(This review was originally published on Book Lover Inc)
I'm a big fan of Kristan Higgins' books, so when I saw this book on Netgalley I jumped on the (This review was originally published on Book Lover Inc)
I'm a big fan of Kristan Higgins' books, so when I saw this book on Netgalley I jumped on the occasion. It might not be my favorite of her books but I really enjoyed reading it. Until There Was You is a cute romance with sweet and funny characters...a whole bunch of them!
Posey (whose real name is Cordelia AH!) is a funny character. From the first page you can't help but laugh at her Glass-Half-Full way of thinking. I couldn't NOT love someone who uses 'Holy Elvis' or 'Bieber!' as exclamations. Posey is a little thing, she's short, and very slim bordering on skinny but she eats like a pack of hungry wolves. When she was in high-school she had a crush on Liam Murphy, the bad-boy. The bad-boy who got all the girls, who had tattoos and a motorcycle. Liam broke her heart without even noticing. Now 15 years later, Liam is back in town.
I love Bad-boy heroes. I love even more a Bad-boy hero who turned into the perfect man...a perfect dad. Liam's now a widower with a teenager. He thought coming back to Bellsford would be a new start for his daughter and him. I have to tell you I love Liam, he's sexy and sweet and he loves his daughter sooooooo much it was just so sweet. I love how he's over-protective of her, the scene at the movie was just hilarious. He's nearly too perfect, he's so good and such a great person you wonder if he ever was a bad-boy at some point.
Posey has the best job ever! Well okay maybe I used to think differently but Kristan Higgins really sold it to me! Posey has a salvaging company, I used to think it was mostly preying on poor families who lost a loved one (well that's the experience I had at least) but Posey loves her job and her philosophy concerning her job is pretty amazing. She sees it as giving a new life to objects which would otherwise be destroyed or left to rot. She loves her job and I ended up loving it too.
My main concern with this book is that I felt it was lacking a bit in the romance section. They didn't seem to fall in love. Humm maybe I'd needed a bit more. It was still cute and the story is both funny and sweet. I adore some of the secondary characters. Jon is fantastic and hilarious. I adore him. And Henry's obsession with imputations made me laugh a lot. I fell in love with the Town, with the characters and the story but I wasn't completely convinced about the romance. It's still worth it for all the other parts of the book. There's no denying it Kristan Higgins knows how to tell a good story.
After reading Only Mine all I wanted was to get the next book so I could plunge right back in Fo(this review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
After reading Only Mine all I wanted was to get the next book so I could plunge right back in Fool's Gold. Only Yours focuses this time on Montana's story. I can already tell you it was a cute and funny story! Not that I doubted it would be anything but. *wink*
Montana has a job she loves, training dogs so they would help people. I have to say I envied her job. Who wouldn't like training puppies into being serviceable dogs! I love how Susan Mallery characterized Montana's dogs. They are so cute and I'm sure if you have a dog it'll make you want to reach out and pet it. I'm a sucker for cute pets in books (yes I'm easy like that). And what did you know that one of Montana's puppy landed her right into the arms of a very sexy man. I couldn't help but laugh at how it happened.
Cue dark and sexy hero, aka Simon. Ladies, prepare the fan because this hero is one tough cookie. I do have a thing for jerk/dark/brooding/scarred/sexy heroes...well isn't that my luck! Here we are with the perfect candidate. *g* Simon is tortured and no, I didn't always understand him, but sometimes people are weird that way and they don't always make sense. At least he had the good sense to realize it ;).
We could say that Montana didn't really make a good first impression, but the same could be said for Simon. They got off on a rocky start but I loved the sexual tension between them. Simon is...intense...and it was very interesting to see how unsettle he was around Montana.
Only Yours is a sexy and cute story. I'm dying to read the next book to read more about the triplet's mother. She has one really fascinating story and I cannot waiiiiiiit to see where this go *g*. My only complaint about the story is that it felt a bit like a dejà-vu. Well maybe it is on purpose but some things were a bit too much like the first book. The story is predictable but it doesn't take any fun from reading it, I'd even go as far as to say that it was reassuring to know I could predict how it would end (I don't do well with suspense).
I can say it with all my heart this book was a very good Summer read. If you're not already addicted to Fool's Gold you should definitely give this series a try.
(this review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc) Only Mine is the 1st book I read by this authors, and even though I hadn't finished it yet that (this review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc) Only Mine is the 1st book I read by this authors, and even though I hadn't finished it yet that I was already ordering other books in this series. I'm very happy I got to read this book for review, it's exactly what I needed right now.
Only Mine is 4th book in the Fool's Gold series, it's the 1st book about the Hendrix triplet. The story takes place in the small town Fool's Gold. This town has made the national media news because of its chronic shortage of men. Dakota has been assigned by the town to keep an eye on the new reality show being filmed in the city. Some producer decided it would be a good idea to have a reality show where men from everywhere could try and find love in this city full of women.
Finn tracked down his young twin brothers from Alaska to California. He's decided to do anything to bring them back to finish college. I really loved Finn as a character. He's responsible and he loves his brothers. He's been taking care of them for years and he doesn't want to fail them. He's strong-minded and sometimes a bit quick to anger. When Dakota and Finn meet, I just couldn't stop laughing. Dakota always has the good come back. She's very funny and down-to-earth. Their relationship starts as a friendship and it naturally moves on to a friends-with-benefits status. I think what I liked the most, is that it was 'uncomplicated'. I don't mean there weren't complications, but it felt like there were no strings attached, no regrets, no expectations. Love was completely unexpected for them. They both knew they wanted very different things in life.
This is a very cute story, I felt good while reading it. It has a spark, something that makes your heart beat a little faster, something that makes you want to read a bit faster. It is cute but it's also pretty hot too. *g* Finn pushes all my buttons, I can't tell you how without spoiling things so let's just say, I'd really love to have a man like Finn. Add a good dose of humor and you have the perfect mix. I loved the secondary characters' story. I was rooting for them from the start.
I won't lie, the story was a bit predictable at some points but even so it was a pleasure to read it. I loved that it felt like I was in Fool's Gold too for a few hundred pages. I'm already impatiently awaiting the next book. (and I'll be slowly reading all the previous books too *g*)
Only Mine is a sweet summer romance about growing up, finding one self and finally letting go. You'll probably want to move to Fool's Gold after reading it. If you love hot and cute romance then this is definitely for you.
