March 21st, 2010 — 3 Stars, Book Review, Category, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Great Britain, M-O, Mistress or Courtesan, Rape/Abuse, Regency, Rogues and Rakehells, Runaway, Widow or Widower
A more accurate title would be Unclaimed Mistress, as the heroine has certainly been touched before the hero gets to her and throughout the book by the hero.
Helena McGregor runs away from her abuser Stephen Tayburn. She can’t stay with him another moment and takes her first opportunity to escape, fleeing across the water and into a storm. She washes up on the beach Guy Tregallas, Viscount Varington, is meandering down. Her first impression is that he’s an angel and just before delirium sets in she reveals her name.
When she wakes three days later, Helena knows to protect those who’ve helped her and herself she must concoct a story. Living under Stephen’s thumb for five years has taught her that lying is the least of man’s sins. She tells everyone she is the widow Mary McLelland, never knowing Guy is aware of her true identity.
Determined to dig into her past and figure out who the beautiful young woman is, Guy whisks her off to London with plans to seduce her along the way. His plans crumble into dust with every break in her façade, but not before he secures her promise to be his mistress in exchange for his help… when he learns the truth about Helena, he is more determined than ever to make the woman his!
The story despite the ugly background for the heroine (see Stephen Tayburn, villain) is very chaste. There’s no sex until the very end of the story. One of my favorite scenes is the carriage wreck. I won’t spoil it, other than to say it’s in the middle. It was very good.
Rating 3 stars
Buy: Untouched Mistress
PS - Great cover - both models fit the character descriptions and so did the scenery!
Originally posted 2009-07-16 03:49:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 21st, 2010 — 1.5 Stars, 3 Stars, 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Business, Cooking, G-I, Gambling, Historic America, Housekeeper/Maid, Inspirational, Prostitute, Religious, United States of America, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower, Working with Land
I really wanted to like this novel. In fact, I would have if it hadn’t been for the ending. It did not give me what I wanted. The only person in the Van Buren family to grow was Rachel, the heroine, and that really irked me as it was the younger sister, Lissa, who flouted the heroine’s authority, refused to do honest work, pursued scandalous behavior, and rubbed her sister’s face in it all the time. I kept waiting for Lissa’s comeuppance and/or repentance and it never happened.
Michael, the brother, he was okay until he decided to hurt the heroine by saying her morals were nastier than their other sister’s promiscuous and lazy behavior. (As if he had a leg to stand on – being 14 and gambling behind Rachel’s back.) Yes, the heroine could have been more tolerable but she was doing the best she could with the morals instilled by their parents on what was right and wrong.
For the time the other sister’s behavior was wrong. If was me and my 15 year old (going on 16) sister was determined to ruin herself I would have wrestled her to the ground and shave her head or something so she wouldn’t be so full of herself, her own worth and beauty. I guess that means I’m not heroine material, but honestly, Rachel was too much of a doormat in regards to Lissa’s and Michael’s behavior, she just couldn’t control them.
The hero, Johnnie, was of no help. He enabled Michael and Lissa figuring it was better for them to screw up and do stupid things under his presence where he could watch over them, supposedly to see no true harm came to them. So he rented Michael a table at his hotel/saloon and watched Michael take a man’s entire living (which Johnnie had done at the start of the novel) and only begins to regret and question himself after the gambler goes outside and shoots himself in the head.
I could have closed this book deliriously happy with it because there were many things I liked, but I couldn’t get over how it all ended up. It just made me mad.
Rachel is twenty and in charge of her younger brother and sister. They are stranded in San Francisco when the crew abandons ship and rushes off to find gold. Determined to do the best she can for Michael and Lissa, Rachel takes on a mantle of parental responsibility. I can hardly imagine how their father would have handled Lissa and Michael had he survived the trip, but believe me he would have nipped their rebellious behavior in the butt or forcibly marry Lissa within a day if she didn’t straighten up.
Rachel procures living arrangements, food, pay and jobs under Johnnie Parker at his establishment City Hotel. Johnnie is an ex-missionary and determined never to marry sanctimonious sunbonnets ever again as he feels they are the worst hypocrites alive. Sanctimonious is not an adjective I’d attribute to the heroine which is why I feel so keenly on how everything was handled.
I put up with a lot, as did the heroine and in the end was left with a bitter pill to swallow. More realistic? You decide as it's still a relatively happy ending with all the prostitutes, fallen women, arrogant brats and the heroine being friends again in the last few pages.
My feelings with ending: 1.5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
If ending was different: 4.5 Stars
Buy: The Measure of a Lady: A Novel
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March 19th, 2010 — 5 Stars, ARC, Book Review, Contemporary, Dukes and Earls, Friends, Georgian, Great Britain, Mystery, Reading, Revenge, Secret Agent, V-Z, Virgin Heroine, Writer
Lauren Willig has an excellent sense of humor and language—masterfully weaving internal and external dialogue that makes turning the pages of Night Jasmine a delight. Her voice is modern and refreshing and works successfully both in the past and contemporary settings as she presents two love stories to readers.
I loved the way Lauren put words together on the page. Her ability to turn an ordinary expression or phrase into something more exotic and poetic is a skill she has honed to perfection. At first it was unexpected and I made note of particular sentences that caught my eye but as I got swept away into the story they became a part of the scenery and the characters themselves.
Robert, Duke of Dovedale and Charlotte’s hero, is a wonderful character. He and Charlotte foil each other perfectly. He makes mistakes and does some seriously foolish things in the name of love but he does it with heart and good intentions. But as they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions… literally in this case.
Charlotte is a heroine who has believed in fairytales all her life until Robert inexpertly dashes her hopes and dreams to smithereens in an effort to protect her. Disillusioned by love, believing herself prone to fanciful childish delusions, Charlotte comes to the conclusion she is not a storybook heroine. She acknowledges her shortcomings and lack of gumption and decides to change all that.
Another heroine from 2004 is studying and researching into the Pink Carnation for her dissertation. Her story is woven throughout Charlotte’s and Robert’s as we break from them to learn more about the present happenings. Eloise is disconcerted that her boyfriend Colin avoids the question of his current line of work now that he’s left his city job. With all the spies and espionage from the past filling her head and random comments thrown in from one jealous woman, Eloise comes to the unlikely conclusion that Colin is a spy. She scoffs at her own foolishness until evidence confirms her crazy theory.
I was so absorbed in the reading I was reluctant to put the book down for any reason. Sleeping and eating just sounded like too much bother. I will definitely be on the lookout for the rest of Lauren’s Pink Carnation series.
Rating: 5 Stars
Buy: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
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March 18th, 2010 — About, Guest Blogger
by Jennifer Roland, guest blogger
It is no secret that we women--and some men--love our romances. As was discussed at great length in the news media earlier this year, the romance genre has been one of the few segments of the economy to thrive in the recession. Even when we are not doing well financially, we long for the escape that our love stories bring us, whether we prefer heroes who are not quite human, settings that are long past or barely dreamed of, or heat levels that would make our mothers blush.
But are they good for us? Do they further the cause of women, or do they hold us back, trapping us in traditional gender roles?
A few other bloggers have talked about the economic empowerment the romance genre offers to women, the inherent subversiveness of a genre written and read almost entirely by women, and the power romances give women over their sexuality. Rather than rehashing what these other ladies have said, I’d rather look at the stories. Does the romance narrative harm women?
For years, I believed it did. I saw romance novels as a tool of women’s subjugation. We read books that reinforced the roles society had laid out for us: wife, mother, caregiver. Romance novels have one ending: the woman finds her man, the man who will marry her and give her the security and the family she craves. Until she reaches that goal of finding a husband, our heroine is incomplete. I believed that I was more than my marital status, so why would I want to read about women who were made whole only through the object of their affection?
Then I actually read some romance novels, beyond the category romances I read as a young girl. I found a genre that had grown up without me realizing it. I encountered strong women who were whole and who didn’t need a man to complete them. Instead, they wanted a partner to share the burdens and the joys of life. Some of the stories ended with a marriage. Some ended with a commitment to raise a family together. Others ended with the knowledge that two people were entering into a relationship of equals, merging their individual lives to create something more together. Neither the hero nor the heroine quit being who they were; they simply chose to be those people together. In short, I found feminism.
