My only DIK, romance or otherwise, thus far for 2004 (it’s now September) is A Family for Gillian, which I bought shortly after reading Jane’s B+ review of it. Jane and I often laugh about being “separated at birth” in that many of our tastes are similar – and not only where reading is concerned….
I picked this book up while on vacation because it seemed to contain some of my favorite plot elements. It features a military hero whose actions indirectly result in the death of a friend. When he returns home to England, he plans to court the friend’s sister, a woman he secretly dreamed about while he…
The Captain’s Mermaid begins with promise, but towards the middle of the book I realized that the promise of interesting things to come would not be fulfilled. Even though the writing itself was well done, the characters and plot lacked originality and development. Lavinia Stewart grew up in Jamaica with few societal restrictions. But when…
This book was flawed and a little disjointed, but at times very interesting and different. The Errant Earl is not your run of the mill Regency, which is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Sometimes believability and convention were stretched a little too far for my tastes, yet the unconventional plot kept me…
I’ve always liked any kind of story about people who marry without knowing each other well, for whatever reason, and who must then find a way to make their marriage work. The Harem Bride is a charming example of the species. We meet Penelope Blayne as she rides through a storm towards the estate of…
In The Last Leprechaun, June Calvin infuses a traditional Regency with a touch of charming fairy magic. Unfortunately, while at times it is a fun and whimsical tale, the uneven plotting turns what could have been a very unique story into a rather average read. Since returning from the war against Napoleon, John Blayne has…
The Barkin Emeralds is presumably Nancy Butler’s last Signet Regency, as she’s moving on to larger single title romances. But though this may say Regency on the spine, it really doesn’t read like one. This is no comedy of manners or ton drama. It takes place on a small island in the Hebrides, and the…
Many romance readers complain about what they see as “unequal” relationships in which one party seems too dependent upon the other or is taken advantage of by the other. In A Worthy Opponent, Louise Bergin sets a self-avowed gold digging lady of the gentry class against a wealthy Cit and explores what happens as they…
When The Ideal Bride came out last year and everyone began raving about it (including LLB, whose taste is very similar to my own) , I rushed out and bought a copy. I read the book. I enjoyed it. But I didn’t love it and I didn’t get what all the fuss was about. Why…
I suppose I ought to get all critical and point out that Deceiving Miss Dearborn is chock full of coincidences that defy all the laws of probability and logic. I suppose I ought to pout because there is a big separation in the latter part of the book. And I guess I should be displeased…
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