Review of Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight

LADY LOUISA'S CHRISTMAS KNIGHT may be purchase here.

LADY LOUISA'S CHRISTMAS KNIGHT

Grace Burrowes

Lady Louisa Windham is tired of the seemingly never-ending hunt for a husband, and hopes that maybe this year she can step aside and let her sisters take center stage.  It is during a fox hunt, that  Louisa saves Sir Joseph Carrington from being ambushed by several marriage minded females.  While Joseph has come to the festivities, because he is in need of a wife, he is, nevertheless, happy to be saved from these particular females.  Later, Sir Joseph steps in, when Louisa is in danger of being ruined.  

LADY LOUISA'S CHRISTMAS KNIGHT is a very enjoyable regency romance with complex characters and an enchanting love story.  Let me state upfront, that I love Sir Joseph.  Who wouldn't love someone, who confides and reads poetry to his pet pig, Lady Ophelia?  Added to this is the fact, that he is a loving father, who allows his children to climb all over him.  Sir Joseph is plain-spoken, honorable, and doesn't really stand out among the ton.  Lady Louisa Windham is an unusual heroine, in that she is brilliant, probably a genius, but, also, socially awkward, at times.  Louisa doesn't seek to marry, because of a secret from her past, but she can't deny her attraction to Sir Joseph.  Sticklers for historical accuracy might be a little put out on a couple of occasions, as an example, pajamas are mentioned.  However, this doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the book, and I only found a couple of inaccuracies.  

It was great watching these two introverts fall for each other, and I can't wait for the next book in the series, because I have grown to love the Windham family.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.  

Winner Of Spooktacular Giveaways

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! The winner of my Spooktacular event is Sandra- who has been contacted and accepted the gift card. Thanks to everyone, who stopped by.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Halloween is my favorite holiday, so let's celebrate!
I'm giving away a $10 amazon e-giftcard to a lucky follower. Just leave a comment with how you follow and any info, that I need to check it. Please leave an e-mail at which you can be reached. US only.

Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and TheDiaryofaBookworm for hosting the hop. Below are the links to the others in the hop, so hop away. Hop starts Oct. 24th and ends Nov. 1st. at midnight cst. I'm posting this early, but please don't enter until the 24th. Hopefully, I will pick and contact the winner within 48 hrs. The winner will have 48 hrs. in which to get back with me. Thanks for participating!

Review of SAVAGE HUNGER

SAVAGE HUNGER may be purchased here.

SAVAGE HUNGER
Terry Spear

Kathleen McKnight is working undercover with her army unit, when she is captured by a vicious drug lord.   Luckily, Connor Anderson, a jaguar shifter, hears her and comes to her rescue, saving her life.  Connor disappears, when more army personnel arrive, and Kathleen is left to wonder what happened to him.  After a year, Kathleen goes back to the jungle, where she was held captive, only to have Connor and his sister, Mia, save her.

SAVAGE HUNGER is an enjoyable shifter romance with great characters and an exciting storyline.  Kathleen has been through a great trauma and is struggling to come to terms with her fears.  I liked the fact that Kathleen is strong and intelligent and able to take care of herself in most situations.  Connor and Mia are the only jaguar shifters, that they know of.  Because of this fact, Connor and Maya only have each other and are lonely and craving mates.  Connor doesn't wish to turn a human and sentence her to a lonely existence of hiding their true nature.  Connor is everything, that is expected in a hero, and is willing to sacrifice for those he loves.  Luckily, Maya is very impulsive and takes the decision out of his hands.  While Maya's  intentions are good, her actions could have been very detrimental for Kathleen.  The only minor quibble, that I have with this book, is the lack of consequences Kathleen faces as a result of her actions.

All in all, SAVAGE HUNGER is a good read, and I look forward to reading Maya's book.

NOTE:  I received this book in exchange for an impartial review.

Barbara's Beat: Win a $25 Amazon gift card; SPOOKtacular Giveaway Hop with 53 blogs, all prizes are $25 and up, with a $100 grand prize 10/15

Barbara's Beat: Win a $25 Amazon gift card; SPOOKtacular Giveaway Hop with 53 blogs, all prizes are $25 and up, with a $100 grand prize 10/15

Review of A LADY AND HER MAGIC

A LADY AND HER MAGIC may be purchased here.

A LADY AND HER MAGIC
Tammy Falkner

Ashley Trimble, the Duke of Robinsworth, is almost a pariah in society.  It is rumored that Ashley murdered his wife, after she died under suspicious circumstances, leaving their daughter motherless. 
Sophia Thorne has been sent by the Fae to help Ashley's daughter,Anne, but she hopes to help Ashley, too.

