Monday, May 25, 2015

Delicious Temptation by Sabrina Sol

Amara Robles has put her own life on hold for her parents.  Just as she was given a job as a prestigious pastry chef, her parents called her home to run their struggling Mexican bakery.  Now that she is running it, they won't let her make any changes and sell her mouth-watering pastries.  Her brother's best friend from high school returns to the neighborhood and is attempting to make things right.

This novel was delightfully sinful.  I enjoyed the character transformation in Amara.  This was an enjoyable novel.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Three Times the Scandal by Madelynne Ellis

Normally, I would have liked the premise of this novel.  Girl's family wants her to marry a man she finds repulsive so she seeks help from a confirmed rake in getting out of the marriage.  Normally, I like Madelynne Ellis.  But, I found that I had a hard time holding interest in this book because the characters from the other novels in the series took over.  I felt that it was too overpowering.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Defying the Earl by Anabelle Bryant

Wilhelmina Montgomery needs to help support herself and her sister after the carriage accident that took their parents lives and injured her sister.  She has hit on the idea of being a matchmaker.  Valerian St. David, Earl of Dashwood also needs to support himself and his brother, but that is because his father and now his brother have gambled away every penny the family ever had.  He decides to be a matchbreaker.  When Whimsey is the one that has been ruining her hard work, she needs to stop him before he ruins everything she worked so hard to accomplish.

I really wanted to like this novel based on the synopsis.  But, after starting the to read, I did not like the characters.  It could have been that both Whimsy and Valerian were from "meager" circumstances was just harped on.   I just did not like the characters.  I found Whimsy too Pollyanna for my taste.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Mirage by Monica Burnes

Alexandra Talbot is determined to fulfill her father and uncle's legacy by finding the lost city of Per-Ramesses.  When the British Museum rejects her because she is a woman, she relies on her father's contact with Sheikh Mazir.  Little does she know but Shiekh Mazir is also Altair Montgomery, Viscount Blakeney.  In the desert, they find romance but also danger.  Once Altair's secrets are reveiled can Alex trust him to keep her safe.

I was initially intrigued by the synopsis.  The characters were wonderful.  Alex is a strong woman that knows what she wants and is going to prove that a woman can do what a man can in the field of archeology.  Altair is a man in limbo.  He is half British and half Bedouin.  As the story progresses, Altair realizes that without Alex he isn't complete.  I loved the mystery in the novel.  I can't say enough how much I enjoyed this novel.  It is one that I will re-read over and over.

This novel is a reprint, but does not date itself.  I do like the cover of the new edition better than the original.

I received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

A Good Rogue Is Hard to Find by Kelly Bowen

I wouldn't call William Somerhall, Duke of Worth, a rogue.  He is a man that is floundering trying to figure out who he is.  His father was abusive and to prevent him from hurting her children, his mother sent them away.  She sent his sister it Italy and William hasn't seen her in years.  Now that he is the Duke, Will avoids his mother.  Her eccentricities are getting out of hand.  She travels everywhere with chickens.  He doesn't want to go to her dinner party and has done everything to avoid it.  When he does arrive, he finds the guests evacuating the house at a alarming rate in the dark.  In the dower house, he finds the one woman that he has searched for a year after seeing her at his ball.  The woman has a snake around her neck and she is his mother's companion.  When the chaos clears, Will announces that he is going to move into the dower house.  Slowly, Will starts to peel back the layers of what his mother and her companion show the ton only to find that they are engaging in rather risky behavior.  And, during the adventure, Will loses his heart.

I hated to see this novel end.  At the beginning, Will is so pompous and by the end, he has learned a huge lesson in humility and helping others.  Jenna is a strong woman that isn't the normal heroine in a romance novel.  She is engaging in "property redistribution" with help from the duchess.  When the members of the ton don't pay their bills, the shop owners find Jenna and the duchess.  I felt like I had just gotten off a roller coaster when I was done.  I cried when Will discovered what Jenna and his mother were doing and started to aid them and I laughed when the servants were introduced.  Then there were parts of the novel that made my e-reader melt.  There was an attraction between Jenna and Will that most members of the ton didn't have.  Will learned some hard lessons about life in his novel.
I loved the characters.  From Will and Jenna to the Duchess and the servants.  I can not wait for the next novel in this series.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.

Friday, May 8, 2015

50 Ways to Ruin a Rake by Jade Lee

Trevor Andedsley has been cut off by his grandfather, the Duke, until he gets engaged.  He escapes his creditors by going to visit his old tutor, Mr. Smithson.  Mellie Smithson is trapped in the country.  She has a new formula for a women's cream.  However, she is stuck in the country because if she produces it, her father gets the money.  Throw in the obsessed half cousin, Ronnie, that wants to marry Mellie  to the mix.

