Lawless

Title: Lawless

Author: Nora Roberts

Genre: Historical (Western) Romance

Description:

Half-Apache and all man, Jake Redman was more than a match for the wild Arizona Territory. Sarah Conway, on the other hand, was an Eastern lady who belonged anywhere else but on the rugged land Jake loved. Still, the stubborn beauty was determined to make Lone Bluff her home . . .
Though Jake was annoyed to find himself playing guardian angel to this tantalizing innocent, he was even more disgusted to find he liked it. Because beneath Sarah's ladylike demeanor beat the heart of a true pioneer, a women he yearned to make his own.

Nora Roberts wrote Western historicals? Really? Who knew? Not me, certainly. In my first "last visit" to my closing used book store I picked up such an oddity. Lawless is set in the Arizona Territory in 1875. The land and it’s people are still rough and unruly. Gold prospecting is the passion of both the law abiding and the lawless. Into this rough and tumble world walks Sarah Conway, the daughter of a local gold prospector. Left back East to be raised and educated as a lady, Sarah has decided that it is high time to join her father out west in the beautiful home he has created for them to share. Little did she realize, as she set out across the country, that her father had spun her letters full of hopes and dreams, based little in reality. It is only after narrowly escaping capture by a band of Apache that Sarah discovers the truth about her father’s home. Saddened and determined by his very recent death, Sarah vows to stay in Lone Bluff to create a life for herself where her father once lived.

Jake Redman is tough and aloof. A loner who lives by his wits and his guns. As he is returning to the town he most recently called home, he intercepts a traveling coach being set upon by a band of Indians. After delivering the passengers to safety, he feels compelled to ensure Sarah’s well being. After attempts to convince her to turn around and head back East have failed, he finds himself lingering in her vicinity (against his better judgement.) He is (of course) drawn to her.

At first I worried that Sarah was TSTL (too stupid to live.) She just kept doing the dumbest things. Then again, she is 17 years old and has lived a sheltered life. It was a relief to see the growth the character shows through the book. The clueless child at the beginning turns into a stubborn, determined woman. She makes sure to learn how to properly shoot a rifle... and actually practices. She hires on a local to help out and asks him to teach her how to do things for herself. She finds a viable way to support herself financially (although, it is a bit hard to believe she can sew quite that well.) By the end I really liked her. When she storms into the local brothel and confronts the madam.... woo hoo!

Jake is... a classic Nora Roberts hero. Deep, stoic, reluctant to love. He wants to be with the heroine, yet he wants to protect her from the life he leads. Jake would rather walk away, sacrificing his own wants and desires, than stay and see Sarah get hurt. Of course, she is having none of that self-sacrificing bulls**t. Doesn’t matter that she is only 17 years old (a child really). She knows what she wants.

When I started the book her age was an issue for me. Yup, I’m getting old. Historicals are becoming a problem for me. My heroines need at be at least 25 years old. I know what I was like prior to that. Thought I knew everything I wanted. Thought I was all grown up. Yeah. Not so much. (I know I am generalizing here by saying anyone under 25 does not have life figured out. This is my issue as a person and a reader. I know that.) Here’s the thing, the more I read the book the less I thought about her age. Eventually I forgot. Ms. Roberts is that good. Now, I won’t say that this is one of her best books, but as a friend of mine pointed out today, even her worst books are still good by comparison to other authors. You could tell this was an earlier work (1989), but it still contained all the hallmarks of a NR story: strong hero, heroine who takes no guff from him, mortal danger hovering over them both, and relationships (romantic, family, friends.)

If you are looking for a "classic", yet less popular Nora Roberts experience, this is the book to pick up. It is an interesting look at her early style, to see how she has grown and what she has retained.

Grade: B

All Through the Night

My friends, I have been reading. Oh yes I have. I am just going to give you a snapshot review of one of the most recent books I have read. This is the most recent installment in the Troubelshooters series. I just had to read it this month. How prefect is that?

Title: All Through the Night

Author: Suzanne Brockmann

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Back Cover:

It’s Christmastime in Boston, and this year the silver bells will be wedding bells as FBI agent Jules Cassidy ties the knot with the man of his dreams, Hollywood heartthrob Robin Chadwick. The pair plan a quiet, intimate ceremony, to be witnessed by family and close friends from the FBI, SEAL Team Sixteen, and Troubleshooters, Incorporated, including Sam Starrett and Alyssa Locke. But the holiday season brings more to the happy couple than they expect. A waterfall coming through their kitchen ceiling, a bat colony in the attic, old family tensions…even an international incident can’t dampen their spirits. But add to that a parade of unexpected guests, including a reporter looking for a scoop, an ex-lover hell-bent on causing trouble, and a dangerous stalker, and suddenly the wedding is poised to unravel in chaos. But nothing will stop Jules and Robin from getting their happy ending, because along with a guest list featuring the most elite counterterrorism force in the world, they have their own secret weapon - true love.