Shameless is the 4th book in the House of Rohan series. I am a big fan of this series and (this review was originally published on Secret HEA Society)
Shameless is the 4th book in the House of Rohan series. I am a big fan of this series and I just couldn't wait to read this last installment. It was on my Auto-read list, it was such a sure thing in my mind that I would read it that I didn't read the book synopsis. So when I started the book, I didn't really connect the dots. You see, the first 3 books followed the House of Rohan on 3 generations. So I was expecting Shameless to be about the kids of the previous heroes. Ah! Of course I should have read the synopsis! Shameless is set about 5 or 10 years (I can't remember the exact number!) after the end of Breathless and is about Miranda's (Heroine of Breathless, you still following?) oldest brother.
What a good surprise! When I finally realized who it was about and how it was situated , it all clicked together and I'm pretty sure I squealed. *wink* . Benedick, the hero was married during the set of Breathless and for some reason I didn't think he would get his story. I thought him safe in a somewhat good marriage. I also saw him as a stuffy lord. Oh what a delight it was to realize he was actually quite wicked and such a cynic person.So what? Yes I love my heroes wicked, evil and dangerous, and Anne Stuart delivers! Each time! All the heroes of this series are wicked in their own way, they are all very different but each very delicious.
Benedick is a cynic but he has his reasons. He's been married twice and both wives died in childbirth leaving him without an heir. So he decided to find a wife to get that heir and a spare. He just wants a brooding mare, someone he can just forget all about outside the bedroom. As you can imagine, it won't work that way ;).
Melisande is not your typical lady. For once she lives with more than 20 former prostitutes! She's the widow of a wealthy elderly lord. Now with her money she tries to reform prostitutes and help them find a real respectable job. As you can imagine she's not really someone who would be invited to balls and party by Society. I found Melisande very likable, she's a good woman and she really wants to help save these girls. I found her devotion to her 'gaggle' very endearing.She might have been married but Melisande is still a near-virgin when it comes to the pleasures of sex. It was cute to see such an innocent woman leaving with women who enjoyed having sex so much and it made me laugh a few times.
When Melisande hears that the secrete society called the Heavenly Hosts has been revived and that now they started becoming very violent with prostitutes/young women she decides to act. Melisande knows Benedick's brother, Brandon, is a member of this secret society so she decides to warn Benedick about it and asks for his help. I really enjoyed seeing them together, they have such a chemistry! *swoon* They don't plan to get involved with each other but it's like it's out of their hands. The more they fight it, the harder it is. God, I loved Benedick, he's such a jerk! He has a vicious tongue, very cutting. The smex scenes are hot and very well written. Benedick is confident in his skills and I just love that in my heroes *g*.
If you read Breathless, you'll remember Brandon, the youngest Rohan. He was so young and cute and innocent. Really brave too. The man we meet in Shameless is just a shadow of his old self. Brandon has been to war and he's come back wounded both physically and in spirits. He gave up on life and he's become reckless. We get glimpses of him and what happened when he came back from war. Now, I have to tell you I'm REALLY hoping he's getting his book because if not I'll be pissed. Why? Because we get glimpses of his story and a possible romance and I couldn't believe it ended this way. Anyway, I can't say more but I am crossing all my fingers and toes we'll get his book. (I've spent 2 hours on the web searching for any indication there would be one but *sob* I couldn't find any info about it *sob*)
I LOVED that we got to see quite a lot of the HEA of Miranda and Lucien (Heroes from Breathless, yes I also do Cliffnotes as you can see *wink*). I remember raging at the ending of Breathless because it didn't have an epilogue. *squeeeeeeeeee* We get it in Shameless. Seriously I was grinning the whole time we got to see Lucien and Miranda. And we see them from Benedick's POV, which is pretty hilarious since he HATES his brother-in-law so much. I loved seeing their life through his eyes. I can't thank Anne Stuart enough for indulging us like that. *g*
I was ecstatic when I finished Shameless! It has an epilogue!!! *squeee* And a very good one. It's not cheesy I promise, because I'm not sure Anne Stuart can do cheesy. But it left me smiling and feeling very good. <3
Shameless is a wonderful book, it really does justice to this series. You want to root for the characters and it's hard to stop reading once you started. It keeps you enthralled and always wanting more while giving you some closure about the story (and about the previous book). I still feel pretty emotional about this book. It sure left his mark in my mind and in my heart (see? I can be cheesy!)
ps: I'm sorry about it being such a long review. And THIS is the short version ;)
I give Shameless 4 1/2 Stars.
With a Shiny HEA, full of hopes and happiness...more
Collision Course is a Sci-fi Romance just like I love them. I've read a few books by Zoe Archer a(This review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc
Collision Course is a Sci-fi Romance just like I love them. I've read a few books by Zoe Archer and I really enjoyed her writing style, so when I learned about Collision Course I was ecstatic! This author delivers once again.
Mara is a very independent woman. She is a scavenger and for her 'home' is her very own spaceship. She is very proud of her achievements and she's not really happy when she is told she has to help Commander Kell Frayne to find a stolen ship and it's pilot. Mara doesn't have much choices, she's being blackmailed, she has to agree to help or they'll make her life hell (understatement of the year).
Kell is a commander with the 8th Wing, he would do anything to save both the ship and the pilot from getting into the hands of the enemy. His colleague has been kidnapped and he's pretty sure her kidnappers will try to sell her and the ship to their enemy, the Praxis alliance. Right now all they know is that the ship and pilot will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Mara is the only one who can get them through the Smoke Quadrant, a dangerous place scavengers call home and it's the place to go to learn more about this stolen ship.
Kell and Mara are forced to work together, well they even are forced to live together in Mara's small ship. The chemistry between those two is sizzling from the start. They are so different, he's 'the law', she's a scavenger. I really enjoyed seeing Mara tempt him and flirt with him. They try to resist the temptation but they are attracted to each other.The first night they spend in the ship was funny, sexy and frustrating, so you can imagine that I loved it. Kell is very sexy and intense. Some scenes were very very hot, I have in mind a scene after a tough landing. NOM nom nom. I really enjoyed seeing those 2 stubborn people work it out. This book is filled with humor and sarcasm, and I just love that.
