all book related reviews
My eyes hurt. I don’t think I’ve ever spent as much time rolling them as I did while reading this book. A shrill, irritating heroine and overly descriptive writing, not to mention a slightly illogical plot, killed this one for me. Annie Brown is Comanche Springs’s resident millionaire. She won the lottery and suddenly men…
A good romance novel is like a beautiful tapestry in which colorful threads weave a rich, interesting pattern. Every patch of color, light or dark, has a reason for being in that exact place, and the complete picture in all its glory is revealed only when it’s finished. A mediocre romance novel is more like…
Solitary Man is a wonderful book that may be missed by those who just check out back blurbs. The synopsis makes it sound like a routine “guy leaves girl, comes back to find her pregnant, and tries to atone” stories. While on the surface that is correct, this book delivers a whole lot more. Kevin…
Devil’s Bride has a place of honor among my DIK books. It’s rare when a book not only lives up to its hype, but also when the delicious sensuality of the love scenes is more than matched by strong characterization. While Devil’s Bride is still my favorite Stephanie Laurens book, I have on the whole…
A Belated Bride had some wonderful comic moments. It featured likable characters and strong chemistry between them. That said, however, the serious side of the story didn’t quite mesh with its humorous elements, and one too many subplots detracted from the love relationship. Arabella Hadley encounters Lucien Devereaux, the Duke of Wexford, by accident –…
You really have to give Zebra credit for their willingness to publish books with unique settings. I’ve seen ones recently set in late nineteenth century South Carolina, the battlefields of the Crimean War, and the French Revolution. I picked up Loving Lily in particular because it set in Williamsburg right before the Revolutionary War –…
Long ago, Elizabeth fell in love with Peter, but he wouldn’t marry her because he’s of royal Russian blood and she’s a commoner. So she married an elderly, unkind, impotent man, the Earl of Shenstone, specifically so that she would inhabit the same social circles as Peter and would be able to see him now…
The Seduction of Ellen. Of course you all knew I would have to read this one didn’t you? Characters named Ellen are not all that common, and when I find one, I am always happy. I had hoped that this book would be worthy of having a heroine with that wonderful name, but my hopes…
I have absolutely loved some of Amanda Quick’s books: Desire, Seduction, and Scandal are three of my favorites by her. The last few years, however, it’s been interchangeable plots and a persistent “ancient civilization” streak that has become too familiar. After her last couple of books, I hoped to find a gem in Slightly Shady….
The Secret Swan by Shana Abé contains several elements frequently found in those old-fashioned bodice-ripper-style romances: an innocent child bride, a tormented alpha hero who wrongs her, an adversarial relationship, a couple of Big Secrets. Abé magically weaves these not-so-promising threads together to create a story that’s both original and lovely. We first meet Lady…
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