This stunning and scorching sophomore offering by DiPasqua was positively delectable. The Fiery Tales Collection gets even more heated with the addition of these three retold fairy tales.
‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and ‘The Princess and the Pea’ get an erotic makeover and give adults their own version of a bedtime story.
A cousin's ex-lover's ring finds it's way into an irresistible rake's pocket. The deception to win it back leads to some steamy 'missions'; A woman with scars that run far deeper than on her body decides to take the lead and experience pleasure before it's too late; And a princess, masquerading as a man has a pouch filled with the King's diamond and will have to gamble her brother out of the poor house, all while resisting the sexy spy at the tables. All this an more awaits you in between the covers.
The Marquis' New Clothes-Aimee de Miran is embroiled in a scandalous plot and deception to recover the lost ring of her cousin’s ex-lover. Louise d’Arcy’s torrid relationship with Renault de Sard has had it’s fair share of lover spats; but when Renault casts Louise aside, she retaliates but taking his jeweled ring given to him by the king. Louis immediately regrets her theft and wants to return the ring before her ex-lover-who also happens to be the King’s Lieutenant General of Police (and a stick up the butt)-before he has the chance to realize it’s gone and seeks justice. Unfortunately, the ring finds it’s way from Louise’s hand to the pocket of Adam de Vey’s justacorps.
Adam, the Marquis de Nattes, has been infatuated with Aimee de Miran (his good friend’s wife) for many years. With the passing of Aimee’s husband, Adam sees his opportunity to purge the enchanting Aimee from his system once and for all. The only problem is: she hates his guts! Aimee’s husband took advantage of her youthful and romantic feelings, destroying her dreams of love and a perfect marriage by choosing his whores over her. She won’t fall for another handsome rake with a wicked tongue, but Adam is determined to have her.
"A wealthy and bitter exile, the most dangerous and desirable man in all England, he burns to possess a proud, headstrong beauty who is promised to another. But winning Emma Stokehurst's exquisite hand through threats and determination does nothing to fill the empty spaces in Nikolas's heart -- until passion's magic carries the handsome, tormented prince back to a bygone era of splendor and romantic dreams.
For there his destiny awaits him in a distant life. And in one remarkable woman's tender touch -- achingly familiar but gloriously new -- he must seek the elusive promise of ecstasy...and learn, at last, to love."Source
-I personally enjoyed this novel a great deal. Having read the first book in the Stokehurst series, 'Midnight Angel', I was already familiar with the secondary characters who take center stage in this book. The brash Russian [exiled] prince and the flame-colored-hair, animal loving object of his affections stirs the pot well! It was very culturally centric, without being 'TOO MUCH' in the unfamiliar. Some might tell you that they disliked the sort of time-travel aspect that was thrown into the middle of the book, and I'd have to agree somewhat, but only because I was more interested and focused on Emma and Nikolas instead of their ancestors. Give it a read. You'll like it!
-Read a review of 'Prince Of Dreams' at Love.Romance.Passion : here
This is your Recommendation for the week of August 22nd, 2010 thur August 29th, 2010
Reluctant adventure and reluctant love are what await you if you choose to pick up this novel. A delightful story of love lost and then found and then put to the test once again.
While on a quest to procure the missing pieces to her late-husband's art collections, which will ensure she receives her inheritance left to her from his death, Lady Olivia Rathbourne must now turn to the one man she trusted with her heart 10 years ago and who failed her when she needed him most.
Sterling Harrington, the Earl of Wyldewood, fell hard for the joyful 18 year old Olivia when he was only 20. Now, a decade later, a deception which tore the two apart has been revealed and Lady Olivia is in danger once again. She needs his help not only to stay alive but to gain her financial independence and freedom; and Sterling will NOT fail her again.
And then Olivia's secret list of desires comes into play, and a journey for treasure turns into a journey back to love.
Respected (or at least tolerated) member of The London Antiques Society, it was the consensus that Lord Rathbourne, in spite of his impressive art collections, was a man of questionable character. It really didn't come as much of a shock when his lordship was found murdered, in the garden, with his neck slit. He was a man of many possessions and a possessiveness towards said possessions (try saying that 3x fast). You could ask his wife, Lady Olivia Rathbourne, exactly how far he went to securing his interests. Forced to marry Lord Rathbourne and not the love of her life was just the start of Olivia's 10 year estrangement from the world (and from happiness). Finally, her husband is dead and she is free, but a stipulation in her husband's will which states that in order to receive her full inheritance as his widow, she must complete 3 of his unfinished art collections, which will likely see her sequestered in their oppressive home for the rest of her life.
But Olivia has been through far too much at the hands of her husband, and waited far to long to start crossing items off her secret list of desires, to let Lord Rathbourne continue to control her from the grave. She picks up the gauntlet he has set out for her, but with little money and limited resources to accomplish her goals, she finds she must seek out the help of the man who failed to save her from marrying Lord Rathbourne in the first place( and whom she spent the last 10 years trying to forget she loved).
Sterling Harrington was an Earl. He had two brothers who were adventures, but his responsibilities left little room for adventures. Considered stuffy, stodgy, and incredibly dull,. Sterling has tried to forget the lighter times in his life. 10 years ago he met and fell in love with Olivia, but one day, Olivia's father came acalling; informing the Earl that Olivia would be marrying Lord Rathbourne and that she had no desire to see him ever again. Heart broken and dejected, he ignored the 3 letters Olivia sent him in the beginning (which he thought were softer-worded apologies) and married, lost his wife and moved on with his life.
A decade later, Olivia's father calls on him again, with little time left in his life and a multitude of sins to try and atone for. He informs Sterling that he forced Olivia to marry Lord Rathbourne and that she sent the Earl those letters, begging him to save her from the match but that they went unanswered. He then informs Sterling that he believes the same persons who killed Lord Rathbourne could possibly come back and do harm to Olivia, and that he wants Sterling to protect her. Reluctant at first, Sterling insinuates himself back into Olivia's life with a mission to keep her safe as he should have done 10 years ago.
Olivia isn't exactly okay with Sterling's reappearance in her life, but his insistence on helping her will begin to become more warmly receipted when she finds out about her husband's stipulation in his will. Sterling's presences will also make crossing off the bedding of him off her list.
Their quest takes them to Egypt with scary Egyptian snakes, and then to Venice, where a Counte and his Contessa will be of a similar mind to court the favor of our Hero and Heroine. By happenstance, procuring the first two items for the collection is relatively easy; it's the resolving of issues from the past and making item #1 on Olivia's secret list of desires a task worth a lifetime, which will prove difficult.
Rating: 3 1/2 Red Roses
My Favorite Part of the Book: Is when Olivia is after the second item in Venice. She meets the flirtatious Counte de Sarafini, whom is the owner of the painting she needs to complete the second collection. He invites her to luncheon with the unexpressed intention of luring her to his bed. She goes to the luncheon alone, flirting outrageously with the Counte as well, but offers no more than a trade of paintings instead of a trade of bed-favors for the required paintings. The scene is funny because the Contessa has invited Sterling to a private luncheon too and he goes so he can negotiate for the painting, as well. Olivia is caught in a compromising position, and the dynamics of these scenes are priceless!
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. Having read the previous novel, 'The Virgin's Secret', I had a little bit of knowledge on the Sterling-Olivia debacle. While I felt the 'adventure' theme over-whelmed the romance a bit, it was interesting to a degree and played it's role. I felt the characters were developing steadily, both of mind and relationship, but I did feel the revelations weren't developed as well as they could have and ran around in circles a bit. There was longing, coated in betrayal that was real interesting to read and it teased the reader throughout the novel. Give it a read!
*Try the previous novel in the Harrington Brother's series, 'The Virgin's Secret'. My Review can be found: here
*Want more from Victoria Alexander? Try 'Love With The Proper Husband'.
Wickedly wanton and thrillingly tantalizing; 'Awakened By A Kiss' was exciting and passionate and one of those reads you just couldn't put down. Set in seventeenth century France, Lila DiPasqua takes 3 beloved childhood fairy tales and gives them a sensuous makeover. You'll never look at sleeping beauty the same way again!
Awakening to a stranger's kiss, one-night stands, aphrodisiacs, forbidden publications, mistaken identity, special agents for the crown, and scarf-loving bastard daughters of the King. All this and more lay within the pages of this spectacular debut by Lila DiPasqua.'Sleeping Beauty' , 'Little Red Riding Hood' and 'Puss In Boots' have been transformed into something insanely erotic and gratifying for the adults who like a little heat thrown into their happily ever after...
Sleeping Beau- Follows the reunion between one of the most notorious bastard sons of the King and the woman who stole into his bedchamber after slipping him an aphrodisiac, awakening him with a kiss that lead to a steamy sexual interlude. He awakes the morning after with his unnamed 'midnight temptress' mysteriously vanished and the evidence of her virginity smeared along the bedsheets. Fast-forward 5 years later and we meet our 'sleeping beau' once again as his gaze alights over the red-headed beauty who has plagued his dreams in all that time. At first, Catherine tries to deny it was her, but Adrien eventually gets his way and get her to reveal why she did what she did. They proceed to have an affair for the week until Cathrine's betrothed comes to get her. The motives behind her deception is out in the open and Adrien can't help but admire the maddening stubbornness of his ladylove. When Catherine's betrothed come for her early, it may be Adrien's own stubbornness that threatens his future happiness with the woman he's pined after for 5 years and now has come to love.
Little Red Writing- The Vignon spinster sisters were beautiful, intelligent, writer with skill, and guarding a secret that could lead straight to their ruin. Nicolas de Savignac (a.k.a The Wolf) is a Musketeer for the King sent on an assignment to unmasked and bring down Gilbert Deluc; author of the incendiary volumes which besmirch the image of men of consequence. His investigation takes him to his estranged grandmother's house and he zeros in the house guests; The Vignon 'spinsters'. He is immediately attracted to one of the sisters: Anne, and although he is in residence under false pretenses (to forge a civil relationship with his grandmother) and inevitably will have to bring charges up against one or all of the sisters, his can't resist the strong pull that draws him to Anne and an affair begins. While Nicolas ruefully gets closer to identifying which sister is the infamous author, he and Anne fall deeper in love with one another. Nicolas' hand is now forced to act when his comrade informs their commander of their suspicion of the Vignon sisters and he is order to bring in the culprit or have the entire family brought in. The betrayal Anne feels is acute, but the love Nicolas has for her and she for him will have to be enough to eclipse whatever plans the King has in store for 'Gilbert Deluc'.
Bewitching In Boots- Being the King's favorite daughter is a coveted position. That distinction was currently held by the headstrong Elisabeth de Roussel.She may be thought of as an outrageous flirt, but she knows what she wants; and she wants Tristan de Tiersomier. Tristan was recently injured and relieved of his duties as commander of the King's private Guard. He retired himself to the grounds at his estate, shunning the world and burying his feelings beneath a sea of resentment. When the enticing Elisabeth saunters her way into his inner-sanctum (and wearing breeches and BOOTS no less) demanding fencing lessons, he can only grit his teeth and try to bare it. Elisabeth, however, has plans of her own. She seeks more than lessons in the fencing arts from Tristan and when she successfully induces an affair, she plots to flip the situation in her favor and make Tristan hers for a lifetime. Her plans could possibly blow up in her face, but she will do anything to heal Tristan's hurts and posses his heart.
Rating: 4 Red Roses
My Favorite Part of the Book: There were many! This book had 3 separate stories within it and I have my favorite moments for each. Bewitching in Boots was my favorite story out of the three and my favorite moment is when Tristan starts questioning Elisabeth's motive for seeking him out. He tries to scare her away by saying that if she isn't out of his home by tomorrow she will be tied up to his bed and he will have his way with her. At first, in the morning, Elisabeth and her entourage are no where to be found, but not only do they come back with reinforcements (to help fix up Tristan's house) but Elisabeth presents Tristan with a box of scarves for him to tie her up with later that night.
What it boils down to is this: Miss DiPasqua is probably one of the most promising debut authors to hit the scene so far in 2010. Her short stories were well-written, well-paced and flavored with an insane amount of heat and spice. I think many short-stories are prone to accelerated plots where the love is unconvincing and the character development lacks; that is not the case with 'Awakened By A Kiss'. It's a little different from the classic historicals I am use to, but it has set a new precedence in my reading exploration and I look forward to reading more from this author!
*In November, DiPasqua will delight us with 3 more fiery tales in 'The Princess In His Bed'
The first Mary Jo Putney novel for me, and definitely not the last. The plot was great, the scenarios were engaging and the climax was exactly that.
When Adam washes up on the Cumberland shore, he was lucky enough to still have a pulse.
Mariah was all alone in the world and easily tempted to let the nefarious George Burke worm his way into her life, if only to stave off the loneliness. His persistence in vying for her hand induces her to tell a bold-face lie. She comes across Adam as he drifts along in the water and pulls him to safety. Suffering from amnesia, Adam proves to be the perfect temporary solution to Maraih's problem. But what happens when this temporary solution becomes a lifetime desire?
The book starts off on a somber note. 3 friends, members of this 'lost lords' brotherhood, visit their alma marer to tell their beloved headmistress and teacher, Lady Agnes Westerfield, that they have lost yet another of their ranks. Adam Darshan Lawford, Duke of Ashton was presumed dead after a mysterious boating accident. After their teacher informs them that presumed isn't good enough for her and that they should not accept defeat so easily, the 3 friends set off on a journey to discover the truth...
Charles Clarke was a gamer. He loved his cards and his gambling almost as much as he loved his daughter, Mariah. Sans a mother for as long as she could remember, Mariah had lived with her Great-Grandmother Rose (Granny Rose) until her untimely death, and then went to travel from place to places, learning the gamer-ways with her father. Charles won Hartley Manor from fat-pocket George Burke, and decides to settle down a bit and give his beloved daughter a real home for a change.
All is grand and splendid until Charles goes on an ill-fated 'family business' trip concerning some long estranged relatives , but never comes back. It is the pompous George Burke who stops by the Manor to inform Mariah that her father was found dead at the scene of a highwaymen robbery just outside of London. Obviously grief stricken but determined to manage as best she can, she continuously refuses Burke's immediate, insensitive and thereafter tenacious proposal of marriage and courtship.
Fearing the biting loneliness will compel her to accept George's hand, she tells him that she is married. He has a hard time believing her, but when he comes a calling one day and tries to force his attentions on Mariah, he is take aback by the emergence and retalliation of a studly stranger who calls himself her husband.
While thinking over her predicament late one night, Mariah ambles close to the shore and feels an inexorably force draw her closer to the sea. She happens upon Adams body, drifting in the sea and so close to death. Bringing him back to her home, she realizes he has amnesia and does something that shocks even her, by informing the stranger that he is her husband. She even tells him his name is Adam (although she has never met him before, the name presented itself to her so she provided that name when asked).
Slowly, pieces of Adam's past start to come back to him, and when Mariah gives into temptation and lays with him, she is soon requied to come clean and tell him of her deception. Adam battles with his betrayal and undeniable tender feelings towards the woman who saved his life. Matters are complicated further once Adam's friends find him and inform him of his ducal rank. Mariah knows her station in society is no where near acceptable for a duke, but when Adam insists that she comes with him to his London home, she can't refuse.
Family secrets start to surface, putting our characters through shared emotional trails and tribulations. But matters are complicated even further when attempts are being made on the duke's life, and it is realized that that mysterious boating accident was more than just an accident. Truths and choices all come to a spectacular head as Adam realizes that losing the woman who found him and captured his heart is just not an option.
::Rating::3 1/2"Aww's" ::Rating::
My Favorite Part of the Book: Is when Adam, still weak from his near-fatal shipwreck, rushes in to the drawing room and saves his wife from the unwanted attentions of George Burke. Burke was still leery about Mariah's purposed husband and decided to press his suit more aggressively. Adam immediately needs to relax after exerting so much energy fending off the fiendish Burke and he and Mariah take a seat on the couch. They share little intimacies (through words and little actions). It was a beautiful sequence of scenes.
In retrospect, I started this book with a few expectations. The plot was one that brought specific ideas to mind. Heroine having to play the role of concerned spouse. Little flash-backs of Hero's past. An amazing consummation scene. And I can safely assure you, it's all there. I enjoyed the plot, the characters and most of the scenarios. The story got a little too 'convenient' for me, and just a bit improbable. Character reactions, such as Mariah's to her father's death was a bit off to me, a bit rushed, but still held some merit. I loved the progression from Hartley Manor to Ashton House, and enjoyed the many different twists, turns and side plots that kept everything interesting but tied together nicely at the end. A 3-E (Entertaining, Exciting and Enjoyable) read for sure!
*Give the next book in 'The Lost Lord' series a read, 'Never Less Than A Lady', Major Randall's Story/ My Review can be found: here
*Or try something from the acclaimed 'The Fallen Angel' Series, 'One Perfect Rose'
A winning novel! I greatly enjoyed this book and appreciated its levels. As you read one chapter, you were immersed (but not lost) in a crowded market place in the middle of Cairo, Egypt. In the next chapter, you were brought along on the frantic search for a missing fiancee' among the grassy green knolls of an English country-side. All this was done while we the reader admired the rugged, masculinity of Rafe Ramsey and the positively feline, alluring and strong-willfulness of Ayisha Cleeve.
The story starts off with Rafe Ramsey nearly breaking his neck (and fashionable curricle) as he raced with his friend to alleviate some sour feelings. Rafe and buddy,Luke Ripton, were on their way to a friend's wedding, when previous to their departure, Rafe had an audience with his brother, the Earl of Axebridge, where he was informed of some troubling news. The long-accepted fate of the Earls wife's inability to get pregnant laid the responsibility of begetting an heir and continuing the line of Ramsey Heir's at Rafe's door. Rafe accepted this, and although he dragged his feet and found ways to put off the inevitable, he had every intention of marrying the women his brother arranged his betrothal with. That is, until he was told of a stipulation he couldn't come to terms with. His brother and his possible wife negotiated the terms of their first born son being raised by the Earl and his wife instead of with Rafe and the young Lady Lavinia Fettiplace. As if he wouldn't give a care of his own son, he thought with sarcastic vehemence.
While seated at the wedding festivities next to an old friend of his beloved grandmother, he was treated to the old woman's story of a long lost granddaughter she presumed to be dead at the age of 7. Said granddaughter was spotted very much alive and even painted by a family friend and artist who subsequently showed the old women. The painting was of a 13 year old girl (the granddaughter) and her father (Lady Cleeve's only surviving son at the time). This was proof that the young girl must still be alive (despite previous reports claiming otherwise) and Rafe also saw this as the opportunity to escape confronting Lady Lavinia and his brother.
So Rafe sets out for Cairo,Egypt, the last place Alicia Cleeve was spotted alive. Needless to say, what he finds in Egypt literally knocks him over. Alicia, or Ayisha as she apparently wanted to be called, was not a refined, young lady, but a hardened, un-trusting, dweller of the streets. She disguised herself as a boy at the death of her mother and father to avoid the attentions of unscrupulous men (some of whom were still after her and intended to sell her on the slave market).
Ayisha had to rely on the generosity and companionship of another woman named Laila, who took her and a young boy named Ali, into her home (well, Laila's brother insisted the street urchins stay out in the backyard).
Before she went anywhere with Rafe, she first wanted to secure Laila and Ali's safety and future. While Rafe settles matters for the two, Ayisha's cover is blown and she is attacked by the man whom she successfully avoided long ago at the death of her mother (whom wanted a young, white virgin to sell then and now). Rafe saves her and a few days later, they set off for England.
On the journey home, Rafe contracts a fever (which is feared to be the plague) and is almost cast away by the ships other occupants. Ayisha, already having tender feelings for the man who saved her life and was bringing her to presumably a better one, rushes Rafe into his cabin and locks them both inside under the threat that she will kill the first two men to walk over the threshold. She looks after him and helps him through his illness and subsequently, a bond is formed between them that puts them on the fast track of passion (and love).
Rafe proposes to Ayisha, who accepts, although she is leery of the threat of Rafe renouncing his intentions once he learns she isn't EXACTLY who she says. They land on English soil and go straight to her grandmother's house. After a frosty greeting which included Rafe being summoned separately to speak with Lady Cleeve, while Ayisha is shown the kitchen (an insult to a respected guest), it is clear that the grandmother found out Ayisha's secret before Rafe. Ayisha listens in on their conversation and hears the disgust in which Lady Cleeve informs Rafe of Ayisha's true parentage (being born by a sex slave out of wedlock to her son).
Determined not to ruin Rafe's life, Ayisha flees the house before she can hear Rafe's gallant speech and persuasion of Lady Cleeve to change her tune about the only bit of family she has left. Distraught, Rafe spends 2 weeks searching for her and seeing to the task of making their marriage an easy transition; which includes getting the Earl to accept the union.
He finds her right under his nose and as is always said: 'the rest is history'.
My Favorite Part of the Book: Is when Ayisha saves Rafe from being cast away. He catches a deathly fever on the boat as they are crossing over to England. When Ayisha sees what is going on, she rushes Rafe into his cabin and locks the door, threatening to shoot the first person to walk over the threshold. This is one of my favorite chapters EVER. Ayisha's determination to nurse Rafe back to health, which wasn't easy, was truly heartfelt and brave. You can see the first blooms of love start to take form as Ayisha struggles to keep Rafe alive.
Anne Gracie is a new author for me, but I enjoyed her book nonetheless. It had just enough cultural content to make me want to book a plane ticket to Cairo and not feel like I am in an old history class. The romance was a bit slow in development; although the emotion was steady and ever-building. It isn't until after the half way point in the book where we actually get some displays of affection. All in all it was a dynamite book for me!
*Another Gracie title to pick up would be, 'The Stolen Princess' ,Gabe's story (a minor character in the book and apart of the series from which 'To Catch a Bride' is from). This is the first book of the series.
*And also check out, 'His Captive Lady', Harry's Story, and the second book in the series. My Review of 'His Captive Lady' can be found: here
I am thoroughly smitten with ALL of Julia Quinn's novels. This particular one was full of that fun,quirky and romantic style that is Quinn and I loved this book.
Book Trailer:
It starts off with Harry Valentine digressing on the short comings of his childhood and family. He spends the first chapter mulling over his past while including anecdotes about his DRUNK of a father, his uncommon fluency in all things Russian (thanks to his Grand-mere) and the morbid humor in knowing exactly how many times he has cleaned up his father's 'sick'. Deciding in an instant, after the commencement of his final term at school before he was suppose to start college in oxford, Harry takes his neglectful mothers advice and joins his cousin Sebastian in buying a commission and heading off to war. Time passes and Harry finds himself working for the war office, translating Russian text into English. There is a rumor started that he murdered his fiancee (which isn't true), and after moving in next door to the Bevelstokes, he becomes not only the topic of discussion in every drawing room in the neighborhood, but the object of some innocent surveillance by the neighbor's daughter , Olivia.
They meet face-to-face at a ball, and after some embarrassing innuendos of peeping tom's and irritating retorts, both Olivia and Harry become rather 'put-off' by each other. Harry would of just left Olivia alone after that (despite the fact that he found her very alluring), but she was currently being courted by a Russian Prince with a questionable history whom was under investigation by the War Office. Because of Harry's proficiency in the culture and language, he is 'forced' to follow her around and see if she is connected as well while keeping tabs on the Prince.
This is a romance book, so obviously, during this undercover mission, Harry finds himself as entranced with Olivia as she is smitten with him. He quickly determines she is not involved but now he must focus on the mission of figuring out the mysterious exiled Prince. After some nail-biting moments involving guns, abductions and abandoned music room dalliances, The story concludes with a very sweet and romantic ending.
My Favorite Part in the Book: Is when Harry pays a call on Olivia to 'return a book' and joins her and her company who is none other than the Russian Prince.While taking tea in the drawing room with her suitors, Olivia asks the Prince to say something in Russian for her. He speaks and then when asked what he said, he translates it as "Only that you are more beautiful than the oceans, sky, and fog". Harry, knowing Russian too (though that detail isn't known by anyone for fear it may compromise the mission), knows that what the Prince really said was "I am going to pump you until you scream'. Morbidly humors indeed. I laughed so hard after reading that, it was so unexpected and just thrown into the scene of the two suitors vying for Olivia's attention....
Overall, it was very well paced and exciting, with just the right amount of romance to make it a personal favorite. Even though the drama of the abduction was saved for the end and therefore did not really develop as much as it could have, I still found the book immensely gratifying and well executed.
READ IT!!!
*Also check out the 1st and previous novel in the Bevelstoke series 'The Secret Diaries of Miranda Cheever'
*And also pick up your copy of 'Ten things I Love About You', Sebastian's story, in stores May 25th 2010
This stunning and scorching sophomore offering by DiPasqua was positively delectable. The Fiery Tales Collection gets even more heated with the addition of these three retold fairy tales.
