Rendezvous: Amanda Quick

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where Shadows Dance (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book Six): C. S. Harris

“Regency London, July 1812:  How do you set about solving a murder that no one can reveal has been committed?

“That’s the challenge confronting C. S. Harris’s aristocratic soldier-turned-sleuth, Sebastian St. Cyr, when surgeon and anatomist Paul Gibson illegally buys the cadaver of a young man from London’s infamous body snatchers.  A rising star at the Foreign Office, Mr. Alexander Ross was reported to have died of a weak heart.  But when Gibson discovers a stiletto wound at the base of Ross’s skill, he can turn only to Sebastian for help in catching the killer.

“Described by all who knew him as an amiable young man, Ross at first seems an unlikely candidate for murder.  But as Sebastian’s search takes him from the Queen’s drawing rooms in St. James’s Palace to the embassies of Russia, the United States, and the Turkish Empire, he plunges into a dangerous shadow land of diplomatic maneuvering and international intrigue, where truth is an elusive commodity and nothing is as it seems.

“Meanwhile, Sebastian must confront the turmoil of his personal life.  Hero Jarvis, daughter of his powerful nemesis Lord Jarvis, finally agrees to become his wife.  But as their wedding approaches, Sebastian can’t escape the growing realization that not only Lord Jarvis but Hero herself knows far more about the events surrounding Ross’s death than they would have him believe.

“Then a second body is found, badly decomposed but bearing the same fatal stiletto wound.  And Sebastian must race to unmask a ruthless killer who is now threatening the life of his reluctant bride and their unborn child.”

This installment in the world of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries was one of my quicker reads by Harris.  I thought the plot twists and sheer number of suspects did a very good job of keeping the truth behind the murder of Alexander Ross well hidden from the readers, as well as ensuring a good pace to the plot.

Sebastian is called to Gibson’s surgery after the anatomist discovers a very suspicious wound inflicted upon a corpse which he obtained through dubious means.  Little does Sebastian know that investigating the hidden murder will not only reveal massive secrets within the government, but it also puts Sebastian’s own life at stake, and that of those he cares about.

Still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Hendon is not his true father, Sebastian remains firm in his resolve that he’ll not allow his own child to suffer the stain of illegitimacy – he finally convinces Hero Jarvis to accept his hand in marriage, much to the chagrin of both their families at odds over politics and personal vendettas.  Unfortunately for Hero, tying her name to a well-known aristocratic sleuth means she becomes a target for those trying to dissuade and distract Sebastian from his meddlesome crime-solving.  Sebastian must manage his perceptive, nosy, hesitant-bride-to-be all while ensuring his own hide is kept safe as he skillfully maneuvers between social and political circles.  Diplomats, shipping magnates, ambassadors, military notables, foreign spies, and even the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs all rank somewhere amongst his seemingly-endless list of suspects.  He discovers there are far more lies, subterfuge, and exchanges of gold and secrets taking place within the Regency government and between England and other Continental nations during this tumultuous wartime.  But which of his suspects is the most likely to have wanted Ross – a seemingly well-liked gentleman professional, loyal to both his government and his lovely young betrothed – dead?  And what do the United States have to do with all of it?  Whoever it was nearly got away with the murder…had it not been for Gibson and his body-snatching contacts.

As the bodies begin to pile up, Sebastian must determine which – if any – of them are related…and figure out just how many killers are out there before time runs out.  The ensuing manhunt risks Sebastian’s life and the stability of his own country’s government.

I found this book to be intriguing and entertaining.  It is, of course, another murder-mystery, so it is certainly not without its gruesome gore.  This is another book that’s not for the faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach.  The violence and death aren’t gratuitous, just a present aspect of this series and genre – I just wanted to provide fair warning so you’ll know what you’re getting into!  I didn’t see the ending until it exploded right in front of me.  The twists and turns kept the author’s aim well disguised and made me want to keep on reading.  The only shortcoming to this was that I don’t feel like I really, truly appreciated Sebastian’s brilliance in this book.  The beauty of the other books was watching his mind work out the murders and leads.  It’s clear that Harris is capable of revealing just enough to keep the readers guessing because this is what she managed to do with the other books in this series.  For this book, all the pieces seemed to fall into place after the fact, so it almost felt too convenient or the thought process too hidden to actually appreciate from my standpoint.  This means that this book was not my favorite one in this series, though I did still enjoy it.  I like the rollercoaster I experience while reading these books and following Sebastian’s investigations, but I wanted to feel more “involved” than I did while reading this installment.

I look forward to watching the characters’ various relationships develop:  Sebastian and Hero, Hendon and Sebastian, Sebastian and Lord Jarvis, even Sebastian and Kat (who was, for the most part, very absent from this book).  One of the greatest successes of this series is Harris’s ability to weave together hints of romance and very personal emotions with the murder-mystery.

Happy reading!

