BIRTHDAY GIFT is a very short vignette found on Milan’s website that tells of an incident at Eton between Richard Dalrymple and Smite Turner. Readers of UNVEILED will recall that Richard and Smite were once friends. This short vignette gives insight into their friendship. This story is pure extra and will only be significant to readers of the series. For fans, however, this is a nice add on scene.
Driven by Fire by Anne Stuart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“He was going to kiss her. This man, her enemy, was going to kiss her, and she wanted him to. Desperately.”
FINAL DECISION: Action filled romantic suspense, this book kept me guessing as to the identity of the villains until the very end.
THE STORY: Jenny Parker is a pro bono lawyer and the daughter of a crime lord. She is trying to live her life apart from her family but she keeps being pulled back. When her father calls her to tell her that her younger brother has gotten mixed up in white slavery, Jenny knows that she has to protect her brother from the mess he has accidentally gotten involved in. She meets Matthew Ryder, a member of the Committee, a covert anticrime agency. Matthew knows that Jenny is lying about something and intends to discover all her secrets.
OPINION: The second book in the Fire series continues the stories of the men of the Committee in the United States. DRIVEN BY FIRE is about human trafficking. The plot is complex and goes in unexpected directions which pushes the story forward to its conclusion. The book is romantic suspense and the suspense is predominant here.
Jenny is an interesting character because she makes some morally questionable decisions. Often in Stuart books, the hero is steeped shades of gray while the heroine is bright and innocent. Not so here. Jenny’s family and her decisions make her more morally complex from the beginning. This allows a bridge between her and Matthew. Indeed, Matthew himself is a lighter hero than most of Stuart’s Committee heroes. He’s no Boy Scout, but he doesn’t seem poised on cold homicidal tendencies. While I am a big fan of Stuart’s antiheroes, Matthew is more a traditional hero and perhaps more palatable to those who find her more difficult heroes difficult to embrace.
For me, because Matthew is less dark and more normal, less time spent with him compared to Jenny and therefore he remains a mystery throughout the novel and I felt less connection with him and also less connection between him and Jenny. I enjoyed the book but it felt more suspense than romance to me.
WORTH MENTIONING: I loved the Easter egg reference to ON THIN ICE.
CONNECTED BOOKS: DRIVEN BY FIRE is the second book in the Fire series. It can be read as a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lovely Romance Anchored Deeply in a Little Examined Time and Place
“You always this combative, Miss Wyatt?
“Not as a rule, no.”
“That’s too bad. A combative woman is usually a passionate woman.”
“I thought you stole slaves. I didn’t realize you were also an authority on women.”
FINAL DECISION: Beautifully weaving in historical fact, this novel tells the story of two people living their lives and finding one another while in a constantly precarious position. I loved the deep sense of time and place in this book along with fascinating characters who are simply lovely together.
THE STORY: Hester Wyatt escaped slavery as a child and is now a member of the Underground Railroad. When an injured man is brought to her to hide, she agrees to care for him despite his surly behavior. Galen Vachon aka Black Daniel is from a wealthy free black family in New Orleans but has now dedicated his life to helping slaves escape to the north. The sweet and independent Hester intrigues Galen who finds himself drawn back to her. The dangers of slave catchers and a potential spy in the railroad threaten both Galen and Hester.
OPINION: This was a book that I found fulfilling on many levels. It tells the history of a place and time and a people that are not often given voice in romance novels. I thought that Jenkins perfectly balanced the giving of information and historical context without allowing the history to overwhelm the personal story of Hester and Galen. These are not modern character plopped down into some historical context. Instead, these characters are complex, fully formed and grounded within the history depicted in this book.
These two characters have strength and character and also a fear of love and the risks that come with that emotion. The two begin with a somewhat adversarial relationship that begins to change as the two are forced into close quarters and begin to learn about one another. I found Galen adorable as he becomes entranced by Hester and his desire to spoil her leads him to make her life more comfortable and then to spoil her. Hester fears love because of the loss of self that might accompany devotion to another.
There are serious storylines in the plot of this book including kidnapping back into slavery, attempted rape, and, of course, the big issue of slavery itself. This is not a glossy falsely romantic view of these events but rather a story that feels real and oftentimes dark. The juxtaposition of these horrible events with a sweet, beautiful and sometimes silly relationship between Hester and Galen made the joy and love the two discover together feel strong and life affirming. A keeper.
