The Heir by Grace Burrowes

Title: The Heir
Author: Grace Burrowes
ISBN: 978-1-4022-4434-6
$6.99
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance
How I read it: Mass Market ARC
Rating: 5 Crowns Royal Read

An earl who can’t be bribed...
Gayle Windham, earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the duke of Moreland. To escape his father’s inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper...
A lady who can’t be protected...
Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle Windham that she works as his housekeeper.
As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna’s secrets threaten to bring the earl’s orderly life crashing down—and he doesn’t know how he’s going to protect her from the fallout...
(from the publisher)



My Thoughts:
Before I became a reviewer, I would normally pass by romance books. Occasionally one would catch my eye, but often I wrote them off as fluff- light reading with no substance to sustain my mind or engage me- I have to that it’s author’s like Grace Burrowes that have pulled me into this genre. I found that The Heir, not only peaked my interest, it held my attention, and now has me hooked on the characters. I simply cannot wait to read what will happen next.

Very Well crafted, each of the characters offers the reader something fresh and unexpected, the same goes for the plot. Westhaven was so unlike any other romance character that I had read, it made me want to read more. To find out who he was and what he wanted (not want he was expected to do, but wanted) to do with his life. I found alluring to watch him claim his own destiny and not have his father force it onto him. I was hooked from the moment Westhaven received knock over the head, and thoroughly enjoyed his battle with the chicken pox. Although I did feel his pain, seeing as how I was 21 when I fought my own battle with them. I also enjoyed Anna’s character, I was speaking about the book a few days ago to a friend of mine and compared her to an onion in the sense that she very well layered.

The supporting cast was also a welcome surprise. Even though he may come off a bit rough and gruff, I have to say I found myself falling in love with Dev and captured by the antics of Val.

I read somewhere that Grace Burrowes had originally intended for Westhaven to be a secondary character in a completely different novel, I am so glad that she answered the call of the writer created a story just for him.

Overall would I read this again? Yes. Actually I enjoyed it so much, I cannot wait to reread it!! Also I cannot wait for the next addition in what I believe will be an unforgettable series.


Visit Angela Renee @ Renee's Reads

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

Title: The Winter Sea
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 978-1-4022-41337-6
Format: Trade Paperback
$16.99
How I read it: Trade Paperback ARC
Rating: 5 Crowns Royal Read




My review:

Carrie McClelland is a writer of historical fiction. Her new goal is to turn the events surrounding the often-overlooked Jacobite Rising of 1708 into a bestselling novel. Living in France at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, to be closer to Nathaniel Hooke, whom she deemed the perfect hero for her story to evolve around, yet she does not truly feel the flow of the story. That is until she journey’s to Scotland for the Christening of her friend/agents baby boy. Feeling the pull of the ruins of Slains Castle and the characters within she moves to Cruden Bay. Once their her story begins to flow, although now that she has begun writing, she wonders who’s story it truly is. As the characters begin to speak Carrie is envisioning or perhaps remembering memories that belong to someone else thus making her wonder if ancestral memory is a possibility.


I have numerous books pertaining to the Jacobite Risings, yet this is the first that I have read that featured the ‘08, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The way the events of both the past and present are intertwined in “The Winter Sea” made me set up and take interest.

I fell in love with this book from the beginning although I will admit I love reading anything regarding the Jacobites. I loved every part of it. The characters. The plot. The story within the story. Each page I devoured only made me want to read the next one and the next one. I found Susanna Kearsley’s writing to be highly engaging, and I strongly recommend this book.

“The Winter Sea”, has to be my favorite book of the year, and I am hoping that the ending of the book eludes to a possible follow-up.

Please note that this book was released in England as "Sophia's Secret:






Visit Angela Renee @ Renees-Reads

A Darcy Christmas

Title: A Darcy Christmas
Authors: Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart.
ISBN: 978-1-4022-4339-4
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Trade Paperback
$14.99
How I read it Trade Paperback ARC
Rating: 5 Crowns A ROYAL READ


My Review:

Mr. Darcy’s Christmas Carol
By Carolyn Eberhart

Many of you are familiar with the Charles Dickens “Christmas Carol”, well Carolyn Eberhart retells the beloved classic with the Mr. Darcy as the lead. I have to say that I enjoyed reading the new take on an old classic, and was rather surprised with I realized the similarities between Scrooge and Darcy.

A very well crafted read. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.


