Baby from Frost by Ashe Moon

 

Title: Baby from Frost

Author: Ashe Moon

Series: #3 in the Dragon Firefighters Series

Genre: M/M Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Ashe Moon (September 14, 2021)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Fleeing from his dangerous dragon family, half-human omega Raka finds himself unable to control his desires for Delos, the winsome ice dragon alpha he hired to escort him across the frozen sea. But falling in love was never part of the escape plan. To protect them both, Raka vanishes from the flaming wreckage of their ship, leaving Delos behind with a broken heart—not knowing he's carrying the alpha's child.

After seven years, Delos’s icy heart shows no sign of thawing. On an away mission for his dragon flight brothers, he unexpectedly finds the omega he can’t forget. His resentment is matched only by his enduring need for Raka, but the omega is in hiding, unable to leave his library sanctuary. It’s clear they can’t have a second chance together—but then there’s Raka’s son, the boisterous little boy who looks so much like Delos. The child needs an alpha to teach him how to be an ice dragon—can Delos open his heart and become the daddy he was meant to be?


Baby From Frost is the third book in the Dragon Firefighters mpreg series. It expands on characters and the story introduced in the previous books, and while it can be enjoyed as a standalone it’s recommended you read the others first. This book features ice dragons, second chances, a secret child, an industrial fantasy setting, pregnancy and dragon eggs, toddlers, family moments, friendship and loyalty, love in a library (shhh!), light drama, and, as always, a happily ever after.

My Thoughts: Another good installation to the Dragon Firefighter series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I've been remiss in my review writing, so I haven't reviewed books 1 and 2 in this series so here's a bit of thought about the series in general. It's written is if they are historical romances but there are very little clues as to the timeframe. There are no modern vehicles (cars, planes, etc.), the fighting of the fires is very primitive (buckets being hauled), and dragons are common. The series is set firmly in the Omegaverse and to my knowledge thus far in the series, dragons are the only shifters in this world. The dragons have classifications based on their elemental affinity. Altair and Rainor (from books 1 and 2 respectively) are both Fire Dragons. Delos is an Ice Dragon.

With that said I've really enjoyed this world Ashe Moon has created. I like the idea of a hodgepodge of dragons creating a family (called a dragon flight.) They, of course, are more openminded than most and have expanded their circle to include human mates and they don't feel Omegas are less of a person than someone else. This theme of Omegas being lesser than, let's say, an Alpha is a common occurrence within the Omegaverse no matter who is writing the book (at least in my experiences with the sub-genre.)

As far as this book goes, I've wondered what Delos's deal was. Brooding, self-isolated, more interested in Alchemy than personal interactions are what makes up Delos. Now we find out why. Raka was the deal. I like a brooding hero for sure and Delos fit the bill. I wish there was a more substantial reason Raka was in hiding. Unless the conflict is carried over from this book to the next the entire reason Raka couldn't be with Delos to begin with was a moot point. Nothing happened with that storyline. The romance was sweet, and the sex was spicy (library sex anyone?) I wish the relationship had more oomph though. As I mentioned since the entire reason Raka and Delos couldn't be together was not substantiated within this book there was no conflict or added intensity other than what was in Raka's head making me a bit miffed because Delos suffered alone for 7 years for no reason.

I really like Shen (a Thunder Dragon) and am glad he was introduced as now all 3 dragons in the flight are mated. I wasn't ready for the series to end. 

In a Nutshell: I'm hooked. I cannot wait to read the next book to see where the series goes.

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Title: The Governess Game
Author: Tessa Dare
Narrator: Mary Jane Wells
Series: #2 in the Girl Meets Duke series
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperAudio (August 28, 2018 )
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson

The accidental governess

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.

The infamous rake

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

My Thoughts: After a couple days I still am having trouble putting all my thoughts into words...well better words than Wow and Amazing anyway.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: I love witty banter and humorous dialogue and Tessa Dare mastered that in this book. The interactions between Chase and Alex are funny and I loved every minute of them but what stole the show was the many different ways the youngest ward, Daisy, came up with for her doll, Millicent, to die. Once Millicent succumbed to dysentery, or consumption, or a bowel obstruction, or a dozen other things Daisy and her sister insist Chase participate in the funeral for the deceased with Chase presenting the eulogy. At which point I was so sad I opted to listen to this book on audio instead of e-book because I would have been highlighting the crap out of some really great moments.

The super sexy parts were quite steamy and I did enjoy them even though Alex's thoughts on sex without the sanctity of marriage is very forward thinking. I kind of thought they were a bit too modern but not enough for me to enjoy this book any less.

The character of Chase was a bit over the top because he is 4th in line for Dukedom and through one tragedy after another puts him as the number one heir rather than a distant spare. He never thought he'd be a Duke so his attitude was that of the "Spare". Drinking. Gambling. Womanizing. He does it all with a grin and a lackadaisical attitude. You'd think he wouldn't be likable but he is. He truly is.

I listened to the audio version of this book and Mary Jane Wells is a new to me reader. I felt she did a pretty good job but I did have to slow my normal speed down because I found with the British accent her voice didn't really chipmunk out but I had a hard time understanding all the words. I slowed it down from 1.8X's to 1.4X's. I felt this was a good speed for her voice. I do have the first book in this series waiting for me from the library on audio and I'm looking forward to getting to it. Yes I "read" this series out of order.

In a Nutshell: I am such a fan of this author and can't wait to read more in this series. Reading out of order was not a deterrent so if you can't get the first one but have this one just jump in! It'll be fine. I promise.

Through the Smoke by Brenda Novak

Title: Through the Smoke
Author: Brenda Novak
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Series: Stand-Alone
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (October 15, 2013 )
Source: Library Find in Audio (NetGalley for the ebook)
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: A shocking betrayal...

Riches. Power. An ancient heritage of pride. The Earl of Druridge wanted only for an heir. So when he learned that his wife was carrying another man's child, he was filled with a thirst for vengeance. But he wasn't the one who caused Katherine's death. Or was he? To his horror, he remembers nothing of that dreadful night, when their last shocking confrontation ended in scorching flame and cold blood.

A forbidden love...

Rachel McTavish, the beautiful daughter of a coal miner, knows something about the fire that took Lady Katherine's life. In secret, the strong-willed girl strikes a bargain with the desperate earl: He must send his physician to help her dying mother or he may go to the scaffold - and the devil. The earl agrees, but Rachel is still unsure that her revelation will be enough to save him when so many wish him dead.

Passionately drawn to the nobleman, despite all the doubt and mystery that shroud him, Rachel wonders if he can really be a murderer. Or if he is the only man who will ever own her heart....

My Thoughts: A good book with an Ok romance but a stellar suspenseful mystery with a slight gothic feel.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: While this definitely does sit in the genre of historical romances what I really loved was the mystery of who set the fire that killed the earl's wife. I love suspenseful situations in historical romances and Brenda Novak knows her way around suspense. The mystery was easily solved and it was a little annoying the hero took so long to figure it out. In addition, Rachel ran headlong into danger in a feeble attempt to save her man and if you've read any of my reviews heroines who do TSTL things but the crap out of me.

I did enjoy the relationship blooming between a wealthy titled peer and a poor shopkeeper's daughter and of course the hero blew off what is expected and married her despite the backlash that would happen. However, I really wasn't won over by the romance completely. Mostly because of my inability to fully like Truman. I like my heroes to be more Alpha than he was, more decisive than he was, and a lot more, well, everything.

There was also an incident involving the first time they had sex which I would consider borderline rape. Don't get me wrong, the hero isn't blatantly a rapist but he should have noticed something wrong and the entire situation was just swept under the rug. I feel a big deal should have been made about this and there was no deal made about it at all. This pissed me off and set the rest of the book in a bad light to me.

The narration was Ok but I don't think it enhanced the reading experience for me. Justine Eyre is a new narrator to me and her British accent and voice pitch had me slowing the speed down. I normally listen at close to 2X but I could only listen between 1.25X and 1.5X otherwise I had a hard time understanding. I would listen to another narration by her but I wouldn't purposely seek one out because of her.


In a Nutshell: I've read better books by Brenda Novak but this one wasn't terrible. It's my first historical by her and I'm not sure if I think that is where her writing sweet spot is. She has done some great contemporaries and excellent romantic suspenseful thrillers. If a reader is new to Novak I'd steer them to the Whiskey Creek contemporary romance series or the Evelyn Talbot thriller series rather than this one.

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A School For Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin

Title: A School for Unusual Girls
Author: Kathleen Baldwin
Series: #1 in the Stanje House series
Genre: Historical Romance YA
Publisher: Tor Teen (May 19, 2015)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don’t fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts . . .

My Thoughts: While I enjoyed the first half of this book I thought the last half was a little long and drawn out.

The Good: I really liked the idea of a YA historical romance and for the most part this book was a winner. I liked Georgie and felt she was very real. She was self conscious about her looks because red hair and freckles were not considered beautiful and her parents continued to remind of that often. Her only option she had as a young woman was to learn to be a proper lady and marry well. This was not what Georgie was all about. She had a scientific mind and liked to do experiments. This was also a contention between her and her parents. I liked her logical mind. I liked how she thought through issues. I also liked the other girls in the Stranje house.

I thought Georgie's reactions to Sebastian were all in agreement with a teenage girl. I thought maybe she would be more scientific about it but she is first and foremost a girl so even though I don't care much for teenage angst this did ring true as well.

The Bad: I thought the book would be more about Emma Stranje's teaching of the girls. She was teaching them lock picking, how to remove themselves from being tied to a chair, how to be a spy, etc. Unfortunately, between the longish introduction to Georgie and the girls in Stranje House then the entire second half trying to rescue Georgie's love interest, there wasn't a whole lot of learning. I also struggled with the history aspect a bit. The author takes some liberties with history and called it "alternate history". I would rather a book with so much (and there was a lot) history have that history accurate.

In a Nutshell: Although I did like this book, I only liked it to a point. Since I found the last half of the book a bit tedious and the spying aspect of the book was not my cuppa I probably will not continue with this series.

 

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

Title: It Happened One Autumn
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: #2 in the Wallflower series
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Harper Collins  (October 13, 2009)
Source: Purchased
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Four young ladies enter London society with one necessary goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So they band together, and a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.

It happened at the ball...

Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.

It happened in the garden...

When Marcus shockingly—and dangerously—swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed... thank goodness they weren't caught very nearly in the act!

It happened one autumn...

Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable... as his bride?

My Thoughts: Everything I could ask for in a Historical Romance and more!

The Good: Being so character driven of course I have to list Lillian and Marcus as being the "Good" in this book. Their banter is delightful. Lisa Kleypas certainly knows how to do entertaining dialogue. I love that both Lillian and Marcus profess their complete dislike of each other throughout the book yet find their amazing chemistry at odds with their brains. There is a scene at towards the beginning where 3 of the Wallflowers go to the wishing well to wish Marcus a wife. Well, in 2 of their cases they wished for a wife/love of his life but in Lillian's case, after decided that he is infuriating, wishes a woman for him that'll bring him to his knees. I love her. I love him. I love them.

The ended was pretty amazeballs and after our hero rescued our heroine from the dastardly villain one can't help but wonder how Kleypas could possibly turn that villain into a hero. Not the first time she's done that but it amazes me each and every time. I guess I'll have to read the next book to find out how she does it.

The Bad: I got nothing. Nada. Zilch. I loved this book and everything about it.

In a Nutshell: Another wonderful book by Lisa Kleypas. Another great installment of the Wallflower series. Another book to put on my Keeper shelf. I'll keep this book and read it again some day when I'm in a funk and can't find my way out. It's that good.

Duchess in Love by Eloisa James

Title: Duchess in Love
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Duchess Quartet
Published: 2002 by Avon
Source: Purchased Paperback
Rating:  ☕☕☕☕

Disclaimer: I finished this book Oct 29, 2008 at which time I wrote this review. I originally posted it on the Shelfari website but am now transferring all of those reviews to my blog just in case Shelfari ceases to exist.

Review: This was my first Eloisa James book and was a little unsure if I liked her writing style or not. I thought it was interesting that instead of just dancing at a ball she was specific as to what type of dances that were done and even mentioned a few steps involved in one. I didn't know what any of the dances were (except the waltz) so the names read like foreign words to me.

The Duchess Gina and her friends are all married women without husbands. They all live separately from their husbands and tend to cause the ton talking with their actions. Gina was forced to marry Cam when she was 11 by his father to "protect" the family name from the scandal of her birth. Cam was 18 and as soon as the vows were taken he snuck out the window and fled to Greece. 12 years later Gina has grown weary of being a married innocent woman and has met someone else and petitions Cam to grant her an annulment. Cam comes to England to do so but realizes little Gina has grown into a stunning woman.

This book was interesting in the aspect that I really was not sure I was enjoying reading it for the first half of the book. I thought it fell into the "OK" "middle of the road" range as far as books go. Then it got really good. You find that not only are Gina and Cam having their story told but you also see her friends get theirs told too. Esme and Carola find love too. To tell the truth, it was their part of the story that really made me emotional. It is their stories within Gina's that brought my opinion of this book from an average 3 star rating to a 4.

Another thing...any writer who can take a man that you really don't care much for and turn him into a tasty muffin is a great writer. Case in point. Gina plans on marrying Sebastian. He spends most of the book talking about the proper way to act and although marrying Gina he displays no passion for her (that wouldn't be proper). Somehow, Eloisa James turns this stuck up, pompous jerk into a serious morsel. No kidding.

Conquered by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

Title: Conquered By a Highlander
Author: Paula Quinn
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: 2012 by Forever publishing company
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
☕☕☕1/2

BOUND BY DUTY

Colin MacGregor was born to fight-for his beliefs, his king, and his family's honor. After years away from his beloved Scotland, he yearns to return to its lush, green hills-and he can, after he completes one final mission for the king. Sent to infiltrate a traitor's home, Colin is determined to expose the treasonous plot and triumph on the battlefield . . . until he meets a sensual lass who tempts him towards other pursuits . . . .

BETRAYED BY PASSION

Lady Gillian Dearly is no stranger to temptation. Cast out of her family for bearing an illegitimate child, she's now the ward of a barbarian conspiring against the king. Her only desire: freedom for her son and for herself at any cost, even if it means making a deal with the devil. Yet when a mysterious Highlander appears in their midst, his braw strength and smoldering gaze give her hope for a future beyond the castle walls-and promise a desire unlike any she's ever known. But passion comes at a price . . . 

My Thoughts: While reading this book I unintentionally kept comparing Monica McCarty's Highland Guard series to this book. Comparing the two series was actually not fair to either author. Although both series are about warring Highlanders this particular series is set some 300 years later than McCarty's. This book in particular, set in 1688, focuses on the characters more than the historic setting. For someone like me, who is more character driven, it should have been a home run. So why after several weeks of thinking about did I lower my rating from 4 cups of coffee to 3.5?

For multiple reasons actually...

1) Although I do not like insta-love I don't care for the flip side either. The slow progression towards the lovey dovey outcome made for an equally slow progressing book. As a reader I was moving from chapter to chapter waiting for something to happen being a bit disappointed each time. In addition to the slow romance, the promised fighting action took forever to reach it's climax also. A big battle was hinted at throughout the book and, unfortunately, happened off camera, so to speak.

2) When the I Love Yous were admitted the book continued for another 700 pages. A bit of an exaggeration but you get the idea. There were misunderstandings to resolve, a battle (we didn't witness) to fight, and a reunion to happen. Yet, when all was said and done, I felt I missed something. Some sort of epic momentous declaration in front of God and Scotland about how Gillian was the only woman Colin would ever want and maybe a wedding. I kind of feel that since I had to read another 1200 pages after the I Love Yous I should have got a wedding out of the deal.

3) Why didn't Colin have any issue with Gillian having a baby out of wedlock? In 1688 I'm not sure any man would have taken a fallen woman and her child in as their beloved. Maybe that is why there was no wedding. Perhaps, Colin made Gillian his mistress! Probably not as this is a romance and those things don't smack of HEAs.

The good stuff: I know I said a few things that could be deal breakers for some I do have to say that over all I did like this book. I liked Gillian and her precarious position. I liked her champion/guard George. I thought Geoffry made for an excellent villain (one which proved to be quite smart). And Gillian's son Edmond is precious.  I enjoyed the women from Colin's homeland.  I liked that this book works well as a standalone even though it is book 4 in Children of the Mist series. But I think what I loved best about this book was not the characters nor the plot but the dedication at the beginning of the book...

"To my beloved... Until we meet again in the sweet hereafter. I love you."

In a Nutshell: Despite the issues I had with this book I still found it to be a decent historical read. Heavy on the character, light on the plot. I'd not recommend this book to just anyone but those who are character driven, like myself. Do not compare this series to the Highland Guard series. Read it and enjoy it based strictly on it's own merits.  Oh and I also think that Paula Quinn is grossly over looked when it comes to historical romances. I don't think this particular book is a good one to recommend but I totally recommend her as an author and implore y'all to pick one of her books up.

