Entries Tagged 'Foster/Orphan' ↓
March 15th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Dukes and Earls, Foster/Orphan, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, Historical Romance, Mistaken Identity, P-R, Virgin Heroine
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
Grace Eversleigh has a problem. She is in love with a highwayman and a Duke. Neither is marriage material since socially the highwayman with beneath her and the Duke is well above her. The fact that they are both the same man does not help her situation at all.
Grace is a woman from a good but undistinguished family who was thrown out her home after her parent's death. Her only possessions are her self-respect and good name. Never one to miss a good opportunity, the dowager Duchess of Wyndham hired Grace as a companion. Late one night while returning home from a local dance in the dowager's elegant coach, she and Grace are held at gunpoint and robbed by a masked but charming highwayman. The dowager insists that she knows his voice and is convinced that he is her grandson. She gives him the ring off her finger as proof. The next morning the Dowager, accompanied by several servants, kidnap the highwayman for the purpose of returning the dukedom to him. Never mind that there is a current Duke of Wyndham who has been fulfilling these duties well for many years.
The ring is familiar to Jack Audley. He has one just like it left to him by his father who drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Ireland. His mother survived the same shipwreck, but only lived long enough to give birth to him. Having been raised with love and laughter by his maternal aunt and uncle, Jack was told only that his father was from a good English family.
The underlying theme of this book is about being worthy...worthy of position and love. For some readers today, this may seem a little farfetched. After all, today we believe that an individual should go after what they want. But in England, during the early 19th century, this was not the case. Duty to one's family and county were foremost, as well as, knowing one's place. This social structure was supported by the prevailing religious belief that God did not intend for man to be happy. It will take tremendous courage for Jack and Grace to take a chance on their personal happiness.
Julia Quinn's first novel about the Cavendish family is a winner, told with humor and wit. This is a 'feel good' novel where all the characters, including the dowager, are sympathetic and their motivations are clear. The story moves along smoothly with a tightly constructed plot. It is a great book to read in summer on a sunny beach or wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter's day.
Rating: 4 Stars
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Originally posted 2009-01-12 05:25:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 14th, 2010 — 3 Stars, ARC, Bodyguard, Contemporary, Cursed Lead, Demon, Enemies, Foster/Orphan, Interracial, J-L, Magic Users, Paranormal, Survival, United States of America, Warrior
My Forbidden Desire starts with Harsh (from the first novel) and Alexandrine reconnecting. They are brother and sister. Alexandrine has been certain of Harsh's death for years, she's resentful for his sudden presence and insistence she needs protection from an evil mage... who just happens to be her real father.
Xia, a secondary character in My Wicked Enemy, is a newly freed fiend and the one charged with protecting Alexandrine. When Carolyn said she had refashioned bad boy Xia into a hero I knew I had to read his story! His intense hate, eagerness to kill, and desire to give out pain would be hard to overcome for any writer. Even more so when you planned to pair him up with someone who Xia considers his enemy, no matter how harmless. In my opinion, Carolyn has done a phenomenal job revealing the witch hater’s inner good qualities. Xia is very easily worth the price of the book.
Alexandrine Marit as a heroine is very likeable... despite being a witch. She possesses a great amount of unselfishness, though she has to work for it. The talisman she has found is putting a number on her similar to Golem’s reaction around the one ring in The Lord of the Rings
. Her self-sacrifices pile up throughout the novel – if I were to list them it would seem ridiculous, but I assure it is not. Simply put it is quite the only way to prove her character to Xia.
It took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter or two was pretty rough. I started and stopped twice before finally overcoming the strangeness of the novel's set up. As with Carolyn’s other novels, once you are involved in the story you simply can’t put it down!
Rating: 3 Stars
Buy: My Forbidden Desire
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Originally posted 2009-06-25 03:31:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 6th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Another Planet/Dimension, Book Review, Fantasy, Foster/Orphan, Friends, J-L, Medieval, Regency, Revenge, Survival, Virgin Heroine, Warrior, Young Adult
Choices Meant for Gods is a fantasy adventure romance, the first of three parts. Medieval overtones color the epic tale following a young twenty-year old heroine. Her name is Amanda Chariss. She has long auburn tresses, violet eyes, and holds the Geasa’n, the natural ability to perform magic. Chariss is an orphan, protected and raised by an old wizard named Hrazon.
