Educating Caroline (2001)
Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot)
Rating: 3.75/5
[Re-reading]
And back to re-reading.
Lady Caroline Linford is horrified to discover her fiancé, the Marquis of Winchilsea, in the arms of another woman. Seeking lessons in the art of romance, she turns to London's most notorious rake, Braden Granville. Soon, the lines between teacher and student fall away.
Finished: Friday 23/11
Friday, November 23, 2007
Book two-hundred-and-nine: Educating Caroline
Book two-hundred-and-eight: Big Boned
But no one’s going to keep her from trying.
Big Boned (2007)
Meg Cabot
Rating: 3.5/5
Oh! A brand new book at last!
This was pretty good – although I have to admit I have a form of ADD with this series. Whenever there is a scene without Cooper in it, I’m just thinking “Where’s Cooper? What’s Cooper doing? Could he be here instead of, say, Tadd?”
I think I read somewhere there is going to be another in this series.
Heather Wells should be happy. She’s finally got a boyfriend—and, okay, he was just supposed to be her “rebound guy.” But things have gotten serious fast: Tad’s got a question he wants to ask her…one Heather’s not so sure she knows the answer to just yet….
But it’s not just on the romance front that things are looking up for Heather: she’s actually passing her first college course, and better yet, her dad’s moving out…even things at her job as assistant director of a New York College dorm are starting to improve. And, okay, Heather’s on her third boss in a single year. But this new one—especially appointed by the Housing Department to improve Fischer Hall’s image as the campus Death Dorm—at least seems to know what he’s doing. Of course, Dr. Veatch may be the most boring man on the face of the planet— but that doesn’t seem reason enough to put a bullet through his head.
Now the president of the student union—and the love of Heather’s grad assistant Sarah’s life--is the NYPD’s main suspect, and Heather can’t help wondering if she really knew her boring boss as well as she thought she did—especially when a pretty blue-eyed Fischer Hall resident who has Heather’s big-boned build claims she knows who his real murderer is—
Can Heather clear Sarah’s would-be boyfriend’s name; find her boss’s real murderer; end the grad students’ strike; figure out if her dad’s new “project” is really the answer to her prayers; answer Tad’s “question,” and get her landlord Cooper to realize that by letting her go, he’s making the biggest mistake of his life, all while maintaining a fifteen hundred calorie per day diet…oh, and keeping from getting killed, as well?
Probably not....
Finished: Wednesday 21/11
Book two-hundred-and-seven: Mouth to Mouth
Mouth to Mouth (2005)
Erin McCarthy
Rating: 3/5
More re-reading....
It was just supposed to be your average stakeout. My partner and I would scope out both the coffee shop and Laurel Wilkins, the latest target of con man Trevor Dean's scheme to meet women online and bilk them of their money-and everything else.
So I went inside to get a better look.
So she happened to be gorgeous with a body that made me temporarily forget how to order coffee.
So she knew my name—Russ Evans—and hugged me like we were more than friends.
So... what the $#@ is going on?
Finished: Monday 19/11
Book two-hundred-and-six: Bet Me
Bet Me (2005)
Jennifer Crusie
Rating: 4.5/5
[Re-reading]
So, to test which is my most favourite Jennifer Crusie novel, I of course had to re-read this. And… I don’t know.
I think it might be a tie between this and Crazy For You. Mostly, because they both have part’s that annoy me – this, any scene where Liza hits someone - Crazy For You, any scene from Bill’s point-of-view.
Definitely a tie.
Oh. Hang on. I’ve just remembered Faking It. And Welcome to Temptation are just as good… okay, four way tie. For now… because there’s also Getting Rid of Bradley and Anyone But You and… you get the point.
Min Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man like Cal Morrisey, who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Cal Morrisey knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs.When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again. But Fate has other plans, and it’s not long before Min and Cal are dealing with meddling friends, wedding cake, a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kremes, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a frantic bride, Chicken Marsala, a mutant cat, snow globes, two Mothers-from-Hell, great shoes, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of including the biggest gamble of all--unconditional love.
Finished: Friday 16/11
Book two-hundred-and-five: Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married
Lucy doesn't even have a boyfriend. (To be honest, she isn't that lucky in love.) But Mrs. Nolan - a local psychic - has read her tarot cards and predicted that Lucy will be walking down the aisle within the next year. Lucy's roommates, Karen and Charlotte, are appalled at the news. If Lucy leaves, it could disrupt their wonderful lifestyle of eating take-out, drinking too much wine, bringing men home and never vacuuming. And there's that small matter of no boyfriend. But then she meets Gus - gorgeous, reliable Gus. And she starts to wonder if he could be the future Mr. Lucy Sullivan. Or could it be the handsome Chuck? Or Daniel, the world's biggest flirt? Finished: Wednesday 14/11 
Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married (1997)
Marian Keyes
Rating: 4/5
[Re-reading]
I must be going through a re-reading phase. Probably because I am too busy to start a brand new book (which has the risk of keeping me up very late to find out what happens). That being said, this still managed to keep me up, even though I know very well what happens. I guess that proves it a good book – even though Lucy is quite annoying. Ha.
Lucy Sullivan is getting married... Or is she?
Maybe the idea of Lucy Sullivan getting married isn't so unlikely after all...
more...
Book two-hundred-and-four: Crazy for You
Crazy for You (1999)
Jennifer Crusie
Rating: 4.5/5
[Re-reading]
My favourite Jennifer Crusie novel…. Or maybe Bet Me is, I’m not too sure. Either way, this is a very very good book.
Quinn McKenzie has always lived what she calls a “beige” life. She’s dating the world’s nicest guy, she had a good job as a high school art teacher, she’s surrounded by family and friends who rely on her, and she’s bored to the point of insanity. But when Quinn decides to changes her life by adopting a stray dog over everyone’s objections, everything begins to spiral out of control. Now she’s coping with dog-napping, breaking and entering, seduction, sabotage, stalking, more secrets than she really wants to know, and two men who are suddenly crazy...for her.
