The Princess In His Bed by Lila DiPasqua Paperback: 336 Publisher: Berkley Trade Available: November 2, 2010 Genre: Historical Romance Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Sophia (FV) 

The Marquis’ New Clothes

To save her cousin, Aimee must retrieve a jeweled ring from the most sinfully seductive man at court, the Marquis de Nattes. But to search his considerable wardrobe she’ll have to get very close to the notorious rake…and soon she finds herself very close to him indeed, with his clothes—and hers—utterly forgotten…

Both Aimee and Adam are attracted to each other.  Aimee would like to deny that fact since Adam, a friend of her late husband has a reputation as a rake.  Adam has wanted Aimee for years but she was the wife of his late friend and therefore off limits.  But now her mourning period is over, and when Adam turns up the heat, he is not to be resisted.  Adam is unknowingly in possession of a stolen ring that Aimee is trying to retrieve to save her cousin and in her quest to find it, she finds herself in a few awkward, and sexy situations. I liked that although this was a very sexy story it was also written with a touch of humor.  Aimee’s internal dialog is cute and she made me laugh several times.  Adam is a sexy beast in the boudoir and any lady he sets his sites on should consider herself very lucky.  The Marquis’ New Clothes is a very light, funny story, sort of like an “I Love Lucy” episode, with a very sexy twist.  I very much enjoyed Aimee’s antics on behalf of her cousin and the hot steamy romance between her and Adam. 

The Lovely Duckling

Reputed for his carnal skills, Joseph d’Alumbert prefers amorous encounters without emotional entanglement—until a quick-witted lady stirs tender feelings as well as hot desire. Emilie suffered burns to her body as an infant, and keeps her scars—and her heart—well hidden. But Joseph is determined to peel away her inhibitions, one slow steamy kiss at a time, to reveal the beautiful swan inside…

The Lovely Duckling is an emotional romance.  Emilie, has hidden herself from society ashamed of the scars she bears as a result of a fire when she was a child.  She was chastised and shunned at her coming out and has never forgiven those who caused her emotional scars.  Joseph was present the night Emilie was devastated by the cruel remarks make about her scars and although he could have stopped it, he did not.  Now years later, Emilie is ready experience the physical pleasures of sex and attends her aunts masquerade party with the intention of indulging in carnal pleasures.  Out of guilt, Joseph has posed as his twin brother Vincent and has not only gotten to know Emilie, but has come to care for her very much.  The thought of her giving herself to another is enough to drive him mad but since he has not been honest with her about his identity, he finds himself in a tangled web of lies that could cause him to lose Emilie forever.

This is my favorite story of the three novellas in A Princess In His Bed.  Although the heroine struggles with self-confidence she has a very strong core that made me like her very much.   Joseph complicates his romance with Emilie with a mess of lies, but he truly is a changed man and wants to protect and love her.  The ending was dramatic and a came about rather quickly but I still loved how it all played out.  A wonderfully romantic retelling of this classic tale.

The Princess and the Diamonds

Princess Gabrielle can’t sleep at night. There is something hard in her bed. No, not just the stolen diamonds tucked under her mattress, but the handsome marquis on it….whose carnal talents she can’t resist. But he threatens her secret mission, and worse, she stands to lose far more than the diamonds—her heart is at stake….

Mathias is probably my favorite hero in this set of novellas in that he is drop dead sexy and his character is well developed.  His back story is touching and he’s just all around likable.  The problem I had with this story was with the heroine.  Like Mathias, her motives are noble but I never felt the warmth from her character and therefore the romance faltered a bit for me.  I did enjoy the story,  however for me this was the weakest of the three in the romance department.

I am once again impressed by Lila DiPasqua’s fresh take on the age old classic fairy tales.  These novellas are hot, steamy and entertaining.  I look forward to reading the upcoming full length novel by Ms. DiPasqua, A Midnight Dance. 

 

GoodReads Reviews

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository

***Giveaway***

I have a copy of The Princess In His Bed to giveaway.  To enter tell me, what is your favorite quality in a romance hero? 

Giveaway ends December 3, open to all. 

His Sinful Secret by Emma Wildes Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Signet Available: November 2nd 2010 Genre: Historical Romance Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Amy 

Betrothed to one brother, then married to another, Julianne Sutton finds herself a pawn in an unknown game. The enigmatic new Marquess of Longhaven knows all about the art of deception but he’s baffled by innocence. His new wife is trusting, lovely, and utterly bewitching. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that she has secrets of her own. As he battles a ruthless enemy, he quickly learns that love has an entirely different set of rules.

