Originally published in 1990, Mrs McVinnie’s London Season tells the story of a young, Scottish war widow who, rather like a Regency Mary Poppins, joins the household of a troubled family and, with her very individual blend of kindness, practicality and backbone, improves the lot of each of its members. Widowed little more than a…
You know what I like about Carla Kelly’s books? They have real people. I don’t just mean that she doesn’t pull out the marquesses and dukes, although she has eschewed the nobility in the last decade. I mean her characters act and speak like actual complex human beings. They don’t just shriek and sigh and…
The Rebel Pirate is old school. Not in the flowery bodice-ripper sense, but in the lush, dramatic, action adventure sense. It’s full of twists and turns, and there is always – always – something going on. Though it isn’t a perfect read, I really enjoyed it. Sarah Ward is the daughter of a famous pirate…
Have I mentioned how happy I am for indie presses, self-publishing, and the internet lately? I am. I really am. Normally, in the old days, I’d have to scour the internet for those old Carla Kelly Signet Regencies, and save up for outrageous amounts. But reprints are fantastic (especially once you’ve regained your author rights,…
Every so often I have a hankering for a good sea romance. No hint of the ton. No bloody muslin. Just crusty sea air, crusty sailors, crusty-feeling hair – okay, maybe not that, but at least it feels real, and Darlene Marshall has been a true find in this regard. Elizabeth Essex’s previous books didn’t…
Carla Kelly has long been a favorite among AAR staffers and readers, but a relatively hard to find one if you do your primary reading out of libraries and used book stores, as I do. I did manage to get my hands on the much acclaimed Beau Crusoe, which I enjoyed but which was a…
What is special about historical romance is that in the hands of the right author it can transport you to love in another time, another place. Carla Kelly is exactly that type of writer, able to bring the Regency Era to life and people it with honorable, amazing characters that make you fall in love…
I just love it when I find a new author to glom, and that’s exactly what’s happened with Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft.Peter Kenyon has been promoted to the rank of captain, but his ship awaits him in Bermuda, so he must take a temporary position as a lieutenant on The Nimrod, which is sailing…
This is a very lucky year for Carla Kelly fans: two new books to enjoy, after years of more occasional publishing. If you’ve read Kelly before, you know her books stand out. In a veritable sea of Duke This and Earl That, she writes about ordinary people who fall in love. Her language is never…
I thought it might be a mistake reading False Colors right after Transgressions, but despite similarities, they were quite different. While both are M/M romances with the same publisher and a strong sense of history, False Colors tells the story of both men equally, even when they are apart – sometimes separated by an ocean….