REVIEW: Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare

Tessa Dare is a master at writing scenes that would cause you to have a permanent grin, leave you breathless with excitement, make your heart melt, and definitely leave you craving for more. Beauty and The Blacksmith is no exception, as it is chock-full of moments that left me sighing, chortling, fanning myself (oh, so hot!) and clutching my heart, all at once.

We first met Diana and Aaron in the first book of the Spindle Cove series, A Night To Surrender, and it’s such a treat to finally get to know these two amazing individuals on a much deeper level. Aaron is an exceptional man; it’s difficult not to fall for this loyal, hardworking, kindhearted and passionate person. Diana is equally outstanding; a woman, who has so much to give, firmly resolved to live her life and be happy. These two complement each other, and every so often, I hear myself sighing because of how perfectly they fit. They don’t always have perfect moments, goodness knows how many times I died laughing because of one mishap or another, but in each moment, even the ones that left a twinge in my heart, it was very clear how much love these two have for each other. 

It was such a joy to see more of the crazy cast of characters in Spindle Cove (reading this seriously felt like coming home). Loved reading more of Charlotte, that very spirited and unrestrained youngest Miss Highwood. She is such a force to reckon with. Love, love, love her. Very touching, that moment with Aaron.

Watch out for the revelations, pay attention to the powerful words and savor the expressiveness in each statement. So beautiful. Beauty and the Blacksmith is such a decidedly sweet and deliciously sizzling story. Definitely a must read!

REVIEW: A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare

goodreads

Series: Spindle Cove (#3)

Genre: historical romance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A temporary engagement, a lifetime in the making...

After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove--but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she'd look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiance. He claims to have only Kate's safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?

Long ago, Samuel Thorne devoted his life to guarding Kate’s happiness. He wants what's best for her, and he knows it's not marriage to a man like him. To outlast their temporary engagement, he must keep his hands off her tempting body and lock her warm smiles out of his withered heart. It's the toughest battle of this hardened warrior's life...and the first he seems destined to lose.

Please note: I was fortunate to have been granted access to an e-arc of ALBM in Edelweiss by HarperCollins. The book's expected publication: August 28th 2012.


Absolutely LOVED A Lady by Midnight!

Since this book is not officially out yet, I'm going to try my best to keep this review spoiler free.

YOU KNOW IT.

Release day today. Get your copy now! :)

Carrie and I have both written reviews for AWTBW, here and here (I had to keep mine short though, as I didn't want to reveal too much at the time I wrote it.). Colin and Minerva's remarkable journey may just be one of the best reads of 2012 for me, and it is definitely one of my most favorite stories of love.

It will leave you laughing and crying, and you will have made the happy book noise by the time you reach the end of the story. It made me run through a whole gamut of emotions, practically an adventure in exploration onto itself. The book is filled with genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, it features some of the best verbal sparring matches ever written, and one of the sweetest, honest, and delightful road to self discovery and true love. 

Tessa Dare always delivers, and you all should give her books a try. 

One of my favorite quotes:

REVIEW: A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Genre: historical romance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary can be found in Diana's review here.

Be still, my fluttering heart. My feelings are having feelings right now. Thank you Colin and Minerva for sharing your story. Or rather, thank you Tessa for writing their story!

As this epic love story just needed telling.

REVIEW: The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle

Genre: historical romance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary can be found in Diana's review here.

Review:
Sizzling hot from start to finish!

I can hardly think after all the emotions. The feelings. Oh, how these feelings and thoughts are still resonating within me even after hours I had put my tablet down. And it was a struggle to put it down. I kept going back, wanting to re-read my favorite parts and just soak in these moments LaValle created.

LaValle's voice is very distinct and I'm kind of in love with the way she can string words together and create these profound sentences that unravel in such a moving way. Her voice. Her characters. Her characters' voices.

