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The Ravenels meet The Wallflowers

The Ravenels Series, Book 5

From the publisher:

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself…as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire…not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn’t bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She’s the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil’s daughter knows…

I’ve read several of the books in this series and liked them all. Kleypas excels at portraying a world gone by, with terrific, well developed characters and always a strong storyline. This book is no exception.

Lady Clare is a widow with a heart of gold. She and her husband were childhood sweethearts and best friends, but their marriage was overshadowed by his illness. Henry had some sort of “wasting” disease, that left him weak and sickly for all of his life, and ended his life very young. Henry’s nemesis at boarding school was West Ravenel, a well known rake and a man with a very bad reputation. But for Lady Clare and West, there is instant chemistry.

That chemistry causes Clare to feel guilt and to fight it every step of the way. And West is determined to keep her at arm’s length, feeling that he does not deserve her and does not wish to harm her children’s reputations as well.

There are a lot of obstacles to overcome here, but their families see what’s going on and help them along to find their happily ever after. A fast, fun and sexy read – highly recommended with the caveat that it probably helps to read this series in order. There are a lot of characters, but I was comfortable with them because I remembered them all.

2/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DEVIL’S DAUGHTER by Lisa Kleypas. Avon (February 19, 2019).  ISBN 978-0062371935. 384p.

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Dear Lady Truelove, Book 3

From the publisher:

Dear Lady Truelove . . .

My twin brother and I need a new mother, though Papa insists he’ll never marry again. Must be nice, brainy, and fond of cats . . .

Lady Truelove may be London’s most famous advice columnist, but James St. Clair, the Earl of Kenyon, knows his wild young sons need a tutor, not a new mother. They need a man tough enough to make his hellions tow the line, and James is determined to find one.

Miss Amanda Leighton, former schoolteacher and governess, knows she has all the qualifications to be a tutor. And while female tutors are unheard of, Amanda isn’t about to lose the chance at her dream job because of pesky details like that. If Lord Kenyon insists on hiring a man, then she has only one option . . .

Jamie isn’t sure what to make of his new employee, until he realizes the shocking truth—beneath the ill-fitting suits, his boys’ tutor is a woman. An unconventional, outspoken, thoroughly intriguing woman. Despite Amanda’s deception, he can’t dismiss her when his boys are learning so much. Yet Jamie, too, is learning surprising lessons—about desire, seduction, and passionate second chances . . .

Somehow I missed the first book in this series, but I read the last one and liked it a lot. This new one has same charm and humor.

This was a fun read, provided you can suspend your disbelief enough to buy into the story. Guhrke does a convincing job and it worked for me. I liked the character of Amanda, she was smart and feisty and a wonderful teacher. Jamie was a damaged protagonist, a widow who was convinced that his only true love had died and he has sworn off women forever. But his twin boys, tired of running off one nanny after another, decide they want a new mother.

The relationships between Jamie and his boys, and Amanda and Jamie are interesting and fraught, making this an enjoyable read. And a quick one, it’s a very short book.

2/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

GOVERNESS GONE ROGUE by Laura Lee Guhrke.  Avon (January 29, 2019).  ISBN 978-0062890689. 272p.

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Highland Heirs, Book 9

From the publisher:

I really enjoyed this historical romance, especially the time period. I love seeing how people lived and the culture, so different in the Highlands from London. All I know about the Isle of Skye is what I’ve learned reading the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, so this was a treat – an up close and personal look at a small village set there.

I did have some issues with Sina, I found her very whiny, but eventually she grew on me. The constant battles between her and Adam really ratcheted up the tension, and I loved how she finally felt like she had a place there. Her innocence was sweet, and watching the passion grow between them was fun. Adam was a great character and everyone got the ending they deserved. A fun read that I couldn’t put down.

1/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER by Paula Quinn. Forever (December 18, 2018).  ISBN 978-1455535385. 400p.

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The London Underground, Book 3

From the publisher:

Named one of Amazon’s Best Romances of December!

For a dashing duke and the proprietress of a secret, sensual club in the London Underground, passion could lead to love… if they dare

Thomas Powell, the new Duke of Northfield, knows he should be proper and principled, like his father. No more dueling, or carousing, or frequenting masked parties where Londoners indulge their wildest desires. But he’s not ready to give up his freedom just yet. The club is an escape, a place where he can forget about society and the weight of his title… and see her, the woman he’s wanted forever.

Lucia—known as Amina—manages the Orchid Club, a secret society where fantasies become reality. But for Lucia, it’s strictly business, profitable enough to finance her dream: a home for the lost girls of the streets. Surrounded by lovers, she only observes, unwilling to risk her future for any man. No member has ever intrigued her…until him, the masked stranger whose heated looks sear her skin. After months of suppressed longing, they dare to give in to temptation…

But the late duke’s legacy comes with a shocking secret, and the scandal threatens to destroy everything Tom loves… his family, the Orchid Club, and even Lucia.

Let me start by saying I really liked this book. That said, while it looks like a Regency romance, there is a lot of sex in this book. Not that long ago, Regencies did not have nearly as much sex as is more common today, and I’m only mentioning it because this book actually surprised me.

The Orchid Club is a sex club, where anyone from the gentry to the working class can go to partake of, well, anything that is freely given. Consensual sex only. Oddly, the price of admission is a donation, so money is not the point, leading to one of the inconsistencies in this story. I am starting to get used to the fact that history is being rewritten in historical romances lately.

Lucia was a prostitute before rising to manager of a sex club. And she’s not English, but is from Italy. That was a very big deal back in the day. Nonetheless, the newly minted duke is completely enamored of her, and she of him. While he knows he has to marry for political gain, he can’t help but fall in love with Lucia. Did I mention this couple has almost insurmountable obstacles to overcome? But that is the fun here. If you like a lot of explicit sex with your romance, this is the book for you. If you don’t, either skip those pages (and there are a bunch) or look elsewhere for your next read. I liked it and recommend it.

1/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DARE TO LOVE A DUKE by Eva Leigh. Avon (December 24, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062499455. 384p.

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The Spinster Heiresses, Book 3

From the publisher:

Once upon a time there were three young ladies who, despite their fortunes, had been on the marriage mart a bit too long. They were known as “the Spinster Heiresses” . . .

Is it wrong for a woman to want more?

Not if she is a Spinster Heiress. They do not settle. Any young miss would be very lucky to find herself promised to a man like the Duke of Camberly. However, Miss Willa Reverly has watched her friends marry for love. Camberly may be the prize of the season, but she will not be “sold” to any man. She wants his devotion or she wants nothing at all.

When is a Marriage of Convenience inconvenient?

Newly named to the ducal title, Matthew Addison is determined to discover the secrets behind Mayfield, the bankrupt estate he has inherited. He doesn’t have time to coddle a headstrong heiress who is determined to ditch him over something as silly as “love.” Little does he know that his questions will place her in jeopardy. Now he must do what he must to save them both.

Could it be that in running from danger they might be racing headlong into a truly unexpected fate: falling in love?

This is a terrific addition (conclusion?) to a series I’m really enjoying. Feminism continues to rear its head in Regency England somehow, and I don’t mind a bit.

The characters spring to life on the page and I love the humor. This is a very sexy book and I enjoyed that as well. Another winner from Maxwell.

11/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE DUKE THAT I MARRY by Cathy Maxwell. Avon (November 27, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062655783. 352p.

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A Westcott Novel, Book 5

From the publisher:

During a rare white Christmas at Brambledean Court, the widow Elizabeth, Lady Overfield, defies convention by falling in love with a younger man in the latest novel in the Westcott series.

After her husband’s passing, Elizabeth Overfield decides that she must enter into another suitable marriage. That, however, is the last thing on her mind when she meets Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, at the Westcott Christmas house party. She simply enjoys his company as they listen to carolers on Christmas Eve, walk home from church together on Christmas morning, and engage in a spirited snowball fight in the afternoon. Both are surprised when their sled topples them into a snowbank and they end up sharing an unexpected kiss. They know there is no question of any relationship between them, for she is nine years older than he.

They return to London the following Season, both committed to finding other, more suitable matches. Still they agree to share one waltz at each ball they attend. This innocuous agreement proves to be one that will topple their worlds, as each dance steadily ensnares them in a romance that forces the two to question what they are willing to sacrifice for love. . . .

I usually can rely on Mary Balogh to provide a good story with a nice romance. She does here, but there are so many characters in the first half of the book that I was drowning. And I’ve read the earlier books so they were somewhat familiar. But bringing them all together in this way was a real slog to get through. A disappointment.

11/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SOMEONE TO TRUST by Mary Balogh. Berkley (November 27, 2018).  ISBN 978-0399586101. 384p.

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A Bridgertons Prequel

From the publisher:

She was in the wrong place…

Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…

He found her at the wrong time…

Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real—and his duty to the Crown means he’s stuck with her.

Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?

 When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal—though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?

I thought that the kidnapping plot was passé, but Quinn brings it back and makes it work, provided you can suspend your disbelief. And I did.

While the publisher’s description calls the men pirates, as does Poppy, they are in fact privateers, a higher class of scoundrel and one usually supported by the Crown. As is the case here, plus a nice twist, that “Captain James” is in reality, a spy of sorts, a courier for the government. But it is a secret, and he cannot tell Poppy his real name or occupation. Nevertheless, she finds herself strongly attracted to him, and he to her.

During her two seasons, Poppy discovered that she couldn’t abide a man who refused to see or appreciate her intellect, and that left her woefully short of suitors that suited. But the Captain delighted in her quick wit and inquiring mind, and she in his.

After being cooped up on the ship for weeks, Captain James takes Poppy to his favorite tavern in Lisbon where they run into some trouble. Just when you think it will be smooth sailing, everything goes awry. But no worries, this is a romance after all, so they do find their happy ending.

This was a fun read and a good prequel to the Bridgerton series. And in very exciting news, Shonda Rhimes is bringing the Bridgerton series to Netflix. Read the details here: BookBub

11/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE OTHER MISS BRIDGERTON by Julia Quinn. Avon (November 20, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062388209. 400p.

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