TBR Challenge 2014: The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement by Maya Rodale

Sigh, almost two weeks since my last post. So sorry everyone! My blogging muse seems to have gone on vacation lately. I don't know if it's having more time on my hands now that I'm not curling, but I've been bored. I don't know what to watch, don't know what to read despite all the new releases, don't know what to do... and blogging, well the words are just not coming ^_^; Hopefully, this feeling will pass soon because otherwise, it's going to be a very, very long summer ^_^;

Anyway, I made a big effort  for the TBR Challenge because I want a perfect year for 2014 LOL. Seriously, finding books to read is so hard lately :( I just don't know what I'm in the mood for. I'm just so afraid that my "romance novels/fiction" phase is over... Fingers crossed that it isn't. Since the TBR Challenge date was closing on me, I totally cheated and picked up the shortest book I could find... and that was:

The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement by Maya Rodale
published by Harpercollins Publisher (Avon Impulse) in December 2013

Jane Sparks has accidentally announced her engagement on Facebook—to the infamous Bad Boy Billionaire, Duke Austen. As soon as it’s discovered that Jane and Duke barely know each other (One hot kiss at a party does not a relationship make), she’ll be humiliated. And then Duke does something Jane never expected. He plays along with her charade.

With his hard partying, playboy reputation jeopardizing a fifty million dollar investment deal, Duke realizes an engagement with the hot but oh-so-proper librarian could be just the thing to repair his reputation. This good girl tempts him to be very wicked…but just with her. It’s unprecedented. Inconceivable. Totally alluring.

As the unlikely match of librarian and tech entrepreneur set out to convince the world—and the internet—that their love is real, something unexpected happens: they start falling for each other. But Jane is secretly writing a historical romance novel that could expose their carefully constructed romance…unless two perfect strangers are content to be perfectly scandalous together.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: First part in the contemporary version of The Wicked Wallflower, connected to Bad Boys & Wallflowers series

The Story: Basically, The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement is a fake engagement between two completely opposite persons. Jane Sparks had her whole life planned out as the future Mrs. Sam Chase... that is until her high school sweetheart of 12 years dumped her for being too settled, too safe. After the break-up, Jane moved to NYC, took a job at New York Public Library as a library assistant and told everyone she would write her romance novel. In truth, after six months, she's still pining after her ex, hoping he'd take her back. When she gets her tenth annual high school reunion invitation, she panics because she feels like a failure while her classmates are all in relationships, even Sam who seemed to have moved on. In a bid to help her, Jane's roommate posts an update on Jane's FB announcing her engagement to Duke Austen, a bad boy billionaire who made his fortune in the technology field with codes and apps, and the man with whom Jane made out at a party very recently. To Jane's utter shock, Duke doesn't deny the engagement and even seeks out Jane. Turns out that Duke is attempting a third startup, but his bad boy reputation has been turning away investors. Not wanting to be labeled as a choker for the rest of his life, Duke needs this startup to succeed and believes that an engagement to someone as composed as Jane will help.

But what happens when you want a lie to become reality?

My Opinion: As mentioned above, The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement is the contemporary version of The Wicked Wallflower and is released as a somewhat serial. I thought the idea was a good one, so that's why I picked it up, hoping for a good read. Unfortunately, while I'm pretty sure it's a case of "more me than the book," The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement really didn't work for me :(

Sorry if this will read more as a rant than a review, but that's the only way for me to express why I didn't enjoy The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement. Basically, it has everything to do with the heroine, Jane. I'm so tired of heroines like her who seem to have no spine, who cannot accept the end of a relationship and pine away for their ex. The harsh truth is that their attitude is pathetic ^_^; Do you really want to be with someone who dumped you? Who deemed that you weren't "enough" for them and threw you aside? I know, I know, I can't fully understand because I've never been in a relationship myself... but it's hard to read about characters that cling to a rosy past, remembering only the good stuff and magically erasing the bad times, and not attempting to move on. In the case of Jane, I tried being more understanding and  patient because after all, it was a twelve years relationship... but the problem is that it wasn't about only losing Sam. In fact, a large part of why she could not accept the break-up, why she longed to get back with Sam had nothing to do with him and everything to do with people's perceptions of her. The fact that she wasn't single, as if being single makes you a loser... and it is, but only if you believe that. Is a relationship, a marriage the only measure of one's success in life? So yeah, that's pretty much why The Bad Boy Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement didn't work for me and I guess that's specifically linked to my mood. It seems to me that half the romance books I pick up lately are about heroines similar to Jane ^_^;

Aside from that, well I was expecting this contemporary twist to be more fun... but the truth is, the story was not original at all. There was nothing new to it, no twist :( And it might have worked better if the book hadn't been released as a serial... However, having read only the first part, I feel like everything went a bit too fast: how they met, how the fake engagement happened, them faking it and later having sex. I didn't buy in the chemistry between Jane and Duke or the progress of their relationship from being fake to something that wasn't.

My Grade: D. I usually enjoy Ms Rodale's writing which is why I keep picking up her books... but in the case of The Bad Boy's Billionaire's Wicked Arrangement, the writing wasn't enough. I just felt that in all the other aspects, the book didn't work for me :(

Monthly Reads - February 2014

Sigh, I'm really having a hard time finding my blogging groove. It's weird because one week, I'll manage to write three posts and the next, nada ^_^; Anyway, I'm really happy I managed to write this post! I really wanted to have it posted in March - no fun to always play catch up. I barely made it, but I made it :)

Here is what I read in February:


1) Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare: B-

Lately, I haven't been in the mood for historical romance. It seems to be another genre I am burning out on (noooo!!!) ^_^; However, after seeing all the good reviews about Romancing the Duke, I decided to give it a try... especially since the hero was blind!

Romancing the Duke is the first in Ms Dare's new series in which each heroine inherits a castle. Isolde Ophelia Goodnight, better known as Izzy Goodnight, is the daughter of England's most acclaimed author, Sir Henry Goodnight. Because her father failed to provide for her in his will, Izzy finds herself in a financial bind. When she learns that her godfather has left her a bequest in his will, it seems to be a godsend. However, she never expected to be inheriting a castle... and one that is not empty at that. Ransom William Dacre Vane is the eleventh Duke of Rothbury and previous owner of Gostley Castle. After his bride ran away with another man and being injured in a duel, Ransom lost his eyesight and retreated from the ton, taking refuge in Gostley Castle. He's been in seclusion for seven months when Izzy shows up on his doorstep with the ludicrous claim of ownership over his home. Obviously, there's been a mistake somewhere and Rothbury intends to keep Izzy close till he finds out what happened. As for Izzy, all she wants is a roof over her head.

Romancing the Duke was a cute book and I enjoyed it... just not as much as everyone else seems to ^_^; This happens to me regularly with Ms Dare's books. I don't know what it is, because I do think her writing is solid... It's just that for me, that little extra that makes a good story into a great one is missing. In this case, I feel I didn't connect with the characters even though they were likable and well developed. I wished Ms Dare had played up Rothbury's blindness a bit more... Still, there were some good elements to Romancing the Duke. I liked that the book was focused on Izzy, Rothbury and their romance, that there was no villain/evilness and the humorous tone.


2) Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil: C-

Life in Outer Space is about Sam Kinnison who is a geek and is resigned with is place in the high school pecking order. He has a good group of friends, knows what he wants to do in the future and is just waiting for high school to be over to realize his dreams. Then Camilla, the new girl at school, comes into his life. Sam doesn't know what to do with Camilla because she doesn't fit the mold he knows and very quickly, everything in his life seems to be changing...

I picked this book up based on Alex's review. She loved Life in Outer Space and I was hoping it would work as well for me... Unfortunately, it didn't :( First, I was expecting this book to be funnier since Sam is a nerd. I guess that's what you get for watching so much Big Bang Theory LOL. In truth though, Sam wasn't that nerdy; he simply was passionate about movies, especially horror ones. Think Dawson Creek instead of Sheldon or Leonard and so it was hard for me to really believe he was being bullied. I feel that he should have stood his ground a bit more firmly... As for the story itself, I don't know ^_^; The friendship between Camilla and Sam was well-written and his confusion was interesting, but at the end of the day, I felt Sam was really dense. I mean, it was obvious this was heading for something more and his acting all scared rabbit - not very attractive. Then, Ms Keil added all this issues in the story, but I don't feel like anything was really resolved... and I never really understood what was Sam's parents' situation. Overall, Life in Outer Space simply didn't grab me.