For sixteen years, Hrazon and Chariss have been on the run from the sorcerer Jamieson Drake. Drake killed Chariss’ mother, Vertigo, and seeks to finish his revenge by obtaining her death as well. She does not trust stability in any form, for life has taught her it disappears in a blink of an eye. Hrazon has done his best to train his ward, but even a powerful wizard and protégé need help.
Meet Rothahn, the Master. He is the head god. His father before him selected Rothahn for the throne before moving aside. Rothahn however is far from holding ultimate power, a fact which annoys him as he thinks it would be useful… at least if only to kill off Godric, his daughter’s husband, and hid the blame.
Nigel, the twenty-eight year old man and our hero also holds the Geasa’n. He is Godric’s son, and Rothahn’s grandson. He, like Rothahn, holds no love for the man who sired him. Noble and kind, Nigel spends his time looking after his family and their holdings. When he meets our heroine for the first time he knows something is about to change in his life.
Julette is an evil goddess known as The Dragon. When her husband gave up the throne she was incensed that he would dare pass the power and glory to Rothahn. Was she not Queen? In league with Drake, Julette is determined to bring about a new world order that would have all mortals bow to her and pray for her deliverance.
Below are my two favorite passages between Chariss and Nigel as they discuss love:
“I fail to see how these simple things tell you you’re in love. Kaylin enjoys my company. Mia enjoys arguing with me. Master Rothahn says I’m compassionate to a fault. I saved Sorne’s life once. Jake told me I’m beautiful. Does this mean they’re all in love with me?”
“If love could be explained that easily, it wouldn’t be real.”
…
“Nigel, let me give you some advice. You don’t want to marry for love because people fall out of love, and then there’s nothing left between them.”
He stared at her in shock. “I believe that’s the most cynical statement I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Watch him break down her walls... sigh.
Rating: 4 Stars
Choices Meant for Gods
Originally posted 2009-06-16 03:43:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 8th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, 5 Stars, Book Review, Cooking, Foster/Orphan, G-I, Historic America, Inspirational, Logging Industry, Mail Order, Nurse, Religious, Seas, Travel, United States of America, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower
I didn’t know I was thirsting for this type of novel until I glutted myself on it. The story itself is an inspirational set in America during the Civil War aftermath. I picked it up and read and read and read. It’s sweet and chaste, with both leads good God fearing people, which I found refreshing and charming. Deeanne Gist is a master weaver of storytelling, effortlessly combining fact and fiction into one cohesive whole.
The premise of the book truly is based on fact, which is really cool. Obviously the writer exercised creative license with her research but a good amount of that research appeared in some manifestation in the book. Clippings from newspapers, edited and/or condensed, are sprinkled throughout the novel and help set the mood. The letter to the heroine from her father was inspired by a similar missive one man sent his daughter. And so forth…
It does not talk down to you and doesn’t hold any ulterior religious agenda. Yes, both leads are Christian and quote the Bible, but neither they nor the author try to persuade the reader into Christianity or a particular sect of Christianity. There are only two churches and they’re named after the color of their paint. You shouldn’t shy from this book because of the fact it’s inspirational. I have limited experience in inspirational romance, but that will change because of this novel and Deeanne’s expert handling. I plan to get all of her published works from the library and glom on them.
When you open the book you are transported to 1860s Seattle (part of the Washington Territory at that time). Joseph Denton is a lumberjack whose land claim is in jeopardy because his wife died and never showed up in the Territory. It wouldn’t be an issue, except he’s being sued by a man he fired.
The judge through marriage is related to this man and while having a bias is pretty fair-minded toward Joe. He gives Joe a year to get a new wife or hand over his wife’s death certificate. Against his better judgment, Joe takes part of Asa Shinn Mercer’s bride importation project for the Territory. He would go East to get war widows and orphans and bring them back to the Pacific Northwest.
