REVIEW: Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel & RECIPE: Pomegranate Sherbet

I know what you're thinking. What are a review for a romance novel and a recipe for pomegranate sherbet doing in the same post, right? Well, it's quite simple really. I was invited to read Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel and participate in a group discussion with Lea (Closetwriter), Renee (Renee's Book Addiction) and Carolyn (The Thrillionth Page) --three smart, articulate and fun women. While reading the novel, I was inspired by the wonderful descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of the exotic setting to create a recipe for pomegranate sherbet that was served and eaten in the story. So naturally, I'm posting about the book and the recipe at the same time.

First things first, the book. Indiscreet is a fantastic read. It's an historical novel that takes place during the regency England time period, but nearly all of the story takes place in the exotic location of Turkey. Indiscreet is very romantic and the characters and their stories are incredibly well written and hence very believable. The author expertly articulated the exotic setting of Turkey and which, for me, added a layer to the story that just captured my senses and made this story even more memorable.

To read more about what I and my Indiscreet cohorts thought about this novel, visit our group discussion on Lea's blog HERE, where she's also giving away a copy of the book!

For a second chance to win a copy of Indiscreet, visit Renee's blog HERE!

And if that isn't enough, visit Carolyn HERE where does an interpretive dance of Indiscreet. What?! We're just going to let anything go with Carolyn over the next several weeks since she's probably quite beside herself in excitement and distraction as her debut novel Mind Games comes out in 50 days. So yeah. Interpretive dance at Carolyn's place!

Finally, my inspired recipe for Pomegranate Sherbet. Several of the main characters in Indiscreet, including our lead couple, Sabine Godard and Edward, the Marquess of Foye, bump into each other in a hot and busy marketplace and indulge in sherbet. I loved the way everyone chose orange, yet Sabine chose pomegranate. It's such a small detail, even somewhat irrelevant, yet to me, it somewhat asserted her character. She's strong, independent, and confident in her individuality. Or maybe I'm reading way too much into that and she just prefers pomegranates over oranges.

Fruit sherbets are generally easier to make than ice creams as they're usually a simple blend of fruit juice, sugar and milk or cream, and I'm very pleased with the results of this recipe. The sweet and tart of the pomegranate is nicely balanced and it's very smooth and delicately creamy. Very delicious. I hope you give it a try.

Pomegranate Sherbet

2 large pomegranates
OR 1 1/2 cups commercial pomegranate juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1 pint half and half
2 teaspoons vodka or Grand Marnier, optional

Note: The alcohol has a much lower freezing point than the juice and cream, so it helps keep the sherbet creamy and not icy. It can be omitted.

Juice your pomegranates. And uh.. good luck with that. Not such an easy task. ;)

Combine pomegranate juice with sugar, half and half, and the vodka or Grand Marnier, if using, in a large bowl, stirring with a wire whisk until well blended and sugar has dissolved.

Refrigerate juice mixture until very cold then process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

Transfer sherbet into an airtight container and freeze for 1-4 hours until more firm. Then scoop, serve, and savor.

Enjoy! :)

REVIEW: Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

Wild Heart is an historical romance novel by debut author Lori Brighton. There is a subtle vein of supernatural to the story in that the heroine, Ella Fitch, has the gift of being able to "communicate" with animals by picking up on their emotions and soothing them with calming thoughts. The characterizations are loosely based on the tale of Tarzan as the male protagonist in Wild Heart, Leo Roberts, was the sole survivor of a deadly attack on a camp in the jungles of India when we has a child accompanying his parents on an exploration. Not only was the experience traumatic because of the act itself, but the understanding that the attack was an act of betrayal by someone his father trusted and the fact that Leo was not searched for or rescued for a very long time, has made Leo the wild, uncouth, outsider he is now.

Leo is now next in line for Earldom of his Grandfather's estate and Ella Fitch is hired as Leo's governess in order to educate and refine him in the manners and habits of a cultured member of society. It turns out, however, that Leo is not the only one with a mysterious and dark past as both of their pasts catch up to them and they are one or the other the object of a series of attacks. As they try to figure out exactly what is going on without revealing their secrets to each other, they end up learning about love, trust, and understanding like neither have ever known or dared hope for.

Wild Heart is a wonderfully suspenseful and mysterious adventure and a romantic tale of two lost and lonely souls who are brought together under some unusual, albeit possibly fateful circumstances. The mystery surrounding the attacks on them and the estate is intricate and multilayered, and kept me guessing at the possibilities until the very end. The love between Leo and Ella is built not only with passion, but also with compassion, trust and the kind of emotional connection you share with someone who simply believes in you.

I enjoyed witnessing the mystery of these characters and their love for each other unfold on the pages of Wild Heart, and I celebrated in their much deserved happily ever after.

Year of the Historical Reading Challenge

Host: KMont of Lurv a la Mode

Details: For more details, including rules and how to sign yourself up, visit KMont at Year of the Historical Reading Challenge.

Challenge: Read and review 12 historical fiction novels in 2010.

I joined KMont's Year of the Category Romance Reading Challenge last year and came up short. This year, KMont is challenging readers to read 12 historical novels. The books do not need to be historical romances--just historical fiction, but I'm thinking all of my selections will be historical romances since I read 17 historical romances last year.

Coincidentally, I'm in the middle of reading my first novel of 2010 and it's an historical romance. I'm reading Wild Heart by Lori Brighton and I'm really enjoying it. I'm a little over halfway through the novel and I'm at a scene where the heroine has just gotten dressed for a ball and I was so excited that the cover art shows her in the exact attire that she's wearing in this scene. Right down to the necklace! It may seem trivial, but I just love when a book's cover art perfectly matches what's inside the book.