Both Lord Radford and Mazie are incredibly well developed. The way they speak, their personalities, so defined and complex. Love how they are so very telling in how they express themselves by their actions and words and words they choose not to say.

The chemistry between Lord Radford and Mazie is undeniable and present and so very real, it hurts in the most delicious way.

One thing that I absolutely loved about Radford and Mazie is that neither lost themselves, they stayed true to their character from start to finish! None of the OOC business to suit the plot. Mazie and Radford were all about learning who they were and learning to trust in that, whatever they were to be and become.

[SPOILERS under the cut!]

REVIEW: The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle

The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Her heart longs for justice, but her body clamors for sin. 


Once the darling of high society, Mazie Chetwyn knows firsthand how quickly the rich and powerful turn their backs on the less fortunate. Orphaned, penniless and determined to defy their ruthless whims, she joins forces with a local highwayman who steals from the rich to give to the poor. 


Then the pawn broker snitches, and Mazie is captured by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. A man who is far too handsome, far too observant…and surely as corrupt as his father once was. 


Sensible, rule-driven Trent Carthwick, twelfth Earl of Radford, is certain the threat of the gallows will prompt the villagers’ beloved Angel of Kindness to reveal the highwayman’s identity. But his bewitching captive volunteers nothing—except a sultry, bewildering kiss. 


And so the games begin. Trent feints, Mazie parries. He threatens, she pretends nonchalance. He cajoles, she rebuffs. Thwarted at every turn, Trent probes deep into her one vulnerability—her past. There he finds the leverage he needs and a searing truth that challenges all he believes about right and wrong.




The course of true love never did run smooth. Very true, especially when it is made even more complicated when you find yourself falling in love with The Enemy. 'The Runaway Countess' is a stunning debut novel from Ms LaValle; it is thrilling and fraught with tension and intrigue, it is sensual and seductive, and it is sure to captivate your heart. I know that from the first chapter, I was very impressed with the crisp clarity of writing, of how the lush narrative allowed me to immerse myself in Trent and Mazie's world without diffidence.


[ETA] I highly recommend stopping by The Romance Dish blog to read about a very personal and deeply inspiring account of how The Runaway Countess came about. :)

REVIEW: A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When a devilish lord and a bluestocking set off on the road to ruin…Time is not on their side.

Goodreads

Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove’s confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland.


Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be…anywhere but Spindle Cove.


These unlikely partners have one week
- to fake an elopement
- to convince family and friends they’re in “love”
- to outrun armed robbers
- to survive their worst nightmares
- to travel four hundred miles without killing each other


All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.


What they don’t have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.


Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble.


And maybe…just maybe…love.





If I only had one word to use for this awesomely delicious adventure, it would be 'revelatory'. I've caught myself surprised numerous times in my reading, which, needless to say, is thoroughly wonderful and satisfying. I was already more than halfway in lustlove with Colin and I already held Minerva dear, dear to my heart in ANTS, but AWTBW elevated that love for them to new heights.

REVIEW: A Night To Surrender by Tessa Dare

A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Welcome to Spindle Cove, where the ladies with delicate constitutions come for the sea air, and men in their prime are... nowhere to be found. Or are they? 


Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: the painfully shy, young wives disenchanted with matrimony, and young girls too enchanted with the wrong men; it is a haven for those who live there. 


Victor Bramwell, the new Earl of Rycliff, knows he doesn't belong here. So far as he can tell, there's nothing in this place but spinsters... and sheep. But he has no choice, he has orders to gather a militia. It's a simple mission, made complicated by the spirited, exquisite Susanna Finch—a woman who is determined to save her personal utopia from the invasion of Bram's makeshift army. 


Susanna has no use for aggravating men; Bram has sworn off interfering women. The scene is set for an epic battle... but who can be named the winner when both have so much to lose?






(Just moving the review I posted on Goodreads to this blog ..)



How is it there's only five stars available? I'd pluck some more from the night skies if I could because this is just made of so much win. The kind that really awesome romances are made of. The kind that would engage your mind and not just yor heart. You know the one. Yup, that's the kind that would make you laugh out loud, swoon and sigh and grin goofily because your heart is just so, so full of love. I still have so much to say but I'm feeling indescribably happy and I'm just bursting with joy that review will just have to wait. Hehehe.



ETA - actual review

REVIEW: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

First read of the year! Glad it was a good one, this means many more good reads in the future, y/y? Yes!

The book: Cinder
The author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
The genre: young adult, sci-fi, fantasy, romance
Recommended to: Fairy-tale lovers. Those interested in books set in an alternate universe. Actually, everyone.
Note: Keep in mind this is the first book in the series and the second book is not expected to be out until 2013.



Finished this the previous night, but I couldn't bring myself to leave a review after such a frustratingly abrupt ending. Yes, I'm frustrated. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this enthralling story about a cyborg who must find her true self after her world turns upside down. The world that she lives in is not just suffering from a plague, but hangs in the threat of war. Whether Cinder's world finds peace again, rests in her hands.

The reason for my frustration is that it DID end with a cliffhanger that had me pleading for more.

The story is, of course, a retelling of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. It's almost comforting to have those familiar elements woven into the story. However, I was still surprised at the twists and turns, and I was pleased to find myself immersed and lost in whatever path the story took me on.

The characters are quite simply charming.

Cinder is refreshing, I fell in love with her character right from the start. Witty. Strong. Independent. A real, true to heart girl.

Kai, next in line to be emperor of New Beijing, makes a perfect Prince Charming. Ever the gentleman, Kaito suits the swoon-worthy role and makes it his own while wearing a hoodie.

And can't have a Cinderella story without her evil step-mother and step-sisters. I won't spoil the fun of the interesting spin on the love-to-hate villains, but I happened to love it.

As for the fairy god-mother, well, again I won't spoil it. But I have to say, she is my favorite character no matter her form.

I loved the freshness and the direction of the story, and though the cliffhanger is leaving me hanging, I'll definitely hold on for the next installment of this wicked, steampunk-ish story that happened to break out of the mold of the classic Cinderella story and has left me quite thoroughly enchanted.

2012 is finally here! Say what?

2011 just flew right on by, I almost can't believe it!

So I'm sitting here, now, trying to conjure up thoughts of what I want to post. I mean, it's the new year and all, I want my first post to start out right. A good start is being thankful of the past, eh? Well, I think so. Perhaps a recollection of the best, most relevant, adventure that I experienced in 2011 is in order.

Diana had called me to go on this trip with her for a book signing. I told her that I would think about it because I had exams to study for. I remember calling her back and saying that I'd go because how could I say no? The date was set.

And as soon as we were off, I realized that this was not going to be an ordinary trip to say the least.

Diana and I went on this journey to not only make it to our destination but to also just be us for a day. It was a day to leave everything behind. We were worry free, except for getting lost, which we did, get lost, I mean. Anywy, what kind of road trip would it have been if we hadn't? Not the kind of road trips Diana and I make, that's for sure. We did eventually make it to Costa Mesa where we met Tessa Dare, Zoe Archer, Sylvia Day and Suzanne Forster at their book signing.

The book signing was held at an adorable book shop called Toni's New & Recycled Romances. Loved the place. Shelves upon shelves of books. All romance novels. Walking in just felt amazing. It was beautiful. And I loved the quirky charm to the place, making the experience personal and intimate. The bookstore owner was kind and welcoming. And wow, meeting the authors, seeing them face to face and even chatting with them... It was amazing. Diana and I were even able to take some pictures with them. If you haven't already seen them, you could view them in Diana's epic first post of the year.

We had such an awesome time, we didn't want to leave. But when that time came, we left the book store feeling good and with an arm load full of new books to read. And they were all personalized with autographs!

We had such a fun time and are so thankful that we had such an opportunity. Hopefully, we can do it again.