I loved the humor in this novel.  The characters were well written.  I enjoyed Trevor's transformation from spoiled lordling to honorable man.  This was a great read.

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

No Gentleman for Georgina by Jess Michaels

Georgina Hickson has been doing everything her parents want her to do in order to land a titled husband.  Once she met Paul Abbot at a friend's party, she realised she wanted more.  Paul has loved Georgina since he met her, but he knows since he is just a secretary he can't have her.  When Georgian takes matters into her own hands, it leads to a HEA.

This novella is part of "The Notorious Flynns" series.  I have loved the entire series and this just is the cherry on top of the cupcake.  Georgina knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it.   Jess Michaels books are always a great read.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Kilts and Daggers by Victoria Roberts

Grace Walsingham is at her sister's wedding and needs to return to England.  Fagan Murray has been given a mission to return Grace back to England.  As they return to England, a threat follows them.  Grace starts to fall in love with Fagan.

This novel was fast paced and witty.  It was an enjoyable read with a spunky female character.  

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



Sins of a Duke by Stacy Reid

Lucan Wynwood, Duke of Mondvale is known in the Ton as the Duke of Sin.  Growing up, Lucan wasn't aware that his mother was the daughter of a Duke and had to earn his fortune.  While Lucan was in America making his fortune, his sister committed suicide over a failed affair with the Duke of Calydon.  Lucan has sworn revenge on anyone connected with his sister's death.  Calydon has a perfect target:  his siblings.  Lucan has let it be leaked that Calydon's younger siblings Anthony and Constance are the product of an affair and are bastards.  Now, Constance is known as the Beautiful Bastard and is given the cut direct.  When Lucan meets her at a ball, he starts the next phase in his revenge.  He is going to seduce Constance and make her fall in love with him.  When the plan backfires, Lucan ends up losing his heart to Constance.

Stacy Reid is one of the best new authors I have found.  I love the characters in her novels and how they are connected but stand alone.  As the novel progressed, I was hoping that Lucan would have a change of heart and fall in love with Constance.  I loved revisiting the characters from the first two novels.  And the heat factor!  My favorite genre is Historical Erotica.  Again, another awesome book from Stacy Reid!


Friday, May 1, 2015

Romancing the Earl by Darcy Burke

Elijah Hollister was happy as a Major and had never wanted to be the Earl especially since it meant losing his brother.  His brother hadn't been the Earl for very long either.  Miss Catriona Brown is on a quest to find a treasure.  She believes that a tapestry that Elijah posses is a map to said treasure and seeks to purchase it from Elijah.  However, his brother had already been tipped off that the tapestry was a map and hid it.  Elijah suspects that his brother's death wasn't an accident and perhaps this treasure is at the heart of it.  He decides to keep Catriona close to him until he can figure out if she is a part of his brother's death.

I liked that the heroine wasn't a simpering debutant.  Catriona was intelligent and well educated.  The novel was well written and quite engaging.  The supporting characters are also well written and are a part of the novel.  I will put this novel on my re-read shelf.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.



The Unlikely Lady by Valerie Bowman

Miss Jane Lowndes has no problems with being a bluestocking and a spinster.  She does not want to marry however, she can't convince her mother.  Jane wants to travel to her friend Cassandra's wedding so she creates a chaperone so she doesn't have to have her mother trail after her.  At the wedding/house party, Jane encounters Lord Garrett Upton.  Jane decides to create a scandal to ensure that she won't marry and somehow, Garrett becomes ensnared in her scheme.

I loved the banter between Jane and Garrett.  There always the burn of desire  beneath the surface that both didn't want to see or address.  Both are strong willed characters.  I have read only two of the three novels in this series and found that they stand alone quite well.  This book was quite enjoyable to read.  I wanted to go to this house party myself!

I received this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you very much!

The Art of Cunning by Steffanie Holmes

Alexandra Klien is an artist that has found her dream job.  She is curating her first art exhibition at Halt Institute for artist Ryan Raynard.  Ryan is a reclusive artist that isn't cooperating with Alexandra.  If she wants to keep her job, she needs to get his paintings to the gallery yesterday!  Alex decides to take matters into her own hands and goes to Ryan's mansion to get them.

Ryan is a fox shifter.  He is using his paintings to send a message about evil shifters and now Ryan needs to protect Alex.

One of my guilty pleasures is shape-shifter romance.  This was one of the best I have read.  I was hooked at the beginning even though I rarely read books written in the first person.  I liked the characters and the humor in this novel.  But, at the end I was absolutely screaming!  Since this is serial novel, I knew that it would end on a cliffhanger, but it totally snuck up and got me.  I feel like I am on the edge of a cliff waiting for the next book in the series!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.