A SPLENDID JAPE by D.C. Williams

Publisher: MLR Press
Date published: October 2015
ISBN: MLR-1-02015-047
MM, Regency Historical
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Weblink: http://www.mlrbooks.com/Bookstore.php?bookid=DCW_ASJD
Obtained via publisher
Rating: 4



Algernon Grimsdale’s life is complicated by his mother who is ill, and his younger sister, who he hopes to find a husband for before his mother becomes too ill to enjoy the wedding. As for himself, his own tastes are illegal in Regency England.


This is only a short story, so there isn’t a lot of space to allow a big build up of plot and characterization, but D.C. Williams copes well within these confines. I really like the way the two main characters are demonstrated as drawing together with some teasing and body language as well as just their need for sex, especially since the sex is much more hinted at than described (which might also be because of the tight word count).

There are a surprising number of characters in such a short book, and all are sketched in well, as is the historical background, although the background is more one of how the people are confined by the rules and expectations of the day. I particularly enjoyed Algie’s worries about the kind of men who wouldn’t be suitable for his sister to marry. It was neat, time appropriate and yet so different from today.
The ending is great and an excellent hook for the next book, which I’ll be watching out for.

The book itself was well edited and very clean except for one enormous blooper. Right at the front of the book, on the blurb, an editorial comment is printed in the text. It really ought to be removed asap.

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

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. HEATH by Ariel Atwell

Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Date published: 9/01/2015
ISBN: 978-1-62300-972-4
Historical; Regency
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Weblink: http://www.loose-id.com/the-mysterious-mr-heath.html
Obtained via publisher
Rating: 4




Laurence Heath, the senior partner at Heath and Heath solicitors, has been living a lie all his life. He’s one of the most respected legal minds in Regency London dealing with the highly explosive secrets of the rich and famous. But it’s the secret in his own past that might bring his world crashing down.


It’s incredibly difficult to write a sensible review of this book without mentioning any spoilers. What I can say is that the worldbuilding is well done, the characters are very real and three-dimensional, and the plot is intriguing. The problems between the main characters are very realistic to that time period and extremely understandable from all the viewpoints. The way the characters acted in the past and react later in the story is completely logical and understandable, and yet bound to make their worlds collide and their futures extremely messy. Ms. Atwell is to be congratulated for thinking of a basic premise from which these outcomes would flow so obviously, yet lead to so much future angst.

The book is engaging and well written, flowing smoothly throughout. The sex scenes are gripping and hot. There was one potential timeline glitch but since exact dates were never given for some parties I expect readers less critical than I am will simply brush it off.

All in all this is an intriguing story, well worth reading, and a slightly different take on a popular historical period.


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

A MARRIAGE MADE IN MAYFAIR by Tamara Gill

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Date published: 13 June 2012

ISBN: 978-1-61333-319-8

Regency Historical

E-book

Reviewed by Helen

Weblink: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=565&osCsid=21jmgcpot5bodpecagqv5dbvj2

Obtained via publisher

(2.5 heart)

Suzanna March's grandfather was a farmer and her father was in trade. Now she's an heiress and beautiful as well. But at eighteen she's clumsy, inept and unused to being among the ton. Plus the rakish Lord Danning gives her a very public set-down. A year later she's back, her person and manners brightly polished, ready to take the town by storm.

During that year Lord Danning's finances have sunk desperately low and he needs to marry an heiress very soon and besides the charming redhead arouses him as no other does.

On a superficial level, this is a cute story of thwarted love finding its retribution. A powerful theme, and one that fits two very complicated and equally powerful characters. Both Royce and Suzanna have many layers to their personalities, plus secrets, friendships, and justifications aplenty. As a short, fast read by an uncritical reader, it's a nice way to spend an afternoon, with happy feelings at the end.