When I think of secrets, espionage and romance, I am immediately excited by the prospect of being transported into an adventure that captivates my mind and heart.  Unfortunately, I was not whisked away in His Sinful Secret by Emma Wildes, the last book in the trilogy of the Notorious Bachelors.

Since birth, Jualianne Sutton has been destined to marry Harry Hepburn, the Marquess of Longhaven.  The marriage, an arrangement between both families, came to an abrupt altering after Harry’s sudden and unexpected death.  Assuming his late brother’s position as heir, Michael Hepburn steps into not only the title and responsibilities of the Marquess but also, at his parents insistence, the bridegroom to Jualianne.  Facing a union out of duty and obligation, Michael  coolly accepts the marriage to console his grieving parents with the mindset of "I’ll survive. I’ve certainly been through worse."  Jualianne barely knew Michael when he left to fight in the Napoleonic war almost five years ago.  Now, a 19 year old young woman, Jualianne still views him as a stranger, but accepts her role as the Marquess’ wife.  Polite yet distant, charming but enigmatic, Michael is the epitome of complexity.  Though Jualianne may not be marrying this mysterious man for love, after marriage she hopes they will be able to learn who the other person is and at least share their lives in mutual companionship.   Developing trust proves difficult when both Michael and Jualianne are hiding secrets from each other that could not only threaten their marriage but also their very lives.

I enjoyed the sensual and alluring style of Emma Wildes in the previous Notorious Bachelors books: My Lord Scandal and Our Wicked Mistake.  However, this last installment lacked the charm and captivation that pulled me into the other books and that I have come to expect in her stories.  Michael was considerate and accommodating to Jualianne, but his aloof demeanor and general detachment from her throughout much of the daily interaction made it difficult to see much chemistry between the two.  Jualianne, both beautiful and intelligent, presented herself as reserved but inquisitive, with her main goal being to establish communication with her husband outside of the bedroom.  Overall, their relationship appeared dry and disconnected, missing the romantic spark and emotional connection that I like between developing couples.  In contrast, the secondary characters, Antonia and Lawrence, provided the charisma and attraction that was lost between the main couple.  Ultimately, Antonia and Lawrence held my attention more through the majority of the story.  The mystery that developed throughout the series is quickly solved with a disappointing and anticlimactic end.  However, there was a nice twist which could warrant a fourth book if Ms. Wildes chooses to extend the trilogy. His Sinful Secret, while a bit bland, still concluded an overall well-written and well-developed series.  Ms. Wildes is an author I would not hesitate to read more work from in the future.

Favorite Quote:  

"Michael was brilliant as a cut diamond, but also every bit as hard.  The facets too were many." 

 

Series list:

• My Lord Scandal
• Our Wicked Mistake
• His Sinful Secret

GoodReads Reviews

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository

Our Wicked Mistake   by Emma Wildes  Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Signet Available: October 5, 2010 Genre: Historical Romance

When blackmail turns to murder, Madeline May turns to the notorious Viscount Altea, a man used to dealing with men of ill repute, and a man she despises with every fiber of her being.From the very moment of their first meeting-and one unforgettable night of passion-Luke Daudet knew she was different. And when he received her fateful entreaty, he knew he would not be able to stay away…

Reviewed by: Amy You know you have stumbled upon a good story when an author creates such vivid physical and emotional images with her words that you can almost see the picture unfold in your mind.  Emma Wildes created just that in Our Wicked Mistake, the second book in the Notorious Bachelors trilogy.  And while this story was not as lighthearted as My Lord Scandal, its intensity and strength of characters had me enjoying it just the same.

Madeline “Madge” May has herself in quite the predicament.  She’s being blackmailed, has taken matters into her own hands in dealing with the blackmailer and has now created a mess she does not know how to get out of.  Despite their differences and the one night stand of heated passion they shared a year ago, Madge calls upon Luke Daudet (Viscount Altea) for help, knowing she can trust him above all others.  After receiving her summons, Luke realizes the “knight in shining armor” role is not one he tends to play, but nevertheless he arrives and feels compelled to help.  Once Luke fixes Madge’s mess, he still can’t shake the attraction toward her.  Mindful of the potential risk to her reputation and opposed to a committed relationship, he decides to not act on his desires.

