Romance Novel Reviews
by Georgette Heyer
The premise: When Max Ravenscar hears of his young cousin's intent to marry a common gaming wench, he devises a scheme to buy off the hussy and stop the wedding. What he doesn't know is Deborah Grantham has no such designs on the boy. Max's insulting offer offends Miss Grantham and sets off a humorous set of plots, schemes and lies.
The chemistry: I give Max and Deb:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: This was my very first foray into the world of Ms. Heyer. It took me a while to get into the flow of Ms. Heyer's writing style. She uses the language of the 19th century, which, frankly, leaves me at a loss from time to time. I came up with an entire list of words I needed to look up in the dictionary and several phrases that left me scratching my head. This is not necessarily a negative point, just a frank observation.
While her story telling is definitely superior, I did not find this book in the least bit fulfilling as a romance. The emphasis was on the scheming and not the inner workings of the main characters' minds. Max and Deb's foray into love lasted all of two pages...the last two pages. Terribly unsatisfying. And I did not have a hint at all of Deb's feelings for Max. When you look at the overall rating, imagine me shrugging my shoulders and saying an uncommital, "Eh."
Overall rating:
by Judith Ivory
The premise: Scarred about the face with a dead eye and a limp, Prince Charles Harcourt has promised to marry Louise Vandermeer in order to further his perfume factory's performance. When he finds that she is an eighteen year-old girl of stunning beauty and questionable faithfulness, he plans to seduce her under the guise of an Arabian pasha, who will only come to her in the dark. His little plot backfires when he falls in love with the young woman only to find that she is disgusted with his ugly face and lame leg.
The chemistry: I give Charles and Louise:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: The first half of this book bored me to tears. It essentially set up the joke that Charles was to be playing on his intended bride. But, as there was no angst and they both fell for each other equally, I found it too saccharine. I nearly quit reading. Then...the angst started as Charles abandoned his charade and the two married. Charles' pain from Louise summary dismissal struck a cord in me and begged me to read on. I relished every word, longing for the moment when she would finally accept him for the man he was beneath the face. I also cringed at the thought that some day, he would have to tell her the truth about her premarital affair. What I got was a lame, poorly formed ending that left me completely unsatisfied.
Ms. Ivory draws wonderful parallels between
-The ship (blind and lame after an encounter with an iceberg) and Charles
-The ambergris (ugly at first glance, but with a beautiful scent) and Charles
-Wedding Night Jasmine (exquisite bloom with a unique fragrance) and Louise
I would have thought her ending would have shown the same insight into the characters.
Overall rating:
by Carla Kelly, Anne Barbour, Elisabeth Fairchild, Barbara Metzger and Allison Lane
The premise: In this collection of 5 short stories, Sir Michael's newest of his line of hotels has just been built and is attracting business at a good rate.
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: The quality of these stories varied immensely. We start out with the best, Carla Kelly's, and finish off with the worst, Ms. Lane's. I really do feel that the tales got worse as the book progressed. I would recommend reading only first 3. If you're not picky, the first 4.
Overall rating:
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by Mary Jo Putney
The premise: Having lost her parents in a tragic political assault, Lady Meriel Grahame has drawn herself into a private world, making her seem mad to those around her. Now that she's of age, her uncle has decided that a husband and children would benefit the girl. Enter Kyle Renbourne. Only, Kyle is unable to meet with the mad Lady due to other circumstances. Therefore, he sends his estranged, twin brother Dominic to take his place for just a few weeks.
The chemistry: I give Meriel and Dominic:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: This was a bit of a twist on the typical Regency romance where the man seduces the woman. Poor Dominic is determined to keep what little relationship he has with his brother intact. He simply cannot allow himself to succumb to his passions...but his love for the wild child says otherwise.
Overall rating:
by Lisa Kleypas
The premise: Zachary Bronson may have amassed a fortune, but that is not enough to admit him to the upper echelons of London society. Lady Holland Taylor may have lived a virtuous life with George, her perfectly gentlemanly husband, but that is cold comfort to her once she becomes a widow and has to face a dull, lonely life in her in-laws' home. Mr. Bronson hires her to teach himself and his mother and sister how to act gentile, but in the meantime, manages to change Holland as well.
The chemistry: I give Holly and Zachary:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Ms. Kleypas did a wonderful job painting Holly's desperate grief after losing her handsome, perfect husband. I was thoroughly moved without feeling bogged down by the emotion. Her journey toward falling in love with such a creature as Zachary (as different from George as night and day) and allowing herself to move on in life was realistically portrayed.
Overall rating:
by Julia Quinn
The premise: Hyacinth is the last of the unmarried Bridgerton daughters. She is outspoken and headstrong. In order to marry her off (the gel's had 6 refused proposals thus far), her family will have to find just the right man. Enter Gareth St. Clair.
The chemistry: I give Hyacinth and Gareth:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Having read each of the previous books from Ms. Quinn's Bridgerton series, I had anxiously awaited the arrival of this installment. I was not disappointed. After Ms. Quinn's last, which was the darkest of them all, fraught with grief and death, I should have suspected that this would go in an entirely different direction. I never laughed so much through a novel in my entire life. The dialogue is Ms. Quinn's usual fare (witty and sharp). I relished each and every word.
This book does not waver from the underlying theme of the series. The Bridgertons, while constantly making jibes at each other, love each other deeply and furiously. They are overprotective and dutiful. By far the best scene in the book is the interview between Anthony and Gareth as the latter asks for Hyacinth's hand in marriage. Anthony looks up to the sky and mouths, "Thank God," as if he thought he would never unload her onto an unsuspecting husband.
The romance was lovely despite the rather predictable subplot of Gareth's true parentage. All in all, this proved to be a book worthy of permanent shelf space.
Overall rating:
by Julia Quinn
The premise: While the Duke of Ashbourne has declared himself a confirmed bachelor, he reconsiders after meeting an American with flaming red hair.
The chemistry: I give Emma and Alex:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: If this had not been written by Julia Quinn, I would have stopped reading after 10 pages. The writing is amateurish and, frankly, could have been written by myself. The plot was paper thin. The time period was simply wallpaper. The dialogue, while hinting at Ms. Quinn's potential, simply did not fit into the time and place; the characters nearly sounded as if they were from America in the late 20th century.
Overall rating:
Where's My Hero - "A Tale Of Two Sisters"
by Julia Quinn
The premise: Edward Blydon (originally seen in Splendid), having given up on love, has promised to marry Lydia Thornton. It doesn't take him long to realize that the Thornton sister for him is really Charlotte.
The chemistry: I give Ned and Charlotte:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: This is just one of three short stories in the book. I haven't read the other books on which the short stories are based, so I just read this one.
I felt Ned was a bit kinder and gentler in Splendid. I didn't care for the character here.
On a side note, I suspect Ms. Quinn is a Buffy fan. Lydia is in love with a man named Rupert who is a "bloody awful poet" with floppy hair. Oooookay.
Overall rating:
by Patricia Gaffney
The premise: Anna Jourdaine has been in love with Nicholas Balfour since she was 14 years old. Eight years later, the man proposes and she is ecstatic to become Mrs. Balfour. However, on her wedding night he is murdered before her eyes. She must now pretend that Nick's twin brother, John Brodie, is her husband in order to find Nick's murderer.
The chemistry: I give Anna and Brodie:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: To further explain, Brodie has been in gaol awaiting hanging for the crime of murder. Of course, he is innocent, while his 'perfect' brother is actually the criminal. Nick works with Anna's father in the ship building business. He has managed to steal ships, refit them for military purposes, then sell them to the American Confederacy. Anna slowly learns about each of Nick's indiscretions, including the real reason he married her. And during this journey of sorts, she finds that the prisoner, Brodie, is a better man than her husband could have ever been.
This plot had the makings of a truly terrific book. Too bad the sexuality included mild violence and near-rape. The heroine consistently begged Brodie to not touch her...and he kept promising not to. Yet, inevitably, he would try to force himself onto her. Finally, he gets in her pants, only to find that she and Nick had never consummated their marriage before he was killed. So, now, Brodie's nearly forced himself onto a virgin and made the experience painful and traumatic for her.
While I never developed a dislike for the character due to these unromantic gestures, I really could not like the couple.
Overall rating:
by Karen Harbaugh
The premise: Viscount St. Vire has been a vampire for 60 years. In that time, he's discovered a sell to turn him back into a human before the madness of vampirism sets in. He must seduce a willing virgin for the period one year. Enter Leonore Farleigh. Nicholas manages to essentially purchase Leonore from her wastrel of a father in exchange for substantial gambling debts.
The chemistry: I give Nicholas and Leonore:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: The first two thirds of the book was wonderful. I truly felt Nicholas' desire to become human again and live his life to a natural conclusion. He, of course, falls in love with the lovely Leonore, but just cannot find the right time/way to tell her of his true nature.
The story falls apart when the vampire who made Nicholas returns and expects him to become her consort once again.
The most cliché of endings made me close the book and put it in the sell pile instead of the keep pile.
Overall rating:
by Mary Balogh
The premise: Samantha Newman, feeling an odd sort of loneliness, despite being surrounded with people she loves, wanders off her property and onto The Marquess of Carew's, just across the stream. There she meets a special companion with whom she can sit in companionable silence and quell the emptiness in her soul. Hartley Wade, the Marquess of Carew, has neglected to tell her of his title, leading her to believe that he is a landscape designer. Having a limp and crippled hand, he is not used to women being interested in him for himself and not his title or money.
The chemistry: I give Samantha and Hartley:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: The blurb on the back of the book was truly misleading. In actuality, Hartley and Samantha's romance is complicated by the presence of Lionel Kersey, Hartley's cousin and Samantha's old love. Lionel is a self-serving, evil man, but not unrealistically so. At the risk of sounding cliché, I loved to hate him. Plus, his platinum blonde head of hair reinforces my theory that all truly evil people in movies and books have shockingly light hair. Just think about it...
Ms. Balogh's book reminds me of Carla Kelly's novels. The characters are not out for a good lay, financial security or eye candy. They truly find in each other a soul mate. Their romance is quiet and sweet. I loved both of them instantly and thoroughly throughout the book.
And, so, for giving me that emotional cramping in my chest at several key moments, I give this book the highest rating of 5 quills.
Overall rating:
by Georgette Heyer
The premise: This is a sequel to These Old Shades. Lord Avon's son is now an adult with much the same self-indulgent personality as his father. He intends to run away to France with his new plaything, Sophia, but ends up with her straight-laced sister Mary, who was trying to prevent her younger sister's ruin at the hands of such a self-centered beast as Vidal.
The chemistry: I give Mary and Vidal:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Vidal, in short, is an ass. I found absolutely no redeeming qualities in the man and actually cringed to hear that he loved Mary. Love? How could such a man love anything but himself?
That is all I have to say about this book. I think I should give up on reading Heyer. I do not understand the attraction to her work.
Overall rating:
by Laura Kinsale
The premise: Mr. Samuel Gerard, a master of ninjitsu, uses Miss Leda Etoile's flat as a hide-out as he commits a bit of righteous thievery.
The chemistry: I give Leda and Samuel:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: I compare this book to "Flowers From the Storm". I loved the characters and the situation in which they are put. However, the heroes in both books, despite the fact that they are truly good men, act like jerks toward the heroine.
From word one I had fallen in love with Samuel. He comes from an absolutely awful background where he was sexually abused as a child. He overcomes this, becoming a martial artist with a humble Japanese demeanor. Loyal. Trustworthy. Fiercely protective of those he loves. He has fallen in love with his adoptive sister, Kai, and plans to marry her. He does not view Kai in a sexual light at all. He has grown up suppressing his sexual nature.
But his lust overpowers him and he all but rapes Leda, assuming she is some sort of whore, when he has the proof of her gentile upbringing and purity shining right in his face! He does more hateful and hurtful things to this poor woman who now must be his wife.
Leda has fallen in love with Samuel, but knows that his heart belongs to Kai. That in itself hurts her tremendously. But to have to deal with Samuel's distain as well...terrible.
Suffice it to say, I was disappointed in how Ms. Kinsale took a perfectly perfect hero and inexplicably turned him into a piece of garbage. This is not romance to me. Not at all. And there was SO MUCH potential.
Samuel does not believe that Leda can love him or let him touch her once she knows the truth of his childhood. He blames himself and feels that the acts perpetrated upon him are a reflection of his own person. Unfortunately, the beauty of watching him realize that she loves him in spite, maybe even because, of it is overshadowed by his previous bad behavior.
Overall rating: I wanted so badly for this to be a 5 quiller. My heart breaks that it is not.
by Carla Kelly
The premise: In an effort to save the marching hospital's resident helper, Elinore Mason, from being "sold" to an officer by her father, Dr. Jesse Randall marries her. Little does she know that his desire to marry her was not as spur-of-the-moment as he makes her believe.
The chemistry: I give Nell and Jesse:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: While I truly liked the two main characters, and the secondary ones, I could not find this book exceptional. The romance seemed to take a back seat to the actual plot about half-way into the book. The moment they declared their love for one another was at the foot of a soldier's cot with this festering leg spewing puss. Then, Ms. Kelly rounds the two up for sex. Up until now, they were both shy, prudish people. But all of a sudden, they are ready for some lovin'. No sweet kisses. No gentle holding. Just, open your legs, me girl and lets get this goin'!
Not what I have come to expect from Ms. Kelly.
Overall rating:
by Patricia Oliver
The premise: At the age of eighteen, Mathilda ran off with her betrothed's friend, James. When he dies 9 years later, she returns to Bath with two sons. Miles has never forgotten the humiliation of being jilted for his best friend and has revenge on the mind
The chemistry: I give Miles and Mathilda:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Can I just ask - what does it take to publish a book? 'Cuz if writing like this passes muster, then I should be a best seller for sure with just my LiveJournal entries.
Ms. Oliver's writing is amateurish at best, while her plotting is non-existent. Miles did nothing through the entire book but think about how great his revenge would feel. I started to wonder if he really had a plan, or if he was deluding himself. This book could have easily been a short story. And to say that such a small book could be slimmed down even further isn't saying much about the author. I should know. I just said it.
And Mathilda? What a skank! I completely understand her reasoning behind leaving Miles and running away with James. The part I don't get is her lack of grief for a man whom she loved for 10 years. He died less than a year prior, yet she's immediately smitten with Miles. Even the boys don't seem to miss their father.
I hated everyone in this book, save for Willy Hampton. If it weren't for him, and my dim hope that maybe, just maybe, he would end up with the girl, I would have stopped reading before page 50.
The only positive thing I have to say about this book involves the cover. This is the first cover I've seen that depicts the actual characters as well as a scene from the book. It's probably a good thing Ms. Oliver did not do the cover as well.
Overall rating:
by Mary Balogh
The premise: This is the first of a 5 part series. They can certainly be read independently of each other, but then the prior books are all but ruined by reading the subsequent ones first. (The order: Dark Angel, Lord Carew's Bride, The Famous Heroine, The Plumed Bonnet and Christmas Bride.) Jennifer Winward has been betrothed to Lionel Kersey since her girlhood. The Earl of Thornhill, Gabriel, has a (justified) hatred for Lionel and attempts to break up the man's betrothal as vengeance. However, Lionel is more devious than expected and Gabriel ends up being forced to marry Jennifer instead.
The chemistry: I give Jennifer and Gabriel:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: I would have enjoyed this book much better had I not known the basic plot from reading Lord Carew's Bride. I have to say, that Lionel makes my skin crawl. I'd like to see him get beat to ribbons...oh, wait. Just read the next book in the series.
I like Ms. Balogh. I really do. But I cannot find myself feeling kind emotions for a man who insists on bedding a wife who hates him. He feels this is the best way to keep a relationship with her? Yuck, yuck and double yuck.
Overall rating:
by Mary Balogh
The premise: Cora is a tall, plain woman with no aristocratic ties. She finds herself in crazy situations where people think she is rescuing others. When she "saves" the Duke of Bridgewater's nephew, his mother takes Cora under her wing and vows to find her a gentleman husband. Unfortunately, she and Francis (Samantha's brightly colored suitor from Lord Carew's Bride) end up in two compromising situations, through no fault of their own. He feels honor bound to offer for her, and she accepts.
The chemistry: I give Cora and Francis:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Francis. Dear, dear Lord Francis Kneller. He's nursing a broken heart after Samantha's marriage to a cripple, whom Francis did not even realize she knew.
Cora. Dear, dear Cora Downes. She wants so badly to experience a "real" marriage, but knows she will never have it with Francis because, well, he doesn't prefer women.
When Francis discovers Cora's assumptions about his sexuality (drawn only from the color of coats he dons), his reaction is priceless. Her reaction is equally priceless. These two actually belong together and it's heartwarming to watch them finally realize their love for each other.
And if that's not enough, watching Cora go into conniptions when faced with meeting the Prince of Wales has me in stitches.
Overall rating:
by Mary Balogh
The premise: The Duke of Bridgewater is bored with life. He's seen three of his friends forced into unwanted marriages and has sworn off love. He's so unhappy that he picks up a woman on the side of the road dressed in a fuchsia cloak and a decidedly inappropriate plumed bonnet. He assumes her story is all lies and means to escort her to her destination, thereby entertaining himself on the way back to London. Little does he know that Stephanie Gray is exactly who she says she is: a governess who has inherited a fortune, but is currently penniless due to a theft during her trip home.
The chemistry: I give Stephanie and Alistair:
Sensuality:
Miscellaneous notes: Alistair's story did not inspire any kinder emotions in me. I disliked him in The Famous Heroine and I continued to develop that dislike for him in this book.
I must say that our heroine felt much the same for him...except that Ms. Balogh also described her as having fallen in love with him. I just don't get it. This Duke expects her to change WHO she is in order to please him. He essentially calls her a whore when she allows herself to succumb to his advances. Yet, she's in love. This book turned my stomach, in a bad way.
Don't get me wrong. It's still a decent read, just not one that I would have chosen to read had I known.
Overall rating:
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