Just think of the new year. 2012 is here and already happening. Oh, the possibilities...

REVIEW: Marriage Made On Paper by Maisey Yates

Goodreads

Pretend marriage, real wedding night! 

When ambitious public relations expert Lily Ford signs a contract with hot-shot property tycoon Gage Forrester, she inadvertently signs her life away! A tough taskmaster, he wants Lily at his beck and call 24/7. 

Gage expects employees to go above and beyond. So, when he needs to generate some positive PR, his solution is completely unexpected – he proposes to Lily! All in the name of business, of course. 

This may be a deal struck on paper, but Gage is a stickler for tradition: his bride must wear white on their wedding night! 

21st Century Bosses Impossible, infuriating and utterly irresistible!




It was just an okay read for me.  I was hoping for more from the story,  but it just didn't deliver. 

Bring it, 2012!

Here we are at the end of the year, and I'm glad to note that I've actually achieved one of my goals this year. I signed up for a 100-book challenge and I actually even surpassed it! Yay!

This is also the year in which I started reading romance novels. Everything was new to me, it was fabulous! I can't believe how many brilliant and breathtaking stories I've fallen in love with, not to mention the heroes and heroines that are so beloved and dear to my heart. I have so many favorites, I cannot even begin to choose but I'll be back with my top moments/characters soon.

This year, I got a bit braver and actually managed to share a review on a very well-known website (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean), which inspired me to write more. One of my goals actually this year is to be able to write more reviews. I find my shelves on Goodreads to be helpful, but I do want to actually sit down and describe how each book has made me feel.


Carrie and I also got to meet Tessa Dare, along with Sylvia Day, Zoe Archer, and Suzanne Forster, during a book signing. It's in my top three of my most magical moments for 2011, to be sure.  Everyone was so amazing and welcoming, and as I sat there listening to these ladies speak, I just tried to absorb the whole experience. Wish I'd have found my voice early on, but alas, I was too starstruck, hahaha. What can I say? I'm a Tessa Dare fangirl for always. ;)

The wonderful and brilliant Tessa Dare.

C and I learned a lot of the behind-the-scenes and  work that goes on beyond the writings.

I'm so glad I discovered the world of romance and that I was able to share my obsessionenthusiasm for the books. Here I am now with so many friends to share the love with. <3 Hopefully I can continue reading these amazing and heartfelt romance stories, but I would also love to pick up books from other genres. I want to go back to reading fiction, young adult, and some of my non-fiction books as well. Oh, and I vow to at least finish one epic series (like GoT!)  :D




I hope 2012 will bring more joy and more fulfillment! Cheers, everyone! :)

Monday Fun: Tessa Dare Goodness

ONCE UPON A WINTER'S NIGHT comes out tomorrow. Check your e-book devices though, because I already got mine on my Nook Color tonight. :D So excited to read about Violet's story. Go download the story now! This Spindle Cove novella is on sale for $0.99 for a limited time.

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her
voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating
down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes
into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good
looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and
speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a
smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure,
passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

In other Tessa Dare news, the cover for Minerva (oooh, look who got the name right this time! LOL) and Colin's book, A WEEK TO BE WICKED, is up on her website and on Goodreads. This book won't be released till March 2012, but if you're like me, you've probably read the teaser a million times and literally can't wait to read about their adventure. This is gonna be goooood. :D

Ugh. Just. Look at that cover. LOOK AT THAT HOT AND SEXY COVER! Whew. Excuse me for a moment while I fan myself. Can't wait. Cannot wait for this book to come out already!! :D

Of course, I'm missing the spectacles (just like I was missing Susanna's gloves in the ANTS cover) but what can you do?

Wednesday Ramblings and Lists; Must have lists!

I know the blog looks a bit ... well, empty, but we promise we've been reading. And we will be posting more musings and reviews. Personally, it's been hard for me to review books lately because either I'd read a spectacular read and I'll be left speechless in my corner, looking goofy and making the Good Book Noise (as I've heard Sarah Wendell call it). Sometimes, I'd start off with the first book in the series and I just find myself wanting to finish an entire series before I'm able to sit down to formulate coherent thoughts because the series just blew me away. Really, these authors make it so damn hard to move on without first having to devour the series they've created. (Thank God for that!)  Then, when I'm not reading, I'm spending an inordinate amount of time just picking the next read.

IT'S HARD, OKAY? I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who goes through this. What do you do? As a reader, after reading a very strong, very emotionally satisfying read, where do you go? Which book do you pick up next? I've been paralyzed more times than I can count. :P For me, I've done different things. Sometimes when I find a trope or theme that I like, I end up seeking books with similar tropes or themes. Other times, I go completely the other route. If I read a historical, then I'd pick a contemporary next. If my last read was full of angst and tears, I'd deliberately seek out something light and fun. It always vary what I do though. 

Which brings me to this. I know I'm not able to sit down and review each of the books I've been reading, no matter how much I want to. (It takes me hours to create one review; I'm such a newbie when it comes to reviewing and I'm still figuring out how to create one. Just bear with me.) The least I can do is type up my monthly reads and the grades I've given (1-5 star rating). I'll start with September since that's when we started the blog. :)

Some favorite reads from these two months:

1.  A Night To Surrender (Bram and Susanna. Oh, my heart. I can spend days gushing about this book and the characters that inhabit the story. My heart is just so full of love whenever I revisit Spindle Cove. With Tessa Dare's exceptional writing, this wonderfully complex and oh-so-lovable cast of characters come alive. This story is funny, as in laugh-out-loud funny (from the very beginning, I was already chuckling to myself.) and it is such a delightful read. This story is very emotionally satisfying, and while the tone is light, it's got such depth and resonance. It's just really inevitable for me to fall in love with Bram and to root for Susanna all the way (battle of the sexes this is, but I couldn't help but agree with both characters, what with their fierce determination to protect what is important to them, and their ultimate motivation to care for those they've come to love and deem as family. It was a treat to watch them radiant with joy when they were proven right and to see them not lose the boldness and courage they had when they were proven wrong. And even now as I think about it, it wasn't really all about who was right or wrong, but more about the sensible choices they were required to make and the consequences they had to face after having made their decisions. Yes, it is Bram and Susanna's story (so awesome!) but I couldn't help it, I fell in love with the other characters as well, with their mysterious background and personalities. You'll definitely want to uncover more of their stories (Colin and Minerva's won't come out till 2012! Gah.) Spindle Cover is such a warm and inviting place you can't help but want to go back for more. :D 
2. Guilty Pleasures and And Then He Kissed Me (At first I thought LLG is a new author for me, but when I checked on my GR, turns out I've already read one of hers, but it wasn't the beginning of the series. I checked my library and I've already purchased more of her books so apparently, all that was needed was for me to actually pick her books as my next reads. And let me tell you, it was awesome! Her writing is fabulous, and her stories range from light and fun to angsty and dramatic. I always find myself falling in love AND in love with her characters, both the heroes and the heroines, because of their depth of character and the transformation that happens to the both of them within the story. These two books happen to deal with unrequited romance, with courtship and all the romance that entails. It also features fabulous heroines who are strong, smart and loving, and heroes who realize their worth and shower them with love and affection. I loved her writing so much that I actually read five of the six books of hers I've read within only four days! Hee. So much love for Laura Lee Guhrke.  
3. Claiming the Courtesan (I've purchased three AC already but Claiming the Courtesan is the first one I've read. This is kind of different from what I'm used to reading. For sure, the story is intense, emotional, and it really makes the reader take a look at the characters as a whole, as real human beings who carry hurt and pride and scars and hope ... people who stumble, make poor choices -- certainly flawed, but definitely not past hope. If only they could learn to overcome their past and open themselves up to love ....
4. The Marriage Bed and Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage (The Marriage Bed is by LLG and Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage is by JA but it's a tie because these two books deal with a broken marriage, betrayal, second chances and forgiveness. Mac and Isabella have been separated for six years and Viola and John have been separated for nine. Different circumstances led both couples to their unhappy state of marriage. Honestly at times, I couldn't decide on which side I was on, if I agreed with the hero's actions, or the heroine's choices. Again, personally speaking, it pushed my boundaries (with regards to actions and emotions) and it made me see things from a different perspective, clearly redefining my thoughts of what can be acceptable and understandable for me. Not easy reads but definitely worth it.
5. The Duke, Lord of Fire and Devil Takes a Bride (GF's Knight Miscellany introduced me to wonderful characters that now have a special place in my heart. I've only gotten to number five of the series, and while I did fell in love with these three stories (I like Jas and Billy too), Lord of Ice was a big miss for me. It took me a while to finish Damien's story, and it was a bit disappointing for me to feel that way, since I loved Bel's story and also Lucien's story. I still want to pick up the sixth and seventh because I'm anxious to learn the fates of Jack and Alec.

SEPTEMBER 2011 READS

Nora Roberts	Inner Harbor Chesapeake bay Saga #3	4 stars	Contemporary
Nora Roberts	Chesapeake Blue Chesapeake Bay Saga #4	4 stars	Contemporary
Gaelen Foley	The Duke Knight Miscellany #1	5 stars	Historical
Gaelen Foley	Lord of Fire Knight Miscellany #2	5 stars	Historical
Karina Bliss	Here Comes the Groom Harlequin Super Romance	4 stars	Contemporary
Gaelen Foley	Lord of Ice Knight Miscellany #3	3 stars	Historical
Anna Campbell	Claiming the Courtesan	5 stars	Historical

OCTOBER 2011 READS

Eileen Dreyer	Barely A Lady Drake's Rakes #1	4 stars	Historical
Kathryn Stockett	The Help	5 stars	Fiction
Lynne Graham	The Marriage Betrayal Harlequin Presents: The Volakis Vow #1	3 stars	Contemporary
Eileen Dreyer	Always a Temptress Drake's Rakes #3	4 stars	Historical
Sharon Kendrick	Too Proud To Be Bought Harlequin Presents	4 stars	Contemporary
Tessa Dare	A Night To Surrender Spindle Cove #1	5 stars	Historical
Tessa Dare	Legend of the Werestag Novella	5 stars	Historical
Gaelen Foley	Lord of Desire Knight Miscellany #4	4 stars	Historical
Gaelen Foley	Devil Takes a Bride Knight Miscellany #5	5 stars	Historical
Jennifer Ashley	The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie Highland Pleasures #1	5 stars	Historical
Jennifer Ashley	Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage Highland Pleasures #2	5 stars	Historical
Jennifer Ashley	The Many Sins of Lord Cameron Highland Pleasures #3	4 stars	Historical
Laura Lee Guhrke	Guilty Pleasures Guilty #1	5 stars	Historical
Mandy Kirkby	A Victorian Flower Dictionary	4 stars	Non-Fiction
Laura Lee Guhrke	His Every Kiss Guilty #2	4 stars	Historical
Laura Lee Guhrke	The Marriage Bed Guilty #3	5 stars	Historical
Laura Lee Guhrke	And Then He Kissed Me Girl-Bachelors #1	5 stars	Historical
Laura Lee Guhrke	She's No Princess Guilty #4	4 stars	Historical

(I see October has been a super good month. Hello, Bram and Harry and Mac! Billy, Devil, Anthony, Justin, Ian, John! Then there's Susanna, Daphne, Emma and Lizzie, Viola, Isabella, and Verity!)

REVIEW: Here Comes The Groom by Karina Bliss

Goodreads

If Jocelyn Swann weren't so furious, she'd probably laugh. Her best friend, Dan Jansen, has launched a campaign worthy of his Special Forces training to arrange their wedding, from music and minister to flowers and food. What part of no does he not understand?

Their marriage "agreement" was a tipsy scrawl on the back of a coaster…three years ago! It's not a question of love. Of course she loves Dan. She's loved him all her life. If only she could get him to slow down a minute and listen—to be the friend she needs right now—she could convince him that marriage would ruin everything.

What we want to see...

The subject of our heroes and the images of them has come up (again) in conversation with my Partner-in-Crime, D. And yes, I know our conversations are very deep and meaningful. That they are. Every single time. Always.

And to expand on that topic, I have a little surprise...


This handsome devil is supposedly Lucien Knight (Lord of Fire). Does the image fit?

As we read and delve into his story and his character comes alive in our minds, is the man depicted in the picture what we imagine?

If you haven't read the book, here's a couple passages on his description:

"Shadows scupted his sharp profile as he watched the crowded ballroom from the dim, high balcony; in the oscillating glow of the draft-buffeted wall candle, he seemed to flicker in and out of materiality like some tall, elegant phantom. Its shifting radiance glimmered over his raven-black hair and caught the Machiavellian glint of cunning in his quicksilver-colored eyes."

"Leaning idly against a bookcase by the window, he was reading a slim, leather-bound volume, the morning sunlight gleaming on his jet-black hair, which was slicked back [...] still damp from his morning ablutions. [...] This morning he was dressed with the casual elegance of a country lord at his leisure. [...] With his head bent over the open book, he did not look up at her arrival. She was momentarily distracted by the way he held the book in his hands, his fingertips subtly caressing the kid-leather binding. He had princely hands; they were large and manly, full of strength, yet ineffably elegant."

Now, looking at the picture, doesn't it seem a bit off? Not what you imagined? Or maybe it's exactly what you imagined. It's all subjective, really. To each their own.

In my opinion, there's something missing. His hair isn't right. His smirk is wrong. His build is just off. And just... I don't know, I pictured a more relaxed man. And maybe someone that has an air of mystery to him. I can hardly imagine the guy in the picture as Lucien Knight.

Or maybe it is because when I looked at the man in the picture, he reminded me of David Boreanez.

Maybe just a little bit? And then I wondered whether David Boreanaz would make a good Lucien Knight. And no, that won't do at all. But then again, Boreanaz played Angel in BtVS and AtS. And that opens a new can of beans! Angel does have some qualities that I can see in Knight and vice versa. Perhaps, maybe so Angel just needs to stop brooding the way he does... Knight does it better. Hahaha! Wow. This is starting to confuse me!

And back to the point, it's like that time when I thought that Sebastian from Devil in Winter had black hair until I looked under that cover flap and...

And he's blonde (not that there is anything wrong with that). But he's Blond! Was there a description of him being blonde? I can't remember ever reading it, or maybe I just overlooked that part and imagined him the way I thought he would look like.

Anyway, I am super happy that when reading Lord of Fire for the first time, I didn't have a cover to deter my imagination from, well, imagining. What I saw in my mind will forever be what Lucien Knight looks like to me.

Thanks to the authors for writing about these dream worthy heroes. It's amazing how words can allow our minds to run wild.

(*Sorry. Crappy cell phone pics are crappy)

Random Question

So .... I'm trying to figure out which of the books I've read already, has a scene in which someone, the main bad guy or one of their hired men, goes after the heroine and threatens her by trying to run her over with a carriage or a horse or something to that effect? I guess to be even more specific, I was thinking of a scene in which the heroine was I think trying to purchase something, and there was a hat involved, or was it books? I thought it was Madeline Hunter or an Anne Mallory?

What I'm Reading Right Now

Ugh. My TBR pile is super high, it's already hundreds and hundreds of books. I've not been able to do a good job of picking which books to read too, and even though I didn't have this problem before, now I'm having trouble sticking to just one book. I used to be a one-book-woman but now, looking at my library, I'm five, six chapters in for about three books. I really need to sort this out. I find that when there's something I really have to do, really want to do, I tell people about my plans. As many people around me, as many people who can keep me in check in case I don't follow through. Hahaha. I guess I'll be doing it here too. I'll be listing which books I'll be targeting to finish in a week, and see if I can stick to it. We'll see. :P

 

 

REVIEW: Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer

Goodreads

HE HIDES HIS TRUE COLORS . . .
Miss Grace Fairchild is under no illusions about her charms. Painfully plain, she is a soldier's daughter who has spent her life being useful, not learning the treacherous ways of the ton. She may have been caught in a scandal with society's favorite rogue, but how can she marry him when it means losing herself?
WHILE SHE HIDES HER TRUE SELF . . .

Diccan Hilliard doesn't know which of his enemies drugged him and dumped him in Grace's bed, but he does know the outcome. He and Grace must marry. To his surprise, a wild, heady passion flares between them. Yet Diccan is trapped in a deadly game of intrigue Grace knows nothing about. Will his lies destroy Grace just as he realizes how desperately he needs her? And how can he hope for a future with her, when an old enemy has set his murderous sights on them both?

He hides his true colors while she hides her true self. That statement alone would have gotten me to read this book right away, but as it was, back in April or something, I kept hearing about this book with many readers either abhorring "that scene" and hating the book completely, or admiring the book because of it ... I didn't want to be spoiled so I went ahead and downloaded this and read straightaway. I was so very curious to see what everyone was talking about, and I was really interested to discover also what kind of reaction it would warrant from me. And oh, my. What an experience it was.




ADDENDUM: I shared this book with someone just the other day, and I wanted to share a passage with her so I opened up the book. Somehow it just grew and grew and before we knew it, I was reading the book to her! It was my first time reading a novel out loud, and it was an awesome experience pretending to be my own version of an audiobook, but it was even more awesome to hear her gasps or sighs and other reactions. The best thing that I got from this? It's that I appreciate even more the quality of writing of Ms. Dreyer. Such a treat to read not just how a compelling love story unfolds, but to be drawn irresistibly in a different world and different time because of her stunning depiction of each character and the affecting descriptions of the world they inhibit. I found myself pausing quite a lot, even re-reading lines or whole passages, because I was so amazed at how engaged I was. It's so good to be immersed in each exact detail, to be given so much fascinating insight on Grace and Diccan's life. Soooo much love. Love, love, love!!

REVIEW: Lord of Fire by Gaelen Foley

Goodreads

Award-winning author Gaelen Foley has created a pair of enthralling twins for Lord of Fire, a Regency romance that blazes with passion. Lord Lucien Knight gave his honor for his country -- baiting traps with sins of passion and politics in the shadow war against Napoleon. Now that peace has been declared, the master spy turns his talents to vetting possible brides for his twin, testing their worthiness to wed his icily honorable war hero brother, Lord Damien. 
In the course of that duty he learns of Alice Montague. Miss Montague is said to be young, pretty, clever, good with children, and of impeccable character. She sounds perfect for his twin. Why, then, does Lucien lure Alice to his estate, compel her to promise to remain in what she knows to be a fortress of sin, and then begin a skilled campaign of seduction? Can it be that the Lord of Fire himself now burns with the fire of love?

To read Carrie's review, click here. :P

I love the way Gaelen Foley writes. To me, she's one of the best writers out there. I know I'm only on her second book, but regardless. Her words invoke a whole new world and I find myself irrevocably drawn into it. My senses are forever engaged, and I can not only picture the setting, but I feel like I'm engaged in it. The world building is excellent, with history intertwining superbly with personal backgrounds. The plot is tight, the characters are complex and multi-dimensional. I get tickled everytime I meet her characters as they are presented and thrilled to see them challenged as they struggle and grow. Awesome storylines and lovable characters. :D

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On to the post!