It is seldom, that this reader comes across a book, which puts a smile on my face in just a few paragraphs, but A LADY AND HER MAGIC is such a book.  It is an even rarer occurrence, when the smile lasts the entire book, but this book provided me with this lucky happenstance.  Part regency romance and part paranormal, my two favorite genres, A LADY AND HER MAGIC is filled with humorous scenes and quirky characters.  Ashley blames himself for his wife's death and has become something of a recluse, there is a real sadness about him.  Anne has learned to act out and has become a terror, who goes through governesses almost  weekly.  Sophia, who is lovely and vibrant, soon has Anne and Ashley charmed.  The secondary characters make a great addition to the story and add to the amusement in the book.  Even though, there are plenty of humorous scenes, there are, also some serious and emotional scenes. 

A LADY AND HER MAGIC is a charming romance, which just hits the spot for this reader.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of WHERE THERE'S A WILL

WHERE THERE'S A WILL may be purchased here.

WHERE THERE'S A WILL

Karen Kelley

 

Haley Tillman is tired of being stood up and dateless, and she prays for a miracle.  Ryder, a nephilim, arrives in answer to her prayers.  Unfortunately, Ryder can't stay long, but he hopes to make Haley realize, that she is a beautiful, desirable woman.

 

At first, it seems that WHERE THERE'S A WILL is just going to be one sizzling sex scene after another, but later, there is more interaction between the main characters and others, which gives an interesting perspective into Haley and Ryder's psyche.  At times, I wanted to shake Haley, because she is so down on herself.  Although I can understand Haley's low self-esteem, because of the way her family and friends unknowingly, hurtfully treats her, it seems to take a really long time for her to realize her self-worth.  However, when Haley finally turns over a new leaf, she really does shine.  Ryder sees that Haley is a beautiful woman, inside and out, and feels he must help her see this.  Unfortunately, before long, Ryder is in over his head, and it is forbidden for a nephilim and human to be together.  The ending of WHERE THERE'S A WILL is a little unexpected, and there are several humorous scenes. 

 

WHERE THERE'S A WILL is an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

 

NOTE:  I was given this book in return for an impartial review.

 



The Crazy Dream Blog: September Madness Giveaway! (INT)

The Crazy Dream Blog: September Madness Giveaway! (INT): Yay! It's September, the beginning of Autumn, my favorite season of the year. But poor Autumn. It doesn't get too much attention, does it...

Review of Kiss of Steel

KISS OF STEEL may be purchased here.

KISS OF STEEL
Bec McMaster

Honoria Todd has escaped the clutches of the Duke of Vickers by hiding out in Whitechapel.  Whitechapel is almost autonomous from the rest of London, which is ruled by the Echelon, aristocrats infected with a virus, that makes them hunger for human blood.  Unfortunately for Honoria the rookeries are ruled with a iron fist by Blade, who is, also, infected by the craving.  Then Honoria is summoned by Blade, has she gone from the frying pan into the fire?

KISS OF STEEL is an enjoyable steam punk romance with wonderful characters and an intriguing plot.  Although KISS OF STEEL flowed a little slowly in the beginning, once I grasped the world, I was hooked and grew to care for the characters.  Blade is a yummy hero, who has a bad reputation, but the heart of a true hero.  Blade has created his own family and is fiercely protective and loving of them, but he is, also, haunted by his sister's death and seeks revenge on Vickers for his part in her death.  This quest for revenge leads him to Honoria, but he soon falls for her and wants to keep her safe.  Honoria is a great heroine, who sacrifices for her family and is struggling to stay a few steps ahead of Vickers.  Ms. McMaster's world is grim and violent, but there is hope for the characters, and this reader couldn't help but be pulled into the characters' struggle.

NOTE:  I was given this book in return for an unbiased review.

Review of UNTIL THERE WAS YOU

UNTIL THERE WAS YOU may be purchased here.

UNTIL THERE WAS YOU
Jessica Scott

Captain Evan Loeher, company commander, and Captain Clair Montoya meet and butt heads for the first time in 2005.  Evan is a follow-the-rules kind of officer, whereas, Clair is willing to fudge on the rules, if she thinks it will help her unit.  These two remain at odds for awhile, until they are sent to Colorado for a training mission and the sparks fly.

UNTIL THERE WAS YOU is an intense military romance, which delves into some weighty issues, such as alcoholism.  Evan is a great hero, who Clair calls "Captain America".  Evan has issues, which stem from the death of his sister in a car accident in which he was driving.  The guilt from that moment has made him seek control in all situations and to follow the rules almost excessively.  Clair on the other hand, has demons of her own.  Raised by an alcoholic father and, then, shuffled into the foster care system, it is easy to see why Clair has trust issues.  It is enjoyable watching these two work through their problems, in order to find their own happily-ever-after.

NOTE:  I was given this book in return for an unbiased review.

Review of A LITTLE MISCHIEF

A LITTLE MISCHIEF may be purchased here.

A LITTLE MISCHIEF
Amelia Grey

Daniel Fletcher Colebrooke, the Seventh Earl of Colebrooke, has inherited his title after the unexpected death of his brother.  Unused to his duties as the head of the family, Daniel goes to London to search for a bride.  When Daniel learns that his sister, Gretchen, has been attending a reading group called the Wallflower Society by the ton, he decides to put a stop to her association with the group.  Miss Isabella Winslowe has started her reading group in an attempt to get the shyer misses of the ton to come out of their shell.  Since Isabella fought shyness her first season, she hopes to help others overcome this disability.  When Gretchen is found by Isabella standing over the body of a notorious gamester, and then, the body disappears Daniel and Isabella must work together to save Gretchen's reputation and solve the mystery.

A LITTLE MISCHIEF is an entertaining regency romance with great characters and an intriguing plot.  However, if you are a real stickler for historical accuracy, this may not be the book for you.  There were a few inaccuracies as far as titles are concerned.  Luckily, this didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the book.  Daniel is a great hero, who thinks that he wants a biddable bride, but soon comes to reevaluate his criteria, after meeting Isabella.  Isabella makes a great heroine, who thinks she wants to remain an independent spinster but can't seem to fight the overwhelming attraction to Daniel.  It is hilarious how Daniel tries to keep Isabella out of the investigation, but she winds up in the middle of things.  These two make a great couple, and the mystery ends unexpectedly.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of HOT COCO

HOT COCO may be purchased here.

HOT COCO
Cindy McDonald

Coco Bearmore, a Barbie-like heiress, is having trouble with her horse trainer and her five thoroughbred horses, who get into lots of mischief.  When Coco tearfully asks Mike West for his help, he agrees to take on the training of her horses, and drama ensues, especially because Coco is very clumsy and her horses have very bad habits.

HOT COCO has romance, intrigue, and great characters, but it isn't like most mainstream romances.  HOT COCO tells the story of the West family and some of the people associated with them.  Mike West is the oldest son of Eric West, and he helps run the family stables.  Mike is attracted to Coco's outward appearance, but because of her clumsiness, has trouble getting close to her.  At first, I didn't like Mike much, because he seemed to be all about outward appearances, but as the book progressed, he seemed to realize that there is more to a person than their looks.  Coco has a good heart but is terribly clumsy and always getting into situations.  Toward the end of the book, Coco becomes more self-sufficient. 

All in all,  I enjoyed HOT COCO and became involved in the lives of the characters.  It was nice to see how they grew, and I look forward to reading more about this family.

NOTE:  I was given this book in return for an impartial review.  



 

Review of PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS

PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS may be purchased here.

PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS
Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb

Mr. Darcy's younger cousin, Edward Fitzwilliam, is obsessed with Egypt and finding treasure.  Edward's enthusiasm infects the Darcy family, and they decide to journey with him to Egypt and take part in a dig.  Along the way, they have adventures and, of course, there is a curse attached to the tomb that they are seeking. 

PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS is a delightful sequel to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, which has a slight paranormal aspect, as well as the historical.  PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is my favorite book, and I've always been fascinated with Egypt, so I read this book with great anticipation.  Luckily, PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS doesn't disappoint, although I wondered at Darcy taking such small children on such a dangerous journey-- this seemed a little out of character for him.  However, this is a minor quibble and doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the book, and the Darcy children add greatly to the enjoyment of the book.  While some may be turned off by the paranormal aspects in this book, I enjoyed them and felt, that they added flare to the story.  Additionally, it is great to see how the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy has grown and matured.

All in all, PRIDE AND PYRAMIDS is an enjoyable sequel to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, which I recommend.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

 

    

Winner of my Blogoversary

The winner of my blogoversary is


A nash

She has been notified and received the prize.  Thanks to everyone, who participated in my blogoversary!

Celebration Time!! Late Blogoversary!

It is, finally, time to celebrate my 2 year blogoversary!  I had to put the celebration off for a few months, because of my shoulder surgery.  Happily, I'm able to mostly use both arms, which is a big relief.  Anyway, I'm giving away $20 amazon gift card or up to $20 ordered from the Book Depository, so that international folowers won't be left out.  

GIVEAWAY RULES:
1.  Be a follower.  GFC, google+, or network
2. +1 entry for twitter follower
3.  You must be 18 or older and leave a comment telling me how you follow with the number of entries and an e-mail address.  Make sure to leave all pertinent info, so that I can validate following.
4.     Giveaway starts 6/13/12 and ends 6/30/12 at midnight.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Review of UNTOUCHED

UNTOUCHED may be purchased here.

