Archive for April, 2010

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Review:In Bed With The Duke

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

In Bed With The Duke
Author: Christina Dodd
Publisher: NAL/Signet
Pub. Date: March 2, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0451229335
Retail: $7.99
400 pages

Demure lady’s companion Emma Chegwidden never defies society’s rules. Until the night she runs straight into the arms of the mysterious and menacing Reaper . . . a man who rides the night-shadowed countryside and conceals his identity behind a mask. His goal is justice . . . or is it vengeance? Only one thing is certain: nothing will stop him from his dark purpose.

Michael Durant, long-lost heir to the duke of Nevitt, has a score to settle. Cynical, dangerous and ruthless, Michael is the last man on earth that sensible Emma should defy. But some challenges are too tempting to resist . . . and some passions too fierce to ignore. Soon Michael discovers in Emma the woman he has always longed for . . . a woman whose beauty and courage reach through to his tortured soul . . . and he will defy anything, even fate itself, to claim her . . .

~*~*~

Christina Dodd – In Bed With the Duke builds a story of a nation trying to overcome tyranny and the man who can free them all… Add a love story and a touch of mystery and you have an intriguing tale with a few unexpected twists and enough excitement to make the pages fly through your fingers.

This is only my second Christina Dodd historical and it did not disappoint. The mystery of the “reaper” grips you right from the beginning. However, I found that I was not totally sure what the book was about at first. Not that it was slow but more that it was unpredictable. We all know the bad guys will get their comeuppance at the end and our hero and heroine will get their happily ever after but how the author takes us there is something else… there is a reason Christina Dodd is a New York Times bestselling author.

Michael, our hero, appears to be careless and selfish at first and you don’t really get to know him. He is our hero, yes, but 200+ pages into the book you still are not quite sure who he is. But, you can guess… He has been written as a character that you could pity, his fear and pain plain to the reader. But he has an inner strength that will help him to overcome the memories of his torture and get revenge on those that would hurt him and the poor people of the mythical Moricadia. His dual identity is the cause of my lack of closeness to him as a character not through fault of the writer. It is hard to have one man play two totally different roles while demonstrating the true parts of his persona.

Emma is a poorly treated companion whom we mistake for weak and spineless at first. But this girl proves that she has a backbone made of steel. She does what she must to survive and shows the reader that she is brave and fearless with a fierce desire to help those in need. You will love this girl! Just a side note…Christina’s cast of secondary characters, however small their roles, adds to a well framed and dynamic story and supports our hero and heroine in their fight for justice.

The love scenes were interesting and definitely had some steamy aspects. All I have to say is stable love scene… read the book and you will understand!

This is a book I would recommend to any historical fan. I liked it so much that I plan on finding the other books in this ‘Governess Bride’ series and reading them ALL. Check out Christina’s website for information on all her books…

Rating: 8 (Very Good)

Heat-Level: 3-4 (Very Sensual)

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Review: Desires of a Perfect Lady

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Desires of a Perfect Lady
Author: Victoria Alexander
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: March 30, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061449482
Retail: $7.99
384 pages


A Secret list of the Desires of Lady Olivia Rathbourne
1) Disregard convention
2) Follow my heart
3) Bed the Earl of Wyldewood

A decade ago, Olivia had expected to marry the Earl of Wyldewood, only to have happiness stolen from her before his ring could be placed upon her finger. Now, he stands before her, as proud and arrogant and handsome as ever, vowing to rescue her. Well, he’s got some nerve turning up after all these years. Where was he when she needed him?

As for the Earl, scandal has never touched him nor has impropriety ever besmirched his name. But his penchant for doing the expected does have his family calling him, well, dull. Isn’t it time to flaunt society’s conventions and do what he’s always wanted? And first on his list: Olivia in his bed—with or without a wedding.

~*~*~

Desires of a Perfect Lady is the second book in the series about the Harrington Brothers by Victoria Alexander.

Viscountess Olivia Rathbourne and Sterling Harrington were once young and hopelessly in love. Just before the announcement of their engagement, Sterling was approached by Olivia’s father with news that she no longer loved Sterling and was to marry a wealthy antiques collector instead. Heartbroken, Sterling banishes Olivia from his life…but never from his thoughts!

Olivia has been trapped in a cruel and unhappy marriage for the past ten years. She was promised to the vile Viscount Rathbourne by her father who harbored a dark secret that would be made public if he did not ‘give’ Olivia to the Viscount. She attempted to contact Sterling in the hopes that he would rescue her, but her letters went ignored.

Now, ten years later, her husband is found brutally murdered and the killer is still on the loose. Worried for her safety, Lord Newbury (Olivia’s father) visits Sterling asking for his help in protecting Olivia. Sterling, not realizing that her marriage was a sham all along, is reluctant but finally agrees. After being estranged for ten years, their initial reunion is polite yet cold and distant.

Olivia only desires two things: the first is to bed Sterling one last time and close that chapter of her life once and for all, and the second is to be independent and truly free. In order for her to be independent though, she must collect the inheritance that is rightfully hers. What she does not anticipate is that even from beyond the grave her husband maintains control of her purse strings. She must fulfill three difficult tasks in order to be given her inheritance and she must seek help from Sterling to accomplish this.

I’m a bit torn as to how I feel about this book. There were some qualities that I liked and some that I didn’t like. Pros first! I found the characters likable and endearing. Once Sterling realized that letting Olivia go was his biggest mistake, he really makes an effort to win her back. He vows to no longer be the stiff, stodgy and dull Earl but rather to be charming and pleasant, which he iswas. Olivia no longer trusts men, and who could blame her, so she focuses her energies on being strong and independent. She never expects her old feelings for Sterling to come surging back. The dynamic between these two characters iswas enjoyable to read.

The plot is also intriguing. Her deceased husband sends her on a scavenger hunt to collect and retrieve three ancient artifacts in order for her to receive her inheritance. The only real flaw with the plot is that these artifacts should have been nearly impossible to retrieve and they have a rather easy time of it.

As for the cons, I found the synopsis to be a bit misleading. The synopsis implies that Olivia’s ultimate goal is to get Sterling in her bed. However, in reading their story it seems that it is more about Sterling trying to win Olivia’s heart back while she tries to gain some semblance of freedom. She does attempt to get him into her bed, but her attempts seem half-hearted and weak. My other concern with the story is that the mystery of her husband’s killer remains unsolved. I want to know “who-dun-it”.

I can’t say that Desires of a Perfect Lady will become one of my favorites, but I did enjoy the time that I spent with it.

Rating: 6 (Satisfactory)

Heat-Level: 3: (Sensual)

If you’re looking for a slightly different take on Desires of a Perfect Lady, Danielle D, our reviewer from Canada, has posted hers on her blog.

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Posted in Avon Books, Reviews | 2 Comments »

A minor rant

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Nothing gets my goat more than purchasing a book after seeing a wonderful cover and reading the back cover blurb, then getting it home and realizing I already own this book.

I feel like I’ve been swindled. It’s an author I’m familiar with and it’s a new cover and a new back cover blurb, but the book itself was published ten years ago. And of course, when I bought it way back then, it didn’t cost what it does now. Why won’t publishers be clear on the cover of a book that it’s a reissue? For those of us who make this mistake, all it does is get our panties into a very tight knot. I could have spent that money on another book–a new book! Now I’m forced to check the copyright dates on many of the books that I purchase.

And even if we readers hadn’t already purchased the book went it came out a decade ago, there still might be tough time ahead because it’s the author’s earlier work. The author (who usually has made a name for her/himself at this point) wrote this book probably years before they became a recognized name and the book might not stand up well beside their current books.

Has this every happened to you? Were you able to return the book? Did you even bother?

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Posted in Miscellaneous | 27 Comments »

Review: Hot Westmoreland Nights

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Hot Westmoreland Nights
Author: Brenda Jackson
Publisher: Harlequin/Silhouette Desire
Pub. Date: March 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0373730131
Retail: $4.75
192 pages


If you can’t stand the heat . . .

He knew better than to lust after the hired help. But Ramsey Westmoreland’s new cook was just so delectable . . . it was enough to make the Denver rancher rethink his rules. When temptation got the best of him, he discovered Chloe Burton was just as hot in the bedroom as she was in the kitchen.

Though their affair was growing steamier by the minute, Ramsey couldn’t help but question Chloe’s true motives. And when he discovered her ultimate betrayal, he was set to satisfy himself with cold showers. Until he realized his fatal mistake: never underestimate the power of the human heart, especially a Westmoreland’s.

