The Earl I Adore by Joanne Wadsworth
The Earl I Adore*
A Smart Heroine Who Will Not Be Ignored
I adored this book! Regency is probably my favorite subgenre of historical romance, and this writer did it up right!
The hero and heroine formerly courted, but James broke it off before he went to fight in the Napoleonic wars (second son), not wanting to have Sophia wait in case he didn’t return. He does return two months later after both his father and elder brother die in what he thinks are mysterious circumstances. Now the earl, he is determined to figure out what happened to his father and brother, and he is determined to keep Sophia safe by not resuming the courtship while he still feels his family is in danger. He tells her decidedly that she must look elsewhere for a husband (all the while wishing that man could be him!). While James was away, Sophia kept up her friendship with his sister. She hasn’t completely forgiven him for severing the courtship, but she knows he is the one man for her. She convinces him to at least let her continue being friends with his sister, but she is definitely hoping he will change his mind about marrying her.
Sophia was written beautifully! She’s a smart lady, one that other books would derisively call a “bluestocking,” but in this book, she talks about current breakthroughs in steam technology and her informed opinions of what the future will be like without anyone saying that a woman should know or understand these kinds of things. That happens a lot in historical romance but not here. Quite refreshing! She also is adept at playing a cat-and-mouse game with James. They banter and tease each other in a way that you can’t be helped but caught up in; she often gets the upperhand in the conversation.
The author also has a good sense of plot structure. For example, at the quarter mark (end of Act 1), the romance story line heats up AND James gets a clue that will lead him in his investigations of the circumstances around his father’s and brother’s deaths (found by Sophia no less!).
The book is meant to be a sweet version of her more steamy The Earl’s Bride, but their attraction (and the ways they acted on it) were still satisfying. I find myself wondering how she wrote the other version.
If you like Regency romance, I think you will enjoy this slightly different take on the genre!
Tempting His Mistress by Samantha Holt
Tempting His Mistress*
Delightfully Written Victorian Romance
What a delightful romp through Victorian England at the hands of an author who knows how to hit all the right marks that we expect in this subgenre.
Lilly is recently orphaned, the daughter of a businessman and his mistress. At a house party, she deliberately sets out to find out if her cousin’s supposition about Lord Hawksley is true–that he murdered her father after losing money in a business deal. Of course, they both feel an attraction (though it is done with style!). She attempts to learn more about the man and is coming to believe he may not be responsible for her father’s murder–and then he blindsides her by asking to be his mistress! Then the fun really begins…
I found Lilly to be smart and just a little bit sassy, the same attributes that attract Lord Hawksley. She desperately wants to find out the truth…and she desperately wants to despise the marquess for what she believes he did. But she has a hard time doing either; their conversations are a delight as they are often at cross purposes. Lord Hawksley (Evan) can’t quite understand his fascination with her, and he tries to rid himself of it. But he finds he cannot. After his younger brother suggests HE might make her his mistress, Evan decides that if she is to be anyone’s mistress, she will be his. Of course, Lilly is shocked and hurt by such an offer. You’ll have to read the book to find out how that turns out.
I’m a big fan of Victorian romance, and it has been a while since I’ve read a straight-up one. Within a few pages, I felt like a capable captain was steering the boat writer and just wanted to enjoy the journey.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, but this did not affect my review.
The Legend of Lady McLaoch by Becky Banks
The Legend of Lady McLaoch*
Promising Start that Failed to Deliver
I so wanted to like this book! I adore all manner of Scottish books, fiction and nonfiction. It had a promising start with not one but two out-of-time-sequence chapters. The first was very strong, of a dying young woman in long-ago Scotland cursing her father and her family for generations because of how he had made her suffer. The next prologue (can a book have 2 prologues?) was a rather intense battle scene that took place 3 years before the main text’s time frame.
Once contemporary, the book starts with Cole (and the rest of her family) finding out that they are not really Bakers but Minarys, her grandfather having taken the former name of his mother’s second husband (not Grandpa’s biological father). Grandpapa dies before revealing anything else. After graduating from college, Cole decides to research more about the name, and this brings her to the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
I only like to give a tease about the first part of the book. Aside from the set-up above, the first 25% of the book had little action; yes, Cole meets the current laird, Rowan MacLaoch (one of the fighters in the prologue battle scene), whose history is bound up with that of her family’s. In that first 25%, she learns about her family altered history and meets the laird twice (thinking him a caretaker of the castle, not the laird). That’s it. In a book that promises “mystery” and “quest,” I found it a very slow and boring start.
I found Cole to be rude and disrespectful, not “feisty” as the description promised; I could just never warm up to her as a character. Some of Cole’s reactions to people in Scotland just seemed bizarre. Her mother seemed a stock character of a middle-aged Southern lady, and some of the Scottish people seemed to stereotypes of what one would think of those living in that country; these secondary characters fell flat. The book’s formatting was annoying; just one skinny space of paragraph indentation and no padding between paragraphs made the narrative appear like giant blocks.
I received an advance review copy for free, but–obviously–that did not affect my review.
Lady of the Glen by Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple
The Lady of The Glen***
Simply Stunning Scottish Historical Romance
Our feisty and brash heroine, Elayne, starts off the book in a most dramatic way, trying to get her clan’s priest to declare the new wife of the man Elayne hoped to wed a witch! She soon realizes the errors of her ways, and both she and her father, the laird of their clan, agree that perhaps she needs some time away.
Opportunity comes by way of Declan, newly returned from serving The Bruce and the new laird of his clan, aptly name the Beast Clan by its neighbors. Having seen other clans while with The Bruce, Declan is determined to civilize his own. And that means he needs a wife, as the civilizing influence of women has been long lacking in his male-dominated stronghold. He saw Elayne in a village as he was returning from war and was immediately drawn to her strong, commanding presence…this could be the woman to help him!
Declan is a sweet swoonworthy hero; how can you help but love a hero who fully supports his future ladylove on the first night they meet in the face of his rather ornery clan? And Elayne…oh, my gosh! What can I say about her? She’s a spitfire all right, with strong ideas of the way things should be… but she is also caring and vulnerable… Both the hero and heroine have past scars (and in a way they mirror each other), and they remain vulnerable even after they marry. There are some very sweet little “awwwww” moments. Some scars take a while to heal…
They act as a team from Day One, and it is fun to see the way they truly listen and support each other. Elayne likes to jump in and defend herself… even getting physical with some who act against her. Declan not only lets her lead in these matters, but he also backs her up fully and adds his own response. I adore brave but vulnerable couple.
They need to be a team, as there are greater plots against them… both close to home and tied to the history of Scotland at the time. But I’ll let you discover that yourself.
If you like Scottish romance, you can’t go wrong with this one. If you like ANY historical romance, you will most likely enjoy this book as well.
Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle
Kingdom Cold*
Sassy Teen Princess Delights in YA Fantasy Romance
Oh, my gosh! I love Princess Charlotte! She’s a sassy teenage princess who is NOT pleased that her parents have betrothed her boring Prince Young to form an alliance. She attempts a hunger strike (oh, but for the hot-out-of-the-oven bread) and she shoots an arrow at the prince’s carriage when he arrives. She find Prince Young’s older brother far more interesting than her betrothed.
Everything changes on the day of the wedding but not in the way you’d think! The wedding is cancelled because the bad guys attack beyond the castle…and then they breach it; the king may be dead and Prince Dreamy (not his name) is captured. Oh, my! There are many twists and turns; the author was able to keep the suspense up for the duration. Prince Charlotte matures.
I have to warn you … there is no HEA, so if that is crucial to you, you will want to skip this delightfully written book. The ending is wistful and sweet but no HEA.
The author is very skilled at writing with humor (not easy), and she creates mini-hooks at the end of each chapter. The one that pulls you from two to three had me laughing out loud. She alternates viewpoints by chapter, and each character has a very distinct voice and viewpoint. The bratty, snarky Princess Charlotte is a delight, and Prince Young has hidden depths of character. The others…you will have to read and see!
If you’re a fan of well-written YA fantasy romance or just looking for a good read, this book may very well fill the bill.
A Compromised Compromise by Timothy Underwood
A Compromised Compromise*
Strong, Funny Start … Fizzled in the Last Half
When I started reading this book, I found it witty, lightly written, and with insight into the conflicting emotions of both Darcy and Elizabeth. Darcy’s adamant refusal to disbelieve Elizabeth and Mrs. Bennet purposefully set up the compromise carried on through half the book, though–really–it was utterly ridiculous for him to think such a thing. However, it was fun to watch him torture himself (and sometimes others) about this.
The plot train went off the rails after Elizabeth asks Darcy the night before their wedding about whether he would choose her…if he was free to.
********** SPOILERS ***********
His answer sets of a nonsensical plot line. She sets off with a little money and not much of a plan. Mr. Bennet and Colonel Fitzwilliam don’t appear to care that Elizabeth has left–no one seems to be really concerned about her safety. Really? A lone woman…who knows where…on her own…in Regency England? Stretches credibility too far.
Various mostly boring things happen until ODC are reunited at the end. Mr. Bennet refuses his consent, and D&E are off to Gretna Green. The book ends abruptly when Georgiana finds them on the road to Scotland, wanting to participate in the wedding.
****** END SPOILERS *******
This book started off so strong with witty Elizabeth and stubborn Darcy that it had the potential to be one of the better JAFF variations. Its resolution, however, made little sense, lacked suspense & conflict, and ended abruptly.
Darcy’s Angel by Jennifer Kay
Darcy's Angel**
Complex Young Mr. Darcy … and a Silly Elizabeth
This is a very different take on Pride & Prejudice fan fiction. It takes place almost entirely in London, five years earlier than in canon. Due to illness at Longbourn, 15-year-old Elizabeth and 13-year-old Kitty are shipped off to an old friend of their father’s in London. Darcy and Georgiana have just recently arrived in London, too, unable to face Pemberley after their father’s death. The main text takes place over the course of a year and a half. The Bennet girls become friends with Georgiana and so enter Darcy’s sphere.
Because the book takes place over such a long period of time, with sometimes months where we don’t see what is happening, it sometimes felt like there were dropped threads that took a while to pick up again. For instance, Major Fitzwilliam is planning to meet with Elizabeth to determine if Elizabeth is OK for Darcy and Georgiana to chum around with. At the end of a Darcy scene, it looks like he is just about to do it. Yet, the next scene isn’t that; he actually doesn’t meet her until much later…and we didn’t get to see any intensive interview (which could have been great fun).
Eavesdropping was used too often as an important plot point.
I really liked this younger Darcy. His vulnerability at the passing of his father and his delicate handling of Georgiana were sweet and poignant. He had odd little quirks, like drumming his fingers on anything when nervous, that made him more endearing. As a reader, I felt like I got under Darcy’s skin and could see his world from his perspective. A great characterization of Darcy.
I was not so enamored of Elizabeth. Early on especially, she seemed to have silly moments to rival Lydia’s! I have seen other JAFF with a young Elizabeth where she had a wisdom and grace beyond her years. Not so here! I actually found her continuous childishness annoying. I secretly hoped at times that the complex young Mr. Darcy would find someone more worthy of him! She did improve after her Wickham moment, where she became more like the Elizabeth we all know and love. For the last 10% of the book, I found her a sympathetic character…but not really before.
I quite enjoyed the epilogue, which had a couple of interesting surprises.
Welcome to New York by Luana Ferraz
Welcome to New York*
Not Your Regular Contemporary Romance…Slow Build, Sweet
This is not quite your normal contemporary romance. It is slow and sweet. There’s no big meet-cute. The hero and heroine just work at the same place It even takes a while for Harry and Alana to become friends, let alone lovers. They both have pasts that they don’t want anyone to know about. They are both scarred by their pasts but learn to trust and love again. They both have dreams for careers but are held back by confidence and opportunity, and slowly, they just help each other realize them. They heal each other’s past wounds and find true happiness. A lovely, sweet read!
It is written in 3rd person present, which was a little awkward to get used to…but it was worth it! There were some awkward phrasing and some grammar errors but not enough to detract from the story.
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