TBR Challenge 2012: Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke

Wooohooo, I made it! Not only I've read the book, but I've also reviewed it! No mad dash to have this review up before midnight LOL. In fact, I even have something special... a buddy review with Leslie! It turns out that we both read Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke, so we figured why not? :) You can head over to Breezing Through or click here for the review.

Wait, wait, wait!!! Before you head over to the review, please take a look at the poll on the sidebar, under the search box!! The poll is to decide which book(s) I'll be writing a mini-review for this week-end and it ends today!! So if you haven't voted, please do!! So far, My One and Only by Kristan Higgins is leading, but I'd like to break the tie for the 2nd place book :)

Enjoy!!


Conor's Way by Laura Lee Guhrke

published by Harper Torch in April 1996

A courageous woman

In the aftermath of the Civil War, beautiful and stubborn Olivia Maitland was determined to save her family and their new-bankrupt Louisiana plantation no matter what - even if it meant taking in cynical ex-boxer Conor Branigan in exchange for help. It wasn't long before she discovered the secret pain hidden beneath his rugged ways. And his ache touched something in her, lighting a fire in her heart.

A hard-fighting man

Conor Branigan had seen his family and his hopes destroyed in Ireland and had sworn never to care for anyone again. But now he dared hope for a love greater than any he'd ever dreamt of, with Olivia and her three adopted children - and a future that he would fight to keep forever.

Review: Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke

I'm still playing catch-up on my reviews ^_^; Proof is that I still haven't reviewed a single book read in February. Sigh, I'm going to pay for it in my monthly reads post ^_^; Because of that, I almost reviewed Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber instead... but I'm afraid if I delay this review again, it'll fall through the cracks and I just won't ever get around to review it ^_^; So Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke it is for tonight :)


Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon in January 2011

One tryst was all she wanted...

From their very first meeting, Julia knew that Aidan Carr, the oh-so-proper Duke of Trathen, had a bit of the devil in him, a devil who secretly yearned for what he could not have, a devil who harbored a desire for her. So when she needed to be caught in a compromising situation, Aidan was the answer to her prayers.

One tryst just wasn’t enough...

Aidan is supposed to be looking for a bride, yet his scandalous liaison with Julia is all he can think about. Hot, erotic memories of kissing her skin, falling into her bed, pulling her naked body on top of his own continue to torment and tempt him. What is it about this brazen seductress that he finds so hard to resist? And how can he stop himself from falling into her bed a second time?

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Abandoned at the Altar, Book #2

The Story: Scandal of the Year opens up with Aidan Carr, Duke of Trathen, making, for the third time, a foray into the ton and the Season in order to find himself a bride. Being a duke and wealthy should put all odds on his side; however, there's the fact that he has two broken engagements under his belt and let's not forget he was a party in last year's juiciest scandal! Indeed, being found in the aftermath of a tryst with Julia, Lady Yardley, by her husband and then, having his name dragged into the divorce court... The worst is that Aidan doesn't know how it happened as he dislikes Julia and her bold personality. Yet, he cannot forget her and wished he could remember more about their tryst than just flashes of it.

 After years of evading her husband, Julia is finally free! To start her new life on the right foot though, Julia would like to acquit herself from all her debts... Only problem is that she has no funds and does not want to burden her family. However, through some encounters and opportunities, Julia finds herself to be Aidan's social secretary and her job is to steer him to the right social events and finding him a bride. This suits Julia perfectly since she's still feeling guilty for dragging Aidan into her mess and all she wants is for him to be happy...

However, what if she was the only one who could make him happy?

My Opinion: After reading Wedding of the Season, I did something I rarely do... I read the excerpt of Scandal of the Year because I was really looking forward to Julia and Aidan's story. There was just something about Julia that attracted me... Lucky for me I didn't have to wait long to read Scandal of the Year! I don't know what I would have done otherwise :) Scandal of the Year ended up to be a really good read, but not what I expected...

What surprised me the most is that Julia and Aidan have a past together. A chance encounter when both were younger, just before Julia was to marry Lord Yardley. This encounter was innocent enough - two strangers met and struck a conversation, perhaps more casual than it should be; yet, it was special because neither ever forgot each other. It's something that they share and is crucial for this story. To be truthful though, I'm not totally sure how I feel about it. I like it because it links them, it gives them a past... At the same time, I think it's the encounter itself. I know Julia is bold and outspoken, but would she share that much with a stranger? Perhaps given her situation and the fact that she had no one to confide in...

Something else that surprised me was Julia's character. I always thought that Scandal of the Year was a 'happy-go-lucky heroine thawing stuffy hero' kind of storyline, my favorite :) However, Julia is a far cry from being happy-go-lucky. Readers are able to glimpse at some of the darkness surrounding Julia in Wedding of the Season; however, we really get the full story in Scandal of the Year... It goes beyond simple unhappiness because she doesn't love her husband. She entered her marriage to redeem herself for being too rebellious and what she steps in is hell. After knowing everything, I can't help but admiring Julia for her strength. I admire her, because she didn't give up on herself, she didn't let herself be a victim and never lost herself. She was smart, didn't let what society thought of her affect her, didn't let society pressure her and that's commendable when you think of the time period, a time where women were vulnerable because they didn't have much rights. Still she fought for herself. The most admirable is that she kept it from her family and friends, the strong front she had to put for them... Was it the best decision? Not sure, but again, it wasn't simply because she didn't want to hurt there, but also, what could they do? The only thing Julia could do was to get a divorce and she achieved it. I also really liked her love for her family, especially her cousins. When Beatrix and Aidan first met? That must have been heart-breaking to Julia, to step aside, losing the opportunity to free herself so her cousin could be happy. You don't realize it by the way she talks, the way she acts, but there is a selflessness in her that's for a lack of better word, admirable :) And after everything, she was still herself, still going to live and live a good life. I'm telling you, admirable. So in a way, her strength absolutely surprised me, in the best way possible.

