Review: The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae

The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae by Stephanie Laurens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Three heroes, three rescues, three weddings.

We joyfully request your attendance at the wedding of Miss Angelica Cynster

...but not until she and her hero confront a devious enemy and lay to rest an ancient grudge in the Scottish Highlands!

Headstrong Angelica Cynster is certain she'll recognize her fated husband at first sight. And when her eyes meet those of a mysterious nobleman across a candlelit ballroom, she knows beyond doubt that he's the one. But her heart is soon pounding for an entirely different reason--when he hero abducts her!

The eighth Earl of Glencrae has no choice but to kidnap Angelica, the one Cynster sister with whom he hadn't wanted to tangle. But to save his castle and his clan, he must persuade her to assist him--and he's prepared to offer marriage to seal the deal.

My Thoughts: For some reason, I much more enjoy Ms. Laurens' writing when she does Cynster novels than any of her other books. Even though a few of the quirks that bother me remain, overall the characters and the stories are what shine through. The first two books in this series did a great job of setting up the third and final installment, and it didn't disappoint. There was never any doubt that the Earl and Angelica were going to be quite a pair, and the only real mystery was how they would make their HEA happen. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and that there was story missing when it came to the villains here, but overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to seeing the next of the Cynster cousins use the necklace to find her hero!


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Review: An O'Brien Family Christmas

An O'Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Dating Matthew O’Brien-a playboy and a younger man-cost Laila Riley her career and her parents’ respect. A high price, even for love-and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew’s objections.

It’s a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about joining the O’Briens for a Dublin holiday. Matthew’s bound to be there, and she’s far from immune. What if she can’t resist temptation?

Meanwhile, the O’Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell’s unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

My Thoughts: The O'Brien books are ones that hook me in, especially at the holidays. They are just such feel-good books with this almost-too-good-to-be-true set of family characters that you can't help but finish the book with a smile on your face. Every time I read one of Ms. Woods' novels, I am left with a good feeling...her first was the O'Brien Christmas story last year, and I have to say both books do a good job of helping keep that happy holiday spirit going. Even without having read all of the O'Brien stories, don't be afraid to pick this one up. You might miss a bit of the backstory, but not enough to be problematic.


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Review: My Ruthless Prince

My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: His brother warriors fear the Earl of Westwood has turned traitor, but Emily Harper knows this is impossible for the man she has loved since childhood . . . as impossible as a marriage between them could ever be—she, the gamekeeper’s daughter and he, a bold and adventurous nobleman.

Driven by hatred and revenge, Westwood is playing a deadly game of deception, bent on destroying the enemy’s dark conspiracy from the inside, and he’s furious when Emily plunges herself into danger for his sake. Forced into close quarters, their long-suppressed desire explodes into all-consuming passion.

Emily knows her love can save him . . . but Westwood is a man who doesn’t want to be saved.

My Thoughts: Westwood's and Emily's story is one I'd been waiting for since starting the Inferno Club series, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Having suffered along with Westwood over the previous novels, I think the author did a good job of not glossing over the trauma inflicted on him, what he was tryin to deal with and how even in the end he didn't just go back to being the same person he was portrayed to be prior to all this. Emily was a great heroine too...loyal, strong, resourceful and even amazing at times! It's hard to talk about the story too much without giving important parts away, but the story is strong, the characters even better, and seeing the lines between good and bad shift and blur (in some ways) as we work toward the happy ending was well done.



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Review: A Visit from the Goon Squad

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive. Sasha is the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a startling, exhilarating novel of self-destruction and redemption.

My Thoughts: Having heard so much good about this book, I went in with extremely high expectations, which is always dangerous. (in fact it was my book for book club this fall). It took me a while to finish it, just because it was not at all what I expected. The format, though, was helpful in that respect, as it made it easy to put down and pick up at a later date, with each chapter almost being a short story in and of itself. I can't say I disliked the book at all, and I think Ms. Egan has a great writing style and tells a good story. I think what threw me off was that it always felt like I was left with something missing after each chapter/story. While each was loosely connected, and built upon each other to an extent to a larger picture, it wasn't your typical novel where you end up with some sort of conclusion. Once you get past that, I found it to be a book that I liked more after time had passed than I did right after immediately finishing it.


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Review: Trouble at the Wedding

Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



From Goodreads: What happens when a woman is determined to marry the wrong man? When she just won’t listen to reason and rushes forward with wedding plans? When she just doesn’t care that she’s marrying a fortune hunting scoundrel who doesn’t love her? What’s her exasperated family supposed to do about it? Hire a different scoundrel to talk her out of it, of course.

American heiress Annabel Wheaton knows what she wants and love isn’t it. Born in a Mississippi backwater, with a twang as wide as the Delta, she wants respect to go with the millions her daddy found in a Klondike gold mine. But respect isn’t easy to come by in the closed Knickerbocker society of New York, and when the fortune-hunting Earl of Rumsford shows up, it seems like he’s just the ticket to make all Annabel’s dreams come true. When he proposes marriage, she happily agrees. That’s when the trouble starts.

Christian Du Quesne has always been trouble—a rake, a gambler, and when he was younger, a fortune hunter. He married once for the sake of the decaying family coffers, but he won’t do it again. When his older brother, the Duke of Scarborough, dies without issue, Christian become the duke and inherits a whole new pile of family debt with no way to pay it. When Annabel’s family hires him to show Annabel just what she’d be getting by marrying into Britain’s aristocratic class, he knows he’s the perfect person to talk her out of matrimony. Problem is, he only has four days to do it. Can he cause enough trouble in those four days to get her to call off the wedding?

My Thoughts: Trouble at the Wedding is the third in Ms. Guhrke's most recent series, Abandoned at the Altar. While I enjoyed it overall, it was probably my least favorite of the three. I continue to enjoy her strong, independent, and unique female heroines, in fact that's probably one of my favorite aspects of her stories. I expected there to be more of a tie between book three and books one and two though, why I'm not sure. It was still an enjoyable story, and it was pleasurable to see our hero, Christian, finally come around and realize there was more than 1) money and later 2) duty involved in his relationship with Annabel. Ms. Guhrke manages to spin good stories around unique aspects of traditional storylines, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the near future!


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Review: Brazen

From Goodreads: The young and beautiful Lady Fairhaven is Brazen…which is why she is willing to resort to blackmail to coerce a brave, if troubled, captain into helping her rescue her endangered brother. The incomparable Margo Maguire follows the success of her Romantic Times Top Pick, Seducing the Governess, with the second in her two-book historical romance mini-series set in England’s colorful Regency Era, about the lost—and found—granddaughters of a powerful duke.  As every fan of the exciting, emotionally rich historical romance of Liz Carlyle and Julia London will be thrilled to discover, Margo Maguire’s unabashed mastery of the Regency romance is unsurpassed…and downright Brazen!

My Thoughts:  Overall, I found this to be an ok read.  Parts of it I liked...for example the characters, but I found the story to be a bit unsatisfactory.  As the second (and final) in the series, I felt like there were parts that were not satisfactorily completed, others that were probably unnecessary, and then there were others that worked well together.  I'm glad I finished the series, and liked the basic premise of both stories, and I think the author did a good job of describing and creating the characters.  Just a bit more work on the story would probably have made it an even better read.

Review: In Pursuit of Miss Eliza Cynster: A Cynster Novel

In Pursuit of Miss Eliza Cynster: A Cynster Novel by Stephanie Laurens

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads:

Three heros, three rescues, three weddings.

The pleasure of your company is requested
at the wedding of Miss Eliza Cynster

...but not until she's rescued from a daring abduction by the most unexpected of heros!

Brazenly kidnapped from her sister Heather's engagement ball, Eliza Cynster is spirited north to Edinburgh. Desperate and determined to escape, she seizes upon the first possible champion who happens along - gentleman scholar Jeremy Carling.

Villains and rescues are a far cry from Jeremy's expertise, yet he cannot abandon a damsel in distress. But danger lurks and hurdles abound in their race to escape the mysterious laird, until a final confrontation on a windswept cliff reveals what their future life could hold - if both are bold enough to seize and own the unexpected love they now share.

My Thoughts: The second in a trilogy (of which I have yet to read the first), Ms. Laurens reminded me of why I first started reading her books. Continuing the Cynster series, but with brief appearances from other characters as well, the book was a fun read. It was missing many of the issues I had with some of her most recent books, particularly in her other series. The characters were entertaining, and I especially enjoyed the "bookish" hero, as opposed to heroine. I am very much looking forward to going back to read the first sister's book, and will await the third impatiently.


