~Book Review~ Healing Touch

Healing Touch by Jenna Anderson 
My rating: 3.3 of 5 pearls 

Warning: Language 

This was an enjoyable little romance novella with a humorous twist. Told in 1st person POV, we get a glimpse into the mind of a late thirties single mom, who just can't believe the handsome doctor in her tiny little town could possibly be interested in her. And he just won't take 'no' for an answer. 

The romance in this is totally clean. Tracy (the main character) does have a nasty habit of uttering a particular vulgarity that, while realistic, still pulled me out of the story every time she said it. I felt the frequency was a little much. 

Would I read more from Jenna Anderson? Yes, I think I would. 

*Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author. I was not paid in any way for my review. The views expressed here are my honest opinions of this work. 

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~Book Review~ Heart of Fire

Heart Of Fire by Kristen Painter 

My rating: 3.4 of 5 pearls

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Sensitive readers warning: Contains mildly descriptive love scenes. 

I started this book completely fascinated with the storyline, the characters, and the setting. I was interested enough in the concept and the characters that it held my attention, even though I read the Kindle version on my PC. (Talk about eye strain!) There were moments I laughed and a couple times I was surprised, I even recall tearing up a time or two. The author definitely touched my emotions. It held my attention but the writing felt...almost choppy at times.

While I wouldn't classify this as a "clean" romance, the author did keep a fairly "lights off" approach. The intimate interactions were descriptive but not graphic.

One last concern, I don't know if I got an older copy or what (I downloaded it a year ago and didn't think to check Smashwords for an updated, corrected copy), but there were numerous typos. One sentence was so bad that I still don't know what the author meant to say.

In summary: Would I read another book by Kristen Painter? Yes, I think I would.

Disclaimer: I purchased this ebook (full price) from Smashwords.com. I was not paid in any way, shape, or form for this review. This review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

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~Book Review~ Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue

Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3 of 5 pearls

~Fifth installment in the Poor Relation series~ 3.4 pearls

Colonel Sandhurst, the most dignified and proper elderly gentleman one can imagine, more or less kidnaps a young woman, intending to ransom her for what her father owes the owners of the Poor Relation hotel. The heroine is as sweet and innocent as they come, although we're supposed to believe she's been a tomboy up until right before the story started. I had trouble believing it. Still, the story is amusing, as usual.

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~Book Review~ Sir Philip's Folly

Sir Philip's Folly by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3 of 5 pearls

~Fourth installment in the Poor Relation series~ 3.2 pearls

Another witty book for an entertaining series. The heroine of this book is amusing as she tries to cope with a mother who wants to pass her off as much younger than she actually is. To add some Regency comedy, mother and daughter both want the same man.

As is the case with all the different Regency series that Ms Chesney wrote, much of the focus in this is on the recurring characters. In this series it's the ones who own the Poor Relation hotel, specifically, Sir Philip, whose choice of lady friends offends the rest of the hotel owners.

Warning to clean romance fans: This book is a bit more risqué than most of Ms. Chesney's Regencies, but by no means graphic.

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~Book Review~ Mrs Budley Falls from Grace

Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3 of 5 pearls (reviewed Nov 18, 2010)


~Third installment in the Poor Relation series~ 3.4 pearls

Not as funny as the first two books but still quite amusing with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Marion Chesney continues to be an excellent author to pick up if one is looking for a humorous escape.

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Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace (The Poor Relation Book 3) (Amazon link)

~Book Review~ The Wicked Godmother

The Wicked Godmother by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3.2 of 5 pearls

~Third installment in the House for the Season series~ 3.2 pearls 

Another delightful escape although this one isn't as amusing as the others in the series since the heroine is a bit of an airhead and some of her naïveté is annoying rather than funny. Still, if all you're looking for is a silly romance to kill an hour or two, this is a good one to read.

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~Book Review~ Plain Jane

Plain Jane by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3.4 of 5 pearls

~Second installment in the House for the Season series~ 3.4 pearls 

The best thing about this series is the main characters. Even though each book is a romance, there is a different hero/heroine in each who fall in love and move on. The main characters, namely the servants at Number 67 Clarges Street in Regency Mayfair, are delightfully three-dimensional, probably because they are given 6 books in which to develop. 

(This is only the second book but I've read the whole series before, hence the reason I'm able to make the above statement.) 

As for this book in particular, there were moments of laughter, moments of grrr, and moments of give me a break with substantial eye-rolling. Even so, I love Ms Chesney's way of mocking all the ridiculous foibles of Regency England. Truly entertaining but again, definitely not for those who are overly picky about "correct" writing.* 

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Watch for more of my Marion Chesney reviews in the coming days. Illness makes me crave silliness. lol

*I purchased this book and was not paid in any way for my review.

~Book Review~ The Miser of Mayfair

The Miser of Mayfair by Marion Chesney

My rating: 3.3 of 5 pearls

~First installment in the House for a Season series~ 3.3 pearls

I always get a kick out of how dense the heroine acts in this story. It's entertaining, especially in relation to those around her who are trying to determine if she's really that dense or if she's really very clever. Overall, amusing with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Don't read this if you get uptight about the "correct" way to write. Ms Chesney POV switches within paragraphs.*

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There will be more Marion Chesney reviews in the coming days. I've been sick and these books are entertaining without being too intense or emotionally draining. They're also short, around 150 pages each in a mass market paperback size. I've read several already and posted my reviews to Goodreads so I just need to post them again here.

*I purchased this book and my review reflects my personal views. No one paid me in any way for my review.

