THE EARL’S MISTRESS by Liz Carlyle

October 18, 2014

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Can you judge a book by its cover? An old question to be sure, and with romances, I believe you can. Historical romances, anyways. This book is as lush and ripe as its cover.

This is my first book by Carlyle, and apparently, it is also her last romance. Booklist gave it a starred review, (and I concur) and also featured an interview with the author, who seems ready to move on to other things. Luckily, she has 22 novels already published so I’m bound to stumble across another.

The premise of this book is that the young widow Isabella Aldridge has been forsaken by her husband’s family after his death. Her parents are gone, and she has a young stepsister and half-sister to look after. She found a job as a governess for a woman of questionable repute, and when that child goes off to school, Isabella agrees to take another job as governess for the earl, Wiliam Mowbrey.

But when she arrives at his country estate, he takes one look at her and has a different idea altogether. He wants her for his mistress, but she is so shocked she runs away. She quickly realizes that she doesn’t have many options; good families won’t hire her and she needs an income, so she ends up his mistress.

This being a romance, they fall in love but fight their feelings until the very end. Lots of psychological torment and hot kinky sex precedes the happy ending, making this a really fun read.

10/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE EARL’S MISTRESS by Liz Carlyle. Avon (August 26, 2014). ISBN 978-0062100306. 400p.

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THE ESCAPE by Mary Balogh

September 21, 2014

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Survivor’s Club Series, Book 3

Just to recap, this series focuses on a group of men who all sustained injuries during the Napoleonic Wars. The Duke of Stanbrook, having lost his son in that war, had invited this group of five men with various serious injuries, and one woman who had the misfortune of seeing her husband tortured and killed, to recuperate at his estate. They spend a few years there healing, form an eternal bond, and after they have healed enough to return to the world, they meet up once a year at the estate to renew their bonds. And apparently each year, at least one of them will marry.

The Escape centers on Major Sir Benedict Harper, who had his legs crushed during the war. He was told that he would never walk again and the surgeon wanted to amputate, but he refused, and through sheer strength of will, has fashioned two canes that allow him to walk, albeit slowly, and with some pain.

Benedict is out riding and decides to try jumping a hedge, which he accomplishes but unfortunately, when he lands he scares a young woman and her dog, and his horse gets a bit spooked. He gets the horse under control and then notices the woman has fallen on her behind. His temper gets the best of him and she storms off.

It turns out she is Mrs. Samantha McKay, recently widowed after caring for her invalid husband for many years after he was injured in the war. Their meeting doesn’t get off on the best foot, but Benedict’s sister helps make amends. Then Samantha finds out that the home she thought was hers has been given to her brother-in-law and his family, and she is being sent to live with her puritanical in-laws, so she decides to run away to a cottage by the sea in Wales that her mother had bequeathed her.

Benedict offers to accompany her, and she reluctantly acquiesces. During that trip, that learn a lot about each other, and they fall in love but are hesitant to admit it. The village in Wales is dominated by a mansion on top of a hill that overlooks the town and the sea, and it turns out to be owned by the grandfather Samantha never met. Family issues are complicated, and Benedict leaves for several months to allow Samantha to finish her mourning for her husband, and to get to know her recently found family.

This is another terrific story in what has turned into a favorite series. I’m looking forward to the next book, but as an added treat, there is a short story called “The Suitor” that is included in the paperback that stands alone, but also ties up a loose end from The Arrangement.

9/14 Stacy Alesi

THE ESCAPE by Mary Balogh. Dell (July 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0345536068. 416p.

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WHAT A DUKE DARES by Anna Campbell

September 18, 2014

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Sons of Sin #3

I found this title on the Top 10 Romance Fiction: 2014 list by Donna Seaman for Booklist. I had read a couple of titles on the list and liked them, so thought I’d give this one a try. I’m glad I did.

Yes, once again I am starting a series in the middle, this is the third book, but I didn’t feel like I missed a thing.

When Camden Rothermere, the Duke of Sedgemoor, proposes to Penelope Thorne, she turns him down and he is not happy about it. They grew up together, Penelope’s brother is Cam’s closest friend, and she’s been in love with him for years. But he has some serious dysfunctional family stuff going on, and love is not in any equation for marriage for him. Pen takes off, travelling through Europe until her brother passes away several years later. Cam’s made a deathbed promise to bring Pen home, and finds her under attack in the Alps.

Cam rescues Pen, and begins an arduous trip back to England. Along the way, they are forced to travel as husband and wife to avoid scandal, but when they run into some trouble, they really have to get married – but can they make this marriage work? Will Pen have her heart broken by a loveless marriage? Will Cam keep on avoiding love despite their passion?

I really enjoyed this Regency romance. The characters are believable, the settings are interesting and the romance is hot in this fast, fun read.

9/14 Stacy Alesi

WHAT A DUKE DARES by Anna Campbell. Forever (August 26, 2014). ISBN 978-1455557905. 432p.

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VIXEN IN VELVET by Loretta Chase

September 6, 2014

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The Dressmakers, #3

Once again I started a new author in the middle of a series, but with romances it doesn’t really seem to matter. This was originally going to be a trilogy, but a fourth book is in the works.

A book that starts out with the heroine entranced with a Botticelli painting grabs me from the get go. Leonie Noirot, a dressmaker, is at an art exhibit wearing one of her latest creations, in hopes of drumming up business. While the paintings are drawing attention, all the young ladies are there for a different reason – to hear Lord Swanton, writer and reciter of gloomy, romantic poetry that the critics blasted, but the hordes admire.

Swanton’s cousin and closest friend is Simon Blair,  the Marquess of Lisburne. They have been away for a few years, but returned for the end of the London season so Swanton could face his detractors. Turns out, he doesn’t have to with every young woman in town throwing themselves at his feet.

Lisburne, who looks like a Roman god, which Chase points out way too many times, is the owner of the Botticelli painting that has entranced Leonie to the point where she is so out of it, she ends up falling – but right into Lisburne’s arms. The attraction is immediate and the dialogue amusing, and that continues throughout the book.

Leonie is a busy woman, as she constantly points out to Lisburne, with no time for dalliances. He is entranced though, and it is mutual. But Leonie has a dress shop to run, and Lisburne is only in town for a few weeks; can they make it work?

Simon’s cousin is Lady Gladys, a young woman who had a horrific first season. She is plain, frumpy in fact, and has a sharp tongue. Leonie sees her and determines to turn this ugly duckling into a swan. Swanton is entranced with her voice, and she with his poetry, and this is an interesting little subplot. Simon wagers Leonie his Botticelli against two weeks of her uninterrupted time (read into that what you will) that she can’t turn Gladys into a swan, and more to the point, get her a marriage proposal by month’s end, but if she does, the painting is hers.

The love scenes are well done without resorting to cliché, and not too explicit. Leonie’s two sisters were the stars of the first two books in this series, and now I have to go find those and catch up. This was a very enjoyable read, I can see why Chase is so popular.

9/14 Stacy Alesi

VIXEN IN VELVET by Loretta Chase. Avon; Reissue edition (June 24, 2014). ISBN 978-0062100320. 384p.

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ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy

September 5, 2014

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Abby and Ben are finally ready to tie the knot. It’s an event everyone has been waiting for – ten years in the making, in fact. But just months before the big date Ben breaks it off. Via Facebook.

Mortified and single once again, Abby is facing a summer as a shut in binging on Ben & Jerry’s. Her friend Grace has other plans, though. A coworker’s summer rental has fallen right into Grace’s lap and offers both of the girls an opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy some fun in the sun. Abby finally agrees, also vowing to hit the dating scene while she’s there. Sadly, a lot has changed in the decade since Abby was last single.

Erin Duffy’s Bond Girl was hilarious and witty, setting the bar quite high for On the Rocks. Fortunately, Duffy’s second release is just as charming and funny as her debut. This time instead of Wall Street Duffy takes on the world of dating, and it’s horrible. Dating, that is – not the book. Anyone who’s dated – ever – can sympathize with Abby’s experiences.

