Twice the Temptation by Suzanne Enoch

I honestly look for this author when I’m around books. So far I’ve enjoyed her writings…and then I got this one. This was just so/so for me and I honestly couldn’t get involved in the book.

A cursed diamond necklace links two-stories-in-one romance..that occur centuries apart. Story one: Evangeline Munroe is on the searching for a husband in London. She picks two men to enter the lighting round of marriage consideration. However, when she is give a massive 169 carat diamond necklace, she refuses to believe that it’s cursed. But as soon as she takes it out of the box, her carriage collides with another carrying the drunken Marquis of Rawley. So the story starts. Soon,  they fall in love despite their continual bad luck. The marquis hides the necklace with a warning note for future generations. In the present day,  the Marquis, Rick Addison, is dating Samantha, a former jewel thief. When she finds the necklace, neither takes the warning note seriously, until everything starts to go wrong…and so the story continues.

Just didn’t like Evangeline’s character and Rick came off as a bit of an ass.

Grade: C

Sandie

 

Lessons of Desire by Madeline Hunter

Well this was a hard book for me to get into…honestly, I put it down several times. But I did finally finish it. Phaedra Blair was a so-so heroine. Grade: C

 

No Regrets by Michele Ann Young

Lucas Rivers aunt has left him a nice chunk of change but he has to convince his childhood frien, Carolyn (Caro) Torrington to marry him.

She finally gives in after a year but it’s only supposed to be a marriage in name only. But Caro has been loving Lucas from afar but he’s a rake. So starts this intriguing book.

Lucas has found a calling in life and isn’t all about his own pleasure. He’s helping out street kids and feeding and educating them isn’t inexpensive. The money he’ll gain by marrying Caro isn’t just for his myriad of mistress…it’s to help his new cause. I hate to add more details because I truly think this book is a gem worth reading on your own. Lucas and Caro care deeply for one other and yet they struggle with their individual fears in regards to their marriage. For a fun-filled and fast-paced story that will grab you from the first page and keep you enchanted right through the end I’d highly recommend No Regrets.

Grade: A

Sandie

 

The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

This was my first book by Elizabeth Hoyt. I saw her third book, The Serpent Prince while walking through Barnes & Noble the other day and wondered how a snake could be prince. When I pursed the cover I discovered this was part of a series and off I went to find the first in the series!

The Raven Prince, where do I start?
Well, I really didn’t get the whole story angle about the Raven and the Princess. Sorry, that really didn’t hold my interest. It was the story between Anna and Earl of Swarthingham (Edward de Raaf). Edward survived smallpox. The pox killed his entire immediate family and left him scared. He was an avid researcher and writer of agrarian journals and thus cultivates a friendship with other like-minded rogues who all band together to help each other in times of need. Hence, the building of the Prince series.

While this wasn’t the best or the worst romance I’ve read before, I did enjoy it. If you haven’t found this series, it’s not too far into it so there isn’t much back-reading to do.

I’m not so sure I liked how Edward treated Anna, felt he was a bit of a jerk most of the time. He came round in the end but in between, I thought he was unworthy of her.

Grade: B

Sandie

 

An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer

I must confess that I’m an avid Regency romance reader as well as a paranormal romance reader. I don’t know why those two, often juxtaposed segements of romance appeal to me but they satisfy my thirst for a great book. This my gentle readers is a book for the Regency must have list. It is a lavishly researched work of art.

At the  center of this novel is Lady Barbara Childe, a red-haired, green-eyed window. She was a scandalous spirit with an insatiable appetite for the gentlemen. Has she met her match in the young and handsome Colonel Audley? He isn’t a push over by any means. Neither is perfect; much to their chagrin.

There is another “character” in this book; the Battle of Waterloo. It plays the major part in this novel and the history of this epic battle is long and detailed. I found myself getting a history lesson at the hands of a master (or would that be ‘mistress’?) whilst reading. It took me time to plow through the descriptions, I won’t lie. But slowing down and taking my time was a great payoff. Colonel Audley won’t tolerate Lady Barbara’s games and she must learn that change isn’t  easy for her but change she must if this relationship is to work out.

I’d love to see what other readers think about this book. I came away with a much better understanding of the Battle of Waterloo and I must confess, awe that this author put so much of her life into research. A pleasure to see in today’s large muddle of romance writing!

Grade: A

Sandie

 

If You Deceive by Kresley Cole

The MacCarrick Brothers, Book 3

Oh how I have waited for this book! I just knew that Ethan, the scarred oldest brother and spy/killer for hire, would be the best yet! The heroine, Madeleine van Rowen (Maddy) would have to break through some serious barriers to get her man to love her and believe in that love for both of them.

I wasn’t disappointed. Ethan was horribly disfigured at 23 by the order of a husband of a scheming, cheating wife. The wife happens to be the mother of our heroine, Maddy. Ethan set out to destroy everything the family had and he succeeded. Maddy grew  up in the bowels of Paris, scratching out a life by herself at the tender age of 14. I’m not so sure if I had been in her place I’d have forgiven Ethan in a few pages but that’s neither here nor there, my husband isn’t Scottish.

The plot was strong but not my favorite. I really liked the heroine, she had pluck. I wasn’t so sure about Ethan. I don’t know if I found Ethan all that charming though. I thought he came across as a lying bastard most of the time.

So ends the series and with that, any understand of why the cover artist put the various cover models in tartans when I swear I don’t remember any of these charcaters in the series actually  WEARING plaid. Yes, I know…they are Scottish. But sometimes, I wish the covers were closer to the storyline.

Grade: B+

Sandie

 

Why We Read What We Read: A Delightfully Opinionated Journey Through Bestselling Books by Lisa Adams, John Heath

I love to read….I love to read romance most of all. I’ve often asked myself why I prefer that cross-section of books/novels.

The authors read over 200 books to answer the question…why do we read what we read? They started with a clear plan and set of rules for their quest to answer those questions.

The authors suggest that we reach for those books that provide quick answers and with that, an easy fix. To challenge ourselves and make the leap to open a book from another, new category is their rallying cry. It is a cry that I whole heartedly agree with! So why is it so hard for me to pick up a simple mystery? I must confess it can be almost painful to pick up a book from a totally foreign section but everytime I do, I know I’m improving myself. To keep challenging my conceptions and comfort levels does make me a more well-rounded person and a more demanding consumer of literature.

One great treat this book provided was a massive list of books the authors provided. I have made a challenge with myself. For every 10 romances, I’ll pick a book off the author’s list and give it a whirl.

Quite an interesting read. If you can, find this book and add a new challenge to your life!
Grade: B+
Sandie

 

Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase

This is book is the lst in the 4 book series. Book one (out of print) is The Lion’s Daughter. Book two is Lord of Scoundrels. Book three is The Last Hellion.

The Comte d’Esmond is a man of fluidity. He morphs into what he needs to appear to anyone. He is a master spy in disguise as a very rich member of the Ton. Very blond, handsome and secretive he can keep the women panting at his heels.

Leila Bridgeburton, is the wife of Francis Beaumont, the opium eating perv who has appeared in two other LC books. Leila’s father wasn’t the nice papa she knew and when he’s killed whilst they are living in Italy, she is taken under the wing of the kindly solicitor Andrew Herriard and the seemingly charming young man Francis Beaumont.

Ismal Delvina, the Comte, was sent to deal with Leila’s father long ago but he does not remember her. He has a new mission, to stop Francis from blackmailing important men in the government who’ve visited a brothel he’s owned in secret and who have participated in other nefarious activities that cannot be exposed without ruining many peoples lives. He infiltrates Francis’ group of fellow debauchees and if you remember in LoS, Francis was just panting to have a piece of Ismal (Esmond).

Ismal is attracted to Leila Beaumont and this could jeopardize his mission. Francis turns up dead and Leila is implicated as a prime suspect. Ismal has to help Leila clear her name and together they sort through a variety of twists in turns, both in their missions and their intertwined lives.

