Romancing the Countess by Ashley March

Setting: Victorian 1849

Summary:

Sebastian Madinger, the Earl of Wriothesly, thought he’d married the perfect woman-until a fatal accident revealed her betrayal with his best friend. After their deaths, Sebastian is determined to avoid a scandal for the sake of his son. But his best friend’s widow is just as determined to cast her mourning veil aside by hosting a party that will surely destroy both their reputations and expose all of his carefully kept secrets…

Leah George has carried the painful knowledge of her husband’s affair for almost a year. All she wants now is to enjoy her independence and make a new life for herself-even if that means being ostracized by the Society whose rules she was raised to obey. Now that the rumors are flying, there’s only one thing left for Sebastian to do: silence the scandal by enticing the improper widow into becoming a proper wife. But when it comes to matters of the heart, neither Sebastian nor Leah is prepared for the passion they discover in each other’s arms…

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Review:

My first book by this author and while it wasn’t bad, it fell quite short of my expectations, sadly. The premise was very intriguing but the plot fell short in my opinion and failed to provide anything fresh and exciting.

I had heard about Ashley March as the latest star in historical romance so I decided to give her a shot. I really loved the sound of this romance and it was unique considering both main characters’ spouses cheated with each other. I was looking forward to a deeply emotional romance but seriously could not stand the heroine much at all.

We are told Leah just wants to have fun after her husband’s death but she really breaks alot of the rules and quite carelessly too. I get she’s trying to be independent but she really had a selfish disregard for other people, especially considering that her actions could hurt an innocent child-AND she still continues to act that way after being told that! D:

The hero was likable though and I would rather have seen him with someone who was kinder but the heroine does improve towards the middle. Nothing special in the course of their romance though I did enjoy the initial sparks and tension between them. At times it was quite touching, though the writing style wasn’t anything too special. I love romances with children and this one was well done in drawing up a realistic picture of a family growing to love each other.

All in all, not a bad romance but not an amazing one either. Perhaps new romance readers would enjoy this more than a veteran reader of romances.

Sensuality Rating: Pretty sensual (3/5)

Verdict: Just ok

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander

Setting: Victorian 1886

*Book 1 in Sinful Family Secrets series*

Summary:

Evelyn Hadley-Attwater has it all—a genteel Victorian life replete with loving husband, ball gowns and elegant parties. No one, including the man she married, suspects that she was once “Eve”, a spy for England’s most enigmatic intelligence agency. Summoned for one final assignment, the excitement of her former life and memories of her mysterious, flirtatious boss “Sir” prove too tempting . . .

Adrian Hadley Attwater is a respectable, dignified gentleman. But even the most proper gentlemen have secrets of their own. Secrets from the rest of the world, from their families, from their wives. Secrets that have a price. Now, as the veil of secrecy frays, a tantalizing game of cat and mouse will test the bounds of unfailing love…

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Trailer

Review:

Despite my preconceptions of this author and her last book, which I found disappointing, I decided to give this new book a shot. I thought the idea was fresh, intriguing and I absolutely adored the trailer. Plus, that cover was just downright irresistible and as much as I try not to be, I am a superficial reader. And while I wasn’t exactly blown away, the book wasn’t bad but it could have been better. So much better.

This isn’t exactly your typical romance as it starts after the happily ever after when the hero and heroine have fallen in love and settled down already. In truth, a more accurate term to describe this book would be a ‘reaffirmation of love’ romance as the conflict arises not in the courtship stage, but after the curtain typically closes in most romances, leading the hero and heroine to question their relationship and fall in love all over again. I really liked the idea of a heroine who is a spy and who keeps her secrets from her husband-it would lead to some interesting confrontations when the secret finally came out. The thing is, the plot progressed not at all how I imagined it, which normally would be a good thing but here ended up being confusing and somehow aimless. The main conflict isn’t what you expect and instead makes the hero unlikable for most of the book.

It started off very promising and the plot kept me guessing, but ended up dragging towards the middle and then it became unbelievable towards the end. The way the hero treats his wife is almost unforgivable and it would take more from me to forgive his uncalled for behavior. The only really good thing in this book was the secondary love story between the hero’s friend and the heroine’s friend. I loved their scenes and wanted more of them.

All in all, I really wish this book lived up to its magnificent trailer. What a great idea… but sadly not executed well at all. It was funny and it had its moments but it wasn’t as good as it could have been. It’s never a good thing when a trailer for a novel is ten times better than the real thing.

Sensuality Rating: Very Warm (Love scenes are short and explicit)

Verdict: Just ok.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Setting: Victorian 1841

*The second book in the Turner Brother’s series*

Summary:

Her only hope for survival…

Handsome, wealthy and respected, Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in all of London—and he’s known far and wide for his irreproachable character. But behind his virtuous reputation lies a passionate nature he keeps carefully in check…until he meets the beautiful Jessica Farleigh, the woman he’s waited for all his life.

Is to ruin the man she loves…

But Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Mark believes. Desperate to be free of a life she despises, she seizes her chance when Mark’s enemies make her an offer she can’t refuse: seduce Mark and tarnish his good name, and a princely sum will be hers. Yet as she comes to know the man she’s sworn to destroy, Jessica will be forced to choose between the future she needs…and the love she knows is impossible.

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Review:

I’ve always had a soft spot for virgin heroes so I just had to get this book! Combine that with how much I loved Courtney’s last book and I knew this one had to be good. And thankfully I was right. More than right. Courtney’s newest book was a beautiful, touching and heartbreaking story of two people who are both ‘unclaimed’ in their own ways, finding love and contentment at last in one another.

Jessica is a wonderful heroine. She’s got the Lizzy Bennet thing going for her-she’s intelligent, witty and not afraid to back down from a fight. But she’s also relate-able in that she has a vulnerable side and a past she’s trying to escape. And Mark… well, he just become one of my favorite heroes ever! Brave, protective and devoted, he was the perfect foil for Jessica and the perfect man to heal all her past wounds and to fall in love with! 😉 Jessica should have been a hard heroine to like with her trying to destroy the hero but Courtney handles her so well and gives her this sense of honor so that you can’t help but love her as much as you do Mark.

The way the story was plotted out was just perfect. I felt almost like it was written just for me as the sexual tension between these two were off the charts! 😀 I loved how Courtney stayed true to these character’s personalities and didn’t have them jumping into bed right away. The waiting only made the pay off more worth it! 😛 I can’ tell you how many times I swooned over their scenes together-perfect, just perfect!

This was a great romance and the perfect example of what this genre can do. You will sigh, cry and love this wonderful book!

Sensuality Rating: Hot (Love scenes are short and spicy)

Verdict: Courtney does it again! Another great book amazing book!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Perfect Mistress by Victoria Alexander

Setting: Victorian 1885

Summary:

Widowed Julia, Lady Winterset, has inherited a book—a very shocking book—that every gentleman in London seems to want. For a charismatic businessman, it’s a chance to build an empire. For a dashing novelist, it could guarantee fame. But to a proud, domineering earl, it means everything…

Harrison Landingham, Earl of Mountdale, can’t let the obstinate Julia release the shameless memoir that could ruin his family’s name. But the only way to stop her may be equally sordid—if far more pleasurable. For his rivals are intent on seducing the captivating woman to acquire the book. And Harrison isn’t the sort to back away from a competition with the stakes this high. Now the winner will claim both the scandalous memoirs and the heart of their lovely owner…

Click cover for more info!

Trailer

Review:

As soon as I saw and swooned over the gorgeous and intriguing 3 part mini-movie trailer for this book, I had to pick it up despite having never read anything from this author before.  I mean, with a trailer like that, the book obviously had to be worth the effort that went into promoting it! 😀

Well, once again, I was wrong, and quite sadly too. Seems I really can’t trust the appearance of a book, no matter how well promoted it was. I really wanted to like this book but what could have been a fresh, witty, sexy, fun opposites attract story turned out to be a roller coaster of clichés, poorly written characters and a very undeveloped romance.

Such a great premise but so poorly executed. Three guys (including our hero) all fighting to win the memoirs and the hand of the heroine? Sounds like a great setup for some funny, entertaining scenes. And yet, the other two men were barely mentioned at all, except to be an excuse for the hero to get his hands on the heroine. Some of the scenes were downright cheesy and unrealistic-the kind of thing you would find in a Barbara Cartland romance.  I also had such a hard time believing the hero and heroine could ever live happily ever after at all because all they seemed to do every time they met was fight, and when they weren’t fighting they were busy in the bedroom. Sounds like a perfect fairytale relationship, doesn’t it? Not.

And then there was the heroine who was supposed to be rational and sensible (and granted she was at the start of the book) but ended up being completely irrational and immature, who seemed to like nothing more than shouting at the hero for no reason and then storming out without letting him get a word in. I honestly felt like slapping her a couple of times because her behaviour was so ‘What the heck!’ The hero was actually a decent chap and only at the start did he really behave in an overly arrogant, condescending manner toward the heroine, which kind of defied the purpose of the opposites attract thing.

There turned out to be very little wit. The only character I really liked was Julia’s best friend Veronica who had the best, wittiest lines in the whole book, and who I felt would make a much better heroine than Little Miss Tantrum. Most of the plot was predictable and boring and I can’t help but wonder how the author is a bestseller. It seems another case of a writer rushing their work to fulfil a contract.

Despite it all, there were some good points to be mentioned-excerpts from the memoirs are inserted every couple of chapters and made for some nice reading. There is also a supernatural element *coughghostcough* which made for some interesting scenes. But even this was not enough to cover the book’s mistakes.

All in all, this was another case of a great opportunity missed. I’ll be watching the trailers again, but this time I’ll be imagining my own story and ending and I suggest you do the same.

Sensuality Rating: Warm (Love scenes are short and non explicit)

Verdict: Just bad. I highly recommend you skip this one.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

The Surrender of a Lady by Tiffany Clare

Setting: Victorian 1841

Summary:

THE PRICE OF PASSION…
Sold. With one word, Lady Elena Ravenscliffe’s destiny changes forever. Forced into Constantinople’s slave market to pay off her late husband’s debts and save her son, Elena reinvents herself as Jinan—a harem girl adored by the rich lords who bid on her favors. But one man instantly sees through her façade.

…IS COMPLETE SURRENDER
Griffin Summerfield, Marquess of Rothburn, let Elena slip through his fingers years ago. When he recognizes her on the auction block, he pays an outrageous sum to possess her even if it is for a short period of time. But when his deadline looms, Griffin will risk all in a desperate bid to make her his—and his alone…

Click on cover for excerpt and more info!

Review:

This is my first book from this new author and I have to say I have mixed feelings about it. The premise itself was intriguing and fresh (it’s not every day you read a Victorian-era harem romance), and the story started off really well and was completely fascinating but I found the romance to be unromantic, undeveloped and in some ways downright abusive.

I’ll admit I’ve always had a thing for the danger, luxuries and forbidden pleasures of harem romances and that’s what made me pick up this book in a hurry! I totally enjoyed the first part of the book with the initiation into the harem and found the inner workings and the inside look into harem life fascinating! However what ruined it for me was the hero’s utter selfishness and the heroine’s stupidity in falling for such an abusive, controlling bastard! D:

The heroine is sold into the harem and she accepts in order to save her son, and then re-creates herself as Jinan, one of the most popular harem girls. She was pretty likeable at first and her courage and strength for taking up her new life as a harem girl was admirable to say the least. However, I felt her judgement in loving such an abusive hero was very much flawed. She would have been much better off with the guy who owned the harem who treated her much better!

As for the hero, I did not take to him at all. His idea of proving his love to our heroine was kidnapping her from the harem and keeping her till she admits she loves him! Not to mention the semi-rape he enforces on her to make her ‘see sense.’ :O No, not the kind of man one would leave a harem for! Also, there was no real connection between the hero and heroine and the sex scenes were just repetitive and boring as a result.

As for the writing, the author’s style reminded me alot of Anna Campbell’s darkly erotic romances, only not as good. It’s no wonder Anna’a praise is written all over the cover! However, there was way too much internal dislogue and alot of repetitive questioning! I had such a hard time finishing this book, as all it seemed to be was sex, sex and more sex! Where was the romance?

All in all, a very dark, erotic novel with a complete lack of romance and connection between the H and H. Skip if you don’t like your heroes controlling and abusive. If you like your romances focused more in the erotic than the romantic, this one’s for you.

Not sure I’ll be picking up the next book from this author.

Sensuality Rating: Burning up! (Love scenes are long and very explicit)

Verdict: Lack of romance and a controlling hero make this one to skip!

Rating: 2 and a half out of 5 stars

Unveiled by Courtney Milan

Setting: Pre-Victorian 1837

*The first book in the Turner trilogy*

Summary:

Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family, and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom, and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But when he arrives, he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance.…

Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who’s stolen her fortune and her father’s legacy—the man she’s been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties—and the tantalizing promise of passion….

Click cover for more info

Review:

This book shows why Courtney Milan is one of my must buy authors. An absolutely brilliant novel that kept me up all night just to finish it! Can’t wait for the next book in the trilogy!

Courtney’s new trilogy features three brothers who have recently come into a large fortune, thanks to the efforts of our hero for this book, Ash Turner. He uncovers the old duke’s fake marriage and gets ready to take his revenge on that family. Unfortunately for him, the woman he sets his sights on is also the daughter of the duke he wants to have his revenge on.

I adored Ash Turner. I loved his strength, his vulnerabilities and his fierce loyalty to his brothers. I even loved his stubbornness. He is one of the best heroes I’ve read to date. I enjoyed how he wooed our heroine even under the guise of a servant and how he wanted to marry her despite her ‘supposed’ station. He made shiver through several scenes with his charm and his bare sincerity. Now this is a hero I would gladly stay up for! 😉

As for Margaret the heroine, I felt like I could really relate to her. At the end of the day, she was just a young woman trying to find herself and I loved how Ash made her see her own value. She was smart and very real and I rooted for her happy ending.  The sexual tension was spot on and I loved seeing how Margaret who initially disliked Ash eventually fell for his charm and *ahem* sex appeal 😛

I LOVE the way Courtney writes! I love how she goes above and beyond the typical romance. I love the depth in this novel and I love the wisdom and great insight into these character’s emotions and lives.  You feel like you really know them, and you feel what they feel and you want them to be happy so much. The secondary characters were also well-fleshed out and I enjoyed the peek at Ash’s two brothers.

This was more of a plot-driven novel, but it had enough heart to drive it emotionally as well. There were exciting things going on outside around the characters and between the characters as they slowly fell in love. The perfect mix! 😀

There are no predictable misunderstanding dramas in this book, which I also found very refreshing. Instead of the typical ‘Oh-you-lied-to-me, I-hate-you’ scenario, we get a nail biting twisting unpredictable end. I was up the whole night; half thinking things weren’t going to be ok!

Pick this one up-you’re guaranteed an amazing read!!!

Sensuality Rating: Pretty Hot (Love scenes are quite long and explicit)

Verdict: Perfect beginning to a great new series! 😀

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan

Setting: 1838, Victorian

Summary:

In the three years since her husband left her, Lady Kathleen Carhart has managed to forge a fulfilling life for herself. But when Ned Carhart unexpectedly returns, she finds her tranquility uprooted—and her deepest secrets threatened. Though she has no intention of falling for Ned’s charms, Kate can no longer deny the desire that still burns in her heart.

Ned is determined to regain his wife’s trust by using unbridled seduction. But just as Kate surrenders to Ned’s passion, her carefully guarded past threatens to destroy her. Now Kate must place her faith in the only man she’s ever loved, and the only one who has ever betrayed her…

Click on cover for more info

Review:

I LOVED Courtney Milan’s debut novel, Proof by Seduction so of course I had to read her second novel, exp since I was completely intrigued by the hero who was a secondary character in the first book. This book was brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!!

I’ve always had a thing for the more innocent heroes-I guess because there are far too many ‘experienced’ rakes and rogues out there, so it’s always refreshing to see a more innocent hero. Ned Carhart, our hero, definitely does not disappoint. In the first book, he was awkward, bumbling, with absolute no game whatsoever when it came to girls. In THIS book, he undergoes a dramatic change and becomes quite an amazing hero. At the very start, he leaves for three years and when he comes back, he is a changed man. He’s a complex man, full of strength and gentleness all molded together in one swoon-worthy package 😉 I love how Courtney doesn’t change him essentially, (he’s still quirky and funny) but instead gives me the strength to make him into a brilliant hero! 😀

This is really a story of two people who are so much more than they appear and who have to learn to love each other again. Our heroine, Kate is another great character-strong and vulnerable at the same time. I love it when characters are real like that and Courtney does a great job of making us sympathize with her. Both characters are flaw and yet totally lovable and you can’t help but root for their happily ever after!

All around, the writing in this book is perfect-I felt like I wasn’t reading your regular romance novel, but something deeper and more meaningful. This is a story of love healing old wounds and becoming the strength for two people. It was romantic, deep, and insightful and so much more than your typical romance novel. I love Courtney’s writing– it flows and you really feel like you know these characters and you feel for them.

There is conflict in the book apart from the hero and heroine’s own personal relationship conflict but that just added to the book and completed it. Overall, this is just a brilliant novel, and downright perfect!

Sensuality Rating: Hot (Love scenes are quite long and explicit)

Verdict: PERFECT and so much more than your usual romance novel 😀

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran

Setting: 1890, Late Victorian

Summary:

She’s been burned not once but twice by London’s so-call ed gentlemen . . .

Gwen Maudsley is pretty enough to be popular, and plenty wealthy, too. But what she’s best known and loved for is being so very, very nice. When a cad jilts her at the altar—again—the scandal has her outraged friends calling for blood. Only Gwen has a different plan. If nice no longer works for her, then it’s time to learn to be naughty. Happily, she knows the perfect tutor—Alexander Ramsey, her late brother’s best friend and a notorious rogue.

So why won’t a confirmed scoundrel let her be as bad as she wants to be?

Unbeknownst to Gwen, Alex’s aloof demeanor veils his deepest unspoken desire. He has no wish to see her change, nor to tempt himself with her presence when his own secrets make any future between them impossible. But on a wild romp from Paris to the Riviera, their friendship gives way to something hotter, darker, and altogether more dangerous. With Alex’s past and Gwen’s newly unleashed wildness on a collision course, Gwen must convince Alex that his wickedest intentions are exactly what she needs.

Click on cover for more info

Review:

I have to say I was really looking forward to the good girl gone bad story especially when it seemed to involve a hero who didn’t want to see her change. I suppose I have a thing for the underdog, the nice girl that people will use unfairly.

It started off well but I felt it didn’t hold up after the middle of the book. The book wasn’t terrible, it just could have been better. I did love how there were a lot of historical details thrown in and enjoyed being taken on a tour around 19th century Paris which I had never read before. That part was well-written and obviously well-researched. However, the book fell flat for me after the mid-way point and I found myself wanting to just finish it quickly so I could start a new book.

The heroine Gwen was well-written as a three-dimensional character in that you could see how she could have some naughty in her behind the nice-ness. She did evolve well in the book, but at times I felt that she was very immature and sometimes a bit too dramatic. The hero Alex, who apparently won a K.I.S.S award for best historical hero, was just ok for me. He didn’t seem to have much personality and just seemed like cardboard cutout of the ‘perfect man.’ I will admit that he was pretty sexy at certain points though 😉

As a couple, the two just didn’t have enough chemistry. Gwen just seemed too young and naive, and Alex seemed too worldly for her. I didn’t really get into their romance. That may also be because there weren’t really any obstacles in their way.

The best part of this book for me was the historical details and the tour around Europe 🙂 I learned some interesting places of interest and even a bit of French! Plot-wise, the book had a great start what with the tour and Gwen getting to try new things but after all that, it dragged.

Overall, the book suffered from a lack of chemistry between the leads, a lack of conflict and intrigue. On the plus side, Gwen’s evolution to less nice was well-written and the historical details very well researched.

Sensuality Level: Pretty warm (Short but explicit love scenes)

Final Verdict: Just ok. Read it if you’re bored, but otherwise don’t.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Beauty and the Duke by Melody Thomas

Setting: 1840, Victorian

Summary:

The face he shows the world is not the face she sees. . .

Once, ten years ago, they were young lovers, sharing sinful touches and desperate ecstasy. But he was bound by his promise to wed another. Since that fateful time, Christine Sommers has grown into a headstrong beauty, the kind of woman who thinks nothing of daring travels to the ends of the world. But for all her achievements, Christine has never found anyone who makes her heart race the way Erik Boughton once did.

Since that fateful time, Erik Boughton, the Duke of Sedgwick, has become something of a beast, at least according to the gossips of the ton. They say that he’s cursed, that any woman who shares his bed will meet an untimely end. But when he comes to Christine, desperate for her help to preserve his family and his title, she does not fear the devil duke. Enthralled by his ravenous desire, she would give him anything he wished, even her body . . . and her heart.

Review:

This is the first Melody Thomas I have read and I bought this one mainly on the basis of the back blurb which made the book sound as if it had magical elements in it. The blurb is very misleading. I thought the story was an update of Beauty and the Beast (which is my favourite fairytale), but it turned out the duke wasn’t a beast at all. Still, this was an interesting novel and different from the usual run of romance novels as it had an element of the supernatural in it-in the form of a ring which grants the wearer what they most wish for. This was more of a mystery romance, with the heroine trying to help the hero discover what happened to his ex-wife. The idea was interesting but failed to keep me hooked and I found myself wishing the story would move a little faster. It dragged in a lot of parts and I didn’t feel there was enough romance between the leads.

The hero, Erik is distant, brooding and really wasn’t a ‘devil duke’ as the back cover suggested. There were no mentions of mistresses or other women apart from Christine. The so-called curse wasn’t present either. Erik was always an honourable man and was as far from a beast as there could be!

Christine, the heroine was smart, independent and determined. She was definitely a woman to admire, and the reader could really connect with her as she tries to find meaning in her life. I loved how she could take care of herself and how the hero didn’t have to take care of her and was instead helping at her side.

Another thing that drew me to this book was the fact that the leads had once been together years ago but had since then been separated. Perhaps, this meant that there was no need for extra tension between the two but I did feel that the tension between them was lacking. Sexual tension is important in a romance as it allows the reader to root for the characters to be together and gives us something to look forward to. This was one of the book’s biggest flaws for me as the payoff came too quickly, and there wasn’t enough leading up to it.

I also felt that the book suffered from a lack of conflict as the danger was never too threatening and the conflict was too easily resolved. There was also no doubt of Erik and Christine loving each other even from when they were married for convenience.

I did enjoy the small tidbits of Scottish words thrown in, and enjoyed that the book was set in Scotland, which made it unique. It was a nice read but could have been better, and been more intriguing.

Sensuality Level: Warm (Love scenes are short but spicy)

Verdict: Just ok

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5

Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

Setting: 1838, Victorian Period

Summary:

She was his last chance for a future of happiness…

A gifted fortune-teller from a humble background, Jenny can make even the most sophisticated skeptic believe her predictions simply by batting her smoky eyelashes. Until she meets her match in Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, a sworn bachelor and scientist.

He just didn’t know it yet

Broodingly handsome, Gareth is scandalized to discover his cousin has fallen under the spell of “Madame Esmerelda,” and vows to prove Jenny a fraud. But his unexpected attraction to the fiery enchantress defies logic. Jenny disrupts every facet of Gareth’s calculated plan—until he can’t decide whether to seduce her or ruin her. Now, as they engage in a passionate battle of wills, two lonely souls must choose between everything they know…and the boundless possibilities of love.

Click cover for more info

Review:

I was so happy when my copy of this book finanlly came through. I had to wait a whole 3 weeks before getting it and the anticiaption nearly killed me!

What did I think of the book? I loved it! It had me hooked from the first chapter and I spent nights staying up just to read it, completely shunning my homework. Towrds the middle of the book, I developed a hatred for it as it was such a distraction! Everytime I finished a chapter I had to start the new one and then that turned into another one… Needless to say that when I finanlly finished it, I breathed a sigh of relief. Now life can return to normal.

I love the heroine of this book! She was smart, savvy and independent. She didn’t let anything get her down. The hero was a great match for her and he reminded me so much of Mr. Darcy. He was cold and distant at the beginning and I loved reading how Jenny managed to thaw him up slowly. The scenes between the two were hot with tension which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Plot-wise, the book had a unique premise that was well pulled off. I laughed during the first half the book as Jenny and Gareth fought each other on fortune-telling matters. Courtney’s writing is great and really flowed.

My only problem with the book was that it slightly dragged on towards the end, making it easier for me to put it down (Perhaps that isn’t such a bad thing after all?:P). The book started off with a bang, dragged a little towards the end but then managed to end beautifully.

It was very romantic, very steamy, very funny and very wise. Courtney understands people and their emotions so well, and the characters and their feelings were so well portrayed, I felt like I knew them.

I also enjoyed the glimpse of her next book and can’t wait to read it when it comes out later this year!

Sensuality Level: Very SPICY (Long and very detailed love scenes)

Final Verdict-A must read! You will read it, laugh, stay up all night to try and finish, learn to hate it because it is distracting and then love it again when it’s over. Don’t miss it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars