The Duke by Kerrigan Byrne Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the first title I've read by Kerrigan Byrne. It won't be my last, but I do need some recovery time and some lighter fare before I tackle another novel this serious.
Once upon a time, Imogen Pritchard was a young woman forced to work for an unscrupulous man by night to pay her deceased father's debts and a nurse by day to support herself, her mother, and sister. One of those nights was spent comforting a soldier right after he lost his entire family and before he left for war.
Collin Talmage, Duke of Trenwyth, has never forgotten his night spent with a prostitute named Ginny and has spent years searching for her. He's returned from war a broken and angry man and directs some of that anger at his new neighbor, Imogen. That is, until he realizes that Imogen is in danger and he doesn't want anyone else protecting her.
I really liked Imogen and thought she was a strong heroine. I don't particularly remember any TSTL moments from her. I liked that she did what she had to to take care of herself and her family. I did, however, miss what was so bright and happy about her, as Cole put it. She didn't seem to me to be any happier than he was.
That thought brings me to Cole and how incredibly dark the story was. I love a hero with a dark past that is trying to overcome it but Cole and the entire story were so incredibly dark. I'm going to need to read two or three lighter stories just to get past it. So I was definitely invested in the story and their feelings, which is always a good thing.
Honestly, I felt like there wasn't much in the way of an actual romance here (hence the three stars). Usually when I finish a romance I can think of at least a few instances when the romance began to blossom and I love those moments. I didn't get that with this book. They meet in the beginning, they don't like each other for part of the book, and then suddenly they love each other and it's HEA. Makes the HEA harder to believe.
Reading this made me kick myself for giving The Highwayman to the library without actually reading it first, but I need to read something more fun before picking up another from this series.
-Reader
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
The Scottish Duke by Karen Ranney Review
The Scottish Duke by Karen Ramsey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the first title I've ever read by Karen Ranney, and I've already preordered the next title.
Forced to become a maid after her father's death, Lorna Gordon has admired Alex Russell, the Duke of Kinross from afar. When he hosts a ball in his home, Lorna grabs a chance to sneak into the ball and have a scandalous encounter with Alex that leads to even more scandalous consequences.
Alex has had trouble trusting others his entire life. When he learns of the results of his night with a beautiful stranger he assumes she only wants money or his title. He soon learns, however, that Lorna wants neither and that she is an enigma he desperately wants to understand. Each will have to learn that sometimes a little trust in another is required for a happy ever after.
I really enjoyed this title. I wasn't bothered by the early sex scene but I was quite happy that the rest of the book was not spent with Alex not knowing who Lorna was. I'm reading another title with a similar beginning and the hero still doesn't know who the heroine is. It would get tiresome reading two books like that at once.
Lorna was a fantastic heroine. Sure, she had a TSTL moment at the beginning but she ended up paying for it and it was her only moment like that. I loved her independence and spirit. I really appreciated the fact that she didn't just fall into being a duchess like she was born to do it like you sometimes see in historical romances.
Alex was a bit harder to get to know, which was appropriate because he was harder for Lorna to get to know too. He was capable of being quite a jerk when he wanted but who isn't? Happily, his turnaround wasn't a whiplash inducing quick one at the very end. His coming to care for Lorna was slow and believable.
I found this title to be very entertaining and am looking forward to the next!
-Reader
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the first title I've ever read by Karen Ranney, and I've already preordered the next title.
Forced to become a maid after her father's death, Lorna Gordon has admired Alex Russell, the Duke of Kinross from afar. When he hosts a ball in his home, Lorna grabs a chance to sneak into the ball and have a scandalous encounter with Alex that leads to even more scandalous consequences.
Alex has had trouble trusting others his entire life. When he learns of the results of his night with a beautiful stranger he assumes she only wants money or his title. He soon learns, however, that Lorna wants neither and that she is an enigma he desperately wants to understand. Each will have to learn that sometimes a little trust in another is required for a happy ever after.
I really enjoyed this title. I wasn't bothered by the early sex scene but I was quite happy that the rest of the book was not spent with Alex not knowing who Lorna was. I'm reading another title with a similar beginning and the hero still doesn't know who the heroine is. It would get tiresome reading two books like that at once.
Lorna was a fantastic heroine. Sure, she had a TSTL moment at the beginning but she ended up paying for it and it was her only moment like that. I loved her independence and spirit. I really appreciated the fact that she didn't just fall into being a duchess like she was born to do it like you sometimes see in historical romances.
Alex was a bit harder to get to know, which was appropriate because he was harder for Lorna to get to know too. He was capable of being quite a jerk when he wanted but who isn't? Happily, his turnaround wasn't a whiplash inducing quick one at the very end. His coming to care for Lorna was slow and believable.
I found this title to be very entertaining and am looking forward to the next!
-Reader
Friday, December 23, 2016
The Viscount and the Vixen review
The Viscount and the Vixen by Lorraine Heath
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book literally kept me awake at night trying to finish it because it was so good!
Viscount Locksley swore to never marry a woman he could grow to love after growing up with a father driven mad by his wife's death. When Locke first meets Portia Gadstone and assumes her to be a fortune and title hunter bent on taking advantage of his father, he decides he could never love her and marries her instead.
Portia only agreed to marry Locke's father out of desperation thinking his title could offer her the protection she needed. She is horrified, however, to be marrying Locke instead. Until she realizes she could never grow to love a man like him.
As they spend more and more time together, however, they realize that love is always worth taking a risk for.
I will admit I was annoyed at first at what I thought was insta-lust for both Locke and Portia. And I was quite convinced that this book would be like the previous one with the hero and heroine doing little more than groping each other. I was wrong, however. While there WAS insta-lust, it is followed by a slow and moving love story. Locke and Portia get to truly know each other and grow as a couple.
I loved Portia with her optimism despite the hand life had dealt her. And she felt just enough guilt for what she was doing to make me sympathetic towards her. And I thought Locke was a great guy. He was arrogant in many things but was always so gentle with his father and took excellent care of those around him even while grumbling about it.
This was a great almost end to a overall great series. I can't wait to read Locke's parents' story and Ms. Heath's next title, An Affair with a Notorious Heiress!
-Reader
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book literally kept me awake at night trying to finish it because it was so good!
Viscount Locksley swore to never marry a woman he could grow to love after growing up with a father driven mad by his wife's death. When Locke first meets Portia Gadstone and assumes her to be a fortune and title hunter bent on taking advantage of his father, he decides he could never love her and marries her instead.
Portia only agreed to marry Locke's father out of desperation thinking his title could offer her the protection she needed. She is horrified, however, to be marrying Locke instead. Until she realizes she could never grow to love a man like him.
As they spend more and more time together, however, they realize that love is always worth taking a risk for.
I will admit I was annoyed at first at what I thought was insta-lust for both Locke and Portia. And I was quite convinced that this book would be like the previous one with the hero and heroine doing little more than groping each other. I was wrong, however. While there WAS insta-lust, it is followed by a slow and moving love story. Locke and Portia get to truly know each other and grow as a couple.
I loved Portia with her optimism despite the hand life had dealt her. And she felt just enough guilt for what she was doing to make me sympathetic towards her. And I thought Locke was a great guy. He was arrogant in many things but was always so gentle with his father and took excellent care of those around him even while grumbling about it.
This was a great almost end to a overall great series. I can't wait to read Locke's parents' story and Ms. Heath's next title, An Affair with a Notorious Heiress!
-Reader
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Waiting For an Earl Like You by Alexandra Hawkins Review
Waiting For an Earl Like You by Alexandra Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I enjoyed this title. It was a lot of fun and flowed very well.
Miss Olivia Lydall and her neighbor, Justin Reeve Netherwood, Earl of Kempthorn, known as Thorn, have never much liked each other. Thorn has always considered Olivia a nuisance that trailed after he and his twin brother, Gideon. Olivia has always found Thorn to be too serious for his own good and instead befriended Gideon.
Deciding Olivia is too smitten with his brother, Thorn pretends to be Gideon in an effort to steer her away. This plan backfired, however, as Thorn gets to know Olivia better and finds himself attracted to her. The only problem is that Olivia believes Thorn to be Gideon. How can he convince her to love him for himself instead of who she believes him to be?
I found this book to be entertaining from the very beginning. I really liked Thorn and his reserved personality. I thought he was perfect for Olivia's more reckless nature. Trouble followed her everywhere! I fell in love with Thorn and the way he was a much sweeter man than he let on to everyone but Olivia.
Hawkins definitely did the twin switcheroo right! There were some consent issues (more on that in a moment) but they weren't due to Olivia not knowing who she was with. That is usually the worst part about twin switch romances; the heroine can't really consent because she doesn't really know who she's consenting to. That was not a problem here and it was so refreshing.
Now, I did have a few issues with this book. I have not read the first two books in this series and there were so many characters in both of the feuding families that at times it was hard to figure out who was who and it brought me out of the story every time.
I mentioned consent issues. During one scene Olivia keeps telling Thorn no and he just continues kissing her and touching her until she gives in. That's not okay. She should've been able to say no and get him to stop. I did not like that at all.
The word "quim". It makes me want to barf. You can tell me until you're blue in the face that that was an actual word they used and I still wouldn't care. It's still disgusting.
Easily the worst thing in the entire book was Olivia's complete TSTL moment. She'd been intelligent but reckless the entire book but her stupidity in one scene negated all of that. Her lack of propriety during the same scene made me grind my teeth. She did the same thing that had gotten her in trouble before! 😡😡😡
I will be honest; I enjoyed this book but I don't know that I'm going to rush out and get the others in the series or read the next one when it comes out. I'm not ruling that out either, though.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I enjoyed this title. It was a lot of fun and flowed very well.
Miss Olivia Lydall and her neighbor, Justin Reeve Netherwood, Earl of Kempthorn, known as Thorn, have never much liked each other. Thorn has always considered Olivia a nuisance that trailed after he and his twin brother, Gideon. Olivia has always found Thorn to be too serious for his own good and instead befriended Gideon.
Deciding Olivia is too smitten with his brother, Thorn pretends to be Gideon in an effort to steer her away. This plan backfired, however, as Thorn gets to know Olivia better and finds himself attracted to her. The only problem is that Olivia believes Thorn to be Gideon. How can he convince her to love him for himself instead of who she believes him to be?
I found this book to be entertaining from the very beginning. I really liked Thorn and his reserved personality. I thought he was perfect for Olivia's more reckless nature. Trouble followed her everywhere! I fell in love with Thorn and the way he was a much sweeter man than he let on to everyone but Olivia.
Hawkins definitely did the twin switcheroo right! There were some consent issues (more on that in a moment) but they weren't due to Olivia not knowing who she was with. That is usually the worst part about twin switch romances; the heroine can't really consent because she doesn't really know who she's consenting to. That was not a problem here and it was so refreshing.
Now, I did have a few issues with this book. I have not read the first two books in this series and there were so many characters in both of the feuding families that at times it was hard to figure out who was who and it brought me out of the story every time.
I mentioned consent issues. During one scene Olivia keeps telling Thorn no and he just continues kissing her and touching her until she gives in. That's not okay. She should've been able to say no and get him to stop. I did not like that at all.
The word "quim". It makes me want to barf. You can tell me until you're blue in the face that that was an actual word they used and I still wouldn't care. It's still disgusting.
Easily the worst thing in the entire book was Olivia's complete TSTL moment. She'd been intelligent but reckless the entire book but her stupidity in one scene negated all of that. Her lack of propriety during the same scene made me grind my teeth. She did the same thing that had gotten her in trouble before! 😡😡😡
I will be honest; I enjoyed this book but I don't know that I'm going to rush out and get the others in the series or read the next one when it comes out. I'm not ruling that out either, though.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
-Reader