Review: Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes by Gina Lamm

Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes by Gina Lamm
Series: Geek Girls, Book 2
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Time-Travel Romance
Release Date: September 3, 2013
ISBN: 9781402277627
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Like any woman with a Darcy-loving soul, Leah Ramsey jumps at the chance to travel through time and find her true love. Only her trip to Regency England is nothing like she envisioned. Rather than taking tea with the ladies of the ton, Leah finds herself cleaning fireplaces in her position as maid in the Duke of Granville’s household. Not one to be defeated so easily, Leah is determined to catch the eye of the duke and win him over like any good historical romance heroine would. The problem is, it’s not the duke who makes Leah want to strip down to her shift, but the duke’s oh-so-unsuitable valet.

Former boxer turned valet Avery Russell isn’t quite sure what to do when a beautiful woman comes tumbling through a mirror and claims to be from the future. Leah’s like no other woman he’s ever met and Avery can’t resist helping her; even if that means he has to go out of his way to assist her in capturing his employer’s heart. Yet the longer he’s around Leah, the more Avery wants her for himself. He knows he’s not the right man for her – if he gets too close to her, the all-too-dangerous ghosts of his past might decide to use her as leverage against him.

Can a modern woman convince a pugilist from the past that their love is worth fighting for?

Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes is a delightful story with energy and charm to spare. Author Gina Lamm made me fall in love with her hero and heroine from the first, and because of that I couldn’t put Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes down.

I loved Leah’s spunky attitude and willingness to work hard to make her dreams come true…even if that work is less than pleasant. Like Leah, I’m a geek girl and a historical romance novel enthusiast, so I understood her daydreams about travelling to the past. Even though you know life wouldn’t be anything like it is for the heroines of our favorite novels, you can’t help but dream that it’d be easy to go back in time and win the heart of a handsome duke. Because I identified with Leah’s fantasies, I had to grin over some of the trials and tribulations a historical romance lover such as Leah faces when she takes a trip to the “real” Regency England (though admittedly Leah’s trials did eventually being to wear, and thus slow the book down).

The only person who’s anything like the hero of Leah’s dreams is a beaten down valet who yearns to be free of his past. Avery broke my heart and made me swoon at the same time. He’s a sexy-as-hell hero who deserves the love and acceptance Leah can give him. Life hasn’t been kind to Avery and though both he and Leah try to resist each other, Ms. Lamm had me rooting for them to beat the considerable odds stacked against them and find their happily ever after together. While I liked that Avery and Leah did eventually get their happy ending, the one thing that kept me from absolutely loving Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes is said ending. Though I won’t spoil what happened, the ending of the book felt incredibly rushed and left me with quite a few questions. A few more chapters – even one more chapter – would have brought the book to a more satisfying close.

Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes is the second book in Ms. Lamm’s Geek Girls series, but since I haven’t read the first book, The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl, I can safely say that Leah and Avery’s story can be read as a standalone. Leah’s best friend Jamie, heroine of The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl, is the inspiration for Leah’s adventure and I will definitely be picking up Jamie’s book. I hope Ms. Lamm has more Geek Girls books planned, because I love a good nerdy heroine and Ms. Lamm’s zippy writing style ensures that there are plenty more adventures to be found for geeky women in fish-out-of-water tales.

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Waiting on Wednesday: Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I'm a huge Sherrilyn Kenyon fan and the Dark-Hunter series is one of my favorites of hers (along with The MacAllisters/Brotherhood of the Sword series). It should come as no surprise, then, that I'm incredibly excited for Styxx to be released next week. As a huge Acheron fan, I'm interested in learning Styxx's side of the story.

Title: Styxx
Series: Dark-Hunters, Book 23
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Sherrilyn Kenyon Reading Order and Reviews

Book Description (from Goodreads):

Just when you thought doomsday was over...

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.

But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

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Blog Tour: A Rake's Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell

I’ve been a huge fan of Anna Campbell’s since her debut novel, Claiming the Courtesan, so I was thrilled when Forever invited me to be part of this blog tour. While Ms. Campbell’s newest release, A Rake’s Midnight Kiss, is worlds away in tone from her noir historical romance debut, one thing remains the same: Ms. Campbell’s phenomenal storytelling.

My review of A Rake’s Midnight Kiss can be found here (spoiler alert – I loved it!). Ms. Campbell’s second Sons of Sin novel is sensual, bright, and completely romantic. Don’t trust me? Check out the blurb and excerpt below – I dare you not to be intrigued by Richard and Genevieve.

