Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Fall for Your Fiancée (Merrill Sisters #1)

Author: Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2021

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - The Cobbles (Historical romance with a rake)

Spice Rating: 4

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh's estate, of course nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other when their relationship started with a lie?

A bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for a good historical romp with lots of banter. Instead, I got a book that mostly bored me. The two main characters don’t show enough sparkle or wit early on. (Seriously the best friend and sister steal every scene they are in. Guess I should just read the sequel…) The conversations all the characters had seemed to repeat themselves over and over again. I was just pretty bored overall. The big trope of fake fiancee felt very forced and not fun. I just didn’t really enjoy reading this one.

Merriwell Sisters

#1 Never Fall for Your Fiancée
#2 Never Rescue a Rogue

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Highlander's Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander’s Irish Bride (Clan Kendrick #4)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra

Genre: Romance

Pages: 464

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family’s estate to raise horses and manage her father’s magnificent gardens. But when a scandal threatens her reputation, her parents order her to a remote Scottish estate, hoping she will finally learn to behave like a proper lady. To make matters worse, her escort is a handsome Highlander who just happens to be the most boring man in all of Scotland . . .

After a youth of dangerous and wild escapades, Grant Kendrick surprised his family—and himself—by becoming a successful businessman and the most respectable Kendrick brother. But does that matter, when the beautiful and free-spirited Kathleen deems him a stodgy bore? Luckily, he gets the chance to prove her wrong when their carriage is ambushed by thieves. But it will take all his ingenuity to protect the beautiful lass who has stormed her way into his heart—and to convince her that a life with him will be a love-filled adventure . . .

I continue to enjoy this series, but not absolutely adore it. This particular book seemed to drag a big in the middle. I was getting annoyed by Jeannie’s repetitive behavior. I admit that I was distracted by her character throughout the book. I wanted to spend more time developing the relationship between Grant and Kathleen. As to the main characters, I found both of them intriguing, but it was definitely Kathleen that kept me reading. Grant was a bit too reserved for my tastes. I wanted a bit more banter and sass (like his twin Graeme). I kept reading wanting to see them get their happy ending and figure out the identity of the gang. Decent addition to the series. I can’t wait to see Braden’s story next.

Clan Kendrick

#1 The Highlander Who Protected Me
#2 The Highlander’s Christmas Bride
#3 The Highlander’s English Bride
#4 The Highlander’s Irish Bride
#5 The Highlander’s Holiday Wife

Next up on the TBR pile:

Scandalous Lord Dere by Stephanie Laurens

Title: Scandalous Lord Dere

Author: Stephanie Laurens

Publisher: Avon 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 184

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Once upon a time, a young woman attended a New Year's Eve ball...The moon shone brightly, music filled the air. Kisses were stolen and promises made. But what happens when morning comes? A new year brings new scandal when a rake awakens in the bed of the flame-haired temptress who had seduced him years before. All of society has them bedded, but can he convince her to become wedded?

Much better! This was a fun Regency era romance involving old flames and a blizzard. I do so love the trapped-in-a-storm trope in my romance. This one was drawn out just how I like them to be. We slowly get to know Adrian and Abby’s history and their potential future. Plus we get a few very steamy scenes sprinkled throughout the novella. Very enjoyable historical romance.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Winter's Knight by Elizabeth Cole

Title: A Winter’s Knight (Regency Rhapsody #1)

Author: Elizabeth Cole

Publisher: 2012

Genre: Romance

Pages: 56

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Phoebe Hartridge runs into serious danger on an icy winter evening. But her rescuer, the mysterious Anthony Sterling, immediately melts her heart and makes her dream of a life beyond her tiny, sheltered world. The more she gets to know him, the more she senses he is hiding something from her.

When Captain Anthony Sterling was wounded in battle, he lost his leg, his fiancee, and any hope for happiness. Even the revelation that he is the heir to a fortune brought him nothing but bitterness. Then his chance encounter with the charming, innocent Phoebe makes him wonder if there may be a future for him after all. But first he must escape the shadows of his past.

