Tag: historical romance

Review: Do You Want to Start a Scandal

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Do You Want to Start a ScandalDo You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

My Goodreads Rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

Do You Want to Start a Scandal is a mashup of the Castles Ever After and Spindle Cove series. Piers Brandon, the jilted marquess from Say Yes to the Marquess and Charlotte Highwood, youngest sister to Minerva (A Week to Be Wicked) and Diana (Beauty and the Blacksmith) are quickly thrown together when they’re accused of ‘MURRRDDDEEERRRR!!!’ in the library during a house party.

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library.
•Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan?
•Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall?
•Perhaps the butler did it.

All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing.

Admittedly, this isn’t the best Tessa Dare book out there, but it’s a fast, enjoyable read. Continue reading “Review: Do You Want to Start a Scandal” →

Review: The Rogue’s Wager

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Note: I’m taking a Science Fiction & Fantasy course through mid-December and am focused on reading short stories (from a Sci-Fi anthology collection) and novels (The Three-Body Problem, Good Omens) for that. I’ll review all of those as well, but in the meantime my normal reviews will mostly be on-hold.

The Rogue's WagerThe Rogue’s Wager by Christi Caldwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Out of all the Christi Caldwell books I’ve read, this is only the second time I’ve given one less than at least 4 stars. I liked the book, but certainly didn’t love it.

Helena Banbury is a bookkeeper in a gaming hell that belongs to her brothers. Lord Robert is a marquess who is distrustful of women thanks to a past lover. These two meet when Robert drunkenly stumbles into the wrong hallway, and from there fate takes over as Helena gets thrust into Society.

When these two characters are together, you get a true sense of their friendship and trust building. There are a few obligatory misunderstandings, but they’re minor and easily worked past. Both Helena and Robert are guarded, but eventually that friendship tears their barriers down. With that foundation of character building, their budding romance is completely believable.

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Review: A Kiss At Christmastide

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A Kiss At ChristmastideA Kiss At Christmastide by Christina McKnight

My Goodreads rating: 3 of 5 stars

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

A Kiss at Christmastide is a clean regency era romance novella. I found it a fun read, but the characters were just okay, there was far too much repetitious internal reflections, and their romance didn’t feel very natural.

In the prologue we’re introduced to Lady Pippa, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Midcrest who was about to be introduced to society. For some reason (that we never discover) her best friend (Lady Natalie) turns on her, making her the embarrassment of the Season before it even begins.

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Review: Wicked Intentions

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Wicked IntentionsWicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started reading the Maiden Lane series with Dearest Rogue back in May 2015, then worked my way backward (then forward with new releases! <3), but had skipped books #1 and #3. Wicked Intentions is the first entry in the series.

The story centers around Temperance Dews, a widow and sister to Winter Makepeace, who runs the foundling home in St. Giles. The male lead is Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, who enjoys translating poetry, is frowned upon by society for his sexual proclivities, loathes being touched, and—oh yes—is looking for a murderer.

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Review: Once Upon a Duke

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Once Upon a DukeOnce Upon a Duke by Sandra Masters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Once Upon a Duke is an early 1800s romance story of a widowed lady, Serena, and a rakish duke, Geoffrey. The two engage in flirtations immediately and things heat up quickly from there. Early on Geoffrey suggests that Serena should become his mistress, but she wants love and commitment after her disastrous first marriage.

This book had an interesting plot with two major drawbacks: I didn’t feel much emotional attachment to the characters, and there was an overwhelming amount of dialogue–especially dialogue centered around exposition. Don’t get me wrong, dialogue is great and occasional exposition is necessary, but often actions (even in books) speak much louder than words. It’s the cardinal rule of writing: show, don’t tell.

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