Book Description

It Takes a Lady
Brilliant scholar Genevieve Barrett knows how to keep a secret. Her identity as the author of her father's academic articles has always been her greatest deception-until a charming housebreaker tries to steal the mysterious Harmsworth Jewel from her. She doesn't reveal that she recognizes her father's devastatingly handsome new student as the thief himself. For Genevieve, this will be the most seductive secret of all...

To Catch a Thief
Sir Richard Harmsworth has been living a lie, maintaining a rakish facade to show society that he doesn't care about his status as a bastard. Yet long haunted by his unknown father's identity, Richard believes the Harmsworth Jewel will confirm his claim as the rightful heir. But when Richard sets out to seduce the bookworm who possesses the stone, he instead falls for its beautiful owner. But even as she steals Richard's heart, Genevieve will be in greater danger than her coveted treasure...

Excerpt

She caught her breath on a frightened hiccup and struggled. “Let me go!”

His arms tightened like straps, controlling her with mortifying ease. Genevieve was a tall, strong girl, no frail lily, but the thief was taller and stronger. She’d never before measured her strength against a man’s. It rankled how easily he restrained her. She’d never been so aware of another person’s physical reality. The experience was disturbing beyond her natural terror of an intruder. “Hush, Miss Barrett. I give you my word I mean no harm.”

“Then release me.” She panted, her wriggles achieving nothing beyond the collapse of her never very secure coiffure.

“Not unless you put the gun down.”

She maneuvered to elbow him in the belly, but his grip made it impossible. “Then I’ll be at your mercy,” she said breathlessly.

A grunt of laughter escaped him. “There’s that to consider.”

He was so close that his amusement vibrated through her. The sensation was uncomfortably intimate. A few more of those blasted deft movements and he snatched her weapon. He placed it beyond reach on the desk.

“I’ll scream.”

“There’s nobody to hear,” he said carelessly, and in that moment, she truly hated him.

“You’re despicable,” she hissed, trying and failing to free herself. Her heart galloped with fright and anger. With him, and with herself for being a stupid, weak female, prey to an overbearing male.

“Sticks and stones.”

He drew her into his body and took a sliding step backward. She became conscious not just of his size and strength—those had been apparent from the moment he caught her up—but also of his enveloping heat and the way that he smelled pleasantly of something herbal. Fresh. Tangy.

This ruffian took the trouble to wash regularly.

He reversed another step and opened the door with a rattle, containing her struggles beneath one arm with humiliating ease. Fear spurred rage. She wrenched hard against him and tried without success to sink her fingernails into his forearm.

“No, you don’t,” he huffed, tugging her closer.

“I’ll have your liver for this,” she snarled, even as his scent continued to prick her senses. What was that smell?

“You’ll have to catch me first.”

She wished she didn’t notice how laughter warmed that deep, musical voice. Any angry response died in furious shock as he brushed his cheek softly against the wing of hair covering her cheek.

“Au revoir, Miss Barrett.”


Purchase A Rake's Midnight Kiss here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Monday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written here and on Romance Junkies. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- A Rake’s Midnight Kiss (Sons of Sin, Book 2) by Anna Campbell (available 8/27/13)

All other new reviews:
- Just in Time (Alaskan Nights, Book 3) by Addison Fox
- Maid of Dishonor (The Wedding Season, Book 3) by Heidi Rice
- Seeing Red by Jill Shalvis
- Her Ladyship’s Curse (Disenchanted & Co., Book 1, Part 1) by Lynn Viehl

Upcoming reviews:
- Christmas on Main Street by JoAnn Ross, Susan Donovan, LuAnn McLane, and Alexis Morgan
- Rise of the Gryphon (Belador, Book 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kincaid
- Skies of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 3) by Zoë Archer
- The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Highland Pleasures, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
- Mystery Man (Dream Man, Book 1) by Kristen Ashley
- Wild Man (Dream Man, Book 2) by Kristen Ashley
- The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker
- Down for the Count (Dare Me, Book 1) by Christine Bell
- Down and Dirty (Dare Me, Book 2) by Christine Bell
- Bolted (Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 2) by Meg Benjamin
- The Bridesmaid’s Best Man by Susanna Carr
- Cowboy Waltz by Cameron Dane
- Drawn Together (Brown Siblings, Book 6) by Lauren Dane
- How to Ravish a Rake (How to Series, Book 3) by Vicky Dreiling
- Gossamer Wing (Steam and Seduction, Book 1) by Delphine Dryden
- Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards
- Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef, Book 2) by Louisa Edwards
- Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, Book 3) by Louisa Edwards
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Cowboy Take Me Away (Rainbow Valley, Book 1) by Jane Graves
- Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke
- Cursed (Fallen Siren, Book 1) by S.J. Harper
- Beauty Bites (Biting Love, Book 6) by Mary Hughes
- Archer (Hard Body, Book 1) by Debra Kayn
- Since You’ve Been Gone (Welcome to Paradise, Book 4) by Elle Kennedy
- Caught Up in You (Loving on the Edge, Book 4) by Roni Loren
- True by Erin McCarthy
- Moonlight Kiss (Cricket Creek, Book 5) by LuAnn McLane
- Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk, Book 1) by Bec McMaster
- Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- Soul Sucker by Kate Pearce
- The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed
- Thankless in Death (In Death, Book 37) by J.D. Robb
- Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 4) by Nico Rosso
- Always on My Mind (Lucky Harbor, Book 8) by Jill Shalvis
- Rumor Has It (Animal Magnetism, Book 4) by Jill Shalvis
- This Is Who I Am (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 7) by Cherise Sinclair
- Archangel’s Legion (Guild Hunter, Book 6) by Nalini Singh
- Heart of Obsidian (Psy-Changeling, Book 12) by Nalini Singh
- Sully’s Sweet Salvation by Sierra Summers
- The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- His Lordship Possessed (Disenchanted & Co., Book 2) by Lynn Viehl
- Easy by Tammara Webber

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Review: A Rake's Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell

A Rake’s Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell
Series: Sons of Sin, Book 2
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2013
ISBN: 9781455512102
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Anna Campbell Reading Order

It’s no secret that Sir Richard Harmsworth is illegitimate. All of society knows it, and many choose to rub his face in the circumstances of his birth. Determined not to let the ton see how much the whispers and outright mocking bother him, Richard wears a mask of rakish gaiety. But one night it becomes too much and Richard decides to go on a quest. He’ll find the lost Harmsworth Jewel – a piece that legend claims signifies the rightful heir – and he’ll rub society’s nose in it. After tracking stone to a small town in Oxfordshire, Richard dons to guise of Christopher Evans and sets out to seduce the stone from its bookish owner. What Richard doesn’t expect when he sets out to find the Harmsworth Jewel is something far more valuable than any gem…

Hiding one’s true nature from the world is something Genevieve Barrett excels at. No one knows that she’s the brilliant mind behind her father’s scholarly papers. Genevieve is content to bury herself in books and she’s planning on breaking away from her current life and making a name for herself by writing about the Harmsworth Jewel. But when the mysterious Christopher Evans shows up, claiming he wants to her father to tutor him in medieval history, Genevieve learns that desire can be even more alluring than the life she has planned out for herself.

Richard never expected to fall for Genevieve, but now that he has, he has to wonder if she’ll ever forgive him for his deception. Then again, if a madman after the jewel has his way, Richard won’t live long enough to find out.

Secrets, seduction, and sparkling chemistry are the name of the game in A Rake’s Midnight Kiss. Author Anna Campbell has once again delivered a richly entertaining tale, complete with beautifully-drawn characters and a romance that’ll leave you smiling.

Richard is a hero you can’t help but sigh over. He’s handsome, protective, and kind, but he isn’t perfect. People have used his illegitimacy as a weapon against him all his life and my heart broke for how scarred he is because of this. Richard’s need to prove himself to society causes him to make many mistakes, but it also leads him to Genevieve, the woman who helps Richard heal his heart. Genevieve is a brilliant woman who’s out of her depth when it comes to dealing with Richard (or Christopher, as she knows him for much of the book). I loved Genevieve’s intelligence and I admired her determination to make name and a life for herself in a male-dominated field. The banter between Richard and Genevieve is lively and incredibly entertaining. I can’t count the number of times the two of them made me grin.

In addition to the romance, the character arcs, and Richard’s quest for the jewel, Ms. Campbell adds a large dollop of danger in the form of an obsessive collector who’s also after the jewel – and Genevieve. This is the one plotline I wasn’t quite so fond of, mainly because I was frustrated by the Barrett family’s blindness when it came to the villain. That being said, I did actually like the darker undercurrents this storyline added overall.

A Rake’s Midnight Kiss is the second book in the Sons of Sin series, but it can be read as a standalone. Richard’s two best friends do play strong supporting roles, Cam in particular. I give you fair warning, however: if you’re anything like me then this book will leave you more eager than ever for Cam's book. A Rake’s Midnight Kiss is very different from the first Sons of Sin book, the gothic Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed. Indeed, it’s actually quite different from a lot of Ms. Campbell’s books, as it’s more lighthearted. As much as I love Ms. Campbell’s darker books (and I do count them among my favorites), Richard and Genevieve’s story was fun change of pace.

Anna Campbell is a master of historical romance and every book she writes has been a winner to me. A Rake’s Midnight Kiss adds to the treasure trove that is Ms. Campbell’s work and I cannot wait to read the next Sons of Sin novel!

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Anna Campbell Book Order

Click on series title to jump to a particular reading order:

Lairds Most Likely
Dashing Widows
Sons of Sin
Stand Alones

Lairds Most Likely

1) The Laird’s Willful Lass

2) The Laird’s Christmas Kiss

3) The Highlander’s Lost Lady

4) The Highlander’s Defiant Captive

5) The Highlander’s Christmas Quest


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Dashing Widows

1) The Seduction of Lord Stone

2) Tempting Mr. Townsend

3) Winning Lord West

4) Pursuing Lord Pascal

5) Charming Sir Charles

6) Catching Captain Nash

7) Lord Garson’s Bride


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Sons of Sin

0.5) Days of Rakes and Roses
Simon and Lydia
My Review

1) Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed
Jonas and Sidonie
My Review

2) A Rake's Midnight Kiss
Richard and Genevieve
My Review

3) What a Duke Dares
Camden and Penelope
My Review

4) A Scoundrel by Moonlight
James and Nell
My Review

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Standalones

Claiming the Courtesan
Justin and Verity

Untouched
Matthew and Grace

Tempt the Devil
Julian and Olivia

Captive of Sin
Gideon and Charis
My Review

My Reckless Surrender
Tarquin and Diana
My Review

Midnight's Wild Passion
Nicholas and Antonia
My Review

The Winter Wife
Sebastian and Alicia

These Haunted Hearts
Josiah and Isabella
Miles and Calista

His Christmas Cinderella (in A Grosvenor Square Christmas)

Her Christmas Earl
Blair and Philippa

The Christmas Stranger

A Match Made in Mistletoe

Mistletoe and the Major

A Pirate for Christmas

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Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://annacampbell.com/

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Waiting on Wednesday: Last Groom Standing by Kimberly Lang

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I've loved the multi-author Wedding Season Quartet so far (The Unexpected Wedding Guest, Girl Least Likely to Marry, and Maid of Dishonor), so it's no surprise that I'm eager to read the final book, Last Groom Standing. I have a lot of questions about Marnie and Dylan and I'm hoping Ms. Lang answers them all :)

Title: Last Groom Standing
Series: The Wedding Season, Book 4
Author: Kimberly Lang
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin KISS
Release Date: September 17, 2013

Book Description (from Goodreads):

Marnie Price's guide to surviving the bridesmaid blues…

1. Get a new man

2. Find a new job

3. When in doubt, drink wine!

Having watched her three closest friends all find love, Southern belle Marnie Price feels as if she's the only single girl left. Luckily she's found a solution—one sizzling night with Dylan Brookes. This man wears a wedding tux better than anyone, but all Marnie wants to do is get beneath it!

Dylan is all about making the sensible choice, and a fling with his ex's friend Marnie is about as far from sensible as he can get! Marnie might prove to him that taking risks is worth it, but that doesn't mean he's ready to give up his bachelor status quite yet, does it…?

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Teaser Tuesday: Beauty Bites by Mary Hughes

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I adore Mary Hughes's Biting Love series - it's funny, sexy, and refreshingly different. I'm lucky enough to have an arc of book 6, Beauty Bites, which releases next Tuesday.

Teaser:
"Life is like brain surgery: it’s smooth and pretty until you have to open it to fix something. Then you see the wrinkled, slimy mess."
*Beauty Bites by Mary Hughes, opening lines


Book Description:

Beauty is skin deep…but the beast goes all the way.

When top Minneapolis ad man Ric Holiday is asked to design a campaign for a quaint little town, his first reaction is absolutely not. Meiers Corners is too near Chicago, home of the vampire who turned him as an orphaned boy.

Then the city sends an angel-faced med student with a body made for sin to plead their case. Synnove Byornsson is the ray of sunshine Ric hasn’t felt since he was human.

Armed with determination and a micro miniskirt, Synnove is prepared to crash Holiday’s penthouse cocktail party—and to dislike him on sight. But Mr. All-Style-No-Substance turns out to have a deadly smile, a barely restrained, feral strength, and piercing blue eyes that look at her—not at her cleavage.

Unfortunately Synnove has competition in the form of a sly temptress with a counterproposal. For the first time in her life, Synnove must cash in her genetic lottery ticket and fire back with some sizzle of her own—or her beloved Meiers Corners could become the new Sin City.

Product Warnings
Contains a doctor with a bod for sin, an ad exec with a chip on his shoulder, sarcasm, sex, and a cabin full of annoying friends. Secrets are revealed. One heart-stopping, horrific moment leads to the ultimate of happily-ever-afters.

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Review: Maid of Dishonor by Heidi Rice

Maid of Dishonor by Heidi Rice
Series: The Wedding Season, Book 3
Publisher: Harlequin KISS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2013
ISBN: 978-0373207282
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

In college, Gina Carrington was known as the “bad girl,” and she made no apologies for her naughty behavior. But the consequences of falling for – and sleeping with – her best friend’s engaged brother, Carter Price, were almost too much for even the tough-as-nails Gina to handle. It’s been ten years since the blowup that cost Gina one of her friends (and a heck of a lot more), and the sassy Brit is more than ready to put the past behind her. But while preparing for her friend’s wedding, Gina runs into Carter again. The Southern charmer who once melted the defenses around Gina’s heart is now single and hotter than ever… and this time he’s the one in pursuit. Gina swore she’d never risk her heart again, but the chemistry between her and Carter proves to be too much for her to resist. But what will happen when their fling turns into something more?

Author Heidi Rice is sure to keep you on your toes with Maid of Dishonor! This fast-paced, engaging romance is filled with decadent sensuality, sharp-edged repartee, heartbreak, and second chances.

Having been intrigued by Gina since the first Wedding Season book, The Unexpected Wedding Guest, I started her story with high expectations. Ms. Rice definitely did not disappoint. Gina was everything I’d hoped for and more. She’s bright, bold, and with each layer of her character you pull back, she simply becomes more and more endearing. She’s been hurt so many times that the walls around her heart are high and she pushes people away in an attempt to shield herself from further hurt. Ms. Rice broke my heart over and over again with her; Gina’s sassy exterior hides a vulnerable side that made me yearn for her to find love. Carter is the one person who truly sees through Gina’s mask. I loved that Ms. Rice showed their first meeting because I could see why Gina fell for the sensitive young man Carter once was, even though he was off-limits. Ten years after she first fell for him, Carter’s lost a lot of his innocence. For most of Maid of Dishonor he’s a dominating alpha male who has no problem steamrolling Gina’s objections when he sets out to seduce her. The passion between them is ragingly hot, but I did mourn the loss of Carter’s sweeter side a bit when his alpha side got a bit too overpowering for my personal taste.

Maid of Dishonor is the third book in the multi-author Wedding Season quartet, but it can be read as a standalone. Gina’s fellow Awesomes all play strong supporting roles, and it was lovely to watch them come together to plan a wedding for Cassie (the heroine of book two, Girl Least Likely to Marry). Ms. Rice did leave me hanging regarding the strain in both Gina and Carter’s relationships with Carter’s sister, Marnie. However, I’m assuming this was done on purpose, as Marnie is the heroine of the next book, Last Groom Standing.

Gina alone could make me love Maid of Dishonor, but Ms. Rice provides plenty of reasons to adore this book. I’ve read Maid of Dishonor twice already and I know I’ll be coming back for more.

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Waiting on Wednesday: Reaver by Larissa Ione

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I LOVE (yes, all caps) the Lords of Deliverance series - it's one of my all-time favorite series. Since picking up and reading Eternal Rider on a whim, I have wanted Harvester and Reaver to get together. The chemistry between them is beyond amazing and the two of them are so compelling, so unique that I cannot even begin to express how excited I am for their story.

Title: Reaver
Series: Demonica, Book 6 / Lords of Deliverance, Book 5
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: December 17, 2013
Larissa Ione Reading Order and Reviews

Book Description (from Goodreads):

WARRIOR OF HEAVEN
Reaver is an angel with a past, a record, and a less-than-heavenly attitude. Powerful enough to fight alongside the fiercest battle angels-and crazy enough to risk his wings on a one-way mission to hell-he's agreed to go where no angel has ever gone before...to steal the most seductive and dangerous prize of Satan himself.

ANGEL OF HELL
Harvester is one of the Fallen, a once-heroic angel who sacrificed her wings to work as an undercover agent in hell. But now her cover has been blown, and she's been doomed to an eternity of agonizing torture. Even if Reaver can snatch her away from Satan's lair, even if they can fight their way out of the underworld's darkest depths, there is one thing Harvester can never escape-her newfound thirst for an angel's blood...

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Teaser Tuesday: 45 Pounds (More or Less) by K.A. Barson

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I've been eyeing this book since before it came out and I finally bought it last night. So far, 45 Pounds (More or Less) is a beautifully written story that strikes a chord with me. At times it can be funny, but it's also quite sad in parts. What I find most compelling about the story so far is that it's very realistic.

Teaser:
"I'm struck with self-consciousness. How can I tell her that I want to go on another diet? That I need to lose weight before the wedding. Any idiot can see that if you don't want to be fat, you shouldn't eat so much. You should move more. Any idiot could see that. Any idiot is smarter than me."
*45 Pounds (More or Less) by K.A. Barson, 20% on Kindle


Book Description:

Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.

And a size 17.

Her perfect mother is a size 6.

Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 8 weeks, and wants Ann to be her bridesmaid.

So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in two months.

Welcome to the world of informercial diet plans, terrifying wedding dance lessons, endless run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—-and some surprises about her NOT-so-perfect mother.

And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin-—no matter how you add it up!

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Review: Her Ladyship’s Curse by Lynn Viehl

Her Ladyship’s Curse by Lynn Viehl
Series: Disenchanted & Co., Book 1, Part 1
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Historical Urban Fantasy/Steampunk
Release Date: August 12, 2013
ISBN: 9781476722313
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

In Rumsen, almost everyone believes in magic. Not Charmian Kittredge. As the proprietress of Disenchanted & Co., Kit makes her living by solving crimes others claim to be caused by magic, exposing charlatans and dispelling the supernatural. Though she does her best to avoid the Hill — Rumsen’s closest thing to an aristocracy — Kit finds herself among the blue-blooded once more when she takes Lady Diana Walsh’s case. Someone is carving cruel words into the woman while she sleeps, and it’s not long before Kit learns that the attacks on Lady Walsh are only the tip of the iceberg. A foul plot is afoot in Rumsen, and Kit’s investigation into the Walsh family puts her in more danger than she ever could have imagined. And if that’s not bad enough, the mystery of her ladyship’s curse has put Kit firmly in the path of the one man she desperately tries to avoid: darkly handsome deathmage Lucien Dredmore.

Her Ladyship’s Curse is a stellar beginning to the Disenchanted & Co. series! I devoured Her Ladyship’s Curse in less than a day and was hungry to more, thanks to Lynn Viehl’s top-notch world-building and intriguing characters.

At the heart of Her Ladyship’s Curse is Kit. Our intrepid heroine is loyal, quick-witted, no-nonsense, and not afraid to go against the grain. I adored Kit and found her to be both relatable enough to be a window into the world of Rumsen and different enough to make her an appealing protagonist in and of herself. There’s a lot of Kit’s history that neither she nor readers know, and part of the fun of the story is piecing together the puzzle that is her legacy.

Also a mystery is who’s attacking Lady Diana Walsh and why. What seems to be a simple case at the beginning becomes more complicated than one might expect as Kit delves deeper into her investigation. Her questions and her daily life lead her to cross paths with many interesting characters, chiefly New Scotland Yard Inspector Tommy Doyle and the compelling deathmage Lucien Dredmore. Kit has a past with both men, and man, oh man, does Ms. Viehl leave readers wanting more when it comes to these two very different characters. There’s at least a dozen reasons I’m eager to read the second part of this story, His Lordship Possessed, but learning more about Lucien might just top the list.

The Disenchanted & Co. series is set in Toriana, an alternate-history universe where America lost the Revolutionary War. Geographically speaking, Rumsen (where the action of Her Ladyship’s Curse takes place) is roughly equivalent to San Francisco. Ms. Viehl brings Rumsen to vivid life in this story, giving depth to the world she has created. Toriana isn’t simply America with another name. Socially, economically, technologically, and politically, nineteenth-century Toriana is vastly different from the history we know and the changes Ms. Viehl makes have a huge impact on the story. Add in some magic (which exists, even if Kit doesn’t yet believe), and you’ve got a winning combination for an engaging, original world. I was transported to Toriana by Ms. Viehl’s storytelling and though she infused plenty of her world into the story, I still wanted to learn more because I was utterly fascinated.

Her Ladyship’s Curse is a bit of a difficult book to categorize. The best way I can describe it is to say it’s alternate history, urban fantasy, and steampunk all rolled into one, with a dash of potential romance that provides added intrigue and steam. No matter what you call Her Ladyship’s Curse, it’s a story that’s not to be missed. Fair warning, however, Her Ladyship’s Curse is part one of a book and it does end on a cliffhanger. None of the plot threads are tied up by the end of this story and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be desperate to dive right into part two, His Lordship Possessed (available October 14, 2013).

There’s so much I’d love to say about Her Ladyship’s Curse that I simply can’t for fear of spoiling the story. Suffice it to say that Lynn Viehl takes readers on a spectacularly exciting journey you won’t regret taking.


Note: Her Ladyship’s Curse and His Lordship Possessed will also be sold as one book (Disenchanted & Co.) as of January 28, 2014.

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Review: Just in Time by Addison Fox

Just in Time by Addison Fox
Series: Alaskan Nights, Book 3
Publisher: Signet
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 9780451239730
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link
Addison Fox Reading Order

Since high school, hockey is all Roman Forsyth has known. When an accident on the ice threatens to end his NHL career, Roman returns home to Indigo, Alaska, to be with his mother and grandmother and figure his life out. Also in Indigo is Avery Marks, the girl Roman loved and left behind to pursue his dreams. It’s been years since they broke up, but Roman’s feelings for Avery haven’t diminished. The passion between them burns as hot as ever, but Avery’s life is changing as well, and her path may take her away from Indigo. Love might not be enough for Roman to get Avery to give him a second chance.

I can’t get enough of the ALASKAN NIGHTS series! Author Addison Fox skillfully blends romance, friendship, heartbreak and second chances to deliver one captivating story in JUST IN TIME.

Avery and Roman are two bright, intelligent, hardworking people who are easy to become attached to. They’re clearly made for each other, but both have to face the fact that sometimes even true love isn’t meant to be. Even though I had faith in Roman and Avery, Ms. Fox had me wondering how these two would make their lives mesh and their relationship work. Past hurts and present problems threaten to derail them both, but I loved watching Avery and Roman work through all that stands in the way of their happiness.

The sexual tension has been building between Avery and Roman since the first ALASKAN NIGHTS novel, BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE. Ms. Fox makes the payoff of these two getting together well worth the wait. Both in bed and out, Avery and Roman have spectacular chemistry. A secondary romance between Roman’s grandmother, Julia, and everyone’s favorite physician, Doc Cloud, has also been simmering since the first book in the series. Julia and Ken’s love story was every bit as compelling as Avery and Roman’s, so readers are in for a wonderful treat with this plotline.

It wouldn’t be an ALASKAN NIGHTS novel without the townspeople of Indigo. I fall more and more in love with this town with each story. Ms. Fox makes Indigo come alive in every scene and I almost wish it were real so I could move there. Though our main players have all found love, I desperately hope JUST IN TIME isn’t the end of the ALASKAN NIGHTS series, for I can’t bear to leave the people of Indigo behind.


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I absolutely love Jennifer Ashley's Highland Pleasures series (The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is one of my all-time favorite books), and I have a soft spot for Daniel, who we first met as a brilliant boy prone to running wild. Now he's a handsome young man, too charming and too smart for his own good, and I can't wait to see him meet his match.

Title: The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie
Series: Highland Pleasures, Book 6
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Jennifer Ashley Reading Order

Book Description (from Goodreads):

Second Sight And Seduction...

Daniel Mackenzie lives up to the reputation of the scandalous Mackenzie family—he has wealth, looks, and talent, and women love him. When he meets Violet Bastien—one of the most famous spiritual mediums in England—he immediately knows two things: that Miss Bastien is a fraud, and that he’s wildly attracted to her.

Violet knows she can’t really contact the other side, but she’s excellent at reading people. She discerns quickly that Daniel is intelligent and dangerous to her reputation, but she also finds him generous, handsome, and outrageously wicked. But spectres from Violet’s past threaten to destroy her, and she flees England, adopting yet another identity.

Daniel is determined to find the elusive Violet and pursue the passion he feels for her. And though Violet knows that her scandalous past will keep her from proper marriage, her attraction to Daniel is irresistible. It’s not until Daniel is the only one she can turn to that he proves he believes in something more than cold facts. He believes in love.

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Review: Seeing Red by Jill Shalvis

Seeing Red by Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Forever Yours
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Re-Release Date: August 6, 2013
ISBN: 9781455547562
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Jill Shalvis Reading Order

After surviving the devastating fire that killed her father, Summer Abrams fled her hometown of Ocean Beach. It’s been twelve years since that fateful day, and now Summer is back in O.B. after another fire occurs in the same warehouse her father died in. But painful memories aren’t all that Summer left behind over a decade ago. Returning to O.B. throws her in the path of sexy fire marshal Joe Walker, a man who’s practically a stranger to her even though they were once inseparable.

Twelve years ago Summer broke Joe’s heart, and though he’s come a long way from pudgy best friend, Joe fears it’d be all too easy to fall for Summer once more. He’s determined not to get involved with her, even though her newfound desire for him makes it nearly impossible for him to resist her. But even if he could manage to convince himself to stay away from Summer, his job ensures that he can’t. His investigation of the new warehouse fire leads him to believe that neither this one nor the fire all those years ago were an accident. And when the arsonist begins targeting Summer, Joe will do all that he can to protect her, even if he loses his heart to her all over again.

What is it about a Jill Shalvis hero that makes you want to dive right into the story and claim him for your own? After reading Seeing Red, I’ve added red-hot fire marshal Joe Walker to the already long list of Ms. Shalvis’s heroes that I love. From the very beginning Joe captured my heart. As a teenager he was beaten by his father, bullied by his peers for being a bit overweight, and was desperately in love with Summer, who never saw him as more than her best friend. My heart broke for Joe, and even though he’s a seriously sexy adult for most of the story, Ms. Shalvis shows how the scars of childhood don’t always leave you. I yearned for Joe to find someone who could get past the walls he built around his heart. It comes as no surprise that that someone who does is Summer. Summer isn’t as instantly likeable as Joe, but she’s a flawed heroine who makes mistakes but owns up to them, earning her my respect. She has battles of her own to fight and her personal journey in Seeing Red was every bit as compelling as the romance.

Though I wouldn’t necessarily classify Seeing Red as romantic suspense, there is a fair amount of action to be found in the arsonist plotline. I’m afraid I can’t really write about this part of the story without spoiling the book, so I’ll simply say that I found the lurking threat of danger in Seeing Red highly entertaining.

Seeing Red is the third book in Ms. Shalvis’s Firefighter trilogy. Since none of the books in the series are connected, you can safely read Joe and Summer’s story without having read White Heat or Blue Flame. That being said, eagle-eyed readers will surely be delighted to see Jake (the hero of Blue Flame) make a cameo in Seeing Red.

Jill Shalvis is one of my top autobuy authors and her books never disappoint. I greatly enjoyed Seeing Red and I can’t wait to read the other two books in the Firefighter trilogy.

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Saturday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written here and on Joyfully Reviewed. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- Midnight Games (Killer Instincts, Book 3) by Elle Kennedy (available 8/6/13)

All other new reviews:
- Carniepunk by Rob Thurman, Delilah S. Dawson, Kevin Hearne, Mark Henry, Jaye Wells, Rachel Caine, Allison Pang, Hillary Jacques, Jennifer Estep, Kelly Meding, Nicole Peeler, Jackie Kessler, Kelly Gay, and Seanan McGuire
- The Sugar Detox: Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Look Years Younger by Brooke Alpert, MS, RD, CDN and Patricia Farris, MD, FAAD
- Don’t Bite the Bridesmaid (Sons of Kane, Book 1) by Tiffany Allee
- How to Marry a Highlander (Falcon Club, Book 3.5) by Katharine Ashe
- Ninja Cupcakes by T.A. Chase
- A Very Personal Trainer by Justine Elyot
- Studenstein (Love-Bots, Book 2) by Daisy Harris
- One Night Steined (Love-Bots, Book 4) by Daisy Harris
- Sacrifice and Blood (The Drone Vampire Chronicles, Book 14) by Stephani Hecht
- Blood of an Angel (The Drone Vampire Chronicles, Book 15) by Stephani Hecht
- Phoenix Kiss by Lyric James
- Nora Roberts Land (Dare Valley, Book 1) by Ava Miles
- Educating Elizabeth by Kate Pearce
- Redeeming Jack (Sequel to Educating Elizabeth) by Kate Pearce
- Mardi Gras Magic by Remy Richard
- Redeemed by Ciana Stone

Upcoming reviews:
- Rise of the Gryphon (Belador, Book 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- Skies of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 3) by Zoë Archer
- The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Highland Pleasures, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
- Mystery Man (Dream Man, Book 1) by Kristen Ashley
- Wild Man (Dream Man, Book 2) by Kristen Ashley
- Down for the Count (Dare Me, Book 1) by Christine Bell
- Down and Dirty (Dare Me, Book 2) by Christine Bell
- A Rake’s Midnight Kiss (Sons of Sin, Book 2) by Anna Campbell
- Cowboy Waltz by Cameron Dane
- How to Ravish a Rake (How to Series, Book 3) by Vicky Dreiling
- Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards
- Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef, Book 2) by Louisa Edwards
- Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, Book 3) by Louisa Edwards
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Just in Time (Alaskan Nights, Book 3) by Addison Fox
- Cowboy Take Me Away (Rainbow Valley, Book 1) by Jane Graves
- Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke
- Archer (Hard Body, Book 1) by Debra Kayn
- Since You’ve Been Gone (Welcome to Paradise, Book 4) by Elle Kennedy
- True by Erin McCarthy
- Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk, Book 1) by Bec McMaster
- Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- Soul Sucker by Kate Pearce
- Thankless in Death (In Death, Book 37) by J.D. Robb
- Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 4) by Nico Rosso
- Seeing Red (Firefighter, Book 3) by Jill Shalvis
- This Is Who I Am (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 7) by Cherise Sinclair
- Heart of Obsidian (Psy-Changeling, Book 12) by Nalini Singh
- Sully’s Sweet Salvation by Sierra Summers
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- Her Ladyship’s Curse (Disenchanted & Co., Book 1) by Lynn Viehl
- Easy by Tammara Webber

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