Holy Chicken Tamales!!! Upcoming Historical Romances!!!

October 25, 2021

Authors with an asterisk*, I'm picking up! Authors with **asterisks have either fallen off my radar or new to me, and I'm might read them this time around. Release dates mostly between November 15, 2021 and December 14, 2021. 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.  

Historical Romances

	Alyssa Clarke Tempt Me, If You Dare, ebook Wagers and Wallflowers December 8
	Anna Bradley http://www.annabradley.net Not Just Any Earl, ebook Games Earls Play December 14
	Annabelle Anders http://www.annabelleanders.com Educated by the Earl, ebook Miss Primm’s Secret School for Budding Bluestockings November 16
	Carole Mortimer http://www.carolemortimer.co.uk Sinful, ebook Regency Scandal November 26
	Caroline Lee The Duke’s Virgin Sister, ebook Those Kilted Bastards November 17
	Cheryl Bolen http://www.cherylbolen.com/ With a Little Help from My Lord, ebook The Beresford Adventures December 7
	Christi Caldwell http://www.christicaldwellauthor.com It Happened One Winter, ebook, novella Scandalous Affairs December 10
	Heather Boyd http://www.heather-boyd.com Seduced in Secret, ebook Distinguished Rogues December 7
	Jenni Fletcher http://jennifletcher.com   Elisabeth Hobbes http://elisabethhobbes.co.uk Snow-Kissed Proposals November 30
	Jennifer Ashley* https://www.jenniferashley.com The Sinful Ways of Jamie Mackenzie Mackenzies and McBrides November 16
	Jennifer Ashley* Anna Bradley Grace Burrowes Kerrigan Byrne Christi Caldwell Tanya Anne Crosby Duke the Halls, anthology, ebook November 30
	Julie Anne Long* http://www.julieannelong.com/index.shtml After Dark with the Duke Palace of Rogues November 30
	Laura Martin https://lauramartinromance.com/ The Captain's Impossible Match      November 30
	Louise Allen* http://www.louiseallenregency.com The Duke's Counterfeit Wife November 30
	Manda Collins** https://www.mandacollins.com/ An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire A Lady’s Guide November 16
	Mary Balogh* http://www.marybalogh.com Someone Perfect Westcott November 30
	Megan Frampton http://www.meganframpton.com Gentleman Seeks Bride Hazards of Dukes November 30
	Melissa Oliver https://twitter.com/melissaoauthor The Knight's Convenient Alliance Notorious Knights November 30
	Merry Farmer http://merryfarmer.net Naughty Earls Need Love Too, ebook That Wicked O’Shea Family November 19
	Merry Farmer http://merryfarmer.net Games Lovers Play, ebook After the War December 14
	Miriam Minger http://www.miriamminger.com/ My Highland Captor Warriors of the Highlands, ebook, November 30
	Patricia Rice http://www.patriciarice.com/ This Magic Moment, ebook Magical Malcolms November 23
	Sandra Sookoo http://www.sandrasookoo.com The Viscount’s Bluestocking Vixen, ebook December 8
	Sandra Sookoo http://www.sandrasookoo.com The Folly of Caroling, ebook Three Mistletoe Kisses, ebook Silver Bells Scandal, ebook Home for the Holidays November 16
	Sarah Mallory http://www.sarahmallory.com Cinderella and the Scarred Viscount November 30
	Sarah Rodi The Viking's Stolen Princess November 30
	Scarlett Scott http://www.scarlettscottauthor.com The Detective Duke, ebook Unexpected Lords November 18
	Sophie Barnes http://www.sophiebarnes.com Mr. Dale and the Divorcee, ebook The Brazen Beauties November 23
	Sylvia McDaniel http://www.sylviamcdaniel.com The Debutante’s Santa Debutantes of Durango December 10
	Tammy Andresen Wanted: An Earl For Hire, ebook Misadventures in Wallflowering November 30
	Tammy Andresen Her White Wedding, ebook Dark Duke’s Legacy Book December 7

Historical Fiction

My rules, my list: On my list the time-line for this genre includes the 19th Century. You will not find the 20th Century included in my historical fiction. Anything newer than 1900 will be on my Hey Delia list.

	A. L. Sowards http://alsowards.com/ Of Daggers and Deception, ebook Duchy of Athens December 7
	Nicola Cornick http://www.nicolacornick.co.uk The Last Daughter of York November 16
	Paul Doherty http://www.paulcdoherty.com/ Dark Queen Watching      December 07

Holiday Anthologies: A Victorian Christmas, A Mistletoe Christmas, A Yuletide Kiss, Kissing Under the Mistletoe

October 18, 2021

Bunches of Holiday Treats!

Yes! It’s that time of year when the book market is flooded with itsy-bitsy holiday stories. Why are we so happy when this happens? First of all, it seems as if we are reading more, but we are really not. But who cares!!!! Secondly, it’s a great way to find new authors! And, I’m happy to say, I found some authors I’m going to check into.

Let’s take a look at some of the holiday treats I have indulged in so far! By the way, short story=short review.

The first anthology was A Victorian Christmas. We have three authors: Carla Kelly, Carol Arens, and Eva Shepherd. I could find no connection between the stories other than these are Harlequin authors and they are writing about holiday romance.

A Father for Christmas, by Carla Kelly. One word: charming. You know it’s been a while since I’ve read Ms. Kelly. I think it was back in 1998, but who’s counting. Anyway, I think I’ll take another look at her library. I loved everything about this story. Great chemistry between the hero and heroine, and a wonderful, scene-stealing child. This story made me smile. 

B+

A Kiss Under the Mistletoe, by Carol Arens. This story did not make me smile. There wasn’t any chemistry between the h/h. Not fond of this short story.

C-

The Earl’s Unexpected Gifts, by Eva Shepherd. All I can say is; a short story which was a DNF. I just could not connect with the people in this story.

DNF

So, A Victorian Christmas had one story out of three that I liked. In fact, I would have to say I loved Carla Kelly’s story. Because of that I was glad I paid the price of admission.

Next book of the holiday anthologies was A Mistletoe Christmas. The stories in this anthology were connected. For this book we were all invited to the annual revelry of the Duke of Greystoke. Participating in the revelry were Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley.

A Mistletoe Kiss, by Eloisa James. You know, I’ve been reading Ms. James for a long time, and she can really write nasty family members. This one has a horrible father, the duke. He treats his daughter, Cressida, like a drudge. Cressida has never stood up to her father. Cressida has also been given a bonehead hero, Elias, to moon over. Lady Cressida should have packed her bags and hopped a ship to Tahiti. I didn’t think this story was very holiday-ee. 

C

Wishing Under the Mistletoe, by Christi Caldwell. For this holiday tale we have a couple who don’t talk. They are engaged. He ignores her, she wants attention. She leaves him for ten years, then they meet again at the party. This time they talk. But, I have to ask: why ten years? Why not five, or three, or one. Why so long? Beside that mystifying question about the number of years apart, I also found the heroine rather annoying. 

C

Compromise Under the Mistletoe, by Janna MacGregor. Another separation. This time the couple is married, and they also don’t talk. They do have lots of sex, and then don’t talk. A holiday misunderstanding story.

C+

Mischief and Mistletoe, by Erica Ridley. A spinster writer meets a dishonest hero. Not holiday-ee.

C-

 
Overall, I didn’t get too much happy holiday spirit out of any of these stories. And by the way, if you have a character who shows up in all the stories, and he's supposed to be despicable, make sure his horrible personality is reflected in all the stories.

Next group is A Yuletide Kiss. Contributors to this anthology were: Sabrina Jeffries, Madeline Hunter, and Mary Jo Putney. Look out! Veteran writers! These short stories take place during a snow storm with a bunch of stranded travelers.

When We Finally Kiss Good Night, by Sabrina Jeffries. It’s been a while since I’ve read Sabrina Jeffries, which means I have not read any of her latest books. That means I am not familiar with the couple in this story, because they are a part of a series. First of all, I found Flora to be annoying. While I enjoyed the Christmas decorations, I could not find any chemistry between Konrad Juncker and Flora Younger.

C

The Unexpected Gift, by Madeline Hunter. This one had possibilities. I loved the beginning of this story. We meet the owner of the inn, Jenna. Jenna is looking forward to some down time. She can hardly wait to cuddle up by the fireplace and be alone with her meager supplies. But then the storm starts, and then there is the injured stranger, and then there are all the other people who are going to other places. And, they are all stuck for a few days at her inn. I did like the interaction between Lucas and Jenna. I liked the narrative of the stranded travelers. I just grew a little tired of Jenna being a doormat. But even with that, this was my favorite story of the group.

B+

When Strangers Meet, by Mary Jo Putney. A long time ago Daniel saved Kate, married her, then just disappeared. Oh, what a big ol’ coincidence that they should be stranded together at the inn. This story wasn’t bad, it just needed a longer format. 

B-

Overall, I enjoyed the Madeline Hunter story; I thought Mary Jo Putney’s story needed a longer format, but I didn’t care for Sabrina Jeffries tale. Two out of three…not bad.

Now for the last anthology I’ve read this month. Kissing Under the Mistletoe. By golly! I found two new authors I’m going to check out. The other author is already an auto-buy.

Great Scot, by Suzanne Enoch. A Christmas with the MacTaggerts! I will be honest, the MacTaggerts have not been my favorite Enoch series. I’ve had a hard time with the mother, and I’ve found the sons to be rather infantile. But this time the focus of the story is on Jane, a spinster (aren’t they all). Jane was a secondary character from one of the previous stories. Her hero in this tale is Brennan, a cousin to the MacTaggerts. He also happens to be a widower. I loved this story. The romance in this tale was delightful. For once the MacTaggerts were charming, and the bagpipes were noisy. This short story was a truly lovely holiday tale.

A-

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow, by Amelia Grey. Another treat. An outspoken heroine, Isabelle, and a loyal hero, Gates. These two embark on a search for a tree which has sweet heart initials carved on it.  It revolves around Gates grandfather’s desire to see the tree before he dies. This was a good story, and it made me feel good.

A

My Mistletoe Beau, by Anna Bennett. This story begins with Eva breaking into Jack’s house to steal back her father’s watch. A watch with sentimental feelings attached. There’s some great chemistry on display between this couple, and it was another feel-good story. I will definitely be looking into this author’s back log.

A

Overall, Kissing Under the Mistletoe was my favorite of all the anthologies I’ve read to date. I enjoyed alllll three of the stories in this book. While some authors may look at short stories as a way to get a quick buck, they should remember that it is also a way to make a reader want to buy their full-length stories.

Looking forward to more anthologies.

My Sweet Folly, Uncertain Magic, Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsale

Octobrt 8, 2021

Well, sometimes ideas should just stay ideas.

When the little voice in my head whispered that I should read a bunch of old books, including Laura Kinsale, I thought – hey, why not? When has that voice ever steered me wrong? After all, I was in a mood. At the time, reading Laura Kinsale right after reading Anne Stuart made sense.  I chose to read three stories in an unconnected series: Uncertain Magic (1987), Midsummer Moon (1987), and My Sweet Folly (1987). These three stories are being marketed in a box set called the Regency Romances. Other than the time period, there isn’t any connection between the books.

I completed two books in the group, but one of them, My Sweet Folly was a DNF for me. The hero was too dark, and I’m not too fond of nicknames attached to heroines, especially when they demean.  I found myself explaining things away by saying…oh well, that was written in the 80s. And that last statement shouldn’t be allowed as an excuse.  For me this story didn’t age well. 

On to the ones I finished.

