|12 in 12| Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer

12 in 12 is me committing to read 12 books in 12 months. These 12 books will be old books that I've had on my TBR since the dawn of time and have been pushed aside for all the SHINY. 

I did 12 in 12 last year and it was success for me. I read a lot of books that I've been saying for years I would read and they were favorites! While I didn't keep up with 12 in 12 on the blog, I still loved my progress so here we go again! Here is the 12 in 12 intro post I did last year.

12 in 12 January Pick

Title: Seeing Me Naked

Author: Liza Palmer

Published January 8th, 2008

Genre: contemporary fiction

Rating: A-

Goodreads summary:

Elisabeth Page is the daughter of Ben Page, yes, that's right, THE world famous novelist. And yes, she's also the sister of Rascal Page, world famous novelist in his own right. So what does Elisabeth do? Much to her family's disappointment, Elisabeth is a pastry chef. And a pretty damn good one, at Beverly, the hottest restaurant in LA. The last relationship Elisabeth had was with Will, a man she grew up with and whose family ran in the same social circles as her family. But Will's constant jaunts around the world have left her lonely and brokenhearted in L.A.

That is until Daniel Sullivan bids on one of Elisabeth's pastry tutorials at a charity auction. Daniel is everything her family is not: a basketball coach, a non-intellectual, his family doesn't summer on Martha's Vineyard, and the only metaphors he uses are about passing the ball and being a team player. But somehow they fit. Between her family, Will, and the new cooking show that Elisabeth is recruited to star in, Elisabeth's life is suddenly incredibly new and different--the question is, can she embrace being happy or has her family conditioned her to think she's just not good enough?Liza Palmer expertly depicts a woman trying to come to terms with professional success, personal success, and finally dealing with a family that might love her from the bottom of their heart but doesn't necessarily have her best interest always at heart.

I've been meaning to read Liza Palmer since 2013 which is not that long since rest of the books in my 12 in 12 pile are much older than that. However, Liza Palmer comes HIGHLY recommend from so many people I trust (Sarah, Estelle, Angie, Ellice, Hannah, Cass) I just had to read one of her books and I have to say, I understand the love!

I picked Seeing Me Naked as my first Palmer because Nowhere But Home is too hyped for me so I was scared to make it my first choice and when I saw that Elisabeth is a chef, I had to start with this one since I love chef books.

There is a lot to love about Seeing Me Naked. There is chef Elisabeth and I just love chef heroes/heroines. This is a very character driven novel and I love reading about Elisabeth as she dealt with making a decision about her extremely demanding job that does not allow her to have a life outside the kitchen. Her complicated family composed of a Pulitzer winner (snobby) father, charity  extraordinaire mother and her brother who's on the road to author fame himself. Family books for the win!

There is also her complicated love life. There is Will, who's Elisabeth childhood friend and love but he's rarely available and there is new0in-town basketball coach Daniel. This is not a love triangle in any sense, it's just two men who serve two different purposes. I loved Daniel who's a nice hero! I like nice guys. This book is not just romance focused but the meeting scenes between Elisabeth and Daniel were really cute and the overall romance was well balanced with the rest of the story.

I'm a big fan of family books and that aspect was really important here. Elisabeth's family is well, elite with a capital E. Her dad doesn't approve of her career or career goals. I love seeing this complicated, messy family who ultimately loves each other, yes, but they're not always good for each other or show it in the best away but no family is perfect. Elisabeth's family screws up a lot but that didn't mean they were The Worst Ever. It isn't just either perfect or not perfect and I just loved that complexity!

Again, I also loved Elisabeth who struggled with her privilege.

Apparently, when I'm not being a pompous asshole or a know-it-all, I have very little to say. Good to know.

She knew she could pretentious and even "shitty" and constantly tried to rein it in but everyone is a snob about something which for that something is food (she's a chef!). I enjoyed reading about her because in the end she really was your average person. She struggled with family, with being everyone's definition of a "good" person and in her love life. It was so realistic but on top of that, there were some great laugh out loud moments. Perfect combination, anyone?

Rating: [A-] My first Liza Palmer but definitely not my last. Binge reading, here I come!

First:

The crowd simmers down as the bookstore owner approaches the podium.

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Favorite:

"Your building is in a commercial part of town. There are no kids there. Who are you going to pass candy out to, prostitutes?"

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Teaser:

"How do you — I mean, how does one become a professional Santa?" I'm oddly intrigued. But at the same time, who is this person? What utopian parred did he frolic off of?

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(Review) Big Sky Christmas by C.J. Carmichael

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Title: Big Sky Christmas
Author: C.J. Carmichael
Series: Coffee Creek, Montana, #4
Published: October 1, 2013 (Harlequin)
Rating: Stash in the Glove Box
Format: E-galley provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Jackson Stone will always be grateful to the Lamberts, who took him in when he was just a kid. But since the accident that killed his foster brother, Brock, he stays away from the family at Coffee Creek Ranch. Especially now that Brock's former fiancee, Winnie Hays, is back in town with her little boy.

The simmering attraction between them may surprise Winnie, but Jackson fell for her at first sight years ago. Loyalty and guilt require he keep his distance, even as their feelings blossom into love. In the end, it's his own conscience Jackson must master. But with the help of the Lamberts, can this Christmas be a time of healing and a new beginning?

When I first read the blurb for Big Sky Christmas, I knew I absolutely had to read it. Let's see how many of my favorite tropes it has. Christmas romance? Check. Long-time crush? Check. Forbidden love? Check. Potential for major angst? Double check. How could you go wrong?

Well, unfortunately, it did.

First of all, there was the secondary character overload. Holy crap, but there were a ton of people. Yes, I jumped into the middle of a series, but it's a romance series, not A Song of Ice and Fire. I should have been able to navigate it without needing a character diagram. I basically just gave up and decided to stop trying to keep track, because it was a waste of time and energy. Most of them weren't even necessary. But the book opened in a wedding where EVERYONE was, and all the introductions were made at once. No, thanks. Eventually, I caught on to two or three who were important, and that was enough for me.