Jules and Robin finally get a book that is nearly all their own. Ok, they have to share it with Dolphina, but that is just a little (not quite fleshed outed enough) side story. This book is not like any of the previous Troubleshooters books. For one, the whole plot revolves around a wedding. Not just any wedding, but a gay wedding. I love it. The whole point is not OMG THESE GUYS ARE GAY! Not at all. The whole story is about the fact that these two individuals are so incredibly in love that they want to pledge their lives to one another. The scenes between Jules and Robin are realistic. The road to happily ever after is not smooth sailing. Hell, it's quite bumpy, starting with the fact that Jules gets food poisoning on the night he plans to propose! Through it all the couple os dealing with new house woes, Jules' jealousy issues, Robin's alcoholism recovery, and the fact that the President has decided to attend the nuptials. There are numerous cameos by previous Brockmann heroes, which tends to make sense since they all have worked with, and become friends with, Jules. It was great to see the friendship between Jules and Sam that has developed over the course of the past 11 books.

All that being said, I felt that the scenario with Adam and the stalker was completely unnecessary. Seriously, why even add that in? It felt tacked on. The love story between Dolph and the reporter was also a distraction from the Jules/Robin lovefest. Yes, I liked his involvement in the situation when Jules was in Afghanistan, but I just did not buy the chemistry and love. This is a novella, so maybe if they had been given a full novel I would have like them more. I kind of feel like Dolph got cheated out of a full length HEA.

Jules/Robin= lovelovelove

Everything else= Go away! I want more Jules/Robin!!!!

Grade: B

My local grocery store was a bit premature and put out The Lost Duke of Wyndham on Friday. AND I GOT A COPY! I finished it last night. I was going to give you all a 2-fer review here, but I think Ms. Quinn's book deserves it's own post. Keep your eyes peeled. It is coming soon!

A 2fer review

I have been reading quite a bit lately. I seem to arrive home and immediately stick my nose in a book. Hey! Work is not a fun place to be lately. I need some escapism. Oh wait, I don't have to justify my reading habits to this group. You guys get it. :) So here are two books that I read this week. I'm not going to go into much detail with my reviews today. Just a quick drive-by opinion.

Title: Nobody's Baby But Mine

Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Genre: Contemporary romance

From Ms. Phillips website:

The Plan: Genius physics professor Dr, Jane Darlington desperately wants a baby.
The Target: Cal Bonner, the Chicago Stars' legendary quarterback, seems like the perfect choice. But his champion good looks and down-home ways are deceiving.
The Explosion: A brilliant, lonely woman who dreams only of motherhood . . . A take no-prisoners tough guy who'll settle for nothing less than surrender . . . Can passion and physical attraction propel two strong-willed yet vulnerable people to a totally unexpected love?

I wrote a bit about this book a few days ago. NBBM is my second Susan Elizabeth Phillips book. I first read Match Me If You Can. I thought it was cute and fun, with a great setting. (Yay! Chicago!) I had high hopes going into this book.

I still can't decide if I liked it. For much of the book I found the two main characters, Jane and Cal, to be very frustrating. Jane set out to get pregnant. She felt that what she did to Cal lacked morals and walked around under a cloud of guilt for most of the book. I had a difficult time sympathizing with her. She got herself into this mess through her own decisions. She knew they were wrong, but did it anyway. Her whole "my baby's daddy needs to be stoopid!" argument held very little water with me. Cal, while justifiably angry, created the horrible situation by forcing Jane to marry him. They did not have to marry, he made that decision, yet he blamed Jane and struck out at her constantly. Of course, this is a romance novel, so there is a HEA. I'm just not sure that it was entirely believable. The animosity? I completely believed. (Oh man, what Jane did to Cal's Lucky Charms was priceless. Yes, I mean the cereal!) The HEA, "we are so in love" part at the end? Also could be believable. How they got from point A to point B? Not so much. It just happened too fast. The story was good. Most of the writing was very good. It just did not gel for me.

I did love the secondary characters. Cal's grandma, Annie, was a hoot. Best character in the book. Kevin Tucker? He has potential as a future hero. (I should check to see if that happens.) Jodie, the gal who helped set the whole "get Jane pregnant" scheme into motion? Completely despicable, as she was meant to be. Because of all this, I can't say it was awful, but it was not great.

Grade: C+

Title: Dancing Shoes and Honky-Tonk Blues

Author: LuAnn McLane

Genre: Contemporary romance

From Booklist

Abilene thinks it a mean joke when her brother signs her up as a contestant for a new reality show called Dancing with the Rednecks until she hears about the $50,000 grand prize. That kind of money would really help her Kentucky family out. Why, there might even be a little left over to finance her own dream, not that she minds waitressing. Tall and gangly, Abliene has two big left feet, and she's more than a bit intimidated by her tall, dark, and brooding celebrity dance partner. Rio Martin isn't happy about being involved in a spoof. He was hoping his appearance would be good publicity for his chain of dance studios. So the two do not get off on a good foot, but Rio is not immune to the leggy blonde who is too naive to realize she's a beauty. It's her spunky, down-home personality, though, that wins him, and the reader, over in McLane's comical and poignant modern-day rags-to-riches romance.

This book sounded totally cheesy, but I am a sucker for shows like Dancing With the Stars. This was a reread for me. (I had to read it one more time before I give it to my other DwtS obsessed friend.) I bought it when it first came out and I seemed to remember thinking it was sweet. If nothing else, I could read it, imagining that I am Abby and Maks is Rio. (Can I just say how sad I was that Maks was not one of the pros on this season of DwtS? It is just not the same without his hawtness!) I loved Rio Martin. I though he was a sexy character who had more depth than I was expecting. He is the Latin heart throb dance instructor that Abby is assigned to work with when she signs on for Dancing With the Rednecks. He did not realize that the show he agreed to take part in was really a spoof on reality television. Rio es no muy happy. Abby is a small town gal who helps her mom run their greasy spoon diner. How could she pass up the chance to win $50,000? That could mean sending her brother to college and making needed improvements at the diner. She is fun, but the whole "I'm a country girl who's not very smart" bit wore thin. Aside from that slight irritation, the book was just like cotton candy: sweet, fluffy, and makes me smile. If you are in the mood for an incredibly lighthearted read and are hooked on DwtS you should make it a point to check this book out.

Grade: B

Forget Prince Charming

Title: Forget Prince Charming

Author: Natalie Stenzel

Genre: Category Romance/ Harlequin Flipside

Back cover

Haley Watson has kissed one too many Prince Charmings -- those major hunks with major character flaws. She caught her latest ex-hunk warming up for their romantic weekend by having sex with his secretary. So if all princes are jerks,
then geeks -- aka frogs -- must actually be a sweet, reliable, overlooked species. Natural habitat: computer stores and libraries.
But just when Haley has a real live geek in her sights, her new neighbor Rick Samuels -- the Anti-Nerd -- starts in with the charm. Haley informs him that she dates only hotties with pocket protectors and thick glasses.
Rick resents Haley's stereotyping and feels it's time to teach Haley rule #1 of the Genus Geekus...
Some frogs really are just frogs. And some princes are frogs in disguise.

If you are looking for a sweet, fluffy, fun (and short) read, look no further. In Forget Prince Charming we meet Haley Watson, a girl who realizes that she just might be a bit shallow. You see, she dates men who are good looking, successful, and seemingly nice. Sounds great, right? Well, except she allows their good looks to blind her to their perfidious deeds. She is a sucker for a hawt body and charming smile. After she catches her latest boyfriend holding a... "private conference" with his secretary on his desk, she swears off dating any more princes. Henceforth she would only date "frogs", aka geeks. Her new neighbor, Rick, was having none of this. He no longer looked like the geek he was, and he wants her all for himself. As their friendship grows, Rick "helps" Haley with her geek hunt, sabotaging her every step of the way.

Ms. Stenzel did not break new ground with her book. There is nothing innovative about it, but it is cute. There were moments when the timing was unclear. I had to backtrack a time or two to double check if a day had passed or a week. The only other thing that bothered me was that Haley and Rick seemed to blow things out of proportion at times. She is making a conscious decision to seek out geeks to date. He thinks she is being mercenary and shallow. Yes, she is making this decision based on the geek stereotype, but it stems from a desire to be less shallow and find a good guy. She is misguided, he is pig headed. Despite that, I had fun between the pages of Forget Prince Charming. So much so, that I am going to keep my eyes peeled for her other books.

