Never Trust a Pirate by Anne Stuart

Never Trust a Pirate by Anne Stuart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ironically the last of this series that I read, but the second book. I listened to this on audiobook and I loved the narrator Xe Sands. Thomas Luca Morgan is a rogue and that's clear from the beginning. I liked that he immediately saw that Maddie wasn't what she was pretending to be. The villain seemed the most heinous in this book to me, especially for some of the people he hires to get rid of Maddy. Just enough seafaring to make the theme fit the title. Great chemistry between the leads, and I like that Maddy is fairly savvy and sassy and stands toe to toe with Thomas/Luca. Hard to say which book is my favorite, they're all great. I think this one stands out because Maddy is cynical enough to handle a guy like Luca and they felt very well matched to me.

Casting Suggestions:

Aidan Turner as Thomas Luca Morgan

Kaya Scodelario as Maddy Russell


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Blackthorne's Bride by Shana Galen

Blackthorne's Bride by Shana Galen
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'm torn about this one. I loved the first two books, but I felt this one wasn't as well-plotted and and some of the events were a bit tangled. I did like the chemistry between Jack and Madeleine and I just plain love the camaraderie between Madeleine and her cousins. I've definitely read better historical romances, even by this author, but it was an entertaining read, and I did love how they both come to realize their feelings for each other and don't look back. The love scenes were nicely steamy. The mistaken wedding part was hilarious. What do you do when that happens? Hope for the best. I think it worked out the way it was supposed to, after all.

The suspense part was good. Jack truly had a wicked enemy and he shows up often enough to cause mega trouble. The conclusion is very satisfying, and I'm left to wonder if we'll ever see Ashley's book.

I'd have to give this 3.5/5.0 stars because it just doesn't measure up to the first two books in the series, No Man's Bride and Good Groom Hunting.

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His Bewildering Bride by Merry Farmer

His Bewildering Bride by Merry Farmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a lovely little romance. I'm glad it came up as a recommendation on my Amazon Kindle bookstore page. I liked the author knew a bit about the history of interracial marriage and wrote a story that showed that more of it occurred than history one would presume before the advent of Jim Crow/Segregation laws. I would have liked to live in a town like this during this point in history (when I normally think that being a black American at this time was a double-edged sword pointed at your throat). I liked that Wendy rose above the prejudice and ill treatment she faced. Born a slave but working to be an independent businesswoman. Although she faced racism, she didn't let it get to her or sour her or make her a hater. She didn't give up and I was glad to see her dreams come true.

Travis was such a sweetie. I loved him. He stepped in when his immature brother wouldn't honor is commitment to marry Wendy when he finds out that his bride is Negro. Travis was man enough to even help Wendy with her sewing so she could win the contest that might get her a shot at her own business.

While the ending ties up things nicely, it's a good ending that made me satisfied with the story. The love scenes are sweet but pretty steamy, and they show that Wendy and Travis had great chemistry, a strong bond, and true love. What a great combination. Probably the only thing I would change is for it to be longer. I will definitely continue this series. I downloaded the first book right after finishing this.

Overall rating: 4.25/5.00 stars.

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Ransom by Julie Garwood

Ransom by Julie Garwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another book I thought I had read. Boy was I glad that I didn't. Read this for the Julie Garwood group read, and it was delightful. Julie Garwood books are definitely comfort reads. She understands why we read romance, and one of the reasons is we want heroines who we can root for, that we fall in love with just as much as the heroes. Her heroines have this tangible sweetness that makes me want to hug them, root for them, and to fight with and for them. Gillian is no different. My heart hurt for her losses and I cheered her for her indefatigable will. To be honest, I did think she was a slightly too good for Brodick, although I did like him. Maybe that's a good thing, because the common dilemma for a romance fan is to like the hero more.

I have read the other two Highland Laird books and loved them. I don't know how this fell through the cracks! But it was perfect timing, because you need a pick-me-up sometimes when you've been reading for so long, and some of it's assigned reading. I am a die-hard romance lover, and while I enjoy other genres, I always come back to romance because it has the tried and true things that satisfy me as a reader. In this case, it's the great heroine and the story that completely immerses me and takes me away from my world--back to medieval Scotland. The romance is great, but there's so much more in addition to offer in this book.

One of the things that spoke to me strongly was the theme of family and loyalty. Gillian has lost more of her family, but she cleaves to that which is left. She lived with the hope of being reunited with her sister. Her uncle who raised her after the betrayal and death of her father has her unswerving loyalty. She faces great danger to keep him safe from her so-called guardian Baron Alford, who is essentially the Son of Satan. That doesn't mean she won't spare the time to protect a young Scottish boy who was kidnapped by Baron Alford's forces, even at the risk of her own life. She does it for because it's right, even if it's a great cost to her. Fortunately, her good deed leads her right where she needs to be, and into the sights and arms of Brodick, Laird of the Buchanans.

Brodick doesn't know what hits him (not unusual for a Garwood heroine). Before he knows it, he can't live without Gillian, even though he knows from the beginning that she's bound to return to England. He fights his love for her because he believes love makes him weak. Although he hypocritically demands Gillian's love as his due. Brodick takes her into his clan literally, and gives Gillian the family she's missing.

Brodick was a pretty good hero. Not good enough for Gillian, but I liked him. I didn't like that he tended to usurp Gillian's self-will, both because he believes he knows better, and also for her protection. He knew that she needed a protector, but the lie he told was a costly one, nearly losing the love of his life in the process.

This book has almost two romances for the price of one. The second romance between Ramsey and Brigid was fun, and it develops more slowly than the one between Gillian and Brodick. Most of the characteristic humor is evident in their interactions, since Gillian's situation is so serious, it doesn't leave as much time for humor.

Not only was the romance good, but it had genuine suspense. Gillian is in some very dangerous situations, and she makes it through between a combination of divine providence, will power, and intelligence. She hasn't had an easy life, but it's made her into the wonderful heroine she is. One who can't help but acquire the loyalty of those around her.

I was more than satisfied with this book. It took me a while to read, but that's sort of my life now. But every time I picked it up, I was deeply involved and enthralled. This was a long book, but when it ended, I wished for more. I did feel disappointment with the resolution of Gillian's search for her sister, but that's real life. And at least she found a new sister in Brigid. I can't help but give it five stars under those circumstances. Even with my increasingly stingy ratings, I can't argue myself down from there.

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Never Kiss a Rake by Anne Stuart

Never Kiss a Rake by Anne Stuart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is sly, sensual, humorous and firmly ensconced in the period. Even if I wasn't the biggest Anne Stuart fan on earth, I will still have found this book utterly enchanting.

I was really nervous with the storyline because I hate adultery with a burning passion. I'm happy with how things unfolded. There was no line crossing in this book that I couldn't live with. While Lord Kilmartyn is supposed to be a sleazy rake, I was completely in love with him quite early on in the book. I found him very seductive and I could see why Bryony fell for him, despite being a very sensible young woman. I liked the importance of his Irish heritage to his persona, and how it had gotten him into a shaky situation of late, but defined him in a way that he couldn't turn his back on. I wish that Ms. Stuart had delved more into where his marriage went wrong, but I got the impression that he wanted to be a good husband to his wife at some point, and he loved her, but now he hated her. In some books with the unrepentant, adulterous rake, I question the character's ability to remain faithful to the heroine, but I have no doubt that Kilmartyn would be capable of that with Bryony. His caring for her when she was in need was very touching and showed more than words.

I also loved Bryony as a character. Her pain in feeling unloved and unattractive because of her smallpox scars made sense. While it scarred her self-esteem, she was still a strong-minded person and no fainting flower in the face of her family's recent change in fortunes. I like her pluck and how her natural personality comes out in her interactions with Kilmartyn. I rooted for her to get him, and win him over in a way that didn't cross the line into adultery or illicit affair territory and I was glad Ms. Stuart gave her that happy ending with no compromise in that area.

The secondary characters are a fun addition to the book, with a little bit of the "Upstairs, Downstairs" vibe as Bryony gets engrossed in the world of the servants and they take her in, especially Mrs. Harkins the kindly chef.

I confess I read the last book before this, so I sort of know how it ends, but it didn't spoil things for me. There is still plenty of mystery in the storyline with what happened to Bryony and her sisters' father to keep the story interesting. That is if steamy romance with a soon-to-be reformed rake isn't enough to keep things exciting.

Never Kiss a Rake is a promising start to this newest historical romance series by Ms. Stuart. She brings all the steamy romance and engaging characters that make her books delicious reads for me. I hope to read Never Trust a Pirate very soon.

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Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I listened to this on audio, and I enjoyed it. I didn't get quite as into this as other reads by this author on audio. I felt that the romance wasn't as well-developed. It seemed almost arbitrary, whereas the mystery was much stronger. The Bridegroom storyline was dark and twisted, and well-thought out. The Bridegroom was one creepy piece of work.

One thing I really liked was that Benedict felt awkward about himself as a romantic prospect. He felt that he might be too boring for a woman to want to be married to him, and that he wasn't romantic enough. I kind of get sick for the uber-confident hero who knows everything about love and romance. Benedict was sweet and adorable. He made me root for him in that regard. I liked Amity. She was independent and thoughtful. I liked that she had found her niche as a travel writer. Seeing Benedict and Amity's close bonds with their siblings added another level to the story. I also appreciated her sister's budding relationship with the Scotland Yard investigator they were working with on the Bridegroom case. Its tie-in with the industrial espionage aspect was a bit thin though.

I think I was disappointed because I liked the past few books on audio by Quick I've listened to. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I was hoping.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Good Groom Hunting by Shana Galen

Good Groom Hunting by Shana Galen
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This was a delightful read. Just what I needed, to get immersed into an escapist story that kept my eyes glued to the page. I think that Josie and Westman are such a great couple. I love how Westman's determination to be a better, more sober man is juxtaposed with Josie's impish desire to be free and do what she wants.

Normally, I'm not a big fan of the hoydenish historical heroine, but Galen does it very well with Josie. Her desire to be a free woman is very understandable and I respected her for it. I liked how she was out and out propositioning Westman in the desire to take a lover with no strings attached. Yes, I hear the record scratching for all the folks who know me. But it really did work for this book. I could see that Josie wasn't anachronistic. She understood, although somewhat naively, that her choices weren't the typical. But after a being in a family where her scary mother holds her on a very tight leash and dealing with the double standards for females, she is determined to live her own life and make her own decisions. She has never gotten over her childish wish to be a pirate like her grandfather.

Westman seems like a good partner, despite the fact that their families are sworn enemies and he's avoiding his old rakish ways, and he's arrogant, bossy and domineering like other men. She's drawn to him in ways that don't quite make sense at first. But as this story unfolds, Josie realizes that there is no way she can keep her heart unattached, and she really doesn't want an uninvolved (other than sexually) lover.

I think Westman is a super sweetie. I really felt respect for him that he had faced how ugly his actions were before he shipped off to India. He wanted to be a better man and make amends. He desired Josie, but in his mind, she was just the kind of woman he'd loved to get involved with when he was a conscienceless rake. However, Josie is different. She's ready to meet him as an equal. She might be inexperienced in comparison, but she's a passionate woman and the only woman for him.

The love scenes are very steamy and well-written. Josie and Westman have great chemistry and you could see that love wasn't far behind. The ending was very romantic. Westmore's gesture turned me into a buttery puddle on the floor. I really needed a strong romance story this weekend, and this fit the bill. I loved how even though their family issues weren't fully resolved, they made a united stand as a couple who were deeply in love, together and fully committed to each other.

I love the camaraderie between Josie and her cousins. They are all different foils for each other, and great partners in crime. If you haven't checked out this older series, you should if you like fun, sexy, exciting, adventurous historicals with heroines and heroes who are perfect for each other, but don't find out until you do about that.

The adventure aspect is a crucial part of this story, and I liked how Galen intersperses letters and correspondence from the history of their grandparents. I still have a fascination with pirates and while this is past the golden age of piracy, it fits well in this story through Josie and Westman's familial heritage as grandchildren of pirates.

There really is much to love about this book. I'm being more picky about giving five star ratings, but this is very close. It was the right book at the right time. Looking forward to continuing this series!

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.


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A Countess by Christmas by Annie Burrows

A Countess by Christmas by Annie Burrows
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I decided to give this four stars because it was an entertaining romance, with characters that I enjoyed reading about. While the conflict is mainly based on misunderstandings of characters and what is said and done, it wasn't too irritating to render the story frustrating or the characters unlikable.

Readers who enjoy a Darcy-like hero, composed, cold, uninvolved and very proper, they will probably like Bridgemere. I enjoy when the hero is forbidding and withdrawn from life, and stiff and we see him thaw out as he is around the heroine and falls in love with her. Bridgmere really liked Helen's authenticity and her caring for others, but at the same time, his experiences with his deceased wife has made him highly wary of love and withdrawn from life, determined not to make bad choices out of emotionalism. As such, there is a see-saw between his being drawn to Helen and his wanting to maintain distance.

As far as drama/conflict, there isn't a lot of external conflict. This story is more about the developing of the relationship between a lonely man and a young woman who was rejected by most of her family except for one lady who adopted her, and as such, she is devoted to the woman and calls her aunt. There is social conflict as Bridgemere is a powerful man surrounded by family who want access to his means and influence, and are playing a game of one upmanship. Helen is continually told she's not good enough for the Earl and couldn't possibly hope for marriage with him, because she's viewed as a threat to the others who see that the Earl likes, respect, and is drawn to her. This is reinforcing Helen's own feelings of unworthiness. Yet at the same time, she does seem to have a healthy sense of self esteem.

I liked that Helen is a spunky and independent person. She reminds me of one of my favorite literary heroines, Jane Eyre, in that regard. Even with the punches she's received in her life, her sense of loneliness and rejection, she won't lay down and die. She'll keep fighting and standing up for herself, and particularly others who need champions.

The holiday atmosphere was lovely, showcasing that the cold Earl really did have a soft, warm heart, especially for children. He makes a point of creating fun and welcoming activities to the overlooked and emotionally neglected children of his relatives. Bridgemere and Helen bond as they engage in these pursuits and they are allowed to see each other as they are, with the rigid social barriers lowered.

This isn't a particularly exciting book, but the writing is good, and the characters and their developing romance engaged me and kept my interest. I kept picking this up when I had a chance and getting drawn into the story, so that I'd read it longer than I should have been due to the need to complete other tasks.

I think readers who enjoy Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte would appreciate this book.

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Her Christmas Earl by Anna Campbell

Her Christmas Earl: A Regency Novella by Anna Campbell
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Ugh. I hate to give an Anna Campbell book less than four stars. I think I was just underwhelmed. I mean, this is like one of my fave themes, spinster and rogue. But I didn't get as involved emotionally with this story. It's a pretty good short Christmas romance, that I expected to like this more than I did. Don't get me wrong. Erskine has had a thing for Phillipa since they first met, intrigued by this quiet wallflower. Phillipa looks down her nose at Erskine because he's a notorious rake. Apparently her sister wrote a steamy letter to him, and Phillipa enters the tiger's lair to get it back, but ends up locked in a cupboard with him, leading to a compromising position. Marriage is required, and Erskine is actually looking forward to it. That sounds pretty scrumptious. But it didn't come off as well as I expected.

I think I wasn't in the mood for such a self-deprecating heroine. She wouldn't believe that Erskine was into her! While I can understand the reasons for her low self-esteem, I wish she had made the most of having such a sexy hubby who couldn't get enough of her instead of being so 'woe is me'. That brings me to another area that I was disappointed. Usually Campbell rocks the love scenes. These weren't quite as sizzling as she typically manages. Maybe I just wasn't feeling it when I read this.

I admit it might be my mood right now. I'm still grieving and adjusting to things right now, so that does impact you when you are trying to focus on a book. I will try to read this again when I'm in more of receptive mood. I definitely don't want to miss out on Erskine's reformed rake sexiness.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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The Wedding Night of an English Rogue by Jillian Hunter

The Wedding Night of an English Rogue: A Novel by Jillian Hunter

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


This was a pretty good historical romance, a story of reunited lovers, with plenty of steamy romance. However, I never felt that zing, that sense of connection with the characters and that compulsion to keep reading. I felt like it was fine to pick this book up when I had a free moment, and to put it down when I had more important things to do.

I'm not a big fan of lovers reunited stories, but I liked that Heath and Julia are older and wiser, and have lived their lives, and know very well that what they have together is very good and it's worth committing to this time around.

There were some fun moments, especially with the salacious sketch of Heath that falls into the wrong hands. I really liked when Heath realized that he wasn't going to let Julia get away from him this time, no matter what. I love a hero in pursuit!  I wasn't that into the whole "Boscastle Antics" aspect of the story. It reminds me unfavorably of how there is a tendency to wink and nod at a family in a series, and to draw readership for the later stories by reminding the reader of how crazy the family is. Of course, I love series books. No question. I just think that the author's job is to make a storyline so compelling that we can't help but race for the next book. I'm not that intrigued with the other Boscastle rogues at this point. I'll keep reading because I like this author a lot. But it's not an urgency for me right now.

This is a solid B read for me.  A nice past-time with plenty of sexual tension between Julia and Heath that I'm sure many readers will really enjoy.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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A Grosvenor Square Christmas by Anna Campbell, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, Kate Nobel

A Grosvenor Square Christmas by Anna Campbell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was such an exciting free book deal on Amazon Kindle. I am an admitted huge fan of Anna Campbell, so I ran to get it when she said it was free in her newsletter. What a pleasant surprise that I enjoyed all the stories more or less equally. One caveat, if you don't care for very short romance stories at all, give this one a miss.

The premise was quite pleasing. This collection of stories revolve around the concept of a ball held by a particular doyenne of the ton known for throwing a Christmas ball where a particular couple finds their true love match.  You would think the stories would be samey with this idea. In fact, quite the contrary. Each story had a different feel. In fact, you could go down the list and suggest themes for historical romance and this short collection more or less covers the gamut.

I liked the fact that an older heroine finds a second chance at love in Shana Galen's story.  The inclusion of a Scarlet Pimpernel-type hero who rescued her and her son from the bloodthirsty French revolution and the fact that that same man has been in love with her for many years made this a delightfully romantic story. I didn't think I would enjoy having a heroine with grown sons as the main character, but it didn't bother me at all. I liked it, in fact. 

Anna Campbell's story was the most passionate.  I am not much of a fan of forbidden lovers, but she makes the desperate, illicit passion work in this story. Plus the hero is delightfully Scottish.  The heroine is of the Cinderella variety, so you have to be in the mood for a downtrodden heroine. However, the romantic in me loves how the hero makes her long-cherished wish come true at the end.

Vanessa Kelly has a nice guy hero who is sorely lacking in historical romance. Thanks to her for that. While I love bad boy, dangerous heroes, I also love sweet, kind heroes and I like the idea that the hero can be that really adorable guy that always has a kind word for a wallflower and is a really good friend. This story hit my 'aww' button.

Readers who like friends to lovers stories will enjoy Kate Noble's offering.  Our hero realizes that he took his next door neighbor and boon companion for granted when he returns to find her a diamond of the first water who has no time for him, despite her tomboy past. I liked the turnabout is fair play aspect of this story. It also reminded me of movies like Sabrina, where the hero realizes that his heroine has been there waiting for him all the time when he is about to lose her.

All in all, a very enjoyable, and quick read that this reader enjoyed when she collapsed exhausted on her bad on Christmas evening.  I am so grateful that this was a free Christmas present on Amazon.  Thumbs up!




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My Surrender by Connie Brockway

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well. I wrote a review, but it never got posted. Let's try this again.

This is a romance book, but it is also a book about choices and sacrifice.  At least three of the characters in this book had to make choices and sacrifices that destroyed their reputations and their credibility to achieve a goal.  As this book begins, I saw Charlotte on the crux of changing her life irrevocably.  And it only gets more hairy. I asked myself why it bothered me that she was going to do what she did.  Should I have worried so much about that. Reputation is important, but is it that important to me that I truly regretted what Charlotte did, even knowing why.  I was involved in this story, but not necessarily in a good way at some places. I guess that's makes a book successful for me. When I read this book, I wasn't just marking time. I was feeling a lot, and suffering along with Charlotte.  She showed courage, and that courage translated to me as I read.  I don't look at fiction books as a guide for behavior, but I do believe that almost every book I read has some gem that I can ponder and let it help me in some way.  That might sound strange to most people, but not to me.  It is rarely a literal thing.  Most often, it is an encouragement in my own walk of life.  From this book, I took the idea that I had to take advantage of the adversity I face to let it build me up instead of tearing me down.  That courage is not being unafraid or uncertain. Courage is doing in the face of that fear.  And the fears are many in life.  If we let one fear overtake us, we will fall beneath so many. It's a domino effect. The reasons don't have to translate directly to my life.  But deep down, that human experience always does.

As far as the romance, I felt the potency of it.  Charlotte and Dand, both seemingly hardened to such a thing, found love together.  A common goal brought them into each other's sphere, and love found its way into both of their hearts.  I like to think that a mutual respect was the foundation to that love. When others around them saw little but the facade they projected, they looked deeper and saw the whys and not the whats.  Considering the path that their lives had been forced into by circumstance, that was a rewarding thing in this book.  

Overall, although I didn't like some of the aspects of this story (It has me wincing emotionally in parts), I loved the romance between Charlotte and Dand, and I loved their characters, and their willingness to sacrifice so much for doing the right thing.  That's the core of this book, and that's what calls to me as a reader.  So I count this as a well-written, enjoyable read.



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The Duke in Disguise by Gayle Callen

The Duke in Disguise by Gayle Callen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was an enjoyable, light, but not too light historical romance. Richard was a sweetie and so was Meriel. I liked their dynamic, how they ended up being drawn together and falling in love through their mutual concern for young Stephen. I don't care for deception between the H/h, so I wasn't predisposed to this book since Richard is pretending to be someone he's not. But it was handled very well.

Meriel has to overcome her trust issues, both of herself and Richard. She is still dealing with her father's betrayal, and how it rocked her whole mindset. She's a good person, and I like how she nurtured Stephen, and that she didn't let her heart stay hardened against Richard when she realized what a good man he was.

I still like The Lord Next Door more, because it has themes I prefer, but this was quite good, and it shows Gayle Callen's talent for writing a good historical romance. I liked the way she resolved what could have been a very difficult scenario with grace and in a way that brought a smile to my face. I recommend this book.



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One Night with a Spy by Celeste Bradley

One Night with a Spy by Celeste Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


One Night with a Spy is the third book in the Royal Four series, which is an offshoot of the Liars Club series. It's been years since I last read any books by Celeste Bradley. I glommed her big-time, and then I decided to take a break so that I wouldn't get tired of her and Regency historicals (I don't like to get burned out on different genres). Now I am reminded why I am a fan of her writing.



Normally I have a low saturation point for witty, lighter Regency historical romances. Not that they are bad, I just prefer intense, darker romances. I think the Regency lord who happens to be a spy is a very trite, dull subject, so I am at the point now where I mostly give those a miss. But I have a few writers that I will read those by, Celeste Bradley would be high on the list. Ms. Bradley is able to write books that are a good balance of witty and intense. She also has a very good hand for a steamy read. And One Night with a Spy doesn't disappoint on any of those fronts.



Initially, I was predisposed to dislike Marcus. He was arrogant and a bit chauvinistic. Seemingly blinded by his ambitions, he had no problem insinuating himself in the widow, Lady Barrowby's affections with the ulterior motive of disproving her eligibility as the Fox, the member of the Royal Four who needed a replacement since Julia, Lady Barrowby's husband had died. He is low down enough to read her diaries, in an attempt to use it against her, but finds himself enthralled by the erotically detailed, sensual fantasies she has written down. Of course, he assumes that she is recording her true sexual adventures, and that makes him want to dislike her even more. However, his time 'seducing' Lady Barrowby culminates in his own seduction. He realizes that Julia is emminently qualified to serve as the Fox, having been her husband's groomed replacement, and in fact, acting as the Fox for the three years he was incapacitated with a stroke prior to his death. She's also very qualified to be the woman who steals his heart. Having seen this man gain a realization that he was way wrong in his estimations of Julia, I found myself shocked at his actions. He tells the Four that Julia is not qualified to serve because of her low birth--a secret she reveals in confidence when they make love for the first time. This creates a whole load of problems for Julia, causing her to go on the run or face being confined to a convent for the rest of her days. I was very angry with him, for hurting Julia that way. I understood of course that he was doing what was best for the country, or so he thought. But there was also selfish, blind ambition at work in his actions. At this point, I was thinking that Marcus was going to have to work really hard to dig himself out the hole he put himself into with his actions, and that Julia was a lot more forgiving that I am.



I do have admire that the author doesn't go the predictable route here. I wasn't sure how this would end, and that added a level of suspense to this story, along with the question about who and where the Chimera (a fierce antagonist of the Liar's Club) was. I was pretty much on Julia's team. I thought she earned the right to be Fox. Just because Marcus was a man didn't make him more qualified. And she was a lot more honorable and self-sacrificing than he was, although they both had their reasons for wanting the position as the Fox.



Although this didn't end up being as much of a favorite as the first two books in the Royal Four series, I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing Julia and Marcus' courtship, how Julia showed the great woman she was by her actions, and had Marcus falling deeply in love with her. The love scenes were very hot and sensual. Even though Marcus annoyed me, I could see why Julia loved him, and I understood why he was so ruthless in getting what he wanted. And he realized what was more important in the long run and went after it like a good hero should. The humor was good (as always), and the espionage elements were pretty intense. I also liked the aspects of the story involving Julia's adopted kin, the Fair Folk (who she had grown up with before she married Aldus, Lord Barrowby), and Julia's aged, toothless lion Sebastian's antics. Although brief, I liked the cameos from members of the Royal Four and a few of the characters from the Liar's Club books. I still mourn that she isn't writing those anymore. I loved that series. However, the Royal Four series is great too, and the good news is I still have one more book in this series to read. I think I'll be reading it soon.







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The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Duke And I by Julia Quinn

My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars


When I read a book, I want to become involved emotionally. A book that does that is more likely to be highly rated. Such was the case with The Duke and I.



I have a sickness, an infatuation for tortured, dark, conflicted heroes. The happy-go-lucky guys don't capture my imagination nearly so much as their darker counterparts. Fortunately, Simon was tortured enough to keep me happy.



The beginning of this book was brilliantly done. I was already captivated with Simon, the future Duke of Hastings. My heart cried for him. I wanted to see him overcome the obstacles that were unfairly set before him, to become the man he was capable of being. And boy, did he become quite a man.



Imagine my surprise, that for all my affinity for Simon, that the star of this story was Daphne? She started out very mild, sweet (typical Regency heroine), not necessarily standing out. But, by the end of this book, I loved her. She was just the woman that Simon needed. He was what she wanted, and she was going to get her man, and wouldn't settle for less than all of him. She had mettle, and she wasn't afraid to challenge Simon to change the future, and to shake free from the chains of the past, which held him prisoner. Perhaps he never would have found true happiness and joy if Daphne had not hammered (gently and not so gently, at times) at the walls around his heart.



The event that puts a strain on their marriage could be read in different ways. I like that Ms. Quinn put that scene in. It was a brave move on her part. And there is enough ambiguity there to wonder if there was some culpability on Daphne's part. And it turns around some of those ever-present outcries we often get about sexual dynamics in romance.



I liked that Simon had his so-called 'flaw'. I don't tend to care for perfect characters, because I don't enjoy rooting for them nearly so much as the flawed/less-than perfect ones. I loved that Daphne accepted that about him, and thought he was wonderful for overcoming the obstacles he faced, and that she thought he was brilliant. She loved him so much, enough to fight for him, and she did many times. In fact, I'd call Daphne the Knight in Shining Armor of this book. Go, Daphne!



What was underwhelming about this book?



Well, I thought some of the humor aspects were a bit off. I couldn't find the balance between humor and angst. On the plus side, I did like the family dynamics, and the humor they brought to the situation. Those were some of my favorite humorous moments. I liked very much that Daphne's family were useful weapons in her arsenal to win her fair prince. Simon had never felt the loving bonds of family. He was captivated by the Bridgerton family dynamics, good and bad.



