Masterful blend of history and romance
919834
This book is literary, historical, and romantic. It recently won The Rita  the top award in its category with Romance Writers of America. It is more than worthy of the honor. I loved it!

Flossie Jayne is the only child of parents who have doted on her, allowing her to pursue her painting and artwork. Shes become a forward thinker, considering herself one of the New Womens movement. When Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the prestigious store mogul, offers her a position as a Tiffany Girl to help complete his mosaic chapel display at the Chicago Worlds Fair, shes thrilled. The income would allow her independence and a way for her to continue learning about her art. Much to the distress of her parents, she takes the job and moves into a boarding house.

Reeve Wilder is a newspaper journalist whose current assignment is a series of editorials on the New Woman, and who lives in the same boarding house as Flossie. His formative years differed drastically from Flossies, and made him a loner, someone who allows himself no friends or emotional attachments. When Flossie tries to unite the boarding house residents into a family, hes the most recalcitrant, refusing to enter into parlor games with the others.

Flossies journey through the world of employment in a male dominated world, trying to establish a home with strangers away from her family, colors her friendship with Reeve. A relationship that develops with Reeves personal growth from a polite recluse into a man not afraid to face his emotions.

Deeanne Gist is proficient at historical research, and she masterfully weaves accurate facets of social, economic, and physical customs of the time into the fabric of her stories, bringing a richness and depth to setting and plot. Add two complex people who must face who they are before they can fully appreciate each other, and youve got an amazing read. Enjoy.
225372
A unique premise, a satsifying development and conclusion, and beautiful writing--what more could a reader ask for? Ms. Cooper's style will entrance you from page one. The characters are very appealing and multi-dimensional. The deft handling of alternate history will fascinate readers familiar with the time period, but the story functions equally well as an historical romance even if you don't have the background to appreciate the writer's careful and imaginative handling of the historical details. At its heart, this is a beautiful and compelling love story.
2811887
I love a great period romance, but even moreso when it is set against the backdrop of a historical event that changed so many lives. Author Denise Agnew deftly handles both the passion and the historic elements in this wonderfully entertaining read that pits two very different lead characters against their own denial of love, even as the ground beneath them shakes them out of that denial. Nate is handsome, poor, an Irish immigrant, but one who has pride and honor, especially when it comes to the wealthy Grace. Grace lives a life of privilege, but she's got fire in her soul and when she sees Nate, who has been hired as her father's driver, some of that fire creates immediate sparks with a man she can, because of class, never have. But even as their passion and attraction becomes too much for either to deny, or handle, the Great 1906 earthquake during which the story is set begins, resulting in utter devastation and fires that destroy a city, but not a love. The characters are roundly developed and the dialog and description rings true to the time period. The quake and fire scenes don't overwhelm, yet provide a bigger challenge and increasing tension for those lucky enough to survive...But will both of our lovers make it out alive? This story begs to be told in a television or feature film, with strong leads actors would love to play, and equally strong visuals. I plan to read more of Ms. Agnew's work!
4364389
I picked up her first book on a whim, and was immediately hooked.  I enjoy her characters, the blending of history and romance, as well as how real she makes historical figures feel.  Can't wait for more.
2411878
An engaging and thoughtfully-written inspirational historical romance, "A Beauty So Rare" is a reader's treat from talented author Tamera Alexander. This the second book her "Belmont Mansion" series, which is set in Nashville, Tennessee in the Civil War Era. Expertly blending fact and fiction, the author tells the story of Eleanor Braddock, a young woman who considers herself too plain to marry. Eleanor devotes herself to the well-being of others, working as a nurse during the Civil War, and then caring for her ill father. Financial circumstances and her father's increasingly confused mental state force Eleanor to sell the family home and place her father in medical institution. Seeking assistance from her wealthy aunt, Adelicia Acklen, Eleanor comes to live at her aunt's fabulous home, Belmont Mansion. Uninterested in her aunt's efforts at matchmaking, Eleanor concentrates on her plan to build a home for those who were widowed and orphaned by the Civil War. Marcus Geoffrey is a botanist, an architect, and a man with a very big secret. He is really Archduke Marcus Gottfried--Austrian royalty--and his time in America is limited. While there, however, he is determined to learn as much about the lives and lifestyles of the common people as possible. At the same time, he is making the most of his natural talents, helping to repair some of the devastation left behind in the war-torn South. When Marcus begins working with Eleanor to make her dream of a home for war widows and orphans come true, the two of them are often in conflict. There is more to the sparks flying between them than opposing opinions, though, and as mutual respect grows, attraction blooms. Eleanor and Marcus come from vastly different worlds, and society and royal dictates are mighty obstacles to overcome. With two hearts now so deeply connected, can love find a way to blend the best of both worlds and forge a whole new life filled with happiness? "A Beauty So Rare" is a fascinating and compelling read, sure to please lovers of history and romance alike.

Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
1113763
DeBernieres did a masterful job with this book, after honing his skills on earlier Latin novels. His portrayals of the Greek characters are fresh and alive. Occasionally his passages are so gripping that I've practically memorized them, and I return to read them again and again. This is a stellar job of weaving a historical novel around a beautiful Greek woman and the men who love her: her father, a Greek boy friend, and an Italian lieutenant.  War, romance, intrigue!  This book takes you to another world.

An excellent piece of work, attested to by its phenomenal success in Britain.
4681779
THE MUSEUM HEIST is thoroughly enjoyable--well written, intricately plotted, with deftly and economically delineated characters.  For anyone familiar with the Boston area and in particular the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, there will be many recognizable scenes.  The narrative moves fluidly among different layers of history--ancient Greece (and Magna Graecia) as intimately known by a classical scholar, the more recent history of the actual (and I believe still unresolved) museum heist with a fictive overlay, and a tender and tasteful romance in present time.  The story is punctuated by unexpected turns of events and moments of danger, providing enough suspense to make readers hold their breath as complex and dark motivations unfold.  The subtle cadences of Kameel Nasr's prose are laced with ironic reflections on human existence, adding depth to the telling.  As the characters are buffeted by fate (and the fates in the person of others), will art and love prevail?
1762753
This kind of story reminds me why I love Historical Romance so much! Sharon Cullen completely captivates the reader with vivid descriptions and multi-dimensional characters. Brice Sutherland and Eleanor Hirst will make you root for them all the way through the novel.

Brice Sutherland is compassionate, charming, caring, tender and a genuinely good man. He not only protects his own, but those he believes that need the protection. While securing safe passage for his own Scots to Canada via ship, Brice also picks up a dying woman who looks to be English. Without a second thought, he brings her to his home and ensures her survival.

Eleanor Hirst grew up doted on and married an English soldier landing her in Scotland. After her husband's death, Eleanor is distraught and left to fend for herself. She is chained and starved until she concedes to a marriage she does not want. She has a chance of escape and takes it which leads her to Brice.

Brice and Eleanor struggle to trust one another and to understand their attraction towards each other. As the days pass, even without the ability to speak, Eleanor and Brice build a relationship. The relationship grows until neither can deny the passion between them. The love they have towards one another is beautiful because it is pure and unassuming.
2720158
THE SECRET KEEPER: A Novel of Kateryn Parr is the second novel in Sandra Byrd's Ladies In Waiting series. It follows TO DIE FOR: A Novel of Anne Boleyn with a new protagonist, a new queen for Henry VIII and... the addition of a supernatural element: the gift of prophecy.

Juliana is beautifully accessible as a first-person protagonist and Byrd's exceptional grasp of craft makes it easy to dive into her stories and get lost there. (In fact, these characters even threaded through my dreams before I was halfway through with the book!) The depth -- and corresponding shallowness -- of Juliana's friendships within the Tudor court (especially when she begins to see the imperfections in those she's so long respected) gives her a deeper sense of humanity that serves to invest the reader in the outcome of her dilemmas. (And I must add that her romance with handsome Irishman Jamie Hart is simply delicious.)

With a sense of timelessness, this well-researched historical reveals relational dynamics and acts of corruption that are relevant to a contemporary reader but written with such attention to detail that one experiences them much as if she was actually living within the dangerous court of the Tudor period. Violence and the threat of violence are played out realistically for the times; and the way Juliana (and young Elizabeth I) are somewhat powerless against the same sort of evil rings true to the position of women during Tudor times. The way the author has rendered these scenes, and the weight given to how Juliana applies them to her life, gives even more credence to the history of the tale and the visceral likability of its heroine.

I found this novel enchanting and absorbing as well as educational -- THE SECRET KEEPER: A NOVEL OF KATERYN PARR is a truly superb novel and one to which I would give my highest recommendation.
701522
"The Wolf's Captive" is an alluring mix of romance, mystery, adventure, and of course,a masterful bit of bondage and role-playing thrown in.

Feeling like a mix between Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" a racy "Fantasy Island", and a little "Exit to Eden', Belle, I mean Lucia becomes fascinated by the Beast, whoops, war-like
and manly Sir Cesare Lupin. Seriously, she has wished for much more from her life, including sexual fantasies that she knows will never be for-filled. Her dreams come true, when she steals and hides a coveted bottle of wine from her father's special mix meant to be opened on a special night of the Bacchanal, (a festival dedicated to drink and games of sexual abandon). Her  father is imprisoned and she is forced to serve and submit to the Lord Lupin to prove his innocence.

Cursed by a nightmare night on a barbarians mountain, when he awakens to the bodies of all his men dead, Cesare Lupin has felt himself fall to the edge of humanity, and just as he knows himself to be lost to the curse, he realizes the innocent Lucia may be his last hope of a normal life.

The novel is well-written and the characters likable and believable. The back stories are helpful to understanding the story-lines and the author's historical research draws the reader into a well thought out and realistic time period. The book contains everything a reader might wish to see from a good book: A tormented and handsome hero that just needs the love of a good woman to make him whole again, a beautiful and curious, adventurous woman that cannot be for-filled by any other man save one, likable friends on the sidelines rooting for the loving couple, and of course evil villains that have to be conquered.

My only concern is that I feel this book is mislabeled. Ten years ago it might have been correctly labeled as erotica. In this era I would say it's a historical romance. A well-written, racy historical romance, but still...

Other than the mislabeling, which come on, is it THAT big an issue?, I highly recommend down-loading "The Wolf's Captive."
2406563
It's no big surprise that Gayle Wilson should have a way with words.  With her teaching background, her work with gifted children, one would expect finely crafted, vivid prose.  But Ms. Wilson is far more than a wordsmith:  she is an artist, conveying a sense of time and place, making her readers  empathize with her finely drawn characters, balancing historical accuracy  with contemporary sensibilities in ways that prove that romance novels can  be far more than simply escapist fare.
LADY SARAH'S SON is not your  ordinary marriage-of-convenience story.  This is a story about forgiveness  and honor and loyalty, about a love strong enough to rise to the surface of  a veritable ocean of fear and doubt.  These are not perfect people; they  are REAL people, people we care about and root for, and, in the end,  rejoice with.  Ms. Wilson captures the period for us naturally and  unobtrusively, the mark of a truly talented historical writer.
4433190
With elements of fantasy and history woven seamlessly together.
2262751
I was so excited about the first story, Rose Lerner's Promised Land, that I haven't even read the next two yet, but if you're looking for a "gateway" to historical romance, this is the book for you. Lerner's practical, competent, soldierly heroine and king of sass hero-spy have a complex relationship, to say the least - and it's always fantastic to see a romance that breaks and takes up again later on, when people are wiser and know themselves and their wants better. I also adored the exploration of the couple's Jewish identity, and how it meant so much to both of them, but in very different ways (see:  keeping kosher on the front lines). There is a refreshing lack of glamour to this romance, too - they are, after all, literally in the trenches of the Revolutionary War. Hamilton's appearances are worth the read. Hooray for Hamilton's Battalion! As long as you're here, you should dive into Lerner's other books, all delights, dealing with people who are not necessarily handsome, wealthy dukes. THEY ARE ALL SO GOOD!
827057
Heart on the Line features a long-distance, technology-assisted romance. Yes, this is still a historical romance, with a touch of drama and excitement, set in the charming women's colony of Harper's Station.

