To Love a Wicked Scoundrel by Anabelle Bryant

To Love a Wicked Scoundrel by Anabelle Bryant.

Isabelle Rossmore's step-mother is demanding that they travel to London as she is ready to get rid of her widow's weeds. Since Isabelle doesn't want to be separated from her sister, she agrees to go.  She soon meets a gentleman that peaks her interest. Unfortunately it's the man her step-mother has decided she wants to have an affair with.

Constantine (Con) Highborough, the Earl of Colehill, is smitten the first time he lays eyes on Isabelle. Unfortunately things go wrong and he ends up promising a dance to her step-mother instead of Isabelle.  

Known as a scoundrel and a very eligible bachelor, Isabelle can't imagine what Con sees in her. She was told over and over again by her father that she was a disappointment to him. That along with other verbal abuses gave Isabelle a very low opinion of herself.

Having been abused by his father, Con has hardened his heart to everyone but his few closest friends. But as he opens up to Isabelle, he realizes that cracks are forming in that hardened heart of his.  With the help of Lily, Isabelle's sister, Con eventually conveniences Isabelle of his sincerity, but will a misunderstanding end it all?

I can not believe that this is the first book written by Anabelle Bryant. Her storytelling rivals any established author in the market and I look forward to reading many more books by her.

I absolutely LOVED this book.  I really liked Isabelle and how she called out Con. He was so use to getting exactly what he wanted that he was a little shocked when Isabelle basically turned him down. But that didn't stop him.  One reason that he got what he wanted was that he wasn't willing to back down from something once he started.  He wanted Isabelle and he was going to do what he had to to get her.

Isabelle on the other had was almost the opposite. She had no idea what Con saw in her and couldn't believe that someone who could get anyone would want her.  Con had to show her that she was special. Up to that point the only person to show Isabelle love was her sister, Lily.  Con had to use all of his charm to convince Isabelle that he was sincere in his interest of her.

Isabelle and Con were perfect for each other.  I can't wait to read more books by Anabelle Bryant and be consumed by her words. I just couldn't put the book down!


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

Thanks go to Carina UK via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.


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The Scoundrel's Seduction by Jennifer Haymore

The Scoundrel's Seduction by Jennifer Haymore.

This is book 3 in the House of Trent series.

When Sam Hawkins assassinates a traitor, he never imagined the traitor's wife would witness it.  Knowing he can't leave a witness to turn him in, he takes her with him.

Elise, Lady Dunthorpe, can't believe that her husband was just murdered in front of her and the killer is making her go with him. Not knowing who he is and why he killed her husband, Elise does everything in her power to get away from him.

Realizing that she is not going to get away from Sam, Elise makes the best of her situation. And when someone tries to kill her, Elise must put her life in the hands of her husband's killer. But as they spend more time to together, Elise realizes there is more to Sam than she first realized.  

As they run from her would-be killer, Elise and Sam fight their growing attraction to each other. How can Elise be falling for her husband's killer?

I knew when Haymore wrote Sam's story it would be a good one. I was definitely not disappointed!

Haymore does an excellent job of pealing away the layers of her characters which definitely draws the reader into the story. Sam was such an enigma in the other stories, I was excited to learn what made him into the man he was. Haymore paired Sam with Elise, who had just as many secrets. As their relationship grew, they both revealed more of their past which in turn made them grow closer together. They were the perfect match!

The story of the missing Dowager Duchess of Trent, which ran through the other two stories, continues with this story and adds an added element of mystery. We get to see Sam's siblings again, which is always a treat. I hope that Haymore will be continuing this series as I would love to read their stories.


You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Books-A-Million.

Thanks go to Grand Central Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
 
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A Dangerous Madness by Michelle Diener

A Dangerous Madness by Michelle Diener.

This is book 3 in the Regency London series.

The Duke of Wittaker has been asked to investigate the murder of the Prime Minister.  Donning his dissolute nobleman persona, he goes out to gather clues.  The information he gathers leads him to Phoebe Hillier.

Phoebe Hillier has no idea why the Duke of Wittaker is asking questions about her former fiancee, but she is not about to give him any answers until he answers some of her own questions. When she finds out that her former betrothed is involved in the plot to kill the Prime Minster, she teams up with Wittaker to try an solve the case.

When assassins try to kill Phoebe, Wittaker realizes that he has much more in mind for Phoebe than a working relationship.  Can they solve the murder and possibly find the love that each of them were unwittingly looking for?

I love when there is a good mystery weaved into a historical romance. It's even better when the events that occur are based on a real life event as this one was. 

Diener is a master at telling a tale. I was intrigued the whole time I was reading the story. With the number of plot twists that occurred, I never knew which way the story was going to go. If you are looking for a historical mystery/romance this is the book for you!!

This is the third book in the series. I didn't read the other two before reading this one and that was ok.  They previous H/H did show up in this story, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything having not read them.  Having said that, I will be reading the other two because I was so impressed with this one. 

Also note that this is more a mystery and doesn't have all the "bedroom" stuff that you will usually find in a historical romance.  I was not turned off by this in the least, I still felt that I got enough of romance story to satisfy my needs.


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

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

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Lady Wild by Maire Claremont

Lady Wild by Maire Claremont.

This is book 1 in the Wicked Games series.

Lady Ophelia and her mother have been living in an isolated country cottage since the death of her father. Living a life of seclusion, Ophelia has had to give up her dream of being an artist as well as much of her adult life nursing her dying mother.  That all changes when she meets Andrew, Viscount Stark.

Andrew feels an instant connection with Ophelia upon meeting by the river.  He later finds out why and decides to help mother and daughter by bringing them both to London.  Lady Darlington cam get the medical help she needs and Ophelia can finally realize her dream of becoming an artist and model.

Could Ophelia and Lady Darlington be what saves Andrew's broken spirit?

I absolutely loved this story.  It is not often that I get attached to characters in a novella. There is often not enough depth to the characters to develop feelings for them.  Claremont sucked me in from the beginning and had my emotions in a wreck.

Please note that this story is about dealing with the loss of a loved one and how to go on after their passing.  When Lady Darlington passes on, I was bawling like a baby.  Claremont has a way with words and development of character that is very impressive. To get me so attached to characters in such a short time was masterful.

This is the first story of Claremont's that I have read, but after reading this one I will definitely be reading her back list.


This is a charity novella for Hospice with a goal of raising $10,000 for donation.

You can get this book at Amazon and Kobo.

Thanks go to Maire Claremont for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

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Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister

Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister.

This is book 1 in the Noble Series.

Noble Britton decided almost upon meeting Gillian Leigh, that she would be his wife. After getting hurt by his first wife, Noble is intrigued by Gillian's honesty and laughter. While Gillian does not fit the mold he originally had in a wife (a biddable woman who wouldn't draw attention to herself), he thinks he can give her the structure to be that woman.

Whether it's giving someone a black eye or setting something on fire, there is never a dull moment when Gillian Leigh is around.  How will this accident prone women fit into the well ordered life of Noble Britton?

Katie MacAlister does not write like the other authors I normally read.  She includes a lot of humor (which I like) and silly antics (great light-hearted read).  The secondary characters were just as enjoyable to read about as the H/H. 

It was very enjoyable to see how Gillian was able to knock Noble out of his well ordered life and to start to once again enjoy it.  

Several of the secondary characters get stories of their own in the upcoming stories of the series. Up next is Gillian's cousin Charlotte who is paired with Alasdair McGregor. I can't wait to start reading it.


You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Books-A-Million.

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


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Abducted by the Prince by Olivia Drake

Ellie Stratham was forced to be companion to her cousin when her father passes away. Since he had gambled all his money away, she has no other choice but to live off the generosity of her uncle. Living the life of a servant, Ellie has given up on having her own happily ever after.

Damien Burke is determined to get back the one thing that can lead to finding out who his parents were, a key with a distinct marking of a crown on it.  Viscount Greaves stole it many years ago and Damien has told him that his debts will be forgiven if he just returns the key. 