~*~*~

Hot Westmoreland Nights got off to a slow start for me, but it wasn’t the author’s fault. There are some things that you come to expect when you pick up a HQ/SIL novel.

For example. I know that secret baby stories annoy the heck out of me. So if I read a blurb where the heroine has a secret, from experience I know it’s going to be a secret baby story and I move on to the next title. The same thing with lying. I hate characters that lie for selfish reasons, so when I see the world betrayal in a HQ/SIL blurb, to me that’s a clue that the hero or heroine is lying and I generally pass. However, although I haven’t read a lot of Brenda Jackson’s Silhouette Desires, I’ve read enough to know that I really like them, so I continued reading. I’m glad I did.

Idle Thoughts on Setting: I think I live in the boonies. One day, I lost my mind and agreed to move from Atlanta, GA to a small (to me) town in Michigan. As a black woman this was a huge culture shock. Since diversity isn’t thick on the ground where I live, I find it hard to believe that theirs so much diversity in Colorado ranch country. Just sayin’. I know romances are supposed to be fantasy (especially HQ/SIL titles) but it pulled me out of the story. I freely admit this is my own bias because I’m so aware of it because of my personal situation. I also freely admit that I could be wrong and often am and there are a lot of black folks in Colorado ranching towns.

Characters: The hero Ramsey Westmoreland was hot. With apologies to my husband, I want my own Ramsey Westmoreland. He’s a well-drawn out likable figure. A man who’s never shirked from responsibility. A real hero, he always does what’s best for his family and his employees. In the first page, the heroine licks her lips at the site of him. At first I found this corny; however, the more Ramsey Westmoreland appeared on page, umm, I started licking my lips too. Chloe, the heroine, took a little bit warming up to. Why? Cause she lied. However, I found myself liking her as the story progressed. Although I felt she should have found a way to tell Ramsey what she wanted from him and why she was there, I found myself liking how she dug down deep and helped him out of his bind.

Plot: It’s a classic misunderstanding plot. However, the author get’s over the ‘why don’t they just sit down and talk things out’ thing by having them either; arguing, being interrupted, or being choke full of sexual tension to think straight.

Sexual Tension: There’s a lot of sexual tension between Ramsey and Chloe. I like how they’re both honest about it and unsure of how to deal with it as they felt that it was something deeper than what each had ever known before. One point kinda annoyed me is the lead up to the first major sex scene. That seemed a little contrived to me. To explain . . . Chloe cooks at his ranch. It’s the weekend, so she goes out with a friend and tells Ramsey she’ll be back Sunday evening to cook his men breakfast that morning. He jumps down her throat for coming back at 11:00 PM and telling her she’s late. I had a WTF moment right there. To give Chloe credit, she felt my WTF moment and had her own WTF moment and told Ramsey that as long as she’s there to cook his men breakfast that AM, what is it to him what time she got home. If you couldn’t tell, this is the moment where I really started liking Chloe :) . Ramsey annoyed the heck out of me there, and I think it was just an excuse for them to argue and have sex. But his behavior didn’t impress me and it was hard to forgive him for that.

(Yes, I know these aren’t real people. But you get my point. At least I hope you do!)

Brenda Jackson’s novels are all about families and family dynamics. While I had a few problems with this novel (lying and the contrived hey how can I get these two in bed original sex scene). I really enjoyed Hot Westmoreland Nights. That is to say . . . Ramsey Westmoreland is Hot.

Rating: 7 (Good)

Heat-Level: 4: (Hot)

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Posted in Harlequin, Reviews | 9 Comments »

What do you want in your romance novel

Monday, April 12th, 2010

What do I want in my romance novel? I’d like to say it’s enough that I get a pleasant escape from the realities of life–a lovely diversion where two people who love each other passionately get their HEA. I’d like to say that’s what I want in my romance books.

Apparently, it’s not that simple. I’m a picky reader and I know it. I’m very particular about the story that holds my attention. For the most part, I don’t like my genres overlapping. If I’m reading a romance, the story must be about the romance. Other genres shouldn’t  try to poke their noses in my romances. Intrigue and suspense must either be absent or play a very limited role in them.

My hero or heroine must not be in a prolonged state of danger. Which means, I don’t want to spend the entire novel waiting for the other foot to drop and wondering precisely when the ‘bad guy’ will get her/him. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love a good mystery.  As far as I’m concerned, no greater mystery writer ever lived than Agatha Christie. She’s my hero. To satisfy my need for thriller and suspense, I’m more prone to watch it than to read it. There is something about the visual in those types of stories that translate to the small  or big screen better for me–although, I’m certainly not opposed to reading the book if it’s a movie adaptation. Books always tend to be better than the movies they represent.

What do I want? I want sizzling sexual tension and great conflict. A story in which the heroine and hero’s conflict is predominantly external won’t hold my attention. I need their conflict to be internal. I love a romance where the attraction is being fought. I love a romance when the hero has a long long way to fall.  I love the ice princess.  I love a dark brooding hero with a wry sense of humour. I love having my heart wrenched. I love heat. Lisa Kleypas kind of heat. Linda Howard or Sandra Brown kind of heat when they wrote romances. My hero and heroine can’t cheat on each other after they’ve entered a relationship, although as I study my collection, I see there are exceptions  to this rule.

Yes, I’m an author, but I was a reader long before I wrote my first word. I think I started writing because I’m such a picky reader. As the publishing business changed and books became edgier, more plot-driven and less character-driven, I yearned for the romances that made me fall in love with the genre.

What about you? What do you want in your romance novel? Which authors have been consistent in delivering the goods?

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Posted in Miscellaneous | 19 Comments »

Review: Tempting Fortune

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Tempting Fortune
Author: Jo Beverley
Publisher: Everlyn
Pub. Date: March 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1849670036
Retail: £6.99
347 pages


The Stakes

Portia St. Claire’s brother has gambled and lost, throwing her into the power of ruthless men. Their price for his life is her virtue, to be auctioned off in London’s most notorious brothel…

The Bidder

To retrieve an incriminating letter, Bryght Malloren once broke into a house where he was where he was greeted at pistol point by a resolute woman… a woman he could swear stands trembling before him on a madam’s auction block…

The Riskiest Game

Unable to leave Portia to such a cruel fate, Bryght turns the private wager into a very public game of seduction, one that confirms his reputation as a shameless rake and keeps all of London society breathless with anticipation. But on a night shimmering with destiny, truth and passion, those who tempt fortune risk losing everything… including their hearts…

~*~*~


It was love at first read – the moment Bryght Malloren appeared on the scene, I was doomed. Well, in fact so was Bryght when he found himself confronted by an intriguing Amazon who aimed a pistol at him. But he managed to escape the danger with a letter he’d come for and with his body unhurt. They part ways, but Fortuna soon throws them back together again.

Portia St. Claire is in despair. While in London, her brother Oliver has become a gamester and lost the family home in a reckless game. Desperate for a way to raise a loan to retain their property, they stay in the city to plead with a childhood friend, the Earl of Walgrave. But while the earl takes his time in returning, Oliver’s luck runs out. His life is in danger, and only Portia can help him survive – by raising the money owed to the bad men through an auction. An auction for her virtue.

Terrified but with a fierce loathing of all gamesters, Portia is wary when Bryght, renowned for his gaming ways, wins the prize – her. As he challenges her with a wager, she is not impressed with her body’s reaction to his seduction. It should be her sensible mind that prevails!

Portia continues to struggle with her feelings, but Bryght is certain he can convince her of his intentions. He continues to tempt her with a series of intriguing wagers she can’t resist. But can Portia ever forget the perils of gaming, and the lives it can destroy?

In Bryght Malloren, Ms Beverley created a hero many a reader will adore. Deep, dark and intelligent, he is a man you wouldn’t deny. Portia St. Claire has a strong, believable personality, and her willingness to sacrifice her virtue to save her hopeless brother make her human. But her fear of gaming runs deep, and her ongoing worry about it began to gnaw a little on my patience towards the end.

Tempting Fortune is an incredibly well-paced historical romance set in Georgian England, with exciting twists and turns. The plot throws constant challenges into the path of hapless Portia and brooding Bryght, which never leaves you wanting. I found it hard to put the book down, even reading into the early hours on a weekday night.

The only issue I had was that the proofreader must have been so caught up in the story that she let slip an array of typos and missing speech marks. While I usually find it disrupting, the plot of Tempting Fortune is strong enough for me to overlook this lack of attention.

Tempting Fortune was first published in the US in 1995.

A must have on the bookshelf of any fan of historical romance!

Rating: 8 (Very Good)

Heat-Level: 3: (Sensual)

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Review: Live to Tell

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Live to Tell
Author: Wendy Corsi Staub
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: February 23, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061895067
Retail: $7.99
400 pages

Secrets can scandalize …

In a lovely suburban town just north of New York City, the gossip mill runs more efficiently than the commuter train line. And in every impeccably decorated house, they’re talking about Lauren Walsh. They say that nothing could be worse than being abandoned by your husband for another woman. They’re wrong …

Secrets can shock …

All Lauren wants is to protect her children from the pain of her messy divorce. But when their father goes missing, a case of mistaken identity puts all their lives in danger, and a stealthy predator lurks in the shadows, watching…waiting…

Secrets can kill …

Lauren is about to uncover an unfathomable truth—a truth this cold-blooded mastermind would never let her live to tell…

~*~*~



A dastardly villain, a devoted mother and spine chilling suspense are the dynamic combination that makes LIVE TO TELL a completely “un-put-downable” brilliant success.

Impeccably crafted, LIVE TO TELL is suspense at its most terrifying. Wendy Corsi Staub has a gift for drawing readers into the story from page one. Edge of your seat suspense and riveting characters leave readers helpless to keep turning the pages. Using an ordinary storyline, Wendy Corsi Staub amps up the premise with precision as we follow Lauren Walsh through a messy divorce that soon becomes so much more.

In the suburbs of New York residents are talking about Lauren Walsh and her husband’s abandonment for another woman. Wanting only to protect her children from the pain, she has no idea her husband, Nick, has set a chilling plot into motion that revolves around a stuffed rabbit.

A predator is watching and he will not rest until all of them are dead. When Lauren notices someone watching the house she also realizes her daughter, Sadie, is in the stalker’s sights. When Sadie reports that someone has furtively entered her room one night, Lauren is in a panic.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Garvey Quinn has secrets that could damage his career and draws readers into guessing what it could be. He has the Walsh family followed and wants the stuffed rabbit retrieved at all costs. There is another woman whose son’s disappearance is tied to Garvey as well, and she is about to find out what happens in the inner circles of Garvey’s orbit.

Rating: 9 (Excellent)

Heat-Level: 3: (Sensual)

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Posted in Avon Books, Reviews, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

And the winners are…and other contests

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

The winner of Sarah MacLean’s Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is…

Renee


And the winners of Tessa Dare’s Goddess of the Hunt are …

Karyn Gerrard

Cheryl C.


And because the winner of Christie Kelley’s Something Scandalous already won a copy of her book, the new winner is…

Deb

Ladies, please email me your address to me at historicals at historicalromancereleases dot com.

And if you’re looking for other contests around the blogisphere, 2 members of The Season Forum are offering up advanced copies of their books.

Feeling at bit reckless? Today,  Anna Campbell is over at Romance Bandits and she’s giving away a copy of her June release My Reckless Surrender.

Paula Quinn is giving away a copy of her May release Ravished By a Highlander on her website. Contest ends May 1st.

Have a great weekend!

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Posted in Contests, Forum, Giveaways | 12 Comments »

Nine Rules is making the LISTS–NYT and USA Today!

Friday, April 9th, 2010

You know what I love? I love it when wonderful things happens to books I adore. I love it when wonderful things happen to really nice people.:D

In case you missed the very exciting news, The Season’s April Feature Interviewee, Sarah MacLean, is celebrating. This week she discovered (as did we all) that her second book, NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE, hit the New York Times bestseller list at #27 and the USA Today bestseller list at #61.

CONGRATULATIONS SARAH!!!!

As I already stated in my interview with Sarah and my mini-review of her book, this is a wonderful book. I adored it. If you love truly excellent  historical romances (and I do stress romance), you must pick up Nine Rules. And it’s not just me saying so, as it appears the whole country is in agreement.

And since this is my personal April Top Pick, we’re going to celebrate along with Sarah by giving away another copy of her bestselling book! Just comment to enter to win.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Avon Books
Pub. Date: March 30, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061852053
432 pages

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried–and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss–to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston–charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she’s not careful, she’ll break the most important rule of all–the one that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopefully, desperately in love…

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Posted in Avon Books, Giveaways | 54 Comments »

Anticipation & Giveaway

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

I currently have a bunch of books on my must-buy list the moment they hit the streets. By all accounts, I should be the type of person to pre-order to ensure nothing goes awry on release day. I’m too impatient for that. I’d rather hit my favourite bookstore on release day and cart my long awaited book home in hand. Actually, the stores around here tend to have the books out early so on one of my frequent shopping days, I’ll probably spot long awaited book on the shelf, half of them probably already gone (because, as you might have guessed, I’m not the only one waiting for said book).

Below are 3 of the books on this ever growing list, and for good reason. :)

~*~*~

Sherry Thomas has dazzled me with her prose since I devoured Private Arrangements for the first of many times. To me, her latest offering, His At Night, is a slight departure than what I expect from her, as there seems to be a solid intrigue element to the story (he is a spy for the Crown). But this is Sherry Thomas, and she has always delivered above all else, a wonderful love story, so I expect nothing less from His At Night.

His At Night
Author: Sherry Thomas
Publisher: Bantam
Pub. Date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0553592443
Retail: $7.99
432 pages

Love is hottest in the darkness before dawn.

Elissande Edgerton is a desperate woman, a virtual prisoner in the home of her tyrannical uncle. Only through marriage can she claim the freedom she craves. But how to catch the perfect man?

Lord Vere is used to baiting irresistible traps. As a secret agent for the government, he’s tracked down some of the most devious criminals in London, all the while maintaining his cover as one of Society’s most harmless—and idiotic—bachelors. But nothing can prepare him for the scandal of being ensnared by Elissande.

Forced into a marriage of convenience, Elissande and Vere are each about to discover that they’re not the only one with a hidden agenda. With seduction their only weapon—and a dark secret from the past endangering both their lives—can they learn to trust each other even as they surrender to a passion that won’t be denied?

~*~*~

Debut author, Tessa Dare, burst on the scene last year with, Goddess of the Hunt, the first book in her back-to-back trilogy. Sigh. I adored that book. The dark brooding hero and the heroine who was able to crack his reserve and open his heart to love. Well this year Tessa has yet another back to back trilogy, which begins with One Dance With a Duke. Again, like Sherry, Tessa seems to have taken a departure from her first three books as this trilogy seems to also have an intrigue element. The three heroes are connected by their share in a horse and are members of a very exclusive club. The club’s owner is murdered, so there is a murderer afoot. Again, I’m sure the romance will take center stage and Tessa’s lyrical prose and her ability to tap readers’ emotions promises a wonderful read.

Oh, and the cover of One Dance With a Duke is one of the most GORGEOUS I’ve ever seen. Ballantine’s art department really hit a grand slam on this one.

One Dance With a Duke
Author: Tessa Dare
Publisher: Ballantine
Pub. Date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0345518859
Retail: $7.99
Pages: 400

True temptation begins at midnight…

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

~*~*~

Last, but certainly not least is the final book in Margaret Mallory’s trilogy, Knight of Passion. Margaret also burst onto the historical romance scene last year and turned me onto medievals despite my fierce aversion to fighting, war and intrigue, with her debut book, Knight of Desire. I loved Knight of Desire because the romance was center stage, and the love story elicited every conceivable emotion in me. My heart was wrenched–and I love a good heart wrenching. The hero and heroine, just like the hero and heroine in the second book, Knight of Pleasure, are introduced in the prior book when they were just children. I absolutely love seeing this kind of transition, the evolution of their feelings as they become adults. I expect that Knight of Passion will be a smashing end to a fabulous series.

Knight of Passion
 Author: Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Grand Central
Pub. Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0446559867
Retail: $7.99
416 pages

HOW CAN THIS PASSIONATE KNIGHT…

Renowned beauty Lady Linnet is torn between two desires: revenge on those who destroyed her family or marriage to her childhood sweetheart Sir James Rayburn. One fateful night, she makes a misguided choice: she sacrifices Jamie’s love for a chance at vengeance.

TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST?

Jamie Rayburn returns to England in search of a virtuous wife-only to find the lovely Linnet as bewitching as ever. Their reckless affair ignites anew, even hotter than before, although Jamie vows to never again trust her with his heart. Then just as Linnet begins to make amends, she’s tempted by one last opportunity to settle old scores. But a final retribution could cost her Jamie’s love – this time forever.

Today I have 2 copies of Tessa’s debut book, GODDESS OF THE HUNT, to give away. If for some reason, you’ve missed this wonderful book, just comment to enter for a chance to get a copy of your own.

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Posted in Anticipated Reads, Giveaways | 33 Comments »

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