Love Romance Passion » Estranged http://www.loveromancepassion.com Because Books Don't Fall Asleep Afterwards! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Review: Persuade Me by Juliet Archer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-persuade-me-by-juliet-archer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-persuade-me-by-juliet-archer/#comments Sun, 04 Dec 2011 09:50:35 +0000 Carla F. http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=13103

Reviewed by Carla F.

Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel and so I grabbed this one as soon as I saw it. The appeal of the story for me is the thought that no matter how much time has passed nor how large the mistake, it can be fixed.

Summary: In this adaptation Rick Wentworth lives in Australia and is a famous marine biologist who has spent his career studying sea dragons. He is now headed back to England to promote his book which his publishers have fortunately for him decided to name Sex in the Sea. Ever since Anna Elliot refused to marry him and broke his heart, Rick has lived by the motto, “Never forgive, never forgot”. But after ten years, Rick is thinking that once he returns from his book tour, that he needs to finally forget Anna, perhaps marry his supermodel girlfriend and get on with his life.

Anna’s life has been busy with her work as a professor of Russian Literature. She regrets that she let her mother’s friend Lady Russell (or Minty as she is known to her friends) talk her in to rejecting Rick’s proposal. She has kept up with Rick’s career, and she even has a ticket to his Bath book signing, but she doesn’t know if she will have the guts to approach him.

Review: Archer captures perfectly the style and tone of the origin. You see and feel the melancholy. (The advantage this one has over the original is that you get to see it both in Anna and Rick.) There is also the sly humor. (The total cluelessness and self-absorption of Anna’s father Walter Elliot and her sister Lisa is a frequent target.)

I liked how that even though this Rick and Anna had a more intimate relationship than their Austen counterparts, the sexual detail is somewhat vague and left for the most part at the bedroom door. It feels the way that Austen might have written it if she were to do so today.

The fun for me with any adaptation of Austen’s is the way the author fits in all the important plot points and characters. For example, the “Letter” scene is a convincing variation. However, one problem that I had with the overall story is that the keeping Rick and Anna apart felt a little forced. Societal rules in Austen’s time meant that there was a more “natural” barrier in the fact that a woman had to wait for the man to approach her.

Things that made me chuckle: The Forward in the book by Will Darcy who met Rick when he and his sister Georgie were on holiday in Australia.

Any mention of name Dottie Dalrymple.

The thing that creeped me out: William, who is Walter Elliot’s heir, bears enough of a physical resemblance to Walter to make Anna uncomfortable. Her sister Lisa doesn’t even seem to see this and is eager to marry him.

Overall: An excellent version of Persuasion. The author captures perfectly the mood and humor of the original while telling a modern story.

Rating: ★★★★★

Buy: Persuade Me (Darcy & Friends)

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Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

This is the second story that is in the double book ("Lord of the Abyss") by Nalini Singh.  You will not be disappointed if you buy this double book.  It is a reprint of her August 2003 Silhouette Desire book.

Jasmine Coleridge seems to have a self-esteem problem.  She also wants to design clothing. Tariq al-Huzzein Donovan Zamanat is the Sheik of Zulheil and knows what he wants.  They also knew each other 4 years ago.

There is an intensity between Jasmine and Tariq right from the start.  Mina is the lamb to Tariq's lion.  Tariq treats Mina as a possession and Mina just wants to be loved.  The story appears to be contemporary but because of where the story takes place it would also fit in as a historical romance.  The desert doesn't seem to change very much.  Almost like time stands still - the desert is almost untouched by the outside world.

Tariq's claiming of Mina is very sensual.  You see Mina blossom under Tariq's touch.  The reader also gets a chance to see how romantic sleeping under the stars can be.  It may give you some ideas about getting romantic with your significant other.

The past keeps getting in between Tariq and Mina's relationship.  You will have to keep reading to see if the couple can "weather the storm".  There is a saying "Love conquers all".  Will their love be able to?

The hunks in some of the romance novels always have a way of saying the wrong thing and his lady-love ends up slipping back into her shell.  As I was reading, I had hoped that Tariq wouldn't follow suit - but he did.  Now I have to hope that Mina puts him in his place.

Nalini likes to tease her readers.  Will Mina's love be enough?  Will Tariq realize what he has before it's too late?  Nalini also adds in the evil sister.  You will have to read the story to find out what she does and if she destroys the love that the couple has for each other.

If you are a hopeless romantic, you will love this book.  I'm used to reading Nalini's paranormal romances but this was a very nice change.  The only disappointment I had was that the second story doesn't have its own cover.  With Nalini's description of what Tariq looks like, you would love to see an actual picture.  But you will not be disappointed if you go and buy the double book (unless you already own the original from 2003).

Rating: ★★★★½

Buy: Lord of the Abyss & Desert Warrior:

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Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Bring Me Home for Christmas is book 16 of the “Virgin River” series.

Rich Timm and his sister Becca have just arrived in Virgin River to hunt and fish. Rich is there for a “guys” get-together and Becca has invited herself along. Robyn starts us off with a great interaction between brother and sister. If any of you have brothers, you can just picture them saying the same things that Rich says to Becca. This story will help you to laugh and reminisce at the same time. But Becca isn’t using this trip as a bonding excursion between siblings. She has an ulterior motive that Rich knows nothing about.

Denny Cutler is a farmer and Becca’s old boyfriend. He also works part time at a bar. Denny’s an ex-Marine and happy with the life he has in Virgin River. Or is he?

Robyn does a great job of giving her readers some good chuckles throughout her story. You have to love, and laugh, at some of the interactions that Becca has with the “guys”. I’ve always passed up reading books by Robyn Carr in the past. I didn’t think that I would like her work. Boy, did this book change my mind.

Robyn gives us characters that have gone through a lot, have ties to the military, and also know the meaning of helping your neighbors. She also gives her readers ideas on how to decorate for the holidays. I love her idea of getting the whole town together to decorate the town’s Christmas tree – what a lovely tradition.

Fate steps in and Becca’s days have suddenly changed. As the saying goes “when one door closes another one opens”. We get to see Becca mature and she also finally understands what Denny is about. Becca has also found her niche in Virgin River. Will she stay or will she go back to San Diego? You will have to read this story to find out.

Robyn will also pull at your “heart strings”. There’s a little girl named Megan. She has a lot going against her but she has a strong personality for one so young. If you’re a teacher – you will feel her pain. I’m glad that Robyn made Becca a teacher with a heart.

You will also love the military theme that runs through this book. Bring Me Home for Christmas is a great story that will have you smiling and eagerly awaiting for the next book in the series to come out. If you have never read another of her series before, this may change your mind – I know it did mine. It will also make you wonder if there are towns out there just like Virgin River.

Rating: ★★★★½

Buy: Bring Me Home for Christmas (Virgin River)

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There are a bunch of novels by Jill Barnett that are being released specifically for ebook format this year and Bewitching was one of them. I found out later after accepting a review copy that Bewitching is considered one of the all time best romances written and I can certainly see why.

It’s the story of a rejected Duke and a bumbling witch. Normally a story like this would fall under the heading of paranormal but it’s clearly more fantasy than anything else with the layer of the Cinderella tale winding its way through the novel. There’s even a witch godmother.

Alec, the Duke of Belmore, was told the next woman he met he would marry by an old flower seller. This is something he scoffs at because he’s planning to leave London, and its fickle debutants behind, for his hunting lodge with his friends. Not a female in sight.

Joyous Fiona MacQuarrie (Scottish) is terrible when it comes to controlling her magic. Even with a familiar, and help from her aunt, she still messes things up. Her latest mishap was a traveling spell that would take her to Surrey and instead lands her on top of a Duke.

At a small coaching inn, a gaggle of gossipy ton members arrives and to save face the Duke asks Joy to be his wife. She tries to tell him this is impossible and tries to warn him she’s a witch but he doesn’t heed her and convinces her yes is the only possible acceptable answer.

