Review & Giveaway: A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman

A Touch of Flame (The Cowboys of Colorado #2) 
by Jo Goodman
Publication date: June 5th 2018
Publisher: Berkley
My rating:  4 Stars
Pages: 416
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD | Kobo

 

USA Today bestselling author Jo Goodman returns to the gunslinging outlands of A Touch of Frost with a sizzling new romance where the new town doctor learns there's nothing she likes better than a run-in with the law.

Dr. E. Ridley Woodhouse is like no physician Ben Madison has ever met—she's a woman. As the newly elected sheriff of Frost Falls, Colorado, Ben is tasked with welcoming Ridley to the community. But while Ben might be tempted by the new doc's charms, getting the town to accept a big-city, female doctor is no easy feat. To earn their trust she'll have to prove herself and Ben determines to help her...even if she's the most stubborn woman he's ever met.

When the husband of one of Ridley's patients threatens her, forbidding Ridley from treating his wife or children, all of Ben's protective instincts kick in. Ridley has come to rely on Ben's steady presence and the delicious tension that simmers just below the surface of their easy friendship—but as much as she trusts that his warnings to steer clear of Jeremiah Salt are sincere, she's never been one to back down from a challenge and she refuses to abandon her patient.

But sticking to your guns can earn you trouble in the rough terrain of the Wild West, and danger threatens Ridley from unexpected places, forcing Ben to confront his deepest fear in order to save the woman he loves.

My Thoughts:

The fact that E. Ridley Woodhouse, the young doctor that’s come to replace old Dr. Dunlop, is a woman stirs up some gossip, and the town is a little slow accepting a female can be a proper doctor.  Fortunately, Dr. Dunlop enlisted the town’s sheriff, Ben Madison to help Ridley in the transition. He’s well respected, and knows everyone in town, even if he’s completely frustrating at times.  Like relentlessly trying to find out what exactly the “E.” in E. Ridley Woodhouse stands for, lol. And no, it’s not Eureka!

Ben didn’t know Dr. E. Ridley Woodhouse was a woman, and he has no issues with that.  His mother raised him to respect an intelligent woman, but boy, Ridley gets under his skin from the minute she steps off the train! In the best possible way, of course.   The romance was playfully antagonistic.  The teasing between them cute and funny, enough to put a smile on my face.

There’s some prejudice over having a woman doctor especially in view of the time in history, but Ridley proves herself capable and compassionate.  However, treating Lily Salt leads to some trouble with Lily’s husband, Jeremiah Salt.  I hated that awful man!  Ridley proved herself tough and resourceful, but still, the sheer physical size difference and the fact that he was a mean bully just looking for an opportunity to get his pound of flesh set me on edge.  Thankfully, Ridley has quite a few allies when it comes to this difficult and dangerous situation, Ben being the most important.

I thoroughly enjoyed the previous book, A Touch of Frost, and so I was eager to pick up the new installment.  Getting a glimpse of what life what like in the late 1800’s is interesting.  A life without most modern conveniences like indoor plumbing (chamber pots, eeek!) and where the only source of water is a pump in the kitchen sounds a little daunting!  

A Touch of Flame is basically a stand-alone story, some of the events in the last book are recounted because Ben is first introduced there, and his history is important to his character now.  But it’s not necessary to read the previous book to enjoy A Touch of Flame.  I was pleased to “see” Phoebe and Remington (the couple from the previous book) again, and their cute little son, Colt here. The romance between Ben and Ridley is the heart of the story, but it a little danger and suspense makes this a story you don’t want to put down.

Connect with Jo Goodman:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

The lovely people of Berkley have generously provided a Paperback Copy of Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman to give away to one reader.  The giveaway is open to US Residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Someone to Care by Mary Balogh

Hello readers! It's been a while, but I'm excited to share my review for the newest Mary Balogh historical romance in the Westcott series.  I've loved this series from the start, and Someone to Care is another beautiful story!  I have my review, an excerpt and giveaway to share.  Make sure to scroll down to the bottom and fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win!

Someone to Care (Westcott #4) by Mary Balogh
Publication date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: Berkely
My rating:  3.5 Stars
Pages: 384
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD | Kobo

 

Once the Countess of Riverdale, Viola Kingsley throws all caution to the wind when adventure calls in the form of a handsome aristocrat. . . .

Two years after the death of the Earl of Riverdale, his family has overcome the shame of being stripped of their titles and fortune--except for his onetime countess, Viola. With her children grown and herself no longer part of the social whirl of the ton, she is uncertain where to look for happiness--until quite by accident her path crosses once again with that of the Marquess of Dorchester, Marcel Lamarr.

Marcel Lamarr has been a notorious womanizer since the death of his wife nearly twenty years earlier. Viola caught his eye when she herself was a young mother, but she evaded his seduction at the time. A prize that eluded him before, she is all the more irresistible to him now although he is surprised to discover that she is as eager now for the excitement he offers as he is himself.

When the two defy convention and run away together, they discover that the ties of respectability are not so easily severed, and pleasure can ensnare you when you least expect it.

My Thoughts:

Viola Kingsley used to be the Countess of Riverdale until she found out the marriage was invalid since her late husband was already married to another woman.  She and her children lost the title and fortune, but in the time since her family has rallied around her, and her children have come through remarkably well.  Still, Viola hasn’t really dealt with her feelings about the whole situation and suddenly, she’s feels the need to escape the family gathering she’s attending.  Hiring a carriage and fleeing for home, she becomes stranded in a small town when the carriage breaks down. 

This is where she runs into Marcel Lamarr, The Marquess of Dorchester, and prior acquaintance.  The man was temptation personified, but as a married woman, as she thought, Viola turned him down.  Now seeing him again, fourteen years later, his appeal hasn’t diminished.  They run off together, both trying to escape life temporarily, and they do, for a while.

Mary Balogh is one of my favorite historical romance writers, and I’ve loved all the stories in this Westcott series.  Viola and Marcel have aches in their heart each escape by running away together and enjoying each other’s company, both physically and mentally. They have meaningful conversations, steamy nights, and grow closer than they thought possible.  The cottage in Devonshire where they spent their time was dreamily described and sounded gorgeous!

I was a little disappointed Viola and Marcel kept their true feelings, both deeper than they wanted to admit, from each other.  It was obvious to everyone that they loved each other, but their pride and worry over being more hurt stopped them from sharing what was in their heart and it went on longer than I would’ve liked.  I’m thrilled with how it all turned out at any rate, and although this wasn’t my favorite installment, I still heartily recommend it. 

 Excerpt:

It felt like a lifetime. Or like something from another life altogether. But here he was, fourteen years older and fourteen years more attractive, though there was a greater hardness now to the handsome, austere features. She wondered, as she had wondered at the time, why he had taken her literally at her word. He did not seem like a man who took kindly to being told no. But she had told him to go away and he had gone. His feelings for her, of course, had not run more than skin-deep. Or groin deep, to be more blunt about it. And there had been plenty of other women only too happy to jump to his every command.

“I stand corrected,” he said in that soft voice she remembered well. He had never been a man who needed to raise his voice. “Was there a time limit?”

How did one answer such a question? Well, with a simple no, she supposed. There was no time limit. She had sent him away and had intended that it be forever. But here she was alone in a room with him fourteen years later, and he had spoken to her again and asked a question. He did not wait for the answer, though.

“Now how am I to interpret your silence?” He strolled to the table nearest the door, pulled out a chair, and sat on it, crossing one elegantly booted leg over the other as he did so. “Having sent me away once, you have nothing more to say to me? But you have already said something. You have corrected my defective memory. Could it be, then, that you hate to repeat yourself by inviting me yet again to go to the devil? Or could it be that you do not wish to admit that company—any company, even mine—is preferable to none at all when one is stranded in a godforsaken village somewhere in the wilds of England? I assume you are stranded and have not come here with the express purpose of jollificating with the locals and helping save them from being rained upon on Sunday mornings?”

The mere sound of his voice sent chills up her spine. Just because it was so soft? And because he spoke unhurriedly, with the absolute certainty that no one would dream of cutting him off?

“Jollificating?” she said. “Is it a word?”

“If it is not,” he said, his eyebrows lifting, “then it ought to be. Perhaps I should give serious consideration to writing a dictionary. What do you think? Do you believe it would rival Dr. Johnson’s?”

“With a one-word entry?” she said. “I very much doubt it, Mr. Lamarr.”

“Ah, but you do me an injustice,” he said. “I could think of ten words without having to frown in thought and pummel my brow. But why is it you will not answer a direct question? Was there a time limit? And are you stranded? All alone?”

“The axle of the carriage in which I am traveling came perilously close to breaking,” she said. “The coachman does not believe we will be able to resume the journey until tomorrow morning at the earliest.” Why was she explaining?

“I took a glance out into the innyard before stepping in here,” he said. “There is no sign of a private carriage. Has yours by chance made off without you, the imperiled axle story just one big hoax to be rid of you? But that is unlikely, I must admit. You did not—surely—arrive here in that apology for a conveyance that is listing hard to the northwest and looking for all the world as though it will not be fit to go anywhere for the next eternity or two. Or did you? A hired carriage, Lady Riverdale?”

“That is no longer my name,” she said.

“A hired carriage, Miss Kingsley?” He sounded pained.

“How are the mighty fallen?” she said. “Was that your meaning, Mr. Lamarr? Then why not say so?”

Long, elegant fingers closed about the handle of his quizzing glass, but he did not raise it to his eye. “Riverdale was a blackguard,” he said. “If it was your idea to completely disassociate yourself from him, even in name, then I congratulate you. You are better off without the connection. Kingsley is your maiden name, I assume?”

She did not answer. She looked down at her coffee in order to break eye contact with him. There was still half a cup left. It would be cold by now, though. Besides, she was not sure her hand would be steady enough to lift the cup without revealing her agitation.

“Miss Kingsley,” he said after a few moments of silence had passed. “Are you going to send me away again? And spend the rest of the day alone?”

 The lovely people of Berkley have kindly provided a Paperback Copy of Someone to Care to one lucky reader.  Giveaway is open to US Residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

Mini-Reviews & Giveaway: The Wedding Date & Next Year in Havana

It's really hard to give up on a book, especially when it seems everyone else and their brother loved it!  Anyhow, this is probably a case of "it's me not you", but these two books just didn't work for me.  Like I said, most readers loved both of these books so I thought I'd pass along my copies to someone who'll probably enjoy them more than I did.  Scroll down to fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Publication date: January 30th 2018
Publisher: Berkley Books
My rating: DNF
Amazon | B & N | Kobo

A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.

Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn't normally do. But there's something about Drew Nichols that's too hard to resist.

On the eve of his ex's wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend...

After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other...

They're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century--or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want...

My Thoughts:

DNF @38%.  I had a hard time buying into this romance, because I didn’t feel any chemistry between Alexa and Drew.  Also, Alexa’s lack of self-confidence was disappointing.  I didn’t feel engaged enough to continue.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
Publication date: February 6th 2018
Publisher: Berkley Books
My rating: DNF
Amazon | B & N | Kobo

After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity--and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution...

Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's growing political unrest--until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary...

Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa's last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.

Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba's tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she'll need the lessons of her grandmother's past to help her understand the true meaning of courage. 

My Thoughts:

I loved Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces series, but this was nothing like it. That was fine, but this just had such a slow start, I was really bored out of my mind.  I ended up skimming a large portion.  I just wasn’t in the mood for the tragic historical romance that takes up much of the story. 

 The giveaway is for a Paperback copy of The Wedding Date by Jasmin Guillory (my ARC copy) and a Paperback Copy of Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton.  The giveaway is open to US residents only.  Good luck!

Spotlight & Giveaway: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Hello there readers! Most have grown up loving the classic Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.  With her irrepressible curiosity, and zest for life Anne has made a place in the heart of many! I'm pleased to spread the word about Penguin Classic's brand new deluxe edition with beautiful cover art by Siobhán Gallagher, forward from J. Courtney Sullivan, and an introduction from Benjamin Lefebvre giving history and insight on L.M. Montgomery.  

The lovely people of Penguin have generously provided a copy of this beautiful new edition to giveaway! Please scroll down to the bottom of the post to enter for a chance to win!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Foreword by J. Courtney Sullivan
Introduction by Benjamin Lefebvre

Deluxe Edition Sale Date: November 14th 2017

ISBN: 9780143131854

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

About the book:

The beloved coming-of-age tale of a spunky heroine named Anne "with an E," now for the first time in Penguin Classics and packaged in a Deluxe edition.
L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables recounts the adventures of Anne Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan mistakenly sent to a pair of siblings who intended to adopt a boy to help work on their farm in Prince Edward Island. Yet Anne's quirky personality and good-natured spirit causes the siblings to grow to love her anyway, and soon the entire town falls for the precocious little girl with bright red hair.
Cherished by both children and adults, Anne of Green Gables is a celebration of fierce individualism, and the families we create, rather than the ones we are born into. This Deluxe edition is enhanced with a foreword by bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan, and an introduction and suggestions for further reading by Benjamin Lefebvre, as well as reviews and a selection of early writing by L. M. Montgomery about the process of writing Anne.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
L.M. Montgomery was born on Prince Edward Island in 1874. After she finished grade school in Cavendish, she attended Prince of Wales College in Charlottesville and obtained a teaching license. Montgomery worked as a teacher on Prince Edward Island, but much preferred writing. Between 1897 and 1907, she had over 100 of her short stories published. Montgomery died April 1942 in Toronto from coronary thrombosis.

J. Courtney Sullivan (foreword) is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels The Engagements, Maine, and Commencement. Maine was named a 2011 Time magazine Best Book of the Year and a Washington Post Notable Book. The Engagements was one of People Magazine's Top Ten Books of 2013 and an Irish Times Best Book of the Year, and has been translated into seventeen languages. She has contributed to The New York Times Book Review, the Chicago Tribune, New York magazine, Elle, Glamour, Allure, Real Simple, and O: The Oprah Magazine, among many others.

Benjamin Lefebvre (introduction) is an Assistant Professor of English at Ryerson University. His books include an edition of L.M. Montgomery’s rediscovered final book, The Blythes Are Quoted (2009). He is the director of L.M. Montgomery Online.

 www.penguinclassics.com

 

 A Paperback Copy of the new deluxe edition to one reader.  The giveaway is restricted to US Residents.  Simply fill in the rafflecopter for a chance to win.  Good luck! 

Review: Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh

Someone to Wed (Westcott #3) by Mary Balogh
Publication date: November 7th 2017
Publisher: Berkley
My rating: 5 Stars
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD

 

A very practical marriage makes Alexander Westcott question his heart in the latest Regency romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Someone to Hold.

When Alexander Westcott becomes the new Earl of Riverdale, he inherits a title he never wanted and a failing country estate he can’t afford. But he fully intends to do everything in his power to undo years of neglect and give the people who depend on him a better life. . . .

A recluse for more than twenty years, Wren Heyden wants one thing out of life: marriage. With her vast fortune, she sets her sights on buying a husband. But when she makes the desperate—and oh-so-dashing—earl a startlingly unexpected proposal, Alex will only agree to a proper courtship, hoping for at least friendship and respect to develop between them. He is totally unprepared for the desire that overwhelms him when Wren finally lifts the veils that hide the secrets of her past. . . 

My Thoughts:

Oh, this book! I just loved it so much! 

Since Wren has lost her aunt and uncle, Wren has been lonely.  She wants a marriage and hopes for all that comes with it: respect, trust, affection, and children.  As a wealthy woman she sets out to buy a husband, since she doesn’t think she could acquire one any other way.  She’s heard of Alexander Westcott’s predicament, inheriting the title of Earl of Riverdale with the massive estate of Brambledean, long neglected, and in need of a mountain of money to repair and restore.  So, Wren makes Alexander and offer of marriage.

Alexander Westcott always thought when he married it would be for love, but that was before he unexpectedly inherited the title of Earl with Brambledean, its people and properties dependent on its prosperity.  He doesn’t have the money to restore it the way it should and if he doesn’t take a bride for money it will be years of struggling to get the estate back on course.  Wren Heyden’s offer is practical, and he feels like he could respect and eventually have affection for her, but Alexander’s afraid by the deep pain he thinks lies under her surface.  Could she get past that to truly let him in? If not, would he be content such an emotionally remote marriage?

Wren had so many barriers at first, I wasn’t sure a romance between her and Alex could be possible.  They start off as so practical without the promise of love, it was a little depressing, but oh, things change and progress, and I fell in absolute love with their emotional journey!! Once their course was settled the romance was slow steps, but always going forward.  No ridiculous, dramatic setbacks. 

Wren didn’t have any family to speak of, so I was very moved that Alexander’s family stepped up and gave Wren the support and friendship she needed.  It was impossible to feel lonely with his cousins, aunts and uncles by her side, but I most appreciated Alexander’s mother and sister welcoming her into the family so warmly.

Mary Balogh’s writing stirred up so many emotions, had me tearing up here and there with all the feels! She brought Wren and Alexander to life, to the point they felt real that I was genuinely touched by all the trials they overcame to find their HEA!  Someone to Wed is tied as favorite in the series with Someone to Hold, the previous book, and now I can’t wait for the next one!

Connect with Mary Balogh:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Short & Tweetish Review: A Gentleman Never Surrenders by Lauren Smith

I've had so much going on in real life and training for a half marathon is taking up so much of my time I think I'll be posting shorter reviews for a a while. Short & Tweetish Reviews (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!) style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth.

A Gentleman Never Surrenders (Sins & Scandals #2) by Lauren Smith
Publisher:  Forever Yours
Publication date: September 12th 2017
My rating: 4 Stars
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

 

Love is worth a little scandal.

Owen Hadley needs a wife. Preferably a wealthy one. Alas, there aren't a great number of heiresses willing to marry a rogue of no particular fortune---luckily, if there is ever a gentleman capable of melting a lady's chilly heart, it's Owen.

Milly has had enough of the marriage mart. If matrimony means giving up her freedom for a foppish husband, then society can take their idea of marital bliss and toss it. But when the ton's most notorious rogue mistakenly makes his way into her bedchambers, Milly finds herself unexpectedly and unwillingly at the altar . . .

Yet the more time she spends with her new husband, the more Milly starts to wonder if the marriage she never wanted may be the best thing that's ever happened to her. Now it's up to Owen to convince Milly that what started as a mistake is anything but---and that every night with him will be more wonderfully scandalous than the last. 

My Thoughts:

Couldn't help but think Owen was some sort of a fortune seeking dirt-bag at first, but as I got to know his reasons, I couldn't help but soften towards this man. Owen wanted a marriage of love no matter the crappy start, so I admired his efforts.  Loved Milly soooo much! She was a sweetheart despite her initial goals and dreams being dashed (in her mind, only at first) by Owen's ruining. The physical part was no problem for these two and very hot, but the emotional bonds took a while to build, and I loved every step! 

There was a surprising amount of emotional depth for such a short amount of pages. Loved this story so much, and I'll be checking out more by Lauren Smith for sure.  Thanks to Alyssa at Eater of Books for the recommendation!

 

Connect with Lauren Smith:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: The Wolf of Kisimul Castle by Heather McCollum

The Wolf of Kisimul Castle (Highland Isles #3) by Heather McCollum
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication date: August 14th 2017
My rating: 4.5 Stars
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Mairi Maclean is kidnapped on her wedding day by the enemy of her dead husband. Taken north to the water-surrounded Kisimul Castle, she is held captive in the name of retribution. But The Wolf of Kisimul Castle soon learns Mairi is not a docile pawn in this game of war between neighboring Scots. Nor will she be frightened into walking down the aisle to wed the fierce Highland chief.

Alec MacNeil is set on revenge. When he finds his enemy dead, he takes his wife to replace the one that was murdered. An eye for an eye. A bride for a bride. But Mairi is more tiger than kitten and refuses to bend to his will. Set stubbornly against one another, the passion that flares between them threatens to tear Alec’s strategy to shreds.

My Thoughts:

Mairi Maclean is kidnapped from her clan the day she’s to wed another by Alec, Chief of the Mac Neil clan of Barra Isle.   He plans on stealing her off and make her his wife as revenge against Clan MacInnes, for the murder of his own wife.  He’s surprised by Mairi demanding a kiss when he barges in to steal her away (there’s a story behind that).  The prospect of marrying Mairi becomes sweeter after the passionate kiss they share, but her attitude towards Alec swiftly changes when she realizes he’s come to haul her off to his island.  Mairi is outraged when he demands that she marry him or become his prisoner. 

Kidnapping would hardly be the way to any woman’s heart, but I was relieved to discover Alec wouldn’t force Mairi to do anything against her will.  And hey, this was the 1500’s, so I guess things were a little different back then.  Marriages were often entered into as a political alliance, with or without the consent of the woman.  But Mairi was no pushover.  She dug her heels at the idea, but getting to know Alec softened her up; especially witnessing the love and care he had for his kids. Mairi can’t help the powerful attraction she feels for Alec regardless of how she ended up at Kisimul Castle.

I had an open mind about Alec, and he didn’t disappoint.  I fell for hard for this soft-hearted warrior and I even liked him a little more than Mairi. Alec had a vulnerable side to him; worried that anyone he loved would leave or be taken from him. He had good reasons to worry. There was a fair bit of tension by the end, Alec’s wife’s murder isn’t all what it seemed, and the mystery behind it ended up bringing danger to the clan!   

Heather McCollum brought Alec and Mairi to life, made me care about them. I felt their emotions: fear, uncertainty, passion, and love. I do love a good historical romance with a sexy highlander. They’re usually a lot of fun, but I was pleased that The Wolf of Kisimul Castle was more. 

Connect with Heather McCollum:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads