The following is a list of the recent books

as I have zero time really to read, and even less to update the book, the following are a list of recent books that I've read - minus the usual info.

Part of the Hellions of Halstead Hall Series

#229 (#27 of 2012) - How to Woo a Reluctant Lady ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#230 (#28 of 2012) - To Wed a Wild Lord ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#231 (#29 of 2012) - A Lady Never Surrenders ~ Sabrina Jefferies

Part of the Swalea Sisters Series:

#232 (#30 of 2012) - A Dangerous Love ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#233 (#31 of 2012) - Notorious Love ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#234 (#32 of 2012) - After Abduction ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#235 (#33 of 2012) - Dance of Seduction ~ Sabrina Jefferies

#236 (#34 of 2012) - Married to a Viscount ~ Sabrian Jefferies

Then:

#237 (#35 of 2012) - The Famous Heroine - Mary Ballogh

#238 (#36 of 2012) - The Plumed Bonnet ~ Mary Ballogh

#238 (#37 of 2012) - Regency Buck ~ Georgette Heyer


Taken all in all 4 sdtar ratings for all of them.

Kay

#225 (#23 of 2012) - The Ideal Wife ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN or e-book:


0-7278-4239-0


Publisher:


Severn House


Main Characters:


Miss Abigail Gardiner and Miles, Earl of Severn


Brief outline of plot:


The Earl told his friend Sir Gerald that if the plainest, dullest, most ordinary of females in all of England was placed in front of him that day he would marry her without further ado to avoid the pressure from his family and their ultimate pinnacle of his happiness, marriage to the beautiful Frances.


The next day, a distant family connection, Miss Abigail Gardiner calls on hm to ask for assistance finding a new position.


Viewing the plain and demure little brown mouse the Earl has a brainwave, and on the spur of the moment he offers her marriage by way of Special Licence 2 days later.


That being her only way out of her difficulty she accepts him.


However, almost from the minute they say "I do" the Earl finds that she is definitely not demure .... will it go horrendously wrong?

***

This book is a connecting story with A Precious Jewel about Sir Gerald Stapleton and Miss Priscilla Wentworth, and the whole things works in beautifully with it.  Mary Balogh always excels at doing that, and I would urge you to read them together - probably The Ideal Wife first and then A Precious Jewel.


Rating:


It has to be a 5 star rating for this book.


Hugs


Kay

#216 - (#14 of 2012) - A Handful of Gold (Heart of Christmas) ~ Mary Balogh

PART OF A COLLABORATION BOOK - HEART OF CHRISTMAS

ISBN / ebook:

978-0-26388942-0

Publisher:

Mills & Boon

Main Characters:

Julian Dare, Viscount Folingsby and Miss Verity Ewing

Brief outline of plot and rating:

Verity is a gentlewoman down on her luck and has to secretly work as actress, but tells her family that she is a paid companion to an old woman.

Julian takes a fancy to her, and offers her a vast amount of money to spend Christmas with him.  Will she do it?  Will her heart stay intact?

A 4 star rating for this lovely short story.

Hugs

Kay

#214 (#12 of 2012) A Precious Jewel ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN or E-book:

978-0-440-24463-9

Publisher:

Bantam

Main Characters:

Miss Priscilla Wentworth and Sir Gerald Stapleton

Rating and Brief Description:

Gentle Born Miss Priscilla is suddenly left alone and penniless and cast upon her cousin for support and protection, who has made it abundantly clear that he sees her more of a servant than a relative to be looked after.  When he also starts to make sexual advances Priscilla decides to seek out her old Governess, who it seems now runs a finishing school in London.

However, when Priscilla gets there she finds that it is not exactly a finishing school, rather a high end whorehouse.  She was given the opportunity to live with Miss Blythe and become her secretary or companion, but takes the enormous and irrevocable step of becoming one of the working girls.

Sir Gerald has no intention of getting married, or even keeping a mistress .... he'd rather visit Miss Blythe's establishment and pay for uncomplicated sex with the no emotional attachment required.

Unfortunately, after his first time with Priscilla he visits more and more often .... eventually deciding that perhaps she would do for a Mistress until he got tired of her .... perhaps for the time of the lease he's taken on the house he provides.

Is it possible to remain that detached, or does the heart always get in the way?

A lovely, and a slightly different story from Mary Balogh, which really merits a 4 star rating.  A nice tearful ending.

Hugs 

Kay

#212 (#10 of 2012) - The Secret Mistress ~ Mary Balogh

picture




IBSN or ebook:

978-0-7499-5697-4

Publisher:

Piatkus


Main Characters:

Lady Angeline Dudley and Edward Ailsbury, Earl of Heyward

Brief outline of plot and rating:

Angeline's pedigree dictated that she land a title, but her heart dictated a kind heart in the one she wed.  Throw in a stolen kiss, a scoundrel and a man on honour that his set his heart on a long-term friend as his bride and you have a nice read on your hands.

Mary Balogh is one of my favourite authors, and this book lived up to expectations with a 4 star rating.

Kay

#204 (#2 of 2012) - A Christmas Promise ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN or e-book:

0-7089-3406-4

Publisher:

Thorpe / Ulverscroft Large Print

Main Characters:

Eleanor Transome and Randolph, Earl of Falloden.

Brief outline of Plot:

Mr Transome is a wealthy coal merchant, and he has a beautiful daughter.  He unfortunately has cancer and has come up with a plan to protect his darling girl.  Every last one of the Earl of Falloden's debts have been bought by him.

Randlop, Lord Falloden is a hair's breadth from becoming bankrupt and therefore decides to take up Mr Transome's offer of marrying his daugher and making her his countess in return for half of the coal merchant's vast fortune.  He will have to make sure that Eleanor is truly his wife by consumating the marriage and living under the same roof for a full year, and he gives his word as a gentleman that he will do exactly that.  Although, he plans to leave her to her own devices in the country after that year, hopefully with an heir on the way.

Thus the match is made, Mr Transome goes to his maker and the bargin is being undertaken.  What is not part of the bargain is that the arrogant Earl and proud defiant girl will fall in love.

Rating and conclusion:

Mary Balogh is always a good read, and this was no exception .... leaving me in tears at the end .... a 5+ Star rating.  Definitely read it.

Hugs

Kay

#156 (#92) - Slightly Dangerous ~ Mary Balogh *RE-READ

A re-read that I simply could not put down today - I've been terribly lazy and hung around enjoying the last embers of the school holiday .... actually it gout 5+ from me last time, but probably even better the second time around.

Original post HERE.

#147 ~ No Man's Mistress

No Man's Mistress by Mary Balogh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars












Mistress Trilolgy #


The Duke's brother, Lord Ferdinand Dudley wins a house in a card game, and hies off to have a look around....stopping only briefly the day before to have a fit of sport at the village fair and a stolen kiss with a country miss.

Unfortunately, when he arrives at his newly acquired property he finds he has a sitting tenant, Viola Thornhill ... who maintains that the deceased Earl of Bamber had left her the property in his will .... she refuses to leave and so does Ferdinand .... who's in the right?

Some nice little funny bits in this one, and a lovely all round story. Too good for 3 stars, so awarded four, but in reality it's a 3.5 star read.

Buy it at Amazon HERE.

Happy reading.

Hugs

Kay

#146 ~ More than a Mistress

More Than a Mistress by Mary Balogh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars













Mistress Trilogy #1




Jocelyn Dudley, Duke of Tresham takes himself a Mistress after she gets him shot in the leg during a duel, but will he come to love the Jane Ingleby or marry Lady Sara Illingsworth? Who is Lady Sara anyway?

A case of mixed or mistaken identify, for this well rounded Regency Romance ... near a 3.5 star read, but have upgraded to 4 as it was better than a three.

Buy it at Amazon HERE.

Happy Reading.

Hugs

Kay

#140 ~ A Secret Affair

A Secret Affair by Mary Balogh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars














This proved to be a 5 Star read, and has now cleared up the questions that I had about Constantine Huxtable very nicely.

Through a twist of fate, and even though his parents were married, Constantine was not considered legitimate and the Earldom went to his handicapped brother Jonathan, who sadly died at the age of 16 - the Earldom then passed to a distant Cousin, Stephen and a feud began with his other Cousin the Duke of Moreland.

Meanwhile, the stunningly beautiful 19 year old Hannah Reid married the Duke of Dunbarton, who was elderly and lived a lot longer than anyone could predict. Throughout her marriage there were rumours of her persistent and flagrant affairs.

After a year of mourning, she arrives back in London for the Season at the age of thirty determined to live up to her reputation, and take a lover, but not just any old lover, the darkly handsome, delicious and dangerous Constantine.

Surely a Season's worth of fun with Constantine will do her good, and give her a chance the following Season to find the one thing the old Duke promised her she would eventually find .... the love of her life.

Secrets uncovered, and a love that neither of them were expecting makes this a highly readable tale.

Buy it at Amazon HERE.

Happy reading.

Kay

#80 (#16) - Seducing an Angel ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 978-0-7499-4296-0

I haven't got much time for saying too much about this one .... actually, not too much to say about it really .... not one of her best - it lacked passion and depth and not up to her usual standard.

Another in the Huxtable family series, this time the younger brother  Stephen, Earl of Merton and the axe-murdering widow Lady Cassandra Padget.

After the mysterious death of her husband, she is cast off without the pension and other provisions that she should have been entitled to, and given to believe that she is lucky that she has not met the hangman's noose.  Desperate therefore, and with her old governess and a unmarried mother cook/housekeeper to also care for she sets out to find a Protector, gate crashes a ball and snares Stephen on the first night of trying.

That single night alters her whole view on ever giving her self body and soul to another man in marriage, and also sets her on the path to undoing the evil self-doubt that being in an abusive relationship had built up .... alll in all a 3 *** star read.

Kay

#72 (#9) - Simply Perfect ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 978-0-7499-090-3

Actually, this story was Simply Perfect in every way .... a 5 ***** Star read, and highly recommended.

The final story in the 'Simply Series' of the severe and spinster Claudia Martin, Founder and Headmistress of Miss Martin's School for Girls, and Josepth Fawcitt, Marquess of Attingsborough (heir to a Dukedom).

He is a perfect gentleman in every way, handsome, rich, titled and she a spinster with an aversion to Dukes, or any aristocrat come to that.

Joseph does have a secret though, one that would dishonour his family.  There was a man in her past too that caused her aversion to the elevated title, plus dealings with the Bedwyn family that she finds it difficult to overcome ... can they come together in a simply perfect match.

You will have to read it to find out, but know this .... I cried for a full 5 minutes at the end of this one.

Happy reading.

Kay

#71 (#8) - Simply Unforgettable ~ Mary Balogh

IBSN: 978-0-7499-3688-4

I've just finished wiping away the last of the very happy tears that have been shed culminating with the end of this book. A 5 ***** star read for one of the "Slightly" series.

Miss Frances Allard spent her Christmas leave from Miss Martin's School for Girls with her Great-Aunts, but was caught up on her return journey in very bad, and typically English, snowy weather.

A thoughtless driver passes the old family carriage she is driving in, and then causes it to crash.  The driver, Lucius Marshall (Viscount Sinclair), then goes on to rescue her from the ditch and take her off to safety.  Although safety is a relative term, as it is in fact to a lonely country inn.  The innkeeper and his missus having departed for Christmas, leaving the place in the care of a lazy servant.

When the weather clears he takes Frances back to Bath, and proposes she come to London with her.  She rightly refuses and Lucian goes on his way to fulfill his promise to his Grandfather to marry that year. They both presume that that will be the last of what was a very pleasant interlude.

Unfortunately, forgetting for both of them proves difficult, and Lucius travels back to Bath with his Grandfather so that he can sample the waters for his ill-health.  Meanwhile, Francis is invited to sing at a soiree.

The pair meet again, and Lucius and his Grandfather are enthralled by her voice.  This time Lucius ask her to marry him, but is refused, and they again go their separate ways.  This time it is even more impossible to forget each other though.

Back in London Lucius plots with the Great-Aunts help to bring Frances to London.  This is somewhere she left 3 years earlier and had sworn never to to back.  Without her knowing, she is tricked into singing to a larger audience that she thought, and is offered the coveted help of Lord Heath to launch her singing career.  This chance is turned down, and so is another offer from Lucius, as she still has some dark secrets, which she thinks would not make her an acceptable pride for such a family .... she would only have him if his family gave their blessing.  So back off to Bath she goes.

At the end of the School year a concert is arranged, and the whole of Lucius's family turn out to watch it as a show of their acceptance in the match, and Lucius finally wins the day in a very public proposal.

So, it cannot be denied that fate played a massive part in this tale, for if they had not both travelled that road at the same time, then they would never have met and never have fallen in love.

Read it do, you won't be disappointed - it's a very happy tear jerker of a book.

Happy reading.

Kay

#70 (#7) - Slightly Wicked ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 0-7499-3754-8

This shouldn't have been called "Slightly" Wicked, far from it ............. Completely Depraved Wanton might have been a better title to describe what Miss Judith Law got up to early on in the book.

She has had to leave home (probably for good) to live with her wealthy Aunt Effingham due to the excesses of her selfish young Brother, Branwell.  Of the 4 sisters, it was her who volunteered to go.  In actual fact, she knew that in all probability she would be acting as unpaid servant, and treated shabbily, as was so often the cases in those days.

With very little money, and travelling on the stage, there is an accident and it overturns.  A heroic stranger (Ralf Bedard) offers to take her on to the next inn, as help would be many hours away.  She accepts, but somewhere along the way she loses all sense and involves herself in one reckless night of passion, thus also losing her virtue and reputation. At least she will have something to dream about now to carry her through the dreary days as a companion.

He wants her to go away with him for a time, but she comes to her senses whilst he is off looking for a carriage to take them on, and runs away.  Eventually making her way to her Aunt's home, Harewood Grange just in time for a large houseparty.

A big shock, however, is in store for her as one man of the party, Lord Rannulf Bedwyn arrives to woo her cousin.  The very same Ralf Bedard who had bedded her just days before.

He makes honourable and dis-honourable advances to her, so does Aunt Effingham's oily step-son, but she holds firm against them.  But scandal rocks the household when she is accused of stealing a vast quantity of jewels.  The only thing she can think of to do is run .... but Rannulf pursues her to help here clear her name.

Is it possible that love can grow out of a something that started off slightly wicked?

I think as the last one in the Slightly series that needed reading there were marvellously layered examples of a hero and heroine.  It was thoroughly enjoyable, and a highly recommended 4.5 ***** Star read.  As it was some time ago I read the story of Wulfic, Duke of Bewcastle and his Christine, I think I will go back at some point very soon and re-read it.  Actually, I think that I will miss this series a lot.

Happy Reading.

Kay

#69 (#6) - Slightly Married ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 0-7499-3753-X

Colonel Lord Aidan Bedwyn's life was saved to years previously by a young officer, but Percy Morris has never intended to call in that particular debt.

However, having taken a dreadful hit during another battle, Aidan found him just before he lost his fight to survive.  Percy called in the debt, and asked him to take the news to his sister personally, that she should not mourn him, or wear black .... and more importantly he made Colonel Lord Aidan promise to protect her no matter what, he was quite definite about that ..... NO MATTER WHAT.

Therefore a few months later when  Aidan returned home to England's green and pleasant lands on leave he travelled first to Ringwood Manor to carry out Percy's last wish.

Once there he finds that Eve Morris wants not part of his protection.  Eventually he comes to realise that Percy's no matter what meant, when he discovers that she will be left destitute - along with all the various lame ducks by way of children, ex convicts, village idiots and injured ex-solders she has given homes to.

Aidan offers her a straightforward business arrangement - a marriage of convenience .... she will have the protection of his name, and he will go back to his duties as an cavalry commander.  They have, however, failed to recognise that there is an ever growing, and unwilling attraction between them.

Will they ever be more than just slightly married in this poignant tale of two socially diverse people.

It was nice to see that Eve made a tiny chip in the ice exterior of Wulfric, Duke of Bewcastle along they way. A 3.5**** star read, but read it you must to piece together the whole of the mighty Bedwyn dynasty.

Happy reading.

#61 - Slightly Tempted ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 0-7499-3786-6

Across a Brussels ballroom notorious rake Gervase Ashford, Earl of Rosthorn spots the beautiful and very young Lady Morgan Bedwyn. With revenge in mind he effects an introduction, as he also spots the instrument for the perfect revenge against her brother Wulfric, Duke of Bewcastle.

War and scandal ensue, but it all end as simply revenge?

A 3.5 **** Star read.  Whilst I enjoyed it, and it was good to get Morgan's side of the whole Bedwyn Series, it was a little slowing going at the beginning, with a gentle curve towards a satisfactory ending.  Probably best to read this before you read Slightly Sinful (#60) ..... I suspect it might have been better that way around!

#60 - Slightly Sinful ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 0-7499-3787-4

Lord Alleyne Bedwyn (Brother of Wulfic, Duke of Bewcastle) is in the diplomatic service, and takes a message to the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo.  Unfortunately, he is hit by a bullet and ends up coming to in a Brussels brothel without a stitcth of clothing to his name, nor a memory of who he is, or what he was doing at the battle.

His rescuer was Rachel York, who ends up at the Brothel after being swindled out of the little money she had by a Clergyman.

She could inherit some family jewels, but in order to do that she needs to marry, so a plan is hatched to pretend to be married to Alleyne (aka Sir Jonathan Smith).  Upon their return to England their charade draws them both into danger, scandal and a blossoming relationship that is really slightly sinful.

A 4.5 ***** Star read.

I can't really believe that I've read 60 books since September - actually, it will hopefully be more than that be New Year's Eve as I am reading another of the Slightly series at the moment.

Happy reading.

Kay

#59 - Simply Love ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 0-7499-3744-0

Yet another in the 'Simply Series', this time Anne Jewell (featured in the story of Freyja Bedwyn and Lord Hallmere) and Sydnam Butler (Brother-in-law of Lauren in #52).

Unmarried mother Anne takes up employment with Miss Martin's School with the assistance of Freyja Bedwyn (Lady Hallmere) with her son David.

Whilst on a Summer holiday with Lord & Lady Hallmere and the Bedwyn clan in Wales, she meets Sydnham Butler (taciturn and badly scared Hero of the Peninsula Wars) and Land Steward to Wulfric, Duke of Bewcastle.

After first Anne runs from him on the cliffs when she views his horrendours injuries, but later they strike up a friendship, but will it turn to love?

You'll have to read it I'm afraid to find out, but I will tell you that I sobbed and sobbed my way through a lot of this book .... in the best possible way.

A 5 ***** star read.

#58 - Simply Magic ~ Mary Balogh

ISBN: 978-0-7499-3803-1

I am horribly behind with updating my reading list, so 3 quick reviews will follow in quick succession.

This is the story of Peter Edgeworth (Viscount Whiteleaf), the Cousin of Lauren (#52 - A Summer to Remember) and Susanna Osborne.

A nice enough read, ticks along, and lovely wedding scene at the end.

A 3 Star *** read.

#57 - One Night for Love ~ Mary Balogh

A lovely poignant and romantic tale of Neville, Earl of Killworth and Lily.

Neville is waiting in the Church as his bride is about to come down the aisle, a small beggar woman Lily Doyle pushes past to stop the wedding .......... Neville, she tells everyone is her Husband.  He confirms the story that they were married on a battlefield in Portugal, and he thought that she had been killed in an ambush the next day.

The bride waiting was Lauren Edgeworth (I reviewed the book a little while ago of her story "A Night to Remember").

Lily, it also eventually turns out is a Daughter of a Duke .... Sargent Doyle (the man she thought of has her Papa) was the husband of her old nurse, in whose keeping she had been place as a babe in arms.

A 4 **** Star read.