Review: Viscount in Love by Eloisa James

Two eccentric orphans bring together a grumpy viscount and the free-spirited heroine who steals his heart in the first novel in Eloisa James’s new Accidental Brides series, in which haughty aristocrats find themselves married to the wrong women. 

VISCOUNT IN LOVE by ELOISA JAMES

Series: Accidental Brides #1

Publication date: July 23, 2024

Published by: Avon  

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny. 

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Apple

Praise for Eloisa James:

“Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love. Her style is exquisite, her prose pure magic. Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James.” — Julia Quinn

“Bestseller James’s fun third Would-Be Wallflowers historical romance (after The Reluctant Countess) sets itself apart in the depth of its interpersonal complexities. Lovers of historical romance will delight in these well-rounded, flawed characters learning to live their best lives.” — Publishers Weekly on Not That Duke

“The third smartly sexy and sharply witty addition to James’ Would Be Wallflowers series offers everything fans could hope for and expect from this romance genre luminary.” — Booklist on Not That Duke

“This enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance uses humor to show how a match that looks perfect on paper may be no match at all when it comes to chemistry… a compelling and delightful read. Enjoy this light and humorous historical romance.” — Library Journal on Not that Duke

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Eloisa...on her double life: 

When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.

When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.

So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.

One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.

Follow her:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW

Viscount in Love by Eloisa James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I have quite a few Eloisa James books under my belt at this point, some have been enthusiastic five star reads, some have been just middle of the road. Despite not knowing which way things will fall each time I pick up a new book by this author, I keep coming back for more. Typically she pays meticulous attention to historical detail. Her cast of characters in each series are ones that I'm eager to revisit to watch find their personal HEAs. The dialogue is witty, and the backstories typically well fleshed out.

Unfortunately a lot of the things I usually love were missing in this new release and I felt the absence of that magic to the point that I almost DNFd. With the exception of Torie's best friend and Dom's 11 year-old wards, every single character is infuriating and unbearable. The romance was frustratingly inconsistent, lacked any true chemistry, build, or anticipation. As well, the reader is left in the dark about the hero's internal conflict until late in the book leading you to almost despise him at points due to not understanding what drives his thoughts and intentions. The heroine is similarly not fully shown to her full potential until the end and I don't understand why this was done.

I read this title because I was intrigued with the heroine's learning disability and how it would affect her life in the 19th century. Torie has dyslexia in the year 1800 and I was excited to read this fresh plot point going in. It's obvious that a woman would face prejudice about the inability to read as part of the upper class. That is certainly a realistic representation, but the verbal abuse was constant from everyone around Tory in almost every conversation. Little jabs about her being "addled" with pitying looks and disparaging comments about her worth. At one point her father compared her to livestock. It felt very overdone to have the prejudice that constant and extreme when she is clearly a well-spoken woman perfectly capable of carrying on a well-informed conversation. She has a strong vocabulary, an eidetic memory, and she's a gifted painter. She just learns through experience or verbally rather than textually. Yet she's treated as if she's a babbling loony without a thought in her head at all times. It could have been shown without beating us over the head with it.

  Why shouldn’t a lady be frivolous? Why should 

a woman read or write? It’s like asking a pig to 

sing opera.” Torie didn’t flinch. It wasn’t as if 

she hadn’t been compared to livestock before.

She is so used to the verbal abuse from everyone around her that she lets it roll right off her back and ignores it. Her sister and father make these humiliating comments in front of other people and she never gets angry or upset. That's just the tip of the iceburg of what her father does to her. 

Dominic's character was so incoherent. In the beginning of the book he is portrayed as a very serious sort with no sense of humor to speak of. He's described as intimidating to others due to his temper in the House of Lords, but we aren't really shown that-it's more that he's stern and emotionless. When he's engaged to Leonora, he has no passion or affection for her. He simply chose her based on her perceived intelligence and refinement. He goes from very little personality or emotion at all to flirting with sexual innuendos once he's jilted and sets his sights on Torie. How does he go from one extreme to the other literally overnight? He goes from seeing Torie as silly and shallow with a lack of intelligence (and ZERO sexual attraction after three years) to lusting over her and getting offended at people's rude comments towards her in one day. I found his outrage so hypocritical due to his own insulting internal dialogue about her.

   It had taken him several months to find a lady 

who could be a true partner and offer an intelligent 

assessment of current events. Most ladies fell into 

Torie’s camp. Granted, she kept the nursery 

laughing with her wry observations about 

Odysseus’s adventures, but that wasn’t 

the same as sharing lucid analysis.

