Bayou Beckons by Linda Joyce

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Bayou Beckons by Linda Joyce
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (291 Pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Magnolia

Party-girl and bayou babe Camilla Lind treats life like a game. After sleeping with her sister’s fiancé, she’s struggling to change, but karmic payback is a bitch. When the actions of her past crash into the present, they stand to ruin her future…and destroy any chance of love with the only man she’s ever wanted.

Rancher Jared Richardson guards his heart carefully after suffering the pain of infidelity. He never expected to fall for a woman like Camilla Lind, nor did he think he’d follow her across the country to beg for a second chance at love.

As Hurricane Katrina bears down on them, can they weather the storm and put aside past hurts to embrace their future together?

Southern Belle Camilla Lind, meets her Midwest match in Jared Richardson as she fights to prove she is worthy of redemption, love, and her very own happily ever after.

You never forget Camilla is from the south and very proud of it. If the author isn’t outright telling the reader, then Camilla happily fills the void one way or another. Camilla didn’t have far to fall when she slipped from grace, but in the years since committing what she feels is the ultimate betrayal, she’s worked hard to prove she isn’t her past. Which completely explains why she has no time for blue-eyed, breathe stealing cowboy Jared, or repeating any of the mistakes that made her flee her deep southern roots. She has done what she set out to do with her time away from the bayous, and her proper southern upbringing, but now her heart is telling her it’s time to go back. Jared is the ultimate in distractions, but Camilla is desperate to resist his charms. She has too much to lose, or rather too much to gain by walking away sooner than later. In her attempts to help another young woman from making her mistakes, Jared gets her right where he wants her. He courts her proper, pulling from his deep roots. Camilla struggles to believe his motives are pure, but in the end her private thoughts are the real threat to their being together. With Hurricane Katrina barreling down on her beloved homestead in the meantime, all Camilla can think about is what she stands to lose.

Bayou Beckons is book three from Linda Joyce’s Fleur de Lis Series, and with it comes a new set of complications. Camilla’s internal dialogue as she struggles to believe she’s as far removed from her party girl, no holds barred reputation, is earnest. She knows she’s grown, but isn’t sure it is enough to get her the results she wants. The greater issue comes from her inability to understand that she deserves forgiveness, and moving on with her life doesn’t make her bad person. She’s hardworking, quick on her feet, and has tunnel vision when it comes to moving back home. If only she could get out of her head and realize redemption is a noble thing to seek. Her shame cocoons around her and spoils any thoughts she has about a life without it looming over her head. She’s pretty lucky that Jared is as stubborn as he is handsome. His past has just as powerful a hold on him as Camilla’s has on her, but he knows the real thing when he sees it. The more she pulls away, the more he seeks to show her through chivalry and genuine affection that what they can have together could save them both.

Camilla and Jared are the types of lovers I find myself rooting for endlessly. They address their personal struggles in a real fashion. Confusion, optimism, self-doubt, and aching desire to be found worthy muddles the water as they try to determine where they fit into each other lives. Camilla is the more desperate of the two. I love how the author juxtaposed the confident and strong willed exterior with her softer, insecure interior. In true southern belle form, she is all these things at once. Time and again she proves she is fiercely capable of taking care of business whatever that may mean at the time, and then we see the reverse. As she attempts to make heads or tails of what she feels for Jared, she has to also come to terms about how she feels about herself. She’s my favorite kind of heroine, due to her complexity. It is only right that Jared has just as many layers. Except where Camilla is uncertain, Jared has never been surer. He is precisely the type of man who could whether the intricate emotional responsibilities that come with loving an unapologetically southern woman.

Linda Joyce is careful to let the characters speak for themselves instead of telling them what to do. Every choice made is unequivocally their own and it shows. Each scene fluidly blends into the next giving the reader more and more insight into the tangled personal webs our hero and heroine have created. They are strong because they’ve had to make hard choices. They are engaging because they seek to show the best parts of themselves while still being honest about their flaws. Most of all, they are human in their reactions and likable. It is completely believable that nearly every piece of dialogue from Camilla is dripping with southern charms and anecdotes. In turn, Jared’s falling for her because of what she represents for him is just as easy to believe. Bayou Beckons is a leisurely and solid read with an intriguing plot. It is interesting enough to rush to the finish, but definitely should be enjoyed on an easy Sunday morning with coffee and comfy pajamas. A leap into Bayou Beckons allows the readers to swim in what happens when fierce loyalty, the capacity to change, and the will to be forgiven collide. It is a true redemption story for all romance lovers to enjoy.

