~Book Review~ "The Crown of Anavrea" by Rachel Rossano

Synopsis: A slave woman helps an outlaw escape capture and travels with him to the only place he knows he'll be safe. He gives her her freedom in exchange for her assistance.

My two cents: I loved this story! It was short at only 109 e-book pages (80 paperback) and every time I was forced to walk away from it, all I wanted to do was come back and finish it. I found the hero and heroine easy to like. Neither one was by any means perfect; they were both realistic and believable. The tale is fast-paced yet takes place over the course of many weeks. Any love scenes are completely vague, making this a suitable read for young adults.

Despite the novella length of this tale, the characters are well developed. I would have liked to have had more story, more detail in regard to their struggle, both internal and external. I wanted to spend more time with them.

*Review based on e-book provided free by the author.

Title: The Crown of Anavrea

Author: Rachel Rossano

Publisher: PublishAmerica

Genre: Fiction/Romance/Fantasy

Format: Paperback, 79 pages

List price: $16.95US

Format reviewed: e-book, 109 pages (not currently avl for purchase)

Rating: 4.3 pearls

Warnings: NONE

~Author Interview & Book Giveaway~ Miss Mae, author of When the Bough Breaks

The day is finally here! Today I am interviewing the lovely and talented Miss Mae, author of the excellent YA novel, When the Bough Breaks. Discover the reason behind her pen name, the inspiration for her new release, and what time period she prefers. Then find out how you can win a copy of When the Bough Breaks.

To read my 5-pearl review of When the Bough Breaks, click here.

I always ask, have you always wanted to be a writer?

Well, pretty much. When I was younger, my dream was to be an artist. I took art classes in school and was told I had talent. One of my still life drawings was presented at an exhibition. This desire stayed with me until my teen years when I became drawn to romantic suspense from the library books I checked out. After reading those, I dreamed of creating my own worlds and characters.

"Miss Mae" is a pseudonym, I assume. Why did you choose to use a pen name?

Though my name is only four letters, people seem to have the hardest time remembering it, or pronouncing it correctly, or spelling it the proper way. I decided, if published, I needed something really simple and easy!

Give us a little glimpse into how your mind works. Do you think of a character or scene first? How does the story progress from there?

Hmm, you know I'm not exactly sure myself! LOL I think just a seed pops up, and I don't really think about it much. Weeks, or months may pass and over time that seed will take shape and morph into a "formula." So I guess it's the scenes first that appears and then the characters are created to fit.

What was the inspiration behind When the Bough Breaks?

LOL, the concept of the "bad boy" being tamed by his love for the "good girl". But in this particular story, I had to come up with a reason for his supposed "playboy" reputation. So the "rich master of the big house in a small town" was added, and the ensuing secrets that came along just created extra spice!

Do you like to listen to music while you write? If so, what type of music do you prefer?

No, I can't listen to music. Too distracting. I prefer quiet, but that's hard to find with four dogs running in and out of my room!

Just for fun, what's your favorite color? Food? Animal? Time period?

My favorite color is blue, but red comes close to tying it. Favorite food is chocolate...yum! And animal? Wow, I can't say there's a favorite since I adore animals (I can't eat them either). And time period...um, probably 1950's and early 1960's. Seemed like such a fun age then (thinking "Happy Days" here.)

Where can we find your books?

It would really help so much if prospective buyers would buy straight from the publishers' sites. That would be The Wild Rose Press and Whimsical Publications.

Direct book links from the publishers:

Said the Spider to the Fly, e-book

Said the Spider to the Fly, paperback

See No Evil, My Pretty Lady, e-book

When the Bough Breaks, paperback

Thank you for joining us, Miss Mae!

Want a chance to win a paperback of When the Bough Breaks? Miss Mae has graciously agreed to send a paperback copy to one very fortunate reader.

First, the ground rules:

1. You must be a follower of this blog. This makes it easier for me to contact you if you've won. Following is not an entry but it is required. I've only done a few giveaways but I've already experienced problems when the entrants don't follow me.
2. Multiple entries are allowed. Leave separate comments for each entry. For example, if you choose to follow Miss Mae's author blog and her group blog, leave one comment stating that you follow her author blog and one comment stating that you follow her group blog. Any questions?
3. Make sure your comment(s) are unique, as in, if you are known as Jane Doe, please add something to your comment to differentiate yourself from the other Jane Does out there.
4. This giveaway is open to US residents only. If you are under 18, please have an adult enter for you.

Here's how to enter:

1. Follow Miss Mae's author blog, Pure Southern Genteel. You must follow publicly and leave a comment on this post to indicate you're following or we won't know that you are.
2. Follow Miss Mae's group blog, The Sweetest Romance Authors. Again, you must follow publicly and leave a comment on this post to be entered.

It's that simple. A winner will be drawn Monday, December 28. Entries will be accepted until December 27, Midnight Eastern time. The winner will be announced on this blog on Monday, 12/28. Check back then to see if you won.

Happy reading, writing, and blogging!

Book Review: The Pirate and the Puritan by Mary Clayton

Title: The Pirate and the Puritan
Author: Mary Clayton
Genre: Fiction/Romance/Historical
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 1601541198
Format: e-book, 358 pages
List Price: $6.00US
Reviewed: August 20, 2009
Rating: 5 stars (4.6)
Warnings: None

Synopsis: Kidnapped by pirates, a mute Puritan finds herself drawn to the pirate captain, intrigued by his protection of her and his obvious dislike of his own lot in life. He is drawn to her by her innocence and strength, unable to forget her even though he knows he should.

My two cents: The Pirate and the Puritan is one of the best clean reads I've had the privilege to peruse this year. Taking place several years after the Salem witch trials, the heroine is Mercy Penhall, a young woman whose voice was lost after witnessing one of those horrific trials firsthand. I was immediately drawn to this woman, feeling the pain, frustration and fear that were a part of her daily life. I loved her overall calm demeanor that could quickly turn to fiery defense when those she cared about were threatened.

The hero is Edmund Gramercy, an unwilling pirate whose choice at one time was piracy or death. He was an interesting character and I would have liked to have had more glimpses into his mind as well as his background. I really liked him and wanted to know more. The story is told more from Mercy's POV with only a few forays into Edmund's.

The novel is very well-written, obviously well-researched and a beautiful romantic story. If you like action, adventure, sweet romance, and a history lesson that doesn't feel like homework, then this story is for you.

This is available in e-book form from The Wild Rose Press and trade paperback from Amazon.

In the Eye of the Beholder by Sharon E Cathcart

Title: In the Eye of the Beholder :

A Novel of the Phantom of the Opera

Author: Sharon E Cathcart

Series: Phantom Series, #1

Genre: Fiction/Historical

Publisher: Scribd

Format: PDF e-book, 121 pages

List Price: $5.00US

Reviewed: July 24, 2009

Rating: 4 stars (4.3)

Warnings: Explicit sexual content

Synopsis: Erik, the physically deformed hero finds a home, a place to belong and be accepted, in the heroine, Claire. She has a fondness for animals, for seeming lost causes. In Erik, she finds the love she thought she'd lost. Together, they escape the personal hells in which they'd been mired.

My two cents: This is a very well-written book. It is also fast-paced. I felt a little swept away and once I started reading, it was hard to stop. (Life, however, would insist otherwise.)

Claire is different than your average romance heroine. She is over thirty, never married, and under the control of a man who does not have her best interests at heart. She rebels against the “proper” behavior expected of her.

Erik is a man who has few friends and lives most of his life in solitude. His fascination with Claire helps heal the wounds caused by the fickle Christine. He is not the nicest man, however, and at times downright nasty.

These two characters could not be any more right for each other and while their coming together felt a little rushed to me, it still seemed right.

I liked Ms Cathcart's take on the classic Phantom story. It was a little more graphic (read: erotic) than I personally care for, but there was story and emotion enough that I enjoyed it even while skipping those scenes. The historical detail is excellent without being “textbook-y” and allows the reader to feel a part of the time period. Do not expect this to be your typical run-of-the-mill romance, however. The end is not expected but somehow, it's still acceptable.

Overall: 4.3 stars. Quick and deep with believable characters who have believable issues.

Note: This book is also available in many digital formats from smashwords.com and in paperback from Amazon and Turner Maxwell Books.

The Wind Whispers War by kgcummings

Title: The Wind Whispers War
Author: kgcummings
Website: www.kgcummings.com
Series: Vietnam Love Story, #1

Genre: Romance/Historical/Vietnam
Publisher: Authorhouse
ISBN: 142596026X
Format: Trade Paperback, 248 pages
List Price: $14.49US
Reviewed: July 9, 2009
Rating: 4 stars (4.3)

Characters: Jeffrey “Mad Dog” Madison, Beth Madison, née Campbell
Warnings: Graphic sexual content; some language

Synopsis: Jeffrey “Mad Dog” Madison is a playboy, finding a certain satisfaction in his romantic pursuits. Until he meets Beth Campbell, a farm girl whose innocence is polar opposite. While unrest is rampant in the world, these two young people fall deeply in love, always aware that war may rip them apart forever.

My two cents: Oh, this book was so hard to put down! This surprised me, as the Vietnam war was not a subject that ever really interested me. But I was immediately intrigued with these two characters and wanted to know what was going to happen next. The emotion was believably written and very easy to get drawn into. I cried more than once, felt like I was living through history that my parents actually did experience and I finally understood some of the stories my mom told me. Not only was this hard to put down, I found myself thinking about these characters later. Kgcummings successfully created characters that the reader could care for. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I want to know what happens to these characters as the story goes on.

And I just have to mention, this series has some of the most beautiful book covers I have ever seen. :o)

Passing Fancies by Elizabeth Mansfield

Title: Passing Fancies

Author: Elizabeth Mansfield

Genre: Romance/Historical/Regency

Publisher: Berkley

ISBN: 0425063356

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 217 pages

List Price: Out-of-print

Reviewed: July 19, 2009

Rating: 4 stars (4.4)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Lovely Lady Philippa Wyckfield gets drawn into any number of unfortunate situations due to her generous nature. Staying with friends she'd known since childhood, she manages to catch the eye of two of the brothers. One wrestles with his disgust of her supposed madcap nature while the other wrestles with his invisibility.

What I liked: I loved the characters with their varied idiosyncrasies. There is Lady Philippa (Pippa), whose generous nature lands her in more trouble than any normal human can handle; William, the stiffly proper head of the Sturtevant household and oldest child of Lady Georgina; Lady Georgina, air-headed, well-meaning mother and lady of the house; Simon, a scientist whose head is more often cloudy with his work than not; Sybil, only daughter and incorrigible madcap; and Dolly, the youngest son whose madness for horseflesh leads to at least one of the unfortunate situations I mentioned earlier. These characters are fleshed-out rather well despite the shortness of this book. Even the Oxbroughs, the lady and her son who are more or less the antagonists of the tale, have their quirks, making them more believable.

There was something I noticed with this book that struck me as interesting. It is written in third person omniscient. Perhaps this POV was more acceptable in 1983 when this book was written. From the research I've done in regard to publishing houses, this POV is not acceptable now. However, I feel Elizabeth Mansfield pulled it off rather well. While reading, I knew what was happening in each character's head, the POV switches were graceful and hardly noticeable. Considering this book is not a mystery in any way, I see no reason why we should not know what everyone is thinking.

The story was entertaining, light and fun. Love scenes were limited to kissing and even those were few and far between. I laughed more than once and at one point I thought I might cry. All that aside, this book is a good choice if you want a delightful, light read.

The Desirable Duchess by Marion Chesney

Title: The Desirable Duchess

Author: Marion Chesney

Genre: Romance/Historical/Regency

Publisher: Fawcett Crest

ISBN: 0449221563

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 172 pages

List Price: Out-of-print

Reviewed: December 2, 2008

Rating: 4 stars (4.1)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Alice is in love with Sir Gerald. Her parents orchestrate a break-up and marry her off to the new peer in town, the Duke of Farrant. A talking bird starts off the controversy. Misunderstandings and general nuttiness ensue.

My opinion: Quite an amusing read...the first time. It's still funny, even six reads later, but if it is re-read too soon, it's just annoying. The talking bird isn't even the funny part. The silliness of the main characters and several supporting characters is what induces chuckling.

The heroine is 18 or so when the story starts and seems in keeping with her age, i.e., naive and trusting. The duke is around 30, a veteran of the Peninsular Campaign, and so a little hardened--something that is not really evidenced in the story except for a very few instances when the duke says/thinks something to that effect. Meanwhile, he has some serious problems with jealousy.

Overall: 4.1 stars because I do really like this very succinct story. I like Marion Chesney's ability to stuff an entertaining story into a very small book... :o)

Tilly by Jennie Tremaine (Marion Chesney)

Title: Tilly

Author: Jennie Tremaine

Genre: Romance/Historical/Edwardian

Publisher: Dell

ISBN: 0440186374

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 254 pages

List Price: Out-of-print

Reviewed: December 16, 2008

Rating: 4 stars (3.8)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Gauche and chubby Lady Tilly is left destitute when her father dies and ends up working for a neighbor, Lady Aileen, as her companion. Lady Aileen treats her abominably, and the Marquess of Heppleford steps in to rescue her, offering a marriage of convenience. He abandons her on their wedding day and she makes herself over with the help of her maid, Francine, determined to make him fall in love with her.

My opinion: Typical Marion Chesney except Edwardian instead of Regency. Little facts are dropped here and there but nothing too in depth or off topic. The storyline is fairly common but Ms Chesney manages a level of humor that causes the reader to suddenly bust out laughing. I believe Ms Chesney takes great delight in mocking the eccentricities of the upper classes of the time periods she portrays.

I found Tilly's metamorphosis quite believable. Considering she was chubby and made up like a clown before Francine got a hold of her, it makes sense that a simple makeover and diet could transform her into a physical beauty. As for her hoydenish behavior, she has a few relapses, showing that she was still the same underneath despite all the studying of etiquette she was made to do.

Honestly, I don't have much of an opinion of the hero. He was typical, I think, of his upbringing, feeling he had certain rights just because he was born male and wealthy. For all that, he was not too bad. Other than the cheating thing. That was reprehensible.

Overall, it was a light, enjoyable read. Despite the fact that the cover declares this to be a Regency romance, it takes place in Britain, early 1900s, nearly 100 years after the Regency. Just FYI.

Kitty by Jennie Tremaine (Marion Chesney)

Title: Kitty

Author: Jennie Tremaine

Genre: Romance/Historical/Edwardian

Publisher: Dell

ISBN: 0440149819

Format: Mass Market Paperback,

List Price: Out-of-print

Reviewed: December 25, 2008

Rating: 4 stars (3.6)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Shy, Kitty Harrison's miserly father dies, revealing her to be an heiress. Lord Peter Chesworth needs money to restore his beloved estate and asks for Kitty's hand, professing a love he didn't feel. He believes her to be as pushing as her mother and treats her quite callously after the vows are said. Kitty retreats further into herself, shocked and dismayed by the unlovely turn her life has taken. Then, someone decides she's better off dead.

My Opinion: Typical Marion Chesney, witty and darkly amusing at times, with tidbits of history and mockery of the upper class eccentricities. I didn't find it all that romantic; Peter was a cad at first and it was hard to believe he would fall in love with Kitty. The attempts on Kitty's life were more interesting than anything, really. It took me a little longer than usual to solve the mystery.

Overall, 3.6 stars for wit, historical fact-dropping, and because I like Marion Chesney's often mocking look at the upper classes.

The Devil's Delilah by Loretta Chase

Title: The Devil's Delilah

Author: Loretta Chase

Series: Regency Noblemen, #2

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Fawcett Crest

ISBN: 0449218945

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 282 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Reviewed: March 20, 2009

Rating: 4 stars (4.4)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: The daughter of a notorious member of Society is determined to stop her father from publishing his scandalous memoirs. To help her in this goal is a bookworm who seems far too muddled to be a proper hero.

My opinion: Not your typical run-of-the-mill romance hero, Jack Langdon is neither dashing nor scandalously improper. Not until he meets Delilah Desmond, that is. She seems to bring out his wild side in a delightfully amusing way. She is the daughter of a man known as Devil Desmond, a man who was scorned by Society for marrying an actress. Having been given the example of two very unconventional parents, she is predictably unconventional herself. And yet, I did not find her to be annoyingly belligerent, or "know-it-all" as so often happens with heroines of her nature. These were two characters I quite liked and found myself rooting for. Delilah's father is one of the best “dark” characters I've ever read.

Overall: 4.4 stars. It is very well-written, with plenty of little historical details. This story is connected to Viscount Vagabond, the heroes being friends, and I found that, while I really enjoyed Jack's story, comparatively it lacked something that I can't quite put my finger on...

Viscount Vagabond by Loretta Chase

Title: Viscount Vagabond

Author: Loretta Chase

Series: Regency Noblemen, #1

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 0380708361

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 228 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Reviewed: February 22, 2009

Rating: 5 stars (4.8)

Warnings: None

Synopsis: Miss Catherine Pelliston runs away from an unpalatable betrothal and finds herself in a brothel begging a half-naked man for help. He, although being quite drunk and not believing her story, extracts her from the sticky situation she'd managed to land herself in and takes her to his lodgings, later learning of her parentage and offering her marriage to save her reputation.

Characters: Sheesh, Lord Rand made me laugh repeatedly. He was just coming off a 6-month dissipation binge when he met Catherine. For anyone familiar with Chase's Lord of Scoundrels, think Lord Dain but toned-down for a traditionally "sweet" Regency. (Please note, it has been a while since I read LOS, but I remember finding Dain's off-the-wall attitude amusing at times.)

Catherine Pelliston was polar opposite. Cursed with an overactive conscience, she was quite preachy at times. A believable personality, I think.

Together, these two were hilarious. When Catherine preached, Rand always had some odd, quirky response that made me laugh more than once. I have to wonder if two such characters could actually find happiness together, but it is a nice fantasy. :o)

Storyline: The storyline was rather typical, ie, hero proposes to save heroine's reputation, heroine refuses, hero gets to know her better and tries to not fall in love, Happily-Ever-After. The difference is Chase's ability to take this run-of-the-mill storyline and throw in several endearing--and not so endearing--characters with an excellent dose of comedy. A very enjoyable, lighthearted read.

Overall: 4.8 stars

Note: I borrowed the image from Goodreads.com until I get my copy scanned in again...

Her Grace's Passion by Marion Chesney

Title: Her Grace's Passion

Author: Marion Chesney

Series: Three Friends, #3 (unofficially named)

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Fawcett Crest

ISBN: 0449217647

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 170 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Characters: Duchess of Hadshire, Earl of Torridon

Reviewed: December 9, 2008

Synopsis: Matilda, Duchess of Hadshire is finally free of her abusive husband when he is murdered by his own mistress. She falls in love with the Earl of Torridon, trapped in an unhappy marriage himself. When circumstances lend him his freedom, Matilda's guilty conscience will not allow her to be with him.

My opinion: Ok. This is probably my least favorite of this series but I still really liked it. This heroine was more interesting as a friend of the previous two heroines in this series (The Scandalous Lady Wright & His Lordship's Pleasure) than as the "star" of this tale. The hero was a little of a nonentity although I was sorry for him in his choice of first wife. But, a little over halfway through the book, a new character is introduced. Letitia is over six feet tall and quite clumsy. She is incredibly sweet, however, and incredibly loyal. Her pleasant attitude and amusing antics make the somewhat irritating main characters far more palatable. She was my favorite character. As usual, this is very much like other Marion Chesney books. She succinctly tells a story while dropping tiny little factual tidbits about the selected time period. A light, quick read.

Overall: 3.7 stars

His Lordship's Pleasure by Marion Chesney

Title: His Lordship's Pleasure

Author: Marion Chesney

Series: Three Friends, #2 (unofficially named)

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Fawcett Crest

ISBN: 0449217639

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 172 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Characters: Annabelle Carruthers, Earl of Darkwood

Reviewed: December 5, 2008

Synopsis: After enduring marriage to a profligate gambler, Annabelle Carruthers finds herself frightened and alone when her husband dies. Desperate, she offers herself as mistress to the Earl of Darkwood. He allows her to think he accepts her offer while secretly just wanting to help her, knowing she will not take charity.

My opinion: I do like this story--it's part of my favorite Chesney series. However, there is an inconsistency in the story regarding her husband's will. Otherwise, it is a typical Marion Chesney Regency with some kooky supporting characters bringing some comedy relief to another fairly serious plotline.

Overall: 3.8 stars

The Scandalous Lady Wright by Marion Chesney

Title: The Scandalous Lady Wright

Author: Marion Chesney

Series: Three Friends, #1 (unofficially named)

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Fawcett Crest

ISBN: 0449217620

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 184 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Characters: Lady Emma Wright, Comte Saint-Juste

Reviewed: December 3, 2008

Synopsis: Lady Emma Wright is trapped in an abusive marriage to a well-respected member of Parliament. When he is mysteriously murdered, she stands accused until the handsome dilettante, Comte Saint-Juste decides to clear her name. Falling in love with him scares her silly due to the barbarous nature of her late husband.

My opinion: This one, due to the nature of Emma's previous marriage, is not nearly as funny as many of Ms Chesney's other stories. The comte, however, adds a lighter element with his insouciant charm and his best friend, Jolly, is a bit of comic relief. The main focus is on Emma, so we do not get a very good look into the comte's mind. She is a little flighty at times but I suppose that is understandable due to the abuse she's suffered.

Overall: 3.9 stars because I am a Chesney fan and this is probably my favorite series by her because of the element of seriousness that is not often present in her older regencies.

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Title: The Viscount Who Loved Me

Author: Julia Quinn

Series: Bridgertons #2

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 0380815575

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

List Price: $7.99US

Reviewed: December 20, 2008

Rating: 5 stars (4.8)

Warnings: Graphic love scenes

Synopsis: Viscount Bridgerton is convinced he will die at a young age. To that end, he is determined to marry a young woman with whom he could not possibly fall in love. He settles his matrimonial sights on Edwina Sheffield, a young woman of great beauty, manners, and disposition. The only problem is her sister, Kate.

Kate does not believe that rakes make the best husbands. She is determined to prevent her sister from making the horrible mistake of marrying one, namely Anthony Bridgerton. Due to an odd announcement of her sister's at a party, however, Kate is forced into company with the man and finds him annoying at first but gradually learns to like him.

My opinion: This is the 2nd time I've read this and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the first time--you do lose something when you already know what will happen. The characters are very believable and likable, amusing and even unpredictable at times. Their interaction is genuine and the emotion is strong enough to draw the reader in. (I cried after reading the prologue. And then again, later, after certain secrets are revealed.) This whole family is delightful and I will re-read some of the other books in this series at a later time as well as the ones I haven't had the good fortune to acquire yet.

Overall: 4.8 stars.

