When the Duke Returns by Eloisa James

The Chick: Isidore, Duchess of Cosway. Married to her husband since she was 12, but she has never met him and now at the age of 23 she is getting frustrated that he hasn’t returned to even consummate the marriage. She has always pictured herself as a duchess and a mother, so she must force him to return and seduce him.

The Dude: Simeon, Duke of Cosway. Marriage by proxy had been of great convenience to him. He believed he had a placid, yarn spinning wife at home where he could hapily settle after the adventures of the world. He comes back to find his home in poor repair and wife, he was not expecting.

The plot in 10 (ish):

Isidore: I'm sick of all this waiting for my husband, I will cause a scandal and make him return!

Simeon: I'm back! I know we are married, but I think she should have a real wedding ceremony unless you want to annul the marriage.... oh and by the way, I'm a virgin

Isidore: you want to do what now? And your a virgin! And to top it all off you don’t look or act like a duke, you really were worth waiting for!

Simeon: Iv returned to a house that smells like a latrine and I need to repair the house to its former glory, I don’t think you'll be able to help.

Isidore: you cretin! I have been running my fathers estates for years, let me help and at the same time, I will seduce you

Simeon: I will use the Middle way to ignore that comment and keep hold of my lust. It will not overwhelm me.

Isidore: Great, I appear to have married a monk, I bet your bits probably don’t even work!

Simeon: I think you'll find they are in perfect working order, here I will show you

*bow chicka wow wow*

Isidore: ok, so maybe they do work

Huzzah!

The End

The Book:

Isidore married her husband by proxy when she was very young and has never met him. She was happy to wait while he look for adventure in India and Africa, but she had expected him to arrive home and collect her when she was 16 or 18 or even 21, but at the age of 23 she is now frustrated and sick of waiting and so has taken on drastic measures by attending the most scandalous house in England.

Upon the hysterical missive from his mother, Simeon finally returns to England to collect his wife from ruin. And finds her not how his mother had described to him over the years as a plain, timid girl who loves to weave. He must use his knowledge of the Middle Way to control his lust and anger, he had not stayed a virgin for all these years without it, but she tests him to his limits. Through his travels he has seen many marriages and has decided the best are when the woman is placid and so is not sure if this marriage will work. He offers her the option of an annulment, after all she has never met him and may not like the idea of marriage. And if they are to be married, they will have to have a real wedding ceremony this time with both present.

Isidore is shocked that he has suggested a annulment just after they have first met and that they must have a ceremony... they are already married! And then he drops the bomb that he is still a virgin! Does all his parts work? Does he know what to do? To wait so long and then to have it all change is just unbelievable, will she ever be a duchess?

Simeon returns to his home to find it in poor repair. Stacks of bills unpaid, his younger brother not at school, furniture falling apart, staff overworked and underpaid, food rationed, gardens overgrown and a very smelly toilet system. He cannot understand how this has happened because they are not short of money, was his father ill at the end of his life? He must control his anger set about bringing everything back to normal.

I enjoyed this different take on a romance story where the characters are already married.

Simeon is an ok character. Through his travels he has learnt the 'middle way' and learnt to control his desires and impulses and Isidore with her fiery Mediterranean temper lets him realise that it is ok to loose control sometimes. He also learns that his ideas on a perfect wife are not what necessarily make a good marriage. It is a nice development of characters through influences from both sides.

I found it refershing that the hero was a virgin and I liked that their first time did not fireworks, it seamed a bit more real. Although he does suddenly know what to do the next time round while they learn about each others bodies.

I wasn’t too sure about Isidore in the previous book, but I came to like her, I could understand her frustration about having to wait for her husband to return until she could feel she could call herself a duchess and complete her life in they way that she always imagined with a husband and children. She was just stuck in a limbo for so long years not knowing what to do. To not have control over her life frustrated her because if she wanted something she would go out and get it and came to like her.

At one point she does fall in the trap of I love him, but he doesn’t love me even though every thing he does shows it. But luckily she pulls her self out of the whole quickly and I didn’t get too irate with her.

I felt the stories of the secondary characters got in way of the flow of the story sometimes. I presume she is setting up for the next book in the series but I almost wanted to skip points and move back to the focus of Isidore and Simeon.

I am finding myself getting annoyed with Villers, who I presume will have his own book at one point, but I find it a little bit creepy that the husband of the woman he is trying to seduce, who is also his best friend is encouraging it.

After reading and reviewing Duchess by Night, I looked at some reviews to compare my opinion and I was shocked to find so many loving Villers, so I am hoping that I will be proven wrong, fingers crossed.

A-

Others in series: Duchess by Night

Find it on Amazon - When the Duke Returns

Duchess by Night by Eloisa James

The Chick: Harriet, the Duchess of Benbow, her husband committed suicide over a game of chess and agrees to go to the famous house of disrepute to finally seek excitement, but to keep her true identity hidden she decides to disguise herself as a young man aka Harry Cope.

The Dude: Jem, Lord Strange, has allowed his house to become an eclectic gathering of intellectuals, politicians and actresses. After the death of his wife he has made sure that his daughter is kept safe away in the west wing and he has never partaken in the delights his house offers although he does find himself attracted to a young man.

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Isiodore: I'm tired of waiting for my husband to return so I can finally meet him. I shall go to the most distributable house in England and force him home!

Harriet: I shall come too, but I must save my reputation, I know! I shall dress as a man!

Jem: Harry you look too feminine, we must butch you up with riding and fencing and rare meat!

Harriet: All this exercise is rather fun and I do like my body in these breeches!

Jem: I do too, although I'm not one for men, but I can't take my eyes off you. Hang on, something is starting to look suspicious.

Harriet: I think I should be going, lots of women to wench and … hey don’t rip my shirt off!

*bow chicka wow wow*

Jem: Maybe you can do your wenching here with me, no point you going back you you little farm in the country.

Harriet: I'm actually a Duchess, not a country squires wife like you think, come live with me in a castle!

Jem: Well, I wasn't expecting that, but I do love you... I will come and live with you

Huzzah!

The End

The Book:

They are at a costume party and Isodore is fed up waiting for her husband to return from Africa to consummate their marriage and so decided to lure him back by going dallying with the man in the ton with the worst reputation, Lord Strange. However, she will need a companion with her at the house. Harriet , who is dressed as dowdy mother goose realises that she has an opportunity to experience something different and says she will go, however to avoid scandal on her reputation they decide that Harriet will dress as a young cousin of Villers, who has an invitation to the house. And so the three musketeers set on their journey.

Once they arrive at the house there is intrigue but no one suspects and Harriet stars to feel the freedom she has been desiring without the petticoats and elaborate hairstyles, she is free in breeches, even if her bottom does look rather shockingly round in them. Villers asks Jem to look out for the young boy because he is still recovering from a duel wound, which keeps him in bed.

Jem decides that young Harry needs to build up some muscle so that he wont look so feminine and takes him riding, makes him drink ale and eat very rare beef and teaches him how to use a rapier. Harriet is exhausted from all the exercise but she is enjoying it a lot, even if her rear cannot stand much more riding. Her groom guesses that she is not a man from the start and offers to give her some lessons in secret on how to ride astride a horse.

Jem decides it is his mission to make Harry masculine. It is his eyes with those long lashes and full red lips and of course his round bottom. But he is no molly! And he may have to give into his desires man or woman as he cannot stop thinking of Harry. Harry goes off on a mysterious appointment and Jem follows him to ensure that he is not being taken advantage of by the other men in the house, but is shocked to see Harry give the groom a kiss on the cheek! And harry appears offended when Jem calls him up on it! Harry realises that it is perhaps time to go and so goes with Jem to say goodbye to Villers who is still in bed, but when they are there Jem says something in Latin. Harriet panics because every man is taught Latin at school, if she was a man, she would know! But luckily Villers answers and takes away the tension.

Harriet has just one last fencing tuition with Jem and then she will be on her way. Except he slices her shirt with his sword so it turns to sheds and exposes her bandages around her chest. He clearly knows what he is doing and he is not planning on her leaving quite so soon.

I enjoyed this book, seeing who was considered the seedier people in life. With all the euphemisms included.

Now it is quite strange to think that a woman dressing as a man could be that difficult to spot, but the eye will always see what it wants to see. But I would have thought that she would have been found out a lot earlier especially when she spends all that time with Jem. The reasons that she is so feminine are fine on face value, but I'm not sure if they could live up to scrutiny 24 hours a day. Especially because the groom instantly new and the daughter guessed early on and even the butler apparently new from the start.

I'm not sure if I liked Jem and I feel confused at the end like Harriet as to why he is so happy to have people such as actresses at his house, but they should not socialise with his daughter and because she does not have the correct feminine guidance, she will grow up expecting that to be the norm.

Jem did seem to contradict himself. Jems father says a brothel is a man's paradise and Jem does not want to be like lhis father and so he makes his house practically into a brothel? Eh? He is careful of the protection of his daughter due to something that happened to his sister when she was young (which I think should have been looked into a lot more) yet he will let men into the house who possibly could harm his daughter...eh? He does not feel bound by class and so is happy to talk to actress, etc who would be considered a lot lower but he does not like Dukes and Duchesses...eh?

One thing I did find annoying as the Minnie Einstein that is his daughter. I don’t think she had to know Shakespeare off by heart or talk in rhyming couplets to be intelligent for her age. Children can be surprisingly accurate with their questioning and she became slightly unbelievable to me after a while, especially when I compare her to children in know at that age and what I remember myself like.

Harriet goes on a deep self discovery and realises that she is actually pretty as a man ( I enjoyed the scene where she is admiring her legs in breeches) and she is intelligent too and during the Game men listen to her!

I did really enjoy her descriptions of the fashions and hair styles that made you appreciate Harriet's freedom from all that and silly things such as walking into a room first.

This is part of a series about duchesses and I didn’t feel like I was missing any information from the previous books, so I will be looking forward to the next few.

 

A- 

Others in Series: When the Duke Returns

Find it on Amazon - Duchess By Night

Slightly Tempted by Mary Balogh

The Chick: Morgan Bedwyn, youngest and prettiest of the Bedwyn children, and wants to be known by her personality, not her family.

The Dude: Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn, exciled to europe many years ago for a crime he did not commit, he is looking to seek revenge on the people who did not help him.

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Gervase: THAT is the sister of the Duke of Bewcastle! I think I will enjoy my revenge.

Morgan: You are a silly rake, but I will match you with flirtation, you can't fool a Bedwyn!

Gervase: hey your actually quite intellectual and I like you, maybe I wont use you in my revenge.

War! BATTLE!

