Romance Books

Learning to understand long term relationships is a tough one for many people. It seems like such a mystical thing and many relationships suffer from the lack of awareness.

John Gray clarifies and shows a couple how to apply simple skills to the relationship, no matter where you feel you are at.

Highly suggested!

Merna Throne
Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

I couldn't wait for this book to arrive at my local library for me to pick up. I never bought books but almost bought this one several times because the title really caught my interest. However, now that I have the book & I am glad I never impulsively purchased it I am left very dissapointed. It left me feeling depressed at times about marriage & family. I am married now but no kids yet. This book was making me think that married life sucks & I don't want children because I will be overwhelmed with responsibility. Joh Gray really harps way to much on the negatives on relationships, marriage, & family. If you focus only on the things that are wrong ofcourse your relationship is going to have problems. I prefer books that focus on the things in marriage that bring us joy & learning ways to increase the joy in our relationships. This book really is negative & stereotypical in every way. I do not recommend it. I found it in no way to be truthful, motivating, helpful, or inspiring. So to me there was no point to this book. It was a waiste of time & money!

"By understanding and honoring that men thrive on appreciation and women on communication, we gain the knowledge and the power to create mutually fulfilling relationships. ~ pg. 37

In most of John Gray's books he focuses his attention on women with a dominant feminine energy and males with a dominant masculine energy. In this book he also dedicates a chapter to women with a dominant masculine side and men with a dominant feminine side. In both cases he encourages men and women to adapt to the Mars and Venus stereotype to solve most problems. Men are encouraged to enhance their warrior skills (listening) while women are encouraged to enhance their nurturing skills.

John Gray does a good job in explaining why old relationship skills are not working in modern marriages. He believes relationship issues are inevitable. This means there is a need to develop new communications skills. In the first half of the book he mostly discusses how men need to learn to listen to women more and how women need to let men have their "cave/alone" time on a regular basis. For more information on this subject along with scientific proof read: Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Stress.

Since the stress of modern society (women having to take on all the responsibilities of home life along with working) is the real source of relationship problems, he explains how women can get what they need at home.

I liked the section on sexual polarity because it explains why some people don't fit into the typical stereotypes. There are also some interesting ideas on how to get a woman to talk if she is cold and evasive. It is also good to know that my husband is nurturing my feminine side by opening doors for me.

In this book in particular, John Gray shows us a little of his dark side or shadow self. He encourages men not to let this side dominate a conversation and explains more effective techniques for a more successful interaction. In fact he suggests that men should sleep on some issues before discussing them with their partner. So much for the "don't go to sleep angry" rule. To end the book, there is a section on "The Seven Secrets of Lasting Passion." In this chapter there is also a list of twenty things men can do to ignite passion in their partner.

After reading numerous John Gray books in the past few weeks I can say that this book in particular is more complex than the other books I had the pleasure to read. This may be the book that you will want to read twice because there is so much to absorb and learn.

~The Rebecca Review

Mars and Venus Together Forever is one of the most ridiculous, stupid books that I have ever had the gross misfortune to read. I probably should have expected what I got, considering that Mars and Venus on a Date left me cold, but I read this one anyway because the original Mars and Venus book had SOME interesting insights and I'm a sucker for a cheap book.

Anyone who buys into the stereotypes promoted by John Gray must be barmy. He exaggerates, overemphasises and blusters his way through the 200+ pages - probably with the best motives in his mind - but in the end the stuff he writes is uninspiring and insipid. According to him men and women are still ruled by `ancient' traditions which dictate that women are all do-gooder types who only desire to stay at home, chatting with other women and looking at flowers whilst men are all aggressive cavemen, grunting their way through their lives with zero finesse, a beer in one hand and the TV remote in the other.

I don't see how anyone, man or woman, could read this book without being annoyed. For women, the book is terribly unempowering. If you don't fit in with any of Gray's ideas about what a woman should be then you are labelled as masculine. I don't want to read a book which tells me that when I am at work I am moving towards my masculine side because being goal-oriented, competitive and efficient are male traits. It's all phooey! For men, the book is also offensive. John Gray says that men shouldn't express their feelings because it will cause a woman to lose her attraction for him. No, I don't believe that men and women are the same in all respects - there are gender differences - but in Mars and Venus these are distorted.

Overall this book is not worth your time. Underneath the waffle there may be some good points, but all of these are outweighed by the stereotypes.