Uncertain Magic (1987). Roderica “Roddy” Delamore has a problem. She can read minds, be they human or animals. So, I guess she can interpret barks, and meows. Anyway, there is a lot of noise going on in her mind. Then she meets Faelan Savigar, and much to her surprise, she cannot read his mind. There is a lot in this story. It’s a tad bit weird, and not everything in the story makes sense. First of all, unlike a lot of other romance novels we are never given the POV of the hero. I like my stories to have at least the hero and heroines POV present. I’m assuming because Roddy cannot read Faelan’s mind, we are not given access to it. They get married. They go to Ireland. There’s an Irish revolt going on, there’s fairies and paranormal stuff. He has an odd mother, who I first thought was some kind of fairy. Turns out she’s just psychotic. There was also mention of an uncle, but he doesn’t have anything to do with the story. There is also a big Faelan secret, which in the end turns out to be a tad bit silly. Then we have the age difference, she’s 19, he’s 35…that’s a 16-year difference. Here’s the deal…he could be her father!!! A couple that have 16 years between them sets off ick button. I don’t care how much power the guy has, there is just too much between those years that make it unpalatable. In his romantic moments, he calls her ‘little girl”. He also assumes, all the time, usually wrong assumptions. For instance, he forgets that sometimes mommy-parts can break without the benefit of a Timothy Toad. Sometimes riding without the benefit of a sidesaddle can rip things! But maybe his brain is foggy from the drugs.  He’s been drugged all of his life. What can one expect? What happened? How did he partake of drugs? Well it seems somehow his mother was able to drug him, even when he was away at school. Oh angst. Oh boo-hoo. Turn from the dark side Faelan Savigar…puleese.

While I managed to complete this story, it was almost a wall-banger a couple of times. 

Time/Place: Regency England/Ireland

Sensuality: Warm/Hot

D+

Midsummer Moon (1987). Of the three books in the Regency series this was … how shall I say it? This was the least objectionable. But, there were plenty of issues. We have an absent-minded heroine and an autocratic hero. Merlin Lambourne is an inventor, an absent-minded one, but not the funny Fred MacMurray kind. She’s more of the “how-did-you-survive-this-world” kind. She is totally oblivious to everything. Was this funny in the 80s? I don’t know, but it’s not very funny now. There is obviously a problem with her, and it is a problem that our hero uses to his advantage. That taking advantage of by the hero; the dominating, manipulating, over-bearing bone-head, is the real problem with this book. If Merlin hadn’t been portrayed as such a scattered-brained child, maybe this story would have had a chance. 

 

Salt. She is so oblivious that she serves the hero, Ransom, salt. There is a mistake with the label. The salt is actually an aphrodisiac. Under the influence of the “salt”, Ransom beds an oblivious Merlin. I shall take this time to ponder. It’s my opinion that the only thing that goes up when one uses a so-called aphrodisiac is one’s blood pressure. Of course, there could be a kidney failure or two, but to stimulate a libido into uncontrollable lust is just an excuse for bad behavior. I’m done pondering. Anyway, this book is filled with all kinds of plots: fear of flying, spies, secret agents, stuttering children, amnesia, manipulation, family problems, a divorced couple, Napoleon…on and on. 

The topper is the bone-head hero. He doesn’t want Merlin to invent things, especially things that fly. It is all about him after all. So, what does he do when Merlin has amnesia? He burns all of her notes…Yep, years and years of flying machine notes…up in flames. A real bone-head.

Time/Place: Regency England

Sensuality: Warm/Hot

C- 

Bottom line- This was one of my experiments which didn’t work. While I’ve done some maturing over the years, dare I say, even been enlightened, these three stories have not. Sorry to say, none of them aged well.

Holy Caramel Apples with Dark Chocolate Drizzles!!! Upcoming Historical Romances!!!

September 23, 2021

Authors with an asterisk*, I'm picking up! Authors with **asterisks have either fallen off my radar or new to me, and I'm might read them this time around. Release dates mostly between October 15, 2021 and November 14, 2021. 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.  

