Thursday, 27 December 2012

#269 (#68 of 2012) Mud & Gold (Promises to Keep) ~ Shayne Parkinson

Promises to Keep Series - Book 2

Purchased on Kindle - 475 pages - I actually paid for this after reading the Sentence of Marriage (Book 1) that I picked up as a free read.

This would not be a stand alone book, you will need to read Book 1 first, as it picks up immediately after the end of the last one.

It is surprisingly well written, and I have fallen even more in love with the characters.

A 5 star read ... get it, read it and I'm sure you will love it as much as I did.  Not to spoil any of the plot, the "Gold" reference in the title wasn't what I was expecting ... this book is real Cream off the top of the milk writing, and left me eager to read the rest of the series.


#268 (#67 of 2012) - Intentions of the Earl (Scandalous Sisters Series) ~ Rose Gordon *NEW AUTHOR


Published on Kindle - 271 pages.

Scandalous Sisters Series - Book 1

3 star rating, but as I picked up as a free offering I'm not complaining, and yes I do get a good few free ones, but then I also spend a lot of money with them.

#267 (#66 of 2012) - An Unexpected Gift ~ Katherine Grey *NEW AUTHOR


Published on Kindle - 212 pages - I picked it up as a free offering.

However, I would pay good money for more by this author.

4 star rating.

#266 (#65) - Sentence of Marriage ~ Shayne Parkinson *NEW AUTHOR


Promises to Keep - Book 1

Published on Kindle - 362 pages.  I picked it up as a free offering.

This could be read as a stand-along book, but really you will then want to go on and pay hard cash for the others in the series.

I gave it a 4 star rating, and couldn't wait to go on and purchase the other books in the series.  More a family saga than romance, but there is romance along with lots of trials and tribulations.  Full of light and shade and really well written with characters that you really end up caring about.

Highly recommended, and I will be seeking out more by this author, even though it was out of my usual comfort zone of historical romance being set in New Zealand.

#265 (#64 of 2012) - A Bride for Tom ~ Ruth Ann Nordin


Published on Kindle - 102 pages, so a short read.

3 star rating.

#264 (#63) - Wallflower (Old Maids' Club) ~ Catherine Gayle * NEW AUTHOR


Purchased on Kindle - 290 pages.  I picked it up as a free offering.

Old Maids' Club - book 1

4 star read

#263 (#62 of 2012) - Lord Fool to the Rescue (Novella) ~ LL Muir *NEW AUTHOR


Published on Kindle - 104 pages - Novella

I picked it up as a free offering and it deserved a 3 star rating.  Nothing negative to say about it really.  It was a nice little read and I would try others by this author.


#262 (#61 of 2012) - To Love a Scoundrel (Law & Disorder Series) ~ Sharon Ihle *NEW AUTHOR


Purchased on Kindle  - 311 pages - of absolute rot I should imagine - I only made it through the first two pages before I put it in the rubbish read section.  I gave it a 1 star rating on twitter, but thinking about it don't even think it rated that highly - minus rating all the way.  What galls me is that I actually got the book named muddled up with something else and gave that a poor rating, before I realised what I'd done.

Usually I don't condemn a book just off the bat like that, and try to give them at least a chapter of two before making up my mind ... impossible to do with this.

My main objection was that it was supposed to be historical with the start of Chapter 1 marked as "Spring 1876" then it goes on "Her favourite college professor once said ...." really that did it ......... 1896, a female and attended a college and apparently a private investigator .... I know it's based in America, but believable love if you are going to write in a time period, even given a certain amount of poetic/literary licence.  I am truly surprised that this kind of rubbish (this is book 4 for goodness sake).  The author is a best-seller?  .... there is no accounting for taste apparently.

Fortunately I had picked up my Kindle copy free - I would be so angry if I'd wasted money on it and decided I would award a very generous -1 star (minus) rating and place it on the rubbish read list I would be pleased to find out others views on this.

#262 (#60 of 2012) - Wild One (De Monteforte Brothers) ~ Danelle Harmon *NEW AUTHOR


Purchased on Kindle - 373 pages

Part of the De Monteforte Brothers Series - Book 1

Description taken from Danelle Harmon's website:

"Lord Gareth de Montforte is known as an irresponsible rake with a heart of gold. When he thwarts a stagecoach robbery, he is stunned to discover that the beautiful young woman he has heroically rescued, Juliet Paige, is his deceased brother's fiancée, accompanied by her infant daughter. Despite his family's refusal to acknowledge Juliet, Gareth is determined to do right by the courageous woman who crossed an ocean to give her baby the name she rightfully deserves.
As a practical American woman, Juliet is wary of marrying this black sheep aristocrat, yet she is hopelessly charmed by the dashing devil. Never has she met anyone who embraces life so thoroughly, who makes her laugh, who loves her so well. And, even when it seems the odds are against them, Juliet has absolute faith that Gareth will go beyond the call of duty to give her and her daughter a home -- and a love that will last a lifetime."

5 star rating

#260 (#59 of 2012) - Runaway Heart ~ Claudy Conn *NEW AUTHOR


Purchased on Kindle - 214 pages long

3 stars

#259 (#58 of 2012) - The Misbehaving Marquess (Naughty in Nottinghamshire) ~ Leigh LaValle *NEW AUTHOR


Purchased on Kindle.

Not sure if "Naughty in Nottinghamshire" was an additional bit of title, or is in fact a series.

Nice to get my teeth into a new author, and this didn't disappoint with 4 stars.

#258 (#57 of 2012) - One Touch of Scandal ~ Liz Carlyle


Available on Kindle, although I picked up a paperback at Dig for Victory in August.

5 star read

#257 (#56 of 2012) - Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street Runners Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas


Purchased on Kindle.

Bow Street Runners' Series - Book 1

4 stars

#256 (#55 of 2012) - Only with Your Love (Vallerands Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas



Purchased on Kindle.

Vallerands' Series - Book 2

3 stars

#255 (#54 of 2012) - When Strangers Marry (Vallerands Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas


Purchased on Kindle

Vallerands Series - Book 1

3 stars

Actually, I found this a ponderous read for a Lisa Kleypas offering.

#254 (#53 of 2012) - Midnight Angel (Stokehursts Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas

Purchased on Kindle

Stokehursts' Series - Book 1

4 stars


#253 (#52 of 2012) - Stranger in my Arms ~ Lisa Kleypas


Purchased on Kindle

4 stars

#252 (#51) - Dreaming of You (Gamblers Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas


Purchased on Kindle

Gamblers' Series - Book 2

4 stars

#251 (#50) Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake ~ Sarah MacLean


Purchased on Kindle

Love By Numbers Series

5 stars

#250 (#49 of 2012) - Then Came You (Gamblers Series) ~ Lisa Kleypas


Purchased on Kindle

Gamblers' Series - Book 1

4 star