Bewitching Book Tours Book Review: A Marquess For Christmas

Author: Vivienne Westlake
Title: A Marquess For Christmas
Publish Date: Dec 12, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Bewitching Book Tours & the author

Book Blurb: A proper widow. A rakish marquess. He rescued her from thieves, but will she be able to save him from himself?

When Violet Laurens is rescued from highwaymen, the furthest thing from her mind is that her heart might tumble next. She loves her independent life, no matter her lonely bed. The handsome stranger reawakens the passion she thought buried along with her husband, pushing her to new heights of desire. But she knows it’s only a matter of time before he remembers his name and leaves her.

The dissolute Marquess of Kittrick has vowed never to marry, causing a rift in his family that sets him on the road just in time to do battle with ruffians intent on stealing a lady’s coins—and more. Discovering the fiery wanton beneath the widow’s oh-so-proper demeanor makes him want nothing more than to forget who he is for just a bit longer. Maybe forever.

When Kit is forced to acknowledge who he is, will the truth trump their shared passion, and the love they can’t quite admit to? Or will Violet overcome her fear—and Kit his dissolute ways--and be able to lay claim to A Marquess for Christmas?

Review: Vivienne Westlake is a good writer of regency romance. In A Marquess For Christmas she created a cast of characters that you will enjoy getting to know. There is only one flaw, it is an erotic regency.

Now I don't have any problems with erotica. I like the genre now and then, but something about the sex scenes in this book didn't ring true for me. Violet likes a little light bondage, nothing major, but there is no rhyme or reason for this.

That's not to say the sex scenes aren't smoking hot or really sexy, because they are, and as I said, I loved the chemistry between Violet and Kit, but for me, personally, the physical relationship wasn't quite what I wanted it to be.

But back to the story.

Kit gets clobbered defending Violet from Highwaymen. He has amnesia.

Ah the old amnesia that isn't amnesia for long bit.

Its a plot that's been done before...and recently I've read a few books with this theme. I'm on the fence with this one, because I watch too much news and know that Kit's injury really should have been life threatening and some of their bed gymnastics probably shouldn't have been done. I mean he got smashed in the head with a ROCK!

OK, off my pedestal now.

Yes, there were two things that bothered me with the story. Would they keep me from recommending the book or Vivienne Westlake as a writer? No, they wouldn't because there are too many pluses to the story.

And they are:

1. Great secondary characters, Bella and Freddy (Kit's sister and brother-in-law)

2. A believable relationship between the hero and heroine.

3. The relationship between Kit and Bella. These siblings are quite a pair!

4. A hero that gives as good as he takes. (And yeah, that involves the smokin' hot sex scenes)

This is a great read for anyone that loves regency romance.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: The Lady Who Broke The Rules

Author: Marguerite Kaye
Title: The Lady Who Broke The Rule
Publisher: Mills & Boon/Harlequin
Publish Date: Oct 2012
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Anticipating her wedding vows and then breaking off the engagement has left Kate Montague's social status in tatters. She hides her shame behind a resolute facade, but one thing really grates: for a fallen woman, she knows shockingly little about passion.

Could Virgil Jackson be the man to teach her? He's a freed slave turned successful businessman, and his striking good looks and compelling strength prove too much for Kate to resist. She has already scandalized society, but succumbing to her craving for Virgil would damage her status beyond repair….

Review: This is the first mixed race romance I've ever read. To make it even more unique, it is a regency romance!

This is by far one of the best romances I've read this year.

Here's why:

The hero and heroine are both strong and determined characters for their own reasons. Virgil has ghosts from his past when he was a slave to deal with and Kate has family issues that stem from a broken engagement.

The story wasn't all sweetness and light and though the characters had a HEA things weren't all happy. Kate found some peace with her aunt, but her father was still and issue.

There was a lot of conflict between the secondary characters Alicia, Kate's brother Jamie's widow. There's some unfinished business there and you get to thinking something isn't right with her. And then Giles, who is the heir apparent at the current time.

But back to the main characters. Virgil was just the type of man you couldn't help but love and he had such an interesting and sad back story.

There are very few romances that really offer you something different, but this one does.

Oh and did I mention some really hot love scenes?

This is a regency that shouldn't be missed!

Rating: 5 flowers

 

Book Review: A Groom For Greta

Author: Anna Schmidt
Title: A Groom For Greta
Publisher: Love Inspired Historical
Publish Date: Oct 2, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & the publisher

Book Blurb: Everyone in their small Amish community expects Greta Goodloe to marry her longtime sweetheart—Greta included. So when he publicly ends their engagement, in front of newcomer Luke Starns no less, she is utterly humiliated. At least she can take comfort in matchmaking between Luke and her quiet schoolmarm sister. Yet the more she tries to throw them together, the more Luke fascinates her. A serious, no-nonsense schoolmarm should be exactly what Luke wants in a wife. Still, he can't help but be charmed by Greta's warm smile and impulsive ways. Does he dare to stray from the sensible choice and take a chance on happiness?

Review: This was one of the best romances I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down until I finished reading it and considering that it is 280 pages, well that's really saying something. Lately I've been having a hard time reading books the length of a Harlequin Romance!

So what was it about this story that made it stand out from all the others I've been reading

Greta, Lydia and Luke were really engaging characters. Greta at first seems a little flighty and flirty but that isn't the case really. She's really just a people person. And Luke and Lydia both appear serious but they have their own secrets too. Luke's deals with his past life in Canada, and Lydia's deals with a certain someone that we meet near the end of the book.

I also liked the setting of the book, Depression Era Florida.

It is so nice to read Amish stories that aren't always set in PA or OH!

Plus, even though Love Inspired is a Christian line, this book was pure sweet romance, which isn't something that you get with a lot of Amish fiction out there. This is really a love story between Greta and Luke, and it has some ups and downs do to the way the two of them find each other.

Greta has just been jilted by her sweetheart, just a few days before they planned to announce their engagement and Luke thinks he wants to wed Greta's sister Lydia. How the two finally decide to court is quite amusing, but you'll have to read that for yourself. I will give you a hint that Lydia has something to do with it.

But things aren't always easy and fires and secrets make their courtship a little bumpy.

Anna tied the story together nicely without making things too obvious. This is a great afternoon romance and one that I can see myself revisiting again down the line

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: A Belated Bride

Author:Karen Hawkins
Title: A Belated Bride
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Jan 9, 2001
Buy:Amazon

Book Blurb:She'd Never Marry Him! The last man Arabella Hadley ever wishes to see again is Lucien Deveraux, the handsome, dissolute Duke of Wexford -- who broke her innocent heart years ago and disappeared to London. So when she finds an unconscious man on her deserted country road and sees that it's Lucien, she's tempted to leave him there. But even more appalling than his presence is the brazen kiss he plants on her shocked lips and her response! So it would be totally insane to take him home to recover -- wouldn't it? Except For One Small Thing... Lucien dares not reveal why he's returned to his country estate -- or why he abandoned the strong-willed beauty years ago. Especially since Arabella clearly has secrets of her own. But when her scheming, marriage-minded aunts successfully compromise them, the two are forced to become man and wife. Which makes it ever harder for both to battle the passion that never disappeared...
Review: I read a review of one of Karen's latest books from Addicted To Romance so I went to the library and found this one, to see how well she stacked up to her most recent book.

I'm kind of on the fence with this one.

I definitely like Karen's writing style.

The characters are really interesting and you can't help but love them, especially Lucien. It is easy to see early on that he loves Arabella, though lord knows she can't. Lucien and Arabella have a past though, so that makes it easy to understand why she doesn't go so easily into Lucien's arms. And why this regency isn't as hot an steamy as it might have been.

It takes a good many pages before the two of them really end up without their clothes. Truthfully that's why this story was a bit of a dud for me. It felt too much like 300 pages of Arabella making excuses not to trust Lucien for his past transgressions, without ever hearing his end of the story.

