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.

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 :)

Review: Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

I didn't do much today at work, but for some reasons, I feel tired :(

Lately, whenever I go to James' bookstore (Friday and Monday LOL), I see new faces. Yesterday, he wasn't there... and for a moment, I was like: "No!! I hope he's not on vacation!!" LOL. There's a lot of new releases coming out next week... Yes, I know, I'm very selfish ^_^;

I've been running the bookstores lately because of the "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion. Seriously, I hate it when I have everything well planned and it doesn't work out for some reasons. Very frustrating... I might tell you about it this week-end during the Sunday Hauling :P

So yeah, lots of new books this week... LOL, I wish I could write review as fast as I book shop LOL. In my effort of trying, I have a review up at Breezing Through: Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn. Joining me was Isabel from All About Me :) You can click here to go directly to the review :)


Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
published by Avon in May 2010

Ten Things You Should Know About This Book

1. Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.
2. Annabel Winslow's family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind AND The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.
3. Sebastian's uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.
4. Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.
5. Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.
6. Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.
7. is shocking, 8. is delicious, 9. is downright wicked, all of which leads the way to
10. Happily. Ever. After.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Bevelstoke, Book #3

TBR Day: When He Was Wicked and Present Danger

Sigh, I thought I won my battle against my addiction of Bejeweled Blitz... turns out, not ^_^; Spent the whole day playing instead of writing this review :( Ah well, going to have to work harder to fight it :P It always helps though once I'm at the top of the leaderboard LOL.

Now, switching topics... How's the weather for everyone? I mentioned in an earlier post that we've been having great weather... I mean, WOW weather for March/spring... Very sunny and so far, only one day of rain! The temperature is also quite warm... However, it's totally wrong for guys to wear shorts this early in the year! Yes, shorts!!! I've seen a couple of guys in downtown and even the neighbor teenager... there's still some snow on your lawn!  So very wrong and as I said, scary!!

Changing subject again, now onto the reviews :D So I missed last month's TBR challenge and as a result, I aimed for a two-fer this month :) Well I succeeded LOL and one of them even fit this month's TBR challenge's theme! I wouldn't have known if Ames haven't told me :P Of course, the most difficult is to review the books in time...


When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
published by Avon in July 2004

In every life there is a turning point.

A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one's life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London's most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca's surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer - the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then... Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love…until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets...

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Bridgertons, Book #6

The Story: Michael Sterling fell in love with Francesca Bridgerton at first sight. Unfortunately for him, she was about to marry Michael's beloved cousin, John Sterling - Earl of Kilmartin. For the two following years, Michael was able to suppress his feelings for Francesca and they have become good friends, confidants even. Then, the unimaginable happens: John, the cousin Michael considered as his brother, Francesca's beloved husband, dies unexpectedly. Everything becomes worst when Francesca miscarries and Michael officially becomes the 9th Earl of Kilmartin. Grieving for John, unable to face his feelings for Francesca and his responsibilities as an earl, Michael escapes to India for a life of adventure.

Michael finally comes back after four years, believing that he can once again suppress his feelings for Francesca. At the same time, Francesca is now ready to remarry as she wants to have a family and children of her own... and Michael quickly realizes that he was mistaken - he is not over Francesca... and she is in for a shock.

My Opinion: So this is kind of funny... I was a late-comer to The Bridgertons series. In fact, the reason why I ever got into it was because When He was Wicked sounded interesting and it was many bloggers' favorite. So I got all the series, started from the beginning... and simply never made it to When He Was Wicked LOL. Then, not too long ago, Ames read it (see her review here) and it was enough for me to finally pick it up :)

I don't know if it's because I read The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins recently, which basically had the same premises in a contemporary setting, but I wasn't wowed by When He was Wicked as so many others have been. Oh, it was a good book for sure, just not a wowzer.

