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!)

Laura Lee Guhrke: The Marriage Bed

The Marriage Bed: A-
historical - Victorian
Lady Viola Hammond & Viscount John Hammond


The third book in an unofficial series, we have seen Lady Viola's estrangement from her husband in the books Guilty Pleasures and His Every Kiss.

On Ms. Guhrke's blog, she stated that she had received many inquiries about Viola and her story. When was she going to kill off John (the lowly scumbag!) so that Viola would be able to get her own story? Ms. Guhrke decided to rekindle the romance between the two, something this blogger feels she did successfully.

After eight and a half long years of separation, John is in desperate need of a legitimate heir. His cousin, Percy, whom had been responsible for producing an heir, suddenly passes and John realizes he must make amends with his wife.

One problem.
She absolutely hates him.

When they had married, she was a naive and innocent girl of seventeen who was madly in love with John. After all, he was charming, handsome, and paid the kind of attention to women that they desired. Unfortunately for Viola, John needed to marry someone with a large dowry, something Viola was in possession of with her older brother being a duke and all.

They have six months of happiness.
Then Viola realized John married her for her money, that he had never loved her, and he had even had a mistress until the day of their wedding.

She shuts him out, devastated, and John found comfort in the arms of other women.

By the start of the novel, John has had numerous (but not an excessive number) of mistresses. Viola has created a new life for herself. And society knew that Viola and John were to never be invited to the same social functions. Ever.

And so begins this surprisingly emotional novel.

Emotional for me because I completely felt for Viola. I have the greatest of admiration for any author who manages to make the main conflict of the book less than idiotic. (Like the heroes who are traumatized by a bee sting from their childhood, heroines who refuse to get with the hero because of, oh I don't know, something stupid). Had I been in Viola's situation, I would have been equally as appalled and devastated, but at the same time, I empathized for John.

I also felt this novel managed to capture a sense of realism that a romance is generally unable to do.

I did, however, have some disagreements with the way the author managed to end the book. Thirty pages left and she managed to throw some unnecessary stuff in that bungled the complete happiness I would've felt otherwise.

Bottom line: a worthwhile read, disregarding the last two (stupid) chapters.



PS: I'm totally sneaking into Borders to read Lisa Kleypas' new novel, Married by Morning. I refuse to buy it unless I know I like it. Yes, I'm cheap like that. That's how I roll. *dust shoulders off*

=D

Happy Tuesday!
I hope your Memorial Day was safe and filled with fun.

Mine was awesome:

Pro: managed to get a tan
Con: only from mid-thigh to the knees. I'll extraordinarily tan (and hot!) thighs. Ooh yes, just call me sexy....

Laura Lee Guhrke: His Every Kiss

Hallo!
I'm keeping true to my word and am back with reviews!

At this point, I should probably thank Jen, a book clubber, because I "borrowed" books she no longer wanted to keep, aka books she wasn't planning on rereading. She was going to donate it, but I took them instead. I have the big box in my trunk (it's easier to keep in there and take out several books instead of transporting the entire box). Fear not, I will donate it after I get through the books.

So, thanks Jen! :)


And without further ado:


His Every Kiss: A-
Historical - Victorian
Grace Cheval & Dylan Moore

Everyone knows about Dylan Moore -- his brilliant talent and his pleasure-seeking ways -- but no one knows the torment that lies beneath his reckless veneer. Only one woman gets a glimpse of the forces that drive Dylan's soul, a woman who haunts his dreams and evokes his passions as no other woman ever has before.

Disgraced and destitute, Grace Cheval wants nothing to do with the seductive man who desires her. When Dylan offers her a position as governess to his newfound daughter, she knows his true intentions are dishonorable. Yet she finds this charismatic man hard to resist, and she returns his passionate kisses with a fire that matches his own. Can Dylan dare hope that this proud, spirited beauty will melt the ice around his heart? (amazon)

I was first introduced to Mr. Dylan Moore in Guilty Pleasures. He is dark, wild, an utter rake, and ...tormented.

Now, it sounds so wrong to say that I like dark, "tortured" heroes, but it's true. I don't like foppish guys. I don't like effeminate, overly expressive guys who are wont to get dramatic and start up a sobfest. (Mr. Darcy > Mr. Bingley..!)

So when we meet Moore in Guilty Pleasures, he is prolifically gambling, whoring, drinking, and smoking.

Then you start reading His Every Kiss, and you find out that he has suffered a damage that causes him to hear a perpetual whining in his ears at all hours of the day, a tragic accident for Great Britain's greatest composer. He gives up hope, but our lovely heroine, Grace, steps in and saves him. He doesn't find out who she is, what her name is, and she has disappeared.

Five years later, they meet again.

Moore also discovers he has a child - a daughter - one he has never known about. Isabel is the product of one of many affairs he's had, and when Isabel's mother dies from scarlet fever, Isabel is dropped off at Moore's house. He is, unsurprisingly, horrified.

Seeing that Grace is living in a state of near poverty, he offers her a job as a governess to his daughter. She grudgingly accepts, knowing that Moore will try to hit on her and turn her into his mistress. But what can she do? She needs the money!

Hence, their relationship starts.


For one, I'm always wary of reading a story where there is a child/ children involved. Don't get me wrong. As mean and snarky as I am, I completely love children - how could I not? I'm surrounded by children since I tutor. But children are bratty and take up a lot of time, energy, and attention. I normally like my stories to focus solely on the hero and heroine, as I read romances for their journey into love. I don't read romances to read about kids who throw temper tantrums and have issues only the most qualified therapists can being to unravel. Since most authors cannot do an adequate job writing about two people falling in love, I don't see why they feel the need to throw a kid into the mix.

Luckily, Isabel is eight, not a full-fledged teenager (*shudder*) and I was surprised to find that she brought a unique aspect to the story. I enjoyed reading about her and I liked Moore's slow transformation into a caring and loving father.

I also found Grace and Moore's story to be quite enjoyable. Grace has been badly burned from her previous marriage and unlike other dim-witted females, she works to apply what she's learned from her previous marriage.

In other words, she doesn't say "I'm not going to lose my heart as easily as I did last time!" and ten minutes later, professes her love to some random stranger on the street. She shows admirable restraint and self-control, two traits I admire greatly.

Though Moore is quite the dark, brooding figure, I must admit, I ended up giggling and rolling my eyes towards the end when he is so pathetically groveling on the ground. (The part where the two people gush about their love for each other..) He was turning the entire scene into an entirely dramatic sobfest... I guess it was an emotional thing for them both, but.... gad, man! Get a hold of yourself!

Bottom line: Despite the slight emo ending, it was a good read and I would recommend it as a fun, fast, light read.

PS: Read an excerpt here.

PPS: the back of the book is ridiculous. As long as I've been reading romances, I can not get over the atrociousness of cover art.


Eek, why is this dude shirtless in the middle of the night?

Oh right, to seduce the woman whose dress is falling off her.

Hotness!





Also, HI APRIL! I haven't followed up since my last entries, but I don't think I will be able to get an e-reader anytime soon. It's one of those greedy wants, haha. Your recommendations don't sound familiar to me, so I will (happily) look into it!

Also, why erotica > chick-lit?
Is it because the chick-litty females are sometimes so ...dumb? :P

Elizabeth Hoyt: To Taste Temptation

To Taste Temptation: A-

Lady Emeline Gordon & Samuel Hartley

The Legend of the Four Soldiers 1

After Ms. Hoyt’s very successful debut with the Prince series (The Raven Prince, The Leopard Prince, & The Serpent Prince), she follows up with the start of her new series: The Legend of the Four Soldiers.

The proper and beautiful Lady Emeline Gordon is a respectable widow with a young son. She is fashionable, highly admired, and moves among London’s elite social circles. When one wants to be properly chaperoned and introduced into the ton, she is the one to seek. She accepts offers from families from the utmost crème de la London; therefore, society (and she!) is shocked when she agrees to launch Rebecca Hartley, the younger sister of American soldier and Boston businessman Samuel Hartley. While she feels as though being around Samuel is a bad idea, she knows that he fought in the battle with her deceased brother.

In London, Samuel is branded as a coward, with most believing that he ran away from the battle where the British soldiers were ambushed and killed. No one knows the reason he returned to London is to investigate into what he thinks was a planned betrayal by one of his fellow soldiers.

Emeline, wanting to find out if there was indeed a traitor for the sake of her brother, chaperones Rebecca and is forced to be in Samuel’s presence. She hates it – and she hates the fact that she might so willingly fall in love with Samuel because of the pain she felt when her first husband passed away.

