Review: Because of Miss Bridgerton

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Review: Because of Miss BridgertonBecause of Miss Bridgerton (Rokesbys #1) by Julia Quinn
Series: Rokesbys #1
Published by Avon on March 29th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 375
Goodreads
four-stars

Bridgerton Prequel Spinoff That Satisfies High Expectations

FINAL DECISION: A worth successor (although a prequel) to the fabulous Bridgerton series, BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON is good with the feel of the Bridgerton novel with a whole batch of new characters, a different time period, and a different set of troubles.

THE STORY: Billie Bridgerton is what might be termed a tomboy. The eldest child, she loves the family estate and helps to run it, although she is denied the opportunity to inherit because she is a girl. She knows she will eventually marry and everyone (including her) expects that she will marry one of the Rokesby brothers, lifelong neighbors. There are so many choices between the brothers, but the one brother Billie never plans on hitching herself to is George, the heir of the earldom and the one that Billie can’t help but bicker and argue with. The two can’t stand one another and yet when they are thrust together unexpectedly, they find that the sparks they strike off one another might hide a passion for one another.

OPINION: I am a big fan of Quinn’s Bridgerton series. As a result, I worried that this book would be a disappointment because so many of those Bridgerton books are classics. For me, BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON doesn’t meet the best books of the Bridgerton series, but it would fall smack in the middle of the series. It is sold and satisfying and at times hilarious.

BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON has the wit and humor and genuinely nice characters for which Quinn is famous. I am a big fan of the “adversaries” to lovers trope. This one has hysterical situations between Billie and George. The two have known one another forever and yet never looked at one another in a romantic fashion before. Quinn is well known as having couples who fall in love slowly and unexpectedly. This story realistically portrays two people who grew up together but for the first time see one another as a romantic partner. I loved that they have so much in common and have a deep respect for one another which comes from their familiarity with one another. The romance in this one takes some time to develop but ultimately is sweet and fulfilling.

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME’s infamous Pall Mall game will find another fabulous — and yet different — game here.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON is the first book of the Rokesby series which is a prequel spin-off series to Quinn’s immensely popular Bridgerton series. This book can totally be read as a standalone even though there are lots of Easter eggs for fans of the Bridgerton series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Unlocked

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Review: UnlockedUnlocked (Turner, #1.5) by Courtney Milan
Series: Turner #1.5
Published by Courtney Milan on May 26th 2011
Genres: Historical
Pages: 111
Goodreads
four-stars

Companion Novella to the Turner series

UNLOCKED is the story of Lady Elaine Warren who is a friend of Margaret in UNVEILED, the first book in the Turner series. Elaine is trained and tormented in the ballrooms of the ton. Because of her laugh, she is known as Lady Equine. The man who have her that nickname had returned after ten years. Evan Carlton, the Earl of Westfeld is immensely sorry for his treatment of Elaine. He recognizes the hurt he has caused and wants the chance to make amends and be a better person.

I really liked the romance between Elaine and Evan. The hurt that Evan caused does not go away easily. There are no quick solutions here. Elaine does not quickly forget her torment and fall in the hero’s arms. I liked Elaine. She has a quiet strength. “You cannot break me” is how she has survived.

This novella is not dependent upon the other books in the series and can be read independently.
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four-stars

Review: Dream a Little Dream

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Review: Dream a Little DreamDream a Little Dream (Chicago Stars, #4) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Series: Chicago Stars #4
Published by Avon on February 1st 1998
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 400
Goodreads
five-stars

A Story of Love After Loss

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM is the fourth novel in Phillips’ Chicago Stars series. It doesn’t actually deal with the Chicago Stars team, but rather is a spin-off of NOBODY’S BABY BUT MINE. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM is the story of Gabe Bonner, the younger brother of Cal Bonner in NOBODY’S BABY BUT MINE. Two years ago, Gabe suffered the loss of his beloved wife and son in a car crash. If not for his family, Gabe would have nothing to live for. He has abandoned everything in his life and is merely existing. Rachel Stone has come back to Salvation, North Carolina. Rachel is the hated widow of a discredited televangelist, but now lives in serious poverty with heroine year old son.

Gabe and Rachel are two people who have been smacked down by life. Both have great pain that they have to deal with in their journey to happily ever after. This story is more poignant and less funny than the other books in this series. It is not always easy reading about the relationship that Gabe has with Rachel’s son. Gabe is not very nice. I appreciated the realism of the story. It is a longer journey for Gave and Rachel’s so than for Gabe and Rachel. I really enjoyed the story and I was happy to get an update on Cal and Jane. There is also a sweet secondary story involving the youngest Bonner brother Ethan.

I highly recommend this book.

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five-stars

Review: Dirty

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: DirtyDirty (Dive Bar, #1) by Kylie Scott
Series: Dive Bar #1
on April 19th 2016
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 288
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Warm, Emotional Romance with Humor and a Great Cast of Characters

“We’d both had dreams go lopsided.”

FINAL DECISION:  Funny and emotional kick off to Scott’s new series centered around a location — Dive Bar – with characters who come together at a crossroads in their lives and unexpectedly find a new path forward together.

THE STORY:  Lydia Green is having a terrible day.  It is her wedding day and she gets a video of her groom making out with his best friend — and best man.  Fleeing from her wedding, Lydia ends up crying and soaked in her wedding dress in the shower of Vaughan Hewson.  This encounter is complicated by the fact that they have never met before, Lydia has broken into his house, and Vaughan is naked.  Vaughan and Lydia begin a friendship that day as both has been shaken up by life.  Vaughan is a musician whose group has just broken up, he is broke and confronting the death of his parents.  As Lydia and Vaughan put the pieces back together, they may find out that they are building something together they didn’t expect.

OPINION:  I’ve read all of Kylie Scott’s books and I think this one may have the most romantic hero ever.  Vaughan has lines that just made me sigh with adoration.  There is a scene where the Vaughan and Lydia are lying together in bed with their pinkies linked together.  This scene is so incredibly moving and so quiet and gentle.  I normally like the intensely emotional books with large dramatic scenes. This scene and others in the book were so gently beautiful that it stuck with me.  I read the book a week ago, have read several books in between and yet that scene sticks with me.

The main characters in this book are really likeable.  (There are secondary characters that I didn’t like as much, but I look forward to seeing their development). Vaughan is sweet and definitely sexy (oh la la, the opening meeting between Lydia and Vaughan).  He is also a good man who never plays games with Lydia.  Caring and protective but no wimp, Vaughan helps Lydia without taking over her life.  I simply adored him.

Lydia is a woman who wants to belong.  Her disaster with her fiance forces her to confront this need and push past it.  A plus sized woman, she has a poor self-image of herself.  Through her work at Dive Bar and her relationship with Vaughan, Lydia finds a strength and resilience that she always had but didn’t see in herself.  After the hysterical flight from her marriage, Lydia shows maturity and strength. I liked her in all her quirky nature.

This book also sets up conflicts and storylines that I expect will be explored in future books in the series.  Lydia and Vaughan’s relationship is straightforward compared to what is coming up — I can’t wait!

WORTH MENTIONING: Kylie Scott has a marvelous ability to create a whole community of characters who have complicated relationships, difficult lives, real affection for one another, and sometimes great pain between them.  The characters in and surround Dive Bar (who hopefully will be getting stories of their own in this series) are a group worth cheering for.  BTW: Stage Door fans get a little treat in this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  DIRTY is the first book in the Dive Bar series.  This series is a very lightly connected spin-off of the Stage Door series, but you don’t need to read that series to enjoy this one.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: One with You

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One with You
One with You by Sylvia Day
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

Worthy Conclusion to the Crossfire Series

FINAL DECISION: Finally, the story of Eva and Gideon comes to a conclusion, but there is a lot of external drama to get through before this couple is ready to move on to their happy ending. Bringing the series to a satisfying close, their relationship shows a stability and maturity that they have been working towards.

THE STORY: Continuing right where CAPTIVATED BY YOU ended, the book opens with Eva and Gideon meeting after Eva’s ultimatum regarding Gideon’s interference with her job and Eva’s revealing Gideon’s abuse to his stepfather. The two continue to navigate their relationship as they deal with the aftermath of their respective childhood abuse. Married now, the two are committed to one another and yet continue to have problems with communicating with one another rather than keeping secrets. As this book begins, Gideon has finally opened up regarding his abuse. Now the two need to resolve all the external issues threatening them.

OPINION: In a finale worth waiting for, this novel wraps up most of the pressing issues from the series. Most importantly, it shows the depth of the relationship between Gideon and Eva and demonstrates how much their relationship has grown and matured. The problems the two face are even larger now, but they have learned to trust one another, defy their own instinctive reactions and turn to one another. The action in this book is more external as most of the emotional conflicts have finally been resolved by Gideon and Eva.

