The Girl Nobody Wanted by Lynn Raye Harris

The Girl Nobody Wanted by Lynn Raye Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My review is a bit spoilery, but it's nothing you couldn't predict if you tend to read romance novels.

I didn't like the hero in this much at all. Leo was a very selfish person. I get that he was raised with a poor moral compass in may ways, but his attitude towards women and sex was objectionable to me. I can't stand heroes who use women for sex and don't even care about them emotionally. He actually bragged to the heroine Anna about having a foursome with some models! Ugh. This is one instance where I wish the heroine was repulsed by the hero. He started out just mainly wanting to have sex with Anna because she was prissy and he wanted to take her down a peg. When he found out she was a virgin, he got an attack of conscience. They are stranded on an island (the hero's fault) and Anna decides she's tired of being a good girl. One thing leads to another. Anna hands out some of Leo's own medicine back, saying they are over once they get off the island. Of course, she finds out she's pregnant, and when she looks him up, he treats her very poorly indeed.

Leo's not all bad, but he's got a lot of traits that are deal-breakers for me in a hero. He makes it seem like it's a big deal that he's celibate for a few months. Yes, that's pretty unusual for him, since apparently woman regularly drop trousers for him. But the man acts like he's God's gift to the world, and makes it seem like marrying Anna is a huge sacrifice. I for one believe that a woman should feel like she's the only woman in the world to a man she's going to marry. I especially expect that in a romance novel hero. Anne is very insecure, and while that's not Leo's fault, he definitely doesn't help build her confidence any, even knowing she was essentially jilted by the man she was supposed to marry, who married his sister instead. When Anna lets him off the hook, then he decides that maybe he's in love with her after all. No thanks. I wouldn't marry this guy either. Of course, you know they end up together, since this is a romance novel. I hope Leo grows up and becomes a man, in ways other than being able to have sex with many woman.

I like Lynn Raye Harris as an author. I think she's a good writer. I just have high standards that this hero did not meet.

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The Greek Tycoon's Unexpected Bride by Annie West

The Greek Tycoon's Unexpected Wife by Annie West
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would definitely take off points because the hero is a mega-jerk. He is so hateful to Tessa. I can understand his cyncism about women, but it's almost like he was angry that Tessa hadn't died as he thought previously. I think that Tessa was remarkably tolerant of Stavros. I really wanted her to stab him with a fork. No matter what she did, he perceived it in the worst light. I'm assuming he was sleeping around with other women while she was gone, but it's not directly stated. In this case, I wouldn't hold that against him, per se, because he thought she was dead. My big issue is how he's such a tool to her when it's apparent she couldn't be more different from the women in his past and his father's ex-wives. This is one of those books where I wished that the heroine had really left him and he had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get her back. Not enough groveling for my tastes. I thought the imagery was good, and Stavros had a really dark aura that scared Tessa, what you'd expect from a hero who was a very bad man, not just a tool. That was kind of interesting. I really like Anne West's books. She's a good writer. The hero was just too mean for my tastes in this one.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars

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The Secret Wife by Lynne Graham

The Secret Wife by Lynne Graham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of the older Lynne Grahams that I read many moons ago, but I didn't remember most of it. It was a good reread. The hero in this was a jerk. I think Rosalie was nicer to him than he deserved, but she wasn't a pushover. He always managed to see her in the worst light, if not an avaricious femme fatale, than a spineless tart. I felt that he really did need to earn Rosalie's love. I like that he was so jealous of her roommate and friend, who was by all accounts, a beefcake. By the end, he was remorseful, but still a bit too high on the horse for my tastes. I like that his adopted mom guessed right away what was going on. That was pretty funny, considering all the changes they went through to hide the truth from her. Constantine would never be a favorite LG hero for me, but I really did enjoy Rosalie and I like that she held her own with him, or somewhat.