Unfortunately, for a reader who prefers historical romances, or a fussy reader looking for logic and consistency, the book is a disappointment. None of the main characters behave as people in that era did. Women then had no status. They could not openly say yes or no to a lover. They were under the control of a father, brother, or husband, with zero legal rights. Also, for an unmarried woman, especially an innocent one, to leave the room with a rake, would be the end of her acceptance in society. Her brother would have called out the rake, the girl would have been ruined, and they'd have been married at sword point before the end of chapter two.

My advice is to treat the setting as wallpaper, don’t take it seriously, and just enjoy the characters.

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

A MARRIAGE MADE IN MAYFAIR by Tamara Gill

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Date published: June 13, 2012
ISBN 9781613333198
Regency Historical
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Obtained via Publisher


Suzanna March's grandfather was a farmer and her father was in trade. Now she's an heiress and beautiful as well. But at eighteen she's clumsy, inept and unused to being among the ton. Plus the rakish Lord Danning gives her a very public set-down. A year later she's back, her person and manners brightly polished, ready to take the town by storm.

During that year Lord Danning's finances have sunk desperately low and he needs to marry an heiress very soon and besides the charming redhead arouses him as no other does.

On a superficial level, this is a cute story of thwarted love finding its retribution. A powerful theme, and one that fits two very complicated and equally powerful characters. Both Royce and Suzanna have many layers to their personalities, plus secrets, friendships, and justifications aplenty. As a short, fast read by an uncritical reader, it's a nice way to spend an afternoon, with happy feelings at the end.

Unfortunately, for a reader who prefers historical romances, or a fussy reader looking for logic and consistency, the book is a disappointment. None of the main characters behave as people in that era did. Women then had no status. They could not openly say yes or no to a lover. They were under the control of a father, brother, or husband, with zero legal rights. Also, for an unmarried woman, especially an innocent one, to leave the room with a rake, would be the end of her acceptance in society. Her brother would have called out the rake, the girl would have been ruined, and they'd have been married at sword point before the end of chapter two.

My advice is to treat the setting as wallpaper, don’t take it seriously, and just enjoy the characters.

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

DARK DOMINO by Emma Lane

Publisher: Musa Publishing
Date published: April 2012
ISBN 9781619371552
Regency romance
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Obtained via publisher


Sarah Louise Montpearson and Ethan Williams have been in love with each other for ever, but she’s only fourteen when he goes off to war and although their parents would have agreed to a marriage, he refused to risk leaving her as a widow when she was scarcely out of the schoolroom.

When he returns six years later they have both changed enormously, but both still love each other. The question is whether they can overcome the intervening years to fall in love as the adults they are now.

I liked the main characters very much. Sarah Louise is a wonderful heroine, multifaceted and full of life and energy. Ethan is more quiet and staid, but a perfect foil for her and his love for her is evident. Minor characters Lawrence and Oliver are also well drawn and their brief entry into the story is well done.
I found the author’s refusal to use contractions in speech annoying. I assume why people do this is to sound more “period-like” but a quick look at the poetry and plays from the period will demonstrate contractions were used, and they flow much more smoothly to the modern reader’s ear.

Oliver’s son is almost four and pulling buttons off his coat. Oliver worries that the child might swallow them. He is also pleased that the boy is “talking already”. This made me wonder if the author had forgotten how old the child is, or else she hadn’t done her research on four-year-olds.

There was also a strange inconsistency in one of the secondary character’s actions. It seemed to me it was there just to move the plot along, because the reasoning for such an about-face wasn’t explained.

So, a middle-of-the-road book. Overall worth reading, mainly for the heroine, but not one I’ll reread.

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

THE LOST HEIR OF DEVONSHIRE by Grace Gibson

Publisher: Musa Publishing
Date published: August 2011
ISBN 9781619370234
Regency Historical
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Obtained via publisher


Robert, Marquis of Denley, heir to the dukedom of Devonshire, has gambled away his enormous fortune, fought one (or more) duels, and earned a reputation as a social pariah. No society Mama will consider him as a husband for her daughter despite his title. Robert's uncle forces him to rusticate in Yorkshire for the purpose of putting his estate in order, avoiding financial ruin, and marrying him to the squire's daughter, thereby permanently removing him from Society.