The smuggling operation added a bit of excitement, but what really gives this story life are Arabella's aunts, Jane and Emma. I especially loved how they checked the Duke out when he was injured. And when I say checked him out, I mean, checked under the covers when he was naked to see how well endowed he was!  That was a hoot.

I was happy that just about everyone had a HEA in this story, I just wish that in some cases it would have happened a lot faster then it did.

Rating: 3 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: My Scandalous Viscount

Author: Gaelen Foley
Title: My Scandalous Viscount
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Sept 25, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher
Book Blurb: Meet the courageous men of the Inferno Club as they face their greatest challenge yet: marriage!

Sebastian, Viscount Beauchamp, lives by a code of honor, and now honor dictates he must marry Miss Carissa Portland. He has no regrets over stealing a kiss from the adorable little busybody—a fitting punishment for putting her delectable nose where it didn't belong. But now, caught in a compromising situation, he knows he must make her his bride. He's faced danger before—but nothing like this!

Carissa is not a gossip—she's a "lady of information." And all she was trying to do was warn the rakehell Beauchamp away from an irate husband. But even she can't flaunt Society, and while her head tells her that Beau's a notorious scoundrel, her heart—and her body—are captivated by his dangerous charm. But when Carissa next goes snooping, the secrets she uncovers about the Inferno Club may prove even more hazardous than falling in love with her own husband.

Review: My Scandalous Viscount is a book in the Inferno Club series. There are four books that come before this one.

Raise your hand if you'd like to read a romance that wasn't part of a series!

Me me me me!

It seems like all historical romances these days are part of long series about aristocratic men that are part of some Order etc that are protecting the crown.

~sigh~

This book is one of those kinds of books, however it is a really good one.

I haven't read the other books in the series so the characters were all new to me, but I didn't feel in any way lost. Gaelen did a good job giving her readers the backstory needed to know what had happened in previous books.

What made me like this book so much was Carissa. She wasn't your usual regency heroine. She was a gossip, or as she liked to call herself  a "Lady of Information." In other words, she was a busybody of the highest degree. She's always poking her nose into places it doesn't belong. That's how she ends up married to Beauchamp.

Not a bad result really, because it is quite easy to tell that Beau likes her, ALOT!

I think that's one of the reasons I liked this book so much, there wasn't a huge amount of tension between the hero and heroine. That doesn't always happen. Sure there were some trust issues, mostly on the part of Carissa, who has something from her past she doesn't want out in the open. With Beau, its just the old, don't give away secrets about The Order.

I thought The Order was going to end up being boring, but that wasn't the case. I found the mystery involving the Government and The Orders activities to be quite interesting.

As much as I wish I wouldn't be sucked into another series, I'm probably going to go back and try to find the other books, because all the characters from The Inferno Club were really interesting, and I definitely want to get to know their brides.

Rating: 5 flowers

About Gaelen Foley Gaelen Foley is the author of seventeen rich, sexy, and dramatic Regency historicals. Her books have won many awards, are published in numerous languages, and appear regularly on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. She lives in Pennsylvania with her college-sweetheart husband, Eric, and a spoiled bichon frise named Bingley. Find out more about Gaelen at her website and connect with her on Facebook.

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Lord Of Temptation

Author: Lorraine Heath
Title: Lord Of Temptation
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Sept 25, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours and the publisher

Book Blurb: Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Once upon a time, he was Lord Tristan Easton—now he is Crimson Jack, a notorious privateer beholden to none, whose only mistress is the sea. But all that will change when exquisite Lady Anne Hayworth hires his protection on a trip into danger and seduction. . .

Desperation brought Anne to the bronzed, blue-eyed buccaneer. But after the Captain demands a kiss as his payment, desire will keep her at his side. She has never known temptation like this—but to protect her heart, she knows she must leave him behind. Yet Tristan cannot easily forget the beauty—and when they meet again in a London ballroom, he vows he won't lose her a second time, as fiery passion reignited takes them into uncharted waters that could lead the second lost lord home...

Review: I've really been getting into historical romance again. I'm not sure why. I usually go for  regencies, but this one is a Victorian novel, set in the early days of Queen Victoria's reign.

