Governess Gone Rogue by Laura Lee Guhrke
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (384 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Dear Lady Truelove . . .

My twin brother and I need a new mother, though Papa insists he’ll never marry again. Must be nice, brainy, and fond of cats . . .

Lady Truelove may be London’s most famous advice columnist, but James St. Clair, the Earl of Kenyon, knows his wild young sons need a tutor, not a new mother. They need a man tough enough to make his hellions tow the line, and James is determined to find one.

We have many retained customers enjoying on line cialis our services without any hesitation. tadalafil super active The perfect time for the bath is prescribed as twenty minutes. Erectile dysfunction or impotency is the inability of a man to have or maintain an erection in order for sexual intercourse to take place is called erectile dysfunction. http://www.devensec.com/forms/November%202008.pdf cialis levitra generika Addition ingestion cheapest price for tadalafil of dosage is known to have speculative effects on health. Miss Amanda Leighton, former schoolteacher and governess, knows she has all the qualifications to be a tutor. And while female tutors are unheard of, Amanda isn’t about to lose the chance at her dream job because of pesky details like that. If Lord Kenyon insists on hiring a man, then she has only one option . . .

Jamie isn’t sure what to make of his new employee, until he realizes the shocking truth—beneath the ill-fitting suits, his boys’ tutor is a woman. An unconventional, outspoken, thoroughly intriguing woman. Despite Amanda’s deception, he can’t dismiss her when his boys are learning so much. Yet Jamie, too, is learning surprising lessons—about desire, seduction, and passionate second chances . . .

Oh, I really liked this one. The first chapter set the plot up perfectly and I was instantly enchanted. How could I not after meeting Owen and Colin St. Clair, two boys with pronounced personalities, and all they wanted was a mother who loved them? They have a grouch of a dad who wanted and demanded a certain kind of person for a nanny or tutor for his kids. The one person who could make a difference overheard a conversation that practically shut the door in her face for any chance of her being that person. However, the hero, Jamie, didn’t count on the sheer grit and determination of the heroine, Amanda. The questions of, how do Jamie and Amanda meet, how does she convince him she’s the right person for the job, and the complications that arise from her successful attempt, are all the elements needed to snare a reader. It’s the answers that kept me flipping page after page with never a dull moment between chapters. This was an excellent read.

I admit that the title, Governess Gone Rogue is what grabbed my attention, and yes, the plot made me curious but it’s the delivery that made me a very happy reader. The secondary characters are really important because they helped stir the plot, kept things interesting and showed me just who Amanda really was. I liked her a lot. Jamie is no slouch but he takes some getting used to. Not that he’s a bad character, far from it. He has some hang-ups he needs to get over before he can start living life again, instead of just going through the motions. His “wake up” was quite entertaining.

My favorite crisis is when Amanda realized that the ‘details’ that make up the person she chose to be is a bit more complicated than she imagined. I laughed, but I also appreciated the author actually figuring things out, or at least had Amanda do the best that she could. I have often wonderful about the very things that caused the heroine to panic, and I was actually glad Ms. Guhrke tackled those issues. I even enjoyed how it was done. It’s a strong plus for the story.

My next favorite dilemma is Jamie’s reaction to his discovery. Poor guy was stretched like taffy, he didn’t know quite what to do. Oh, he had ideas, sexy ideas, but that didn’t solve the most important challenge, taming his two rambunctious, clever and determined young sons. I enjoyed watching the hero come to terms with what is most important in his life. It was rather heartwarming when he finally figured it out.

There was a fly in the ointment, so to speak. A dastardly villain from Amanda’s past shows up to do what bad guys do best – muck things up. Even this conflict was well handled by the author and I found myself cheering for the characters I’d come to adore, Amanda and Jamie, Owen and Collin.

The book has a great happy ever after ending that is so romantic and beautiful, I read it twice. Governess Gone Rogue is a wonderful story. It has heart, love, passion and humor. I happily recommend this book to all romance fans everywhere.

