Alissa Johnson’s Destined to Last was just what I needed this week amidst my finals and papers: A solid historical romance with interesting characters and a well-developed relationship. Lady Kate Cole isn’t known for her grace; She has a tendency to knock things over and trip, but it’s not because she’s clumsy. She’s actually a…
The popularity of the historical novel has waxed and waned since Sir Walter Scott invented it when he published Waverly. In 1922, Rafael Sabatini published Captain Blood, the tale of a physician sold into slavery who becomes a pirate. The book was so popular, it spawned several sequels and cemented Sabatini’s reputation as a master…
A Not-So-Perfect Past is the sequel to Beth Andrews’ first book, Not Without Her Family. I read that one when it came out and was impressed with it, and this book proves that Beth Andrews is no one hit wonder. This is the kind of series romance I like. Dillon Ward is an ex-con. He’s…
When my kids were younger, I’d take them to the bookstore and tell them they could get a book – as long as it wasn’t a “gimmick book.” That meant anything that came with stickers, light-up buttons, figurines, cars, etc. You know, the ones they want because they want the toy, not the book. Some…
Play Dirty isn’t really a romance novel – I’d call it a suspense novel with romantic elements. The suspense plot is very exciting and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster as the book progressed. However, the romantic element of the story definitely takes second place and at the end of the book…
I love discovering an author. It gives me something to look forward to. You see, the more fantastic authors I have on my list, the less the wait between good books. Ms. Webb has been added to that exclusive list, and I will anxiously await her next book. Traceless opens after Clint Austin is released…
I generally find myself rolling my eyes when I read a girl-in-pants historical novel. They seem to be packed with clichés and full of overdrawn characters. So when I flipped through Wild Sweet Love and noticed how often the heroine gallivanted about in a pair of leather pants, I worried. My fears were unfounded, as…
In the romance-novel industry, the word “sweet” signifies that a book has no sex scenes. In that sense, the word does not apply to Cabin Fever by Marilyn Pappano, as the characters do make love. But in every other sense of the word, this is an extremely sweet book. A sheltered Arkansas woman named Nolie…
Many romance readers have never even heard of Lisa G. Brown, whose books are sometimes hard to find. But take it from me, they more than re-pay the effort of tracking them down. Billy Bob Walker Got Married is my favorite by her, but is followed very closely by Crazy For Lovin’ You. Brown also…
The bad boy is a staple of the romance novel. We readers love a black leather clad, motorcycle riding, dangerous, handsome-as-sin, swaggering bad boy – especially when he is paired with a sweet, quiet, shy, good girl. Yes, we’ve met both these characters many times before, but in The Return of Luke McGuire, Justine Davis…