It is hard not to love both characters in this story. Anne is head strong and not your typical Victorian woman.  It is hard to believe that a woman would undertake the journey she did just to visit the grave of her fiance. It really is touching.

Her growing feelings for Tristan cause her such frustration on the journey. She feels guilty for denying Walter her love while she's beginning to have strong feelings for Captain Jack. (Every time I thought of him as Captain Jack..I alternately saw Johnny Depp and John Barrowman.)

Tristain was the kind of hero you long for in these historical romances. He's strong on the outside, but inside he's a real softy. His seduction of Anne was slow, but more than just the romance it was how he treated his crew, especially Mouse.

I love how their relationship progressed, even though they both knew it shouldn't. I'm trying to figure out how Anne didn't feel guilt at all the luscious sex she was having before marriage when she lived in Victorian England. She was very free with her favors in a time when that wasn't quite the thing!

I preferred the time that was spent on Revenge to the time in London. Some of the characters there didn't ring quite true. I liked Walter's brother Chetwyn, who was a really good sport about his relationship with Anne, but Hermoine was borderline psycho, and she changed her feelings too quickly to be believable at the end.

This book is part of the Lost Lords of Pembrook series. It is the second of three, but the books can be read as stand alone stories. It is an enjoyable read and it will make you want to grab the first book in the series which is about Tristain's brother Sebastian and Mary.

Rating: 4 flowers

Innovative Online Book Tours Guest Post & Review Nadja Notariani - A Practical Arrangement

۩ Storytelling In New Waters, Nadja Notariani ۩

Much discussion centers, of late, on the changing face of the publishing industry. Terms such as E-pub, traditional, and Indie are bandied about with both disdain and relish. But what does it mean for readers, the undeniable nerve center of the publishing world? The floodgates are wide open, and readers splash and flail in a surging sea of titles, hoping to gain purchase on buoyant stories able to carry them over raging rapids or perhaps to take them on meandering journeys down lazy, peaceful rivers.

As an Indie author, an unabashed Indie author, I might add, I cannot but smile at the new and changing landscape of publishing. Nothing stands in my way, no sentinels guard the metaphorical gateway to the garden, so to speak. This begs the question be asked, 'Will unsightly weeds overtake the cultivated land?' No easy answer can be made. A free market allows all products, both the fantastic and the inferior, to sit alongside one another on overflowing shelves, offering consumers greater variety, but requiring greater inspection of goods on their part. It transfers responsibility from publishing houses to readers.

The vast majority of Indie authors hold the same concerns as their traditional counterparts. We simply trust readers to be the lighthouses upon the ocean's edge, warning fellow travelers of rocky disasters up ahead or deceptive sirens' songs luring sea faring sailors to disappointment. We strive to craft characters and stories that will engage our readers and sweep them up into tales of love and loss, betrayal and intrigue, and the host of other settings and plot twits contrived to carry readers off delightedly into fictional worlds – and to do so well. In short, we want to engage our audience. And that is the crux of the entire endeavor, this thing we call storytelling, is it not?

Readers may snag a few bits of driftwood, may become tangled in a snare as they navigate these new waters. No journey is without its perilous moments, its deflating disappointments. But then, we've all dove headlong into a new book, traditionally published or otherwise, that left us red-chested and smarting after having belly-smacked off that deceptively soft looking water's surface. Readers are intelligent and adventurous, capable of weeding out authors that fail to engage them – they've no need for the industry to net them into one swimming area. As the discussion rages on, authors must continue as they've always done, honing their craft, bettering their skills, exploring new worlds. Practice the art of storytelling, forging treasures to be hauled in on the nets of your readers. Engage your audience, and let the current of reader appreciation be the map that leads readers to your stories.

۩ About The Author ۩

Nadja Notariani resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania, embracing new adventures with her husband, three sons, and faithful German Shepherd. She also boasts two grown daughters, who have flown the nest to pursue their own adventures.

