Tuesday

Devil is a Marquess by Elisa Braden

July 28, 2020
Hairy Armpit Guy!!
I am about to do my digressing right away. How do I/me/myself select which books I read? Well, glad you asked. I go through a number of different thought processes. First, I have a rather large group of auto-buy authors from which to select. Of course, you must understand, that list of auto-buys have changed over the years. I have dropped some, and added others. My list is always evolving. That is why I am always on the lookout for new authors. Here is where my problem begins. I can no longer depend on my old sources…cause they are not there!!!!!

There have been many changes to the publishing world in the last few years. I realize in the glory days of publishing, numerous promising authors were lost in the shuffle to the top. It was hard to break into the publishing business. Maybe some authors did not have an agent, the right editor, the right cover letter…whatever the reason they were never published. Well, now we have self-publishing, and everyone can be an author…if that is what they want. However, here is the problem as I see it. Not everyone can write.  While I rejoice that everyone is tipping their toes into the writer pool, there are only so many books one can buy…and I buy mine. I like to own my books. While I have easy access to the library, I am more of an owner than a borrower.  So, what do I look for? Well, I will tell you my little Petunias. It all boils down to what I like and more importantly, what I do not like. There are certain “flags” I am on the lookout for, when selecting a “new” author to read. Here are a number of things I have grown leery of.  Covers. Yes, covers. I am aware of the old adage: never judge a book by its cover, blah, blah, blah. However, when one is looking at a cover which is badly drawn, has mediocre clip-art, or in the case of historical romance: a modern wedding dress/prom dress which does not in any way look historically accurate. So, yes I now judge a book by its cover. What a bad cover says to me is that someone does not care. A good cover should say to me that someone has spent time, and thought constructing artwork, which echoes what is inside.

Whine number two. I am leery of good reviews…tons of good reviews. I do not always trust them, especially when I see an author who has published 10 books in five years. Unless those books were laying under a bed for years, the swiftness of writing that many books in that short time period suggests to me that, something, somewhere has been overlooked. Maybe the editing is sloppy, or the author’s best friends are her/his critique group. It could be any number of things. In the rush to make money, be a best seller, and make that exclusive author list, character development suffers. I am a consumer; I purchase my books, so I do have concerns as to the money going out of my pocket. Therefore, if something about a book triggers one of my alarms, I do not buy it. Now on to The Devil is a Marquess.

The Devil is a Marquess, published in 2016, is part of a 10.5 book series. It also happened to have a couple of my triggers. Which is why in 2016, I did not read it. The cover bothered me. I am not necessarily fond of hairy armpits on book covers. Yes, I am aware that everyone has hairy armpits, but I am just not sure I like to see them staring at me from my Nook. I like to think of my heroes as not having too many bodily functions…except for one.  Then I found out that the author published 10.5 books in only five years. That is a lot of fast writing. Therefore, my alarms were going off. Then just recently, Delia and I were talking about heroes, and she recommended The Devil is a Marquess. She said she would be interested in what I thought about it. Now, I do not know why she did; because we never had a chance to discuss it…I think it was probably something nefarious, probably the hairy armpits. I suspect she wanted to see my reaction. So, I purchased the book and here is my reaction to it.

I am done digressing about armpits. The Devil is a Marquess is the fourth book in the Rescued from Ruin series by Elisa Braden. While Elisa Braden is not a polished author, she does have promise…she just needs to slow down, and tie up those ends. She needs to make sure that some of the actions of her characters make sense.

The hero of The Devil is a Marquess is Benjamin Chatham, the Marquess of Rutherford. He is a dissolute rake…surprise! He drinks too much! He is broke! He has debt collectors moving furniture out of his house! He has a horrible mother! He also has a terrible secret! His Timothy Toad does not have any diseases, but he should. The story opens with Chatham leaving the bed of the woman he just serviced…and I do not mean fixing her brakes. He also accepts payment for said services…still not brakes. Lilacs. He is getting a blinding headache from her lilac perfume. He’s seeing stars, he’s going to throw-up, pass out…he’s just not in good shape…his Timothy Toad may have been functioning, but not him. I suspect it is the lilac smell, I know nothing makes my head throb faster than my neighbor’s Lilac bush. He gets these blinding headaches a lot. It is never fully explained why he is getting headaches. Are these headaches due to migraines, or are they because he has a drinking problem? The symptoms could have been either. Author’s, I am not a doctor. If someone in a book has a physical problem, I like to have a little bit more clues as to their illness. I kept pondering whether they were migraines or alcohol abuse. Eventually, they clear up…until he loses his temper for no apparent reason later on in the book. The hero was not a nice guy. He said hateful, hurtful things to our heroine, and he did it deliberately. He was a hard man to like. Then we have the heroine.

