Tag: Recommended

Review: Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

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The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Pre-ordered at Allromance
The Grade: B
The Blurb
Maggie Windham, oldest of the Windham sisters and a by-blow from His Grace’s pre-marital wild oats, finds herself in desperate needs of an investigator to help her retrieve a missing reticule. Benjamin Hazlit knows the Windham family secrets, and can be trusted to keep them to himself, so Maggie turns to Benjamin, though it means ignoring his too-broad shoulders, his too-knowing smile… and his too-skilled kisses.

As Benjamin starts the search for Maggie’s missing purse, he realizes two things: First, whatever was in that purse, its loss has Maggie not just rattled, but terrified. Second, Benjamin will go to any lengths to see Maggie’s peace of mind restored, even if it means he must keep himself in very close proximity to the shy, secretive lady who says she wants nothing to do with him.

The Review:
After the disappointment I felt over Lady Sophia’s Christmas Gift, I hesitated but I decided to purchase it. In fact, I did more than purchase it. I decided to use one of Allromance ebooks 10th for free discounts, and pre-ordered it. And l am glad it did.
This book reminded me why Grace Burrowes is on my auto buy list. It has everything I want in a good novel. Both Benjamin and Maggie are fascinating characters. None of them are intrested in waltzing around in ball rooms.
One thing that I like is that the fact that Maggie is on the shelf. She have fought for her independence, and won it. It was fascinating to see how the wall of isolation she had built around her to keep her secrets hidden came crumbling down when Benjamin started to poke his nose into her life.
Benjamin is the perfect compliment for Maggie. He is curious, strong and trustworth. It was touching to watch how he gradually coaxed out Maggie her secrets.
But what I liked the most were how tightly intervoven Benjamin’s search for Maggie’s purse and their romance was. Often, the mystery plot feels tacked on but not in this case. No, in this novel Benjamin’s search is what propels the novel forward.
I also liked that the romance developed gradaully through the book, and that even when they have revealed the secrets to each other their path isn’t easy.  
The end was touching on so many levels, and changed a lot of the family dynamics within the Windham family.
So what I didn’t like.
I had a lot of trouble with believing that Benjamin could keep the fact that he was titled a secret from a big part of the Ton. Yes, he might be from Cumbria but still. I thought there were some sort of calendar that listed all eligible Lords? Or maybe I am mixing things up.

Review:Mad Maria’s Daughter by Patricia Rice

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The Particulars: Historical Romance, Regency Reads, e-book.
The Source: Fictionwise
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:
Daphne Templeton knows society has stigmatized her because of her mad mother, so she decides to leave London and live with her Aunt Agatha in the country. On the way she’s abducted by a highwayman, whom she insists see her to safety. Meeting neighbor Lord Griffin, Daphne finds him vaguely familiar and wonders at the connection between him and the highwayman. But Lord Griffin’s twin is dead-isn’t he?
The review
This is another book from the unread pile, or in this case folder, that I purchased months ago. It languished unread until a couple of days ago when I suddenly craved a Patricia Rice book. I had two unread historical romances and I decided to read this one.
And I am glad I did.
This book was a hoot, from the open scene to the end.
A big reason was Daphne. She knew that she was one the shelf, and she accepted it. More than that, it allowed her to be blunt, and outspoken. She argued with Evan, and Gordon. I kept wondering who she would pick: the proper Gordon, or Evan that was a rogue.
Mixed in with the romance was a good dose of mystery. The mystery propelled a lot of the plot. From Daphne’s arrival to the end. I giggled when Daphne poked her nose into places a proper lady would have stayed away from. Evan and Gordon got a bit exparated at her, but she had a heart of gold. She coax the truth out of Evan and Gordon. And promptly comes up with a plan to lure out the villain.
And of course everything goes wrong. I loved how all of them got twisted into lies and part truths. There were moments of hilarity, like when Gordon’s grandfather showed up. Not to mention the
arrival of Daphne’s protective father and brother.
The end.. was surprising, and fitting. I felt compassion with Daphne since that must have been her worst nightmare.
So what I didn’t like. Even though I admired Daphne for her courage, it sometimes felt like she stepped over the the thin line between being brave, and being reckless.
Still, I am definitely buying more of Patricia Rice regencies in the future, since this book was a blast.