My biggest complaint about this one is the length. So incredibly short! And so much happens in that short amount of time. The main characters get engaged after a week. A little too quick for me overall. I would have like to learn more about each of them and sit with their romance for longer. Meh. I won’t be reading the rest of this short story series (even if the library had it, I’m not paying for such short stories). Time to move on.

Regency Rhapsody

#1 A Winter’s Knight
#2 Scandal at Dawn
#3 Watch for Me by Moonlight
#4 A Voice at Midnight
#5 A Dress the Color of Dusk

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bloodlust & Bonnets by Emily McGovern

Title: Bloodlust & Bonnets

Author: Emily McGovern

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 216

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Set in early nineteenth-century Britain, Bloodlust & Bonnets follows Lucy, an unworldly debutante who desires a life of passion and intrigue—qualities which earn her the attention of Lady Violet Travesty, the leader of a local vampire cult.

But before Lucy can embark on her new life of vampiric debauchery, she finds herself unexpectedly thrown together with the flamboyant poet Lord Byron (“from books!”) and a mysterious bounty-hunter named Sham. The unlikely trio lie, flirt, fight, and manipulate each other as they make their way across Britain, disrupting society balls, slaying vampires, and making every effort not to betray their feelings to each other as their personal and romantic lives become increasingly entangled.

What a delightfully funny little graphic novel! I randomly picked this one up from a shelf at the library and let it sit on my floor for weeks. I grabbed it after starting a very disappointing novel. This was just what i needed. Right away, we meet Lucy and then Byron (you know, like in the books) and encounter a cult of vampires. From there we follow a twisty and turny path to reconnect with those vampires to slay them? Questions and declarations and puns and double entendres abound! I was snort laughing throughout most of the book. I especially loved the little interactions with Napoleon the Eagle and Castle. Oh so good! If you need a pick-me-up that actually discussions love and duty and fate, pick this one up!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Title: The Wallflower Wager (Girl meets Duke #3)

Author: Tessa Dare

Publisher: Avon 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 369

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.

Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.

When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.

Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?

And a two-legged dog.

And a foul-mouthed parrot.

And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .

Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.

Not if he ruins her first.

I must admit that Penny is not my favorite of the quartet of ladies featured in this series. I just am not charmed by her antics. But I must say that Gabriel is one of my favorites. I loved his rags to riches story and his lost boy personality. I guess he needed someone like Penny to bring him out into the open. I loved their romance bits and the appearances by the side characters (especially the banter between Ash and Chase). I didn’t necessarily love Penny’s narration parts. Still, it was a very enjoyable Regency romance. Now I have to wait for the last book in this quartet.

Girl Meets Duke

#1 The Duchess Deal
#2 The Governess Game
#3 The Wallflower Wager
#4 The Bride Bet

star-rating-remains-the-most-important-part-of-a-review-cad0047.cad0047.png

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

Title: The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (Smythe-Smith #4)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 378

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf

Sir Richard Kenworthy has less than a month to find a bride. He knows he can't be too picky, but when he sees Iris Smythe-Smith hiding behind her cello at her family's infamous musicale, he thinks he might have struck gold. She's the type of girl you don't notice until the second—or third—look, but there's something about her, something simmering under the surface, and he knows she's the one.

Iris Smythe–Smith is used to being underestimated. With her pale hair and quiet, sly wit she tends to blend into the background, and she likes it that way. So when Richard Kenworthy demands an introduction, she is suspicious. He flirts, he charms, he gives every impression of a man falling in love, but she can't quite believe it's all true. When his proposal of marriage turns into a compromising position that forces the issue, she can't help thinking that he's hiding something . . . even as her heart tells her to say yes.

I, um, was not impressed by this book. It’s fine as a Regency romance, but I wasn’t super into the characters or the plotline. I really did not like the story once it shifted to Yorkshire. I like some tension and conflict with my main characters, but this book took it to a new level that I did not appreciate. Such a disappointment.

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

#1 Just Like Heaven
#2 A Night Like This
#3 The Sum of All Kisses
#4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

Title: The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith #3)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Sarah Pleinsworth can’t forgive Hugh Prentice for the duel he fought three years ago that nearly destroyed her family, sent her cousin fleeing, and left Hugh himself with a badly injured leg. That’s fine with Hugh, who can’t tolerate Sarah’s dramatic ways. But when the two are forced to spend a week together, they find that unexpected kisses, and mutual passion, may have the power to change both of their minds.

Oh Yes! This is exactly what I want out of my historical romance. Two strong-willed and fun characters, a progression from hatred to passion, not much miscommunication, a real relationship explored, and a bit of sexy time on the side. After the previous book, A Night Like This, I really hoped that we would get to see more of Hugh Prentice. Lucky me, this book is all about him! The quick glimpses that we got of him intrigued me. I needed to know more. And we get so much more! As for Sarah, she was annoying in the previous books, but I suspect that’s more because she was contrasted with Honoria and then Anne’s personalities. Sarah is much more straight forward and confident in herself. We get two very strong-willed people that clash and clash and clash before finally realizing that they love each other. Delightful!

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

#1 Just Like Heaven
#2 A Night Like This
#3 The Sum of All Kisses
#4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

Title: A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith #2)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf Project RC - Favorite Genre

Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is....

But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge: in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy; no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger....

But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a 10-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending....

CW: Rape, sexual assault (not described in details, but there)

Much better than the first book in the series. These characters are actually interesting and likable. I totally bought their romance. Their back-and-forth was lovely and engaging. I enjoyed the mystery of who Anne was and the lingering affects from Daniel’s banishment. I was even more excited that Quinn didn’t make Hugh a complete villain. He is going to be delightful as a hero in the next book. I cannot wait! My biggest complaint is the lack of steamy scenes. The one scene seems very rushed and unfocused, but I think this just might be how Quinn writes them.

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

#1 Just Like Heaven
#2 A Night Like This
#3 The Sum of All Kisses
#4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

Title: Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith #1)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 374

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project

Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

A) a really bad violinist
B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child
C) not in love with her older brother's best friend
D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

A) the Earl of Chatteris
B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles
C) not in love with his best friend's younger sister
D) all of the above

Together they:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
B) survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance
C) fall quite desperately in love

It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is...

D) all of the above

I was a bit disappointed by this one. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but found the main characters lacking in, well, character. I just didn’t find Honoria or Marcus very compelling as romantic leads. I was interested in learning more about the Smyth-Smith family, but I didn’t love this one. I wanted more from our romantic leads. And I definitely wanted more steamy scenes. One mostly closed door scene was not enough at all. I fear that this will continue, but I do have the second and fourth book in the series, so I’ll probably keep reading them.

Smythe-Smith Quartet:

#1 Just Like Heaven
#2 A Night Like This
#3 The Sum of All Kisses
#4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Last Debutante by Julia London

Title: The Last Debutante (The Secrets of Hadley Green #4)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Book 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 370

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart.

The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish—and so much more....

A fitting end to the Hadley Green series. We get to see what happened to Lord Ashland and the jewels. We get to see Daria finally settled where she belongs. She definitely seemed out of place in the previous books. We get to see more from Charity and Captain Mackenzie. I just wish we would have had a bit more resolution instead of the usual rushed ending chapter. I always want a bit more at the end with these type of books. But I did enjoy the journey to the ending. I loved Jamie and the various inhabitants of Dundavie. Geordie was especially a favorite. Good series overall.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Year of Living Scandalously by Julia London

Title: The Year of Living Scandalously (The Secrets of Hadley Green #1)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Books 2010

Genre: Fiction - Romance

Pages: 423

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - February

When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely woman who welcomes him is not who she pretends to be. In an attempt to avoid an unwanted marriage, Keira Hannigan has assumed her cousin’s identity and is staying at the estate while Lily is abroad. When Declan threatens to expose her, Keira convinces him to guard her secret, then enlists him in her investigation of the missing jewels, for she now believes an innocent man was hanged.

Unable to deny the beautiful, exasperating Keira—or their simmering passion—Declan reluctantly agrees. But neither is prepared for the dangerous stranger who threatens to reveal Keira’s lies . . . and Declan knows he must protect Keira at all costs, for she is the woman who now owns his heart.

I started another Regency romance series from my shelves. I definitely enjoyed the overall story and characters. Keira and Declan are a great couple. I love the Pride and Prejudice vibes I got from this book. Great dislike to love story. I was less enamored with the overall deception Keira engages in throughout the book. Things were not going to end well, and Keira’s insistence that they would got a bit annoying. Beyond that bit, I did enjoy the overall mystery set up in this volume. And the side characters were interesting. Most definitely I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

#1 The Year of Living Scandalously
#1.5 The Christmas Secret
#2 The Revenge of Lord Eberlin
#3 The Seduction of Lady X
#4 The Last Debutante

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn

Title: Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham #2)

Author: Julia Quinn

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Romance

Pages: 370

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

Amelia Willoughby has been engaged to the Duke of Wyndham for as long as she can remember. Literally. A mere six months old when the contracts were signed, she has spent the rest of her life waiting. And waiting. And waiting . . . for Thomas Cavendish, the oh-so-lofty duke, to finally get around to marrying her. But as she watches him from afar, she has a sneaking suspicion that he never thinks about her at all . . .

It's true. He doesn't. Thomas rather likes having a fiancée—all the better to keep the husband-hunters at bay—and he does intend to marry her . . . eventually. But just when he begins to realize that his bride might be something more than convenient, Thomas's world is rocked by the arrival of his long-lost cousin, who may or may not be the true Duke of Wyndham. And if Thomas is not the duke, then he's not engaged to Amelia. Which is the cruelest joke of all, because this arrogant and illustrious duke has made the mistake of falling in love . . . with his own fiancée!

The companion novel to The Lost Duke of Wyndham and it was a good one, even with some repetition. We get the first book, but told from Thomas and Amelia’s points of view. I didn’t love these two quite as much as Jack and Grace. However, I did come to love Amelia as a great foil for Thomas and even for the Dowager. A nice Regency romance for my weekend reading.

Two Dukes of Wyndham

#1 The Lost Duke of Wyndham
#2 Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh

Title: A Counterfeit Betrothal (Waite #2)/ The Notorious Rake (Waite #3)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1992

Genre: Romance

Pages: 560

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Women Authors; Alphabet Soup - B

A COUNTERFEIT BETROTHAL

Lady Sophia Bryant has no intention of marrying anytime soon. Her one desire is to reunite her parents, who have been estranged for fourteen years. Surely, if she happens to announce her betrothal—even a false one—they will be forced to see each other. Devilishly handsome Lord Francis Sutton seems perfect for such deceit, always agreeable to games of passion in which he has nothing to lose. The trap is set—if only Lady Sophia can keep her foolish heart from falling prey to her brilliant snares.

THE NOTORIOUS RAKE

Lord Edmund Waite is everything that Lady Mary Gregg despises: lewd, lascivious, mocking—the most incorrigible and successful rogue around. A bluestocking like her would never tempt a man whose taste runs to pretty playthings—so Mary is startled to find herself the object of Lord Edmund’s desires. Even more surprising is her reaction to his shocking advances. She may be a lady, but this man knows so well how to make her feel like a woman.

Wow! I did not enjoy either one of these stories. All of the relationships were way too problematic for me. I despised how the characters spoke to each other. The romances were not all that believable or interesting. Definitely not a good choice. This volume is obviously going into the to-sell pile.

Waite:

#1 The Trysting Place
#2 A Counterfeit Betrothal
#3 The Notorious Rake

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dark Angel / Lord Crew's Bride by Mary Balogh

Title: Dark Angel (Dark Angel #1)/ Lord Carew’s Bride (Dark Angel #2)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1994 / 1995

Genre: Romance

Pages: 624

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Over 500 pages

DARK ANGEL
Jennifer Winwood has been engaged for five years to a man she hardly knows but believes to be honorable and good: Lord Lionel Kersey. Suddenly, she becomes the quarry of London’s most notorious womanizer, Gabriel Fisher, the Earl of Thornhill. Jennifer has no idea that she is just a pawn in the long-simmering feud between these two headstrong, irresistible men—or that she will become a prize more valuable than revenge.

Hmmm… So I like most of this book. I enjoyed the intrigue of the dangerous game between Thornhill and Kersey. I enjoyed watching Jennifer fall for Thornhill even though she resisted. I wasn’t a huge fan of their relationship during the last 50 pages of the book. I would have liked more discussion/understanding instead of hostility. I hope we get to see them happier in the next book.

LORD CAREW’S BRIDE
Jennifer’s cousin Samantha Newman is smarting after she too is toyed with by Lord Kersey. In the midst of her heartbreak, she seeks solace from her new friend, the disabled gardener Hartley Wade. If only she knew that Hartley is secretly Lord Carew, and that he hides more than extraordinary wealth: a passionate secret held deep in his heart that only her love can reveal.

I liked this story much more than Dark Angel. Hartley and Sam were much more interesting characters. And I wasn’t as confused by their relationship as I was Gabriel and Jennifer’s. I loved how their relationship progressed. And Kersey was just as much of a villain as in the first book. Definitely a fun read.

Dark Angel:

#1 Dark Angel
#2 Lord Carew’s Bride
#3 The Famous Heroine
#4 The Plumed Bonnet
#5 The Ideal Wife
#6 A Precious Jewel
#7 A Christmas Bride
#8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh

Title: A Precious Jewel (Stapleton-Downes #2)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1993

Genre: Romance

Pages: 338

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Key Word - Jewel; Finishing the Series

She was unlike any woman he’d ever met in the ton or the demimonde. But Sir Gerald Stapleton frequented Mrs. Blyth’s euphemistically dubbed “finishing school” for pure, uncomplicated pleasure–and nothing else. So why was this confirmed bachelor so thoroughly captivated by one woman in particular? Why did he find himself wondering how such a rare jewel of grace, beauty, and refinement as Priss had ended up a courtesan? And when she needed protection, why did Gerald, who’d sworn he’d never get entangled in affairs of the heart, hasten to set her up as his own pampered mistress to ensure her safety–and have her all to himself?

For Priscilla Wentworth, the path leading to Sir Gerald’s bed had been as filled with misfortune as it suddenly seemed charmed. But Priss couldn’t allow herself to believe she’d ever be more to a man like Sir Gerald than a well-cared-for object of pleasure. Now, despite Gerald’s deep distrust of marriage, neither scandal nor society’s censure can keep them apart–only the fear of trusting their hearts.

Another disappointing read. January is really ending up to be a very mixed bag when it comes to books. But anyway… I was not a fan of either of the main characters in this book. Priss was extremely wooden throughout every encounter with other people. I really wanted her to have some kind of personality. And Gerald was a bit of a naive yet pompous ass. For all of Priss’s talk of the worth of Gerald, I just couldn’t really see it. I just really wanted better characters. The previous book, The Ideal Wife, was such a delight. This was the opposite.

Stapleton-Downes:

#1 The Ideal Wife
#2 A Precious Jewel

Dark Angel:

#1 Dark Angel
#2 Lord Carew’s Bride
#3 The Famous Heroine
#4 The Plumed Bonnet
#5 The Ideal Wife
#6 A Precious Jewel
#7 A Christmas Bride
#8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh

Title: The Ideal Wife (Stapleton-Downes #1; Dark Angel #5)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1991

Genre: Romance

Pages: 339

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Finishing the Series; Romance

When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she’d come to this charismatic stranger’s home to plead for her future. Instead she shocks them both by saying yes. Her impulsive decision will have consequences neither she nor her new husband can foresee. For Miles has his own reasons for marrying her. And Abigail is harboring a secret of her own. As distrust gives way to desire . . . as, together, they give in to the pleasures of the marriage bed, a devastating scandal threatens their future. Now these two wary hearts will risk ruin and disgrace for a love that has changed them both forever—the kind all seek, but few ever find

I might be reading the Dark Angel series out of order, but this was written first, so I’m starting here… Also, it’s been on my book shelves for a few years now. Time to read and get rid of it.

I loved this story! Abby and Miles are such great characters. The plot uses a common trope in Regency romances, but I loved how the story evolved from there. We get to know the two main characters very well in just a short amount of time. I loved see how Abby and Miles grew both in their own person and within their marriage. Seriously loved it!

Stapleton-Downes:

#1 The Ideal Wife
#2 A Precious Jewel

Dark Angel:

#1 Dark Angel
#2 Lord Carew’s Bride
#3 The Famous Heroine
#4 The Plumed Bonnet
#5 The Ideal Wife
#6 A Precious Jewel
#7 A Christmas Bride
#8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Heart of Christmas

Title: The Heart of Christmas

Author: Mary Balogh, Nicola Cornick, Courtney Milan

Publisher: Harlequin 2009

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 378

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; Popsugar - Guaranteed to bring me joy

A Handful of Gold
Not only is Julian Dare dashing and wealthy, but he's the heir to an earldom. So what do you get a man who has everything? Innocent and comely Verity Ewing plans on giving Julian her heart—the most precious gift of all.

This story was very cute. I loved Verity and her plan to help her family. My problem with the story was that I wanted to see it as a full length book instead of a novella. I felt like the story has much more left to be told...

The Season for Suitors
After some close encounters with rakes in which she was nearly compromised, heiress Clara Davenport realizes that she needs some expert advice. And who better for the job than Sebastian Fleet, the most notorious rake in town? But the tutelage doesn't go quite as planned, as both Sebastian and Clara find it difficult to remain objective when it comes to lessons of the heart!

This story was my favorite of the collection. I loved the will-they or won't-they romance between Clara and Sebastian. They were great characters! Definitely enjoyed reading this one.

This Wicked Gift
Lavinia Spencer has been saving her hard-earned pennies to provide her family with Christmas dinner. Days before the holiday, her brother is swindled, leaving them owing more than they can ever repay. Until a mysterious benefactor offers to settle the debt. Innocent Lavinia is stunned by what the dashing William White wants in return. Will she exchange a wicked gift for her family's fortune?

My least favorite of the stories, I still enjoyed the story of Lavinia and William. I just didn't quite fall in love with this couple.

A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh

Title: A Secret Affair (Huxtable Quintet #5)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: Dell Books 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W19; Seriously Series

Born a commoner, Hannah Reid has been Duchess of Dunbarton since she was nineteen years old. Now her husband is dead and, more beautiful than ever at thirty, Hannah has her freedom at last. To the shock of a conventional friend, she announces her intention to take a lover—and not just any lover, but the most dangerous and delicious man in all of upper-class England: Constantine Huxtable. Constantine’s illegitimacy has denied him the title of earl, so now he denies himself nothing. Rumored to be living the easy life of a sensualist on his country estate, he always chooses recent widows for his short-lived affairs. Hannah will fit the bill nicely. But once these two passionate and scandalous figures find each other, they discover that it isn’t so easy to extricate oneself from the fires of desire—without getting singed.

Not the strongest book of the series and definitely not my favorite. I was never a fan of Constantine's and this book didn't make me like him any better. I also wasn't a huge fan of Hannah. She just seemed so naive that I couldn't get over her behavior. Really I have this novel 3 stars on account of the previous books. This volume just didn't interest me...

Huxtable Quintet

Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh

Title: Seducing an Angel (Huxtable Quintet #4)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: Dell 2009

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 388

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; Seriously Series

Meet the Huxtables—three headstrong sisters and their dashing brother—each searching for love that’s always a shocking indiscretion away. . . . Here Stephen will risk his reputation and his heart as he enters a scandalous liaison with the infamous beauty intent on seduction. But when passion turns the tables on them both, who can say who has seduced whom?He must be wealthy, wellborn, and want her more than he wants any other woman. Those are the conditions that must be met by the man Cassandra Belmont chooses for her lover. Marriage is out of the question for the destitute widow who stands accused of murdering her husband and must now barter her beauty in order to survive. With seduction in mind, she sets her sights on Stephen Huxtable, the irresistibly attractive Earl of Merton and London’s most eligible bachelor. But Stephen’s first intriguing glimpse of the mysterious, alluring Lady Paget convinces him that he has found the ideal woman to share his bed. There is only one caveat. This relationship fueled by mutual pleasure must be on his terms.

Still pushing through this series. Still liking a majority of the characters. Still allowing the fairly predictable plots. I definitely liked Stephen the best from this book. But I must say that I thought the relationship between Cass and Stephen to be the least realistic so far. I'll still finish the series though. I like my fun fluffy romances from time to time.

Huxtable Quintet