3) Jaded by Anne Calhoun: C-

Lucas Ridgeway is jaded. He used to be a cop in Denver, but after burning out, he came back to Walkers Ford, South Dakota, to serve as their chief of police. He simply doesn't want to feel, doesn't want to care anymore because he's been burned too many times. He is not looking for a relationship, but an affair with his sexy tenant who's leaving soon, that he can manage. Alanna Wentworth comes from an affluent political family. After turning down a very public proposal, she needed space and time away from her family and escaped to Walkers Ford to be their town librarian. She always knew it would be temporary as she is needed by her family foundation and her mother and sister have started being very insistent for her come back. Before going home though, Alanna wants to do something different... such as seducing her sexy landlord.

I really wanted to like this book, but in the end, it just didn't work for me. Part of it is on me because I'm burning out on contemporary romance and Jaded didn't really offer anything different. However, it was also the book. I felt there was a lack of of chemistry between Alanna and Lucas, no real connection between them except for sex. There was also a lack of development to the story. Ms Calhoun really stacked up the book with back stories and secondary characters, but she didn't really do much with it which is unfortunate. I really would have liked to see the characters work out their problems, but all the resolutions were so sudden! It's like all the characters started at point A with their issues and ended at point B with their happy endings and none of the progress was shown. I read the book and yet, wasn't a witness to their journey from A to B :(  One thing that made me really uncomfortable is that Alanna's family ran a charity foundation which is very noble. However, that foundation mostly helped people in third world countries. But what about what's right in front of you? There's this teen that Alanna took under her wing, Cody, whom I really liked and obviously came from a poor family. I kept expecting for her to do more for him, to realize that she could change his life... and it took so much prodding for it to happened :(

I think that Ms Calhoun had some good ideas with Jaded, but failed to execute them :(


4) Split Second by Kasie West: B+


5) On the Fence by Kasie West: B+
Upcoming Review (closer to release date)


6) Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb: C+


7) Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg:
Upcoming Review.


8) At the River's Edge by Mariah Stewart: C-

I've been reading the Chesapeake Diaries series on and off and decided to pick up At the River's Edge based on the blurb. After finding her boyfriend cheating, Sophie Enright decides she needs a break and heads back home to St. Dennis, Maryland. While there, she finds an old shut-down restaurant and decides to buy it, because working in a diner as a cook was one of her best experiences. Jason Bowers came to St. Dennis to be close to his nephew - his only remaining family. He was hoping to buy the land on which the shut-down restaurant is located to expand his landscape business, but got it snatched under his nose by Sophie to whom he is attracted to.

The blurb made it sounded like there was a huge conflict between Sophie and Jason because of the land, but there wasn't ^_^; And that's the problem with At the River's Edge. It's not that I wanted the land deal to come in between Sophie and Jason, but I was hoping for something, anything to happen! There's a difference between a low-conflict story and a book where nothing happened and I feel Ms Stewart missed the mark here.  Also, the whole story was about Sophie quitting her lawyer career to open a diner/restaurant... and I simply didn't buy it ^_^; There's a big gap between loving working in a diner during college and quitting your successful career to open a restaurant. Sophie had no experience whatsoever and while she did ask for advice, it was still hard to believe she'd be successful. I've watched a lot of Masterchef shows, I've seen people who are passionate about food and dream of becoming chefs and opening their own restaurant and I didn't see that passion in Sophie.It's too bad about At the River's Edge because I thought the set up was promising although a bit cliché, but everything turned out to be quite bland: the characters, the romance and the story :(


9) Night Broken by Patricia Briggs: B-


10) Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler: C-

11) Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James: C

There's not much for me to say about Long Hard Ride. This was an erotica romance that's been on my e-reader for a while. I picked this up because I needed something different. It's basically about a heroine who is trying to find herself after letting her parents run her life. She hooked up with a cowboy, but found out he was married and almost got stranded... if it wasn't for the hero. Hero offers her an opportunity she can't pass, be his groupie and do everything he demands until they reach their destination.

While I liked Channing and Colby - the heroine and hero - and thought they were hot together.  If you take out the sex part, well Long Hard Ride becomes your usual romance where the H/H started a fling which quickly developed into something more. It's interesting though that Colby's family didn't approve of Channing and I wished there'd been more on that. Otherwise, the most interesting part of the book was Colby's partners, Trevor and Edgard, and their relationship.


12) Third Degree by Julie Cross: B
Upcoming Review.


13) Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop: B

***

Genres

Contemporary Romance - 2
Erotica Romance - 1
Historical Romance - 1
New Adult - 1
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Urban Fantasy - 2
Young Adult - 5

***

In the end, the tally is not so bad :) I really did a good job at reviewing the January books, so I thought I really dropped the ball for February... and I did. However, it seems I was also able to catch it back LOL. Reading-wise, I'm happy with the number of books read, especially since February was a shorter month, even if many of them were a bit blah ^_^; Although in the books defense, I think I was feeling blah as well.

I've also been switching gears a bit in February, picking up more Young Adult and New Adult books. I've been complaining for a while that I'm burning out on contemporary and historical romance ^_^; It's hard to put into words. On one hand, I feel I want stories that are more classic... but at the same time, I want something refreshing! I feel authors are playing it too safe lately :( To make up for those genres, I've been trying to look for new urban fantasy series, but they're hard to find... If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share! Luckily, I've been in the mood for YA and NA and that's not lacking in today's market!

What about you? How was February? What have you been in the mood to read?

Monthly Reads - November 2012

So while everyone has started posting their monthly recaps for January, I'm playing catch-up and posting my recap for November LOL. The good news is I only have December left to do for 2012. The bad news is I also have to play catch-up for reviews ^_^; Then, there's the January's books to review as well. Guess I'll find a way. Perhaps I'll be putting up some polls... See what reviews you would like to read. Hmmm, something to think about :) What do you think?

***

1) Fourth Grave Beneath my Feet by Darynda Jones: B


2) The Chocolate Kiss by Laura Florand: B+


3) 'Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries: B


4) Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale: B


5) The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts: B


6) Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison: C
Upcoming Review.

7) Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath: C+

After mourning her fiancé for two years, it is time for Lady Anne Hayworth to say her final goodbye and move on with her life. In order to do so, she hires Captain Crimson Jack, a notorious privateer, to take her to Scutari where her fiancé lost his life during the war. However, Crimson Jack will only accept a kiss as payment, nothing else and Anne has no choice than to agree, even knowing the risk... and as expect, the kiss leads to much more.

Once they are back in London, Anne expects them to go their separate way where she will accept the courtship of Lord Chetwyn. However, Anne had no idea that Crimson Jack's true identity is Lord Tristan Easton, one of the three lost lords of Pembrook who came back two years ago to reclaim their birthright in the midst of scandals... and that the man has no intention to relinquish his claim on her. Tristan doesn't know what it is about Anne but for her, he is willing to revert back to being a gentleman and rejoin the ton.

I have a bit of a mixed feeling when it comes to Lord of Temptation, because it wasn't exactly what I expected... Still overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought it was very interesting that even after two years, the lords of Pembrook were still not readily accepted by Society, even though it was their birthright and all they did was reclaim it. I also liked the fact that Tristan maintained both his identity as Lord Tristan and Crimson Jack. It was intriguing and I guess it really reflected the dilemma he was facing. He was born in one world and made by the other and thus, he was the combination of both and both were integral parts of him. It made for an interesting character. As for Anne, well she was a contradiction for me. I liked her spirit, her personality and admired her courage, the fact that she went away to say goodbye to her fiancé, that she stood up to her father and brothers. However, I didn't see the same woman when it came to the matters of heart and marriage. It was clear she had feelings for Tristan, so why not defy everything and be with him? Why allow Lord Chetwyn to court her? Because of that, I thought the romance was a bit flat to me. It should have been more passionate, more romantic, but it wasn't. What kind of save the romance for me though is Lord Chetwyn. It's rare for me to like the third party, but Chetwyn was such a gentleman. Of course, his reasons for wooing Anne were all wrong, but he was honest and the fact that he stepped aside for Tristan, I think it said a lot about his character. After reading Lord of Temptation, I was really hoping that Chetwyn would get his own story and he did. Deck the Halls with Love is a novella, but I'll take it! :)

Overall, I didn't love this book as much as I wanted, but I did like and enjoy it. Romance and characters aside, I think it would have worked better for me if Ms Heath had included more interactions between Tristan and his brothers. It's been two years after all and it seems there hasn't been much improvement in their brotherhood and that makes me sad. Hopefully, we'll get that in Rafe's book, Lord of Wicked Intentions.


8) Did you Miss Me? by Karen Rose: B++
Upcoming Review.


9) Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements by Victoria Alexander: A-
Upcoming Review.

***

Balance
Books bought: +16
Books read: -9
TBR pile: +7


Genres
Contemporary Romance - 2
Historical Romance - 4
       --> (Regency - 4)
Mystery/Thriller - 1
Paranormal Romance - 1
Romantic Suspense - 1

***

As you can see, November was a slow month and it's such a shame because it started out so well! End of October, beginning of November, I was really in the reading zone... and then, I fell while playing curling and ended up with the concussion. Sigh. I was not allowed to read, but eventually, I started cheating because there were books I really wanted to read LOL. Given the circumstances, I guess 9 is better than nothing :)

Luckily, the concussion did not stop me from buying books. I think November was one of the months I bought the most books and that's because there was a promotion. Nowadays, I try real hard to wait for those and it seems to be working. Hopefully, I can keep it up! It's fun though to have books to buy when there are promotions :)

All right, time to start working on December's post!

Week-End's Minis XXXVI: Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale

Since it worked so well for me last year, I've decided to continue the Week-End's Minis feature :) This will perhaps allow me to catch up on my back-log of reviews. Of course, looking at today's review, it isn't really short, but who really cares right?

Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale
published by Harpercollins Publisher (Avon) in October 2012

He’s the only man she’s ever loved...

For ages it seems advice columnist Annabelle Swift has loved Derek Knightly, editor-owner of The London Weekly from a distance. Determined to finally attract her employer’s attention, she seeks advice from her loyal readers—who offer Annabelle myriad suggestions…from lower-cut bodices (success!) and sultry gazes (disaster!) to a surprise midnight rendezvous (wicked!).

She’s the only woman he never noticed...

Derek never really took note of his shy, wallflower lady writer. But suddenly she’s exquisite... and he can’t get Annabelle out of his mind! She must be pursuing someone, but who? For some inexplicable reason, the thought of her with another man makes Knightly insanely jealous.

Will Dear Annabelle find her happy ending?

But Knightly’s scandalous periodical has been targeted for destruction by a vengeful Lord Marsden, and the beleaguered editor now faces a devastating choice: either marry Marsden’s sister to save his beloved newspaper…or follow his heart and wed his Writing Girl.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Writing Girls, Book #4

What do you need to know? Annabelle Swift is one of the scandalous Writing Girls working for The London Weekly and is in charge of the advice column. One day, while she is sick and is fed up with sister-in-law who's treating her like a poor relation and a servant, Annabelle decides to turn the table on her faithful readers. Instead of giving them advises, she's asking them for help on how to attract the attention of the man she's been in love with for the past few years, but who never has taken notice of her.

Everyone at The London Weekly knows the identity of the man Annabelle's been in love with - their editor/boss Derek Knightly- except the man himself. That is because for almost two decades, all Derek has cared about is his newspapers, The London Weekly. The son of an earl and his mistress, Derek will never forget the day he was kicked out of his father's funerals by his half-brother, the New Earl, and his vow that one day, he would belong in their world. With his fortune and influence, all Derek is missing to belong is an aristocratic wife. Then, when The London Weekly finds itself in jeopardy because of an inquiry on journalistic ethics because of a reporter from a rival newspapers, Derek strikes a deal with Lord Marsden, killing two birds with one stone. Derek will marry Lord Marsden's sister, Lady Lydia, acquiring his aristocratic wife while the marquis will protect The London Weekly from the inquiry.

It thus seems ironic that Mr. Knightly finally takes notice of Annabelle when he has to woo and marry another woman... And what will he choose? The future of his newspapers or his own?

Why this book? I read the first two books of this series and liked them enough to pick up the rest of the series. I haven't read The Tattooed Duke (Book #3) yet, but picked up Seducing Mr. Knightly because I've been curious about Mr. Knightly and wanted to know if Annabelle would finally be able to attract his attention LOL.

What did I like? Overall, I really enjoyed Seducing Mr. Knightly; it was a fun and light book :) I think it always starts well when the heroine becomes more pro-active in her life and decide to reach for her happiness which is what happened here. I liked that Annabelle finally came out of her daze and wanted to make Derek notice her. I think the advices that she got from her audience were what you'd expect... but the funniest part of the book in my opinion is when Derek turned the table on her and tried to seduce her using the same advices, LOL. The male version of lowered bodices? Not wearing a cravat! LOL. It was also interesting to see everyone side with Annabelle and help her out and how outraged they were that the man in question, the "Nodcock" still wouldn't take notice of her! So yes, I really enjoyed the whole situation :)

In Derek's defense though, I thought it made sense that it took him so long to take notice of Annabelle and realize he was her target. In previous books, Derek came off as cold, unfeeling and ambitious. All that mattered to him was his newspapers and I'm glad to find out why in Seducing Mr. Knightly. I don't think it's simply Annabelle that he didn't notice, but everyone.

Another element that I enjoyed in this book was the interactions between all the characters. From Derek and Annabelle to Annabelle and her friends and Derek and his friends. I thought their dynamics added to the banter - the ribbing Derek got from his friends when they found out he was the Nodcock LOL - and contributed to the humor of this book :)

What didn't work for me? I think the biggest flaw of this book was the lack of depth in the characters. It kind of feels like our H/H were a bit one-dimensional. For example, Annabelle has been in love with Derek for several years... Why? What attracted her to him? To her credit, she does ask herself that question, but she doesn't have an answer. Sometimes, it feels like she's so used to being in love with him and therefore, just stays on that track. It'd have been awesome if in the middle of seducing him, she got to know him better... But I don't think it happened and not because she didn't try, but I don't think there was much more to know about Derek. Sure he had a complex, but I don't remember how much he shared with Annabelle and besides that, well there wasn't much more than a businessman who only cared about his business.

The other part that didn't work so well for me was the whole deal Derek made with Lord Marsden. I actually liked the part about the journalistic inquiry. It's kind of a modern element that Ms Rodale fit in a historical context and she did it well. As a result, Derek was worried about The London Weekly and it created conflict... However, the whole part about Derek having to woo and marry Lady Lydia and so on. That felt more forced and it dragged the story down a little bit in my opinion.

My Grade? B. A fun and entertaining book despite the flaws :)

Week-End's Minis XXVIII: Along Came a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle

Along Came a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle
published by Harpercollins Publisher (Avon) in May 2012

"A young lady with a fortune is subject to all sorts of untoward attentions by the worst sort of vagrants." Aunt Allegra

A lesson Tabitha Timmons, a penniless spinster, has never needed to heed. That is, until she is left a vast fortune payable only upon her marriage to the very respectable Mr. Barkworth--a match that offers little chance of discovering exactly what her aunt means by "untoward attentions."

But the same can't be said when the Duke of Preston happens along Tabitha's path. He spies a rebellious streak in her that matches his own and he makes it his mission to save her from such a passionless match, interfering in her life at every turn. All too soon, Preston--whose very name spells ruin--has Tabitha caught between the good fortune that guarantees her security, and his kiss, which promises an entirely different kind of happily-ever-after.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Rhymes with Love, Book #1

What do you need to know? Tabitha Timmons lives in the village of Kempton, which seems to harbor an unusually high number of spinsters. It seems young men have a tendency to leave the village and not return... Tabitha's father was the vicar and after his death, his brother took over his position, He and his wife were not keen on keeping Tabitha, but they did not have a choice and they quickly realize how useful she can be in helping out with the house chores. As for Tabitha, despite her friends' invitations to move, she stays on because it is home. She has also come to term that she will not marry and all right with the situation as she tells Preston, Lord Roxley's friend, who believes every woman is out to entrap men in marriage. However, Tabitha's future changes when she inherits a fortune from her maternal uncle... but this fortune also comes at a cost: marriage to the very respectable Mr. Backworth, heir of a marquess. Quickly, Tabitha is whisked to London to be introduced... but everywhere she turns, there is Preston.