Aidan was a good character as well. There was a stuffiness to him, but he was not pompous. He is just acting the way he thinks a duke should: honorably. I really liked the fact that he was there during Julia's divorce to give his testimony and not just sending a written statement. He's someone who takes his responsibilities seriously and assumes his mistakes and errors. Which I really like of him, especially when he admits that his judgement of Julia was wrong. I think honorable is a word that describes him very well. However, as the blurb says, there is a bit of a devil in him, the part of him who wants to act spontaneously, to do what he wants and damn the world. I did see glimpses of him, but I would have liked to see more of it. I would have liked to see more development and transition for his character, especially when he finally admits to himself that he loves Julia. The realization seemed a little too abrupt, especially when he starts to really pursue Julia, to make her admit her feelings. That's my only complaint when it comes to Aidan :)

The romance itself was nice, but I would have liked a little bit more. I mean, it took time for both to realize their feelings and then, it was kind of a cat and mouse chase. I guess I would have liked them to spend more time together being honest with their feelings. I liked how Aidan finally got to know Julia, the real her, and was so protective of her :) I do think it was clumsy though of Aidan to propose when he did, knowing what Julia went through and knowing she was skittish. Yes, Aidan was in no way the same as Lord Yardley, but still... To declare so soon and not give her time to adapt... Luckily, what saved it is that Julia came to him. Again, I do think it was a bit fast and I would have liked to see Julia's thought process, but I guess the book needed to be wrapped up ^_^;

My Grade: B+. For me, Aidan and Julia - especially Julia's character - made the book for me. I enjoyed their characters and liked their story... I do think that the pacing of the whole storyline was a little off and that resulted in the ending being a little bit rushed... and that accounts for the grade :) Once again, I like the period setting and I'm looking forward to the third book!! A pity it only comes out in January 2012, sigh.

Review: Wedding of the Season by Laura Lee Guhrke

Wooohooo, another review!! I'm having difficulty just choosing which books to review these days! Too many books to review and I'm so playing catch up ^_^; I was debating reviewing both Wedding of the Season and Scandal of the Year, but I need to go to bed early and we all know that I can't keep it short LOL. So hopefully, I'll get to Scandal of the Year, especially since I enjoyed it even more!

By the way, a quick reminder that Breezing Through's 4th Blogiversary giveaway is ending tonight at midnight. We haven't really precise which midnight though, so don't forget to comment, you still have time!


Wedding of the Season by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon in December 2010

Abandoned at the altar...

Lady Beatrix Danbury had always known she would marry William Mallory. She'd loved him forever and she'd never doubted he loved her, too. But when she made him choose between their life together or his lifelong dream, Will chose the latter... and left two weeks before their wedding.

Return of the duke...

Will has no illusions that Beatrix would welcome him back with open arms, but six years did not dim his love or desire for her. The only problem is, she's about to marry someone else. Someone safe and predictable... the complete opposite of Will. But can he stop the wedding of the season and win Beatrix back, or is it just too late?

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Abandoned at the Altar trilogy, Book #1

The Story: Beatrix and Will grew up together as neighbors, as friends and as sweethearts. They were about to get married when Will was offered the opportunity to join a dig in Egypt, led by Will's mentor and inspiration. Will tried to convince Beatrix to accompany him, but she couldn't leave her father behind... and the wedding was called off.

Years later, when Will has not returned for his father's funeral or assume his title, when Beatrix' father has passed away, Beatrix finally realizes that Will was not coming back and it was time for her to move on. When she meets Aidan Carr, the duke of Trathen, it seems to be a sign. She has met a good, respectful man who could make her content. So why did Will have to come back on the verge of her wedding to Aidan? Is it to stop her? Or...

My Opinion: I love Ms Guhrke's writing and she's one of my auto-buy historical romance author :)  I was so looking forward to her next release and was overjoyed to discover that she'd have back-to-back releases! I have to say, I've been somewhat disappointed with her latest release and was kind of happy that she was moving on to another series. I also had high hopes, because she seemed to be part of the authors Avon was pushing with their new strategy. Well, let me tell you... it worked :)

In a way, the story of Wedding of the Season was heart-breaking. Two people in love with each other, but who cannot compromise and in the end, have to separate. There's nothing more tragic or sad in my opinion. It was also hard, because neither were at fault... or both were. Will was never going to be happy as a duke and when he had an opportunity to realize his dream, he grabbed it. Can anyone blame him? He tried to convince Beatrix to come with him, but she refused... Was his decision wrong? I don't think so. I think what many of the characters didn't realize is that Will was hurt as well. He did love Beatrix and she didn't choose him. What does that say?

As for Beatrix, she was trapped... by her father and position in society. On one hand, she couldn't leave her father behind. Is it wrong to be filial? No. Both Will and Beatrix' cousin, Julia, made Beatrix' father sounds like an overbearing man... but the man was abandoned by his wife who ran away with her lover... Can you blame him to be protective of Beatrix? Can you blame to be afraid to lose Beatrix? Ideally, he would put his fear aside and let Beatrix spread her wings... but how many can do it? On the other hand, Beatrix was raised to be a duchess. To uproot herself and live in Egypt... was it fair to her? I'm not saying that Beatrix was marrying Will for his title, because she wasn't. However, England, aristocracy and the ton, that is the only way of life that she knew...

Tragic I'm telling you. I do have to say that Beatrix suffered more... and I wished that Will would have shown more feelings about it. I mean, it's clear that neither were able to let go of their feelings for each other. That they still love each other, but also still hurt. However, I thought Will could have done something. Stay in contact, come back earlier... My romantic heart really wished that Will had come back to stop Beatrix' wedding and not because he was in need of funds. It's a bit like being far away, he could tuck his feelings for Beatrix somewhere safe and upon seeing her again, it broke the dam and flooded.

So I did like the characters and I felt for them. I understand why Beatrix was so stubborn as to getting back with Will, even after she broke her engagement with Aidan. What I found unfortunate is that we've gone through all this and the ending didn't live up to the all the drama. It was definitively rushed and I wished Will really had a way to convince Beatrix of his feelings. Yes it's a repeat of the situation and this time, Beatrix took the "right" decision... Still, I wished for a bit more, because it seemed to have been precipitated by events instead of feelings.

One of my favorite element of this book was the time period: early 1900s :) It's an in-between period - on the edge of the old, verge of the new... where old traditions and new conventions collide. I think it really enhanced the storyline and it made Wedding of the Season stand out. Not many authors tackle this time period, but it does seem to be Ms Guhrke's niche. I could imagine Beatrix in her motorcar, with her goggles and driving coat LOL. The women in their bathing suits, the Wimbledon tournaments, the aristocrats playing tennis...

Another element I liked also was the friendship and tight group that Beatrix, Will, Julia, their other cousin Paul,  and the Viscount Marlowe's family formed. These people have grown up together, have spent countless summer together, have a past together. It was heart-warming to see the bonds and links still there, the friendship and camaraderie :) There were also some very interesting secondary characters such as Julia, Aidan and Paul and I'm looking forward to their books :) By the way, I know that Wedding of the Season takes place a few years after the Girl Bachelors series, and there was a mention of Lucy (Daisy's sister) who is now Lady Weston... Does that mean we'll never get her story?