I really liked the hero, Michael Sterling. Such a tortured man! Granted, the torture was of a different type, but that doesn't make the feelings less real. I don't think there can be many things worst than being in love with your brother/best friend/cousin's wife. Not being able to confess, always having to hide the feelings and if everything goes wrong, you could lose everything. In addition, it was so ironic that a rake like Michael has finally found a woman with whom he'd like to settle down, but she's the only woman with whom he can't. Then, there was the death of John, the loss of John's child and taking John's place... I don't blame Michael for freaking out and running away. Despite all that was going on, Ms Quinn also managed to make Michael sound yummy :) LOL, such great writing... However, I wasn't too happy with his character when he decided to marry Francesca. There just wasn't transition between the tortured man and the one determined to marry his love... The turn-around took place too fast and it made his character seemed kind of inconsistent. He's taken such length to keep his distance, hide his feelings and understand that once he lets go, it's like the dam has broken... But why has the dam broken? I thought that there should have been more to the process than Colin saying "Why don't you marry her yourself?" Other than that, I really thought Michael was very yummy :)

As for Francesca, I didn't dislike her, but I didn't liked her either... She was just kind of bland. Holly mentioned in the comment section of Ames review that the readers don't really know Francesca at all. It's not exactly that readers don't know her, but it's more Ms Quinn telling readers that Francesca has been reserved and quiet and just left it at that. There's no real development to her character, no real growth. There's no real change to her character throughout the book. A lot of the book was focused on Michael agonizing about his feelings for Francesca, his inner thoughts... However, when it comes to Francesca, the inner monologues are glossed over...

When He was Wicked is really about Francesca and Michael and their relationship. There is no secondary plot and not many secondary characters either. I thought that the first part about John's death was very good and up to the part where Michael returns and is debating his feelings was very satisfying... However, it all goes down for me when Francesca runs back to Kilmartin - the country home. I don't blame her for running away... it's just the whole, "Should I marry Michael or not" and not being sure about her feelings that became a bit tedious.

My Grade: B. I'm glad I finally read When He was Wicked. As a whole, I was happy with the book, I liked it and it was different than the rest of the series. It just wasn't a wowzer for me.


Present Danger by Susan Andersen
published by Zebra Kensington in February 1993

On the run from her ex-husband, Aunie Franklin doesn't want another man telling her what to do. She's learning to take charge of her life.

James Ryder is finally getting his brothers' troubles straightened out-- the last thing he needs is another responsibility thrust upon him. But somebody's got to teach this little southern belle some street smarts.

Two people from different worlds, learning that in some areas they aren't so very different after all. But just when they start to believe there's a chance of their worlds meshing, the phone calls begin...

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: none

The Story: Aunie Franklin is a Southern belle who married an older man for the money and prestige he could bring to her. While the marriage was not as ideal as she hoped, the last draw came when he refused to give her a baby because it would ruin her figure. That's when she decided to divorce him despite the protests of her family and that's when he showed his true face.

Battered, Aunie escapes to Seattle where she hopes she can start a new life away from her ex-husband and family. This time around, Aunie plans to use her brain instead of her beauty to make her way. She finds the perfect little apartment near the college she intends to attend, except her new landlord has a stick up his behind.

James Ryder is a popular cartoonist who doesn't want any more complications in his life. Coming from a rough neighborhood, he's trying to straighten out his brothers with little success. Seeing Aunie's battered face, he knows she's going to be trouble and so, they both start off on the wrong foot. However, it's clear that James can't keep his distance from Aunie...

My Opinion: I'm a fan of Ms Andersen, so I've been collecting her backlist. Present Danger is one of her oldest books and so I was happy to finally find a copy :) I didn't have high expectations for it, as I haven't heard much of this book... and it's good thing since it turned out to be so-so.

To me, it all came down to the characters. For some reasons, they just weren't very likable to me. I admire Aunie for admitting she was a trophy wife and wanting to make herself better with this second chance, but admiring and liking is not the same. As for James, I thought sometimes, he was really rude. It's one thing not to want to be involved in other's problems, but you don't have to be rude :( And the worst is that, straightening out other people's problem seems to be Jame's favorite hobby. He just can't help himself... so he shouldn't blame others for it, but himself. I just didn't care much for Aunie and James and so I wasn't really invested in their relationship. James was a very contradictory character and so it was a bit annoying... He kept saying he didn't want to be involved or commit in a relationship or like Aunie, but at every occasion, it jumped in feet first.

The story wasn't bad though... but again, it's hard to get into it if you don't really care about the main characters and it focused a lot around James and Aunie. There was also a lot of secondary characters that played filler, but that was okay.

What annoyed me most though was the accents. Lori made a comment about it in a review of hers (here) and I totally agree with her. It's distracting to read accents... and there wasn't one accent in Present Danger, but three!! Reading "woo-mon" simply drove me insane, ugh. If characters have accents, just mentioned it in the story... and let the readers imagine it. We already imagine the rest, so one more thing won't kill us LOL.

My Grade: C. Not the best Susan Andersen book out there, but considering this was her second book only and it's been written more than 15 years ago, it was okay :) Lots of things change in the romance and real world. It does sustain the test of time, but I don't know, I don't think it's a story we would see nowadays. To be labeled as romantic suspense nowadays, I think it should be a lot more gritty and perhaps, gory. In any case, it would have worked better if I'd have liked the characters, I'm sure of that :)

Review: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Hello everyone :) So how was your week-end? I hope you got some nice weather... Here in Montreal, we got some sunshine... along with some thunderstorms ^_^; and today is quite cold. Ugh, doesn't feel much like a summer, if you asked me :(

My week-end was rather relaxing... Went for breakfast with a friend and then, went to a restaurant opening... didn't stay long though. I only read one book and a harlequin at that, so quite short... On the plus side though, I did start working on my excel spreadsheet for books. When I went to Kristie's last month (1 month already!!!), I stole her excel spreadsheet where she keeps track of all her books :) I figured it'd be easier to delete the ones I didn't have and add the surplus then starting from scratch... which it is! :) However, so far, I've only deleted... Yesterday, I actually sat for a couple of hours and added some... I still have a long way to go though ^_^; Actually, I find it scary, LOL :) To know exactly how many books I own...


What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
published by Avon in June 2009

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancée, she doesn't believe it for a second, but still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits... and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.

Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He's not a spy, but he's had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she's nothing more than a nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself...

Genre: Historical
Series: connected to The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever
The Story: The blurb does a very good job at summing up the storyline, so I won't try it :P

My Opinion: What Happens in London was a very cute, enjoyable and quick read. I think what I appreciate the most was the simplicity of the plot. I liked it that Olivia and Harry had time to get acquainted with each other - actually, they didn't even like each other at the beginning. The banter was quite amusing between the two.

I have not read The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, so I don't know how Olivia was in that previous book, but in this one, she's a pleasant lady. She's firm in her opinion and doesn't seem to like frivolities too much. I like the fact that she's aware of how Society perceives her and how it affects her. She's clever, level-headed and curious LOL :) Harry was a nice man... LOL, a nerdy historical hero :) I liked the fact that he lived an ordered life and wasn't a rake at all, didn't engage in debauchery. It's unfortunate that he doesn't have a close relationship with his siblings, but you can see that Harry cares and is trying, especially towards his younger brother, Edward. All in all, I enjoyed the H/H. They were pleasant and well developed enough, although they perhaps lacked some depth. The secondary characters were interesting, but perhaps too uni-dimensional. It's clear that they were there to serve a purpose and that's what they did. Sebastian was my favorite, LOL :)

Overall, the plot is quite simple, but in a good way. Harry is asked to spy on the Russian prince to figure out whether or not he is a Napoleon supporter. At the same time, he is asked to keep an eye on Olivia, because if she was to fall for a Napoleon supporter, it would be embarrassing to the English aristocracy. Harry and Olivia had lots of scenes together and it was fun and cute. Their interactions with the other characters were funny as well. The best scene was probably when Sebastian was reading a passage of Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron LOL :) then, when he dislocated his shoulder and it was re-set and he screamed like a girl LOL :P One of the thing I liked as well is that there was no big misunderstanding... I was glad that at the end, when it is revealed that the reason Harry first called on her was because of duty, she didn't get angry. She understood and didn't hold it against him.

My only complaint about this book is while it was fun and enjoyable, it was also a little bit bland ^_^; I don't know, but the storyline was quite passive with little action. Oh, it was cute... but I don't know, I felt something was missing... that it could have been more interesting (without putting a murder or mystery to solve). Also, I felt like there were a few loose ends: what about Harry and Edward's relationship? What about Harry's parents - I'm assuming they're dead...

My Grade: I'm really hesitating between a B and a B+, but I think I'm going to go with a B. What Happens in London was definitively fun and enjoyable... but it was also a bit too light and fluffy. It's good, but I personally don't think it's Ms Quinn's best book.

I'll do better!!

I'm still alive!! Yes, I'm still alive and I've been a bad blogger :(

I'm sooo sorry! I can still say that work is kicking my butt, which is partly true... but seriously, it's becoming ridiculous :( I hate being a bad blogger :( On the other hand, LOL, I guess it shows that I used to do most of my blogging at work before! :) Anyway, I'll try really hard to do better in the few coming weeks!!

Work is going a bit better, mainly because we haven't done RNA extraction from urine :P Instead, we've been doing other stuff and that's going well. I do feel like the prof is relaxing a bit in my presence. Even my friend has remarked on it. Hopefully, it's a good sign. I'm still a bit anxious every time we view the results though... wishing, please, please, please that there are no contamination LOL :P

So I haven't been blogging, but I've been blog-hopping... Although it's been quiet. If I haven't commented, I'm sorry... but be assured that I've read the posts :P I know what it's going, because like Rosie, I'm too afraid to be missing out to not read my Google Reader at least 3 times a day :) Also, I'll try to be updating my sidebars and so on shortly :)

So definitively look forward to some reviews (finally!!) in the future and some changes :) and LOL, just to be actually talking about books and romance... guess what I got my hands on this week-end?

Oh yay!!!

Historical romances binge

September has gone and looking back, to my great surprise, I've read a huge number of historical romances... Hmmm, ppl knowing me know that historical is not my favorite genre... so that's why I'm soo surprised LOL. Although I read many, I haven't reviewed any ^^; That's why I decided to review them all in this post... Beware, this might be long :P


The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs

published by Mira in 2001

In one catastrophic night, unconventional debutante Lucy Hathaway meets and propositions powerful banker Randolph Higgins, risks her life to save a baby girl, then loses her father and the family fortune in the chaos of the great Chicago fire. Five years later, she's older, wiser, and the proud owner of The Firebrand, a bookstore that caters to suffragettes and free thinkers. Fate throws her once again into the path of Randolph Higgins when she must apply to his bank for an extension on the loan that financed her bookstore. She discovers that Randolph is now a scarred, bitter, divorced man, and that he believes his daughter died in the fire. One glance at the photo on his desk tells her that Maggie, the child she saved and adopted that terrible night, is his lost daughter.

Lucy's strong sense of honor drives her to tell Randolph the truth. Now the conservative banker and the fiercely independent Lucy must deal with each other for Maggie's sake. Despite the resulting clash of wills and differing political views, the powerful attraction that drew them together five years earlier still exists. Can these two stubborn, opinionated people find a way to nurture a life together, for the sake of Maggie and their own battered hearts?

The key word in here, "stubborn." I like my heroine strong with a mind of their own; however, I don't like them irrationally stubborn... which is often a problem with heroines who are reporters (the whole, "the public has a right to know") or, unfortunately, suffragettes. Seriously, I would not have liked to live at the time era where we had to fight for our rights. Anyway, Lucy skirts the line here with being irrationally stubborn, but she saves herself with all the sacrifices she makes for Maggie and Rand. It also helps that Rand is as stubborn as her and due to his own divorce, is very reluctant to listen to her. So the hero and heroine balance each other well. Otherwise, I like the plot as this is one of my favorite kind (two persons marrying each other for the sake of a child and falling in love) and this is, as usual, very well written. A B from me.

Nobody's Darling by Teresa Medeiros
published by Bantam Books in April 1998

Dear Reader,

I never enjoyed being a wanted man until the day Miss Esmerelda Fine marched into the Tumbleweed Saloon and pointed her derringer straight at my heart. Who would have guessed some duke's granddaughter--an awfully pretty one at that--would come gunning for the likes of me, a notorious bounty hunter with a taste for whiskey and a fondness for peach pie? Lucky for me, she was a mighty poor shot. Instead of killing me, she hired me to find her runaway brother. Little did she know she was about to make the acquaintance of a flea-bitten basset hound named Sadie, the infamous Darling Gang, and my shotgun-toting kinfolk. And little did I know she was about to lead me on a merry chase that would take us from a bungled bank robbery to the very first Wild West show to tour London, England.

I should have turned down her offer. I should have resisted her charms. But I didn''t.

Because there comes a time in every man''s life when he''s got nothing left to lose...but his heart.

Yours,
Billy Darling

I got this book back in June when I was in Toronto on Kristie and Cindy's recommendation. However, it's Isabel's review at Book Binge that made me pick it up and finally read it. Also, the back blurb is awesome. I really loved Billy Darling, I thought he was a great hero... however, I thought Esme was a bit typical - hard working woman who raised her younger sibling. I was not attracted to her and thought she didn't match Billy well. Also, mid-way through the book, I started losing interest in the story. Wasn't interested at all when Esme went to England... However, the ending as well as the epilogue saved the book. I especially like the epilogue and wish Ms Medeiros would do something with it. So because of Billy, the beginning and epilogue, I still give this book a B.