But Miss Mary Fanley considers society pretensions absurd, has no interest in the marquis, and has a sharp wit besides. Not to mention her younger brother and his interests.

I was thrown right out of this book on the first page when the POV changed halfway down the page with no warning. As I kept reading I realized the author was simply following Jane Austen’s lead and writing in omniscient POV but it didn’t seem like it at first and caught me unaware.

I also found the title, both the hero’s and the book’s, highly unsuitable, even offensive, as Devonshire has been a dukedom since 1694 (and still is) and the family’s ancestry dates back to the 1300s. There are most definitely parts of this story the real family may not appreciate. It would have been much better had the author chosen another title for her hero.

There was some misplaced punctuation the copy editor should have fixed, and one annoying historical inaccuracy. American sayings and traditions did NOT exist in Regency England.

However, having said all that, once I settled into the book it is a lively, entertaining tale, and watching the hero and heroine grow and develop was fun. I liked the secondary characters too, and there were several really good lines that will stay with me.

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

THE LAYERED MASK by Sue Brown

Book 1 in Masquerade Trilogy
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Date published: February 2012
ISBN 9781920502638
ASIN B0075FW0TW
Gay, Historical-Regency
E-book
Reviewed by Helen


Lord Edwin Nash is sent to London by his father, who threatened to disinherit him unless he finds a wife during the Season. The society matrons swoop on him and scare him, and all the young ladies look alike to him, but Lord Thomas Downe, the Duke of Lynwood, rescues and protects him and shows him another side of life. The men fall hopelessly in love, and their love is indeed hopeless in this society at this time. What will happen when the Season ends?

This is a finely crafted romance, with the two main characters’ personalities gradually growing, developing, and framing the story and what happens in it. Seeing Regency London from a gay perspective is also a very interesting part of the story. We’re so used to seeing it from a feminine viewpoint that Ms. Brown’s take on it is fresh and new. Each man has a sister in Town, and they and various other secondary characters are well drawn, often just a tiny vignette but alive and real nonetheless.

The book is clean and well edited. The cover is excellent, eye-catching, and very relevant for the story. Although it’s an erotic romance, there is only one genuine sex scene, but some very hot kissing. I’d have preferred the final sex scene to be carried through instead of the book ending there, though. I felt a bit cheated seeing there’d only been one real bedroom scene. However, all in all, this is a well written, attractive and engrossing book.

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

SHADOWBORN by Alison Sinclair

Darkborn Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: Roc/Penguin
Date published: June 2011
ISBN: 978-0-451-46394-4
Fantasy Regency Suspense
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


For the Darkborn, they believe that magic dies with the mage or so they think. For Lady Telmaine Hearne, being condemned to die for sorcery is something she never wants to experience again. On the run after escaping, she finds her mage powers bound and secrets all around her. Finding out that the Shadowborn are real and very, very deadly towards the Lightborn as well as the Darkborn shocks everyone involved. Now time is racing as the fragile peace between the Lightborn and Darkborn hang in the balance as the Shadowborn get ready to launch their final strike against the people of Minhorne.

I have got to admit, the final book in the Darkborn trilogy, SHADOWBORN, is one full of twists, turns and had me enthralled from the beginning. The writing was pure perfection as it tripped its way through the storyline. Ms. Sinclair delivers a strong, fast paced final story in the Darkborn Trilogy and she ties up all the loose ends with a nice size bow. Ms. Sinclair really ups the ante in this one as she ties up all the end sub-plots, careens toward the climatic ending and delivers a very well written ending that leaves you feeling like you were on a high speed roller coaster. The story is well written, the multitudes of characters are multi-dimensional and the writing is tight.

SHADOWBORN continues where LIGHTBORN left off and Lady Telmaine Hearne is now an ambassador for the hated Shadowborn as her husband Bathezar fights against magic and tries to keep his sanity as he finds out things about his family that leave him teetering on the edge of a cliff. I am absolutely thrilled to see the characters we first met in DARKBORN continue to be a presence in SHADOWBORN. The dynamics between all the characters are quite unlike I have read in awhile. All the characters, be they main ones or secondary ones, play an important role in telling the culmination of the Darkborn trilogy in some way. The storyline flows smoothly and swiftly as it lures the reader into its web until the very end. This is an author who really allows her characters to shine in this fantasy regency series.

SHADOWBORN delivers an engaging mix of angst, mystery, suspense amid a world where mages have to join with non-mages to fight an enemy that they were unaware of. Ms. Sinclair is a wonderful addition in the fantasy regency genre and I am eager to see how she tops this in the future.

If you are looking for a new author to try out, then give Alison Sinclair a try. Her Darkborn trilogy will captivate you till the very end. SHADOWBORN delivers a very satisfying ending to a wonderful series I plan to read again in the future.

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

NEVER A GENTLEMAN by Eileen Dreyer

Book two in the Drake’s Rakes Series
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Forever
Date Published: March 29th, 2011
ISBN 978-0-446-54206-7
Regency/Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Grace Fairchild knows she isn’t the belle of any ball. A soldier’s daughter, she is a plain woman who spent her days learning useful things, instead of the ways of the ton. When she wakes up in bed with the notorious rake, Diccan Hilliard next to her, and the ton running through the bedroom door, Grace finds her life will be more complicated than she’d ever thought. Diccan Hilliard doesn’t know why someone wants him and Grace married and in disgrace. He has no clue who Grace is or what makes her tick, but with a simmering passion flaring between them, Diccan knows it will take more than passion to fuel their marriage. He knows he must also tell Grace the truth of who he is and what he does, because if she finds out before he can come clean, Diccan can lose the one woman who has stolen his heart.

I’ve got to admit I enjoyed this latest story from a “new to me” author, Eileen Dreyer. The writing was tight, the setting lush and the storyline quite intriguing. I haven’t read the first book, BARELY A LADY, but after reading this one, I look forward to grabbing it in the future.

NEVER A GENTLEMAN has a combination of mystery, romance and passion that will appeal to the reader as they try to figure out whom and what want Grace and Diccan in disgrace, or even dead.

Meet Grace Fairchild, an army brat who has been with her father as he serves all over the world for the royal army. Plain, independent and having a loyal contingent of soldiers, Grace is a woman determined to live her life on her terms and not on the pettiness of the ton. I loved Grace. She was a breath of fresh air as she wasn’t the petty, shallow heroine who always needed rescuing. She was strong-like iron cased in a silk cover.

Diccan was a little bit harder to understand. He had secrets deep within him, that he was afraid to tell Grace about, but after awhile he finds Grace to be the woman meant for him. Diccan is a man that once I got past his walls, I found I could enjoy immensely. He was the perfect hero for Grace and one I fell a little bit in love with as well. The characters are well written and very enjoyable. Plus the secondary characters kept the story flowing smoothly and there were a few who had me intrigued to see if they showed up in the first book.

NEVER A GENTLEMAN is a wonderful & engrossing read that will leave you anxiously wanting more. I highly enjoyed Ms. Dreyer’s latest book in her Drake’s Rakes series and am eager to see what and who is in the next one. If you are looking for a well written, highly enjoyable story, then grab NEVER A GENTLEMAN and settle in for a few hours of reading enjoyment.

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

IMPROPER LADIES by Amanda McCabe

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: September 7th, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-23108-6
Regency Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


This is a two-for one book with two stories for readers who enjoy regency romances: The Golden Feather & The Rules of Love.

In The Golden Feather, Caroline Aldrich is finding out that her late husband had quite a secret business-a notorious gaming hall called Golden Feather. Determined to make a life for herself that isn’t in the streets, she has run the gaming hall under an assumed name, Mrs. Archer, and has run it successfully the last several years with no attachments or love life to speak of. That is until Lord Lyndon walks into The Golden Feather and she finds herself falling for the dashing rake.

The Golden Feather was a great story about a spirited beauty who finds herself falling for a dashing rake who is determined to solve the mystery behind the mysterious beauty. Will he find out she is one and the same? I loved the fact this was a nicely well told story that draws the reader in with intriguing characters and light-heartedness. It was a nice change of pace from all the more explicit books I have been reading. Ms. McCabe does an excellent job in keeping the reader’s attention on Caroline and the fact that she is two people in one. The dashing Lord Lyndon is a nice man who is determined to get to know Caroline regardless of who she is but the question that is hidden beneath the words is, can he accept her as she is? Overall, these were nicely told stories that will engage the reader till the end.

The Rules of Love introduces the reader to Rosalind Chase, a headmistress for a girl’s school. She is continually embarrassed by her brother’s antics with Lord Morley and cringes each time she finds his name in the gossip rags and whispered among the ton. When she gives Morley an etiquette book, she finds herself clashing with the rake and in turn falling for the man. Can life get even more complicated?

I really enjoyed this story over the other one as the main characters; Rosalind and Morley are so fun together especially as they clash a few times to cause quite a few sparks to fly. Can these two different people find a way to bridge their differences and see they are falling in love? That’s the question as Rosalind finds herself falling for the maddening man. Ms. McCabe does a superb job in creating characters that resonate with readers and delivers a light-hearted romance to keep them flipping the pages. With each page I was drawn into the world of lords and ladies, the ton and parties. The writing was tight for both stories and this author shows she knows her time period within each book. The books are more PG than explicit so it was a nice change of pace after reading many historical books with rated r scenes.
If you are looking for a well written regency book, then I highly recommend IMPROPER LADIES. This is a new to me author and one that will deliver countless hours of reading pleasure in her latest release. I am looking forward to seeing what else she has to offer in her backlist.

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

LORDS OF PASSION by Virginia Henley, Kate Pearce, Maggie Robinson

Publisher: Brava
Date published: November 2010
ISBN: 978-0758251077
Historical romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Valerie
Obtained by author


This very entertaining anthology starts with Virginia Henley’s Beauty and the Brute.

Charles and Sarah are married when they are young teens. Charles’ father had arranged the marriage so as to be able to pay off his gambling debts. They are then separated for three years. Both grow and learn and when they are reunited, Charles realizes he has a real jewel and now needs to court his own wife and earn her love.

This is a sensual story, a little predictable but nevertheless a fun story. I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the banter between them and I certainly enjoyed seeing Charles having to woo and court his wife. This was a sweet, sensual read and a nice story to start this anthology with.

Next up is Kate Pearce with How To Seduce A Wife. Louise is married to Nicolas. He is very kind, respectful and boring in bed. She wants to feel passion but is disappointed. Nicolas doesn’t want to be like his father who paraded his mistresses and bastards before his mother. He wants to be faithful to his wife. After a year of marriage, Louise confesses her desires. Nicolas is at first a bit put off, but he is determined to give his wife satisfaction.

This is a very sensual story. Nicolas does his very best to give his wife what she needs. This story had me squirming and wanting to take my own husband into the bedroom. It is certainly more sexually entertaining than the story before. I only had one little thing about this story. We are told that Nicolas was quite a wild young man and many women would love to be in his bed, so why is he having troubles with his wife? Apart from this question, I really did enjoy this story.

Lastly, Maggie Robinson offers us Not Quite A Courtesan. A young heiress is swept away and married into a family of swindlers. When the young man’s brother, Darius returns from his travels he meets the young heiress' cousin, Pru. He needs to unpack his treasures and sell them, she wants to help her cousin. They both end up getting not only what they want, but what they need.

Oh, this is another very sensual story. I loved it. I loved the characters, the plot. The banter between Darius and Pru was delightful. The secondary characters were entertaining and I just didn’t want this story to end.

I know that lovers of historical romance, who don’t mind a bit of spice in their stories will love this anthology. Three, very talented authors have penned some very clever tales that will keep you captivated and entertained for some very pleasant hours.

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

TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL Circle of Sin Trilogy book one by Cara Elliott

Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: March 2010
ISBN: 978-0446541299
Regency Romance
Paperback
Obtained via: Publisher
Reviewed by Penny




Rumors abound that Lady Ciara Sheffield is a witch and that she poisoned her late husband. But her scientific mind is known by many therefore, she is just who the Earl of Hadley needs to help him with a quest. Thus they come to a bargain. She needs a man of society as her fiancé in order to save herself from being charged with the murder of her dead spouse. And even though Hadley’s name appears in the paper just as much as her own for one scandal or another, he should do the trick. In return for agreeing to this little charade, Hadley will get a mysterious manuscript deciphered. But upon getting what they want, will they get something more as well?

Oh, you never know if these two will get more than they bargained for! These two had chemistry from the very beginning and I enjoyed how they interacted with one another flawlessly. I adored Ciara. She is an unconventional woman for her time. And unfortunately, this gave her enemies, the family of her late husband, an abundance of ammunition against her. But I am always one to root for the underdog, especially if she is a headstrong and determined lady.
And one can’t help but fall for the Earl of Hadley. He is such a rogue, but a handsome and charming one. That must be why, despite his escapades, he is still welcome among high society. He won me over as well. These characters are fantastically written and were very entertaining.

I thought the storyline was brilliant and well executed. The story gripped my attention and did not let go for one moment. I believe that author Cara Elliott has penned herself a complete winner with TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL. I cannot wait to read book two, To Surrender To A Rogue and book three To Tempt A Rake. These are the stories of secondary characters and friends of Ciara’s. If they are anything like TO SIN WITH A SCOUNDREL they will be on my “sure to not miss” list!

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW

THEN COMES SEDUCTION by Mary Balogh

Publisher: Dell
Date published: April 2009
ISBN: 978-0-440-24423-3
Regency Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Obtained by: publisher
Reviewed by Pam


Rake and avid gambler Jasper Finley, Baron Montford, takes on a wager which could totally damage his already tarnished reputation as a notorious seducer of women. After drinking too much and being unable to not rise to a dare, he finds himself agreeing to seduce an innocent woman.

Katherine Huxtable has had a sudden change in her life and circumstances. Her brother’s status has changed, meaning she must now come out in society. She’s also expected to find and wed a suitable husband, especially now that her sister Vanessa is wed to Lord Lyngate and her brother Stephen has become the Earl of Merton.

What Katherine hadn’t bargained on was the attraction she has to a rake. Drawn together despite themselves, Katherine avoids too much intimacy, while knowing Jasper is trying his hardest to seduce her. With a scandal brewing and her reputation falling apart, Katherine reluctantly agrees to marry him, but she’s still unsure of his true feelings and it shows.

The author has a way of making her characters come to life on the page, while dropping them into a suitable setting. This is a Regency tale where much of the stuffiness of life back then, has been edited out and some oddball characters have been added. This story is delightfully funny as the hero finds himself wanting to seduce the heroine, but finding he has a conscience after all. When he finds he doesn’t want to share her, but wants her as his wife, his life changes drastically. She has seen how dangerous to her his good looks are and is doing her utmost to resist his charms, but their sexual encounters were hot. The other characters, especially Aunt Prunella and Cousin Clarence, brought a very well written difference into the tale. If you’ve not read any of this authors books before, try this one and enjoy the experience.

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW.