There are so many twists and surprises in Upon a Wicked Time, my synopsis of it must be brief – I don’t want to spoil anything for you. Generally speaking, Tessa Astley marries Jered Mandeville. Tessa’s the daughter of an earl; Jered’s a duke. She has feisty, indulgent, in-love-with-each-other parents, and six brothers. His parents…
I was immediately drawn to this book by the cover. A blue plaid kilt in the background and an ornate sword with roses tied to it gave me the impression this would be a story of battles and love won and lost. Happily, that first impression was right on the money! The Blood of Roses…
For a good many years, I have been unable to read or think about the story of King Arthur without some prose or action calling to mind Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, Excalibur, or Monty Python. I cannot help but respect an author who can bring fresh life to this timeless legend. Diana L….
When a romance novel features intrigue as a subplot, sometimes the relationship between the hero and heroine can get lost in all the mystery. In Whisper His Name, author Elizabeth Thornton just manages to keep the romance from getting lost, creating a tense, interesting story. While shopping in Paris for new stock for her bookstore,…
Susan Johnson is the only romance writer I’ve read who uses footnotes in her books. These are usually helpful and they were in this book too: they showed where this author must have made a wrong turn in writing this story. In the footnotes, one reads that Johnson discovered a real couple, a young man…
Well, I’ve made my first discovery of 1999, and I’m very happy about it (okay, technically I read the book in 1998, but it’s got a 1999 publication date so I’m fudging a little). Strong characters and a sweet love story make this novel a winner. Samantha Northrup, the vicar’s daughter, is awakened in the…
As a gawky teenager, Lily D’Artiers Copeland was in love with Webb Dryden. Webb was handsome, dashing, and well-traveled (thanks to his work as a spy) and basically it for Lily. Unfortunately, Webb saw Lily as an irritant and acted cruelly towards her. The thing about gawky teenagers is that they grow up, and the…
I’ve always been in awe of an author who can write one excellent book, but to follow it with yet another recommended read is a feat indeed. Elizabeth Boyle has achieved this feat with her newest novel, Brazen Heiress. Set almost a decade after Brazen Angel, this romance centers around Lily D’Artiers, who appeared as…
Scandals is ruined by a “too stupid to live heroine”. Unbelievable plot twists and purple prose also spoil the experience. To top it off, this book takes what could have been an enjoyable Gothic plot and turns it into a parade of cliches. Wealthy, young Victoria Hawthorne is in love with laborer Ned Thomas. What…
After reading a string of mediocre books, it was a great relief to read Pale Moon Rider. Marsha Canham has written a real winner here, with believable characters – not an evil sister in sight – and lots of suspense. Also, while it deals with dark subjects, like the French Revolution, it isn’t a downer….
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