Christmas Present
By Amanda Grange

In this story, Darcy and Elizabeth are married and are expecting their first child.. Her sister Jane and Mr. Bingly have just had their first child, and although Elizabeth is near the end of her own confinement, she persuades Darcy to allow them to travel to the Bingly’s. Once they arrive, we see the cast of character’s we have loved from the original P&P, and of course they are still composed in the same form we have come to know & love them by.

Another great read from Amanda Grange.


A Darcy Christmas
By Sharon Lathan

A Darcy Christmas would have to be my favorite out of the three. It shows the many Christmas’s of the Darcy family. I loved the way it was like a flashback into Darcy’s & Elizabeth’s past.



My Thoughts.

I have noticed that this year has seen an influx Pride & Prejudice based material, which I have to say that I have been loving. Although I have not been able to a Christmas themed book, that is until now. “A Darcy Christmas” is a lovely collect of three novella’s by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart.

I found that I simply could not put the book down. Each novella held my attention and I found that I read each one straight through. Fans of Jane Austen will be thrilled to add “A Darcy Christmas” to their Jane Austen spin-off shelf, and if you are like me you probably have an entire shelf or two just for those types of books.

Trust me, this book is a must read.





Visit Angela Renee @ Renee's Reads

A Christmas Visitor by Anne Perry

Title: A Christmas Visitor
Author: Anne Perry
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Headline, 2004
133p

Rating: 3.5 Crowns

It is mid-December and Henry Rathbone travels to the Dreghorn family manor house near Ullswater. But despite the festive season and the beautiful surroundings, this is not a happy occasion: he is going to comfort the family following the death of his friend, the master of the house. It seems that Judah Dreghorn slipped while crossing a stream, and drowned. And when Henry arrives , he finds there is more than a widows grief to contend with.

Ashton Gower, recently released from jail, is slandering Judahs name, claiming that he was wrongfully imprisoned. Gower insists that his family owns the estate and the deeds which were proved to be forged, were in fact genuine.

To Henry and the remaining two Dreghorn brothers, also returning to the Lakes for Christmas, Judah's mysterious death and Gower's outrageous claims seem inevitably linked........the truth must be discovered.

Well known for her Victorian mysteries, author Anne Perry has also written a series called The Christmas Stories of which this is one. Of novella length, this one is 133 pages, they make perfect light and easy reading for the pre-Christmas season when time is limited and the mind is overloaded with things that need doing.

Set in the mid-1800's the atmosphere of Victorian England is very well portrayed as is the wild beauty of a snow-covered wintry Lake District . I imagined this would be a mystery against a background of yule log fires and giant Christmas trees in the hall, of sleighbells ringing and carollers singing, but I was proved wrong.

It's the story of a family confronting a huge moral dilemma............an opportunity to right a wrong and to take responsibility, to make right decisions even if it means great personal loss.

"Sometimes we bring to a struggle or a cause the gifts we see most clearly, a courage, a strength, or a charm others have told us we have. But often we find more is asked of us than that, more than we intended or thought we possessed. We are asked to offer that which we though dearest, to forgive what seemed unpardonable, to face what we feared the most and endure it."


Without in any way preaching it is a gentle reminder that beneath the outer trappings of the festive season lies the true spirit of Christmas ...........a Christmas visitor to make time for amidst all the noise and celebration.

***********

I hope all the readers and reviewers at Royal Reviews have a very happy holiday season






Visit Cat @ Tell Me A Story

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Title: The Age of Innocence

Author: Edith Wharton

Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics

Pgs.: 352

Genre: Classic




In 1870’s New York Newland Archer, member of the city’s social elite is wandering through life doing what is expected of a young man of his stature. He attends balls and dinners and keeping up with the rules and customs expected of those of his ilk. Naturally, he will marry a respectable girl whom everyone approves of. That girl is quiet, unassuming, well-bred May of the prominent Welland family. Newland is perfectly content with the life that lies ahead of him until he meets May’s cousin Countess Ellen Olenska, recently separated from her husband and returned from Europe. Newland is enraptured by Ellen, her free spirit and nonconformist lifestyle. She says what she thinks, lives in neighborhoods too “bohemian” for others of her class, and associates with who she likes. While her family thinks the acceptable course of action is to return to her husband, Ellen aims to avoid returning to the monstrous man she married at all costs.





Newland marries May Welland because that is what is expected of him. He is soon settled into married life with his devoted but boring wife, mundane job and the following of the same social calendar as before but he can’t let go of the thought of Ellen Olenska and the life he may have had with her had things turned out differently. Newland is caught between the need to do what is expected of him and the desire to live the life he really wants with Ellen.




