~Book Review~ Whisper of Scandal

Whisper of Scandal by Nicola Cornick 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 pearls 

Sensitive readers warning: Contains graphic love scenes 

Wow. I started this book and didn't want to put it down. I thought about it when I had to put it down. I loved it.

The main characters were engaging. I even liked Alex, with his arrogance and ignorant determination to believe in his "friend's" honesty, thus believing Joanna to be a manipulative harpy. I thought it made him realistic. At moments it was irritating, but like I said, realistic.

My favorite part of this was the unusual setting. The Arctic in a Regency romance? That's awesome! It was fascinating and reminded me why I enjoyed Madeleine Brent titles so much, the exotic locales. My only beef was how long it took them to get there. Halfway through the book I was beginning to wonder if they'd ever go.

There are sex scenes, but they are skippable (if you're the skipping type) and the story stands on its own without them. At least, I think it does.

I will be reading the next in the series, One Wicked Sin, even though I didn't like Lottie in Whisper of Scandal. The setting is a parole town in 1813 and that intrigues me more than anything else.

Disclaimer: I purchased this paperback at Wal-Mart. I am not being paid in any way for my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

~Book Review~ Miss Isabella Thaws a Frosty Lord

Miss Isabella Thaws a Frosty Lord by Larissa Lyons 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 pearls

warning for sensitive readers: there is a graphic love scene at the very end 

I debated exactly what to rate this story, 4 or 5 pearls. Ultimately, though, it boiled down to one undeniable fact: Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Thus, it receives 4.5 pearls from me (rounding up to 5). 

This novella is reminiscent of the older, traditional Regencies, fun and sweet. I could picture these characters so clearly and I adored their interactions. I laughed several times, smiled most of the time, and teared up at others. 

The final chapter, however, was one I skipped, mostly, as it was a love scene between the married H/H. It was a little too graphic for my personal tastes. Other than that, I adored this story.

I designed the cover for this story before reading it. I'm quite pleased with how well it matches. :O)

My Kindle copy was supplied by the author. I was not paid in any way for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own. Purchasing through the Amazon link provided here will result in me earning a tiny commission.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

~Book Review~ Wickedly Charming

Wickedly Charming by Kristine Grayson

My rating: 4.5 of 5 pearls

Oh my. I seriously didn't expect to enjoy this story but lately, I've been interested in fairy tale retellings. This one was hard to put down (even while using Kindle for PC) and made me laugh quite a bit. I really enjoyed Ms Grayson's style, even with the multiple "brackets-within-parentheses" in the story. I loved the characters even when I wanted to slap them all, just to wake them up a little. I loved the feel-good quality of the story. It left me with a happy sigh. There were typos, of course, more than I expected, but nothing so bad as to cause frustration.

My favorite line (one that made me laugh out loud, much to my husband's amusement): "(...it was her experience that anyone with a shred of power should be pitched across a room [or down a staircase] every once in a while.)" (Her is in reference to the heroine, Mellie.)

I was also pleasantly surprised by the lack of sexual details. That's hard to find in romances, especially contemporary-set ones. There was a little bit of language, but nothing that pulled me out of the story and certainly nothing that made me consider walking away from it.

I definitely didn't take this seriously. It was entertaining, different (for me, anyway), and lighthearted, though I do appreciate the underlying message.

Would I read it again? Probably.

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure I downloaded this free from Amazon. I could be wrong about the free part, but I know I got it from Amazon. I was not paid in any way for my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

~Book Bargains~ All Jaimey Grant Titles Free {Today Only}

I'm offering all of my eBooks for FREE. That's right, free. Today only (Friday, November 25) you can download one or all of my eBooks from Smashwords for FREE. The codes stop working on Saturday so take advantage NOW. 

Have I said FREE enough?

Here are the links and codes. All you have to do is click over to Smashwords, add the book(s) to your cart, apply the code(s), and submit your order. Make sure your cart total is $0.00 before you click submit. 

• The Dragon's Birth (fantasy short story [not romance]) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93831 

Code: KX58A 

• Honor (Regency romance) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60023 

Code: DY39S 

• Betrayal (Regency romance) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1324 

Code: VL69J 

• Deception (Regency romance) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/22609 

Code: RH36B 

• Spellbound (Regency romance) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1375 

Code: AY43H 

• Redemption (Regency romance) 

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1433 

Code: KE43Q 

Happy reading!!

*Crossover post from my author blog.

~Book Bargains~ Arms of an Angel

Linda Boulanger's Arms of an Angel (eBook edition) will only be the bargain price of $0.99 for a limited time! Get your copy now, before it jumps up to $1.99 (still a bargain, I know, but a dollar's a dollar, right?). This is a fabulous, emotionally draining, sweet, happily-ever-after romance novella. I recommend it, even though it's contemporary and everyone knows I far prefer historical. ;O) 

Grab it from the Kindle store or Smashwords. 

Happy reading!! 

~Book Giveaway Winner~ Lonely Hearts and Darkspell eBooks

According to Random.org, the person with the 6th comment won. Congratulations, Anonymous (jodiewbb@aol.com)! Watch your inbox for an email from jaimeygrant {at} yahoo {dot} com.

Thanx for entering, everyone!!

~Book Giveaway~ Launch Party Excitement!

Two of my fellow TreasureLine Publishing authors are celebrating their book launches today and guess what? They are both clean romances! YAY! 

Today is the official release day for Amanda Stephan's Lonely Hearts, a contemporary Christian romance sure to leave you with a sigh and maybe even a tear or two.

From the Novel Launch page:
  "One lonely mother. Two matchmaking kids. Three eligible bachelors, and some very yummy apple pie!
  When widow Becky Callis moves to a new town, her intentions were to start over in a place where she's not reminded of her dead husband. Her kids, however, take it as a chance to help her start over romantically. They soon realize it's easier to find someone to like their mother than it is to figure out which man is best for her.
  To the delight of both kids, young and handsome cowboy Scott Boone makes his interest plain and starts courting Becky almost immediately.
  But Jack Anderson and Becky have been friends since childhood. When they're reunited years after their lives have taken very different paths, this lonely preacher begins to wonder if God has brought her back into his life for a reason.
  Pearce Morgan is a single parent raising his young daughter. Divorced and disillusioned, an unlikely friendship arises between him and Becky when his shy daughter decides she loves Becky and her kids.
  Lonely Hearts is a heartwarming story of second chances and choices, and includes an exclusive apple pie recipe!"

Elizabeth Mueller's Darkspell made its debut yesterday, just in time for Halloween ordering. This young adult paranormal novel is sure to satisfy your desire for romance and adventure.

From the Novel Launch page:
  "Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary ... until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter's protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? Included in this volume are author-created illustrations that bestselling author Ellen C. Maze calls a mind blowing treat. Darkspell is classified as a Young Adult Paranormal Romance that will appeal beyond the genre."

The books above link to the official party pages at the Novel Launch website. Click on over to see all the wonderful ways to win books and prizes.

But first...

I've been given two e-copies (one of each book) to give away to one very fortunate commenter. The winner will be announced tomorrow, November 2, and I will accept entries right up until I make the announcement.  The winner will receive two Smashwords download codes, which will be emailed right to his/her inbox. Make sure you remember to include your email address in your comment. If you can't wait to see if you've won and want these books now, click over to Novel Launch for special party pricing.

Happy reading and commenting!!