HOW TO SURVIVE A SCANDAL by Samara Parish

 

Publisher: Forever
Date Published: May 25, 2021  
ISBN#   ‎  ‎ 978-1538704486
Historical Romance
Reviewed by Gina (myreviewbooks@aol.com)
Obtained via publisher
5 Hearts

Lady Amelia has never doubted her place in society. Raised to be the epitome of the most accomplished wife of a Duke from childhood she is beyond dismayed when she finds herself half naked in an unfamiliar house after being rescued from certain death in a snow storm. At first glance her rescuer is an over large behemoth of a man with no class or culture. Making matters worse, her finance as well as the county’s number one gossip are present when she wakes. It is quickly decided the only way to save her reputation is to marry her rescuer. The solution is not acceptable to her. After all, she did nothing wrong!

 

Benedict Asterly didn’t give it a second thought when he came upon the carriage seemingly abandoned in the snow only to find a woman inside who appeared near death.  At a minimum he would have been happy with a thank you. What he gets instead is a arrange by the woman who soon becomes his wife. Oh he doesn’t want to marry Amelia. She’s one of the last people who he wants anything to do with, but he is the kind of man who will do the right thing. In short order Amelia and Benedict find themselves in a marriage neither ever wanted. Can two people so ill-suited to each other find common ground?

HOW TO SURVIVE A SCANDAL is probably the best read I’ve had yet this year. Samara Parish has the kind of voice that immediately draws you into the story and then you find you just can’t put it down until you’ve read the last page. I’ve read a few Regencies lately and Parish reminds me once again why I love stories from this era. She brings to life the constraints women had to live with and how, if so inclined, they managed to work around them.  When we first meet Amelia she is totally a woman of her time. Parish then develops her into someone you would like to have has your neighbor and friend. There isn’t a sudden transformation, but one that shows a woman coming into her own and while in the process of becoming true to herself, becomes a truly marvelous person.

Benedict is your basic nice guy – with his own set of prejudices. It’s those prejudices that keep him from seeing the changes he himself brings about in Amelia. He seems determined to break her and she continues, time after time, to show him her true self. Give his size one assumes he has no vulnerabilities, but he does and Parish brings those out for her readers in a way you just fall in love with him.

I loved this story and cannot wait to read book 2 in this series, HOW TO DECEIVE A DUKE.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

                                                                           

SAY YOU’LL BE MY LADY by Kate Pembroke

Publisher: Forever
Date Published: February 22, 2022 
ISBN#   ‎ 978-1538703779
Historical Romance
Reviewed by Gina (myreviewbooks@aol.com)
Obtained via publisher
3 Hearts

Intelligent and beautiful Serena Wynter doesn’t necessarily follow society’s dictates. In fact, she seldom does at all.  It was Serena who led the Lady’s Wednesday Afternoon Social Circle to establish homes for war widows. Now she is turning her attention to children left orphans due to the war. With her connections she is able to find buildings and the money to set up the homes. Having loved deeply once only to have her fiancé die in war, marriage is not something she is keen on pursuing.

Charles Townshend has a secret. One he has not divulged to anyone and it’s not that he is in love with Serena. Rather it is one that society mandates keep them apart. He supports her endeavors and does what he can to help her and her lady friends. On a trip outside London in search of assistance for one of her projects they come upon a young boy, Jem, apparently abandoned in a vacant property. Serena quickly decides to take Jem in and find him a suitable home.  Jem, in turn, forms an attachment to Charles which brings the couple together more frequently and in more social settings than before. While their feelings for each other grow, society’s dictates say they cannot be. But when did society’s rules ever mean anything to Serena?

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, NOT THE KIND OF EARL YOU MARRY. I hadn’t read a Regency in a long time and it was exactly what I wanted and needed in a good read so I looked forward to this second book, SAY YOU’LL BE MY LADY.  I’ve found in many series that when the first book is a solid read usually books two or three fall down. They just aren’t as good. It’s like an author is his or her own tough act to follow.  SAY YOU’LL BE MY LADY was one of those slow moving, pretty boring, reads.  It just didn’t do it or me. There was a lot of narrative about going here and there and the dialogue was stilted. It felt like Pembrooke had to give Serena a story but just couldn’t figure out what to do with it. The character seemed like an entirely different one from the one in NOT THE KIND OF EARL YOU MARRY.

I did like how Pembrooke tackled the issues of the time like abandoned children, child labor issues and society’s constraints at trying to help those less fortunate. My favorite part was the trip Charles, Jem, Serena and her father make to the observatory. It seemed an idyllic outing that anyone would enjoy. But, overall, it wasn’t a stellar read.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

                                                                           

NOT THE KIND OF EARL YOU MARRY by Kate Pembroke

 

Publisher: Forever
Date Published: July 27, 2021
ISBN#   ‎ 978-1538703755
Historical Romance
Reviewed by Gina (myreviewbooks@aol.com)
Obtained via publisher
4 Hearts

Charlotte Hurst is your basic stay-at-home and enjoy a quiet evening with a good book blue stocking.  At twenty-three she’s just about on the shelf and that’s just fine with her. Oh sure, she might make a comfortable match one day, but it’s not high on her list of things she wants to do.

William Atherton, Earl of Norwood is up for a key position in Parliament. He’s a most eligible bachelor about town and both mothers and misses have their sights on him. He, however, has no interest in them. In fact, marriage isn’t exactly on his mind, not with his political ambitions. 

Both of them are about to have their very nice, well-ordered, worlds turned upside down when an enemy of William’s announces his engagement to Charlotte in the morning paper. A furious William arrives at the home Charlotte shares with her brother, Philip, ready to do battle. Charlotte is equally annoyed at the announcement. Despite Charlotte’s protestations William is determined to do the right thing which is to at least go ahead and act like they are besotted and eager to marry. But what happens when pretended to feelings become real?

I hadn’t read a Regency romance in quite some time and clearly, by how much I enjoyed Kate Pembroke’s NOT THE KIND OF EARL YOU MARRY, I needed to get back to reading them.  Pembroke created such good characters.  I liked that Charlotte was smart and considerate of those less fortunate than her. I liked how she thought things through and didn’t just give in because her brother or William told her what to do. She knew her own mind.  William as well was likeable—determined to do the best and right thing not for himself, but for the populace. But he also wasn’t going to give up on what he wanted.

On a personal note, I enjoyed the scenes that took place in the parks and it reminded me of the many parks where I live and how rarely I take the time to enjoy them. I’m looking forward to the next read in this enjoyable series.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

                                                                           

A MOST SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL by Ashlyn Macnamara

Ballantine Books

February 26^th, 2013

978-0-345-53474-3

Historical/Regency Romance

Mass Market Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher

 

For Julia St. Clair, watching her sister pine over the Ton’s latest golden boy has made her firmly decided she isn’t ever going to be like that. Putting herself firmly on the shelf, Julie finds her parents have other ideas for her…namely making an adventurous match to help keep the family out of debtor’s prison and move up the social ladder. They just never anticipated Julie coming up with a scheme that will leave her ruined in the eyes of society but giving her the love she secretly longs for.

I got to admit Ashlyn Macnamara’s debut book is a wonderful read. It was a fast paced, twisting storyline that leaves you breathless until the very last page was read. The characters are well written, engaging and very enjoyable. The best thing about this book was how it was really two stories in one. This was the first time I have read a storyline where both sisters got their happily ever after along side one another and Ms. Macnamara did a fabulous job in keeping it fresh and enjoyable. Most of the time you normally get a hint of a sibling’s story but have to wait for the next book to come out but that wasn’t the case with A MOST SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL. This author weaves Julia and Sophia’s storylines together and it was so enjoyable, I was up till wee hours of the night just to finish the book. I needed to find out if these two sisters would get their very own happily ever after.

Meet Julia St. Clair. Seeing her sister pine away for the new Earl of Clivesden for the past five years has left Julia determined to not fall in love at all. All it does is cause heartache or so she thinks. But sometimes you find love in the most unlikely of places and with a person you never even thought of in that way. I loved Julia. She was fun, determined and quite likable. The author does a great job in giving the two sisters different personalities that play off one another exceedingly well. You never get tired of them or wish they would just hurry up and see who their heart belongs to. I really enjoyed their interactions with one another as well as with secondary characters. All the characters are well written, multi-dimensional and completely captivating.

A MOST SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL is a wonderful debut book by an author who really gives the readers a treat in her first book. If you enjoy a fast paced storyline, engaging characters and a fresh way in regards to storytelling, then grab A MOST SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL immediately. It is one story I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up next for her readers.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

THE MANY SINS OF LORD CAMERON by Jennifer Ashley

Highland Pleasures Book 3
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publication Date: August 2011
ISBN 9780425240496
Historical Regency Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Penny
Obtained via Publisher


Ainsley Douglas is a respectable but poor widow in the employ of the queen. And the queen has sent her on an important mission. To retrieve potential damaging letters that are now in residence of one Lord Cameron Mackenzie, a man who Ainsley has had embarrassing encounters with in the past.

Cam cannot believe his eyes! That Douglas woman has once again broken into his bedchamber. He does not care why she is there all he knows is that for the last six years he has not been able to forget the woman who turned down his advances, claiming she wanted to stay true to her much older husband. Now that husband has passed leaving Ainsley available. Will he be able to convince her to become his latest paramour?

Although this is the third book in the Highland Pleasures series, it is the first book that I picked up not knowing. I actually had no idea that this is one of a four book series until I picked up the first book, THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE and came across some familiar characters. THE MANY SINS OF LORD CAMERON is a stand-alone book, and WOW! Does it stand tall! I thoroughly adored this book.

Those Mackenzie brothers are breathtaking leading men. Cameron has no desire to become seriously involved with a woman and is a scandalous womanizer. Yet women are more than willing to toss themselves into his embrace. That is why he just can’t understand why Ainsley is holding back, drat the woman. Is this a unique storyline? Not in the slightest. But what makes this book exciting is that Ainsley is not like most heroines. How many highborn ladies can pick a lock and sneak into a man’s bedroom not once but twice? You just gotta love this woman!

I applaud Ms. Ashley and her offering THE MANY SINS OF LORD CAMERON and cannot wait to get my hands on the other two books in the Highland Pleasures series. This is a fast paced page-turner that kept me intrigued and on the edge of my seat. Lovers of Regency Romance will not want to miss out on this one.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.