It is at a dinner party that they “hook up.” (LOL)

And it’s then that they venture into the land of looooooove.

A nice side mystery and hot romance with plenty of tension between the characters…I definitely recommend this.

Susan Carroll: The Courtesan

The Dark Queen: A-
Gabrielle Cheney & Captain Nicolas Remy
The Dark Queen series #2

Paris, 1575.

The consort of some of Europe’s most influential men, Gabrielle Cheney is determined to secure her future by winning the heart of Henry, the Huguenot king of Navarre. As his mistress, Gabrielle hopes she might one day become the power behind the French throne. But her plans are jeopardized by Captain Nicolas Rémy, a devoted warrior whose love Gabrielle desires–and fears–above all. She will also incur the malevolence of the Dark Queen, Catherine de’ Medici, whose spies and witch-hunters are legion, and who will summon the black arts to maintain her authority. With the lives of those she loves in peril, Gabrielle must rebel against her queen to fulfill a glorious destiny she has sacrificed everything to gain.

Alive with vivid period detail and characters as vibrant as they are memorable, The Courtesan is a sweeping historical tale of dangerous intrigues, deep treachery, and one woman’s unshakable resolve to honor her heart.

Continuing the story started in the first novel, The Dark Queen, readers discover that the evil Catherine de Medici is still in power and still as evil as ever. She is, after all, a very powerful witch daughter of the earth.

Gabrielle Cheney, jaded and embittered by her past experiences by her first love has made it clear in The Dark Queen that she wanted to be powerful in the royal court. Her way to achieve this: by becoming a very famous and much desired courtesan in the French royal court.

It has been three years since she moved from home – and three years since the fallout she’s had with her eldest sister, Ariane. She is popular, desired, and essentially has everything she desires. However, she still thinks of Captain Nicolas Remy, the honorable and very loyal soldier whom Ariane cared for when he came to their home. At the end of the first novel, we are led to believe that Remy has died.

Gabrielle is stunned when Nicolas seems to have come back from the dead, by the help of his young friend and admirer “Wolf.” Remy is back to save his prince, who had surrendered power to Catherine de Medici, and is currently in the French royal courts. When Remy discovers what Gabrielle is – and what her position is in the courts – he is appalled, despite being in love with her.

Remy’s prince is infatuated with Gabrielle and wants her to be his latest mistress – something he tells Remy, and in order for everyone to safely get out of France, the Prince orders Remy to pretend to wed Gabrielle (hah!). Things get sticky when Gabrielle consorts to dark magic with the help of a sorceress, Cassandra, and witch hunters come return, with the once-innocent Simon Astiride as the group’s leader.

This is an action-packed novel with an intricately woven plot. It also has delicious moments between Miribelle and Simon, two characters whom I love dearly (and are the h/h for the third novel!).

Reeeeeeead this read this!

Shannon Hale: The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl: A
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree

In reading my second book for the Herding Cats book challenge, I chose to read The Goose Girl. Hale based Anidori’s story off of Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who must be the goose girl before she is able to be princess.

In the land of Kilendree and Bayern, there are people who have the ability to speak to animals, nature, and/or are people-speakers (those who are really good at talking with other people). Anidori is born without knowing her true talent (“She was born with a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste…”) but she is loves and develops a close relationship with animals, able to communicate with her beloved horse, Falada.

She is an awkward girl, shy around people and is really comfortable around animals. When her father passes away and her mother sets up an arranged marriage for her with the prince of Bayern, Anidori is angry, but chooses to comply.

It’s on her journey to Bayern where there are betrayals, adventures, running-and-screaming, and action. It’s also through this journey, and the process of righting what has been turned upside down that Anidori is able to become a stronger woman, a changed person. It involves geese, trickery, stories, and some love-sighs.

I hate to be so vague, but I hate spoilers even more… and where’s the fun in reading a story where you already know the twists and turns?

I was impressed with this story and I feel like many teens would enjoy reading this fictional, fantastical twist to the original Grimm’s tale. Her characters come to life in the story and the reader is able to root on the good guys and boo the bad ones. I especially liked the ending and the way that Anidori is able to stand up for herself and finally, speak that unspoken word on her tongue.

Do give it a try – it’s a very fast, light, and enjoyable read.

Joanna Bourne: The Spymaster's Lady

The Spymaster's Lady: A-
Annique Villiers & Richard Grey

She's never met a man she couldn't deceive...
She's braved battlefields. She's stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She's played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can't outwit...

Until now.
British spymaster Robert Grey must enger France and bring back the brilliant, beautiful - and dangerous - Fox Cub. His duty is to capture her and her secrets for England. When the two natural enemies are thrown into prison, they forge an uneasy alliance to break free. But their pact is temporary and betrayal seems inevitable. They flee, pursued every step of the way by ruthless authorities, caught in a net of secrets and lies. As the fates of nations hang in the balance, Grey and Annique fight the passion that flares between them - forbidden, impossible, and completely irresistible...

After hearing raves and many kudos for Ms. Bourne’s debut novel, I quickly placed a hold at my library. While the novel itself was very satisfying, I’m afraid I had my hopes up just a bit too high; I guess it was my own fault that I half-expected the book to sprout arms and make me a beloved Hazelnut Latte.

Annique Villiers is a world renown French spymaster – the most devious and clever of spies, one who has been working since she was a toddler. Richard Grey, or Grey as Annique calls him, is a brilliant British spymaster. They meet in French prison, where Annique (alias: Fox Cub) has been betrayed by her French armed soldiers and they agree to work together to escape. Little does Anniqe know that Grey has been scouring the lands looking for her, and he doesn’t let her free.

Everyone in the book – the French and the British – are both looking for a secret set of plans called the Albion plans. These plans reveal the plans of Napoleon’s preeminent attack on Britain – the French need to know where the plans are to make sure that the British don’t get a hold of it, and the British need it to save their country from a massive attack. Grey is, of course, looking for the plans that Annique supposedly has.

Thus, both make their way through France and to England. Sprinkle in some verbal fights, suspicions, and death attacks (Annique attacking Grey – it really is marvelous – she is very resourceful). There are some surprising twists that caught me (and some characters) off guard.

I felt that plot-wise, this story was exploding with it. There are spies left and right, along with intrigue and fistfights. The dialogue of Annique, as many other readers have noticed, is very French. Bourne did a great job of showing that Annique is indeed a French person, and that Grey is British. However, I felt her dialogue very very mildly irritating – as with most French, she was superfluous and tended to ramble.

I enjoyed the read, but didn’t feel that romance was particularly strong. For me, it wasn’t a sigh-when-they-get-together type story, though it was a strong first for Ms. Bourne. I’d recommend this because it is an interesting read, but it wasn’t mind-blowing, orgasm-inducing fabulous.

Lisa Kleypas: Where Dreams Begin

Where Dreams Begin: A-
Lady Holland Taylor & Zachary Bronson

Zachary Bronson has built an empire of wealth and power -- now he needed a wife to help secure his position in society...and warm his bed in private. But not just any woman will do for a man whom all of London knows is not a gentleman. Then he unexpectedly swept Lady Holly Taylor into his arms for an unasked for -- but very alluring -- kiss, and suddenly he knew he had found a woman whose fierce passions matched his own.

Lady Holly Taylor was beautiful, generous, and, as a widow, destined to spend her life playing by society's rules, even when they went against her bolder instincts. But Zachary's kiss had aroused her, and though the shocking offer he made didn't include marriage, she was compelled to risk everything and follow him to the place where dreams begin. (amazon)

I was surprised I enjoyed this book so much. Holly emerges as a strong character; when given the opportunity to support herself and her daughter by the enigmatic Zachary Bronson, she takes his offer, to the surprise and shock of her late husband’s family.

Zachary’s offer is scandalous and Holly knows that her reputation would be beyond saving once she chooses to move in with him as his younger sister’s tutor/ social guide. She is necessary for his sister to succeed in the social graces of the ton because they are “base-born”; Zachary was born poor and through successful business enterprises, amassed a huge fortune, all but forcing the ton to acknowledge him.

Holly moves in with him and is plagued by her attraction to Zachary. She is still haunted by her love for her late husband and strives to keep him fresh in her memory, punishing herself for living. When Zachary makes a move on her, she feels guilty for feeling pleasure and tries to resist him… something that Zachary won’t allow because he is convinced she is the one for him.

