Desperate Duchesses series by Eloisa James
For June I was going to recommend Eloisa James's two 
summer releases, This Duchess of Mine and A Duke of Her Own, but then it occurred to me that what I really need to do is recommend her entire Desperate Duchesses series. For although I think they might actually be getting better with every book, they are all delicious, and I do think they are better read in order.
I'm not going to try to review each one, because A) I've already reviewed several and B) I recommend them all, anyway and finally C) Eloisa has a super-fantabulous website where you can get more information on the books than I could possibly provide here.
Here are the books, in order:
Desperate Duchesses
An Affair Before Christmas
Duchess by Night
When the Duke Returns
This Duchess of Mine
A Duke of Her Own
If you haven't read this books yet, you are in for a huge treat.
posted » 6.01.09
Visit Eloisa James’s
website...
It's RITA time again, and I'm thrilled to announce that Mr. Cavendish, I Presume is a finalist in Romance Writers of America's annual contest. 
The RITAs celebrate the best in romance fiction, and the list of finalists is always a good place to find new writers. Herewith, the list of finalists in the two historical romance categories. Enjoy!
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
Duke Most Wanted by Celeste Bradley
The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens
Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn
The Dangerous Duke by Christine Wells
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
In Bed with the Devil by Lorraine Heath
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabth Hoyt
Duchess by Night by Eloisa James
Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas
Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
posted » 4.01.09
At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker
I just read this one for the book club over on my bulletin board, and I'm still smiling. Think The Bachelor in regency times. The Duke of Wolverest wants to get his brother married off (and he has said publicly that he will not marry himself, so whoever marries his brother will eventually be the duchess.) So he devises a bit of a competition: seven young ladies will receive invitations to his home in Yorkshire, and his brother will choose one as his bride by the end of the visit.
Madelyn Haywood thinks the whole idea is rot, but she recevies one of the invitations and is forced to go by her ambitious stepmother. She decides not to make a fuss because she wants to keep an eye on her best friend Charlotte, who pines for the duke's wastrel of a brother.
Okay, so we all know what will happen--Madelyn and the duke fall for each other. What makes this story special is the joy and exuberance in the writing. It's fun to watch these two fall in love. Don't miss this one. It's the kind of book that reminds me why I love romance novels.
posted » 9.02.08
Visit Olivia Parker’s
website...
An
Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa
James
Her Secret Fantasy by Gaelen
Foley
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna
Bourne
How much do I love you guys? I am writing this at
the beach. And not just any beach. I am in Mahabilapuram,
in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, gazing over my balcony
to the gorgeous Bay of Bengal. But I wanted to make
sure I got a few historical romance recommendations
posted to my website for the new year. Why? Because
these three are not to be missed.
First up is An
Affair Before Christmas, by Eloisa
James. Yes, I know
I recommend every single Eloisa
James book that comes
out. But that's because she never ever disappoints
the reader in me. Better yet, she never fails to enthrall.
An Affair Before Christmas reminds me of that old women's
magazine feature: Can This Marriage Be Saved?
As this is a romance novel (and a fabulous one
at that) the answer is, of course, a resounding yes.
Oh, and this book has, in my opinion, one of the most
romantic scenes I've read in ages. (The bathtub scene,
for those of you who have already read the book.)
Note: You don't have to read Desperate
Duchesses to
read this one, but I'd recommend it. Especially as
Desperate Duchesses was one of my favorite reads of
2007.
Okay, on to book number two: Her
Secret Fantasy by
Gaelen Foley. I love Foley's books (her debut, The
Pirate Prince, remains one of my all-time favorites.)
Her Secret Fantasy is the second in Foley's Spice Trilogy,
which moves between India and regency England. I must
confess that I missed the first, Her
Only Desire, but
I've already got it waiting on my nightstand at home
for when I get back from India myself.)
I loved this book for
its marvelous characterization. Lily and Derek
are simply marvelous--romantic, principled, brave (but
not stupid). As I read, I felt that these two characters
were truly falling in love. Which is not as common
as you'd think in a romance novel!
And of course, I am eagerly awaiting Her
Every Pleasure,
which goes on sale at the end of March. (And if you
can read Her Secret Fantasy without absolutely dying
to read Her Every Pleasure, you're a stronger person
than I am!)
Finally, I want to make
sure all of you try a brand new author: Joanna
Bourne. I got to read an early copy of The
Spymaster's Lady, and when I say that I could not put it
down, I am not exaggerating. (Well, except for the
fact that I was reading an electronic file on
my computer in Starbucks, but I did not put my
latte down, that's for sure, and I didn't get
any work done on my own writing, either.)
The title is a bit misleading, because although Grey
is a Spymaster, so is Annique, the heroine of the novel.
In fact, she's far more adept at the world of espionage
than he is. I could not begin to do justice to the
twists and turns of the plot, but suffice it to say,
I was riveted. But what makes this book so unique and
amazing is that the characters are every bit as finely
drawn as the plot. Gray and Annique are amazing real.
They are flawed, they can be distrustful, and they
fall in love despite themselves.
Don't miss this one. I mean it! Don't miss it!
And that's all from
me. Sorry for the shortness of the reviews, but
the beach
beckons... (Well, actually, check-out time beckons,
and my husband is about to forcibly yank me from
the room!)
posted » 1.03.08
Visit Eloisa
James's
website and Gaelen
Foley's
site, as well as Joanna
Bourne's site...
Lady Be Bad by Candice Hern
Love Letters from a Duke by Elizabeth Boyle
I am careening toward deadline, so I have to keep this short, but I didn't
want anyone to miss Lady Be Bad by Candice Hern or Love Letters from a Duke
by Elizabeth Boyle, both of which were recent book club picks on the
bulletin board I share with Eloisa James. (And if you haven't checked out
the bulletin board, you should! We're having loads of fun.)
posted » 10.03.07
Visit Candice Hern's
website...And, be sure to browse Elizabeth Boyle's site. There's loads of fun stuff.
The
Templar's Seduction by Mary Reed McCall
I was looking
through the archives
of JQ Recommends, and it occurred
to me that I seem to recommend the same authors over
and over again. Well, there's
a reason for that! They're great, and they're
consistently great.
So it should be
no big surprise to regular readers here that my pick
for June is The Templar's
Seduction. I
never miss one of Mary Reed McCall's books, and in
fact, I have been known to hound my editor, publicist,
or Mary herself, just to make sure that I get an early
copy. (I don't know why, but it's always more
fun to read something before anyone else gets a chance. And
besides that, I simply cannot wait for my medieval
fix.)
When the Earl
of Marston dies after several years of
captivity, Sir Alexander de Ashby, a disgraced Templar
Knight, is blackmailed into impersonating him in order
to gain information about his Scottish keep. Alex
looks uncannily like the earl, and besides that,
it has been years since anyone has seen Marston --including
Lady Elizabeth, his wife. Surely with a
bit training Alex can pull off the charade.
When her husband
returns from the dead, Beth cannot believe it. It is true that she had never received
confirmation of his death, but in her heart, she had
lost hope. She has spent the last five years
defending his keep, proving herself a worthy
steward of the land, all in hopes of returning the
responsibility to her husband.
But when Marston
returns, something is not quite right.
He knows things that only a husband could, but
he is not the man Beth remembers. She tries to
attribute this to his time in captivity; surely such
an ordeal would leave a man forever changed But
even as she feels herself falling under his spell,
she cannot quell her last remaining doubts.
The
Templar's Seduction is Mary's homage to Sommersby
and The Return of Martin Guerre, and she does a marvelous
job with it, making the beloved tale entirely her own.
Despite the premise, her characters do not get caught
up in silly misunderstandings, and they
behave with a dignity and passion that captures the
reader and won't let go.
This one is not to be missed!
posted » 5.29.07
Visit Mary
Reed McCall’s
website...
And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke (February 27, 2007)
I have a weakness for boss/secretary books. They are my guilty pleasure, and I usually have to find them in the Harlequin Presents section at the bookstore. I almost never get to indulge with a historical, because back in regency and Victorian times, secretaries were generally men.
So imagine my delight when I opened And Then He Kissed Her, and realized that the main characters of this Victorian-era romance were Emma Dove (“Miss Dove” to her employer) and Lord Harry Marlowe, a thoroughly modern aristocrat who owns and runs his own publishing firm. Miss Dove runs Harry’s affairs with such aplomb and efficiency that he has no idea how awful life would be without her. But he finds out. Oh, he finds out.
Harry manages to insult her in the worst way possible (without his even realizing it, obtuse guy that he is!) and she quits. His office falls apart, and he does everything he can think of to get her back. And in the process, he begins to discover that she is more than the super-efficient, somewhat dull “Miss Dove.”
I read this book in one sitting (or rather, one stay-up-way-too-late-ing). The characters were marvelous, multi-faceted, and real. And oh, the sexual tension! Laura Lee Guhrke can steam up the pages with nothing more than a kiss on the hand. By the time Emma and Harry get together you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
Do not miss this one. It’s sure to be one of the best of the year.
posted » 2.01.07
Visit Laura Lee Guhrke’s website...
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