Review: The Virtuoso by Grace Burrowes

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The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as ebook
The Source: Purchased at Allromance 
The Grade: A

The blurb:

Ellen Markham tells herself she’s happy raising flowers and living in near penury in the Oxfordshire countryside, but when Valentine Windham moves in just on the other side of the wood, Ellen’s longing for things she can never have threatens to overcome her good sense. Valentine’s artistic soul, tender loving, and ducal determination tempt Ellen to trust and confide in a man who can only be endangered, should he learn of her past. For Valentine, regaining his musical skill becomes far less urgent than winning Ellen’s heart.

The review:
This is Grace Burrowes at her best. This might sound strange, but I am glad I read Lady Sophia’s book first. Don’t get me wrong, Lady Sophia’s Christmas Wish is an decent book, but this one is so much better. ( Ironically, Lady Sophia’s Christmas Wish got nominated to a RITA). So, what did I love with this book.
At the heart of the book is the rênovation of the Markham estate. It is a fitting metaphor for the healing that happen in the book. At the beginning of the book, both Val and Ellen is wounded. Val from the loss of his brothers, and the fact that he cannot play the piano. Ellen miss her husband. But Val gradually coax out Ellen into the living world, showing her that she is worthy of love. But he also coaxed out the secrets of Markham. Like why it was so run down.
But Ellen, and Val’s friends, helped Val to break through the shell he had created around himself. Gradually, he started to see that even though Music would always be an important part, it wasn’t the only thing in the world.
The romance is the focus of the novel, but there is also a blackmail subplot. I liked how that subplot was deftly woven into everything. From the source, to the reason, to the villain. And yes, it is an obstacle in Val’s and Ellen’s path to happily ever after.
One thing that was a welcome difference in this book, were the fact that for most of the book the Windham family was in the background. Instead, there is a number of Val’s friends playing a big supporting role. I’ll admit that I sometimes wondered if none of the Windham’s didn’t have any close friends.
They took a larger part to the end of the book, though, and it was heartening to see Val’s relationship with his father shift.
No book is without a fault. Unfortunately. I didn’t like the way the blackmail subplot was solved. I would much have prefered a confrontation, instead of the fact that it was solved behind the scenes. That is just me.

Review: Men of Bronze by Scott Oden:

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The Particulars:  Historical Fiction, Medallion Press, available as e-book and in print. 
The Source: Purchased at Omnilit
The Grade: A
  The blurb:
 It is 526 B.C. and the empire of the Pharaohs is dying, crushed by the weight of its own antiquity. Decay riddles its cities, infects its aristocracy, and weakens its armies. While across the expanse of Sinai, like jackals drawn to carrion, the forces of the King of Persia watch and wait. Leading the fight to preserve the soul of Egypt is Hasdrabal Barca, Pharaohs countless wounds, it is her spirit that heals and changes him. Once a fearsome demigod of war, Hasdrabal Barca becomes human again. A man now motivated as much by love as anger. Nevertheless honor and duty have bound Barca to the fate of Egypt. A final conflict remains, a reckoning set to unfold in the dusty hills east of Pelusium. There, over the dead of two nations, Hasdrabal Barca will face the same choice as the heroes of old: Death and eternal fame or obscurity and long life.

The Review: 
I bought this book in 2010, I think. I started reading it but abandoned it. I always intended to get back to it, one day. It took awhile, though. What spurred me was the fact that I decided to rebuy it in epub, to replace the pdf copy I bought in 2010. And I am glad I did. 
  One word can describe this book: Epic. At times, it felt almost like I was reading fantasy novel, with minium of magic.    This isn’t fantasy, but  Historical fiction.  This isn’t my favorite genre, since it often involves bloody, gorefilled battles.. ( I know, I have probably read the wrong books). But this book were different. Oh, there were battles in it.  What made me love this were the  vivid settings, and the human characters.   
The settings made me feel as if I were walking through Memphis, standing on the ship on the way to Gaza, feeling the wind tussling my hair.  My heart ached everytime Barca lost one of his friends. The ache tenfolded when I realised the source of The Beast.   At the start of the book  he was  almost a murdering machine. He live for battle.  Yet through the book, he change. He starts to feel compassion.  That change stems from Jauharah and her patience. 
Jauharah… I wept for her. For her loss, for the pain she had suffered, and for the choices she had to make. 
And Callianestes… I admired him for daring to what was right.  Heck, I admired all the characters for their honor and courage. 
The combination of the characters and the setting created a riveting tale, that I just couldn’t put down.  But, as I read it, I was reminded that history goes in circles, and that no civilisation last forever.
What I didn’t like.  I’ll admit it. I wish there was a happy ending, since is Hasdrabal Barca and Jauharah had earned it.  Yet, that would make it a romance, which this isn’t. 
Still, I’ll definitely read more by Scott Oden in the future.

