The Temptation of Your Touch (Burke Brothers, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros

"A new enchanting historical romance from a 'superb storyteller' (Booklist) and New York Times bestselling author featuring a handsome, brooding Earl who finds himself drawn to his prim and proper housekeeper.

"Maximillian Burke has always prided himself on being the man that every mother would want her daughter to marry.  But after his scoundrel of a brother makes off with Max's bride, Max discovers it's more satisfying to be a rogue than the perfect gentleman.  Forced to flee London after a duel gone wrong, he seeks refuge at Cadgwyck Manor on the lonely coast of Cornwall, a place as wild and savage as his current temper.  The tumbledown manor comes complete with its own ghost but oddly enough, it's not the White Lady of Cadgwyck who haunts Max's heated dreams - but his no-nonsense housekeeper.  The last thing Anne Spencer needs is a new master, especially one as brooding and gorgeous as the Earl of Dravenwood.  Even as she schemes to be rid of her new employer, she finds herself irresistibly drawn into his strong, muscular arms.  When Mac vows to solve the mystery of Cadgwyk's ghost, he doesn't realize it will put both of their hearts at risk and tempt them to surrender to a pleasure as delicious as it is dangerous."

This is yet another after-the-fact review.  Unfortunately, I don't have the exact date I finished this book, but I believe I'd already finished it before the end of June of 2019.  This review was penned on May 19, 2020, so please forgive it's brevity as I do my best to do it justice so long after I finished reading it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and was so looking forward to the second that I immediately began reading it.  Max's character changed quite a bit from the first book.  Gone was the totally level-headed, staid man of the first book; in his place was a more emotional, angrier one.  He'd lost out on a woman he cared for, and cut off his brother in the process.  Max felt betrayed and he lashed out quite a bit, even causing a scene in London Society which created the need for some time out of the limelight.  He purchased a new, far-flung estate in Cornwall and retreats there to get away.  Little does he know what he is about to encounter...  Not only do the villagers seem terrified of his new manor, he finds it rather rundown, understaffed, and the hodgepodge of those willing to work there, quite odd, to say the least.  The one he finds most intriguing is his pretty housekeeper, Anne.  There's something about her attitude, her confidence, and her wit that intrigue him.  Max, however, can be just as intelligent, and he quickly catches onto the fact that he is not wanted at Cadgwyck Manor.  The staff seems to be doing whatever they can to make his stay miserable.  He doesn't think things can get worse, until the White Lady begins to make her presence known...  Max knows there must be something more to his "haunted" manor than meets the eye.  When he finally learns the story behind the ghostly apparition, he cannot help but be enthralled by the stunningly beautiful woman whose painting graces one of the walls, and he yearns to know more about her.

Anne is determined to be rid of the Max.  She and her friends have successfully run off a number of would-be owners in the past; how difficult could one more be?  She didn't count on a new master as intelligent, brave, stubborn, and handsome as Max.  She remains determined to maintain her freedom and run the manor as she sees fit, but Max does not seem to want to cooperate.  Drastic times call for drastic measures...only the more time Anne spends with Max, the harder it is for her to want to see him leave.  She struggles to keep him at arm's length when all she wants is to feel his touch.  The undeniable spark between them could be catastrophic if Max is allowed to snoop around the manor..and learn Anne's darkest secret...

Cornwall seems to be a favorite of Medeiros for creating ghostly, eerie settings -- I can clearly recall at least one other book set in Cornwall with similar ghostly tales swirling about.  I supposed I can't blame her.  The gloomy area and spooky moors create the perfect atmosphere for the supernatural.  It also happens to personify Max's moods quite well -- perfect for the brooding male lead.

The secondary characters were wonderfully lively and lent some fun to the plot.  The story could have turned far too dark and brooding, but they helped keep it light and airy.  This makes for a good contrast between the seriousness of the haunted manor and the very realistic relationships between the characters.

It was entertaining to watch all of the characters develop over the course of the book.  Max and Anne had a lovely relationship and I truly did enjoy this book.  The passion was sizzling and the overall story was extremely well-written.  I did not see the plot twist until it was staring me in the face!  Kudos to Medeiros because I think it was handled brilliantly and it was extremely creative.

I definitely recommend this book, as well as its earlier counterpart.  As much as I enjoyed the first, I think this one was my favorite of the two; I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that there was more equality in the narratives of Max and Anne -- it did not feel as one-sided.  Happy reading!

The Pleasure of Your Kiss (Burke Brothers: Book One): Teresa Medeiros

“Legendary adventurer Ashton Burke has roamed the globe for ten years trying to forget the spirited woman he left behind in England.  His devil-may-care pursuits are interrupted, though, when he reluctantly agrees to retrieve his brother’s kidnapped fiancé from a sultan’s harem.  Too late, he discovers his quarry is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart.

“The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights.  She quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril.  In a journey both tantalizing and treacherous, Ashton and Clarinda resume the impetuous steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.”

