Entries Tagged 'Authors' ↓

Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood is the second book in the set of three novels, Guardian Angel follows on the heels of The Lion’s Lady. I didn’t know this when I started and was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed the book. Usually I dislike sets of romances because one couple or half of a couple ends up irking me due to their actions in a previous book. However, Lyon and Christina are already wedded by this point and I loved them in their story. I did wonder as to their purpose in this novel, but Lyon is clearly Caine’s friend and trustworthy ally which Caine will need before the novel is up. Speaking on ends, I thought the ending to Guardian Angel was lacking in some fashion. I can’t put my finger on it but the ending left me feeling vaguely like how the ending of The Wedding made me feel… unresolved I guess.

The Marquess of Cainewood is on a mission. Revenge coldly calculated, this ruthless man has set out to avenge his brother’s death at the hands of the notorious pirate known only as Pagan. The pirate would meet his maker, and then perhaps Caine’s father would get some peace. Sitting in the back of a pub that had become his haunting place since his brother’s death, Caine’s evening is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of an angel with fiery red hair. She’s scared, trembling, but determined.

Her first question is about his identity… is he Pagan?

His charade as the pirate was working, but instead of drawing out the real Pagan, he got a maiden in distress. She asks him to kill her before the men after her catch up and do the job themselves. She wants to die quick and painlessly and hoped the honorable Pagan would help her. Honorable indeed! Caine refuses and shoulders the burdens of the young woman.

Jade he will find leads him on a merry goose chase after criminals who do and don’t exist. And all the while she is flitting about trying to keep Caine occupied, a real mystery is brewing… but also passion. Can Jade keep her heart safe or has a man finally pierced her shields to the vulnerable girl inside?

Rating: 4 Stars

• Pirate and Privateer Romance- Separating Myth from Truth What is pirate, privateer, or buccaneer romance? While pirate romance seems pretty self explanatory the truth of the matter is that modern romantic notions of pirates are far from fact. When we think of a pirate, I am sure many...
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Now available for purchase is the scent that drives Edward Cullen to distraction… that irresistibly forbidden fruit… the scent that is his own personal brand of heroin. He compares Bella’s scent to freesia (and lavender?). Freesia, I know, appears several times throughout the series; the more memorable moments being when he gifts her with freesia for her prom corsage (in the out takes) and as part of her wedding bouquet. If you haven’t read the scenes I’ve provided them below:

“Alice, Rosalie…thank you,” he breathed without looking away from me. I heard Alice chuckle in pleasure.

He stepped forward, cupping one cold hand under my jaw, and stooping to press his lips to my throat.

“It is you,” he murmured against my skin. He pulled away, and there were white flowers in his other hand.

“Freesia,” he informed me as he pinned them into my curls. “Completely redundant, as far as fragrance is concerned, of course.” He leaned back, looking me over again. He smiled his heart-stopping smile. “You are absurdly beautiful.”

© 2007 Stephenie Meyer

and

“Charlie, would you grab the flowers, please?”

…

Charlie returned with the two frothy white bouquets. The scent of roses, and orange blossom and freesia enveloped me in a soft mist.

© 2007 Stephenie Meyer

Did you know that nearly all flowers have a meaning associated with them? It comes from before the Medieval times, but was popularized in the Victorian times. Freesia, I have found, symbolizes innocence and trust. A more perfect flower could not be chosen to represent the pair. Edward put much importance on Bella’s innocence and trust in him. He especially did not want to corrupt her, in any fashion, with the demon inside him. It is therefore poetic that freesia also represents him–his innocence and trust in the newly formed bond between them, a love so strong it could withstand the trials of time.

The bottle reads: The forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest!
Size of Bottle: 2.7 fluid oz
Notes: I would be interested in getting the notes for this perfume. All I know is from the packaging which says it’s a combination of freesia and lavender. If you happen to know the specific notes please share!

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Boy, do I have a treat for LRP readers! I recently was able to interview Sabrina Jeffries after the RWA Conference. Amidst her busy schedule she was more than kind enough to sit down and respond in depth on the topics broached. Get a cup of tea or coffee sit back and kick up your heels as you read this author interview.

LRP: How did you find yourself writing romance? How did you become an author?

