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London Underground,Book 2

The Earl of Blakemere, Christopher “Kit” Ellingsworth, was awarded his title for meritorious service during the war. His mentor has also bequeathed him his estate, with one stipulation; he must be married by the end of the month.

Tamsyn Pearce is one of the most unusual heroines I’ve ever read about in a historical romance. She is a smuggler, and is in London to sell her bounty. Tamsyn’s father died, leaving the estate to her brother, who is entirely self serving. The estate supported the surrounding community, and without his help, they are all in desperate straights. Tamsyn to the rescue – the whole town helps her with the smuggling and she helps them keep food on the table.

While in London, she meets the Earl and his offer of a quick marriage really suits her. With his new income, she can help the people back home and repair her family home. Things really look up when, after the wedding, it is revealed that there is another stipulation to the funds – the wife is to be in charge of the money. Of course, falling in love really complicates things, but that is the fun of it all.

This was a good read,  charming and witty,  occasionally steamy, but always entertaining.

4/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

COUNTING ON A COUNTESS by Eva Leigh. Avon; Reissue edition (March 27, 2018). ISBN 978-0062499431.  384p.

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3/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

COUNTING ON THE COUNTESS by Eva Leigh. Avon; Reissue edition (March 27, 2018). ISBN 978-0062499431.  384p.

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The Sinful Suitors, Book 5

Monique Servais is an actress performing in London.  Baron Fulkham is a political spy, working in the government but earning his way to the top by knowing as much as possible about everyone. A friend takes him to the theater and insists they must meet the actress in the lead role. Fulkham goes along and is quite taken with her, but basically insults her. She is also attracted to him but fights it, she takes care of her ailing grandmother and has no time for romance.

A few years later, Belgium is set to become a country and there is to be a meeting in London of all the interested parties to select a ruler. Princess Aurore of Chanay is in the running but right before the historic meeting, falls deathly ill. Monique is approached by her uncle to impersonate her cousin, Aurore, they look very much alike, until she can hopefully ascend the throne.

When Fulkham sees her, he instantly knows her as Monique but she is denying it. They spend quite a bit of time together, especially after an attempt is made on her life, and they both realize they have feelings for one another but for various reasons, cannot act upon them.

This was an interesting story, but I wish it had held more closely to the truth about the beginnings of Belgium. But then it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.

3/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE SECRET OF FLIRTING by Sabrina Jeffries. Pocket Books (March 27, 2018). ISBN 978-1501144486.  416p.

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The  Highlanders Series, Book 5

I tend to avoid historical romances set in Scotland because I can’t help but compare them to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and let’s face it, there is no comparison. So I was determined to just read this book and judge it on its own merits, so I did. It was okay, nothing bad to say about it but nothing great, either.

From Amazon:

In New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands’ captivating romance, a lass targeted by an unknown foe is saved—and seduced—by a bold Highlander

Edith Drummond owes her life to Niels Buchanan and his brothers. Waking after an illness to a castle overrun by rugged Highlanders is disconcerting, but so is learning that she’s slowly being poisoned. Niels insists on staying by her side, and Edith soon discovers that even more dangerous is her wild attraction to the fierce warrior.

Niels has never met a more courageous—or enticing—woman than Lady Edith. The idea of such a bonny lass being forced to enter a nunnery is more than any red-blooded Scotsman could bear. He’ll gladly marry her himself. But while sweeping her off her feet is easy, it’ll take all his skill to defeat her family’s relentless enemies, and convince her to surrender to his sweet embrace. . . .

This definitely falls into the historical romantic suspense category. People are dropping dead with some regularity and we don’t find out the who or why of it until the end. The romance plays nicely against this backdrop and we get the requisite happily ever after. Maybe if I had read the entire series I would have been more invested, but I didn’t like this enough to pursue any more. If you like Scottish historicals with a lot of suspense, then this is the book for you.

3/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SURRENDER TO THE HIGHLANDER by Lynsay Sands. Avon (January 30, 2018). ISBN 978-0062468987.  384p.

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The Duke’s Daughters Series, Book 2

Lady Olivia Howett is determined not to make the same mistake her sisters have made. She loves helping those less fortunate than herself, and thinks she ought to marry the man her sister threw over, Lord Carson. He works hard in Parliament to help make England a better place, and Olivia thinks that together, they would be the perfect couple. So she proposes. Really.

Shockingly, he says no and in a scene straight out of Gone With the Wind, the man lying on the couch overhearing said proposal and the flinging of china after the rejection finds Olivia most interesting. He is Edward Wolcott, a bastard. Really. His father won’t claim him and polite society cuts him with some regularity, but he decides to help Olivia grow up. And she does, with growing self awareness and eventually, she sees that Lord Carson isn’t the one for her.

This was a fun romance and has a few hot sex scenes as well. If that opening wasn’t such a blatant ripoff of GWTW, I would have liked it more.

3/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE DUKE’S DAUGHTERS: LADY BE RECKLESS by Megan Frampton. Avon (February 27, 2018). ISBN 978-0062666642.  384p.

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The Survivors, Book 2

Lady Juliana is the daughter of an Earl but doesn’t quite fit into the usual society mold. Having lost her mother at a young age, and then her sister, her priorities have shifted. Her father is so wrapped up in hiding his grief in work that he barely pays her any attention, so when she decides to help out at an orphanage, he gives her some money and doesn’t think much of it. Until she actually moves into the orphanage.

At that point, the Earl sends his best friend’s son, a by-blow, Major Neil Wraxall, who heroically served in the army, to fetch his daughter home. But when he gets there, he realizes that while he may have faced down many an enemy, dealing with Lady Juliana is not going to be quite as easy.

Juliana refuses to leave and after a cursory inspection, Wraxall realizes the foundling home is in serious disrepair, not to mention the orphans, a dozen boys, are running roughshod over Lady Juliana. He quickly puts the boys to work, despite her objections, and within days everyone in the house is besotted with the Major, especially Juliana. Unfortunately, the leader of the local mob is trying to blackmail her into either paying him a huge fortune or moving into his bed. Wraxall to the rescue, of course, especially as things heat up with the Lady Juliana.

It was refreshing to just skim over the usual balls and social activities of the ton and focusing more on what happened to orphans in the early 1800’s and how soldiers of the time dealt with PTSD. This was a good read with likable characters, an interesting storyline and some pretty hot sex. A one night read for me.

3/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

NO EARLS ALLOWED by Shana Galen. Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 6, 2018). ISBN 978-1492639015.  384p.

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