Then we have the main(?) story: the romance. Jackson was Winnie's dead fiancé, Brock's, foster brother, and he had been pining for Winnie for years. Surprisingly, Jackson and Winnie didn't have nearly as many hang-ups about this as I would have expected. Given that this was the case, I am glad they didn't drag it out too long. Because the excuses they did have not to get together were about as thin as a sheet of paper. It would have dragged otherwise. But their relationship progressed - at least in the beginning - at a pretty good pace. But then came even more obstacles.

Now, you might be confused regarding the question mark in the paragraph above. Wouldn't the romance be the main story of the romance novel? You would think. And yes, it was in a way. But in reality? Every single thing revolved around one very obnoxious and annoying old woman named Olive, Brock's mother/Jackson's former foster mother and apparently the devil incarnate. Nearly every bad thing in the book could be traced back to her, and 98% of the drama in the story was influenced by her in some way or another. And I didn't freaking care about Olive or her opinion, and I didn't really get why anyone else did, either.

There were some positive aspects to the book. Winnie's son was adorable, and it was great to see Jackson interacting with him. They had a couple scenes that made me smile. The small town atmosphere was charming. I liked Jackson's foster brothers. Jackson and Winnie's love story was believable. Overall, the story was cute, if a little frustrating and fairly underwhelming. I would recommend reading the others in the series first, which would no doubt help with the character overload.

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(Review) Merry and Bright by Jill Shalvis

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Title: Merry and Bright
Author: Jill Shalvis
Published: September 24, 2013 (Kensington)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Paperback, borrowed from the library

Summary: Jill Shalvis is back with a collection of three endearing, sexy, and yuletide-filled short stories.

I'm sure it came as a surprise to absolutely no one that I was salivating over this book. Even though I'm not always a fan of short stories - I prefer the more long, drawn out variety - Jill Shalvis can simply do no wrong, and I want to read everything she writes. And what's a Christmas elf to do when one of her favorite authors puts out a Christmas collection?

Read it, of course!

And I did. I sped through this book pretty quickly! The fact that it is broken into three different stories makes it seem to read faster than a normal book of its size. I'm going to go ahead and break it down by story, because the three were completely separate. They had no connection whatsoever, aside from the fact that they all took place around Christmas.

The First Story: "Finding Mr. Right"

This first story sucked me right in. It was about a chemist named Maggie who always went for guys who were exactly like her: intelligent, motivated by work, and not overly romantic. So due to some encouragement by her sister, Maggie decided to go after something different: a night with Mr. Wrong. And who should be there to be her Mr. Wrong but Jacob, the sexy architect she'd crushed on in high school.

This was a really cute story with a surprising bit of mystery/adventure thrown in. In fact, aside from the fact that Maggie was a very different sort of narrator, the whole thing read very much like a Stephanie Plum novel. Entertaining, sexy, and a very quick read, "Finding Mr. Right" was quite the fun way to spend a morning.

The Second Story: "Bah Handsome!"

This second story had a rather interesting premise: B&B owner Hope had taken a loan out from her (very pre-epiphany Scroogeish) step-brother, and his (adorably geeky and yummy) solicitor was there to assess whether or not it appeared she would be able to pay it back on time. And then he got snowed in. One of my favorite tropes!

Unfortunately, this one shared quite a few elements with the first story and thus failed to stand on its own feet. With some stronger editing, I think it could have been really good. But it was a little weak, and reading it right after the first story kind of felt like reading the same thing over again with different names. And quite a bit more snow. It was cute, though.

The Third Story: "Ms. Humbug"

The third story was about Cami, a strictly by-the-rules woman who was annoyed by no one more than Matt: hard-working office playboy - and recently appointed mayor/Cami's boss.

I think this was probably my favorite of the stories. Due to the length of the story, their relationship had to progress rather quickly. But although it did feel a tad rushed, I believed it could happen. Matt and Cami had known and respected each other as fellow hard workers for a while, even if Matt did set Cami's teeth on edge. In a fun trope change-up, though, it wasn't mutual! Matt knew he pressed Cami's buttons, but he had always been intrigued rather than put off by her. They also had some fabulous chemistry, which is hard to create in the space of only 80 or so pages. I could also see how some people might be put off by Cami as a narrator, but I really liked her character and seeing the story from her perspective.

These stories weren't anything ground-breaking, but they were definitely enjoyable! If you're looking for some entertaining holiday reading that doesn't take itself too seriously, this collection is a fabulous choice.

First
For two months, Maggie Bell walked past him every day on her way out of the office, and every day she took in that tall, leanly muscled body, those incredibly well-fitted Levi's hanging low on his hips thanks to his tool belt, and forgot everything else just to take it all in.

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Favorite
It was the right thing to do, the polite thing to do. Thank-you-for-the-perfect-sex cookies.

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Teaser
He couldn't have been more stunned if he'd just been hit head-on by a moving freight train. He'd just had the best sex of his entire life. On the ground. In the great outdoors. In the wilds of Colorado. In the snow.

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(Review) No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean

Title: No Good Duke Goes Unpunished
Author: Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rules of Scoundrels, #3
Published: November 26, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of: absolution.

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows: that he is no killer. It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady—and her past—are more than they seem. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything...and to keep from putting himself on the line for love.

This book basically blew my mind. How many times do you read a book where the hero and heroine fall in love despite the fact that years before, she had drugged him and he had supposedly murdered her?

(No, seriously. If you have any recommendations for books like this, please please let me know in the comments! I want to read more.)

My relationship with Sarah MacLean's books is a little back-and-forth, but she impressed me more than ever with No Good Duke Goes Unpunished. I was excited for Temple's book, because I was so intrigued by him when I read One Good Earl Deserves a Lover a few months ago. And this book did not disappoint! In fact, it was better than I anticipated.

For one, I had not read the blurb for this book. I knew it was Temple's story, and I wanted to read it based on that alone. So I had NO IDEA Mara was the heroine. I started the book at the gym and was just reading along when bam, she revealed her identity. I gasped and ceased all movement immediately. Thankfully, this happened when I was on the stationary bike rather than the treadmill, or that would have been a terrible (though, let's face it, probably amusing) site to behold. I was completely shocked. And perhaps I should not have been, but while I figured Mara would show up later, I did not dream they would fall in love.