We slowly learn more about them and how they came to be who they are today. Both of them suffered in the past and they start seeing themselves in the each others. The story is well paced and interesting from start to end. There's a lot of action too. The sci-fi aspect never was too overwhelming (what I'm always afraid of when I start a Sci-fi book).
Collision Course is a fast read, full of action, humor and very steamy scenes. I know I'm often picky with endings but I was happy with the way it ended. It's altogether a very satisfying book.
Romancing the Countess was a highly anticipated book for me, I've been waiting for this book (this review was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
Romancing the Countess was a highly anticipated book for me, I've been waiting for this book for months. For long it was only a blurb and a title but when the cover was finally revealed...Wow... for me this cover is absolutely stunning. Okay, so maybe I did wonder whether women at that time would wear something like that, but still what a gorgeous dress. I also love her jewels. Anyway, to sum it up the cover is one of the many delights of this book!
This is the first book I read from this author and I will definitely read her next novel. I'm always a bit reluctant to try new Historical romance authors (*hides*) because I know I can be very picky when it comes to this genre. Ashley March has a definite style that sets her out from the rest. She made me accept situations and character behavior I would probably have scoffed at in other historical romances.
Leah, like many women of her time, had to live with the knowledge that her husband was cheating on her. Like most women of that time she had to accept it and keep the pretenses. But when her husband tragically dies she can't mourn him like society would want her to. I really love that this book showed us the reality of being a widow back then. Leah wasn't freed by her husband's death, on the contrary she was expected to go into full mourning, wearing uncomfortable and ugly black dresses, wearing a veil or a widow's cap. She wasn't to entertain guest or go to parties for a full year. She was to be lonely and miserable when in reality she didn't want to mourn him. Of course like most things at that time, men weren't held up to the same standards and rules. I know all that but still, each time it makes me angry.
Sebastian's wife died in the same accident that killed Leah's husband....and for a good reason...they were eloping together. Contrary to Leah, Sebastian didn't know of the affair and it was a shock to him. The love of his life died, living him with a toddler and the last thing he wants is for people to gossip about his dead wife and his best friend. I could understand Sebastian's motive, he didn't want his son to suffer from a scandal. I still wanted to kick him where it matters a few times. My first impression of him was of a stuffy lord.
Things got interesting as Leah really came into her own. She slowly realized she could get her independence and freedom. This was really interesting, I liked how she started rebelling in small ways. Then she started doing bolder things, rash and provocative things that were borderline on plausible (in my humble opinion). Well I guess they could happen but I sometimes thought Leah didn't really realize what the consequences would be....I'm not sure if many women would have dared act this way. I guess it's what set her apart from your usual 18th century lady. See, that's the wonder of this book, even if I wasn't 100% convinced by some of the behaviors/events, the story still won me over. Or better said, Sebastian won me over. *g* As much as I disliked him at first he grew on me. Sebastian is a wonderful father, the scenes with his son were just too cute.
Leah is scarred from her relationship with her late husband. She has been burned and she never wants to live through this again. Sebastian's first goal was to convince Leah to keep quiet about the affair and act the widow Society wanted her to be. Then his goal changed and soon he had to find a way to win her over. It's hard to talk about the story without telling too much but let's just say I was left completely satisfied and happy. The characters slowly fell for each other, sometimes against their better judgment. I loved that nothing was rushed, Leah's reluctance wasn't solved in 2 pages. It's really a book about how Sebastian slowly seduced her. And much like Leah was seduced by Sebastian, I was slowly seduced by Ashley March's talent. I might have been reluctant but by the end of the book I was completely sold.
Seducing the Countess has enough originality to set it apart from your usual historical romance. It's bold but not enough to have me throw the book at the wall (aka the hissy fit). My advice to you...let yourself be tempted you won't regret it! It's a really good historical and I will be awaiting Ashley March's next book.
My Favorite Countess was a difficult book to review for me. When I started re-reading the notes (This review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
My Favorite Countess was a difficult book to review for me. When I started re-reading the notes I took while reading the book, I started wondering if I was dealing with 2 different books. The first half of my notes were mostly rants about how I hated the Hero and the Heroine, the second half of my notes were about how amazing they were and how I loved the story. LOL see what I mean? Alright, let's start from the beginning...
When we meet Bathsheba she is in a dire situation. She has responsibilities towards her family and their estate and she is under a lot of stress. She would do anything, that is...go to London and find a rich husband to pay their debts. Bathsheba is a widow and getting married again was NOT in her plans. She didn't want to suffer again at the hands of a husband.
The thing is when we meet Bathsheba it's really really hard to like her, she's viper-tongued and she can be very nasty when she wants to. I felt bad for all the other characters when she was around. She's mean and it's hard to see past that, but her flaws make her human in the end. Then there's the hero, Doctor John Blackmore, seriously at the beginning of the book I really disliked him too... but for different reasons. John seemed so full of himself, he's sure he's always right. He thinks he can see through her from the start. And he's certain he's going to bed her. The result is that I wanted to slap them both silly. They are both so stubborn and they cling to their beliefs. So the first few chapters I just disliked, then hated the 2 main characters.
BUT, I'm not sure how but at some point everything changes. By chapter 7, I started loving them! I've never read a book where the author made me change my mind so drastically about 2 characters. I went from hate to love in just a few chapters. John is a doctor and it was a nice change from the usual aristocratic hero. John is a working man, he's a doctor who deals with midwifery. When you start learning about him and his beliefs, you can't help but love him. He is a humanist, he believes every woman rich or poor should be able to get the best treatment when delivering a baby. He wants change and he wants to do everything he can to help pregnant women.
At some point I started liking Bathsheba, we learn more about her past and the trauma she suffered from her previous marriage. Her late husband was very jealous and thought she was cheating on him. He made her look like a whore in the eyes of everyone else. His family hates her because they think she's responsible for his death. Anyway, I can't say much more but the story gets very interesting. There's intrigue, mystery and lots of suspense. I had a hard time closing the book. I didn't see the end coming and the cute HEA at the end made this book a very pleasant read.