  Torie was charming, fresh, and 

funny. Useless, perhaps, but enchanting.

True, he had hoped to marry a woman who 

would challenge him intellectually, 

but he could reconcile himself.

These are the thoughts of someone with honor? He jumps from cold to flirty and back again without the reader having a deeper understanding of why. On top of that, he had fully intended to keep his mistress when he was engaged to Leonora and was outraged when confronted by Torie about it days before their wedding. He literally got angry when she demanded that he be monogamous because he doesn't like being told what to do. I wanted to drop kick him so hard I almost rage quit. It isn't until MUCH later that he finally explains himself over this and a certain humiliating situation that occurred two days before they married. Even though it did ease my anger some, he still acted clueless and insensitive towards his wife. When an 11 year-old child is more insightful and intuitive about your wife than you...you have a problem. He doesn't start to genuinely see his wife for the brilliant, talented woman she is until after 80% in the book. *sigh*

The sexual scenes didn't work for me because we are led to believe they have instant chemistry overnight after completely platonic interactions and thoughts for three years. It just comes over them like an epiphany that she is a "buxom" beautiful woman, and he is her preferred buff, bulky, muscular body type. It was like flicking a switch with them. The dirty talk and spice comes off as very artificial when they consummate their marriage one day after the wedding. Not to mention, Torie is supposed to be a virgin whose only knowledge of sex is having seen rabbits copulate and yet she jumps on him with no timidness or lack of skill. She does things that she wouldn't even know existed in bed. We are just told that she may be incapable of the written word, but when it comes to this, she's a "natural." It doesn't work that way! It made everything so unrealistic and unbelievable. 

This book was a little under 400 pages and it was really noticeable. The page really dragged, especially in the middle of the book. I kept checking the percentage constantly only to see that barely any progress had been made. I think the lack of connection to the couple and the two MCs separately made a big contribution to that. Their communication issues over important matters and very little time spent understanding each other outside of bed caused their relationship to feel very superficial to me. Dominic did redeem himself late in the book a little bit, but overall the characters were just messy and unsatisfying. Unfortunately, this one was a miss, but I have faith that others in this new series may win me over.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

View all my reviews

Read More

Review: The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George

New to wealth and to London high society, American heiress Cora Dove discovers that with the right man, marriage might not be such an inconvenience after all. . . .

THE STRANGER I WED by HARPER ST GEORGE

Series: The Doves of New York #1

Publication date: April 23, 2024

Published by: Berkley 

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Cora Dove and her sisters’ questionable legitimacy has been the lifelong subject of New York’s gossipmongers and a continual stain on their father’s reputation. So when the girls each receive a generous, guilt-induced dowry from their dying grandmother, the sly Mr. Hathaway vows to release their funds only if Cora and her sisters can procure suitable husbands—far from New York. For Cora, England is a fresh start. She has no delusions of love, but a husband who will respect her independence? That’s an earl worth fighting for.

Enter: Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a no-nonsense member of Parliament whose plan to pass a Public Health bill that would provide clean water to the working class requires the backing of a wealthy wife. He just never expected to crave Cora’s touch or yearn to hear her thoughts on his campaign—or to discover that his seemingly perfect bride protects so many secrets...

But secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface, and Devonworth has a few of his own. With their pasts laid bare and Cora’s budding passion for women’s rights taking a dangerous turn, they’ll learn the true cost of losing their heart to a stranger—and that love is worth any price.

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Apple

Praise for The Stranger I Wed:

"Prepare to be dazzled! Scintillating and deeply romantic, The Stranger I Wed is another winner from Harper St. George. Fans of historical romance will find themselves enchanted by the rich, sensual storytelling, and look forward to what comes next in this fabulous new series."—India Holton, international bestselling author of The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

"From the moment I picked up The Stranger I Wed, I was glued to the pages. This swoony and tender marriage of convenience has all the wit, emotions, and chemistry I love about Harper St George's writing, but it also felt new and I can't wait to see where Harper will go next."—Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author

“Gilded Age New York meets Victorian London in Harper St. George’s dazzling new series. The Stranger I Wed is strong, feminist, and scorchingly sexy. This is historical marriage-of-convenience romance at its swooniest. I couldn’t put it down.”—Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author

“Harper St. George never misses! The Stranger I Wed delivers everything I love about historical romance—a marriage of convenience that erupts into a red hot passion; two characters who grow to love and respect each other; and a thoughtful discussion of political and social issues that are still relevant to this day. In one word, The Stranger I Wed is magic!”—Liana De la Rosa, author of Ana María and the Fox

“The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George is a delicious start to a new series, with all of my favorite things—a marriage of convenience, scandalous family secrets, and feisty American heroines who bring too-handsome aristocrats to their knees. A fantastic, fast-paced read by one of the best historical writers around!”

