Book Review: A Lady of Large Fortune by Tiffany Thomas

Author: Tiffany Thomas

Title: A Lady of Large Fortune

Genre: Historical Romance, What If, Variation

Format: Ebook

Pages: 498

Published: July 22, 2026

Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited

Summary: 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman of large fortune may fall in love at her leisure and choose her own fate.

Elizabeth Bennet has spent years quietly holding her family together. With Longbourn entailed away and her father content to leave its management in her hands, Elizabeth has learned to be practical, capable, and useful. Then a flood in London takes the lives of her aunt and uncle Gardiner, leaving three young children in need of protection—and Elizabeth with more responsibility than ever.

But beneath the damaged house in Gracechurch Street lies a secret no one could have imagined: a Roman treasure, hidden for centuries, that changes the course of her life—in more ways than one.

Rewarded by the Crown for her discovery, Elizabeth becomes exactly what society values most: a lady of large fortune. But she chooses to keeps her good fortune a secret from everyone, determined to keep her family safe from gossip, greed, and imprudent schemes.

Retired militia colonel Fitzwilliam Darcy knows too well what a fortune can cost. His father’s extravagance left Pemberley wounded, his sister vulnerable, and Darcy sacrifices everything, including his hopes for a love match, to prudence and rebuilding. Yet when he comes to Hertfordshire, he does not expect to meet again the muddy, courageous young woman who once rose from a hidden cellar with a Roman coin in her hand.

But wealth does not solve every difficulty, and the past has a way of reaching for what it was never owed. Darcy and Elizabeth must work together to restore their happiness and protect the future of those they love.

Review:

I was itching for some P&P variations, and I stumbled upon this in Kindle Unlimited, so why not? 

Here we are with Darcy and Elizabeth. Tale as old as time, but a little different. What if Darcy's father was a spendthrift who ran Pemberley to the ground and left it to Darcy to fix? What if Elizabeth found a way to have riches and save her family? 

I had fun with this one! It was pretty sad at some points. Poor Darcy...Poor Lizzie.

There was a LOT of changes to the story, but it was still the same at its core. I enjoyed watching our characters interact and find their ends. Some happy, some not. Especially Wickham. His ending was def well-deserved. 

It was weird not seeing more of the Gardiner children, minus a cameo in London and then quickly mentioned in the epilogue. This was a big deal and a huge change in the story, but we didn't really get to see them. 

But yes, I enjoyed the changes made. They were refreshing and new. Super sad, though. I wish we would've seen more of the aftermath of the Gardiner children having to move in with them. Maybe a scene or two with Elizabeth with the kiddos. But the ending was nice and fitting. I liked this overall! It was good. 4 stars from me. 

Book Review: The Pemberley Picnic by Melanie Rachel

Author: Melanie Rachel

Title: The Pemberley Picnic - A Pride and Prejudice Variation

Genre: Historical Romance, What If, Novella

Format: ebook

Pages: 160

Published: July 16, 2026

Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited

Summary: 

Fitzwilliam Darcy never expected Elizabeth Bennet to come to Pemberley—least of all after the proposal she so decisively refused. Yet here she is, seeing him not in a ballroom or a drawing room, but on his own ground, where he might be able to prove to her that he has changed.

But he has only days before she returns home.

So he does something entirely unlike himself: Darcy announces a picnic. There is only one difficulty. He has not planned a picnic.

Still, he is certain everything will go well. It must.

But Darcy soon discovers that even the simplest picnic can go astray—especially when the wind, the weather, and Miss Bingley all seem determined to keep him from the guest he most wishes to please. As old misunderstandings soften and new feelings bloom, Elizabeth and Darcy must decide whether pride, prejudice, and past mistakes can give way to something far sweeter.

Review:

I'm in a JA mood, I guess! 

Here we have a P&P variation. Darcy never expected to see Elizabeth again after she declined his proposal. Well...here she is....in his home.....this is his chance to show her he has changed. He decides that there will be a picnic on the grounds! What could go wrong? Everything. 

I'm going to be chill again and divide and conquer this review. It's been a long week. 

The Good

- LOVE a P&P and Austen variation. It's just so fuuuuun. 

- Awww loved seeing Darcy do something so out of character. 

- Fitzwilliam was a gem. So witty. So funny. 

- This was very sweet and adorable

The Bad and the Ugly

- Some phrases and words didn't seem to vibe with the time period and characters. It just didn't hit the ears (well...I did the ebook...would it be eyes?) right. 

Conclusion

I enjoyed this little gem. It was very sweet, and I liked this cute twist. Imagine if Darcy got an extra day with Lizzie. So very sweeeeet. 

4 stars. 

Audiobook Review: Duke of Depravity by Scarlett Scott

Author: Scarlett Scott

Narrator: Kate Handford

Title: Duke of Depravity

Series: Sins and Scoundrels #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: Audiobook 

Published: November 23, 2018

Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

Crispin Ashforth returns from battle the newly inherited Duke of Whitley with two sisters under his charge. Publicly lauded as a hero, he is haunted by the bitter mission that nearly saw him killed and cost the life of his best friend. He’s desperate to drown out the demons tormenting him by any means, regardless of how depraved.

All he needs to do is find a proper governess for his hellion sisters so he can drink and wench himself into oblivion. Enter Miss Jacinda Turnbow, who is as lovely as she is prickly. It doesn’t take Crispin long to realize he’s found precisely the sort of distraction he needs in the prim governess.

But Jacinda has secrets of her own, and she’s no ordinary governess. To save herself and her father from ruin, she has agreed to infiltrate the duke’s home and search for evidence that he’s a traitor.

Resisting his advances grows more difficult by the day, however, as she discovers there’s more to Crispin than the careless life of sin he’s cultivated. And the greatest danger she faces is losing her heart to the man she has no choice but to betray.

Review:

Picked this up randomly when I saw the title! It fits a reading challenge, and plus it has been ages since I read a Historical Romance. 

Here we follow Jacinda and Crispin. He is the new Duke and has to take care of his sisters, but his mind is still haunted by the war's events, so he's been drinking and man-whoring around town. However, he needs a new governess since his prankster sisters made the last one quite rather quickly. Enter Jacinda. She is undercover to search for evidence against Crispin. There are rumors that he is a traitor. As time goes on, she starts doubting his guilt, but is she biased because she is falling for the man, or is he truly innocent?

This one was alright. It had it's shiny and fun moments, but I didn't buy the love story between these two. Lust? Heck yeah, but there was little love there from what I could see. They rarely spoke, and then Jacinda wasn't who she said she was. There was little time at the end for them to talk it through and really get to know each other.

Love a good lust, and the chemistry was lovely, but I didn't buy their love. Not even in the epilogue. 

Other than that, I still had a lot of fun with this story and seeing them fumble about. 

The narrator did a good job. His voices fit. 

Overall, this was just alright for me because I never felt the love. The lust and etc...that was great! The narrator was good. I just needed more talking. 3 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #27

- Reading Romance Challenge #16 (Duke in Title)

 

DNF: Highland Gladiator by Kathryn Le Veque

Author: Kathryn Le Veque

Narrator: Brad Wills
Title: Highland Gladiator

Series: Scots and Swords #1

Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published:  August 25, 2020
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible) 

Summary: 

When Lor Careston's quiet Highland village was attacked and burned, he felt helpless against the raiders who destroyed his home. Seeking revenge, but lacking the fighting skills he needs to execute his mission, he sets out to find the Ludus Caledonia―a mysterious fight guild that turns men into warriors.

Lor trains hard, proves himself in the ring, and earns a place with the very clan that decimated his home, having decided to set his plan for revenge in motion from inside the clan. But his plan didn't include Isabail Keith, a fiery lass who prefers broadswords to embroidery and isn't afraid to stand with the warriors of her clan. Lor thought the Keiths were his enemies, but when Isabail is threatened, he'll have to decide what he's willing to risk for the woman who has captured his heart and the clan that has become his home.

Review:

This was another random pick up while looking for something else. Why not?

Lor's village is attacked and burned to the ground. He felt so helpless against the raiders that he set out to learn how to fight. Lor trains hard at the mysterious fight guild. He proves himself in the ring and earns a place with the clan that destroyed his home. He didn't plan that his old love, Isabail, who is part of this clan. Will he put everything he holds on the line for the woman he loves?

Whelp. I gave up. I got to about 30%, and I called it done. I didn't want to read/listen anymore. Nothing truly went wrong, but I zoned out 10 times, and I just didn't care. 

Lor seems like a good enough fella. Isabail seems...okay. I didn't get a chance to learn more about her. 

Maybe I will try this again someday, but today I had to DNF. Bummer, because this had promise, and the narrator sounded good. 

Darn two meh books in a row to end the month. :( 

Oh! One positive....this is the first DNF of 2026! Took 4 months so I'll count that as a win. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #16

Book Review: The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig

Author: Lauren Willig

Title: The Deception of the Emerald Ring

Series: Pink Carnation #3

Genre: Historical Romance, Chick Lit, Mystery

Format: Paperback

Pages: 400

Published: November 16, 2006

Where I got It: My shelf (Walmart...Meijer? I can't recall)

Summary: 

The year is 1803 and England and France remain at odds. Hoping to break the English once and for all, Napoleon backs a ring of Irish rebels in uprisings against England and sends the Black Tulip, France's most deadly spy, to the Emerald Isle to help. What they don't know is that also in Ireland is England's top spy, the Pink Carnation, who is working to shut the rebels down. Meanwhile, back in England, Letty Alsworthy intercepts a note indicating that her sister, Mary, is about to make the very grave mistake of eloping with Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe (second in command of the League of the Purple Gentian). In an attempt to save the family name, Letty tries to stop the elopement, but instead finds herself swept away in the midnight carriage meant for her sister and is accidentally compromised. Geoff and Letty, to each other's horror, find themselves forced into matrimony. Then, Geoff receives word that he is to travel to Ireland to help the Pink Carnation and disappears immediately after their wedding ceremony. Letty learns of Geoff's disappearance and, not to be outdone by her husband, steals away on a ship bound for Ireland, armed and ready to fight for her husband…and to learn a thing or two about spying for England.

As in her previous tales, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and The Masque Of the Black tulip, our modern-day heroine and hero, Eloise Kelly and Colin Selwick, continue their budding romance in this captivating third novel in the series.

Review:

I'm loving re-visiting this series! It has been one of my favorite series for years. This one is one of my fave books of the series. Awww Letty. 

Here we are with Eloise continuing her research and trying to ignore her feelings for Colin. She turns her research to Letty and Geoff. Letty intercepts a message meant for her sister. It sounds like Mary is planning to elope with Geoff, and what Mary wants...Mary gets. Letty figures that Geoff will be the more level-headed of the two, so she sneaks out to meet him and talk some sense into the man. However, they are discovered...alone...and in a compromising position. Enter the wedding bells, and Geoff hates her because 1) He loved Mary, and 2) Obviously, this was a trap. Lucky for him, duty calls, and he slips to Ireland to join his fellow spies for a mission to save England. Letty finds out and decides to join him and try to talk sense, and maybe find some common ground. Color her shocked when she finds out the man she married is a spy, and she will have to help save England. 

OMG, I forgot how chaotic this book is. In a good way, of course, but sOooooOOOoo much miscommunication and misunderstanding. I forgot about all the hoops and loops. It's all so entertaining LOL.

I wish I could be mad at Geoff, but I totally get his side and his perspective. BUT just hear Letty out, man. GAH. He does eventually become the man Letty deserves, and they DO find common ground, and it's amazing. Love them. 

Mary....meh. 

Vaughn....I love him. 

Jane....awwww.

And honestly, I'm having more fun with Eloise's story. I enjoy it in the past, but I felt like it wasn't as entertaining as the main story. Maybe because I'm older and wiser? 

It was so nice going back because I had forgotten so much, and it kinda felt like when I read it the first time. Awwwww!

5 stars for sure. I can't wait to read the others. 

Reading Challenges

- Reading Romance Challenge #11 (re-read)

Audiobook Review: Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare

Author: Tessa Dare

Narrator: Neil Hellegers
Title: Goddess of the Hunt

Series: The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy #1

Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published: July 28, 2009
Where I Got It: Borrowed from Library

Summary: 

Every earl knows the one lady he shouldn't seduce is his best friend's little sister . . .

Lucy Waltham is hunting for a husband, but she needs some target practice. She turns to her brother's cold-as-ice best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, to test her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion-one that could send all her plans up in smoke.

Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past full of secrets. He's always kept a safe distance from his own emotions—and from Lucy, who wears her heart on her sleeve. But to save his best friend's little sister from certain heartbreak, he can't stay at arm's length anymore. Their sensual battle of wills is as forbidden as it is delicious. The closer Jeremy gets to taming his temptress . . . the nearer he comes to losing all control.

Review:

Love me some Dare! Been slowly going through all her works. She certainly has a lot, and I'm not complaining!!!!

Here we follow Lucy and Jeremy. Jeremy is friends with Lucy's brother. Lucy has been in love with her brother's friend for a long time, but it isn't Jeremy. It's another friend who is in love with someone else. However, things don't go as planned, and Lucy finally realizes maybe, just maybe, Jeremy is the one for her. He's been the one who has always been there for her. Sure, he is cold, but there is a secret warmth there.

This was adorable and entertaining. I loved Lucy and Jeremy. Both are so different but at the same time so similar. Stubborn and love to vex each other. Loved it!!!

Jeremy has some demons, so he keeps his emotions close to his chest. He is a tough wall to climb, but Lucy loves a challenge. You could tell they were meant for each other in their first interaction. 

I loved watching them finally get on the same page and stop being so stubborn. It was lovely!

They get married fairly quickly, and I loved watching them deal with marriage and finding their love. It was nice. 

The narrator was lovely. The men's voices all sounded similar sometimes, but they worked if you are paying attention. Little difference. 

My only issue is the subplot with the tenants. I hope that is resolved later, because it certainly was not resolved fully here. Jeremy has a lot to do. 

But yes. I was entertained from page 1 until the very end. I want to read book 2 asap. I need to see where our side character ends up. She wormed her way into my heart! I did want more of a resolution with the subplot that seemed to be left dangling and not fully resolved. Maybe we'll see it later on.

4 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #10

- Library Love #7

- Reading Romance Challenge #7 (Sunset/Sunrise on the cover)

Book Review: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon

Title: Dragonfly in Amber

Series: Outlander #2

Genre: Historical Romance, SciFi, Fantasy

Format: paperback

Pages: 947

Published: July 1, 1992

Where I got It: My shelf (Used book store that I am blanking on the name of)

Summary: 

From the author of Outlander... a magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...

For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ...and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

Review:

I read book 1 ages ago, and I meant to go back, but just never did. I've been watching the show and loving it, so it was the push I needed to continue the series. 

We continue watching young Claire fight to try and stop the war, and "modern" Claire goes back to where it all began with her daughter in tow. 

I know this book was written in the 90s, and there is a show about it, but I don't want to spoil anything! 

The duo timeline was fun. We are mainly in the "flashback" following young Jamie and young Claire fleeing to France. There is still hope to change the future, but it seems like fate has other plans for them time and time again.

I enjoyed it. It was long and sometimes long-winded. But I gobbled up each page. There were some stretches of time I had to take a break. It is emotional, especially because you know what is coming. An impending doom for sure. Yes. I teared up a time or two with this one. 

The author does such a great job bringing the worlds and the characters to life! You just want all your beloved characters to live happily ever after. 

Can I say something...controversial? As much as I liked this book and the other one.........I think the show is better. There are some little changes they did that just worked better. Some character development that I really liked. Not saying this is bad, but the show is just a smidge better. I still want to read book 3 one day, though!

Honestly, I think I might do the audio of it. I want to try it!

But yes, this was good, but it is a heavy read. Length and emotions. You need to read book 1 first for sure or have at least watched season 1 of the show. 

All-in-all, it was lovely coming back to Claire and Jamie. It felt like old friends. I do so love them both. 

4 stars. 

Reading Challenges

-  Reading Romance Challenge #4 (series I meant to go back to)

Book Review: A Royal Kiss and Tell by Julia London

Author: Julia London

Title: A Royal Kiss & Tell

Series: A Royal Wedding #2

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 384

Published: May 19, 2020

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Every prince has his secrets. And she’s determined to unravel his…

Every dashing young man in London’s ton is vying for Lady Caroline Hawke’s hand—except one. Handsome, delectable roué Prince Leopold of Alucia can’t quite remember who Caroline is, and the insult is not to be tolerated. So, Caroline does what any clever, resourceful lady of means would do to make sure a prince remembers her: sees that amusingly risqué morsels about Leo’s reputation are printed in a ladies’ gossip gazette…all the while secretly setting her cap for the rakish royal.

Someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who? Socially, it could ruin him. More important, it jeopardizes his investigation into a contemptible scheme that reaches the highest levels of government in London. Now, Leo needs Lady Caroline’s help to regain access to society. But this charming prince is about to discover that enlisting the deceptively sweet and sexy Lady Caroline might just cost him his heart, his soul and both their reputations…

Review:

I read book 1 a while back, and I remember liking this. I was curious about 2, and it was now available at my library. So why not?

Here we follow Caroline and Leo. Leo has secrets, and Caroline is desperate to uncover them because he doesn't remember her. A Rake? Not remember her Lady of the Ton? Unacceptable. She finds out someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who and why? Socially, it will ruin him, but it could jeopardize his investigations into a scheme that reaches the highest levels of the government. He needs Caroline and her connections. 

This was rough for me to get into. I don't know why, really. I liked the added layer of intrigue and society scrutiny. The two were interesting enough. Caro was a little shallow and selfish, but she is sweet enough. Leo has a huge heart, but he's a bull in a China shop. They truly need each other. 

The intrigue kept me hooked enough to want to finish it. I didn't really even care about their love. I mean...I cared a touch, but....eh. 

But yes, I just don't think I connected with this story. I was interested enough to finish it, but the resolution of this one is good enough for me. I believe there are more in the series, but there are no side characters I care enough about to read more. 

I'll give this 2 stars.

 

Reading Challenges

-  Reading Romance Challenge #3 (Pink Dress)

- Library Love #4

Book Review: On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

Author: Julia Quinn

Title: On the Way to the Wedding

Series: Bridgertons #8

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: paperback

Pages: 384

Published: June 27, 2006

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

A funny thing happened...

Unlike most men of his acquaintance, Gregory Bridgerton believes in true love. And he is convinced that when he finds the woman of his dreams, he will know in an instant that she is the one. And that is exactly what happened. Except...

She wasn't the one. In fact, the ravishing Miss Hermione Watson is in love with another. But her best friend, the ever-practical Lady Lucinda Abernathy, wants to save Hermione from a disastrous alliance, so she offers to help Gregory win her over. But in the process, Lucy falls in love. With Gregory! Except...

Lucy is engaged. And her uncle is not inclined to let her back out of the betrothal, even once Gregory comes to his senses and realizes that it is Lucy, with her sharp wit and sunny smile, who makes his heart sing. And now, on the way to the wedding, Gregory must risk everything to ensure that when it comes time to kiss the bride, he is the only man standing at the altar...

Review:

Been holding off on finishing this series! It takes so long between each season of the show that I've been slowly making my way through the series. I finally decided to finish the main books of the series and read Gregory's tale. I still need to read the short story about Violet. 

Gregory is not your A-typical guy of the ton. He believes in love and wants to find love. He wants what all his other siblings have. He wants it badly. When he comes across Hermione, he fancies himself in love. She HAS to be the one? Right? ...Right? Enter in Hermione's best friend, Lucy, who likes Gregory. He seems like the best of suitors, so she decides to try to help him win the girl. Lucy is engaged, and there is no way out of it, so why not let her best friend find love? 

So I loved that Gregory truly wanted to be happy and find his own person. He sees how happy everyone in his family is, and he is the last unmarried sibling. He wants it so bad that he finds himself in love with the wrong person. It isn't love...no spoiler. Lucy is his person. He is just a dumb-dumb to not see it. Same with Lucy, but I get why she is blinded to it. She's technically engaged anyway. Not by choice, but family duties and whatnot. 

I struggled really bad for the first...mmm....45% of the book? Gregory's infatuation with Hermione grated on my nerves. Sure. That is the whole story. He eventually wakes up after an event and realizes he never loved her. He loved the idea of being in love. Why SOOOO long? Why not shave that off a bit? Maybe only being in love like....30% of the book? And then fighting to get the real girl. I would've liked to see more time with Gregory yearning for Lucy and making her feel wanted. 

Other than that block. I loved the story. It was dramatic and crazy and just plain fun. Gregory has a huge heart, and he's a big dumbdumb. Silly. 

Lucy was sweet. 

I liked one character a lot (I won't spoil anything). I was really hoping he found an HEA. Maybe the show will flush his story our more *fingers crossed*

In the end, this was a lovely series. I can see myself re-reading this someday. I loved all the siblings, even though they frustrated me sometimes. I'm so glad Netflix is making these books into a show. I would love to see more books like this find the limelight. But yes, totally worth reading the whole series. I had a little issue with this one, but by the end, I ended up having fun. I'll give this 3 stars. 

Reading Challenges

-  Reading Romance Challenge #2 (Wedding)

Audiobook Review: Unmask Me If You Can by Shana Galen

Author: Shana Galen

Narrator: Victoria Aston
Title: Unmask Me if You Can

Series: The Survivors #4

Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published: November 6, 2018
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

This masked lord...

Lord Jasper, younger son of a marquess, suffered horrible burns fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. He wears a mask to hide his face from the stares and screams and finds comfort in the shadows. Jasper is an exceptional bounty hunter, so when a woman summons him to her deathbed and asks him to find her runaway daughter before she passes away, he doesn't refuse. Jasper is close to his quarry when he's knifed by an assailant. Imagine his surprise when he regains consciousness in the arms of the woman he seeks. Except she's not at all what he expected.

Is not the only one with scars.

On a remote cliff on the sea, Olivia Carlisle calls her five-year-old son in from an approaching storm. But the little boy is more interested in the man he's found on the trail to their hidden cottage. Olivia fears men and wants nothing more than to leave the injured man where she found him. But his knife wound is severe, and with the approaching storm, she knows leaving him will condemn him to death. As Jasper begins to heal, Olivia acknowledges her attraction to him, even though such emotions terrify her almost as much as returning to London. Jasper must convince her that her only chance at safety is to challenge the man who pursues her. They must travel into the lion's den—he to face his vulnerability and she to face her worst fears.

Review:

Had some issues with the last book, so I was hesitant to keep on going. However, the cover drew me in and I was super curious and hopeful for Jasper. He really deserves love!

Here we have Jasper who one of the survivors. He was mentally scarred and physically. He hides behind a mask because of the scars. He accepts jobs to find people and he is hired to find Olivia who ran away 5 years ago. Easy peasey. Right? As he finds her, he is attacked and left for dead. Olivia drags him to her cottage on a remote cliff near a small village. She fears men, but she can't leave him to die. As she heals him, she starts to like him and that terrifies her. After some time they grow to trust each other and they realize that her time of hiding is over. 

This one was really sad, but happy all at the same time. These two people are so damaged and so hurt. Through friendship and love, they start healing together. I really loved this slowburn. Yes, the lust is there, but they both need the time to trust the other and themselves. 

Jasper was a heartthrob. I loved him so much. I liked him in the other books, but we got to see the man behind the mask and I ended up loving him. Olivia was perfect for him. Sweet girl. And her son? What an angel of a boy. 

The author did a wonderful job with this story of healing. It didn't happen over night. But it didn't ruin the "romance". It was very sweet and still a sprinkle of spicy to make it fun. 

The conclusion of a baddie was lovely. I did want more. Maybe we'll more of his downfall later in another book. It surely can't be the last we see of that monster. 

The narrator was pure perfection for these characters. All the voices felt different. 

All-in-all, this renewed my spirits with the series. I was let down a bit with the last one, but this one has me excited for more. I hope we see Jasper and Olivia make some cameos. They were so sweet. 5 stars from me. 

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #62

Book Review: The Princess and the Pea by Victoria Alexander

Author: Victoria Alexander

Title: The Princess & the Pea

Genre: Historical Romance, Fairy Tale retelling

Format: Paperback

Pages: 354 

Published: January 1, 2009 

Where I got It: My shelf (Used book store)

Summary: 

A true American princess, Cecily White stood to inherit her father’s business empire. And with the twentieth century right around the corner, the independent beauty had no intention of marrying some foreign nobleman seeking her money. Then on a trip to England, Cece fell under the spell of a dashing peer who had more to recommend him than the length of his title and the size of his countinghouse. But Cece wouldn’t surrender her heart to the virile Earl of Graystone until he proved that the only treasure he wanted was her love.

Review:

I picked this up forever ago, and it has just been collecting dust on my bookshelf. Yayy for reading challenges to get me to pick up these dusty books!!

Here we follow Cecily and Jared. Cecily is a true American princess who stands to inherit her father's business empire. She is everything society wants: beautiful, rich, and polite. However, she is independent and has no desire but to marry for love. Especially those poor English peers that only have a title and debt in their pockets. However, there is something about Jared, the Earl of Graystone, that she can't resist. 

This story started off swell. I really enjoyed it. Cece was a gem, and I liked Jared. They were perfect for each other, but they literally "fell in love" like immediately. Luckily, there were a lot of issues, and Cece isn't an empty-headed fool. He needs to earn her and really show he loves her. GOOD. He's a fortune-hunter...no better than the girls of the ton. 

I think my biggest issue was how modern everyone felt. I get being "ahead of the times" and oddities, but sometimes it was a bit much. 

And the MIL? Omg. SURE she loves her son and wants the best, BUUUUT YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE IN THE POORHOUSE. Let him marry whomever he wants. Gah. I wanted to kick her. 

Plus the side romances drove me insane. I love when side characters find love too, don't get me wrong, but it was too much. It really bled into the story sometimes. 

Even with the issues, I did enjoy the journey of these two. 

I'll stamp this with 2 stars. 

 Challenge(s):

- TBR #11 (Change of Plans)

Book Review: The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

Author: Lauren Willig

Title: The Masque of the Black Tulip

Series: Pink Carnation #2

Genre: Historical Romance, Mystery, Chick Lit 

Format: paperback

Pages: 464

Published: December 1, 2005

Where I got It: My shelf (Some sort of bookstore - it's been so long)

Summary: 

Modern-day graduate student Eloise achieved the academic coup of the century when she unmasked one of history's greatest spies, the Pink Carnation, who saved England from Napoleon. But now she has a million questions about the Carnation's deadly French nemesis, the Black Tulip. And she's pretty sure that her handsome on-again, off-again crush, Colin Selwick, has the answers somewhere in his archives. When she finally comes across an old codebook, Eloise discovers something juicier than she ever imagined: an unlikely pair who were hot on the trail of the Black Tulip and had every intention of stopping him from killing the Pink Carnation and bringing down England. But what they didn't know was that while they were trying to find the Tulip--and stumbling upon something like love--the Black Tulip was watching them....

Review:

It's been YEARS since I read this little gem. I've been struck with the need to re-read this whole series so I'll be chipping away at this over the next few...whatever it takes. I'm so excited. 

We are back at it with Eloise digging for the truth. She unmasked the Pink Carnation and now she has a million questions about the Carnation's deadly French nemesis....the Black Tulip. Colin surely has the answers in his archives. While digging, she uncovers an unlikely pair who were hot on the trail of the Black Tulip. Miles and Henrietta have known each other since childhood. Miles is her brother's best friend and spy partner. She wants to help! But Miles wants her to stay home and out of danger.

Awww Hen and Miles. I adore this couple soooo much. I forgot how much I loved watching them go from friends to lovers. The chemistry was always there, but they never took that step. Mainly in loyalty to Richard, Hen's brother. 

I do like Eloise and Colin's story and POV, but I much prefer our heroes in history. I'm a sucker for historical romance and historical intrigue. Love old school spies. 

This book held up to the test of time! I loved it just as much as I did when I stumbled upon this series in High School! I remember checking this out from the library. I picked up this and the first book and sped through it. Honestly, I think this cemented my love for historical romances AND spy novels. Eeee!

But yes, still fun. A nice mystery. The Black Tulip and Pink Carnation are amazing foes. 

Miles is a hunk. 

Hen is a spitfire. 

You need to read this series. 

5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Hen

Least Favorite Character(s): Mary (I know - I know - but I hate this young version of her. I kept telling myself, "She gets better someday") 

Audiobook Review: One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare

Author: Tessa Dare

Narrator: Justine Eyre

Title: One Dance with a Duke

Series: Stud Club #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: Audiobook 

Published: May 25, 2010

Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members--yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing "Duke of Midnight." Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke--until Lady Amelia d'Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke's dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother's debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club's founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

Review:

Weeeee Dare!

Here we have Spencer and Amelia. Spencer is a reclusive horse breeder. He never wanted to be Duke, but here we are. He just wants to be left alone with his horses and finally get the prize horse of his dreams but there are a lot of members of the Stud Club he will have to beat in order to get sole position of that horse. In order to keep appearance, he selects on lady for a midnight dance and then he leaves. This has labeled him the "Duke of Midnight". One evening, Lady Amelia catches his interest so he chooses her. Amelia claims the dance with fervor because this will give her the chance to beg him to forgive her brother's debts. Pulling him to the side, alone, she will find herself embroiled in a murder mystery of who killed the founder of the Stud Club. 

Let's do our divide and conquer method for this review (I am lazy today).

The Good

- Loved our characters. They were so perfect for each other. They needed each other to help bring out the best in each other. 

- They were soooo complex! 

- Lots of talking needed to be done. I loved their banter. 

- The resolution between our couple was nice. The resolution between Amelia and her one brother was done so well.

- Awesome side characters! I can't wait to read more!

- The narrator was great as per normal. 

The Bad and the Ugly

- Claudia and her last minute twist at the end. Mmmm. Not a fan. Plus....what does she decide to do? Hopefully we see that in the next book. 

- I wish we got to see more of the murder mystery aspect. 

- What happened to one of the horses!!!!!!! WHY??? WHY WAS THAT NEEDED FOR THE STORY!?!?!?!?!?! *cries*

Overall

I enjoyed this one overall. Loved the characters. They were written with a lot of depth even our side characters! I loved the majority of the resolutions at the ending. They were done nicely! However, I struggled with a few points as seen above. I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Amelia and Spencer

Least Favorite Character(s): Claudia

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #36

Book Review: Between a Highlander and a Hard Place by Mary Wine

Author: Mary Wine

Title: Between a Highlander and a Hard Place

Series: Highland Weddings #5

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 320

Published:  November 6, 2018

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Athena Trappes thinks she's in love...until she discovers the scoundrel only wanted her as his bit on the side. Enraged, she does what any spirited Englishwoman would set fire to his belongings, incur his dangerous wrath, and flee—immediately. With nowhere else to turn, she seeks freedom in the wilds of Scotland.

Highland Laird Symon Grant lost his wife years ago, and it's his duty to find another. Athena is not exactly what the clan has in mind for him, but Symon's heart burns with unexpected passion for the woman who would risk everything to be free.

Review:

Weee Symon's story!!!

Here we continue with seeing Symon finally find love after an arranged marriage. It's his duty to marry and provide an heir, but no one seems to fit what he wants...until he meets Athena Trappes. Athena thought she was in love until she discovered that he only wanted her as a mistress since he had his eyes on a richer prize. She runs away and seeks a new life. 

This was all unrealistic and sometimes silly, but for some reason it all seemed to be crazy enough to work. 

I liked Symon and Athena. They were perfect for each other. I loved the fact that Symon fell hard first and fell fast. Athena was worried...but look at happened when she thought she loved someone? So I get her taking time and made Symon do the work to woo her. 

The external and internal struggles worked very well. I loved the whole scene with the King near the end. I was unsure how everything was going to play out. Bless you Brenda! You are the darling of the clan!

The ending left on a HUGE cliffhanger........what are they going to do? EEEE *requests the next book to the series right away from the library* I gotta know. 

My biggest issue with the book.............Athena's name. The probablity of a 16th century English woman having that name is slim to none. It bugged me. Maybe there was one or two but one of nobility? Eeeee not sure about that one captain!

All-in-all, just a couple little bugs that annoyed me, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. The last couple have been just okay, but this was much better and worth wading through the others to get here. 4 stars from me.

 

Favorite Character(s): Brenda

Least Favorite Character(s): Esme......

 Challenge(s):

- Library Love #14

Book Review: Highland Flame by Mary Wine

Author: Mary Wine

Title: Highland Flame

Genre: Historical Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 313

Published: September 5, 2017

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Laird Diocail Gordon has just come into his title and inherited his father’s run down castle and rag-tag clan. He knows the sorry sight of the castle would send any woman running, but is determined to find a wife to help return his home to its former glory.

Widow Jane Stafford is on a mission—return to England even if it means trudging through the Scottish Highlands on foot. Her travels lead her straight to the path of danger until a mysterious, brawny man comes out of nowhere and saves her—and the spark between them is immediate. With a target on Jane’s back, she knows the only way to stay safe is to go with Diocail. But the real trouble will be guarding her heart from her newly ignited Highland flame…

Review:

Been meaning to push forward in this series for a while now, but you know life....things sometimes get forgotten or pushed back. But yayy. Finally back on track!

Here we follow Jane and Diocail. Jane is a newly made widow and she isn't sad about it. He was a bad husband in a lot of ways. She wants to go home one way or another even if that means walking the whole way. However, her plans are thwarted when she is saved by Diocail. He has just inherited his father's clan and it needs some serious work to get the clan back to it's former glory. First step...find a good and loyal wife to help. Jane is not that woman, but he can't help but be enchanted by the little English spitfire. 

This was a nice read. Loved Diocail and Jane. There is some drama, but nothing major. There are major trust issues they both have to work through...especially at the end. However, as every HR tells you......they work it out and they live happily ever after. 

I do wish we had more external drama that didn't involve someone trying to continuously kidnap Jane. Ugh. It got old. I would've liked a little more drama that might've brought Diocail and Jane together. I think it would've been nice to see them work on a problem together maybe. There is an external story going on at the same time, but it seemed to be slowed down to nearly a pause here. Hopefully we see more action in the next.

What else to say?

Loved Muir. 

Loved Jane and Diocail. You could see the lust and love bubbling there. They were perfect for each other even before they knew it. 

I can't wait to get to Brenda's book. She is my favorite but her book is last. We have one more tale to read before then. 

All-in-all, I have enjoyed the series so far. It is a cute and has some lovely steamy scenes. And the story is fun to watch unfold! This was a little slower for the external story, but still fun overall. I'll give this a 3. 

Favorite Character(s): Brenda is my girl

Least Favorite Character(s): The baddie(s) here

 Challenge(s):

- Library Love #13

- Romance Reading #17 (Highland in title)