Romance novels allow us to explore the myriad options available in our society. They cover different lifestyles, sexual acts, and time periods. They explore the different paths a woman’s life can take as she maneuvers through the worlds of career and family, whether her family is the heteronormative husband and wife, a committed same-sex relationship, or even a triad or other polyamorous grouping. But most important, they use the woman’s voice to explore the classic themes of literature that have in the past been explored only through a male lens. And they allow us to experience a situation that has a happy ending, something we don’t always get in our everyday lives.
That is why I love romance novels.
Jennifer Roland is a freelance writer and aspiring romance novelist. She fancies herself a new school feminist who adores a sexy vampire or shapeshifter tale, yes, alpha male and all. Keep up with her progress navigating the scary world of publishing on her blog, Jen’s Writing Journey.
Originally posted 2009-07-15 03:33:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 16th, 2010 — Reader Highlights
Keira: Which do you like more: finishing a book or starting a new one?
Heidenkind: Probably finishing a book, because I like to think about what to read next.
Keira: Which historical romances do you prefer more and why: Classical Novels or Current Regency Based Novels?
Heidenkind: Contemporary novels set in the Regency era tend to be an easier read, so I'd have to go with those.
Keira: Jane Eyre is one of your top favorite novels. What are some other ones you consider too good to miss?
Heidenkind: The Age of Innocence
, The Silver Metal Lover
, The Ivy Tree
, The Queen of Attolia
, Archangel
, and Captives of the Night
, just to name a few.
Keira: Which author occupies the most space on your bookshelf? Why do you love him/her?
Heidenkind: Well, that depends... by "my" bookshelf, do I include my mom's books, too? 
It's close race between Mary Stewart, Lisa Kleypas, and Christina Dodd. I love Dodd because she writes the kind of books where you can become totally immersed in the story; Kleypas is great because her romances are very intense, emotional, sexy, and intelligent all at the same time; and I grew up reading Stewart, so her books are my comfort reads.
Keira: What is your favorite and/or least favorite plot, character type, or literary device?
Heidenkind: I really hate it when the h/h instantaneously start lusting after one another. It tends to lead to my second-least-favorite device, where there heroine refuses to acknowledge she's attracted to hero for no reason other than to drag the book out.
Keira: How do you define love?
Heidenkind: Love is what knits us together despite logic, annoyance, money, reason, intellect, anger, proximity--it just is. I always think of a quote from The Butcher's Wife
: "Love is the leap that cannot be denied." I'm not sure if that's true, but I think leaping is a big part of it. Also that quote is very poetic. 
Keira: You began Heidenkind’s Hideaway in 2009. What is your favorite aspect of blogging and what are some of your favorite posts that you’ve written?
Heidenkind: I love being able to discuss books with other readers, and the whole book blogging community is just full of wonderful people. That's probably my favorite aspect of it, although I do really enjoy being able to dissect a book and why it worked for me and why it didn't.
Most of my favorite posts are the ones no one read. Haha! There was a post I did last May called An Immortal Soul that analyzed a random comment on the TV show The Mentalist--I really liked that one, because that's pretty much exactly how my mind works on a day-to-day basis. I think Drood is one of better reviews I've written. There's also a post called Reading By Type where I talk about how nearly every main character in books is a reader. I didn't even realize how true that was until after I had written the post--now I can't escape it!
Keira: What tips would you give to readers who want to read more books?
Heidenkind: Ask Meghan from Medieval Bookworm, that would be my tip. 
I'm honestly a pretty slow reader. I suppose I would say turn off the TV, computer, stereo, and just concentrate on the book for a while; and if you're not liking it, stop reading it. But then I would have to follow my own advice.
Keira: For you which character makes or breaks a romance novel: the hero or the heroine?
Heidenkind: It could go either way--but at least one of them better be interesting, or the story won't be going anywhere.
Keira: As an art historian does the cover of a book sway you toward impulse purchases? What do you like/hate about the current cover trends?
