Holy Cannoli!!! Time for Historical Romance Releases!!!!

May 25, 2017

Authors with an asterisk*, I'm picking up! For more Upcoming Releases that aren't historical see HEY DELIA!! June 15, 2017 to July 14, 2017. By the way, it is not my fault if a publisher changes the release dates - just so you know, they do not consult me.

	Amy Jarecki http://www.amyjarecki.com    The Highland Commander Highland Lords series June 27
	Amy Sandas http://www.amysandas.com/ Lord of Lies Fallen Ladies series July 4
	Elizabeth Michels http://www.elizabethmichels.com/   The Wicked Heir Spare Heirs series July 4
	Gayle Callen http://www.GayleCallen.com    Love with a Scottish Outlaw Highland Weddings series June 27
	Heather McCorkle http://www.heathermccorkle.com/ Courting the Corporal Emerald Belles series June 27
	Helen Dickson http://www.harlequin.com/author.html?authorid=945 The Foundling Bride June 20
	Janice Preston https://janicepreston.co.uk/ Cinderella and the Duke Beauchamp Betrothals series June 20
	Maggie Robinson* http://www.maggierobinson.net/ Seducing Mr. Sykes Cotswold Confidential series June 20
	Manda Collins http://www.mandacollins.com Duke with Benefits Studies in Scandal series June 27
	Michelle Willingham http://www.michellewillingham.com   Forbidden Night with a Warrior Warriors of the Night series July 1
	Sabrina Jeffries http://www.sabrinajeffries.com   The Pleasures of Passion Sinful Suitors series June 20
	Sarah MacLean* http://www.sarahmaclean.net The Day of the Duchess Scandal and Scoundrel series June 27
	Sophia James https://www.facebook.com/sophiajamesauthor Ruined by the Reckless Viscount July 1
	Sophie Barnes http://www.sophiebarnes.com A Most Unlikely Duke Diamonds in the Rough series June 27
	Tatiana March http://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ From Runaway to Pregnant Bride Fairfax Brides series June 20
	Theresa Romain http://theresaromain.com/ Scandalous Ever After Romance of the Turf series July 4
	Virginia Heath http://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ A Warriner to Rescue Her The Wild Warriners series June 20

Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie

May 23, 2017
When I say jump, you say 'how high?!'

http://www.annegracie.com/
It’s been awhile since I've read an Anne Gracie book. Even though I loved her first couple of books, she never became one of my auto buys. But times are tough and I've been on a desperate search for something I like, so when I read a glowing review about Marry in Haste, I thought - what have you got to lose. Well, I'm mighty happy I read that review. Turns out Marry in Haste was just what I was looking for.

This was a character-driven story. There were no heroic harebrained heroines doing preposterous things. There weren't any groan-inducing-eye-crossing antics which didn't fit into the time line. And, best of all, we have a hero and heroine who actually talk to each other - dare I say, they even become friends. Gasp! They learn to respect each other. It was a charming story.

Major Calbourn Rutherford has been a soldier for over a decade. Even though the war is over there is still some unfinished business. He's after the sniper who murdered his best friend during the war. This is his obsession. But on his return to England there are some problems which must be fixed. It seems Calbourn has two half-sisters who are regular hellions and in need of a firm hand. Being an army guy, he charges in - strong arms his sisters and immediately loses control of the situation. Not only that but he finds out his deceased brother has a daughter who seems to have run wild in the countryside. Now Cal has a problem. He has three young women who resent him and don't follow his orders. He does not have time for this; he has an assassin to catch. He must find someone to rope the girls in - it is time for our heroine, Emmaline Westwood, a teacher from sisters' school. At first he offers her a job of looking after the girls. She turns him down. She needs something which will last a few more years. Cal then gets the brilliant idea of proposing a marriage of convenience. After a few minutes of consideration Emmaline accepts. Cal now thinks he can wash his hands of this sisters and niece and return to his assassin search. Ha! Nothing works the way Cal has envisioned.

Cal was a wonderful, gruff hero. Throughout the book we watch as he discover what is important and what isn't. He is the one who changes the most in this story, but that doesn't mean Emmaline is just a supporting character. Her presence is what this story revolves around. She is the catalyst.

Cal and Emmaline are a wonderful couple. They make for what I would call a good old romance story. They talk to each other, they support each other, and together they build a family. I sense that the three young women will have their own books.

If I had any quibble, it was that some of the loose ends were tied up too tidily, but overall this was a well-written lovely story and highly recommended.

Time/Place: Regency England
Sensuality: Hot

The Secret of My Seduction by Caroline Linden

May 22, 2017

http://www.carolinelinden.com/
Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the kitchen, another "Fifty" blah blah blah book appears. Only this time it's different - this one has some good writing in it.

