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| 0425247945
| 9780425247945
| 0425247945
| 3.97
| 587
| Mar 06, 2012
| Mar 06, 2012
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liked it
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*2.5 Stars* This book took forever to read. I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t precisely like it, either. I thought it was perfectly pleasant (until it g *2.5 Stars* This book took forever to read. I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t precisely like it, either. I thought it was perfectly pleasant (until it got silly at the end) but I felt distant from it. I picked up the book expecting something more than I was given. I read on the back cover that the hero, an artist, was losing his eyesight after his imprisonment in a dungeon in India. That led me to expect some depth and intensity to his storyline. I didn’t precisely want angst, but I wanted more feeling. I mean, the man is losing his eyesight! His career, his passion, is slipping through his fingers, and it’s all because of his imprisonment. How can that not inspire some intensity in the hero? At the very least I expected some torment and bitterness. I wouldn’t characterize this book as fluffy—well, the end was pretty fluffy, I have to admit—but I would definitely call it light. The characters stayed cheerful and amiable for the most part, and even when they were arguing, or the hero was brooding over his failing eyesight, the story maintained a fairly upbeat, pleasant tone. It made it easy to like the characters in the beginning, but it made it difficult to ever progress beyond that faint liking. It’s hard for me to really connect with a character when all I’m given is a superficial understanding of them. I never felt like I got any meat to them, even Josiah, which is surprising given that their backgrounds gave me the impression that they would have that in spades. I guess it was just not fleshed out enough for me. I liked that the author stayed out of the nobility and focused on two working class people. Eleanor had fallen on hard times after the death of her father and was forced to work to support herself, but even before that her father wasn’t nobility; he was simply a man in trade. Eleanor even laughed at the thought of ever meeting a lord. She couldn’t imagine a circumstance that would ever lead to that. Josiah is the son of a lord, but he’s a third son and not a favorite of his father’s to boot. He was a struggling artist before he came back from India rich. He’s still an artist, looked down on in some circles, and the only difference now is that he doesn’t have to paint to support himself. I found it a refreshing change. Of course, Eleanor was similar to the typical heroine since she was hung up on all the etiquette lessons that she was taught in the hopes that she would raise her social position with marriage, but she was willing to seize the day and be with Josiah a lot easier than a typical lady would. This is the fourth book in the Jaded Gentleman series, which features an ongoing subplot where the Jaded try to flush out the Jackal, who apparently wants something they took with them from India. That’s about all I really got about the overall plot. It was not an important part of the story and could have been skipped entirely, in my opinion. It was given so little attention that I’m not even really sure how long the hero was stuck in that prison. The villain pops up at the end of the book in a completely eye rolling scene. Their interaction was over in a blink and I was left praying for patience over the ridiculousness of the whole thing. I’d go into more detail about why it was so ridiculous, but I don’t want anyone screaming SPOILERS!!! at me since it’s the climactic scene. Eleanor and Josiah fell in love with each other easily, although Josiah’s pride kept them apart far longer than was necessary. I can’t say that I felt any spark between them but they were pleasant together. Given then overall light, pleasant tone to the book and their relationship, I was rather shocked when one of their sex scenes came around. All of a sudden the heroine is having the hero drip hot wax on her and the hero starts to flirt with anal play. Sounds random and out of place, right? It was. It did not match with any of their earlier sex scenes or the tone of the book in general. It felt completely unnatural and like it was shoehorned in just to try to spice things up. I may not blink about that kind of stuff in another book, but it felt extremely weird in this one. I know I’ve said the word ‘pleasant’ about a billion times in this review, but I can’t think of another way to describe it without being mean and just saying ‘meh’. Is it odd that I’d rather hate a book than feel so ambivalent about it? It’s just so hard to continue on when you’re bored. Favorite Quote: "I don't want to ruin you, Eleanor. Not now, not ever. And for you, is my touch not the very definition of ruin?" *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 04, 2012
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Apr 2012
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Mar 04, 2012
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0425246604
| 9780425246603
| 0425246604
| 3.64
| 731
| Feb 07, 2012
| Feb 07, 2012
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really liked it
| Thoughts like hers were not appropriate for a lady. Her father had once told her she'd been born wicked, and she suspected he was right. What proper l Thoughts like hers were not appropriate for a lady. Her father had once told her she'd been born wicked, and she suspected he was right. What proper lady, never married, took a lover, regretted nothing, and dreamed of taking another? If you enjoy Historical Romances featuring heroines who are not shy, virginal misses, then this book will be right up your alley. The heroine, Lily, is a delightfully self aware heroine. She looks delicate and innocent, like someone you need to protect, but her mind is quite sharp. She flirts and tosses around innuendos without ever losing that innocent mien. I quite enjoyed the hero’s initial uncertainty about her awareness of the undertones to their interactions. She is also cheerful and fun to be around. She easily pulls the hero’s sister (her friend) out of the gloom she had fallen into with the death of her husband, and charms the reluctant Mountjoy. This is a very character driven romance. There is a bit of a subplot involving the heroine’s fear that a distant relative has arrived to wrest her inheritance away, but it was quite obvious where that was going, and it wasn’t headed toward an actual conflict. The author did manage to surprise me with the development between Lily and the relative toward the end, but I was pleased to see that the situation didn’t become too sticky and that my initial assumption about his interest in their little group was still correct. I know that such an intense focus on the main romance, to the exclusion of all else, is not for everyone, but I quite enjoy it. I am an unrepentant emotional voyeur, and I love the intense focus on a burgeoning romance. ;) The story setup is very simple, and in the hands of another author it could have easily strayed into boring territory. Lily comes to visit her friend, Eugenia, to pull her out of the gloom she’s been in since her husband died. She meets the hero, Mountjoy, and sparks fly between them both. Mountjoy was a farmer who became a duke through a convoluted line of succession. He is a hard working man who has come to love the lands that he is responsible for. Although he has been the duke for quite a while, he hasn’t bothered to assume some of the more frivolous trappings of the nobility, like new clothes. He doesn’t care about entertaining or impressing anyone, so why would he need new clothes? But I think he also refused to change because he secretly didn’t want anyone to forget who he was or to think that he was putting on airs. Mountjoy is probably going to marry a girl named Jane. He hasn’t proposed or courted her, but everyone assumes he will, and he doesn’t see a reason why he shouldn’t eventually propose. Eventually being the key word. Lily and Mountjoy are very attracted to each other and neither has a problem with it. The only real concern for Mountjoy is what will happen with his sister’s friendship with Lily when they eventually end their affair. This initially holds him back, but every nighttime encounter between them—Lily has always had insomnia, so she’s always up and about at night, giving her an easy way to spend time with him alone—pulls them tighter and tighter together. For her part, Lily has no problem starting an affair with Mountjoy, other than a few worries about being disloyal to her feelings for her first love, Greer. We didn’t get a lot of information on Greer, so it was easy for me to brush off this concern. At one point Mountjoy said something to Lily that perfectly summed up my thoughts. I liked this indication that the author was fully aware of how Lily’s concerns were coming off to the reader. It made me have more patience with Lily. He said: "Don't settle for marriage without at least respect between you. You can't live like that. Not you, Lily. I know you loved Greer, and I believe you'll never love another man the way you loved him. But does it follow that you can never love? Does a parent love only one child? A child only one parent? May we love only one friend? You, Lily, you of all people must have love in her life. Genuine love from a man who understands the wonderful eccentricities of your mind. Accept nothing less." So if I enjoyed this book so much, why is it only a B instead of an A? It’s because of something I can’t put my finger on. I may have had a few irritants here and there in the book, like never knowing the hero’s name or the way Mountjoy’s connection with Jane became a non issue (it seemed like too easy of a shortcut for such a skilled author), but they were easy to ignore when compared to the charm of Lily and Mountjoy together. But what I can’t get over is the distance I feel toward this book. Just like with the last book I read by this author, Scandal , I enjoyed the story, enjoyed the characters, and can see the author’s skill, but I just don’t feel it the way I should. I don’t click with the story and it drives me batty that I can’t figure out why. So I, unfortunately, can only enjoy the story, not love it. Favorite Quote: "What are you thinking?" Mountjoy asked. *Review posted on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 11, 2012
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Feb 12, 2012
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Feb 11, 2012
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0451413121
| 9780451413123
| 0451413121
| 3.70
| 1,146
| Jan 01, 2012
| Feb 07, 2012
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it was ok
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Over my years of reading Historical Romance I have discovered that there are two kind of light books in the genre: The lighter, make me smile/feel goo