Sabrina: From age 9 on, believe it or not, I read romances, but I only wrote poetry and short stories until grad school. In college I decided I wanted to be a writer, but I thought the best route to that was to go to grad school in English, become a professor so I could have a paying job, and then try to publish stories and poetry. Somehow the academic work took over. Then while I was a visiting assistant professor of English at Tulane University, I sat down to develop a publishable academic work based on my dissertation about James Joyce and found it so boring that I started writing a novel instead. After a while, I realized I was writing a romance novel. It didn’t sell, but the next one did and I’ve been writing ever since. Ironically enough, when I was twelve I told myself that when I grew up, I would write down my romantic fantasies and sell them to people. I guess I knew my destiny deep inside. It just took me a little while to figure it out as an adult!

LRP: What is your favorite type of romance to read? Is it the same as what you write?

Sabrina: For the most part, I do prefer historical romance to any other kind of book, romance or otherwise, and yes, I like sex in the books a lot! I read other things, too, though. I’m not that fond of Westerns or medievals, and I do prefer British or foreign settings, but otherwise I’m not that picky. I also read a little nonfiction, the occasional mystery or science fiction novel, and a lot of suspense, though I don’t get nearly as much time to read as I’d like.

LRP: How do you decide character names?

Sabrina: I have a book (now OOP) called The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names. I thumb through that until I find one that appeals to me that is also period-correct.

LRP: What are some challenges in writing romance? Any particular genre of romance more difficult to pull off?

Sabrina: Finding new and different ways to explore relationships is always challenging, too. As for difficult genres, I actually find historicals harder to write, because of having to remember all the period constraints. The other day I caught myself before I could write, “She blindsided him.” Since that started in reference to football in the 60’s, it’s definitely not Regency. J

LRP: What kind of research do you do, if any?

Sabrina: I still have to do research related to everyday life in the period, depending on what will be covered in my book. I research the main events of the year of my setting. I pore over maps of the area and try to find out information about the flora and fauna. I also regularly use a Regency thesaurus. For book-specific stuff, I tap my hundred or so research books and my library of clippings from various sources, as well as Google Books, which is a fabulous resource, because you can find books contemporary to the period. I do most of my research WHILE I’m writing the book. I wait until I need to know something to research it, since I never know when I’m going to need to know something.

LRP: Is there anything you wish you’ve seen in a romance novel — and are you writing it for us?

Sabrina: I can honestly say that I never feel a lack in any of the books I read. If I did, I’d write it. I’m just always pleased when I can be surprised by a book. But do I ever say, “Wow, I wish someone would write about Regency female doctors”? No, not really.

LRP: What advice do you have for others who are interested in writing?

Sabrina: Perseverance is the key. You must keep writing, keep putting your work out there, and keep learning before AND after you get published. Never think you’ve come too far to learn. Even after having written 29 novels, I’m still learning about writing.

LRP: Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you handle it? What do you find difficult, if anything, about writing? And what do you like the best?

Sabrina: I don’t really get writer’s block. I do, however, get stuck on a particular scene or plot or character. When that happens, I try to take some time to relax and just let my thoughts meander. I read another author’s book or watch a movie to get the gearshift unstuck, so to speak. I’m also quite fond of hot showers, long walks, and jigsaw puzzles as ways to lull my conscious mind into letting my subconscious come up with answers I need. And if I’m REALLY desperate, I call my critique partners and bounce ideas off of them until I find a solution.

What I find most difficult about writing is trying to make it interesting time after time. Also, it’s hard to follow your own vision without imposing it on the characters. They become their own people in the course of the novel (if you’re any good, that is), and you have to respect that without letting them take over the book. You have to strike a balance, and that isn’t easy.

LRP: Was it difficult to get published? How did you find your agent? What’s the strategy behind the use of plural author names?

Sabrina: Yes, but not as hard as it is these days. In one respect I got lucky—I happened to join an RWA chapter that had as a member an agent just starting out in her career. That was especially lucky since all the agents I’d queried weren’t interested. I’m still with Pam Ahearn of The Ahearn Agency after nearly 20 years.

But even after landing an agent, I had 10 rejections on the first book she represented (the second book I’d written) before Leisure bought it. Over the years, I’ve received a number of rejections for a number of my books. Pirate Lord was rejected by five publishers, and that was after I’d already had 11 books published as Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas! I sold the 12th book I wrote, and then my publisher at the time gave it back to me—it’s still unpublished, mostly because it needs work and I don’t have time for it.

About the pseudonym thing, I wrote as Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas because my respective publishers didn’t want my growing career at one publishing house to be affected adversely by my numbers at the other house, and since I was an unknown author at the time, they weren’t taking any chances, so they insisted on my having two different pseudonyms. Then when I decided to write a completely different kind of historical, my new publisher wanted me to take a new name to reflect the new style and voice. By that point, I was an experienced writer, and I realized that I’d be better off choosing something catchy rather than something close to my real name.

Incidentally, that would be my advice to any new genre author—if you have a catchy real name, use it. If you don’t, choose something interesting and unique as a pseudonym because your name is part of the marketing package. And unfortunately, marketing is everything in today’s publishing world. Taking a pseudonym the third time around was the best thing that ever happened to me—but I did lose most of my old readers because they couldn’t find me. Sometimes, however, booksellers are more eager to take a chance on a debut author than an established one with lackluster sales, so you have to weigh whether to take a pseudonym in terms of marketing.

LRP: Do you work on deadlines now? How long does it usually take you to write a book? Have you written a book that seemed to write itself or a book that you had to drag out kicking and screaming?

Sabrina: Yes, I still work on deadlines. The shortest time I’ve ever written a book in is 4 and a half months (Night Vision). The longest is about 9 months, but I always aim for 6. Right now, I’m writing the book that is seeming to write itself, but I think that it’s because I know Charlotte and Cousin Michael so well that they’re just writing the book for me. To Pleasure a Prince was also easier to write, as was Beware a Scot’s Revenge, but NONE of them are easy. The hardest one was probably Let Sleeping Rogues Lie. I had a lot of issues to deal with and juggling them all was difficult.

LRP: What about bedroom scenes? What makes a good one?

Sabrina: Good ones are those that are so inextricably entwined with the story and the characters that they compel the reader to read them. It’s the people and their concerns that make love scenes interesting. Plus, I tap into every fantasy I’ve ever had. Fortunately, I’ve always had an active fantasy life where sex is concerned, and I haven’t even come NEAR to touching on all my fantasies.

Although honestly, I could spend hours on this subject. I do a whole workshop on it.

LRP: How do you define love?

Sabrina: Geez, you don’t ask the easy questions, do you? I couldn’t begin to define love. I just know what it is when I feel it. Plus, there are so many different kinds, aren’t there?

LRP: What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?

Sabrina: Joy and a release from the everyday troubles of life. I write to entertain, and if I succeed at that, then I feel I’ve done my job.

LRP: What do you do to relax and get away from writing? Is there something that really gets you away from it all?

Sabrina: I enjoy making jewelry, gourmet cooking, and reading (of course), but I also like to watch movies and listen to CDs a lot. I’m addicted to spider solitaire, so I have to watch how much I play it. And nothing relaxes me more than a good jigsaw puzzle, believe it or not. My idea of heaven is being able to do nothing but puzzles for a couple of days.

LRP: Could you provide a picture of your workspace? We’d love to see how and where you write!

Sabrina: This one is where I do the actual writing (it also doubles as a guest bedroom). I don’t have a nice bright window like this anywhere else upstairs, and I prefer to look out a window while I write, so this was the only option:

BUT, my official office is what the former owners used as a bonus room (across the hall from this room). Since my dh has knee trouble, he doesn’t climb the stairs, so we can’t use that room as a bonus room, which is why I took it for my office. It’s FABULOUS. It’s just too dark for me to stand to write in. But I’m doing this at it right now. I do all my business stuff in it, plus some reading. I took 3 pics of IT.

The first pic is of the part of the room (there when we bought it) that has a “stage.” Apparently, the former owners had 3 teens who played in a band. My desk now sits on the stage in front of the built-in bookshelves.

Here’s the rest of the office, the part not on the “stage.” I know, most people would kill for an office this big. I love it. Just can’t write my books in it. *G*

And…

LRP: Oh! How wonderful! Thanks for sharing your space with us. What are your hopes for the future?

Sabrina: I just hope to be able to keep writing books for years to come!

LRP: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? When can we expect your next book?

Sabrina: A reissue of my first Sabrina Jeffries book, The Pirate Lord, will be released August 26, 2008. Then, on October 28, 2008, comes Snowy Night with a Stranger, a Christmas-themed anthology with stories by Jane Feather, Julia London, and me. The heroine of my story is Elinor Bancroft from Let Sleeping Rogues Lie. Then, in July 2009, will come the fifth novel of the series, about Lucy Seton from Let Sleeping Rogues Lie. It will be followed by Charlotte and Cousin Michael’s romance in August 2009. No titles for these yet, but all will be revealed in that final book, so keep an eye out for both books in the summer of 2009!