So I realize the rules of this challenge call for a review of each book read, but I know me and my lack of discipline when it comes to writing reviews promptly or at all, for that matter, so I'm going to keep a list here just to humor myself and anyone else who's going to keep tabs on me and my challenges. ;p

1. Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

2. A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

3. Proof of Seduction by Courtney Milan

4. My Unfair Lady by Kathryne Kennedy

5. Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter

6. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

7. Provocative In Pearls by Madeline Hunter

8. Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran

9. One Dance With a Duke by Tessa Dare

10. The Taming of Mei Lin by Jeannie Lin

11. Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

12. Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare 

13. The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros

14. Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare
15. Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning (time travel)

REVIEW: Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries

The School for Heiresses Series, Book 6

Wed Him Before you Bed Him is the sixth and final installment in The School for Heiresses Series by author Sabrina Jeffries and can be read as a stand alone novel. I hopped on this series starting with the previous installment, Don't Bargain With the Devil, and while I thought it was an enjoyable read, it did not overly impress me. What it did do, however, was pique my interest in the school's founder, Miss Charlotte Page Harris and her anonymous benefactor known only to her as "Cousin Michael."

From the back cover:

At eighteen, Charlotte Page made a life-altering mistake. She wronged a man in an impulsive act that she came to deeply regret, though it led her to her present life as Mrs. Charlotte Harris, owner of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies. Unbeknownst to her, that man is now her anonymous benefactor, the mysterious "Cousin Michael." His masquerade began as preparation for a devastating revenge, but became a labor of love. Now Charlotte desperately needs his help. Can he save her from disaster as his real self without revealing the ugly secret behind his charade? Or will the mistakes of both their pasts tear them apart forever?

Over the fourteen years since the inception of Miss Harris' School for Heiresses, Charlotte and her benefactor, Cousin Michael communicate only through a regular exchange of letters via a personal solicitor. Charlotte and Cousin Michael have had professional discussions, friendly chatter, flirtations, and disagreements. At the end of Don't Bargain With the Devil, Cousin Michael became angry with Charlotte for her repeated attempts at determining his true identity and has stopped returning her letters.

For some great insight into the relationship between Miss Charlotte Harris and the mysterious benefactor, "Cousin Michael," I highly recommend you spend a few minutes at the author's website reading snippets of the letters they have exchanged over the years at this link: http://www.sabrinajeffries.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=heiress&pageID=4. The letters also give a little background information about some of the other characters, a little bonus if you are reading the novel as a stand alone.

At the start of Wed Him Before You Bed Him, the school is once again in dire straits as there are plans to build a racetrack on the estate adjoining the school, which would be the social and economical ruin of Miss Charlotte Harris' School for Heiresses. Charlotte is in desperate need of Cousin Michael's advice and finances, but he has not been returning her letters. In the meantime, Charlotte is approached by Lord Kirkwood, the widower of one of Charlotte's former students who died recently and left a large sum of money to the school. One would think this a blessing, but there is a stipulation that the money be used to build a new school in another location and the project must be overseen by Lord Kirkwood himself. This throws Charlotte for a loop, because not only does she not want to move the school, but can't even authorize such a thing without her benefactor's approval anyway and he's not answering her letters.

At the beginning of the novel, the reader finally gets a detailed look into Charlotte's past and learns about some lost loves and some life altering decisions she had made that eventually led to her financial ruin. While she may regret some choices she made when she was young, she's mature enough to know that wallowing in the past won't change anything and she does her best to make a better future for herself and help others learn from her mistakes through her school. I came to admire Charlotte very much in this story. Her life has taught her to be strong, smart, and giving.

Cousin Michael's identity is finally revealed in the novel, and it should be no surprise to readers of this series, that they fall in love. They have all kinds of obstacles to overcome, including plots of revenge, anger, misunderstandings and a many regrets. They also have great chemistry, beautiful passion for each other, a mutual longing for having done things differently, and a maturity that only life experiences can bring, all of which bring them together as they come to realize that second chances are sometimes the greatest of gifts. Then it's honesty and true love that finally binds them together forever. An engaging, mature love story and an excellent conclusion to a series.

REVIEW: Don't Bargain With The Devil by Sabrina Jeffries

The School for Heiresses Series, Book 5


I jumped in on this series with this fifth installment of The School for Heiresses series without having read the first four books. I was told it could be read as a stand alone, which turns out is indeed true. I had no problem figuring out the details surrounding the series story arc and while there were a few references to characters and couples who obviously starred in previous novels, it was easy enough to fill in the blanks.

The School for Heiresses is a series that centers around the women who attend and teach a unique, private school for heiresses at which these impressionable, young women are taught to make wise decisions about the men who will inevitably pursue their hand in marriage. In other words, how young heiresses can avoid fortune hunters.

The school was founded by Miss Charlotte Page Harris, a young widow whose husband had spent her inheritance, leaving her with nothing upon his death a few brief years later and now she wishes to educate young women from making the same mistakes. In addition to learning to steer clear of men determined to acquire the heiresses fortunes, the girls are taught arts such as music, dance, needlepoint, and so on, as well as academic subjects, a rare endeavor for a school in the early 1800s. Miss Charlotte Harris was able to establish this school only because of the help of her anonymous benefactor who refers himself to her as "Cousin Michael" and communicates with her only through letters. Her school would not be as successful as it is without the financial help of "Cousin Michael" or his experience, knowledge and support through their frequent exchange of letters. He is probably Miss Charlotte's dearest friend and confidant, despite the fact that she could pass him on the street and never know it.

Lucinda Seton is a recent graduate of Miss Harris' School for Heiresses and has recently had her heart broken by the man she had been expecting to marry. Lucy isn't just broken hearted, she's angry, for her suitor claimed she is not suitable to be his wife because of her Spanish heritage on her mother's side and because of her outspoken tendencies, but he would, however, be willing to keep her as his mistress. Outraged, she ends their courtship and accepts a temporary position as art teacher in the School for Heiresses.

The story begins when Lucinda takes a walk along the edge of the school's property and wanders to the orchard in the adjacent property. Lucy is a free spirited young woman and can't resist the opportunity to lay under the trees with her hair splayed about her and daydream for a spell. Of course, her hoyden behavior is discovered by a mysterious man who turns out to be the school's new neighbor and herein begins the trouble for the school . . . and Lucy. Her fiery spirit and sweet innocence immediately attracts the attention of this man, and in turn, Lucy is equally intrigued and attracted to him, even though she tries desperately to fight it.

It turns out the new, mysterious neighbor is none other than the famous Spanish illusionist, Diego Montalvo who reveals intentions of opening a pleasure garden (an amusement park of sorts for adults) on the property. Miss Harris and her peers are outraged at this prospect, fearing it will be the ruin of both the school and its students and attempt to thwart Senior Montalvo's plans at all costs.

Unbeknown to anyone but his butler, Diego Montalvo has ulterior motives for taking up residency next door to the school. In truth, he is on a mission to reclaim his family's estate in Spain by locating the long lost granddaughter of a wealthy and influential Spanish Marques to whom he is in debt and returning this heiress to her family in Spain. It just so happens that clues of this woman's possible whereabouts lead him to this area.

As Lucy works hard at stopping Diego's apparent plans to build the pleasure garden, she also struggles to resist his charms. Diego, in the meantime, is searching for the missing Spanish heiress and as he falls for Lucy, he fears she is the one he has been looking for but cannot ever have.

Don't Bargain With the Devil is a fun and fast paced, albeit fairly straightforward romance between a kind, open hearted young woman and an entertaining man who fell for the woman he couldn't have and would only end up hurting in order to fulfill promises made in his past. Most of all, I admired Lucy throughout the story for her strength and her resolve to stay true to herself and those she cares about. Her kind heartedness allowed her to give those she cared about the benefit of the doubt when it appeared they didn't have her best interests in heart. Plus I thought she had a great sense of humor.

Diego's honor and good intentions fell a little short for me. I understood his attraction to Lucy and his desire to have her as his wife, but at the same time, I wanted him to work harder at deserving her. He started his acquaintance with her with grand lies and soon resorted to trickery--and some really cheesy lines-- to keep her attention. He wasn't a mean or cruel man and didn't want to hurt Lucy, but he did it anyway. I understood the honor and importance in keeping the promises he made to his deceased father and those he made with the Spanish Marques to whom he is indebted, but if he loved Lucy, even if he thought he couldn't have her, I wanted him to come straight with her much earlier on than he did.

Sadly, Diego was not the only man who lied to Lucy. Other important men in her life lied to her or about her and while they all thought they had her best interests at heart, no one truly considered being truthful with her until they got caught up in their lies.

While the story was fairly straightforward and at times predictable, it was an enjoyable read and made me think how fun it would have been to be reading this series since it's first installment. I was happy that Lucy got the happily ever after that she wanted and deserved, but I hope the men in her life realize what an amazing woman she is to have forgiven them so easily for lying to her.

The relationship between the Miss Charlotte Harris and her anonymous benefactor, "Cousin Michael," as revealed in letters exchanged between them throughout the story, was very intriguing and certainly raised my curiosity about the outcome of their relationship, enough so that I picked up their story and the final novel in The School for Heiresses Series, Wed Him Before You Bed Him.

You can visit the author's website at http://www.sabrinajeffries.com/ .

REVIEW: Broken Wing by Judith James

Broken Wing is the debut novel by author Judith James, published in November 2008. It was my intention to read Broken Wing in late 2008 after it received so many raving reviews from romance readers starting with the glowing recommendation from KristieJ of Ramblings On Romance, but life got in the way and I never even got around to buying the book. It turns out I wasn't the only one, as orannia of Walkabout figured out, and she instituted a Broken Wing Reading Challenge, motivating me to finally read it.

By the way, there's an interesting post at The Good, The Bad, and The Unread titled Can A Blogger Make a Book? written by Wendy the SuperLibrarian about how Kristie may have single-handedly spurred the success of Broken Wing. Definitely food for thought.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

An historical romance set in the Napoleonic era, Broken Wing is an epic tale of adventure, survival and love. Lady Sarah Munroe and her half brother Ross, Earl of Huntington, have traveled from England to a Parisian brothel in order to find their young brother who has been lost to the family for the last five years. It turns out young Jamie has been living in the brothel, yet has survived the ordeal unscathed only because he was under the protection of the brothel's most prized prostitute, Gabriel St. Croix. Abandoned when he was a young child, Gabriel St. Croix's past is hauntingly disturbing. He was sold and traded, used as a catamite and later bound in servitude to the Parisian brothel. His sordid life has left him cold and distant, yet despite all of this, he was compelled to protect a Jamie from a similar fate, often at great cost to himself.

When Sarah and Ross are reunited with their young brother, they can hardly believe he is unharmed. When they explain to Jamie that they will be taking him home, Jamie refuses to go anywhere without Gabriel. Sarah and Ross are incredibly grateful for Gabriel's care and protection of Jamie, so while Ross is reluctant to bring a prostitute to live in his home, Sarah convinces him that it would soothe Jamie to have his protector at his side as he adjusts to a normal life again. Ross and Sarah establish a employment contract with Gabriel for one year of service as a companion to Jamie, an offer that Gabriel does not hesitate to accept, knowing it is a rare opportunity for a life finally free of violence, abuse and prostitution. Perhaps he can actually be at peace.

