A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part One)

Another month flew by with me reading a bunch between courses, work, side work, and remembering to occasionally sleep. For Netgalley I reviewed a new release, Making Waves, a couple weeks ago and have another review for Pieces of Me (releases in May) coming up likely on Wednesday.

Like last month I don’t have time for a lot of individual reviews, so instead I’m giving a summary and overall impressions for each book. There’s quite a few books this time so this will be divided into two posts, one tonight and one tomorrow. Today’s titles include:

RomanceHow to Lose a Duke in Ten Days, So I Married a Highlander, Making Waves, Duke of Pleasure, The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland, Haunted on Bourbon Street (also fantasy/paranormal), and Barbarian’s Lady (also fantasy).

Reviews are in order of date read. (My star ratings are explained here.)

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How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days  3-Stars
So I Married a Highlander 1.5-Stars
What Happens in Scotland series #1 & #2, by Kate McKinley

This short regency romance introduces us to Pippa Welby, daughter of a wealthy tradesman who is against marrying into higher society due to their treatment of her, and Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington. Lucas meets Pippa at a ball but gives her the impression that he is aloof to her existence, when really he desires to make her his. So he concocts a plan that makes sense only to one of the most powerful men in London: announce their engagement ball and invite Pippa to it.

Things heat up quickly between the two, and though Lucas’s motives were questionable for a while, things get sorted out and these two lovebirds get their happily-ever-after. The characters are both likeable, but both could use more development (a constant problem in shorter novels).

“I just want you by my side, Pippa, however I can get you. I don’t know how to do this. If I want something, I take it. I always find a way. But this, with you… us… I feel so damned lost.”

Continue reading “A Month of Reading: April Book Reviews (Part One)”

Review: Venom & Vanilla

Venom & VanillaVenom & Vanilla by Shannon Mayer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Venom & Vanilla is my first Shannon Mayer book. I obtained it through the Kindle First program November offerings.

I’m not certain how you can have interesting storybuilding then completely trash it with your characterization, but Shannon Mayer managed to do just that with this book. While tempted to give this one star, I chose two because despite considering to stab my Kindle thanks to the heroine, the core story was intriguing enough to actually finish it.

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