Liz Carlyle: Beauty Like the Night

Beauty Like the Night: A-
Helene de Severs & Camden Rutledge, Earl of Treyhern
Historical -British Regency

The daughter of London's wickedest widow, Helene de Severs left England in disgrace and has struggled to overcome her heritage. Renowned within Europe's emerging psychiatric field for her gift for healing children, she returns to England confident she has learned to govern her reckless emotions. A disastrous marriage left notoriously ruthless Camden Rutledge, Earl of Treyhern, with a traumatized child and he decides to hire a governess so that he can concentrate on other family fires. Yet the moment Helene arrives, Treyhern's cold reserve is melted by desire he long thought dead. With her elegant clothing and mountain of luggage, the woman is not who he expected. Or is she? Sometimes the workings of the mind are as dangerous as those of the heart. And soon, danger is truly everywhere... (back cover)


I like Ms. Carlyle. I feel that she stays true to the dialogue and the nuances of eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain.

I also happen to love reunion stories. You know, the cheesy first-love, you're-the-only-one-for-me stories where years have passed and yet, the hero and heroine are still in love with each other. What is more romantic than that? (answer: nothing!)

As a novel with the two above-mentioned aspects, I devoured this rather lengthy (419 pgs) story in a matter of hours.

Helene and Cam grew up with each other due to the affair between Helene's mother and Cam's father. Both adult figures were less than stellar parents. Cam's father was inebriated most of the time, flitting from woman to woman while Helene's mother - well, she was a demimondaine.

They fell in love in the wild, unrestrained way that seventeen/eighteen year olds do. But it was more than mere teenage histrionics; lo behold, eleven long years have passed since Helene and Cam were separated and when they meet - Helene is hired as Cam's daughter's special governess - it is hard for them to control their emotions. Whatever happened in the past ...is the past... right? (Wrong!)

The angst that Helene and Cam face, I feel, is founded on realistic doubts and insecurities: both people work hard to avoid turning out like his/her respective parent, but at the same time, they struggle with the depths of their feelings they have for one another.

As I've stated in previous blog entries, I'm not fond of kids that play a vital part in the romance equation because the focus is then not on the hero and heroine, but on the child as well. And dammit, those children need a lot of attention! Though Beauty Like the Night featured Cam's little daughter, she played a cool and un-bratty character. I had no desire to, like, smack the child upside the head.

There is also a tiny little mystery-adventure at the end. It's as adventurous and thrilling as one might expect an adventure in a romance novel to be. (I mean, how can it be super duper mysterious if you know all's going to turn out well in the end?) I realize I'm being somewhat vague with the plot, but I can't help it. I dislike spoilers and so I will leave you with:

Read. Be happy. Ignore the giggle-inducing cover.
(Really, were gentlemen's breeches that tight? Because... uh... IthinkIseemalecoverartmodel'sbuttcrack. I can't ignore it, really - it's smack-dab front-center! See for yourselves!)

Sophia Nash: The Kiss

The Kiss: A
Georgiana Wilde & Quinn Fortesque

He had once been her cherished childhood companion, and then the man she lusted for in secret, but Georgiana Wilde hasn't seen recently widowed Quinn Fortesque since the day he married another woman and shattered her heart. Then fate intervenes and brings the man she dreams about each night back to her . . . .

Returning to the estate on family business, Quinn would like nothing more than to turn the land over to Georgiana and leave the memories of his former life behind. But then the brooding marquis finds himself under the spell of the beauty he once left behind. With her barely concealed passions, Georgiana melts his coolly guarded heart. Suddenly his well-ordered world is in danger of crashing down. And it all began with just one kiss . . . (amazon)

Have you ever read something out of a book, gasp in shock, then moan for the characters?

Ms. Nash’s story was full of those moments. It got to the point where my sister told me to shut up (I was reading in her room, keeping her company as she studied). But it’s not my fault! I couldn’t help it! It’s Ms. Nash’s fault for creating a story full of wit, romance, love, angst, and overall drama (that we all love, even though we claim we don’t). Man, it was one satisfying read!