However, Madge, a widow who is not looking to marry again, still has other ideas in mind and propositions Luke to become her secret lover.  Having loved and lost so much in the past, Luke cannot resist this easy, no strings attached affair.  During their liaisons, Luke and Madge try to maintain personal walls, but they slowly crumble as both begin to work through tragic past losses and consider loving again.

Ms. Wildes skillfully developed the primary and secondary characters, which helped offset the noticeably weak blackmail plot.  I am always a sucker for the strong, yet vulnerable tortured hero and Luke fit the mold like a glove.  However, his kindness, thoughtfulness and considerate nature was unmistakably evident which made you love him all the more.  The fun and flirty banter that Luke and Madge exchanged was as sultry as their seductive words and actions shared between the sheets.  As the reader, I could visualize Luke’s clever grin and captivating eyes whether going head to head with Madge in conversation or whispering to her in bed that he was at her mercy and she should “do as you like.” The secondary characters, Luke’s sister Elizabeth and her childhood friend Miles were a refreshing addition to the story as they awkwardly danced around their true feelings and transformed their lifelong friendship into a deep, sensual love. Our Wicked Mistake delivered passionate characters, heartwarming moments, and steamy love scenes.  All in all, it was a satisfying historical read that left me dreamy for my own Viscount and anticipating His Sinful Secret, the final book in the trilogy.

Favorite Quotes:  ” That one night was imprinted so clearly on her mind that Madeline could almost taste his kiss, feel the hardness of muscle and sinew under her questing fingertips, not to mention the delicious erotic friction as he moved with seductive expertise between her legs….”“There were times when he wished he didn’t feel so deeply. The brittle facade did not match the inner man. However we appear, we all have our demons.”

Books in this series:

• My Lord Scandal (Notorious Bachelors)
• Our Wicked Mistake (Notorious Bachelors, #2)
• His Sinful Secret (Notorious Bachelors, #3)

Other reviews on GoodReads Author’s Website Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository

Seven Nights To Forever by Evangeline Collins  Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Trade Available: November 2, 2010 Genre: Historical Romance

She offered him one week of pleasure. No more and no less…

Some sacrifices are more difficult than others. Left destitute after her father’s death, Rose Marlowe has debts to settle and a younger brother to support. But she also possesses an unmatched beauty-one that could command quite a price…

Now, every month, Rose secretly travels from her country home to spend one week at a decadent London brothel, where she’s become a sought-after prize. Elegant and accomplished in the art of pleasure, she spends her nights fulfilling the fantasies of the gentlemen of the ton while denying the wish buried deep in her heart.

Then one night a wealthy merchant gentleman walks through her door. Handsome, kind and compassionate, with a lonely soul that matches her own, James Archer is not her usual client. Falling in love with a client, never mind a married one, is unthinkable. Yet Rose can’t help but lose herself in his arms as one night becomes seven-and seven nights lead to a chance at forever…

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV) 

After her father’s death, Rose Marlowe soon realizes he has gambled away most of the family’s money leaving her and her brother deeply in debt.  In order to protect her younger brother who idolized their father and to save their family home, Rose seeks a protector.  Not wanting to be a mistress she leaves her first protector only to end up with another who becomes abusive.  Once Rose realizes she must find another way to support her brother and repay her fathers debts she makes a decision.  Once a month she works at a posh London brothel where gentlemen are willing to pay a very generous price to spend time with her.  She has became so sought after that she earns enough working as a prostitute one week a month to repay her debts, maintain her country home, as well support and send her brother to University. 

James Archer, a very wealthy merchant is miserable and lonely.  He is in a loveless marriage arranged by his father in an effort to gain standing in high society.  His wife is not happy at all about being married to James and makes no secret of it.  She takes many lovers and flaunts her infidelity in his face, however she will not allow James to take a mistress, threatening to withdraw her sponsorship of his younger sister if he does.  James loves his sister and wants to see her marry well so he tolerates his wife’s emotional battery since his sister will hopefully marry soon.

One night, feeling lonely and worn down by his wife’s demeaning behavior toward him, James decides to visit a brothel in search of physical comfort.  He is introduced to Rose and is taken by her beauty, and lovely demeanor.  Although he has paid to spend time with Rose and basically have his way with her, James finds it such a relief to just spend time with a lovely woman who seems to welcome his company and he spends the evening talking and getting to know Rose.  Rose in turn finds James to be a charming gentleman but she is confused by James’ lack of interest in having sex with her. 

