tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9564937632075836592024-03-19T15:16:58.607+08:00Love Saves the WorldA romance novel a day keeps all sorts of bad, sad, mad things away.Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.comBlogger975125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-17023942915456392362016-11-07T10:38:00.000+08:002016-11-07T10:38:56.808+08:00Happy Release Day! Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin (Book Review)<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-Appleby-Baleful-Godmother-Historical-ebook/dp/B01KBGITJQ/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1478411923&sr=8-1&keywords=emily+larkin&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=63432623347ae9d1e7e51a87db896ba0" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01KBGITJQ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01KBGITJQ" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2fPONTg">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a></center><blockquote>Title: Unmasking Miss Appleby<br />
Series: Baleful Godmother #1<br />
Author: Emily Larkin<br />
Genre: Historical Romance<br />
Release Date: November 7, 2016<br />
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<b>Blurb:</b> <br />
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On her 25th birthday, Charlotte Appleby receives a most unusual gift from the Faerie godmother she never knew she had: the ability to change shape.<br />
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Penniless and orphaned, she sets off for London to make her fortune as a man. But a position as secretary to Lord Cosgrove proves unexpectedly challenging. Someone is trying to destroy Cosgrove and his life is increasingly in jeopardy.<br />
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As Charlotte plunges into London’s backstreets and brothels at Cosgrove’s side, hunting his persecutor, she finds herself fighting for her life -- and falling in love ...</blockquote><br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
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When her father died, Charlotte Appleby lost everything and now depends on the charity of her uncle's household -- but it isn't without any strings attached: her aunt and cousin treat her like a servant, and actually call her "Charity" and her uncle isn't any better. Charlotte is ready to leave, and strike out on her own but, she has no money and no connections -- how would she survive? <br />
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Enter her Faerie Godmother, who visits Charlotte on her 25th birthday and grants her one wish. I liked that idea that the Faerie Godmother has to bestow one wish to every daughter born in Charlotte's maternal side. Charlotte's own mother wished for the ability to fly, and Charlotte very wisely chooses for the ability to change her form. There was a part of me that wished there was a preface to the story, which would tackle the interesting arrangement between the Faerie Godmother and the women in Charlotte's family. (I'm also curious about how her mother used her ability, and how come Charlotte never realized her mother could fly.)<br />
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With her new ability, the world suddenly opens up new opportunities for Charlotte: she could now, literally, be anyone she wanted to be. As she read through the classified section, two ads stood out: one for a schoolmistress, and the other as secretary to a lord. Charlotte chooses to apply for the position of secretary, but she could not apply as a female. And so, Charlotte becomes Christopher Albin. <br />
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I've read novels where the heroine masquerades as a young lad, but I don't think I've ever read one where the heroine actually becomes male -- and the author does a good job of describing how disorientating the experience is for Charlotte. What is a penis and how does it work? What do men wear underneath all those layers, and how do you go about acquiring them?<br />
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The lord in search of a secretary is Marcus, the Earl of Cosgrove, a very vocal opponent of slave labor and he is preparing to make his case in the House of the Lords, then there is the personal scandal involving his wife, and both of these have brought trouble to his door. From broken glass windows, the attacks have escalated, and the latest one resulted in the injury of his secretary, which is why Lord Cosgrove is looking for a replacement, to help him uncover who is behind all these attacks.<br />
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Charlotte/Christopher proves to be a very capable and perceptive secretary, but he also proves to be a very innocent and naive secretary -- it's very clear to Marcus, Lord Cosgrove, that Charlotte/Christopher had led a very sheltered life, and it brings out a protectiveness in him. The relationship that grows between Marcus and Charlotte/Christopher is one of master and apprentice, and Marcus is <i>almost</i> a father figure to Charlotte/Christopher. Almost. Again, I love how the author doesn't shy away from exploring Charlotte/Christopher's attraction to Marcus, and, in a few circumstances, the attraction has a *koff* physical manifestation.<br />
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The story reads very well as Marcus and Charlotte/Christopher continue to investigate the attacks on Marcus, and the motives behind it, and it would have worked well as a detective story a la Sherlock Holmes, but, of course, this is a Historical Romance novel, and the author manages to create a convincing scenario in which Marcus also meets and interacts with Charlotte.<br />
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It's an ironic situation: the reader knows it's the same person, and there are some similarities in the mannerisms of Charlotte and Christopher, and I kept waiting for Marcus to make the connection. But I think Marcus was too immersed in his investigation to realize it sooner.<br />
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When the story began, and Charlotte was presented with her powers, I worried about how limitless it seemed. All superheroes have a weakness, and Charlotte, with her new ability, didn't seem to have one: she could metamorphose into anything she wanted and any time. It's worrisome to think of how this power might be abused if it was given to the wrong person, but Charlotte never gets tempted to use it beyond her needs.<br />
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Overall, this was an engrossing and entertaining read. Emily Larkin hints at some very interesting tidbits about Charlotte's parents, and I hope she writes about them. ^_^<br />
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<b>Unmasking Miss Appleby</b> is the first book in Emily Larkin's new series, <i>A Baleful Godmother</i>. To find out more about Emily Larkin and her books, click below:<br />
<b><center><a href="http://www.emilylarkin.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EmilyLarkinAuthor/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6943048.Emily_Larkin?from_search=true">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/emily-larkin">Bookbub</a></b></center><br />
Disclosure: I received a review copy from the author. Yes, this is an honest review.<br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com153tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-33030236354801457362016-10-23T18:09:00.001+08:002016-10-23T18:09:39.299+08:0099-cent and $1.99 Historical Romance Novels<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Only-Lady-Theodosia-Sword-Book-ebook/dp/B01KF1YSDI/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477215062&sr=1-89&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=16d9851247fa940238b971921e18b20f" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01KF1YSDI&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01KF1YSDI" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ectnNd">Only For His Lady by Christy Caldwell</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ectnNd">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the novella:</b><br />
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114 pages, 29 reviews (Avevage customer rating: 4.9 stars)<br />
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<i>***Please note, "Only For His Lady" was previously featured in the "With Dreams Only of You" collection. It now features a prologue and epilogue! It is an approximately 30,000 word novella. </i><br />
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A curse. A sword. And the thief who stole her heart.<br />
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The Rayne family is trapped in a rut of bad luck. And now, it's up to Lady Theodosia Rayne to steal back the Theodosia sword, a gladius that was pilfered by the rival, loathed Renshaw family. Hopefully, recovering the stolen sword will break the cycle and reverse her family's fate.<br />
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Damian Renshaw, the Duke of Devlin, is feared by all--all, that is, except Lady Theodosia, the brazen spitfire who enters his home and wrestles an ancient relic from his wall. Intrigued by the vivacious woman, Devlin has no intentions of relinquishing the sword to her. <br />
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As Theodosia and Damian battle for ownership, passion ignites. Now, they are torn between their age-old feud and the fire that burns between them. Can two forbidden lovers find a way to make amends before their families' war tears them apart?</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Three-Weeks-Wed-Worthingtons-Book-ebook/dp/B010ZZXX2G/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477214879&sr=1-32&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=29134d3c52e94a584180dfe576867228" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B010ZZXX2G&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B010ZZXX2G" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ekgYu7">Three Weeks to Wed by Ella Quinn</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ekgYu7">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
320 pages, 81 reviews (Average customer rating: 3.9 stars)<br />
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<i>In the first book of her dazzling new series, bestselling author Ella Quinn introduces the soon-to-be Earl and Countess of Worthington -- lovers who have more in common than they yet know. The future promises to be far from boring ...</i><br />
<br />
Lady Grace Carpenter is ready to seize the day -- or rather, the night -- with the most compelling man she's ever known. Marriage would mean losing guardianship of her beloved siblings, and surely no sane gentleman will take on seven children not his own. But if she can have one anonymous tryst with Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, Grace will be content to live out the rest of her life as a spinster. <br />
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Matt had almost given up hope of finding a wife who could engage his mind as well as his body. And now this sensual, intelligent woman is offering herself to him. What could be more perfect? Except that after one wanton night, the mysterious Grace refuses to have anything to do with him. Amid the distractions of the Season he must convince her, one delicious encounter at a time, that no obstacle -- or family -- is too much for a man who's discovered his heart's desire ...</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luck-Lady-Fallen-Ladies-Book-ebook/dp/B018IRSLCA/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477217163&sr=1-1&keywords=amy+sandas&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=bc6346f828c5438077eeba8ddae52ac9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B018IRSLCA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B018IRSLCA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2eznbOU">Luck is No Lady by Amy Sandas</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2eznbOU">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
417 pages, 43 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.6 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>He's the dangerously charming owner of a gambling hell. <br />
She's the brilliant daughter of a gentleman drowning in debt. <br />
Forced to use her talent for mathematics to save her family, Emma finds herself drawn from London's glittering ballrooms deep into its gritty underworld ... and discovers there the pleasure of falling from grace.</i><br />
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Emma Chadwick always assumed she'd live and die the daughter of a gentleman. But when her father's death reveals a world of staggering debt and dangerous moneylenders, she must risk her good name and put her talent for mathematics to use, taking a position as bookkeeper at London's most notorious gambling hell. Surrounded by vice and corruption on all sides, it is imperative the ton never discovers Emma's shameful secret or her reputation -- and her life -- will be ruined.<br />
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But Roderick Bentley, the hell's sinfully wealthy owner, awakens a hunger Emma cannot deny. Drawn deep into an underworld of high stakes gambling and reckless overindulgence, she soon discovers that to win the love of a ruthless scoundrel, she will have to play the game ... and give in to the pleasure of falling from grace.<br />
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<i>"You should not have kissed me," she replied breathlessly. <br />
"I do a lot of things I shouldn't. It does not mean I won't do them again."</i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/English-Bride-Scotland-Highlander-Book-ebook/dp/B009NFBC0A/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477215320&sr=1-185&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=2f74c1733d23feff3d462784a16440bc" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B009NFBC0A&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B009NFBC0A" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2dzNPVs">An English Bride in Scotland by Lynsay Sands</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2dzNPVs">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
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389 pages, 242 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.3 stars)<br />
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Annabel had planned to become a nun. But when her mother arrives at the Abbey to bring her home to marry a Scottish laird -- her runaway sister’s intended husband -- her life takes a decidedly different turn.<br />
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And though Annabel isn’t the wife he’d planned for, strong, sexy Ross McKay is taken with his shy, sweet bride.<br />
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Annabel knows nothing about being a wife, running a castle—or the marriage bed. But her handsome new husband makes her want to learn. When Annabel’s life is threatened, Ross vows to move the highlands itself to save her and preserve the passion that’s only beginning to bloom.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Lairds-Fiancees-Book-ebook/dp/B004XFYWNY/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477214988&sr=1-51&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=6e84ad0c1ce15b67f7aa4d12c9dae89d" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004XFYWNY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B004XFYWNY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ekif4n">The Bride by Julie Garwood</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ekif4n">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
388 pages, 816 reviews (Average customer rating: )<br />
<br />
By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. His choice is Jamie, youngest daughter of Baron Jamison -- a feisty, violet-eyed beauty. Alec aches to touch her, to tame her, to possess her ... forever. But Jamie has vowed never to surrender to a man she considers a highland barbarian.<br />
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Alec is everything Jamie’s heart has warned her against—an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks speak of savage pleasures. While Kincaid’s scorching kisses set fire to her blood, she is determined to resist him ... until one rapturous moment quells their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatens to conquer her senses ...</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Storm-Laura-Kinsale-ebook/dp/B000OI0F26/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477214988&sr=1-54&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=b1fafd094696eb94c8088b9ec2198731" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000OI0F26&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000OI0F26" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ecxbhp">Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ecxbhp">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
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565 pages, 354 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.4 stars)<br />
<br />
The Duke of Jervaulx was brilliant and dangerous. Considered dissolute, reckless, and extravagant, he was transparently referred to as the ′D of J′ in scandal sheets, where he and his various exploits featured with frequency. But sometimes the most womanising rake can be irresistible, and even his most casual attentions fascinated the sheltered Maddy Timms, quiet daughter of a simple mathematician.</blockquote>
Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com143tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-1234512174614777232016-10-21T08:51:00.001+08:002016-10-21T10:19:35.770+08:00Book Review: Never Trust a Pirate by Anne Stuart<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Never-Trust-Pirate-Scandal-Russell/dp/1477849114/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1474539308&sr=8-28&keywords=anne+stuart&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=d2c66b76851a9e2829c5ad757d3f4e35" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1477849114&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1477849114" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2dmbWLQ">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a></center><br />
In the second book of Anne Stuart's <i>Scandal in the House of Russell</i> series, she features two characters who aren't who they claim to be: Mary Greaves, is really Madeline Russell, the second of three daughters of the disgraced shipping magnate, Eustace Russell, who died while being investigated for embezzling his own company. And Thomas Morgan isn't really an English privateer-turned-shipping magnate, but Luca, a Gypsy, with a less-than-pristine background.<br />
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Following the same theme of cat-and-mouse, Maddy enters Thomas's house as Mary, a maid-of-all-work, hoping she could find some evidence to exonerate her father. Maddy doesn't count on being attracted to Thomas, and it proves to complicate her already-complicated situation: she's the help, and he's her employer; and, he's also supposed to be her enemy.<br />
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Unlike Bryony, Maddy is beautiful and still has prospects, fending off (but also considering) the proposal of an aging lord, but she is more determined to clear her family's name and restore a bit of her family's status in society. To say that life in service came as a culture shock to Madeline is an understatement -- and I got the sense that Stuart reveled in going into detail just how far down the Russells had fallen. Madeline continues to reminisce about the luxuries of her past life as she scrubbed and cleaned Thomas's house. In many instances, she looks at her hands and bemoans their current condition, knowing she could never have them be smooth and flawless ever again.<br />
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There was a part of me that felt that the author dwelt too much on this detail of Maddy's life -- but there was also another part of me that felt it was necessary for Maddy to go through this trial by fire. And I have to admire her for her tenacity -- a lesser person would have given up after an hour with the dust and the bats, but Maddy remained. A lesser person would have quit after being asked to work to the point of exhaustion, and then given very little to eat and very little time to rest. But Maddy was fighting for something greater than herself -- and I'm glad to see that our heroine isn't just a self-absorbed heiress intending to regain her life of comfort. What Maddy was fighting for was for her and her sisters to regain their father as they had known him: a man who worked hard, and provided well -- and it is tragic that their last memory of him is that of a man on the brink of a breakdown, suspicious of everything and everyone.<br />
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I liked seeing Thomas and Maddy dance around each other -- they both know they're there under false pretenses. Thomas is trying to marry a lady who would cement his position in society, but the part of him that is Gypsy, Luca, is suffocating under all the politeness and manners, and yearns to break free and sail away. Thomas knows Maddy/Mary isn't who she claims to be, and he is just waiting for her to make a slip. There's a clear attraction between the two, but I don't see a development in the relationship -- there's definitely admiration and respect, but I don't see love nor do I see how it could've developed in such difficult and limited circumstances.<br />
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But I have to admire that neither one compromises on their principles because of lust -- Maddy is focused on her goal to find evidence, and Thomas wants her to admit her real identity first. The author maintains a tense dynamic between our hero and heroine -- then she introduces a silent, unseen villain who is intent to do bodily harm to Maddy. This is the other weakness of the story -- the villain isn't clearly established, and I was initially confused about who he was in the story. As the story gained momentum, though, it because clearer who he was and his connection to the downfall of Maddy's father.<br />
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I felt that the author was considering two endings for our heroine: one involved the ship named after her, which Thomas had been wanting to acquire. It was clever for the author to put Maddy in this interesting position: neither Maddy nor her sisters knew that Maddy still owned something of monetary value. They had believed that all of their possessions had been seized. Thomas wanted to buy the ship, but needed to locate the owner to sign it over. I would've wanted to see how this particular plot thread would have played out: it would restore something to Maddy and her sisters, and put them in a less-desperate situation. But the author decided to resolve this in the conventional way: with Thomas and Maddy falling in love with each other.<br />
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Anne Stuart sets the stage very well for the third, and final book in the series: the list of suspects has been narrowed down to one, but, even the sisters agree that he is the most unlikely of villains. It will be very interesting to see how the author plans to resolve this mystery.<br />
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<b>Never Trust a Pirate</b> is Book 2 in the Scandal in the House of Russell series by Anne Stuart. To find out more about Anne Stuart and her books, click below:<br />