I must say this book was more mystery than romance. I found myself getting impatient with the descriptions of seemingly endless plot twists and turns. I don’t read mystery’s for a reason, they try my patience and I find the reward to be less than fulfilling. That goes for this book. Perhaps Leila just wasn’t as I had hoped. Truly thought she could be multi-dimensional when I first discovered her books ago. But the characters were sacrificed to develop this elaborate mystery plot. What a shame.

Grade: C-
Sandie

 

Not Quite a Lady by Loretta Chase

IRRESISTIBLE FORCE
Darius Carsington is a spectacularly handsome rake with a rare intelligence and no heart, a man who divides his time between bedding loose-moraled women and writing scholarly papers. He finds society’s “perfect darlings”….exceedingly boring. But there’s something intriguing, and not quite perfect, about faultless Lady Charlotte Hayward. He senses a crack under her polished surface, and finding it is a temptation he can’t resist. IMMOVABLE OBJECT
Lady Charlotte is so beautiful, charming, and gracious that no one has noticed what an expert she is at Not Getting Married. Early on, she learned a painful lesson about trust….and temptation. In the years since, she’s devoted her life to all she ought to be–and she’s not about to let a man like Carsington entice her to do everything she shouldn’t.A SPLENDID COLLISION
But the laws of attraction can easily overpower the rules of manners and morals, and sometimes even the best -behaved girl has to follow her instincts, even if it means risking it all.

What to say, what to say?! I am a love of LoS. LOVER. I think in the back of my mind, everything is compared to it.

This book was no exception because it is the same author.

I early grabbed this baby and scurried to my comfy reading spot; intent on lazing away a day. Oh how I wish this book was LoS. But, it isn’t. I have to ask though, why wasn’t this book named, “Not Quite a Gentleman”? Lady Charlotte Hayward fell from grace when she a very tender 17 years old…and had a child out of wedlock. Does that make her a non-lady? I guess at the time, yes but the title really threw me off for some reason. It wasn’t like our hero was fresh and pure as the driven snow.

Perhaps I’m just feeling snarky due to my cold. Anway…

The plot was detailed, just like you’d expect but I just the witty dialog of previous books and a plot that kept me riveted in my comfy reading nook. Instead, I spent my weekend picking this book up and putting it down. Much to my dismay. It wasn’t a horrible read, please don’t think that. It jut wasn’t what I had hoped it to be.

Grade: C+

Sandie

PS-Darius, our hero, just didn’t feel like he truly cared about Charlotte until the end… anyone disagree?

 

Demon’s Kiss by Eve Silver

A new take on the well-known premise of a group of ‘brothers’ fighting to keep the tide of evil out of this dimension. One of the brothers, Ciarran D’Arbois, a Compact of Sorcerers member. Ciarran once helped save the life of Clea Masters and in return discovered a natural sorcerer who would later return to his life, some 20 years down the line.

As a child, Clea was rescued from a horrible car accident—and narrowly missed being killed by a demon. Now, she is one of a rare breed—a human who is able to be a Sorcerer and become immortal. She remembers nothing about the accident. But she knows she’s different.

Twenty years ago, Ciarran, a Sorcerer, unwittingly rescued a human child using razor sharp strands of light and magic that have the power to kill. Or the power to heal. But in saving her, his weapon became corrupted. Now, his hand is forever tainted with evil.

Hunting a demon, Ciarran unwittingly rescues Clea again, for she was the human child he rescued so long ago. Because of her spark of magic, she is the missing link that the demons need to cross over to the Earth. They failed the first time. This time, there will be no survivors. And nothing, not the love Ciarran feels for Clea, not the inexplicable connection they feel for each other, or the loss of Ciarran’s power will force Ciarran to let Clea go.

What a blockbuster start to this series!! It took me a bit to get into the world and it’s various limits but once I had finished the first 4 chapters are so, I was hooked! Clea is a perfect foil to Ciarran. Let’s hope the other sorcerer’s stories comprise strong heroines.
I truly wished the book was longer, that would have been lovely! But alas, it ended. Like all good things. I, however, am early awaiting the next installment in this series.

Grade: B+

Sandie