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His for a Price by Caitlin Crews

His for a Price by Caitlin Crews
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Oh man, I loved the hero in this book. He was scrumptious. He reminded me of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent from Devil in Winter in that he's a long, lean panther who talks like a panther purrs. He screams "I'm Bad For You, but I'm So Good!" He was delicious. He definitely goes on my lickable hero shelf. I fell hard for him because he is so super-sexy, and because he gave Hattie steadfast love in a way she'd never had before. At one point, he withdraws from her, and Hattie can't deal with that. He does it because it was difficult for him to deal with the fact that she refused to be honest with him. Hattie doesn't know how to deal with him not being in her life the way he's been for over ten years, and that is the impetus for change. That was when he realized she didn't know how. She didn't know what unconditional love was and the concept of being accepted no matter what. She spends most of the book pushing him away emotionally, and being a bit of a brat, so that tiptoes on the edge of being a bit tedious. Crews managed to change the tone soon enough that I was just burned out on it. I think the reveal for why Hattie has behaved the way she has so long was a pit too rapid in its delivery (and it felt a bit lightweight to be honest), and I would have liked better pacing in that regard. I did love the surprise that Nicodemus gets. I was really surprised myself. I like a good twist in a story.

This book is pretty heavy on internal dialogue and that probably wouldn't work for some. But I felt it was well done, and I think the characters are wonderfully complex. I think this is a nice mix of modern cultural awareness but with the old school intensity dynamic that makes many of us Harlequin Presents readers such advocates of the vintage novels. The sensuality is intrinsic and hot and underlined by the fact that these two people really love each other and can't imagine a life without each other.

I'm hoping that I enjoy His for Revenge, about Hattie's brother, as much as I did this book.

Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars.

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Desert Prince, Blackmailed Bride by Kim Lawrence

Desert Prince, Blackmailed Bride by Kim Lawrence
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This was deeper than I expected. I liked that both leads weren't exactly what they seemed. Gabby is tough and independent if not a bit reckless in her pursuit of justice. Rafiq was thoughtful and not the playboy I expected, not that he was celibate, but he wasn't promiscuous either. I didn't expect the reason why Rafiq was trying to marry Gabby to his brother. I'm glad he eventually realized how inappropriate his intentions really were. There was a dark aspect to this story, but the fact that things get resolved so easily kind of short-circuited the pathos that this story had. I think my favorite part was that Gabby was older and mature and not a young girl easily manipulated by Rafiq. It still wasn't my favorite by this author though.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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Married for Amari's Heir by Maisey Yates

Married for Amari's Heir by Maisey Yates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I loved this book. Yates has always been a writer that struck me as having a lot of promise. I feel she nailed it far and away with this book. She has a written a romance between a Very Bad Man and a Hero Who Isn't a Good Girl. Oh she's a virgin, but that doesn't make her a good girl. I like that she flipped that around where virginity doesn't equate with innocence. I love when the heroine is a virgin, but I don't think that having a V card makes a woman more worthy. So yay to Ms. Yates for how she wrote this book with Charity showing some traits that make her less likely to qualify as a Disney Princess. Having said that, she's perfectly sympathetic. Her father was a con artist who raised her with his morals, which are very gray. She always knew deep down that something wasn't right about that life. But she didn't have access to another way of life to establish an alternate or better since of right and wrong so she could reject her father when he comes back and gets her help in pulling a con on Amari. When he runs off, he leaves her holding the bag and dealing with a coldly vengeful Amari who doesn't take kindly to anyone stealing what belongs to him. I loved how Yates sensitively depicts Charity's character evolution and identity crisis. It was excellent writing.

Oh my goodness! I loved that it's pretty obvious that Charity is biracial, if not racially mixed. Kudos again. It's nice to see brown skin as an object of beauty in a mainstream romance that isn't slated just for a multicultural audience.

Rocco Amari is a Class A villainous hero. In his own way, his morals are as flawed as Charity. His treatment of her is on par with an Anne Stuart hero. He is fearlessly cutthroat with Charity, but in a way that shows he's not as cold and lacking in feelings towards her as he would like. From the beginning, something about her gets beneath his armor and he can't dismiss her or deal with her in the way he would typically deal with his enemies. The reader gets a bird's eye view of this hero falling like a ton of bricks for his heroine, even though he can't allow himself to accept it. Amari also goes to an evolution. He realizes that Charity is not a possession, but a flesh and blood woman who he has to love in a deeper, selfless way and not like an expensive acquisition. Oh my goodness, some of his dialogue is priceless. Yates shows that she is a modern writer in how these characters express themselves. I've never heard a hero use some of the terms that Rocco does in this line before.