—Joanna Shupe, USA Today bestselling author

 

“The Stranger I Wed captured me from the first page with the tenacious Cora Dove and kept me enthralled with a deliciously simmering romance. There is nothing I love more than a strong female lead and Cora is a woman after my own heart. This story has all my favorite things in a marriage of convenience: snappy banter, palpable yearning, sizzling chemistry, and ultimately, a passion that cannot be denied. A fabulous start to an exciting new series. Harper St. George is one of my must-read historical romance authors.”—Adriana Herrera, USA Today bestselling author

“Engrossing and detailed…A delightful start to a new series”—Kirkus

"A well-crafted, slow-burn journey through a marriage of convenience that eventually erupts into a steamy love story."—Library Journal

“St. George brilliantly plays to her literary strengths, delivering an expertly evoked historical setting that touches upon some of the social and political issues of the time, along with a superbly matched pair of protagonists whose simmering sexual chemistry blossoms to a romance that is sweet, steamy, and sublimely satisfying.”—Booklist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harper St. George was raised in rural Alabama and along the tranquil coast of northwest Florida. It was a setting filled with stories of the old days that instilled in her a love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school, she had discovered the historical romance novel which combined all of those elements into one perfect package. She has been hooked ever since.

She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found devouring her husband's amazing cooking and reading. She would love to hear from you. 

Follow her:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

REVIEW

The Stranger I Wed by Harper St. George
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Reading Harper St. George's newest title is a no-brainer for me at this point. I've been a fan of hers ever since reading her first book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series, The Heiress Gets a Duke. There are appearances of past characters as well as inferences to events that took place in that series, however you do not need to read any of them first if you have not done so already. I really don't think it would cause any confusion, however, you will get some spoilers from the other series. Once again, the author is highlighting the suffrage movement with a heroine who is very involved in the cause. The hero is heavily into politics and what they would have considered progressive at that time for his support of women's rights and the common working man.

This story had a marriage of convenience trope, but it had the vague feel of a fake relationship trope as well due to this couple's pre-engagement agreement to put on a public front of a real marriage. Cora has come to England for the sole purpose of finding a man of noble birth to marry. She's not interested in romance or love, what she has planned is a mutually beneficial arrangement where her inheritance is released upon her marriage, and her new husband fills his empty coffers. She does not want a genuine marital relationship, and hopes that they can separate or even divorce after two years. This would be somewhat of a scandal for anyone of noble blood during that time, but not completely unheard of. After she and Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth meet, they quickly decide that both of their desperate situations can be resolved with this simple arrangement.

Leo is as loyal as you can get, dependable, and generous to those he loves. With an estate in major disrepair, limited funds, and a brother with a dangerous gambling debt, he calmly chooses to marry Cora because it will be beneficial to everyone. Like Cora, he has no interest in love. In fact, he has an extreme aversion to it after a betrayal of a past lover. He guards his heart carefully, and even the thought of growing an attachment to someone practically makes him break out in hives. Though a divorce wouldn't be ideal for him, he is willing to grant Cora her wish as long as they are able to attain one. If not, she agrees to provide him with the male heir that he needs to continue the family line. They approach the marriage in a businesslike manner in the beginning, although there is a subtle attraction and appreciation for each other that neither like to acknowledge.

  Starting tomorrow, it would be the two of 

them against the world. He barely knew her, 

but already he was prepared to defend her 

at all costs if it came to it. She was giving him 

and his brother a future; he couldn’t 

do any less for her.

I had difficulty with how Cora entered into their marriage. Even though this would be a marriage on paper only, he questioned her about her family, her mother's history, and their financial situation. She deliberately deceived him by hiding her mother's past in theater, and the truth of her own illegitimate birth. Before they agreed on the engagement, he transparently told her that he'd had her family investigated for his own peace of mind. Rather than fill in the gaps of the investigator's report, she lied to him (outright or by omission) because she was scared that he would back out. She kept justifying it throughout the book, but there finally came a point where her guilt forced a confession out of her.

  He was looking at her too hard. Lying to him, 

or not telling him the entire truth, had 

seemed easy. It had been easy back when 

she barely knew him and marrying him 

had given them both what they wanted.

