I started reading this because when I posted the $1.99 sale alert, Samalamadingdong, a reader, said that this was one of her favorite Balogh novels. I love me some historicals so off I went to read it. I thought to myself, while I was reading the opening chapters, “Well, this isn't exactly my cup of tea, there's a lot of infodumpery and some of these characters talk in exposition and that's too bad. I'll give … Continue reading Irresistible by Mary Balogh
Like many people, after seeing The Hobbit with it’s remarkably, disturbingly hot dwarves, I have found myself fascinated with the ouvre of one Richard Armitage, and Zoe Archer helped (as she always helps) with her constant, steady, delicious stream of “Hot Dude Pictures” she posts on Tumblr. And then there are are the North and South gifs. And there’s the eyes, and the nose and the jaw line and the cheekbones and dude. The voice. … Continue reading North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - A Guest Review by RedHeadedGirl
I believe that the best word to describe Midsummer Moon is “adorable”, and I mean that as a compliment. It dances right on the edge of being hopelessly twee, but there's a grounding element of emotional truth that makes the stakes real and powerful. Lord Ransom Falconer…oh, excuse me. I was about to tell you the plot, but we have to pause for a moment to truly appreciate the name “Lord Ransom Falconer”. Done? Then … Continue reading Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsale - a Guest Review by Carrie S
A Kiss for Midwinter is my new favorite novella. It has a flawed but interesting heroine, it has a hero who is scientific, compassionate, and basically amazing, and it takes its characters through a powerful emotional journey with lots of angst but also lots of humor. I never would have thought I'd find this line sexy, but I most certainly do… “Besides, the hymen is just a membrano-carneous structure situated at the entrance of the … Continue reading A Kiss For Midwinter by Courtney Milan: A Guest Review by CarrieS
The Duchess War is lovely – smart, touching, funny, sexy, and dizzyingly romantic. Read it right away – yes, now. Everything on your to-do list can wait, believe me. The Duchess War is the first book in Milan’s new Victorian Era romance trilogy, The Brothers Sinister. There’s a prequel, The Governess Affair, which is delightful reading but not at all necessary in terms of understanding The Duchess War. Anyway, in Duchess War, we have Robert Blaisdell, … Continue reading The Duchess War by Courtney Milan: A Guest Review By CarrieS
I first learned about this book over the summer – at RWA, in fact – when I had breakfast with Danielle Jackson and Beth Caskie, publicists at Sourcebooks. They were both very excited about this book. (Aside: is it me, or does the woman in the cover look a LOT like Britney Spears?) I wish my reaction had been similar, as the premise gave me all the curiosity and eagerness to read it: Aurelia Newbold … Continue reading Waltz With a Stranger by Pamela Sherwood
Kyra Kramer and I were emailing about Tudor romances, specifically one she really enjoyed, as she's a student of the Tudor era. She sent me this review to share with y'all. I hope you like it. My name is Kyra Cornelius Kramer and I like romance novels. I like them so much I write academic essays about them. I have also done academic work in history, particularly King Henry VIII, including a book about the … Continue reading In a Treacherous Court, by Michelle Diener: A Guest Review by Kyra Cornelius Kramer
I stayed up way too late reading this book. It isn't action packed with swashbuckling mayhem, but the tension and emotional power builds so slowly that I didn't want to stop reading. I wish the ending had been stronger, but this is still one of my favorite historical series. It's all the best things of historical romance with witty dialogue and interesting characters, with the charm of small town settings that are so popular in … Continue reading A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long
I enjoy Zoe Archer's writing, so when she said she'd published one of her early novels, Lady X's Cowboy, I grabbed it and started reading nearly immediately. While it does have some innovative elements to the plot, the unevenness of the characterization and conflict undermines the overall effect of the story. First, contrast the re-release cover on the left with the original Dorchester cover here: Quite a difference, huh? I confess to liking the … Continue reading Lady X’s Cowboy by Zoe Archer
Well, I just don't know what to say. Sherry Thomas took a generous handful of my very least favorite tropes and said, “Carrie, my book has an asshole hero and a selfish heroine and several plot devices that you loathe. Go on, read it. I DARE YOU”, and I loved it. How does she do that? The lush writing and the layered, complex characters who are always far more complicated than they first appear, the … Continue reading Tempting The Bride by Sherry Thomas
A reader emailed me to tell me about this book back in August, and after reading the description online, I bought it. I wanted to like it – mathematician heroine! Not All Lords and Ladies Up In Here! So many things I was curious about, and I went in eager and excited. I very quickly lost patience with the heroine, the hero and the plot, and was disappointed by how difficult it was for me … Continue reading A Study in Seduction by Nina Rowan