LRP: Thanks so much for answering all these questions Sabrina! Good luck and many happy sales!

Got a burning question to ask Sabrina? Leave a comment!

Want to discuss this interview with others? Check out LRP’s shiny new forum!

Visit Sabrina’s blog and website for more information about Sabrina and her work!

See you here again on Monday! Have a great weekend!

Originally posted 2008-09-05 05:32:37. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Minx by Julia Quinn is the third book in the Blydon Series, following Splendid and Dancing at Midnight.

William Dunford inherits a barony out in Cornwall. He also inherits an unexpected ward, not that he knows this when he arrives. Henry, his ward, is a spunky hoydenish tomboy with a plan. She’s going to convince London bred Dunford, the new Lord Stannage, that country living is not for him. While putting into place a series of cockamamie schemes to get rid of Dunford, Henry finds herself falling for his sweetness and kindness. Midway through the first act, they call a truce and form a friendship.

We learn as the novel progresses that Henry is embarrassed by her boyish behavior and dress off the farm. She frequently refers to herself as a freak. This rightly so, displeases Dunford immensely. In fact he’s so enraged by her self-deprecating nonsense that he forbids her to call herself that again. The midpoint of the book is where Dunford finds out that Henry is his ward and that all his lusty thoughts and behavior are completely out of the question.

The story takes a turn for the worst when he brings Henry to London for an Eliza Doolittle makeover. He plans to turn her into a lady, give her a dowry, and help her find a husband. The process makes him cranky, makes her feel even more insecure. Coupled with the unnecessary plot twist at the end with Dunford’s former mistress, the book fairly tanks. It held such promise too. The former mistress twist drags the book out beyond bearing and proves that Henry is the biggest obstacle to her happiness and that of Dunford’s. The poor man has had to put up with a lot.

Best thing about this book hands down is the pet name, Minx, given by the hero to the heroine. Minx is by far one of the most original pet names I’ve seen in literature or heard in real life. Very cute and fits the story perfectly.

The worst thing about the book was this phrase and its variations: “I’m Henrietta Barrett, but call me Henry; everybody else does.” Completely overused. Yuck. On top of that Henry is so boyish it’s hard to get behind. I much preferred Dunford’s further shortening of her name to Hen, sadly he only uses it a few times.

Rating: 4 Stars before the midpoint and 3 Stars by the end.

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The great thing about a series is that the writer has the freedom to explore themes and develop characters in greater detail than in a single average sized novel. This is true of Lora Leigh’s ‘Tempting Seals Series’. Durango Team, of the Navy Seals, is working for Homeland Security trying to shut down a drug cartel and capture a mysterious terrorist. Each novel in the series follows the members of Durango Team as they meet and fall in love with their soul mates. Of course, love never runs smooth. Killer Secrets is the third novel in the series.

Ian Fuentes is the illegitimate son of Diego Fuentes, the leader of a very successful drug cartel. He is also a sadist and murderer. Ian hates him and has vowed to kill him for not protecting him as a child and for kidnapping and torturing a fellow Seal, Nathan. He is working, alone and undercover posing as traitor to the U.S., in his father’s drug cartel. In return his father has agreed to help him trap and kill the terrorist known only as Sorrell.

Kira Porter is an independent undercover operative for DHS known as the Chameleon. Her disguises are so good than no one has ever recognized her as the very wealthy socialite and niece of a very powerful Washington politician. She and Ian have crossed paths on occasion and he always recognizes her by the way her body moves and the shape of her ears. They have long ignored the attraction they feel for one another since the job always comes first.

This time they meet in Aruba at a weapons deal gone wrong. Kira has infiltrated a terrorist group with ties to Sorrell and has accompanied them to what is supposed to be a weapons deal. Unknown to her, the real objective is to kill Ian. In the mist of the action she recognizes Ian and quickly changes sides, helping him turn the tables on the terrorist group. Afterward, instead of disappearing, she rents a villa under her real identity with the intent of joining Ian’s operation. DHS has agreed and asked that she keep Ian from killing his father or Sorrell since both are wanted for the information they can provide. Ian is an admitted chauvinist and does not want a woman in his operation, especially Kira.