As I’ve said, it was a bit irritating to read of Holly’s struggle; I’m sure it’s real and that it happens to widows. The grief that Holly feels, her attraction to Zachary, her despair and confusion are all emotions that Ms. Kleypas makes tangible through her writing. You can just about feel the pain that Holly feels. It goes on for a good portion of the book, making sense because her late husband’s death is something that cannot be easily remedied – she loved him deeply.

Normally I have a problem with this: I’m all right if the heroine/ hero is a widow but if the former husband/wife was a jerkface/ adulteress/ adulterer/ abuser/ rapist… That way, when the protagonist finds his “real love,” you know that the former marriage means nothing.

That is not the case with Holly’s story – she loved her husband dearly and was shattered by his death – dearly. It was to the point where I was left wondering if Holly would ever get over the death of her husband and move on, as hard as it would be. Since authors can’t portray this well enough for me (Julia Quinn’s When He Was Wicked is an example of this; I disliked the book) I don’t read stories with widows still in love with their spouse’s ghost.

It came as a shock to me that I enjoyed reading Holly and Zachary’s story, even though Holly’s journey of re-claiming her life.

He

(This might be a Victorian historical, I'm not quite sure. I would check but I don't have the book anymore. Sorry!)

Sandra Brown: Mirror Image

Mirror Image: A-
Avery Daniels/ Carole Rutledge and Tate Rutledge

A jet crash handed Avery Daniels a golden opportunity. Mistaken for Carole Rutledge, the badly injured Avery has found that plastic surgery has given her Carole's face, the famous senatorial candidate for a husband, and a powerful Texas dynasty for in-laws. She makes the shattering discovery that someone close to the senator plans to assassinate him. Now to save the life of the man she loves, Avery must live another woman's life-and risk her own. (amazon)

Let me start out by saying that I don’t particularly like politicians. I don’t particularly like salesmen or lawyers or any person whose profession is to vie for others’ votes, money, assets, whatever. (Okay, so I guess I can only marry an artist and a hippie piano player…)

A strong part of this book is Tate’s political campaign and his fight to become a Senator. It’s intense. A lot of kissing up, a lot of speech-making. A lot of “looking good in front of others” type deal. However, Tate wasn’t one of those politicians – he was real and down-to-earth, which as a romance hero, he’d better be.

I really enjoyed the premise and plot of this story. Avery is in a plane crash and when she regains consciousness, she finds that she has been mistaken for Tate’s selfish-bitch-of-a-wife. However, due to medical circumstances, she’s unable to tell Tate and the doctors the truth. She gets knocked out from medication and assuming that she is indeed Carole, Tate’s family sends a plastic surgeon and surgery is done on her face.

She awakens to find that she really looks like Carole – her face has been reconstructed to look like her.

Before she can tell anyone the truth, she discovers there is a scheme to kill Tate. As a former journalist, she sniffs a huge story and chooses to stay silent. Also, she finds herself falling in love with Tate more and more everyday.

The thing is, Carole was a manipulative, selfish person – Tate saw the real Carole after they were wed. (Before, he apparently thought with that part of the male anatomy that males usually make decisions with.) Tate can’t believe the change that he sees in “Carole” after the accident – it’s almost as if she’s a different person! (Oh, if he only knew…)

Avery’s struggle to convince Tate of the complete change in character is an interesting journey; so is reading of how they fall in love with each other.

I didn't completely love Ms. Brown's writing style; I felt it was a little choppy and course, but the book itself was published a long time ago (I want to say a good fifteen years? Late 80s/ early 90s), so I'd assume it is one of her earlier works.

Nevertheless, it’s a good, refreshing read – one of Ms. Brown’s better works. (yay!)

Robin McKinley: Beauty

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & The Beast: A-
Beauty & Beast

This much-loved retelling of the classic French tale Beauty and the Beast elicits the familiar magical charm, but is more believable and complex than the traditional story. In this version, Beauty is not as beautiful as her older sisters, who are both lovely and kind. Here, in fact, Beauty has no confidence in her appearance but takes pride in her own intelligence, her love of learning and books, and her talent in riding. She is the most competent of the three sisters, which proves essential when they are forced to retire to the country because of their father's financial ruin.

The plot follows that of the renowned legend: Beauty selflessly agrees to inhabit the Beast's castle to spare her father's life. Beauty's gradual acceptance of the Beast and the couple's deepening trust and affection are amplified in novel form. Robin McKinley's writing has the flavor of another century, and Beauty heightens the authenticity as a reliable and competent narrator.

This was McKinley's first book, written almost 20 years ago… (amazon)

This a spin off of the beloved Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast (and also my favorite). I really enjoyed this story because it had a lot more depth in the story of Beast and Belle’s journey as she gets to know the Beast. It was a little slow in certain parts, however, I came to love the Beast as Belle did. (sigh)

There was also much more information regarding Belle’s sisters and of her family, in this story, which was nice because you really get a sense of what Belle sacrificed in order to live with the Beast. Not a romance, but a sweet story of two people falling in love.

And truly, his library is wondrous. I’d totally hook up with the Beast for a library like that. (double sigh).

Catherine Anderson: My Sunshine

My Sunshine: A-
Kendrick/ Coulter series #6

Laura Townsend & Isaiah Coulter

Veterinarian Isaiah Coulter agrees to hire Laura Townsend as a kennel keeper at his clinic despite her speech impediment, the result of brain damage she sustained after a diving accident five years earlier. With her sparkling personality and love of animals, Laura is the perfect addition to Isaiah's clinic. But when errors are committed on Laura's shift, naturally she's blamed, and she begins to suspect that someone is framing her in the hope of getting her fired. Isaiah remains her stalwart defender as attraction sparks between them, developing into a romance that is both sweet and sensual. While the identity of the individual framing Laura will come as no surprise to the savvy reader, the uniqueness of the relationship between the successful veterinarian and the woman whose handicaps are overshadowed by her ability to love more than compensates.

This was a story that was more than the regular romance, as usual, and it was a great read.

Laura Townsend was an environmental scientist who, after an accident, is unable to speak properly due to the damage in the language area of her brain. After being brilliant, she is reduced to having to work miscellaneous jobs for money and eventually takes on the job as a kennel keeper (unglamorous work such as cleaning kennels, feeding the puppies, etc). Isaiah notices her, is attracted, but is intrigued by her sunny disposition and her ability to make him see what life is like when one is appreciating it.

More than anything else, I loved Laura. I was so drawn to her because of her strength; I cannot imagine having to live with a speech impediment that affects your life on so many different levels and the way that Laura fought to support herself, refusing help from her family and friends, is a trait that I find amazingly admirable.

I also loved Isaiah and his determination to stick with Laura despite her “he’s-too-good-for-me-and-deserves-better” syndrome. He is hunky, as are all the Coulters apparently, and he is courts her well.

They work well together – she pays attention to the miniscule details and feeds him. He has the money and has the ability to bring fulfillment in Laura’s life.

There were some aspects of the story I wasn’t too terribly fond of; I love animals, but probably not to the extent that Laura did, so I didn’t particularly care for the fact that she was so tender with them. However, the reason that she cared so much for them was apparent and completely understandable since she, herself, experienced the feeling of abandonment from her acquaintances after her head injury. Isaiah is also a vet, which makes their love for animals a large aspect of the story…

I also didn’t like her love for shopping. Call me a dork, but she reminded me of a typical consumer – buying little, useless nitnacks for her home. It was something that Isaiah loved since she was able to transform a place into a home, but to me, all I am able to envision is clutter. Everywhere. (The shopping-for-Christmas scene had me cringing. Shopping for forty/ fifty people? Are you freaking kidding me? That would suck…and he’d be poor by the end of the Holiday seasons.)

There was also a slight “suspense” tint to the story, which brought more substance, but not too much more. The romance is the most important element, something that Ms. Anderson brought wonderfully.

Elizabeth Vaughan: Warprize

Warprize: A-
The Chronicles of the Warlands #1

Xylara and Keir

Even though she is the daughter of a king, Xylara refuses to wait idly for a marriage that will benefit the Land of Xy and so becomes an accomplished healer, a useful skill when her country is drawn into war with the Firelanders. Even though her half brother, the present king, does not want her treating the enemy, Xylara feels she must--both for the honor of Xy and for simple humanity. When her brother suddenly surrenders to the Firelander Warlord, Xylara is stripped of all her possessions and sent to the conqueror as a slave referred to as "Warprize." As Xylara learns to live with the masterful Warlord, she begins to understand the very different social structure and beliefs of those she has seen as uncivilized. Vaughan's brawny barbarian romance re-creates the delicious feeling of adventure and the thrill of exploring mysterious cultures created by Robert E. Howard in his Conan books and makes for a satisfying escapist read with its enjoyable romance between a plucky, near-naked heroine and a truly heroic hero. Diana Tixier Herald (amazon.com – booklist)

The first of the Warland series, I completely fell in love with Ms. Vaughan’s creative fantasy world. The heroine was refreshing, the hero was heroic (and completely lovable), and the adventure they embark on is wonderful.

Xylara is the daughter of the king, making her an elite. However, she has chosen the path to be a healer, loving the fact that she can use her skill to serve her people. Xy is fighting a rebel group called the Firelanders, and she acquires permission to heal the enemy soldiers as well; she refuses to stand by and watch soldiers die for the lack of treatment.

The warlord of the Firelanders agree to cease fighting in exchange for Lara and she willingly sacrifices herself for her people. Her love for people (hers and even for the Firelanders) is wonderful and gives depth to her characters, something rare in romances. To her surprise, Keir, the warlord, is handsome and treats her with the utmost respect.

This story focuses on Lara’s adaptation to the Firelanders and her insecurities about being seen as the slave. It is in written in her point of view, which is also a little different from the traditional romance.

A great start to the trilogy, there were some scenes in the book that I read over and over again, just because it was so dreamy. Fantastical and exciting, I enjoyed this read immensely and when I finished, I immediately started on the next book because I wanted to be with Lara and Keir as they continue their journey together.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Nobody's Baby But Mine

Nobody’s Baby But Mine: A-

Tender and hilarious!

Chicago Stars #3
Dr. Jane Darlington and Cal Bonner

Physics professor Dr. Jane Darlington spends her 34th birthday in tears. She wants a baby,but not a husband. Where can she find an average or, preferably, stupid man? She decides that Cal Bonner, legendary quarterback for the Chicago Stars is perfect. Jane sets her plan into action and after some trail and error she succeeds. But the results are more than she bargained for when Cal discovers her duplicity. How can a football player with an interfering family and a nerdy professor who has never known family love ever fall in love? With lots of honesty, understanding and a whole lot of humor.

I have to give it to Ms. Phillips for writing the funniest and most entertaining stories with the most absurd story plotlines. As expected, I couldn’t put this book down and bust a gut laughing (especially when Jane is trying to “seduce” Cal, oh goodness.)

Initially, I thought this story was going to be a flop. A genius physicist pretending to be a hooker to seduce a dumb jock? And by seduce, I mean impregnate herself with his sperm with his stupid genes. C’mon, you can’t get stupider than that. For someone so brilliant, Jane was astonishingly stupid.

Then there was Cal, the gorgeous, hunky football star with a deep-seated fear of getting old and getting booted off his beloved football team. So what does he do? Pick fights with Kevin Tucker, the much-younger, new “it” quarterback and date stupid blond bimbos barely old enough to be considered legal.

With a terrifically negative mindset I started reading Nobody’s Baby But Mine and I’m sure glad I did! It was entertaining, hilarious (I repeat, when she is trying to seduce Cal, it’s the funniest thing) and SEP has this way of writing so that you cringe and feel for the humiliation the heroine is feeling (something she truly and wholly deserves, but is painful to read at the same time).

Little does Jane realize that Cal is a very shrewd and clever jock. And Cal thinks she’s a hooker who’s slightly older than what he usually prefers (she claims to be twenty-eight or something).

It’s a hoot when Jane is faced with the awful truth that Cal is brilliant and Cal is sorely pissed when he discovers that Jane is thirty-four (oh Heaven forbid!).

When Cal catches onto Jane’s evil and sneaky scheme, he hurriedly marries her – so that their child will have his name and won’t be considered illegitimate – and plans to divorce her shortly after the baby is born. They move back to Cal’s hometown, Salvation, North Carolina, and Jane meets Cal’s family – his estranged parents, bitter and cynical Gabriel, angel-y Ethan, and Cal’s wicked-cool grandmother.

It’s a poignant tale of tribulation and overcoming differences with love at the very bottom. Completely recommended – ignore the almost too-stupid-to-live heroine. (She eventually redeems herself.) I did and everything worked out well!