The Silver Coin (Coins: Book Two): Andrea Kane

"All her life, Breanna Colby has lived on the precipice of fear, her only joy the recent reunion with her beloved cousin, Anastasia.  With her violent father now locked away in jail, the repressed young woman can emerge from her cocoon and pursue all the joys she's been denied.  But she finds--to her terror--that not all the shadows have lifted, and an evil from the past stalks both her and Anastasia.  When authorities are unable to help with this assassin lurking in the darkness, the Colbys turn to the brilliant, unconventional Royce Chadwick, England's foremost expert on finding people who don't want to be found.

"Hard, detached Royce has always been a loner who operates by his own set of rules.  He has little patience for weakness.  Delicate Breanna Colby is an eye-opener to him, for beneath her fragile exterior lies a core of steel.  As the two face overwhelming danger side by side, Royce discovered a woman he never dreamed existed--one who, despite his cynicism, he is losing his heart to.  But their future together can never be--not unless Royce kills the assassin before the assassin kills them."

Having sped through the first in this two book series, The Gold Coin, I was eager to pick up the second and see what happens in Brianna's story.  Lucky for me, I happened to have this one sitting on my shelf as well!  After such an explosive ending to the Stacie's story, I couldn't wait to see what the aftermath looked like.  What sort of fallout came of Stacie and Breanna thwarting the assassin?  What would life be like for Breanna now that she was finally free of her violent, vindictive father?

The story takes place shortly after Breanna's twenty-first birthday -- just a few months after the conclusion of Stacie's book.  Breanna has been working on organizing the construction of Stacie and Damen's new home on the grounds of Medford Manor.  She excitedly anticipates their return from their honeymoon trip to America where they were able to oversee their new banking venture.  However, the joy is not to last.

A mysterious package arrives at Medford Manor.  It it addressed only to Stacie.  And it contains mutilated dolls which bear an uncanny resemblance to Stacie and Breanna, as well as an explicit threat.  Though Breanna takes the dolls to Bow Street, there is little they can do for her.  They are spread far too thin as it is with a slew of odd murders and disappearances amongst the ton.  Stacie realizes Bow Street will be of no help and she must figure out how to handle the threat on her own.  It seems as if the assassin whose finger she shot off when she thwarted his attempted murder of Stacie has come back to England.  Not only does he seek revenge for his mutilated hand, he wants Breanna to suffer.  A brilliant villain, he knows the best way to do this is to go for her weak underbelly.  He intends to make her watch Stacie die before he then kills Breanna.  The stakes become all the more desperate when Stacie and Damen return from their trip and announce that Stacie is expecting.  Not only does Breanna have to worry about keeping her beloved cousin safe from the assassin's gun, she now has an unborn child to consider.

Ever the devoted husband and soon-to-be-father, Damen is determined to do everything in his power to keep his family safe.  He calls upon an old friend, Royce Chadwick, to help track down the mysterious assassin before he can pull the trigger.  The depth and breadth of the assassin's depravity is astounding.  He is brilliant and fearless...but Royce must be even more cunning if he is to save the life of the woman he has come to love.

What follows is an intense game of cat and mouse which kept me on the edge of my seat.  I swear I was drowning in anxiety the entire time I read this book!  Kane does such a brilliant job with creating palpable tension and moving the plot along.  There was nothing stagnant about this book.  I was as desperate as the characters to see what the assassin would do next, when and where he would strike.  The plot was brilliant and the assassin was terrifying.  It was an impossible situation, especially when Kane did such a great job of closing any loopholes and avenues Stacie and Breanna may have had to escape the fate intended for them.

I enjoyed seeing Breanna come into her own in this story, but she did still seem to remain true to the character we saw in the first book.  She is soft-spoken and seems fragile, but it hides a quick intelligence and strong soul.  This is what causes Royce to fall for her.  He was adamant from the very beginning that he detests weakness and shows of tears.  It is no wonder he is impressed when he meets Breanna and finds no wilting flower.  However.  I will say that this was just about all I could come up with as to why Royce fell for her.  There wasn't much from his perspective in regards to this transition (though we did see inside his mind a great deal more than we did Damen's in the first book), so it wound up feeling like a bit more of a leap than it should have.  In fact, it actually suspended escape into the story quite a bit.  The same went for Breanna's attraction to Royce.  We saw that she was physically attracted to him, but what else was there?  I suppose I wanted a bit more about about why and how they fell in love to make this a tad bit more believable.  It could have been as simple as showing some interactions between them which weren't all about tracking down the assassin.  Their coming together and declarations of love felt far more abrupt than they probably should have been.

I enjoyed seeing more of Damen and Stacie, though I will say that they felt a little bit "hollow."  Damen was reduced to a stereotypical overly-protective husband.  I wanted to see his quick mind and wit.  Stacie was more reserved as well.  I might attribute this to her wanting to protect her unborn child and experiencing the woes of the first trimester, but I can't blame it fully on that.  I realize they were not the center of attention in this book, but I wanted to see the glimmer of their characters here as well.

The chapters from the assassin's perspective were brilliant.  I loved how dark and sinister they felt and I truly enjoyed seeing the way his mind worked.  He really was an evil genius adept in terrorizing his victims to their cores.  Kane shielded him perfectly and I had no idea who he was until the characters did.

The overall plot was extremely complex and far grander than I could have imagined.  This book clearly took an extraordinary amount of work and planning to execute.  For this, I commend Kane.  She wrote brilliantly and kept me interested from the very first page.  I waited for the final confrontation with a tremendous amount of anticipation.  I suppose I wanted a bit more than I was given when it came to revealing the assassin, but I suppose it all worked out for the best.

As a minor note (which I hope doesn't give too much away), I did find the very last chapter to be a tad bit too "Brady Bunch" for my personal tastes.  I'm sure not everyone will feel this way, but I did feel the need to mention it.

Overall, I did like this series quite a bit.  I enjoyed the blend of romance, mystery, and suspense.  I was never bored and, for the most part, I found the characters to be interesting and the style to be captivating.  I made a few notes about the romance between the male and female leads in each of these books, but these are by no means deal breakers.  I recommend this series to any lover of romance who is looking to liven up their reading material!

The Gold Coin (Coins: Book One): Andrea Kane

"As children, identical cousins Anastasia and Breanna Colby swore always to protect each other.  Now that Anastasia's beloved parents have died, she has come to live with Breanna...and Breanna's father, whose raging temper has locked his daughter into a life of fear.  What is more, Anastasia soon realizes that her uncle is involved in a sinister scheme that places both young women in deadly danger.  Fearing most of all for her cousin, Anastasia turns to the only help she can think of, the man who holds the reins to her considerable fortune--the fascinating, enigmatic Damen Lockewood, Marquess of Sheldrake.

"From the moment Anastasia and Damen meet, blazing passion flares between them.  But in the face of overwhelming peril--and threats on Anastasia's life--thoughts of love cannot be indulged.  Not unless the mystery that entraps them is solved will they at last be able to pursue the future their feelings command them to share.  But is the danger stalking them really gone?"

Andrea Kane is a new author on my list.  I've had a few of her books sitting amongst my collection for quite a few years, but this is the first that I've picked up.  I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  I don't know if I initially realized that there was more to this story than a romance novel, but it quickly became apparent that there was far more to this book than I'd believed.

We are first introduced to young Stacie (Anastasia) and Breanna as they make their first decision to trade places in an effort to save Breanna from getting into trouble with her father.  Being that their fathers are twins and their mothers, sisters, the cousins' auburn hair and jade-green eyes are so similar that there is no one who can tell them apart -- not even their own parents.  This sparks a pact between them which will much later become an integral part of their survival.  That evening, they are pulled aside by their grandfather and given some very special, very secret gifts:  For Stacie, a gold coin; silver for Breanna.  He tells them that they must keep them safe and never under any circumstances present them to anyone.  Though they are young, the girls take his words to heart.  Little do they know what an impact those coins will make upon their lives.

Years pass and Stacie returns to England after having moved to Pennsylvania with her parents soon after that night when she and Breanna had first switched identities.  Both of her parents have died and she returns to the beloved home shortly after her grandfather's own death.  Her uncle, Breanna's father, is now Viscount Medford.  It is clear that he has taken to running his family's company and lording power over his daughter.  With their grandfather gone, Breanna's world had shrunk to the size of Medford Manor.  Both girls are overjoyed at being reunited, but there is a sinister undercurrent at Medford Manor which unnerves Stacie and causes her concern for her beloved cousin.