I could probably go on and on about how much I loved this book, but I won't. I like how Yates plays around with tried and true motifs in this line and breathes new life in them. I normally don't like the mistress storyline at all. The relationship between Amari and Charity doesn't feel like a rich man-mistress scenario, and while Amari seems to hold all the power, it's clear that he's equally vulnerable to Charity. I appreciate that very much. I definitely recommend this book to readers who either are Harlequin Presents fans or modern romance fans who like the billionaire hero or even Anne Stuart villain heroes motif.

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A Yuletide Seduction by Carole Mortimer
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I wasn't feeling this book very much at first, but I really liked the end of the book. It was very sweet, and I'm always a sucker for a hero who's stone cold crazy about the heroine. There was a real 'aww' moment at the end. I think the plot was rather convoluted, but that's what makes Harlequin Presents books so addictive.

Jane is a caterer and a chef, and being a foodie, I'm all for that. I could have used more food descriptions. Gabe is a big businessman who makes his money buying up ailing corporations. Jane has something personal against him because of what happened between his wife and her husband. He made her life difficult in the aftermath and contributed to an already painful situation. But that doesn't stop her from being attracted to Gabe and falling in love with her.

One aspect of this Harlequin Presents that was different is that Gabe is actually a nice guy. He only appears ruthless in Jane's mind. He doesn't read that way in the story.

There is no big chemistry and tension in this book. It's more of a slow build and a sweet romance. But that's not a bad thing. I gave it an extra half star because the ending was so lovely.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Sold to the Enemy by Sarah Morgan

Sold to the Enemy by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another really good Sarah Morgan book. This really reminded me of the story of Red Ridinghood and the big Bad Wolf. Selene is sweet as pie and very innocent, with incredible belief in Stefan, based on their chance meeting five years prior. He is the glimmer of hope that she can escape from the figurative and literal prison where her father has kept her and her mother. She sneaks out and meets him and asks for a business loan for her company. To which Stefan agrees, but he also wants to exploit the association to revenge a past insult against his family by her father. Selene believes only the best about Stefan, and when they go to bed together, she is completely willing, excited to experience passion for the first time with a man she views as the only friend she's ever had. But everything backfires when a picture of them ends up in the press and her father finds out about it. Selene realizes that her knight in shining armor is actually the Big Bad Wolf, and her poor innocent heart is broken. Stefan realizes he wronged Selene in his quest for revenge and he wants to make it right.

Selene is such a sweetie! She cracked me up how excited she was with Stefan that first night. I could see how she was putting tiny cracks in Stefan's armor and making the Bad Wolf into her very own adoring Wolf Protector. Stefan was the first to admit he had no conscience, but the truth is that he had turned his conscience off to achieve his goals of success. Selene made him come back to life, but he did it kicking and screaming. He really doesn't want the vulnerability of love, but Selene reached his heart. And when she loses faith in him, it really bothers him. I liked that Stefan has to win back Selene's trust and show him that he was worthy of her faith in him. At the same time, Selene gains a balanced view of him, that he is neither an angel or a demon, but a human being.

As usual, the dialogue is a huge draw to this story. The sometimes inane things that the characters chat about feels realistic. Sometimes you do have strange conversations with people and they know what you're saying, even if it comes out of your mouth in a very bizarre way, because they know you. I think that Selene's parents were less developed, moreso her mother. Her father seems so sinister, and he's clearly an abusive lowlife. But Selene is able to put him into perspective as well . It helps that she has a faithful Wolf to guard her, and she's one Red Ridinghood who can take care of herself, gaining needed independence, that is not compromised but facilitated through her relationship with Stefan.

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Reputation for Revenge by Jennie Lucas

A Reputation For Revenge by Jennie Lucas
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I think Jennie Lucas might give Lynne Graham a run for her money with the sweet, naive heroine theme. Josie is as sweet as they come. She really seems out of her league with Kasimir. It seems like shooting fish in the barrel. But Kasimir never knew what hit him. Before he knew it, his plans for revenge that involved Josie were flying away like birdies, and he was stone cold in love.

Jennie Lucas understands the appeal of escapist fantasy romance and she delivers it. While most of the readers of this genre won't know what it's like to swept off our feet by a ruthless billionaire, and probably don't want it in real life, Lucas gives us a 2 hour read that allows us to explore the possibilities. That's why I like this series of books so much. It's a different world and I like that I can spend two hours in that world.

Kasimir is a very bad man. Well, at least he was. I mean, he wants to be. But I think deep down, he's a decent fellow who forgot what was important in life. He lost everything, and when you lose everything, you have nothing to lose. Josie teaches him what it means to love and to sacrifice for love. She teaches him what it means to be a genuine person. And she teaches him to follow his heart and love passionately.

I really liked the first book, Dealing Her Final Card, but I think I liked this one even more. It felt more like Princess fantasy. I liked that they are actually married, and she's not just a mistress. And I think the change in Kasimir is more dramatic than in Vladimir. I also think it's because this was not a reunion romance. The feelings between Josie develop on the page before my mesmerized eyes, and I enjoyed every page of it.

Plus the ending was so sweetly romantic, it made me sigh.

I have to give this one 4.5/5.0 stars.

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To Claim His Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker

To Claim His Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I'm so glad that some of my discerning buddies on the Harlequin Presents Reader group raved about this book. It was an excellent short and sexy romance to read before the end of the year. At first, I was thrown by the writing style, very descriptive and emotive to the degree that it was hard to get a feel for the tone initially. But it didn't take long before I was soaking this book up like a sponge. Parker taps into my need for an intense, escapist, passionate romance book. It definitely gave me my angsty/dramatic romance fix.

Thane is all that and a bag of chips! Intense, honorable, grumpy, dedicated to his one and only woman (that alone made me swoon over him), and sexy as all get out. I could totally see why Luciana found him irresistible. He touches on all my hero qualities that I love. Luciana is a great heroine. Her motives are sound and her heart was good. She's strong in the best ways. Even though I did want her to cave and fall in with Thane's plans head first ('cause he was just so very...), I could understand her misgivings and her pain and anguish because of what she'd seen in her parents' marriage and scars from her own childhood. She made the best decision she could have at the time, even though she did deny Thane four years of his child's life. She regretted that she had cost him that and understood how wrong she was about him. While I don't care much for secret baby romance, this was well done. Scenes of Thane bonding with his son made me all cartoon starry eyed.

This is the kind of Romeo and Juliet tale I love. Honestly, I didn't care much for the original play, but Parker has given die hard romantics the version of that tale of young lovers and feuding families that they will love.

The sexual chemistry and tension was off the charts, but what made it so powerful was the delirious and intense love that Thane and Luciana found together and never got over. You could tell it was a once and a lifetime connection and you wanted them to get their happy ending.

Parker has convinced me that she's an author to watch for in the Harlequin Presents line. If she has more heroes in the vein of Thane (no rhyming intended), I'm sold!

Definitely recommend this book. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

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The Winter Bride by Lynne Graham

The Winter Bride by Lynne Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is classic Lynne Graham. The heroine is sweet and downtrodden, desperately in love with the hero. The hero had some unexpected depth. He's a tycoon, but has angst from the loss of his wife. It seems like Leo used and dumped her, but he was actually in love with her as well, although he felt guilty that she was barely of age. When they meet again, Angie doesn't want to be bothered with this man who dumped her so callously. She doesn't think he would care that she had his child, especially when she was told he didn't care about her back in the day. Leo actually thinks she had his cousin's child instead, which is ridiculous, considering that she's blond and so is the cousin. But his jealousy clouds his mind. Their reunion is complicated by the fact that his grandfather and her father's employer wants to see her, and her troubled relationship with her estranged father.

This one has a lot of family drama and the angst level is good. As always, the heroine is likable, and the hero seems jerky at first, but turns out to be a good guy, so you root for their happy ending together.

No reason at all to give this less than four stars.

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Dealing Her Final Card by Jennie Lucas

Dealing Her Final Card by Jennie Lucas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Since the hero in this book, Vladimir shows up as a peripheral character in the last Jennie Lucas book I read, A Night of Living Dangerously, I decided to reach for this one.  It also happens that the hero is Russian (and I swoon over Russian heroes).   Talking about drama, wow!

Man, this book was sizzling. The whole scenario and the dialogue and action was crazy.  I couldn't believe the bet that Bree makes. I completely understand why. I loved that she isn't the typical, sweet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth heroine. She has a history of being a card shark and con artist from childhood, but decides to go straight when she falls in love with Vladimir. Even though he abandons her and turns his back on her.

Their reunion is titillating, to say the least.  There are some pretty outrageous moments in this book.  A couple of scenes are just all kinds of inappropriate, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. It works for the book, and I like that the author wasn't afraid to go there.