Now I must address the smex topic...this is something I found a bit weird in the book. When I read it, it struck me as odd how the smexing scenes were written differently from the rest of the book. I mean the book flows pretty easily, then when you get to a love scene the writing gets very flowery. It's hard to miss. But apart from that I have to say I really enjoyed the love scenes between those 2. John knows how to 'play doctor' and he knows exactly what he's doing in bed. John was very very sexy and intense. I also loved that Bathsheba is not afraid of loving smex. There is chemistry between them and it was always hot hot hot!
So as you can see, this book started a bit rocky for me but by the end I just couldn't stop reading. This is a great story, with lots of twist and turns and enough suspense to surprise you in the end. I'm glad I kept reading even when I hated the h/h, it's definitely worth the wait to get to the good parts!
Kisri is the 2nd short story in the ...And the Beast series (I love the name of that series (This review was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
Kisri is the 2nd short story in the ...And the Beast series (I love the name of that series by the way). I knew before opening this book that I would be in for a treat. I've yet to come across a Moira Rogers book I didn't enjoy (I know, I'm rambling to when it comes to their books *wink*). On a totally shallow note, I'm fascinated by this cover. It's just so pretty and sensual *happy sigh*
Kisri is the High-Lord's cousin. She's a beautiful woman and she has quite a big dowry, which means that most men want her for her fortune. They don't really care that she's an intelligent and independent (and strong) woman. She's been trying to escape these men for years but now she finds herself in need of protection. Kisri decides to ask her cousin, Malrion, for protection but on her way to him she meets Malrion's first warrior Ennon.
I really enjoyed seeing Kisri and Ennon together. What starts as a simple experiment quickly evolves into something deeper and meaningful. I loved that Kisri thinks he's strong enough to deserve her. Her sexual education was very hot. I think it's the main highlight of the book, the smex scenes are hot and erotic (ain't that the goal? *wink*) and leave you satiated with a big smile on your face.
This very cute and sensual fairy tale is easy to read. It's a treat you can gobble up when you're feeling a bit down . I can't recommend this series enough, seriously you won't regret it. Short, sweet, hot, it's everything you need in 60 pages.
I admit that I've never been disappointed by the books I've read by Moira Rogers. I'm happy to say, I w(This was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
I admit that I've never been disappointed by the books I've read by Moira Rogers. I'm happy to say, I was once again charmed by the authors' writing. Sabine is a very short but very steamy fairy tale. From the very start you are thrown into this fantasy world and everything just flows right. The world-building was artfully done, you're not crushed by pages of back story, it's just very easy to get into this world.
Sabine has been cursed by a witch and ever since, everyone she knew has forgotten about her. She just became a stranger to them all. She's been living alone for years now, doomed to solitude. Why was she cursed? Because the High Lord was in love with her and his mother disapproved of the relationship. She wanted her son to forget about Sabine, but somehow the curse backfired and everyone forgot about her.
When Ciar comes back from war, all he wants is to find Sabine. When he realizes no one remembers her he starts searching for her. In this world the characters are Were-animals, and just so you know, it doesn't change anything to how beautiful this love story was.The authors made it look so natural, you could easily forget they are not completely human.
When Ciar and Sabine meet again, she's afraid he will forget her if she touches him. Ciar doesn't want to forget her, he wants his love for her to be stronger than the spell, he is resolute to find a way to reverse the spell. It was very heart-wrenching to see them suffer like this. Sabine's acceptance of the inevitable was very moving. Their passion was very intense, even if they couldn't touch (maybe BECAUSE they couldn't touch). I really enjoyed reading this book.
Sabine reads like a very beautiful fairy tale. It's a fast and sweet read. I can't tell much more about it without revealing too much of the plot. I am really looking forward to reading Kisri, the 2nd book in the series.
I've read quite a few books from Moira Rogers and I've never been disappointed. So when I started Wilde(This was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
I've read quite a few books from Moira Rogers and I've never been disappointed. So when I started Wilder's Mate I was hoping it would be a good book. AH! What I ended up with, is a fantastic book I just couldn't stop thinking about for days. Wilder's Mate pretty much blew me away. As soon as I finished it I was stalking the author's website trying to find a clue about when the next book would be released.
Wilder's Mate is some kind of Steampunk paranormal romance set in the Wild West. I'm not sure I got the genre right, but I felt like I was in a Western movie with a paranormal twist. I've never read anything quite like this before. Well just look at the cover and you'll get the feel of the book. *g* Satira has been the assistant of a weapon inventor, Nathaniel, for years. Now that he's been kidnapped, she's ready to go find him even if it means running into danger. She must leave before the new Bloodhound, a Vampire Killer created by the Guild, arrives and tries to stop her.
And what a Bloodhound. Wilder is just WOW. I was afraid this review would end in a Squee Fest, but I really can't help it. *squee* I just love Wilder soooo much. He's sexy, daring, dangerous, mysterious, wild, he has a sense of humor and so much more. He is everything I love in a hero. *sigh* Anyway, when Wilder meets Satira, he agrees to help her get Nathaniel back and they start their journey to the dangerous Frontier lands. This is the Wild west, it is dangerous and no respectable woman could be found there so it'll take some tricks to keep Satira in one piece.
As I said before, Bloodhounds are vampire killers created by the Guild. They aren't really humans anymore and no one except the Guilt knows how a Bloodhound is created. They have needs and every new moon it gets very very intense...and HOT. Just as you wouldn't like to be too close on the Full Moon. Satira knows a lot about Bloodhounds for the simple reason that she's been raised by one. She's not an innocent wallflower, she dresses like a man, she uses weapons and she's not a stranger to the pleasures of the flesh (I knew I'd place this in a review one day *g*). Satira is not helpless, she's not always in need of rescuing, I really like that she wasn't stupid and didn't rush into danger without means to defend herself. From the start you can feel the spark between her and Wilder. She's attracted to him. And I couldn't help but smile at how much she wanted him. Their bantering was very funny. I loved their sense of humor.
Wilder might not be human anymore but he still has some control over his needs. I really loved that he wasn't chasing the heroine, it was pretty much the opposite. He is very intense and you can't help but see the Beast in him. (Again just look at the cover!). *sigh* I really fell hard for Wilder. The story was really good, I liked it from start to end. In less than 100 pages so much happens it felt like a full length novel. It's the perfect mix between adventure and sexy romance.