Bad Attitude (BAD, Book One): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“NAME:  Steele

“CODENAME:  Azrael—“Angel of Death”—because he goes places where even angels fear to tread

“SPECIALTY:  One shot, one kill

“WEAKNESSES:  Women in high heels, freedom under siege, and eBay

“PROFILE:  Prefers to work alone—except in the bedroom

“MISSION:  Kill the bad guy, save the world, and hopefully end up with the girl

“New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon has created a major buzz with her stories about the sexy heroes of the Bureau of American Defense.  Now, she presents her first full-length novel featuring the agents of BAD—a story of unforgettable characters and heart-stopping romantic suspense.

“BAD agent Sydney Westbrook must find the perfect sniper for a risky counter-terrorism mission.  The assignment is simple:  find and kill a hired assassin before he kills a high-profile world leader during a peace conference on American soil.  JD Steele, a trained military sniper whose attitude problem landed him in prison, seems a good candidate for the job since he doesn’t have many other options.  But it turns out Steele doesn’t take orders easily—not even when they come from an intriguing agent who has his number down pat.  As they’re dragged deep into a secret world of freelance killers, Sydney begins to discover the man of honor and passion hidden beneath Steele’s arrogant façade.  It’s a man even Steele didn’t know he could be.  But how can he fulfill his duties when doing so will risk the life of the only woman he’s ever really cared for?”

I’ve been reading a lot of new (to me) authors lately and I wanted a fun read by an old favorite.  I couldn’t locate the next book in Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series (yes, I’m still pacing myself and slowly re-reading that series), so I thought I’d start something new.  I’ve seen a few of her BAD (Bureau of American Defense) books here and there at bookstores, online, and at the local library.  Anyone who glances at my reading history knows I lean away from “modern romances,” especially ones set in the United States.  Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series is a bit of an exception because it contains so many historical and paranormal aspects that it breaks me out of the norm.  BAD is borderline.  It is a modern series surrounding a secret branch of American agents who have access to incredible technology, possess amazing abilities and talents, and come from varied backgrounds.  At the heart of it, these agents are still just people.  Still, I wanted to give this series a shot.  This book is supposed to be the first in the BAD series, but I quickly got the sense that I was missing something.  It was mentioned that two agents were on vacation together, which gave me the impression that theirs was, perhaps, a novella or short story that I hadn’t yet read.  I noted on FantasticFiction.com that there is a collection of stories for this series, but it’s not listed first in the reading order.  Maybe this solves my issue?  I don’t think my enjoyment suffered because I felt like I wasn’t reading the stories in order, but the perfectionist in me doesn’t like doing this (even by accident).

We’re introduced to Steele when he’s still overseas.  His best friend and spotter has just been killed and he’s struggling to come to terms with the loss, as well as the pain and anger everyone else is taking out on him, the survivor.  It isn’t until later that he discovers that his CO (commanding officer) is covering up the mission and shoddy intelligence he used to send Steele and Brian out into danger.  The CO blames them for getting lost and making foolish decisions, ending in the loss of Brian’s life.  Steele, blinded by anger and pain, does something very stupid in retaliation and, in turn, he winds up tried and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison back in the States.  This results in his military-oriented family disowning him and Steele finds himself more alone than ever.

Two years into his sentence, he’s approached by a strange man and two women.  There’s something very different about the trio and his training instantly tells him that these are no ordinary individuals.  Their mannerisms and controlled expressions tell him they’re well trained and a part of something very dangerous.  The kicker is that they want to draft him into a very dangerous mission, dangling the carrot of freedom and an expunged record if he complies and succeeds.  Clearly there’s only one choice for Steele to make.

We quickly learn the intricacies of the secret agency, BAD, and the hidden role it plays in the security of the United States.  Headquartered in Nashville, TN, they have access to the entire country, seemingly limitless technological resources, and licenses to do things other agencies would deem unsavory.  They’re comprised of past criminals, loose cannons, and those who struggle with following the rules and rigid authority.  It’s the perfect environment for Steele.

Other than his talent and his past, Steele was chosen for this mission because he was also approached by APS, another secret agency BAD has been attempting to infiltrate, but has yet been unsuccessful.  They need Steele to pretend to accept the position at APS in order to uncover top secret information and, perhaps, prevent another World War.  This, of course, lands both Steele and Sydney in more danger than BAD predicted.  They soon find themselves on the run in a life-or-death game of cat and mouse.  Only if they survive do they stand a chance of stopping an assassination that could cause history to repeat itself.