Her fears grow when she witnesses just how sheltered and locked away Breanna has been all these years.  Part of the reason appears to be that Medford has his eye on Damen Lockwood, Marquess of Sheldrake, as a future son-in-law.  Not only is Damen incredibly brilliant and wealthy, his family is renowned for its credibility and standing in the financial world.  No doubt this has played into Uncle George's desire to bring Damen into his family.  His greed and lust for power was never a secret; in fact, it was one of the things which drove a wedge between the Colby men for many decades.  Though between them lies an even darker secret which Stacie's father carried to his grave, Breanna knows not of, and George has allowed to fester in the dark hole in which his heart should have existed.

It is clear that the new Viscount Medford is furious at being kept away from Stacie and Breanna's inheritances, and that Stacie is now owner of her father's share of the family shipping company.  He hadn't anticipated having a woman as a business associate, let alone one as outspoken and meddlesome as his niece.  He can only hope that Damen, the man wisely named as custodian of Stacie's inheritance, will keep her from making any foolish financial decisions and squandering away the money before Medford can find a way to get his hands on it.

Little do Medford and Damen know that Stacie is far more than she first appears.  Having inherited her sense of business and learned financial savviness from her father, Stacie is thrilled to finally be able to have a part in the family business.  What she hadn't counted on, however, was having to answer to a man such as Damen when it came to spending those funds -- at least until her twenty-first birthday.  At first, she finds Damen to be cold and far too observant.  He thwarts her attempts to invest in what she believes to be a brilliant financial opportunity and she does everything she can in order to realize her dreams.  Her determination is what eventually draws Damen to her.

Damen is far too busy to play custodian to this Americanized young woman, Lady Anastasia Colby.  He has many more pressing matters to attend to, a bank to run, and investments to manage...still, he finds himself spending more and more time with her under the guise of discussing her inheritance.  He doesn't expect her to brazenly approach other potential investors at her coming out party after he turns her down.  He's drawn to her fiery personality, her rapier wit, and her enthralling beauty.  It would seem that she is the only woman in the world who could entice him to mix business with pleasure.

As Damen and Stacie become closer, Medford starts to see the threads of his careful plot begin to unravel. No one realizes the depth of his debt and the strength of his determination to not lose everything.  He will stop at nothing to win everything back.  Even if it means sacrificing what little family he has left.  Greed has blinded him and driven him to the edge of sanity.  It becomes apparent that Medford is involved in something very dangerous, very dark, and very illegal.  His desperation could very well put Stacie and Breanna's lives in jeopardy if he isn't stopped in time...

I found the undercurrent of romance between Damen and Stacie to be quite enjoyable.  It wasn't as overt as a "true" romance novel, but there was just enough to put this solidly in the romance genre.  I liked the progression of it, which flowed rather well with the complex plot.  However, I will say that I felt like I needed more from Damen's point of view.  A vast majority of this book was from Stacie's perspective (or Medford's, but I'll get into that later) and I wanted to know more about how Damen fell so hard and so fast for Stacie.  He was such a logical, methodical character that there had to be something rather extraordinary going on in his mind to make this happen.  We got very few chapters from Damen's point of view, and I would have very much liked to have seen at least several more.  I'm much more used to a more equitable division of perspective.  What was different from the more traditional romance genre was that the characters declared love rather quickly and rather easily.  Once it hit them, they didn't resist or hide it; they accepted it and moved on with plans to make a future as best as they could.  This felt a little bit off to me, but it could have been simply because I'm so used to characters having to work through more issues in their relationship.  Of course, Damen and Stacie had many other obstacles they needed to overcome...

I mentioned that a portion of this book is told from Medford's perspective.  I found this to be an excellent tactic.  It was a great way to create tension and also expose the readers to his descent into desperation and madness.  It was dark and disturbing at times, but it definitely created a great villain for the mystery/suspense portion of this story.  Medford was a selfish, greedy, hateful man -- and we never would have known the depths of his depravity were we readers not privy to his inner thoughts.

I read this book rather quickly despite its length, which I find to be a good testament to its readability.  I liked the strong characters and captivating plot.  Stacie was intelligent and outspoken while Breanna was an excellent foil to her more brazen cousin.  I did enjoy seeing Breanna come into her own as the story moved along and I looked forward to seeing more of her in her own book.  I found Damen to be witty and charming, impressively intelligent and wise beyond his years.  He was an excellent male lead; I just wanted a bit more insight into the workings of his very interesting mind.