But they did. And it was amusing, frustrating, swoon-inducing, breath-taking, heart-breaking and altogether addicting watching them do so.

Both of the main characters were so original and so intriguing! Temple was a duke-turned-fighter who ran a gaming hell with a few other partners. He was termed the Killer Duke, believed to have killed Mara on the eve of her wedding (to Temple's father!), though there was no conclusive proof. And the worst part was that he did not know if they were wrong. Mara had drugged him before disappearing, and Temple had gone on for years, fighting to regain his memories of that night but never succeeding. And then Mara showed up. Mara, who had been running an orphanage for the illegitimate sons of noblemen in the years since her disappearance. Mara, who held the key to Temple's reinstatement to his rightful place as duke, who, more importantly, held the key to what had happened that night years before. Their relationship was complicated, to say the least.

There were so many things to love about Temple and Mara. They had an angst (for good reason), explosive chemistry, a slow burn that wouldn't quit, and brilliant exchanges of dialogue.

“I shall take that as a compliment.”
“It was not meant as one. I was merely pointing out your libidinous ways.”
“Libidinous.”
“Roguish. Rakish. Scallawaginous. Scoundrelly.”
“I’m certain that some of those words are not words.”
“Now you’re angling for a position as governess?”
“If the boys are learning words like scallawaginous, it might not be the worst idea.”
*Quote taken from an advance review copy and may appear different in finished book.

Really, the only negative thing I have to say about this book is that toward the end of the story, Mara's self-sacrificing for Temple went a little too far. She just wouldn't. freaking. stop. I get that she felt guilty and had reasons for her behavior, especially at first. In fact, I admired it at first! Love wasn't presented as this all-consuming selfish thing. But the woman wouldn't let it go. She was attempting to convince herself that Temple was better off without her despite a thousand proofs otherwise. It got old fast and continued way too long. Other than that, though, I cannot think of a thing I disliked about this book.

This story was compelling, enjoyable, and ultimately satisfying. Though she came close with One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Sarah MacLean officially won me over with No Good Duke Goes Unpunished.

First:
He woke with a splitting head and a hard cock.

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Favorite:
What did one say to the man falsely accused of one’s murder?

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Teaser:
It was one thing to drug a man once...but twice did seem overmuch.

*Quotes taken from an advance review copy and may appear different in finished book.

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(Review) The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

Title: The Sum of All Kisses
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Smythe-Smith Quartet, #3
Published: October 29, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Hugh Prentice has never had patience for dramatic females, and if Lady Sarah Pleinsworth has ever been acquainted with the words shy or retiring, she's long since tossed them out the window. Besides, a reckless duel has left this brilliant mathematician with a ruined leg, and now he could never court a woman like Sarah, much less dream of marrying her.

Sarah has never forgiven Hugh for the duel he fought that nearly destroyed her family. But even if she could find a way to forgive him, it wouldn't matter. She doesn't care that his leg is less than perfect, it's his personality she can't abide. But forced to spend a week in close company they discover that first impressions are not always reliable. And when one kiss leads to two, three, and four, the mathematician may lose count, and the lady may, for the first time, find herself speechless ...

One interesting fact: After reading the previous book in this series, A Night Like This, I mentioned in my notes the fact that I really wanted Hugh and Sarah to have a book together! But upon re-reading these notes a year later, I had no recollection of why I had wanted this, because I did not remember any interaction between the two of them. So I re-read the book. And I was right. Hugh and Sarah had virtually no interaction together at all. They were barely in a scene together. I guess I just thought the idea of their two vastly different personalities coming together was too good to resist.

I was, in fact, correct! Hugh and Sarah's book might just be my favorite of the Smythe-Smith books so far. I started it first thing in the morning and did not eat lunch or even speak a simple greeting to my roommate until I was done.

Hugh and Sarah's story was completely captivating. Hugh was a logical fellow who could do stunning amounts of math in his head. Sarah was a dramatic girl who set Hugh's teeth on edge, and he had the same effect on her. Oh, and there was also the fact that Sarah's cousin had shot Hugh in a duel (long story), leaving him with a permanent and painful limp. But over time, as they were forced together by circumstances, they began to see each other in a different light. Both still had qualities that made them less than perfect, but they acknowledged those flaws in each other and fell in love anyway.

While I do enjoy hate-to-love stories, unfortunately, many of them tend to rely on great sex for being the Magical Key to Falling in Love. And often, I just don't buy it. The Sum of All Kisses was more of a hate-to-friends-to-love story, and I found the development absolutely perfect and believable for Hugh and Sarah.

As another fun point, fans of Eloisa James would be pleasantly surprised to find a couple of her characters making guest appearances. They fit right in with all the wonderful characters from previous Smythe-Smith and Bridgerton books, who all together created an atmosphere that was impossible not to enjoy. Also, points to Julia Quinn for actually writing a romance epilogue I liked! It doesn't happen often.

I fell in love with Julia Quinn a long time ago, and she continues to deliver. Her books might not be full of stunning prose, grand adventures, or massive plot twists, but I don't always need those. When I pick up a Julia Quinn book, I know I am going to get entertainment, interesting characters, and a magnificent love story. The Sum of All Kisses delivered on all these fronts, and I cannot wait for the next installment of the Smythe-Smiths! I'm crossing my fingers for a book about Iris. Guess I'll have to wait and see!

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(Review) He's Gone by Deb Caletti

Title: He's Gone
Author: Deb Caletti
Published: May 14, 2013 (Bantam)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss (Thanks!)

Summary: The Sunday morning starts like any other. Dani Keller wakes up on her Seattle houseboat, a headache building behind her eyes from the wine she drank at a party the night before. But on this particular morning, she’s surprised to see that her husband, Ian, is not home. As the hours pass, irritation shifts to worry, worry slides into panic. And then, the terrible realization hits Dani: He’s gone.