WORTH MENTIONING: I fell I love with this story when the explanation for the title is revealed. Simply lovely and beautiful.
CONNECTED BOOKS: INDIGO is a standalone book.
STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.
Hard Ever After by Laura Kaye
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
A Valentine for Fans of the Hard Ink Series
“Only. Always. Forever.”
FINAL DECISION: A novella that allows readers and extended epilogue to see the characters happy. While there is a dramatic plot involved, the heart of this novella are the happy endings of the characters.
THE STORY: After the events in the Hard Ink series, things are getting back to normal. Nick Rixey and Becca Merritt are getting married. As they and the other couples begin to adjust to normality, a shadow from the past arises to threaten their future.
OPINION: This book is for fans of the Hard Ink series. It is an extended epilogue with some dramatic plot events but there are no threats to the existing romances. The story assumes knowledge of the events and characters in the Hard Ink series. For fans of the series, however, this book will bring great satisfaction. The novella understand the fans and takes pains to hit all the highlights that you might want. The perfect ending to the series.
WORTH MENTIONING: Sexy, sexy tattoo scene.
CONNECTED BOOKS: HARD EVER AFTER is book number 4.6 in the Hard Ink series. The story is a coda to the series and operates as an extended epilogue and therefore should be read by those familiar with the characters from the series.
STAR RATING: I give this novella 4.5 stars.
Almost a Scandal by Elizabeth Essex
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Filled with Historical Details this is a Unique Look at the Royal Navy
“Whatever it was, this friendship, this affinity between them, she was not alone. He felt it, too. It only remained to see what they were going to do about it.”
FINAL DECISION: Totally immersed in the historical period and setting, ALMOST A SCANDAL is more a story about the journey of the heroine than it is truly a romance. There is a romance but the amount of time and detail paid to it pales to the heroine’s task in impersonating a man in the Royal Navy.
THE STORY: Sally Kent comes from a family of naval men. When her younger brother runs off to avoid service, Sally decides to take his place by dressing as him and joining the British Royal Navy. Sally loves being on the ship and being part of the crew except for Lieutenant David Colyear. Sally fears that David will recall the girl who tagged after her older brothers so Sally wants to avoid David and yet she is captivated by him. If David finds out her secret, she will lose her opportunity to serve and bring ruin upon herself and her family.
OPINION: I enjoyed this book because of the unique story of Sally. While I have read books about women masquerading as men before, few have done it as successfully as Sally. She is strong and clever and entirely capable. The world the characters inhabit is detailed and realistic and I know so much more about the Royal Navy and sailing after reading this book. The author’s research and dedication to the topic is admirable. There are certainly documented instances where women masqueraded as men especially during wartime so there is real life precedent for Sally being able to maintain her disguise.
I also at times really enjoyed the romance between Sally and David. I thought there was great tension and intense drama between them. My disappointment was that the ultimate resolution felt rushed and forced. As a result, I felt the romance in the book was diminished in favor of the personal journey of Sally.
WORTH MENTIONING: This book is incredibly detailed about the workings of the ship so readers who are not interested in such history might become bored.
CONNECTED BOOKS: ALMOST A SCANDAL is the first book in the Reckless Brides series.
STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.
The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Controversial and Sometimes Polarizing, but the Genesis of the Modern Romance Novel
FINAL DECISION: One of the first romances I read as a teenager, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER is sweeping with a crazy plot where everything bad happens that one could imagine. So much of the modern romance novel begins here. Despite its shortcomings in a modern context, I love how big and bold it is.
THE STORY: Heather Simmons is an innocent young woman who is treated worse than a servant by her aunt. Believing that she has the possibility for a better life, she agrees to go to London with her aunt’s brother only to end up fleeing his house. In a case of mistaken identity, she is believed to be a prostitute and is taken to an American sea captain who is looking for a woman for the night. Captain Brandon Birmingham finds himself intrigued by the innocent Heather and thinks of keeping her. Heather escapes Brandon but the two seem fated to encounter one another again.
OPINION: I read this book as a teenager when I liberated it from my mom’s stash. I had read a couple of other romance books before but I remember the scope and drama of this story. The plot is crazy. Rape, attempted rapes, kidnapping, blackmail, exotic travels. While the book begins with Brandon having all the power, Heather becomes powerful in their relationship as Brandon falls in love with her.