Allyene: what are you dong her still! This is no safe place for young women! I will just pop out and when I return I will take you home!

Self centred chaperone: my darling son has been injured! He has a splinter in his leg and I must take him back to England to ensure he has the best treatment and uses the correct tweezers to remove the booboo.

Morgan: can you please wait one day for Alleyne to return, he should be back very soon.

Self centred Chaperone: Strong minded will-full girl! My son my suffer from a small limp the rest of his life!

Gervase: Fine if you wont stay, she can stay with the other army wifes and I will make sure that she is safe.

Morgan: Alleyne has not returned and I must return to England to tell the family. Please comfort me!

*Bow chicka wowow*

Gervase: Will you marry me I will make more scandel so you will have to if you don’t say yes

*more scandal*

Morgan: ok, yes!

The End

The Book:

It is a hub of anticipation in Brussels as the Army is gathering to fight back the French and finally defeat old Boney and the family’s of friends of the officers have gathered to offer support while it is still safe. Morgan has come with her brother, Allyene and the Earl and Countess of Caddick and she is good friends with the daughter and their son is believed to have an attachment between him and Morgan.

Gervase spots Morgan from across the Ball Room and he is trilled to discover that she is the sister of the Duke of Bewcastle, who is the cause of his exile to the continent 9 years ago. He decides to cause gossip between himself and Morgan so that it will reach the Duke of Bewcastle and gain revenge for his lost years and humiliate him like Gervase has suffered. He starts with a Waltz, dancing too close and too fast for the British sensibilities and starts tongues wagging. Morgan sees him for what he is a Rake, but decides to flirt back and not be shocked, because you can not shock a Bedwyn!

As Gervase continues his scandal by hosting a midnight picnic in the forest, he starts to realise that she is more than just Bewcastle's sister and he does start to like her, so much so that he decides she should not bring her into his revenge and decides to stay away from her.

All hell breaks loose when fighting starts just outside the city Morgan and the Caddicks cannot leave in time and must stay in the city instead! Alleyne returns from his business and is shocked to find Morgan still there! He must go to the front and deliver a message to Wellington, but when he returns, he will take her home personally. In the mean time Morgan helps the army wives look after the wounded as they start to flood into the city. Gervase is shocked to find her at the gates, with blood smeared on her dress attending a wounded soldier. Alleyne has still not returned and the Caddicks will not wait for him to return as they wish to take their son back to England to ensure that his broken leg has been set correctly and will not have a limp. So Gervase personally sees that she is kept safe and no harm can be done and brings her back to England but unfortunately this brings even more gossip which Gervase did not want to create as he realises he cares for her.

I really enjoyed this book and all the Bedwyns so far.

Morgan, I found endearing trying to make her mark on the world and not be just another Bedwyn.

Gervase did get a little bit annoying for me, due to his constant French Endearments of Cherie. I can't understand how he is English born, and lived in England till he was in his early twenties and yet he has a French accent. I understand that his mother is French and she would have spoken it as well as with his family, but you never see his use his 'native' language, even when he see his mother for the first time in 9 years. I understand in his exile he hadn't been living in France as Brussels was the closest he had come to home, but instead spoke English on his travels with a slight accent that gets heavy or light.

His first reaction when he sees Morgan to get revenge I fully understand, but what confused me was that when he gets to know her and decides not to create any more scandal with her, but be her friend. Fine, until he reaches English soil and then decides to create more scandal by dancing alone with her in a room... why? It is not as if everyone is mentioning the past about why he had to leave, I think I recall one vague mention.

But over all I do like Gervase he is there to comfort and look after Morgan and ensure she doesn’t get in harms way. Morgan softens him and encourages him to forgive and dwell on the past which she must also swallow her own medicine at the end.

I also really enjoyed the background to the battle of Waterloo as well. It was interesting to see how the women coped with the situation and did they really have a ball the night before battle?

B+

Find it on Amazon -  Slightly Tempted

Her Cinderella Season by Deb Marlowe

The Chick: Lilly Beecham, wild as a child, she became reserved after the death of her father to please her mother. She is only out in society when it is connected with her work in the evangelical church and so when she eventually gets to visit London, she wishes to make the most of it and find out what sort of person she really is.

The Dude: Jack Alden, having be thwarted by a thief who was trying to steal antiquities. Jack is obsessed with catching the thief and bringing him to justice. His only connection is the missing cousin of Lilys, but will she tell him where he is?

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Priest: I'm going away for a year, but I wish for you to wait for me and when I return we shall marry?

Lily:*life flashes before her eyes* this is not what I dreamed of.. who have I become.

Jack: I need to find this thief! Why don’t you stay with mother and experience society and you can tell me if you hear from your missing cousin.

Lily: Yey, I get to go out and be my self for a change!

Jack: you are so good and kind, I want to be in your presence at all times

Lily: oh no the orphanage has burn down, we must save the orphans!

Jack: Your goodness emanates from you, but you have lips which make me want to sin....

*Bown Chika wow wow*

Jack: I can't be with you because I am not good enough!

Lily: come back to me when you have caught the thief... then you will know if you are good enough

*thief caught*

Jack :I'm Back and I realised I was always good enough.

Huzzah!

The Book:

After the death of her father Lily has became the perfect daughter to try to win her mothers respect. Helping her mother with her work with the Evangelicals. She has stayed away from London and society and instead helped with causes and raise awareness. She is in London with her mother to raise money for a cause but she will not be able to go to a ball and see the sights or parks which she deeply wishes to visit. When a rector proposes to her and asks her to wait for a year until his return, she realises that this is what her life will be and she will never be able to do what she wanted to do.

In shock she walks in to the road and is almost run over by a carriage driven by Jack. Jack is a recluse scholar who was recently shot while trying to stop thieves stealing antiquities. Unfortunately one got away and Jack is still searching for him, so that he can be brought to justice. Jack believes that Lily's cousin may hold a clue as to the location of the thief, but he is missing too and so he must gain her trust and find out what she knows. He manages to manipulate the situation so that she can stay in London with his mother for the season while her mother is travelling spreading the evangelical word. Lilly cannot believe her luck as she will be able to be herself again and maybe even attend a ball!

Jack feels a connection to Lily but he is very guarded with his feelings because of how his father treated him and so he does not think that he is good enough for Lily. Lily can see past his emotional walls and wants to be part of his life, if only he would bring them down long enough so that she could show him.

I found this book a little bit annoying.

It felt like I needed a construction hat with the constant references to walls being built and destroyed and then rebuilt and then partially destroyed, it got annoying after a while.

And then there was the constant monologuing, he would look at her and from one facial expression he knew that she could bring world peace and end world hunger and cure cancer, etc. Some people really enjoy reading the constant self - physoc analysis of characters, but it just isn’t my cup of tea. I much prefer showing how they feel than talking about it and analysing it.

I'm also not sure about the name cinderella story, I'm mean lets do a check list of what makes cinderella:

Poor – nope

Ugly sisters – nope

Evil step mother – nope

go to a ball in a dress– check

Dance with prince and him not know who you are – nope

Loose an item of clothing at ball – nope

Prince then try to find out who you care carrying lost item - nope

fairy godmother – half check (his mother sort of counts)

seems to me a bit of a long shot to call it that. It should be called something like 'the walls that he built'.

The story wasn't awful but the characters seemed a bit flat and boring Lily was a bit little miss perfect who is kind to animals and the poor and sings, if she started talking to the animals then she would definitely be a Disney character. Jack I didn’t really find him interesting, I just found it all mediocre. I understand that this is part of a series about the brothers, so perhaps reading the others would help me understand them, but it just did nothing for me.

C

Find it on Amazon - Her Cinderella Season (Harlequin Historical Series)

Kiss me Annabel By Eloisa James

The Chick: Annabel Essex, she became her fathers bookkeeper at a young age, having to deals with the family's shortage of funds and does not wish to return to the poverty that she knew in their family home in Scotland. She intends to use her looks as a dowry to attract a rich husband in London who will keep her forever in silk.

The Dude: Ewan Poley, The Earl of Ardmore, has come down to London from Scotland to find a wife to help look after the eclectic group of people he has back home, little did he know she would be for her as well.

The Plot in 10(ish):

Annabel: I don’t want to marry a man like my father, all I want is a rich husband and not Scottish

Ewan: I want a wife and preferably Scottish and a dowry would be nice too

Annabel: Oh no you will not do!

*caught in scandal*

Ewan: looks like we will have to marry after all. But do you mind waiting until we arrive in Scotland? It will only take a few weeks.

Annabel: sure, all my dreams are ruined. I will never wear silk again!

Ewan: I cannot control myself and I can't believe I said to wait! We will have to ration our selves to 10 kisses a day

Annabel: well we are already on number 10 and its not even breakfast! Hmm do we really have to wait till we get to your castle?

*Bown Chika wow wow*

Ewan: by the way I'm actually really rich

Huzzah!

The End

The Book:

Annabel was brought up in Scotland with her three sisters and father. Her father was obsessed with his stables, so much so that he gambled away their funds to pay for them. Much to the heartache of Annabel who was forced to become the bookkeeper for the estate. No matter how much she begged he would not sell his horses and so they struggled to live and now the girls only have a horse each for their dowry.

Annabel never wants to return to the poverty she once new and so she is determined to find a rich husband in London who will keep her in silks and she will never have to worry about money again. She has been practising looks since she was a girl and a sway in her walk to make sure that she will entice desire in men and attract the man she wants.

Imogen, Annabel's sister has recently been widowed and seen to be determined on self destruction in her grief. When the Scotsman turns up at a ball, she has decided that he will be her cicisbeo.

When Ewan arrived in London he was inundated with invitations to balls and parties from people he had never met, but they all seemed to know him and new that he was on the market for a wife with a sizeable dowry because he was a poor Scotsman.

He meets Annabel at a ball and asks her to dance but she turns him down, he is not rich and she does not want to go back to Scotland and poor, instead Imogen dances with him in such a wanton way that she starts gossip and he can do nothing about it.

Under the orders of Tess, the oldest sister Imogen is taken under the wing of Mayne a rake who has lost his desire for mistress and tells her to apologise to Ewan and he will make sure her reputation is saved. Imogen takes Annabel and their chaperon to Ewans lodgings (in hotel would you believe!) to apologise and make sure no misunderstandings have occurred.

However their appearance at the hotel is misinterpreted and it is leaked tot he society papers that Annabel visited the Earls rooms alone to finish their relationship and she was caught in his arms while he was topless! Nothing can be done to rectify the situation and he asks her to marry him which she accepts grudgingly, but requests that they marry when they arrive in Scotland instead of by special licence. She sees no issue with it and accepts after all, it will give her a few weeks to get used to the fact that her search for a rich husband has come to an abrupt end.

I really like Annabel as a character. She is not perfect and knows that money only matters to her and it will make her happy. But then if you had lived as she had, scraping together money so the family could survive while her fathers stables where given everything. Who wouldn’t want to live in silk of she had been used to such hardship? And I think it added strength to her character when she had to accept Ewan that she didn’t complain, even though she believed him to be exactly like her father – a man who owns land in the highlands, whose tenants struggle to earn a living, who keeps stables better than his falling down manor house. But luckily for her, he is actually the opposite and she changes her mind about him and also starts to change her priorities in a marriage. The only thing I didn’t like, which I don’t think fitted in with her character was the all too common. He doesn’t love me because he hasn't said those three little words, even though he has implied it throughout. But luckily it is resolved quickly.

Ewan is a nice counterpart to her and although he has never had felt that money was everything because he had always had it, she makes him realise that there are some benefits. And he definitely comes into his own when he arrives at his castle and you see his reaction with the other people who live there.

The relationship between them develops at a really nice place and I enjoyed the 10 kisses a day rule. They have their differences of opinions about things such as religion but I think that makes them more real because they not as one but as a couple, two parts that complement each other and will stand the test of time.

I really enjoyed this book and I appeared to have joined in a series yet again mid through. But it stood alone by its self and I will try and find the other books in the series to see how the sisters do.

A

Find it on Amazon -  Kiss Me, Annabel (Essex Sisters, book 2)

Regency Frankenstein

Now with the covers of Romance novels I tend to not notice them. They are often of characters with completely different characteristics such as hair colour etc.


However while I was reading Her Secret Fantasy by Gaelen Foley and I actually looked at the cover, I was a little bit confused. Now I have heard of the saying the rug don't match the curtains, but never the arms don't match the body. I am sure I am not going mad, the arms really are of a black skin tone, however the chest is of a pearly white!

At first I thought I would be her gloves, but then, you see she is wearing some already, which are white and I'm sure they didn't wear two sets of gloves, one which went up to armpits and the other the elbow. And I don't think it can be part of her dress either, I think you would be able to tell if it was lace.


The only other option is a early version of a tattoo sleeve. Its a distant possibility, but not as far fetched as a Frankenstein debutante.

Her Secret Fantasy by Gaelen Foley

The Chick: Lily Balfour, she has been left Balfour manor upon the death of her grandfather, however the house is in poor repair and with no large income she must go to London to find preferably a stupid and rich husband who will have sufficient funds to repair the house back to what it once was.

The Dude: Derek Knight, has returned to England from India upon orders to secure much needed funds for the army. But when he requests the money and it is not brought forth he becomes suspicious and must find the missing funds of the army will not succeed. While he is in London he makes up for his absence and is quickly known as the 'stud of the season'.

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Lily: Now iv got a falling down mansion I have to go to London and find me a rich husband, who wont notice my lack of virginity.(to Lundy) you'll do.

Derek: Hey committee, give me the money so that the army in india can win!

Old man: urm... sure! just give us a few days to get it sorted (shit! Its not all there!)

Lily: hey all you army men just go out for the glory and money and don’t think about how it affects us at home, of course I'm not actually talking about my father who died in India when I was 9!

Derek: I am the perfect catch. Here is my nephew so you can see I am good with children and I am also kind to animals, I shall rescue a horse to prove it, and have you heard the stories of my tantra sex with my mistresses?

Lily: well I need a man to pay for my house and I can't marry a second son!

Derek: dont marry him, I think that he has no money!

Lily: I shall sneak into my future husbands house and find the documents to prove that he isn’t bankrupt. *Caught stealing documents* crap

Derek: *lily saved* fancy a swim in this lake...NAKED?

*Bown Chika wow wow* *Missing money found*

Derek: Iv decided against India, marry me, I have a bit of money saved too!

Huzahh!

The End

The Book:

Lily's grandfather has passed away and has left her Balfour Manor. Due to the early death of her father and cousin the title and money has been passed to a distant cousin and so she does not know how she will be able to afford to look after the manor which is crumbling around them. After much debate her only option is to go to London and find a rich husband, but she must preferably select a stupid husband who will not realise that she is not a virgin.

When she was 15 she was seduced by a gentlemen and almost brought shame to the family. Luckily the episode was hidden from society, but her future husband must never know. With no money to entice she only has her reputation and social standing to recommend her. She chooses Edward Lundy because he is rich and is of lower class and needs her family to confirm him in society.

Derek Knight has returned to London from India on the orders of his commanding officer to acquire the funds which had been ear marked for the army to be sent to them so that they can win the war against the rebellion. However the committee does not seem to be digging in their heels to produce the money. He cannot let his men die due to lack of funds so starts to investigate.

Derek and Lily attend a masked ball, the return of Derek causes a lot of talk and he is now the 'stud of the season'. Lily sees he is not what she needs and must avoid him. Derek however is not used to being refused and so is intrigued by her. The escape the stuffy ball Lily sneaks out to the folly to have some peace and quite. At the same time Derek sneaks out to have a rendezvous with a mistress and comes across Lily in the folly. Believing that it is his mistress Derek starts their rendezvous, only to discover when she turns around that it is in fact the woman who intrigued him earlier. Lily, intrigued by his movements she asks him to continue. But the appearance of the mistress puts an end to their escapade. Lily believes she has got away with it, after all she is wearing a mask. He wont be able to tell who she is!

After a few days and hearing nothing from the committee Derek is getting suspicious and when he is approached by Edward Lundy ,a man on the committee, he takes the opportunity to try and find out more information. Only then he discovers that three hundred thousand pounds is missing form the money and Lundy is worried that they will try to pin it on him. Derek agrees to help him and is introduced to Lundy's future bride, only to discover that she is the woman from the folly! Although he has feelings for her he knows that nothing will happen because she is just a fortune hunter and he will be going back to India to fight. But he wishes to make sure that she is not be harmed by the money scandal.

One of the key things that kept them apart was the fact that he was to go back to India and she needed to restore he family home. And because he is a second son, he will not have the funds required and she will definitely not go and live in India with him. He gradually comes round to the idea of not going to India, but when he tells her to sell the manor she kicks up a fuss(as you would expect, the whole point of going to London was that she didn’t want to sell) but a hour alone gives her chance to psychoanalyse herself and now understands why she didn’t want to sell the place and is now happy to do it. Hmmmm. Not too sure about that.

One thing I don’t like in historical novels is when characters don’t quite act in the manor that they would have in that period. It is when Derek is parading his mistresses in front of everyone and then puts his arm around her and I think I recall him kissing one of them on the cheek. That seems very forward to me for this period, but I'm being pedantic.

The main thing that I got a bit stuck with was the fact that she is seduced when she is only 15 and is persuaded to have sex. It happened a few times, although we don’t quite understand how he got her to do it multiple times as we were told that it hurt her. We don’t find out how it got stopped whether they were caught in the act or what. And if he did it under her mothers nose or just snuck up on little girls in trees. Who knows! But I would imagine that you would associate the affection with an unpleasant experience but that does seem to affect her. When she overhears people talking about stud of the season Derek she is shocked but I think more by the crude remarks than what they are referring to. She is curious about who they are referring to and not what or why it is not like what she experienced. I wonder how her mother had explained what had happened to her. And then when they are in the folly it is she who flirts with him and asks him to kiss her. Now THAT I wasn’t expecting. I'm surprised she is not more guarded or at least cautious of men, but she appears to be jealous and wanton.

Lily just seemed to confuse me a bit. She is inexperienced and what experience she has had I presume she didn’t enjoy, yet she learnt a few tricks and knows how to pleasure him and is not shy or cautious about putting her hands everywhere and has no hesitation to go to the next level.

I liked this book although it seemed to drift off a bit at the end.

I must also say, I have never laughed at a first line of a novel, but when I read “ The poor ladies! They're doomed, aren't they? Whatever shall they do now” I immediately thought in a sottish accent and waited for “we don't have the power captain!” Just me?

B+

Associated Posts - Regency Frankenstein

Find it on Amazon - Her Secret Fantasy: A Novel

Sleeping Arrangements by Sophie Kinsella

The Chick: Chloe Harding, mother of two she is in desperate need of a holiday. Her partner has been stressed for the past few months over a possible redundancy and so they need to get away from it all and relax.

The Dude: Hugh Stratton, high profile job with two children and apparently perfect wife although she seems to be paying the redecoration of their house more attention than him. He feels he is only there to provide the money.

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Chloe: im stressed out and need to relax

weird old friend: iv got a luxury villa you can have for a week for free

Chloe: awesome! Come on kids and partner were going to Spain!

Weird old friend (to Hugh): hey iv got a luxury villa you can have for a week for free

Hugh: ok, ill take the kids and wife and a nanny of course

Everyone: hey what are you doing here!

Philip: well it looks like were both staying here then, hey you both know weird old friend, do you two know each other?

Chole and Hugh: Nope *whistling* *Hugh and Chloe with lusty eyes*

Philip: I work for a bank which has just been taken over, I may loose my job if the suits decide. What do you do?

Hugh: Im the suit that will decide your future

weird old friend: muwahhhhhh

The End

The Book:

Chloe and Philip have been through a lot of stress in the past few months because Philip might loose his job from a takeover, its all they have been able to talk about and so Chole wants to desperately get away and try to relax for a while. Gerard an old college friend has offered them his luxury villa for a week in spain for free... how could they not refuse!

Hugh met up with his old school friend Gerard and he has offered him his luxury villa for a week in spain, so Hugh takes up the offer, why not? It might be a good chance for him and his wife to reconnect as they will have a nanny to take care of the children.

But when they both turn up at the same place there must be some sort of mix-up! Unfortunately it is high season and they wont be able to find a room else where and Chloe really needs this holiday! So both families decide to stay, its a big enough house!

Chole and Hugh are shocked to see each other again. 15 years ago Chloe and Hugh dated for three months, but when she introduced him to her son, Sam, he ran away never to be seen again and she still hasn't forgiven him for it. Now she has been in a happy relationship for 13 years, but her old feelings for Hugh are stirring up and she can't seem to ignore them and neither can Hugh.

I finished this book thinking …. beige.

It just felt a bit flat, dull, bland... beige.

The characters didn’t seem to have much depth to them and were a bit stereotyped.

Two people meet up again after and long period of time, both having family problems and turn to each other because of what might have been haunts them.

Hugh still feels guilty from when he ran away from her and Sam and Chloe still feels hurt from being abandoned from what seemed to her a perfect relationship at the time. Talk about holding a flame!

I personally didn’t like Hugh and much preferred Philip as a character and got annoyed with Hugh's constant starring at Chloe and how that made her feel.

The main plot which had tied the two families together was that their friend had leant them both the villa because he like to create awkward tension between people. Am I the only one who thinks that is just a little bit strange? He basically thinks its really funny that a man who is about to loose his job is sharing a villa with the man who decides. Hahahaha, anyone else in stitches?

The humour in the story was meant to be from the nanny although I didn’t find her that amusing and didn’t think much of the romance between her and Sam. At first she seemed like she was mocking him and then after she found out about Chloe and Hugh she decided she liked him. Out of sympathy? And I was shocked by the nonchalant response from his parents and her employees when she told them they were going off to the field to have sex. He is only 16 and I think she was about 20. I'm sure my parents would have had something to say or at least react to it.

I think it was written ok and the story was ok but that is the point is was all just ok. Nothing spectacular just... beige. I have read some of the Shopaholic series and fully enjoyed them and laughed at the ridiculous. But these are no near as good and I don’t think I will go out of my way to read anymore of her other earlier works.

I am also not impressed by the fact that she has re-released these under her better known name basically to make money. It is like when a singer re-releases a previous single, just because they are now more famous and I am annoyed that I bought it the first time round or when a dvd is re-released with a new snazzy cover. Just leave well alone! Although I imagine this was more a push from the publishers than her.

C

Find it on Amazon -  Sleeping Arrangements

Shields of Pride by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Chick – Linnet de Montsorrel, battered wife of Giles de Montsorrel. Her main concern is to protect her son Robert.

The Dude – Joscelin de Gael, Mercenary solider he is the bastard son of William de Rocher but is favoured by his father and so fights with his jealous half brother Ralf, the heir. He has had to make his own living using his sword in Normandy, but he is now required at home to help protect Nottingham Castle from rebels against the King.

The plot in 10 (ish):

Giles: hey get away from my son and wife *falls off horse, dead*

Sheffif of Nottingham: I need someone to look after the boy and the money, do you want the postiion it comes with a wife and castle?

Joscelin: wow thanks, ok, but only if she says yes

Linnet: yes, but I must keep to the strict morning period, so not consummation of marriage till then!

Joseclin and Linnet *sigh*

Joseclin: I must go a fend off the rebels from the north

Joseclin: I must go a fend off the rebels from the east

Joseclin: now that I am done with all the fighting, we will go into Nottingham for a nice peaceful shopping trip *Rebels attack* God damm it! *wife and family saved*

Linnet: your father is injured we must take him back home so he can die peacefully in his own bed

Ralf: not so fast! Your staying here and I'm going to have you hanged! Guards!

*Joseclin escapes**Ralf dies*

The End

 

The Book:

Joscelin is returning home after fighting for King Henry II. When he comes across Giles de Montsorrel and his wife on the road with a broken wheel he helps them get into London and out of the rain. A few days later he sees Linnet at the fair with her son and talks to her. Giles is a very jealous man and attacks Joscelin with his uncontrollable horse. Joscelin protects himself but causes the horse to accidentally kill Giles. Giles' son now is in a precarious position and requires protection to ensure that his inheritance is not used to fight the King as his father would have done and so the Kings second in command offers the position of protector to Joscelin, which will include a wife (Linnet) and land which he could never dream to achieve as a bastard son and so he takes up the opportunity. Now Joscelin no longer has to worry about where his next meal comes from but he has tenants and a family to look after and protect.

Joscelin's Mother - Morwenna was his fathers one true love who died when Joscelin was young. William mourned her death and built a memorial for her, which vexed his wife Agnes and she developed a hatred for Joscelin. His half-brothers also have hated him because he is favoured by their father and so wish to put him in his place.

Joscelin must have muscles of steel to survive this book. He seems to constantly be fighting and very little time to recuperate. A guy just cant catch a break! He is either protecting Linnet and Robert or fighting the rebels to protect the King's rule.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with a man wielding his sword, but I think the story and relationship between the characters suffered. It seemed to jump from one fight to the next and so they were away from each other, how do you build a relationship on that? and when he returned the author seemed to skip over those quiet times, to the next requirement of his sword. I would have liked to have read more about him teaching Robert to ride or getting to know the tenants and letting Linnet get to know Joscelin and realise he is nothing like her first husband and see the relationship blossom myself.

Joscelin was a nice character to read about although I think it would have been interesting to hear how he felt about his mothers death. How she affected him and how his fathers reaction to her death affected him.

I didn’t really connect with Linnet, we know that she was beaten by her husband, but thats about it. Why did she marry Giles? Was her father a friend of the family? Did she think he was a nice person at the start? Where are her parents? I think it is quite unusual that we know more about the hero's background than the heroines.

I did think the story between Linnet and her father in-law was not required. Giles seemed to be a pretty nasty piece of work from the beginning, so to add daddy issues just seemed to push it a bit too far, especially as his father's motivation seemed a bit flat. Her father in-law showed her the pleasures of sex, just because he could. I think it would have provided more of a connection between her and Joscelin if her provided the sexual awakening. When Joscelin does find out, it does apparently affect him although all that time of conflict is skipped over by the author because there is not a physical fight and when he admits it to her, he gets over his little problem by just moving the bed, its that simple!

This was I think the first novel I have read which is set in this period (1173) and I loved Elizabeth Chadwick's descriptions of the castles, tunnnels, clothes and life in this period. I took a while to understand the names of everything, but she described it brilliantly and you got a great picture. But I think I liked this book more for the skill with which it has been written rather than the actual story and characters.

B

Find it on Amazon - Shields of Pride

Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh

The Chick: Freyja Bedwyn,who she thought was the love of her life recently turned up with his new wife and they are now expecting a child so she has escaped to Bath so that she doesn’t have to observe the happy celebrations. Find Bath society tedious she finds amusement with the marquess of Hallmere.

The Dude: Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, orphaned when he was six he had to live with his aunt and uncle who treated him as a poor relation. But due to unfortunate events his cousin dies and he becomes the heir and escapes to Europe for five years. Upon the death of his uncle he inherits the title and the aunt to keep her rule over the household by betrothing her eldest daughter to Josh.

The Plot in 10 (ish):

Freyja: (at Inn) Get out of my room!*punch*

Joshua: ow! Sweetheart

Freyja: (at Park) get your hands off that servant girl! *punch*

Joshua: sweetheart, you definitely not a duke sister, your quite good fun

Evil Aunt: Dance with your cousin Joshua, it is your duty! Muhwahwah *evil scheming*

Joshua: You don’t fancy a fake bethrotal so that I can escape a marriage with my cousin or my aunt will make me. It will only be for a few days, until she leaves

Freyja: Ok im bored and it will keep my mind off the baby which has just popped.

Joshua's Grandmother: We must have a party, your aunt will stay for that.

Wulfric: Why did you not tell me you were engaged. You must be introduced to ALL the family.

Evil Aunt: Even though it is five years after his death, you murdered my son Muhwahwah, you cant make me look like a fool!

Joshua: urm this engagement might last more than a few days

*murder accusation abolished*

Joshua: Why don't we get married for real?

HUZZAH!

The End

The Book:

Freyja thought she was engaged to Kit and old friend and neighbour, but when he returned from the peninsula with a bride Freyjas was not impressed and now they are married with a baby due at any moment and so she escapes to Bath on an invitation from a distant friend. Anything so that she does not have to be home to share in the happy celebrations.

On her journey to Bath she has to stay in a slightly disreputable inn and during the night she is woken up by a disheveled man who has bust into her room and asked for help to escape a con artist who tries to trick him into marriage. He hides in the wardrobe and when he tries to repay his gratitude with a kiss, she punches him and screams and he escapes out of the window.

Freyja makes it to bath and finds the society incredibly dull, but she must wade it out for at least a month. Trying to pass some time she goes for a long walk around Bath and visits a Park, there she hears a scream and goes to help the girl, but comes across the man from the inn holding the girl who immediately runs off. Freyja punches him and promises she will find out who this man is and make sure he is not allowed in bath society.

The next day Freyja visits the Pump rooms and finds him there. She immediately confronts him only to find that he is the Marquess of Hallmere and there has been a misunderstanding and she has made a fool of herself. But she finds him entertaining which she needs because Bath is so dull.

Joshua is just in Bath on a short visit to see his grandmother after spending the previous five years travelling around Europe as a spy. Even though he inherited his title from his uncle six months ago he has no plans to ever return to Penhallow, the home of his aunt and uncle and lots of unhappy memories. But it appears his aunt has other plans and once she hears that he back in the country she set out the bath with her eldest daughter with plans to keep her position of running Penhallow, by encouraging Joshua to marry her daughter.

Joshua does his duty to the family when they arrive and escort them around bath but there is no affection between the cousins and his aunt tries to trick him into a marriage of duty during a ball. Joshua luckily finds out about the plan in time and must act in haste. He jokes with Freyja about a possible fake betrothal for a few days as his aunt will be sure to leave after it is announced and then she can call it off. Freyja agrees because it will be fun, especially to see the look on his aunts face who has not been kind to Freyja.

Unfortunately everyone wants celebrate the betrothal and a few days turns into a few weeks.

I enjoyed this story which is part of the Bedwyn series. Freyja is not your usual heroine, at first she is haughty, demanding, arrogant and above all a bitch... but a likeable bitch. She makes snide comments about the new wife of Kit and she expects to be treated with respect because she is the sister of a Duke, she will definitely not let Josh's aunt talk to her like that! She has her flaws and is not ashamed about her remarks but as the story develops she softens and is likeable.

The first incident at the inn shows Freyja's true character that she is not afraid of men and is prepared to stand her ground in a most amusing way. You don’t often come across fisticuffs from a woman to a man, so makes you want to shout... you go girl!

Joshua and her complement each other well and I think the relationship is developed nicely between them, it is in fact Freyja who pushes the relationship to the next step. You see affection develop into love at a nice pace. They learn from each other and change and yet they still keep true to their characters.

One thing that I found a bit strange was her stomach doing a flip-flop?....a flip-flop? As in those brightly coloured plastic shoes you wear on holiday! Am I just being strange but I thought stomachs did flips without the flop.

As with the rest of the series, the rest of the family does get involved with the relationship, but it is not too overpowering. Although I don’t think EVERYONE needs to go Cornwall and I thought Joshua's cousins were pushed a bit to the back character wise.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, the characters where strong and I loved the fact that she was not a perfect specimen or character, but you still feel that she deserves a happy ending and luckily for her he is a greek god!

A

Find it on Amazon -  Slightly Scandalous