfire.  Instead of putting off his writing for good, he winds up re-writing the entire book after all!  How does this come about?  It's amazing how lust can can work as an incentive.  Sebastian talks Daisy into promising she will allow him to kiss her after every 200 pages of revisions.

As you can imagine, the two of them wind up longing for their post-revision kissing sessions.  Each one becomes more and more daring as Sebastian's book gets closer and closer to completion.  Naturally, this was my favorite part of the story.  He's writing like mad - and it's good - and Daisy is (as predicted) dazed and befuddled over this new sensation she's experiencing - passion.   As a virgin, she's never experienced it before.  A whole new world has suddenly opened up for her.  But, she can't seem to write anything herself because she's dazzled by his passionate kisses!  He really does sweep her off her feet!  But how far can it go?  What happens when the book is finished - is that the end of it between them?  Or does Sebastian find he can't live without his adorable critique partner after all?  And what will Daisy do when she overhears an unfortunate conversation between Sebastian and his aunt?  Will she think she's just another fling for him to discard once his book is finished and he doesn't need her as his muse any longer?  In the romance world, nothing good ever happens from eavesdropping.

This romance is wonderful if you like stories that involve authors and their writing.  It goes over a great deal of what the writing process is like: critiquing and revisions, writers block, story arcs, what it takes to make a story compelling and deep.  Not Guhrke's steamiest novel, but it kept my interest.  We see a bit of Harry Marlowe, Sebastian's publisher, and hero from And Then He Kissed Her  in it (which is a great book btw).  Also references to other heroes from the series.  Overall I liked With Seduction in Mind, but it was a weak finish to the Girl Bachelor Series which I found a bit uneven.  Two of the books I loved, and two were meh, but all in all, I recommend it.

3.5/5

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His Mistress by Christmas by Victoria Alexander

Book Description:
For three years, Lady Veronica Smithson has been perfectly happy as a widow-and thoroughly independent. Still, the right gentleman could provide the benefits of marriage without the tedious restrictions. And in Sir Sebastian Hadley-Attwater, renowned explorer and rogue, Veronica is sure she has found him.  Sebastian will come into his inheritance in a matter of weeks-if his family deems him responsible enough. There's no better way to prove his maturity than with a wife. But though Veronica will share his bed, she refuses to marry. However, Sebastian has a plan: An intimate sojourn at his new country house will surely change Veronica's mind. For Sebastian never takes no for an answer. And he intends to persuade his Christmas mistress that they belong together-in this, and every season to come. . .

I adored this Victorian romance about a lively widow who sets her sights on handsome explorer, Sir Sebastian Hadley-Attwater.  He is the one.  She's not interested in remarrying - she wants to be his mistress!  Used to her independence, she has no intention of giving it up by marrying, no matter how handsome and adventurous Sir Sebastian is, particularly when he gets that look in his eye.  Sebastian has other ideas, though.  Eying the beautiful Veronica Smithson (and her hat) at a lecture he can't forget about her.  Once introduced, he is instantly enamored of this outspoken and oh so appealing friend of his cousin.  It's clear the attraction is mutual, but he realizes he wants more than a mistress - he wants to marry her!  This was a scrumptious romance.  I loved both the strong hero and heroine in this well done and sometimes poignant tale that brought tears to my eyes at the end.

The gist of the story is, Sebastian has to prove to his older siblings he is responsible so he can come into his inheritance.  With a new house in the country and setting up housekeeping, all he needs is a wife and he'll be all set.  Coincidentally he meets Lady Veronica around the same time.  Perfect.  She's gorgeous, wealthy in her own right, a consummate hostess and he can't stop thinking about her.  He instantly decides she will be his future wife and goes about courting her as any gentleman would with the honorable intention of marriage.  Much to Veronica's chagrin, he's too much of a gentleman.  She was hoping for some wooing of another kind... the kind that Sir Sebastian has a reputation for with the ladies.  Alas, when he ultimately proposes, she turns him down and makes a counter offer to be his mistress.  Unfortunately, before he proposed he spilled the beans to his nosy sisters that he would be married by Christmas, confident that Veronica will accept his proposal.  Uh oh.  

