A MONSTER LIKE ME by Pamela Sparkman

Heart of Darkness series #2

HELLO STRANGER by Lisa Kleypas

The Ravenels series #4

THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT by Emma Scott

Companion to the Full Tilt series

PLAYING FOR KEEPS by Jill Shalvis

Heartbreaker Bay series #7

UNWRITTEN by Jen Frederick

Woodlands series #5

Cross My Heart by L.H. Cosway

Hearts series #5.75

MOONSHADOW by Thea Harrison

Moonshadow series #1

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Review: The Locksmith's Daughter by Karen Brooks




Title: The Locksmith's Daughter 
Series: Standalone 
Author: Karen Brooks 
Release date: July 31, 2018 
Cliffhanger: No 
Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis:

From acclaimed author Karen Brooks comes this intriguing novel rich in historical detail and drama as it tells the unforgettable story of Queen Elizabeth's daring, ruthless spymaster and his female protégée.

In Queen Elizabeth's England, where no one can be trusted and secrets are currency, one woman stands without fear.

Mallory Bright is the only daughter of London's most ingenious locksmith. She has apprenticed with her father since childhood, and there is no lock too elaborate for her to crack. After scandal destroys her reputation, Mallory has returned to her father's home and lives almost as a recluse, ignoring the whispers and gossip of their neighbors. But Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's spymaster and a frequent client of Mallory's father, draws her into his world of danger and deception. For the locksmith's daughter is not only good at cracking locks, she also has a talent for codes, spycraft, and intrigue. With Mallory by Sir Francis’s side, no scheme in England or abroad is safe from discovery.

But Mallory's loyalty wavers when she witnesses the brutal and bloody public execution of three Jesuit priests and realizes the human cost of her espionage. And later, when she discovers the identity of a Catholic spy and a conspiracy that threatens the kingdom, she is forced to choose between her country and her heart.

Once Sir Francis's greatest asset, Mallory is fast becoming his worst threat—and there is only one way the Queen’s master spy deals with his enemies…


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IndieBound: https://bit.ly/2K8LQaT




ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Karen lives in Hobart, in a beautiful, convict built sandstone Georgian house that whispers and chatters to her all the time. She lives there with her beloved partner, Stephen, two bichons, Tallow and Dante, Labradoodle, the irrepressible, Bounty (the brew dog) and her four cats, Baroque, Claude, Jack and Cromwell. She’s often visited by her wonderful children – son, Adam, and daughter, Caragh – both of whom she is very proud, as well as her fabulous friends. Mostly, however, she writes, reads, reviews books, watches too much TV, travels and dreams.

Follow her: 

REVIEW


The Locksmith's DaughterThe Locksmith's Daughter by Karen Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When I saw the synopsis for this book, I was immediately hooked and had to get my hands on it. After reading and loving The Alice Network last year, I was so ready for another female spy book to give me that same rush of emotion and inspiration. I wish I could say that this was another five star read, but it wasn't quite what I had anticipated. Let me start out by saying that when it comes to the author's attention to historical facts and information, I couldn't have been more impressed. Her descriptions hit on every one of my senses and painted an incredibly vivid picture.

The archaic speech took a little getting used to, but it was perfectly on point and necessary for accurately setting the scene. When you open the book, you're stepping into a whole new world that is far from what we live in. She doesn't try to sugarcoat London, in fact the descriptions of the city was often unpleasant with its misogynistic culture and religious unrest. Mallory Bright lived in a time when women's virtue and Protestant faith were the only assets they had. In the beginning of the book, it's understood that she has lost all semblance of respectability and brought shame on her parents' house.

    In God’s eyes and those of my parents and neighbors, I was more than a fallen woman—I was a scourge, the blight they labeled me.

Growing up, her father gave her the freedom to expand her mind and an education that a woman normally wouldn't during that time. He respected her thirst for knowledge, and was in fact proud of her "unnatural" abilities that her mother thoroughly despised. She took joy in learning to craft and break into the most complex of locks, and did it in the glow of her father's love and approval. Now after the horrible events that occurred and the resulting scandal, she can't bear the change in her father's eyes. She no longer has any interest in romantic love, as its caused nothing but despair and ruin. No, what she's most interested in is absolution, in whatever form necessary.