Gabriel is welcomed in Sarah and Ross' home like family, but Gabriel remains cold and distant. Obviously his experiences so far in life have left him with little, if any, concept of what it's like to belong with someone . . . family, friend, or lover. With patience and through simple companionship, Sarah teaches, or rather, shows Gabriel these things not just because she feels compelled to heal him, but because being with Gabriel, sharing life's simple beauties simply comes naturally to her. She doesn't set out to make him forget his past or make him forgive those who abused him. Rather she accepts him for the man he is and only wishes to show him that he can still have family, friendship and love. While Sarah is not unaffected by Gabriel's inherent sensuality, she first and foremost recognizes a man who could use a friend. In time, and through innocent friendship, Gabriel learns about friendship, acceptance and eventually they fall in love.

At about the halfway mark of the novel, Gabriel and Sarah separate for what they hope is only six months, but an unfortunate series of events tears them apart for much longer. During their separation, Gabriel is subjected to more atrocities. Some he commits himself in order to stay alive, and some that are not only cruel in their own nature, but doubly cruel because it seems he is destined to repeat living a life of abuse and deviant servitude. Thankfully he has warm, loving memories of Sarah's companionship and affection and he has befriended a Frenchman during this time of separation, both giving him the strength and courage to persevere yet again, and this time to hopefully do what he must to beat his demons once and for all. It is difficult, however, after living the life he has to believe oneself worthy of things so pure such as unconditional acceptance, friendship, and love. He never forgets what Sarah has given him, but he struggles to once again find himself worthy of such things from her--a struggle that costs them both dearly.

Broken Wing has a larger than life feel to it, in part, I think, because of the time span of the story and in part to wide array of settings at which the story takes place. Unlike most romance novels that take place over a few short months or even days, Broken Wing takes place over four years which in addition to making the romance part that much more realistic, it also lends a superb epic tone to the novel. There are also enough flashbacks and references to the past that make the novel feel like it spans a lifetime.

The story also takes the reader to the most amazing albeit frightening places. From a brothel in Paris to a stately manor along the ragged coast of England; from a privateer's ship sailing stormy seas to cities along the Barbary coast; from rebel fighting in the deserts of northern Africa to the beautiful countryside of Morocco and back again to Paris and London. All with amazing attention to historical and descriptive detail right down to the food, clothing, and weapons. Author Judith James certainly paints a vivid picture with her words.

Broken Wing is a most beautiful and memorable historical romance. It's not a simple story of romance and happily ever after. It chronicles the dark adventures of Gabriel St. Croix, who despite living a life of travesty after travesty, finds true, unconditional love and acceptance in an amazing woman, Lady Sarah Munroe, whose words and affections nurture him in ways he never imagined. Broken Wing is an achingly beautiful, epic romantic tale of survival and love.



Look for Judith James' second novel, Highland Rebel, in September 2009.

You can visit author Judith James at her website http://www.judithjamesauthor.com.

REVIEW: Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran

Last summer I read and loved the historical romance The Duke of Shadows, by debut author Meredith Duran. Since then, I've been highly anticipating the release of Bound By Your Touch, which hit bookshelves on June 30, 2009. Although not as poignant and emotionally gripping as The Duke of Shadows, Bound By Your Touch is a unique and compelling story with plot of mystery and romance, and engaging characters that kept me intrigued from beginning to end.

It's 1884, and Miss Lydia Boyce is eldest of three daughters in the Boyce family and is left assuming the unofficial role of head of the household, as her mother is long dead and her father, well known Egyptologist Henry Boyce, spends his time in Egypt as an artifacts dealer in order to fund his archaeological research there. Lydia is a learned scientist and scholar herself, supporting her father's research and funding in Regency England while also managing the household affairs that include being steward for her two younger sisters. Considered a spinster at 26 years old and after having been jilted by the man she loved when he ends up marrying her younger sister instead, Lydia has accepted, if not embraced, the fact at she will most likely remain unwed. Fortunately for her, she has her interests in science to keep her happily preoccupied.

Lord James Durham, the Viscount of Sanburne is a dilettante and a nuisance. He's a rich, spoiled, daft kind of fellow who pretty much spends all his time drinking and partying with his friends and doing whatever he can to anger and disgrace his father. James' father is the Earl of Mooreland and it is obvious to everyone that James is not only a disappointment to the Earl, but also a huge thorn in his side. Based on this brief character profile, James Durham doesn't sound like a very like-able character at all, yet there is an intelligence and kindness about him that makes the reader wonder if there are hidden reasons behind his behavior. Of course there are reasons and very real and severe reasons at that, and the author slowly reveals James' true character as he and Lydia get to know, understand, and inevitably love each other.

Lydia and James first cross paths when he so rudely interrupts and disrupts her presentation, at which she is trying to secure support and financial funding for her father's work. James barges into the auditorium, stealing Lydia's audience while drawing attention to his fantastic new archaeological find. James does this solely in a one-up-manship against his father, but in the end, his artifact is denounced as a fraud on the spot by none other than Lydia herself. This "confrontation" sets the tone of their relationship throughout the rest of the story in which they spend most of the time in each other's company verbally sparring with one another. It's not like they argue just to be antagonistic towards each other. It's more that they are often of differing opinions or perceptions of each other. Their frustration with trying to understand the other exacerbates the tension in their conversations and in their relationship as a whole.

When James confronts his supplier, he learns that fraudulent artifacts are being shipped from Egypt and in fact, the evidence indicates the source of the fakes to be Henry Boyce. Lydia is adamant about her father's integrity and sets out to prove his innocence at any cost. Lydia and James share information and resources as they try to uncover the truth about the source of the frauds. By the end of the story they do that, and so much more. Despite their near constant bickering when they are in each other's company, they are drawn to the excitement and level of intelligence and wit they share. Upon each meeting, Lydia and James not only develop a deeper understanding and respect for each other, but also for themselves.

The following passage is a great example of a typical exchange between Lydia and James. They learn so much about each other, yet still have this wall of understanding--or should I say misunderstanding-- between them that frustratingly doesn't break down.

"And if I asked about my own character? Oh, I know you've decided I'm paranoid. But would the scientist share with me her other observations?"

The curiosity in his voice seemed genuine. But why would he care what she thought of him? She ran an anxious finger over the door latch. [ . . . ]

"You're a butterfly," she said. "Aimless by nature, useless by choice, and highly decorative. Annoying, when you flap into someone's face."

To her irritation, he laughed. Surely there was no greater nuisance than a man who did not mind being insulted! What weapon could a woman employ against him?

"A butterfly? All right, Miss Boyce, well done. Yes, I rather like that. A butterfly, pinned in a very nice glass cage."

A few more stinging words between them and Lydia changes her analogy and says he's "not a butterfly, but a billiard ball. You crash about in the most aimless way--". James responds by acknowledging that, yes, Lydia clearly disapproves of him. When she's not kissing him, that is. It's quite an amusing and telling scene. Lydia speaks her mind, flinging several stinging, yet intelligent remarks his way, getting more and more ruffled by the minute, and while James does retaliate with a few biting remarks of his own, he maintains a calmness and amusement of Lydia that clearly shows his approval of her.

Bound By Your Touch is wonderfully written and the realistic, yet also very unique premise and characters were all very engaging. The development and treatment of the relationship between Miss Lydia Boyce and the Viscount James Sanburne was equally captivating and satisfying. Their conversations were often times amusing, sometimes moving and always intelligent. It was a joy to watch Lydia and James slowly come to understand each other, learn about themselves, teach other lessons on family, love, and forgiveness, and see that they are really more alike than not and that they indeed are a perfect match.

GRADE: A

You can visit author Meredith Duran at her website http://meredithduran.com .

Meredith's next novel is Written On Your Skin and comes out on July 28, 2009.

REVIEW: Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

Wallflower series, Book 1

Published: November 2004

TBR Challenge REVIEW (March 2009)
This is in essence my review for last month's TBR Reading Challenge. I actually read all the books for my four Reading Challenges before the end of March, but just didn't get around to writing the reviews. Ah, C'est la vie.


Secrets of A Summer Night is the first book of four in the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas. The story opens outside a London theater in 1841 with the heroine Annabelle Peyton and her adolescent brother Jeremy setting out to see the latest panorama show. Hard times have befallen the Peyton family since Annabelle's and Jeremy's father died, leaving them and their mother facing great financial difficulties despite their well-born social class. Much to their disappointment, Annabelle and Jeremy discover that they do not have enough coins between them to buy two tickets to the show after all. However, an acquaintance of Jeremy's named Mr. Simon Hunt approaches them and insists on treating them to the show. It is there in the theater, when the lights go out for a brief moment, that Simon Hunt steals a tender, albeit passionate kiss from Annabelle, murmuring his apologies just before disappearing into the darkness. The lights come back on and Annabelle is shocked and embarrassed by the kiss, but also acknowledges her own willing and heated response. Noting the effect Mr. Hunt had on her and aware that he is born to a lower social station as she, Annabelle makes a point to herself to avoid him at all costs.

Two years later, Annabelle is at the end of the third season and still has not found a husband. While she has had offers of financial stability in the form of a mistress to several men, Annabelle is determined to enter a respectable marriage and refuses such a relationship. By now Annabelle has become a wallflower at balls, nearly never asked to dance, for the men know she is on the hunt for a husband. The only man who does ask her to dance is Mr. Simon Hunt, who attends some of the same balls. Simon appears to be the only man not weary of Annabelle's intentions of securing a husband, and repeatedly asks her to dance. She is set in her resolve, however, that he is a dangerous man and she in turn repeatedly declines him.

Annabelle develops a camaraderie with three other young women who are also considered wallflowers and together the girls make a pact to help each other secure a husband, one by one until all four of them are married to a man of proper wealth and station. Once the pact is made, the wallflowers decide to attend a holiday at the country estate of the renowned Lord Westcliff, hoping to secure a husband for Annabelle. It is on this holiday that Annabelle and Simon cross paths yet again. Initially Annabelle is a bit short with him, but as their contact continues, their banter becomes more witty and friendly and she begins to develop feelings for him. Feelings that she tries to dismiss so that she can find a suitable husband, but in the end, circumstances drive them together.

First, I have to say that I love the premise behind the Wallflower series. I just never thought about the title of the series until it was spelled out for me in the early pages of Secrets of a Summer Night. I found the notion that these four women have forged a friendship out of their similar and somewhat dire situations quite endearing. Secrets of a Summer Night is clearly Annabelle Peyton's story, yet getting to know each of the women through their developing friendship was simply ... nice. I'm most definitely curious to find out how the other three women--the American sisters Lillian and Daisy, and the shy, overprotected Evie-- find their happily ever afters. I sure hope all four wallflowers continue to meddle in each others' affairs a bit. All good natured and with good intentions, of course.

At first, the plot and characters of Secrets of a Summer Night appeared rather straightforward to me. Basically, a young woman seeks husband of proper station to maintain respect among her peers and save her family from complete financial ruin, and she instead falls for the man of lower station that she's trying to dismiss, who happens to be rich and cares a great deal for her. That about sums it up, actually. However, the author somehow develops the characters right between the pages, unbeknownst to you and before you know it, they are so refreshing and do not fit any mold. Not only that, but the sub conflicts--and the development of the love between Annabelle and Simon, are unexpected, yet always realistic, so the story is entertaining, captivating and very importantly, believable. One of Lisa Kleypas' many talents as a writer is her ability to take an otherwise straightforward romance and turn it into something so much more beautiful and memorable with surprisingly fascinating characters and interesting twists in the story lines.

Another one of this author's talents, I think, is the how she incorporates a coming of age type element into the heroine's story. In Secrets of a Summer Night, Annabelle is adamant about marrying a proper man of her equal or higher station. It is so incredibly important to her, largely due to the fact that society expects this to be the norm. However, as circumstances bring her together with Simon Hunt and she learns more about the world beyond her little circle, Annabelle learns--completely on her own, mind you--how unfair and unbecoming it is to favor one person over another simply because of their social station. By the end of the novel, she learns one of life's most important lessons. That is, to judge someone's character by their character, not by their social status or by how other people judge them. Seeing Annabelle come to this revelation, and the fact that she came to it on her own with no pressure from society or even from Simon, was great and a very important element to the story.

Secrets of a Summer Night is a pleasant and endearing romance between two very charming characters whose story is equally charming. I'm looking foward to reading the next Wallflower book, It Happened One Autumn.

GRADE: B+

REVIEW: The Windflower by Laura London

So you never thought you'd see the day, did you? I'm finally getting around to posting my final thoughts on The Windflower, largely due to the pressure that Shannon of What Women Read has finished reading the book and anticipates posting her thoughts very soon. My apologies to the other participants in The Windflower Blogging Extravaganza for holding up the tour with my turn. All of you make horrible pirates and really should have made me walk the plank several times over by now. Seriously. No eye patches for you.

So without further ado, I present to you my long awaited final comments on The Windflower....

The Windflower is an historical romance set in 1813. The story starts out stateside in Virginia where our young heroine, Merry Patricia Welding lives with her Aunt who serves as her guardian since her mother passed away and her father and brother are both too preoccupied with their military efforts for the American cause against Britain during the War of 1812 to properly see after Merry.

Merry is a recreational artist, and is quite good at it, too. One of her greatest talents is her ability to draw accurate sketches of people she simply sees in the streets. Capitalizing on this, Merry's brother takes her to a local tavern at which he wants her to take careful note of some British pirates who are expected to show up there so that she can draw sketches in order to create wanted posters of them. Well, plans don't go exactly as planned and Merry makes a narrow escape from the tavern, but not before the pirate Devon Crandall corners Merry in order to extract details about her suspicious behavior and ends up stealing extremely passionate kisses with her. Passionate and mysterious, because both Devon and Merry are strongly effected by a few simple kisses.

Several weeks pass after this incident and Merry's aunt decides it is time to take her to England for a holiday, and with hopes of possibly meeting some suitable man for marriage. Well, plans don't go exactly as planned again, and shortly after boarding her ship bound for England, Merry gets inadvertently kidnapped and delivered to The Black Joke, the pirate ship of Captain Rand Morgan and his cohort, yes, you guessed it, Devon Crandall. Merry spends most of the remainder of the book as a prisoner on The Black Joke pirate ship,keeping out of harms way and inevitably lands a special place in the hearts of the crew--especially one such pirate named Devon Crandall who falls deeply for the beautiful, naive maiden, and she for him. Of course she tries desperately to not fall for him because he's a brute and an ass. And of course he tries desperately to resist falling for her because he thinks she's the lover of his worst enemy. Of course she refuses to denounce any false accusations about what she was doing in the tavern that night in order to protect her brother and his American idealist role in the war. Plus Devon isn't actually forthright with why he needs to know, either, so their game of cat and mouse ensues. Secrets and confusion between Merry and Devon are the norm for pretty much the entire novel, yet truths are finally reveled and they acknowledge their love and go on to live happily ever after, the end.

The Windflower pretty much exemplifies a lot of stereotypes of the romance genre and I can't seem to blame anyone who rolls their eyes at this novel. Merry is the classic young, naive, virginal damsel in distress who cries, flails her dainty wrists, and gets an entire crew of pirates to fall for her. Devon is the domineering, controlling, aggressive .... oh, I don't know.... jerk? I'm pretty sure the only reason I tolerated his character is because I enjoyed witnessing Merry squirming whenever they interacted, followed by her feisty, intelligent and consistently amusing responses. Their verbal banter was fairly entertaining, I must admit. In fact, I liked Merry a lot from the very beginning right through to the end. Except for one thing: I just don't get what she saw in Devon. At all. Especially after we meet the cast of colorful characters on board The Black Joke. I could think of at least three secondary characters (Cat, Raven, and even Captain Morgan!) who were no doubt more worthy of Merry's affections. They were caring, funny, intelligent, and suave. I really liked them. Devon, not so much. He was simply a brute. What the heck did Merry see in him? I never figured it out. Considering The Windflower is a romance novel, I should have been convinced that their love was well founded and I wasn't. I think Merry would have lived more happily ever after with someone else.

Aside from Merry, I have to say I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters, specifically Cat, Raven and the Captain. They had personality and character. I believed in their earnestness and felt they grew and changed just like Merry did during the short time their lives were intertwined.

The political conflicts throughout the story turned out to be more complex and interesting than I expected. The little plot twists and character revelations that unraveled as the story progressed added much welcomed depth to the story. Especially in light of the fact that the love between the hero and heroine was so shallow.

Overall, I enjoyed Merry's character and her interactions with Cat, Raven, and Captain Rand Morgan, yet the romance between Merry and Devon failed. I was never convinced that what Merry felt for Devon was really love, and in fact her relationships with the secondary characters were more genuine and believable and what held the story together. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this popular old school romance so that I could find out for myself what the big deal is over it, but frankly.... I didn't discover any big deal at all.

GRADE: C

The token Windflower World Tour pose upon completing the read and review. Copied from KMont who copied from Ana.

Next up on The Windflower World Tour is Shannon of What Women Read. Keep an eye out on her blog. She'll be posting her thoughts on The Windflower very soon!

REVIEW: What A Scoundrel Wants by Carrie Lofty

What A Scoundrel Wants is an historical romance set in medieval England at the turn of the 12th century. It is the tale of a rakish swordsman named Will Scarlet and a woman named Meg of Keyworth who is much sought after by the villains of Nottingham for her talents in alchemy. Will Scarlet is the nephew of the renowned Robin Hood and has abandoned his post as guardian of his uncle's estate in part because he feels he has performed an act of betrayal against his uncle, and in part because he is so desperate to stop living in his famous uncle's shadow once and for all. Will has since taken a position as a swordsman for the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Meg of Keyworth was blinded due to a childhood illness, yet is a strong and independent woman and completely capable when in her own element. Meg inherited her deceased father's passion for alchemy and has learned how to create fake jewels that she can sell in the marketplace to put food on the table for herself and her sister Ada. After having been deceived and humiliated by her lover Hugo and her sister Ada, she sends her sister to Nottingham to sell her jewels for profit, and Ada is arrested and imprisoned by none other than Will Scarlet. Upon learning of her sister's arrest, Meg solicits the aid of her late father's only friend of station, Lord Whitstowe to enter the castle of Nottingham to free her sister. On route to the castle, however, they cross paths with the sheriff's guards and a bloody battle quickly ensues. Will Scarlet witnesses traitorous behavior among the fighting parties, including the death of Lord Whitstowe by the hand of the Lord's own guards and is not sure who is on the side of the law and who has what intentions in this unexpected battle. While trying to figure out what is going on and what to do, he instinctually responds to a woman's screams and rescues Meg from being violated and taken prisoner by these men. Will and Meg escape into the forest and Will decides he needs her as witness to the truth of the betrayals that took place in the battle before he is framed for murder, only to find out his witness is a blind woman and the sister of the woman he arrested in Nottingham no less. Obviously, the relationship between Will and Meg is full of anger, frustration and even hatred, yet they form a sort of alliance because they each need the other for their own purposes. Despite their unlikely pairing, heat develops between the two throughout their treacherous escapades through Nottingham over the course of a few weeks and they fight each other every step of the way.

It has been awhile since I read a novel that took more than a few chapters to get interested or involved in a story and its characters, and I'm afraid What A Scoundrel Wants was the first to stump me in quite some time. For the first 200 pages or so, I felt no investment in the characters and I wasn't even intrigued by the outcome of their quests. I continued on, however, largely out of obligation because I had won this book in a contest and promised a review in return for the prize. I'm glad I did, however, because finally in the last 150 pages or so of the book, I was at the edge of my seat desperate to see Will and Meg through to their happily ever after. Still, it took reading 200 pages to get that point, which is rather disappointing.

For more than half the book, I honestly didn't think very highly of Meg at all. She is not a very nice person, and in fact is deceitful and selfish. She creates counterfeit jewels and sells them for profit. Out of anger and perhaps even revenge for Ada's betrayal, Meg has her sister be the one to risk selling the jewels in the marketplace where she is arrested and imprisoned for fraud. So Meg compromised her sister's safety out of vengeance and is angry and spiteful when she is caught? Those actions alone make for a long road to feeling compassion for this woman, let alone feeling she deserves the affection of Will Scarlet who responds to keeping her safe out of mere chivalry from the very first scene. Of course, Meg's blindness and the acts of injustice against her play a huge role in molding the person she has become, yet her bitterness and spite was rather overwhelming and it took a long time before I came to care for her.

Will Scarlet is not nearly the scoundrel he is claimed to be. He did perform a singular act of betrayal against Robin Hood, he was not the only one responsible party, so calling him a scoundrel for it is quite exaggerated. If his actions several years prior as an outlaw alongside Robin Hood deemed him a scoundrel, it is never revealed in the novel. Will is struggling to find his own way in the world, putting an end to living in the shadow of his uncle, which adds depth to his character, and his dedication to chivalry and carrying out justice is admirable.

Readers who love stories of Robin Hood and the like would find What A Scoundrel Wants to be an enjoyable and rewarding read. The story is loaded with adventure, danger, and intrigue right to the last pages of the book. Will Scarlet and Meg Keyworth both have complicated pasts and their present situations are even more complicated, each contributing to interesting character developments for both, and their union a curious, yet satisfying part of the tale. Unfortunately for me, the incessant fighting, anger and spite from Meg, in addition to her inconsistent intentions with Will detracted from my enjoyment of a large part of the novel.

GRADE: C+

My grade for this novel is based on giving the first 200 pages a C and the last 154 pages a B.

Don't just take my word for it, though. The following reviewers really loved What A Scoundrel Wants:

Ana of The Book Smugglers gives it an 8/10 in her review HERE.
AztecLady of Karen Knows Best gives it an 8.5/10 in her review HERE.
Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books gives it an A- in her review HERE.
Jayne of Dear Author gives it a B+ in her review HERE.

The Windflower is now docked in . . .

New Jersey, USA.

Have you gotten wind of The Windflower World Tour Yet? It's a blogging extravaganza that was started by Ciara Stewart and Ana of The Book Smugglers. You can read the details of The Windflower World Tour at Ciara's blog HERE, but basically a single, rare copy of the 1984 romance novel, The Windflower by Laura London is being sent around the world between twenty-three blogging friends in order to acquaint romance readers with this historical romance novel that is beloved of many romance readers and considered classic old school romance that shouldn't be missed. Each blogger has two weeks to read, review or discuss the book on their blog, and post a picture of The Windflower in their town/city before shipping the book off to the next blogger. So far The Windflower has reached the following ports:

Cambridge, UK.

Ana of The Book Smugglers discusses The Tour and reviews the novel.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Carolyn Jean of The Thrillionth Page discusses the Windflower.

Alabama, USA.
Kmont of Lurv a la Mode discusses the novel and reviews it as well.

I encourage you to click on those links and read the Windflower posts by those three wonderfully insightful bloggers. Be sure to read the comments in those posts as well for some really interesting discussion. The observations and insights into this much loved classic novel by different readers is fascinating and I'm really curious to see how it is received on the remainder of the tour.

And now The Windflower has landed in my port. Well, technically it landed here almost a month ago and shamefully, I let it sit in my bunk without cracking it open for a few weeks. Out of fear of having to walk the plank on The Windflower Tour, I begged for mercy from my fellow Windflower shipmates and asked for an extension. In order to defend my reason excuse for not having started it yet, I present the following picture of The Windflower sitting on my once upon a time kitchen window sill when my kitchen was being gutted back on November 13. 

The verdict from my Windflower shipmates? I have gratefully been granted an extension. I'm so glad that I did, too, because I finally started reading it and guess what? I like it! I'm about a hundred pages in and am actually fairly captivated by the characters and plot. Yes, the language is often "flowery," and yes, the author can be overly verbose and descriptive on topics seemingly completely irrelevant to the story, and yes, the characters and plot devices seem a bit stereotypical and cliche, but really, so far . . . I find it a bit amusing, quite entertaining, and kind of sweet.

The fact that I'm entertained by the relationship between Devon the rogue pirate and Merry the young, innocent, virtuous fair maiden is a bit disconcerting. I shouldn't be enjoying Devon's aggressive, unwelcome advances toward Merry. I shouldn't be enjoying her feeble, barely successful attempts at stopping his advances. But I can't help it! I love when Merry fights Devon both verbally and physically as she struggles to escape his embrace, all the while trying to understand and control her newly blossomed sexuality. And just when I think Devon is the ultimate jerk, he says or does something that makes me think he sees something in Merry that he's never seen in another woman. She stirs something in him that no other woman ever has, making her worth all the trouble in the world to keep. Assuming she figures out she wants to keep him as well, that is.

So I continue on with The Windflower, curious to see where the goings on aboard the pirate ship, The Black Joke, takes me next . . .

TBR Challenge: The Dream Thief by Shana Abe

The Dream Thief by Shana Abe

Bantam Books - Random House, Inc.,

Hardcover edition October 2006

Mass market edition September 2007

In a remote region of northern England, hidden from humans, there exists a species of shapeshifters called the drakon, who can shift from human to smoke to dragon. Since the dawn of time, the stones of the earth have called to the drakon, who have mined some of the most precious and rare stones of all time. Shana Abe's first drakon novel, The Smoke Thief, takes place in the mid 18th century and is the love story of the drakon's alpha male, the Marquess Christoff Langford who claimed his mate, the elusive and rebellious 'smoke thief,' Clarissa 'Rue' Hawthorne. The first chapter of The Dream Thief takes place seventeen years later, to a time when Christoff and Rue have five children of their own, all who have matured to young adults and now have the ability to Turn, or shift to smoke and dragon. That is, all except their youngest child, Amalia, or Lia, who shows no signs of ever being able to Turn. Lia does, however, possess two very powerful gifts that she has kept secret since she was a small child. One gift is her ability to clearly hear the song of the dangerously powerful and alluring stone, the Dramur from its resting place in a faraway land. The other gift is that of precognitive dreams. Dreams in which she has broken tribal rules by taking a human lover and traveling far from drakon territory to seek the Dramur. The Dramur is a large diamond that sings to the drakon and is in fact so alluring and mesmerizing to the drakon, that it can be used to control them. If it feel into the wrong hands, the Dramur could be used against the drakon.

Five years later, other drakon finally begin to hear the faint song of the Dramur that Lia has been hearing for years. As the alphas of the drakon tribe, Christoff and Rue decide the stone must be sought out and protected from being discovered by others. They subsequently hire Zane, former street urchin turned professional thief, and sole human friend of the drakon, to travel the depths of eastern Europe to retrieve the Dramur. Unbeknownst to her tribe or even her family, Lia leaves her boarding school to seek the stone and soon convinces Zane that they should search for Dramur together. Their corroborative effort to find the stone brings them together romantically but also puts them great risk of disaster. For Lia is dangerously susceptible to the enslaving powers of the dramur, and Zane is one of the world's greatest thieves after all.

Once again, Ms. Abe enchanted me with her mysterious dragon filled world set in historical Europe. The Dream Thief is a beautifully written, magical tale with believable love story. Lia was a determined, intelligent and resourceful young woman and at times somewhat naive, which was quite endearing. The sexual tension that builds up between Lia and Zane throughout the book is sexy and realistic, and when they finally give in to their desires, their passion is honest and raw. Throughout their journey, Lia and Zane face many dangers, including several that put them near death. These scenes were both suspenseful and emotional.

Having meet Zane when he was a mere street urchin in The Smoke Thief, I was so pleased that Ms. Abe was able to keep Zane true to his character throughout this tale. Zane never made apologies for his nefarious ways nor did he pretend he was anything more than a mere human thief. I admired his 'what you see is what you get' attitude about himself and that he didn't glorify himself to be anything different in Lia's eyes.

The combination of Abe's beautiful writing style, the creative mythology of the drakon, the historical setting, and the passionate love story between Lia and Zane make The Dream Thief a fantastic read. The third novel, Queen of Dragons, was released in hardcover in December 2007.

GRADE: A