Review: Copper Lake Secrets by Marilyn Pappano

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The Particulars: Romantic Suspense, Harlequin, available as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Allromance
The Grade: B-
The Blurb:
 “What happened that summer?”

The ill-fated vacation Reece Howard spent at her grandparents’ Georgia home long ago changed her in ways her mind still refuses to remember. She forgot about the man she once knew as “Jones,” but she can’t ignore the flashes of desire she now feels toward him. With her family estranged, she doesn’t have a good reason to return to Fair Winds. Until now.

Jones is looking for answers…answers he can find only at the plantation he left behind years before. By surprise, he discovers Reece there—all grown up and beautiful—never imagining he might be able to help chase away her demons. And neither of them expects an attraction as combustible as the secrets surrounding them.

But falling in love might be the most dangerous thing they can do…

The Review:
I love Marilyn Pappano’s Copper Lake books. I don’t rush out and buy the latest immediately, since I am not keeping track of her release schedule, but I buy them when I am in the mood for Romantic Suspense, set in the South. This book is no different. Or actually, it is. It has the additional element of a haunted plantation filled with secrets.Which is another thing that I love.
The atmosphere gave me goosebumps. Part of it was because it could be taken from a historical novel, set in the south. From the house, to Miss Willa’s manners. Just about everything.
It was nailbiting to follow Reece and Jones search for the truth of what happened that summer 15 years earlier. Their search shed new light on what happened all those years ago. From Reece arrival, to the foggy memories that she have dreamt nightmares about.
The characters felt like mirror images of each other. They were estranged from their families, both of them had lost something during their Summer in Copper Lake. It was touching to read about their unfolding romance. 
So what I didn’t like. If this had been release as a Paranormal Suspense, I would have given it an A. Since it is published as a Romantic Suspense, I cannot give it an A. Why? The romance between Reece and Jones are sweet and touching, but there is no obstacles for them to overcome in their relationship. Or if it is, it was swallowed by the Suspense part of the book.
Still, I enjoyed it and I plan to read more by Marilyn Pappano in the future.

BooksonBoards recommendations:

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

Books on board offers up to 33% off right now, so I am going on a shopping spree tomorrow.

Since it is easy to get overwhelmed, I decided to make some recommendations:

For the UF and PNR fans:
Laura Anne Gilman.    I love her books. They are snarky, witty, and action packed. With the discount, the books in her Retriever series costs 4-5 dollar.
Robin D Owens. Right now the books in her Mystic Circle series  is just 7.45. I recommend both of them.
Moira Rogers.Their writing is like crack to me. I just cannot get enough. Especially of the Bloodhounds books.
Let’s not forget CE Murphy.  There is no secret that I love her books.  I recommend starting with either Urban Shaman or Heart of Stone.
Shiloh Walker. I love her Hunter series, but I recommend that you get the backlist Samhain titles from All romance since they are only available in pdf over at Books on Board.  Wait with getting the Ellora’s Cave titles, she is  re-issueing them with better covers.   However, I do plan on picking up her Grimm series. 
For the Crime fans:
JT Ellison. Her All the Pretty Little Girls is only 3 dollar right now. The rest is below 5 dollar
Katie Reus. I never got around to review it, but I loved her book Deadly Obession.
For the contemporary romance fans:
Shannon Stacey.  I love, love her Kowalski trilogy. They are heartwarming, funny,  and witty.  Plus I enjoy the humor.
Liz Flaherty. I read, and raved, about One more summer recently. And I intend to get the rest of her books.
Jennifer Crusie.   I love all her books, but Getting Rid of Bradley is one of my favorites.  Just beware so that you don’t purchase pdf copies.
Shiloh Walker. Yes, again.  She is prolific.  Among her contemporary romances I recommend A Forever Kind of Love.  A poignant tale. 
Maya Banks.  I am having trouble picking a book, but in the end, I think I’ll go with Stay with Me and Understood. 
For Historical fans:
Scott Oden. I started to read Men of Bronze, and I loved the writing but unfortunately I got interrupted and new finished the book. I intend to one day, though. Right now Men of Bronze is only 3 dollar. In fact, I think I’ll rebuy it, and replace my pdf copy. 
Oh, and the best part with Books On Board? You get reward dollars. Which you can use on discounting other books .

Review: Becoming Miss Becky by Shannon Stacey

On By MikaelaIn reviews

The particulars:  Historical Romance, Samhain, available as e-book and in print.
The Source: Purchased, but cannot remember were.
The Grade: B

Blurb:
A sheriff with a stone-cold reputation. An innocent madam hell-bent on disturbing his peace. Who will be the first to give in?
Rebecca Hamilton passed through life as bland as biscuits—until the day she buried her father and fled out West with a fortune in stolen jewelry. She arrives in Gardiner, Texas to find her aunt has bequeathed to her the only whorehouse in town.
With no other prospects except a proposal from a tall, dark stranger wearing a badge, Rebecca decides to embrace her vibrant aunt’s legacy and never again live under the thumb of an overbearing man.
After years of cultivating a reputation as a ruthless lawman, Adam Caldwell can’t believe he’s offered to marry the quiet, rather plain new madam. Even more perplexing is the fact she turns him down, choosing instead to become a sass-talkin’, sashay-walkin’ vision in feathers and lace.
With an innocent madam wanting him to teach her to be as wicked as she looks and rowdy townsfolk split over the scandal, the sheriff figures his cup of troubles is about full. But a man from Rebecca’s past catches up with her, and Adam has to decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice for the woman who refuses to give up on becoming Miss Becky.

The Review:

I read and enjoyed the Kowalski books by Shannon Stacey, so when I discovered that she had written historicals, I decided to buy one of them.  It took awhile before I read it, but in the end I am glad I did.  This was an fun read. It was fascinating to follow Adam’s and Becky’s relationship. From the start, when she is a bland mouse, through her determination to rule her own life, to their HEA. 
I loved the characters.  Becky might look like a  mouse, but she have a lot of courage.  Both when it comes to travelling alone all the way to Texas, and the way she refused to give in.  I admired  the way she refused to let anyone decide how she should dress and behave.  It made sense. She had blended in all her life, and now she didn’t have to.  And then there is the fact that she is living in a whorehouse.  Even if she isn’t a whore.

And Adam. He was a fascinating mix of stubbornness, jealousy and honor.  He was ruthless when it comes to keep order in town.    And keeping order was a part of the plot.  Since Becky’s arrival split the town in two. Some liked her, some didn’t. 

All this took place in the town of Gardiner ( the name made me giggle, since it mean curtains in Swedish).  The setting felt realistic, from the biblethumping characters ( some of them) to the Mercantile and the horsetrough.  I could sometimes smell the horses, and the dust in the air.

So what I didn’t like. Sometimes, it felt… shallow.  I don’t expect  to read a philosophic essay when I  open an e-book, but I do expect to feel some sort of connection to the characters. 
Yes, I enjoyed the book, the banter, the setting.  But I didn’t feel a tug at my heart.  Still, it was a fun read, and what I needed right now.

Review: One More Summer by Liz Flaherty

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The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Carina Press, ebook.

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, available as e-book

The source: Purchased at Books on board
The Grade: A
The blurb:
Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father’s prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.
But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants: Promise, Grace’s best friend since kindergarten, who’s fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn’t lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet, gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.
And Dillon, Grace’s brother’s best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace’s guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts—but first, he’ll have to convince Grace that she’s worth loving.

The review:

This book… I am not sure how to describe it.  According to Carina Press, it is a contemporary romance. Which is true, there are romance, several in fact, but there are so much more in it.
There are the old hurts between Dillon and Gwen.  There are the on and off again relationship between Promise and Stephen. There are the mature love between Jonah and Maxie.   The relationships are shadowed by old hurts,  guilt, and secrets.

I’ll admit it. I went teary eyed  several times when I read this book.   
My heart went soft when Dillon and Gwen started to rebuild their relationship.  I wept when the secrets were revealed, all of them. But most of all, I cheered when Gwen started to regain her confidence, and believe that maybe, just maybe, her father had been wrong. 
I understood Dillon’s fury. I wanted to strangle her father too, for being a cruel insensitive bastard. Yet, during the book it was explained why he hated Gwen so much.

The novel takes place in a small town. The sense of community were a red thread through the book, both through happy and sad times.  I loved the story telling times, especially the Magpie stories.  Just.. aw.  Sometimes, the setting felt so real that I could feel the sweltering summer of Tennessee.  I  could almost see the Elliot House in front of me.

I cannot find anything to pick on when it comes to this book. Except for one thing. I regret that this book is published by Carina Press since it deserve to be read  a wide audience, no matter if they read e-books or not.  I am crossing my fingers that I’ll read a similar announcement for this book, as the one I read for Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski series.

Review: Because of You by Jessica Scott:

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The Particulars: Military Romance, Lovespell, ebook.
The Source: Purchased Kobo.
The Grade: A-
The Blurb:
Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire

The Review:
I bought this book because it got a lot of positive reviews, but it took awhile before I got around to read it. In fact, when I opened the book I almost deleted it.  ( More about that later in the review). 

I must say I am glad that I decided to read it. This  book is filled with strong characters, and important themes.  I loved Jen.  How she struggled with her self-esteem, to believe that someone like Shane really is interested in her.  Shane.. I’ll admit it. I loved him too. I loved how he really cared about his troop. 
In fact, I loved all the Characters. From  Laura who  have kept her family together, to Carponti who hide his  issues behind a lot of jokes.  No. Wait. I didn’t love all of the characters. I wanted to strangle Randall, and  I thought Captain Trent Davila was a jerk.
What made the book for me wasn’t just the book. No, it was the blunt, and sobering way Jessica Scott described Iraq. She clearly shows how everything can go wrong.From important parts being misplaced, to intel being wrong.  Together, it enchanced the danger they were surrounded by.   The there is the contrast, how the wives are battling fear and worry back in the US.
But, the most heartwrenching parts of the book were when they had returned home,  injured.   Shane’s struggle with adjusting to his new life with PT.   And yes, he acts like a jerk sometimes, but he realise it.   And apologize. 

So what I didn’t like.  The main issue I had was with the font size.  I am not sure if it was  my e-reader, or something in the style sheet but it showed up as large, and 1.5 spacing.  But I decided to ignore it, and read the book anyway. After I had finished the book , I fixed the fontsize.   

Recommended Series: The Ash Triology by Shiloh Walker

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 This is a new feature, and first up is Shiloh Walker’s chilling suspense series.

IF YOU HEAR HER:
Released in Oct -11

A CRY IN THE WOODS
The scream Lena Riddle hears in the woods behind her house is enough to curdle her blood—she has no doubt that a woman is in real danger. Unfortunately, with no physical evidence, the local law officers in small-town Ash, Kentucky, dismiss her claim. But Lena knows what she heard—and it leaves her filled with fear and frustration.
Ezra King is on leave from the state police, but he can’t escape the guilty memories that haunt his dreams. When he sees Lena, he is immediately drawn to her. He aches to touch her—to be touched by her—but is he too burdened by his tragic past to get close? When Ezra hears her story of an unknown woman’s screams, his instincts tell him that Lena’s life is also at risk—and his desire to protect her is as fierce as his need to possess her.

                                                                            

IF YOU SEE HER (Releases 01/31/2012)
A FACE IN THE MIRROR
Hope Carson may not look like a survivor, but she has escaped an abusive ex-husband and recovered from a vicious assault. Now she endures the painful memories and suspicious rumors surrounding her involvement in the attack. Her ex is a cop, so the last people she trusts are law enforcement officials—and she certainly doesn’t trust how the local DA makes her feel inside.
Remy Jennings should know better. He has no business falling for a woman who he suspects may have a deeply troubled mind. And even if he did make a move, she’d bolt like a frightened rabbit. But how can he deny a burning desire that threatens to consume him? As Hope’s past catches up with her in the worst way, Remy is determined to break through her defenses, earn her trust, and keep her safe in his arms—before it’s too late.

IF YOU KNOW HER
Releases 2/28/2012

A SHADOW IN THE WINDOW
Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. Come hell or high water, she intends to find her cousin’s killer. She returns to Ash, Kentucky, for answers. What she doesn’t expect is to ache with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when a murderer still roams free?
Unknown to Nia, as she quietly slips into Law Reilly’s home, is that she’s being watched—by someone who is waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. If she’s not frightened, she soon will be. Nia has made a vow to find her cousin’s killer. She should be careful what she wishes for.

Excerpts from the books are available here