review

Heart of Iron- Bec McMaster

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

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Heart of Iron is the second book in Bec Mc Master’s London Steampunk series.  I’ll admit: I had to actively hold off on reading this book after finishing the first one in the series in order to read other books for review.  But after a couple of weeks, I had to give in, and I am glad I did.  The focus in this book has switched from vampires/blue bloods to werewolves/verwulfen, and while it wasn’t what I expected, I enjoyed it immensely.

The Story

Will has always been a bit of a lone wolf.  Despite his loyalty to Blade, he has never had strong connections to anyone else.  New threats in London cause unlikely alliances to forge, and Will is called upon to help.  Lena is doing her best to fit into the world of the blue bloods, but something keeps holding her back.  When she is called upon to prepare Will for his new role, old feelings resurface and both face danger.

My Thoughts

McMaster did such a thorough job of creating her world in the first book, that I really thought the second book would be a continuation of that story.  Little did I know, Ms. McMaster had way more in store for this world than I expected.  The romance is a very hot slow burn that pays off in very satisfying ways, but every little step along the way is smoldering.  There was one scene in particular where I could actually feel myself blushing and started looking around to see if anyone noticed, and it wasn’t because it was explicit, it was just pure heat.  The conflict(s) involve so many players and facets that I am even more eager to complete the series.  The steampunk is expanded in this book with more fun creations and details. I loved the addition of the new characters, and even though there were quite a few, I felt like they were fully developed.

The Good

The hero is very appealing in a simmering-below-the-surface kind of way: the kind that you can’t wait to see what happens when he finally lets go.  He’s also a virgin which adds to the intrigue.  The verwulfen backstory and lore are wonderful.  This is honestly one of my favorite kinds of love stories where it is pretty much impossible for the hero and heroine to be together, and I loved the unexpected surprises of the plot.

The Bottom Line

If you enjoyed the first book, this is a no-brainer.  This is one of those series where you really should read the preceding books to understand all the wonderful plot developments and characters.  And you should read the preceding book, as well as this one, if you like paranormal or steampunk or historical or if you are just willing to take a chance on a great series and author.  Maybe it is my catnip: both paranormal and historical at the same time, but I also recognize great writing when I see it, and this is great writing. 5 stars

Stars of Fortune- Nora Roberts

/ Erin Kelly / 1 Comment

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I love Nora Roberts.  I’ve read every single one of her trilogies and usually buy the new one as soon as it is available.  This one caught up to me as I’ve found so many other amazing authors to read.  Nonetheless, I knew that I would have to make time for Ms. Roberts’ newest trilogy, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The Story-

This one does have paranormal aspects in the form of “gods” which seem to come from the idea of Greek gods.  Since this takes place in Corfu, it works just fine.  This is the intro book for the series, so we meet all of the characters as well as the big bad, and are introduced to the problem/mythology surrounding our main 6 which will form our 3 couples.  This is Sasha and Bran’s story.  Sasha is a seer and artist who knows something is coming and follows her visions and intuition. Bran is an Irish sorcerer/witch who will fall for her.  Of course, everyone must meet, give background info, and come together for the first big fight/victory of the series.

My Thoughts-

I tend to like Nora’s first books in a series a great deal because I love seeing how she sets up the relationships and setting.  Her heroines always have jobs that most women would die for, and Sasha is no exception.  Who wouldn’t want to be an artist in the mountains?  This book had the added element of a foreign country with mythological origins, which adds some depth to the background.  I’ve been to Corfu, and there is something to Greece and its people which feels ancient and magical.  I wish that one of the six had a Greek background; I think it would have added to the mystique.  The second half of the novel didn’t go quite as fast for me as the first did, but I don’t get into the dark battles as much as the romance. (Which is why I tend to stick with her trilogies) That being said, I read the first half in the space of one slowly cooling bath…

The Bottom Line-

If you like Nora, reading this will feel like welcoming an old friend to dinner.  It is by no means one of my least favorite of the trilogies, but I don’t think it will rank up there with the Born In, Chesapeake Shores, Three Sisters, or Irish Trilogies for me. 4 stars

