January 10th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, Book Review, Dukes and Earls, Farming, Great Britain, Historical Romance, Kidnapping, P-R, Suspense/Thriller, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower
This lovely little book was a quick and delightful read. I was sad to finish it because it meant that I would have to let the leads Julian Ravenwood and Sophy Dorring go their own way. The novel starts out with Julian accepting Sophy’s refusal to marry him. The word was passed down to him through her grandfather and Julian is stunned. Little Sophy could not hope to make a better match and his offer was generous to the extreme. Determined to gain an audience with Sophy Julian contrives of a way to do so. He tracks her down and demands to know her requirements to marry him. She spouts of a few outrageous ideas and he agrees and adds a few of his own turning the tables and leaving Sophy stunned.
Julian is an earl and all that implies. He’s the epitome of the controlling domineering alpha male. He’s also a widower; his late wife drowned. Not that this was a hardship, there was something wrong with the woman. Elizabeth, the dead wife, was for the lack of a better word a nymphomaniac. She loved to cuckold Julian, especially since she didn’t want to marry him in the first place. She took what was warm and good inside Julian and killed it. After the second duel to defend her honor, Julian came to the realization that his wife was not virtuous and didn’t have any honor. He labeled all women susceptible to the madness and vowed never to risk his fool neck for a woman again, but he needs a wife to supply him an heir and Sophy as far as he’s concerned is as different from Elizabeth as night and day.
Sophy is a typical unusual female for her times, but in slightly new way. She’s not put together and far from sophisticated. Pieces of her clothing and accessories like ribbons and feathers are always askew. She loves to read (mostly herbals and a treatise on women’s rights). She doesn’t trust seduction or lust without love. The reason Sophy doesn’t trust a man’s passion is because her sister, Amelia, was seduced and killed by one man’s passion. Sophy thinks sex without love is the epitome of masculine ruthlessness. She has the ring of the man who seduced Amelia and plans to find him and ruin him.
When Julian corner’s her for her list of demands she begs of him three things. One, that she not be forced into the childbed right away or more accurately forced into the marriage bed. Julian promises her three months of leeway. This is acceptable to her because she’s loved Julian since she was 18 not that the fool would notice, panting after Elizabeth as he was. She hopes to make him love her in the time they are not sharing a bed. Two, she wants to control her inheritance. Julian counters that his quarterly allowance for her exceeds the money her grandfather will leave her, but she insists. Three, she wants no interference from him on what she can and cannot read.
Sophy was quite loveable as a character I thought; Julian on the other hand at times was not. While his motives are quite known he still comes off as stern, intractable, and unwilling to reach compromises not in his favor… he breaks his side of the bargain while Sophy always keeps hers and dares to get mad when Sophy questions his honor. Depending on the reader you might be tempted to throw the book because of his outlandish behavior. Also true, however, is that you might enjoy his high handedness. In addition Julian is protective and concerned for his new wife. By the end I was persuaded to like him, but he was definitely ridiculous at times. Perhaps that makes him flawed realistically. Grin.
Rating 3.5 to 4 Stars
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Originally posted 2008-12-19 19:25:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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December 10th, 2009 — 5 Stars, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Children, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Great Britain, Handicap, Headaches, Heiress, Historical Romance, India, J-L, Plump/Endowed Heroine, Scarred Hero, Virgin Heroine
Book three of the Pleasures Trilogy staring plump little Gabrielle from India and Erskine (Quill) Dewland soon to be Viscount Dewland. Right off the bat, this was my kind of book and I loved reading every word. I’ll tell you why:
First, the alpha male is one of those wounded and brooding alphas. Quill was hurt from a horse riding accident that left him scarred. He walks with a slight limp most of the time but when tired it is more pronounced. He can’t dance. Repetitive motions cause him intense migraines and this includes riding horses but more importantly intercourse. As alpha males goes, Quill is decidedly masculine. He likes women – he just doesn’t know if they’re worth the three day recuperation.
Second, this story also involves one male character basically stealing the bride out from another man’s nose. This doesn’t always go well for me, but in this case it was just icing. Upon learning that his son was practically incapable of siring progeny, the elder Viscount Dewland orders his second son Peter to take the heiress sight unseen as his bride. Peter doesn’t want to marry, positively shrinks back from the idea, but eventually under pressure agrees. To his dismay, Gabrielle is the antitheses of beauty, grace, and lacks the instinct to navigate smoothly with society’s haut ton.
Third, Gabrielle is a completely charming heroine. She is as gabby as her nickname implies and loves to talk. Gabby is protective, open, loving, kind, and sharp. She is smart enough to keep her half-brother safe from harm. She also knows that Peter finds her a great disappointment. Despite knowing from experience with her father in India, is determined to do her best to please Peter so that he will fall in love with her. This makes her equally stubborn.
She makes friends early with the Duchess of Gisle who has just returned from her honeymoon on the continent. They meet at the dressmakers. Peter has brought her there to clothe her properly so she won’t shame him in public and prays the Madam will be able to transform his ugly duckling of a future wife.
Quill of course, thinks his younger brother is nuts. In fact most of the men in the ton that have seen luscious Gabby agree with Quill. They congratulate (quite crudely) Peter on his good fortune to snare such a well endowed beauty who will surely be a hellcat in bed. They think it’s doubly clever of Peter that she is an heiress.
When Gabby laughs her way into one social scandal, Peter is determined to throw her over but doesn’t know how. Quill gladly informs his brother that he will marry Gabby and happily. Of course, he’s worried about what she’ll think of him later, but Quill can hardly bring himself to care about his own problems. He burns for her and is happy around her. This is enough for him. His only true concern is will it be enough for Gabby?
Rating: 5 Stars
Originally posted 2008-12-11 09:29:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 28th, 2009 — 2.5 Stars, A-C, Australia/New Zealand, Book Review, Crime and Protection, Erotica, Estranged, Kidnapping, Mystery, Paranormal, Rape/Abuse, Supernatural, Survival, Travel, Vampire, Werewolf
The second book in the Riley Jenson series is a continuance of the first. It’s very important to read Full Moon Rising before starting this one because they are extremely tied in and you will be left confused if you don’t.
The urban futuristic world is expanded and more players are introduced. The plot thickens as Misha reveals clues to who is really behind everything. We find out more about the limbs of the organization while the head tries to save itself. The head is a mystery and is not resolved in Kissing Sin.
Keri Arthur is very good at staging fights, which is a good thing as there are a ton of them! The last stand off at the end is extremely creepy as in horror movie creepy. I’d give more details but I’m trying not to spoil anyone.
The things that bothered me in the last novel are back only this time without the excuse of a full moon inciting the werewolf lusties. Again it’s not the amount of sex in the novel, it is who the sex is with and how Riley reflects on her sexuality. Two new guys enter her sex circle: We meet Kade Williams, the horse-shifter (not a lycanthrope – his shifting is not tied to the moon) and Kellen an alpha male werewolf Riley can feel is important to her future. I didn’t mind Kade or Kellen or Quinn, who’s back in this book.
I did mind Riley sleeping with the enemy for information sake. In addition it read very bad when Riley grumbled mentally that she didn't like being forced to fuck a guy (which if she becomes a Guardian is a sure thing) even though she's positive the sex will be good. I guess what’s good for the gander isn’t sauce for the goose in my case. It’s sexy on James Bond and not so much with her. I also minded the raping of Riley which happened again in flashbacks as she’s trying to recall the week that’s missing. She doesn’t really deal with it and it’s excused because sex is practically nothing to a werewolf.
Quinn is back in part because he wants to solve the mystery and in part because he can’t leave Riley alone. She invades his dreams. The two go back and forth and Riley gives him an ultimatum: accept her sexcapades as a part of her werewolf charm or get the hell out of her life. Quinn agrees to a compromise of exclusivity when he’s in town, but makes it very clear he’s possessive and territorial when it comes to her.