<center><b><a href="http://anne-stuart.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/author.annestuart">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/TheAnneStuart">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13635.Anne_Stuart">Goodreads</a></b></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-70424441115440611882016-09-10T14:14:00.000+08:002016-09-10T14:14:19.246+08:00Review: No Mistress of Mine by Laura Lee Guhrke<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-Mistress-Mine-American-Heiress/dp/0062334670/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1473308359&sr=8-1&keywords=laura+lee+guhrke&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=2589a9d59327101685cb2986cfc92241" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0062334670&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0062334670" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2bZOtOq">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/No-Mistress-of-Mine-Laur-Lee-Guhrke/9780062334671?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
The final book in Laura Lee Guhrke's <i>An American Heiress in London series</i> features Denys, fun, theater-loving Viscount Somerton: heir to an earldom -- who, six years ago, used all of his money, and mortgaged his estate to fund a theater production that headlined his mistress, Lola Valentine. It was a gamble that failed miserably, both critically and financially -- and, to add salt to the wound, Lola eventually left him, after rejecting his offer of marriage. Denys has since picked up the pieces of his near-bankrupt life, and has regained the trust of his family. He's getting ready to court his childhood friend, Lady Georgiana -- and life seems to be going smoothly for him.<br />
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Until he receives news that his partner in the Imperial Theater has died, and has left his half of the theater to his former mistress. Old resentments, and old pain become new again as our former lovers try to redefine their business partnership. The power struggle is inevitable, but I felt Denys was really caught off guard by Lola's return to his life -- Lola plans to revive her theater career, and prove to the London theater community that she is an actress, and also plans to be an active partner in running the Imperial. <br />
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Lola's presence threatens to destroy the fragile trust that Denys and his father Earl Conyers have built up, and also threatens to destroy the budding relationship he has with Lady Georgiana. So much was at stake for Denys, and I didn't see what Lola had to lose -- she really could just pack up and leave any time she wanted: with or without her, the theater would continue to operate, and she would continue to receive her share of the profits -- that, and the money she inherited from Henry Latham, could allow her to live comfortably the rest of her days. <br />
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So why return to London? Why risk an established career and reputation in New York? Why risk a confrontation with a spurned former lover? There are a lot of unexamined motivations that drive Lola forward, and I kept waiting for her to realize them.<br />
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Denys, on the other hand, stood to lose everything he had worked for up to that point -- and, if I were him, I would have taken the option to sell their half of the theater (as he and his father discussed). but, there was still a part of him that really longed to be with Lola, and that's the reason he stays and works with her. Denys's motivation is simple: it's love -- it has always been love. During their first relationship, Denys was prepared to sacrifice everything and marry Lola, and it's still that fundamental desire that propels him to make the decision to trust Lola again.<br />
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There's a lot of tension in Denys and Lola's encounters -- so many truths unsaid, so many emotions kept hidden -- especially on Lola's part. She was worried that Denys would see her differently if he knew everything about her past, and, perhaps there was a part of Lola that doubted Denys's love, and she kept trying to test it. As I read further, I felt that Lola's doubts were unfounded -- yes, Denys was young when he first proposed to her, and, yes, Denys didn't know the full extent of her scandalous career before they met -- but Denys gave me the impression that he knew what he was doing, and he knew what he felt.<br />
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But, perhaps, Denys wasn't completely aware of the class difference between him and Lola, or that he chooses to ignore it. I understand that Lola worried about how her affiliation with Denys could affect his standing in society as Viscount Somerton. Lola knows she cannot be selfish, and separate Denys from everything that he has grown up with. She made the painful decision of walking away all those years ago -- it was a selfless, but painful sacrifice that hurt both of them.<br />
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I did love the idea of history repeating itself: Denys is in the same situation he was in all those years ago. They're getting a second chance at their relationship, and we wonder whether our hero and heroine have learned from the past, or will the outcome be the same?<br />
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Finally, I would like to see Lady Georgiana get her happy ending. While Denys explains that he made no overt statement about his intentions towards her, it was very obvious where their relationship was headed -- but it was all interrupted by Lola's reappearance. I really thought she and Denys had a very good relationship.<br />
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<b>No Mistress of Mine</b> is Book 4 in Laura Lee Guhrke's <i>An American Heiress in London series</i>. To find out more about Laura Lee Guhrke and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://lauraleeguhrke.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LauraLeeGuhrkeAuthor">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38065.Laura_Lee_Guhrke?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/LauraLeeGuhrke">Twitter</a></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-12664391795753689492016-08-31T16:13:00.000+08:002016-08-31T16:13:14.039+08:00Book Review: Will's True Wish by Grace Burrowes<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wills-True-Wish-Gentlemen/dp/1492621080/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1472457646&sr=8-7&keywords=grace+burrowes&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=ff38eed5ab8d3c67fbcf6189b8364956" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1492621080&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1492621080" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2c2gRhf">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Wills-True-Wish-Grace-Burrowes/9781492621089?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
One of this novel's wonderfully <i>novel</i> treats is a family named after trees -- Willow Dorning is our hero, the second of many Dornings, a titled, but impoverished family. Four of them are in London for the Season, with the sole purpose of finding Grey, the eldest, and the Earl of Casriel, a wife. Will is especially invested in this endeavor, because, having his older brother married would mean freeing him from the responsibilities of being the heir. I love how steady Will is. He provides great support to his brother, the Earl, who clearly depends on him. He's also able to reign in his siblings. Perhaps his calm comes from being a dog trainer, which he views more as a passion project than as a means to make money. Will really, really loves dogs.<br />
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Susannah Haddonfield is also in London, accompanying her sister Della, and hoping to get her married. Susannah is also invested in her family's endeavor, because, having Della finally married, would allow Susannah to retire quietly in the country and enjoy her life of spinsterhood. On the surface, things seem to be going well for Della (and Susannah): she's enjoying the attentions of a handsome gentleman, Viscount Effington, who seems to be getting ready to propose to her at the end of the season, but, as the Season progresses, speculations about Della's parentage start to circulate around the ballrooms, and Susannah wants to know who is the source of these damaging rumors. <br />
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Then, dogs start to go missing, leaving a trail of heartbroken, and desperate aristocratic owners wanting their beloved pets back -- and suspicion falls on Will and his brothers.<br />
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I love how Grace Burrowes presents separate, but connected problems to our hero and heroine: it shows that Susannah, on her own is capable, and Will, on his own, is similarly able -- and I have no doubt that they would have figured out the solutions on their own, but, when they lean in, and contribute their time and skills to help the other -- there's just a magnification of each other's strengths and weaknesses. It was really exciting to see them work together. <br />
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Then there is their shared problem: Susannah and Will love each other, but Will (literally) can't afford to get married yet -- he has an older brother to marry off, younger brothers to settle down, and his own finances to take care of. He's asked his brother in-law to invest what little he has earned from training dogs, and he's hoping to reap the benefits of his investments some time in the future -- but not yet. Susannah doesn't really care about the money, but she respects that Will has goals that he wants to accomplish, and she's there to help him.<br />
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I'm trying to think of how to describe Susannah and Will, and they're really not the most interesting members of their family -- or the most distinguished. The most unique thing about Susannah is her love for Shakespeare, and the thing that makes Will stand out from all his siblings is his love for dogs -- but these are loves that both our hero and heroine have pursued passionately and diligently. They're really the boring middle children, but, there's something so comforting and so apt that these two would find and fall in love with each other, and you know that they will pursue this relationship with the same passion and diligence.<br />
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Once again, Grace Burrowes presents tension and conflict that simmer just a little on the surface -- a lot of it occurs quietly in the shadows and the backrooms of London. The author presents all the clues: missing pets, bear baiting, a titled peer who secretly desperately needs money, etc. It seems easy to connect the dots, but Burrowes excels in surprising you when you least expect it. <br />
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All in all, this was another satisfying offering from this beloved author.<br />
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<b>Will's True Wish</b> is Book 3 in Grace Burrowes's True Gentlemen series. To find out more about Grace Burrowes and her books, click below:<br />
<b><center><a href="http://graceburrowes.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Grace-Burrowes-115039058572197/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/GraceBurrowes">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4152482.Grace_Burrowes?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a></b></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-58093468859506958582016-08-24T12:27:00.000+08:002016-08-24T12:27:29.090+08:00Book Review: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Winterborne-Lisa-Kleypas/dp/0062371851/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1471401496&sr=8-1&keywords=lisa+kleypas&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=3cc6bf3847ff114a61550d5022855d2d" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0062371851&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0062371851" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2aYIlbp">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Marrying-Winterbourne-Lis-Kleypas/9780062371850?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
Helen Ravenel isn't the first frail, but strong beauty that Lisa Kleypas has written about: there's <a href="http://amzn.to/2blMRQF">Evie from <b>The Devil in Winter</b></a>, there's <a href="http://amzn.to/2bm1hPw">Win from <b>Seduce Me at Sunrise</b></a>, there's <a href="http://amzn.to/2bz7XKJ">Tasia from <b>Midnight Angel</b></a> -- and Kleypas always pairs them with very strong, very capable men. It's a great pairing that always produces very interesting chemistry, as the couples explore the dichotomy between strong/fragile, virile/ultra-feminine, dark/luminous -- but Kleypas never does a disservice to her heroines by suggesting that they are less than their male counterparts -- she always shows that, hidden beneath that delicacy and innocence are cores of steel that do not bend or break when tested.<br />
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Rhys is Welsh and a businessman, which makes him an outsider of Helen's world, and Rhys has always felt that he needed to prove himself to society. Despite his wealth and success, Rhys feels he still doesn't have what he needs to validate himself: society's acceptance and approval. In the early chapters of the book, Rhys remembers how he thought Helen was repulsed by his size, his lack of upbringing, etc, and he resented her for it.<br />
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Despite my excitement (and love) for <a href="http://www.lovesavestheworld.com/2015/10/book-review-cold-hearted-rake-by-lisa.html">Cold-Hearted Rake</a>, it took me a while to finally buy and then read <b>Marrying Winterborne</b>, the second book in the Ravenel series. Here's why -- I wasn't certain there was a story left to tell here: Rhys and Helen are attracted to each other, and got engaged very quickly in the first book -- yes, there was that kiss and the grand misunderstanding that ensued, leaving Rhys to believe that Helen had broken off their engagement, and for Helen to wonder what she did wrong. This picks up a few weeks after the first book, and Helen and Rhys are trying to negotiate the new terms of their newly-restarted engagement. I wondered what sort of tension and obstacle Kleypas would come up with to test our couple's love and resolve -- <br />
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I didn't like the bargain Rhys and Helen struck -- exchanging sex for the engagement, and there were times I felt that our couple only "communicated" when they were physically intimate. Outside of the bedroom, their conversation didn't seem to progress beyond Rhys's hatred for Albion Vance (the villain in this story) and also how he feels he isn't gentle enough with Helen. In return, Helen's only role seems to be to placate and assure him that he takes very good care of her. I understand that Helen wanted to delay the wedding, so that she could observe the mourning period for her brother, but, they way they behaved in society (traveling from Eversby Priory to Ravenel House in London, and then back) and then going out to Winterborne's didn't seem characteristic of people in mourning. Yes, it added to the tension of "will they or won't they (get married)" -- but it felt more like a convenient excuse rather than a sincere desire to me.<br />
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The obstacle Kleypas placed in the path of our hero and heroine is Albion Vance -- I'm trying to recall if this enmity is something that was established in the previous story, but I could see why Helen was hesitant to talk to Rhys about Albion Vance. A lot of the conflict is really internal: Helen carried the burden and guilt of her secret, which she knew, could potentially destroy her relationship with Rhys.<br />
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What I did like is how Helen gradually becomes more and more assertive as she spends more time with Rhys. I love how she ventured out on her own, with the help of Dr. Garret Gibson -- and how, eventually, she realizes that she is her own person, and that she doesn't need her family or Rhys to define who she is. Her one great act of courage came at the end when she had to make a difficult decision between pursuing her own happiness, or to continue as she is -- and be content in making others happy.<br />
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The standout characters here are Dr. Gibson and Mrs. Fernby -- both employed at Winterborne's. Mrs. Fernby is the unblinking, and terribly loyal secretary, who handles all of Rhy's affairs. It's amazing she handles everything so capably, and that she doesn't cower to Rhys -- she voices out something that I kept thinking about: that Rhys ought to do the decent thing and protect Helen's reputation. Dr. Gibson is a revelation -- literally and figuratively -- I look forward to reading more about the new doctor Rhys has hired in future books. (There seem to be some sparks between her and Tom Severin.) ^_^<br />
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<b>Marrying Winterborne</b> is the second book in the Ravenel Family series. To find out more about Lisa Kleypas and her books, click below:<br />
<b><center><a href="http://www.lisakleypas.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LisaKleypas/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/27847.Lisa_Kleypas?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Lisakleypas">Twitter</a></b></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-34853732008173035182016-08-16T13:04:00.000+08:002016-08-16T13:10:19.220+08:00Happy Release Day! To Kiss a Thief by Susanna Craig (ARC Review, debut author)<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Thief-Runaway-Desires-ebook/dp/B018CGZ1JS/ref=as_li_ss_il?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1471149438&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=a67625f31a479b5ebe84be493b75d1e4" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B018CGZ1JS&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B018CGZ1JS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2aTmvpZ">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a></center><br />
To begin, I read this book in one night -- with all the things that are happening in my life, that's a big deal for me, because it usually takes me a week to finish one book.<br />
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Sarah Pevensey's father arranged a marriage for her with St. John Sutcliffe, Viscount Fairfax, and heir to the Marquess of Estley -- after two weeks of married life, Sarah still isn't convinced that she and St. John are a good fit. She worries about her future with St. John's coldness and indifference, but her marital problems are small compared to the problems that face her when she was found in a compromising position with another man during the ball to celebrate their marriage, and then being accused of stealing the Sutcliffe Family sapphires.<br />
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Believing her family had turned their backs on her, and believing her new mother-in-law, Sarah agrees to Lady Estley's plan to disappear from St. John's life.<br />
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It's three years later, and Sarah, as the Widow Fairfax has lived a quiet and comfortable life in the small village of Haverhythe -- she doesn't know that her husband fought a duel for her, and believing he had killed Captain Brice, the man who was with Sarah that fateful evening, quickly left the country and set off for the West Indies.<br />
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But St. John is back, and, when he discovers that his wife had not died (as his family had told him), sets out to find her -- intending to conclude the unfinished business between them. He wants to discover what happened to her that night, and what happened to his family's sapphires.<br />
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It's a strange reunion for our estranged couple who never wanted to be married to each other, but I have to admire St. John's determination to honor his marriage vows, even when Sarah offers him a way out. It's one of the many questions that the author addresses in her story: how do you convince two married people in an arranged marriage that there is a happily-ever-after for them? Would Sarah's perceived indiscretion matter? Would the missing sapphire necklace matter? Should they?<br />
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Their first foray into their marriage didn't start off well, but Sarah and St. John have an opportunity to try again -- but, can they build a new relationship on a foundation of unanswered questions? It doesn't help that Sarah never gives St. John a direct answer, but, instead, constantly challenges his faith in her by letting him arrive to his own conclusions based on what he observes of her.<br />
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This is a novel that has a lot of twists and surprises, but none of them are unexpected -- the author does a wonderful job of leaving enough hints and clues, so that we, too, can come to a our own conclusion about who is/are responsible for the tangle that Sarah and St. John find themselves in. <br />
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It's truly a compelling read from beginning to end.<br />
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<b>To Kiss a Thief</b> is Book 1 in Susanna Craig's <i>Runaway Desires</i> series and her debut novel. To find out more about Susanna Craig and her books, click below:<br />
<center><b><a href="http://www.susannacraig.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/susannacraigauthor">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/susannacraig">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/SusannaMCraig">Twitter</a></b></center><br />
Disclosure: I received this ARC via Netgalley. Thank you to Susanna Craig and Lyrical Press for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.<br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-1140347452783273632016-08-14T20:12:00.000+08:002016-08-14T20:12:01.238+08:0099-cent historical romances Hi, all!<br />
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Here's this week's featured 99-cent historical romance novels found on Amazon --<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Major-Lord-David-Sherry-Ferguson-ebook/dp/B00B20XFWM/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1471174463&sr=1-54&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=0bed84f7e34022daa4cbf86055d4a14b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00B20XFWM&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00B20XFWM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2b3qJck">Major Lord David by Sherry Lynn Ferguson<br />
$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
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185 pages, 36 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.2 stars)<br />
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Decades of war with France are over and Napoleon Bonaparte is safely confined on Elba. Yet Major Lord David Trent finds his homecoming far from peaceful. His father, the Duke of Braughton, is determined to see his son wed, and he has a very specific bride in mind his neighbor's daughter. David cannot recall that the neighbor even has a daughter, much less one he might find appealing! And after years spent fighting on the Peninsula, he is in no mood to be ordered to court anyone. Wilhelmina Caswell has always been in love with Lord David, as her family is well aware. Her preference, and the designs of both their fathers, would seem to make the match inevitable. But as the spring of 1815 advances along with an emboldened Bonaparte, a looming battle threatens thousands of lives and one growing love at Waterloo.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lure-Proper-Lady-Duke-Defying-Daughters-ebook/dp/B010ZXQAH8/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1471174463&sr=1-64&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=bc5c2ed605cc1b06f9d3aed46432543a" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B010ZXQAH8&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B010ZXQAH8" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2aRxpXs">To Lure a Proper Lady by Ashlyn MacNamara (Duke-Defying Daughters Book 1)<br />