Over my years of reading Historical Romance I have discovered that there are two kind of light books in the genre: The lighter, make me smile/feel good ones (like Loretta Chase), and the ones that are so light that they’re lacking in substance. I adore the first kind but I hate the second kind—unless I’m in a very rare mood. But sometimes it’s really hard to distinguish the two when you first pick up a book. That’s what makes reading the lighter/funnier HR’s such a crap shoot for me. Unfortunately, luck was not with me and this book turned out to be of the fluffy, cotton-candy persuasion. Not my type at all. While reading, members of the Boscastle family kept popping up with mentions about their own past stories. What baffles me is that some of those past story details sound very familiar. Like Chloe and the way her future husband hid out in her room while everyone else thought he was dead. I think I must have read the original Boscastle series at some point, but I honestly don’t remember whether I liked them, what I thought about the stories and the writing style as a whole, or anything, really, other than a few stray details here and there. And that right there tells me that my reaction to this book is not a fluke. I have a very good recall for the stories I read and enjoy, and even some of the ones I loathe, so the fact that I remember nothing about those books is telling. Charlotte is the headmistress for the Scarfield Academy for Young Ladies. In the beginning we are given the impression Charlotte is a bit uptight and that she disapproves of the hero, but we soon learn that Charlotte is actually titillated by the hero and that she has a whole imaginary life, filled with imaginary interactions between them, recorded in her diary. A rival headmistress hires someone to steal the diary, and through a series of events, the diary ends up being left in the carriage of the very duke Charlotte was writing about. He, of course, knows immediately that Charlotte was writing about him and finds himself intrigued by the passion running beneath her otherwise cool exterior. It’s not every day he finds a book detailing erotic encounters involving him that never actually happened. A harebrained scheme to recover the diary leads to Charlotte and Gideon being discovered in a compromising position and the diary being lost (again). I really don’t have many positive things to say about the book, other than the fact that I was occasionally amused and that there wasn’t enough substance to it for me to muster the enthusiasm to care enough to hate it—which is what my F reviews are usually reserved for. I found the whole thing rather ridiculous; completely lacking in substance and any real historical feel. There was never any real relationship building. The heroine was always in love with the hero--for some reason that I’m still not sure of--and the hero followed easily in her wake with no real reason given for their feelings. We didn’t get into the hero’s head very often, and what we did see of his past didn’t impress me much. I didn’t understand why his deadbeat dad ways were included in the story. His neglect of his daughter added nothing to the story, other than to make me dislike him. I could understand if the author was going to use it as a way to build character growth, but she didn’t. All of a sudden we’re just presented with the fact that the hero has a kid that he hasn’t seen for 10 months, and that he doesn’t see her much more than that usually. The heroine is exasperated with him for it, but that’s it. It’s treated in a cheerful manner that made me confused as to why it was even a part of the story. The lack of relationship building made the romance between Charlotte and Gideon lack any spark. The love scenes were rather awkward and perfunctory, and I really could have used some sexual tension. Gideon and Charlotte felt weird and bland together, and the same is true for the interactions we saw between the side characters. Also, the buildup of the missing diary was resolved in a laughable manner that made me honestly wonder why I expected any better. All in all, it was a disappointing read, and I doubt I'll pick up anything else by this author. *Review posted at Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 04, 2012
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Feb 11, 2012
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Feb 04, 2012
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0451236343
| 9780451236340
| 0451236343
| 3.53
| 1,289
| Apr 01, 2012
| Apr 03, 2012
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did not like it
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*DNF* I'm done with this. I've read too many crappy books lately to be willing to slog through another. *DNF* I'm done with this. I've read too many crappy books lately to be willing to slog through another. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 27, 2012
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Mar 30, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0515150460
| 9780515150469
| 0515150460
| 3.63
| 2,519
| Mar 2012
| Mar 2012
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it was ok
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Wow. I can’t recall a time that this has happened to me with Madeline Hunter. She’s not always a sure thing for me, as I can recall disliking or being
Wow. I can’t recall a time that this has happened to me with Madeline Hunter. She’s not always a sure thing for me, as I can recall disliking or being disappointed in some of her books, but that’s not really unexpected when I look at how much of her backlist I have read. But I have never been so completely bored when reading when of her books. Emma’s father, the owner of an auction house, recently died. Emma’s brother, Robert, is presumed dead after a shipwreck, but because her father refused to give up hope, he wasn’t declared dead. Emma shares the same faith in her brother’s eventual return and is determined to safeguard his inheritance (the auction house) until he makes his way home. Of course, the Earl of Southwaite, the hero, is the proverbial fly in the ointment. He owns 50% of the business and wants it sold. He’s heard some worrying rumors about the auction house being associated with smuggling and, given that he has been staunchly opposed to smuggling, it would never do politically for him to be discovered as somehow profiting from it. He’d rather just have the business sold and wash his hands of it. Of course, this difference in opinion over the future of the business causes Emma and Southwaite to butt heads. Given the disagreement over the future of the auction house, I expected more excitement between Emma and Southwaite. Hell, I expected more excitement in general. How can someone feel so drab and monotone when they’re scheming to get their way? I enjoyed the fact that Southwaite became so completely turned around whenever he spoke to Emma. He would charge into the situation with it all planned out, but by the time he left he had won nothing and had usually ended up benefiting Emma’s cause somehow. Yet even that was a kind of drab enjoyment. I really don’t understand what was going on with this book. It was well written, but it was a chore to read. There was no excitement or emotion to catch the reader and pull them in. I think a big strike in the ambivalence column came from the fact that I didn’t care for the hero or heroine. I didn’t care enough to out and out dislike them, but there was nothing about them that pulled me in and made me root for them. The heroine was an odd mix of naiveté and competence that never successfully gelled for me. One minute she would be subtly confounding Southwaite and getting her way and the next she would seem painfully oblivious to the realities of the world. Whenever any sexual attraction came into play she became a dim, easily manipulated creature who made me grit my teeth. She got better once they had sex, but I was never very impressed by her. Also, the way she ignored the realities of what only owning 50% of the business meant irritated me. Southwaite was really no better. He tended to bulldoze over Emma whenever he got the chance. I found his presumptuousness completely galling and was frustrated that Emma went along with it so often. I liked that we stayed out of the ballrooms and focused mostly on trade world but I found the smuggling plot boring. So much of it hinged on the fact that Emma didn’t tell anyone. If she had spoken to her friend Cassandra or even spoken to Southwaite in the beginning I would have had more respect for her intelligence. Then again, she never really felt like she had a good handle on her plan for the auction house either, so can I really say that I was surprised by how she handled it? But then to have it all resolve in the anticlimactic way it did? Talk about going out with a whimper instead of a bang. The whole thing just didn’t work for me. My enjoyment in the story picked up a bit after they started having sex, but that wasn’t enough to change my overall feeling of apathy. I hope this book was just a fluke and that the next one is better. Favorite Quote: ”He feels obligated to make conversation if we have a meal together, and recently I have heard a lot of Miss Fairbourne this and Miss Fairbourne that. I assumed he had some fascination and, being a man, he would do what men are wont to do when they are fascinated.” *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 26, 2012
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Mar 26, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 1420117068
| 9781420117066
| 1420117068
| 3.73
| 1,685
| Jan 31, 2012
| Jan 31, 2012
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really liked it
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*3.5 Stars* I thought this premise was absolutely marvelous. It’s just so rare to see something like it! The hero and heroine are already married when *3.5 Stars* I thought this premise was absolutely marvelous. It’s just so rare to see something like it! The hero and heroine are already married when the story begins—and they’re happy to boot. The heroine, Evelyn, was a spy before her marriage—although she hasn’t admitted that to her husband. She plans to one day, but she’s thinking more along the lines of confessing when he’s on his death bed. She gets contacted by her old organization and is compelled to help them on another case. She doesn’t want to, because she’s happy and doesn’t want to risk her marriage, but they make her an offer she can’t refuse. What follows is an amusing tale of Evelyn trying to complete the tasks assigned to her while her husband starts to suspect the worst. Victoria Alexander has an engaging writing style that easily pulls the reader in. I started reading and was immediately charmed. The characters were so fun and the situation was so funny. Evelyn and her husband are always honest with each other, about the present at least ;), so when Adrian notices that she seems distracted and that she has been visiting places that she didn’t mention to him, he finds himself becoming worried. He has been feeling rather restless lately, himself, so he worries that she is experiencing the same thing. Her occasional mentions of him not being very adventurous have him nervous that she might start searching for that adventure with someone else. Evelyn is, of course, completely clueless about his worries. This leads to a hilarious story with some rather farcical situations. Evelyn and Adrian are great together. They don’t have a very passionate feel to their relationship, but you can feel the love and affection between them whenever they’re together. Although they’re both happy and in love, Adrian has always felt a slight insecurity about Evelyn’s reasons for marrying him. Was she as in love as he was, or was he just convenient? His insecurity leads him into some awkward situations that are embarrassing for him, but hilarious for the reader. He has the unfortunate habit of making a bad situation worse by developing an even more convoluted plan to fix the original bad plan. His friend, Max—loved him!—might see it’s a bad idea, but Adrian’s determined to do things his way. Occasionally I had to shake my head. Love must have made him stupid. Lol. I really enjoyed the book, but as the story progressed I started to become less and less amused by the lies and omissions. I still giggled over the funny scenes, but underneath that I started to become dissatisfied with the way Evelyn couldn’t keep a good mad going. I know that she loves Adrian, but I wanted her to stand up for herself and mean it when she said she was angry. It seemed like she became angry only because she wanted him to apologize and cajole her out of her temper. That left me with the feeling that he never actually had to atone for his wrongdoings. I don’t even think he was actually sorry. The fact that he kept layering deceit on top of deceit, all while tricking her, irritated me. I liked his character and understood that he got a little too caught up in his plots, but that doesn’t change the fact that what he did was wrong. I wouldn’t have minded so much if Evelyn had responded differently. My dissatisfaction with this aspect dropped my grade significantly. Sprinkled through the book there was a cute secondary romance. They were tied in with the spy thing, so it never took away from the main romance. It actually provided a fuller picture of the spy plot and everyone’s connection to the organization. Plus, they were just adorable together. I liked that Max was the one who found himself dissatisfied with the relationship they had. He wanted to sleep with her through the night and wake with her in the morning. So sweet… It was fun watching him try to convince his lady that they should enter into something more permanent. Although I had my issues with this book, I still thought it was a blast to read. The humor was perfect and I found myself grinning frequently. I can’t wait to see what will come next in this series. Favorite Quote: "However, if we are to be friends, you should know I have few scruples, my morals are questionable, and I am quite selfish." *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* *For a sneak peek, check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 27, 2012