This was a new one for me since I’ve already read a majority of this author’s other works.  One of the best parts of her works is the worlds she creates.  She really draws you in with vivid imagery and experiences which enthrall all of your senses.  I hadn’t yet read a book of this genre set in such a far-flung corner of the British Empire, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  For me, part of the charm is usually losing myself in the elegance and beauty of England/Great Britain because I’m such an Anglophile.  Despite my reservations, I was sucked into the lush and exotic world of Clarinda’s kidnappers.  The palace and its luxuries with its foreign ways and manners and food captivated me.  All of the secondary characters were interesting and unique, each with his/her own big personality.  The uniqueness of the setting made this book fun and special, allowing it to stand out in a genre of relative sameness when set during this time period.  It provided an exciting backdrop for the development of a unique love story.

Clarinda was a strong, brave female lead.  I thought she behaved admirably well given her lot in life (and her kidnapping…and having to adjust to life in the harem).  Her struggles felt believable and her backstory seemed to provide enough support that her strong personality was in-character.  Her friendship with Poppy was entertaining and provided a bit of levity in a situation where the female lead could have given in to far too much despair and hopelessness so as to make this a much less “fun” read.  I particularly liked Poppy as well – she had a sweet disposition and an innocence which I found endearing.

Ash(ton) was everything you’d expect from a swashbuckling, exploring, Indiana Jones-esque male lead.  We encounter him just as he’s about to be put to death for a perceived slight against a very powerful man, only to have his life saved at the very last instant.  When the reason for the timely rescue becomes apparent, Ash isn’t so sure he’d rather not have perished by the firing squad.  He’s sent on a mission to save the last woman on earth who’d probably rather he’d died than rescue her.  His struggle to come to terms with both his past and present were amusing and realistic.  Ash, while dashing and adventurous, had a bit more to him than a “flat” traditional male lead in this genre.  He came with his own issues and complexes.  What I found particularly interesting was the change in relationship between Ash and his brother, Max.  The backstory and Ash’s childhood speaks volumes to his character and seems to have helped shape him in a believable way.  I will, however, say that I would have liked to have read a touch more from his point of view.  He’s such a bold, exciting character that I couldn’t help but want more!  I think Clarinda’s perspective ended up swallowing most of the story.

Ash and Clarinda have loved each other for most of their lives.  They grew up on neighboring estates; Ash, a duke’s second (disappointment of a) son, and Clarinda, the daughter of a wealthy, self-made man.  What began as a childhood rivalry eventually blossomed into a passionate young romance.  Ash, determined to make his way in the world – determined to make something of himself so he’d be worthy of Clarinda rather than just an impoverished second son – decides to join the navy.  Horrified that he’d think of leaving her, Clarinda chases after him.  What begins with tears and hurt ends in a passionate embrace the two would remember for the rest of their lives.  The years pass and Clarinda sees neither hide nor hair of Ash (except for the tabloids detailing his heroic adventures).  Convinced he’s abandoned her, she finally decides to accept the marriage proposal of Max, Ash’s older brother – wealthy, stable, staid, intelligent, and ever-practical.  She’s on her way to meet Max for their wedding when she and Poppy are abducted by pirates and sold in a slave market into the harem of an obscenely wealthy, handsome young sultan.  While there, Clarinda is groomed and trained in all the ways of the sultan’s harem.  After months, she and Poppy begin to despair of ever being rescued and returned home…that is, until a dashing ghost from Clarinda’s past makes a surprise appearance.

What follows is a tantalizing romance of opposing wills.  Both Ash and Clarinda are nursing old wounds, but still find themselves drawn toward one another by a powerful force that seems to transcend time and distance.  Will Ash be able to save Clarinda from the sultan’s harem and deliver her back to his brother?  For that matter, how can he stand by and allow his brother to marry the one and only woman he’d ever truly loved?

I found the plot entertaining and very fun and different from others in this genre/time period.  It was refreshing!  I enjoyed reading this and it was a relatively quick read.  I’ve already begun reading the second in this series and it’s shaping up to be another lively read!

After Midnight (Lords of Midnight, Book One): Teresa Medeiros *UPDATED*

“The eldest and most sensible of the three Cabot siblings, Caroline is naturally concerned that her sister Vivienne has lately been keeping company with the infamous Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan, the enigmatic nobleman whom most of the ton firmly believe is…a vampire!  Surely, it is nonsense.  And yet…  The brooding gentleman inhabits a dark castle and is never seen in the daylight, embarking nightly on mysterious excursions to who knows where.  And from the first moment Caroline encounters the handsome, hypnotically compelling viscount, she is shaken by a fevered desire for the man that borders on the unnatural.  She must know Adrian’s secrets!  But each step that draws the inquisitive beauty deeper into his shadowy world pulls her closer to a sensuous surrender, for the power of his passion is impossible to resist.  Is he man or monster, champion or villain?  And will a yearning heart lead Caroline to disaster…or to love?”

 

Here's another May read I've finally managed to review!  And it's a re-read!  You can find my original (rather horrible) review of this book from August of 2008 HERE.

 

Caroline is driven by a fierce determination to see her younger sisters safe and secure, even if it means sacrificing her own food, clothing, and happiness.  After the death of their parents, she takes over the care and management of her siblings and does everything within her meager power to keep them safe and comfortable.  Her own dreams and ambitions are put on hold so that her sisters might have a better chance at making it out in the world.  Vivienne even inherits the beautiful clothes and adornments that were meant for Caroline’s own coming-out.  While in Town, Vivienne meets and, apparently, captivates one very mysterious suitor.  Viscount Trevelyn has a dark and mysterious reputation, but this does not seem to deter Vivienne’s aims to marry him.  The youngest Cabot sister, however, feels very differently.  Portia has always been flighty and prone to fantasy.  When she discovers Vivienne is being courted by a man purported to be a vampire…well, that sets her imagination aflame.  Caroline must juggle keeping Portia in line and ensuring Vivienne is happy with the match (because, surely, vampires are not real).  She doesn’t, however, take into account her own feelings.  The first time she meets the intensely-handsome, golden-haired viscount, she does not realize to whom she is speaking.  She finds herself inexplicably drawn to him and his sense of humor.  Little does she know, she’s enchanted by the very man her sister is to wed.  As they grow closer, Caroline and Adrian are playing a very dangerous game.  She gets to know Adrian and, rather than have her questions answered, a Pandora’s Box seems to be opened and she’s swallowed by his dark, mysterious world.  Could her sanity be slipping, or is there a very real possibility that the rumors about Adrian could be true?  Could he really be a vampire?  Or does he shield darker secrets from the prying eyes of the ton?

 

I enjoyed this book very much the first time around almost 11 years ago (wow, I cannot believe it’s been that long!) and I did like it this go as well; however, perhaps not as much.  I wasn’t as sucked in as I was last time.  I don’t know if I should attribute this to the fact that I knew to expect the twists and turns, or because it’s not as fantastic as I’d once believed it to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I still very much enjoyed the style of writing and the characters.  I think the difference probably lies in my tastes.  This is a more traditional vampire story and I tend to stay away from these.  If this is something more to your tastes, then you’ll likely enjoy it more than I did.  Its best qualities are probably the surprises.  It’s not as straightforward a plot as you might first believe!  Medeiros is artful in her stealthy approach, carefully crafting a storyline that will keep you interested:  not everything is as it seems.

 

As for the characters, themselves:  I feel like we got to know Caroline much more than Adrian.  For me, books of this genre suffer a bit when this happens.  We female readers are supposed to fall for the male leads.  When they’re less-developed, this becomes more difficult to accomplish.  We learn snippets about Adrian’s past, but the biggest focus is his relationship with his younger brother, Julian.  This redeemed his development somewhat, but I found it a bit lacking.  Most of what we come to know about him is secondhand rather than from Adrian’s own memories or emotions.  I wanted just a bit more from him and I probably would have been more satisfied had I gotten it.  I realize a lot of this had to do with the fact that Medeiros needed to keep us in the dark about various plot twists, but I feel like more could have been revealed once these twists finally came to fruition.

 

Caroline has a much better-formed backstory.  I appreciated her tenacity and self-sacrifice.  She was a young woman bent on doing whatever it took to take care of her sisters and I definitely admired this.  However, this did not make her a pure, flawless character, which I appreciated.  I don’t like when characters are too perfect, and I think most of you will agree with me.  There have to be some imperfections or they don’t feel real enough.  The fact that she began to fall for her sister’s intended was certainly a flaw and her struggle made her more likable.

 

I liked this book and will probably reread the second in the series as well.  If you’re a fan of vampire romances and period romances, then this one will be right up your alley.

Lady of Conquest (Brides of Legend, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros UPDATED

 “He is called Conn of the Hundred Battles, the warrior-king who forged a nation from a land of isolated clans.  As High King of Ireland, he rides with the legendary Fianna, his elite band of warriors.  But a threat to the throne looms from a mysterious scourge who has vanquished several of Conn’s bravest warriors.  Conn rides out alone to face a seemingly invincible foe, never expecting that he will confront a grief-maddened hellcat with emerald eyes and hair like liquid flame….

 

“Wielding a sword called Vengeance, Gelina O Monaghan has sworn to defeat the man she holds responsible for her family’s ruin.  She never dreamed she’d be bested by him in combat…and lose her heart in the bargain.  Their forbidden passion will become a private war fought with swords and kisses, promises and betrayal—and surrender will be only the beginning….”