Man for Hire by Rhonda Eason

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Man for Hire by Rhonda Eason
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (82 pgs)
Heat level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

An unexpected trip…

When Lauren Daniels gave her housekeeper an all-expense paid island vacation, she hadn’t expected to join the young woman on the trip. Why had she AGREED to it, anyway? The loss she’d suffered a year before had changed her from a decisive workaholic to a restless pushover. Fine, she’d tag along. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.

An unexpected woman…

Dwayne Donner was bored with the Caribbean sun and the beautiful women. Both could burn: bad. But when he met Lauren Daniels—a woman who looked like she’d rather be anywhere than a beach paradise—Dwayne’s instinct to run in the opposite direction failed him. He’s drawn to her, despite the trouble he knew she’d bring.

An unexpected encounter…

Lauren couldn’t risk the pain of loss again. Dwayne couldn’t risk being conned by another woman. But the risk of heartbreak is eased when she discovers who Dwayne Donner really is.

A vacation to heal turns into a chance to live again.

A couples vacation was scheduled a year prior, but many things have happened in the year leaving Lauren Daniels going to Jamaica alone. With not many friends to reach out to, Lauren extends an invite to her pregnant housekeeper. During their trip Lauren throws caution to the wind and takes a chance on lust. The author created a beautiful place where the characters were able to get away along with the elements lining up for them to find love.

Man for Hire is a likable read that has a neat plot that kept my interest. I enjoyed the plot and setting on how Lauren and Dwayne met however, the book left a few holes that had me wondering if there is a book before this that explains more in detail. I often found myself wondering why the author tried to keep Lauren’s prior life such a secret.

This is a book that is well written with a writing style that is easy to read. As I stated earlier, the plot was somewhat unique in how Lauren and Dwayne met. Unique, but also a little scary to sleep with someone under the circumstances that Lauren slept with Dwayne. The characters were okay. I think the short length of the story didn’t help me to really get a feel to like them or not like them. I wanted to feel sorry for Lauren but not enough information about what she went through was given. The story gave little mention of her daughter and husband. And many of the things mentioned about her deceased husband were complaints. So I was kind of confused as to what type of relationship she had with him. To me, it didn’t seem like they had a relationship that was all that great, but yet she has spent almost a year feeling guilty about enjoying her life without her husband and daughter.

I did get the feeling that Lauren has a kind heart because she nicely offered the vacation tickets to her housekeeper. In the start of the book both women were in an unfortunate place and it was encouraging to read about the bond they formed and by the end of the book I was glad to read that they made things work for the best instead of giving up or feeling sorry for themselves.

It was cute how Lauren and Dwayne kept ending up in the same places on the island. It was nice to read that they both met during a time when they both needed someone. And even though Lauren had planned to limit her time I can see why she still felt the desire to live and let go.

Pregnant Sophia has been Lauren’s housekeeper for eight months. It doesn’t really tell much about her current relationship or how she ended up working for Lauren, just that she has made the decision to give her child up for adoption. However, her trip to Jamaica turns out pretty well. Sophia and Lauren seem to grow in their relationship beyond their employment ties. Both ladies seem to bond and be able to fill a void that each of them had. Their connection seems to have changed the plans that both women had originally set.

The sex scenes were just that – sex. I wouldn’t describe them as love making or anything sensual. Lauren hasn’t had relations in over a year, and for her to assume she is with a man for hire I would think he would be a little more attentive and sensual than ‘faster, harder’. With that type quick action she should have had a clue.

After finishing the book I took a minute to pause to see what message was the author trying to get across. Here Lauren is all alone after her husband and daughter’s death and she’s wanting to give up even though I don’t agree with her actions for sleeping with a stranger I can understand her reasoning for doing so.

Even though a portion of the plot felt like a mystery that was never revealed I would still read other books by this author. Her writing style flows in a pleasurable read, the pacing zooms and her plot has a nice positive ending.

Something Old, Something Dead by Misty Simon

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Something Old, Something Dead by Misty Simon
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery, Comedy
Length: Full Length (252 Pages)
Heat level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Sorrel

Ivy Morris never thought she’d be walking her new stepmother down the aisle to her father. Not a flawless event, because, really, when is anything in Ivy’s life flawless? At least she avoids tripping. It’s the reception that has the flaw. The wedding singer nearly chokes to death on a glass of water, and then Ivy’s sister finds something unexpected in the parking lot.

And that’s not all. Something odd is going on in the sleepy little town of Martha’s Point — for some reason, no female under the age of fifty can keep her hands off Ivy’s boyfriend. Ivy’s little shop enjoys a tremendous increase in business as those women keep running in to buy more new sexy lingerie, but her heart is anything but happy.

What will it take to solve these mysteries? Is Ivy up to it? Well, she’s about to find out.

She just can’t seem to avoid a good murder mystery, no matter how hard she tries.

Ivy Morris owns her own shop in the sleepy town of Martha’s Point. She’s still a little new to the area but already managed to earn the reputation as a trouble-making outsider by the townspeople, except by those she’s helped. However, on the day of her father and stepmother’s wedding, a death occurs and she’s once again plunged into a murder mystery. If that wasn’t enough, she realizes that there’s something fishy going on with the females in this town. They have been jumping on her boyfriend left and right.

The story had a main plot and a sub plot that had me reaching for the book at every chance to find the whys and hows and see how Ivy gets out of this latest scrape. I got the impression it was more of a romantic mystery but it had enough comedic elements to keep it from going down a dark mystery direction.

Ivy wants to fit in the town and be called one of them rather than still being known as as an out-of-towner. So when the murder is discovered, she tries to stay out of it but circumstances do not allow her to do that.

Something Old, Something Dead is not shown as a series in Goodreads but it’s definitely part of a series. Actually, it’s the fourth book in the Ivy Morris mysteries. The first one was Poison Ivy. For readers who like reading the stories from the start to finish this may become slight problem but, this one could also be enjoyed as a separate cozy mystery. A satisfying mystery with a good dose of comedy. This one is an easy recommend.

The Sweetheart Deal by Allison Morse

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The Sweetheart Deal by Allison Morse
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical (1950s American)
Length: Full (320 pgs)
Heat: Sensual
Rated: 4.5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

Some people in her small community think Ellen Hamilton, business savvy daughter of the town’s largest employer, is too big for her britches. After all it’s the 1950s when women have no place in running corporations. When the company is threatened with takeover by John, who broke her heart and betrayed her family business years ago, she’s determined to stop at nothing to win.

Ruggedly handsome John Adair has returned to the town that tried to destroy him with false accusations of corporate espionage. What truly hurt him was Ellen, the woman he loved, believed the allegations. However, that was the past. His return is for one reason only, business. But will he remember it when gazing into Ellen’s enticing eyes or when intoxicated by the aroma of jasmine whenever she is near?

Sparks fly when these two headstrong individuals meet again and find themselves tempted by The Sweetheart Deal.

The Sweetheart Deal is a happily unpredictable novel about one clever woman, her by no-means supportive family, and a romance she is determined to deny.

Ellen Hamilton is perhaps a trifle more self-possessed than the average young woman of the fifties…and perhaps her goals are somewhat different. She’s been raised to ‘take over the company’ but didn’t. She’s tough enough to withstand a bossy, manipulative father and to stand up for the brother. And, she’s heart-broken, whether she admits it or not.

Readers will be intrigued by Ellen from the first few pages; nothing about her life or story is predictable. We meet her ‘ex’ John and can understand her attraction; but also grasp why she dismisses him. Being underhanded is unforgivable for Ellen, and here he is, ‘up to something’ again.

However, its a story where strong minded characters rule: Ms. Morse does a wonderful job creating characters. Some of her secondary characters are wonderful for their growing animosity (and we have the fun of puzzling out their schemes), or then again, like amazing George, the engineer, for his understanding. All are believable and interesting. Even the dippy, slightly-too-southern Mom manages to be entertaining. The motivation of self-interest is shared from several different perspectives. The business wheeling and dealing is most definitely personal for all players, but the business deals are in fact, inextricable from the romance.

Funny, lighthearted moments are interspersed nicely. The fifties are there, in ladies white gloves or a gent’s slicked back hair but the setting never intrudes. The characters and their loyalty matters; not only to the story, but to the reader.

