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Showing posts with label Historical Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical Romance. Show all posts

Can't-Wait Wednesday (7): Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the yet-to-be released books we're excited to read. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Hi everyone!

It's a new Wednesday and as usual I'm here to share with you another one of my anticipated titles.

Girl Meets Duke... Again: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

THE GOVERNESS GAME
by Tessa Dare
Series: Girl Meets Duke #2
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: August 28th 2018
Source: eARC received through Edelweiss for an honest review
Rating: ★★★★1/2
He’s been a bad, bad rake — and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson
The accidental governess.
After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried — and failed — to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart... without risking her own.
The infamous rake.
Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education — in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling... and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

Blog Tour Stop: The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo
by Kerrigan Byrne
Series: Victorian Rebels #6
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: August 28th 2018
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★1/2

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Powells

The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls—for the passionate women who dare to love them…
He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival—and salvation—lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul…
A LEGENDARY LOVE
Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?

Lisa's June Reading Recap

Hello, everyone! How have you been?

It feels so long since my last post. In my defense, Eid was two weeks ago so naturally I did zero reading that week (plus I was out of town and didn't have access to the Internet), and I still had Eid withdrawals last week and still did zero reading.

This week was relatively better. I managed to finish some books so I consider that a feat.

Unrelated to reading news, I finished my Masters degree! I've submitted my thesis and now officially unemployed while waiting for my graduation ceremony in November. I should be job-hunting, but taking that first step is so scary! I've been in school for 10 years and it's been a comfort zone for me.

Anyway, I figured I'd do a June reading recap. I managed to finish 13 books this month, a small number for me, but eh. Hopefully my July will be better reading-wise. 

 ★★★★  to  ★★★★★


2018 is truly the year of Nalini Singh for me. Her Guild Hunter series has fast become one of my ultimate favourite series, and because I'm having trouble getting into the only book I have left unread in Guild Hunter, I decided to dive into Nalini's Psy-Changeling series because apparently that's the most logical solution, y/y

Slave to Sensation was phenomenal! I rated it a 5 because I just couldn't put it down once I started. It's sexy, addictive, and fast-paced, and I love how Nalini wrote the world of the Psy and Changelings. I like the concept of the Silence and PsyNet (scary as they are). I basically shipped Sascha and Lucas from the moment they met. I love the tension between them, and the sexy dreams (!!!). It got really emotional halfway towards the end because forbidden love and all that, and I was basically crying in the end. Visions of Heat was no less great; it featured another Psy-Changeling pairing that I would die for. Vaughn is a total hottie where can I get one?



Ainslie Paton is one of my current favs. Her latest book, One Night Wife, featured a Robin Hood-ish anti-hero that I love. There were cons in the story that kind of reminded me of Ally Carter's Heist Society and the tv show Leverage, and also fake relationship (!!!). I love that Cal, the hero, came from a family of conmen (it's a family business!); I hope that we get to see more families (because it was mentioned that the Sherwood family has alliance families as well) as the series progressed.

Sara Rider is a new-to-me author, and Real Kind of Love was a delight to read. Our heroine, Clementine, is an audiobook narrator who found herself in a block of a sort after she was asked to narrate her first romance novel. This book also had fake relationship, and I've recently reviewed it here.


When I first found out that Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield were writing a book together, I completely freaked out. I just couldn't imagine the level of smut that book would bring, and Captivated totally exceeded my expectations in that area. This book was hot as hell! I love that I could tell Tessa's and Eve's writing styles apart, and the styles meshed together very well too. There's a bit of age gap, and also Beauty & the Beast vibe.

Mina V. Esguerra is a Filipino author I followed on Twitter and whose books I hoarded but never read, until this one. And boy, why didn't I read her sooner? What Kind of Day was just the kind of book I needed to get out of my reading slump. Our heroine, Naya, is a Manila tour guide, and our hero, Ben is a political speechwriter who's recently fired from his job. They met when Ben accidentally joined Naya's tour group after he was fired. I think the reason why I connected with these characters is because they are both in their thirties and still having doubts about their future (me, an almost-30 unemployed woman full of self-doubt: *wipes tear* I feel this so hard).

Also, this book made me bump up Manila on my Dream Cities to Visit list. Manila is just a 4 hour flight from KL and the tickets are fairly cheap, so I don't know why I haven't visited yet.