 

In addition to this being yet another book I finished on my vacation (believe it or not, it was only a week long), this is another re-read of a book I read quite some time ago; the original review can be found HERE.  Everyone here knows I’m a fan of Teresa Medeiros, but reading this book again only solidified my belief that I absolutely lean toward her newer works than her older ones.  Much like the first book in this duo, Shadows and Lace (the original review for which can be found HERE and the updated review can be found HERE), I didn’t end up a huge fan.  In hindsight, I think this was due in large part to the era in which these books were penned (thank you 1990s).  These books both had volatile, controlling relationships between the male and female leads.  There is a great deal of violence in this book -- yes, that includes violence Conn directs toward Gelina; yes, that includes physical violence.  I don't condone this in anyway, but I can see why it was a part of this story.  It, essentially, stayed true to the role Conn would have played during this time period, as well as the social mores of this era.  He was expected to be physically powerful and probably wouldn't have thought too much about demonstrating that power in a physical way.  That being said, here's a bit of a SPOILER:  There is a rape scene.  As a matter of fact, nearly all of the physical encounters between Conn and Gelina are rape-ish.  It feels so much less romantic.  There's a fine line between a male lead being powerful and breathtakingly masculine and being a brute to caves to his baser, more violent desires.  He ends up using sex as a weapon, and I found this a bit off-putting.  I noted it in my original review ten years ago (wow...I can't believe it's been that long), but this time around it made the story a bit of a struggle at times.  I chose not to re-read my original review prior to picking up this book again and I'm glad I didn't because it probably would have made me hesitant to read it.  END SPOILER

I liked Conn in the beginning; he seemed to be a good man and a good king.  He was powerful when he needed to be and merciful when necessary.  I would, however, have liked to see his perspective a bit more -- especially near the beginning of the story after we meet Gelina.  As soon as we start seeing Gelina's perspective, she seems to sort of overtake the narrative.  (This happened in Shadows and Lace, as well.)  I think it would have helped me to understand his motivations and appreciate his mercy a little bit better.  We discover that Gelina knew Conn when she was a child and how she admired him, but we don't really get to see those memories from Conn.  As the story progresses, I liked Conn less and less.  His desire for Gelina (a young woman who was supposed to be his ward) was powerful and consuming, but it takes him a painfully long time to accept his feelings.  When I say painful, I mean it.  I think this was because I didn't quite understand his hesitation.  She wasn't related to him in anyway and she was certainly putting out vibes that she was attracted to him and loved him.  He mentions the difference in age between them, but I don't think that should have been as big a deal as it was made out to be.  Then again, we're not given any good clues as to Conn's age (we find out pretty early on that Gelina is about sixteen) until nearly the end of the book.  By this time, a few years have passed and she's somewhere around eighteen or nineteen and I guess that he's about thirty-six.  There's such a big fuss over their ages, but in Ninth Century Ireland, I don't think it would have been as big a deterrent as Conn made it out to be.  Perhaps he was just making excuses and being stubborn?  (Again, a similar thing happened in Shadows and Lace.  Are we seeing some trends here?)

Gelina is as feisty as I remember.  She's brave -- if a bit rash -- and strong-willed enough to survive the had she's been dealt and to live in Conn's court beneath his oft-wavering moods and loyalties.  This was probably one of the most frustrating things because (since we see so much of her perspective, we know just how much she cares for Conn.  To see his lack of faith and trust in her is difficult to witness.  There was a cyclical pattern to her relationship with Conn (again, see Shadows and Lace).  Because the story is dragged out across several years instead of a snippet in the characters' lives, there is ample opportunity for them to fight/have a falling out/Gelina runs away or is sent away/Conn goes and retrieves her.  This happens more than a couple of times.  This certainly ups the dramatic tension, but it left me wanting more development of Conn and Gelina’s relationship.  All that time apart (for various reasons) can create bittersweet longing, but you also lose all of the closeness the characters could have been developing in the meantime.  Not to mention it hurt my opinion of Conn that he would have such little faith in Gelina.  I totally get that the circumstances of their meeting were less than ideal and he would have been well within his rights to kill her, but years have passed without her betraying him.  Cut the girl some slack!

As usual, there were some colorful secondary characters who really served to develop the plot and show us a side of Conn and Gelina that would have otherwise remained hidden.  The best example of this is Nimbus.  He was funny, witty, and irreverent.  While he got s little bit goofy at times, I enjoyed him nonetheless.  He provided a good outlet for Gelina’s childlike wonder and allowed Conn to have a sense of humor.  He also happens to become the source of one of the greatest conflicts between Gelina and Conn, though I won’t give this plot twist away.

Having a tangible villain in Eagon was a wise choice because it gave the story an outside source of conflict other than just what existed between Conn and Gelina.  It helped to place their story within a much larger framework of history, which is something I really appreciate.  Medeiros does this in some of her other books and, being the British history nerd that I am, I appreciate this touch.

In all, this was a well-written book (I always appreciate her writing style) and her descriptions of the scenery and characters are vivid and really help me escape into her books.  There were, of course, aspects of this particular story that I didn’t care for and this book will not be for everyone.  It’s a long read (though it only took me a few days) due to the timespan over which it takes place, though it’s interesting to see Gelina grow and change over the years.  Parts of it are frustrating (why can’t Conn just give into his feelings already?!) but other parts are tender.  There are moments of violence which literally made me cringe, but I persevered.  As part of a body of work, I recommend reading this book – even if you’re only curious to see how Medeiros has changed and developed her style over the years.  The comparison is a very interesting one.  This book was not really my favorite, but I am glad that I re-read it.

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.

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.

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.

Some Like It Wild (Kincaid Highland: Book Two): Teresa Medeiros

“It was to be her greatest masquerade…

 

“Pamela Darby needs a man – preferable a Highland brute with more brawn than brains.  Determined to save her sister from selling her virtue, the resourceful beauty requires a strapping specimen to pose as a duke’s long-lost heir.  Pamela plans to collect the generous reward, then send him on his way.  Lucky for the brazen beauty, the seductive, silver-eyed highwayman who just held up their carriage could be her man…

 

“Connor Kincaid has given up on his dream of restoring his clan’s honor.  And now this plucky Englishwoman is asking him to take part in a risky charade that could land them both on the gallows.  Never a man to resist a challenge or the allure of a beautiful woman, Connor strikes the devil’s bargain that could seal both their fates.  The highwayman and the hellion journey to London as both enemies and allies – a woman who has everything to gain and a man who has nothing to lose…but his heart.”

 

Another little gem by Medeiros.  I finished the first in this series the other day and immediately began devouring this installment.  It was a great follow-up to Some Like It Wicked.  We hear so much about Connor in his sister, Catriona’s, story, so it was nice to see what he’d been up to over the years.  This one kept the same lightheartedness and sense of humor that the first book did.  It doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet it deals with some very serious topics.  I think this is a particularly difficult balance that not many authors can achieve.  Some books by Lisa Kleypas, for example, lean more toward serious than lighthearted.  Sure, they have lighthearted moments, but they don’t have the same way of remaining fairly lighthearted throughout.  This is not to say that one shouldn’t take Medeiros seriously – her writing is witty, well-crafted, and extremely well-planned – but she’s a much quicker, relaxed read than other authors.  I can see why the first book in this series was marked as a “perfect beach read!”  It’s easy to fall into her worlds and get absorbed in the characters.  She adds just enough historical accuracies to make the British history nerd in me very happy. Simply stated, the books in this series made me smile.

 

I wasn’t sure how I would like Pamela in the very beginning of the book.  She seemed rather self-deprecating and I don’t normally care for a female lead that is too over the top in this regard.  She ended up rather likable.  I thought she was witty, brave, and intelligent.  She was a good foil for Connor because she had more than enough spunk to stand up to his gruff and often sarcastic ways.  Her relationship with her mother and sister was complicated and really added to her character.  I did find Sophie pretty annoying at times, but I think that’s just because she’s so young and naïve.  She can’t yet see past pretty things and the facades people use.  I can definitely see the potential for Sophie to have her own book, especially after her interactions with a certain secondary male character.

 

Connor was complicated and fun.  His backstory was tragic, but he still retained some sense of humor.  For a thief, I feel like he had a lot more honor than he let on.  His drive was admirable and his charm was irresistible.  I found aspects of his character to be rather moving, especially when we learn more about how his parents died.  He was rough around the edges, but was surprisingly refined in some situations.

 

There was a very memorable secondary character in this book: 

He had a surprising amount of complexity for a secondary character, perhaps because Medeiros chose to give us glimpses into his mind.  He would make an excellent male lead as he moves on and tries to find his own place in the world.

 

There is a tremendous plot twist I never saw coming and I applaud Medeiros for this.  It’s not easy to trick me and I was definitely caught off-guard by one tremendous revelation.  The book was rich with eloquent descriptions, beautiful writing, and steamy tension and romance.  It was exciting enough where I didn’t want to stop reading, and yet I still enjoyed it as a relaxing read.  I certainly do recommend it – especially if you’ve read the first in this series.  It’s a fun, entertaining book and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Some Like It Wicked (Kincaid Highland: Book One): Teresa Medeiros

"Some like it dangerous...

"Highland beauty Catriona Kincaid cares nothing for propriety--or even her own safety--when she storms the grounds of Newgate Prison.  Determined to return to Scotland and restore her clan's honor, she seeks the help of Sir Simon Wescott, a disgraced nobleman and notorious rogue.  She is prepared to offer him both wealth and freedom, but she never dreams the wicked rake will be bold enough to demand a far more sensual prize.

"Some like it seductive...

"Simon is shocked to discover the tomboy he met long ago has blossomed into a headstrong temptress.  Although he's sworn off his dreams of becoming a hero, he can't resist playing knight errant to Catriona's damsel in distress.  Both adventure and peril await them at her Highland home, where they will risk their lives to vanquish her enemies...and risk their hearts to discover a passion beyond their wildest dreams."

Medeiros is another author I've "rediscovered."  My archives are filled with reviews of her books and this book reminds me why.  I reread her very first book earlier this year and I was left feeling a bit "meh" about it.  Not this one.  I finished it in about a day or two.  It was a captivating, well-paced, fun read with lively characters and a great plot.  I particularly loved how we were introduced to Simon and Catriona years before she would "storm the grounds of Newgate Prison" looking to bribe him into helping her regain her clan's honor and rights.  It lent a nice note to their backstory and, especially, with how Catriona came to choose him as her accomplice.  I appreciated the development of Simon's character.  Where he was when we see him in Newgate to where he is near the end of the story really is like a totally different man.  What's even more impressive is that this was accomplished in such a believable way.  It was gradual and halting; Simon resisted becoming the hero that he knew Catriona believed him to be.  He wasn't a knight in shining armor and he hated being lauded for anything perceived to be heroism.  That was, until he found something really worth fighting for.  Catriona was spunky and passionate, if more than a little naive.  This made her character feel younger than she really was.  Rather than find this annoying, I (more often than not) found it endearing.  She tries to hard to fight for what she believes in and she's willing to sacrifice everything for it.  Though some of what she did was cringe-worthy, I still found her a strong female lead.

The overarching plot was historically important and really made it feel like the story was so much bigger than what was contained within the pages -- so much bigger than just the love story between Simon and Catriona.  I always appreciate it when authors have a way of generating a world instead of just a snippet; it really makes everything come to life, in my opinion.

As far as criticism goes, my only "complaint" was that the villain didn't feel as strong or as sinister as I thought he should have been.  To be sure, the makings were all there and he had the backstory for it, it just somehow didn't quite come to fruition.  It felt like the bigger enemy was the English overtaking Scottish lands -- more nebulous than an individual villain.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and I'm already halfway through the second in the series!  Medeiros crafts excellent characters, enthralling stories, and wonderful romance.  She has such a sense of humor about her that I find it impossible not to enjoy myself.

Shadows and Lace (Brides of Legend: Book One): Teresa Medeiros (UPDATED)

Here's yet another updated review!  My very brief original review of this book can be found HERE.  I read this years and years ago on my very first Teresa Medeiros kick and I clearly enjoyed it very much.  I hadn't read anything of hers in a long time, so I thought I'd give this one another go -- especially because it's one of her earliest published works (it seemed like a good place to start).  The first thing I wanted to mention is that I didn't realize that this was part of a two book series, Brides of Legend.  Even though I've read both books in the series, I don't think I ever realized they were intended as a pairing.  This is why the original posts for these books don't list them as part of the Brides of Legend series.

The first thing I want to mention is this book spends a great deal more time focusing on Rowena's point of view than Gareth's.  Now, this could be because the author wanted to keep an air of mystery about this dark, dangerous, possibly murderous male lead, but I got the sense that it was more so because it was more comfortable or familiar to write from Rowena's perspective.  I can appreciate the mystery and intrigue this left swirling around Gareth, but it did make me sympathize less with him than, perhaps, I should have.  Part of the charm of this genre is that readers get to fall in love with the male leads; part of this is to show is what's in his heart and his mind.  We get glimpses of it in this book, but substantial chunks of it don't appear until much further in the book than I think they should have.  This presented some challenges for me because I didn't care about Gareth or his feelings until quite a ways into the story.  Rowena also presented a bit of a challenge for me.  I don't know if it was the way I read this or if it was intentionally very vague, but we don't get a good sense of her age until almost the last few chapters.  At first, I assumed she was in her early twenties or late teens.  Then, she's treated so much like and child (and even behaves like one) and described in almost childlike terms (she's described as a "girl" rather than a woman on numerous occasions) that I got the sense that she was likely closer to fifteen-years-old, or thereabouts.  Knowing Gareth was in his thirties, this rubbed me the wrong way.  The only thing that made my mind accept this was my knowledge of history -- it wouldn't have been that odd were their ages really that far apart.  Not until the very late chapters do we realize that Rowena is, indeed, in her early twenties.  The number is, after all, just a number.  My comment has more to do with the fact that she was more nebulous a character than I am used to (or, than I prefer).  She was also, at times, a bit hollow.  I began reading this book thinking she'd be a little hellcat, full of spunk and spitfire.  She was, in a way, but she also went about certain things with very little resistance or personality.  That's the right word -- her personality wasn't very unique.  She allowed herself to be pushed around quite a bit.  Those times she really did show off her spunk were great.  (One comment I feel I must make is that Rowena likes to fall asleep...on horseback...a lot...  If it happens once, okay.  But I'm pretty sure it happened at least three times in this story; it started to feel a little bit silly).  I found a lot of the exchanges between Rowena and Gareth to be very entertaining.  They did have a lot of chemistry and tension.  Since the story takes place over the period of a year, it's a great deal longer than the normal timespan for a book of this genre.  This means there's plenty of time for delicious tension and for emotions to grow and blossom at a more believable rate.  I will admit that there were moments where the story seemed to drag a bit (and I will mention that there was a remarkably consistent pattern of Rowena running away and then Gareth riding out to go and find her), though this didn't wreck the story for me.

The secondary characters (Blaine and Marlys) really made this book special.  I'm a sucker for great supporting characters and Medeiros did a great job in this book.  I am a firm believer that secondary characters such as these can really make a book and breathe life into the main characters.  They show readers other sides to their personalities that they may not immediately show to the other lead.  Blain was a great golden lighthearted foil to Gareth's dark and brooding nature.  Marlys was a truly wild, untamed little hellion and, boy!, does she know how to create chaos!  The dynamics between Blaine, Marlys, and Gareth really made it feel like there was extensive backstory, as if there really had been years of complex happenings before the first page of this book was written.  This, I found, rather impressive.  All of it was clearly well thought out and planned.