Steele was a good, typical “Kenyon” male lead:  He’s angry, tortured, has a rocky past, and doesn’t care for distractions or interferences.  She has an amazing knack for creating male leads who seem like antiheroes, but they eventually discover that they have it in them to be real heroes (very, very few of them remain antiheros – I can probably list them off using the fingers on only one hand).  Their dark and twisty natures are always well-developed and unique.  I hadn’t read a book of hers where the male lead was once in the (modern) military and I definitely appreciated all of the research she so obviously did.  I felt like I understood the mentality and the world that shaped them.  In Steele’s case, it was his entire history that helped make him the man he was when he met Sydney.  By far my favorite part of his character was his “bad attitude.”  (Don’t you love it when a title comes into play in a review?!  No?  Maybe that’s just me.)  His sarcasm was extreme and I loved how he went out of his way to annoy absolutely everyone.  His attitude was bad to the max.  It’s easy to create a male lead with a generic “bad” attitude, but Kenyon tweaked him enough through mannerisms and comments that he was unique.  I do have some criticisms about him.  The first part of the synopsis indicates he’s a fan of eBay – I didn’t see this once in the book, though it would have been an amusing quirk.  I’ve learned from snippets here and there (not just this book) that snipers do not, in fact, work alone.  They have a spotter and work very, very closely with them.  They form a unique, tight bond born of trust and danger.  To say that Steele prefers to work alone wouldn’t be entirely accurate.  A sniper doesn’t really work alone.  Now, if this is intended to say that he never means to take another spotter/partner because it means risking someone else’s life, then this might be more accurate.

Sydney, on the other hand, was less unique.  We’re immediately introduced to her as a slightly curvier, heavier, shorter Angelina Jolie lookalike.  I don’t really care for such blatant comparisons – it makes the characters feel less unique and more based off of impressions of a real person known by everyone.  Granted, it makes it easier to picture a character by giving them a blatant lookalike, but I find it less fun and it actually hurts my sense of imagination.  Personally, I then picture the actress/actor’s mannerisms and speech patterns I’ve seen during interviews or events or even as they act in films.  Maybe I’m the only one who has an issue with this, or maybe I’m just being picky.  I’m not used to Kenyon making such blatant comparisons and I usually find her characters to be much more unique.  This is probably why I didn’t find Sydney to be overly interesting.  She had a decent backstory and reason for wanting to be a part of BAD, but that was about it.  She, herself, had a bad attitude and I didn’t feel like the reason was explained particularly well (over and above her reason for refusing to date coworkers anymore).  I did like her banter with Steele – they seemed well-equipped to go toe-to-toe again and again and again.  I kind of wanted to see her (quite literally) kick his butt because she probably could have, but it was not to be.  In the past, there hasn’t really been an issue with Kenyon writing physically and mentally powerful women who can (and do) kick men’s butts, but I wonder why she didn’t really use that here.  It seemed like a bit of a missed opportunity for this plot.

As far as the romance goes (because this is, at its heart, still a romance novel), I found it less believable than in Kenyon’s Dark Hunter books.  The scenarios are similar:  man and woman are thrust together under dire circumstances, they learn to work together as a well-matched team, they save the world and fall in love in the process.  However, while I get that Steele has been celibate for a long time, I don’t quite understand how he “clicked” with Sydney.  He could have been attracted to her, but I would have felt more convinced had he chosen to “scratch his itch” rather than hold off.  He didn’t know Sydney; by all accounts, she could have never given in to his crude advances, why wait?  On the flipside, I was more convinced by the progression of Sydney’s growing feelings for Steele.  Her sympathy felt genuine even if her weakness for him did not.

Overall, this is a very different type of plot and brand of storytelling than Kenyon’s wildly popular Dark Hunter books – and there’s a reason those are so much more well-loved.  Kenyon’s genius lies in the way she can craft whole underworlds and histories, fantastic characters and captivating otherworldly plots.  BAD does this to a small degree, but I don’t find it as successful.  I still finished reading this book in less than 24-hours, so that has to say something.  I still enjoyed it.  Had I read this before becoming such a fan of the Dark Hunter books, then perhaps I would have been more enamored.  Echoes of Kenyon’s talent ring throughout – especially in her secondary characters (for those of you who know the world of her Dark-Hunters, then you’ll understand what I mean when I say there are shades of Acheron complexity in BAD’s director, John Q. Public; I also eagerly await reading his story…because he so clearly has one coming).  There was a nice spark between Steele and Sydney, even if I didn’t always find it the most believable.  They did have chemistry.  The fast-paced plot and interesting story kept me very interested and I enjoyed reading this in (almost) one sitting.  Even if I’m not in love with the series thus far, Kenyon remains one of my favorite authors.

I Was Anastasia: Ariel Lawhon

"In an enthralling new feat of historical suspense, Ariel Lawhon unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson's 50-year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov.  Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman's legacy?

"Countless others have rendered their verdict.  Now it is your turn.

"Russia, July 17, 1918:  Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia where they face a merciless firing squad.  None survive.  At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

"Germany, February 17, 1920:  A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal in Berlin.  Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless, horrific scars.  When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious woman claims to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia.

"Her detractors, convinced that the young woman is only after the immense Romanov fortune, insist on calling her by a different name:  Anna Anderson.  As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats are awakened.  With a brilliantly crafted dual narrative structure, Lawhon wades into the most psychologically complex and emotionally compelling territory yet:  the nature of identity itself."

This is the book I started reading at the tail end of my vacation (it was also the last one I'd brought with me, so I am sort of grateful that I didn't fly right through it or I would have been lost).  Once again, I have Pinterest to thank for my reading material.  The algorithm it uses to come up with recommendations really is very impressive; more often than not, it seems to be able to really pick up on what my tastes gear toward and come up with books I may not have chosen for myself, but would more than likely enjoy.  This book popped up a number of times (even after I pinned it) and I came across it at my local library, so it felt a bit like fate.

I've always been fascinated with European history (more so British history than anything else) and there's just something captivating and tragic about the Romanovs.  I even enrolled in a Russian history course during my undergraduate studies (which was amazing, by the way -- in part because I was also able to learn quite a bit about the country from which most of my family originates:  Lithuania) and I found it absolutely fascinating, especially when it came to the revolution.  I grew up watching the animated film Anastasia (one of my cousins is even named "Anastasia"), so I have always been around the story of the Grand Duchess and her ill-fated family -- even in my British history studies because her mother was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.  It was not until somewhat more recently that I was exposed to the story of Anna Anderson, the real-life woman who claimed to be THE Anastasia.  Every so often (thank you, internet, for tracking my history...), an article will pop up in my Facebook feed about Anna and her grand claims and mysterious background.  I won't give away what I have learned from these articles, but, rather, will stick to the context of this book.




I'm currently about a third of the way through this book.  It has a very unique narrative style, bouncing back and forth from Anna to Anastasia.  It transcends the decades in less than chronological order (at least for Anna) and it can be difficult to follow at times, but it is so very much worth it.  The intricacies and nuances I've been able to catch thus far are captivating.  We begin with an unnamed narrator cautioning us that conveying her story will only pass along its burden, though we continue onwards regardless.  This is followed by Anna making a last-ditch effort to remain in America before her visa expires and it is after this that the meandering hallways of Anna's memories are revealed.  We are given the distinct impression that she's a credible narrator because of the details she provides and the lengths to which she's been willing to go -- the sacrifices she's been willing to make -- in order to prove her identity.  We see how other people have tried to use her, either for monetary or notoriety gain; how she has been touted as a lost princess or sneered at as an imposter.




However, I think my favorite parts thus far have been Anastasia's point of view.  The Romanovs are often portrayed as spoiled and aloof -- totally out of touch with reality and the things they should have handled as the Russian royal family -- and I'm not disputing that they were not; however, it has been very interesting to read a different perspective.  Told from Anastasia's point of view, these sections offer a very intimate look into the Romanov family and behind closed doors.  Their confusion and fear were palpable entities during their downfall and subsequent transportation to Siberia.  You feel sympathy for a family which is, more often than not, shown to be completely detached from reality.  The details Anastasia is able to capture, her determination and will are astounding for someone so young and in such a dire situation.  It's all written beautifully and it really immerses you in this world of turmoil and upheaval experienced by Anastasia and her family.


I'm looking forward to seeing how all of this progresses.




***


I'm now 2/3 of the way through this book and the tension is definitely heating up.  The narrative style is so successful and captivating, with Anna and Anastasia's perspectives playing out with different narrators and their timelines creeping ever closer.  I find myself speeding through because I want to get to the point where their stories/timelines collide.  What will we discover?  What is the truth?  In a backwards fashion, we learn how Anna came to be in America, all of the times she'd been exploited or vilified, how she'd come to survive off of her infamy.  How the surviving Romanov family members had attempted to buy her off and why they did so.  With Anastasia, we witness the treatment of the imperial family under the revolutionaries and then the Bolsheviks.  We see how they were taken down more than a few notches (perhaps several hundred notches, to be honest) in an effort to rub their noses in reality.  The subtle ways in which they'd been sheltered, even in captivity.  There's even a little bit of sweet romance between some of the captors and captives.  Anastasia's first-person perspective portions remain my favorite parts of this book.  Her personality is spunky and her will to survive is admirable.  History tells us that the story does not end well for the Romanovs, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what the last part of the book has to offer, and I consider this a great feat of writing.


***


I finished this book a few days ago and I'm happy to finally get around to finish my review.  Completing a book in a matter of a few days is no great feat for me (in fact, this one actually took me a bit longer than normal because of my hectic schedule and trying to get back into the swing of things after vacation), but I do consider it notable when there are specific reasons that I simply cannot put a book down.  While the book, as a whole, is extremely interesting and captivating, the latter half is so brimming with suspense that you're practically salivating for more.  You HAVE to know if Anna is Anastasia.  So many times over I thought I'd had the plot figured out; I believed I'd discovered Lawhon's aim.  I was wrong so many times over.  The beauty of this style of writing (with two perspectives beginning decades apart and then creeping inexorably closer, gradually building the tension while it reveals tidbits of information and carefully omitting others) is that you know where the story ends up, you're just not sure how it got there.  And, in this particular story, that makes all the difference in the world.  This style is what makes this book unique and such a fascinating read.  It could have just been yet another historical fiction providing hope for those who believe that, surely, someone must have survived what history can only categorize as a massacre of the royal family.  The writing is so poignant and it resonated so deeply with me that I was completely absorbed in the story (woe to my husband who kept trying to interrupt the last few chapters despite the fact that I told him I just wanted to finish my book...).


Anastasia's portions of the story remained my favorite, though I do think that Anna's became even more interesting as the story progressed.  The impact of the surviving Romanov family members upon her life was of particular interest to me -- their desperation to quell Anna's claims and collect the Romanov inheritance.  I thought the way in which Lawhon managed to get the readers to sympathize with Anna while retaining the sense of mystery and uncertainty about her was artful.  There were a couple of Anna's portions which dragged on just a bit; however, having finished the book, I can say that pretty much every single detail was required to further the reader's belief/disbelief.  One must take this book as a whole rather than two separate stories which happen to be contained in the same book.  There are nuances and details woven with such care throughout, creating an epic interconnected story.


Anastasia's perspective was dramatic and vivid.  Having completed that aforementioned Russian history course, I'm familiar with the ways in which the Romanovs were treated after their fall from grace.  Yes, they were a royal family vastly out of touch with reality, but does any human being really deserve to be punished thusly?  Anastasia's companionship with Tomas provided much-needed tenderness in her dark, disparaging world and I found the details to be very sweet.  The book had the potential to become far too heavy without this.


Overall, this was a fascinating read with a unique structure to it, which, I felt, makes it so successful.  It definitely helps if you know and understand a little bit of Russian history to truly appreciate why the revolt took place, but it's not necessary to know everything since Lawhon does such a good job of explaining it as the story goes along.  I definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction or is looking for a book with a different setup than your run-of-the-mill chronological timeframe.  As the information above indicates, this book really is a psychological journey.


***Side Note:  I discovered that Lawhon is another Nashville author -- another happy coincidence.  I ended up (unintentionally) taking books by two different Nashville authors on my trip to that city.

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.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: Lady Fiona Carnarvon, The Countess of Carnarvon

"Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Julian Fellowes's Emmy Award-winning PBS show, Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon.  Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war.

"Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart, Lady Cora Crawley, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home  Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman.

"The rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle."

I originally picked up this book some time ago because it was on a list to read "if you enjoy Downton Abbey."  Unfortunately, I have yet to watch the show (I've been interested in it for a long time, but my schedule hasn't permitted it - I may definitely have to watch it now that I've read this book!), but I thought this non-fiction work might be an interesting read.  I was a touch skeptical because it was penned by the current Countess of Carnarvon, Lady Fiona Carnarvon.  Without sounding too harsh, I wasn't sure that this lady's aristocratic credentials necessarily meant she should be the one to write such a book - her status as a Countess doesn't make her an expert on the topic of her husband's ancestry, nor does it mean she can produce quality writing.  I will follow this up with a statement that I was impressed.  The writing was extremely well done and thoughtful.  The details were beautiful and there was a great deal of care and love put into it.  Any misgivings about the suitability of the current Countess of Carnarvon as an author have been laid to rest.  The history was rich and she really brought Lady Almina and her family to life.  I will say, however, that part of the reason this book took me so long to read was that the beginning dragged a little bit.  A great deal of time was spent on Almina's background (which, having finished the book, I can now see is integral), and this slowed the pace a bit.  It picked back up once Almina and her new husband -- the famous Earl of Carnarvon who, with Howard Carter, discovered the intact tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt -- moved to Highclere after their wedding.  Lady Carnarvon truly makes the house come alive.  She clearly appreciates the beauty and history of the house.


***It took me so long to complete this review that I actually finished watching the entire Downton Abbey  series a couple of months ago!  I hope my reviewing gets back on track now that I'm finally done with grad school (yay!!!).  My biggest takeaway was how much more I feel I appreciated the television series after having read this account of Highclere.  The setting was spectacular and it felt so much more alive.  I have to believe the creators and writers of the series read the current Lady Carnarvon's accounts, worked very closely with her and her family, or did an astounding amount of research.  I saw threads of real people from Lady Carnarvon's book woven into the series and I found myself thrilled each time I caught a reference or tidbit.  I think it's an excellent idea to read this book and then watch the television series; it makes for a much richer experience.


Back to the book review:  Overall, I found the writing easy to read (even if the first few chapters slowed down a little bit - I do encourage you to persevere because it really is a very interesting nonfiction read) and the anecdotes were very interesting.  It breathed life into one of the most stunning houses England has to offer.  It made history come alive, which is one of my absolute favorite things about literature (it's the reason my undergraduate degrees are in English and history).  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in England, history, WWI, British aristocracy, or the Downton Abbey television series.  I loved the photographs, the stories, and the enthralling history of this stunning house and its fascinating family.  This was a great non-fiction read and I recommend it to fans of history, England, wartime stories, and, of course, Downton Abbey.

House of the Rising Son (Dark-Hunter Series: Prequel): Sherrilyn Kenyon

"The eldest son in a family of three boys, Aricles had no desire to be soldier, even though his fighting skills were among the best in the world.  He was more content on his small Atlantean farm, living a quiet, uneventful life.  But when his brother is determined to don a soldier's uniform, Aricles joins him with a promise to their father to bring his brother home in one piece.  What he never counts on is how much their new lives will forever change them or what the risk of a forbidden love will ultimately cost him."

