Twice the Temptation by Beverley Kendall

Twice the Temptation by Beverley Kendall.

This is book 1 in the Temptresses series (which branched off of the Elusive Lords series).

Catherine Rutherford has been attracted to Lucas Beaumont since they met. Just when she thinks things might be progressing, he goes back to his home in America.

After only hearing from him once in the year Lucas was gone, Catherine is surprised to learn that he has marriage on his mind upon his return to England.

Lucas couldn't get Catherine out of his mind while he was at home and returned as soon as he could to convince her to marry him. All was going well until Catherine learns that Lucas once proposed to her sister, her twin sister.

Catherine believes that Lucas only wants her because he couldn't have her sister. Can he convience her that it she that he wants?

We are introduced to Catherine and Lucas during the Elusive Lards series and I was eagerly awaiting their story. I was not disappointed.  I fell in love with Lucas in the earlier stories and grew to love him even more in this one. I love that Catherine and her friends were actively trying to help out other women to make sure that they would not be marrying a cheater. The banter between the girls was hysterical.  My hope is that the next book in the series is one of Catherine's friends so we can continue to enjoy their friendship.



You can get this book at Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Season Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.





Devil in my Arms by Samantha Kane

Devil in my Arms by Samantha Kane.

This is book 3 in her Saint's Devils series.

Eleanor Enderby is on the run from her tyrant of a husband. After three months of hiding, she is making her way to the sister she hasn't seen in many years.

Just as she is about to make it to the safely of her sister's home, she encounters Sir Hilary St. John. Is he one of her husband's hirelings that will take her back to him?

She soon learns that Hilary is one of her brother in law's best friends and that he had been sent out in search of her.  Hilary is instantly intrigued by Eleanor, but must travel out of town on a mission.

Six months pass and Eleanor's husband has declared her dead and is remarried with a child on the way. Believing her self to be safe, she ventures into the ton under a fake name.

Of course, she encounters Hilary again and neither one of them can fight their attraction to one another. They soon embark on an affair that is unfortunately talked about in the gossip columns. Can they risk the safety of Eleanor by continuing their affair?

I absolutely LOVED this story!  We met Hilary earlier in the series and I loved his being pair up with Eleanor, they were perfect for each other. The banter and wit shared between them had me laughing out loud. I really hope that this series continues because I would love to keep revisiting the characters!



You can get this book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.


Lost in a Royal Kiss by Vanessa Kelly

Lost in a Royal Kiss by Vanessa Kelly.

This is a novella that introduces the Renegade Royals series.

Linnet St. Clare spends all her time taking care of her siblings while her widowed mother works for the Queen. Even with all that on her plate, she comes to the rescue of Dominic. Dominic has gotten himself into a little bit of trouble and the only person that Linnet thinks can help him is Sir Anthony Tait.

Sir Anthony has been trying to get Linnet's attention for months, but she is always running away from him.  He quickly agrees to help Dominic with his problem and then needs to solve his own....how to capture the attention of Linnet.

Linnet has been fascinated by Anthony for some time, but doesn't think that she has anything to offer him. For fear of getting her heart broken, she has distanced herself from him.

Can these two help Dominic with his problem and talk to each other long enough to tell the other how they feel about the other?

This was a very enjoyable read. For such a short story, the chemistry between the characters didn't seem rushed as it often does in novellas.  This was a nice introduction to the series and I can't wait to read the rest of the books as they get published.




You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a copy of the book for an honest review.


The Cheer in Charming an Earl by Emma Locke

The Cheer in Charming an Earl by Emma Locke.

This is book 3.5 in the Naughty Girls series.

Elinor Conley is determined that she will not remain a spinster and has decided that Earl of Chelford is her perfect mate. It doesn't matter that she has only gotten a glimpse of him once in her life. She concocts a plan to get to meet him and have him decide that she would be the perfect wife.

The Earl of Chelford, Grantham Wendell,  is having his annual bacchanalia when a carriage crashes into his kitchen. Innocent Elinor Conley entrances him from the beginning.

How will Grantham feel when he finds out that Elinor set out to catch him as a husband?

I didn't particularly care for this short story. For the lead to just catch sight of the man and decide that he was the man for her is a little far fetched. I know that it is a novella, but there are many authors that do a very good just within the confines of a novella.  I will give this author another chance and read one of her full length novels. I'm hoping that with the longer format, the romance of the characters will be a little more believable.



You can this this story as part of an anthology at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Intrepid Reads for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.



Highland Master by Hannah Howell

Highland Master by Hannah Howell.

This is book 19 in the Murray Family series.

Lady Triona McKee's life has not quite turned out as she pictured it. After an illness killed half of her clan, including her husband the laird, Triona is dealing with a neighbor that wants her land and using the excuse that a woman shouldn't be laird.

Triona's cousin (Arianna from Highland Avenger) has run from her husband after hearing some unsettling news. With her comes some of her kinsmen including Sir Brett Murray.

There is an instant attraction between Triona and Brett, but neither is looking for romance and try to ignore it.

Brett and his companions can tell that something is not right in the household.  The only people around are women, children and very old men.  A fire is started in one of the fields and Triona can not withhold the truth any longer.  She needs help keeping her neighbor from trying to get her land.

Brett has pledged to help Triona by staying on with his men even after Arianna might go home.  As the two of them spend time together a friendship develops. They both soon realize that it is quickly becoming more than that. Triona is not about to be under the control of another man now that she has tasted the freedom of becoming laird and Brett is haunted by a past love.  Can they overcome these obstacles to find love with one another?

I am a huge fan of Hannah Howell and have read the whole Murray series.  Once again, she does not disappoint.  As with most of her stories, you get to visit old friends and in this case it was Arianna and Brian from Highland Avenger.

I really liked that Triona and Brett were able to develop a friendship before they become lovers. That is not often done in romance stories.  There was also an added element of mystery that kept me reading. I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted the mystery solved! I'm always laughing out loud when I read one of Hannah's books. I LOVE the banter between her characters.  Even if you haven't read the other books in the series, you will still enjoy it immensely. 


You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kensington

Thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.


The Scandal Before Christmas by Elizabeth Essex

Lieutenant Ian Worth needs a bride and he will take just about anyone. In a rash moment, he told his father he was already married and now he needs to make it true. Ian runs into a shipmate and tells him what he is looking for in a wife - shy, undemanding and someone who will not mind his going off to sea.  This shipmate just happens to have an unmarried daughter that fits Ian's needs. They arrange for Ian's perspective bride to come for a visit.

When Anne Lesley arrives, Ian hardly even notices her. Later in the day, Anne overhears Ian talking about her (let's just say it wasn't nice) and decides to go for a walk.  Ian joins her and they begin to get to know each other. Anne quickly gets over her shyness and Ian sees the potential that she has as a bride.

Ian's father arrives and they must hide the fact that they are not married yet. They quickly fall in love and rush to get married with a special license.

One Hot Scot by Suzanne Enoch

Julia Prentiss is wondering the woods trying to get away from the man that kidnapped her from her aunt's wedding. She comes across a man emerging from a lake and he is NAKED! She can't believe what she is seeing. She doesn't know whether to hide and ask the man for help.

Duncan Lenox feels obligated to help when he comes across the stranded lady.  He has been out trying to find when is killing his animals and staying at his cabin. Duncan takes Julia back to the cabin where they proceed to get to know each other.

The kidnapper shows up at Duncan's cabin, but he puts them off.  He later takes her to his home and proceeds to marry her.

Loving the Earl by Sharon Cullen

After the death of her physically and emotionally abusive husband, Claire Hartford is ready for an adventure. She is headed to Italy to find herself an Italian lover.  Trying to get out from under the careful watch of her brother, she schedules her departure on a ship not in his fleet. Unfortunately for her, Claire's brother has found out and instead of stopping her, he has sent his best friend to keep an eye on her.

Nathan Ferguson will do anything for his best friend, even watch over his wayward sister. He manages to tag along with Claire without her knowing that he is keeping an eye out for her.

Because of one mishap after another, Nathan and Claire end up traveling to Italy together.  Nathan is after some answers to his father's death and that brings some trouble to their door.

Of course during their journey, they start to feel an attraction to each other.  Claire gets her lover, but he is not Italian. Will she seek out another when they reach their destination? How will Claire feel when she finds out that Nathan was looking out for her at the request of her brother?

The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn

The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn.

This is book 2 of the Marriage Game series. We met the main characters in the first book, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe.

Anna Marsh has loved Sebastian Rutherford since she was a little girl. But when he finally asks for her hand in marriage, she turns him down. He has just spent the last several years paying court to Anna's best friend and she doesn't want to play second fiddle.

Sebastian has always known that Anna would some day become his wife and has just been paying court to Anna's best friend as a diversion to other women. He has been bidding his time until Anna was old enough to get married.

Sebastian is ready to settle down but he must convience Anna that she is the girl for him.  Since Anna must return home for an undisclosed reason, Sebastian decides that is the perfect time to begin his pursuit of her.

Anna is headed home to work with the smugglers in the area. Her brother passed on the job to her when he left the country. Unfortunately, what should have been a two to three month job has lasted much longer when her brother was killed. Can Rutherford accept this side of her? She is not the girl he thinks she is while in London. Her true self comes out when she is home. Can he love this side of her too?

I really LOVED this story. There is so much more to the story which I didn't include because I didn't want to spoil it for anyone. When we first meet Anna and Sebastian in The Seduction of lady Phoebe, you know that there is an attraction between the two. They were constantly bickering with each other. Their story was one of the best I have read in awhile.  I really didn't want to put the book down.  I would have rated this book a 5/5 except there was some portions of the writing that seemed a bit off. I can't wait for the next book in the series, The Temptation of Lady Serena, which will be out on January 14, 2014.



You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kensington.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.






Pleasuring the Lady by Jess Michaels

Lady Portia has spent her lifetime being a wallflower. During a conversation with her best friend, Ava, Portia sees an opportunity to make her friend happy and to try something daring. Ava's "missing" brother has been seen at the Donville Masquerade in the hells. Portia will do anything to put a smile back on her friend's face, even venture into the hells.

Marquis Miles Weatherfield is instantly draw to the mysterious masked lady and draws her into conversation. Portia has known Miles almost her whole life and barely talks to him in fear of being recognized. She quickly draws herself away and disappears into the night.

Several nights have passed and Miles is hoping to see his masked lady again. Portia is determined to find the brother of her best friend and ventures to the masquerade again where she gets help from Miles after some unwanted attention from another party goer

Miles and Portia can't seem to fight their attraction for each other and end up being found in a compromising position by Portia's brother.  The only way to save their reputations is to marry.

Portia is terrified that her brother will put their mother in an asylum when she gets married so she makes a deal with Miles. She will do anything that he wants to in bed in exchange for keeping her mother safe.  Will their marriage become more than just a marriage in name?