Sensitive readers beware: This book contains graphic love scenes.

Note: I borrowed the pic from goodreads since Amazon's pic was crap. The currently available edition of this book has a different cover.

Untameable, A Regency Anthology

Title: Untameable

Author(s): Catherine Blair, Kate Huntington, Donna Simpson

Genre: Regency Romance (traditional)

Publisher: Zebra

ISBN: 0821774158

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 256 pages

List Price: Out-of-Print

Reviewed: December 5, 2004

Rating: 4 stars (3.8)

Warnings: None

Since each story is quite unique, I'll comment on each novella separately...

The Rogue's Wife by Catherine Blair: I give this story 2.1 stars. Something about it gave me an icky chill. These two characters, according to a totally unbelievable storyline, fall in love but they are so blind they don't "see" each other. Lady Charlotte thinks the best thing she can do for her husband is push him into all the icky things he supposedly loves to do, namely, drink, gamble, and womanize. John, of course, thinks he should be able to keep his former life—until his wife actually pushes him into it. Both these characters seemed lifeless, abstract, completely one-sided. (July 15, 2009 - I read this and can't believe how harsh I sound. I will re-read this story and reassess my opinion.)

A Breath of Scandal by Kate Huntington: 4.3 stars for this story. In the beginning, I found Miss Abigail Pennington more annoying than anything. The fact that she raised her niece and loved her like a daughter for some reason made it imperative that she obsess over the girl's engagement to a very deserving young man. Enter handsome, charming, wonderfully strong Gabriel Bourbonnais, who may or may not be royalty. Abby's niece takes one look at the enigmatic foreigner and thinks he's perfect, much to her fiance's chagrin. Somehow, according to Abby, this is all Gabriel's fault—which I found rather annoying. Once Abby loosened up a bit, she was an interesting person. Gabriel was mysterious enough to be completely fascinating. The budding romance was more believable in this story than the previous and a certain scene near the end almost had me in tears.

A Rogue's Rescue by Donna Simpson: A whopping 5 stars for Ms. Simpson's touching tale of love and revenge—with an amusing bit of comedy thrown in for good measure. Lord Ingram is one of my all-time favorite Regency heroes. There is just something about a darkly handsome, brooding lord with a reputation based mostly on gossip. The heroine was quite likable, too. Ariadne Lambert is a spinster over 30 and plain as can be. Her self-esteem, however, is wonderful. I was truly impressed. After being told that a certain unscrupulous man is blackmailing a friend of a friend, Ari is determined to teach him a lesson. Her plan is going swimmingly until Ingram decides to rescue her. Not realizing she is trying to set the other man up for a fall, Ingram lets her know the man preys on silly, plain, rich spinsters for their money. It takes him a while to see through Ari's "brainless" act to the intelligent woman beneath. Their falling in love is gradual, believable, and very lovely. Of course, with all these misunderstandings, a mild element of humor is inevitable.

Overall, this book rates only 3.8 stars. Due to my love for the second and third stories, however, Untameable is one of my "keepers."

Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly

Title: Marrying the Captain

Author: Carla Kelly

Series: ?

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

ISBN: 0373295286 (978-0373295289)

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 288 pages

List Price: $5.99US

Rating: 4 stars (4.4)

Warning: Graphic love scenes

Synopsis: Eleanor "Nana" Massie's father, Lord Ratliffe, recruits Captain Oliver Worthy to spy on Nana at the small inn she runs with her grandmother. As soon as he meets Nana, he realizes Ratliffe is up to no good.

What I liked: I am a fan of Carla Kelly. I have read several of her older traditional Regencies and I LOVED them. I liked this one but not quite as much. The characters are likable, the plot is believable and the historical detail is just enough to put you in the time period without making you wonder if you'd purchased a history text by mistake. :o)

What I disliked: So there was one love scene in this book I skipped that contained a little more detail than I personally care for. I was disappointed that this scene was even in the book. Carla Kelly writes a wonderful, moving tale without detailed love scenes. I don't know if this was something she was told to do to get this story published or if she honestly felt it was necessary to the plot. (Traditional Regencies do not seem to have quite the following they once had.) The other thing that annoyed me was—and yes, I know this will sound nitpicky—the nickname “Nana” for the heroine. I'm sorry. When I hear Nana, I think grandma. It was distracting at times. My opinion.

Overall: 4.4 stars. This is probably a book I'll read again.

Sensitive readers beware: This book contains graphic love scenes.

View all my reviews on goodreads.

Mr Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn

Title: Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Author: Julia Quinn

Series: Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 2

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon Books

ISBN: 97800060876111

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 370 pages

List Price: $7.99US

Characters: Thomas Cavendish, Amelia Willoughby

In a nutshell: Thomas Cavendish faces the loss of everything he holds dear when his grandmother kidnaps Jack Audley, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. Along for the ride is Thomas's long-time betrothed, Amelia Willoughby, who may or may not still be his fiancée.

Characters: Amelia is an ok character, I guess. I wasn't very attached to her but I didn't hate her either. She was a little two-dimensional as compared to Ms Quinn's other heroines—very similar to Grace Eversleigh from The Lost Duke of Wyndham, actually. I will say that I found Amelia's constant urge to grow a spine rather believable for a Regency lady raised with the understanding that she would marry a duke one day, raised to honor her parents' wishes above all things. It wasn't until she felt like she was being treated unfairly that she decided she'd stand up for herself.

Thomas is actually a little different from Ms Quinn's usual heroes—the ones I've read so far, anyway. He is very proper, never doing anything wrong, always adhering to duty, ever conscious what is due to his title and position. For all that, he is not all that arrogant. He is quite good friends with his grandmother's companion, Grace. This strikes me as a little unlikely considering how proper he tends to be but I was willing to go along with it. Meanwhile, I think Ms Quinn did a good job portraying how a man who was raised to be nothing but a duke could feel a little lost when faced with the removal of that dominant part of himself.

Storyline: In Mr. Cavendish, I Presume, the focus is on Thomas Cavendish, the possibly dispossessed Duke of Wyndham. There is a lot of introspective ramblings pertaining to each of the main character's feelings on what was happening. Some of these were absolutely necessary, some felt rather redundant. But, as an author myself, I know how difficult it can be to accurately determine how many reminders for a character's actions are necessary, and how many are too many. And honestly, I don't think it is something that really can be determined due to the differences in readers.

The romance of this book was odd, to say the least. Thomas was engaged to Amelia since childhood. Neither one had a choice in the match. Both accepted it but Thomas took his time getting around to the actual marriage. What was weird was the fact that Amelia seemed half in love with him even though he took her completely for granted. It was difficult to believe.

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 may have been a bit 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: 3.8 of 5 stars. I enjoyed this one more than the first—probably because I read it at the same time—and found the inner struggle of this hero far more interesting.

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...

Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley

In a nutshell: 
Lizzie Buckley sent a ranting email to the wrong person. It was supposed to go to her sister; instead, it went to her husband. Doesn't really sound all that bad, does it? Unfortunately, the rant was about him. Finding herself suddenly alone with two small children and facing a divorce, she must come to grips with her own internal battle with postpartum depression. Easier said than done. 

My opinion: 
Well, what can I say that hasn't been said already? Not much. This is a wonderfully written, nicely flowing tale of love with all the glories and pitfalls. Told entirely from Lizzie's third-person POV, the reader is a given a glimpse of life after children when the world should be bright and shiny but, as sometimes happens, is dreary and dull instead. I think Ms Chidley, although admitting that she has not experienced full-blown postpartum depression herself, has aptly captured the essence of this state of mind. She successfully conveyed Lizzie's feelings yet kept the tone light and humorous so as not to overwhelm the reader. There were times, however, where I found my eyes tearing up and times when I laughed out loud. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Score: 5 out of 5