Everywhere the Duke of Preston goes, he lives scandals in his wake. His latest frasque has left him almost persona non grata to most social events. His uncle and aunt have issued an ultimatum: Preston is to marry and become respectable or else, they'll move out. Having no choice, Preston is ready to court the girls on his aunt's list... but Tabitha is the one he cannot forget. Can his reputation withstand another scandal... one that will lead to happiness?

Why this book? Ms Boyle's books are usually miss and hit for me... and lately, they've been more on the miss side. I wasn't going to pick up Along Came a Duke; however, this is quite a striking cover and I've been reading good reviews for the book, so I changed my mind.

What did I like? I thought Along Came a Duke had a lot of potential. When I first started this book, I was hooked as the first few chapters were very strong in my opinion. However, I had to take a break reading this book because of the New York trip and then, books that I wanted to read more than this one... and when I picked Along Came a Duke again, I really had a lot of difficulty getting back into the story. Even now, I don't really know if this was due to the story or me... All I know is that once I picked up the book again, I just wasn't as hooked and that's really unfortunate :(

Here are the reasons why I thought Along Came a Duke had so much potential. First, I loved the fluffy and light tone of the book. It was fun and fit perfectly the setting of the book. I loved Preston's relationship with his uncle and aunt - Henry and Hen, short for Henrietta - who are twins and only 6 months older than Preston. LOL, I can totally see the bond between them and I thought this situation was quite unique. I actually wished I've seen more of their interactions. Yes, Henry and Hen are exasperated at Preston's antics, but you can see they still care about him. Preston's background was also very interesting and I wished Ms Boyle had elaborated more on it. I wished we've known how good a parent Preston's grandfather was. At least, what we were given gave really good insight into Preston's personality and why Henry and Hen's ultimatum was so grave for the duke.

I also enjoyed Preston's friendship with Lord Roxley and the friendship between Tabitha and  her two best friends, Daphne and Harriett aka Harry. It's clear that Daphne and Harriett are going to be the future heroines of this series and I enjoyed what I read of them. Especially Harry :) She was a lot of fun and I just can't wait to read her story.

Overall, I thought Ms Boyle did a great job with the setting and the characters. Where I had issues was which turns the story took.

What did not work for me? I guess if I had to sum it up, it would be the romance ^_^; I liked the characters and I actually thought Preston and Tabitha had chemistry together... but the way their romance unfolded, it was simply frustrating. I liked the fact that it took so long for Tabitha to figure out that Preston was a duke LOL. What I did not like is how she stringed him along. I know she was not convinced of his character, she thought he was lazy and so on, but she was still attracted to him and I think it would have been good if she had been honest from the start. The two of them seemed to play a game, dancing around each other... but that game just wasn't good ^_^; I hated how Preston had such a bad reputation and that most of it was unwarranted :( That definitively did not helped. I also thought Daphne was a bit annoying, giving advice to Tabitha when she herself didn't get it. Finally, I felt that throughout too much of the book, Tabitha was a bit of a doormat, letting everyone lead her, listening to their opinions and advice. I mean, she just became an heiress, wouldn't it be time for her to stand up to her family and say what she wants? Time to really take the reins of her life instead of following the flow. That part was frustrating given Tabitha actually had a strong personality, ideas of her own, which is what Preston was attracted to. But that part of her personality didn't shine with the others and that's how she found herself in such a mess :( And that's why I found the romance lacking.

My Grade? C. I do believe that Along Came a Duke would have gotten a higher grade if I've read this book without taking that long break... unfortunately, I didn't. Overall, the book was enjoyable, but didn't measure up to the expectations I had based on the strong opening. The good news is that I did like the characters and they had me hooked and so, I am most likely to pick up the next book in the series :)

Week-End's Minis XXIII: A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

published by Harpercollins Publisher (Avon)

Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is...

But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge--in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy--no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith Might be in mortal danger...

But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Smythe-Smith Quartet, Book #2

What do you need to know? Daniel Smythe-Smith has escaped to the Continent after he severely injured his friend Hugh Prentice in a duel where the two men were drunk. Hugh's father, Marquess of Ramsgate, took his son's injury really badly and threatened Daniel's life, hence the exile. However, after having the reassurance that his life is no longer in danger, Daniel can finally come home... right in time for the Smythe-Smith musicale! How lucky for him LOL. During the musicale, Daniel spies Anne Wynter, his cousins' governess, and he is instantly attracted and intrigued by the woman. Anne is not immune to Daniel's charms either; however, she's been in hiding for so long, she does not dare let her guard down. Especially after she gets news that her past might be after her once again. And when there is an attempt on Daniel's life, they have to consider from which camp it comes from...

Why this book? Ms Quinn is on my list of auto-buy authors, enough said right? But also, I like the concept of this quartet :)

What didn't work? I usually start with what I liked of the book first, but in this case, I felt it made more sense to start with my issues with the book. A Night Like This is basically a "love at first sight" romance and sometimes, they work and sometimes, they don't. In this case, it didn't mainly because I felt Daniel and Anne did not get to know each other. I can buy love at first sight, two persons connecting instantly, but afterwards, the romance still needs to be developed and to me, it didn't really happen. Yes, Daniel and Anne actually spent time together, but it was not enough to really understand one another - at least, not the important stuff. In fact, it all felt a bit superficial ^_^; Also, while I liked that Daniel spent time with Anne, I couldn't help but wonder after two years of absence, didn't Daniel have more pressing things to do than hang out with his cousins to court their governess? At the end of the day, the romance was bland and did not work for me and neither the intrigue, which had a lot to do with Anne's past. The intrigue was simply boring and a bit far-fetched in my opinion, especially when it came to Daniel's life. I think A Night Like This could have done without the intrigue and only focus on the romance, that would had worked better.

What did I like? I did enjoy Ms Quinn's writing and the light tone of the book :) I loved Daniel's three younger cousins - they were hilarious. I actually had a lot of LOL moments, especially when they acted out Harriet's play. The barbs on their musical talents were also very funny :) That's why I think the intrigue was unnecessary, it just didn't blend in well with the feel of the book. To me, clearly, the strength of A Night Like This was the interactions between all the different characters and I wished for more, especially the men. I wished there had been more scenes between Daniel, Marcus and Hugh. By the way, I quite liked Hugh's character and I can't wait to read his book next year.

My Grade? I originally gave A Night Like This a B-, but I think that was way too generous. Looking back, I think a C is more like it. It just feels like it's been a while since Ms Quinn delivered a great book and unfortunately, A Night Like This wasn't it. It did have its moments, but overall, it was not very memorable.

Week-End's Minis XIX: Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson

Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in May 2012

She’s 33, unmarried, and stuffed into a Bubble Yum pink bridesmaid dress. And the whole town wants to fix her up with anyone with a dental plan… Who’s going to rescue Sadie Hollowell now? Everyone in Lovett, Texas knows Sadie has always been a ‘notional’ kind of gal. She got a notion to leave town asap , and never visit her daddy (bless his heart). Now, she’s back and got the notion to invite a good-looking, hard-muscled, total stranger to her cousin’s wedding. Better a stranger than some of the losers she’s dated. Vince Haven got his muscles the hard way—as a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan. He’s staying in Lovett to visit his crazy aunt—the proprietor of the local Gas N Go. Before he can get the heck back out of the small town, his aunt makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Maybe he’ll stick around Lovett for a while. Maybe he’ll make a ‘go’ of the Gas N Go. Maybe he’ll rescue Sadie out of that pink dress!

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Lovett, Texas series, Book #3/also connected to Any Man of Mine

What do you need to know? Sadie was a late in life baby and even at a young age, never seemed to meet her parents' expectations: she wasn't a boy, but she wasn't a girly, princessy girl to win beauty pageant either. Then, her mother died and Sadie spent the rest of her childhood and adolescence trying to please her father and gain his approval and love... So when Sadie left for college, she decided to live her life and only came back from time to time for short visits.

This time around, she's back in Lovett for her younger cousin's wedding... as a bridesmaid. Sadie is dreading the occasion because she's 33 and unmarried and that's bound to arise questions. So when she gives a ride in town to Vince Haven, ex Navy SEAL, whose truck stalled close to Sadie's family ranch, she asks him on impulse to be her date for the wedding.

