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: 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

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?

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