UNTOUCHED
Sara Humphreys

Kerry Smithson is a model, who stears clear of touching anyone, because she has psychic visions which cause her intense pain.  Little does Kerry know, that she is part Amoveo, a race of shapeshifters with special powers.  Dante is a member of the Amoveo race and knows, instinctively, that Kerry is his mate.  Unfortunately, Kerry has a stalker, who wants a pure Amoveo world, and Kerry knows nothing of her heritage.

UNTOUCHED is an enjoyable paranormal romance with great characters and an interesting premise.  Dante is a great hero with protective instincts, however, I wish that he had explained the entire situation to Kerry sooner.  It is, also, great that Dante has red hair.  I love red haired heroes.  Kerry has had a difficult time, thinking herself flawed, because of her inability to touch people.  Because of this Kerry is strong,but lonely, and it is a relief and upsetting to feel a connection to Dante.  There is a great build up of action and the ending is satisfying.  The secondary characters are intriguing, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

UNTOUCHED
Sara Humphreys

Review of ENRAPTURED

ENRAPTURED may be purchased here,

ENRAPTURED
Elisabeth Naughton

Orpheus, who is part Daemon and an unwilling member of the Guardians, is determined to rescue his brother, Gryphon, from the Underworld.  In order to do this, he must find the Orb of Kronos, a powerful artifact which the gods want too.  Meanwhile, Skyla, a siren who is an assassin for Zeus, is sent to retrieve the orb from Orpheus and kill him.  Unfortunately, the gods can be deceptive and Skyla may be biting off more than she can chew.

At first, I had trouble getting into ENRAPTURED, but once I did, I became "enraptured".  Perhaps the fact, that I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, accounts for my lack of affinity for the beginning of the book.  However, once I got into the book, I couldn't wait to turn the next page and find out what happened next.  The characters are memorable and the plot exciting.  I have always enjoyed Greek mythology, and Ms. Naughton has an intriguing take on this mythology.   Orpheus, who doesn't think himself worthy and has to fight his dark side, is a true hero.  Sklya, who is torn between her duty and her feelings for Orpheus, must follow her heart to find happiness.  The secondary characters are great especially, Gryphon, who makes my heart ache, because he is in such pain.  Because of this, I can't wait for the next book in this series.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

MIA and Blogiversary

Hi everyone,
I'm sorry that I've been MIA so much lately.  The shoulder surgery and recovery really threw me for a loop.  I'm slowly recovering, but I'm still able to mostly use only one arm.  Anyway, I missed my blogiversary celebration, so I've decided to have a late one and combine it with finally being able to use my left arm celebration.  So be on the look out for a giveaway, probably in June or first part of July.  Thanks for being patient with me.

Review of Believe It or Not

BELIEVE IT OR NOT may be purchased here.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT
Tawna Fenske

Violet McGinn has moved away to the other side of the country and become an accountant, to be far away from what her psychic mother is.  Unfortunately, when her mother falls and has to have surgery, Violet must take over her business.   Drew Watson, the owner of the bar, which is a neighbor to Violet's mother's shop, makes his scepticism of psychics known.  These two are attracted to each other, but fight it. 

Humor is an individual taste, and while BELIEVE IT OR NOT has some amusing moments many scenes fell short of the intended humor for me.  With that said, I enjoyed the love story between Drew and Violet.  Drew is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor, who is handy with a tool belt and comfortable with his masculinity.  Violet is described as a high-strung, type a personality, but she seems a little ditsy at times.  My favorite character is Violet's mother, who appears flighty, but manages to get what she wants.

 NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of TRUE HIGHLAND SPIRIT

TRUE HIGHLAND SPIRIT may be purchased here.


TRUE HIGHLAND SPIRIT
Amanda Forester

Morrigan McNabb isn't the usual Scots lass, because she dresses like a man and fights alongside her brothers for her clan.  Morrigan's clan is very poor and in danger of starving and to make matters worse Scotland is at war with England.  Sir Jaques Dragonet is one of the French knights, who arrived with the Duke of Argitaine to aid some Scottish in attacking the English.  Because the Duke paid for their help, Morrigan's clan is among the other Scots clans.  Morrigan, who knew Jaques as a minstrel, previously, is very attracted to him, and the feeling is mutual.  Unfortunately, Jaques has secrets, that will get in the way to their path to true love.

Ms. Forester has become a must buy author for me and her books are on my keeper shelf.  Ms. Forester seamlessly weaves historical events into a great love story filled with multi-faceted characters, action and adventure.  Jaques is a great hero, who is honorable and fervently religious.  It is great seeing him fall for the irreverent, head-strong, Morrigan.  Morrigan is one of my favorite heroine's of all time.  Any heroine, who at twelve, has the gumption to run the fat, elderly man, she is betrothed to, off at sword point, has my vote. 

All in all, TRUE HIGHLAND SPIRIT is a wonderful read, which I highly recommend.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.