The themes of betrayal, trust, fear of intimacy and commitment unfold in a highly erotic, sexual arena. Leigh’s dialog is bold and her bedroom scenes leave nothing to the imagination. Romantic Times BOOKreviews is quoted on the cover as saying, “Leigh’s books can scorch the ink off the page.” This is certainly true. This book is HOT, HOT, HOT!

Four Stars

LRP relies on its readers, we want to feature novels you like to read and we can only do that with your help. Suggest novels in the forum or write us a review and get posted on the blog! We look forward to hearing from you!

Originally posted 2008-09-04 05:35:04. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer is enchanting and will assuredly transport you to another world. Georgette Heyer, praised to be the new Jane Austen, was born in 1902 and her tales are quite old but hold the same classic feel as any one of Austen’s novels. I can picture the whole novel as a movie and am surprised that I’ve not seen it made into one. Of course I haven’t checked in at IMDB so I could be quite wrong about its silver screen status.

This is my first time reading Heyer and such I found it tough to start (as such it’s affected my rating). The writing while at first difficult to read and to get into because of the level of vocabulary and particular word phrasing which is unusual for today’s standard’s. However it gets easier the more you read. By the end of the book you’re practically flying through the pages trying to get to the end of the story and see the leads get their happily ever after.

In the true spirit of a Regency novel, this novel includes a secondary romance to entertain us. Neither romance goes to the bedroom, in fact the first and only kiss mentioned is at the very end of the tale. My one fault with the story was there was much too much time spent on ditherings going on around the leads and not nearly enough time focused on them. They were more thrown together in the beginning when Dominic kidnapped poor Mary than later.

Mary Challoner is determined to save her sister from scandal and intercepts a letter from Marquis of Vidal to her sister Sophie arranging an illicit tryst. A daring scheme to take her sister’s place and fool Vidal comes to her and Mary rushes through with it, barely thinking out the consequences.

When Vidal finds out he’s most upset and assuming her to be like her untoward and loose sister, Vidal forcibly takes her the rest of the way to France. Once there, Mary is able to make her true nature known and flummoxed Vidal is forced to do the one thing he never thought to do – propose marriage. Imagine his surprise when Mary refuses! What’s a Marquis to do?

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Originally posted 2008-09-02 05:43:56. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Black romance is a blooming section of romance industry and is still growing. Officially having its start in 1980 with Entwined Destines written by Rosalind Welles, black romance has expanded and taken shape over the years. While it’s true that the genre could benefit from more authors and more books, black romance is a force to be reckoned with and getting stronger all the time. It is my hope to see the genre grow out of its own publishing lines (by sheer volume) and start to mingle alongside romance about white leads. Part of what will make this happen is for the genre to see writers become as influential and iconic as Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, and LaVyrle Spencer. If authors become a household name to buy, sales will pick up and the genre will be more validated as whole.

It is said that the head of Kensington Publishing had been visiting New York bookstore when he overheard two black women wishing for more African American romance. In 1994, Arabesque was created as the first major line for black readers. Since that point 250 titles by approximately 50 African-American authors have been published.

Arabesque was later bought by Harlequin, increasing the number of released books to 450. Now Arabesque is the nation’s leading line of single-title African American romance. Besides publishing Arabesque, Harlequin also publishes Sepia, New Spirit, and Kimani Romance lines. Kimani is a female African-American name that means “sweet and beautiful.” Kimani is Harlequin’s equivalent to category romance as Kimani novels are mass-market paperback series.

I’m curious to learn if there are Caucasian writers writing about black leads and African American authors writing about white leads? After all we already know there are male authors producing novels that we love… this can’t be too far of a stretch.

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This is a book I really enjoyed. Chantal Thibaudet is a princess, but leading an unhappy life. Her marriage was loveless (and included physical abuse, so be warned) but she is now widowed with a four year old daughter. Her in-laws are power hungry, including a pre-nup that basically holds her daughter captive while forbidding her to remarry. The world sees her as glamorous, which she is, and doesn’t see the negatives.

But life is about to change. Returning home by airplane in very rough turbulence she is befriended by Demetrius Mantheakis, who has been hired, unbeknownst to her, to be her bodyguard because her life has been threatened. The plane goes down; they begin an affair; she finds out he was hired — and her life is in danger.

How are they going to protect her from a crazy person — who might even be one of the inlaws?

He takes her to his private island where the villagers are completely loyal to him, and he is able to ensure her safety until they get a better handle on the enemy.

How is she going to keep her love for Demetrius, who also loves her, without losing her daughter in light of the pre-nup.

All’s well that ends well. Love finds a way.

I rate it 3.5 stars.

Writing reviews are easy! Submission guidelines are simple enough, contact me if you have any questions!

Originally posted 2008-09-01 05:16:42. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Anthony Hamilton had always been scandalous.  Even his parentage was questionable though his mother’s husband accepted him as his son.  Anthony had been thrown out of school several times for gambling although he did finish Oxford in record time.  His debts are sometimes rumored to be very high and at other times he seems flush with cash.  He keeps company with married women and it is rumored that he also talks them out of their funds.  Anthony Hamilton is scandalous; too scandalous for marriageable young ladies.  One evening at a ball he sees Celia Reece, the sister of an old school friend, trying to discourage an ardent admirer.  He steps in to help.  Suddenly he realizes that Celia, who is eight years younger, is no longer the child that used to follow Anthony and her brother, begging to join in their summer pastimes.  Her beauty stuns him.  The more that he watches her and remembers how much he always enjoyed her company, the more that he thinks that maybe this is a woman he could marry.  Given his reputation, he does not think that her family would accept him, but after several weeks he finally gets up the nerve to ask for her hand.  Unfortunately…. Celia marries someone else.

A Rake’s Guide to Seduction has a straightforward plot with almost all of the action centered on Celia and Anthony, but the unique approach and Linden’s fluid writing style sweeps the reader away into another time and place and presents us with a timeless romance.  The main antagonist is doubt.  Anthony and Celia doubt their own judgment, and must struggle to trust their own hearts.  This wonderfully presented story makes for very enjoyable reading.

Four Stars

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I took great pleasure in reading this novel. It wasn’t a typical romance though it held many of the typical pieces you would find in a romance. Atypical you ask? Yes! The heroine for instance was raised by the Dakota, or Native American Indians. She had to return to England to pursue the rest of her destiny and avenge her dead mother. The banter was particularly snappy between the leads. The sex too was pretty phenomenal on the scale of none to steamy. I read this in about a day and half; I would put it down and couldn’t wait to get back to it as soon as possible.

The cover on this novel is hysterical, at least my version which is pretty old. My sister-in-law picked it up thinking a boob was sticking out, flagrant nipples and all, but realized upon closer inspection that it was simply a circular diamond pin stuck to the front of the dress. To me the models look like they are wrapped up in a sleeping bag decorated in some ancient Regency pattern. For being raised by the Dakotas in America, she’s certainly pale, no sign of a tan at all – on the cover or in the book. I wonder why that is? Could it be because society would have been shocked down to their slippers and boots?

Christina Bennett is the crème de la crème. The moment her dainty foot hit the first ballroom, London society gasped and capitulated at her feet. She finds it silly and they call her Princess, even though her father has lost his kingdom, even though she’s never met her father in person. With pale white hair and the deepest sky blue eyes, Christina is a lioness. Her arrival to London was predicted by a shaman’s dream and her destiny was to seek out justice for the crimes against her and her mother.

Is it any wonder when she’s introduced to the Marquess of Lyonwood that she was shaken from her stupor? The man looked fierce and vulnerable at the same time. He held himself like a warrior and bore a warrior’s scar down his cheek. To Christina, he looked positively virile and masculine, a far cry of the fops and dandies she’d met again and again from ballroom to ballroom. He was like a lion too, lithe and predatory. When he pursues her, part of Christina wants to give in and part of her fears doing so because she could learn to love him… worse he could learn to love her and her stay with the English was only ever meant to be temporary.

With tempting kisses and secret trysts, Christina’s head swims with the heady sensations of newly experienced passion. She begs him to marry her in one unguarded moment and the scoundrel declines. Lyonwood sees her proposal as a sign of her scheming ways, not realizing that Christina’s eager passion is unrehearsed. He plans to seduce her not knowing that she’s virginal until it’s too late…

Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Review: The Wedding by Julie Garwood Julie Garwood is a staple, a household name, and Wedding is the first book of hers I ever read. Recommended to me by my closest friend, I came to the conclusion that it must go to the top of my...
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Julie Garwood is a staple, a household name, and Wedding is the first book of hers I ever read. Recommended to me by my closest friend, I came to the conclusion that it must go to the top of my TBR pile. I found the Wedding to be a delightful combination of bride stealing, tortured hero, and a quest for justice. The tortured hero was my favorite part, though the heroine was pretty great too. The Wedding is the sequel to The Bride, but I don’t think you miss anything by reading this one first; it is after all what I did first. I also found pieces of text to get choppy when going from scene to scene near the end or from heroine to hero point of view. Overall it wasn’t a bad start to learning about who this fabulous author is. Spoilers ahead…

Wedding focuses heavily on a revenge plot, which in the end I felt could have been wrapped up better. When young Laird Connor McAlister comes to his father’s death bed, he is made to promise to seek justice for the wrongs of his father. At ten, one would not think this would be particularly important or something that would be a driving force in the child’s life but we’re underestimating the loyalty between father and son, the pride of the Highlanders, and of course the time period. Connor seeks protection from Alec, forms a lasting brotherhood with the man and grows up to search for his father’s killers.

The man Connor’s father thought was behind the plotting is getting married. Since he cannot prove his involvement with his father’s death, Connor decides to seek a lesser revenge by stealing his bride, Brenna Haynesworth. Lucky for Connor, his soon to be bride, Brenna, shares a bit of history with him. I’ll give you it’s a relatively brief history, but this history is needed so that Connor can justify his actions to his brother Alec. See, Brenna as a young girl asked Connor to marry her three times during his one and only stay at her childhood home. Brenna is an amusing heroine because she loses her possessions constantly. Hair ribbons, knifes, shoes, it all follows behind her like a trail of bread crumbs.

When the novel focused on the hero and heroine falling in love, it was a very good read but then it drifted back into the revenge plot and stuck there with a few too many clichés. Connor’s stepmother is plainly evil. She affects a loving spirit still in mourning for her dead husband in front of Connor, but sabotages Brenna at every turn and picks on all her fears about herself and Connor whenever the man isn’t looking. And Brenna is so concerned about gaining his stepmother’s favor and love that she doesn’t bring up her problems with Connor or anyone for that matter.

Then when Connor’s stepbrother arrives on the scene he is a lecherous cretin, bent on seducing Brenna as soon as possible, not caring at all if she’s willing or not. While this is going on the man Connor thinks plotted his father’s death is moving his players around and causing mischief so that Connor cannot be near Brenna or observe what is going on in his own household until it’s nearly too late. Then to top it all off is another communication misunderstanding and the happily ever after is almost caput. In the end they have it, but I would have preferred Garwood to draw it out more instead of tacking it on at the end as if she’d forgotten about it.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

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• Julie Ivy American Girl By Brand, Company, Character Dolls Dolls Bears

Some Like it Wicked by Teresa Medeiros is truly an exceptional read. She’s done it again creating characters that I love and a story line that makes me laugh and close the book with a happy sigh. The sex was tantalizing, decadent, and sizzling hot. The end has a bit of a cliff hanger as this is the first story of a sibling set.

Catriona Kincaid first met Simon when she was sixteen years old. He was seducing her prickly older cousin in the barn at the time. Of course she was discovered and her cousin throws a tantrum, but Simon intervenes between the two cousins with an easy charm and a devilish smile. His heroic actions placed stars in young Cariona’s eyes and she gave her heart in that moment.

Simon Wescott, bastard son of an earl, became the heir to that earldom when the legitimate son died. However, he wants nothing from his father, the man was too hard to impress and Simon was through being a disappointment. When Catriona storms his cell in debtor’s prison with an outrageous bargain, he calls her bluff with one of his own and is beaten at his own game.

He finds himself out of prison and chained into a marriage to the beguiling and bewitching Highland princess. Now if only he could break the trust she held in him and prove to her that he was nobody’s hero, Simon might be free of the spell she was throwing over him. After all, love doesn’t last and it’s the riskiest bet in the business to make and Simon is no one’s fool.

Also based on the dates mentioned in the book this novel falls under Georgian Romance.

Rating: 5 Stars

Originally posted 2008-08-28 05:58:48. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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What makes a perfect hero? Is it his dashing good looks, his heroic deeds, or his charm? Third in the series Lessons in Love by Suzanne Enoch, England’s Perfect Hero, delves into the challenge of defining a hero.

Lucinda and her two best friends, Georgiana and Evelyn, create three separate lists on how to be a gentleman of high caliber. Each one is highly personal and defines what each girl feels about herself and what she looks for in a mate. On Lucinda’s list there are four items she wishes to teach a certain dashing gentleman, also known as Lord Geoffrey Newcombe, about being a gentleman.

Only her lessons are getting the attention of a different man; another soldier and nobleman whose past is a mystery and whose character is mysterious. Robert Carroway, brother to Dare, Georgiana’s husband. All she knows about Robert is this: he was at Waterloo, he came home from war injured, his experiences in war have made him withdrawn and edgy, and her father doesn’t like him.

Robert Carroway for his part has lived in a personal hell for three years. The darkness threatens to claim him, chew him up and spit him out. If only it would kill him so he didn’t have to live in silent agony about what had been done to him. The only ray of pure sunlight in his whole existence is Lucinda whose cheery disposition and sweet nature draw him like a moth to the flame. If helping her snare the husband of her dreams could also pull him from the darkness he would do it, or so he told himself. What he really wanted was to be the husband of her dreams.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Originally posted 2008-08-27 05:01:49. Republished by Old Post Promoter

• Butterfly, Moth Insect, Butterfly Animals Collectibles

This one had a few twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and it was more believable. The background of the leading characters unfolds throughout the book, and some of it you don’t find out until mid-point.

Samantha van Bergen is in a disastrous marriage, mothering a step-daughter that she dearly loves. This little girl is bright and precocious, and knows more than anyone realizes she does. Her mother died, and Samantha had been her nanny.

The book begins with a bang. Samantha’s husband, Johann, is a compulsive gambler, who has gambled away a family fortune. He loses it all to Cristiano. And come to find out, he has tossed in Samantha to sweeten the pot, but only after he offers his daughter first (nice guy, right?!) but Cristiano rejects this.

Of course, Cristiano has fallen in love with Samantha at first sight. He knows that the little girl will come with her stepmother.

The question is why is he going to this trouble? And what other unfoldments might we find along the way that unlock the puzzle?

Sam takes Gabriella and goes to England from Monte Carlo. When she is there, we learn more about her early life. She is definitely worthy of the best.

Lucky for her, Cristiano agrees with this. He wants to settle a fortune on her in a pre-nup, but she isn’t interested in his money. They marry without a pre-nup, and when a divorce seems imminent, he wants her to use an attorney to guarantee her rights.

Instead, she decides to fight her fears, and she is successful.

She is a plucky heroine and you root for her when she comes out on top. There’s very little fighting or whining; there is a strong, wealthy and scarred hero.

I give it a 3. Have you read it?

If you’d like to submit a review on a novel you’ve read, check out LRP’s guidelines for submission.

Originally posted 2008-08-26 05:44:56. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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The Heiress by Jude Deveraux started off exceptionally well in my opinion but tapered off into mediocrity and stayed there after the jumpstart. It’s too bad that it did that as my initial impressions of the novel were four out of five stars. The editing felt choppy in the middle and was completely disconnected towards the end. There was a distinct lack of transitions between scenes and as I read I felt like I was missing the good parts, the parts that tied everything together.

It was hard to feel for the characters after the initial start as well. There was no chemistry between the two of them in the end and that’s what killed the book. I kept reading though hoping it would turn around and be the amazing story it started off as. No such luck.

Axia has forever been stigmatized by her fortune. When people first meet her, they dismiss her, but that soon changes when they hear about how she is the Maidenhall Heiress. Their entire demeanor would do a one eighty. Men previously uninterested would turn fawning gazes her way and declare their undying love and devotion. For once Axia would love to be wanted, needed, and desired for who she was rather than how much money she represents.

James, call him Jamie, Montgomery is a dirt-poor Elizabethan knight. He inherited his brother’s earldom after his death to a fever. Unfortunately for James, his brother had gambled away everything leaving the family with nothing and no way to support themselves. James had responsibilities to the tenets whose land had once been Montgomery before his brother’s debts, his withdrawn mother, blind twin sister, and tomboy younger sister. So when Maidenhall offered to pay him to escort his daughter Axia to her betrothed, James said yes.

But then his sisters found out and hatched a plan to use Jame’s beauty to save them from destitution. He would woo the Maidenhall Heiress while she was under his charge and convince her to marry him instead of the man she was betrothed too. However Axia outsmarts James and convinces her beautiful cousin to play the part of heiress to allow Axia freedom on the journey. The tale is a topsy-turvy ride through layers of deception, intrigue, and desperation.

Rating: 2 Stars

Originally posted 2008-08-25 05:41:11. Republished by Old Post Promoter