In Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love by Numbers #1) by Sarah MacLean
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Books like this are why I love reading historical romance so much! It was witty, romantic, sexy as could be and held me basically hostage until I finished it. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake was my first Sarah MacLean book and it was responsible for kicking off a binge-read of not one, but TWO of her series. I lost an entire week's worth of reading to her books and I won't apologize for it.

Lady Calpurina Hartwell stole my heart during this book. A spinster with body and self-esteem issues? How could I not find some common ground on which to connect with her? I loved her spunk and sass. Watching her break all the rules and begin living life  even if it wasn't a life considered traditional for a lady back in those times  made me happy. Her banter with Gabriel was perfection. They had epic chemistry and a first kiss I was certain was going to set my iPad on fire. And the steamier scenes later on? Whew. *wipes sweat from brow* Gabriel was a notorious rake and has tons of issues from his past. But despite all of this, or maybe because of it, I absolutely adored him. He might not've been the pairing you'd think of first for a woman like Callie, but it worked. Oh, did it ever work.

If you're a historical romance fan and you've not read Sarah MacLean's books, do yourself a favor and start now, with this one. It was everything I love about historical romance wrapped up into one book.
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STORY BRIEF:
Callie is plain looking and plump.  The only men who ask her to dance are old men and undesirables.  This is her first season and she leaves the ball in despair.  Gabriel happens to be outside and says some kind things to her.  Callie falls in love with him immediately.  Over the years she is aware of Gabriel having mistresses and being a rake.  Ten years pass and Callie is still a spinster living with her brother.  She decides to create some excitement in her life and makes a list of nine things to do.  Most of these are frowned upon for ladies, for example, drink scotch, gamble at a gentleman's club, and fence.  The first thing on her list is to kiss someone passionately.  She has never spoken to Gabriel since that first night, but now she goes to his home and asks him to kiss her.  He just happens to have a need for her services so he makes a deal.  He wants her to do something for his half-sister Juliana.  Callie gets her kiss and begins visiting Gabriel's home to spend time with Juliana.  Callie also continues doing things on her list.

Meanwhile Baron Oxford is low on funds and needs to marry someone for money.  He decides to go after Callie because he thinks she is physically undesirable and would be grateful for anyone to marry her.  Gabriel overhears Oxford bragging about this and makes a wager with him, betting that Callie will refuse to marry Oxford.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
The writer has a nice style.  The characters and dialogue were pleasant to read and kept my interest.  My problem was the plot.  This was so formulaic and so predictable.  I don't mind the overall romance formula of meeting, falling in love, having a fight/separation, and then getting back together.  And I don't mind using events that have been done a hundred times before in other novels.  But somehow these felt like copies of things done before.  They needed a special twist or something different about them to make them fresh and entertaining.  Also it's a bit contrived that Gabriel just happens to be in the locations Callie is visiting while dressed as a man and doing her risky activities.

As they are developing their relationship, the conflicts are that Gabriel usually says something insensitive and arrogant to or about Callie.  So Callie is hurt and tries to tell herself things to feel not so bad.  I wanted more and better relationship development.  It wasn't shown.  It was just sort of accepted that Gabriel fell for Callie.  I didn't see her doing anything to affect him in ways that created his feelings.  Just being around her caused him to love her - I guess.

Of course the main mystery is what will be the major fight or separation - his learning about the list or her learning about the wager.  I won't give away the answer.  But when it happened I was disappointed with the predictability and their actions.

SEX SCENES:
I didn't see any desire for the person before they had sex.  Gabriel doesn't think much of her but for some reason he kisses her, and then his body wants her.  She's arguing with him, but then he kisses her and she forgets whatever she was angry about.  Then her body wants more and lust takes over and directs her response.  Afterwards, they quickly separate and say nothing, as if no relationship exists.  Until another time when they are arguing and all of a sudden he kisses her.  I'd prefer seeing other desires leading up to the physical.

DATA:
Story length: 397 pages.  Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words.  Sexual language: mild.  Number of sex scenes: 6.  Estimated number of sex scene pages: 34.  Setting: 1813 and 1823 London, England.  Copyright: 2010.  Genre: regency romance.
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***I received this book for free from NetGalley, the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review, which was first posted on book blog Will Read for Feels.

Ive read close to a hundred Regency romances since the beginning of the year, so when I say this is my second favorite genre to read, Im not kidding around. Still, Id never read a book by Grace Burrowes before, and when I learned that some of my favorite authors in the genre, like Eloisa James and Tessa Dare to name a couple, were singing her praises, I was keen to give her books a read. I started with the latest one, The Trouble with Dukes, which launches her new spinoff series, Windham Brides, and upon finishing it, the first thing I did was plot out how I would backtrack and read more of her books!

There was just so much to love about the book. First and foremost was the great hulking Scot of a hero, Hamish MacHugh, who is adorably uncouth by the standards of London high society and whose experiences in the Napoleonic war have left him with emotional scars he tries to hide. Hes fierce in all sense of the wordfiercely physical in presence, fiercely determined not to give a hang about Tonnish affectations, fiercely loyal to those he cares about, fiercely passionate as a lover, and fiercely protective of Megan Windham. All of which makes him a great big teddy bear in a kilt, and boy did I swoon over him for it!

Megan Windham was particularly of interest to me; as the niece of a duke and scion of one of the foremost families of the Ton, she is a lady with many prospects, but her desire to marry for love and her poor eyesight are factors that have contributed to her remaining unmarried. Shes in trouble, though, as shes being blackmailed into a betrothal following a youthful indiscretion, and her would-be fiancee is a summarily unpleasant individual. Hamish stomps into her life and saves her her fleabag fiancee-wannabe, but then she turns around and comes to his rescue. And it is glorious. Because I do so love a heroine who trusts that her hero will be there to rescue her, but who takes the necessary steps to rescue herself.

Then there were the Windham and MacHugh families, whom I promptly fell in love with, so swept off my feet by the love and laughter this family embodied and evoked that I didn't even mind the occasional head hopping into supporting characters points of views, something I have taken issue with in other books in the past.

Now that Im done with this book, Im looking forward to reading not just the next books in the series, but the other Windham books and just about anything Grace Burrowes has put out. Im officially a fan. A newbie one, but a fan nevertheless.
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The Rules is the second standalone in the Off-Limits series, and can be easily read by itself, but I truly enjoyed reading it after The Lesson, I love seeing characters evolve and catching up with previous couples.  Anyway, this book is about Ainsley, who is Ryan's sister if you read The Lesson, and Ryan's best friend Lambo.  These two first met in a deliciously deviant way when she was only 16, fast-forward 8 years, throw in a trip to Vegas, and you have the makings of a scorching hot start to a relationship.  I loved the emotional aspect of this book, I thought the storyline was handled in an appropriate way, and even though there were some real problems in the past for Ainsley, I love seeing people grow and be able to overcome obstacles.  Especially with a fine specimen such as Lam at her side.  Even with the emotional undertones, The Rules was fun and sexy read.  I was flipping through the pages like there was no tomorrow, I didn't need to be awake for work anyway ;-)
I will absolutely read more by Elizabeth Brown in the future, I can't believe it took me this long to read one of her books.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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3.5 Stars

Game Changer is the seventh title in the Game on In Seattle series.

I adore a sports romance, and I've got to say the blend of football and horse racing had me thoroughly intrigued just from the blurb.

Hunter and Kate come from vastly different backgrounds.  Kate Vanderhof-Carrington comes from an affluent family of wealth and privileged, whereas Hunter McCoy has strong ties to his Native American roots.  This pair are both incredibly stubborn, and are rivals both determined to have their horse win the Kentucky Derby but for different reasons.

Kate has determination in spades, and is steadfast in her goals, and dreams to prove herself.  I enjoyed seeing Kate's character grow and develop over the course of this book.

Hunter frustrated me at times with his search for 'the one', and how much it blinded him from the possibilities around him.

This pair start their story off as enemies, they constantly bicker and disagree, but their chemistry is off the charts and soon become lovers.  Their relationship is much like a roller coaster ride all over the place with a great deal of ups and downs.

As well as Kate and Hunter's budding relationship we also have the story of Cam and Lili.  Cam is Hunter's team mate on the Seattle Steelheads Football team, and Lili is his sister who also happens to be blind.  Lili's blindness in no way holds her back and she is highly intelligent and completely endearing.  Hunter is very overprotective of his sister due to her blindness.  I would have preferred to have Lili and Cam's story in a separate book, as I really adored them both and wanted more of their relationship, interactions and banter.

I'm not generally a fan of having two romances coinciding in the one book, and that was the case with this book.  There was a lot going on in the story line.
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About the book:
 482  Pages   Contemporary   Happily Ever After   Her POV   His POV   First-Person Narrative

About the story:
 Insightful   Addictive   Good Pace   Entertaining   Funny   Touching   Heart Breaking   Surprising   Sexy

Romance factors:
 Celebrity Romance   +Extraordinary First Meeting   +Instant Clash   +Witty Banter   +Relationship Agreement   +Big Romantic Gestures
Heat Level 4 / 5 (Explicit hot sex scenes, mainly vanilla):
 Man+ Woman   Vanilla   Dirty Talk

About him:
 Alphamale   Handsome   Arrogant   Works Out   Artistic   Tattooed   Wealthy   Manwhore   Bad Boy

His line of work:
 Rock band guitarist

About her:
 Beautiful   Strong   Sassy   Old Fashioned   Artistic   Slim   Money Issues   Troubled Past

More details:
Talon is the sexy guitarist of the Ashes & Embers rock band. Hes tired of meaningless sex, and women who are only interested in him because hes in a band, and because of his 11 inches instrument. His mother persuades him to participate in a social experiment, where a team of psychologists find the perfect woman for him. Hes supposed to marry her, and be totally committed to make the marriage work for 6 months. Since his mother is part of the team, and after seeing his brothers find true love, Talon decides to give it a shot.

Asia has always been unlucky in love. Shes had an abusing, neglecting family, her boyfriend left her without explaining why, and her online dating attempts are failing. Her best friend suggests she joins a social experiment led by her boss, the relationship coach, Dr. Hollister. She insists its a serious experiment, led by experts, and Asia is becoming sold on the idea of finding the perfect husband, who would care for her, and grow old with her. The fifty-thousand dollars is just a bonus, but it would be a huge financial help, so she agrees to participate in the experiment too.

Asia and Talon meet for the first time on their wedding day. Asia is shocked to find her perfect husband is a tattooed, long haired rock star. She was expecting a clean-cut, sweet, family man, not an inked Tarzan. Talon is also disappointed. He asked for a sexy blond, with big tits who likes to travel, and Asia has dark hair, small breasts and she hardly leaves the house. At first they think this is a mistake, and their cards were somehow switched. Later they discover that sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things.

This is how their beautiful love story begins. Asia is learning to appreciate Talons sense of humour, his living in the now, and how he's enjoying the moment. Talon is learning to appreciate a real partnership, based on communicating and compromising. Their story and their relationship give a deeper meaning to their vows - for better and for worse

I loved this story. It was unexpected, in an unexpected way :) It was epic and romantic, and yet realistic and believable. It made me laugh and it made me emotional (Im not the crying type). But what really broke my heart was a small chapter at the end, telling the story of the real Talon and Asia. Youll have to read it to find out.
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Playing by Her Rules (Sydney Smoke Rugby #1) by Amy Andrews is a solid romance that has a Sports Romance and Second Chance at Reunion mash-up. The main couple are very lovable and cute. Their past is a big roadblock toward their HEA, but the hero will try everything he can to reclaim the heart the only woman he has ever loved- the roving journalist reporter who is thrown for a loop by her ex-boyfriend from high school who broke her heart. The reason her heart was broken may seem a big no-no by the hero, but it fits the tone of the story, and his sacrifice to help the heroine move on and do great things.

Matilda is a lifestyle columnist waiting for her big break. That comes in the form of Tanner Stone, Australias most popular rugby player. He refuses to do any interviews, but when Matilda slips and admits during a meeting she once dated Tanner, her boss forces her to get the scoop on Tanner. If Matilda does, which will be six installments, shell get a big promotion.

Tanner is thrilled his Tilly is back in his life. Hes going to win her heart again although she hates him for what he did right before she went away to college in the states. She caught him kissing another girl, her arch nemesis, which he planned because he felt Tilly would stick around with him and give up a great future. Tilly has no idea what he did, but hes going to fix things now. Hell agree to her interviews, but hell treat them more like dates. He wants to show her he far he has come not only in his career, but a softer and generous side to him he hides from the public eye. If he can show Tilly hes a great guy, then maybe he has a shot with her again.

Tanner and Tilly are very cute together, especially when they banter and chat. Tanner is a big flirt with Tilly, who cant help but eat it up even though she still has issues with what he did to her in high school. But her anger toward him is toned down, especially as she falls under his spell. The love scenes are nicely written and show great chemistry between the two.

Theres a great cast of secondary characters, specifically Tanners teammates I hope get their own stories in the future.

Playing by Her Rules is a sweet beach read that should appeal to Sports Romance fans.

Katiebabs
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Title: One Night Heir

Series:  N/A

Author:  Lucy Monroe

Genre:  Romance

Blurb:  Only a royal wedding...

Bitter life lessons have taught Crown Prince Maksim Yurkovich that duty must come before desire. His country needs an heir, so when he discovers his lover can't have children, he must sever their ties. Only Maks can't resist spending one last night in her bed.

...can avert this royal scandal!

Now he faces the biggest diplomatic crisis of his life. Against all odds, Gillian Harris has become pregnant. Maks's royal reserve masks the heart of a fierce Cossack warrior-one who is not above using their mutual passion to convince a hurt, wary Gillian that she must be his queen!

Thoughts:  Maksim has vowed to himself to never fall in love - however, he is attracted to and admires the lovely Gillian - and is even prepared to offer her marriage.  Until his plan is foiled when her health screening comes back stating that she has a very low chance or being able to conceive and carry a baby to term.  But their wires become crossed - Gillian opens the results, but due to a phone call has failed to read them!  She is fully expecting Maks to make their relationship permanent.  When he breaks up with her instead, she is heartbroken.  And stunned when she finds herself pregnant!  Can Maks then convince her to give him another chance?

The story is a bit overdone - even for Harlequin.  I have read so many variations of this type of book, and this book falls right into those standards.  That is not necessarily a bad thing.  If you're a fan of Harlequin romances this is right up your alley - especially if you love the storylines involving royalty.  Monroe is one of those authors that can crank out a good romance novel with a flick of her fingers, and I have enjoyed many a novel by her over the years.

I really enjoyed Gillian's character - she didn't follow meekly along with Maks and his plans or ideals.  Even to the point of being ready to have him hauled out by security!  She was firm in her beliefs, passionate when it came to doing was best for her baby, yet not spiteful or vindictive.  In fact, for me she acted more in the lines with royalty than Maks did - at least when it came to grace of character.

Maks was a bit harder to take - he had this very `proper', arrogant way of talking that just grated on my nerves at many points throughout the book.  The fact that he was willing to just toss Gillian aside when he found out about her fertility issues kind of made me angry.  I could understand that he needed heirs to the throne and he wanted a female who could have them (didn't like it, but plausible).  What really made me angry was the fact that he was totally willing to disregard going through fertility treatments for her so they could be together because he didn't want to risk having `multiples'.  If he cared for her the way he said, he would have been willing to do that in order to be with her!  He agreed to later on however, when talking about future children - once he already found out that she was pregnant!  He always seemed like he was doing her `favors' by conceding certain points to her.  I just really thought he had an awfully high opinion of himself.  While I understand he was a Prince, I thought a bit more humility to his character would have made him more likeable.  He definitely could have used a little more groveling in the book!  He wasn't horrible, but he wasn't one of my favorite male characters.

All in all, if you really love the `royalty' spin on romance stories, you'll like this book.  Monroe's skillful writing, and Gillian's character alone make it worth the read!

Review By: Sarah

Rate:  B-

- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com/2013/06/one-night-heir-by-lucy-monroe.html#sthash. OhUMEHYo.dpuf
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Lady Caitlin Southall can not believe that her home, her mothers home which is being held in a trust for her, was lost in a card game.  She becomes even more frustrated when she learns the most notorious rake and her neighbor, Harlow Telford, Duke of Dangerfield is the one that won her home and will not return it like a gentleman when he learns of her situation.  Oh no.  Caitlin's temper gets the best of her and she challenges Harlow to the best of three events to see who wins the home--but her loss will come with her losing herself in his bed.

Harlow is troubled when he hears that the home he won was being held in a trust but he has his own personal reasons for needing to own Caitlins home and he has no intention of losing the bet.  He knows what must happen after Caitlin loses and he hopes it will be a win/win situation for them both but in the process he needs to trump the lovely lady in cards, baking and horse racing all while trying to hold on to his heart.

This was my first experience reading Bronwen Evans and I really enjoyed it.  The story worked well with the length, about half the length of a full length novel, and I didn't feel like the romance was rushed.  There is a back story of our couple knowing each other previously and that always helps move a novella along for me.  I really enjoyed Caitlin and her passion for securing her future and her boldness but who I really enjoyed was Harlow.  I don't really want to give away much of the storyline as it came as a pleasant surprise, but I was really surprised at the decenty of him underneath his rakish persona.  Watching the sparks fly between this couple was fun and leads to some very steamy encounters until they finally seal the deal.  However, Harlow is still keeping quite a big secret from Cate and when it is finally revealed it leads to heartbreak and sets up for tragedy.  The only thing that sort of bothered me about the story was the ending.  It has a double whammy that is a bit over dramatic and I'm not sure it needed to be in there.  I understood the first punch but the second tied everything up a little to neatly.  This was the only part where I felt a longer story would have been welcome.

Overall though I really enjoyed this story.  It is fast paced and filled with sharp barbs between our couple and plenty of heated passion all while gradually falling in love with each other and learning to appreciate what the other had to offer .  The supporting characters (two of Harlow's friends whom I hope are the next two books) add a bit of humor to the story as well.  If you are looking for a great way to spend an afternoon, Harlow and Cate's romance is one that is sure to heat up your blood, make you laugh and end with a sigh.  4 stars

A fun quote:

  "Good God, how's a man to concentrate with those staring at him all night?  And I thought I preferred you in trousers.  Well, played Lady Southall."
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Genre: Romance - Fake Fiance, Royal, Second-Chance
Stand-Alone: Yes
Part of a Series: Yes - Book 1 of Flings with Kings
POV: Emily and Kit
Steam Level: Rather warm
4/5