(I realize that this is another reunion story. Man, I love those!)

Georgiana, Quinn, and Anthony were childhood friends. Quinn and Anthony were cousins, with Anthony as the heir to the Ellesmere Marquis-ship. Quinn was an orphan, one that Anthony’s parents had grudgingly taken in. And Georgiana? She was the daughter of the Ellesmere estates’ steward.

The story starts out with Georgiana and Anthony’s wedding night. She had given up on Quinn, who years ago, married and went away to work as a foreign diplomat. Shockingly, Anthony dies on their wedding night and Georgiana is the newly widowed Marquess of Ellesmere, to the horrification (is that a word or did I just create it?) of Anthony’s mother, the Dowager Duchess.

With the death of Anthony, Quinn is handed the title, and he returns to Penrose, Cornwall with his cutie-pie nine year old daughter, Fairleigh.

There is a strong attraction between Quinn and Georgiana, however, the conflict and drama surrounding Anthony threatens to harm their relationship.

I loved Georgiana’s spunky and independent nature; I also loved Quinn because… well, he was hot. (lol) And as the story unfolds, it is heartbreaking to see the angst and trial that they all go through. It makes you think about how much your actions have on other people – because Anthony and Quinn’s late wife both impacted Georgiana and Quinn in a number of ways.

While this is the sequel to Nash’s A Dangerous Beauty, it can be read as a stand-alone and is utterly wonderful. I’m so disappointed that her next novel is going to be released next February! What, are they nuts?! I can only count down the days for Grace’s story – Lord knows she deserves one.

Lisa Kleypas: Again the Magic

Again the Magic: A+
Lady Aline Marsden & John McKenna

...Her latest book follows the romance between childhood friends Lady Aline Marsden and stable boy John McKenna. When the budding romance between Aline and McKenna is discovered, McKenna is banished from the estate. In order to protect him from her father's wrath, Aline makes McKenna believe that she's rejecting him because of his lowly status. Now a real estate tycoon in New York City, McKenna returns with a plan-to seduce and abandon Aline as punishment for her earlier rejection. However, McKenna is unaware of the secrets Aline has kept all this time, and he's unprepared for the passion that he and Aline still share. Although the conflict between hero and heroine could be resolved with one honest conversation, the author creates a believable reason for their continued silence. Kleypas also explores some intriguing issues, particularly in a subplot involving Aline's sister and a charming alcoholic who accompanies McKenna. (amazon)

Oh, this book was so good! Remember how I said that Joanna Bourne’s The Spymaster’s Lady wasn’t mind-blowing, orgasm-inducing great?

Well, this one is. This story is fabulously, fantasically wonderful and completely poignant.

(sigh)

John McKenna is a poor, stable boy at the Marsdens residence. Aline is the daughter of a lord, and in following the traditions of the elite, her fate is to comply with an arranged marriage – one that would be a “good match.”

Because the Marsden residence, Stonybrook is in the countryside, Aline’s parents don’t pay attention to the happenings of their children, except Marcus – the eldest and heir. Thus, Aline and McKenna become friends – then best friends – and spend the better part of ten years together, fishing, climbing trees, romping around wreaking havoc. In this process, they fall in love with each other, something that both know is pretty much horrible, and that no good can ever result from their passionate, adolescent loving.

They are caught and McKenna is sent away.

Twelve years later, McKenna has made something huge of himself in New York, and is filthy rich. He and his business colleague return to Stonybrook to try to convince Lord Westbrook, Marcus, to invest in their business dealings… and McKenna and Aline meet.

Sparks fly and old feelings come back in a rush.

But they are not the same people that they were twelve years before and much has happened during those years.