But On the Rocks isn’t just a summer romance, or a story about a girl searching for romance. It’s a story about friends and being there for one another. Sure, it’s filled with lots of hilarious dating horrors, but it’s also packed with the warm and sweet sentiments that are shared by the best of friends. The ones who stick by you when you’re down and try to pick you back up again.

9/14 Becky Lejeune

ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy. William Morrow (April 22, 2014). ISBN 978-0062205742. 320p.

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HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 27, 2014

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Phillips is my favorite contemporary romance writer and I always look forward to her books. That said, if this was written by any other writer I probably would have put it down 10 pages in. The main character is Annie, a ventriliquist, and the book opens with Annie conversing with her puppets. Not my thing but since it was Phillips, I kept going and I’m very glad I did.

This book is a bit of a departure for Phillips.  Our hero is Theo Harp, a young widower returned to hide away in his childhood home, a spooky mansion on an isolated island off the coast of Maine.

Annie’s childhood friend Jayce is keeping house for Theo. Jayce is a single mom with a mute 4 year old daughter and Annie tries to rekindle their friendship.

Annie has recently lost her mother, who had a vacation home down the hill from the manse that she inherited along with an unusual deed restriction. Annie must stay on the island for the requisite number of days, or the property reverts back to the original owner, Harp’s family. Annie has returned to the island, a failed actress, destitute, and recovering from an illness that has left her having trouble breathing.

Annie and Theo grew up together, but had a major falling out as teens. Theo appeared to turn violent and frightened Annie badly. She’s still somewhat frightened of him, but also strangely attracted to him. Then sinister things start happening. Her cottage is trashed, a threatening warning is written on her bathroom mirror, and a gunshot narrowly misses her.

Eventually the romance kicks in but the gothic atmosphere is pervasive throughout, an obvious nod to one of the original Gothic romances, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. The requisite happy ending had even the puppets finding a higher purpose. Bottom line? Phillips is a great storyteller and has penned another winner.

 

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. William Morrow (August 26, 2014). ISBN 978-0062351128. 384p.

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THE PROPOSAL by Mary Balogh

August 23, 2014

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The Survivors Club series, Book 1

So I committed the cardinal sin – I started reading this series with the second book, The Arrangement. I liked it so much I went back and found book 1. Happily, the third book in the series, The Escape , is also available.

This series focuses on a group of men who all sustained injuries during the Napoleonic Wars. The Duke of Stanbrook, having lost his son in that war, had invited this group of five men with various serious injuries, and one woman who had the misfortune of seeing her husband tortured and killed, to recuperate at his estate. They form an eternal bond, and after they have healed enough to return to the world, they meet up once a year at the estate to renew their bonds. And apparently each year, one of them will marry.

This book centers around war hero Lord Trentham, who suffers from what today would be called post traumatic stress disorder. He is of the middle classes, but received his title from the King for his heroism during the war. He has arrived for their annual retreat and is walking on the beach when he finds a young woman who has trespassed, and seriously sprained her ankle. Lady Muir is a young widow and is terribly embarrassed to be carried back to the manse. The chemistry between them is palpable.

They both have lived through violence and death, and their differences seem too much to overcome. Meanwhile Lord Trentham’s young half sister needs his help to find a husband, and he needs Lady Muir’s help to that end. After much soul searching, eventually they all find their happy ending.

Balogh creates interesting characters with real depth, and we can’t help but root for them. This is a fast read and a good one.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE PROPOSAL by Mary Balogh. Dell; Reprint edition (May 28, 2013). ISBN 978-0440245308. 384p.

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CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 18, 2014

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Good thing you can’t judge a book by its cover, otherwise, I never would have picked this one up. But Phillips is one of my favorite authors, so despite the cover I read it anyway – and I’m happy I did.

Lucy and Ted are getting married; that is, until Lucy’s best friend and maid of honor, Meg shows up. Meg takes one look at her friend and knows something’s wrong, and keeps pushing until Lucy admits she really doesn’t want to marry Ted, and takes off, leaving him at the alter.

Ted is no ordinary jilted bridegroom. He is the town hero, their mayor, their favored son, Mr. Perfect. Tall, good looking and rich, every woman in town was after him but they accepted Lucy with good grace. But Meg is blamed for the debacle, and everyone in the small Texas town of Wynette is mad at her.

That complicates things for Meg. Her father, a superstar actor/writer and her supermodel mother have cut her off, demanding the free spirit earn her own way. Meg has a problem – she thought Lucy’s family was paying for her hotel, but they’re gone and she’s stuck with the bill, no cash and a maxed-out credit card. She tries to sneak out of town in her old rustbucket of a car, but is stopped by the Sheriff and the Mayor, the jilted groom himself.

Her only options are work as a maid at the hotel to pay off her bill or go to jail. Meg chooses work. She has no money and no where to live so she is sleeping in her car. She remembers Lucy showing her a beautiful old church that Ted bought for her, and she decides to crash there. You can bet that is going to create additional problems.

The economy is bad and Ted is trying to lure a wealthy investor to build a sustainable golf course on the old landfill, and everyone in town is hoping it goes through. When the old rich guy takes a shine to Meg, Ted knows he needs her help. Meg is the only one who sees through Ted’s perfection and he doesn’t know how to handle it. They end up having an affair and Meg falls hard for Ted, distressed that she is now acting like every other woman in town. But Ted falls too, only it takes him a while to figure it out.

The crazy characters of Wynette add a lot of humor to this romance, and a hero like Ted is hard to resist, so don’t even try. Just sit back and enjoy turning every page – I did.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Harper Collins Publishers India; Reprint edition (March 27, 2012). ISBN 978-0061351532. 384p.

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THE ARRANGEMENT by Mary Balogh

August 15, 2014

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I can’t believe I’ve never read this author before – Balough is one of the queens of the Regency romance, and now I know why.

This is the second book in the series, which focuses on a group of men who all sustained injuries during a battle. This book centers around Vincent Hunt, Lord Darleigh, who was blinded when a cannon misfired.

Our heroine is Sophia Frye, born a lady but whose father was a rake and a gambler and cut off from his family. When her mother left, he raised her but when he passed, she was left in care of family members who didn’t care about her and barely kept her fed and clothed.

Lord Darleigh’s family is determined to get him married, and he escapes their matchmaking attempts to return to his hometown, and a ball is thrown in his honor. Sophia’s aunt and uncle are determined that he shall marry their daughter, and a scheme is hatched to get them in a compromising position and force the issue.

But Sophia interferes, enraging her family who throw her out into the night. Lord Darleigh hears what happened and approaches Sophia with an unusual arrangement. He is tired of his family’s matchmaking and he knows he needs a wife; she needs a place to live and someone to take care of her. An arrangement is reached, and within a week of meeting, they are wed.

Sophia is bright and imaginative, and it was fascinating seeing her come up with ideas to give her blind husband more independence, including what has to be one of the earliest examples of using a guide dog.

This is a richly detailed story with warm, engaging characters and a happy ending, of course. A terrific read and I look forward to exploring more from this prolific author – she has written more than 60 novels.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ARRANGEMENT by Mary Balogh. Dell (August 27, 2013). ISBN 978-0345535870. 400p.

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MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION by Jayne Fresina

August 10, 2014

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Sydney Dovedale (Book 4)

This is a rather unique historical romance. Molly Robbins is a poor ladies’ maid who leaves her bridegroom at the altar. She makes her way back to the Earl Carver Danforthe’s home, where she spent years taking care of his sister. In a drunken moment, the Earl had offered her money to start her own dressmaking business, and she decides to take him up on it.

The earl has always been intrigued by the woman he calls “Mouse” and knows that she has never approved of his rakish lifestyle. He agrees to the loan, and finds great amusement in the contract she proffers, which includes a clause that says no “tomfoolery.”

Her business takes off, and his interest in it and her continue to grow. When he returns her contract with the tomfoolery clause crossed out, she agrees to become his mistress but only for a set period of time, which works for him – until he realizes he’s in love with her. But can a titled earl find happiness with a ladies’ maid/dressmaker?

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Molly, a strong female character in Regency England, was most unusual, the earl had an interesting backstory, and almost all the characters were well developed. I also enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout. Looking forward to more from this author.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION by Jayne Fresina . Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-1402285011. 384p.

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