After much wrangling over their difference of opinion, Veronica and Sebastian compromise.  He agrees to a trial run at Christmas time to have Veronica become his mistress.  Of course this is all in theory, they've barely even kissed!  He invites her to spend Christmas at his country estate where they can "play house" and see if this mistress idea will work out.  Of course, he's convinced he'll get her to come around and agree to marry him in no time.  But, Veronica is determined to be a mistress, she does not want to marry - no matter how much he makes her heart flutter.  Could it be love? Once at his estate things start off well until his entire family descends upon him!  To make matters worse, they are all under the impression that Veronica is his wife and they are eager to welcome her into the family!  His sisters (who are in the know) talk him into a half-baked idea to not tell Veronica about it - but you know this will never work.

Soon enough, the truth comes out - and the whole sticky business of the inheritance.  If only Sebastian had told her about it!  You can guess what Veronica thinks - and does.  Still, I admired her aplomb.  She didn't burst into tears or make a scene, but she wasn't happy either. Sebastian has some serious groveling to do to make it all right again - and he does, magnificently.

Trust me, this was a delightful romance that I ate up like candy.  Veronica is my kind of heroine - no wilting lily, she is strong, confident, beautiful and not afraid to say what she thinks.  But she also knows when it is wise to be tactful and keep her mouth shut (unlike her argumentative spinster aunt).  The only thing going against Veronica is her crazy notion of being a mistress, which she has not thought through.  Having never been one before, she really didn't think about the scandalous ramificationss that would ensue.  Besides this point, Lady Veronica is an original heroine, I'll give her that and I had a smile on my face throughout this entire book.  Plus, I loved Sebastian! Rugged in a blond scruffy kind of way, he stole my heart.  He's sexy yet endearingly adorable all at the same time.  I loved the way he fell for Veronica (a bit too quickly, I admit) and wanted to have a life with her in his new house that he's so proud of.   When his family arrives en masse it was very amusing for he and Veronica have almost no time to test out their mistress theory!  Here she is supposed to be his mistress instead of his wife, and he's paying the price for it and keeping the whole thing a secret from his siblings - and they haven't even been to bed together yet! The irony!

Victoria Alexander is a new to me author and I can't wait to read the next book in this series! All the characterizations, descriptions of outfits, furnishings, etc. are first rate and faithful to the Victorian period.  Do yourself a favor and get this book, it was a total delight and I'm eager for more!

4.5/5

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The Other Guy's Bride by Connie Brockway

Book Description:
Determined to prove her worth as a budding archaeologist, Genisse Braxton vows to solve one of the world's greatest mysteries-to find the location of the lost city of Zerzura. Unfortunately, no man dares take the risk of escorting the resolute young scholar across the open desert. But on her way to Egypt, Genisse engages in a daring deception-she will switch places with Mildred Whimpelhall, who is traveling to meet her fiancé.

Cynical adventurer Jim Owen will do anything to escape the dark secrets of his troubled past. Betrayed by the woman he loved, scorned by proper society, he agrees to carry out a danger-fraught task: escort Mildred Whimpelhall across a lawless desert to her intended. But Jim is about to learn that "Mildred" isn't exactly what she seems...and the dangers they face together are eclipsed only by an even greater peril: falling in love, against all reason, with another guy's bride...

Quickie Review:  At long last a sequel to As You Desire, one of my favorite historical romances!  I must mention that this book is a first for Connie Brockway, who decided to break away from the traditional publishing world by "going rogue" and self publish this e-book.  Then Amazon made a deal with her to publish it in print as well, so she had the best of both worlds.  Tired of having to kowtow to what her publishers wanted her to write, she wanted the freedom to write what she wanted to write! I applaud her courage to break away and - I'm so glad she did!

This story revolves around the daughter of Harry and Dizzy Braxton from As You Desire.  Ginny, following in her parent's footsteps, has a passion for archeology, but she is chagrined because no one will take her seriously.   Plus, her tendency to wreak havoc wherever she goes has given her a reputation amongst the locals - avoid at all costs!  No one wants anything to do with her, convinced she is a jinx.  Certain she has made a new and spectacular discovery, she sneaks off to the Saharan desert passing herself off as the fiancée of the commander of a British outpost in the middle of nowhere. Her guide is Jim Owens, a quasi American cowboy who's a scoundrel but knows his way in the desert.  The commander of the post has hired Owens to escort his fiancée, Miss Whimpelhall, since Owens owes him a big favor.  Of course, no one has any idea that Miss Whimpelhall got seasick and decided to take a different route to Egypt.  Ginny, a fellow passenger on their ship, takes advantage of Miss Whimpelhall's change of plans and blithely dyes her hair a garish henna red and "becomes" Miss Whimpelhall.