Charlotte. I liked Charlotte, although I grow tired of tall redheaded women who do not know how stunning they are.  I have to ask…were short blonde-haired women in vogue during the 1800s? I do not know, I should probably look that up. I know pale skin, round faces, and rounded bodies were popular…but hair, I do not have a clue. But really, who could look away from a vibrant redhead? Anyway, Charlotte’s father forces Chatham and Charlotte into a marriage.  Neither one of them is too keen on the idea, nor do they necessarily like each other, but they have no choice. Soon after Chatham and Charlotte marry, they are off to Chatham’s run-down estate. Run-down is a mild term for Chatham’s country estate. The place is in shambles, there are rotten stairs, falling plaster, leaking roofs, tarnished brass, bird’s nest, spider webs, rot all over the place. There are weeds outside, humongous weeds, the land has been allowed to turn fallow, the out buildings are falling apart, and the people who once worked the land are no longer there. Plus, the giant stone fence is crumbling. What a mess. However, that is ok, because super-duper Charlotte and Chatham and two servants get it all in ship-shape condition in just a matter of weeks. I found my eyebrows raising at the amount of work four people could accomplish in such a short time. Two of those people had probably never ever seen a shovel or broom in their entire life. That little clean-up scene was a bit…silly. Obviously, the author has never experienced the joy of polishing a wooden floor in a 150 year-old house…and without the benefit of an electric floor polisher. 

You might think I did not like this book…well, it was a roller-coaster ride. I thought the hero was very immature, and at times downright mean. I also thought there should have been a bigger groveling scene, and the heroine forgave him too soon. There were moments of tenderness, and I would find myself enjoying how our couple were getting along. Then Mr. Bonehead hero would do something nasty, and I would be on the roller coaster again. I loved the heroine; she was a determined woman who knew what she wanted, I just wasn’t always sure why she would want the hero.

There was way toooo much whankey-roo-hoo. It was irritating, I am a strong believer that sex in books should be there to add to the story, not just to titillate, or let us know how many positions are available.

So, what am I saying? Well, I am saying I liked this book well enough to read the next one in the series. However, there needed to be more character development, less whankee-roo and an editor who asks…do you really want to do this? Overall, I think the author shows promise. Maybe with just a little more polish, she will become an auto-buy. We will see, because I did purchase all the books in the series – so, I will keep you informed. Here’s hoping.

Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality:Hot/Warm

Monday

Holy Coney Hot Dog!! Upcoming Historical Romance Releases!!!

Nothing better on a hot day, than a soggy bun.

Authors with an asterisk*, I'm picking up! Release dates mostly between August 15, 2020 and Setember 14, 2020. For more Upcoming Releases that aren't historical see HEY DELIA!!

Series indicates a series, spin-off, sequel, trilogy, brother/sister, secret society/spies, good friends who attended Oxford/Eton, vampire/werewolf - anything that has something continuing - even if written 20 years ago. Anthology/novella/short stories could be an anthology or a bunch of books in one print or novella - one tiny book or an anthology with a bunch of novellas - could be a short stories by one author, could be short stories by multiple authors - could be - I'm getting a headache. Ebook, only sold electronically for now. Debut - congratulations!

By the way, it is not my fault if a publisher changes the release dates - just so you know, they do not consult me. Let me also add this warning - since I am now using different sources, I am finding that one person's genre isn't necessarily another persons - sorry if your book is in the wrong genre.

