The spirited Lady Victoria Lennox longs for a husband, but she cannot wed until her prickly older sister, Amelia, becomes a wife—and Amelia seems intent on driving away all potential suitors. 

To avoid becoming a spinster, Victoria concocts a plan: a carefully arranged scandal will compel Amelia to marry. And to bait the trap, who better than the dashing Lord Julius Cavendish?

Yet Julius has little interest in stubborn Amelia. Victoria, on the other hand, he finds irresistible. Determined to make her his own, Julius adds a new twist to Victoria’s plan: his friend Lord Withington will act as Victoria’s decoy suitor, distracting Amelia from the very real courtship happening under her nose. All might be well, were not Withington immediately smitten with Amelia. He sees how tender and protective she is beneath the frosty facade.

As the perfect plan goes perfectly awry, each sister finds herself publicly betrothed to the wrong man. Can they undo the damage in time to make the perfect match?

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I adore historical romances and the plot of this particular book sounded fantastic. Giving a Georgian twist to The Taming of the Shrew sounded inspired and I was very excited to start reading.

It's apparently the third book in LeFey's Scandal in London series (after Countess So Shameless and To Wed in Scandal) but I found that this book stands alone so you don't need to have read the first two books to understand this particular offering.

Despite my early enthusiasm, for me, there were several things that made this book one that I wouldn't plan to read again. Firstly, were the characters. Our lead, Lady Victoria Lennox, is definitely the underdog of her family but she's a tiny, pretty thing who's full of energy. Despite this, I just didn't take to her. I'm not sure if I found her too immature but there was something that I just couldn't get 100% behind. She wasn't awful - I was just indifferent. Julius didn't inspire any great feelings in me, either, I'm afraid. Just not my type of hero. Victoria's sister, Amelia, was a wholly unlikeable character but at least she inspired some sort of stronger feelings in me.

The language used in the book felt, at times, a little flowery for my tastes. The dialogue was drawn out and quite stilted at times, with lots of 'he said', 'she asked', 'he repeated' etc. It just didn't seem to flow much.

Despite my love of the genre, this wasn't the book for me. I still got through it and if you're looking for something light and fluffy without much in the way of historical accuracy then you may enjoy it. It wasn't terrible just not my cup of tea.

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219 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Click to see other books by Liana LeFey

In just six days, Lady Jessica Stanton will turn twenty-five and inherit enough money to make her one of England’s wealthiest women. And when that happens, her stepbrother Colin will swoop in to take it all—along with her freedom. The only solution: find a husband strong enough to stand up to Colin. But even if she’s able to find someone able to protect her, what man will marry her once they discover her secret?

Not only is Simon Westland, Earl of Northcote, bankrupt, but the London gossip continues to speculate that he had a hand in the untimely death of his wastrel father. Now he is desperate to find a woman to keep him from losing everything. But what woman will want to marry a suspected murderer?

Thrown together by sheer necessity, Jessica and Simon agree that theirs will be a marriage of convenience. But no legal document can protect Jessica’s heart when she learns of Simon’s hidden motive for marrying her. For despite her best intentions, Jessica has fallen in love with her husband. And love is the last thing either of them wants—though it may be exactly what they both need. 

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I have only recently been introduced to Laura Landon novels and this one seems to fit the mould of the others I have read. It's fun, romantic and interesting but doesn't have the sparkle of some of the big names of historical romance.

In this book, Simon and Jessica are thrown together by necessity but soon find themselves tied together by feelings and ultimately love. With secrets on both sides, there's plenty of interest to keep the pace of this book moving along.

With that said, there were a few things that stopped this getting 5 stars. There were a few anachronisms and Americanisms dotted throughout the text which always jar and pull you from the story. There were also a couple of issues regarding Jessica's deafness as well as confusion over just how much of a social outcast Simon was - but these are minor things in what was, overall, an enjoyable read with likeable characters and plot. 4 stars.

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381 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Click to see other books by Laura Landon

Victoria has a secret...
Reclusive designer Victoria Andrews hasn't gone outside in five years, though she yearns to escape the prison of her house. She designs sensual lingerie for the most exclusive dressmaker in London, although she has never known a man's touch.

 A Duke in disguise...
Wounded and stranded in Scotland, Jonathan Nottoway, the Duke of Worthingstone, is avoiding the murderous scandal that darkened his family name. As his wounds heal, he spends several sensual nights with the beautiful seamstress who knows nothing of his true identity.