This book is HOT. Oh boy very very hot. I think what made the book so hot is the hero, Wilder. He pushes all my buttons and he's just so sexy...ahem... sorry I'm back. The growing sexual tension between Satira and Wilder is very intense and when they finally give in...wow. The smex scenes were very very hot and felt completely right. Wilder's Mate is just WOW. O_O There's no other words for it.
Now completely random point: At some point we learn something about Wilder and Susi teased me for hours about it. I lost Wilder as a Book Boyfriend to her because of it. AHHHHHH *headdesk* She used my OWN words against me LMAO. I might have said something about heroes with this exact characteristic the day before, saying that I couldn't relate to that kind of heroes. *headdesk* I learned my lesson. I will turn my tongue 7 times in my mouth before saying anything from now on. lol *sob* Wilder *sob* Damn you Susi, I hope you'll take good care of him!!! *shakes fist in the air*
Ok back to the review. Moira Rogers (Donna and Bree) created a captivating world with amazing characters. Everything worked for me, the setting, the characters, the plot. Damn, I really fell under the spell of this book. Wilder makes the book perfect. I cannot wait for more books in this series.
[image] I give Wilder's Mate 5 Bookies. And since it was SO hot, it deserves a special heat rating completely made up for the occasion . So here, 5 HOT Flames too [image]...more
The Devil in Disguise is the 1st book in the Regency Rogues series. Now the title of the series a(this review as originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
The Devil in Disguise is the 1st book in the Regency Rogues series. Now the title of the series and the title of the book led me to believe that our hero would be a rogue, a bad man, a devil who the heroine would reform. Yes I know, I shouldn't have expectations based on a title. Now don't get me wrong I enjoyed reading this book, but I wasn't swept away.
William is the Duke of Clairemont, he is also part of the Young Corinthians. He's a spy and is assigned to protect Lady Lucinda Grey who's the next target of a well known murderer. I'm not a huge fan of spy stories because it's easy to fall into ridicule. It's not the case for this book, thankfully! I liked the characters and I wanted to love the story but some parts were just too rushed for me.
Will is ready to court Lucinda to be able to protect her. My problem was that he is supposed to be the 'Iron Will', a rogue, ruthless but he's really not and he didn't look the part for me. And I'm not even sure how he got his reputation to stick. I wanted more details about his 'supposed past' of debauchery. Anyway, Lucinda is a strong-willed woman, she doesn't need a husband she has money and is perfectly happy to live her life with her 3 aunts (nicknamed the Furies! Those women are very funny). Will knows she is reluctant to marry anyone and his chances of getting close to her are very very slim. So he makes a deal with her, if she can resist his seduction for a period of time he will give her his horse (I should mention she really wants the horse for reasons I won't mention), if not then they'll get married and she'll have that horse anyway. Hey it's a win-win situation for her, is it not? ;)
See, this started good, I liked that he was going to try and seduce her any way he could and she would have to resist. Very good plot, my kind of plot! But for me it all went too fast. Their feelings for each other appeared out of nowhere, even the lovemaking was rushed. I mean it's her first time and we don't even know what happens after they did it. Maybe it's just that I needed more smex scenes, but even without more smex I still think we should have gotten at least more about the psychological consequences of this seduction.
This is a good story, I enjoyed reading it, I just wanted (expected) a bit more. I wanted this 'devil' the title promised. I'll still want to read the next books in the series because Stefanie Sloane's writing is entertaining. The Devil in disguise will please many historical romance lovers. If you like spy stories this IS for you.
I give The Devil in Disguise 3 1/2 Bookies....more
After reading Kristan Higgins' last book, All I Ever Wanted, I added this author to my Auto-Read lis(This was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
After reading Kristan Higgins' last book, All I Ever Wanted, I added this author to my Auto-Read list. My One and Only didn't disappoint. This book played havoc on my nerves. I cried a few times (what is it with books making me cry this year?!) and I was rooting for the characters to have their HEA.
Harper is a Divorce Attorney, a very good one as it is. As you can imagine she is a bit cynical about marriage, or 'realistic' as she says. Her job is to help people put an end to bad relationships. Harper is very pragmatic and since she knows exactly what can go wrong in a relationship, she thinks she can have a good marriage with her Boyfriend, Dennis. While Dennis is an extremely good looking fireman, he's still not perfect enough for Harper. She is sure she knows how to change him and make him perfect for her life. Harper doesn't want to get married for love, she wants a family because she thinks it's 'time'. Dennis is a very funny character, for once he keeps calling her 'Dude' which irritates her to no end. More than often I thought he was more of a good friend than boyfriend material.
Harper's sister is getting married. A third time. The problem is she only just met her future husband, and her 2 previous marriages were catastrophes. Oh and since the wedding is planned in 2 weeks, Harper doesn't have much time to try making her sister see reason. The sky fell on Harper when she learns that the future groom, is the brother of her ex-husband, Nick. This means that she'll have to see Nick again after more than 12 years. Still following? I like Harper, she's a really good person and she is there for her family. She loves her sister and she doesn't want to see her hurt. I felt bad for her sister when she kept trying to convince her maybe she shouldn't get married so fast. Harper is still scarred from the failure of her own marriage.
The best thing about this book is that the flashbacks from Harper and Nick's past relationship are perfectly incorporated in the story. I usually have a hard time with flashbacks, but these chapters were the most intense. I felt sucker-punched by the emotion from these chapters. It takes 2 persons to fail a relationship, and that's exactly what this book makes us see. I kept changing my mind about who was responsible for this failure. One page I was on Harper's side the next on Nick's. The death of their marriage was so sad I kept crying every time there was a flashback. They were both wrong and they both hurt. *wipes tears*
I'm not giving away a spoiler by saying that at some point Harper and Nick are stuck together in a road trip home (it's in the blurb!). This road trip was fantastic, we learned a lot about both characters and what happened to them in the years since their divorce. We also come to understand Harper better, why she is so pessimistic about relationships and her fears (That heroine has some huge commitment issues, sadly I can relate to that). Nick is a fantastic man, I found him so romantic and funny. He's just plain adorable. He made me cry while smiling a few times too. He pretty much broke my heart by himself.
Family is important in this book (as in many Kristan Higgins' books) and I loved all the secondary plots about them. Harper's mother-in-law really grew on me, I was rooting for her by the end of the book. Now let's not forget a very important character, Coco, Harper's very cute dog. I love how the author always creates a wonderful companion for her characters. Coco shines throughout the book.
Now even if I loved Harper, I really wanted to slap her silly a few times. She really give all its meaning to the phrase 'Hell is paved with good intentions'. About the end of the book, Harper does something very stupid which lead to a lot of hurt. I understand why she did it, I would probably have been a coward too. But at that moment I wanted to throw the book against the wall. I forgave her 20 pages later though ;) The ending was a bit much but I didn't mind too much. It was still cute.
My One and Only is a very emotional book. Kristan Higgins wrote a powerful love story about second chances that will make you smile and possibly cry too. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book by this author.
Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right (yes quite a mouthful), is the 2nd book in the Impossible(This was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right (yes quite a mouthful), is the 2nd book in the Impossible Bachelors series. I really loved the first installment and I was very excited to start this one. I read Dukes to the left of Me (for short) very fast. It was a pleasure to read from start to end even if I'm not 100% happy with aspects of the plot. But once again, Kieran portrays great characters you can't help but love.
Lady Poppy has become a master in the art of refusing a proposal. She got a LOT of marriage proposals in the last couple of years. Each time, she refuses, telling her suitor she can't marry him because she's secretly engaged to the Duke of Drummond, that they are in love and will soon marry. Yes, Poppy invented herself a secret admirer to politely refuse her unwanted suitors. Poppy is one bright and fierce young woman . I really liked her and her friends. They decided they'd rather be Spinsters than marry someone they don't love (Good for you girls!). They want to marry for love, they take their future in their own hands rather than let anyone decide for them. Poppy doesn't refuse all these men for no reason, she's been in love with Sergei, a Russian prince, since she was 15, when they met for a week in St Petersburg. She's finally going to see him again after all those years...
Sadly, everything changes when the ,very real, Dukes of Drummond appears one day and asks for her hand in public. As you can see, she can't very well refuse since she's been claiming for years she's been secretly betrothed to him. I really enjoyed the farcical aspect of the situation. It was pretty funny and interesting. Poor Poppy is now engaged to a man she doesn't know when her Prince is finally back in her life. Sergei and his twin sister are very funny characters...funny as in weiiiiird *sing song voice*. I almost felt bad for him at some point. ALMOST lol. There is an aspect of the book I didn't enjoy very much, it's the spy plot. Nicholas Staunton, the Duke of Drummond (Also knows as Lord Maxwell in the previous book), is a spy and he has to marry to 'fly below the radar'. What better choice than to marry the girl who's been telling everyone she was engaged to him for years. There is a scene at the beginning of the book that I found irresistible. When Nicholas asks for Poppy's hand, I was sold. Such a cute and funny book.
As I said, the only thing I wasn't really thrilled about was the spy/secret agents plot which was sometimes a bit predictable. But it was still very difficult to close the book. I really loved the heroes and I had a lot of fun reading this book. I am very excited about this series and I can't wait for the 3rd book to come out. Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage will be released in April 26th, and it'll be about Captain Arrow *g* Woot woot.
I give Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right 4 1/2 bookies...more
Judith James won me over last year with a fantastic Libertine's Kiss. I loved it so much that I'(This review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)
Judith James won me over last year with a fantastic Libertine's Kiss. I loved it so much that I've been counting the days 'till the release of The King's Courtesan. To be honest I think this book is responsible for my Netgalley addiction. Why? Because I've been checking the website everyday for the last 5 months in hope of seeing The King's Courtesan up for request. As you can imagine I might have stumbled on a few other books in the process ;) (<== bad excuse I know!!)
But back to the book! Captain Robert Nichols was first introduced in Libertine's Kiss. I felt pretty bad for him and I wanted him to get his HEA after all. He's a reasonable man (well most of the time), a no-nonsense kind of man. He's also driven by revenge. His only goal in life is to finally be able to get his revenge. Robert is haunted by the past and he can't let go.
One thing I love about this book is that it's set in a time period that is not often depicted in books. We get to be completely immersed in the Civil War and Charles II's reign. I learned a lot about this historical period while reading Judith James' books. Robert was on the wrong side of the war now he has to deal with the consequences. And in this case the consequences are pretty bittersweet. He is ordered to marry the King's Courtesan, Hope.
Hope Matthews is a courtesan. She could have ended up a street-whore but she has wits and she's very courageous. She turned her situation into something very positive. Right now she's the king's mistress...well one of them. I absolutely adored the scenes between Hope and Charles. Their relationship is based on friendship and honesty.Well to be completely honest, I just loved Charles, he's a fascinating king. I loved how he could change from a very nice and easy person to his ruthless King's persona in a second. He already fascinated me in Libertine's Kiss and I'm glad we got to see him a bit more.
Charles is soon to be married, he can't have an unmarried mistress at Court. He doesn't want to part with Hope so he engineers a way to have her at Court...married! Charles really is a wicked man, he's very manipulative and won't stop at anything to get what he wants.
Hope and Robert's relationship starts off. They were both manipulated in a wedding they didn't want. Robert has to accept that his 'wife' will be the King's mistress. He'll be officially cuckold in front of the whole Court. Hope on the other end feels like she's been cast off. All she wanted was to be free...to be her own master. Judith James made me root for them, I wanted them to fall for each other. I wanted them to fight their demons and finally be happy. I was scared I wouldn't like the whole 'courtesan' thing but it turn out very well. *g* . I loved how they fought and how passionate they were.
An added bonus is that we get to see the main characters from Libertine's Kiss once again. It was a very good surprise. *g*
The King's Courtesan is a beautiful love story set in a rich historical period. Court Intrigues, War, Revenge those are a few of the things our heroes will have to overcome to finally get their HEA. Judith James gives us a story about how love can heal the scars from the past. If you love Historical romances with a bit of Court intrigues then this is for you. One of the main appeal of this book is how it makes you learn so much about this historical period. I will be impatiently awaiting Judith James' next book!
Warning: This review is all about me and my prejudices concerning the SM part of BDSM and how I real(this was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
Warning: This review is all about me and my prejudices concerning the SM part of BDSM and how I realized I might be a little deviant too *g*. Bear with me, I am no longer prejudiced LOL. Yes even I can learn !
Hurt me So Good is one of those books that I have a hard time reviewing. Why? Because while I devoured and LOVED it, I’m a bit torn about my feelings toward Masochism (and I can’t not say something about that). After being blown away by Dear Sir, I’m Yours , I couldn’t wait to read Victor’s book. I was not disappointed, he is so intense and dark *swoon*. I am fairly new to the BDSM world, and in comparison to Victor’s book, Dear Sir, I’m Yours was pretty vanilla lol. The title, Hurt Me So Good is perfect for this book. Here we are introduced to another kind of BDSM, a tougher kind.
Victor is more than just a Dom, he is a Master and he loves inflicting pain. He is a sadist. Which is fortunate since our heroine loves pain. When I say love…I mean LOVE pain. This is why I’m torn. I shudder at the simple idea of pain, I just can’t imagine taking pleasure in pain, and the whole book is based on that. The heroine is pretty much addicted to pain. It's weird but somehow the Sadist part didn't disturb me at all, only the Masochist part (Maybe you should start thinking about what this means about you Caroline...huh!). There now, you’re gonna think I didn’t enjoy this book, and you’d be wrong! I’m torn between giving it 4 1/2 Bookies and giving it a perfect rating. Why? Because Joely Sue Burkhart did it again. She worked her magic and made me open up my mind to a new lifestyle. She really succeeded in educating this poor reader without scaring her away. I got to understand the characters’ motivations and I wanted more.
Victor is one piece of work. I love how intense and imposing he is. I would be scared if I ever was alone in a room with him lol. Even more since his favorite tool is a crop! (but he’s also pretty impressive without it too) *shakes in her boots* He is sexy as Hell and radiates power. He might be a bit scary but I loved that he was in control of himself. He is not crazy (<==you can see here how I was prejudiced before reading the book) and asks himself the good questions...he searches for his limits. That's what makes him 'safe' in my opinion. What make me trust him. Shiloh was harder for me to get at first. I wanted to slap her sometimes and when I talked with Susi about that she didn’t agree with me. What disturbed me was that she seemed to have no limits. I just didn’t get that. For me no limits means DANGER. Of course everybody has limits (or they are just psychos), I just needed to keep reading and stop bitching all the time, the answer was found later in the book. *wink*
The story was very interesting, I loved the concept of a BDSM Reality show. I learned a lot about this lifestyle and all it’s different aspects. The goal of that show was to educate the audience and show BDSM in a good light. Mission accomplished…I learned a lot and it doesn’t look as scary as before! I laughed a lot too, at Patrick and his pony fetish *whinny*. Shiloh and Victor together are sizzling. Shiloh loves to talk dirty, which makes for very hot smex scenes! All their scenes together made my blood boil. I loved when Victor lost control. It's very very erotic *drools*. I also never thought I could be turned on by branding, but here I was, reading about Victor marking Shiloh with his V and I found that very hot O_O. I think they are just perfect for each others.
All in all it was a very mind-opening book. I couldn’t stop reading and never once did I think it was too much. Joely wrote very believable and complex characters and made me understand why they did what they did. This is a great story, I really love Victor and I found the ending perfect. It could have easily turned into too much for me but it didn’t. I felt more educated and more open-minded after reading Hurt Me So Good. I keep thinking about this book, I even dreamed about it. It is one of those books that stays with you for a long time after you’ve finished it. I cannot wait for Vicky’s book now. I’m already wondering what wickedness she could be hiding , since it seems to run in the family. *wink*
It took me a year to finish reading this book. Why? Because the first part of the book was a bit slow and I stopped reading. When I finally picked it It took me a year to finish reading this book. Why? Because the first part of the book was a bit slow and I stopped reading. When I finally picked it up I realized how stupid I'd been because the second half of the book was brilliant. Intelligent story with fantastic characters. ...more
was not halfway through the book that I already decided I would read her previous book Proof of Seducti(This was originally posted on Book Lovers,Inc)
was not halfway through the book that I already decided I would read her previous book Proof of Seduction as soon as possible! I love the author’s writing style. Trial by Desire might not have the most original story you've ever read, but the characters really stand out. And this, my friends, is what I loved most about this book.
I was hooked from the first few pages. We meet Kathleen and her new husband Ned just a few weeks after their wedding. This is when Ned announces her he will leave for China to conduct some business for his cousin…. for a few years (Wait that’s all in the prologue I’m not spoiling anything lol). When Ned comes back, Kathleen’s secret is at risk. She hid away the wife of one of Ned’s friend and she fears she will be discovered. I won’t tell more of the story so I won’t spoil anything but this is central to the story.
The plot is not the most complicated but there’s an underlining tension throughout the book that made it perfect. What made this book brilliant? The characters! Ned is a puzzle for me. Even after finishing the book I still don’t get him completely. This is all about control and proving one’s strength (and Slaying Dragons!! lol) . I felt for him and his struggles. Even if I didn’t really understand his behavior I was really sad for him (1). He is really complex and I was nearly crying (Ok maybe I cried a little) when I realized the extend of his suffering (e.g. Boat…you’ll see when you read). But Ned is also the nicest man you can find. He is funny and he wants the best for his wife (and he’s freaking handsome, but that’s just a plus lol).
Kathleen wants her husband. She wants to be a wife and longs for any kind of intimacy between them. This book is beautiful, some scenes were absolutely amazing. So much tenderness it made my heart bleeds! Some kissing scenes were the most beautiful I’ve ever read. Ned is the one holding back (for reasons I won’t reveal *evil grin*). So what else can I tell you? Well the smex scenes are VERY erotic (e.g. Wall smex!!!!!) and you really don’t want to miss that.
So in short, Courtney Milan’s writing is beautiful. The characters have depth. The story is simple enough to be realistic. And the ending left me smiling from ear to ear. I can’t recommend enough this book. It’s a superb love story. I cannot wait to read other books by Courtney Milan!