The Marriage Contract- Katee Robert

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I usually hang out in the paranormal or historical worlds, so this contemporary book set against a mafia background was new to me.  As I’ve said before, a good cover can tempt me, and this cover is smokin’.   I also have a weakness for all things Irish, so I was definitely up for an Irish hero, even if he is part of a crime family.  Katee Robert is a new author to me, but definitely not to regular fans of contemporary romance since this book has won some awards.  “The Marriage Contract” is the first book in her O’Malley series, and the most recent book “Indecent Proposal” (with an even hotter cover) was just released.
The Story–

Callie and Teague are children of two different crime families in Boston.  Callie was supposed to marry the heir to the third crime family, but when he is killed, she is shuffled to a different groom.  They are both reluctant participants in the more nefarious activities associated with their families, but are also deeply loyal to their blood.  This loyalty, along with an instant attraction, leads them to accept this contemporary arranged marriage. Of course, the third crime family is still out there…

My Thoughts–

During the first half of this book, I was like “why don’t I read contemporary romance regularly? This is so hot and intriguing!” I loved the characters because they each embody the traits that are my favorites for heroes and heroines.  But, at about the halfway point when the mafia part of the story line became more intense, I began to lose my enthusiasm slightly and realized that the main reason I tend to stick with paranormal and historical is to escape some of the realities of my world.  Granted, my world does not include crime families etc., but violence is often closer than I would like to admit.

The Good–

I particularly enjoyed Teague’s interactions with Callie.  He is everything a girl would want: protective, sexy, sexy, sexy, kind, honorable, sexy… do you catch my drift? I also really enjoyed the opening scene and how fast the plot unfolded; it felt like blasting off on an extreme attraction.  The secondary characters are also notably great, which is good considering that future books will concern them.  Most of them… (sigh)

The Bottom Line–

While I will not be searching out other crime family books, I will likely continue with the O’Malleys.  If someone is a fan of this genre, I absolutely recommend it, but even if you are not, it is an enjoyable read.  It just might require a certain mindset.  That being said, it is worth 4 stars in my book.

Any Duchess Will Do- Tessa Dare

/ Erin Kelly / 1 Comment

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I’ll admit it: I judge books by their covers.  Something about seeing a big, beautiful dress on the cover of a book brings me back to my childhood when I went rifling through my aunt’s closet.  Perhaps this is the reason that I am stuck in a Regency rabbit-hole.  Each time I read a new book, I see another one that is just as pretty that I am dying to try.  Regency books are my Pringles.  So, after finishing a Lisa Kleypas and a Sarah MacLean, I just had to try out Tessa Dare.  Let me tell you, while the cover might be like the others, this is no ordinary Regency book.
The Story

Pauline is a farmer’s daughter and a barmaid/serving girl who has a head for numbers, tons of pride, and is fiercely protective of her disabled sister.  To me, she feels a little like Belle in the beginning of Beauty and the Beast: everyone in town thinks she’s weird, but she has big dreams. Enter Griff, a duke whose mother is desperate to marry him off to literally anyone.  She brings him to this town full of unmarried women and wants him to pick one for her to train into a duchess ala My Fair Lady.

My Thoughts 

Y’all, I can’t even. This book was so good and so funny. I laughed out loud at several parts, and I just LOVED Pauline. Griff initially selects her because she is so disheveled to spite his mother,  and his mother calls his bluff. Almost immediately, he starts backpedaling , making plans to leave for London saying that surely Pauline can’t drop everything and leave. Pauline replies,

“Certainly I can[…] I can leave my post anytime. […] I don’t need a post at all, do I? Not if I’m to be a duchess. […] Mr. Fosbury, […] I’ll be leaving now.  I don’t expect I’ll be coming back today. I’m taking the duke ‘round to the cottage so he can ask for my hand in marriage […] Shall we, your grace?”

See? No wimpy heroine here, just one who knows herself and knows her mind and refuses to be talked down to or underestimated.  Don’t get me wrong, she has a tough road, and pure pluck isn’t enough to overcome every obstacle in her way, but she is so real and original that I had a blast reading her story.  There’s even a nice little callback to Pretty Woman that, even though it’s been done before, makes me smile every time.  I think my only disappointment was the first sex scene because of the lack of foreplay, but that is corrected in later scenes. One scene in particular is like OMG: hot and fun.

The Good

There is so much good here.  Obviously, the heroine was my favorite, but the hero, his past and how it was handled is lovely.  Even the duchess is a sympathetic, full character rather than a broadly-drawn stereotype.  The story is compelling,  well-written and, even though it presents tropes we are comfortable with, the author does it in new and interesting ways that makes them feel new.

The Bottom Line

I feel like any romance reader, Regency fan or not, would enjoy this book.  It is universally enjoyable: both funny and heart-wrenching.  I cannot wait to read Ms. Dare again, and indeed, this book again as it will become one of those special books that I will return to when I need to smile.  5 stars

You’re Still The One- Rachel Harris

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

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Since I have been on such a historical kick lately, I decided that I needed a palate cleanser in the form of a sweet contemporary.  “You’re Still the One” by Rachel Harris caught my eye for a couple of reasons:
1. The cover was sexy without being explicit.

2. It is part of a series called “Country Blues” which appeals to me (even though I am normally a paranormal/historical junkie.)

So, back in the early 2000’s when I was a church secretary and had every possible Thomas Kinkade office supply decorating my office, I got into Harlequin American Romances.  These sweet books with their sexy cowboys, surprise babies, and small-town appeal were my bread and butter for over a year.  It shouldn’t surprise me that I still have a soft spot for this sort of book.

The Story

Arabella has fostered a crush on country star, Charlie Tucker, since she was a kid and he was a new artist at her father’s record label.  A personal challenge in the form of a sort-of summer bucket list gives her the courage to flirt with Charlie one night, leading to an unforgettable kiss between the two.  When Charlie is tasked with keeping an eye on Arabella, his boss’s daughter, he doesn’t expect to develop feelings for her.

My Thoughts

Even though the cover was somewhat tame, I didn’t expect to have the fade-to-black sex with the door closed. Normally, I don’t really mind if a story has sex or not or how hot the sex is, as long as it fits the story.  With this book, there was so much sexual tension built with multiple kisses and near misses that I felt somewhat gypped out of the experience of seeing the two finally come together.   That being said, the story progressed well, and the relationship between the two felt real with a more believable base than most romances.  I loved that much of the book was set in New Orleans, being a Louisiana native, but felt that more could have been explored in the city, especially in bringing out the more adventurous side of Arabella.

The Good

Arabella is a great character; she feels like a young adult on the verge of finding herself, and she isn’t lacking the courage to make it happen.  I really identified with her.  I liked the story and found it a breezy, enjoyable read.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a sweet romance with good characters and a steady plot, this is a good pick.  If you want heat beyond kisses, this is not the book for you.  4 stars

A Rogue By Any Other Name- Sarah MacLean

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Yes, I am on a bit of a Historical run lately, but that seems to be a rabbit hole I have difficulty climbing out of because I love them so much.  But that is another topic for another blog post! This one is all about Sarah MacLean’s “A Rogue By Any Other Name” which is the first book in the Rules of Scoundrels Series.  This is my first MacLean for reasons which I know not of, but it will not be my last.

The Story– Penelope (I have always loved that name) is practically an old maid because of a previous broken engagement and the scandal that followed.  In fact, she’s so hopeless that her father has attached a large parcel of land to her dowry to attract suitors. How crappy would that be? “Please! Marry my pathetic daughter for lots of money!” Bourne is her childhood friend who happened to lose the previously mentioned land in a card game to a dastardly villain (not Penelope’s father). He’s spent the past several years planning revenge, acquiring a fortune, and looking for an opportunity to get his land back. Wow! This should be easy, right? Penelope gets to marry her childhood friend, and Bourne gets his land. Not so fast… Of course, it isn’t that easy!

My Thoughts– Penelope certainly has reason to doubt herself and the character with her motivations was well-created, but I have rarely felt so badly for a romantic heroine. I felt her disappointment so acutely, I wanted to slap Bourne for his idiocity.  I guess there wouldn’t have been enough conflict without his moronic actions and attitude, but it left me wondering whether or not he deserved her love up to very close to the end.  She walked the line of desperation and letting him use her a little too long for my taste.

The Good– Since I’ve gone on and on about Penelope, obviously she is a compelling character. I loved the letters she had written Bourne over the years which opened each chapter.  The story clicks right along, never boring, or lagging.  The sex scenes are hot and sometimes unexpected, and a couple of the kissing scenes stand out.

The Bottom Line– I wanted to plop Penelope down in a Nora Roberts book with all the girlfriends and coffee just to give her someone to talk to and maybe knock some sense into her. That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It is a true “bodice-ripper” as two different outfits get destroyed, but the characters have real depth.  Any fan of historical romance would certainly enjoy this book. 4 stars

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The Highlander’s Vow- Barbara Longley

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Sometimes you happen into a series that suits your interests perfectly, and you simply HAVE to read any book in the series which is published. Such is the case with this recent addition to Barbara Longley’s Loch Moigh series, “The Highlander’s Vow”.  About a year ago, I was reading the Outlander books because 1. I love romance 2. I love Scotland 3. I love time travel stories. Unfortunately, after a couple of books in the series, I lost interest. Enter Amazon Prime who noticed my proclivity for Scottish time-travel romances and suggested “True to the Highlander” by Barbara Longley which, luckily, checked all my boxes. I read it in about a day and was grateful to notice that there were two more books in the series, so I could keep going. (And they were all on Kindle Unlimited, yay!) This most recent entry into the series, which is actually a second generation continuation, popped up on my suggestions, and it immediately became compulsory reading.

The Story- All of these stories feature the hero or heroine time-traveling from either Medieval/Renaissance Scotland to a current Renaissance Festival or vice versa.  There is always a fish out of water component, which I love, as well as a little bit of magic, which is necessary for the whole time-travel thing.  In this one, Skye is engaged to someone she just realized is a jerk who is plotting her death. She rushes to find her father to explain the danger, and happens to fall through time right into a jousting demonstration at a Renaissance Festival.  She falls in with a great family who happens to be experienced at the whole time-travel thing since Struan fell into their lives from the 14th century ten years ago.

My Thoughts– Longley does the fish out of water bit better than most and spends some time imagining how people from the past would view some of our technology and customs. The story flows well, and, if you have read the previous books, it is fun to revisit many of the past characters.  I liked the heroine as she seemed more inclined to take control of her life than most women of that time period would have been. The hero was a bit too stoic for me, but there was adequate justification for his brooding nature.

The Bottom Line– It should go without saying that if you like Scottish time-travel romance, this is a sure bet.  It is breezier and more fun than Outlander, but not without depth. I will continue to read any Scotland-based books that Ms. Longley publishes with great anticipation. Best enjoyed in a long bubble bath with a glass of wine!  4 stars.

Summer of Dreams- Hallmark Movie Review

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The first cassette tape that I owned was “Out of the Blue” by Debbie Gibson, and my “electric youth”-scented childhood was played out with her music as the soundtrack.  So, when I saw that the newest Hallmark movie, “Summer of Dreams”, featured my childhood idol, I couldn’t wait to see this fusion that must have been created with me in mind.

The Story–  Debbie Gibson plays “fictional” Debbie Taylor who happened to burst onto the pop scene when she was 15 with the hit single “Only in my Dreams” and has been making music ever since. (This role must have been a huge stretch… ) Debbie has been dropped by her label, pushed aside by her sort-of boyfriend, and sang her last concert in a mattress store.  She needs a change of scenery, so she heads to her sister’s cozy, ideal house and life to regroup.

My Thoughts– Although the story was a bit trite like most Hallmark Movies, the acting was pretty good, especially from Ms. Gibson and the actress who plays her sister, Pascale Hutton. Would I have preferred to watch Debbie Gibson sing her back catalogue for an hour and a half instead? Yes, but as far as Hallmark Movies go, this wasn’t a bad one. It was certainly better than Mariah Carey’s movie from last year where she just made me feel uncomfortable every time she was on screen. (Come to think of it, she was the soundtrack of my teens.) The love story, while not entirely captivating, was chill and believable, and most of the kids in her Glee-style choir were watchable. But, when Debbie Gibson sings, you just wish it wouldn’t stop. She obviously has loads of talent and stage presence.

Season Satisfaction– While advertised as a summer movie, the kids are in school and there is nothing mentioned that is summer-related. But, Debbie Gibson does seem like a summery person, so I guess it works…? Seriously, I read that she came to Hallmark with this idea and they fast-tracked it, so I imagine they called it whatever they needed to air it ASAP.

The Bottom Line– If you like Debbie Gibson, Glee, or teacher movies, you will enjoy this like a nice mint julep on a summer’s day. It goes down easy and puts a smile on your face.

 

Devil In Winter- Lisa Kleypas

/ Erin Kelly / 2 Comments

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While I have been a romance fan for about 25 years, until recently I hadn’t actively sought out new authors.  I followed recommendations of friends and always bought the newest Nora Roberts.  Other than that, I skipped around between a wide variety of books whose covers and descriptions appealed to me.  I assume that most of my friends and the casual romance reader are like I was, so if you are a romance fan who follows every new release and knows all the names in the biz, I apologize if this review is rehashing what you already know.  But, I simply couldn’t NOT review this book in case someone who hasn’t found Lisa Kleypas yet happens to come across my humble website or review.  Yep, it’s that good, and if you enjoy historical romance, I almost suggest that you dispense with reading the rest of this review and just go get this book.
The Story– Evie has some seriously screwed up relatives who are keeping her from her dying father and like to beat her every now and then for fun.  She decides that the only escape from these horrible people is to elope so that her new husband can protect her.  Fortunately, she knows a desperate rake who will overlook her stutter and shyness in favor of marrying her for her fortune.  Sebastian is proud of how many notches he has compiled on his bedpost. In fact, I’m not sure how the bed would still be standing with that many notches, but he is willing to settle down, at least in name only, in order to set up a comfy future for himself.

My Thoughts – Yes, it’s a marriage of convenience story, but it is so well-done that you will likely hold it as a standard for like stories in the future.  A couple of times while I was reading in the car rider line at my daughter’s school, I actually felt disappointment when the line started moving because it meant I had to put the book down. Now that’s saying something. The characters are well-developed, and motivations are brilliantly set up so that there is no confusion.  I was unaccustomed to reading a historic romance (other than Outlander) which incorporates actual historic tidbits and info as well as extremely detailed setting.  Often the only hint that you are in the past is that people use titles, attend balls, and cannot be left alone.  Not so with Ms. Kleypas.  I usually talk about world-building in response to paranormal books, but even though this is a historical, the world-building rivals anything I’ve seen elsewhere.

The Good– Although difficult to choose, my favorite element of this book is the characters.  They are fully developed and complex, which makes it feel like you are witnessing friends fall in love rather than broadly-drawn archetypes. The plot never lags, and the set-up doesn’t feel contrived.  The sex scenes are some of the best I’ve read with the perfect amount of heat (for me) with no odd descriptions that took me out of the story.

The Bottom Line– This is one of the best historical romances I’ve ever read, and I am almost afraid to read more Lisa Kleypas in case they don’t measure up. But then I realized, an even-slightly worse version of this book would be better than 90% of the other books I’ve encountered.  So, I will be diving into the back catalog, and I, like other romance fanatics will be waiting with bated breath for February when “Devil in Spring” is released as it features the son of these characters and has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen.  This is one of those books that makes me grateful that I read romance.

All of My Heart- Hallmark Movie Review

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Ready to continue with my reviews of fall-themed Hallmark Movies, I settled in for this little gem last night.  “All of My Heart” stars the adorable Hallmark favorite, Lacey Chabert, and Brennan Elliot, who I had only ever seen as a “bad guy” in previous movies.

The Story– Jenny thinks she is getting engaged, but her douche-bag boyfriend is just celebrating a big promotion. I don’t know why she wants to marry him as he looks like a less-appealing George McFly from “Back to the Future”, but continuing on… Then she finds out that she has somehow inherited half of a big house in the sticks. The other half belongs to a stock broker, Brian.  Jenny wants to put her amazing cooking skills to work and open a B&B, and Brian just wants to sell—until he tries her baking and helps give birth to baby goats and really sucks at carpentry. Creepy boyfriend comes back to make things uncomfortable, and I won’t spoil the rest.

Season Satisfaction-While this isn’t given a fall title, it did a pretty good job of making me wish for that lovely season.  Some great sweaters, plenty of coffee, even a nice snuggle under an afghan on a swing are present to put us in the fall mood. Guess what though? It was a February/Valentine’s Day release back in 2015 when it debuted. Shocking! No hearts or candy or roses in sight! So, while it wasn’t necessarily meant for fall, I’m going to pretend it was.

The Bottom Line-So much better than usual offerings! I really liked this one. As I said before, I had only seen Elliot playing the bad guy in previous movies, and he grew to be so lovable in this. He is a much better actor than the parts he normally gets. And Lacey Chabert was amazing as usual. It is so easy to believe that any guy would fall in love with her, but she is also like the best friend I wish I had. Especially if she cooked for me like she does in the movie… The movie is set to repeat toward the end of September, and I suggest you check it out. It is like a mug of something warm. 5 stars.