Monthly Reads - December 2012

Hi everyone! How are you doing? Me, I'm tired ^_^; Ugh, this whole saving daytime light is simply not working for me! Of course, going out till 3am in the morning last Friday night on the week-end we "spring forward" was not my most brilliant idea ^_^; Something that I'll have to remember for next year LOL. Aside from that, life is pretty quiet. I'm still "practicing" at work which gives me some free time which is good because there are a lot of new books I want to read! :)

Speaking of books, here is my Monthly Reads post for December ^_^; As you can see, I'm still behind... and that's why I've decided to change the format a little. Nothing major, but something that will definitively save me time and make me stop dreading these posts. So what is the change? I'm still going to continue to review some books in these Monthly Reads posts, but I won't be summarizing them anymore. As a result, what you'll get is truly mini-reviews, just my opinion :) I think it's a good decision given that I'm so far behind in my reviews ^_^; Let me know what you think!

Now, here is what I read in December:


1) Cold Days by Jim Butcher: A

2) The Weird Girls by Cecy Robson: C-

The Weird Girls is a little novella whose purpose is to launch this new urban fantasy series, The Weird Girls series, that has caught my interest. The premise is four sisters who each has unique powers thanks to a curse: Celia can change into a golden tigress and that ability is accompanied with preternatural speed and strength; Taran releases her power in the form of lightning and fire; Emma is a telekinetic and can heal; and Shayna is a blademaster with the ability to manipulate metals. They have recently move to the supernatural community found in Lake Tahoe and hope to keep a low profile due to their unusual abilities. Of course, things don't go as planned and in The Weird Girls, our four sisters get into a dispute with the local witch coven...

So I thought I'd give The Weird Girls a try and get a feel for the writing and the characters before the first book, Sealed with a Curse. However, after reading the novella, I can't tell whether it was a good idea or not, because frankly, based on what I read, I'm not sure I would have picked up Sealed with a Curse ^_^; Except lucky for the author, I had already pre-ordered the book so eventually, I'll give it a try. Overall, I can't exactly pinpoint what didn't work for me with The Weird Girls except to say that the story just didn't hook me. I actually quite liked the premise of the series - the four sisters being cursed, which is why I decided to give the series a go... but the series was underwhelming. There was a lot of set up for the world and the characters and perhaps along with the fight with the coven, it was too much. It'd have been better for Ms Robson to decide what she wanted to accomplish with this novella - introduce the series or tell a story. Also, I just didn't connect with Celia who was the narrator. I think it was the whole "everyone is attracted to my sisters because they are hot, but not me because I'm scary." She's also very protective of her sisters and self-sacrificing and in the end, sounded a bit too martyr-ish to my tastes.

The novella wasn't all that bad; however, I didn't feel the need to rush for the next book and that speaks volume right?


3) The First Prophet by Kay Hooper: C

4) Cracking the Dating Code by Kelly Hunter: C+

In the past couple of years, I've started building up a list of auto-buy authors for category romance and Ms Hunter is one of them :) I enjoyed the first book in this series, Flirting with Intent, and it was just a matter of time for me to pick up Cracking the Dating Code. The heroine of this book is Poppy West, a genius at cracking code. Good thing to because that's exactly what she needs to do in order to find out whether her eldest brother is still alive or not and what he's been up to. Since what she's about to do is ultra secret, she needs an ultra secret place to do it and her co-worker offers her the use of his island... whose currently only occupant is his brother, Sebastian Reyne. Attraction sparks between them, but Poppy is shy and socially awkward... and therefore decides to ask Sebastian to teach her how to flirt. As for Sebastian, he thought the last thing he needed at the moment was a woman, but perhaps he was wrong?

All in all, I did enjoy Cracking the Dating Code, but I thought something was missing to the story such as some intensity and some development. I felt the first half of the story that took place on the island was quite slow. Not much happened as both our H/H were absorbed by their own worries and therefore spent little time together. And when Sebastian finally admitted he was attracted to Poppy, there was the whole worry about whether his brother was also attracted to her as well. Finally, when Poppy and Sebastian got off the island, the story picked up, but it was already too late. I feel Poppy and Sebastian were given obstacles - and serious ones at that, but the way it was addressed in Cracking the Dating Code made them superficial and easily rectifiable. Otherwise, I enjoyed Poppy and Sebastian's pairing :) I find Poppy's flirting lessons were the best moments of the story because the characters were witty and spontaneous :)

5) The Navy Seal's Bride by Soraya Lane: D

I've heard a lot of good about Ms Lane's writing and I've been meaning to give it a try, but I think I chose the wrong book ^_^; In The Navy Seal's Bride, the hero, Tom Cartwright, is an ex-Navy SEAL due to an injury that has robbed part of his hearing and not surprisingly, is struggling to adjust to his new civilian life. While his brother and sister-in-law have are on their second honeymoon, Tom is baby-sitting his niece Gabby and that's how he meets Caitlin Rose, Gabby's teacher. Caitlin is attracted to Tom, but wary of his military background because she's had bad experiences in the past... and Tom's occasional spurts of anger due to this injury do nothing to reassure her.

I thought the beginning of The Navy Seal's Bride was very promising. I loved the relationship between Tom and his niece, Gabby. It was so heart-warming and cute LOL. I also admired the tight bond Tom had with his brother and sister-in-law. They had each other's back and given their line of work, that was very reassuring for each of them... But that's about all I enjoyed about the book ^_^; The romance simply didn't work for me in The Navy Seal's Bride. Tom and Caitlin didn't seem to have any chemistry together, especially since she was so wary of him. Every time he'd get angry, she'd start to reassess him and their relationship. That made it hard for me to believe the HEA ending at the end. It would have been more realistic if it's been more gradual. Something else that didn't work for me was Tom's frustration at his injury. I know it's hard for him that his career ended in that way, that he's lost a lot... but it's been done so many times that it just bored and annoyed me. Also the fact that Caitlin had a past and that it was Tom's waking call to stop being so down because of his injury just seemed too convenient. And once again, the changes in Tom's attitude were just too rapid to be believable.

All in all, the story and romance just did not work for me. I'll have to try another book to find out what's all the buzz about Ms Lane.


6) The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry: C
Upcoming Review


7) The Importance of Being Wicked by Victoria Alexander: B

8) My Bluegrass Baby by Molly Harper: C

My Bluegrass Baby is a novella by Ms Harper and since I enjoyed her writing a lot, there was no doubt I'd be picking this up. Sadie Hutchins works for the Kentucky Tourism Commission and loves her job, loves advertising the quirky tourist spots in Kentucky. She's expecting to become the new director of the marketing department. That is until there's a new candidate for the position, Josh Vaughn. His plan is to promote a sophisticated, high-end image of Kentucky which is totally opposite to Sadie's vision... which is good as each will have to create a new publicity campaign to see who will become the new director.

My Bluegrass Baby was a nice, light-hearted novella. There wasn't as many LOL moments than in most of Ms Harper's book, but it was still funny and enjoyable. I thought both the story and the characters were interesting... to a certain point. I liked the setting - the Kentucky Tourism Commission - and the idea that both Sadie and Josh had to show what they are made of to earn the job, especially since the two really have contrasting styles and visions. The problem with the novella was that the whole story was a little bit passive. We were told more than we were shown and as a result, it felt a little bit draggy in the second half. I think the novella would have been better if it had been written at the 3rd person and if readers had had Josh's POV. We would have had a better sense of what was going. Not only would it have benefited the story, but also the romance. As it is, it felt like Sadie and Josh did a 180 degree on their feelings for each other. They started out despising each other, mostly because they had opposing visions of how to promote Kentucky tourism and are competing for the same position. Yes, there was a little bit of attraction, after all, they are both good-looking, and I know they got to know each other better by working together, but I'd have liked to see those interactions more instead of the office wars.

So an enjoyable novella with a different subject matter, but not the best I've read from this author.

9) Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath: C+

Readers got to meet the hero of this novella, the Marquess of Chetwyn, in Lord of Temptation, the second book of The Lost Lords of Pembrook trilogy. I really liked what I read of Chetwyn's character in Lord of Temptation - it's rare to see the jilted party so open-minded, gracious and kind - and was really hoping he'd get his own story. Well my wish came true with Deck the Halls with Love. We find out that before Chetwyn proposed to Lady Anne, his dead brother's fiancée, out of misplaced duty to his brother's memory, he was actually courting Lady Meredith Hargreaves to whom he was attracted to and the feelings were reciprocated. Now, Lady Meredith is engaged to another man because she was caught in a compromising situation - a kiss ^_^; However, Chetwyn doesn't intend to lose her twice... even if it means stealing her from another man.

To be honest, I was expecting more out of this novella. I mean, the story was cute and sweet and the characters, nice. Also, the beginning and ending were fun and clever... But all in all, I feel there was the potential for so much more in this novella and it wasn't reached because of the length. Seriously, I would have had no trouble reading a full-length novel with Chetwyn and Lady Meredith and it would have given Ms Heath the chance to flesh out the storyline a lot more. First, Chetwyn needed to grovel a bit more. Only logical after he broke Lady Meredith's heart by proposing to another woman, no? Second, I liked the direction where Ms Heath was going with Meredith's engagement. She was obliged to accept the proposal of a man she wasn't sure to love because they were caught in a kiss. Should she really risk her happiness because of a kiss? Of course, perhaps she shouldn't have allowed the kiss in the first place, but still. And then, what if the kiss and being caught had been orchestrated? I would have liked to see that part more fleshed out, but of course, it was impossible due to the length. Since what I've been wishing was impossible, I would have settled for simply more interactions between Chetwyn and Meredith, because most of it, most of their falling in love had happened prior to the story and therefore off-pages ^_^;

All in all, a cute novella, but I think Ms Heath missed a good opportunity for a great novel as she had a good story and very nice characters. Also, this is not aimed specifically at Ms Heath, but I'm really tired of heroes who propose to women they don't love because they think that taking care of someone = marriage!! Seriously, how dense can they be?


10) Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong: B


11) Forbidden by Kelley Armstrong: B

***

Balance
Books bought: +5
Books read: -11
TBR pile: -6


Genres
Category Romance - 3
      --> (Contemporary - 3)
Contemporary Romance - 1
Historical Romance - 2
      --> (Regency - 2)
Mystery/Thriller - 1
Urban Fantasy - 4

***

All right, so it seems I'm not very good at writing reviews without summarizing the plots ^_^; But at least, I put less pressure on myself to do so and it seems to work :P Let see how the next Monthly Reads post goes, because I'm really dreading that one...

Anyway, looking back on December, it was an okay month. It started out with a bang with  Cold Days which was my best read in 2012 and it ended on a high note with two books from one of my favorite authors :) Middle of the month though was so-so... However, I kind of expected it. December is always a tough reading month for me, because there's almost no new releases! You'd think it'd be the perfect time for me to catch up on books I hadn't have the chance to read during the year... but it's not the case! Instead, I go into a funk because there's no new releases to buy and read, then I start worrying about my final number of books read during the year - which is why there are so many novellas. And of course, holidays season starts and I get busy with this and that and end up having not as much time to read as I expected. Oh well, maybe I'll learn something and have a better plan for this year's December LOL.

So how was your month of December? Do you even remember it? LOL.