**Book by an author who is either new to me or has fallen off of my list and I might read.


Historical Romance
 

Adrienne deWolfe
http://ladylawandthegunslinger.com
The Devil Plays with Fire
Lady Law and the Gunslinger series
September 8

Amy Rose Bennett
http://amyrosebennett.com/
How to Catch a Sinful Marquess
The Disreputable Debutantes
August 25

Carole Mortimer
http://www.carolemortimer.co.uk
Julius's Passion
Regency Club Venus
August 28

Elisabeth Hobbes
http://elisabethhobbes.co.uk
The Silk Merchant's Convenient Wife
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Eva Leigh*
http://evaleighauthor.com
Would I Lie to the Duke
Union of the Rakes series
August 25

Evie Dunmore*
http://eviedunmore.com/
A Rogue of One's Own
League of Extraordinary Women
September 1

Fiona Miers
Marrying her Best Friend
The Seymour Siblings
August 20

Jenni Fletcher
http://jennifletcher.com
Redeeming Her Viking Warrior
Sons of Sigurd    
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Julie Johnstone
http://juliejohnstoneauthor.com
Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with A Brogue
Scottish Scoundrels: Ensnared Hearts
August 18

Kathryn Le Veque
https://kathrynleveque.com/
Highland Gladiator
Scots and Swords
August 25

Katrina Kendrick
http://www.katrinakendrick.com
Tempting the Scoundrel
Private Arrangements
September 5

Lara Temple
https://www.laratemple.com   
The Return of the Disappearing Duke
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Lauri Robinson
http://www.laurirobinson.blogspot.com   
The Flapper's Scandalous Elopement
Sisters of the Roaring Twenties
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Liz Tyner
https://www.liztyner.com/
The Governess's Guide to Marriage
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Marguerite Kaye*
http://www.margueritekaye.com
A Forbidden Liaison with Miss Grant
Paperback - August 25, Ebook – September 1

Mary Balogh*
http://www.marybalogh.com
Someone to Romance
Westcott series
August 25

Rachael Miles
http://rachaelmiles.com/
Brazen in Blue
The Muses' Salon
August 25

Sabrina Jeffries
http://www.sabrinajeffries.com
Who Wants to Marry a Duke
Duke Dynasty
August 25

Shana Galen
http://www.shanagalen.com
The Highlander's Excellent Adventure
Survivors series
September 8

Susanna Craig**
http://www.susannacraig.com   
Who's That Earl
Love and Let Spy
August 18

Tammy Andresen
http://tammyandresen.com/
What a Vulgar Viscount Needs
Romancing the Rake
September 8

Valerie Bowman*
http://www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com
The Valet Who Loved Me
The Footmen's Club
August 25
Historical Fiction


Belle McInnes
https://www.facebook.com/BelleMcInnes/

A Love Concealed
Mary's Ladies
August 31

Heather B. Moore
http://www.hbmoore.com
The Paper Daughters of Chinatown
September 1

Jennie Fields
http://jenniefields.com      
Atomic Love  
August - September?

Laura Morelli
http://www.lauramorelli.com  
The Night Portrait  
September 8

Wendy Holden
https://www.wendyholden.net/

The Royal Governess
August 25

Thursday

About a Rogue by Caroline Linden

July 23, 2020
For Delia, I will miss your chuckles from across the room.

http://www.carolinelinden.com/

In June of this year, I started to read Caroline Linden’s latest book, About a Rogue. About a Rogue is the first book in the series, Desperately Seeking a Duke. I don’t know what the problem was, I tried and tried, but could not get past the first couple of chapters. Maybe it was the mood I was in, maybe not, but I do remember not liking the heroine. Then Mia Vincy’s book came out, so I put About a Rogue aside. Well, a couple of weeks ago a Romanceland compatriot asked me what I thought of Linden’s book. I said I thought it was turning into a DNF.  She said, oh no, you should really give it another try. So, I did. I’m glad I did, because it actually turned out to be a pretty good story.

Our heroine Bianca Tate is a very strong person. We know she’s a strong person because we see that she is. A lot of times, in books, we are told the women are strong, but then they turn into boo-hoo-Anna Karenina’s, looking for the nearest train. But, Bianca is strong, smart, and courageous. Does that mean she’s right all the time? Nah, but at least she makes decisions. Does that mean she may be a tad bit stubborn? You bet’cha! But, she can also admit when she is wrong…and all without throwing herself under a train, or jumping in a near-bye pond, or letting some jealous bonehead choke her, because of a misunderstanding. I have never been fond of Ophelia and Desdemona.

Anyway, I grew fond of Bianca. The one issue I had with her was her conflicting relationship with her father. One moment, she’s charging in like a bull in a china shop, the next she’s wishing her father would show some kind of affection for her. Speaking of which, the bonehead crown doesn’t belong to just heroes…sometimes parents can be real boneheads too. The father in this story was a real dispenser of pain, for both his daughters. He said he wanted what was best for them, but it was all about what he wanted. He wasn’t above using a little extortion to get what he wanted either. When I see a character like that in a book, I wonder why everyone else is trying to win his or her affection. Anyway, his extortion is why Bianca is marrying our hero, Maximilian St. James.

Maximilian is supposed to marry Bianca’s older sister, Catherine. However, Catherine is in love with the near-bye softy vicar. Finally, the vicar grows a backbone, and Catherine and he elope…with Bianca’s help. When Bianca’s father finds out, things hit the fan. Her father forces her to take her sisters place…more extortion. Maximilian may be a little insulted to begin with, but he really doesn’t care which sister, as long as he gets the promised funds. You see, he needs the money for something…a secret…a mystery. As the story continued, I found I didn’t really care what the mystery was, because I was enjoying Max and Bianca circle each other.

Max and Bianca had some entertaining encounters, and some wonderful banter. Even though she tried, Bianca was never able to get the best of Max…and she did numerous things to annoy him. I loved that she would refer to him as “that man.”  However, he was mostly wise to her games, which in turn would annoy her. Eventually, they quit the circling and started to work together. That part of the story was fun and romantic…then the mystery happened.

The mystery was a bit of a distraction from the two great characters. I did not think we needed a mystery, and I would have been just fine without it. I suspect that it would have been hard for the author to write it out of the story…but it was not necessary and did not enhance the tale.

Overall, this was a good read. We have an exceptionally strong female lead, and a wonderful hero. They made a great pair. There was some unnecessary stuff at the end, but I am happy I picked the book up again. I am looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.

Time/Place: England 1787
Sensuality: Warm/Hot

A Fond Farewell

July 23, 2020
People come into your life, and people go. That’s just the way life is. However, sometimes some of those people leave memories behind. It is with sadness that I must say good-bye to fellow co-worker, colleague, and fellow romance book lover, Delia. I will miss our many talks about what book does this, and what book does that. What hero was wonderful, and what hero was a bonehead. And, OMG!!! Did you see that cover? What is that sticking out of his pants, and what’s with the underarm hair? The last day I saw you, you recommended I retry Caroline Linden’s latest, you also suggested a series by Elisa Braden. I still smile because you pointed out the hero’s armpit hair on the cover.

With that, I say goodbye Delia. you will be missed. 


A favorite book jacket of Delia's.
 Brenda Joyce, The Conqueror, 1996.
















"but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.”
― Jane Austen

Monday

A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia Vincy

July 13, 2020
Well, that was fast!

https://www.miavincy.com
Why do you suppose good books zip by with such speed? Even when you slow down the reading process, they are over with before you want them to be. I will probably have to reread this one again. I am sure I missed a bunch of nuanced writing.

What can I say? My respect for Mia Vincy continues to grow with each book. While I believe her book, A Beastly Kind of Earl may be my favorite, A Dangerous Kind of Lady is pretty darn good, and I do recommend it. Just so you know, while this book was released after the other two, chronologically, it is the second in the Longhope Abby series. Warning: there is plenty of angst.

Welcome to the tale of Arabella and her childhood nemesis, Guy Roth, Marquess of Hardbury. In the other two stories, they were secondary characters. In those books, there were little hints, and tidbits into their marriage. Now, we get to find out just what was going on behind Arabella’s mysterious facade. Oh yeah, along for the ride is Guy.

This is a complicated story, with two complex characters. At times, both characters are unlikable. It was a back and forth dance as to which one could be the most irritating. Guy discounted Arabella, and Arabella struck out with lots of venom when she was threatened. Watching these two was like being on a roller-coaster ride. For me, the downside of this was that I started to become rather weary of their tug-of-war. I felt Ms. Vincy dwelt on their stubbornness’s, and tricks longer than I could abide. However, even with that lonnnggg stretch of intractability, most of the chemistry between Guy and Arabella worked. In the end, I overlooked their shortcomings, and enjoyed the multiple layering in the book.

The only other problem I had with this story was the deliberate hurtful words that they threw at each other. I for one could have done without all the deliberate pain…maybe at another time it would not be so upsetting, but now it is. I had the feeling that Ms. Vincy was trying to stretch her story just a little, or maybe she lost track of where she was going with this couple. Because the story was complicated, I could see Ms. Vincy losing her way. I would have liked to see Guy and Arabella become loving partners earlier in the narrative. We saw more of their struggle then we did of their success.