My Grade: B. Overall, I enjoyed Wedding of the Season a lot :) I liked and felt for Beatrix and Will, but I do think their relationship could have taken another turn if only.... Still, a good story with great setting :) Made me really look forward to Scandal of the Year :)

Review: With Seduction in Mind by Laura Lee Guhrke

Let me say something... work sucks. I was talking to Lori yesterday and wondered why we had to work. I mean, seriously... Yesterday was an awful day, so stressful I really wanted to cry at the end of it. Today is better for me, but I think my co-worker is the one who is in need of a good crying jag. Of course, he's a guy so it won't happen. Basically, I predict that the next couple of weeks will be shitty :(

Another thing: I need to stop playing games on the computer!! It's sucking away my time and I don't have time to spare... I've been able to cut down Bejeweled Blitz a bit - although I've just realized today is new tournament day... instead, I've been addicted to Letter Box which is the same as Word Twister.

Finally, I'm reading Burn by Linda Howard! It's a library book... and I have the bad habit of borrowing them, but not reading them ^_^;

Now, onto my review :) When I posted my August monthly reads list, many asked what I thought of the Laura Lee Guhrke or that they were looking forward to the review. Well, here it is... a bit later than I planned, but still :)


With Seduction in Mind by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon in August 2009

A thoroughly modern woman…

Daisy Merrick has to earn her living, but she keeps getting the sack. When her rash tongue costs her yet another job, the feisty, outspoken girl-bachelor is undaunted, and she comes up with a plan that could give her a future beyond her wildest dreams. There’s only one problem. Her success depends on a man, the most infuriating, impossible, immovable man she’s ever met.

A most notorious man…

Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore, is England’s most famous author, but when writer’s block steals his creativity, Sebastian becomes more well-known for his notorious reputation than his work. When Daisy arrives on his doorstep, hired by his publisher to help him write his next book, Sebastian has no intention of cooperating. The provoking, fire-haired beauty stirs his senses beyond belief, and when collaboration forces them together at his country home, Sebastian knows he has only one way out. Seduction.

Genre: historical romance
Series: The Bachelorettes, book #4

The Story: Daisy Merrick just lost another job... really, that's the story of her life. This time though, instead of looking for a new position, Daisy has decided to focus on her passion and dream: become an author. Unfortunately for her, while Viscount Marlowe thinks she has a lot of potential, her writing is to raw to be published. Still, he offers her a job...

Sebastian Grant, the Earl of Avermore, is England's most famous author... but he hasn't written anything decent in years. Short on funds, he produced his last written work into a play... even though he knows it's no good. He never expected the most scalding review to come from his own publisher though! Even worst, Marlowe wants Sebastian's new book... the one he paid for years ago. Marlowe just doesn't understand that he cannot write anymore, that his career is over... and then, he throws Daisy at Sebastian, so they could work and learn together while working on their respective book...

My Opinion: I love Ms Guhrke's writing... there's something about it that I find unique and really enjoy. I think it's the flow of her writing, it's so easy, and I like the fact that her books really focus on the main characters. I also love the period setting of the book - the 1890s. I'm not great with history, but from what I got out of the books, that's when women started having more freedom. The same applies to aristocrats as well... So I love the basis of this series, the Bachelorettes, but so far, there's been lots of ups and downs... and I'm sorry to say, With Seduction in Mind is a miss for me :(

Let see, the best element of this book were the characters. I think that Ms Guhrke has written two very interesting characters. I admit not liking Daisy as much as the previous heroines, Maria and Emmaline. However, I think most of it comes from prejudices - I didn't like her in her few appearitions in previous books ^_^; I like how outspoken and honest with her emotions she is. What I find annoying with her is her optimism or actually, her naiveness. I have nothing against optimism, hell most of the time, I consider myself pretty optimistic LOL. However, there's a difference between optimism and naiveness. For example, when she said that she'd be glad to have someone read her work and give her some feedbacks and that any criticism is constructive... I felt like she didn't know what she was talking about. Or perhaps I think she's perhaps a tad too idealist. It was great though to see her not be so sure of herself when the tables were turned. As for Sebastian, I really like his character. I thought he was quite complex and I liked his torment :P I like that without wanting to, he assumed the role of mentor to Daisy. I liked his past as well, he doesn't apologize for it... and I don't think he regrets it either. I like his pride... I do think that Ms Gurhke could have elaborated a bit more on his past. It would have been quite interesting.

I also really enjoyed the subject of the story: writing. It was quite interesting to see the contrasts between Daisy and Sebastian, two very different and opposite writers. Daisy is a fast writer, writing everything that goes through her mind... Sebastian is one who agonized through each word, each has to be perfect. I liked the scene where Sebastian called out Daisy for not killing the dog in the storyline. I relate to that problem (killing off characters) when I wrote fanfics... So that was very interesting and enjoyable...

So what was the problem with this book? Well, I thought Daisy and Sebastian had no chemistry. Yes, they do have common interests, but that's just not enough. Did I buy their love at the end? No. Although the timeline of the books span several weeks, even months... I didn't feel their relationship grow. I don't even buy kissing as an incentive to work. I mean, perhaps for a couple of hours, yes, but weeks? Nope. To edit pages and pages, work days and days and your reward is a kiss... Okay, a very good kiss, still. It was just hard to buy, especially when you think that he's had a writer's block for years. Perhaps it would have helped if the characters were a bit more developed... I did like the fact that Sebastian didn't run after Daisy right away after she left... Of course, that doesn't make it for the lack of chemistry.

Another problem I have and this is more with the series than this book... all these heroines are bachelorettes, working women... and they all land a titled man. I mean, of course, it could be possible... but for them to all know each other and come from the same housing?!? No, that's a bit pushing coincidence... Four women living under the same roof, being friends, met and married a viscount, duke, marquess and earl. It would have work better in my opinion if not all were good friends or living under the same roof. Some variations would be nice as well (like the heroes not necessarily being an aristocrat). However, I do like the fact that all four heroes know each other and I enjoyed seeing the interactions in this book... but then, this makes more sense, since they are part of the ton and must run in the same circle, especially given their age.

My Grade: At first, I was debating between a B and B-... leaning more towards B-, but that's my love of the author speaking... However, With Seduction in Mind is more a C+ for me. Two strong characters, a strong idea, great writing. Still, chemistry can make or unmake a book and the latter happened in With Seduction in Mind.

Review: Secret Desires of a Gentleman by Laura Lee Guhrke

Finally, a review!! Woohoo!! LOL, I was going to review one of my August or earlier September reads, but since I got the chance to get my hand on the new Laura Lee Guhrke early and it is being released tomorrow... I figured I might as well just review Secret Desires of a Gentleman... Hopefully, my review will send you all to the bookstore :P


Secret Desires of a Gentleman by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon in September 2008

Once Upon a Time...

Maria Martingale was going to elope. But Phillip Hawthorne, Marquess of Kayne, put a stop to those plans when he learned his younger brother intended to marry a cook's daughter. Now, twelve years later, Maria discovers that the man who holds her fate in his hands is none other than the haughty gentleman who sent her packing - and he's as handsome and arrogant as ever.

Happily Ever After?

Always the proper gentleman, Phillip will do anything to protect his family from scandal, and when Maria dares to move in right next door, he knows scandal will surely follow. She is as tempting as he remembered... and the more he sees her, the harder it is for Phillip to keep his own secret desire for her a secret...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Girl-Bachelors series, book #3

The Story: As the daughter of the Hawthorne family's chef, Maria Martingale grew up with the Hawthorne brothers, Phillip and Lawrence. Not long after the death of her father, at 17 years old, Maria and Lawrence planned to elope; however, they were stopped by Phillip and Maria was sent away with a draft of 1000 pounds and the promise that she would never see Lawrence again. Meanwhile, Lawrence was sent to America on an extended trip.

Twelve years later, Maria has become a pâtisserie chef. With the backing of her best friend, newly heiress and duchess of St. Cyres, Prudence, Maria can now realize her dream: open a pâtisserie. After months of searching, Maria finds the perfect shop... but who lives next door? Not only Phillip whose estate house is being renovated... but Lawrence who has just returned from America. Phillip Hawthorne can't help but be suspicious... is this really coincidence? Or does Maria has a motive?

My Opinion: To begin with, I'd like to say that I had my doubts about this book when I first read the synopsis... for many reasons. First, I was quite disappointed with the last installment in the series, The Wicked Ways of a Duke. and didn't really know what to expect of this book? Would it be as good as And Then He Kissed Her? Or would it flop like The Wicked Ways of a Duke? Then, there was the story plot line. From the synopsis, it is obvious that the hero is Phillip... So how would this turn out to be? I mean, the Marquess stops his younger brother from eloping with the girl, but ends up falling for the girl? Hmmmmm... can I say that I see conflict? So yes, I did not know what to expect and it worried me a bit... However, I wanted to read this book for Maria whom we've met in the first two books.

I should never had doubted. Ms Guhrke pulled it out admirably and I simply LOVE Secret Desires of a Gentleman!! Really, this book was great and I devoured it in half a day. So where to start? I definitively think that one of the reasons why this book was so good was the heroine. Maria Martingale is everything I look for in a heroine in a romance, be it historical or contemporary. She's a strong woman, definitively knows what she wants and doesn't let people step over her. She can handle herself and others, is witty and clever and not unreasonable. I liked how she work hard to attain her goal. She wasn't as dreamy or naive as Prudence and wasn't as hopeful as Emma. It was enjoyable to see how confident she was in her skills as a pâtisserie chef and how hard she fought for recognition. One of my favorite scene was when she was arguing with Phillip's chef, LOL. I loved her character and she's one of the reasons why the book was so enjoyable.

Phillip Hawthorne is another story however. For the first quarter of the book, I wasn't sure what to think of him. He's very different from most heroes and he's the complex character between the H/H. I think that Ms Guhrke came up with a very interesting hero in Phillip Hawthorne and one that wouldn't work in any kind of storyline. At first, I thought that Phillip was insufferable and I didn't like his assumptions about Maria... I mean, let's face it, they were less than flattering. However, the more I read and the more I got attached to Phillip. As I said, he's very different than most heroes I read, especially historical heroes. He's not a rake and wasn't involved in any scandals. Actually, his past with women was only briefly mentioned... He didn't make me swoon either. He's actually quite snob and haughty, but at the same time, very noble and honest. The more you read, the more you got to learn about him... and you learn things that explained his behavior and his actions. Of course, he could be a jerk at time... the whole "We are peers and you are 'normal'" speech got annoying, but at the same time, I understood why he was clinging to it. Phillip was raised a certain way, was thought to think a certain way and he did what he believe would be good for everyone. In the end, I really liked Phillip and was glad that he was different :)

Aside from the H/H, what made this book so interesting is how Ms Guhrke handled the whole situation between Maria, Phillip and Lawrence. I mean, this is an awkward situation and could have been very disagreeable to read... however, instead of going with the typical direction: the resentment and anger... Ms Guhrke surprised me. Turns out that Maria and Lawrence have both figured out that what Phillip did was the best... and they did not resent him, Lawrence in particular. It was fun to see Lawrence actually reuniting everyone, meeting Maria as his longtime childhood friend instead of as the girl who he planned to elope with. Lawrence character was very fun, very cheerful and he relieved a lot of the tension in the book... without being comical. Hey, you have to give the author credits for doing so :P

Finally, I enjoyed the storyline and the writing style. I really liked the flow of the storyline and the events that happened. Nothing felt too precipitated. Ms Guhrke took her time setting up everything in place and it paid off. Readers really got to know Maria and Phillip and I think this was necessary for the book to be so enjoyable. What really got me hooked was all the arguments between Maria and Phillip, their banters and sarcasms. It was great... it was like seeing two friends who have parted on the wrong foot being reunited... which is what Maria and Phillip are essentially. You know that familiarity between two persons that comes from long years of friendship... So they know exactly what annoys the other and can use it to their advantage... they also understand how the other is thinking and what s/he is planning... the reminiscence of childhood adventures. Of course, the writing was top notch quality, so it didn't hurt :)

My only complaint was the ending. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and a few extra pages sure wouldn't have hurt. In fact, I think it would have brought some more closure... the way Secret Desires of a Gentleman ended, it seems a bit too open to my taste. Also, I'm not sure about Phillip's public declaration. Personally, I think that what he said didn't need to be in front of a public. As long as the words were being said, it was enough. One thing that I liked though is you could feel how hard it was for Phillip to say the words out loud, but he said them nonetheless. Very romantic :) So the ending wasn't bad, but I don't think it was the right ending.

Few thoughts before finishing up this review... I really like the time period Ms Guhrke is exploring in the Girl-Bachelors series. Most historicals take place in the early 1800s, but this series is taking place in the late 1800s and it's really astonishing how few decades change the feel and ambiance of a historical romance. I have to say that I like this time period, because women had more freedom and options. I'm not a feminist, but I have to admit that it's nice to see that women could be something other than a maid, governess or lady companion :) Also, I thought Secret Desires of a Gentleman had a very "contemporary" feel to it and I liked it :)

In my review of The Wicked Ways of a Duke, I complained about the series baiting. In Secret Desires of a Gentleman, I believe Ms Guhrke did a fine job. We were again reminded of the girls who are still living at the girl-bachelors pad; however, none had an active role in this book. None really stood out either and I have to say, I like it that way. Emma and Prudence from the first two books both appeared in this book, but neither stole the show... and for some reasons, I'm happy that none of them were pregnant yet. Overall, I think that Ms Guhrke balanced it out very well... and I'm now really looking forward to the next installment of the series. I do hope though that the next hero won't be a peer... I mean, what are the chances that 6 regular girls all land marquesses, earls and dukes?

My Grade: A-. One of the best historicals I've read this year :) I would have given it an A if it had the perfect ending :P


ps - Can someone explain this to me? So, Secret Desires of a Gentleman, Mr. Cavendish, I presume? and Seduce me at Sunrise are all historical romances from Avon. So how come they are 7.99$, 8.99$ and 9.99$ (CDN) respectively? I mean, isn't that a bit unfair, the difference of price between them?

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!!!

TBR DAY: The Charade by Laura Lee Guhrke

I've been on a Laura Lee Guhrke kick lately :P I was lucky enough to get my hands on Not So Innocent and Breathless, two of her older works. I really enjoyed Breathless and loved the American setting (I haven't read Guhrke's westerns and all her other works I've read were set in England). I found out afterwards that The Charade was also set in America and remembered that I had the book in my TBR pile for quite some time already so I pulled it out.


The Charade by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Sonnet Books in March 2000

Home, freedom, liberty . . . those were mere words to Katie Armstrong, a savvy thief and indentured servant on the run in colonial Boston. For the sake of survival, she agreed to a British lord's bribe: unmask the identity of the patriot known as John Smith, or be returned to her brutal master. But soon the cagey John Smith was making the same threat–unless she spied for him. Katie planned to play both men against each other . . . until, masquerading as Smith's mistress, she lost her heart to the seductive stranger she had set out to undo.

Ethan Harding's steely heart was ready to risk anything to end British tyranny–even if it meant taking on the false identity of John Smith, putting his own life in jeopardy, or blackmailing a beautiful and terrified young woman. And if that woman's angelic face made other men spill their secrets, so much the better. But now, Katie Armstrong's charms were about to betray his heart and his cause–and his desire for the elusive temptress would turn the tables on everyone and everything he had pledged to protect.

Genre: historical romance
Series: none

The Story: The blurb is a very good synopsis, but I'm still going to do a little synopsis. Katie Armstrong is an orphan who grew up in the street of London and became a thief. After being caught, she was sent to America to be an indentured servant instead of being hanged like her accomplice because she's pretty. Once in America, Katie runs away to Boston after her new master has demonstrated his sadistic preferences which led to the death of another servant. Unfortunately for Katie, she is caught in Boston by a nobleman recently arrived from England.

It is a time of turbulence in the New England colonies as "Americans" start to rebel against England power. The current governor is in over his head, but refuses to arrest anyone without proofs. Thus, the British Lord sets out to find proofs, arrest the rebels and perhaps become the new governor. However, he needs Katie to spy for him and find out the identity of the mysterious John Smith. Katie, not having much choice, accepts and quickly finds out that John Smith is no other than Ethan Harding, a supposed British supporter. Soon, she is stuck between the two parties, having to become a double agent... but where does her loyalty lie?

My Opinion: First of, I have to admit that I'm not knowledgeable about this time period Ms Guhrke decided to explore in this book. I'm aware that Quebec went through something very similar, but know absolutely nothing about the American history ^_^; So I was a bit confused at first, especially figuring out who were the Tory and the other side. I didn't know what an indentured servant was either... However, the more you read the more you catch on.

My main problem with this book I guess is that I wasn't absorbed by the characters or the storyline. Part of it was probably due to the mood/atmosphere of the book. It was darker and more serious than most Guhrke books I've read. Same thing for the characters... they were more detached, more serious and calculative... and to an extent, manipulative and ruthless. I understand why. I mean, they were working for a greater cause and gaining America's independance was their priority. Unfortunately, it seemed to put the romance between Katie and Ethan in the background.

The romance was nice, but a little too short. They hadn't spent that much time together and already, Ethan found out that Katie was spying. I know it's hard in those circumstances, especially since they've spent to little time together, but I would have like for Ethan to trust Katie. I think that's what was missing in the whole storyline. Trust between Ethan and Katie. I think that if Katie would have come clean to Ethan, it would have cast a softer glow on their relationship. In this case, the whole thing started off as an affair and it's hard to say when it became more.

What enjoyed how Katie got off the hooked at the end. I'm also glad that the governor wasn't a total buffon or totally naive. However, the ending was a ruined by well the ending ^_^; It would have been nice for Ms Guhrke to add an epilogue and something like "X years later." Instead, the book end with Katie and Ethan together, but with a future uncertain as they get ready to go to war. Sure, it's a happy ending... sort of, but not enough to satisfy me.

My Grade: C. As much as it hurts me to give such a low grade, this book just didn't do it for me.

Around the web...

LOL, I've seen this kind of post on many blogs, so I'm kinda stealing the idea :P It's actually a great idea for sharing stuff with others :)


So first of all, I have a review up with Brie from the Cupid's Chokeholds over at Breezing Through. This time, I'm reviewing 50 ways to Hex your Lover by Linda Wisdom.

Jazz can't decide whether to scorch him with a fireball or jump into bed with him. Jasmine Tremaine, a witch who can't stay out of trouble Nikolai Gregorivich, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire cop on the trail of a serial killer. The sizzling love affair between Jazz and Nick has been off-again, on-again-for about 300 years. Mostly off, lately. But now Nick needs Jazz's help, and while Jazz and Nick try to figure out their own hearts and resist their ever-increasing attraction, they must steer clear of a maniacal killer with super-supernatural powers. They are surrounded by a hilarious cast of oddball paranormal characters, including Irma, the chain-smoking ghost who haunts Jazz's sports car, Dweezil, her ghoul of a boss, and Fluff and Puff, a pair of bunny slippers with sharp teeth and short tempers (watch your ankles)

Secondly... I was over at Nalini Singh's website earlier this week and she has some deleted scenes of Beat of Temptation up :) I really like scene no.1... so cute!


And last, but not least... Laura Lee Guhrke has a sneak peak of her upcoming book, Secret Desires of a Gentleman. Secret Desires of a Gentleman is the third book in the Bachelorette series...

Once Upon a Time…

Maria Martingale was going to elope. But Phillip Hawthorne, Marquess of Kayne, put a stop to those plans when he learned his younger brother intended to marry a cook’s daughter. Now twelve years later, Maria discovers that the man who holds her fate in his hands is none other than the haughty gentleman who sent her packing – and he’s as handsome and arrogant as ever.

Happily Ever After?

Always the proper gentleman, Phillip will do anything to protect his family from scandal, and when Maria dares to move in right next door, he knows scandal will surely follow. She is as tempting as he remembered… and the more he sees her, the harder it is for Phillip to hide his own secret desire for her…

Sounds good no? Can't wait to see how the story will turns out... as it seems Phillip might be the one for Maria :) Good news is that it's coming out in October 2008 instead of early 2009 :P

Review: The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke

The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon Romance in December 2007

Once upon a time, there was a seamstress named Prudencewho lived in a lodging house, worked very hard, and dreamed of a better life. Then she inherited a fortune, met a handsome duke, and fell in love. Her life was wonderful, and it seemed as if she was destined to live happily ever after.

Then she found out money can’t buy happiness, handsome dukes can also be wicked, lying scoundrels, and a broken heart hurts like hell. Will Prudence ever find true love and happiness? Will the wicked duke mend his ways? Will she take him back or kick him to the curb?

Genre: historical romance
Series: The Bachelorettes series, book #2

The Story: In addition to being cute, the back blurb, for once, is a good synopsis for the book. One day, Prudence Bosworth is a seamstress who’s working hard and is dreaming of a better life and the next day, she’s an heiress being courted by aristocrats who seemed untouchable just the day before. Indeed, thanks to her scoundrel father who ran to America and made a fortune instead of marrying her mother, Prudence’s life changes overnight. However, there is a condition in order for her to inherit the money: she must marry within the year… and so Prudence’s debut in the aristocrat world and her search for a husband starts. Meanwhile, our hero is Rhys de Winter who has just returned from the continent and has inherited the title of Duke of St. Cyres from his uncle. Problem for him is that he is quite in debt and everything has been heavily mortgaged… and his only solution is, of course, to marry an heiress. Upon discovering that the seamstress he’s been eyeing at one of the ball has become an heiress, Rhys chooses to court and marry Prudence as fast as possible, without letting her know that he knows about her inheritance.

My Opinion: I was really looking forward for this book, because I enjoyed And Then He Kissed Her, the first book in the series, so much and after having read so many of Ms Laura Lee Guhrke’s books the past year, I ended up really liking her writing. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with this one. Maybe I had too high expectations, but I thought the storyline and characters lacked some oomph to make it really stand out.

This book read a little bit like the Cinderella story. I like the idea, but I thought the author didn't personalize it enough and instead, it read like many other historical romances out there. In addition, the characters didn't appeal very much to me. I thought Prudence was a bit naive in her thinking. I expected a stronger heroine, a bit more down to earth... not this dreamer. She reminded me more of those sheltered young girls instead of a woman who came to London to work at the age of 17-18 and who's been catering the spoiled and demanding noble women. She just didn't fit in my opinion. Rhys was okay and his actions were understandable. I mean, what was Prudence really expecting out of this character? In short, typical, broke duke in need of an heiress, but who, for once, does indeed fall in love with an heiress. He was missing the swooning factor however and so is not very attaching.

What didn't disappoint in this book was the writing. I thought the writing was excellent and superior to many other historical romances out there. I have to admit I wasn't really happy about the sequel baiting (i.e. introduction of all those bachelorettes), I think that she could have done without, like in And Then He Kissed Her; however, she did pique my curiosity and I am looking forward to Prudence's friend Maria story.

In short, The Wicked Ways of a Duke wasn't bad, but not on par with what the author has accustomed us to.

My Grade: B-

Books to look forward to in December

It's December already... scary no? And it's freaking cold!! Apparently, -15C tonight... which is nothing compared to other places... but still freezing. Also, we got snow... not too much, but we'll definitively be spending a white Christmas... especially with the amount of snow they are forecasting for tomorrow night (apparently 30cm, ugh). Not really looking forward to it...

Books are another story though. As you can see, November was a so-so month. Also, there weren't many books I was anticipating. December, however, is always a great month since it's Christmas... So here are the books I'm looking forward to:

Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper - Dec. 31 (Hardcover)
*I've already pre-ordered it LOL

This book was supposed to be released in July, but was pushed back in December. I really can't wait for it. It's the first book of the new Blood trilogy of the SCU (Special Crime Unit) by Kay Hooper. Apparently, this trilogy is going to be a bit different as in the plot of the three books are connected (as in, it's a continuous story). Definitively looking forward to it and I hope we'll see some previous characters. I know that Bishop is in it (duh)... and Hollis.


The Haunting of Josie by Kay Hooper - Dec. 26
*I've already pre-ordered it too :P

Another book by Kay Hooper. This is a re-print of one of her earlier works. I don't know much about this one to tell the truth... but to have the name of Kay Hooper on the cover is enough for me to look forward to it.


Elijah by Jacquelyn Franks - Dec. 25

This is the third book of the NightWalkers series featuring Elijah... This series focus mainly on demons, although there are other paranormal creatures. If I'm not wrong, the heroine is a werewolf... actually, the queen of werewolf. I enjoyed the first book (Jacob) very much - thought it was different... Gideon was an okay read... so I don't know what to expect from Elijah... however, the sneak peak at the end of Gideon was interesting :)

The Wicked Ways of A Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke - Dec. 26

This is an historical romance... 2nd book in the Bachelorette series, although I'm not sure if book 1 and 2 are connected. The back blurb is very cute and had made me very curious.

Once upon a time, there was a seamstress named Prudence who lived in a lodging house, worked very hard, and dreamed of a better life. Then she inherited a fortune, met a handsome duke, and fell in love. Her life was wonderful, and it seemed as if she was destined to live happily ever after.

Then she found out money can’t buy happiness, handsome dukes can also be wicked, lying scoundrels, and a broken heart hurts like hell. Will Prudence ever find true love and happiness? Will the wicked duke mend his ways? Will she take him back or kick him to the curb?

I've liked Laura Lee Guhrke historical romances so far, so I'm definitively looking forward to this one :P

Other books that are worth mentioning: Queen of Dragons by Shana Abe (Dec.26)... third book of the series. I'm actually not sure about this one. I liked the first book well enough (The Smoke Thief)... Dream Thief was okay... so I'm still undecided about Queen of Dragons. I guess I'm going to wait and see what are ppl's opinion of it first. Hello Doggy! by Elaine Fox (Dec.26) had a cute blurb... and Get A Clue by Jill Shalvis (Dec.25) is released in paperback format. I've heard good comment about this book.

So there you have it, the books I'm looking forward. January also looks like a promising month. So definitively some good reads in the future. Now, I'm wondering... these books are all coming out btw Christmas and New Year... is there any guarantee that I'll definitively find it in the bookstore on their release date? I sure hope so! I've already pre-ordered two books online... Blood Dreams because that way, I save a lot of money... and The Haunting of Josie because last time I pre-ordered a Kay Hooper, I received it almost 2 weeks in advance :P I hesitated buying Elijah and The Wicked Ways of a Duke... because these are coming out on Dec. 26... and you never know about mail btw Christmas and New Year... so there might be more chance for me to get my hand on them in the bookstore...

So there you have it :D Books that I'm looking forward to :D What about you?

This week reads so far...

Hi everyone,

sorry for the lack of post this week, but work has been exhausting and frustrating... or actually, work has been exhausting and co-workers, frustrating :( I can't wait for the week to be over. My reading slump seems to be going away slowly... The problem this week is that I want to read, but I don't have time :( Isn't that a mood-killer?

I've been quite behind on my reviews, so I don't think that I can ever catch up if I do regular reviews ^^; So, here we go with mini-reviews.... I'm not that very good though and I know myself, so I'll probably run on LOL :P


His Every Kiss by Laura Lee Guhrke
published by Avon in September 2004

Everyone knows about Dylan Moore — his brilliant talent and his pleasure-seeking ways—but no one knows the torment that lies beneath his reckless veneer. Only one woman gets a glimpse of the forces that drive Dylan’s soul, a woman who haunts his dreams and evokes his passions as no other woman ever has before.

Disgraced and destitute,Grace Cheval wants nothing to do with the seductive man who desires her. When Dylan offers her a position as governess to his newfound daughter, she knows his true intentions are dishonorable. Yet she finds this charismatic man hard to resist, and she returns his passionate kisses with a fire that matches his own. Can Dylan dare hope that this proud, spirited beauty will melt the ice around his heart?

Series: Guilty series, Book #2
Genre: Historical romance

Thoughts: I really enjoy Laura Lee Guhrke books and this one is no exception :D What I like is that although her books are historical romances, they are different and less typical. No innocent, naive virgin in this book... Grace has lived, has made mistakes and has to live with her choices. Dylan is a bit typical however: a rake, but an outrageous one and he's not noble either. Anyway, the story was very character-oriented and I liked the flow of the story. The only thing I was not satisfied with is she took a long time to realize she was in love with him and when she did, it seemed too abrupt to me. However, I have to admit that this book was the weakest out of the three in the trilogy... probably because I've never been that enthusiastic about Dylan. Artist... very moody... LOL

Grade: B


Hot Wheels and High Heels by Jane Graves

published by Grand Central Publishing in July 2007

Trophy wife Darcy McDaniel has just discovered that, thanks to her embezzling husband, her posh, upper-class life is gone for good. Now she's trading her suburban palace for a trailer park and her weekly salon appointments for a job. Darcy needs a new man--fast--one who'll keep her in the manner she darn well deserves. Problem is, the hottest prospect around is the my-way-or-the-highway hunk who's making off with her beloved Mercedes!
Ex-cop turned repo man John Stark is sure that hiring the furious blonde in his headlights is a colossal mistake. He knows Darcy's high-maintenance, designer-labels-only type--after all, he's used to taking their cars. But he never expected this hellion to have the smarts and the spunk to go from receptionist to repo agent in record time...or to drive him insane with desire. She''s the last thing this tall, dark, and dangerous loner needs...and everything he never knew he wanted.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: stand alone if I'm not wrong

Thoughts: I saw this book at the bookstore or somewhere and remembered reading the blurb and putting it back on the shelves... then Kristie read it and blog about it and I decided to buy it. Well, it did bring me out of my reading slump... although, I didn't enjoy it that much. First, Darcy is almost 40, but acts like she's 20... she makes me think of Paris Hilton with half a brain. She's soooo not realistic and I guess that's what bothered me the most. However, her mom was far more annoying... and I still think she was a gold-digger, no matter what she says... The love story was all right... but nothing that compelling. I love the last, last scene though! That was funny :P Also, her next book sounds promising.

Grade: C-

By the way, wassup with all the "my husband/bf ran away with millions of the dollars and left me behind" plotlines... it's seriously getting old and boring and the books I pick up recently all seem to have this plotline.

Review: Guilty Pleasures and The Marriage Bed by Laura Lee Guhrke

Hmmm, I think I've been reading a lot of historicals lately and I'm quite surprised. Seriously, I don't even remember where or when I heard from Laura Lee Guhrke ^^; but it must have been good things since I bought some of her books. Actually, I think I picked up The Marriage Bed at the bookstore on impulse and liked the black burb. Then I discovered that it was part of a series, so I was going wait to find the others. Well I only found Guilty Pleasures... but I went ahead and read the books after reading And then He Kissed Her, cos I enjoyed it, and Kookie's review for Guilty Pleasures.


Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke: 3.5/5
published by Avon in January 2004

When her father dies unexpectedly, Daphne Wade finds herself stranded in foreign lands with very little money. Her only way back to England is via a transport that Anthony Courtland, Duke of Tremore, has arranged for her father who was hired to help in the excavation going on at Anthony's estate. Thus, Daphne goes back and takes her father's place. All goes well, the work is interesting and even more, Daphne enjoys googling at Anthony's shirtless chest while he is working and is rapidly falling in love with him. That is until she hears of what Anthony thinks of her: an unattractive woman that looks like an insect, who is good at her work, but can't put two words together.

Hurt beyond belief, Daphne resigns from her job and take up Viola, Lady Hammond and Anthony's little siter, offer to go to London to enjoy society before looking for work as a governess. This infuriates Anthony since he needs her services and so starts the game of bargain and seduction to keep her with him.

My thoughts: I read this book after reading And Then He Kissed Her and I thought both storylines were very similar with both heroes being employers and falling in love with their employee. However, I think that And Then He Kissed Her was better and more enjoyable. It's not that Guilty Pleasures is bad, far from it, but there was something missing. I guess Anthony and Daphne's chemistry wasn't sparking. I do understand Anthony's disbelief at Daphne's love at first. I mean, the girl doesn't know Anthony at all, so how can she be in love with him. As for Daphne, I found it remarkable that she sets out to prove Anthony wrong, but I didn't like the way she did it. However, I do think it was a very enjoyable book and if you're tired of the typical historical romance, you should try it :D


The Marriage Bed by Laura Lee Guhrke: 4.25/5

published by Avon in July 2005

Everyone in society knows not to sit Lady and Lord Hammond next to each other at a table... actually, if you could, it'd be even better not to invite them to the same event! However, what most do not know was that for Viola Courtland, it was love at first sight with John Hammond. She truly fell in love with him and they had an idyllic marriage... until she discovered that John did not love her, had married her for her dowry and kept his mistress during the courtship. Angry and humiliated, Viola kicked John out of their bed... After a year, John had turned to his mistresses to entertain himself and appease his needs.

Nine years later, John's best friend/cousin/heir has died from scarlet fever along with his son. Not willing to see his title of viscount be inherited by his other idiotic cousin, John needs an heir and so he comes back to Viola and now has to convince her to share their marriage bed once again.

My thoughts: Well, I really enjoyed this book! For once, I thought the storyline was very original and refreshing for a historical romance! :D John and Viola had a very interesting relationship, that's for sure :D Basically, Viola fell in love with John and married him. She was blissfully happy until she discovered that during their courtship, John still had a mistress and that he didn't mean the words when he told her "I love you." So for the past 9 years, they've been avoiding each other or arguing. Viola has had to put up with John's affairs and gossips, pity and insinuations from society. Despite everything, Viola is still very much in love with her husband.

As for John, well here is when it starts to get interesting. When John married Viola, he perhaps wasn't in love with her, but he liked her, appreciated her and enjoyed her a lot. He truly didn't understand what he did wrong for Viola to be angry at him... I'm pretty convinced that after marrying Viola and before their big fight, John has fallen in love with Viola and just didn't realize... Of course, being a man, he didn't go after Viola and after a year, started having affairs instead... which is another reason Viola was so angry at him. Anyhow, it was really a good book and it was very interesting to see how they were going to resolve their problems. Perhaps one complaint was that at one point, the story did got in circles instead of going forwards, but still, I enjoyed it :D I liked both characters and I think tha Viola was very strong. John was a bit dense, but he's a man so what do you expect? So yeah, I thought the book was quite original and refreshing :D

Hmm, I'm still looking for His Every Kisses... I'll probably order it soon :P
By the way, here is her website: here. Is it me or historical romance authors all have good websites :P

Review: And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

I've been meaning to try Laura Lee Guhrke's books since last December... I first saw her name on someone's blog, but didn't pay too much attention to it. Then, came across The Marriage Bed and She is no Princess... skimmed through She is no Princess and thought it was so-so... Still willing to try another book, because she's got some good reviews in blogland. However, I've been putting off The Marriage Bed because it's the last book of a trilogy and still haven't found the two first books... I guess I'll have to order them. Anyway, hmmm, I was going to wait a bit before buying And Then He Kissed Her, but then the book got such a good review over at Dear Author that I had to buy and read it :)

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke: 4.5/5
published by Avon in February 2007

Emmaline Dove has been working as Lord Marlowe's secretary for the past few years, running his office, but also buying presents for his family and mistresses. Emma's dream is to write and publish an etiquette book and what better place to realise her dream than working for Lord Marlowe, a big publisher. However, when Emma realises that Lord Marlowe has been rejecting manuscript after manuscript without reading them, and at the same time, reached her 30th anniversary always being sensible and "correct," wasting away her youth, Emma blows up and resigns from her comfortable position. She goes to the competitor, obtains a weekly column under her pen name and to Lord Marlowe's greatest surprise, she's a smashing success.

Lord Marlowe - Harry - has had a difficult marriage which resulted in divorce, a long and hard battle which results in Harry and his family being snobbed by their peers. However, it doesn't matter to Harry, because he'd rather make business and money which he is good at. Still, his marriage has scarred him and he has swore never to repeat the experience again. For the past years, Harry and his workers have come to depend on ever efficient and pristine Emma, therefore when she leaves, everything is upside down... At the same time, Harry discovers a new and attractive side of Emma... which he sets out to discover fully once he buys out his competitor.

Genre: historical romance
Series: none

Review: Wow! This book was indeed very good. It was also very different than most of the historicals I've read recently. I much prefer contemporary... but have read popular historical authors such as StepAndhanie Laurens, Lisa Kleypas, Judith McNaught and etc. However, And Then He Kissed Her is set in the 1890's where things have started to change I guess. Women have more rights/liberties, the ton isn't as attractive as they used to be, etc. So all in all, it was quite a refreshing historical romance for me :)

The Characters - I liked both main characters very much. Emma is an interesting female, not a TSTL heroine... Although she is a virgin and a bit innocent, she isn't totally naive. She has a very strong sense of what's proper and what's not, also a strong opinion. I liked that she was so perseverent in pursuing her dreams... She's also smart - knows when to step down and end things. So quite mature... I also really liked Harry :P I usually like absent-minded guys, I think it's cute :P At the start, Harry is quite an arrogant man, but no matter what he thinks, he is actually open-minded... and I liked how he accepts the fact that perhaps he was wrong and tries to make it right. His past also adds character to him... Emma was also given some "past" but I thought it wasn't that much developed and so, it didn't impact the story as it should... but that's a minor detail.

The Story & Writing - Ms Guhrke's style is pretty good- the story flows well and the pace was perfect - but more importantly, it agrees with me and so, I don't have complaints about it :) As for the story, I like it a lot. As I said, the time period was new to me, so it was very refreshing. I liked the interaction between Emma and Harry and it wasn't too much cliché. I also liked that they didn't have sex right away, which gave more time for the characters to know each other. There wasn't any huge misunderstanding between them, no huge obstacles standing in the way... I thought the ending came quite naturally... All in all, a good storyline, backed up with solid writing.

The Cover - I like the cover, but not too sure about both characters embracing each other... LOL

Am I keeping this book? Yep :D

Anything else? Here is Ms Guhrke's website for anyone who's interested. I'm waiting to see what is going to be her next book :D