Romance Books

I'm a huge fan of Lori Wick & Tracie Peterson. So this was not what I was used to for Christian Fiction.

1st I will say you have to read the 2nd book it tells you a lot about Sarah and her issues with Hannah.

Hannah doesn't really deal with what happened because she's just removed herself from what happened. There is a lot of healing in book two. I honestly can't wait for book 3 to come out to see how it all ends.

Also, Ms. Woodsmall did have insight from an Amish friend & a Mennonite friend. So its not like she made this up on a whim. She is a new author give her time to grow.

If you like to read about the Amish, this is a good novel to learn something about the Amish way of life. The book is a fast read. You'll want to read Book #2 and #3 to find out what happens next. Book #1 leave you hanging.

What a great book, Made me cry, Ive lived in the Amish community for 18 yrs, Was so Intrested in learning about the Amish, While I was at Wal Mart I picked up this book, and could put it down, While I was reading this book I discovered my Amish neighbor name was in it. After several months of reading the book, I spoke with my neighbor, while speaking with her I discovered Cindy was going to be in the neighborhood, I met Cindy in person and discovered she had another book out continuing from When the heart Cries, I went back to Wal Mart to see if the carried the next book "When the Morning Comes" sadden to see they didn't carry it so I had to order it online, cant wait to get it and read it. It was a pleasure meeting Cindy.

This is a book of love and tragedy. Hannah is raised in the Old Order Amish community of Lancaster County. She is a lovely young woman but she has a secret. She has been in love with Paul Waddle for three years who is a conservative Minnonite.

Paul would return each summer during his university break to help his grandmother and work her fields. He also returned to see Hannah. Paul was just as much in love with Hannah as she was with him.

The last summer they shared Paul and Hannah talked about their love for one another. Paul has a plan to gain permission from Hannah's dad for her to marry him. He would work for her father until he could see how much he loved Hannah and that he would be good for her. Everything seemed magical for Hannah as she said good bye to Paul that faithful summer. As Hannah was walking back home a car stopped along the road, but Hannah did not think anything of it until a man came towards her who attacked and raped her.

Walking home in shock and pain her mother saw Hannah with her torn and bloody clothes and started running to Hannah, screaming for Hannah's dad. The rest of this story takes many different twists. It is not long before Hannah learns she is pregnant. Her sister who had always been jealous of Hannah began to tell lies about her. Hannah's family had no choice but to turned against her because of events that had taken place.

She had to leave the only home she had ever had in order for her family to be able to keep their name in good standing in their community. She had to find a place to go; in a world she has no knowledge about.

This book will bring tears to you eyes and touch your heart. You will not be able to put it down. I highly recommed this book. I can't wait to buy the second of the series "Sisters Of The Quilt".

Excellent subject matter and writing.

I have just finished reading this book - with tears of joy streaming down my face. This book left me speechless and uplifted - knowing that God is a good God - even in times of the worst possible events.
Have a read - you will not be disappointed.

I totally recommend this book to keep... It is out of expectation as by the cover, I would think it is all about love making and nothing else. But it touches the need to release womanly need in understanding relationship and overcoming trust and fear. It added some humour which added my repeated reading, well written with expression that it is easy to touch your heart and feel the feelings of the Hero and Heroine.

I enjoyed this one very much. It's always great to read something fresh and original. I will definitely be looking for more by this new author!

I picked this book out on a whim, intrigued by it's very reasonable price. I'm happy to say that it was an excellent choice for me. The story was fast paced and the characters are fresh and interesting. It is refreshing to read about a hero who knows his own mind and feelings before the heroine does. I adored the minor characters and hope that this author writes a story about Banning's sister soon! Definitely recommended!

I was a little worried when I saw the length of the book. I love a big detailed book so I was afraid it would be very shallow plotwise. I'm also not a huge romance reader. And all that being said, I really enjoyed this book. At first I thought the premise was going to be hard to accept but the way that Christie Kelly writes really brings you along. Her characters have depth and are interesting. Her love scenes are fresh and different each time. I read the whole book in one sitting. I had no desire to put it down until I knew what was going to happen with Avis and Banning. What a pleasant surprise. I even found myself picking it back up today to re-read portions of it. I would recommend it in a heartbeat!

This is a historical novel based in England. Avis is a 26 year old `spinster' who does not want to marry because of her parent's violent marriage. She decides that wants to experience love making `for research for her book'. She chooses creepy Emory Billingworth another writer to be her lover. When Banning Talbot finds out about her plan he sets out to stop her - and volunteers to take Emory place. Now the twist is that Emory and Avis fight ALL the time due to little kissing wager years ago. Lots of laugh out loud moments and some great twists, ENJOY! Looking forward to to Jennette's Story due out in 2009.



I would also suggest; Let Sleeping Rogues Lie (School for Heiresses) , How to Abduct a Highland Lord and Once A Rake (Zebra Historical Romance)

Well, I for one couldn't put it down till I'd read it through to the end. Story line & characters are well developed & very interesting. Dialog is funny and fast and romance scenes are great! Both romances are well drawn & the people very believable & likeable. I've never gone wrong with any of her books -- they are delightful!!! Thanks Stephanie!!!

I love Stephanie Laurens, and this book continues the Cynster storylines. As usual the sensuality and heat is there but I didn't find this book as 'unputtdownable' as others in the series like Devil's Bride or A Secret Love.

Stephanie Laurens is still my favourite writer of this type of book - equal first with Catherine Coulter. The strength of the females who fly in the face of all the manners they were expected to exhibit has always found a fan in me - not to mention the incredibly strong yet loving alpha males they populate their books with.

Set in 19th century London, Lauren's latest Cynster book follows the adventures of Barnaby Adair. Third son of an earl, Barnaby works as a private investigator examining crimes that are often perpetuated against and generally set in motion by members of the affluent ton and not a recreation gentlemen of society would pursue.

Lady Penelope Ashford was thought of as a bit of an eccentric and non-conformist. Penelope's passion and dedication were for running the Foundling House for orphans. When the last four young boys who were to be admitted disappeared before they could be brought to the home, Penelope very boldly cornered Barnaby in his home and enlisted his help to find them.

Fascinated by the intelligent, pushy, and determined woman, Barnaby takes on the case and a new partner, as Penelope is not about to be left behind he investigates. Deducing that the boys are probably being trained for illegal activities, their search brings them into the underworld and slums of the East End of London. Soon the two begin to admire each other's strength, dedication and resolve in trying to make a difference to those less fortunate outside of their privileged world. As their attraction grows, Barnaby lets Penelope take the lead in seduction, while he leads her in the direction to make her his partner in truth!

*** This delightful story is another installment to the Cynster family chronicles yet Laurens seems to be spinning this off into a brand new series under the Casebook of Barnaby Adair, and I am happy to say, if the follow-up to this retains the freshness and spark seen here, Laurens will have another hit on her hands. Penelope is another of Laurens' wondrous female creations - born to wealth, strong and determined to made a difference to those less fortunate - in short an admirable heroine. The fact that Penelope was also feisty, outspoken, curious, and outrageous at times (i.e. the coshing attack) proves to be a delightful bonus.

Laurens has always come up with masterful heroes and Barnaby was indeed created as another fascinating male. As the third son of an earl, Barnaby has made his own way and found his own niche by doing something responsible rather than other gentlemanly pursuits. His friendship with his old friend Inspector Basil Stokes of Scotland Yard heralds a plethora of possibilities to anticipate as Barnaby's `case book' evolves.

As always there is never a lack of a substantial amount of fascinating secondary characters and the fast-pace of the adventure and chase to save the missing orphan boys before it was too late gives the readers some nail biting moments.

Consummate storyteller Laurens is back in fine form with this new twist in the Cynster family chronicles encapsulating all the sensualness and hot smoking love scenes one comes to expect from her skillful pen. Being able to cross over between the glorious ballrooms of the ton, and the seamier underside of London, Barnaby and associates new cases promise all the thrills one has come to expect from this mistress of romance. I can't wait to see what comes up next!

Part romance, part mystery, this follows the story of Penelope, strong-willed sister of Lucien who appeared in a previous Cynster novel, and Barnaby Adair, the sleuthing third son of an earl, who apparently appeared in another. Penelope is the administrator of an orphanage, and seeks Barnaby's help when a number of youngsters are abducted. Although Barnaby and Penelope are both confirmed singletons, as they unravel the mystery they are drawn together and although Penelope fights her attraction to Barnaby, but there is never any doubt of the outcome.

For me the story was a bit contrived, particularly the ending, and Laurens has already done this plotline to death. She writes quite well, and is reasonably adept at conjuring up the atmosphere of the post Regency era. However, the one attempt at humour in the book did make me laugh, but for the wrong reasons, since it concerns on the heroine's inability to open mussels. Had she succeeded, the book would have been considerably shorter, since she would have died of food poisoning - healthy mussels open when cooked!

It isn't a bad book, just rather predictable. And since none of the Cynsters make an appearance, fans of the series may be disappointed. I understand it's the first of a new series by Laurens - I doubt I'll be reading any of them.

I've read all of Stephanie Lauren's novels, and I'm getting... a bit disappointed. Perhaps I've just come to expect more from her. This wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't her best or even close. I have liked Barnaby's character throughout the other novels he's appeared in, and was really looking forward to his story.

Things I liked: As others have mentioned, the mystery was a bit better than most of the others. The writing, as always is well done (although the "patience of Jove" still annoys me lol). I liked that although Barnaby felt protective, he wasn't constantly demanding that she obey him, or trying to force her to do things as he wished. He appeared to respect her opinion and listen to her comments (at least as the book got farther in).

Things I disliked: How many times do we have to hear about her "wits" and "senses"? Her "arguments" weren't really all that convincing. The near constant references to "men" being of inferior intellect. That, as another reviewer mentioned, her whole reason for pursuing a "relationship" with him was out of curiosity. That is a common theme in many of Ms. Laurens' novels, but in this case there seemed to be little else at that point.

As I said, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. I happily bought the book (electronic version), and am looking forward to more of her works (especially the Bastian Club series), but I'm pretty glad I didn't spend $25 on it.

I appreciate very much that Ms. Laurens is one of the best, most eloquent writers in the genre, and also that she has some of the steamiest sex scenes of any author. I just wasn't thrilled with this story, and would like to see more emphasis placed on "romance". I would happily read a longer novel if the quality of the mystery was equaled by the quality of the love story.

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.

Hot, intense and full of intrigue. This is a must read for fans of Lora Leigh and her paranormal characters.

This book made me curious about books that might have come before it. I'm really curious to find out if Lora Leigh will do sequels starring the other Prime Warriors in this story. I'm hoping that she will very soon!!

J.Davis "loves to read"

This book is hot.
The tension between the two characters is amazing. The sex scene had me blushing. But the story itself was lost to me. The author really didn't give to much detail into the story except enough for the heroine to stay busy while she and her love interest dance around each other. But still this book is worth reading. I strongly suggest you check it out for yourself.

This was my second Lora Leigh book and will probably be my last. Her stories are way too short to be in single priced books, in my opinion. I can't see paying $8 to $10 a book for short stories of less then 200 pages! I did think the story was well written and interesting and I enjoyed it for a short story.

Need to warn you off of this book, do not spend the money!! The story was stupid and boring at times and the sex was lame! If you are going to read Lora Leigh's books all her others are excellent!! Do not waste your money.

The beginning of the book was slow. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. Marr's characters are sexy and dark, charateristics most young adult novels lack. I've gotten sick of the typical girl (who everyone supposedly can relate to) stealing the main character roles in young adult novels. Marr gives you characters with an inner freak they aren't afraid to unleash!
And its easy to fall in love with the characters, although the Summer King and Winter Girl do fall a bit flat. But the plot thickens and keeps the reader flipping pages.
I loved it. I mean, who doesn't like a boy covered in piercings and tattoos?

This must be one of the greatest modern fantasy books ever. I'm a fan of the Tithe series, but that series pales in comparison to Wicked Lovely. It's got suspense, romance, hot guys, magic, and an amazing style. I really couldn't put it down until I was done and I haven't had that happen for a long time. I loved how addicted I got. The faster I read, the faster I felt I needed to go in order to see what would happen next. I also liked how the whole magical aspect of the book didn't feel cheesy or overdone but it was almost as if you could imagine a faery world like the one in the book actually existing. The twists thrown in at the end were the best part by far. The author kept you clueless about some key parts of the story until the very end, when everything got wrapped up cleanly. Another one of my favorite parts was Seth and Aislinn's relationship. Seth was a completely honest and genuine guy who is now going on my list of ideal fantasy boyfriends. He did so much for Aislinn and believed her when no one else would. Which was a little weird to me because I don't think I'd automatically believe someone if they came and told me that faeries were stalking them. I've gotta give Seth props for that. Towards the end, I also grew to have some amount of respect for Keenan too, unexpectedly. Melissa Marr did a great job of making the characters and situations real and personal. I am completely looking forward to the next book Ink Exchange. If you haven't read Wicked Lovely yet, I don't know what you've been doing. I waited way too long to pick up this book.

Aislinn sees faeries. She has always been able to see them - and she's always kept this fact a secret, especially from the faeries. But now two of them are stalking her - and one is the Summer King! Suddenly Aislinn's rules for keeping safe from the faeries are failing her, and she wants out. Keenan, the Summer King, is not about to let that happen.

I loved this book! It had me reading until I was too tired to keep my eyes open, then as soon as I woke up again I was back reading the book. It is phenomenal. Goodness. I'm trying to write an actual review here, and not just gush, but it is very hard to do.

Part of what kept me reading was the conflict not only over Aislinn's life - mortal? Summer girl? Winter girl? Summer Queen? - but over her love life as well. I loved Seth, as we as readers are supposed to (after all, we see him through Aislinn's eyes) and wanted to see Aislinn end up with him, but I felt for Keenan as well. The boy (can you really call him a boy if he is hundreds of years old? Yes.) deserved someone to love him and be with him, too. And poor Donia!

I will agree with many of the reviews which peg the Winter Queen as a little too campy. She was over the top, yes. BUT. Faeries are not exactly creatures of half-measures. So, yes, the Winter Queen was your typical "evil" villain, but for a reason. She had a desire - to stay Winter Queen - and her own nature would not let her slide even the slightest bit in pursuit of that goal, even though it meant (figuratively) sacrificing her child, her lover, etc.

One of the things I definitely appreciate is the ending ringing true - no "happily ever after" extreme, but no "things went to hell after that and nothing could bring it back" extreme, either.

Wicked Lovely is a beautiful book, perfect for lovers of YA fantasy, of urban fantasy, or even simply YA lit.

I was absolutely enthralled with this book. An amazing tale of the fae and a human girl that can see them.

Aislinn can see the fae, has been able to see them her entire life. Her grandmother who has raised her, has tried to teach her the rules that would keep her safe from them. But when two fae start following Ash, the drama gets intense.

This story is very well written,the struggle between winter and summer protrayed here as a battle of wills between the Summer King(Keenan) and the Winter Queen(Beira).

Throughout, Ash must face her fear of the fae, make hard choices, decide to entrust someone that she cares about with her secret, stand up for herself and what she feels is best for her life AND accept her destiny!

I loved every bit of it, literally could not put it down. I can't wait to read future works by this author.

WICKED LOVELY
MELISSA MARR
Fantasy YA


Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Aislinn is just your average high school junior- somewhat popular, cute, and oh yeah, she can see faeries. Aislinn has had this ability since she can remember, and she has known the rules her grandmother taught her for that long as well: 1. Don't stare at invisible faeries, 2. Don't speak to invisible faeries, and 3. Don't ever attract their attention. These rules have kept Aislinn safe her entire life, until she meets Keenan.

After years of living amongst the faeries and going unnoticed, Aislinn is suddenly being tracked and she doesn't know what they want. She is terrified to tell her grandmother about the trackers for fear she will then be kept inside where she is safe. That means not seeing Seth, her best friend and secret crush. After some thought, Aislinn breaks another of her grandmother's rules and tells Seth about her "Sight" and the faeries that live around them. With his help, Aislinn discovers she is being sought after by the Summer King, Keenan. He believes Aislinn just may be the girl he has spent the last five centuries searching for, his Summer Queen. Only problem is, Aislinn doesn't want to become a fairy and leave her world, and Seth, behind. But without her, Keenan will never regain his full powers and his wicked mother, the Winter Queen, will rule the Earth. Eventually, under the Winter Queen's rule, all mortals and faeries will die. It's now up to Aislinn to save them. Will she lose Seth and her grandmother in the process? Can she really be the Summer Queen?

After hearing so many great things about this book I just had to read it myself, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. WICKED LOVELY is a fast paced, easy read that I just couldn't put down. The characters are lovable for their intensity, their love, and their honesty. Aislinn's struggle to keep her mortal life and her fear of ignoring who she is destined to be is heart-wrenching and captivating. The relationships between Aislinn and Seth, and Aislinn and Keenan, are intense and full of the passion of young love and hope. Melissa Marr's writing is so descriptive, that as a reader you can imagine the wonderful smells of wildflowers and sunshine that Aislinn experiences every time she is near Keenan. You can feel the determination Keenan has for his own personal success in finding his Queen. And you can definitely feel the intense fear and hatred in the Winter Queen's character. I would recommend this book to all YA readers, but especially those who love fantasy novels. You will love it! The story of the faeries and Keenan continues in Ms. Marr's follow-up novel, INK EXCHANGE.

In the back of the paperback copy of WICKED LOVELY, you will find some "Extras" on author Melissa Marr. They include "6 Intriguing Facts about Melissa Marr", "Chatting with Melissa Marr", "A WICKED LOVELY Playlist", and "Melissa Marr's Reading List". You can read more questions and answers about Melissa Marr at her fansite: www.wickedlovely.com

Emily Wright
Enchanting Reviews
June 2008

No summary here just adding that I agree will all the other comments made -both the positive and the negative ones. Yes, the book is a bit contrived and the ending was a little bit too wrapped up but I don't care. Beverly's writing is fabulous. She's very historically accurate without the reader feeling bogged down into a history lesson and her characters are always skillfully drawn. I particularly liked Robin. He's that curious and delicious mix of dashing rake and honorable gentleman. A man who would help any Lady in harms way while at the same time trying to take her clothes off. LOL!

And as in her other books A Lady's Secret has nice twists/turns as well as a very unique plot. I mean a Lady posing as a nun?!? And as far as I'm concerned she can write about Rothgar in every book -I just love him! But some may not have Malloren maddness so be warned.

Another keeper for me. I highly recommend it. And those who haven't read Beverley's books, some I have enjoyed are:
Devilish
My Lady Notorious

I am happy to say that once again the author has dipped into the world of the Malloren family and brought us a story that I could not put down. I am always happy when I find a book that keeps me up late, and this one delivered.

If you liked the other books in this series, you will enjoy this one as well. The story moves at a pleasant pace and the characters are memorable, the dialogue excellent.

If it is your first foray into the series I suggest starting at the beginning with "My Lady Notorious" and reading them in order. Why eat just the ice cream when hot fudge, whip cream, nuts, and cherries are available? I can't wait for her next installment.

This was a very enjoyable book. It started out a little differently with a nobleman becoming fascinated with a cursing nun. Sister Immaculata, or Petra as she is later found out to be, has been traveling from Italy and is trying to get to England. Enter Robin; a nobleman who has just come from Versailles and is on his way home to England. They decide to travel together (which stretches credulity) and we are treated to a fun journey filled with half-truths, insults, and desire.

I very much so liked Petra and her outlook on life. Here finally was a heroine who was presented as level-headed and actually stayed level-headed. Even though she occasionally indulged in fantasies of Robin and got distracted at times, she always came back to herself and continued with the path she had set. I liked that she didn't abandon all her plans and become unable to think beyond Robin the minute she met him. I also liked the lack of woe is me about her past with Ludo.

Robin was a pretty good guy, even though he didn't seem to be able to take anything seriously if they weren't in immediate danger. That isn't a bad thing though. His light hearted attitude gave the journey a very fun feel to it. I think Petra's attitude toward his obligatory stroking and petting was very realistic and in keeping with her level-headed attitude. The aftermath of the first love scene emphasized her feelings on that very well. One thing that bothered me about him was his interactions with his mother. She was very interfering and felt a bit spoiled. Robin made her butt out on some points and hired someone who wasn't her spy, but he didn't seem to mind her prying conversations that much. I couldn't help but think mama's boy and get a little sneer.

The only major problems I had with the book started when Petra got to her father. I never got a sense of adjustment or any real closeness to them. I read the author's note and apparently the family is part of a series, so maybe I was supposed to care about them and know how they would feel already? If so, it doesn't really help her new readers. Petra's lack of upset about her father's lack of attachment toward his past with her mother was refreshing.

I liked the dueling views of what was going on with Petra and Robin while they were apart. I was irritated by the fact that they were separated for so long though. I also never got a real sense of why Petra had to get to her father alone. I would fear rape if I were traveling alone like that. When Petra and Robin reunited I was left feeling dissatisfied. All of a sudden everything will work out without any reservation or problems? No more discussions and growing as a couple? I couldn't help but be reminded that they had only spent a few days together and start to doubt the strength of their attachment for the future.

Overall a good book with enjoyable characters and well written prose. The relationship seemed a little weak, but the bones were there and it would have been great if they were built on a little more.

I really enjoyed it! Fast-paced, exciting...a real page-turner. I especially enjoyed how Petra was not your typical helpless female, she managed to save herself and others a few times. This was my first Malloren novel and I can't wait to read the rest.

Just a travel from point A to point B and I didn't think the plot was that believable.I could not figure out why when she loved the bad guy so much she ran from him because he loved her so much and wouldn't take no for an answer.? It wasn't explained very well, 'why', what made her run, what made him so bad, etc.! And the love between Robin and Petra, just didn't click for me.

Ok. I had heard she was a great writer, and I started with this book. At the end I was still trying to figure out the storyline. Too much bizarre sex, and no real live plot. I don't recommend this one. Maybe her other books are better. This one left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Please tell me why I actually paid for this book? Like everyone else here I am invested in Merry. The first two books took me on a rollar coaster ride and I couldnt wait to get to the next book. Now i'm just wishing the end would HURRY up and get here. How about a book that goes somewhere? Better yet, how about a book at all. I think somewhere along the way LKH lost the plot and forgot why she was writing this story. I hope she finds it again. But from now on, I will wait till it goes to paperback and get it at the discount bin. I'm tired of spending 17-25 dollars of my hard earned money for this one - two scene crapola.

Its an exciting book that leaves you breathless literally. when its finnish your upset because you never want it to end.

Ok, this book just confirms it for me, LKH is a money hungry #$#$%!. She's no longer concerned with finishing this damn storyline. As long as people are shelling out $$ she doesn't seem to care that her books are not even worth a #$%# anymore. AND another thing, stop with Merry being tight. I'm sorry, she stopped being tight after the first book. I mean come on, I know it's fiction but the woman just had back to back sex with 2 men about what an hour before Sholto and I'm suppose to believe that she's so tight.... Pulleezee.. I am soooo happy I only spent $3 for the hardcover (used book) or I would have been really pissed. I mean, this book is sooo tiny and to add insult to injury, half of the book is about 1 sex scene, ONE FREAKING SEX SCENE. COME ON.

Like many reviewers, I think this book was too short and filled with way too much sex and not enough plot. The reason I actually read this far in the series is that right from the start, I've been fascinated by the character of Sholto. He was a character with terrible beauty and really seemed to break the mold of the other guards. And I'll admit, I was incredibly curious to see what a full sex scene would be like with him given all his "extras".

So, for me, the most disappointing part of this book was that when Merry finally does get around to having sex with him, it's only after all of his tentacles have been completely amputated. LKH seems to pride herself on "edgy" books, but I really feel like it was a cop out to mutilate the character of Sholto just long enough for Merry to have sex with him (because of course he is magically restored right after the sex is done).

For me, the only interesting part of this book was the Wild Hunt at the end, where we finally get a reprieve from boring sex scenes and get to see some action.

This book is the entertaining follow up to Ms. Dahl's, "To Tempt a Scotsman." The main characters in this novel are Emma Jensen, the orphaned, impoverished daughter of a scandalous nobleman, and the roguish Duke of Somerhart (Hart). The two first meet when Emma is a young child at a wild house party hosted by her father. Hart advises Emma to lock herself safely in her room and then reprimands her father for jeopardizing the child's safety. Thus he becomes her childish ideal, what every man should aspire to be. Emma fantasizes that he will one day return to whisk her away.

The year's pass and Emma loses the little she once possessed. She comes to realize that she must make her own way in the world if she is not to become a victim of others desires. She adopts the alias of Dowager Lady Denmore and heads off to London to make use of the only weapon at her disposal, the gambling skills passed down to her by her degenerate father. She must make her fortune in the months before the Season begins or her subterfuge will be revealed.

In London Hart reenters Emma's life. He is not the man she believed him to be. Emma must decide if she dares to find out if he is the man of her dreams or a reincarnation of her debauched father.

With interesting characters, a not too ordinary plot line and good pacing this book is a diverting read.

This book was fantastic--strong plot, excellent characters, and all-around great writing. The other reviewers have covered the plot detail, so I won't repeat that information. I can tell you that I read TON of books (3-5 per week) in many genres, and I am always on the lookout for writers with "great voice". Victoria Dahl is a winner and I can't wait to read the rest of her books!

I loved this book - great story, strong bullheaded charcters, lots of twists and best of all a great story. Emma moves to London to escape something and she has a plan to make some money so she can leave her old life behind. She is doing well with gambling and all her plans until The Duke of Somerhart walks back into her life.... I loved this how she treated him like a normal man ....

I would also suggest;A Rake's Guide To Pleasure (Zebra Historical Romance), looking forward to Talk Me Down.

A Rake's Guide to Pleasure is a well-written, sexy romance with two mature characters who want totally different things in life. The Duke of Somerhart refuses to take the word "no" for an answer from Emma Jensen, who pretends to be the widowed Lady Denmore. You would think this would get a bit annoying after awhile, especially since Emma is so adamant in telling Hart to, "take a hike", but Hart's chase of Emma is the highlight of the novel. Emma may be a virgin in body, but not in her mind, and the reasoning she gives Hart to remain so, made me want to take her in my arms and rock her. Emma has been dealt some bad cards in her life and because of this, she decides to live her own way, by her own set of rules, and won't allow any man, especially Hart tell her otherwise.

Emma has come to London for a specific reason and it is not to enjoy the festivities that the Ton usually involves itself with. This is a woman on a mission, to make as much money as she can before the rest of London society arrives after the winter holiday. Emma uses her time wisely either gambling or placing bets with various gentlemen in order to come up with enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her days in a little cottage by the sea. Emma has secrets and will lie to her advantage. She tells these little fibs so she will be able to fleece those who are gullible. Emma's past is quite shocking mainly because of her father, who lived a life of debauchery where he gambled, drank and whored till the day he died. Emma saw many things as a young and impressionable child and refuses to fall into that trap where she will be desolate or seduced and left pregnant. She plays a dangerous game, flirting with the various titled gentlemen to get what she wants. She is very close to meeting her goal when, she is noticed by the one man who could destroy her well-laid plans, the Duke of Somerhart.

Emma met Hart about a decade ago during one of her father's late night parties. Hart made quite the impression on the nine year old Emma and she daydreamed that Hart would be her knight in shining armor and come rescue her. Of course this didn't happen and now years later, Hart has a reputation of being heartless, ruthless, cold... well, you get the picture. Emma is disgusted by these rumor's especially the ones about Hart's countless lovers. The boy she dreamed about was a fantasy after all and she realizes that they must never be more than passing acquaintances. Hart's reputation is mostly true but he has a new outlook on life. He will try to give up those vices he enjoyed when he was younger man. But he can hardly deny his lust towards Emma. When it comes to Emma, he finds her to be a different type of creature all together. She dances around any questions he may have and places herself in dangerous situations for money. Something is off about this so-called widow who has arrived out of nowhere. He wants to find out her secrets and thinks his excellent powers of seduction will enable him to solve the puzzle that is Emma.

I love when the heroine gives the hero a merry chase and A Rake's Guide to Pleasure is exactly that. Emma seriously does not want to be bothered with Hart even if he makes her tingly inside. Where as the hero is the one who may seem cold and refuses to admit his feelings, Dahl has turned things around where it is Emma who tries her hardest to acknowledge any feelings she may have for Hart. She is not willing to take the risk or the consequences for a moment of pleasure. But Hart has a way of breaking down her defenses, not because this is a game to him, but because Emma calls out to him where he wants to protect and cherish her. He feels they are kindred spirits.

I can't help but compare Emma and Hart's relationship to a cat and mouse game that will end in the bedroom. There are two love scenes that especially caught my eye that are so very erotic. The very first one is where Hart is giving Emma pleasure and doesn't ask for anything in return. Thank you so much for that scene Victoria! And as well as the next one where Emma gets her own revenge against Hart for rocking her world and destroying all the walls she has placed around herself.

Even though the main focus is Emma and Hart, there is a subplot that deals with an obsessive suitor of Emma's from her past who comes out of nowhere quite suddenly. Some may find that this takes away from the on-going drama between Emma and Hart, but for the most part, I was pleased with the results, mainly because I am still a sucker for the hero who ends up saving the damsel in distress.

Even though the title may seems a bit misleading, because Hart doesn't really have a guide he follows to make sure a woman is pleasured, A Rake's Guide to Pleasure has everything I want to read in a historical romance from two engaging characters, wonderful dialogue and very creative and luscious love scenes. I am overjoyed that Berkley has such an author like Victoria Dahl writing for them and A Rake's Guide to Pleasure is one romance you will not want to pass up.

Katiebabs

Victoria Dahl's historical series:

To Tempt a Scotsman

A Scotsman's Surrender (short story)

A Rake's Guide to Pleasure


I really enjoyed Dahl's first in this series, so I was definitely looking forward to "A Rake's Guide...". The first 20 chapters did not disappoint. The story moved well with both main and side characters I found easy to like. (And not like when appropriate.) The villain was more of a lost soul with mental infirmity than a truly villainous man, which made it possible to sympathize with his plight. "Wicked" is the absolute perfect way to describe the love scenes. The leading couple was perfectly matched.


Emma's whole family has died and left her destitute. A neighbor family kindly took her in as a teen, with hopes she would marry their son. When Emma learned that the son was not mentally stable, she ran and hid from everyone who knew her. In order to support herself, she has disguised herself as the widow of her late uncle. On the London scene, she frequents gambling tables to earn money. Once she has saved enough, she will flee London and find herself a quiet cottage by the sea where she can live without fear.

Hart, the Duke of Somerhart, is known for being cold as ice. Many jokingly call him "Winterhart". London society is shocked to see him showing emotion where the young widow Emma is concerned. Emma is finding Hart hard to resist, but she refuses to become his next mistress. Although her mind is filled with naughty thoughts of what she would love to do with him, she knows he could find out the truth of her identity and end her dreams of freedom. Hart wants Emma. He knows she wants him, too. He is delighted to find her weakness: Emma wants a man who takes control during intimacy. The Duke gladly takes that role.

Hart suspects that Emma is not all she claims to be. Having been betrayed by women before, he prays he is wrong. When Emma disappears, Hart untangles her lies to learn that a madman has been stocking her. Is Emma nothing but a lying thief, or is she really a woman scared for her life?


The story flowed and made sense until the last few chapters. The demise of the villain actually occurred in a way that made me feel sorrow for everyone involved. I found I could like the "bad guy" and wish things had been different for him. That is a rare story trait that always appeals to me. Other than that, the final chapters annoyed me because the heroine became nasty to the hero with the pretense of her being a woman with a wounded inner child. Throughout the book she was a strong and determined woman with a secret wicked side. Again, that was the perfect match for the wicked duke. At the end, she was constantly screaming at him and telling him things like "I don't want you." and "You disgust me!" He became a combination of a whipping boy and Dr. Phil, willing to take her abuse and analyze her reasons for acting that way while begging her to marry him. Ooof!

Still, the book as a whole is a great read. I'm excited to see that the next book is going to be about the Viscount Lancaster, whom you will come to know and love in this book.


Want to read the series? Here are the links to the first two stories:

To Tempt A Scotsman (Zebra Debut)

A Scotsman's Surrender


If you like London historical romance, you'll love Gaelen Folie's long- running series. Here are the first 5 titles to get you started:

The Duke

Lord of Fire

Lord of Ice

Lady of Desire

Devil Takes a Bride

I read this book in one day. I just couldn't wait to get it over with. There was just way too much self-analysis/self-doubt/self-hating, to the point of it taking up pages. This story just didn't grap me and I was so looking forward to it. I will read Hunter's Prayer, hopefully Jill won't be so pathetic in that book. I found Jill's character to be very depressing. Lilith is very good at describing a tortured soul but at some point the character has to be strong on the inside as they are on the outside. Without that it just seems like pages of whining flash backs.

Jill Kismet is the sort of heroine we can all get behind. The book is action packed, but heart felt. It shows a world where the unexplained is dealt with by professionals, in tandem with regular law enforcement. Not the usual separation of the human and the otherworldly. When things go bump in the night, Jill is called in, so ordinary people can go on blissfully unaware. Throw in an odd symbiotic relationship with a demon, and a crush from an FBI werecat, and the story is complex and hard to put down.

I enjoyed this book.

It had the right amount of action and movement to keep me interested until the end.

If you go expecting War and Peace, you'll be disappointed. But if all you want is a fast paced read, this might be the book for you.

This is the first book I have read by Lilith Saintcrow. I felt that Jill Kismet was one tough Hunter and kicked some major booty. She is a demon slayer and performs exorcisms. She has silver charms in her hair and wears leather pants and a leather trench coat, she also has a backup coat. She has been marked by a demon, he gave her some extra powers and she has to visit him once a month. Her former lover and teacher Mikhail is dead, he was killed by a demon.

Jill is on the hunt for a rogue were and a hellbreed woman that are together. She has friends from the FBI that are also hunting for them, her FBI friends are were. They bring along a friend with them, his name is Saul, he is an American Indian and also a Were and her one friend asked if he can crash at Jills house. Jill says it is okay and Saul cleans up her house and cooks for her, they kiss, could this be the beginning of a romance?

You should read the book to find out what else happens in the book, otherwise I will give away the entire story. I did enjoy the book though and I plan on reading the second book in the series, Hunter's Prayer, it is coming out in August or Sept 2008.

Ok, I loved the first Dante Valentine books, in fact I liked books 2 and 3 better than the first one. Then came book 4 and 5, which I wanted pitch across the room and couldn't finish either one! I was so hoping for a fresh start with Night Shift. I'm almost afraid to say, that I really liked this new series, for fear of jinxing it! Yes, Jill Kismet is very similiar to Dante's character, but I'm hoping that she doesn't turn out to be the winey, neurotic mess that Dante ended up being. I love the character of Saul and the other were's, and I even liked Jill, giving her the benefit of the doubt. Perry's character just plain creeped me out at times! The scene (which I won't detail with a spoiler) about the funeral pyre, literally almost made me cry! I am hesitantly waiting for the next in the series. Hoping against hope that Jill 'Kismet' will NOT share Dante's 'fate' and make me want to shred future books!
I would definately recommend this one.