The Duchess Hunt - Review

The Duchess Hunt (House of Trent #1) 
by Jennifer Haymore

Publication date: 25 June 2013 by Forever

ISBN 10/13: 1455523399 | 9781455523399
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Category: Adult Historical Romance
Keywords: Historical, romance, childhood sweethearts, siblings, missing persons
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: e-ARC received from Netgalley

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Simon Hawkins, duke of Trent, is no stranger to scandal. Rumors and innuendo have darkened the House of Trent for decades, and it has fallen to Simon to restore his tattered family name. He lives by a strict code of honor, but when he is called home to investigate his mother's disappearance, the distinguished duke will tangle with temptation. For there waits the only woman he has ever loved--and the last woman he should desire...

Sarah Osborne has spent her life dreaming of Simon's touch. But dukes do not long for lady's maids--or so Sarah believes, until a stolen kiss sparks a passion that could be her ultimate undoing. As the couple begins a forbidden romance, a cunning enemy plots to destroy the duke and everything he loves. Now, caught in a blackmailer's web, Simon faces an agonizing choice: sacrifice his family's future or break Sarah's heart.

Review:

I have only been recently introduced to the work of Jennifer Haymore. I had previously read the prequel novella to the House of Trent series which, while showing potential, did not wow me. However, the novella did include a lengthy excerpt for The Duchess War which sounded really promising and I was glad to see it pop up on Netgalley a few weeks later.

The Duchess Hunt is the first book in a new historical romance series by Julie Haymore featuring the unconventional Trent family. Rumor and scandal follow the Trents wherever they go. Simon Trent, the Duke of Trent, has spent his whole life trying to undo the damage that his parents did. He has a strict moral code and works tirelessly to restore his family's good name. When Simon's mother disappears without a trace, he must work quickly and quietly with his siblings to find her before the ton finds out and scandal once again darkens their door.

Called in to help is Sarah Osborne, the gardener's daughter and now head housemaid. The Duchess of Trent raised Sarah almost as one of her own and she and Simon share a special bond and friendship. They also share a deep attraction, which both of them have been fighting. A maid and a Duke cannot be together, and both of them know it. But investigating the Duchess's disappearance throws Simon and Sarah closer together and their feelings for each other become harder and harder to ignore.

This was such a wonderful romance! I loved both Simon and Sarah and thoroughly enjoyed their story. Sarah is a great heroine. I love how smart she was and stoutly loyal and devoted to the family. As a gardener's daughter, she has realistic expectations of her life but still has aspirations. She's already reached far ahead of what most people in her position could. Simon was great as well and I loved how kind and loyal he was. He always tried to do the right thing for the family, even if it was detrimental to himself. He always treated Sarah with care and respect even though she is far below him in social status.

Sarah and Simon had fantastic chemistry. Every time they were in a room together, I could feel the tension in the air. Years of denying their attraction to each other really amped up the energy between them and when they finally get together - wow. While the love scenes are extremely passionate and hot, there were also a lot of really sweet moments between the two. It's clear that they have a special connection born from years of friendship and I loved some of the small moments they had together.

Overall, I was really impressed with The Duchess Hunt. The romance was great and I loved the main characters. The mystery aspect of the story did fall a little flat however. It wasn't quite as exciting as I was expecting, but I really didn't care because all I really cared about was what was going to happen to Simon and Sarah. I was also really intrigued by the rest of the family. They each have very distinct personalities and I cannot wait to read their stories. The Duchess Hunt included a short except for the next book in the series, The Rogue's Proposal, which follows the surliest Trent, Luke, as he searches for his mother. The excerpt is very promising and I have added it to my TBR list. If you like historical romances with emotional punch and great characters, don't hesitate to pick up The Duchess Hunt.

** The author is giving away 5 copies of this book on Goodreads right now. Go enter, you know you want to. :)

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

 

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Visit the author online at www.jenniferhaymore.com and follow her on Twitter @jenniferhaymore and Facebook.


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Lethal Rider - Review

Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #3) 
by Larissa Ione

Publication date: 22 May 2012 by Grand Central Publishing

ISBN 10/13: 0446574503 | 9780446574501
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Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, apocalypse, pregnancy, siblings, horsemen
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: e-ARC received from Netgalley

Synopsis:

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, ReganCooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

*This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*

Review:

Larissa Ione is back with the third book in her Lords of Deliverance series. While I am a huge fan of Larissa’s, I didn’t love Immortal Rider, the previous book in the series. I had my doubts as to whether or not Lethal Rider would get it back on track for me and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint.

Lethal Rider picks up about 8 months after the events of Immortal Rider. Than’s been kept in a state of mental consciousness but physical immobility by his siblings as they await the birth of his son (of which he has not knowledge of). Baby mama Regan is hiding out in Aegis headquarters, waiting to give birth, while trying to deal with her feelings of guilt over her “seduction” of Than and the resulting pregnancy. When Than breaks out and finds Regan, she has some heavy explaining to do. Pestilence is still doing his evil best to bring about the Apocalypse and the body count rises.

The events of the last couple of books really come to a culmination in Lethal Rider. Pestilence, nice guy turned douchebag extraordinaire, soars to new heights of dickdom in this one. It’s clear that Ione isn’t afraid of killing characters and I was surprised by how bloody this one was. There are appearances by the usual Demonica crew as well as Reaver and Harvester. I am not really sure what’s going on between those two but I hear a rumor that Reaver might be getting his own book and I hope it’s true. There is plenty of action to go with the romance in this book and, unlike Immortal Rider, the other plotlines in the book did not overwhelm the romance and I felt like there was a good balance between the two.

Speaking of romance, I loved Regan and Thanatos together! I wasn’t sure how Ione was going to make the relationship work given how things ended in the last book. But she tackles it head on, showing us the guilt that Regan feels about happened and her struggle to come to terms with it. I really felt that she explained and handled it in a way that, while not necessarily making it right, does make it more understandable and makes me believe that Than and Regan could move past this bad beginning into a new future together.

Than just might be my favorite Horseman. Yes, he’s capable of mass destruction but he is kind and protective and extremely loyal. Believing all his life that having sex will break his seal, he’s never been able to have a real relationship and has been pretty isolated except for his family. When Regan comes into his life, he has a chance for a family he’s always wanted and he’s not letting Regan and his son go. His bouts of rage were tempered with really tender moments and I just wanted to give him a big hug.

I ended up liking Regan a lot more than I thought I was going to. After Immortal Rider she wasn’t my favorite person. But she shows a lot of remorse for what she did to Than and she won me over. She’s tough as nails and pretty badass for someone who is almost nine months pregnant. She and Than have crazy chemistry and the sex is super hot! I never thought I would say that about pregnancy sex but Larissa Ione can make almost anything sexy.

Yay for Lethal Rider! This is definitely my favorite book of the series so far. Lots of action, demon bad guys, demon good guys, crazy angels, and super sexy times. Well paced and easy to follow, the storyline nicely wrapped up a lot of loose ends while setting up Reseph’s story. And I have no idea what’s going to happen in Reseph’s book. All I know is that I want to read it NOW. Fans of this series will not be disappointed. If you haven’t read this series yet, what are you waiting for? Get on it!

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

 

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Visit the author online at www.larissaione.com and follow her on Twitter @LarissaIone

Mine Till Midnight - Review

Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways #1) by Lisa Kleypas

Publication date: 02 October 2007 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 10/13: 0312949804 | 9780312949808

 

Category: Adult Historical Romance
Keywords: Historical, romance, siblings, gypsies, ghosts
Format: Hardcover, mass market paperback, ebook

From goodreads:

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Wealthy beyond most men's dreams, Cam has tired of society's petty restrictions and longs to return to his -uncivilized- Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship-but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter.

Thuy's review:

This is  my first Lisa Kleypas novel. She’s a big name in historical romance but it’s not a genre I’ve delved into very much yet (preferring the more paranormal stuff). But I picked up the second book in the Hathaway series last weekend at a used book store for $1. Since I hate reading things out of order I knew I had to track down the first book before going any further. Luckily my local library had a copy of Mine Till Midnight on hand and I was able to jump into this one right away.

Mine Till Midnight is a story about the Hathaway family - a close knit and somewhat unconventional (for their time at least) family. There are four sisters - Amelia, Win, Poppy and Beatrix with the eldest being their brother Leo. Also part of the family is Merripen, a Gypsy who came to the family has a child. Merripen holds an odd place in the family as he’s not quite a brother but he’s not really a servant either. With both parents deceased, it’s up to Amelia and Leo to take care of the family. Unfortunately Leo is on a destructive downward spiral after losing his fiancee to fever several months before.

I have to say, wow. I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. I loved the historical aspect of the story. There was just enough of it to create a believable setting but not so much that I was bogged down by language or too much historical background. Sexy love scenes, witty dialogue, and an emotional love story made this a book I did not want to put down.

I loved the hero of the story, Cam Rohan. Being a half-blood, he’s never really fit in anywhere. Not with his Gypsy family or with the the proper English society where he currently finds himself. He’s smart and forceful and confident in his ability to do anything, be it run a gambling club, find a missing person or get the woman he loves to marry him. I love that he’s undaunted by Amelia’s stubbornness and pursues her despite her reluctance. He’s a bit wild, his Gypsy half doing its best to uproot his Irish half.

Amelia is the backbone of her family, holding it all together when times get tough. I admire her strength and determination. Not many woman of that era would just walk into a gambling house or brothel but she’s ready to do whatever she has to in order to get the job done. She’s extremely loyal and loves her family beyond all reason. She also takes on way too much responsibility, refusing to ask for or accept any help in taking care of her family. She’s resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood in order to make sure that everyone else has a happy future. She’s also quite frustrating at times. She’s so stubborn and refuses for a long time to see what her own heart is telling her. Luckily Cam isn’t one to give up easily and his dogged pursuit of her is romantic and sweet. They also have fantastic chemistry and the love scenes were extremely sensual and sexy.

I loved watching Cam and Amelia’s relationship develop from physical attraction into a true partnership filled with love, caring and understanding. Cam becomes the person that Amelia can depend on and be vulnerable with (even when she doesn’t want to). In Amelia, Cam finally finds the place where he belongs, his home, his place by her side. I found their story to be ridiculously sweet and romantic and made me want to squeee.

And let’s not forget about Win and Merripen. The sexual tension is high with these two. Theirs seems like an impossible love but nothing is impossible in a romance book. I greatly look forward to reading their story. Thank you, Lisa Kleypas. You have officially made me a historical romance convert.

Note: I've also joined Under The Covers' Krazy Kleypass Reading Challenge 2012. More info on the challenge here. Come by and join up!

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Visit the author online at www.lisakleypas.com and follow @LisaKleypas on Twitter

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later - Review

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal
Publication date: 29 March 2011 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 10/13: 0312667574 | 978-0312667573

Category: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Keywords: Contemporary, revenge, romance, realistic, siblings, high school
Format: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

From goodreads:

Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood.

Thuy's review:

Let me begin by staying that I didn't have very high expectations for this book. I picked it up mostly for nostalgia's sake. Like many, I was a fan of the original Sweet Valley High series. I felt like I grew up with the Wakefield sisters and, when I saw Sweet Valley Confidential at the library, I couldn't resist the chance to find out where their lives had taken them.

The books begins 10 years after high school and we find Jessica and Elizabeth estranged from each other. 8 months earlier, Jessica commits the "ultimate betrayal" and Liz is still trying to cope with it. 10 years hasn't done much for the twins. Jessica, older but not wiser, is still in Sweet Valley and is much the same, hanging out with the same high school friends, who she still doesn't like very much and who don’t seem to like her much either. She’s still shallow, though we do get to see a more vulnerable side to her than usual. The book is told from both Jess and Liz’s points of views. Jess' narrative was littered with a ridiculous amount of so's and like's and I was grating my teeth whenever it was time for one of her segments. I felt like I was listening to Clueless, but not in an ironic way. Liz has left Sweet Valley to move to NYC and is working as a journalist for a small theater publication. Unfortunately, she has changed. After the incident with Jessica, she has become bitter and resentful. She spends most of the book brooding and thinking of ways to get back at her twin. The kind, sweet Elizabeth from high school is gone and has been replaced with someone I don’t recognize.

When the situation between Liz and Jess is finally resolved, it's very anti-climactic. Most of the book is spent going over the history and details of the betrayal and Liz and Jess' feelings about it only to have the whole thing resolved in few pages. I was expecting something bigger - a fight, a scene, anything really, but the whole thing sort of fizzles. But maybe this is where Liz hasn't changed, as she always forgave her twin much too easily.

I was also extremely disappointed in the futures of the other SVH alums. Lila Fowler is still superficial and snobby and is the original frenemy. Winston Egbert has become a total jerk. Liz’s former best friend Enid is mean and unlikeable. Todd, bless him, is still as bland as he was in high school. The only saving grace is Bruce Patman who, while in high school was the poster boy for conceited jock, manages to become a decent person. I was rolling my eyes at the epilogue that included what had happened to some of the other, lesser SVH characters. It felt like Pascal didn't know these characters or her audience at all.

This book doesn't do any justice to Sweet Valley High. If you were or are a fan of the original series, I would skip this and keep your fond childhood memories intact.

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Visit the author online at www.sweetvalleytenyearslater.com and follow @SVConfidential on Twitter