    At the age of nineteen I found love, and by twenty-one had forsworn it. In two brief years I learned love was but a phantasm, a fool’s paradise until we bit into the apple and saw the garden for the bed of thorns and stinking refuse it is. Love was merely a word used by men to beguile, seduce and deceive.

When her father sets up a meeting with "an old friend" Sir Francis Walsingham for a job, she believes it's her one chance to redeem herself and her reputation. With her unique set of skills, she not only met the expectations of those training her, she exceeded them. She could crack any lock under pressure, play any part as if she was made to walk the stage, and she was loyal...to a fault. Desperate to win approval, she pushed aside her niggles of conscience and performed every task given to her no matter what occurred. But she soon realizes that accepting a job as a watcher for Queen Elizabeth's spymaster will bring many hard truths and unearthed secrets that she never bargained for.

I wanted to love Mallory, but a lot of the time I couldn't make sense of her decisions or actions. As intelligent as she supposedly was, she fell short of the strong heroine I was expecting that would break through societal norms. First of all, it's reiterated repeatedly that women had no value other than their reproductive abilities and giving their men pleasure. Mallory survived a terrifying ordeal at the hands of a sadistic man and for almost the entire length of the book it clouded her judgement and self-worth. After a point I wanted her to hold her head up high and stop blaming herself for the actions of another. To thumb her nose at those who disparaged her and stand tall. Her constant thoughts of how she was a loose woman filled with pitiful unworthy feelings started to get to me. It felt like she was a chess piece being moved around by the men in the book rather than a player in control of her own fate. She just wasn't the inspirational and courageous spy that I had envisioned. After witnessing the grisly executions of three Catholic priests that she helped to capture, I thought that she would start listening to the guilty voice in her head.

    “Guilt is a demanding guest and most unwelcome.” One that had visited me often of late.

She would see the reality of the ruthlessness of Walsingham, and his true self-serving nature. But she stubbornly continued to take orders. Even after her mother sternly warned her what a bad man he was, how he could turn on her if it served his allegiance to the Queen.

Something that I couldn't make sense of was the fact that she hunted Catholics and reported them, telling herself that even the peaceful families she turned in deserved it. And all the while, her own mother was a Catholic herself who refused to renounce her faith. They paid hefty fines for it, and they were protected because of their connection to Walsingham. It never occurred to her however, that her family was no better or worse than the people she was hunting?? That in fact, her boss also fell in love with a Catholic in his younger years, and he now looked at them all as the devil's spawn? I didn't get how she was unable to see the hypocrisy of it all. Was her desperate need for love and approval so overpowering?

At the end, when she finally turned on Walsingham, it was with an apology to him, and a naive idea that she could bargain for the fate of her father. How in the world?? As she set her plan in motion, I felt a moment of pride, thinking that she was knowingly trading herself in order to free her father. That wasn't the case. She honestly thought that her demands would be honorably met by the man who she knew to falsify papers to guarantee a man's death. This is a man who put his country before family, honor, honesty, and morals. After everything she saw and knew, I didn't understand how she could feel this way.

Then after a horrifying torture scene, I thought that perhaps she would find a way to prove to everyone how much they underestimated her and find a way to save herself. Nope, she was a damsel in distress that was for some reason shocked that her rescuers were now going to be exiled for helping her. AGAIN, knowing everything she knew, how could she possibly think this? The man who broke her out of the tower was a respected Lord, so that means he's excused from the Queen's wrath after helping a traitor? I was so confused by her thought process again.

Okay, now that I've gotten my complaints about Mallory out, let me finish by saying that at almost six hundred pages of dense historical detail, this story could have been slow and boring. As frustrated as I got at times, I was riveted to the pages and binge reading huge chunks of the book in order to see what happened next. There was an ominous feel throughout, especially after the execution which was so appalling and disturbing that I had a hard time reading it all the way through.

Expect a few surprises along the way, and a subtle romance subplot simmering in the background. Lord Nathaniel endeared me to him from the very beginning, even when he was being boorish and brash with Mallory. There was a never a doubt that he was a man of strong principles and uncommon respect for everyone no matter their gender or social status. The more I read about him, the more I loved his strong character and unbending loyalty.

