An orphan boy meets an escaped convict, a crazed rich woman, a bewitching girl, and grows up to have great expectations of wealth from a mysterious patron, on Great Expectations, Charles Dickens’ remarkable tale of rags to riches to self-knowledge.
Cast:
Douglas Booth as Philip ‘Pip’ Pirrip
Vanessa Kirby as Estella Havisham
Review:
Imagine my delight when soon after finishing the famous novel by Charles Dickens, I found out there was to be a new BBC version to be broadcasted over Christmas.
I had just given hope getting hold of the 1999 TV version and seeing the modern version with Gwyneth Paltrow looked to be my only chance of seeing Pip and Estella’s story brought to the big screen.
So naturally I managed to get a hold of this new version and settled down to watch what I was sure to be a great adaptation of a great piece of classic literature. It is the BBC after all and they rarely get anything wrong.
And boy, was I right! This version of the novel perfectly managed to capture the spirit of the book, despite being only 3 hours long compared to the 6 hour version in 1999. The setting was right, the tone was right, the casting was brilliant, especially for Miss Havisham who was just downright creepy and ghostly. Yes, the dialogue was slightly modernized and shortened but considering the time constraints, it still managed to maintain the essence of the book and the characters personalities without completely being anachronistic. From the moment the drama opened with Magwitch threateningly rising out of the stream, I was hooked. The pacing was good and those episode cliff-hangers made me want more!
I particularly loved how they handled Pip and Estella’s romance-bringing out a lot of the subtext and letting it take center stage. In the book, it’s implied that Estella returns Pip’s feelings but it’s never stated outright and this version does one better by showing that and in turn, making Estella a much more likable character. I swooned over their scenes together and was completely entranced. The only thing I will criticize is the actress playing Estella, while pretty, isn’t the stunner Dickens made her out to be. In fact, it’s a bit strange that the actor playing Pip is more good looking than Estella! But hey, I’m not complaining about his looks! I also loved those extra romantic ‘moments’ that were added, especially that sexually charged lake scene. 😉
I did think they shouldn’t have cut out one character, Pip’s childhood friend, as she played an important part in the book as a foil for Estella and another rival for his affections. The production didn’t suffer because of it but it could have been that much better. All the other characters were physically well-casted and were also acted very well. I ended up slightly crushing on Herbert, Pip’s best friend, who is played by the great-great-great grandson of Dickens himself, which was very cool to know.
All in all, this was a great adaptation, well directed, well-executed and well-acted. Even on it’s own it’s suburb drama and the BBC at it’s best. Well done BBC! 😀
Historical Drama Rating: 5 stars out of 5!!!
Sexiness Rating: 5 out of 5
Ladies, we’ve got the gorgeous, blonde, model-worthy Douglas Booth (who plays Pip) who looks good even when he’s sad and brooding, and the unexpectedly cute Harry Lloyd (who plays Herbert) who you might all recognize as a villain in the HBO show Game of Thrones. He makes quite the turnaround here!
Guys… There’s the ice-queen beauty of Vanessa Kirby to keep you happy as you enjoy this mini-series.
Nina’s first book will be available in August and features a mathematician heroine and a hero who has the one thing she holds dear…
Eloisa James describes her as ‘a rare combination of beautiful writing and hot sensuality.’
Sounds good to me! 😉
Daring Hearts Book #1
Click cover for more info on book and author!
Summary:
A HEART DIVIDED
Blessed with an uncanny gift for mathematics, the lovely Lydia Kellaway can solve the most complex puzzles. The one thing she can’t figure out? How to manage the most infuriating man she’s ever encountered.
A PASSION MULTIPLIED
Alexander Hall, Viscount Northwood, has purchased a one-of-a-kind locket from a pawnshop, unaware of the priceless sentiment it holds for Lydia. The gentlemanly thing to do would be to simply return it. But Lydia sparks a desire that has Alexander curious to see just how bold this brilliant beauty will be…
A LOVE UNEQUALED
What begins as a playful wager quickly escalates into a contest of the minds, a clash of the wills—and a battle of the sexes—as their fiery attraction grows. Even a genius like Lydia can’t account for the feelings Alexander arouses with his smile, or the fire he ignites with his touch. But when a dark family secret is suddenly thrown into the equation, it just might divide them forever.
If you all read Loretta’s Silk is for Seduction, you’ll probably all dying to read book 2 in this amazing new series about three dressmakers trying to make it big in London. Stella over at Ex Libris.com has a giveaway for the E-Arc of this exciting new book that’s open to all international readers!
Check out the gorgeous new cover that was just recently unveiled:
To view the giveaway and interview, click the cover!
Stunning isn’t it? 😀
The book is slated for a June 26 release.
What do you guys think? Will you be reading this new book?
Can you believe we’re already 3 months into the year? How time flies! Thankfully there are loads more new romances to keep us entertained as we had further into 2012…
1) Out March 6 *Book 1 in Fairbourne Quartet*
Summary:
A woman running a prestigious London auction house? Preposterous! But that is exactly what Emma Fairbourne intends to do when her father dies, leaving her the reins of this fabulous enterprise. Of course, she is not addlepated enough to do this openly and scare away her wealthy collectors. So she and her friend concoct a deception, hiring a handsome and charming front man who will do her bidding… All would have proceeded smoothly–if it weren’t for the maddening interference of Darius, the arrogant Earl of Southwaite, who has been her father’s “silent partner” and now shares ownership of Fairbourne’s. An earl, of course, has no interest in running an auction house–and Darius is certainly not interested in allowing the lovely Miss Fairbourne to run it either, her ludicrous scheme notwithstanding. Clearly the business must be sold. But the headstrong Emma is like no other lady he has ever encountered, refusing to follow his dictates. Holding his temper in check, Darius decides to attack on a different front. There is another way to achieve her surrender, one far more pleasurable for both of them…
Click cover for more info!
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2) Out March 6 *Book 2 in Jaded Gentleman series*
Summary:
After the darkness of a dungeon in India, artist Josiah Hastings found that years of imprisonment left his eyesight weak and failing.
So when the fiery beauty of Miss Eleanor Beckett appears in his vision amidst the bleak grays of a London winter, he knows he’s found his muse and one last chance at a masterpiece…
But is this a match made in heaven?
Click cover for more info!
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3) Out March 6
Summary:
After four disastrous engagements, Penelope Rastmoor wants nothing but to travel to Egypt.
To escape her brother’s plan to marry her off, she’s determined to find herself such an improper fiance that he would do anything rather than let her wed.
Enter the notoriously unscrupulous Lord Harris Chesterton…
Click cover to read excerpt!
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4) Out March 6 *Book 1 in Bridal Favors series*
Summary:
The dazzling wedding of fashions of A Lady’s Favor dress shop are guaranteed to make any girl the talk of the ton. But the brides aren’t the only ones falling in love….
Lady Helaine’s father was cast out of society as a liar and a thief—a scandal which renders her unfit for marriage. In order to provide for herself and her mother, she adopts an assumed name and runs a dressmaker’s shop that specializes in bridal wear for ladies of high society. Helaine is happiest immersed in silk and satin, but she lives in terror that someone will learn her true identity and she will lose everything…again.
Robert Percy, Viscount Redhill, is entranced with the mysterious Helaine and weaves a web of seduction sure to ensnare the delectable dress designer. Yet too late he learns the heartbreaking truth about who she used to be. Now he must find a way to overcome the past to claim Helaine as his own. But what chance has love when a secret mistress becomes a scandalous wife?
Click cover for more info!
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5) Out March 6 *E-book DEBUT!*
Summary:
Her heart longs for justice, but her body clamors for sin.
Once the darling of high society, Mazie Chetwyn knows firsthand how quickly the rich and powerful turn their backs on the less fortunate. Orphaned, penniless and determined to defy their ruthless whims, she joins forces with a local highwayman who steals from the rich to give to the poor.
Then the pawn broker snitches, and Mazie is captured by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. A man who is far too handsome, far too observant…and surely as corrupt as his father once was.
Sensible, rule-driven Trent Carthwick, twelfth Earl of Radford, is certain the threat of the gallows will prompt the villagers’ beloved Angel of Kindness to reveal the highwayman’s identity. But his bewitching captive volunteers nothing—except a sultry, bewildering kiss.
And so the games begin. Trent feints, Mazie parries. He threatens, she pretends nonchalance. He cajoles, she rebuffs. Thwarted at every turn, Trent probes deep into her one vulnerability—her past. There he finds the leverage he needs and a searing truth that challenges all he believes about right and wrong.
Warning: The delicious, if left-brained, hero might forever change all you think you know about the Robin Hood legend. Contains razor-sharp wordplay, skinny dipping and tortured hearts.
Click cover to read excerpt!
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6) Out March 20 *Book 3 in Blackthorn Brothers series*
Summary:
Meet the Blackthorn Brothers—three unrepentant scoundrels infamous for being mad, bad and perilous to love.Who is the darkly handsome Don John “Black Jack” Blackthorn? With his air of mystery and menace, the whispers about him hint of highwayman or government agent or even dark prince. But no one knows what it is Black Jack does…or how dangerous he can truly be. Now Jack’s mentor has disappeared, and Jack must track him down before it’s too late. His unlikely help: the man’s daughter—the very woman Jack had once wooed and betrayed.Lady Tess Fonteneau knows more about the fine art of clandestine activities—and about the mysterious Mr. Blackthorn—than he realizes. As their journey leads them on the adventure of a lifetime, their reunion is fraught with passion, high-stakes danger and the one twist of fate Jack never saw coming….
Click cover for more info!
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7) Out March 20 *Book 2 in Ladies in Disgrace series*
Note: This is the US version released by Harlequin Historical
Summary:
Considered a spinster, Lady Drusilla Rudney has only one role in life: to chaperone her sister. So when her flighty sibling elopes, Dru knows she has to stop her! She employs the help of a traveling companion, who looks harmless enough….
Former army captain John Hendricks is intrigued by this damsel in distress. Once embroiled with her in a mad dash across England, he discovers that Dru is no simpering woman. Her unconventional ways make him want to forget his gentlemanly conduct…and create a scandal all their own!
Click cover to view author’s website!
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8 ) Out March 20
Note: This is the US version released by Harlequin Historical
Summary:
She must make a deal with the devil himself!
Portia Tofton has always yearned for brooding Mateo Cardea. His dark good-looks filled her girlish dreams–dreams that were cruelly shattered when Mateo rejected her hand in marriage.
Now Portia’s home has been gambled away, and Mateo is the only man she can turn to. This time, however, she has in her possession something he wants–and she finds herself striking a deal with the devil himself.
Click cover to read excerpt!
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9) Out March 20 *Book 3 in Danger & Desire series*
Note: This is the US version released by Harlequin Historical
Summary:
Sophia Langley is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma. Her childhood sweetheart Daniel Chatterton and betrothed has been lost in the wreck of the Bengal Queen and without the marriage her family will be plunged into dire financial straits.
Callum, Daniels twin, haunted by the loss of his brother, and driven by a sense of duty, offers for her – but can she marry a man she does not love? And has Callum made the biggest mistake of his life?
Click cover for more info!
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10) Out March 27 *Book 2 in Spindle Cove series*
Summary:
Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove’s confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland. Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be… anywhere but Spindle Cove.
These unlikely partners have one week
to fake an elopement
to convince family and friends they’re in “love”
to outrun armed robbers
to survive their worst nightmares
to travel four hundred miles without killing each other
All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.
What they don’t have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.
Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble. And maybe…just maybe…love.
Click cover for more info!
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11) Out March 27 *Book 4 in Burgundy Club series*
Summary:
They couldn’t be more different—but there’s one thing they agree on . . .
In London after a two-year exile, Lord Blakeney plans to cut a swathe through the bedchambers of the demimonde. Marriage is not on his agenda, especially to an annoying chit like Minerva Montrose, with her superior attitude and a tendency to get into trouble. And certainly the last man Minerva wants is Blake, a careless wastrel without a thought in his handsome head.
The lights and din of her debutante ball set Minerva’s teeth on edge. Surely a moment’s rest could do no harm . . . until Blake mistakes her for another lady, leaving Minerva’s guests to catch them in a very compromising position. To her horror, the scandal will force them to do the unthinkable: marry. Their mutual loathing blazes into unexpected passion but Blake remains distant, desperate to hide a shameful secret. Minerva’s never been a woman to take things lying down, and she’ll let nothing stop her from winning his trust . . . and his heart.
Click cover for more info!
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12) Out March 27
Summary:
BY CANDLELIGHT, SHE LURES HIM… Glittering court socialites and underworld cutpurses alike know that Adrian Ferrers, Earl of Rivenham, is the most dangerous man in London. Rivenham will let nothing—not the deepening shadow of war, nor the growing darkness within him—interfere with his ambition to restore his family to its former glory. But when tasked by the king to uncover a traitor, he discovers instead a conspiracy—and a woman whose courage awakens terrible temptations. To save her is to risk everything. To love her might cost his life.AT SWORDPOINT SHE DEFIES HIM…
Lady Leonora knows that Rivenham is the devil in beautiful disguise—and that the irresistible tension between them is as unpredictable as the dilemma in which Nora finds herself: held hostage on her own estate by Rivenham and the king’s men. But when war breaks out, Nora has no choice but to place her trust in her dearest enemy—and pray that love does not become the weapon that destroys them both…
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13) Out March 27 *Book 4 in the Courtesan Court series*
Summary:
Andrew Rossiter has used his gorgeous body and angelic face for all they’re worth—shocking the proper, seducing the willing, and pleasuring the wealthy. But with a young son depending on him for rescue, suddenly discretion is far more important than desire. He’ll have to quench his desires—fast. And he’ll have to find somewhere his scandalous reputation hasn’t yet reached…
Miss Gemma Peartree seems like a plain, virginal governess—or so she hopes. No matter how many sparks fly between them, she has too much to hide to catch Andrew’s eye. But with a stormy Scottish winter driving them together, it will be hard to keep her secrets. Especially when Andrew feels he has found the woman who can restore his soul—one kiss at a time…
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14) Out March 27 *Book 3 in Secrets of Hadley Green series*
Summary:
The surprising news that dashing steward Harrison Tolly, illegitimate son of the Earl of Ashwood, is the rightful heir to his father’s estate comes at a most inopportune time. With a wedding on the horizon and a baby on the way, a new life of privilege and prestige would be a blessing but for one problem: his heart belongs to another woman.Harrison keeps his desires for his employer’s wife, Lady Olivia Carey, so hidden that even she does not know of his devotion. Her callous husband, Marquis Carey, went into a rampage after Olivia’s troublesome younger sister returned from her tour of Spain pregnant, and Harrison impulsively stepped in to save the entire family from scandal. Now, like Olivia, he is trapped in a loveless arrangement.
When a tragic accident claims the marquis’ life soon thereafter, can Harrison seize his chance and cast aside one sister for another? Or will doing so expose the Carey family’s darkest secret—and ruin his only chance to win Olivia’s heart?
Click cover for more info!
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15) Out March 27 *Book 2 in The Royal Entourage series*
Summary:
Six Regency heroes — One royal hangover
Last night was a blur.
This morning is a shock.
Tonight will be a secret…
The Duke of Norwich has two rules: never marry and never go to sea. So on the morning after the most extravagant royal bachelor party of the century, he is stunned to find himself aboard a storm-tossed ship and locked in the arms of a proper lady.
The Countess of Derby has two rules as well: never give away your heart and never let anyone get in the way of your life’s deepest passions. But Esme cannot resist Roman when all seems lost at sea. Yet when their ship returns to London, everything will be forgotten . . . as long as they can keep their secret from the Prince Regent. For if the future king commands them to marry, all their fondest dreams will be ruined. But where love is concerned, some rules are made to be broken…
Click cover for more info!
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16) Out March 27 *Book 3 in Lords of the Seventh House series*
Summary:
A Mysterious Lord under A Vow of Chastity…A Virgin Who Must Seduce Him to Save Her Life Lord Ramsay has waited years to exact his vengeance on the scheming courtesan who sent his sister to the guillotine. Now the courtesan’s grown daughter is completely under his control. Her virginity is essential for the ancient rite that will give him the mystical powers he’s worked to master since his sister’s death. But Ramsay isn’t prepared for the vulnerable, courageous woman he finds–a woman with powers of her own.
Zoe has only one weapon against the fate that awaits her…seduction. Only that will rid her of the virginity Ramsay so prizes. Yet even as Zoe uses her charms to bewitch her abductor, Ramsay’s haunted, Pisces soul weaves a sensual spell around her too. Soon, the two will be bound together by a passion as bright as the stars–and locked in a desperate struggle against an ancient sorcery that can only be vanquished by love.
Click cover for more info!
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17) Out March 27 *Book 2 in The Scandalous Brides series*
Summary:
One year ago, Lady Camille Pryce left her haughty fiancé at the altar—for good reason. Not only was the marriage arranged before she could even walk, her betrothed was too smug to exert himself to meet her! Now, disowned, with no husband or family to support her, she’s left with one option: go to work in the notorious Tantalus Club…
A gentleman’s gaming house run by a woman, the Tantalus is no place for a proper lady; so, to save face, her jilted fiancé must retrieve her. But banned from the club, he’s forced to employ his ne’er-do-well cousin instead. A handsome, experienced rogue, Keating Blackwood is the perfect man to lure Camille away. But the moment they meet, Keating instead wants to save her…for himself. Impossible? Perhaps. But if Camille can make the ultimate player lay his cards on the table—and risk his heart—all bets are off…
Click cover for more info!
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18) Out March 27 *Re-issue*
Summary:
The Rake
Known as “the despair of the Davenports,” Reginald Davenport lived a reckless, rakish life while waiting for his hated uncle to die and leave Reggie an earldom. Then the rightful heir claims the title and property and offers Reggie one last chance: Strickland, the estate where he was born and the site of his greatest joys and sorrows. Reggie returns to Strickland, resolving to build a healthier, more honorable life—if he can.
The Reformer
Young Alys Weston fled her home in despair, vowing never to trust another man. Over the years, she’s built a good life with a foster family and a position as steward of Strickland. She uses her skills to help her people, and her initials to convince the elderly earl who owned the state that she’s male.
Then the new owner appears in all his dangerous masculinity and threatens everything Alys holds dear. Good resolutions crumble when two passionate, complicated people are drawn together despite their best judgment. Can love lead to redemption and trust? Or is it too late?
Click cover for more info!
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19) Out March 27 *Re-issue*
Summary:
Everyone knew the earl of Penhollow needed a wife, so one thunderous night the villagers gathered together to ask the ocean to deliver a bride to the bachelor lord…
When Pierce Kirrier rescues a mysterious beauty from the billowing ocean waves, he has no idea who she is or where she came from. But at first sight of this enchanting maiden, he knows he must claim her for his own. Taking her back to Penhollow Hall, he pampers her like a princess, determined to win her trust and her heart.
For Eden, awakening in an elegant bedchamber in a remote corner of Cornwall is like a perfect dream. In Pierce’s arms she has discovered true love, true joy, and a passion she never imagined could exist. Yet she knows in her heart that, once her secret past catches up with her, her dreams could be shattered . . . forever.
Just recently watched the new BBC version and LOVED it! 😀 Captured the spirit of the book and managed to add some extra loveliness!
Naturally I loved the main couple (Pip and Estella) and as this is a Historical Romance site, I figured it would be within my rights to post this here. And hey, a little self-promotion can’t hurt, can it? 😉
So here’s my little tribute to one of literature’s best couples 😉
Enjoy, share and tell me what you think below!
February means Valentine’s Day, and whether you’re single or not, there are loads of great new romances for you to fall in love with 😉
1) Out February 1 *Book 1.5 in Donovan Sisters series* (Novella)
Summary:
All of London looks forward to the Dowager Duchess of Clayworth’s annual ball. For no matter how hard the serious society matron strives to host an elegant event, scandal always ensues…
Seven years ago it was a young Serena Donovan and Jonathan Dane who shocked the ton when they were discovered in a most compromising position. Tonight they return for the first time as the Earl and Countess of Stratford. And while Serena hopes for a quiet evening to introduce her younger sister Olivia to society, Jonathan’s only desire is to pick up where he and Serena left off…
Though innocent Olivia secretly longs for the kind of passion her sister shares with her husband, none of the men she’s met spark a fire inside her heart—least of all the notorious Marquis of Fenwicke. When his request for a waltz turns into something sinister, Olivia must use her wit and wiles to evade a powerful peer who vows if can’t have her, no man shall…
Click cover for more info!
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2) OutFebruary 1 *Book 2 in Donovan Sisters series*
Summary:
With her pale hair and slim figure, Olivia Donovan looks as fragile as fine china, and has been treated as such by her sisters ever since a childhood bout with malaria. But beneath her delicate facade, Olivia guards a bold, independent spirit and the kind of passionate desires proper young ladies must never confess…
It was a reckless wager, and one Max couldn’t resist: seduce the alluring Olivia or forfeit part of his fortune. Yet the wild, soon-to-be Duke never imagined he’d fall in love with this innocent beauty. Nor could he have guessed that a dangerously unpredictable rival would set out to destroy them both. Now, Max must beat a Madman at his own twisted game-or forever lose the only woman to have ever won his heart.
Click cover for more info!
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3) Out February 7 *Book 1 in Veiled Seduction series* (DEBUT)
Summary:
Geoffrey Wentworth, a war hero and rising political star, never wanted to be the Earl, but when his brother dies, he knows his duty—take up the responsibility for his family’s estates. His mother’s definition of duty differs from his, however, and can be summed up in one word—heirs. When Geoffrey rushes home to answer her urgent summons, he finds himself host to a house full of women, all vying to become the next Countess of Stratford. But his love is Parliament, where he wields his influence and reputation to better the lives of ex-soldiers, until a tempting houseguest and a secret from his past threaten his freedom…and his heart.
Liliana Claremont, a brilliant chemist, doesn’t want to be any man’s wife, much less a Countess. If she had tuppence for every time she’d been told her place was filling the nursery, not experimenting in the laboratory, she could buy the Tower Bridge. However, when she receives a coveted invitation to the Earl’s house party, she trades in her beakers for ball gowns and gladly takes on the guise of husband hunter—for the chance to uncover what the Earl had to do with the murder of her father.
Liliana believes the best way to get the answers she needs is to keep her enemy close, though romance is not part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can’t control…
Click cover for more info!
Trailer
4) Out February 7 *DEBUT*
Summary:
There’s no taming the wicked. Jaded heiress Lana Hillary learned this lesson the hard way when the dashing man of her dreams turned out to be a lying scoundrel. With two Seasons behind her and the memory of his betrayal still fresh in her mind, Lana seeks a match with a respectable gent. But why must they all be so properly boring? Unable to rein in her bold nature for long, Lana flirts with trouble and finds herself entangled with the exact type of man she’s vowed to avoid.
Love ‘em-and- leave ‘em Lord Andrew Forest lives for pleasure and offers no apologies. But he receives a dose of his own medicine when his family’s innocent houseguest beds him then disappears without a by your leave. Rejected by the most captivating woman in England, Drew is determined to intercept Lana Hillary before she reaches London and convince her to marry him. Then he’ll teach the little vixen a thing or two about how to love a man.
Click cover for more info!
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5) Out February 7 *Book 1 in Seducing the Scoundrels series*
Summary:
When Lily Wellstone heads to the Bitterward Estate to comfort her widowed friend Eugenia, she certainly does not have romance in mind. In fact the playful but level-headed Lily is amused to no end when, en route, a gypsy gifts her with a beautiful medallion, claiming it will ensnare the romantic desires of a stranger.
But Fate has other plans in the form of Eugenia’s ruggedly handsome brother, the Duke of Mountjoy. One day at Bitterward and Lily can’t deny the sizzling attraction between her and the roguish duke. Nothing can come of it, of course. She’s not looking for entanglements and he’s practically engaged. But whether it’s her outgoing nature and the duke’s outlandish ways sparking off one another; or the mysterious gypsy medallion working “magic”—hearts are stirring in the most unexpected and wicked ways…
Click cover for more info!
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6) Out February 7 *A Novel of the Malloren World*
Summary:
Lady May is back. And so is the scandal that sent her tumbling from her position as the toast of London, when her husband, the Earl of Maybury, was killed in a duel. Even a year of mourning hasn’t quieted the rumors of her infidelity.
Georgia Maybury is determined to regain her position in the beau monde, but a scarred ex-naval officer threatens her plans…
Click cover to read excerpt!
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7) Out February 7 *Book 3 in Sons of the Revolution series*
Summary:
Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything…
The Marquis de Valère escaped certain death in the French Revolution and is now an infamous privateer. Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who is out for his blood…
Forgiveness is unthinkable, but it may be her only hope…
British Admiral’s daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for her fiancé’s death. But once the fiery beauty crosses swords with Bastien, she’s not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways…
Click cover for more info!
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8 ) Out February 7 *Book 3 in The Bridal Pleasures series*
Summary:
As headmistress of the Scarfield Academy for Young Ladies, Miss Charlotte Boscastle is tasked with keeping her charges free from notoriety. But when Charlotte’s diary goes missing, she can’t imagine having her most intimate secrets fall into the wrong hands.
Although the confessions in the diary he found spark his interest, the Duke of Wynfield has every intention of returning the journal. But when Gideon’s encounter with Charlotte takes on an unexpectedly passionate nature, his indiscretion causes a scandal that only marriage can cure…
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9) Out February 21 *Book 2 in Secrets of Hadley Green series*
Summary:
Returning to Hadley Green after fifteen years, the young Lord Eberlin has but one goal in mind: to avenge the death of his father. But when he is reunited with the beautiful target of his smoldering wrath, his plans take an unexpected turn. . . .
Tobin Scott has not been back to Hadley Green since Lily Boudine’s childhood testimony helped send his father to the gallows for stealing the valuable Ashwood jewels. Now a wealthy man, he intends to exact his revenge by destroying Ashwood and its lady. He offers Lily a choice between her life and the livelihoods of the people who depend on the estate. She chooses the former, certain she can hold his dangerous plans at bay.
Lily and Tobin’s game of one-upmanship quickly becomes a delicate dance of seduction, and she realizes he is not the cold, heartless man he tries to seem. In fact, she is certain he is right—his father was innocent. Together, they set out to find the jewels that will restore his family’s honor, and soon their unbridled passion uncovers a shocking secret that will change their lives forever.
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10) Out February 21 *Book 1 in Ladies in Disgrace series*
Summary:
Emily Longesley married the love of her life and hoped that he would learn to love her. Instead, he upped and left their country estate for London. Suffering the snub with dignity, three years on Emily has had enough!
Confronting her errant husband, Emily sees that Adrian, Earl of Folbroke, has been robbed of his sight and doesn’t know her at all! Emily longs for her husband’s touch. If she plays his mistress by delicious deception, can he finally learn to love his wife?
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11) Out February 21 *Book 2 in Danger & Desire series* (US Re-issue)
Summary:
Shipwrecked and washed up on an island, Averil Heydon is terrified—and being rescued by mysterious roguish naval captain Luc d’Aunay doesn’t calm her fears! Virginal Averil knows that falling for Luc is dangerous, but the pull of their sexual attraction is deliciously irresistible….
After her first taste of wild desire in Luc’s arms, Averil must return to society and convention. Except Luc has a shockingly tempting proposition for her—to flaunt duty, and give in to her newly awakened sensuality…
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12) Out February 21 *DEBUT*
Summary:
Emily Rutherford is having a very bad day.
Of course, having the man you’ve loved forever announce his engagement to your (now very former) best friend will do that.
Emily is sure nothing good could possibly come out of this horrid situation. But she lets her sisters—along with Francis Riley, the delectable but brooding Earl of Dunhurst—convince her that a season in London will be just the thing.
Now Emily has a choice: sulk in a corner while her sisters enjoy the glitter of the ton . . . or become the belle of the ball, dazzling everyone on an earl’s arm. But as Francis helps Emily get back on her feet, she quickly realizes that a childhood crush is nothing compared to the power of true love.
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Trailer
13) Out February 28 *Book 1 in Rule of Scoundrels series*
Summary:
What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets. . .
A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.
A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to an unexplored world of pleasures.
Bourne may be a prince of London’s illicit underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them . . . .even her heart.
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14) Out February 28 *Book 1 in The Falcon Club series*
Summary:
London gossips are asking: What use has society of an exclusive gentleman’s club if no gentlemen are ever seen to pass through its door?
After years as an agent of the secret Falcon Club, Lord Leam Blackwood knows it’s time to return home to Scotland. One temptation threatens his plans—Kitty Savege. The scandal-plagued lady warms his blood like a dram of fine whiskey. But a dangerous enemy stands in the way of desire, and to beat this foe Leam needs Kitty’s help…
Kitty never wanted to spend her holidays in a wretched country village! With snow up to the windows, escape is nowhere in sight. A roguish Scottish lord, however, is. His rough brogue sends tingles of heat from Kitty’s frigid toes to her chilled nose, but she’s confident she can withstand that. What she cannot control is the reaction of her carefully guarded heart when she discovers this beast is, in fact, no beast at all…
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15) Out February 28 *Book 3 in Writing Girls series*
Summary:
Breaking news, scandal fans: You thought you knew the dangerous Duke of Wycliff, London’s globe-trotting adventure addict. Here’s what you don’t know: he’s penniless. Sebastian Digby’s dukely lifestyle is over forever unless he finds a rich bride. But thanks to The London Weekly, everyone knows better than to tangle with this lothario. Besides (as one writer can testify), it seems that Sebastian has been unable to keep his hands of his own lowly housemaid… And that’s a problem. A big one. Because that housemaid just happens to be me. Eliza Fielding. The same undercover Writing Girl who’s been exposing the Duke’s most intimate secrets to the world. And now I’ve gone and complicated everything by falling love with him. Passion and deception have never been so delicious, but now the truth could destroy everything. This is more than a conflict of interest. It’s a seduction where love itself hangs in the balance.
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16) Out February 28 *Book 2 in The Truth About The Duke series*
Summary:
A marriage of convenience . . . or of destiny?
Gerard de Lacey is determined to find the man who is blackmailing his family, but with his inheritance and status at risk, a hasty marriage to a wealthy bride also seems in order—just in case things take a turn for the worse. Charismatic and capable, Gerard knows he can win the hand of any lady he chooses. Still, he’s not expecting a rich widow to find him and propose the very thing he wants: a marriage of convenience.
Katherine Howe’s first marriage was one of dreary duty. Now that she’s being pressured to marry her late husband’s heir, she’s desperate for a better option. Gerard de Lacey, with his sinful good looks, charming manner, and looming scandal, fits her needs perfectly. The fact that she’s nursed a secret affection for him only makes it better—and worse. Because Gerard will likely marry her for her fortune—but can he love her for herself, as she loves him?
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17) Out February 28 *2-in-1 Re-issue*
Summary:
THE TEMPORARY WIFE Miss Charity Duncan has no illusions about Lord Anthony Earheart’s proposal. The arrogant aristocrat has made it painfully clear what he wants: a wife who will enrage the father he despises and then disappear from his life. In exchange, Charity’s family will receive the money they desperately need. But after Charity agrees to this mockery of matrimony, she soon discovers a startling fact: She has fallen for Anthony, and breaking their marriage vows may also break her heart. A PROMISE OF SPRING Grace Howard has every reason to be devoted to Sir Peregrine Lampman. After all, the gallant gentleman rescued her from poverty by making her his bride. Even more nobly, he did not withdraw his affection after she confessed to a youthful folly that had compromised her virtue. But Grace did not tell the whole truth about the handsome lord who betrayed her—and now the one thing she’s kept from Perry threatens to destroy her last chance at true love.
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18) Out February 28 *Book 1 in The Royal Entourage series*
Summary:
The morning after the most scandalous bachelor party of the century, the dukes of the royal entourage must face all of London’s fury . . . when not one of them can remember a thing.
Roxanne Vanderhaven always believed herself the perfect wife. But when her husband, the Earl of Paxton, leaves her clinging to the edge of a cliff, she’s forced to face the truth: she married a murderous blackguard.
Her eventual rescuer, Alexander Barclay, Duke of Kress, is one of England’s most disreputable peers—a member of the notorious royal entourage, no less–and certainly the last man she can count on. Indeed, the Prince Regent himself exiled Barclay to Cornwall, and now, by decree, the dashing duke must seek a royal bride to regain favor and help quell the public’s fury against the excesses of the crown.
Roxanne desperately wants a new life—after she’s uncovered the cause of her husband’s despicable actions—and she finds herself drawn, most surprisingly, to her unlikely champion. The Duke of Kress may not be quite the scoundrel he appears…but if she gives him her heart, will Roxanne be making the same mistake twice?
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19) Out February 28 *Book 3 in the Madison Sisters series*
Summary:
Let the hunt begin…
Lisa Madison wants a husband, and she has just the candidate in mind: Robert Langley. Trouble is, the infuriating man insists on seeing her as the impish girl she once was—even as every other gentleman in London has taken notice of her womanly…charms. When her beauty lands her in danger, it’s Robert who comes to the rescue…only to announce his affections are not of the romantic variety!
Robert saw enough sorrow in his parents’ union to know he wants nothing to do with marriage, which is exactly what he’ll be trapped into if he acts on his desire for the irksome siren. And then Lisa does what Robert least expects: gives up on him! As feigned indifference gives way, blistering passion burns at last. But just before the pair can give in to hard-won bliss, an enemy with unfinished business lurks threatening to destroy them both.
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20) Out February 28 *Book 2 in Highland Knaves series*
Summary:
As rugged and bold as the Scottish hills, the Highland Knaves take no prisoners when it comes to love…
A DEFIANT APPRENTICE
Thrust into indentured servitude as a child, Shona Slayter is counting the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she gains her precious freedom. Unfortunately, the new laird of the estate has other plans—and he’s determined to keep her bound to him. The only way for Shona to be free of her bonds is to marry the man who holds the key. But seducing a handsome laird is not what she was trained for, and the more she tries to win his heart, the more she loses hers.
A HARD MASTER
With a young son to raise and a crumbling Scottish estate to manage, Conall has enough to worry about without the brazen, beautiful Shona challenging him at every turn. But their heated spats are starting to turn into real sparks…and soon the Scottish hills are ablaze with their forbidden attraction. Yet no matter what Shona is willing to do to buy her freedom, Conall has no intention of letting her go…
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21) Out February 28 *Book 2 in The Touch of Seduction series*
Summary:
He can keep her safe… or be her very ruin…
Jacob Preston has three requirements for a lover: She must be enthusiastic in affairs of passion, jaded in matters of the heart, and—to ensure the first two qualifications—she must be married.
Lady Julianne Cambourne has all the makings of a passionate lover, and she certainly shows no signs of sentimentality…but her unmarried status should render her firmly off limits to Jacob.
Instead, the lady proves too great a temptation. One that grows stronger when she comes desperate for his help. Beyond his rakish reputation, Jacob is known for the mysterious—even otherworldly—power of detection he commands through his sense of touch. And Julianne, surrounded by long-hidden secrets that threaten to ensnare her in a deadly trap, will do whatever it takes to recruit his skills…using every form of persuasion at her disposal…
The end of the year is always a great time to review the past year and all the successes and failures…
This year has been a particularly great year for romance with a bunch of new releases which have garnered lots of great reviews.
😀
It was so hard picking a few good ones as there were several great romances out this year. But these ten (and two honorarys) were the best of the best! They appear in order of publication.
So, here is Historical Romance Addict’s first Top Ten list for The Top Ten Romances for 2011!
1) What I Did For A Duke by Julie Anne Long (Book 5 in Pennyroyal Green series)
Almost the end of the month and alot of great romances have just been released today! Among them are Eloisa James, Lecia Cornwall, Julie Anne Long, Laura Lee Guhrke, Gaelen Foley, Teresa Medeiros and DEBUT AUTHOR Cecilia Grant!
Check out the great new interview and get to know this fabulous new author. Also, look for her new book coming to bookstores today! 😀
Check out the great new romances out next year, including some great new debuts!
1) Out January 3 *Book 2 in The Ministry of Marriage series*
Summary:
Lady Rosamund Westruther has no objection to the match arranged for her by the Ministry–until she meets her intended. Gruff, stubborn Griffin, Earl of Tregarth, is hardly the charming nobleman the classic beauty has dreamed of for so long. While a proper lady can’t cry off, she can demand a proper courtship…
Griffin is aware of his duty to wed–and more convinced than ever that the lovely Rosamund has no place with a man like him. Built for fields and stables rather than drawing rooms, Griffin doubts he can win her in the polite manner society requires.
But with every passing day, the attraction between them flares higher and hotter. Maybe there is more to love than meets the eye…
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2) Out January 3 *Book 5 in Devil Riders series*
Summary:
Eight years ago, Lieutenant Luke Ripton made a hasty wartime marriage to protect a young girl from a forced union. Now, unable to obtain an annulment, Luke has no choice but to collect Isabella, the fiercely independent wife he never wanted.
And while they remain bound to their vows, they never expected that the passionate fury they share could become passion of a different kind…
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3) Out January 3 *Book 2 in Ladies in Waiting series*
Summary:
Lady Lillian Bourne is re-entering society after her disastrous elopement four years ago, and has to be the very picture of propriety. But when she finds herself locked in a library with an enigmatic stranger during a party, she risks falling from grace a second time…
After years working as a spy, Lord Damien Northfield finds London tedious-until his encounter with the lovely but notorious Lily. When he’s enlisted to investigate a scheme of blackmail and murder, he’s thrilled to discover that Lily may be the key to catching a ruthless killer…
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4) Out January 3 *Book 4 in The Lords of Vice series*
Summary:
Dashing, decadent, and deliciously seductive, the notorious Lords of Vice indulge their every desire—from dusk until dawn…
Christopher Courtland, Earl of Vanewright—known around London as “Vane”—is the very picture of a rich, handsome ladies’ man. Why shackle himself to just one lady when he’s free to sample them all? In spite of his own mother’s attempts at matchmaking, Vane has sworn to stay single. Until he has a chance run-in with Miss Isabel Thorne…
A modest and refined beauty, Isabel is a lot more brazen than she appears. When a pickpocket tries to make away with Vane’s bejeweled snuffbox, Isabel attempts to thwart his escape…and manages to steal Vane’s heart. But the harder he tries to seduce the sharp-tongued, strong-willed Isabel, the more she resists. Now it’s up to this tried-and-true bachelor to find a new way to play the game…or risk losing the one woman who’s ever captured his heart.
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5) Out January 6 *UK Re-issue*
Summary:
Sally Bowes is a scandalous figure in Edwardian London. The owner of the outrageously fashionable night club, The Blue Parrot, Sally guards her business and her heart well. But when she meets Jack Kestrel, both come under threat…
Jack Kestrel is known as the last rake in London. Descended from the ancestral line of the devastatingly attractive Dukes of Kestrel, Jack is dangerous and dissolute and irresistible. When Jack and Sally start a passionate affair, neither of them think that the last rake in London might finally lose his heart.
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6) Out January 24 *Book 1 in Danger and Desire series* (US re-issue)
Summary:
Vivacious lady Perdita Brooke prides herself on her social poise…except when faced with devastatingly dashing Alistair Lyndon. The dreamy young man Dita once knew is now a hardened rake, who clearly does not remember their passionate night together…however much it’s emblazoned on hermemory!
Now Dita has the perfect opportunity to remind Alistair of their sizzling chemistry. But soon she is in over her head. Provoking him is supposed to be a deliciously wicked game, with her holding all the cards—until Alistair reveals the ace up his sleeve!
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7) Out January 24 *Book 5 in The Hellions of Halstead Hall series*
Summary:
Lady Celia Sharpe hopes that if she can garner offers of marriage from several eligible gentlemen and show her grandmother she is capable of gaining a husband, she can convince Gran to rescind the marriage ultimatum for her. And if that plan doesn’t work, at least she’ll have a husband lined up.
But Bow Street Runner Jackson Pinter seems determined to ruin her plans by disapproving of every suitor she asks him to investigate. It’s only when she and Jackson work together to solve her parents’ murders, plunging them both into danger, that she realizes why–because the only man he wants her to marry is himself!
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8 ) Out January 31 *Book 3 in Cynster Sisters Trilogy*
Summary:
We joyfully request your attendance at the wedding of Miss Angelica Cynster … but not until she and her hero lay to rest an ancient grudge in the Scottish Highlands!
Headstrong Angelica Cynster is certain she’ll recognize her fated husband at first sight. And when her eyes meet those of a mysterious nobleman, she knows beyond a doubt that he’s the one. But her heart is soon pounding for an entirely different reason—when her hero abducts her!
The eighth Earl of Glencrae has no choice but to kidnap Angelica, the one Cynster sister with whom he hadn’t wanted to tangle. But to save his castle and his clan, he must persuade her to assist him—and he’s prepared to offer marriage to seal the deal!
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9) Out January 31 *Book 2 in Legendary Lovers series*
Summary:
Thanks to the mischievous meddling of his matchmaking sister, Ashton Wilde meets a damsel in distress during the midnight magic of a lavish ball. But Maura Collyer isn’t looking for a prince—or an intimate pairing with any member of the scandalous noble Wilde family.
Intrigued by Maura’s beauty and daring, Ash is determined to aid in the rescue of her beloved stallion, gambled away by her wicked stepmother to an evil viscount. As their adventure becomes rife with peril and passion, Ash suspects he’s found his heart’s desire.
Even though her dearest friend may be her self-proclaimed fairy godmother, Maura is mortified at being pushed into a romance with a notorious rake such as Ash. Dashing and charming, he comes to Maura’s rescue just in time to help her steal back her precious horse. As they flee across the countryside, she can’t resist his sweet seduction. But is her prince playing a role in a fairy tale to test an improbable theory, or is the love awakening in her heart proof of her own happily ever after?
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10) Out January 31 *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 a veil of secrecy frays, a tantalizing game of cat and mouse will test the bounds of unfailing love…
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11) Out January 31 *DEBUT*
Summary:
She would gladly relinquish her life of intrigue…
A rare beauty, raised in the exotic heart of the Ottoman Empire, Mari Sinclair knows it’s time to end her career as a British spy when she narrowly avoids a brush with death. Unfortunately her employers think otherwise—and they are not above using blackmail to keep Mari in the Game.
Saddled with a handsome, duty-obsessed “minder” to ensure that she completes—and survives—one last mission, Mari is incensed…for her guardian, Major Bennett Prestwood, is simply too dedicated, too unbending, and too disarmingly attractive. But in the face of dark secrets and deadly treacheries, as the true peril to Mari is slowly revealed, loyal soldier Bennett realizes that, to save and win this extraordinary woman, he will have to do the unthinkable and break the rules—rules that passion and desire have suddenly, irrevocably changed.
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12) Out January 31 *Book 1 in Ugly Ducklings series* (DEBUT)
Summary:
Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father’s exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its members. To clear her ailing father’s name of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club—and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it.
Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson, is anything but dull. He’s a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily—even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this season’s most sought-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian Club: His brother went missing during one of Lord Hurston’s expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer’s bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened…or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined….
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13) Out January 31 *Book 1 in The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series* (DEBUT)
Summary:
London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Yard man, Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King’s Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulls him unexpectedly close to the heart of the conspiracy—and into the arms of a most intriguing lady.
Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.
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14) Out January 31 *Book 1 in The Lost Lords of Pembrook series*
Summary:
Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.
Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.
Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is now betrothed to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution and fight for a love that could once again set him free.
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15) Out January 31 *Book 1 in The Spymaster’s Men series*
Summary:
Dominic Paget, the earl of Bedford, will do anything to resume spying upon Britain’s enemies. Badly wounded, he is put will do anything in the care of a beautiful gentlewoman, Julianne Greystone, only to discover that her sympathies lie with his enemies. Yet he can’t help but seduce the woman who saved his life—hoping she never learns of his betrayal.
Julianne is captivated by the wounded stranger she believes is a revolutionary hero. Until she discovers the truth…her “hero” is the privileged earl of Bedford. Devastated and determined to forget him, Julianne travels to London. But when she finds herself in danger, it is Bedford who comes to the rescue. Now Julianne must navigate the intrigues of a perilous city, the wild yearnings of her own heart and the explosion of their passion….
This site reviews and previews the best historical romance novels set in the late 1700's until the early 1900's England, including Georgian romances, Regencies, Victorians and even some Edwardian romance! Enjoy your visit here! :D
I love historical romances that aren't overly sexual, with great chemistry and witty dialogue. I don't like it when a H and H jump into bed with each really quickly and if a romance can give me that warm, fuzzy feeling after I read it, it's considered a great read! I don't mind if a romance is slightly modern and I'm a huge Jane Austen fan so Regency romances will always have a special place in my heart. :)
Historical Romance Addicts 