Category: This one’s a Keeper

Review: A Beastly Scandal by Shereen Vedam

Posted February 25, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 1 Comment

Title: A Beastly Scandal
Series:
Author: Shereen Vedam
Genre: Regency Romance, Paranormal
Published: February 28, 2015 (original April 15, 2013)
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Inspired by Beauty and the Beast

A BELLE OF THE BALL…
Lady Annabelle Marchant was a belle of the ball in London until she used her psychical senses to save a man’s life. She failed miserably, leaving him dead and her disgraced. All she wants now is a chance to comfort his widow by cleansing the woman’s home of her husband’s restless spirit. But the widow’s son, the beastly Lord of the Manor, accuses her of coming to the wilds of Cheshire to snag him as a husband. Thoroughly disgusted, she is bent on proving him wrong.

…BECOMES PERSONA NON-GRATA…
Rufus Marlesbury, the Earl of Terrance, is suspected of murdering his father. He has come home to clear his name by finding the real killer before the new year or Rufus will be called in front of the House of Lords to answer for the crime. He does not have time to waste fending off a marriage-minded miss who has inveigled an invitation to his home by playing on his grief-stricken mother’s worst fears.

…WHEN A MURDERER IS ON THE RAMPAGE
With an unruly manor ghost terrorizing the occupants and corpses piling up in the village, Belle must find a way to see the man beneath the beast and Rufus must learn to believe in the love of a woman who has no reason to trust him. Only by working together can they stop a vengeful ghost before it torments the guests or before the killer strikes again.

(New Regency Romance/Fairytale)

Read on for my thoughts on A Beastly Scandal. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Scandalously Yours by Cara Elliott

Posted February 25, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Scandalously Yours
Series: The Hellions of High Street (book 1)
Author: Cara Elliott
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Published: January 7, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Proper young ladies of the ton-especially ones who have very small dowries-are not encouraged to have an interest in intellectual pursuits. Indeed, the only thing they are encouraged to pursue is an eligible bachelor. So, the headstrong Sloane sisters must keep their passions a secret. Ah, but secret passions are wont to lead a lady into trouble . . .

SCANDALOUSLY YOURS

The eldest of the three Sloane sisters, Olivia is unafraid to question the boundaries of Society-even if it does frequently land her in trouble. Disdaining the glittery world of balls and courtship, Olivia prefers to spend her time writing fiery political essays under a pseudonym for London’s leading newspaper. But when her columns attract the attention of the oh-so-proper Earl of Wrexham, Olivia suddenly finds herself dancing on the razor’s edge of scandal. With the help of her sisters, she tries to stay one step ahead of trouble . . .

However, after a series of madcap misadventures, Wrexham, a former military hero who is fighting for social reform in Parliament, discovers Olivia’s secret. To her surprise, he proposes a temporary alliance to help win passage of his bill. Passion flares between them, but when a political enemy kidnaps the earl’s young son, they must make some dangerous decisions . . . and trust that love will conquer all.

Read on for my thoughts on Scandalously Yours. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Miss Truelove Beckons by Donna Lea Simpson

Posted February 25, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Miss Truelove Beckons
Series:
Author: Donna Lea Simpson
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Published: February 9, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

When Truelove Becket’s betrothed went missing in a naval battle, she vowed never to marry unless she found someone she loved as much. In the seven years since then, the quiet vicar’s daughter has lived a simple and contented life helping the poor people of her village. But now another man has asked for her hand in marriage and, unsure if she is ready to commit to him, she agrees to accompany her beautiful cousin Arabella on a trip to visit friends so she can take time to think it over.

Viscount Drake cut a dashing figure when he returned from war to a hero’s welcome, but the Battle of Waterloo left him a shattered and haunted man. As his dreams are invaded by the terrors of war he becomes a sleepless shell of a man, and as his torment grows he begins to wonder if marriage to the lovely Arabella will help restore him again. But as Arabella coquettishly flirts to secure Drake’s hand and his riches, it is the pretty and practical True he turns to for solace.

With the weight of her marriage proposal bearing down on her, True finds herself irresistibly attracted to Drake’s quiet dignity and genuine distress, just as he finds himself drawn to her honest nature and soothing compassion. When a spark of passion ignites between these two who have both lost so much to war, they will have to confront their biggest fears—and everyone else’s plans for their futures—to discover if love can truly cure all ills.

Read on for my thoughts on Miss Truelove Beckons. No true spoilers, promise.

Waiting on Wednesday #6

Posted February 25, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 8 Comments

“Waiting on” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

In the past few weeks, I’ve read several posts (and commented on some) about the lack of Romance novels (or many genre for that matter) featuring women over 30. No matter who the novels are targeted at, there seems to be a true absence of heroines who are beyond their 20’s. Now I’m going to read any novel that catches my eye, no matter the age of the main characters. But the conversation has gotten me thinking and more aware of the novels that I’m picking up lately. (Yes, I am over 30).

So my pick today is a Romance (not a true cougar romance, but an age difference) where the Heroine is not a sweet, young thing but a mature woman who wasn’t looking for love, but wasn’t too afraid to take a chance.

When newly divorced Kate Adams is approached on the sunny deck of a California hotel by hockey star David Burke, and he invites her to dinner, she almost says no. He’s obviously younger than her. And charming. And drop dead gorgeous. But there’s also something sweet about David, so Kate—who hasn’t done anything spontaneous in a very long time—accepts his invitation.

It is, after all, her fortieth birthday.

However, a real romance with thirty-year-old David, whose picture is in the gossip pages as often as it’s in the sports pages, is out of the question. No matter how much she wants him, it’s just too risky.

But meeting Kate has been David’s lightning strike. She’s the one for him, and he has no intention of giving up on her.

So while Kate guards her fragile heart, David sets out to win her over with the same determination that drives him on the ice.

And he’ll break every rule in the book if he has to.

No warlocks, no time travel, no mystery – just a good old fashioned love story. Available late March 2015 – this week I’m looking forward to love at any age.

Review: Earls Just Want to Have Fun by Shana Galen

Posted February 24, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Earls Just Want To Have Fun
Series: Covent Garden Cubs (book 1)
Author: Shana Galen
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Published: February 3, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

His heart may be the last thing she ever steals . . .

Marlowe is a pickpocket, a housebreaker—and a better actress than any professional on the stage. She runs with the Covent Garden Cubs, a gang of thieves living in the slums of London’s Seven Dials. It’s a fierce life, and Marlowe has a hard outer shell. But when she’s alone, she allows herself to think of a time before—a dimly remembered life when she was called Elizabeth.

Maxwell, Lord Dane, is intrigued when his brother, a hired investigator, ropes him into his investigation of the fiercely beautiful hellion. He teaches her to navigate the social morass of the town while his brother attempts to confirm her true identity. But Marlowe will not escape so easily. Instead, Dane is drawn into her world of danger and violence, where the student becomes the teacher and love is the greatest risk of all.

Read on for my thoughts on Earls Just Want To Have Fun. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower by Erica Ridley

Posted February 24, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

The Earl's Defiant Wallflower Title: The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower
Series: The Dukes of War
Author: Erica Ridley
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: December 1, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Oliver York returns from war to find his father dead, his finances in arrears, and himself the new Earl of Carlisle. If he doesn’t marry an heiress—and fast!—he and his tenants are going to be pitching tents down by the Thames. He definitely shouldn’t be trading kisses with a penniless debutante… no matter how captivating she is!

Miss Grace Halton is in England just long enough to satisfy the terms of her dowry. But a marriage of convenience isn’t as easy as she’d hoped. Back in America, her ailing mother needs medicine only Grace’s dowry can afford. Which means the dashing earl she can’t get out of her mind is the one man she can’t let into her heart.

Read on for my thoughts on The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Unseen by Amber Lynn Natusch

Posted February 24, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Unseen
Series: Unborn (book 2)
Author: Amber Lynn Natusch
Genre: Fantasy
Published: February 17, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Welcome to the Kingdom of Hades, where even its prodigal princess sleeps lightly.

After fighting Soul Stealers in Detroit, Khara hoped to return home to find answers in her father’s realm. But the land of the dead offers little information, and far too much tragedy. Now cut off from her brothers, and left only with her dark and unreliable companion Oz, Khara must navigate the centuries-old webs of deceit and betrayal, all while eluding the Underworld’s most depraved inhabitant. But she soon finds an unexpected ally in her adopted sister Persephone. Together, they endeavor to right a terrible wrong. And as Khara soon discovers, there’s more riding on her success than she ever thought possible.

Read on for my thoughts on Unseen. No true spoilers, promise.

Unborn by Amber Lynn Natusch

Posted February 24, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Unborn
Series: Unborn series (book 1)
Author: Amber Lynn Natusch
Genre: Fantasy
Published: August 26, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Born into mystery. Shackled to darkness…

Khara has spent centuries discovering everything about the Underworld―except her place in it. But when she’s ripped from her home, solving the riddle of her origins becomes more important than ever. With evil stalking her through the dark alleys of Detroit, she finds salvation from an unlikely source: a group of immortal warriors sworn to protect the city. Khara needs their help to unravel the tangled secrets of who and what she is—secrets many seem willing to kill for. But time is running out, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer necessity binds her to an arrogant fallen angel.

Can their shaky alliance withstand that which threatens her, or will her soul fall victim to the unholy forces that hunt her―those that seek the Unborn?

Read on for my thoughts on Unborn. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: A Stolen Season by Tamara Gill

Posted February 22, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

Title: A Stolen Season
Series:
Author: Tamara Gill
Genre: Historical Romance, Time-Travel
Published: February 23, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

One small mistake in the past will change everything about her future... Archaeologist Sarah Baxter just broke one of the biggest rules of time travel: leaving a piece of 21st century equipment in 19th century Regency England. Unfortunately, when she goes back to retrieve it, she makes an even bigger mess of things—resulting in the death of an English Earl. Now his brother is not only out for revenge, but he also has Sarah’s device. Which means an entirely different approach is needed. It doesn’t occur to the new Earl of Earnston that his charming acquaintance is responsible for his brother’s death. He is merely swept away by a passion that threatens his very reputation. Yet he gets the distinct impression that Miss Baxter is hiding something from him. Now Sarah must find a way to steal back her device, hide the truth about the earl’s brother and—most importantly— not fall in love…

Read on for my thoughts on A Stolen Season. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster

Posted February 22, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Of Silk and Steam Title: Of Silk and Steam
Series: London Steampunk book 5
Author: Bec McMaster
Genre: Romance
Published: March 3, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Enemies. Allies. Lovers.

When her beloved father was assassinated, Lady Aramina swore revenge. The man responsible is well beyond her grasp, but his dangerously seductive heir, Leo Barrons, is fair game. When Mina obtains evidence proving that Leo is illegitimate, she has the means to destroy both the killer and his son, a man who troubles her heart and tempts her body.

A woman of mystery, Mina’s long driven Leo crazy with glimpses of a fiery passion that lurks beneath her icy veneer. He knows she’s hiding something, and he’s determined to unravel her layer by silken layer. He just doesn’t expect the beautiful liar to be the key to overthrowing the corrupt prince consort… or to saving his own carefully walled-off heart.

Read on for my thoughts of Of Silk and Steam. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Soul Crossed by Lisa Gail Green

Posted February 21, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

Title: Soul Crossed
Series: Of Demons and Angels (book 1)
Author: Lisa Gail Green
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Published: February 25, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

One Demon.

One Angel.

One Soul.

Josh lived a reckless, selfish life, so upon his death, escaping the eternal torments of Hell by assuming the role of a powerful, soul-corrupting demon is an easy choice. His first soul assignment doesn’t seem too hard: the mortal Camden is already obsessed with weapons, pain, and torture. If only Josh wasn’t distracted by Cam’s beautiful friend, Grace.

Grace never expected to die violently at age sixteen, but now she’s an Angel, responsible for saving a soul. She can already see past Camden’s earthly flaws, so the job should be be easy. If only that handsome, playboy Josh would stop getting in the way.

It’s forbidden for an Angel to be with a Demon, so if Josh and Grace stop resisting each other, the results would be disastrous.

And only one can claim Cam’s soul.

Read on for my thoughts on Soul Crossed. No true spoilers, promise.

Feature & Follow #6

Posted February 20, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 25 Comments

FeatureFollowParaAlison Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts,Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s Viewand Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

This week’s question:

Do you like fantasy or realistic books?

I’m pretty equal between the two. There is nothing like a fantasy, sci-fi or paranormal to let me escape for a few hours. But I can escape just as easily with a contemporary novel or a how-to book. Basically, if it has printed letters on it I will most likely read it.

If you’re a new follower I’d really prefer a Bloglovin’ follow – the button is over on the side bar 🙂 Thanks.

Now since there are no official feature blogs to check out, I’m going to follow our hosts idea of celebrating National Love Your Pets Day. 🙂

My home is ruled by two felines. Charlie, who is our 18 year old grey striped king of the household (very much a smaller version of Charlie in that picture of National Love Your Pet Day banner)

And I introduced Leia earlier this week on a Waiting on Wednesday post but here she is in all her Ragdoll beauty again…. my puppy-cat who loves her belly rubbed. Leia is in her terrible 2’s right now. She is the largest cat I’ve ever had weighing in at 32 pounds of solid muscle and fur. And when she lands on you… You Know It.

Review: The Last Heiress by Mary Ellis

Posted February 19, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 2 Comments

Title: The Last Heiress
Series:
Author: Mary Ellis
Genre: Christian Romance
Published: February 1, 2015
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Bestselling author Mary Ellis (A Widow’s Hope) presents The Last Heiress, a new romantic standalone that intertwines the lives of a British manufacturing heiress and an American merchant caught in the turbulent time of the War Between the States.

When Amanda Dunn sets sail from England for Wilmington, North Carolina, she hopes to somehow restore shipments of raw materials for her family’s textile mills, which have been severely disrupted by the American Civil War. Though there is not much one individual can do, the wealthy young woman feels she must try, as her mother and hundreds of employees at Dunn Textiles are dependent on Southern cotton.

When Amanda meets Nathaniel Cooper, her desire to conduct business and quickly return to England changes. Though captivated by one another, neither is fully aware of the other’s true nature.

Nathanial, who on the outside appears to be a poor but hardworking merchant, is actually a secret Yankee sympathizer who will stop at almost nothing to bring about freedom for those who live under subjugation, even when that involves questionable judgment. And Amanda’s wealth is made possible by underpaid workers living in slums around the mills, not much different than American slavery.

Can these two earnest souls find the best in one another rather than focus on what could tear them apart? And though they both believe they are on God’s path, how will their decisions affect those around them?

Read on for my thoughts on The Last Heiress. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: A Matchmaker’s Christmas by Donna Lea Simpson

Posted February 19, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 0 Comments

A Matchmaker's Christmas Title: A Matchmaker’s Christmas
Series:
Author: Donna Lea Simpson
Genre: Historical Romance, Christmas
Published: December 17, 2014
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Twenty years ago, Beatrice Copland committed a reckless and foolish act of deceit that she’s certain ruined the life of a man she’d fallen in love with and led to his wife’s death. Now serving as companion to the stern Lady Bournaud, she leads a quiet life and attends to her duties as a kind of penance. But Lady Bournaud, trying to make amends for her own selfish ways, is opening her country estate to a few select guests for the holidays—including the man Beatrice wronged so many years ago.

Sir David Chappell spent nearly two decades coming to terms with the haunting memory of his wife’s death. When he receives an invitation to Lady Bournaud’s for the Christmas season, he’s reluctant to go at first, but he’s sure the time away in Yorkshire will be a welcome change from London. Once there, he’s immediately captivated by the youthful beauty and genuine compassion of the lady’s companion, Beatrice Copland—all the while sensing that he’s met her before.

Even as David pursues her and Beatrice realizes she’s still powerfully attracted to the man, she must gently rebuff his advances for fear that her damning secret will come to light and reopen his old wounds. And while Lady Bournaud watches, happily scheming to make matches for all her guests, it may take more than a Christmas miracle for David to free Beatrice’s conscience, and her heart, at last.

Read on for my thoughts on A Matchmaker’s Christmas. No true spoilers, promise.

Waiting on Wednesday #5

Posted February 18, 2015 by Marsha in This one's a Keeper / 50 Comments

“Waiting on” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week I’m waiting for the next installment of an unusual mystery series. The Pru Marlowe Pet Noir series follows the life, times and animals in need of a particular human’s intervention. Think of The Ghostwhisper tv series – now consider that you are able to “talk” to animals, interact on an intelligent, conversational level … then you have an idea of what the Pru Marlowe murder mysteries novels are about. Murder is never a snap to solve but when you have the purr-fect eye witness playing beside the dead body why not use what you’ve got? If you can psychically talk to the animals – why not ask what they know?

Kittens Can Kill by Clea Simon is due out on March 3, 2015.

I have admitted before that I’m a sucker for covers – and that cover looks exactly like my Leia (see her picture below) when she was an itty-bitty kitten. Now she’s a 30 pound huge ball of fluff, but the blue eyes – yeah, a cover to touch my heart. 🙂

Kittens Can Kill The dead don’t keep pets. So when animal behaviorist expert Pru Marlowe gets a call about a kitten, she doesn’t expect to find the cuddly creature playing beside the cooling body of prominent Beauville lawyer David Canaday. Heart attack? His three adult daughters angrily blame drug interactions, feline allergies—and each other. And begin to feud over their father, his considerable estate, and that cute ball of fluff. While the cause of death is pending, each sister has an axe to grind –with arguments that escalate when David’s partner reads out the will.

Pru’s special sensory talents and sensitivity to animals that caused her to flee the cacophony of Manhattan for the quiet Berkshires add further problems. The local vet is overwhelmed with money running out. There’s that needy Sheltie and some invasive squirrels? But the dead man’s kitten, his former partner, and his troublesome family keep drawing “wild-girl” animal psychic Pru back in. Despite the wry observations of her trusty tabby Wallis, now the wrongfully accused kitten’s guardian, and the grudging compliance of her cop lover, this may be one time when Pru can’t solve the mystery or save the kitten she wants to believe is innocent. A single witness knows the truth about that bright spring morning. How far can Pru investigate without risking her own hidden tale?

This is one of my cats – a Ragdoll called Leia. We often call her a “puppy-cat” because she loves to roll over and get her belly scratched. Now Leia and I have conversations – she meows and I answer. I have No Clue what she is saying but she is enthusiastic about whatever her point is. I certainly wish I could talk to the animals too. Or maybe I don’t really want to know…. *snicker*