I definitely recommend this book to those seeking to branch out a bit from straight "romance."  This can add a bit of variety into your reading without too much culture shock.  The sense of danger fairly dripped from every page and kept me wanting to read more...so much so that I've actually already finished the second book in this pair!

Rendezvous: Amanda Quick

"From the elegantly appointed drawing rooms of London's most exclusive club to an imposing country estate in the heart of Dorset comes a provocative tale of a free-thinking beauty, a dignified lord, and a man, impetuous love that defied all logic...

"Augutsta Ballinger was quite sure that it was all a dreadful mistake.  The chillingly pompous and dangerously disturbing Earl of Graystone could not possibly wish to marry her.  Why, it was rumored that his chosen bride must be a veritable model of virtue.  And everyone knew that Augusta, as the last of the wild, reckless Northumberland Ballingers, was a woman who could not be bothered by society's rules.

"That was why the spirited beauty had planned a midnight encounter to warn the earl off, to convince him that she would make him a very poor wife indeed.  But when she crawled in through his darkened study window, Augusta only succeeded in strengthening Harry's resolve:  to kiss the laughter from those honeyed lips and teach this maddening miss to behave!  How could he possibly know that it was he who was in for a lesson...as his brazen fiancee set out to win his heart--and an old and clever enemy stepped in to threaten their love, their honor, and their very lives?"

This is another little gem by Amanda Quick!  Despite my busy schedule, I read this one in only a matter of days.  The pacing was excellent and the plot was exceedingly entertaining.  I found the characters to be as charming as the plot, which helped to keep me wanting more.

Augusta is a spirited female lead who is beyond proud of her roots.  She knows everyone is aware that she comes from the reckless side of the Ballinger family, and she takes this as license to do much as she pleases.  Though she is very intelligent and as educated as she is forward-thinking, this does not stop her from enjoying the finer things womanhood has to offer.  Her love of entertaining and pretty clothing is a nice touch when so many authors choose to forego this aspect of a female lead's personality in favor of a much more "scholarly" appeal.  Why can't a woman want reform and recognition for women's accomplishments and also enjoy beautiful things?!  Augusta's quick temper and wit get her into a number of scrapes, but they also attract a very surprising suitor.

Suffering from the hidden scars of his first marriage as well as the weariness following the Napoleonic Wars, Harry, Earl of Graystone, is a man of many mysteries; perhaps the biggest of which is just why he chooses Augusta Ballinger as his bride!  By all accounts, she is the last thing he should desire.  She can be immodest and wild, a bit to outspoken and prone to harebrained schemes, but she possesses that which Harry prizes most in the world:  unfailing honesty and loyalty.  Despite her assurances that she will make him a terrible wife, Harry is determined to wed Augusta and have her as his Countess.  Little do either of them know that the other is exactly what they need in their respective lives.

Both Harry and Augusta have secrets of their own, but everything must come to light when an enemy comes around seeking to cause their newlywed bliss to come crashing down and destroy all they hold dear...

Their spark is enjoyable and enlivened by both of their tempers and differing attitudes.  I enjoyed the romance and it felt fairly natural between the two of them.  I will concede that the first "encounter" felt a bit early and a bit too "acceptable" for Augusta -- a woman who, up until that point, had managed to remain pure and virtuous despite her reputation.  She seemed to fall into Harry's arms a bit too easily, despite her silent admission that she'd always been attracted to him.  I also do believe I'd mentioned this in another of my reviews, but Harry's physical appearance was very much glossed over.  I'm pretty sure we got literally one or two sentences about him in the beginning of the book.  It was fairly forgettable and I had to draw my own mental picture as I read on.  I wanted to "see" him a bit more than I did.  I do feel like Augusta had more to her description, but it was still a bit lacking compared to what I am used to.

Overall, I found this book to be very enjoyable and I look forward to reading more of Quick's works.

The Rake's Inherited Courtesan: A Scandalous Bequest: Ann Lethbridge

"HIS OUTRAGEOUS MISTRESS..

"Daughter of a Parisian courtesan, Sylvia Boisette longs for respectability, though gossips say she is nothing more than a gentleman's paramour.  Now, with her guardian dead, she finds herself in a shocking situation...

"Christopher Everden is appalled by his uncle's will--Madamoiselle Boisette is now his courtesan!  Although his body responds to Sylvia's tempting sensuality, he knows he should rid himself of his disreputable charge.  But, surprisingly, Sylvia has a vulnerability to match her exceptional beauty.  Perhaps his inherited mistress could become his rightful bride!"

The title to this book does not do it justice.  As the saying goes, I caution you to not judge this book by its cover (or title); there is far more to this story than meets the eye and I was certainly pleasantly surprised.

Readers immediately encounter young Sylvia at the reading of the will of her former protector and guardian.  Everyone else in attendance seems to presume the rumors to be true:  Mr. John Everden took a very much younger Parisian woman as his mistress, installed her in his household...and then willed her to his youngest nephew.  Sylvia had been well cared for under Mr. Everden's care for many years and she had been led to believe that now she would make her own way in the world.  That is, until the will reveals that her care -- and what little money she is to receive -- lies in the hand's of Mr. Everden's nephew, Christopher.  He is, perhaps, even less excited about the situation than she.  Surely his uncle had been addled!  How dare he insist upon such a scandalous arrangement?  Wasn't it bad enough that he'd been dragging the Everden name through the mud housing this young courtesan for so many years, now he had to saddle Christopher with her and charge him with her care?  Unfortunately for Christopher, he cannot find a way out of the arrangement.  Every chance he has to try to rid himself of Miss Boisette runs aground.  Then again...the more time he spends in his presence, the less sure he is that he really wants to be rid of her forever...  Their journey takes them across England, through London, and even back across the Channel to the place of Sylvia's birth.  Christopher learns there is far more to Sylvia than he'd first been led to believe and he comes to realize that Sylvia is far more innocent than the first impression she'd presented.  Meanwhile, Christopher teaches Sylvia that she is worthy of respect and trust and, just maybe, even love.  But, with a dark and tragic past such as her own, how can Sylvia possibly allow a good and honorable man such a Christopher to lower himself to include her in his life?  Surely she will never be accepted and she cannot allow his sterling reputation to suffer.  Unfortunately for the two of them, there may not be time for them to sort through their complex attraction.  There is an unknown evil lurking in the shadows, stalking Miss Boisette everywhere she goes.  A very powerful man wants Sylvia to disappear from English shores, even if that means locking her away in France and immersing her in the hellish life she'd once escaped long ago.

Sylvia was an intelligent female lead.  She was immensely brave, quick-witted, and eloquent.  I enjoyed the realism of her unwillingness to let just anyone into her life, especially given the sad circumstances of her upbringing.  She rode the fine line between looking out for herself (as one would expect from a woman who grew up as she did) and being selfless for those she loved.  She, however, also recognized that there were certain things she could not change about herself and certain things which would never be accepted.  She'd learned how to play to some of those assumptions (as evidenced in her first private meeting with Christopher), and also how to recognize when she was in over her head.  This came into play in her relationship with Christopher on numerous occasions and I found it all endearing and excellent characterization.

Christopher as a male lead was wonderful.  He was kind and caring, but not overly soft; and I definitely appreciated that his backstory made sense as far as this aspect of his personality.  He was also strong, brave, intelligent, and had strong morals...and more than a bit handsome if we go off of Sylvia's impressions of him.  What more could a girl want?!  He will go to any lengths to protect his family and those he loves -- even if that means crossing the Channel in pursuit of a certain kidnapped French girl and going undercover to retrieve her from the clutches of a ruthless Madame.  Christopher knows that Sylvia will never be safe until the discover who is behind all of this...and the answer to that question could very well turn Sylvia's whole world upside down.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The first few chapters started off a little bit slowly.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I think I placed a lot on what conclusions I was going to come to once I saw more of Sylvia.  Exactly how archetypal would she be?  A reformed fallen angel?  A misunderstood courtesan?  Something else entirely?  Thank goodness she was the latter because I don't think I would have enjoyed this book nearly as much.  I found the spark between Sylvia and Christopher to be excellent. It didn't drive the entire plot (which was nice and seemed to stay true to both of their personal motivations and personalities), but was a satisfying undercurrent of dare-we-act-dare-we-not.  Once the passion and desire between the two of them finally comes to a head, I must say that their chemistry was delightful.  I very much enjoyed Lethbridge's writing.  Do note that she is an English writer, so some of the words and formatting are decidedly "unAmerican."  I found that I didn't mind this, though, and it was actually easier to believe the characters to be English because of this.  I thought her sense of place was lovely.  It drew me into the story and I was utterly absorbed in the scenes.  This book truly turned out to be a gem on my shelves and I absolutely look forward to reading more of Lethbridge in the future.

Viking Warrior: Connie Mason

 

"He would never forgive

"After a brutal attack on his farmstead, Wulfric the Ruthless had sworn vengeance on the Danish raiders for killing his young wife.  But when he laid eyes on Reyna the Dane, all he could see was a woman of extraordinary beauty, with flowing hair the color of moonlight and a body and Valkyrie would envy.  She was his thrall, gifted to him by his brother to warm his bed.  Could this beautiful healer also was the fire burning in his heart?

"She would never forget

"Stolen from her home by wild Norsemen, Reyna would always remember the face of the barbarian who'd destroyed her life.  When she first caught sight of her new master, she thought he was the very man he'd vowed to hate forever.  But Wolf's golden body and seductive kisses awoke very different feelings within her.  As one deliciously long Northern night blended into another, she realized he was no longer her enemy but her beloved..."

I used to adore Connie Mason.  My shelves are filled with her books since she's such a prolific writer.  This is the first one of her books I've read in quite some time...and I hate to admit that I was not over-the-moon about this book...

To begin, I felt like we came into the book after a lot of things had already happened which would have helped further the characterization.  Don't get me wrong; I fully understand that a great deal DID happen before this book began.  What I mean is I always felt like something was missing -- as if we lacked some information or set up to fully comprehend motivations or personality quirks.  I don't know how else to explain it other than I felt like something was not there and I felt like it should have been; like we were expected to understand certain things about the characters, but couldn't because the book had just begun.  The characters did develop and we learned more as the story went on, of course, but they were more so developed on the surface rather than with deeply-individual personality traits.  There wasn't all that much that was special about them.  Wulf was a stereotypical viking.  Reyna was a free woman-turned-slave at the hands of the man who had helped overrun her village in a blind act of rage and vengeance.  Her one unique trait was her healing knowledge.  We didn't learn much more about their characters:  they had no likes or dislikes, no defining characteristics which would set them apart in my mind from any other characters in a romance novel set in this time and place.  I longed for more!  I wanted to love them.  I wanted to be enthralled with their chemistry and their spark.  I just wasn't.  There was so little beyond their physical attraction (which felt extremely abrupt on Wulf's part, in my opinion) that it felt lacking.  Sure, each character had some admirable characteristics, but nothing above and beyond what one would expect in order to make a character simply "likable."  There was little to endear them to me.

I looked forward to a great deal of character development.  How would Reyna overcome her fear of males after her abuse and her hatred of the man whom she viewed as the cause of all her pain?  How would Wulf balance his attraction to Reyna as his thrall and the knowledge that she was still, above all, a Dane -- the breed he'd sworn to hate after the vicious attack and murder of his wife and unborn child?  It would seem that physical attraction can override a lot of deep, terrible emotions...  Granted, Wulf helped to clear up some misunderstandings with Reyna, but I didn't see why his sins should be absolved so cleanly.  I think all of this goes back to the lack of character development.  I believe it may have been sacrificed for sheer quantity of intimate scenes.  There were so many that I started to lose interest ("Oh, there they go again...").  Not to mention, they all became rather repetitive -- so much so that I was practically begging Wulf to show of some different moves!  (That last one is probably a really petty observation from my own personal tastes, but it is what it is.)

Perhaps one of the biggest issues I took wit this book was the language.  The use of modern turns of phrase and slang were numerous and jarring.  They truly ripped me out of losing myself in the book and caused me to struggle with suspending my belief.  Using "'tis" over and over again is all fine and well until you try juxtapose it to something like "adding spice to your life," or some other such phrase.

The book had a great deal of potential and I went into it with such high hopes.  All of my past reviews of Connie Mason were simply glowing (other than my observation that she seems to have found a good formula for a romance novel and tends to use it over and over again).  I was so hoping this one would be counted amongst one of the better ones.  Alas, it was not to be.  I found the characters flat and the plot a bit drawn out.  I thought some of the setting descriptions were well done and transported me into the scenes quite well.  Other than that, I do not believe I will be rereading this one again and it has already been stacked on my "to be donated" pile.

Lady Midnight: Amanda McCabe

"A courtesan in training

"Everyone that Katerina held tea has perished in a tempest off the coast of Italy.  With not a penny to her name, the once-moneyed Venetian lady knows she must travel far to forge a new life.  No one would ever accept her if they learned that her mother was Lucrezia Bruni, the infamous courtesan breeding young Katerina to fill her shoes someday....

"A governess in hiding

"Still mourning his late wife, Michael Lindley knows life must go on--and that his little sister and daughter need a woman's nurturing.  When a dark-eyed beauty alights on his doorstep claiming to be a widowed governess, Michael feels a fire rekindled in him that he thought had been snuffed out long ago.  And in Katerina, who thought her capacity to love had gone down with the ship, there flares a yearning that only Michael can subdue.

"A woman in danger--and in love...

"But as they give in to the desire that knows no words, a stealthy enemy plots his revenge--and their newborn passion must undergo  the ultimate test...."

I decided to test the waters with a new author from my shelves upon shelves of unread reading material.  This one is a standalone novel (according to FantasticFiction.com) and it seemed like a very good place to start.

The overall premise of the plot was interesting.  Having an foreign character attempting to hide her past and insinuate herself amongst a well-off English family as set starts a new life for herself was a captivating idea.  It brought some variety to a genre which so often remains relatively similar, despite characters having vastly different personalities.  I think Katerina's background brought an excellent facet to her character and created some interesting internal dialogue.  I also feel the way in which she was written felt very realistic (i.e. how she struggled with intimacy and confused/ resisted her emotions toward men) given her upbringing.  Her connections to Michael's daughter and sister felt so genuine and warm.  I liked how she had to figure out her role as governess along the way, as well as how she had to form her new persona.  The struggles she overcame during her adaptation felt realistic and certainly added to her character (and the shine I took to her).

Michael's own past was rather well-crafted as well.  The tragic loss of his wife and his physical/emotional scars served to create a powerful male lead with a strong sense of self and good motivation to remain on the straight and narrow.  His family is his world and the comfortable household he's formed create a sort of bubble away from the temptations of his former life.  He's essentially created a haven for his family...but something is missing.  That something turns out to be a beautiful, mysterious Italian governess.  While "Kate Brown" seems to be everything his family needs, he can't help but believe there is something far more to this lovely young woman; he sees it in her unconsciously-sensual movements and her carefully crafted backstory.  Despite his belief that there is more to her story than meets the eye, Michael finds himself enticed by Kate's dark beauty and penchant for fantasy.

The sensual heat and tension between the leads is quite enjoyable!  Both are torn between their respective difficult pasts and the enticements of the present.  When they finally decide to act upon their simmering desires, a whole new world if possibilities is opened up to them.  The lines between employer and governess become blurred and Kate realizes that she would do absolutely anything to keep Michael and his family in her new life.

Unfortunately for Kate, her past is not as dead and buried as she'd believed.  A specter comes to haunt her and puts at risk everything for which she's worked so hard.  Does she tell Michael her deepest secrets or risk them coming to light on their own?  Will he cast her out and destroy any chance of love and a new life?  Will her past drag her back to the life of charades and false pretenses, forcing her to bury the spark of self-awareness and individuality she's come to cultivate during her precious time on the untamed moors?

I found the plot very interesting and fairly well-paced.  I might take away a few points because there was a bit of a drag during some of the midway points of the story where the plot slowed a touch, but it was nothing terrible.  The characters were likable and interesting because each had his or her own obstacles to overcome above and beyond the typical "falling for an unsuitable man/woman and resisting it."  I will say that I wanted a bit more romance once Kate and Michael decided to act upon their affections.  There was so much build up with the heat between them that I wanted more.  The supporting characters were drawn in very interesting forms as well.  Christina, in particular, was quite fascinating.  She seemed to really come into her own toward the end of the book and it made me wonder if, in fact, this is not a standalone novel and Christina might possibly have her own story.  I would definitely read it!

Fire Song: Catherine Archer

"The Wrong Bride

"To the dashing Roland St. Sebastian, a king-decreed marriage to the biddable daughter of his enemy was bad enough...but when the blushing bride turned out to be her spitfire sister, Meredyth, Roland's wrath was boundless.  And though the redheaded vixen's kisses drove him nearly mad with yearning, he wondered if he would ever learn to tryst her--or if he was destined to live a life of loneliness with the woman he loved."

Hello and Happy New Year!  I'm starting off 2021 with a period romance novel review.  Catherine Archer was a new author for me (another book pulled from my overflowing collection of unread books), so I was looking forward to trying something new after working my way through several Amanda Quick novels.  I have often struggled with period romances set so far back in time (1200s, to be exact), probably because I know for a fact how damn hard life was for them.  Knights in shining armor and castles and Crusades all sound glamorous, but life was horrible for most; even many of the better-off lived in questionable conditions (to say nothing of the hygiene).  I know I'm reading far too much into this time period, but I can't help it.  Coupled with all of this, the mentalities were so vastly different from what we know.  The men in these types of books are often rough and a bit too domineering for my tastes.  They lack a sense of respect for the female leads and, in turn, the female leads have to be overwhelmingly headstrong and outspoken in order to make dent in the mentalities of the times.  This can sometimes be a bit too much for me.  Archer managed to dance along this line fairly well and better than some other authors I've read with books set in this time and place.  Roland was intriguing and attractive.  I found his personality to be strong, but not abusive toward Meredyth, despite his distaste for women after what his mother had put his family through.  He knew his role in the world and his marriage; he wasn't afraid to exercise his power, but he stopped just short of becoming and overbearing brute a time or two.  Had he stepped over that line, however, I probably wouldn't have cared for him.  Meredyth went back and forth from being the selfless, soft woman born to help others, to a sharp-tongued shrew who was far too headstrong for her own good.  She had quite a few redeeming qualities and I found a great amount of sympathy for her because of her backstory, but she frustrated me on many occasions.  I found her to be a tad too strong willed for a woman of her position.  She had been raised to care for her family's household and to put her sister first, caring for her above all others because Celeste was seen as more "delicate" by their father.  A woman who was so used to being in her sister's shadow and working (unappreciated) on things behind the scenes would surely not have been so forward with Roland.  Of course, this is all personal opinion and many may not agree with my assessment.  I just found the duality of her personality to be a bit too contrary.

Overall, I really enjoyed the premise of the plot.  Celeste is ordered by the king to wed Roland in an effort to stop the feuding of their families once and for all.  In a desperate move, Meredyth disguises herself and is wed to Roland in Celeste's place.  Upon realizing that he has ben tricked, of course, Roland is incensed and believes it to be a final trick played upon him by his old enemy, Meredyth and Celeste's father.  He finds out that the women were the masterminds and he decides he has no choice to honor his marriage to Meredyth and they must begin their lives as man and wife.  Poor Meredyth realizes she's gotten in far over her head with this latest attempt to help Celeste.  No sooner does she realize the gravity of the situation then she's swept away from the only home she has ever known and thrust into Roland's own unruly household filled with staff and villagers who have nothing but animosity for her family.  Not only this, but she must grapple with a new husband who did not choose her, who has a mighty distrust for women, and who butts heads with her attitude.  I did like the chemistry between Roland and Meredyth.  They had a nice spark and the tension between them seemed palpable.  However.  I found the "romance" to be a bit lacking in variation.  I don't know if it's because this book is "older" (as in, I read the 10th Anniversary print and the copyright date is 1998...) or if it's a style choice, but it was all a bit more tame and each scene felt like a rewrite of the same thing over and over again.  (Probably WAY too much TMI, but does Roland not know any other way to pleasure a woman than to touch her breasts and use his "member"?!?  I feel like I need to refer him to Monica from "Friends" -- my apologies if you don't get the reference, but I promise it's a good one.)

I will say another area in which I struggled a bit was the inner dialogue.  Almost the entire book seemed to take place in Roland's and Meredyth's minds!  There was a remarkable lack of actual dialogue.  I think this made it feel like the story dragged on far longer than it needed to.  Since so much took place within their minds, there was very little action for a majority of the story.  I think this is part of the reason that the last few chapters felt a bit rushed.  There was so much build up with their respective inner musings and indecision that everything moved so very quickly once actual action occurred.  The conclusion of the book was a bit too "Brady Bunch" for me.  I like a satisfying ending; and this doesn't mean it has to be all happiness and rainbows.  It was tied up a bit too neatly for my tastes and it felt a bit sudden.  There wasn't even an epilogue where we were given a taste of what life was like after the conflict resolution.  I think the addition of an epilogue might have made me a bit happier in this particular instance just because it all ended up feeling so rushed.

I will say that this was an easy, quick read.  I liked reading a new author and I liked this one better than others set in 1200s England.  There were some imperfections and some things fell a bit short, but I didn't dislike the book.  I'm tempted to read more by Catherine Archer in the future.