For the most part, I found the writing captivating and well-paced.  I particularly like the vivid descriptions of the settings and seasons; they felt real and alive.  There were some awkward parts regarding basic physics (for example:  How can Rowena back up and strike her shin on something?  The shin is the front of one's leg.  When backing up, wouldn't she have hit her calf on something instead?) and I found those a bit jarring.  I had to stop a couple of times and wonder how those things happened, but I let them be.  The language -- especially from Rowena -- sometimes felt very stilted and overly formal, whereas Gareth's was remarkably smooth and well-crafted.  I realize that Rowena was sometimes mocking Gareth when she spoke thusly, but certainly not all of the time.  Rowena had spent so much of her childhood in an informal setting, yet she seemed to be way too well-spoken at times.

As far as the "romance" goes, I enjoyed the tension between Rowena and Gareth.  They seemed to be a good match.  I was frustrated with how much conflict their relationship had and how many times they seemed to stumble into an irreparable situation (though, I suppose some would find this a good thing in a book of this genre).  It was a bit tamer than some of the other authors I normally read, which, I suppose, isn't necessarily a bad thing.  It's less explicit and relies more on your imagination.  This is good for those readers who prefer things a little bit more toned down.  This is, of course, not to say that there isn't some explicit language and situations -- this is still very much an adult book.

I did enjoy this book, though probably not as much as I did the first time around.  The tension is by far the best selling point of this story.  Medeiros crafted it well and wrote a memorable character in Gareth.  Now I'm going to have to get the second book in the series!  (Side note:  I really like the newer cover much better than the original one.  It's definitely much more how I pictured Rowena and Gareth (even if I don't quite feel as if the new "Rowena's" costume is less authentic.  The original cover is extremely 90's with "Rowena's" overdone makeup.  The third cover shown above is another version I found (the one where you only see "Gareth's" arm).  I thought it was another decent version of the book, though I'm unsure if it really conveyed "Rowena" well, as she is written -- personally, I don't see her this confident and in charge.  I realize these are all personal preference and all the artwork is very much just a sign of the times in which they were published; I just thought I would share.)

Nobody's Darling: Teresa Medeiros

“Dear Reader

“I never enjoyed being a wanted man until the day Miss Esmerelda Fine marched into the Tumbleweed Saloon and pointed her derringer straight at my heart. Who would have guessed some duke’s granddaughter—an awfully pretty one at that—would come gunning for the likes of me, a notorious bounty hunter with a taste for whisky and a fondness for peach pie?

“Lucky for me, she was a mighty poor shot. Instead of killing me, she hired me to find her runaway brother. Little did she know she was about to make the acquaintance of a flea-bitten basset hound named Sadie, the infamous Darling Gang, and my shotgun-toting kinfolk. And little did I know she was about to lead me on a merry chase that would take us from a bungled bank robbery to the very first Wild West show to tour London, England.

“I should have turned down her offer. I should have resisted her charms. But I didn’t.

“Because there comes a time in every man’s life when he’s got nothing left to lose…but his heart.

“Yours,

“Billy Darling”

As you all know, I LOVE Teresa Medeiros and read her every chance I get, but you may also have noticed that I don’t tend to review “Wild West” books…that’s because I usually don’t like them… Well, this book TOTALLY changed my mind! It gave me a new perspective on the setting as well as the time period (and I’m sure it helped my acclimation that part of the story actually took place in London). I don’t know why I was so apprehensive… Maybe because—since I live in America and all—I would have already heard a similar story a thousand times. The typical cowboy…outlaws…robberies…but this story had a whole new twist that made all of my apprehensions seem unfounded. I laughed and even got choked up.

The characters were SO endearing and I loved them! Billy was such a fun character to read and he made the West come alive for me. I particularly loved the Epilogue. I don’t want to ruin too much, but not many authors will take the time to go that far ahead into the future to follow their characters’ legacy. Overall, this book is now one of my favorite ones by Medeiros.

Breath of Magic: Teresa Medeiros

"AN EXQUISITE ENCHANTRESS LOST IN TIME

"Arian Whitewood hadn't quite gotten a hang of the powerful amulet she'd inherited from her mother, but she never expected it to whisk her more than three hundred years into the future. Flying unsteadily on her broomstick, she suddenly finds herself among towers of glass and metal, then tumbling from the sky to land at the feet of a man with frost-gray eyes and a seemingly flint-hard heart.

"A SKEPTICAL TYCOON OUT OF HIS ELEMENT

"Reclusive billionaire Tristan Lennox didn't believe in magic, but he had his own reasons for offering one million dollars to anyone who could prove it existed. Now he finds himself besieged by fakes, frauds, and an old nemesis is ready to leap on his opportunity to destroy him. But the smoky-voiced beauty who appeared from the clouds into his climate-controlled existence is something else entirely--a woman able to enchant his lonely heart with wonder, but who can't possibly be what she seems....

So I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to update this blog for a bit, but I’m back! Anyhow, this book was sweet and had some wonderful twists to it. It made me laugh and cringe as well as feel for the characters immensely. Arian was a charming character and it was hard not to side with her. Tristan was a refreshing twist to the male lead roll. There was just something about him that made it easy to like and dislike him at the same time.

The plotline in general was new and different and I enjoyed it. I don’t usually read “modern” romances, but this had the whole historical elements that made it more to my tastes. Overall, I liked it and I have already started the sequel.

Heather and Velvet: Teresa Medeiros

“One moment Prudence Walker is living the life of a plain, dutiful orphan, searching forher lost kitten during a storm; the next she finds herself lying in a highwayman's arms. Wounded in a foiled robbery attempt, the dreaded Scottish highwayman seems harmless enough—until he steals her will and her heart with his honeyed kisses.“The innocent lass is everything Sebastian Kerr has ever wanted, but believed he could never have. When she discovers the dangerous double life he is leading, he is forced to risk his own life to save hers. It doesn't take him long to realize that he must win the one treasure he cannot steal—Prudence's love.”

I haven’t had a chance to read Teresa Medieros in a while, and this book reaffirmed my passion for her writing! It was a wonderfully written story with her own unique twists. Although I will admit—and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m so used to her writing or what—but I was able to pick out the plot turns before they happened. This by NO means ruined the book at all! It was still fantastic!

Sebastian was so well-written and it was so hard not to feel for him and Prudence. Both of them suffered so much and it was amazing to see them develop and grow. They were charming, tortured, and so real. It was so much fun to read Medeiros again!

Fairest of them All: Teresa Medieros

“FAIREST OF THEM ALL

“She was rumored to be the fairest woman in all of England. But Holly de Chastel considered her beauty a curse. She had already turned away scores of suitors with various ruses, both fair and foul. Now she was to be the prize in a tournament of eager knights gathering from across the land, each more determined than the last to win her hand. Holly had no intention of wedding any of them, and concocted her most outrageous plan yet: to disguise her beauty from their avaricious eyes. But she never planned on Sir Austyn of Gavenmore.

“The darkly handsome Welshman had come looking especially for a plain bride and Holly seemed to fit the bill. Suddenly she found herself in the possession of this mysterious stranger, ensconced in his castle, and forced to keep up her carefully planned illusion. Why did this electrifyingly passionate male, who could have any woman he wanted, desire a homely bride—and what would happen when he learned he’d been tricked? By the time Holly found out, it was too late to avoid searing fires of passion—and the dark curse of Gavenmore….”

Now, you all know that I LOVE Teresa Medeiros, but I will say it once again: I LOVE Teresa Medeiros! I could tell that this was one of her earlier works, but I loved it nonetheless. There was this awesome element of the unbelievable with Austyn’s ancestor (I don’t want to give too much away!) and there were some cool mythological aspects. What made me even happier was—as always—the historical background for the story.

I took so much pleasure in the characters and their plights. The situations were sweet, hilarious, and—of course!—enjoyably awkward! As always, I thoroughly look forward to reading more of Medeiros in the near future! (I apologize! I would write more, but I’m exhausted and have a TERRIBLE headache! I promise to have a better review for the next book!)

The Vampire Who Loved Me (Sequel to After Midnight): Teresa Medeiros

“Julian Kane is back in town.

“Once a girl of seventeen, beautiful headstrong Portia Cabot saved the cursed life of the dashing vampire Julian Kane—who marked her forever, then left to go in search of his soul. He returns five years later to find the enchanting young girl he left behind grown into a bewitching woman with a woman’s heart…and a woman’s desires.

“Portia quickly discovers that Julian’s seductive and forbidden kiss can still make her crave the night…and his touch. But the Julian who has returned to London is not the vampire she remembers. His fruitless pursuit of his stolen mortality has reduced him to drunken debauchery. And a recent spate of murders makes Portia fear that the man she has always adored may truly be a monster.

“Julian knows he must drive Portia away—but his passion and hunger for her grow more irresistible every time they touch. For years he has fought the temptation to embrace his dark gifts, never realizing that Portia’s love may give him the most dangerous gift of all…a reason to live.”

What can I say about this book…? Well, for starters, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! This book was a perfect sequel to After Midnight and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end this “series”.

There were new depths and facets to Julian that were barely scratched in the first book and I really, truly appreciate how well Teresa Medeiros wrote him. In addition, there is a new maturity to Portia while she maintains a bit of her fanciful nature.

I must admit that I laughed until I cried on several occasions while reading this book. One of which—not to give too much away—was when Julian was supposed to be sleeping and Portia plays the part of a nosy little girl. Then, at the end of the book, tears came to my eyes and I sat up in bed and all but yelled “NO! It can’t end this way!” (You shall see what I mean when you read it!) All in all, I was happy with the ending and I loved how Medeiros continued her “mysterious” style of writing in this book. She kept details secret and revealed them at precisely the right moment when they would create the greatest impact. I very much enjoyed this book and—of course will read more of her works in the near future!