Toodles Book Club

Sunday, 27 November 2011

I admit it .... I have shed loads of titles to add

but have just been too busy to get my head around which ones I have read on the two Kindles knocking around in this house.

I should note them down as I start to read them .... I need to get it done, as my total will be out at 31st December if I'm not careful.

Just finishing up a sequel to something I read a while ago, no point in saying which one, as I don't think I've added it on here yet ... see what I mean!!

Happy reading

Kay

Monday, 21 November 2011

#186 (#122) ~ A Comfortable Wife ~ Stephanie Laurens

ISBN: 978-0-7783-0237-7

A quick review for this one - 3 stars.

A related title to the Lester stories, this one features Philip Marlowe, 7th Baron Ruthven and Miss Antionia Mannering.

She's known him practically all her life, but they haven't seen each other for years. Antonia is hopeing that she will be just the comfortable wife she thinks he needs. He's attracted to her, but does he want a comfortable wife?

Truth to well, whilst I love Stephanie Laurens, the whole of the Lester stories have been dull, dull as ditchwater actually .... is she just writing to many to a formula? Read it for yourself and judge, if nothing else it will while away a train journey.

Happy

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

A Sense of Place

Miss Antionelle Boulter quit the stage at The Plough Inn at Ightham Common, and stood with some trepidation awaiting the promised escort to her new home at The Mote.

"You Miss Boulter" a somewhat gruff looking old gentlemen shouted above the noise.

"Indeed I am. Are you sent from his Grace's household?"

"Hmmphh, far too young. You sure your t'new Guv'ness?"

This question seemed not to necessitate an answer as the burly gent merely heaved her trunk on his shoulder with another "Hmmphh" and strode off towards the small trap waiting just to the side of the Inn yard.

Having deposited his burden inside, he handed Antionelle up without another word, took his seat and gave the office to the fat brown pony to head out onto the narrow track leading uphill from the crossroad that the Inn sat upon.

Mist was beginning to wisp around as, in total silence, they headed into the gloom of the overhanging branches to make their ascent. Her companion, it seemed was disinclined to small talk, and therefore the only noise to be head apart from the dull thud of the pony's hooves alarmingly eerie call of Rooks somewhere ahead.

After about a quarter of the mile still ascending they reached another crossroads and took a left turn - it seemed travelling even deeper into the forest. With no sign of habitation along their route, Antionelle was growing more worried with every step the pony took.

Perhaps another five minutes later the trees began to thin, and then came across a small collection of cottages on a tight bend. This having been negotiated they then turned right and headed off down yet another track, this time turning and bending, at what sometimes seemed an alarming angle of descent.

Antionelle was left wondering exactly where His Grace the Duke of Wrotham actually resided. Surely, it would be somewhere with slightly more of an open and grand aspect? Had there been some terrible mistake made by the agency?

....................comments gratefully received.

#185 (#121) Friday's Child ~ Georgette Heyer

ISBN: 978-0-09-946804-2

Our heroine goes by the unlikely name of Hero, Hero Wantage, a poor relation of the Bagshots with no other family to speak of, and at the age of not quite 17 no experience of how to go on.

The completely loveable hero is Anthony, Lord Sherringham, he's know Hero all of her life it seems and comes across her upon leaving his Mama having threatened to marry the first girl he comes across.

Our poor Hero proves to be a damsel in distress, so Anthony follows through with his threat and carries her off there and then for a special licence wedding.

Such a delightful read, full of Georgette Heyer tapestry of words and characters, woven into a funny and endearing tale.

Definitely a 5+ read.

Kay

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Just finished A Weekend with Mr Darcy

not got time to write up more about it at the moment - this is purely an aide memoire so I don't forget the website address, which is HERE.

I loved it, and can't wait to read more.

So busy with everything at the Galaxy, that I have not had too much time for reading, although there are about 3 or 4 I need to jot down on here - it's on my to do list. BTW, this book was a 5+++

Happy reading.

Kay

Monday, 31 October 2011

#184 (#120) - Arabella ~ Georgette Heyer

A 4 Star read all around ... it's been ages since I read this one ............ I particularly love the use of cant in her books .... and the flow of conversations in appropriate language.

Excellent read..... the story of Miss Arabella Tallent and Mr Robert Beaumaris - she's given the opportunity to spend a London Season with her God Mother, and is very well aware that as a the oldest child of an impoverished cleric and his beautiful wife it behoves her to make a creditable match to see the other children have a helping hand in life.

On the way to London her carriage breaks down and she seeks shelter with her travelling companion at the hero's hunting box. After overhearing a conversation on his views of being opportuned by females try to catch him in parson's mousetrap she happily gives him to understand that she is in fact an heiress.

Unfortunately for her, his companion is completely taken in by this claim, and seems to tell the whole ton, and within days it's open season on Arabella by every fortune hunter in the ton. Meanwhile, Mr Beaumaris (setter of fashion) has decided that whilst he doesn't quite believe the whole "heiress" story he is in fact very taken by her, and sets out to his particular attention, which will in turn help her to become the rage of the season. It started out as an amusement on his behalf in the beginning, but he soon falls for the lovely creature.

Throw in an brother also masquerading as something he is not, and a lack of experience on his behalf, oh and his slow top friend, and you have a winning combo.

Kay

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

#183 (#119) - Devil to Pay ~ Liz Carlyle - RE-READ

Just as good as a re-read - see original post HERE. In fact I would say having read it again it's probably worth another half star to 4.5.

