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Great start. Mediocre middle. Great ending.

There was one discrepancy that was glaring to me… how probable was it to have two people to get married to cover a brewing scandal, get divorced/separated after a year (claiming annulment maybe?), and go about their lives as if nothing happened? It wasn’t something I thought too much about because with romance you know they’re going to stay together and find love so it wasn’t really an issue.

What I didn’t like was that the book spent too long repeating the same things. I was eagerly and desperately waiting for the point when Annabel McBride smartened up enough to realize she couldn’t make a man love her if he wasn’t willing or that she couldn’t compete with a dead wife and kids.

The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell is one of those widower plots that combine brooding hero and a fresh untried miss. I did like that Simon Blackwell generally and truly loved his late wife, but it was hard to read Annabel’s determination to win him over. She can’t if he isn’t willing to let go and the book took too long for Annabel to reach a quitting point that would force Simon to either give up his ghosts or to give her up.

This is too bad because I honestly love reading about heroes who find a second at love or get a second chance to find their first love as the case sometimes is. However I did believe Simon falling in love with Annabel even if he was a stubborn fool about the whole affair. If it wasn’t for the middle section I would say this book was just about perfect.

Rating: 2.5-3 Stars

Buy: The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell

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Mmm-mmm delicious. I love the plot to this novel, which looks like it will drive the second in the series. I also love the romantic conflict- it’s simply too yummy. Roman certainly has a way with storytelling, twisting and weaving different threads into one cohesive whole. I listened to the audio version of this book and was tempted more than once to click double speed just so I could devour this novel faster. Of course, I didn’t, that would take out half of the fun. Medea Carter Beckett is truly the best narrator Ravenous could have found for the job.

Magickers are being hunted. In the age of the English witch hunts, known as the Great Purification, one man rises above the rest to the head of the assault. Nobody is safe while Corwin continues to breathe. He is clever and charismatic, wooing people to his viewpoint. A bill is in parliament and if the Magickers are to have any hope at all for survival it must pass.

Malcolm Wargrave, earl of Preston, is on the fence. He is neutral and has not taken a stance, either agreement or disagreement to Corwin’s speeches. He is Lady Raven Drake’s lover. They started their affair almost immediately after their mutual friend’s house party began. She was a virgin when they met, and while she gave him her virginity she could never be his as she belonged to another. That and because she kept a secret from Malcolm.

Gareth, Viscount Moore, is Raven’s intended. They are engaged for several purposes. Not only were they well matched as both were Master Magickers, but they also stood as the only defense for their people. As the heirs to two of the very last powerful lines of Magickers, their alliance would create a new line of Masters. Their children would be powerful. United in marriage, their union would be a beacon of hope to their people.

Raven will face the toughest decision of her young life – will she give into her heart or into duty?

Rating: 5 Stars

Buy the audio version here.

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Have you worn out your copy of Pride and Prejudice? Are Colin Firth and Matthew MacFayden in need of a little healthy competition? Richard Armitage is just the man to sooth your hunger for another hunk of delicious brooding male. You will melt. Mr. John Thornton is a new Darcyesque figure to fall in love with over and over again.

Richard Armitage is not only singularly fine; he’s also a terrific actor. When he proposes, you’ll die. Loved Mr. Darcy’s fumbling attempts at wooing Elizabeth Bennet? You’re going to enjoy watching Mr. Thornton try to win over the forthright Miss Margaret Hale. Daniela Denby-Ashe does a beautiful job portraying the vicar’s headstrong opinionated daughter.

The story is about a retired vicar and his family moving to the North to Milton, a fairly large factory town. Here they confront illiteracy, poverty, ignorance, and social mores their life in the South leave them unprepared for, especially the mother and daughter. Mr. Hale befriends Mr. Thornton soon after Mr. Thornton makes a singularly bad impression on Miss Margaret Hale. Misunderstandings and stubbornness are rife throughout the miniseries as the protagonists dance around each other trying to understand one another.

If you come into this knowing nothing, you will love it. If you have read the Elizabeth Gaskell novel by the same name, you will love it. Trust me, if you borrow this instead of buying it outright you’re going to be bummed at the thought of returning it. Sandy Welch’s screenplay is phenomenal—four hours of 100% heart-warming goodness can’t be beat. This may just have replaced the BBC Pride and Prejudice miniseries as best BBC miniseries.

Rating: 5 Stars

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Seduce Me at Sunrise is darkly passionate, sensual, and utterly devastating. Kev is the type of hero that is pure indulgence. He’ll make your hips grow just looking at him… or should I say reading him. In summation he is fierce, broody, and desperately in love. Half Romany, half Irish, Kev was raised by his abusive uncle. The man turned him into a cruel heartless Romany warrior, hurting him emotionally and physically until everything soft inside him died… or so Kev thought. Left for dead by his clan and taken in by the Hathaways provides Kev with another chance. It’s unclear his exact age when this happens, I would say sometime between his teens and early twenties. While recovering under the Hathaways’ roof Kev notices Winnifred, young, delicate, and fragile. She is everything good and kind and gentle. In her presence the vicious side of him quietens. He decides to stay and in doing so changes his whole life.

Tragedy strikes the Hathaway a few short years later leaving the older siblings in charge of the younger ones. Fate takes a hand again when scarlet fever strikes two members of the family. One is Win. Both survive, but Win is left weakened. Two years of being weak and helpless watching others live life while she stays in bed incite Win to get herself better at all costs. She makes plans to go to France to a unorthodox clinic (they make you exercise gasp!) which Kev tries to stop from taking place. Win offers him a choice - tell her he loves her or she goes. He can not bring himself to say it, because if he did he could never refrain from claiming her… which he doesn’t want to do because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Lots of circular logic, but there you go.

Win is at the age of spinsterhood upon her return from the clinic. She’s twenty-five if I remember correctly and more than ready to begin her life. She refuses to take anything for granted and plans to marry (Kev) and have children (his).

The emotional drive of this novel is completely fulfilling and can get you high on endorphins. For example:

When Win leaves to go to France she says to Kev:

“I am running after you, and life, in desperate pursuit. My dream is that someday you will both turn and let me catch you. That dream carries me through every night I long to tell you so many things, but I am not free yet I hope to be well enough someday to shock you again, with far more pleasing results.”

Or Kev when he finally declares himself:

“All the fires of hell could burn for a thousand years and it wouldn’t equal what I feel for you in one minute of the day. I love you so much there is no pleasure in it. Nothing but torment. Because if I could dilute what I feel for you to the millionth part, it would still be enough to kill you. And even if it drives me mad, I would rather see you live in the arms of that cold, soulless bastard than die in mine.”

Edward Cullen eat your heart out. Blissed out sigh.

And while some of the motivation is a little hard to grasp, it’s so good, you can’t help but be drawn in by the magic spell Kleypas weaves.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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By: Marcia, guest reviewer

Taking place in Victorian England, Beyond Innocence is about loyalty to family versus being true to one self.

Edward Burbrooke is horrified to learn that his brother, Freddie, has been discovered, in the bedroom, with a footman, at a house party. He loves his brother and feels responsible for his ‘fall from grace’. When they were both young, their father died and Edward, now being the Earl of Greystowe, sent his sensitive younger brother to Eton, thinking it would be good for him. He assumed that Freddie could protect himself from hazing by older bullies. Marriage to a good woman would cure him and protect him from horrible scandal.

Florence Farleigh is the daughter of a recently deceased country Vicar. She is very short of funds and has come to London to seek a husband. Florence appeals to her father’s attorney, whom she has been told is very clever, to help her; unaware that Mr. Mowbry is also the earl’s attorney.

Edward decides that Florence is perfect for Freddie and, with his Aunt Hyptia’s help, strives to place them in close proximity. He does not plan to fall in love with her himself.

Emma Holly is a skillful writer treating her characters with kindness and sensitivity, but what makes this story really unique, are comic situations and erotic imagery that have a distinctly male point of view.

Rating: 3 Stars

If you would like to write a guest review for LRP, I would be happy to include you in this growing forum. It is the goal of LRP to share with readers recommendations, opinions, and reviews on romances. Your contribution would be greatly welcomed. Please see our guidelines for further information.

Originally posted 2008-11-19 16:15:00. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Because You’re Mine is a delicious, exquisite, and absorbing read. Absolutely delightful from start to finish. The pacing, diction, plot, and characters were all to my liking. There was nothing in the novel that drew me out of the reading experience. Honestly, I just couldn’t put it down. I have a love of all Kleypas novels. She is simply a fantastic author.

Madeline Matthews is in trouble, but not the trouble one would usually expect. No, most of society would say Madeline was not in trouble at all as she was on the verge of making a most excellent match. For Maddy however the upcoming nuptials was the kiss of death. Marriage to Lord Clifton (cue many a bad guy’s looks and smell) was tantamount to a gilded cage. He desired her only as his blue blood broodmare, a situation she could not endure. Explaining her feelings to her parents gained her nothing so Maddy hatched a plan that would in essence remove her as a possibility to be Lord Clifton’s wife.

The plan is nothing short of daring as Maddy escapes boarding school and travels to London with a crazy plan to throw herself at Logan Scott’s feet. Why him? She saw a print of his image and decided that he would be the one she would lose her virginity to… and her approach would be forward, because how else could a girl like herself gain the handsome actor’s attention?

Logan Scott is attracted and irritated with the young girl. He knows she is a well bred lady, and a young untouched one at that. He refuses to give into her bewitching charm and plea to take her to his bed. In fact he tries to immediately send her packing. Unfortunately for him he just won’t be able to help himself. A constant temptation, Maddy is underfoot all the time because the comanager of the Capital, the Duchess of Leeds, hires her to be an all around assistant for the theater.

Who will surrender first to the emotions brewing behind the curtains?

Rating: 5 Stars

I have to say I’m way impressed by Harlequin’s historical line. The covers on these romances are awesome and singularly stunning. Especially this one [WMSB]. I love how the heroine’s head is tilted back; it’s provocative and slightly defiant. She looks like she is in the middle of a particularly sassy set down. He looks smug, confident, and ready to stop her tongue lashing with one of his own. His hair is a bit weird, but he makes up for it with great posture and his strong jaw.

See my cover below:

This Victorian novel takes place in England at the time when trains are being built and the at the beginning of the times when a man earns fame and respect by his deeds not by who his daddy was. Myles Moorcroft is a third generation nobleman, who started his career as a navvy (short for navigator) and worked his way up to being in charge of contracting new lines and building the rails for his father’s company. On an outing surveying the land for the straightest, easiest route from east to west, Myles has an encounter with Lucinda (Lucy) Vernley, an earl’s daughter.

Lucy is stunned speechless by this man. He has a body to jumpstart a corpse’s pulse. Unlike any man she met during her debut season in London, the navvy stirs her blood and her heart. However there is no way her father would ever let her marry a man like him. Her parents are pushing the heir of a viscount at her. Lucy finds Edward cold, but struggles to find something redeeming about him to latch onto in hopes it’ll be the starting point for love to grow between them. Rank and apparent wealth make Edward the ideal candidate, but is he? Will Lucy follow her heart or her father’s dictates?

It was tough going getting into the novel at first. On top of that I thought they fell in love with each other much to quickly, I didn’t see or feel it happen, but it did. Also there were several cliché plot devices one of which include near rape, getting lost in a blizzard, and attempted murder. Very chaste, no sex.

Rating: 2.5-3 Stars

By: Zarabeth, guest reviewer

This is a fantastic spinster story set in 1836 England. Our heroine, Amanda, is a 30-yr old spinster supporting herself as a novelist who has decided to do something for herself, for once in her life. As we well know a never-married 30 yr old woman is quite on the shelf, but this does not prevent her from having the same sexual needs as any other woman. So our heroine, and my heroine for this, hires a male prostitute for her 30^th birthday completely disregarding social conventions of virginity and premarital sex.

On her birthday a suitable man with an association to the escort service does appear on her doorstep and we assume that this is her prostitute. As the reader we are mortified to learn that this man is not a prostitute despite his sexual actions with our heroine. Later in the book Amanda and the not-prostitute Jack meet at a social/publishing event.

The story as a whole involves Jack doing everything he can to get Amanda back in bed and eventually convinces her to have an affair with him. I very much enjoyed the affair and the experiences of our main characters in public and in private (rating: 5). Once Amanda decides that the affair must end, things get pretty complicated and despair ensues. Months into this unfortunate depression we discover that Amanda is pregnant. Again, our never-married 30 yr old woman has just discovered that she is pregnant- this is a problem. Our Amanda must now decide whether to move to the continent or marry below her standards and whether or not to tell Jack about his child (rating: 4).

I call this a solid 4.5. There are 2 reasons that this review is not a full 5: there is some rear-entry stuff (gags and feels uncomfortable) and there is a bit too much time spent on inner-turmoil instead acts based on inner turmoil.

Rating: 4.5