 

Historical Romance

	Amalie Howard http://www.amaliehoward.com Rules for Heiresses October 26
	Amy Jarecki https://amyjarecki.com/   A Duke by Scot The MacGalloway October 19
	Anna Bradley** http://www.annabradley.net   The Virgin Who Bewitched Lord Lymington, ebook The Swooning Virgins Society November 2
	Bliss Bennet** http://www.blissbennet.com Not Quite a Marriage The Audacious Ladies of Audley November 9
	Bronwyn Scott http://bronwynswriting.blogspot.com/   Lord Tresham's Tempting Rival The Peveretts of Haberstock Hall October 26
	Carol Arens The Viscount's Christmas Proposal October 26
	Catherine Stein https://www.catsteinbooks.com/ The Spinster's Swindle, ebook Arcane Tales November 5
	Celeste Barclay https://celestebarclayauthor.com/   A Devil at the Highland Court, ebook The Highland Ladies November 9
	Christine Merrill * Marguerite Kaye Sophia James Regency Christmas Liaisons October 26
	Darcy Burke http://www.darcyburke.com Intolerable, ebook Phoenix Club October 19
	Dawn Brower** Nadine Millard Anna St. Claire Lauren Smith Tabetha Waite Christmas on Scandal Lane November 9
	Erica Ridley http://www.ericaridley.com The Perks of Loving a Wallflower Wild Wynchesters October 26
	Eva Devon aka Maire Claremont https://twitter.com/evadevonauthor The Wedding Wager October 25
	Grace Burrowes http://www.graceburrowes.com/ A Rogue in Winter, novella Rogues to Riches November 2
	Janice Preston http://www.janicepreston.co.uk     The Penniless Debutante October 26
	Jillian Eaton http://www.jillianeaton.com A Dangerous Secret, ebook Bow Street Brides November 2
	Joanna Shupe http://www.joannashupe.com/ The Lady Gets Lucky The Fifth Avenue Rebels October 26
	Julia Quinn http://www.juliaquinn.com/ The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton November 9
	Julia Justiss http://www.juliajustiss.com/ The Explorer Baroness Heirs in Waiting October 26
	Lucy Morris https://lucymorrisromance.com/ A Nun for the Viking Warrior October 26
	Rachel Ann Smith https://www.rachelannsmith.com Loving a Dowager, ebook The Hadfields November 3
	Sasha Cottman http://www.sashacottman.com King of Rogues, ebook Rogues of the Road November 9
	Shannon Gilmore https://linktr.ee/ShannonGilmoreAuthor Every Time You’re Near, ebook Ruined Rakes October 19
	Valerie Bowman http://www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com Earl Lessons Footmen's Club Trilogy October 25
	Virginia Heath* http://www.virginiaheathromance.com Never Fall for Your Fiancée The Merriwell Sisters November 9

Historical Fiction 

My rules: this genre goes up to and includes the 19th Century. Anything newer than 1900 will be on my Hey Delia list.

	Debra May Macleod https://debramaymacleod.com To Be Wolves The Vesta Shadows October 26
	Lori Anne Goldstein http://www.lorigoldsteinbooks.com Love, Theodosia November 2
	Lucy Jago https://lucyjago.com/ A Net for Small Fishes November 9 (USA)

Simon Scarrow https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/ The Honour of Rome Eagles November 11

Relaxing with Anne Stuart

September 22, 2021

Stuart Saturation!

http://anne-stuart.com/

What happens when you are in a mood? Where do you go when you just can’t find any new good books? What do you do when alllll those new authors can’t cheer you up? I have it! What about a funny veteran author? ummmmm. I know! Anne Stuart! I can hear your startled gasp. I hear your befuddled questions. Funny? I know you’re asking…aren’t her heroes rather angst-filled? Aren’t her heroes pretty close to sociopaths? Well, maybe. But sometimes, you just got to do what you got to do. So, for the last few weeks I have immersed myself in a world where men are real libertines, rakes, and rogues. I don’t know how many times I have read all of the Rohan family books.  But, I love Ms. Stuarts writing. It’s always interesting to see how differently I react to that series every time I reread.  Shameless (2011) was my favorite and Heartless (2018) my least favorite. But, I didn’t stop with the Rohan family. I swallowed my be-brave pill and stepped into the Wayback Machine, along with a number of Ms. Stuarts older books.

The Spinster and the Rake (1982). I loved this one. Gillian Redfern, is the unpaid companion/baby-sitter for her family. Ronan Blakely, Lord Marlow, is the enemy of the Redfern family. This is one of Ms. Stuart’s lighthearted books (sort of.) There is a villain. There is a fun secondary romance. In fact, all of these books have secondary romances. Regency. Warm/Hot A-

To Love a Dark Lord (1994). Redhead alert! There are a lot of red-headed heroines in Ms. Stuart’s books. This one has Emma Langolet, who may have killed her uncle. Coming to her rescue is the amoral libertine James Killoran. Killoran saves Emma’s life, then goes back to his other women. Warning: some of Stuart’s men do not give up other women immediately after seeing the heroine. The secondary romance is between a really experienced woman and a younger man. We have a group of villains. This is a really dark book, with an even darker “hero”.  Georgian England. Hot. B-

Prince of Magic (1998). Whimsical heroine Elizabeth Penhurst, and Gabriel Durham. This book is what I would call Gothic. We’ve got Druidism, villains looking for virgins to sacrifice, and helpful ghosts. We also have a secondary romance. The hero is not quite as dark as other Stuart guys. Regency. Warm. B-

Lady Fortune (2008). Travel back to the court of Henry III. Our hero is a rather funny spy/jester by the name of Nicholas Strangefellow. Or at least that’s the name he goes by. He has a secret which allows him to marry the heroine at the end of the book. Then there is Lady Julianna of Moncrieff who is on her way to her mother’s wedding. In this one we have a crazy killer priest, an interesting lethal spy, and a magic chalice. Another secondary romance. England 1200s. Warm. B-C+

Hidden Honor (2004). Elizabeth of Bredon: tall, red-hair, wants to be a nun. Elizabeth was seventeen – ick moment. Prince William aka Peter. The real Prince William is disguised as a monk. In fact, there are a lot of monks in this book. A lot of disguises, a sadistic prince, a road trip, and a secondary romance. Not much of an epilogue.  England 1200s. Warm. C-

The Devils Waltz (2006) Christian Montcalm is a typical ruthless Stuart hero. His antagonist is the unmarried, plain 29-year-old Annalise Kempton. Annalise is assigned to keep Hetty Chipple out of trouble.  Christian is determined to make Hetty his wife. Sparks fly. Warning: heroine nickname. Regency England. Hot. B

I had a great time with these books. Some of them held up over time, and some didn’t. Some screamed for a good epilogue, and some didn’t. I do recommend all of these, but if you’re new to romance, just remember that things have changed over the years.  I did find myself getting a little bit of a Stuart burn-out by the last book, so I decided to turn to another veteran author: Laura Kinsale. Oh boy! More angst!

Her Gallant Captain at Waterloo by Diane Gaston

September 13, 2021

 I have a younger brother too…but he's not a slug!

https://www.dianegaston.com/

I think I’m in a mood. This one was hard to review for me. There was some really fine writing, especially the vivid description of the Battle/s of Waterloo. But the brother in this book was…how shall I put this nicely…a real scum-sucker. Diane Gaston’s latest, Her Gallant Captain at Waterloo brings us the story of Rhys Landon and Lady Helene Banes, a couple with a history.

It is the eve of the Battle/s of Waterloo, and Helene is in Brussels trying to find her idiot brother. Her brother has come to Brussels because he wants to watch the battle. He’s recently been elevated to a lord, but he is resentful and doesn’t want to be called a lord…unless it gets him into the Duchess of Richmond’s ball. He hangs out with the Duchess’s son, a real person by the way. He does all kinds of horrible things to his sister, ignores her, disappears, doesn’t tell her where he’s going. He doesn’t want anyone to tell him what to do. His sister, Helene, has a big “walk-all-over-me” sign pasted to her back. I detested her brother. Then I started wondering…just what does one do when one is related to an immature person who wants to be a spectator at a battle? I do remember my brother being annoying, but I don’t think he would have been as selfish as this guy was. Anyway, I didn’t like the brother. And, just so you know, there were spectators on some battlefields.

The romance. The romance between Helene and Rhys was a standard misunderstanding-I-hate-you. Then they talk, then they love each other again. So, it was just so-so.