Let’s just say their wedding night comes as a surprise. *g* :P

When they finally do have sex, Scottish is hilarious when she thanks Alec for wielding his own magic and making himself smaller so they could fit together...

Barnett weaves a story that is both spellbinding and enchanting. It’s tender and sensual and sweeter than dozens of pink rose petals. Her writing is poetic and fun with clever twists and turns of phrase. If you haven’t had a chance to read this story you must as I believe it to be one of the classics.

Rating: ★★★★★

Buy: Bewitching (print), (ebook)

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In the third installment of the Casa Dracula series, Milagro finds out that marrying into a vampire family isn’t nearly as glamorous or easy as one might think. The Council has a bunch of hoops she has to jump through and the more she learns about them the less appealing it becomes and the more estranged she and Oswald are.

It should have been as easy as signing some papers and all the extra security Oswald wanted her to have would have been bestowed. Instead they want her to renounce her American citizenship for Vampiric citizenship and abstain from sex with her fiancé until after the wedding. What business is it of theirs anyhow? If that wasn’t enough they stick her with a vampire wedding coordinator for the family side of the ceremonies! Can you guess who they got? Cornelia, Corny, Ducharme.

Corny claims to be on Milagro’s side but she’s sticking Millie with all sorts of unpleasant tasks – creating a vampire fruitcake and sewing wedding clothes for herself and Oswald. Then while borrowing Cornelia’s car to run wedding errands the car quits and Millie nearly dies. Police get involved and Oswald doesn’t believe her when she says she’s not acting paranoid… but it’s not paranoia if everyone seems to be out to get you.

One of the things Millie is most concerned about is the bloodletting that Oswald seems to expect once they get married. She hasn’t been able to stand getting cut up and licked since Ian saved her with is blood. She’s also not interested in cutting Oswald and half the time she doesn’t realize her own strength and hurts him. When she runs into Ian she tries to deal with her issues and get him out of her system at the same time – it leads to an unexpected revelation – that Ian has a heart and Milagro can indeed break it.

Outside of wedding plans, Millie is ghostwriting for Don Pedro. While the job is about her writing his memoir, she’s fabricating everything. Joseph Alfred Joseph, someone she met while setting up the deal with Pedro, comes to visit and gets involved with Corny. Oswald wants to hire a new partner and expand his business, something that really bothers Milagro and the two fight over it among other things.

At every turn, instead of bringing them together, the wedding seems to be breaking them up and worse Millie’s confused about her feelings for Ian and Oswald’s parents dislike her with a burning passion. What’s a girl to do?

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Buy: The Bride of Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula, Book 3)

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-bride-of-casa-dracula-casa-dracula-book-3-by-marta-acosta/feed/ 0 Review: Just One Taste by Louisa Edwards http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-just-one-taste-by-louisa-edwards/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-just-one-taste-by-louisa-edwards/#comments Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:26:03 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=8346

Wes Murphy was the son of a conman and was raised to be one too. A con gone wrong when he was younger landed him in a halfway house and changed his life. There Wes discovered he loved to cook. Now he’s studying at a great school and working toward being the top of his rotation in hopes of landing the best externship. Unfortunately he’s flunking Food Chem. Why should he learn to take something as creative as cooking and turn it into something as lifeless as science?

Dr. Rosemary Wilkins was a child prodigy. She loved chemistry and hated germs. A bit of a hypochondriac and a total Star Trek dork there was nothing she loved better than the clean sterile environment of her lab. When Wes Murphy rescues her on her first day lecturing on Food Chemistry 101 and winds up in trouble with the dean, she can’t help but offer her support of his story… and somehow finds herself agreeing to supervise his project on of all things, aphrodisiacs.

There’s a side romance between two men, who both work at the restaurant where Wes does his externship. It’s pretty sweet how every one of their friends tries to get them back together and help fix what went wrong between them.

Rosemary is a lot of fun to read. She bounces all over the place, uses big words, over analyzes, curses in the language of Star Trek and Buffy, and finds her best friend in a dog.