Vince is in Lovett to meet his aunt who has a business proposition for him. He's not a man for entanglement and prefers his women to be ones looking for sex only and no commitments. At first, he turns down Sadie... but in the end, shows up at the wedding because he hates owning people... and when Sadie tells him she's looking for sex to release stress, she's found her man.

Why this book? You know when buying books from an author becomes a habit? Well that's what is is with Ms Gibson for me... and this time around, I was determined to break the habit, but there was a promotion "Buy 3, get the 4th free" and I was missing a book... and it did get positive reviews...

My thoughts? Do you ever wonder why you keep buying books from an author whose books have not wowed you? Well that's the situation I am in with Ms Gibson. I'm looking at my bookshelves and the spot with Ms Gibson books... She's a very popular author and well-loved for her contemporary romance and I remember actively looking for her backlist and new releases... but I'm taking a look at my reviews and really, her books have not impressed. I guess the reasons I keep buying her books is that she's very consistent and you know what you get when you buy her books. And Rescue Me is no exception.

Overall, I thought Rescue Me was very readable and I did enjoy it more than her last couple of releases. Sadie and Vince were likable characters and had a lot of potential but that's pretty much what this book has going for itself ^_^; The biggest issue with Rescue Me is that it lacked development, from the characters to the relationship. This is unfortunate because I thought Sadie and Vince were given interesting background stories and there were conflicts to be worked out. Instead, everything was so abrupt - Sadie's father's death and Vince suffering from PTSD. Vince having PTSD is not a surprise, but it was completely brushed aside... and him just admitting it at the end was not a way to resolve it.

Basically, I found that Rescue Me was just the usual Rachel Gibson book. You had two characters that were attracted to each other, knew they didn't want a relationship and had sex with each other only to find out there was more. Ms Gibson tried to pretty it up, giving Sadie and Vince good background stories, but never dwell deeper than the surface. Ditto for the relationship. As a result, it feels like a lot of what happens in Rescue Me is just filler. The good news is that through those filler events, Sadie and Vince did get to know each other and became more than friends... but love? I'm not sure I buy it because I never saw real chemistry between our H/H. Still, the overall feel of Rescue Me was better and I'm glad that Ms Gibson moved away from her hockey series.

My Grade? C++. As I said, I enjoyed Rescue Me more than Ms Gibson's last  couple of releases, but at the end of the day, it didn't stand out that much ^_^;

Week-End's Minis XI: Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash

It's the week-end again! Yay! Any plans? I went to see a stand-up comedian yesterday evening, Sugar Sammy. He's like a local version of Russell Peters and it was really entertaining :) His ability to improvise is really good! Actually, my favorite part of the show is when he made fun of a guy who came late to the show LOL. As for the rest of the week-end, I plan to relax and blog :) The past week was a bit quiet on my blog, but I have a lot of reviews and posts planned for this week! So stay tuned!

One of posts I'm planning to put up is my Monthly Reads post for March 2012. Almost all of the books have been reviewed! Still, to make it the post shorter, I figured it wouldn't hurt to feature one of the books I still haven't reviewed in this week's WEM :) So here you go, Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash. Enjoy!

Oh, I'm putting a poll up this week, so don't forget to vote for next week's mini-review! :) And I've also made a few changes to this week's mini-review format. Let me know what you think :)

Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in February 2012

Six Regency heroes—One royal hangover

An infamous night has been lost to memory. The scandalous Dukes of the Royal Entourage must make amends. The first step is a heroic rescue.

One of England’s most disreputable peers, Alexander Barclay, Duke of Kress, has stumbled upon a perfect opportunity for redemption. Having been exiled to Cornwall by the Prince Regent himself, Barclay discovers lovely Roxanne Vanderhaven clinging to the edge of a cliff, stranded there by her murderous blackguard of a husband... just waiting to be rescued.

Back on solid ground, Roxanne is desperate for a new life— once she’s retaliated for her husband’s despicable actions. Surprisingly, she finds herself drawn to her unlikely champion, certainly the last man in England she could count on. Yet, the infamous Duke of Kress isn’t quite the scoundrel he seems...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Royal Entourage series, Book #1

What do you need to know? Alexander Barclay, Duke of Kress, is half-English, half-French which is not a great thing when there was a war between the two countries. Indeed, when his familial home in France was besieged, he escaped with his younger brother and an elderly aunt to England... only to be turned down by his English family because nobody wanted to associate with Frenches... Therefore, to insure their survival, Alexander might have committed some treasonous acts... and now that he is a duke, but has lost the Prince Regent's favor, he cannot put a foot wrong. So after a night of extreme debauchery that has all of the dukes' reputations in tatters and the general public dissatisfied with them, when the Prince Regent tells Alexander to go to the country in Cornwall to take a look and put back together his family estate, organize a country party and choose a young and rich bride, Alexander really has no choice. The last thing he expected was to find a woman clinging to the edge of the cliff...

Roxanne Vanderhaven was left stranded, clinging to the edge of the cliff, by her husband, the Earl of Paxton. After an hour, when he did not return for her, Roxanne knew he left her to die.. and she is outraged as the past eight years, she has done everything to be an exemplary wife and made his life easy. The daughter of a businessman, Roxanne now understands that her husband married her for the dowry... but never would she imagine he'd want her dead! Now, she want to know why and she wants revenge. However, when her husband is found dead and Roxanne, very much alive, the situation becomes very complicated.

Why this book? I bought this book because Leslie enjoyed it so much and I was looking for something fun to read :)

What I liked? While the plot was a bit ridiculous, I thought the concept of the series and the idea of the book were fun and entertaining. I am very, very curious to see what is going to happen to the other Dukes LOL. And I wonder what really happened that night and if we'll ever have a complete pictures. Ultimately though, I would the strength of Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea was the characters and their interactions. I especially loved Meme - Alexander's elderly aunt - and Isabelle, the only Duchess in the Prince Regent's entourage. Their comments were sharp and witty and provided a lot of chuckles :) I also liked Roxanne's character quite a bit. First, it was admirable that she kept such a strong front after finding out that her husband wanted her dead. Second, I liked that she reflected on her marriage and the reality of it. That her husband didn't love her, that he married her for her dowry and everything he did to keep her from being herself. All in all, she was a very strong and confident heroine and I liked that. However, I have to say I was disappointed that she was made to believe she was frigid. Sigh, this is really becoming too common ^_^;

Any issues? The biggest issue I had and the reason for the grade is the lack of development. For example, I would have liked to know more about Alexander's background. For the first half of the book, I actually thought that Alexander's younger brother was dead!! But turns out he's happily married somewhere. That struck me as weird as well... Given their pasts, I would think the two brothers would be very close. I also would have liked for Roxanne's husband's motives to be explored in more details. Why did he really want her dead and why now? Was it simply because he was interested in another woman? That's what it seems to me, but what about the money? Seems dangerous to get rid of your wife is you don't know where the money is. All this made Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea a weaker read to me. Finally, I have to say the romance didn't totally work for me. I just found it tiresome that Alexander was looking at other "candidates" while developing feelings for Roxanne. I felt that with an different concept like this one, the romance should have more sparks.

Also, there was my pet peeve: the French. I actually was impressed that Ms Nash got most of it right :) However, when the sentences started getting longer, she ran into some trouble. There was especially a passage between Alexander and Meme. She asks him when did he get permission to address her so casually, "tutoyer," the problem is there was a mistake in the French in the text and therefore, he was still addressing her formally - "vouvoyer" ^_^; I keep saying it, but it's true: French is a hard language, so please, look for someone who can check it over. Still, this was a minor issue and with the amount of French there was in this book, it could have been worst, but it wasn't. So Ms Nash still gets some points for it :)

My Grade? C+. Overall, it was a fun book.. but unfortunately it didn't wow me like it did Leslie :( Like I said, I thought the concept of the series and the book itself was good and refreshing... I just wished the romance Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea had been as original and refreshing instead of falling into known tropes as it did.

Review: She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath

It's Friday!! Woohooo! I can't wait for the week-end :) We had a big experiment yesterday and for a moment, I panicked a little... We had to use a scanner and had to stick to a schedule... and the scanner ate my slide!! We had to turn off the scanner and waited till it warmed up to eject the slide and try again... However, the warm-up always takes like 30 minutes! Then, the supervisor of the lab came and she said it'd be preferable in this case to reboot the computer as well... but if you reboot the computer, you have to turn off and on the scanner again! In the end, it turned out well but seriously. Then, it was also a grant application deadline. For once, my boss was all done with the paperwork... but there was panic again because apparently, the documents had to be in their office by 5pm! It said in the guidelines that the documents needed to be courier stamped on that day, but seems like they were confusion. So there was a rush to deliver the documents, and guess who had to do that?

Anyway, I'm just happy it's Friday! Week-end! :) My sister is hosting a Tupperware night today LOL. It'll be interesting to see how it'll turn out. Also, Canada women nationals for curling is starting this week-end! It's going to be on for a week!! I'm so glad, because I enjoy the sport and it gives me something to watch :) It's three matches of about 3 hours per day!! Yay! It'll help because I've been a bit in a reading funk lately, so I'll have something to do. Have barely read this week :( I'm hoping to get my copy of Celebrity in Death, I think that'll get me going again :)

However, most important today is this review!! It took me days to write a review for She Tempts the Duke! :) I really enjoyed the book, but for some reasons, the words would just not come. After two attempts, I finally got inspired and it flowed this morning! Enjoy!! And look forward for the Week-End's Minis tomorrow :)


She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in January 2012

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.

Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.

Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is betrothed now to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution to fight for a love that could once again set him free.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Lost Lords Pembrook trilogy, Book #1

The Story: She Tempts the Duke is the first book in a trilogy about the three Lords of Pembrook who, after their father's funeral, had to run away to escape the "mortal accident" their uncle had planned. Sebastian Easton, the 8th Duke of Keswick, went into the army while his twin brother, Tristan, became a cabin boy and went at sea, and their younger brother, Rafe, was left behind at a workhouse.

Twelve years later, Lord David is finally petitioning to have his nephews declared dead. To his surprise, it's also the time the three brothers chose to reunite, boot him out of residence and reclaim their status. Unfortunately, the Lords of Pembrook have been away from Society for too long and are not quick to be accepted given the circumstances... Especially Sebastian, the rightful Duke of Keswick, as he was disfigured during the war.

However, there is one person that will stand by them and that's their childhood friend and neighbor, Lady Mary Wynne-Jones, who has grown into a beautiful woman. On that faithful night, Mary was the one who helped them escape... and as a result, was sent to the convent by her father. It is only recently that her father has relented and let her come back to Society as well. Mary has never forgotten her friends and is extremely happy that they are still alive. She is determined to do her part to help the Easton brothers re-integrate Society... even if it displease her fiancé.

My Opinion: Well, I'm glad that after a rather weak end to her London's Greatest Lovers trilogy, Ms Heath has come back strong with She Tempts the Duke. I have to say, Ms Heath definitively has a knack for coming up with interesting premises for her series :) Three young boys, among which a new duke, run for their lives, go their separate ways and then, reappear twelve years later to reclaim their due? How can you not be enticed by this exciting premise? Add in the childhood friend who helped them escape... Oh yeah, this book got me as soon as I read the blurb :) And I'm really glad that the book measured up to my expectations!

I think what I enjoyed most in She Tempts the Duke was the characters dynamics. I loved how complex the three brothers' relationship was. On one hand, they are bonded by blood, but their brotherhood goes deeper than that. It is sealed by that faithful night and the hardships they went through resulting from it. On the other hand, they have spent twelve years apart and therefore, they don't know the men they have become and are not close to each other. There's also the resentment and tension to consider... Sebastian and Tristan are twins and older, so there's always been a chemistry, a complicity between them which left out the four years younger Rafe. When they were boys, Rafe was excluded and was also considered spoiled and whiny, which is usually the mantle that younger siblings have to wear... Then, when they went separate ways, Rafe was left at the workhouse, while the twins rode off... They later separated as well, but in Rafe's mind, he was still being excluded. Over the years, these feelings have not disappeared and they still cast a shadow on their relationship. Yet, they stood together to face their uncle and Society and they believed in the men their brothers have become. My favorite scene of the book is when the three brothers barged in the ball room, Sebastian standing in the middle, flanked by his two brothers with pistols drawn! Then, proceeded to boot their uncle out of residence :)  It was totally kick-ass! LOL. Another part I liked is when Tristan was frustrated on Sebastian's behalf because people wasn't giving him his dues as a duke. I thought these scenes showed their unity and their loyalty to each other :)

Aside from the three brothers' relationship, I also liked Mary's friendship with them :) I loved that she stood up for them at the ball, backing them up - even though she doesn't have much influence in the ton. It was definitively brave, especially since she did it again and again throughout the book and even if it displeased her father and fiancé. And she did it because these men were her friends, even if she hadn't seen them in twelve years. She was loyal to them and seemed baffled that her father and fiancé did not understand the concept. And I was also happy to see her so outraged at Sebastian's treatment because he was disfigured. For her, his injury did not change anything, he was still her friend, the boy she gallivant with in her childhood. While she was closest to Sebastian, her friendship included Tristan and Rafe and I liked how the men were considerate of her and cared about her :)

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters. I liked that Sebastian was flawed both physically and emotionally. He was raised to be a duke, but he spent twelve years in the army, fighting wars and ended wounded. Any man who comes back from war disfigured always have a complex about it... but for Sebastian, it was even worst... Because I think he considered a reminder that he failed. He failed to protect his brothers, he failed his duties as a duke, he failed Pembrook... and that's what drove him. I also really liked Mary. I think she was a great heroine. No simpering miss here, no spoiled lady... spending ten years in a convent took care of that. I think it also made her appreciated life better :) I liked that she didn't over-resent her father or blame the Easton brothers. But really, what made Mary was her personality. She's just a nice woman, loyal... and she spoke out her mind. She and Sebastian married not under the best circumstances, but she wanted their marriage to work... and whenever Sebastian dropped the ball, she'd point it out. Not in a harpy manner, but just so Sebastian is aware of it... and that's what you need in a marriage. Communication.  I enjoyed the romance, because Sebastian and Mary were childhood friends. Their bond was strong and not even distance or time had weakened it... And I really believe that have the boys not escaped, the result would be the same: Sebastian would have married Mary :)

She Tempts the Duke seemed to me to be all about the characters and setting up the trilogy. As such, the suspense was a bit weak - for example, their uncle's motive for wanting to kill the three of them. Although I did buy the explanations. Given the characters and the premises, I didn't mind the weakness :) However, there are a few things I wondered while reading the book. The three boys escaping made for something exciting... but I wondered if nobody could have helped them out. I mean, their father was a duke. He must have had a friend, a confident or perhaps a relative on their mother's side that they could have run to, no? Even if their uncle was their guardian, they were boys and Sebastian was the duke. They had more power on their side than have they been girls. Would nobody really believe them? Also, I wondered about Mary's situation. Her father was worried about her future, because he knew her cousin - his heir - would not take care of her once he died... and so he gave Mary a big dowry and pushed her to make a match. Couldn't he have made provisions for her in his will? If I'm not wrong, money is usually not entailed... Of course, she would probably have been booted out of her home by her cousin... but she had an aunt who was married to a peer. At least, if Mary had money, she wouldn't be without resource. So those are the two issues that niggled me a little while reading. Not big enough to dim my enjoyment, but still there.

My Grade: B+. She Tempts the Duke did not wow me as much as Passions of a Wicked Earl, but it was nonetheless a very good read and a very solid start to this new trilogy :) I'm really looking forward to reading Tristan and Rafe's books and finding out what happened and what the future holds for them :)

Review: Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

Hey everyone!! :) How are you doing all? Recovering from the long week-end? Or too busy reading Demon Marked and Archangel's Blade? LOL, I know, that's me projecting :P Health-wise, I'm feeling better - yay!! And trying to stay that way. I need to find a way to keep my stress levels low. I think that doing nothing in the past few days and reading had helped LOL.

What about you? What's new? Nothing? Well here is a review for you to enjoy :)


Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in June 2011

From the Design Book of Marcelline Noirot:
The allure of the perfect gown should be twofold:
ladies would die to wear it...
and gentlemen would kill to remove it!

Brilliant and ambitious dressmaker Marcelline Noirot is London's rising star. And who better to benefit from her talent than the worst-dressed lady in the ton, the Duke of Clevedon's intended bride? Winning the future duchess's patronage means prestige and fortune for Marcelline and her sisters. To get to the lady, though, Marcelline must win over Clevedon, whose standards are as high as his morals are... not.

The prize seems well worth the risk—but this time Marcelline's met her match. Clevedon can design a seduction as irresistible as her dresses; and what begins as a flicker of desire between two of the most passionately stubborn charmers in London soon ignites into a delicious inferno... and a blazing scandal.

And now both their futures hang by anexquisite thread of silk...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Dressmakers series, Book #1

The Story: The Noirot sisters are the proprietresses of the up and coming Maison Noirot - i.e. dressmakers. They are confident of their talents; however, London ladies are slow to recognize true fashion and shift their allegiance. In order for their business to more prestige, the Noirot sisters need a coup... and what would be better than the worst-dressed lady, the Duke of Clevedon's fiancée. Especially when rumors have it that the Duke will finally come back from the continent to claim his bride?

In order to accomplish this coup, the eldest sister - Marcelline Noirot - heads for France to catch Clevedon's attention, arouse his curiosity and make him aware of Maison Noirot's fashion... Using all the charms and tricks she got from the Dreadful DeLuceys side of the family. What Marcelline doesn't expect is the sparks and attraction between them, for her game of seduction to go too far. How can Marcelline be Clevedon's mistress as well as his fiancée's modiste?

My Opinion: Ms Chase has a huge fanbase thanks to Lord of Scoundrels which is often voted best romance novel ever. Me, I enjoyed it a lot but I wouldn't say it's the best book I've ever read... I don't know if it's a generation thing or just my personal tastes. Anyway, all to say that I don't gobble up all of Ms Chase's books, I actually pick and choose based on the blurbs the ones that interest me. I skipped Last Night's Scandal based on the reviews... but when I came across Silk is for Seduction's blurb, I just knew I was going to read it. What really caught my interest was the fact that the heroine was a dressmaker. LOL, I know, it doesn't take much... but seriously, it's such a pleasure when an author takes such a small detail and makes it work :) And of course, when a hunch pays off :)

All to say that Silk is for Seduction was a great book, in big part thanks to the heroine, Marcelline Noirot. She was just an awesome character. I love the fact that she was a dressmaker, that she was artistic with a temperament, but also ambitious. Also loved her wits and cunning ways. Truth is, Marcelline comes from a family of charlatans/conmen and she along with her sisters have been taught to use their wits and charms to manipulate, to get what they want... and while they're trying to step away from the Noirots' ways and become legitimate, they're not above using whatever is at their disposition to get what they want :) All this made for a very complex and also very charismatic heroine :) And as I said, pretty awesome :)

While I didn't get as much of a feel for Clevedon, I thought he was also pretty interesting. I think it's because he's not your typical duke. He's not the stuffy type nor the ultra-authocrative duke nor the debauched rake. He doesn't really fit any of the stereotypes that we're used to. He's just a man who has spent the couple last few years on the Continent, most specifically France, avoiding his ducal responsibilities and marriage... mostly because he doesn't think he'll measure up to the expectations imposed. However, his time is coming to an end. Even by the end of the book, he didn't act that "dukely" :P That made him different, refreshing... but not as likable as Marcelline. In comparison, he was a bit bland. Interesting, but not totally exciting.

I really liked the first part of the book that took place in France where it was only Marcelline and Clevedon. I liked the seduction game, the battle of wits. I felt it's really where Marcelline and Clevedon could be themselves and I really enjoyed their interactions. Once they were back in London, hmmm, the romance cooled down a little. Of course, there was the ton, Marcelline's family and daughter to consider, oh and the fiancée and their reputations, etc. Understandably, it was due to circumstances... but I thought it was unfortunate. I was a bit disappointed as well because given Marcelline and Clevedon's personalities, I was expecting them to be a bit more assertive, to really go after what they want no matter what others think.

I think that romance novels where the hero already has a fiancée is always tricky to handle. You'll notice when it's the heroine who has a fiancé, then the guy tends to be a jerk and it's easy to get rid of him... But with a hero, well the fiancée usually tends to be a nice, naive girl. So all the characters are really walking a fine line, because there's always the potential feeling that the hero is cheating... That's why I would have liked Marcelline and Clevedon to step up earlier. Ah well, at least Marcelline wasn't pining for Clevedon which is a good thing... and I have to say, I liked how Clevedon's fiancée stood up for herself at the end. To call Clevedon's out for his action, but also to not settle for someone that doesn't suit her just because that's what her parents want. So all in all, while it's not the way I wanted it to be handled, I think Ms Chase did a good job and resolved this conflict in a satisfactory manner which made for a good romance.

After reading Silk is for Seduction, what stay with the readers are the characters and romance. However, Silk is for Seduction did have a storyline and it was one that was interesting and one that worked. The secondary characters made for a better book and so did the details about the dressmaking business... and all of this, wrapped with engaging writing :) Hard to ask for more :P

My Grade: A-. I devoured Silk is for Seduction because it was an excellent read :) I love the characters, but also the originality of the book. I'm looking forward to the next book, because I'm definitively picking it up :)

Review: Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath

Another review!! Woohoo, two a week, I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself LOL. Of course, if I plan to catch up on all my reviews, I'll need to pick up the pace a little... but for now, I'm just happy maintaining :)

Today, I have a day off!! I know, how rare, right? My sister is once again volunteering at the Rogers' Cup, which is the tennis tournament held in Montreal. As a volunteer, she scores two tickets, so my dad and I are going to see some matches today! This year, Montreal is welcoming the men!! Then again, Murray and Nadal are already out, so is Del Potro... but meh, it's still a good excuse to miss work!! And who knows, perhaps at the end of the day, I'll have new favorite players!

I'll let you know how it tomorrow :) In the meantime, enjoy my review of Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath, one of my most anticipated book this summer!!


Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publisher) in June 2011

They are masters of seduction, London's greatest lovers...

Renowned for his bedchamber prowess, Ransom Seymour, the Duke of Ainsley, owes a debt to a friend. But the payment expected is most shocking, even to an unrepentant rake—for he's being asked to provide his friend's exquisite wife with what she most dearly covets: a child.

Living for pleasure, they will give their hearts to no one...

Lady Jayne Seymour, Marchioness of Walfort, is furious that such a scandalous agreement would be made. If she acquiesces, there must be rules: no kissing... and, certainly, no pleasure.

Until love takes them by surprise.

But unexpected things occur with the surprisingly tender duke—especially once Lady Jayne discovers the rogue can make her dream again... and Ransom realizes he's found the one woman he truly cannot live without.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: London's Greatest Lovers trilogy, Book #3

The Story: Three years ago, the Duke of Ainsley and his cousin, the Marquis of Walfort, were in a carriage accident resulting in Walfort being paralyzed from the waist down. In the days following the accident, the worries and uncertainties caused Lady Jayne to miscarry. Therefore, it goes without saying that Ainsley who was holding the reins feels guilty and accepts Lady Jayne's rancor as his due. As such, it is with disbelief that Ainsley hears out Walfort's request: to impregnate his wife. The idea is simply outrageous and Ainsley is sure that Jayne wouldn't acquiesce... Half in love with Jayne though, Ainsley accepts if it means bringing her happiness, giving back her life.

At first, Jayne is furious at the idea... but, how else will she has a child of her own? In the end, she reluctantly accepts to spend a month away with Ainsley. However, she is determined not get any pleasure out of this arrangement...

Unfortunately, all their plans go awry when Walfort's health starts to decline...

My Opinion: It's really not a secret in blogland that I enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, Passions of a Wicked Earl and Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman, a lot. Actually, enormously :) And so, I was really, really looking forward to Ainsley's story and I know I was not alone. As soon as I found out the blurb of Waking Up with the Duke, I emailed Ames telling her how interesting and unusual the storyline sounded. After reading the book, I command Ms Heath for writing such a daring storyline. I think she was able to take such a risk because the hero was Ainsley and readers were looking forward to his story... Unfortunately, the risk did not pay off ^_^;

Like everyone, I thought Ainsley was a great hero. I love how upstanding he was, but also how understanding and patient. He really cares about the people around him, he is responsible, etc. The perfect duke - actually, the perfect man. If I was offered to travel back in time to be Ainsley's bride, I would immediately - given there is some guarantee he would fall in love with me LOL. Anyway, it was kind of sweet that Ainsley was already half in love with Jayne... and that was the crux of the problem. Half in love and feeling guilty... that is not a good combination, because it meant he kept cuddling Jayne, trying to please and appease her. It gave Jayne a bit too much power and it was unfair. The whole romance was pretty much dependent on Jayne and she wasn't as great a character ^_^; Thinking back on Hilcia's review, it would have been great to see Ainsley be more assertive, be more duke-ish. I think it would have helped if there had been more interactions between Ainsley and his brothers (that was a bummer, really). However, I understand the circumstances... and in my book, Ainsley is still a great man LOL.