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Jan 28, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0312534523
| 9780312534523
| 0312534523
| 3.87
| 2,430
| Mar 27, 2012
| Mar 27, 2012
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it was amazing
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 31, 2012
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Mar 31, 2012
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Nov 08, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1420118951
| 9781420118957
| 1420118951
| 3.24
| 723
| Oct 04, 2011
| Oct 04, 2011
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did not like it
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*DNF* I have to admit defeat and give up on this one. I haven’t enjoyed it and am tired of struggling to become interested. I gave it a good go and mad *DNF* I have to admit defeat and give up on this one. I haven’t enjoyed it and am tired of struggling to become interested. I gave it a good go and made it to page 176, but I don’t think it’s going to get any better. The hero, James, comes to visit his fiancée, Louisa, and ends up getting to spend some time with her stepsister, Julia, while he waits for Louisa to come greet him. He is completely swept away by Julia and is chagrined to realize that he is so attracted to his fiancée’s sister. (This is by page 8, by the way) Julia’s charms seemed to be comprised of her nonstop chatter—which tends to border on socially unacceptable since she blurts out whatever is on her mind—and her appetite. This girl eats and eats and eats, sometimes even getting a third plate! The hero finds it adorable how flustered she gets after looking at her plate and realizing she’s ate it all. She also loves to have her younger sisters and brothers around (and kids in general), which seems indicate that she’s nicer and more down to earth than any other woman in the book. I mean, who else would take the time to crouch down and talk to the hero’s nieces on their level? Who else would go to a dinner party and ask that the children be allowed to stay so she can play with them? <--sarcasm Julia drives a lot of the zanier aspects of the book. The other characters, except James and Julia’s aunt, tend to fade into the background, acting the straight man to Julia’s schtick. I think the author was going for something cute and funny, à la Katie MacAlister’s Noble Intentions, but it didn’t work for me. There has to be something more than just ridiculous situations and silly characters to make something funny. It just came off as irritating and ridiculous to me. If you read a sample of this book and find it funny, you’ll probably end up enjoying this more a lot more than I did. I could see what the author was trying to do, but for me it fell flat. The first chapter was incredibly silly and cutesy and that, unfortunately, set the tone for the rest of the book. One thing I found confusing about the book was the way the tone seemed to change. One second it would be silly and the next it would seem like the author was trying to inject some seriousness as she had James struggle with his attraction to Julia and his determination to marry Louisa. The two tones didn’t mesh very well together, unfortunately. They felt out of place next to each other. One thing I appreciated about James was that his attraction to Julia stayed mostly internal. He was very friendly with her and occasionally slipped up by staring at her, but for the most part he didn’t reveal his interest to her whole family. The same could not be said for Julia. She would run up for a hug and then remember herself at the last minute and turn it into a curtsey, making the situation extremely awkward. She would push her sister to spend time with him and volunteer herself to go along as Louisa’s support, strictly to spend time with him. Way to be a crap sister. Of course this was all made okay by the fact that Louisa was extremely disinterested in marrying. She snapped up James’s offer (I’m not sure why) in no time flat, but resisted any sort of affection from him and didn’t want to set a date for the wedding. You may think she had some compelling reason to resist him. Maybe a man she was pining for? Maybe she was pushed into accepting his offer? Nope. She just didn’t want to get married and leave home. She wanted to stay with her parents and books. That’s why it seems so odd that she would accept James’s offer so quickly. Maybe if the characters would have had more depth it would have been easier to understand some of their actions. So, obviously this book was not for me. My advice for you is to try a sample. See if her humor works for you. If it does, snatch it up, because you'll probably enjoy this. But if it doesn’t, I recommend giving this a pass. P.S. I liked the chapter titles the author included. They reminded me of the Parasol Protectorate books. *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 03, 2012
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Jan 08, 2012
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Nov 02, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 3.93
| 13,455
| Apr 03, 2012
| Apr 03, 2012
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really liked it
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*This is a joint review that was originally posted on Fiction Vixen* Today Amy and I (Catherine) are talking about The Duke’s Perfect Wife. We both are *This is a joint review that was originally posted on Fiction Vixen* Today Amy and I (Catherine) are talking about The Duke’s Perfect Wife. We both are such big fans of this series that we couldn’t resist doing a joint review for you guys. This is a conversational review, so we might reveal more than a regular review would, but spoilers will be kept to a minimum. Lady Eleanor Ramsay is the only one who knows the truth about Hart Mackenzie. Once his fiancee, she is the sole woman to whom he could ever pour out his heart. Catherine: Well, this book has been a long time coming, hasn’t it? It seems like we have been waiting to read about Hart forever. Ashley set the bar high when she first introduced Hart in The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. He was such a hard, cold man; completely unlike the typical Romance hero. I found myself as intrigued by him as I was repelled. I wasn’t ever sure what was driving him, but I was excited to find out. Imagine my surprise to find how playful and flirty he could be! Amy: Hart is implied as a hard, cold man, commanding, driven from grief and loss but we learn when he is with Eleanor, his compassionate, tender and teasing side surfaces and we begin to see what he once was with her and how he can be that man again. "You have always been so afraid you'd become like him, and he made you fear that. But you're not a bit like him at all. You have a temper, yes, but you're generous and strong and protective. Your father was none of that." Let’s talk about Eleanor a bit. I loved the fact that she was so caring, so giving. Could care less what people thought about her. How she never stopped loving Hart. How she was clever in making her way back into his life. "He'd been devilishly handsome, teasing and tender, and he'd courted her with a verve that had left her breathless. She'd fallen in love with him quickly, and she wasn't sure she'd ever fallen out of love with him." How she drove Hart crazy when she would be on a roll in conversation and would not shut up. (Loved how flustered he was when she was on a roll!) "And stop giving me that innocent look. You're not innocent at all. I know you." Catherine: I loved that about her, too! As much as he frustrated her with his bossy ways, she drove him crazy with her nonstop, steamroller style of talking to him. As to the never giving up her love for him, well...that was both a positive and a negative for me. Given how cold Hart was, I was surprised to see the level of teasing that went on from his brothers and how well he took it. "For God's sake!" Hart sprang to his feet. He didn’t seem like that guy to me before. He was always there for his brothers, yes, but I never got that friendly vibe. Even his protective gestures felt cold. I guess this Hart was a revelation to me. That is particularly true for his relationship with Ian. I didn't know what to expect from Hart regarding Ian, but it definitely wasn't what we saw. I loved the surprise of seeing how Hart's world was dominated by his determination to make things better for Ian. I felt like a light bulb went on because it cast so much of his previous behavior in a different light, like his initial behavior toward Beth. Amy: I ADORE Ian and the lengths he went to out of love for his brother and his desire for Hart to have happiness. A hand reached out of a dark passage and landed on Hart's shoulder. Eyes the color of Mackenzie single-malt regarded Hart in the dim light of Reeve's lantern. Hart looked back at Ian Mackenzie, face smudged and bearing lines of exhaustion. Ian put both hands on Hart's shoulder, and his fingers dug through Hart's coat. I loved how protective of Ian he was as well and it did make more sense how he treated Beth once we knew why. So what about the photographs? Didn’t you love how determined Eleanor was to capture the Hart she knew by capturing him in her own photographs? "What are you afraid of, Hart? You're a beautiful man with a beautiful body, and I wish to photograph it. It's the same as when my father finds the perfect specimen of a mushroom. Nothing for it but he must record it for posterity. Or at least for his own enjoyment. Besides, he often eats the mushroom." Catherine: The bits about the photographs were wonderful. I loved how wicked and out of character they were for the man that I believed Hart to be. I would never have taken him for the subject, only the photographer. I loved how Eleanor had no shame about claiming them for her own and adding them to her memory book. I was, however, unhappy with the way things developed with the memory book. I don’t want to say anymore about it so I don’t spoil anything, but it was a large gripe for me. Well, I think we’re about done talking about this, but there’s one more thing that I have to discuss. I really like Eleanor and Hart together, but I've got to be honest and say that however good their relationship was when taken on its own, it was a huge disappointment for me when I consider it as Hart's story. I still enjoyed the book, but I felt that the author took the easy way out with her characterization of him. There was heavy build up about the mystery of Hart and his past with Eleanor. I felt that the reason for their split was mundane and the easy way they got back together made me confused over why they had ever been apart. There was lovely emotion there, sure--I particularly liked Hart's longing for her and the way it would practically consume him--but it lacked the intensity that I expected for them. That's my main complaint of the story--the lack of intensity. Eleanor had a line that I loved: Breathing hurt. Hart had said her name like that on the day in the summerhouse in Scotland when he'd laid her down and kissed her in the sunshine. He'd told her that he wanted her and exactly how he'd wanted her. Eleanor had laughed, pleased with her power. Eleanor Ramsay, bringing the great Hart Mackenzie to his knees. And I really wanted more of that. Did you feel the lack of that too? The image I had of Hart in the first book was what has dominated the way I viewed his character throughout the series. He was hard and cold, and slightly scary. The way he played people and the dominant and dismissive way he treated his past lover had me wondering how Ashley would follow through with him. He was, quite simply, not standard hero material, and I liked that. Although I am not a BDSM fan, I was disappointed to see what I saw as a huge part of his sexual preference dismissed as simply a need to have his partner have total trust in him. Sure...that's all it was. /sarcasm. Amy: Yes! We were led to believe that he had this serious taboo kink but it was mild in manner even in the time period. "Aye, you've got a fire in you, lass, that is true. A temper." The delicious Highland accent broadened as more whiskey went into him. "And a fire of another kind. I've not forgotten that." Catherine: One last thing, I swear! I was surprised to see the importance Hart’s political aspirations played in the storyline and was quite shocked by a certain event that occurred around page 182 (of the ARC). Do you know what I’m talking about? But that’s not my ultimate question. What I really want to know is what did you think of the last quarter of the book? It felt a little out of place for me, like the plot got away from the author. Am I alone in this? Amy: Lol, with our love for the Mackenzie brothers, we could dissect this book for days! Yes I agree and was shocked at the prominent role politics played to Hart’s life. I also believe that the last quarter of the book felt a little disjointed. I’m not sure what I expected, but I had hoped for a grander, more significant moment towards the end in seeing Hart face his demons and what we got left me a little deflated. Catherine’s Final Thoughts: Although it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for, I still thought it was a good read overall. I’m eager to see what comes next in this series. The Duke’s Perfect Wife gets a B- from me. Amy’s Final Thoughts: I naturally had overly high expectations for The Duke’s Perfect Wife and while it didn’t quite reach the level I had hoped, it was still another great read from Jennifer Ashley. I am happy she is continuing the series and we will see more of the brothers! The Duke’s Perfect Wife gets a B- from me. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 09, 2012
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Feb 09, 2012
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Oct 03, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||||
| 0758255675
| 9780758255679
| 0758255675
| 3.71
| 1,580
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
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it was amazing
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*4.5 Stars* Looking for angst? Looking for brooding characters who have a hard time letting themselves be happy? Looking for a shy heroine who hasn’t e *4.5 Stars* Looking for angst? Looking for brooding characters who have a hard time letting themselves be happy? Looking for a shy heroine who hasn’t enjoyed sex to date and needs to be shown the power of the mighty orgasm? If you answered yes to any of those, it’s probably best to keep on walking, because this book is completely unlike any of those things. It is light and happy and is filled with farcical situations that had me laughing out loud. I know that whenever I pick up an Alexander there’s a good chance that I’ll get a dose of happy. This was no exception. I closed the book grinning from ear to ear. Veronica is that rarely seen Romance heroine who actually loved her previous husband and enjoyed sex. She enjoyed it so much that three years later she is starting to feel the lack. She doesn’t want to bounce around from lover to lover, but she’s not interested in marriage again. She didn’t have a bad first marriage, but she knows that she has grown from that girl she used to be and has become too independent to easily give up the reins. So what’s a girl to do in a situation like this? Well, her solution is to become the mistress of a man of her choosing—leaving out the money part of the equation. She wants all the benefits of a husband without actually having one. Sebastian finds himself in quite an opposite position. He has been off exploring and adventuring for years, but now that the time to decide his inheritance is approaching he finds himself in search of the trappings of a responsible man. He buys a house—because all serious, responsible men own houses—and finds himself starting to lean toward finding a wife as well. He’s been quite the ladies man to date, but he’s ready for a new stage in his life. He sets his sights on Veronica just as she sets her sights on him. It’s their bad luck that they’re at cross purposes. Veronica and Sebastian are pretty happy people and their upbeat attitude makes it easy to fall into their characters. That’s not to say that they don’t have insecurities and regrets, because they do. They just don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on it and angsting. When one of them does something stupid or they end up miscommunicating and getting angry, they’re able to solve their issues pretty easily. They are at heart quite logical and are more willing to look for the best in each other rather than the worst. There are quite a few friends and family members running around this book, complicating Veronica and Sebastian’s lives with the best of intentions. Although many of them weren’t focused on exclusively, I still felt that I got to know them well. Obviously, the two best friends, Portia and Sinclair, had more of a focus on them, but I never felt slighted on the rest. They all managed to make their mark in one way or another. The humor in this book doesn’t come from one liners, although there is some of that, so much as it does from the hysterical situations they find themselves in. Their Christmas getaway descends into a farce of epic proportions. It was hilarious to watch them panic and scramble to try to manage the situation, all the while being broadsided by another wrench in the gears. I loved that Veronica and Sebastian’s scheming to manipulate each other into falling in line with their plans never had a malicious vibe to it. Just like most everything else, it had an edge of humor to it that made it fun to watch. The only thing that didn’t work for me about this book was believing when the characters fell in love with each other. It was way too soon, especially on the hero’s part. I could clearly see, as I read on, why they would fall for each other and how absolutely perfect they seemed together, but that was after they had already had the I’m in love realization in their minds. It wasn’t a huge thing for me since the rest of the book was so fun, but it bothered me. I would have preferred there be some kind of realization that the beginning emotions were puppy love and the end emotions that the puppy love grew into were the real deal. I guess we’re still doing well if that’s my only complaint. ;) Favorite Quotes: Sebastian is a man of courage and intelligence and, for the most part, honesty. He's certainly not perfect--" "I say seduce her, seduce her tonight. Break the door down if you have to. Tell her all those things you said to me about her. You will love her more tomorrow than today and how you want to die with her hand in yours--which is an excellent line, by the way, that I fully intend to borrow when the time comes." Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen. For a sneak peek, check out my Tempting Teaser. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 17, 2011
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Sep 18, 2011
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Sep 13, 2011
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Hardcover
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| 1101188685
| 9781101188682
| B003NX767Q
| 3.98
| 2,061
| 2010
| Jul 06, 2010
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really liked it
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While this book was not quite as wonderful for me as the second book in the series, The Devilish Montague, it did have a lovely charm to it—especially
While this book was not quite as wonderful for me as the second book in the series, The Devilish Montague, it did have a lovely charm to it—especially when I reminisce about the hero. Once again the author dabbles in a Marriage-of-Convenience (MOC) plotline (or maybe I should say she dabbles in it for the first time, since I read them out of order?) and manages to turn my expectations on their ear again. In The Devilish Montague the author had the hero and heroine completely satisfied with their MOC. There were no tears or regrets, and I found it wonderfully refreshing. Here, the author has the hero and heroine engage in a MOC that is extremely inconvenient. Neither of them is the best (or most convenient) solution for the other, but they don’t care because at least they’ll be together. Sounds more like a love match, eh? :) I had a few issues with the heroine in the beginning of the book, but I was pleased that they eventually smoothed out. I am not a fan of heroines that come off as the-bestest-mothering-figure-in-the-world-let-me-tell-you-how-you’re-doing-it-wrong, and that was my early impression of Abby. During the scene where she ends up meeting Fitz, she actually directs his daughter (who he is chasing after she bolts) to go into her kitchen and get a treat from the cook because he dad won’t find her in there. All because she thought he was handling the situation wrong and wanted to give him a set down. I mean, who does that?? That’s not your kid and you don’t even know these people! Yet you tell the little girl to continue running from her dad and to go into your house? It did not endear her to me. I loathe people who think it’s their right to butt into any given situation because they assume their way is better. I’m not denying Fitz was floundering, but it wasn’t her business. Luckily, that air about the heroine died down. She was still motherly, but it had a more natural feel to it, and she didn’t have that smug/condescending attitude anymore. The real star of the book was Fitz. I didn’t dislike Abby at all, but she never really resonated with me. I enjoyed whenever she was in a scene, though, because Fitz just lit up. He was such a great character. He was insecure about his lack of formal education and was very aware of his dismal prospects as a spouse, but he never wallowed. He was always willing to push forward into a new situation and gamble that it would turn out right. He wasn’t foolhardy or reckless, but he was not one to sit around waiting for the heavens to align and perfection to fall into his lap. He made his own destiny. The tone of the book is light and fun, but it never felt fluffy. The more we get to know Abby and Fitz, the more we see the hidden depths in them. They are more than just a loving older sister and a wicked gambler. They have hopes and dreams and feel buried under the hopeless situations they find themselves in. Even before they fall in love, they find themselves falling into a strong friendship with each other, which is just what they needed. Their personalities complement each other nicely, and you can really see why they fell in love with each other. She threw her hands around his neck, and he eagerly sought her mouth, and she remembered very distinctly why she had agreed to this insane marriage that would never ever work. It evidently had nothing to do with good sense and everything to do with lust and friendship and her utter adoration of this man who had come to her rescue. And a modicum of convenience.I enjoyed getting to backtrack and see a look at the characters and friendships from Fitz’s point of view. I have to admit that I liked Lady Bell and Lord Quentin better in The Devilish Montague, though. I did enjoy getting to see them first meet, but they seemed warmer there and less driven by their own machinations than they did here. What I really loved about this book was how it avoided conforming to Romance standards. Abby and Fitz were poor and it showed. Their lack of funds was not something easily solved, included only to add temporary tension. They genuinely worried about how they would make ends meet and occasionally had to get creative to make it work. And things weren’t magically solved in the end--gasp! Added to that, Rice once again kept us out of the ton, even though the hero is an earl. It was refreshing and I enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely gift of this book, Sophia. Reading it made me smile. Favorite Quote: “We are not all of us born heroes, I fear. Women expect us to be wealthy and well-mannered and sophisticated. To be witty and thoughtful and honest. To be tender to children, loving to spouses and parents, and tough to bullies. Veritable saints, but...” He slanted her a look. “Pardon my bluntness, but women also expect us to be exciting, mysterious devils in the bedroom. Perhaps a contradiction?”...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 02, 2011
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Sep 11, 2011
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Jul 20, 2011
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Kindle Edition
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| 0446552364
| 9780446552363
| 0446552364
| 4.06
| 2,919
| Jul 01, 2011
| Jul 01, 2011
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it was ok
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You know something’s wrong when you’re 39 pages from the end and you seriously contemplate DNF’ing the book because you just wish it was over. The her
You know something’s wrong when you’re 39 pages from the end and you seriously contemplate DNF’ing the book because you just wish it was over. The heroine was already killing the book for me, but then the last 100 or so pages were drawn out for no reason. It was so frustrating! The book was pretty cute in the beginning. The heroine and hero were childhood sweethearts, but Connor abandoned her to fight for the English and Mairi never forgave him. They’re forced into each other’s company when Mairi and her brother are temporarily left behind in England while their family traveled home. I was anticipating some lovely frenemy sparring and was eager to see the charm that was so apparent in the last book in the series, Seduced by a Highlander. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that. The more I got to know the heroine, the less I liked her—especially when I found out that although the hero did leave her to go to fight for England, it wasn’t as black and white as she would have liked to imagine, and she was hardly a victim. The hero asked her to go with him! He wrote to her again and again asking for her to join him, telling her that he was going to build a house for them. He didn’t callously abandon her. He wanted to marry her and was only leaving for England because it was a family duty that he was obligated by honor to fulfill! She claimed that he gave up too easily—even though it was four years later before he admitted defeat—and that he wasn’t sincere because he didn’t beg her. She criticized him for expecting her to be willing to leave her home and blamed him for choosing England over her. All I can say to that is what was she doing if not choosing Scotland over him? In addition to that, her bloodthirsty attitude toward getting rid of the Protestants really rubbed me the wrong way. I know that the tension between the Catholics and the Protestants was real, but it made the heroine hard to like. It’s not that I don’t like historically accurate religious attitudes in my romances—I loved Flowers from the Storm after all—it’s that I was extremely turned off by heroine’s genuine bewilderment over the hero’s tolerance toward the Protestants. After talking to the hero about his remorse over the Protestant massacres she did eventually agree that wiping out whole shires of people was wrong, but I wouldn’t be lying if I said that she ever really learned any tolerance. She was always freaking out on the hero and accusing him of betraying Scotland. The hero is the only thing that kept me from rating this as an F. He was practically a saint with how patient and forgiving he was of Mairi’s spaz attacks. She would make wild accusations and fly off the handle constantly, but he always ended up forgiving her for doubting his devotion. Mairi was the only one keeping them apart. The minute Connor saw Mairi again he was desperate for another chance. He had finally given up hope three years before and had moved on, but nothing could keep him from trying again now that she was close enough for him to make her listen. A driving force for this plot—beyond Mairi being Catholic and disliking the Protestants—was her determination to fight. I didn’t mind her desire to battle, but I did dislike the modern attitude she was given. At one point she said "Mayhap I would mind being a lass less if I spent more time around a man who was at least aware of his knuckles when he tripped over them."Seriously? Connor and Mairi finally get back together and admit their love and their desire to stay together, but that was page 235 and I was baffled over what the author was going to do with the next 116 pages. As it turns out, there was a whole lot of nothing and the extra pages existed for no other reason than to throw ridiculous roadblocks in their path to keep the relationship from being resolved. At that point my patience was spent and it was a chore to finish. I just wanted it to be over. Favorite Quote: ”How did I ever survive ye, woman? Do ye remember that time when we were babes—ye were barely five summers old, I think. I had snatched the doll ye had been playing with and ye chased me and then began to cry when ye couldn’t catch me.” Review posted on Fiction Vixen. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 21, 2011
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Jul 23, 2011
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Jul 14, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0312534124
| 9780312534127
| 0312534124
| 3.72
| 900
| Jun 27, 2011
| Jun 28, 2011
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really liked it
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*3.5 Stars* Well, Juliana, I now know why you were so unhappy with the beginning stages of the relationship between Constantine and Jane. How very aggr *3.5 Stars* Well, Juliana, I now know why you were so unhappy with the beginning stages of the relationship between Constantine and Jane. How very aggravating it is when authors have the characters instantly lusting after each other for no logical reason! He saw her through a window at a distance and fell into lust with her? Uh huh. And she was just as bad. Why were they attracted? And why did they stay attracted? These are things I really need to know if I’m expected to care about the characters and the relationship developing between them. The rough beginning of the relationship made it hard for me to connect to the hero and heroine. For too long I felt like they were just going through the motions, parroting their lines. I was really starting to worry that I wouldn’t like the book at all. It wasn’t horrid, I just found myself bored and trying not to let my attention drift. Luckily, they finally hooked me, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take a while. On top of my trouble with the foundation of the romance, I found myself gritting my teeth over the gall of Montford and the other members of the Ministry of Marriage. I know that marriage matches were often made for bloodlines and political alliances and for plain old money, but the way it was set up here really made me mad. Especially because the first chapter fooled me with trickery and had me convinced that Montford was going to be a reluctantly excellent guardian (gruff on the outside, marshmallow on the inside) to a young Jane, who desperately needed it! Toward the end he and Jane hashed some things out, but I still never liked him. Ignoring my irritation with the way the ministry members thought they had the right to arrange a widow’s new marriage—like she hadn’t paid her dues and earned the right to make her own choices after she’d gone along with their first husband choice?—I was also frustrated by the lack of information about the Ministry of Marriage. It was a little too vague for me. That might have added to my frustration with them. I spent a lot of time being mad and wondering who the hell they thought they were. So it sounds like I didn’t like the book, huh? But I did—eventually. Constantine was a real surprise to me. After meeting him in the beginning, I thought he’d be more of the same. Another walking, talking rogue stereotype without any real depth. But he turned out to be so much more than that. He was a man cast as wicked (opinion of him is really bad) due to circumstance and, quite simply, pride. That’s his biggest weakness, pride. Knowing his history, I can’t say I blame him for it. He refuses to defend himself because in his eyes, his friends and family should know the kind of man he is. They should know what he would and would not do. The fact that so many people believe the worst of him is crushing and leaves him refusing to explain anything. If they want to think that of him, let them. I ended up respecting Constantine quite a bit. He was hoping to be able to start over with his inheritance, but when he found out what his cousin did, he didn’t take the easy way out that Jane proposed to him. He wanted to exhaust all options before agreeing to anything of the kind. He was a wonderful man who tirelessly tried to make something of himself and the estate with the chance he had been given. He did everything in service of the estate and Jane. I suppose that’s what made her behavior toward him a little hard to take. "He gripped her arms. She almost flinched from the intensity in his face. "Everything I've done since I came to this place has been in your service. I wanted to show you..." He exhaled a sharp breath, and it occurred to her how unutterably weary he looked. "I wanted to show myself I wasn't the man the world thought I was. It seems I've failed." Jane had a lot of issues with trust and intimacy. I don’t blame her for it after hearing about her first marriage, but I also know a lot of her behavior toward duty, and Montford in particular, stemmed from the childhood we saw hinted at in the first chapter. I wish the author had gone into that more so it would have been easier to understand her. Jane was cold and rather bitchy in the beginning, and I found it hard to like her when she wasn’t with Luke—the only one she seemed to be warm toward. Her attempts to woo Constantine into marriage with her were rather funny, and I did enjoy reading about her, but I never quite liked her as much as I was hoping to until close to the end. That’s when she really wised up about what she wanted and started to fight for it. Before that she played this hot and cold dance with Con that ended up frustrating me. I understood it for a while, but it ended up getting old. But when Jane stepped up to the plate, she really stepped up. I was impressed with her turn around. So, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I’m definitely going to read the second book, but I’m hoping some of the issues I had with this one don’t end up cropping up there as well. And I know it’s a pipe dream, considering the series title, but I’m hoping there’ll be less of the ministry in that one too. They’ll end up doing nothing but infuriating me. Favorite Quote: "And you, Jane?" he said, his voice low and rough as the gravel beneath their feet. "Will you be a satisfactory wife?" ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 2011