These books I enjoyed recently were both written by Australian authors. Kissing Games by Tara Eglington is a Young Adult romance and the second book in the series, and it's even better than the first! And look how cute the US cover is!

C.J. Duggan is the author of my favourite NA series called Summer, and I haven't read any of her newer works outside of that series because....I don't have a good reason but anyway, I bought New York Nights when I was in Sydney because the hero is a single dad (typical Lisa), but I ended loving the heroine more. This book is actually the second in the Heart of Cities series but can be read as a standalone. I actually have the first book on Kobo so I might read that one next (plus, it's set in Paris, one of my favourite cities!).

★★★



Honestly, I started Hold by Claire Kent for the smut and left feeling very emotional about the hero and heroine. I love unexpected surprises, they are the best. This novella is classified as sci-fi erotica. I really like Riana the heroine, and Cain is your typical silent and broody hero (my type, obviously). Plus, it's still FREE!

I requested Touch Wood by Jenika Snow on Netgalley because I've read the second book and really liked it. I love Carina Press' Dirty Bits precisely because of that; the stories are all short and dirty. I had one tiny issue about how the H/h took a long time to even talk to each other, but other than that it was a quick and fun read.


★★ to ★★★



I read V.C. Lancaster's The E.T. Guy a while ago and really loved it. It's also my first time reading romance with aliens in it, and it was WILD. The New Guy and The Security Guy are second and third books in the Office Aliens series, and while I enjoyed them both, I think they weren't as good as the first book, mostly because I have issues with the heroes' behaviors.

The Bashful Bride is my first book by Vanessa Riley. I really loved how it started, but my enjoyment fizzled out halfway because I was annoyed by the heroine and the things she did. I rated it a 2.5 because I didn't root for the romance in the end and I personally felt the hero was better off without the heroine.


What are your June gems?
Tell me in the comments!







"So what is it about this duke?" // It's All About the Duke by Amelia Grey


by Amelia Grey
Series: The Rakes of St. James #3
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: May 29th 2018
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★
Amazon - Kobo - BN - iTunes - Google Play

Nearing thirty, the Duke of Rathburne is finally ready to make amends for the wager that caused him and his best friends such scandal―but taking on a ward who needs a husband is a feat he’s not sure he can manage. The last he saw of Miss Marlena Fast, she was a spirited little ruffian, not the sort of bride most bachelors on the marriage mart sought. But one glance at the lovely lady she has become is enough to convince him otherwise…
Orphaned young and shuffled from family to family, Marlena counts on her fierce independence and quick wits to keep herself content. Being the responsibility of a notoriously wicked duke who upended so many lives is an unexpected challenge when she realizes he arouses her decidedly feminine desires. Marlena must be careful. She has her own scandalous secret to protect. If he finds out, will it shatter her chances of a happily-ever-after with the notorious rake?

I've never read any of Amelia Grey's previous works before, and It's All About the Duke was a great introduction to her writing because this book charmed from start to finish, and it's all because of the characters.

I love both Rath and Marlena. Marlena especially is totally adorable and she has my heart. She's young and innocent, but I like that she's not a pushover, and she has no problems speaking her mind in Rath's presence. I also love her loyalty to her friends Eugenia and Veronica. I mean, she started a gossip column and wrote a book for them! Although the reason for it was mainly fueled by teenage fury, I still admired her sense of loyalty to her loved ones. I also love her unconventionality, and her relationship with her chaperone, Justine. Justine can be so annoying sometimes, but Marlena is such a sweet-tempered girl, she deals with Justine so calmly. I would have been tempted to cause Justine bodily harm.

The first chapter described Rath as someone older and wiser, a reformed rake. He's a bit mellow now that his two best friends and fellow pranksters have found love and happily settled down. In the first chapter he did a bit of reflecting; he acknowledged that while he was competent with ducal responsibilities, he wasn't the perfect gentleman his father had hoped he would be and he regretted that, especially after the prank he and his friends played on the ladies of the ton a few years back. I really liked how the chapter ended with Rath feeling determined to be the perfect guardian to Marlena, to help her find a husband and marry. 

"He could be a rake if he looks so deeply into your eyes you know he sees all the way to your soul."