Even though I didn't love The Locksmith's Daughter as much as I anticipated, I was really impressed with the author's skill in melding fact and fiction in such a riveting way. She depicted the Tudor time period in England in minute detail and fused her fictional characters and historical figures flawlessly. Her note at the back was fascinating, and proved her dedication to research. So if you're looking forward to reading this, and you're captivated by this time period, this could very well be the book you're looking for. I'll be interested to see what other eras she explores in the future.


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Release Day Blast: Someone Else's Ocean by Kate Stewart


We're celebrating the release of  SOMEONE ELSE'S OCEAN by Kate Stewart! One-Click today!!!


Contemporary Romance
Stand Alone
July 31, 2018
Cover Designed by: Amy Queau- Q Design Cover and Premades
Blurb:
The first time I met Ian Kemp in the sparkling blue waters of St. Thomas, I was six years old and we shared a summer beneath the stars.

The second time I met Ian Kemp, he was a shell of the boy I once knew. Turbulent and infuriating, he refused my friendship at every turn. Like me, he was a casualty of life’s cruelty, but we were planets apart. 

We’d both sought refuge on the island, hoping to find our anchor. Instead, we found each other and managed to reclaim our stars...until we both got swept away.






About the Author:

A Texas native, Kate Stewart lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader. Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

Contact Kate- Email-authorkatestewart@gmail.com

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Monday, July 30, 2018

Release Blitz: Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid

LIVE02

Dr. Strange Beard, an all-new standalone in the bestselling, romantic comedy Winston Brothers Series by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Penny Reid, is LIVE!

DRSB_LARGE


Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.
Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be...

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .
Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.


Download your copy today!
Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2KvoGwA


Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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Connect with Penny:
Twitter: @ReidRomance

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Review: Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid



Title: Dr. Strange Beard
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #5
Release date: July 30, 2018
Rating: 5 stars


Synopsis:

Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.




Purchase here:

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2KvoGwA

Meet Penny Reid: 


Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja. 



Connect with Penny:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD
Twitter: @ReidRomance
Newsletter: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/
www.pennyreid.ninja


REVIEW



Oh how I loved visiting the Winston Boys, their significant others, and the rest of the residents of Green Valley. This series is like a true best friend. One that you don't get to see very often, but when you finally do, there's no awkward pause in conversation or adjustment. I slipped right into this book with a smile on my face, and I was laughing within the first few pages. How many series have you read can you say that about? The trademark humor, unexpected angst, and Roscoe's original personality trait were just a few of the things that made Dr. Strange Beard unputdownable.

We knew from the previous books that Roscoe and Simone were childhood best friends, always together like two peas in a pod. Then suddenly they parted ways in high school with no explanation, much to the puzzlement of their families. But no one was more confused and hurt than Simone, who was ghosted unexpectedly by the boy she cared about and trusted the most. Surely their friendship formed and nurtured over so many years deserved more?

The hurt faded over the years, but never really went away. The mystery was something that wouldn't be silent in her mind, so if Simone just happened to solve that riddle while she's back in town temporarily for her hidden agenda, nothing would make her happier. She convinced herself that the past was shoved into a box never to be touched or noticed again. Roscoe didn't have that luxury. His situational eidetic memory kept him chained to every painful memory as if it happened ten minutes before rather than ten years. He was enslaved to the past and afraid to live in the present.

    “Memory is a strange thing.” He pressed another kiss to the soft skin of my interior forearm. “An endless reminder of the past, revealing itself—as a cannon blast or a whisper—when you’re least prepared for it.”

Roscoe has the ability to remember faces and names of people he's met once, no matter how long ago it was. He can remember events in fine detail that happened to him throughout his life, whether they are pleasant or painful. Can you imagine not being able to feel any relief from painful moments in your life, because the memory never fades? I admit I was a little confused at first between what Roscoe lives with, and the photographic memory that most people think of. Though what he experiences is a real thing, it's extremely rare so I wasn't familiar with the specifics of it.

The fact that he deals with this his whole life, and hides it from everyone made his struggle even more difficult because he didn't have his family to lean on for support. He could only make observations of various coping methods and try to apply them to himself, hoping for the best. I never felt angry at either character for the way things played out between them as teenagers. Sure, he could have handled it better, but it just wasn't their time. As heart-wrenching as the loss of their friendship was, she never would have been ready, and it would have hurt him too much to have that reality shoved in his face on a daily basis.

