Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh

Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh
This is book 4 in the Survivors' Club series.
Having already been heartbroken by his former fiancee once, Flavian is in no hurry to revive that romance even though everyone else in his family is.  Going to the annual meeting of the Survivors' Club, Flavian has no desire to return home anytime soon.  
Having met Flavian months before, Agnes tries to stay away knowing how easily he could break her heart.  Agnes, a widow who didn't have love in her marriage, isn't about to travel down that road. But when Flavian keeps putting himself in her path, she can't help but fall in love with him. Soon Flavian is proposing marriage. But what happens when Agnes finds out he only did it to avenge his former love?
I have loved Flavian since I started reading this series and was hoping that he would be paired with Agnes.  Balogh did not disappoint! 
Neither of them is looking for love and that is when it most likely will happen.  Flavian just sees himself as a bitter man trying to get on with his life after his injury and being jilted. He uses his sarcasm to keep people at a distance. Agnes sees through this mask that he puts on, to the man that he could be if he put his bitterness behind him.
This was a wonderful addition to the Survivors' Club series and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

This book can be found at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Chapters Indigo | Waterstones

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

The Unsuitable Secretary by Maggie Robinson

The Unsuitable Secretary by Maggie Robinson.
This is book 4 in the Ladies Unlaced series.
Harriet Benson loves working at the Evensong Agency, but after a recent illness she needs to shorten her hours. Her employer finds her a job, requires less hours, working for Sir Thomas Featherstone. It seems the perfect solution until she finds herself attracted to her employer.
Sir Thomas Featherstone was attracted to his new employee the moment he laid eyes on her. He does his best to hide his attraction, going so far as to avoid eye contact.  Unable to fight his attraction to Harriet any longer, he asks her to become his mistress. Thinking never to marry, Harriet accepts knowing this is the only time she will find out what happens between a man and a woman. In her very efficient way, she makes out a contract for their week long interlude.
What happens when their week is up and Thomas isn't ready to give Harriet up?
I loved Thomas!!  I loved that he was so confident with everyone, but when it came to Harriet he became all tongue tied. It's nice to have a hero that is not so arrogant toward the heroine. 
It was also a nice change to nice a heroine that didn't have the typical characteristics of most historical romance novels.  As a reader, I was able to relate to her more than I have other characters I have read about.
I like that the characters had to overcome several obstacles to get together:  employee/employer, difference in station in life and that Thomas was known as a rake.
I've really enjoyed Robinson's Ladies Unlaced series and hope that she continues it.

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Thanks go out to Penguin Group via NetGalley for providing book in exchange of an honest review.

The Scandal and the Duchess by Jennifer Ashley

The Scandal and the Duchess by Jennifer Ashley.
This is book 6.5 in the MacKenzies & McBride series.
Coming out of a friend's home, Rose Barclay, the young widow of the Duke of Southdown encounters a very drunken Steven McBride. Seeing that he is in no shape to see himself home, Rose has her coachman bring him with her.
Steven wakes up to a splitting headache but the most beautiful woman is taking care of him.  Needing to get home, he has the perfect planned for tricking the journalists that are camped out trying to find the latest scandal the young widow is involved with. He has the carriage brought around and announces to all that they are to congratulate the couple as they are to get married.
Rose can hardly believe her ears, but soon realizes that Steven's plan has it merits. He has also agreed to help her get her inheritance from her step-son.
What happens when the fake engagements seems all too real?
Having not read the other books in the series, I would worried that I would be confused as to who everyone was. While characters from the previous books did come into play, it in no way took away from the enjoyment of this story. It actually intrigued me to seek out the rest of the series so that I can read their stories too.
Even though this was a novella, I felt that the author did a great job of developing the story and the romance between the couple. I really liked Steven. I thought pretty poorly about himself, but should true character in the way he jumped in to help Rose and others along the way. Even though Rose was not of noble birth, she acted much more noble than her step-son. It was nice to see that she didn't cower when confronted by the people that thought she didn't belong.
Jennifer Ashley is definitely an author that is now on my must read list and I eagerly await the next installment in the series.

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Tantor Media

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

The Whisky Laird's Bed by Donna MacMeans

Claire Starke is off to Scotland to make sure that her fellow Rake Patroller is not sold off into white slavery! What she finds when she arrives is a laird that owns a whisky distillery, which is not that much better...
Cameron MacPherson is tired of his mother inviting English woman to his home is hopes of him finding a wife.  This latest group takes the cake as it includes a woman reformer spouting the ills of drinking.
What happens when this unlikely duo finds themselves attracted to each other?

The Temptations of Anna Jacobs by Robyn DeHart

The Temptations of Anna Jacobs by Robyn DeHart.
This is book 2 in the Dangerous Liaisons series.
Drew Foster has just bee released from prison for a crime he didn't commit. Unfortunately, others are not very forgiving and he finds himself on the receiving end of several fists. Lucky for him, his friend Simon Jacobs and his sister see the confrontation and run off his attackers.
The siblings take Drew back to Simon's home where Anna, a medical student, treats his wounds. Just before Drew leaves, Anna overhears part of a conversation and assumes that he refused to help Simon with his latest case. Later in the week she confronts Drew at a ball, but soon learns she was mistaken.  With Anna's medical knowledge, Drew realizes that she would be helpful to the investigation. Since Simon has been sent out of London, the two form an unlikely partnership.
The case keeps the tow of them working together and they soon can't fight their attraction for each other. But Drew keeps a part of himself back because of the secrets he is keeping. What will Anna do when Drew's secrets are finally revealed?
I loved book 2 in Robyn DeHart's Dangerous Liaisons series. The mystery started in book 1 (The Secrets of Mia Danvers) and continued with this story.  Even though the mystery is based on a real life crime (Jack the Ripper), I was still very much intrigued to see where DeHart would take it. Not knowing much about the actual cases, I found myself doing a little extra reading to see the facts of the Ripper case (you can find actual pictures, so it is not for the squeamish!)
Having been introduced to Drew in the first book, I was curious to see where his story would go. He was a wastrel that didn't seem to care what happened to himself. His wake-up call was his time spend in prison. When Simon asks him to help with the Ripper case, he finally sees that he has a purpose in his life.  
Anna is the perfect woman for him. As an unconventional woman (she is studying to be a doctor after all), it doesn't change her opinion of Drew when she learns his secret. Someone with more traditional values and notions of propriety would not have looked beyond Drew's history to see what a great guy he was. Drew is equally perfect for Anna. Probably because he didn't spend much time in society, he didn't feel that being a woman doctor was inappropriate. These two were a very well matched pair.
Since the murders were not solved, I'm hoping that DeHart continues with the series. I'd love for the next book to be about Simon!

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

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