⭐⭐
This title wasn't really my cup of tea, but I did enjoy the beginning.
Marjorie Forrester is a recent woman of means intent on traveling to Scotland to visit her brother and attend his wedding. Graeme is a highlander trying to take care of his younger brothers, keep their home, and keep from angering their clan chieftain. When his brothers kidnap Ree, Graeme believes the only alternative is for him to marry Ree.
Honestly, the best part of the book is the beginning. I was fully invested after Ree's kidnapping and was looking forward to watching them get to know each other and become attracted to each other. This doesn't really happen. They're not attracted to each other one day and the next they are. For no real reason, either. I can't tell you what one liked about the other.
After the initial kidnapping, not much else happens. There was an opportunity here to have a lot happen but Ree only really makes one attempt at escape before deciding to lie for Graeme and his brothers. It just wasn't very realistic.
I didn't read the first book in this series and felt quite lost at first with all the names being thrown around but I figured it out soon enough.
Enoch spells out the accents every time a Highlander speaks so if that's not your thing, you might want to steer clear.
I did find the beginning of the book to be very engaging, and I really found myself wondering who the next book would be about. I'll probably give it a chance and see if it's a little more to my taste.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
Monday, February 20, 2017
Monday, February 6, 2017
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks Review
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
So glad Kerrelyn Sparks is back with a new series!!
Luciana has been hidden away her entire life because of her magical powers, believing herself to be an orphan. That is until her father arrives and gives her the choice to remain on the island she was hidden on or return with him and marry Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick.
Leo has magical powers himself: he power to harness lightning. This power makes him dangerous and he hasn't been touched since he was a child. He is thrilled to be marrying beautiful Luciana, even if their marriage can never be real. Can he and Luciana ever have a real marriage and deal with those that wish them harm?
I am not new to Ms. Sparks' writing as I read (almost) all of her Love at Stake series. I was not surprised at all by the intricate world building that goes on in the story. She is fantastic at establishing a setting that you feel could maybe really happen. I was quite delighted to find this was something of a historical (although the language is very modern) because the cover made me think this was more of a contemporary.
As I said, the language is very modern but I wasn't upset by that in the least because this wasn't a Regency historical, it wasn't even set on Earth. I saw no reason for Ms. Sparks not to use modern speech if that's how she wanted the people of this world to speak.
I loved Leo and Luciana. She was just strong enough and she was just sweet enough for them to really complement each other. I enjoyed watching them grow as a couple and the anticipation for their love scene was certainly worth it!
A lot happened in the week this is set in. Some conflicts seemed solved pretty hurriedly but this didn't detract from the story at all, for me. Since this is the first book in a brand new series we did get a lot of information in a short period of time but, again, this doesn't detract from the story.
My only complaint would be the accents at the beginning of the book (I used to be a sucker for Scottish accents in books but I feel they've been overused) but those go away once the story really gets going and they're few and far between after.
I've already preordered a copy of this title and can't wait for the next in the series!!
An eARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
⭐⭐⭐⭐
So glad Kerrelyn Sparks is back with a new series!!
Luciana has been hidden away her entire life because of her magical powers, believing herself to be an orphan. That is until her father arrives and gives her the choice to remain on the island she was hidden on or return with him and marry Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick.
Leo has magical powers himself: he power to harness lightning. This power makes him dangerous and he hasn't been touched since he was a child. He is thrilled to be marrying beautiful Luciana, even if their marriage can never be real. Can he and Luciana ever have a real marriage and deal with those that wish them harm?
I am not new to Ms. Sparks' writing as I read (almost) all of her Love at Stake series. I was not surprised at all by the intricate world building that goes on in the story. She is fantastic at establishing a setting that you feel could maybe really happen. I was quite delighted to find this was something of a historical (although the language is very modern) because the cover made me think this was more of a contemporary.
As I said, the language is very modern but I wasn't upset by that in the least because this wasn't a Regency historical, it wasn't even set on Earth. I saw no reason for Ms. Sparks not to use modern speech if that's how she wanted the people of this world to speak.
I loved Leo and Luciana. She was just strong enough and she was just sweet enough for them to really complement each other. I enjoyed watching them grow as a couple and the anticipation for their love scene was certainly worth it!
A lot happened in the week this is set in. Some conflicts seemed solved pretty hurriedly but this didn't detract from the story at all, for me. Since this is the first book in a brand new series we did get a lot of information in a short period of time but, again, this doesn't detract from the story.
My only complaint would be the accents at the beginning of the book (I used to be a sucker for Scottish accents in books but I feel they've been overused) but those go away once the story really gets going and they're few and far between after.
I've already preordered a copy of this title and can't wait for the next in the series!!
An eARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
Last Night with the Duke by Amelia Grey Review
Last Night with the Duke by Amelia Grey Review
⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this title from Amelia Grey and will read the next in the series.
Miss Esmeralda Swift owns an appointment agency and is raising her younger sister. She cannot afford any mistakes or she could lose everything, and she considers herself to be too practical to fall prey to a rake.
The Duke of Griffin made a mistake in his youth that he now fears his sisters will pay for during their first season. When rumors arise that back up this fear Griffin realizes he needs the best chaperone he can find to follow his sisters and keep them out of harm's way. He decides Esmeralda is that chaperone, whether she agrees or not.
I really liked both Esmeralda and Griffin. I don't remember her having a TSTL moment and I was glad of that. I thought Griffin had a good heart but I don't remember him being much of a rake. I could definitely see them together as a couple, too.
The beginning was a little slow but once the Season got started I felt the pacing got much better and I don't remember being bored. There was always something going on to move the story along and not just a lot of inner dialogue.
Minor issues were the "Dos and Don'ts" at the beginning of most chapters that I found annoying and stopped reading. And I would've liked more of Griffin's POV than we were given.
Easily the biggest issue I had with the book was the fact that the entire conflict of Griffin's sisters possibly being harmed because of his past never came to fruition. We get rumors that some in the ton wish Griffin ill and want to use his sisters to get back at him, but nothing happens there. I think it was a missed opportunity.
Those issues weren't enough to keep me from enjoying the story, however, and I will be reading the next in the series.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this title from Amelia Grey and will read the next in the series.
Miss Esmeralda Swift owns an appointment agency and is raising her younger sister. She cannot afford any mistakes or she could lose everything, and she considers herself to be too practical to fall prey to a rake.
The Duke of Griffin made a mistake in his youth that he now fears his sisters will pay for during their first season. When rumors arise that back up this fear Griffin realizes he needs the best chaperone he can find to follow his sisters and keep them out of harm's way. He decides Esmeralda is that chaperone, whether she agrees or not.
I really liked both Esmeralda and Griffin. I don't remember her having a TSTL moment and I was glad of that. I thought Griffin had a good heart but I don't remember him being much of a rake. I could definitely see them together as a couple, too.
The beginning was a little slow but once the Season got started I felt the pacing got much better and I don't remember being bored. There was always something going on to move the story along and not just a lot of inner dialogue.
Minor issues were the "Dos and Don'ts" at the beginning of most chapters that I found annoying and stopped reading. And I would've liked more of Griffin's POV than we were given.
Easily the biggest issue I had with the book was the fact that the entire conflict of Griffin's sisters possibly being harmed because of his past never came to fruition. We get rumors that some in the ton wish Griffin ill and want to use his sisters to get back at him, but nothing happens there. I think it was a missed opportunity.
Those issues weren't enough to keep me from enjoying the story, however, and I will be reading the next in the series.
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
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