The Battle of Waterloo. After I have whined about the horrible brother, and intimated that the romance was bland, let’s look at what really stood out in this story. I was overwhelmed with the feelings that were captured in this narrative of warfare. From the battle itself, to the Richmond ball, to the chaos of people trying to escape Brussels. It was all very intense. Helene’s flight to the battlefield, her helping with the wounded…once again all tense-filled moments.  The aftermath of battle…all so devastating.  The writing in this part of the book was superb.

Even though the romance was just passable, and the brother was one of the most immature men I’ve seen in a long time, I have to recommend this book. The tale of the battle, and its aftermath was a most powerful story to behold.
Time/Place: Waterloo/Brussels

Sensuality: Warm

Waterloo/Brussels: A

Romance: B

Brother: D

The Scoundrel's Daughter by Anne Gracie

September 7, 2021

Yes, it's possible for female friendship in Romanceland!
 

https://www.annegracie.com/

The Scoundrel’s Daughter, by Anne Gracie, is the opening book in the Brides of Bellaire Gardens series. While not quite as delightful as The Perfect Rake, it’s still a nice read. We even have two romances in this book, a mature one, and a not mature one. We also have a horrible father, who just might be a creepy villain. The premise of this story revolves around blackmail. The person being blackmailed is Alice, Lady Charlton. Poor Alice, luck just hasn’t been her friend. She’s a widow, which is probably the only thing good to ever happen to her. Her husband was an emotionally abusive man, kept a mistress, and left Alice destitute. The only one in Alice’s family she has any fondness for is her nephew, Gerald. He is one of the nice guys in a book full of man-slugs. As luck would have it, Alice’s husband happened to leave a number of love letter’s laying around. The problem with those love letter’s is that her husband did not write them to Alice, but to his mistress. They have also fallen into the hands of a nefarious con-artist, Octavius Bamber. Octavius Bamber will not win the father of the year award.

Let’s talk about women. There are two romance stories in this book. The main romance is between Alice, Lady Charlton and James, Lord Tarrant. A secondary romance blossoms between Lucy Bamber and Alice’s nephew Gerald. For the most part, those romances had some interesting interaction, but let’s talk about the real chemistry in the story. The relationship between Alice and Lucy. Alice is being blackmailed into launching a reluctant Lucy into society. The blackmailer is the winner of the worst father of the year award, Octavius Bamber. At first, when sulky, stubborn Lucy is introduced to Alice, I thought: oh boy another horrible spoiled woman. But it turned out I was wrong. First of all, Alice and Lucy talk to each other, they find a common enemy – Octavius. Not only do they find a common goal, they develop a friendship. They both have been emotionally abused by the men in their lives. They see the world through less than innocent eyes. Do they always agree with each other? No. But they do talk to each other, and they accept each other short-falls. It was relaxing to view two women characters who actually worked together, and liked each other.

The relationship between Lucy and Gerald was fun. They irritate each other. When Gerald is given the assignment of finding a suitable husband for Lucy, his candidates are atrocious. Lucy turns the tables on Gerald, and seemingly enjoys his matchmaking attempts, which in turn annoys him. It was all great fun.

Now on to Alice and James. As mentioned before, Alice’s husband was real dog-doo. Until Octavius came along with his blackmail, Alice was happy with her widowhood. When James enters her life, she is attracted to him, but not trusting of men. She is willing to be a friend to James. James on the other hand is a tad bit manipulative. He wants Alice, and he isn’t above using “friendship” as a means to keep her. Once again…how do you “keep” someone? He even uses his three charming daughters as a weapon. It would have been nice if Alice could have had a HEA with a man who didn’t use “friendship” as a means to his end. I wish Alice had been given the opportunity to decide to marry James without being manipulated.

Bye the way, the villain/father Octavius vanishes somewhere on the Island of Misplaced Villains.

Overall, I loved the relationship between Alice and Lucy. I also thought the chemistry between Lucy and Gerald was fun. The issue I had with this story was James being a I-know-what’s-best guy. Alice was a mature woman who could think for herself. I just wish that James would have allowed her to be her own person. While there were parts of this story I liked a lot, this was not my favorite Anne Gracie book…that would be The Perfect Rake.
 
Time/Place: Regency England

Sensuality: Warm