If I must complain, I’d have liked shorter flashbacks. They become too detailed and felt distant. Its a small complaint in what is overall, a riveting read.

A wonderful cast of characters, who are completely entwined in the events, deals and back-stabbing make The Sweetheart Deal a novel to remember. Do read! And just wanted to note: I simply love the cover.

Sins of the Fathers by Catherine Sue Morgan

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Sins of the Fathers by Catherine Sue Morgan
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (230 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Twenty years ago, Rebecca Bennett’s father raped and killed Jack Conroy’s sister. Adopted and her name changed after the tragedy, Becca is desperately searching for her brother, Kevin, who has vanished. He is, as was their father, paranoid schizophrenic, and the string of rapes that is terrorizing the city started only days after he disappeared.

Jack Conroy, Tulsa Police Department detective, is focused with razor sharp intensity on the hunt for the serial rapist whose violence is increasing with every offense. For Jack, it’s personal; he sees his sister’s face in every victim. Aware of Becca only as a trauma therapist, Jack asks her to aid the investigation by working with the original rape survivors. She agrees, and soon her secrets and her life are on the line.

We inherit many things from our biological parents. Whether it be medical conditions or passed on sins either can be a very heavy burden for some off springs to bare. Rebecca and Kevin are two children that carry their father’s haunting sin every day of their lives. Kevin is being treated for mental illness, the same mental illness that plagued his father. Because of her father’s sin, Rebecca, a clinical social worker, has made it her career to help those that have been sexually violated.

Told in such an intense and gripping fashion, this story moved at such a steady pace that I really didn’t notice how long I spent reading it. The characters were strategically placed about the story but not a clue to who the rapist/killer is. Well maybe Rebecca did give clues when she gave a profile reading of the suspect. I’m just being honest I really didn’t find out until the author actually revealed the name of the suspect. I think the entire plot is very interesting in how the sins of fathers carry on into their children in different ways, and how the rapist picked his victims was a interesting shocker to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing style. The way she writes is like a reader’s dream…visual surroundings painted so clear, enjoyable characters and a solid thought out plot. Oh and wow I can’t forget the love scene, it was so poetic. The build up of attraction, the intimate touch; this is how a love scene is suppose to be. I enjoyed this story so I’m inclined to read more from this author.

This is a very suspenseful and entertaining read. The writing created a visual that is easy to place yourself in. The characters were described as if they were actual and true people. I enjoyed the attraction between Rebecca and officer Jack Conroy. The secret between them is a very sensitive one and I often found myself wondering how it would play out. However the author did an awesome job in working their issue out. I felt for Rebecca, she is a woman that has a huge kind and loving heart; she wasn’t looking for happiness but she surely did deserve some. Her concern for her brother, her niece and all the women she met through her work and the time she spent volunteering showed her caring spirit. She didn’t have a life of hanging out with the girls, shopping or vacationing, she spent her time in soup kitchens, feeding and caring for the homeless in the area.

The context of rape, murder and mental illness is unfortunately something we see in our world today, but for the author to intertwine such topics into a novel and still have good to over power these unnecessary evils makes for a good read. I must add that I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t much action as I thought there would be when the rapist was caught. Jack was a one man army that took the perp down with not much hassle.

Catherine didn’t just give us a romance story but she built an entirely bigger story around it. Though the subject matter maybe disturbing for some, this is a winning novel that is definitely worth recommending.

Hearts Akilter by Catherine E. McLean

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Hearts Akilter by Catherine E. McLean
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (91 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Love, vengeance, attempted murder, and a bomb . . . No reason to panic.

When a medical robot insists he’s having a heart attack, Marlee Evans, a pragmatic maintenance technician, has every reason to panic. There’s a bomb inside him. Since Marlee can’t risk the bomber discovering she’s found the device, her only option is to kidnap Deacon Black, an unflappable bomb expert, and secretly convince him to disarm it.

Things go slightly awry when Deacon sets a trap for someone who is trying to kill him, and inadvertently, captures Marlee instead. Instantly intrigued by her refreshingly forthright and gutsy attitude, he’s smitten. Unfortunately for Deacon, Marlee recently hardened her heart and swore off men, especially handsome ones with boy-next-door grins. But as Marlee and Deacon attempt to identify and prevent the bomber from detonating the device, they discover that love may be the most explosive force of all.

Bombs are dangerous everywhere, but they’re even more deadly on a space station. Will Marlee and Deacon Black be able to diffuse this one before its too late?

Henry was a hilarious little robot. I especially liked hearing him talk about what he thought was happening when he first reported his robotic heart attack to Marlee. It was both a fun conversation and a nice glimpse of things to come. The scenes that included him in any way were by far the best ones in the story. Henry really was the heart and soul of this tale.

The main human characters often made illogical decisions that I didn’t understand at all. I would have like to see more attention paid to why they made these choices and whether my impressions of what kind of people they were based on their reactions to these scenes were actually what the author was intending to show the audience. It was never quiet clear to me if my assumptions about these characters were accurate based on the clues I found in how they did and didn’t handle certain situations.

The dialogue was well done. This isn’t the kind of situation that lends itself to a great deal of talking, so I was glad to see the characters keep their conversations short and to the point. They said exactly what they needed to say and then moved on to trying to solve the problem at hand. This was a smart way to write it!

I’d recommend Hearts Akilter to anyone who likes humorous science fiction.

Court of the Hawk by Debbie Peterson

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Court of the Hawk by Debbie Peterson
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (399 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

When a single moment challenges your perception of truth…

Epigraphist Dr. Essie DeSpencer travels to an ancient Welsh castle in order to decipher an Ogham inscription discovered by the handsome and enigmatic, Garreth ap Daffyd. But the journey is not what she expects. She doesn’t plan to fall for the Lord of the castle, or to find herself deeply entrenched in legends, myths, and magic. Real legends, and real magic, that have devastating consequences.

Garreth didn’t plan for Essie to stay any longer than it took her to decipher the pictograph. Instead, he finds himself falling in love for the first time in his very long life. Now the Lord of Llys y Gwalch must find a way to attain the heart of his soul mate and keep her safe from the dangers that threaten them both.

Can Garreth and Essie save the land without losing each other?

I really enjoyed all the myth and magic surrounding Garreth and his land. I must say I was very surprised that Essie was able to figure out Garreth’s secret so quickly. However, she is a very intelligent woman, so it makes sense that Garreth wouldn’t be able to fool her for long. In fact, I found his honesty about not only his situation, but the cycles of disaster plaguing his realm quite refreshing. Since Essie didn’t have to worry about any deception from Garreth, she was able to really focus on deciphering the inscription and dig deep into the legends of the land.

Garreth’s honesty also made it possible for he and Essie to work very closely together. The more time they spent together, the stronger their bond became. Their chemistry is like a slow burn always just under the surface. I also enjoyed their teasing banter. The game over figuring out Essie’s true name was always a source of amusement. Some of the possibilities Garreth and his friends came up with had me laughing out loud. Another reason Essie and Garreth are such a good couple is Garreth ability to balance Essie. She has a tendency to obsess about her work to the point of not eating or resting enough. Garreth is also very serious about their work, but he also knows the value of taking time to relax and coming back to a task refreshed and renewed. However, both Garreth and Essie have rather disturbing dreams that seem to suggest they might lose each other while trying to prevent the next disaster. Will they lose the love they’ve only just discovered?

I would have liked to know a bit more about the villain of this tale. As Essie and Garreth work to solve the mystery, there is someone in the shadows with their own reasons for wanting the inscription deciphered. However once this character was unmasked, the reasons given for their actions were remarkably simple I found this surprising as this person would have had to conceal their nefarious intentions for hundreds of years. For someone to be so deceitful for so long, I would have expected more complex motives.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Court of the Hawk. Ms. Peterson has created a beautiful world, and Essie and Garreth are a wonderful couple. Fans of fantasy romance won’t want to miss this enchanting tale.

The Fairest of the Faire by Susabelle Kelmer

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The Fairest of the Faire by Susabelle Kelmer
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full (296 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

Schoolteacher Connie Meyers is suddenly a young widow, her husband killed in a horrific car accident. Heartbroken to find out he had gambled away everything they had, she moves to her sister-in-law’s Midwest home to rebuild her life. A trip to the local Renaissance Faire with her nieces leads to a summer job as a costumed storyteller.

Avowed bad boy and fair performer Gage Younglood is infatuated with Connie at first sight. Despite his deliberately commitment-free life, and Connie’s don’t-touch-me attitude, he soon has her in his arms, realizing quickly she is also in his heart.

When she is threatened by her late husband’s bookie, he steps into the role of protector, his fate forever sealed with hers.

Not your average contemporary romance!

I’m a Ren Faire fan, so was excited to review this book.  It was such fun to see behind the scenes a bit, with a strong cast of secondary characters. They really made the book.

Connie, honestly, is a bit too good to be true.  Her husband cheated on her, sired a baby with the other woman, drove her into the depths of debt (with a bookie, no less) and she’s still just a sweetheart.  Gabe, on the other hand, wasn’t a guy I like at first.  He’s a player, and makes no bones about it.  And the last thing Connie needs is another player…

Susabelle Kelmer does a great job tossing the reader head first into the story and her characters are so well created.  I’m a big fan of character driven stories, and this certainly fits the bill.  It was delightful to watch Gabe change into a man I could admire (and Connie could trust and love).  I also enjoyed seeing Connie take back control of her life and get a bit of a backbone.  And the touch of suspense was both a surprise and a neat twist to help make this a little more than just a romance.

For a well-written book with plenty of emotions, fun and some action, you should give The Fairest of the Faire a try. I’m glad I did.

A Dangerous Man by Anne Steves

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A Dangerous Man by Anne Steves
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (69 pgs)
Heat level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Mattie Brand has been warned that the new boarder is a dangerous man, but the young cook and housekeeper doesn’t believe it. She can see his heart, and she knows Miles Lamar is no criminal. In fact, she would stake her life on it. Can Mattie track down the real culprits–a cutthroat gang known as the Dardens–and save Miles from false accusations before the law takes him away from her? And will she succeed before her own dark past catches up to her?

Mattie Brand has a past that she isn’t to proud of, but when someone from her past shows up in Blackwater, Kansas will it ruin the new life that she’s started?

Caught up in a robbery Miles Lamar ends up being arrested and held at the local boarding house instead of the town’s jail. The boarding house just so happens to be where Mattie works. When Mattie lays eyes on Miles she sees her future husband, despite that he’s chained to the bed until his trial.

A Dangerous Man was a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The attraction Mattie had for Miles was so sweet it was near innocent how she was drawn to him. I must admit to some surprise that she had faith Miles wasn’t the dangerous man that he was said to be. This is the ideal book to read on a relaxing weekend or evening. It had my attention from start to finish. The action scene was a surprise, and two thumbs up for the strong female character. Mattie has a past, but she didn’t make excuses, she is a take charge kind of woman. This has a nice happy romantic ending but still included more; my kind of read. Also I have to admit this is not the typical boy meets girl read that’s watered down with love scenes.

I will definitely read other books by this author. This is a highly recommended.

In Name Only by Sarita Leone

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In Name Only by Sarita Leone
A Willowbrook Manor Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (201 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

With an ill father and an insane brother, heiress Lucie Gregory’s options are limited. When a handsome duke proposes a marriage of convenience, she must accept.

After all, Willowbrook Manor and her family’s reputation are at stake.

Can Lucie learn to love a stranger?

Lucie’s dilemma is distressing. One moment she’s a relatively carefree young woman enjoying the events of the season, and the next she’s seriously contemplating marriage to a man she’s only met a few times. I think that Lucie handled the abrupt change of her circumstances very well. She certainly is entitled to a long, hard cry, but she is determined to do what she can for her family. Fortunately, Lucie’s situation isn’t quite as dire as it seems. Nick, her new husband, is well known to her parents, and he and Lucie quickly build a wonderful rapport. As I watched them get to know each other, it was fun to watch the chemistry between them slowly build. When Lucie and Nick are married, his only request is that she be completely honest with him always. Can Lucie open her heart to Nick, or will she doom them to a polite marriage of convenience?

While I thought In Name Only was fun and pleasant, I must admit that I found the characters in this tale to be too perfect. None of the major characters had any serious flaws. The one character that did have some serious personal issues was kept behind the scenes for most of the story. I think that many of the characters in this story had great potential, but without some flaws, they didn’t quite come to life in my mind.

Overall, I liked In Name Only. Lucie is likable and her quiet strength is admirable. Her happy ending is well deserved. I recommend In Name Only to anyone looking for a sweet, historical romance