She’s the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin

May 24, 2021 By 4 Comments


She’s the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin
Publisher: Cinnabar Press
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

It’s the 1200’s, and the small realm of Ilari has had peace and prosperity for generations. That doesn’t mean every citizen is happy, however. Sulphur, the third of seven sisters, is glad the older two have been slow to wed. It’s given her the freedom to train as a fighter, in hopes of fulfilling her lifelong dream of joining Ilari’s army. Then, within a matter of days, both sisters announce plans and now Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry.

Is it Sulphur’s good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending Mongol invasion? And the army is going door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic?

Everywhere she turns, someone is counting on her to fight for what’s right. But what is?

This book is the third story in a series of seven sisters, but it can definitely be read on its own. Each of the sisters have a different talent, and Sulphur is a fighter. In fact, she has been her entire life. She felt it was her place to protect and defend her sisters.

The world building is remarkable. There are a lot of different words and concepts to keep straight, but the author makes it easy to keep up with everyone.

And the character. I absolutely loved her. She was definitely not a stick character, but a fully fleshed out character with faults and doubts and issues. All of these made her real and enjoyable to read about.

I’m definitely looking forward to reading the stories about the rest of the sisters and discover if they will be successful in their plan to help their country.


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Worlds of Light & Darkness by Angela Yuriko Smith and Scot Noel (editors)

May 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Worlds of Light & Darkness by Angela Yuriko Smith and Scot Noel (editors)
Publisher: Uproar Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A haunted father who discovers a place where incomplete things—and people—are made whole. A mischievous satyr who hatches a plan to set loose chaos on a global scale. A workaholic witch in search of her kitty companion. Invasive technology to rewrite the human brain. Dragon slayers. Zombies. Time travelers. Ice skaters.

These twenty short stories stretch across multiple universes and beyond death—and yet, they remain intimate, personal, emotional. They demonstrate the strength of the human spirit to find hope and seek a better tomorrow in even the darkest times.

A selection of the best speculative fiction from DreamForge and Space & Time literary magazines, these are the stories we need today as we struggle through a pandemic, divisive politics, rampant misinformation, a belligerent defiance of facts and science, and new technologies that are already spiraling beyond our control.

Read, my friends… and take hope.

Buckle up and prepare for a wild ride!

Lydia went to otherworldly lengths with a hungry dragon to retrieve a missing memory in “Born from Memory.” This was such an imaginative piece. I deeply enjoyed the descriptions of what memories look like and what happened to them once they ended up in that half-forgotten place. The deeper I dug into the plot, the more I looked forward to reaching the end. Every twist was beautifully done, especially the final one. This was something that could easily be expanded into a novel but was also quite satisfying as a short story.

“A Sip of Pombé” followed two astronauts as they embarked on a controversial trip from Uganda to Mars. Their clashing personalities often made me smile as I waited to find out if their mission would be successful, although I do wish more time had been spent describing how their journey went. They were facing so many serious obstacles that I sure would have liked to have more information about how they took on those challenges even though I was pleased with the later plot twists. Similar patterns of skipping over what I thought were the most exciting scenes were repeated in several other tales in this anthology as well.

The opening scene of “The Feline, the Witch, and the Universe” started with a witch named Sorscha arguing with a boarding guard about the existence of witches in outer space. I was instantly amused by the unusual combination of these themes and was as eager to find out how she’d react to being told she didn’t exist as I was to discover what business she had on a spaceship. Somehow the plot only grew more creative from that moment forward. No sooner would I adjust to one twist in it than another delightful one would appear. It was a great deal of fun to follow her adventures to their completion.

Anyone who enjoys science fiction should give Worlds of Light & Darkness a try.

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The Sentence of Anna by A.H. Scott

May 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Sentence of Anna by A.H. Scott
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Historical, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Alstroemeria

In 1747 France, the Duke of Givenchy, Philippe Paramour was a man of power and position. Philippe’s noble title gave him liberation of his most secret yearnings of debauchery. The Duke’s favorite past-time was taking female peasants under his wing as lovers and traveling companions across the French countryside. Anna’s sentence at times, would have been intolerable to a lesser woman of her immature age. But, what she gained under the strict tutelage of Philippe was the skills of maturity and demure sophistication. This is “The Sentence Of Anna”.

A firm hand awaits…

Author A.H. Scott, in the flurried pace of 37 pages, has embodied the essence of the original Harlequin romance. Anna, the alluring mistress of married Nobleman Philippe Paramour, excels and finds utmost pleasure in her job of keeping the Duke of Givenchy satisfied. But when they visit one of Philippe’s oldest friends Valery Terrance at his family’s stables, Anna finds that there are perhaps other ways to meet the desires of herself and the Duke.

The heat of this story is palpable even through the first lines, and the fiery tension between all three characters does not go unnoticed. Visually, the story leaves nothing left to the imagination for us or for the characters. Exploration of deeper desires is what fuels this quick-paced novel, and keeps the pages turning with each new discovery.

The great use of alliteration does hint towards that style of vintage Harlequin romance, but at times tips over the edge of visually stimulating, to corny. However, this does tone itself down as the story gets rolling towards its penultimate climax. The characters are very sexually explorative, giving the readers many exciting scenarios to venture through, and the spice level is through the roof!

The Sentence of Anna is the perfect, travel sized story for a quick zing of heat to make your heart flutter! I would gladly read other tales of Anna’s travels with the Duke, and perhaps other encounters with Valery Terrance. The steam that these three bring to the stables is not for the faint of heart!

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The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski

May 12, 2021 By 9 Comments


The Black Widow’s Prey by N. S. Wikarski
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Consulting detectives Evangeline LeClair and Freddie Simpson face their most challenging case yet when a priceless Egyptian artifact is stolen from a Chicago museum. To make matters worse, the museum’s richest patron is robbed of a diamond necklace shortly afterward. Suspicion immediately falls on a wealthy widow and her scheming son. Trapped in their clutches is the widow’s hapless daughter, about to be forced into a marriage of convenience against her will.

The investigation is complicated by two mysterious strangers who have also taken an interest in the missing Egyptian relic. Solving both thefts will lead Freddie and Evangeline down some strange avenues of inquiry involving secret societies, international criminal masterminds, gentlemen jewel thieves, unexpected ocean voyages, and underworld kingpins. The two sleuths must either solve their case or join the ranks of fatalities numbered among THE BLACK WIDOW’S PREY.

I absolutely adore Victorian mysteries, and this one did not disappoint. All right – it’s set in America (Chicago to be exact) but it’s the same time period, so not being set in England is not a deal breaker. If anything, it adds to the enjoyment because it gives me a chance to learn a bit about the history of Chicago I was not familiar with.

If there is any complaint coming, it’s all on me, because I did not find this series earlier. I loved the characters and cannot wait to go back and read the other two books in the series.

It is definitely character driven, and if you are familiar with my reviews, you know this goes a long way! The author definitely knows her history, but does not hit the reader over the head with it. Yes, you will learn about this time period in Chicago, but you will absorb it almost by osmosis as you get to know the characters and enjoy their relationship, not to mention the way they work together to solve the issues in the book.

Although it’s not necessary to have read the earlier books in the series in order to understand what’s going on, the reader would probably get a richer enjoyment from knowing the background of the characters and how they got together.

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Leah’s Surrender by A.M. Westerling

April 30, 2021 By 4 Comments


Leah’s Surrender by A.M. Westerling
The Ladies of Harrington House Book 2
Publisher: BWL Publishing
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

With the threat of scandal hanging over Lady Leah Harrington, her parents arrange a temporary position for her in Australia as a companion to her aunt. Leah vows that on her return to England, she will forge her own future as a published lady of letters. However, now that she’s learned men are not to be trusted, having her sensibilities muddled by a dashing navy captain is not what she had planned for herself.

Despite France’s ever-present menace during the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Heath Trevelyan is ordered to transport a load of convicts aboard HMS Charlotte Mary destined for the penal colony of Australia. As a favour to a friend, he also provides passage for an alluring young woman and her aunt. When his ship sinks during a storm, a battle of endurance ensues for Heath and the survivors, including several convicts and the beauty who has captured his senses.

Which will he obey? His orders or his heart?

Well, I’ll be the first to eat my words. I read and reviewed book one in this series and didn’t really think I’d read the next one considering the heroine was going to be Leah Harrington and I wasn’t a fan. I admit that I was wrong. When will I ever learn to “never say never”? I love how this book turned out!

In truth, Leah’s Surrender can be read as a standalone but you might want to read about her in the first book in the series. Why? Because I think you might be surprised about Leah. She caused quite the conflict in the first novel which made for an excellent plot. Because of that, I wasn’t sure how she’d be redeemed in my eyes enough to have her own story. I assure you that the evolution of Leah was well written.

Actually, upon further pondering I’ve changed my mind. I absolutely recommend reading the first one prior to Leah’s Surrender because a reader should fully feel the effect of the scandal hanging over Lady Leah’s head. The more I reflect on Leah’s character, the more my opinion changes. I have to consider her age and that her reactions and choices were appropriate in Sophie’s Choice. I didn’t put much consideration into that fact at the time. As you can see, this series could very well be a great choice for a book club debate. But I’ll give credit where credit is due. Heath helped redeem Leah in my eyes. His perspective of her swung me around to team Leah. I would have preferred her age to be slightly higher, but given this is an historical book, I realize that was probably how it was back then. So, as I said before, her behavior was appropriate for her age and therefore necessary to be accurately written as such.

Even though I’ve gone back and forth about the heroine’s character, the unquestionable fact is that A.M. Westerling’s writing style is absolutely remarkable. I have a memory like Dory in the movie Finding Nemo so the fact that I remember my emotions from Sophie’s Choice is a testimony in itself. The Ladies of Harrington House series is unforgettable and I attribute that to the writing style. It made me feel as if I was in the story as a witness. Oh, I can’t forget to mention a certain villainous character that reappears in Leah’s Surrender. That was a nice plot twist.

If you are debating if you should read Sophie’s Choice first or not I’m going to share what’s in my heart. I think Leah’s Surrender will be better for readers after reading the first novel in the series. The characters are very well developed and a strong relationship is built between the reader and the characters. Book two continues that sense of connection. A.M. Westerling has succeeded in wiping out all previous reservations I might have had early on.

Now, I could re-write this review to try to share even more of my favorite parts because there is a great deal of content to reflect upon. One of them is when the hero, Heath’s, ship sinks during a storm. I should have had my life jacket on reading that scene. I’d love to be saved by Captain Heath Trevelyan! Not only does he meet all my book boyfriend qualities but his name alone is swoon worthy. I just love the name Heath. In the words of an Italian Chef, al bacio!

Regarding Heath and Leah’s relationship, I did find it entertaining and I was in full support of their satisfying happily ever after. I’m pleased at how the entire flow of the book kept me guessing what was going to happen next from beginning to end. Leah’s Surrender was hard to put down. Catherine is the next sister in line for her own story and now I can’t wait to read the third book! This is one series I’m glad I discovered and definitely recommend others to discover it too.

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To Light a Fire by Kristian Parker

April 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment


To Light a Fire by Kristian Parker
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Historical, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Frank never thought he would find love…until he met his friend’s servant.

It’s 1922 and Frank Harris has finished his exams at Cambridge. He had planned on going home to his parents’ Midlands shop until his friend Charlie Fitzwilliam issues a surprise invitation to stay at his family’s stately home.

Frank has nursed a secret attraction to Charlie since their first meeting and can’t resist a chance to spend time with him, but once there, it’s Tanner, a manservant, with whom he instantly falls in lust.

Charlie tries to force a local girl on Frank, and although Frank knows he should keep up appearances, it’s Tanner who sets a fire in him.

To Frank’s astonishment, Tanner is attracted to him too, and their mutual passion kindles, then burns strong. Only, their feelings must remain a secret—discovery would mean the ruin of them both.

But how long can love that blazes this bright be hidden?

In a time when being gay was illegal, Frank has to hide his affection for his University friend. However, when he spends some time with Charlie at his home, it’s the Under Valet who lights a fire in Frank.

This is a gentle start to a series that gives you a couple of steamy moments, but nothing too shocking. My heart broke for Frank when Charlie kept pushing Annie onto him, and I completely agree with Frank that at least he was admitting who he was, rather than hiding behind a woman’s skirts. Frank kept telling me that Charlie was different, but I only saw occasional glimpses of that.

I would have preferred this to be longer – a full-length novel rather than a novella – but still, it gave me the full story. I just would have wished for more information on Tanner and Frank, both their pasts and their future.

A thoroughly enjoyable book that starts off a series I want to continue. Definitely recommended by me!

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Wilde Child by Eloisa James

April 27, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Wilde Child by Eloisa James
book 6 of 6 in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

He wants a prim and proper duchess, not the Wildest of the Wildes!

Already notorious for the golden hair that proves her mother’s infidelity, Lady Joan can’t seem to avoid scandals, but her latest escapade may finally ruin her: she’s determined to perform the title role of a prince—in breeches, naturally.

She has the perfect model for an aristocratic male in mind: Thaddeus Erskine Shaw, Viscount Greywick, a man who scorned the very idea of marrying her.

Not that Joan would want such a dubious honor, of course.

For years, Thaddeus has avoided the one Wilde who shakes his composure, but he’s horrified when he grasps the danger Joan’s putting herself in. Staring into her defiant eyes, he makes the grim vow that he’ll keep her safe.

He strikes a bargain: after one performance, the lady must return to her father’s castle and marry one of three gentlemen whom he deems acceptable.

Not including him, of course.

I have never heard of the author, Eloisa James ,who is a New York Times Bestseller. Based on the one book that I just finished, Wilde Child, it’s clear I’ve been missing out. One of the other reviewers here at Long and Short Reviews, Xeranthemum, has reviewed all the previous books in the series. I took the time to read her reviews of the Wildes of Lindow Castle series and promptly went to Amazon to purchase the box set. I can’t wait to start from book one. I enjoyed this novel immensely and want to read the previous five stories in this series as soon as possible.

Wilde Child can be read as a standalone although I wish I hadn’t requested it. Based on the knowledge that I have gathered, I prefer to start the series from the beginning. I wish I knew Xeranthemum was following the series so she could have reviewed this novel. I agree with all of Xeranthemum’s earlier reviews. The Wildes family of Lindow Castle are unique, refreshing and entertaining. The best characteristic of the Wildes is their family loyalty to each other.

I fell in love with the heroine, Lady Joan. She was independent, feisty, possessed a witty sense of humor and was guided by her tender heart. The hero, Thaddeus, was preparing to be the ever-so-proper Duke. He lost perspective of any joy in his life, that is, until he met Lady Joan. At first the two of them shared a dislike of each other that turned from protectiveness to love. It was an entertaining read to see their perceptions of each other evolve from disgust to lust to true love. It was a scandalous process that resulted in several book glows.

The plot contained several memorable scenes. Joan’s good friend Otis was hilarious as Ophelia in the Hamlet play. The banter between him and Joan had me giggling. The back and forth repartee of Joan and Thaddeus was equally funny. The aging peacock, Fitzy, and Gully, the castle goat, had me cracking up as well. There were some serious scenes such as the ones between Thaddeus and his father. There were joyous scenes such as the birth of Joan’s sister, Viola. Then there were some sad scenes such as when they shared their past hurts. Then there were a few scenes where I hated Thaddeus’s father. All in all when put together, Wilde Child was a book that I didn’t want to put down or have it end.

I’m thrilled to have discovered a new author, Eloisa James. I anticipate the Wildes of Lindow Castle series will be going on my “keepers’ bookshelf” once it’s delivered by my favorite book store. Happy Reading!

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Spirit in Time by Julie Howard

April 26, 2021 By 1 Comment


Spirit in Time (Spirited Quest Mysteries) by Julie Howard
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Time travel isn’t real. It can’t be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding. Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting.
The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?

Can the past truly be changed?

My review of House of Seven Spirits, the first book in this series, mentioned my desire to see more character development for Jillian. I was pleased to see her gradually begin to grow and change in this sequel as a result of her experiences. Just like it often happens for people in real life, her evolution was filled with stops and starts. She often needed to learn the same lesson more than once, but I did begin to see the progress with this character that I originally wished the audience could have observed in her first adventure. I will continue to hope for more advancements in this area for Jillian as this series hopefully continues, but I’m glad the author paid more attention to it here.

The mystery storyline wasn’t given as much time to shine as I would have preferred to see. While basic information was provided as needed, it seemed to me that the author could have gone into much more detail about why Jillian and her boyfriend were sent back in time and what they were expected to accomplish there. It would have been nice to dig into the hints about these things in greater detail.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that described the many ways in which life in 1872 was wildly different from how people live in the present day. This was especially true when it came to how women and people from minority groups were treated. Jillian’s reactions to the double standards and deep-seated prejudices of that era made perfect sense. It’s one thing to read about them in a history book and entirely another to experience them first hand, especially since the social safety net was so sparse back then. She had to adjust quickly to a world that was much harsher than our own in many ways. I appreciated the fact that the author took these things seriously and made them such an integral part of the plot.

This definitely can be read as a standalone work, but I would recommend also checking out House of Seven Spirits to anyone who wants to follow Jillian’s adventures from the beginning.

Anyone who enjoys history or paranormal mysteries should check out Spirit in Time.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Fern and Otto by Stephanie Graegin

April 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Fern and Otto – A Picture Book Story About Two Best Friends by Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When best friends Fern, a bear, and Otto, a cat, go searching for an exciting story in the forest, they have different ideas about what that means. Fern thinks they should stop and watch a race between a tortoise and a hare, but Otto worries a tortoise is too slow to be exciting. Fern thinks the three brothers talking about how to build a house is incredibly interesting, but Otto isn’t convinced. Along the way, the two friends meet a little girl in red who is off to visit her grandmother (and a wolf headed the same way!); a cranky girl complaining that her porridge isn’t the right temperature; and many others. But it’s not until they run into a big scary witch that they both can agree that this is not the kind of excitement they had in mind. With irresistible illustrations and tons of charming details, this is a delightful fantasy adventure that proves the best adventures are the ones you share.

You never know what you’ll find in a magical forest!

I was delighted by the many references to classic fairy and folk tales in this picture book. Most of them would be easy for kids to figure out, but there were one or two that were slightly more challenging in a good way. It was nice that the narrator trusted readers to make those connections on our own. There were certainly enough clues to do so. While I would be prepared to share the answers with preschoolers who might need a little help with the trickier ones, this is something I think they’d take great pride in figuring out on their own as much as possible.

There was a scene involving a witch that I thought was a tad too scary for this age group. As much as I enjoyed the references in that scene, it was something I’d tone down or maybe even skip over if I were reading this to the little ones in my life. With that being said, this was a minor blip in something I otherwise enjoyed quite a bit. Every child is unique and some of them may not be phased by it at all.

Fern and Otto’s friendship made me smile. They were always so kind to each other even when they disagreed about what they should do next or whether a particular experience in the forest would be a good thing to include in the storybook they were writing together. I thought they were a great example of what it should look like when friends disagree on something they both have strong feelings about. They both did a good job of communicating how they felt and working together to find solutions for their disagreements.

Fern and Otto – A Picture Book Story About Two Best Friends was a delightful adventure that should be read by fantasy fans of all ages.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

April 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Audiobook narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Publisher: Print – Avon, Recorded Books (Audio Publisher)
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

1814 promises to be another eventful season, but not, this author believes, for Anthony Bridgerton, London’s most elusive bachelor, who has shown no indication that he plans to marry. And in all truth, why should he? When it comes to playing the consummate rake, nobody does it better… – Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1814

But this time the gossip columnists have it wrong. Anthony Bridgerton hasn’t just decided to marry – he’s even chosen a wife! The only obstacle is his intended’s older sister, Kate Sheffield – the most meddlesome woman ever to grace a London ballroom. The spirited schemer is driving Anthony mad with her determination to stop the betrothal, but when he closes his eyes at night, Kate’s the woman haunting his increasingly erotic dreams.

Contrary to popular belief, Kate is quite sure that reformed rakes do not make the best husbands – and Anthony Bridgerton is the most wicked rogue of them all. Kate is determined to protect her sister – but she fears her own heart is vulnerable. And when Anthony’s lips touch hers, she’s suddenly afraid she might not be able to resist the reprehensible rake herself.

Anthony was such a forceful personality in The Duke and I that I wasn’t sure how he’d be as a hero in his own book, The Viscount Who Loved Me. I shouldn’t have wondered. He blew away my expectations.

Just like The Duke and I, once again I listened to this novel via an audiobook. When Kate has her nightmare, Ms. Landor, the narrator, was so effective and so emotional, I know my mouth was hanging open in shock, I felt the chills go up my spine, and my breath caught in my throat. It was so REAL! And Anthony was wonderful with her. It affected him as well, and he was determined to help Kate. I know I’m jumping the gun by mentioning something later in the book but that scene was so amazing, and profound and effective, I had to start with it. That scene sealed this story with a rating of 5 stars.

Now, to go back to the beginning, Anthony decided it was time to find a wife. His choice would normally make sense, until a reader understands that he’s being driven by a traumatic event from his past. Here’s the point – it’s a real thing. It’s not his imagination. What is even more amazing is that Ms. Quinn actually explains why she had Anthony do as he did in the wrap up after the novel ends. I can personally attest to that emotional response because my own dad and his brother thought the exact same way. In the back of their minds as they married and lived their lives, there was an age concern, will they live past that milestone, or will genetics win out? It’s a powerful motivator for good or ill. Ms. Quinn used it as a very effective internal plot conflict and because I knew it was a real emotional response in real life, it made the story come alive and it felt very relevant.

The novel isn’t so dark and heavy handed, despite the first couple of paragraphs in my review. Those were the things that touched me deeply on a personal level. But the majority of the book is wonderfully romantic, and with the Bridgerton family playing Pall Mall, hilarity, hijinks and fun is a guarantee. Pay attention to the Mallet of Death because in the audio version there is a second epilogue and Pall Mall provides a significant backdrop that made me laugh uncontrollably too many times to count. I truly mean that. I laughed out loud, giggled, snorted and grinned from ear to ear so long, it hurt. Ms. Quinn has a wicked sense of humor!

What I find interesting about this story is that the intense moments when the true conflicts show up happen after the hero and heroine get married. It’s fascinating. In most romance books, they end after the hero and heroine get their HEA which usually has an ‘I love you’ and off they go. Not so with this novel. No, the author did something different. It’s when people move in together, when they see each other first thing in the morning and the last at night, when all the little quirks and personal habits start showing up and they react. That’s when the true learning of a married relationship starts. That’s what I believe Ms. Quinn does in this novel and it works. It’s wonderful and I can’t say enough good things about it.

The Viscount Who Loves Me is awesome, and whether you read it in print or listen to it in audio, Ms. Quinn has penned a wonderful romance that should not be missed.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,
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