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Review: Unclaimed

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Her only hope for survival…

Handsome, wealthy and respected, Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in all of London—and he's known far and wide for his irreproachable character. But behind his virtuous reputation lies a passionate nature he keeps carefully in check...until he meets the beautiful Jessica Farleigh, the woman he's waited for all his life.

Is to ruin the man she loves…

But Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Mark believes. Desperate to be free of a life she despises, she seizes her chance when Mark's enemies make her an offer she can't refuse: seduce Mark and tarnish his good name, and a princely sum will be hers. Yet as she comes to know the man she's sworn to destroy, Jessica will be forced to choose between the future she needs…and the love she knows is impossible.

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoy Ms. Milan's books, and Unclaimed was no exception. I love that her heroes and heroines are very nontraditional and unique...and the stories maintain that same level of novelty as well. The books are fun, and keep you interested throughout. Mark's story (the second of the Turner brothers' books) is unique in that it's not often the hero is the virgin of the story. That could have gotten old fast, but Milan does a good job of creating a story that works with characters that don't get annoying. It's fun to see the interaction of the brothers here again, I wish there was even a bit more of that, and perhaps a bit more backstory. If I had one complaint is that it took me a bit to figure out that this begins several years after the first book ends, which may have just been me not paying attention. Another success from Milan, and I look forward to reading Smite's story next.



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Review: Elizabeth, The Enchantress

Elizabeth, The Enchantress by Lavinia Kent

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Regency England just got real(ity)

Episode 4: How to Succeed in Marriage without Really Trying

Elizabeth, the Countess of Westhampton, has found her husband. Unfortunately, she’d have preferred it if he’d stayed lost! How is she supposed to react when the man who married her and then abandoned her without a wedding night suddenly reappears? Obviously, she’ll have to plan her revenge very carefully…

My Thoughts: I've read a couple of these novellas now, all are fun quick reads. If they were full-length books, I'd probably go back and try to read the ones I've missed, but as I don't normally read novellas, I may have to just try to let my imagination fill in the blanks. They're enjoyable for a number of reasons, but mostly because Kent does a good job of ensuring that even in a novella length that there's a story and character development. This was a fun one, as the "evil" one of the group of women who make up the heroines had her turn in the spotlight. The redemption of the bad girl is essentially the theme...finding out why she is the way she is, and then how she moves forward. Another fun, quick read from Kent, so far I'd recommend this whole series.



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Review: One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke

One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke by Caroline Linden

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: A bargain that was all business . . . and pure passion.

Neither wealth nor beauty will help Lady Francesca Gordon win custody of her young niece Georgina, saving the girl from a cruel stepmother; she needs London’s top solicitor for that. But when Edward de Lacey, son of the powerful Duke of Durham, hires away the one man who can do the job, Francesca decides Edward himself must champion her case . . . if only she can melt the dashing lord’s stony heart.

Edward has reason to be guarded, though. London’s tabloids have just exposed a secret that could ruin his entire family. When Francesca offers a unique chance to undo the damage, Edward is forced to agree to a partnership . . . and now, each moment together feeds the flames of his scandalous longing for the passionate widow. But when Georgina disappears, fate will test them both . . . and leave their love hanging in the balance.

My Thoughts: I read the "intro" novella to this series, and was excited to see what the first book would offer. There were parts I really liked, but one thing that struck me was that the "mystery" that runs throughout the series was hardly a part of the story at all. Instead, the story really focused on Francesca and her search for her niece.

I liked the hero and heroine and the extended cast of characters. Edward is all he was raised to be, but has hidden depths (like and good hero). Francesca, who is strong, independent and not afraid to walk the edge of propriety at times, is fortunate enough to go beyond her initial opinion of Edward and see what more he has to offer. I liked seeing the two of them grow closer and come together, getting past a few obstacles in the way.

I never expected the "mystery" to be solved in the first book of the series, after all there are two more to come, but I did expect to get a bit more background or information on the old Duke and the potential scandal, perhaps a bit more to advance the story in the current time too. Needless to say, that makes me wonder what we'll find in Book 2, the youngest brother's story. All in all, the first book was a fun read.



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Review: Linnette, The Lioness

Linnette, The Lioness by Lavinia Kent

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


From Goodreads: Regency England just got real(ity)

Episode 2: The One with the Fake Baby

Rumors abound – everyone has heard that Linnette, the Dowager Duchess of Doveshire is pregnant. Beautiful, young, with more freedom than any respectable woman should want, Linnette is no stranger to a little gossip. But her friends can’t help her brave the fallout, because this time Linnette has done something naughty…

My Thoughts: Another of the Avon Impulse line of novellas, this is a quick read that continues Kent's "Real Duchesses" series. Having not read the first, I did feel as though I was missing out on some backstory, but it was manageable to keep moving forward.

For a novella, there was decent character development, but I think the biggest downside to not reading the first installment was learning about the characters. While a novella, since this is a series you learn a lot about each of the women more and more in each book I think.

This is a take on the separated lovers theme and it was interesting, I just didn't feel like I got enough of the story to really get into and feel for the characters. That's nothing to do with the story or writing, which are both good,but more to do with the novella format I think. However, if you have a short amount of time, this is an enjoyable, quick read, and I do look forward to reading the next in the series to see how it continues.



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Review: Any Man of Mine

Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone.
Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?

My Thoughts: This was the first of Gibson's books that I read and it was a good introduction. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I might, as I find that when I start a series in the middle I often feel like I'm missing too much back story to really enjoy the current one I'm reading. That really wasn't the case here.

Autumn and Sam had a long, tangled history between them, and Gibson did a good job of setting it up and providing details, without it taking over the first half of the book. We see both of them later growing into mature adults (perhaps Sam taking a bit longer overall!) who are able to discover each other again. A well done story of old lovers coming back together, this has made me want to track down others in Gibson's hockey series.



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Review: Eleven Scandals To Start To Win A Duke's Heart

From Goodreads: Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips...and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.

He swears by reputation.

Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening--risking everything he holds dear--he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety.

She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion
 
My thoughts: Juliana is a great heroine...she has her struggles, her issues, but she's also very strong and very independent, particularly when thrown into a situation (new family, managing the Ton) beyond her planning, desire or control.  Simon is also a fabulous hero...he most definitely has a passionate streak, but his need to do his duty by his family, above all else, has been driven into him since such an early age that it overrides (at least often overrides) his own desires.  Juliana and Simon are a perfect match though, as they bring out the best and the worst in each other, trying to find that middle ground.  I enjoyed their story very much.  Characters (and story lines) from other books were woven in well to bring everything together, and this was a fitting end to the siblings' stories.


I can't begin to describe how excited I was to dive into this book.  I think my only disappointment when I was done was that I was done...and the trilogy was complete.  I thought this was a great finale, although I'm left hoping there are more books to come involving some of the other side characters, because I'm left feeling like some stories were left out.  If I had one complaint, it's that I didn't feel like things were wrapped up when it came to the storyline involving the mother...that one still feels like it's hanging out there.  Overall though, this is a fabulous trilogy of books and I'm looking forward to seeing what MacLean publishes next!

Review: The Restorer

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: My name is Amelia Gray. I’m a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I’ve always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman’s brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I’ve been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims— lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I’ve vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

My Thoughts: The Restorer is the first in a series from Amanda Stevens called The Graveyard Queen. This was the first I'd read one of Stevens' books, and I have to say, I'm hooked. A great combination of ghost story and mystery, with a hint of romance and a dash of southern charm, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am going to be anxiously counting down to the next release.

The story itself is strong for almost the entire book. Amelia has lived her life by her father's rules, as they keep her "safe" from the world of ghosts. Walking a thin line, she's carved a niche for herself with a career as a cemetery restorer, yet is somewhat lonely. When bodies start turning up in a cemetery she is restoring, she's thrown together with a darkly handsome and intriguing police detective - James Devlin. Dangerous to her in ways she doesn't understand, yet drawn to him in the same way, Amelia is trying to deal with the issues surrounding Devlin (play on name here (devil) or is that just me), and being the next possible target of a murderer.

It's a great story...lots of fabulous descriptions that have you shivering (especially if you hate spiders like me), an intriguing look into an area most are unfamiliar with, good characters and in general, a good mystery. There were a few things that detracted a bit for me. The ending is a big one...it was wrapped up all way to quick. This was one that the book had been so well set up that I didn't feel it was running long at all...but then everything just sort of came together and fairly out of the blue. I felt like there were a few loose ends as well with some characters, but those might have been on purpose as we will find out perhaps in later books. I also felt like there are still a few too many mysteries surrounding Amelia's parents and family. It appears clear that this is going to be a focus later, but in this book, just a bit more would have been good. Also, the romance part is not overly strong here...the unrequited attraction became a bit much for example, but that didn't really detract from the story overall. that's more of a warning for those who will go in expecting a true romance and HEA...let's just say that this is definitely set up as the first in a series and the reader is left with a lot to look forward to in later books.