Gideon finally made a breakthrough at the end of CAPTURED BY YOU and he continues his development after acknowledging the sexual abuse he suffered. He finally begins to work with Eva instead of working around her.

These books have portrayed interesting takes on people who have suffered abuse. Gideon and Eva reacted differently to their abuse and the effects continue to be what the two have to work through. This book isn’t all sweetness and light, however. There are some tough moments for these two to get through. By the end, however, I really got the sense that these two would make it.

WORTH MENTIONING: Not everything is resolved in this book. Not everything is tied up neatly rather this book makes it clear that Gideon and Eva will make it but leaves the supporting characters’ stories somewhat unresolved. People who want everything spelled out will be disappointed.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONE WITH YOU is the fifth book in the Crossfire series. It should be read as part of the series as the series follows one couple through their relationship.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.25 stars.

Review: Taken by the Earl

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Review: Taken by the EarlTaken by the Earl (Regency Unlaced 3) by Carole Mortimer
Series: Regency Unlaced #3
Published by Smashwords Edition on April 2nd 2016
Genres: Historical
four-half-stars

I Loved This Historical Romp of a Novella

FINAL DECISION: This short novella was fun, sexy with a tight story and a romance that I really enjoyed. This was my favorite of the series so far.

THE STORY: Mrs. Felicity “Fliss” Randall is a respectable widow. When she overhears a plot to murder the new Earl of Winterbourne, she is determined to warn the Earl. She ends up having to get an invitation to a notorious house party where she approaches the Earl in his bedroom. When Sinclair Montgomery finds Fliss in his bedroom, he believes the woman he finds in his room is there for pleasure and begins to make love to her. When Fliss insists he listen to her, Sin doesn’t know whether to believe Fliss, but she sure wants her.

OPINION: This was an enjoyable romp with a very sexy premise. Fliss has been restrained and respectable all her life. She has always done what she should until she decides that she must warn the Earl of Winterbourne of the murder plot against him. That decision leads Fliss to do things that she never dreamed of doing. She discovers a recklessness and a sensuality that she never imagined during her perfectly respectable marriage. What’s not to love about a Scottish hero named Sin who is determined to show the heroine her own sexual power and pleasure. The connection between the two is wonderful and the plot serves to move the romance forward without taking away the focus from the relationship between Fliss and Sin.

WORTH MENTIONING: Oh, there is a gentleman in this book who so deserves a happy ending of his own some day.

CONNECTED BOOKS: TAKEN BY THE EARL is book 3 of the Regency Unlaced series. This novella can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this novella 4.5 stars.

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four-half-stars

Review: Dragonfly in Amber

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Review: Dragonfly in AmberDragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2) by Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander #2
Published by Bantam on August 7th 2001
Genres: Historical, Time Travel
Pages: 743
Goodreads
five-stars

Political Intrigue and Romance With Claire and Jaime

FINAL DECISION: I ended up liking this one better than OUTLANDER itself. The story seemed tighter, the relationship between Claire and Jamie more complex and although there is plenty of death and pain in this book, it felt more civilized after the events of the first book. And I ended up in tears for most of the end of this book.

THE STORY: After the events of OUTLANDER, Jaime and Claire have fled to France. There they will try to prevent the coming battle of Culloden in order to prevent the destruction of the Highlanders culture. Their scheme requires them to participate in Eighteenth Century French court politics and intrigues with Bonnie Prince Charlie and the King of France. There are still repercussions from Jamie’s torture and rape at the end of OUTLANDER. Intrigues, danger and the past threaten to tear Jamie and Claire apart even at the point where they share joy at the coming of their child.

OPINION: I liked OUTLANDER, but I liked DRAGONFLY IN AMBER more. OUTLANDER was about Jamie and Claire discovering one another and falling in love. This book is about letting their love and marriage mature. In OUTLANDER Jamie and Claire ran the gauntlet of danger. This book is a slow burn. Things are quieter, more outwardly civilized and yet even more complicated and dangerous. Politics, society and intrigue take up the majority of this book.

For those readers who read OUTLANDER but don’t know more about the series, they will be surprised by the beginning of this book. (I don’t want to give it away, but it is a clever story device to begin the narrative there instead of being strictly chronological). The book feels fresh and different after OUTLANDER. The characters have grown and changed (not always for the good) and there are lots of new characters to get to know. Old friends and enemies also have returned so there is a good reason to review the events of OUTLANDER if you haven’t read it in a while.