A passionate awakening
Can a woman trapped by her emotional scars be able to love a duke, when it means abandoning her safe world to embrace the life of a duchess?

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I have enjoyed many novels by Michelle Willingham but tend to favour her viking romances. Having said that, this book has definitely made me want to check out other books by her set in other time periods, especially the Regency.

The characters in this book are what makes it stand out. The secrets that they have aren't typical for a romance novel and while it might not be what I would normally pick, it really worked and kept me turning the pages. You are really rooting for both characters to find a way to be together and work everything out. There are also some nicely sexy scenes contained which always adds a little extra to the love and romance.

This is the first book in the Secrets in Silk series by Michelle Willingham and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The next is set to be released in September 2013 (Unraveled by the Rebel) and I will try to remember to check it out. 4 stars.

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350 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Click to see other books by Michelle Willingham

Sawyer Vincent is still heartbroken over his breakup with Ashton Grey - made worse because he lost her to his brother - but Lana McDaniel thinks she might just have a cure. Lana's lived in her cousin Ashton's shadow all her life, but now she's taking the lead and is determined to make Sawyer her man. But can she be sure that Sawyer's not just using her to get back at Ashton? And what if Sawyer sees through her new sexy version of herself and discovers the shy, geeky girl she used to be? THE VINCENT BROTHERS picks up where THE VINCENT BOYS left off - with twice the fun, twice the excitement and twice the sexy.

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I've never read the first book in this series (The Vincent Boys) where Ash and Beau get together so I had no prior expectations of the characters. Despite this, I don't think there's any real need to read the books in order although it's probably what the author intended.

This book is written in the first person and has alternating chapters with differing character viewpoints. I'm not normally a fan of this style of writing but it really does work in this instance. Abbi Glines' writing style is fun, engaging and it was an easy read because it kept you hooked.

The main reason that I didn't give this book 4 or even 5 stars was purely down to the fact that I'm clearly not the target audience. If I had been 10 years' younger, I would have devoured this book and headed straight out to buy the first one. But the characters have just finished high school and, as a result, I didn't identify with them. I found some of their actions a little immature and annoying rather than understanding their viewpoints.

It's just romantic enough and just sexy enough for the young adult market but this isn't the book for me. I still read and enjoyed it and would highly recommend it if you are the target audience. Only 3 stars from me but I'm still glad that I read it and happy that everyone got their happy ending.

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304 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Click to see other books by Abbi Glines

The Tale of the Dressmaker and the Prince

Once upon a time, there lived an Italian prince named Georgio Di Leone. He was a stressed-out prince...and a very protective one. So, when his little sister announces she's getting married, he flies--first-class, of course--to the enchanted kingdom of New York City, where he meets Renata Pavoni, a wedding-dress maker who is all vintage pinup girl with twenty-first-century sex appeal.

Once they ride off together in his limousine, they indulge in some serious makeout action. But as things with her hot royal start to heat up, Renata wonders...can she find a "sexily ever after" with a real prince?

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I'm not usually into the whole royalty thing but this book sounded interesting and I thought I would give it a go. Unfortunately, I found that it really wasn't my cup of tea.

Renata wasn't a bad character but I simply couldn't relate to her or root for her in any way. She was too brash and was written to epitomise every New Yorker stereotype and cliché you've ever heard. Georgio was fine but nothing overly special or someone that I would particularly swoon over. The pair's chemistry was only okay so it was surprising that the plentiful sex scenes were so scorchingly hot!

Having said that, at times this book read like random sex scenes with filler in between. Nothing exciting seemed to happen and it was hard to suspend belief that any of the things that did happen were likely. I'm sad to say that this was quite a forgettable romance. I won't be picking up the next two books in the series (Royally Seduced and Royally Claimed) and I'm sorry to say that I just can't recommend it. 2 stars.

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224 pages

Click to see other books by Marie Donovan

Have you stopped believing in happily ever after? Women today are settling for less than we want when it comes to men, relationships, sex, and marriage. But we don't have to, argues Elizabeth Kantor. Jane Austen can show us how to find the love we really want. 

In The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After, Kantor reveals how the examples of Jane Austen heroines such as Elizabeth Bennett, Elinor Dashwood, and Anne Elliot can help us navigate the modern-day minefields of dating, love, relationships, and sex. 

By following in their footsteps-and steering clear of the sad endings suffered by characters such as Maria Bertram and Charlotte Lucas-modern women can discover the path to lifelong love and true happiness. 

Charged with honesty and humor, Kantor's book includes testimonies from modern women, pop culture parallels, the author's personal experiences and, of course, a thorough examination of Austen's beloved novels. 

Featuring characters and situations from all of Jane Austen's books (including unfinished novels, and stories not published in her lifetime), The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After tackles the dating and relationship dilemmas that we face today, and equips modern women to approach our love lives with fresh insights distilled from the novels: 

* Don't be a tragic heroine 
* Pursue Elizabeth Bennet's "rational happiness" -learn what it is, and how you can find it 
* Don't let cynicism steal your happy ending 
* Why it's a mistake to look for your "soul mate" 
* Jane Austen's skeleton keys to a man's potential 
* How you should deal with men who are "afraid of commitment" (from Jane Austen's 8 case studies) 
* Learn how to arrange your own marriage-by falling in love the Jane Austen way.

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At first glance, I expected this to be a fun and frothy book comparing dating in modern time to Jane Austen's - much like typical stocking filler fare. I was surprised and pleased to find this much more than I expected.

At a little over 360 pages and larger than a typical paperback, it feels fairly substantial (in a good way) and very good value for the price.

The premise of the book is that Jane Austen and her contemporaries have much to teach us with regards to love, romance, relationships and men. The author aims to teach the reader what to do in order to get yourself into a better position to have all of the aforementioned. Unfortunately she doesn't tell us where to find the good men!

I enjoyed the book and found it intelligent, refreshing and thought provoking. The writing was quite sharp and thankfully not disparaging to either sex. I think that some people may find the author's writing style a little bit harsh so I would suggest that this book may be like marmite depending on your frame of mind and own personality.

The book was also well researched and would make an interesting read for those interested in the Regency, with or without the love and dating aspect. This book is still fun but it's a lot more in depth than I expected.

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386 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

“Some day, when you have the most to lose…I’ll take it all.”
 
Jonah Armstrong, Earl of Haywood, and the Duke of Hadleigh were best friends until a scandal involving Hadleigh’s fiancée destroyed their friendship. Three years later, Jonah returns from the Crimea as a war hero and London’s most eligible bachelor, setting the gossip afire and fanning Hadleigh’s long-simmering rage into an inferno. Hadleigh has not forgotten his old friend’s betrayal, and now that Jonah has returned, he will take his revenge. 

Lady Cecelia Randolph has loved Jonah Armstrong for as long as she can remember. The moment they share a passionate kiss, she dares to hope that he feels the same for her and that his attention is driven by more than his desire to taunt her brother or his desperation for her dowry. It isn’t until Hadleigh’s quest for vengeance nearly destroys her that she realizes that Jonah loves her enough to risk everything to protect her. 

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This book just didn't hit the mark with me. Everything was just okay. The characters were okay. The plot was okay. The writing, fine. It just never elevated itself to something special that set itself apart from all the other romances I like to read.

I think that my main issue was with the lack of sensuality and sexual tension. I never felt that the two main characters really felt much for each other and even then, I couldn't understand their motivations. Was Jonah really falling for Cecilia or was it all a ruse? We were told but weren't shown so I didn't really believe it.

Another little bugbear of mine is when two main characters have similar names (or at least names with the same initial). Hadleigh did this while Haywood did that - for some reason I can't easily distinguish between them which draws me out of the story as I try and figure out what's going on. That could just be a personal idiosyncrasy so I haven't let this affect my rating overly much.

If you have this book and are happy with a sweet, uncomplicated Victorian romance story then it's certainly not offensive. But if you're looking for something a little bit, well, more, then I can't really recommend this to you.

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293 pages

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Click to see other books by Laura Landon

After orchestrating a scandalous high-society ruse, Lady Jeannette Brantford is banished from her family's estate in England and sent to live with boring elderly cousins in the Irish countryside. But Jeannette's exile is surprisingly eventful. En route to her dreaded destination, she encounters Darragh O'Brien, a devilishly handsome architect who transforms Jeannette's punishment into a delicious whirlwind of wits, words, and undeniable passion.

But Jeannette is determined to land herself a titled husband and no Irish commoner is going to make her change her mind...

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I have read a few books by Tracy Anne Warren and have found them very hit or miss. For me, this one was definitely a miss.

This is the second book in the 'Trap' trilogy after The Husband Trap but before The Wedding Trap. I haven't read any of the others and still understood it although I'm sure the author meant for them to be read in order. Based on this book, I won't be purchasing either of the others.

I have to admit to having a good giggle to myself when I read that the hero's name was Darragh O'Brien. Like other reviewers have said, this brought to my mind Dara O'Briain (from Mock the Week) and I couldn't get him out my head which was unusual in so many ways!

My main problem with the book was the heroine. I didn't like her. She was spoiled, demanding and pretty much an all round unlikeable person. As such this coloured the rest of the book as I didn't particularly want, or care if, she and Darragh got together.

The storyline was okay but the text is sprinkled with modern Americanisms and stereotypical statements that are always disappointing and pull you out of the story.

Okay, so the story isn't that bad but if you've only got a few hours to spare and want to read romance then there are far superior books out there. It's not terrible but it's not a book I would go out of my way to recommend.

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381 pages

Click to see other books by Tracy Anne Warren

A Cinderella story . . .
 
Claire Kendrick didn't know what to think when she was summoned to the 50th floor to meet the president of Callahan, International. As handsome, blue-eyed Nick Callahan explained her special assignment --- writing an article about him for CEO Magazine --- Claire's apprehensions grew. There was something he wasn't telling her, something odd that she couldn't put her finger on. What did he really want from her?
 
Her green eyes, golden hair, and striking beauty were the first things that had caught Nick's attention. Then he had her background checked out, and he was doubly impressed. Claire Kendrick was a smart, hard-working, loyal employee. She was also supporting her mother, who needed expensive full-time medical care. All in all, Claire was the perfect candidate for the position Nick needed to fill.
 
While researching the article on Nick, Claire found herself awed by the success story of the man who'd made his first million before he was thirty. His brilliant blue eyes were mesmerizing, his sexy smile distracting, his hidden, kind nature surprising and admirable. And then, out of the blue, Nick offered her a startling proposition. He would support Claire and her mother in exchange for services rendered --- as a wife and mother to his children!
 
It would have been a fantasy, a dream come true, a Cinderella story --- except for one oversight. Could Claire exist in a marriage of convenience? What kind of marriage would it be . . . without love? 

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Although not billed as such, this book reads very much like a Modern Mills and Boon romance. It follows many of the traditional formulae - down on her luck female, strong, successful man and a relationship that starts off as one thing and turns into something more.

I liked the premise of the story and both Claire and Nick were characters that I could root for. Claire was strong despite her situation and I did like that Nick didn't walk all over her. Nick was strong, silent and arrogant but I still liked him as he wasn't too alpha male. The pair didn't have much depth but I could still enjoy them and their interactions.

Despite having a publication date of 2012, this book was clearly written many years ago (1993 as I've just found out). For the most part this doesn't matter although I was quite taken aback and amused by the reference to listening to cassette tapes in the car!

As another reviewer mentioned, there are numerous mentions of fur coats in the book which I really didn't like. Even though this book is a reprint, I would have thought the author would have removed these before publishing it in this day and age.

Despite that, the writing was good and, at one point in particular, quite emotional. I had no problems finishing it although I would have liked to see an epilogue to find out what happened to Nick and Claire after their happily ever after.

If you like the Mills & Boon Modern line or a quick romance then I think you would like this book. It's quick, enjoyable and worth a look at such a low price. 3 stars.

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202 pages

Click to see other books by Patricia Kay

For Cecilia, Valentine’s Day stands as a glaring remind of what she is-alone and in love with her best friend’s brother, Lee.

When Lee asks Cecilia for computer help with signing up for an on-line dating service, will this be her chance to get him out of her head and her heart for good?

But, does Cupid have his own Valentine surprise in store for this couple?

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This is a very short story (at about 23 pages) so it doesn't take you long to read it through. Because of its short length there isn't much character development or depth to either Cecilia or Lee.

Even with it's very short length I would have liked a little more decisiveness from Lee - or at least a little more personal insight into his own feelings for Cecilia - but it's a sweet tale none the less.

There are a few minor typos and it's over in the blink of an eye but it's a well-written and enjoyable tale that's a nice little read while it's free! 3 stars.

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23 pages

Click to see other books by Jennifer Conner