What Sweet Debut Just In Time for Valentine's Day!

I absolutely loved Anne Barton’s When She Was Wicked. Her characters were well developed, believable and likeable. Annabelle Honeycote is a seamstress in a Bond Street dress shop where she barely earns enough money to make ends meet for herself. Working for the dress shop however does not earn her enough to support her sick mother and younger sister.  By working in the dress shop Belle becomes privy to the sorts of gossip that the Ton would be willing to pay to keep a secret, these secrets all Belle to add to her small income via way of blackmail. Belle has rules though, only ask those who can afford to lose a small sum, only use a target once, and do not form a personal relationship with said targets.

When bell overheard the type of gossip that could ruin the Duke of Huntford’s sister, she develops full intentions to make Huntford pay to keep the gossip a secret. Owen Sherbourne, Duke of Huntford doesn’t take kindly to extortion of any kind.  Following his father’s suicide and his mother’s desertion he is tasked with raising his headstrong younger sisters. When he catches Belle in the act, he decides to make her work off her debt versus sending her to Newgate. His sisters are coming out and each needs new wardrobes.  Annabelle’s sweet personality helps the Huntford sisters to form a close knit bond with Belle. All Huntford wants is to do right by his family and right the wrongs from his parents mistakes. He has no intention of falling in love with Belle, but as Belle works her magic on fabric Huntford discovers a diamond in the rough. Huntford finds himself drawn to Belle’s sweetness and beauty.

Barton has written one of the sweetest romances I’ve read in a long time. The characters are well written and easily believable. The romance between Owen and Belle is natural and not forced. I found myself rooting for these two long before the end of the book. I can honestly say that I would highly recommend any romance reader to try Anne Barton’s debut. When She Was Wicked is the first in Barton’s Honeycote series and if the first one is any example I cannot wait for the follow up book.

Arc provided by Grand Central Publishing.

A Medieval Winner

There has yet to be a book from the pen of Colleen Gleason that I haven’t enjoyed and Lily on the Heath did not disappoint. What a delightful romance this book is! Colleen Gleason has a knack for combining all of the right mixes of mystery, comedy and historical romance all into one. Lily on the Heath is a medieval romantic tale of Judith of Kentworth and Malcolm de Monde.  Judith is a Falconer and a good friend to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Malcolm is the Lord of Warwick. Malcolm has watched Judith from afar since they were young. They meet again when Malcolm comes to King Henry II’s court to petition for a wife. Gleason includes some well researched information on the Falconers and the royal court of Henry II. With a side romance that includes secondary characters Judith’s maid and Malcolm’s Master at Arms this book is as charming as all of Gleason’s previous novels.  In her true writing style Ms. Gleason’s characters each have strong personalities that make this book shine. This is the perfect novel for both romance readers and history buffs alike.

ARC provided by the author.

Interesting Conclusion to Shadowlands

 I love the Goblin series but the third installment of Shona Husk’s Shadowland is quite likeable but I didn’t quite love it.  I had a difficult time connecting with either Meryn or Nadine.  Perhaps it was because they don’t spend a lot of time in each other’s company.  In many instances the book simply rehashed a lot of story that had already been told in her previous Goblin King novel.  It’s a typical sweet romance when the pair is together, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance. Overall it is a decent book I just didn’t reach an honest connection. 

Fantastic Contemporary Release

What a fantastic start to a brand new series from Juliana Stone. I am typically a sucker for Michigan romances as it is after all my home turf. This is a typical reformed bad boy returns home contemporary romance.  However there is a lot of heart and depth to this book. It kicks off the tale of three lifelong friends who return home to Crystal Lake Michigan in order to bury one of their own. Rocker Cain is at a turning point in his life, he is recently divorced following the betrayal of his wife and band mate. It becomes clear that he needs his small town, and the love of one woman to help him heal. Cain is drawn to a pretty red head and her young son.

Maggie is a beautiful, southern belle who cleans homes around town in order to make ends meet. Maggie and her son are a mystery to the Crystal Lake residents and it is clear that she is on the run from something or someone. She has been badly burned in love and turns Cain’s romantic advances. Cain didn’t earn his reputation by being a choir boy, and soon these two are burning up the sheets. These two have some monumental road blocks to overcome on their path to love. As they begin to work out their differences, Maggie’s dark past returns to haunt her. Each will have to deal with their exes from hell before, the road becomes clear.

I highly enjoyed this book. The Summer He Came Home struck an emotional chord within me.  As usual Juliana’s characters are vibrantly strong and very likable.  I cannot wait for the follow up books in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series If Jake and Mac are anything like Cain the follow ups are sure to be as heartfelt  as this one was. Without a doubt I would strongly recommend this book to my romance loving friends and customers.

A special thank you to Juilana Stone and Sourcebooks for making it possible for me to read this ARC.

Heart Tugging Romance At Its Best!

There has never been a book written by Brenda Novak that I haven’t enjoyed. When Snow Falls is book two in her Whiskey Creek series. Well known for her place in the romantic suspense genre the Whiskey Creek series is her foray back into contemporary romance. After having been pleasantly delighted with the first book When Lightening Strikes, I naturally was ready to jump right into When Snow Falls. When Snow Falls has been written in such a way that allows you to watch this romance blossom into a full bloom.

When Snow Falls is Cheyenne and Dylan’s story and so very different from Gail and Simon’s story whom we met in When Lightening Strikes. Cheyenne Christensen cannot remember when it has ever snowed in Whiskey Creek, but she can remember the she has to take care of her dying mother Anita and her on again off again drug using older sister Presley to care for. When she begins having recurring dreams of a fancy child hood and a mysterious blonde woman, Cheyenne begins to question where she comes from. On top of all her other problems Cheyenne has been in love with Joe since she was fourteen years old, but she is not the only one who has feelings for Joe. When her best friend Eve announces that she has asked Joe to go on a date, Cheyenne steps aside out of respect for her friendship. Dylan Amos and his brothers come from the wrong side of the tracks. When Dylan makes a proposition that Cheyenne finds difficult to refuse, Cheyenne discovers an attraction to the kind of guy she’s always tried to avoid and discovers that Dylan just might not be as bad as he’s been rumored to be. As this romance begins to unfold her first love enters into the picture; torn between her first love and the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks Cheyenne finds herself having to choose between the two.

I loved this book, however early on I found myself reverting back to the cover blurb to find out if I had read the names wrong as we don’t meet Dylan until a ways into the book. The only man we meet early on is Joe, and you really begin to think the story is a romance between Cheyenne and Joe. However once Cheyenne and Dylan eventually meet this book soars and meets all expectations of a Brenda Novak tale. I had a hard time putting this one down, it is filled with emotion that makes you just want to cheer these two lost souls on.  When Snow Falls was well written and will tug at even the coldest of heart strings. I cannot wait for the next books in this fantastic series. It is easily a 4.5 star book.

No One Left to Tell is a Must Read!

Karen Rose has done it again. No one Left to Tell is packed with fast moving action and tender romance. This quote from No One Left to Tell fairly well summarizes the plot "Serial child molesters, murderers, case fixers, a cop gone bad,and a mastermind eliminating anyone who gets close to the truth. Makes my head spin.".If you are a fan of the fast paced high adrenaline romantic suspense then this is the book for you.No One Left to Tell is PI Paige Holden and Assistant State Attorney Grayson Smith's story. Paige is a beginner PI who is trying to prove the innocence of Ramon Munoz, a convicted murderer. ASA Grayson is is the one instrumental in putting Ramon behind bars. Ramon's wife Elena hires Paige for help as they are adamant that Ramon is innocent. When Elena manages to obtain the proof of Ramon's innocence it is met with dire consequences. With Ramon's proof in hand Paige finds herself in need of someone she can trust and who better than ASA Smith who put Ramon in prison in the first place setting the stage for this fantastic suspense. Along the way Ms. Rose brings back a cast of familiar characters like Olivia, Thomas Thorne, Lucy Trask, Clay Maynard and Stevie Mazetti each who've had previous places in other novels.
There is a reason why Karen Rose has risen to the top of my must read suspense authors and No One Left to Tell is a prime example of it. No One Left to Tell will keep you reading well into the night. This is one of my must haves of the year!

An Utterly Delightful Romp!

Samantha Grace has done it once more. Lady Amelia’s Mess and a Half is a delightfully fun romp. Jake and Amelia were once young and in love but with a series of misunderstandings and a mess of trouble makers in their way these two lovers set out on different paths. Lady Amelia is a widow who never stopped loving Jake Hillary. For two years Jake has felt betrayed by Amelia after she gives her hand in marriage. However at a chance meeting at a ball the sparks once more begin to fly between these star crossed lovers when Jake’s own brother Daniel expresses interest in the beautiful widow. We soon follow Jake an Amelia from London’s glittery ballrooms across the seas to New Orleans in this tender and fast paced novel. One cannot help but cheer Amelia and Jake on as they once more find their way into each other’s hearts. Add in a mix of fascinating and fun characters and you can be assured that Ms. Grace has a knack to mingling laughter and tender moments together in order to create delightful reading material. Lady Amelia’s Mess and a Half is the second book in the Beau Monde Bachelor series, yet can be read as a standalone. If the first two books are any indication of Samantha Grace’s writing talents, one can be sure that she can be compared to some of the greats like Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas.

Galley Copy provided by Sourcebooks via Netgalley.