A Fine Passion by Stephanie Laurens
Author: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (425 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

The men of the Bastion Club are powerful, loyal, and not averse to overcoming danger if they must. Now, after years of loyal service to the Crown, they each — one by one — must face that greatest danger of all …love.

levitra on line deeprootsmag.org People endeavour to keep themselves fit since they wish for a healthy body. They also can have the difficulty to achieve an erection when they are sexually viagra 100mg sales aroused. Kamagra order should viagra free delivery only be placed if you are an adult and above 18 years of age. When you viagra for uk have had spicy food, it irritates your digestive tract and leads to congestion in urinary tract, which easily induces constipation. The last of his line, Jack, Baron Warnefleet, has fled London after nearly being compromised into marrying a dreadful female. Turning his back on the entire notion of marriage, he rides home to the estate he has not seen for years, determined to set in motion an alternative course of action.

But then in the lane before his gate, Jack rescues a startlingly beautiful lady from a menacing, unmanageable horse. However, while he begins by taking command, the lady continues by taking it back. Lady Clarice Altwood is no meek and mild miss. She is the very antithesis of thewoolly-headed young ladies Jack has rejected as not for him. Clarice is delectably attractive, beyond eligible, undeniably capable, and completely unforgettable. Why on earth is she rusticating in the country?

That enigma is compounded by mystery, and it’s quickly clear thatClarice is in danger. Jack must use every ounce of his cunning and wit to protect this highly independent and richly passionate woman … who has so quickly stolen his heart.

So what if this book has been in circulation for a while. It was ‘new’ to me and I found it classically entertaining. There was the typical peer needing a bride to beget an heir, a most unusual heroine and the typical sparks and fireworks as they encounter each other on more than one occasion. There are the overheard comments through a door, assumptions and revelations. What made this novel most entertaining was the mystery, the attempts at abduction and the surety of who is the cause. I enjoy when a mysterious danger tosses two unlikely people together because the outcome can be most enlightening; what I found instead was two peas in a pod from two very different strains, and yet, Clarice and Jack were different just enough to ignite a firestorm of need, yearning and exciting exploration of their differences. It was a fun read with a lot to recommend it.

Another point that I found being made most strenuously throughout the tale was Jack’s awareness of Clarice’s person, personal space and capabilities. That, in itself, is not a bad thing. Like I said earlier, the heroine is most unusual. Yes, she’s tall and confident and amazingly adept, and she presents herself with all the hauteur, grace, strength and sharp eye of any grande dame of the ton, but–and this is my opinion–I felt the constant reminders to the reader that Jack must let Clarice decide, must respect her opinions, choices and must be overly patient while she charges ahead to capably handle the ton, a town and a family in turmoil, had me pitying poor Jack because it seemed he was being emasculated. The constant internal dialogue of Jack reminding himself to back down and give her room to …what? To what end? Oh, I know the goal; this is a romance after all. I assure you that the happy ever after is well worth the time. I just wish Jack had more opportunities to be a man. One sock to a jaw, a knifing and a skirmish are all well and good for conflict, action and serious page flipping, but still Jack came off as a small flame to Clarice’s flamethrower. Yes, that’s a figure of speech. They didn’t have flamethrowers in the Regency period. That came 80+ years later. Anyway, I think you get what I mean. She wore the pants in the relationship, until it came to the bedroom. No, wait – she took to that like a duck to water. Make that a swan because those birds can be very aggressive when protecting their territory. Okay, the few scenes where Clarice turns positively ‘swan-ish’ were most satisfactory and ‘fist-bump’ awesome. And I still liked Jack enormously. He was a devilish, devious planner.

Simply put, A Fine Passion is a worthy read – fun, entertaining and seductive. I enjoyed the complete wrap-up of, well, everything. All loose ends were tied up – except one. I do believe I’ll need to find the next book because I, like Jack and his fellow Bastion Club members, need to find out just who is the one, last traitor. The clues were most intriguing.

Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (372 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

In Gilded Age Manhattan, anything can happen…

Seeking a wealthy American bride who can save his family’s estate, Brandon Fiennes, the duke of Kingston, is a rogue determined to do the right thing. But his search for an heiress goes deliciously awry when an enchanting seamstress tumbles into his arms instead.

…and true love is always in fashion

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Reading this historical is me trying something different. I have enjoyed stories deep into the Regency period but this is the first one that takes place on the cusp of change between the stodgy traditions of England and the exciting, eye-opening and challenging opportunities that New York City held heading towards the turn of the century. Ms. Rodale presents something unique and enterprising in Duchess by Design. Even the title is a clever reference to a significant plot thread. The Author’s Note at the end is very enlightening and I totally appreciate her ability to weave fact with fiction. Well done.

Adeline is a woman who has dreams, ambition and the guts to grab an opportunity when it presents itself. What stymies her is the norms of society for the period. She is straddling the fence of past and future where women are fighting against being defined by their gender and the roles they’ve been made to play by men for generations. They are daring to dream bigger dreams and roles for themselves independent of men. Independence comes at a cost. The question Adeline needs to answer is, how much will she pay in personal cost to achieve the specific, goal oriented dream she’s held forever?

Kingston is a man shaped by that stodgy English tradition. He’s known no other way than what he’s been groomed to know. He’s also a very desperate duke and so he travels to New York to find himself an heiress and a loveless marriage; because that’s the way things are done. It’s the ONLY way. Or is it? Brandon, the duke of Kingston, is about to have a rude awakening. Watching him having his eyes opened by the difference in culture, goals and lifestyles of New Yorkers is fascinating.

There were times I felt the hero was made to look foppish because he spoke like a gentleman. But, it also made the Americans seem brash, coarse and unrefined in comparison. He showed restraint and respect by his choice of words. Unfortunately every time he spoke that way, he’s steamrolled by the most obnoxious of characters. They are wholly unimpressed and gave him no deference of authority. That in itself was a shocker for the poor guy. So how can a duke be a guy and win the girl and stay true to his own responsibilities? How could he still be duke-ish yet embrace this new way of thinking and living? Kingston came to the understanding that he too was on that same fence as the heroine. Here’s the question – which way will they fall off of that fence? What is going to happen to push them one way or the other? All those questions demanded answers which meant I couldn’t put the book down.

There is a LOT of sensual tension. The author teased me as much as she did Kingston and Adeline. Thank goodness the plot turned spicy at the right moment. I think I would have exploded if they hadn’t!

I had my own moment of suspense while reading. Kingston’s cousin caused me some serious concern. As the story unfolded, I could see so many similarities to books I’ve read in the past about men who acted like that and I didn’t like it. I was going to throw the book if he fell into trope territory. I’m glad to say the book stayed well in hand.

Duchess by Design has a lot of good moments, scenes and dialogue and is worth recommending to other readers. I found it to be a challenging read but every minute was well worth it. What sealed the deal for me was the last chapter. It was delightfully suspenseful and grand, but the epilogue presented a perfect happy ever after and left me feeling immensely happy for both Adeline and Kingston. I’m glad I read this novel.

The Duke Buys a Bride by Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (351 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

A bride wasn’t in his plans . . .

The last thing Marcus, the Duke of Autenberry, expects to see after sleeping off a night’s drunken shenanigans is a woman being auctioned in the village square. Before he can think about the ramifications, he buys her, thinking he’s winning the girl her freedom. Instead, he discovers he’s bought a wife.

A duke wasn’t in hers . . .

Alyse Bell is almost rid of the shackles that bound her in a name-only marriage, but the day her friend promised to purchase her in a wife auction, he vanishes, leaving her to face a mob of unsavory bachelors intent on owning her body and soul. But the appearance of a wicked, wealthy stranger changes her path forever.
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The road to ruin . . .

Marcus doesn’t know what to do with the impertinent chit who clearly isn’t duchess material! Insisting their marriage isn’t legitimate, they leave for his estate in Scotland, hoping to devise a plan to get rid of each other. However, on a journey fraught with misadventure, their attraction grows and Marcus realizes he’ll do anything to keep this fiery woman for his own.

I kid you not. The first sentence made me snort. The first chapter established why I found Marcus, the hero, fascinating and how Alyse, the heroine, came to be in the state she was in, and why I’d want to cheer for her. From there the challenge was to finagle getting the two to meet. Challenge met in a most unusual style. The Duke Buys a Bride is a warm, humorous and delightful adventure in love and romance that seduces a reader as surely as Marcus seduces Alyse. Or is that the other way around? I strongly suspect readers are going to have fun finding out.

This third person point of view tale was so well told, I read it in one day. I grinned many times as I watched Marcus do everything he could to stay a bachelor. I admired Alyse’s determination to one day be her own woman and follow her own dreams only to watch them morph into being more than she imagined – a very unusual duchess.

My only question stems from wondering how an English duke can be an English duke if he intends to live in another country. I’m used to reading about them being hands-on, attending Parliament and doing English Duke-y things in the thick of London or in ‘the country’ in order to keep their coffers plump. Marcus is not typical which made me love this book even more.

The slight detour to Clan MacLarin proved most entertaining, and enlightening. I actually liked the rascally laird and certainly that section is very important to the plot. Someday I hope Ms. Jordan might take readers back there to see what Hunt is doing. His nana was a hoot.

Earlier, I mentioned seduction. For readers who look forward to spicy sheet shenanigans, rest assured they are well written, satisfying and quite sexy.

The Duke Buys a Bride is a wonderful read. It’s charming, engaging and full of fun. Marcus and Alyse were a cute couple. The best part was the epilogue because there, the author showed her cleverness. She wrote a delightful wrap-up and a hook for the next book, all in one. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

The Bride Takes a Groom by Lisa Berne
The Penhallow Dynasty
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (354 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Katherine Brooke may be a fabulously wealthy heiress, but she’s trapped, a pawn in her parents’ ruthless game to marry her into the nobility. Then Captain Hugo Penhallow—so charming, as handsome as a Greek god—comes into her life once more, and suddenly she sees a chance to be free.

As a Penhallow, his is one of the highest names in the land, but still his family is facing ruin. So Katherine boldly proposes an exchange: his name for her money. But only if Hugo understands it’s merely a practical arrangement, and that she’s not surrendering herself entirely.
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Back from eight years in America and determined to give his younger siblings a better life, Hugo agrees. He’s never fallen in love, so why not? Yet neither of them guesses that this marriage will become far, far more than they ever dreamed of . . .

The theme of this novel is hope. Never give up hope even when it seems impossible or implausible because something amazing can happen in ways you’d never expect. Certainly the hero and heroine of The Bride Takes a Groom never imagined life turning out the way it did, for either of them.

Katherine’s parents remind me of another set of parents – those from the movie Matilda. Except, I think Matilda’s real mother was actually nicer than Katherine’s, and that’s saying something. Hugo’s mother is a vast improvement, a bit unique but loving and warm. I enjoyed her character.

The biggest thing I noticed about this book was its delivery. I’ll be honest, at first the letters threw me and I felt it slowed me down. However, it wasn’t long before I understood what the author was doing – Insight. Ms. Berne was giving me insight into her characters and after a while I came to look forward to reading them. Not only were they absolutely fascinating but they served a valuable purpose in the telling of the story.

Another strong element is the romance of it all. I don’t have the words to express the delight of watching Katherine explore her sexuality and the cheeky innocent and inquisitive way she went about things. There was a sense of humor about her actions, words and choices that made reading each scene fun and entertaining. It’s by no means tame; some scenes between Katherine and Hugo were deliciously spicy, yet it contributed to their growing relationship and pushed them further along on the path of love. For some reason, Katherine liked to count. (I grinned writing that last sentence)

There is a darkness that challenged the heroine’s relationship with the hero. It was emotionally hard to read those parts but that’s because of the author’s skill. I was scared, worried and nervous after the ship scene. I felt for sure something bad was going to happen. I couldn’t read fast enough even though I had feelings of dread. The one thing a reader can be sure of is that Katherine loves Hugo. Readers will know what I mean after reading those chapters for themselves.

The wrap up is full of goodness, happiness, hope and adventure. The HEA is engaging, thorough and made me feel good on too many levels to count. In fact, an enemy even becomes a friend. I never, ever expected that. It proved to me that wonderful people are associated with the Penhallow family and forgiveness and love are powerful indeed. I am thrilled I had a chance to read this book. It’s great!