The problem is, he wouldn't want the scandal from the skeletons in her family closet and she knew that. Her actions, and those of her family directly affect him and his public reputation which is something he needs to be conscious of due to his political involvement. Her actions were selfish towards him, and even when she did come clean, he let her off the hook completely. She only confesses one of her secrets, and she has another one which ends up causing a big conflict later on in the story that he needs to resolve.

Another issue was their odd dynamic for the first 50-60% of the book. They acted like polite acquaintances who happen to be married. Essentially that's what they are, but the two of them were a bit too distant for my taste. They are both attracted, and she appreciates how fairly and respectfully he treats her, but she doesn't get jealous or upset when she thinks he has a mistress? He came home smelling of cheap perfume, and she just blows it off. She even casually gives him permission to be with another woman when they get into an argument over her desire to attend a potentially dangerous suffrage protest. She uses his "mistress" as ammunition to try to get her way. I found this off-putting and odd despite their arranged marriage because clearly they were both already fighting feelings for each other. It wasn't even as if he were trying to lord husbandly power over her-he was just concerned for her physical safety.

I did love how Leo appreciated Cora's strong beliefs and encouraged her to speak her mind. They shared similar values and both felt very passionate about them. It was one of the main things they bonded over as she supported his efforts to pass a Health Act that would improve living and working conditions for the working class. She is a proficient writer, and her skills are put to use fine tuning his speech in support of the upcoming bill. They both have/had a rocky relationship with their fathers, and they both are very protective of their families. Even their differences seem to compliment each other-she and her family are very open, unabashedly show emotion and their passion for life. He is very reserved and dignified, and unconsciously holds his emotions in check. While he does hold on to that reserve for a long time and resists his growing emotional connection, he certainly falls hard once he lets go of his fears.

  Cora was everything, and with her 

in his arms, he possessed all he ever wanted.

Cora and Leo's relationship went from married to friends to lovers which is far from the typical order of things (to say the least). I didn't fully enjoy the way that it was executed, and it showed in the way that the first two parts tended to drag for me for long stretches. The last bit finally picked up, and I enjoyed seeing them be openly loving and affectionate with one another once they both decided to make their marriage a real one in every sense. Eliza's story is next in line, which has been teased just enough to whet my interest in continuing on with the series.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON: 

View all my reviews

Read More

Review: Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

Never Wager with a Wallflower is the third and final delightful installment in Virginia Heath's Merriwell Sisters Regency rom-com series.

NEVER WAGER WITH A WALLFLOWER

 by VIRGINIA HEATH

Series: The Merriwell Sisters #3

Publication date: November 7, 2023

Published by: St. Marten's Press

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Miss Venus Merriwell has been waiting for her prince to come since the tender age of fourteen. She wants a man who is a selfless academic like her, and free from all the wretched vices her gambler father enjoyed far too much before he left the Merriwell sisters practically destitute. Unfortunately, after a slew of romantic disappointments, there is still no sign of that prince at twenty-three and the only one true love of her life is the bursting-at-the-seams orphanage in Covent Garden that she works tirelessly for. An orphanage that desperately needs to expand into the empty building next door.

For Galahad Sinclair, gambling isn’t just his life, it’s in his blood. He grew up and learned the trade at his grandfather’s knee in a tavern on the far away banks of the Hudson in New York. But when fate took all that away and dragged him across the sea to London, it made sense to set up shop here. He’s spent five years making a success out of his gaming hall in the sleazy docks of the East End. Enough that he can finally afford to buy the pleasure palace of his dreams—and where better than in the capital’s sinful heart, Covent Garden? The only fly in his ointment is the perfect building he’s just bought to put it in also happens to be right next door to the orphanage run by his cousin’s wife’s youngest sister. A pious, disapproving and unsettling siren he has avoided like the plague since she flattened him five years ago.

While Venus and Galahad lock horns over practically everything, and while her malevolent orphans do their darndest to sabotage his lifelong dream, can either of them take the ultimate gamble—and learn to love thy neighbor?

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Apple

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Follow her:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

REVIEW

Never Wager with a Wallflower: A Novel by Virginia Heath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Much to my chagrin, and against all my better judgment, it appears that I am finally starting to like you.”

If you're wondering if you can read this last installment in the Merrill Sisters series without reading any of the previous books, you came to the right review. I'm guilty of starting this series backwards and it did not affect my reading comprehension or enjoyment. Of course there are spoilers about certain events from the series that you may not want to know if you are planning to read the others, but personally, I felt that just enough information was given in order to understand the other couples as well as the cause of Venus and Galahad's animosity. (Yes, you read that right...those are their names) This book has an enemies-to-lovers trope which I haven't been having the best of luck reading lately, but I feel as if the "enemies" portion of the story was not too exaggerated or used simply as a plot device without any realistic background.

Venus Merriwell was a great heroine. She's bookish, which is always a plus, bighearted, very intelligent, and quite independent for a woman of her time. She dedicates her life to taking care of children who need a helping hand at the Covent Garden Asylum for Orphans. Everyone in her family views her as nothing less than a saint for her charitable work, but she's very down-to-earth and humble about herself. All she has ever wanted out of life is a partner whom she could have intellectual conversations with. Someone who enjoys Shakespeare as much as she does, and respects her for her brain rather than her sizable bosom. Having a name like Venus is somewhat of a curse when you're exceptionally endowed like she is. She's like a magnet for men with bad intentions, and she doesn't seem to have the ability to detect these bad traits in them until it's too late and the damage is done.

   She’d picked some corkers over the years—libertines, dandies, 

fortune-hunters, flatterers, dyed-in-the-wool fornicators, 

and failures—but she was really scraping the barrel this time.

Venus seems to have been hurt the most by her last suitor, Lord Argyll, but it isn't revealed what offense he committed until late in the book. The author uses short snippets of her journal entries at the beginning of the chapters to help you understand her feelings and experiences a little better. I enjoyed these little windows into what helped form her current opinions of Gal and men in general. I wouldn't call her a man hater, but she's been quite wounded by men and has decided that she no longer has it in her to trust the opposite sex. She guards her heart fiercely now, and has mostly lost hope of ever getting swept away by passion and romance as her sisters did. Now she looks at love pragmatically, and ironically, that has caused her to pick another man who is completely wrong for her. She has been warned by all of her loved ones that Lord Dorchester is an intolerable, pompous, snob, but she's determined to prove them wrong.

   Dorchester was the dictionary definition of what the Brits called a prig. 

A puritanical, vacillating, know-it-all fuddy-duddy who acted older 

than his already extensive years and wiser than Socrates, 

and was too puffed up with his own importance 

to notice his own shortcomings.

Galahad "Gal" Sinclair is the cousin of Giles, Venus' brother-in-law. As they are related through marriage, they cross paths at family gatherings and other social events. After an unfortunate misunderstanding in their first meeting, Gal just can't seem to get along with Venus. The two of them vacillate between pushing each other's buttons with taunts, and avoidance whenever possible. Gal likes to keep his distance from people in general, and he is a very private person who tends to only show others what he wants them to see. From a very young age, his father's betrayal combined with the loss of his mother has forced him to depend only on himself. He has admirably raised himself up from being penniless to owning multiple businesses and being comfortable financially. However, he's always working towards his big dream of owning a gambling establishment that would be open to both men and women of any social status. When a large property opens up in a prime location, it seems his dream can finally be set into motion. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that his dream may turn into a nightmare, because the shabby building right next door is owned by none other than his formidable adversary, Venus.

Gal never lets a challenge defeat him, so he concocts a plan to get on Venus' good side, which will hopefully help him avoid any conflict in the future. Yes, he is being a bit sneaky in his plan, but in his defense, he isn't aware of information involving the property that would have influenced his decision-making process. Of course, whenever a fragile relationship is founded on misconception and secrets, it never ends well. I thought his deception would be the big conflict at the end, but surprisingly it came out a lot earlier. Because of this, Gal had to prove himself to her a second time, and it was much harder this time around because she was just starting to care for him when his lies by omission were outed. At times, I did feel she was being a bit unreasonable by not listening to his side, but I did understand where she was coming from.

Gal was really struggling with losing the woman he was falling for. He didn't want to sacrifice any part of his dreams for the building, but he did feel a responsibility to make things right with her. He is a good man who made a dumb choice, and he had to find a way to allow himself to be honest and vulnerable with someone for the first time in his life. It was sweet seeing them find their way back to each other as he proved his good intentions and open heart.

   You’ve always felt significant, and I guess that’s why I’ve always 

kept you at a longer arm’s length than I’ve kept everyone else. 

I knew, somewhere deep down, that if I didn’t, you’d be my undoing.” 

He lifted her hand to kiss her fingers. “I was right. You are. I adore you.”

My one complaint is that when they finally professed their love for each other, I felt like he hadn't opened up to her at all about his childhood and many other personal things. He showed her that he had no bad intentions, and that he was a good man, but did she really know him at a deep enough level to be able to say that she loved him yet? All things considered, I did think they were a sweet couple once they worked out their difficulties and they had a lot in common to bond over.

I really enjoyed this first read by Virginia Heath, and I will definitely be checking out other books by her in the future.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON: 

View all my reviews

Read More

Review: How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long

In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s thrilling new romance in the Palace of Rogues series, an infamous privateer’s limits are put to the test when he’s trapped during a raging tempest with a prickly female at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long

Series: The Palace of Rogues #6

Publication date: July 25, 2023

Published by: Avon

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

He clawed his way up from the gutters of St. Giles to the top of a shadowy empire. Feared and fearsome, battered and brilliant, nothing shocks Lorcan St. Leger—not even the discovery of an aristocratic woman escaping out a window near the London docks on the eve of the storm of the decade. They find shelter at a boarding house called the Grand Palace on the Thames—only to find greater dangers await inside. 

Desperate, destitute, and jilted, Lady Daphne Worth knows the clock is ticking on her last chance to save herself and her an offer of a loveless marriage. But while the storm rages and roads flood, she and the rogue who rescued her must pose as husband and wife in order to share the only available suite. Crackling enmity gives way to incendiary desire—and certain Lorcan is everything she never dreamed she’d wanted, but he can never be what she needs. But risk is child’s play to St. Leger. And if the stakes are a lifetime of loving and being loved by Daphne, he’ll move any mountain, confront any old nemesis, to turn “never” into forever.

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Apple

Praise for Julie Anne Long:

“Smart, funny, and brimming with passion.”  — Julia Quinn, New York Times bestselling author

“Long finds that delectable sweet spot with Angel in a Devil’s Arms, welcoming us all to the cozy warmth of the Grand Palace on the Thames with the peculiar blend of humor and pathos she writes with such aplomb.” — Entertainment Weekly

“Each of the brilliantly written entries in Long’s Palace of Rogues series is master class in how to successfully marry stunning sensuality with scintillating wit, and the fifth entry is no exception with its resplendent prose, impeccable plotting, and perfect-for-each-other protagonists.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Julie Anne Long reinvents the historical romance for modern readers.”  — Amanda Quick, New York Times bestselling author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Well, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it.

But writing was always my first love. 

I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).

Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.

But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?

But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research. 

So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had. 

Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :) 

Follow her:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

REVIEW

How to Tame a Wild Rogue by Julie Anne Long
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

   She did not know how to make a wild rogue 

into a husband, or an interlude into forever.

The sixth installement in The Palace of Rogues series is about privateer Lorcan St. Leger and an impoverished lady named Daphne Worth. I don't know if either of these characters were introduced in the previous book, as it is the only book in the series that I haven't managed to read. Both of these main characters have a significant connection to the owners of the Grand Palace on the Thames, though they do not discover that until they set foot inside together looking for lodging late at night.

The book pulls you in immediately as Lorcan is strolling through a dangerous neighborhood near the docks and stumbles upon a woman's legs dangling out of a window. He debates with himself: should he just stroll on by, or find a bit of entertainment assisting her to the ground? He takes her for a thief trying to make a less than elegant escape, but because of his colorful history, passes no judgement. Lorcan is hardly a saint, as he grew up fending for himself in the roughest of circumstances, but he feels as if he is a stronger person and self-sufficient as a result so he regrets nothing. He has this cavalier, playful attitude about him, but only a fool would be deceived by that and think he's harmless. He is a survivor, after all, and is absolutely lethal to anyone he perceives as a threat. He has clawed his way up from the gutter and made a name for himself as a pirate sanctioned by the crown. Lorcan has achieved a comfortable amount of wealth, a reputation that brings him fear and respect equally, and a life just on the right side of the law.

   By the time he was scarcely more than twenty 

years old he’d built a shadowy empire from 

one end of England to the other of men and 

women who would have killed for him.

It was quite entertaining to see Lorcan deliberately ruffling the prim and proper Lady Daphne's feathers from their first interaction. It becomes a game of sorts for him to find all of the buttons he needs to push in order to fluster her. He isn't really sure why he follows her once she's safely on the ground, but maybe he feels a bit obligated to see her to her destination. He had no way of knowing that once he walks into the Grand Palace with her, he will become entangled in their fabricated story of marriage and forced to continue playing a part. There's only a suite with separate bedrooms available to them, so of course they pretend to be married in order to bypass the rules of propriety. So we have forced proximity, opposites attract, and fake relationship tropes going on in the story. If you like any or all of these in your romances this story will most likely be perfect for you. I will say that even having read the first four books, the two year gap I took in the series left me a little lost in the beginning as I struggled to remember all of the names and situations of previous characters. A completely new reader may find the struggle to be a bit much as they navigate through the list of people to remember.

I think I would have been happier to have more focus centered on the two main characters for the entire book rather than Angelique, Delilah, their spouses, Mr Delacorte, Dot, and the various house guests. While they did lend a good amount of humor to the book (as always) I think the romance would have felt more balanced if the secondary characters played more of a backseat role this late in the series. Daphne and Lorcan's romance kind of went from 0 to 100 in the second half, and needed a bit more of a natural progression.

There was one humorous scene in particular that was one of my favorites that had me chuckling out loud. When the three couples all got into a fight, and there was lots of hall wandering and bed-hopping, poor Lorcan discovered that Mr Delacorte was not a good roommate to have during the night. The sounds and *ahem* scents coming from underneath the covers were just as bad as the obnoxious snoring from above the covers. Their reactions were seriously priceless...best scene in the beginning of the book by far.

Daphne has led a more sheltered, pampered life as part of the ton, however, her family has fallen on hard times due to her father's gambling problem. Since her mother died when she was a child, she has stepped into the role of caregiver for her father and two older brothers. She learned to take care of their home, manage their budget, and do whatever it took to give the three men the illusion that they could still afford the life they were accustomed to. While the men in her life carelessly allow her to shoulder the burden of keeping them afloat, they never show her the appreciation she deserves. She clings to her responsibilities and order, and doesn't let herself acknowledge what is lacking in her family relationships. They are all she has after a failed engagement that broke her heart and changed her opinion about love.

Loving anyone had not yet done much but crush her.

While Lorcan is lightyears ahead of her in street smarts, he's shocked to discover that she has a way of viewing the world that helps him see things in a brand new way. They were both also not able to have a real, carefree childhood. He had to fend for and raise himself, and she had to take on the role of her mother with all of the responsibilities that entailed. So, while she was fortunate enough to have a safe home where her needs were met, she could relate to having to grow up too early as he did. As different as they were in so many ways, they realized that they weren't so different where it counted. He was the first man in her life to listen to her thoughts and feelings, and value her for who she was rather than what she could give. It took a while for me to warm up to them as a couple, but once I did, I enjoyed their connection very much. I absolutely loved how Lorcan went out of his way to bring her birthday gifts that showed her that he genuinely listened to her and valued her happiness.

I gave this one four stars even though it didn't pick up until the second half, because I feel that the second half was good enough to earn that rating on its own. I really loved seeing the romance finally unravel in the story and genuinely felt that the couple deserved the sweet HEA that they were given. If you like the tropes I've mentioned in my review, or if you're just a faithful reader of this series/author in general give this one a shot. I think you'll find a lot to love here.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON: 

View all my reviews

Read More

Review: Not That Duke by Eloisa James

The Duke of Huntington has no interest in an eccentric redhead who frowns at him over her spectacles...until he realizes that she is the only possible duchess for him. A new enemies-to-lovers romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James.

NOT THAT DUKE by ELOISA JAMES

Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #3

Publication date: July 25, 2023

Published by: Avon

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Bespeckled and freckled, Lady Stella Corsham at least has a dowry that has attracted a crowd of fortune-hunting suitors--which definitely doesn't include the sinfully handsome Silvester Parnell, Duke of Huntington, who laughingly calls her "Specs" as he chases after elegant rivals.

And then--

The worst happens. Marriage.

To the duke. To a man marrying her for all the wrong reasons.

How can Silvester possibly convince Stella that he's fallen in love with the quirky woman he married? Especially after she laughingly announces that she's in love--but not with that duke.

Not with her husband.

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Apple

Praise for Not That Duke:

“Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love. Her style is exquisite, her prose pure magic. Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James.”  — Julia Quinn

“Bestseller James’s fun third Would-Be Wallflowers historical romance (after The Reluctant Countess) sets itself apart in the depth of its interpersonal complexities. Lovers of historical romance will delight in these well-rounded, flawed characters learning to live their best lives.” — Publishers Weekly

“This enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance uses humor to show how a match that looks perfect on paper may be no match at all when it comes to chemistry… a compelling and delightful read. Enjoy this light and humorous historical romance.” — Library Journal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Eloisa...on her double life: 

When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.

When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.

So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.

One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.

Follow her:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW

Not That Duke by Eloisa James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Title: Not That Duke
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #3
Author: Eloisa James
Release date: July 25, 2023
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance

I was really looking forward to reading this installment in the Would-Be Wallflowers series. I have a weakness for reading nerdy, hyper intelligent heroines, and Lady Stella fit that description to a T. No proper wallflower series is complete without a "bluestocking" heroine-it's well known that they were seen as an oddity and undesirable for the time. Not only is Stella well read, she is basically as blind as a bat which forces her to wear eyeglasses. Another strike against her. Strike three and four are her unconventional freckles and body type. The ideal beauty of the time was willowy thin and delicate. Stella was sturdy, curvy, and accident-prone due to her eyesight. Unlike many other wallflower characters I've read, she isn't that distressed about not fitting in. It does give her poor self-confidence, but she isn't all that desperate to change people's minds about her.