This was a recent addition to the Dark-Hunter Series and it appears to be intended as a sort of prequel, much like Fantasy Lover.  I was very happy to locate it in a Kindle collection of Kenyon's short stories; it made for a quick purchase while I was on vacation and had just finished re-reading Fantasy Lover.  One of my greatest complaints back when I first began reading Kenyon's works was how difficult it was to track down a lot of the short stories.  Not only did I have to find the anthology, but it was really annoying for a poor student like myself to have to purchase all of these books when, chances are, I would have little to no interest in the other short stories contained in the anthology.  The Dark Bites collection is brilliant!  I can't believe it took until somewhat recently for this to come out!  There was some wonkiness in FantasticFiction.com and where this particular short story fits in, but, like I mentioned, it seems to be a prequel.  Having read it, I am not entirely certain where it stands and how it meshes with the rest of the series.  Chronologically, it is clearly the earliest of the books; other than that, I'm not so sure.  The story started out interesting (even if I am a bit confused about the whole premise behind the necessity of the special task force of warriors from different nations)  I initially liked Bathymaas and her stoic nature.  As I read on, however, I lost a little bit of respect (I don't think this is the right word, but I am going for it) for Ari.  He was too childlike.  I get that he's young and inexperienced on so many levels, but I don't think that's a good enough excuse.  Whereas I liked this childlike naiveté in the early Bathymaas, it was a touch to overdone in Ari.  I just didn't find him up to the same quality of Kenyon's other male leads.  I think my biggest issue with the story was the dialogue; it felt a bit too awkward.  It was formal, but in a stilted way rather than elegant.  It was mixed in with some word choices that were far too modern (i.e. "Sweetie").  I love books that transport me to another world, but the dialogue in this particular story took me out of that escape.  This was probably my least favorite of Kenyon's books.  I'm waiting to see where it fits into the grand scheme...maybe I'll like it more if I can understand/appreciate her character choices.

When a Scot Ties the Knot (Castles Ever After, Book Three): Tessa Dare

"On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shy, pretty, and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen.  She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart.  So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done:  she invented a sweetheart.

"A Scottish sweetheart.  One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around.  Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter...and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.

"Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh.  The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep--handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable.  He's wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters...and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep."

You guys...something tragic has happened...I KNOW for a fact that I read the first two books in this series and I went back to read the reviews for those for fun, but they're not here!?  I have both books in my Kindle account and I KNOW I read them (not only do I remember the plots rather clearly, but I can SEE that I finished them, thanks to the tracker on Kindle).  What the heck?!  Man that's really disheartening...  I don't think I've ever just "lost" reviews like that before.  I know I read these books, I know I enjoyed them; I cannot remember when I read them or all of the details.  I may just have to go back and re-read them *gasp* (something I NEVER do) to be able to write decent reviews of these books.

Anyhow, off to my review of this book (hopefully it doesn't ghost on me too).  I was excited to read this book because I specifically remember really enjoying the other two in the series.  I devoured the 376 page paperback in 24-hours...so I think it's safe to say I really, really, really enjoyed this one too. This may well be one of my absolute favorite books by Tessa Dare.  I may have chucked at a few of her books or smiled at a funny or awkward situation, but this one genuinely had me laughing and grinning like an idiot on quite a few occasions.  This reason alone earns this book extremely high marks in my mind.

The plot was tremendously creative and unique.  I am so impressed with Dare's daring (no pun intended) storyline.  There was an enormous chance for it to go very wrong, cheesy, or way too "out there" to be at all believable, but she managed to pull it off with flying colors.

Logan MacKenzie is now up there on my list of favorite male leads.  I love the way Dare wrote his dialogue (I've read quite a few books in which there are characters with Scottish brogues and the ones in this book were some of the most readable and believable ones I've ever read (also, I love the little nod Dare made to the oft over-the-top brogues some authors feel compelled to include - well played, Dare, well played)) and gave him a personality that was definitely more than meets the eye.  I wondered if he would turn out like a few of the male leads in her "Spindle Cove" series (being a soldier with a very strong sense of duty and loyalty to his men), but she made him unique.  I loved his banter with Maddie; it definitely seemed to fit both of their personalities, but his, especially.  I got a very good sense of his character and physical appearance (something I've noted in a few of Dare's older books were a lack of physical descriptions (i.e. hair and eye color) of some of her characters, but she did a very good job of this in this book - for both characters).  I will say that I wanted a tiny bit more of his backstory, but what snippets that were provided were rich enough to suffice and gave me a good sense of how he was shaped into the man he had become.  I found him captivating, endearing, attractive, and a highly-enthralling male lead.

Maddie was sweet.  I loved how Dare included some of the letters she wrote to the imaginary Captain Logan MacKenzie in the very beginning of the book.  It really made the story come alive and said a lot about Maddie's character.  Like Logan, I was a touch worried I would find Maddie, a naturalist sketch artist, too similar to Minerva in Dare's "Spindle Cove" series or Sophia in her "Toby and Isabel" series, but I am happy to report that Maddie was made unique enough so I didn't feel like Dare was "recycling" characters or plots.  I will say that her "flaw" (which I will not directly give away) was a bit similar to one I encountered with a male lead in her "Stud Club" series, though it differed slightly.  I enjoyed Maddie (and I liked her last name; it suited a woman who tended to be as withdrawn and quite as a church mouse - Dare has a knack for having rather appropriately-named characters) and, despite her timid personality, I still found her strong and brave in her own way.

I especially loved the setting.  I got a very good sense of Scotland and the people and politics of the time.  This may be a romance novel, but I can still appreciate a good setting and sense of historical time period.

Overall, I'm so pleased with this book.  The banter between Logan and Maddie was definitely what made the story come to life.  The plot was unique and extremely captivating.  I highly recommend this book and, as always, I am absolutely in love with Dare's writing.  I never want her books to end.

Atonement: Ian McEwan

"Ian McEwan's symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness combines all the satisfaction of a superb narrative with the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose.

"On a summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses the flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant.  But Briony's incomplete grasp of adult motives and her precocious imagination bring about a crime that will change all their lives, a crime whose repercussions Atonement follows through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century."

Even though the start of the semester technically starts tomorrow I wanted to get a head start on the reading for my classes since I know I'm going to be completely swamped.  This particular book happened to be for my Modern Brit Lit course.  I saw the movie version of this book a few years ago.  It was a late-night Netflix pick (which was a bad idea because -- not only is it a long movie -- but holy cow!  I don't think I've ever cried so hard while watching a movie!)  Now, having read the book, I think the casting was done extremely well.  I definitely saw Keira Knightley as Cecilia and could definitely picture James McAvoy as Robbie (not to mention I think he's probably one of the most beautiful brooding men that exists).While there were a few tweaks here and there in the plot, I don't think they necessarily hindered the power of McEwan's story.

The book took me a bit longer to read than I thought it would.  I cruised through the first hundred-or-so pages, but I slowed quite a bit after that.  I don't want to give anything away, but it took about that long for the major development that I knew was coming to happen.  I don't know if the hinderance was because I knew what was going to happen since I'd already seen the film or if the book itself just slowed quite a bit.  Either way, I had a hard time getting through the enormously long first part of the book (which turned out to be about half of the book).  Once I got through there, the already eloquent writing really brought to life the horrors of war and the tragedy experienced by both individuals and entire countries during WWII.  The biggest thing I will take away from this story is the beauty of McEwan's writing style.  It was reminiscent of a hodge-podge of classical British writing-styles.  I sensed a bit of Austen, Woolf, and even a touch of Dickens.  The entire story had some seriously dark undertones and they definitely helped to generate interest in the plot and characters.  As I mentioned earlier, the book slowed a little bit in the middle, but I wonder if it wasn't because I already knew what was going to happen.  I have a feeling -- with its beautiful writing -- that I wouldn't have been able to put this book down if I'd not experienced the story before.

Overall, I thought the characters were vivid and rich.  I especially appreciated McEwan's technique of putting a story into a story -- as if we were reading the book that Briony wrote and was waiting to publish.  That, I felt, was a unique and very interesting literary decision.  I was moved by this powerful story and recommend it to anyone interested in classic British literature.  McEwan's writing was extremely enthralling and it was difficult not to become absorbed in the tragedy of her characters.

*I have a feeling I'll add more to this review when we discuss this book sometime during the semester.  Be on the lookout for an update!

Love's Blazing Ecstasy: Kathryn Kramer

***Sorry there is no picture for this book. It's from 1984 and kind of difficult to find an image of it online! I will try scanning it in as soon as I have the time.***

“PASSION’S SLAVE

“When she saw the dangerous glitter in the Roman soldier’s eyes, Wynne knew she was lost, yet she could not forget that she was a Celt and he and enemy of her people. But as Valerian’s amber eyes caressed each soft, sensuous curve of her body, Wynne found herself melting into his embrace of a thousand teasing kisses and hot throbbing passion…

“PASSION’S POWER

“This golden goddess was forbidden fruit, but Valerian could not resist such an innocent, ripe blossom, whose silken skin and moist honey-sweet lips set him on fire. And in one wild, reckless moment of uncontrollable need, Valerian conquered Wynne’s body and soul and filled her with—

“LOVE’S BLAZING ECSTASY”

This was the first book by Kathryn Kramer that I’ve read. I actually acquired it from my mother who was cleaning out the basement and found a whole box full of her old romance novels and I was really excited because I thought that there were some good ones in there. This one, however, was not one of the best that I have read.

I’m not saying that this was a bad book, per say, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t know if it was because of the style of writing or if the writing itself was influenced by the decade in which it was written, but there was something not quite right about it. Everything seemed to drag on and on. The dialogue was overly dramatic, but the plot was interesting. This was the first book that I’ve read that took place in Britain during the Roman occupation and it was interesting. I really liked all the parts containing the Celts and the history itself was interesting.

All in all, this book might be for someone who enjoys writers with a flair for the dramatic, but it just wasn’t for me.

The Guardian: Barbara Miller

“For seven years, Miss Amy Conde has run a successful horse breeding enterprise on her country estate, Talltrees. She longs to bring new blood into her line with a younger stallion, but that requires capital—money her absent guardian is willfully withholding. Until Amy turns twenty-five in three months’ time, Mr. Trent Severn controls her fate, and she bitterly resents his interference.

“Trent’s role in aiding his country’s war against Napoleon has consumed the last decade of his life. When he thinks of his ward, he remembers a little girl he met once, at her father’s funeral. Then he comes to Talltrees and finds that Amy is now a capable, strong-willed businesswoman—and a vital, passionate soul who regards him with deep disgust. Stunned beyond measure, he determines to find her a husband who will take her off his hands. But when an eligible suitor does arrive, Trent and Amy discover the heated emotion that sparked between them from the first is rapidly turning to desire.”

This is the first of Barbara Miller’s books that I have read and I must admit that I am impressed. I found this book at our local library’s book sale and was drawn by the cover. However, once I began reading, I was drawn into the book for an entirely different reason.

The characters were fun and exciting. They were very different from A LOT of the other books that I’ve read and it was really captivating. The plot, itself, was unique and I recommend this book to someone who is looking for a little change in their romance reading. I will definitely look for Miller in the future!

My Wicked Pirate: Rona Sharon

***I read this book on my Kindle, so I don’t have the exact wording on the back of the book, so this is the one from Rona Sharon’s site. I will try to fix it as soon as I can!***

“First he gave her a wicked kiss…

“Azure-eyed Alanis was by far the most exquisite treasure ever claimed by the black pirate known as the Viper, but his motives went deeper than his silken promise to ravish the feisty Yorkshire heiress. Commanding the waters of the Caribbean was his mean to an end: reclaiming his birthright—and his blood debt against those who had betrayed him.

“Then he gave her nights of wicked pleasure…

“Comfortably betrothed to a nobleman, Alanis never imagined the heady emotions in the true games of seduction—games this blackguard seemed to thoroughly enjoy playing with her. Swept up into an adventure that soon revealed a gentleman and a kindred spirit beneath the ruthless veneer of a privateer, Alanis began to soften towards her enigmatic captor, as her pride and her heart fell under his erotic spell…”

This is the second of Rona Sharon’s books that I have read and—once again—I LOVED it!!! Her books may seem long and daunting to the casual reader, but I assure you, every single page is required. Sharon is a gifted and absolutely amazing writer. When other authors write historical fiction, they may include some facts that help verify the time period and nothing more. Sharon on the other hand has a TREMENDOUS amount of facts and includes well-known wars and generals, Emperors, Popes, monarchs…and it is not tedious in the least. She dares to make her time period completely authentic and I applaud her for that.

Also, her characters are amazing. They are SO real! (And I know I tend to say that, but in this case I REALLY mean it!) There are so many facets to them that they seem like they could have been actual human beings. It’s really, truly a talent.

This book was wonderful and I HIGHLY recommend reading any of Rona Sharon’s works. I never want them to end!!! She has a new book coming out in April and I am SO excited! Look for Rona Sharon's Royal Blood.

A Reckless Beauty (A Beckets of Romney Marsh Novel, Book Five): Kasey Michaels

“The jaded and rebellious innocent…

“Fanny Becket has adored her adopted brother since the day they both lost their parents and became part of the Becket family. Where he goes, she has always followed. But pursuing him into battle, Fanny quickly finds herself in the line of fire and quite unexpectedly... in the embrace of a handsome stranger.

“Valentine Clement, Earl of Brede, has seen enough of fighting to know there is no advantage to be found at Waterloo. Yet the moment he spies Fanny he is duty bound to save the reckless beauty, most especially from herself. Although with a woman such as Fanny, it may very well be his lordship who is in need of true protection.”

This book was sweet. It was a touching story and the reader can feel the characters’ pain it was written so realistically. I will, however, bring up the reality of “typos”. You know how you will be reading a book and there will be a not-too-significant word missing or a misplaced apostrophe? Well, this book was missing actual important words in some of the sentences—and I’m not talking about one or two mistakes…there were like five of them. It was hard to read some of the sentences because of some of the missing words. I’m not blaming Kasey Michaels—as a writer, I know how easy it is to do—I’m saying that the editor was fairly lax in their duties to the author. This is what they get paid for and the editor couldn’t do it.

Anyway, I LOVED Valentine's character and Fanny—who was pretty much excluded from all of the other books and was thoroughly underdeveloped—was definitely explained more. I also enjoyed how Rian was elaborated on. The readers saw a more determined, serious, mature side to him and they felt for how he wanted to prove himself and have his “turn”. All in all, this was a decent book and I liked the historical aspects a lot.