Grace Mallory has found refuge at Harper's Station. The murder of her father sent her into hiding, running from the man who wishes to silence her and retrieve the documents Grace's father secreted away. When Grace is warned by a friend over the telegraph wires that danger is heading her way she knows she must prepare. Amos Bledsoe has long been intrigued by the telegraph operator Miss G. When he overhears her issued a dire warning he races to her aid. The time together might give him a chance to propose a courtship, if they can outwit Grace's pursuer.

It was an absolute pleasure to return to the wonderful world Karen Witemeyer has created. Harper's Station and it's colourful inhabitants are quickly become fondly familiar. There is never a dull moment.

Karen Witemeyer is wonderfully gifted at writing charming romance - heart-pounding and perfectly suited to the historical setting. Even before meeting Grace, Amos is quite smitten. And then, when he does meet her, he promptly falls head over heels. Grace is a little more reserved with her ardour (hard not to be), and takes the time to assess Amos, his character and motivation. He is not what she first expected, but he slowly proves himself to her.
But it was Helen's story that captured my heart. At first I was a little unsure about what role she would play in this book. She is another resident of Harper's Station and hates the sudden influx of males. But slowly we learn more about the reasons she so distrusts men, and then she is thrust into a situation where her views are challenged. Helen's story became a pivotal aspect of the novel for me and a charming addition to Grace and Amos' story.

But romance isn't the only attraction of this book. The author deftly weaves in a good dose of action and drama. The women are all strong and vibrant characters, as are the men who fall for them. I am greatly enjoying this series and can't wait to read the next instalment.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
265929
I truly, truly enjoyed this book. I'm not big reader of historical fiction, but this book caught my eye. I was not disappointed. A well-crafted love story set in the late 1500's and across the Great Lakes region, I quickly found myself immersed in the winding plot lines of the Ojibwe Indian protagonists, as well as many of the supporting cast. The map and glossary at the front of the book were frequent references, and very helpful in navigating events as they unfolded. Ultimately, though, it's the love triangle between Misko, Ashagi, and Nika that drives the story. The author does an excellent job of weaving in all sorts of little-known historical and cultural truths within the fictional plot line. A wonderful read, 5-stars.
3980564
my thoughts in a few sentences: A wonderfully thought-out historical world with an undercurrent of the paranormal to excite and bewitch, Born Wicked gives us a familiar take on witches with a twist and takes us back to a time period in our history that sickens us when we think of it, for innocents were slaughtered unmercifully for the wrong reasons. The romance is sexy and adorable, throwing in another heart-throbbing element to an already delightful story.

full review: So it's no secret that I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of reading this book. Witches are my thing, for sure, but it was Finn Belastra that beckoned me. I was happily surprised to find, however, that I enjoyed the main character, Cate, just as much. A story of the shaky, though unbreakable bond between close siblings, the lengths to go to protect what's most important, even if it means losing the power to choose, and how sacrifice isn't always noble but is sometimes necessary, Born Wicked provokes us to ask questions and shows us the importance of appreciating our ability to make choices.

The characters weren't the only aspect driving me to finish the book; I had so many questions that I desperately coveted the answers. Spotswood is clever in her writing and plot development, as she gently strings us along, careful not to turn us off as she gradually reels us in, lets up, then yanks fast, eliciting the perfect reaction from us. Underlining that is the sense of fear that plagues us, stemming from understanding the actions of the Brotherhood--a group of men with the singular goal of taming women and weeding out ones even slightly suspected of witchcraft. Living in that kind of tension, almost waiting for a guard to fall upon on Cate and her sisters--who are indeed witches, if you haven't guessed--and drag them away is it's own kind of torture. This whole retelling of our history feels so authentic, we wonder if these events really occurred or if they mimicked our country's tragic witch hunts of old and relatively recent.

Spotswood does a remarkable job breathing life into a headstrong heroine that's believable and is considerate to the time period. Cate is stubborn, opinionated, and possesses quite the temper, yet she comes across as meek and inclined toward obedience to others, cautious in her actions because she's well-aware of the consequences. For someone with a close relationship to his or her siblings, it's incredibly easy to resonate with Cate and her instinctive protection of her two younger sisters. Sympathy strikes our hearts for the heavy burden that set fire to her childhood, pressed upon her by her late mother, who urged her to promise to protect their secret. Her frustrations and sorrows make her all the more stunning. And when she catches the eye of Finn Belastra, the studious hunk, a romance full of delicious sweetness, sharp sexual tension, and the spicy edge of the forbidden ignites and sets us all ablaze, making us very willing captives of the sensuous flames.

The ending shakes out curses from our thinned lips the moment we near it, brutally aware of what's about to happen and are completely powerless to stop it. Fortunately, this isn't a goodbye, but a seemingly hopeless beginning that we believe will lead into a hopeful future for these characters whom we've come to adore.

Damn. Why must the sequel keep us suspended in torment until next year?!
1988766
I try not to grant five stars to books, but I finally gave in as I finished Anna Butlers The Gilded Scarab. This was such fun, so deeply romantic, and so richly written. I can imagine that people who have no liking for Dickens or Trollope might find it tough sledding, because Butler meticulously creates a parallel world to ours in late Victorian London, and embellishes it with details that are historically accurate, even as she envelops her narrative in a savory steampunk fantasy that throws everything just a little bit off.

The aged Queen Victoria still lives, and rules a vast Imperium Britannicum without benefit of Parliament. Instead, her aristocracy is divided into corporate houses bound by blood and money, each of them somewhere between the family houses of the Dune novels and the mafia clans of The Godfather books. While the houses rule the empire largely through business and financial manipulation, there is rather more assassination going on than is strictly comforting. Londinium is still mostly recognizable, but for the fact that horses and other pre-technological notions have been replaced by cold fusion, phlogiston and aether as power sources. A nod to H.G. Wells reminds us of the setting and the authors mindfulness of precisely what she is doing.

The central character, through whose damaged eyes we see Butlers fantasy world, is Rafe Lancaster, black sheep of a cadet branch of a minor house. Bereft of the aerofighter career that had made his name in the Queens army, Lancaster quietly returns to Londinium (indeed the original Roman name for that city) and tries to build a new life for himself. Soon after his return, he spends one night with a beautiful man in an elegant Covent Garden molly house  a discreet place for men seeking male companionship  and then finds a haven in a run-down coffee house by the Museum Britannicum. The action of the book is surprisingly small in focus, and all of it derives from these two moments in Lancasters rebuilt life.

Butler is as careful with language as she is with seemingly minor details. The names of the various houses smack of pre-modern England, suggesting their antiquity and their sources in the mists of history post-1066. This is a world where everyone speaks English, but in which street signs still use Latin. Butler gets the feel of the place and the time, right down to a visit to Garrards, the royal jewelers. This is not grandstanding; it roots the narrative in a kind of authenticity that makes the steampunk fantasy flow logically into the historical framework. There are times when the dialogue veers into more modern idiom, but the author is careful to maintain the tone of Sherlock Holmes (who does NOT appear anywhere here, because, after all, he was fictional) so as not to break the spell of her skillful world-building.

In the end, this is a romance. It is about Rafe Lancasters discovery of love in a way he never anticipated, in a world he is trying to re-learn.  There is a very Victorian approach to love here, very old-fashioned and genteel  even in the context of molly houses and illegal homosexuality. And yet, through it all, Anna Butler gives her readers a very modern vision: a world where love will find a way and change a mans life.