I must say that Anthony annoyed the crap out of me. He was a bit of a hypocrit. I think that he forgot that Simon was a man he respected, and that he cared about his best friend. When he saw that Simon and Daphne had an attraction to each other, Simon became his enemy. He refused to believe that Simon could be honorable. I know what you're saying. I realize that Anthony took his responsiblity to protect his sister seriously. But, if Simon could look at the situation from Anthony's vantage point, I would hope that Anthony would try to do the same. I didn't see him doing that. I do have to say that I really admired how well Daphne stood up to her over-protective brothers, especially when they tried to interfere in her marriage. She put her foot down, and she needed to, or that wouldn't even stop, for as long as she was married.



The other thing that bothered me about this book was that at times, it seemed to lapse into a modern voice. I know I shouldn't be so picky, but that's a rather large pet peeve of mine. However, I do have to say that for the most part, Ms. Quinn does the Regency period very well.



I thought this was a good book, and probably my second favorite novel by Julia Quinn, after To Sir Phillip with Love. I don't go for the lighter Regencies that much, but this had enough angst in it to keep me pretty happy. Although I read it for a challenge, and to get it off my tbr pile, where it had been languishing for several years, I ended up reading it very quickly, and I enjoyed it very much.



Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars.







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The Gilded Web by Mary Balogh

The Gilded Web by Mary Balogh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Gilded Web is a very thoughtful, character-driven romantic story. As typical for Mary Balogh, she turns a keen eye on the interpersonal relationships of the characters in this novel. Although the main focus is on the unfolding relationship between Edmund and Alexandra, she also delves into their relationships with their brothers and sister, and how each one of these secondary characters relate to other people.

Alexandra is a very complex, and sometimes unlikeable character. Part of me really understood where she was coming from. She'd been completely repressed by her overbearing, domineering, religious zealot of a father. He had suppressed much of her personality to the point that she appeared robotic and blank to others, including Edmund, for a significant portion of this book. The truth was, she had a very profound stew of emotions that she didn't know how to deal with. I really did sympathize with her, but she started annoying me towards the end. The message about woman having control over lives is an important one, and a message that hits home with me. However, her decision to break the engagement and go out into the world on her own as a governess so that she could experience some nebulous idea of 'freedom' struck me as immensely foolhardy, especially when Edmund was really the idea man for her. He was all about freedom and respect. From the beginning, he tried to make sure that she was happy and her needs were met. She always interpreted his attempts to take care of her as some sort of control attempt on his part. She was kind of clueless in that regard. Had this book ended differently, it probably would have been a wall-banger for the behaviors that Alexandra insisted upon. She had effectively made Edmund her punching bag, instead of dealing with her father and being honest with him and standing strong. I realize how hard that must be, but transference upon Edmund, who showed her nothing but caring, acceptance and love, was ridiculous. In the end, I was satisfied that she finally got a clue. It almost took a frying pan knock to her thick skull though. Frankly, I don't think Alexandra's healing is done yet. I feel that Alexandra needs to work through her issues and learn to find her way and establish herself within the framework that her society allows her. She was naive about the world, and she didn't realize that the world was a very scary place for women without the protection of their family and men, even though that's a hard pill for a modern woman to swallow. It truly was better to be in a loving marriage with a protective husband who was willing to give her as much freedom as she needed, than to live a lonely, unprotected life as a governess. I think she'll come to realize how better off she will be as Edmund's wife.

Edmund was a delightful character. He is the kind of person who is self-sacrificing to the extreme. He put his own life on the backburner to take care of his family. When his brother Dominic inadvertently ruins Alexandra, he steps up to offer to marry her. Every action he took showed with a good man he was. I don't think a woman could ask for a better future spouse. I do realize that he had to learn to make sure that his needs were met and to be honest about what he wanted. Although Alexandra really annoyed me with her actions, some good came out of in that he was able to open up and be less private and tell her how much she meant to him.

The secondary stories were pretty interesting, especially James Parnell and his complicated relationship with Madeline, who is Edmund's sister. Their story continues in The Devil's Web. I confess I am very eager to read that one soon. James is a very dark, somewhat emotionally-dangerous character. He is so full of anger and rage. His heart was broken by his father's actions, and he is dead in some ways because of what he's lost. My heart really connected to him. I didn't like how cruel he was to Madeline, though. Madeline seems like a flighty, shallow flirt, but she wasn't really. She was just a happy person who took being unconditionally loved for granted. But, with maturity, it was clear that she'd put shallow tendencies behind her and become a deeper woman, with a huge capacity for love. It's pretty clear that these two will have an intense story.

Dominic, Edmund's younger brother, and his desire to join up with the army for the war against Napoleon, contrasted with his tendency to fall in love every week was a lighter aspect of this story. Sometimes I wanted to tell him to grow up, but he's pretty young. He had a good heart, and I'm looking forward to seeing him as a mature man.

The Gilded Web was a thought-, and emotion-provoking read. I felt some degree of frustration with Alexandra that made it less likely to be a favorite of mine. But it shows the usual complex and not always comfortable, intense emotional depths that I have come to associate with Mary Balogh's writing. I think that readers who enjoy Regency romance along the lines of Jane Austen would enjoy this story.

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Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I added this book to my All Things Summer Challenge because it's been sitting on my tbr pile for a long time. The few books I've read in the Cynster series were pretty good, but it's not one of my favorite historical series.

Scandal's Bride turned out to be a nice surprise. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into enjoying this book. I get really bored with Lord Rake who finds himself reluctantly drawn into marriage-type storylines, and the Cynster series is ripe with those. And, Catriona wouldn't be my ideal choice of a heroine. But, I was pleasantly surprised.

I ended up liking Richard, aka "Scandal", quite a bit. I vaguely remember liking him in the other Cynster books, but that was years ago. His past rakish deeds aren't really rubbed in my face, so that helps. I like that he wasn't extremely averse to marrying Catriona, if that got her in his arms. He's actually a pretty nice guy, smart, and kind. He was willing to play second fiddle as the consort to Catriona, who is the official lady of her lands. He was open minded about Catriona's religion, which involves worship of The Lady. I really respected him for being a strong, dominant man who was able to take on that kind of role, and do it with grace, because that was what being with the woman he loved entailed.

At times, Catriona was a bit too arrogant for my tastes. I do realize that it was a necessity to be so, with all the responsibilities she held. She started growing on me pretty fast. By the end of the book, I liked her quite a bit.

The whole aspect of neither wanting to reveal the strength of their feelings for each other really got to me. I could feel the pain on both sides. Catriona didn't want to hold Richard hostage in her valley, if he wanted to go to London with his family; Richard felt like he didn't matter and wasn't important to Catriona. All he needed was for her to say so. I thought my heart would break when he got ready to leave. Fortunately, he comes to his senses.

This book has a lot of steamy scenes--which seems to be Ms. Laurens' writing style. Overall, I liked them. I didn't really need that many, but no biggie. I could feel the connection between Richard and Catriona, so it wasn't just unnecessary sex filler to me. Thus, they didn't get into the way of the storyline--they fit this novel.

I think this book was a trifle too long. I started thinking, "Is this book going to be over yet?" A significant portion was spent on seeing the Cynster family interacting when they come to visit, and a lot of "Cynster males do this, and Cynster females do that." It was almost a little bit much. Not quite though. I think I have to be in the mood for this sort of book, and it went down easy, since it made the time pass in an enjoyable fashion.

In short, this was a good read. I think it's a weak four due to the somewhat excessive length, and the whole eye-rolling aspects of the Cynsters do this and the Cynsters do that. The suspense plot wasn't that compelling, but I don't really read historical romance for mystery/suspense. In fact, it can be somewhat disruptive. What helped this book was the fact that Richard was a very appealing hero. He's a man that is able to compromise without feeling like that makes him less of a man. I really liked that about him. I liked seeing the family interactions of Catriona's people. Inside, there is a farmer/rancher/live-off-the-land girl in me, so I like reading those kinds of settings in books. This was a book I enjoyed even more than I expected. For that reason, I'd recommend it to a reader in the mood for this sort of thing.

Content warning: Catriona drugs Richard so she can have sex with him to conceive a child. Some readers might see that as a form of rape.

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Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros

Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I liked this book quite a bit. But, to be honest, I expected to like it more than I did. It was very good, and I liked both the hero and the heroine. Samantha really did help Gabriel to come to terms with the loss of his sight, his disfigurement, and his loss of his place as 'golden boy' in his society world. I think one of my major issues was the events after the climax. Hmm, I think I would have preferred that he not regain his sight. Sounds bad, huh? Getting his sight back made things too easy, I think. If he didn't get it back, then he really would have to change for good. But, his change was good for him, overall, but he didn't really lose anything to make a significant epiphany. Also, I didn't like how he didn't recognize Samantha when he sees Cecily again. If he was really that much in love with her, why wouldn't he have felt that connection? He had sex with her as Cecily, he'd had sex with her as Samantha, and the light bulb didn't come on. I was a bit surprised with that, considering that he was so in love with Samantha, and searched for her for many months after she disappeared. Also, I thought he was pretty callous to Cecily. She offers herself to him, and he takes what she's offering, but comes right out and coldly says, "I'll never love you." It made me wonder if he really had changed. It seemed like something the old Gabriel would have done.

This was a perfectly good book. But I don't think it's near my favorite of Teresa Medeiros's. Gabriel was, and ended up being just too much of a golden boy type for me. A man of privilege used to getting exactly what he wants in life. He suffers for a season, but he returns right back to his previous place in life, with few lessons learned. At least, that's my opinion.

This is one of those books where I wondered what really had been accomplished. If you don't think too hard and don't expect too much evolution and change in your heroes, you'll probably be fine with this book. I would have liked to see a little more in Gabriel after what he went through. I do have to say I loved Sam the dog, and Samantha, the heroine, and it was engaging and well-written. Thus, the four star rating.

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