When The Scoundrel Sins by Anna Harrington

Six years ago, a childish prank perpetrated by the reckless Quinton Carlisle ruined Annabelle Greene's reputation and any chance she had at securing a successful marriage.  Incensed, she moved to her beloved estate on the Scottish border and has reveled in the solitude...until now when the contents of a family will are revealed.  Suddenly, Belle's single status may cost her the only home she's ever known.  Now, with her only marital prospect a horribly greedy and completely undesirable man, Belle knows just the person to rescue her-the one person who owes her for his bad behavior...

There's nothing Quinn Carlisle wants more than to get out from his older brother's shadow and make a name for himself abroad. So when a mysterious letter arrives, promising adventure, he rushes to the Scottish border...only to find that Belle laid a trap for him.  The awkward, shy bluestocking whom he so enjoyed tormenting is gone, replaced by a graceful, elegant woman who ignites a desire in him he can't resist.  Can Quinn help her save her home-and win her heart in the process? 

EXCERPT

“You look much more like your father now,” she commented, nervously licking her suddenly dry lips but only serving to draw his attention to her mouth. Which made her even more nervous, so nervous that she couldn’t stop the trembling of her fingertips as they wrapped into the skirt of her night rail. “But you’re still a troublemaker.”

A faint smile played at his mouth. “And you’re still a bluestocking,” he countered. Unintentionally simmering a slow heat low in her belly, he reached up to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “Still retreating to the sanctuary of your library.”

“Because books are usually more pleasant than most people,” she answered, swallowing hard when he trailed his fingers down the side of her neck. She forced out, not at all as firmly as she’d hoped beneath the soft touch of his fingers,

“And more trustworthy.”

Ignoring that jab, he slid his hand lower to let his fingers play at the edge of her shawl. “Yet there are things that people can do that books can’t.” His fingers tugged gently at the shawl and pulled it down her shoulder to reveal the scooped neck of the nightdress beneath. His gaze flicked to the small patch of revealed skin at the base of her throat, then back to her eyes. “All kinds of interesting things.”

Review: If The Duke Demands by Anna Harrington

Miranda Hodgkins has only ever wanted one thing: to marry Robert Carlisle. And she simply can't wait a moment longer. During the Carlisle family masquerade ball, Miranda boldly sneaks into his bedchamber with seduction on her mind. Soon she's swept into rock-hard arms for the most breathtaking kiss of her life. But when the masks come off, she's horrified to find herself face-to-face with Sebastian, the Duke of Trent-Robert's formidable older brother.

Shocked to find Miranda in his bed, Sebastian quickly offers her a deal to avoid scandal: He'll help her win his brother's heart if she'll find him the perfect wife. But what begins as a simple negotiation soon spirals out of control. For the longer this reformed rake tries to make a match for Miranda, the more he wants to keep her all to himself.



A classic case of mistaken identity, which lends to the predictability of this romance, but If The Duke Demands is a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.  

Miranda is in love with Robert Carlisle.  She's always been in love with him.  So she takes matters into her own hands and plans to seduce him.  Instead of Robert, however, she finds herself with Robert's older brother, Sebastian.  The two make a plan to get Robert to fall in love with Miranda, and of course, that plan backfires.  

For its predictability, If The Duke Demands is a cute romance and was able to keep my interest until The End.  I enjoyed the Carlisle family and look forward to reading about the other two brothers, Quinton and Robert.  

(Thank you to Forever Romance, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of If The Duke Demands.)

Review: Leave the Night On by Laura Trentham

Love, betrayal, and sweet revenge—life in Cottonbloom is about to get a whole lot hotter . . .

Sutton Mize is known for lavishing attention on the customers who flock to her boutique on the wealthy side of her Mississippi town. So when she finds a lace thong in her fiancé’s classic cherry-red Camaro, she knows just who she sold it to: her own best friend. In an instant, Sutton’s whole world goes up in flames. . .

Wyatt Abbott has harbored a crush on Sutton since he was a young kid from the other side of the tracks. He witnessed Sutton’s shocking discovery in the Camaro at his family-owned garage—and it made him angry. What kind of man could take lovely, gorgeous Sutton for granted? But then Sutton comes up with an idea: Why not give her betrothed a taste of his own medicine and pretend that she’s got a lover of her own? Wyatt is more than happy to play the hot-and-heavy boyfriend. But what begins as a fictional affair soon develops into something more real, and more passionate, than either Sutton or Wyatt could have imagined. Could it be that true love has been waiting under the hood all along?

Sutton and Wyatt aren't strangers, but they are from different sides of Cottonbloom.  When Sutton discovers her fiance has been cheating with her best friend, she lies that she and Wyatt have been involved as well.  Wyatt agrees to go along with it because of his childhood crush on Sutton.

There is a bit of a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING between Sutton and Wyatt, just as their true love starts to take hold, thanks to something said by Wyatt's oldest brother, Ford.  I'll be interested to see how Ford is portrayed in future books.  

It's always fun to visit Cottonbloom - both sides! - and see characters from the previous series.  The Abbotts of Cottonbloom, Louisiana, have a lot of tension simmering between them, so I'm excited to see where this new series goes. 

(A very special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Leave the Night On.)

Review: The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor

IS MARRIAGE A BLESSING OR A CURSE?
A man of honor, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, will not rest until he exacts revenge on the man who destroyed his family. Just one more piece must fall into place for him to succeed he needs to convince his enemy's fiancee, the tragically beautiful Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead.

Lady Claire's curse has always left her one misstep away from social ruin her past three engagements have gone awry, and now her fourth is headed in the same direction. . .until Alex, a man she barely even knows, shocks the ton and Claire by announcing their engagement. What begins as a sham turns into something deeper, and more passionate, than either Claire or Alex could have imagined. But when their secrets are revealed, will the truth behind their union scandalize them both or is their love strong enough to break the curse and lead them toward their happily ever after?

I love to give new authors, especially authors of historical romances, a chance.  Unfortunately, I didn't connect with Ms. MacGregor's writing as much as I had hoped.  

Alex is after revenge on behalf of his deceased sister.  Claire just happens to be in the way as a pawn.  Alex's manipulations and Claire's behavior, particularly in the second half of the novel, didn't engage me.  I kept wondering why they were still together!  The ton believes Claire is cursed, so a separation would only feed into that notion.   

A disappointing historical romance for me, I'm sorry to say. 

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

Review: Suddenly One Summer by Julie James

Divorce lawyer Victoria Slade has seen enough unhappy endings to swear off marriage forever. That doesn't mean she's opposed to casual dating—just not with her cocky new neighbor, who is as gorgeous and tempting as he is off-limits. But once she agrees to take on his sister's case, she's as determined to win as ever—even if that means teaming up with Ford...

Investigative journalist Ford Dixon is bent on finding the man who got his sister pregnant and left her high and dry. He's willing to partner with Victoria, despite the fact that the beautiful brunette gets under his skin like no other woman. He might not be looking to settle down, but there's no denying the scorching attraction between them. Still, the more time he spends with Victoria, the more he realizes that the one woman as skeptical about love as he is might be the only woman he could really fall for...

Suddenly One Summer has been on my TBR since its release.  Her first novel not featuring an FBI agent as a main character, previous heroes and heroines are mentioned or appear as secondary characters, so this book ties into the series as a whole. 

When I read one of Ms. James' books, I know I'm going to get a lot of sexual tension between the heroine and hero; both characters will be smart or crafty -- above-board, I suppose.  And it's usually their personalities and dialogue that drive that sexual tension.  It makes them relatable and real, and I typically LOVE it.  

So I was surprised that Ms. James used a BIG MISUNDERSTANDING between Ford and Valerie.  Fortunately, the couple talks and are able to come back together quickly with honesty between them.  To a point, I suppose Valerie and Ford assumed things about the other from the moment they met in the building.  Still, it was a surprise.

Eagerly Anticipating -- August 2017

Leave the Night On by Laura Trentham

Love, betrayal, and sweet revenge—life in Cottonbloom is about to get a whole lot hotter . . .

Sutton Mize is known for lavishing attention on the customers who flock to her boutique on the wealthy side of her Mississippi town. So when she finds a lace thong in her fiancé’s classic cherry-red Camaro, she knows just who she sold it to: her own best friend. In an instant, Sutton’s whole world goes up in flames. . .

Wyatt Abbott has harbored a crush on Sutton since he was a young kid from the other side of the tracks. He witnessed Sutton’s shocking discovery in the Camaro at his family-owned garage—and it made him angry. What kind of man could take lovely, gorgeous Sutton for granted? But then Sutton comes up with an idea: Why not give her betrothed a taste of his own medicine and pretend that she’s got a lover of her own? Wyatt is more than happy to play the hot-and-heavy boyfriend. But what begins as a fictional affair soon develops into something more real, and more passionate, than either Sutton or Wyatt could have imagined. Could it be that true love has been waiting under the hood all along?

 

EXCERPT