Her upbringing included very diverse environments, affording wide and varied richness of ethnic and religious tradition. Raised in both an Italian/Mediterranean American home and a traditional German household, Nadja gleaned the unique benefits of viewing the world through two widely different lenses

Within her titles, readers may find romance and adventure, from contemporary to paranormal to historical, always with a happily-ever-after. Nadja can be found at her website, on Goodreads, Facebook, and Romance Novel Center. Readers are welcome to contact her via email.

http://nadjanotariani.blogspot.com/

nadja.notariani@gmail.com

Nadja Notariani's published titles include:

Claiming The Prize

Her Dark Baron

The Third Fate

Available September, 2012: A Practical Arrangement

Buy: Amazon (Kindle Edition)

Blurb: Practical plans go awry when prim sensibilities unwittingly capture the heart of a scandalous seducer. Miss Evangeline Grey, intelligent and sensible, has no desire to marry, her reluctance born from the dire warnings of her overly emotional mother. Her father has other ideas, however, and decrees that unless she weds by the spring, he will choose a husband for her.

Prim and proper Evangeline accepts her father's issue with little more than mild alarm. Knowing herself plain of face and sharp of tongue, she believes herself capable of warding off any perspective suitor. Her plan goes awry when the scandalous seducer, Mr. Thomas Masterson, visits her family's home, for Thomas has learned that he must procure a wife to receive his full inheritance.

When he discovers Evangeline's predicament matches his own, Thomas determines to orchestrate a practical arrangement. A war of wit and word results, and Thomas finds himself ever more beguiled by the soft heart he discovers under Miss Grey's stern, inhibited exterior. Patiently, he endeavors to gain her respect and awaken her passions. As tenuous trust blooms between the rake and the reluctant, unfortunate events – and Thomas' past reputation – threaten to destroy the peace and happiness he has found within the bonds of his Practical Arrangement.

Review: Regency romance is one of my favorite genres. Why? Because they are usually on the tame side and well, I just love that time period.

Nadja has written the kind of Regency I devoured when I was in junior high, and guess what? At 38, I still find this kind of Regency tasty!

Evie's the perfect heroine for this kind of story, she's smart but a little naive. She doesn't want a husband because of stories her mother has told her and she has a fear of personal contact for much the same reason. You totally have to feel sorry for her because her mother has her terrified of intimacy and human contact. Hugs frighten her!

Thomas is the perfect rake that becomes reformed when he gets to know Evie. Sure there's a mistress out to spoil their happiness, but you know that everything will work out for the best.

What I found really great about Thomas was how he really fell for Evie, just as his friend Jonathan fell for her sister Melody. Speaking of Melody, I loved that though their mother compared the two sisters, Evie and Melody had no animosity towards one another. Lord knows if my mother acted the way Opal did, I would truly hate my sister.

This was a great book, and though the epilogue left me sad in away, it gave me hope that there will be another story down the line from that family member that was mentioned.

Rating: 4 flowers

~ Review copy provided by Innovative Online Book Tours in exchange for an honest review




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TLC Book Tours Review: The Ugly Duchess

Author: Eloisa James
Title: The Ugly Duchess
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: August 28, 2012
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the publisher
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: How can she dare to imagine he loves her . . . when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess? Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion. Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months. Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding . . . and is scandalized by their separation. Now James faces the battle of his life, convincing Theo that he loves the duckling who blossomed into the swan. And Theo will quickly find that, for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love—and War.

Review: Eloisa James is one of those authors that I've always wanted to read but for some reason put off doing so. I'm glad I finally read one of her books. The Ugly Duchess was superb.

The story is set in Regency England, which is one of my favorite periods in history and it is a re-imagining of The Ugly Duckling fairy tale.

There are many reasons why you should race to the store to grab this book.

1. Theo is such a lovable heroine.

2. I love that Theo and James are close in age. That's something that you don't see that often in historical romance.

3. I loved how James turned into a pirate when things went wrong with his marriage.

4. I love that James didn't totally turn womanizer when he was on the high seas.

5. James wanted her for her. He loved Theo/Daisy even before she transformed herself.

It was great to read a book that didn't have a character that was gorgeous. I liked that she had self esteem issues and that she did things to make herself stronger.