~Book Review~ "The Naked Duke" by Sally MacKenzie

The Naked Duke by Sally MacKenzie

My rating: 2.6 of 5 pearls

(Reviewed in January 2010) 

Synopsis: The heroine and hero are caught in a compromising position and must marry. Meanwhile, someone is trying to kill him and prevent their marriage. 

My two cents: The book started out rather silly, as other reviewers have pointed out. Then the villain made his memorable debut in a scene that turned my stomach. The hero and heroine were lovely characters and their interactions highly entertaining, but I was too distracted by the nasty, nasty villain to enjoy the romance.

I give this book 2.6 pearls because it was funny at times. I mean, laugh-out-loud, make-everyone-in-the-room-stare-at-you, funny. It was that funny. However, I can't, in good conscience, recommend it to anyone. The villain was way too evil for such a funny romance and the love scenes were quite graphic. While I enjoyed parts of this book, I won't read it again and I probably won't read the rest of the series.

This review is based on the paperback I purchased. I was in no way paid for this review.

~Year of the Historical~ March: Moonlight Mist

I finished this several weeks ago but have neglected to post my review. It didn't help that I neglected to finish the book within the month specified. My bad. I do apologize for this. 

Title: Moonlight Mist

Author: Laura London (Sharon and Thomas Curtis)

Genre: Romance

Setting: Regency England (early 1800s) 

Pub Date: 1979
Rating: (3.1 pearls)
Warnings: None

This was a solid 3-pearl, just OK read. The heroine was only 17 and rather annoyingly immature for most of the book. I liked the hero but the story didn't focus much on him. It was a little prosy but common for a book published in '79. I enjoyed it but it's not one I would reread. On the positive side, if you are looking for a non-religious romance that is clean, this one definitely qualifies.

What am I reading for May? 

My current historical read is Suzanne Allain's Mr. Malcolm's List. I'm over halfway and while this isn't a book that constantly has me thinking about it and anxious to get back to it, I definitely find it amusing when I am reading it. Look for my full review at the end of the month. (Or early next month, LOL.)

~Book Review~ "Under a Lakota Moon" by Deborah L Weikel

Title: Under a Lakota Moon

Author: Deborah L Weikel

Genre: Fiction/Romance/Historical/Inspirational

Publisher: Walnut Springs Press

ISBN: 978-1-93521-718-3

Format: Trade Paperback, 289 pages

List Price: $15.95US

Reviewed: October 3, 2009

Rated: 3.2 pearls (Good. Probably could have been better, but worth the read.)

Warnings: None other than a strong religious theme (it is an inspirational romance, after all)

Synopsis: In 1870, divorced mother of two Rosalynn, moves to Minnesota to help her sister with her children. She arrives to find her sister gone, the children with the minister, and an angry half-Lakota brave named Lone Wolf who insists that the house and land are his along with the children.

My two cents: I had trouble putting this book down. Any book that keeps me coming back to it over and over definitely deserves at least 3 pearls. It was easy to visualize everything as it happened. The romance was incredibly sweet and any love scenes were completely vague. I was intrigued with the inner struggle of Rosalynn. The storyline was predictable, but the real focus was the heroine's determination to retain a firm hold on her sanity through her faith in God.

What made me deduct almost two pearls? Everything was too perfect for believability. I had some trouble accepting that these characters, with all of their very real insecurities, would have acted the way they did. They had these insecurities but no flaws. It was very hard for me to relate to characters who were so perfect. On the other hand, the villain(s) had nothing but flaws. I had trouble connecting with characters that were all so black and white.

Overall, I thought it was good but probably could have been better.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

Title: The Lost Duke of Wyndham

Author: Julia Quinn

Series: Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 1

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon Books

ISBN: 97800060876104

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 371 pages

List Price: $7.99US

Characters: Jack Audley, Grace Eversleigh

In a nutshell: Jack Audley, highwayman, is kidnapped by the Dowager Duchess of Wyndham and her companion, Grace Eversleigh, when the old woman recognizes him as her grandson.

Characters: Grace is the long-suffering companion to an annoyingly proud, irritable old woman. She endeavors to be kind and understanding which sometimes translates into “doormat.” I wasn't very attached to her but I didn't hate her either. She seemed a little two-dimensional as compared to some of Ms Quinn's other heroines. There didn't seem to be much of a backstory with her other than a brief explanation as to the reason for her position with the dowager.

Jack was funny but, again, rather two-dimensional when compared to Ms Quinn's other heroes. He wasn't as funny, wasn't as tortured, wasn't as memorable. He was just ok.

Storyline: The whole point of this story is the discovery of a lost heir to the Duchy of Wyndham. Jack Audley's father was the older brother of the current duke's father, making him the rightful duke...if Jack's parents were legally wed. I thought the plot was interesting, a little different, and rather well-done, actually. Quite believable.

Meanwhile, the companion, Grace, falls in love with Jack. He, of course, falls in love right back. I have little opinion of the love story part of this book. That, in and of itself, is quite telling, I think. I was a little surprised at how few detailed love scenes were in this book. Not to say that Ms Quinn is normally overly graphic, but I seem to recall far more in her previous novels. (This is a point in this book's favor, by the way.)

Criticisms: This story lacked the depth of Ms Quinn's other novels. Honestly, had she just written one book, titled it The Two Dukes of Wyndham, and wrote from the POVs of each of the four—Jack and Grace from the 1^st book and Thomas and Amelia from the 2^nd book—she could have had a winning novel. It would have been faster paced than her previous novels, but it would have been far less repetitive. Just my opinion.

I read the two books together, skipping over parts that were just a repeat scene. I think this helped weed out a lot of the annoyance due to repetition.

Overall: 3.4 of 5 stars. I liked the story; it was fun...just not as fun as some of her others...