I'm not usually one to make comparisons, but I think that if you are a fan of the Deanna Raybourn books, you'll like The Restorer. Similar sort of dark, ghostly mystery theme (although very different overall) with an underlying romance that is by no means the focus of the story. Stevens has set up a great series with The Restorer and I'm looking forward to The Kingdom in November.

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Review: The Vampire Dimitri

From Goodreads: Dimitri, the Earl of Corvindale, should be delighted that the headstrong Maia Woodmore is getting married. His mortal ward and houseguest has annoyed – and bewitched – the Dracule nobleman too long, and denying his animal cravings grows more excruciating by the day.

Miss Woodmore's family has a rather...complicated history with the immortals and she herself possesses a keen sensibility far beyond mere women's intuition. Marriage will give her safety, respectability, and everything else a proper young lady could wish for. Everything, that is, except for passion.

In the looming battle between Dracule factions, all pretenses will shatter as Maia and Dimitri come together in an unholy union of danger, desperation, and fiercest desire.

My Thoughts: See my earlier review of Book One - The Vampire Voss, for other thoughts on the Dracule.  Book Two takes place in large part during the EXACT same time frame as Book One.  So there is a lot of background information that is repeated as to the setting, the battle between Cezar and the other Dracule, Cezar's desire to use the Woodmere sisters to get back at their brother, etc., etc.

This book focuses on the eldest sister, Maia, who is for the most part a very strong, likable heroine, who takes on a lot of responsibility for her family, sometimes unnecessarily I think.  As a result, she tends to be a bit managing, a bit bossy, and a bit domineering.  These are not necessarily bad traits though.  Dimitri, the sisters' reluctant guardian, is desperate to break Lucifer's curse and has dedicated his life to finding a way.  In the meantime, he avoids society, human contact and anything smacking of a relationship whenever possible.

I did enjoy seeing the relationship between her and Dimitri grow, and seeing her move out of her comfort zone even faster than Dimitri would take a risk.  The idea of love being scary rings true, and the fear of taking that risk and being hurt, let to a lot of drama and angst in the relationship, but it played out well and I like Maia and Dimitri as a couple (even if Dimitri came across as an arrogant jerk 1/2 the time--it somehow worked and you didn't dislike him because I think you could see it was his way of protecting himself).  I sort of felt like Maia's former beau got short shrift after being portrayed as such a kind guy all the way up to the point where he's not, but it definitely added a twist to the story the way that issue was taken care of.  Overall, I liked the relationship aspect of this book better than the first.  This one felt like it was one that we actually saw develop from start to finish, seeing each of them grow and evolve into what we end up with. 

This book saved itself for me in the last 1/2 to 1/3 of the pages.  The first 1/3 I essentially skimmed because I felt it was nothing new...it was essentially the same as parts of the 1st book in the series, The Vampire Voss.  It wasn't even, for the most part, the same scenes from a different perspective so as a reader you were finding out something new, it felt like pages were just cut and pasted.  That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but for the 1st 1/3 of the book, I was not engaged.  Part of my problem might have been reading them back-to-back, and if I'd stepped away for a few weeks before diving into book 2, I may not have felt that the repetitiveness was an issue.

That changed though, once we moved past the point in time where book one ended, and the story picked up.  I think the problem was that books one and two have two sisters as the heroines...and their stories were simply too intertwined in time and space and events.  I don't have these same fears for book 3 - the Vampire Narcise.  We've only seen Narcise a few times in the previous books and there's more to her story than the brief snippets we've seen.  I've actually already started Narcise's story, and I'm so far about 1/3 of the way in and liking it the best of the 3 so far! 

Review: Captured By a Rogue Lord

Captured By a Rogue Lord by Katharine Ashe

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: She would marry no man . . .

Serena Carlyle dreams of a happily ever after. Firmly upon the shelf at twenty-five, instead she's determined to find the perfect match for her beautiful younger sister. What better prospect than their neighbor, the wealthy, rakishly handsome Earl of Savege? Now Serena can beg his help in halting a local band of smugglers. Then, one night, stealing away from yet another disappointing ball, Serena finds herself trapped alone with a stranger . . .

Until he captured her—body and soul

His kiss was irresistible, his caress unforgettable, and he hides a devastating secret. A Robin Hood upon the sea, Alex Savege is the brazen pirate Redstone, seizing the yachts of spoiled noblemen to settle an old debt. Serena needs a hero, but her heart is in the gravest danger—for it is soon to be captured by a man as skilled at seduction as he is at plunder.

My Thoughts: I've learned that I'm a sucker for the nobleman who has a secret (or not-so-secret) life as a pirate, smuggler, man of the sea. That's particularly true when the gentleman in question is a Robin Hood of the sea, so our hero, Alex/Redstone, had high marks going for him from the start :)

I also like stories of the overlooked or on the shelf heroine, who finally gets a shot at love. This was most definitely one of those. A bit of Robin Hood, a dash of Cinderella, and you have Captured By A Rogue Lord.

I never had any doubt that Serena would finally get her HEA with Alex, but there were so many obstacles in the way that getting there was an interesting journey. From evil stepmothers to society's expectations, evil smugglers, tales of revenge and even the British Navy, there was never a shortage of events to keep the reader interested. Serena and Alex are great main characters, and the supporting cast and crew was lively and intriguing as well. A quick, enjoyable read, I liked the book well enough that I'm going to need to go back and find Book one in the series now.

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Review: The Vampire Voss

The Vampire Voss by Colleen Gleason

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Regency London – a dizzying whirl of balls and young ladies pursued by charming men.

But the Woodmore sisters are hunted by a more sinister breed: Lucifer's own.

Voss, also known as Viscount Dewhurst, relishes the sensual pleasures immortality affords. A member the Dracule – a cabal of powerful, secretive noblemen marked with a talisman that reveals their bartered souls – the mercenary Voss has remained carefully neutral ... until Angelica.

Angelica Woodmore possess the Sight, an ability invaluable to both sides of a looming war among the Dracule. Her very scent envelops Voss in a scarlet fog of hunger – for her body and her blood. But he is utterly unprepared for the new desire that overcomes him – to protect her.

Now Voss must battle his very nature to be with Angelica ... but this vampire never backs down from a fight.

My Thoughts: I couldn't pass up a chance to read this book, the first in a new series...after all, historical romance and vampires in one book?! Sounds like my cup of tea. And it was, to an extent. I found this an interesting twist on the whole vampire story, and we learn about the Dracule, at least a bit. The story started out a bit slow, but once things got going it became a much more interesting and fun read. Voss does not start off very likable...compelling perhaps, but not truly likable. He's got one motivation, and that is himself. Angelica on the other hand, comes across pretty well throughout the book. She and her sister Maia have a lot thrown at them to deal with. Angelica's Gift has put her in the crossfire between a Dracule battle, thanks in part to her brother, who is a vampire hunter yet ran off with the sister of the evil vampire (they get their own book later). Voss comes around enough to help save Angelica, and battles between his desire for her and his inability to control himself around her. As I said, it's an interesting take on the vampire "curse" and how it's resolved in the end was much different than I expected. I'm curious to see if that same theme carries over into the rest of the series as how the conflicts between vampire and humans falling in love are resolved.

It was a good 1/3 of the way into the book, maybe half, before I felt I really got into the story. The ebook version I read was almost 400 pages, and it might have been able to be condensed some yet still give the reader enough back story on the Dracule, the characters and Voss & Angelica's story. That being said, I do sort of feel like there are parts to the history and world of the Dracule that I'm unclear on, but I suspect some of that will be cleared up in later books. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I'm looking forward to reading the next two that are set for release this spring. We met the heroes and heroines in this book and started to get a feel for them...although I'm particularly interested in how they bring about the storyline in the 2nd book, the Vampire Dimitri.


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Review: The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

My Thoughts: Rick Riordan may be my new go-to author for audio books. I did the Lost Hero on audio, and much like Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, it was fabulous and I'm again hooked on a series of his!

The Lost Hero is told from the point of view of three demigods, Jason, Piper and Leo. The book starts as the three of them are on a bus on a field trip with their school. There are a lot of similarities as we learn about the trio to the Percy Jackson series. But rather than being annoying or repetitive, they tie the group together in a number of ways.

Piper, Leo and Jason (who is suffering from amnesia brought on by the Goddess Hera, who stole his memories) are whisked away to Camp Halfblood by Annabeth, after the field trip turns into a battle with monsters. Hera has been kidnapped, Olympus cut off, and Jason, Piper and Leo have only a few days to rescue Hera and prevent catastrophe.

The ties to the Percy Jackson series are strong. In fact, I'd highly recommend reading and completing that series before starting this one, but even just having read the first two PJ books I found I was ok. In addition to the quest that Jason, Piper and Leo are on, Annabeth and Rachael (the Oracle) are searching for Percy, who disappeared the same time that Jason appeared.

The story is fabulous, this time bringing in the Roman aspects of the Gods. Riordan does a great job of weaving in history and adventure and tells a great story. I'm still too impatient to want to listen to all the books on CD, but when I have to make a long car trip, they are a great way to fill the time. Not just for kids, I think this is a fun book and think it has set itself up to be a great series. We'll find out if the two camps of demigods can work together to prevent the fall of Olympus...and destruction of the world as we know it.

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Review: Driftwood Cottage

Driftwood Cottage by Sherryl Woods

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Single mom Heather Donovan's dreams of home and family are tantalizingly within reach when she settles in Chesapeake Shores. The welcoming arms of the boisterous, loving O'Brien clan embrace her and her son. But accepting their support seems to further alienate her son's father, Connor O'Brien. His parents' divorce and his career as a high-powered divorce attorney have left him jaded about marriage.

Then everything changes. Will the possibility of a future without Heather make Connor look at love and his career differently? Heather's just about given up on her old dreams—of love, of family and especially of Driftwood Cottage, the home she secretly wishes were hers. It's going to take a lot of persuasion—and some help from the O'Brien family—to make Heather believe that some dreams are worth fighting for.

My Thoughts: The first Sherryl Woods book I ever read was "A Chesapeake Shores Christmas", which was my introduction both to her writing and to the O'Brien family. My review of that book (#4 in the series) emphasized the point that it was just such a "nice story". When I saw the chance to read the next in the series, Driftwood Cottage, I couldn't resist. I found that I really liked the O'Brien family, and there had been enough lead in to Connor and Heather's story (the focus of Driftwood Cottage) that I just HAD to find out how they got their Happy Ever After.

Of all the O'Brien kids, Connor is the one who took his parents divorce, and subsequent remarriage, the hardest. A top-notch, tough as nails divorce lawyer, he had sworn never to marry. He even went so far as to hide the fact he had a long-time live-in girlfriend and a son from his family. That secret was blown to pieces in the previous book, and his life is turned upside down when Heather leaves him. In Driftwood Cottage, we see Heather working to begin a life on her own, doing so in Chesapeake Shores, the home of the O'Briens.

There is never any doubt in either of the two Woods books I've read that there is going to be a HEA. Yet how the couples in question get to that point is done in such a way to keep it interesting, and reflects a good amount of emotion and drama and family life that smacks as true. The O'Briens are amazing meddlers in each other's lives, yet there's always the undercurrent of love in all their actions.

Not only did I enjoy Connor and Heather's story in Driftwood Cottage, but I enjoyed getting a sneak peak at the next two couples whose stories are yet to come. Like I said, there's no surprises here about who couples will end up with, or will they end up together, but how they get there is done in a way that keeps the reader interested and leaves you feeling good when the book is done. This is not my typical type of book or author, but I'm looking forward to the next installments of the O'Brien family story.

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Review: Firelight

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


From Goodreads - A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

My Thoughts - I'd heard (read) a lot about this book over the past year and finally decided to add myself to the library wait list. I was put off a bit at first because of the overall writing style...it seemed sort of choppy, reminding me a bit of Stephanie Laurens, with very short or almost incomplete sentences. Yet the story overall stuck with me (even after I went to bed last night I found myself thinking about it!) and I did enjoy it. Jacinda is in some ways a typical tormented teenager -- yet her issues are much different than those of a typical teen. You can't help but pull for her and Will, and I'm anxious to see how that relationship continues to develop into the next book, and more about the secret we learn about him toward the end of the book. We're definitely left with a bit of a cliffhanger, with Jacinda and her sister fleeing with Cassius back to the pride (we think). I enjoyed the story, after a while becoming more or less immune to the style. If anything, it might have helped make it the quick read it was. I'm looking forward to book two and think I need to go put my name on the wait list now!


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