$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
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257 pages, 56 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.2 stars)<br />
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When Lady Elizabeth Wilde and her sisters are summoned once again to their chronically anxious father’s deathbed, she’s shocked to find that his worries are at last justified. He’s terribly ill, and Lizzie suspects poison. But when she seeks help from the Bow Street Runners, her request is answered by a rough-hewn rogue known only as Dysart. Though his irreverent charm by turns shocks and captivates her, a man of Dysart’s background is an altogether inappropriate choice for a duke’s daughter -- isn’t he?<br />
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Although Dysart has his reasons to disdain polite society, the promise of supplemental income from a noble’s coffers is too tempting to deny. But if Dysart means to apprehend the culprit who poisoned the duke, he’ll need to avoid any and all distractions -- like the delicious swish of Lady Elizabeth’s hips. Yet as the investigation begins to unearth secrets he’d rather remain hidden, Dysart must decide at a moment’s notice whether to hold Elizabeth at arm’s length ... or pull her dangerously close.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ladys-Guide-Kiss-Rake-Misadventures-ebook/dp/B01HT9S1KK/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1471174566&sr=1-122&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=7f245bd764a69b763529774008a755a2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01HT9S1KK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01HT9S1KK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2brOCvb">A Lady's Guide to Kiss a Rake by Tanya Wilde (Misadventures of the Heart)<br />
$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
219 pages, 36 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.4 stars)<br />
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<i>SHE IS PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME ...</i><br />
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When Lady Josephine accepts a wager to lure a kiss from the most scandalous and depraved rake in England, she thought it an easy enough task. But one glimpse at the man in question and she foresees her reputation going up in glorious flames. It will not stop her from winning the wager, however, not even the vexing Marquis of St. Aldwyn, who is determined to stay firmly planted in her path to victory. <br />
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<i>HE IS NOT PLAYING ANY MORE GAMES ...</i><br />
<br />
The Fifth Marquis of St. Aldwyn, Damien Grenville, has come to the conclusion that he has lost his mind. Why else would he be drawn to the reckless Lady Josephine? And when he begins to realize she is up to no good, will he do everything in his power to ensure her reputation remains intact or will he decide to seduce her himself? But danger lurks in the shadows and when Lady Josephine is taken, Damien will stop at nothing to get her back.</blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lose-Duke-Days-Happens-Scotland-ebook/dp/B00JS6R7US/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1471174921&sr=1-392&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=123a1821cf260d34c57a2a5a636b6a0b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00JS6R7US&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00JS6R7US" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2aTMxJQ">How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Kate McKinley (What Happens in Scotland Book 1)<br />
$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
121 pages, 54 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington, is a man who gets what he wants. So when he sees the alluring Miss Pippa Welby from across a crowded ballroom, he vows to make her his. But the bold and spirited Pippa has sworn never to marry into the haute ton. Now Lucas must win her the only way he knows how -- one wicked kiss at a time. <br />
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The daughter of a wealthy tradesman, Pippa has been sneered at by the upper echelons her entire life. So when the duke arrives on her doorstep with an invitation to her own engagement ball -- to him -- in ten days, Pippa hatches a daring plan. She must lose the duke before the ball, or risk losing her own heart.</blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/CAPTURED-LAIRD-DOUGLAS-LEGACY-Book-ebook/dp/B00N39NXHW/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1471174638&sr=1-175&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=26601c909e9aac341f8c21914be931b0" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00N39NXHW&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00N39NXHW" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2aRyyOR">Captured by a Laird by Margaret Mallory (The Douglas Legacy Book 1)<br />
$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
280 pages, 119 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
<i><br />
THE DOUGLAS LEGACY <br />
The Douglas sisters, beauties all, are valuable pawns in their family’s bitter struggle to control the Scottish Crown. But when powerful enemies threaten, each Douglas lass will find she must face them alone. </i><br />
<br />
<i>CAPTURED BY A LAIRD </i><br />
Haunted by his father’s violent death, David Hume, the new laird of Wedderburn, sets out to make his name so feared that no one will dare harm his family again. The treacherous ally who played on his father’s weakness is dead and beyond David's vengeance, but his castle and young widow are ripe for the taking. The moment David lays eyes on the dark-haired beauty defending her wee daughters, however, he knows this frail-looking lass is the one person who could bring him to his knees. <br />
<br />
Wed at thirteen to a man who tried daily to break her spirit, Lady Alison Douglas is looking forward to a long widowhood. But when the fearsome warrior known as the Beast of Wedderburn storms her gates, she finds herself, once again, forced to wed a stranger. Alison is only a pawn to serve his vengeance, so why does this dark warrior arouse such fiery passion and an unwelcome longing in her heart? <br />
<br />
With death and danger looming, these two wounded souls must learn to trust each other ... for only love can save them.</blockquote>
Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-14432760181202271102016-08-13T21:15:00.001+08:002016-08-13T21:15:52.832+08:00Book Review: No Place for a Dame by Connie Brockway<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-Place-Dame-Connie-Brockway/dp/1477808582/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1471070278&sr=8-10&keywords=connie+brockway&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=58fa4dbb997ba91532dc388bd323c33c" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1477808582&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1477808582" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2bcYKXU">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/No-Place-for-Dame-Connie-Brockway/9781477808580?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
What drew me to this story is the premise, and the title says it all: Avery Quinn is entering a world that wasn't meant for her, and she is up against very challenging odds. For one, Avery Quinn wasn't born a lady -- she's the daughter of the Dalton Family gamekeeper, who happened to have saved the Marquess of Strand's life. Then, in a moment of sheer inspiration, asked to have his daughter receive an education, as a reward for his service.<br />
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So Avery Quinn received the best education any woman (or man) could have -- and, she has used the great gift her father and the Marquess has given her and used it to discover a comet. Now she intends to present her discovery to the Royal Astronomical Society -- a mens-only organization -- and hopes to become their first female member.<br />
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Avery is undaunted, because she has a plan -- but she needs the current Marquess of Strand, Giles Dalton, to help her.<br />
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Giles has always respected and thought very fondly of Avery -- but he recognized the risk of her most current scheme. If she is discovered, her reputation and her credibility would be destroyed. If she was discovered, his reputation and place in society would be destroyed as well. But Giles agrees -- because, for the first time in a very long time, he is participating in something that is meaningful ... though, admittedly, a bit crazy.<br />
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But Giles's agreement isn't purely out of goodwill -- he needs a cover as he investigates the disappearance of his friend Jack Seward. <br />
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The story proceeds at a very uneven pace -- the first half of the book establishes Giles's backstory and motivation, then discusses (at length) Avery's plans to masquerade as a male Avery Quinn. The story gets interesting when Giles and Avery admit to the attraction that has long brewed between the two of them -- and London serves as an interesting background for their most unusual courtship. There are no dances in ballrooms or dinners together -- Avery masquerades as a man in and out of Giles's London house, so their relationship develops through conversation.<br />
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What's interesting is that both of them seem to have felt this attraction long before the novel started, but neither of them acted on it. It's not an attraction that Giles had ever intended to pursue: he wants to do the honorable thing and leave Avery chaste, and Avery had never dreamed to overstep the social boundaries that separates her and Giles -- a gamekeeper's daughter does not fall in love with the master of the house. <br />
<br />
But you could clearly see that they are perfect for each other: Giles's backstory reveals how he's never been able to be his true self, he's always had to play a role -- for his father's sake, for his late brother's sake, etc. -- with Avery, he's really able to say and be exactly who he is. I get the sense that Avery was lonely -- despite living at Killylea (the Strand seat) with an army of servants, Avery didn't really have any confidantes or friends. Giles is the closest thing to a friend that Avery has.<br />
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What suffers the most is the investigation into Jack Seward's disappearance -- the blurb for the book hints that this is a major plot point in the story, but it is relegated to a few chapters. It does serve a purpose in resolving the story between Giles and Avery, but I did wish there would be more of Giles searching for his friend, with Avery's help. Avery shows that she has a very clever mind, and she could've been a big help to Giles -- instead, Giles kept that part of himself separate from his endeavors with Avery.<br />
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I had expected more based on the blurb, but Connie Brockway does deliver a solid story -- one that resolves quite nicely (and happily), though a bit too neatly in the end.<br />
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<b>No Place for a Dame</b> is Book 3 of Connie Brockway's <i>Royal Agents</i> series. To find out more about Connie Brockway and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://www.conniebrockway.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/connie.brockway/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/ConBroc">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/ConnieBrockway">Twitter</a></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-18349267191741390712016-07-29T11:05:00.000+08:002016-07-29T11:05:18.023+08:00Book Review: The Lady Who Lived Again by Thomasine Rappold (Debut Novel)<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Who-Lived-Again/dp/1616509929/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1469422952&sr=8-3&keywords=thomasine+rappold&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=eaa0bdc8ab96496f6aee29624f894b24" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1616509929&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1616509929" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ap964Q">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Lady-Who-Lived-Again-Thomasine-Rappold/9781616509927?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
This week, I had started and stopped reading three novels -- making it to 25%, and then giving up on them. I was about to call it a bad week of reading for me, and then I started reading Thomasine Rappold's debut novel, <b>The Lady Who Lived Again</b>, finished it, and loved it. <br />
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It's New York in the Gilded Age, but Thomasine Rappold has chosen to set her story in the gray and bleak, and appropriately named town of Misty Lake. I like the idea of <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mist">"mist"</a> -- that not-quite middke ground between clear and hazy -- not as solid-looking as clouds, but not a shapeless notion as fog -- it's perfect for the world where Madeline lives in: where her gift of healing lives alongside modern science.<br />
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Madeline Sutter was, perhaps, the fairest of the Fair Five. The leader of a group of the most beautiful and sought-after girls in Misty Lake. The world was their oyster, and everyone adored them. Life was good, and the future for all four girls was bright. Then the world turned upside down, when a birthday picnic in the mountains of Misty Lake ends in the tragic death of Madeline and her friends, but, strangely, Madeline returns from the dead a day after -- coincidentally on Friday the 13th.<br />
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Now Madeline bears the scars of the accident, the hostility of the families of her friends, the directed enmity of the town's pastor, and the suspicion of the rest of the town.<br />
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For three years, Madeline has accepted her lot as outcast, but, when her only friend, Amelia, one of the Fair Five (who was on holiday at the time of the accident), decides to return to Misty Lake for her wedding, and asks her the be part of the wedding party, Madeline's first instinct is to refuse, but, then, she realizes that Amelia might be right -- that this might be her chance to regain her place in society.<br />
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Jace Merrick is the new town Doctor: young, fresh from the Big City -- armed with skills and modern ideas. Jace is looks my for a fresh start after serving in the emergency rooms of Pittsburgh. He is weary and wary, and he is hoping that Misty Lake might restore a little bit of his faith in the world.<br />
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This is Thomasine Rappold's mesmerizing and compelling story of two people seeking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Both of them have handled themselves very well and survived on their own, but they discover that life, and the world becomes more bearable when they are together. What keeps you reading Rappold's debut novel is following Madeline's arduous journey, and how she bears the unbearable burden of being the only survivor of the town's worst tragedy. Her only allies are her grandfather, who is too sick and frail, and is confined to the house, her friend Amelia, whose family moved away from Misty Lake, and Jace Merrick, a new addition to the town.<br />
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You can't help but admire Madeline, who possesses a quiet dignity, and an overwhelming grace in the face of open hostility, but she is not perfect. You can see Madeline struggle, stumble, and fall -- but you also see a different Madeline, remnants of the old Madeline, one who charms and teases her way to getting what she wants. And I love that Madeline does not wallow in being a martyr -- she keeps herself active and proactive, despite all opposition.<br />
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Jace is a modern man who now lives in a town that hasn't moved forward: they've had the same pastor, they've had the same doctor, the same mercantile store owner, etc. -- it's a town that is alive, and bustling, but not quite at the same pace as the rest of the country. When Jace first meets Madeline, he is intrigued by her beauty -- and when he finds out Madeline's story, the scientist in him is intrigued even more. <br />
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Love and logic are at opposing poles for Jace, who struggles to maintain a professional distance from Madeline -- and with good reason: if he is to help Madeline regain the town's good opinion, she must preserve her reputation, and, if Jace is to be Madeline's greatest defender, he must show that he is an unbiased opinion. Madeline knows that her gifts are counter Jace's medical background, and the last thing she wants to do is expose herself to more scrutiny and judgment -- but the temptation to experience desire, to be admired for herself and not for her past -- it is irresistible.<br />
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Our hero and heroine represent opposite ends of the spectrum: Madeline relies on her emotions and feelings, and Jace is very analytical -- but, they compliment each other very well. Both are able to provide a unique perspective for the other -- I really love how well they worked together in Jace's clinic. ^_^<br />
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<b>The Lady Who Lived Again</b>, is, at it's core, a story of "you and me, against the world" -- and Thomasine Rappold could have easily created flat one-dimensional villains, but, the author does the fair thing, and provides the town with an honest, legitimate reason: someone's daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, or friend, died that day -- and they can't help but resent and be angry at Madeline, who survived, despite being the one driving the wagon. The town pastor, and the town doctor, could have, as moral pillars, called for calm, and order, but, they, too -- lost that day, and would stand to lose even more if they had stood by Madeline.<br />
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How the author resolves all is just as wonderful, and, for me, seals the deal -- making this a true 5-star read for me.<br />
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<b>The Lady Who Lived Again</b> is book 1 in Thomasine Rappold's <i>Sole Survivor series</i>, and her debut novel. To find out more about Thomasine Rappold and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://www.thomasinerappold.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThomasineRappoldAuthor">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/ThomRappold">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/thomrappold">Twitter</a></center>Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-34236427464685007682016-07-17T21:21:00.000+08:002016-07-17T21:29:12.216+08:0099-cent Historical Romance Novels<a href="http://avonromance.com/avononlinegiveaway/">Avon is offering 7 novels for FREE in celebration of the RWA weekend. Click here!</a><br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bluestocking-Rake-Norma-Darcy-ebook/dp/B00LWDQO2M/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468749921&sr=1-767&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=a6eca8f1e27c6dda264d63f0221c893f" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00LWDQO2M&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00LWDQO2M" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2akvk7n">The Bluestocking and The Rake by Norma Darcy</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2akvk7n">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<blockquote><b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
411 pages, 210 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>2014 Winner — Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award — Romance</i><br />
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The Earl of Marcham has decided to put the excesses of his colorful youth firmly behind him so that he may find a wife and beget himself an heir. But a straitlaced spinster may stand in his way after she releases a morality pamphlet exposing some of his most private misdemeanors. Determined to have his revenge and teach her a much-needed lesson, the earl decides that his best course of action is to seduce her ...<br />
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Miss Georgiana Blakelow has long given up the hope of marriage. Instead, she’s resigned to serving as governess to her siblings and saving the family estate from ruin. She might succeed, if only the wretch of an earl who won the estate at the gaming table would be reasonable.<br />
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As the sparks fly, and as Lord Marcham finds himself unexpectedly attracted to Miss Blakelow, she becomes even more determined to keep him at a safe distance. The closer he gets, the more likely he is to discover that his bluestocking isn’t all that she seems.</blockquote><br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seducer-Novel-Seducers-Book-ebook/dp/B000FBJAUU/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468749841&sr=1-695&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=0bd04375c32ba0a3e4c31043bfca6b7f" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000FBJAUU&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000FBJAUU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29FMgEA">The Seducer by Madeline Hunter (The Seducers Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29FMgEA">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<blockquote><b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
448 pages, 62 reviews (Average customer rating: 3.9 stars)<br />
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<i>She has captivated fans with unforgettable romance novels filled with suspense, seduction, mystery, and passionate love. Now bestselling author Madeline Hunter introduces “the Seducer” in a dazzling tale of a powerfully sensual man, a headstrong young innocent, and a scandalously perilous affair as forbidden as it is irresistible ... </i><br />
<br />
THE SEDUCER<br />
<br />
From the moment he arrived to rescue her, Diane Albret saw more in the darkly handsome, charismatic gentleman than just a guardian. Over the years that have passed since she first laid eyes on Daniel St. John, he had become, quite simply, the most dangerously irresistible man she could ever have imagined. Diane herself has changed from a bewildered schoolgirl, tragically orphaned, into a determined young woman of alluring charm and beauty. Now, leaving the cloistered life of her school, she has been brought to Daniel’s home with dreams of her own amid rumors and hints of scandal. But the legendary seducer seems to have other plans for Diane -- and he possesses a secret about her lost past that he will do everything to keep: a secret that will put both their lives in jeopardy, even as the passion they have denied for so long threatens to break out of all control.</blockquote><br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ladys-Guide-Kiss-Rake-Misadventures-ebook/dp/B01HT9S1KK/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468760876&ref_=la_B01BAWHLIU_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=d3a6528980dffc37b82ccb862045498b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01HT9S1KK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01HT9S1KK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29EkiwS">A Lady's Guide to Kiss a Rake by Tanya Wilde (Misadventures of the Heart Book 2)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29EkiwS">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><blockquote><b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