James cannot get Rose out of his head and he returns the following night to see her.  In the course of the week, Rose and James develop a lovely friendship and they eventually become lovers.  Not wanting to let Rose go at the end of the week, James tries to come up with a way for them to be together.  James has much to lose if his relationship with Rose is discovered and Rose does not want to become his mistress.  She has many responsibilities and is determined to manage them herself. 

While Rose and James lead very different lives and it seems unlikely they would find any sort of commonality with each other, they come together out of loneliness.  As they begin to know each other  it is revealed that they are both selflessly making a huge personal sacrifices for the well being of a younger sibling.  James is not your typical romance hero.  Although he puts up with his wife’s brow beating for the sake of his sister he never comes off as weak or wimpy.  Instead I always got the sense that he was simply willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his sister’s future.  He is a gentleman and gives the typical alpha hero new levels to aspire to.  Rose, is a strong heroine, determined to use her assets to keep what’s left of her family afloat.  Not wanting her brother to face the shame of finding out their father squandered the family coffers, essentially leaving them in dire straits, she does whatever she has to do to see to it that her brother lives well and gets an education.  Both James and Rose are kind and generous to those they love and they are perfect for each other as well. 

One of the things I loved most about Rose and James is although they had misunderstandings, they were refreshingly honest with each other and avoided serious relationship issues with their openness.  Trust was built between them slowly and they both constantly surprised me with their gentleness and kindness.  They were strong characters yet very vulnerable and I found them both to be extremely likeable. 

Seven Nights To Forever is a lovely story about about two very endearing people who, against the odds, fall in love and find their way to happiness together.  Evangeline Collins delivers a wonderful historical romance novel that is well written, nicely paced and a pleasure to read.  I look forward to more from this author.

Favorite Quote:

“Do you plan to join me, or do you plan to linger by the door all evening? I hope you aren’t expecting an offer from me to watch,” he said, all playful indignation.

A laugh burst from her throat at the unexpected comment. Her back almost propping up the door, she must look just as he had nights ago, when he had hesitated to take more than a step into her bedchamber.

“Not expecting, but if the offer’s there . . .” she trailed off, arching a suggestive brow. His eyes flared slightly, his expression momentarily blanking. Goodness, was that a blush staining his cheeks?

 

Other reviews on GoodReads

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository

I have a copy of Seven Nights To Forever to giveaway!  Leave a comment on this review to enter, open to all.  (Leave a comment even if you don’t want to enter, just let me know)  Giveaway is open until November 6, winner announced soon after.  Good luck!

Sinful In Satin by Madeline Hunter Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Jove Available: September 28, 2010 Genre: Historical Romance Source: Author

Celia’s quiet life ends when her mother, a famed London courtesan, dies, leaving her a small house in town-and a darkly handsome, reputedly dangerous tenant.

Reviewed by: Catherine 

I’m so glad that I ended up liking this book! I enjoyed the first book in the series, Ravishing in Red, but I was rather unimpressed with the second book, Provocative in Pearls. I had a deal with myself that this would be my tiebreaker on whether or not to continue the series. I was lying to myself, of course! How could I not read the fourth book when I heard it was about Castleford? I do have to admit that I am relieved that I’ve liked two out of three of these books, though. It makes me confident that I’ll love Castleford’s story as much as I think I will. ;P

Wow, I really wasn’t expecting a heroine like Celia. I knew her circumstances from the previous books, but I thought she’d end up being toned down for her own book. What can I say, everyone else does it. How was I to know that Madeline Hunter would make her character feel so real? Kudos to her, though! I was definitely impressed.

Celia didn’t spend any time with her mother, Alessandra, a famous courtesan, while she was growing up. But when she was sixteen she was brought to live with her. Alessandra began grooming Celia to walk in her footsteps and Celia didn’t react how you would expect in a romance novel. She took to it like a duck in water. She appreciated the thought of having pretty things and a nice house. She took most of her mother’s lessons to heart and had a very upfront attitude about pleasure. She embraced it and learned to focus on her own pleasure even if she didn’t really like who she was with. It was just business. Here’s a little hint of her view while she’s talking to Jonathan from page 131.

"People always build some story around pleasure. The story of marriage or the story of love, or at least a brief tale of commerce.”