When the Viscount does not return the key, Damien decides to kidnap the Viscount's sister to get him to comply. Unfortunately for Damien, he kidnaps the wrong woman. He has taken the spinster cousin of the Viscount instead of his sister.

Ellie can't believe that anyone would mistake her for her beautiful cousin.  Once she convinces Damien that he has the wrong woman, he agrees to take her back to London. Unfortunately the Scottish weather will not comply and they end up stuck in a snow storm unable to return to London for many days.

Can Ellie get her happily ever after while of her unexpected adventure?

To Charm a Naughty Countess by Theresa Romain

To Charm a Naughty Countess by Theresa Romain.

This is book 2 in the Matchmaker Trilogy.

Caroline, the Countess of Stratton, can't believe that the Duke of Wyverne is back in town. After causing a scandal together 10 years ago, she finds that her heart still beats faster when he is around. Caroline learns that the Duke is looking to wed an heiress to save his family estates. Even though her heart might say yes when the Duke proposes marriage, Caroline turns him down because she doesn't want to be wed just for the amount of money she has in the bank. She proposes to help the Duke find the perfect wife.

Michael, the Duke of Wyverne, is on the hunt for an heiress to save his estates. Who better to help him navigate the ton than the belle of the ball? Unfortunately, his attraction to Caroline keeps getting in the way of his courting the right heiress. 

Can Caroline and Michael figure out a way to both get what they long for?

I really loved this story.  I was intrigued by Caroline in the first story of the series and was curious how Romain create her HEA.  

Michael was not your typical Duke. He tried making the land produce enough income to sustain his properties and only as a last resort decided to marry to get the money. You knew that he hated doing it, but he couldn't put it off any longer without hurting the families that depended on the estate.  It was nice to see someone in the aristocracy working for a living and not just living on expectations or mooching off of someone.  

Michael is the perfect person for Caroline. She is such a strong woman that an equally strong man was needed so that she would not run all over him.  Most of Caroline's admirers would not have been up to the task.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress, which should be out in January 6, 2015 (I hope I can wait that long!)


You can get this book at Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks,  Google Books, and Sourcebooks.

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


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The Unexpected Duchess by Valerie Bowman

Derek Hunt, the Duke of Clarington, is determined to honor his best friend's final wish. He is asked to marry and take care of Cassandra Monroe and not even her sharp tongued friend, Lucy Upton will get in his way.

Lucy knows her best friend is in love with someone else and will never accept the Duke's proposal. Why is it that he doesn't seem to understand it? Lucy does everything in her power to convience Derek that he and Cassandra will not suit. While Derek might not be the right one for her best friend, Lucy is having way too much fun sharing barbs with him. 
Is there something more going on than a battle of words?

Secrets of Seduction by Nicole Jordan

Secrets of Seduction by Nicole Jordan.

This is book three in the Legendary Lovers series and book 5 in the Paradise series.

Lady Skye Wilde, has loved the Earl of Hawkhurst since she was a young girl. Unfortunately, Hawk was married at the time and Skye was too young for him.  Having not been married very long, Hawk endures the tragic loss of his wife and child. In his grief, he leaves the country to work for a secret government agency.

Ten years later, Hawk is back in England to marry and secure the leadership role in his unit. Unbeknownst to him, Skye has other plans. She approaches Hawk with a proposition. Skye will get his home ready for his new wife if he will help her find her uncle's long lost love. What Hawk doesn't know is Skye is determined that he marry her!

Will Skye succeed in getting Hawk as her one true love?

I have read every single one of Nicole Jordan's books and LOVED every single one of them until this one.  I adored the other two books in this series and was eagerly awaiting Skye's story. I was sorely disappointed. It was almost as if someone else was writing it instead of the author I have grown to love over the years.  The things dialogue between Skye and Hawk at the beginning of the story was horrible. I did think that it got better by the end of the story, but not enough to redeem it.

I did like the story lines (the main one and the secondary one), but the writing is what killed it for me.

I really hope that when Jordan continues this series, she is back to the top writer that I have come to know and love.



You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Books-A-Million, iBooks and Google Store.

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

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