Review: Unlocked by Courtney Milan (Turner #1.6)

Publisher - Self Published
Publication Date - 31st May 2011
Ebook - 111 pages
Genre - Historical Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - A perpetual wallflower destined for spinsterhood, Lady Elaine Warren is resigned to her position in society. So when Evan Carlton, the powerful, popular Earl of Westfeld, singles her out upon his return to England, she knows what it means. Her former tormenter is up to his old tricks, and she’s his intended victim. This time, though, the earl is going to discover that wallflowers can fight back.

Evan has come to regret his cruel, callow past. At first, he only wants to make up for past wrongs. But when Elaine throws his initial apology in his face, he finds himself wanting more. And this time, what torments him might be love...

My Thoughts - I hadn't read anything by this author before but downloaded it onto my kindle as I have been enjoying historical romances quite a lot recently and the cover really caught my eye. Yes, I know, that's not a real reason to buy a book, but I do love a pretty cover. Even if it is on my kindle!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Considering it was a novella, it felt as though it was a complete story and I felt as though I got to know the characters enough that I cared about them and about what would happen to them. I've read a few novellas recently and this is the first time that I have actually felt satisfied in that respect.

I really liked the main characters, Elaine and Evan. Evan made mistakes in his youth with the way he treated Elaine and made her the focus of society's jokes, but he recognised that and was able to make changes in his life, and later, when he returns to England at the beginning of this story, he is able to admit those mistakes and try to make amends for them. He really shows to both the reader and to Elaine that he has grown up and that he is no longer the cruel young man that he used to be. Elaine on the other hand, shows remarkable strength in the face of such treatment from most of society. She has had to endure a lifetime of teasing and cruel behaviour from others and has had to learn how to blend into the background. However, she has not backed away from society and is not afraid to stand up to others, most especially when she feels her mother, who is also a social outcast, is being mistreated.

Seeing their relationship grow as he took his time to prove to her that he had changed, and as she learned to open up and start to trust again was very heart warming. I felt that they were very sweet together as a couple and was glad when they got their Happy Ever After (although it's a romance novel so that was pretty much a given!).

My only problem with this novella was that nothing much really happened. A lot of the novella is based around conversations and there is very little action. The advantage of this was that I did get to know the characters a lot better than I might otherwise have done. But it did make it feel as though the story moved along at a rather slow pace a lot of the time.

Summary - An enjoyable historical romance novella with characters that are easy to fall in love with. I just wish the pacing of the story had been worked out a little better to include some faster moving moments.

Other books in the series:
1. Unveiled
1.5. Birthday Gift
1.6. Unlocked
2. Unclaimed
2.5. Out of the Frying Pan
3. Unraveled

Review: The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore (House of Trent #1)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 25th June 2013
Hardback - 400 pages
Genre - Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Simon Hawkins, Duke of Trent, is no stranger to scandal. Rumours and innuendo have darkened the House of Trent for decades, and it has fallen to Simon to restore his tattered family name. He lives by a strict code of honour, but when he is called home to investigate his mother's disappearance, the distinguished duke will tangle with temptation. For there waits the only woman he has ever loved - and the last woman he should desire...

Sarah Osborne has spent her life dreaming of Simon's touch. But dukes do not long for ladies' maids - or so Sarah believes, until a stolen kiss sparks a passion that could be her ultimate undoing. As the couple begin a forbidden romance, a cunning enemy plots to destroy the duke and everything he loves. Now, caught in a blackmailer's web, Simon faces an agonising choice: sacrifice his family's future or break Sarah's heart.

My Thoughts - This is the first novel I have read by this author, but as I've been on a bit of a historical romance kick lately I knew that I really wanted to read it as soon as it arrived through my door. And I have to say that I really loved it and can't wait to read the rest of this series as well as more of the author's back list.

For me, this book really had it all, with a heart-warming yet credible romance, characters that are believable and loveable, and mystery and intrigue coming from two different plots. All of this makes it impossible to put the book down.... you just have to know if Simon finds his mother and how he manages to resolve the problem with the blackmailer. The pacing of the plot is well worked out with parts that are fast moving and full of action, and slower parts that focus more on the growing love between Simon and Sarah, which makes it a pleasant and enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved Simon. He's doing his best to bring honour back to his family name after the behaviour of his parents ripped it to shreds. This means that sometimes he can come across as rather stiff and formal as he feels he must always be on his best behaviour but it's obvious to the reader that his heart is in the right place. The only time he really feels he can be himself is when he's on his own with Sarah and they share some very sweet and tender moments together.

Sarah was probably my favourite character in this book. She is quiet, hard-working, loyal, humble. She loves Simon a lot and this comes across with every thought and action she has. She's been in love with him ever since she was a little girl and that is very obvious. She is also intelligent and shows a lot of strength when she needs to throughout the novel. Simon's mother, the duchess who has gone missing, has been a big part of Sarah's life ever since she was young, and she feels the same worry that Simon and the rest of the family do, yet everyday she pulls herself together to be the one to take care of the family so that they can focus on finding their mother. There are also a couple of examples of her strength later on in the book, but as they include major spoilers I won't mention them here. But all-in-all I found Sarah to be a truly inspirational character.

Summary - This book had everything that I could have wished for from a very good historical romance. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

Other books in the series:
1. The Duchess Hunt
2. The Rogue's Proposal (November 2013)
3. The Scoundrel's Seduction (May 2014)

Review: One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean (Rules of Scoundrels #2)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 29th January 2013
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant daughter of a marquess cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. About to become engaged to Lord Castleton, before she marries she wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of the Fallen Angel. London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.

Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion - the experience of ruination without the repercussions. Who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? And when this unusual female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting... and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts - and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

My Thoughts - This is the second book that I have read by Sarah MacLean. A while ago I read Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, the first book in her other series, and I absolutely loved it. But I think that I may actually have loved this one even more. I will certainly be getting my hands on more of MacLean's work some time in the very near future.

I loved reading about Cross and pretty much fell in love with him from page one. He has an interesting back story that kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out so much more about him and, despite the fact that he runs a gaming hell and thinks of himself as a scoundrel, he's got a protective streak a mile wide and will do anything to protect the honour of the women around him. The only thing I found slightly frustrating about him was how he always believed he knew what was best for the women closest to him (his sister and Pippa) despite not discussing with them what they wanted or needed from the situation. But then, hey, he is a man :P

Pippa is possibly one of my favourite female characters ever! She is incredibly smart and always says exactly what she is thinking, leading to some embarrassing moments where I couldn't help but laugh out loud no matter where I was or who else was around. Some of the things she comes out with were shocking for a woman living in her time, yet she says them with an innocence that just makes her so endearing. Although, for me, Pippa doesn't start to really come into her own until she starts falling in love with Cross. Before this, Pippa lacks emotion as she sees everything as a scientist. But once she realises that things that can't be scientifically proven (eg. emotions) do exist, she becomes a much more loveable and three-dimensional character.

The romance between Cross and Pippa is sweet, hot and completely believable. Despite all the obstacles that stand in their way it is instantly obvious to the reader that these two belong together. He loves her for exactly who she is, for all of her oddities and lack of social graces. And she is the woman who allows him to feel again after everything that he has been through in the last six years. And the chemistry between them just sizzles off the page. I honestly could not put this book down as I just had to find out how everything would work out for these two characters.

Summary - A perfect historical romance, with loveable characters, sizzling chemistry and a great plot. I can't wait to get my hands on more books by this author... she is fast becoming one of my favourites.

Other books in this series:
1. A Rogue by Any Other Name
2. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover
3. No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (released November 2013)

Review: A Night Like This by Julia Quinn (Smythe-Smith Quartet #2)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 29th May 2012
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre -  Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - Anne Wynter's job as governess to three highborn young ladies can be a challenge - in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger, but that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending...

My Thoughts - A while ago, I put out a call for help from my fellow bloggers. My problem was that I'd just read my first historical romance (which I'd loved!) and I wanted recommendations from other fans of the genre as to what to read next. Julia Quinn's name appeared several times in amongst all the recommendations, so when A Night Like This popped through my door, I was very excited. And now that I've read this book I can see why the author's name was mentioned to me so many times.

This has got to be one of the sweetest and funniest romances I've come across. Daniel and Anne make such a cute couple. Anne is intelligent and funny, but at the same time has had her fair share of bad luck in the past. As a result of this she is now very wary of people around her and has lost a lot of the naivety that can be seen in heroines in this genre. Daniel has just arrived back in the country after a death threat towards him has seen him go into hiding for three years. He is a very charming man and as soon as he sees Anne he persues her with a single-minded determination. I loved this about him - he's not a man who is ashamed of how he feels or has a need to hide his emotions.

When Anne and Daniel are together on the page the chemistry between them sizzles. However, when they are around Daniel's nieces (the girls that Anne is a governess to) they have to tone it all down and the affection they feel for each other comes out in some light-hearted teasing. Some of my favourite moments from the book are these moments when Anne and Daniel are with the girls - there were more than a few times when I was laughing out loud at their antics.

There is a fair amount of danger and intrigue thrown into the mix in the form of the man who previously threatened Daniel's life, as well as a mysterious man from Anne's past. Although I did find this part of the plot to be somewhat predictable, I still loved the extra element of suspense that this added to the story.

Summary - An absolutely adorable romance that will have people rushing out to get more books from this author. In fact, the second I finished this book I downloaded Just Like Heaven (the first book in the series) onto my Kindle and I just can't wait to enter again the beautiful world created by Julia Quinn.

Other books in this series:
1. Just Like Heaven
2. A Night Like This

Other reviews of this book:
Book Pushers / Heroes and Heartbreakers / Medieval Bookworm

Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (Love by Numbers #1)

Publisher - Piatkus Entice
Publication Date - 14th February 2012
Genre -  Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Reviewed by - Chrissie

Book Info - "A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club."

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried - and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing. But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss - to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St John, the Marquess of Ralston - charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile. If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all - the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love...

Review - I am very new to the world of historical romance (this is only my second book from the genre) but Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is such a fun and entertaining read that I can't wait to read more from this series, and the genre as a whole.

I absolutely loved the descriptions of the fashions and customs of the times. It was all just so elegant, with all the dances and traditions that seem to surround everything that happens, and it made me want to travel back in time to the 19th Century.

And the characters were so much fun! Callie, a wallflower who believes she is now too old to find herself a husband and will spend the rest of her life 'on the shelf', decides that she will now no longer be restrained by society's rules. She writes a list of nine things that she would like to do, all of which would thoroughly ruin her reputation. I loved this sense of adventure that she shows, and the courage that it must have taken for a young woman to do these things at that time. And to add the icing on the cake, Callie does not take any nonsense from Gabriel St. John. She tells him exactly what she thinks, often leading to some hilarious exchanges between the two of them. The only thing that did irritate me slightly about Callie is that she sometimes has the tendency to look down on others, but this wasn't really enough to make me dislike her.

And as for Gabriel *sigh*, he is a character that I fell in love with instantly. He is a complete womaniser, but at the same time he is so charming it is easy to forgive him for this. But he is trying to mend his ways as a sister unexpectedly arrives on the scene who he has to introduce to proper society. He knows that his own bad reputation could reflect badly on his sister so he decides to take a break from his womanising ways. However, then Callie arrives on the scene with her list and he gets drawn into her little adventures, risking both of their reputations and once again providing some very funny moments. He often becomes frustrated with her and her list, leading to much bickering and then much *ahem* making up!

The romance between Callie and Gabriel is steaming and I loved reading about the two of them together. They really complement each other well and I enjoyed the bickering between the pair of them just as much as the intimate moments. The ending is a perfect happy ending, although there were probably one too many diversions on their route to happiness for my liking.

Summary - Overall, I absolutely loved Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. It was just so much fun and I couldn't get enough of the humour, the loveable characters, and the descriptions of people, places and customs. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

Other books in the series:
1. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
2. Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord
3. Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

Other reviews of this book:
Alexa Loves Books / Book Whore Blog / Under the Covers

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #23 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley (Inferno Club #4)

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 16th February 2012
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Historical Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - To London society, the Inferno Club is notorious for its scandalous pursuits. In private, these warriors would risk their lives for king and country.

His fellow warriors fear Drake Parry, the Earl of Westwood, has turned traitor. Emily Harper, who has loved him since childhood, knows this is impossible, as impossible as a marriage between them could ever be - she, the gamekeeper's daughter and he, a bold and adventurous nobleman.

Driven by hatred and revenge, Drake is playing a deadly game of deception, bent on destroying the enemy's dark conspiracy from the inside, and he's furious when Emily plunges herself into danger for his sake. Forced into close quarters, their long-suppressed desire explodes into all-consuming passion.

Emily knows her love can save him... but Drake is a man who doesn't want to be saved.

My Thoughts - This is my first ever historical romance and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by it. Although it did take me a little while to get into the book, I was soon immersed in Drake and Emily's world and I fell in love with it.

I really liked Emily as a heroine. For some reason I expected the women in historical romances to be reclining on their fainting couches waiting to be rescued by the hero, but Emily firmly put me in my place with this assumption. She has followed Drake half-way across Europe to drag him home with her - this in a time when women were rarely allowed to travel anywhere alone. And once she is with Drake she never turns her back on him, despite the danger she often finds herself in. She displays a level of feistiness that wouldn't look out of place on the best of urban fantasy heroines - and I loved her for this.

Drake is a dark and complex hero, and given what has happened to him in the past it is easy for the reader to sympathise with him and to fall in love with him. He puts himself in a huge amount of danger by infiltrating an enemy group in an attempt to break them apart from the inside. He knows that this is a suicide mission yet he never backs down from doing what he believes is right.

The romance between these characters is a bit of a slow-burner. They have known each other, and been in love with each other, since childhood but they have been unable to do anything about it because of the fact that Emily is the daughter of a servant. This is probably the first romance book I have read where the characters already know each other and so I did miss that spark of attraction at the beginning that is so common in the other books I've read. Plus, I could count on one hand the number of times that Drake and Emily are actually in the same room in the first half of the book. Instead the focus is on their back story and the mission that Drake is on. Although this information did help me to understand their relationship, I still would have liked to see more interaction between them at the beginning of the book.

But once they do give into their feelings for each other, it just all feels so right. They know each other so well and there is no doubting their feelings for each other. Plus the forbidden nature of their relationship and the danger that they are in all add to a romance that is full of passion and tenderness. It is impossible not to feel how much they need each other.

Summary - My Ruthless Prince was good introduction into the world of historical romance. Full of danger, suspense, romance and well-drawn characters, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more about the Inferno Club in future.

Other books in this series:
1. My Wicked Marquess
2. My Dangerous Duke
3. My Irresistible Earl
4. My Ruthless Prince

Other reviews of this book:
Night Owl Reviews / The Romanceaholic / Unwrapping Romance

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #16 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Help! I need more romance in my life!

Over the last couple of years I have become a great fan of paranormal romance, but I have avoided the rest of the genre. I'm not entirely sure why, but they have never really appealled to me.

That all changed recently though. Imagine the scene - I have just finished up reading all the books I need to read for my recent Paranormal Romance Month and I am looking for something a little bit different. I start to browse my review book shelf and find Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas and My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley, both of which have been sent to me by the lovely people over at Piatkus Books. One is contemporary romance and one is historical romance, and neither of them are books that I would normally pick up. But I decided to give them a try. And I ended up absolutely loving both of them! Especially Rainshadow Road, which I gave five stars to. Reviews will be up some time next week.

Now, here is the problem and I'm hoping you might be able to help. I really want to read more historical and contemporary romance and I have no idea where to start (apart from backlist titles from Lisa Kleypas and Gaelen Foley). Do you read these genres at all? Who would you recommend I start with?

Also, I am thinking I would like to read some more romantic suspense whilst I am at it. I have read a couple as I quite often read mysteries, but I am thinking that this is something else that I would like to explore some more. I have read a couple of books from Bella Andre's Hot Shots series about sexy firemen which I quite enjoyed, and a book from J.D. Robb's In Death series, although that was a long time ago and I'm not entirely sure now which one it was I read - I do remember that I enjoyed it though! So, are there any romantic suspense fans out there? Who are your favourite romantic suspense authors?

I look forward to reading your recommendations! I've got no idea where to start looking on my own :)