In Cairo, Ginny and Jim hook up and their journey together begins.  It soon become clear that Ginny is a magnet for problems and small catastrophes.  Yet Jim still finds himself falling in love with her. Ginny is just as you'd expect Dizzy and Harry's daughter to be, she holds her own against Jim, although their constant bickering and miscommunication with one another after her identity is  revealed grew tedious and frustrating. Still, the ending was very romantic, which made up for some weaker parts in the middle in the book.  But overall, this was a real treat.  Ginny and Jim are a great pair and I loved his secret and the way it all unfolds - it really was a fun plot line with lots of humor that is expected with a Connie Brockway novel, adventure, sand storms, kidnappings and even some glimpses of Harry and Dizzy as parents to their large brood of children!  (I loved Harry's reaction when he finds out his daughter has been alone - in a cave - with the notorious Jim Owens!)  It all made for a very satisfying read!  *clapping*

4/5

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The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters (audio)

Book Description:
Can fear kill? There are those who believe so but Amelia Peabody is skeptical. A respected Egyptologist and amateur sleuth, Amelia has foiled felonious schemes from Victoria's England to the Middle East. And she doubts that it was a Nineteenth-Dynasty mummy's curse that caused the death of a night watchman in the British Museum. The corpse was found sprawled in the mummy's shadow, a look of terror frozen on the guard's face. What or who killed the unfortunate man is a mystery that seems too intriguingly delicious for Amelia to pass up, especially now that she, her dashing archaeologist husband, Emerson, and their precocious son, Ramses, are back on Britain's shores. But a contemporary curse can be as lethal as one centuries old and the foggy London thoroughfares can be as treacherous as the narrow, twisting alleyways of Cairo after dark when a perpetrator of evil deeds sets his murderous sights on his relentless pursuer... Amelia Peabody!

Another hilarious installment in the adventures of the Emerson family: Amelia, Radcliffe and... Ramses.  Home in England made for a refreshing change from the previous books.  The threesome handle many things simultaneously: annoying relatives, murders at the British museum and a bit of matchmaking between a young newswoman, Miss Minton (who looks like a younger sister to Amelia) and the ever zealous newspaperman Mr. Kevin O'Connell.  Masked aristocrats, orgies and pagan rituals abound!  I loved every minute of it on audio with Barbara Rosenblat narrating in her usual style that only adds to the hilarity!

The murder mystery itself seems almost secondary to the rest of the mayhem that takes place. Still, the murders serve their purpose in giving Amelia something to do and an excuse to get away from her son's experiments and her unsettling niece and nephew who have been foisted upon her by her errant brother while he goes off to India.   Amelia loves to solve a mystery and the idea of Egyptian mummies, curses, a pagan ritual involving a sacrificial virgin and masquerading as a hired "extra" at said ritual - well, that's right up Amelia's alley!

I was really in stitches in some parts of the book.  A favorite, and what I consider a very funny scene: Amelia at the tavern with Mr. O'Connell, the reporter.  Amelia is a scream as she insists the bosomy bar maid that takes their order take Amelia's scarf - to keep warm, of course, since the young woman must obviously be in need of one!  Amelia presses it upon her as "a gift." I laughed at Amelia's sheer audacity and refusal to take no for an answer.

I am stilll finding Ramses greatly amusing.  His loquaciousness - and Amelia's reaction to it - is quietly hilarious.  Ramses is such a character, there's no one else like him, I'm sure, in literature.  He disguises himself easily, practices his own embalming experiments as well as other types of experiments involving gun powder (where does he get it from, I'd like to know!)  His cousins who have come to visit for the summer put a cramp in his style, but he manages to withstand them.  A tender moment (if you can call it one) between Amelia and Ramses was very nice (for they rarely happen) when we learn the truth of what the cousins are about!

I was sorry there was no sign of the "master criminal" in London, though I kept on expecting him to show up unexpectedly dressed as an Egyptian priest.  Other things made me wonder too - I half expected Miss Minton was some sort of missing half-sister to Amelia, since the fact they resembled one another and were so alike was mentioned several times throughout the book.  As it turns out, she is the granddaughter to a duchess - alas, with no money, but she captures the interest of a few gentlemen - some good, some bad.

Last but not least, Amelia and her handsome - and robust - Emerson are still at it.  In love, partners together in every sense of the word.  It is a pleasure to read about their exploits.  I'm happy to see that parenthood and being old marrieds hasn't dampened their spirit one bit - in and out of the bedchamber!  ;)

A wonderful addition to the Amelia Peabody series, I recommend it!

4/5

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The Proposition by Judith Ivory

Book Description:
No man, gentleman or otherwise, has ever looked at Lady Edwina Bollash the way the brash, handsome man standing before her is doing now. Edwina has accepted the challenge to transform incorrigible Mick Tremore into a gentleman in just six weeks. And although the linguist is sure she can rise to the task, she isn't at all certain she won't swoon under his frankly sensuous gaze before her job is done.  Mick has lived outside of London society long enough to know that appearances can be deceiving. Edwina might look all buttoned up—the perfect English lady—but there is unleashed passion existing just below her placid facade (not to mention a great pair of legs!). And as she prepares him to take his place in society, Mick prepares Edwina to take her place in his heart...and in his bed.

This book has it all, I loved it! Based on the same premise as one of my favorite plays, Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, Edwina Bollash is a linguist who takes on a wager that she can turn Cornish/Cockney, ratcatcher, Mick Tremore into a gentleman in time to attend a grand ball. Mick is to die for - I simply loved him! Oh my, he's become a new favorite hero to add to my list! The sexual tension that builds between these two is magnificently written.

Mick Tremore grew up in Cornwall with slews of siblings but moved to London to make a living and send money home to his family.  Despite the sound of it, he's proud of his profession - as a ratcatcher - he's good at it too!  He has a pet ferret or two that help as well catch them.  One day, while trying to catch a mouse at a modiste's shop in London, he spies a pair of gorgeously long legs in a dressing room.  He is captivated - Mick is a "leg man" - the longer the better.  Will he ever be able to find out who the owner of those legs are?  Before he can work on that problem, all hell breaks loose in the shop and he winds up running for his life and winds up in a tea shop.  One thing leads to another - as in Pygmalion and two young men - twins - make a wager that Mick could be passed off as a gentleman at a fancy ball.   Edwina who has stepped in to help Mick from the snafu he has landed in at the moment impulsively agrees to be his linguistic coach and teach him to be a gentleman.  Mick agrees to it for he's promised a certain amount of money if he succeeds.

Little do Mick and Edwina know what sort of mayhem develops, for Mick moves into her townhouse (to the horror of her staff!) and she begins her daily lessons.  Just getting him to take a bath for the first time with her stoic butler was hilarious!  Mick is an original - and he's instantly attracted to Edwina, with her spectacles and buttoned up collars and sensible boots.  He audaciously makes it plain what he'd like to do to her as they become closer and has all sorts of tricks up his sleeve to get his way.  Be still my heart, the tension that builds between the two of them is amazingly carried out.  Once he gets wind that she's the owner of the tantalizing long legs he admired at the dress shop - there's no holding back.  He must see them - naked... on a raised table - as if a pedestal (not unlike the ancient myth of Pygmalion and Galatea).  What amazed me is how Edwina goes along with it!  Although on second thought, it's not so amazing because as Mick is becoming more and more like a gentleman, she's becoming more and more enamored of him!  He's really starting to resemble a lord - he's the air about him, the looks, the hands - the accent.  He's a quick study - amazingly quick - maybe too much.

I won't spoil any more of the plot, but trust me this is a great, great romance!  I'm not nearly doing it justice in this short review, but it's witty and has strong characters in both Edwina and Mick.  He is simply fabulous, but Edwina easily holds her own with him.  They are great together.   His personality dazzles, he charms everyone - plus his looks are to die for - except for his mustache.  Did I forget to mention his mustache?  The mustache - his pride and joy?  In the late Victorian era when this book takes place, many men sported a mustache and beard and Mick is oh so proud of his.  It's long and thick, luxuriant, walrus-like (or so I imagine it to be) and guess who hates it!  Edwina wants him to get rid of it pronto!  He agrees and makes a bargain - just how do you think he gets her up on top of that table revealing her legs to him?  Ooooh, it was rich!

Besides the obvious story of turning Mick into a gentleman and whether or not it's possible, there was also the side of the story of Edwina falling for a common man - can she?  Can she overlook his humble beginnings?  As the granddaughter of a duke, it's unheard of and would be considered quite a step down in Society.  She'd be an outcast.  But her feelings for him are strong - more than just wanting to have him in her bed - she cares for him - she's fallen in love with the big lug.  Then, there's Mick's side to consider - does he really want to leave his ratcatcher life and become a "gent" and speak well so he can become a valet for some nob up in Newcastle?  He knows better.  He can't possibly expect her to marry a valet.  If he does go to far away Newcastle - uggh, just the thought of it - it's the same place Wickham and Lydia were ignominiously sent to in Pride and Prejudice! Will Edwina ever see him again?  Doubtful.  What happens after the ball?  As the dreaded big night nears both must face truths about their feelings for one another and the realities of British Society in the late nineteenth century.  It seems hopeless... As the night of the ball gets closer, things heat up more and more between them, to the point of no return.  At the same time,  we also learn the truth of what the real wager is all about with the twin gentlemen and what they're up to.  It all comes to head on the climatic night of the ball as family secrets are revealed, but it's also a bittersweet revelation, yet maybe an answer to their dilemma - oooh! How I loved it!

Read this book, buy it on kindle (as I did) or track it down somewhere else in print - it's a keeper and worthy of a re-read.  Mick is one of those unforgettable heroes and Edwina is the lucky gal that gets him!

5/5

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Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

Book Description:
As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted...and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man-just to avoid spinsterhood?

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul--and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep...and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love-and a passion that can't be denied...

Last of the Hathaway Series and my second favorite of all five of the books, Beatrix, the youngest and animal-lover extraordinaire finally gets her story. 

Shell shocked from the Crimean War, Christopher Phelan returns home and learns the woman who he corresponded with - and fell in love with through her letters - wasn't who he thought she was. Can he forgive Beatrix Hathaway - the real author of the letters?

Beatrix is one of those heroines that's different from other girls.  Frankly, all the Hathaway women are a bit different from your typical Society young lady, but Beatrix is even more different.  Having lost her parents at a young age, she had her ups and downs growing up.  Bouts of kleptomania, brought on due to feelings of abandonment worried her siblings but she was able to overcome her problems eventually.  One of the ways she coped with her trials was through her love of animals.  Beatrix has a natural affinity towards them.  She can tame just about anything.  In some ways she's like a "horse whisperer."  Give her an animal that's got some kind of psychosis and Beatrix can cure it - make it whole again.

Enter Captain Christopher Phelan. 

Before he went off to war, Christopher was a gallant and debonair flirt, the life of the party.  Dressed up in his regimentals he cut a dashing figure.  But the war changed him.  With a natural talent as a sharpshooter, he became a killer in the war.   The constant killing and slaughter of his friends and comrades took it's toll on Phelan, he was no longer carefree.  He returned to England after the war a hero, lauded for his courage and brave deeds.  But all of that meant nothing to him.  He suffered from shell shock and guilt.  He survived when he was unable to save his best friend.  Avoiding all the fanfare as a returning hero, all he wanted to do was find the girl who kept him sane.  The girl who understood him and wrote him the wonderful letters that made him want to live and return home one day.  The girl that captured his heart and soul.  Who understood what he was going through in the war, his doubts and fears.  His feelings of loss and inadequacy.

Unfortunately, the girl he thought he was corresponding with was all a lie.  It all began so innocently.  Beatrix' friend Prudence had met Captain Phelan before he went off to war and promised to write to him.  His first letter to her was very down and realistic and she wasn't interested in reading about his problems in his letters. A shallow and uncaring girl, she mentioned his letter to Beatrix.   Beatrix, naturally empathetic, felt terrible for him and wound up returning his letter under the guise of her friend.  Before long their letters were becoming deeper and more meaningful.  They were caring and compassionate.  She was falling in love with Christopher (the same man who once scorned her and said she only belonged in a stable). Eventually, she could no longer continue with the deception.  He thought he was corresponding with Prudence, not the strange Beatrix Hathaway!  Her last letter to him basically told him that she wasn't who he thought she was and to come back and find her.  Due to a mix up, Beatrix never meant to send that last letter.  But it got mailed anyway.  He misunderstood it's meaning and the first person he wanted to see upon his return to England was the shallow Prudence!

It doesn't take Christopher long to realize the real Prudence wasn't at all like the Prudence of his letters.  Yet, he couldn't understand why.   It left him disillusioned.  He was angry and bitter and it didn't help the dog that he brought home with him from the war was nipping and growling at everyone in sight.  The only one that seemed to be able to tame it was, of course, Beatrix.  Phelan and Beatrix develop an uneasy friendship but over time she is able to help him relax - and she tames his dog.  As he spends more and more time with Prudence, he keeps resisting the suspicions that are growing in his mind.  The things she says... they sound like Prudence's letters... could it be? Did Prudence write those letters?  If not - was it Beatrix?  Were they playing one big joke on him?  Imagining the worst, he confronts Beatrix and... I won't spoil it, you'll have to read it yourself, but it was moving and emotional and vintage Lisa Kleypas.  I had tears in my eyes when Christopher and Beatrix finally have their reckoning.  She owed him an explanation and he needed to know that the woman he grew to love through her letters really existed - and loved him back.

I loved this moving and emotional tale which brought me to tears.  A real winner.  Christopher and Beatrix' story has many facets to it.  It's sad and emotional, yet uplifting, not to mention some pretty hot love scenes.  Their moment of truth is passionate and satisfying and worthy of all that they've gone through to get to that penultimate moment.  She is perfect for him, as only she can understand him and "tame" him.  I was so happy to find that Beatrix finally found her perfect mate and I was happy for Christopher to have a happy ending as well.

Great, great story that will tug at your heartstrings.  I highly recommend this thoughtful and wonderful finale to the Hathaway Series!

4.5/5

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Romancing the Countess by Ashley March

Book Description:
Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, thought he'd married the perfect woman-until a fatal accident revealed her betrayal with his best friend. After their deaths, Sebastian is determined to avoid a scandal for the sake of his son. But his best friend's widow is just as determined to cast her mourning veil aside by hosting a party that will surely destroy both their reputations and expose all of his carefully kept secrets...

Leah George has carried the painful knowledge of her husband's affair for almost a year. All she wants now is to enjoy her independence and make a new life for herself-even if that means being ostracized by the Society whose rules she was raised to obey. Now that the rumors are flying, there's only one thing left for Sebastian to do: silence the scandal by enticing the improper widow into becoming a proper wife. But when it comes to matters of the heart, neither Sebastian nor Leah is prepared for the passion they discover in each other's arms....

There are SPOILERS in this review.

I adored this romance.  I'm afraid this review isn't going to come close to doing it justice, I was bowled over by how good this was.  This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last!

It's the story of how a husband and a wife who are married to two different people, deal with the aftermath of the deaths of their respective spouses. The catch is, the spouses were having an affair with each other.  Leah, the wife in this tragic scenario, had known about the affair already.  Sebastian, the wronged husband and the Earl of Wriothesly, adored his wife.  He was clueless about her unfaithfulness.  The shock and pain over her death not only left him numb, but then to learn of her deception?  He could have gone over the deep end, but instead, he held it together for the sake of his young son, whom he adored (an adorably written child, btw).  Nothing was more important to Sebastian than to keep his son safe from gossip and innuendo.  Fearing the story of his wife's affair would get out, he didn't want any doubts or rumors to crop up about his son's parentage.  He'd have no trouble containing the truth of the affair on his side, but what about the "grieving" widow, Mrs. Leah George?  As far as Wriothesly was concerned - she was a loose cannon!

Leah George is an interesting and different heroine.  I felt terrible for her due to the fact she had been aware of her husband's unfaithfulness many months before he died.  What irony - it was with his best friend's wife.  As a starry eyed newlywed, Leah was crushed when she unexpectedly walked in on her husband and his mistress, the perfect wife of the Earl of Wriothesly.  The thought of catching her husband in the act - how devastating!  When he died (with his lover) months later, Leah was already a changed person, no longer that dewy ingenue from the previous year.  She had grown up overnight upon learning of her husband's secret life and by the time she became a widow, she had already mourned the end of her marriage.  She was ready for new things and a new life, but Society required she dress in mourning for an extended length of time.  Victorian times, Victorian rules.  But Leah flouted the rules and cut her mourning period short.  Bad move, in retrospect.

I really liked Leah.  Many readers will probably think she was incredibly stupid based on her actions.  She wasn't perfect and she made some pretty bad decisions, but she was strong and courageous.  Resourceful too.  But yes, she could have done things differently and saved herself a lot of headaches.  She should have re-thought her decision to commit a major social no-no which basically banned her from society.   What did she do?  She donned a new dress at her own party.  It wasn't black.  Instead it was a dark, dark blue with a deep v in the back.  Scandalous!  She was shunned, cut dead, ostracized by polite society.  The world as she knew it - ended.

Meanwhile, Wriothesly is on the sidelines looking and waiting for this debacle to happen.  He'd warned her, asked her not to do anything untoward that would make people suspect she wasn't the perfect grieving widow. But, he already had an inkling of what Leah was capable of.  Unlike Leah, he was devastated by his wife's death, but his main concern now was for his young son.  He feared that if Leah discarded her mourning too early, society would wonder why, put two and two together of why their spouses were traveling (alone) together and wonder who the real father was.  An intolerable situation, as far as he was concerned.  Just as Wriothesly predicted, everything came tumbling down for Leah after the party.  She lost her income and her home and eventually she had no choice but to become a hired ladies' companion in order to support herself.  Quite a come down.  But she took it with grace.  She knew what she had been doing and she was happy because she had her independence, even if she had no money.

The love/hate relationship that builds between Sebastian and Leah is the best part of this romance.  It gets to a point where neither one can stand the other, yet he's drawn to her.  At first he despises her and the risk she poses to his son's reputation, but then things change.  Sebastian comes across as somewhat of a prig at first, but definitely he grows on you as he begins to think of her mouth... kissing her... what she would be like in bed.  But this is the woman he can't stand!  Soon he begins to obsesses about her.  Leah too is having thoughts of Sebastian.  But she's carrying a different sort of burden.  Sex with her husband had become nearly unbearable.  Knowing he had just come from his mistress with her scent of lavender, the idea of sex became abhorrent to her.  It was something she put up with, hoping for a child.  Now, long after her husband's death, the feelings she's developing towards Sebastian have her all tied up and confused.  How can she feel passion for the man that was married to her husband's mistress?  Another man that worshiped the woman that wrecked her marriage? Unthinkable!  Yet, there is it, inconceivably the two of them do form a passion for one another.

Once Wriothesly finds out that Leah has become a ladies' companion he asks her to marry him. He can't live without her.  But, she has her conditions.  She wants to keep her independence and does not want to be at his mercy in the marriage bed until she's ready.  He agrees to her wishes, for he's primarily concerned in squelching the rumors that are cropping up about the affair.  Plus, he wants a mother for his son.  I really loved Wriothesly.  He had to deal with such an intolerable situation and he handled it with grace.  I loved the way he cared for and loved his son.  I loved his vulnerablilty, despite his tough upper lip.  He's a wonderful, noble man who deserves happiness.

Leah is all too ready to be a mother and they marry shortly after Wriothesly's proposal.  (Of course, the fact that she's been fantasizing about him has nothing to do with it!)  Little do they know what it will be like for them!  Both are under no delusions about why they're marrying - but so much changes once they marry and I loved the way they learned to live and love one another.  Leah's soon learns to regret her conditions.  I'm leaving tons out, but this was such a great story.  Their love for one another is one that needs to be carefully tended and nurtured.  Gradually it strengthens and before long it's all consuming and wonderful!

I'm leaving much out, but you can get the gist of the story.  Take my word for it, this is a different and worthwhile romance.  It starts out on a disarming note with the death and betrayal of the spouses, but turns into this bittersweet love story of two people who find love in the least likely place.  I simply love, love, loved this book!  It was so well written, poignant and memorable - and different!  I don't really know why exactly I was so crazy about this book - but I was!  Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for this time period.   All I can say is I was swept away by the characters and the drama - I couldn't get enough of it and the ending and epilogue were so fulfilling and satisfying - I was thrilled at the how these two people were able to find their way out of such a troubled time and get their happily ever after ending.   To say the least, I'm grateful to have discovered Ashley March and I'll definitely be reading more by her! Brava!


4.5/5

P.S.: On another note, what a gorgeous cover, which actually is a key part of the book too!

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