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Sep 2011
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Jul 01, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0312534515
| 9780312534516
| 0312534515
| 3.75
| 2,733
| Oct 04, 2011
| Oct 04, 2011
|
it was amazing
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Who named this book? Seriously, who? It has nothing to do with the storyline. At all. The same goes for the cover. It’s like someone just picked it at
Who named this book? Seriously, who? It has nothing to do with the storyline. At all. The same goes for the cover. It’s like someone just picked it at random. Ignoring the weird title and cover, this book turned out to be rather excellent. It was completely different than I assumed it would be. I can’t think of another time that Enoch has created a heroine quite like this. I loved it. Diane was an awesome heroine. I think some readers might not like her because of how cold and manipulative she could seem, but I loved her. She was a woman who had been knocked down in life, only to pull herself up and take control. I loved that we weren’t just told how capable she was, we saw it in every page. No matter what was thrown at her, she took it in stride. It drove Oliver mad how rarely he was able to come out on top in their battles. If he tried to embarrass her or manipulate her, she was always ready to turn the tables on him and come out on top in the situation. At times she came off as a little too bitter but I was too caught up in watching Oliver and Diane’s relationship power struggle to care. I thought Oliver was a great match for Diane. They were both willing to do whatever it took to win and had no qualms about walking over other people on their way to success. This is not a rare quality in an Enoch hero, but I can’t think of when I’ve ever seen her do such a like pairing with the heroine. The mercenary natures of the characters could have grated if left in less capable hands. The author always keeps us firmly on the side of the protagonists, even when we’re fully aware of the wrongs they are committing. Case in point being the way Diane acquired Adam House. Oliver and Diane had a past together that didn’t end well. Diane and Oliver have both changed from the people they were at that time, but it’s hard for both of them to forgive and forget that time. ”I am sorry,” he said, trying to keep his voice low and measured. “You were looking for hope, and I was looking for a bit of fun, and when I realized I’d began to care for you far more than I was willing to acknowledge, I ran. Like a scalded dog, I believe you said. I apologize. It’s not nearly enough to say the words, or to confess that leaving you in Vienna stands as the greatest regret of my life, but there you have it.”That’s pretty much their past in a nutshell. Oliver hightailed it out of there with no word and Diane was left to face the financial mess her husband had left her in. Only now she had to deal with a broken heart on top of it. There was no excuse for his actions, but Enoch did an excellent job of showing us his mindset, so it was easy to see why he felt he needed to run. Diane doesn’t make it easy for him to prove himself to her, but he’s nothing if not determined. Even Diane eventually can’t deny how much he’s changed. He was right in saying he would have been a crap husband to her if they had married then. He just hadn’t grown enough. Despite the different tone to this book, Enoch’s characteristic writing style is still there. The dialogue is snappy and you can feel the tension between the two leads. Unlikely situations occasionally crop up but, as with all other Enoch books, the characters approach them straight on and keep the book from veering toward the silly end of things. We were introduced to quite a few intriguing side characters who always managed to steer clear of the dreaded sequel bait role. I’m particularly interested in Greaves and Jenny. If this is what I can expect from the other books in this new series, I’ll be on them like white on rice. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings. Favorite Quote: ”It’s not about what I owe you, Diane. It’s about what you’re worth to me now.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 06, 2011
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Nov 07, 2011
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Jun 20, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0425243907
| 9780425243909
| 0425243907
| 3.79
| 492
| Sep 06, 2011
| Sep 06, 2011
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it was amazing
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After finishing this book, I can say with all certainty that it has been much too long since I read a Jo Goodman. I enjoy the current offerings in His
After finishing this book, I can say with all certainty that it has been much too long since I read a Jo Goodman. I enjoy the current offerings in Historical Romance, but sometimes I long for something a little different. That’s where Jo Goodman comes in. Twisting plots, clever dialogue, subtle characterization...it all works so well for me. I was a little nervous when I started this book. Goodman is usually a sure thing, but I wasn’t sure what I would think of a romance that starts with the heroine cast as in love with someone else. Sometimes those plots work, but sometimes the transition from loving the first guy to loving the hero comes off as rushed and disingenuous. I shouldn’t have worried myself. The transition from Bram to Bode is extremely smooth and is aided by Comfort’s memories of her come out ball at sixteen. The author is also not content to let Comfort’s feelings for Bram rest simply. She delves into what motivated Comfort to feel that way and forces her to look at what their friendship actually consisted of. Bode is one of those heroes that I find it near impossible not to like. He’s been in the wings of Comfort’s life since she was sixteen and has been attracted to her from that very first meeting. Unfortunately for him, the vivacious Bram is the brother that fixes her attention. He’s left to watch them from a distance and deal with her growing feelings for Bram, no matter how much it chafes. "What do you and my brother find to talk about? Or for that matter, what did you find to write about for so many years?"Mixed in with his unhappiness with Comfort’s feelings for Bram is his frustration with his brother. Again and again he’s forced to bail him out of scrapes, yet Bram never internalizes the wrong he has committed. It’s a vicious cycle that Bram always seems to come out on top in. Despite his surprise and unhappiness when he learns of Bram and Comfort’s engagement, Bode refuses to believe it’s too late. He’s determined to finally make Comfort see him. You may wonder why Bode would do that to his brother, but calling Bode’s family close would be quite a stretch. Comfort’s family, which was cobbled together when she was five, was immeasurably stronger than any family relationship Bode had ever experienced in his life from his blood relatives. Speaking of Comfort’s family, her uncles were fabulous. I loved the strong friendship they had with each other and the care they had for Comfort. Watching them interact was both amusing and heartwarming. They were two cantankerous old men, but they had nothing but love for Comfort. "...but I don't know what else we could have done, since you're about as necessary as gravy is to biscuits."This is a very character driven romance. There are outside influences making trouble for them, but the main focus is of the book is on Comfort and Bode and their ever deepening relationship. Watching them fall in love was absolutely lovely. I love the way Goodman writes her characters and their interactions together. You won’t find the hero and heroine thinking perfectly obvious things just to make sure that we, the reader, are clear on that fact. The characters and their emotions are subtle. You have to watch and pay attention to follow the clues of their slow fall into love. You’ll know it before they ever end up saying it to each other, because their actions show it so well. I enjoyed the twists and turns this book took, and appreciated that although the overall plot and motivation behind it was lighter than some of her books, the hidden motivation and surprising character developments were just as layered as ever. The only real complaint I have about the book is how Comfort and Bode consummated their relationship. I was a little confused and uncomfortable with the circumstance and with how quickly that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Once I saw more of the Comfort’s take on it I was better off. Favorite Quote: He held her gaze, and Comfort didn't look away; she didn't want to. His eyes no longer reflected the violet-blue spark of light glancing off steel. What she saw were deep, warm pools that invited her to stir their perfect stillness. *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 20, 2011
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Sep 23, 2011
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Jun 20, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0451234057
| 9780451234056
| 0451234057
| 3.86
| 563
| Jul 01, 2011
| Jul 05, 2011
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it was amazing
|
This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last. We definitely started off on the right foot. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked
This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last. We definitely started off on the right foot. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked. I smiled my way through the book and finished it wishing I had an easier time finding books that pleased me as much as this one did. I was completely gone for both of the main characters. They were both so interesting and just plain likable. They both needed what marriage to each other would bring, and it was refreshing to see a Marriage of Convenience storyline where both parties were matter of fact and accepting of the limitations of such a union. There was no angst, no regretful moping…ah, bliss. It was just two practical people developing a friendship and slowly falling in love. The humor here was great. The situations were laugh out loud, without straying toward being over the top. The heroine, Jocelyn, is usually at the center of the debacles, and the unexpecting hero, Blake, is left to try and keep up. "I've met her only the once, when we visited Lady Bell a few months back. She seems a pleasant sort."It’s not that Jocelyn tries to be outrageous, she is just willing to do whatever it takes to take care of the people that she feels responsible for. If that means stealing a bird, well, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. I adored Jocelyn. She was always reading people, ready to turn the situation to her advantage. Blake was the total opposite. He was bluntly honest, to the point of rudeness. He had no compunction about bellowing and generally acting crabby, but he was the kind of guy with manners so ingrained that he would help you across a puddle, without even thinking about it, and all the while he would be lecturing or ranting. They both had to learn to adjust to each other’s personalities, but I loved watching the journey. I think the author did an excellent job of creating believable, sympathetic family situations, without miring us in angst. Blake couldn’t stand being coddled anymore and Jocelyn was at her wits’ end with all the lives she was responsible for. They both needed each other to provide an occasional breather from their burdens. It didn’t happen overnight, but slowly they learned to trust each other. I loved the secondary characters and am on pins and needles, hoping to see a book for Quentin and Lady Bell. Their sparring was delicious. Plus, having a hero in trade promises an intriguing conflict. That brings up something I wanted to mention. For all those who have been looking for HR’s that don’t focus on the higher nobility and the ton, look no further. Jocelyn is the estranged half sister of a viscount, and Blake is the third son of a Baron, but neither of them have much to do with society—barring a few short scenes in the book. Blake’s major goal in life is to crack codes, and Jocelyn just wants to have a home of her own. They are both pleased with their lot in life and don’t aspire for loftier things. There is a spy subplot in the book. It didn’t really interest me, but it didn’t bother me either. For the most part it was a background feature. It was only toward the end that it came to the forefront. I felt it slowed down the momentum of the story a little, but not enough to impact my grade. Besides, it probably wouldn’t bother someone who enjoyed that sort of thing more. Favorite Quote: "How do you do that? How do you take everything I say and turn it around so that you seem sweet and appealing, when I know you are simply skewering me?" Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen *For a sneak peek check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 18, 2011
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Jul 20, 2011
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Jun 17, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0062049836
| 9780062049834
| 0062049836
| 3.74
| 28,869
| Aug 30, 2011
| Aug 30, 2011
|
it was amazing
| "We have to get out of here, Bram. Before they take our bollocks and use them for pincushions." "We have to get out of here, Bram. Before they take our bollocks and use them for pincushions." Welcome to Spindle Cove. As Colin said, the women here are not quite the society ladies you are probably used to seeing in Historical Romance. They are the ones that have various conditions that require them to be out of the public eye. Susanna is not such a woman, but because of some past experiences with her own condition, she is determined to save these women from the unfortunate experiences they might end up facing. She has made Spindle Cove a sought after haven and does her best to help these women without resorting to medical cures. Enter Bram and his cohorts. They’re on their way to see Susanna’s father, Sir Finch, hoping he can pull some strings and get Bram back into the military position he desires. Instead, Bram is given the unwelcome news that he has become a member of the nobility and that he is required to pull together a militia to guard against French invasion. Sir Finch dangles the possibility of restoring Bram back to active duty after his militia is given a successful military review at the midsummer fair, so Bram is determined to succeed. Imagine his surprise to find that men are at a minimum in Spindle Cove! The conflict between Bram and Susanna’s goals gave this book a bit of a battle of the sexes feel. I wasn’t really loving it in the beginning, as I felt it was a bit too stereotypical and heavy-handed, but the author really delved into Bram and Susanna and I fell in love with them. Susanna has a hard time dealing with people who have no problems to be fixed. When she meets Bram he is frustrated by her need to load him with baggage he doesn’t have. In his eyes he’s a simple man and he wishes she could just take him at face value. "My pride's not wounded, for God's sake. And no, I'm not disappointed. Nor haunted, nor embittered, nor threatened. Stop trying to pin all these emotions on me like frilly pink ribbons. I'm not one of your delicate spinsters, Miss Finch. This isn't about my tender feelings. I have things to accomplish, and you"--he poked a single finger into her shoulder--"are hindering me." For his part, Bram is treading water and struggling to stay afloat. He has always identified himself by his capabilities in the military. He is lost and uncertain of himself after being shot in the knee and taken off active duty. He is determined to return to that life—because he believes he has no worth or skills beyond that—but he is hampered by the fact that he is not completely healed. He cannot accept this weakness in himself (he finds it something to be ashamed of) and continues to push to be as capable and ready as he was before. In Susanna’s unconscious quest to uncover his hidden issues, she stumbles upon the truth and cannot help but slowly fall for him. Here it was, his secret. No childhood trauma, no ravages of war. Just a deep, unspoken desire for closeness.*sigh* How can you not be sucked in by such a man? The humor and the dialogue in this book popped. There were so many scenes where I found myself giggling and smiling. But there were also the deeper, more emotionally rich scenes where I had to sigh. I had such a fun time watching Bram and Susanna clash and banter and eventually fall in love. This romance absolutely pleased me and I had a warm feeling in my chest when I closed the book. *sigh* So good. Favorite Quote: "No, Susanna," he said. "I cannot love you just a little. If that's what you want, you must find a different man." His green eyes were breathtaking in their intensity. His thumb brushed her bottom lip. "Because I can only love you entirely. With everything I am, and everything I will be. Body, mind, heart, soul." Edited to add: I forgot to include a snippet that I thought was absolutely hilarious. Colin reminded me of the "I'm on a horse" guy from the Old Spice commercials. "Tonight," he announced, "is the night we take back that village. And we're not going to do it by marching in lines or committing acts of brave idiocy. We're going to do it by being men. Manly men. The kind of men a woman wants to take control." *For a sneak peek, check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 26, 2011
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Sep 27, 2011
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Jun 16, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0062049860
| 9780062049865
| 0062049860
| 4.10
| 36,387
| Mar 27, 2012
| Mar 27, 2012
|
it was amazing
|
*Originally read 3/24/12* Do you remember Colin from my Tempting Teaser of A Night to Surrender? No? Well, let me refresh your memory. Colin is an unr *Originally read 3/24/12* Do you remember Colin from my Tempting Teaser of A Night to Surrender? No? Well, let me refresh your memory. Colin is an unrepentant rake. He enjoys women and they enjoy him. He is arrogant and can come across as quite an ass. But what does he care? The women love him just as he loves them. He might have a tendency to make a mess of things but he always manages to put on a charming smile and turn the situation to his advantage. ”You have no compunction ruining your reputation, nor those of your sisters. But have you given a moment’s thought to mine?” That is Colin, the lovable ass. Minerva is content to fade into the background and concentrate on her study of rocks. She’s attracted to Colin--what female wouldn’t be?--but he flusters her and they don’t really have any common interests, so she doesn’t have to suffer his presence often. We got a hint of a spark on Colin’s end in A Night to Surrender, but nothing really concrete until now. When Minerva hears a rumor about Colin’s intention to end his financial problems by proposing to her sister, she knows she has to do something to prevent it. Her sister means a lot to her and Minerva is adamant that Colin is not for her. So what’s a girl to do but convince the man there’s another way to fix his financial woes? "That is brave of you, pet. Offering yourself to wed me in your sister's stead. But truly, I--" I completely fell in love with Minerva and Colin together. This is an “on the road” sort of romance, so we were able to pluck the characters from their usual habitat, shake them up a bit, and watch them try to adapt. Their journey was an adventure at its finest, with obstacles and amusing shenanigans cropping up, usually at the behest of Colin. He loves to invent stories and make Minerva go along with them. She is so delightful to tease and he loves nothing more than forcing her to break out of her shell. Their relationship was not without its bumps as Colin stayed true to form and couldn’t help being the ass that he is, especially in the beginning. ”You’re ruining this journey,” she all but shouted. “You ruin everything.” Slowly we saw a genuine friendship build between them. It was lovely to see how completely won over Colin was, however unintentionally it was achieved. Colin and Minerva fit together so well. She had her insecurities and hesitations, but Colin could be a force to be reckoned with. He knew, always he knew, that she was something special. He fell like a tree and I absolutely love when romances show the protagonists so slain by love. This was a fabulous read. I felt like the setup for the next book was a tad heavy handed, but I did enjoy getting a peek at everyone's reactions to Colin and Minerva's disappearance. Everything I saw from them validated Minerva's worries about the believability of a future with Colin and made her insecurities feel more real and sad. But really, the sequel bait was a small complaint in an overwhelmingly wonderful read. I cannot wait for the next book. Favorite Quote: "Don't worry," he said. "This is ideal, you'll see. We do everything backward. It's just how we are. We began with an elopement. After that, we made love. Next, we'll progress to courting. When we're old and silver-haired, perhaps we'll finally get around to flirtation. We'll make fond eyes at each other over our mugs of gruel. We'll be the envy of couples half our age." *Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen* *For a sneak peek, check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 09, 2012
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Sep 09, 2012
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Jun 16, 2011
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0425241815
| 9780425241813
| 0425241815
| 4.00
| 3,448
| Jun 07, 2011
| Jun 07, 2011
|
it was amazing
|
This book was perfect for me. Seriously, perfect. I loved everything about it from the charming writing to the delightful characters. It was dead on f
This book was perfect for me. Seriously, perfect. I loved everything about it from the charming writing to the delightful characters. It was dead on for my mood and was much appreciated after my predominantly mediocre book luck in May. The hero, Gideon, was such a doll. He had some issues from the past, but he didn’t let that ruin his whole personality. He’s cheerful and funny and gets enjoyment from making other people laugh. He’s drawn to Winnefred, but he isn’t the kind of guy to take something he doesn’t think he can keep. He tries very hard to be a good boy with her and I had nothing but respect for him. We still felt the tension between them, and we got to see Winnefred’s confusion and Gideon’s difficulty with his decision, but how can I not love a guy that thinks about what’s best for everyone in the situation, not just himself? Winnefred is just as awesome as Gideon. She has fears and insecurities from her past that try to take over if given half the chance, but she is a strong character and doesn’t let them get the best of her. She may draw into herself after being hurt—and I love the way the author describes Winnefred in some scenes where she’s trying to get Gideon to open up about what’s troubling him—but she never runs. She’s willing to put her own heartache aside to help those that she considers a friend. When these two come together it is absolutely delightful. They become honest to goodness friends and while they’re both attracted to each other, they don’t let that get in the way of their enjoyment in being friends. There is nothing I love more than great dialogue and a genuine friendship between the hero and heroine. "What you are, Winnefred," he told her with a grin, "is seasick."How could I not be charmed by that? The attraction between them is lower key than a lot of the HRs out there today, but I felt the tension throughout and was very pleased that the author never rushed that connection. By the time they came together I was absolutely convinced that they were completely gone for each other. They had come to fit so well that I had no doubts about the strength of their feelings and the longevity of their relationship. In addition to Winnefred and Gideon’s romance, we also got a brief secondary romance. I was expecting them to be built into a story of their own, so I was pretty surprised to see their arc wrapped up in this book. I thought their connection was sweet and that their storyline never took away from the main romance. I really wouldn’t have minded a closer look at their second chance romance, but I also wasn’t disappointed that we didn’t. I guess the author struck a nice balance there. Nearly a Lady was a character and dialogue driven book. There were no subplots or random events to take away from the unfolding romance between Winnefred and Gideon. If you’re not a fan of that style then I’m not sure if you would be completely satisfied by this book. I, personally, love that style and adore getting such an intense look at the hero and heroine and their relationship. I was completely wowed by this and cannot wait until her next book is released. Hopefully I’ll love it just as much! Favorite Quote: "Did you expect me to believe that?" he asked in a dangerously soft voice. Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen. *For a sneak peek of the book, check out the Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 04, 2011
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Jun 04, 2011
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Jun 03, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0061852074
| 9780061852077
| 0061852074
| 3.99
| 30,314
| Apr 26, 2011
| Apr 26, 2011
|
really liked it
|
3.5 Stars I was really uncertain about whether or not I would like this book. The first book in the series was a big hit for me, but the second book wa 3.5 Stars I was really uncertain about whether or not I would like this book. The first book in the series was a big hit for me, but the second book was a letdown. I loved the tension between Simon and Juliana in the first book, but in the second Simon crossed over from being cold and arrogant (which is not necessarily a bad thing) into an outright ass. His behavior of a certain family member severely dropped his appeal in my eyes. I was hesitant to start this, but the first chapter sucked me in right away, so my hopes started to rise. I was really into the book in the first half. Juliana and Simon sparred back and forth and the tension was high. Simon’s coldness didn’t bother me as much as it might have bothered others. I liked watching him struggle with what he desired and what he was raised to believe was right. It was fun to see him get swept into situations he would have preferred to avoid, all because he couldn’t resist Juliana (or Juliana’s challenge). I loved getting a deeper look at Juliana. Her situation was pretty tragic. No matter what she did or how well she behaved, she couldn’t help but stand apart from the rest of the ton. She had my sympathy from the start. That said, she didn’t try very hard to behave. I know that it’s hard to want to curry favor with the very people who sneer at you, but putting yourself into scandalous situations again and again, and then being upset that people think you’re scandalous, is pretty stupid. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed watching the fallout after the situations combusted, but my sympathy about the ton misjudging her started to wane. I knew going into this book that Simon would need a lot of growth to get beyond his upbringing. I felt very bad for how it must have been growing up in that family, but that doesn’t change the fact that he could be a huge jerk. But I was expecting to see that. What I wasn’t expecting was to see so much growth needed in Juliana as well. In the last couple books it was very apparent that she was untutored in the ways of the ton. She seemed full of life and a tad wild, but she never seemed as immature as she did in this one. Simon was absolutely right when he said that she was like a child, never looking beyond the moment. Although I enjoyed the beginning of the book (and found it very quotable), I felt that it began to peter out in the second half. The banter stopped and it felt like we were spinning in circles. Horrible as it is to say, boring circles. Also, once Simon stopped being cold and caring he became so sweet and emotive that it was ridiculous. Every time he called her “Siren” I had a hard time resisting the urge to roll my eyes. And don’t get me wrong, I like a good public demonstration of feelings as much as the next girl, but that combined with the rest of his totally uncharacteristic behavior made me wince for him. The book got so sugary that I practically got a tooth ache just reading it. I don’t usually have a problem going with the flow when I’m enjoying a book, but as my interest begins to dim I have a hard time not noticing things that make no sense. One of the biggest things in this book was how utterly absurd I found it that Simon was so worried about the scandal crippling his family name. He was a duke. They weren’t a dime a dozen, and they outranked pretty much all other nobles. You could be reprehensible and society as a whole would still curry favor with you. Because you were a duke, for Christ’s sake. So how exactly would that situation ruin the family name instead of just giving it a couple dents? Although I only really loved one book in this trilogy, I still plan to pick up this author’s next work. I enjoy her style of writing and if I can find another gem like the first book then it’ll be worth it. Favorite Quotes: "Why must you constantly test me?" *For a sneak peek, check out my Tempting Teaser on Fiction Vixen* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 10, 2011
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Jul 11, 2011
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Apr 22, 2011
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Mass Market Paperback
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 3.97
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liked it
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Apr 2012
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Mar 04, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.64
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really liked it
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Feb 12, 2012
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Feb 11, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.70
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it was ok
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Feb 11, 2012
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Feb 04, 2012
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|||||
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| 3.53
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did not like it
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Mar 30, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.63
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it was ok
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Mar 26, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.73
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really liked it
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Jan 28, 2012
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Dec 31, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.87
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it was amazing
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Mar 31, 2012
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Nov 08, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.24
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did not like it
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Jan 08, 2012
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Nov 02, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.93
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really liked it
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Feb 09, 2012
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Oct 03, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.71
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it was amazing
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Sep 18, 2011
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Sep 13, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.98
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really liked it
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Sep 11, 2011
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Jul 20, 2011
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|||||
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| 4.06
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it was ok
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Jul 23, 2011
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Jul 14, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.72
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really liked it
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Sep 2011
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Jul 01, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.75
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it was amazing
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Nov 07, 2011
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Jun 20, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.79
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it was amazing
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Sep 23, 2011
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Jun 20, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.86
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it was amazing
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Jul 20, 2011
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Jun 17, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.74
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it was amazing
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Sep 27, 2011
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Jun 16, 2011
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|||||
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| 4.10
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it was amazing
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Sep 09, 2012
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Jun 16, 2011
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|||||
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| 4.00
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it was amazing
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Jun 04, 2011
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Jun 03, 2011
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|||||
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| 3.99
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really liked it
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Jul 11, 2011
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Apr 22, 2011
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