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…
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 –…
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 –…
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…
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…
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…
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 romance between a Scottish warrior and an English lady can always make for intriguing storytelling. There is just so much possibility for external and internal conflict and at times the history can overwhelm the characters, if they’re not that well delineated. Unfortunately, this is what happens with the hero and heroine in Seize the…
I opened Never Marry a Cowboy because I was coming off a very difficult and disappointing read, and I wanted an author that I could really count on to deliver. Lorraine Heath is just such an author, and while this isn’t as good as Always to Remember (the only book that has ever made me…
The overall flavor of The Irish Bride left a bad taste in my mouth, mainly due to characters who remained unlikable. Elements of the plot had interesting potential but were never adequately developed. As a result, the book fell flat, surprising since I had enjoyed an earlier Lynn Bailey release – Splendid You. Sir Nicholas…
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