(1) Ok I feel stupid now…someone pointed out to me that Ned ... . . . .
warning this is spoilerish about Ned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...must be some kind of bipolar. And WOW, how did I miss that. It’s clear as water. I mean I realized he was prone to depression and I should have made the link. He is either too full of energy or completely depressed. I’m still shocked I didn’t realize that while reading the book. O_o I stand by my point, Courtney Milan’s characters really are special and fantastic. (Even when I'm being dense) ...more
I finished this book a week ago and I'm still constantly thinking about it...Yes I loved it and yes (This was originally published on Book Lovers Inc)
I finished this book a week ago and I'm still constantly thinking about it...Yes I loved it and yes I will re-read it. Reckless is the 2nd book in the House of Rohan trilogy. This series follows the Rohan family through three generations. The hero, Adrian *mini sigh* is the son of Elinor and Francis, the hero/heroine of Ruthless. I really enjoyed the first book and my only complaint was that there was no epilogue...the book gods heard my prayers and Reckless is perfect!
Adrian, Lord Rohan is like his father was, a member of The Heavenly Host, a group of aristocrats who gather for orgies and debaucheries of all kind. Their only goal is pleasure. Sex, gambling, drugs...you name it. Adrian is the epitome of anti-hero. He is one of the worst rakes, he is ruthless and will do anything to get what he wants. He spends the whole book 'force-seducing' the heroine, the whole time knowing full well that he is a bastard for doing that. Which...doesn't stop him for doing it. lol
Charlotte is a spinster, she lives with her cousin Evangelina, a young widow who's warming all the beds in London. Charlotte is the typical virgin heroine who think she is not pretty. She decides to attend to a Heavenly Host gathering with her cousin in order to get over her infatuation with Adrian. She will only watch and will be hidden under a robe. Of course, nothing goes as planned and she ends up stuck with Rohan. *g*
*Insert steam* As I said Adrian is a very wicked man. He is decided to bed Charlotte and won't take no for an answer. I'm pretty sure some would scream at his behavior, but I loved it. He keeps forcing her to do what he wants. The smex scenes were very very hot and a bit shocking (Yes even for me! *g*, the good kind of shocking though)...all I'm saying is that Adrian surprised the hell out of me. I just didn't see that coming. O_O. Reckless is very sensual and it's even more sexy than the first book. I loved how naughty Adrian is. I don't think I can get over MY infatuation with him anytime soon lol.
Of course there is a villain (it wouldn't be an Anne Stuart book otherwise! lol). I don't think it was needed but well, I'm not the one writing the book. There is also a side-story with Evangelina which I found cute and which made me smile. The characters are touching and you can't help but want a HEA for them too. Evangelina suffered a lot in her marriage and she is trying her best to take control of her life now. Her story is heart-wrenching (or I'm overly emotional lol).
I adored this book. I'm in love with the hero and I don't mind that he seemed to changed completely so fast. I love me some reformed rakes. At some point I wanted to slap the heroine silly (at the end yes, you'll see when you read it lol) but I still liked her. There IS an actual ending with some kind of epilogue, I was SO happy to see there was a real ending this time. It left me smiling and happy. AND we get to see Francis and Elinor *squeee* All in all it was exactly what I wanted it to be and some more. This is my favorite so far in the series.
This is my first book from Anne Stuart, so when I started Ruthless I didn’t know what to e(This was originally published on One Book Away From Heaven)
This is my first book from Anne Stuart, so when I started Ruthless I didn’t know what to expect. Ruthless is the first book in the House Of Rohan series. There is a FREE prequel short story available on the author’s website called The Wicked House of Rohan. I read the short story but it doesn’t bring anything to the story (so you can skip if altogether without feeling guilty). The prequel is not bad but it’s very rushed. But back to Ruthless.
We meet Elinor and her sister in a very difficult situation, they have no idea how they will find money to eat the next day. The story is mostly told from Elinor’s POV but some scenes are seen through her sister, Lydia. Their mother is suffering from the ‘French disease’ and is completely mad, gambling away the little money the family has, whoring and having fits of violence. The family slowly went from wealth to poverty. Elinor doesn’t find herself pretty but she knows her younger sister is gorgeous and attracts every man. She is resolved to save her sister and do everything to protect her. When Elinor’s mother disappear with the last of their possession to gamble it away, Elinor follows her to a party to take the money back.
Viscount Francis Rohan is known for hosting orgies and the most scandalous parties in Paris. He is the worst libertine, but he is a bored one. Rumor has it that Rohan and his friends of debauchery, sacrifice babies and drink the blood of virgins. He is often called ‘the Prince of Darkness’ or the ‘King of Hell’. Let me tell you that he does look the part. Oh Boy! Elinor follows her mother to one of Rohan’s party and meets ‘Satan’ himself in the antechamber of Hell (AKA the huge orgy).
I think you either love or hate Rohan. He is a really really naughty man lol. During the whole book he plays with Elinor, he is bored and she is entertaining. Rohan does not feel guilty about his behavior, he doesn’t ‘reform’, doesn’t regret anything. He is a bit bloodthirsty too. Rohan really is ruthless. He really doesn’t fit the usual definition of ‘hero’. I would probably dub him as the ‘bad guy’. Well, I loved Rohan, I have a soft spot for cold heroes lol! For once the hero is a bit older than usual, he is 39 years old (lol my mom could kill me if she heard that, no mom 39 is NOT old). I wanted him even MORE wicked, he seemed a bit tame in the end! I won’t spoil the story but we learn quite a lot of the characters’ past that explains their present behaviors.
There is a bit of intrigue that was easily solved but it brought a bit of suspense to the story. Murder attempt, Arson, Kidnapping, Duels, Rape…the list is long! The secondary characters are a plus to the story. I really liked (I’m trying not to say ‘love’) Charles Reading and Lydia. Two characters I would have loved to read a whole novel about.
My only complaint comes from the fact that there is no epilogue. The story ends very abruptly and it’s hard to truly believe all will be well (Habits die hard…I’m a pessimist!). We have hints about what will happen but I would have loved a bit of closure. I am dying to read the next book, Reckless (*whispers* and secretly hoping we’ll hear from Rohan and Elinor).
Caroline The HEA Lover
>
Books:
arc
(29)
Loading...