The only gripe I had with the story was that it was too long. Sure it was only about 330 ish pages but the story was really wrapped up around page 300. The epilogue especially felt like filler. Other than that, I really loved the story and it earned Eloisa a place on my must by author list.

Rating: 5 flowers

About Eloisa James New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa’s very first book that she ‘found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar’; later People Magazine raved that ‘romance writing does not get much better than this.’ Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists. After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in new York City. Her most recent book, Paris In Love, received critical acclaim. Her ‘double life’ is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professional guise, she’s written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women’s magazines such as More to writers’ journals such as the Romance Writers’ Report.

TLC Book Tour Book Review: The Bride Wore Pearls

Author:  Liz Carlyle
Title: The Bride Wore Pearls
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: July 31, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By:  TLC Book Tours & the publisher

Book Blurb: 

Beneath the elegant faÇade of Victorian high society, the mysterious men of the St. James Society play only by rules of danger and desire. Rance Welham, the Earl of Lazonby, has survived scandal and disgrace, even evading the Queen’s justice at the end of a hangman’s rope. Now he’s about to gamble everything on something far more dangerous—desire. An exotic and elegant beauty, Lady Anisha Stafford fled her native India to seek refuge within London’s secretive St. James Society. But accepting protection from someone called a cold-hearted killer is a double-edged sword . . . especially when he’s the most intriguing man Anisha has ever laid eyes upon. In a world where treachery abounds, no one can be trusted—and no true passion can be denied. Together, these two tempestuous souls will risk their lives for a love that could redeem them . . . or destroy everything they hold dear.

Review: First things first, The Bride Wore Pearls is part of a series. Not a series that has to be read in order, so that's great. Just your typical historical "character" series. Why are there so many of these? The good thing is that this book can be read as a stand alone, unless you are an obsessive compulsive series reader.

This is the first historical romance that I've read in ages where the heroine is truly strong and independent. Anisha is definitely a refreshing character. She's not a simpering English miss that lets the men walk all over her, though her brother, who isn't really in the story, tries from afar.

What really surprised me was how long it took for Rance and Anisha to get it together. I mean, this is a historical romance, right? It felt a lot like an intrigue, because they were both working to clear Rance's name of a crime he didn't commit yet was exonerated for. Rance and Anisha didn't fall into bed until about halfway through the book. Wow! That was quite a wait considering the tension between the two.

The ending felt a little hurried and was a bit too formulated for a historical romance. If you read historicals you will know what I mean. Suffice to say a bad thing almost happens and then all is well and HEA.

I would have liked more romance and a lot less intrigue, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book.

Rating:  4 flowers

Book Review: Colorado Silver, Colorado Gold

Author:Terry Irene Blain
Title:Colorado Silver, Colorado Gold
Publisher:Wings ePress
Publish Date: March 18, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Copy Provided By: Innovative Online Book Tours & the author
Book Blurb: Masquerading as a widow, socialite Juliette Lawson flees Philadelphia to 'visit' her uncle in Durango, Colorado. At a train stop she literally bumps into a handsome man before continuing on to Durango. For Julie, family is all important and her visit hides a secret to protect her pregnant sister back east. While family is all important for Julie, it means nothing to Wes Westmoreland, the man she bumped into. An undercover agent for Wells Fargo, Wes grew up in the saloons and brothels of San Francisco. For Wes, his job is all important as he sees it as the only redeeming feature of his life. What happens when two people begin to fall in love -- while Wes conceals his undercover investigation of Julie's uncle's smelter operation, and Julie must hide the real reason behind her visit?
Review: I think Terry likes writing about widow's. This is the second book I've read where the heroine either was a widow or was pretending to be one.

I really enjoyed this story for the most part, the characters were well rounded and you got to know both Julie and Wes really well, especially the back story, which is always important. Wes was a strong hero, but not overbearing and I liked that he really cared for Julie almost from the start. I hate when heroes are too "alpha male." That always makes me wonder why the women want them. Wes was more a smart man, a little self deprecating, because of his own upbringing, but that made him more endearing.