As the police work methodically through all the logical explanations, Dani searches frantically for a clue as to whether Ian is dead or alive. And, slowly, she unpacks their relationship: from its intense, adulterous beginning, to the grandeur of their new love, to the difficulties of forever. As the days pass, Dani will plumb the depths of her conscience, turning over and revealing the darkest of her secrets in order to discover the hard truth—about herself, her husband, and their lives together.

You guys! I did it! I read a book that wasn't young adult OR romance! Not that either of those things are bad, obviously, but it's always good to expand my boundaries every now and again. And what a book to expand with! Deb Caletti is one of my favorite YA authors, and this is her first venture into adult fiction. While it wasn't perfect, I am very glad I read it.

Deb Caletti's writing continues to astound me. She can use the most beautiful words that flow into each other in just the right fashion, but she can use them to say something so shockingly true and accurate. I took longer to read this book than I may have normally, because I found myself going back and re-reading sentences or passages that I particularly loved. And there were quite a few. I saved so many quotes from this book. Unfortunately, some were spoilery, so I won't be sharing them here. But if you read it, you can see them!

He's Gone was a little different than I was expecting. Yes, it's a mystery, but it is much more a look into Dani's head with a very stream-of-consciousness feel. You get to experience her thoughts and perceptions of everything going on around her, but it is broken up with clips of her history. You travel back in time in her memory to see how her relationship with Ian began and progressed. All through this, there is no sugarcoating. Caletti is straightforward about human failings, and I love her for it.

Unfortunately, there were a few things about this book that made it less than perfect. The main problem was that, due to the way it was written, the story got a little boring after a while. At certain points especially toward the end, I was ready for things to move forward, whether it be in Dani's memories or in the present, but they took a long time to do so. Also, the resolution was a little rushed and underwhelming, but I was also jarringly interrupted right at the climax of the book. So there is a possibility that this impacted my enjoyment of it.

Overall, He's Gone was definitely worth reading! Caletti was at the top of her writing game, there was excellent tension building regarding the mystery aspect, and it made me think. Being inside Dani's head was fascinating, especially toward the end of the book when doubt began circling around and she began to reach conclusions about herself, Ian, and the possibilities surrounding his disappearance.

...love at first sight is also disaster at first sight, only you don’t know it yet. You can’t know or hear it over the roar in your chest.

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I want to understand it all, but my mind has its own instant off switch that’s tripped by lengthy explanations, instruction manuals, and rules to board games read aloud.

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Fashion is a communication problem to solve, and I have enough trouble speaking with words, let alone footwear.

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If reading counted as a sport, I’d be a gold medalist.

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(Review) Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

Title: Any Duchess Will Do
Author: Tessa Dare
Series: Spindle Cove, #4
Publish Date: May 28, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

Summary: Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season—or any season—but his diabolical mother abducts him to “Spinster Cove” and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.

Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn’t dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week’s employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother’s “duchess training”… and fail miserably.

But in London, Pauline isn’t a miserable failure. She’s a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure—a woman who ignites Griff’s desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won’t be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess—can a roguish duke convince a serving girl to trust him with her heart?

When I first laid eyes on Any Duchess Will Do, I was immediately struck with a bad case of Instalove. Hearts began popping up around my head, and "This Magic Moment" started playing in the background. Such an interesting premise! The duke and the serving girl? Duchess lessons a la The Princess Diaries, albeit with an older, more rakish Michael for me to swoon over? WANT. While the actual story did not exactly wind up aligning with that particular idea I had in my head, I was immensely pleased with it nonetheless.

Pauline was an interesting character. She was a serving girl in Spindle Cove. She was practical, rational, and direct, but she also had dreams. She was loyal and supportive of her sister Daniela, who had a developmental delay of some sort, and their relationship was very touching. She was hilariously unqualified to be a duchess and had an unfortunate habit of cursing and...well, basically, lots of things a duchess shouldn't do.

Griff was staunchly against the idea of getting married, but he did not want to tell his mother the true reason. While this is made clear early on, the reader is given no clues as to why. So you're simply left wondering until the answer comes flying out to you over in left field and hits you right in the gut. His anti-marriage feelings aside, though, I liked reading about Griff from the beginning. He was just so utterly ducal. In a good way.

I also had a real soft spot for Griff's mother. She was quite amusing, and I wound up caring about and enjoying scenes with her more than I would have anticipated. I also loved seeing the little cameos with some of the old Spindle Cove characters! That made me smile a lot. In fact, Griff himself had made an appearance in one of the preceding books, which I had completely forgotten about until it was mentioned.

Of course, some of the elements of the story were predictable. It was, after all, "the practical girl's fairy tale." But the majority of it was not what one would expect. And all of it, predictable or not, was thoroughly enjoyable. There was a scene with a goose that had me giggling uncontrollably. Dare amped up the hotness factor, and there may have been a scene or two that left me fanning myself and reaching for a cool glass of water. Whatever the scene, I loved reading about Griff and Pauline and how they dealt with their accidental, inconvenient feelings.

I usually associate Tessa Dare with humor. I tend go to into her books expecting a fabulous romance and a lot of laughs. And I got them. But with this book, I got quite a few tears, as well. Some were good, and some were bad. I was not anticipating such an emotional read! While it is by no means the next Steel Magnolias, I would keep a tissue or two handy while reading.

Basically, I guess the moral of my story is this: When it comes to Any Duchess Will Do, expect the unexpected. It will surprise you. It will make you cry. It will make you fall in love. So let it. Experience it. Enjoy it. Love it. Spindle Cove is one of my favorite historical series, and Any Duchess Will Do was a wonderful installment. I am already eagerly awaiting the next one!

EDIT: I have just been informed that this is, in fact, the last Spindle Cove book. Pardon me while I go weep in a corner. I do look forward to seeing what Tessa Dare has in the works for us in the future, though!

Pauline looked to the window, expecting a pig to fly through it. A pig strumming a lyre and speaking Welsh, perhaps.

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I was hoping to hear something like, ‘I have a creeping skin disease.’ Or, ‘I hoot like a barn owl when I reach orgasm.’ Those would be deterrents. I’m not sure the second is strong enough, actually. Curiosity might win out over trepidation.

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I know how mirrors work. They’re all in league with the cosmetics trade. They tell a woman lies. Drawing her gaze from one imagined flaw to another, until all she sees is a constellation of imperfections. If you could get outside yourself, borrow my eyes for just an instant... There’s only beauty.

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If there was anything better than the smell of books, it was the smell of books mingled with the scents of strong tea and spice biscuits – and all of it on a rainy afternoon.
*All quotes from ARC or galley, so final copy may differ.

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(Review) A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long

Title: A Notorious Countess Confesses
Author: Julie Anne Long
Series: Pennyroyal Green, #7
Published: October 30, 2012 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Physical copy, purchased

Summary: From Covent Garden to courtesan to countess, beautiful, fearless, shamelessly ambitious Evie Duggan has riveted London in every role she plays. But the ton never could forgive her scandalous—if shockingly short—marriage, and when her star plummets amid gleefully vicious gossip, the countess escapes to the only legacy left to her: a manor house in Pennyroyal Green.

He has the face of a fallen angel and a smolder the devil would envy, but Vicar Adam Sylvaine walks a precarious line: resisting temptation…and the wild Eversea blood in his veins. Adam’s strength is tested when scandal, aka the countess, moves to Sussex. But when a woman who fiercely guards her heart and a man entrusted with the souls of an entire town surrender to a forbidden desire, will the sweetest sin lead them to Heaven...or make outcasts of them forever?

It was so wonderful to be back in Pennyroyal Green! Having just re-read What I Did for a Duke, I figured it was the perfect time to pick up A Notorious Countess Confesses. While I had pretty good expectations since I love the whole series, I always just take it for granted that none of them will ever be quite as good as What I Did. But A Notorious Countess Confesses absolutely blew me away!

I fell in love with the idea of this immediately. I had been intrigued by Adam in previous books. Nothing like a super hot guy with Eversea blood running through his veins to be the town vicar! But he wound up being even better than I could have imagined: I absolutely loved Adam. I would definitely list him among my favorite heroes. It has to be incredibly difficult to write a non Christian-themed romance with a vicar hero. I've only read one before, and it was good but not great. So I was a little hesitant about this one, but Long pulled it off brilliantly. I very much admired Adam. His dedication and loyalty to his parishioners was incredible, and even though he struggled with some aspects of his position, he was never defeated.

He’d begun to feel equal to the job, but privately, he didn’t know if he would ever truly feel worthy of it. He just knew he would never stop trying to be.

Evie was an interesting heroine! She had been born and raised by a poor family in Ireland, but she moved to England when she was still fairly young. She was incredibly beautiful and adored by every male who saw her on the stage, eventually racking up the sort of notoriety that can only be partially fabricated. But after being cast aside by London society after the death of her husband, Evie wound up in Pennyroyal Green. Evie was spunky, clever, guarded, and completely unrepentant about her past. She was used to using her looks and masterful flirtation skills to manipulate men into doing whatsoever she darn well pleased.

But flirtation had always been her version of fairy dust. She could fling it into a man’s eyes and dazzle him and yet never fully be known. And then never be fully hurt.

Unfortunately for Evie, Adam was not your average man. He was okay with silence, he was observant, and due to his Adonis-level features, he was used to female attention. He was impervious to Evie's flirting, and it eventually turned into a sort of joke between them. But Evie had to learn how to interact with him honestly, which she was unaccustomed to doing. Adam got to do the same with her. And through this, a beautiful friendship was born that could eventually develop into something more.

One thing you should know about me: One of my favorite things in the ENTIRE BOOKISH UNIVERSE is really good slow burn romance. That super slow-building, filled with crazy chemistry, makes you stop breathing by just a touch or a glance, kind of burn. The slow burn in this book was adjective-defyingly awesome. The chemistry between Adam and Evie was un-freaking-believable. It was almost palpable. And their whole story was completely captivating. This book literally kept me up until 2:45 in the morning because the idea of going to sleep without finishing it was unthinkable.

Overall, A Notorious Countess Confesses was fantastic! While it did not quite overtake What I Did for a Duke as my favorite Pennyroyal Green novel, it was definitely a very close second. The relationship development was brilliant, believable, and laced with humor and a mind-blowing amount of chemistry. It was also very addicting and absolutely worth the sleep deprivation it caused me. If you're a fan of historical romances heavy on the slow burn, I would highly recommend this one!

She never should have forgotten that the world was on the side of the planners, not the dreamers.

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He couldn’t help but think she was an entire Hallelujah chorus of a woman. Yet another thought he wouldn’t be sharing with his cousins. Or with anyone.

---

There’s nothing heroic about futility.

---

Miss Pitney, why do you suppose Envy is one of the Deadly sins? It is a sin against yourself. It harms you and blinds you to many things, including good intentions. God saw fit to make you perfect the way you are. Not more or less perfect than someone else – perfect as you are. You need to believe it for the right person to see it. And the feeling when you are truly seen for who you are...it simply cannot be mistaken.

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{Joint Review} What I Did For a Duke By Julie Anne Long

Title: What I Did For a Duke
Author: Julie Anne Long
Series: Pennyroyal Green #5
Genre: Historical romance/regency
Published February 22nd 2011 by Avon
Goodreads summary:

For years, he's been an object of fear, fascination . . . and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that shadow the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the "ton" knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he'll seduce Ian's innocent sister, Genevieve--the only Eversea as yet untouched by scandal. First he'll capture her heart . . . and then he'll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by gentleness . . . And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke's dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice . . . is there "anything" she won't do for a duke?

Because we both harbor incredible amounts of love for What I Did for a Duke and have read it multiple times (Racquel four times, Sharon twice), we decided this was the perfect opportunity to try something new: a conversational review! Which may or may not have ended up including a lot of capslock, flailing, discussions of death by swoonage, and somewhere mixed between all of that, our thoughts about the book.

And these are just the highlights! The entire conversation actually wound up lasting 3 hours. We kid you not.

Also, scroll to the bottom if you'd like to see some of the "outtakes" from our conversation, too!

Okay, now that you have sufficiently prepared yourself, you may proceed to read our thoughts on one of the best historical romances we have ever read!

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(Review) I Only Have Eyes for You by Bella Andre

Title: I Only Have Eyes for You
Author: Bella Andre
Series: The Sullivans, #4
Published: February 22, 2012 (Oak Press LLC)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital copy, purchased

Summary: Sophie Sullivan, a librarian in San Francisco, was five years old when she fell head over heels in love with Jake McCann. Twenty years later, she's convinced the notorious bad boy still sees her as the "nice" Sullivan twin. But when they both get caught up in the magic of the first Sullivan wedding, she knows it's long past time to do whatever it takes to make him see her for who she truly is: the woman who will love him forever.

Jake has always been a magnet for women, especially since his Irish pubs made him wealthy. But the only woman he really wants is the one he can never have. Not only is Sophie his best friend's off-limits younger sister...he can't risk letting her get close enough to discover his deeply hidden secret. Only, when Sophie appears on his doorstep as Jake's every fantasy come to life, he doesn't have a prayer of taking his eyes - or his hands - off her. And he can't stop craving more of her sweet smiles and sinful kisses. Though Jake knows loving Sophie isn't the right thing to do...how can he possibly resist?

I first heard about I Only Have Eyes for You back in early 2012 when it was a pick for the Sizzling Book Club over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. I bought it...but then wound up not reading it for a long time. Then I picked it up on a whim, meaning to just read the first couple pages to decide whether or not I was really in the mood for it. 30 pages later, from my position sitting cross-legged on the floor and surrounded by books, I looked up and decided that I was, in fact, in the mood for it.

When I read the blurb for this book, I immediately thought YES, PLEASE. I am a huge sucker for the "loved you forever" plot. She's a librarian! He's her older brother's best friend! There are so many elements of this book that should have made me love this book. And they did, to an extent. But at the same time, there was a lot that didn't work for me.

Obviously, I was a fan of the dynamic between Jake and Sophie. They had some great mutual-pining-induced chemistry going on, but things came to a head with them pretty quickly. Sophie showed up on his doorstep, and then the majority of the book dealt with the aftermath. I wasn't super happy about that, because I figured it would lead to a lot of not-so-fun drama. Which turned out to be right. Jake had a big "secret" he could neverneverever let Sophie know. He had massive self-esteem issues in some areas. He was so down on himself all the time. It got really frustrating after a while.

As for Sophie, I wanted more of her in the beginning. I just had to take her word for how she "normally" was, and how people viewed her. Yet she acted different from both of those images a lot of the time. Which is fine, because she was supposedly stepping out of the shadow of her bazillion older brothers and twin sister (all of whom I loved, by the way; I enjoyed the family scenes so much!). But I think I would have understood her more as a character if I had known her more the way she "used to be" before her transformation.

The relationship development was nothing new, but the way it came about was fun and unique to them. Watching them work backwards into a caring, equal relationship was enjoyable. But once there was sex, there was sex. It got pretty old, honestly. I would have liked to focus more on other aspects of their relationship, or even their individual character arcs. But then again, if they would have spent more time talking and less time sexing it up, the book probably would have been substantially shorter. So, there's that.

The book was a weird mixture of compelling and boring. Some parts, like the beginning, totally sucked me in, but at other times, I found myself skimming because I just didn't care. It was inconsistent throughout. Basically, there were some things I wasn't super crazy about, but there were a lot of things I enjoyed. Overall, though, the positives mostly outweighed the negatives. It was a cute story.

She’d never felt anything like this, had never known what it was to step inside a bolt of lightning and become light and flames.

---

I’ve always loved books. I love being around them. I love getting lost in a story, a world. I love that I can become anyone, that I can live any fantasy.

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Second Chance Saturday (02): Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran

The goal of this feature is to give a second chance to a book/author/series I have written off for some reason.

This Month's Featured Book: Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran
This Book Was a Second Chance Because... I read one of Meredith Duran's first books back in 2009, but I wasn't a fan. Since then, I've avoided her books. After seeing several interesting looking ones, I finally convinced myself to pick up this one.
Verdict: Worth it! A great story with dynamic characters, an intriguing plot that didn't overshadow the romance, occasional wry humor, and great relationship development.
Other Books Mentioned: Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble

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(Review) Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

Title: Flowers from the Storm
Author: Laura Kinsale
Published: October 1, 1992 (Avon)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: eBook, purchased

Summary: The Duke of Jervaulx was brilliant - and dangerous. Considered dissolute, reckless, and extravagant, he was transparently referred to as the "D of J" in scandal sheets. But sometimes the most womanizing rakehell can be irresistible, and even his most causal attentions fascinated the sheltered Maddy Timms.

Then one fateful day she receives the shocking news - the duke is lost to the world. And Maddy knows it is her destiny to help him and her only chance to find the true man behind the wicked facade.

But she never dreamed her gentle, healing touch would alter his life and her own so completely - and bind them together in need, desire...and love.

Oh my goodness, you guys. This book was like nothing I had ever read before! Seriously. I read this one because I have been trying to explore some of the older romance novels to understand the romance genre more fully, reading some of the romance "classics" that are heralded on various Best Of Romance lists. First thing you need to know: That blurb up there? Disregard it. It's lame. The important thing? This book is a romance between Christian, Duke of Jervaulx, a brilliant mathematician who is unable to speak due to a stroke, and Maddy, a British Quaker. Intrigued now? I was, too.

The best thing about this book, hands down, is the originality of the plot. But a very close second is the writing style. See, the easy way out of this story would just to have the entire thing be told from Maddy's point of view. Nothing wrong with that, and it would have been a good story. But it would not have been nearly as complex. It would not have been great. And great it was. Christian's POV was absolutely fascinating. Because the stroke had impacted the language part of his brain, he had difficulty processing what was said around him (as well as reading, writing, and speaking). And you got to see that! Using a method very Stream of Consciousness-esque, Kinsale portrayed Christian's thoughts and understanding of the world around him. And you had to sort through the language to figure it out, as well. It made for more difficult reading at times, but ultimately was completely and totally worth it. It made me appreciate Christian's struggle so much more.

As for Maddy (short for Archimedia. Can you say OUCH?), she was a very interesting character as well. As a member of the Society of Friends, she had grown up in a completely separate world from the duke. The only reason they were even connected in the beginning is because her father - also a mathematician, but blind - and Jervaulx were collaborating on a mathematical project, and she was, essentially, the messenger. She was very devoted to her beliefs and her principles, and I liked that about her. However, Maddy had to grow and come to some realizations about herself and the world throughout the book, and it was interesting to watch how this progressed.

Obviously, this book contained a lot of things about which I know almost nothing. I know the basics of how a stroke can impact your brain, and I basically only know stereotypical things about Quakers. Therefore, I cannot vouch for the authenticity, but I can tell you that it felt authentic to me. It broke my heart to see how little the doctors understood mental illnesses and conditions back in that time period, and therefore how they treated the patients. But it was very realistic; they simply didn't know better.

The book was a little difficult to follow in the beginning because Maddie and her father spoke in Plain Speech, using "thee" and "thou" and such. But I grew accustomed to it quickly and hardly noticed it as the book went on. One thing I liked in this book was the various relationships and how they were all different and complex, from family to friends to the romance. Oh, the romance. The love story between these two was simply splendid. They also had one of the most beautifully written and emotionally impacting love scenes I've ever read. Really, I just loved this book in general. Another thing I appreciated about it was that while the story was complex, it was without Huge Drama stemming from the Uber Evil Super Villain of all Villainy, which is usually totally unnecessary. I kept waiting for it to pop up, and it didn't, which made me happy.

I can see why Flowers from the Storm is one of the most beloved romance novels of all time. It is a truly beautiful and utterly unique story. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance and/or original love stories.

[Unfortunately, my favorite quote from this book is fairly spoilery and way more powerful within the context of the book. But I like this line, too, which is the opening.]

He liked radical politics and had a fondness for chocolate.

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(Review) The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Title: The Best Man
Author: Kristan Higgins
Series: Blue Heron, #1
Published: February 26, 2013 (HQN)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC from publisher via Edelweiss

Summary: Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there....

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief-and best friend of her former fiancé. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk...

There's a reason why Kristan Higgins is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, folks. I loved The Best Man! We first meet Faith as she is sitting in a car and chugging Red Bull...while she uses binoculars to spy on a guy she is dating. But in her defense, she has probably the worst dating record in history, starting with the wedding we learn about in the prologue...which concludes with the groom announcing he is gay.

This book takes place mostly in the present day, but there are also a lot of flashbacks, which I enjoyed a lot. I really liked seeing the development of both the characters and the relationships. As the book goes along, we learn more about Faith and her history with Jeremy (the gay almost-husband) and his best friend Levi. Honestly, the friendship between Jeremy and Levi was one of the best things about this book. It was so refreshing! I absolutely love reading about close male friendships, especially when done well. Jeremy and Levi were an unlikely pair, but their friendship rang true.

And as long as we're on the subject: Levi. Oh, Levi. I have officially found a new book boyfriend. A man of few words, Levi was an Army veteran, police chief, great friend, and big brother doing his best to help his little sister through her first year of college. Be still, my heart.

I also liked Faith. I was a little worried I wouldn't in the beginning, but I really should not have bothered. She was fun and kind-hearted and snarky when necessary. She also had epilepsy, which I thought was interesting. It was definitely a unique aspect of the story. I adored the interactions between Faith and Levi. Their scenes together ranged from so-hilarious-my-roommate-was-giving-me-strange-looks to heartwrenching to sweet to sudden hotflash-inducing.

In typical Higgins fashion, there was a pretty large cast of characters, and Faith had a big, crazy family. Her relationship with them was complicated, partially due to circumstances surrounding her mother's death when she was a child. I liked her family, though. There were some good scenes with them. I was also really intrigued by the possibility of romance between some of the side characters. I'm not discussing who, but I will keep my eye on her future releases for them!

All-in-all, The Best Man was a good one! I enjoyed the characters, the friendships, and the romance. The New England town with a background of winery vines and grapes was a thoroughly charming setting, and I am very happy to see that this is the first in a series to take place in Blue Heron. Maybe I can move there after a few years in Lucky Harbor...?

That’s how it went, right? Love came when you weren’t looking except in the case of the millions who’d found mates on Match.com, but, hey. It sounded good.

---

One does not meet one’s gay ex-fiancé without looking fantastic.

---

Yes, Levi Cooper was a sparkly unicorn of wonder.

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(Review) The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James

Title: The Ugly Duchess
Author: Eloisa James
Series: Fairy Tales #4
Published: August 28, 2012 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

Summary: Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion. Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime…until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry. Society was shocked by their wedding; it's scandalized by their separation. Now James faces the battle of his lifetime, convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

As The Ugly Duchess was Eloisa James, I had fairly high expectations when I picked it up. But when I actually read it? Two words: Blown. Away. It was not at all what I expected! Seriously. It was going along in a great-but-expected way and then all the sudden, BAM. But it's a good bam. A very, very good bam. Just letting you know that the blurb is, well...pretty much not at all the story. But the story is better than that, and I for one loved being surprised with the twist and subsequent story, so I am going to let you enjoy it firsthand as well.

Back at the beginning, though, the book opened with Theo and James, only 17 and 19, and they actually had a friendship. A real friendship! And neither of them was ~secretly in love~ with the other. Which I love, by the way, but it was nice to not have that aspect for a change. They made me smile; I loved seeing how they interacted. I also really appreciated how their voices were different when they were younger compared to further on in the book.

One reason I love Eloisa James is that she does not idealize marriage. Marriage is work; it is not simply a solution to tie up everything into a pretty, tied-up-with-a-bow Happily Ever After. A ring does not magically solve all problems. But it can work! It can be a beautiful thing as long as the parties are committed to it. I absolutely loved reading James and Theo's journey to a happy marriage and their HEA. It made me smile, laugh, cry, and swoon.

Overall, The Ugly Duchess was one of the best reads of the season, and it is definitely among my top favorite James books. It was an intriguing mix of friends-to-lovers and marriage of convenience. I had never read a book that balanced those elements in that way so well before. I absolutely loved it! James remains one of my favorite historical romance authors. I am SO excited for her next book (Rapunzel story! Cross-dressing hero! Yes, please!).

Random funny sidenote: Verveine was mentioned at one point in the book, and I was momentarily nonplussed. I forgot it was an actual plant and had real uses besides repelling vampires. :D

She did like it, almost all of it, particularly the part where he kissed her so urgently that they were both moaning, because that made her feel like a bit of paper about to go up in flames.

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Second Chance Saturday (01): Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

The goal of this feature is to give a second chance to a book/author/series I have written off for some reason.
(If you'd like more information on how this feature works, check out this introduction post.)

This Month's Featured Book: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
This Book Was a Second Chance Because... I had picked it up from the library numerous times, both before and after I discovered how amazing Shannon Stacey was. I finally cracked it open one day while waiting on a friend so I could start the next episode of Doctor Who, and I was hooked!
Verdict: Worth the second chance! Although I did not like it as much in the other two in the trilogy, it was a very enjoyable story. Any time the Kowalski clan is there, I'm in!
Other Books Mentioned: Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Psst! The ebook is FREE right now! Get it while it's hot! { Kindle || Nook }

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Friday Five: Historical Romance Edition (#01)

I read a lot of books. Shocking, really! Unfortunately, though, I am fairly consistently behind in reviewing. And taking a few months off last year did not help. Basically, there are books I would love to review, but I don't really have enough to say about them for a full-out, detailed review (most likely because I read them too long ago). But they still deserve to mentioned! Rather than trying to force stiff, fluff-filled reviews, after some contemplation, I came up with this feature. One Friday a month, I will be posting these mini-review batches, each featuring books from a specific genre. This will help me catch up on reviews, but it also won't clog up everyone's reader with short, separate posts. Now, without further ado, behold the first Friday Five, featuring the Historical Romance genre.

Book: A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare
Series: Spindle Cove, #2
Published: March 27, 2012 (Avon)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: This was the very first book I ever pre-ordered, because I was SUPER excited about if after the build-up between the couple in the first book. It did not disappoint! I do like road trip books set in modern day, but they have nothing on the carriage/hackney/mail coach road trips in historicals. I just love them so much, and this was no exception. Plus, the two leads were still superbly fabulous; the snappy banter and fierce attraction made for a great dynamic. Dare really just takes witty to a whole new level. Colin's comments and inner dialog were hilarious, and I really liked Min. Overall, a fantastic addition to one of my favorite historical series!
Favorite Quote: "Oh no. Oh God. I couldn't possibly be so stupid." - "Don't limit yourself. You can be anything you wish."

Book: Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right by Kieran Kramer
Series: Impossible Bachelors, #2
Published: November 30, 2010 (St. Martin's Paperbacks)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: I will give this book points for originality; it had one of the most original and hilarious h/hr meetings ever. The heroine belonged to a group of friends happy to be spinsters, and they were all great. The spy plot was there, but it thankfully did not take up too much of the story. The book also had great vocabulary, which always makes me happy! I learned the words sinecure, rout, and nonce. Unfortunately, the story dragged quite a bit toward the beginning and end, and there was some over-the-top drama I didn't really appreciate.
Favorite Quote: She had an obsession with his mouth now. And his hands. By God, and everything else about him, too.

Book: The Capture of the Earl of Gelncrae by Stephanie Laurens
Series: The Cynster Sisters Trilogy, #3
Published: January 31, 2012 (Avon)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Thoughts: This book was not exactly what I expected from the summary, but I wound up mostly enjoying it nonetheless. I had two main issues with this book: the necklace Angelica had that apparently could tell you your ~hero~ when you wore it, and the fact that it was so long I got seriously bored. There were many unnecessary scenes of her family reacting/plotting about her kidnapping, but I am sure that someone who followed Laurens' books would love them. If they were, for instance, the Bridgertons, I would have loved to see the family all interacting together. But I digress. Enough with the negativity. There were quite a few things I liked about the book, too. Namely, the whole basic plot: Angelica is kidnapped by a man she thinks is her hero, but is really the guy who orchestrated the kidnapping of her sisters. Oh, and he's supposed to be dead. He also happens to be swoontacular, so romance commences. (I seriously love historical romance for plots like these.) I also like that Angelica was confident in the fact that he wanted her. Admittedly, it stemmed from the ridiculous necklace, but it added a nice dynamic to their relationship I enjoyed.
Favorite Quote: Never tell any male that he’s sweet.  It’s an invitation to be anything but.

Book: Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath
Series: London's Greatest Lovers, #3
Published: June 28, 2011 (Avon)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: This is one of the most original plots I have ever heard of, and I was completely intrigued by the thought when I discovered it. I've never read anything like it, before or since. It was a recipe for a deliciously angsty romance, which is one of my favorite things ever. The book overall was not as good or as angst-filled as I had anticipated, but it was incredibly addicting. I believed Ransom (Yes, that's his name. Not one of the high points of the story.) and his motives for agreeing with his friend's proposal. Their relationship development was slow and beautiful. Although there was a pointless side story and some little details that bothered me, I enjoyed the main one. My emotions were quite engaged throughout the entire book, and it made me cry more than once.
Favorite Quote: As far as bloody awful things go, it’s one of the best I’ve experienced.

Book: Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas
Series: Fitzhugh Trilogy, #1
Published: May 1st 2012, (Berkley Sensation)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Thoughts: I had an odd sort of relationship with this book. Objectively, I enjoyed everything about it. But for some reason, I spent most of the story feeling rather detached from the characters. I don't know if it was me or the way it was written, but that feeling was disconcerting. At the same time, though, I did not want to put it down at all. The actions that set the plot into motion were rather overdramatic and ridiculous, but the plot itself was fantastic and original. I enjoyed the uniqueness of it, especially how the hero fell in love with the heroine without ever seeing her face. I also read this book after the second in the series, so it was interesting to see the Book 2 couple before their "romance" took place.
Favorite Quote: When she laughed, nothing was impossible.  He could climb Mount Everest, cross the Sahara, and raise the lost realm of Atlantis all in a day.

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