Nonetheless, this book had fun mixed with poignancy, and a ton of interesting secondary characters. Ms. Vincy is a very gifted author, and I look forward to more books from her. Even with the toooo long tug-of-war, I highly recommend A Dangerous Kind of Lady.

Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Hot

The Footman and I by Valerie Bowman

July 13, 2020
Bleh.

After reading some of the reviews on Goodreads, all I can ask is "man, did they read the same book I did?" Once again, let me say that reviews are very subjective, and what is one person’s cup of tea is not necessarily someone else’s. When I opened The Footman and I by Valerie Bowman, I was hoping for a light-hearted romance. Well, I guess that is what I got, or maybe what I was supposed to get. However, to be honest with you, there was just something missing from this story. The characters were a little cardboardeeee, the dialogue was a little lifeless, and at times the story a little juvenile. At times, I almost felt as if I were reading a story created for a younger audience, maybe someone who is 16 or 17. It was not that I did not like this story, exactly, there just was not anything there to grasp.

A few devices which irritate me. Over the years, there are certain things in romance books that immediately put me in a mood – and, not a good one. It takes a very talented author to pull me out of that mood. Right from the very beginning, in the prologue, we are introduced to a group of men, a group of men who have been drinking. There is the requisite rake whose heart has been broken, a spy, and an oblivious aristocrat...and their married friend. They place a bet...oh noooo, not a bet. Well one of them, our hero Lucas Drake, Earl of Kendall wants to find a wife who wants him for himself, not because he's an Earl. So, they all decide to disguise themselves as servants and attend a party at their married friend’s house...oh nooooo, not a disguise!!!. They all have their reasons for deciding this is a good idea, remember one of them is a spy...oh, nooooo, not a spy!!!!

Next device irritant. Frances Wharton, our heroine, is eighteen. My keep-me-happy rule of thumb: my heroines need to be at least in their twenties. If not that, then they need to seem as if they are actually eighteen, and not 28 going on 30. But, honestly, I prefer mature heroines. There were times in this book, when her actions reflected a more mature person, but then she'd do something lame and I'd say to myself...ah there's the teenage girl of the 1800s - supposedly. And, if you think young people were more mature in the 1800s, then you've never read any of their journals/diaries. They were basically the same as now, just without smart phones. Just because a woman can have a baby at 16, does not mean she’s mature. Another thing about Frances that disturbed me: she used a lot of slang. I had a problem with an 18 year-old woman from the 1800s using some of the words that came out of her mouth. They were jarring, and not appropriate for well-bred women of that time. I am not saying the words were not used during that time; they were, but by men, or a very aggressive woman. Frances was neither. I'm starting to digress. Anyway, I just never connected with Frances.

Anyway, I said to myself, "Get over it!  Get past all your irritants! Maybe this book will be funny! Maybe we will get to see men disguised as servants failing because they do not know how to do physical work. Could be funny. Could be some slapstick moments." Nah, the storyline didn't develop that way, in fact it just sort of meandered along.

So, everyone is at the house party, all the future heroes and heroines (I think) are there. But nothing actually happens at the house party, unless you count the illicit meetings in the library between Lucas and Frances. Libraries in romance novels always seem to see a lot of action...maybe that's why everyone likes the library. Here all the time I thought it was the books. Anyway, there's a lot of stuff going on: Francis is trying to stop a law from getting passed, and Lucas is trying to get that law passed. Of course, he has not really read the law. His brother was responsible for writing the law and introducing it…but now his brother is dead. Francis and Lucas discuss the law, but we never get to hear any of the conversation...that’s probably a good thing, I suspect it would be boring. However, we are told they discussed the law. In fact, we are told they discuss many things. We are told they are attracted to each other, but we never see that attraction - except for when his Mr. Toad is trying to get out of his pants. Occasionally the secondary characters walk through, but they don't really add much to the story - until.

In the last few chapters of the book, there are some sincere talks between the secondary disguised friends, Lucas, and Frances. At last, there was some spark in the book. When the friends come together at the end, the dialogue picked up a notch. However, that was after about 200 pages of tedium.

Bottom-line, this is not one of my favorite Valerie Bowman books. I was disappointed that I could not connect with any of the characters in the story. Even though I was disappointed with The Footman and I, it is the beginning of a new series, and I intend to read the others...I'm hoping for the best.

Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Bleh