Wes is a very sensitive hero. He’s determined to do right but winds up in a pile of lies and soon the mess is out of control. He wants Rose, Bunsen burners and all. If only he took his own relationship advice, he might just be able to keep her.

I especially loved the sex in Central Park, but the sex between them is always smoking hot. Edwards certainly knows how to set the mood!

Rating: ★★★★½

Buy: Just One Taste (Recipe for Love)

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arcrev

Amanda Grange picks up where Pride and Prejudice ends. Jane and Elizabeth are getting ready for their double wedding, both eager and anxious about the life spreading out before them. On the way to the wedding, Elizabeth experiences a brief foreboding chill but shrugs it off as wedding nerves. The ceremony goes smoothly, Darcy’s vows stirring deep emotions in both.

It’s when they leave the reception that things start taking a turn for the worse. Through the reflection in the glass of their carriage Elizabeth spies a flash of torment crossing Darcy’s features, but a quick look at the real man shows smooth features. Elizabeth believes she has imagined it… unexpectedly he changes their wedding tour plans and routes them from the Lake District to a direct route to France over the channel.

Elizabeth is unconcerned about this change, but wholly concerned with Darcy. She can’t help but compare her expectations to the reality of her marriage to Darcy. He does not visit her bedchamber the first night or the next or the next. When they are together during the day Darcy is everything attentive, kind, and devoted, but at night he disappears.

As Elizabeth struggles to find reasons for this strange behavior, she meets a dizzying array of friends, family, and strangers over the continent. Some people and places inspire a great deal of trepidation in Elizabeth and she spills her worries to Jane in a series of letters.

It’s not until the last one hundred pages that things really begin to unravel and Darcy’s mysterious behavior is revealed. I was surprised by how flawless the transition was from Austen’s Regency romance to Grange’s Gothic flavored romance. Grange has a talent with words and uses this talent to create a believable paranormal filled with stunningly chilling atmosphere and mystery.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Buy: Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

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Let me start off by saying Derek is one hot hero, he's like number 11 on my top ten heroes list, just a hairsbreadth from being there.

Derek Craven is a self-made man. He’s wealthier than most of the gentry, but he is not one. Born in the slums of London to a prostitute and abandoned into the care of others, he’s had to fight for everything. He gets his kicks sleeping with the married women of the ton as a way to get back at the men who won’t let him into their inner circles. He makes the mistake of tangling with Joyce Ashby, who seeks retaliation when he breaks off their affair.

Miss Sara Fielding is a quiet country mouse and an acclaimed author. Most people confuse her with the fictional character of her second novel. Part of the reason her novels are so well received is because they are so well researched. Determined to make her third novel on gambling an equal success she decides to research the most infamous and exclusive club of all – Craven’s.

Favorite Sex Scene: Where Derek introduces her to the pleasures of doggy style… and how she thought sex wasn’t possible if she was on her stomach. Tehe. It was hot and cute at the same time.

Aw Moment: When he steals her spectacles so he can keep a little reminder of her in his life.

Big Page Suck: I could have done without the giant interlude at Greenwood Corners where she gets engaged to the pompous mama’s boy, Perry Kingswood. At the very least I felt that maybe Derek should have stalked her or been lurking nearby somewhere.

Evil Woman: I could also have done without the wicked and perverted Lady Ashby. Without her the giant angst-ridden conclusion wouldn’t have gone off the way it did what with kidnapping, presumed death, etc. but something similar could have occurred and been just as good.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

PS - Magdalen this is the book you've DNFed a few times, so don't go out and buy a copy again! lol

Buy: Dreaming of You

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-dreaming-of-you-by-lisa-kleypas/feed/ 2 Review: Pinch Me by Adena Halpern http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-pinch-me-by-adena-halpern/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-pinch-me-by-adena-halpern/#comments Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:18:54 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=11963

Genre: Contemporary, Magic

Summary: Lily Burns has been raised to avoid handsome, strong, nice, intelligent men. Her mother (Selma) and grandmother (Dolly) have said over and over that she should only get involved with awful horrible men who treat her badly because they can’t get worse, but a nice guy, well there’s always something he’s hiding. It was a philosophy she subscribed to until she met Gogo.

He is everything they’ve warned her against – smart, gorgeous, successful, and completely wonderful. She agrees to marry him and on their wedding night the true reason Selma and Dolly drilled their philosophy in Lily’s head comes to light… the family curse is evoked and Lily wakes up in her old apartment alone and unmarried.

Now it’s a fight to regain her life – the life she led with Gogo and break the curse. Can Lily do it or will the fact that her beloved Gogo who is now married to his college sweetheart in this alternate universe going to throw her off her game? What would you do?

Review: The author came up with the idea for this story by wondering what she would do if she woke up one day back when she was single before meeting her husband. It’s a fun concept that adds a little magic to a contemporary story turning it into a modern day fairy tale.

Lily struggles to break a curse that has blighted the love lives of the women of her family for generations and juggles different advice along the way. There is one who is pro-cheating because the real version of history is Lily married to Gogo not Gogo to his college sweetheart, but Lily is conflicted about it.

Of course the other woman isn’t a very nice person and has spent her time with Gogo bringing the man down and keeping him low so you can’t really do anything but cheer Lily on in trying to spark Gogo’s memories of her… if he has them… if the curse works like amnesia… but does it? Can she turn other universe Gogo into the strong capable man he was before? If she does, will he relearn to love her?

It’s a fast read, clocking in around 230 pages. Once you pick it up you’re unlikely to put it down until you get to the end. It’s got humor, magic, and starcrossed (but hopefully not!) lovers.

Favorite Scene: When Selma, Dolly and Lily are sitting around the table after Lily’s told them she’s going to marry Gogo. The conversation is hilarious. I’d share but it’s too priceless to breakup piecemeal. I also like the part when she shares all the things that make Gogo human and not a fantasy man. That was cute too.

Rating: ★★★★½

Buy: Pinch Me, Pinch Me (UK)

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guestreview-2

By: Sasha Muradali, guest blogger

Duty & Desire is an interesting addition to the trilogy of Fitzwilliam Darcy: Gentleman by Pamela Aidan. This second installment takes readers through Mr. Darcy’s missing moments in Pride and Prejudice in between his departure for London after the Netherfield Ball and his reemergence at his aunt’s house, Rosings Park.

A decent novel, filled with twists and turns, it’s nothing too extraordinary or special in terms of the storyline.

It has two important qualities however: Mr. Darcy’s relationship with his sister Georgiana and a deeper look into his personality.

Readers familiar with Pride and Prejudice, will know the thoughts swirling around Lizzy Bennet’s head, but were left with presumptions and, often dream-filled landscapes, as to the inner mechanical mind of “the man himself.”

These two facets are the meat of the story. Through Aidan’s novel, readers are exposed to another side of Mr. Darcy they always knew existed, but were ever privy to reading about until the very end of Pride and Prejudice. Darcy’s relationship with Georgiana is beautiful.

To quote Elizabeth Bennet, he’s “an ideal older brother.” From his indulgences of her, patience, kindest endearments and openness, as a girl, you cannot help but love him more. Not only love him more, but have the urge to squeal “awwwwww.”

The best part? He falls asleep on her shoulder one night after he comes back from a horrid escapade with a “pack of vipers.” And yes, the vipers are people, not snakes. No, Pamela Aidan does not take Mr. Darcy into Indiana Jones land. Be not alarmed ladies.

The ability to view Darcy’s love for Georgiana, also enables the reader to delve deeper into, what Aidan interprets, as his inner thoughts. Conflicted and confused between decorum and feelings, duty and desire, this novel is one more way to hold on to the character we all know and love.

Not to mention, that it is, for lack of a better term, simply cute how he pines over Lizzy Bennet

It does fall short of An Assembly Such As This, by not by much.

4 of 5 stars.

Read Keira's review of Duty and Desire.

Buy: Duty and Desire

Find and buy more Pamela Aidan novels.

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