Her pragmatic attitude was extremely refreshing. She may have chosen to walk a different path than her mother, but she didn’t reject it out of repugnance for the life. I really liked that, because she knows growing up who she is and what her place in society is going to be. It was nice to see a character who didn’t martyr herself for her pride and honor.

All that practicality and acceptance was in every aspect of her personality as an adult. She was just so grown up. It felt like I was reading about a real person. Sometimes I was a little turned off by her choices, but I still liked her because it made total sense for her personality.

Jonathan was another interesting character. He really turned out to be such a nice guy. I wouldn’t say that he carried the relationship, but I really feel that without him Celia wouldn’t have ended up in quite the same arrangement. She was too aware of her place in the world to dare ask for more. Luckily he was there to insist that she was worth it! I really liked how things turned out in the end. I also Awwwww’ed when I found out about his role in her past when he talked to her mom. That was such a good guy thing to do.

I really appreciated how things turned out for both Jonathan and Celia with their families. While it might not satisfy everyone who desires perfect endings, it satisfied me for its very lack of one. It just made it feel more authentic. Especially when a certain something at the very end was predicted to take so long. There’s no magic snap of the fingers here to solve all their problems.

Where I think this book really shined over the other ones in the series is in the friendships between the men and the women. We’ve met all these characters before, of course, but by the very nature of the girls’ stay with Daphne we never felt like we knew them very well. Everyone just had too many secrets. Here they feel like puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. They talk and they laugh and they gossip. I really like it. One of my favorite quotes in the book comes from one of those conversations. On page 149 Verity (from Provocative in Pearls) and Daphne were teasing Celia about the possibility of her and Jonathan getting closer.

"…did I mention, Verity, that Mrs. Hill tried a new kind of trifle the other night? It had a bit of lemon in the cream." "It sounds delicious," Verity said. "I do favor trifle myself, so I must ask her for the recipe. I wonder if trifle is called trifle because it was once served on trifle? That is what my father called our everyday pewter when I was young. Trifle." "How interesting. One could serve trifle on trifle to a man at dinner, who later trifles with–" "Could we return to the topic at hand?" Celia interrupted pointedly. Daphne looked innocent. "I did not realize we had left it, Celia."

It cracked me up! But it wasn’t just the women who seemed like more of a real unit. The men were more abrasive and joking with each other too. I think we’re finally getting to see them act like a close group together.

The only complaint I had was that the pacing felt a bit slow in the middle. I still enjoyed it, but it broke the momentum enough that I couldn’t love it.

I cannot wait until next May so I can finally get my hands on the next book! The author has been teasing me with little fascinating snippets of Castleford’s life and personality since the first book! He was almost unlikable in the first book, but something about him was just so compelling that he stole the show every time he came on scene. I’ve loved watching him grow with each book. His attitude on Tuesdays cracks me up! I have to end this review before I write a book myself, but let me leave you with some great quotes involving Castleford that I found in this book. Maybe it’ll whet your appetite enough to want to read about him too.

page 247: He ran his fingers through his hair. And froze. "What the hell–" He groped around his head, trying to make sense of what he did and did not feel. "I had my man cut it while you slept," Castleford said. "It looks much better now. He did a fine job of it." Jonathan glared at him. "You go too far." "I can’t be seen around town with a man whose hair is so unfashionable. You will thank me once you see it. The women will be swarming you now."

page 282: "Rather suddenly Castleford did not appear very drunk at all. Sly intelligence showed in the gaze he settled on Jonathan."

page 342: "They should have used me during the war, not you, Albrighton. I have a knack for this investigating business. My analytical powers even impressed me this week." "Being a duke probably helps too." "In investigating? Probably so." "Also in impressing yourself, and in convincing yourself you have the right to interfere."

page 343: "So I went there. Hence my sore ass. I did not want to waste too much time on this and thought riding cross-country would be best. I asked some polite and discreet questions and–" "You are incapable of being discreet, so you are already turning this tale to make yourself look better," Hawkeswell said.

 

Books in this series:

• Ravishing in Red (The Rarest Blooms, #1)
• Provocative in Pearls (The Rarest Blooms, #2)
• Sinful in Satin (The Rarest Blooms #3)
• Dangerous in Diamonds (The Rarest Blooms, #4) (2011)

Other reviews on GoodReads

Author’s Website

Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository