Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Secrets of Seduction (Legendary Lovers #3) - Nicole Jordan

Wow!  Hot from chapter ONE! 

Ten years ago, the Earl of Hawkhurst arrived home to find his son's nursery engulfed in flame.  His wife and young son were in the corner dead of smoke inahalation.  As he is carrying their bodies out of the house, a beam falls on him and leaves Hawk scarred.  He leaves England for the Guardian stronghold on the Isle of Cyrene.  Now, Hawk has returned to England so he can marry the great niece of the leader and assume the role of leader.  However, Lady Skye Wilde has a different idea.  After talking to her Aunt Isabella (who had been married to a member of the Guardians), Skye knows that Hawk is the perfect husband for her.  She shows up at his house in the middle of a rainstorm and sets out to seduce Hawk.

The characters of Skye and Hawkhurst were well developed.  Skye knows what she wants and has very unique ideas and knowledge about what happens between a man and a woman.  The secondary characters are also well developed.  I felt invested in Skye's mission to find her Uncle's missing lover.  When the lady is found, I was thrilled that Uncle Cornelius and Rachel got their own HEA.

This was the third in a series.  I loved how it was able to stand on it's own.  I have read too many third in a series where I felt like was way outside on a very funny inside joke. 

I give this a five out of five stars!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley!  Thank You!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

The Sum of All Kisses - Julia Quinn

Lady Sarah Pleinsworth HATES Lord Hugh Prentice.  She blames Hugh for ruining her chances at marriage during her first season. 

This plot revolves around the first two in the Smythe-Smith novels.  Sarah's cousin, Honoria Smythe-Smith has asked Hugh to sit at the head table at her wedding due to a cancelation in the bridal party.  She asks Sarah to be Hugh's "babysitter" since he can't dance or ride a horse due to his duel with her cousin Daniel Smythe-Smith.  Sarah slowly warms to Hugh at Honoria's wedding.  When they travel to Daniel's wedding, their relationship fully develops. 

I love the Smythe-Smith family as much as I do the Bridgertons.  Since this is part of the Smythe-Smith Quartet, I can't wait to read the final novel!

Loved it - Five out of Five stars!

One Heart to Win - Johanna Lindsey

Fifteen years ago, Rose Warren left her husband in Nahart, Montana in the middle of the night with her three year old daughter to return to New York City.  In the fifteen years, Rose has refused to see her husband, but he has sent her sons to New York City to see her.  This has left Tiffany with a deep resentment toward her father.  Before she left, she arranged a marriage for her daughter with her husband's bitter enemy.  Now, Tiffany has to go to Nashart and marry a stranger and end a feud.

When the Callahan brothers mistake Tiffany for the housekeeper that her father had hired and was on her train, she decides not to correct them and assumes the role.  This allows Tiffany to get to know her future husband, Zachary Callahan.

Johanna Lindsey is one of my all time favorite authors.  I NEVER NEVER NEVER read ANY historical romance novels set in America.  Except for Johanna Lindsey's.  I have re-read some of her books multiple times.  I was thrilled to see her 50th novel.  It did not disappoint from the beginning to the end.  I loved the characters of Rose and Zachary.  The development of the secondary characters helps with the development of this novel. 

I give this five out of five stars!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Passionately Yours by Cara Elliott

The last book of the "Hellions of High Street" series did not disappoint.  While I loved the connection with the second book, Sinfully Yours, Passionately Yours can stand alone.

As Passionately Yours opens, Carolina or Caro Sloane is in Bath with her mother.  Caro and a friend, Isobel Urquehart are out walking when they are attacked by what they think are bandits.  Caro and Isobel are rescued by Alec McClellan, Lord Strathcona.  Caro had first met Alec at the house party in Sinfully Yours. There was tension between Caro and Alec then.  Caro wasn't thrilled to find that her friend's older half brother is the man that aggravated her at the house party.  And, Alec isn't thrilled to see Caro.  The tension slowly starts to turn into sparks which ignite into a true passion. 

I loved the character development between Caro and Alec.  The secondary characters/romance between Isobel and Lord Andover is well written.

Passionately Yours was a wonderful end to this series.


  

Sunday, March 2, 2014

A Scandalous Marriage by Cathy Maxwell

With sort of a Romeo and Juliet vibe, the plot is much different than any romance I have read before. 

Devon Marshall, Viscount Huxhold asked Leah Carrollton at a ball and immediately felt a connection.  His friends thought it was funny that he didn't know that Leah was the daughter of his family's most bitter enemy.  He courts her in secret and when she turns him down, he is devastated and heads to his estate in Scotland.  Leah finds out that her mother has arranged a marriage for her and lets herself be seduced by a scoundrel.  When Leah gets pregnant, her mother won't let her keep the baby so she runs away.  

Nine months later, Devon has been summoned home to his grandfather's death bed when his horse throws a shoe.  He leads his horse to the nearest cottage where he finds a hugely pregnant Leah.  When she goes into early labor, Devon steps up and sees he through a difficult childbirth. 

I loved the writing of the character's emotions.  During Leah's difficult childbirth, you could feel Devon's pain.  He clearly still loved her and was devastated that she might die.  In the beginning, Leah was a shallow debutante and as the book progressed, she grew into a strong woman.

The twists and turns of their courtship even though they were married was sweet.  And Devon's family added an extra spark.

This book was amazing from the beginning to the end!

Five out of five stars!!!

Captured by the Pirate Lord by Amy Jarecki

Anne is an English girl that was basically sold into a proxy marriage by her parents to a man thirty-nine years older than her and that had children older than her.  She didn't even remember seeing him at Queen Elizabeth's coronation.  The Baron earned his tittle and reputation fighting the Scots. 

Anne is sailing to her new husband and home when the ship is attacked by Calum MacLeod.  Calum is the laird over the Hebride ile and the people are desperate for grain and cloth.  When he finds Lady Anne on the ship and discovers who she is, he decides to ransom her back to the evil Barron.  While waiting for the ransom, Anne falls in love with Calum and begins to understand his people. 

While this isn't the normal time period that I choose for books, I am a sucker for a hot guy in a kilt.  I found this novel well written and smoking hot in just the right spots.  Anne is a character that you can see develop from a woman that follows the wishes of those around her to a strong character worthy of a strong man. 

I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Promise of More: The Disgraced Lords Series by Brownen Evans

I just loved this second book in "The Disgraced Lords" series.  I was hooked from the first chapter. 

The story revolves around Sebastian Hawkestone, Marquis of Coldhurst (one of the Libertine Scholars) and Beatrice Hennessey.  The story opens with Sebastian being propositioned by Douglas Hennessey, Baron Larkwell's mistress.  They are caught by Douglas and he challenges Sebastian to a duel.  When Douglas is killed, Sebastian leaves England on one of his ships. 

After four months, Sebastian has been pardoned.  But, Douglas Hennessey's family is still suffering and his sister, Beatrice, is going to make sure that Sebastian pays.  She meets his ship at the dock and is pushed off of the gangplank by the prostitutes waiting for the men.  Beatrice "blackmails" or guilts Sebastian into marrying her.

Through their adventures into solving the mystery of her brother's death, Sebastian and Beatrice find love.  We see them as well as the other Libertine Scholars start to piece together the mystery of who is attempting to destroy their lives.

I give it five out of five stars.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.