Finished: Tuesday 13/11
Book two-hundred-and-three: The Tea Rose
Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, a bright, defiant young woman dares to dream of a life beyond tumbledown wharves, gaslit alleys, and the grim and crumbling dwellings of the poor. Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save and sacrifice to achieve their dreams. But Fiona's plans are shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man force her to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit – and the ghosts of her past – propel her rise from a modest West Side shop front to the top of Manhattan's tea trade. Fiona's old ghosts do not rest quietly, however, and to silence them, she must venture back to the London of her childhood, where a deadly confrontation with her past becomes the key to her future. The Tea Rose is a towering old-fashioned story, imbued with a modern sensibility, of a family's destruction, of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph.Authentic and moving, The Tea Rose is an unforgettable novel – one certain to take its place beside such enduring epics as A Woman of Substance, The Thornbirds, and The Shell Seekers.
The Tea Rose (2002)
Jennifer Donnelly
Rating: 4.5/5
[Re-reading]
I love this book so much. There is a scene in it that makes me cry every single time I read it.
There are things about this book that are a little unbelievable – mostly the characters involvement in ‘famous’ things – but I still find it really compelling.
There is a sort-of sequel called The Winter Rose which is almost as good.
East London, 1888 - a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night. Where shining hopes meet the darkest truths.
Finished: Sunday 4/11
more...
Book two-hundred-and-two: First Impressions
First Impressions (2007/1984)
Nora Roberts
Rating: 1.5/5
Very bizarre.
Escaping the rat race and the lure of gold-digging women, wealthy businessman Vance Banning moves to a small, rural retreat, telling the townsfolk that he's an out-of-work carpenter. All he wants is peace, quiet and to keep away from women. So the last thing he needs is a charitable neighbor—especially a beautiful, gracious and persistent neighbor of the female persuasion—but there's something about Shane Abbott he just can't ignore.
Vance is certain his cover story will stop his lovely neighbor from getting too friendly, but Shane is determined to break down his resistance. Vance has been burned once, so only a fool would fall for the same innocent act twice. And he's no fool. But he has no idea how relentless Shane Abbott can be when it comes to giving a healing hand—or a loving heart.
He needed to simplify his life and mend his broken heart. She was searching for a place to finally fit in and a man who could love her for who she was. Together they discover that all they really needed was each other, and that love is the greatest Christmas gift of all.
Finished: Saturday 10/11
more...
Book two-hundred-and-one: The Price of Pleasure
The Price of Pleasure (2004)
Kresley Cole
Rating: 3.5/5
[Re-reading]
More re-reading…
A man noted for his courage and integrity, Captain Grant Sutherland journeys to Oceania to find Victoria Dearbourne, an English girl lost at sea a decade before. He’s given her ailing grandfather his word—as a gentleman—to find and protect her.
One look at a grown Victoria and Grant’s never felt less like one.Tori relishes freedom, untamed passion, chaos above stifling order. Even more so when a proud, cold British captain arrives to rescue her. When Tori and Sutherland are separated from his crew and forced to survive together, she begins to see in him a man hungering for more. A man who once laughed. A man who admits to having dark desires but won’t take what she offers. Tori resolves to see how much temptation the captain can take before his legendary restraint is shattered….
Finished: Friday 9/11 more...
Book two-hundred: Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night (2007)
Kresley Cole
Rating: 4/5
[Re-reading]
Apparenlty, the next two books in this series will be published back to back in May and June of '08.
Yay!
Her breathless kiss haunts him.
Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.
His slow, hot touch is irresistible.
Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.
No deed is too wicked for her seduction.
If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?
Finished: Wednesday 7/11
Book one-ninety-nine: The Bachelor
The Bachelor (2002)
Carly Phillips
Rating: 2.5/5
This would have been better if the mother hadn’t been in it AT ALL. But I guess then they wouldn’t have had a story.
Will this bad boy make it to the altar? Foreign correspondent Roman Chandler has always prized his freedom above all else.
Now losing a coin toss has sealed this youngest brother's fate. Finding someone to escort down the aisle is the easy part—every wannabe bride in sleepy Yorkshire Falls is itching to get hitched to this gorgeous, globe-trotting Chandler man.
But Roman still lusts after the woman who got away. Stunning heartbreaker Charlotte Bronson has come home to put down roots and get her erotic lingerie business off the ground. She wants a man that won't go chasing off to the far corners of the earth for a breaking news story.
He wants her to say "I do."
Finished: Tuesday 6/11 more...
Book one-ninety-eight: The Boy Book
The Boy Book (2006)
E. Lockhart
Rating: 3.75/5
Still good. There is a third coming 2009, I think? It better be all Noel, all the time, or I am going to be very upset…
Here’s how things stand at the beginning of newly licensed driver Ruby Oliver’s junior year at Tate Prep:
* Kim: Not speaking. But far away in Tokyo.
* Nora: Speaking – sort of. Chatted with Ruby a couple of times this summer when they bumped into each other outside school – once shopping in the U District and once in the Elliot Bay Book Company. Bu she hasn’t called Ruby or anything.
* Noel: Doesn’t care what anyone thinks.
* Meghan: Doesn’t have any other friends.
* Dr. Z: Speaking.
* And Jackson. The big one. Not speaking.
But by winter break, a new job, an unlikely but stratifying friend combo, additional entries in the Boy Book, and many difficult decisions help Ruby see there is indeed life outside of the Tate Universe.
Finished: Monday 5/11
Book one-ninety-seven: The Boyfriend List
The Boyfriend List (2005)
E. Lockhart
Rating: 4/5
Very funny and very good. And somehow, for a non-linear story, if flows really, really well.
WHAT HAPPENED, YOU WANT TO KNOW?