The Escape by Mary Balogh

Synopsis: After surviving the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Benedict Harper is struggling to move on, his body and spirit in need of a healing touch. Never does Ben imagine that hope will come in the form of a beautiful woman who has seen her own share of suffering. After the lingering death of her husband, Samantha McKay is at the mercy of her oppressive in-laws—until she plots an escape to distant Wales to claim a house she has inherited. Being a gentleman, Ben insists that he escort her on the fateful journey.  
Ben wants Samantha as much as she wants him, but he is cautious. What can a wounded soul offer any woman? Samantha is ready to go where fate takes her, to leave behind polite society and even propriety in her desire for this handsome, honorable soldier. But dare she offer her bruised heart as well as her body? The answers to both their questions may be found in an unlikely place: in each other’s arms.

My Thoughts: While having the sense of being overly long, The Escape ended up being a lovely romance between two fascinating characters.

What I Liked: The meeting of the hero and heroine really set the feeling of the book. That first contact can make or break a book and I really thought it set the stage. It showed that Samantha's character would not be some simpering milquetoast victim and it also showed Ben to be more than a handicapped man.

As a matter of fact I really enjoyed the entire first half of the book. The first part had conflict and a bit of humor, a nasty piece of work called a sister-in-law and a really ugly dog. It also had the building of a fabulous friendship. Some might not enjoy Friends to Lovers themes but I really adore them. I love to see exactly why a couple falls in love without relying on an author to say "Poof...they're in love." I also very much enjoyed the time when our hero and heroine "escaped" to Wales. Historical romances are chock full of London settings but I've never read one set in Wales!

What I Didn't Like: Unfortunately, once they got to Wales the book seemed to take a different tone. Yes Ben and Samantha continued their friendship and even moved to the next step into being lovers but the humor and the conflict seemed to be missing from the story. As a matter of fact the only conflict was my feelings towards the double standards the heroine had about her long lost relatives. She was quick too forgive a great aunt who she never met but held a grudge against her grandfather for doing almost the same thing.

In addition to the lack of humor the last half of the book adds virtually nothing to help push the story forward. Despite the characters moving into lovers situation I just couldn't see much passion. The sex scenes were quite uninspiring. As for the ending I think it could have been done better. All the dangly parts were wrapped up but not to my satisfaction. It felt just too fairytale ending-ish.

Because I'm a little nit-picky there were a couple things that grated on my nerves but probably won't bother most people. The cover is just a terrible representation of Ben and Samantha. Sure that might be Samantha....maybe.... but that is in no way Ben on the cover. Mary Balogh has no control over her covers, I'm sure, but COME ON! Benedict can barely walk. He cannot stand without the assistance of his 2 canes/crutches. One more thing is that the author has habit of repeating herself (as in a character would reflect upon a piece of dialogue that was just spoken where we readers would then read the dialogue over again but in italicized print just in case we wouldn't get it)...

In a Nut Shell: Despite all the negative things this book was really quite lovely. I know, now I'm being contradictory. It ended up a pretty average read but Balogh did a wonderful job of showing our H/h falling in love. Their romance was a delight to read. No insta-love at all and their conversations were well done. The setting was interesting also as was the fact that our heroine was a recent widow and our hero could barely walk due to an injury to both of his legs. This is my first book in this series but I thought it was able to standalone but will go back and read the other 2 books in the series.

(I received an eARC courtesy of the published via NetGalley for an honest review)

Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan

Synopsis: Once a heart is lost in shadow...

Life has been anything but kind to Mary Chase. But the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals has given her purpose. Now she's been tasked with catching a vicious murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross. But someone is already on the case—and the last thing he relishes is a partner.

Only someone who lives in darkness can find it.

Jack Talent has been alone with his demons for many years. He never expected to have the willful Mary Chase assist him on the Bishop case. Their age-old rivalry reaches new heights—even as their desire for one another reaches a fever pitch. Though he aches to bring her close, Jack's dark secrets are a chasm between them. With dangerous enemies closing in, Jack must find the strength to face the past...or risk losing Mary forever.

My Thoughts: What a great installment to this series!

What Worked: Jack Talent was everything I hoped he would be and more. I was intrigued by him during book 2. I was heartbroken for him in book 3. In this one I fell in love with him. In addition to Jack, Mary made me a believer of her. I wasn't a big fan of hers to begin with and wasn't keen on the whole GIMs (Ghost in the Machine) as a supernatural being but I found she was every bit a warrior as Jack was. She was not the MarySue I thought she was. That is for sure!

Characters aside, the mystery of was very interesting although not one we readers could have figured out as the big bad evil was one we didn't know. In addition to this, the sensuality was first rate. When an author can dedicate two entire pages on the introduction of a kiss and make it awesome she has mad writing skills(you'll have to read it to get my meaning).

What Didn't Work: It seemed at times the book could have ended earlier. Don't get me wrong, what kept coming up later was worth the 420 odd pages but sometimes it felt a little on the longish side. Also, as with the epilogue in book 3, I could have done without it. Since it had nothing to do with Mary or Jack it felt unnecessary except to peak the reader's interest for the next book. Which is probably the point but it annoys me.

In A Nutshell: So overall a wonderful spectacular awesome sauce of an addition to a fabulous paranormal romance series. I'd recommend the entire series. For reals.

 

The Raider by Monica McCarty

Synopsis: After consolidating his gains against the enemy English, King Robert the Bruce of Scotland sends his best soldiers to fortify the lawless borders. These legendary warriors of the Highland Guard let nothing come before king and country—except the calling of their heart.

Of all Bruce’s elite warriors, Robert “Raider” Boyd is the most formidable. A true patriot whose bare hands are a deadly weapon, Robbie is the fierce enforcer of the Guard, and his hatred of the English has been honed to a razor-sharp edge. But vengeance proves bittersweet when his enemy’s beautiful sister falls into his hands and he finds himself fighting temptation—a battle he badly wants to lose.

Lady Rosalin Clifford barely recognizes the rebel prisoner she saved from execution six years ago. Though her girlish ideals for fairness have matured into a passion for justice, Rosalin believes she betrayed her brother when she helped this dangerous man escape. Now her traitorous act has come back to haunt her. But she can’t deny the longing this tormented warrior ignites in her, or deny the passion that turns sworn enemies into lovers. Is the gentle love of a true English Rose enough to free Scotland’s most brutal warrior from a path of vengeance—before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: My second book by her and I'm wondering if Ms McCarty can do no wrong!

There is so much going on in my head about this book that I've started and restarted this review at least half a dozen times. All of a sudden I seemed to have lost my ability to put together something (anything) that truly makes sense. A review shouldn't be this difficult so I'm forgoing my usual paragraph review style and just doing bullet points.....

• Robbie--an amazing hunka burning Highlander Love. The strongest man in Scotland and completely smitten with someone he should hate. A bit too pigheaded when it came to his hatred of the English.
• Rosalin--a tad naive but in an endearing way, she quickly understood that the war between England and Scotland was not completely black and white. Her compassion for all, regardless of nationality or rank, was one of her greatest assets. She was smart and I never wanted to thwack her in the head because she did something to stupid to live.
• The rest of the Characters--extremely real and well drawn. 
• Rich in history--love McCarty's additional information after the Epilogue. She lets us know where she has taken liberties and why. Her usage of real places and people in her books add much more to the story than a typical historical romance. Those pale in comparison.
• The Sensuality--I'd say through the 70% mark the sexual tension between the H/h was pretty amazing. There was one bath scene in particular that I thought was a whole lot of awesome sauce although it was not a typical sex scene as Rosalin remained fully clothed. However, once Robbie and Rosalin actually had sex they had so much of it during the last 25% of the book it no longer felt sensual but more gratuitous.
• The Forever Be Thine Enemy shtick-- it made the book feel longer than necessary to be truthful.
• Robbie's declaration of Undying Love--I would have liked to have seen him brought to his knees in a more literal way when trying to prove his love for Rosalin. As it is written, I think it's a bit lackluster.
• Rosalin's acceptance of Robbie's declaration of Undying Love--she should have let him squirm more. 
• The Ending--all resolved quickly with little fanfare. How did Clifford's and Robbie's negotiations effect the war? I'm not sure they did other than to help us get our HEA.

In A Nutshell: Such an enjoyable book despite some minor issues I had with it. I will 100% continue reading this series because I love me some Highlanders and Monica McCarty knows how to write amazing ones.

Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

Synopsis: A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES . . .

Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows St. Giles like the back of her hand-she's spent a lifetime caring for its inhabitants at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk . . .
A WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST . . .
Caire makes a simple offer-in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to London's high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as cold calculation soon falls prey to a passion that neither can control-one that may well destroy them both.
A BARGAIN NEITHER COULD REFUSE

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this story. I read the 4th book in the Maiden Lane series and enjoyed it quite a bit. This book, however, featured two unlikable characters that I never warmed up to, or in the heroine's case, I slowly lost all  respect for until I was rooting for the murderer to kill her.

What Worked: The murder mystery of who killed Marie Hume was actually quite interesting. I liked being privy to their entire investigation and the outcome was a plausible one. In addition to this, Hoyt's typical writing style of having a story within a story was an excellent addition to this, otherwise, sub-par romance. The addition of the mysterious Ghost of St. Giles helped keep the intrigue moving along also. There were a few secondary characters that I very much enjoyed as well, Godric and Lady Hero are among my favorites.

What Didn't Work: The characters of Lazarus (aka Lord Caire) and Mrs. Temperance Dews were just horrid. Hoyt spent so much time making Caire out to be a sexual deviant and someone who abhorred any kind of physical touch (from anyone--to the point it made him physically ill) that it's no wonder he never resonated as a hero with me. The physical touch issue was never fully explained nor addressed other than after awhile Temperance's touch no longer bothered him. His constant verbal bullying of Temperance was another issue with me. It was unclear if he was purposely trying to shock her, push her away from any emotional attachment to him or he was just an jerkwad. I settled on him being a complete jerkwad.

Temperance's characterization was not good either. She appeared to be a strong intelligent woman yet allowed Caire to repeatedly say things completely inappropriate to her. Things that often were extremely hurtful. She acted hurt by them yet she continued to go back for more of the same all of which she ultimately justified by 'realizing' Caire was only trying to get her to admit everything was for her own good. While reflecting upon it all she actually was thankful to him for helping her to admit what was buried within herself. In addition to this, her admission of her deepest inner secret guilt was enough to make me hate her.

I also think the Ghost of St. Giles thread could have been utilized more effectively. Since I've read another book in the Maiden Lane series I am more familiar with the Ghost but found in this book, for those who are just starting in this series, his plot thread might be a bit lacking. The thread of Temperance's sister Silence, was also quite lacking. It was choppy and failed to make a positive impact which may effect some readers' desire to continue on with the series.

In a Nutshell: Taking into consideration the negative with the positive this book rounds out to an average read. Hoyt does have a way of making her stories intriguing regardless the likability of her characters. However, if this had been my first Hoyt I might have considered shelving the rest of her books for an undetermined length of time regardless of the intrigue The Ghost of St. Giles produced. Thankfully it wasn't and I won't. She can write a great romance. This just wasn't one of them.

Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

Synopsis: Once blissfully in love . . .
Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . .

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test.
Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy's love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

My Thoughts: I love this series. I love historical romances. I love paranormal romances. When I can get both of them together I'm doubly in love.

What Worked: Win and Poppy. Despite the secrets they both had from each other two people couldn't have been more perfect for each other (except maybe Miranda and Archer....oh yeah, and Daisy and Ian LOL). Win's pet name for Poppy has always been Boadicea which was so appropriate. She is such a strong and powerful woman and I'm glad Win ended up being her equal in strength of character. Together they were so very passionate that it was hard to not get swept up in it.

The sensuality was also top notch. After 16 years of being together it was as if they were newly weds still. Typically I don't add the sexual parts of books to the plus column in my reviews but in Poppy and Win's case I have to. I enjoyed them immensely.

There was a mystery within the book about a Moira Darling. I thought this was well done and I enjoyed Win and Poppy's investigation of it and while that was all happening we got a glimpse into their past and what their courtship was like which was nice (but it also had issues....see below).

What Didn't Work: The flashback scenes of Win's courtship of Poppy. While I was happily reading along one of these chapters would bring the momentum to a sudden and abrupt halt. I did not like this but when reflecting about it I realized that had Callihan put all the courtship at the beginning it wouldn't have had as much of an impact and to tell the truth I would have been bored with it. Since I didn't like the way it was done I had to add it here (even though I wouldn't have liked it any other way either.)

Once again we are left in the dark about GIMs (Ghosts in the Machine). Mary Chase hinted that no one could fathom the power they actually had but we don't get to witness any of it other than their ability to leave their physical bodies making them extremely valuable spies. In addition to lack of knowledge about GIMs we are introduced to various Demons. There was limited information on these also but thanks to Poppy explaining a few pointers about Demons we know more about them than we do about GIMs.

The sisters are not featured in the book as much as I'd have liked. I am hoping that there will be a book later one that will feature all 3 women battling some sort of super villain.

The ending epilogue was another point of contention for me. It was pointless. It was a page of nothing to do with Poppy and Win and it ended abruptly. So abruptly that I kept turning the page back and forth to see if I was missing another paragraph or something. 

In a Nutshell: Overall I really loved this book. For every negative thing I came across I found something that just brought my enjoyment right back up there. In addition the next book is about Jack Talent and Mary Chase. Their secondary storyline in this book has whet my appetite for their book. Come on December!

Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

Synopsis: England's "vampire craze" causes much vexation for the Lord Vampire of London, Ian Ashton. To save his reputation, Ian enlists aspiring authoress Angelica Winthrop without realizing she has hidden plans of her own.

Angelica Winthrop's life goal is to ruin her reputation, avoid marriage, and become a gothic authoress like her idol, Mary Shelley. To find inspiration for her new story, she breaks into the home of Ian Ashton, Duke of Burnrath, not knowing she will be coming up against the Lord Vampire of London. Romance sparks and reputations are at stake. But who knows the real difference between fact and fiction?

My Thoughts: I love me some historical romances. I love me some vampires. Put them together and I am in 7th Heaven. With Bite Me, Your Grace, Brooklyn Ann brought my two loves together in a way that wasn't awe inspiring but an OK read none the less.

Angelica Winthrop is an interesting character that unfortunately does quite a bit of flip flopping throughout the book. In the beginning she is intelligent, strong willed and witty but towards the middle she ends up becoming a bit, well, awful and no one I'd be interested in knowing. She does come back around but I was no longer in awe of her and moved my attention towards Ian and his second in command.

As far as Ian goes, he too managed to disappoint me in the end. I expected much more from the Master of the City than what he gave me upon rescuing his bride from the evil clutches of...well, it doesn't really matter who he rescued her from because technically he didn't really rescue her. But whatever.

From a plot perspective there was almost way too much going on because the author spent too much time focusing on the secondary plot threads giving too many pages away to them instead of focusing on building a believable romance between our hero and heroine.

On the positive side Brooklyn Ann's vampires are really interesting, her characters have much potential and Ian's second in command is so intriguing that he is more than enough to make me want to read more by Ann to see where she takes his character.

Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks

Synopsis: Genevieve McInnes is locked behind the fortified walls of McHugh Keep, captive of a cruel laird who takes great pleasure in ruining her for any man. Yet when Bowen Montgomery storms the gates on a mission of clan warfare, Genevieve finds that her spirit is bent but not broken. Still, her path toward freedom remains uncertain. Unable to bear the shame of returning to a family that believes her dead, nor bring herself to abandon others at the keep to an imposing new laird, Genevieve opts for the peaceful life of an abbess. But Bowen’s rugged sensuality stirs something deep inside her longing to be awakened by his patient, gentle caress—something warm, wicked, and tempting.   Bowen seizes his enemy’s keep, unprepared for the brooding and reclusive woman who captures his heart. He’s enchanted by her fierce determination, her unusual beauty, and quiet, unfailing strength. But wooing her will take more than a seasoned seducer’s skill. For loving Genevieve, he discovers, means giving her back the freedom that was stolen from her—even if it means losing her forever.


My Thoughts: This book pulled me through an amazing range of emotions when it came to the heroine. I have long since claimed to be a lover of the tortured hero but never really thought much about the opposite.  Let me tell you, a tortured heroine is just as compelling.

I love great characters and it is a tribute to Banks' writing that I found myself completely absorbed in the life of Genevieve. This is one character that will stay with me for a very long time.

However, the actions of the hero did not ring true to me when looking at them from a historical setting angle. If this had been real, Genevieve would have found herself in a convent spending the rest of her days devoted to a higher power. Also, her involvement with a situation that was highlighted in a previous book was a big deal yet seemed to have been forgivable by all, despite it being an unforgivable act. (I'm being quite vague and I do apologize but if you haven't read the other book in the series I do not want to spoil it for you.)

In addition to the hero's actions even some of Genevieve's seemed improbably. Case in point would be her ability to set aside the fact that she had been heinously abused both physically and sexually (for an entire year) after only a few weeks of being around Bowen with very little issues. This is, of course, a romance and the 'real' issues that would have cropped up repeatedly have been glossed over.

Despite these issues this was a wonderful book and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I will definitely read more of Maya's highlanders.

Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

Synopsis: London society has its very own Cupid. Renowned horse breeder and occasional matchmaker Devin Baldwin pairs eligible young ladies with suitable gentlemen based on his theory of animal magnetism. Unafraid of ruffling the ton’s feathers, this darkly handsome Cupid doles out tips for bettering one’s chances of meeting a mate that are as pointed as the love legend’s sharpest arrows!

Lovely Amanda Locke, the daughter of a duke, is everything a nobleman could desire, yet she enters her third Season still searching for a match. Gossipmongers’ tongues are wagging, and her mystified family is considering drastic measures to find her a husband. But the insufferable advice of this Cupid fellow is the last thing Amanda wants.

When an earl passionate about horses becomes the target of her husband hunt, Amanda knows it’s time to overcome her fear of riding. With her sister-in-law Ophelia hastening the romance along by arranging riding lessons, Amanda is soon taking instruction from infuriating Devin Baldwin. Astonishingly, in her daily encounters with Devin—who treats her as an ordinary young woman, not a prize to be won at the marriage mart—Amanda experiences passion for the first time. Now, her search for a match takes her in an unexpected direction as she finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself.


My Thoughts: I'm seriously wondering if Johanna Lindsey actually was the author of this book or if it is the work of a ghostwriter. The heroine was annoying and self centered and the hero was bland. They had no chemistry together. Some of the writing seemed really clunky to the point I had to re-read a paragraph to understand what was said.The writing was horribly repetitious. There were 2 sub-par sex scenes towards the end of the book that added virtually nothing to the book. If that wasn't bad enough the book had similarities to one of my favorite JL books Man of My Dreams which is quite upsetting. Man of My Dreams has a horse breeder named Devlin.Let Love Find You has a horse breeder named Devin. Really Johanna, really?

Amanda talked in exclamation points and thought in exclamation points. It was completely ridiculous. At one point I realized I was cringing when I saw yet another exclamation point and at another point I realized I was actually counting them. In 15 pages there were over 30 exclamation points. When you start counting punctuation marks while reading a book, you know there are problems.

In addition to the unbelievable amount of exclamation points Amanda's favorite word was a'tall which she used alllll the time. As in “It’s different here, not a’tall like at home in the country, where I’ve got so much to occupy me.” . I've not read a book set in this time period (which I imagine is regency or there abouts) that had as many slang words. A few of the characters used the word aint. And they weren't even commoners. Speaking of words that I'm not used to reading in historical romances I also found it odd that almost everyone had a nickname. Amanda was Mandy. Rebecca was Becky. Ophelia was either Pheli or Phelia. I know it wasn't unheard of but it felt jarring and untrue to the period.

The plot was horrible too. Through more than half the book it appeared that Amanda's search for a husband was the entire plot. After half the book suddenly a new plot device was introduced which was completely underwhelming and not fully realized.

I've read most everything Johanna Lindsey has written and found I loved some but disliked others. This book went beyond dislike. I truly hated it.

Here are a few quotes that I feel show why I dislike the characters and this book so much....in paranthesis I've made a few comments about the quotes....

Amanda sighed. "I have so many, too many really, choices of men to pick from. It's just becoming a bit difficult to sort them all out."
(said the self centered egotistical twit)

Amanda hurried away, not sure what about that old dame annoyed her. But really, Amanda already knew Farrell, considered him somewhat a friend, but for a matchmaker to recommend to her a second son with no prospects? The woman had to be going batty in her advanced years.
(thought the self centered egotistical twit who planned to marry for love but apparently only if that love was not with a second son)

Devin knew that daring Amanda to tackle riding lessons had been a long shot. A man would accept the challenge, a woman would find numerous excuses to decline it.
(thought the man who appears to be more of a male chauvinist pig than a hero)

"As for Robert," Amanda added with a grin,"if I'm not at least a little cold to him because of his near scandal, he won't be repentant enough to make sure it never happens again."
"Sound reasoning, I suppose," Preston allowed.
"Perfect reasoning," Julie agreed...
(because a disproving frown from a proper young lady can change the behavior of a womanizing man....)

An Outlaw's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

Synopsis: With his wild heart, Sawyer McKettrick isn't ready to settle down on the Triple M family ranch in Arizona. So he heads to Blue River, Texas, to seek a job as marshal. But in a blinding snowstorm he's injured -- and collapses into the arms of a prim and proper lady in calico.  — The shirtless, bandaged stranger recuperating in teacher Piper St. James's room behind the schoolhouse says he's a McKettrick, but he looks like an outlaw. As they wait out the storm, the handsome loner has Piper remembering long-ago dreams of marriage and motherhood. But for how long is Sawyer willing to call Blue River home?

As the gray skies clear, Piper's one holiday wish just might bring two lonely hearts together forever. 

My Thoughts: This is part of Linda Lael Miller's historical romance McKettrick series and frankly I was completely underwhelmed by it. The characters were not fleshed out enough and there was little conclusion to the added conflict. The characters fell in love with each other in a matter of 2 days (never mind that the hero was unconscious a lot of that time) and they were marveling at the admirable character traits of the other that left me wondering if they were having riveting conversations that we readers weren't allowed to witness. I have read several other McKettrick books and liked them well enough to continue reading them but this one was so not up to snuff.

However there were some positives. It was a quick holiday read and parts were simply sweet. I enjoyed some of the additional characters including a woman who works in a brothel. Her daughter is one of Piper's students and I thought their part of the storyline was very good.

Overall not a book that I would recommend to newbies of Miller's work but if you have read her books before and are a fan you will probably enjoy this one too. On a side note this book is not labeled a McKettrick but a stand-alone. Sawyer's brother Clay's book was book #15 in the McKettrick series and this one follows it. Sawyer is definitely a McKettrick so I'm not sure why this is not listed as such on Miller's website.

The Recruit by Monica McCarty

Synopsis: Scotland’s King Robert the Bruce is retaking his kingdom from the invading English. To win, he’ll need all the grit and courage of his elite band of warriors, the Highland Guard, men who fight without fear and love without limits.
 
Fiery, aggressive, and bold, Kenneth Sutherland is a true champion—skilled with any weapon and driven to win. Now Kenneth is ready for his greatest challenge: joining Robert the Bruce’s secret army to fight among the elite. Kenneth’s best chance to attain that honor is by winning the Highland Games. Focused and prepared for victory, he is caught off guard by a lovely wisp of a woman—and a stolen moment of wicked seduction. Her innocent arousal and her shameless hunger fire his blood. He will win his place in the guard—and in Mary of Mar’s bed.

The ruggedly handsome hero-in-the-making stirs a heart that should know better. Mary vows that her surrender will be sport only—no promises, no heartbreak, just one night of incredible passion. Nothing, she swears, will persuade her to give up her hard-wrought independence and put her fate in the hands of another powerful man. But with every gentle touch and heart-pounding kiss, Kenneth makes her want more. Now Mary wants his heart. But is this determined champion willing to surrender everything for love?

My Thoughts: Earlier today I finished The Recruit by Monica McCarty and was wowed by it. This is the first book I've read by her and found it to be rich in history and rich in well fleshed out characters. There was a time I felt a bit overwhelmed by it's length (it's about 75 pages over an average historical romance which for some reason intimidates me LOL) but then I was totally swept away by the conflict of Scotland to England and the people who took sides (or was trapped between the two) and the sizzling passion between the two main characters. This is the 6th book in the series and I will go back and read the ones before (especially with the glowing reviews of the first one The Chief) but probably not right away. I want to savor this one a bit longer and don't want to gorge myself until I puke on the Highlander yumminess that are McCarty's Highland Guards. I might have given this book a full 5 stars but for the constant misunderstanding between the two main characters because they didn't communicate... although as a disclaimer I should mention there were very good reasons for Mary to mistrust her husband so the conflict was necessary and explainable. I just got a wee bit tired of it. Oh and Kenneth every now and again would think or say something so chauvinistic I wanted to thwack him with his own sword. Even his boorish attitudes on occasion was explainable as this was medieval times and in 1309 men could pretty much do as they pleased and women had no say (this is something I struggle with while reading romances from this time period.... my inner Gloria Steinem tends to be appalled for all the oppressed women every time.)

 In a nutshell I would totally recommend this book to historical romance readers everywhere.

Too Tempting to Resist by Cara Elliott

Synopsis: In the Wolf's Lair . . .

Determined to stop her wayward brother from squandering their dwindling fortune, Lady Eliza Brentford decides to follow him to his favorite den of depravity. There, among the candlelight and raucous revelry, she encounters her brother's role model in debauchery, the notorious Marquess of Haddan, Gryffin Dwight. Staring into his smoldering green eyes, Eliza can't help but find the rakehell nobleman seductively charming-and sinfully attractive.

In a Lover's Paradise . . .

When Gryffin appears on Eliza's estate as a guest of her brother, a stolen kiss among the garden's blooms leads to a night of unbridled passion. Suddenly the lovely widow feels herself opening up, like the petals of a rose. Could this master of seduction possibly feel true emotion for Eliza? Or is he leading her down the garden path to an Eden of delights no woman can resist-and a fall no woman can escape?

My Thoughts: This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I thought her opening was interesting and it certainly engaged me but I don't think she was able to sustain that initial feel throughout the book. There were interesting parts and then lulls but there were enough of the entertaining parts that the book didn't lose my attention.

I enjoyed the characters also but think they could have been a bit more fleshed out. After a week they have faded in my mind so much that I only remember a shadow of who they were. I know she paints and he writes. I know she is in need of a knight in shining armor despite her plans to solve her own problems and I know he wanted to be that knight. I remember their actions but not their emotions.

The dialogue between the characters was entertaining and earned a few chuckles from me which is a definite plus. The mysterious element that was to add a bit of depth to the plot was a bit weak as we know who was up to nefarious acts even though we weren't exactly sure what those acts were. To tell the truth Gryff's friend Cam was far more mysterious and intriguing to me than anything. The wrapping up of the mystery/suspense seemed quite abrupt also.

Overall, the author did entertain me. Her main characters were not complete cookie cutters (Eliza is a widow which is fairly rare) and the secondary characters were intriguing. The ending was wrapped up too quickly and the I love Yous were borderline cheesy but I still did enjoy reading this book. Cara Elliott's writing style suited me quite a bit and I will definitely read more (especially Cam's story).

I'd be a bit remiss not to mention that my e-copy was provided by NetGalley for my review and it had multiple formatting issues. Often I'd come across a sentence thatwasnotspacedatallmakingitdifficulttoread. In addition the book would skip from one moment in time with one character to another character later on (or sometimes even the same character several hours later) with no indication that the time frame had changed. For example one paragraph would read that Eliza was pouring tea then the next paragraph would say that Gryff was talking to Cam. It wasn't because Gryff and Cam were with Eliza partaking in tea but because there were no natural or even unnatural breaks other than a chapter break. This often lead to some confusion on my part but it didn't effect my rating of this book. My rating is strictly on the story.