I liked the descriptions and imagery of St. Petersburg. I wanted to be there, feel the cold on my skin and experience the over the top luxury with my own eyes.  The Hawaii scenes were good, but since I am a contrarian who'd rather be walking around in a snow-covered vista than on a beach, I liked St. Petersburg more. Plus, it's Russia. Enough said.

Vladimir could throw money at Bree like nobody's business. He really doesn't get that she didn't want his money.  That she loved him and wanted to protect her sister.  That she had changed and wanted to do the right thing, but she was between a rock and a hard place. Vladimir is the real deal. He's really ruthless, ambitious and cutthroat (in the boardroom). He doesn't change over night.  A broken heart made a fundamentally decent young man into a shark, and it takes time for reunited love to change him back.  I felt that his character was very three-dimensional and I liked that. Bree was also well-developed.  Towards the end, she had me worried. I really thought she was going to go through with something that was just so wrong, even if she was doing it for the right reasons.

This was another book I couldn't put down.  I give it a thumbs up on the drama and the sizzling romance.  Lots of romantic tension and also tension in hoping that the characters get a clue and eventually own up to their love for each other and doing what's right out of love.  I thought this was a very good book.



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In the Sheikh's Marriage Bed by Sarah Morgan

In The Sheikh's Marriage Bed by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


How funny that I read "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast" in a couple of days of each other.  I consider this a "Beauty and the Beast" style romance because the sweet, innocent heroine (Beauty) takes the place of her relative and beards the beast in his den. In this case, the beast is a gorgeous, but cold-hearted Prince Zakour (goes by Zak) who wants to make her brother pay for embezzling millions of dollars.  He refuses to let Emily go and is determined to believe she's mercenary and scheming, that her act of innocence is feigned.  He can't believe anyone can be that sweet and honest.  When she bonds with his lonely nephew, abandoned by his mother, he is skeptical, but is more than willing to utilize her skills at managing a five-year-old to his advantage.  And before he knows it, he's demanding marriage.

I liked this book. I felt that Emily was a sweet-heart. I did do a bit of eye rolling at how she constantly seemed to swoon over Zak's good looks.  Now I feel like a hypocrite. If I was in the present of Benedict Cumberbatch for days on end, I'd probably be doing the same.  But anyway, it seems a bit over the top how it was described.

Overall, the chemistry between Emily and Zak was well done.  I think that the tension of not knowing each other's feelings was believable.  When Emily's brother shows up, I liked how that was handled.  He acquits his sister with an impassioned plea, and makes Zak feel like the heel he was.  And I liked Zak's love declaration. He says that he will keep her imprisoned for ever and give her the many babies she always wanted.   Yeah, this isn't a romance for cynics. I'm not one, so it worked for me.

A good escapist Harlequin Presents is just what the doctor ordered when a reader needs a boost. Take this book and get a good night's rest, and you'll be good as new.



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A Night of Living Dangerously by Jennie Lucas

A Night of Living Dangerously by Jennie Lucas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jennie Lucas is the author to reach for when you want the high drama quotient and the fairy tale vibe to your Harlequin Presents.  Lilley is so starry-eyed, it will probably make a more cynical reader roll her eyes. I didn't mind it so much. I think that if I'm in the mood, it works for the story.  I felt that she definitely deserved better than she got with Alessandro, but in his defense he did try to push her away initially to protect her.  I didn't want her to go back to him when she has important news. I wanted her to go in the other direction. I think it's because I strongly like when the hero has to do the chasing. I don't like when the heroine falls into his arms so easily.  Lilley is a true love believer.  She has a heart that is so sweet and kind, I just wanted to protect her from the world.  I could identify with her fear about taking risks. I think we all feel like that sometimes. Especially when the root is a sense of inadequacy and that no one truly accepts you for who you are. I hate that Alessandro contributed to that feeling of inadequacy in how he treats her when they are married.  He needed and did receive a hard wake up call, but it came at a high price to Lilley.

Jennie Lucas can be a bit over the top sometimes, but in a way, I like that. I think the best Harlequin Presents are the ones that don't feel like real life, but take you away to 100% escapism.  When that's combined with a story full of emotional genuineness it's a great combination.  While I won't ever hang out with billionaires, I can identify with the human emotions that both Lilley and Alessandro feel, and their struggles with family and a sense of meaning for their lives.

I would have to give this four stars because it kept my eyes glued on the page, the sensuality was sizzling, and the character's emotions felt real and powerful and their story unfolded in a way that I was entranced with and didn't want to stop reading. Plus, the Cinderella vibe is very well done.



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Enemies at the Altar by Melanie Milburne

Enemies at the Altar by Melanie Milburne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a pretty intense read.  One of those romances where extreme hate between the main couple is really suppressed longing and desire. In real life, I don't know if I think that suppressed love translates into hate, but "Hope deferred does make the heart sick."  My goodness, Andreas and Sienna are super-duper mean to each other. And Andreas is a hypocrite. He's the kind of guy who calls a woman a whore because she doesn't do what he wants her to do and she doesn't fit his mold for what he wants a woman to be.  I didn't like that about him at all.  I did like the fact that Sienna could easily trade insults with him.  It took me a while to think that I even wanted these two to be together.  There were times when I didn't particularly like either character.  Sienna says and thinks some really mercenary and selfish things, and I didn't like that about her. However, I could understand why she was so prickly and thick-skinned, considering her tough life and living with an arrested development mother with terrible morals and being rejected by her married father.  I wish that Andreas had shown more sympathy and empathy for Sienna. When he finally starts acting like a decent man, it was almost too late for me to feel I wanted him to be with Sienna.  I did like that he went after her when she left him.

I thought that despite the meanness between them, there was good chemistry and I did see their relationship change, develop and blossom. With the conclusion of the book, I had hopes that they would not take each other for granted any longer, and that love had changed both of their hearts and lives.

I don't know if this book will work for everyone. The leads are at times unlikable and mean-spirited. However, I did see a change in both characters and that their feelings for each other weren't just reluctant lust, but real love. For that reason, I gave it four stars.



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Virgin on Her Wedding Night by Lynne Graham

Virgin on Her Wedding Night by Lynne Graham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A very enjoyable read by Ms. Graham.  I don't think of lovers reunited stories as my favorite, because they can have some drama elements that are problematic. However, I do like when there is an unrequited or unfulfilled love that never dies between two people. I did feel that between Valente and Caroline.  Truth is, they both made mistakes and also some lies and conniving relatives came between them.  Valente is pretty dark in some ways, his drive to destroy Caroline's parents' fortunes out of revenge.  I liked that Caroline confronted him about that.  However, Valente obviously truly loved Caroline, and even though he didn't want to admit it to himself, he never stopped loving her.

I like the descriptions and language in this novel. I think Lynne Graham is an underrated writer in the sense that because people can be snooty about category romance, it's assumed that writers in this genre just crank out books and don't put their artistic skills and talent to use.  I don't think that's the case.  I feel that when I read one of her books, she believes in what she's writing.  Her writing is very vivid and descriptive, bringing all the emotions to life and using the characters' body language to reveal who the characters are and what they are feeling.

While I didn't like the way Valente's ex-lover was handled (I'm tend to be a jealous person, working on that, so I would have been way more bothered about finding his ex-mistress's used robe in his bathroom than Caroline was).  Understandably, since she was married for four years, he would have moved on, but that was tacky, and I think he knew it. Maybe subconsciously he wanted to taunt Caroline with it, to let her feel what it was like for him, knowing she had dumped him and married someone more suitable.

Caroline's parents were a hot mess.  I liked that while this is a happy ending book, her parents' negative traits weren't glossed over.  However, Valente took responsibility for taking care of them because he knew Caroline loved her parents.  For someone who supposedly has no pity or heart, Valente was actually a good person and a good husband.  You could tell how much he loved Caroline.  Caroline had to grow up the hard way.  While she had been coddled and sheltered, she learned the hard way the cost of that life and denying her own needs to make her family happy.  I liked her a lot.

I give this books a thumbs up. Nothing much I didn't like about it (except for the tacky part with the ex-mistress).







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Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates

Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maisey Yates takes the Beauty and the Beast story and twists it on its side with this book. Is the heroine the beast due to her unsightly scars, or is the gorgeous prince with his decadent lifestyle really the beast?

Disclaimer: I didn't put this review in spoiler tags, although there might be some borderline spoilerish elements. I endeavored not to give too much away, that wasn't necessary to expressing my thoughts of the book.

As I read this novel, it struck me that this is a very serious book. I didn't feel much levity, not that I always expect it, but it was noticeably lacking. Layna and Xander have some serious hurts in their past and their present situations. Xander went off the rails big time and the author wasn't afraid to keep it real in describing Xander's depredations. No Xander did it all in his checkered past (recent and distant). He was notoriously promiscuous to the degree that he doesn't even know how many women he's slept with (and doesn't even remember some of them), abused drugs, and was a hard drinker. In my mind I couldn't help wonder how healthy his liver is. I have alcoholics in my family on both sides, and through them I have seen the effects of long-term alcohol abuse on a person. I was glad that Layna doesn't let him off the hook when she agrees to marry him. She demands fidelity from him, and I was so glad that she required that he get STD tested. It was judicious, considering the circumstances. As for Layna's scarring, it's not just confined to a thin line that barely disfigures her face. She has significant scarring and the tabloids/newspapers say some truly awful things about her. That part was heartbreaking. I could completely understand her fears about going back to the public life she escaped from ten years ago. Going from a shallow, spoiled socialite with impeccable looks to a scarred woman in her near to mid-thirties who is marrying a good-looking future king would be heart-wrenching for any woman. Even with her training that vanity has no place in her life from the convent, that was difficult to weather. Although Xander is clearly the worse bargain, they make it seem like Xander is being altruistic in honoring his promises and marrying Layna.

Yates definitely brings the reality to what seems like a storyline straight out of the fairy tales. I can't say I would be eager to marry Xander with his abuses on his body (and it's not out of judgmentalism, but because you can't just click a finger and erase the effects of such a lifestyle from his body). And I think that it's clear that Xander has a ways to go before he breaks fifteen years of bad habits. I think this is evident when they are first intimate. Xander's lovemaking style while accomplished, does show a certain degree of selfishness and callousness about sex. He doesn't understand why Layna is conflicted about the experience, even though she enjoyed it. This is telling and I think realistic for a man who has spent fifteen years sleeping around with random women he meets as he frequents the casinos where he parties and makes his living gambling. I also liked how Xander's perception of Layna changes. He never thinks she's ugly, but he sees the scars through a harsher lens initially. As he falls in love with her, the scars become a part of her, and he loves the character of her features, because that's who she is. They cease to stand out to him.

Layna isn't portrayed as a perfectly good, pure woman either (other than what she appears to be on the surface). While she retired to a convent for ten years, her actions did have a certain degree of self-motivation. The convent was an escape, although she does realize how much she loves helping others and that her faith in God is real to her, in the process. At the root, it is running away, from the exposure she suffered as Xander's rejected fiance who was horribly scarred by an angry protestor, and also from her own emotional breakdown.

Yes, as I wrote earlier, this is a very serious book. Despite the fact that one would consider this storyline fertile ground for a dramatic, glossy style Harlequin Presents, there is a deep emotional core to this book that refuses to allow the reader to dismiss this book as a light read.

I gave this four stars because it was a intense, layered, well-written, and emotional novel, and I think that Yates handled this dicey subject matter very well.

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Once a Ferrara Wife by Sarah Morgan

Once a Ferrara Wife... by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book packs an emotional punch.  From page one, I was fiercely involved with the story. I have been an admirer of Sarah Morgan for several years, and she continues to meet my expectations. In this case, she's exceeded them. Sarah has created a story of a marriage that self-destructed, and the aftermath when this couple gets reunited by a family wedding.

I really liked the fact that the characters' emotional problems aren't solved by their love for each other. In fact, they have to work them them and communicate. Honestly though, that's one of the things I love the most about Sarah's writing. Her consistently strong use of dialogue and communication between the main characters.  Communication (or lack of it) was a huge factor in the breakdown of Laurel and Cristiano's marriage, and the only way they could save that marriage. Neither of them is the bad guy.  The 'bad guy' is that they hadn't developed a strong bond of communication the first time around.

Cristiano really does let down Laurel, but she could have handled the situation better. And both characters realize their faults and own up to them. But it takes some hard emotional moments and confrontations. Not to mention putting oneself out there for possible hurt, and a willingness to trust someone else.

I loved Cristiano. At first I did think he was being mean to Laurel. However, I could see his meanness was out of a broken heart.  Similarly, I really felt for and admired Laurel. My heart was aching for the pain she suffered as a child and the way it had caused her to erect thick emotional walls and self-defense mechanisms that eventually lead to unhealthy emotional behavior as an adult.  I tend to be self-protective like she is, so I could see the hallmarks of her behavior. I was so glad that Cristiano was willing to be a man and take her harsh but deserved criticisms on the chin. My respect of him went up a thousand notches just seeing how he truly makes amends to Laurel and is willing to move mountains to win her back.  At the same time, I didn't feel like Laurel was being deliberately cruel. She was hurting bad and what Cristiano did (even through ignorance) was devastating to her. In some ways, Laurel had not developed as a mature woman emotionally, and that was a huge part of the reason their marriage self-destructed. 

While I don't feel I am qualified as a marriage expert, I stand by the belief that commitment to honest and communication in a marriage is crucial, and I was very appreciative about how the author wrote this book. It's a very meaningful romantic story about an emotional journey between a married couple who loved each other deeply, but didn't understand each other well enough to keep it together the first time.  While reunited estranged married couple romance will never be my favorite, I think that Sarah knocked it out of the park with this book. I am growing more stingy about five stars lately, but I can't help but give this book that rating. It's well-deserved. Bravo!

PS:  I am glad to say that neither character was unfaithful to each other while they were apart. I absolutely hate that!!!



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Bargain with the Wind by Kathleen O'Brien

Bargain with the Wind by Kathleen O'Brien

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I pulled this out of my HP pile because I needed an O for a challenge.  It was a good read.  The hero is a jerk to the heroine for a significant part of the book.  However, I could tell he had feelings for her.  It's one of those scenarios where the 'boy' pulls the 'girl's' hair and teases her because he likes her and he doesn't want to deal with this feelings.  Miles is determined to think the worst of Darcy because she wasn't in love with his brother, who was her college friend and who continually asked her to get married. He think she's just scheming for Evan to marry her out of greed.  Little does he know that for Darcy getting married is almost literally a matter of life and death.

In this situation, the wicked step-parent is a father. George is really quite evil.  He has malicious feelings towards Darcy and his intentions towards Darcy's nubile sister are far from fatherly.  Darcy has past experience with her father's lechery and is determined to protect her sister, even if it means marrying a friend who she doesn't love in that passionate way you should love your spouse. One huge obstacle in the way is Miles, Evan's older brother. He's cynical and sardonic, and continually hurts Darcy's feelings. So why is she attracted to him in a way that she never was to Evan?

While Miles wasn't very nice to Darcy, the chemistry between them is very palpable. I do feel that the author conveyed his feelings for Darcy as the story progressed, and so I wasn't too unbelieving when he declares he fell for her at first sight but didn't recognize it.  Although this book is not graphic sexually, I think it has some very sensuous love scenes that work very well for the story.

I also liked how the author uses the ocean and the hurricane that happens near the end as a metaphor for the growing and powerful feelings between Darcy and Miles.  Those feelings and the conflict that occurs with George (who Miles has his own reasons to hate) come to a head like the hurricane, and the calm aftermath shows the resolution of the acknowledged love that Darcy and Miles share.

Bargain with the Wind was a good read. Quick and enjoyable.  I got involved with the story and the characters. I felt Darcy's pain and Miles' confusion over his uncontrollable feelings for her.  I liked the manner in which O'Brien uses the familial bonds that Miles and Darcy share with their siblings as an active backdrop to this story. I recommend this to fans of short contemporary romance if you can get a copy of Bargain with the Wind.



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Joined by Marriage by Carole Mortimer

Joined By Marriage by Carole Mortimer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was an interesting little book. I think it was more of a family drama than a romance though.  I found the enormity of the family situation faced by Brianna and Nathan to overshadow their romance in many ways. At the same time, I was really drawn into that situation after the book got started.  I wonder what influenced Carole Mortimer when she wrote this book. It seems like it would make a good BBC drama, which isn't a bad thing.  Some aspects of this book were surprisingly dark and sad for a Harlequin Presents, especially the reveal about Brianna's mother.   It is a statement on how the sins of the prior generation can have a huge impact on the next ones, and that plays out in so many ways in this book. 

I want to rate this one in two different ways.  For a romance, I'd end up giving it three stars, because the romance is just not as well-developed, although there is certainly potential.  I liked Brianna and Nathan quite a bit and I wish they had more page space to shine outside of the tangled family dynamics.  As a serious drama story, I'd give it four stars.  So I think 3.5 stars is a more than fair rating.





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