Madame's Deception by Renee Bernard

published by Pocket Books in 2007

When an innocent takes over a bordello, can her seduction be far behind?

Jocelyn Tolliver believes that her mother's couture business financed her European boarding school education. Imagine her shock when she discovers that her dying mother is the infamous Madame of London's elite Crimson Belle. Promising to care for the bordello and its ladies, Jocelyn, a virginal bookworm, transforms herself and is soon known as the reclusive Madame DeBourcier.

Rakish Alex Randall, Lord Colwick, is determined to win admittance to the intriguing Madame's bed. His outrageous attempts to garner her favor cannot go unnoticed for long. . . When danger threatens the elegant women of the Belle, Jocelyn strikes a bargain with Alex, hoping he can provide some protection. But Jocelyn's deception forces her and Alex into a passionate battle of wills in which all illusions will be shattered . . . and all desires fulfilled.

I got this one after reading Ames' review. I thought the back blurb sounded good and I was looking for something a bit different. This book is no.2 in the series, but it stands alone quite well. As Ames said, this was a light and fluffy read, and I did enjoyed it while reading it. The problem comes afterwards... When you think back of it, you wonder what you've read... I have to say, it's as if there was no plot... there's a mystery, but it isn't the focus, Alex and Jocelyn fall in bed rather quickly, and the conflict seemed easily resolved. I think the problem with this book is I thought it was too passive and I didn't get suck in it enough. I give it a B- because it was light and enjoyable, but it's easily a skippable book. And yes, Ames, the cover is very pretty.


It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn
published by Avon Romance in 2005

MEET OUR HERO… Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth’s sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past… and the key to his future. The problem is--it’s written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.

MEET OUR HEROINE… All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She’s fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her--something charming and vexing--that grabs him and won’t quite let go…

MEET POOR MR. MOZART… Or don’t. But rest assured, he’s spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual--an annually discordant--Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other… and that there is nothing as simple--or as complicated--as a single, perfect kiss.

This is the book before last of the Bridgerton series and perhaps not the best book to start the series, but what is done is done and what is read is read ^^; I don't know much about the Bridgertons and this book does well in not bringing the past heroines and heroes back; however, I don't have a sense of the family dynamics and I thought it was unfortunate. I mean, when you have such a huge family, it's fun to see the dynamics of it. This book was enjoyable, but quite typical no? I mean, there was nothing very original... I didn't dislike the hero or heroine, but at the same time, I didn't love them either... my favorite character was probably Gareth's grandmother LOL :) All in all, a B- for this book. It was enjoyable, but lack originality and didn't make me want to go and read more about the rest of the Bridgertons.

Just Wicked Enough by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon Romance in August 2007

Michael Tremayne, Marquess of Falconride, needs money and lots of it. So he does what any sensible Englishman with a title would do––he approaches the fathers of wealthy heiresses and auctions himself off! But this marriage of convenience is turning out to be anything but.

Michael’s new wife, Katherine Rose, decided a long time ago never to accept anything less than true love. And if she can’t have that, her marriage will be strictly a business relationship. Michael finds the situation unacceptable, but at the same time finds himself admiring his wife’s quick wit and determination. So he set about doing the one thing he never imagined––wooing his wife.

This was an interesting one :D I read the review at Sybil's and then rushed to the bookstore later that afternoon. The premise is quite different... Michael is in need of money and instead of wooing an heiress with the possibility of it not working out at the end, he decides to auction himself. His reasons behind was quite noble and his reasoning, quite logic actually. I really liked Michael and how he put aside his pride and dignity for his mother... the scenes with his mother was also quite heart-breaking. Then you had Kate Rose who was married at the age of 17, but her parents had the marriage annulled. She's still in love with her ex-husband and heart-broken, because he has just married. She refuses to let Michael in their marriage bed, because he doesn't know and love her. Also, just to make things worse, she's the one who holds all the money... I thought all the attempts of Michael were quite sweet and that he really did end up loving her... not just trying to get in bed because of his physical needs. My problems were with Kate though... For half the book, she's still mooning over her previous husband whom she still "love." I thought that in comparison to Michael, she didn't try very hard to get to know him, to love him. And all her attempts to get to know him were pretty callous. She went about it the wrong way... So I give this book a B+... loved the story, I thought it was different, loved Michael... even liked Kate, but thought she should have tried more...


If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman
published by Zebra/Kensington in September 2007

Shy by nature, Emma Hathaway usually leaves the drama to her rebellious cousin, Marisol. But when Emma agrees to meet with her cousin's secret lover to end the affair, she is pulled into a dangerous game. Now Emma is convinced her involvement in the scandal has put her life in jeopardy. The trouble is none of Emma's confidantes believe anyone is trying to harm her. As whispers of madness begin, Emma turns to the only person who might be able to help... The very handsome, barely respectable Restell Gardner has gained a reputation for helping people out of compromising positions. Never one to turn away a lady in need, Restell agrees to help solve the intrigue. Sensing there is more to the green-eyed beauty than meets the eye, Restell feels himself falling for Emma. But he resists succumbing to his passion...at least until he learns the truth about the danger that is haunting her. For if he gives in to temptation too soon, he could lose Emma forever...

Hmmm, I tried to read Jo Goodman before and I'm not a huge fan... I wasn't going to try this book, but then, caved in after all the good comments about this book. Long story short, I liked the characters and the story. While delivering a message for her cousin, Emma get kidnaps and beaten. Thinking that her cousin might be in danger, Emma gathers all her courage and goes to Restell Gardner to seek his help. Restell agrees and after another incident in which Emma almost drown, Restell proposes to her: marriage and protection. I really liked the characters and enjoyed the story. Restell is kind of enigmatic, there's something to him... He's not a rake, but not totally the gentleman... I guess his mother is right to call him rascal. I don't think that he was in love with Emma when he proposed, although I don't see another explanation. I liked Emma well enough. Very strong and calm... One of the best part I think is when Restell brought Emma to the gaming hall. My only problem with the book was the voice. I don't really like Ms Goodman's voice... I find it too formal and it makes it hard to get into the storyline. It doesn't have the same fluidity as other authors, even with good characters and plot... that's why I'm giving this book a B+ instead of anything higher.

Finally, probably the review everyone's been waiting:


Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
published by Avon Romance in October 2007

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the "ton," Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Wealthy beyond most men’ s dreams, Cam has tired of society’ s petty restrictions and longs to return to his “ uncivilized” Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship— but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter...

I've read many of Ms Kleypas' novels and for the most part, I find them so so. I still don't understand everyone's praise for Devil in Winter which I found again, only so-so... Anyway, wasn't going to buy it, but pretty much everyone went out and bought it... Can't be left behind right?

To my surprise, I quite enjoyed the book... Basically, Amelia is 26 years old and looking over her family, which includes an older brother, Leo, who's the new Lord Ramsey, and 3 younger sisters. Leo has lost the love of his life recently and is heart-broken and therefore, drinks, gambles and whores himself to forget... leaving Amelia to hold the fort. While out searching for her brother, she meets Cam Rohan at Jenner's... both are attracted to each other, but don't believe they'll meet again. Destiny has decided otherwise and reunites them at Westcliff's lands (Ramsey lands and Westcliff's are neighbors)... Meanwhile, Cam's pretty tired of his life and feels restless. Then he meets Amelia and he feels attracted to her... and decided she might be just what he needs...

So yeah, I enjoyed it a lot :D I think Ms Kleypas strength is when the hero is not from nobility. Cam was an interesting hero... he's torn between two cultures and have to make a decision. I really liked him a lot and how he always came through for Amelia. Meanwhile, Amelia wasn't a bad heroine. She was great in fact, except for the fact that she kept repeating she didn't want to marry and would be a spinster. I mean, please, when love comes knocking, just don't push it away. I enjoyed the dynamics of the family and there were quite a number of funny scenes. Three complaints however: 1) Kind of disappointed that Cam always showed up to help Amelia when she needed it... couldn't show how strong Amelia is... 2) there wasn't much of a plot... I mean, event happened one after the other and it made sense, but there wasn't that much of a plot. However, the characters were interesting and the author's voice, great and so it work out good... in which case, the treasure-hunting was superfluous. The Hathaways didn't need the treasure once Cam asked Amelia to marry him... 3) Win and Merripen (Amelia's sister and their surrogate Roma's brother). Does Win love Merripen, are they going to end up together? That was one of the storyline that wasn't tied up and personally, I don't want them to get their own story. If they get their own book, it's just bound to get more complicated and perhaps Win and Merripen won't be together :P Okay, I got carried away... overall, a B+ from me :D

ps- is Hathaway such a popular name? because three of the heroines are Hathaways LOL :)

Julia Quinn debut novels

So last week, when I went crazy at the bookstore and bought too much books, I ended up buying many Julia Quinn's novels. Now, I'm not that huge of fan of historical romances and I never read Julia Quinn. However, this author has a good reputation and once I started reading the back blurbs of the novels, I couldn't put them back on the shelves! They all sound so good :D

So after a week, I've read three novels and if I'm not wrong, they were the debut novels of Julia Quinn:


Splendid: 3/5
published in 1995, re-released by Avon in 2003

Emma Dunster is an American heiress who is spending some time in England with her cousins. The day of her debut ball, she and her cousin, Anabella, sneak into the kitchen in maid outfit to help out, in order to avoid going over the tedious details of the ball. Emma goes out to buy eggs and ends up saving the nephew of Alexander Ridgely, Duke of Ashbourne, from being ran over.

Alexander has no intention of getting married and thus, has been avoiding balls and bashes like the plague. However, his interest in the maid who saved his nephew is too strong and he attends Lord Worth's ball and quickly realizes that Emma is no maid, but a lady. So starts the game of seduction between the two.

My thoughts: Hmmm, the story was okay. I mean, nothing very original, but well-written. The only thing that really annoyed me was Emma could be very stubborn sometimes. Not that it's bad, but in some circumstances, it can get on the reader's nerves. One of my favorite part was when her aunt, Lady Caroline, points out that Emma almost ruined her marriage of love simply because she's been stubborn. Otherwise, both characteres were enjoyable, but perhaps a bit too much.


Dancing at Midnight: 3.5/5

published in 1995, re-released by Avon in 2002

Lady Anabella Blydon is taking a break from the marriage mart. While her parents are in Italy and her brother at school, she has gone to her cousin, Emma,'s house for a little stay. One day, while reading under a tree, she meets Lord John Blackwood.

John Blackwood is the youngest son of an Earl and has received the title of Baron as a reward for his act of courage during the war, which he had to leave after an injury which left him with a permanent limp. Anabella and John quickly fall in love; however, their happiness is at risk with the return of John's old enemy...

My thoughts: I liked this book better I think. It was a little bit funnier and John wasn't as domineering as Alexander. I also prefer Belle who's more level-head than her cousin. Again, the story wasn't that original, but still enjoyable :)


Minx : 2.75/5
published in 1996, re-released by Avon in 2004

William Dunfor is Alexander and Belle's best friend. He has unexpectedly inherited a title and a property in Cornwell. There, he discovers that the land and property has been managed and run by Henrietta Barrett, aka Henry, a young girl who was a relative of the previous Baron's wife.

Henry has been running the estate ever since the death of her grandmother's cousin; the Baron being too busy to grieve. She loves the place and nobody knows it as well and so, she's afraid that the new lord will kick her out or marry her off. She comes up with a plan: if he doesn't like the place, he probably won't stay and so tries to make Dunford's stay as miserable as possible. The plan fails and both become friends instead, with Dunford reassurance that he won't kick her out. Their attraction is palpable, but everything goes awry once Dunford learns that Henry is actually his ward.

My thoughts: Quite frankly, I was looking forward to this book the most since I thought it had the most potential. However, I was disappointed. I thought the beginning was great and half-way through the book, it seems Ms Quinn wasn't sure how her characters should be or perhaps she changed her mind and the storyline became predictable and cliche. Dunford was a good character: gentleman and funny; however, I didnt' think he would care about society that much. As for Henry, she started out as a tomboy and then, became a lady... which I truthfully, didn't expect. I wished Henry would have been older and stronger... becoming a lady in my opinion, seems like a weakness. As if she couldn't hold her head high and didn't have a stronger backbone. Also, I thought that Ms Quinn took the easy way out with the huge misunderstanding. All in all, not that book was bad, just not as good as it could have been.


Verdict - Hmmm, so what to say? I know that these are her debut novels and there are quite good for a debut. My complaint is that it seems her main storyline wasn't developed enough or long enough to carry the entire novel and so she had to add intrigues and misunderstandings. Not that it's bad, but it didn't fit sometimes.

Otherwise, I'll definitively read more of Ms Quinn's books, starting with the ones I bought. However, Ms Quinn didn't impress me enough to be an auto-buy. Ms Quinn has a very strong voice and is one of the best in the historical romance genre; however, this genre is just not for me. I get bored quickly and I find most of the storylines redundant.

If you're interested, here is the link to her website: here.