I find I am Quinn in this series. I can’t accept Riley’s blasé attitude toward sex. It must be the human in me as Keri Arthur repeatedly says in the books it’s the werewolf way of life and it’s the problem of the humans, who are too prudish and morally uptight to really understand. And I don’t! I don’t understand walking into a club and having sex in public on the dance floor. I don’t understand going to a party with a guy you had sex with on the way there and then slipping off to fuck another guy – even if he’s a werewolf hottie you slept with the night before. It’s seedy and tacky.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Buy: Kissing Sin (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 2)
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September 9th, 2009 — Erotica, Guest Blogger, Paranormal, Regency
by Susan Sigler, guest blogger
Confession time! I’ve been harboring a secret wish. A hope that someone, somewhere will give me a satisfactory reason to venture outside of my comfort zone.
I’m very content you see. Here in my dark paranormal genre. There’s shapeshifters at every turn and vampires with seductive brooding qualities. In paranormal we can boast about our alpha male werewolves and how they succumb to their raw animalistic sexual needs. During your journey you may even discover psychic abilities you can tap into. With all this power, immortality and raw sexual need; why venture out. Well, maybe I want more power. (LOL) Actually, I’m curious if I’m missing all the fun with all my doom and gloom.
My bookshelf is chock full of paranormal and erotica. (I say this proudly, of course) Yet, dare I believe the grass may be greener on the other side.
Book reviewing recently gave me a metaphorical calling card. I accepted and realized to my utter amazement I now enjoy, dare I say it out loud? I peeked over the paranormal fence to realize; I enjoy regency romance. Hell’s bells, what else have I been missing? If you read other genres, please tell me what exactly drew you in as a reader. I’m still on the fence regarding Inspirational, Young Adult, and Historical just to name a few.
While I wait for your kind input, I’ll be flossing my fangs and deciding which party to attend to in London. What is happening to me? Can a reader really spread their love to extend all genres, much like a mother extends her love to all her children?
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June 6th, 2009 — About, Paranormal, Poll, Vampire, Werewolf
I bet that headline caught your attention! This post started innocently enough in the comments of The Smell of a Hero.
Susan said:
In my world everyone's fang obsessed (lol) I'd say werewolves would also use fangs since wolves have large canines. (No claws) he-he.
I said:
They do have large canines. I think that should be a post - comparison of vampire and werewolf canines: Does Size Matter?
Susan goes on to note in an email:
...vampire fangs are thinner, when I think werewolves I think thicker (cough, cough).
Oh dear! What have we started? The battle between vampires and werewolves has begun. Will paranormal ever be the same? Probably, but let's pretend otherwise...
Does size matter in paranormal?
When we think of heroes in paranormal romances we know a few basic facts. Nearly always, the hero is the alpha male whether it is in a vampire kiss or of a werewolf pack. Usually, the heroine is kick-ass. Additionally, she is also somehow forbidden to the hero. Rarely do we see a heroine go for the beta or lesser male in a paranormal. So that brings us to the question does size matter? I say it does.
In two book series that I've read, the vampire has won the girl in the end. The first is in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series
where Jean-Claude muscles out Richard Zeeman. Granted, the series evolves and Zeeman comes back into the picture, along with a few dozen other men. The second is The Twilight Saga
with Bella clinging to Edward Cullen and choosing him over Jacob Black.
With the second series we'll never know the characters respective sizes, but in Hamilton's world alpha lycanthropes are so far very well endowed and have the added benefit of being able to control that part of their anatomy... ie make it even bigger. I imagine using that ability might be used in male to male posturing, as for lovemaking... a girl can only hold so much.
But back to the canines, and not err... other equipment. Which species of nighttime heroes has the bigger bite (allure)?
Vampire heroes are elegant, sophisticated, and mysterious. Their beauty is just one of their allures. Do not for one moment think their charming façade equates to being a pansy. Oh no, vampire heroes are known for their volatile mood swings, strength, and deadly control.
Werewolf heroes are overtly masculine, muscled, and alpha. Their outer strength is coupled with inner sensitivity. They are the leaders for their packs and must take care of every member. It is a task that burdens them heavily at times, especially when youngsters are determined to run a foul.
If you had to turn...who would you choose to turn you?
Answer the poll below and leave a comment!
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The rest is as they say is all in the fang.
Photo Credits: Hare Guizer
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