The only part of the story I wasn't too thrilled about was the ending. It came about too quickly. I think this book could have benefited from a few more pages, so that things could have been wrapped up better. I definitely like Terry's writing style and if you like Western Historical Romances, you really should give her a shot. She spins a good tale.

Rating: 4 flowers

Innovative Online Book Tours Book Review: Kentucky Green

Author: Terry Irene Blain  
Title: Kentucky Green  
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing  
Publish Date: June 8, 2012
Buy: Amazon  
Review Copy Provided By: Innovative Online Book Tours and the author
Book Blurb: April Williamson’s heart calls her across the frontier, but only one man—a handsome army scout with a tormented past—can get her safely to freedom. Daniel McKenzie was an army scout—quiet, capable, handsome…and utterly unwilling to be the trail guide April Williamson needed to reach Kentucky. The Indian attack at Blue Licks was but one bitter taste of the American frontier, a massacre that had taken her father just as cholera had taken her mother. But April would not give up on her dream. At journey’s end was independence, and nothing would stand in her way. The young widow was beautiful and determined, but the months of travel involved in her plan would be too hard. Without the general’s order Dan would have told any woman no, but April especially. His secret would destroy her—or she might destroy him. April’s kiss was like the country itself. Restless and sweet, it promised a love that denied every boundary and looked only to freedom and the future.  

Review: I usually prefer my historical novels to be set in Europe, but something about the plot of this novel drew me in and I'm glad I read it. I really thought it would be a lot of cowboys and Indians, but it wasn't and I was totally thrilled to have the characters traveling through Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh, which just received its name in the year that this story takes place!

April is a very strong heroine, but not in an overpowering sort of way. She knows what she wants and she does everything in her power to get it. The conflict between April and Dan wasn't as convincing as I'd have liked, they got together a little to fast for my taste. I wanted a bit more of a struggle between the two personalities.
 I kept thinking about how things in the preset day are so different from the time period of the novel. It is a seven hour drive from Philly to Pittsburgh on the turnpike, by wagon it took them about 2 weeks to make the journey! Wowzas!

The villian in this story is George Wyckford. I don't quite understand him. Essentially he has a gripe with Dan because he won a horse from him in a shooting contest? And he hates all Americans and Indians, and Dan is a quarter Shawnee. He does a lot to make the trip from Philly to Kentucky impossible for Dan, Scotty and April, and he doesn't stop there either. I had a hard time with why he hated Dan so much.

Over all, I enjoyed the characters and their relationships. I definitely like Terry's writing style and will be reading more from her in the future.  

Rating: 3 flowers  

Terry Irene Blain Bio: Terry Irene Blain was lucky enough to grow up in a large Mid-western family with a rich oral tradition. As a child she heard stories of ancestors’ adventures with Indians, wildlife, weather and frontier life in general, so she naturally gravitated to the study of history and completed a BA and MA then taught the subject at the college level. Married to a sailor, now retired, she’s had the chance to live in various parts of the U.S. and has traveled to Hong Kong, Australia, England and Scotland. “My degrees and my teaching experience make me a natural to write historical romance. Writing historical romance gives me the opportunity to pass on stories of who we are and where we come from while exploring the relationship between men and women. What could be more exciting than that?”
Terry Irene Blain on the web  http://www.BoroughsPublishingGroup.com
Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/BoroughsPublishing
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/BoroughsPub

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Book Review: Temptation and Twilight

Author: Charlotte Featherstone
Title: Temptation and Twilight
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date:  June 19, 2012
Buy:Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: Iain Sinclair, Marquis of Alynwick, is certain there is a special hell for him. An unrepentant rake, he holds nothing sacred-except for beautiful Elizabeth York. For years, Alynwick has tried to forget the woman he loved so well, and treated so badly. A woman who could hold nothing in her heart for him but hatred. All of society believes Elizabeth, the blind daughter of a duke, to be a proper young lady. But no one knows of her wanton affair with Alynwick. When Lizzy learns of her ancestor's ancient diary-filled with exotic tales-she longs to uncover the identity of the unnamed lover within and hesitantly agrees to allow Alynwick, who claims to have knowledge of the "veiled lady," to help her solve the mystery. Eager to be Lizzy's eyes, Alynwick brings the seductive text to life, and each night it takes greater effort for her to forget his betrayal. With each whispered word, her resolve gives way, without her knowing that a centuries-old secret will lead them to a present-day danger
Review: This is book 3 in the Brethren Guardian trilogy. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book because of the tension between Iain and Elizabeth. It was a little too much to handle. Iain was entirely too overprotective for anyone, especially Elizabeth not to realize that he had feelings for her. There conflict takes up a little to much space in the book and the story plods along at the beginning. It is hard to decide if you like Iain or not, especially when Lizzie is being pursued by Lord Sheldon.

I loved Sheldon. For the most part, I thought Lizzie should end up with him and damn the story line. As the story line continued, I kept my fingers crossed that he was going to be a villain, because there are times when it is hard to tell. I'm glad in the end he was one of the good ones. It is a shame that he couldn't have found someone too.

Sheldon was what really kept this story going, even though Iain made sure Lizzie was going to have doubts about him. I also liked how Sheldon's character helped reveal more about the Templar Knights and Sinjin and The Veiled Lady.

The conclusion really came as a surprise to me. By mid story you knew who Orpheus and Georgiana were, but the connection to the Brethren was a real shock to me.

Overall, this was a satisfying read. Lizzie was not your typical heroine. She was blind and she isn't thin, which I liked. It is a shame the cover can't display a woman that looks like what readers would picture for Lizzie. Charlotte Featherstone is now one of my go to authors for regency era historical romance.

Rating:  4 flowers

Book Review: Arms Of Love

Author: Kelly Long
Title: Arms Of Love
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: April 3, 2012
Buy:Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: Pennsylvania in the late 18th century, once called William Penn's Woods, was an assortment of different faiths living together for the first time in American history. Included in this tapestry was a small and struggling population called Amish.

Surrounding this peaceful people were unavoidable threats: both Patriots and the British were pillaging land and goods for the sake of the war, young Amishmen were leaving the faith to take up arms and defend freedom. A simple walk in the untamed forests could result in death, if not from bullet or arrow, then from an encounter with a wild animal.

Amid this time of tumult, Adam Wyse is fighting a personal battle. To possibly join the war efforts and leave his faith, which would mean walking away from the only woman he's ever loved: Lena Yoder. But for that love he's made a promise that may keep them apart permanently.

When Adam withdraws from Lena, she's forced to turn to his brother, Isaac, for support. Must Lena deny her heart's desire to save Adam's soul? And will life in this feral and primitive New World be more than this peace-keeping people can withstand?

     
  

Review: Kelly Long's Arms Of Love is a different kind of Amish novel. It takes place during the Revolutionary War. The Amish weren't considered backward then, they were just different, much like the Quakers. (Only the Quakers allowed a little bit more adornment on their clothing)

I have mixed feelings about this book. In some ways it is really fantastic. Kelly does a great job of giving us a glimpse of what the Amish were like when they first settled in Pennsylvania. It wasn't all a bed of roses, especially when you are a pacifist during war time.

Surprisingly enough, Kelly shows Adam and Lena as sexual beings. They don't have sex, but they have desire for one another. That's something you won't see in a lot of Amish fiction, because they keep it too Christian. (And you know Christian people don't do that) Sex is naughty...those babies are delivered by the stork!

Makes you wonder how those Amish people have all those kids!

But back to the story.  Adam and Lena made a great couple. The historical detail was wonderful. The story was well written but a little bit lacking. Too much of what happened just seemed too easy or too unbelievable.

1. The resolution of the conflict between Adam and his father. This is just way too crazy to deal with.

2. Lena's snakebite! She was bit by a rattler and she recovered remarkably fast...On her wedding night, no less.

3. Samuel and Ruth's courtship. He didn't grieve for his wife very long.

4. Isaac, Adam's brother just didn't seem human to me, at all.

This isn't the greatest story about the Amish, but it is a good one that is worth reading if you are a fan of the genre.

Rating: 3 flowers