Simone and Roscoe came out of nowhere and caused some unexpected butterflies to beat around in my chest. The unrequited love that he feels and tries to hide from her hit me right in the heart and squeezed me with emotion. I had no idea that he had such a sweet and soulful sensitive side, but I couldn't have been happier finding out. His desperation to try to keep his feelings under control when he was around her was very palpable, and it just made you want to wrap your arms around him to take his and make everything better. Besides his struggle with Simone, he also had to deal with his despicable father's sudden unwelcome reappearance in his life again.

Simone took me a little bit longer to warm up to. Not because I disliked her at first, she's just more reserved with her emotions so I wasn't sure what to make of her. Seeing her sister crash and burn in a bad way in the romance department when they were teens had an effect on her. She was happy to scratch her itches occasionally and then move on with her life. It was all very clinical and functional.

I’ve never been into romance and such, finding puzzles, mysteries, and science more alluring and interesting than almost anything else. The marriage of chemistry and physics was the only kind of marriage that had been of interest to me.

Until Roscoe Winston stepped back into her world, shook it up, and blurred the lines of friendship until she wasn't sure what she wanted anymore. Suddenly she had a strange attraction that she didn't know what to do with, and a secret that could break the fragile new feelings that they were tentatively stepping into. I really enjoyed seeing Simone open up to him and realize that making herself vulnerable doesn't have to make you weak. When you're with the right person, someone who knows you inside and out and loves you unconditionally, you're stronger than you ever were.

I adored this book so much, and I can't recommend the entire Winston series enough. Billy has always been my most anticipated brother in the series, but now that his book is around the corner I wish we could keep waiting because I can't imagine saying goodbye. Simone's family was wonderful in this book, so hopefully there will be a chance at more books to explore her siblings and their HEAs.

    I wanted him, to be with him, always. It was him. How he touched me, looked at me, held me, knew me, accepted me. His gentleness, his ferocity, his sweetness, even his caution. I loved his reluctance, how earnestly and sincerely he approached every situation, with heart and soul over mind and matter. I loved him.


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Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Review: Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black




SYNOPSIS

Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.

Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.


Purchase here: 

About the Author


Teri Bailey Black grew up near the beach in southern California in a large, quirky family with no television or junk food, but an abundance of books and art supplies. She’s happiest when she’s creating things, whether it’s with words, fabric, or digging in the garden. She makes an amazing chocolate cherry cake—frequently. She and her husband have four children and live in Orange County, California.
Follow her: Twitter | Instagram | Website 


REVIEW

Girl at the GraveGirl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Girl at the Grave
Series: Standalone
Author: Teri Bailey Black
Release date: August 7, 2018



Girl at the Grave doesn't have any ghosts or scenes I would describe as horror filled. It's a pure murder mystery-suspense with a strong love triangle subplot. I'm not a fan of that romance trope, in fact I avoid it at all costs if possible. I can't say that I loved that aspect here and how it lingered for much of the book, but my enjoyment of the twisty and unpredictable mystery took center stage, winning me over. Early on I guessed a major twist in the book which made me think this would be pretty predictable. I was pleasantly surprised how much more there was in store, and how many pieces of the plot would be neatly tied by the end.

When she was six years old, Valentine's mother was hanged for murder. The town of Feavers Crossing turned their backs on her, not wanting to be tarnished by her now black reputation. People she once considered to be friends didn't hesitate to snub or insult her, so it was easier to retreat into her own private world. Though she and her father are poor, a mysterious benefactor has paid for her education at the exclusive school in town.

She's grateful for the opportunity to attend and doesn't squander it, but she has no friends except a boy who works there named Sam. Her best friend comes from a family with arguably an even worse reputation than hers, and maybe that's why they felt so comfortable around each other. There was no fear of judgement or hurt, and they accept one another unconditionally.

Valentine hasn't had the easiest of lives, but that has only molded her into the self-reliant and mature teen that she is. I really enjoyed her character's sense of morality, courage, and determination to find answers. There were times when anyone else would have cracked under the pressure she was under, but it seemed to only harden her resolve. The murder than altered her life is only the first of many, and if she doesn't dig up the truth that has long been buried, she could suffer the same fate as her mother. She comes to realize that the town is loaded with secrets and lies, hidden like a land mine waiting to detonate with one wrong step. The question is...who can she trust? Who will trust her when everyone is prejudiced and quick to point fingers?

A good murder mystery will make you guess and then second guess every character's intentions, looking for a possible sinister motivation. Girl at the Grave accomplished that, and managed to pull the rug out from under me when the big reveal came. I can honestly say that I never could have anticipated how the . There wasn't much angst in the romance department because you pretty much realize from the start who she will end up with, only how it will manage to work itself out. There are huge and seemingly insurmountable roadblocks thrown in their way, and at times I wondered how they would find their happy ending. There was a fear that one or both of them would have to choose between their dreams and being together, but I was very satisfied by how it played out in the final pages.

If you're looking for a good atmospheric historical mystery, look no further. This was a big departure from what I normally read, but in a good way. It was refreshing, well plotted, and really fast paced. I will definitely be seeing what this fresh new author has to offer in the future.


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Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Review: The Heiress He's Been Waiting For by Kaitlin O'Riley



Synopsis

In Victorian London, the Hamilton sisters are known for their bookshops—and for finding their happily ever afters on their own terms. Now, much to their chagrin, their offspring are following in their unconventional footsteps—in life and in love...
Raised in New York, shipping heiress Sara Fleming was ready to elope—until her disapproving parents tricked her onto a boat heading to England. Her only consolation is getting to see her beloved aunts and cousins. Even the start of London’s Season—and a strikingly handsome earl—can’t make her forget the man she left behind.

Considered one of London’s most eligible bachelors, Christopher Townsend, the Earl of Bridgeton, is not what he seems. Having inherited his father’s crushing debt, he must choose a wealthy bride to save his family’s estate. Though rumored to be penniless and committed to another, Sara takes his breath away—and makes him question what he truly needs to be free of the past. But he’ll have to win the headstrong beauty’s heart one kiss at a time.

The Heiress He's Been Waiting ForThe Heiress He's Been Waiting For by Kaitlin O'Riley
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Release date: August 28, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
Rating: 1 star 

I really wanted to love this book, and I was very optimistic going into it despite the fact that this was my first read by this author. Obviously you don't know what to expect with an unfamiliar author, but the description and cover hooked me at first glance. The synopsis proclaims the Hamilton family women as independent book owners who find love on their own unconventional terms. What's not to love about that? Turns out, a lot. It's not often that a book manages to fill me with rage, but the "headstrong" Sara Fleming had to be one of the worst heroines I've ever read. Headstrong isn't even close to an adequate description of her. Childish, churlish, bratty, selfish, hypocritical...I could go on.

By the end of the book she had FINALLY seen the error of her ways, and I couldn't find it in me to care. I wanted Christopher to pull a Rhett Butler and deliver a "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" kind of line and find someone who would show him the love and appreciation he deserved. You know when you're not happy that the two main characters got married in the end that the book didn't work for you.

The idea of this plot was intriguing. Unfortunately it was executed poorly, and it all fell apart the more I read and tried to cling to the scraps of what I originally liked. Sara and Christopher had a situation where they weren't able to explore any potential feelings for each other. She believed herself to be madly in love with someone from America already, and his father's debts forced him to seek out an advantageous marriage to save his estate. (Translation: find a rich wife. Yesterday.) The twist is that he believes her to be a poor relation to the wealthy Hamiltons, when in fact, her father is a self-made millionaire. So throughout the book, he's reluctantly courting a rich candidate for a bride that he absolutely loathes. All the while yearning for the beautiful, sparkling, and self-confident creature that unexpectedly entered his life and took his emotions by storm.

    Never had a woman made him feel this way. A complex mixture of powerless and powerful, of need and desire, of possession and possessed. He wanted her. It was as simple as that. And as complicated.

Christopher admired her from their very first meeting, and he didn't hesitate to acknowledge his growing feelings to himself. He was overwhelmed with shame over having to marry for avaricious reasons, but he knew his family would be homeless in a matter of months. I didn't always agree with his sneaky behavior and treatment of the woman he was pursuing. But I could step back and see the bigger picture. He was putting the safety and care of his sisters as his top priority after years of physical and emotional abuse by their father. Mistakes were made along the way, but I always admired his sense of loyalty and (mostly) chivalrous personality. Instead of being the typical Victorian man, and trying to sell off a female family member to the highest bidder, he put himself in that position in order to give them a better life.

    Women in general had been given a tough enough lot in life. After all his two sisters had been through, he couldn’t fathom trapping either of them into loveless marriages. It appalled him how few options his sisters had other than to marry or to remain living at home. He wished he could do more for Evelyn and Gwyneth.

Sara on the other hand was completely blind, deaf, and DUMB to reality. She spent the entire book sulking and plotting behind her parents' backs because they separated her from the man they found to be dangerous. Being coddled and pampered her entire life, she couldn't stand the fact that she wasn't getting what she wanted. She refused to listen to everyone around her urging her to remember how much her parents love her, and would never take such drastic measures without reason.

At no point did I feel as if Sara was falling for him. She stubbornly clung to her schoolgirl "love" based on his flimsy words of praise that masked malicious intentions. Christopher on the other hand was merely a handsome friend who she found entertaining to flirt with coquettishly on an endless loop. Then reminding him firmly that her fiancè would be coming to take her away soon. It was enough to make you want to bang your head repeatedly against the wall. She quite conveniently forgot the fact that she had a fiancè when lust overtook her, and she allowed Christopher on numerous occasions to kiss, touch, and finally, take her virginity.

She never felt an ounce of guilt or remorse about her unfaithfulness to the man she was so madly in love with, or even started to ponder if she could be mistaken about her what she feels. No, these occurrences were just odd weak moments that meant nothing, and she didn't plan to think or speak of them again. (Seriously, did she not realize that when she got married, that her husband would find out that she had been with someone else?? Was she that stupid?)

Here's where I got really, really MAD. The day after sleeping with Christopher, she once again chooses Alexander over him and runs off to his hotel to be with him. This was her thought:

    Everything that had happened last night with Christopher now seemed like a faraway dream. Could she simply brush it away like the wispy clouds of a reverie? Could she just erase it from her memory and pretend it never happened? Well, she would have to do so to marry Alexander.

AND YET...when he rushes to save her from her idiocy after she rejected him, she is offended. Yes, OFFENDED that he asked her why she would run off with Alexander when she could be pregnant from the night before. She has the nerve to think that he was insensitive, as if it meant nothing to him. So she can discard him like trash, and not once listen to reason, and HE is wrong here?

    How dared Christopher mention what happened between them! Last night wasn’t anyone’s business but theirs. And to throw it in her face like that! As if it didn’t mean anything. Stung by his cruel callousness, Sara blinked back tears, replacing them with outrage. She would not cry...

And speaking of hypocrisy, how does she have any moral ground to stand on when she gets outraged that he slept with her while engaged to someone else?? Her internal dialogue over this discovery was absolutely ludicrous.

    For some reason, her brain ceased to function properly when Christopher kissed her. But it didn’t mean that she wanted to marry him either. Especially not when her parents were now telling her that she had to marry him. Besides, he was already engaged! To that ridiculous little Beckwith girl, of all people! At least now Sara understood why the other day in the carriageChristopher said he couldn’t marry her. Well, fine. Bonnie Beckwith could have him.She didn’t need or want Lord Bridgeton!

It was like she completely lacked skills of self-reflection and the ability to understand her own faults and mistakes. With 10-15 percent of the book to go, she finally realized how selfish she has been, and ungrateful for the family who loved and protected her. Even after hearing Christopher's stories about his abusive father, and the trauma he inflicted on them, she stubbornly clung to her own whiny complaints of her unfair life. At this late stage in the story, he had just thought to himself that she clearly didn't love him despite everything that had happened. And it hurt.

The characters just lost all semblance of authenticity for me. Reactions and actions need to make sense to a reader. It didn't make sense to me at this point that in one scene he was feeling hurt that she had no feelings for him, and the next accepting her apology and marrying her as planned. There was no hesitation or residual anger. She finally decides to see how worthy he is, and I just didn't care anymore. And with all of the stubborn dramatics that Sara displayed, I couldn't see her through his adoring eyes. He saw her through an altogether different lens than me.

I am extremely sad to have disliked this book, because I did think the author had a lot of beautiful quotes in The Heiress He's Been Waiting For, however I was incapable of feeling the ring of truth in any of them. It was unfortunately a total fail for this reader.


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