In the same ten days I --
lost my boyfriend (boy #13)
lost my best friend
lost all my other friends
learned gory details about my now-ex boyfriend's sexual adventures
did something shockingly advanced with boy #15
did something suspicious with boy #10
had an argument with boy #14
drank my first beergot caught by my mom
lost a lacrosse game
failed a math test
hurt Meghan's feelings
became a leper
and became a famous slut.
Enough to give anyone panic attacks, right?
I was so overwhelmed by the horror of the whole debacle that I had to skip school for a day to read mystery novels, cry, and eat spearmint jelly candies.
Finished: Sunday 4/11 more...
Book one-ninety-six: Poison Study
Poison Study (2005)
Maria V. Snyder
Rating: 3/5
Pretty good. Although I think Yelena was annoyingly trusting for someone in her poison (convicted killer, serving out sentence as food taster).
This is naturally (being fantasy and all) the start of a series.
POISON STUDY: CHOOSE: A QUICK DEATH OR SLOW POISON.
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust, and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can't control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear
Finished: Saturday 3/11
more...
Book one-ninety-five: Night Whispers
Night Whispers (2007/2000)
Leslie Kelly
Rating: 2.5/5
Last of the “best of temptation bundle.” This one was better than the last one. I could actually understand the conflict.
Thanks to her sexy radio talk show, Night Whispers, DJ Kelsey Logan has become infamous! Suddenly, men all over Baltimore are desperate to discover the true identity of Lady Love, the sultry siren who keeps them up all night. But the only man Kelsey is desperate to have is stuffy Mitch Wymore.
Mitch is having a hard time believing that his bratty childhood nemesis has grown into the temptress the whole city's lusting after. A woman he's lusting after. He might have been able to keep his libido under control if Kelsey hadn't made it clear that she wanted to seduce him.
But could Mitch make love to her knowing their desire might end up on the air?
Finished: Wednesday 31/10 more...
Book one-ninety-four: Nobody Does it Better
Nobody Does it Better (2007/2000)
Julie Kenner
Rating: 1.75/5
More “temptation bundle.” This is just… a little weird.
He was her fantasy in the flesh ...
For author Paris Sommers, truth has become stranger than fiction. She's fallen in love with a man who exists only in her mind -- a man she "invented" as a pseudonym for the fast-paced, testosterone-laden spy novels she writes. Only, now the man of her dreams is standing beside her, touching her, loving her... But who is he?
Bar owner Devin O'Malley wanted Paris the first moment he saw her. And he was willing to do just about anything to get her -- including "becoming" novelist Montgomery Alexander. Only, his deception worked too well. Before long, he'd stolen his way into Paris's bed and into her heart. But was she in love with Devin -- or the fantasy he portrayed?
Finished: Tuesday 30/10
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Book one-ninety-three: Private Lessons
Private Lessons (2007/1999)
Julie Leto
Rating: 2/5
Part of the “temptation bundle.” All right, although some of it was a little annoying.
Banker Grant Riordan was a bit of a stuffed shirt—until Harley showed up on his doorstep and sent his libido skyrocketing. Hired as the 'entertainment' for a bachelor party, Harley dressed like an exotic dancer, but had the eyes of an innocent. Unfortunately after a little accident, she didn't have a clue who she was.
Harley might not have known who she was, but she definitely knew who she wanted. Sexy, serious Grant made her heart race and her body tingle. But he needed to loosen up—and Harley was woman enough to help him do it. There might have been a few holes in her memory, but she had no doubt she could give Grant some very memorable lessons.
Finished: Sunday 28/10 more...
Book one-ninety-two: Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight
Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight (2007)
Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow
Rating: 4/5
There is a scene in here, where Joel’s mother’s boyfriend makes them a “traditional” dinner that is so funny it would make the whole book worth reading even if the rest wasn’t as good as it is.
The only thing I had a problem with is that it all takes place over two weeks… The stuff with Cat’s parents just didn’t seem very realistic within that time frame.
Everyone knows that Joel and Cat hate each other. Then they end up partners in a writing assignment. By the second paragraph they’re in the thick of an all-out tandem story war. Then Cat’s dad and Joel’s mum start dating, and they can finally agree on something – it’s got to stop. But will sparks fly between Joel and Cat for all the right reasons as they go about setting a few things straight?
Finished: Saturday 27/10
Book one-ninety-one: Nothing Personal
Nothing Personal (2007)
Jaci Burton
Rating: 1.5/5
Kind of boring, I guess.
It was nothing personal, just a business arrangement.
Ryan McKay is a multi-millionaire with a problem. He needs a bride to fulfill terms of his grandfather’s will. Unfortunately, the one he chose just bailed on him and he’s hours away from losing his company. Enter Faith Lewis - his shy, devoted assistant. Ryan convinces Faith to step in and marry him, assuring her their marriage is merely a business deal. Ryan is certain he can keep this strictly impersonal. After all, he’s the product of a loveless marriage and for years has sealed his own heart in an icy stone. Despite Faith’s warmth, compassion and allure, he’s convinced he’s completely immune to her charms.
Faith will do anything for her boss, but marry him? The shy virgin sees herself as plain and unattractive, a product of a bitter mother who drummed it into her head that she wasn’t worthy of a man’s love. But she agrees to help Ryan fulfill the terms of his grandfather’s will, hoping she doesn’t lose her heart to him in the process.
But love rarely listens to logic, and what follows is anything but business.
Finished: Saturday 27/10
more...
Book one-ninety: Beige
Beige (2007)
Cecil Castellucci
Rating: 3.5/5
Really good. Even though its a little sad and depressing.
Dad’s an aging L.A. punk rocker known as the Rat. Daughter’s a buttoned-up neat freak who’d rather be anywhere else. Can this summer be saved?
Now that she’s exiled from Canada to sunny Los Angeles, Katy figures she’ll bury her nose in a book and ignore the fact that she’s spending two weeks with her father — punk name: the Rat — a recovered addict and drummer for the famously infamous band Suck.
Even though Katy doesn’t want to be there, even though she feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat’s place is a mess and he’s not like anything she’d call a father, Katy won’t make a fuss. After all, she is a nice girl, a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she?
Finished: Friday 26/10
Book one-eighty-nine: Constant Craving
Constant Craving (2007/1999)
Tori Carrington
Rating: 2.25/5
I wanted to read a contemporary romance, but couldn’t be bothered to find one, so I bought this “temptation bundle” which has four books in it. This is the first.
It was pretty good. Nothing too unexpected, but exactly what I felt like reading.
A hunger that couldn't be satisfied....
Adam Grayson, undercover FBI agent extraordinaire, had never hated an assignment so much--or wanted a woman so badly. His new 'supervisor,' gorgeous Eva Burgess had quickly become a prominent player in his favorite fantasy. Not that he had any chance with her--his cover as a geeky accountant pretty well shot down any possibilities there.
Then she propositioned him....
Alone and expecting, Eva needed to find a husband...at least a temporary one. And with Adam the geek, she was sure she'd have no trouble ending the charade. But she hadn't expected Adam to be so compelling, so sexy...so male. Nor did she guess that she'd start to crave their moments together with a need that took her breath away....
Finished: Friday 26/10
Monday, November 12, 2007
Book one-eighty-eight: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Once Bitten, Twice Shy (2007)
Jennifer Rardin
Rating: 3/5
Interesting. It could be the good start to the series, but I will have to wait for the next one. It depends on how much she drags out the current storylines.
I didn’t like that they kept saying “we’ll talk about that on the plane ride back….” Then we didn’t get to ‘see’ the plane ride. Very frustrating.
I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best—assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But then I’d have to kick your ass.Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he’s meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing’s ever as easy as it seems?
Finished: Sunday 21/10
Book one-eighty-seven: Jinx
Jinx (2007)
Meg Cabot
Rating: 3/5
Good, but I was a little freaked out by the lack of reprucussions for the whole attempted murder thing.
Oh well.
Does Jinx have bad luck - or special powers?Misfortune has followed Jean Honeychurch all her life - which is how she earned the nickname Jinx. And now her parents have shipped her off to New York City to stay with relatives - including her sophisticated cousin Tory - until the trouble she's caused back home dies down.Could she even be . . . a WITCH?
Tory is far too cool to bother with Jinx - until Jinx's chronic bad luck wreaks havoc in Tory's perfect life--including causing Tory's crush, Zack, to start paying way too much attention to her red-headed cousin from Iowa. Only then does Jinx discover that beneath Tory's big-city glamour lies a world of hatred and revenge. Now it seems that the jinx that's driven Jean crazy may just be the only thing that can save her life . . .
Finished: Saturday 20/10
Book one-eighty-six: Lord Sin
Lord Sin (2007)
Kalen Hughes
Rating: 1/5
I had read so many great reviews of this, I thought it was going to be really good.
Unfortunately, it was really bad.
I just didn’t care about the characters. They were annoying and vain… and did I mention annoying?
I think I may have missed its allure.
SIX NIGHTS OF PLEASURE . . .
Georgianna Exley's passionate nature has always been her undoing-and for this reason the beautiful young widow allows her lovers only a single night in her bed. But Ivo Dauntry has come home to England, and for him she'll break her most sacred rule: granting him six nights of sensual bliss, one for every year he's given up for her . . .
SIX YEARS TO WAIT . . ..
As a gentleman born, Ivo risked his reputation and his life in a duel to defend Georgianna's honor. Now, returned from exile, Ivo discovers that she has proved to be less than a lady . . . and soon, his daring seduction becomes a sensual contest of wills. But the long-ago duel that bound them forever has fueled the hatred of a madman determined to make Georgianna pay for her misdeeds with her life, and once again, Ivo must risk everything to save the woman he loves . . .
Finished: Saturday 20/10
Book one-eight-five: My False Heart
My False Heart (1999)
Liz Carlyle
Rating: 2/5
I’m not sure if I was half asleep when I read this or what, but for most of the time I had no clue what was going on. The stuff with the main characters in it made perfect sense, but the other bits… I couldn’t even keep the other characters straight.
It was pretty good, if I just ignored all the other stuff… oh well.
When the dissolute Marquis of Rannoch pursues a spiteful mistress into the wilds of Essex, he is surprised to find himself hopelessly lost—in more ways than one. Drawn to a warmly lit house along a country lane, he is mistaken for an overdue guest, and dares not reveal his identity, lest they throw him back into the rain, a fate he admittedly deserves.
Evangeline van Artevalde is an artist of exceptional talent and extraordinary secrets. Isolated from society by choice, the beautiful Flemish refugee has fled her homeland in search of a secure haven for the children in her family. Essex seems a perfectly safe place to hide, until one rainy night when a dark stranger enters her home, her life, and eventually, her heart...
Finished: Tuesday 15/10
Book one-eight-four: Crime Seen
Crime Seen (2007)
Victoria Laurie
Rating: 3.5/5
I love this series. Mostly because the characters are all so normal and real. And although Abby does annoy me from time to time, she is funny enough to make up for it.
I thought the one before this - Killer Insight – was really dumb. I just didn’t like the storyline, but this one was heaps better, plus I had no idea who dunnit…
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, is having a hard time getting over a gunshot wound from her last case-especially because she didn't see the shots coming. Out of work and second-guessing her abilities, she tries to get back in the saddle by helping her boyfriend Dutch with some of his FBI cases. And soon enough, her intuition returns-with a vengeance.
Finished: Saturday 13/10
Book one-eighty-three: Lover Unbound
Lover Unbound (2007)
J.R. Ward
Rating: 3.75/5
This was pretty disappointing. The main storyline didn’t really get that much attention compared to the other stuff that was going on, and in the end it was a bit all over the place.
Hopefully, the next one in the series will move a few of the storylines along a bit further.
Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous son of the Bloodletter possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father's war camp, he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time- until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her.
Finished: Friday 12/10
more...
J.R. Ward
Rating: 3.75/5
This was pretty disappointing. The main storyline didn’t really get that much attention compared to the other stuff that was going on, and in the end it was a bit all over the place.
Hopefully, the next one in the series will move a few of the storylines along a bit further.
Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous son of the Bloodletter possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father's war camp, he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time- until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her.
Finished: Friday 12/10
Monday, October 8, 2007
Book one-eighty-two: Midnight Alley
Midnight Alley (2007)
Rachel Caine
Rating: 4/5
This series is kind of like a TV series. It has a plot arc per book which is concluded quite quickly, but the main arc isn’t really going anywhere fast.
In this instalment, Claire makes a couple of Really Dumb decisions. Like, horror movie blonde dumb. But I am willing to ignore that, because she also starts to grow up a lot and stands up for herself a lot more.
Everything’s changed for Claire Danvers, with a single signature. Oh, she’s still got her friends, but for how long? Can she tell them the truth about what she’s done to protect them? And now she’s working for a terrifyingly unpredictable vampire with the biggest secret in Morganville… and every trip down Midnight Alley to meet him could be her last…
Finished: Saturday 6/10
Book one-eighty-one: Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry (2007)
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Rating: 2/5
All right, because we get to learn more about Ash. And of course any scene with Simi in it is obviously worthwhile reading.
I thought that it was a bit brief though… the main plot seems a bit rushed. Like she’s just connecting the dots – you know that there is a good chance (like… 100 percent) that the main male and main female character will end up together in the end, but it just feels like Kenyon’s couldn’t be bothered to make you think “hmm, maybe they won’t this time?” and instead just relying on people expectation of what will happen, rather than creating any tension within the plot.
Also, she introduces a whole heap of new characters, not to mention a whole new Parthenon, which is interesting, but don’t ask me what any of their names are…
…the tale of an ex-god in search of revenge, a servant of Artemis out to stop him, deadly enemies at every turn and a plot that may very well end the world. Ever since the moment his godhood was taken by Artemis, Sin has done nothing but plot his revenge. But when he kidnaps a woman he believes to be the goddess, he quickly finds out that she is not Artemis, but her servant, Katra. And instead of capturing her, Katra captures him. She refuses to release him until he promises not to seek vengeance on her mistress. In spite of himself, Sin is intrigued by Katra, who is nothing like the deceitful Artemis. She's fierce and true, but also compassionate and loyal. However, Sin is not the only enemy Artemis has and it quickly becomes apparent that he must help Katra save her mistress... or life as we know it will cease to exist. What's an ex-god to do?
Finished: Tuesday 2/10
Book one-eighty: Where Dreams Begin
Where Dreams Begin (2000)
Lisa Kleypas
Rating: 1/5
The heroine was so annoying. There was no conflict apart from that created by her annoyingness.
Also, the end drags way on past the point where I cared.
Zachary Bronson has built an empire of wealth and power -- now he needs a wife to help secure his position in society...and warm his bed in private. But not just any woman will do for a man whom all of London knows is not a gentleman. Then he unexpectedly swept Lady Holly Taylor into his arms for an unasked for -- but very alluring -- kiss, and suddenly he knew he had found a woman whose fierce passions matched his own.
Lady Holly Taylor was beautiful, generous, and, as a widow, destined to spend her life playing by society's rules, even when they went against her bolder instincts. But Zachary's kiss had aroused her, and though the shocking offer he made didn't include marriage, she was compelled to risk everything and follow him to the place where dreams begin.
Finished: Sunday 30/9
Book one-seventy-nine: Strange Bedpersons
Strange Bedpersons (1994)
Jenny Crusie
Rating: 4/5
There’s never much I can say about a Jennifer Crusie book, except love love love.
And okay, maybe this wasn’t the best I’ve ever read from her, but it was still good.
Tess Newhart knows her ex-boyfriend Nick Jamieson isn't the right guy for her. He's caviar and champagne, she's take-out Chinese pot stickers. He's an uptight Republican lawyer, she was raised in a commune and thinks Cinderella is politically incorrect. He wants to get ahead in business, she just wants . . . him -- only not the social-climbing Nick, but the sweet, caring, unbuttoned-down Nick.
And Nick wants her, too, but there's no way Tess is about to play second fiddle to his obsession to make partner. Yet somehow she finds herself agreeing to play his fiancée for a weekend business trip that could make or break Nick's career. And while he's wrapped up in convincing Tess that he needs her in his respectable world, Tess is doing her best to keep her left-wing opinions to herself and her hands off Nick.
Finished: Saturday 29/9 more...
Book one-seventy-eight: It’s in His Kiss
It’s in His Kiss (2005)
Julia Quinn
Rating: 3.5/5
Very good and very funny.
Hyacinth was also one of those characters where I was thinking “hmm, you really should be annoying me,” but somehow I just ended up laughing at her instead.
MEET OUR HERO…
Gareth St. Clair is in a bind. His father, who detests him, is determined to beggar the St. Clair estates and ruin his inheritance. Gareth’s sole bequest is an old family diary, which may or may not contain the secrets of his past… and the key to his future. The problem is--it’s written in Italian, of which Gareth speaks not a word.
MEET OUR HEROINE…
All the ton agreed: there was no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton. She’s fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and according to Gareth, probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her--something charming and vexing--that grabs him and won’t quite let go…
MEET POOR MR. MOZART…
Or don’t. But rest assured, he’s spinning in his grave when Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual--an annually discordant--Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to translate his diary, even though her Italian is slightly less than perfect. But as they delve into the mysterious text, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the diary, but in each other… and that there is nothing as simple--or as complicated--as a single, perfect kiss.
Finished: Saturday 29/9
Book one-seventy-seven: When He Was Wicked
When He Was Wicked (2004)
Julia Quinn
Rating: 3.5/5
I really liked this one. Party, because of all the angst, but mostly because it was still funny.
It’s also nice to see a widow who actually loved the first husband.
After years as London's most notorious rake, Michael Stirling took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell in love so fast and hard that it was a wonder he was able to remain standing.
Unfortunately, she was the one woman he could never have...
Finished: Friday 28/9
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Book one-seventy-six: An Ice Cold Grave
An Ice Cold Grave (2007)
Charlaine Harris
Rating: 2/5
I’m conflicted about whether or not I like this book.
I think I need to split the book into its two elements: the character’s personal lives and the mystery they were investigating.
The mystery part sucked. It was boring and there were too many characters and it annoyed me every time it took me away from the personal stuff. It was also obvious who was behind every thing. Just from the conversations Harper had with them.
Why is it that in Charlaine Harris books the villain is always someone they talk to… or know, or meet or whatever. Why is it never just some random person. Whatever.
The character’s personal lives part didn’t so much suck. And I’m glad that they finally, finally, dealt with the things they had been dancing around for two books.
So overall, because of the personal lives stuff, it was worth reading. But probably not if you hadn’t read the other two. It was also fairly short, at only 288 or so pages.
Hired to find a boy gene missing in Doraville, North Carolina, Harper Connelly and her brother Tolliver head there-only to discover that the boy was only one of several who had disappeared over the previous five years. All of them teenagers. All unlikely runaways.
All calling for Harper.
Harper soon finds them-eight victims, buried in the half-frozen ground, all come to an unspeakable end. Afterwards, what she most wants to do is collect her fee and get out of town ahead of the media storm that's soon to descend. But when she's attacked and prevented from leaving, she reluctantly becomes a part of the investigation as she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of Doraville-knowledge that makes her the next person likely to rest in an ice-cold grave.
Finished: Friday 28/9
Book one-seventy-five: Wicked Deed’s on a Winter’s Night
Wicked Deed’s on a Winter’s Night (2007)
Kresley Cole
Rating: 4/5
I was looking around for a cheaper price for this other book I wanted to read - An Ice Cold Grave - when I stumbled across and ebook store that had this featured.
I didn’t even know it was out yet. I don’t think it is, actually. Or at least not the print version.
It was very good. I really enjoyed it.
I thought Mari was a great heroine. She was smart, independent and she didn’t complain. Shocking!
Also, Bowen is great.
It’s all great.
Hmm, now I feel like reading it again.
This is now officially my favourite paranormal romance series. Apologies to JR Ward, but that’s just the way it has to be I’m afraid.
The next one is out in May, Dark Needs at Night’s Edge. Its about Conrad one of the Wroth brothers. Oh, and it seems there is also a short story in Feburary of next year, in a collection call Not That Innocent about Daniela and Murdoch. Oh good, I’ve been wanted to read about them.
Thank goodness this series is back on a faster schedule. A year was too long to wait.
Her breathless kiss haunts him.
Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.
His slow, hot touch is irresistible.
Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.
No deed is too wicked for her seduction.
If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?
Finished: Thursday 27/9
Book one-seventy-four: To Sir Phillip, With Love
To Sir Phillip, With Love (2003)
Julia Quinn
Rating: 3/5
One of the funniest yet in this series. I love Eloise. She has to be the least annoying character with fairly annoying tendencies I have ever read about.
After a year of secret correspondence, Eloise Bridgerton traveled halfway across England to meet Sir Phillip Crane, the man she hoped would be her perfect match.
He wasn't.
But she can't help but wonder... could this imperfect man be perfect for her?
Finished: Wednesday 26/9
more...
Book one-seventy-three: Cross My Heart
Cross My Heart (2007)
Carly Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Starts out strongly, but then doesn’t really go anywhere. And there are a couple of plot lines which might have been interesting, but which aren’t explored.
And to make matters worse, half of the characters are left unresolved. I think there is another book. I hate that. But I will probably end up reading the next one. I am intrigued.
She's gone from riches to rags—and back again!
Ten years ago, Lilly Dumont was the ultimate poor little rich girl, complete with a huge inheritance...and an uncle determined to take it from her. With the help of her first love, she faked her own death and ran away to New York City, leaving behind everything, including her own name. Lilly Dumont was gone, but Lacey Kincaid was going to make it. Only neither one ever forgot Ty Benson.
Now Lacey's back to claim her inheritance. And her sizzling reunion with Ty has made her homecoming something to remember! Only not everybody's thrilled to see Lacey alive and well... And it's up to Ty to make sure his childhood sweetheart doesn't disappear again—for good!
Finished: Monday 24/9
Book one-seventy-two: Romancing Mr Bridgerton
Romancing Mr Bridgerton (2002)
Julia Quinn
Rating: 3.5/5
This series just keeps getting better… and each book is actually different from the last, not the same plot played out with slightly different characters.
And I love how there is time in between them. So far I think the series has spanned almost a decade, and I am only up to book four. It is much more realistic than “oh, this all happened in the same year” type series.
That being said, I think the next few are going to occur around the same time, as there seems to be stuff going on with secondary characters here that isn’t really explained.
Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for... well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret... and fears she doesn't know him at all.
Finished: Sunday 23/9
Book one-seventy-one: Touch of Darkness
Touch of Darkness
Christina Dodd
Rating: 1.5/5
Once again, there is something missing here. No idea what. But it just doesn’t feel right or read right or… I don’t know, there is just something wrong with it at its centre. None of the books plot’s feel complete. Its kind of like coming in halfway through a story, then leaving before its done.
It was a vaguely frustrating experience. The whole way through I just couldn’t pin point what it was that was bothering me.
It does have a sort of interesting premise and I am intrigued by some of the secondary characters, but neither of the books so far in the series have felt complete.
A thousand years ago, a brutal warrior struck a terrifying bargain. In return for the ability to change at will into a cold-hearted predator, he promised his soul, and the souls of his descendants, to the devil.
Handsome, powerful Rurik Wilder battles darkness — the darkness without, and the darkness within. For he possesses the power to transform himself into a fierce bird of prey, and that gift has caused death and destruction.
At last he is offered the chance to redeem himself and break the evil pact which has held his family in thrall for centuries. Only one woman stands in his way — flamboyant Tasya Hunnicutt, a writer determined to wreak revenge on the assassins who murdered her family. Assassins, it’s been rumored, who have powers no human should ever possess...
Finished: Sunday 23/9
Book one-seventy: An Offer From a Gentleman
An Offer From a Gentleman (2001)
Julia Quinn
Rating: 3/5
This series continues to actually have interesting and different stories. I can hardly believe it.
I liked the fairy tale element in this one.
When Sophie Beckett decided to sneak into a masquerade ball, she never expected to find Prince Charming.
Benedict Bridgerton didn't believe in love at first sight... until he saw the masked mystery woman. But will she accept his offer before the clock strikes midnight?
Saturday 22/9
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Book one-sixty-nine: One Night with a Prince
One Night with a Prince (2005)
Sabrina Jeffries
Rating: 2/5
All right, but not as good as the others.
Lovely Christabel, the Marchioness of Haversham, is desperate to regain some letters that could destroy her—so desperate that she pretends to be the mistress of notorious gaming club owner Gavin Byrne, in order to accompany him to a scandalous house party hosted by the man who now has her letters. But when she agreed to let Byrne coach her on how a true mistress behaves, she never suspected how very… persuasive his wicked lessons would be.
Gavin is secretly determined to find the letters before Christabel, to use them for revenge against the noble sire who abandoned him to grow up in London’s worst slums. He’s also delighted at how very successful his “mistress lessons” are: it won’t be long before the luscious young widow is in his bed. But when the fiery Christabel catches Gavin in his own seductive net, he realizes that if the letters are found, he’ll face a difficult choice: to wreak the vengeance he’s planned all his life, or to protect the woman he may have foolishly fallen in love with.
Saturday 22/9 more...
Book one-sixty-eight: Garden Spells
Garden Spells (2007)
Sarah Addison Allen
Rating: 3/5
Flawed, yet compelling and quite magical.
It’s interesting. I can actually see some Suzan Elizabeth Phillips in the plot (the whole ex-boyfriend from high school and his wife and their dramas is straight out of Ain’t She Sweet, but with some magic thrown in for good measure). And some of the dialogue feels quite Jenny Cruise-ish… especially the things left unsaid (and un-thought) in conversation element.
But overall it is good and highly read-able. I look forward to reading something else by Allen. I think this was her first novel.
Such a nice cover, too.
Welcome to Bascom, North Carolina, where everyone has a story to tell about the Waverley women. The old house that’s been in the family for generations, the walled garden that mysteriously blooms year round, the rumors and innuendoes of dangerous loves and tragic passions. Eccentric, reclusive, or renegade, there’s not one that wasn’t somehow touched by magic.
As the town’s successful caterer, Claire has always clung closely to the Waverleys’ roots in their enchanted soil, tending the family garden from which she makes her much sought-after delicacies. She has everything she thinks she needs – until one day she finds a vine of ivy creeping into her garden and knows that everything is about to change.
Then her prodigal sister Sydney arrives with her five-year-old daughter and a dark secret she hopes to keep well hidden. And suddenly Claire’s carefully tended life is about to run gloriously out of control …
Finished: Sunday 16/9
Book one-sixty-seven: To Pleasure a Prince
To Pleasure a Prince (2005)
Sabrina Jeffries
Rating: 2.5/5
It was pretty weird reading this actually, because I’ve already read Only a Duke Will Do which is about the outcome of a lot of the things that go one here. So as usual I was kind of reading a series backward. Even though they aren’t in the same series.
Anyway, that confusion aside it was pretty funny.
Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she's called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won't marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn't court the lovely Louisa North—even if Louisa's half-brother, the notorious "Dragon Viscount," objects.
Marcus North, Viscount Draker—bastard son of the Prince of Wales—is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive and has his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother's behalf, Marcus strikes a deal. Her brother can court Louisa so long as Marcus can court Regina. But can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the chemistry between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century?
Finished: Sunday 16/9
Book one-sixty-six: Because You’re Mine
Because You’re Mine (1997)
Lisa Kleypas
Rating: 2.5/5
Pretty good. It does drag on for quite awhile, but at least its not all about one week of their lives.
Because the Dream...
Young, high-spirited Lady Madeline Matthews is expected to wed an aging, lecherous lord. But she would rather shame herself in the eyes of society than sacrifice her freedom, and resolves to render herself unmarriageable by indulging in a torrid affair with Britain's most acclaimed actor and notorious womanizer, Logan Scott.
Because the Heart...
He is legend in the footlights and in the bedchamber. But when the curtain falls, Logan is an intensely private, guarded man still tormented by past betrayals that cut deep into his pride and his heart. Now a forward little minx who seems completely out of place in the bright, sophisticated world of the London stage is disrupting his orderly existence with her constant presence, her unspoiled beauty and vibrant charm. And what begins with an onstage kiss threatens to blossom into something more rapturous and real. But first Logan and Madeline both must drop the masks they hide behind...and reveal their true selves in the golden glorious light of love.
Because You're Mine
Finished: Saturday 15/9 more...
Book one-sixty-five: She’s No Princess
She’s No Princess (2006)
Laura Lee Guhrke
Rating: 1.75/5
Not that great.
A royal pain...
The illegitimate daughter of a prince and a notorious courtesan, Lucia has been confined to schools and convents for most of her life, but that hasn't stopped her from causing one scandal after another. Exasperated, her royal father decides his hellion of a daughter must be married immediately. And Sir Ian Moore, Britain's most proper diplomat, is the perfect man to choose her a groom.
Diplomacy, not matchmaking, is Ian's forte, and he vows to find a husband for Lucia as soon as possible so that he may return to important duties. Yet despite an abundance of eager, worthwhile candidates, none is a match for Lucia's spirit and fire. The more time Ian spends with the Italian beauty, the more reluctant he becomes to find her a groom. Could it be that Lucia's perfect husband is the man assigned to find her one?
Finished: Friday 14/9 more...
Book one-sixty-four: Annie May’s Black Book
Annie May’s Black Book (2007)
Debby Holt
Rating: 1.75/5
Pretty good premise, good writing, just annoyingly predictble things going on. I just find some of the things that happen frustrating. Especially the fact that she won’t listen to him. Why wouldn’t you?
Okay, so maybe you might decide its best not to talk to them… but stop talking to them all together. Don’t continue to have conversations in which they make annoying inferences to the past, and you ignore them.
It will only annoy me.
I guess the thing I found frustrating about this, was that the only thing keeping them apart was the fact that they didn’t sit down and have an honest, two minute conversation. There were no real obstacles, just a lack of communication.
October 15th, 1974: Miss Baker for telling me how to blow my nose and not believing when I still couldn't do it.
February 6th, 1977: David Llewellyn for saying my landscape painting looked like a pig's trough and then making honking noises every time he saw me.
April 12th, 1987: Peter Elton for ‘borrowing’ my cigarettes and never buying any of his own.
9th February, 1988: Ben Seymour for everything forever!
In her Black Book, Annie May has recorded the name and offence of everyone who has ever done her wrong. The greatest transgressor of them all was Ben Seymour: the man who jilted her at the altar seventeen years before.
Now he's moving into a house round the corner...
Finished: Thursday 13/9
Book one-sixty-three: For the First Time
For the First Time (2003)
Kathryn Smith
Rating: 2.75/5
Quite good.
Except I didn’t like how some of the stuff towards the end played out. I was surprised how easily she (well, they all) forgave Carny for it. I would have had him arrested. Seriously, he should have been.
I think this is the second in a series. I haven’t read the first, but you can’t really tell.
Devlin Ryland returned from Waterloo a celebrated war hero, but he would rather forget the war and all the things he did in the name of duty. Blythe Christian knows all too well the things men are capable of in war – like betraying their betrothed. While neither can deny the attraction between them, both must learn to trust again, Devlin with his secrets and Blythe with her heart. Only then will either of them know the healing power of love.
Finished: Thursday 13/9
Book one-sixty-two: The School for Heiresses
The School for Heiresses (2006)
Sabrina Jeffries, Liz Carlyle, Julia London & Renee Benard
Rating: 4/5
I usually don’t like short stories, but I did like this collection. Especially After Midnight, the Liz Carlyle story (I think the uncle and aunt from this are what her latest trilogy is about?).
From Sabrina Jeffries…
"Ten Reasons to Stay"
When Miss Eliza Crenshawe discovers her new guardian's plans to marry her off without so much as a Season, she flees – on a horse she unwittingly steals (oops!) from Colin Hunt, a newly minted earl who wants nothing more than for her to go home…or stay forever.
From Liz Carlyle…
"After Midnight"
Confusion over room assignments at her uncle's estate yields a passionate encounter between Martinique – the daughter of a French courtesan – and the notorious rake Lord St. Vrain. Soon, there is talk of a proper courtship…though there's nothing proper about either of them!
From Julia London…
"The Merchant's Gift"
A graduate of Mrs. Harris's school, Grace attends a refresher tea and receives a lesson. Sent to London to attract a match among the ton, she finds herself drawn to rugged Barrett Adlaine – an entirely inappropriate mate who will never meet with the father's approval.
From Renee Bernard…
"Mischief's Holiday"
Alyssa's father is counting on her to make a match that will allow her transition into titled society despite Alyssa's constant mishaps and chaotic ways. There's no way she's a match for Mr. Leland Yates, who is ruled by logic and reason – or is there?
Finished: Wednesday 13/9
Book one-sixty-one: Only with Your Love
Only with Your Love (1992)
Lisa Kleypas
Rating: 2/5
All right, but it did kind of drag on for a bit. And Giffin was quite mean. Very mean most of the time, actually.
The newlywed bride of a Creole aristocrat, Celia Vallerand prays for deliverance from the blood thirsty brigands who abducted her from a New Orleans-bound schooner.
Though she believes her beloved husband slain and despairs for her own life, the shy French beauty fears above all the dashing privateer who pays a king's ransom to claim her ... and boldly risks capture to possess her.
The most notorious pirate of the open seas, he is called "the Griffin" — a rugged and powerful renegade who arouses within Celia desires as dangerous as they are irresistible. But the magnificent adventurer is a man trapped in a perilous deception-and he guards a shocking secret that could deny him the love of the gossamer-haired enchantress who stirs his manly passions and enslaves his heart.
Finished: Tuesday 11/9
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Book one-hundred-and-sixty: In the Prince’s Bed
In the Prince’s Bed (2004)
Sabrina Jeffries
Rating: 3/5
She makes me giggle. Actually, even just the cover and the title of this book made me giggle.
Miss Katherine Merivale is desperate to make a respectable match—if only her childhood sweetheart would propose! Until he does, she can’t touch the fortune she’s inherited. So the last thing she needs is notorious rogue Alec Black putting her proposed marriage at risk with his distracting, smoldering gaze and moonlit kisses.
Alec, the Earl of Iversley—and one of three bastard sons of the Prince of Wales—is secretly searching for an heiress bride to pay his debts. Fiery Katherine seems the answer to his prayers, and her passionate response to his stolen kisses and practiced seduction soon assures him that she is his. But Alec knows Katherine is looking for a love-match, and he wonders …what will happen when she discovers his deception?
Finished: Saturday 7/9 more...
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