The major reason why this book worked for me is Rath and Marlena's relationship development. Marlena especially had some notions about Rath after the whole prank that affected the lives of her friends. She had been dragging his name and the other Rakes of St. James through the mud with her scandal sheet for a few years, so imagine her surprise when they finally met and Rath wasn't a complete ogre of a man. In fact, he was a perfect gentleman??? I love seeing her feeling all sorts of conflicted because Rath turned out to be a...*gasp* nice man??? how is this happening??? and he was apparently not the shameless rake she has her whole column based upon. The more time they spent together the more she liked him, and she started to dread the upcoming Season because the only man she wanted to spend her life with was the man she wasn't supposed to fall for.

Rath was instantly charmed by Marlena from the moment they met. He had no chance; Marlena was super cute and witty, and there was a spark between them in the first meeting. Boy, that did a number on him and his senses too. Like, here is his new ward, of whom he was supposed to look after and see that she married well, and he only wanted her for himself. There is a little hint of forbidden romance in the story because of the whole guardian/ward thing, but overall it was so entertaining to see Marlena and Rath fell in love with each other despite reasons. I sighed at all the stolen moments (and kisses!) they shared.

"I know we shouldn't kissed. It doesn't keep me from wanting to."

Overall, It's All About the Duke has been a fun read, and I'm so glad I requested to read it. Amelia also wrote a HEA for Marlena's friends, and I appreciate that so much because the girls definitely deserved all the happiness. The epilogue had me smiling because it was so satisfying and wrapped up the book perfectly. I'm definitely going to check out Griffin's and Hawk's books next.

*Quotes taken from ARC. 

What's your latest historical romance read?
Tell me in the comments!





Blog Tour Stop: A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman

by Valerie Bowman
Series: Playful Brides #9
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 1st 2018
Source: ARC for review
Rating: ★★★★


First comes love, then comes marriage. Unless it’s the other way around...
General Mark Grimaldi has sacrificed everything for his military career, working his way through the ranks without the benefit of a nobleman’s title. Now, his years of dedication are about to pay off—with an offer for a prestigious promotion to Home Secretary. There’s only one condition: Mark must be married. Aside from the small matter of not actually wanting to be wed, Mark faces another troubling problem: he already has a wife.
Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent ten contented years in France without her husband—and without regret. When Mark asks her to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife, she sees her chance. But neither of them is prepared for news that will throw Mark’s future into chaos...nor the undeniable desire they’ve rekindled.
Maybe happily-ever-after can happen the second time around in A Duke Like No Other, the next Regency romance from Valerie Bowman.

A Short Thursday Update

Hey, everybody!

Gosh, this week just flies by so fast. My sister is getting married this Sunday, so it's been a bit more hectic than usual in our household with the last minute preparations and whatnot. Planning a wedding is no joke, 0/10 not recommended.

I didn't get to read much this week because I've been too busy, so for today's post I'll be adapting a WWW concept since it's the simplest, haha. 

I reread Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas for the umpteenth time this week. The Hathaways series is one of the historical romance series that I love and reread constantly. If you haven't read this series then what are you doing with your life????, it's about the youngest Hathaway sister, Beatrix, and Christopher Phelan, her neighbour and a soldier. It all started with letters of companionship between them, and soon the words turned into heartbeats on the page something more, but there was one little snag: Christopher thought he was writing to Prudence, Beatrix's friend who he planned to marry when he returned from war. 

This book is one of my comfort reads. It's emotional, sexy, and filled with amazing cast of characters so you can expect great banter as well. I love how I feel whenever I finish reading this book. 

I read too many books at the same time to mention here but right now one that totally has its hooks on me is The Cowboy and the Kid by Anne McAllister. It has a single dad cowboy hero and a middle school teacher heroine, and one persistent matchmaking kid who just wants her father to have someone and be happy. 


Bonus: it's still free on Amazon

So many good books to read, so little time, but I'm focusing on these three titles next 
(all of them come out on March 27th!)


  
Her Perfect Affair by Priscilla Oliveras
Hurts to Love You by Alisha Rai


What have you been reading this week?

Share with me in the comments!



I Read My 1st Historical Romance: The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

The Duchess Deal
by Tessa Dare
Series: Girl Meets Duke #1
Genres: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: August 22nd 2017
Source: eBook
Rating: ★★★★★
When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules…

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir — which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:
- They will be husband and wife by night only.
- No lights, no kissing.
- No questions about his battle scars.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:
- They will have dinner together every evening.
- With conversation.
- And unlimited teasing.
- Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love…

Amazon | Kobo | Audible | Nook | Indie Bound


Ten Books That Made My Year

Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone!

Honestly, I’m keen to start the new year. One of my new year’s resolutions is to start journaling more actively. I used to keep diaries when I was a teenager and I remember the content feeling of flipping through my old entries to see how much I’ve grown, and to look at past events with a new eye. I’ve been watching journal-related Youtube videos for the past few days to get inspirations for my own journal.

Most of my 2017 reads are rereads; I had a lot of reading slumps throughout the year, so I’ve been turning to my old favourites a lot. Since Goodreads has made it possible for rereads to count in the Reading Challenge, I took advantage of it.

Anyway, 2017 personally has been a big ball of suck, but these books have made my life a bit brighter:


A KISS IN LAVENDER BY LAURA FLORAND | GR | AMZ

I have so much love for Laura Florand and her books. While her Amour et Chocolat series made me crave for chocolates and macarons, Laura’s La Vie en Roses series made me wish I was made of money so that I could visit Provence and spend time in the rose, jasmine and lavender fields. A Kiss in Lavender has everything I love in a book: great banter, strong family relationships (the Rosiers are just family goals), slow romance build-up. I still haven’t reviewed this properly because I was so overwhelmed by it, but I’m going to do it sooner or later (maybe after my 15th reread so that I can be truly eloquent in expressing my feelings about this book).


ACT YOUR AGE BY EVE DANGERFIELD | GR | AMZ

So...I have a daddy kink. Well, in romance, at least; I’m turned off by real men and I’m perpetually single so I can’t confirm if it applies to real life… 

Eve Dangerfield has been on my radar ever since I finished Locked Box (hello hotness!) and I’m on a mission to read her backlist. Act Your Age checked all my boxes: great characters, age gap, and I’ve reread it probably 5 times since I finished it the first time. I also wrote a semi-lengthy review on my Goodreads (which is an accomplishment in itself because most of my five-star reviews are just I LOVE IT!!!!).



AMERICAN KING BY SIERRA SIMONE | GR | AMZ

Oh, I hate this book. 
It made me cry a lot, this book. 
It almost made me throw my phone against the wall, this book.

I couldn’t imagine a better ending for the love story between Greer, Ash, and Embry. I still haven’t written a review for it because I didn’t know how to express myself outside incoherent keyboard smashing.



BOUNTIFUL BY SARINA BOWEN | GR | AMZ

I love Sarina Bowen’s Brooklyn Bruisers (I binge-read the whole series in one night) and when I saw that Bountiful will be a crossover, I immediately jumped on this train. I still feel a little bad about not noticing Dave in BB, but anyway he’s my favourite Sarina Bowen hero now. I keep rereading my favourite scenes in this book from time to time—all of them involved Dave caring for his baby daughter (major swoons!). I also feel like this book is Sarina’s sexiest to date; the sexy times between Dave and Zara are A++.



PRETTY FACE BY LUCY PARKER | GR | AMZ

The number of times I reread Pretty Face this year alone is borderline unhealthy but I can’t help it—it’s just so good! I’m not going to talk much about Luc Savage, our grumpy Gregory Peck-looking director hero, and how he’s basically everything I want in a man, or how we’re both deeply in love with Lily Lamprey, the ever wonderful, angel on earth. I just want to say that every time I finish this book, I sigh heavily because their romance is amazing and I’m going to die alone, unloved-



THE DAY OF THE DUCHESS BY SARAH MACLEAN | GR | AMZ

Here’s my secret: I reread The Day of the Duchess every time I need a good cry. I’m unafraid to say that this book is the best historical romance I’ve read so far; I was in a huge book hangover after I finished it, and I kept thinking about it for daysI love my second chance romance full of pain and grovelling, and this book has it in buckets. The grand gesture in the end is a shot through the heart. Sarah MacLean did amazingly with Malcolm’s redemption arc; I can’t believe I actually rooted for him. 



THE DUCHESS DEAL BY TESSA DARE | GR | AMZ

Oh gosh, The Duchess Deal was a Delight to read. Tessa Dare is at her most excellent with the character banter in this book. I laughed out loud multiple times mostly at Ash because he was so ridiculous, and I love how Emma handled him and his grumpy ways. I highlighted so many scenes in this book. Ash would fit right in with the Lords of Perdition; I really want him to meet Colin Sandhurst because I think Colin would either annoy him to death or immediately click with him. Anyway, have you seen the blurb for the sequel? I’m praying for kinkiness-




THE RED BY TIFFANY REISZ | GR | AMZ

I’ve never read anything like The Red and I can’t say much without spoiling it but art is now ruined for me 
(but like, in the best way) 
(I see everything with a kink lens now) 
(which is AWESOME).





UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION BY KATEE ROBERT | GR | AMZ

I’m still surprised by how much I love this book considering I didn’t really like Aiden until the end of book 4. I’ve been steadily rereading this book because I truly enjoyed seeing Aiden and Charlie fell in love with each other despite being from different worlds, and also because I’m hyping myself up for book #6 (February, come early please!).





WRONG TO NEED YOU BY ALISHA RAI  | GR | AMZ

To quote myself (haha), Wrong to Need You has everything I need in a book: great (and diverse!) characters, a boatload of angst, slow-burn romance, A+ sexy scenes.  This book is also in a couple of Top 2017 Romance articles I read and I agree wholeheartedly. I can’t wait for book 3 to see how Alisha Rai would top this one.

My dual review with Eri for Wrong to Need You





More books that made my year: Acting by Impulse by Mia Sosa, The Love Experiment by Ainslie Paton, Complicated by Kristen Ashley, What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long, Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, Dance with Me by Alexis Daria, and Hold Me by Courtney Milan.

Have a very happy New Year, everyone. See you in 2018!

Which books made your 2017 better?

 Let me know (or link me your Top 2017 Reads lists) in the comments!



Lisa's 10* Most Anticipated 2018 Releases

*eh. I did try to limit myself to just ten….

Hi, everyone! I was too busy to post anything earlier in the week, plus I haven’t been reading anything much (boo).

I’ve been seeing recap and ‘Best of 2017’ posts all over my Twitter timeline. It feels a little surreal to think that it’s almost the end of the year. I will be listing down my best books of 2017 soon and I plan to limit myself to just ten mentions…but as you can see in this list I’m about to share, I can never limit myself to a number.

Anyway, since my Best of 2017 is still in the works, I’m going the easy road and share with you the books I just can’t wait to read in 2018, in no particular order.

Let’s start!

THE YEAR OF MEADER




Kate Meader will be releasing three books next year! I don't know how to express my excitement eloquently, but I'm so very glad that we will get a new series right after the Chicago Rebels end. Kate's books always have the prettiest covers as well; I love the colours (and abs) in the first two, and the Down with Love cover reminds me of Lauren Layne's books which I love. The series will be about three hot-shot divorce lawyers "who think they know everything about marriage, relationships, and women will learn that, in fact, they know jack shit."

Yep, sold.


DUDES IN SUITS



I'm always here for Lauren Layne's dudes in suits. The blurb sounds like it's going to be a little bit of enemies-to-lovers, which is just my thing. I'm still wincing at the May release date, though (MAY???).

The awesome knitting gang from Penny Reid's KITC series is coming back, and this time it's Kat and Dan's story (FINALLY)! I've been ready for this book ever since I finished Dating-ish.

Dmitri Romanov *swoony sighs* and his own story is coming in February (also FINALLY). I hated him on first sight in O'Malleys #2 (he was muy terrible), but he turned out to be the most intriguing character in the series and believe it or not, I want him to have his HEA. Well played, Katee Robert.



MORE ROMANCES



One day I shall write about my immense love for Kristen Ashley's stories and characters, how she fulfills every need that I have for romance (second chance love? alpha male bikers? hotshot PIs and commandos? men in uniforms? twenty year of separation and angst?) and how she manages to keep my single-dad shelf on Goodreads alive almost single-handedly, but today is not that day. 

Julia Sonneborn's By the Book has been pitched as a Jane Austen's Persuasion retelling and I, a Captain Wentworth stan, am very much looking forward to this story. 

I read the excerpt of Kate Clayborn's Luck of the Draw after I finished Beginner's Luck and hello, Aiden O'Leary! The story is going to have fake relationship in it and if that's not catnip then I don't know what it is. 

I still hate the dress on the cover of Hello Stranger but I'm so ready to read Dr. Garrett's story. Lisa Kleypas based her character on the real Dr. Garrett, or Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female physician in England, and also the only female physician in England for some 20-30 years.



WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME?



Just...don't get me started on this one. 
I've waited 84 years for this book and if it gets pushed back again I'm going to bloody cut somebody.


How many books are in YOUR 2018 anticipated lists?


 Let me know in the comments!




Kilts, Cooking & Annoying Heroines


Hi everyone! 

How are your weeks going? Mine is going okay. I haven't been feeling some of the romance books I've been reading sadly, so I've been getting back into murder mysteries and crime thrillers instead. I found my old collection of Tess Gerritsen books, and some I actually never got around to reading, so now I'm reading her Rizzoli & Isles books from the beginning.

Before I got into the murder mystery phase, I did get a chance to read some romance books, and I thought I'd share some quick thoughts with you all today. First, I'm sharing my review for the lastest book in Mary Wine's highlander series, Highland Weddings. Though I enjoyed the book, it wasn't as enjoyable as some of the other books in the series. I also review a diverse foodie romance with East in Paradise, which was a sweet book, but I also struggled with the heroine quite a bit.

Take a deeper look at what I thought about them!
HIGHLAND FLAME by Mary Wine [★★★]
Received for review purposes. This does not affect my opinion of the book.
Some of you may have followed my reviews for the previous books in this series by Mary Wine on the other blog. If you don't know, I'm totally in love with this series. It's my first highlander series and Mary Wine has done nothing but impress me with the way she weaves together romance and politics. I'm always eager to read the next book in the series, so I jumped on Highland Flame with a lot of excitement. 

Right away though I could tell that Highland Flame wouldn't be as good for me as the previous books in the series. It's not a terrible book, but compared to the others, it falls behind a little bit. In Highland Flame, we're given Jane's story. She's a feisty, brave and sometimes reckless Englishwoman determined to return back home after her Scottish husband's passing. Jane is a great character, who shows a lot of strength and resilience throughout Highland Flame. Her scoundrel of her husband was even ready to prostitute her to settle his gambling credit, but she knows she's worth more than that and vehemently refuses. She remains true to herself throughout the book, and always bounces back whatever the obstacle she faces. 

She totally deserved a sweetheart like Diocail. I initially wasn't quite sure what to make of Diocail. He's just become the leader of his clan and desperately needs a wife to fix things around in their decrepit castle. I couldn't quite get a handle on his personality at first, but as the story progressed, we got to see the caring man underneath all that gruff exterior. He wants to do good for his clan, and his kindness and patience towards Jane were nothing short of swoony. Though I loved these two characters individually, I felt like a certain spark was missing in their relationship. I don't quite know exactly why that was, but I only know that I never felt as strongly for them as I did the previous couple. They enter into a marriage with Jane still hell-bent on going back to her home in England, but throughout the Highland Flame, they become familiar with each other and grow a bond. I'm just not convinced by their bond though. As always, Mary Wine writes excellent steamy scenes. Another aspect I liked here was the deeper exploration of what it's like to belong to a clan led by Highlanders. 

All in all, Highland Flame was certainly readable, and if you're a fan of this series, I definitely recommend checking it out.

Of dukes, a magistrate, and happily ever afters.

Hello, everyone! How is your reading this week?

Honestly, I’m having a blah week. Academic-wise, I need to submit the complete draft of my Master’s thesis to my supervisor in a week, and wrapping up my writing is the single, most hardest thing to do right now.

Boring stuff aside, I finally created a shelf for single parents on my Goodreads, and because I love multiple shelves, I decided to split them into separate shelves for single mothers and single fathers. I’m also reorganizing books in my age gap shelf. For some reason, I’ve been shelving books with minimum age difference of five years and above into that shelf, and I now realized that it didn’t really make sense; five years aren’t that big of a gap, right?

On a bookish-related note, the first book in one of my all-time favourite series, the All Souls trilogy, is getting a TV adaptation! I thought I was over books with vampires in them, but then I got hooked on A Discovery of Witches and proved myself wrong. The author, Deborah Harkness, announced on Monday that the main characters Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont will be played by Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode. 

Granted, they aren’t how I pictured Diana and Matthew, but I’m excited nonetheless. Now onwards for some mini reviews!