Saturday, February 22, 2014

A Rogue by Any Other Name (1st Rule of Scoundrels) by Sarah MacLean - 4 stars

A Rogue By Any Other Name (The First Rule of Scoundrels) by Sarah MacLean tells the tale of two childhood friends reunited after more than a decade of trials and tribulations, ultimately finding that true friendship never dies.  I give it four star and recommend to all.

In the novel, Michael Lawler and Penelope Marbury are childhood friends who correspond after Michael leaves for Eton.  Many letters are provided as introductions to each chapter, giving the reader a deeper understanding of what the characters were going through during that time.  Michael’s parents die and he becomes the Marquess of Bourne, and later he loses the entirety of the marquessate’s unentailed holdings to a man named Langford in one hand of blackjack (vingt-et-un), leaving him with a cold and empty manor house.  He vows to get his properties back and his revenge on Langford.
 
Penelope has suffered her share of heartache, as well, being jilted by her fiancĂ©e, the Duke of Leighton, then later having no success in finding a suitable husband amidst the disparaging gossip of the ton.  At twenty-eight, she feels firmly established as a spinster and gives up hope of finding a husband until her father forces her to do so in order to salvage her younger sisters’ chances at matrimony.  Her father wins the land around Michael’s manor house from Langford in a card game and attaches it Penelope’s dowry, assuring her of many proposals to come.
 
Michael and Penelope meet, in a way by chance, and he abducts her holds her hostage in his manor house so that she will be forced to marry him.  The deed is done, and the two have to figure out how to be married before either or both of them is destroyed or runs mad.
 
I must say that I liked this book the first time I read it, but a staggering revelation at the end of No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (The Third Rule of Scoundrels) made me decide to re-read all the books a second time.  Now I will say that I really liked this book.  I think with this series the old adage about the whole being greater than the sum of its parts is true.  My enjoyment of the first book in the series was increased exponentially when considered in light of books two and three.  Now I am eagerly awaiting book four!
 
The pace of the novel is great; there is always something happening to move the plot forward, and there are no superfluous scenes.  I really liked how the reader is given the backstory of Michael and Penelope’s friendship through their letters – much more interesting than heavy narration and occasionally even adds some comedic relief to an otherwise heart-breaking relationship history.  To wit, when the declarations of love are spoken, the reader can more easily accept the feelings as having depth and duration.  The development of the romantic relationship is believable.  It is also on the graphic side, so appropriate for adults only.
 
The plotline is simple, but not mind-numbingly so, and the other owners of Michael's gaming establishment, The Fallen Angel, provide excellent depth to the plot.  Character development is also well done.  Narration mixed with direct communication of the characters’ thoughts show how the character come to think the way they do and how their motivations and reasoning changes.
 
This series is a must read.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Resolutions by Teri Riggs - 3 stars

Hold on to your seats, RESOLUTIONS by Teri Riggs will take you on one wild ride. I give it three stars for the fabulous action, but also for the numerous grammar issues.

In the novel, Drug Enforcement Agent Eve Taylor is injured and captured during an operation at a Columbian drug lord's compound. She is rescued by her old boyfriend, Dillon "Mac" McKenna, and while recovering from her injuries, they reconnect romantically. The issue that separated them two years prior has not been resolved, though, and as they battle assassins and traitors, they must learn to work together in order to stay together and alive.

For the most part, I really liked the action in this novel. It was quick and dirty. At times, it could have been a bit more descriptive; the dots could have been more clearly connected. Overall, though, the action fit well with the plot and kept the pace of the book moving at a nice clip.

The romance was believable, but graphic and frequent enough to make the novel appropriate for adults only. The arguments between Eve and Mac are frustrating because they both seem to repeat themselves, but perhaps given their situation and their suppressed emotions, these repetitive arguments are realistic. In any case, the reader will certainly feel some of the characters' frustration.

On the down side, there were some significant and distracting grammar errors--adjectives used where nouns or adverbs were appropriate, and vice versa, in both the English and the Spanish used in the novel. There is also no explanation as to what "IDEA" stands for, which was seriously bothersome. Every time the acronym was used, my mind kept trying to figure it out instead of staying immersed in the action.

Overall, the book was fairly enjoyable and should be a nice afternoon read for any action lover.


**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12754.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Take a Chance on Me by Jennifer Dawson - 4 stars

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME by Jennifer Dawson is a richly illustrated, character-driven novel that is definitely worth the risk. I give it 4 stars and recommend it to all lovers of contemporary romance.

In the novel, Maddie Donovan leaves her controlling fiancé at the altar, and with only fifty dollars in her tiny beaded purse and the wedding dress on her back, runs away from home. When her car breaks down, she schleps several miles in her wedding heels to the nearest sign of civilization, a bar owned by Mitch Riley.

Mitch Riley fled his own drama three years prior to Maddie's dramatic entrance, and has since been living quietly in his grandparents' farmhouse and running a dive bar. He falls in love at first sight with Maddie, and tries to keep her in town and in his home as long as possible. Both of their lives are upended, and both experience some significant epiphanies. Can they get it together before they push each other away?

I enjoyed TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. The characters were well-illustrated and developed. Despite the love at first sight aspect, which for me usually evokes incredulity, there is substantial support for the relationship, making it believable. There was plenty of humor and witty dialogue, and I loved how each of the characters was clearly unique.

The plot unfolds at a nice pace, and there is a nice balance between the dialogue and narration. I would have liked for the title to be found somewhere within the dialogue, to give it a more obvious connection to the substance, but that is just a personal preference. The relationships illustrated in the novel all have some sort of risk involved, making the title adequately reflective of the novel.

The romance is extremely graphic, including bondage and submissive/dominant aspects, earning a rating of 5 out of 5 on the heat scale. This is definitely an adults only novel.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and am intrigued by how the characters fare in the next novel in the Something New series.


**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12987.

Love in the Library (Brides of Bath #5) by Cheryl Bolen - 3 stars

LOVE IN THE LIBRARY, book five in The Brides of Bath series by Cheryl Bolen, is a sweet and easy to read romantic mystery, but lacks the depth and dimension to be enjoyable as such. I give it three stars for being too obvious.

In the novel, widowed Catherine Bexley is frantic to locate her late husband's only treasure, an extremely rare manuscript of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Having been left nothing but the book by her spendthrift late husband, Catherine hopes to sell the manuscript and live frugally off the proceeds for the rest of her life. The only problem is that the manuscript has been stolen.

Meanwhile, the bank has given her a two-week notice of foreclosure and eviction, and she is being pursued by the dreadfully dull and socially inept Mr. Longford, who has been in love with her since before her marriage. Having no idea how to go about finding the stolen manuscript, Catherine offers fifteen percent of the manuscript's sale price to Mr. Melvin Steffington, the younger twin to Sir Elvin Steffington and holder of a doctorate in classical literature from Oxford, to help her find it.

I have been looking forward to LOVE IN THE LIBRARY since I finished the last book in The Brides of Bath series. I love this series, but I was so annoyed by Catherine Bexley's giggling that I had a difficult time getting through this installment. Catherine is twenty-seven years old, but acts like she is thirteen. I understand the concept of a "location joke" for which you have to be at a particular location at a particular time to understand the humor, but there was not enough description of the setting and situation to transport the reader to the location. Hence, much of what Catherine felt was funny did not seem even remotely humorous to me.

I also correctly identified the thief in the first few chapters. It is always disappointing to guess "who dunnit" so early because it means that for the rest of the novel, I am bothered by the characters' failure to consider the motives of all the people in Catherine's world and figure it out. My early revelation also caused the pace to feel slow, and even though the overall plot is interesting, I felt like the character development was lacking.

Overall, this fifth installation in The Brides of Bath series feels like it is more appropriate for the young adult market. While the writing isn't bad, it just feels too simple to be written for an adult audience.


** Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12542.

Jessamine's Folly by S.G. Rogers - 3 stars

JESSAMINE'S FOLLY by S.G. Rogers is a sweet and satisfying turn of the century romance that will leave you wanting more. I give it three stars.

At sixteen years old, beautiful Jessamine Foster was orphaned, destitute and plagued by callous, malicious, and neglectful relations. She becomes the companion of Lady Amelie Kirkland, the seventh Earl of Kirkland's sister, and soon finds herself unfortunately distracted by the handsome earl. Navigating her life as a companion, not the "social equal" of her employer or the household servants, is difficult enough without the spiteful machinations of Miss Olivia Hightower, daughter of Sir Bartholomew Hightower, who was Kirkland's father's business partner. Olivia is determined to maintain the marriage arranged for her and Kirkland by their fathers and seeks information to ruin Jessamine. What she stumbles onto with the help of Jessamine's cousin, Charlotte, is a greater mystery and scandal than she imagined.

For the most part, I enjoyed JESSAMINE'S FOLLY, although I must say at the outset that the title does not reflect the substance of the novel. I found no folly attributable to Jessamine, only to her parents, her aunt, uncle and cousin. If falling in love with Kirkland is supposed to be the "folly," it would have been nice to have a literary cue to tie in the title with the plot, perhaps Jessamine telling herself that "to fall in love with Kirkland would be folly."

My other initial reaction is that the book could have been a full-length novel if the first chapter and epilogue had not summarily dispensed with the initial setting and the conclusion to the novel. The beginning seemed rushed and short on character details. I had so many questions, the first on my list being: Why didn't Jessamine speak with or write to her uncle about how her aunt and cousin treated her? For someone who could so calmly stand up to her aunt, you would think she would have been a bit more proactive in dealing with such vile treatment. As to the conclusion, while most readers like their villains to get their comeuppance, it would have been more satisfying for the reader to experience it, instead of being told about it. All in all, there seemed to be little character development.

The development of the romantic relationship between Kirkland and Jessamine was also truncated. At the point where their love is declared, there hasn't been enough time spent together or conversation shared to support the feelings, and so it seems contrived.

The romance is sweet--chaste, or chastely described kisses only--and I don't recall there being any actual cursing, making this novel appropriate for any age.

I enjoyed the plotline. It had some nice twists and surprises, but I so wanted to see more of the characters' interactions and histories to establish their characters, and more of their lives after the scandal breaks and resolves.

There were also some minor issues with how people were described that were distracting. For example, some quick research would reveal that an earl's daughter would be marrying up if she married a marquess, a title that comes from the French "marquis," and is one step down from a duke. If that point was couched in teasing or sarcasm, it needs to be more obvious for the jest to be conveyed to the reader.

I would definitely recommend JESSAMINE'S FOLLY for a quick afternoon read, but I would also love to see a revised/full-length version of the novel.


** Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12748.

Saint Sin by Mary Gillgannon - 2 stars

SAINT SIN by Mary Gillgannon could have been a nice read, but it fell flat in all the important categories. It lacked character development, romantic development, and believable romance. I give this novel 2 stars only because the premise of the book has potential, but I don't recommend this book in its current state.

In SAINT SIN, twenty-five year old Ariella Lyndgate is finally getting a season in London, but her younger brother has ruined it by losing an unbelievable amount of money gambling. In order to save her brother, Ariella approaches the gaming den owner to work out a repayment schedule, but the owner provides only one way for Ariella to pay back her brother's debt--by stealing the Blue Moon, a large diamond owned by the notorious recluse, Michael St. Cyr, Earl of Penwell.

In her efforts to gain access and steal the diamond, Ariella has to spin some serious tales, and when those lies fail, she resorts to using her feminine wiles. Her efforts backfire, though, when she falls in love with Penwell and realizes that she's wronged him. Making up for her subterfuge won't be easy.

While the premise of the book--a young woman attempts to help her brother get out of debt--could have been developed into an enjoyable story, I did not enjoy this novel. From the start, Ariella's actions and reactions seemed contrived, and her interactions with Penwell were outrageous. There was very little character foundation for the reader to understand Ariella's irrational behavior, and there was no character development for her at all. Despite Ariella's proclaimed "change of heart", her character flaws in the beginning of the novel remained her flaws through to the end.

I honestly didn't see that much change in Penwell's character either. His only epiphany was that he was in love with Ariella, which when looked at closely, only highlights the fact that there was no foundation for, or development of, the romance. Their relationship was purely physical, and so the declarations of love in the end lacked any kind of credibility.

The purely physical aspect of the romance was also extremely graphic and pervasive, with some light bondage, earning a 5 out of 5 on the heat scale. Given the number of pages devoted to the physical intimacies, while this novel was categorized as your typical romance, it really should be categorized as erotic.

On the technical side, there were many typographical errors, including inconsistency throughout the novel of how the name of Penwell's former love interest is spelled--Alexandria or Alexandra. Given all of the foregoing, I would not recommend this novel to any readers.

(Editor's Note: We have changed the category to Erotic Romance)


** Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=11064.

The Magic Between Us by Tammy Falkner - 4 stars

THE MAGIC BETWEEN US by Tammy Falkner is a magical tale of love and redemption that could be enjoyed by all if it weren't for the incredibly graphic sex scenes that saturate the novel's pages. I give it 4 stars and recommend it to any adult who loves novels featuring magic.

In the novel, Cecelia and Marcus, lifelong fae friends who are deeply in love with each other, are separated when Marcus is called to live in the human world and take his rightful, titled place in the ton. Marcus believes he must leave his old life and Cecelia behind; Cecelia is understandably devastated, but six months later, when called by Marcus' grandmother to use her magic to help ease Marcus' transition, Cecelia cannot refuse. Cecelia's love for Marcus thrusts them back into each other's life, and the sparks fly. Can their love overcome the difficulties and dangers within their families?

I enjoyed Cecelia and Marcus' story. The description of the fae world was just enough to aid the story, although I would have liked a bit more. Also, even though I could tell that there were other books in this series that chronologically precede this book, enough of the previous drama was summarized to allow the reader to understand what was happening.

The plot was straightforward with a couple of subplots that added depth to Marcus and Cecelia's story, and the novel was well paced. I liked the characters, especially the illustration of personal growth for some of them. The emotional upheaval of Marcus' abandonment was so palpable that I cried for Cecelia, but the novel also had some comic moments.

The only thing I did not like about this novel was the sheer number of pages dedicated to illustrating in minute, graphic detail the physical relationship between Marcus and Cecelia. It felt gratuitous and voyeuristic. It was also shocking because prior to those pages, which number in the double digits, the novel felt like a young adult novel. Clearly it is not. On the heat scale, it rates 4 out of 5, and probably should be categorized as "erotic" instead of "romance".

Other than that, the book was well written, and I recommend it to all adults who like magic in their novels.


**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=12562.

Midnight Captive (Bonded by Blood #2) by Arial Burnz - 4 stars

MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE by Arial Burnz is a fantastic follow-up to the first book in the Bonded by Blood series, establishing the series with a clearer direction and exciting action. I give it 4 stars.

MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE begins seventeen years after the first book in the series, Midnight Conquest, and gives readers the love story of Cailin MacDougal (Davina's daughter/ Broderick's stepdaughter) and James Knightly, son of Alistair Knightly, partner in the MacDougal Shipping Company. Angus Campbell is still plaguing Broderick's family, attempting to use physical harm to Davina and Cailin to exact his revenge against Broderick.

Broderick is called away on an uncertain quest, leaving his family in James' care. After his departure, Cailin overhears Angus' human minions discussing a plot to abduct her and Davina and deliver them to Angus. Cailin plans accordingly and isn't disappointed. Angus' plan goes awry, though, because Davina is not abducted, and because Broderick is away from home and has no idea they are in danger. He also didn't plan for Cailin to have a special amulet to protect her from him in specific, subtle and powerful ways. James is on her trail and faces serious emotional and physical trauma to get to her. Ultimately, James and Cailin must work together to escape Angus' clutches.

MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE was everything I was looking for in book one of the series. It is important to note, though, that reading the books in order will help you understand immediately what's going on in book two. I started with book two and quickly realized that I need to stop and read book one first. It made a HUGE difference.

So, in MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE, the history of the Vamsyrian race and the prophecy concerning the Vamsyrians and God's chosen one are both explained in greater detail, giving the reader a much deeper understanding of the world in which these characters live. Readers also get to see more of Cordelia and learn about her part in the prophecy. I like how the prophecy and history of the Vamsyrians incorporate Biblical events and how some of the dialogue echoes scriptures. Also, the concept of the existence of other supernatural beings is addressed, giving us the reason for the creation of werewolves! The whole supernatural plot is well done, captivating in both its substance and delivery.

The novel also provides explanations of major events of the past seventeen years. This is crucial to another aspect of the book--the development of the romance between Cailin and James. Their attachment is clearly understood from the unfolding of their childhoods--when they met, James' father's neglect and abandonment, James' affection and admiration of Cailin's character and personality even when she was young, etc. The romance is believable.

The romance is also graphic, so appropriate for adults only.

The plot canters along nicely, and there were very few distracting typos or editing issues.

Overall, I really enjoyed MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE, and cannot wait to read book three in the series to see where immortality takes Broderick and his family next.


**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=8272.

Midnight Conquest (Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles #1) by Arial Burnz - 3 stars

MIDNIGHT CONQUEST by Arial Burnz combines a new theory of vampirism with a medieval Scottish setting, kicking off a new series of paranormal romance. The characters are missing some depth, though, and the pace is on the slow side, which present some challenges for the reader. I give it 3 stars.

In the novel, Broderick MacDougal is transformed into a Vamsyrian (aka vampire) after a horrific string of events in which he loses his entire family, including his wife. After thirty years wandering, searching for his nemesis, and using his immortal gifts to read palms with a band of gypsies, he falls in love with Davina, a Scottish lady who has also suffered injustice and betrayal at the hands of others, but he must overcome her severe distrust of men in order to save both of their lives.

MIDNIGHT CONQUEST proffers a new theory (new to me at least) of vampirism – that vampires were the creation of Satan to get revenge on God. When people are transformed, they are given the option to choose the Army of Light, which is exactly what it sounds like, instead of being bound to the night. Various aspects of vampire lore are also highlighted--sleeping during the day, silver, etc. The reader is not given much information about the two groups, the Vamsyrians and the Army of Light, and I would have liked to see more of the history there.

The characters are fairly sympathetic, and readers can easily understand the baggage associated with each. The novel was a bit light on character development, though, in that I often wondered about the characters' motivations--why they did what they did considering the circumstances. It seemed like the characters didn't really learn anything and spent a long time proceeding along the same route until a switch is flipped and suddenly they are on a different track.

This was also an issue for me in the romantic development. The reader isn't given much information to understand why Broderick and Davina "love" each other beyond the mystical or cosmic pull. I would have liked to see more real/regular time spent together and less of Broderick's lusty dreams and attempts to persuade Davina with physical lures. The romance is appropriate for adults only.

The plot unfolds a bit too slowly for me, rather like shooting a rubber band--everything is slow for a while until the climax and then it's all over too quickly. I also knew what was going to happen before any kind of foreshadowing was provided, which was disappointing.

Overall, the novel provided enough interesting substance to make me wonder where the series is going. I'll definitely be reading book 2 in hopes of getting answers to my questions.


**Review originally written for The Romance Reviews at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=2737.