Royal Ruin is the first book I've read and definitely won't be the last. It sucked me in from the start. I finished it in two (working) days. I enjoyed the very real second-chance aspect of the fake relationship and especially enjoyed how (or rather wh0 suggested) the fake relationship came about. Kit was both a typical and an atypical hero. I liked his sweet, sensitive side. I also loved that the Queen, was just Grandma (but also the Queen). The Royal Family was portrayed as a typical family, with the arguments and the love, just on a larger, more public scale. Overall, Royal Ruin was a lot of fun and I truly enjoyed it. I'm excited to see the next relationship in Book 2.
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Okay, so I'm going to admit to having a thing for athletes, baseball players in particular. BUT no matter- I think that Adriana Locke could have made Lincoln Landry a trash man and I still would have fallen hard for him! It definitely reads fine as a standalone, but now that I know how much I love her writing, I'll be going back and reading the first book in the Landry Family series, Sway. Swing was filled with all the things I love in a romance novel- it was sassy, fun and flirty and I'm going to straight out admit that I read this on my phone during my husband's company Christmas party because I just couldn't put it down. It was just what I needed at this busy time of the year- a light sports romance with a dashing, swoony, dirty-talking, yet still gentlemanly hero. Can't wait to read the others in the series!
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book**
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Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart is my first Sarah MacLean and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly, regardless of the unwieldiness of the title. This is the third book in her Love by Numbers series, previously featuring this heroine's brothers. Ms. MacLean's take on the romance twist was a thoroughly delightful Italian miss who is always mere minutes away from an epic scandal. Of course, the Duke in question has only one prerequisite for a bride - a scandal free existence. Juliana entire motivation is to prove to him that a passion free life is no way to live.

Juliana is a wonderfully full, well-rounded character. Her inner tensions are completely believable and, even while presenting a very self-possessed image, she is riddled with angst about her true nature. How much like her dreaded scandal-ridden mother is she?

The poor Duke of Leighton and his stuffy heart doesn't stand a chance against Juliana's robust and lively nature. When the mighty Duke topples, it is an exquisite downfall. Their love story is one for the top ten lists this year.

One of the most delightful things about Ms. MacLean's writing style is her spot on dialogue and witty repartee. Juliana has the most charming way of screwing up English idioms that is so typical of speakers of English as a second language.
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Miss Watson's First Scandal by Heather Boyd
(A Miss Mayhem Novella)
Source: Purchase
Rating: 4/5 stars

David Hawke has a serious problem: he has to foreclose on the house of his next door neighbor and friend.  What should have been a much-deserved and relaxing week at his Brighton home has turned into something far more serious and far, far from relaxing.  David Hawke has another problem: apparently while he was away working in London for the last year, Abigail Watson, the sister of the soon-to-be-foreclosed-on neighbor has grown up and oh, is she a sight!

Abigail Watson has a problem: her family home is about to be foreclosed on because her loving though seriously worthless brother has a gambling problem.  Abigail is a smart girl and thanks to a little clever snooping, she already has a plan in the works to get she and her brother out of financial trouble.  Abigail Watson has another problem:  The man coming to foreclose on she and her brother is David Hawke, her handsome, confirmed bachelor next-door neighbor whom she has had a crush on for years. What is a girl to do?

Well, if that girl happens to be Abigail Watson, then she takes her destiny in her own hands and sets out to fix everyone's problems, including her own.  First, there is the matter of marrying her brother to a wealthy woman so they can keep their family home, next is the matter of attracting the attention of David Hawke without compromising her reputation and, finally there is the matter of ensuring that no one knows precisely what she is up too until the time is right.  That last part would have be a lot easier to do if Abigail hadn't stolen and read the foreclosure note from David, gotten caught by him and, then kissed his socks in a moment of pure abandon.  Oh, dear Abigail!

I have to say, this little regency read kept me turning pages and grinning from ear to ear from the very beginning.  I love novels (in this case a novella) when a woman is ahead of her time and Abigail Watson certainly is.  Rather than fall in line with societal custom and marry for status and wealth rather than love, Abigail has chosen to pursue the man who captured her heart years ago.  David is a wonderful character who truly struggles with the task of foreclosing on his friend as well as managing his growing feelings for his much younger neighbor.  But alas, even this confirmed bachelor is no match for Abigail Watson!

The Bottom Line: I am apparently a huge sucker for this type of read.  Miss Watson's First Scandal has a little bit of everything I love: a strong-willed and intelligent heroine, a kind and caring man (he takes in a stray puppy for cryin' out loud!), fun secondary characters (Imogen!!  Wait `till you discover her secret), a period piece (regency in this case) and, a nice little cliffhanger guaranteeing I will be back for round two of the Miss Mayhem novella series.
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The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance -Aug. 2nd, 2011
4  stars

Entertaining and well written this third book the Mackenzie series is a delightful read.  Even though it is part of a series, it can easily read by itself.

Lord Cameron married young to a wife who was mad.  He was accused of her murder when she died a bloody death.  Although acquitted rumors stir around him.  Now a widower with a young son named Daniel, he intends to live the life of carefree bachelor.  His only interests besides raising his son are the horses he loves and the fun sport he finds with an occasional 'lady.'  But this soon changes when he meets the attractive Ainsley.

Ainsley has always been attracted to Cameron but when he first kissed her she was married and she pushed him away.  She wanted Cameron but she stayed true to her marriage vows, even though her husband was elderly.

It is years later and Cameron and Ainsley meet again under suspicious circumstances.  Cameron finds her hiding in his bedroom!  Ainsley is now a widow and searching for a hidden document that could cause ruin to the Queen.  She knows it is in Cameron's unknowing possession.  Unfortunately, Cameron and his latest lady love intrude and she is forced to listen to their love making.  But Cameron spies Ainsley hiding spot.  He quickly removes the other woman and immediately confronts Ainsley with a sensual kiss.  He has never forgotten Ainsley and the passion that she denied them.  He vows that this encounter is not over.

This was a splendid romance with deep characterization.  Once I started, I found myself quickly absorbed in the main two characters and staying up into the early hours to finish their story!  Ainsley and Cameron are complex and interesting characters that are very genuine.  Their simmering passion as Cameron uses his seductive skills to get Ainsley in his bed was sexy and entertaining  I really liked Ainsley because she has a core of decency as she strives to do the right thing even as it puts her in danger.  She is a clever, devious and mischievous woman who feels she must pay for a past tragedy.  She was perfect for Cameron, whose terrible marriage scarred him.  He needed her understanding and sense of fun to lighten his life.

The Mackenzie family is easy to love and I was glad to revisit the rest of the clan and read about their continued happiness.  I also was especially charmed by Cameron's sixteen year old Daniel son.  He is very wily and amusing to read!  I hope Daniel will eventually get his own story.  In addition, I am looking forward to reading about Cameron's older and stoic brother Hart.  Hart seems to hold many secrets about their abusive father which I feel will make an exciting book.

Amazing characters and an absorbing story make for a smooth and immersing read.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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If this NetGalley reviewer had to sum up the first 70% of this book in one song, it would definitely be Anticipation by Carly Simon. What a refreshing change to have such a sweet, sassy heroine keep her clothes on and her self-respect/dignity intact, while making this handsome, quarterback hero exercise patience/actually have to work at winning her over. You see, Emma Lexington was no pushover who would give into temptation at the expense of others.  Trust me, she was sorely tempted by gorgeous Will Jensen.  You definitely felt the attraction/chemistry between these two wanna be lovebirds. But Emma knew her stay in New York had an expiration date and any off-the-field play time with Will could result in negative fall-out/consequences for her struggling Aussie employer/fellow co-workers.  Not to mention, more than likely leave her with a very broken heart. Any guesswork was laid to rest when she was told as much by the president of the team.

Will, it wasn't hard to tell you gave up your Casanova ways the moment you laid eyes on Emma. Except for one previous drunken indiscretion that was revealed that really ticked me off, you were pretty much the perfect boyfriend.  Still, it took a couple of your posse of football friends to help you and Emma reach the end zone and score romantic bliss.

What about the remaining 30%? Well, anticipation was soon replaced with angst after this couple finally became intimate. Since Im a fan of instant-love, main couple only has eyes for each other, and angst-filled/have to fight for each other, this remaining portion packed quite an emotional punch.

In summary, thank you Ms. Carmody for rescuing romance by giving us such a delightful, entertaining read.  I am definitely looking forward to Olivia getting her HEA in Book 2. Though I am really surprised its not about a more prominent sub-character in book 1. Heres to hoping your writing style of witty banter, likeable characters, and romantic storylines continue.

Title: Lexington and 42nd, Series: Off Field (Book 1), Author: Kim Carmody, Pages: 444, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, VERY steamy scenes.

(This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
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This was a delight to read; I love how the hero and the heroines relationship grew closer each day as Nicholas takes the time to woo his bride. And I also thought the authors voice was enjoyable as she infuses humor and romance into the story.

Isabella is destine to become a duchess; she has been taught all her life the intricacies of the position and her parents feel she will fulfill her calling with dignity. She is supposed to marry the

Duke of Gage, and although she is hopeful of a small hint of freedom when the original duke is found to be a fraud, her parents squash it as they convince his replacement that marriage to Isabella will be worth it.

Nicholas is a notorious rake around town, he is known for his boxing, gambling and of course the pleasure he gives a woman. However with a twist of fate, his whole life changes as he becomes the next Duke of Gage when a distant relative is found to be a fraud. Not only does he inherit the prestigious title, it seems he will also inherit a bride. When he meets Isabella, he is taken by her beauty but she seems disengaged with what is going on around her, uncaring of her future. But the more he gets to know her, the more he realizes who the real Isabella is.

This is the first book I have read from this author, I am not sure why but I will be fixing that immediately. I adored this book, the hero is swoon worthy as he courts the heroine and I love how she blossoms into this funny, self-confident woman that goes after what she wants.

No one ever knew the real Isabella, only what her parents want the world to see. Even her sister Margaret, who she confides most things to does not know the real her as she goes through many different emotions wishing she could be free of her obligations, yet knowing her life is planned out for her. I like being privy to her thoughts and we see right away she is nothing like the blank faced woman she portrays, she has wishes and dreams.

I love the romance between these two, Nicholas watches her at the wedding and notices how scared she is, so leaves her alone the first night but every night after they gradually gets to know one another as he tells her stories, they play games and they become more intimate. When he comes back each morning beat up and bleeding from taking out his frustrations in the boxing ring she is curious and wonders how to ask him to stay. There are several missteps between them, mostly unspoken words that could have changed things sooner, but that is the fun of this book.

The pace works well here; the witty banter these two exchange is fun and entertaining as well as the chemistry between them. Secondary characters have engaging roles to round out the story; I really like both Griffith, Nicholas very sexy nerdy brother who enjoys spending his time with a book and Margaret who has a mind of her own and surprises everyone at the end. I hope they have their own stories one day. This is easily read as a standalone as I did not read the first book and had no problems enjoying this one. All in all a wonderful romance that is heartfelt and fun.

Review also posted at Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind

Copy from the publisher for an honest review
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In My Wildest Fantasies is a British, historical romance with elements of suspense. The first book in the Pembroke Palace six-book series, it sets the background for the Sinclair family story. While there is a teaser at the end, which describes the main conflict for the second book, it could nonetheless be listened to as a stand-alone book, as the love life of the primary hero and heroine is resolved.

When I first read the description of this book, I was expecting the cliche romance where the hero and heroine experience love at first sight after the hero rescues the heroine. To my delight, In My Wildest Fantasies contained much more, including intrigue, passion, scandal, and even unexpected plot twists. While at times I felt like these underlying themes just scratched the surface of what could have been an A+ read, their introduction nonetheless proves entertaining as the reader will be left guessing and imagining the countless provocative possibilities. Add in Rosalyn Landors experienced narration, and you have a solid audiobook.

See full review at Audio Gals: www dot audiogals dot net/2014/04/in-my-wildest-fantasies-by-julianne-maclean/#more-21980