WOYWW - nothing exciting to see here

**  Dangers of having two blogs, just posted this on the wrong one, will copy over to the correct one.

#165 (#101) - Sinful in Satin ~ Madeline Hunter

Book 3 - Rarest Blooms Series

Celia Pennifold daughter of famous Courtestan Alessandra Northrope and Jonathan Albrighton a friend of Alessandra.  He's illigitmate too and a Government spy.

A 4 Star read.

#164 (#100) - A Lady of Expectations ~ Stephanie Laurens

ISBN:  978-0-7783-0228-5

It pains me to say this, as usually it just has to have her name on the book to entice me to read it, but this book was dull, dull, dull and only rated a 2 stars ... sorry!  Got to rate like I see it.

It probably is a required need in the story of the Lester's (I believe that this is book 2 .... I haven't read book 1 yet, but am assured that it's much better) - so read this but with the warning that it rally is a bit dull and you might be bored.

Jack Lester has acquired a vast fortune, and now needs to acquire a wife ... and only a golden headed one will do apparently .... so he whilst nobody is aware of his fortune he has stalked the ton's entertainment, but come up short.

The re-group and re-assess he goes hunting and finds just what he wants at a local ball .... Sophie Winterton.  She's poor and needs a rich husband, and whilst she also feels the strong attraction is convinced that they can only be friends as apparently poor Jack must find a rich wife!

Kay

#163 (#99) - Sealed Secrets ~ Jessica Blair *NEW AUTHOR

ISBN:  978-0-7499-3986-1

I didn't hold up much hope for this new book, but it was surprisingly nice to read once I settled down to a new author's way of writing.  Probably it was worth a 3.5 star rating, and I would definitely read more she has to offer.

Two concurrent stories running that merge nicely at the end.

The first is that of Besty Palmer and her relationship with mine employee Jim Fenwick.

The second is that of Robert Addison and his internal fight with himself when he finds out something about his father that he assumes would be scandalous if it got out.  The only way open to him is to leave his blossoming love for a family friend, Adele Jordan, along with his life and try to disappear.

Kay

#162 (#98) - Strand of Dreams ~ Audrey Howard

Molly O'Dowd's happy childhood is left behind after the Great War with the dead of her father and brothers.  She's therefore foreced to make her own way in the world.

She is always drawn to a special place a great house called known as Meddins, and this is where she meets the owner of the factory she works in, Tim Broadbent.

He's inherited the mill after his older brothers were killed in the war, and the shock killed his father, but is not untouched himself, as he has terrible panic attacks when faced with loud noises or intense pressure.

He's captivated by Molly, and she has been half in love with him since she saw him where she was a small girl.  Unusually, Tim offers to marry her and she is catapulted into a new and luxrious life ... and it seems very one of her dreams has come true.

The is only one fly in the ointment though, she met Tim's cousin for the first time at the alter when she married, and felt an overwhelming desire for him.

Joss Greenwood felt that desire too, and it's not long before they cannot hide their true feelings.

What will become of Tim, or the love that Molly and Joss have?

A 3.5 star read, not her best work but enjoyable nonetheless.

Kay

#161 (#97) - Provocative in Pearls ~ Madeline Huter

ISBN:  978-1-4084-9292-4

When the Earl of Hawkeswell's bride fled the Wedding Reception, he was left in a very difficult position.  He had agreed to the marriage of convenience for cold hard cash to put his beleaguered estate back in the black.  Now his wife had disappeared, but he couldn't get his hands on her money, nor could he believe that he would have to wait 7 years for her to be declared dead, after her veil was found in the river on the wedding night.  He was having the devil's own job getting an inquest before then, and running out of money fast.

So he decided to take up his friend, Lord Summerhays, up on an offer for a few days away in the countryside to take some time to relax and try to forget this misfortune.

Little did he know that he would find his errant bride hiding out at the Rarest Blooms, masquerading as Lady Audrianna Summerhays's friend, Lizzie.

He takes charge of his wife, but grants her a stay of execution as it where of not consummating the marriage until after the trip to the country on the proviso that she grants him three kisses a day.

Poor Verity's freedom is now curtailed, but will she fight her return to a loveless marriage, or offer the Earl a way out that will give him the funds he needs, and will see manage to find the man she loves?

A 4.5 star read, with an exciting chance to find out more about the Rarest Blooms, and speculate about the future books in the series.  Highly recommended - I've just downloaded the other books on the Kindle as I can't wait to see what happens.

Kay

When Miss Verity Thompson

#160 (#96) Ravishing in Red ~ Madeline Hunter *NEW AUTHOR

ISBN:  978-1-4104-2771-7

Audrianna Kelmsleigh is desparate to clear her dead father's name, and so she risks all to travel to Brighton to meet the mysterious "Domino".  Lord Sebastian Summerhays also travels to the inn to meet the Domino, but he has a different agenda because he is heading up the investigation into the bad gunpowder supplies that Mr Kelmsleigh was suspected to have supplied.

Audrianna finds herself alone and in the dark with Lord Sebastian, a shot is fired and it sets the seal on their fate.....she is ruined and he offers her a way out, but will she take it, and why would he find her so Ravishing in Red?

Find out if her father is cleared, and if fates have conspired to give them the best outcome in a forced marriage in this 5 star read.  Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this new author, and can't wait to read the rest of the tales in the Rarest Blooms series, and get my hands on anything else she's written.

Kay

#159 ~ Duchess by Night

Duchess By Night by Eloisa James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars





Desperate Duchess Series #Book3


Another in the Duchess series, this time about Harriet, Duchess of Berrow. Her husband, Benjamin had committed suicide after a chess game with the Duke of Villiers and she'd spent a long time in mourning.

At a party given by Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont she decides to be the forlorn widow no longer and persuades the Duke of Villiers to take her to a house party with Isidore, Duchess of Cosway. Only to avoid scandal is going disguised as a young male relative of Villiers (Harry Cope).. What could go wrong?

Lord Strange is well used to unusual happenings at his house parties, but he is used to not questioning his own sexual appetites, therefore when he starts to find the young Harry Cope more than attractive he begins to worry - especially as he has promised the Duke of Villiers to help make a man of young Harry, and therefore has to spend a lot of time with him.

Will his identify be found out?

A 4.5 star read all the way. I really loved it, and the doubt cast in Lord Strange's own mind was really well written and a different angle.


Product Details:

I borrowed a copy from the Library, but if you fancy giving this one a try, you can get a copy of it HERE.


Hugs

Kay

#158 (#94) The Last Hellion ~ Loretta Chase (Kindle)

Read on the Kindle some time ago.  Aide memoire

Vere Mallory Duke of Ainswood and Lydia Grenville, journalist aka Lady G?

I need to write this up, please excuse this for the time being.

#157 (#93) When the Duke Returns ~ Eloisa James

ISBN:  978-0-340-9610-0

5+ star

Simeon  Duke of Cosway has been away exploring the source of the Blue Nile (and other exoctic places) for a very long time.  In the meanwhile he allowed himself to be married by proxy to Lady Isoidore when she was 12 years old.

He's never met her, but decides to return and collect a "stray package" from a houseparty at the notorious Lord Strange's country estate.  That "stray package" is in fact his wife.

He finds a mountain of debts and a huge stink, and having never met his wife it would be expected that they would be hard pressed to make a go of their marriage, let alone anything else.

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.

#155 (#91) - An Affair Before Christmas ~ Eloisa James

ISBN:  978-0-340-96106-3

Miss Poppy (Perdita) Selby met the man she thought she would love forever one magical Christmas in Paris, the Duke of Fletcher.

He was marvellously handsome, rich and in love with her to apparently.

Unfortunately, nobody had prepared Poppy for the marriage bed, and that is where it all went wrong.

Four years later, having been horribly and publicly rude to Poppy he is determined to take a mistress and she is determined to leave him.

Her mother moves in, she moves out and chaos begins.

Another sparkling and refreshing  5+ star read, with a lot of the other "Desparate Duchesses" characters ..... what happend to Miss Charlotte Tatlock .... I can't wait to find out in the coming books....but if you feel inclined to find out Fletch and Poppy you will need to read this.

Kay

Failed to complete - Wax Fruit ~ Guy McCrone

A -1 read, I only managed a few chapters ... don't let that stop you giving it a go though.

I can't put my finger on why I got no further - simply did not gel.

Desparate Duchesses Series ~ Eloisa James

The correct running order is:

Desperate Duchesses - READ
An Affair Before Christmas - READ
When The Duke Returnrs - READ (need to write up)
This Duchess of Mine
A Duke of Her Own

#154 (#90) - Desperate Duchesses ~ Eloisa James

ISBN:  978-0-96103-2

This was a 5+ Star book, such a refreshingly different take and way of telling the story .... I can't express just how much I have enjoyed it.

There a a few character's woven through it, and the various paths that they must thread to find their destinies.

This book features as the main players Lady Roberta St Giles and Damon, Earl of Gryffyn.

Roberta flees her mad father and his mistress, and goes to stay with her 4th cousin Jemma, Duchess of Belmount.  She believes herself madly in love with the Duke of Villiers - a hardened and unprincipled rake - and ask Jemma's help to trap him into marriage.

Jemma's brother. Damon also offers his own brand of help in her Courtship, but will she get or man or find in fact that another suits her better.

Lots of sub-text, chess and sex.  A perfect combination I am happy to report, and I don't even like chess.

Kay

#153 (#89) - Lord of Scandal ~ Nicola Cornick

ISBN: 978-0-263-86586-8


Catherine Fenton is an heiress worth £80,000 and caught in a gilded cage, she is engaged to man she hates and surrounded by a cold and dis-functional family.

Benjamin, Lord Hawksmoor is a rake, scandalous, seductive and a notorious fortune-hunter.

Having kissed the woman of his dreams he will stop at nothing to make her his own, but will Caroline find his as hard to resist as the other women do, and will he rescue her?

A 4 star read, with an enjoyable story line, nothing to irritate or annoy in this tale.

Kay

Not bad going - REVISED

I've got one more book on my desk that I need to add, plus another from my Kindle that I finished an age ago and not found the time to write it down.

By my reckoning that should be 154 *EDIT THAT TO 155  158* since I started keeping track last September ... not bad going at all.  I might even be able to squeeze in another read, but am running low on suitable material.  I've just started the Wax Fruits trilogy .... but only a few pages in it's very hard going, so it is debatable if I will stay the course of that one.

I'm pretty sure I have a fair few others to read on my Kindle, and I know my mother has some on hers I've haven't read as well - we inter-change them to read what the other has which is most convenient I think you will find.

Kay

#152 (#88) - Black Sheep ~ Georgette Heyer

ISBN: 978-0-09-946803-5

Miss Heyer it seems likes the name Miles for a Hero, as this book also has a Miles - this time Miles Calverleigh .... recently returned from India after a couple of decades of banishment.  Apropos of  nothing Miles is also my daughter's choice of name in the future.

Our Heroine is a Miss Abigail Wendover, Abby to most people, as she hates "Abigail" with a vengeance - puts her in mind of maid servants!!

Eight and twenty Miss Wendover has been away for quite a few weeks from her home in Bath leaving her older spinster sister (Selina) in charge of their orphaned niece, Fanny.  Who is a sweet, beguiling and beautiful heiress.

Whilst Abby has been aware another Calverleigh, Stacy, has insinuated himself into Miss Selina's good books, and persuaded Fanny that she is in love with him.  Mr Stacy Calverleigh, younger than his uncle by some years, but the head of the family is a damn loose fish of the first order, and with pockets to let into the bargain.

Reliably informed by her brother that he would never countenance such an alliance, and aware that Fanny can be headstrong, Abby has to untangle the whole mess and get her niece away from the undesirable Stacy Calverleigh unmarried and as heart-whole as possible.

Miles comes to Bath to deliver the son of a friend into the safekeeping of his doting Mama, and happens upon the whole situation quite by accident.  Having never met his nephew, and having no dutiful familiar feelings, will he walk away and leave poor Miss Abby to her own devices?

A 5 star read, again I have read it so many times, but it never gets old.

Kay

#151 ~ The Unknown Ajax

The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars












I'm not certain exactly how many times I have read this book before, but certainly 3 or 4 at a conservative estimate ... still a 4 star read though.

Miles Darracott is summoned to the home of his paternal grandfather, Lord Darracott, as due to an tragic accident he is now the heir. He's never met his family as the marriage of his parents was not acknowledged .... in fact Lord Darracott refers to his grandson as that weaver's brat. It seems that the rest of the family were unaware of the existence of Mile, so the whole meeting is going to prove to be dreadful.

The irascible and short-tempered Lord has not made matters any better with the family as he gives the impression that the "weaver's brat" is an uneducated clod who will bring disgrace to the name. He therefore requires his other grandsons to bring him up to snuff, and his grand-daughter Anthea to marry him to keep it in the family.

The unknown offspring arrives, and indeed is is as bad as they feared, Major Miles Darracott has a strong northern accent, and no idea how to go on. Anthea makes it clear from the start she has no intention of marrying him, and everybody else leaves him in no doubt that he hasn't the wit nor breeding to live up to the Darracott name and is most unwelcome.

Throw in a bit of smuggling and you've got the perfect tale .... oh and Miles ... proves them wrong on all levels and gets a full 4 stars.

Buy it at Amazon HERE.

Happy reading.

Hugs

Kay.

#150 ~ Promises Lost

Promises Lost by Audrey Howard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars















A 3 Star score for this one, would have been a 3.5 score if it hadn't ended so abruptly - it seems quite a few of Ms Howard's books end that way ... almost as if she can't be bothered to finish them off properly, or she is told to cut them down a bit and goes for the red slash right at the end!

I'm hardly getting anytime to read, and thus even less time to review, so just to remind me this is the story of Sara Hamilton, youngest daughter of a country doctor (he is a gentleman, but has very little money) and Jack Andrews a navy who rescues Sara and her sister Alice from a gang of rough railway workers on the randy.

He gets beaten near to death for his pains, and Sara and her father nurse him back to health. Having fallen love with her he sets off once recovered determined to make something of his life and prove to the Doctor that he is worthy of Sara.

Meanwhile the Doctor dies and leaves his daughters penniless and homeless, and Alice is driven by the need to get her sister away from, as she sees it the lowering influence of Jack. She decides the girls shall go to Liverpool so that he will never be able to find them.

Will the girls find a home, and work, will Jack ever find Sara or will she settle for another man?

Buy it at Amazon HERE.

Happy reading.

Hugs

Kay