219 pages, 9 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.6 stars)<br />
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<i>SHE IS PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME ...</i><br />
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When Lady Josephine accepts a wager to lure a kiss from the most scandalous and depraved rake in England, she thought it an easy enough task. But one glimpse at the man in question and she foresees her reputation going up in glorious flames. It will not stop her from winning the wager, however, not even the vexing Marquis of St. Aldwyn, who is determined to stay firmly planted in her path to victory. <br />
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<i>HE IS NOT PLAYING ANY MORE GAMES ...</i><br />
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The Fifth Marquis of St. Aldwyn, Damien Grenville, has come to the conclusion that he has lost his mind. Why else would he be drawn to the reckless Lady Josephine? And when he begins to realize she is up to no good, will he do everything in his power to ensure her reputation remains intact or will he decide to seduce her himself? But danger lurks in the shadows and when Lady Josephine is taken, Damien will stop at nothing to get her back. </blockquote><br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unlaced-Outlaw-Secrets-Silk-Book-ebook/dp/B00K89FZM6/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468749866&sr=1-714&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=6a818b183cf607c9f454d0115f25cb49" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00K89FZM6&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00K89FZM6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29QDTtf">Unlaced by the Outlaw by Michelle Willingham (Secrets in Silk Book 4)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29QDTtf">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<blockquote><b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
354 pages, 93 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5)<br />
<br />
<i>A lady and an outlaw ...</i><br />
<br />
When straitlaced spinster Margaret Andrews tries to stop her headstrong younger sister Amelia from eloping with the wrong man, the last thing she expects is to be caught in a coach accident. Stranded in Scotland with a dangerously handsome Highlander, she must put aside her genteel sensibilities and learn to survive.<br />
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Cain Sinclair rescues the prim and proper Margaret, but he knows she’ll never want a man like him. As a self-proclaimed sinner, he lives his life from one day to the next. He unravels every thread of decorum she possesses, tempting her to throw away propriety.<br />
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Margaret sees a man worth saving, but Cain fights her efforts to reform him. When Cain risks everything to save his brother from the hangman's noose, Margaret must break all the rules to get him back…or lose him forever.</blockquote><br />
***The rest of the books in the series are also on sale for $0.99:<br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29Nu9ib">Book 1: Undone by the Duke</a> <br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29Nti0U">Book 2: Unraveled by the Rebel</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2akvs6T">Book 3: Undressed by the Earl</a><br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Grave-Concern-Brenda-Novak-ebook/dp/B00INCFT6W/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468749921&sr=1-759&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=7c1b43f5d9ea90a4cc8702ac269e91f5" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00INCFT6W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00INCFT6W" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29Z1jwm">A Matter of Grave Concern by Brenda Novak</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29Z1jwm">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<blockquote><b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
338 pages, 187 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.3 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>Bestselling author Brenda Novak unearths love in the darkest of places.</i><br />
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When Maximillian Wilder hides his noble identity and joins the notorious body snatchers known as the London Supply Company, the last thing on his mind is love. He’s worried about Madeline, his vanished half sister, who was last seen in the company of Jack Hurtsill, the gang’s conscienceless leader. Raiding graveyards, stealing corpses, and selling them to medical colleges as dissection material is dirty work, but Max knows he must gain Jack’s trust. He’s determined to find out what happened to Madeline -- and to bring Jack to justice if she was murdered for the coin her body could earn.<br />
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Beautiful, spirited Abigail Hale, daughter of the surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine, detests the challenging, hard-bargaining Max almost as much as Jack. But she must procure the necessary specimens if she is to save the college and her father’s career. She believes she is going to be successful -- until Jack double-crosses her. Then she’s swept into a plot of danger and intrigue, one where Max must intervene to protect her, no matter the risk to his plan…or his heart.</blockquote><br />
Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-14651110991563124392016-07-14T11:04:00.000+08:002016-07-14T11:04:35.893+08:00Book Review: The Virgin and the Viscount by Charis Michaels<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016I36EI4/ref=as_li_ss_il?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=B4AZMQ8FNXS5HQWGSN2V&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2548157142&pf_rd_i=154606011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=5d3f0c03a5e382d82c267d662d782e42" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B016I36EI4&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B016I36EI4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29vYW33">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Viscount-and-the-Virgin/9780062412959%3Ea_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
Bryson Courtland, Viscount Rainsleigh is everything his father is not -- and he is taken great pains to ensure that he avoids any comparisons with his father, who was, in Bryson's opinion, and to put it politely, the worst version of a human being to walk the earth. Now Bryson needs a wife to gain further acceptance in society -- and he has a criteria: she must be pure and pristine in body and reputation -- a woman above reproach. Bryson believed he had met such a lady when he is introduced to Elizabeth, the niece of the Countess of Banning. <br />
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What Bryson doesn't know is that this isn't his first time to meet Lady Elizabeth. Fifteen years ago, Bryson actually rescued Elizabeth from a brothel, where she had been forcibly brought after her parents were murdered in a roadside robbery. It was a moment that changed the course of Elizabeth's life for good: she has devoted her life to saving women and helping them to find new, more respectable work -- and she has devoted her heart to loving (from afar) the man who rescued her, Bryson Courtland.<br />
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Elizabeth never thought she would meet Bryson -- she has never made an appearance in society, nor attended any of her aunt's events. And she wasn't in attendance when she met Bryson at her aunt's dinner party -- Bryson had accidentally overheard a conversation Elizabeth had with Stoker, her most-trusted ally in her rescue work. Then Elizabeth's aunt uses the opportunity to force Elizabeth's hand in attending dinner, where Lady Frinfrock proceeds to grill Bryson on his notorious parents.<br />
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Bryson isn't a stranger to that sort of scrutiny, and was preparing to politely end the conversation, when Elizabeth stands up and defends him so spectacularly. I have to say, I loved what Elizabeth said at that dinner party -- it's everything that anyone placed in such an awkward situation has thought to say, but never had to courage to do so. But Elizabeth dared -- and showed spine and mettle. And, at that moment, Bryson knew he had found the one he would marry.<br />
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Our hero is meticulous and rigid -- a perfectionist to the core. I found myself identifying with Bryson and his obsessive need to plan and schedule everything, including his courtship and marriage. Bryson had envisioned marrying a particular kind of female, and believed that Elizabeth fit the criteria -- but, when Elizabeth revealed her work with the ladies of ill-repute, you could see Bryson struggling to adjust to this unplanned, unforeseen hitches.<br />
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But Elizabeth hadn't even revealed her biggest secret -- and the one that would effectively disqualify her from being Bryson's wife. Except, Elizabeth doesn't know what she wants: she has loved and admired Bryson since that night fifteen years ago, and, meeting him and talking to him is a dream-come-true for her. But she understands that her past experience, and her current work aren't considered acceptable in society, and knows that Bryson needs a woman who could help him gain society's acceptance and respect -- and she knows she isn't that lady.<br />
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Charis Michaels presents two characters who are so beautifully human -- despite Elizabeth's selfless and passionate work with her charity, she displays a slight hint of personal selfishness when she allows herself to enjoy the fantasy of having Bryson's attentions and affections. Despite Bryson's perfectly-timed, perfectly-calculated life, he hasn't anticipated that the woman he wants doesn't fit the mold of the woman he thinks he needs.<br />
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Elizabeth understands what drives Bryson to seek out a purpose: when she lost her parents, she lost her direction in life, and she lost the future that was meant for her. But she carved out a new path for herself, which is, perhaps, more meaningful and worthwhile. Though, sadly, it came at the terrible cost of the loss of her innocence. And, of all people, Bryson should understand what it feels like to be forced into a situation not of your doing -- to be a victim of circumstances. His parents were selfish, hedonistic, thoughtless, and cold -- and Bryson really made sure he would be the exact opposite of his father. What's interesting to see is how well our hero and heroine love each other -- there's so much acceptance and understanding -- and passion. But there's also a sense that they're both holding back: Bryson is constantly worried that he is one social misstep away from being the disgrace his father was, and Elizabeth is afraid to reveal her secret to Bryson -- because she knows how he would react to it.<br />
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While <a href="http://www.lovesavestheworld.com/2016/07/book-review-earl-next-door-by-charis.html">there are out-and-out villain in Charis Michaels' debut novel, <b>The Earl Next Door</b></a>, the greatest enemy of Bryson and Elizabeth are themselves. Bryson needs to make peace with his past -- and realize that society has already accepted him. That The Viscount Immaculate can survive and be a little bit tarnished. And Elizabeth needs to finally share her story with someone -- she has never told the full story to anyone -- not to her aunt, not to Stoker -- and, maybe Bryson may be the person who could help her finally move past the experience of that terrible night.<br />
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There's a final bombshell that the author drops in the latter part of the book, and it's something that upends life as Bryson has known it. It's interesting how he deals with it, and equally interesting to see Elizabeth's role as this is revealed.<br />
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Charis Michaels is an amazing storyteller, and this is an amazing follow-up to <b><a href="http://www.lovesavestheworld.com/2016/07/book-review-earl-next-door-by-charis.html">The Earl Next Door</a></b>.<br />
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<b>The Virgin and the Viscount</b> is Book 2 in Charis Michaels' <i>The Bachelor Lords of London</i> series. To find out more about Charis Michaels and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://charismichaels.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/charismichaelsauthor/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14174160.Charis_Michaels?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/CharisMichaels">Twitter</a></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-4199482967096742942016-07-12T12:30:00.000+08:002016-07-12T12:30:08.042+08:00Happy Release Day! An Affair in Winter by Jess MichaelsCongratulations to Jess Michaels and her latest book, <b>An Affair in Winter</b> -- the first book in her new Seasons series!<br />
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Widow Rosalinde Wilde is on her way to her beloved sister’s wedding when an unexpected storm waylays her at an overcrowded inn. There she meets a tempting stranger who sweeps her into a night of unforgettable passion.<br />
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Grayson Danford never expected a night with the irresistible Mrs. Wilde, but she was a welcome distraction from the unpleasant duty of breaking up his brother’s impending nuptials. He’s shocked when he discovers his passionate lover is none other than the sister of his brother’s intended.<br />
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Now Rosalinde and Gray will butt heads, even as their simmering desire for each other threatens to boil over. Who will win? And who might lose it all?<br />
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Buy the book at: <br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCNRF14/">Amazon</a>: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCNRF14/<br />
<a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/an-affair-in-winter/id1089762152?mt=11&at=11lPQp">iBooks</a>: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/an-affair-in-winter/id1089762152?mt=11&at=11lPQp<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940153412023">BN</a>: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940153412023<br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=g6Z2DAAAQBAJ">Google</a>: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=g6Z2DAAAQBAJ<br />
Kobo: Link coming coon!</b><br />
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<b>About Jess Michaels --</b><br />
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USA Today Bestselling Author Jess Michaels began writing full-time in 1999 after being encouraged by her husband to follow her dream. In 2003, she sold her first novella. Since then she has published over 50 novels and novellas under three different pen names with several major publishers, small presses and via self-publishing. Her erotic historical romances have won awards from booksellers and readers.<br />
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She and her awesome husband live in Tucson where she enjoys playing video games, exploring the beautiful desert, reading and petting her cat.<br />
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Jess Michaels always loves to hear from readers! You can email me or send me snail mail:<br />
<br />
Jess Michaels<br />
PO Box 814<br />
Cortaro, AZ<br />
85652<br />
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In addition, I’m very active on both <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JessMichaelsBks/">Facebook</a> and https://twitter.com/jessmichaelsbks, so be sure to follow me on one or both from the links provided here! And sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know when I have a new release out.<br />
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Find out more about Jess Michaels and her books at her <a href="http://www.authorjessmichaels.com/">website: http://www.authorjessmichaels.com/</a> <br />
<br />
Jess Michaels is about to turn the big 4-0 and she's celebrating with all her readers! <a href="http://www.authorjessmichaels.com/contests/">Click here for details on her 40 days of 40 celebration</a>.<br />
<br />Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-26511232165135785022016-07-10T13:54:00.000+08:002016-07-10T13:54:31.868+08:00$1.99 Historical Romance Novels (Discover a new series!)This week, I'm featuring books that I've read and loved.<br />
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They're all really great first books in a series -- and they're all $1.99 right now.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Lairds-Fiancees-Book-ebook/dp/B004XFYWNY/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468128275&sr=1-32&refinements=p_72:1248987011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=02d6a41b3ce496a1a7d6d4920a50d2b5" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004XFYWNY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B004XFYWNY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29DWtnM">The Bride by Julie Garwood (Lairds' Fiancees Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29DWtnM">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
388 pages, 641 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
<i><br />
An arranged marriage leads to passionate love in this classic Scottish historical romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood.</i><br />
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By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. His choice is Jamie, youngest daughter of Baron Jamison -- a feisty, violet-eyed beauty. Alec aches to touch her, to tame her, to possess her ... forever. But Jamie has vowed never to surrender to a man she considers a highland barbarian.<br />
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Alec is everything Jamie’s heart has warned her against -- an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks speak of savage pleasures. While Kincaid’s scorching kisses set fire to her blood, she is determined to resist him ... until one rapturous moment quells their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatens to conquer her senses ...</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Earl-Next-Door-Bachelor-London-ebook/dp/B0124PP39G/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468128496&sr=1-133&refinements=p_72:1248987011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=30ab767a2d4a3289ae26eae4dd861467" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0124PP39G&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B0124PP39G" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29pcRJu">The Earl Next Door by Charis Michaels (The Bachelor Lords of London Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29pcRJu">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
480 pages, 81 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
American heiress Piety Grey is on the run. Suddenly in London and facing the renovation of a crumbling townhouse, she’s determined to make a new life for herself -- anything is better than returning to New York City where a cruel mother and horrid betrothal await her. The last thing she needs is a dark, tempting earl inciting her at every turn ...<br />
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Trevor Rheese, the Earl of Falcondale, isn’t interested in being a good neighbor. After fifteen years of familial obligation, he’s finally free. But when the disarmingly beautiful Piety bursts through his wall -- and into his life -- his newfound freedom is threatened ... even as his curiosity is piqued.<br />
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Once Piety’s family arrives in London, Falcondale suddenly finds himself in the midst of a mock courtship to protect the seductive woman who’s turned his world upside down. It’s all for show -- or at least it should be. But if Falcondale isn’t careful, he may find a very real happily ever after with the woman of his dreams ...</blockquote>
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<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Much-About-Essex-Sisters-Book-ebook/dp/B000FCKL48/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468128554&sr=1-213&refinements=p_72:1248987011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=aa9a5edb081682fc319c54c2c559684b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000FCKL48&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000FCKL48" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29y8Q5f">Much Ado About You by Eloisa James (The Essex Sisters Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29y8Q5f">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
400 pages, 99 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>When you're the oldest daughter, you don't get to have any fun!</i><br />
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Witty, orphaned Tess Essex faces her duty: marry well and marry quickly, so she can arrange matches for her three sisters -- beautiful Annabel, romantic Imogen and practical Josie. After all, right now they're under the rather awkward guardianship of the perpetually tipsy Duke of Holbrook. But just when she begins to think that all might end well, one of her sisters bolts with a horse-mad young lord, and her own fiancé just plain runs away.<br />
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Which leaves Tess contemplating marriage to the sort of man she wishes to avoid -- one of London's most infamous rakes. Lucius Felton is a rogue whose own mother considers him irredeemable! He's delicious, Annabel points out. And he's rich, Josie notes. But although Tess finally consents to marry him, it may be for the worst reason of all. Absurd as she knows it to be, she may have fallen utterly in love ...</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Madness-Lord-Mackenzie-Mackenzies-Book-ebook/dp/B004RKXHTK/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468128437&sr=1-75&refinements=p_72:1248987011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=6ee86c871188ca3add717bc977fe288f" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004RKXHTK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B004RKXHTK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29pcgHR">The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Mackenzies Series Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29pcgHR">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
338 pages, 372 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>A woman is drawn to a dangerously intruiging man in this unique historical romance from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ashley.</i><br />
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It was whispered all through London Society that Ian Mackenzie was mad, that he’d spent his youth in an asylum, and was not to be trusted -- especially with a lady. For the reputation of any woman caught in his presence was instantly ruined.<br />
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Yet Beth found herself inexorably drawn to the Scottish lord whose hint of a brogue wrapped around her like silk and whose touch could draw her into a world of ecstasy. Despite his decadence and his intimidating intelligence, she could see that he needed help. Her help. Because suddenly the only thing that made sense to her was ... The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Duke-Castles-Ever-After-ebook/dp/B00DB36D5E/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468128658&ref_=la_B002BODDVQ_1_4&s=books&sr=1-4&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=dc8fa107cfbf7cb044a94187286ec2b6" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00DB36D5E&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00DB36D5E" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29qocWo">Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare (Castles Ever After Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29qocWo">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
417 pages, 351 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.4 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>In the first in Tessa Dare's captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love ...</i><br />
<br />
As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.<br />
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And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.<br />
<br />
Ugly duckling turned swan?<br />
Abducted by handsome highwayman?<br />
Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?<br />
<br />
No, no, and ... Heh.<br />
<br />
Now Izzy's given up yearning for romance. She'll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who's never even been kissed?<br />
<br />
This one.</blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Never-Seduce-Scot-Montgomerys-Armstrongs-ebook/dp/B007QPEDUA/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468128463&sr=1-104&refinements=p_72:1248987011&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=80e13de00a8eca0b358fc0d06baae4c8" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B007QPEDUA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B007QPEDUA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29DXiNA">Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29DXiNA">$1.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
418 pages, 382 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.6 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>Maya Banks, the New York Times bestselling author of romance and romantic suspense has captivated readers with her steamy Scottish historical novels, perfect for fans of Julie Garwood. Never Seduce a Scot features a remarkable woman whose rare gift teaches a gruff Scottish warrior how to listen with his heart.</i><br />
<br />
Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty -- unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.<br />
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Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.</blockquote>
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<br />Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-51974722068581763032016-07-07T13:30:00.000+08:002016-07-07T13:30:12.675+08:00Throwback Thursday: Historical Romance Edition (Featuring: The Rake by Suzanne Enoch)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s1600/throwbackthursday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s200/throwbackthursday.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you to Shabby Blogs (http://shabbyblogs.com/) for the free frame!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Happy Throwback Thursday, everyone!<br />
<br />
<b>What is Throwback Thursday?</b><br />
Traditionally, Throwback Thursday celebrates nostalgia, asking participants to post a personal photo or an image from their past -- usually from 5 to 10 years ago. There are a lot of book blogs that also do a book-related Throwback Thursday. <br />
<br />
<div><center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rake-Lessons-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B000UOJU0C/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1467865541&ref_=la_B001H6L5F0_1_5&s=books&sr=1-5&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=575173c049177a0ea44d4c028a34377c" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000UOJU0C&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000UOJU0C" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
The Rake by Suzanne Enoch, published March 2009</center></div><br />
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<div style="background-color: mistyrose; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;"><b>Blurb:</b><br />
<blockquote>Three determined young ladies vow to give three of London's worst rakes their comeuppance ― but when these rogues turn the tables, who truly learns a lesson in love?<br />
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Once upon a time, the notorious Viscount Dare charmed Lady Georgiana Halley out of her innocence ― to win a wager, no less! ― and now he must pay dearly. The plan is simple: She will use every seductive wile she knows to win Dare's heart...and then break it. But his smoldering gaze once again tempts Georgiana to give in to desire ― and when he astonishes her with a marriage proposal, she wonders: Is he playing yet another game...or could it truly be love this time?</blockquote><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/823583.The_Rake?from_search=true&search_version=service">From the Goodreads page of the book</a><br />
</div><br />
To find out more about Suzanne Enoch and her books, click below:<br />
<center><b><a href="http://www.suzanneenoch.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneEnoch">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/SuzieEnoch">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23294.Suzanne_Enoch">Goodreads</a></b></center>Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-28746901723108561042016-07-07T12:25:00.000+08:002016-07-13T21:17:43.936+08:00Book Review: The Earl Next Door by Charis Michaels <center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Earl-Next-Door-Bachelor-London/dp/0062412949/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1467786316&sr=8-3&keywords=charis+michaels&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=72a5eb5957a49d0f1a0321d01e582132" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0062412949&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0062412949" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29Nj1QN">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Earl-Next-Door-Charis-Michaels/9780062412942?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
Charis Michaels' debut novel, <b>The Earl Next Door</b> unfolds in three acts: the first act establishes the quiet neighborhood of Henrietta Place, which is a character in itself, and is staunchly protected by Lady Stroud, the Marchioness of Frinfrock, who is my favorite character in the book.<br />
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We first see our hero and heroine through Lady Frinfrock's eyes, as she observes from the window of her own home the arrivals of Trevor Rheese, and then the arrival of Piety Grey -- who, coincidentally, moved to houses beside each other on the block across from Lady Frinfrock's. <br />
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Trevor Rheese is the new Earl of Falcondale, and he doesn't have time to celebrate, at leisure, his newly-given status in society because he is busy trying to repay all of the previous Earl's debts. He has sold all the furniture, and has let go of all the staff at his new home, and now resides there with only one young man in his employ. He has spent his entire childhood and early adulthood living abroad, caring for his fragile mother. They knew they were connected to the aristocracy, but it was a connection that hadn't helped either Trevor or his mother. Trevor had to survive on his own, and ended up working for disreputable men while he was in Greece. When he inherited the title from his uncle, his first instinct is to sell off everything, and leaving.<br />
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I understand why Trevor is hesitant to form relationships -- he is tired of depending on people and having people depend on him. He is tired of being responsible for the welfare of others, and he is tired of having little or no control over his life. Trevor is tired, and, he thought the earldom would finally free him from his current situation, but, it turns out to be yet another ball to which Trevor finds himself chained to.<br />
<br />
He is in the process of selling off the London townhouse located on Henrietta Place, and he hopes that it will fund his travels to elsewhere -- to anywhere. But he meets Piety Grey, who moved in next door -- and whose house is oddly connected to his house through a secret tunnel.<br />
<br />
Piety had intended to move in quietly, repair the house quietly, install a staff quietly, and settle in quietly in her new home on Henrietta Place, but, it seems the dilapidation that her solicitors informed her were sadly understated. She needs to access the second floor of her house through Trevor's house, and she had been told that the Earl would not be at home while she was constructing. But Trevor, the new Earl, is at home, and very unhappy with the interruptions to his anti-social life.<br />
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Charis Michaels hooks you with main characters whose initial actions and perceived motivations are curious, and makes you want to know more about them. Then there's the cranky, but lovable old lady who possesses a razor-sharp mind and keen observation. When the author later reveals the very complicated histories of her characters, it just makes this book an even more compelling read. The first part of the book does a great job of establishing the personalities and hang-ups of the characters.<br />
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<b>The Earl Next Door</b> becomes more interesting in the second act of the book, when Trevor and Piety get to know each other better. It's with grudging reluctance that Trevor opens his door (and a bit of his heart) to Piety, who charms you with her guilelessness and convinces you with her relentlessness. I love the mix of strength and fragility in Piety. I love her resolve, but I also love that she falters sometimes.<br />
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The second act also introduces Piety's mother and her stepbrothers -- the reason for her escape to England. I would credit the author for writing Piety's mother so well -- Idelle Grey-Limpett is really a dangerous mix of veiled insults and open antagonism -- and she frames it all as motherly concern for Piety's well-being and reputation. The author's decision to portray the brothers as a herd -- just giving them names, and making them move and react as a single entity just adds to what Piety has said of them -- that they are oafs, but that they are dangerous oafs with a dangerous pack leader in the form of Eli Limpett. <br />
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I wondered at Lady Frinfrock's decision to move the story to her country estate in Berkshire, and opening her doors to Piety's "family" -- but it did provide a lot of entertainment for the old lady, and emphasized the terrible situation that Piety was in when she was in New York -- and added to the urgency of why Piety needed to get away from them. <br />
<br />
What I couldn't understand, though, is why her mother and her stepbrothers continue to pursue her despite Piety's willingness to already give them money. In this I could see that, at the core of Piety's mother, is not a heart, but a hollow space of terrible, hurtful intentions. It isn't just money that she is after, but also revenge. But, for what reason? <br />
<br />
The author could have ended her story with Trevor arriving at the Marchioness's estate, offering marriage to Piety, and telling her American family to all go to the devil, and it would make for an excellent ending. But Charis Michaels does one better, by writing a third act, where she integrates everything she's presented so far in the first two acts: things happen that challenge Trevor's dreams of living an unfettered life, and the same things happen that challenge Piety's desire to finally be free from her family, and to live an independent life. Our hero and heroine's worlds are agitated, and nothing is going according to the well-laid plans they both made. So now they must sort through their thoughts and feelings, and decide on a new plan -- a new life, one that, hopefully, allows them to live happily together.<br />
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I truly, truly enjoyed this story -- this is the sort of book you can't leave behind, but would want to take with you, because you want to read the next chapter, and then the next. I'm so glad that the second book, <a href="http://amzn.to/29QcYuJ"><b>The Virgin and the Viscount</b></a>, is finally out, Viscount Rainsleigh was introduced in the latter part of <b>The Earl Next Door</b>, and he has a very interesting backstory.<br />
<br />
<b>The Earl Next Door</b> is the stunning debut novel of Charis Michaels and the first book in her <i>The Bachelor Lords of London</i> series. To find out more about Charis Michaels and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://charismichaels.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/charismichaelsauthor/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14174160.Charis_Michaels?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/CharisMichaels">Twitter</a></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-7386627200511419662016-06-26T12:30:00.000+08:002016-06-26T12:30:13.474+08:0099-cent Historical Romance Novels<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stranded-Scottish-Earl-Anna-Campbell-ebook/dp/B01GCULNK2/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907533&sr=1-68&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=e6ae805f2e62546d78de16bfd57af373" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01GCULNK2&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01GCULNK2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28VyQnC">Stranded with the Scottish Earl by Anna Campbell (e-novella) for pre-order: Release date: June 30, 2016</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28VyQnC">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
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<blockquote>
<b>About the e-novella:</b><br />
<br />
141 pages, release date: June 30, 2016<br />
<br />
<i>Blame it on the rain ...</i><br />
<br />
After her engagement to a local landowner ends in scandal and recrimination, Miss Charlotte Warren vows never to marry. Her father might write to say he’s found her the perfect husband -- she’s sticking to her spinsterish guns. But when in the middle of a spring flood, her father’s choice turns up on the doorstep under an unconvincing alias, she has no choice but to take him in. <br />
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That doesn’t mean she’s going to marry Lord Lyle. No way. <br />
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Except he’s very handsome… And he kisses like a dream ...<br />
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And when a girl finds herself trapped alone in a great big house with a roguish Scottish earl, who knows what will happen? Even to the most resolute and independent lady. <br />
<br />
Ewan Macrae, Earl of Lyle, doesn’t believe in love at first sight -- until he sees Charlotte Warren’s portrait. One glimpse of the real Charlotte, and he knows this is the lassie he means to carry off to the Highlands as his bride. <br />
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But his beloved is no easy conquest. She’s stubborn and headstrong, and dead set against becoming a wife. <br />
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Will lashings of Scottish charm, some highly convenient privacy, a scattering of sizzling kisses, and an eventful day battling the elements to save the spring lambs combine to change Miss Warren’s mind about marriage? <br />
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They most definitely will, if this proud Scotsman has any say in the matter! </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seduction-Nicole-Jordan-ebook/dp/B000GCFW64/ref=as_li_ss_il?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1466908069&sr=8-1&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=d41836481bd563825c3ef5eb8f51545c" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000GCFW64&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000GCFW64" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28XBRa8">The Seduction by Nicole Jordan</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28XBRa8">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
384 pages, 102 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.3 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Nicole Jordan's Princess Charming.</i><br />
<br />
As the most notorious rakehell in Regency London, Lord Damien Sinclair sought only his own pleasure, until his beloved younger sister, Olivia, was injured and her reputation ruined during a forbidden tryst. Now Damien will do anything to destroy the young nobleman guilty of hurting Olivia. ... And Vanessa Wyndham will protect her foolish brother at all costs, even if it means entering into an illicit bargain with the dangerously handsome "Lord Sin." When Vanessa offers to act as a companion to Lord Sin's invalid sister, Damien agrees with one scandalous condition -- he'll forgive her brother's debt if she agrees to become his mistress.<br />
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And so the seduction begins. But once the affair has ended, will they escape with their hearts intact?</blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Fire-Druids-Avalon-Book-ebook/dp/B002WLCK6M/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907731&sr=1-263&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=d63394751b05f683791b8f226949fdb3" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B002WLCK6M&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B002WLCK6M" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28THzFT">Celtic Fire by Joy Nash (Druids of Avalon Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28THzFT">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
320 pages, 61 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.0 stars)<br />
<br />
When a Roman commander travels through Britannia to investigate a haunting vision, an ambush by hostile Celts leaves him with an unexpected prize -- a beautifully enchanting witch.</blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kissing-Enemy-Scandals-Spies-Book-ebook/dp/B01H9JLOA4/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907568&sr=1-82&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=912cebf650aa02ca9855b61c655ddd87" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01H9JLOA4&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01H9JLOA4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29aD7nP">Kissing the Enemy by Leighann Dobbs and Harmony Williams (Scandals and Spies Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/29aD7nP">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
224 pages, 2 reviews (Average customer rating: 5 stars)<br />
<br />
Stealing a code book from an enemy spy should be easy for someone like Frederica Vale. As the plain looking older sister, she's practically invisible at social events. Never mind that she has no experience as a spy or that the codebook rests in the possession of one of the most powerful men in England. Freddie has no choice-she's desperate to save her young sister from the lecherous intentions of their guardian and recovering the book is her only option. <br />
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Tristan Graylocke has never been able to measure up to his brother, the Duke of Tenwick. But being second best has its advantages. No one pressures him to get married and produce an heir, leaving him to carouse at will -- an activity that lends itself perfectly to the brothers’ secret lives as spies. <br />
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When an alluring enemy spy shows up at the house party planned specifically for the purposes of passing along a code book, Tristan finds himself drawn under her spell. Freddie seems innocent and inexperienced. Is her innocence is a clever guise, or is she being coerced by someone? <br />
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Tristan and Freddie soon find themselves engaged in a seductive game of cat and mouse where each will do what they must for their country, especially if it involves kissing the enemy. </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Fate-Guardian-Book-ebook/dp/B000FC1R3W/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907533&sr=1-74&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=11097845db3ea6e38e2d1e4faf1008ce" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000FC1R3W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B000FC1R3W" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/295cUIe">A Kiss of Fate by Mary Jo Putney (Guardian Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/295cUIe">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
416 pages, 40 reviews (Average customer rating: 3.9 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>Her captivating stories and vibrant characters have earned New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney enthusiastic praise from reviewers and readers alike. Now, from the majestic mansions of eighteenth-century London to the mist-shrouded wilds of the Scottish Highlands, she brings you her most breathtaking romantic adventure yet.</i><br />
<br />
Laird of an ancient, powerful Scottish clan, Duncan Macrae is committed to ending the ceaseless strife between Scotland and England. But he also has other, secret powers -- those of a Guardian, humans with mystical abilities to control nature’s forces and see into the hearts of others. And from the moment he encounters the young and independent English widow Gwyneth Owens, his fiery spirit is irrevocably drawn to claim her as his own -- a passion that will not only set his loyalty to his land against his sworn Guardian vows, but will also threaten everything he cherishes most.<br />
<br />
Though Gwynne’s father was a Guardian, she believes that she has inherited only her mother’s beauty, not her father’s power. Then one kiss from the dangerously alluring Laird of the Macraes ignites a hunger that shakes her to her soul -- and reveals visions of a looming catastrophe that threatens England and Scotland both. Only by becoming Duncan’s wife, and ultimately betraying the man she loves, can she avert disaster. <br />
<br />
As destiny and two mighty nations clash, Gwynne and Duncan must push their powers and passions beyond the most forbidden limits if they are to save their love -- and secure the future. <br />
<i><br />
With Mary Jo Putney’s consummate skill and dazzling historical detail, A Kiss of Fate brings an unforgettable period to life -- and will forever enthrall your senses with memorable characters and sweeping emotions.</i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Highlanders-Reckoning-Sinclair-Brothers-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00V0O427M/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907533&sr=1-66&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=f3d0de4b5d932121629f761e93627a21" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00V0O427M&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00V0O427M" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/295cr9b">Highlander's Reckoning by Emma Prince (The Sinclair Brothers Trilogy Book 3)</a></center>
<a href="http://amzn.to/295cr9b">$0.99 on Amazon</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
396 pages, 60 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.7 stars)<br />
<br />
Book Three of the Sinclair Brothers Trilogy <br />
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He is forced to marry ... <br />
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Daniel Sinclair is charged by Robert the Bruce to secure the King's ancestral holding in the Lowlands -- and marry the daughter of the castle's keeper to secure a shaky alliance. But the lass's spirit matches her fiery hair, and Daniel quickly realizes that the King's "reward" is more than he bargained for. <br />
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She won't submit without a fight ... <br />
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To protect her secret -- and illegal -- love of falconry, Rona Kennedy must keep her new husband at arm's length, no matter how much his commanding presence and sinfully handsome face make her knees tremble. But when an all-out war with Raef Warren, the Sinclair clan's greatest enemy, finally erupts, will their growing love be destroyed forever?</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Least-Likely-Darcy-Burke-ebook/dp/B01F403200/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1466907533&sr=1-77&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=c7ebc1e60efb474c8e08c1f92d714053" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01F403200&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01F403200" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28YVr50">The Hero Least Likely (Boxed Set of 7 stories)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28YVr50">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<blockquote>
About the boxed set:<br />
<br />
2 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>7 Heroes you least expect ... 7 Heroes you'll never forget.</i> <br />
<br />
SCOUNDREL EVER AFTER by Darcy Burke <br />
When wallflower Audrey Cheswick runs away with England’s most wanted criminal, she learns adventure comes with a price—not just her reputation or her virtue, but her heart. If Ethan Jagger can escape the hangman’s noose and start anew, will she consent to love a scoundrel ever after? <br />
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FOREVER BETROTHED, NEVER THE BRIDE ~ Christi Caldwell <br />
War-torn veteran, Lord Drake devotes himself to forgetting his days on the Peninsula through an endless round of meaningless associations. He no longer wants to feel anything, but Lady Emmaline is making it hard to maintain a state of numbness. With her zest for life, she awakens his passion and desire for love.<br />
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DESIRES OF A BARON ~ Rose Gordon <br />
Giles Goddard, Lord Norcourt is odd. Odder still, he has suddenly taken a fancy to his brother’s love interest, the fallen Lucy Whitaker. Lucy was once thrown over by a lord and she has little desire to let it happen again, but she’s about to learn that his desires just might be enough for the both of them. <br />
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ATHENA'S ORDEAL ~ Sue London <br />
Quincy Telford, Duke of Beloin, has hated Viscount Bittlesworth as long as he can remember. Now the man’s daughter is constantly in his path. Can he escape her temptation and avoid peril in the increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse he is playing with his blackmailer? <br />
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THE EARL'S SCANDALOUS WIFE ~ Ruth Ann Nordin <br />
Season after Season of not being able to secure a wife, Lord Clement's life changes for the better when a beautiful stranger kisses him. Now he has a wife who has it all: beauty, passion, and excitement. But it's not over. Thanks to her tainted past, her newfound love with Perry is threatened when her brother comes back into her life. Can she protect Perry from finding out the truth or will her brother get the upper hand? <br />
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THE MAJOR'S FAUX FIANCEE ~ Erica Ridley <br />
When Major Bartholomew Blackpool learns the girl-next-door from his childhood will be forced into an unwanted marriage, he returns home to play her pretend beau. He figures now that he's missing a leg, a faux fiancée is the best an ex-soldier can get. He admires her pluck, but the lady deserves a whole man -- and he'll ensure she gets one. <br />
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CORINNA ~ Lauren & Devon Royal <br />
What’s a colorblind Irishman to do when he’s blackmailed into impersonating a renowned landscape artist, lying to all of London society, and risking the TON’s collective wrath if he’s found out? Why, fall for the lovely and unattainable marquess’s daughter next door, of course. But his fetching neighbor is no simpleton and an artist in her own right. When she realizes his ruse, will she expose his misdeeds ... or find herself drawn into the hoax?</blockquote>
Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-44736131133369337702016-06-23T20:33:00.000+08:002016-06-23T20:36:30.878+08:00ARC Review: Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney (Release date: June 28, 2016)<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Once-Soldier-Rogues-Redeemed-Putney/dp/1420140922/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1466574982&sr=8-1&keywords=mary+jo+putney&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=c240869669b07d010966db7496de9fda" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1420140922&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1420140922" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/28MCJPg">Click here to pre-order the book from Amazon, Release date: June 28, 2016</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Once-Soldier-Mary-Jo-Putney/9781420140927?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to pre-order the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
In the opening chapter of the book, a group of 5 men are locked in a room with no probable escape route. Guards are at the door, and death is certain in the morning. On this, their last night together, they decide to talk about what they would do differently if they had another chance and another day to live --<br />
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Maybe it's Fate or the Divine, or a bit of both, but these men find a way to escape and to live to fight another day. They decide to hold each other to the promises they made the night before -- with an added agreement to update each other through letters left at an agreed-upon location. Thus, the Rogues Redeemed go their separate way, intent on changing their lives -- present and future.<br />
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Will Masterson joined the war with a death wish. Feeling responsible for the death of his wife and son, Will feels he is beyond redemption -- and he thought he was finally going to see the end of his journey in that locked room with those men. After this last brush with death, Will finally realizes (and accepts) that death isn't in his cards yet, and starts to make plans to return home to England, his title, and his life, and responsibilities.<br />
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But he has one last mission to fulfil for King and Country: accompany the brave soldiers from San Gabriel back to their country, and to do some reconnaissance to ascertain the political stability of this young, war-damaged country. He does not count on meeting Athena Markham, British, who works as companion and friend to Princess Sofia -- and he is instantly attracted.<br />
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But Will and Athena aren't young or fanciful or with their heads in the clouds -- they accept the reality of who they are: Athena is the illegitimate daughter of a lord and a courtesan, and Will is a broken, haunted man on his way home to England. While they entertain the idea of an affair, Will and Athena both decide to take the sensible route and "just be friends" while Will is in San Gabriel.<br />
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Much of the first half of the book focuses on San Gabriel and descriptions of how war has devastated the small country. Their king and his heir are still missing, the current regent is a very old man who serves as a titular figurehead than an actual leader, and Princess Sofia, on the cusp of her 25th birthday, is next in line for the throne. I kept trying to look for the romance between Will and Athena between the lines -- and I could see two people who have made the decision to sacrifice their own personal interests/desires for the sake of a greater purpose. Athena is devoted to San Gabriel and to Princess Sofia, whom she loves like a younger sister.<br />
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Athena has an interesting background -- she is illegitimate, and, while her mother wanted to have a daughter, it was clear that she didn't know how to protect or care for her daughter. Athena's father begrudgingly gave some financial support, but made it clear that she was not welcome or wanted in his household. At school, Athena was known as Lady Whore's Daughter, and that's something that has not and cannot forget. It's ironic that she finally found her place and her home in a foreign country, among foreign people. So I understand her reluctance to give all of that up to be with Will -- Will who will bring her back to England, because his life and responsibilities are there. Will who will indirectly subject her to society's scrutiny and insults again --<br />
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Will lost the loves of his life, felt responsible for it, and had sought oblivion during the war. Now he's found a glimmer of light, a reason to live in the form of Athena Markham. But, should he risk his recently-restored, but still-fragile heart on something as momentary as a temporary affair. I have to give credit to Will for proposing marriage several times -- because it shows that he is willing to put himself on the line for Athena.<br />
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There's a secondary love story that develops between Justin and Princess Sofia -- and, again, Mary Jo Putney touches on the dualism of duty/desire -- Princess Sofia cannot marry a commoner. Princess Sofia cannot marry a foreign commoner. But she wants Justin, and Justin wants her. What I love about Princess Sofia is that she isn't passive, and she doesn't give up easily -- she arranges for a quick time away from the castle, so that she could enjoy Justin's company (and hopes that Athena and Will can discover each other outside of the castle and their responsibilities).<br />
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This is where the story gets interesting -- when they discover that there is a French general who has nefarious designs on Princess Sofia and on the country -- and Will must, once again, become the soldier that he is. I love how Putney framed this into a David and Goliath battle -- pitting the very limited resources of San Gabriel versus the French general's army. Will shows amazing leadership and courage -- and Athena is admirable in how she contributed to the defense of the country.<br />
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A slow start leads to a satisfying end, and fans of Putney's Lost Lords will delight at seeing new graduates of Westerfield figure in this new series.<br />
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<b>Once a Soldier</b> is the first book in Mary Jo Putney's <i>Rogues Redeemed</i> series, and will be released on June 28. To find out more about Mary Jo Putney and her books, click below:<br />
<b><center><a href="http://www.maryjoputney.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaryJoPutney?fref=ts">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/33876.Mary_Jo_Putney?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/MJPutneyNews">Twitter</a></b></center><br />
<i>Disclosure: I requested this ARC through Netgalley. Thank you to Kensington Books and Mary Jo Putney for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.</i><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-36712230256492281502016-06-16T12:30:00.000+08:002016-07-07T12:25:21.363+08:00Throwback Thursday: Historical Romance Edition (Featuring: How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back by Sophie Barnes)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s1600/throwbackthursday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s200/throwbackthursday.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you to Shabby Blogs (http://shabbyblogs.com/) for the free frame!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Happy Throwback Thursday, everyone!<br />
<br />
<b>What is Throwback Thursday?</b><br />
Traditionally, Throwback Thursday celebrates nostalgia, asking participants to post a personal photo or an image from their past -- usually from 5 to 10 years ago. There are a lot of book blogs that also do a book-related Throwback Thursday. <br />
<br />
<div><center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Miss-Rutherford-Groove-Back-ebook/dp/B006L7R0AE/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1466049048&ref_=la_B0079A1N8W_1_11&refinements=p_82%3AB0079A1N8W&s=books&sr=1-11&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=b9877a57140d83d8a95d0b5cbfa6edf2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B006L7R0AE&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B006L7R0AE" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back by Sophie Barnes, first published January 2012</center></div><br />
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<div style="background-color: mistyrose; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;"><b>Blurb:</b><br />
<blockquote><i>Emily Rutherford is having a very bad day.</i><br />
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Of course, having the man you’ve loved forever announce his engagement to your (now very former) best friend will do that.<br />
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Emily is sure nothing good could possibly come out of this horrid situation. But she lets her sisters -- along with Francis Riley, the delectable but brooding Earl of Dunhurst -- convince her that a season in London will be just the thing.<br />
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Now Emily has a choice: sulk in a corner while her sisters enjoy the glitter of the ton ... or become the belle of the ball, dazzling everyone on an earl’s arm. But as Francis helps Emily get back on her feet, she quickly realizes that a childhood crush is nothing compared to the power of true love.</blockquote></div><br />
To find out more about Sophie Barnes and her books, click below:<br />
<center><b><a href="http://www.sophiebarnes.com/sb1/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSophieBarnes">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/BarnesSophie">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5400052.Sophie_Barnes">Goodreads</a></b></center>Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-30864365962339353562016-06-16T11:44:00.002+08:002016-06-16T11:44:53.758+08:00Book Review: Magic in the Stars by Patricia Rice<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Stars-Unexpected-Book-One/dp/1611385784/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465531723&sr=8-1&keywords=patricia+rice&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=662a0eec54ff9671f4ac3046db5c6622" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1611385784&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1611385784" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tlNmyM">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a></center><br />
I'm a big fan of Patricia Rice's <i>Magical Malcolms series</i> -- I love the idea of two families who are so ideologically different in that Capulet vs. Montague way (minus the tragedy), and, yet, every so often, will have their sons and daughters meet, find common ground, and fall in love. I was so pleased to see that she is revisiting these two families, and moving them a few generations forward.<br />
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<b>Magic in the Stars</b> is the first book of Patricia Rice's <i>Unexpected Magic series</i>, and features Lady Azenor Dougall and Lord Theophilus Ives. Like her Malcolm forebears, Azenor (or Aster, as she prefers to be called) shares the same magical talents -- in her case, she is very, very accurate with reading the stars, allowing her to understand people's characters based on their birthdays, and charting their futures. After not heeding her own readings, which resulted in tragedy, she's learned her lesson -- and she's on her way to Iveston, despite the distance, inconvenience, and the weather, to warn the current generation of Ives men of the impending doom that she has read in their charts.<br />
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Instead of finding Malcolm Ives, the current Marquess, Aster comes face to face with Lord Theo, Malcolm's younger brother and heir. Aster already knew that convincing the Ives men of what she has read would be difficutl: Malcolm magic and Ives logic have never, in so many generations, agreed on anything.<br />
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What's interesting is that both Theo and Aster are interested in the same area: the stars, but they approach it from different disciplines: Theo is an astronomer, and is working on creating a telescope with a greater (and clearer) lens to prove the existence of more planets. He's been trying to get funds to build an observatory, so he could prove the existence of Uranus and of other planets beyond. <br />
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Aster is into astrology, and uses the same maps and charts -- the same findings from the Royal Astrological Society, but it is to understand human nature and to predict and prevent catastrophe. There's an instant recognition of shared interest, but an equally instant recognition for the differences in their world views.<br />
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After Aster shares her readings of his brother's charts, Theo is skeptical, but also curious about the passion and persuasion that drove Aster to travel by herself to Iveston to tell them of what she read in the stars. Aster is also very, very beautiful -- and, for the first time in a very long time, Theo is interested and attracted. <br />
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When something does happen to Malcolm and he becomes incapable of managing the Ives' estates, Theo is thrust into the limelight -- and he understands that he needs to work to secure the succession -- unwanted, unwished-for territory for him. He enlists the help of Aster, to help find him a wife who would understand the Ives temperament. It's, honestly, ironically clear from the beginning that Aster and Theo belong together -- and Theo realizes this. So does Aster -- but Aster has long believed that she brings doom and destruction to anyone who dares get close to her.<br />
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This is one aspect of Aster's life that I couldn't quite accept: did her family really believe that Aster brought doom and devastation to those who dared to live near her? I really felt bad about how she had to live away from her family, and how she had to make sure her companions didn't stay with her for longer than a few months at a time. I know that the Malcolms are an eccentric family, but, surely, they would not allow one of their own to be so isolated from her family? This is one of Aster's major hang-ups, which defines how she views the world. Theo isn't really the best partner, but, because he is willing to stay with Aster, despite of the danger, Aster is willing to compromise (and set aside her doubts and misgivings) to be with him.<br />
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Theo doesn't seem to know why he wants to be with Aster. In the beginning, I could see that he recognized a kindred spirit -- someone who stood calmly in the midst of the Ives chaos. But, his stance slowly changes, and he leans on his physical attraction to Aster when he is confronted by Aster's idiosyncrasies. For a man who is challenging astronomy, by saying there are planets beyond those that have been found, I couldn't understand why he couldn't see the value of what Aster does. <br />
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Here lies my problem with this story: I didn't like that he would dismiss Aster's concerns as hoaky. I didn't feel there was enough conversation between our hero and heroine about finding a middle ground, or finding a bridge between the world of astronomy and astrology. Instead, the author created a pattern: something bad would happen, Aster believed it was because of her, and Theo would distract her with kisses. This carries through to the end, when, Theo's problems at the Iveston estate are resolved, but Aster's is all up in the air. <br />
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I enjoyed reading this story, but there were a lot of gaps and questions that keeps me from loving this book.<br />
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<b>Magic in the Stars</b> is Book 1 in the Unexpected Magic series. To find out more about Patricia Rice and her books, click below:<br />
<a href="http://patriciarice.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaRiceBooklist?fref=ts">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/PatriciaRice">Goodreads</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Patricia_Rice">Twitter</a><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-18973859014480098332016-06-12T20:46:00.004+08:002016-06-12T20:49:37.099+08:0099-cent Historical Romance NovelsWell, summer is officially over in my part of the world, and school starts tomorrow. I'm in the midst of completing one review and I'm also reading Elizabeth Hoyt's <a href="http://amzn.to/1tpOVM4"><b>Duke of Sin</b></a> -- I expect I will be blogging intermittently until I figure out my kids' new schedule for this school year.<br />
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Amazon has some really nice discounts for their Fire Tablets:<br />
<center><iframe border="0" frameborder="0" height="250" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=amazon_tab_fatherday16&banner=1DWY6WX78HB6Z5GX0BG2&f=ifr&lc=pf4&linkID=a6a4bb03caa1de84ef2b041eea61356b&t=eviofhumhan-20&tracking_id=eviofhumhan-20" style="border: none;" width="300"></iframe></center><br />
In the meantime, here are some featured 99-cent historical romances found on Amazon:<br />
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<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Stars-Unexpected-Book-ebook/dp/B01CDNZFH4/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1465734239&sr=1-755&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=c91108751fe5cfb5e0a7c9622ae694b7" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01CDNZFH4&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01CDNZFH4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UtIlde">Magic in the Stars by Patricia Rice (Unexpected Magic Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UtIlde">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
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<blockquote>275 pages, 206 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
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<i>He’s a scientist who studies the stars. She’s an astrologer who predicts the future. Can a lonely witch save a handsome unbeliever from his own doom?</i><br />
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<i>The Lonely Witch</i><br />
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While creating zodiac charts for her eccentric and mysterious Malcolm relations, Lady Azenor Dougall -- a talented astrologer -- realizes the alignment of the stars poses a fatal threat to her beloved siblings. To protect those she loves, she flees her Scots home ... and searches for an answer.<br />
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<i>The Handsome Scientist</i><br />
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Lord Theophilus Ives, heir presumptive to the Marquess of Ashford, is a renowned astronomer who has perfected a telescope capable of seeing beyond Saturn’s moons. If only the women his all-male family attracted were as predictable as the laws of science. Nonetheless, Theo is undaunted by the tumult of his life -- until the day the luscious Lady Azenor arrives to warn them that his brother, the Marquess, is in terrible danger. <br />
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<i>The Magic in the Stars</i><br />
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Can Lady Azenor Dougall convince a laughing disbeliever of peril? And can she escape the fate her stars predict if she lingers too long in Lord Theo’s enthralling company? <br />
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<i>If you enjoy the humor of Eloisa James, the history of Jo Beverley, or the emotion of Mary Jo Putney, don’t miss this exciting new chapter in Patricia Rice’s acclaimed romance series!</i></blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Countess-Shameless-Scandal-London-Novel-ebook/dp/B007Y30ND0/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465734757&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=liane+lefey&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=dcffb0152c96ad37503ac560117f9db7" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B007Y30ND0&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B007Y30ND0" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkppHu">Countess So Shameless by Liana LeFey (A Scandal in London Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkppHu">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>299 pages, 84 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
No one can compete for Lady Mélisande’s coveted affections like the Italian rogue she met five years prior during a visit to Versailles. Her encounter with Lord Alessandro Orsini awakened a passion so fierce that the mere memory of it still ignites her senses. So when the celebrated rake resurfaces in London, Mélisande succumbs to temptation and shamelessly proposes an affair for the Season.<br />
<br />
Alessandro has never forgotten the girl he met in Versailles -- his perfect match. Though the fiercely independent lady has sworn off marriage, it doesn’t stop him from vowing to make her his wife. While seducing her body, he wages tender warfare on her heart’s defenses. But a bitter rival also burns to possess Mélisande, and luck has provided the means to bend her to his will: a scandalous secret that could ruin her. The price of his silence is nothing less than her hand in marriage, forcing Mélisande to choose between the desires of her heart and everything else she holds dear.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Thorns-Heiress-Games-Book-ebook/dp/B00PE72PK2/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1465734178&sr=1-710&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=aad4293ceaf6ffc7119bebe84ae9fde9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00PE72PK2&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00PE72PK2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkpGKx">Duke of Thorns by Sara Ramsey (Heiress Games Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkpGKx">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<blockquote>322 pages, 56 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.4 stars)<br />
<br />
The Briarleys are one of the oldest families in England -- but after centuries of sin and scandal, they are on the verge of extinction. Now, at the most talked-about house party of the summer, the surviving Briarley heiresses will create a new set of scandals while attempting to win back their birthright -- if love doesn’t conquer all their schemes. <br />
<br />
A devil who won’t be denied ... <br />
<br />
Too powerful to care for such petty things as morals, the Duke of Thorington lives as he pleases. And it pleases him to be known as a cruel, heartless blackguard -- one no sane woman would dare to marry. But when his fortunes unexpectedly crumble, he must find a way to save his family from ruin. To succeed, Thorington needs an heiress. There’s only one problem ...<br />
<br />
A lady who can’t be contained ...<br />
<br />
Bold, daring Callista Briarley has survived riots, plagues, and revolutions while building her own privateering enterprise, but the sharks of English society are an entirely new challenge. It will all be worth it if she wins Maidenstone Abbey -- a house her ancestors spent centuries killing each other for. To succeed, Callie needs a powerful ally. There’s only one problem ... <br />
<br />
Two hearts destined to ignite ...<br />
<br />
During the most infamous house party of the summer, Callie and Thorington have one chance to secure both their futures. But Callie’s need for freedom is directly at odds with Thorington’s brand of control. When her past puts them both in danger, will their unexpected love be enough to conquer all? </blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Taming-Wicked-Wulfe-Agents-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00LU3IJFO/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1465734314&sr=1-829&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=98a81c5d71b6a5a00c1ddb7111cf8d8b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00LU3IJFO&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00LU3IJFO" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkqcrV">Taming the Wicked Wulfe by Tammy Jo Burns (The Rogue Agents Trilogy Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1tkqcrV">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>353 pages, 22 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
Rebekah is forced into a proxy marriage to a man she despises for the sake of her orphaned niece and nephew. Her new husband, Thorn Wulfe, holds the key to all the secrets of her long-buried past. <br />
<br />
Thorn, considered the Wicked Wulfe by many of the ton, operates one of London’s most notorious gaming hells, the Lady Luck. When his brother is killed, he finds his life turned upside down with a wife he does not want, and two children to care for. <br />
<br />
When old secrets come to light and enemies make themselves known, Rebekah and Wulfe are going to have to decide what is more important ... the past, the present, or the future? Will they be able to learn to trust and love one another along the way? Or will their secrets keep them apart forever? <br />
<br />
A Regency romance that will draw you in and tug at your heartstrings.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Fall-Rebellious-Diana-Quincy-ebook/dp/B01CMH15J8/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1465734203&sr=1-727&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=8546adb47a1b4c7abd9b2db3a9a24f81" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01CMH15J8&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01CMH15J8" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UcBBms">Spy Fall by Diana Quincy (Rebellious Brides Book 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UcBBms">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>277 pages, 59 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.5 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>“Lovers of historical fiction could hardly do better than Diana Quincy’s Spy Fall,” proclaims Fresh Fiction. In this uniquely fresh and innovative Regency romance, a fearless French parachutist lands on top of a wicked rogue who endangers her mission -- and her heart.</i><br />
<br />
Mari Lamarre is gaining fame on both sides of the Channel for her daring aeronautic endeavors, but she hasn’t come to Dorset to showcase her talents. Rather, she’s been tasked with recovering sensitive information that may have fallen into the hands of the Marquess of Aldridge. It’s the riskiest adventure of her career—and it begins with a crash landing. Her fall is broken by the Marquess’s very own son, Cosmo, who’s clearly a rake and a drunk, not to mention a liability. So why does Mari find him so utterly alluring?<br />
<br />
When he first spots the vision of loveliness in the sky, Lord Cosmo Dunsmore surmises he’s imbibed one drop too many, and an angel has come to fetch him. Little does he know that this female daredevil will make him feel more alive than ever before. But when their torrid affair takes a shocking turn, Cosmo must choose where his loyalties lie: with his respectable father -- or with the captivating beauty whose fierce passion makes him feel like a new man.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.amazon.com/At-Spys-Pleasure-Tina-Gabrielle-ebook/dp/B00X3GBHAA/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1465734203&sr=1-724&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=7494cf4796421943bed7ab177357ec31" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00X3GBHAA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00X3GBHAA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UtJEJ2">At the Spy's Pleasure by Tina Gabrielle</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UtJEJ2">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>228 pages, 29 reviews (Average customer rating: 4.1 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>Every gentleman has his secrets ...</i><br />
<br />
London 1821<br />
After years of marriage to a selfish man who preferred gambling to his young bride, Jane, the widowed countess of Stanwell, now seeks what she was long denied -- a satisfying lover. Naturally, a lady needs a list of eligible candidates, which doesn't include the dangerously handsome (if far too arrogant) Gareth Ramsey ... until he steals a sinful kiss from Jane's all-too-willing lips.<br />
<br />
Reputed as an arrogant barrister, Gareth's real occupation is as a spy in the service of His Majesty, and his suspect is on Jane's list of possible lovers. With her life in danger, there's no safer place for Jane than with him -- and in his bed. But Jane is as distracting as she is infuriating, and keeping her by his side while he pursues his mission might just endanger them both ...</blockquote>Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-13251968347891568352016-06-09T12:34:00.001+08:002016-06-16T11:49:34.623+08:00Throwback Thursday: Historical Romance Edition (Featuring: This Magic Moment by Patricia Rice)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s1600/throwbackthursday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtDh40e-XaMAK3FK7pZYLGgwHrI6XDc2I3sJau2t0pLn7L7fsY39DjYXJzIkOzKO-XCQf39gZa7AL-0xPvp1gUugPShCqf2_RPc7FqRZo0QeWMMnWO_46M_x-yFaUUbNJb98W-d1wq5I/s200/throwbackthursday.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you to Shabby Blogs (http://shabbyblogs.com/) for the free frame!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Happy Throwback Thursday, everyone!<br />
<br />
<b>What is Throwback Thursday?</b><br />
Traditionally, Throwback Thursday celebrates nostalgia, asking participants to post a personal photo or an image from their past -- usually from 5 to 10 years ago. There are a lot of book blogs that also do a book-related Throwback Thursday. <br />
<br />
<div><center><a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Magic-Moment-heartwarming-magical/dp/1402251963/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&keywords=this%20magic%20moment%20patricia%20rice&qid=1465435267&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=25b198b0ab8bd27d780d2b124d2f18a1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1402251963&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1402251963" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
This Magic Moment by Patricia Rice, first published 2004</center></div><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: mistyrose; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;"><b>Blurb:</b><br />
<blockquote>When Harry unexpectedly inherits the title Duke of Sommersville, childhood friend Lady Christina consents to marry him so that she and her money can help save the estate, but what will save their friendship, and their marriage?<br />
<br />
Everything about Lord Harry's easygoing life is about to change. After unexpectedly inheriting the title of Duke of Sommersville, he's also discovered it comes with a load of debt. To save the estate, he's going to need money. Lots of it -- and quick.<br />
<br />
Lady Christina has no problem with Harry marrying her for her dowry. After all, they've been friends since childhood. But gone is the laughing, charming boy she once knew. And she won't share anything of herself until she gets that Harry back. No matter how tempting he proves to be ...<br />
<br />
An enchanting historical paranormal romance, fans of Stephanie Laurens, Christina Dodd and Mary Jo Putney will delight in Rice's richly complex and addictively compelling clash of science and magic in this Georgian romance.</blockquote></div><br />
To find out more about Patricia Rice and her books, click below:<br />
<center><b><a href="http://patriciarice.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPatriciaRice/">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/Patricia_Rice">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/PatriciaRice">Goodreads</a></b></center>Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-17776149579516166782016-06-07T16:18:00.000+08:002016-06-07T16:18:48.694+08:00Book Review: Only Beloved by Mary Balogh<center><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Only-Beloved-Survivors-Club-Novel/dp/0451477782/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465203317&sr=8-1&keywords=only+beloved&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=e01bba6944639caa705d13042dc6ff34" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0451477782&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" ></a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0451477782" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1TVZWQu">Click here to buy the book on Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Only-Beloved-Mary-Balogh/9780451477781?a_aid=lovesavestheworld">Click here to buy the paperback at The Book Depository</a></center><br />
At fifty years old, and after devoting almost a decade of his life caring for the Survivor's Club, and then seeing them get married one after the other, George, Duke of Stanbrook, discovers that he is not looking forward to the looming prospect of returning home to Penderris alone. He imagines following in his fellow Survivors' footsteps -- and find himself a wife to settle down with. As he thinks about it more, there's only one lady that comes to mind: Dora Debbins, the older sister of <a href="http://www.lovesavestheworld.com/2014/11/review-only-enchanting-by-mary-balogh.html">Agnes Keeping, now married to Flavian, Viscount Ponsonby (<b>Only Enchanting</b>)</a>. Dora is almost forty years old and now lives alone in her cottage near Middlebury Park. <br />
<br />
One of the challanges of writing this review is finding the words to describe the love story of George and Dora -- everything is happening quickly, but to call it a whirlwind would be inaccurate. There's a wonderful chemistry and companionship between George and Dora, but no fireworks. If you read back to the occasion where George and Dora met and talked in <b>Only Enchanting</b>, one would fancy thinking that <i>this story started there</i>, but there's also an element of surprise to finally see who George ended up with. (I don't think I'm alone in thinking that it may be Imogen and George in the end.) And while George never pushes or rushes, there's a sense that Dora has been swept up into this whole thing and hasn't quite found her bearing. Perhaps it was the suddenness of George's appearance and ensuing proposal, or perhaps it was age, or perhaps both of them decided it was about time, but Dora accepts George's offer of marriage, and they both agree to get married in a month. <br />
<br />
During the engagement, it's the same contradictions -- nothing happens, and <i>everything happens</i>. George and Dora are busy preparing for the wedding: Dora is getting fitted for a wardrobe fit for a duchess, and George is laying the stage, and making preparations for Dora's introduction to society. And, yet, nothing happens: it's almost a recitation of any typical Regency day -- except it is not a typical Regency day. It is Dora's first time ever to go to London and to move around in society. Despite being well-born, she never had a season, because of the scandal of her parents' divorce. Then there's the knowledge that her mother, whom she hasn't seen or talked to in her entire adult life, lives in London.<br />
<br />
It's amazing how Mary Balogh does it, where the tension gradually build up -- the only comparison I can make is to<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog"> a frog in water that is slowly being heated</a>. If Dora or George had known, from the beginning, the trials that they were to face once they married, perhaps they would not have jumped into it so quickly? But, like the frog, things come to a slow boil -- but, unlike the frog, Dora and George have the mindfulness to realize when the situation was getting out of hand.<br />
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Our hero and heroine realize that they don't get a free pass on marital issues when, on their wedding day, during the ceremony, a person from George's past shows up and reminds everyone present of the tragedy of George's first wife's death -- old gossip becomes the latest <i>on-dit</i>, and old doubts become the basis for new questions. And Dora is, unfortunately, caught in the crossfire. <i>What happened the day Lady Miriam died? Could George have saved her? Why did George allow his only son and heir to enlist? And why doesn't he talk about it with her?</i><br />
<br />
The incident at the wedding is the most exciting thing in this story -- and it is hushed up quickly, and in the background. What follows next is the trip home to Penderris -- where life resumes for George, and starts afresh for Dora -- and even their moments together are so ... <i>placid</i>. One would get the impression that this is a boring book -- but it isn't. I promise you, it's a story that simmers just a little on the surface, but there's a lot happening underneath. <br />
<br />
Much of what happens between the two of them is introspective -- Dora wonders how she can make George happy. And, one realizes, that is, indeed, a tall order: George sacrificed so much and worked so hard for the lives and happiness of the members of the Survivors Club. It was a tireless and loving endeavor, and he's given so much to the people around him. No one is deserving of happiness as George -- and it falls on Dora's shoulders to provide that happiness. <br />
<br />
But Dora also deserves to be happy: she gave up her youth and her chance at marriage to take care of Agnes. When her father remarried, she moved away to give her new stepmother the space she needed. When Agnes was widowed and needed a place, it was Dora who gave her a place to stay. She's waited all her life for her moment, after supporting her sister and her father through theirs. <br />
<br />
But there are wrinkles in their marriage: the same introspection and quiet companionship that we marvel at, also contributes to the feelings of uneasiness within Dora -- and these are exacerbated by the visit through the portraits gallery. Where are the portraits of Lady Miriam and of Brendan? We get the sense that the Duke has kept a large chunk of his life secret from Dora and from the readers. And none of the other members of the Survivors Club are there to reassure Dora or us that it is fine -- we are all left in the dark. <br />
<br />
When all is revealed in the end and George finally breaks his silence, I understood why George never talked about it -- and it adds another layer of heroism to his character. <br />
<br />
As I was reading George and Dora's story, I kept remembering this line from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113347/?ref_=nv_sr_1">the movie adaptation of Whitney Otto's <b>How to Make an American Quilt</b></a>: <br />
<br />
<blockquote><i>Young lovers seek perfection. Old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of patches.</i></blockquote><br />
<b>Only Beloved</b> is the last book in Mary Balogh's <i>Survivors Club</i> series. To find out more about Mary Balogh and her books, click below:<br />
<center><a href="http://www.marybalogh.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryBalogh">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9759.Mary_Balogh">Goodreads</a></center><br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-89784046103668025752016-06-05T12:30:00.000+08:002016-06-05T12:30:04.430+08:0099-cent Historical Romance Boxed Sets<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Regency-Rakes-Boxed-Wendy-Vella-ebook/dp/B019MZNC2Q/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465090641&ref_=sr_1_939&refinements=p_72%3A1248987011&s=digital-text&sr=1-939&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=b6956c63df74650e79f2a37d1de3fdc9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B019MZNC2Q&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B019MZNC2Q" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1VEoOvC">Regency Rakes Boxed Set by Wendy Vella</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1VEoOvC">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<b>About the boxed set:</b><br />
<blockquote>
630 pages, 1 customer review (5 stars)<br />
<br />
<b>DUCHESS BY CHANCE </b><br />
<br />
In this captivating historical romance, the Duke of Stratton is shocked to learn he has a fiancée he’s never met. Forced to wed Miss Eva Winchcomb, can they make their marriage real despite coming from two completely different worlds? <br />
<br />
<i>Winner: Romance Writers of New Zealand Clendon Award for a full-length romantic manuscript. </i><br />
<br />
<b>RESCUED BY A VISCOUNT </b><br />
<br />
Miss Claire Belmont’s life is thrown into turmoil when she finds out her brother left something behind in France before he died. Going against her family’s wishes, she is determined to uncover the secret of what it is, and is forced to turn to the one man she vowed to avoid at all costs for help. Claire has always feared that if anyone can disrupt her well-ordered life and see the vulnerable woman behind the polite facade, it will be Viscount Kelkirk and now they are thrown together, she realizes her fears were justified. <br />
<br />
<b>TEMPTING MISS ALLENDER </b><br />
<br />
Seven years after her disastrous debut, Miss Patience Allender has reluctantly returned to society to chaperone her sister. No longer the meek, mild Miss, she will never again allow a man to humiliate her. However, Patience’s resolve is severely tested when she comes face-to-face, with the very man who shattered her heart. Desperate for help when her family is thrust into danger, Lord Belmont is the only one she can turn to -- but can she do so and keep her heart whole or will he destroy her once again? </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Nights-Sin-Bestselling-Historical-ebook/dp/B019EP2X06/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465090516&ref_=sr_1_646&refinements=p_72%3A1248987011&s=digital-text&sr=1-646&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=daed1d606bb25174fcf0a216ff0f4074" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B019EP2X06&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B019EP2X06" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/22FSWYq">Seven Nights Of Sin: Seven Sensuous Stories by Bestselling Historical Romance Authors</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/22FSWYq">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<b>About the boxed set:</b><br />
<blockquote>
671 pages, 21 customer reviews (Average customer rating: 4.8 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>One night, one tryst can change everything ... Seven Sensuous stories by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sabrina York, with bestselling and award-winning authors Maggi Andersen, Lynne Conolly, Eliza Lloyd, Suzi Love, Hildie McQueen, and Victoria Vane. Enter a world of passion and mystery where dashing heroes and dauntless heroines come together in a scorching conflagration that will will tip your world on its end. </i><br />
<br />
LUSCIOUS by Sabrina York <br />
ONE SCANDALOUS NIGHT by Maggi Andersen <br />
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW by Victoria Vane <br />
UNDER A SILVER MOON by Hildie Mcqueen <br />
MY DEAR MR. FORRESTER by Eliza Lloyd <br />
WHAT HE WANTS by Lynne Connolly <br />
PLEASURE HOUSE BALL by Suzi Love </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Knights-Ladies-Medieval-Romance-Novels-ebook/dp/B019UKZS0W/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465090447&ref_=sr_1_571&refinements=p_72%3A1248987011&s=digital-text&sr=1-571&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=ad93fdd3e4dcead31c7b9371d8bed635" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B019UKZS0W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B019UKZS0W" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UBPMld">Knights and Ladies: 4 Medieval Romance Novels</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1UBPMld">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<b>About the boxed set:</b><br />
<blockquote>
9 customer reviews (Average customer rating: 4.3 stars)<br />
<br />
Laurel O’Donnell - <b>THE ANGEL AND THE PRINCE </b><br />
In this exciting medieval romance, the French lady knight known as the Angel of Death wages a battle of wills and desires against her dreaded enemy -- the English warrior known as the Prince of Darkness. <br />
<br />
Elizabeth Rose – <b>LADY RENEGADE</b> <br />
Storm MacKeefe is a Highlander used to winning his earnings through competitions. When he is tricked into accepting the job of hunting down the leader of a band of renegades, he has no idea the person he’s tracking is Wren -- a blind woman who leads a small army of women warriors. <br />
<br />
Catherine Kean – <b>A KNIGHT’S REWARD</b> <br />
When a LADY in hiding with her son reunites with the LORD she loved and lost years ago, she fears loving him again would mean risking his life. As the LORD investigates stolen cloth shipments, he uncovers dangerous secrets, including those about the lady. Will he lose her and all that’s dear to him -- or will he win a knight’s greatest reward? <br />
<br />
Lily Baldwin – <b>TO BEWITCH A HIGHLANDER </b><br />
She will protect her identity with her very life if necessary. Who will protect her from herself? <br />
<br />
Shoney's lightning speed with a bow captures Ronan by surprise, and their chance meeting ends with him lying unconscious at the bottom of a ravine. <br />
<br />
When he awakens, he cannot rid his mind of her startling beauty, her valor, or the secret fear he glimpsed in her steel eyes. He vows to find her, but as the mysteries of her identity unfold, his courage and heart are tested as never before. </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Valentine-Remember-Sandy-Raven-ebook/dp/B01BL41XZ4/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465090384&ref_=sr_1_492&refinements=p_72%3A1248987011&s=digital-text&sr=1-492&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=507ca04147bdf4b30228013c0b17ab44" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01BL41XZ4&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01BL41XZ4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/24pPDUq">A Valentine to Remember</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/24pPDUq">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<b>About the boxed set:<br />
</b><br />
<blockquote>
304 pages, 5 customer reviews (Average customer rating: 4.6 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>A special Valentine boxed set from three much-loved authors. Historical Romance authors Sue London and Sandy Raven, known for their adventurous heroines and brave heroes, team up with Gail Dayton, best-known for her steampunk and historical fantasy stories, for a sexy and heart-warming historical romance collection! </i><br />
<br />
<b>To My Valentine</b> by Gail Dayton - Lady Lydia Daventry betrayed Captain Alexander Ferguson by marrying another. Then she followed her military husband -- and Captain Ferguson -- to Spain, compounding his sense of betrayal. Now the husband is dead and the army at the end of a desperate retreat to the coast and ships back to England. Alex finds her trying to herd her little party of women and wounded soldiers to safety and escorts them the last few miles. Can they find their way back to each other? <br />
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<b>Jack Valentine</b> by Sue London - Artie Graham thought upholding the tradition of Jack Valentine was a sweet way to show his love of Norfolk. What he didn't expect was to find a woman even more enthusiastic about it ... and him. <br />
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<b>The Valentine Gift</b> by Sandy Raven - Believing they were unable to give each other the child they wanted so desperately, forces one couple to consider other options. They are then blessed many times over! </blockquote>
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<center>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Promise-Laura-Landon-ebook/dp/B01CKD80JC/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1465090231&ref_=sr_1_398&refinements=p_72%3A1248987011&s=digital-text&sr=1-398&linkCode=li3&tag=eviofhumhan-20&linkId=78f209750b27ab623ec5e1fe2f723b09" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01CKD80JC&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=eviofhumhan-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eviofhumhan-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01CKD80JC" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1t9hIEo">A Kiss and a Promise</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1t9hIEo">$0.99 on Amazon</a></center>
<br />
<b>About the boxed set:</b><br />
<blockquote>
10 customer reviews (Average customer rating: 4.4 stars)<br />
<br />
<i>This exciting medieval romance boxed set includes these four full length novels --</i> <br />
<br />
<b>The Baron's Bounty</b> by Elizabeth Rose - <br />
After seeing only the shoes of the Scottish king's murderer, Isobel MacEwen is sent as a proxy to marry an English baron. Lord Conlin de Braose is a baron of the Cinque Ports and risks his life to save his betrothed when her ship goes down in a storm. To his dismay, instead of his betrothed he has saved a proxy who has an odd passion for shoes. <br />
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<b>Not Mine to Give</b> by Laura Landon - <br />
In a blood-drenched midnight vow, Lady Katherine Downing pledged she would keep the Bishop’s crown safe from the Scottish lads who’d stolen it, and return it to England where it belonged. And by king’s edict, she would then wed the Earl of Rivershorn, William Bolton. But a man as evil as Bolton could never have her hand ... or her heart. Not once she’d kissed her Scot. <br />
<br />
Finding his entire family slaughtered at the hands of William Bolton suddenly elevated Duncan Ferguson to laird of the clan. His mother, father and two sisters died protecting the stolen crown from Bolton, who took his remaining youngest sister, Brenna, as hostage. Once she is rescued, nothing will stop Duncan from honoring his father’s memory by taking the crown back from the woman who has hidden it. Nothing will stop him from keeping the crown out of the hands of the bloody English. Except, perhaps, his beautiful, stubborn English wife -- Lady Katherine -- and her stubborn midnight vow. <br />
<br />
<b>Champion of the Heart</b> by Laurel O'Donnell - <br />
He is an outcast THIEF known as the Black Fox, vowing revenge against those who unjustly stripped his father of his knighthood and lands. She is the PROTECTOR of the orphaned children of her village, promising to bring the Black Fox to justice for his dark deeds. Can Fox uncover the sinister secrets from their past and become the champion of his lady's heart? <br />
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<b>Winter Fire</b> by Sue-Ellen Welfonder - <br />
Flames of winter burn the hottest ...<br />
<br />
When Katla MacKenzie meets a dashing stranger in an enchanted place, she gladly gives her heart -- and her passion -- to the lover she only knows as the Lord of Winter. <br />
<br />
Gunnar MacLeod can’t resist the bonnie lass and seduces her—or is he the one seduced? A long-standing clan feud comes between them, but a heart that loves is powerful, and Gunnar will do whatever he must to claim Katla as his own. </blockquote>
Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-956493763207583659.post-53653305800094062462016-06-03T14:00:00.000+08:002016-06-03T16:11:23.972+08:00Blog Tour: A Common Scandal by Amanda Weaver (Review + Giveaway)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKvE9XVsL-dB_GhlFDPFxFMqR_Cm6WWyHVtqyk3a4M6PUkrv_DlnzdFHsh7P3-heMsAxJVSQruJPe8aJfbMB3HWGZE3P4hNdNLL6R06ss330oL95Q5vOiwRgF8ACM7t4f5XQhAtRdqQY/s1600/VT-ACommonScandal-AWeaver_FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKvE9XVsL-dB_GhlFDPFxFMqR_Cm6WWyHVtqyk3a4M6PUkrv_DlnzdFHsh7P3-heMsAxJVSQruJPe8aJfbMB3HWGZE3P4hNdNLL6R06ss330oL95Q5vOiwRgF8ACM7t4f5XQhAtRdqQY/s400/VT-ACommonScandal-AWeaver_FINAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I am so pleased to welcome back Amanda Weaver and her new book, A Common Scandal, the next book in her Grantham Girls series. <br />
<br />
To celebrate the release of A Common Scandal, Amanda Weaver is hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for a $30.00 Amazon eGift Card. (Enter via Rafflecopter below). <a href="http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/03/a-common-scandal-grantham-girls-2-by.html">To follow the rest of the tour, click here</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50vfaAGHsAG1DgOOPFwDTfvHBsROJpLHOYnusnUfhFsMe_XPoLI46FUelfgcz7PiVgNKrdxg2Dmtv5vu3rBmM8ISwFc9VNS4u8Ae0xOWktChFj9INKEJKJVQ1LOYaqhBv4clSDV7RSwY/s1600/A+Common+Scandal_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50vfaAGHsAG1DgOOPFwDTfvHBsROJpLHOYnusnUfhFsMe_XPoLI46FUelfgcz7PiVgNKrdxg2Dmtv5vu3rBmM8ISwFc9VNS4u8Ae0xOWktChFj9INKEJKJVQ1LOYaqhBv4clSDV7RSwY/s320/A+Common+Scandal_cover.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><center>A Common Scandal <br />
The Grantham Girls #2<br />
By: Amanda Weaver<br />
Releasing May 30, 2016 <br />
Carina Press</center><br />
<b>Blurb :</b><br />
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Finishing school taught Amelia Wheeler how to put on a well-mannered performance -- when she’s not bored and looking for trouble. Lady Grantham’s is behind her and now it's time for Amelia to keep her promise to her dying mother: marry a title and leave her wild days behind.<br />
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That promise would be much easier to keep if Nate Smythe hadn’t just reappeared in a London ballroom. The son of an impoverished sailor, Nate -- Natty, as he used to be called -- has grown up to become handsome, rich and polished. He claims to be looking for a proper bride who can advance his business interests, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking out Amelia every chance he gets. Challenging her. Kissing her.<br />
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Suddenly, struggling against her simmering passion is the least of Amelia's problems -- one of her titled suitors is hiding a desperate secret that could stop Amelia from pleasing her parents or finding happiness with Nate. As a weeklong house party threatens to derail her hard-won future, Amelia must decide: fight against disaster or act like the lady she's promised to become?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji9TgLT9OQ8sOP-AclAye2e7kmb8ZzIwXorC68I3TL2JtkdEJvmnKCbqhJoXgj3kTbhxxZG_6RSyul43g8RuUYYWN5IsLT8O2YZBYi70co6wNze4XwhN7Wz9kPcpb-llW99FvwWZCD-o/s1600/Excerpt-Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji9TgLT9OQ8sOP-AclAye2e7kmb8ZzIwXorC68I3TL2JtkdEJvmnKCbqhJoXgj3kTbhxxZG_6RSyul43g8RuUYYWN5IsLT8O2YZBYi70co6wNze4XwhN7Wz9kPcpb-llW99FvwWZCD-o/s320/Excerpt-Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Despite knowing the sort of marriage she was destined for, she’d resisted making a choice for so long because she’d hoped in time she might encounter a suitable man who sparked some kind of fire in her. But not once, in all her forays into Society, had she met a man who raised more than mild curiosity. She’d read about flaming passions and heated kisses in the lurid, forbidden novels she had traded with Vic and Grace, but her blood had never been stirred by a flesh-and-blood male. She’d begun to think those passions were the invention of novelists and no man could ever make her feel that way. And now one had, and he was hopelessly out of her reach. It was wretched, wanting something she couldn’t have.<br />
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“What’s the verdict? Does Cheadle love you madly or not?”<br />
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She didn’t trust herself to look at Natty, knowing her insides would plunge in an unwelcome, delicious way. When he came near her, it was as if her whole body stretched luxuriously and unfurled. Terribly unhelpful, when she was determined to send him packing and behave.<br />
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“I’m sure the answer will always be ‘not’, regardless of the state of the petals and irrespective of whatever he might proclaim. Isn’t Lady Julia waiting for her glass of punch or something?”<br />
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“Pardon?”<br />
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“The lovely Lady Julia Harrow. I saw you sitting with her. Surely she’s missed you by now.”<br />
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“Somehow I doubt it,” he muttered. “And what of Cheadle? Surely he’s climbing the walls pining after you.”<br />
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She sighed and turned to face him, tossing the last of the ruined flower to the ground and brushing her gloved fingers together. “You know he’s not, Natty. Men don’t pine after me, only my money. The only reason anyone at these things speaks to me is because of my fortune.”<br />
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“I’m speaking to you and I have my own fortune, thank you very much.”<br />
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“You only speak to me to tease me.”<br />
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“You used to like it when I teased you.”<br />
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“I’m not a child anymore.”<br />
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“Obviously.”<br />
<br />
The word hung between them for a moment, rife with meaning. He might have only meant she was all grown-up and out in Society, except his eyes made a lightning-fast perusal of her body as he said it, so fast, he was likely unaware he’d done it. In a rush, it broke over her that Natty was aware of her in the same way she was aware of him. Not as an old playmate from his childhood. As a woman. He was as affected as she was, even if he was spending his evening paying court to Julia Harrow.<br />
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His eyes made their way back to hers and they both held the gaze. This newly discovered knowledge sizzled through her body. Her skin flushed and her breaths grew shallow. Natty’s eyes stared into hers. His lips parted slightly, as if he, too, was baffled by this sudden shift in the air. The atmosphere around them felt charged, the way it did when thunder began rattling the windows and lightning lit the night sky, but still the rain refused to fall. At any minute the clouds could collide and deluge the world, but until then, all the energy of the universe danced on the breeze.<br />
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She wanted to tease and flirt with him to see how far things would progress. She wanted to see the skies open up. She wanted to be drenched by the rain.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26308934-a-common-scandal">Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26308934-a-common-scandal </a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/162192-the-grantham-girls ">Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/162192-the-grantham-girls</a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Common-Scandal-Grantham-Girls-ebook/dp/B0150Z3PLA/">Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Common-Scandal-Grantham-Girls-ebook/dp/B0150Z3PLA/</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-common-scandal-amanda-weaver/1122625748">B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-common-scandal-amanda-weaver/1122625748</a> <br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Amanda_Weaver _A_Common_Scandal?id=4YCCCgAAQBAJ">Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Amanda_Weaver _A_Common_Scandal?id=4YCCCgAAQBAJ</a> <br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-common-scandal/id1037741011?mt=11 ">iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-common-scandal/id1037741011?mt=11</a> <br />
<a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-common-scandal-1">Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-common-scandal-1 </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlMfQZyEtEwGWq7aiN0Tof4lpK_hyphenhyphen11jN4LUzrNdJAs_PyrQKJwCsyoTIJoVTReUZedel9B8IvAZkAFP6RllKbW_M1tEdq19mwKzQ20oC3twB9YvBzVpHGcnX-Zi3S2I6mkeDl-w158Q/s1600/Review-Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlMfQZyEtEwGWq7aiN0Tof4lpK_hyphenhyphen11jN4LUzrNdJAs_PyrQKJwCsyoTIJoVTReUZedel9B8IvAZkAFP6RllKbW_M1tEdq19mwKzQ20oC3twB9YvBzVpHGcnX-Zi3S2I6mkeDl-w158Q/s320/Review-Banner.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Amelia Wheeler and Nate Smythe are childhood friends, who grew up together, but whose lives took different turns when Amelia's father decided to move his family to London, and Nate went to work on a ship. It is many years later, and the height of the London Season, and neither one had dreamed they would cross paths once again. A lot of old feelings resurface when Amelia and Nate meet again for the first time, and a lot of new feelings also start to grow -- they've always loved each other. They've always preferred each other's company over anyone else's -- but, as Nate says at one point: they aren't children any more -- and practical needs and wants supersede personal ones.<br />
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Amelia is another graduate of Lady Grantham's Finishing School, and, despite "graduating", Amelia never really gained the polished refinement that she needs to survive the London Season. Our heroine is used to the side comments about her (lack of) pedigree, and she's perfectly fine displaying just how unsophisticated she is with her words and her fists -- but Amelia also needs to consider her ailing mother's wishes for her only daughter to marry a title, and, with it, the acceptance of a society that had shunned her when she married "beneath" her.<br />
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Nate is a self-made man, and he needs to marry a title in order to advance his small shipping business. He's already decided to court Lady Julia Harrow, daughter of the Earl of Hyde, who owns the largest shipping business in England.<br />
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This is one of two themes that the author tackles in her novel: Amelia wants to please her mother, and Nate wants to gain society's approval. Amelia had little support on the homefront, and she faced a lot of hostility in the battlefront that is the ballroom. While Amelia behaves a bit audaciously, it is not for lack of provocation -- and I felt really bad that she kept getting baited by the other ladies. And Nate had no support. Period. His mother and siblings all died when he was away at sea, and I could see how Nate looked up to the Earl of Hyde, and saw him as a potential mentor/father figure.<br />
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They knew they could never be together, so they did what they thought was the best course of action, which is to push away and hurt each other. Marriage became a contest between Nate and Amelia, and whoever lands the proposal and the title wins the game -- but it's really a game where both of them would end up as losers, because, whenever they are together, there's this undeniable chemistry and the indisputable knowledge that they really belong with one another.<br />
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The contest takes both of them to a house party hosted by one Evelyn, the daughter of the Earl of Tewsbury -- Amelia does her best to behave and entertain the attentions of Lord Radwill, while fending off the unwanted attentions of Mr. Cheadle. And Nate is busy getting to know Julia Harrow.<br />
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The house party is a bit typical with the games and the chances of flirtations, but, it also offered an opportunity for Nate and Amelia to discover that, among the ton, there are people whom they could consider their friends. I have to say that I really liked Julia Harrow's character. I thought she was unique and stood out from all the other ladies. <br />
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Weaver introduces a bit of mystery with the arrival of Mr. Morley, and Mr. Cheadle's reaction to his "friend's" stay -- and it's a question that you want to get an answer to, so you keep reading. We already knew that Mr. Cheadle was a fortune hunter, but, when the author reveals his motivations ... wow.<br />
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What makes this childhood friends-to-lovers story stand out is the author's decision to detach the old friendship of Nate and Amelia with their new relationship. The author doesn't rely entirely on old memories and old feelings to fuel the desire between the two -- but, instead, Amelia shows Nate how much she has matured and grown, and Nate shows Amelia how confident and resolute he has become. How can you not admire someone who has worked so hard to get to where he is right now?<br />
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<i>Disclosure: I received this ARC from Netgalley for this blog tour. Thank you to Amanda Weaver and Carina Press for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.</i><br />
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<b>About the author:</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNmbaGku34XxeBuHqpKkGLKQTgBquZHHJ46fYTt7v1Nm3fvp6A0x53-v_co4GcKbPW-pUb41mhB93PjbrP2R1ueY_HY4PmbNSzkI79Ec-SdIRGZ91Cu6CdAbdJCxYCLSfRV8r4YgB4jQ/s1600/AmandaWeaver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNmbaGku34XxeBuHqpKkGLKQTgBquZHHJ46fYTt7v1Nm3fvp6A0x53-v_co4GcKbPW-pUb41mhB93PjbrP2R1ueY_HY4PmbNSzkI79Ec-SdIRGZ91Cu6CdAbdJCxYCLSfRV8r4YgB4jQ/s1600/AmandaWeaver.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Amanda Weaver has loved romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen. After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found her way back to romance, this time as a writer.<br />
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A native Floridian, Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough space.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amandaweavernovels.com/">Website: http://www.amandaweavernovels.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Weaver/642963329073960">Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Weaver/642963329073960</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/AWeaverWrites">Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWeaverWrites</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7855753.Amanda_Weaver">GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7855753.Amanda_Weaver</a> <br />
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To celebrate the release of A Common Scandal, Amanda Weaver is hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway for a $30.00 Amazon eGift Card. (Enter via Rafflecopter below). <a href="http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/03/a-common-scandal-grantham-girls-2-by.html">To follow the rest of the tour, click here</a>.<br />
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Tinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160536602351176206noreply@blogger.com8