Grade: B

Long live the Alpha male

Hello, my name is Shannon, and I am an Alpha-holic.

Yes, that's right, I do love me some Alpha males. Sweet, sensitive, and tender? pfft! Only if he is also strong, arrogant, sarcastic, protective, slightly possessive, lusty, and fully in charge (or at least tries to be.) When it comes to my reading habits, the beta guys never win. I need the likes of Roarke, Sam Donovan, and, well, any of the Brockmann men. These men with the tough exterior and the soft inner filling, they just do it for me. They are pure sex in a uniform/cowboy boots/leather/fur/fangs. Hey, if I am going to read for escapism, I want to read about the kind of guys I will never meet (and might not really want to get involved with in the real world.)

It is with big sighs and fluttering heart beats that I share two books with you.

Title: Dreaming of You

Author: Lisa Kleypas

Genre: Historical Romance

I know, I am really late to the party when it comes to Derek Craven. Now that I am here? My love for him is only outmatched by the size of his attitude. Mmm, baby. That is one amazing hero. Damn!

From Ms. Kleypas' website

In the shelter of her country cottage, Sara Fielding puts pen to paper to create dreams. But curiosity has enticed the prim, well-bred gentlewoman out of her safe haven -- and into Derek Craven's dangerous world.
A handsome, tough and tenacious Cockney, he rose from poverty to become lord of London's most exclusive gambling house -- a struggle that has left Derek Craven fabulously wealthy, but hardened and suspicious. And now duty demands he allow Sara Fielding into his world -- with her impeccable manners and her infuriating
innocence. But here, in a perilous shadow-realm of ever-shifting fortunes, even a proper "mouse" can be transformed into a breathtaking enchantress -- and a world-weary gambler can be shaken to his cynical core by the power of passion...and the promise of love.

I loved both the hero and heroine. Sara was sweet and innocent, yet sassy at the same time. I worried that she might be TSTL, since the book opened with her all alone in the slums of London, but she proved pretty quickly that she was more than a pretty face. Derek was so wary and closed off. You hurt for him. You wanted to comfort him. You wanted to smack him upside the head for ever being involved with that evil, crazy skank Lady Ashby. Seriously, that bitch was CRAZY! Derek is so Alpha. So prickly. So sexy. The way he completely held himself back from Sara, controlling all his impulses to try and protect her from his wickedness. Ugh! And when she leaves London and he pines for her.... pines! le sigh

If you love the Alphas like me, and have not read this, go out and get your hands on a copy of Dreaming of You. You will not regret it!

Grade: A- (There was a strange little lull in the story right after they get married, but the action gets moving again.)

Title: White Lies

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Genre: Romantic Suspense (with a big psychic twist)

From Amazon

As a level 10 para-sensitive, Clare Lancaster can tell for certain when someone is telling the truth. So Clare knows that her half-sister, Elizabeth Glazebrook, isn't lying when she says her husband, Brad McAllister, is trying to kill her. But Brad is murdered instead, and as the first person to find his body, Clare becomes the Stone Canyon Police Department's favorite suspect. With no evidence to tie her to the crime, Clare is allowed to return to her old life in San Francisco. But six months later, her father, Archer, summons her back to Phoenix. Her unique gift tells her not only that there is more to her father's new business "consultant" Jake Salter than he would like her to believe but also that she is in grave danger.

If you like your Alphas with a psychic twist, Jake Salter is your man. This man is hawt! Ms. Krentz has always fed my Alpha love. She may actually have been my introduction to that fine species of men. She continues to assuage my yearning with White Lies. Jake is a Hunter, a psychic detective, of sorts. He is passionate, arrogant, mysterious, sexy. Roawr! Clare is a strong, no-nonsense chick. Don't mess with her, and don't lie to her. She will know. I love the world JAK has created, the paranormal senses she has gifted her characters with. Human lie detector. A Hunter. These are well thought out skill sets. The reader was first introduced to them in her book Second Sight, a historical in which the Arcane Society mythology is established. White Lies is the second book in this "series". It is a pretty loose series since the books are jumping back and forth between historical and contemporary. The books share the mythos and the legends, but you can read each as a stand alone.

Grade: B+

Title: Bitten & Smitten
Author: Michelle Rowen
Genre: Paranormal Romance





Back Cover

There's a new vamp in town...
Dear Mom,
I might be a wee bit late for Cousin Missy's wedding. It's been a tough week. Turns out, my blind date from hell was literally from hell. Guy bit me. Next thing I know, I'm being chased all over the city by vampire hunters. And did I mention that I got fired, too?
Bright side-I met a man. Thierry de Bennicoeur. How great is that name? Anyway, he's sexy, six-hundred years old, and a tad suicidal, but no one's perfect, right? And we have a deal-he's gonna show me the ropes of the vampire world, and I'm supposed to help him end his existence. Or maybe I'll just try to convince him life is worth living-no small challenge with the mostly immortal, let me tell you. I'll admit it's a complicated relationship. But with any luck, I just might have a date for that wedding after all...
Hugs and Kisses, Sarah

As a single girl, the words "blind date" send shivers down my spine. The "nice, funny" guy you have been set up with, turns out to be a loud jokester who enjoys stories featuring bodily functions. Or perhaps he is the guy, ala Harry Met Sally, who reaches across the table to pluck a hair from your head with which to floss his teeth. In Bitten & Smitten Sarah’s blind date does far worse than that, the evening ends with stakes aimed at her heart and a dive into the local river. Vampirism by blind date. Not a good end to your evening.

After her date is killed by local vampire hunters, Sarah is saved by a suicidal vampire hottie named Thierry. He takes her back to his lair...er, condo, and grudgingly helps her out. Sarah does not believe what has happened. I’d like a giant order of denial with my cup of blood, thanks. Sarah leaves with Thierry’s business card in hand, ready to put the night behind her. It is all a dream. Uh huh, keep telling yourself that. Denial runs deep, much like the river, until an unfortunate incident at work ends with Sarah being fired. The clouds finally part, and the sun shines down upon the obvious: blood sucking vamp. Sarah runs to Thierry for help at Midnight Eclipse, a tanning salon on the bad side of town. A tanning salon? Yup, that’s right. It truly is a tanning salon, that also happens to be a front for a local vamp night club. Thank you Forever Knight! If only the host was as fabulous as Jeanette. After meeting with her, Thierry agrees to help Sarah with one condition, once she has adjusted to her new life she must help him end his. Suicidal vampires are not as sexy as you might think.

The book chronicals Sarah’s first week as a vampire. Damn, this girl catches no breaks. After a rocky start, I was drawn into the story. Sarah was a little bit Bridget Jones mixed with Buffy on one of her flakier days. You didn’t always like her or her decisions, but you kept cheering for her. Her best friend is a complete flake, her new vampire cohorts are a ton of fun, Thierry is mysterious, the bad guys are despicable, and her family is wacky. A character is introduced half way through the book to shake things up. You figure out who the traitor is long before Sarah does. It is a fun ride. Yet in the end, I felt that the HEA was completely forced. Not enough development between the H&h. Why? Well...

There has been much discussion lately over a readers POV preference. Third person, first person, first person present tense. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion. For a long time I avoided stories written in first person POV. I just had a difficult time connecting to the characters. The recent Urban Fantasy craze has forced me to open my eyes a bit. How can I denounce first person POV when I love the Mercedes Thompson books so much? When written well, experiencing the story from inside the heroine’s (or hero’s) head can be a wonderfully different perspective. Sadly, it is not always done well. The biggest failure is to focus so much on the heroine, that you lose any sense of connection with the hero (or vice versa.) This is my major complaint regarding Bitten and Smitten. Thierry de Bennicoeur had the potential to be a fascinating hero, but in an attempt to make him mysterious (and through the first person POV) I felt more connected to a secondary would-be hero. I wanted to know more about Thierry. How did he feel about Sarah? I mean, they get their HEA, but it took a leap of faith on the readers part to believe it. You knew Thierry and Sarah were supposed to get together, since they are the H&h of the story, but you almost wanted to rework the ending with Quinn as the hero.

I think if the book was marketed as fantasy or urban fantasy, I would not have a problem with this. Heck, if it was either of those two genres, the author could have left the HEA as a possibility for the future, not a done deal. Since this book is labeled paranormal romance, the author is obligated to give us the HEA. Bitten & Smitten would have work so much better as the first in a series, much in the way of Moon Called and Dead Witch Walking. Why force the HEA when you could allow it to develop more naturally over the course of a few books? Show us how they fall in love. Show us how Sarah continues to adapt to her new life. What about her family? What about her job prospects? Give us more.

Heh. Here I go shooting my mouth off before doing my research. So yeah. Ms. Rowen has written two more books in this series. Perhaps I shall check them out. Here's hoping there is more romance in the following books, since all we got in this one was a few hot smootches. I want The Sex in my romance novels!

Grade: B- rocky start that ended up turning into a fun romp, forced HEA ruined the glow

Forbidden

Title: Forbidden
Author: Suzanne (The Great) Brockmann
Genre: Romance

Back cover

He was gorgeous as sin, but definitely off-limits...He’d saved her from a drenching storm, had gently placed her in a steaming tub, and looked great in firelight, but was that reason enough for Kayla Grey to kiss a handsome cowboy with reckless hunger? Cal Bartlett couldn’t believe he’d nearly made love to the woman who’d betrayed his brother’s memory, but when she insisted Liam might be alive, shame warred with desire. Would loving her mean losing him again?
Forbidden yet undeniable attraction is at the heart of Suzanne Brockmann’s sizzling, sensual novel of love and sacrifice. He’d never burned for a woman, never known the wild abandon of white-hot need that marked a man and woman as soul mates, but once he’d tasted paradise, could he give her up?

As I mentioned in a comment over on kristie(j)’s blog, I am a sucker for Brockmann’s writing. I swear, the woman could write a manual on how to operate a potato peeler and I would read the damn thing (and it must be noted that I rarely read the manuals for anything I buy.) I have a serious blindness when it comes to her books. You have heard of being color blind? I am Brockmann blind. I love all of her books. Even those, like Forbidden, that are not her best.

Forbidden, a reprint of her 1997 release, is the story of Cal and Kayla. They meet when Kayla rushes out to his ranch to tell him that she has received information regarding the death (or possible survival) of his only brother, Liam. Kayla has only just arrived in town when she is caught outside in a major storm. Tall, dark, and sexy comes riding to her rescue on the back of his horse. Mmmm, baby! They don’t even know each other’s name, but he just saved her life and the attraction is undeniable. But wait! Not only is Cal sex in a pair of cowboy boots, but he is a gentleman. After a steamy make out session he steps back, respecting the fact that she is nearly dead on her feet after barely surviving the storm. It is only as he walks away with plans to meet for dinner the next night that he tells Kayla his name. Oh no! Cal???!!!?!? THE Cal? The big brother of her not-quite fiancé who died two years ago in San Salutiano? The Cal she came to town to talk into going to San Sal to investigate the rumors that sudo-fiancé may still be alive? THAT Cal? Well, shit.

Long story short, with the revelation of their identities, they decide the budding relationship is forbidden (oooh! Name origin.) Together, as they search for clues to the truth about Liam, they fight their attraction. There is sexual tension, flying bullets, a wild motorcycle ride, sexual tension, a mysterious man, a shady military group, rebel forces, and more sexual tension.

It will be obvious to anyone who has read Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series, that this is one of her earlier works. It has all the elements that make her stories riveting, but in a slightly underdeveloped infancy. You can see the potential and appreciate how she has developed as a writer. Cal is sweet and strong, but not quite as Alpha male as her SEALs. As with most novellas, I wanted a bit more. More story, more development, more of the characters. That is the nature of the novella and category romances for me. If there could just be another hundred pages...

Grade: B

Slightly Sinful

Title: Slightly Sinful
Author: Mary Balogh
Genre: Historical Romance

As the fires of war raged around him, Lord Alleyne Bedwyn was thrown from his horse and left for dead—only to awaken in the bedchamber of a ladies' brothel. Suddenly the dark, handsome diplomat has no memory of who he is or how he got there—yet of one thing he is certain: The angel who nurses him back to health is the woman he vows to make his own. But like him, Rachel York is not who she seems. A lovely young woman caught up in a desperate circumstance, she must devise a scheme to regain her stolen fortune. The dashing soldier she rescued from near-death could be her savior in disguise. There is just one condition: she must pose as his wife—a masquerade that will embroil them in a sinful
scandal, where a man and a woman court impropriety with each daring step...with every taboo kiss that can turn passionate strangers into the truest of lovers.

The person who said there is no such thing as too much of a good thing... is wrong. Sometimes enough is enough. When I first started reading the Bedwyn series I was so excited. I love a good series. I have this severe OCD that insists I start at the beginning and read the books chronologically. It absolutely drives me crazy if I read a new book only to discover it is part of a larger series (unless I lucked out and grabbed book number one, of course.) There is just something so satisfying about following characters you love through their world, seeing them evolve. But I digress. The Bedwyns. Too much of a good thing. There are just too many siblings.

OK, maybe it is not that there are too many Bedwyns, and more the problem that Ms. Balogh has too few plots. Out of the six books three or four have the same plot device: the fake engagement (the FE). Come now, Ms. Balogh, you are better than that. I know there are the standard recycled plot devices commonly used in romance novels. Individual writers may use the same one in more than one of their stories. It is just lazy to use it four times in a row in a series. Did you think your readers would not notice?

That is not to say the book was bad. If I had not recently read the two books that preceded Slightly Sinful (Slightly Tempted & Slightly Scandalous) I most likely would have found this to be a fun, thoroughly enjoyable read. Instead I was disappointed by the lack of originality.

The two main characters, Alleyne and Rachel, were your conventional historical romance H&h. She was young-ish, innocent, with a past that has left her in dire straights (financially, not the band. That would just be weird.) He is the brother of a Duke who is independently wealthy, but has not found his path in life. He is hit by a bullet, falls from his horse, and is left naked and dying upon the fields of Waterloo. She finds him, takes him home and nurses him to health. He has no memory. (Pesky bump to the head!) He is still noble. She is still poor. But wait! She is an heiress who will come into her fortune on her 25th birthday or upon her marriage. A scheme is hatched. He shall pose as her husband so she can receive her fortune. Blah blah...

The romance is started slowly, which I can appreciate. Then suddenly... SEX! And it was not good sex. It was disappointing sex (for the reader and the characters.) No I don't believe that sex should be a perfect bliss filled moment every time for every character, especially when she is a virgin. However, it should happen at a point in the story where is feels natural. This felt forced on the reader. eh. They work it out. Things get better. HEA

The aspect of this booked that saved it from being completely banal were the secondary characters. Rachel is taken in by her former childhood nurse who is now working as a lady of the evening. Ok, she is a whore. Not my word. Ms. Balogh refers to them as such repeatedly. I think this is her attempt to be all "they are WHORES, but truly lovely people. Don't judge a book by it's cover!" The four lady birds are hilarious. If only the heroine were as fabulous. Feisty, fresh and fun. They fit together like the pieces of a puzzle, each with her own strengths. In addition, there is a former military sergeant who has taken on the duties of valet for our hero. He is not your standard issue valet. He continuously offers his unsolicited opinion and is ready to act as bouncer for all of his new friends. He's big, burly, and wears an eye patch. How could you not love that? Even Rachel's uncle is a dear. You are lead to believe he is a cold, hard man. In the end you love him. Without these characters I would have lost interest in the book. They kept me reading. If only Ms. Balogh had imbued her H&h with as much vitality as this supporting cast.

Overall, the book was not terrible, but it was not great. Some scenes seemed to be drawn out endlessly, while other were rushed through or glossed over. I have enjoyed other installments of this series far more. Check out Slightly Married. I am half tempted to skip the final installment, but there is that OCD, again. I'm only one book away from finishing it all. Can I possibly stop now? I'll have to think hard on this. In the meantime, I think I may take a hiatus from historical romance. I may have ODed. I just can not connect with the heroines any longer. Have I hit my saturation point or am I simply getting too old to relate to an 18-22 year old virgin who has barely even spoken with a man? Ooh. Maybe it's not the age, but the lack of experience. Perhaps I am too much of a hussy to relate :)

Grade: B- (without the supporting cast this would have been a C at best)

Enchanting Pleasures

Boy, oh boy. Planning and hosting a bachelorette party sure distracts a girl from her reading. Cleaning, menu planning, gift and goodie bag shopping, creating dirty Mad Libs. Ah, the fun and debauchery. Last night was a rousing success, but the drag queens are done dancing and the alcohol has all been consumed. Back to real life. Back to my reading.

After visiting many of your blogs and reading through scads of reviews, I headed to my local branch of the Chicago Public Library last week armed with a shopping list of sorts. Titles and authors filled the paper. Among the authors listed was one I had seen mentioned a number of times: Eloisa James. I was looking for a change of pace. A girl can only read so many paranormal romances before she starts to burn out. There were only two titles available on the day of my visit. After a small debate with myself I settled on the book I just finished reading.

Title: Enchanting Pleasures
Author: Eloisa James
Genre: Historical Romance

Gabrielle Jerningham cherishes the portrait of her betrothed, the perfect Peter Dewland...until she meets his commanding older brother Quill. But it is Peter to whom she has been promised. And how can she possibly transform her voluptuous, outspoken self into the poised gentlewoman Peter requires?

When Gabby's shocking décolletage plunges to her waist at her first ball, Peter is humiliated. But Quill comes to the rescue, to the peril of his heart. An accident years before has left Quill plagued by headaches--the kind that grows more excruciating with strenuous exercise. Needless to say, this hardly bodes well for siring progeny. But the very sight of Gabby leaves Quill breathless. One forbidden kiss and Quill vows to have her, headaches--and Peter--be damned! But it will take a clever man--and a cleverer woman--to turn the tables on propriety and find their way to true love....

This was my first exposure to the writings of Ms. James. After seeing so many positive comments and reviews of her work, I knew I need to give her a shot. What if she was the favorite author I had simply yet to discover?

I am conflicted over how to review this book. It took me a little while to truly get into the story. The beginning was a wee bit tedious. Gabby comes to England, miniature portrait in hand, to marry Peter. Whom she has never met. Whom she is terribly in love with... because he has gentle eyes. OK, she was a sheltered, young girl raised in India by a single father. I will not judge her too soon. I mean, her father was a cold-hearted meanie. She deserves a handsome young man with kind eyes.

She is met (eventually) at the docks in England by her future brother-in-law, the very obvious hero of our story. Why is it obvious? Well, Peter (her fiance) is a vain, flighty, smack-me-over-the-head-with-the-obvious-stick gay man. His love for his tailor is only eclipsed by his love for his mother. Let's just say Peter is one big offensive stereotype. Simply put, he's a queen. That is fine. It makes the reader immediately root for Quill. (Yes, the hero goes by the name Quill. Why? Well, you would too if your given name was Erskine.) Anyhow, it wasn't until Peter accompanies his mother to Bath (and is out of everyone's hair) that I started to enjoy the story.

The middle of the story, in which Quill and Gabby's relationship begins to blossom, is quite fun. Gabby is a trifle annoying. Sweet, oblivious, inept. But she means well. Quill is heroic and scarred. We, the readers, feel for him. We want to heal him. It really is a shame that The Sex lands him in bed with a three-day migraine. Actually, kudos to Ms. James for accurately depicting the possible symptoms of migraine headaches. They can be nasty bastards, and she is spot on here. Makes me wonder if she suffers from them herself. Despite the potential repercussion of having The Sex, Quill is drawn to Gabby. They have a few lovely, hot moments together. MMmmmm. Nice. With Peter out of town, it is up to Quill to begin showing Gabby about London society. In amongst all of their canoodling, you meet a handful of secondary characters. Sophie Foakes, Duchess of Gilse, is probably my favorite. Color me pleased to discover she had her very own book. She is spunky, fun, and just a bit scandalous. She goes to great lengths to support her friends. For those who have read this book, I laughed out loud at the "incident" at Gabby's first ball. I love Sophie! The other characters who I adored (and wished they had a full book of their own) were Lucien Boch and Emily Ewing. Such a lovely little side plot.

All of that being said, the last quarter of the book nearly ruined the read for me. Throughout the beginning with the pining and the burning, the kissing and the near skirt tossing, Gabby issued nary a word of objection. In some cases she was quite forward for such an innocent miss, provoking Quill into kissing her. Why is it, then, that she suddenly starts thinking that sex with her husband is a sin? Where the hell did that come from? Confusion! Stubbornness rules the roost. Not surprising, as it often does in romance novels. I had a BIG problem with a decision that Gabby makes towards the end that put the final storyline into action. Bad form, Gabby, bad form. Quill had every right to be angry. What the character did was wrong. So very wrong. You could see the ending coming a mile away.

***** SPOILER * SPOILER * SPOILER *****

The whole omg-she-might-die-and-I-only-just-realized-that-none-of-this-matters ploy felt like a cop out. I felt as if the author had painted herself into a corner with these two and had no other idea of how to get them out of the emotional spot she had put them into.

***** END SPOILER * SPOILER * END SPOILER *****

Taking all of that into account (the good, bad and ugly), I feel I need to give Eloisa James a chance to shown me what she's got. I am going to look for Sophie's book. I already like her, so maybe that will help. As far as Enchanting Pleasures goes, there were some enchanting moments. Overall, it did not leave me feeling gah-gah. I have not discovered my favorite author I never knew about. It was by turns sweet, frustrating, amusing, annoying, and entertaining. If she had kept her momentum going and devised an ending that did not make me want to throttle her characters, this book would have a solid B+ or even A-. Sadly, the ending is what it is.

Grade: B- good middle, good writing style, ending that made me want to throw things