Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Never Deny a Duke by Madeline Hunter book review

I wrote in an earlier review that these books are like a gift - just waiting to be unwrapped by the reader. This book is the 3rd book in The Decadent Dukes Society trilogy. I loved them all! I know it’s going to be a late night for me if I get a Madeline Hunter ARC or it’s release day. I finished this one at about 2am. It was just impossible to stop.

I think what made this book different was that it has an English Duke (Eric Marshall, the Duke of Brentworth) and Davinia MacCallum who is Scottish and is supposed to be a Baroness. Part of the story takes place in Scotland. It is tied into the 1745 uprising and the Battle of Culloden, which is when Davinia’s family lost their land to the English. Davinia petitions the King to have her title reinstated and her estate returned. Problem is that Brentworth is the current landholder and does not want to give it up. He sort of brushes off the demands of the King, which is kind of a funny scene in the book, because what aristocrat doesn’t jump at the King’s bidding???

Brentworth is really tightly wound and very discreet with everything. His friends make fun of him for that. Davinia is a writer for Parnassus and part of the Parnassus Club. It didn’t seem like she was on the hunt for a husband. She liked her independence and she was surrounded by good friends. She was also well educated by her father and did not want to give any of her time up that she spent helping people. Her goal was to get her land back and restore her estate. She managed to get an audience with an assistant to the King, but she didn’t feel like she got anywhere. So, she went directly to Brentworth to try to sort things out with him. Ha! This led to some witty and humorous dialogue that was fun to reread.

What a great couple. Eric and Davinia are well matched. Not only do they have great conversational compatibility, but they also are certainly not lacking in the physical chemistry department. I love how in some parts they cannot keep their hands off of each other. *fans self*. I love the historical accuracy, the detailed setting, the descriptive language about the food, clothes, and estates. I don’t know if the author has had an authentic carriage ride, but it sure seems like it with how the rides were described. All in all, I loved this book! A happy and satisfying ending. I highly recommend it for fans of historical romance.

Under Her Spell by Eliza Watson

This book is a light, fun and quick rom-com. I admit I was expecting a bit more “witch” but it was more along the lines of the show “The Good Witch”, but it was cute and there was dabbling in spells that were quite entertaining. In this story, I would stay that opposites attract. Monica is trying to get a romantic event planning business off the ground and Reed moves in next door as a divorce attorney. Not the best business neighbor. There was a lot of sexual tension leading up to them actually getting together. It was funny and had some laugh out loud moments.

Reed is very charming and can easily become a book boyfriend. He is hot, smart and as the story unfolds, doing the right thing. That, right there, is swoon-worthy. This book is a great escape. It’s well written, a good story, funny dialogue, and a satisfying ending. It’s a great choice if you are looking for your next contemporary romance.

A Touch of Forever (Cowboys of Colorado #3) by Jo Goodman book review

I’ll admit right away that my romance consists of Regency England and sometimes Scottish historical fiction. I also read small town contemporary romance. Also, erotica. Lots and lots. I get derailed by the things I really love and don’t always try new things. So, this book seemed like it would be a cowboy western romance, which it sort of was...but wasn’t. I’ve probably only read a couple books in this genre and this author was new to me. Even though she has written tons of book. I’m glad I took a chance on it. Yes, it takes place in Colorado in the early 1900’s (ish?). The railroad is being built and cowboys do exist. But Roen came from a pretty wealthy family in New York City, so he’s not really a cowboy. He’s a talented artist (not sure if he would be considered a cartographer) in the book he is a railroad engineer and kind of running away from a stalker. He likes the outdoors and working as a freelancer for the railroads suits him just fine.

Lily Salt is a widow who has sworn off men for good reason. She is a survivor and her story comes out throughout the book. When the two meet, there is instant attraction although Lily nor Roan would admit to that. Lily comes with kids and Roen is from out of town. It seems like the odds are stacked against them. Roen (I really like his name...it’s hot) gets a message he decides that a marriage of convenience would be a good answer. It would help him out and it would help Lily out. Things weren’t necessarily easy for single women in her time. This was a very slow-burn romance and normally I don’t wait that long to get to the good stuff….but this story was so good, that I had to keep reading. The kids and the people in the town were so well written that they were captivating in their own right. The nuances of racism towards Chinese Americans was historically accurate and powerfully woven into the story.

I may have fallen in love a little bit with Roen. But it was ok that Lily got him ;) This book is part of a series, but since I read it as a standalone and it was my first Jo Goodman book, it doesn’t have to be read in order. Even though I am a stickler for reading things in order. I guess I made all sort of exceptions by delving into this book. All in all, I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to anyone willing to settle into a longer romance book. Oh, and the cover is really sexy.  I think the cover models chosen did the characters justice.

Hired by Zoey Castile book review

A contemporary romance with a twist. Aiden is a stripper turned escort who finds himself in New Orleans for a client who canceled on him at the last minute. She let him stay in the hotel room that she paid for. He doesn’t really know what to do with himself, so he heads to the bar. Aiden has a Colombian background and is close with his family, but doesn’t tell them everything including some of the mistakes he has made. Faith stops by the bar because she had a rough night. Faith works for her mom who is a prominent politician. She is well educated and proud of her African American heritage. Faith feels like she can’t please her mom and in order to do something for herself, hooks up with Aiden. They had a ton of chemistry and both ended up wanting to see more of each other. However, Faith does not really know what Aiden does for a living and she is not supposed to be doing anything that would tarnish her mom’s political campaign. Faith and Aiden really are perfect for each other, but they have to learn to accept and trust what each of them bring to the relationship. They had a strong emotional connection. The friendships in this story are worth nothing because they are strong and can persevere some bad choices. The setting was really great too and made me want to travel to New Orleans.

How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway book review

I spend a lot of time reading historical and small-town contemporary romances. So, this book was a bit of a change of direction for me. The main character is Mel and she lives and works in New York. She is underpaid to do the work she is doing at a startup and her dating life has not been on point. After one too many bad dates from online apps, she made a site called JerkAlert. That is what drinking and being a good programmer will produce;) Mel is trying to navigate the male-dominated world of IT and it makes for a good setting to a modern romance story.

It’s funny, it’s believable and you will find yourself rooting for the HEA. Strong friendships and girl time add a lot to this story. Once I started this book, I could not put it down. It was a fun, witty, quick read. A perfect escape if you are having a bad day (or a good day).

One Tough Cowboy (Moving Violations #1) by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick book review

I’m a big fan of Lora Leigh and love her steamy sex scenes and relationship building. However, I have not read a ton of Cowboy/Western romances, but I have to admit, they are fun! I particularly liked this one because of the Detroit connection. Samantha is a Detroit cop, who is getting over a bad relationship. She left her small hometown and Hunter behind to start her own life. She came back to Deerhaven to settle her aunt’s estate and try to figure out a mystery. What she didn’t totally count on was her attraction to Hunter. He became the sheriff of Deerhaven so he won’t leave her alone as she tries to piece together the clues for the crime she is trying to solve. Hunter is dealing with his own problems in his department and a series of unsolved violent events. What I really like is that Hunter recognizes that Samantha is a good cop and can handle herself. She is highly trained and doesn’t need rescuing. She just needs a competent partner.

Of course, they have to work together...and kiss...and be irresistibly drawn to each other. Whew….and yummy. Who doesn’t love a hot sheriff? If you need a dose of dominant alpha male, this story is for you. It’s definitely a romantic suspense book….I would say it might be more of an erotic romantic suspense book (if that is a thing), which made me love it even more! I’m looking forward to the next book. *fans self*

Her Guilty Secret by Clare Connelly book review

I’ve been enjoying the Harlequin Dare books and this one does not disappoint. There is lots of hot sex, off the charts chemistry and tons of passion. The main character is Olivia Amorelli and she is a really smart law student getting ready to graduate. She will probably have her pick of places to work. One day, Connor Hughes, show up in class as a visiting professor. He is somewhat jaded (readers will find out later what happened) and Olivia is very idealistic, so there is some verbal sparring to start off the relationship. Both Olivia and Connor feel an instant attraction, but both of them also know that a relationship between them could jeopardize Olivia’s future job prospects. However, Olivia is done being a “good girl” and makes the first move. Sparks fly. The more they fight it, the more they want each other. I like that Olivia made Connor rethink the direction of his career. She may have started out as idealistic, but she knew what was right. Lots of hot sex later, readers will see how the path to a relationship unfolds. If you are looking for a quick, steamy, sexy read, this book is for you. A HEA just in time for summer.

Nightchaser (Endeavor #1) by Amanda Bouchet book review

I’m a big fan of space operas. So much so that I have hundreds of Star Trek books all neatly tucked away, unable to get rid of them because I love them so much. I’m just sorry that it took me this long to read Nightchaser. I think I was sidetracked by work and read other things...but I read it and it was worth it! Sci-Fi romance is a bit of a new genre for me. I read a lot of science fiction, but never with a lot of romance.

This book got a lot of great reviews, both professional and reader reviews...so that is always a good sign. I love the world building in this book. This is the first book in this series, so start with this one ;) Captain Tess Bailey is the main character and a kick-ass woman! Part of the story is Tess discovering who she is and how she fits into the puzzle of this adventure. Of course, the addition of dark and sexy Shade Ganavan is a welcome addition to the story. Readers will be dying how he solves his moral dilemma in this story. There is action, adventure and of course, romance. The characters are fun and diverse. The crew is like a family and I appreciate that in a good story. I think if you are a fan of Firefly, you will be a fan of this series.

The Leading Lady by Deb Marlowe book review

This book is the 2nd book in this series and it can be read as a standalone (I did it). This was also the first book that I read by Deb Marlowe and I am glad that I did! This is a enemies to lovers story and it was just a lot of fun. I love how Callie was written. She was funny, smart, determined and is ready to fight injustice during a time when men are in charge of everything. Callie protects the women of Half Moon House against bad men and she is always getting into trouble. She can take care of herself because she has been trained to defend herself. Part of the story is set in France so it’s perfect when you are in a Francophone mood. I loved the elements of spies and intrigue in the story. The chemistry between Callie and Truitt was hot! I laughed out loud when they had to put their dislike for each other and pretend that there are husband and wife. They do keep some secrets from each other and eventually decide that they must trust each other. While this is an older book, this is a perfect series to start this summer. Just disappear into a historical romance and enjoy the HEA. Sounds perfect to me. I am glad that I read this book.