Phew, I'm officially caught up with my list of books .... about time too, and just in time in fact for starting a new one this afternoon.

#182 (#118) - Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman ~ Lorraine Heath

Book 2 - Great Lovers' of London Series

Stephen Lyons is the black sheep of the family ... he was also once caught in the bed of his brother's wife on her wedding night.

To attempt to redeem his reputation his brothers' buy him a commission and he gets sent off to the Crimea, where he becomes a war hero .... unfortunately, he can remember nothing about it.

Miss Mercy Dawson returns from the Crimea with her reputation in tatters ... she is apparently the mother of Stephen's baby. Although she believes that he was killed out there.

When her father drags her to the Lyons family seat it seems she cares not a jot for her reputation, but is desperate to see that baby John knows his family. Well aware that they could take him from her ... she just prays that they will let her stay as his nursemaid or similar, and is shocked to find that Stephen is in fact alive.

Will he make good her reputation, given that he can remember nothing of their time together in the Crimea, or will he discover her guilty secret!

A 4.5 star read.

#181 (#117) - Passions of a Wicked Earl ~ Lorraine Heath

Book 1 in London's Greatest Lovers Series

Claire had been a chaste innocent when she was married off at a very young age to Morgan Lyons, 8th Earl of Westcliffe. Although she had known him forever, he was a distant figure with a notorious reputation with women.

Terrified on her wedding night she had sought refuge in the arms of another childhood friend, who just happened to be Morgan's brother, and they were caught in bed together.

Morgan dragged Claire off down to the country estate and left her to rot.

However, many years later Claire is determined to see that her younger sister is given the chance for a Season to find a husband other than the one picked out for her by their father ... so she takes hold of her courage and takes up residence under the husband's roof.

This unexpected event takes Morgan by surprise, and he's amazed to see how Claire has bloomed since he banished her.

Will she manage to bring her notorious rake of a husband under control, find a man for her sister and move on?

A 5 star read.

#180 (#116) Lord of Scoundrels ~ Loretta Chase

Sebastian Ballister, Marquess of Dain .... the only thing he is interested in is sin, sin and more sin ... he delights in being bad to the bone.

Miss Jessica Trent, spinster, virtuous and set on a path to make the Marquess of Dain relinquish his hold on her gullible brother.

This could go either way ... she could fall into his clutches and end up ruined .... or she could bring the bad boy to heel.

A 5+ star read, and well worth it.

#179 (#115) - The Sins of Lord Easterbrook ~ Madeline Hunter

Book 4 - The Rothwell Brothers

Christian, Marquess of Easterbrook is known to be distant and strange by anyone's standards, even his own borthers' are bemused by him....and almost feel that he is waiting for something.

Actually, it turns out he is (although possibly he doesn't even know that) .... one Miss Leona Montgomery.

A shared kiss long ago, a hungry desire that was never fed and a passion that proves incendiary, but will it be enough to persuade the Marquess to marry and conquer his worst fears.

A 5 star read.

#178 (#114) - Secrets of Surrender ~ Madeline Heath

Book 3 - The Rothwell Brothers Series

Beautiful Roselyn Longworth is plunged into poverty by the collapse of her brothers' banking empire (see Book 1), but as she holds her cousin's husband (Lord Haydn) to blame she will take nothing from them.

In desperation she falls back on her beauty and agrees to become the mistress of a lord, she believes that there is affection involved in his offer, but very soon finds that out to be incorrect at a fateful house party when he puts her up for auction.

Self-made mining boy, Kyle Bradwell, comes to the rescue and puts in an extraordinarily high bid to win her.

To protect her reputation he then offers to marry her, but can he win her over with kindness, and is that the secret to surrender?

A 4.5 star read.

#177 (#113) The Lessons of Desire ~ Madeline Hunter

Book 2 in the Rothwell Brothers Series

A 4 star read about Phaedra Blair and Lord Elliott Rothwell (Brother of Haydn from the previous book).

She's an illegitimate daugher of an MP and a famous courtesan and campaigner for woman's rights and he is the youngest of the Rothwell brothers, also a famous author and historian.

She inherits her father's interest in a printing press and has promised to publish his memoires and Lord Elliott has been ordered by his brother the Marquess to stop the publication by any means.

However, any means seem to be seduction and marriage to get what they want.

#176 (#112) The Rules of Seduction ~ Madeline Hunter

Book 1 - Rothwell Brothers Series

A 4.5 star read.

Alexia Welbounre's banking family is brought to ruin by the death, fraud and greed but Lord Haydn Rothwell steps into the breach to make good the losses.

Alexia hates him, but with no other prospects agrees to marry him.

Will love win out?

Still left to add to this list

I admit it .... I've been pants at updating list .... but it can't be helped as things have been really busy around here!!

I still have 4 books by Madeline Hunter to add ......... The Rothwell Brothers series and a re-read of Devil to Pay by Liz Carlyle. Plus I'm about to start a new book by another unknown (to me) author. Ohh, and I forgot the 2 Lorraine Heath books and another Loretta Chase that I've just finished.

That's the problem with Kindle I suppose, it's far to easy to read, rate and do a quick tweet and then move on.

#175 (#111) - An Unwilling Conquest ~ Stephanie Laurens

A 3.5 star read, but slightly better than the book that went before (A Lady of Expectations). This one features Jack's brother, Harry Lester and widow Mrs Lucinda Babbacombe. A bit of a mystery running through the book, which is exactly what I like to see with her books.

Looking forward to reading "A Comfortable Wife" now.