Monthly Reads - November 2012

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

***

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


2) The Chocolate Kiss by Laura Florand: B+


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


4) Seducing Mr. Knightly by Maya Rodale: B


5) The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts: B


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

7) Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath: C+

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

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

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

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


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


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

***

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


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

***

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

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

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

Review: She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Until love takes them by surprise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monthly Reads: April 2011

Ahhh, it's almost the end of the month and I'm only now posting my monthly reads ^_^; I guess the old adage, better late than ever is right though :) One of the reasons I've been procrastinating about this post is that I did read a lot in April (yay!), but that also means a lot of reviews/mini-reviews to write up ^_^; I guess, I should really switch to weekly reads posts :P A plus though about procrastinating is that it gave me time to get some reviews written :)

By the way, for those who are curious, no new books for me this week. Haven't I been a good girl? However, I have to say, I'm bored out of my mind ^_^; I think publishers should review their releasing schedules...

Now, here are the books I've read in April :)

1) An Invitation to Seduction by Lorraine Heath: C+

I was in a Lorraine Heath binge in March and April. While looking for Texas Glory, I came across An Invitation to Seduction. It sounded like something I would enjoy, so I picked it up.

The heroine of An Invitation to Seduction is Kitty Robertson. Kitty was born of wedlock in Texas and then, adopted by a rich British couple, Madeline and David Robertson. Her whole life, Kitty has tried to forget her origins and emulate her adoptive mother, being a proper English lady with exquisite manners and bury her passionate nature. It is why she chose to marry the kind and fun-loving Marquess of Farthingham, while she likes Nicky, he doesn't ignite her passions and is therefore safe. Everything is going well, until she spies Richard Stanbury, the Duke of Weddington, swimming in the ocean naked. She knows that a sensible English lady would turn around and flee, but she is curious and can't help but admire his body.

After they share a passionate kiss, Kitty's life is turned upside down. Richard is determined to woo Kitty away from Nicky, despite the fact that they are best friends... because Richard knows that Nicky cannot make Kitty happy. As a result, Kitty finds herself torn between two men... one that is safe and another that makes her heart beat wildly...

I actually quite enjoyed An Invitation to Seduction. I thought the storyline was quite interesting and how the story progressed actually surprised me. I liked Richard's character... Ms Heath tried to make his character ambiguous given the fact he's trying to seduce his best friend's fiancée away, but through his actions and attitude, you can see he is in fact quite honorable. I also liked the secondary characters, especially Nicky. It was nice not to have a bad villain in the story and sometimes, things happen that are out of your control and nature and you can't change them.

All in all, An Invitation to Seduction should have been a really good book, unfortunately, I had two issues with it. First, I thought Kitty was a bit hard to love ^_^; I understand her reasoning, given the era and the way she was raised... At the same time, she drove me crazy by always denying Richard :( It was just so frustrating... and in many instances, I found her immature. The worst is when they make love the first time. Obviously, Richard didn't force her, she consented to it... but she blamed him and made him shoulder all the responsibilities and that really made me angry :( The other issue I had concerned the whole bit about how Richard's father died and how it affected the second half of the storyline. I didn't like that part too much, I thought it was a bit too much.

Overall, I liked the book, but there were definitively some issues.

2) Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden: B-

I read Deadly Fear and while I enjoyed the writing, I wasn't too sure about the storylines of the two next books based on their blurb. Tabitha really enjoyed Deadly Lies and so I decided to give it a try.

Samantha Kennedy is a computer genius who was recruited by the FBI after she finished her PhD at MIT at the age of 21 to join the elite team SSD: Serial Services Division, a task force dedicated to catching the worst of the worst. In Deadly Fear, Samantha was abducted by a serial killer and almost lost her life through her biggest fear - drowning. To say it affected her is an understatement. However, Samantha is ready to forget the past and just work, unfortunately, she feels like everyone is waiting for her to break down... and despite her brave words, she is scared. The only moment where she feels safe and confident is in the arms of sexy and successful contractor, Max Ridgeway. What originally started out as a one-time deal has suddenly become more... and that's how Samantha finds herself smack in the middle of their current cases.

SSD is currently investigating a serial kidnapping case - very rich college students are disappearing from bars and then ransomed, if no money is delivered then they die...a painful death. The latest victim is Max' stepbrother, Quinlan. To say that the family is dysfunctional is an understatement; however, Max promised his mother that he would take care of Quinlan on her deathbed and it's a promise Max intends to keep... no matter what.

I was hesitant to pick up Deadly Lies because of the ordeal Samantha went through and thus, the repercussions on her life - the nightmares, the anxiety attacks, etc. All those make sense given what Sam went through, it's simply not my favorite thing to read and lately, I find it's a trope that's been a bit over-used in RS series. However, I was kind of curious about Max and Samantha's affair from reading the blurb, so when Tabs said she enjoyed it, that was enough for me :)

Overall, I thought the suspense in Deadly Lies was very well done. The case is complex, intense and with a lot of twists and turns. As a result, that part was a definite winner with me. What didn't work so well was the characters. Of course, this one is on me... See, when I read the blurb, I made a mental image of Max - what kind of guy he was. I was expecting someone charming and compassionate, but at the same time, tough, able to help Sam deals with her feelings. Max was definitively tough, but let's forget about the rest LOL. And I guess that's what Sam needed it... but to me, he was a bit too rough, too tough. Then again, I liked the way the author developed him and the fact that he was what he was. She didn't try to soften him around the edges and all. As for Sam, what she went through definitively defined who she is now and Ms Eden handled that part well... but it doesn't mean I liked it ^_^; As for the romance, very hot and intense as the two main characters definitively have chemistry :)

All in all, quite a good book and the grade would have been higher if I've liked the characters better :)

3) Resistance by L.M. Turner: B

Ryan is an artist who supports himself by being a bouncer at a strip club. He's also gay and is the king of one-night stand. Due to his past, Ryan doesn't do relationship... ever. Until that is, he meets Jayden. Somehow, Jayden has found the way to insinuate himself into Ryan's life, bed... and heart. However, Ryan is afraid and keeps pushing Jayden away... And when Jayden finally gets the message, Ryan realizes what a mistake it was.

Picked this book up because Ames gave it an A grade :) I thought Resistance was a very enjoyable novel - no villain in here, just a book about two guys that meet, fall in love and dance around their relationship. From the first, Jayden knows that Ryan is the one... but Ryan is just not the commit kind of guy. I really like this kind of story, I loved seeing how Jayden got under Ryan's skin :) It was great also that Jayden didn't let Ryan call all the shots, that he had limits and walk away. It was great to see the table turns and Ryan being the one who had to go after Jayden :)

Resistance also has some great secondary characters. I loved Ryan's roommate and their interactions, friendship. How they embraced Jayden into their folds. Also, it was very real as well, like her distancing herself of Ryan once she found a boyfriend. However, they never steal the show... this is Ryan and Jayden's story and that's where the focus it :) I ended up really enjoying Resistance, even though I didn't love it as much as Ames did :)


4) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: B
Upcoming review.

5) As An Earl Desires by Lorraine Heath: C-

I bought this book at a bookfair a few years ago and since I was binging on Ms Heath's books, I thought this was the perfect time to read As An Earl Desires.

Archibald Warner was a teacher in the country who recently gained the title of 7th Earl of Sachse. Helping him to adapt to his new world is his predecessor's widow, the Countess of Sachse. While Camilla helps Archibald navigate the ton, she also has a secret agenda - find herself a duke to marry. Camilla grew up in an orphanage and later became the previous Countess of Sachse's companion. When she died, the 6th Earl of Sachse married Camilla to beget an heir. Let just say the experience was not a fond memory; however, it taught Camilla a lot. Rank is power and with power, you can do a lot and change a lot.. and thus, the reason why she wants a duke. Poor Archibald ends up falling in love with Camilla... Can he change her mind?

As An Earl Desires turned out to be an okay book. The story was okay, the characters as well and so it made for a somewhat bland book, but in no way, bad. The hardest for me was to warm up to Camilla. At first, she comes across as very calculative, everything was about getting her duke to achieve more power :( Once we got to know her character better, her reasoning and her actions all made sense, unfortunately the damage was already done and I really had difficulty to like her. I didn't dislike her as much, but it's simply hard to warm up to such a character... First impressions are deadly!

I did really like Archibald though :) It's always interesting to see someone inheriting a title that he wasn't expecting and his adaptation to it. I really liked the fact that Archibald was still very down-to-earth, given his new situation. What I didn't understand however is why didn't he move his family in with him? Or at least, his younger brother and mother? Not that they really needed it... but it didn't really make sense to me.

As An Earl Desires really focused on the characters, especially Camilla. Thus, I find that there isn't much of a storyline to the book. What I mean is not a lot of things happened and I still can't decide if it's a good thing or not. I did like the progresses of the romance and Camilla coming to realize what was really important... Still, As An Earl Desires is really not Ms Heath's best book ^_^;


6) Blood Ties by Sharon Sala: C
Upcoming review.

7) The Last Goodbye by Sarah Mayberry: C

Ally Bishop is a journalist with a "Dear ..." column and a house-sitter. Thus, it gives her the freedom to move around Australia whenever she feels like it and that's how she likes it. Falling in love with Tyler Adamson threatens it all, because he is the settling type and has roots to a place - his business where he builds high-end furniture. However, Ally has only herself to blame as she is the one who brought Tyler into her life.

Tyler and his father have been estranged ever since Tyler was old enough to leave home and they have not seen each other since his mother passed away. However, when Ally who is his father's current neighbor hunts him down to let him know that his father is dying, Tyler cannot leave him alone... and this mean moving back home to take care of his father.

Ms Mayberry's popularity has really grown in the past few years in my opinion. She's proved herself a very talented category romance author and her books are well-loved by blogland. That is why I keep picking her books up :)

On a objective standpoint, Ms Mayberry has a very good book with The Last Goodbye. I really admire Ms Mayberry for not turning this story into a fairy tail, with a miracle reconciliation between Tyler and his father. I thought the whole storyline was very realistic and more poignant as a result. Tyler's father was quite complex... Through Tyler's memories, you can see that there were some good memories in the past, that his father was not always bad... but the reality is that he beat Tyler and his older brother and he was a tough man. At the same time, that was how he was raised and that's all he knew about raising kids. It's not excusing his actions, but it makes Tyler and the readers understand where he comes from. Also, Tyler's father has stomach cancer... there's no miraculous recovery for it and we all know how that's going to end... All in all, it was very sad :(  And I really applaud Ms Mayberry for the way she handled the storyline.

I also really liked the characters, Allie and Tyler. They were likable, mature and normal :P They were also well developed and fleshed and we really got a sense of who they were. Especially Tyler since the story focused mainly on him. Love, love their love for ice creams! LOL. If I ever go to Australia, I'm going to have to hunt down those places!! Once again, the Australia setting is a winner :P

The Last Goodbye sounds like a great book, so why a C grade? Well objectively, it is... However, it was missing the most important in my opinion - feelings. Ms Mayberry had such a poignant storyline, but she wasn't able to capture my feelings. Really, I thought I'd be crying buckets when Tyler's father died, but I didn't. Also, while you have two likable characters, I felt the chemistry between them was lacking. The romance didn't live up to the characters, perhaps because it was a bit too rushed. All in all, The Last Goodbye just didn't grab me, didn't engage me and I thought that was very unfortunate given all the good elements in it.


8) Torn Apart by Sharon Sala: C
Upcoming Review.

9) The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas: B

Bailee Moore and her two friends, Lacey and Sarah, were left behind by the train because people feared Lacey was a witch and Sarah's sickness was contagious. While trying to survive and find a town, they come across Zeb, a villain that intended to rob and rape them... However, Bailee and her two friends got the better of him. Unfortunately, that also means they've killed a man and were arrested by Cedar Point sheriff. As Zeb was not a good guy and given the lack of female in Cedar Point, the sheriff comes up with a scheme - he won't hang the three women if they agree to enter a "wife lottery." Bailee's lucky winner is Carter McKoy, a very, very quiet man... some even believes that he is dumb. However, as  Bailee comes to know him, she realizes how lucky she's been.

After reading Ms Heath's Texas trilogy, I thought why not read more western? And so I picked up The Texan's Wager since it's been in my TBR pile for a few years as well :P Another plus is that I really like Ms Thomas' writing.

The Texan's Wager was a very unbalanced read for me. What really made the book for me was Carter's character. When Carter was still a kid, he witnessed his parents' murders by raiders... that and the fact that his mother was actually deaf and communicated through sign language is the reason Carter himself is so quiet and rarely utters a word. His past was very touching, but it's to see how he survived that was really poignant. He was a great man and he deserved happiness. It was great seeing Bailee and Carter getting to know each other and fall in love. That part of the story was very sweet :)

What didn't work as well for me was the overall storyline. Oh, I had no problem with the whole "wife lottery" ploy - after all, it's not so different than mail-order-brides :) But it's the rest, whether Zeb was alive or not and to a certain extent, when Carter was called to the next town to help them out with a little deaf girl who was the sole survivor of a train raid. I actually loved the part where Carter and Bailee helped out the little girl, but I couldn't believe that the raiders would go to such an extent to eliminate a witness. That I found was a bit over the top.

Still, the good by far overweights the bad and I quite enjoyed the book. I'm actually trying to get my hands on Lacey's book. Think that one will be interesting :)


10) Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts: B


11) Dark Descendant by Jenna Black: B+


12) Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep: B

13) Knock Me Off My Feet by Susan Donovan: D+

After her mother's death, Autumn Adams inherited her mother's job as being Homey Helen - Chicago's version of Martha Stewart. Problem? Audie is the complete opposite of her mother - she's a bit messy, a klutz and cannot cook at all. Still, Audie is giving it a try because she promised her mother who died in a home robbery. Another problem? She seems to have acquired a stalker and the messages are getting more and more threatening. Enters Detective Stacey Quinn who along with his partner has been mandated to protect Audie and solve the case. When Quinn meets Audie, he thinks he has it all figured out: she's sending herself the threats so she can quit the job... However, as it is not the case, everyone has become a suspect - from her estranged brother to all her ex-boyfriends, among whom is Quinn's nemesis.

Another book from my TBR pile! What can I say, that's what happens when I limit my book-buying... which I guess is not a bad thing at all :) I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and so picked this one up. Everything from Knock Me Off My Feet was okay, from the characters to the romance to the actual storyline. Nothing really engaged me and I didn't have the urge of finishing this book. I actually put it down to read Chasing Fire, Dark Descendant and Tangled Threads. I guess it does mean something that I've picked it up again to finish it... I felt the book was trying too hard too be funny, cutesy. The whole felt like a jumble of confusion ^_^;

The romance between Audie and Quinn was the best part of the book in my opinion. However, it was a bit too rushed for me and also, the lack of trust, that really frustrated me. There was also a lot of misconceptions and the characters were quick to assume things and again, really frustrating. The whole part with Quinn's nemesis felt really superfluous and really disliked the guy. Another good thing about the book was the villain and the motivations. I really didn't expect that and it was a nice twist.

14) The Summer of You by Kate Noble: B

Lady Jane Cummings is the daughter of the Duke of Rayne. She missed the past season because she was in mourning for her mother and had to take care of her father. Her father is suffering from what we now know as Alzheimer and it has worsened after her mother's death. While she had to shoulder all the responsibilities, her brother was off on his Continent tour... so as soon as Jane could return to London, she did, if only to forget a little bit. Unfortunately, Jason has returned and once he found out about how severe their father's illness truly is, he decided it'd be better to spirit the proud man and Jane to Merrymere Lake where they used to spent their summer... However, he didn't expect Jane would blackmail him to join them.

Merrymere Lake has been the target of many robberies and the inhabitants believe the highwayman is the newcomer, Byrne Worth, who's been an hermit, rude and disagreeable. Jane met Byrne in London and his brother has recently married her best friend. She knows that Byrne is not responsible for the robbery as he's a war hero and an elusive spy who went to Merrymere Lake to recover from his injuries...

There's something about Ms Noble's writing that I cannot pinpoint, but that makes her stand out as an historical writer. As a result, I really enjoy her books and The Summer of You was no exception.  I really liked that the book took place away from the Season and the ton and showed us Jane in a different light. I think that having to care for her father has really turned Jane into a mature woman. Oh, she wants the fun and frivolities of the Season and the ton, she's after all a young woman, but she has lost the naivety that sometimes makes heroines annoying. She has a much better sense of reality and life in my opinion. I also liked to see her shoulder the responsibilities of being the woman in the house, I thought that was very interesting and not as easy as it seems. I also really enjoyed the siblings relationship between Jane and Jason. They're close and Jane cannot help but feel like Jason abandoned her. As for Jason, he isn't as mature as Jane, but it doesn't mean he's irresponsible or doesn't care for his father and sister. I thought he was quite a complex character and I wonder how he'll turn out in his own book, Follow my Lead :)

As for Byrne, he was okay. The problem with his character is that it's not very original. Wounded war hero... sounds a bell? Still, Ms Noble was able to make him unique and address some serious issues with him. I enjoyed seeing him getting out of his shell and getting to know Jane better. I thought the romance was very realistic and that only added to the book.

What didn't work as well for me is the whole highwayman business. The book was very focused on the characters' development, growth and dynamics. As a result, the mystery aspect was superfluous and wasn't tightly woven enough to really have an impact. Still, I enjoyed The Summer of You a lot and I thought the whole aspect with Jane and Jason's father was really touching.

15) A Growing Passion by Emma Wildes: C+

Victoria Manwell has had an unusual education for a lady. She shares her father's love for botany and was able to accompany him on his travels. This time around though, she has elected to stay home... and plans to seduce her childhood friend, Stephen Forsythe.

Very short novella about two childhood friends who finally make the step of becoming lovers. While it was well-written, A Growing Passion reads a bit more like a tame erotica historical short story. Enjoyable, but not much depth.


16) The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong: C+


17) Warcry by Elizabeth Vaughan: A-


Books bought: +11
Books read: -17
TBR pile: -6

Woohoo!! Negative number :) Okay, so I guess holding off to RWA does pay off :)

April was a really good reading month for me.  Not only I got to read a lot of books, but there were some really good ones in there and a lot of books that I was looking forward to :) The only downside is that I was such on a roll that I fell off the blog-hopping bandwagon and my recording in my spreadsheet. Good thing there's Goodreads!

Now, will I be able to get the May monthly reads post on time?

Review: Texas Glory and Texas Splendor by Lorraine Heath

Okie dokie, it seems that I've fallen into a Lorraine Heath's binge :) Been reading a lot of her older books - I mean, I even went ahead and bought some of them in e-book format. That tells you how much I'm enjoying her writing, right? So look out for reviews of her books in the near future :) Today, I'm starting with her Texas trilogy series. Before starting though, I have a quick disclaimer: I have not read Texas Destiny, the first book... and quite frankly, I doubt I'm going to read it ^_^; However, it doesn't seem to have lessened my enjoyment of the books, so yay!

Enjoy!


Texas Glory by Lorraine Heath

published by Penguin (Topaz) in March 1998

She was given to a stranger

Cordelia McQueen was a virtual prisoner in her father's house. Until everything changed when she was shamelessly traded in a battle for land and water rights, and thrust into an unfamiliar world as the bride of Dallas Leigh.

He belonged to the land

Dallas had given his life to the land. Now he aimed to put West Texas on the map. But as he gazed into the eyes of the lovely stranger who belonged to him, he caught a glimpse of another ambition--a warm, radiant desire of the heart. Was this the woman who would walk beside him as, together, they carved out a rich future with all the promise of love?

Genre: Historical romance - Western
Series: Texas trilogy, Book #2

The Story: Dallas Leigh is a man with big dreams - own land, build an empire, found a town; basically build a legacy. However, all is for naught if he doesn't have a son to leave the legacy to and unfortunately, marriageable women are scarce in Leighton. Thus, when Dallas learns that the McQueens have a sister, he decides sight unseen that she will do. He intends to strike two birds with one stone: get a wife who will provide him with an heir and make truce with the McQueens with whom Dallas has been disputing lands for years.

For Cordelia McQueen, she really doesn't know what to expect from the outside world, let alone marriage to Dallas. All she knows is that this autocratic, commanding man terrifies her... Then why is it that she is so disappointed when she discovers that all he wants from her is a son?

Can an union between two strangers really lead to happiness?

My Opinion: Last November, I re-discovered Ms Heath's writing as I read her new trilogy, London's Greatest Lover. So when I saw Texas Glory during a charity sale, there was no way I was walking away without it, even though it was a western romance. Plus, Kristie and Wendy have raved about Ms Heath's western... and I have to say I'm really glad I picked it up :)

What surprised me the most is that I enjoyed the setting of Texas Glory - it wasn't your typical western romance. What I mean is that it wasn't about a woman needing help to get her ranch through the winter, how harsh life was in that time period, cowboy work or Indians vs cowboys, etc. Yes, Dallas was a cowboy and there were allusions to his work and cattle, but it really wasn't the focus of the book. The focus was the characters, the romance and the flourishing of the new town.

I really, really loved the characters in Texas Glory, most particularly Dallas. Don't get me wrong, Dee was a very likable heroine. It was a joy to see her discover the world, enjoy her freedom and become more confident. I don't really understand why her father kept her so sheltered, perhaps so she wouldn't leave like her mother intended. However, I'm glad that she wasn't mistreated, as in abused verbally or physically. Sure, living with her brothers and father was not a walk in the park, but at the same time, she didn't have a dark, secret past and I liked that. Dee was just shy and innocent, but she caught on really fast and once she came out of her shell, it was great to see. She was much stronger than anyone thought she was and I don't think anyone can help but admire her. I also really liked that as she grew confident, she didn't lose her sweet side :) While Ms Heath did a great job with Dee's character, she's not new... We've seen heroines like Dee in many books... as opposed to Dallas who really in my opinion stood out. Dallas character was very authoritarian, commanding, domineering... he exuded power and could be ruthless when he wanted... and it's really no wonder Dee or anyone else was so intimidated by him. But then, he totally surprises the readers with his gentle side: how generous and supportive he was, how much he loved and cared for his brothers, his gentleness with children, etc. Okay, so you're going to tell me that there is a lot of heroes like him as well, but it's the way Ms Heath wrote his character, the balance between generosity and authority that makes him stand out of the crowd. It's how realistic his character was - nice and caring, but at the same time, he could utter the wrong things and be a complete ass :P But what really won me over was really how much Dallas was generous and I'm not talking money/property-wise. I'm talking of largeness of mind which you really wouldn't expect from someone so ruthless like Dallas.

I also really enjoyed the romance in Texas Glory as it was well-written and developed. Dallas and Dee started off on the wrong foot not knowing each other and Dee being terrified... However, Dallas was very considerate and decided to take his time to get to know his wife, to appease her which was the right move. I also loved how he realized on his own the mistakes he's made by marrying Dee sight unseen - how she was hurt, how she wasn't given a choice, how she didn't get a honeymoon and so on. I also thought the hardships Dallas and Dee went through together really contributed to their relationship, strengthened it, instead of being in the story just to create conflicts and obstacles.

Overall, I think Texas Glory was a great romance. I don't have any complaints about it. I loved the H/H and their romance and I enjoyed the setting and the effervescent atmosphere of a growing town. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, I thought they added to the book... and I'm a huge fan of the "taking in the street urchin" trope :) Especially since Rawley's story was so heart-breaking and he deserved so much more in life.

My Grade: Initially, I was going to give Texas Glory a B, but after this review, really, it's a B+. I really, really enjoyed the book and as I said, I didn't have any issues with it. So why not an A? Well, I just didn't have that wowzer feeling at the end, you know. Still, a very good book and I now understand why Kristie and Wendy are such a fan of Ms Heath's western romances :P



Texas Splendor by Lorraine Heath
published by Penguin (Topaz) in January 1999
e-book format by Harpercollins Publishers (Avon) in November 2010

Five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit—that's how long Austin Leigh has waited to clear his name and return to his old life. But when he is finally released, that life is no longer waiting for him. Determined to find the real killer, Austin goes on a hunt for justice—and revenge. But what he finds is something quite different: Loree Grant, a woman with her own tragedies, whose strength scatters the shadows of his past—and whose beauty eclipses the Texas sun...

Genre: Historical romance - Western
Series: Texas trilogy, Book #3

The Story: Five years ago, Austin Leigh was arrested for the murder of Boyd McQueen; however, he did not reveal where he was at the time of the murder in order to preserve his sweetheart's reputation. As a result, Austin spent 5 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Now a free man, Austin realizes how much those five years have cost him. First, his sweetheart has not waited for him... and worst, she's fallen in love and married his best friend. Then, he missed five years in his family - his niece Maggie barely remembers him, his other nieces born after he went to prison don't know him and so on. Also, the music in him died and he can no longer play. Finally, while he did go to jail, he never realized that the people in town actually really believe that he's killed Boyd McQueen... and in the mean time, the real killer has gone free.

Determined to find the real killer, Austin heads for Austin - the only clue he has. However, before he can reach the town, Austin falls ill... Luckily, he is taken in by Loree Grant who nurses him back to health. Then, a night of loneliness leads to passion and to a new life... But can Austin forget the past and forge a future for himself? And then, there is Loree's past which also haunts her...

My Opinion: After reading Texas Glory, I really wanted to read Texas Splendor. I was hoping that the heroine wouldn't be Austin's sweetheart - just because I think it would have been too boring ^_^;  So I was really glad to find out that Austin was going to be paired up with a heroine we haven't been introduced to yet :) I think Texas Splendor was a great sequel to Texas Glory and wraps up this trilogy very well :)

I really liked the changes in Austin between Texas Glory where he was young and carefree to Texas Splendor, where he has hardened. It hasn't made him bitter and cynic, but obviously, it has changed him, made him more down-to-earth and wary. It was also sad that his family did not understand. They meant well and they loved him and wanted to support him, but they could not understand what he went through. It was also heart-breaking when Austin found out that Becca had not waited for him :( Everything was really well written and very realistic and I thought Austin had really become a man after all he went through.

Loree was an interesting character, another very admirable woman. I think she was exactly what Austin needed - someone who did not know Austin before and who made her own mind about him after she's spent time getting to know him. However, I had a little bit of difficulty connecting with her... After a while, I just got a bit impatient because I thought with Austin, she could get over what has happened in her life... but then, everything made sense at the end, since her big secret had yet to be revealed ^_^;

I enjoyed the romance, but at one point, it was tiring the doubts between them. I understand why Loree was so reluctant and hesitant, that she wasn't sure about Austin's love for her. Nothing less romantic than have your lover scream another woman's name and then have him marry you because you're pregnant... Let say, it's pretty hard to overcome. However, you know how it is obvious to readers, to everyone else that the H/H are in love, except for them? Then again, I think Austin had the biggest grand gesture I've ever seen and at the end, there was no doubt for either :)

I also think Ms Heath did a great job with the storyline. There was a lot going on: the romance, finding the killer and Austin discovering himself and I think Ms Heath really handled it well and kept it interesting. I really like the last part of the story where Austin finally finds out what he wants out of life besides Loree and a family. I think it made sense and really fit Austin :) She has did a great job inserting the familiar faces into the story and the characters stayed true to themselves :) I loved reading about Dee and Dallas and their family, loved the scene where Dallas was a jerk - because that's so him, making mistake because he cares so much ^_^; Also, everything was tied up neatly and well... and that might be my only other complaint... About the identity of Boyd's killer - what was the chance? It worked, everything from previous books fell into place to lead to this ending... but I thought it was just such a huge coincidence ^_^; But then, coincidences do happen, so it's probably me just being picky ^_^;

My Grade: All in all, I really enjoyed Texas Splendor and thought it was a very satisfying ending to this trilogy :) However, Austin and Loree didn't grip me as Dallas and Dee did and then, there's the identity of the killer... and so, Texas Splendor is a B for me :)

Review: Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath

Ahhhh, I have so many posts planned (in my mind :P) for this week since it's the end of the month... but I keep falling asleep ^_^; I blame the weather and my periods - they're really kicking me in the butt this time. Sigh, the bane of being a woman.

The next few days are probably going to be quite busy. My boss is expected any other days now (booo!) and the holiday season is starting for me officially tomorrow as we're having a work Christmas party. However, I'll try my best to have some reviews up :) I really want to review some of the books I've read lately! In the meantime, enjoy this one! :)


Disclaimer: I've received Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman as an eARC from NetGalley

Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath
published by Avon in November 2010

As the black sheep second son of an earl, Stephen Lyons has gained a reputation in the art of seduction, but when his wicked ways result in scandal, he enlists in the army to redeem himself. On the battlefield, he proves courageous...until he is seriously wounded. Returning home to recover, he discovers he can't remember the angelic beauty who arrives at his doorstep, his babe nestled in her arms.

Mercy Dawson will risk everything to protect the son of the dashing soldier she once knew and admired. When Stephen offers to do the honorable thing, she is determined that London's most notorious gentleman will desire her and no other. But Mercy fears that what began as an innocent deception could destroy her dreams and their blossoming love if Stephen ever learns the scandalous truth...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: London's Greatest Lovers, Book #2

The Story: I find the back blurb a little bit misleading so I'm going to attempt writing by own synopsis :)

Mercy Dawson was a nurse during the war and fell in love with the charming Stephen Lyons. Due to her infatuation and to repay his kindness, she took his newborn son under her wing... but what started off as duty quickly became love. When she learned of Stephen's death, she believes that sharing the last essence of Stephen with his family is the right thing to do. As John's mother, Mercy's only wish is to be able to remain by his side, perhaps as his nursemaid or governess... She never expected Stephen to still be alive!!

As the middle child, Stephen always resented his two brothers for their titles - an earl and a duke. Therefore, he set out to build himself a reputation as London's greatest lover, one that would surpass his brothers'. After some incidents however, it is time for Stephen to stop hiding from behind his mother's skirts and to make use of the commission his brothers bought for him so he could "build character." Thus, Stephen sets out for Russia where he does prove his worth. Unfortunately, a grave injury sends him back to London and he cannot remember any time he spent in the battlefield...

When Mercy shows up with John, Stephen is conflicted. What option does he really have then to marry the mother of his son... even though he cannot remember her. The biggest issue though is that he is not the same man... Not the man he was before he left for Russia and not the man he was during the war...

My Opinion: I really loved and enjoyed Passions of a Wicked Earl and could not wait to get my hands on Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman. Then I remembered seeing it over at NetGalley and so requested it. As soon as I got the ARC, I simply devoured it :) While I loved Passions of a Wicked Earl more, I still enjoyed Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman tremendously.

I knew going into Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman that my enjoyment of the book would depend greatly on Stephen's characterization. Quite frankly, Stephen wasn't very likable in Passions of a Wicked Earl and I wasn't very interested in his character. There is nothing attractive in a man that resents his brothers for things they have no control over and who indulges himself thanks to his mother's love ^_^; So I was very curious to see how he would turn out in his book... and I was pleasantly surprised. Most of it had to do with the particular position Stephen found himself due to his amnesia. It was interesting to see Stephen struggle to reconcile the man who he was before war with his new self. He might not remember the two years on the battlefield and the circumstances that have shaped him; but it inevitably marked and changed him - physically and mentally.  There was also his frustration with not remembering. Nobody likes to forget things, but in Stephen's case, it was worst because he didn't forget two years of mundane stuff. What he forgot was war: battles, deaths, fights, etc. Two years that have assuredly changed him. Of course, it might be a blessing that he couldn't remember the horrors of war, but at the same time, you want to know. I felt that all of this gave Stephen's character the depth that he was lacking previously and made him more interesting. Also the fact that his attitude was no longer cavalier made him more likable to me. In my opinion, even if Mercy and John haven't appeared in his life, Stephen would have looked for something that would ground him more...

As for Mercy, she was a great heroine. She was brave, generous and loving... but at the same time, she wasn't one of those flawless and perfect heroines. I liked her reasons for joining Miss Nightingale - not just because she could help and do some good, but because she was feeling restless. It made her more real to me :P She was also an interesting character because she wasn't the quaint, innocent lady like so many heroines in historical romances. It wasn't emphasized on, but really as a nurse, Mercy has seen it all - LOL, the naked body, but also the horrors of war. The experiences she has gone through, it made her see things differently and I think that's why she suited Stephen so well. It also translated into great chemistry between Mercy and Stephen and I felt there was a real connection linking the two. I really enjoyed their relationship, especially once they got married and Stephen realized it wasn't just lust. I felt that Stephen really trusted her and the two had something special.

Once again, Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman is a book focused on its main characters and their relationship and I liked that. I liked that Mercy and Stephen got to know each other, I liked witnessing the beginning of their lives together and I liked that it wasn't rushed. Similarly to Passions of a Wicked Earl, the sex scenes were not clandestine since Mercy and Stephen were married or about to get married and seriously, it made me enjoy the relationship even more. The passion between them simply felt more natural and there were no worries about the repercussion :P Of course, there was a conflict to make the book interesting - a kind of misunderstanding that comes between Stephen and Mercy. While very cliché, it worked for me because  Ms Heath did a good job at foreshadowing the event. It wasn't just something to add conflict because the story needed it. Instead, it was built into the story and unfolded naturally.

One thing that I really appreciated in Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman was the relationship between the three brothers. I liked that they are mending the relationship slowly and that a precarious camaraderie is developing. Seriously, it would not have been believable for them to be suddenly best friends, even after Stephen has come back from the death. You know that they care for each other and that is what matters :) It was also nice to see familiar faces. I have to admit, I would have liked to see a bit more of Westcliffe and Claire... but really, that's just because I liked their book so much :P

My only complaint about Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman is that I wished there'd been more scenes of Stephen with his son, John. There was one where John was crying and Stephen came in and ordered him to stop crying and then, took him in his arms. That scene was so cute... I wanted more and I really wanted to see more of a connection between father and son.

My Grade: B+. All in all, Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman was another great book by Ms Heath :) I really enjoyed it and loved reading the romance between Mercy and Stephen. Can't wait for Waking Up with a Duke!! :)