One Night of Scandal (Farleigh Sisters, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros UPDATED

 "Proper decorum has never come easy for Carlotta Anne Farleigh -- not even on the night of her debut.  As she waits to make her entrance, she's drawn to the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the 'Murderous Marquess.'  This latest adventure thoroughly compromises Carlotta's reputation, leaving her betrothed to the handsome, mysterious marquess and on her way to the wilds of Cornwall to be married.






"Despite the circumstances of her betrothal, Lottie sees something thrilling and surprisingly tender about her dark, unreachable groom.  But before she'll surrender to the yearnings in her heart, she must unlock the secrets of Hayden's past, no matter how scandalous -- or perilous -- they might be."

My (very old) original review for this book can be found HERE.  I read it a decade ago, almost to the month, which is pretty neat.  I'm quite enjoying seeing how my tastes have changed over the years, as well as my reviewing style.  Clearly, I've become a more developed, advanced writer and a more analytical reader.  I suppose this makes me a convert to re-reading books, whereas before I was staunchly opposed to reading any book -- no matter the material -- more than once.

I'm nearly halfway through this book and, having recently read A Kiss to Remember, it's nice that the characters are still so fresh in my mind's eye.  For a character so young, Lottie made a rather large impact (pun only partially intended) in the first book.  Knowing this book took place about a decade later and that Lottie would be its female lead, I was looking forward to really seeing her character develop.  She hasn't lost her wit, cunning, nor her attitude -- despite what I suspect to be Sterling's best attempts at gently shaping her to society's dictates without breaking her spirit.  Indeed, she's still extremely high-spirited and, were she not, I don't think she'd be enough of a challenge for Hayden to take an interest.  I appreciate that what finally made him agree to wed her were not the usual attributes held by a lady of the gentry, but her mind and the learning most women did not usually possess.

Hayden is a very mysterious character.  We see a good deal from his point of view in the very beginning of the story (when Lottie has her little adventure and winds up mucking up all of her family's grand plans for her), but less as the chapters go on and they near his imposing estate in Cornwall.  Normally, I might complain that I don't feel as connected to the male lead because of this; however, in Hayden's case, I appreciate the way in which the situations are written because it maintains his mysterious nature and his very troubled, tortured, lonely past.  We still get important glimpses into his mind and point of view; therefore, he remains a prominent character rather than being overshadowed by Lottie's rather formidable presence and perspective.




It's a pleasure to see how all of the characters have aged and changed over the decade between this book and A Kiss to Remember.  George is all grown up.  Sterling and Laura are still happily married and now have children of their own; they're still very much over-the-moon in love.  Sterling hasn't lost any of his quick temper, nor has Laura lost any of her motherly kindness and inclinations toward her siblings.  Even Cookie makes appearances, though I've only read mentions of Dower thus far.


Because it has been so long since I originally read this book, I am looking forward to seeing the twists and turns that come.  I love re-exploring the mysteries and surprises Medeiros has in store, as well as seeing the tension between Lottie and her new husband really come to a head.




***


Well I finished off this book fairly quickly.  Medeiros is always a fun, entertaining read; this book was no different.  Her characters are always extremely lively -- especially her more entertaining female leads.

Lottie fits rather nicely into that category.  I think her character stayed very true to the little hellion we’re introduced to in A Kiss to Remember.  She’s very unconventional, but this turns out to be exactly what she needs in order to win over her new husband and find her place in his secluded life/world.  Her passion for writing is extremely relatable to those of us who have writing in our veins.  I particularly liked how she applied her talents to her life as Hayden’s wife.

I know I mentioned earlier how the sparseness of Hayden’s perspective maintained the mysteriousness of his character.  While this remained true throughout the rest of the book (though we did get more glimpses once we were privy to some of the secrets he’d been keeping), I did wind up wanting a tad bit more from him.  He was tortured and complex; there is no denying that he suffered a great deal in his life (and was pretty much the quintessential Gothic male lead -- at least, in appearance) and all of this served to create a well-rounded male lead, but I wanted to experience him falling in love with Lottie just a little bit more (this isn’t really a spoiler…it IS a romance novel, after all).  This didn’t reach the point of detracting from the story; it’s just a personal opinion.

Medeiros went to great lengths to set up the perfect setting and scenes for Lottie’s new life and adventure in Cornwall.  As usual, her descriptions are vivid and you feel as if you’re watching a film or even there beside the characters.  Her writing has a way of enveloping you in the drama and beauty of the world in which her characters live.  Her books truly are an escape.

All this being said, I think Medeiros managed to touch on some very powerful themes and messages in this book.  It was rather darker than others I’ve read by her, but don’t let this deter you.  It retains its sense of lightheartedness (thank you Lottie) which gives it its characteristic Medeiros charm.  There’s a touch of the supernatural, which really usually isn’t my cup of tea in a book such as this (I tend to like my supernatural in blatantly supernatural worlds and realms – like vampire novels or whole underworlds crafted by their authors).  I think it was handled well and remained subtle until the very last moment that it could not remain so any longer.  Overall, the characters were touching, the backstories were moving, and it’s always a pleasure to see recurring characters.  I reiterate that I’m discovering that I’m more of a fan of her more recent works than I am of her older ones, but Medeiros remains a powerful, talented voice in this genre.

While I really enjoyed this book the first time around, I think I appreciated the Gothic influences a great deal more this time.  If Gothic literature is your cup of tea, then you'll absolutely adore this book.  If not, then it's still a gem of a romance novel.

Twilight Dreams (Morgan Creek, Book Two): Amanda Ashley

"Holly Parrish has never met anyone like Micah Ravenwood:  his dark eyes, his movie-star smile, the indefinable way he looks at her.  Even when she thought he was no more than another client for her investment firm, her lust overpowered her logic.

"But she never expected this attraction to whisk her from her busy southern California life to a silent and eerie ghost town in Wyoming.  Only vampires call the deserted place home--and one of them is Micah.  He says he's brought her to Morgan Creek for her safety, that vicious creatures are hunting her.  But how can Holly trust him?  One look and she can see the need barely restrained behind Micah's polite words.  The heat of his kiss, the pleasure of his touch--none of it can tell her whether he wants her as his lover--or his prey..."






I'm about 50 pages in and I think I already like this book more than I liked the first in this series.  I feel like this is due in large part to the fact that I have already seen a great deal more from Micah's perspective than we did Saintcrow's.  We met Micha in the first book and, given our first "meeting," I wasn't certain how much I would like him as a hero of his own story.  He actually feels more developed with a solid backstory.  Knowing what we do of his family and history (especially having a good percentage of the story told from his point of view thus far) I feel like I care about him more already.  I sympathize more with him; hopefully the trend continues.






Holly is still pretty generic.  She is pretty, smart, does her chores every Saturday, and loves to eat.  So far, she doesn't differ very much from Kadie (other than her career) and she's still pretty generic.  I hope she develops more as the story goes on.






We've also been introduced to some villains already, which is nice.  I like starting a book off with an undercurrent of conflict; it makes for a better story and a more intense read.  I think, perhaps, this is some of what the first book in this series was missing.  Granted, Saintcrow and the rest of the vampires in Morgan Creek are technically the villains, but we don't get an external villain until much, much later in the book.  This is probably why it felt like the story (and Kadie's conversations and conflict with Saintcrow) kept going in circles.  There had to be something to keep the story moving until an external villain could be introduced.  I like the villains thus far and I'm looking forward to the inevitable clash.






I'm hoping for a bit more of an explanation as to why Holly (who works solely in a formal business world) would be meeting a prospective new employee at a goth club.  It feels a bit unbelievable and REALLY unprofessional on his part.  Maybe it was a trap?  I'm hoping to find out more as I continue onward.






***




I still prefer the development of Micah's character to Saintcrow's.  I feel the sympathy toward him that was missing for me in the first book of this series.  I care about him more.  He feels more tortured, perhaps because, in some ways, he's still coming to terms with his vampire existence.  Holly, on the other hand, feels very similar to Kadie (i.e. generic).  They have the same reaction and mentality toward vampires (which I suppose is reasonable), the same obsession with food, and no real defining hobbies or traits (personality or physical) that set them apart or make them unique from a caricature of what, perhaps, someone expects a modern woman to be.  Take away their physical descriptions and professions...and they're basically the same woman.  They're both virgins (there's nothing wrong with this, but I'm definitely noticing a trend:  the men are very possessive, the women are innocent virgins, there's a lot of steamy kissing, and the sex usually winds up very vanilla (nothing but missionary) -- man, does this last one make me sound like a kink, but I promise I'm not).  Neither of them really seems to have a defining history or past.  Both of them occupy themselves the same ways (nothing more than movies and books).  Their scenes always seem to start with or involve food (usually overly-descriptive, mass quantities of food).




I still like the fact that this book has more tangible villains; it makes for a more exciting read.  Even if Holly is falling a bit flat for me, I think the plot is moving well and it doesn't feel as "trapped in a cycle" as Kadie and Saintcrow's book did.




***


Well, I finished this book last night and I can safely say that I did end up liking it more than I did the first in the series.  Kadie and Saintcrow played large roles in this sequel and, I can say with definitiveness now, that Kadie remains rather underdeveloped (as does the relationship between Kadie and Saintcrow).  Saintcrow did gain a little bit more individuality in this book (which is surprising because he was not the male lead), so it made him a bit more interesting.


I did end up liking Micah a great deal more than Saintcrow in the first book.  As a male lead, Micah was better developed, more individualized, and had a much better-explained backstory.  This is probably due in large part because he's such a young vampire that he still has living human relatives.  It helped show what he was like as a human and gave me a much better sense of who he was as a character.  (Now, I'm not saying that the only reason Saintcrow was underdeveloped was because he had no living human relatives...there are a lot of ways he could have become more well-rounded.)  He was witty and his personality suited his age.  I understood his attraction to Holly a bit better than I did Saintcrow's to Kadie, but it still fell a little bit short.  I'm stuck asking the same question:  What makes these women so damn unique?  They may be attractive and resistant to their vampiric charms, but that could be any one of hundreds, if not thousands, of women.  We see very little of Holly's family life (until the very end of the book) and nothing of her friends.  I felt like there was a big feud being hinted at when Holly mentioned that he father was a believer in vampires and hated them with a passion, but it never came to fruition.  Holly remained pretty flat, never quite setting herself apart from any other female lead in a vampire romance novel.  She loves the man; she is put off by the vampire; and she doesn't long for eternal life, but will accept it if it means she never has to leave the man she loves.  (Possibly a minor spoiler:  This is just a side note and I may be reading too much into this, but I REALLY cannot imagine any modern twenty-something picking fingertip veils for her bridesmaids...  This choice shattered the illusion for me because it felt really dated.)


I still had a few issues with the flow of the dialogue and there were some repetitive phrases, words, and conversations that simply struck me the wrong way.  This probably won't bother others as much, but I wanted to at least mention it.


I did mention before that I liked the fact that there were more tangible villains in this book.  It turns out that there were a few (we're introduced to another later in the book) and this made for a more dynamic plot.  However, I admit that the "big fight scenes" felt a little bit anticlimactic.  The action was fairly glossed over.  I didn't feel like I was watching an intense battle, rather hearing a quick account of what took place.


The last few chapters did set up the protagonists and villain for the third book in this series, which is scheduled to be released in a few weeks (and of which I also received an advanced copy in return for my honest review).  If these few chapters were any indication, we're in for our most combative male lead yet.  I am pretty certain I know who his female counterpart will be and I hope she matures and becomes a better-developed female lead than we've seen previously.