Anna Ivey, one of Mercer’s Girls, desires to be a cook and not a bride. When Mercer gives her a certificate for passage it’s with the understanding that her future employer would settle the debt and she would work it off. Needless to say Joe is not happy, but then it’s not Anna’s problem. Her paperwork from Mercer is different from Joe’s.
The judge is not happy but he gives Joe an extension. Joe is fortunate enough to have another choice, but the woman is old enough to be his grandmother and she hasn’t any teeth and refuses to wed until she gets them!
So Joe brings Anna back where she starts to cook for him and his men. Not even a week passes before news comes that his elderly betrothed’s husband is not dead, but very much alive and coming to claim his wife. That leaves Anna and Joe is more than happy to pursue her… but she can’t find out his intentions or about the returned husband until her answer to his proposal is yes.
Rating: 4.5-5 Stars
Buy: A Bride in the Bargain
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January 17th, 2010 — 1.5 Stars, Bastard, Convict, Cowboy, Foster/Orphan, Historic America, Marriage of Convenience, Movie Reviews, Pregnant, United States of America, Widow or Widower
I remember watching this a long time ago. Now I know why I haven’t seen it since. Four people make this movie: Christopher Reeve (Will Parker), Helen Shaver (Lula Peak), and the two kids who play Baby Thomas and Donald Wade.
Nina Foch (Miss Beasley) could have been utilized better and would have been great but her part wasn’t fleshed out in the movie like it was in the book.
Deborah Raffin’s (Crazy Elly Dinsmore) performance was too brusque and strident for a role which has always read to me as concerned, soft, and maternal.
The settings and filming were great, I thought. I really liked the house, her farm, the town. I liked the style of filming for the most part. About the only thing truly cheesy in the film is the love scene montage between Will and Elly.
My two favorite parts of the movie were the egg hurling and gift giving scenes. Reeve is amazing and Raffin is at her best. It’s these scenes that really carry the whole film. They’re precious and very sweet.
The book spans two years (1941-1943). The movie ten months. This change basically stripped Will Parker of his military career and the character development that occurred because of it. It also means that Elly and Will had sex together two months after the marriage started and one month before his arrest for the murder of Lula Peak.
The first half of the movie was like a condensed version of the novel. It made a lot of the scenes too harsh or too flat. The romance between Will and Elly was going along just fine until right after the egg throwing scene. After the hurled eggs, the movie takes a turn for the worst. First, both characters rushed too fast and unbelievably into love especially compared to the slow pacing at the beginning. Second, the storylines in the second half of the novel are changed completely to suit an hour and a half television movie.
For instance, the whole Lula Peak plot was ripped asunder and rewritten shoddily. Motivations that made sense in the book make no sense in the movie. Reese Goodlow (who is a decent man in the book) is a shitty small town cop. Will is on parole in the movie and Reese keeps badgering him. Reese is also the one cheating on his wife Mae with Lula instead of Harley Overmire, the superintendent at the local sawmill. This and the time crunch completely screw up the trial.
Really, the trial is a laugh. It makes no sense whatsoever. Reese is not the murderer, Harley still is. Reese in the movie should know without a doubt that Will has not had relations with Lula because if he had, Lula would drop Reese like yesterday’s old news. The evidence and witnesses are a bunch of baloney.
Another thing to upset me is the scene where Lula sneaks up on Will in the library. He actually lets her kiss him. That doesn’t happen in the book! It is totally against Will’s character. He is less of a hero because of it.
Conclusion: read the book instead, you’ll like it more.
Rating: 1.5 Stars
Buy: Morning Glory [VHS]
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January 10th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, 5 Stars, Book Review, Convict, Cooking, Foster/Orphan, Historic America, Marriage of Convenience, Pregnant, S-U, Soldier, Survival, Travel, United States of America, Wartime, Widow or Widower
Morning Glory is easily one of the top five romances LaVyrle Spencer wrote. It spans two years from 1941-1943. Small town America is still recovering from the Great Depression. America is holding neutrality while helping the Allies in the Second World War by supplying them material aid. It’s about five or six months before Pearl Harbor is attacked officially drawing America into the war.
Will Parker is an ex-convict drifter. He’s skinny, starving, and down on his luck. When he is fired unfairly from a job at Whitney, Georgia’s local sawmill, Will obtains a local paper and sees in the classified ads a woman advertising for a husband. (This is quite the reverse of most romances, because it is usually the man who advertises for a wife.) On a whim he decides to answer it.
When he meets Crazy Elly Dinsmore, will is not sure what to expect. She’s several months pregnant, has two young children, and looks tired and haggard. Her place is falling apart around her ears and she looks like she could do the same. It is obvious that she is desperate, but then so is he, and both are looking for a change in their fortunes.
They both agree to a trial period where they will see how they get along. Will is determined to prove his worth. Elly is hoping to prove she’s not crazy, though a woman taking on an ex-convict who was in prison for killing a woman (whore or not) is more than a bit crazy not to ask for more information than, “did you have a good reason?”
Three side characters are wonderfully written and created with just a few scenes and phrases. First there is Miss Beasley, the spinster librarian, who reads to be between her forties and fifties. She’s brilliant but fussy. Lula Peak, the town slut, is itching all the time for a man. Anyone will do so long as he can supply her with some of the finer things in life. Will Parker is her wet dream, but he’ll have none of her. Harley Overmire, the superintendent at the local sawmill, is a vain and cowardly man. When the draft starts, he is the first to run his trigger finger through the saw.
Spencer really gets you inside the heads of the characters. The low self esteem of both Will and Elly keep them from each other when they desperately desire to be closer. War is hard on them and changes Will so much. His trauma is handled well, but before the two can become solid lovers and partners again the sheriff rolls up and arrests Will for the murder of Lula Peak. Is a HEA possible for two people who never seem to catch a break?
Rating: 4.5-5 Stars
Buy: Morning Glory
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January 9th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Cursed Lead, Dukes and Earls, Farming, Foster/Orphan, France, Great Britain, Gypsy, Interracial, Invalid, Lisa Kleypas, Spinster, Victorian, Virgin Heroine, Warrior
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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Originally posted 2009-03-23 05:39:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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December 20th, 2009 — 2 Stars, Big Misunderstanding, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Foster/Orphan, P-R, Police, Rape/Abuse, United States of America, Virgin Heroine, Western
I wanted to read another Western story when I selected Rogue Stallion. It’s set in Montana and is part of the Montana Mavericks series in the Silhouette line. I like the yellow and brown cover it reads and feels very Western.
The book itself is kind of average. I finished reading it because it was there, not because it was all that entertaining. It’s not bad, it’s just not that good.
The hero, Sterling McCallum, is a brooding plain clothes cop and ex-military. He grew up in foster care after sending his mother to jail for abuse. He has no family and no real close attachments. He knows he has issues and more specifically one of them is that nobody (especially a woman) lies to him.
The heroine is Jessica Larson. She grew up very sheltered, two parents, no real problems or hardships. She began a career as a social worker in her early twenties. Very early in her career, she went out alone based on a call about spousal abuse and was very badly beaten and nearly raped by the husband who blamed her for his wife leaving him. It’s not something she talks about and she took the hit publicly to protect the wife. Now she is in charge of the local unit and makes sure to send social workers out in twos or more. She too has no real family left.
Both are loners.
Jessica wants a baby, but can’t have babies herself. She couldn’t have them before the attack (supposed improbable at best) but now she definitely can’t have one of her own. Much of the book is focused on Jessica’s deep desire for children. In an effort to find Baby Jennifer’s mother Sterling and Jessica get close.
Rating: 2 Stars
Buy: Rogue Stallion
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December 18th, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, A-C, ARC, Business, Contemporary, Enemies, Erotica, Foster/Orphan, Gambling, Travel, United States of America
There are quite a few things I admire about this romance. The first is that the characters are dramatically different than most any I have read—especially the hero.
Betting with Lucifer reminded me strongly of LaVyrle Spencer’s Morning Glory not because the setting or plot was the same but because both leads were powerless characters. Now looking at their positions in their careers you wouldn’t expect it but both the hero and heroine are deeply flawed individuals.
The heroine, Lyndsay (Linny, Lynds) Eden is the Director of Marketing at her late mother’s hotel (not to say the mother owned it, but worked at it too). Her goal is to be promoted to General Manager in the same time frame her mother did. How she figured on doing this, is hard to say. Lyndsay is an extremely timid person. It terrifies her to small talk and glad-hand. Thus Lyndsay works herself very hard and pushes herself more to man up; to get in front of people to do her job.
The hero, Lucifer (Luke) Pierse, was technically an orphan growing up. His surviving parent was an alcoholic who never saw him. He on the surface is everything Lyndsay is not. On her business-communications marketing team, Luke unnerves her without trying. His outgoing, wise-cracking, good old boy, routine works well in Luke’s favor on most days but really hides a second nature of himself. Sometimes he is even aware at how he secretly sabotages everything he does.
The two have a very rocky road to travel to find their HEA, especially when Luke is promoted to Director of Public Relations, a stepping stone Lyndsay was hoping to claim for herself.
That said while I enjoyed the risk Tracy took in writing these leads, they just didn't do it for me. I did not really like Luke as a hero and there were times when all I wanted to do was shake some sense into Lyndsay.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Available at Ellora's Cave. Click: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7571-betting-with-lucifer.aspx
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November 18th, 2009 — 5 Stars, Alien, Enemies, Erotica, Foster/Orphan, Guest Reviews, Mystery, P-R, Rape/Abuse, Scarred Hero, Secret Agent, Supernatural, Suspense/Thriller, United States of America, Vampire
By Susan S., guest reviewer
Today is a Double Dose of Devyn Day! Back to back reviews!
Embracing Midnight is Devyn at her best. A sinful, sizzling “fast-paced” page turner!
Come…, as I invite you to walk along the darker side of romance. Prepare yourself for the “ultimate” good vs. evil novel.
This novel, solidified for me, the reason why Devyn ranks among my top two favorite authors. Having read most of her books, this is her best novel to date. I can envision its conversion into a movie.
Embracing Midnight will appeal to any and all of the following: erotic romance readers, readers who enjoy romantic suspense, mystery, paranormal, sci-fi, thrillers, and for those readers who enjoyed the movies The Net
and Men in Black
.
I simply could not, read this book fast enough. My review should simply read (flip, flip, flip). What first appealed to me were the double entendres, and hot sexual innuendos between the hero (Iollan Drake) and the heroine (Callie Whitten).
Callie is a 30 year old blond who’s working for the bureau as an undercover agent. Her cover is working as a waitress at a Goth club. The military taught her how to crack and hack any system in the world. An ability that she’ll have to implement soon enough.
In enters a “mega-hot” 194 year old, motorcycle riding Irish vampire into her life. Who knows just how to please a woman, he’s sex-on-a stick. Together, they’ll learn how easily friends can become enemies, and discover how sworn enemies can change into our best allies.
Drake will uncover her darkest sexual secret, and fulfill her secretly guarded fantasy. His use of the endearment “love” towards Callie was touching. Iollan quickly became my favorite character, with his vulnerability, transformation, and ultimate revenge and redemption. When he reveals the full scope of his powers as the novel approaches its end, you will be left utterly speechless.
The least likeable character was Callie’s bastard ex-lover Roger Reinke.
Favorite scene- When Callie assists Drake in a hot shower.
Embracing Midnight’s fundamental theme was to stand up for injustice and cruelty, by fighting for what “you” believe is right.
There isn’t a rating high enough for this novel, so I’ll have to settle for the 5 star rating, when in actuality in my heart it deserved a 10.
Warning--This plot includes one m, f, m, m scene. Yes, I counted those m’s correctly! There was also a rape scene that lent to the real nature of one of the characters. (Chilling and unexpected revelation)
Rating: 5 Stars
Buy: Embracing Midnight
Aphrodisia, Kensington Publishing Corp., Copyright 2008
Paperback, 304 Pages.
ISBN-13# 978-0-7582-1654-0
ISBN-10# 0-7582-1654-8
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October 26th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Category, Entrepreneur, Foster/Orphan, J-L, Mistress or Courtesan, Rape/Abuse, Travel, United States of America, Western, Widow or Widower
Kate Wells marries at the tender age of 16 immediately upon her mother’s death to the charming Luke Wells. He was wealthy, worldly, wise. He was also a sham. The face he showed the world was not the real Luke Wells. Kate suffered emotional and sexual abuse at his hands. He kept her sister “locked away” to ensure her “cooperation” both in bed and while he was swindling men from their money. His death frees her and 17 year old Kate vows never to enter marriage again.
Kernan does a pretty darn good job of bringing Kate through the emotional hell of trusting and loving again. It’s pretty much the only reason I kept going. I’m not a fan of the damaged heroine especially when it comes to rape—matrimonial or not. I skimmed over the passages when Kate was reflecting on her late husband.
Sam Pickett nearly gets murdered at the beginning of the novel. He’s saved from death by Kate’s good aim and fearless behavior. A shared kiss knocks the rest of Sam’s marbles out of his head and the next day he’s determined to find Kate and win her… as his mistress. Kate is forced to accept to keep the roof over her sister and her aunt’s head. It’s only as the two come together that their wounds begin to heal. Their reactions to each other really make the novel for me.
The end had a weird flip-flop in facts. I had to read it three times just to be sure I read it right. First I certain it was a typo as I thought Cole, Sam’s friend was mostly neutral/positive when it came to Kate. I was certain the name in the paragraphs was supposed to be Crawford the detective, who has been fairly nasty about Kate’s probable involvement in setting Sam up in the alley. Then a few pages later Cole is raking Kate over the coals. In the end I had to figure I missed something when it came to Cole and left it alone.
The happy ending was everything I could hope for and then some. Kernan even wraps up Sam’s childhood loose end. Why? I’m not certain, unless it was assumed readers would think she forgot. The childhood loose end didn’t really play a role in the novel except be a catalyst to send Sam out West in the first place. The HEA would have been fine without it and read a little less cutesy-perfect with baby, reunions, new home, new school, etc.
Overall, this was a pleasant and satisfying Western romance.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Buy: Sierra Bride
Buy eHarlequin: Sierra Bride
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October 25th, 2009 — 5 Stars, Acting, Bastard, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Entrepreneur, Foster/Orphan, Great Britain, Historical Romance, Lisa Kleypas, Mistaken Identity, Pregnant, Regency, Rogues and Rakehells, Victorian, Virgin Heroine
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
Originally posted 2009-02-18 05:08:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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October 17th, 2009 — 0.5 Stars, 1 Star, Book Review, Business, Divorced, Foster/Orphan, Historic America, M-O, Mistress or Courtesan, Older Woman/Younger Man, United States of America, Virgin Hero
When I was in the middle of Wild Oats by Pamela Morsi I had no strong feelings on it. It was neither good nor bad and looked to be shaping up to a solid two stars.
I did dislike all the words devoted to talk on disease. The hero was a mortician, but not inclined to it. He wanted to pass the business on to his partner. It was his partner that always talked about it – what happens to the ground with unsealed coffins, figuring out how people died based on his observations during the care of the body, etc. There was also a plague going through the territory and landed in the town. In the end it was entirely too much spent on sickness and death. Bah.
Then I began to notice after all the disease talk half of the pages were devoted to bringing together the hero’s horrible undeserving mother with his business partner. I began skipping those parts. She was completely irredeemable. The woman wanted nothing but to be crowned the biggest gossip in town. She started false rumors about the morality of the heroine until everyone in town thought her a common slut/whore. On top of that she was a smothering mother who whined and needled into getting more attention from her son and was not above guilt tripping the hero with the fact that she gave birth to him. Seriously, this lady was going to get a HEA? Double bah.
The hero and heroine when they got together were cute, but they can’t overcome the other aspects of the novel.
I finally gave up and put the book down when the preacher started to spread rumors about what he thought he saw at the heroine's house after a church service where he intended to and was on the verge of forcing heroine into a public confession of all her sinful immoral ways until more disease talk took over (both the novel and his sermon). Last and final bah + humbug!
Rating: 0.5-1 Star
Find and Buy More Pamela Morsi Books.
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October 14th, 2009 — 3 Stars, Book Review, Clumsy Heroine, Comedy of Manners, Entrepreneur, Foster/Orphan, G-I, Marriage of Convenience, United States of America, Western
I won a copy of Dear Penelope over at Kristie’s Ramblings on Romance blog during The Great Western Drive. Thanks Kristie!!!
This Western is a very sweet romance with a lot going on. You’ll find robberies and fisticuffs alongside chocolate stars and a marriage of convenience. It’s very lighthearted all the way along. There are a few things that keep it from being a truly great story and one for me was the lovemaking scene. I wanted a little more description in the bedroom as it was kind of sparse.
The novel setting is a small town called Emancipation in Colorado, near Wyoming. It serves as a backdrop for the suffragist movement. The woman of Emancipation run it and you’ll find them in positions of mayoress, sheriff, city council, newspaper owner, etc.
The heroine is partially clumsy. She’s always tripping or spilling things. It happens when she gets flustered. The hero is sort of an orphan. His mother left home and his father drank himself to death. He’s grown up now and runs a few saloons in Denver and Emancipation.
Sebastian Cole first meets Lucy when she arrives in Emancipation off of the train. He rescues her from a mishap. Later he rescues her from humiliation and financial desperation by offering her a job as a waitress in his saloon.
The humiliation that Lucy faces is finding out that her much anticipated arrival in Emancipation is unwelcome. Charlie, her fiancé, sent her a letter warning her not to come but it never made it to her. Charlie has a new fiancée and her name is Cherry. Disgraced and feeling miserable Lucy turns to Sebastian for help and there’s one thing Sebastian has never been able to resist and that’s a damsel in distress…
Rating: 3 Stars
Buy: Dear Penelope
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October 3rd, 2009 — 4.5 Stars, Arabia/Middle East, Australia/New Zealand, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Foster/Orphan, Interracial, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Mistaken Identity, Pregnant, Sheik/Desert, V-Z, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower
This book was made out of 3 parts awesome.
Maggie’s mother ran off with her younger sister when Maggie was eight leaving Maggie in the care of her father. He was pretty awful and basically treated Maggie like the son he wished he had forcing Maggie to put all of her time and savings into his farm which basically was throwing it away. Now her father’s dead, but her upbringing has left her with some emotional scars. It doesn’t help to find out the man she thought she loved was screwing with the curvier and more feminine wife of another man.
She meets the hero in the midst of a rainstorm where he rescues her from her sad and sorry state. Concerned, Khalid watches as shock and possibly hypothermia takes over her system. He’s also furious thinking that her tragic state is due to a man hurting her sexually/physically. She denies that she was hurt – which is true at least in the ways that Khalid was mentally coming to a boil over. Her scars are far more mental. Now more than ever before Maggie is feeling inadequate. She’s not nearly feminine enough or enticing enough to attract a man, let alone capable of stirring love in the breast of anyone.
That night she seeks comfort in Khalid’s arms. He hesitates, mentally castrating himself over his undeniable need for this fragile female, because he doesn’t want to take advantage of the situation. Maggie notices the hesitation and it confirms her current muddled thoughts about all the ways in which she is lacking. She presses on and Khalid gives in making love to her.
He wakes to find her gone and his half-brother dead, making him Sheik. Unable to track down the elusive Maggie he heads back home to his country. When he finagles things so that Maggie comes to his country, an incident with a terrified horse almost immediately occurs. This of course leads to some medical tests and surprise, surprise, despite preventative measures Maggie is pregnant. Khalid reveals his identity and proposes marriage.
Will Maggie accept and if she does can she handle being a royal wife with a man who wants her body but not her heart? Will Khalid’s frozen heart melt in the heat of their shared passion? Can a marriage last when it was made purely for the convenience of raising a child?
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy on eHarlequin: The Desert King's Pregnant Bride
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Originally posted 2009-01-25 05:47:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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