A lot of books start well, sag in the middle, and get steadily worse. A Dangerous Man is exactly the opposite; it gets off to a slow start, gains momentum, and is pretty good by the end. The last quarter is so enjoyable that you can almost forget the tedium of the first part. Almost,…
Wild at Heart has a most unusual romantic premise … and a hero who is not only heroic, but endearing as well. Patricia Gaffney’s writing is virtually word perfect, and simply glows. This is a very, very nice book. It’s 1893 Chicago, site of the World’s Fair. Sydney Darrow (I just loved her name), is…
The Elusive Flame is the long-awaited sequel to The Flame & the Flower, written 26 years ago. It has its moments, but as the title suggests, they are elusive. In order to find them, you have to slog through Woodiwiss’s heavy-handed, verbose, purple prose. It can be slow going. This sequel has many similarities to…
I don’t think that there is any sadder time in history than the American Civil War period. I used to read about those times a lot, until I watched the PBS series on the Civil War. Reading about the Civil War always depressed me, but after that series, I lost my enthusiasm for it, and…
The mood of this book is set from the first sentence of the prologue, and it is obvious that Rightfully His is no light-hearted romp. Rather, it is a melancholy book with a complicated plot, deep emotions, and lots of family secrets. I found the plot and the characters fascinating. However, the writing is extremely…
The Outsider is a keeper. It’s also the second book in Rosalyn West’s The Men of Pride County series. Set in post-Civil War Kentucky, the series features a divided county trying to heal its war wounds. The hero of The Outsider was first introduced in the series’ first book – The Outcast. It definitely helps…
Cari Fremont has never known kindness from a man. Her father sold her into marriage at fifteen. Her husband, Adrian, was abusive in almost every way imaginable. Now that he is believed dead, his equally repulsive brother, Julian, has decided to have Cari for himself. Dominic Saxton is Julian’s most hated enemy and it is…
Seems to me I said sometime before, never read the second book first and the first book second. I still believe that, and even more so this time around. The Outcast is the first book in The Men Of Pride County series. It’s the story of Reeve Garrett, bastard son of Byron Glendower, and half-brother…
The Cad begins wonderfully, as a Cinderella story with a twist. Well-born but impoverished, beautiful but disfigured Bridget is eyed by the rakish Ewen, Viscount Sinclair at a ball. Instead of having a wicked step-mother and step-sisters, Bridget has her beautiful but petty cousin Cecily, to whom she acts as unpaid companion, and her Aunt…
Many readers will consider The Cad a keeper, and with good reason. I came pretty close myself. Bridget Cooke is a very memorable heroine. She is a stunning beauty, but her lovely features have been marred by a jagged, two-inch facial scar, relegating her to a life as an unacceptable in an era where perfection…
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