Caroline Linden supposedly finished her Fifty Ways to Sin series with the book Six Degrees of Scandal. Surprise! There's always room for a novella. This small offering is called The Secret of My Seduction. I confess, I have never read the "Fifty Shades of.." which started the race to include tons of sex in books to the exclusion of a storyline. However, I did watch the trailers for the Razzie winning movie (worst picture and screenplay) and if - if - the writing in the book is as stilted as what appears in these trailers, the best I can say is I probably will never read the books.

So, when I pick up a book which has "Fifty" in its title I always hesitate. It wasn't long before I began to relax and enjoy Caroline Linden's short little book. Not only is it a charming story, it's quite hot!

Now, there's nothing new in The Secret of My Seduction's set-up. Our heroine, Batheshba Crawford, has been writing a series of naughty stories called Tales of Lady X. While she is not an innocent, her experience is rather limited and she fears her stories are not exciting enough and people may become bored with them. Of course, she has a plan. She will ask her publisher, Liam, to help her gain experience by taking her to his bed. Well, Liam is a tad bit shocked. He turns her down. But Bathsheba has read a few romance books in her time, she employs that good old stand-by incentive - "If you won't - dance with me, kiss me, pretend to be my fiancé, have sex with me - I will find someone else who will."  There are no surprises in this story, but it has a fresh feel about it - thanks to the writing.

Both Bathsheba and Liam are fairly well developed. Even though the story is very short there was still time for a back story of both characters. There was also room for plenty of hot, hot sex. All I can say is Wall-banger! Yipes! There were also a number of amusing scenes, especially when Bathsheba takes a notepad and pencil to their first rendezvous.

I do recommend this. Sure, sure it's a short story, but it's a darn good one and as we all know, good short stories are hard to find. So go ahead, take an hour or two and read this story. I think you'll like it. It also would have made a wonderful full-length book.

Time/Place: 1823 England
Sensuality: Hot

Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

May 11, 2017

Faster than a speeding bullet, unless it's lodged in her shoulder.
Why? Cause she didn't listen.
More powerful than a locomotive, unless she's tied to the track.
Why? Cause she didn't listen.
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, and break her legs.
Why? Cause she didn't listen.

Look! Up in the sky! 
It’s a bird.
It’s a plane.
It’s You're-Not-the-Boss-of-Me Girl!
 
http://www.elizabethboyle.com/
Here's the deal. I've read many, many books in which one or more characters irritate me. Yes, yes, I know you find that hard to believe because I'm such a mild-mannered person. But sometimes a character comes along who is just toooo annoying and when they do, they really ruin the story. Well, let me introduce you to Roselie Stratton, Elizabeth Boyle's latest heroine. See that tear in my eye? I am crying big drops of salt water because Elizabeth Boyle is one of my favoriiiiiiiite authors and is responsible for one of my favorite heroines - Emmaline. But gee willikers, Roselie Stratton is - is - is - so strangle-worthy. I can do nothing but stutter. Words just come out of my mouth, like: gag, suffocate, idiotic, witless - I could go on and on. I don't believe I've been so stunned by such a stupendously stupid, headstrong, heroine in a long time. Yes, during the night Roselie Stratton dresses as a mild-mannered sexy floozy. But when trouble comes knocking on her door she runs to the nearest phone booth and turns into You're-Not-the-Boss-of-Me Girl! Ta-ta-tah!!!

You see, Roselie thinks she can catch a killer. Yes, yes, you heard me - a killer. Not just any old killer, but a dangerous one! (As opposed to the ones who are not so dangerous). But that's all right, because she knows everything and she can do anything allllll by herself - with no help from more experienced spy-like people. For instance our hero, Brody. Brody tries to tell her, warn her, protect her, but she doesn't heed his words. She ignores his advice, she doesn't ask for help. She just blindly charges into one disaster after another. She even manages to come up with a plan to help a friend and that friend ends up murdered.

Roselie ruined the entire book for me. Was the plotline good? Wouldn't know, because Roselie was in there doing stupid things. Did I like the hero, Brody? Yes, I did. But how could he be in love with such a nincompoop as Roselie. In my opinion she treated him like dirt and definitely didn't respect him. Should the head of the spy/agent/operative/whatever office have been fired for allowing an idiot woman to cavort through dangerous places? Yes, yes, yes!!!! What was he thinking? Can women be spies? Sure they can - at least the ones who are smart. There's a reason Mata Hari was shot - she wasn't the brightest bulb in the kingdom!

Not even the presence of characters from other books could take my focus away from You're-Not-the-Boss-of-Me Roselie. I'm all for strong heroines, but you don't have to kick a door in to prove your strength. What could have been a charming book was obliterated for me by Roselie.

I shall now cry in private.

Time/Place:  1811 England

Sensuality: Why her Brody? 

My One True Highlander by Suzanne Enoch

May 10, 2017
I'm just a Prisoner of Love

http://www.suzanneenoch.com/
Ahh, the kidnapping scenario. It's been around in Romanceland for a long time; dare I say probably from the beginning and not just in historical romances either. Maybe when I began reading romance this theme didn't bother me. Maybe rough pirates were exciting or dirty cowboys with kerchiefs around their face were mysterious. I remember a few of these guys from Johanna Lindsey and Kathleen Woodiwiss, but I have long since grown past the age when I find a woman chained to a bed romantic. And, I would like to think that an experienced author such as Ms. Enoch would have moved away from the kidnapping-I-love-my-captor routine by now. While I am not always a big fan of trying to write historical novels with a modern “I-know-how-you-feel-man,  I-see-where-you-are-coming-from, your-pain-is-my-pain” voice, there comes a time when I have to say kidnapping and chaining a woman to a bed is just not romantic. While our hero, Graeme, doesn't do the actual kidnapping, he does chain her to the bed. If the story had taken a different path after the kidnapping I would have been so much happier with My One True Highlander.

Anyway, here's the plot. Lady Marjorie Forrester is going to surprise her brother, the newly minted Duke of Lattimer, by showing up at his wedding. By the way, he was the hero from the previous book, Hero in the Highlands. If you have read Hero of the Highlands you will know that there is a clan war going on, although it was sort of settled at the end - but not really. I know that doesn't make sense, but this is Romanceland for Pete's sake and we have a meandering villain, the Duke of Dunneraigh, who wasn't disposed of properly in the last book. Marjorie and her brother haven't been together for much of their life; their lives have been a struggle and they were both forced to earn livings. Marjorie was a companion until her brother inherited his title and the wealth which came with it. Well, it seems that there are some things which money can't buy and in Marjorie's case it can't buy acceptance into the ton. Something she wants desperately, but has been denied. So, feeling blue, she's off to Scotland. Little does she know that's she's riding right into a clan war.

Meanwhile in Scotland our hero, Graeme, has been visited by the slimy Dunneraigh from Hero in the Highlands. Graeme owes his allegiance to this villain. While Graeme doesn’t have any great fondness for Englishmen, he isn’t about to disturb the Duke of Lattimer but he also realizes that he is irritating the villain. He’s hoping to stay neutral in the clan war. His plans for neutrality are tested when his younger brothers form a plan. By the way the three young brothers are the best part of the book. They are the belligerent Brendan (a very moody teenager), Dughlas (a smart teenager), and Connell (a nine year old scene-stealer). The boys think it would be a good idea to kidnap Marjorie and use her as leverage against the Duke of Lattimir. Graeme is now put in a very tricky situation, there could be all kinds of dire consequences. The story started to fall apart for me when Graeme comes up with a solution.

You come to a fork in the road. Do you pick it up...no, no, no, that's something different. There are numerous paths which Ms. Enoch might have taken to continue her story. She chose to go down the heaving-bosom-days plot device and have Graeme shackle Marjorie to the bed. I'm only assuming this was so there was a reason for Graeme and Marjorie to be thrown together. But he could have returned her to the brother and still have had chances to interact with her. Instead we get to witness a constant battle of wills between Marjorie and Graeme. You know the routine, I-can't-trust-you-because-you're-a-Sassenach on his side. He sees a way out of his dilemma by asking her to marry him. Pshaw - she cannot marry him because she dreams of life among the ton. You know those people who have been snubbing her for months and months. Of course he may not be good enough to marry, but he's good enough to partake of her mommy-parts. Now, I can understand her not wanting to marry him - he did chain her to a bed and he's a perfect stranger. But her still wanting to be part of a society which shuns her was beyond belief. I am also growing weary of historical heroines who find a man hot enough to bed but not marry. That shtick is getting old. 

Graeme and Marjorie do nothing logical to solve the mess they are in. That, my little Petunia's, may be the bottom line to this book - logic. While I am in no way a Vulcan, there are moments in which I crave an author who isn't afraid to tip their toes into the "does this make sense" pool. Why does romance have to defy logic to be a romance? Have we reached a point when authors are running out of reasons for couples to be together? I don't think so. I think this book would have been better if the couple had worked together, if he had returned her to her brother, if they had at least known each other before she permitted him access to her golden tunnel. I could find no chemistry between the main protagonists. The only character in this book who was developed and interesting was the nine year old Connell. He was just toooo adorable for words. But this was not about Connell and all of his animals, this was about Marjorie and Graeme. For me, as a romance this story didn't work.

Time/Place: 1800s Scotland
Sensuality: Supposed to be hot