   Gentlemen entered ballrooms looking for 

a woman to adore. To worship. Stella didn’t qualify.

Stella accepts people's unfair opinions of her stoically, most of all her aunt, Mrs. Thyme. I must say, that woman get on my nerves quite a bit. While her intentions were good, and I wouldn't go so far as to say that she was being intentionally cruel, she spent all her time trying to "fix" Stella's "negative" traits so she could help her find a husband. She was constantly harping on her about trying to hide/minimize her freckles, to avoid activities that could bring out her clutziness, and to keep her intelligence tucked away like it was a dirty secret. It felt like every character trait and physical trait was something she disapproved of and she didn't let Stella forget it. Is it really any wonder that the poor girl felt that she would only be chosen to marry for her dowry and was doomed to a love-less union?

   Many men had an eye on her dowry, but as far as 

she could see, not a single one of them had designs on her virtue. 

They were looking for lovable women. Stella would be the first 

to admit that she failed on that front. She was too awkward, 

too outspoken, too argumentative. Too peculiar. Too much hair. 

Not to mention the spectacles.

I didn't hate Mrs. Thyme, but let's just say she wasn't my favorite person. I mean, I didn't even get into her absolute feverish panic about men and their animal "appetites" that threatened every respectable woman's fragile reputation. She literally thought that being alone with a woman next to a bed would instantly turn them into savage beasts with no control over their baser instincts. Good grief, the woman should have kept a solid supply of smelling salts on her at all times to counteract her frequent hysterics.

   In her own way, Mrs. Thyme loved her. Unfortunately, 

“in her own way” was the only way anyone 

ever loved Stella: as second choice, second best.

In Part One, pretty much the whole first half is a rehash of the love quadrangle from the previous book, albeit from different POVs of course. If you haven't read The Reluctant Countess it centers around Giles and Yasmin. So many of the events involving these four characters are shown once again. Lord Silvester (the hero) is infatuated with Yasmin and is in a love triangle with her and Giles. Giles fights his feelings for Yasmin, but secretly wants her and the two men are very competitive for her affections. Stella is somewhat of an outsider in this scenario, though she ends up being courted by Giles for a time while secretly being attracted to Silvester. What I didn't like about the first half was seeing Stella be treated as a consolation prize by both men and made to feel inferior because of it. If the two love interests have zero romantic interactions in the first half and he is in fact heavily pursuing another woman, that takes away from the romance building. We are told that they are friends and have intellectual chats rather than shown. There is nothing concrete, no hint of developing feelings on his part aside from a brief passionate encounter between them. It was a tad disappointing and then eventually jarring when Silvester suddenly came to the realization in the beginning of Part Two that he wants Stella. This is after he was rejected by Yasmin, of course.

Silvester was resisting thinking of Stella as a romantic partner for so long mostly because she reminded him of his own quirky mother. His mother is an engineer and has awkward social behavior that made him embarrassed and uncomfortable growing up. He wanted a wife that would fit in more, and take more care with social niceties and manners. Silvester has constructed a facade around himself in order to blend in well with others rather than rock the boat. So when his mother gives him her hearty approval of Stella as his future bride, he runs far in the other direction. It was actually sweet to see the interactions between his mother and Stella because they were so alike. The whole lake scene with Merry, Stella, and the Duchess of Huntington was fantastic.

When Silvester finally set his mind on Stella and pursued her things picked up. He does have his work set out for him in convincing her that even though she was his second choice, she was the best choice. There was some residual jealousy and hurt feelings, but he's more than ready to make her feel wanted beyond their very healthy physical relationship. The two of them are certainly not lacking chemistry and passion, that's for sure.

Overall, I wish there would have been more romance development between the two main characters, as it made the first half pretty slow for me. I thought they made a cute couple once the other two characters were out of the picture, but I ended up feeling as if I needed a bit more. Still, it was a very well-researched book with lots of interesting historical details. The author never disappoints in that area, that's for sure. I also appreciated all of the quirky characters and seeing Stella find the love that she never thought she would have as well as flourishing in her new role as a duchess. I'm looking forward to seeing what story Eloisa James has to offer next.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON: 

View all my reviews

Read More