As I read Ms. Essex’s new historical romance, A Sense of Sin, I thought of words by Angel (he of the iconic show Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as he contemplates his intricate feelings for Buffy. He muses, “Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping…waiting…and though unwanted…unbidden…it will stir…open its jaws and howl. It speaks…
An Unlikely Countess marvelously illustrates life in aristocratic Georgian England. The book tells the story of the relationship between titled Catesby Burgoyne and bourgeois Prudence Youlgrave. The novel teems with examples of how stratified life was in England at the time. The novel does not, however, teem with a great love story. While reading it,…
Elizabeth Hoyt is a master — her writing is almost unrivaled, and she’s one of my personal favorites. I was delighted when I got the opportunity to review Notorious Pleasures, the second installment in her Maiden Lane series. Not surprisingly, it was good– very, very good. But unfortunately, it just wasn’t great. Lady Hero Batten,…
Truth be told, I mostly got my copy of Songs of Love and Death because it features a story by Linnea Sinclair, an auto-buy author for me. There are stories by a lot of other authors in it that I admire or have heard good things about, so that was an added inducement. All in…
Wicked Intentions is the first book in Hoyt’s new Maiden Lane series. Despite the author’s success, this is only the second book of hers I’ve read. And, while it will probably make me unpopular, I have to say that I wasn’t overly impressed with this one. It was good – certainly above average – but…
I don’t think it’s too much to state that Anne Stuart’s House of Rohan trilogy comes with high, high hopes. This author has given readers some of the darkest, cruellest, and most successfully redeemed heroes ever, and her historical novels seem to have an especially devoted following, possibly because they are now rarer than not….
There are too many “ifs” attached to The Secret Duke. If Jo Beverley was a consistent read for me. If I’d read the first two books in the trilogy, not to mention the entire Malloren backlist. If I gave a flying fox about the central couple. But the answer to all of the above is…
Have you ever wondered how the Indiana Jones movies would translate into book form? Me either – until recently. Siren’s Secret had me thinking about it. “And then, this really scary and accomplished swordsman appeared and started brandishing his sword at Indy. He totally looked like a threat, but Indy just pulled out his gun…
Man, I loved this book. Ms. James’s writing has gotten better and better, and this time she’s created a wistfully romantic story between an estranged married couple who overcome huge misunderstandings to find that they truly love each other after all. Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont, has been separated from her husband for nine years….
I don’t know why I don’t read Jo Beverley’s books more often; I always like them. After reading The Secret Wedding, I am determined to read fewer lame Harlequin Presents books this year, and more Jo Beverley. This particular book is a real mixture of plot elements. Part Big Secret, part Road Romance, part Misunderstanding….