Undressed

Colin Rosemoor is a very good man but has some problems with not knowing always when to quit gambling, which will lead to his ruin. Colin was out for revenge but there was little he could do about it that is until he meets Brenna.

Brenna Maclachlan had been taken from her crib when she was a infant and was raised in Scotland. Twenty six years later her real parents will find her and want her back in England where she belonged. Brenna will return with them but knows that England will never be her home that is until she meets Colin and her feelings start to change.

Undressed is the third book to the series Undone by Love or Ashton/Rosemoor by Kristina Cook. I really love these books. This was another great one to read. I had not been expecting the beginning of the book where Brenna is taken by two people from Scotland who wanted an heir. They had taken the wrong twin but they kept Brenna and raised her as their own. In turn she because a very capable woman who could manage her keep and help her tenants. Brenna will be brave and go to England to have a season but she fully expected to come back to her home.

I liked Brenna’s character because she was independent. She looked out for herself and others. She had a passion and a curiosity but some times did not use her judgment to the best of her abilities. Colin’s character was a gentleman and to be thrown out of his club it destroyed him. His reputation was in ruins but he was out to get revenge against those who wanted to see him ruin. I liked that he didn’t just sit and do nothing but Colin’s character was a little of a “woe as me” kind of guy at times. He will get it together and with the help of Brenna who he doesn’t always deserve. Colin will become a better man but it takes him losing the one thing he truly wanted/loved to become that man.

I wasn’t a fan of her parents I will have to say. I get that what they wanted was their daughter back to them but they did it the wrong way. They threw her into society thinking that she would just get by. Brenna was not like them. If she had not been taken then she would have been like any normal debutante and had been married already.

Their were two villains. One had been Sinclair who had made himself known in the previous books but the other one was a surprise. I knew something was up with the character but I wasn’t really sure. You know they were a pretty nice person though things change. I kind of wanted more done to these two villains as they got away with doing some wrong deeds, well their reputation was ruined which will cause many doors to be shut on them.

So I have one more book to this series which looks to be a prequel to the series.

Dearest Rogue

Lady Phoebe Batten needed to live her life but her brother the Duke of Wakefield kept her from the life she wanted because she was blind. Phoebe would not let her brother stop her from going out, though she would be followed by her ever present bodyguard, Captain James Trevillion.

Captain James Trevillion job was to protect Lady Phoebe from danger. Until recently it was just to make sure she did not get hurt from falling down, now she is in real danger from kidnappers. James will do anything to protect her from the danger.

Dearest Rogue is the eighth book to the series Maiden Lane by Elizabeth Hoyt. Absolutely loved this book, is definitely one of my favorites from Hoyt.

I had been hoping that Phoebe would get her story since she had first been mentioned in the second book. I wasn’t sure if she would since she was going blind but I am happy that Hoyt wrote the story. Phoebe’s character is full of longing. She wants to explore and be normal but her eyesight has faded. I like that she does not give up, though its hard with her brother who is keeping her too protected. Throughout the book Phoebe will get braver and learn to really fight for what she wanted. Now James has been around in the book for quite sometime as a man of law. He gets injured which has him going from the law to bodyguard of Phoebe’s. I didn’t really know if I liked James because you didn’t really know him but in this book you get to know the man and there is much more to him. I found his past interesting and liked that you got to read a different side to him.

The danger for Phoebe was the kidnapping, and there were several. It was James’s job to protect her from this danger. So the person behind Phoebe’s kidnapping was not acknowledged until close to the very end but there was a twist at the end with the danger that surrounded Phoebe.

Well I had previously said that the character Duke of Montgomery had intrigued me, he still does but he is definitely more villain than I had thought. I will be interested in reading his story, if he has one which I hope because I would wager he is not quite the villain that he portrays especially when you can see he loves his sister.

So mentioning his sister, Eve, she will be in the ninth book of the series which comes out later this year. In this book Eve was not a villain but she certainly played a part that put others in danger. Can’t wait to read her story.

It Happened One Autumn

Lillian Bowman was an American who was searching for a titled man for a husband because that was what her parents wanted. She will be surprised when that the man that has her attention is Marcus who is one person she could not stand.

Marcus, Lord Westcliff, believed in order and Lillian disrupted that order. The only thing that could be done was to give in but there will be problems that will occur.

It Happened One Autumn is the second book to the series Wallflowers by Lisa Kleypas. I really loved this book which is a common phrase that I am using when expressing my like with Lisa Kleypas books. This book held more banter which was primarily from Marcus and Lillian. They were constantly bantering through the book but you knew that they liked each other, they were just too stubborn to admit it. They were actually similar in many ways. Lillian said what she wanted to say no matter what and Marcus did too but he was a little more reserved. I also liked that they pushed each others buttons to the point that almost went too far, but  it didn’t.

Alright now I have read the third book previously which is Devil in Winter and I enjoyed the book. I remember thinking that the main character St. Vincent was not exactly a villain but neither was he a good man. Well in this book you got to see him more as a villain, and personally I really wanted to hate him for what he was doing to Lillian. I know that the next book will bring a happy ending but it is kind of hard to see that with him acting like that. The other villain was the mother of Marcus. She was a piece of work but thankfully she was going to be out of the picture from now on.

So I am going to be rereading the third book, Devil in Winter, and then move on to Scandal in Spring.

Secrets of A Summer Night

Annabelle Peyton was desperate to find a suitable husband as her family would soon be on the streets. With the help of three friends they will help her land a husband before the season was over. The only problem was Simon Hunt who made no mistaking his desire to have Annabelle as a mistress.

Simon Hunt was the son of a butcher but left the family business and became an entrepreneur. Simon had become very wealthy but because of his status he was not always entirely welcomed among the peers. His goal lately had been to become closer to Annabelle which was becoming real as he was persistent.

Secrets of a Summer Night is the first book of the series Wallflowers by Lisa Kleypas. I really loved this book. The previous book I suppose was an introduction to the series which was important as you got to know Marcus a little who will be in the second book. The series is about four woman who became friends due to their wallflower status which brings a certain amount of entertaining.

Annabelle was a woman who needed to marry and marry anyone who was a peer because she needed financial help. You couldn’t blame Annabelle for pursuing Lord Kendall because he fit the guidelines but you wanted her to chose Simon who would at least make her happy. Now Simon was a man who pushed for more. He would never give up. You would think he was a bad guy for wanting Annabelle as a mistress but he wasn’t a bad man, just one who got his way a lot of time. It was good for him to get rejected by Annabelle. Now Annabelle and Simon were different in status but due to circumstances they will become much closer. I liked them together especially as it turns to more, it always was but they were afraid to admit it.

The villain was a peer who was an evil man but thankfully he will get what is coming towards him. The attacker of the villain was a surprise but it brought a smile to my face knowing that the victim would no longer be in danger of the villain.

I am reading the second book next where Marcus and Lillian will finally square off.

Some Like It Wicked

Catriona Kincaid has thought of Simon Wescott as a hero as a young woman and when she needs help she will turn to him five years later. She needs someone to escort her to Scotland to find her brother, who is believed dead and for her to claim her land.

Sir Simon Wescott was not the hero that Catriona thought and he was determined to prove that point. The problem was that he was starting to feel things for his wife but he was still not brave enough to show it.

Some Like It Wicked is the first book to the series Kincaid Highland. This was an engaging story that was really fast paced and I can’t wait to read the next installation which happens to be the last book of the series.

I love Catriona’s character. She is a brave woman who was a little naive but was not a weak woman. She believed in what was right and saw the good in other people. Catriona is just a very likeable character. Now Simon is not a villain in any sense. He is also a good man and is a hero in his own right especially when he will do what he can to help Catriona. It might have started with a bargain but Simon will find more and want more. I was happy when Simon got it together and the ending was very sweet between these characters.

Medeiros follows up with an epilogue that will show how life is for Catriona and Simon. They are extremely happily married with a growing family but then a letter comes and you will find out that Connor who was thought to be dead was really alive, at least for the time being. I will be reading the second/final book of the series next.

On A Wicked Dawn

Amelia Cynster has loved Luc Ashford for most of her life. She is now determined to get him to be her husband but she is going to present it to sound like its helping him. She will be surprised how readily he agrees but will soon wonder does he feel more.

Viscount Calverton, Lucien Ashford has been proposed too and found it was not a bad idea, in fact the idea sounded perfectly. He looked at Amelia in a whole new light and wanted her as his wife and her body. Luc will spend time wooing Amelia and will have to let her know that he is not in desperate need of money as she thinks.

On A Wicked Dawn is the tenth book to Stephanie Laurens series Cynsters. After reading about Amanda I figured Amelia’s story would be just as good, it was. Both the twins stories pulled you in and wouldn’t let go until the last page.

The character of Amelia is very much like her sister but still very different. She is a little more stubborn and I think level headed but she couldn’t see the signs clearly that Luc was feeling more than the causal friendship. Luc I loved. He was a determined man to help his family out of their money problem and does. He is a good man if at times a little hard. I liked that he was a man in love throughout the book but wanted to woo Amelia.

There is once again some danger through the book but Laurens keeps it from happening until close to the ending of the book which was well written and entertaining to read. It gives the book a little something more than just lust between the two characters. Those steamy scenes are never a bad thing though and there is tons of chemistry between Amelia and Luc who just can’t get enough of each other.

The next book is The Perfect Lover.

A Rogue by Any Other Name

Marquess of Bourne, Michael was determined to see his vengeance not be stopped when he was so close. Bourne will see that the ticket to his land will be at his childhood friend Penelope. He will not think twice about using her to get his land back. Bourne though will start to think differently as his life will start changing with Penelope by his side.

Lady Penelope Marbury knew that she was in no hope of marrying but then her father had an idea of giving her dowry an extra boost. Penelope did not want it as it was her childhood friends Michael before it was stolen. She will soon find herself in the arms of her friend only to be forced to wed him. She will see that he was changed but she will not give up hope that her husband will find a way to love her.

Sarah MacLean is a very new author to me and was recommended. I could not put A Rogue by Any Other Name down. It drew me in with the betrayal and sensuality that surrounded the book. This is the first book to the series Rules of Scoundrels. The plot surrounds a gambling hell that is run by four men who have fallen from society. This reminded me greatly of Suzanne Enoch’s Scandalous Brides series where a woman creates a gambling hell only run by women.

The characters of all four men are talked about but you get to know Bourne the best as he is the main lead. He was a broken soul and you wanted him to get his revenge but you also wanted him to have a life with Penelope. He was a hard character as he learned early on in life about fairness. MacLean gives a good portrayal of Bourne as a harden man who is only out for himself. At times he acted like the villain only to hide his true feelings. I do love that Penelope slowly broken down his shield of armor.

Now Penelope was a strong woman to endure all that society would have to say especially when she marries Bourne. I liked Penelope as she was strong enough to stand on her own and wasn’t afraid but cruelty will play a toll on her eventually. I liked the letters that MacLean puts into the story and the ending has a particular sweet last letter that was not expected.

The ending of the book will bring you to a new scene with the characters of Cross and Pippa and there is a surprise on why she is there in his bedroom. MacLean left me intrigued and wanting more at the end of the book. Luckily I was able to check out the next book at the same time so no waiting.