Now, Jayne. She was definitively a complex character. I mean, can someone blame her being bitter and resentful towards Ainsley after the accident and the miscarriage? I don't think so. Also, out of it, she lost a lot... not just a baby or a husband, but also intimacy. I'm not saying sex sex, but just hugs, kisses and embraces. Touches of affection. It must have been really hard for her, especially that period of time not having the technology of today or the knowledge. So her attitude towards Ainsley concerning the accident was totally warranted. The only problem is that she didn't know him very well and she made assumptions on his character that wasn't true. And then, given all the bad feelings she had towards him, she changed her mind way too quickly that it didn't make sense. I understand her given in to the one month to get pregnant. She desperately wants a child and that was pretty much the only way she was going to get one. Is it very different than artificial insemination? Okay, true, the whole point of artificial insemination is to avoid intercourse... but that technology was not available. I think that as long as Walfort was aware of it - there was nothing wrong with it. Sure, it was not accepted by society, but at least, she didn't lie to Walfort. And really, who wouldn't fall in love with Ainsley? The only thing is I didn't see a progression in the falling in love. One minute, she hated him... The other minute, she saw him doing some good things and the next, everything was forgotten and she was in love with him. That was my whole issue with the romance.

And this review wouldn't be complete without mentioning Walfort. Some might think he was manipulative and yes he was... but at the same time, he wanted everyone happy and everyone's future assured. And he did everything to do it, even withholding information. I like the fact that Walfort truly came to appreciate and love Jayne after the accident... and that when she came back after her month-long interlude with Ainsley, he was worried he has lost her.

When I read the blurb, I was wondering how Ainsley and Jayne would get their HEA ending. It's unfortunate how it came about, but I think Ms Heath did a great job about the story. The only problem was Jayne having to accept Ainsley's proposal... and I think once again, it gave her too much power. Anyway, she did come to her sense.

Aside from this, I liked the secondary storyline with Ainsley's mother and Leo :) LOL, go Leo!! :) I also liked the little bit of interaction we saw between Ainsley and his nephew. I thought that was really cute LOL. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see much of Ainsley's brothers. I wished to have seen a lot more of them... Also, that the book wasn't focused a bit more on his past - him being a duke while being the youngest son. I understand that the three brothers have come to terms with their issues... but still, this was a very interesting and unusual dynamic and I think Ms Heath should have played it up a bit more. One last thing - I don't get the name of this trilogy. "London's Greatest Lover" - I would have think they'd be more rakish or something... but it didn't really play into the storyline... and every time it was mentioned how "great" a lover Ainsley was, I thought it was a bit too forced ^_^;

Ah well, Waking Up with the Duke was not the Ainsley story that I expected... and because of that, it did dim my enjoyment of the book a little. Still, I loved Ainsley in it, I loved the glimpses we saw of his family... and you have to give credit to Ms Heath for making this storyline work :) I think if Jayne had been a little bit different, less angry... it would have been different. Like I said earlier, I understand Jayne's feelings about the situation... but understanding doesn't make her character likable. So with a better heroine, this book would have been much better.

My Grade: B-. Looking forward to Ms Heath's next book :)

Review: Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

Need to run, I'm late to meet a friend! I hope you enjoy the review :)

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
published by Avon (Harpercollins Publishers) in May 2011

Honoria Smythe-Smith is:
A) a really bad violinist
B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child
C) not in love with her older brother's best friend
D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:
A) the Earl of Chatteris
B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles
C) not in love with his best friend's younger sister
D) all of the above

Together they:
A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
B) survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance
C) fall quite desperately in love
It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .
D) all of the above

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Smith-Smythe Quartet, Book #1

The Story: Marcus Holroyd is the Earl of Chatteris. As an only child with an indifferent father, his childhood was lonely... until he met Daniel Smythe-Smith at Eton and became best of friends. As a result, he spent more time with the boisterous Smythe-Smiths, including Honoria - Daniel's youngest sister, than his own family. Being the youngest, Honoria tried to tag along with the boys whenever they would let her, earning her the nickname of "Bug."

Unfortunately, Marcus and Honoria have not seen each other much in the past three years, ever since Daniel had to flee the country after a scandalous duel gone wrong. With their older sisters all married, Honoria finds herself alone with their mother who's not been herself since Daniel's departure... Despite the circumstances, Honoria is determined to find herself a husband this season - at 21 years old, she wants to start her own family as soon as possible.

What Honoria does not realize is Marcus has been keeping an eye on her and her suitors...

My Opinion: Initially, I was going to wait till RWA to get Just Like Heaven, but after reading the back blurb, I couldn't wait! It sounded so cute and I really liked the idea of the Smythe-Smith ladies getting their own books, since they've been the running joke in the Bridgerton series LOL. All in all, I'm glad I didn't wait as the book was indeed very cute and enjoyable, although not exactly what I expected.

My favorite part of Just Like Heaven was the characters. I think Ms Quinn did a fantastic job at creating and developing Marcus and Honoria :) I liked their personalities - gentle and caring. I like that while being from nobility, they were "normal" people. For example, Marcus preferring to stay in the country and taking care of his estate. And I love the fact that Honoria knew she was a bad musician, knew that the quartet was horrible, but still went ahead to perform because it was a tradition and by following tradition, she was part of something :) To me, Ms Quinn definitively came up with appealing characters and were perfect for the friends to lovers storyline.

The book's storyline actually surprised me. From the blurb, I was expecting our H/H to be aware of their feelings, but they weren't. At the beginning of Just Like Heaven, Honoria is looking for a husband and Marcus was never on her radar, as she considered him as a brother. However, through the events, she realizes her feelings for him and him, for her. In that aspect,  Ms Quinn did a great job :) I enjoyed the familiarity between the two characters and their falling in love was well-written and realistic. The storyline is quite passive - not a lot happened actually - and I think some readers will find Just Like Heaven a bit boring. However, for me, it worked. It's light, fluffy, fun and focuses on the characters. It gets tiring to read about tortured heroes and intrigue/mystery in historicals sometimes. For me, Just Like Heaven was a nice change of pace and hit the right spot :)

I was a bit disappointed that the story didn't revolve more about the Smythe-Smith musicale. I thought we'd see more of the "behind-the-scenes" LOL. It was fun to see Marcus cringed every time it was mentioned though :) And like I mentioned, I liked that Honoria was aware at how bad a violinist she was and how cringe-worthy the musicale actually is. Unfortunately, while Honoria and Marcus were very appealing characters, I cannot say the same about the other ladies of the quartet: Sarah, Iris and Daisy ^_^; Honoria was great because while she knew they were bad, she still embark on the adventure with gutso. I understand that for Sarah and Iris who might be good musicians that putting such a bad performance is disappointing... but still. They were a bit too negative in my opinion, too whiny and the quarrels at the end got on my nerves. As for Daisy, she was way too oblivious, but then, she's young. It'll be interesting to see how Ms Quinn will develop these characters in the future. As it is, I was more interested in Daniel and Ramsgate's son (can't remember his name at the moment).

My other issue with Just Like Heaven was the sex scene. Yes, we romance readers expect sex in our romance novels, even in historicals. However, don't just tack a sex scene at the end of the novel just to please readers ^_^; I felt the sex scene in Just Like Heaven was totally superfluous - it occurred in the last chapter! Seriously, I would have been happier without any sex in the story, since it wasn't necessary and didn't really fit in ^_^; There are authors out there that defy this trend and does it well - either there's no sex or it's almost closed doors and it works :)

My Grade: B. In my opinion, the enjoyment of Just Like Heaven is going to depend on the reader's mood. There is nothing ground-breaking about the story or characters in Just Like Heaven; it's simply a book meant to be enjoyed for its characters and simplicity :) It's a book to make you feel better by its fluffiness and fun :)