JoAnne

In response to other reviewers, yes, this book does rely heavily on stereotypes of male and female behavior. If you find you don't fit the stereotypes (and of course not everyone does!), then you'll need to look for another book. But for many (most?) of us, the insights and advice in this book will be very helpful. As I read, I was constantly amazed by how much I could see myself and my husband in John Gray's descriptions. Last night I had my first opportunity to try out his techniques on how to prepare a man to listen...and it worked beautifully! A situation that would certainly have escalated into a hurtful argument was diffused into a calm, brief conversation that left both of us feeling warm and loving toward each other.

Difficult to track the history of this stanza poem, but it is thought to be written in the twelfth century. It is "an epic clash between Christianity and Paganism" (Christians against Muslims, or more precisely, Caracens against Franks). "Based on the massacre in 778 of Charlemagn.......in Northern Spain." There is a lengthy introduction summarizing the story; in it Burgess helps to explain the nuances, history, composition, and the difficulties translating it into straight forward modern English. But Burgess says the main purpose was to make it readable. And he does this with powerful flowing words.

The poem is told from both sides, beginning with the pretext to war: "the betrayal". Then the hard fighting begins; it is unforgiving and graphic: "the battle". In the end justice is served: "the trial". You will discover the "Christians" could be evil in their own right, just as the Pagans, by forcing their "religion" on others.

Wish you well
Scott

'A curse on the man who does not attack them
And a coward is he who allows them to escape!'

Do you like the sound of that? If that doesn't appeal then don't buy the book. There may be other translations, I have had my copy for a while, have read it twice and will read it again.

hello experts, i need some assistance. i am doing research in regards to what actually happened in Spain in 778. i know that much of this story is fact but some is also fiction. are there any books or sources you can recommend that might lead me to a more truthful detail of the events? thanks.

The Song of Roland is an epic "song of deeds" from Medieval France. As epic poems go, this is a quick, easy read. It's also lively and pretty fun. The battle scenes are terrific, with lots of shining armor, clashing of steel, spouting blood, cleaved heads, and strewn corpses. On the other hand, it is historically inaccurate and it is nowhere near the towering quality of Homer, Virgil, or Ovid.

The poem comes from a long oral tradition, and it seems that the author tried to capture all of the different variations on the same verse. While reading, this is kind of weird. It's a lot like hearing variations on a popular joke told back-to-back (the same punch line, but slightly different setups). As a result, many verses are highly repetitive. But overall, the poem has some great lines and some very memorable scenes.

As epics go, this is a lesser work. So don't expect a life-changing read. But you can expect to be entertained. So if you enjoy epic poems, I recommend it.

I read the Glyn Burgess translation, which is smooth and very readable. His introduction is informative, too. For an excellent comparison of the different translations that are available, be sure to read the customer review by Boris Bangemann.

The Song of Roland is the most famous of the "chansons de geste" (songs of deeds) of the Middle Ages. It provides a fascinating view into the spirit of warriors of that time and their motivation. The Song of Roland gives an idealized picture, of course, and if we can believe the historians, the medieval knights never lived up to their chivalric ideal.

The Song of Roland is not commonly included in the canon of must-read classics. Except in France, maybe. I assume the reason is that people in our time do not trace back their roots to the feudalism of the Middle Ages, and that they consider the chapter of chivalry closed after Cervantes's satirical portrait of knighthood in "Don Quixote". In one respect, however, this gory tale of slaughter, martyrdom and revenge is very contemporary. It illustrates the mindset of crusaders who see the world in terms of Good and Evil, and the language they use to incite contempt of the other party.

Apart from its historical value, the Song of Roland is also worth reading as literature - as an outstanding example for the heroic epic and as a piece of art whose "simple yet elevated style and tone of high moral purpose" (R. Harrison) is reminiscent of the Old Testament.

The three most easily available translations of the Song of Roland in the market are:

W.S. Merwin's 1963 prose translation with introduction, re-published in paperback by Random House's "Modern Library" in 2001 (ISBN 0375757112). His nine-page introduction is a succinct but sufficient overview of the historical events of AD 778 that became the basis of the Song of Roland. The translation stands out for its readability, and Merwin's choice of modern English makes the descriptions of violence even more direct and graphic: "And Oliver rides through the battle, with his spear shattered to a stump, charges against Malun, a pagan, breaks his gilded shield with the flowers painted on it, knocks the eyes out of his head and brings his brains tumbling down to his feet." (page 43).

Robert Harrison's 1970 translation for Penguin Book's budget line "Mentor Books" (ISBN 0451528573) captures the throbbing, urgent rhythm of the verse form best: "Olivier now gallops through the fray - / his lance has snapped, he only has a stump - / and goes to strike a pagan, Malsaron. / He breaks his gilt, fleuron-emblazoned shield, / bursting both his eyeball from his head - / his brain comes tumbling downward to his feet - " (page 93). "Fleuron-emblazoned" is quite enigmatic compared to Merwin's clear "with the flowers painted on it", but Harrison redeems himself by choosing "bursting" to emphasize the violence of the attack. The big plus of Harrison's book is his 42-page introduction. He explains the logic of medieval chivalry, why cruelty coexisted with sensitivity, and butchery with prayer. One interesting concept is the medieval "ethos of success," or in other words the idea that the outcome justifies the means: When a knight killed another knight it was the will of God that this had happened, no matter by what means. Make the opponent trip and chop off his head - see, God is on your side. Harrison goes to quite some length to introduce the instruments of war, the armor and weapons, which is very helpful since the main body of the Song of Roland is about the glory and slaughter of battle.

Glyn Burgess's 1990 translation for Penguin Classics (ISBN 0140445323) is the most recent translation of the three. He stays closest to the form of the original, which gives his translation a certain wooden inflexibility but also a not entirely unbecoming pathos. His translation of Olivier's attack on Malun is quite telling: "Oliver rides through the thick of the fray; / His lance shaft is broken, only a stump remains. / He goes to strike a pagan, Malun; / He breaks his shield, wrought with gold and flowers, / and smites both his eyes out of his head. / His brains come spilling out over his feet;" (page 72) While the use of "wrought" and "smite" sounds a bit old-fashioned, "spilling" is an excellent choice. Burgess added a 19-page introduction to his translation. It focuses mostly on the literary qualities of the Song of Roland; for the first-time reader of the Song of Roland, Harrison's introduction is more helpful. The additional value of the Penguin Classics edition lies in an Appendix with about one third of the original version of the "Chanson de Roland" - the key passages of the work in Old French.

While all three translations have their pros and cons, I tend to recommend Harrison's book over the two others. It strikes a good balance between the clarity of Merwin's prose translation and the wooden feel of Burgess's more literal verse translation. In addition, it impresses with its useful introduction and its unbeatable value for money.

I am an avid historical romance novel reader. I struggled to get through this book. The author did not do a very good job of developing the main characters to make it believable that they could fall in love. I am sorry but "meaningful glances" do not cause you to fall in love. Her descriptions leave a lot to be desired.

I enjoyed Ms. Jordan's work. I didn't think it was the best I had ever read, but it was certainly better than the mediocre work out there. If you wish to be sucked into a love story with two characters (Portia and Heath) who very obviously want one another, but are just too stubborn to admit it, this is your book. It follows the typical route - protagonists hate each other, like each other, really like each other, have a falling out, and then get back together. I enjoyed that Portia was her own person and made her own decisions, something unusual for the time. All-in-all, Portia and Heath have great chemistry and that does come through the pages. Recommended.

I thoroughly loved Jordan's other books, but I just did not care for this one. I really like Portia in Once Upon a Wedding Night (which is a great story), so I was looking forward to this book. However, I was disappointed. The whole premise that Health can't be with Portia because of not wanted to pass on the "madness" that runs in his family just never rang true. The story line felt contrived.

I felt Once Upon a Wedding Night and One Night with You were very good and not to be missed. However, save yourself $6.00 and skip this one.

If you like old English romances this is right down your alley. Its a sexy version of Pride and Prejudice. Portia's family is out of money and sends her off for a last chance to land a rich husband. Heath has a family history that has made him decide to never marry. Follow the two stubborn lovers as they learn all there is to know of each other.

A poor daughter (and sister) of a duke is forced to wed for money. This is a typical enough theme in romance novels. Rather than marry a commoner as in many Lisa Kleypas novels, Portia, the protagonist, is sent to Yorkshire to marry Heath, of the Mad Moreton family. Heath refuses to marry because he wants to prevent any of the family members from passing on the madness that afflicted his parents, though it is never clear which parent is afflicted. That it is never clarified is ultimately important to the story, but I found the vagueness to be just that - vague.

Other reviewers found this book exciting, witty and sexy. I found it to be none of these. It was a little boring and very predictable. I found many of the ancillary characters to be unpleasant and off-putting. Finally, there were many story lines that were touched upon, but were dropped without resolution.

If you want to read good books about the ton and unusual match-ups, read anything by Lisa Kleypas, Elizabeth Thornton, Liz Carlyle or Cheryl Holt,to name a few, who have written much better books.

I found this book to be the most boring book I have ever read in my entire life. The plot is just really really jumpy, and all over the place.

The friend, just annoying. Always talking about blowing up a dog. It is just so out of nowhere.

There are SOME decent parts to the book, I admit. But about 3/4 of it, just made me tired. Almost didn't even get through the whole book.

LOST IT by Kristen Tracy was an okay read for me. The characters of the book were very realistic and I enjoyed reading some of the situations the narrator had to go through because the situations and problems she had experienced I could kind of relate them to my own and I find that to be very important. Why read a book if you can't relate to the main character(s)? I also like the little side plots such as her crazy best friend (everyone has one of those) who feels neglected because of her father starting a new relationship with another woman. But the only thing that caused me to give this book three stars instead of four or even five was because of some of the dull parts in the book and the ending. I suppose the dull parts were put in there to help proceed the story along which is fine with me but what got to me the most was the ending, it seemed unfinished to me and reminded me of the ending of some low-budgeted chick flick.

This book is written with a lazy humor that is hard to find. It literally made me laugh out loud at some of the situations and I found it a very enjoyable read for teens of all age. Though, as the title hints, it does focus on a girl losing her virginity, there are also life lessons along the way. Overall, definitely a worthy read!

Amazing book for me personally.
The story line is a bit slow at the start, but once you get about 50 pages in you'll be hooked! I sat down and read this book in 2 hours. I loved it. Any teen who's been in a relationship will be able to relate to this book. It made me laugh, cry, and look at myself in a different light. Most teen girls can probably relate to the lead character Tess, her humor is perfect and really lightens the mood in a serious scene. Her grandma I personally thought was the best character. Her witty sense of humor completed the book. While many people have said the book is graphic I didn't find it to be that way. It never goes into detail and it doesn't cross the line in my opinion.
Great book you won't regret reading it =)

At around page 23 I was seriously considering returning this book... it was just too weird and random and I just didn't like it.

And yet, I wasn't putting it down. It was around page 93 where I actually started liking this book, which, I'll admit is a very long time to wait for a book to get good... but it was worth it. The randomness ties in eventually since the book starts out with the MC already knowing everything.

Lost It was a pretty good book, it's one of those books where you want to smack the characters around a few times for being so thick headed... and I don't like the way things were handled with Tess's best friend, I felt like there was a much bigger problem than the way the author portrayed it.

This book does have an open ending, which I'm pretty sure no one likes, but it's still a good book.

I was really looking forward to this anthology, mainly because of the sookie stackhouse story. Perhaps this is why i found myself disappointed. While each story was interesting in its own way, the whole thing felt repetative and a bit dull. I would recommend finding it at your local library.

I really enjoyed this book. Especially 'How Stella Got Her Grave Back.' I thought the title was very clever. This book would make a fun birthday present.

Many Bloody Returns is a collection of short stories by multiple writers. The stories are shorter than usual collections offering a buffet of the writing style and characters of each contributor. This gives the reader a choice of whether a particular appetizer is worth going for seconds or not. I would compare it to purchasing a trial size variety pack, where you can decide to purchase a full size item. Standing alone some of the well known authors contributions are short, 20 pages,if unfamiliar with a particular author's characters difficult stand alone.

A collection of short stories by 13 authors featuring vampires and birthdays. The collection is not for everyone, but provides well written stories for people who like this genre of fiction. I had bought the collection earlier, but saved it for my birthday, which just started at midnight.

Like most collections, you will find a variety, and will find some stories that you will like better than others. I particularly liked "It's my birthday, too," by Jim Butcher which had its lighter moments. White magic fights black vampires, with quite a bit of damage as things get in the way. However will you explain things to people? If you try to tell people the truth, they will lock you up in a funny farm.

"Grave Robbed," by P.N. Elrod, is about undead PI Jack Fleming dealing with a fake medium who is victimizing a widow. He has some special investigative skills, such as dematerializing to pass through walls. He does have to work at night.

Some stories are more on the dark side. In "The Wish," by Carolyn Haines, a woman tries to deal with Death, and then tries to thwart Death's plans. The stories are not for the faint at heart, but if you have an interest in tales of vampires, wizards, and goblins, by all means read on.

Usually books with a number of short stories in them have some big names with great stories and some unknown authors with either surprisingly good or surprisingly bad stories. This was not the case with this book. All of the stories were really good and there was a larger variety of writing styles than I expected given the genre. All of the stories have to deal with vampires and birthdays.

The main reason I read books like this is to get a sampling of some authors I haven't read and get a glimpse into the series that they are writing. This book was a good read and I found a couple new (to me at least) authors to check out from it. Because of this book I will read more of PN Elrod's work, check out the Morganville vampire series, see what else Hallaway and Kelner have written, and possibly check out some of Jeanne Stein's work too. Below is a quick comment/synopsis of each story.

Dracula Night by Charlaine Harris
This story is an addition to the Sookie Stackhouse series and addresses the celebration of Dracula Night by the vampire community. It's a fun read; although there's not a ton of content here.

The Mournful Cry of Owls by Christopher Golden
The only other book I've read by Christopher Golden is "The Boys are Back in Town"; which I liked pretty well. This story follows a girl as she learns about her unique heritage. I enjoyed it and it was well written and mysterious.

I Was a Teenage Vampire by Bill Crider
This was probably my least favorite story of the anthology. The story was predictable, boring, and seemed quickly and lazily written.

Twilight by Kelley Armstrong
I liked Twilight okay. It was a little boring and moved slowly but it was well-written and dealt with the topic of vampires dying of boredom.

It's My Birthday, Too by Jim Butcher
Fun addition to the Dresden Files series. I enjoyed a story in which Thomas played a main role. I especially enjoyed the role-playing; being a DnD player I thought it was hilarious.

Grave-Robbed by P.N. Elrod
This was my first time reading anything by PN Elrod and I liked it. The main character, Jack Fleming, is a bit campy. Some of it reminded me of Harry Dresden a bit. I enjoyed it and will read more of Elrod's writing.

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life by Rachel Caine
This was a story that took place in the world of Rachel Caine's young adult vampire series "The Morganville Vampires". This was my favorite story in the book and now I am interested in reading this series. I've read some of Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series and that is also a good series.

The Witch and the Wicked by Jeanne C. Stein
This story creeped me out. I believe Stein is the writer of the Signs of the Zodiac series. The writing style wasn't my favorite since it was kind of plain and straight-forward; not as much flare to it as I had hoped. The premise is pretty darn creative and creepy though.

Blood Wrapped by Tanya Huff
This was a nice addition to Henry Fitzroy's world; it was a fun read. It really brought home the fact that I haven't read the last few books in this series yet. I was like, what do you mean Vicki is a vampire?

The Wish by Carolyn Haines
I've never read anything by Carolyn Haines but I did like this story. The story is very sad and yet it is beautifully written and really grabs a hold of you. It is a very beautiful and well-written story, if not as fun as the rest of the book.

Fire and Ice and Linguini for Two by Tate Hallaway
I've never read anything by Tate Hallaway before; this was a fun story. I was intrigued by the witch having a demon trapped in her and by the elemental evil forces at work. I could really sympathize with the characters and the cold weather, being from MN myself.

Vampire Hours by Elaine Viets
I really enjoyed this story. I liked that the main character was an older woman dealing with day-to-day issues a lot of women deal with (okay maybe not as extreme as these issues). I liked how the woman cleverly got back at everyone; it was funny and a quick read.

How Stella got her Grave Back by Toni L.P. Kelner
I've never read anything by Toni Kelner, I really liked this story. I liked the idea of vampire dams and I liked the mystery solving that went on in this story. The characters were fun and likable. I really want to know the history between them now.

[...]

The first two books in this trilogy were simply amazing and I was sad when they ended. I wanted to hear more of Hadassah's story. This third book is a good read and I recommend it, but I felt let down a bit. It's almost like an entirely different story. Although Atretes actions would not make nearly as much sense without reading the first two.

The characters are believable, real, loveable, inspirational, and I enjoyed the book. Francine Riveres did a great job telling the rest of Atretes story. I just wasn't ready to leave Hadassah's yet.

This has been an absolutely amazing series!!! I am so upset that I am finished with these books. They are such wonderful stories of God's presence throughout all of the trials of our lives. I am always amazed and pleased by Rivers. She is an AMAZING author!!!

I read all three Mark of the Lion series in order. All three were very enjoyable. The amount of research Francine Rivers has done is incredible and I felt I was back in ancient times. The Christian message was very strong. However, due to the violence and promiscuity - the violence can be graphic but the promiscuity is not - some readers might not find this their cup of tea.

I found As Sure As The Dawn to be very enjoyable, although I thought it ended rather abruptly. I would recommend the whole series with the caveat of violence and promiscuity as noted above.

Great Book. I hated to finish it because it is the last of the series. I recommend it to everyone.

This series of books has impacted my life in a way few others ever have. The author grips your attention at the very beginning and holds it through each of the three books in the series.

The book was good but very similar to Sex Chronicles with incorporating a series of stories into one topic.

I have to admit, I'm not an experienced person. This book by Zane really helps you when you have questions. The entire book is questions from her readers and answers from her expertise. If you ever had questions that you couldn't ask anyone, or never got a straight answer, this book will defiantly help.

It's Zane!! What more can I say. This book is very insightful....Zane goes where many would like to but are afraid.. She knows no boundaries and takes no prisoners........Whatever Zane writes I read....Next to the Cosmopolitan magazine...Zane's books are like chapters in Bible written just for women!!!

This book is great. If men or women need help or any questions on how to achieve the greatest orgams,fanstasy, oral sex and other pleasurable things read the book. I mean it really helps people who don't know what to do with their lovers or mates. I really liked the book and Zane once again gives out good advice.

In all honesty Zane has surprised me again with this one. She is brilliant, consistent nad focused. This product did remind me those Shombay Kimoni novels he has. You can see the particular novel here:
Dating Detroit

Whether male/female/male ménage is your thing or not, one thing is for sure, Mechele Armstrong is a fantastic writer. Aside from the minor typos - this coming from the queen of typos, Armstrong weaves together a memorable tale. Dinah, the main character, has experienced pain and abuse most of her life. When she was able to break free of traditional taboos, her life changes forever.

The story was tastefully done with a serious undercurrent of emotion to draw the reader in. I was amazed to find out how much I enjoyed the story.

Kudos for Mechele Armstrong! I'd like to read more books by this author in the future.

I won't give details of the book, same reading gets boring. I was disapointed with this book. It definately had potential to be a great book, but the author left to many loose ends. What happened with Cait? If Ian was really in love with Dinah, why was he drapped all over Cait at the video store. Did there relationship continue????? To many questions left unanswered. The story was just to short. Greast plot idea, but the author just didn't flow with it.

Loved it. Wish there were two guys who wanted me when my husband beat me. Boy to enjoy two men at once who loved me. The author wrote a great story wish there was more sex.

Dinah's friendship with Ian and Taylor has been a huge issue with her live-in boyfriend, Brad. She's not about to give up the only people who truly accept her without being judgmental. Her low self-esteem made her an easy target for Brad's controlling and abusive nature - until Taylor discovers that the abuse is more than just mental.

Ian and Taylor are lovers but they also have a desire to add a woman into their relationship - permanently. They've been friends with Dinah for years, and had even hinted at a more intimate relationship before she'd gotten involved with Brad, but Dinah never took them seriously. Ian and Taylor are determined to help Dinah build up her self-esteem and show her just how good loving them could be.

Ian and Taylor had been aware of Brad's controlling nature and the toll it's taking on Dinah's sense of self worth, but they were not aware of any physical abuse until Taylor found her lying on the floor of her apartment beaten badly enough to require a few days of hospitalization. Taylor and Ian agree that Brad will never get another chance to abuse her in any fashion and insist on her coming home with them. She agrees - but only for a few weeks. Three months later, she's still living with them and Ian and Taylor's sexual innuendos are becoming more frequent. Dinah isn't sure how to respond to their `teasing.' She admits to herself that she's attracted to both men, but she's a one man kind of woman, isn't she? What if they aren't serious and reject her? Their normal Friday `date' night ends with her experiencing ecstasy at the hands of her two best friends, and Dinah realizes that in the middle of an Ian and Taylor sandwich may be exactly where she wants to be. Strange things start happening while at work that have her questioning her own desire for the men versus the expectations of her own family, friends, and society. Does she dare follow her heart?

Mechelle Armstrong's DINAH"S DARK DESIRES intrigued me from the very first page. I loved getting the opportunity to watch Dinah evolve from a quiet, fairly submissive young woman, to a woman who stands up for herself and what she believes, even if there's a possibility that she'll lose the two men she cares most about in the world - Ian and Taylor. Ian and Taylor are exactly the sort of men any woman would want in her life. They put Dinah's happiness and needs before their own. The scenes involving Ian, Taylor and Dinah are not just hot with sexual tension but they're also very sweet and tender - everything you'd want between friends and lovers. Ms. Armstrong adds an exciting element to the storyline with the air of mystery surrounding odd events that keep occurring. Just when I thought I had it all figured out I realized that I couldn't have been more wrong. DINAH'S DARK DESIRES will definitely heat up your fantasies and leave you anticipating many more wonderful books from Ms. Armstrong.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Taylor Graham and Dinah Summers had been best friends since college. There was nothing that they didn't share or talk about, and when she missed their lunch date, he was instantly concerned. That concern grew when he couldn't get her to answer her phone, and she hadn't notified anyone from work that she wouldn't be there. When he went to her home without a response to his knocks, he breaks in only to find her bloody, bruised, and half unconscious on the kitchen floor. Taylor knew without asking that her boyfriend Brad had done this to her. Needing support, Taylor contacts his lover Ian McNabb to be at Dinah's bedside where they both vow she will never return to Brad to give him the opportunity to do this again.

Dinah had always loved Taylor and Ian as the best friends they were, but since she went to live with them, she never took their sexual innuendos and teasing serious because she knew they were lovers. Little did Dinah know, but Taylor and Ian wanted a women in their relationship that they could both love, and they were determined to make sure she know their intent. They both knew only too well Dinah was in a delicate state, and planned to do whatever it took to gain her love and trust. As they all get closer, she wonders what it would be like to be with them both, and when she experiences it, knows some changes are coming. She has some decisions to make.

Just as Dinah warms to with the idea of a permanent relationship with Taylor and Ian, they run into Ian's former girlfriend Cait. She instantly dislikes Dinah, and Taylor isn't happy with the reunion either. Taylor later explains that Cait and Ian used to be an item, and that she still wants him exclusively to herself. When Brad makes contact with Dinah, and someone targets her for some unknown reason, as much as she loves her men, she knows she must stand on her own and live on her own for a while. Will they wait for her? Can she have the kind of relationship with them that they have been seeking?

I enjoyed this book, but the story was too short, and the writing suffered for it. I also don't think that the relationship between Cait and Ian was really wrapped up. Ian let it slip that he had seen her more than the times Taylor even knew about, and he also told Cait the intimate details of his life with Taylor and Dinah. He wouldn't have done that if they were really over. Then there were the references Taylor made to Ian about Ian's deep feelings for Cait, and how he was still holding out hope she would change. Those type of deep feelings don't just disappear overnight.

Phoebe Millbury and her two cousins, Deidre and Sophie were in contention for a fabulous inheritance, from their deceased grandfather Hamish Pickering - only if one of them were the first to snag a duke as a husband. After a scandalous incident in her earlier years, Phoebe was as anxious as the others but secretly desired to please her cold and distant father, "the vicar". However, in trying to project herself as an innocent debutante, Phoebe was tempted beyond measure by the devilishly charming and oh, so handsome rake Rafe Marbrook. With one look Rafe set fire to Phoebe's imagination, before they even touched at the first ball she attended.

The very next morning her Aunt informed her that she had received a proposal of marriage from a Marbrook, the Marquess who would soon be a Duke. As her aunt repeated the long titled gentleman's name, the only name registering in Phoebe's confused mind was that of Marbrook and her acceptance was immediate. However, what she soon discovered was that she had just agreed to become the bride of Rafe Marbrook's older legitimate brother Calder.


*** First of all, after reading other reviews I don't think the people who say Phoebe's acceptance of a mistaken proposal was as ludicrous as it sounds without examining Phoebe's motivation. Why didn't she just admit the mistaken identity? As the author pointed out, for the most part, Phoebe had lived her life without love and warmth from her father "the Vicar". She had made a disastrous mistake as a young teenager and this was the first time she had gained her fathers admiration, why he'd even smiled at her. The `vicar' had actually told her she'd made him proud! No matter that her heart was breaking, Phoebe simply could not deny her father's happiness and his long sought after approval.

Rafe could not believe that his half-brother had gone ahead and snapped Phoebe up before he'd had a chance to even pay her a morning call. Rafe knew his half brother Calder to be an efficient, cold, methodical and immovable man, but other than pointing Phoebe out from across a ballroom, Calder had not even spoken to her. And so, once more Calder had gotten the prize leaving Rafe standing empty at the gate. The author laid the groundwork with Rafe's emotional feelings of inadequacy and losing to his brother once more.

The author used Phoebe's self deprecating humorous dialogs to herself as well as entertaining antics throughout the story that often proved to be to be uproariously funny. Into this fun filled mélange of supporting characters the readers get glimpses of the other two cousins, Deidre - a concoction of beautiful sophistication; and Sophie, tall, plain, slender and studious whose personalities are hinted at and can only invite the readers to look forward to their stories. There is also a sliver of what I suspect is an interesting little side romance going on with the stately butler.

Bottom line: Celeste Bradley delivers a funny laugh out loud Regency filled with sensual romantic trysts, engaging characters, warmth, and laughter.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

I enjoyed the characters and the story line, looking forward to the next two in this series.

Vicar's daughter Phoebe Millbury has a chance to inherit a fortune. There is one catch, Phoebe must be the first of her cousins to marry a duke. Not only must Phoebe compete with her cousins to marry a duke, Phoebe has a romantic scandal in her past. Then Phoebe meets Rafe Marbrook.

When Phoebe receives a marriage proposal from the Marquis of Brookhaven, she happily accepts. Not only is Phoebe madly attracted to Rafe, as Marquis, he is next in line to the dukedom. Then Phoebe learns that the Marquis of Brookhaven isn't Rafe but his older brother.

I love historical romance and I love Celeste Bradley. The heroes make my eyes cross and the heroines make me long to walk a day in their slippers!

Desperately Seeking a Duke fulfills all my wants for a delicious reading experience. Sumptuous romance, clever dialogue and a battle for riches make Desperately Seeking a Duke a delight!

Annmarie
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

It's an entertaining book, but I didn't like it as much as the other author's series (Liar's Club & Royal Four).
The plot sounds interesting, although not very original: three cousins (vicar's daughter Phoebe, beautiful Deirdre and plain and shy Sophie), are trying to catch a Duke to win their grandfather's money. Other important characters are Lady Tessa, mean step-mother to Deirdre; Calder, the Duke; Rafe, Calder's half-brother and a rake; and the vicar.
The problem is that the story is not very well developed and neither very convincing.

Phoebe and Rafe meet one night in a ball and supposedly they fall in love. Although I "believe" in some way in love at first sight, it doesn't seem convincing in this book.
From that point, the book follows a very basic outline:
Step 1 (done): main characters met and fall in love. No matter that we're in the first 2-3 chapters.
Step 2: Big Misunderstanding (or Mistake in this case) --with lots of problems associated-- to complicate the couple's road to love (I almost sounded poetic, lol), in the next chapter (5 or so). What happens? Calder proposes to Phoebe, and she agrees, thinking it comes from Rafe. She doesn't cry off because she doesn't want to disappoint her father after running off with her dancing master ten years ago.
Step 3: to solve the problems caused by the BM, with an angry and hurt Rafe, a very indecisive Phoebe, and Calder, which I disliked a lot.
Step 4: problems solved and happily ever after.
And intertwined, we have a romance between Calder's butler and an Irish maid.

Where's the love story, the romance? Difficult answer. Phoebe and Rafe, although they made a good couple, spent most of the story separated (but very much in love, yeees), so the love story it's not believable.
As this is a romance novel, the lack of "falling in love" is frustrating, but well, the book is entertaining enough and a light read. That's the reason for the 3 stars, although perhaps 2 ½ would have been better.

The hero and heroine fall in love at first site, and then have to face obstacles to being together before they finally get their HEA.

I think it is very hard to pull off a love at first site book, because falling in love is one of the best parts of a romance for me. If the hero and heroine are already there at the end of chapter one then a lot of that magic can be lost.

One of the problems for me with this book is that inital meeting and falling in love just didn't seem to have the fireworks necessary to make the couple fall in love the way they did.

Second there is no more interaction between the couple til nearly page 100. I like lots of interaction between my leads.

Overall I found this book to be only average.