Review: Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

A MAN CONDEMNED . . .
Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .
A DESPERATE WOMAN . . .
London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants-a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.
OUT OF ASH, DESIRE FLARES
Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

Darling Beast is a book I've had on my TBR pile since it's release.  Why I couldn't get into it, I'm not sure.  Usually, I have to make myself s-l-o-w d-o-w-n when reading Ms. Hoyt.  And since I have declared the Summer of 2016 "Finish Your Goodreads Currently Reading List," I sat down and starting this book -- again.

We first met Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne, in Duke of Midnight.  His now brother-in-law, Maximus Batten, Duke of Wakefield, helped him escape Bedlam.  Apollo has aligned himself with the mysterious Mr. Harte and is reconstructing Harte's Folly.  Little does he know actress Lily Stump, her maid, Maude, her son, and their dog are living in the burned theatre.

Apollo and Lily are both keeping secrets in hopes of keeping themselves and those they love safe.  I found their attraction interesting yet not unexpected, and I really loved Apollo's first spoken words are in relation to Lily.   Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, a new secondary character introduced here, overshadowed the main characters and others we have come to know throughout the course of this series.  I can't figure Napier out, so I'm definitely intrigued by him.    

Review: The Beast of Clan Kincaid by Lily Blackwood

They call him the Beast—a hardened mercenary whose heart seems as cold as his icy blue gaze. They do not know his true name: Niall Braewick, son of the Laird of Kincaid. It has been years since he escaped into the forest the night his father was murdered. Now he has returned, ablaze with a vengeful hunger. He will gain the MacClaren chief’s trust, gather his clan, and take back his lands. And take the MacClaren’s daughter as well…

Though he pulled her from the river, saving her life, Elspeth has been warned to keep her distance from her father’s hired warrior. He is a barbarian—a shame, as he is far more compelling than the lechers and fools competing for her dowry. Little does she know that, like the castle itself, she is a prize Niall intends to claim…but will he extract blood for blood and possess what is his, or will his enemy’s beautiful, innocent daughter tempt him to forsake his dream of conquest?

I was very glad to pick up The Beast of Clan Kincaid.  It was a perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon!

Revenge books are hit-or-miss with me, but I have to say the set-up for Niall's revenge against Clan MacClaren was very good.  It was obvious that Niall returned to his home with the strict purpose of revenging his father's death and reclaiming his clan.  Unexpectedly, Elspeth MacClaren causes distraction and disruption of Niall's agenda.

My only complaint is Elspeth seemed to forgive Niall's deception/betrayal easily.  Niall saved Elspeth's life at least three times during the novel, and they always managed to sneak in a kiss or two before being discovered by other parties, but she seemed very hurt and upset when Niall's true name was revealed.  I never believed Niall would intentionally hurt or use Elspeth; for all his plans of revenge, he seems like a pretty good guy.

I am quite interested to see what will happen in book 2, The Rebel of Clan Kincaid, now that one of Niall's brothers has been found. 

(A very special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Beast of Clan Kincaid.)

Review: Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham

A river divides Cottonbloom in two: the upscale enclave on the Mississippi side and the rundown, rough and tumble side in Louisiana. They’re worlds apart—but nothing can build a bridge like love…

Cade Fournette never had it easy Cottonbloom. He stuck around long enough to raise his orphaned siblings and then hightailed it out West—and never looked back. Even though he’s made a success of himself in Seattle, Cade never lost the toughness and the angry edge that helped him survive down South. His only weak spot: the girl he left behind…

Monroe Kirby came from the wealthy side of town, but that didn’t protect her from her mother’s drinking—or her mother’s boyfriend. It was Cade who did that, on a long-ago hot September night, before he disappeared…along with a piece of her heart. Now Monroe is a physical therapist who can fight for herself, and it’s Cade who could use some conditioning when he makes an unexpected return back home. Will he and Monroe pick up where they left off and finally explore their mutual passion—or will the scars and secrets of the past divide them once more?

Small-town Southern romances may be my favorite.  I grew up in a small town -- at least it felt small -- so these kinds of stories really speak to me. 

Both Monroe and Cade have scars and problems in their past, yet their joined past, something that remained private, keeps them connected.  The main difference between them really is that Cade left his side of Cottonbloom while Monroe stayed on hers. 


Monroe and Cade may have connected when they were younger, but theirs is a mature romance, one that grows from mutual respect and love in the here and now.  Cade certainly doesn't expect to stay in Cottonbloom, although Monroe -- and his family, possibly in equal parts -- keeps pulling him back.  I am glad he decided to go with his heart. 

(A very special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Kiss Me That Way.)

The Beast of Clan Kincaid by Lily Dalton

 

 As a twelve-year-old Niall Braewick watched his home burn. In a desperate attempt to save Niall and his two brothers, his father, the Laird of Clan Kincaid, ordered his sons be disguised and whisked from the castle to safety. Amidst the night's chaos the brothers are separated and forced to leave their old identities behind...  

Fifteen years later, Niall returns to his boyhood home as a skilled mercenary and an outsider, but he's thirsty to avenge his parents' deaths.  And Elspeth of Alwyn, the daughter of the very man who destroyed his clan, is his best tool for revenge.  But Elspeth's beauty and spirit prove a more formidable match for the clansman's heart than any warrior. Will what started as a quest for revenge turn into something more?

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Eagerly Anticipating -- June 2016

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

A MAN OF SIN

Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.

A WOMAN OF HONOR

Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery's household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.

A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH

Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can't resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear . . .

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Eagerly Anticipating -- May 2016