Overall, I liked this book more than the first in this series.  I appreciate that Morgan Creek is like the vampires' base -- their haven -- and I look forward to seeing how this continues and what becomes of the town now that there's no one to take care of it.  What will Saintcrow decide to do with it?  The story has potential, I just hope we get to see a more dynamic female lead.

As Twilight Falls (Morgan Creek, Book One): Amanda Ashley

"Photographing ghost towns across the American West, Kadie Andrews takes a wrong turn and ends up in Morgan Creek--a spot that isn't on the map.  It's a quaint little place, but there's something off about its complacent residents.  And when twilight falls, it takes on a truly sinister air...

"Unable to run, or to find any way out, Kadie finds herself a prisoner, hunted for her blood.  Still more disturbing, her spirit and beauty have captured the attention of master vampire Rylan Saintcrow.  When he looks into her eyes, she can see his hunger.  When he takes her in his arms, she can feel his power.  When he presses his lips against hers, she can taste his need.  Saintcrow may be the most compelling creature she's ever imagined, but Kadie knows in her heart that he is also a man.  A man who needs a woman.  To want him, desire him, crave him.  To be his willing prisoner--for all eternity..."








I haven't read anything by Amanda Ashley in quite some time, but she reached out to me and asked if I would be willing to review her newest book, the third installment in this Morgan Creek series.  My answer was, of course, yes!  She sent me an advanced copy of Twilight Desires a month or two ago and I've only just now gotten my hands on the first two books in the series.  It certainly wouldn't do to read them out of order!  I'm only a few chapters into As Twilight Falls and I've only just now realized how long it has actually been since I read a true vampire romance novel.  I don't quite count Sherrilyn Kenyon in this "true vampire" genre because her Dark-Hunters aren't actually vampires at all, they are just the beings off of which the legends were created.  When I say "true vampire," I mean Anne Rice-style or Stoker-style vampire (and the Twilight Saga doesn't count, not that I've ever even picked up those books).  These are vampires who don't stray far -- if at all -- from the traditional vampiric mythology.  There's something to be said for traditionalism and I can appreciate both sides of this spectrum:  authors who take the myth and use it for their craft; and authors who take the myth, turn it on its ear, and create something wholly unique at the risk of not actually creating a vampire at all.  Ashley is more of a traditionalist, which is something to be respected.






So far, I find the premise of Morgan Creek to be pretty intriguing.  Like I mentioned, it's still very early in the book; everything is still being developed and I still haven't learned all that much about the characters or their motivation.  I'm looking forward to continuing onward.






***




Thus far, I'm liking the premise of the town of Morgan Creek, but I do have a lot of questions and I'm looking forward to finding the answers.  I've also just met Saintcrow and I really would love to see more of his point of view.  Thus far, we've focused a great deal on Kadie and I need to really care about a male lead in order to become invested in a book. Granted, I'm still very early on in my reading, but I look forward to what's coming.  For that matter, I want to know more about Kadie.  I'm not very invested in her yet, either.  I know very, very little about her personality or her background.  I realize that a lot of writing is going toward setting up the odd, isolated town of Morgan Creek and having Kadie come to terms with the fact that vampires do exist, but I'm looking forward to finding out what make Kadie so special -- what draws Saintcrow to her?




***


I'm now a little bit more than halfway through this book.  I still like the premise of Morgan Creek -- the fact that it's a hidden vampire haven headed by a powerful master vampire.  I think Ashley put a lot of thought and care into creating a livable, believable (as far as vampire storylines go) scenario.  I really have to admit that I'm still not in love with either of the leading characters.  What makes them special?  Kadie has no really special defining characteristics or even a fantastic personality and, as far as female leads go, I'm struggling a bit with her.  The fact that she's a photographer seems to be the most interesting thing about her, though there is VERY little evidence of this in her day-to-day life.  I feel like someone who has dedicated her life to this art would look at the world through a different lens (pun intended); having her see the beauty in certain things, appreciate her surroundings or something, would lend her character a bit more interest.  For that matter, the rest of her character is pretty run-of-the-mill.  She likes shopping, chocolate, and overeating (and there seems to be a heavy emphasis placed on exactly what the characters eat at every single meal, which becomes a little bit repetitive...especially when characters like Kadie eat large quantities at a time).  She doesn't have any flaws as far as I can tell -- nothing that makes her feel more realistic.  I have yet to see what makes her so fascinating and attractive to Saintcrow.  I'm also really not sold on Kadie's internal and external dialogues.  She flashes back and forth between wanting Saintcrow and hating him with such rapidity that it's difficult to invest in.  I can understand the fact that Ashley is trying to show that Kadie is at war with herself, but having the same conversation again and again makes the story drag.  I long to see her develop more as a character.




As far as Saintcrow goes, I really want to see more of his point of view.  In the 216 pages that I've read, I doubt there have been anywhere near 50 pages from his perspective.  I'm definitely used to a more even balance and I've found this balance necessary when writing for this genre.  As unsold as I am on Kadie, I'm almost even less invested in Saintcrow.  He has SO MUCH POTENTIAL!  He could be so interesting, so tortured; instead, he seems almost robotic.  His attraction to Kadie and his love for her feel a bit flat.  Desire, I can see, but only on the most basic of levels because he's male and she's an attractive female.  As for why she's the first woman he's loved in 900 years...I don't quite know why.  He does mention that he's not sure what draws him to her, but this ends up feeling like a little bit of a cop-out.  Sure, he's dark, mysterious, sexy, and dangerous...but what beyond these things makes him a well-crafted male lead?  I'm uncertain at this point.  I hope to discover something in his past that makes him fearful of love (other than that he is a vampire and unwilling to put himself at risk).  I want to know why and how Kadie has changed him so much.  As Saintcrow's world starts to fall down around him, I hope to see more depth and range from both him and Kadie.




***


Alright!  I finished this book late last night.  The ending was tied up in a very neat little bow (like most books in the romance genre).  I was able to predict some of the things that happened...well, most of them, to be honest.  Some things were better explained than others and I found a few minor plot holes (things that probably should have been caught by an editor).  I don't know if they became more numerous toward the end of the book, but there were a few sprinkled throughout and I definitely noticed them more toward the end.  They weren't horrible or glaring, but they were definitely present (i.e. Saintcrow was able to enter a house into which he'd not previously been invited; someone Kadie was VERY close to was told by Saintcrow that she was aware he was a vampire, but when this person questioned her, he behaved shocked that she knew...and I'm certain it wasn't an act; a fledgling vampire who had NO training or instruction somehow knew about the complex blood bond between Kadie and Saintcrow, as well has how to use it, etc.).  In addition to this, there were so many repetitive conversations, internal dialogue, and phrases (i.e. "sickening thud" was used a few times within a paragraph of each other and there are a lot more adjectives which could have been used; the scenes with Kadie's mother have some repetitive phrases and the conversations felt rather trite; and if a man had an English accent it was always a "slight English accent").  These struck me the hardest and "bothered" me.  I realize what was trying to be conveyed -- Kadie's indecision and vacillation between whether or not to trust and love Saintcrow -- but it left the characters feeling flat.  Not to mention I don't feel like the attraction between the two main characters was ever fully formed.  I never saw what made Kadie so special.  I did see a little bit more of what attracted her to Saintcrow, but it rarely went past the physical.  I think part of the issue is what I mentioned before:  We see SO LITTLE from Saintcrow's perspective that he felt underdeveloped.  Other than being a vampire, I saw almost nothing that made him unique or really a stand-out male lead.  He had no flaws.  Sure, we see some very minor snippets of his past, but many of them are in Kadie's dreams, so we can't really be certain how much she imagined and how much Saintcrow put there.


Reading back through the progression of this review (because I actually had the time and patience to review as I read (thanks RAIR method!) and I can see how badly I wanted/needed more development and uniqueness to the main characters from the very beginning.  I still very much enjoyed the premise of Morgan Creek.  This Venus Fly Trap-like sanctuary for vampires was really creative and I don't think I've ever encountered anything like it before.  Unfortunately, the character development fell a bit flat for me.  There was so much potential to create unique and exciting characters, but they ended up coming up short.  I'm about to start the second book in this series, so we'll see if being introduced to the male lead in this first book helps the depth of the characterization.

The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke, Book One): Tessa Dare

"WHEN GIRL MEETS DUKE, THEIR MARRIAGE BREAKS ALL THE RULES...

 

"Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury's to-do list has been short and anything but sweet:  brooding, glowering, menacing London ne'er-do-wells by night.  Now there's a new item on the list.  He needs an heir--which means he needs a wife.  When Emma Gladstone, a vicar's daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she'll do.

"His terms are simple:

They will be husband and wife by night only.
• No lights, no kissing.
• No questions about his battle scars.
Last, and most importantly...  Once she's pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

"But Emma is no pushover.  She has a few rules of her own:

• They will have dinner together every evening.
• With conversation.
• And unlimited teasing.
• Last, and most importantly...  Once she's seen the man beneath the scars, he can't stop her from falling in love."

And we're back to Tessa Dare!  This is her newest book and I was SO excited to start reading it.  I've plowed (no pun intended) my way through the rest of her books and was desperate for some new reading material.  Dare is easily my favorite period romance author.  I have some others whom I very, very much enjoy, but none quite so much as Dare.  Her characters always manage to charm me with their quirks and their extremely unique personalities.  Dare is one author I could never accuse of "recycling" plots or characters; each is so individualistic that I find this to be her trademark.  She writes unique, powerful characters -- each with their own mannerisms, speech patterns, and appearances.  One of my favorite aspects of her writing is probably the fact that she imbues each of her characters with some sort of "flaw," whether it be physical, emotional, or psychological.  This book was no different.

I'm about halfway through this book and Ash has very quickly become one of my favorite characters of all time.  His personality and penchant for Shakespearean insults are spectacular.  I will say that some of his (more comedic) comments thus far feel a bit more "modern" than I am used to in a period book, but I still found them incredibly amusing.  His wit and sense of humor are wonderful.  It took me a minute to understand just why he spoke so archaically, but, once I did, I appreciated him all the more.  It's no secret that he's horribly scarred from his accident at war.  I very quickly saw this book as a variation on Beauty and the Beast, but there is so much more to this book than that...think Beauty and the Beast meet Batman.  This sounds utterly absurd, I know, but you'll understand what I mean once you read it.  I picked up this book believing I would find another physically-and-emotionally damaged, gruff, surly male hero, but I have discovered so much more in Ash.  His character is so refreshing and so very different from the stereotype I was anticipating.  This is not to say that there's anything horribly wrong with the stereotype, just that I am extremely pleased to have encountered such a different hero.  Of course, Ash certainly is physically and emotionally damaged, but it's how he handles his life and his encounters that is so fun (not a very good word, but oh well) and enjoyable to read.

I really enjoy Emma thus far.  She's so spunky and I particularly appreciate that she's so far outside the realm of a "shrinking miss" that they're not even on the same continent.  This needed to happen for the plot to work and for her to match Ash's very powerful personality.  His character very easily could have overpowered his female counterpart in the story, but Dare has managed to make a very nice pairing with both their backgrounds and personalities.  Her backstory is rich and I can believe that it helped to shape her into the woman she was when she met Ash.  Having just read another story with a vicar's daughter as the female lead, I can confidently say that I enjoyed this rendition a bit more.  She felt more human and flawed.  Granted, Emma and the other female lead had very different backgrounds and experiences with their families, so this probably played a big role.  As a character, Emma successfully bridged the chasm between vicar's daughter and romantic lead -- things I, personally, have never really felt went together well.

The reading continues onward and I'll return with the completion of my review.

***

So I ended up devouring the rest of the book mere hours after finishing the first part of this review.  Ash is easily the best male lead I've encountered in a very, very long time -- if not my all-time favorite.  His sense of humor was absolutely charming and wholly unexpected.  He's a goofball.  (I suspect I may have enjoyed him so much because it reminds me a bit of my husband -- he can be very gruff and abrasive sometimes, but he's a totally different man and his personality really shines when it's the two of us and he's comfortable and can just be himself.)  He feels a great deal younger than he actually is, which was rather fun.  I was still completely enamored of his use of Shakespearean insults, even at the end of the book.  While his damaged body, mind, heart, and soul were a huge part of who he was, I sincerely appreciate the lengths Dare went to in order to make him more than just the sum of his broken parts.  He was SO much more than another beast waiting for his beauty to heal him and make him whole; to show him that he was worth loving.  His personality was outstanding and really made this book a success.

Emma, as I suspected, turned out to be the absolutely perfect foil for Ash.  She remained fiery and determined, no matter the circumstances.  She was strong and willful, romantic and sweet.  She was going to prove to Ash that she was attracted to every single thing about him -- whether he liked it or not.

There are a few good twists and turns in this book that kept the plot moving along at a very pleasant clip.  The Monster of Mayfair was a particularly fun aspect and I'm sticking to my earlier statement that this book is Beauty-and-the-Beast-meets-Batman.  It makes complete sense once you read the book...I promise.

I already CANNOT wait to read the next book in this series.  The premise was already put into place in this story and we were introduced to some fantastically unique female characters in this book -- I can only expect that Dare plans on creating a story for each of them.  I'm already itching to get my hands on the next story!

Dare has once again solidified her place as one of my favorite (if not my VERY favorite) author of this genre (or even in general).  This is supremely high praise and I don't think it is overblown in the slightest.  Her characters are rich, charming, and easy to love.  She imbues each and every last one of them with personalities and quirks which really bring them to life.  Her plots are exciting, unique, and steamy.  The romance is believable and fun.  I am absolutely enamored of her writing style and creativity.  I simply cannot say enough about Dare and I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone who is a fan of period romance, or is even just interested in this genre.

EDIT:  I forgot to add one of the main reasons I enjoyed Emma so much...  I mentioned before that she's no shrinking miss, but I failed to mention just how naughty she is.  As opposed to feeling over the top or bordering on just plain erotica (usually where there is very little substance to the characters), it was fun and playful!  She wasn't afraid of experimentation, nor did she shy away from Ash's appetites.  While the mentality was probably a bit more modern, it was SO refreshing.  I didn't realize how tired I'd grown of cautious women who shirk away from anything but the most vanilla of acts.  Few characters (and authors) can pull this off with such ease and believability:  Emma and Dare are the perfect example of this.

The Broken Girls: Simone St. James

"Vermont, 1950.  There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good.  It's called Idlewild Hall.  And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted.  Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears....

"Vermont, 2014.  As much as she's tried, Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her elder sister's death.  Twenty years ago, her body was found dumped in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall.  And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

"When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it.  But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced...."


I thought I would change things up a bit with this book.  And BOY DID I!  I pulled this reading choice from a list I pinned on Pinterest:  Books you won't be able to put down.  That was certainly the case with this one.  I simply could not wait to see what happened next.


This story strayed VERY far from my usual reading material.  I can't recall a time when I read a book of this genre; it had elements of mystery, horror, and a great deal of suspense.  I can admit that, prior to reading this book, I used to think it was silly whenever someone told me that a book terrified them.  I should have known better than to criticize this.  Logic says if we lose track of the outside world and fall into the realm of our characters when we read a particularly good book (we see, hear, feel, taste, smell, etc. everything that they do), then the same thing would happen when we read a "scary" book.  I am not usually a fan of "scary" movies, but I thought a book would be relatively harmless.  This story definitely changed my mind.  It proved to me that books can give us nightmares and make us feel as if we aren't alone in a room; they already make our imaginations run wild, so books in this genre really take advantage of that.  I made the mistake of reading this while home alone at night...not a great idea.


The way in which St. James plays with time and perspective -- jumping back and forth from 1950 to 2014 and switching from various points of view of Fiona and the girls attending Idlewild Hall -- was a superb technique to keep the tension high, the story moving, and make me want to keep reading.  The threads of the stories seemed to run parallel to one another, but it was only as I forged ahead that I realized just how complex a story this was and how those threads were actually complex intersections, like a spider's web.


I'm not usually one for a ghost story, but I found Mary Hand to be particularly chilling.  Everyone's experiences with her were different and this was, perhaps, the most chilling aspect.  What is more terrifying than a ghost who learns and adapts?


The shocking discovery during the renovations at Idlewild Hall threw such an unexpected twist into the story and really brought all of the worlds into a collision course.  There were many twists and turns such as this and the pacing was excellent.  The reading list was correct:  I really could not put this book down!


What really sold this book for me was the descriptions of Idlewild Hall.  I would be lying if I said I didn't get the chills a few times.  It seemed like such a miserable place to reside, let alone be forced to attend boarding school.  The writing style was eloquent and very readable.


The school and the characters are all haunted by their pasts in this chilling, thrilling story by St. James.  I found it incredible well-written and fast-paced.  The terrifying echoes of the past collide with the tumultuous future and make for a must-read book.  Honestly, I really was not expecting to like this book as much as I did -- if only because it is not my usual cup of tea.  I was pleasantly surprised with how enthralled I became with this story.  I simply had to know what was waiting around the next corner.


If you're not one for scary or chilling, this isn't for you.  It's not a happy read in any sense of the word.  If you want something thrilling and bone-chilling, then this is right up your alley.  I promise I'm not exaggerating when I say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time.  It started off thrilling and continued along with the same pacing throughout.  The twists and turns kept me guessing, the mystery and ghosts gave me chills.  If you're looking for an exciting escape, then look no further.

A Kiss to Remember (Farleigh Sisters, Book One): Teresa Medeiros

"Laura Farleigh is playing with fire.  With only three weeks in which to marry in order to gain the title to Arden Manor, the house she and her younger siblings are living in, the penniless beauty has no time for romantic dreams.  She must seize any opportunity for matrimony -- before she loses her chance to keep her benefactor's prodigal son, the notorious Duke of Devonbrooke, from taking possession of her home.  When fate presents her with an amnesic Adonis in the woods nearby, Laura is determined to convince the injured stranger that he is, in fact, her loving fiancé and hurry him to the altar.  She's chilled to discover that the nameless man is in fact the dreaded duke, who will not be pleased to learn that he's been played for a fool -- even by a beautiful captor who has fallen in love with him in the process.  Laura has only one chance to secure her future happiness.  Somehow, before their rapidly approaching wedding night, she must with the heart of this rake who has a reputation to rival the Devil himself.  Teresa Medeiros, whose love stories so often have more than a touch of magic about them, has created a delightfully original version of the classic romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty in A Kiss to Remember." *Taken from FantasticFiction.com

"At the tender age of seven, Sterling Harlow, the seventh duke of Devonbrooke, was virtually sold to his coldhearted uncle to pay off his own father's gambling debts.  Sterling won his uncle's title in the bargain--but lost the playful spirit of his youth.  Dubbed 'the Devil of Devonbrooke,' Sterling's exploits have earned him a reputation as a notorious rake.  And when his mother dies, he is determined to take possession of her home--even if he must remove his mother's ward, Laura Farleigh, to do it.  But while he is returning to Arden Manor, a riding accident knocks Sterling unconscious--and when he awakens, his memory is gone.

"Laura Farleigh has turned down more marriage proposals than she can count--for no man can compare to the noble and handsome man of her dreams.  But when her benefactor dies, Laura learns that the woman's prodigal son, the infamous due of Devonbrooke, plans to return to Arden Manor.  Laura has never laid eyes on the duke, but his reputation precedes him--and Laura is determined to keep him from casting her and her young siblings into the streets.  Her only hope is a stipulation in the will that says if Laura marries by her twenty-first birthday--a mere three weeks away--the house will be hers.






"Laura prays for a miracle--prayers that seem answered when a morning walk yields a remarkable discovery:  a mystery man with the face of an angel and the body of Adam.  Best of all, he seems to have no memory of who he is--or more important, who he's not!  Desperate, Laura does the unthinkable.  She lies.  Not only does she tell the mystery man that he's her fiancé; she convinces him that he possesses all of the qualities of the man of her dreams!  As she nurses her 'betrothed' back to health, Laura thinks her problems are solved.  That is, until she realizes that her handsome stranger and the duke of Devonbrooke are one and the same--and that the man she has convinced to act like a pussycat is really a dangerous panther.






"As the wedding night approaches, there's only one way for Laura to atone for her deception--she must with the heart of the Devil himself to save both their souls...."




This is another re-read of a book I read quite some time ago; the very short original review can be found HERE.  On that review, this is listed as Book Three in the Fairy Tale Series, but FantasticFiction.com lists it as Book One of the Farleigh Sisters series.  I may research the proper reading order because this annoys me...




I seemed to really like this book the first time around and I enjoyed it this time as well.  I didn't love it, though.  It simply was not my favorite book by Teresa Medeiros.  If I am entirely honest, I think it's because Laura was simply SO pious and, yet, her selfishness in believing the handsome, unconscious stranger was sent just for her irked me.  I know Medeiros is religious, herself, so I can understand the tones in this book and can respect them for what they are, but I found Laura to be pretty hypocritical.  I can't tell if this was intentional or unintentional.  I've just never found a (steamy) romance novel where piety and religiousness really suit the characters well.  There's just something about the belief system that doesn't quite go.  This is, of course, just my personal opinion.  I'm sure some out there won't mind it as much as I did.  That being said, I still liked the book.  The characters were vivid and lively, especially Laura's siblings, George and Lottie.  Diana, Sterling's cousin, and Thane, Sterling's best friend and Diana's ex-betrothed, had a particularly amusing dynamic.  This time around, I've quickly realized that one of this author's trademarks is creating stories within her main story; accomplishing this with well-rounded secondary characters.  Medeiros doesn't seem content with creating one love story, but she usually seems to create undertones for another -- either writing one directly into the book (like this one), or creating the foundations for another in a sequel story.  It takes a lot of craftsmanship to write this way and not lose any of the magic from the true main characters.


As a male lead, Sterling had a complicated backstory.  While so many characters believed the world to be very cut and dry, he is evidence that this is not necessarily the case.  His past and the events that made him into the man who would be the Duke of Devonbrooke.  The explanations of how any why he became so cold and removed were believable and poignant.  I will say, however, that I liked him a great deal more when he was Nicholas, Laura's imaginary fiancé.  His personality was rich and multifaceted; we get a glimmer of the man he probably would have become had he not been sold off to his uncle.  This, I thought, was probably my favorite part of his character.


Laura was a decent female lead.  I've already voiced my opinions on the contrariness of her character and her religion, so I won't go over this again.  I loved what a romantic she was at heart.  This lent her character an air of believability and realism without which she would have fallen rather flat.  It made the fact that she turned down so many proposals more realistic than snobbish.  I liked her interactions with her siblings quite a bit.  They're such close-knit family that it made it easy to believe how and why she was willing to stay with the Devil of Devonbrooke, even after she finally realized his true identity.


The tension between Sterling and his mother was a poignant undercurrent.  Though his mother wasn't physically present for a vast majority of the story, she felt very alive and real.  I thought the excerpts from her letters at the start of each of the chapters was a very nice touch.  When Sterling is finally forced to face his feelings about his mother and his sense of abandonment...boy did I get choked up.  It was raw and painful and beautiful all at the same time.


Arden Manor was a wonderful setting; so much so, in fact, that I actually enjoyed that bit of the book much more than when the setting shifted to London.  This was a great bit of writing by Medeiros because I, too, felt as if I'd left "home" when we abandoned Arden Manor for the cold London mansion.


As far as the "retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story" goes, I found this one quite successful.  Having the maiden wake the prince made for a nice twist; Sterling's amnesia was well-written, and the story (as usual) had a touch of magic.  It's a fun variation that I can appreciate, especially because it's far from blatant.


I do recommend this book even though it was not one of my favorites by Medeiros.  I still enjoyed the lively characters and the fun, unique plot.  There were aspects that I didn't love, but that didn't prevent me from liking the overall story.

My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel: Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris

"Flirtatious repartee!  Scandalous intrigue!  Men in kilts!  And more...

"In this chooseable-path romantic adventure, you are the plucky but penniless heroine in the center of nineteenth-century society, the courtship season has begun, and your future is at hand.  Will you...

• Flip forward fetchingly to flirt with the bantering baronet, SIR BENEDICT GRANVILLE?
• Turn the page to true love with the hardworking, horse-loving Highlander, Captain Angus McTaggart?
• Chase through the chapters a good man gone mad, bad, and scandalous, in the arousing form of LORD GARRAWAY CRAVEN?
• Read on recklessly as the 'traveling companion' of the spirited and adventuresome LADY EVANGELINE YOUNGBLOOD?
• Or choose yet another tantalizing fate?

"Whether it's forlorn orphans and fearsome werewolves, mistaken identities and devious double-crosses, or long lost lovers and pilfered Egyptian artifacts, every delightful twist and turn of the romance genre unfolds at your behest!"


I saw this book as a new recommended reading a few months back from my former (amazing, nationally-ranked) public library.  I take screenshots of some of these books when the librarian's reviews really pique my interest?  A good romance novel?  Right up my alley.  A "choose-your-own-path" romance novel?  Never heard of it...super excited to try it out!  How many readers of this genre sit back and go, "Well I would've certainly handled that differently"?  I can tell you with complete honesty that I've done this more than a time or two.  This book presents a very unique opportunity to do just that!  Not only do you get to pick your path, but your choices determine which of the intriguing, charming suitors wins your hand!  It could be any of the men (or even woman!) noted above...or someone else entirely.  There are more than twenty (yes, you read that correctly) endings you can wind up living.


This book charmed me on so many levels, but I had to learn something very quickly:  THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS ROMANCE NOVEL!!!  It is fun, humorous parody.  The "descriptions" are overly cliché and read like something a novice writer would come up with, but you recognize that that's the point.  It's meant to not take itself seriously.  I can't tell you how many times I laughed while reading this (in a good way, of course).  This is satire at its most playful.  Sir Benedict Granville is a very blatant parody of Mr. Darcy from Austen's famed Pride & Prejudice (with a little bit more explicit behavior, of course); McTaggart is an amalgamation of every single (clichéd) Scotsman existing in romance novels, kilt and all (though I've not read many books with such overly-dramatized Scotsmen, I can certainly see where the parody came from and I applaud the authors -- I found it rather amusing).  Craven and his various story threads (without giving too much away) consist to varying degrees of classic Gothic writing and more modern paranormal romance.  The authors seem to have hit on so many aspects of romance novels set in the Britain in the nineteenth-century and I'm extremely impressed.


As I mentioned, I picked up this book believing it to be more serious than it was.  I adjusted my expectations accordingly (and rather quickly) and ended up enjoying this book quite a bit.  When I realized that it was more satire than serious, I thought I would feel like it was making fun of the genre (and its readers), but I didn't feel that way at all.  What good is being a reader and writer if you can't laugh at yourself every once in awhile?


I finished my first "journey" rather quickly.  Some paths are much more drawn out than others, depending upon your meandering choices, of course.  I did enjoy some threads much more than others, but that's to be expected.  This book hits upon so many aspects of the genre and archetypes that it covers a broad base of readers.  I doubt that anyone out there will adore every single one of the threads.  I caught a few tiny continuity errors (i.e. depending upon the path you chose, there might not actually be statues in the scene, but the next scene you encounter contained statues; however, if you had entered the second scene via a different page, then it all made sense), but nothing terrible.  I feel like this is to be expected when there are so many complex and intersecting plots.  I will caution you that if you're anything like me and you have a burning need to read EVERY SINGLE path this book has to offer...then it will take you a very long, long, long time.  In order to do so, I needed to adopt a complex method of tiny scraps of paper, checkmarks, and tallies.  I accomplished it (and, in the grand scheme of things, it really did only take me two days to get through it all), but it meant I had to be insanely organized and I couldn't stop for any interruptions or I would lose my place.  I didn't want to miss a single thread or ending.  That could just be me and I may just be a wee bit crazy.


For a lover of the romance genre, this is a great way to shake things up.  The structure and story are so incredibly unique and creative.  To come up with such an idea -- to treat a romance novel like a choose-your-path videogame or comic book -- is sheer genius.  I am so impressed with what this book ended up being and I loved the opportunity to laugh.  It absolutely does not take itself too seriously and it was a fantastic reminder that we shouldn't take our reading material too seriously either.


*Side note:  In researching a bit more about this book, I've discovered a bunch of other choose-your-path romance books!  I'm not sure if they're satire like this one, but I'm definitely interested to look into them.  Happy reading!

The Devil Wears Plaid: Teresa Medeiros

 “Emmaline Marlowe is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor’s prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abducts her in one strong swoop.  Though he is Hepburn’s sworn enemy, Emma’s mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not—handsome, virile, dangerous…and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart.

 

“Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn.  But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she is his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans.  So why does he still want her so badly for himself?  Stealing his enemy’s bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?”

 

I seem to be on a bit of a Teresa Medeiros kick lately (and I even have another of her books ready to start reading at lunch today).  This one is a standalone novel, though I can certainly see the potential for a second book, given one of the very vivid secondary characters.  Having just read Some Like It Wild, I can absolutely see some similarities in the characters and some echoes of plot similarities (and twists).  I could criticize this as “recycling,” but the differences are poignant enough where I will just say that the formula seems to work, so why knock a good thing?  I don’t feel cheated or disappointed and I still very much enjoyed the book.

 

I was left feeling like we got to learn a lot more about Emma’s point of view than Jamie’s.  We got to experience her falling in love with Jamie, while I saw Jamie falling in lust with Emma and didn’t quite get to see love come to fruition (even though I know he did fall in love with her).  I liked Emma’s sense of duty and sacrifice.  She was willing to give up everything to allow her family to have a better life.  She wasn’t afraid of the sacrifice and faced it with a unique bravery; she faced down Jamie and his fearsome band of Highland outlaws with a similar attitude.  I found this very admirable.  Overall, Jamie was a great male lead (despite the fact that I thought we saw much less of his point of view than we should have toward the end of the story).  His sense of duty and determination was a good mirror for Emma’s.  I really enjoyed the plot twists concerning Jamie and his multifaceted character.  There was a hardness to him that felt very true to his lifestyle and difficult upbringing in the Highland mountains, constantly being hunted by the Hepburns; yet, the gradual softness he felt toward Emma felt natural and believable.

 

The duality of some of the major secondary characters, the absolutely stunning scenery descriptions, and the overarching plot were rich and really sucked me into the story, making for a very quick read.  I practically devoured the book.  Medeiros always writes such enthralling stories; it’s so easy to lose one’s self in them and she really does create excellent “escapes” for her readers.  By far the most enthralling part of this story were the vivid descriptions of the Highlands.  When I was finished, I was half in love with the setting, myself.  It really felt like I was experiencing this magical place alongside Emma; it felt so real, in fact, that I am sure Medeiros had to have actually visited the Scottish Highlands in order to create such vivid scenery.

 

This was a great standalone novel and I recommend it as an introduction to Medeiros if you’re considering reading her works, but you don’t quite know if you want the commitment of being drawn into reading a series.  Her Scottish characters are wild and exciting, much like the land from whence they hail.  Their dialect is believable and not overly-exaggerated (which I have honestly experienced with some other authors).  Despite having some characteristics of great Greek Tragedies, Medeiros was able to maintain a lightheartedness that made the book fun.  This has always been something I admire about her style.

Camp Austen: My Life as an Accidental Jane Austen Superfan: Ted Scheinman

“Ted Scheinman spent his childhood eating Yorkshire pudding, singing in an Anglican choir, and watching Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy.  As the son of a devoted Jane Austen scholar, this seemed normal.  Despite his attempts to leave his mother’s world behind, he found himself in grad school organizing the first ever University of North Carolina Jane Austen Summer Camp, a weekend-long event that falls somewhere between an academic conference and a superfan extravaganza.

 

“In Camp Austen, Scheinman tells the story of his indoctrination into this enthusiastic world, delivering a hilarious and poignant survey of one of the most enduring and passionate literary coteries in history.  Combining clandestine journalism with frank memoir, and academic savvy with insider knowledge, Camp Austen is perhaps the most comprehensive study of Austen that can be read in a single sitting.  Brimming with stockings, culinary etiquette, and scandalous dance partners, this is summer camp as you’ve never seen it before.”

 

(Darn it, I did it again.  I finished this book about a week ago and I’m only now getting around to writing this review the month following…I hate throwing off my reading tally.)  Many of you know that I only very recently picked up (and read in its entirety) my very first work of Jane Austen:  Pride & Prejudice.  I’d somehow made my way through my undergraduate and graduate studies without reading any of her writing, despite the fact that my studies contained a very heavy emphasis on British Literature (my thesis was even about the importance of teaching British literature in the American classroom).  It seemed very natural that I pick up this book when I saw it on the New Releases shelf at my local library.  This really is something one can read in a single sitting; it’s a very tiny book, but it is crammed with a lot of information.  I’m going into this review with a few words of “caution.”  This is not for the casual reader; one actually needs to know something about Jane Austen in order to recognize the references and even appreciate some of the humor.  I was thankful that most of the account centered around Pride & Prejudice (since it was the theme of the very first Jane Austen Summer Camp) because I doubt I would have understood/enjoyed it as much without this knowledge.  Additionally, parts of this book read like a very eloquent essay on Austen and her works – especially her very early ones, which I have not read as of yet.  I wasn’t “lost” because I hadn’t read these works, but I do feel that I would have appreciated the author’s assessments much more had I done so.

 

The structure of the book was interesting.  Scheinman has a unique style.  It feels academic, yet personal.  There’s a sense of humor in it that I can easily imagine he carries into his daily life.  The style alternated between literary analysis and personal experiences.  By far, the personal experiences were my favorite.  In fact, this was more of what I was expecting when I picked up this book.  About half of the book was devoted to analyzing Austen’s writing and life via the lens of the summer camp.  I found this to be eye-opening and interesting information, but there were moments when I just wanted to get back to Scheunman’s experiences as he donned the clothing and persona of Mr. Darcy.  I suppose this is a non-fiction read (and didn’t come from the biographical section of the library), so I should have supposed that it would contain a good amount of literary analysis.  Of course, this is definitely something I’m used to reading; however, it may not be for everyone.  I’m sure other readers out there have or will pick up this book with the belief that they’re about to read simply a humorous account of Scheinman’s time as an observer in the world of the Austenites.  There is much more to this little book than that.

 

This is an amusing, intelligent, witty, very quick read.  I recommend it to fans of British literature, especially American ones, and, even more so, fans of Jane Austen.  It was fascinating to get such a glimpse into the secret world and lives of American Austenites.

*After reading so much about the wonderful Mr. Darcy costume, I couldn't resist including a picture of the author (in the blue coat) all dressed up.  Thank you Google (image borrowed from the official Camp Austen site HERE)!