Heidenkind: Hmm, interesting question. I admit I've bought books just because their covers were beautiful, and YA is definitely where it's at in cover design right now. I like going to that section of the bookstore just to look at the covers (that might also be why I subscribe to a lot of YA blogs...). The only trend I don't like is "Twilightizing" the covers of classic novels like Wuthering Heights. Not because I don't like Twilight, but because: 1. I hate same-y covers; and 2. I think good novels like that deserve more original cover design because they can, and should, stand on their own merits as great novels. I have also bought books just because they have a painting I like as the cover--like Swan Witch. I think I bought that book twice, actually.
Keira: Is there anything you’d like to share or talk about that I missed?
Heidenkind: I recently (like last week) changed the name of my blog to Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books--I think that reflects the whole feel of the blog better.
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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 13th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, ARC, Blackmail, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Georgian, Gothic, Great Britain, Paranormal, Revenge, S-U, Spinster, Survival, Suspense/Thriller, Werewolf
I have a funny story with this book and by story I mean an epic fail. I was returning some books back to the library and somehow Lady Anne sneaked back with them. When I realized what I’d done it was as if I’d been amputated! So painful. Of course I returned the books on a Sunday; the only day in the week the library isn’t open until late in the afternoon or early in the day.
After a pretty good freak out, I waited until I could call. Ended hanging up once because I was on hold for five minutes and called back. Then I had to wait on the phone for twenty plus minutes before somebody from circulation got to me. They either forgot me or they were busy. I told them about the book and the person I talked with probably never got a call like this before because I was given a hard time.
Finally, I managed to convince them that the book was mine and not a library book. I don’t understand how this was so difficult as 1) it is not stamped with the library name nor was it 2) tagged with a detector strip or that pocket thing and 3) clearly says advance review copy on the cover! This is why I write in books to identify and claim them.
In the end they put the book on hold for me and now it was a matter of getting back over there. The library where I dropped the books off while on errands was all the way across town. I really didn’t make this easy on myself. Luckily I got there, but it was close! One more red light and it would have been better luck next time. Needless to say I was very, very pleased to get this book back and finish it… which I did later that night.
What I liked best about Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark was its tribute to Gothic romance, followed swiftly by a capable intelligent heroine. The hero liked that best about her too so how could you not fall in love with him? Lady Anne is very plain and a spinster to boot, which are some of my very favorite things to read in romance.
Simpson writes in a witty and engaging voice. I loved Lady Anne. She was such a treat. Her musings on Lord Darkefell are particularly fabulous:
It was either that or go back to pondering the feel of Lord Darkefell’s too-perfect lips pressed against hers. And his too-perfect body against hers. He was entirely too perfect—if there was such a concept as overabundant perfection—in a physical sense and entirely too maddeningly imperfect in every other way.
Without giving anything else away I will say this: if you like mystery, intrigue, werewolves, and Gothic you will love this book! Oh and chances are you're going to jump to conclusions about the mystery and be totally wrong - I was!
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Buy: Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark
Originally posted 2009-03-29 05:55:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 13th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, Arranged/Forced Marriage, Artist, Big Misunderstanding, Book Review, Captain, G-I, Georgian, Great Britain, Kidnapping, Low Self Esteem/Confidence, Pirate, Pirate, Rape/Abuse, Runaway, Sailing, Seas, Secret Baby, Survival, Travel, United States of America, Virgin Heroine
I first heard about Crimson Rapture
from a HaBo post over at Smart Bitches: Trashy Books. I can’t remember now if this book was the actual book or just one of the suggestions, but I guess it hardly matters. It sounded cool and I got it immediately from Paperback Swap.
It was originally published in 1986 and definitely has forced seduction in it—the kind where he does it for her own good and because he desires her too much to let another moment pass. There’s a lot of it, but it is well written, so if you’re in the mood for it, I would highly suggest this novel. A warning though… the comeuppance of the uppity bitch in the story is gang rape by the pirate crew which the pirate captain (hero) sanctions because she tried to kill someone (no, not the heroine.)
The story is one of those that goes everywhere (Boston, London, open seas, remote island in the Phillipines, Jamaica) and does everything (kidnapping, monsoons, shipwrecks, runaways, fake marriages, babies, plots and betrayal, and so on.)
It starts when the ship the heroine and hero are on is caught in the doldrums. The heroine is headed for Australia to live with her cousin and his family after her father’s recent death. The hero, Justin Phillips, is locked up in the hold somewhere on his way to his execution. He spies her presence one day and strikes up a conversation. He can’t really see her, but he figures she’s extremely plain.
Christina Marks is actually very beautiful. As the daughter of a reverend she is kind, naive, and innocent. Also, she is terribly shy except when she talks to Justin through the small opening. She gives him her rations to help him keep his strength up. When the wind breaks and Justin’s crew comes to his rescue he kidnaps Cristina determined to ensure her safety and wellbeing.
The adventure has only begun though and passion can’t be denied.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
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March 11th, 2010 — About
Before I begin, thanks Susan for your 5 tells - they're hilarious!
Now, when it comes to our favorite literature is it possible to ever read too much of it? What are some of the tells of overindulgence in romance? Let's take a look!
You Know You Read Too Much Romance When...
- Most of your email is author newsletters telling you about latest releases, contests, and book signings.
- You insist on bringing a chaperone on romantic dates; even though you're 25 years old.
- You own a digital copy of every print romance book on your favorite’s shelf.
- Your favorite’s shelf is now the entire bookcase and the area in front of it on the floor.
- You have a plot trope, character type, or preference you are too embarrassed to share with other romance readers.
- Your bookshelves are classified first by subgenre, then by author.
- After kissing each other breathless, you accidentally say, "Please Lord Mark take me now to your bedchamber."
- He says, "I know-I know you can't spend the night with me because your aunt Lady Marie will start the rumor-mill."
- Your fictional boyfriend is Mr. Darcy, Mr. Thornton, or another romantic alpha hero.
- You once had to question where the hymen was located, because most romance novels have the hero penetrate it somewhere inside the vagina instead of at the opening.
- You clip the covers off your romances and make a mantitty wallpaper collage.
- The name Vladimir de Laaf, the Duke of Longwood, sounds like a valid name for a man and Lady Saramia, the Widow of Evesham, makes for an equally good heroine name.
- In your mind, being unwed and over twenty is a crime.
- When making love-you find yourself moaning, "Oh yes, all the way to the hilt!"
- You’re actually disappointed he showed up in his Lexus....where's the black stallion?
- You own or are following every romance blog you encounter or have written blog posts for them.
- If the first thing you can find in your purse is your latest romance read.
- You’ve attended more than five romance conventions just because. Jane Austen and Regency period conventions count, even if they aren't about books at all, because the subgenres are prominent.
- You can spot a secret baby within a 100 yards.
- If you ever daydreamed about being a heroine in one.
Bonus 21: If you’re like me than you’ve come to the conclusion, there’s never too romance in your life!
Photo Credits: rtbookreviews
Originally posted 2009-06-18 03:45:38. 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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March 4th, 2010 — Arranged/Forced Marriage, Contemporary, D-F, Guest Blogger, Marriage of Convenience
by Mary Margret Daughtridge, guest blogger and author of SEALed with a Ring
Marriages of convenience—romance fans love ’em, but when I tell people who aren’t romance readers that SEALed with a Ring: Sometimes you get a lot more than you bargained for is a contemporary romance with a marriage of convenience plot, you’d be surprised how many ask, “What’s a marriage of convenience?”
Next thing you know, I’m explaining marriage plots. You have arranged marriage in which choice of spouse is dictated by parents. Hero or heroine acquiesces, more or less gracefully. Forced marriage is one in which one or both is trapped into marriage against their will. And finally there’s marriage of convenience where one party has a need to marry (that has little or nothing to do with love) and the other agrees—usually for financial gain.
All have built in conflict. All are beloved staples of the romance genre.
With women’s enfranchisement, all have become hard to pull off in a contemporary—a reason, I think, that these days you’ll find three or four times as many historicals as contemporaries.
Although in some cultures arranged marriage is still the norm, in the West the expectation is that people marry because they fall in love. Period. It’s hard to get a plot out of that.
Forced marriage (happily) has also gone by the wayside in mainstream society. No one thinks a marriage to save a reputation or because of unplanned pregnancy is anything but a terrible idea. Marrying a girl too young, or unable, to consent is a crime.
That only leaves marriage of convenience. Once it was perfectly acceptable as long as it was aboveboard and a fair exchange. No more. I suspect many marriages today are quid pro quo contracts (witness the rise of the pre-nup) but who’s going to admit it? Marrying for money is thought “crass,” and being married for one’s money is the mark of a loser.
It’s not easy...
But I love marriage of convenience plots and I refuse to give them up. Character-driven writer that I am, I realized the difficulty of motivating a loveless marriage in a contemporary setting could play to my advantage. A person’s reasons (good or bad) for going against society’s expectations reveal a lot about character.
For the M of C plot to succeed, hero or heroine must be motivated by altruism. From the beginning they are sympathetic characters, invested with a degree of nobility. Since their goal is larger than they are, I have more latitude to make them multi-dimensional, strong yet flawed, without losing the reader’s sympathy.
It feels like love...
I also like to explore relationships—I think most women do. Unblinded by love, the M of C characters confront the details of living together and meeting the world as a unit. They consciously assess the other’s strengths, learn to read emotions, see beneath the surface. Again, a boon to the writer of character-driven contemporaries. When the two finally fall in love, the reader was there for every step. It really feels like love.
And it’s magic...
Best of all, an M of C plot (where they don’t pretend, they really get married) has inherent alchemical magic. For better or worse, marriage changes people.
Sharing is no longer optional. One’s destiny is irrevocably tied to the consequences of another person’s good judgment and luck—or lack thereof. And suddenly, there’s little real choice about how and with whom to spend holidays. Sublime or silly, sharing can be soul shaking. For the writer, it’s another chance to delve into character. For the reader, it’s fun. The plot can take a twist at any moment.
I liked putting a contemporary spin on an old plot so much, I think I’ll do it again sometime.
How about it? Do you love M of C? What is the appeal? If M of C isn’t your fave, what is? Cinderella? Secret Baby? Reunion?
SEALed WITH A RING BY MARY MARGRET DAUGHTRIDGE—IN STORES MARCH 2010
She’s got it all…except the one thing she needs most
Smart, successful businesswoman JJ Caruthers has a year to land a husband or lose the empire she’s worked so hard to build. With time running out, romance is not an option, and a military husband who is always on the road begins to look like the perfect solution…
He’s a wounded hero with an agenda of his own
Even with the scars of battle, Navy SEAL medic Davy Graziano is gorgeous enough to land any woman he wants, and he’s never wanted to be tied down. Now Davy has ulterior motives for accepting JJ’s outrageous proposal of marriage, but he only has so long to figure out what JJ doesn’t want him to know…
Buy: SEALed with a Ring
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Margret Daughtridge has been a grade school teacher, speech therapist, family educator, biofeedback therapist, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Romancing the Military Soul, and is a sought-after judge in writing contests. She resides in Greensboro, North Carolina. For more information, please visit http://marymargretdaughtridge.com/.
Giveaway: Sourcebooks is offering up 2 copies of SEALed with a Ring. That means two winners! Yay! Open to US and Canadian readers only. To enter answer Mary Margret's question about marriage of convenience plots. One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: March 11, 2010.
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March 3rd, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, ARC, Africa, Contemporary, D-F, Executive, Headaches, Heiress, Marriage of Convenience, Medical, Memory Loss, Scarred Hero, Soldier, Travel, United States of America, Wartime
Mary Margret Daughtridge comes out with another fantastic SEAL story. It’s got everything! A smart savvy heiress heroine to a car empire in desperate need of a name-only husband and a hero with partial amnesia, headaches, scarring, charisma, good looks, and skilled in bed! Yum. Yum. Yum. See, I told you it had everything. Wow!
Davy Graziano is a Navy Seal corpsman. The quote at the beginning of the novel gives real insight to Davy as a hero. He figures he will die in service for the Teams and when he doesn’t he’s adrift. It doesn’t help that his mother passed away shortly after visiting him in the hospital. The situation makes him feel that his mother traded her life for his with God and he doesn’t know what to do with his second chance at life. He wants to continue being a Navy Seal but a head wound resulted in brain trauma. He’s forgetful of things he knows he knows and it’s frustrating to no end.
One thing he forgets is JJ Caruthers. Twice. Poor schmuck. Jane Jessup however is very relieved. The more she learns about Navy Seals and Davy in particular the more she sees them and him as the perfect solution to her husbandless problem. JJ contracts Davy into being her husband in an effort to get one over her grandfather who is trying to manipulate her to his liking. Davy won’t take her original offer and renegotiates the terms to his liking but as the marriage unfolds Davy just wants his life back! What’s JJ to do? I’ll tell you… she’s going to save her hero.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: SEALed with a Ring
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February 28th, 2010 — 5 Stars, ARC, Artist, Blackmail, Friends, Gentry, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, Magic Users, Mystery, P-R, Paranormal, Rape/Abuse, Regency, Scarred Hero, Suspense/Thriller, Virgin Hero
by Susan S., Guest Reviewer
“Huzzah” for this Kensington Zebra debut author! Erica Ridley’s Too Wicked To Kiss is a titillating whodunit set in a London castle. There’s unlit corridors, secret passageways, stolen kisses, and a hero in cravats and breeches, “Oh my!” I may not wield powers of clairvoyance like (Evangeline) Ridley’s heroine, but I’m predicting this author will receive many calling cards from readers.
Are you going to like this historical romance? Ooo…yeah! I received the eARC for review and pre-ordered the paperback from B&N. I simply must procure the paperback for my bookshelf! Just picture me for a second, walking on hot coals repeating, “Hot, hot, hot, hot!”
Evangeline Pemberton is no stranger to heartache. Her mother has recently passed, and she’s just ran-away from her physically abusive stepfather (Neal) who aside from hitting her also entertains lascivious thoughts regarding his stepdaughter. Evangeline’s clairvoyant gift has caused her to shun both friends and the touch of others. Any touch brings about visions either past or yet-to-be along with one hellacious headache. Alone and out of options, she turns to Lady Stanton and her daughter Miss Susan Stanton. They offer to take her to Blackberry Manor in London with “one” simple stipulation; entrap Gavin Lioncroft (hero) into a betrothal contract with Susan. Evangeline’s not sure which of these three options terrifies her more: (1) deceiving an innocent bachelor into marriage with a total stranger (2) the fact that Gavin is a presumed murderer and they’re to stay in his manor for two weeks or (3) that Neal will find her.
When a murder is committed in Blackberry Manor everyone’s suspect, with at least 15 suspects and three with a motive to kill, this whodunit will leave you second-guessing the guilty party until the very end.
Evangeline finds her upcoming deception harder and harder to accomplish. Gavin is stirring passions within her both new and wonderful. Will she entrap Gavin for Susan? Or will Evangeline keep this “sinfully handsome” man for herself?
My favorite character was the hero, Gavin. What’s not to love? He’s a wickedly handsome tease. He protects those he loves; he’s passionate and goes after what he wants. Not to mention, here’s a man who knows how to apologize.
My favorite scene: In the dining room Gavin’s gaze slides down Evangeline’s body and retraces the path back up. He stares boldly and lifts an eyebrow to let her know, he likes what he sees. When she does the same to him and looks up at his face, he winks.
Too Wicked To Kiss is funny, sensual, entertaining and has a happily-ever-after. A must read!
Recommendations: If you like romances, this novel is a must read. I’m also recommending it to readers who like Sherlock Holmes, whodunits, Nancy Drew, mystery, romantic suspense, hot reads, Regency, historical and happily ever afters.
The sequel to Too Wicked To Kiss is set to release in the spring of 2011. Too Sinful To Deny is the story of a gossip-hungry heroine Miss Susan Stanton. Susan is Evangeline’s friend in book one. Something tells me there are lots of changes to come for Miss Stanton and some of which include…pirates!
Rating: 5 Stars
Buy: Too Wicked To Kiss
Zebra Books, An Imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp., Historical Romance, Regency, Paranormal, eARC, Copyright March 2, 2010, pages 451. ISBN (10) 142 010 9936. ISBN (13) 978-1420109931.
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February 23rd, 2010 — 3 Stars, 4 Stars, Blind, Book Review, Comedy of Manners, France, G-I, Handicap, Historical Romance, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Mistaken Identity, Mistress or Courtesan, Poor Eyesight, Revenge, Rogues and Rakehells, Scarred Hero, Science, Seas, Virgin Heroine
For the most part I truly enjoyed reading Beast. It’s a twist on the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast and has a scarred hero who just happens to be a prince… a prince of nothing as it were because it was a French aristocratic title bestowed after the dissolution of the monarchy. The hero is extremely fond of perfumes and perfume ingredients. He’s a botanist, chemist, and a nose which is to say an expert at smelling things. He’s quite a vain creature who has worked very hard to be charming, well thought of, wealthy, and seen as handsome instead of grotesque. His manners are faultless, his skill as a lover unparalleled, and his person dressed and draped in the finest money can buy.
The heroine is a vain person as well, but hers is a beauty that was bestowed upon her from birth and not anything she ever had to work to achieve. In fact she sneers at anyone who comments upon her beauty. If only they could see the girl beneath whomever that girl may be… She doesn’t want to marry at all and she’s certainly not inclined to marry someone who is not as beautiful as she is because isn’t that something she deserved? Couldn’t the man she married be handsome as well as titled, wealthy, charming, and whole of body?
It was a good set up but about halfway through I thought wouldn’t it be great if the hero to put the heroine in her place. Of course it never happened. In fact the reverse did. Why though? Sadly, I believe it is how the initial key plot points unfolded. So despite the hero perpetrating the whole disaster and the heroine being the cause of the disaster, the hero was forced to grovel.
So what happened? Louise found out her husband wasn’t as magnificent as her parent’s said he was and she was determined to find a lover who could give her everything she was certain her new husband could not. Charles overheard and hatched a scheme to force her to see beyond his face and his original intentions were to reveal himself and make her the butt of the joke. Instead he fell in love and tried to unsuccessfully woo her as himself in daylight. She figures it out eventually because he slips up. He’s tried to tell her who he is/was but Louise is clueless and refuses to see the connection because that would just be too horrible!
So because Louise didn’t grow up and Charles did the only growing I’m going to have to give Beast 3 Stars instead of the 4 Stars I would have if the heroine had owned up all of her faults instead of just a few and try to make amends to her husband.
Buy: Beast
Originally posted 2009-04-08 05:27:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 16th, 2010 — About
5 Reasons why the unenlightened think we love romance novels:
10. We're bored and have nothing better to do. This explains why a good portion of us read in lines, just before the lights go off in a theater, between meetings, before class, and during our commute... because we have time to spare.
09. We don't have to think when we read romance! Great! Let's leave our brains at home because everybody knows romance novels are right up there with gossip, soap operas, and fashion and celebrity magazines.
08. Secretly, we love the trashy cover art. Clinches and clutches and heaving bosoms really appeal to us. Who doesn't love toting embarrassingly bulging mantitty in her purse?
07. We love romance because it's petticoat porn. (What and men don't like watching poorly filmed flicks off the internet? At least ours is intellectual- it's literature!)
06. Better yet, on top of loving it for porn we also love it because we have no sex life. This is our only way to experience sex... ie vicariously through fictional characters. Right... as if any woman couldn't go into any bar and ask any man if he wanted to go home with her and he wouldn't say yes.
Now for 5 real reasons to love romance novels:
05. Truly, we love romance because it's emotional porn. Two hanky reads anyone? Passes out tissues.
04. Happily Ever Afters. We love a great ending and knowing that no matter how many troubles and problems seem to mount up eventually they're solved and go away.
03. Variety. There's a romance out there for everyone. Many of us develop preferences and seek out stories that cater to them.
02. The heroine. She's everything we want to be or admire in others with the exception of the Too Stupid to Live Heroines.
And the number one reason women love romance novels is:
01. The hero... because we can fall a little bit in love with him every time we open a book to read.
Photo Credits: left-hand, jonrawlinson
Originally posted 2009-05-12 05:07:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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