This 1921 Pulitzer Prize winning novel gives a fascinating account of how the well to do lived in 19th century New York. It is a world which resolves around having the right family connections, associating with the right people, having the right kind of job, friends, even opinions. It is a rigid social structure of which one must not fall astray as Countess Olenska has. It is only appealing to the few sitting at the top of the social pyramid that she is even acknowledged by this society after her divorce scandal.




Newland is a character I didn’t like at first. He does the right thing by marrying May Welland and yet he still entertains notions of running away with Ellen throughout the entire book. It was interesting to see his character evolve and to see whether he would remain honorable in the end or follow his heart and also to see how he handled the situation when his opinions did not coincide with that of the rest of the family. I was also surprised by the character of May Welland. At first she seemed like such a one dimensional Step ford wife like person but as the novel progresses you discover there is more to her.

The social customs and expectations of this time are so vastly different from what we have today. I sympathized with both Newland and Ellen as I think I would feel stifled by this type of environment too. Ellen’s quirkiness definitely adds flavor to the book. I really liked this look at New York Society at this time. The edition I read did have many footnotes explaining who certain composers, writers, and works were that were mentioned throughout the book. In many instances I already knew what they were talking about which made the footnotes completely unnecessary and kind of annoying. Also I will mention that Wharton goes into a lot of detail describing residences, ball gowns, scenery etc. which gave me a more complete picture but also made the story seem drawn out at times. Still, it was definitely worth the read.


Visit Holly @ Bippity Boppity Book

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell review/giveaway

Title: Pemberley Ranch
Author: Sourcebooks Landmarks
ISBN: 978-1-4022-4128-4
Format: Trade Paperback
Release Date: December, 2010
$14.99
How I read it? Trade Paperback ARC
Rating: 5 Crowns A ROYAL READ

When the smoke has cleared from the battlefields and the civil war has finally ended, fervent Union supporter Beth Bennet reluctantly moves with her family from their home in Meryton, Ohio, to the windswept plains of Rosings, Texas. Handsome, haughty Will Darcy, a Confederate officer back from the war, owns half the land around Rosings, and his even haughtier cousin, Cate Burroughs, owns the other half.

In a town as small as Rosings, Beth and Will inevitably cross paths. But as Will becomes enchanted with the fiery Yankee, Beth won’t allow herself to warm to the man who represents the one thing she hates most: the army that killed her only brother.

But when carpetbagger George Whitehead arrives in Rosings, all that Beth thought to be true is turned on its head, and the only man who can save her home is the one she swore she’d never trust…
(from the publisher)


My Thoughts:

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Pemberley Ranch. Author Jack Caldwell offers Pride & Prejudice up in a fresh new prospective that immediately engages the reader. When I first heard talk of a novel that intertwined Pride & Prejudice and Gone With the Wind, I was apprehensive yet eager to read a work such as this. In the I was worried that the characters would lose that special something that Jane Austen provided, but once I picked up Pemberley Ranch, I found that I could not put this book down. The characters are in essence the same characters they have simply been transplanted to post-Civil War America. The core of the story still remained the same, only now Elizabeth and Darcy have to face the North/South problem rather than Regency Class division.

A true gem of historical romance. One that I believe will attract a broad spectrum of readers.

First off Royal Reviews would like to thank Mr. Caldwell for this lovely guest post.


PRIDE & PREJUDICE AND THE CIVIL WAR? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice is a classic for many reasons. One can talk about her style of writing, her turn of phrase. She is beloved for her immortal yet real characters-not only the spirited Elizabeth and honorably reserved Darcy, but the delightfully comic Mr. Collins, Mrs. Bennet, and even Lady Catherine de Bough (she really is ridiculous). Austen is funny and dramatic at the same time.

I want to talk about the famous plot, so amply described in the title of the work.

There are themes of class and misunderstanding in Pride & Prejudice that are immortal. Consider Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. Boy meets girl, but preconceived notations lead to misunderstandings that keep them apart. They must overcome these obstacles to find happiness, and in the process, grow as human beings. In Austen’s novel, the impediments stem from the class structure in Regency England. Elizabeth is from the lowest caste of the aristocracy, while Darcy, though untitled, is a representation of the First Circles of society. That is a lot to overcome-Elizabeth’s declaration that “he is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter: so far we are equal” is just barley true. Lady Catherine is right-Elizabeth’s connections are terrible. But Elizabeth is fortunate to fall in love with a rich man that disdains society. Once she sets aside her prejudices, and Darcy sets aside his pride, all ends happily.

So, why did I transport this story thousands of miles and over sixty years in the future to 1870’s Reconstruction Texas in Pemberley Ranch?

I am a native of the state of Louisiana, born and bred in the swamps, who has always had an interest in history and genealogy. I learned that I had family who fought on both sides of the US Civil War. This was brought home to me in a very personal way: On a visit to the Vicksburg Battlefield, I stood at the very spot where troops from Louisiana withstood assaults from Union forces under the command of General Sherman. I am related to Sherman, and I had ancestors that fought in the very Louisiana regiments he attacked. That dichotomy left a mark on me.

This affected how I look at my country, particularly when I consider the nations my ancestors came from. England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden. All great places to visit with fascinating history. And yet……………

European history is filled with wars and conflict. People living only miles apart knew nothing of each other because they spoke a different language. Grudges carried on for centuries. Even today people remember everything. Countries are breaking up because of language and culture and history, some peacefully (Czechoslovakia in 1993 and Belgium any time now) and some not (Yugoslavia in 1991).

It is said that America has no history. That might be true. But it is also true that other nation might be captive of their history.

Let me explain. The family of my wife, Barbara, is German/Polish from Wisconsin. As I said, I’m from Louisiana. It occurred to me that in many nations of the world, I should hate my wife’s family because of the Civil War. But I do not, and it would be considered ridiculous in this country if I did. In comparison to the rest of the world, America has generally “gotten over” the Civil War.

This brings me back to Pemberley Ranch. I wanted to tell the story of Reconstruction in the South after the Civil War, much like Margaret Mitchell did in her masterpiece, Gone With the Wind. It occurred to me I could come up with Pride & Prejudice on steroids-make Elizabeth (Beth) an Yankee and Darcy (Will) a Confederate veteran. And let’s kick it up another notch: Have Beth’s only brother a casualty of the war. She would hate Southerners, right? Meanwhile, Yankee carpetbaggers are busy stealing land from the locals. Will could have a problem with that. How does our couple overcome those obstacles?

Really, it is the story of post-Civil War America. Because we did overcome all that.

Just how Beth and Will overcame all that-well, you’ll just have to read Pemberley Ranch.

It takes a real man to write historical romance, so let me tell you a story.



About the Author:

Jack Caldwell, a native of Louisiana living in Wisconsin, is an economic developer by trade. Mr. Caldwell has been an amateur history buff and a fan of Jane Austen for many years. Pemberley Ranch is his first published work. He lives with his wife and three sons in Minnesota. For more information, please visit http://webpages.charter.net/jvcla25/. Also check out Austen Authors where he regularly contributes.




I have two copies thanks to Sourcebooks to giveaway on December 27, 2010
To enter please leave your name and a valid email address.
Contest open to residents of the U.S. & Canada only

The Preacher’s Daughter by Cheryl St. John

Title: The Preacher’s Daughter

Author: Cheryl St. John

Genre: Historical Romance

Royal rating: 3 crowns

From the back cover:

Lorabeth Holdrige longed for life and experience! Cloistered by her strict father, her world was confined to chores and prayer. Her chance of escape came when she took a job as a housekeeper to a boisterous family. Lorabeth reveled in her newfound freedom. And when Benjamin Chaney visited, she felt the stirrings of her first crush.

Jaded and cynical, Ben found it hard to trust , though Lorabeth’s sweetness soothed his battered soul and taught him joy. But he would have to face the demons of his past to find a glorious future in Lorabeth’s arms!

Review:

The back cover doesn’t give much information about the actual story. If I had read the back cover first, I’m not sure I would have picked it. Instead the book was recommended to me, so I thought I would give it a try.

Lorabeth is indeed the preacher’s daughter. The beginning of the story centers around her desire to broaden her horizons and escape from the stifling world of her very strict father. For quite awhile she had been working for a family as a mother’s helper and housekeeper. Lorabeth convinces her father that her employers need her to live with them full time because of the imminent arrival of a new baby. Her father agrees and Lorabeth’s new life starts.

Ben is the brother of Lorabeth’s employer. He, his sister and brother had a hard life growing up, and it has left Ben wary of relationships. When he discovers he is attracted to Lorabeth he fights the feelings with everything in him.

Although the story purports to be about Lorabeth’s search for freedom and independence, the story actually focuses more on Ben’s coming to terms with his past. This makes for an interesting contrast in a romance novel.

Thoughts:

The story was sweet. I liked all the characters, although Lorabeth was a bit too naïve for my taste much of the time. This worked, however, because she was a sheltered preacher’s daughter. Some of the plot elements seemed a bit historically wishy washy to me for late nineteenth century Kansas. I felt like the author may have taken some liberties to fit the story.


Visit Liz @ Liz's Book Nook

The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn

Title: The Dead Travel Fast
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Price: $13.99
ISBN: 9780778327653
How I read it: Paperback from Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4 Crowns

Synopsis: A husband, a family, a comfortable life: Theodora Lestrange lives in terror of it all...
With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburgh - and a disappointed suitor - far behind. She is bound for Rumania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence.

She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathains, replete with eccentric inhabitants: the ailing dowager; the troubled steward; her own fearful friend, Cosmina. But all are outstripped in dark glamour by the castle's master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.

Bewildering and bewitching in equal measure, the brooding nobleman ignites Theodora's imagination and awakens passions in her that she can neither deny nor conceal. His allure is superlative, his dominion over the superstitious town, absolute - Theodora may simply be one more person under his sway.

Before her sojourn is ended - or her novel completed - Theodora will have encountered things as strange and terrible as they are seductive. For obsession can prove fatal...and she is in danger of failing prey to more than desire.

My Review: Those of you who are familiar with Deanna Raybourn's work know how she can create a gripping story that easily pulls you in, and this one is no exception. For those who have not yet read her novels, I hope to persuade you to do so as soon as you are able.

When I first heard that Deanna was going to write a novel that did not feature her beloved Lady Julia Grey, I was disappointed to say the least. I should not have allowed myself to doubt her, because this is certainly on par with a Lady Julia novel. While it started off a little more slowly, I soon found myself wrapped up in the characters and unwilling to put the book down. I even once looked over at my empty water glass, and though I was thirsty, I didn't want to take the time to fill it.

True to her style, Deanna manages to keep you reading through an immense build up - are there really vampires and werewolves in this land? Who will their victim be? What is real and what is sprung from myth? No joke - a third of the novel had passed with nothing but legends of the land, yet I was still so tense I had to take small breaks to calm myself.

Count Dragulescu is as mysterious and dangerously sexy as a leading man, and you want to warn Theodora away...mostly so you can have him for yourself! Their romance is forbidden and exciting, one of those slowly moving seductions I love to read about. You never quite know - is he in love with her? Or is he just trying to ensnare her for some overlying evil scheme?

This is a great mystery and romance all wrapped up into one. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next - both around the castle and between Andrei and Theodora. As an independent woman with a romantic heart, Theodora must make choices that will shape the rest of her life - which may be shorter than she had ever imagined...




Visit Crystal @ I Totally Paused

One Wore Blue by Heather Graham

Title: One Wore Blue
Author: Heather Graham
Rating: 4 Stars


From the Back Cover:

She was velvet and silk, emerald eyes and sunstruck hair. Kiernan Miller had married one man to protect her from another. She hated Jesse Cameron with a fierce passion. But she was a widow now, and he was the enemy at her door, come with weapons of fire to melt her icy heart...
He wore a Yankee uniform with inimitable Southern style, as true to the Union cause as he was traitorous to his rebel roots. Even as war engulfed them all, he would find his greatest adversary in the beuaty who'd branded him a traitor, the woman he was born to possess.


This novel of the Civil War is the first in a trilogy about the Camerons, a wealthy Virginia plantation family who find their loyalties divided when the Civil War breaks out. Most of this novel is told from the point of view of Kiernan Mackay, the spirited and beautiful neighbor of the Camerons who has loved the oldest Cameron brother, Jesse, for most of her life. Time and circumstances finally collaborate to get this couple together, but their bliss is short-lived when their beloved Virginia secedes from the Union and the lovers find themselves on opposite sides of the divide and neither is willing to compromise on their convictions. Jesse, an army surgeon, rides off to the North, leaving Kiernan behind in the little town of Harper's Ferry, which is about to find itself in the middle of a nasty tug-of-war between the Union and the Confederacy that lasts throughout the entire war. But war has a way of tearing people apart and throwing them back together again in dramatic fashion, and as the bloody conflict rages on, Kiernan and Jesse begin to question their ideals, their loyalities, and their feelings for each other. This novel borderlines on being a bodice-ripper and it is a bit on the melodramatic side, but it's delicious, exciting, and very well-researched, and I couldn't put it down! I've already ordered the next book in the trilogy!




Visit Jenny @ Let Them Read Books