Narrated by David Collins Although Georgette Heyer is principally known for writing a large number of sparkling Regency Romances and Comedies of Manners, she also wrote a number of mysteries and several books of historical fiction based on real events. One of the best known of these is An Infamous Army which is said to…
I haven’t (yet) got around to reading Alyssa Alexander’s début novel, The Smuggler Wore Silk, but having heard good things about it from friends whose opinions I trust, I was keen to read her latest book, In Bed With a Spy. I was very impressed with the author’s ability to create a fast-paced story and…
What could be better than a historical romance with a good dose of spying thrown in? If the book in question is written by Joanna Bourne, the answer is a resounding “nothing at all”! I’ve fallen in love with many of Bourne’s characters, and was beyond pleased to see that this fifth installment of the…
When a book has a shirtless guy with flowing hair on the cover, I know it’s a romance, but I also can’t quite help the urge to pass it by. The modern, giant-chested heroes who apparently hate shirts just don’t do much for me. And yet it would be a real shame to miss What…
Some authors just receive a lot of hype. Such is the case with Laura Kinsale. Often, I ignore the constant buzz, preferring to read lesser known works. However, as a lover of historical romance, I thought it long past time that I experienced Ms. Kinsale’s writing for myself. Sadly, Lessons in French did not give…
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…
This is the final book in Ms Burrowes’ Captive Hearts trilogy, which has focused on three men who were profoundly affected by their experiences during the Napoleonic Wars. In the previous book, The Traitor, we learned that Michael Brodie, half-Scot, half-Irish, had been sent to protect Sebastian St. Clair – or Robert Girard as he…
Grace Burrowes sat just under my nose for a while before I finally discovered how great an author she was. She’s only been around for a few years, and yet she already has an impressive backlist, full of delicious reads. It comes as no surprise, then, that The Traitor should be as well-written as the…
Certain authors have a confidence of voice that comes out in their writing, and I count Kate Noble among that number. In The Game and the Governess, she takes on what could have been an overly contrived setup, delivering both a comedy of manners and a touching love story. Readers meet Phoebe Baker, the heroine,…
In All About Romance’s review of The Black Hawk in November 2011, Jean Wan wrote, “Once in a while, during every reader’s literary life, you encounter a book that reminds you why you are a reader. It renews your faith, if faith was lost; it rekindles your interest, if interest waned; and every word, every page,…