An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin

After reading My Fair Concubine (one of my favorite books from last year), I was curious to see if the author had written a book about Dao, the servant girl who ends up as a princess.  I found out that she had, but it was a Harlequin Undone - their line of short, sexy ebooks.  I figured it was worth a try.

An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin
(2012, Medieval China)  1/29/13
Grade: 3

Dao is a house servant masquerading as a princess on her way to marry a powerful chieftain. As a lowly commoner with no prospects, she is content to be an alliance bride until an encounter with Kwan-Li, her enigmatic escort, tempts her with the promise of forbidden love. On their adventure through the wild Khitan steppe, Dao discovers Kwan-Li has secrets of his own...  Sequel to My Fair Concubine.

This novella had its moments, but in the end it was just too short.  The setting of this story (medieval China and the steppes) was fascinating, but there wasn’t enough space to really explore it fully.  The first half of the book was interesting, but just when I wanted to know more about the characters, the author switched the focus to the love scenes.  They were fine, but having multiple love scenes in such a short book meant that other aspects of the story were neglected.  The novella was fine as a quick follow-up to My Fair Concubine, but it just wasn’t long enough to stand alone.  I think the author could have written a full length book about these characters, and I wish she had.   

I wish the author had done more to explore the steppe setting in this story - I just finished listening to a five part podcast about the Mongols and I was eager to read a romance with that setting.  But maybe that's too foreign for romance readers.  (It works for Game of Thrones!)

Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes

I thought I was done with 2012 books, but since this book appeared on so many Top 10 lists among my friends, I thought I had to give it a try.

Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/27/13
Grade: 3.5

Lady Maggie is the daughter of a courtesan, but she was adopted by her father, the Duke of Moreland, and his wife.  Now 30, she lives a reclusive life until she needs help to find a reticule hiding secret letters.  She turns to Benjamin Hazlit, an Earl who also works as a private investigator.  He pretends to court her in order to investigate, but soon they both want more - except Maggie still has secrets that she must hide from her family.

I had mixed feelings about this book.  I’m not a stickler for historical accuracy, but there were a lot of points in this book where I was taken out of the story by something that just didn’t feel "right" for the period.  This was mostly a problem in the first half of the book.  I also found aspects of the story clichéd and the heroine frustratingly passive when it came to her “big secret”.  But despite these problems, I couldn’t stop reading.  The characters were interesting and the plot moved at a fast clip, which kept me from thinking too much about any problems with the story.  I enjoyed reading about the heroine’s close family and her difficulties in being the illegitimate daughter of the Duke.  I’m left wondering how to rate this book and ended up giving it 3 1/2 stars, because it was so readable despite its flaws.

I’m not sure I will pick up other books by Grace Burrowes unless they’re recommended by other readers, though.  I’ve read some reviews and the plots in those books seem to be even more over-the-top than this one.

Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas

Sherry Thomas is one of those authors I want to like - readers who share my tastes love her, and the descriptions sound like books I'd like to read.  But I think her books verge too far toward literary fiction for me - they may be worthy books but I don't find them especially romantic. 

Beguiling the Beauty by Sherry Thomas
(2012, Edwardian)  1/26/13
Grade: 3

When the Duke of Lexington meets the mysterious Baroness von Seidlitz-Hardenberg on a transatlantic liner, he is fascinated. In reality, the “baroness” is Venetia Easterbrook—a proper young widow who had her own vengeful reasons for instigating an affair with the duke. But the plan has backfired. Venetia has fallen in love with the man she despised—and there’s no telling what might happen when she is finally unmasked…

I never liked the old school romances where the hero and heroine hated each other until the end of the book, when they fell into each others arms and declared eternal love.  I could never believe that all the hurtful things the characters did to each other could be forgotten so easily.  Sherry Thomas’s books remind me of those romances.  They are written in a much more sophisticated way, but the characters still spend most of the book hurting each other, inflicting painful emotional wounds until they suddenly discover a happy ever after in the last few pages.  When I read Beguiling the Beauty, I didn’t feel carried away with romance - I felt sad and a little depressed.  Everyone in the book, including the secondary characters, seem determined to inflict unhappiness on one another.  The author has an elegant writing style which kept me reading to the end, but I found it hard to believe in the happy ending.  Perhaps that’s a failing in me as a reader.  

I still have a couple of Sherry Thomas books in my TBR pile that I may try to read at some point, but I doubt I'll buy her books again.  It's disappointing, because there are so few new romance authors, especially those who are writing something other than "same old same old".  But I guess I'm too much of a traditional reader to enjoy something too far outside the lines.

The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville

There are many romance authors that I enjoy, but very few that really work for me, book after book.  Based on her last two books, Miranda Neville may be joining that small group.

The Importance of Being Wicked by Miranda Neville
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/25/13
Grade: 4.5

Thomas, Duke of Castleton, has every intention of wedding a prim and proper heiress. That is, until he sets eyes on the heiress's cousin, easily the least proper woman he's ever met. Caroline Townsend has no patience for the oh-so-suitable (and boring) men of the ton. So when the handsome but stuffy duke arrives at her doorstep, she decides to put him to the test. But her scandalous exploits awaken a desire in Thomas he never knew he had.

Another excellent book by Miranda Neville.  I was a little wary when I picked it up because I’ve read so many books with this premise, but the author manages to put a new spin on a familiar story.  “Wild child” heroines often come across as immature, but Caro’s back story is so well developed that her actions make sense based on her personality.  I also enjoyed that neither the hero or the heroine had to completely change their personality to make the relationship work.  My interest waned slightly in the last third, where misunderstandings come between the hero and heroine a bit.  (The disagreements were realistic, just not very romantic.)  But the emotion of the ending made up for it.  Another great book by Neville.  

I know several people who liked this cover, but there is something weird about it to me.  The heroine's head and shoulders seem out of proportion, and the dress fits in a strange way.  Oh well, nothing's perfect!

The Second Seduction of a Lady by Miranda Neville

I heard mixed things about this story, but I wanted to read it since it's the beginning of her new series.

The Second Seduction of  Lady by Miranda Neville
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/24/12
Grade: 3

Eleanor Hardwick and Max Quinton shared one night of incredible passion . . . that was shattered the next day, when Eleanor learned of a bet placed by Max's friends. Now, five years later, Max still can't get Eleanor out of his head or his heart. He has a single chance to make a second impression - one that will last forever.

This short story was a disappointment.  I’m not sure if it was just too short, or if the premise was flawed from the start, but it just didn’t work for me.  The characters thoughts and actions didn’t add up.  The heroine is presented as someone who doesn’t want to marry, but after that initial setup, her thoughts and emotions are all about how much she would enjoy being married.  The hero claims that he respects the heroine’s intelligence and independence, but he spends most of the story manipulating her.  In a longer book it’s possible the author could have reconciled these contradictions (or made them a point of contention) but in this novella they just seemed confused.  The only reason to read this novella is that it introduces and explains the heroine of her next book.


Some authors just don't do well with novellas - maybe Miranda Neville is one of them.  I love the cover though - there's nothing like a period dress cover.

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

I've read a couple of short stories by Courtney Milan, and I've read her comments online, but this is the first full length book I've read by her.  I'm not quite sure what I think.

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan
(2012, Victorian)  1/20/12
Grade: 3.5

Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, wants nothing more than to be different from his father.  He has been secretly writing incendiary handbills to organize workers that his father exploited.  But the handbills are attributed to Minnie Pursling, who is trying to escape her own secret past by vanishing into the background.  Robert is deeply attracted to Minnie, and must find a way to protect her while also protecting his family. 

I had mixed feelings about this book.  For the first third of the book, it seemed like the author was deliberately trying to make her characters hard to understand - as if she was taunting the reader with characters that were obscure and confusing and difficult to read.  This gradually improved during the book, but still, the characters often did things that didn’t make much sense (and weren’t explained very well).  Still, the story was intriguing, and the character of Minnie in particular was very interesting and sympathetic.  There were some truly excellent scenes along the way, which helped.  By the end of the book I was caught up in the romance and the relationship, but I still felt like I was trying to read a story that didn’t quite come into focus.



I'm not sure what to think about Courtney Milan's writing - there's definitely potential there but I'm not sure whether she's an author for me.  Call me shallow, but I like a story that's easier to understand.  But I will try her again. 

Love in the Afternoon by Allison Packard

I used to watch soap operas faithfully when I was in middle and high school - I was a third generation fan of Guiding Light.  I've read a few books set in the world of soap operas, but surprisingly enough, not that many romances (with the exception of Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel - one of my favorites).  Maybe it's difficult to come up with a new story set in that world.

Love in the Afternoon by Allison Packard
(2012, Contemporary)  1/17/12
Grade: 3

Kayla Maxwell is eager to prove herself as a new soap opera actress, but she is nervous to work with Sean Barrett, her idol since childhood.  Sean is the son of a well known actor, and is wary of getting to close to an actress, but he soon learns to respect her as an actress - and admire her as a woman.  But just as their relationship is getting underway, Kayla is threatened by a mysterious stalker.

I love a good soap opera, so I was looking forward to this book.  Unfortunately, it felt very derivative and predictable - almost like fan fiction.  I felt like I could predict every development before it happened.  The characters were pleasant enough, and it was easy to read, but I was left feeling like I’d read it all before. 

I'm not sure why this story felt so predictable - most romances don't have ground breaking plots, but every development in this story felt like something I could have written myself. 

A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long

I'm always a little wary of reading a book in a long running series.  Even if I've read other books in the series, I just don't remember books that closely, especially when I might have read 40 or 50 other books since I last picked up the series.  I think authors assume readers have an encyclopedic memory for their previous characters.  But still, this book was highly recommended...

A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/14/13
Grade: 4

Evie Duggan is at loose ends after the death of her husband, the Earl.  Her past as an opera dancer and courtesan does not help her fit in the small town of Pennyroyal Green.  But Vicar Adam Sylvaine agrees to help her find friends - if she can avoid the distraction of such an attractive minister.  Adam is equally attracted to Evie, but he can’t give in to temptation... even as he learns that Evie is much more than she seems.

This book was slow to get started, but in the end the romance was sweet and satisfying.  I’ve read other Pennyroyal Green books, but obviously I don’t remember then as well as the author expects me to, because I couldn’t place the many characters from previous books that keep appearing in the story without explanation.  Once I got past that, I found myself more intrigued by the relationship between Evie and Adam, and Evie’s attempts to fit into village life.  This is actually the third book I’ve read this year featuring a vicar hero, but I think it was the best developed, even if the storyline was familiar.  I enjoyed the heroine’s attempts to help the women in the village and the glimpses of her back story.  The interactions between the hero and heroine were both romantic and sensual.  The book suffered from some pacing problems - the ending also seemed abrupt and a bit unrealistic - but overall this was an enjoyable read.  

I was surprised I'd read so many minister romances in the past year since it's a fairly unusual plotline, but maybe it's having a moment?  The other two were Hot Under the Collar by Jackie Barbarosa (2012) and To Love and To Cherish by Patricia Gaffney (1995).  All three of them with essentially the same plot - a vicar learns to love a "bad" girl.  It would be interesting to read a minister romance that doesn't feature that plot - the only one I can think of is Gift of Daisies by Mary Balogh and even that one is somewhat similar.

Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox

After reading About Last Night, I decided to try another book by Ruthie Knox - even though I have very little interest in cycling!

Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox
(2012, Contemporary Series)  1/12/13
Grade: 4

Tom is planning to bike cross country, but he’s not looking for a traveling companion - until his sister pairs him up with Lexie.  At first their different traveling styles cause problems - she wants to plan out every step of the journey, while he’d rather enjoy the side roads - but soon they fall into a road romance.  But will this just be a summer fling, or something more?

This was a fun read with an unusual setting.  While I wasn’t as emotionally invested in these characters as I was in the author’s last book, it was an enjoyable read.  I also learned a lot about cycling (in a fun way).  I got a little bored with the sex scenes after a while (although they were definitely inventive) and like many road romances, the narrative got a little repetitive, but those were minor flaws.  Overall, this book was very charming and fun to read.  I’m looking forward to future books by Ruthie Knox. 

I used to enjoy reading series books, since they're a nice break from longer reads.  But I rarely find any series books that I want to read any more - so many of them seem like retreads of stories I've read dozens of times before.  But I've had better luck with the new ebook series lines - at least the few I've read.  Maybe this is a place to find short contemporary books that aren't just a collection of sex scenes.

How to Romance a Rake by Manda Collins

One of my biggest frustrations with romance is that publishers try to make the books all sound alike - generic covers, generic titles, and all too often, generic plots and characters.  This book sounded like it had the potential to overcome that... but didn't quite succeed.

How to Romance a Rake by Manda Collins
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/12/13
Grade: 3

Since an accident that left her with a limp, Juliet Shelby has remained on the edges of society - until she meets Lord Alec Deveril.  As Alex and Juliet spend time together looking for Juliet’s missing music teacher, both Alex and Juliet begin to see each other as more than just friends.

Although this book had some redeeming qualities, overall I found it very predictable.  It felt like romance-by-the-numbers, as if the author was checking off a list of plot points for a Regency historical.  (Group of friends who each have their own book - check!  No one notices the heroine until she gets a new wardrobe in brighter colors - check!  Hero realizes he loves the heroine when his friends say something insulting about her - check!)  Some authors can take a familiar story and make it feel new, but in this case it just felt... familiar.  Like I’d read it all before.  The one unusual plot point was the heroine’s prosthetic leg, which I hadn’t seen in a romance before.  There was nothing terribly wrong with this book - the characters were likeable, the writing was serviceable and it was easy to read - but it just didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I want to keep trying new authors (especially since so many of my favorite authors have left the genre) but it's hard to find something new when so many authors are content with the same-old-same-old.

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

I've been hearing a lot about this book so I was intrigued...

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
(2012, Contemporary)  1/11/13
Grade: 3.5

Thirty year old English teacher Anna Emerson is planning the spend the summer tutoring sixteen year old T.J.  Callahan - but when their plane crashes, they end up marooned on a desert island.  At first they struggle to find food and water and shelter, but as weeks turn to months and years, they begin to turn to each other for more than friendship.

This was an intriguing story that never quite gelled for me.  The storyline was fascinating but the characters weren’t very emotionally developed.  It felt more like a narration of a series of events - this happened and then this happened and then this happened, like a child telling a story.  But the characters never really developed beyond their initial sketches - we were told that they were in love but it just didn’t feel real.  I gave it a slight boost in the rating because it was very readable and I wanted to find out what happened, but I just didn’t find the characters and the romance particularly compelling.  I wanted more.

Interesting that this book has gotten so much attention - it has a great "hook" but I found the writing a bit amateurish.  It felt like the YA books I read when I was in high school.  But I'm pleased to see a self-published author find success. 

Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville

Sometimes I think I'm getting jaded, that I've read so many romances that nothing can excite me any more.  It's great to see a relatively new author who can write a classic story and do it so well!

Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/9/13
Grade: 4.5

Minerva Montrose has plans to marry an aspiring politician and become a political wife - but her plans are ruined when she is caught with Lord Blakeney, who is well known for caring for nothing but horses and frivolity.  But they decide to make the best of their marriage.  Miranda decides she can make Blakeney into the husband she wants - but Blake is hiding a secret that might upend their promising relationship.

The last few books I’ve read have been unconventional romances.  This story is much more conventional - but it was still completely enjoyable.  This book shows that a well constructed story and well written characters can still surprise and delight, even in 2012.  Blake’s “secret” was fairly predictable (almost a cliché by this point in romance) but the political setting was unusual, and the characters made the traditional story come alive.  Even the love scenes felt special, not just the same-old-same-old.  One of the best books of 2012.  

When I first started reading this, I was still caught up in my last book and wasn't expecting much.  But this book pulled me in and I finished it in less than a day!  This was almost a keeper. 

My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin

I always appreciate an author who chooses an unusual setting - especially if she can also write a good romance.  All too often it's one or the other.  (And kudos to Harlequin for continuing to publish these kinds of books.)

My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin
(2012, China)  1/8/13
Grade: 4.5

Fei Long has a problem - he is expected to deliver his sister Pearl as a bride for a distant leader, but she has run away to marry her lover.  But when he meets spirited tea girl Yan Lin, he sees an opportunity.  He can teach Yan Lin to act like a lady and send her in Pearl’s place.  But as they spend time together, Fei Long begins to see Yan Lin in a new light - and dream of making a life with her himself.

Set in 9th century China, this was a unique and fascinating book that took a completely alien setting (at least compared to most romances) and made it feel universal.  The slowly developing relationship between Fei Long and Yan Lin was well written and compelling - I couldn’t figure out how they were going to make things work, and I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen.  The book was somewhat slow to develop, but the story was well worth the wait.  Excellent! 

I'm curious to find out if Lin writes a book about the character who ends up in the arranged marriage - sounds like an interesting story! 

A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant

One of my New Year's resolutions is to read at least an hour a day - hopefully that will make quick work of my remaining 2012 books.

A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
(2012, Regency Historical)  1/4/13
Grade: 4.5

Will Brashear is trying to win enough money gambling to help the widow of one of his men from the army, when he is distracted by Lydia Slaughter, the mistress of another player.  He is more intrigued when he realizes Lydia is an excellent gambler herself.  Although at first they are at odds, he and Lydia form an alliance - she needs to save up enough money to free herself from her protector.  But it soon becomes more than a business partnership.  

An intriguing story with completely unique characters.  Lydia and Will do not fit any of the romance stereotypes - especially Lydia, who is the complete opposite of a typical romance heroine - neither virgin or victim.  I enjoyed reading about Lydia’s tactical plans to free herself from her situation - without depending on anyone to rescue her.  I found Will more problematic - his heart was in the right place but sometimes I wanted to thwack him on the head for his brainless actions.  The pacing was also a bit off - I found myself skimming through a multi-chapter sex scene that didn’t really add much to the story, and the ending felt rushed - but the author is improving in this respect.  Her last book had a lot more problems with pacing.  Overall, this was a worthwhile and interesting read that kept me turning the pages.

I definitely had some issues with this book as I was reading it, but it was such an interesting change of pace that I had to give it a few bonus points.

Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey

I was looking for a holiday novella and this one seemed like fun.  Plus I'd been wanting to try out Shannon Stacey.

Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey
(2010, Contemporary)  1/2/12
Grade: 3.5

Chloe Burke is back in her small hometown, housesitting for her parents in the weeks before Christmas.  She decides to upgrade her parents’ electrical wiring as a Christmas present, which means spending a lot of time with local electrician Scott Quinn - who has grown up nicely since they were in high school together.  The job soon turns to a holiday fling - but it couldn’t lead anywhere, since he’s a small town boy and she’s a city girl.

This was a cute and sexy holiday story.  The writing was great and the tone was perfect for a holiday novella - fun, light, sexy.  The problem was the message, which was larded on a bit too thick - small town good, big city bad, girls who like the big city are eeee-vvvvillll.  By the end of this fairly short novella, I was ready to gag (and I like small towns in moderate doses!)  I’ve heard a lot of good things about Shannon Stacey but if this is her typical storyline, I think I’ll pass. 

What is it with romance authors and small towns?  I don't even like the city that much but after reading one of these "small towns are perfect, cities are awful" stories, I want to stab someone.  It's a tribute to Shannon Stacey's writing style that I liked this story as much as I did. 

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

Yay - a great book from 2012!  (If only I'd actually read it in 2012 - continuing my track record of never reading books in the year they come out.)

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
(2012, Contemporary)  1/2/12
Grade: 4.5

Cath Talarico is determined to stay on the straight and narrow - to stick to “new Cath” and not slip back into bad habits.  But when she ends up spending the night with the handsome banker from her daily commute, she finds that she can’t resist a little bit of bad.  Neville Chamberlain has a straight laced exterior, but underneath he wants to break free.  Mary Catherine is just the woman he’s been looking for.

A great book with a refreshingly contemporary voice.  The characters were unique, especially Cath with her tattoos and troubled past.  It was great to read about a character who had a difficult past and yet wasn’t portrayed as a victim.  The book faltered a bit in the middle, with too many sex scenes and not enough character development, but it found its voice again in the last third and finished strongly.  I’ll be looking for more books by Ruthie Knox.   

Interesting that Loveswept has been revived - in name at least.  Anything that encourages more great contemporaries! 

Best Reads of 2012

This was a strange reading year for me.  I read 63 books and had 7 excellent reads - not bad.  But all but one of those books were published in the 1990's.  I read 17 books published in 2012, and while most of them were good-to-very-good, none of them were excellent.  (I had quite a few "did not finish" books this year too, so my ratio of good to bad books is worse than it seems by the books I included in the blog.)  I still have a half dozen 2012 books in my TBR pile and a few more on my Amazon wish list, so maybe I'll find a gem or two in there.

My best reads of the year:

A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant (2011)
The Doctor's Wife by Cheryl St. John (1999)
This Is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland (1997)
Heart of Deception by Taylor Chase (1999)
The Arrangement by Joan Wolf (1997)
The Pretenders by Joan Wolf (1999)
The Promise of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osborne (1997)

On the positive side, this was the year I went "all in" with ebooks.  Except for a handful of Regencies that aren't available in ebook form, I've gone entirely electronic.  It's freeing not to have piles of books everywhere, but I wonder if converting to ebooks has made me more critical.  (Or maybe it's just my "old age".) 

In hopes of many great reads in 2013!
Karen

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

I was looking for a Christmas read and ran across this book by Lauren Willig.  I've never read the Pink Carnation books (the combination of modern and historical doesn't really appeal) but this one was set purely in the past.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig
(2010, Regency Historical)  12/26/12
Grade: 3.5

Arabella Dempsey is settling into life as a teacher at a girl’s boarding school, but she finds herself unexpectedly caught up in a spy plot - and thrown together with Reggie “Turnip” Fitzhugh.  Things get more complicated when they both end up at a Christmas house party.  Turnip may not be the brightest bulb but he’s determined to protect Arabella and uncover the spies.

This was a fun read with enjoyable characters.  I haven’t read the other books in the Pink Carnation series but this one seemed to stand on its own.  The spy plot was a little bit silly (the business with the puddings went on a bit too long) but Turnip and Arabella were so charming that it was worth reading in the end.  It didn’t make me want to run out and read more Lauren Willig books but it was a fun Christmas read.  

I love a good Christmas house party!