Jamie is more remote in this book after the events with Jack Randall in OUTLANDER. He is still struggling with the aftermath and the pressures of trying to save the entire Highlands. Being involved in the political intrigue means that he and Claire spend less time together and thus immense pressure is placed on their relationship.

Claire is also struggling to find her role in this new situation. The new life in the Court of France has new conflicts and restrictions upon this twentieth century woman. She has to use her imperfect knowledge of the past to help avoid Culloden while know knowing whether such a thing is possible. She is also struggling with her relationship with Jamie. She gave up her entire life to be with him and now she has to deal with those consequences.

On a more philosophical point, the book also investigates the idea of changing the past. Is it even possible for Jamie and Claire to change the events that lead to Culloden or does everything they do actually cause that event to happen? Can the past be changed at all? These are universal themes in time travel stories and this book examines those issues with complexity and subtlety. Even better, there are no real answers.

I began reading OUTLANDER when the television series started because I always want to read the books first and I began reading this one in preparation for Season 2. I don’t know if I have been influenced by the series, but I felt that this book went more quickly and the events were clearer, the characters more defined and the outcome more devastating. I cried through the end of the book because it was incredibly well written and sad. At the end of this book, I desperately wanted to begin VOYAGER (book 3) to find out what happens.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book ends on a cliffhanger.

CONNECTED BOOKS: DRAGONFLY IN AMBER is the second book in the Outlander series. It can be read as a standalone, but why do that. Read OUTLANDER first to really appreciate DRAGONFLY IN AMBER.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

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five-stars

Cover Reveal and Teaser for SIDEBARRED by Emma Chase

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I am excited to be included in the cover reveal for the wrap up novella for the Legal Briefs series called SIDEBARRED.  I read this series for the first time recently and absolutely loved this contemporary series about four defense attorneys who are friends and colleagues.  I really loved the series which is funny and emotional and I look forward to getting more of these fascinating characters.

Sidebarred FOR WEB

This novella provides a coda to the series by giving fans one last glimpse of the their favorite couples.  The book blurb states:

Join Jake & Chelsea, Stanton & Sofia, Brent & Kennedy as they navigate the hilarious and heartwarming hurdles of love, life and the law in this final addition to the Legal Briefs Series.

There was a time when Jake Becker had it all together. He was controlled, driven, ruthless—in and out of the courtroom.

Then, six irresistible orphans and their heartbreakingly beautiful aunt crashed into his perfectly ordered life. They changed everything. They changed him. Now he’s a husband, an upstanding member of society, a father figure—a family man.
And he’s pretty damn good at it.

Sure, he has to referee sibling smackdowns, re-learn algebra, ensure his clients stay of jail, and keep his wife happy—but it finally feels like he’s got it together again….
So, of course something has to screw it all up.

It’s huge. Life-changing. Kind of terrifying.

And it will be the most amazing, perfect thing he’ll ever do.

Now Teaser #1 from SIDEBARRED.

Chelsea sits beside me on the couch, facing me, her legs tucked, her pretty feet curled under her. Yes—Chelsea has pretty feet, okay? I never knew feet could be pretty—until I saw hers.
“So . . . that talk I mentioned before? We should probably have that now, while we can.”
I take a sip of my drink and nod. “Yeah—I wasn’t at all hoping you’d forget about it or anything.”
Her face slides into a grin. “Funny.”
I look back at her, straight-faced. “I’m a funny guy.”
When she doesn’t say anything for a few moments, I ask, “What’s up?”
Because now I’m actually getting concerned. My stomach tightens as I brace for whatever’s worrying her—and before I even know what I’m up against, in my head I’m already planning all the ways I’ll take care of it. Because that’s what I do—and I’m good at it.
But what she tells me next blows my fucking mind.
“I’m late.”
Two words—ten thousand thoughts exploding in my head at once.
I’m a big guy, six-five, 225 pounds of muscle. Guys like me, our voices don’t squeak. But at this moment, mine comes damn close.
“Like . . . for an appointment?”
Chelsea inhales deeply, then breathes out, “No.”

You can see my reviews of the three novels to get a sense of the series.

Review of OVERRULED

Review of SUSTAINED

Review of APPEALED

Pre-Order SIDEBARRED at Amazon, B&N and Kobo.

Review: Guilty Pleasure

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Review: Guilty PleasureGuilty Pleasure (Bound Hearts #11) by Lora Leigh
Series: Bound Hearts #11
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on April 5th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

Sexy Menage Story Mixed with Suspense

“She had four weeks to steal his heart. If he had one to steal.”

FINAL DECISION: An enjoyable romance where the menage story is a significant part of the story. There is little personal angst in the story. The drama comes primarily from the external suspense story.

THE STORY: Marty Matthews is an FBI agent who has spent two years following Khalid el Hamid-Mustafa for her boss. Marty knows that Khalid isn’t guilty of anything but the two years have driven her desire for Khalid to a fever pitch and she has decided to finally go after the man she has wanted for over a decade. Marty is the daughter of a threesome relationship and she knows that Khalid is engaged in the menage lifestyle. Khalid has been keeping his distance from Marty because the life of anyone important to him is in danger but he is finding it hard to resist her.

OPINION: As is true with many of the books in this series, the menage is more physical than emotional. The men in these stories all engage in the menage lifestyle (they even are part of a club that caters to their preferences). Here there is no emotional connection except between Khalid and Marty. The third of their menage is not emotionally connected to the relationship. I think the menage stories where there is an emotional connection between all the participants is more intriguing.

One of the best parts of this story is that Marty is pretty badass herself. She refuses to allow the men to make her accept limitations or weakness. She is strong and a match for Khalid. I also like that he defends her independence and while he desires to protect her, he accepts that she is a warrior who cannot be fully protected.

The story is very spicy as one might expect from the description and very explicit. Khalid’s backstory is very appealing (in the dark tortured hero sense) and by the time it was done, I also wanted to read the story of Khalid’s brother whose story is even more tortured.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book has extensive menage scenes.

CONNECTED BOOKS: GUILTY PLEASURE is the eleventh book in the Bound Hearts series. It can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

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four-stars

Review: Where’s My Hero?

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Where's My Hero?
Where’s My Hero? by Lisa Kleypas, Kinley MacGregor, Julia Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three Novellas That Are Part of Larger Series

Each of the three novellas here are part of a larger series. Although each novella can be read as a standalone, they are better if the reader is aware of the characters who are part of the series.

Each of the novellas has characters who are engaged to the wrong person when the right one comes along.

AGAINST THE ODDS by Lisa Kleypas — This novella is part of the Gamblers series as the heroine is the daughter of Derek and Sara from DREAMING OF YOU. Miss Lydia Craven is engaged to be married to Lord Wray. On the night of her engagement announcement, she is kissed by Dr. Jake Linley, her nemesis with whom she had bickered and fought for four years. Lydia believes her fiance is perfect for her because they have similar intellectual pursuits even if there isn’t any passion. Almost on the eve of her marriage, Lydia and Jake end up locked in a cellar together and she finds out that passion might be the most important thing after all. This is a cute little story which is obvious and doesn’t have much twist to it. The best part is seeing Derek and Sara again. For that I would read this story again and again. The romance of Lydia and Jake is okay, but Sara and Derek are amazing even in cameo. Rating: 4 stars.

MIDSUMMER’S KNIGHT by Kinley MacGregor — Simon of Ravenswood, aka “The Wraith” is a landless knight who is part of the Brotherhood. He is in love with Kenna, the cousin of the King of Scotland. He has been writing to her BUT she thinks that it is Simon’s friend, an Earl, who has been writing to her. Now she believes herself engaged to the Earl, but he doesn’t know anything about it. This novella is part of the Brotherhood/MacAllister series. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I really enjoyed this story. I thought the dilemma the characters found themselves in was intriguing and I was very interested in how things would work out. Now I want to read more of the series. Rating: 4 stars.

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS by Julia Quinn — This novella is an add on to the Splendid/Blydon Trilogy. Edward “Ned” Blydon, Viscount Burwick, is engaged to Lydia Thornton. Having given up on finding love, Ned has become engaged to Lydia for comfort and a piece of property adjoining his estate. A week before the wedding, he begins to know her sister Charlotte and realizes that perhaps he gave up on love too soon. This was a nice coda to the Blydon series which resolves Ned’s story. The story is light and funny and heartfelt. Quickly readers are clued in to the solution to Ned’s dilemma, but he doesn’t know. I enjoyed this one as a conclusion to the trilogy. Rating: 4 stars.