The book is controversial and often polarizing among romance readers because the relationship between Heather and Brandon begins with rape and Brandon never atones for his actions (although in the sequel about their son, Brandon does acknowledge his actions). For me, however, I cannot take this book out of the time I first read it. The book was groundbreaking and big and crazy and created the template for modern historical romances. For that reason alone it is worth reading even with all its flaws.
WORTH MENTIONING: The relationship between the hero and the heroine begins with the hero raping the heroine. Rape was not uncommon as part of romance of the era (early 1970s). Some modern readers may find this offensive.
CONNECTED BOOKS: THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER is the first book in the Birmingham series.
STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.
Brotherhood in Death (In Death, #42) by J.D. Robb Dennis Mira is Adorable
“Time doesn’t heal, whatever they say. It’s how we use the time that can heal.”
FINAL DECISION; Perfectly adequate, this book is best in its character moments. Eve and Dennis Mira’s relationship develops here. Also, Eve and Roarke continue to deepen their relationship. The mystery had too many players to interest me as much as the personal stories.
THE STORY: Dennis Mira goes to confront his cousin over the house they inherited together when Dennis gets hit over the head but not before he sees his cousin tied up. When he awakens, his cousin is gone. He calls for Eve to help investigate. Eve has always had a soft spot for Dennis Mira and she is determined to find out what happened. This leads her to look into the expensive real estate that the cousins were bickering about but then something else happens that turns Eve’s investigation in a new direction.
OPINION: This book revisits a little of the angst of Eve’s personal journey. I appreciate that while she has largely resolved her personal issues regarding her past, she still has moments where the past wells up in her. This book is largely about the past and how a person can choose to heal and move on or dwell endlessly in the past and thus be subsumed by it. For me, the books in this series work best where there is overlap between Eve’s personal journey and the crime she is investigating. I read these book because of the characters — not because of the mysteries. This book allows both Eve and the reader to see how far Eve and traveled and what can happen when one does not allow time to heal.
WORTH MENTIONING: As a sign of how Eve has changed, she is now wearing a silly knit hat because it was given to her as a gift.
CONNECTED BOOKS: BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH is the 42nd book in the In Death series. It can be read as a standalone although there are long running characters developments that transcend the one book.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
Heaven, Texas (Chicago Stars, #2) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips 
Witty Novel About Opposites
HEAVEN, TEXAS is the second novel in the Chicago Stars series. It tells the story of Grace Snow who at the age of 30 is just beginning to live her life. She takes the job as an assistant for a movie company. Her job is to make sure that Bobby Tom Denton, one time star receiver, makes it to his first acting job. Bobby Tom, however, has no intention of listening to the mousy Grace. Grace is determined, however, and Bobby Tom for the first time in his life has met a woman that he cannot immediately win over.
Wonderful, wonderful novel. Phillips’ characters just leap from the page and the story while sometimes outlandish, is funny and heartwarming. I kept smiling throughout the book. At the same time, I thought the story was deep and emotional. The characters have to travel to reach their happy ending. This is a book to read again.
Pia Does Hollywood by Thea Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Tense, Dramatic and I love seeing Dragos, Pia and Liam
“Pia was the crown jewel in the dragon’s hoard.”
FINAL DECISION: Filled with intense scenes between Dragos and Pia, the novella adds to the Elder Races storyline while exploring a deeply personal plot that threatens both Pia and Dragos.
THE STORY: The diplomatic pact made in DRAGOS GOES TO WASHINGTON means that a member of each demesnes ruling family must travel and stay with another demesne ruling family in order to foster peace and develop relationships. As a result, Pia has to spend a week with the Light Fae Queen in Hollywood. Dragos is not invited but has no intention of allowing Pia to go without him. He travels secretly to California. There are deadly secrets in Hollywood and they put Pia and Dragos in danger. In the process, the secrets that Dragos and Pia are keeping also are threatened to be revealed.
OPINION: I love Dragos and Pia. I would be pleased just to get an update on what they are doing (along with their adorable and amazing son Liam), but this novella ends up being a tense action suspense story that is immensely satisfying.
Dragos and Pia’s strong loving relationship is intensely sexual as well. Even this short novella depicts how much these two love and want one another. Fans of Dragos and Pia should be pleased to see that their relationship is well but still deepening and becoming more complex.
This novella also deals with the difficult relationship between the demesnes. Readers of the series know that distrust typifies the dealings between the different elder races. This time the suspicion and mistrust puts all the races in danger — and especially Dragos and Pia. The political dealings are always a highlight in this series and the interactions between Dragos and the Queen are really good stuff.
Finally, the action adventure plot surprises with its tension and drama. While I knew that everything would resolve itself in the end, I had to restrain myself from reading ahead to assure myself of it — the story was tense and people are in real danger. The introduction of new characters also hints at future storylines.
This novella has a lot of stuff for fans to dig into for the future.
WORTH MENTIONING: Stinkpot.
CONNECTED BOOKS: PIA DOES HOLLYWOOD is book 8.6 in the Elder Races series. It is also the second book in the novella trilogy that began with DRAGOS GOES TO WASHINGTON. This novella can be read as a standalone. I do recommend, however, that readers first DRAGON BOUND and LORD’S FALL which are both about Dragos and Pia. While PIA DOES HOLLLYWOOD can be read apart from DRAGOS GOES TO WASHINGTON, this novella continues the overarching story begun in that novella.
STAR RATING: I give this novella 5 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
Down the Rabbit Hole (In Death, #41.5) by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, R.C. Ryan Weird and Fun Collection of Five Novellas
This collection is of five novellas that have as a starting point Alice in Wonderland. The stories are not retellings of Alice in Wonderland but rather have some thematic connection to that novel.
WONDERMENT IN DEATH by J.D. Robb — In number 41.5 in the In Death series, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is investigating a murder suicide. She takes the case because the victims are close to her friends Dr. Louise and Charles. Once Eve begins to investigate things become strange. Although the case should easily be explained away, something bothers Eve. Her investigation leads her to the Mad Hatter and a man who believes death is his domain. I didn’t think this novellas was as strong as other novellas in the series. The mystery is given away from the beginning and there is little intriguing interaction with Eve’s supporting cast to sustain the story. I prefer stories focusing on Eve and Rourke, but this one is mostly case investigation. Rating: 4 stars.
ALICE AND THE EARL IN WONDERLAND by Mary Blayney — This is a companion novella about time travel. This is the story of the Earl Weston and his love Alice Kemp who are transported from the 1800s to present day. Alice has refused to marry Weston because her parents are divorced and thus she will causes scandal. Weston is determined to take this opportunity to convince Alice to marry him. This story wan’t that interesting to me. The whole story is about the two finding out that in modern times things are different about women’s roles and divorce. I didn’t feel any connection between the characters and found the whole story pretty dull. Rating: 1.5 stars.
ILOVE by Elaine Fox — Jeremy Abott and Mary Serafini breakup because Mary thinks Jeremy pays more attention to his cellphone than her. Jeremy gets sucked into an alternate world where he is trapped within the Wonderland of his cellphone. He needs to have a true relationship in order to escape. Can he convince Mary to give him another chance? This is a strange little story. It has in interesting premise but it reads more like a complaint about cellphone addiction than a romance. Rating: 2 stars.
A TRUE HEART by Mary Kay McComas — Elisa is a woman who is guarding herself from fears of being hurt and disappointed. She has just broken up with Max who she liked but was unwilling to risk herself. When she steps into a costume shop, she falls into a world where with the help of a costume guide she uncovers what is actually in her heart. I really liked this story. Really a story of self-discovery, with a touch of a Christmas Carol, this novella tells the story of a romance from a different perspective. Rating: 4 stars.
FALLEN by R.C. Ryan — Beth Campbell, a lawyer, is sent by her aunt’s firm to negotiate the sale of a piece of ancestral property from Colin Gordon in Scotland. On the way there, Beth hits her head and falls into a whole and awakens in the past amongst the Highland clans. In a magical world where people transform and dangerous plots emerge, Beth learns about what is important to her heart. This was my favorite of the anthology. It is romantic and clever with a lot of story and romantic connection in the short novella. The story ultimately resolved differently than I expected and I like when a story can surprise me. The story has a dreamy fairy tale quality to it. It also manages to be sad and then resolve so perfectly that I walked away from the story with a smile. Rating: 4.25