Okay. My favorite types of romances are first-love romances and a rags-to-riches type storyline intertwined. This one is that – live and color. I love loved McKenna – my sister read the story, at my insistence, and said that yes, it was a good story, but that the hero was too brooding and arrogant.

He is (lovably so), but he isn’t the same person he was when he first fell in love with Aline, understandably so. BUT, he casts aside everything for Aline and tries his damned hardest to win her back. His words to her, in attempts of convincing her to be with him, made squeal like a fat pig. It was so tender and loving… completely overwhelming with love.

And Aline was gorgeous but had to deal with some of the obstacles life threw at her. She was prideful and insecure, but you find that she is the perfect foil to McKenna.

I’d like to say now, that Lisa Kleypas made a mistake when she wrote this book. The heroine’s name is Aline, but she had intended it to be Alice. (How could she possibly misspell Alice? I’m sure it was a typo and that in the re-issue, they’ll quickly change it.)

“Aline Alice, I love you,” McKenna said with passion…

(sigh!!)

If you love first-love reunion stories, with a strong, dark, hunky, and completely attractive hero, this one is a must read!

Lauren Royal: Lost in Temptation

Lost in Temptation: C-
Sweet Temptation Series #1

Alexandra Chase & Tristan Nesbitt, Lord Hawkridge

The last time Lady Alexandra Chase saw Tristan Nesbitt, she was a teenager with a hopeless crush. Now, seven years later after meeting again, Alexandra discovers that her feelings for Tristan have not diminished. The one thing that has changed is that Tristan, with his sudden rise in station to Lord Hawkridge, is now a perfectly acceptable suitor. Then Tristan cruelly dashes all of Alexandra's romantic hopes by informing her that they can never wed since the scandal surrounding his sudden inheritance threatens to ruin any woman he marries. Despite what Tristan may think, Alexandra knows he is the only man for her, and she is determined to do whatever it takes to change his mind...

Boring and typical.

Alexandra Chase is beautiful, unoriginal, boring, and perfect. She has been in love with her older brother’s friend, Tristan Nesbitt, Lord Hawkridge, since she was a little girl. To her dismay, he left England to work for his Uncle at a plantation in an island place (Haiti? Jamaica?) Tristan sees Alexandra as the sister of his best friend.

Fast forward five years. He returns with a title because of the death of his uncle – and he comes back with a dark scandal. There are rumors that he murdered his uncle while he was abroad.

So he comes to Alexandra’s home, where she is getting courted. (Sadly, she didn’t get a full Season with the ton because her mother passes away, then her father, then her eldest brother, and then her grandma, all with a six-month interval. So they were in continual mourning for like four years…)

Her older brother, Griffin, needs help with irrigating his vineyard, something their eldest brother wanted to do but passed away before being able to do so. Luckily, Tristan has invented some special pump to irrigate water upwards, defying gravity, and he stays at their home to create the mold and to build it.

There is the forbidden attraction between them two – since Tristan refuses to court Alexandra, even though they both have feelings for each other because of the scandal that is following Tristan (he’s shunned by the ton).

But they are caught in a compromising situation (dang, a lot of these things happened back in the olden days…) while Tristan is sleep-walking and they get married! Alexandra is determined to solve the case of Tristan’s uncle’s death so that Tristan is able to have a clean slate…

If you don’t know what happens in the end, everything gets solved and they live happily ever after. (LOL)

I enjoyed the last book of the series, The Art of Temptation, more than this one. Alexandra is a bit boring and even a little irksome when she is so determined to get Tristan. It’s an admirable character trait – going after something you want – but somehow, it didn’t work well for her.

You can also see the start of Griffin and Rachael’s story (which I already knew how it ended, not that it would have ended any other way). Alexandra’s sisters, Julianna and Corinna, are introduced and play cute roles in setting Alexandra and Tristan up. However, Julianna sounds super nosy (she is described as being so) and I don’t know if I’d like her as a heroine. Corinna, I liked.

Read for not-that-great fluff. You won’t get much else.